Discordant Feelings

Chapters

Behind These Clouds
With a Bucket of Popcorn
Lion Paw
Outside My Window
Everyday I'm WHAT?
Cotton Candy Cupcakes
Cherish
Flutterrage
That's Private, Spike!
Inner Chaos
Red and Gold Eyes
How and Why
Another Way
Bittersweet
A Little Laughter, a Little Kindness
Honest Words and Generous Chaos
My Personal Space, My Loyalty
We Found Fun
Sparkling Burst
Became
The Happiest of Birthdays
Supporters of Harmony
Anew
A Chaotic Celebration
Dear Journal
For My Eyes Only
You'll Learn Winter Wrap-Up

Behind These Clouds

It was always so nice to visit Cloudsdale once in a while.

Twilight smiled as she watched the excited look on Rainbow Dash's face as she led their hot air balloon into the clouds, which served as entry into her hometown. The last time they came here, it was for a flying competition that Rainbow Dash had been practicing for.

The unicorn sat back against the side of the balloon as she recalled how Rainbow Dash wanted her friends to be there when she entered the competition. How impossible it was for them, except Fluttershy, to stay up in the clouds as the Pegasi. Luckily, Twilight had created a spell to fix that. And unluckily, Rarity took the spell too well. She had received wings in the process and she became to prideful of them.

Twilight remembered how Rarity simply basked in the glow of her newfound wings, showing off to everyone, making Rainbow Dash feel inferior about her wings. Those childish male ponies kept taunting her, kept calling her names. Twilight nearly used a spell to zip their mouths...

Then Rarity had intervened with the flying competition, making Rainbow Dash break down with complete distrust in herself as well as her flying, believing she would be as those ponies called her: Rainbow Crash.

Twilight had never seen Rainbow Dash so scared and nervous in her life; she almost reminded her of Fluttershy. Twilight wanted to talk to Rarity about how she needed to keep her hooves on the ground. Literally. But it had been too late when Rarity rushed off to a dressing room and put on the most outrageous outfit Twilight had ever seen. Must that unicorn always dress up for simple things?

She was the last to go into the competition(Rainbow Dash felt she would fail herself and refused to go). She put on a show for everyone, and it did look lovely. Rarity had extended herself higher, high above to where the sun was.

And Twilight had become horrified when the sun's rays completely melted off Rarity's wings.

How terrified Rarity was when she began falling. How terrified the other ponies were to witness such a thing. Twilight was about to use a spell to save her, but then three special ponies came to the rescue.

They were Rainbow Dash's heroes, the Wonderbolts.

However, the rescue was ruined when Rarity, having been scared being so high in the air and completely flightless, went kicking and screaming. Twilight cringed at the memory of seeing Spitfire getting such a hoofing from the terrified unicorn.

But then...the Element of Loyalty came in.

Not the element jewel, but the element within Rainbow Dash's heart as she saw her friend, and the Wonderbolts, in trouble. Twilight had seen the sudden change in the once-scared pegasus's eyes as she flew in to make a daring rescue, not caring if she humiliated herself or not.

Her flying was incredible, faster than Twilight had seen her do back in Ponyville. The determined, confident Rainbow Dash was back as she held the four helpless ponies in her protection, loyal to keeping them safe while she was high in the air.

And then magic happened.

A Sonic Rainboom. More powerful than any rainbow made in the sky.

And Rainbow Dash had created it. Twilight knew her spirit was, indeed, powerful, and her flight was faster than any flyer in Equestria. She cheered for her friend, though not as loud as Fluttershy.

And Rainbow Dash saved Rarity and the Wonderbolts. Not only that, she won the competition.

Twilight nearly teared a bit as she remembered how happy Rainbow Dash was when she was given a congrats by Princess Celestia. And even the Wonderbolts, who were grateful to her for saving their lives!

And Rarity...she learned a valuable lesson in friendship about letting others do their thing while friends kept their hooves on the ground. Literally.

All during this, Twilight's mind told her one thing.

That Rainbow Dash was definitely the Element of Loyalty.

Despite being so afraid, despite the fear of humiliating herself, despite the taunts of the other pegasi, Rainbow Dash came to Rarity when she needed her. Rainbow Dash was always there whenever her friends needed her. She would always be loyal.

But her loyalty had been played with as well as questioned when Discord had been present...

"Twilight? Hello! Twilight!"

"Hmm?" The violet unicorn immediately drew away from her thoughts and looked up to see Rainbow Dash floating above her. "Yes?"

"We're here, Twilight," Rainbow Dash said as she motioned to the others having already exited out of the balloon. "Don't tell me you were thinking of some geeky mathematics while we were coming up here."

Twilight rolled her eyes as she got out of the balloon. "Of course not," she said simply as she trotted behind the others, "I was simply pensive."

Cloudsdale was so beautiful. More beautiful up close than from the sky. Twilight always enjoyed the view of the land before her from high above in the clouds. And the pegasi. They were so nice and very helpful. They served as Equestria's weather workers, helping create a balance of the weather from sunshine to rain. And rainbows.

"Don't even think of tasting the rainbow again, Pinkie," Twilight warned the pink pony as she trotted past her.

"How was I suppose to know I would get nauseous, feel hot, get a cold, and feel green?" Pinkie Pie retorted as she lightly bounced behind the intelligent unicorn.

There was no particular reason why they were in Cloudsdale. They simply wanted to have fun and enjoy each other's company in Rainbow Dash's hometown. Like Canterlot, they would have lunch here; Rainbow Dash mentioned how they made the best shakes that tasted as fluffy as a cloud.

Trotting through the streets-if they could even be called streets because everything was basically clouds-Twilight admired the vendors around her, selling anything that related to sky or rainbows. She enjoyed the sight of workers on their breaks before going back to helping with the weather. Twilight hoped for good sunshine today for the Earth ponies and unicorns down below.

"Home sweet home," Rainbow Dash sighed as she looked around. "So, what do you girls want to do first?"

Pinkie Pie was the first to respond as she zipped past all of them and began bouncing upon a cloud cake that stuck out from the ground. The others laughed.

"It's a jumping jamboree!" Pinkie exclaimed happily.

"Careful, Pinkie," Fluttershy said softly, "you don't want to somehow manage a hole through Cloudsdale."

"Aw, don't worry," Rainbow Dash assured her. "We're completely fine. Even if you threw a boulder here, it'd still be intact."

Twilight watched as her friends enjoyed the clouded scenery, and watching Pinkie just being Pinkie. Though Rainbow Dash loved Ponyville, she loved her hometown just as much, of course.

The thought of Rainbow Dash loving her home triggered a memory in Twilight...a memory involving Discord.

It was during that game in the labyrinth back in Canterlot. Discord had stolen the Elements of Harmony, and Twilight had assumed he hid them in the labyrinth. Though Discord had taken their wings and horns, Twilight assured them that they would all be fine, that they needed to rely on each other and meet at the center.

It was so hard doing such a task without her magic, Twilight couldn't see how Earth ponies like Applejack and Pinkie Pie could go on with it. Though magicless, Twilight needed to find her friends. She felt so scared and helpless without them, but the assurance in Rainbow Dash's words about sticking together pulled her through.

However, one by one, she had started noticing changes...

Her friends were looking gray, and they were completely opposite to the elements they symbolized. Honest Applejack lying...happy Pinkie Pie becoming serious...generous Rarity becoming greedy, claiming some rock was her precious diamond...and Fluttershy...Twilight nearly teared a bit as she remembered the hostility the changed pegasus had given her, the kindness lost and replaced with a cruel personality that made Twilight shiver.

Discord had cheated them. While Twilight still remained herself, her friends had become victim to Discord's power, each of them having become a cold, heartless pawn in his little game. Twilight wanted to fight back, stand up against Discord, even if she had to do it by herself. She had also assumed that because she hadn't bumped into Rainbow Dash yet, she thought Rainbow Dash had avoided Discord's tricks; she was a tough pony.

But when dishonest Applejack said that Rainbow Dash had deserted them, Twilight refused to believe it, insisting so strongly that the pegasus truly held her element of loyalty. But when she looked up in the sky and saw that the lying Applejack was actually being truthful for once, Twilight felt a little hope drain from her.

Disloyal Rainbow Dash...

Her heart sank when she saw her pegasus friend fly out of the labyrinth, having definitely deserted them to fight off Discord on their own. But considering that her four friends were affected, Twilight had to do it all on her own.

Discord had laughed at her, taunted her about her magic of friendship. Twilight had become even more furious and irritated with him, and he liked that. The spirit of chaos and disharmony had continued playing around with her even after she and her remaining friends had left the labyrinth, knowing the elements were back in Ponyville as Discord's ridiculous riddle had said.

Though saddened that Rainbow Dash had left them, Twilight needed to be strong. She needed to save Equestria, and her friends.

That's where Spike came in.

Twilight remembered that the baby dragon was back in Ponyville, enjoying the day off she gave him while she went out with her friends to Cloudsdale. Having been her loyal assistant since day one, Twilight didn't doubt herself when she had chosen him to be the Element of Loyalty, the substitute Rainbow Dash.

Though her assistant became nervous about doing such a responsibility, he was more nervous about what Rainbow Dash would think. Sure, Rainbow Dash was hard-headed and aggressive, but she couldn't be mad at Spike for representing her element. She was his friend. Perhaps Spike was just nervous that the Elements of Harmony would fail because of him.

But Twilight had put her faith in him. Though the element never chose him, he truly was an object of loyalty.

But even with his loyalty, they had failed to defeat Discord the first time, the power of their friendship having weakened because of his tricks.

If only Rainbow Dash had been with them, it would have been easy! Twilight felt so betrayed as one by one, each of her friends left her on her own, the affects of Discord's magic having worsened them. Where was Rainbow Dash? How could she have left them when they needed her the most?

Twilight shook her head as she tried not to think about the sad parts of those recent events. She needed to think happy; she was nearly tearing up and she didn't want to do so in front of her friends, in front of everyone in Cloudsdale.

The unicorn immediately thought of the memory of defeating Discord, the power of their friendship having turned him into stone.

Stone...

Twilight remembered her journal back at home. For hours she had spilled her grief and sadness about Discord's fate into her little notebook, how she had wished there could have been something better...

She immediately stopped thinking about the Discord statue back in the gardens of Canterlot and thought back to Rainbow Dash. It had been difficult trying to convince her where her loyalty lay, how much Twilight and her friends needed her.

But Rainbow Dash, having been as gray as them, refused, lounging on a single cloud she claimed was Cloudsdale, which she bragged she had saved from corruption.

Twilight and her friends needed to use force, and they chased Rainbow Dash through the skies using a hot air balloon. It had been complicated for Fluttershy, who was scared of using an incredible amount of speed. But Twilight, though she sounded tough, convinced her to keep going, that if they didn't catch Rainbow Dash Discord would win.

That got Fluttershy going.

With her newfound speed, they finally caught Rainbow Dash. The magic of friendship placed in her head, the affects of Discord were released from her and the loyal Rainbow Dash they knew was back, angrier than ever of what Discord had done to their home as well as Ponyville.

With that the Element of Loyalty was regained, the Elements of Harmony together, and they defeated Discord.

After he was turned to stone, Rainbow Dash had taunted him right in his stone face. She bragged about the Elements, how their friendship was far more powerful than his kiddie tricks. Though Rainbow Dash meant well, Twilight thought she was being a little harsh.

Of course, neither Rainbow Dash nor any of the other ponies had felt any remorse as Twilight had when she saw Discord become stone...

With that victory, they had embraced each other, tears of joy that their friendship had been restored. As Princess Celestia had gathered the statue of Discord to take back to Canterlot, Twilight had questioned Rainbow Dash about what Discord had done that made her become disloyal.

Though it seemed unsuitable to ask after all they had just gone through, Twilight needed to know, and Rainbow Dash had been willing to answer.

The pegasus wanted to fight Discord, angry that he had taken her precious wings. But Discord, ever so manipulative, had given her a choice. A hard one.

Rainbow Dash told her that Cloudsdale would crumble if she wasn't there. Discord had offered her her wings, giving her the choice of continuing to find the elements or save her hometown. His tricks pushed her further, and she chose the latter.

Twilight felt that she couldn't blame the pegasus for having made that decision. In a way, she had still represented her Element of Loyalty. She had become loyal to her home in the skies than to her friends on the ground.

Discord had given her such a difficult choice. Twilight would weep if she had been placed in the same situation, having to choose between her home in Canterlot or her friends. Discord had played Rainbow Dash the most, and that infuriated Twilight further.

But all was fine now and Cloudsdale was safe. The unicorn remembered what else Rainbow Dash had told her. The pegasus had told her that when she had met up with Discord in the labyrinth, he was found lounging on a cloud, completely relaxed.

Twilight had to laugh at least a bit about that. A little part of her wished she could have seen Discord like that, simply laying on a cloud wearing sunglasses. Why she wanted to see that, she would never understand.

At least he enjoyed himself before-

Twilight shook her head again. Why did she always have to remember the guilt? About how she felt it was her fault Discord was stone? She kept thinking that she didn't control her element right...

"Twilight?" Rainbow Dash said, flapping her wings as she looked down at the dazed unicorn. "Yo, Twilight!" She shouted.

"Wha-?" Twilight blinked and shook her head to get out of her thoughts and looked up to see Rainbow Dash gazing at her with confusion.

"You sure have been, what's the word, pensive lately," the pegasus observed.

Twilight sighed, rolling her eyes. "Okay, maybe I am thinking of 'geeky' mathematics or other sorts," she said. She gave a little yawn. "And I am a bit tired."

"You should relax for a bit," Rainbow Dash suggested. She pointed a hoof toward some clouds that were formed into relaxing chairs. "Go on. Lie down and enjoy the sun. You're going to get that nice, toasty feeling as you relax."

Twilight smiled at her, grateful Rainbow Dash didn't question her further as she walked over to the array of chairs. Slowly sitting at the side, pushing herself up against the top portion of the chair, her back hooves placed in front of her, Twilight laid on her chair.

Rainbow Dash was right. That warm, toasty feeling from the sun was so relaxing.

"Mmm..." The unicorn moaned with delight as she stretched a bit, making herself more comfortable. "I can see why you like these clouds so much." She patted her seat with satisfaction. "Very plush."

Suddenly, Twilight realized that that was the same thing Discord had said.
_

With a Bucket of Popcorn

"I love movies!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

Twilight looked up from her book and smiled as she watched her friends, as well as other ponies, gathered around Sugarcube Corner. Tonight was a special night because Mr. and Mrs. Cake had created a special treat for everyone in Ponyville: Movie Night. Twilight and her friends came earlier than others to get good seats-basically just pillows on the floor provided by the Cakes.

Twilight loved movie nights. It was something she had experienced back in Canterlot. However, though she loved it, she had always been cooped up in her room with all her books, allowing Spike to join in the special occasion without her. Her classmates have often wondered why she would simply stay put in a tower full of dusty, old books instead of having fun-as well as making friends.

But now here in Ponyville, Twilight was enjoying Movie Night more, and with friends. But she still kept reading her books.

"Reading, Twilight?" The unicorn flinched when Pinkie Pie suddenly stood by her side, gazing at her with a hard expression. "On Movie Night? Really?"

"Honestly, do you ever go anywhere without a book?" Rainbow Dash asked, rolling her eyes.

"Well, we're waiting, aren't we?" Twilight retorted as she used her magic to turn the page. "Plus, I'm almost done with this book. It's really nice if you ever think of borrowing it some time for your own enjoyment."

"I'd rather watch grass grow..." Rainbow Dash muttered as she laid on her back against her pillow.

Applejack gave the pegasus a stern look before she gave Twilight a soft expression. "Sugarcube, I love reading as much as the next book-lover, but you really need to put that there book down and just enjoy yourself tonight."

"I'll enjoy myself..." Twilight said, eyes never tearing away from her book as she turned another page. "This story is reaching an interesting conclusion."

"Give me that!" Rainbow Dash said as she zoomed over and grabbed it from her.

"Hey!" Twilight objected. She sent a few sparks from her horn, giving the pegasus a warning. She hated it when others took her books like that; it always drew something possessive in her, especially when the book was getting good.

Rainbow Dash just laughed before she closed the book and kindly gave it back to her. "Relax, Twilight. I'm just trying to get you back into the real world."

Twilight just scoffed before she began to open her book again. "I'll get back to the "real world" after I finish the conclusion."

"And what?" Pinkie Pie asked playfully.

Before Twilight could respond, Pinkie Pie reached behind the unicorn and pulled out her bag, which was full of books.

The unicorn blushed a bit. She thought it would be a good idea to bring some books over from her library house in case she ever finished one and was in need of reading another.

"Goodness me!" Rarity exclaimed, gazing at the bag overfilled with books. She gazed at Twilight sternly, her lips curved in a disappointed pout. "You really must put away those dusty, old books, darling. It's simply not right to be cooped up with so much reading and not having fun."

"I agree," Fluttershy said softly, smiling a bit. "You really have been reading a lot, Twilight."

"As well as spend your time with that journal of yours," Spike added, sitting on Twilight's other side. When the unicorn looked at him with a questionable expression, the baby dragon flinched and held his hands up in defense. "Not that I ever tried to open and read it or anything like that!" He added quickly.

"Alright, everypony!" Mr. Cake said happily as he trotted to the front of the room, a huge projector and screen behind him. "Who wants to see some movies?"

"I do! I do! I do!" Pinkie Pie said excitedly, waving her hooves in the air.

"Well, let's start the movie!" Mr. Cake said before he pressed a switch on the projector. Mrs. Cake turned off the lights and all the ponies became silent as the movie started.

However, it became interrupted by a certain glowing horn.

"Twilight!" Her friends objected.

"Hmm?" The unicorn looked up from her book, her horn glowing to a certain value so it could blend with the darkness of the room. However, its glow was attracting attention, as well as disrupting the movie.

"Put the book down!" Rainbow Dash ordered. "Now!"

Twilight rolled her eyes before using her magic and putting her book back in her bulging bag. At least she finished... Suddenly, a bucket of popcorn was shoved in her face.

"Here, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie insisted, her mouth full of buttery popcorn. "This'll get you off those boring books and get into the Movie Night spirit."

Twilight had to smile. Her friends were only trying to put fun in her intellectual life. She could always read when she got home. Accepting the bucket, Twilight dug a hoof into the popcorn and began munching as she watched the screen along with her friends. It had been so long since she had done anything like this.

She watched as the screen showed a movie about a pony who was all alone with no friends-

Wait...what?

Mouth full of popcorn, eyes widening, Twilight watched as the unicorn tried, however, failed to make any friends, either she was shy or she simply didn't know how. Unfortunately, it was all in black and white, but Twilight saw that the pony was a female unicorn. The movie went on as Twilight's eyes became glued to the screen, munching on more popcorn, which she shared with her friends.

On screen, a sudden shadow loomed over the unsuspecting unicorn.

Shrieks could be heard from the crowd. Rarity and Fluttershy held on to each other, terrified of what was to happen next.

The unicorn in the movie trembled when the shadow came closer. Twilight's eyes widened even more, anticipating for what the creature was.

It had hooves...horns...a beard...

"Discord?" Twilight gasped, her mouth still full of popcorn. Luckily, no one heard her.

It wasn't Discord on the screen, or any Draconequus for that matter. It was just a goat.

Twilight gulped, having finally swallowed her popcorn as she watched the unicorn and goat become friends. Why was she thinking about Discord again? Sure, she still felt guilty about turning him back into stone, putting him back in the gardens of Canterlot, his face of horror visible for all to see...

An aching feeling in Twilight's heart emerged as the unicorn clutched the bucket closer to her, averting her eyes away from the screen. She leaned back a little, having knocked over her bag of books. One book fell out.

The Tale of Discord

Twilight groaned quietly to herself. She didn't know why she even brought that book to Movie Night when there were many others in her library house. She had already finished that one.

Yet...she couldn't stop reading it...

Twilight gazed down at the book before carefully picking it up and putting it back in her bag, careful not to disrupt the movie. She remembered the first time she found that book, it was after the defeat of Discord. She thought it would be beneficial to read about the mix-matched creature, even though he had already been turned back into stone and safely placed back in the gardens of Canterlot. She needed to gain more knowledge about him, learn more about his former rule of Equestria before the princesses rebelled against him. Twilight wanted to know if the things he done had really been that harmful as Princess Celestia claimed they had been a thousand years ago.

Twilight had already answered herself that question long before she read The Tale of Discord. Though she never admitted it to her friends, her opinion on the spirit of chaos and disharmony had grown from dislike to slight sympathy. Somewhere deep down, the unicorn knew there was a little goodness in him...

Twilight munched on her popcorn, no longer focusing her attention on the movie. Her mind was now completely summoned by the thoughts of Discord...as well as her mouth now completely addicted to the taste of buttery popcorn.

The popcorn reminded her of another encounter with Discord. It was after the failed attempt to find the Elements of Harmony in the labyrinth, after Discord tricked and manipulated all her friends, changing each of them into the complete opposite of what their element represented. After he had tricked Rainbow Dash into choosing her loyalty between saving her home in Cloudsdale or remaining with her friends and finding the elements, his little game had ended.

Twilight remembered having to struggle under Rarity's ridiculous, so-called "gem" before she threw it off her back to stretch. The lying Applejack told her that Rainbow Dash had abandoned them. How badly Twilight wanted to object to such a false truth, but the Earth pony had been right.

Before Twilight could absorb what had just happened about being deserted by their fast-flying friend, the labyrinth had fallen beneath their feet, leaving them in a center of nothing but dirt. And Discord came into view, explaining that Rainbow Dash had broken the "no flying, no magic" rule. That the game was over and he won.

Twilight had felt so hopeless at first, just watching as Discord laughed at her failure to obtain the Elements and keep a steady bond of her team. She remembered how angry Pinkie Pie was when Discord was simply laughing, enjoying the harm he had done to them. Twilight had wished the old happy, giggly Pinkie Pie was back, just laughing along when she shouldn't have. Her laughter could have soothed the situation they were in...

But no, because of Discord's tricks, sweet Pinkie Pie became serious, making herself a threat to any who laughed. And then Fluttershy took the opportunity to become cruel and infuriate the pink pony further. She laughed at her, the sweetness in her voice having changed into one that was full of venom and malevolence. Pinkie Pie had grown angry, and she and the yellow Pegasus disputed, Fluttershy's mock laughter versus Pinkie's temper.

Twilight wanted to tell them to stop, but then she noticed Applejack approach Rarity and her "diamond". More lies from the blonde pony as she claimed they all found the diamond, insisting that Rarity split it. And then-to Twilight's utter surprise-Rarity had sent a kick at the Earth pony. Twilight had never seen the other unicorn use such violence, and for greed...

Twilight had felt so helpless as she watched her friends become even more bitter to each other. She tried to call to them, snap them out of their confused and dominated minds. She just wanted them to stop; she wanted her friends back.

The laughter of Discord took her attention away from her friends as the unicorn glared at him. How angry she was that he had done this to her friends, how even more determined that she needed to stop him. While her friends continued quarreling, Twilight had stood up to him, readying her horn if she needed it.

She demanded Discord to end his tricks, claiming him as being unfair. Discord took her statement as mock offense, claiming that his tricks were consent because he was the spirit of chaos and disharmony; he claimed he had a right to do what he had done.

As Twilight remembered, before she argued against Discord, she had found him sitting on a movie theater seat with a bucket of popcorn by his side. She had to admit-to herself only-that his magic certainly could bring out many things that he desired. He had found her friends' fighting as entertainment value, enjoying his popcorn as he watched his work unfold before him.

Twilight wanted to shove that bucket of popcorn down his throat. However...Twilight didn't know why she thought this...but the way he just sat there, watching and eating his popcorn...he looked so relaxed and without any concern at all. He must have been this way a thousand years back when he had been ruler of Equestria. Quite possibly he took every trick he pulled on ponies in the past for his entertainment, treating it like a show and simply enjoying his popcorn or any other snack he conjured.

The way he just sat there with his bucket of popcorn...Twilight had grown envious that while she had been struggling to keep her friends together, to complete their quest of finding the elements, the creature of many animal parts simply sat there and enjoyed his snack. Not a problem in the world...

Twilight munched on the popcorn as she thought of how completely calm and serene Discord had been during everything. Of course, he had nothing to worry about, all the chaos around them was what he wanted, what he created, and what he enjoyed. The calm, yet amused expression on his face is what Twilight remembered the most about him...as well as the expression of horror he had when she and her friends finally put themselves together and-

Twilight shoved another hoof-ful of popcorn into her mouth, munching faster as she felt that pang of guilt hit her once again. Even though she was glad they had saved Equestria from the harm Discord had done, even though she was so proud of herself for what she and her friends had done...a little piece of her wished they didn't turn him into stone.

Part of her wished he would still be in the flesh...just lounge around and eat his bucket of popcorn as before.

He just looked so relaxed...so amused...happy as Twilight had read his expression harder...Like a little filly watching a show and just eating his popcorn, eyes sparkling as he smiled...

But now...

"Hey!"

Twilight immediately snapped out of her thoughts, her mouth full of popcorn. She turned to see Pinkie Pie look at her with an expression of shock and disappointment.

"You ate all the popcorn!" The pink pony declared, pointing a hoof at the bucket in Twilight's possession.

Twilight's eyes gazed down at the bucket. It was definitely empty, down to every crumb she somehow eaten in full. Embarrassed, Twilight blushed as she swallowed what she guiltily had eaten. The thought of Discord and his bucket of popcorn...who knew that would make her want to eat the whole bucket of popcorn that was suppose to be meant for her and her friends?

"Wow..." Twilight chuckled nervously, receiving surprised glances from her friends. "That must be some movie...it made me eat all the popcorn..." And she gave a nervous laugh. "Sorry about that..."

"Aw, don't worry, sugarcube," Applejack assured her.

"Yeah, it's better than you reading some dumb book," Rainbow Dash added with a smirk.

"Yeah, at least you're totally in the Movie Night spirit!" Pinkie Pie said, having converted from shock back to her usual cheerful self. "Don't worry! There's more popcorn being made in the back. Could you get more?"

"Of course, Pinkie," Twilight said with relief as she stood up, being quiet as possible and trying not to disrupt the movie.

Trotting over to the back of the room where a machine fired away at cooking more popcorn, Twilight placed her bucket on the table and grabbed the scooper. As she began piling popcorn into her empty bucket, her thoughts drifted back to what she had been thinking about while she was eating.

Discord must have eaten more popcorn than anyone, considering he was so easily entertained...

Twilight shook her head. She had no idea why she even thought of that. That sounded ridiculous as well as redundant to think about. Of course Discord loved to eat popcorn, just like he loved to eat cotton candy clouds that drizzled chocolate rain. For someone who was the spirit of chaos and disharmony, Twilight had noticed a child-like presence about him...just amusing himself and enjoying the so-called "fun" he created of their home.

Everything was entertainment to him...and he just loved to have a snack around to enjoy it more.

Twilight could relate to him. Sometimes while she read, she would feel a bit hungry and usually have either a daisy sandwich or a plate of cookies beside her. Reading was entertainment to her as disharmony was to Discord.

How would he have reacted to watching simple entertainment such as the movie she and the ponies were watching? Would he have been amused? Bored? Would he have used his magic to make the movie more interesting? Twilight had to lean more on that third question.

Finally, the bucket was filled to the brim and Twilight quietly walked over to where her friends sat. She placed the bucket in front of Pinkie Pie, the unicorn feeling that she would repeat what she had done earlier. Smiling at the pink pony, Twilight's eyes turned back to the screen.

That unicorn and that goat creature sure are good friends...

Twilight's smile faded a little as she thoughts back to what she had written in her journal. About how she wished things could have been different. About how maybe Discord could still be here and Twilight would try and reason with him...

Maybe if that happened...he would have been sitting right beside her, enjoying a bucket of popcorn with her as well...

That sounded too good to be true...

Twilight's eyes glistened a bit as she imagined it. Discord sitting by her side, amused by such a movie, sharing a laugh with her as he offered her his popcorn. The unicorn couldn't imagine if her friends and other ponies would be with them. She still kept thinking that they just wouldn't understand.

All she could imagine was Discord and herself sitting in front of the screen. Alone in Sugarcube Corner. But happy and content, knowing it would take time for other ponies to become immune to his sudden presence.

If he would ever become present again...

Sighing, Twilight reached a hoof toward the bucket and grabbed a hoof-ful of popcorn, eating to try and ignore the guilt and pathetic hope for what could have been.

He would have enjoyed this movie. He would have enjoyed it even more with a bucket of popcorn, which Twilight sadly continued eating from.
_

Lion Paw

Who would have thought a lion would somehow wind up in Ponyville?

Twilight stood outside Fluttershy's door as the yellow pegasus ushered the calm creature into her home. For a creature that was always described as ferocious and terrifying, this lion was actually scared and shy when it first came to Ponyville. All the ponies ran off in fear, locking their doors and looking out their windows in hopes that the beast would leave.

As Twilight had observed, the poor thing looked heartbroken, only needing some attention and care after having trailed off from its home in the Everfree forest.

And who could show kindness toward a frightening creature?

"There, there..." Fluttershy said softly as she slowly beckoned for the lion to follow into her haven of a home. "Don't worry. I'll take good care of you until we can bring you back home."

Twilight smiled as she saw a small, shy smile become visible on the lion's face as it slowly entered Fluttershy's home. As soon as it entered, Twilight trotted right behind it, wanting to offer her friend assistance if she needed any.

"Wow," the unicorn chuckled as she watched the pegasus set right to work and check the lion's paws for bruises or anything else. "No pony can get along with animals better than you, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy blushed a bit, smiling sweetly before she gently placed her hooves on the lion's mane and searched it for messes. "I just want to make sure all animals are fine and well."

"Well, you really proved yourself after taking this lion in," the unicorn said as she motioned toward the lion, whom had began to accept Twilight's presence although it was still shy about it. "Everyone was cheering when you finally led the lion away."

"Oh, they should see that he's not a big, mean lion," Fluttershy giggled softly as she patted the creature. "He's just a big, kind-hearted lion who needs help."

"Well, since I'm here, let me know if you need any help," Twilight offered. Though Twilight wasn't as good with animals as Fluttershy, she knew how to treat them right.

As Fluttershy had once said, it's always good to show a little kindness.

Remembering those words, Twilight recalled the first time she had arrived in Ponyville; how badly she wanted to leave and go back to Canterlot and continue her studies. She thought these ponies were crazy, especially a certain pink party pony. When she first met Fluttershy, the unicorn tried to make good conversation, taking Princess Celestia's insistence to make some friends. How hopeless and slightly annoyed Twilight felt when Fluttershy wasn't much for small talk the first time they met. That irritated Twilight, and she had grown more desperate than ever to leave.

Then there came that special quest in which Twilight was forced to cooperate with five awkward ponies, especially Fluttershy. The unicorn wanted to find the Elements of Harmony on her own but these ponies insisted they accompany her, not daring to allow her on such a dangerous journey alone. How even more annoyed Twilight had grown about them.

But as they had trailed through the forest, Twilight noticed each of them represented something. An Element of Harmony.

And Fluttershy's element was kindness. Twilight had noticed that when the yellow pegasus had stood up to a Manticore, who wasn't being a threat but had a thorn in its paw. Unlike the others who wanted to attack the beast, Fluttershy showed compassion and helped it, earning its trust.

How shocked Twilight had been to see a pony like Fluttershy able to act courageously toward a Manticore. The unicorn had began to reconsider her doubts about these ponies; she still thought they were strange, but they were quite helpful. And quite good ponies.

Twilight had to smile as she recalled those memories of when she first met those five special ponies, especially Fluttershy. Who would have thought that these crazy ponies would become her friends? In a way, Twilight considered herself a crazy pony in the bunch as well. There was always a day when things went chaotic.

Chaotic...

Another memory flashed Twilight's mind as she remembered a certain creature that defined that word so well. As Fluttershy became busy with the lion, Twilight took this time to take out something from her bag.

A book. The Tale of Discord.

Shifting her eyes toward the pegasus, Twilight kept the title hidden as she began to read it. Again.

The unicorn could never put that book down. She had read it repeatedly, wanting to learn more behind the enemy they had defeated not too long ago. The only information she had found was describing his former rule of chaos and disharmony for every pony before Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had rebelled against him. Even when Princess Celestia described him on the day he had broken free from his stone prison, the information she had given didn't seem like enough for Twilight, though she and her friends had carried on with their quest.

She and her friends had arrived at the labyrinth, believing the Elements of Harmony were there. With confidence and relying on each other, they felt that finding the elements would be no problem, as Rainbow Dash had stated when she decided to just fly over and get the elements.

A bad move as her wings suddenly disappeared and she fell before them, having become an Earth pony. Same for Fluttershy, who screamed in horror at the lost of her wings. Twilight could never forget how horrified she and Rarity were when their horns were taken away. The way of the Earth pony was still complicated for Twilight, even though her organization skills with Winter Wrap-Up Day had been a success.

And that's when they finally came face-to-face with Discord.

He was even more terrifying in person than when he appeared in the windows of Princess Celestia's palace. Though Twilight had been scared by such a creature, she had taken some time to observe him.

He was a Draconequus, a creature who had the head of a pony but had body parts of many other creatures. Twilight could remember his right deer antler, his left goat leg, his single fang, and even his beard.

But if there was one body part that Twilight truly remembered of the mix-matched creature, it was his right lion paw.

As Twilight had taken the time to observe him while on the other hoof showing great protest and anger towards him for stealing her horn, she had been quite intrigued by his lion's paw. He had a left eagle talon, but that seemed more terrifying in her opinion.

His lion paw, however, somehow symbolized his strong yet playful nature.

Twilight hadn't paid attention to his lion paw for long as she tried to keep her hooves on the ground, struggling not to become aggressive toward the Draconequus. How even more angry and annoyed she was when he took her temper to his amusement, teasing her after she demanded he return her friends' horns and wings.

He promised-if he ever could promise-he would give them back afterwards. He claimed he did that so there wouldn't be any cheating in searching for the elements. His "no flying, no magic" rule.

Twilight remembered how furious Rainbow Dash was as well as how terrified and hurt Fluttershy was when Discord told them about no flying. She wanted to calm down Rainbow Dash while she also wanted to comfort Fluttershy. She knew how important their wings were to them, Rainbow Dash especially.

Twilight had been still cringing about becoming hornless when Discord had come up to her and told her not to use her magic...

...while he ran the finger of his lion paw along her cheek.

Twilight had been stiff as a statue when he did that. Her purple eyes had widened in surprise by such an action as she stood perfectly still when the feel of his lion paw touched her face. In addition, the look in his gold and red eyes as he stared closely at her nearly made her shiver with fear.

Though Twilight had been overwhelmed, she did remember the feel of his lion paw after he did that.

The lion fur felt soft...smooth even...and the way Discord ran it down her cheek, it felt like she had been dabbed on with a handkerchief...

Why she mentally paid such a compliment for the spirit of chaos and disharmony when she was really just infuriated with him, the unicorn would never know.

That was kind of creepy...

Of course, he was just being Discord. He sometimes was creepy. And then sometimes he was manipulative; he tricked her friends, converting them into horrible opposites of the elements they represented.

Twilight sighed as she remembered how hard it had been trying to round up her friends, minus Rainbow Dash, and bring them back to Ponyville...which Discord had turned into the 'Chaos Capital of the World'.

Twilight tried to keep things positive, trying to ignore what had happened to her friends as she led them back home. The unicorn cringed as she recalled having been run over by long-legged rabbits, much to a cruel Fluttershy's satisfaction. And then, to Discord's power, day became night. And Twilight found herself slipping along dirt roads that had been covered with sudsy soap.

The unicorn had been horrified by the change in balance known as Equestria. And when she saw Pinkie Pie actually playing in the sudsy grounds, there had been a little hope in Twilight that the real Pinkie Pie was still in there somewhere...How wrong she was when Pinkie, angry and serious as ever, claimed that what she did that appeared to be fun...she did not think it was fun at all.

Twilight wasn't sure she could take much more of this chaos as well as this change in her friends; she just had to find the elements and bring everything back to normal. How stressed and tired she was...

That's when Discord came to her side out of nowhere. His lion paw had been draped over her body, which somewhat terrified her. And before she had time to protest what he was doing, her wrapped his arm around her before he stretched to a different height, carrying her along with him. How small she was compared to how stretched he became...she had felt as if she were dangling from a rope the way Discord held her under his arm, his lion paw secured close to her.

How proud he was as he gazed at the work he had done, all the disharmony he created as he had done a thousand years back. Twilight just glared at him through all of this, wishing for him to allow her hooves to touch the sudsy ground again. As much as Twilight wanted to feel uncomfortable under his arm, she had to admit, it felt kind of comfy...

Soft...

Twilight felt sick that she would even consider someone like Discord as "soft". He was manipulative, disrespectful, and above all completely childish. Calling him soft would be like calling Fluttershy cruel...which she had been during those events.

And she felt like a fool for ever thinking of Discord's lion paw. Why, oh, why was she even thinking about his dumb lion paw? So it was the better arm of his two, showing his strength and mischievousness through the simple flick of his hand or the snap of his fingers. Twilight had to admit-to herself-that that body part of the mix-matched creature seemed like the strongest.

There was that moment during those events when he used his eagle talon. It was after the failed attempt of using the elements to finish him off the first time. How horrified Twilight was to realize that the elements couldn't work, and there was no sympathy from her changed friends; though Spike apologized, insisting he was no Rainbow Dash.

As much as Twilight wanted to break down for her failure, she needed to stand up to Discord. The Draconequus had applauded her failed attempt to stop him, taunting her that his power of disharmony had definitely taken over Equestria.

But that wasn't the part that made Twilight extremely furious. It was when Discord said those four nasty words.

Discord rules. Celestia drools.

And the tip of his eagle talon touched the tip of her nose and he laughed at her stunned expression. He offended the princess! Her teacher! Twilight had become even more angry at him, if that was even possible.

How she wanted to just bite his eagle talon...to show him pain, which was nowhere as similar as to the pain she suffered deep within her heart for her friends, for the princess, for all of Equestria.

Soft...Twilight thought bitterly as she closed her book, yeah, right...

Suddenly, something slipped out of her bag when she attempted to put back The Tale of Discord.

It was her journal.

Eyes widening a bit, the unicorn picked it up. Turning around and making sure Fluttershy was too occupied to ever catch a glance at her personal writing, Twilight dug her nose into her journal, looking over what she had written recently.

She read about the day Discord escaped his stone prison, how everything had become topsy turvy since his release, and her determination to stop him.

Most of her writing had been focused on her personal thoughts about the Draconequus, from regarding him as a threat to a creature who didn't seem all that bad...

Twilight's eyes dropped as she gazed at her journal entry. She had written about how she wished things had been different, that there could have been something better than turning her enemy into stone.

She read about her reaction to seeing Discord stone again, how much she felt it was her fault that he received his fate. How much she thought she didn't use her element right...

She had written on and on about how things could have been different between her and Discord, how she could have reasoned with him...how they could have become friends...

Friends don't give up on friends, she read.

Sighing to herself, Twilight closed her journal as her ears drooped down with regret. Though Discord was unaware of her sympathy for him, she couldn't help but feel ashamed of herself for thinking such negative things earlier.

She had been annoyed with him, angry with him, even more annoyed with him...then she felt sorry for him.

Twilight had to remind herself that she did see a little goodness in his heart no matter how much trouble he caused. It was just the thought of having nearly failed that made the unicorn become bitter when she thought of Discord afterwards.

The bitterness is gone...she still felt bad for him.

"I'm sorry," Twilight looked up from her journal to see Fluttershy gaze at her. "Are you becoming bored right now?"

Twilight had to smile. Her dear friend Fluttershy, so sweet and kind and being so considerate...

"No, Fluttershy," Twilight assured her as she placed her journal back in her bag and walked over to her and the relaxed lion. "I was simply giving you two some space."

"Oh, well, you don't have to do that anymore," the pegasus smiled as she patted the lion. "Our dear friend, the lion, is fine now. Later we'll take him home."

Twilight smiled from Fluttershy to the lion she spent her time on. For such a terrifying-looking beast, it actually looked kind and sincere and friendly. The lion gave a low, happy growl as it smiled at both ponies, its trust given as well as its friendship.

Grateful, the lion gave Fluttershy's hair a lick, thanking her for her treatment. The pegasus laughed, pleased she had helped it. Turning to Twilight, the lion gave her a sincere smile before raising its paw.

Before Twilight knew it, the creature gave her cheek a soft, playful pat before running it down her face, showing how much they've fully earned its trust.

Twilight just smiled at the lion. The feeling was just as she remembered the last time a lion paw touched her face.

Soft.
_

Outside My Window

"Oh, this is wonderful!" Twilight said happily as she trotted out of the art supply store.

Smiling to herself and humming, Twilight held her head high with pride as she carried a slightly large pack of materials she just purchased. The art supply store was having a sale and the unicorn decided it was time to put down the studying and work on her creativity for once.

She looked up at the sky and her smile widened, seeing as how the sun was shining its usual beam-and no longer using that blinding brightness. She waved a hoof as she saw her good friend Rainbow Dash zoom by in the clouds, kicking some to make room for more sunlight.

Hopefully she doesn't try and use that Sonic Rainboom to clear the clouds faster, her mind chuckled as she trotted on.
_

Arriving at her home, Twilight found her number one assistant busily dusting her library.

"But you just dusted yesterday!" Twilight laughed as she placed her bag down on a nearby table.

"Well, I just re-arranged your books, then I thought it would be a good idea to do that chore again just in case," the baby dragon smiled as he placed the duster down. He watched the unicorn dig into her bag. "What did you get?"

"Something I've always loved," Twilight said happily as she placed the materials on the table.

The baby dragon walked closer to the table and peered at the items. Paints, brushes, scissors, glue, plastic sheets, paper, and colored tissue. He gazed at Twilight with a raised eyebrow in confusion.

The unicorn laughed. "They're for making stained-glass windows," she explained.

"You cannot make a window with this," Spike drawled, rolling his eyes.

"Of course you can," she insisted as she used her magic to summon a few colored tissues. "It just takes patience, confidence, and a whole lot of mind and determination."

Though he pretended to look uninterested, the baby dragon stood close by the table as he watched her summon various items at once to begin her little project.

"See? I'm tracing a simple design..." Twilight said as she drew on a blank sheet of paper. She had drawn a heart with a star in the middle.

"Uh-huh..." Spike droned, his eyes completely focused on what exactly she was doing.

"Now we choose what colors to use for our design," she giggled playfully as she gazed at the array of colored tissue she purchased. "Hmm...well, I guess yellow and purple can work."

Taking a few tissue pieces, Twilight gently pressed her hoof against her pattern before she summoned a glue bottle.

"Not too much..." She said aloud, eyes completely focused on her work as she gently squeezed the bottle.

As the glue flowed into the colored tissue, Twilight immediately grabbed a paintbrush and began dabbing the liquid before spreading it among the edges of her design. By now the baby dragon was completely mesmerized, curious as ever to see how this 'stained-glass window' would turn out.

"Okay, now we wait a little bit," Twilight sighed contently as she peered at her nearly finished work. "When it's dry I'll cut it." She turned to Spike with a teasing smirk. "And you'll see that you can make a stained-glass window."

Spike averted his eyes and folded his arms, trying to hide his embarrassed blush. This little project seemed incredibly interesting now...

"Still don't believe me?" Twilight playfully challenged , almost sounding like Rainbow Dash. "Here's a window I made back in Canterlot."

Before Spike could say anything, the light of Twilight's magic glowed behind him. He turned to see that Twilight's magic had summoned one of the books in the library. One book, placed under section S, emerged from its slot and floated toward the two. Twilight held out a graceful hoof as the book landed delicately in it.

Opening it, Twilight took out a small, glistening object. Spike craned his head curiously, wondering what in Equestria was that she's had in her book this whole time.

"Ta-dah!" She exclaimed, holding out what was actually a stained-glass window. It shone, its glued-on tissue paper gleaming in the light of the room. It was in the shape of a castle tower, blue and white its chosen colors.

"Wow..." Spike muttered, eyes widening in sudden amazement as he gazed at the old project.

"And that's not the best part," she said in a hushed tone before trotting over to a nearby window. Ever-so-gently, Twilight pressed her old work against the glass of her window. It held perfectly as it stayed there, glistening brightly through the sunlight, possibly able to be seen from a small distance.

"Cool!" Spike exclaimed, his green eyes sparkling with excitement. "I want to do one, too!"

"Sure, of course," Twilight smiled as if she expected him to suddenly become giddy about this activity. "I bought plenty of materials for us to do together."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Spike, being a wonderful assistant, raced over and opened the door.

"Hi, Twilight!" Little Apple Bloom greeted as she trotted into the house.

"Oh, hello, Apple Bloom," Twilight greeted, her eyes widening in surprise. "What brings you here?"

The filly smiled. "Well, me and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were just trying to get our cutie marks when something bright caught our eyes," she explained before pointing a hoof behind her.

Twilight followed the little filly outside her door and sure enough there stood both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, gazing at something in awe. Her eyes moved in the direction they were gazing at and she realized they were gazing at her window with the stained-glass image shining for them to see.

"It's so pretty!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, her green eyes sparkling.

"It's as Rainbow Dash would call it," Scootaloo said excitedly. "20% cooler!"

Twilight blushed with embarrassment, flattered by the young girls' compliments. "It's just a stained-glass window..."

"I want one!" Scootaloo demanded as she raced over and gazed at Twilight square in the eye.

"Me, too!" Apple Bloom added, eyes pleading at Twilight.

"Me, three!" Sweetie Belle stomped her tiny hooves in desperation.

"Oh, really?" Twilight asked, eyes blinking in surprise. "Well, there's a lot more supplies, and I wasn't in for studying right now, so why not come in and make your own?" She motioned to the doorway where Spike stood.

"Yay!" The Crusaders cheered before galloping into the library house, barely trampling over a stunned Spike.

Twilight casually walked back into her house to find the fillies seated in front of her table, all well-behaved and ready to start working.

"Well, then..." Twilight cleared her throat before she used her magic to summon white paper. "Each of you should draw your own design you'd like to make into glass." And she placed a piece of paper in front of each before giving out pencils.

"That's easy!" Scootaloo said with pride as she began sketching. Tongue sticking out the side of her lips, the young pegasus became engrossed in whatever she was drawing. "Ta-dah!" She said proudly, holding up her design.

"Wow, Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle said, nearly finishing hers. "That's a nice boat!"

"Boat?" The young pegasus repeated in distraught before looking back at her design. "It's suppose to be a scooter."

Twilight immediately came to her aid with an encouraging smile. "Boat or scooter," she assured, "your window will look very nice and unique."

"You know what?" Scootaloo smiled a bit as she continued gazing at her drawing. "It does look more like a boat!"

"Look at mine!" Apple Bloom said as she held up her drawing. "I drew a house!"

"And I drew Opal!" Sweetie Belle added, holding her paper up, which showed a drawing of Rarity's stubborn cat. She looked at her drawing, her smile fading a bit. "Well, sort of..."

"Oh, that's a lovely drawing, Sweetie Belle," Twilight assured her. "It'll look even more lovely once you paint tissue over it." She summoned some tissue paper and placed it in front of the Crusaders. "Now you girls can choose your colors."

"Oooh!" The fillies said in awe before they attacked the pile of tissue with desperate hooves.

After choosing their colors, Twilight instructed them how to use less glue while being able paint enough to cover all their tissue, which was now over their designs. Using her magic, Twilight used an example paper and swished her brush around atop of it.

"Brush gently," she instructed. "Pressing your brush too hard could ruin it."

"No problem, Twilight!" Apple Bloom assured. "I'll be as gentle as I've ever been in my whole life!" And with that said, she took her brush in her mouth and began to dab at the tints of glue on her project. The other fillies followed her example.

Twilight watched proudly as they became so imbibed in their work. It reminded her of when she was a filly herself, having been introduced to the activity when she began her studies with Princess Celestia.

"Let me know if you three need any help," the unicorn said as she walked away from the table. She walked across the room toward the tiny table where Spike was doing his own project. "And how are we doing here, dear Spike?" She asked, her voice smooth as silk as she gave him a teasing look.

"This is harder than I thought..." The baby dragon muttered as he slammed his cup of glue down. He gazed down at his work with annoyance, having brushed too hard that it ripped a few tissues into the white paper.

"Aw, don't worry," she cooed as she pushed the glue cup closer to him. "Just try again. There's plenty of paper, Spike. Second time will be better, I'm sure."

Determined, Spike grabbed a few sheets of paper and began tracing again. Smiling at him, Twilight went to her study desk where a second project was waiting for her to finish. She smiled as she gazed down at her drawing, and how excited she was to turn it into a beautiful piece she would place on her window.

Twilight's eyes glazed over the drawing as she took a few sheets of colored tissue and gently placed them on her drawing, delicate with her style to get the design just as she imagined it. Finally, after placing each tissue in its chosen slot, the unicorn grabbed a brush and dipped into her cup of glue. Ever-so-gently, she dabbed at her work, lightly stroking the edges so the tissue would shine.

After finishing her gluing, Twilight stood back and admired her work. She smiled in satisfaction as she gazed at her design she couldn't wait to place on her window for all to see.

"Wow," Spike said, standing beside her as he gazed at her work. "That's a neat design, Twilight. What is it?"

"Oh, just an Everfree tree," Twilight said proudly.

"Um..." Spike squinted one eye as he gazed at the design in confusion. "Actually, it kind of looks like some sort of dragon..."

Twilight's eyes widened before she looked back at her work. Her mouth fell in horror.

"Well, I'm not really sure if it's a dragon..." Spike scratched his head, completely unaware of Twilight's stunned expression. "I mean, I don't think dragons have mismatched horns...those are its horns, right? And the feet look kind of...well, they're different as well. Better yet, nothing matches. It's like a confusing puzzle you put together, Twilight." He gazed up at her when she didn't respond. "Twilight?"

Twilight's ears seemed deaf to Spike's voice as her eyes gazed at the design she had created. Spike was right. It looked nothing like a tree. The dark redness of the tissue resembled a body of some sort...different colors as well were added for specific parts...it seemed to have eyes...

"You again..." Her voice was quiet and hoarse as she gazed at her design with complete apprehension.

"Huh?" Spike looked at her with confusion.

Twilight immediately realized that Spike was beside her as she gave him a nervous, assuring smile. "Nothing, Spike!" She said quickly. "I think I just went overboard, that's all!"

"Suit yourself," Spike rolled his eyes as he walked back to his table, "maybe it'll start looking like a tree once it dries."

As soon as he was back to his work, Twilight wheeled back to her project, eyes blazing with annoyance and frustration.

Again...her mind thought bitterly, why am I always thinking about him?

She gazed at her design, looking at all the little details she added to perfect her style. No doubt she had put time into creating the contrasting feet, the arms, the horns, even the wings. And when it came to the body, Twilight immediately recognized how she managed to turn the red into different shades to try and make an exact reference to-

Twilight placed a hoof against her forehead, feeling like the biggest fool in all of Equestria. How in the name of Celestia did she go from making a simple tree to making a stained-glass window version of him?

"Discord..." Her voice hush but serious as her gaze hardened at the sight of her work.

Another memory entered her mind as she reflected back on the day disharmony began. When she and her friends were summoned by the princess to discuss the chaos that was reigning all throughout Equestria. She could recall the look of horror on everypony's face when they realized the elements had been stolen...Pinkie Pie was of no support when she took a quick stroll outside for more chocolate rain. How annoyed and upset Twilight was with that pink party pony despite having held her expression of complete shock...

Twilight had felt so scared and worried, especially for her dear teacher who was trying desperately to figure out where the elements were.

And that's when they heard him.

That dark laughter was terrifying, and Twilight had felt even more scared than Fluttershy was as her eyes traveled from every corner of the castle. She wanted to face against this creature, despite her growing fear. She got her wish when all eyes fell on the stained-glass windows.

Discord...though just a window image, he was still fearful to look at. Twilight could remember the anger bubbling within Princess Celestia as she glared hard at her old enemy, eyes threatening as the Draconequus just laughed at her.

For someone who represented the spirit of chaos and disharmony, he had acted as if he were at some big party and he was the center of attention. He simply messed around with the designs of the windows, poking fun at them. And when it came to the pictures of her and her friends...

"I wish he didn't dance on my head..." Twilight muttered quietly to herself, feeling that her stained-glass image had been 'infected' by chaos itself.

As playful as he was as he swished around in every window, Twilight had seen vengeance in his eyes, determined to continue what he had done a thousand years ago before he had been turned into stone. His voice, before sounding eager and teasing, had started out as dark and threatening; she could sense how 'upset' he was about what Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had done to stop him.

There wasn't time to think over whether or not he had his so-called right to be furious with them as Twilight glared at his image, demanding where he placed the elements and such. But he took her temper to his amusement as he bragged about how he knew each of her friends' elements. He taunted Rainbow Dash for her loyalty to her friends and the princess...and when he said he would challenge that loyalty, Twilight felt her spine shiver with fear.

He ran through elemental descriptions quickly with Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy. When it came down to her and Pinkie Pie, he said his favorite was Pinkie's. The unicorn had not been surprised, as he loved to laugh...at anypony that suffered his tricks.

But when he told Twilight that her element was the most powerful of all, friendship and magic...Twilight had to admit she was a bit flattered. But she ignored the fancy comment, trying not to get distracted as she tried to create a plan to find the elements and bring him down.

She could remember the exact words he said before she and her friends had began their quest.

The unicorn turned to see the fillies and Spike completely absorbed in their work. Sighing with relief, the unicorn quietly used her magic to pick up her journal. Opening it, she summoned a quill and immediately began to write.

"Twist and turns are my master plan..." She quoted as she wrote down the words. "...then find the elements back where you began." She made sure to put quotation marks as well as write down Discord's name down below.

Recalling that memory, Twilight remembered how determined and curious she was as he made that riddle. They way he said it...it was just so...dark and intriguing...And when came that event after he took away the labyrinth and her complete-jerk-of friends began quarreling with each other, she could recall how he somehow flashed both him and Twilight back to that memory scene, hearing his riddle once more. As amazed as Twilight was that he could do such a trick, her mind had been completely focused on the riddle as her ears became attuned to the words. How upset and confused she was...and she had felt Discord smirk down at her as she saw the image of her and the others listening to the riddle.

Twilight twirled the quill a bit as her eyes glazed over the words she had written. Why in Equestria did she she even write them? Perhaps to remind herself more of the past events that happened not too long ago, to reflect on how manipulative and tricky he was. How dark and serious he was in contrast to his mischievous and playful nature...

Though Twilight had been focused on the whole 'find the elements and save Equestria' plan, she had taken a little time to study Discord as they all stood in the room, gazing at the stained-glass windows.

He was just so surprising...able to merge into windows and become one with the glass images. Twilight had to admit-to herself-that that was quite impressive. How proud and flamboyant he was as he swam through the pictures as if it were a sea of color...and he did so while taunting them. His mocking words, his laughter. Twilight wanted to grab the nearest object in the room and throw it at his smirking, stained-glass face...hoping to see him shatter and merge into something else she could throw at.

Imagining that, Twilight had to admit that sounded harsh. She must have been thinking about that after the mix-matched creature had offended Princess Celestia. If he offended her, he offended Twilight. Twilight had to smile at how loyal and strong Rainbow Dash was, willing to fight a glass image to get ahold of him for saying such harsh things to the princess.

But Discord was just being as he always had been, Twilight had to admit. Cunning, playful, manipulative, childish, and ever so calm about such major situations...the unicorn often wondered how he could always seem so serene even when threatened to be stopped. Everlasting confidence and a fast-flying mind is all Twilight could come up with to define his being.

Twilight gazed from her journal back to her stained-glass design. It was drying up now and it almost definitely looked like him. Twilight felt a little sweat pour down her face before shifting her eyes back to Spike and the Crusaders. They were deep in conversation, waiting for their projects to dry and await the next step from her.

Sighing, the unicorn gazed back at her journal and immediately wrote something down.

Voice so discreet yet eager and cunning within the surface. He could make stories interesting with that voice.

Twilight chuckled a bit, gazing at her latest journal entry. If things had turned out different, maybe he would have told stories. He would make them interesting, adding his own little perks to the stories and perhaps have ponies hang on his every word. Or scare them away...

Placing a bookmark between the pages, Twilight closed her journal, planning to write more later. She gazed back at her project, having grown to accept the fact that what she had not intended to make was now her own. Picking it up in her mouth, Twilight walked over to the fillies' table and smiled at them.

"So, how did we do?" She asked after putting down her window, her voice cheery.

"They're looking great, Twilight!" Scootaloo said happily as she pointed a hoof down at their designs. "This is way more fun than the arts and crafts in class!"

"Yours looks really funny!" Sweetie Belle giggled, pointing a hoof at her design. "Is it a bear or something?"

"Something like that..." Twilight said, averting her eyes. She smiled brightly. "Now it's time to cut!" She summoned a few scissors and placed them in front of each. "Don't cut too fast. Patience is very much needed in this project, like when you have to wait for the glue to dry."

"You got it!" The little pegasus nodded before she grabbed her scissors and carefully began to cut.

Spike gazed over at Twilight's design, raising an eyebrow. "Well, I was wrong," he stated, "that definitely does not look like a tree."

"I'll take your word for it," Twilight said intellectually as she gazed at her work. "Still, it...it's n-nice, isn't it?" Her voice quavered a bit when she said that.
_

Sweetie Belle's eyes sparkled as she gazed at her finished piece displayed on the window. Her stained-glass image of Opal was better than she had hoped for.

"So pretty..." The little unicorn said in awe as she and the Crusaders stood close to gaze at their work.

Twilight smiled at them before turning to see Spike gaze at his finished work. It was an image of a pile of jewels.

"It's really nice, Spike," Twilight told him sincerely as she gazed at his piece. "Great job."

"Thanks," Spike blushed. He looked over and gazed at her piece, which was displayed just below his. "Yours, too, even though it's not a tree..."

The unicorn laughed. "Still, it's pretty much art." She turned to see the little mess they all made earlier. Bits of glue dribbled down the table unto the floor, tissues were either scattered or crumpled, and tiny pieces from cutting sprinkled the table like a cupcake. "We better get this cleaned up," she announced before turning to everyone. "Care to help?"

"Of course, Twilight," Apple Bloom said eagerly, "we made the mess, we'll fix it."

"Who knows?" Sweetie Belle added. "Maybe we'll get cutie marks for cleaning up!"

"A cleaning cutie mark?" Scootaloo scoffed. "Kind of boring..."

Twilight laughed as she watched them set right to work. They were still so young, yet they were so eager and determined. It reminded her of when she was a filly, studying while on the other hand trying to obtain a cutie mark. She had hoped to get one before attending her school...she considered herself the luckiest filly ever to gain such a cutie mark while meeting the princess face-to-face. She could remember how excited and happy she was, bouncing around...

She knew these children were very special, helping one another in succeeding their goal. She knew in her heart they would get wonderful cutie marks. It was a possibility that a filly could get a cutie mark for simply being a wonderful friend.

It was the thought of these fillies and their high hopes that made Twilight suddenly wonder what had happened to them during Discord's reign of chaos throughout Equestria.

They were safe, Twilight told herself with assurance, at they least didn't suffer as my friends and I had...

Smiling to herself, Twilight came over to do her part of the clean-up. There was still so many supplies left for more stained-glass windows-

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Twilight raised an eyebrow before she motioned for Spike to go answer. The baby dragon raced over and immediately opened the door.

And there stood many other fillies from the Crusaders' class.

"Oh," Twilight said in surprise. "Hello, kids."

"We saw your little decorations!" One of the fillies exclaimed excitedly. "I want one!"

"Me, too!"

"Same here!"

Eager voices rang out as they all gazed at Twilight, their eyes pleading.

"Oh, boy..." Spike rolled his eyes, a broom in his hand.

"It's really fun!" Scootaloo told them. She pointed a hoof at Twilight. "Twilight taught us how to make windows, and there they are! On the window! She'll show you how it's done!" She smiled up at Twilight. "Right, Twilight?"

Twilight just smiled at the children, feeling her heart beat with the knowledge that she would be showing these young ponies an activity she loved to do when she was a filly herself.

"Of course," she said sweetly before motioning to the table behind her. "Everypony find their place so we can get started."

Cheers erupted as the fillies galloped past her, past a distraught Spike, and sitting in front of the table. They all gazed in awe at the various supplies used to make such a project.

"It'll be a bigger mess for us to clean up..." Spike muttered to Twilight, his green eyes gazing at all the fillies with slight annoyance.

Twilight giggled. "Oh, Spike. They'll clean up afterwards."

Suddenly, she felt her stomach growl. She blushed with embarrassment when all eyes turned to her, having heard such noise that sounded like a lion's voice.

"Oh, well, would you look at that," she laughed. "It must be lunchtime." She smiled at all the kids. "Who wants snacks while they work?"

"We do! We do! We do!" The fillies cheered.

"Spike," the unicorn began as she turned to her number one assistant. "What do we have that we can serve our guests?"

"Hmm..." The baby dragon began as he looked at their food stocks. "Well, we can serve cookies."

"A good start," she nodded, "and what's to drink?"

"Well, the only thing we have right now is chocolate milk."

Suddenly, Twilight's calm posture fell as her purple eyes widened. She felt herself twitch as her lips curved into a slight frown.

"Twilight?" Spike asked, noticing how uncomfortable she looked. "Um, is chocolate milk okay?"

Twilight immediately shook her head, trying to clear her head of what sudden realization hit her. She put on a nervous, desperate smile at the baby dragon.

"Chocolate milk sounds fine," she said, her voice sounding too cheery.

"Okay then," Spike said as he set right to work in preparing snacks. "Uh, you want me to make tea for you instead?"

"That would be wonderful..." Twilight said with a sigh of relief.

Twilight watched as the fillies set right to work, the Crusaders showing them what she had instructed earlier. Despite her recent surprise and near-lunacy, the unicorn smiled. She felt so proud of herself that these young ponies were enjoying this activity; it made her feel like a kid again.

Twilight turned and gazed back at her window, at the recent work the Crusaders and Spike had made. Then her eyes fell on her image.

Studying it now, the image that so much resembled Discord looked intriguing. The posture was showy yet discreet, showing the playful and manipulative character the Draconequus had. It glowed as the sunlight fell upon it. As if he could pop out any moment...

Suddenly, another memory flashed through her mind. It was after the defeat of Discord, the princess created a stained-glass window in their honor for such bravery. All six of them...combined in the Elements of Harmony...their magic of friendship defeating the chaos and disharmony that nearly ruined them and their home...All of Equestria cheered for Twilight and her friends as they all gazed at the window, amazed by such praise and honor.

Though Twilight was proud of herself for saving all of Equestria and being so highly admired...a little bit of her felt regret.

The image of Discord on that new window made her have second thoughts...about whether or not she could have done something much more than imprisoning him in stone. Yes, the whole 'use power of friendship' plan was definite...but it was the plan afterwards.

If things had turned out different...the princess could have made a different window in their honor. A better one.

Twilight sighed as her ears lowered before she continued gazing at her work. She seemed so distracted that she didn't even hear the excited voices of the children behind her. She just gazed at her image...gazed outside her window...

...as if she was waiting.
_

Everyday I'm WHAT?

"It's a beautiful morning," Twilight sang as she placed some books back into their slots while Spike dusted some of the shelves. Though the baby dragon was busy doing his daily chores, his ears became attuned to the voice of the unicorn as she sang. He swayed his hips a bit, enjoying her singing.

A new day began and the sky was clear blue with the sun shining. After having a good breakfast, Twilight decided to resume her reading. Though teaching creativity to the fillies yesterday had been an amazing experience, it was time to put down the paints and continue with her studies.

Twilight placed her chosen book on her study desk before using her magic to summon some quills and paper. However, before she could read, she took this private moment to check on something...

Glancing over her shoulder to see that Spike was engrossed in his dusting, Twilight turned back to her desk and quietly opened one of the drawers in front of her. She summoned a small folder into her hooves before opening it.

Inside was the little stained-glass window she made yesterday. The one that looked like Discord.

Twilight's eyes lowered as she sighed in slight frustration. She just wanted to make an image of an Everfree tree and she winded up making an image of the enemy they had defeated not too long ago. She almost lost herself in front of Spike and the fillies when she realized she had unconsciously made an image of Discord.

It seemed like the Draconequus was always on her mind. How long had she been thinking about him since his defeat?

"One week, four hours, and forty-five minutes..." She sighed quietly to herself, gazing at the image in her hoof.

Her eyes widened in horror before rapidly shaking her head, her lips tightening in despair as she immediately shoved the image back into its folder.

Great...she thought with annoyance, somehow I'm able to count the days as well!

Throwing the folder back inside the drawer, she flipped her book open and immediately began reading. Even though she had read Body Structure before, she felt she needed to read it again.

Better than reading The Tale of Discord for the hundredth time...

She smiled as the words on the page became familiar to her. She could remember the last time she read Body Structure, it was the day of the Iron Pony competition in which both Rainbow Dash and Applejack participated in. How could she forget the expressions of determination and pride on their faces? Both were necking the other when it came to the race.

Ah, the race...Twilight shifted her eyes over to a nearby wall where special items were hanging. Right next to her filly self-portrait was a gold medal. Every now and then when Twilight looked at her medal, she would smile and remember that wonderful day. The day she beat Applejack and Rainbow Dash in the race.

Though she made it to fifth place, Twilight was quite proud of herself, considering she never ran a race before. Thanks to her book on managing the pony body with pacing and such, she had finished the race while enjoying the scenery.

While she did feel a bit apologetic that both Applejack and Rainbow Dash had made last place because of their quarreling during the race, the unicorn felt more proud because she showed them both that even an 'egghead' like her could manage in sports. While Rainbow Dash was just being herself, she had been a bit inconsiderate when she mocked Twilight about joining them in the race. Though Twilight's expression had been one of annoyance, deep down she did feel a little hurt by the pegasus's jokes. And Applejack...well, she was just being honest as usual...

But despite their snickering and over-zealous confidence that they would definitely win the race, Twilight held her head high, determined to prove them wrong.

And she did. She trotted over to them as they laid on the floor, exhausted from beating each other up and ending up in last place. The gold medal around her neck gleamed and her face held a proud smile...a smile that also said 'I showed you!'

She wasn't one to brag or mock or even ridicule, but her smile was, indeed, a teasing smirk when she gazed into the distraught faces of both her friends. She did act modest, honestly saying that she was happy with being in fifth place and happy that reading her book succeeded her in finishing the race.

Although she was glad to prove her friends wrong, what really made the day joyous was having Princess Celestia visit. That and learning another lesson in friendship. That friendship is more important than the competition.

Twilight smiled as she turned another page, allowing the familiar words to enter her mind once again as the sunlight beamed down on her from outside her window. It was such a beautiful day outside. So beautiful that perhaps she could go out for a bit and take a stroll...but she needed to study...maybe some other time-

Suddenly, the door of her house burst open.

"Twilight!" Pinkie Pie shouted at the top of her lungs. She smiled at a scared witless Spike. "Hi, Spike!"

Having been startled by the unexpected entrance, Twilight's surprise quickly ceased as she raised an eyebrow at the pink pony. "What is it, Pinkie?"

"You and Spike have to come quick!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she raced over and grabbed Twilight by one of her hooves.

The unicorn's eyes widened. "What is it?" She cried desperately, her free hoof clutching her book. "Is there trouble? A muffin shortage? An animal running loose through Ponyville? Rarity having a fashion breakdown?"

"I'll let you know on the way!" Pinkie Pie said quickly. Her eyes shifted over to the book in Twilight's other hoof. She frowned and shook her head at her. "You've been studying too much!"

Before Twilight could say anything, Pinkie Pie yanked her forward, causing her to drop her book. Twilight cried out in surprise as Pinkie Pie raced her out the door by her hoof, Spike following close behind them.
_

Twilight galloped close behind Pinkie Pie while Spike held on tight around her neck. With all the running, the pink pony hadn't explained anything at all since they left the library house in a rush. It must be a huge emergency for her to drag Twilight out like this...

When they reached toward the center of Ponyville, Twilight came to a sudden halt, desperate to know what was occurring right now.

"Okay..." She panted as Spike jumped off her. "I think we ran enough...what's the problem, Pinkie?"

Pinkie Pie raised an eyebrow at her in confusion. "Problem? What problem? There's no problem."

The unicorn's eyes bugged out in sheer shock, her mane feeling like it was sticking out on end. "No...problem?" She asked slowly, a sharp yet exasperate edge to her voice. "There's no problem?" She demanded, her voice rising.

"No," Pinkie Pie shook her head, surprised by her shift in character. "I brought you here just in time for the party."

"Party?" Twilight repeated, her voice smoothing down to its original tone. "What party? A party for what?"

The pink pony giggled. "It's just a party, silly!" She gave Twilight's cheek a playful tap with her hoof. "Do I need a reason to throw one?"

"You usually don't..." Twilight said quietly, rolling her eyes.

"Well, Vinyl Scratch just made some new music!" Pinkie Pie said excitedly, flapping her hooves in the air. "And what better way to show it to Ponyville than have it played at a party? A dance party!"

"Dance party?" Twilight repeated.

"Duh!" Pinkie Pie giggled as they neared where the citizens of Ponyville stood around.

Twilight's eyes gazed at the preparations made for this particular celebration. Tables were set with foods made by other ponies, most goods baked by the Cakes. Balloons and streamers were attached to most of the houses as well as the light poles around the area. And in the middle of it all was a DJ set with the DJ herself, preparing her music.

"This all looks nice," Twilight said, forming a small smile.

"Wait until we start dancing!" Pinkie Pie said excitedly. "Oh, I love dancing!"

"Obviously." Both turned to see Rainbow Dash approach them, along with Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity.

"This here's going to be one fine and dandy hoedown!" Applejack said happily. "Can't wait to be using some of my square-dancing moves on the dance floor!"

"Oh, we can't start dancing just yet," Fluttershy said softly before smiling at Rarity.

"Indeed," Rarity chuckled. "We must wait for the dance floor to get here."

"Dance floor?" Twilight questioned. "Why do we need a dance floor when we already have the ground?"

"Because Pinkie Pie just made a special kind of dance floor," Rainbow Dash said with a playful grin.

All eyes turned to see the pink pony emerge from Sugarcube Corner. She grunted as she dragged something large and rolled up in her small hooves. A few other ponies came to assist her and together they hauled the little project to the center of Ponyville.

"Here's our dance floor!" Pinkie Pie sang as it rolled out flat unto the ground.

Surprised gasps emerged from the ponies as eyes gazed at her work with amazement. Twilight's eyes widened as she looked down at what Pinkie Pie had made.

It was a large scale picture of all them: her, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. It was a group shot that was drawn and colored with crayons.

"Pinkie..." Twilight looked up at the pink pony with surprise. "This looks wonderful." Indeed, the unicorn was touched.

"Aw, it was nothing!" Pinkie Pie shrugged with her usual smile. She glanced at everpony. "Now let's get this party started!" She pumped a hoof into the air before glancing at Vinyl Scratch, motioning for her to start.

With a playful smirk, the DJ unicorn used her magic to place the needle atop one of her newest records. A loud, high-tempo beat began to play and it spread throughout all of Ponyville. The unicorn bobbed her head to the beat, watching the ponies before her begin to move to the music.

"Alright!" Rainbow Dash hollered, flying above everypony. "Party rock is in the streets today!"

"Everypony just have a good time!" Applejack shouted, waving her hat in the air.

The other ponies cheered as they got onto the dance floor Pinkie Pie had made. All ponies began to move their hips to the music, swaying their manes and laughing as their hooves thumped the ground.

Twilight watched with a small smile as her friends danced to the music. The beat was compatible to listen to and its tempo really had the heart pumping. Yet she decided to keep her hooves still, simply enjoying the party and watching her friends have a good time. She wasn't much into dancing as the rest of them were right now...

"Aren't you going to dance, Twilight?" Spike asked her as he moved his hips to the beat, pumping his hands into the air with every swift movement.

"Um..." Twilight averted her eyes. "Uh, yeah...I will..." Her eyes shifted toward the buffet table. "Right after I get something to eat!" Before Spike could question her further, the unicorn galloped off.

Twilight blew a sigh of relief as she made her way over to the various treats prepared before her. Using her magic, she picked up a cup and poured herself a cup of punch. As she drank, she summoned a cookie and lightly munched on it, savoring the chocolate chips that seemed to have left crumbs on her face. Wiping her face, she watched as everypony was just having a good time, especially Pinkie Pie.

Talking, laughing, eating, dancing, a real good time. Twilight smiled as she watched Vinyl Scratch's head bob faster to her records, proud of her music. Pinkie Pie stood by the DJ set as she danced her heart out, simply enjoying another party she threw just for the thrill of having another party. How happy and enthusiastic the pink pony was as her poofy mane flipped in all directions as her hooves stamped on the floor she made for this occasion.

Taking another sip of her punch, Twilight silently walked over to a nearby table to sit and watch everypony. Seated at a small table that seemed to put distance between her and the party itself, the unicorn simply watched as they all danced.

It wasn't that she didn't like the party or anything...she just didn't feel like dancing.

Realizing her cup was finished, Twilight stood up to get a refill. Before she made her way back to the buffet table, a hoof reached over and grabbed her. Startled, the unicorn immediately turned to see Pinkie Pie look at her with a disappointed frown.

"You don't look like you're having fun!" She told her as if she was accusing her of something.

"What?" Twilight blinked. "Of course, I'm having fun!" She gave her a nervous smile. "The food is good and the punch is simply delicious."

"Oh, yeah, good cake!" Pinkie Pie nodded, her disappointed frown replaced with an agreeing smile. She reached over and grabbed a cupcake before shoving the whole thing into her mouth. As she chewed, she turned to Twilight with that same disappointed expression again.

"Youff rally nid ta dunce," the pink pony said, her mouth still full with cupcake.

"I'm sorry?" Twilight asked uneasily.

Pinkie Pie gulped before frowning at her once again. "I said, you really need to dance!" She gave her friend a slight push toward the dance floor.

"Oh, no..." Twilight assured her, placing her front hooves deep into the ground, trying to halt them. "It's okay! I'm not in the mood to dance right now."

"Not in the mood to dance?" Pinkie Pie screamed.

Though the music was still playing, a few heads turned in their direction, having heard Pinkie Pie's outburst over the loud beat. Twilight shuddered under their confused gazes before looking back at a distraught Pinkie Pie.

"What's this I hear about not in the mood to dance?" Applejack asked, walking toward them.

"Yeah, who can resist this awesome music?" Rainbow Dash asked, flapping her wings as she lowered herself down to their level.

"Twilight's resisting!" Pinkie Pie declared as she pointed a hoof at the stunned unicorn.

"I'm not resisting," Twilight retorted, "I'm simply enjoying the music while watching others dance."

"So when exactly are you going to dance?" Applejack asked her carefully.

"Um..." Twilight felt her cheeks burn as she averted her eyes. She smiled nervously. "Good cookies we have, right? I'll simply get too full to dance!"

"Oh, come on!" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "You're just trying to make an excuse not to dance. What, are you nervous?" She eyed Twilight carefully. "Come on, we've seen you dance before at the previous parties!"

"I'm not nervous," Twilight said defensively, her cheeks becoming even redder.

"Prove it," the pegasus challenged, smirking.

Twilight's eyes widened before turning back toward the dance floor. Dance? In front of everypony? Sure, she danced before at the previous parties Pinkie Pie hosted, but they were private parties. Parties only she and her five friends, along with Spike, celebrated together. She danced at those parties, allowing her hooves to move freely without the worry of embarrassing herself on account of it was just her friends watching her.

But here, in this huge party, where all of Ponyville was participating in...Twilight felt she would fall flat on her face if she danced in front of everypony. Not even back in Canterlot when there were small celebrations had the unicorn even dared dance in front of her classmates.

Applejack immediately caught on with the unicorn's anxious expression and she nudged Rainbow Dash in warning. "Aw, sugarcube, don't be mighty scared of letting your hooves take the best of you."

"I'm not scared," Twilight insisted, her voice becoming edgy. "I just don't...um...don't like to dance in front of other ponies..." She bit her lip as soon as she said that.

"Yup, she's nervous," Rainbow Dash said with a nod, folding her arms.

"Okay, maybe a little..." Twilight rolled her eyes. She gazed back at the dance floor. "I really just don't want to dance in front of everypony..."

"Oh, come on!" Pinkie Pie urged. "I dance in front of everypony all the time!"

"You're Pinkie Pie," Twilight reminded her, "you have no fear about embarrassing yourself in front of others."

"Twi, I understand if you just don't want to dance," Applejack assured her, "we're not pressuring you or anything, honey. We just want you to have a good time and-"

She was cut off when new music blared through the speakers of the DJ set, sending a louder, more uptight beat.

"Oooh!" Pinkie Pie squealed with delight. "This music sounds interesting!" And she began to bob her head as she pumped her hips back and forth. "I could dance all night to this!"

Twilight took a few steps away from the pink pony. "Uh, yeah, you enjoy yourself with that, Pinkie..."

She thought the sound of music would distract Pinkie Pie enough for Twilight to slip away from her. However, Pinkie Pie was so into the music that her moving hips went left and right, swaying faster. She didn't realize that her hips knocked into Twilight...

...and pushed her onto the center of the dance floor.

Twilight's eyes widened in horror as all eyes fell on her. Her legs bucked with anxiety as she just stood there nervously, unable to move out of the way.

"Oh, no..." Fluttershy gasped softly as she and her friends watched the poor unicorn. "She's scared."

"Come on, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash urged, hoof pumping into the air. "You can do it! Dance, baby!"

With that outburst, other ponies began to speak words of encouragement to the startled unicorn. All of Ponyville wanted to see her dance, right there in the middle of the dance floor.

Sweat dropped down the back of her neck as Twilight became stiff, not sure whether to appreciate the encouragement or take it as a sign of pressure. She wished she was back at home reading Body Movement...

Suddenly, an idea flashed in Twilight's mind.

"My book!" She reminded herself. "What I learned from my book!"

Though it felt like a slim chance...if her book had helped her do well in the race, it could help her manage to dance in front of everypony without faltering in her steps.

The unicorn looked over to where her worried friends stood. She flashed them an assuring smile. And with that smile, she raised herself up and stood on her hind legs, her front ones held out in front of her.

"What is she doing?" Fluttershy asked the others as they watched.

Applejack squinted a bit as she gazed at Twilight. "I think she's showing everypony some new dance move."

"Okay, Twilight..." The unicorn breathed steadily as she remained holding her front hooves out. "The book said to take a few deep breathes and calm the mind..." She closed her eyes and breathed again.

Then her front hooves curved, and she lifted one of her hind legs slightly higher than the other.

And then she danced.

Ponies' eyes widened as they watched her perform what they considered a unique dance move.

The determined unicorn danced int rhythm to the beat as her hind legs stomped the dance floor in timely fashion to the music. One leg raised while the other stomped, and the pattern continued. Her front hooves were thrown in front of her every time her hind legs stomped, as if she was pushing something away.

"Wow," Pinkie Pie whistled in amazement as everypony watched her dance. "That's some dancing! What is it again?" She placed a hoof to her chin and pondered.

"That there, Pinkie Pie," Applejack smiled, "is what I believe is known as shuffling."

Twilight's eyes opened to realize that she was really dancing. While still keeping up with her pace, she turned toward all the other ponies. Her expression grew into a smile of joy as she saw their expressions of amazement as they watched her.

She was doing it! She was dancing without fear of falling on her face in front of everypony! All thanks to her book!

With that realization, a playful smirk made its way to her lips as she pumped her hooves faster, accommodating with the beat the music was offering. If she recalled correctly from what her book stated, she believed she was shuffling.

Since when did she learn how to perform such a professional dance move? When she usually danced, it had always been on all fours, simple steps like hoof swaying and slight body movement. But when she shuffled on the dance floor, her entire body flowed...

"Whoo! Go, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash cheered with the other ponies.

She could answer her own question later. Right now, she was still in the middle of wowing the crowd.

She shuffled to the left. Graceful turn. She shuffled to the right. Flip of the mane. Her front hooves jerked a bit as her hind legs continued stomping.

She felt so light on her feet all of a sudden, as if she were floating on air. Her hooves felt like they could just click, always skipping to her delight. She felt so elated, enthusiastic, playful.

Suddenly, Pinkie Pie bursted out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Rainbow Dash asked her, raising an eyebrow.

The pink pony was unable to stifle her giggles as she pointed a hoof in Twilight's direction. "She's standing on your face!"

Confused, Rainbow Dash turned back toward Twilight. Indeed, Twilight was standing on Rainbow Dash's image. Her hooves shuffled atop of the drawing of the pegasus's face.

Feeling her entire body growing tired, Twilight decided to finish her unexpected performance with a slight twist to her hips. After shaking to the side, the unicorn extended one hoof out in front of her while the other extended behind her. And she gave a final position, smiling at everypony.

All the ponies cheered as soon as her dance was over, hooves clopping the ground to applaud her performance. Soon, the party was back to its original state as ponies went back to their dancing. Twilight's friends rushed over to her, voices ringing out all at once.

"That was amazing!"

"You got some fancy hooves!"

"That dance is twenty percent cooler than any other dance!"

Twilight blushed, the adrenaline she had earlier quickly decreased as she placed herself back on all fours. She was just as surprised as her friends. How did she master such a dance technique when she never even learned it?

"Well, at least I didn't fall on my face..." She chuckled.

"Twilight, that was some serious dancing!" Rainbow Dash chirped. "Awesome shuffling!"

"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie nodded. "I feel like I've seen it before..."

Twilight raised an eyebrow at her. "Seen it before?"

"Well, I'm not sure..." The pink pony tapped a hoof to her chin as she pondered. "My brain's a little fuzzy..."

"I think I saw it before as well," Rainbow Dash added, pondering as well. "I can't really remember..." She stroked her chin. "Though the dancing on my face part is trying to get me somewhere..."

Twilight's eyes widened a bit. "I was dancing on your face on the dance floor?"

Pinkie Pie let out a huge giggle. "Oh, it was so funny!"

"Really, it does remind me of something..." Rainbow Dash pondered again. "But nothing's coming to mind...but that dance move...really, where have I seen that dance move? I mean, who did it before you did, Twilight? Really, I can't remember..."

The unicorn suddenly gulped. She remembered.

Her ears seemed deaf to the blaring music right now as her mind drifted once more. How she wished her mind wouldn't pick up more memories of those horrid events...

The images in her mind...she saw herself and her friends...all in Princess Celestia's castle...all looking annoyed and determined...

Suddenly, the memory flashed to another one. The Elements...Pinkie Pie's laughter...someone dancing on Twilight's stained-glass window image...

"Uh, Twilight? Hello? You there?"

Twilight's eyes had become dazed and her lips curved as her mind filled with a flashback. Her face held an expression of horror mixed with anxiety.

"Twilight?"

The unicorn immediately shook her head before smiling apologetically at her friends, shifting her hooves a bit.

"You seemed to have been...what's that tough word again?" Rainbow Dash pondered. "Pen what?"

"I think you mean pensive," Twilight said, her smile faltering a bit.

"Right! Pensive!" The pegasus nodded. "You were just acting pensive right now!"

"Oh, I was?" Twilight chuckled nervously. "Oh, I guess I enjoyed the music so much my mind went along with it..." She shifted her hooves nervously, feeling herself twitch.

She immediately stood up straight, holding onto her smile as she regarded her friends with hopefully cheerful eyes.

"Um, could you excuse me for a second?" The unicorn asked as she slowly backed away, right through the door of Sugarcube Corner. "I just need to do something for a moment." She held her smile as she backed deeper into the house.

Her friends watched her in confusion but allowed her to go with her business. They all waited outside for her as she closed the door in front of her. As they waited, they simply stood around, enjoying the sound of the music the party was receiving.

Suddenly, there was an ear-piercing scream from within Sugarcube Corner.

Fluttershy shook as she lowered herself to the ground, having been startled by such a sound. The others gazed at the door with wide, stunned eyes.

The screaming went on, almost becoming as loud as the music. Following the scream, there was the sound of hooves stomping the floor. The way those hooves sounded, it was almost as if it was out of anger or frustration...

Before Twilight's friends could figure out what to do, the scream and hoof-stomping ceased. The door flew open.

There stood Twilight, her cheeks flushed as she lightly ran a hoof down her perfectly fixed mane. She flashed her friends a wide smile.

"Well then," she said in a voice sounding too cheery. She trotted past her distraught friends, smile still on her face. "I'm going to eat right now. I'll join you guys later on the dance floor, okay?"

"Uh, sure, Twilight..." Applejack said uneasily as she and the others watched her leave. As soon as she was gone, Applejack turned to the others. "What the hay was that about?"

"She was probably overwhelmed with party rocking fever," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.

Twilight immediately grabbed herself a cup of punch and consumed every drop in one gulp. Panting from having drank too fast, she reached over and grabbed herself a hoof-ful of cookies and shoved them all into her mouth. She chewed rapidly, trying to have the crunch distract her mind.

What in the name of Equestria just happened exactly? Sure, she had a good time dancing and impressing the other ponies...but from such an 'influence'?

"Get out of my head..." Twilight muttered, her mouth still full of cookies as she lightly bonked her head with a hoof, hoping remembrance would fade away.

It never did. It was just like all those other times...

Growling in frustration, Twilight grabbed a nearby cupcake and shoved it into her mouth. She was eating out of frustration. As she chewed, she reluctantly allowed the memory to take over.

That Discord was a sly, manipulative, terrifying beast. Yet there was a child-like demeanor in him. Twilight couldn't forget how they had first met Discord, back in Celestia's castle, when they had seen him in the stained-glass windows.

Scary and serious at first, then he shifted to a lighter personality which consisted of fooling around with the window images. Even fooling around with her image. She shuddered as she remembered when he danced atop the head of her stained-glass window image.

Shuffling.

He was being so ridiculous! Twilight and the others were in the middle of a crisis and all he did was take the time to taunt and mock them! Especially Twilight! She felt so embarrassed when he stood atop her image, as if her head was his special place to stand upon. And Pinkie Pie thought it was funny!

Nothing was funny, whatever Discord did. Not the cotton candy clouds, not the chocolate rain, not the jokes, and especially not his dumb dancing.

How in the hay did Twilight even manage his dance? Sure, she had taken some time to study his stained-glass image as he shuffled swiftly on the window. It seemed simple, really. Left leg up, right leg down. Then step and repeat. Arms in front, move them to the rhythm of the legs-

"Oh, stop it, Twilight!" The unicorn growled to herself, tapping a hoof against her forehead. "Stop thinking about Discord! It's already been one week, eight hours, and twenty-two minutes!"

Her eyes widened in horror. She gave a groan of frustration before she reached over and grabbed herself another cupcake. Chewing her frustration away, Twilight tried to think positive of the situation.

Well, at least his dumb dancing saved me from embarrassment..., she thought with a sigh. She refilled her cup and washed down the cupcake as her mind drifted off as it always had.

He must have really loved to dance...

She rolled her eyes at the thought. No, duh, he enjoyed moving himself around, as if he were the center of attention and nothing else.

But wasn't that what Twilight had just done a few moments ago?

She shook her head, trying to get back on her recent thoughts. Okay, so he loved to dance, apparently. Maybe he loved to dance atop of objects. Maybe he loved messing with ponies' heads while he shifted from one stained-glass window to another, mesmerizing ponies with his swift dance techniques that would somehow influence them to try and master the same if they even wanted to.

Twilight didn't even want to. All she wanted was to try and impress the crowd and not look like a fool. Thought Discord had danced the fool, she believed she did a better job.

Oh, great...she thought bitterly, now my pride's getting in the way...

Sighing, Twilight turned and watched as everypony began doing their own dance moves. One pony was doing a type of can-can movement, kicking his hind legs in front of him as he folded his arms. Another stood on the tip of her back hooves as she gracefully danced through the dance floor. And Pinkie Pie, well...that Pinkie Pie-esque dance was hard to miss.

Twilight had to smile as she watched all of Ponyville have a good time. Why couldn't she instead of being annoyed with the fact that Discord had invaded her mind once again?

He just couldn't be forgotten, Twilight knew. While it was surprising to see that her friends had seem to forget him so quickly, the unicorn still remembered him and thought about him. He was just that unique of a creature, too unique to try and ignore.

Maybe his dance was a way of expression. To express his playful, child-like personality that clicked with his manipulative, chaotic side...

Twilight had to chuckle. Maybe if he were here right now, while not causing disharmony, perhaps he could have taken over the dance floor?

The image of Discord standing in the center of Ponyville, having frightened the ponies, and he had a sly, confident grin plastered on his face. While most ponies would just hide away as he danced, Twilight and her friends would stick around. To either watch him or prepare to defeat him, Twilight wasn't able to picture it correctly. But she knew he would enjoy Vinyl Scratch's music. And enjoy the freedom of movement his feet were given as he shuffled along the dance floor, probably dancing on all their images...

Feeling a little full, the unicorn turned from the buffet table back to the dance floor where her friends were enjoying themselves. Feeling a little more relaxed, Twilight trotted over to them.

So his shuffling technique somehow influenced her. It wasn't like she was going to do it again...

"Dance, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie urged as she held Twilight's hooves in hers and the unicorn found herself standing on her hind legs once again.

Twilight smiled nervously, her front hooves pulled in front of her as Pinkie Pie danced with her.

Maybe just for today...
_

Cotton Candy Cupcakes

"Dear Princess Celestia..." Twilight said quietly as her magic moved the quill on a blank piece of paper. "This message displays much concern. Concern that I've been feeling since...well, since the day we defeated a certain Spirit of Disharmony..."

The unicorn stopped her writing and gazed at the words. It sounded so much better in her head...

Sighing in exasperation, Twilight pushed on and furiously wrote more. "No, it's not that he escaped or anything like that, obviously..." She tried to chuckle. "I'm just sending you this message regarding my thoughts on the whole encounter, from first meeting him to turning him back into stone. I only ask for a private meeting with you in hopes that maybe we can reach a decision about-"

She stopped in mid-sentence as she gazed at what she had written. She was going to send this to the princess?

"No!" Twilight cried out angrily before dropping the quill, spilling a little ink on her message. She quickly grabbed the paper and folded it up. She didn't want to roll it up and throw it in the garbage on account of there would be a chance Spike could find it. And she couldn't bare to tear it into pieces for some reason.

Instead, she slipped the folded message into her journal, safe with her personal thoughts and feelings regarding a certain mix-matched creature. Using her magic to slip her journal under the pillow of her bed, Twilight slowly put her writing material away using her hooves. She walked away from her desk, moping for the moment while Spike was out running errands.

She just couldn't get that Discord out of her head. She almost thought he had placed some sort of chaotic magic on her before they turned him into stone. But that would be impossible. Her friends would have received the same as well...unless Discord wanted to mess with Twilight only, as he had done before when they first met.

The unicorn shivered a bit, recalling that memory of his lion paw running down her cheek while he was all creepy. Soft...but creepy...

Twilight gazed out the window of her library house. Seeing as it was such a beautiful day, the unicorn decided that a walk through Ponyville would help clear her mind of him. Perhaps it would take some time to really remove himself from her mind. It had only been-

"One week, one day, four hours, and twenty-eight minutes..." She muttered to herself. She had quickly grown to accept the fact that she, surprisingly, could count the days since that last encounter.

Why am I acting like I miss him? She thought bitterly before stepping outside her door and into the sunshine air.

"Okay, maybe a little..." She muttered under her breath as she slowly walked down the dirt road toward the center of Ponyville. "He did look scared, and that would trigger some feelings of guilt that could lead to the tiny need to see h-oh, please..." She immediately shook her head, feeling like a fool for talking to herself this way.

She immediately shut her mouth as she walked toward the center of town, her head held high. Putting those thoughts at the back of her head, the unicorn approached a familiar shop that she loved to visit almost every day.

The door of Sugarcube Corner opened and Twilight casually trotted in. In a matter of seconds, she was greeted by a fast, pink ball of laughter that immediately came to her side.

"Hi, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie greeted.

"Hi, Pinkie," Twilight greeted, trying to smile her best despite recently feeling disheartened. "What's on the menu today? Anything worth eating?"

"Silly!" Pinkie giggled. "Everything in Sugarcube Corner is worth eating! Well, except the tables, the walls, the doors-"

"Yeah, I get it," Twilight chuckled. "So, did the Cakes make anything new today?"

"Oh, sorry, dear." Both turned to see Mrs. Cake emerge from within the doorway leading to the kitchen. Dangling from her mouth was a brightly wrapped box of baked goods. "We're running a delivery right now. Perhaps we could bake later."

"Honeycomb, remember," Mr. Cake said as he carried a few boxes on his head. "They asked for muffins and brownies. The small box is the cupcakes."

"Right, sweetie," Mrs. Cake nodded before placing the small box atop the register table. She turned to Pinkie Pie. "Now, Pinkie, you sure you'll be able to watch the store while we make our deliveries?"

"No problem!" The pink pony giggled, giving a salute.

"Right," Mrs. Cake chuckled nervously, "I still remember the last time we did and Applejack had put some bad ingredients into our muffins and-"

"So they were baked bads," Pinkie giggled. "Oh, well! It won't happen again, I promise!"

"I'll be happy to watch the store with her," Twilight offered.

"Really?" Mr. Cake said. "Well, maybe we could use a little magic in watching this place. Maybe you could could assist Pinkie in making some new treats."

"Oh, I'd love to," Twilight smiled. "Been a while since I baked."

"Well, that settles it then," Mrs. Cake said as she and Mr. Cake gathered their orders and proceeded out the door. "Bye, girls. Take care."

After they left, Pinkie Pie led Twilight into the kitchen where various ingredients were waiting to be used. As Twilight walked over to look at one of the cook books, Pinkie Pie opened the fridge.

"What are you looking for?" Twilight asked, using her magic to turn pages. "Do we need extra chocolate chips for our super chocolate muffins?"

"Nope," Pinkie Pie said happily before she removed a huge box from the fridge. "I just wanted a snack!"

"Snack?" Twilight asked before turning to her. "What do you have there? Leftover cake from your last party?"

"Silly, I already finished the leftover cake!" The pink pony giggled before she placed the box on the table beside her. "No, this was something I've been saving for a while now!"

Twilight raised an eyebrow before stepping closer to the box. "Well, what is it? Cookies? Cupcakes? Donuts?"

"Not even close," Pinkie laughed before gently removing the lid of the box. "It's..."

Twilight's eyes widened in disbelief as she was greeted by the sight of something pink and fluffy.

"Cotton candy?" Her voice drew out in a small gasp, unable to tear her eyes away from the substance.

"I know, it's so delicious, isn't it?" Pinkie Pie smiled before ripping off a piece and shoving it into her mouth. "Mmm! So good!" She licked her lips happily. "Want some?"

Twilight didn't budge. Her eyes were completely mesmerized by the pink, gooey stuff. "W...where did you get this?" She had almost been afraid to ask.

If Pinkie Pie found that cotton candy just recently, then Twilight definitely needed to message Princess Celestia. If it was just cotton candy saved during those horrible events, Twilight would feel the need to gag.

"Oh, Mr. and Mrs. Cake brought it from their last delivery," the pink pony smiled. "They came across some vendor who was selling this stuff. And they know how much I love cotton candy. Aren't the Cakes swell?"

The unicorn let out a sudden sigh of relief, much to Pinkie Pie raising an eyebrow in confusion. But the pink pony just shrugged and continued savoring her treat. As she ate, Twilight went back over to the cook book and opened it again, searching for a recipe she and Pinkie Pie could make.

As hard as she tried to concentrate on her reading, Pinkie Pie's little surprise had her mind flashing with yet another memory.

Cotton candy clouds...

"How is it possible that this could become coincidental?" Twilight asked herself quietly, using her magic to turn the page.

As she tried to read, Twilight recalled the first time she had seen those cotton candy clouds. Her mane was getting ruined because of the chocolate rain that poured from those little disruptions of order.

That Discord claimed he was being generous in showering Equestria with his 'gifts'. Even though Pinkie Pie enjoyed such a thing, Twilight stood her ground, refusing to even crack a smile out of politeness for the Spirit of Disharmony.

Twilight turned from her reading to see that Pinkie had left her cotton candy snack to work, cracking eggs and pouring flour into a bowl before mixing. The unicorn smiled.

Though Pinkie Pie was just as worried for Equestria as Twilight and the others were, she had been the only one to enjoy the chaos Discord had planted on their home. The unicorn stifled a laugh as she remembered Pinkie Pie sticking her tongue out to catch drops of chocolate rain into her mouth before taking a huge bite out of those cotton candy clouds. She was just so easy to please. After they defeated Discord, Twilight did feel a little sorry for her when Pinkie Pie confessed she would miss those cotton candy clouds. But the pink pony insisted that she would miss her friends even more if they had not defeated that mischievous Draconequus.

Yes, definitely mischievous. Yet there were so many other words Twilight used to describe such a creature like him.

"So, Twilight," Pinkie Pie called. "What do you suggest we put into our recipe, whatever it is?"

"Mmm?" Twilight's thoughts were so fogged up that she barely comprehended what exactly Pinkie Pie was saying. "Oh, a little dark, maybe some tiny bits of pure evil, perhaps with a hint of childishness combined with a dash of humor..."

Pinkie Pie raised an eyebrow as she regarded the unicorn in confusion. "Huh?" She asked. "A dash of humor? What's that?"

"What?" Twilight immediately shook her head, clearing her thoughts before looking at Pinkie Pie. "Wait, what? What did I say?" Her cheeks became a tint pink.

"I think you might need glasses, Twilight," Pinkie Pie said. "Because I never heard of 'a little dark' being added into a recipe." She giggled.

"Oh, uh..." Twilight chuckled nervously. "Sorry, my mind was drifting elsewhere..."

"It's okay," Pinkie Pie laughed, "just tell me a recipe and we'll-" Suddenly, she turned toward the clock. She gasped.

"What is it, Pinkie?" Twilight asked.

"I just remembered!" The pink pony cried. "Gummy's got a pet grooming appointment!"

"Pet grooming appointment?" Twilight couldn't help but laugh. "What's there to groom? He doesn't even have fur!"

Pinkie Pie didn't even hear her as she raced toward the door. "Sorry, Twilight, but you're going to have to bake without me!"

Before Twilight could say anything, Pinkie Pie was out the door. The unicorn rolled her eyes as she placed down the cookbook. She turned and spotted the opened box of leftover cotton candy. She cringed a bit, unable to believe that a sweet substance could suddenly bring a sickening feeling to her.

Well, of course. It reminded her of Discord and his little cotton candy clouds.

The unicorn came over and stood beside the box of cotton candy, resting her chin against a hoof as she simply stared at it. It looked gooey, sticky, and above all poofy.

"Discord made these look better..." She told herself nonchalantly.

Her eyes widened in horror before shaking her head. She tapped her forehead with a hoof, baring her teeth in frustration.

"No, no, no!" She told herself desperately. "They were not better! He didn't make anything better with his chaos!"

After trying to knock some sense into her intellectual mind, Twilight brought over a chair and sat herself down, sighing as she placed her head against the table. She simply stared at the box of cotton candy, not sure whether to put it back in the fridge or just leave it there for Pinkie Pie to find when she came back.

Twilight had to admit. The cotton candy did look delicious...

Twilight lowered her eyes, finding slight interest with the color of the table as she became deep in her thoughts once more.

"I wonder what would it would have been like if I did take a small taste of those clouds..." She couldn't help but say to herself. A small smile formed on her lips, imagining the thought.

During the events involving Discord, Twilight had always been annoyed whenever he summoned those cotton candy clouds of his, and her temper rose when chocolate milk rained down on her. And Discord laughed, finding her annoyance to his amusement. She just wanted to charge at him, cease his laughing, grab a nearby cotton candy cloud and slap it against his Draconequus face...

Yet...a little part of her wondered if his cotton candy cloud was as delicious as Pinkie Pie said it was...

That sounded ridiculous, she knew. But she had skipped lunch when she first noticed 'changes' in Ponyville. Seeing all of Fluttershy's animals, as well as Pinkie Pie, eat through the cotton candy cloud Applejack lassoed to the ground...Twilight practically drooled at the sight. But she didn't want to look 'Pinkie-esque', so she simply watched the animals eat while trying to fight off her hunger.

The quest in the labyrinth made her even more hungry. How angry her stomach was as she searched for her friends. And when she assisted a changed Rarity with her so-called 'diamond', Twilight's hunger had made her a little weak, but she was willing to assist Rarity, even though the other unicorn still didn't trust her with 'Tom'.

"I should have at least eaten a few daisies before we went to the princess..." Twilight rolled her eyes.

Even a few daisies seemed too little a meal compared to a big portion of cotton candy.

But her hunger ceased when she drew in another quest, rounding up her changed friends as they went to Ponyville. When they found the elements, the only thing she hungered for was victory..and maybe a daisy sandwich. Yes, it was ridiculous to think of food at a time like that, but Twilight's stomach was aching for something!

Hunger had been the last thing on her mind when the elements failed to defeat Discord and her friends deserted her. Twilight couldn't believe what she had said when her friends left her alone.

With friend likes you, who needs...enemies.

Though she couldn't feel it, Discord's chaotic magic had made its way through her entire body, making her as gray as her friends. The tears she shed when she realized how alone she was...and later not caring at all. She didn't care about the chaos around Ponyville as she moped around, nose down as her element crown dangled from her head.

She felt so completely miserable. So alone and depressed as well as heartbroken...And a certain cotton candy cloud that rained chocolate milk down on her added weight to the whole ordeal. Her tears mixed with the chocolate milk.

The unicorn's eyes glistened, her lip quivering as she remembered that sad event during Discord's reign. She had been so alone, wishing for at least a little company...

She wished she didn't wish that when Discord popped by her side, laughing hysterically at the work he had done to her home. What more did he want from her now that he ruined Equestria as well as her friendship? A shared laugh?

Of course, he tried to make her laugh when he showed her another trick he came up with. He was tearing up from so much laughter. But Twilight kept her head down, allowing the chocolate rain to pour down her pathetic self. Though she didn't look at him, she thought she felt him looking at her.

She thought she felt something else from him. Something like slight...remorse.

No...her mind thought sadly as she continued gazing at the box of cotton candy in front of her, he was just a little surprised by me, nothing more.

Yet a little part of her had wondered if he did feel kind of bad for what he had done. For what he had done to her. Had he noticed her tears? Did he even care if he made her cry? Did he even care at all?

She just wanted to get away from him, so she just kept walking. When he popped in front of her, he tried to coax her into finding the positive side of her situation. When she finally looked up at him, she could find no assurance in that snaggletooth smile of his. She just wanted to cry more, not caring if he noticed or not.

Twilight sighed, she felt slightly fresh from that event for some reason. "I guess he likes it when ponies cry..." Her voice felt thick, as if she could cry right now.

No. That was the past, and she had her friends back. Equestria was fine and peaceful again. And Discord was back in that stone prison and such-

"But for that one moment..." Twilight told herself softly as she slowly raised her head from the table. "That one moment..."

Her mind quickly sped to the scene where Discord removed the cotton candy cloud off her. The unicorn had to admit, that was the only act of kindness he ever performed. And she had seen a little bit of concern on his face as he did that...she hoped that was concern. If not, she could only imagine what she wanted to believe.

The unicorn smiled sadly to herself, tapping a hoof against the table as she replayed that scene in her head.

"That was kind of sweet of him..." Twilight said softly. Then her smile became an irritated frown. "But he still acted like a jerk!" She exclaimed harshly.

A sweet jerk...

Then she recalled Discord eating the cotton candy cloud he removed from her sight. Despite being so miserable, Twilight still felt herself hungry as she watched him smack his lips, the pink, gooey substance all over his face.

She had to admit, he did look kind of funny with cotton candy on his cheeks...

Suddenly, Twilight's stomach growled. She rolled her eyes. Seemed it was getting close to lunch time. She gazed around the kitchen, wondering if there was something she could sample to appease her hunger. Then she turned to the box of cotton candy.

"Well, it has been a while since I had this," she told herself before reaching a hoof into the box.

The cotton candy felt sticky on her hoof as she inched it toward her lips. She could smell the sugar right off it, and her mouth began to water. Finally, she stuck out her tongue and licked it.

"Mmm..." The unicorn moaned with satisfaction before she opened her mouth and engulfed her portion.

She could see why Pinkie Pie savored it so much. It was truly delicious, and she chewed slowly, the gooey substance becoming moist in her mouth. She reached over and grabbed herself another piece before shoving it into her mouth, bits of cotton candy sticking to her face as she licked her lips.

Swallowing with satisfaction, Twilight smiled to herself. Then she peered over at her reflection on a nearby toaster. She looked like she wore lipstick made out of cotton candy. As ridiculous as she looked, the unicorn had to laugh. She probably looked as funny as Discord had.

Suddenly, her eyes widened before turning back to the cookbook.

"Oh, gosh!" She cried. "I got to think of something to bake now!" She summoned the book and looked over various pages she read earlier. "This all seems so hard without Pinkie Pie! If only I could create a simple recipe!" She continued flipping pages. "If Discord could create cotton candy clouds, couldn't he have made it rain cupcakes instead?"

She stopped flipping pages. Her eyes suddenly widened as she realized something. Closing the book, she turned back to the box of cotton candy. Pinkie Pie had stored a lot of it.

The unicorn gasped as an idea popped into her head. Tossing the book aside, she used her magic to summon a nearby apron and wrapped it around her body.

"Well, I may not be able to make cotton candy clouds," she said with a determined smile. "But I can make something even better!"
_

"Are you sure leaving Twilight to bake was such a good idea?" Mrs. Cake asked as she and her husband followed behind Pinkie Pie as they neared Sugarcube Corner.

"Twilight may read a lot," Pinkie Pie giggled as she Gummy stood atop her poofy mane, "but I know she's a good baker."

"Still, maybe you shouldn't have left her to do so much work," Mr. Cake said as she opened the door.

"Even if she hadn't baked that much, I'm sure we can continue where she left off," Pinkie Pie insisted as they entered the shop.

Suddenly, a heavenly aroma sifted through the air as their noses rose up in surprise. The scent smelled amazing, so warm and sweet...

"I smell cupcakes!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed happily before bouncing into the kitchen, Gummy clinging to her head.

Twilight hummed softly as she carefully removed a tray of freshly-baked goods from the oven. Her hair had been tied back in a simple bun and her face was a bit caked with flour. She smiled to herself as she sniffed her work.

"Just as I had hoped," she said happily.

"Twilight?" The unicorn turned and smiled as Pinkie Pie and the Cakes stared at her in disbelief.

"Hi, guys," the unicorn greeted cheerfully before showing off her baked goods. "I'm making cupcakes."

"It smells wonderful, Twilight," Mr. Cake said with awe as he came closer to gaze at her fine work. "And it looks so delicious."

"Yeah," Pinkie Pie added, gazing hungrily at the cupcakes. "It looks so yummy!"

"I'm just glad I was able to help," Twilight said, blushing with embarrassment.

"Well, we're really grateful for it, dear," Mrs. Cake smiled. She gazed at the fresh-baked cupcakes. "Call me crazy, but do these cupcakes look a little...pink?"

"Oh, yeah," Twilight beamed. "I used a special ingredient to make these."

"Really?" Pinkie Pie cocked her head curiously. "What?"

Twilight smiled as she used her magic to summon the spoon she used to mix her ingredients.

"Cotton candy," she said before giving the spoon a lick.
_

Ponies began lining up outside Sugarcube Corner as the smell of Twilight's cotton candy cupcakes sifted through the air all over Ponyville.

"My, would you look at those customers!" Mrs. Cake exclaimed excitedly as she and her husband gazed out the window of their shop. She turned to see Twilight prepare the cupcakes. "Are you almost done, dear?"

"Almost," Twilight said as she placed icing on her work, "this cupcake just needs a little more icing to match the others..."

"Come on, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie urged. "Everypony wants a cupcake now!"

"Okay, okay!" Twilight laughed before she finished icing. "There." She smiled to the Cake couple. "Bring them in!"

As soon as the door opened, ponies galloped into the shop, all lining up in front of the cash register, gazing hungrily at Twilight's cupcakes. As Mrs. Cake took orders while Mr. Cake prepared takeout bags and boxes, Pinkie Pie took this chance to sneak a sample.

The cupcake looked so delicious. Its pink cake interior simply looked divine, especially with the pink frosting Twilight added. Taking a bite, Pinkie Pie chewed slowly, taking in the newfound taste.

Her blue eyes widened and they sparkled as a smile formed on her lips, which she licked happily.

"Delicious!" The pink pony cried out with joy. She turned to Twilight, her eyes sparkling. "Twilight! These cupcakes are amazing!"

"They sure are," Spike said as he took a bite into his purchased cupcake. He smiled at Twilight, licking his lips. "Man! These are even better than chocolate!"

"I'm glad you like them, Spike," Twilight smiled.

Suddenly, she realized that Spike's presence reminded her of that message she left in her journal back at home. Maybe she could send Princess Celestia that message she was too afraid to send? She didn't have to tell Spike exactly what was in her message, just tell him to use his fire breath to send it quickly to the princess...

"Uh, Spike..." She began, shifting her hooves nervously.

"Yeah?" He responded with a mouthful of cupcake.

"I, um..." Twilight bit her lip as she averted her eyes. "I, uh, I got a message for the princess."

"You learned about friendship through making cupcakes?" He questioned with surprise.

"No, no," Twilight chuckled nervously. "Actually, this message is a bit more...um, different."

"Different?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, um, it's a very surprising message, actually..." Sweat poured down the side of her head as she smiled nervously.

"Really?" He asked. "Well, what is it, exactly?"

Twilight regarded the baby dragon, feeling a lump in her throat.

I have a message regarding Discord, she wanted to say.

"I have a message regarding my cupcakes!" She said instead.

She just couldn't bring herself to tell the truth. Everypony was happy right now; she didn't want to ruin the moment. She was just so unprepared right now...

Spike looked at her for a few moments. Then a big grin spread on his face. "Hey, that is a good message. Boy, the princess would probably fly over here once she learns what an awesome baker you are!" Taking out a quill and scroll, he furiously wrote down a message before wrapping it up and used his fire breathe to disintegrate it.

Twilight watched as the burnt pieces of the message flew out the window of the shop. Though she was happy to think that the princess would arrive to sample her cupcakes, she wished she had the courage to tell her teacher the real truth.

Turning away from the others, Twilight looked at her cupcakes on the table. She couldn't have been able to make them if...

Sighing a bit, Twilight reached over and picked up a cupcake, deciding to finally sample her work which everypony adored. She sank her teeth into the cushy goodness.

She smiled a bit, amazed she had created such a taste. Chewing softly, Twilight gazed down at her bite mark, having bitten through the pink icing and through the spongey bread she made with her own hooves.

Had Discord ever thought of making cotton candy cupcakes? If he were still around, would he have liked to try hers? Or would he just be his mischievous self and use his chaos to prevent her from creating the delicious goods she made?

She took another bite and savored her work. She smiled a bit, the sweetness of the cupcake working a bit to settle her slightly gloomy mood.

She turned to see Pinkie Pie giggling at her. "What?"

"You have a cotton candy cupcake mustache!" The pink pony laughed.

Twilight looked at her reflection at a nearby mirror on one of the walls. Bits of icing spread across her cheeks and she had bits of cupcake above her upper lip. The unicorn laughed before licking her lips.

If Discord was here right now, perhaps he would have laughed along with her. Or at her. She wouldn't mind. He would have had a cupcake beard that would have been funnier than her cupcake mustache.

Thinking about the Draconequus, Twilight wondered if...if she could maybe...maybe save a cupcake. For him. Though it was beyond impossible that something unexpected could happen, she could at least store one cupcake and save it...

"Last cupcake!" Twilight turned toward the plate where dozens of cupcakes used to be. One last cupcake remained.

"Going to eat that?" Pinkie Pie asked. Before Twilight could reply, the pink pony reached over and grabbed the last cupcake before shoving it into her mouth.

The unicorn watched with a sigh as Pinkie Pie chewed happily.

Even if something unexpected were to happen, he probably wouldn't have wanted it anyway...
_

Cherish

Twilight's eyes fluttered open as her head slowly rose from her pillow. Letting out a small yawn, the unicorn rubbed her slightly unruly mane as she used her magic to draw the curtains of her window, careful not to wake up Spike.

She thought she would be greeted by the sunshine as usual. But instead she was greeted by slightly dark blue skies and the soft pitter patter of rain. Her eyes now fully open, Twilight watched with a smile as the raindrops fell. Usually when it rained, she and Spike would stay indoors all day and do their usual daily tasks while sitting close to the warm fire.

But this time...for some reason...Twilight wanted to do something different.

"It's still a beautiful day outside," she observed as she gazed out her window. "Rain will make the flowers even more beautiful afterwards."

With that said, she slowly slipped out of bed and quietly prepared herself while Spike remained sound asleep. Using her magic, she picked up the essentials she needed for a rainy day.

However, the things she needed held a more fashionable approach. A full-length plaid skirt of white and dark purple, a dark green rain coat that held a slight shimmer, white boots, and to complete the look, a mint green beret with a purple star on it.

Twilight smiled as she gazed at herself in the mirror, giving her reflection a playful wink. Though she wouldn't admit it, she sometimes was just as fashionable as Rarity. She had a feeling that either Rarity was out in the rain dressed in a raincoat she designed herself, or simply staying indoors to avoid getting her mane ruined.

"Huh? Is it morning now?"

Twilight turned and smiled as Spike awoke, stirring in that basket bed of his. When he opened his eyes, they slightly widened at the sight of Twilight in her attire. The unicorn laughed as she magically summoned a brush and fixed her mane a bit.

"It's raining," she sang as her mane became a little softer with each brush stroke.

"I see," Spike began as he gazed out the window. He turned back to her, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Uh, and you're not going to stay in and read like you usual do on any rainy day?"

Twilight laughed again as she put away her brush and gently gave her mane a flip while adjusting her beret. "I can read later, Spike," she said. "Right now...for some reason...I just want to go out and enjoy the rain."

"Suit yourself," Spike chuckled a bit. "Promise me you won't get sick?"

Twilight smiled at his concern. "Oh, don't worry," she assured him. "Just a little stroll through Ponyville and I'll come right back. Maybe I might find something warm and delicious at Sugarcube Corner."

"You know, I wish there was more of those delicious cotton candy cupcakes of yours," Spike sighed as he watched her near the doorway. His mouth drooled a bit as he recalled sinking his teeth into those wonderful sweets Twilight made that day.

"Everypony does, Spike," she giggled. "Next time. When cotton candy clo-"

She immediately cut off as her eyes widened. Was she just going to say...?

She gazed back at Spike, smiling nervously, almost apologetically at the unaware baby dragon. "When the Cakes buy more cotton candy, I promise," she said instead.

As Spike gave her small wave, Twilight used her magic to pick up her umbrella that stood against her desk. It was a baby blue umbrella she had bought just recently from one of Ponyville's markets when it was on sale. She was thrilled to finally use it for this particular day.

"Bye!" She said as she galloped out the door, not even bothering to open her umbrella as she went outside and allowed the raindrops to fall on her.
_

She had no idea why she suddenly felt this way, all she knew was that she felt wonderful.

Twilight hummed to herself as she trotted through the streets of Ponyville, She smiled as she watched ponies around her keeping dry while continuing on with their daily tasks. The unicorn stifled a giggle when an unaware colt came out of his house, holding out a lit candle, only for it be be dried on the spot as he was suddenly met with the rain.

"La, la, la, la, la..." Twilight sang to herself as she continued trotting along like a little filly.

She was acting far from her usual self. Strong-minded, organized, by-the-book Twilight Sparkle...and she was now being child-like, messy, and ever playful. She just wanted to loosen herself, and enjoy the rain.

Stopping in her tracks, Twilight gazed up at the clouds from where the rain poured. Lowering her umbrella a bit, a few raindrops fell on her nose before sliding down her chin.

He made it rain chocolate milk...

Twilight's eyes glistened as she continued gazing up at the rain, her umbrella far from her head as raindrops fell atop her beret. While everypony had already forgotten those events, Twilight's mind remained fresh; that she seemed to always be thinking about Discord. She grew to accept the fact that the Spirit of Disharmony was always on her mind. Everything she associated with seemed to always remind her of that Draconequus. From walking to talking, from playing to eating, it reminded her of him.

And no doubt this rainy day reminded her of the chocolate rain he summoned along with his cotton candy clouds. Of course, he loved rain. But what surprised the unicorn was that she shared the same interest as well, however, for reasons that completely contrasted with his.

But yet...after those events, Twilight still wondered what it would be like to take a bite of those clouds. As ridiculous as it sounded, she had been hungry during those events and her stomach was angry at her. How she wondered what the taste would have been like...

But what could have been better than taking a bite of those clouds...it would have been tasting that chocolate rain.

Other than having been hungry during those events, Twilight had been especially thirsty. As strong as her voice was, especially when she yelled at Discord, she had craved for something to drink. But no way in the hay was she going to take a sip of a beverage that fell from the clouds summoned by him. She had to remind herself that she didn't want to look Pinkie-esque...

Still, even though she had received a refreshing drink during the celebration of her victory, the unicorn still wondered what it would have been like if she gave into her cravings and sampled Discord's rain.

Twilight continued gazing up at the clouds that continued raining down regular rain. Her thoughts drifted and she found herself picturing Ponyville's clouds as pink...and sticky. But what she really pictured was the rain itself.

She imagined the usual clear water become smooth, delicious brown...pouring down on her as her mouth twitched...

It didn't hurt to imagine further...eyes closed...mouth opening...her tongue slowly sticking out...

"You know, if you're thirsty, you could always ask for a glass of water."

Twilight's eyes immediately shot open before turning to see Applejack. The apple pony wore a brown poncho and was pushing her apple cart, which was protected by a small awning. The Earth pony gave Twilight a questionable look, raising an eyebrow at her.

Twilight's face immediately became red, feeling like such a fool for doing something so ridiculous.

"Uh, yeah..." She chuckled nervously.

Applejack's quizzical expression was replaced by a smile as she motioned to her cart. "Luckily, I'm selling my good ol' apple drinks today!" She beckoned for the unicorn. "Come have a drink, Twi."

"Right, thanks," Twilight said before trotting over to the cart. Purchasing a bottle of apple juice, Twilight continued gazing up at the rain as she sipped. Her lips formed into a playful smile as they clamped on her straw.

"You seem pretty happy," Applejack observed. "Let me guess. You've been discovering them fancy spells from your books?"

Twilight giggled, feeling herself become as giddy as earlier. "No, Applejack. It's the rain. It's simply wonderful, is it not?"

Applejack raised an eyebrow at her. "Uh, yeah, I guess the rain sure is something. Does help my apple trees grow."

"Not just helping plants grow..." Twilight sighed happily after finishing her beverage. "It makes you feel...lively." She lowered her umbrella a bit, leaning up as the raindrops kissed her nose.

"Careful, Twilight," Applejack said in a concerned tone. "You don't want to get sick."

Twilight turned to her, her smile widening. "Relax, Applejack. Even if I get cold, at least I know I got it from enjoying the rain." And she slowly moved her body, as if trying to become closer with the rain.

Applejack observed the unicorn in confusion. "Golly, you're starting to act more unusual than Pinkie Pie..."

Twilight didn't hear her as she slowly trotted, twirling her umbrella in her hooves. Her hind legs swayed, begging her body to follow in rhythm.

And Twilight did so as she closed her eyes and raised herself up so she stood on her hind legs. She raised her hooves, allowing the rain to touch them as her head rose high. Before she knew it, she found herself dancing in the rain.

And singing.

From under my umbrella
My eyes can see the beautiful weather
Just want to enjoy this however
Rain is my simple pleasure

She twirled around as she sang, not noticing a few ponies gazing at her in confusion. Even if she knew, she wouldn't care. The rain was wonderful and it made her fell alive.

Rain is my simple pleasure
No other fun to measure
Singing from underneath my umbrella
Can't you enjoy the rain?

She felt like a little filly again. When she was younger and began her lessons under the princess, she would run through the Canterlot gardens and play in the rain, doing so under the watchful eye of Celestia. She enjoyed the feel of her hooves as she splashed through puddles, loving her mane whipping back and forth as it fell flat from the impact of the rain.

Who said you couldn't re-live your childhood?

Twilight twirled her umbrella as she danced in the rain, humming her song as she stomped on the puddles. No doubt she seemed Pinkie-esque right now...

"Hi, Twilight!"

The unicorn opened her eyes and smiled as she spotted Pinkie Pie under the awning of one of the shops, dressed in a yellow raincoat and umbrella hat.

"Hi, Pinkie," Twilight greeted, dropping back on all fours.

"Wow," Pinkie said, having witnessed Twilight's little performance. "I didn't think you'd dance in the rain. That's kind of..." She cocked her head to the side, gazing at her with curious eyes. "Unlike you."

Twilight blushed a bit. "I was just loosening up a little for today. No biggie. I just really like the rain."

"I love the rain!" Pinkie Pie giggled.

Twilight smirked at her. "Well, I love the rain more." And she gave her own giggle, much bubblier than Pinkie's.

"Wow..." Pinkie Pie observed. "You really are loosening up today!"

"Oh, Pinkie," Twilight sighed with a chuckle, "you're not the only pony who can act unusual." She ignored the confused look on the pink pony's face as Twilight turned her head from side to side. "Hey, anything new at Sugarcube Corner? I promised Spike I'd bring him something warm."

"Oh, absolutely!" Pinkie Pie nodded vigorously before she led Twilight back to the bake shop.
_

Twilight slowly removed her beret and shook her mane before placing her hat on a nearby rack. She closed her umbrella and sat it next to the rack before smiling at her surroundings that was the bakery itself.

That happy, giddy feeling was still there. And being in Sugarcube Corner...that increased it.

"Oh, I wonder what I can try today!" Twilight said excitedly, bouncing around the room.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were present in the bakery, sitting at a far-off corner eating cookies. They regarded Twilight's behavior with curious and confused glances.

"Okay, I know I'm a little tired from fixing the clouds..." Rainbow Dash began. "But did Pinkie Pie and Twilight just switch?"

Twilight turned to the rainbow pegasus and flashed her a smile. A smile that also spoke an apology.

"Sorry," Twilight said as she continued bouncing around. "I just feel wonderful today! This rain is just wonderful! And I just wanted to enjoy this wonderful rain because when will there be good rain again?"

Fluttershy's eyes widened a bit, gazing timidly at Twilight. She turned to Rainbow Dash. "I thought Twilight would find this rainy day an opportunity to read by the fire at her house."

Rainbow Dash chomped on another cookie, shrugging. "Looks like the egghead just went scatterbrain thanks to me." She smiled proudly.

Pinkie Pie giggled and followed in pursuit, bouncing behind Twilight as they went around the room. "Boy, Twilight! I wish it would rain every day like this, then we'd have even more fun together!"

"I'll have to think about that," Twilight said, her voice slightly returning to its usual tone. She stopped bouncing and turned to Pinkie, whom nearly crashed into her. "Say, I am kind of thirsty."

"Oh, sure," Pinkie said before rushing to the kitchen. She returned with a milk jug and glass.

"Chocolate milk!" The pink pony exclaimed happily.

Twilight's eyes widened a bit, gazing at the jug and glass, her lips twitching a bit. But that expression was soon replaced with a wide smile, her eyes sparkling as she watched Pinkie pour some milk into the empty glass.

"Here you go!" Pinkie said as she offered the glass to her.

"Thank you!" Twilight said happily.

However, she grabbed the jug instead. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie watched in utter surprise when the unicorn held the jug high above her head, allowing the chocolate milk to pour into her mouth. She gasped and gargled as the liquid passed her tongue and tickled her throat. She looked totally Pinkie-esque by now, maybe even more so than Pinkie if she saw herself right now...

"Wow," Pinkie said, raising an eyebrow. "You really must like chocolate milk."

And so did Discord.

As Twilight chugged, her mind flashed to the chocolate rain Discord had first brought to Ponyville. Twilight could only imagine how much richer and sweeter his chocolate milk rain was compared to the jug she consumed heavily from. Why she had suddenly craved for chocolate milk, Twilight blamed it on her happy attitude.

Feeling giddy, playful, and now even hyper. For one day she was going to be the complete opposite of herself, enjoy what's been giving to her. She definitely enjoyed the chocolate milk as she gazed up to see she had run it dry.

"Oh, my..." Fluttershy observed.

"Ah..." Twilight let out a sigh of satisfaction, wiping her face with a hoof. "I should drink this more often."

"Okay..." Rainbow Dash said, her eyes widening a bit. "That definitely cannot be Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight laughed, handing the empty chug back to a stunned Pinkie Pie. "I'm just enjoying myself," she stated simply. Her eyes widened a bit, nervously licking her lips. "Perhaps a little too much?"

While she was having fun on this rainy day, she needed to be careful. It would be just like that time when she recalled the story about getting her cutie mark and she had trotted through town while remembering the excitement from her filly days.

"Yeah, I must be being too happy right now..." Twilight chuckled a bit.

Still, she felt so alive and free. Dancing, singing, enjoying the rain. Just like-

"Uh, anything worth taking home to Spike?" Twilight immediately asked Pinkie Pie, trying to refrain herself from ever thinking of him right now.

"Sure thing!" Pinkie said as she trotted off.

"You know, Twilight..." Rainbow Dash began as soon as Pinkie left. "I really hope this change in personality is just for today."
_

Twilight hummed to herself, continuing her stroll through Ponyville as she carried a couple of wrapped boxes atop her flank. She should probably get home to Spike before the warm, out-of-oven flavor began to cool.

Suddenly, Twilight nearly stumbled on something soft but even more wet.

Keeping her legs up, the unicorn gazed down at the sight of white, soapy water. Confused, she gazed at her surroundings. She received an explanation when she found the spa ponies throwing out soapy water from the front door of their spa. One of the ponies caught Twilight's gaze and gave a small wave, while also giving an apologetic smile.

Twilight smiled back, giving a nod of understanding before turning back to the soapy water that mixed with the fallen rain. She gently ran her boot across the surface, chuckling a bit as the bubbles popped.

Though Twilight knew better...she just couldn't stop from...

The unicorn leaped up before stamping all fours unto the sudsy ground. And she began to slide across the streets.

"Whee!" Twilight exclaimed gleefully as she kept sliding.

The feel of her body gliding across the ground, her heart pounding with every laughing moment. Oh, she really felt like a kid again! Of course, as a child she had been absorbed in her books as she was today; but she had her filly moments. And to re-live them on this rainy day that suddenly brought her so much joy and happiness truly made her feel wonderful.

"Thank you, come again," Applejack said to her last customer after making a sell. Suddenly, the Earth pony heard laughter and turned.

Her eyes widened and her jaw fell in utter surprise as she watched Twilight play on the sudsy ground, laughing and acting far from her usual self. Twilight giggled as she continued gliding, dancing a little with every slip. She caught Applejack's gaze and smirked at her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She called out, her voice sounding so passionate.

Applejack just looked at her with a confused look. The unicorn laughed.

"This does look like fun," Twilight called as she continued sliding, "and it really is!"

"Uh, sure," Applejack chuckled a little. "Boy, Twi, you're full of more surprises than Pinkie Pie's parties."
_

Twilight knew she had to continue home before Spike wondered where she was or grow hungry for the treats she promised him. The unicorn trotted through the rain, smiling bright as the sun as she glided a little; the ground she walked on was no longer sudsy as the ground next to the spa.

"Oh, I just feel so different today," she told herself, still smiling. "Like this is a day worth enjoying and I'm enjoying every minute of it!"

As she trotted along, she stopped in her tracks when she saw a large group of ponies walking into a house. Curious, the unicorn walked over to the group and saw that the house was open to all visitors on account of a sale was going on.

"Oh, hello, Twilight!" Called a cheery voice.

Twilight smiled as she entered the house, being greeted by a very cheerful pony with an amazing smile. "Hello, Cheerilee." She shook herself, trying to dry up before entering the schoolteacher's home. "What's going on?"

"Oh, well, I was going to have a yard sale today," the fuchsia pony laughed. "But then it rained so I'm having an indoor sale." She motioned to the tables around her home, covered with various items put up for sale. "Take a look around and let me know if something catches your eye."

Twilight smiled. "Thanks, I think I will." Though she should have been home by now, experiencing an indoor sale excited her.

Adjusting her beret, Twilight walked around the room, gazing at various items from clothes to tea sets. Everything looked nice, but nothing seemed worth the unicorn's money.

However, something did catch her eye.

Gazing across the room, Twilight spotted something pink.

Trotting over to the table, Twilight looked down and saw what she recognized as an umbrella. An old one, of course.

However, the sight of it reminded her so well of something she thought she could barely remember at all...

"Found something, dear?" Cheerille asked, trotting beside her.

Twilight turned to her, her eyes widening a little from her discovery. She turned from Cheerille to the umbrella. Gulping, Twilight managed a smile. "Um..." She pointed a hoof toward the umbrella.

"Oh, that," the other pony laughed. "It was just an old umbrella I had used for years. Kind of lost interest in it and decided to buy a new one." She smiled at Twilight. "But it still works."

Twilight gazed at the umbrella. She already had already bought one recently. But just looking at this pink one...

"He wouldn't have used his umbrella anyway..." She told herself softly.

"Hmm?" Cheerillee asked.

"Nothing!" Twilight said quickly, blushing a little. She smiled a bit, gazing at the umbrella. "So, uh...this is really for sale?"

"Why, of course," the other pony laughed. "And it's yours now, Twilight."

"Mine?" Twilight gasped, her awe expression surprising Cheerillee.

Before Cheerille could say anything, Twilight suddenly bounced on her hooves, hopping around with a huge grin on her face.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" The unicorn beamed as she hopped around, causing quite a sight for other ponies as they watched her.

"Okay, dear," Cheerille laughed a little, surprised by Twilight's sudden change in character over something as simple as an old umbrella. "Yes, it's exciting to buy something you really like, I know..."

"Yes!" Twilight exclaimed as she bounced.

Her eyes widened in shock, and her lips twisted into a stunned frown as she suddenly realized what she was doing in front of everypony. Her hooves touching the ground again, she looked around to see all eyes gazing at her.

"Uh..." Cheerille began, trying to rid the awkwardness. "Would you like to use it today?"

Twilight's face flushed with embarrassment before turning to Cheerilee. She giggled apologetically. "Um...yes."
_

Spike's stomach grumbled as he continued dusting the shelves. Where was Twilight with those baked goods she promised?

He leaped up in surprise when the door slammed open. He turned and found a smiling Twilight enter the library house, shaking her mane and tail as she placed down her pink umbrella. On her side was her closed blue umbrella.

"Why do you have two umbrellas?" The baby dragon asked in confusion.

"Because Cheerille had a sale," Twilight laughed as she took off her beret and coat. "And this umbrella..." She smiled as she looked at it. "It just suddenly caught my interest."

"Okay," he rolled his eyes. His mouth drooled at the sight of the wrapped boxes atop Twilight's flank. "Breakfast?"

"As promised," she said with a smile before using her magic and floated the boxes over to a nearby table. Before she knew it, Spike attacked the boxes, hungrily taking pastries Pinkie Pie had sold to her.

"I'm going to go study for a bit in my room," Twilight said as she walked up the stairs. "Just try not to eat them all, okay?"

Receiving a burp in reply, the unicorn went up to her room and laid on her bed. Two books were already waiting for her on the sheets.

The Tale of Discord and her journal.

Opening The Tale of Discord, Twilight idly looked through it before summoning a brush and stroked her mane. While her hair was being brushed, she opened her journal as well, looking over previous entries.

She smiled sadly. Her cheerful, giddy attitude today sparked a near resemblance to Discord. But in a nicer, more serene way.

She took out a quill and ink before turning to a blank page. Her quill dipped, she pondered what exactly she could write about regarding her day.

All she could think about was how every event reminded her of Discord.

She had always become so annoyed and frustrated whenever she thought about that Draconequus. But right now, she was thinking of him in her most calm state...as if she was suddenly fine about thinking about him. It must be an addition to her cheerful, happy attitude today. Her attitude also resembled his when he had been present in Ponyville. Her eyes lowered a bit before she began writing.

It's amazing to believe that you can easily enjoy yourself without any worries whatsoever. Discord displayed that and I had been annoyed by it, no matter how much I threatened to stop him. His laughter, his smile, the roll of his eyes when I went on and on about bringing order back to Equestria...his expression proved that he had better things to do than associate further with me. Though he did try and bring me into his little chaos time and time again until I felt I wanted to just yank his goat beard...

Twilight laughed a little at what she wrote. Yes, for some time now as her mind wandered to thoughts of Discord, she had wondered what it would have been like if she had the nerve to launch at him with her own hooves. She certainly wasn't one for roughness, unlike Rainbow Dash, whom she recalled said she wanted to fight Discord for taking her wings.

Though Discord would have laughed at Twilight if she even attempted to go at him, he would, however, have been shocked and horrified if she bit at the finger of his eagle claw when he touched the tip of her nose; she would do that for her dear teacher.

"It would have been funny from another pony's perspective..." Twilight chuckled softly. Imagine herself: her against the Spirit of Chaos.

Having ceased her writing, Twilight looked out her window and watched as the rain continued pouring down, the soft pitter patter intriguing her. She truly enjoyed the rain, which is why she had acted far from her usual self this particular rainy day.

And so many things she did on this particular rainy day reminded her of Discord.

Drinking that entire jug of chocolate milk...

For as much time as she had gotten to know Discord, Twilight was quick to assume his favorite beverage was, indeed, a glass of chocolate milk. Or, as what she had seen him drink before they defeated him, a chocolate milk of glass. What in the name of Celestia was that suppose to be?

But still, like many, especially herself, he seemed to have quite a sweet tooth. And to have the magic to summon chocolate rain whenever he wanted...Twilight had to admit that she was impressed by that. How strong she had to be during those events when she wanted to join Pinkie Pie and take a quick sip before quickly going back to being the leader and being serious.

He enjoyed his chocolate milk, and Twilight could never forget his calm, satisfied smile as he drank. Like his bucket of popcorn, he was one to take anything to his entertainment and summon a snack to make it more enjoyable.

The sudsy grounds...

How could Twilight forget the embarrassment she went through when she tried to gather her friends to bring them back to Ponyville? The sudsy water Discord had summoned on their dirt roads really infuriated her. She tried to keep her balance, her anger increasing with every slip. And he just had to taunt her while gliding through the sudsy grounds like some professional ice skater.

But the look on his face had almost made Twilight's anger die down. Almost. How much fun he was having, being able to do the things he used to do when he once reigned over Equestria. It may have been fun for him, but most unlikely for others. His feet simply glided across the soap, hands behind his back, enjoying what he created.

His smile was bright, and, to the unicorn's ears, his voice sounded soft as honey when he stated how beautiful his work was.

Laughter...

Though Pinkie Pie was the Element of Laughter, Twilight had quite a fit of giggles today that almost overpowered the pink pony's. Her cheery attitude had raised a lot of questions, and the fact that her usual intellectual voice had carried a child-like playfulness even made her question herself.

But she knew it was because laughter always made things better. Isn't that what Discord had done when he tried to 'cheer' Twilight up after losing her friends? His laughter may have been mocking, insulting, and a little hurtful...but it was sweet in a way that made one wonder about laughing with him.

She remembered the evil laugh he gave after stealing their horns and wings. That was frightening. Then she remembered the child-like laugh he gave from being entertained on her misfortunes to their first failed attempts with the elements.

His laugh and smile...he rarely frowned at all when he encountered them. He simply smiled at the ponies, at her, as if everything was all fun and games.

To hear him laugh for the right reasons...that would annoy Twilight less.

The umbrella...

Why did she even buy that pink umbrella from Cheerilee? Because it suddenly 'caught her interest'? No doubt that pink umbrella reminded Twilight of the pink umbrella Discord summoned after he manipulated Rainbow Dash and they lost his game. It was a ridiculous object; it was upside down. Fortunately, Cheerilee's umbrella was in fine condition if not old.

Yet why did Twilight become so excited when she bought it? She must have looked ridiculous hopping around like a filly finally getting her cutie mark.

Perhaps to remind her of the more innocent side of Discord? She still had those sunglasses which she stored inside her desk...

As terrifying as Discord seemed at the beginning...he later showed a more soft side. Soft, not like a pillow, but soft in being less of a jerk. A sweet jerk, she now referred him to after he 'kindly' removed that cotton candy cloud off of her.

Being himself, bringing out the magic in him that symbolized his chaotic nature...Twilight had to admit that everypony was different. He was definitely different. And he was proud of it.

As these thoughts swam through her mind, Twilight finally reached an epiphany to why all these things suddenly mattered to her. Why Discord did these things without a care in the world...

Because he cherished it.

Being locked away in stone for a thousand years, the Draconequus just wanted to go back to what he loved. And he loved creating chaos. He cherished his powers.

Twilight knew he had no friends...no family...no one that would even stand close to him as he showed off his magic...Who else could Discord have turned to and share his interests with?

No one. No one but himself.

But he took his loneliness calmly, his powers being his only comfort. Twilight wondered if just below the surface had Discord ever questioned being by himself.

Twilight never questioned herself when she had been studying in the academy. She never questioned being alone, with the exception of Spike. She simply thought having friends was unnecessary.

But where she was now, she now laid that question on the Draconequus. The only answer she could get out of herself was that Discord didn't care. He seemed to enjoy being 'one of a kind', never being part of something. Never cherishing anything but his magic.

And he truly cherished his magic. He cherished the unlimited amounts of chocolate rain he summoned. He cherished the sudsy grounds in which he skate through. He cherished the laughter he brought upon himself. He even cherished that ridiculous umbrella.

There was just nothing else for him to cherish but what he could bring for himself. Unlike Twilight, he couldn't cherish friendship; he would probably laugh at the thought.

It sounded nearly heartbreaking. What Twilight would have been if she never came to Ponyville...never made friends...would she have taken it in stride the way Discord had always taken it?

Twilight shivered a bit, not daring to imagine the 'what if' she thought of. She looked out her window. It stopped raining but it was still misty and blue outside.

Twilight cherished her friends. She especially cherished everything each new day brought, like the rain that Rainbow Dash had created. She cherished her time in Sugarcube Corner, especially with all the chocolate milk she could drink. And the sudsy grounds those spa ponies accidentally brought in, Twilight never regretted taking the opportunity to cherish the slippery ground her hooves enjoyed.

And the umbrella...well, she truly did cherish it. Perhaps because it would be proven useful in future rainy days to come...or because it served as a reminder for what could have been.

Twilight smiled sadly to herself as she lowered her head to her pillow, her eyes drifting. The unicorn stifled a yawn as her eyes slowly closed.

Though Discord cherished nothing but his powers, there just had to be something he could have cherished if he were still present today. Would he have cherished, maybe even consider, the power of friendship? He would probably gag at the thought...

There was always something to cherish, Twilight knew.
_

Flutterrage

"Okay, so maybe I acted a little out of place yesterday," Twilight said, not tearing her eyes away from her book.

"A little?" Spike scoffed as he dusted the shelves. "You made Pinkie Pie look normal!"

Twilight blushed furiously before raising her eyes to look at the baby dragon. "Look, it was a wonderful, rainy day, and I wanted to enjoy it. Cherish it." That word flew out of her mouth like a certain pegasus going at zero to sixty per second.

"And I assume you wanted to 'cherish' the chocolate milk you chugged in one gulp as well?" Spike asked, a sly smirk on his face.

Twilight's face had grown an even darker shade of red as she averted her eyes. True, she acted completely out of place yesterday, which raised some questions from her friends about whether she was Twilight Sparkle or not. However, they had all been joking and were actually intrigued by her sudden change of personality. Pinkie Pie did mention that she wished it would rain every day for Twilight to act like that.

"I was thirsty and no way was I going to take a drink of rain!" Twilight responded defensively. However, though it wasn't entirely a lie, she had stuck her tongue out, having imagined those clouds raining chocolate milk before Applejack drew her out of her thoughts...

The unicorn gave her mane a flip, indicating her slight annoyance with having been reminded of the events that occurred yesterday, all focused on her. The one time she acts like a kid, she raises some eyebrows about it! Well, that was what she received for being the perfect example of a mature, intelligent, organized pony...

"Can we just drop this and move on with this new day?" Twilight asked, turning back to her book. "I mean, it's already been ten days, one hour, and twenty-four minutes!"

Spike stopped his dusting and looked back at the unicorn, raising an eyebrow. "Ten days? Ten days since what?"

Twilight's eyes widened in sudden realization and immediately tried to hide her now increased blush from her assistant. "Uh..." She bit her lip. "Nothing! Just like counting the days is all!" Her voice sounded child-like and squeaky when she spoke. "You know, ten days since...since...since whatever!" She gave a nervous chuckle, trying hard to smile at him.

"Okay..." Spike's voice trailed off as he continued dusting. However, he stopped again when he turned back, noticing Twilight had taken out her private journal. "You know...you've been writing in that journal of yours for some time now." He played with the duster in his hands. "So...what have you been writing about?"

Twilight wheeled toward his direction, nearly startling him. The expression on her face made him shudder.

"Spike!" Her voice was calm yet firm. "You should know better than to figure out a pony's personal, written thoughts! And pardon me for saying this, but that is definitely a lame way of doing so!"

Spike gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I'm just so curious! I mean, you've been writing in that journal for so many days now! And it hadn't caught my interest until that day you returned from Cloudsdale and ran up to your room to write in it!"

Twilight's face fell as she recalled that day. High up in Cloudsdale where her hooves met soft, pillow-like clouds...and she had reminded herself of him.

"Well, I did experience why Rainbow Dash likes those clouds so much," she said, a small smile on her face, having forgotten the conversation. "They're very plush." Her eyes widened slightly before turning back to Spike. "Well, I haven't written in my journal since the Galloping Gala, and it's always good to spend time with certain things of our interests."

"Like the stain glass windows we made a few days back?" Spike asked.

"You can remember stain glass windows yet you don't even remember about D-" Twilight began but immediately cut off when she realized she had nearly given her inner thoughts away. She smiled nervously. "Yes, just like the stain glass windows."

"Yeah, those fillies sure were great to clean up after themselves," Spike chuckled. "Honestly, maybe you should hire them to be your clean-up crew."

"I don't need a crew to clean up this house, Spike," Twilight chuckled, "I have you."

"Let's just hope I don't end up with a huge crafts problem again," Spike grumbled, "paper still stuck to the table even after they cleaned up."

"Well, they don't call it super glue for nothing," she laughed as she closed her journal. She turned from her desk and trotted past him. "I'm going to go out for a bit. You need anything?"

"Cotton candy cupcakes?" He asked hopefully, his mouth watering.

"Oh, sorry," she told him with a sad smile, "the Cakes still haven't brought any cotton candy yet." Her heart sank when she saw the look of disappointment on the baby dragon's face. "But hey," she ushered him softly. "I'll bring you some muffins. How's that?"

"Almost better," he smiled gratefully. "Will you at least put pink frosting on them?"

"Of course, Spike."
_

Twilight gazed up at the clear blue sky as she trotted into the center of Ponyville. That conversation/argument she had with Spike earlier had her pondering about her inner thoughts regarding a certain Draconequus.

How could her friends have suddenly forgotten what took place not too long ago? Had the events that happened been so devastating and frightening that each of her friends had vowed to fight and destroy those memories? Sure, their friendship almost having been destroyed under chaos and disharmony was a scary memory to look back on, but certainly any of Twilight's friends could recall the victory as well as the beginning of their quest...

"How come I'm the only one who remembers?" Twilight couldn't help but question herself, though quietly as she past by a few ponies. "And I remember so well..."

Of course, she was the leader of her friends, and had the most powerful element of all. She was the one who pulled her friends together through all the complications before fully restoring harmony.

And Discord had bothered her the most.

Twilight rolled her eyes, recalling the many times that Discord had invaded her personal space, from becoming so close to her face in mockery to clutching her under his lion paw. The unicorn shivered, never being able to let go of the way he held her like that...

But putting aside those thoughts, Twilight wondered if she could bring up his name again. Her mind had been so clouded with memories of the Draconequus that it was nearly driving her insane. But on the other hoof, it was creating realization.

That she did feel sorry for him. Especially after turning him into stone as he had been before.

With that thought in mind, the unicorn knew she couldn't just keep her thoughts to herself. She needed to confess to her friends, or at least one of them.

As Twilight watched ponies around her carry on with their business, she pondered about which one of her friends could be a possibility.

Applejack.

She was a strong, honest Earth pony who just wanted to keep her friends together. Having been the first to be influenced under Discord's manipulation, it was under the fear of losing her friends that she lied through her teeth. Twilight knew how sorry and ashamed she was for her actions during those events, having been so easily tricked by the mischievous Draconequus.

Though there had not been much interaction between Applejack and Discord during the events, Twilight couldn't imagine having to discuss the matter with her. As compatible as Applejack was, she would stamp her hoof in anger if Twilight even mentioned his name. No doubt she still couldn't see past him, infuriated for what he almost did to their friendship and such.

She would definitely be honest if she declared she hated him.

Rarity.

The other unicorn showed great dislike in the Draconequus as soon as he took away her horn along with Twilight's. However, it wasn't losing her horn that made Rarity disgusted with him.

It was when he had tricked her into thinking a large rock was actually a massive, flawless diamond. Or 'Tom', as a influenced Rarity had called it during those events.

Twilight knew Rarity could never discuss Discord without turning her nose in irritation, having felt both shocked and embarrassed about being put through a 'dirty job' and hauling around a giant rock. When Twilight had used the memory spell to bring her back, Rarity was quick to rant about how dirty her hooves were and how ruined her mane was. And when she finally realized there was a huge rock in her house that was dirtying her floor, the white unicorn had broken into a small rage before quickly pushing 'Tom' out her door.

No, talking to Rarity about Discord was out of the question. The other unicorn would continuously complain about how 'un-gentleman'-like he was to a lady like her and such...

Pinkie Pie.

Twilight had almost considered the pink pony to be a likely candidate. Almost.

Though Pinkie Pie enjoyed the cotton candy clouds and chocolate rain Discord had summoned, there was still that tiny amount of hatred within the usually bubbly pony. Though she showed no signs of it, Twilight was quick to feel worry and distrust from Pinkie Pie when Discord first appeared.

Though Pinkie Pie's Element of Laughter was his favorite out of the six, he still manipulated her to the point where he made her believe that laughter was hurtful. Though Twilight had not been there when it happened, Pinkie had described the event as considerably fun and wonderful and happy...and then it went down to sad and depressing.

How stunned Pinkie was to realize how harsh she had been while under Discord's influence. Though she had been fine after Twilight placed the memory spell on her, and she had been laughing in hysterics about being gray, the unicorn knew there was that small hint of anger in the pink pony.

And how could Twilight forget Pinkie Pie's last encounter with the chocolate rain before defeating Discord? Sure, the pink pony had been desperate for one last drink of chocolate milk, even gargling and getting her mane wet as she slurped as much as she could get. But afterwards, taking her position with the others as they stood before the Draconequus, she showed her true rage.

Twilight would never forget the way Pinkie bared her teeth at Discord, more eager than ever to finish him off. Though having chocolate rain was wonderful, the thought of not having friends to share it with was despicable. Pinkie Pie's friendship was more important than chocolate milk she could easily buy at some nearby shop...

And to imagine discussing Discord with her, Twilight was quick to conclude that Pinkie Pie would ramble on about how mean he was and how his idea of fun was 'not fun at all'. And she would reach no end about the chocolate rain, driving their conversation pointless.

Rainbow Dash.

Twilight immediately considered her a most unlikely candidate.

As loyal and true as Rainbow Dash was, Twilight knew the pegasus was not a patient pony. Nor would she spare a 'kind' word regarding the Spirit of Disharmony.

All the anger and rage that bubbled through her, from losing her wings to being manipulated to desert her friends, Rainbow Dash would never have shown Discord any mercy if she had taken the opportunity she missed at the labyrinth to strike hooves against the mixed creature.

Twilight would never forget how horrified and concerned her winged friend had been after the memory spell had been used on her. Rainbow Dash had been so worried about everything, ashamed that she had given in to Discord's tricks and left her friends. She almost looked like she wanted to cry...

And those near-tearful eyes had slitted into an expression of complete hatred as she lined with Twilight and the others, bringing the Elements of Harmony into effect.

And she had been the first one to brag to Discord's stone face about never messing with 'Ponyville's Best Flyer'. Her tone of anger mixed with the strong words of hostility toward the frozen Draconequus was a little shocking. And she even blew a raspberry at him, half-wishing to see his annoyed expression. As touched as Twilight was that the loyal pegasus was even more protective of her friends, she thought Rainbow Dash had been a little harsh.

And no doubt she would be harsh the moment Discord's name flew out of Twilight's mouth.

That left only-

As soon as Twilight opened the door of Sugarcube Corner she nearly collided with a light pink mane.

"Oof!" A soft, child-like voice exclaimed.

"Fluttershy!" Twilight cried in horror. "Oh, my gosh! I'm so sorry!"

The yellow pegasus shook her head to clear of her recent impact and smiled assuringly at the unicorn. "Don't worry, Twilight," she spoke softly, "it was an accident. I know you would never mean to on purpose."

Twilight blew a sigh of relief, her friend's sweet tone making her smile. "So, you buying anything here as well?" She asked as Fluttershy moved aside for her to enter the bakery.

"Just some cookies and a small snack," Fluttershy replied. "I really do love muffins."

"What a coincidence," Twilight chuckled as she made her way over to the register. "I was going to get Spike that." She smiled up at Mrs. Cake. "A dozen muffins please. And also, you think you might add pink frosting on top?"

"Oh, your cotton candy cupcakes..." Mrs. Cake sighed. "Everypony loved those!"

"Yeah, Spike really misses those," Twilight chuckled.

As Mrs. Cake went into the kitchen to get Twilight's order, the unicorn turned and smiled at Fluttershy. A relieved smile.

Of course! Fluttershy! Out of all the ponies she would be the most understanding! She was, of course, the Element of Kindness!

Though Twilight had not been there when Fluttershy was placed under Discord's power, the yellow pegasus had explained how angry and frustrated Discord was for some reason when she was just being certain about her friends. What Twilight would give to have seen that look on Discord's face...

He turned her shy friend into a total brute, the unicorn would never forget. And Fluttershy was so ashamed that she had done such a thing, but she was comforted about the matter and her remorse turned to fury at the Draconequus. Twilight rarely seen Fluttershy mad, and the pegasus had been downright furious over what Discord had done to her friends and home.

But she couldn't be angry now! Fluttershy was just too kind! And maybe she could easily be forgiving...

"Uh, Twilight?" Fluttershy spoke softly, raising an eyebrow at the way her friend was staring at her. "Are you alright? Your staring at me is starting to worry me..."

Twilight realized that the relived smile was still plastered on her face and she quickly shook her head, clearing her thoughts before giving her shy friend an apologetic grin.

"Sorry," she said, "just good to bump into you is all. Not literally, I mean!" She added quickly, worried for Fluttershy's sensitivity.

"Oh, no worries then," Fluttershy said, sharing a smile.

Twilight felt her heart leap with hope. Fluttershy was just too nice for words! She was definitely the pony Twilight needed to speak to. But how to start...

"Here are you muffins, dear!" Mrs. Cake said as she placed a huge box in front of the unicorn. "Oh, and Fluttershy, here are those cookies you've been waiting patiently for." And she set another box in front of her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cake," Fluttershy said sweetly. "Mmm! They smell delicious."

Twilight opened her box and smiled to see bright, pink frosting glisten atop every muffin. One muffin seemed to have more frosting than another, but she decided to ignore that. Spike would be so happy to get these!

As soon as Mrs. Cake went back into the kitchen to help her husband, Fluttershy turned to Twilight. "Twilight, would you like to come to my house for tea?"

Bingo.

Twilight's eyes widened, her mouth breaking into a wide grin. "I would love to!" She exclaimed blissfully. She needed to keep herself under control, considering her response seemed to have surprised the yellow pegasus. "Uh, yeah, I'd love to..." Twilight spoke again, her voice more quiet and gentle this time.

After gathering their goods, the two ponies exited out of the bakery, on their way to Fluttershy's home. While Fluttershy led the way, Twilight tried to keep her exuberant attitude from showing. The unicorn just wanted to do summersaults, knowing she could finally release her innermost thoughts and feelings with the one pony she knew would understand. Even if the discussion would regard Discord.
_

Twilight smiled as they neared Fluttershy's domain. Passing by rabbits, birds, and other animals, the unicorn's smile widened as they crossed the bridge toward the front door. As excited as she was, Twilight needed to calm the hay down. Fluttershy was completely unaware of what was to be discussed over tea.

Once entering Fluttershy's home, Twilight placed her box of muffins on a nearby table before gazing around the living room. Clean, organized, simple yet beautiful, she kept her mind occupied with interior design interests while the yellow pegasus set right to work setting up for their tea time.

Twilight turned to watch Fluttershy drape a cloth over their table before placing her tea set atop. Her rabbit Angel assisted her as well as the tiny creature placed a vase of flowers between their tea cups.

"Thank you, Angel," Fluttershy said softly before giving the rabbit a thankful nudge with her nose. "Here's a little something for your trouble." And she handed him a carrot. She laughed softly as Angel's eyes sparkled and his mouth drooled before scurrying out the door.

Twilight felt her heart melt, always so touched to see Fluttershy always being so kind, especially to her dear animal friends. Talking about Discord was going to be easy!

But the unicorn needed to slow down and remain silent about the Draconequus as she and Fluttershy took their seats, the pot of tea whiffing a calm aroma. Twilight licked her lips, gazing at the plate of purchased cookies between them. Oh, how even more delicious it smelled after being taken out of the oven...

"So how is your day, Twilight?" Fluttershy began as she poured the unicorn some tea.

The two ponies chatted about anything that came to mind. Fluttershy talked about her recent appointments regarding giving creatures medical attention. Twilight talked about books she had been reading, spells she had practiced, and letters to and from Princess Celestia. She even spoke about Spike's desperation to know about her journal.

"Oh, my," Fluttershy's eyes widened a bit before sipping her cup. "He's quite curious, isn't he?"

"Very," Twilight rolled her eyes before biting into what might have been her fifth cookie. "I locked my journal extra tight before I left the house."

"Well, I don't mean to call Spike a bad baby dragon," Fluttershy said in a quiet tone, "but he shouldn't be trying to figure out what you write. That's very private, and I'm sure whatever you wrote is extra private, Twilight."

You have no idea...Twilight thought with a tight smile.

Her dear pegasus friend spoke so gently, her thoughts and words soft as honey, the unicorn knew that this was the right time to bring him up. Though Twilight was nervous, she was desperate to let out her inner thoughts to the one pony she knew would not boil over as the others would.

Setting her cup down, Twilight cleared her throat, causing Fluttershy to look up at her in slight surprise. "So, Fluttershy..." Twilight began in a calm, seemingly nonchalant tone as she regarded her friend with slightly curious eyes. "Do you still not remember the events that happened not too long ago?"

Fluttershy raised a delicate eyebrow in confusion. "Events? What events?"

Twilight gulped, but she kept her head high, a determined smile on her face. "You know...regarding...the elements..." Her voice trailed off, mentally slapping herself for not immediately opening up the big topic.

"The elements?" Fluttershy repeated. Then she pondered a bit. "I think I remember...my mind has been a bit fuzzy after...something..." She looked at Twilight apologetically. "How long has it been?"

Twilight eyes lowered, saddened that her dear pegasus friend was as forgetful as the others. How come everypony immediately put recent memories behind them and not Twilight? Was her mind really that sharp compared to most ponies?

"Ten days, three hours, and five minutes," she declared boldly, idly touching her empty tea cup on the table.

Fluttershy gazed at her curiously. "Well, you've counted the time so well..." She observed quietly. "It must be something so important. Oh, dear! How could I forget something so important?" She exclaimed timidly.

Twilight smiled a little, feeling as hopeful as she had been earlier. "It's okay, Fluttershy," she assured her softly, "everypony seemed to have forgotten as well." She averted her eyes. "And considering you're the most understanding out of them all...I think maybe I should speak to you, and only you, about this matter."

The pegasus shivered a bit, as if she would be questioned for a crime. But she gazed at Twilight closely, curious as ever to know what exactly the intelligent unicorn would discuss. Fluttershy gave a small nod.

"Okay," she said, her voice sounding so child-like. "Whatever you need to talk about Twilight, I'll listen."

"Great!" Twilight exclaimed, unable to keep her excitement hidden any longer. She gave an apologetic smile when she saw how startled Fluttershy was from her outburst. "Anyway, where to start...?" The unicorn began, tapping a hoof to her chin nervously.

The moment having finally arrived, Twilight's mind seemed scattered, desperately trying to figure out how exactly she would bring up what she had been hoping to say since bumping into Fluttershy at Sugarcube Corner. There were just so many things Twilight wanted to say at once: wonder, guilt, sympathy, frustration, and admiration...all centered on a certain Draconequus.

Narrowing her mind down to simplicity, Twilight took a deep breath before gazing at her curious friend.

"Ten days ago," the unicorn began carefully, "you'd recall someone by the name of...Discord?"

Heart thumping with anticipation, Twilight watched closely at the yellow pegasus, awaiting for anything.

As Fluttershy slowly absorbed the name, her innocent eyes widened slightly and her lips formed in an 'O' shape. Twilight couldn't stop the excited grin from spreading across her face as she watched the familiarity flash through the pegasus' face. This was just the kind of reaction Twilight had expected.

Still grinning, Twilight's eyes softened as she prepared to continue on with the new discussion regarding the Spirit of Disharmony, Fluttershys's widened eyes making the unicorn even more confident.

Suddenly, those widened eyes narrowed. And the pegasus bared her teeth.

It was Twilight's turn to be surprised, horrified even. This was not the kind of reaction she had expected.

"Discord?" Fluttershy said, her soft tone carrying rough edges. "The one that nearly hurt all of you? The one that turned me into a bully? The one that made you cry, Twilight?"

Twilight's eyes widened even more, stunned by her shy friend's sudden change in attitude. "Well, he didn't exactly mean to make me cry..." The unicorn spoke timidly, her heart sinking ever so slowly. "He just-"

"He just tried to make you feel so sad and alone!" Fluttershy's voice screeched.

Twilight nearly fell out of her seat, so surprised by Fluttershy's change of voice. Her soft, honey-like calmness was now replaced by loud, sharp rage. Fluttershy took no notice of her friend becoming scared as the yellow pegasus glared down at her cup.

"He hurt us!" She declared, her screech becoming 'softer'. "He tricked me into hurting you guys! Especially you, Twilight!" She finally looked up at the scared unicorn. "He led me to throw a bucket on your head!"

"I...I..." Twilight was a loss for words, her purple eyes gazing at the pegasus in disbelief.

"Oh, what he had done to our home..." Fluttershy's tone shifted to slight softness, anger still present at the back of her throat. "To our dear Ponyville...to the animals..."

Twilight gulped. How could she forget Fluttershy's rabbits having been given long, deer-like legs during the reign of Discord's chaos? She had been trampled by them...

"It...it's not like he intended to hurt your rabbits, Fluttershy," Twilight managed to say, however, keeping her distance in sense that the pegasus would blow up again.

And Fluttershy did. "But he did intend to hurt you!" She boomed, nearly toppling the tea set over. "And I laughed at it! That was so mean of me!"

Twilight leaned back, her eyes glistening. By now, her hope finally dropped harder than an apple falling far from a tree. She had been so sure that Fluttershy, out of all the ponies, would take the name of Discord calmly and with no complications.

This discussion was beyond complicated as the yellow pegasus rambled on about Discord's tricks and how sad and sorry she was for what she had done under his influence.

"Oh, that Discord really is not a good guy!" She exclaimed hotly. Her cheeks became red with her rage as she lowered her eyes, her mind in complete focus on the one creature that had turned her into a bully during the events.

Twilight remembered the exact look on her face from during the balloon flight when they chased after Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy's face of rage was actually terrifying. Twilight had never seen her this mad since...since...since the night of the Galloping Gala!

"That..." Fluttershy began, her eyes narrowing as she recalled such memories. "That...big...dumb..."

Twilight thought she felt something wet around the corner of her eye as she gazed at her usually-calm friend in horror.

"Meanie!" Fluttershy screeched, her voice ringing throughout her usually quiet home.

In an act of desperation, Twilight quickly leaned toward the raging pegasus, her horn lighting up. Sparks emerged like fireworks as the heartbroken unicorn's eyes tightened, her mind completely focused despite being filled with regret.

Fluttershy stopped her rant, having taken notice of her friend's magic. She gasped in fear when a bright light shone in her eyes-

A few moments later...

Twilight panted as she laid her head against her side of the table. The sparks having ceased from her horn, the unicorn breathed heavily as her purple eyes glazed over at the yellow pegasus. Fluttershy shook her head before blinking. She looked over at Twilight, confused by how exhausted she appeared.

"I'm sorry," Fluttershy spoke, her voice having returned to the soft, honey-like tone it always had. "I think my mind was fuzzy for a few seconds. What happened, Twilight?"

The unicorn raised her head and looked at the pegasus. Despite her disappointment, she managed a smile. A sad one.

"Nothing happened, Fluttershy," she lied sadly. "We were just having tea and talking for a while..." She immediately stood up from her seat. "And it seems I overdid my stay!"

Before Fluttershy could say anything, the unicorn raced over to the table where she left her box of muffins. Her back turned, Twilight was grateful Fluttershy couldn't see her eyes becoming wet.

"I really enjoyed the tea and cookies, Fluttershy!" Twilight tried to make her voice sound cheerful, not daring to turn to look at the confused pegasus. "But I think I better get home now! Spike might really want his muffins now!"

"Well, okay, Twilight," Fluttershy nodded in understanding. "Hope Spike doesn't-"

"Bye!" Twilight said before galloping out the door.
_

Twilight just kept galloping, her magic used to hold the box of muffins as she ran. As soon as she was out of Fluttershy's home, away from the curious gazes of all her animals friends in their little homes, the unicorn finally released her tears. They poured down the sides of her face as she kept running, unable to stifle the small sob from escaping her mouth.

She had been so sure that Fluttershy was the right pony to turn to...to talk about Twilight's thoughts regarding Discord. She thought Fluttershy would understand.

How wrong Twilight was. To think somepony as kind and gentle as Fluttershy would show strong dislike for the Draconequus...Twilight wasn't sure where her hope would lie in now.

Not that she even had any hope anymore. As soon as Fluttershy's rage was revealed, before Twilight could even muster the courage to speak her thoughts on Discord, the unicorn's heart shattered. Fluttershy was still angry at Discord, possibly possessing more anger than Rainbow Dash...

Big, dumb, meanie...

While Twilight was touched that Fluttershy felt remoresful for being influenced under Discord's magic and being quite the brute to her friends, the unicorn was still so horrified that the usually shy pegasus would sound so unforgiving of it. Her voice was frightening, her rage was terrifying...and all because Twilight mentioned Discord's name.

To imagine what would have happened if all her friends still remembered those events...Twilight quickly destroyed those thoughts, Fluttershy being the only example the unicorn needed to realize how grateful she should be that her friends could forget so easily...

She felt like a complete fool for reminding Fluttershy of those terrible events, and the way Discord had used his powers on the innocent pegasus. Twilight even felt like she just failed herself as she watched Fluttershy rant, the pegasus' rage nearly leading Twilight to burst into tears right in front of her.

Thankfully, she learned a spell to fix all that...

More tears fell as Twilight recalled the memory erasing spell she had used on her friend. Though she had mastered it, Twilight never dared use the spell on any of her friends, feeling like it would be completely dishonest of herself to make her friends forget things, even bad ones.

But she had quickly made an exception, for the sake of Fluttershy's sanity. And, perhaps, for Discord's sake as well...

Twilight's running ceased to a certain pace as she neared her library house. As soon as she walked up to the door, the unicorn quickly wiped away any leftover tears and smoothed her mane. Taking a few breaths, she held her head high before opening the door.

Spike was curled on the floor, having fallen asleep from doing his chores. Despite her recent sadness and disappointment, Twilight had to smile at the sight of him. Quietly closing the door behind her, she made her way over to a nearby table and placed the box of muffins in front of her. As soon as she opened the top, Spike slowly stirred from his rest.

"Twilight?" He asked groggily, rubbing his eyes. He blinked a few times before smiling to see his good friend. "Did you bring the muffins?"

Twilight turned to him, giving an honest smile. "And with the pink frosting I promised."

The baby dragon immediately got to his feet and raced over to the table. He smacked his lips hungrily as he gazed at the promised treats. He turned to Twilight, smiling to show how grateful he was. However, the smile turned to a slight frown of confusion as he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Hey, Twilight..." He said, his voice sounding worried. "Are you okay?"

Twilight stiffened a bit, however, she kept herself together as she tried to look unaware. "What do you mean?"

"Well..." He began, still gazing at her. "You seem to have a little water...right here..." He reached up with his tiny arm, pointing to the side of Twilight's right eye.

The unicorn's eyes widened before she placed a hoof to the side of her face. It was a tear. A fresh one.

Spike watched as she quickly wiped the tear away. "Twilight, is something wrong?"

"Of course not!" She insisted, startling him. "I just ran all the way from Fluttershy's house! Must have got something in my eye on the way!" She smiled as big as she could, trying her hardest to assure her number one assistant.

"Okay..." Spike said slowly. He turned back to the muffins, his frown reverting back to a smile. "Boy, these look so delicious!"

"Enjoy, Spike," Twilight said, slowly backing away from the hungry baby dragon. "Eat as much as you want!" And with that said, she quickly ran up the stairs to her bedroom.
_

Throwing herself unto her bed, Twilight couldn't stop the new tears from falling down her cheeks.

She was alone in this. Alone in remembering Discord for who he was and what he could have been. If Fluttershy couldn't understand, what pony would?

Twilight had fought herself countless times whether or not to tell Princess Celestia about her thoughts on the Spirit of Disharmony. Every message Twilight wanted to send to her ended up torn up and thrown away. The princess truly despised Discord, no doubt about it. And to bring up Discord's name to her...Twilight shuddered at the thought as she buried herself within her bed sheets.

Princess Celestia was a kind-hearted pony. She just wanted to protect her kingdom from chaos and disorder. She just wanted her faithful student and her friends safe. And Fluttershy...she was the kindest pony Twilight had ever met. She just had great concern for her friends, easily frightened by the mere thought of what could happen to any of them. And she displayed that through her rage when Twilight spoke Discord's name right in front of her face...

Her journal. Where was her journal?

Twilight slowly emerged from her bed and slowly gazed down the stairs. She saw Spike munch happily on his muffins, his face coated with pink frosting. The unicorn's eyes shifted over to where her desk was. There laid her journal.

Ever-so-quietly, without Spike noticing, Twilight used her magic to summon her prized writing material. A soft glow surrounded the journal, and it slowly floated off the desk, heading straight up the stairs to a relieved unicorn.

Her journal safe in her hooves once more, Twilight lay on her bed before opening it. Luckily, she always stored extra quills and ink in her room. She flipped to a blank page while dipping her new quill into a bottle. Finally, she started writing.

The scent of pink-frosted muffins has made this difficult day a little easier...All I can say is that I will NEVER mention Discord to any of friends. Ever. Especially to Fluttershy.

I really thought she was the one pony I could turn to about this...I'm just glad I mastered the memory erasing spell.

In conclusion, Discord remains remembered only by me. I don't hate him...at least, I don't think I do. I can't stop thinking about him, that's for sure.

Pausing her writing, Twilight turned and gazed out her window. Her eyes glistened as they had done earlier, but she refused to shed anymore tears. Instead, she closed her eyes and lowered her head, her mane covering her saddened face.

"I'm sorry, Discord..." She said softly.
_

That's Private, Spike!

Eleven days, three hours, and twenty minutes. And I'm still counting. What is the point of all this counting? I really don't know, all I know is that it just feels like my head has become one giant clock.

It's so hard to believe that only yesterday had Fluttershy, the kindest pony I've ever met, had blown up when I mentioned Discord. I never thought she would act this way; I assumed she would act sympathetic about the discussion of Discord, about him being turned into stone.

I am so dumb! Who am I to believe that there's anypony out there I could talk to about Discord? No way am I telling Princess Celestia, that's completely out of line now! And Spike-

"Twilight?" The baby dragon called, having finished his mopping. He gazed across the room and watched as the unicorn stood in front of her desk, furiously writing in that journal of hers. "Uh, Twilight?"

Twilight immediately heard him and paused her quill before turning to look at her assistant. "I'm sorry, Spike. You were saying?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, particularly at her journal. "I was just going to ask if you wanted to head out to some restaurant for lunch."

"Oh," she chuckled. "Sure, Spike. Sounds good." Her magic floated her used quill and placed it atop the ink bottle. Then she closed her journal, carefully locking it.

Spike placed his mop down, still gazing at her journal. "You know, you sure have been writing a lot." He pointed out. "I can't help but wonder what it is you're writing."

He noticed Twilight flinch as soon as he said that. She held her journal close to her chest before turning to look at him, a glint of worry in her eyes.

"It's nothing, really," she said, almost desperately. "Just usual pony stuff and all!" She laughed nervously before placing the journal in her carrier bag. "Moving on! What restaurant do you have in mind?"

Spike looked at her for a few moments, still so curious. However, his growling stomach distracted him and he began pondering. "Well, any kind as long as they're able to serve gems. I feel like having some rubies right now."
_

"Well, at least they serve fries," Spike muttered as he and Twilight sat at one of the tables outside a restaurant. "Seriously, Twilight, do these ponies not realize a dragon's diet?"

"Hmm?" The unicorn looked up from her journal. "I'm sorry, Spike. You were saying?"

The baby dragon blinked, gazing at the journal that leaned against the table in front of her. "What are you writing now?" He asked.

"I'm not writing anything," she responded, flipping to the next page. "Just reading previous journal entries. You know one's journal is like a book itself, right?"

"Gee, I wouldn't know," Spike said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes, "I've never spent writing a journal twenty-four/seven."

"Your meal, madame," their waitress announced as she pushed a cart with their ordered dishes. "A daisy sandwich with alfalfa on the side, and a basket of hay fries, well-seasoned?"

"Thank you," Twilight said gratefully, the hunger showing in her eyes. "That looks so delicious."

While munching on his fries, Spike watched as Twilight carefully locked her journal as she had always done before placing it beside her. One hoof rested on it while she used her magic to lift her sandwich and bite into it.

The baby dragon had wondered before, now he was downright curious why his unicorn friend would focus so much on that journal of hers all of a sudden. Sure, her recent entries could possibly be about lessons in friendship she learned, but that was only once a week. Twilight seemed to spend every day writing about something in that journal of hers.

There were times while he did his chores that Spike sneaked a glance over at Twilight when she was busy writing. The expressions she made whenever she wrote something down made him wonder if she was hiding some sort of emotions from her friends.

There were times she held an expression of frustration, then times her bottom lip would quiver when she looked over what she wrote, then there was that small smile on her face after she placed her quill down. Spike had no idea whether she was angry, upset, or cheerful. That one rainy day he knew she was cheerful because she acted like a total equivalent to Pinkie Pie if not more...

"Delicious," Twilight said happily before lifting a napkin and wiping her lips. "How are those fries doing for you, Spike?"

The baby dragon had been so occupied with staring at her journal that he almost didn't hear her. "Huh? Oh, uh, they're great! Better than the last time." And he shoved another piece into his mouth.

"Perhaps tonight we can go out for dinner as well," Twilight said as she lifted her glass of chocolate milk and drank.

Chocolate milk...

Spike recalled that one rainy day when Twilight drank excessively of a huge jug of chocolate milk Pinkie Pie had offered her. She was acting like a kid! And that was nothing compared to her singing in the rain and nearly catching a cold from not using her umbrella as much.

However, for some reason, Spike couldn't help but wonder what else the chocolate milk reminded him of. His brain was just so fuzzy when he tried to recall. He did remember trying to forget something about, what was it, eleven days ago...he must have done a great job to wipe such a memory from his brain. Perhaps the memory wasn't that wonderful and he just simply forgot...

"Okay, who wants dessert?" Twilight asked him as soon as they finished their dishes. "Got any room in there for some delicious chocolate pie?"

"Pie?" The baby dragon's mouth drooled. "Definitely want pie!"

After Twilight made another order with their waitress, she opened up her journal and read it over while she waited. Spike just watched her as she read, simply pondering. Then he saw her take out a quill and ink bottle from her bag. She was so focused on writing something, just as she always had been for the past few days.

"Writing a review for this restaurant?" He joked. "Because in my opinion, I'd give this a seven out of ten, mainly because they don't have gems."

Twilight let out a laugh as she continued her writing. "No, silly. But I am writing to remind myself about the wonderful food here and that maybe we can come here next time for breakfast or whatever."

Perhaps he was wrong. Maybe she wasn't hiding anything, just simply writing down random things that have occurred to them recently.

The chocolate pie finally arrived and Spike was the first to dig his fork into it while Twilight still wrote in her journal, allowing Spike to take the first helpings of their dessert. Spike ate like an animal, not caring that chocolate sauce covered most of his face and that bits of cream flew in all directions.

Bits of chocolate flew into one of Twilight's pages and the unicorn gasped in horror. "Spike!"

The baby dragon stopped eating before looking up into her scornful face. He shuddered under her disapproving gaze, however, he licked the chocolate on his lips.

"Okay, that is kind of gross," Twilight rolled her eyes before she grabbed a napkin and quickly dabbed her journal. "You nearly ruined most of my riddle!"

Spike stopped licking his lips and raised an eyebrow at her. "Riddle? Riddle for what?"

Twilight's eyes widened, realizing what she had said, and immediately gave a nervous chuckle. "Oh, nothing important! Just some random stuff I came up with! Nothing whatsoever!" She quickly closed her journal. "Time for me to have some pie!" Before Spike could say anything, she grabbed her fork and scooped up a small portion for herself. She busied herself with savoring the chocolate taste. "Mmm! Delicious!"

Spike just watched as she ate, no doubt trying to avoid any further questioning he had. He simply shrugged and continued eating pie. However, his eyes never left the sight of her journal, which Twilight's hoof was placed on protectively while she ate.
_

"Whoo, I think I ate too much pie!" Twilight laughed as they entered the library house.

Spike watched as she placed her carrier bag down, digging into it and taking out that familiar journal. He just continued gazing at the unicorn as she proceeded toward her study desk and placed it there, carefully opening the lock before flipping the pages. The baby dragon stood off to the side, making sure Twilight didn't notice his curious stare.

She summoned a quill and ink bottle and began writing again. Spike listened closely, hoping to hear any hints he could get out of the discreet unicorn. He could only make out a few words:

"Twist and turns...choice you make...foundations of home-"

"Spike?" Twilight began, shifting her eyes and finally noticing his gaze. "Uh, do you need something?"

The baby dragon flinched as soon as her purple eyes met his green ones. He gave a nervous smile, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Uh, writing a story, I bet?" He couldn't help but say.

The unicorn gave him an annoyed expression. "Don't tell me you're still curious about what I write in my journal."

"No, of course not!" Spike said quickly. "It's not like I tried to open it once or anything like that!"

Twilight raised an eyebrow at him, her lip slipping into a disapproving frown as she continued looking at him. Spike gave a nervous chuckle.

"Okay..." He sighed. "Maybe I was a teeny bit curious one time." He watched as she immediately turned her back to him, leaning over her desk to cover her work. "Oh, come on! Can't blame me for wondering why you suddenly write in that book of yours! I mean, I may not know the exact timing, but I believe it was eleven days ago since you began writing in that thing!"

He noticed Twilight's body tremble as soon as he said that, but she immediately regained her posture and her shoulders slumped a bit. She slowly turned to Spike, her hard look now replaced with an apologetic expression.

"It's private, Spike," she stated simply, "though I don't refer to this material as a diary as any mare would call it, a journal is just the same. And whatever is written in there is only known by me and only me."

With that said, she used her magic to put her writing tools away, then she carefully sealed her journal, shutting it extra tight since her conversation made her have thoughts.

Spike scuffed the floor with a foot, disappointed by the 'security' his friend was going through just to keep her private thoughts safe. He watched as Twilight gave her mane a flip, then casually walked past him.

"I'm going out," she said as she made her way over to the door, "I just remembered that Applejack needs help on her farm. Take care while I'm gone, okay, Spike?" Before she opened the door, she turned to him, a sly, yet warning smile on her face. "And stay away from my journal."

Spike gulped a bit, not sure whether to humor her expression or become terrified of it. He gave a nervous salute, indicating his promise.

"Good assistant," Twilight smiled before she walked out the door and closed it behind her. And she was gone.

Spike decided to organize the library before taking a nap. As he gathered books off the floor and began placing them in their slots, the baby dragon couldn't help but look over his shoulder. Over at Twilight's desk.

There sat her journal, completely visible to his eyes. Locked but present to him...almost tempting.

"No, Spike," he urged himself as he turned away, "Twilight said to stay away."

He kept fighting with himself as he finished sorting all the books. He shut his eyes tightly, trying not to take a second glance at the journal. The baby dragon tried to busy himself, doing whatever chore he had in mind, from dusting the shelves, washing the windows, and sorting out scrolls.

Yet in the end, his eyes finally looked back at Twilight's desk.

Suddenly, his hands were reaching out...his legs carried forward...Spike's eyes seemed completely dazed as his mouth hung open, as if he were under a spell.

"Maybe..." He mumbled. "Maybe just a peek..."

Next thing he knew, the journal was in his possession. Spike's eyes widened, realizing how close his fingers were to those written pages...

But there was still the lock.

"Oh, well!" He told himself with a roll of his eyes. "Can't read this thing if it's shut tight!" He blew a sigh of relief, thankful he wouldn't be betraying Twilight's trust.

Suddenly, he sniffed a sweet aroma in the air. The baby dragon, still holding the journal, followed the scent, his tongue wagging. Opening the door, he saw Big Macintosh hauling a huge vendor cart with an apple logo on it. The delicious smell of baked apple treats emerged from within its case.

"Apple fritters..." Spike drooled, clutching the journal in his hands. He chased after Big Macintosh, still holding the journal in one hand.

After buying a few pieces from him, Spike went back into the house. The baby dragon licked his fingers with satisfaction, having savored every bite.

"Way better than chocolate pie," he smiled to himself. He walked into the library, gazing at the books he sorted out. "Well, seems my chores are done. And it looks like I've forgotten what was so important about about reading Twilight's journal." He gave himself a approved nod. "I better put it back on her desk before Twilight-"

He cut himself off, gazing down at his hands. They were empty.

His eyes widened in horror. "Before Twilight..." He gulped as he rushed around the house, searching desperately. "Before Twilight finds out I lost it!"

No, no, no! How could he have lost it? It was in his possession, left in plain in sight of him. Oh, once Twilight came home, she would immediately accuse him of reading her journal and losing it in the process. She would go into a fit a rage, she would rant him out, probably throw him out of the house and-

"Come on, Spike," he told himself desperately, rubbing his scalp. "Where did you put it?" He roughly pounded his head a few times, trying to find answers. "You had it right before buying yourself some apple fritters..."

Suddenly, it dawned on him. He rushed over and gazed out the window.

"Apple fritters..." His mind processed. His eyes shot open. "Big Macintosh!"
_

Spike rushed into Ponyville, gazing around desperately for any signs of the big, red stallion and his apple cart. How could he have been so careless as to leave the journal on that apple cart? Some number one assistant he was! And he would be called far worse once Twilight came home and noticed her precious journal missing.

"Got to find it!" Spike told himself desperately as he barely avoided a pony hauling a wagon full of ordered soda pop. "I can't let Twilight think of me as a horrible assistant! I can't bare to see the disappointment in those eyes of hers!" His head with spinning with the severe possibilities for his actions.

While one thought was how angry Twilight would be, the other was imagining the tears that would fall from her eyes to realize that the baby dragon had lost her precious writing material. He can't handle seeing her angry, but he absolutely could not bare to see her cry. This made him even more determined as he picked up his speed, going as fast as his little legs could take him.

"Where are you, Big Macintosh?" Spike muttered to himself, searching past other ponies.

Finally, his eyes caught sight of a familiar orange tail between the book shop and the art supply store. A look of joy spread across Spike's face as he rushed past a few ponies.

"Big Macintosh!" Spike cried out, trying not to lose sight of him. "Big Mac, wait!"

The crimson stallion's ears perked up as soon as he heard his name. Fiddling the piece of grass between his teeth, he turned and noticed the baby dragon rushing toward him. He gave a light chuckle as Spike finally stood before him, panting. "Howdy, Spike," he greeted. "Need more apple fritters?"

Finally breathing normally, Spike looked up at him with anxious eyes. "What I need is that journal!"

Big Macintosh raised an eyebrow at him. "Journal? What journal, Spike?"

The baby dragon felt his heart drop. "The journal!" He cried out rather loudly, turning a few heads toward his direction. However, he ignored the stares as he explained his situation. "I'd been so curious about what Twilight's been writing in her journal for the past eleven days, and there were even times when I'd try to ask her what she's been writing!"

His words came out like a speeding pegasus, and Big Macintosh had little time to take in every word, but he listened to Spike. He just gave a slight nod as he nibbled on his grass stem.

"Today, she was writing in that journal as usual!" Spike continued. "Then she went out to help your sister and I promised to never look at her journal even though we both knew she always locks it! As hard as I tried, I actually almost tried to open it despite that dumb lock! Then you came along with your delicious apple fritters! It was after I bought some that I realized I left the journal with you!"

Big Macintosh's eyes widened a bit as he gazed down at the baby dragon. He stood back as Spike fell to his knees, at the brink of tears.

"I need to bring that journal back before Twilight comes home!" Spike cried. "Or else she'll get angry with me! Or worse...she'll cry! And I hate it when she cries!" He flailed his arms up and down, his green eyes glistening. "Please tell me you have it, Big Mac!"

The stallion gazed down at him for a few moments. Then a calm smile formed on his lips. "Eeyup."

Spike stopped waving his arms and looked at him, his eyes widening. "Y-you do?"

"Eeyup," Big Macintosh said again as he turned to his cart. "Sorry for the misunderstanding a few moments ago, I didn't quite understand when you mentioned the term 'journal'."

Reaching into one of the compartments of the cart, Big Macintosh pulled out Twilight's journal. Spike's heart swelled with joy as his green eyes sparkled with happiness.

"I mostly refer to this kind of thing as a diary," Big Macintosh explained. "But considering how Twilight ain't a regular pony, can't blame her for referring a diary to a journal and such."

"Yeah, yeah," Spike said quickly, grabbing the journal from him. His smile widened as he gazed at the material in his hands. "Oh, thank you! Now there won't be any water works after all!"

"But seriously," Big Macintosh began wisely. "Were you really going to read her personal things?"

Spike looked up and met the slight disapproving glance of the stallion. A bit of sweat poured down the side of the baby dragon's face and he chuckled nervously.

"I was going to," He admitted quietly. "But I had second thoughts! Twilight's too important to me, I can't do that to her!"

"Eeyup," Big Macintosh agreed, a calm smile across his lips.

"Well, thanks again, Big Mac," Spike said as he turned on his heels. "I got to get home and put this back on her desk before-"

Suddenly, something white and fuzzy zoomed past Spike. He barely had time to blink before realizing that the journal had vanished from his hands.

"Wha-?" He exclaimed in confusion. He immediately turned and found a round, puffy ball of fur with a purple bow idly fiddling with Twilight's journal.

"Opal..." Spike's tone was deadly as he narrowed his eyes at the mischievous cat.

The white cat simply turned in his direction, purring nonchalantly while her paw fiddled with the lock of the journal. Spike's fists tightened, baring his dragon teeth.

"Uh, Spike?" Big Macintosh spoke out, shuddering at the sight of the baby dragon's angered expression.

"Oh, Opal..." Spike tried to sound polite, but it was difficult when he was so frustrated right now. "Hey, kitty...Give Spike that book, please..."

He took baby steps toward her, hands slowly reaching out toward the journal she was now sitting on. He cooed a bit, trying to keep her calm while he prepared to grab the journal from her. He slowly edged closer...

Opal hissed before swinging her claws at him. Luckily, Spike jumped back just in time before that sharp weapon could touch his face. Opal stopped hissing and turned back to Twilight's journal, purring as she played with the lock, her claws lightly grazing it.

Finally, Spike couldn't take it anymore.

"Give me that book!" He shouted before rushing at the stubborn cat.

His outburst had many ponies staring at his direction, and they began witnessing his actions as he came at Rarity's cat.

As if on cue, the white unicorn herself came onto the scene. "Has anyone seen Opal?" She asked as she turned to Big Macintosh.

The stallion pointed a hoof toward Spike, who was trying to pull Twilight's journal away from the cat's teeth. Rarity cried out in horror.

"Spike!" She exclaimed. "What on Earth are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Spike demanded, not bothering to look at her as he tried to remove the journal from Opal's strong teeth. "Your dumb cat stole my book!"

"Well!" Rarity gave her mane a flip, shocked and displeased by the baby dragon's tone directed at her. "I never! Pardon me that my cat is being terrible, but I think you are being quite rude right now, Spike!"

Spike just ignored her. Crush or not, she just couldn't step up to her cat the way Spike was doing right now. He fell on his bottom as soon as Opal ripped the journal from his hands. The cat gave him an evil grin, book in her mouth.

The lock was broken.

"Oh, no..." Spike gulped, his eyes widening. Then he growled, his hands open as he glared at the mocking cat. "That's not yours!"

And before Opal knew it, Spike tackled the cat. Rarity shrieked, nearly on the verge of fainting as she watched the baby dragon wrestle with her cat for possession of that journal. By now, most of Ponvyille was watching Spike as he tried to keep Opal's claws away from his face, doing his best to hold her back while trying to reach for Twilight's journal.

Oh, how close her claws were...Spike couldn't imagine how Rarity could put up with such a monster for a pet. This was exactly why he liked Applejack's dog better...

"Opal!" Rarity exclaimed. "Oh, dear, don't hurt yourself!"

"Oh, gee, thanks!" Spike said sarcastically. "I appreciate your concern for me!" Finally, he had the journal in one hand while he held Opal down in the other.

Suddenly, with surprising strength, Opal whipped her tail at him and he fell down and splashed into a puddle of mud along with her. Spike coughed, mud covering his eyes. He quickly wiped them and gazed down at the journal in front of him.

To his horror, the book lay opened on the mud. The visible pages were caked on its sides and large, brown blotches covered most of the left page where words were written; fortunately, the other page was blank.

As remorseful and ashamed as Spike was for having ruined Twilight's precious journal, his eyes focused on the few visible words that were not covered by mud.

Feeling sorry...for the princess...my friends...what could have been...him...

Spike shook his head, trying to erase what he just read. He shouldn't have done that! He shouldn't have read what Twilight had written! He was a bad assistant and he knew it! He turned his head and found Opal snickering at him; she had somehow managed to avoid the mud and she swished her clean, furry tail mockingly him. Spike growled, fists tightening as he just laid in the mud in front of Twilight's sprawled, muddy journal. And most of Ponyville was staring at him.

Despite the humiliation, the baby dragon needed to pick himself up and get the journal cleaned quickly. He needed to get home before-

"What's everypony doing?"

His heart dropped. He didn't dare lift his eyes when a pair of purple hooves stood in front of him.

"Spike?" Twilight said gently. "Oh, my gosh! What happened?"

"I'll tell you what happened!" Rarity cried. "He attacked my cat! All for some book!"

"Now, Miss Rarity," Big Macintosh told the white unicorn firmly. "You know he had good reason. I mean, that there book is Twilight's journal."

Spike finally had the courage to look up, and he regretted it as soon as he saw the look of surprise in his friend's purple eyes.

"My journal?" Twilight repeated. She gazed down in the mud and her mouth slightly fell when she saw her precious journal lay sprawled int he mud in front of her assistant. "My journal!"

Her voice strained, as if she was on the verge of crying. Spike felt like crying right now. He really hurt Twilight now...destroying her trust...what could he do if she yelled at him, better yet, sob right in front of him? All of Ponyville would consider him a bad friend, and he knew it.

"I'm sorry, Twilight!" He spoke out desperately. "I never read it, I swear!" He stood up, mud dripping down his belly. "I was going to read it, but then I decided not to because that would make me a bad number one assistant! Then Big Macintosh came along with his apple fritter cart and I...and then I left the journal...and then I came here...and then Opal..." So much to explain and so little time to do so when he saw Twilight's expression unchanged.

His voice trailed off, gazing into those purple eyes that were usually so calm and cheerful. However, Twilight's eyes were slightly widened, and she blinked as she gazed down at him. Spike gulped, bracing himself for a severe scolding and a waterfall of tears...

"Oh, my gosh, Spike!" Twilight exclaimed.

Before the baby dragon knew it, Twilight rushed over and wrapped her hooves around his tiny body. His eyes widened, surprised by the unexpected gesture. He shifted his eyes to the unicorn, whom held him close as if he had been in danger. Of course, danger didn't even begin to describe Rarity's dumb cat...

Finally, Twilight looked at him, her purple eyes full of worry. "Are you okay? Did Opal scratch you?"

Spike couldn't say anything. He just stared at Twilight with widened eyes, his jaw opened slightly. "Wha...?"

"Look, I know what you did was wrong," Twilight began gently, "and Rarity said you were a little rude to her..." She shifted her eyes over to the distraught white unicorn.

"I don't care what Rarity thinks of me!" Spike suddenly spoke. "All I care about is what you think of me!" His green eyes glistened, as if he was on the verge of crying instead. "Twilight, I ruined your journal. Don't you hate me?"

Twilight turned back to the journal that still laid on the mud next to a now uninterested Opal. Using her magic, the book floated out of the puddle and dripping. She noticed the lock was broken. She looked back at Spike, whom held his head down in shame.

"Oh, Spike..." She spoke softly as she landed the journal beside her. She reached over and held her assistant close. "You know I could never hate you..."

Spike looked at her, his eyes still saddened. "Really?"

"Well, I am a little upset about my journal," she confessed. "But I know you never meant for it to happen." Then she gave him a sweet smile. "In fact, I'm touched you would go to all that trouble just so you wouldn't upset me."

Her smile made his heart rise with hope, and he smiled a bit. "So you won't cry?" He couldn't help but ask.

"I'd cry if Opal really did hurt you," she told him. She turned to Rarity. "Sorry, Rarity, but your cat really needs to show some respect."

"Oh, well, I'm really sorry about that...and does she ever..." Rarity rolled her eyes in tiny agreement.

Twilight laughed before picking up her journal. "Well, it was only one page, and that was today's entry..." She wiped away the mud, smiling as her words became visible again. She turned to Spike, who was still coated in mud. "Well, this day's been interesting..." She gazed around at the many ponies that had witnessed everything, especially the touching scene between her and the baby dragon. She gave a light chuckle before turning back to Spike. "Let's go home, Spike. You're going to need a bath."

"Here, Twilight," she turned to see Big Macintosh with a couple of bags of warm apple fritters dangling from his mouth. "Don't worry, it's on me. I'm sure you and Spike could sure need these after all that." And he gave a wink.

"Aw, you're too sweet, Big Macintosh," Twilight said as her magic floated the two bags unto her back. "Well, we'll be on our way. Bye, now."

Passing by observant ponies, Twilight gave both Rarity and Big Macintosh a smile before she and Spike walked off.

"Hey, Rarity?" Spike stopped in his tracks and turned to the white unicorn.

"Yes, Spike?" She asked, hoping he was going to give her an apology for his attitude earlier.

"You really need to put a leash on that thing," he said as he pointed on Opal.

Rarity was left speechless as Spike followed close behind Twilight, ignoring the light chuckles from the ponies around them.

"That..." Twilight said as she proceeded forward. "...was surprising."
_

Spike sat on the rocking chair, a warm blanket wrapped around him. As soon as they got home, Twilight immediately gave him a bath. It was nice and warm and it was relieving to finally rid of the mud that had hardened on him earlier. He smiled to himself as he watched the unicorn write down on her now clean journal.

However, his smile quickly faded when he saw the broken lock.

"I'm really sorry it's broken, Twilight," he apologized quietly. Even though Opal was to blame, Spike felt it was his responsibility that it happened.

Twilight turned and gave him an assuring smile, her purple eyes calm. "It's okay, Spike," she said softly, "there really isn't a reason to have a lock on my journal anymore, considering I have the most trusted number one assistant in all of Equestria."

Spike's cheeks reddened a bit, touched by her statement. Though he was still so surprised that she had gotten easy on him, he knew Twilight had a kind, forgiving heart. That was one of the many things he loved about his unicorn friend.

Twilight came by his side and laid beside the rocking chair, her journal closed and placed under her gentle hooves. Spike gazed down at the journal. Though he knew better than to ask, he just couldn't let his curiosity go...

"So..." He began as he wrapped the blanket tighter around him. "Still not going to tell me what you wrote?" When she looked at him, he averted his eyes. "Yeah, when it fell in the mud...I kind of...I kind of saw a few words. But I didn't read the whole page, I promise!" He said quickly, afraid her calm nature would convert to anger.

Twilight gave him a soft smile. "Well..." She began quietly as she looked down at her journal. "Seeing as there's just no avoiding this..." She looked at him. "Do you really want to know what I've been writing about?"

Spike's eyes widened slightly. "R-really?"

"Well, I won't go into detail," she admitted, "and not too much, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all," he said simply, smiling at her. "Whatever little you can say is good enough for me."

Twilight chuckled a bit. Closing her eyes for a few moments, she opened them and gazed down at her journal. "Well..." She began quietly. "For the past eleven days I've been writing about someone."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Someone?"

"Someone..." She repeated softly. "Someone who, as annoying as he could be, showed some sweetness in himself." She smiled sadly. "He's always been on my mind as the days go by. And I'm just thankful he's always by my side."

She turned to Spike, seeing the look of surprise on his face and his mouth hanging slightly open. She laughed a bit.

"Can you guess who he is?" She asked.

It didn't take Spike a second to answer. "It's me!" He exclaimed happily, nearly falling off his rocking chair.

"That's right, Spike," Twilight nodded, doing her best to smile. "I've been writing about the wonderful things we've done together these past eleven days. Especially the cotton candy cupcakes."

"Cotton candy cupcakes..." The baby dragon licked his lips. However, he looked over to the opened bags of apple fritters on a nearby table. "I'll wait for them. Big Macintosh sure knows how to make an awesome substitute treat."

Twilight laughed. "And I did write about your humor."

Spike smiled with embarrassment. "I guess there wasn't much to hide, huh?" He asked. "Though, I still feel pretty bad I almost read your journal..."

The unicorn smiled before nuzzling her nose against his forehead. "And I forgive you. You've always been my number one assistant, you always will be. And I will always trust you."

Spike smiled, his cheeks heating up. "Thanks, Twilight." Then his grin grew wider. "If I'm going to keep that title, I got to make sure you're happy! Whenever you need your journal, just call me and I'll bring it over to you! Don't bother using your magic because Spike is here!"

"And I'm glad you're here," she beamed. She watched as her assistant's eyes began to droop. She chuckled as he fought to keep awake, wanting to continue their conversation. "You must be tired."

"Not tired..." He drawled. "Want to...talk..some more...with you..."

And his head fell and he snored quietly. Twilight reached over and pulled the blanket closer around him as he slept on his rocking chair. She smiled as she watched him slumber.

However, the smile soon faded before she turned back to her journal. Making sure Spike was asleep and well, she quietly went up the stairs to her bedroom, journal floating beside her.

Laying on her bed, a quill and ink bottle on her nightstand, Twilight quietly opened her journal, gazing at her unfinished page from earlier. Thankfully, she was able to get rid of the mud before it could ruin most of her important writing.

She had been writing about Discord's riddles, one which had been used on her friend Rainbow Dash before she deserted them at the labyrinth, and Twilight had taken some time to use those words to her curious mind, forming her own riddle. One that could possibly show the lighter side of the Draconequus if he possibly did have one.

Twist and turns are his ways of delight...

Most of his master plan was to give us each a fright...

As terrible as he appeared or how he acted, it was his choice...a choice you make...

The foundations of home were, however, at stake...

But even during our battle, my heart ached

Feeling sorry for him was the one thing I never thought I would take...

No pony liked him, and the princess showed her hate...

My friends showed no remorse after we imprisoned him in his former stone state...

No pony remembers now what had happened but me...

I remember him perfectly, what had happened, and what could have been to see...

Still in the Canterlot gardens is where he still stands...

I wished better for him, I doubt any pony would understand.

Twilight sighed sadly, reading over what she just wrote earlier. That wasn't a riddle; it was a poem of sympathy and regret. Twilight, of course, adored poetry, but this was just heartbreaking...

She summoned her quill and moved to the blank page beside her written one. She closed her eyes for a bit, collecting her thoughts. Then she opened them and began to write.

Dearest Journal,

I need to be more careful when I write in you. As much as I love Spike, I'm worried he could try and read this.

However, today, he showed true loyalty to me when I left you on my desk when I went out. A little part of me was sure he would go to great lengths to open you, however, I just knew he wouldn't do such a thing. All I can say is that he is the best number one assistant ever. And the most trusted.

I will also say that Rarity really needs to do something about her cat. I would have used my magic to turn Opal into a mouse if she had hurt Spike. True, Spike tried to read you at first, but I came to mind and he just tried to keep you safe, even going as far as to wrestle Opal in the mud.

Though that was just so sweet of him, I can't help but be surprised that he was acting a little rude to Rarity. His CRUSH. I can't blame him, though. That Opal can be a real pain. Still, the least he could have done was apologize to Rarity.

I still remember back when Discord's chaos reigned that I made him the new Rainbow Dash. I know it wasn't a good idea, knowing that Rainbow Dash was the only one who could wield the Element of Loyalty. But Spike had loyalty; always had it. I put my faith in him even though it wasn't enough to stop Discord the first time. However, I don't regret trusting the Element of Loyalty on him. You don't need a simple necklace to know how loyal you are, and my assistant's loyalty has no limits, and that's why I feel like the luckiest unicorn ever to have him as a friend.

However, as important as he means to me, I just couldn't tell him about my thoughts on Discord. I doubt he even remembers him. No pony does. When he asked me again about what I've been writing in my journal, I thought about telling him the truth.

But I couldn't. I just couldn't. I can't imagine how he would react, I'm still upset about Fluttershy's reaction before I used the memory erasing spell on her.

A small tear slid down Twilight's cheek, but she continued writing.

So I made a small lie to Spike about what I've been writing about. I lied that I've been writing about him. While I mentioned baking cotton candy cupcakes and other such fun we had these past eleven days, Discord's name couldn't escape my mouth. So I pretended that it was Spike whom I've been writing about, showing him how much fun I've had with him by my side. Key terms were my only way out, so I stated things that Discord had that Spike could relate to.

Sweetness despite annoying me...always on my mind, of course, I've been thinking about Discord, haven't I?

Then when I mentioned about always being by my side, that was, indeed, Spike. And truly Discord as well. Though he was not by my side physically, simply remembering him made it feel like he was always there.

Though I felt guilty for lying to Spike, the smile on his face made me feel a little better.

I promised myself I would never speak Discord's name to anypony. And Princess Celestia...out of the question.

But I confide in you, journal. Even though your lock is broken, no pony would dare open you up. Spike already learned his lesson. Looking back on my words, I'm grateful he didn't go nuts reading these pages. I must sound like a crying filly on most of what I wrote.

But it is the truth, and the truth is that I wonder what could have been if we never turned Discord into stone. What would it be like if he were still here, along with his chaos of cotton candy clouds and chocolate rain? How would my friends cope? How would Spike cope?

I guess I'll never know. But still, somewhere deep down, I guess I'm hoping.

Twilight ended her writing, shutting her journal before placing her quill and ink away. She smiled sadly to herself, before she summoned one of Big Macintosh's apple fritters and bit into it. Chewing quietly, she hoped the Cakes would have a new stock of cotton candy soon.

She felt she needed to make cupcakes to reward Spike for being such a wonderful assistant and respecting her journal. And to secretly apologize for not being entirely honest with him.
_

Inner Chaos

Twilight smiled, her eyes shining with relief as she watched Spike flame the friendship report. She and her friends gazed in awe as its remains flew out the window, heading straight toward Canterlot where Princess Celestia would be waiting.

"Well, even though I was tardy..." Twilight told herself with a chuckle.

"Tardy?" She turned just in time to have Rainbow Dash fly right in front of her face, her eyes staring into Twilight's with shock and disapproval. "After everything the princess told you about saying it's okay not needing a friendship report every week and all that forgiveness and you're still thinking about being tardy?"

Twilight just blinked, shuddering under the pegasus's gaze. Luckily, Fluttershy came to settle things down.

"Twilight is the star pupil of Princess Celestia," she reminded Rainbow Dash, "even though she already knows about everything you said...that can't stop Twilight from being her usual, organized self." She gave a soft smile to Twilight.

Twilight returned the smile, simply just grateful for all of them as well as their contribution to making the friendship report of the week. She turned her head when Applejack placed a hoof on her shoulder, the apple pony giving a relaxed smile.

"Shoot, it's getting late," Applejack chuckled. "We best be going, shouldn't we?"

"Wait," Twilight spoke up, gazing at her five friends, "why don't you guys stay here for the night? I mean, it's the least I can do after all you've done for me..."

"Oooh!" Pinkie Pie squealed. "Like a sleepover?"

"Of course, it'll be a like a sleepover," Rarity laughed as she lightly touched her mane, "why, our Twilight hasn't thrown one in a while. Oh, what fun we'll have! I plead to do Rainbow Dash's mane!"

"Not in your life, sister," the blue pegasus retorted.

Twilight just laughed before she motioned her number one assistant to her side. "Spike, can you grab some extra blankets and pillows? And see if you can find anything for us to eat."

"Yes, ma'am!" He said enthusiastically, giving her a salute before rushing off to do his orders.

Soon, sleeping mats covered the floor and every pony was given her own pillow. Twilight smiled to herself before using her magic to bring over her manual on making the perfect sleepovers. It was about time she used that book again, and she even brought out her paper and quill.

"What's with the reading and writing, Twilight?" Pinkie Pie asked, her voice too close to Twilight's ear, making the unicorn yelp and drop her items.

The book tumbled to Rainbow Dash's feet and the pegasus picked it up. "What do you need a book on sleepovers for?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at Twilight. "Seriously, do you follow everything by the book?"

"Not everything..." Twilight muttered, her cheeks flushing a bit. She held her head high, a proud, determined smile on her face. "I just want to make sure this sleepover is perfect and that there are no problems, whatsoever." Her magic floated her paper and quill next to her. "And with the checklist I'll be making, double-checking and triple-checking will go off without a hitch-"

"Oh, man!" Rainbow Dash laughed, placing a hoof to her forehead. "Listen to you, Twilight!"

Twilight just stared at her in confusion. Suddenly, the paper and quill were ripped from her hooves. "Hey!"

Pinkie Pie and Applejack smiled at her, holding her needed items.

"Silly Twilight!" Pinkie laughed before tossing away the paper. "You don't need a checklist to have a super, awesome sleepover!"

"Shoot, she's right," Applejack agreed before tossing away the quill. "Really, Twilight, the last sleepover with me and Rarity was fun and all, but you really shouldn't go on following some fancy written book."

Twilight regarded them for a few moments, the realization that they had taken her organizational items just sinking in. She gave a scoff and rolled her eyes. Honestly, there were times when she didn't like it when her friends' ideas contrasted with her.

But they meant well, just wanting her to have fun. Just not by the book.

"Fine," Twilight sighed. She turned to Rarity. "Rarity, you can start this sleepover with your mane-braiding skills. I'm going to see if Spike and I can make some good sleepover snacks."

"With pleasure, darling," Rarity said before turning to Rainbow Dash.

"Don't even think about it," the pegasus warned her, giving her wind-blown mane a flip.

While her friends kept busy, Twilight walked over to the table where Spike was busy sorting through whatever food they had stored in the house. He was eating out of a box of corn flakes before he immediately stopped when he noticed Twilight.

"So, what can we serve our guests?" Twilight asked, stifling a chuckle at his mouth full of cereal.

Spike gulped before looking over their supplies. "Well, we could serve cookies and leftover muffins."

"Sounds promising," Twilight gave a nod. "And to drink?"

"Well, all I could fine was chocolate milk."

Twilight's eyes widened a bit and her entire body became stiff. Her lips curved into a horrified frown, her ears lowering in sudden remembrance.

"Oh..." Was all she could say.

"Is that okay?" He asked carefully, gazing at her in confusion.

Twilight quickly shook her head to rid herself of the shock before clearing her throat and regaining her posture, giving him a slight nod. "Yes," she stated, her voice strong and assuring, "chocolate milk sounds fine."

Soon, her friends gathered around the floor as Spike served them snacks while handing out cups filled with chocolate milk. Twilight took one look at her cup before sipping it ever so slowly, as if the flow of chocolate milk tickling her throat would relieve her mind of something.

"So you seriously used a spell on some doll and caused all that stuff earlier?" Rainbow Dash asked, laying on her mat, chocolate milk on her lips.

"Yes, and you were almost a victim to that 'want it, need it' spell," Twilight laughed, finding ease of discussing the events earlier now. She turned to Applejack and Rarity. "I am so sorry I got your family into this."

"Aw, shoot, it's alright, sugracube," Applejack assured her. "My little sis's alright now."

"And Sweetie Belle was not harmed," Rarity agreed, adjusting one of the curlers on her mane.

"Nice to know," Twilight laughed. "Though I do wonder what happened to my Smartypants doll..." She pondered a bit.

"We'll find her later," Spike intervened, refilling her cup. "Right now, you just got to relax and enjoy your sleepover with friends."

"Yeah, you're right, Spike," Twilight lowered her eyes to gaze at her chocolate milk. A small, sad smile formed on her face.

The unicorn watched as Pinkie Pie took hold of the conversation, talking about the Cakes making cupcakes earlier and such. Twilight just smiled, simply enjoying the presence of her friends in her home.

To think Twilight had thought Princess Celestia was going to send her back to Canterlot because she didn't send a friendship report on time, Twilight finally realized she had been so crazy to imagine such a thing. And magic kindergarten? She was so above that! The princess was kind and understanding, Twilight was shocked to even think that Celestia would take her away from her friends.

Allowing Twilight to make a home here in Ponyville wasn't because of the task of learning the value of friendship...but because Twilight had finally found friendship. The princess knew how anti-social Twilight had been since she first started studying under her wing, and the princess was proud, even joyful, that Twilight finally found some friends.

"Thank you, princess..." Twilight said, her voice barely above a whisper so her friends wouldn't hear her.

Gazing down at her half-empty cup, Twilight couldn't help but allow her thoughts to drift from the princess and her friends to a certain creature. No doubt the chocolate milk reminded her so well; and leading her to drink more of the beverage to surpass guilt.

And what she had done today...no doubt if he were right here right now, he would applaud her.

Twilight had been so desperate to not disappoint her teacher that she deliberately lost herself in trying to create problems in Ponyville. She created far worse than a problem.

She had created chaos.

Hearing that word in relation to herself made Twilight shudder, and she was glad her friends were too wrapped up in their own conversation to take notice of her sudden discomfort. Twilight Sparkle, Ponyville's most organized pony, always triple-checking her checklists and following by the books...and she somehow managed to create chaos.

It was completely by accident! Twilight kept telling herself. It's not like I found amusement in watching other ponies fight and bicker! Unlike Discord...

If that Draconequus had just seen her today, completely out of her mind and desperate to cause problems for a mere report, he would have congratulated her for doing something so chaotic even he had never thought of. Obviously, he would have never imagined of using a doll to cause chaos...

Twilight gulped, her mouth dry despite the chocolate milk she just drank. To hear those taunting words from the voice of the Spirit of Disharmony...But the unicorn immediately replaced his chilling voice with the remembrance of the soothing voice of Princess Celestia.

When Twilight came to her library house earlier and met with the princess, she feared Celestia would immediately tell her to pack her things and follow her back to Canterlot. She had been prepared for a severe scolding. But no such harsh words came from the princess, only a soft tone that spoke of her shock for Twilight's actions and kindly asking why she had done such a thing. Though the princess showed no anger, Twilight had nearly broke down, feeling like the worst student ever in the academy for gifted unicorns.

But the princess was understanding, assuring Twilight that she was a wonderful student, and that she didn't need to give a report every week. Twilight had been surprised by those last few words, not sure if she could handle not sending a friendship report every week for her sake.

Then her friends came along...Twilight had been so touched for their plea for her case, insisting it was their fault she acted so crazy and desperate. Twilight nearly cried when Pinkie placed her head under her chin, giving her the comfort and sympathy the pink pony felt she should have given when Twilight had gone through a nervous breakdown earlier.

Her kind teacher...her wonderful friends...they were all there for her. And they loved her despite earlier when things turned a little chaotic. Twilight was just glad no pony remembered what had happened, simply recalling that a doll had been present in the situation before the ponies went their separate ways.

Twilight just wanted to put all of that behind her, simply bask in the glow of her friendship knowing that now she wouldn't be the only one who would send a friendship report to the princess when possible. Her friends would learn lessons and write them, even others in Ponyville would learn and send a message as well. Twilight had a feeling that Apple Bloom and the Cutie Mark Crusaders would learn a few lessons in time, and they would be honored when they would eventually be asked to state their lesson in friendship to Celestia...

She smiled, excited for what new days would give and what lessons would be revealed and which pony would learn and write them. She was forgetting the day's earlier disaster...almost.

The unicorn couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like if Discord, if not have been turned into stone, had witnessed her deed. Why in Equestria would she even care what to expect from that Draconequus if he saw tidy, organized Twilight Sparkle create chaos? Would his reaction be that worth to gaze upon if he had been present? What would Twilight even say to him if he saw her?

I would say that what I had done is only a small example compared to ALL he had done when he escaped his stone prison, Twilight thought intelligently, I would tell him that we need order, not chaos. That chaos is bad and...and...

She lowered her eyes, frustrated that the firm voice in her head was not stating a better argument on her behalf for if she ever saw Discord again.

Yeah, right! As if she would ever see that creature, who was still sealed in his stone prison back in the Canterlot gardens! Secured, locked up...trapped...alone...

Twilight tried to keep herself together when she felt her bottom lip quiver. She was so deep in her thoughts that she barely noticed Pinkie Pie slide next to her, raising an eyebrow.

"Twilight?" The pink called, loud enough for the unicorn to break out of her thoughts.

"Wha-?" Twilight shook her head, gazing at Pinkie.

"I asked if we can have a pillow fight," Pinkie repeated, bouncing on her hooves. "I love pillow fights! It's like being clobbered with marshmallows! Only these marshmallows are pillows and too cushy and full of feathers and-"

"Heads up!" Rainbow Dash called.

Pinkie ducked just in time only for Twilight to have a pillow slam into her face.

"Rats! I missed!" Rainbow Dash muttered.

"You okay, darling?" Rarity asked Twilight worriedly as the pillow fell from her face to the floor.

Twilight shook her head before rubbing her face, the impact of the pillow much stronger than she remembered. She gave the other unicorn an assured smile before she used her magic to lift the pillow up an throw it at her, now absorbed in the friendly battle that Rainbow Dash had caused.

The ponies laughed as they tossed and dodged flying pillows, Applejack did her best to aim at Rainbow Dash while the pegasus flew around the room, sticking her tongue out in mockery as pillows missed her. However, Twilight, with her magic, playfully slammed a dozen pillows at Rainbow Dash at once and her fast-flying friend fell to the floor, which was covered by a soft, pillow-y surface.

Twilight laughed at her success. She felt a slight tap on her shoulder and looked down to see Spike smile up at her. In his hands was her journal.

The unicorn raised an eyebrow at him. "Spike?"

The baby dragon just smiled before lifting the journal up to her face. "I said I would bring it to you whenever you needed it," he stated softly, "and I know you'll need it tonight."

She looked at him for a few moments, then her surprised expression melted into a touched smile, and that made him smile even more. She floated the journal out of his hands and placed it beside her. Then she leaned down and nuzzled her cheek against his, not realizing how much warmer his face was becoming right now. Of course, ever since Spike had nearly lost and destroyed her journal, and she had showered him with forgiveness and thanking him for his loyalty despite nearly getting clawed by a vicious cat, the baby dragon was ever helpful, willing to hand Twilight her journal whenever she needed to write something. Though the lock was broken, she knew she could trust him; we went to so much trouble just so she wouldn't cry.

"My number one assistant," she whispered to him before raising her head up and smiling at him. "Thanks again for helping me..."

Spike just smiled and averted his eyes, feeling a little embarrassed by such kind, heartfelt words. He did his best not to blush.

Suddenly, a pillow flew and smacked him in the face, landing him on the ground.

Twilight's eyes widened before turning to see Rainbow Dash, her hooves now on the ground. The pegasus gave a small chuckle, smiling in apology. The unicorn just smirked before her magic lifted the pillow off a stunned Spike and she aimed it at Rainbow Dash.

Despite her best efforts to fly out of sight, Twilight caught up with her and Rainbow Dash once again fell to the ground in a pile of pillows, having being slammed from behind by the playful unicorn.

"Oooh!" Pinkie Pie said in awe as she gazed down at Twilight's journal beside Spike. "Is that a new book?" She reached down to open it.

"No!" Spike cried as he pushed her hoof away. "It's Twilight's!" He stood up and gave the pink pony a hard gaze. "No touchy!" He turned in Twilight's direction and gave her a positive smile as well as a thumbs-up.

Twilight just smiled at him, before slamming another pillow into Rainbow Dash's face before the pegasus even had a chance to throw one at her.
_

Twilight gently draped the blanket over Spike as he laid in his little basket bed. She chuckled quietly at his soft snores before checking on the others. They were all fast asleep. Fluttershy's hair draped over most of her face as she laid on her belly while her front hooves supported her head as she slept, Pinkie Pie laid on her back sleeping with her mouth hanging open, Rarity had brought along her sleeping mask as was snuggled under many blankets, Applejack laid on her side with her hat covering her face, and Rainbow Dash slept on the dozen of pillows she had been clobbered with earlier.

Twilight smiled, glad that her friends had enjoyed their fun earlier and were getting a well-deserved rest. She turned toward the window where the moonlight shone through. Her smile slowly faded.

Quiet as to not wake any of them, Twilight gently opened her front door before stepping outside and closing it behind her. The moonlight shone over her form, making her appear as a silhouette in the night. Determination shining in her eyes, the unicorn steadied herself as her horn began to flash, a light pink and red glow began to surround her body.

It would be tiring to use her transport spell from such a far distance. But it was worth it to visit him again.
_

Twilight nearly fell over her own hooves as her magic landed her in the Canterlot gardens. That transport spell seemed to have needed much more strength than she thought as she suddenly felt more tired than she expected. How she wished she was back in her bed...

But she couldn't sleep just yet! She needed to...converse.

Walking down a familiar path, Twilight continued gazing at the night sky before she nearly bumped into something. Looking up, she didn't flinch when she gazed up at the statue before her.

"Discord..." She said quietly.

The look of horror on the frozen Draconequus was as present as the day the elements defeated him. Twilight's purple eyes trailed down from his expression to his hands, which were held out in desperation to shield himself. His eagle claw...his soft lion paw...held out as if begging for mercy.

Twilight immediately turned away, unable to gaze at his frightened expression. Though she wanted to forget the events earlier, she would replay the Mr. Smartypants incident in hopes of turning that horrified expression into an amused, annoying smile in her head...

Recalling the incident, Twilight finally mustered the courage to look back at Discord, her eyes hardening as she stood her ground.

"Well, I was right," she said quietly, gazing at the statue, "chaos is bad, and for one day only had I been the cause of something so bad."

She glared at the Discord statue, grateful that it was late and that no pony was around to witness her speaking with a statue. Twilight could remember the first time she had visited Discord's statue, having nearly broke out in rage due to thinking she was losing her intellectual mind because she was talking to a statue. Now she was used to it, knowing she could still hold her common sense even while speaking to the Discord statue.

She had visited the gardens from time to time. Just recently she visited Discord in the daytime a couple of days ago...right after the events involving using the memory erasing spell on a raging Fluttershy. If Discord could see how much he angered the Element of Kindness...

Twilight continued gazing at the statue, her eyes softening. "But I'm sure you've done worse," she stated softly. "I can't summon cotton candy clouds or chocolate rain...and I certainly wouldn't think of using my magic to break bonds..." She lowered her head, recalling the memory of nearly losing her friends.

She shook her head and gazed back up at the frozen Draconequus, his expression of horror nearly making her want to turn away. She gave a deep sigh, feeling the sudden chill of the wind past through her body.

"But if I could..." She went on quietly. "It would be in an orderly fashion." Discord would have scoffed at the thought of order connecting with the things he created. He and Twilight were complete opposites, no doubt.

Finally, a small, sad smile formed on Twilight's lips as she felt a bit tired.

"Chaos isn't without order," she stated sleepily. She let out a big yawn. "And so on and so on..." She let out a bigger yawn, too tired to make any sense.

Taking one last look at the statue, Twilight's horn began to glow as magic coursed through her body. Despite the tiredness in her eyes, she gazed at the statue sadly.

"Goodnight, Discord," she said before she disappeared in a flash.
_

-though I don't see what the point was in saying goodnight to a statue.

Twilight let out another yawn as she gazed at her finished journal entry. Having arrived home, Twilight immediately went to her bed to get her much needed sleep. But then she remembered her journal. She had to write about the events today, from losing her mind over worry to using her Smartypants doll and then having learned a valuable lesson in regarding others' feelings. Then she wrote about visiting the Discord statue again, arguing little and trying to prove something on her part.

Her eyes drooped as she placed her journal under her pillow before putting away her quill. Tomorrow morning Pinkie Pie wanted to take them out for breakfast, which would be at the same restaurant that Twilight and Spike ate at the day he nearly lost her journal. Twilight remembered the broken lock; she couldn't blame Spike for degrading Rarity about her cat's behavior.

Smiling tiredly, Twilight laid against her pillow, pulling the covers to her chin, and dreamt of Smartypants dancing on her head.
_

Red and Gold Eyes

Maybe next year she'll dress up as somepony from the recent history books...

Twilight smiled to herself as she gazed at the box containing her Starswirl the Bearded costume. Nightmare Night had come and passed a while back though Spike seemed to have forgotten to put her costume in the closet. The baby dragon was out doing errands right now, leaving Twilight to her studies and other personal matters.

The past weeks have truly been enjoyable for the intelligent unicorn: parties, pet play dates, new spells discovered, heroic actions, and meeting a certain moon princess after so long.

True, Twilight had not been present when the Sisterhooves Social had occurred, having been in Canterlot to spend time with classmates at her school, but she was happy Spike had been able to write up a friendship report thanks to the contribution of two very happy unicorn sisters. Twilight knew how picky and dramatic Rarity would be when it came to such matters as racing through mud and breaking sweat, but she knew Rarity also had a good heart and would do anything for dear Sweetie Belle.

Twilight turned away from her studying material as she slowly walked over to her array of books, simple gazing at them and wondering if she could pick out one on recipes.

Her parents were coming to visit, and she and Spike were making preparations for their stay at the library house. Twilight was just so excited to see them again, even though she and her friends had made many visits to Canterlot and were showered with their hospitality, their presence just made her happy. True, since she was a filly and studying under the princess, it was a bit difficult trying to adjust being away from home while she made one in Celestia's castle. But the visits were weekly, mostly every few days her parents would check on her and let her know how much they were proud of her, their loving hugs and nuzzles making her feel like the luckiest little pony in all of Equestria for having such wonderful parents.

"Ah, here we go," Twilight said happily as her magic slipped a book on Canterlot recipes out of its slot. She was so busy flipping through pages that she barely heard the front door open and the scatter of little feet.

And the sound of a whirring propeller?

Twilight immediately turned her head, and her surprised look quickly melted into an expression of relief as she gazed down at a pinto colored colt smiling up at her. Beside him was a familiar green face Twilight loved to meet despite the creature belonging to another pony.

"Hi, Pipsqueak," Twilight greeted as she put down her book. She smiled at the tortoise that landed beside him. "And hello, Tank! It's good to see you again!"

The tortoise was slow to create a pleasing smile on his face, but it was all worth it and his adorable look just made Twilight's heart melt as the day he officially became Rainbow Dash's pet.

"We're excited about the party later today!" Pipsqueak said excitedly, jumping on his tiny hooves. "A party for your parents! In Cloudsdale!"

"Oh, yeah," Twilight recalled, "Pinkie Pie wanted to throw a party in their welcome. And Rainbow Dash wanted to, and quote , 'make it twenty-percent cooler'."

"Anything seems twenty-percent cooler in my opinion!" Pipsqueak said excitedly. "My first Nightmare Night and I got to meet my favorite princess ever!"

"Oh, yeah, Princess Luna's wonderful, isn't she?" Twilight sighed happily.

"She's in Ponyville right now," he declared.

"She is?" Twilight raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Pinkie told her about the party plans for your parents and invited her and Celestia," he explained. He grinned as Tank stood beside him, the tortoise's height nearly overpowering his. "It's going to be so much fun!" He petted Tank's head, much to the pet's pleasure. "Rainbow Dash let me play with Tank for the day while things were getting prepared. I can't wait to play with him even more when I go to Cloudsdale for the first time ever!"

Twilight's eyes sparkled as she saw the smile both Pipsqueak and Tank shared. Ever since Pipsqueak moved from Trottingham, he was new to his surroundings, but he was determined to make new friends. Twilight had been his first, and through her, she introduced him to other wonderful ponies in their lovely town, and when he met the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the adventures seemed to have become even more extraordinary.

And Tank. Sweet, kind, loyal, adorable Tank. Despite so slow in contrast with Rainbow Dash's speed, he had a fighting spirit, and while Twilight had cheered for the more faster pets during the whole competition Rainbow Dash made, she secretly rooted for the little tortoise.

She nearly wept when she saw how he had saved her pegasus friend's life after the rock slide. And she couldn't hold back her tears when Rainbow Dash chose him over the falcon, and an important lesson had been learned. Even Owlowiscious had been pleased by her decision.

As if on cue, a sudden gust of wind burst through the windows and brown feathers flew over Pipsqueak and a startled Tank before it landed gracefully on Twilight's head.

"Enjoyed your flight, I see," she laughed as she gazed up at the owl she was proud to call her own.

"Oh, wow!" Pipsqueak exclaimed as he comforted Tank. "I really like your owl, Twilight! He's cool!"

"Yes, he's amazing, isn't he?" Twilight sighed. "And a wonderful assistant apprentice."

"Doesn't Spike mind?" He asked curiously.

Twilight suddenly remembered that Pipsqueak had not been here when those events involving rivalry and jealousy had occurred before the baby dragon had finally found a friend in her owl. "He doesn't," she told him softly, "not anymore."

She smiled as an idea formed in her head as she gazed down at the tiny pinto pony. She gazed up at Owlowiscious still atop her head.

"Why don't you play with Owlowiscious for the day as well?" She suggested before allowing the owl to descend and plant himself atop of Tank's shell.

"Really?" Pipsqueak squealed excitedly as he gazed at the mysterious bird. "You'll let me?"

"The more pets, the merrier," Twilight laughed.

"Oh, thank you, Twilight!" Pipsqueak rushed over and his tiny hooves hugged one of her legs. Twilight just wanted to melt, seeing how even more sweet and adorable he was. "I'll take good care of them!"

"I know you will," she told him, "every creature is gifted and always cared about, and everypony shows care for any creature..." Her voice suddenly trailed off.

Suddenly, the twinkle in her purple eyes faded and her happy smile disappeared as she slowly turned away from her little friends, as if they were no longer in her presence anymore.

"Twilight?" Pipsqueak asked, he and the pets gazing at the unicorn with sudden worry. "Twilight? Are you okay?"

She didn't even hear him as she gazed at the books before her. Her eyes slowly fell on the one book she had inserted back into its chosen slot the day before Nightmare Night.

The Tale of Discord appeared nearly dusty, having not been read for quite a while. She had nearly forgotten about the book.

Just like she had nearly forgotten about Discord himself.

So many things had happened in the days before, and the unicorn had so much fun with her friends. Being so occupied in happiness and togetherness...she slowly realized how exactly her friends and almost everypony had seemed to have forgotten the Draconequus and the chaos he once reigned over their home.

They were just moving on with their happy lives. Just like Twilight was doing right now.

New friends, new adventures, new lessons learned by all they know and love, it could distract one from recalling the memories one was so determined to hold on to. Maybe dearly. And it worked well on Twilight.

She seemed to have forgotten the hours and minutes now.

Oh, Celestia! How could she forget him? And her journal! She hadn't written anything Discord-related since Nightmare Night arrived, always filling in the pages with what she learned and making new discoveries.

It was like the thought of Discord was going to leave her mind for good...as of everypony.

If she had forgotten completely, she might have never continued struggling between keeping the secret or telling her friends.

Oh, her dear friends! They were so close, yet Twilight felt so distant from them! All because she was afraid to say anything about what's been on her mind ever since they defeated Discord, which her friends had just forgotten just like that!

Though Discord was the one who created chaos and disharmony...Twilight felt like the bad guy right now.

The secret was killing her inside, and it was making her heart ache. But what truly made the pain was keeping these feelings in discreet from her friends, even the princess. She had fought her mind a number of times about telling the princess about her thoughts on turning Discord to stone. She had reached a conclusion that maybe it was best not to say anything, fearing it would just restore the anger the sun princess had when Discord had first been released from his stone prison.

Keeping secrets from her teacher! And Twilight called herself her faithful student? She might as well throw all those friendship reports she saved right out the window if the unicorn thought sharing her thoughts seemed meaningless.

And Spike...

Twilight bit her lip, recalling the day Spike took her journal and fought to protect it. He fought Rarity's vicious cat for the sake of Twilight not shedding tears for her precious writing material. He took a dive in mud just for Twilight.

And what did she do? She lied to him.

Lying to the baby dragon, her number one assistant, about what she had been writing in her journal killed her inside. And the guilt never seemed to cease after that night. Spike thought she had been writing about him, when she merely just replaced Discord's name with his own.

Keeping secrets...lying...pretending to show that there's nothing wrong in her little world. Yeah, some friend Twilight was...

Eyes still focused on the book before her, Twilight couldn't refrain the tears from slowly slipping down her cheeks as her bottom lip quivered.

Pipsqueak gasped as he saw the tears hit the floor, Tank's jaw slowly fell open in shock, and Owlowiscious blinked and hooted in surprise.

"Twilight," the little colt spoke gently as he slowly approached her, "why are you crying?"

The unicorn suddenly realized that her friends were still present in the room and immediately wiped the tears away. "Crying?" She sniffed. "I...I'm not crying! I just have something in my eye!"

Pipsqueak and the pets gazed at her, looking unconvinced.

"You must have gotten a lot on both your eyes," Pipsqueak said, his voice showing he was waiting for a better answer.

Twilight sighed as she gazed down at the three. "Well..." She scuffled the ground with a hoof. "I don't know..." She said sadly, staring at the floor. "I just...I just feel so sad...so sad that someone is hurt and being overlooked because of being different..."

She turned and gazed back at The Tale of Discord, the other three not noticing the book.

"It's so heartbreaking..." She sniffed, fresh tears falling down her face. "That someone with a contrasting personality and interests can be considered dark and evil..."

The smile on Discord's face when he simply skated through those sudsy grounds...the look of horror when they turned him into stone...

Suddenly, something launched at Twilight from behind and she turned to see that Pipsqueak was grasping her backside, his tiny hooves clinging to her in a hug.

"But everypony loves Princess Luna now!" He said desperately before looking up at her with worried eyes. "Don't cry! There's nothing to be sad about anymore! Luna's Ponyville's friend now!"

Twilight just blinked as she gazed down at the little colt that tried to comfort her. She suddenly felt grainy legs and feathers wrap around her legs and gazed down to see that Tank and Owlowiscious had followed Pipsqueak's example, not bearing to see their unicorn friend so depressed over a matter that was all in the past.

A few more tears fell down Twilight's cheeks. But they were happy tears. She was just so touched that they were comforting her.

Yet she still lied. Again.

Finally, her little friends released their grips and now stood before her, eyes still shining with concern. She did her best to smile at them, trying to show she was fine for now.

"I know," she said softly, "still...it was kind of sad during the first moments of that night."

Pipsqueak gave her an assuring smile. "Well, Nightmare Night went great afterwards!" He said. "And I can't wait for next year!"

Twilight smiled, finding more comfort in seeing the little colt happy. She lifted the recipe book she had put away earlier and gazed at it. "Well, you and the pets better get going," she told him and she opened her book. "I got to do some things before I head out and check on the party preparations."

"I will," Pipsqueak said as he nudged Tank playfully while Owlowiscious just hooted. "I hope you'll join us soon! Princess Luna will be real happy to see you!"

Twilight smiled down at them. She closed her book before leaning down and gave the little colt a loving, motherly nuzzle along the side of his face. Pipsqueak giggled, finding her touch ticklish.

"I will," Twilight told him before raising her head a bit and gazing at Tank and Owlowiscious. "And you two..." She gave them a playful grin. "You take good care of him, alright?"

She reached over and stroked her pet owl's smooth feathers, earning a hoot of satisfaction. She laughed before turning to Tank, whose soft smile was still on his face. She reached down and picked the tortoise up with one hoof and simply smiled at the creature, her eyes gazing into his.

"Stay cool, Tank," Twilight told him sweetly before leaning over and giving him a quick peck on his nose.

Tank's eyes slowly widened and his green face suddenly became red before he averted his gaze from the kind unicorn. Both Twilight and Pipsqueak laughed before she placed the tortoise down.

Giving a silent goodbye as the three trotted out the door, Twilight turned back to her recipe book. However, she couldn't read properly, the earlier conversation clouding her mind with even more thoughts.

She couldn't be sad right now! Her parents were coming soon!

"I know most of these recipes by heart anyway," Twilight told herself before closing her book. She was, afterall, a born Canterlot pony.

She walked over to a nearby window and gazed at the sunlight that seeped through into her home. It was such a lovely day today. She needed to go out and be among friends. And see Princess Luna, of course!

The unicorn gazed down at her body, looking over her cutie mark. The day was so beautiful. Perhaps she could dress for the occasion...
_

"Keep them coming, people!" Rainbow Dash hollered to a couple of ponies who were moving a large dining table. "Twilight's parents will be here soon and we got to make sure this Cloudsdale party is awesome!"

"Not to mention really fun!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, standing beside her. "Oh, music and games! They're going to love them!"

Standing outside Sugarcube Corner, they, along with other ponies, were preparing food and other materials to bring over to Cloudsdale. Everypony they knew was invited to the party, determination reigned in hopes of making new friends with the pegasi up in the floating town. And the hope that Twilight's parents would have one of the best parties ever. Twilight's friends loved her parents, those unicorns having showered them with hospitality every time they visited Canterlot. They just had to return the kindness.

"You know, you guys didn't have to do all this for Twilight's parents," Spike said as he assisted Rarity in picking out ribbons for decorations. He smiled, though, touched that these ponies would go to the extreme to show a couple of ponies good hospitality.

However, he immediately turned his attention to Rarity as she grabbed another ribbon from him and inspected it. "Hmm...this one seems to bright for clouds, don't you agree, Spike?"

"I guess," he spoke honestly. He still remembered how angry Rarity was at him for attacking her cat, though she quickly took his side when Twilight comforted him. The next day after he and Twilight spent the night talking about the journal and its hidden secrets, Twilight told him he needed to go straight to Rarity's and apologize for his attitude toward the other unicorn. Even though it was out of anger and frustration because of dumb Opal, he still owed Rarity an apology.

Of course, Rarity forgave him. Spike smiled softly as he watched Rarity inspect another ribbon from the wide assortment in his arms. She just simply looked-

"Hey, guys!" Called a voice. "What did I miss?"

Spike looked up. His soft green eyes suddenly widened.

Twilight galloped toward Sugarcube Corner, the casual dress she wore flapping as she ran. It was simple white and blue dress, the usual Canterlot fashion, yet an apron was wrapped around her waist.

"Hey, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash greeted as Twilight stopped in front of her. She took notice of her dress. "Nice getup."

"Oh, yes!" Twilight turned to see Rarity gaze at the material admiringly. "Simply gorgeous! Honestly, your Canterlot fashion is beautiful!"

Twilight blushed, wishing she hadn't tied her mane back in a simple bun so her hair would cover her reddened face. "Aw, you guys...!"

"Things are getting set for when your parents' arrival," Rainbow Dash said as she motioned to all the working ponies. "This party will be off the hoof!"

"That's wonderful, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said as she passed her friends. "I'm going inside to check on the Cakes. I hope they know my parents love fruity pastries like I do."

As she made her way toward Sugarcube Corner, Twilight noticed that a few of the colts were eyeing her. She raised an eyebrow in confusion but simply shook it off as she opened the door of the shop.

"Twilight!" Pipsqueak exclaimed as Tank and Owlowiscious stood beside him. "Yay! You're here!"

"I wouldn't miss out on making a party for my parents!" Twilight laughed as she leaned down and nuzzled the tiny colt.

"Neither would I, Twilight Sparkle," said a familiar voice.

The unicorn looked up and her eyes widened when a dark blue figure with a wavy mane of midnight stood before her with a friendly smile.

"Princess Luna!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Hello, Twilight!" The moon princess laughed before she leaned down and embraced her. "Oh, am I glad to see you!"

As Twilight absorbed the hug, she noticed that Princess Luna used 'I' instead of 'we', and that she no longer was using the loud, booming Canterlot voice. Now her tone sounded normal, smooth, and friendly. Twilight smiled. She was happy Celestia's sister was now becoming more accustomed to present times. And no pony was afraid of her anymore.

"Oh, a thousand pardons, Your Highness!" Twilight turned and watched as Mrs. Cake cautiously approached Luna, her nervous posture reminded her of the time Princess Celestia came for a party at Sugarcube Corner and the Cakes were desperate not to displease her. "But are our treats to your liking?"

The moon princess watched as Mr. Cake slowly trotted up to her with a plate of freshly-baked cookies in his mouth. He gazed at Luna nervously, sweat pouring down his face. Twilight rolled her eyes and tried not to laugh as Luna used her magic to float a cookie into her mouth.

"They're delicious!" She exclaimed before licking her lips. She smiled at the Cake couple. "Have no doubt in your baking skills, my good Cakes! Everything you make is wonderful, and I know Twilight's parents will love them as well as me and my sister."

"Oh, of course!" Mrs. Cake said as she and her husband gave quick bows. "Whatever you say, Your Highness." And they quickly went right back to work.

"That can be kind of frustrating, huh?" Twilight asked Luna while she petted Tank beside Pipsqueak. "All this 'Yes, Your Highness' business?"

"I try and tell ponies to not shower me and my sister with bows and such," Princess Luna sighed, though she still smiled. "Royal business can be, as you ponies say, a real drag."

"I like royalty," Pipsqueak said. "They have great princesses like you, Princess Luna."

Twilight smiled as she saw the touched expression on the moon princess's face.

"Thank you, dear one," Luna said before patting his head. She turned to Twilight. "Well, things in here seem fine now. Shall we?" She motioned to the door.

"Of course, princess," Twilight said as she pushed a strand of hair away from her face.

"By the way," Luna said as they walked out the door, "love the dress."

"You look real pretty, Twilight," Pipsqueak told her as Tank and Owlowiscious followed close behind, though the tortoise was quickly hoisted atop of Princess Luna due to his lack of speed.

As soon as they emerged through the door, some ponies gave Luna their respected bows. Twilight, however, was given smiles and gazes by a few other colts.

"Okay..." Twilight said uneasily as she tried to ignore another colt that winked at her. "What is up with these guys?"

"What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash overheard her, turning from her work.

"What are these guys staring at?" Twilight said, her tone of voice surprising Pipsqueak and Luna. "I mean, do I have something in my teeth or what?"

Her friends regarded her closely, then they looked at each other. Then they bursted out laughing.

"Twilight, you may be a smart pony," Applejack guffawed, "but you sure don't know what admiration is, do you?"

"What?" Twilight was even more confused.

"Simple, darling," Rarity began, "the boys simply find you a diamond."

Realization suddenly showed on Twilight's face and her eyes widened. "Oh, no..."

"What?" Rainbow Dash asked her. "Don't you like fanboys?"

"Fanboys?" Spike remarked, having suddenly stood beside the pegasus. "They can be annoying!" He huffed and folded his arms.

"Look at you being all protective of big sister!" Applejack laughed, nudging him.

Twilight ignored Applejack's comment as her eyes hardened.

"Okay, that's it!" Twilight grumbled before she dashed off to a nearby tree. "The dress is coming off!"

Luna, Pipsqueak, and the others simply watched as she disappeared behind a tree. The sound of ruffling skirts and untangling of hair was heard and moments later Twilight emerged, her cutie mark now visible and her mane flowing freely in the slight breeze.

"There!" Twilight declared, holding her head high as she past the colts that gazed at her earlier. "I'm not unattractive!"

"Who said you were unattractive?"

Twilight's eyes widened before turning to see those exact colts gaze at her, though their eyes suddenly turned apprehensive.

"Wha...?" Twilight blinked in utter confusion.

"Because whoever told you that will be talking to my hooves!" One of the colts said, holding his arms out wide.

Twilight didn't stand by them any longer as she slowly raced back to her friends. "Okay..." She breathed. "So it wasn't that dumb dress?"

"Honestly, sugarcube," Applejack said, "it's pretty much all you." She turned to the others, all of them nodding.

"What do you mean?" Twilight exclaimed.

"Well," the apple pony adjusted her hat, "ever since you first came to Ponyville, you did turn a couple of heads."

"And let's not forget some of my pegasi buddies eyeing you while we were moving clouds up there," Rainbow Dash added.

"Okay, whoa..." Twilight held a hoof up, trying to take only so much in. "So what are you saying? That I got admirers or something?"

"You never knew?" Pinkie Pie laughed. "Boy, your eyes are always in your books that you never see how guys' eyes are always on you!"

"I didn't need to know that..." Twilight rolled her eyes. "But seriously...really?"

"I must admit, Twilight Sparkle," Luna declared as she smiled down at him, "I do envy your mane. The pink and purple highlights are simply beautiful."

Twilight averted her eyes, smiling nervously and blushing with embarrassment. "Oh, you're just saying that!"

"Why?" Pinkie Pie raised an eyebrow. "It's not like ponies were hit by your obsession spell and-"

"The spell!" Twilight suddenly cried, startling everyone. "Oh, the spell!" She placed her hooves on her head, trembling in horror. "Oh, the spell must have somehow slipped out of me when I was still going nuts over a friendship report!" She turned to the colts that were still gazing at her. "Oh, what have I done?"

"Now, Twilight," Applejack began soothingly, "you know perfectly well it ain't no-"

"Howdy, everypony," all turned to see Big Macintosh arrive with a cart full of fresh apples. He caught sight of Twilight in a frustrating posture and he immediately became concerned. "Twilight, is something wrong?" He asked in his usual gentle voice. "Are you-GAH!"

Before he knew it, Twilight's hooves grabbed at his head and he found the unicorn gazing hard into his eyes, as if trying to find something in those calm greens of his. Her friends watched in shock as Twilight inspected Big Macintosh as if she were a doctor.

"Twilight!" Applejack exclaimed. "What the hay are you doing to my brother?"

Twilight ignored her as she turned away from Big Macintosh's eyes and moved her hooves to his ears. She gave them a good yank, and the red stallion cried out.

"I don't see any sign of magic!" Twilight exclaimed, throwing her hooves in the air.

"That's because there was no magic to begin with, Doctor Scatterbrains!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Big Macintosh shook his head and gazed at Twilight in confusion. "I'm sorry, what's going on?"

"Oh, Big Macintosh..." Twilight blushed with embarrassment. "I am so sorry! I was just making sure, that's all!"

"My health?" He asked in confusion.

Twilight was a loss for words. Luckily, Spike stepped in.

"She's just trying to make sure everypony is fine when the party comes around," he explained.

"Oh," the red stallion said. "That must be it."

Twilight still felt embarrassed, but Luna placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder. The unicorn looked up into the smiling face of the moon princess.

"My sister and I have called for some special guests to come to the occasion in Cloudsdale," Luna said cheerfully. "The Wonderbolts will be coming."

"The Wonderbolts?" Rainbow Dash's eyes lit up. "Oh, man, it'll be so awesome to see them again! And, man, will they be happy to see ol' Rainbow Dash again and all her coolness!" She smirked proudly.

Twilight's eyes suddenly lit up, taking the news even more than Rainbow Dash. "They're coming?" She asked excitedly.

The excitement in her voice as well as the joyful trembling in her legs took the others by surprise. Twilight Sparkle? A fan of the Wonderbolts?

"When did you suddenly grow interested in the Wonderbolts?" Rainbow Dash asked, eyeing the unicorn.

Realizing how completely out of character she was, Twilight held her head high, wiping the happy smirk off her face. "Oh, me?" She said quickly. "It's not that big an interest, really!" Sweat poured down her head. "I just like the physics behind it all! Especially the way that Soarin' does it!" Her eyes sparkled, remembering that certain Wonderbolt that Rainbow Dash said really loved pie. "Yes, he certainly seems to understand the speed and aerodynamics he needs to make a perfect angle..." She smiled to herself.

The other girls took great notice of the way she smiled; Spike's eyes widened in disbelief.

Applejack suddenly smirked. "Hey, Twi..." She began playfully. "Do you-?"

"Do you have a crush on Soarin' the Wonderbolt?" Pinkie Pie excitedly.

Twilight's eyes widened in horror. "What?" She cried. "Oh, goodness, no!" She cringed. "Why would I...? No! No way!"

Rainbow Dash couldn't stifle her laughter. "Oh, man, Twilight! You really are full of surprises!"

Twilight glared at the pegasus, her face turning red. "Yeah, yeah..." Twilight muttered. "Can we just continue on with preparations? My parents will be here soon, remember?"

"Yeah, let's head to Cloudsdale," Rainbow Dash chuckled as she led the way. She smirked before turning back to Twilight. "If you're lucky, Soarin' might fly right into you!"

Twilight just growled and grumbled to herself while the pegasus laughed on.
_

Twilight's eyes sparkled as she gazed around the decorations that seemed to have covered most of Cloudsdale. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie really had their work cut out for them, and the unicorn seemed actually excited that Pinkie Pie was also going to include her party cannon in the festivities.

"Hey, Twilight!" She turned to see Rainbow Dash helping another pegasus hang some streamers. "Think you can check on the colors over there?" Rainbow Dash pointed straight ahead. "We've pretty much decided on two colors to be the most important and we just wanted to know if it's alright with you."

"Sure thing, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said as she trotted off.

Nodding, Rainbow Dash finished hanging the last streamer before gently gliding down to the cushy ground. She smiled as she admired her work.

"Oh, man."

The pegasus turned to see three familiar faces, old classmates from flight school, with goofy smiles on their faces. Though they showed more respect to Rainbow Dash ever since she won the flying competition for her sonic rainboom, they still had that little immature flaw within each of them.

"What are you three knuckleheads talking about?" She asked with a playful grin.

"Dude, your friend," Hoops, one of the jock ponies, said. "Ever since we saw her in the Best Flyer competition..."

"She's really something!" Dumb-bell exclaimed.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "Well, yeah, Rarity does her best to look good. Though that outfit she wore was completely...bleh." She stuck her tongue out in disgust.

"Not her, RD!" Hoops shook his head, his brown hair still covering his eyes. "We're talking about the one with the strong mouth!"

"Applejack?" Rainbow Dash guessed.

"No, she's also the one with a surprising personality that completely differs from most ponies."

"Pinkie Pie?"

Hoops sighed. "Can usually hide her gorgeous eyes under that nice mane of hers."

"Oh, it's Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash concluded.

"Dude, no!" Dumb-bell cried with exasperation. "We're talking about Sparkle!"

"Twilight?" Rainbow Dash said with utter surprise.

"Yeah..." They sighed as they all turned their gazes toward the unsuspecting unicorn as she walked over to where Rainbow Dash directed her to.

"She's really pretty," one of them said.

"Since when did you think so?" Rainbow Dash asked curiously, folding her arms. "You guys didn't exactly talk, considering you were too busy up in my business during that time..." Her expression remained calm yet serious.

"Since she came to Cloudsdale in that balloon of hers," Hoops said.

"Not to mention she's a Canterlot pony," Dumb-bell nudged him playfully. "The gals from that classy town are always the most gorgeous to look at!"

"Hey, don't try any funny business!" Rainbow Dash warned them. "Twilight's not in the mood for some full-pony admiration!" Then she slowly smirked. "Besides...she's interested in only one pegasus and that's the Wonderbolt known as Soarin'."

"Typical..." Hoops muttered. "Canterlot ponies always go for the big shots..."
_

Twilight trotted over to the table of decorations a few pegasi were hanging on some nearby pillars. She smiled over to Rarity, who was bragging to Spike about the fancy outfit she would wear for the party in hopes of impressing the princesses even more with her fashion.

"Wow, that looks great," Twilight complimented a pony hanging a blue bow.

"Thanks," the pegasus said, "but the most important colors are right here." She pointed toward the table. "Rainbow Dash thought these colors would really bring flavor to the party."

"Oh, there's simply too much of this cloth!" Rarity exclaimed dramatically as she used her magic to place a couple of rolls of clothing beside the decorations. "What a waste that I will not be needing any of this for my dress later."

"No, I think you're dress will be perfect," Spike told her, a lovesick grin on his face.

Twilight chuckled at the baby dragon before looking toward the table. Lovely ribbons, streamers, unused balloons...The were perfect for her parents' big welcome party. But then the colors immediately made her eyes widen...

Red and gold...

Where had she seen such colors before? The unicorn pondered for a moment, her eyes still wide as she gazed down at the table. Red and gold...where had such a combination been used?

"Oh, come on..." Twilight muttered under her breath, quite enough so no pony would hear.

Of course, those were the color of Discord's mismatched eyes!

"Why? Why? Why?" Twilight growled to herself, poking her forehead with a hoof, her stress rising as she immediately turned away from the table. Even the rolls of clothing Rarity put away were red and gold! "Just when I feel okay not to think about him, I still think about him! And on the day my parents' visit!"

She quickly walked away from the table and all the busy ponies and stood behind a nearby pillar that overshadowed her. She leaned against it and sighed in frustration.

Dumb Discord! The thought of him just had to invade her mind on this particular day! Just earlier she had been miserable about nearly forgetting him like the others...now she wished he was washed cleaned out of her mind!

"Keep it together...keep it together..." Twilight breathed slowly. "You don't want to forget him...you just want to forget him for one day...maybe for as long as your parents are staying..."

Her parents were staying for two weeks. By then would that make Twilight suddenly forget the one creature whom had been on her mind since the events of chaos and disharmony?

Probably if she became too occupied with her life...and not tell the truth.

Oh, the truth! The courage to tell her friends everything was nowhere found in the miserable unicorn! But to keep the secret for who knows how long would make her sick and cause even more depression.

But remembering how she had to use that memory erasing spell on Fluttershy after she told her about-NO!

It's been far too long and despite a horrid reaction, Twilight had to say something if anything about her feelings on the matter. She was a faithful student to Princess Celestia...the Element of Magic and Friendship...she had to prove both.

"Hey, Twilight!" She heard Rainbow Dash's voice. "Where are you? We want to know what you think of these cloud cakes!"

Twilight took a deep breath, then slowly emerged from behind the cloudy pillar and made her way toward her friends.

Rainbow Dash smirked as Twilight approached her. Then she looked past her. "Oh, hey, Soarin'!"

"Soarin'?" Twilight gasped before quickly turning her head. When she saw that no one was there, her cheeks turned red, realizing her embarrassing action.

The pegasus led out a laugh, nearly falling to the clouded ground at her friend's sudden excitement and disappointment.

"I do not..." Twilight growled, stamping a hoof. "...like Soarin'! Not like that!"

"Sure..." Rainbow Dash playfully grinned. "And I bet you don't think about what it's like to fly like a pegasus either!"
_

"Honey, does my mane look right?"

Twilight looked up from her materials and smiled as her mother looked at herself in the mirror. It had been a joy when her parents appeared at her front door earlier and the hugs and nuzzles never ceased; even Spike was part of the action as her mother showered him with sloppy kisses and her father complimenting him on how big he was becoming.

True, Twilight did miss her parents as well as her home in Canterlot, but they were always so close in heart. But being physically close was better!

"You look fine, honey," Mr. Sparkle told his wife as he used his magic to gently brush his mane.

Both were dressed for the party in their honor. Twilight admired the fiery orange dress with red stars her mother wore as well as the fancy hat that covered her curled mane. And she was impressed by the lime green suit her father wore that went well with a flower pinned to the vest. Spike didn't feel like dressing up for such an occasion, feeling it was like any other party Pinkie Pie had thrown.

But Twilight...she really did want to wear something...but she was still making it.

"Oh, would you look at the time!" Mrs. Sparkle gasped as she gazed at the clock. "We need to hurry if we're going to arrive to our party on time!"

Twilight turned from her material and gazed at her parents, an apologetic smile on her face. "I...I still have some things to do," she said regretfully, "you guys should probably go on ahead. I'll catch up."

Her parents and Spike regarded her in surprise.

"I could stay with you, Twilight," Spike insisted as he stepped forward.

"No!" Twilight's voice came out louder than she intended, startling them. "I mean..." She coughed. "No, that's okay." She turned back to her work. "I won't take long, I promise. Just make sure my parents get to Cloudsdale safely."

Spike's expression became a bit worried, but he shrugged it off and turned back to her parents. "Looks like we're off."

Mrs. Sparkle looked over at her daughter. "Please don't overwork yourself, sweetheart," she told her gently. "Really, anything you do is wonderful. We're already proud of you, remember that!"

"We've always have been," Mr. Sparkle added happily, "even before you became Celestia's prized student."

Twilight slowly turned and smiled at them, her eyes nearly tearing up. "Thanks, mom and dad..."

As soon as Spike escorted her parents out of the house and closed the door behind them, the unicorn immediately turned back to her work, gazing hard at the material before her.

What could she make out of this red and gold cloth...
_

Pipsqueak laughed as he chased after Tank and Owlowiscious, who were flying high above his head as he trotted through the cloud-covered ground. The party was starting out wonderfully and he was having a great time with these animals as well as the kids, both from Ponville and here in Cloudsdale.

"Coming through!" Little Scootallo said playfully as she sped past him, her legs giving off more speed than his tiny ones.

"I'm going to get you!" Pipsqueak laughed as he chased after her.

"I'm going to get both of you!" Apple Bloom exclaimed as she came behind his tail.

"I'll get all of you!" Sweetie Belle giggled as she stood far behind them.

Spike's legs felt like jelly as he gazed at Rarity from afar, her pink and blue dress shimmering in the light.

"Wow..." Spike sighed as he stood beside Rainbow Dash. "She's so graceful and beautiful..."

"Like you haven't said that a hundred times," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Say, where's Twilight?"

Spike broke away from his trance and looked up at the pegasus. "I don't know, she said she would come over later."

"Later?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"It's not a party without Twilight!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, suddenly standing between them. "We need Twilight and we need her now!"

"Oh, honestly, where is she?" Rarity told herself as she stood before Princess Luna and the Sparkle couple. "It's certainly not like her to miss out on such a fine gathering...especially when it's on her parents' behalf."

"I'm sure our daughter's coming," Mr. Sparkle said, "she said she needed to do some things."

"Oh, if it's studying, we really need to drag her out some more!" The young unicorn said with a dramatic tone.

"Well, lookie here who it is!" Applejack declared as a couple of pegasi in bright blue jumpsuits approached her, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Spike. "If it ain't the almighty Wonderbolts!"

"Hey, pie-saver!" Soarin' greeted.

"Soarin', my man!" Rainbow Dash greeted before they bumped hooves. "How's Equestria's best flyers doing? Glad you could join us!"

"You know, this is pretty sweet of you to do," the leader of the flying team known as Spitfire said as she looked around the place. "Really cool that you did all this for your friend's parents."

"Hey, Twilight's parents are cool guys," Rainbow Dash said modestly, "it's the least we could do after all the mushy stuff they gave us when we visited Canterlot."

"Speaking of Twilight," Soarin' began as he looked around. "Where is she?"

Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack shared sly grins as they gazed at the Wonderbolt.

"You're wondering where Twilight is, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked, trying to stifle her laugh.

"Well, yeah," Soarin' said, completely unaware. "I mean, she is her parents' daughter. Not like a daughter to not show up at her own parents' bash."

"Hey, Soarin'!" Called another Wonderbolt. "Come over here for a sec!"

Soarin' turned back to the others. "Well, guys, let me know if Twilight's here," he said before slowly flying off. "The least I want to do is tell her what awesome parents she must have."

"I doubt that's all you probably want to tell her," Pinkie Pie giggled.

"Shoot, where is she?" Applejack pondered as she gazed around. "She's missing out!"

Suddenly, the sound of a hot-air balloon drew their attention as all heads turned toward the entrance of Cloudsdale. The design of the balloon looked familiar, and one of the guards raced over to open its door.

A pair of glittering red slippers gracefully touched the cloud-covered ground. And with that color shone something even more incredibly bright.

One of the Wonderbolts cut off his conversation as soon as the figure stepped into the light of Cloudsdale. "Oh, sweet Equestria..." His voice trailed off. "Soarin'...check it out..."

The green-eyed Wonderbolt turned his head, and when he gazed at the mysterious figure, his jaw fell.

"Is that...?" He muttered breathlessly.

"That's our daughter!" Mrs. Sparkle exclaimed as she and her husband stood close by Celestia and Luna. "And she...she looks beautiful."

Indeed, Twilight looked magnificent as she slowly entered into her parents' party. The material she took in which Rarity discarded earlier had been put to good use, and using magic she was able to make an outfit.

She wore a golden dress with red decor along its skirts and sleeves. And the jewelry she wore honored the chosen colors, a beaded necklace of red and gold as well as matching earrings. The jewelry had come from her home in Canterlot, but the dress was made specially in her home in Ponyville with her own hooves and horn.

Just because Rarity was the designer among her friends, that didn't mean Twilight had no fashionista heart as well. She had worn grander clothes while growing up in Canterlot, and the dress she worn would have been suitable for a high society dinner she attended once in a while when she wasn't studying.

Twilight tried not to blush or sweat under her newly-fixed mane as she passed through the crowd that parted for her. A little bit of regret hit her as most eyes focused on her.

Why is everyone looking at me? she thought nervously as she averted her gaze, Oh, my heart is going to burst! I've been used to attention before but not like this! I don't like this kind of attention!

She quickened her steps, desperate to find her parents among the onlooking ponies. Finally, she spotted them along with the sun and moon princesses and quickly rushed toward them, avoiding ponies in her way.

"Mom! Dad!" Twilight exclaimed as she raced over to her parents. "I'm so glad you're enjoying this party!" She gazed around the place, trying to ignore the stares directed at her. "I just wanted to dress up because this doesn't seem like some Sugarcube Corner party, you know? This is Cloudsdale we're talking about! And red and gold..." She lowered her head a bit for a few moments then rose up and smiled at them. "I just...I just really wanted to dress up, okay?"

Her parents gazed at her in surprise. Then they smiled.

"Oh, sweetie, look at you!" Her mother exclaimed as she wrapped her hooves around her. "You look even more beautiful then ever!"

Twilight held back her happy tears. "Thanks, mom."

Finally, ponies returned to enjoying the party in honor of the Sparkle couple. Twilight allowed her parents to mingle with the citizens of Cloudsdale while she simply walked around the place, admiring the work Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie put into to please her parents.

"Oh, darling!"

She quickly turned and stood a few feet back as Rarity screeched to a halt in front of her, her funny-looking headpiece nearly toppling off her mane.

"Oh, Twilight, dear!" Rarity's blue eyes sparkled as she gazed at Twilight's golden outfit. "Oh! You look simply gorgeous! I had never designed anything like this! Is this Canterlot fashion?"

Twilight smiled with embarrassment. "Mostly, my own, but yeah. I mean, I made it. The jewelry was just some last-minute things I added. And the shoes? A gift from my parents." Then she gave a proud smile, satisfied that Rarity was truly impressed with her work.

If there was one style that Twilight represented, it was smart and beautiful.

"Well, I must learn more from you!" Rarity insisted as she admired the glittering golden gown that made her pink and blue one seem so simple. "Oh, I must have some of your ideas! Perhaps we could get together some time over tea? Oh, and you can bring your parents along! They can be my Canterlot models!" She gave a bubbly laugh, imagining the thought.

Rainbow Dash watched as the two unicorns were in deep conversation, then she looked down to see Spike wagging his little dragon tail while his tongue draped out of his mouth, his green eyes half-closed and a funny, dazed expression on his face.

"Wow..." He muttered. "Does she ever stop looking so beautiful?"

Rainbow Dash scoffed and rolled her eyes before reaching toward a nearby table to grab a soda. "Yeah, yeah, Rarity looks great."

Spike's expression changed and he gazed at the ground, playing with his hands nervously. "Uh, yeah..." He muttered quietly. "Rarity..."
_

Twilight watched as the party went on before her, she stood off to the side beside one of the buffet tables, simply being a wall flower among the decorations. By now, it seemed the surprised colts that had kept their eyes on her were now paying attention to other things, and that was fine for the unicorn. Too much attention made her uneasy, and she was just glad she finally got Rarity off her hooves with discussing fashion and designs.

Simply standing around, Twilight took this opportunity to recall why she had even decided to make and wear this dress in the first place.

To please her parents, of course, and just honor her beauty...and the fact that the thought of Discord was plaguing her mind. As of many times.

Twilight's ears lowered and her face fell as the recalled how the colors red and gold, which she wore with pride on her gown, simply reminded her of that Draconequus's eyes.

Those annoying, creepy, mischievous...gentle eyes...

Twilight had to admit that the color of his eyes were simply interesting. The combination of red and gold suited his character well...and how his eyes were completely mismatched suited his name entirely. But just because they intrigued the intelligent unicorn, that didn't get in her way of doing what was right.

True, every time Discord looked at her with those crazy eyes of his, the unicorn had shown no fear, seeing the looks he always gave her as pure mockery and she wouldn't allow him to get through her.

Though those eyes were filled with desire to create chaos and created slight intimidation in Twilight...for a few quick moments...she could have sworn she had seen a child-like presence in those red pupils of his...

The way his eyes lowered when he was serious...how they widened when he was excited...the way they closed when he was in hysterics...and how they dilated when they turned him into stone...

Twilight immediately shook her head, her perfect mane flapping around. She fought off the sudden tears that threatened her eyes as she stamped a hoof against the cloudy ground.

How long would this go on? How long was she going to live with the guilt? The remorse yet slight hate she had for the creature that nearly destroyed her friendship? How much longer could she keep this secret from her friends, the princesses, all she knew and loved?

She couldn't keep hiding it. Hiding it would make her seem worse than Discord.

True, she would never dream of causing chaos(with the exception of the Smartypants incident)to anypony...but to remain distant on such an important matter...and lying!

She couldn't keep lying! Her heart ached, recalling how she had deliberately lied to Spike after all he had done for her. And he was still so protective of her journal, making up for breaking the lock!

"Oh, dear Celestia..." Twilight muttered to herself.

"Is something wrong, dear Twilight?"

The unicorn nearly cried out in surprise before turning and looked up into the face of her teacher. Princess Celestia gazed down at her, her eyes filled with slight worry.

"Me?" Twilight tried to smile, despite having the urge to cry. "Wrong? No!"

Again, she was lying! And to her dear teacher! Twilight felt even more guilt hit her as she fought hard to seem calm and happy.

But yet...this seemed like the right moment to...

Twilight averted her eyes for a few moments before looking up at the sun princess. "Actually..." She began quietly. "There is something I've been meaning to tell you...for so long..."

Celestia raised an eyebrow as she gazed down at her star pupil. "What is it, Twilight?" Her voice was soft. "Are you alright?"

"Well..." Twilight scuffed the ground with a hoof. "See...I've been meaning to tell you..." She gulped.

Sweat poured down the side of her neck as she nervously gazed into the expectant face of Celestia. A loved ruler along with her sister who wanted to keep Equestria safe and in harmony...a pony who showed great hostility toward Discord when he was finally released from his stone prison...

The anger in her usually calm eyes...the harshness in her usual soft tone...the way her hooves stomped the ground...Twilight had never seen the princess so furious.

What if she re-created that anger? Twilight felt even more sweat slide down the back of her neck, her entire body trembling and her mouth felt dry.

"Twilight?" Celestia continued looking at her. "My faithful student...what were you going to tell me?"

Twilight felt a lump in her throat. Then she did her best to put on a fake smile.

"I just..." She began quietly. "I just...I just wanted to say...I'm really happy you and Princess Luna had taken the time to be here with us...especially with me and my parents."

That wasn't entirely a lie. Twilight was truly grateful that both princesses could attend a regular party with them.

"Oh!" Celestia seemed surprised, as if expecting something else. Then she smiled. "Well, thank you, Twilight. Really, royal duties can be a drag. And Luna and I are just as happy we could spend these precious moments with you, your parents, and everypony."

Twilight almost felt better. Though she still pained about lying to her dear teacher...she was just too afraid to tell her the truth. And to hear such kind, honest words from Celestia...that almost made the lie worth it.

"Sister!" Luna called, waving a hoof for her to come over. "Come take a picture of me with my favorite Wonderbolt!"

Celestia laughed before turning back to Twilight. "Well, she has become intrigued by Spitfire's speed and agility," she said. "And she's my favorite Wonderbolt as well!" She gave Twilight a wink. "I'm not sure if you are are quite as interested in the Wonderbolts as most ponies, but I'm sure you could have a favorite." And with that, she turned and walked over to her sister.

Twilight gave a sincere smile as she watched her leave. "I guess I do..." She muttered to herself.

She suddenly felt a slight tug on her dress and looked down to see Spike looking up at her. He gave her a smile...though why did it appear so nervous on his face?

"So this...this is what you were working on earlier?" He asked shyly as he motioned to her gown.

"Well, yeah," she chuckled. "I mean, I may love books, but I like clothes as well." She gazed at her sparkling shoes. "It's not too much, is it?" She asked worriedly.

"No!" Spike's outburst nearly startled her. "I mean..." He blushed. "It looks...amazing." He gave her a gentle smile. "You really know how to add sparkle, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight's eyes shone with amazement as she smiled down at her assistant. "Aw, Spike!" She leaned down and nuzzled him. "You are just so sweet!"

Spike felt his face heat up and his arms became stiff. But he remained in place as Twilight's head rose and she continued smiling at him. Her ears perked up when she heard a lively tune no doubt Pinkie Pie had requested.

"Boy, that's some music!" Twilight laughed.

"Yeah..." Spike rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Kind of makes you want to dance...maybe with so-"

"Uh, Twilight Sparkle?"

Both turned and Twilight gasped when her purple eyes met shy green ones.

"Soarin'!" She exclaimed, trying not to seem too excited and remain her usual calm self. She quickly cleared her throat, smiling at him apologetically.

The Wonderbolt scuffled a hoof on the ground and smiled at her. "Yeah, hi..." He greeted shyly. "I just wanted to say...that you sure are a great daughter to your parents if you went through all this just for their visit."

Twilight smiled with embarrassment. "Oh, well, actually, it was good ol' Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. They wanted to throw this party for my parents and went all out."

"Yeah, but still," he gave a nervous smile. "I can see you're a wonderful daughter to your parents."

The unicorn suddenly felt her face go red, and her body became stiff. "Oh, well, uh...thank you."

"You're welcome, Twilight."

"You...you know my name?" Twilight spoke out in a gasp, her purple eyes widening.

"Well, yeah, I saw you at the Best Flyer competition," Soarin' explained. "And then there was the gala."

"But we never interacted," Twilight pointed out, "you and the other Wonderbolts were hanging out with Rainbow Dash."

"Oh, well, she did mention you guys," Soarin' said, "and the description she made fit you perfectly and I immediately knew you were the smart, magical, organized pony known as Twilight Sparkle."

"Oh!" Twilight was even more surprised that he could recognize her so easily. "Well, thanks again..."

"No prob, Sparkle," Soarin' chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

His ears lifted when he heard the music. He looked over at Twilight, smiling nervously.

"Say, uh..." He gently pulled at the end of his navy blue mane. "Maybe you and I...um...perhaps maybe...you'd like to dance?"

Twilight's eyes widened even more, her face becoming even more red as she stared at the Wonderbolt that that, she had to admit, was her favorite. She was about to say yes-

But then she suddenly remembered Spike and gazed down at the baby dragon. His eyes remained on the ground, a sad expression on his face.

Twilight bit her lip, realizing that she seemed to have been ignoring her assistant the whole time she and Soarin' were talking. Spike had done so much for her, and even though she had given him her appreciation...there was still the fact that she had lied to him. And that made her problem more painful.

She turned from Spike to Soarin', an apologetic smile on her face. "Actually..." She began. "Perhaps maybe later?"

That caught Spike's attention and he looked up at her in utter surprise. Twilight smiled as her purple eyes met his green ones before turning to Soarin'.

"I believe I owe my number one assistant a dance first," she said simply. "Maybe afterwards?"

"Oh, sure!" Soarin's voice came out in quick understanding, yet filled with excitement which he tried to hide. "Sure! Go ahead! Wow, you really are considerate!"

Twilight allowed her blush to show as she placed a hoof on Spike's shoulder. "Thank you," she said before dragging the still surprised baby dragon away.

You have no idea how wrong you are, she thought sadly as she and a happy Spike danced to the music.
_

The sun was nearly setting as Twilight strolled through the Canterlot gardens. She decided to sneak away from the party in Cloudsdale for a little while and visit a certain creature that had 'inspired' her to create the gown she was careful not ruin as she trailed across the fresh-cut grass.

Twilight gazed up at the statue of Discord, a slight breeze passing through her styled mane. She gave a small sigh, feeling even more sad and guilty with every second she spent standing before the frozen Draconequus.

She couldn't believe she had forgotten how many days, hours, and minutes it had been since she turned Discord like this. If this kept up, and her visits became shorter, she would forget him just as every other pony has seemed to have.

Move on with her life and forget the events that were so important to her...

It would be just like the very first time she and her friends discovered the elements and defeated Nightmare Moon. Sure, her friends had seen Princess Luna in her normal, royal state, but, of course, the moon princess had been absent for some time after that, having been away from Canterlot to explore all of Equestria. And when Nightmare Night arrived, no one was sure she had truly been reformed from her former frightening appearance as Nightmare Moon. Even Twilight's friends had forgotten that the elements in which they wielded had brought back Luna.

And to think they had now forgotten that the Elements of Harmony had been used to turn an old Equestrian foe into stone...Twilight wasn't sure how much more pain her heart could take.

She idly played with her red and gold bead necklace before gazing up once more at the Spirit of Disharmony. She swallowed hard, her purple eyes threatening to tear up.

"My parents' party would be interesting if you came along..." She couldn't help but say.

Actually, it would be far from interesting. Discord would cause a scene simply being there, and Rainbow Dash would be held back trying to lunge at him. The princesses would be furious, Twilight's parents and Spike(and maybe even Soarin')would keep protective of Twilight...

Yet the unicorn couldn't help but imagine that the party would turn out different than obvious.

Discord would play with the clouds, perhaps shuffle to the music...maybe cause some innocent pranks...but is that any reason the other ponies should fear him?

Twilight gazed down at her glittering gold and red dress, then gazed back at Discord.

"I guess maybe gold and red are your favorite colors, huh?" She chuckled sadly.

She stood before the statue for a few moments, simply gazing at it while a light breeze blew past her.

Finally, she turned on her heel and slowly walked away. Twilight gave another sad sigh, knowing that visits were starting to seem pointless now. She needed to move forward and do something completely different regarding the Draconequus.

Suddenly, she heard a crack.

Twilight's eyes widened, her mouth falling open. She immediately turned back toward the statue.

Frozen Discord seemed still intact, no bits of stone crumbling to the ground, no slight shifting. Maybe Twilight was just imagining things...

But she wasn't going to take that chance!

Racing back to the statue, Twilight gazed almost desperately at Discord's face...as if she was waiting for something. Anything.

Nothing happened.

"I know I heard something!" Twilight exclaimed, pounding her hooves into the grass. "I'm not insane!" But she knew she was acting like it right now.

She nearly jumped when she heard another crack.

Her eyes never left Discord, staring hard, knowing her ears were not lying to her.

"Come on..." Twilight muttered as she kept her stance. "No more tricks, Discord!" She was yelling at the statue. "Come on out and show yourself!" She didn't mean to sound angry...but the suspense was making her lose patience.

Then she heard another crack...and another...

"Wha...?" Twilight raised an eyebrow as she edged closer to the statue, the crackling sound continuing.

She walked around the statue, her eyes never leaving Discord's as she tried to figure out what the hay was going on right now. She walked around the back of the statue-

Her mouth fell open in pure shock.

Lounging behind the Discord statue was one of the Canterlot gardeners. Beside him was a bag of nuts and a metal device was in his hooves as he focused on cracking the next nut.

"You mean...?" Twilight's eyes glistened, feeling as if her heart just dropped.

The gardener looked up and spotted her. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "Am I disturbing something?" He finally cracked the nut before popping it into his mouth.

Twilight swallowed hard, gazing at the innocent pony that just wanted a break from his work. She did her best to smile.

"Oh, no," she assured him. "I was just...I was...I was just leaving..."

"You should, madame," the pony told her. "A lovely filly in a lovely dress should be at some party right now." He chuckled before giving the Discord statue a playful tap. "Not hang around looking at some ugly-looking statue."

Twilight almost protested his comment about Discord. But she kept her mouth shut, realizing the gardener had no idea who he was referring to. With a silent nod, she quickly left the gardens.

More disappointment filled her up no matter how much more fun the party became when she came back.
_

Spike gazed at Twilight in confusion as he sat on the rocking chair, a blanket was draped around him and in his hands was her prized journal. As soon as they got home, though he was exhausted from the party, he was going to bring her journal for her to write about earlier and how happy she was that her parents, who were out getting some milk, were visiting.

But Twilight insisted he sit down and hold the journal instead. She told him that she had some important things to discuss with him.

This made the baby dragon nervous as he watched his friend pace back and forth, the gold and red gown she still wore making her appearance seemed more fashionably serious.

"So..." He began, trying to break the silence. "What do you need to tell me?"

Twilight stopped her pacing and looked at him, her purple eyes saddening.

"For as long as you have been assisting me with my journal..." She said softly. "I realize that you deserve so much better than that."

Spike raised an eyebrow before looking down at the journal in his hands. "What do you mean?"

Twilight averted her eyes, recalling a conversation similar to this with her friends earlier at the party.

Rainbow Dash looked up and smiled as Twilight came over to them. "S'up, Twilight? You enjoying your parents' awesome bash?"

Twilight didn't even hear her as she regarded her friends. "Guys..." She began in a serious tone. "There's something I have to tell you..."

Her friends immediately stopped their excessive chatter before regarding her closely.

"What?" Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Tell us what?"

Twilight gulped, the looked over to her parents who were talking to the princesses. Finally, she turned to her friends.

"You know what?" She said in an apologetic tone. "Tomorrow. I'll explain everything tomorrow. We need to meet up, okay?"

Confused eyes stared at her, wondering what the hay she was talking about.

"Okay?" Twilight pushed gently.

"Uh, okie dokie..." Pinkie Pie said quietly.

Twilight gulped, knowing that there was no taking back what she told her friends earlier. She was going to tell them everything.

And she was going to start off with Spike. She had lied to him more than any of the others, and deserved to know first. As for Celestia and Luna...Twilight was sure she would think of something once she got the truth through with her friends.

"Spike..." She began quietly. "About my journal-"

"You don't have to tell me what you wrote!" He assured her nervously. "I learned my lesson, remember?"

Twilight smiled, touched by his concern. "No, actually Spike..."

She shifted her entire body and turned away from him, gazing into space. "I realized I haven't been exactly honest with you about it..."

She didn't even turn to look at him, knowing full well he must look surprised. She took tiny steps as she thought about what to say.

"Everything I've written, Spike..." She went on. "It wasn't entirely focused on you...I'm sorry." She gulped, wondering if the baby dragon was upset right now.

"The one I've been writing about for so long..." She took a deep breath, waiting a few moments to let it all out. "It was...it was Discord."

There. She said it. Now it was on to the more complicated part.

"You probably forgot about him Spike," she didn't even turn to look at him as her eyes continued gazing into space. "Everypony seems to have forgotten about him. And I don't blame them. We're all just moving on, I understand..."

She gazed out the window, seeing that Luna had raised the moon.

"But I haven't," she confessed. "But I might if I don't get these things off my chest..."

She lowered her gaze to the floor, her bottom lip quivering. Taking another breath, she continued.

"Ever since we turned him into stone...it...it's made me feel terrible. Look, I know what Discord did was wrong and maybe even unforgivable, but still..." Her eyes nearly welled with tears. "He looked...he looked so scared...And I keep thinking the elements were used wrong, especially mine..."

She was almost afraid to look at Spike, fearing some sort of remark about how Discord was just scared that he was finally defeated and being placed back in his stone prison once again because he deserved it.

"Look, I know this must sound crazy, Spike..." Twilight sighed before finally looking at him. "But please, you have to understand-"

She was was cut off in mid-sentence. Her eyes widened and her jaw fell as she watched Spike...who was snoring soundly in his rocking chair.

"Spike?" Twilight squeaked, her voice nearly giving off to shock and wanting to cry.

The baby dragon slept through her entire confession! He didn't hear a single word she had been keeping from him ever since! He still doesn't know!

Twilight let out a quiet groan, lowering her head in frustration. When she calmed down, she quietly reached over and pulled his blanket closer around him with her teeth.

"Good night, Spike..." She sighed sadly. "I guess I'll just tell you tomorrow."

Tomorrow...

The unicorn shivered with fear for what she had to do tomorrow. She was going to tell her friends the truth, there was no turning back. She made her friends promise to meet her tomorrow at Sugarcube Corner...now she had to promise herself about no more lies, no more hiding, just open up and take the consequences.

She couldn't imagine the reactions her friends would have once she told them about Discord and her growing guilt for turning him into stone. She winced, recalling Fluttershy's reaction before she had used her memory erasing spell on her...

She needed to be brave about this. Keeping it all to herself would slowly make her sick and more depressed. Telling her friends was the only cure.

Still, once she did tell them...what would happen next?

Her thoughts were swimming with anxiety that she barely heard a knock on her door. Confused, she quietly walked over to it, wondering who in Equestria would be calling in such a late hour.

Opening the door, she half-expected Pinkie Pie to show up and declare another party for her parents, perhaps an after-party party to celebrate.

But no one was at the door as soon as she opened it, so Twilight walked out and gazed at her surroundings, wondering if this was just some lame joke.

Sighing, she turned to head back in. However, something on the ground caught her eye. Raising an eyebrow, she bent down and her eyes widened.

In front of her was a large basket, and it was filled with fruity pastries. Her favorite treat!

Twilight gazed at it in confusion, almost afraid to touch the basket. Who would...?

Suddenly, she caught sight of something small scurrying past her house. As soon as she caught sight of who it was, she immediately drew a sigh of relief.

"Aw, Pipsqueak..." She cooed as she watched him run off.

He must have still been so worried about her earlier that he wanted to boost her spirits with this basket of her favorite treats. Oh, he was just so adorable and sweet!

Maybe she could tell him about Discord tomorrow as well...

Pipsqueak turned and noticed Twilight watching him. He raised an eyebrow before quickly giving her a smile and waved at her. Twilight returned the smile, waving back at him, the basket of goodies floating beside her with her magic.

As soon as Pipsqueak disappeared, Twilight quickly went back into her house, needing to take off her gown and get straight to bed.

"This is it..." She told herself before gazing at the slumbering Spike. She used her magic and The Tale of Discord slowly floated beside her, dusted and ready to be read again.

The unicorn bit her lip, hoping she wouldn't regret herself tomorrow.

"Discord, you better be worth all this trouble..."
_

How and Why

*Okay, from this chapter on, I've decided to add the tag of 'romance'. But don't assume ANYTHING. :D Although I am a HUGE Discolight fan, adding that 'romance' tag is basically something I decided to put to attract more attention. It's pretty much all FRIENDSHIP in here, but I'm sure you guys assume it's more than that. ;)*
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight just couldn't sleep as she gazed up at the ceiling, laying her head against the pillow as she fiddled with her hooves above the sheets. Beside her was the basket of fruity pastries Pipsqueak had left on her doorstep and she had nearly finished all of them considering an appetite seemed like the only way to soothe her anxiety for what would occur in the morning.

There was no turning back from this. No more hiding, and especially no more lies. The unicorn just wondered if Discord really is worth it all...

Other than her worry refraining her from getting any sleep, Twilight also feared she would receive a bad dream again. Like the one the night before...

She was running, she had no idea why she was doing so or what on Earth she was running from exactly.

All she knew was that she was trying to escape something...someone...many?

"Twilight!" Various voices called out behind her. But the unicorn felt she had to ignore them as she kept rushing, sensing those voices behind her were leading to trouble.

Those voices didn't sound threatening nor cruel, they actually sounded...concerned?

"No!" Twilight cried out in her own surprise as she kept running. She suddenly felt tears pour down her eyes as she ran.

Crying? Why was she crying? What was going on here? Why was she running to begin with? And what was she carrying with her?

Twilight felt herself using her magic as her horn glowed a tremendous red, used as her source of light as she rushed through nothing but complete darkness. The unicorn felt even more scared and confused, wondering what kind of nightmare she stepped into.

"Twilight!" The voices were far behind her, but she could still hear them. They were worried, desperate...but the unicorn suddenly felt she just couldn't trust them.

"No!" Twilight refused angrily.

Twilight shuddered under her covers as she recalled the dream. She had that dream the night before her parents came to visit, and she had been successful in ignoring it until after the others fell asleep. Pondering about it, she wondered what the dream was even about? Why was she running? What was her magic carrying with her?

Perhaps is was a sign? A sign that would determine the consequences if she...told her friends about Discord?

Would their reactions be that terrible?

She gulped, anxiety hitting harder as she began to doubt her confidence that her little confession would go with a bang. Maybe she should just call it all off, tell her friends she was just overreacting, hide it all and save the trouble-

"No..." Twilight murmured to herself as she pushed her mane away from her eyes and looked out her window. Luna's moon still shone beautifully and the stars seemed to give the unicorn a bit of comfort. "It's been far too long and I can't let the forgetfulness continue..."

She gazed at her bedside where The Tale of Discord was lying.

"I must..." Twilight said finally before leaning her head back against her pillow, doing her best to get some sleep.
_

Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle turned from their breakfast and watched their daughter sit at her desk, reading one of her books. Twilight barely acknowledged the hearty meal her number one assistant had prepared for all them, completely engrossed in her studying as she usually was.

"Sweetheart," Mrs. Sparkle called to her, "you should eat something."

"Of course," Mr. Sparkle nodded, wiping a strand of grass away from his lips. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and see what Spike had made for us. It's absolutely delicious!"

"Aw, it was nothing..." The baby dragon blushed, sitting beside Twilight's mother as he had himself a bowl of cereal and a small plate of gems. He gazed in Twilight's direction and raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what she could possibly find so interesting in a dusty old book that would distract her from having breakfast; this was actually the first time a book had stolen her focus from a meal. "Don't you want any of the daisy sandwiches I made?" He asked hopefully.

"Hmm?" Twilight raised her head from her book and saw her family gaze at her. She smiled apologetically. "No, that's okay," she insisted. "I'm actually not too hungry right now." She returned back to her book. "But maybe you three could hurry up and finish? We really need to leave soon."

"Leave?" Her mother questioned before turning to her husband. "Honey, what's she talking about?"

Mr. Sparkle shrugged. "I have no clue," then he bent down and continued eating. "But I think it's important."

Twilight felt a little guilty she wasn't joining her loved ones in the special meal, but she was too wrapped up in her notes placed in The Tale of Discord to actually sacrifice a moment of time. And her new form of anxiety made her hunger cease; probably because she had eaten one too many fruity pastries last night.

Finally, after breakfast was done, Twilight immediately packed her book and waited for her parents and Spike to join her outside. As the other three exited out the door, Twilight's mother took great notice of what was on her daughter's head.

Red sunglasses. Very interesting ones, she had to admit. Not the kind of style they had back in Canterlot.

Her husband took notice as well and the Sparkle couple shared a confused glance. But they didn't question their daughter as they silently followed behind her, Spike by her side, onto the heart of Ponyville.
_

Twilight knew that she was raising some questions from her parents as she wore the red sunglasses over her eyes. It had been a while since she had worn them, and despite it not being so sunny outside in Ponyville, Twilight felt she would need them.

She still remembered the day she had found them in her bag. They belonged to him, she knew it. The only question was why did he leave them in her possession? Maybe she could ask her friends about it as well.

Twilight felt anxiety at the pit of her stomach, knowing she was getting closer to that moment when everything would either piece together...or come crashing down as she had always feared. She started to wonder if this was a good idea at all...

Finally, she spotted Sugarcube Corner. The unicorn gulped, glad no one could see the distressed look behind her sunglasses.

Too late to walk back now...she thought dejectedly as she led her parents and Spike toward her destination.

Spike gazed at her curiously before turning to the sight of Sugarcube Corner. "Uh, Twilight?" He began. "We already had breakfast. Well, you didn't though." He pointed out.

Twilight didn't even look at him as she kept moving forward, fear and determination leading her hooves. "We're not here for sweets, remember?" She reminded him in a smooth, steady tone. "We're here for the meeting."

The baby dragon quickly followed behind her with her parents following. "Wait, what?" Spike asked as he walked by her side, becoming even more confused. "Meeting? What meeting?"

"I think Spike's questioning is right," Mr. Sparkle said finally, gazing at his daughter as they neared the doorway. "Sweetie, what's going on?"

Finally, Twilight turned to look at them, adjusting the red sunglasses atop her head. She gave little explanation this morning, and not much to say last night at the party. But she knew not much needed to be said for what she would save for this moment right now.

"It's time I come clean," she said simply, swallowing hard before opening the door.

Confused as ever, her family followed her inside the colorful shop. They gazed over to see Twilight's friends standing around the place, having arrived early as Twilight had expected.

"Hey, Twilight," Rainbow Dash greeted. There was a bit of uneasiness in her voice as she regarded the unicorn, recalling her attitude last night in Cloudsdale. "We came just like you asked." She did her best to smile.

"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie jumped up and down, not as concerned as the others. "Even though you sounded so weirdy-like and all, we came!" She gave her usual cheerful smile.

"Now we're all ready to hear what you've been trying to be saying, sugarcube," Applejack added, her green eyes glinting with curiosity and slight worry.

Twilight actually smiled for the first time all day, grateful her friends weren't immediately going at her with questions and such. She almost felt a little confident. But still, like how a public speaker felt before facing the audience, she was still nervous.

"Well, everypony gather around and take a seat," she instructed before motioning to a nearby table that had enough room for her friends, parents, and Spike.

Her parents glanced at each other with apprehension before they joined her friends at the table, taking slight interest in the treats that lay around. As her friends took their seats, Fluttershy played with her hooves nervously, sharing a confused glance with Rarity before they regarded Twilight. They were all nervous, wondering if their unicorn friend had bad news. They were all getting worried as the seconds went by, awaiting Twilight's big announcement.

Twilight gazed at everyone, swallowing hard as she lifted the glasses away from her eyes.

Discord's sunglasses...she still wondered if he left them in her bag as a gift before they turned him into stone or he simply discarded them in her possession just to annoy her.

She didn't know why she brought them along, but she felt they would give her the encouragement regarding her situation. She put down the bag she brought along; it had The Tale of Discord inside, but she wouldn't take it out just yet.

Finally, she cleared her throat, knowing it was now or never. To say never, she would be the worst friend in all of Equestria. She gazed at her friends around the table, all watching her closely, fear obvious in their worried eyes. Spike leaned on the table, glancing at the unicorn as his face winced, afraid his friend was going to speak of something bad would happen or already did. And Twilight's parents...well, they loved her with all their hearts, of course, they would be just as worried!

She remained silent, simply giving herself one last question whether or not to back out now despite questions to arise.

No. She owed her friends so much. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a few moments. Finally, she opened them and chose her words carefully.

"Well, I've gathered you all here today, to discuss-"

Suddenly, there was a clang sound, making Twilight nearly bite her tongue on her words. She immediately turned to see the Cakes, who were standing behind a nearby table while putting away pie tins. Twilight took great notice that by the way they were leaning over the table, she knew they were trying to eavesdrop on her big announcement.

Seemed they were curious to why she was acting so serious. Twilight couldn't blame them; she had no idea what happened to them during Discord's reign over Equestria.

"Uh, sorry," Mrs. Caked apologized, pushing away the pie tins she dropped, "you were saying, dear?"

Twilight sighed, feeling no need in keeping quiet from them, considering this was their shop. "You should listen to this, too, Mr. and Mrs. Cake," she insisted quietly, her voice nearly coming out as a whisper, wondering if she would regret the offer. "You should hear this as well."

Mrs. Cake and her husband shared a confused glance, then they both gazed at Twilight. Twilight felt her cheeks heat up as her friends regarded her with slight surprise.

"More ponies should learn about what I'm about to discuss," Twilight declared nervously. When the Cakes were now close enough to hear, she cleared her throat again, feeling a little more confident. "Anyway, as I was saying-"

"What's going on?"

Twilight's eyes widened, her nervousness quickly replaced with slight annoyance as she looked around, wondering who had interrupted her once again.

Her eyes softened a little when she and the others turned and saw that the Cutie Mark Crusaders, as well as their classmates Snips and Snails, even Pipsqueak, had quickly entered the bakery and closed the door behind them. Twilight caught Pipsqueak's gaze, who was looking at the entire situation with so much curiosity.

Twilight bit her lip as she gazed at the little pinto colt. He had been so kind to her yesterday, and that basket of pastries topped it all off. She did ask herself whether or not she should tell Pipsqueak about Discord as well...

Seeing him and his little friends here, she knew she got her answer.

"Is Pinkie Pie planning another party?" Apple Bloom asked, almost excitedly, gazing at all the adult ponies around the room. "Ooh! Is the next party going to be in Cloudsdale again?"

"Apple Bloom, not now," Applejack said, "Twilight was just about to announce something, so maybe you and your little friends should scurry along."

"No!" Twilight suddenly exclaimed, startling everyone. She realized her outburst and averted her eyes with embarrassment as everyone regarded her with surprise, her cheeks becoming red. "I mean, no..." She spoke more softly. "Let the kids stay..." She gulped. "They should hear this as well..."

Before Applejack could have another word, Apple Bloom immediately took a spot beside her, smiling excitedly. Sweetie Belle took her position next to Rarity, Scootaloo beside Rainbow Dash, and Snips and Snails beside Spike. Twilight watched as Pipsqueak took a spot beside her, being the most curious of all and wanting to be the closest to the unicorn as she spoke out.

Twilight gazed down at him, a relieved smile slowly formed on her face as she gaze at Pipsqueak like comfort to her situation. Pipsqueak looked up at her from his seat and smiled back, his white teeth gleaming, hoping he was giving her encouragement in whatever she was about to do. The unicorn was grateful for his presence. Now she felt even more confident...

...and determined that she get it over with this instant before any more distractions came along!

"Okay..." She blew out a sigh of exasperation. "Now that it seems as almost every pony is here..." She tried not to show the impatience in her voice, but all these distractions were getting on her nerves. "I was going to say-"

"Hey, ya'll!"

Twilight nearly slammed her hooves on the table angrily as she tried to keep her sudden temper under control. She wheeled around toward the door, her eyes nearly twitching.

Standing before all of them was the sight of a familiar pony in a hat that was surprising to have here. As well as the female buffalo by his side.

"Well, looky there!" Applejack smiled as the others gazed at the newest visitors to Ponyville. "If it ain't cousin Braeburn and good ol' Little Strongheart."

Twilight bit her lip in an annoyed pout as the others shared their greetings with Applejack's cousin and their buffalo girl friend. She would give her greeting as well, but right now she just wanted everyone to zip it and sit down and listen to her already! It wasn't that having Braeburn and Little Strongheart visit was no joy, but the unicorn felt she would blow her top off if things didn't go her way this instant!

Applejack turned to a distressed Twilight apologetically, seeing her face slightly fuming. "Sorry about that Twi, I forgot to mention that the day after your parents came along, my cousin and our buffalo friend would visit as well."

Twilight felt herself twitch even more, her mouth nearly feeling dry as she gazed at all the faces in the room with slight irritation. Her friends, her parents, the Cakes, the kids, now a family member as well as a native friend-

"Twilight?" Applejack called for her attention, seeing how dazed she appeared. "Is it okay that they come to the mee-"

"It's fine!" Twilight boomed, nearly scaring everyone out of their seats. Her temper had rose by now, and she was making it obvious that she was getting annoyed by all the intrusions to her meeting "Fine! I said it's fine!" She was yelling now, and it seemed to be worrying her parents as well as frightening the kids.

Twilight let out a few deep breaths, trying to keep herself under control and not let the sudden stress get to her. Finally, she glanced over at the terrified Braeburn and Little Strongheart, who flinched when they met her nearly raging purple eyes.

"You two," she said in a serious tone. "Seats. Now."

Braeburn gulped before nodding obediently. He turned to Little Strongheart. "Come on, sunshine," he urge quietly, leading the little buffalo around the room, avoiding the fuming unicorn as they took their seats beside the Sparkle couple.

Twilight trudged back to her seat, her face nearly going red from her outburst. She gazed at everyone that was in the shop right now, seeing as they were all now trembling at her presence.

"Right..." She grumbled. "Now that we've got all of this settled and there are no more interruptions..." She casted a glance at Braeburn and Little Strongheart, who winced at her narrowed eyes.

Twilight cleared her throat once more before stroking her mane, making sure it was not unruly from how exasperated she was right now. Finally, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a few moments, then re-opened them and gazed at everyone.

"Well, then," she began calmly, her raging tone vanished, "as I said before, I've gathered all of you here for an important matter. " She closed her eyes for a few moments, biting her lip and hoping for positive feedback. "A matter regarding-"

"Uh, Twilight?"

The unicorn's eyes suddenly blazed before she wheeled furiously toward whoever dared interrupt her after so many had just occurred.

"What?" She demanded at whoever spoke out.

The fire in her eyes suddenly extinguished as she stared down at Pipsqueak, who trembled at her sharp tone and angry expression as he gazed at her with scared eyes.

In his little hoof was a flower.

Twilight, anger and annoyance suddenly gone, widened her eyes at the gift before gazing at the little pinto colt.

"Pipsqueak?" Her voice was now soft as silk as she looked at him in confusion.

Pipsqueak stopped shaking and looked at her, holding out the flower to her. "For you," he said softly, gulping.

Twilight gazed at the flower, before she used her magic and took it from his hoof. She inspected it more closely. It was a simple daisy she usually saw at the flower shop.

"Me?" She was even more confused.

The others watched the interaction as Pipsqueak scuffled a hoof on the ground, a nervous smile on his face as Twilight regarded him with surprise.

"I wanted to give you something to make you feel better after you got a little sad yesterday," he explained, "I hope it really makes you feel better." He gave a hopeful smile

What Twilight wanted to say to everyone seemed to have escaped her mind as she was completely touched by his words and gesture. She gazed at the flower, her eyes sparkling.

"Aw, Pipsqueak..." She cooed, her heart melting. "But you didn't have to do this. I mean, you already gave me that basket of fruity pastries last night."

Pipsqueak smiled at her, grateful his little gift made her happy. However, he raised an eyebrow at her in confusion. "Basket? What basket?"

"Fruity pastries?" Spike interrupted with a look of outrage on his face. "Why didn't you wake me up last night? I would have wanted some!"

"Spike, hush up!" Apple Bloom told him before she and her filly friends watched Pipsqueak and Twilight.

Twilight looked down at the little pinto colt, her confusion matching his.

"Wait..." She tried to absorb his response. "You mean...you didn't leave those pastries at my door? But I saw you run by my house last night." She recalled how Pipsqueak had waved at her before running back to Ponyville.

"Well," Pipsqueak shifted a bit. "I was just coming back from the Everfree Forest. I was going to look for a flower for you there, but then I remembered you warning me something about looking out for blue flowers so I went back to Ponyville and looked for a flower shop." He looked at her. "I saw you waving at me with a basket beside you, though. I thought your parents brought it to you."

Twilight, by now, seemed a little anxious. "But if you didn't give me the pastries," she turned to everyone in the room, "then who did?" Her voice now carried a frightened tone.

"Don't look at us," Pinkie Pie said with a slight giggle. "If I would have sent you something, it would be a basket of cookies or muffins. Fruity pastries are great, but they can't beat what I'd make!"

Twilight felt herself shake slightly, so many questions were hitting her all at once.

Everyone jumped when they heard a sudden crash from outside.

"What in tarnation?" Braeburn exclaimed, raising himself up from his seat. "Must be trouble! Come on!"

Twilight, still confused and scared as ever, quietly followed behind everyone as they all quickly exited out of Sugarcube Corner. She bit her lip nervously, trying to figure out what she seemed unwilling to believe in whatever she thought she was believing this instant.

As they came outside, she saw many Ponyville citizens stand close together as they gazed at the commotion before them. Twilight, immediately withdrawing from her thoughts, pushed her way past her friends and other ponies and finally stood in front of the little accident that had occurred a short while ago. She barely noticed Pipsqueak join by her side, wanting to get a closer look as well. Their eyes widened as they gazed at the scene before them.

There had been a cart accident as two ponies shared apologies while standing before their carts carrying general items like milk bottles and hay. Neither seemed to have gotten hurt though the contents had spilled to the ground and remained before their hooves.

Twilight blew a sigh of relief before she casually walked over to the two ponies. "What happened?" She asked.

One of the ponies, wearing a milkpony's hat, glanced at her. "Well, I was just pulling my cart along right here," he motioned to the ground beside him.

"And I was just making a delivery of hay," the other pony, wearing a green vest, explained. "I was just walking beside him when suddenly my cart just jumped!" And he held his hooves wide apart to demonstrate.

Twilight raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Jumped?"

"Yeah, jumped," the green-vested pony repeated. "And suddenly my cart crashed into the other fellow's." He motioned to the other pony.

"But don't worry, we're not hurt," the other pony assured her.

Pipsqueak stood close by Twilight, gazing at the scene before him curiously. "Wow, I wonder how it could've have happened." He turned to the unicorn. "What do you think, Twilight?"

Twilight barely heard him as she placed a hoof under her chin and began to ponder the possibilities. She gazed over at the mess before her, one of the carts laying on it side while the other one was set upside down, and clumps of hay and scattered bottles covering the ground.

"Jumped?" She questioned herself quietly before taking a step closer to the scene, Pipsqueak beside her.

"Twilight, what are you doing?" Spike called as he and the others watched.

"Looks more like Officer Sparkle to you," Rainbow Dash chuckled as she and the others observed the quite observant unicorn.

Twilight walked around one of the carts, inspecting it closely. She gazed at the cart that carried hay, scanning its wheels and seeing if anything had broken. Then she turned to the milk cart, nudging it and moved it a little. Finally, she used her magic to lift both of them up, raising them high above their heads.

Finally, her eyes found the cause.

Laying on the ground was a gray rock, too small to notice but large enough to create a problem.

Twilight gently placed the carts aside as the citizens gathered closer to watch her magically pick up the object that was responsible for the accident.

"What is it, Twilight?" Pipsqueak asked curiously, trying to stand as much as he could on his tiny legs to gaze at the object she picked up.

Twilight scanned the rock once more before turning to him and the others. "Well..." She gave a light chuckle. "This proves that we should clean the streets of Ponyville better." She gave the rock a light toss in the air with her magic before landing it in her hoof and she gazed at the surprised ponies around her. "That's all, people. Nothing to see here."

"Well, I nearly got scared silly thinking there was incredible danger occurring this way," Rarity said dramatically, giving her mane a light flip. "All because of some dumb rock."

"Wasn't it because of some dumb rock that you got your cutie mark?" Applejack asked playfully.

Rarity pouted her lips, her blue eyes narrowing slightly. "We are not speaking of this now," she muttered.

"Are you going to keep it?" Pipsqueak asked Twilight, gazing at the rock in her hooves. "It actually looks nice and could be some kind of treasure."

Twilight smiled down at him before gazing back at the rock in her possession. "You know what, Pipsqueak? Maybe you should have it."

"Really?" He jumped on his tiny hooves with excitement. "You'll let me?"

"Well, I can't find any interest in collecting rocks," Twilight chuckled. "If it were possible, I would rather collect stars from the sky."

"That sounds better," Pipsqueak said as he reached his tiny hooves out to for his special present. Twilight gently descended the rock down with her magic toward his stretched out hooves.

POOF!

Twilight, Pipsqueak, and other ponies cried out surprise by the sudden explosion that emerged from the rock. Twilight coughed as a blue, glittering dust surrounded them, causing a magical yet intimidating effect to their surroundings.

"Pipsqueak!" Twilight cried as she waved a hoof to rid the dust around her.

She past through the remaining dust and found the little pinto colt laying on his stomach, trembling with fear from the sudden surprise. Twilight quickly rushed to his side, lowering her head down and nuzzling him comfortingly. "Sweetie, are you okay?" She asked him desperately.

"Y-yeah..." His voice trembled a bit, his body still shaking.

"Twilight!" Both looked to see Rainbow Dash quickly flap over to them, the gust of her wings rapidly blowing away the dust. "You guys okay?"

"We're fine," Twilight told her as she nudged Pipsqueak to his feet. She looked over to the 'rock' which had broken into pieces with bits of blue dust on the floor. "That was...that was..." She tried to searched for the right word. "I don't know what to call that..."

"Seems somepony was trying to play a practical joke on us," Rainbow Dash implied, gazing around the distraught ponies. "A joke that really isn't funny at all..." Her eyes narrowed.

Twilight gazed around her, suddenly feeling nervous for some reason. She let Pipsqueak lean close to her, scared that another 'surprise' would occur.

"Sweetie!" Mrs. Sparkle called out worriedly. "Sweetie, is everything alright?"

Twilight gazed around her once more before turning back to her mother. "Y-yeah..." She said quietly. "Everything's fine."

With that said, she led Pipsqueak toward the group, gently placing one hoof forward carefully with every step.

"It's okay, Pip," Twilight told him softly, nuzzling her leg against his tiny body. "Somepony was just trying to be funny in a cruel way."

Suddenly, she slipped and fell forward, nearly falling over Pipsqueak as she landed on her face.

"Are you okay?" Pipsqueak cried as he gazed down at her figure on the floor.

Twilight shook her head, rubbing her mane tenderly from the impact. "Something tripped me!" She cried before looking around, wondering if that exact same practical joker was making her a new target.

Spike had witnessed everything, and his green eyes widened. He bared his teeth angrily as he regarded around him. "Alright, who's messing with Twilight?" He demanded.

"No one's messing with Twilight," Pinkie Pie said in her usual cheerful voice. "Twilight's hoofies are just not cooperating with her today!" And she gave a small giggle, not intending to laugh at her unicorn friend.

Twilight gave the pink pony a slightly annoyed frown as she dusted herself. "My 'hoofies'..." she repeated with irritation in her voice. "Are fine." She turned her head, wondering if some mysterious force was against her. "Somepony or something is jus being plain rude."

"Sweetie, I'm sure it was just a simple mistake," her father assured her. He motioned back to Sugarcube Corner. "Come on, let's just go back inside. You were about to tell us something, remember?"

Twilight's eyes widened, realizing that she still had a meeting to host and she still had so much to talk about. "Oh, right!" She said quickly. "Everypony back inside!"

She smiled softly as Pipsqueak trotted past her, following behind her parents and Spike. Twilight breathed deeply before giving her mane a slight flip and followed behind them, knowing too well she was ready as well as somewhat enthusiastic. She seemed almost excited, feeling quite light on her hooves.

And even lighter...as if her hooves were barely touching ground.

Twilight gazed down and shrieked, catching all the other ponies' attention as they all turned to look at her.

"Twilight!" Her friends cried.

Everyone gasped as they saw the unicorn being lifted into the air, her legs struggling to get back to the ground.

"What's going on?" Her mother cried as she watched her daughter helplessly.

"Alright, dumb, mysterious force!" Rainbow Dash growled as she launched into the air, wings flapping furiously. "Let my friend go!"

"Rainbow Dash, don't worry!" Twilight assured her, flapping her hooves in the air as her horn glowed. "It's just magic. Simple child's play." And she used her own magic to quickly descend to the ground. As soon as her hooves met the surface, her friends rushed over to her.

"Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked her desperately.

"Are your hoofies hurt?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"What varmint or whatever is doing this to you?" Applejack demanded.

"Guys, guys!" Twilight told them, feeling useless in answering any of their questions. "Really, I have no idea!"

"Uh, Twilight?" She turned to see Pipsqueak stand close to her. "I don't want to scare you...but there's this fog coming."

Twilight gasped. "Fog? What fog?"

Pipsqueak pointed a tiny hoof in the direction between them and Twilight yelped in surprise.

A blue mist floated between them, passing all around throughout the streets of Ponyville. Ponies cried out in fear, too scared to move as the mist glided past them, like a trail of stars at night.

Twilight gulped as she held Pipsqueak close to her, his little body trembling in her hooves. "Just stay close..." She whispered tenderly to him, holding him protectively as she gazed at the sea of magic around them. "This is just...just..."

"Scary?" Pipsqueak mumbled, holding closer to him.

"That's a good term to describe it," Twilight muttered.

Honestly, the blue mist seemed quite...lovely. It managed to make Twilight's eyes sparkle as she continued gazing at it. This little 'show' would be entertaining if it wasn't scaring everyone!

Suddenly, the blue mist sped at a fast rate, from every direction it moved forward and landed right where Twilight and Pipsqueak stood. Twilight closed her eyes, hearing her friends and parents cry out for them as the blue mist surrounded her body. She held Pipsqueak tighter to her, both crying out in fear as the wind blew through her mane, nearly ripping her off the ground.

"What is going on?" Twilight cried out desperately. The sunglasses on her head flew off but she didn't care; she just didn't want Pipsqueak to fly out of her hooves as the strong wind pushed against their bodies.

Finally, the blue mist ceased and descended to the ground before her hooves. Twilight breathed out heavily, seemingly exhausted from what just occurred as she watched it motion like a puddle of water before her and Pipsqueak. The little pinto colt hugged her tighter as they continued gazing at it, fear still visible on their faces as they awaited for what would happen next.

Suddenly, the blue mist lifted up, and expanded like how a book was opened. It continued widening, nearly occupying the streets as terrified ponies ran off for protection.

Twilight was just too stunned to move, holding a terrified Pipsqueak close to her as the blue mist overshadowed her, blocking her from her friends and family.

It stopped expanding, and it began to sparkle, flashing so bright it nearly blinded her. And then the light effects turned down as the blue mist disappeared like a popped bubble...

And then something landed on the ground.

Suddenly, it felt like time stood still as Twilight gazed at what was before her. She barely heard Pipsqueak call her nor realize she had loosened her hold on him as she continued staring. Her purple eyes widened, not sure whether they were in horror or relief, as they gazed into the eyes of-

"Discord!" Rainbow Dash growled furiously as soon as she and the rest of Ponyville were finally able to see through the evaporated mist.

Twilight just remained still as Pipsqueak fell from her hold, standing close to her now as his eyes watched with just as much shock. The unicorn felt her head spin, wondering if her mind was playing tricks on her.

No...no...

She felt her head growing painful with so many questions as she remained standing and gazing at the obvious before her. But she wasn't sure she wanted to believe what she was just seeing. Especially since it had been so long...Was reality playing a joke on her? Was she simply going crazy as the day she had been desperate for a quick lesson in friendship to write?

She just stood there, her body trembling, her eyes meeting those...of red and gold.

Mismatched pupils blinked at her as a snaggletooth became even more visible in a wide smirk at the sight of her stunned face.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Twilight Sparkle?" Discord chuckled, smiling down at her from his increased height. His voice was smooth yet cheerful and he gave a light laugh as he continued gazing at her expression of distraught.

Twilight couldn't speak, her mouth felt dry. She just gazed at him with disbelief, unable to absorb the impossible before her. Luckily for her, the others spoke out.

"What in tarnation are you doing here, Discord?" Applejack demanded as she and the other Elements of Harmony stood their ground in front of the other ponies and glared at his backside.

Applejack's question immediately caught Twilight's attention as she looked behind the creature and gazed at her friends, at all the other ponies. She was shocked to realize that they had actually spoken out Discord's name.

They...they remember him? She thought with amazement.

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash growled, zooming up to the creature's height and glared at him eye-to-eye. "I thought we got rid of the likes of you and shoved you back in that stone prison of yours!"

They remember what we did back then...Twilight's mind cried. They remember!

The surprise seemed so overwhelming at the moment. For so many weeks, for so long, no one had spoken Discord's name or shown any slight hints of recalling him. Twilight had always assumed that, like how the elements had turned Nightmare Moon back into Princess Luna, her friends as well as everyone else had forgotten about Discord as well as turning him into stone.

Yet here her friends and the rest of Ponyville were...in mixed fear and hatred for the creature Twilight never thought she would see again.

Then her eyes fell on Fluttershy. She thought the yellow pegasus would break into rage as the unicorn recalled the day she told her about Discord before Fluttershy went into a ranting state, thus leaving Twilight with the only option to use the memory erasing spell to not further any damage...

But now...gazing at her shy friend with the surprising temper...Fluttershy showed neither hostility nor anger. Instead, she showed great fear as she lowered her head and gazed nervously at their old enemy. Twilight couldn't believe the complete contrast from last time. It was like a failure to repeat itself to confuse Twilight even more right now.

What? Twilight thought almost desperately as she gazed at the terrified pegasus. But Fluttershy...last time...

She was quickly taken away from her thoughts as Discord let out a small chuckle, simply amused by Rainbow Dash's temper.

"Oh, please..." He said calmly. "Stop being such joykillers, you silly ponies..."

He gazed around Ponyville, all its citizens trembling at the sight of him. Twilight remained still, allowing Pipsqueak to move closer to her as she watched Discord regard their home.

"Hmm..." Discord pondered, stroking his goat-like beard. "I'm not sure whether to put some cotton candy clouds in the sky or turn the flowers into gummy candies..." He still held his amused smile, thinking what his magic could do.

"You'll do no such thing!" Rarity shouted, standing in front of her friends as she glared at Discord. "Your chocolate rain had ruined perfectly good manes last time!"

"But Rarity!" Pinkie Pie cried as she stood next to the white unicorn. "Chocolate rain!" She grabbed her head in her hooves and gazed at her eyes, almost insanely. "Chocolate rain!"

If Twilight could, she would have laughed at Pinkie Pie's statement. Just like the last time Discord's magic had affected their home. To hear Pinkie Pie talk about the joy of chocolate rain...to have chocolate rain once more to Discord's pleasure...

"What's all this about chocolate rain?" Twilight snapped out of her daze as she watched her father step forward, gazing up at Discord. She winced as she watched the older unicorn bravely gaze up at the Draconequus, hoping her father wouldn't get into any trouble with the Spirit of Disharmony; this was, afterall, the first time Discord has met her parents.

She watched her mother tremble behind her father as they both stood before Discord. The mismatched creature simply smiled down at them, as if pleased to meet to make their acquaintance, especially to the parents of the Element of Magic and Friendship.

"Well, you must be the parents of Twilight Sparkle," Discord said with a gaze of interest as he gazed down at them. "Yes, you certainly are," he nodded. "You each have that...sparkle." And he laughed at his own joke.

"What in tarnation are you up, whatever you are?" Twilight watched as Braeburn and Little Strongheart, who had been quiet and frightened the whole time Discord had came through thin air, approached the creature with expressions of hostility, standing protectively among the children.

"You better not hurt our friends!" Little Strongheart said in a warning tone, her eyes blazing the same as the day she had fought Rainbow Dash for the first time.

"Why does everypony assume that I intend to hurt?" Discord rolled his eyes, the subject dawning on him as pure boredom.

"Well, duh!" Rainbow Dash flew right back into his face. "You nearly broke us apart with your dumb chaos and stuff!" She held out her hooves in a fighting stance. "And I'll be darned if you pull that again!"

Twilight gulped, seeing a slight reference to the day Rainbow Dash had flown straight into a glass window image of the Draconequus. She had been willing to fight him back then, she was willing to beat him to a pulp now.

Twilight felt even more nervous. She couldn't speak, but she desperately wanted to say 'Don't hurt him'. However, that odd demand seemed useless considering Discord remained unintimidated, as usual.

Discord sighed, losing interest in the pegasus' anger. Without another word, he simply placed his lion paw atop her head and lowered her back to the ground like an apple through a chute. Rainbow Dash was stunned by the gesture, but she immediately pushed it aside as she glared at him while remaining on the ground with her friends, wings flapping furiously.

"Come on, Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo urged her as she immediately stood by her side. "Take him down!"

"Aw, isn't that sweet?" Discord chuckled at the little pegasus' support. "I never knew Rainbow Dash had a fan." He cooed a bit, making him appear even more childish than usual.

"Oh, enough of this!" Rarity huffed, getting tired of the creature talking. "What on Earth do you want, Discord?"

"The elements?" Applejack questioned.

"Equestria?" Rainbow Dash growled.

"Control over us?" Fluttershy gulped.

Twilight bit her lip, terrified that her friends could be right and Discord might be out for revenge. Would he steal the elements again and lead them on another quest? A quest, like last time, that would affect each of her friends, perhaps even worse? And what about their home?

Twilight did a quick scan of her surroundings. Ponyville seemed fine, with the exception of the terrified citizens around her.

Discord gave another amused smile, his eyes lowered and calm as he gazed at all the trembling ponies before him. It always satisfied him to watch these ponies become so intimated by his sudden appearance and chaotic magic. However, fooling around with their fears was not what he intended to do.

"If you must know," he said in a communicative tone as he smoothed the top of his head with his lion paw, "I've simply come here to just be, well..." He smirked, his single tooth more visible. "Myself."

"Yourself?" Rainbow Dash demanded. "Cause problems for all of us? Ruin our friendship again? Turn our home into the chaos capital of the world?"

Twilight continued staring at Discord, wondering if what Rainbow Dash was stating would be true. To watch Discord take over Equestria as he did before...cotton candy clouds...sudsy grounds...that mischievous smirk on his face...

One part of her felt she needed to formulate a plan to stop him once again...yet another part of her was telling her that it all seemed like innocent fun. Wasn't that what her mind had been fighting about for so long?

And for so long, she had been thinking about Discord...she never thought she would actually see him again.

"Oh, you still remember those," Discord laughed, rolling his eyes. "A good time, was it not?" He gazed at all the ponies before finally turning his back.

And gazed down at Twilight.

The unicorn had been quiet and apprehensive the whole time he kept his focus on her friends. She was still in disbelief, still wondering if this was all a trick or simply her mind losing itself to having been thinking about him for so long.

Now he was here...standing before her...and suddenly her friends show that they actually remembered him this whole time? Maybe the other ponies, like her, were simply keeping thoughts to themselves.

Maybe she doubted too much...

"Twilight?" Pipsqueak gulped, nudging her. "Twilight, are you okay?"

Discord's gazed flickered from Twilight to the small pinto colt as he decreased in size until he was at regular height, though still remaining so tall compared to the ponies.

"Aw, aren't you the cutest little thing!" He cooed lightly, bending down to look at Pipsqueak.

The little pinto colt remained perfectly still, gazing into the creature's eyes as he stood protectively in front of Twilight. Pipsqueak gulped, trying to be brave as he stared at the creature that he just learned about. His horns, his arms, his legs...Pipsqueak had to admit Discord seemed like a funny sight, but he dared not crack a smile as the creature's gaze made him stiff.

"You must not have been here when I was first released," Discord chuckled at the child's attempt at being hero. "Well, don't worry." He smirked before gazing around all the other ponies. "I'm back!" He sang.

He turned from Pipsqueak and continued gazing at Twilight, who remained perfectly still. She flinched as he moved closer to her, biting her bottom lip to keep from crying out in shock.

Those eyes...those red and gold eyes...they were as taunting as the day she first gazed into them. Twilight wanted to look away, but she just couldn't. She could barely blink as she continued looking into them.

The way she looked at him, she could see slight amusement in those mismatched pupils of his. But there was something different in his eyes Twilight just couldn't fathom...

They were gentle...innocent even...and apologetic?

"Oh, Twilight Sparkle," His voice broke her away from her trance and he chuckled softly as he continued gazing at her. "My favorite pony. How I've missed you!" He laughed like a little filly. "Judging by the look on your face, I'm certain you've missed me, hmm?"

Twilight just gulped, still unable to speak as she remained frozen, not even realizing Pipsqueak was beside her. Why did Discord have to ask her that? It was something she wasn't sure she would have a direct answer for...

He simply smirked, gazing at her priceless expression as he floated just slightly above her. He needed no words from the unicorn to know just how exactly she felt to finally see him again.

"Well, there are no words to describe this reunion now, is there?" He said in a cool tone as he fiddled with his lion paw.

Twilight's eyes moved to that familiar animal part of his. Just as she had studied before, that seemed like the only part of his body that was the least threatening. She just hoped he wouldn't run a finger down her cheek like last time, it would bring back fear she was desperately trying not to show.

"Leave her alone, Discord!" Rainbow Dash growled, she and her friends glaring at him.

"What?" Discord said innocently, holding his mismatched hands up in defense. "I'm not doing anything now, am I?" He ignored them before turning to Twilight once more. "Well, here's a little something for you, dear Twilight. Hopefully, it'll get a few words out of you." He chuckled.

Twilight's eyes shifted over to his lion paw. In an instant, an object magically appeared in his grip.

Twilight blinked as she gazed at whatever he conjured. It almost looked like a bouquet of flowers...but actually, it was just fruity pastries on sticks, wrapped in stripped paper.

Wait...fruity pastries?

Twilight's eyes suddenly widened in realization before looking up at him. "You..." She managed to finally find her voice. "Y-you're the one who...?"

"The basket from last night, Twilight?" Discord chuckled, his eagle claw scratching his ear. "An early gift, I confess." He picked a fruity pastry from the bouquet and ate it in one bite. "Honestly, fruity pastries are my absolute favorite!" He said as if trying to bring her into a conversation.

The unicorn felt herself go pale. Not only because fruity pastries were her favorite as well, but that Discord had been at her house last night! That meant...

How did he escape? Her mind suddenly asked.

She had been too busy getting over the shock of suddenly seeing him here that she hadn't even questioned herself about how on Earth Discord had even escaped his stone prison.

However, she was soon distracted when Discord offered her the bouquet of fruity pastries, smile still plastered on his face.

"Hope you liked them as well," he told her in a kind, yet mischievous tone.

Twilight moved her eyes away from his toward the bouquet in front of her. She could smell the fruity sweetness in them...just like the ones she ate last night. She gulped, not sure whether to decline his offer or use her magic to remove them and start asking questions, starting with how he had escaped after the elements had sealed him away...

She wanted to bombard him with questions, demand him to stop scaring everyone, plead him to not ruin her home...But she was just too stunned to do any of that.

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash came between them, shoving the bouquet back at a slightly surprised Discord while standing protectively in front of Twilight.

"Twilight doesn't want your dumb gift, Discord!" The pegasus shouted. "And she especially doesn't want anything to do with you either!"

Twilight's eyes widened, watching her friend speak out at Discord so harshly. She couldn't blame the pegasus for being so angry, but the unicorn felt she was just pushing it a little too far.

"Rainbow Dash..." Her voice came out too quiet for anyone to hear. She wanted her friend to cease the hostility just for the moment.

Discord simply gave an annoyed frown, the bouquet disappearing from his paw as he gazed at Rainbow Dash. Then he looked back toward the citizens of Ponyville, all trembling at his presence, only the Elements of Harmony standing before him bravely.

"Well, then..." He said finally as if it was no big deal, raising his head up like some stuck-up Canterlot pony.

He watched as Twilight's friends immediately came to her aid, holding her close as if Discord was going to hurt her. He scoffed, rolling his eyes, becoming more annoyed than amused with these stubborn ponies.

"I guess I'll just leave," he took one last glance around Ponyville.

Twilight blinked, barely feeling the comforting nuzzle Pinkie Pie had under her chin as she watched Discord. Her eyes widened when his gaze finally focused on her once more.

They stared at each other for what seemed like hours...

Finally, with a snap of his fingers, a pair of green sunglasses appeared in his hands. Twilight suddenly remembered the red sunglasses that had been blown off her head earlier. She actually felt relieved she wasn't wearing them right now, it could bring up some questions from Discord. But she still wanted to question him about that as well.

"I guess I'm off," Discord said before finally placing the sunglasses over his eyes. "This reunion was pretty...interesting if you should call it that." He smirked a bit.

Twilight opened her mouth as she watched him step away. She was about to say something when he held his eagle claw fingers out.

"N..." Twilight wanted to speak, but she felt too shy to do so considering everyone around her.

Finally, he snapped his fingers and he disappeared in an instant.

Just like that. He was gone. Just as he had been weeks ago.

"Don't go..." Twilight whispered sadly.

Thankfully, no one heard her as Rainbow Dash immediately flew up high in the air, scanning the area and making sure Discord hadn't left behind any of his chaos for them to deal with.

"This is bad, guys!" She hollered down below. "I have no idea how the hay Discord suddenly came back, but we got to do something about it!"

"You sure are right, partner!" Applejack nodded before turning to Braeburn and Little Strongheart. "Cousin, you and Little Strongheart check around Ponyville and make sure everypony is fine." Her cousin and buffalo friend quickly nodded before fulfilling their order.

"What do we do?" Sweetie Belle asked as she looked to her sister.

Rarity gazed at the little filly with concerned eyes. "You, young lady, stay safe with the other kids. Leave it to your big sister to handle this."

"Wait a minute!" Twilight turned from her friends and saw her parents step forward, becoming even more concerned as before. "What exactly are you girls going to do? I mean, now that this creature is back..." He bit his lip.

"And our daughter!" Twilight felt her mother's gentle hoof on her back and turned to see the terrified look on the older unicorn's face. "What is our daughter going to do?"

"Well, stop him, duh!" Pinkie Pie roller her eyes.

Twilight needed to speak up. Things were going out of control by what she analyzed, and she felt she had to say something, especially since she had planned to do so earlier before all of this occurred.

"Girls, wait!" Twilight called out.

All eyes turned to her and she trembled nervously, her cheeks blushing a bit.

"What is it, Twilight?" Applejack asked her. "Did Discord actually do something to you?"

The unicorn quickly shook her head. "No..." She said quietly. "He didn't do anything." She shuffled her hooves. "See...this is what I've been meaning to tell you earlier..."

"About Discord?" She turned to see Spike walk casually toward her.

"Exactly, Spike," she gave a guilty nod. "I've been meaning to tell you guys, but I wasn't sure that-"

"Say no more, Twilight!" She backed away a little when Rainbow Dash flew down to her level. She was confused to see the smile on the pegasus' face. "We totally understand what you're talking about!"

Twilight blinked, raising an eyebrow. "Y-you do?" Perhaps she had been worrying for nothing.

"Yeah, of course!" Rainbow Dash said cheerfully before gazing at the others. "You sensed Discord was going to come back, but you weren't sure if you were just going crazy or not."

Twilight felt her heart drop at the guessed statement. "Well, actually-"

"And you were right!" Pinkie Pie intervened, bouncing on her hooves. "He's back! Boy, I can't blame you for being so nervous about it, Twilight! You were just scared that we wouldn't take you seriously!"

"But we do now!" Applejack added. "To think that trying to forget about him would do no good! And boy, howdy, we're going to take action now!"

Twilight's jaw fell. This was not what she had in mind.

"Spike!" Rainbow Dash turned to the baby dragon. "Write a message to Princess Celestia! She and Luna got to know about this!"

"On it!" Spike said as she quickly took out a quill and paper.

Twilight watched as everyone set right to work, leaving her completely dumbfounded as well as distraught.

"Twilight?" The unicorn looked down to see Pipsqueak look up at her. In his tiny hooves was her red sunglasses.

Discord's sunglasses.

"I found these for you," he said softly. "They were in the hay."

Despite everything, Twilight gave a grateful smile before she used her magic to remove them out of his hooves and placed them on her head. Thank goodness Discord had not seen them! She would not have been prepared for a mere taunting from the Spirit of Disharmony, as well as questioning from her friends who assumed something far from what she meant to say.

"Are we in danger?" Pipsqueak asked nervously, siding close to her.

Twilight sighed before draping a gentle hoof over his tiny body. "I'm not sure, Pipsqueak..." She told him in a sincere tone.

She gazed back toward the area where Discord had disappeared. She wanted to say so many things to him, things she had been meaning to tell him as she had done with his statue in the gardens.

But now he was gone. Again.

Why did you go? She thought sadly.
_

Another Way

Photo Finish screamed.

Discord sighed and rolled his eyes behind his green sunglasses as he lounged on her photo scenery while her male pony models scattered off in fear.

"What?" The Draconequus asked, trying to sound modest as he lowered his sunglasses to gaze at the terrified phototgrapher. "Is my sheer beauty too much for the camera?"

Photo Finish let out another shriek before she abandoned her camera and ran off, leaving her scenery to Discord's use. The mismatched creature just shook his head with another sigh, almost barely hearing the terrified ponies around him.

Since Ponyville had suddenly become the least of his interests right now, he decided to visit Cantrlot, where he was sure the princesses were aware that he had returned. But he didn't care whether or not Celestia and Luna already knew, he simply wanted to see Canterlot and how the times have changed.

Everything appeared beautiful in his opinion...yet the ponies today seemed so boring!

Classy, pompous, upper-crusted...did these Canterlot ponies do anything besides looking fancy and stuck-up? Discord slipped off Photo Finish's scenery and got to his feet and casually walked around the streets, ponies scattering as he came near. He shifted his eyes over to a couple, who trembled at his gaze. Discord believed they were named Jet Set and Upper Crust, since he had just heard those names being yelled out to them from various other Canterlot ponies.

"Look, I know I didn't floss this morning," Discord said with an unamused expression as the sunglasses disappeared from his face. "But am I really that terrifying compared to most of you who look like they're dressed for a haunted house?" He seriously thought some of these highly-dressed ponies could use a little chaos to go with their outfits.

"Well!" Upper Crust exclaimed, her fear quickly replaced with a look of disgust as her husband still trembled beside her. "I never!"

Discord turned to look at her, and she immediately faltered under his gaze. "Never know what a normal outfit looks like, I bet," and he smirked as he saw the stunned expression on her face before he lifted himself off the ground and lounged around the sky.

Fancypants stood a great distance from the mismatched creature. Though he knew he should be frightened, the highly-important unicorn couldn't help but become fascinated, having only read about Discord in his books. Now here the creature was, out of his stone prison and in Canterlot. Fancypants remained still as the creature continued floating in the air, the unicorn standing his ground as he held his head high to act brave among his frightened friends. Of course, though he never seen Discord after the creature had broken out of his stone prison the very first time, Fancypants did recall, thanks to quick descriptions from Princess Celestia and a garden party that had become a wonderful bash, having met the Elements of Harmony...

"Discord!" Fancypants nearly flinched before turning his head, just as Discord raised his and gazed over to see six familiar faces regard the Spirit of Disharmony with so much hostility.

Well, actually four hostile faces as Discord knew Fluttershy was simply bending down in fear, trying to be as brave as her friends. And Twilight Sparkle...

His eyes suddenly fell on the unicorn that stood off to the side, barely near her friends as she averted her gaze away from his. The Draconequus smirked, hoping to see Twilight again. He had been disappointed when she had spoken so little when they had their first encounter earlier, he hoped this time he would get a few more words out of that intelligent mouth of hers.

However, Twilight remained silent as before, and Discord lowered his eyes, clearly unimpressed.

"And what do I owe the pleasure to, Elements of Harmony?" He mocked, leaning down as he floated in the sky.

"We want you to stop it!" Rainbow Dash shouted, her wings flapping furiously. "Enough of this...whatever you're doing!"

Discord rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "For someone so absent-minded, you win first place, Rainbow Dash," he joked. "Haven't I already told you I'm simply here to just enjoy myself and relax?"

"The way I see it," Applejack growled, stomping a hoof on the ground threateningly, "relaxing to you is simply causing unrest for others!"

"Yes, that had been fun the last time I was here," he said nonchalantly, checking his lion paw. "However, that's become kind of boring to me now..."

"I don't believe it..." Rainbow Dash muttered, her eyes narrowing at him.

"You tend not to believe in most things," Discord said with a roll of his eyes. "Considering you're one to speak freely and stick by your own beliefs."

"What?" The pegasus raised an eyebrow in confusion. She let out a loud groan. "Enough with this mumbo jumbo! We're going to take you down! With or without the elements!"

"You better not have taken them again!" Rarity shouted.

"What would I want with the elements?" Discord asked innocently. "I'm not the jewelry type."

He knew this conversation was pointless, but it was slightly amusing to see all of them this riled up just because he was suddenly back. All of them, every pony, was horrified he had returned...

And Twilight...as Discord observed her, she just seemed so...confused? Stunned? Curious?

Twilight knew that simply standing off to the side wasn't doing much good as she watched her friends glare at the Draconequus. She had mostly kept herself quiet, trying to figure out the possibilities of how exactly Discord had broken free, as well as ways she could get a word to her friends.

They were too busy and focused on stopping Discord, they didn't have time to listen her. Rainbow Dash seemed like she was leading their team this time...when it was always Twilight who was the true leader of them all.

Watching her friends not making any moves, simply glaring at the mismatched creature, Twilight knew she needed to say something. She had to speak to Discord. It had been far too long and she knew she must have looked like a fool back there in Ponyville. All things kept to herself since the day after they turned Discord into stone, Twilight knew she had to let it all out.

This was it. In a way, it was like she was getting a wish.

Without further hesitation, the unicorn slowly stepped forward, much to her friends' surprise as they all turned to gaze at her as she quietly approached the Draconequus.

"Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked in an amazed tone as Twilight passed by her, holding her head high.

A pleased grin spread across Discord's face as Twilight neared him, keeping up a brave expression as her purple eyes met his red and gold ones.

"Twilight Sparkle," he chuckled as he lowered himself to the ground and gazed down at her. "About time you finally got the nerve to meet me face-to-face once again. Let's just hope there's something you got in that smart voice of yours, all this silence between us is boring me to tears."

Twilight gulped, gazing up at him while trying her best not to show fear. Discord merely smiled, folding his arms and awaited any words. It became even more quiet as their last encounter, but he was willing to wait to hear whatever came out of the Element of Friendship and Magic.

The unicorn just stared at him, the Spirit of Disharmony. She just couldn't believe she was seeing him again...

For so long, she had read about him, thought him, accidentally did things in relation to him...she never would have dreamed she would actually be near him again as the day he first popped into Equestria after being released from his first stone imprisonment.

And she never even thought of what she would even say if she ever saw his face again! What did she write in her journal? Twilight wracked her mind, trying to recall the very first thing she wrote since after the last time she saw Discord. Something about being there for him...showing guilt for what her element had done...

Never give up on him the way a friend should?

Twilight swallowed hard, feeling she was making time go by slowly just standing there. She raised her head up, eyes determined as Discord's mismatched ones looked slightly amused.

Her mind told her to act diplomatic, ask Discord in a firm yet gentle voice how on Earth he got out of his prison and urge him to explain why. Oh, how nervous Twilight was, and those taunting eyes of his were not making it any better. The unicorn gulped before taking a deep breath. She was just going to ask him a simple question...making sure her voice was firm and gentle...When Twilight opened her mouth, what came out-

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, DISCORD?" She suddenly demanded in a loud, booming, slightly scared, furious voice.

That was not firm and gentle...

Her friends and distant Canterlot ponies were quite startled by the massive volume of her voice. Even Discord had been quite surprised by her tone, but he quickly pushed it aside, simply raising an eyebrow at the unicorn that appeared to be fuming at the sight of him.

Twilight felt her cheeks flush a bit, from either projecting her voice too much or being embarrassed. Where did that come from? Why was she suddenly yelling at him? Was this what she had been saving up for so long or was it a last-minute option?

Twilight blinked, placing a hoof to her mouth before slowly removing it, her lips tingling. Suddenly, it seemed like everything she wrote down in her journal had disappeared as she glared at Discord. She couldn't feel sympathy for him right now for some reason, it was like her protective side had boosted to new heights and being soft and kind was going to get her nowhere.

She didn't speak much back in Ponyville, but here, right now, they were going to talk.

Half her brain warned her that the way she was speaking was not going to work out...but Twilight ignored it, trusting her other half that being serious and verbal would do good for the situation, considering this was Discord she was talking to.

She just hoped she wouldn't wind up using the royal Canterlot voice Princess Luna used to speak in...

"Well, that was surprising," Discord observed her, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I asked you a question!" Twilight suddenly growled, her eyes blazing. "No more fooling around!" She dug her hooves into the ground. "How in Equestria did you get out of your stone prison?"

She didn't mean to sound angry, or hold an expression that was terrifying, but suddenly this new personality switch was taking over her, and all of what she wrote down in her journal a long time ago became distant to her now.

Discord simply looked at her, slightly confused yet amused by her sudden change of attitude.

"Answer me!" Twilight shouted. For some reason, she was nearly shedding tears as she yelled at him.

Was she going to cry? What for? Oh, sweet Equestria, she hoped she wouldn't burst out crying in front of Discord! That would be humiliating!

"Wow," Pinkie Pie observed, "I've seen Twilight angry before...but this is new!"

"You go, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash cheered, impressed that Twilight had gone from tender to tough in just a matter of seconds. The pegasus half-hoped Twilight would beat Discord to a pulp...

Discord continued gazing down at Twilight. "Well, since you kindly asked me..." he rolled his eyes.

Then he smirked. Twilight felt intimidated by that expression, but she remained ever brave as she continued glaring at him, awaiting whatever trick the Draconequus had planned.

"See, I hadn't been in stone this whole time."

The fire in Twilight's eyes suddenly extinguished as she gazed at him, her jaw dropping. "W-what?" Her voice came out as a small whisper.

Discord grinned, trying to hold back his laughter at her distraught face. "See, being the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, I can do anything, Twilight." He snapped his fingers and Twilight watched as something large fell into his mismatched hands.

She gasped.

It was the statue of himself from the Canterlot gardens. The one she had been visiting for so many weeks, especially last night.

And it was a fake!

Her eyes turned from the statue to Discord himself holding it with no problems. "Wha...how..." Her mind was spinning, the world around her suddenly felt confusing. And she felt deep down inside her make, as one of Discord's riddles said, twists and turns.

"After your princesses placed me back in the gardens," Discord continued, smiling at her horrified expression, "I immediately used my chaotic magic and broke myself out without damaging this handsome piece of art." He chuckled as he admired the fake statue of himself. "Trust me, I was just as surprised as you. But when I still felt my powers while imprisoned in stone, I took the chance and here I am!" He grinned from ear-to-ear.

Twilight stared at him in disbelief, her eyes suddenly feeling wet. "W-when?" She stammered. "When did you break free?" She was almost afraid to ask.

Discord gave an amused chuckle. "Why, a few days after your little celebration of defeating me."

Her heart felt like it just plunged as she continued staring at him, unable to believe what he just told her.

A few days after their celebration? Twilight and her friends had been staying in Canterlot for the week after that!

And it was during that week was it the first time she had visited Discord's statue...

Twilight remembered her words of sympathy to him...placing a supportive hoof on his frozen body...tears for his punishment...a rose to show she cared...

All for a dumb counterfeit!

Something burned within the unicorn's chest as she gazed at Discord, her mind telling her she had been playing herself a fool this whole time. To think she had been talking to a mere statue, sneaking off most nights just to see him...she really was crazy now that she thought about it.

"You..." Twilight breathed hard, not sure whether to be angry or simply upset. "You weren't gone this whole time..."

"No, actually," Discord caught on to her new kind of anger, so he soothed his voice a little. "I simply stayed around, watching you ponies carry on with your lives with no regards about me." He smiled at the ponies around him. "It took some thinking before I finally warmed up to the idea of actually coming out of my shell." He gazed at Twilight. "Do forgive me for that little accident with the explosive confetti rock as well as tripping you on your own hooves, Twilight Sparkle..." He gave a small chuckle. "I was simply preparing you for when I finally came out. Oh, the look on your face!" And he laughed.

"That was not funny, Discord!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"True, but I couldn't contain my laughter," the Draconequus smirked.

Twilight remained still, feeling her face heat up either from disbelief or embarrassment as she watched Discord. If he had gotten free...before everything that happened...had he even heard her during all those visits she made to his fake statue, especially last night?

"Where were you the whole time?" She asked, her voice high and demanding, the feelings of being foolish raising her temper. She seemed truly angry now.

"Oh, moi?" He asked innocently. "Why I was here and there. Some days I was in Cloudsdale, other days I was in Appaloosa-"

"My cousin's home?" Applejack cried.

"Amazing work they've done with their apple orchards," Discord complimented.

Twilight just stared at him. "Were you...were you ever in the gardens?" She asked quietly.

Discord raised an eyebrow at her. "Frankly, no, my dear," he stated. "I am too busy having fun to visit that dreadful place." Then he smirked down at her. "However, I had visited you last night."

Sweat suddenly poured down the side of her neck as Twilight bit her lip, remembering that basket. She wished it was really Pipsqueak who left it for her...

"Of course," he laughed, "I have been keeping my eyes on you ponies. Oh, how could I forget that one time with the doll?"

Twilight's eyes widened. Then they narrowed. "Don't you dare bring that up!" She suddenly shouted. She remembered that night when her friends slept over. Reminiscing about him over a cup of chocolate milk, wondering what he would say if he ever saw her doing something totally chaotic...

She didn't want to hear any of it!

"Hey, relax," he tried to stifle his guffaws. "It's not like I was the one who created the problem in the first place."

Twilight glowered, she was about to say something but Discord held up his lion paw for her to remain silent.

"You know, when I first came here," he began in a soft yet serious tone, "I had hoped you, of all ponies, would be the least bit fine to see me. I mean, you're the one with the elusive element. Magic...and friendship."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "And so?" She didn't mean to sound sarcastic, but still, he was confusing her.

Discord sighed and rolled his eyes. "I thought you'd be, well...friendly despite that it's me."

Twilight stiffened at that statement, feeling her heart twist. Suddenly, the guilt that she first had all those weeks ago quickly came rushing back.

What was she doing? Why was she acting like this toward him? Maybe she was just upset because she felt like a fool for all this time she had visited Discord's statue to suddenly realize it wasn't even Discord at all? That he played everyone...even her?

She felt like her personality was just going at different directions: surprised, shy, sad, confused, angry...and now a little guilty.

One part of her wanted to apologize for her somewhat rude behavior, yet the other part was telling her she was doing just fine and that Discord needed some tough love. Tougher perhaps.

Before she could say anything, Rainbow Dash flew in between them, baring her teeth at the Draconequus.

"Don't you dare try and trick our friend!" The pegasus shouted. "She's too smart to fall for whatever you got at her!"

Discord just sighed with annoyance. "Must you always barge in our conversations? I swear, you take your loyalty too seriously."

"Well, I am the Element of Loyalty!" She shouted. "And if I had it right now I'd use it on you in a hoofbeat!"

"Rainbow Dash..." Twilight wanted to speak out, but she was just so overwhelmed with emotions right now.

"Well, I guess I was wrong..." She turned and Discord's eyes were completely focused on hers.

When she stared into those colors of red and gold...she thought she saw pain.

"There really is no pony to reconsider me, is there?" Discord asked. If he was hiding his hurt, he was doing an excellent job at it. "You know, I can't exactly say I blame you. Though the accusations are getting really boring..." He gave a slightly amused smile.

"Discord..." Twilight's voice trailed. She felt something wet slide down the corner of her cheek; thank Equestria no one took notice, not even Discord as he averted his eyes.

"So I guess I'll just take my chaos and leave," Discord said as he floated into the air, all the ponies watching him go. "But don't worry..." He gave a smirk. "I'll be sure to drop a cotton candy cloud on you every once in a while. Especially for you, my dear Twilight Sparkle."

The unicorn flinched as soon as he said her name. She just stood there as Discord suddenly vanished.

Gone. Again.

"Discord..." Twilight whispered, her eyes glistening. Her ears lowered as she gazed at the ground. "Don't go..." She said quietly to herself.
_

Twilight bit her lip as she gazed at the crown that had been placed on her head. After receiving a message from the princesses to come to the castle, she and her friends were immediately given the Elements of Harmony. The others, especially Pinkie Pie, were thrilled as well as excited to be wearing their chosen element once again.

But Twilight, who was usually proud and honored whenever wearing her Element of Magic and Friendship, suddenly felt uncomfortable as the crown sparkled.

"Looks like the Elements of Harmony are set," Prncess Luna declared as she gazed at the six ponies. "Now, dear sister, tell them what we've discussed."

"Right," Princess Celestia nodded before turning to the others, "as Luna and I have talked over, using the elements to turn Discord into stone again won't do much this time, considering he just might break out again."

Twilight caught on and her eyes widened, and for some reason...why did that actually sound fine with her?

"But," the sun princess continued, "if you wield the elements this time, a new form of magic will occur..."

"New form of magic?" Twilight suddenly gulped.

"It was something Luna and I discovered when we stored the elements back in here a while back after you had used them the first time on Discord," Celestia explained, "and learning this, you six can wield the power to..." She turned to Luna.

The moon princess nodded. "Take away Discord's powers," she concluded.

"What?" Twilight suddenly gasped, her head immediately shot up to gaze at the princesses. Thankfully, no one heard her.

"And turn him back into stone," Celestia added with a deep sigh of relief, "that way, he'll never break free again no matter how hard he tries."

Twilight felt the color drain from her face as she regarded her teacher, feeling completely horrified.

"We don't know where Discord may be hiding," Celestia continued sadly, "but be prepared." And she gazed at the six ponies. "All of you."

"Princesses!" Twilight suddenly exclaimed, unable to remain mum anymore. She wanted to rip off her crown for some reason, but she just couldn't. She stood high on her legs as she gazed pleadingly at the rulers of Equestria. "Please, there's something-"

"Come on!" Rainbow Dash cut in, wearing her element proudly as she gently shoved the unicorn toward the doorway. "We got to go so I can keep a good eye on you guys as well as Cloudsdale!"

"Rainbow Dash, wait-" Twilight tried to say as her friends pushed her on. But her voice was barely heard as her friends cheers drowned her out, urging her along with them as they made their way back to Ponyville.

"Good luck!" Celestia called out to them. "I know you won't let us down!"

Twilight, feeling like such a useless tool at the moment, flinched as those words began to sink in.
_

The candlelight flared as Twilight quietly read at her desk, hoping a good book would help her relax despite what had happened earlier.

Discord was back...her friends are in dismay...the princesses are in distraught...and now there was a plan set for motion.

Twilight gulped, recalling the princesses' words as she turned to gaze at her crown laying atop of her scarves in a nearby corner. Take away Discord's powers? Turn him back into stone?

Though Twilight was still upset over the fact that she felt she had been played a fool for talking to a fake statue this whole time, she was even more upset that the punishment had become even more severe than before. She may not like Discord-

She immediately took out her journal before pushing away her reading material on the desk. Gazing at it hard, Twilight felt almost afraid to open it. To open it, that would bring back guilt and sorrow she once felt for the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony.

Her mind was fighting whether or not she could even feel bad for him anymore. He didn't look fragile the first time they met, he was still his playful, mischievous self, and if he wanted revenge for being turned back into stone once again...well, Twilight could only assume it would all be a repeat of the last time.

If it would all be a repeat, would that mean she would go on with the plan and take away his powers before sealing him into stone again?

The thought pained her suddenly, and she took a deep breath before opening her journal. Back to the very first page she had written in after her first ever visit to Discord; his fake statue, actually.

Twilight's eyes glazed over her first ever Discord-related journal entry, and suddenly all feelings came rushing back as the words she had written flicked in her eyes.

But deep down...the guilt never ceased.

After those events, we went back to our usual lives, enjoying each other's company in our society of order and harmony. Just earlier today I helped Applejack with bucking for apples.

But while I do spend time with my friends...I sometimes spend time in the gardens of Canterlot. Where Discord is.

I have been using a transport spell that can take me there from Ponyville in a few moments, though it does make me tired easily, so I save it for the special occasion.

Really, I visit Discord whenever I can. Sometimes I even talk to him. That sounds crazy, huh? More crazy than Pinkie Pie saying random things like oatmeal and stuff? But sometimes when I get up the nerve to talk to him, I feel as if he can hear me. Probably taunting me about my sympathy and guilt for him...

But even if he still taunts me, I'm still willing to offer my friendship to him.

Though that seems impossible now, I will try...if there ever is a next time. I will try and be diplomatic with him. I will try and make him realize the error of his ways in the most compassionate way possible. I will try and become his friend.

His friend...

"What was I thinking?" Twilight suddenly exclaimed, though quiet enough so Spike, who was asleep upstairs, wouldn't wake up.

Discord had acted like a flamboyant, sarcastic, ill-mannered jerk when he had been around! Yet there was a little hint of kindness somewhere in there...Twilight couldn't see why her attitude had been reeling from sympathetic to angry at this mismatched creature. Sure, when she looked into his eyes, hearing his soft yet chilling voice, she had listened and seen...

What exactly did she see in those eyes of his?

Thinking over the description, Twilight recalled that his eyes appeared...gentle...innocent...apologetic?

Was he actually trying to give her an apology without even saying it? Or was he just that good at manipulating with emotions? Especially hers? Good grief, she must have looked like a wreck when he gazed at her the first time in a long time...

Oh, if only her friends could have spared a measly amount of time to actually listen to her! She recalled all the times today she had been trying to tell them what she had been trying to say for so long!

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight called out as she galloped over to the Element of Loyalty as she gathered all the pegasi in Ponyville. "Listen, about Discord-"

"Not now, Twilight!" The pegasus didn't even turn to her. "You can bad-mouth that jerk to me later! We got a job to do over at Cloudsdale!"

"But-" Twilight protested, but her pegasus friend had immediately lifted herself into the air, the other flying ponies following her.
_

Twilight smiled gratefully as she found the pink pony baking in Sugarcube Corner. "Pinkie Pie!" She exclaimed happily. "Thank goodness I found you!" Listen! You need to understand-"

"Sorry, gee, Twilight!" The pink party pony apologized quickly before trotting over to the oven and opening it to remove a fresh batch of muffins. "But I got work to do!"

"Work?" Twilight repeated with disbelief. "You're baking!" She didn't mean to sound angry, but Pinkie was placing her temper by a thread.

"Well, duh!" Pinkie giggled. "I'm making snacks for all the hard-working ponies who are trembling with fear because of Discord!" She eyed Twilight carefully, a slight frown of disapproval. "You know, you really need to do something,Twilight. All you're doing is standing around and talking!"

Twilight felt her face flush, and she nearly twitched as the corners of her mouth almost gave off a snarl. "Y-yeah..." She managed to say through bared teeth before trudging out the door. "See you, Pinkie..." She snapped.
_

Twilight watched as Applejack and her family were gathering all the tools from their shed. The unicorn rolled her eyes before gazing at the Element of Honesty.

"What exactly are you doing?" She questioned.

"Why, making sure my family is prepared for when that rotten varmint comes by our farm and turns our apples into cheese or some sort!" The apple pony spat.

"You think he could make the apples into chocolate?" Apple Bloom suddenly asked, her eyes widening in excitement.

"Apple Bloom!" Her big sister scolded her. "You know there be a price to go with that type of request! I mean, he is the Spirit of Chaos!"

"He didn't seem so bad the first time we saw him," the little filly scuffled a hoof on the ground, not wanting to meet her sister's disapproving gaze.

Twilight's eyes widened at the child's statement, surprised that Apple Bloom would say something so...honest and slightly truthful.

"Anyway, Twi," Applejack rolled her eyes before turning to the unicorn. "We got a lot of work to do."

"But-" Twilight began but the sisters galloped off, leaving her with a mouthful of words she had been trying to give out.
_

Rarity hummed to herself as she picked out one outfit to another as she stood in front of her mirror. Twilight groaned and shook her head before entering the boutique.

"Let me guess..." She muttered. "You're too busy trying to find an outfit for a small chat?"

Rarity chuckled before turning to the other unicorn. "Oh, darling, I know I didn't look my best the last time we went up against Discord, especially with some big, dumb rock..." She grumbled. Then her eyes immediately lit up. "But I'm okay now and I'll be finding a dashing outfit for this occasion!"

"Occasion?" Twilight repeated. "Rarity, this is going up against Discord! What's the point of dressing up when we face off against him?" Her temper was rising, and she felt her voice nearly going hoarse trying to find some common sense in this unicorn.

"Oh, dear," Rarity laughed. "Getting dressed up will show that brute who are the real classy ones around here. So what if he was the former ruler of Equestria? He simply has no class at all!" She gazed down at her material and smiled. Then her smile brightened as she had an idea from the sight of the dress in her hooves. "Oh,Twilight! Maybe you should dress up as well! Of course, you are the leader, you deserve a nicer gown to show that Discord!" She looked up.

Twilight was gone.

"Twilight, dear?" Rarity called out.
_

Just one last shot...

Twilight gulped before slowly walking over to Fluttershy who stood outside her house among her array of animals.

"Uh, Fluttershy?" The unicorn began nervously.

The yellow pegasus turned and gave her a soft smile of surprise. "Oh, hello, Twilight," she greeted. "Are you preparing for Discord as of everypony else?"

"Not really..." Twilight muttered. "I guess you're too busy to talk, huh?"

"Oh, no," Fluttershy insisted. "Of course we can talk! I always have time for my friends!"

Twilight felt her heart lift up as she gazed at her with joy. "R-really?" Her eyes sparkled, feeling hope rushing back to her.

Fluttershy nodded, smiling.

"Thank goodness!" Twilight exclaimed gratefully. "Look, I know you might go into one of your rare rage moods once I talk about this, but-"

Suddenly, Fluttershy's pet rabbit Angel tugged on the pegasus's tail. Fluttershy looked down at him as his pointed in another direction.

"Something wrong?" Fluttershy gasped softly as she gazed down worriedly at him.

"What?" Twilight cried in disbelief, feeling her mane becoming unruly from becoming slightly overstressed.

"I'll be there," Fluttershy assured him before turning back to Twilight. "I'm sorry, Twilight," she apologized before walking off. "I'm needed right now. Maybe we can talk next time."

Twilight just stood there, her left eye twitching.

The unicorn sighed as the past events of today slowly faded away as she gazed down at her journal. This must have been a punishment for trying to say something at last minute...Oh, she should have said something sooner! She should have just told her friends long before Nightmare Night, maybe way before that week in Canterlot! Maybe she should have never had used that memory erasing spell on Fluttershy at all! But now it was too late to say anything as Twilight turned back to gaze at her Element of Magic and Friendship. Like the princesses, her friends were all pulling themselves into the plan.

To stop Discord once and for all.

Recalling the plan, Twilight wondered whether to simply accept it and just take away Discord's powers and seal him once more. He hadn't been in any trouble on account of he wasn't stone for very long...and made her feel sorry for nothing. That made her realize that she was now angry with him.

Was she really?

Twilight closed her eyes and lowered her head, the heat of the candle glowing against her face.

Her mind had been swimming with so many emotions for the Spirit of Disharmony. For so long it had been guilt, earlier today it was surprise and confusion, and later off if was pure anger because he had tricked everyone, including her. And the way she spoke to him...why did she speak that way? Was if because all these thoughts and feelings had been confined for so long that letting it all out resulted in such an outburst?

And what did Discord mean when he said he had been wrong to assume that anyone, especially her, would ever reconsider him? Was he asking for a second chance or something? Highly unlikely considering he won't change his ways...

But did his chaos actually harm anyone this time around? Sure, he had surprised Twilight, and he did terrify those Canterlot ponies, but they were usually terrified of most things that were not 'sophisticated'-

"What am I going to do?" She asked herself desperately. "I may not like Discord, I may not even consider what I've been considering before he suddenly came up here with his fake statue self..."

She gulped, her hooves finding her mane as she stroked it to calm herself.

"But I know there has to be another way."

She remained silent, simply gazing at the flame of the candle as it flickered in her eyes, her mind now deep in thought. Quietly, she used her magic to bring out a quill and paper and placed it in front of her. Twilight gazed at it apprehensively, wondering if she should just back out now.

No. It was the only way to make sure everyone was safe. And especially no one getting turned into stone.

Taking a deep breath, Twilight dipped her quill into the ink bottle before she began writing.

Friends and loved ones...she wrote.

By the time you read this message, I'll be gone. I know that the Elements of Harmony need me considering I'm the Element of Magic and Friendship, but I feel that there has to be another way.

Swallowing hard, Twilight breathed before dipping her quill once more and continued writing.

I can understand that you are horrified that I strongly disagree with the plan to take away Discord's powers and turn him back into stone for good. Trust me, I've surprised myself as well...but I just can't bare to see him like that. Not again.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, you two have been so dear to me, and I know you wouldn't allow me to take measures into my own hooves if I had told you.

Actually, I"ve been trying to tell you. All of you. About Discord.

Twilight tapped a hoof to her chin, pondering what else to write.

I don't know why, but I keep feeling that maybe I can get through him. Lecture him perhaps. Wasn't that included in my studies as well? Well, Discord may be a hard one to get through, but I'm going to try.

I've actually been somewhat awaiting for something like this to happen, I don't know...

But anyway, to everypony...I had been thinking about Discord ever since the first time we used the elements on him.

I had hoped it would result in the same way that we brought back Princess Luna when she was Nightmare Moon. I will admit, I was shocked and horrified that he was stone.

Boy, was I guilty, saddened, and grieving, thinking it was all my fault and that I probably didn't use my element right. The look on his face made me cry to myself sometimes...

I know it sounds crazy that I could actually feel sorry for him. Trust me, I've been questioning that for so long. I still am as I write this message to you.

I even questioned if everypony had forgotten about him. Actually, no one did. They just wanted to forget, put the events behind them and carry on with our lives. I mean, when I saw how angry everypony was when Discord suddenly came back, I realized I had doubted for nothing.

But I do doubt that you guys would share my opinion on this matter and I can't blame you.

My mind had always been on him, and I feel like the worst friend ever not telling you all about it sooner. I was just so nervous to speak Discord's name...and Princess Celestia, I wanted to tell you so badly at the party about him, but I was afraid you would be furious.

I'm sorry I hadn't said anything. I tried to all day, but everypony was so busy. I hope you can understand once you finish reading this message.

To my dear friends, I know I am well protected when I think of you guys.

And Fluttershy...a few weeks ago, I had told you about Discord. And you let out hate and anger about him. I can't blame if you hate me right now because I immediately used a memory erasing spell on you to forget the whole thing so it would remain a secret. I'm really sorry, Fluttershy! I was just so scared and you were just so angry! I didn't know what else to do!

Twilight sniffed, a little pleased her kind pegasus friend would finally know.

So, with all that said...goodbye and please wish me luck on my lone journey in hopes of getting through Discord.

Sincerely,

Twilight Sparkle

The unicorn bit her lip as she slowly placed her quill down and read over what she had written. It wasn't too late to trash it just as all those other messages before...

Taking a deep breath, Twilight gently placed the paper on her desk. Then she blew out the candle before quietly walking off to pack some things for her trip.

The unicorn knew she needed to pack light as she can't determine exactly how long she would be gone, better yet how difficult the trip would be. She would only gather the important things and carry little luxuries with her.

Quietly using her magic to bring forth her special traveling bag, Twilight's eyes gazed over to the stairs that led to her bedroom where Spike slept. Her heart pained, knowing too well Spike would be disheartened when he would read the message first thing in the morning.

But she hoped he would understand.

Carefully, Twilight packed a few bits of clothing, followed by some other things she felt would be highly important since she would eventually be all alone with Discord...if she could find him. Then she gathered three books: The Tale of Discord, her journal, and something picked random out of the library. Twilight wished she could bring more books along, knowing that a good book would make any trip more bearable, but that would be a burden on her traveling bag.

Then her eyes fell on a pair of red sunglasses she had tossed unto the table before arriving at Canterlot. With a deep sigh, she magically lifted those and placed them into her bag. Perhaps she could get the explanation she had been hoping for if she brought those along.

Finally, she lifted the crown from its place and it gently landed on her head.
_

The Element of Magic and Friendship seemed to glow in the moonlight as Twilight slowly stepped outside her home, her bag attached to her side. One part of her was telling her she was making a grave mistake...yet the other part was saying she was doing the right thing.

That she was protecting Discord from a worse fate.

Was she doing all this just to protect him? Or did she plan this trip at last-minute just for the sake of all of Equestria?

Twilight slowly turned back toward the house, knowing Spike was still curled under his blankets and sleeping like the baby dragon he was, completely unaware that his friend was leaving him. Her parents weren't home, they were with the princesses right now, pleading that their daughter wouldn't get hurt facing off against Discord.

Twilight wished she could have seen them one last time. To give them each a nuzzle of farewell...

Twilight swallowed hard, the weight of her bag suddenly feeling heavier as she took one last glance at her house.

"Goodbye, Spike," Twilight said softly, nearly choking on her words. "Please don't cry once you read my message..." Tears nearly welled up in her eyes as she closed her door.

And she was off.
_

Bittersweet

Spike yawned as he stretched, slowly getting out of his basket before trudging downstairs. When he woke up, Twilight wasn't in her bed, so he assumed she had woken up early to do more studying and research.

Afterall, Discord was still on the loose and Twilight was the most determined out of everyone to stop him.

"Twilight?" He called out, rubbing his eyes. He gazed around the library, scratching his head and wondering where the unicorn was. "Hey, I know you're the most important element and all, but you can't work without a little breakfast."

No response from within their home. Spike raised an eyebrow in confusion before turning toward Twilight's desk. Giving another yawn, he neared it and noticed a piece of paper lying on top.

"What's this?" He asked himself before reaching over and picking it up.

He was about to read, but suddenly, his nose started to itch. He tried to hold it off, gulping in his breath as his nose started to feel full as a balloon, but it was just no use.

And he sneezed, which released a massive amount fire...that burned a large portion of the message in his hand.

Sniffing and wiping his nose, Spike's eyes widened in shock to see only a little bit of the paper had survived.

"Oh, well..." He shrugged nonchalantly, holding the tiny piece in his baby dragon fingers. "It was probably nothing anyway."

He was about to crumple it into a ball and throw it into the waste basket...but something caught his eye. Squinting, Spike could have sworn he could make out a single word in the burnt piece of paper. Though it was charred and darkened from his fire breath, it seemed distinct...

Spike felt his face suddenly grow pale as his eyes glazed over that single word that remained on the destroyed message. A name.

Discord

"No..." Spike gasped, dropping the paper onto the floor and taking a few steps back. "No...no, it can't be..." He gazed around the room in desperation.

Twilight was nowhere to be seen. And her element was gone as well!

"No!" Spike cried, falling to his knees in despair. He quickly grew scared, thoughts of what had happened to Twilight swimming in his mind. "I got to...I got to..." He hurriedly got to his feet, clutching his head in realization. "I got to tell the others! The princesses! Everypony!"

And he immediately ran out the door
_

"How can you be so sure?" Rainbow Dash demanded, her eyes widening in horror as she gazed at a vulnerable Spike.

The baby dragon rubbed his arm nervously, averting his eyes as five pairs stared at him, shocked and scared. As soon as he rushed out of the library house and found the five ponies together at Sugarcube Corner, he immediately went straight to giving them the horrifying news. Pinkie Pie's blue eyes shone with sadness as she looked from one pony to another, biting her lip as she did her best to muffle her need to sob. Fluttershy hid her face behind her pink hair, eyes closed in complete sadness. Spike then looked over to Applejack, who had the tiny paper he had given them.

"He's sure as night and day, Rainbow Dash," Applejack gulped, her green eyes widening as she stared at the paper in her hooves. She gazed at the other ponies, her face scrunching in a worried frown.

"No..." Rainbow Dash muttered quietly, her wings drooping in total despair as her eyes fell to the ground. "Not Twilight..." Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to hide them away from her friends.

"Oh, this the worst possible thing to ever happen!" Rarity wailed, small tears falling down her face as she hugged herself.

"You think?" Rainbow Dash demanded, choking on her own words as she stared at the white unicorn through glistening eyes. She suddenly wheeled over to Spike, who flinched at her concerned, angry face. "Spike! Message! Princesses! Now!"

The baby dragon didn't waste another second as he quickly took out a quill and scroll. He tried not to let his tears fall into the message as he furiously wrote.
_

Princess Celestia gasped in horror, her magic dropping the message she just received.

"What is it, dear sister?" Princess Luna asked, gazing at the older royal with concern.

"It can't be..." Celestia said quietly, her eyes widening with despair as she continued gazing down at the message she just read.

"What?" Luna asked desperately, standing by her sister's side and regarding the scroll she dropped. "What did Spike and the wielders of the elements say?"

Celestia lowered her head, quivering with sudden fear. She gave a sad, tearful sigh as she closed her eyes, Luna staring at her with concerned ones.

"Discord has kidnapped Twilight Sparkle..."
_

"Oh, my baby!" Mrs. Sparkle sobbed as she leaned against her husband as he tried to comfort her.

The Sparkle couple had returned from assisting some ponies far off in Ponyville, they had met up with Spike and the other ponies, assuming their daughter was among them. They had become horrified as well as scared when Spike told them everything, from the little message that held Discord's name to Twilight and her Element of Magic and Friendship having gone missing.

Spike and the other five could only watch as Twilight's mother broke down in front of them while her husband tried to keep it together as he did his best not to show his tears.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle..." Applejack spoke soothingly. "Twilight's a strong pony, and powerful at that. Even if Discord had taken her, I'm sure as hay she could take care of him."

"But wouldn't Discord have taken her horn first?" Pinkie Pie chirped in, her blue eyes blinking curiously. "I mean, last time we met Discord, he took out Twilight and Rarity's horns and Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy's wings, but he didn't take anything from us because we're Earth ponies and Earth ponies don't have horns or wings..." She rambled on, suddenly becoming oblivious to the situation before her. "But even if Discord did take Twilight's horn, I'm sure Twilight could take him down with her own hoofies, though I never seen her fight with her hoofies before..." She tapped a hoof to her chin and pondered.

Mrs. Sparkle wailed and cried harder, the pink pony's monologue having been useless to comfort her. The four ponies and Spike glared at Pinkie Pie, who shrunk under their eyes as she gave an apologetic smile.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle," Applejack swallowed hard, gazing at the distraught couple. "Ignore most of what Pinkie says-"

Hey!" The pink pony retorted.

"But I promise you," the apple pony ignored her, "we will find Discord and make him give back our Twilight. We'll all work together and make sure that varmint gets what's been coming for him."

She gazed up at the clear, blue sky, her green eyes shining with determination.

"Everypony will."
_

Soarin''s eyes widened and his jaw fell as he looked over the message the princesses had sent him as well as all of Cloudsdale.

"Oh, no..." He gasped, not noticing Spitfire stand by his side and gaze at the note in his hooves. "Poor Twilight..." He bit his lip, his green eyes filled with worry.

"That Discord!" Spitfire huffed, stomping a hoof against the cloud-covered ground they stood on. "As if it wasn't bad enough he turned some of our clouds into cotton candy, he had to go and kidnap an innocent pony!"

Soarin' gulped as he lowered the message. "We...we got do something..." He stated quietly. He turned to Spitfire. "What do we, the Wonderbolts, do?"

"What everypony is doing," Spitfire said, "keep an eye out for this Discord jerk, and see if we can find Twilight Sparkle anywhere!"

"Way ahead of you!" He exclaimed as he immediately dropped the note before spreading his wings, the other Wonderbolts fully-prepared behind him.

The green-eyed pegasus pulled his goggles over his eyes as he and the rest of the Wonderbolts bolted into the sky, other pegasi following behind them, their determination matching the one in Soarin's eyes. He bit his lip, hoping Twilight could protect herself from that terrible Draconequus until he or anyone else could find and rescue her.
_

Fancy Pants adjusted his monocle as he and several other Canterlot ponies gazed at the message that hung on a lamppost. His eyes widened in distraught as he read it over, his jaw falling slightly before closing it with a hard swallow.

"The Element of Magic and Friendship..." He spoke softly, worry seeping in his tone as his head lowered sadly. "Poor, dear Twilight Sparkle..."

"I say!" Upper Crust exclaimed in distraught as she gazed at the sign. "A search for this mare? Honestly, that job is much too difficult to do! Even if all of such ponies from that country town known as Ponyville would take the time to find this single pony, I highly doubt it will be of much use!"

"Oh, very right, dear," Jet Set told her with a nod.

The other Canterlot ponies murmured among each other, having as much doubt as the couple showed. Fancy Pants' eyes widened, stunned that his companions would think such a way, considering yesterday's encounter with the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony.

Without a word, the high-class stallion stamped a hoof onto the pavement, creating a loud thump that immediately brought the noise to a halt. All ponies gazed at him, confused yet slightly astonished.

"Listen to yourselves!" He huffed. "Have you forgotten that dear Twilight Sparkle is one of our kind? Born a Canterlot pony yet holding a heart dear for Ponyville?" His eyes narrowed a bit. "What bother does it make that this search be proven difficult? Everypony helps everypony, that you should all know!"

He regarded Upper Crust and Jet Set, who stared at him with expressions mixed with surprise and slight fear.

"Forgive me, my friends," Fancy Pants sighed, "but for harmony, for the princesses, for Equestria, for dear Twilight Sparkle, I will give as much help as I can give."

Upper Crust nervously fiddled with a strand of hair that let loose from her styled mane as she shifted her eyes to her husband. "Well, dear, I agree with Fancy Pants, don't you?"

Jet Set nodded vigorously, forcing a smile. "Why, yes, dear!" He stated quickly. "I'll get my hooves dirty, I swear I will!"
_

Twilight let out a tired sigh as she kept walking, her bag feeling heavier with every step. She had been traveling all night since she left Ponyville, and by now it felt like the afternoon. She was exhausted beyond belief, but she felt she needed to keep going.

Wherever she was going.

Her surroundings were completely new to her, despite it was all a forest of trees and nature. But it definitely wasn't the Everfree Forest; that was far away by now...

Twilight breathed out heavily before stopping by a nearby tree and placed her bag down. She laid against its strong wood, the shade giving her comfort. The unicorn laid her head back, gazing toward the sky, her eyes glistening with slight disapproval.

"What am I doing?" She suddenly asked aloud, gazing up at the blue sky. "Oh, maybe I should have planned better!"

She wondered if the others had found her note by now. Oh, how worried she was to imagine their expressions of disbelief to realize she was going to take on Discord all by herself with only her element as her weapon! She turned to her bag where her crown was safely stored with the rest of her small belongings. She was exhausted, aching, and feeling quite miserable at the moment.

Was she even going to find him?

"What was I thinking?" Twilight muttered to herself, placing her face in her hooves in despair. "Where would Discord be in all of this? He could be hundreds of miles away by now and still going!"

"Or seconds away and still close to you."

Twilight let out a frightened yelp but turning her head in all directions, wondering where that voice came from. Suddenly, something popped out from high above the tree was she leaning against and it stretched out for her eyes to meet red and gold ones.

"Discord!" Twilight exclaimed, her back pressing against the tree as she gazed at the mismatched creature in disbelief.

"Hello, Twilight Sparkle," he chuckled before he flew down from the tree and stood before her. "My, you look exhausted..." He observed her tired state. "You look like you just went through a day long marathon."

The unicorn broke away from the tree, now standing on all four hooves as she neared him slowly. "It's been a marathon since you came back," Twilight muttered, her eyes nearly hiding the glare on her face.

Discord raised an eyebrow at her, slightly confused by the hostility that shone in her purple eyes. "Hmm, you don't seem to be in a happy mood..." He leaned his face closer to hers to gaze at her curiously. "Are you upset?"

Twilight felt her face heat up as her teeth clenched in rage, her eyes narrowing into slits as she glared at him. "Upset?" She demanded angrily, startling him a bit. "You suddenly pop back, saying you were never encased in stone, shower others with your so-called gifts, and you ask me if I'm upset?"

Discord leaned back, his eyes slightly widening as he held his mismatched hands up protectively in front of him. He gazed at her with utter confusion. "Well...are you?" He asked, his tone melting into slight concern, though Twilight didn't notice.

Twilight suddenly let out a frustrated shout, stamping her hooves against the ground as her face became even redder. Discord merely watched her, slightly confused yet amused. She looked like a dragon after some clueless pony had awakened it...Discord thought he saw fire in the outraged unicorn.

"I take it has a lot to do with me?" He asked quietly.

Twilight growled, barring her teeth in fury. "It has everything to do with you!" She shouted, pointing a hoof at him.

Discord was a little taken aback by her accusation, but he remained in place. He gave a deep sigh as he folded his arms. "Look, I know my entrance was a little surprising, and, of course, there's having turned Ponyville into the chaos capital of the world..."

"Of course, there's that!" Twilight spat. "You...you...jerk!" She shouted angrily at him.

"I had a feeling you'd call me that," He rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he averted his eyes.

"Not just a jerk!" Twilight grunted. "You thief! You liar! You...you..." She let out an angry sigh. "You non-stone numbskull!"

She nearly choked on those words, her throat burning from so much shouting. And her face felt extremely hot as of her eyes, which were aching with something wet. Oh, in the name of Equestria, Twilight begged herself she wouldn't cry! Why would she cry?

"Okay, that's pushing it a little..." Discord said with slight disapproval, holding himself tighter. His eyes softened as he gazed at Twilight. "My dear, why are you even here if you think I'm some 'non-stone numbskull'?"

Twilight swallowed hard, her throat aching even more. "Why else?" She spat. "To make sure you don't harm my friends!"

Before he could say anything, Twilight reached into her bag and took out various things. He simply watched as the unicorn combined them all together: a football helmet, a life-jacket, and combat boots.

Twilight glared at him as she slipped the helmet over her head with her magic. As soon as she was done, she held her ground, as if ready to attack Discord any moment.

The Draconequus did his best not to laugh as Twilight stood before him. She was dressed head to hooves in her chosen armor, looking like someone being used as a test dummy. The corners of Discord's mouth twitched and he fought off the urge to smirk as he saw Twilight's blazing purple eyes behind her football helmet. His belly was aching from trying not to laugh at the sight of her.

Twilight took no notice of his near-laughing state. She just glared at him as she lowered her head to ground, as if ready to pounce him.

"I'm ready for you, Discord..." She growled. "And I'll fight you, whether or not you take my horn again!"

Discord's near-smile disappeared as he gazed at her with confusion. "Come now, Twilight, when was the last time I have ever taken your horn?"

Twilight's eyes narrowed, her lips in a slight pout as she continued glaring at him.

"Oh, you're never going to let that go, huh?" Discord let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, it was only for a short time..."

"And so is this meeting!" Twilight shouted as she stamped a hoof on the ground. "Just go, Discord!"

The Draconequus was slightly taken aback by her request. "Leave? But what about you?" He gazed at her attire to the bag she had carried. He doubted there was much to provide for her, especially in these woods.

"What about me?" Twilight demanded angrily. "Just...go!" She growled as she jerked her head at him to leave her sight.

Discord simply raised an eyebrow at her, then he silently turned on his heel and casually walked away from her. However, his eyes still remained on her expression of rage as he put more distance between them.

"You know, Twilight Sparkle," he said in a nonchalant yet slightly hurt tone, "I just wanted to make sure if you needed anything."

Twilight shook her head, still glaring at him. "I don't need anything from you."

For a quick moment...why did Twilight suddenly feel that wasn't the truth at all?

Discord let out a sigh, simply shaking his head and rolling his eyes. Without another word, he snapped his fingers and he disappeared in a flash.

Gone. Again.

The unicorn held her angry gaze, regarding the area where Discord had just vanished. Her eyes were still narrowed, her lips were still in a pout, and her face was still red from letting out so much steam at the Spirit of Disharmony.

Suddenly, her expression melted into one of despair as she lowered her head to the ground, her eyes drooping as her bottom lip quivered with complete guilt.

"Way to be friendly, Twilight..." She muttered to herself.
_

A Little Laughter, a Little Kindness

Twilight let out a yawn as she trailed under the morning sun. She did not sleep well last night in that sad excuse for a tent she had managed to pack before coming to the forest. Though the stars had been beautiful and Luna's moon gave her a bit of confidence, it was hard to sleep when thoughts about a certain mismatched creature could never escape her mind.

Discord's behavior yesterday completely took her by surprise. While his usual mischievous character was plain as the horns on his head, his attitude towards her made her nearly wonder if she was really talking to the same Discord that almost destroyed her friendship.

He was actually willing to remain by her side when she wanted him to leave her alone. And how concerned he was for her safety among the woods! Her safety? Twilight had a slight feeling he was just trying to manipulate her emotions again.

After all, he did play her a fool with that fake statue of his for so long...though he didn't know it.

Twilight shook those feelings out of her mind as best she could, her head rattling against the football helmet that laid protectively over her horn. As ridiculous as she knew she appeared in her 'battle armor', she refused to whip out her Element of Magic and Friendship. Discord would probably steal it, and it would be a game of deja vu...but it would only be her in his twisted little game of whatever chaos he 'advanced' from their last encounter. But, as she stated yesterday when she put on her gear, she was willing to fight him whether or not he took away her horn.

She was just so angry at him...why was she, exactly?

"He thinks he can just pop out of nowhere..." Twilight muttered under her breath as she stopped in front of a tree. "Act like we've hung out so many times..."

She turned on her hooves, her back facing the tree.

"Try to shower us, especially me, with his gifts..."

She raised her hind legs.

"And says he's never been encased in stone since?"

WHAM!

If her dear friend Applejack or her brother Big Macintosh could see the damage the unicorn was doing to the helpless tree, they would either have been amazed or frightened with slight competition in their eyes. Twilight let out a frustrated groan as she slammed her back hooves against the tree, leaves showering around her as the top branches rattled.

She had to let out steam, her journal didn't do much for her last night no matter how many pages she wrote in. All she ever wrote about was how Discord was being this and also being that...and Twilight was being this and also being that...Then she mentioned how she just drove him away, completely regardless of his actual concern for her. Her fury was just so over the top at the moment that she couldn't see he was actually trying to be...kind?

Finally, after nearly a dozen bucks, Twilight fell on her stomach, breathing heavily from using so much energy on the poor tree that had lost so many leaves and loose branches. Boy, would Applejack have loved to have her over for apple-bucking...

Thinking about her friend Applejack made the unicorn's heart tighten, realizing that by now the others had probably read her note. She feared the worst: panic? Anxiety? Fear? Anger? Twilight just knew Fluttershy would be disappointed once she read over that little passage about how she had become a victim to the memory-erasing spell...the unicorn just hoped Fluttershy could at least forgive her.

Twilight rolled on her back, the life-jacket vest proven very comfy for her as she gazed at the clear blue sky through the mask of her football helmet. It certainly was a beautiful morning...

A morning to spy on Discord.

Slowly raising her head, the unicorn took a deep breath, recalling the plan she made last night before she went to bed. She was going to observe the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, watch him go about his chaotic business while she remained hidden, and take as many notes as she could.

What the point of all that work was...she wasn't exactly sure. But what she did know is it would get her close to Discord and perhaps find something, anything, that the creature might be holding deep within himself.

Maybe his heart..., Twilight couldn't help but think as she summoned forth a paper and quill.

The unicorn's eyes widened and she cringed at the thought. She should already know what was within that Draconequus's heart was nothing but darkness and mischief!

Though that's not what she wrote in her journal back then...

Enough of that! Twilight thought sharply as she adjusted her helmet before making sure her boots were on right, I got a Spirit of Chaos to watch!

And with that in mind, Twilight held her head high, her materials floating above her with magic, and proceeded forward.

WHAM!

She felt she needed to kick the tree once more...just to let out whatever she was going to feel later. And she was off in search of Discord.
_

Spike's eyes slowly opened as he gazed around the library. Though Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle were staying with him...it still felt empty.

The baby dragon had been quite a wreck since yesterday, anxiety pushing him on the edge as all he could think about was what Discord might be doing to his poor unicorn friend. The first thing that came to mind was that Discord might have taken her horn, that was what Rarity mentioned after their first encounter with the Draconequus. Though Spike knew Twilight was a strong pony, he knew she was powerless without her horn.

Spike slipped out of his basket and trudged down the stairs, not daring to gaze back at the empty bed that was always beside his. As he got down to first floor, Spike wondered where Twilight's parents were. He noticed a note on the kitchen table, attached to a large bowl of gems.

Mouth drooling, Spike reached over and plucked the note before reading it.

"'Dear Spike'," he read aloud, "'sorry we weren't home when you woke up. We had to meet with the princesses. We left some gems for your breakfast. Hope you'll join us soon. Hugs and kisses, Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle.'"

They left more than hugs and kisses as Spike took notice of the dried up tear stains on the bottom of the paper. The baby dragon let out a sad sigh, feeling like he could stain the note as well the way he was feeling right now. He almost didn't even feel hungry for the delicious gems waiting for him. Still, he reached over and grabbed a ruby and mildly nibbled on it, his eyes drooping to the floor, near tears.

Feeling a little more hungry, he reached over and picked out another gem. A violet one.

Gazing at it for a few moments, Spike's eyes welled up with tears. No doubt, the sparkling shade of color reminded him all too well of a certain sparkling unicorn.

"Oh, why?" He wailed as he fell to his knees, clutching the gem. "Why me?"
_

"Where is he?" Twilight muttered under her breath as she continued through the forest.

Suddenly, she spun on her hooves, striking out in a fighting pose, intending to inflict harm at...nothing.

The unicorn let out a deep sigh, knowing her paranoia was getting the better of her. But she had to stay alert, meaning brace herself for whatever may creep behind her-

"Ha!" Twilight shouted, wheeling herself in another direction, front hooves held out threateningly.

Of course, nothing was there.

"Great..." She rolled her eyes as she fell back on all four legs and continued walking. "I'm losing my mind over when Discord might pop out and strike me with his ever-terrifying chaos!" She flipped her mane beneath her helmet, acting sarcastic while at the same time acting like a near-complete prima donna.

At least I'm prepared this time, she thought with a nod as she gazed up at the sky, thinking the Draconequus was probably above her waiting to strike when she least expected it.

No way. She was going to expect it at every turn, which is why she continued wearing the outrageous attire, having left her element back at her tent in her travel bag. She was smart, she was vigilant-

Suddenly, her stomach let out a loud, angry growl.

And she was hungry.

"I knew I forgot something," She sighed as she rubbed a hoof over her empty belly. She had hoped food would be the least on her mind, considering her entire focus was on Discord. Her eyes tightened and she bit her lip as her stomach growled louder. She continued walking, trying to ignore the rumble of her hunger as she tried to find him.

She immediately stopped in her tracks, her purple eyes widening in disbelief.

Before her was a large tree that stood out from all the others. Growing on it were apples. Not exactly apples, but apple-shaped muffins. Big, delicious, juicy muffins...

Twilight felt her mouth drool at the sight, her purple eyes glazing over at the nearest branch that was at her reach. Her stomach was screaming for her to grab one, maybe even a dozen.

No.

Twilight held back her sagging tongue, irritation replacing the desire in her eyes as she stood firmly on her hooves. She glared at the tree that was, no doubt, Discord's doing.

"As if I'm going to fall for that!" The unicorn huffed as she made her way around the tree. "He's going to have to do better if he thinks he can trick me through my stomach!" And she continued on.

However, she couldn't stop herself from turning back at the tree. Her bottom lip quivered as she watched all those muffins hanging in all their delicious glory, just begging to be picked. The unicorn clenched her teeth, her mind fighting with her stomach. She was just so hungry, yet she was just so cautious.

Immediately, she rushed back over to the tree and quickly hopped up. She grabbed the nearest muffin within reach before falling back on all four hooves.

She couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face as she gazed at the muffin at her hooves, her eyes sparkling. But that quickly diminished as she cleared her throat, averting her eyes away from the treat as she slipped it into her vest as she continued on. She didn't dare turn back to the tree as she quickened her pace.

The tree was left alone...but the unicorn quickly rushed back and plucked off another muffin. Her eyes shifted back and forth anxiously as she slipped the second muffin into her vest. With that done, she ran off, promising this was the last time.

It really was as the tree behind her became nothing more than a speck in the distance as Twilight disappeared.

As soon as she was out of sight, something massive slowly emerged from the tree's trunk.

Discord turned his head in the direction the pony went, the camouflage he used to blend in with the tree slowly disappearing from his body. Still gazing at where Twilight rushed off, he reached over and plucked off a muffin before biting into it.

A small, hopeful smile formed on his lips.

Well, at least she got her breakfast...he thought with a chuckle.
_

The Mayor's house was the only place fitting enough for a meeting as the princesses, Twilight's parents, the remaining Elements of Harmony, and Spike gathered around the Mayor's office as the mare herself, along with her secretary, did all they could to be as supportive as possible.

Princess Luna struggled as the magic upon her horn blazed a bright blue and purple, her efforts becoming fruitless in her attempts to fully conjure her search spell. With a miserable sigh, she turned to her sister with disappointment.

"It's no use," the moon princess moaned, "Discord's location won't reveal itself to us no matter how much magic we harbor. He's just that good."

"And he has my baby!" Mrs. Sparkle cried, trembling on her front hooves as her eyes nearly welled with tears.

"Mrs. Sparkle," the Mayor spoke soothingly while her secretary stood close by, "I assure you, the princesses, as well as everypony, is doing all they can to make sure your daughter is found and safe."

"Ma'am, we just got a message from Soarin'," her secretary chirped in a nonchalant manner as she searched through her binder, "apparently the Wonderbolts haven't found any sign of Ms. Twilight Sparkle or this Mr. Discord."

"Oh, it's hopeless!" Mrs. Sparkle wailed as tears immediately poured down her eyes as she placed her hands on her hooves.

"Oh, Mrs. Sparkle..." Princess Celestia lowered her eyes shamefully, feeling she was responsible for her faithful student's mother to be like this. "I know it's difficult at the moment, but we're doing everything we can."

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash tried to cheer the unicorn up as she skidded by her side and placed a sympathetic hoof on her shoulder. "I mean, we stopped Discord before! We can do it again!" She smirked at everyone as she tapped at the Element of Loyalty around her neck. "Because we got these babies."

"But we only have five elements," Spike pointed out as she stood near the pegasus, "even if you guys could combine right now and do your whole magic of friendship thing, it'll still be useless!" He averted his eyes and twiddled his fingers. "I mean, I should know...I was the substitute Rainbow Dash." He gave her a nervous, apologetic grin.

"Boy, he's right!" Applejack cried, stamping a hoof to the carpet. "Twilight's the most powerful element of all! We can't do all that powerful stuff without her, we'll be down as soon as we go up!"

"Princesses," Fluttershy turned to them, "can't you use your magic to assist the remaining elements?"

The sisters turned to each other, both masked with an expression of doubt. They turned back to the timid pegasus.

"We will try," Celestia breathed, "but as I stated before, Luna and I are no longer connected to the elements."

"But perhaps our magic can guide them," Luna insisted, "even if we are an element short."

The Mayor blinked, having become fascinated by where the conversation was leading as she leaned forward on her desk, her glasses nearly falling down her nose. Her secretary still remained by her side, however, she was just as curious as she gazed at the five ponies that were taking position in the office while the princesses stood beside each other, readying their horns.

Spike smiled with approval as he stood by the Sparkle couple. "See that?" He told them as he kept his eyes on the five ponies. "You got to admit, that is pretty cool." He took great notice that a spot seemed to be empty, the front of the five. "Of course..." He raised an eyebrow in disappointment. "It would be twenty-percent cooler if Twilight-" His eyes widened in realization before he immediately placed his hands over his mouth. He shifted his gaze over to Mrs. Sparkle, who looked like she was going to burst out in tears again.

Celestia and Luna's horns began to glow as they raised their heads toward the five ponies. Rainbow Dash nodded to the princesses before motioning for the other four to follow her as she slowly closed her eyes, allowing her Element of Loyalty to carry her.

Soon, the five Elements of Harmony began to glow from each of the wielders' necks. The Mayor could barely shield her eyes from the pure beauty of the glow that the elements combined as she gazed at the magic in awe; even her secretary's mouth fell open as she watched. Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle watched in pure astonishment as the glowing elements rose the five ponies high above the ground, their magic combined with the princesses' creating an even brighter effect as a mysterious breeze blew through the office, nearly blowing everyone off their hooves; the secretary struggled to keep all her papers in the files.

Spike's eyes widened, a smile of hope spreading across his face as he watched the magic unfold as it had done before. "It's working..." he muttered, "it's working..."

Suddenly, the light quickly faded, the elements' power dispersed as the five ponies fell to the ground with inarticulate shouts.

"What happened?" Rarity exclaimed, bunching the side of her mane where she worried might have been ruined from the fall.

"I think we made a big whoopsie there!" Pinkie Pie said, checking over her Element of Laughter.

"Princesses," Applejack turned to them, her green eyes glistening with fear. "are the elements...?"

The sisters bowed their heads shamefully, their wings drooping with disappointment.

"I'm sorry, Applejack," Celestia sighed sadly. "It's just not complete without the Element of Magic and Friendship."

"So you're saying that as long as the elements aren't connected..." Mr. Sparkle gulped. "Our daughter is doomed?" He quickly held his wife close, who was close to another waterfall of tears.

"They didn't say Twilight was doomed!" Rainbow Dash insisted.

"Yeah," Pinkie Pie nodded rapidly, "Twilight's just...well..." She searched her mind for a good term to describe the situation. "Stuck." She smiled at her chosen word. "Yeah, just stuck! Stuck with big, dumb Discord!" And she let out a small giggle.

"Oh, gosh, she is doomed..." Mrs. Sparkle muttered as she placed her face in her hooves.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle," Luna spoke softly, "while the elements are proven useless at this time, please have faith that everypony is giving their time to finding your daughter." She raised a hoof toward the window behind the Mayor's desk. "Whether land or sky, the search is still in continuation."

"That reminds me," the secretary chirped, standing beside the moon princess. She gave Luna a respectful bow before taking out her file. "Mr. Fancy Pants from Canterlot is hard at work with his search party. No other news yet, but, as he stated..." She looked over the paper. "They won't give up." And she flashed the Sparkle couple a hopeful smile.

"Well, at least friends back home are helping us," Mr. Sparkle sighed.

"Since when would Upper Crust and Jet Set manage their hooves for something they think is 'beneath them'?" Mrs. Sparkle said doubtfully, recalling one of the parties she and her husband attended with all the other Canterlot ponies.

"Since Fancy Pants became leader of the whole thing," Rarity answered the older unicorn with a knowing smile.
_

Though that muffin was delicious and satisfying, that didn't stop her from becoming cautious and observant.

Twilight emerged her head from a bush as she remained quiet, both her eyes and mind focused. Still 'armed', the unicorn studied the mismatched creature who created a little playground for himself this morning.

Twilight's serious expression didn't change as she watched Discord stand at the end of a diving board he summoned for his conjured swimming pool of chocolate milk.

It seemed almost fun.

The unicorn immediately shook her head before remaining low, making sure Discord didn't notice her studying him as she magically took out her quill and paper. She continued watching him as she wrote down what she observed, hoping her notes would be helpful for future use...whatever she was going to use them for.

Sure, he was using his chaos, but for his own simply pleasure with no harm to anyone, especially to her, which surprised her considering she had stayed up half the night hoping he would startle her; she even wore helmet to bed. Her mane felt hot underneath it this instant as she kept herself hidden in the bush.

But she needed to be sure, keep herself safe...and just watch him. Was this what she had planned since she left home? She wasn't sure. All she knew was that she couldn't approach Discord just yet, considering she would probably blow up in his face again.

But a part of her did wish she could thank him for that muffin tree...

Discord sighed and rolled his eyes as he stood on the diving board. He knew Twilight was spying on him; the bush wasn't that far from his pool and he could just feel her curious stare at the back of his skull. Honestly, he wished she would just approach him already, talk to him at least; he didn't care if she would yell at him again, he forgave her for that. She could let off as much steam as she wanted, he just wanted them to talk.

At least, ever so grateful, he had been so close to her when she had snagged that muffin off that tree he conjured just for her...

Pretending he wasn't aware of her presence, Discord stretched his arms. Then with a few breaths, he jumped off the board and landed in the pool of chocolate milk with a splash.

Twilight blinked in utter amazement, having witnessed his incredible move which created a high and mighty splashing wave that looked like a blanket being lifted up into the air before gracefully falling back to the ground. She almost got off track where she was writing as she nearly ripped a hole in her paper while watching Discord. The Draconequus slowly emerged from the pool, whipping his fur back as he smoothed his mismatched horns, a playful smile on his face as he relaxed under the morning sun.

Twilight suddenly felt her face heat up with envy. How is it that Discord can simply have fun while he knew that all of Equestria was probably on his furry tail?

Because he's Discord, Twilight thought with a sigh, duh, I knew that way before the stained-glass window incident.

Careful not the make a sound, Twilight floated her quill and paper away as she quietly got out of the bush, deciding to head back to her campsite and look over her notes. And perhaps write some things in her journal regarding what she observed and thought...

As she kept trotting, Twilight suddenly yelped when she felt something jerk her back, nearly making her fall.

Fearfully shifting her eyes, she blew out a sigh of relief when she noticed that the metal mask of her football helmet got caught on a loose tree branch . With another sigh, Twilight tried to pull her head away, trying to break loose. She struggled, her eyes tightening as that darn tree branch held on to her helmet like glue to a paper.

"Come on," she muttered as she kept pulling.

Suddenly, she felt the branch loosen it's grip. Twilight gave a sigh of relief, glad her strength finally released her. But when she opened her eyes-

She became stiff as she was met with a brown furry chest that nearly towered over her. Gulping, she slowly raised her eyes to meet mismatched ones that gazed down at her, a smile along with them.

Discord gave his best smile, satisfied that she was happy the branch in which he removed had let go of her. He did his best not to laugh at the unicorn in her unusual attire.

Still staring down at her distraught face, he gave a playful smirk as his eyes lowered in a smooth expression of greeting. And he silently waved at her with his lion paw.

Twilight remained still for a few moments...then she immediately turned her back and continued trotting off, not daring to look back at him.

Discord gave a sigh of disappointment as he watched her go. How he wished she would just talk to him again, regardless if most of it was going to be yelling. He would try to soothe that yelling, try to explain himself to her. Hope for something better between them.

Twilight trudged on, her eyes glued to the ground as she made more distance between them.

Suddenly, she nearly lost balance on her hooves as the ground before her began to shake. Twilight let out a startled gasped, assuming it was an Earthquake.

But as she realized, gazing down at the ground which she could see her reflection in, she was standing on jiggling jello.

Her stunned expression suddenly grew to one of pure annoyance as she wheeled around to face Discord, who gave her an innocent look, motioning with his paw that he was just trying to make things fun.

Twilight's narrowed eyes made him avert his as he snapped his fingers, cutting off the portion of jello she stood on and allowed her to continue on her way.

The unicorn held her nose high, looking like some stuck-up Canterlot pony as she retreated back to her camp. Discord merely watched her, disappointment filled his soul as he watched his favorite pony leave him again.

"Oh, Twilight Sparkle," he sighed, "you are just being ridiculous." But he knew she was far from it.
_

Soarin' lifted his goggles and gazed at Ponyville before them. He and the other Wonderbolts had flown for over an hour and decided to take a short break, all remaining atop some mountain. Their search was as difficult as when it started. They were flying ponies, not magic-wielding ones. And considering that this Discord had both the ability to fly and produce magic...Soarin' just hoped Twilight could take care of herself with that powerful horn of hers.

"Yo, Soarin'!"

The green-eyed Wonderbolt's ears perked up as soon as he heard his name. He and Spitfire looked towards the sky and noticed two familiar pegasi flapping towards their location.

"Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy," Spitfire chuckled as they landed before them, "the elements loyalty and kindness, am I right?" She gazed at their necklaces.

"Hay yeah," Rainbow Dash spoke proudly, showing off the element around her neck. "Rainbow Dash, flying extraordinaire and most loyal friend."

"I can see that," Spitfire observed, "how are you and the others pulling it off?"

"Not so well," Rainbow Dash lowered her eyes sadly, "without Twilight, our most important element, that Discord will still be as free as a bird."

"And he could possibly harm those poor birds if he remains free," Fluttershy squeaked nervously, "it'll just be like last time, when he gave my rabbits deer legs."

"Meh, that didn't beat the dancing buffalos," Spitfire said.

"Or the floating pies!" Soarin' exclaimed, his mouth drooling. "I loved that one!" As soon as all eyes fell on him with disapproving glares, the green-eyed Wonderbolt shuddered, scuffling a hoof shamefully. "Still...poor Twilight."
_

Twilight clung onto the tree branch as she gazed down below her. Paper and quill held firmly in her teeth, she watched from her hiding spot in the tree as Discord leaned against it, watching a small river before him.

It was difficult climbing up the tall tree, but the unicorn was determined to observe the Draconequus even further. As frightened as she was to have climbed so high, it was worth it to watch Discord far below, completely unaware that she was spying on him.

For a few minutes, Discord just laid against the tree, his mismatched legs crossed out in front of him as he continued watching the river. Twilight raised an eyebrow in slight surprise as she continued holding onto the branch she laid against.

"Seems..." She muttered as she continued watching. "...interesting." And she slowly removed the paper and quill from her mouth using her magic. Clinging to the branch with her back legs, the unicorn glazed over her recent notes before finding an empty section in which she began to write in.

Suddenly, there was a crack.

Gasping, Twilight rapidly turned her head from side to side, hoping what she just heard was not what it supposedly meant. After a few moments and observing around her from high above in the tree, she slowly breathed out a sigh or relief before returning to her work.

CRACK!

Before she knew it, the branch Twilight was on snapped and the unicorn found herself falling, her papers and quill flying out of her hands as she began to plummet down. The unicorn screamed, hoping at least the football helmet would protect her head. She closed her eyes, awaiting to hit the ground...

She let out a sudden yelp when she found herself sliding against a large, scaled tail. She could barely take sight of Discord's playful smirk as she she slid off his furry tip and landed in-

SPLASH!

Twilight immediately emerged her head above the water, coughing and spluttering and gasping for air. Her helmet floated beside her as part of her mane fell over her eyes. As she struggled to fix it, she heard laughter.

Furious, the unicorn wheeled around and spotted Discord standing at the edge of the river clutching his stomach as he tried to stifle his guffaws. Twilight bared her teeth, her purple eyes blazing with rage.

He probably planned this! She thought with clenched teeth as she remained floating in the river. She was just about to swim away when she noticed Discord take a few steps back...

Then he raced forward and dove into the water, creating an even bigger splash than hers. Twilight struggled as a wave nearly engulfed her. She kept on paddling until the waves died down, leaving her in the center of the river.

Suddenly, Discord emerged before her, water dripping down his goat beard as he smiled down at her distraught face. Twilight's eyes widened in shock, her mouth nearly dropping. Then she bared her teeth, showing the Draconequus just how infuriated he made her.

But Discord just smiled down at her. And with that, he scooped up some water with his lion paw and splashed at her. Twilight shook her mane, ridding the water he threw at her before looking at him once again, this time with an expression of surprise.

Discord couldn't hold it anymore and let out another laugh, clutching his belly as his mismatched wings paddled for him. Twilight just stared at him, completely stunned by how oblivious he was at the moment. Or maybe he wasn't being oblivious at all...

After all, he did prepare himself when she fell from that tree, which, she was sure, he was responsible for...

But at least she fell in the river on not the hard ground...and the river did seem refreshing...and seeing him laugh and smile...

The corners of Twilight's mouth suddenly twitched as she watched him roll in the river with laughter. Suddenly, her cheeks began to tighten as she felt her lips form into a small smile.

And she let out a small, quiet giggle.

Discord stopped laughing and whipped a tear in his eye, gazing down at her with a smile of pure joy. Finally, he heard her laugh.

Twilight continued giggling, until she suddenly realized that Discord was observing it. She immediately stopped, placing a hoof over her lips to cease her sudden laughter.

"What's wrong, Twilight?" Discord asked with slight disappointment as she continued swimming around her. "You know, that's the first time I've ever heard you laugh."

And no doubt it would be the last as Twilight immediately swam away from him, as fast as her hooves could take her.

Finally, she made it toward land as she came onto the grass, her mane and tail dripping. She shook herself rapidly, then finally she was well dry. Smiling to herself as she felt her body sparkle as her last name implied, she stroked her soft mane with a hoof.

She suddenly realized that her football helmet was missing as she gazed around desperately.

"Ahem."

She wheeled around and stood stiff as Discord's chest toward over her. In his mismatched hands was her helmet.

"You dropped this, my dear," he said before handing it to her.

Twilight blinked in utter surprise as he showed her helmet. She bit her lip, mind racing as she stared from the helmet to Discord.

Without a word, she grabbed the mask of the helmet with her teeth and immediately scurried off, leaving a slightly disappointed Discord behind.

Discord sighed as he watched her leave. At least he heard her laugh for once instead of her yelling at him...
_

Twilight continued walking, knowing that Discord was far behind her now and she felt she could just walk in peace. He completely took her by surprise with those swimming antics. And she seemed to actually enjoy it!

The unicorn shuddered as she found a nice tree to rest against. Twilight let out a sigh as she raised her eyes to the sky, her thoughts drifting back to Discord.

He was just not living in any fear, he was just living in his own paradise while Twilight was being cautious, readying herself for whenever he was going to strike. She had been so sure he was up to something when it came to that muffin tree or that time in the river. He seemed to be enjoying playing with her. And he heard her laugh! He might have sensed some sort of weakness within her, she just knew it! Twilight sighed, feeling rather stressed.

Suddenly, her stomach growled.

And rather hungry.

Twilight groaned, remembering how she had forgotten to pack much food for her trip here, mentally grateful she had taken two muffins this morning for her breakfast. She was just so focused on Discord, she thought food would be the least on her mind.

Her stomach growled angrily, and Twilight clutched it with a sigh. She recalled the many times Discord had summoned himself a glass of chocolate milk...or a chocolate milk of glass. The sweet, sugary taste that touched his lips as she had spied him drink...

Twilight shook her head before she removed her helmet and threw it on the ground. Then she dug into one of the pockets of her vest, hoping there was something she had slipped in it.

Her eyes brightened when she took out a tiny, crumpled chips bags. While she had hoped for a chocolate bar, chips would do just fine. The unicorn's hooves held against the ends of the bag as she tried to open it. It wouldn't.

"Come on!" She growled as she sank her teeth unto the plastic and pulled at it, her hunger making her desperate. "Open!"

Suddenly, a bright light blinded her. The unicorn yelped as she shut her eyes, turning away. The light lasted for a few moments before finally dispersing.

Slowly opening her eyes, they widened when she gazed down and noticed that her small chips bag had opened...and it was filled to the brim with cookies.

Twilight blinked in confusion, but then she got the hint before turning her head. And there was Discord, lying on his stomach as he gazed at her with a playful smile.

"Spying can make you famished, doesn't it, my dear?" He chuckled as he raised his head and scratched his ear.

The unicorn's jaw fell, and he laughed.

"Not that I mind," he chuckled, "I know sooner or later you're going to have to come to me like the dear Element of Friendship and Magic you are."

Twilight gulped, clutching the bag of cookies closer to her. She slowly stepped away from him. Discord noticed this and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Come now, Twilight," he said softly as he got to his feet. "You know I wouldn't dream of terrorizing you. Well, not anymore."

"Uh..." The unicorn gulped. "No, it's just..." She stepped further away. "I just don't think..."

The Draconequus sighed, his expression lowering that to self-disappointment before regarding the fearful unicorn. "Don't think I'm capable...of showing some kindness?"

She stiffened a bit, stopping in her tracks. Was that it? Was she afraid this was all simply an act to win her over just to mess with her? He had played her a fool before with the fake statue...she was just trying to make sure she wouldn't be played again.

What is wrong me? She thought desperately, he's just being so...so...sweet.

The unicorn felt herself twitch, shocked she would think of such a word. But she knew this wasn't the first time she had mentally called him sweet.

She once called him a sweet jerk.

But what if he was still that jerk behind all the sweetness?

"Twilight?" The sound of his voice drew her out of her thoughts and she blinked and looked up.

His face was so close to hers, his eyes gazing down at her with...concern?

"Um..." She immediately stepped back.

She suddenly felt the corners of her eyes grow wet.

"I'm sorry, I..." She choked. "I got to go!"

Before Discord could say anything, she grabbed her helmet, quill, notes, and bag of cookies and rushed off, leaving a very confused, very hurt Draconequus.
_

Applejack held her hat down upon her head as she and Rarity gazed up at the gray sky as a strong wind blew through Ponyville.

"Oh, of all days for a storm!" Rarity whined. "And still no sign of Twilight or Discord!"

"We can continue searching tomorrow!" Applejack urged her as she motioned a hoof toward the unicorn's boutique. "Right now, we got to head for cover! Who knows? Maybe this storm will be over in a couple of hours!"

Rarity lowered her gaze as she touched the Element of Generosity around her neck. Her bottom lip quivered, worried as ever for her dear friend.

"I just hope it doesn't rain."
_

Twilight shivered as she laid under her tiny tent, trying to ignore the rain and thunder as she tried to write in her journal.

Some tent...it was almost too small to cover her body as she felt water drop through the tiny cracks of it. And the wind, it was moving her tent, and she hoped desperately the wooden nails would hold it down until morning.

This was all she could fit into her traveling bag.

Twilight couldn't concentrate on writing in her journal as bits of rain fell on the pages. She sighed in defeat before shutting it and putting it back in her bag.

Those cookies were delicious, but she knew breakfast was going to be a problem tomorrow.

And Discord...the unicorn bit her lip as she recalled the look of hurt on his face as she ran away from him.

She didn't mean to call him unkind...even though she knew he had been the first time they met. But still...instincts were messing with her about whether or not she could do something. Anything.

Her mind was telling her she should keep avoiding him, yet keep on eye on him. Yet her heart told her to reach out to him as she had promised all those weeks ago. Had that not been her goal since the first time she visited him, actually, his fake stone self, in the Canterlot gardens? Had she not told herself that she had seen something in him even after he nearly destroyed her friendship?

She really did see something, she had been noticing it all day. From those muffins, to the quick swim in the river, to the amount of cookies in her little bag...Discord really showed something. And Twilight was just doubting it because she wasn't sure how to approach such a difficult situation.

It had been, after all, been so long. And deep down, Twilight knew she had been waiting for something like this. She was just afraid it would all go to disaster. No, more like becoming a crushed dream.

"I can't keep doing this..." She said, tears nearly welling in her eyes as she rested her head against the cold grass beneath her. "I...I...Discord..." She sniffed, tears falling down her face as she hugged herself close. She shivered as the wind blew harder, and she grew frightened as her tent kept shuffling.

Maybe she could talk to him tomorrow, though she wasn't sure how.

Finally, she closed her eyes and forced herself to go to asleep against nature's cruel work.
_

Twilight stirred and moaned, hugging herself closer. She leaned harder, wanting her head and mane to imbibe in the softness beneath her.

Wait...softness?

Her eyes jerked open as she quickly raised her head. Beneath her was a pillow.

"Wha..?" She gazed at where she lay.

It was a massive bed.

Confused, Twilight regarded her surroundings and her eyes widened.

She was in a room of polka-dotted walls, and she noticed the floors were covered with zigzag stripes of black and white. Gazing at her sleeping material, Twilight realized she was lying in a bed made entirely of clouds, as well as the pillow, though it was a cotton candy cloud.

Twilight's mouth fell in shock, knowing so well what a cotton candy cloud meant.

But where was...?

Suddenly, she heard light snoring and quickly turned around.

There sat Discord beside her bed, eyes closed and his head low. Around him was a blanket he held close to his body. He was asleep.

And he had been by her side this whole time!

Twilight gasped, her eyes glistening with confusion and amazement.

He...he saved me...She thought incredulously. He...even waited for me...

Her eyes sparkled with pure astonishment as she continued gazing at him, her cheeks flushing from the heat that she so desperately needed after enduring the cold weather. She watched as the corners of his mouth remained in a small, tender smile, as if it was both happy and grateful she was away from the cold storm and in the warm bed he had summoned for her. His closed eyes made him appear soft, innocent...sweet as well as kind.

Twilight placed a hoof to her warm cheek, amazed as well as stunned by what the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony had done for her. Maybe, just maybe, she should still hold some hope for him.

Finally, feeling tired again, she laid her head back down. Gazing at him one last time, the corner's of Twilight's mouth formed a small smile as she closed her eyes. A tiny, happy tear slid down her cheek as she fell back to sleep.

Perhaps there truly was a little kindness in him...

Honest Words and Generous Chaos

Spike slowly opened the door of Sugarcube Corner and gazed at the clear blue sky as the sun shone down upon Ponyville. With a sigh of relief, the baby dragon left the door open before turning back to the rest of the occupants that had taken shelter in the shop last night.

"That was some storm," he commented, watching as Rainbow Dash flapped her wings while yawning and stretching.

"Sure was, partner," Applejack sighed. She turned and gave a grateful smile to the Cakes, who had put their babies atop their booster seats. "Thanks again for letting us stay here at last minute."

"Oh, it's no problem, dear," Mrs. Cake smiled at the blonde pony before she resumed trying to feed her daughter. "Pumpkin...Pumpkin, please eat up..."

But her orange-haired foal continued acting stubborn as it babbled before using its tiny magic to flip the spoon of baby food right at her mother. Both she and Pound Cake laughed as the mess dribbled down their mother's chin.

Rainbow Dash stifled a laugh. "You know, if Twilight were here," she blurted out without thinking, "she'd talk about how babies need to be taught basic manners and stuff and-" She immediately cut herself off, placing a hoof over her mouth. She shifted her eyes over to the other Elements of Harmony, smiling nervously.

"Too late," Spike choked as he lifted a finger to his eyes to wipe away new tears as his bottom lip quivered.

"Oh, Spike," Fluttershy cooed sadly as she leaned down and nuzzled her face against his. "We'll find her, don't worry."

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash tried to cheer him up, "another day of searching, remember?" She lifted a hoof in the air just in time when Pound Cake had flapped his wings and zoomed right out of his seat, much to Mr. Cake's dismay. The rainbow-haired pegasus gently clutched the baby in her hooves as she gave Spike an assuring smile. "The Wonderbolts will find her."

"If not, those nice ponies from Canterlot will!" Pinkie Pie added, her smile brightening as she shone it in front of the distressed baby dragon.

"Nice?" Applejack asked in a doubtful tone as she gazed at the pink pony with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, so they're a bunch of party poopers..." Pinkie scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "But still, at least they're helping!"

"Where are Twilight's parents?" Fluttershy asked nervously.

"Assisting the princesses back at the castle," Spike answered, rubbing his hands together in anxiety. "Man, Twilight's parents have been going non-stop, trying to help the princesses with anything to get their daughter back."

"Oh, the poor darlings!" Rarity gasped dramatically, placing a hoof over her forehead and looking as if to faint.

"Last time I saw Twilight's dad," Mr. Cake sighed as he pushed small table with treats toward them, "the poor guy was nearly ripping his hair out when he failed a communication spell to somehow feel his daughter's thoughts." He lowered his head sadly. "And Mrs. Sparkle couldn't stop crying when she failed as well."

"Oh, dear," Mrs. Caked sighed as she held Pumpkin under one hoof while regarding her husband sadly, "I just can't imagine what it would be like to have your own child kidnapped by some...some..." She bit her lip as she gently nuzzled Pumpkin's head, fear taking over half her mind as the little unicorn gurgled.

"Brute!" Rarity spat, flipping her mane in disgust.

"Brute smute!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed with a roll of her eyes. She flapped her wings angrily, raising herself above the others. "Come on, guys!" And with that said, she zoomed past the other ponies and flew out the door into the clear blue sky, intending to meet up with Soarin' and the other Wonderbolts for any news.
_

After observing the room, Twilight finally mustered up enough courage to go through the large, carpet-covered door and see where she was. After waking up earlier, she noticed the chair beside her bed where Discord once slept was empty. The unicorn was surprised as well as a little anxious as to wonder why the Draconequus didn't stay around long enough for her to wake up so he would greet her in his most chaotic kind of way.

After passing through a long hallway that was made of a garden of flowers and cloud trees, Twilight wondered where he was at all. She was no longer wearing her 'safety armor'; seemed Discord had magically removed them when he rescued her from the rain. And it seemed he was actually very considerate seeing as Twilight's bag had been placed next to her bed when she woke up. The unicorn left the bag in the bedroom, just floating beside her the more important things she would need if she was going to try and relax: quills, ink, and her journal.

"Ah, I see you're awake."

Twilight yelped, hearing that deep, smooth tone as she nearly dropped her materials. Her head swung back and forth, wondering where Discord was. Suddenly, her eyes fell on a picture on a nearby tree that looked like a filly drew on it with crayon. Peering closer, her eyes widened and she bit her lip to keep from gasping.

As if he hadn't astonished her enough when he was a stained-glass image...

"Good morning, Twilight," the crayon picture of Discord chuckled as it moved upon the tree bark. He gazed at her for a few moments. "I had hoped some sleep on those clouds would do something...you look like you just seen a ghost."

Twilight blinked for a few moments, feeling the corners of her mouth twitch. Finally, she breathed out before slightly narrowing her eyes at Discord.

"You know," she said dryly, "would it kill to just show up normally instead of bouncing around the walls like the wacko you are?"

"Wacko?" The crayon image chuckled. "My, that's a nice compliment, Twilight Sparkle."

The unicorn stood a few feet back when a bright light flashed before her, and there stood the Draconequus himself, smirking down at her.

Twilight's mouth fell. "D-discord..." Her voice trailed off.

She remained perfectly still when he leaned down and placed his lion paw under her chin. He gazed at her before checking each cheek as well as her horn. Smiling, he pulled away, leaving her confused.

"No scratches, that's good," he chuckled. "That was quite a storm last night."

"I could have handled it," Twilight said hotly, trying to sound the strong type.

"Yes, you could have," Discord said as he checked his lion paw, "but then again, one always needs help." He smiled down at her. "Aren't you glad there's chaos to take care of that?"

Twilight stepped back a little, raising an eyebrow at him. Discord just laughed before he disappeared in a flash.

The unicorn gasped as she raced over to the area he once stood on, her eyes widening in desperation as to wonder where he went now.

Suddenly, a tray popped before her, nearly making her cry out in shock. When she calmed down, her eyes widened to see the display of food conjured up just for her: a plate of fruity pastries, a bowl of wheat thins, and a glass of milk. What really caught her eye was the small vase with a single daisy on it. She sometimes liked to nibble on those...

As hungry as she was, Twilight gazed around her, wondering where the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony had gone.

"D-discord?" She spoke out softly.

"By the way, Twilight," she nearly jumped at the sound of his voice that echoed through the halls, "if you're looking for the way out, here you go."

Twilight suddenly flinched when a bright light flashed behind her. She almost thought it was Discord, but it was only a passageway that led to the brightness that was the forest. She blinked in confusion before looking behind her, wondering if he had gone behind her back.

"A little fresh air could do you some good," Discord chuckled, "ta ta, my dear." And his voice was gone.

The unicorn remained on her hooves, her ears lowering a bit before she gazed at the tray of delicious food before her. Discord seemed quite considerate of everything she could've thought of...and fruity pastries! Did he know they were her favorite or did he just conjure them because they were his?

Gazing back at the opening passage to the lush grass, Twilight let out a deep sigh. Her magic carrying both her materials and the tray of food, the unicorn slowly merged outside, just laying on the ground inches away from the entrance.

As she ate, she couldn't help but become desperate for Discord appear again. He had gone so many times on her demand, now he was simply just going on and off at his own free will, leaving her either annoyed, satisfied... or simply alone.

I kept pushing him away...Twilight thought as she nibbled on the daisy. No, duh, I'm still upset about being played for a fool with that fake statue thing...

She turned back toward the entrance where the chaos still resumed before going back to her meal. Drinking her glass of milk, Twilight almost thought some of it splashed against her cheek as she felt wetness slide down one corner.

No. That was a tear.
_

Upper Crust let out a horrified gasp as she nearly stepped on a mud puddle. Wincing in disgust, she stood close by Jet Set, who was every bit as intimidated by the surroundings.

"This place could use a little sprucing up," he commented dryly as he turned to the other Canterlot ponies. He cringed as his hoof met a wet area of grass. "And perhaps a little drying."

As terrible as it was, the Canterlot ponies had agreed with Fancypants to search through the Everfree Forest, the high society unicorn suggesting that the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony may be hidden among them to avoid any pony seeking him among public areas or sky. As dreadful as it appeared, they followed and did their best to become accustomed to terrifying plants and trees around them. They were doing this for their own kind, as well as for her parents...

"Oh, please," Fancypants chuckled as he passed by the upset couple, smiling at the nature around him. "I've been to the Everfree Forest a few times, and I must tell you that it's simply exciting!" He adjusted his monocle as he gazed at a nearby tree with moss growing on it. "After all, this is where I collect flower samples for my collection."

"You mean...?" Upper Crust lightly gasped, her eyes widening as Jet Set looked even more surprised. "You didn't buy those from a flower shop in Canterlot?"

Suddenly, they were blinded by a bright flash. Rubbing their eyes, they glared at the one responsible for it.

"Photo Finish!" Upper Crust exclaimed in disapproval.

"Vhat?" The photographer pony protested, her camera right beside her. "This forest, it seems simply..." She turned her head dramatically, her light gray mane flipping. "...thought-taking." And she resumed taking blinding pictures, annoying the other Canterlot ponies. "I, Photo Finish, am simply taking in what little magicks this forest has."

"Honestly," Jet Set rolled his eyes. "Do you take pictures of just anything?"

"The magicks!" Photo Finish repeated.

Upper Crust let out an exasperated groan as she and the others walked through the forest, doing their best to find either Twilight or that vicious brute known as Discord. Suddenly, a terrifying thought came to mind as the classy mare tried to loosen the pink sweater wrapped around her neck.

What if they did meet Discord? As disgusted as Upper Crust was when Discord had made that rude comment about Canterlot ponies, she still held great fear.

Swallowing hard, she sped past her husband, zoomed through a section that Photo Finish was taking, and nearly stepped on another Canterlot pony's dress as she immediately came by Fancypants's side.

"Fancy," she squeaked, her voice filled with anxiety. "Really, darling, it's very grateful that you as well as the rest of us are taking this search well...but what exactly are we suppose to do if we come across that malevolent, horrifying beast?"

Fancypants stopped in his tracks and turned to Upper Crust, a tiny smile curving at the corner of his lips.

"I honestly don't know," he confessed with a chuckle.

"What?" Jet Set immediately came by his wife's side. "That ruffian has magic far above any of ours! And you have no idea what we shall do once we must face off against his chaotic ways?"

"Oh, Jet Set," Fancypants laughed, giving the other pony a friendly tap on the back with his hoof. "How much chaos can Discord make compared to what we ponies do?"

Leaving his friends dumbfounded, Fancypants continued on, smiling at the nature around him while Photo Finish resumed taking pictures.

"Let's carry on then," Fancypants said cheerfully as he kept walking, leading the other Canterlot ponies behind him. "There's so much to learn and see while we search!"

That statement made Upper Crust's stomach twist as she regarded her husband with a distressed expression.

"After this..." She huffed as she continued walking. "A week of spa treatment shall be in order considering how much my hooves are going to bear this instant."
_

"Oh, please, let's try again!"

Mr. Sparkle turned to his wife and let out a sad sigh. "Honey, no matter how many times we use the communication spell, it just won't let us reach Twilight."

"But...but..." Mrs. Sparkle eyes watered. "Our daughter! Think about our daughter! Maybe's she's trying to use the spell as well to reach us, maybe even Rarity, or even the princesses!"

"I'm terribly sorry, Mrs. Sparkle," they both turned to Princesses Celestia, both she and her sister walking toward the castle balcony where the two unicorns stood. "Luna and I have tried the communication spell."

"But we can't reach Twilight either," Luna said sadly as she lowered her head in shame. Then her eyes hardened. "It's Discord. He must have taken away her horn, better yet, he must have created some type of spell to make sure our magic can't connect with Twilight's..."

"Oh, gosh!" Mrs. Sparkle felt like fainting.

"Discord may be powerful," Princess Celestia stated, "but he can never measure up to the power of harmony that is also known as friendship." She gave a sad smile. "Something your daughter represents strongly."

"Oh, well, of course," Mr. Sparkle nodded vigorously.

"I mean, this is Discord," Mrs. Sparkle added, "Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. What could he possibly know on the matter of friendship? He doesn't even have friends to begin with!"

"That is completely true," Princess Luna sighed, "but still, be prepared. His magic of chaos could shower on us any moment when we least expect it."

"AAAH!" Mr. Sparkle suddenly cried as he fell flat on the floor, his hooves covering his head. "No! Not chocolate rain!"

His wife raised an eyebrow at him while the princesses tried to stifle their chuckles.

"Not that kind of shower, Mr. Sparkle," Luna said with a smile as she rolled her eyes.
_

Twilight opened her journal as she used her magic to dip a quill into her ink bottle. Having gone back to her supposed room after a walk through the forest, the unicorn didn't have much to do anymore.

She tried to search for Discord throughout the home of filled chaos but with no luck. She had grown tired yet saddened so she just went back to the room where Discord had left her the night before. If she was going to have a long stay under the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony's roof, she might as well do what she usually did: read and write.

Summoning her bag, she took out the book she had brought along on her trip. She peered at it as she read the title.

"It's the Inside that Counts?" She said in disbelief.

Oh, real nice...another sign that she and Discord needed to patch things. What was there to patch, anyway?

Groaning, she immediately put the book away before turning back to her journal. Her quill fully-inked, she began writing.

Dear Journal,

To think things couldn't get anymore difficult...

Twilight turned to her ink bottle and dipped her quill once again before turning back to her page. She suddenly let out a horrified gasp.

The words had disappeared!

A bit frantic, Twilight re-wrote her introduction. Watching it closely, her jaw fell when they disappeared once again.

She grew a bit frightened...however, realization dawned on her, and her eyes slowly narrowed.

To think she was feeling sorry for him again!

Reaching over for her ink bottle, she gazed at the cover.

Invisible Ink, it said.

The unicorn clenched her teeth, her cheeks heating with anger.

"Discord!" She shouted out of pure rage.

"What?"

Before she knew it, a bright light flashed beside her. She showed no surprise when the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony popped beside her, a look of slight amusement on his face.

"Problem, my dear?" He asked with a small chuckle.

He flinched a bit when she shoved the ink bottle in front of his face. Gazing from the bottle to her enraged expression, the Draconequus simply blinked.

"Explain this!" She spat, her eyes blazing.

He gazed at the bottle once more. Then his surprised look melted into one of slight annoyance.

"Obviously, your Elements of Laughter and Loyalty need to learn how to cover their tracks."

Twilight blinked in confusion. "Wha...?" She looked at the bottle once again.

Invisible Ink...Got Ya!, Love Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash

Her cheeks suddenly went red, feeling like such a fool for jumping to conclusions...even though she knew Discord would be guilty of such an act if he actually did it.

The Draconequus chuckled at her surprised look. "I can't blame you," he said, "I've done a few invisible ink pranks in my time. But I must admit, my favorite is simply making books explode confetti whenever somepony opens them."

Twilight realized that her facial expression must have looked ridiculous as she stared at him for what seemed like hours. With a scoff, she immediately turned back to her desk, assuming Discord would just disappear again.

However, he didn't as he craned his neck down to her head level, taking great interest in the journal in front of her.

"What's this?" He asked, his tone like an innocent filly's. He gazed at Twilight, who brought out a new ink bottle.

He smirked at her when she caught his gaze. She just frowned, trying to keep up a calm, steady mood.

"Ooooh! I get it!" He said playfully. "Writing about some crush, I bet!"

Twilight's blush suddenly returned, her face as red as his pupils as she clenched her teeth. "As if I would have a crush on anypony!" She spat. "Do I look like the kind of girl who would have a crush on anypony?"

Discord just smirked and rolled his eyes. "Well, you must be at least writing something interesting..." And he reached down with his lion paw to turn the page.

Twilight immediately smacked his paw away. Discord flinched in surprise as the unicorn immediately covered her journal with both hooves.

"That's private, Discord!" She shouted. "Don't you even know what that means?"

"In my own way, yes," he chuckled at her.

Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she quickly shut her journal before turning back to him. "I do not, I repeat, not, want you to look at my journal! Understand?" She gave him a warning glare, her upper lip stiffening.

Discord simply smiled, folding his arms with a smooth nod. "Why, of course, Ms. Magic," he said innocently, rolling his eyes.

And with that said, he disappeared in a flash.

Twilight just scoffed before looking down at her journal. She really wished she could shut it up tight.

She remembered that Spike had broken the lock.
_

Fluttershy stood upon a cloud as she gazed at her surroundings beneath her. Visiting Cloudsdale, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had hoped the Wonderbolts had made any progress in discovering the whereabouts of their missing friend. Still nothing...

Suddenly, a flash of rainbow zoomed past Fluttershy, making her scream and nearly tip off her cloud before she got herself back on her hooves. Turning her head, she watched as Rainbow Dash sped through the skies. Behind her, Soarin' and a few Wonderbolts followed her lead.

Still shaken, Fluttershy flapped her wings and slowly followed them as they stopped short in front of a section of Cloudsdale. Fluttershy shyly gazed at Soarin' and Rainbow Dash as her pink hair slowly fell over the side of her face.

"Did you...?" She asked quietly. "Did you find Twilight...or Discord?"

By the look on Rainbow Dash's face, the yellow pegasus immediately knew the answer. She watched as Rainbow Dash lowered her head, her rainbow hair nearly falling over her eyes as she let out a deep, depressing sigh.

"Why do I feel like Discord's fooling around with us?" She exclaimed angrily, a hoof kicking at the cloud they stood on.

"Well, he is the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony," Spitfire reminded her, trying to sound supportive and not lower her hopes.

"Yeah, I know that," Rainbow Dash let out another sigh. She began pacing back and forth, her head down as her mind was deep in thought. "I just wish we knew we were getting close..." She nearly bumped into Soarin'. Looking up, she was about to apologize.

But what Soarin' had in front of him made her a complete loss for words as her jaw fell and her eyes widened in disbelief.

"S-soarin'?" Rainbow Dash stuttered. "What...what are you eating?"

The green-eyed pegasus noticed her staring at him as he thoughtfully chewed. "Cotton candy and pie," he said with a mouthful. Just as he was about to bend down and resume eating, Rainbow Dash immediately reached down and grabbed them. "Hey!"

"Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh!" The rainbow-haired pegasus cried out happily as she gazed at the snacks in her hooves. "Pies and cotton candy!" She turned to the other pegasi, all of them gazing at her with raised eyebrows. "Guys! Do you know who else likes pie but more so cotton candy?"

"Pinkie Pie?" Fluttershy answered softly.

"No!" Rainbow Dash cried in frustration. "Don't you remember when chaos reigned Equestria?" She showed them the pie and cotton candy. "Remember? Floating pies? Cotton candy clouds that showered chocolate milk?"

"Wait..." Spitfire's eyes widened in realization. "That's Discord's doing!"

"Exactly!" Rainbow Dash raised a hoof in triumphant. "Considering Soarin' found these things out of nowhere, we're getting close to Discord as well as Twilight!" Her eyes shone with excitement and joy.

"Um, actually..." Soarin's spoke out shyly as he grabbed back his snacks from her hooves with his teeth.

"What?" Rainbow Dash asked him, the happiness in her eyes quickly fading.

The green-eyed pegasus chuckled nervously. "I got these from over there." And he pointed a hoof straight pass her.

Wheeling around, Rainbow Dash's mouth fell open when she spotted a nearby pegasus vendor with a cart atop a cloud who was selling pies and cotton candy...and even cartons of chocolate milk.

"Oh, hay..." Rainbow Dash muttered, her hope starting to extinguish.
_

Oh, goodness, my hooves are killing me! Upper Crust thought miserably as she and her husband trailed behind Fancypants and the rest of the Canterlot ponies.

They had been going through the Everfree Forest for hours, chattering amongst each other while also listening to Fancypants speak about the many interesting facts about the forest itself, describing plants, animals, even slight dangers a pony must be cautious about. That was all fine and dandy with Upper Crust and her husband, but how much longer were they to endure this...slightly barbaric 'adventure'?

"Please try and keep up, dear," Jet Set said as he gazed at his wife with a concerned expression. "We won't be here long, I'm sure."

"Oh, darling," Upper Crust sighed and rolled her eyes before slowly trotting over to a nearby rock. "This forest just seems so unbearable. What on Earth does Twilight Sparkle and her Ponyville friends find so interesting about this? And that same question goes to dear Fancypants himself." And she jerked her head over to the leading unicorn that was discussing with the other Canterlot ponies about a new plant they came across; Photo Finish wasted no times taking good shots of it.

Jet Set sighed and shook his head, understanding his wife too well. "Dear, I'm simply distressed as you are." He gave a silent salute, gazing into space. "To Twilight Sparkle, you are a brave unicorn."

Upper Crust scoffed as she stretched out her hooves while leaning against the rock. "I envy that girl..." She muttered as she resumed walking. "Honestly, if we ever find her, I just know she'll be desperate for a spa treatment as well..." She closed her eyes, envisioning. "Her mother, too, the poor dear. All of us grand Canterlot mares...massages...facial masks...and all the glorious oeur d'oeuvres, oh, yes! A celebration once the princesses rid of that disgusting creature named Dis-WHOA!"

Finally opening her eyes and having not realize where she had been walking, Upper Crust found herself falling on her belly and sliding down a slightly steep hill.

"Darling!" Jet Set cried as he and the other Canterlot ponies watched in horror where she fell. He immediately raced over to the edge of the hill, only to trip over his own hooves and slide down as well. "Whoa!"

The slide down took only a few moments before he finally joined his wife on the bottom, landing in a field of flowers that shone a brilliant blue. Jet Set let out a light cough, a flower lying atop his muzzle before he wiped it away. Raising himself up, he gazed around the garden of blue flowers he and his wife fell in.

He was in complete awe by the beauty, its color reminding him of a glorious moonlight sky he and his wife would gaze at outside the balcony of their home. Remembering his wife, he quickly turned to see Upper Crust shaking her head, her mane covered with shining, blue flowers. They looked lovely on her. However, Upper Crust was just too annoyed from the fall to notice the beauty that supported hers.

Suddenly, as Jet Set watched her brush herself off, he let out a low chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Upper Crust asked him, her cheeks near going red from irritation.

"Oh, well..." He turned his eyes toward the blue flowers around them. "This reminds me of the day we first met..." Finally he turned back to his wife. "Remember that day?"

Upper Crust's expression of annoyance slowly faded before she finally regarded the flowers before her, her eyes widening in awe. Finally, she looked back at her husband. "How could I forget?" She let out a chuckle. "I was shopping that day, and before I knew it, a bunch of fillies from Ponyville were playing around and accidentally shoved me from behind." Her eyes sparkled as she recalled the fond memory. "I was pushed into a cart carrying a massive amount of blue flowers."

"Which I had just ordered," Jet Set nodded, a smile on his face. "And I was there to help you out of the cart."

Upper Crust chuckled, reaching a hoof into her mane and felt the flowers on her. "And that's how we met."

They both shared a laugh for the first time all day. For once, they were actually finding amusement being out in the Everfree Forest.

"Are you two alright?" Fancypants called from atop the hill.

"We're fine," Upper Crust called as she and her husband got on their hooves. "We're coming up."

All the Canterlot ponies gathered around as the couple slowly reached the top of the hill, completely covered in blue flowers. Fancypants let out a horrid gasp at the sight of it, and before he could say anything, the two unicorns immediately shook their bodies, the flowers jumping off them and flying in all directions, hitting other Canterlot ponies.

"I say," one pony stated as he inspected the flower in his hoof. "My, this is quite a lovely assortment."

"Such beauty," a mare stated.

"Oh! I, Photo Finish, must take pictures!"

As all the ponies observed the flowers on them, they all immediately silenced when Fancypants cleared his throat. When they all turned to him, they noticed he was a good few feet away.

"Dear friends..." He said quietly. "Have you any idea what those flowers are, exactly?"

"Why, of course!" Upper Crust laughed as she sniffed one. "These flowers are gorgeous!"

"Yes, you're right," Fancypants rolled his eyes. "They are also poison joke."

Upper Crust stopped sniffing, her eyes widening as soon as she heard him. Slowly, she moved her head away from the flower in her hoof, raising an eyebrow at it.

"Poison joke?" Jet Set repeated. "What on Earth is that?"

"You're about to find out," Fancypants stated dryly as he took out his pocket watch. "In three...two...one."

"Dear!" Jet Set turned to his wife, who gazed at him in utter horror. "What's wrong with your nose?"

"My nose?" Jet Set raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you...?" He gazed his eyes down at noticed part of his face was a whole new color. He cried out in shock. "My nose! It's...it's...like a pig's!"

Upper Crust slowly felt the poison joke's effect on her as well as she touched her mane. It felt unruly and edgy...and it smelled.

"My mane has turned into a skunk's tail!" She shrieked.

Soon, the other Canterlot ponies were enduring from poison joke on them as each one was given a different effect. One pony's tongue came out completely multi-colored, another one's hair fell to the floor, even Photo Finish's body suddenly became transparent, leaving her an invisible mare of walking clothes and glasses.

"Vhat's this?" The photographer cried as she gazed at her hooves. "I am...I am...unseen!"

"Fancypants!" One pony cried as her hooves became cement blocks. "What do we do?"

"Everypony, calm down," the head unicorn said, "we simply must-"

"The poison joke, it has done its deed," spoke a calm, mesmerizing voice that brought all the ponies to silence.

"Wha...?" Jet Set gulped, starting to oink like a pig. "What was that?"

"Here I come for you are in much need."

Fancypants remained unfazed as he and the others turned to spot a figure emerge from behind the shadow of a tree. One pony nearly let out a fainting gasp, but quickly calmed down. Fancypants smiled as the figure, dressed in a mysterious cloak, came into view.

"Zecora," he stated in greeting. "So nice to see you again."

All eyes fell on the figure as she slowly removed her hood, revealing her black and white striped face and golden jewelry.

"I say..." One colt muttered in awe, his monocle falling from his face as he stared at Zecora.

"Eyes back in your head, Caesar," a mare whispered to him.

"Fancypants, so good to see you deep within these trees," Zecora greeted as she and the unicorn shook hooves. "As you and your friends, I, too, am searching for the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony."

"My word," Upper Crust whispered to her husband, trying to brush away the horrid smell from her mane. "She speaks in rhyme. That is absolutely astonishing!"

"Too true, darling," Jet Set nodded.

"It's good to see you, too, dear friend," Fancypants nodded to the zebra. "As you can see, the others have become victim to the poison joke." And he motioned to the other ponies, all having become greatly affected.

Zecora let out a light chuckle. "Then allow me to say," she began as she turned on her heel, "my home is where you all must stay."

"Stay?" Upper Crust exclaimed in fright. "In a house in this horrid place?"

"If you wish to rid the effects of such a plant," Zecora spoke as she walked off, Fancypants trailing behind her. "Then you must come with me, for I have an antidote most expectant."

"Trust her, my friends," Fancypants told the other ponies, "I was once victim to the poison joke as well. And this zebra taught me well with much needed herbs."

Upper Crust and Jet Set gazed at each other nervously, all the others feeling a bit anxious. Finally, they all gave in and followed behind the two, more desperate than ever to rid the effects of the poison joke.
_

Twilight just shook her head as she crossed a bridge that stood over a stream of gumdrops, a few frogs swimming around it. She just sighed as she continued trotting off. She intended to get back to her room and write more in her journal.

No sign of Discord...she wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing.

"If I could breathe fire..." She muttered to herself, "I could simply send the princesses a message and tell them I'm fine...and Discord's just being...well, Discord! But without any harm done!"

She finally reached toward the carpet-covered doorway. With another sigh, she was about to open the door.

However, she realized it was slightly open.

Confused, Twilight peered at the crack. She gasped.

Discord hovered over her desk. Her journal in his lion paw.

The unicorn's eyes widened as her jaw fell. She held in her cry of shock as she watched the Draconequus simply gaze at her journal. He took great notice that the lock was broken.

Twilight's eyes slowly narrowed into slits as her jaw tightened.

I knew it! Her mind screamed, of course Discord wouldn't respect privacy! He's going to open it, read my passages-

A sudden feeling of fear washed over her.

...and find out what I had been feeling all this time.

Twilight cringed. No way in the hay did she want Discord to read that! She would eventually tell him, but not that way!

Finally, she stood her ground, preparing her horn. As soon as Discord opened her journal, she would burst in and tackle him. Would she be able to tackle him? She would try...

Keeping quiet, Twilight watched as Discord simply gazed at her journal. She raised an eyebrow, wondering why the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony wasn't opening it. Finally, she saw him move as he held it out in front of him. She dug her hooves into the ground.

Suddenly, an urge of magic flashed from the his eagle talons. Twilight blinked, taken in from the bright light. When it was all over, she took a good look at what he just did to her precious journal. And her jaw fell.

A new lock gleamed on the cover, keeping it completely sealed.

Discord smiled, nodding with satisfaction as he placed the journal back on the desk. With a snap of his fingers, he was gone in a flash.

A few moments after he left, Twilight slowly merged into the room, the stunned expression still on her face. She slowly came over to her desk, gazing at her journal.

The lock was shut, holding all of her secrets...any of which Discord hadn't even laid eyes on.

The unicorn reached over and stroked the locket, amazed that the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony had done such a thing...for her.

It was with that in mind...Twilight knew it was time to be honest.
_

"Discord?" Twilight called out as she passed through a section of floating pies. "Discord, where are you?"

She nearly stepped on a whoopie cushion as she kept looking for the Draconequus. She kept her journal atop her back, thinking it would do a lot more for each of them.

"Discord?" She called again.

Suddenly, the sound of something flashing occurred behind her and Twilight immediately turned. There stood Discord, flapping his mismatched wings as he gazed down at her.

"Oh..." He said quietly, seeing the journal on her back. "I see you've noticed the new lock I put in."

Twilight remained silent for a few moments, simply regarding him. "Why did you do that?" She finally asked.

He just stared at her as he slowly descended to the ground. "Well, you can't have privacy if it has a broken lock," he said nonchalantly, averting his gaze and looking at his lion paw. "I simply just fixed what you had broken."

"Discord..." Twilight spoke softly. "Please look at me."

The Draconequus was quite taken aback by the soft tone. Finally, he looked into those purple eyes of hers that shone with question.

Twilight felt her face heat up with embarrassment, seeing as she was simply just staring at him. She wanted to smile, but she assumed that would freak him out.

"You know..." She trailed a hoof on the ground. "I guess I haven't been that nice to you lately..."

"No," Discord rolled his eyes as he strolled closer to her, "you were simply being protective of yourself. After all, isn't that why you're here? To make sure I don't cause harm to Equestria again?"

Twilight blinked, then she lowered her eyes to the ground. "Well, yeah, I guess..." She stroked a hoof to her throat, suddenly feeling it dry.

Discord took notice of this and snapped his fingers. Before Twilight knew it, they were seated at a round table, a couple of glasses of chocolate milk before them.

"Can't talk on a dry voice now, can you, Twilight Sparkle?" He chuckled as he sipped his glass.

Twilight just gazed at him. Then she quietly used her magic to bring her glass to her lips. Her eyes widened as the taste trickled down her throat. Finally...she was drinking the chocolate milk she had been so curious to taste for so long. And to finally drink it, experimenting its taste...she suddenly felt like she was floating on a cloud.

After licking her lips, Twilight averted her gaze, feeling the atmosphere suddenly growing awkward between them. What was she going to say now? Her throat was fine...now what?

Discord licked his lips, fiddling with his glass as a bored expression came on his face.

Silence between them. Not a word out of each other. Twilight bit her lip, wondering what to do now as her journal laid beside her on the table. Maybe she could compliment him first, thank him for the delicious beverage...

"It wasn't always like this."

Taken completely off guard, Twilight looked up at him, eyes blinking. "What?"

Discord rested his face against his lion paw as he continued playing with his glass. "It wasn't always like this," he repeated quietly. "It wasn't always cotton candy clouds and chocolate rain..."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "You mean...you weren't always causing chaos?"

Discord finally looked at her. "My dear," he let out a small chuckle, " don't be silly! Of course I still caused chaos! I'm not called the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony for nothing!"

"Okay..." Her voice trailed off, taking in to the conversation. "So what are you talking about exactly?" Then she smirked. "What, was it just chocolate clouds and cotton candy-flavored rain?"

"No..." Discord scoffed. "But that sounds like a good combo." He checked his lion paw. "I did worse..."

Twilight's eyes widened. "Worse? What do you mean 'worse'?" She was almost afraid to ask.

Discord remained quiet for a few moments. Then he sighed.

"Before cotton candy clouds..." He began, "it was gray clouds with terrifying lightning that scared many ponies..." He winced a bit. "And before chocolate rain...it used to be hot tea, very hot tea, that rained upon Equestria."

The unicorn's eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa..." Twilight cringed at the thought. "That couldn't be that bad..." She said, trying to show her doubt.

"It was for Equestria back then," he sighed, "all those ponies screaming in fear when lightning struck the ground every now and then just to scare them...hot tea pouring on them and they crying desperately for the heat to go away."

"And that was it?" Twilight asked hopefully.

He gazed at her. She could see total regret in his mismatched eyes. "That was just the start."

Her ears lowered as her pupils dilated, a horrified expression on her face.

"When ponies were happy, I tended to ruin it for my own happiness," he went on, "when birthday parties came...I ruined them with my chaos of tiny tornadoes, long-legged rabbits, and flying pies that slapped against the birthday pony's face..." He let out a chuckle. "It was pretty funny...though it sounds cruel when a lot of crying fillies were involved."

Then his face fell, his eagle talon scratching his face. Twilight watched him closely, trying to absorb everything he just told her.

"Then I did make the ground shake every now and then..." He confessed. "Ponies' homes became a mess and the land itself was becoming quite ruined by my earthquakes of fun...and, I'm sure you already knew this, I took away horns and wings..."

Twilight gazed up at her horn, noticing he hadn't spoken about it all day, nor had any will to simply take it away from her.

"I had caused quite a stir for friends and families when I did that," he said, "one wingless pegasus would accuse an Earth pony with its wings, a hornless unicorn would fight another unicorn for having a horn while the other didn't...it was all pretty much disharmony right there."

Twilight recalled the first time he was released. When he manipulated her friends and they all turned against each other...amazing to believe he had done so much worse back then.

"Friends became enemies," he went on, "families deserted each other, even fillies began to disrespect their elders under my manipulation."

"Celestia and Luna, they watched the unrest and unhappiness before the kingdom. Cruelty, hatred, and to top it all off was my unexpected, hurtful chaos in it...and you know the rest."

Twilight remained quiet the whole time he talked. She placed a hoof to her mouth, finding no words to speak.

"You know the first time I was released," he began, "I wanted revenge...but then I thought about tweaking my chaos to an innocent level to, you know, make things more fun to everypony's pleasure..." He turned to her, a sad smile on his face. "Guess changing the clouds, the rain, the non-shaken grounds, and little rivalry wasn't the key, huh?

Twilight said nothing.

Discord turned away, sighing sadly. "Now I'm back...and for what?" He fiddled with his lion paw. "No one believes I just want to make up for screwing up twice...no one believes I use my chaos for simple good if not to make things a little more lively." His ears lowered as he closed his eyes. "No one cares, I guess." He frowned slightly, as if to show he didn't care himself. But Twilight could just see his hurt...she could feel his misery.

Finally, Twilight couldn't take it anymore.

"I do!" She suddenly blurted out.

Discord was taken aback by her sudden outburst, leaning a bit away when she cried out. But Twilight took no notice as she gazed at him, her purple eyes threatening tears as her heart thumped with the desperation to let it all out.

"You have no idea how bad I felt these last few weeks!" She cried. "Really, when the elements combined, I hoped they would just teach you a lesson, not turn you back into stone!" She motioned to him.

Discord just blinked, stunned as he gazed at her.

"But apparently, they did!" She said, nearly choking from talking too much. "And, oh, my gosh, the guilt! The guilt never went away!" She threw her hooves up in the air. "I've been living with it since that day!"

Finally, she gazed at him, her eyes looking deeply into his.

"You ask yourself again that nopony cares!" She challenged. "Because this pony does! Because I cared enough to visit you!"

Finally, she panted heavily, her cheeks flushing as she continued staring at him.

It felt like hours as they sat there in silence, Discord merely watching Twilight as she smoothed her mane after finally calming down, her cheeks flushing from speaking so much as well as embarrassment, realizing what she just did.

Finally, Discord cleared his throat, his eyes seeming a little hopeful. "You actually felt bad for me?" He asked, a smile creeping to his lips.

"Well, yeah..." Twilight muttered, averting her eyes. "I mean..." She looked at him. "You were just being ridiculous, is all."

"Even after I nearly crushed your friendship?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Okay, that took some time to let go," she said hotly. "And let's not forget the whole fake statue thing! You really busted my nerves there, mister!" And she tapped a hoof against his furry chest.

Discord raised an eyebrow, a smile now visible on his face. "But your nerves were busted even before I said I was never encased in stone."

"Well..." She blushed furiously. "I guess I was just both confused and upset when you suddenly came back..." She said quietly. "And I've kept mum for so long...Ever heard of the statement 'all bottled up'? Well, this bottle just blew its top!"

"You sure did..." He rolled his eyes.

Finally, he gazed at her once more, his eyes looking so innocent as his smile became even more hopeful. Twilight regarded him closely, her eyes fading into pure hope as well as a smile nearly came on her lips.

"You know," she began, "everypony may hate you, especially Rainbow Dash..." She rolled her eyes. "But me...no. Not anymore."

"Wow..." Discord's voice trailed off. "Even with my chaos?"

"Trust me," she said, letting out a chuckle, "your chaos can't be that bad compared to what me and my friends do."

"Ah, yes..." He chuckled. "The doll incident."

"Don't ruin the moment," she hissed quietly.

"Okay, okay," he said with a smile, holding his hands up defensively.

"Still," Twilight blushed, "that was quite some chaos I did, huh?"

"Even more than what I could come up with," Discord said. "Bravo to you, my dear." And he clapped his hands.

"And Discord..." She said quietly, shoving her journal in front of her. "If you really want to know my thoughts and stuff, well...you can read if you want."

He raised an eyebrow as he stared at her journal, the lock he placed on it gleaming. He simply smiled and pushed it back.

"I prefer to hear it from the writer's mouth," he stated.

Though surprised, the unicorn simply smiled. "You know, I would assume you'd think I'm boring," Twilight said, sounding playful.

"Well, sometimes you are," he joked. He laughed at her stunned, annoyed expression. "But most of the time you are quite a fun pony to be around."

Twilight smiled, touched. "As of you..."

Discord's face lit up. "See? That's exactly what I want other ponies to think of me!"

"And I'm sure they would," Twilight said, simply gazing at him. "They'll figure it out."

Discord gazed down at her. He just smiled. "You know, I'm sorry about that fake statue thing..."

"Oh, that?" She continued staring at him. "It's okay...I forgive you."

He raised an eyebrow at her, an amused smile on his lips. "What, you sound like you visited my statue many times," Discord noticed.

"Because I did," she stated simply.

His jaw fell in utter surprise. Twilight let out a laugh, one she hadn't done in quite a while.

"Oh, hay," she rolled her eyes as she flipped her mane. "I guess I really missed you, Discord. Hope that answered your question." Her eyes lowered in playful mockery, giggling at his stunned expression.

Realizing how ridiculous he looked, Discord closed his mouth and lightly coughed. "Trust me," he immediately came back from his surprise, "you answered more than a mouthful." He smoothed the top of his head, trying to sound casual. "But I must admit, that was simple-"

He was cut off when he was grabbed around his long waist. Eyes widening, he gazed down and noticed that Twilight had wrapped her hooves around him, beaming as she laid her head against his chest.

"Twilight?" Discord sounded confused, stiffening from her odd gesture.

"You have no idea how much I missed you..." She stated softly, not budging at all. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you again."

His eyes widened in disbelief.

"I'm glad you came back," she whispered, hugging him close.

Discord did nothing, completely dumbfounded by her sudden action and words.

"And thank you..." She breathed softly. "Thank you so much for rescuing me last night." She leaned more into his furry chest. "You truly are full of kindness...and the way I see it, you are just so sweet. Honest and sweet..."

The Draconequus suddenly swallowed hard as he stared down at her for a few moments, trying to take everything in. She called him kind...honest...sweet...everything no pony would even think of calling him.

But the way he saw it, Twilight wasn't like any other pony. She was a unique one, he knew. And she had cared about him all this time...even enough to leave her home and go look for him.

Finally, he closed his eyes, a smile of both relief and joy on his lips as he wrapped his lion paw around the pony. His eagle talons stroked the back of her mane.

"Please use your lion paw," she ordered, still holding him. "that's my favorite instead of your eagle claw."

Discord blinked, though his smile still remained. Fulfilling her request, he stroked her mane with his lion paw while his eagle arm wrapped around her. Twilight smiled and nuzzled her head against his chest.

This was better than what she had hoped for so long.

Finally, after what felt like hours, they both released each other, sharing the same smile of joy, happiness, and relief.

"Well then," Discord said playfully as he leaned back in his seat. "I believe this calls for a celebration."

"You're not going to summon chocolate rain in here, are you?" Twilight chuckled, folding her hooves and raising an eyebrow at him.

"Of course not," Discord rolled his eyes. He snapped his fingers.

Twilight watched as two glasses of fizzy soda with lemon wedges on the side appeared before them on the table. She turned back to Discord, an expression of both surprise and confusion.

"Seems..." Twilight played with the words on her lips. "...orderly."

Discord let out a small laugh as he held his glass as Twilight slowly reached for hers. "I can be orderly sometimes, my dear."

"Oh, really?" She laughed, rolling her eyes before sipping her drink.

"Just like you, Little Miss I'm-So-Organized," he stated, "made chaos out of a doll."

Twilight nearly choked on her drink before casting him a warning glare. "I said not to bring it up."

"Still, it was funny," he chuckled. He snapped his fingers.

Before Twilight knew it, the roof over their heads suddenly disappeared. And she was met with a glorious dark sky of glittering stars. Her eyes widened in amazement by such a night. However, a playful smile spread on her lips as she shifted her gaze over to Discord.

"Not bad," she commented, "it's only a few hours away from nighttime anyway."

"Oh, you prefer I just bring back the sun?" Discord asked.

"No!" She protested. "Then no pony will get any sleep, I know some who really need their sleep..." Her voice trailed off, thinking of back home.

They sat there under the stars, sipping their drinks while gazing at the night sky. Discord turned to gaze at Twilight, who was completely mesmerized by what his magic had done. The Draconequus smiled to himself, regarding at his now empty glass. He had never gazed at the stars with anyone before...

And to realize that some pony as organized and orderly as Twilight Sparkle was watching it with him...that made him the more hopeful. And very happy.

Finally, he magically made his glass disappear as he cleared his throat, not gazing at the unicorn yet. Finally, after a few moments, he took a deep breath.

"Twilight Sparkle," he began quietly, a small smile on his face. "I just wanted to say-" As soon as he turned in her direction he quickly cut himself off.

There Twilight laid in her seat, eyes closed as she snored quietly to herself with her journal in her lap.

Discord just chuckled and shook his head as he watched her slumber peacefully. Seems she was right that some ponies really do need their sleep. Maybe next time he would raise the moon a little later...
_

"I say!" Jet Set exclaimed, taking sight of the night sky above them. "Has Luna raised her moon already? It seems rather early."

"Not by the princesses' magic did the sun go," Zecora stated as they neared her hut. "The powers of chaos have risen the moon earlier than it should do so."

"Discord..." Fancypants muttered.

"Here we are, friends of the forest," Zecora stated as she led them inside her hut. "My home is your home, keep warm by the fire and rest."

Upper Crust as well as the rest of the Canterlot ponies seemed rather intimidated as they entered her home. This was nothing like a mansion. Far from it, obviously. Its walls appeared made of mud, many traditional items hung around the room, and, to make matters even more shocking, there was a cauldron in the middle of it all.

"Oh, uh..." One mare stated as she sniffed the brew in the bubbling cauldron. "Are you making, um, soup?"

"Afraid no, dear mare of Canterlot," Zecora chuckled as she dipped into the cauldron with a stick. "For I am simply cleaning my laundry in this heating pot." And she took out a wet rag from the liquid, much to the pony's disgust.

All the Canterlot ponies gazed around the hut, simply taken in by its simple yet natural-flowing beauty. Jet Set and his wife stumbled across a few hanging items on the ceiling.

"I see you've taken notice of Zecora's fresh herbs she picked from the forest," Fancypants stated as the zebra reached up and plucked them off before tossing them into the cauldron.

"Wait!" The mare exclaimed as she and the others watched Zecora stir it. "I thought you said this was for laundry."

"Now it becomes the antidote as I mix the ingredients," Zecora smiled, "with good texture and fine plants, it will be complete in only a few minutes." She smiled at all the other ponies that were now residing in her home. "It is a pleasure to serve new guests," she said, "for I've always had Twilight Sparkle over and I'm sure you know the rest."

"The Elements of Harmony," Fancypants stated as he took a seat on the floor. "Tell me, Zecora, have you any luck with finding the whereabouts of this Discord fellow?"

"Sadly, my help for the ponies back in Ponyvile isn't successful enough," she responded as she continued stirring, "for no matter how far I search, the task is till tough."

"You seem like you know what you're up against," he continued as other ponies sat along with him, trying to be comfortable with the simple floor of hardened mud. "Do you know much about Discord?"

"Indeed, I have read about his mischievous ways in the past," the zebra went on as she checked her brew, "it hurts me so to realize he had taken Twilight Sparkle so fast." She stopped her stirring and turned to the ponies. "I am certain so that when we work together, we will find our friend..."

Jet Set and Upper Crust, having listened closely, nodded to the zebra's words.

"And when the Elements combine," Zecora sighed, "Discord's chaos will end."

"Oh, bravo!" One colt exclaimed as he and a few others clapped their hooves.

Zecora smiled gratefully at them. "I am touched you are quick to get along with me," Zecora said. She immediately looked away when Photo Finish, despite being invisible, flashed her camera at her and her cauldron.

"The magicks!" The sleeve of her dress was raised, indicating she was raising her hoof in triumph.

"...despite how different we are, as you can see," Zecora stated with a roll of her eyes. She smiled as she saw that her mixture was done.

"We're not going to drink that, are we?" Upper Crust exclaimed.

"Of course not, worried friend," Zecora chuckled. Then she smirked. "A good soaking in this is what I intend."
_

Twilight's eyes slowly opened before she stirred. Finally, she became fully-awake as she realized she was back in her room and in bed.

However, it looked nothing like her room.

The unicorn's jaw fell as she gazed at her surroundings, seeing that so much had changed when she had fallen asleep. The entire room was of a night sky blue as she raised her eyes to the ceiling to notice that glittering stars were attached to create that midnight effect. Looking down at the bed she laid in, she realized the cloud design was gone and was now replaced by a dark blue mattress and matching covers with sparkling stars on it.

And the floors were polished, glistening like gold that Twilight could practically see her reflection. She could barely hold the smile from spreading on her face as she was amazed by the sudden change of decor. However, when she turned to look at her desk, the grin increased that it almost hurt.

A desk carved out of the finest wood, designed to look like one fit for a scholar. But that wasn't what truly made her overjoyed. It was beside it.

A library.

"Books!" Twilight cried as she quickly jumped out of bed and raced over to it. She felt like a little filly again, excited to be surrounded by what she loved so much. Now she could read while she was here. She could hardly contain herself as she hopped up and down, squealing like a little girl. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

She had almost forgotten that this was all thanks to Discord. Realizing so, she stopped her jumping and gazed at ground with a grateful smile, knowing deep in her heart that what Discord had said before about how he meant to shower gifts with his chaos...was so true.

Finally, she turned and noticed a large closet across from her bed. Both curious and excited, she galloped over and immediately opened it. She let out an awe-struck gasp before she reached a hoof into the closet.

And took out one of many fine clothes.

Twilight's eyes sparkled as she held the dress in her hooves, nuzzling her face against the cloth. It was a beautiful green dress with sleeves and a white ribbon. She had fine clothes like these back home, but the fact that Discord had used his magic to make them, and just for her, it made her cherish them immediately. If Rarity could just see her now...maybe she would have to agree with Twilight about Discord being a good creature.

A kind, honest, generous creature.

As Twilight continued sorting through her new closet, her star-covered door opened a slight crack, quiet enough so she wouldn't hear. Mismatched eyes gazed through the crack and watched as Twilight drooled over her new room and accessories.

Discord turned away from the door, his eyes shining with joy as a smile spread across his face. The sound of Twilight's squeals and laughter was like music to his ears.

"She likes it..." He stated softly.
_

My Personal Space, My Loyalty

Upper Crust winced as she felt daylight seep through the small window of the hut and she struggled to open her eyes.

"Oh, dear Celestia..." She muttered as she raised herself from the grass-made mat she was provided with last night. She gazed around to see that the other Canterlot ponies were soon awakening from their mats, all murmuring and trying to adjust their accessories and such.

"Good morning, everypony," Fancypants chirped as he trotted into the center of the room. He obviously had been the first to awaken as he was carrying a tray of herbal tea on his back. "I hoped you all had as fine a sleep as I had."

"Well..." Upper Crust turned to see her husband finally raise his head from his mat, placing on his glasses and putting back on his sweater. "Though I do prefer the comfy mattress back at our house in Canterlot..." He turned to his wife, managing a smile.

Upper Crust returned it, giving a brief nod. "Sleeping on something completely made by what we step on seemed...alright."

Jet Set took notice of their slight change of attitude about Zecora's hut, better yet, the whole Everfree Forest situation. Perhaps the reminiscing how they met when they fell in those blue flowers yesterday made them begin to show a little more appreciation for their surroundings, or maybe it was the special 'bath' Zecora had made for all of them yesterday after the blasted poison joke affected them all. At first, the Canterlot ponies were reluctant to bathe in something so 'country-folk-like', but when Fancypants assured them that no harm would be done and the poison joke would wear off, they slowly merged in the disgusting stuff and all worry and judgment had vanished.

His wife immediately read his mind as she leaned in and nuzzled against him, happy that her skunk-like mane was gone as well as his pig snout. Though Zecora was far from the Canterlot style...they were eternally grateful for her kindness and friendly hospitality.

"I say..." One Canterlot pony stated as he adjusted his monocle. "I do feel a bit peckish right about now."

"Oh, so do I, Caesar," one mare added as she adjusted her mane decoration.

"Fear not, for I have just brewed a special recipe," all heads turned and Zecora slowly entered the room, pushing a wooden cart toward them. "A special kind of food, made by me especially."

As all the hungry Canterlot ponies gathered around, Fancypants came to front, smiling proudly for Zecora's work as the zebra removed the wooden lid and a spicy aroma filled the room.

"Oh, how delightful..." One mare murmured, taken by the smell.

"Very exquisite," one pony nodded.

"I never seen anything like this," Jet Set said as he gazed down at the food before them.

It was a rolled up leaf with bits of exotic berries seeping out. Surrounding it was a special sprinkle of some kind Zecora must have picked out from her many hanging spice containers.

"It is a special recipe from my land," Zecora stated. "A beloved recipe, just as the special bath you all have learned to understand."

"Oh, I must simply have your recipe for that bath!" One mare said excitedly. "It's simply luxurious!"

"And I would love to have your recipe for this lovely meal!" One pony stated, taking a bit of his breakfast. "My chef has never made anything this good."

"As your new friend, I am willing to share," Zecora said, smiling humbly yet slightly blushing with embarrassment. She turned to a mare beside her with the most yellow mane she had ever seen. "And perhaps I may add the recipe for good hair."

"Oh, you would?" The mare exclaimed happily, running a hoof down her styled mane.

Zecora smiled, however, it quickly faded when a bright flash nearly blinded her.

"Photo Finish!" Upper Crust hissed, casting a glare at the mare.

"Vhat?" The photographer asked, holding her camera. "It makes good picture for my newest gallery."
_

Discord hummed to himself as he summoned a small table for him and Twilight to have breakfast on. For the first time in a thousand years, he was actually going to eat with someone! And to realize that that pony was Twilight Sparkle, it made him smile even more as he conjured up a vase of flowers for decor before bringing out fruity pastries, alfalfa, and two glasses of orange juice.

He even went as far as to make amends with the style of the dining area. It once looked like a simple modern kitchen design, but since Twilight came, Discord's magic morphed it into a more grander hall of glorious blue painted walls, a marble floor, and red velvet curtains for show. Though its hall was far off in distance, the small table was all they needed for breakfast. He would summon a long dinging table some other time.

"Wow, that looks great."

He turned and his expression formed into one of surprise when he found Twilight standing atop the bridge of gumdrops that led toward their dining area, amazed at the interior designing. Although he had been expecting her presence, what caught him a bit off guard was what she had worn for the morning.

He was truly happy she found the new room he conjured just for her last night to her satisfaction. He knew she adored the decor, reminding her of the stars and her other interests of gold and blue. And she had become even more excited when she found a library that came along with it. As well as a closet...

The unicorn wore a light green dress with ruffles on the skirt and sleeves. Her hair had been tied back in a simple ponytail with a green bow that matched the outfit completely. Twilight beamed to herself as she crossed the bridge and neared the breakfast table, her eyes sparkling.

Discord blinked at her as the unicorn's mouth watered at the sight of the food. "Twilight..." He spoke out in nearly a whisper. "You look...you look..."

He smirked to himself, and Twilight looked up at him in confusion.

"You look like you could use a little chaos to go with that dress," he said playfully, preparing to snap his fingers.

Twilight's eyes widened before she hunched her legs together in front of her protectively, giving him a warning glare.

"Oh, no!" She exclaimed defensively. "No way am I having moving images on my dress!"

Discord chuckled and shook his head before he motioned to the breakfast table. "I was just teasing, my dear. Come now, let's have breakfast."

She rolled her eyes as she took her seat next to his. "Well, if you really were going to do something to my dress," she smirked at him. "I would do something to your beard, on account of you aren't dressed in anything right now."

"Mess with my pride and joy?" He asked in fake gasp as he stroked his goat-like beard.

"Hey, when we first met, I wanted to yank it out of anger," she stated. "And perhaps beat you up..." She scoffed.

"Considering that temper the last time I saw you," Discord chuckled, "I wouldn't be too surprised." He took a fruit pastry from the basket.

"And by the way, Discord," she spoke in a sweet, charming tone. "Yes, fruity pastries are my favorite." And she used her magic to remove one from the basket. "Amazing to assume their your favorites as well considering you always consume cotton candy."

"Ever tried cotton candy eggs?" He asked playfully.

"Ever tried cotton candy cupcakes?" She remarked with a grin.

"Cotton candy cupcakes..." He stroked his beard. "Very interesting."

And the two continued eating their breakfast, almost as if they had been doing this many times. Discord smiled to himself as he watched Twilight's horn glow when she put her glass of orange juice to her lips and sipped it. Everything's just seemed so perfect.

However, the atmosphere was quickly ruined when he noticed her take out a book and placed it on the table. Her eyes shone with excitement as she read it as soon as she opened it.

Discord let out a groan and laid back in his seat, obviously annoyed that the unicorn was becoming so engrossed in books as she always had.

"Do you always have to read?" He asked irritably.

Twilight raised her head from the page and looked at him curiously. "I love books," she told him defensively, "I live in a library, remember?" She didn't give him time to reply as she continued on. "Of course you remember. That's where you put the elements, right? As well as your-" She immediately cut herself off. She placed a hoof against her lips, her eyes widening in shock as she averted her gaze from the Draconequus.

Discord raised his head, regarding her closely. "As well as my what?" He asked carefully, raising an eyebrow.

"N-nothing..." Twilight muttered as she closed her book. Then she quickly gave him a smile as she jumped out of her seat. "Well, thank you very much for the breakfast, Discord!" And she began walking toward the bridge that led to the other side.

"Wait a minute!" Discord called out, disappointed breakfast was over just like that and she was off again.

As Twilight was about to cross the bridge, he magically flashed in front of her, his mismatched wings flapping desperately.

"What?" Twilight asked, becoming a bit annoyed as he was getting between her and her thousands of books back in her room.

"Well, I thought that now that it's morning," he began casually as he landed on his feet, "you can finally experience what my chaos can do." He gave a playful grin. "Perhaps float among my cotton candy clouds, drink up chocolate rain-"

"Oh, I would love to..." Twilight said, rolling her eyes. She quickly trudged past him, nose in the air. "But I simply must resume my reading. You have no idea how much I missed my library back home."

Discord raised an eyebrow at her as she crossed the bridge. He watched as she quickly turned back to him, a grateful smile on her face.

"You really are thoughtful to conjure a whole library for me in my room," and she winked at him before continuing on.

Discord folded his arms as she disappeared around a hall, heading back to that starry bedroom she loved so much. He was starting to regret giving her that library...

"Oh, for goodness's sake!" He rolled his eyes, throwing his mismatched hands up in the air. "Is she really just going to stay in her room all day and read?"
_

Apple Bloom gazed up at Applejack with a disappointed pout as she and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders, along with Pipsqueak, regarded the remaining Elements of Harmony.

"But why can't we come with you on your mountain trip?" Apple Bloom whined.

Applejack let out a sigh as she placed on her hat. "I told you, it's too dangerous for little fillies."

"But you said we could help look for Twilight!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

"Exactly, shorty," Rainbow Dash said, flapping her wings in the air. "But here. In Ponyville."

"Discord could be hiding at home?" Sweetie Belle pondered, not exactly taking what the older pony was hinting.

Pipsqueak casted a glance at the filly unicorn. However, he remained silent, tracing a hoof on the ground as his mind became clouded with worry. He really hoped Twilight was okay.

"Oh, that brute could be anywhere!" Rarity cried, flipping her mane. She turned to her little sister. "Sweetie Belle, if you do see him, I want you to run to the Mayor's office as fast as possible and she'll contact the princesses."

"And we'll be there to put that dumb Discord back in his place," Rainbow Dash huffed, tapping a hoof against the element around her neck.

"Wow, Rainbow Dash..." Scootaloo's eyes widened as she gazed at the necklace. "I really love your Element of Loyalty."

"Thanks, squirt," Rainbow Dash chuckled, "maybe later I'll let you wear it." With a salute, she flew into the sky. "Come on, gang!" She urged. "We got a mountain to search!"

"Maybe we might bump into another dragon who snores too much!" Pinkie Pie said happily, trotting behind Fluttershy as they began to leave.

The yellow pegasus gulped, immediately lowering her head while her pink hair slowly covered her fear-stricken face. "Please don't say that..." She murmured.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Pipsqueak watched as the older ponies disappeared in sight. Apple Bloom let out a huff as she folded her hooves in disappointment.

"It's not fair," she muttered, "what if finding Twilight is our special talent?"

"Finding Twilight?" Pipsqueak asked, gazing at the baby Earth pony.

"No, silly," Scootaloo laughed. "finding ponies that are taken by big, dumb, scary creatures!"

"And Discord is scary," Sweetie Belle added, her hooves bucking in slight fear.

Pipsqueak remembered the first time he had seen Discord. Sure, he was frightening, but only because the little colt had been scared witless by all the magic that occurred in the air before the Draconequus appeared. He was actually kind of funny to look at as Pipsqueak remembered. But the rest of the ponies were quite afraid of him. As for Twilight...as Pipsqueak had noticed when she held on to him, she didn't seem to show fear as the others. She seemed more surprised and confused.

Pipsqueak turned to the Crusaders, flipping his brown hair away from his eyes. "So what do we do?" He asked.

The three girls smiled at each other before pointing their hooves in a certain direction. "To the Everfree Forest!" They exclaimed.
_

Twilight closed her door, eyeing it carefully before proceeding toward her library. However, she stopped in front of a chair where her bag was. Looking from left to right, she quickly dug into it before finally taking out what she had been looking for.

Sunglasses...ones that once belonged to Discord.

Twilight bit her lip as she held them in her hooves as if delicate and fragile. She remembered, long before any of this occurred, she had found them one blazing, sunny day in her bag when she had been desperate to cover her eyes while reading in the extremely bright sunlight back home.

When she had found a pair of sunglasses in her book bag, she had realized that she never even bought them. And when the familiar style slowly came back to her...

These just have to be his, she thought desperately, running a gentle hoof over them, if they are...why did he leave them in my possession?

Gazing at sunglasses for a few moments, Twilight placed them back in her bag. Perhaps some other time she would discuss it with Discord. Right now, untouched books awaited her. Skirts flapping as she twirled toward her library, the unicorn grew excited as she used her magic to remove one book from its slot.

Trotting over to her desk, Twilight pushed her journal to the side before opening her chosen book and read, a simple smile on her face.

A few minutes passed, she was completely absorbed in the story of adventure...comedy...roman-

Suddenly, she heard a flash behind her and immediately turned.

"I can't really blame your friends if they had to drag you out by the tail just to get you away from those books, Twilight Sparkle," Discord said casually as he leaned down on his back while floating in the air, his wings flapping.

Twilight raised an eyebrow at him. "Uh, come in?" She said with slight irritability.

Before she knew it, Discord slithered by her side, placing his lion paw on her backside. "Come now, Twilight," he gave her a smile, his single snaggletooth gleaming. "Surely you can just read later. I had hoped you would spend the day with me and my chaos."

The unicorn let out a sigh before wriggling out of his grasp. "I would love to..." She said in a mocking tone before using her magic to carry her book as she trotted over to her star-covered door. "But I simply must resume any kind of studying I've missed since leaving Ponyville."

Quickly leaving him in her room, Discord watched as she closed the door behind her. The Draconequus just sighed, lowering his eyes in dismay as he folded his arms.

Twilight turned around a hall, finding the familiar garden of flowers and cloud trees she stumbled upon the first time. She trotted over to a nearby tree, its clouded bark like a soft pillow as she leaned against it while tucking her hooves under her belly. She placed her book in front of her, smiling in content as her magic turned the page.

As she resumed reading, her eyes lowered in satisfaction as she rested her head on her front hooves, completely absorbed in her book. And there would be more where that came from once she finished this one.

A few hours passed and Twilight beamed as she closed the book. She used her magic to float it in front of her, and she nuzzled it as if to thank it for a wonderful reading time.

"That was wonderful," she said to herself. "Maybe I should read another one before I get some fresh air."

"How about read later, fresh air now?"

Her eyes widened in surprise before whipping around and Discord stood behind her, smirking down at her with a pleased expression.

"I was wondering when you'd finish," he chuckled as she reached down and played with her mane. "Really, Twilight Sparkle, you should be joining me in some chaotic fun."

Twilight rolled her eyes before pulling her mane away from his fingers. "I would love to..." She said sarcastically as she turned away and began walking off. "Really, I must return to my own needs right now..."

Before she could go any further, Discord flashed in front of her. Startled, she stiffened when he wrapped his lion arm around her before his body stretched, taking her up with him. Twilight's eyes widened as she was raised into a night sky. Finally, her expression turned to one of annoyance, remembering that this wouldn't be the first time he had wrapped his lion arm around her and took her to a new height.

"You raised the moon again, huh?" She couldn't help but ask with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, last night, you did love the stars," he said with a chuckle as he motioned to a few glittering ones that neared them. "See, Twilight? Haven't you always wanted to touch the stars?"

Before she could say anything, he plucked one off the sky as if it were a sticker and showed it to her, who was still secured under his arm.

Her eyes widened in disbelief as the star glowed in front of her. She was about to reach out and touch it-

However, annoyance took over as she pulled back and casted him an irritated glare.

"Please put me down, oh, Great Spirit of Chaos," she said in a huff tone.

Discord scoffed and rolled his eyes before finally lowering himself down to the ground. Twilight immediately wiggled out his grasp and jumped onto the floor, her dress flapping. She looked up at him with a hardened expression.

"Must you always invade my personal space?" She demanded.

"Hey, I'm just trying to have fun," Discord answered, holding his hands up in defense. However, he smirked down at her.

Twilight fumed a bit. "Well, I'm not." And with that said, she turned on her hooves and began toward the exit that led to the forest.

"Oh, come on, Twilight," Discord laughed as he slithered hurriedly by her side before she could make it out the doorway. "Don't be like that."

Twilight stopped in her tracks and regarded him as his eagle talons were inches away from her ear. She simply glared at him before turning her nose like a snobby Canterlot pony.

"Invading personal space," she reminded him with a huff.

"So?" He asked with an amused chuckle. He could barely hold his laughter when his eagle finger tickled the tip of her ear and she bit her lip to keep from letting out a surprised giggle. "Isn't that what your friends do?"

"I believe you do worse," Twilight remarked, flipping her mane to rid of her near giggles. Finally, she moved past him and continued out the exit. "Now if you excuse me, I'm going to take a walk."

She stopped in her tracks and wheeled toward him, her eyes giving him warning.

"Alone," she stated loudly.

"Fine..." Discord rolled his eyes with a sigh.

Twilight just huffed, holding her nose in the air as she continued off.

"And don't even think of popping beside me," she said strictly.

Before she was out, she gave one last word to the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony.

"Arrivederci," she said, nose still high as she made it out into the lush grass.

Discord raised an eyebrow as he watched her leave, disappointed yet slightly amused as she slowly disappeared in sight. With a sigh, he snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash.

A few moments later, he was back in Twilight's room. He glanced at the massive library he conjured just for her and sighed.

"Why didn't I just give her a chocolate fountain?" He asked himself regretfully, scratching his ear. He gazed around the room, admiring what his magic had done to please the caring unicorn. Then his eyes fell on her desk.

There her journal lay.

Raising an eyebrow, Discord reached over and plucked it off the desk. His eyes fell on the lock he had given it on account of the original one looked like someone had wrestled a beast over the journal. The Draconequus remembered the expression of warning on Twilight's face when she told him not to look in her journal...then he remembered her expression of sincerity when she permitted him to read, saying it held every thought she had of him since he had been turned into stone.

Discord's lion finger gently played with the lock, his eyes glancing at the front cover as he became deep in thought.

"Well..." He told himself calmly. "She did say I could read it if I wanted to."

And with that said, he snapped his fingers and in a matter of seconds he flashed himself atop of the bridge below the gumdrop river. He leaned against the rails as he held Twilight's journal out in front of him. He felt a bit nervous to actually peek into someone else's writing.

But he was just so curious as to what that unicorn wrote about him!

With that in mind, Discord magically summoned a pair of reading glasses before placing them on. Leaning agains the rails, he used the tip of his eagle talon as the key to open the lock. Finally, after he unlocked it, he opened it and he quickly grew excited as he began reading a passage.

But deep down...the guilt never ceased.
_

"Oh, it feels so good to be out of that dreadful forest," one mare sighed heavily as the Canterlot ponies and Zecora trailed through an opening in the trees.

"I kind of liked it..." Jet Set murmured under his breath, loud enough for only his wife to hear. Upper Crust looked at him, a small, sincere smile on her face.

"We're not exactly out of the woods yet," Fancypants stated. "No pun intended," he added with a slight chuckle. "We have much ground to cover before we finally declare this area to be Discord-less."

"Vhere to now?" Photo Finish asked him, hoping to get more good shots.

"I'd have to say..." Fancypants cleared his throat. "The swamp."

"The swamp?" The other ponies cried out in horror.

"Fancypants, you cannot be serious!" Upper Crust cried, at the verge of fainting. "What on Earth would make you assume Discord would be holding Twilight there?"

"Only one way to find out..." The adventurous unicorn gave a wink before he continued leading the way, followed by Zecora.

"Oh, blast..." Jet Set let out a sigh. Then he held his head high and casted his wife a supportive smile. "Well, he could be right."

"Anything for dear Twilight Sparkle," Upper Crust nodded.

As the ponies continued on, the sound of voices shouting in the distance startled everyone.

"Cutie Mark Pony Rescuers, ho!"

"What on Earth...?" One mare cried when something bright flashed past them. Other Canterlot ponies immediately got out of the way when the sound of wheels and squeals were heard.

Fancypants and Zecora stopped in their tracks before turning to see a scooter stop beside them, along with three little fillies and a colt.

Zecora's eyes widened in surprise. "Dear ones, why are you in such a hurry?" The zebra asked before looking over to see the ponies calm themselves from the recent surprise. "For you to be out here on your own, you will cause such worry!"

"Indeed," Fancypants said as he adjusted his monocle. His eyes fell on Sweetie Belle. "I say, aren't you Rarity's sister?"

"I am," the little unicorn beamed. Then she gazed up at him curiously. "Hey, I remember Rarity mention you. You're Spiffy Pants, right?"

Zecora stifled a snort of laughter while the unicorn himself had his lips curve in an amused smirk.

"Fancypants, my dear," he stated. "And I believe the ponies told me about you four." He looked over to Pipsqueak, whose helmet looked nearly too big for his head. The unicorn's face suddenly gave a sad smile. "Dear Twilight told me what a fine lad you are, Pipsqueak."

At the sound of her name, the little colt immediately stood up as high as he could. "Twilight's great," he stated, sniffing a bit. "And me and the Crusaders are going to stop Discord and get her back."

"Did you hear what that little boy said?" Upper Crust nudged her husband. "Can you imagine? Four children? Risking getting themselves hurt for something only grown ponies should do?"

"Quite right," Jet Set nodded.

"We're going to the swamp," Scootaloo said, gripping the handlebars of her scooter. "Is that where you guys are headed?"

Fancypants and Zecora shared a slightly distraught look before turning back to the determined children.

"Well, yes," the unicorn said uneasily. "We are. And I must suggest you four should perhaps-"

"Onward, Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, pointing a hoof in the direction.

"Now, wait just a second, young lady-" Upper Crust cried out but the little pegasus immediately bolted off on her scooter, taking the wagon of her friends with her until they were quite far from the adult ponies.

"Oh, dear..." Jet Set muttered, his eyes dilating in sudden fear.

"Oh, dear is right..." Fancypants sighed. He turned to the others. "Come on, everypony, we better catch up before those children get hurt."

"Oh, those children are eager for quite a thrill," Zecora stated, "because three of them are searching for their right skill."
_

Twilight admired the scenery as she trotted through the trees, her skirt trailing across the grass.

"Oh, so beautiful and natural..." She sighed.

She smiled as she watched birds fly among the trees, chirping and having a good time. Together.

At that, Twilight's smile slowly faded as she regarded the ground as she walked.

"Maybe I was a little too hard on him..." She told herself quietly. "He was just being sweet...even though he was completely into my personal space." She added with a roll of her eyes.

She trailed down a nearby lake, admiring the shining waters as she spotted a nearby path of rocks before her. With a sly grin, Twilight gathered her dress in her front hooves before using her hind hooves to cautiously step on the nearest rock, intending the cross the lake. She giggled to herself as she placed one hoof in front of the other, hoping she wouldn't get her dress wet.
_

"Well, here's the swamp," Scootaloo announced as she parked her scooter by a nearby tree. "Let's start searching!"

"Twilight?" Sweetie Belle called out as she and the other kids removed their helmets. "Mr. Discord?"

"I don't think Discord likes to be called Mr.," Apple Bloom said uneasily as they got out of the wagon and began walking around the bubbly swamp.

"I don't think he likes his name being called out either," Pipsqueak stated, nearly avoiding a swamp bubble that popped in the smelly, murky water. He gazed at his surroundings. "Maybe he's being invisible."

"Yeah," Scootaloo nodded, "and maybe he got Twilight tied up somewhere."

"My sister told me Discord might have taken her horn just so she wouldn't be able to fight him," Sweetie Belle exclaimed. Then she gulped before placing a hoof on her horn. "Uh, guys? If we do bump into Discord...you think he might...?"

"And if he tries?" Scootaloo stated strongly as they continued walking. "Just remember what Rainbow Dash and the other ponies did. Fight them!"

"But we don't have the Elements of Harmony," Apple Bloom reminded them.

"We have one element," Pipsqueak assured them. "The most powerful one of all." The Crusaders gazed at him curiously as they stopped in front of a large swampy pit.

"Laughter?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"No," Pipsqueak said slowly. Then he stood tall, despite still being small compared to the others. "Friendship!" And he beamed proudly.

"Oh, yeah," Scootaloo nodded along with the other Crusaders. "Rainbow Dash mentioned something about how that really got the Elements together to stop Discord last time."

Pipsqueak nodded. "Twilight told me that when you have friends..."

He reached down and picked up a rock. With a good eye and a good pull-back of his tiny hoof, he threw it forward and it skipped four times before hitting against a tree and falling back into the swamp with a plop. Pipsqueak turned to the amazed fillies, still smiling.

"...you can handle anything," he concluded happily.

And with that said, the other three picked up their rocks and began skipping them across the swamp. For a few minutes, the rocks skipped, hit nearby objects, and sank. The kids, despite realizing they needed to continue their search, were enjoying the activity.

"Watch this!" Scootaloo bragged as she spun her hoof back before throwing the rock as far as she could.

The four watched as it soared a great distance before hitting a nearby brownish stone lodged in the swamp. It bounced right off it before falling into the water with a plop.

"That was a good one," Pipsqueak said.

Suddenly, a low growl was heard, followed by slight swishing of water. Sweetie Belle began to tremble as her hooves bucked.

"What was that?" She gulped.

All eyes fell on the brownish rock Scootaloo had hit. It almost looked like it was moving...
_

Twilight was nearly over to the other side, her hooves hopping from one rock to the next. However, one false step and she suddenly slipped and fell into the water.

The unicorn let out a gasp as her head emerged out of the water, shivering a bit and groaning to see that both her mane and her dress were ruined.

"Oh, great!" She cried as she flipped her mane only for it to stick to the side of her face, completely soaked.

As she tried to fix it, her ears suddenly became attuned to something. Eyes widening, she stopped fixing her mane and looked behind her.

"H-hello?" She called out nervously.

Gazing around the lake, Twilight assumed it was just the wind or perhaps a mischievous character.

"D-discord?" She called out, frightened. "Is that you?"

She let out a gasp when she saw something move in the water. Immediately, she hopped out of the water and onto land. She quickly stepped back when something slowly emerged from the water, and her jaw fell in both fear and disbelief. She gulped.

"It's a-"
_

"HYDRA!" The kids cried as they dashed through the swampy grounds.

Pipsqueak ran as fast as his tiny legs could carry him before turning his head, crying out in fear as four glared back at him while hot on his tail.

"You think Discord brought out that thing so we wouldn't find Twilight?" Sweetie Belle cried as they continued running.

"If he did," Scootaloo exclaimed, "it's not funny!"
_

Twilight let out another shrill cry as she rushed through the woods, four heads hot on her hooves. To think the area in which Discord resided in was peaceful actually had a hydra in it!

"This is like Pinkie Pie all over again!" She cried as she kept running, her skirts flapping.

Suddenly, she came to a screeching halt. She now stood before an incredibly steep hill. Horrified, Twilight turned to see that the hydra had followed her to the end, its tongues flickering and its eyes narrowing.

The unicorn gulped, taking a step back as much as possible , her back hooves nearly at the tip of the edge.

"Oh, I wish I never left Discord!" She cried. "I wish he was here right now!"

The hydra paid little interest to her regrets as it snapped its four jaws. Finally, it lunged at her. Twilight closed her eyes before burying her face in her hooves.
_

"We're trapped!" Pipsqueak cried as they halted in front of a stone wall. He let out a cry of fear when the screech of the hydra grew nearer.

Sweetie Belle gulped before hugging her friends close to her, they doing the same. They trembled, becoming so paralyzed as they gazed at the eight eyes of the four-headed creature that creeped toward them threateningly.

"This cannot be the end of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Apple Bloom cried as the creature drew nearer. "We haven't even gained our cutie marks yet!"

"We haven't even found Twilight yet!" Pipsqueak screamed at her angrily.

They immediately closed their eyes, screaming altogether, sending what hopes they had left that someone would hear their plea as the creature lunged at them.

"Not so fast there, chap!"

Before the hydra could take its prey, a surge of magic grabbed one of its heads and slammed it against the other three. Confused, the heads gazed around.

Pipsqueak, still holding his friends close, cracked open one eye. Both his eyes widened in surprise as he saw Zecora's back to them, her hooves digging into the ground as she and the other Canterlot ponies glared at the hydra.

"You rude, malevolent creature!" Upper Crust shouted as her horn glowed, lifting a rock beside her and throwing it at the hydra.

Soon, other unicorns used their magic to gather rocks and began pelting the now-terrified creature. Photo Finish, being an Earth pony, gave her part as she took out her camera and stood before the hydra on her back hooves.

"Face. The. Magicks!" She shouted before flashing her camera in every direction each of its heads were looking at.

The hydra let out a terrified screech, becoming blinded by the bright flashes of her camera. Photo Finish let out a triumphant laugh, flipping her mane before raising a hoof proudly.

"I, Photo Finish, find you..." And she flashed it one more time. "...despicable!"

As the hydra let out another screech, Fancypants held his head high and adjusted his monocle before his horn glowed, ripping a tree beside him. The surge of his magic glowed around it as he slowly raised it up, making it higher than the hydra's four heads.

"Pardon the gesture, old chap," Fancypants said with a smirk. "But I believe it's time for you to depart." And he jerked his head.

With that movement, the summoned tree swung hard at the hydra, the bark crashing against its four heads. With that blow, the creature immediately flew out of the swamp, soaring through the sky. It let out another screech before it faded in the distance, now completely gone from their sight.

Fancypants smiled to himself as he slowly descended the used tree to the ground beside him. He nodded with the others, grateful for their teamwork.

"Wow, Fancypants!"

He turned and Scootaloo gazed at him with sparkling eyes. "That was awesome!"

"One strike and it was out!" Apple Bloom added.

"Seeing that, you could take on Discord!" Sweetie Belle added.

"Reminds me of that story Twilight said about how she took care of an Ursa Minor to save Ponyville!" Pipsqueak squealed.

Upper Crust, having heard Pipsqueak, blinked in utter surprise. She turned to Jet Set. "An Ursa Minor?"

Jet Set nodded slowly, just as amazed. "I say, it took a good amount of unicorns to take care of one of those when it came to Canterlot. And Twilight...she took care of it all by herself?"
_

Twilight thought she was done for. However, she slowly opened her eyes when nothing came.

And they immediately widened at the sight before her.

There stood Discord, appearing calm and peaceful as he snapped his fingers, allowing a ton of bricks to fall on the hydra. The beast let out a screech, becoming even more angry. Discord merely sighed before snapping his fingers again.

Suddenly, a cotton candy cloud appeared over its head. The hydra gazed at it curiously, not realizing its deliciousness.

Before it knew it, it struck lightning at it. Screeching in sudden fear, the hydra scurried off, racing back to where it once came.

Twilight blinked, stunned. Finally, Discord turned to her, his eyes gazing with concern.

"Forgive me for invading your personal space once again," he apologized casually as he stood before her. "But I just had a feeling you would need me."

Twilight just blinked up at him. Discord raised an eyebrow, his mouth twisting in a worried frown.

"Twilight," he began gently, "are you-"

Before he knew it, the unicorn launched at him, her hooves wrapping around his waist. She hugged him, harder than she had last night. Discord blinked as she gazed down at her in surprise while she buried her face against his furry chest.

"Don't ever NOT invade my personal space again..." She muttered, as if near crying.

Discord regarded her closely. Then he lightly chuckled before his lion paw stroked her mane.
_

"We haven't found Twilight yet..." Pipsqueak stated sadly as he and the other kids followed behind the Canterlot ponies. They were now being carefully watched so as to not run into anymore trouble.

"Oh, cheer up, lad," Fancypants nudged him as they trailed through the Everfree Forest. "Don't give up hope. Why, you children were quite brave to go to that swamp and face against that hydra for a few moments before we came along."

"Are you sure Discord didn't bring that hydra out so we wouldn't be able to find Twilight?" The little colt asked, his spirits lifting a bit.

"Oh, I don't think Discord would do a thing like that," the unicorn chuckled. "Why, I do believe he would be the type of fellow to summon clouds with lightning. That way he would scare us off from finding him..."

"You know, we still want to help," Scootaloo said, glancing over at Upper Crust.

"Oh, indeed, you will, darling," the adult unicorn assured her while rolling her eyes. "Just please...try not to go off like that again."

"But we did that before!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "We nearly got turned into the stone if it wasn't for Fluttershy!"

Upper Crust's eyes widened in disbelief as her lips curved in a horrified frown.

Perhaps I've been a little too brash about that mare's well-being...she thought uneasily.
_

"That was amazing the way you handled that hydra!" Twilight exclaimed as Discord summoned a couple of glasses of chocolate milk on the table.

"Oh, please, my dear," he chuckled, "fighting that hydra was simple child's play."

"Still..." Her eyes lowered, a soft smile on her face as she gazed at him. "Thank you so much for saving me."

Discord's mismatched eyes gazed into her purple ones, a genuine smile on his face. "Still don't like the fact that I can invade your personal face?"

"Since when?" She joked.

They laughed and talked about the events earlier, enjoying several cups of chocolate milk. Twilight had let her hair loose since they came back to Discord's home, allowing her 'ruined' mane to flow freely considering it felt so soft upon her skin.

She smiled as she watched Discord take a long sip of his glass, simply admiring how he can consume so much even after she drank herself full.

It was with that moment, Twilight finally took out the sunglasses and placed it on the table.

Discord's eyes caught sight of it, and they slightly widened. He slowly placed his glass down and regarded them with a surprise expression. Then he turned to Twilight, who smiled up at him.

"Remember these, Discord?" She asked softly. "Didn't you wear them the first time my friends and I tried to stop you with the elements?" She pushed them toward him.

Discord gazed at them, his lion paw gently touching them. Finally, he looked at Twilight, a surprised smile on his face.

"I thought you trashed them."

Twilight blinked. "Why would I?"

"Well, you found these long before I came back," the Draconequus stated. "And I assumed you hated me more back then before it lessened and it came down to this right now." And he motioned between them. "I almost didn't think you'd find them long after I was imprisoned in stone."

The unicorn turned from him to the glasses. "Why..." She cleared her throat. "Why did you leave them in my bag? In my possession?" It had been a question she had been asking herself for weeks. And now that she was here with Discord, she hoped to finally get an answer.

Discord regarded the sunglasses quietly, a bit nervous to look the unicorn in the eye. Biting his lip, he let out a deep sigh.

"Just wanted to give you something..." He said quietly. "To, you know, celebrate my escaping from stone." He looked at her, a small smile on his face. "You were the only pony I tended to get along with more out of the others. I thought I should give you at least something."

Twilight's eyes widened.

"I hoped that answered your question, my dear," he said calmly.

Twilight cleared her throat, smiling nervously up at him. "Uh, yeah..." She spoke casually as she ran a hoof down her loose mane. "You answered more than a mouthful..."

Discord gave an amused chuckle. "You know, I think these sunglasses look much better on you than they do on me."

And before Twilight could say anything, he slipped them over her eyes. Twilight flinched a bit as she wore the shades, gazing at the creature with them on. Discord smiled, leaning back in his seat as he folded his arms.

"And I was right," he said simply.

Twilight's lips curved in a light smile as she lowered them down to take a better look at him. She let out a small chuckle, feeling completely lucky at the moment. Deep down, she felt elated, overjoyed, and even happy.

"Well..." Her voice was quiet. "Thanks. You know, for these..." She smiled up at him. "That was kind of sweet...even though you acted like a complete jerk during those events." She added with a raised eyebrow.

A sweet jerk, she wanted to say.

Discord laughed. "Well, I wanted to leave you perhaps a chocolate milk of glass or something, but you weren't really up for type of stuff when we first met."

"How exactly does that work?" She asked curiously. "Chocolate milk of glass?"

"When you're the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony," he chuckled, "the strange is normal."

Twilight rolled her eyes. Then she smiled playfully at him, taking off the glasses as she gazed at him shyly, her soft mane covering part of her sparkling eyes.

"So..." She began casually. "Can I still see those cotton candy clouds of yours?"

Discord smirked, scratching his ear. "I've been waiting all day for you to ask me that."

And with that said, Twilight actually allowed him to hold her under his lion arm. With a snap of his fingers, they were gone in a flash.
_

Pipsqueak gazed sadly out the window of Sugarcube Corner as the moon set over Ponyville. Another search having failed, and the little colt felt he hadn't tried hard enough.

He suddenly felt a nuzzle beside him as well as something landing on his head. He turned and smiled a bit when Tank leaned against his leg while Owlowiscious stood upon his head, gazing into space. The little colt felt sorry for the owl, having his poor owner missing and perhaps harmed by the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, though Owlowiscious didn't seem to show it; perhaps he was just that strong in hiding his emotions. But Pipsqueak could just feel his sadness as the owl's feathers gently brushed against his fur, indicating his small desperation to comfort himself. And Tank...he loved Twilight very much, though that love could not measure up anywhere close to Rainbow Dash. The tortoise cared about all his pet friends, including their owners. And he especially cared about Pipsqueak.

"I'd be scared if Discord took you, too," Pipsqueak said quietly before petting his shell.

"Thanks again for bringing them home safely," Applejack told Fancypants and Zecora. "I'm real sorry for the trouble they caused."

"Oh, Applejack, do not fear for what they have done," Zecora said humbly, "for they were merely searching for dear Twilight, just as everyone."

"Still," Rarity sighed before turning gratefully to Fancypants. "Thank you so much. It's difficult enough you and the rest of the Canterlot ponies are out there in the Everfree Forest and have to continue the rest of the search there tomorrow."

"Oh, my dear, I believe my good friends have become more calm about it," the male unicorn chuckled before turning to Zecora. "In fact, we must return to your hut. I'm sure they are famished to have some of your exquisite recipes for dinner."

"Indeed, those ponies are enjoying their stay," the zebra nodded as they walked out the door, "it pleases me to know that they find my lifestyle quite okay."

Pipsqueak watched as the two disappeared down the street. He gently pressed his nose against the glass, his eyes brimming a bit with tears as he gazed up at the night sky while Owlowiscious and Tank tried to comfort him.

He recalled how he first moved into Ponyville, and how Twilight became his very first friend. She showed him a great interest in books, and he had began borrowing a few on his first day in the library. And then she introduced him to others in Ponyville. Pipsqueak had been incredibly shy about making friends, but Twilight, having been in the same situation before, gave him the encouragement to say hello and play with the other kids. Her motivation was what made him become more open with his hobbies and interests, becoming well-known in the town, discovering the magic of friendship in his own way...

His ears lowered as he dropped his head sadly. He hoped their magic of friendship would save her soon...
_

Twilight's eyes widened in pure astonishment as the stars danced around her. She stood among a single cotton candy cloud as it sailed through the night sky Discord had conjured just for them. Her green dress had been put away in her room, now replaced with a simple white dress with a blue vest; her hair had been let loose, and as Twilight noticed when she ran a hoof down her hair, it seemed to have softened quite a bit after she fell in that river. The unicorn beamed when one star leaned forward and nuzzled against her forehead, as if implying its delight to meet her. Twilight's smile widened as she leaned forward, nuzzling it back as if it were one of Fluttershy's adorable animals.

Recalling her shy pegasus friend, Twilight's smile nearly faltered. However, it quickly regained itself when the star moved away and Discord took its place. The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony smirked at Twilight as he floated in the air, swimming around her cloud with a joyful guffaw.

"And what is so funny?" The unicorn asked, raising an eyebrow yet a playful smile on her face.

"Oh, nothing, my dear," he chuckled as he smoothed the top of his head while leaning against her cloud as they soared through the night sky. "It's just..." He turned to her, his smile softening as his eyes lowered in serenity. "Its feels wonderful to see somepony enjoy my chaos, enjoy spending time with me, as well..." He beamed as he gazed at her.

Twilight averted her eyes, smiling yet feeling embarrassed. "Well, I have been curious about your cotton candy clouds..." She turned to him, her cheeks blushing. "I will admit, I was so hungry when we met for the first time. It's amazing to believe I kept myself under control when I just wanted to eat a cotton candy cloud."

"You don't say..." Discord chuckled knowingly, smirking. He halted them and he leaned against the cloud, gazing at her. "Tell me...have you tasted my cloud yet, Twilight Sparkle?"

She blinked, a bit surprised. "Well, no, actually..."

"Oh, trust me, my dear," he spoke quietly as he conjured a paper cone and scooped a piece of her cloud into it. "Once you get a taste, the chocolate milk will seem like yesterday."

"It was yesterday," she pointed out.

"Yes, yes," he rolled his eyes before bringing the coned cotton candy in front of her.

The unicorn was a bit hesitant, at one point wanting to dive in and bury her nose in it and devour the sweet stuff while the other part of her spoke that she needed to remain her sophisticated self and simply take nibbles.

However, before she could do anything, Discord leaned in and took a bite, which pushed the other half of the cotton candy right into her face. Startled at first, Twilight had her mouth open and when Discord pulled away and chewed his half, Twilight's mouth was completely full. Her eyes widened as she chewed thoughtfully.

It was so delicious...a dozen different candy flavors could not muster enough flavor to defeat something as rich and delectable as what she was eating. It was just so sweet...

Like Discord.

Twilight swallowed before smiling at him as the entire portion was finished. After he finished his fill, he gazed at her, her smile matching his. Finally...to see the joy in her eyes to obtain something she had desired for so long.

Just like what it said in her journal.

The Draconequus suddenly felt uneasy before averting his gaze away from the unicorn. He smiled nervously, feeling Twilight glance at him in confusion.

"Something bothering you?" She asked.

Discord quickly cleared his throat, trying to regain his posture before holding his head high, trying to appear unbothered as he usually appeared and smoothed the top of his head.

"Of course not," he stated simply as he led both him and her tiny cloud down to the striped-colored ground.

A few minutes later, they were both laying upon the grassy area he conjured just for them as they admired the stars in the sky, putting on quite a show of twinkling lights for their pleasure. Twilight's eyes lowered in satisfaction, following the stars as they moved around.

"I love stars," she said barely above a whisper. "I can't believe I touched one!" And she tried to stifle her giggle.

Discord, leaning on the grass with his mismatched arms under his head for better comfort, shifted his eyes over to her, a small smile forming on his face.

"I'm sure it's something you've always wanted to do," he chuckled quietly. He watched as the light of the stars danced along the sparkling eyes of the unicorn. He had to admit, the stars in the sky appeared like they weren't shining enough compared to the glint in Twilight's eyes.

They laid on the grass in silence, simply enjoying the view while also enjoying each other's company. The Draconequus looked over to Twilight once more, seeing her cross her front hooves over her chest as her eyes remained calm and nearly closed. She looked as if she would fall asleep any second. If she did, well...he didn't want their fun to end that early.

Finally, taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. "I read your journal."

The got her eyes open as she immediately raised her head and jerked in his direction. "What?" She squeaked, her pupils dilating in disbelief.

Discord gave an amused chuckle as her distraught face. "Well, you said I could read it."

"Yeah, I know I did," she spoke quickly, finally raising her body before she allowed her back legs to sprawl on the ground. "I didn't think you'd still be interested." She didn't sound angry, just completely surprised. And embarrassed.

"Well, since you left earlier because of 'invasion of personal space'..." He mocked amusingly. "I thought I'd read it, wonder how..." His voice trailed off for a few moments, his eyes on her. "...how somepony would go on and actually care about the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony."

Twilight smiled nervously, sweat suddenly trickling down her neck. "W-well..." She stammered a bit. "I guess you figured it out, huh?"

"Definitely," he chuckled as he rolled onto his stomach, his furry tail idly flickering. "I must say, Twilight Sparkle, I never knew I'd be remembered so well." He smirked at her. "Of course, considering what an intelligent pony you are, as to contras with your friends, I shouldn't be surprised."

The unicorn trailed a hoof on the ground, a part of her hair nearly covering her eyes. "Well, that book on you was the first step," she admitted, "then came those visits to the gardens..."

"I'm amazed you actually considered visiting me," he admitted as he leaned his head against his lion paw. "A thousand years and no pony in their right mind would even think of doing so unless it's part of some tour."

Twilight's eyes softened, feeling ever remorseful for him. She had wondered what Cheerilee's class would have really thought if they learned the true feelings of the ever kind Draconequus. She asked herself countless times whether or not any pony would show the same sympathy and kindness she gave Discord.

She wondered if her friends could just see...what a wonderful creature he really was.

"I admit..." She said quietly. "I can be headstrong as well as overly-serious to the point where I wonder what action will make me appear more...abnormal from my standards." She knew she was rambling on, but it was pretty hard to explain considering how shy she was suddenly becoming.

Discord smirked, seeing the expression of self-consciousness on her face. "You fear that whatever choice you believe is different from what you usually decide will misguide your entire exterior as well as falter your interior to which might surprise others considering they've already marked you down as a specific character for which you are afraid to contrast."

Twilight blinked at him, her jaw falling slightly in astonishment. Discord laughed, stroking his beard.

"You must realize, my dear," he stated quietly, "that although that sounds like a concerning thing...all in all, it proves how truly caring and heartfelt you are."

The unicorn's eyes widened. Then she immediately turned away, feeling embarrassed. "You're not just saying that because you read my journal, are you?"

Discord laughed again. "Oh, no, my dear," and he reached over and placed the tip of his lion paw under her chin, turning her head back toward him. "I knew all along." And he lowered his paw from her face, placing it on the ground as he shifted his body so his side was pressed against the ground. He watched as she took it all in, shifting her hooves a bit, touched by his sincere words.

"Well, uh..." She smiled nervously. "I'm not sure what to say."

"And I'm sure you're not sure what to ask, either," he chuckled as he flicked his tail. "For starters, the passage where you wondered why you were acting so child-like when the rain came and all your friends thought you were nuts..." Twilight flinched at his statement. "Honestly, I had nothing to do with it."

Regaining her posture, she raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh, really?" She asked with doubt.

"Really," he insisted, "I was in hiding during that time, remember?" He scratched his ear. "You merely just figured out what I've been trying to show for myself." And he smiled at her. "That we all have fun in ourselves that we want to let out, regardless of what anyone thinks. And you proved that well with your little dance in the rain. I must say, you sounded like you had more fun in the simple rain than the fun I have with the thousand things I muster."

Twilight blushed with embarrassment. "I try not to be too much out of it...I mean, I'm suppose to be the intellectual here. The serious one."

"The ideal object of perfection, I presume?" The Draconequus asked carefully, smirking.

"Well, that..." Her voice trailed off, a bit surprised by what he had just implied. "Sure, I try to make things perfect..."

"But nothing is perfect, my dear," he stated softly. "But as long as there's happiness and satisfaction, what is truly perfect in your case?"

She gazed at him curiously, so amazed by his mass knowledge of these things. He must study in his time as well...if that was the case, perhaps he would likely read a book with her next time instead of conjuring chaos just for a 'calm, peaceful feel'.

"You know your stuff," she chuckled.

"Well, I am Discord," he replied modestly as they both gazed back at the stars. Then his eyes lowered as a playful grin spread on his face. "Oh, and Twilight?"

"Yes?" She turned to him.

His single tooth gleamed as he saw her curious look. "Are you sure you don't have a crush on Soarin'?"

Her eyes immediately widened in horror and her jaw fell. Finally, her face melted into one of a playful smirk and curve of her eyebrows before she reached over and lightly shoved her hooves against his shoulder, making him laugh.

After that, they sat in silence as they continued looking at the stars, remaining still now but resumed their twinkling. Twilight smiled, laying on her stomach with her hooves buried underneath. Though there no such thing as 'perfect perfection' in anyone's case, the unicorn knew how truly perfect this night was. Being with Discord, admiring the stars, all hostility and malevolence now gone between them. It made her happy knowing he finally knew how much sympathy she held for him.

Unlike the others...

Twilight's ears suddenly lowered as she recalled memories of home. Her friends, the princesses, her parents, dear Spike...she knew by now they were probably looking everywhere for her, thinking her mind had scattered to declare Discord had feelings. Celestia and Luna would probably be both horrified as well as slightly disappointed, Rainbow Dash would probably be infuriated by such a dumb decision made by an 'egghead', and other ponies would question her sanity.

But they all still loved her, cared about her...somewhere out there wondering if she found Discord or if he had found her first. Scared, worried, devastated...

...not as much as how Twilight felt at the moment as her head lowered to the ground.

She missed them terribly. Her friends, the princesses, her parents, everything of home. She just knew her mother was probably crying out for her daughter's return, Spike would be an emotional wreck, and her friends...oh, her best friends! They had been scared enough when they thought Twilight was going to return to Canterlot permanently, but now that their dear friend was out somewhere with the enemy, completely unaware of what was truly going on...

Discord felt a slight shift of the atmosphere around them before looking down at Twilight, who held her head down, her hair covering one of her eyes. She looked so sad and worried.

And homesick.

The Draconequus's smile fell and was replaced with a sad frown. Without another word, he moved close to her, much to her surprise as he nearly engulfed her body as he pressed his fur against her coat, his tail dangling just above her head. He lowered his head, close to her level, just wishing she would stop thinking miserably and enjoy what he had been wanting for her to accept for so long.

"Hey, Twilight?" He spoke quietly, slowly closing his eyes.

"Yeah?" She murmured, too shy to look at him, barely noticing how close his tail was to her ear.

The Draconequus swallowed hard, but he did not show falter in his appearance as his eyes remained close, simply allowing the unicorn to press against him if she wanted to.

"Do you...do you miss your friends?"

Twilight was not surprised by his question, however, she did feel guilt at the pit of her stomach as she gazed down at her hooves.

"Would you be upset if I told you the truth?" She asked quietly.

Discord remained still, trying not to wince. "No."

She sighed slowly, before finally getting the nerve to speak. "Then yes."

Though Discord had expected such an answer, he felt deep within himself tighten as his eyes slowly opened, though not able to look at the unicorn. His ears lowered, and his tail gently fell to the ground.

"Oh," he said quietly.

Twilight turned to him, biting her lip, fearing she had upset him. Though Discord was a master of hiding his vulnerability, she could tell how much she deeply hurt him with her simple answer. She wished you could have lied, but then she would be calling herself a bad pony for both halves of the whole problem.

Suddenly, she felt the touch of his fur slowly ease away from her coat and she noticed his body rising up, now standing on his mismatched feet. His posture was slumped, and his arms were hung in front of him limply like ragged clothes on a wire.

"I..." He spoke calmly, trying to keep his strong, flamboyant voice intact. "I understand if you want to leave. I mean, who am I to get between a pony and her friends?"

She blinked up at him, tears nearly forming at the corners of her eyes to hear him say that. He was really willing to let her go, with the price of being alone once again as he had been for a thousand years encased in stone. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as she shook her head, though Discord took no notice, having gazed at the ground while trying not to look like he was sulking.

This was exactly why Twilight, from the very beginning, knew Discord had a heart. Despite his chaos, he showed care, concern, sympathy, and every other term the unicorn could think of. There were over dozens of words to describe the creature that was shattered yet willing to give her up and remain solitaire once more.

Yes, Twilight missed her friends and family terribly. Her mind kept telling her that perhaps she should go back, reunite with them and fix their worries.

But in her heart, she knew where her loyalty truly lay.

A small tear slid down her cheek as she managed a smile. Finally, she slowly trudged forward and placed a gentle hoof on the side of the Draconequus. Discord's eyes slightly widened before turning to look down at her in surprise.

"Discord..." She said softly, keeping her sweet, sincere smile. "I'm not going anywhere."

By now, his eyes were as large as the moon and sun as Discord's jaw fell open in utter shock and amazement. Twilight let out a laugh. She could tell how much he was trying to hide his joy.

"You're not?" He asked, trying to keep the excitement down in his voice.

"Of course not," she shook her head, her slightly unruly mane bouncing as she did so. "As if I'm going to leave you when things between us have just begun so well!"

The Draconequus gazed at her in amazement. Then he managed a small smile, folding his arms before averting his eyes.

"Well, Twilight Sparkle..." The calm, cool tone back in his voice. "Looks like you're stuck with me, huh?"

Twilight raised a playful eyebrow at him, stifling her giggles before giving her mane a flip.

"Well, Discord," she said with an evil grin as she tapped her hoof against him. "Looks like I'll be invading your personal space as well."

Discord smirked down at her. He didn't bother to hide the joy in his eyes as he saw the twinkle in hers. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
_

We Found Fun

Discord slithered beside the slightly open doorway of Twilight's room, gazing through the crack to see how the unicorn was doing. He just knew she would be awake at such an early hour as he watched her walk toward her library; he didn't feel the need to sleep much longer as well, but he still wore his blue and gold night cap as the unicorn herself still wore her red night gown. He suppressed a chuckle as he watched her use her magic to not only pick out a book but also summon a brush as she ran it through her soft mane.

He smiled as he turned away from the doorway, deciding to give her space. He would find a moment to invade it later in the morning. He could just hear those sweet, honest, heart-pleasing words echo in his brain.

As if I'm going to leave you when things between us have just begun so well!

Those words...those kind, thoughtful words...Truth in discreet, he would have been a bit crushed if Twilight accepted his permission for her to go back to her friends. Though he was good with hiding his vulnerability, he knew the loneliness would still leave its effect on him.

He had been alone in his stone prison for the last thousand years. He had been alone even before that.

But Twilight...

The Draconequus snapped his fingers and in a few moments he flashed atop the bridge that stood above the river of gumdrops. Resting his head against his lion paw on the rail and gazing into space, Discord recalled the events that led to his surprise of the unicorn's insistence to stay.

That unicorn started out as a stubborn thing, coming all this way in the forest, leaving her friends and loved ones behind, to find him. Discord was quick to assume she just wanted to make some sort of peace...make friendly amends. But Twilight, ever strong-minded, corrected it as simply 'making sure he doesn't harm anyone'. She could think what she wanted, but that didn't stop Discord from trying to get closer to her, hoping she would finally drop her guard and just see who he truly is and what he's trying to fix.

She yelled at him many times; he couldn't blame her since she felt tricked and confused when he suddenly came back.

She tried to resist his gifts; Discord heard the old saying that the best way to get to someone was through the stomach, which was why he made that muffin tree to satisfy her.

She did her best not to laugh at his innocent pranks; hearing her giggles when they were both in the lake made him ever more hopeful.

She had been on the verge of tears; Discord knew he had hit a tender spot when he questioned her opinion on him, and whether or not a mischievous creature like him could show a little kindness.

For better or for worse, Discord wouldn't give up on Twilight Sparkle. Out of all the ponies, he knew, deep down, she saw him differently. And he had been determined to help her realize that.

And that had started on the night the storm broke out. It was just simple rain and thunder, it did little to concern him. But what really concerned him was a certain unicorn camping deep in the woods with little to support her.

He had flown through the trees, allowing the rain to pour down on him, searching for her and hoped she was alright. When he found her huddled under that sad excuse for a tent, he immediately knew he had to do something, whether she liked it or not.

Discord landed on soft, wet grass, doing his best to keep quiet as he approached the tent. Slowly stretching his neck, the Draconequus carefully slipped his nose through the opening of the shelter.

His eyes widened in shock when he found Twilight lying on her stomach, her hooves tucked underneath her as her face held an expression of fear and discomfort. He saw a small crack above the ceiling of the tent, drops of rain falling down her her unruly mane as her body quivered from the cold.

Ever so gently, he reached a lion paw out for her and placed it upon her backside. He was horrified to feel how cold she was, like she had been bathed in ice.

Unable to watch her like this much longer, he reached both hands and scooped her up. She didn't wake up as he held her in his arms, and he felt his heart drop when he saw her closed eyes, looking as if she were in pain. He used one of his wings as an umbrella over her shivering body as he allowed the rain to pour more on him. He held her close, allowing his furry body to provide some warmth for her.

With a snap of his fingers, they both disappeared away from the cruel work of nature.

In a few moments, they were in a small room in his special home. This room, though it needed some work, was something he had created just earlier in case Twilight ever considered coming back to him.

He gazed down at the bed with cotton candy pillows, then turned to the cold unicorn in his arms. Ever so gently, he lowered her down to the cushion, biting his lip in hopes she wouldn't wake up.

His eyes widened when he saw her expression of discomfort slowly melt into one of semi-pleasement. Her face seemed to be glowing, as if she was now satisfied as well as grateful.

The corners of Discord's mouth twitched in a slight smile, mentally giving himself a pat on the back that he did something he had wanted to do since finding Twilight in this forest. Before he could stop himself, he reached over with his lion paw and brushed her mane away from her face.

As he watched her sleep, he snapped his fingers and a chair magically appeared behind him. Quietly taking his seat, he just watched as she slept, before summoning a blanket which draped over his body. He wanted to be there when she awoke, expecting a gasp of surprise, a shriek of horror...maybe even a whisper of thanks.

As the hour wore on, he felt his eyes began to drop, and he did his best to fight the sleep that was taking over him. He wanted to stay awake for Twilight, make sure she was fine.

Before he knew it, his eyes heavily fell and he was asleep as well.

Discord smirked to himself as he recalled the memory. When he had woken up, she was still asleep. He decided he didn't want to endure whatever she was going to give him and had immediately left the room.

He was just hiding his happiness for her to be in his home and was a bit intimidated to think what exactly Twilight would think of such. When she had woken up and saw her new surroundings, he knew she was surprised.

She was doubtful, confused, annoyed...sad, worried, sympathetic.

That night of confessions...that embrace...how much she felt bad for him and that she missed him.

She missed him...Twilight Sparkle...and she vowed to stay with him until things were fixed.

That was when he decided not to hide such feelings on the matter. He let her know how happy he was that she said that, saying it in his own Discord fashion, of course. But she knew. She was smart. And very special.

A pocket watch magically appeared in his paw and he gazed at the time. Just a couple of hours before Twilight gets out of her room, he might as well make sure the spotless kitchen was even more to her liking.

He just owed her so much.
_

Mayor Mare, her secretary, along with the rest of the Elements of Harmony, barged through her office doors and screeched to a sudden halt before letting out gasps of surprise.

Next to the mayor's desk stood her slightly large cabinet of books. High above a ladder that reached the top shelf was Spike.

"Spike?" Rarity exclaimed. "What on Earth are you doing?"

"And why are you re-arranging my books?" Mayor Mare asked.

"Yeah, that's my job!" Her secretary cried.

The baby dragon barely paid any attention to them as he held a couple of books in his hands while standing atop the ladder. With a small, sad smile, he slipped them both into their selected slots. He admired his work, his bottom lip quivering.

"There," he choked, "organized as ever!"

"Spike!" Applejack called as she stood beside the ladder and gazed up at him. "What in tarnation are you doing?"

Spike gazed down and suddenly took notice of all the ponies in the room. "Oh, hey, guys!" He tried to sound cheerful. "Just organizing the library."

"Spike, dear," Mayor Mare said calmly as she stood beside the apple pony, "this isn't a library. This is my office."

"And those books are property of the mayor of Ponyville!" Her secretary snapped. "Only I, her secretary, can organize them."

"Yeah, sorry, about that..." Spike mumbled as he slid down the ladder. He didn't give them eye contact as he played with his fingers, biting his lip.

Fluttershy took notice of his sudden discomfort and slowly walked over to him. "Spike," she said softly, "are you still ever so worried about Twilight?"

"Me?" He gasped in surprise, his green eyes widening. "Worried?" He scoffed, waving it aside. "Not that much knowing that all of Equestria is looking for her!" He gave a fake laugh. "I mean, it's not that I'm doing my assistant job elsewhere because the library is so empty and meaningless now." And he gave another laugh, nearly choking.

The ponies gazed at one another apprehensively before turning back to the baby dragon that was doing his best to look happy.

"Spike," Rainbow Dash began, cocking her head. "Are you-"

"Oh, who am I kidding?" He wailed, startling all of them.

He immediately fell to his knees and placed his face in his hands. Tears poured down his face and fell onto the office carpet.

"I miss her! I miss her so much! I miss being her assistant! Her one and only assistant! I miss doing work just for her!"

He glared back at array of books he re-arranged.

"I'm no one's assistant but hers!" He cried. "I don't know why I thought I could get my mind off missing her with re-arranging some other pony's dumb books!"

And he gave the bottom shelf a swift kick. Before he knew it, all the shelves rattled and a large amount of books fell on him, leaving him in a huge pile.

"I'll get right to putting those back," the mayor's secretary sighed.

Applejack immediately came to his side and pulled him out of the pile, making sure he didn't cause anymore damage.

"Sugarcube, it's alright," she assured him gently, "we all miss her."

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash said, "and we're trying our hardest to find this dumb Discord and put a stop to him once and for all!"

"Then you can go back to being Twilight's number one assistant and things will be A-OK!" Pinkie Pie chirped.

"Spike, sweetie," Mayor Mare spoke out, "I understand how close you and Twilight are, and really, I'm not mad at you for coming into my office and touching my books." She turned to the pile on the floor. "I must admit, you have quite good organization skills."

"No one has better organization skills than..." Spike immediately gulped. "Than..."

"Oh, dear," Rarity winced, seeing the tears threatening his eyes.

"Than TWILIGHT!" He cried out, creating a large waterfall of tears that were completely soaking the floor.

The mayor's secretary sighed, placing a hoof to her forehead in exasperation. "I'll clean that up, too..."
_

Twilight's horn glowed as she removed a book from her library. She grinned before stretching her hooves out, having felt so comfortable in the red silk gown she wore when she slept. Recalling last night, the unicorn smiled as she thought back to the dear Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony.

Last night when she and Discord saw the stars together, she would never forget the loyalty they had for each other. When she said she missed her friends and family, Discord was willing to let her go and be happy while he just remained alone. No way in the hay did she want him to be alone as he had been a thousand years before. She truly was happy. Happy to be by his side after so long; she wanted to stay with him until things were fixed and they would decide about the others.

Though Rainbow Dash was the Element of Loyalty...Twilight knew hers was just as strong when it came to Discord.

Trotting out of her room, book floating beside her, she was careful not to read at the breakfast table this time. She suddenly felt excited to see Discord again, seeing as today seemed like a beautiful morning and she couldn't wait to see what Discord had planned. But he needed to realize that she was a pony of balancing studying and playing, but she just knew he would fix that.

She crossed the bridge of gumdrops and found him sitting at the table. She could barely hold her laughter when she saw his blue and gold night cap. The Draconequus smirked at her as he used his magic to pull her seat out and she sat on it.

"At least I don't look like a poofy red poodle," he remarked, gazing at her red night outfit.

"Oh, touche, Starswirl," she rolled her eyes before putting her book down beside her on the table.

Discord gazed at the book before looking back at the unicorn, his expression mixed with both annoyance and concern. Twilight noticed this and laughed.

"I was hoping that after we do some hanging out around here, you and I could do some reading together," she eyed him carefully. "You do read, right?"

Discord pursed his lips in a slight smirk. "Of course I do. Even I, the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, would love to cozy on my cotton candy cloud once in a while and read a good book."

"Mmm, I love that," she said with a dreamy expression as thoughts of her library house returned to her. "Sometimes I would lay on the park bench and read. Or at least try when Pinkie Pie keeps bothering me with whatever random stuff she wants to talk about."

"Well, as the Element of Laughter," he joked, "she is trying to make you laugh."

"Well, you seem like a master of that as well," she complimented, resting her head on her hoof as she gazed at him. "What, with your chaos and all."

Discord took her comment into consideration and smiled deeply. "I will admit it was pretty surprising, seeing as you're such a strong-headed pony with a mind beyond the normal intellectual."

"Same goes for a certain Draconequus who acts so childish at times but has a wise, sensitive personality," she countered playfully.

"We read each other pretty well, Twilight Sparkle," he chuckled before he summoned their breakfast. "This is exactly why I consider you far different than any pony, and not because you have incredible magic."

Twilight smiled with embarrassment. "I thank you..." She said quietly. Then her smile faded a bit. "I do, however, wish my friends could read you the way I have..."

Noticing the discomfort in her voice, Discord placed down his glass of chocolate milk and gazed at her in concern.

"Twilight," he began gently, "look, as much as it pleases me that you have decided to remain with me until the time being, but have you ever considered letting your friends know that you're alright?"

The unicorn swallowed hard. "Well, yeah, I have been thinking about sending a message, letting them know I'm fine..." Then her eyes widened. "Then I worry they will certainly be angry with me, no, not at me. At you." And she pointed a hoof at the Draconequus. "They must think you corrupted me."

"I can't blame them," he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "especially Rainbow Dash." He could just imagine the expressions of rage each pony, especially the princesses, had right now. All hatred thrown at him because they immediately accuse him of pony-napping. It's not like he had been hated before, but still, it almost terrified him to think of the possibilities. And that cyan pegasus friend of Twilight's was on top of the rage totem pole.

"She's just being a loyal friend," Twilight told him gently, "she just wants to protect me. And let's not forget you did steal her wings." She eyed him closely.

"Ah, her prized wings," Discord sighed, his discomfort immediately diminishing. "You know, I'm sure the Wonderbolts take in anyone who doesn't have one of those."

"I have to admit," Twilight rubbed her chin, "Soarin' seems more of run than flight from what I've observed."

"And you say you don't have a crush on Soarin'," he chuckled.

"I do not!" She cried out. "Look, let's just return to the topic about messaging my friends so they won't turn Equestria upside down because of us."

"Of course, my dear," he chuckled before he snapped his fingers and a quill and papers appeared on the table. "So...how should we start?"
_

Mrs. Cake kept up the pace as she galloped from one section of the kitchen to the other. Though the search for Twilight was as serious as ever, that couldn't get in the way of their business. She managed a smile as she turned to gaze at her two babies who were sitting in their high-chairs watching their mother work while their father was in the other room setting up the already baked treats.

"Hi there!" She nearly jumped at the sound of an overly cheerful voice.

"Oh!" Mrs. Cake exclaimed in surprise while struggling with a few bowls in her hooves. "Hello, Pinkie Pie."

The pink pony gave her usual smile as she trotted into the kitchen. "Here, I got that!" She insisted before taking a few bowls from her.

"Oh, thank you, dear," Mrs. Cake said gratefully as they placed them on the table. She gazed at her with a slight hint of concern in her eyes. "Pinkie, aren't you suppose to be out with the other harmony ponies looking for Twilight?" She didn't want to sound like she was giving the poor pink pony a blow with the mention of the dear unicorn's name, but she couldn't help but ask; she was almost afraid they had given up and Pinkie was hiding remorse behind a mask of her usual happiness.

"Oh, we're going to do that!" Pinkie Pie assured her as she grabbed a bag of flour. "I just wanted to see how you guys were doing!" She lowered her head a bit, scuffling her hooves against the floor nervously. "Sorry I can't resume my work. But, you know, with big meanie Discord out there and well..."

Mrs. Cake gave her a sincere smile. "Oh, sweetie, don't apologize." She reached over and cupped the pink mare's chin so she would share eye level with her. "You're still being a great help. Not just for us, but for all of Equestria."

Pinkie's blue eyes sparkled at her kind words. She blinked back tears that were threatening to fall as Mrs. Cake patted her mane supportingly.

As Pumpkin and Pound watched their mother and Pinkie Pie become deep in serious conversation from their high-chairs, Pumpkin suddenly felt a disturbance in atmosphere for some reason. Her ears twitching curiously, she turned to her brother, who gazed at her in confusion.

"Dah?" Pound gurgled, looking at his sister in question.

"Dah!" Pumpkin argued.

Suddenly, a small, bright light emerged from Pound's chair. Both babies shielding their eyes, the small sound of a poof was heard before they felt the small impact of something light and flimsy land in front of the baby pegasus on his little table.

Pumpkin slowly opened her eyes, and they immediately widened as her mouth fell in shock.

Pound, wearing the same expression as his sister, gazed down at his table to find a small, rolled up paper of some kind.

"Yah!" Pound squealed with excitement, thinking the scroll was some sort present to him. He reached over and held the scroll in his tiny hooves before he placed his lips on top and began to happily suck on it, his drool soaking the material.

His sister, her eyes narrowing with disapproval and jealousy at her brother, reached over and grabbed it from him, a trail of drool falling to the floor.

"Mah!" She snapped angrily, holding the scroll close to her, declaring the 'gift' her own.

"Mah!" Pound retorted, reaching over and grabbing the other end of the scroll.

Soon it became an all out tug-of-war as the siblings pulled at it from each end, babbling in argument and struggling to get back what they assumed was rightfully his or hers. Neither noticed the paper slightly tearing as they continued pulling at it. And neither noticed Pumpkin bump into her juice cup on the side of her little table...

With as much strength as her baby hooves could muster, she finally yanked the scroll out of her brother's grip...and knocking over her juice cup in the process. Because of her sudden pull, and the top of the cup having opened, the juice spilled on her as well as the scroll, which fell out of her hooves and onto the floor with a small plop.

Pound just giggled as he watched his sister cry out in despair, juice dripping down her ears and mane. Both had forgotten about the scroll on the floor, now soaked in the spilt juice.

"Oh, no!" Pinkie Pie cried as both she and Mrs. Cake turned to see what had happened.

"Pound Cake!" Mrs. Cake exclaimed in distraught as she rushed over to them. "What happened here? And your sister!" She gasped as she saw the baby unicorn wail, her body covered in juice as Pound laughed at her. "Oh, it is not nice to laugh at your sister's misfortune!"

She didn't even notice her hoof stepping on the soaked, rolled out scroll on the floor as Pinkie Pie handed her some paper towels.

No one even noticed the words 'Dear friends' on the entirely soaked paper before they completely faded because of the juice.
_

"Always hungry after a flight, eh, Soarin'?"

The male Wonderbolt lifted his head up from his third pie tin today and smiled nervously at his leader through a mouthful of sweet cherry filling. It almost seemed like a daily routine for the Wonderbolts to go searching through the skies to track down Discord and bring Twilight to safety on their own if they could.

The thought of some poor mare like Twilight being held prisoner by the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony made Soarin's stomach rumble quietly, though not in the way that made the pegasus want to eat more. Swallowing hard, he gazed down at his half-empty pie tin on the floor. They had just landed in front of one of Canterlot's bakeries for a quick break before they were to hit the skies once more.

"Hungry as a horse," Soarin' joked half-heartedly, trying to place on his usual smile.

"Hey, Spitfire!" Both turned to see another one of their members motioning for their leader. "Come here for a sec! One of these Canterlot ponies, I think Fancypants, needs to talk with you."

Nodding, she gave Soarin' one last smile before trotting off. After she left, Soarin' buried his nose in the pie tin once again, wanting to finish his snack quickly before they had to take to the air once more.

"Careful there, lad," one passerby Canterlot pony stated as he watched the crumbs fly off the hungry pegasus. "If you don't take the time to chew and swallow you'll choke."

"Oh, please!" Soarin' mumbled, his muzzle covered in cherry filling as he chewed rapidly. "As if I could choke on p-"

Suddenly, his eyes widened, feeling as if there was a lump in his throat. He started to gag as his mouth hung open, a little pie remaining between the insides of his cheeks. He began to cough, slamming his hooves into his chest.

"Oh, dear!" The Canterlot pony exclaimed in horror before he rushed over and had the younger pony in a tight hold.

He began to gently squeeze him, before tightening his grip and did his best to remember how the Heimlich maneuver was done. Recalling what he read for such a situation, with a few presses against the pegasus' stomach, Soarin' spat out a large wad of pie that shot out across the street and landed on the ground.

The pegasus gasped for air, placing a hoof to his throat before smiling at the Canterlot pony gratefully. "Wow...thanks, man..."

"Anytime, dear, lad," the Canterlot pony said modestly.

Neither noticed the words 'I'm fine' on the small ruined piece of paper poking out the side of the glob of pie Soarin' spat out before they disappeared as the cherry filling fluid soaked it.
_

"Are you serious?" Rainbow Dash cried.

Rarity huffed and flipped her mane before they entered her boutique. "I just need a nice hat to wear before we continue our search once again! It's simply a beautiful day today, and I simply must wear something for it!"

"Oh, here we go..." Spike muttered as he trudged behind Rainbow Dash. Crush or not, there were times the baby dragon thought she could be ridiculous and redundant.

"Oh, Spike!" Rarity cooed, sensing his annoyance. "I know we have a job to do, but maybe you and Rainbow Dash would like hats as well?"

"No way," the pegasus scoffed, folding her hooves.

"Not happening," Spike muttered, folding his arms and turning away from the pleading look on the unicorn's face. "I just want to find Twilight!"

The mention of the lavender unicorn's face made both Rarity and Rainbow Dash flinch. They turned to each other nervously, knowing too well how Spike was feeling at the moment. It had been a little difficult to persuade him to halt his 'assistant habits', having to pull him away when he became mad with trying to stack Applejack's apples like he does with books back at the library. Though he was keeping up a strong face as they carried through the day, they knew deep down he missed Twilight terribly, and doing so-called chores was the only thing that was keeping him stable about it.

"Pick a hat quick," Rainbow Dash muttered to Rarity, eyes never leaving Spike. "The sooner we're out of here, the sooner we can get Spike to not be such a depressed grump."

"You're quite right," Rarity nodded before she rushed over to her array of hats.

Spike, arms still folded, waited patiently as he watched Rarity search through her many accessories. His quiet posture was immediately ruined when he heard a certain purring.

The baby dragon's eyes narrowed before they shifted over to the fat white ball of fur that came his way.

"Hello, Opal," his voice carried slight venom as he watched the cat hold her nose up in the air as she passed him.

Opal just gave a quick flick of her tail as she made her way over to her play area. Spike bit his lip, never forgetting their last encounter, which involved wrestling, mud, and Twilight's journal. Though Twilight had forgiven him for breaking the lock, he still felt guilty about it. But he knew some of the blame was to be on Rarity's stubborn pet.

The thought of Twilight pained him a bit as his eyes lowered sadly while he idly watched Opal play with her toys and such. He continued watching as Opal hopped onto a nearby table, her paws flickering over a piece of paper that laid next to some designing supplies. He became quite bored with watching her continue on with her little fun, until he noticed her tail flick against a small roll of needles.

Eyes widening, Spike rushed over and quickly caught the item, though some of the needles painfully pressed against the palm of his hand. Quickly placing it back on the desk, Spike shook his hand to rid the sudden pain before hurriedly giving it kisses to make it better. He immediately ceased when Opal began laughing at him in her own cat manner, pointing a paw at him in pure mockery.

"Zip it, kitty!" Spike warned her, his fists tightening.

Opal stuck her tongue out at him before quickly swatting her paw against a cup of pencils on the table. Spike quickly rushed over and grabbed them, before he placed them back on the table.

"Quit it!" He cried.

She stifled an evil giggle before she intended to swat something else. However, her claws became stuck on the piece of paper. Growing furious, she began to hiss and swat in all directions, the paper clinging to her paw.

Spike just rolled his eyes before reaching over and yanking it off her. However, the force of his pull had him quickly fall back and bump into the table. Before he could do anything, a bottle of ink on the desk spilled forward and trailed down. Spike hurriedly held out the piece of paper in his hand and had the spilled ink fall on it, creating one huge black splotch.

"Meh, must have been some rejected idea of Rarity's..." Spike shrugged as the ink continued spilling on the paper.

"Oh, dear!" Rarity, wearing an overly-feathered hat, exclaimed as she saw Spike on the floor with Opal across from him. "What happened?"

"As I said before, Rarity," Spike muttered as he got to his feet and rolled up the paper. "You really need to put that cat of yours on a leash." And he tossed the paper away. "Come on, you got your hat. Now let's get our Twilight!"

Before either Rainbow Dash or Rarity could say anything, the baby dragon rushed out of the boutique, the two ponies following behind him.

Opal purred in delight to have the place to herself once again as she flicked her tail happily. Wanting to go get a drink of water, she passed by the completely inked and crumpled up paper Spike threw away, completely ignoring it.

She didn't even notice the words 'Love Twilight' on the crumpled material before inked washed over it, just as it had covered the rest of the supposed message.
_

Discord looked up from the book they were reading and gazed at Twilight, who was totally engrossed in the material they had laid on the table. After some playing around with cotton candy clouds and drinking chocolate rain, Discord took Twilight's request that they read together. Somehow, he found the activity more enjoyable now that he actually had someone to read with. He smiled to himself, watching as Twilight turned the page.

"I do hope your friends aren't too angry once they read the messages we sent them," he said.

"Oh, they'll probably be upset," she said, not tearing her eyes away from the book. "You sure you put them in good places?"

"Where I'm sure they will be able to find them and soon read them," he promised.

Twilight smiled up at him as she flipped the page. "Good," she said, "I'm not worried then."

Discord gazed at her thoughtfully. "You know, it's nice to know how much you're cared about."

Twilight caught on the tone of his voice. It sounded curious, yet with a hint of sadness and slight envy. She looked up from their book and gazed at him closely. "I'm sure you could be cared about, too. I mean, not just by me-"

"I highly doubt it," he cut in gently. "If you recall, I was a bad boy back then. I'm still one today."

"Well, it's not the negatively-defined 'bad'," Twilight corrected, managing a nervous smile. "If they could just see that you're redeeming yourself and are more considerate of your chaos, they could see what a good creature you are."

Discord chuckled, amused by her need to cheer him up. "You're something else, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight scoffed playfully. "That's what Applejack told me when I fixed up Winter Wrap-Up."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I'm still new to this thing you call 'Winter Wrap-Up'," he confessed.

"Oh, yeah..." Her voice trailed off, feeling ashamed to have forgotten his long imprisonment. Despite his quick adaption to the times of today, a thousand years in stone had kept him from learning the special holidays and gatherings of Equestria.

He didn't know Winter Wrap-Up, maybe he didn't know Nightmare Night, or even Hearth's Warming Day. And Hearts and Hooves Day! That day was especially important! If he had still been around by that day...maybe the kids would show love and appreciation for him. She was sure that perhaps the Cutie Mark Crusaders would step up and give him a little kindness and in return he would give gifts of heart-shaped cotton candy clouds that showered chocolate hearts...

Discord scratched the side of his ear. "Is that truly a wonderful event for all you little ponies?" He asked.

"Well, yes," she blushed. "In Canterlot, we just use magic to clean up the snow, bring forth the birds from the south, and making sure the animals are fine and well-taken care of after hibernation." She smiled tightly. "In Ponyville, it's tradition to do the Earth pony way."

Discord noticed how small her voice sounded when she said that. "And I assume...you had a difficult time with that way?"

"I've always relied on my magic..." She confessed quietly. "Really, I paid as much help as I could without my horn. But then when we were clearing the snow for the fields, I just wanted to really help and..." Her voice dropped, and she averted her gaze. "Boy, that was a screw-up..."

He saw the glimmer of sadness in her purple eyes and slowly reached over and patted her head sympathetically. "Oh, come now, my dear," he said soothingly, "You're just a cut above the rest. It's tough stepping down to a certain level to meet the needs of others."

Twilight gazed up at him, and she smirked slightly. "You're not calling Ponyville a town of losers, are you?"

"Of course not!" He laughed. It immediately died down as his expression became slightly serious. "They were mad at you, weren't they?"

She was quite surprised by the concern in his voice as she lowered her head a bit. "Well, Applejack yelled at me...but she didn't mean to, I promise!" She added quickly when she saw his distraught look. "She just wants to keep tradition, that's all."

"It wouldn't kill to add another tradition to that tradition," he said as he rolled his eyes.

"And there was!" She responded happily, beaming with pride. "Thanks to my organization skills, Ponyville finally made spring on time!"

"Making spring on time..." He stroked his beard. "How is that possible without magic? I mean, I use my powers to shift day and night. In a measly second I can turn spring into winter!"

Twilight sighed, feeling ever so bad for him. With a gentle smile, she reached a hoof and placed it over his eagle talons. Discord was slightly surprised by this gesture before gazing at Twilight.

"Though you are amazing to adapt to the new times so quickly," she said softly, her voice like honey. "I know there are still so many things you need to learn."

The Draconequus was quite taken by her soothing voice. It sounded so pleasing, assuring, and ever so sincere.

"I suppose..." He said, his voice sounding calm and cool.

Twilight chuckled. "Look, when that time does...," she said quietly, her voice carrying so much concern, "after this trouble diminishes..." She swallowed hard.

However, her expression of anxiety was quickly replaced by a bright, cheerful smile.

"I want you to learn and do everything," she told him. "I want you to have the fun we ponies have had long before you were released from stone."

Discord blinked, and the corners of his mouth twitched into a nervous, yet pleased smile. "What are you basically saying, my dear?"

The unicorn breathed softly, and Discord felt a soft, serene feeling in the atmosphere as she did that. Almost as if she were indicating her sincerity and desire for him to simply be...well, himself.

"I want you to be happy, Discord," Twilight finally said. "I want you to continue your innocent chaos, but with approving eyes of everypony."

She swallowed a bit, her mouth full with so many things to say to this special creature. Discord would listen to every word she said; it was interesting as well as soothing.

"I really, really want you to be with me at the next Winter Wrap-Up," she said happily. "I want you to enjoy the thrills and chills of Nightmare Night. I want you to feel the joy of Hearth's Warming and eat gingerbread houses." She smiled nervously, lowering her gaze. "And Hearts and Hooves Day, well...I'm sure the kids would shower you with affection."

Discord gazed at her in amazement. Coming here was a huge surprise for him, now here she was telling him to live his life in Equestria the way everyone does, with his chaos to add thrill to it all. She wanted him to enjoy life, get with the times, experience the holidays and gatherings Twilight spoke was ever so wonderful, he considered the idea of standing by her side for this thing called Winter Wrap-Up...

She wanted so much for him. And there was simply no limit to him owing her just as much.

"Well..." He said thoughtfully, placing a lion paw finger to his chin. "I'm not sure..."

"Did I mention that Nightmare Night is the time Rainbow Dash does her pranks?" Twilight said with a smirk. "I bet you could prank her just as much for scaring all those kids last time."

His eyes widened at the thought, and he was quite astonished at an idea she was suggesting.

"That doesn't sound bad at all," he said with a pleasing grin.

"Good," Twilight let out a sigh of relief. "So you trust me on this?" She asked hopefully.

Discord laughed. "My dear, I trusted you from the moment you came here to these woods to find me."

"Would you have trusted me back there if I said I wouldn't pummel you with my own hooves?" She couldn't help but ask, remembering their first encounter since she arrived. With those boots she had on, she really would have left her mark on him if she could.

"It's not like I wouldn't be prepared for that," he joked.

They shared a laugh, not realizing they had finished the book they were reading. Putting it away, Twilight gazed out a nearby window and noticed Luna's moon having been raised up.

"Wow, time flies," she realized. Then she shifted her eyes toward Discord. "Unless you really did make it fly."

"I did not mess around with the sun and moon this time," he confessed. "Not when I'm enjoying so much time with you, my dear."

"Well, nice to know the night is truly still young," she said playfully. "Shall we read a new volume?"

"Actually," he began, "I was hoping we'd drop the reading and go to more different matters."

"Such as?" She raised an eyebrow.

He smirked at her before snapping his fingers.

Before Twilight knew it, the area around them changed and was replaced by a polished wooden floor. Confused, she turned and saw a DJ system standing across from them. And, as Discord snapped his fingers once again, bright neon lights shone around the room.

"It's been a while since I've danced," he confessed playfully.
_

Princess Celestia gazed out the window of her throne room, fear and despair written all over her face. She barely noticed Luna enter the room, having finished lowering the sun and raising the moon.

"Dear sister," the younger princess spoke softly, her voice filled with concern. "Still pensive about your dear student?"

The sun princess sighed before she turned to her, her eyes glassy with threatening tears. "Discord is truly an evil character to go as far as to take away our beloved Twilight Sparkle."

Luna's expression darkened a bit at the mention of the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. "When we find him, we will give him what for." She averted her gaze. "I am still confused about the new kind of magic the Elements can harness. We were quite quick in explaining yet being ever so little descriptive."

"I'm sorry," Celestia apologized. "The thought of Discord reigning Equestria again made my mouth move faster than my head."

"As of mine, Celestia," Luna sighed before joining her side and gazing out the window.

"You made a lovely night, Luna," the sun princess complimented her.

"Thank you," she said, "I do hope Twilight has enough liberty to witness it from within the clutches of Discord." That name dripped out of her mouth like venom. "But anyway," she said quickly, "another day of search tomorrow, I assure you." She used her magic to levitate a tray of tea and cookies between them. "Let us fill the air with peace and some good relaxing beverages and snacks."

"Yeah..." Celestia sighed before using her magic to carry her cup. "I guess we should..."

After taking a sip of her tea, she noticed something odd about the flavor.

"Did the royal chefs add new sugar to the tea?" She asked her sister.

"Actually, no," Luna responded, "one of our servants found a piece of paper in the pot before serving it to us."

The sun princess raised an eyebrow. "A paper? Was it some message of some kind?"

The moon princess shook her head. "It was just a plain piece of paper, completely soaked in the tea."
_

Twilight sat at the couch with a book in her hooves as she watched Discord dance to a slight disco beat. Though she wanted to continue reading, she grew quite interested in the music.

And Discord. He was dancing. He was happy, doing what he loved before he had been turned to stone. That made her smile.

"Join me, Twilight!" He encouraged, holding his lion paw out to her.

Her eyes widened. "Me?" She exclaimed. "Uh, no..." She averted her eyes. "I don't dance..."

"Oh, really?" He chuckled with amusement before snapping his fingers.

Suddenly, a song blared through the system as Twilight's ears perked up at the familiar tune. Next thing she knew, the couch disappeared from underneath her and she fell on her hooves, making her drop the book. Before she could protest, Discord slithered beside her, smirking.

"Tell me, have you ever listened to Hayhanna?" He asked. "I must say, this song of hers if my absolute favorite!"

"Well, this song does seem nice-" Twilight was immediately cut off when Discord grabbed her by the hooves and brought her to the center of the dance floor.

She found herself gazing into his mismatched eyes, his height a few feet above hers but he was able to accommodate her size as his feet centered with her back hooves.

"Let's see if you can't dance, my dear," he said quietly as the the voice of Hayhanna began to sing.

Twinkling stars in the night
And we're standing side by side
As the dullness comes upside
We must find a way to see the light

Twilight found herself moving in motion with Discord as he led her to dance, feet and hooves going all over the polished floor as they danced all around. The unicorn was quite surprised at herself before gazing up at Discord, who simply smiled down at her.

What can we do when things seem to stultify?
We just got to go with the flow

She nearly stumbled on her hooves but Discord had a good grip on her as he assisted and encouraged her to let herself go and allow the music to take her.

We found fun in a boring place

Before Twilight knew it, she was leading the dance as her front hooves grasped Discord's hands and she felt her tail swishing as they glided along the dance floor.

"Oh, wow..." She couldn't help but say.

"And you said you couldn't dance," he chuckled, enjoying every moment.

Twilight placed a hoof along Discord's arm as her other one continued grasping his lion paw. By now, she immediately forgot their reading as she absorbed in the moment.

Flash a smile as we hit the floor
Sadness and fear should be pushed aside
With you here is what I adore
Let my hooves beat from side to side

This is what she had hoped for Discord. To dance, be merry, enjoy himself with no worries.

And she had been the key to that.

What can we do when things seem to stultify?
We just got to go with the flow

And,sweet Equestria, this song sounded amazing! Perhaps she should listen to this popular artist some more...

We found fun in a boring place

Twilight laughed out in surprise when Discord placed his lion paw above her back and spun her around.

We found fun in a boring place

Twilight smiled in content as their dancing slowed as the song faded. Hooves on his arms as his paw was still on her back, they shared a laugh before complimenting each other.

"Well, that was fun," the unicorn said shyly.

"That's what Hayhanna's song was all about," he chuckled.

"Well, you got me in the mood," she said playfully, smirking at him. "Tell me, what dance do you have in mind now?"

Discord raised an eyebrow at her, an amused smile on his face.

"Tell me, my dear," he began. "Do you like..." And he snapped his fingers. "To shuffle?"

Twilight's eyes widened in surprise as a quick, uptight beat began to play. Then her eyes shone with mischief as she smirked at him.

"You're looking at the pony who mastered the shuffle after you."
_

Sparkling Burst

Pipsqueak stood before the small mound of dirt, hoping something would grow in time. He had his first-ever Winter Wrap-Up in Ponyville, and though it wasn't actually a real one, he enjoyed it, nevertheless.

Gazing down at where he planted his carrot seeds, he wondered how proud Twilight would think to know he had done his part in this whole early winter clean-up...

Remembering the older unicorn, his heart pained a bit as he gazed up at the sky, Celestia's sun shining upon the white snow. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had told him that, because of Twilight Sparkle, Ponyville had managed to make it to spring on time thanks to her organization skills. Apple Bloom had told him about her sister yelling at Twilight for using magic.

Now Pipsqueak thought that was pretty harsh of Applejack, despite that magic was against their tradition. That Earth pony could have been a little grateful that Twilight was trying to speed things up; back in his home in Trottingham, unicorn magic was used alongside Earth pony skills and they always made it to spring on time. Maybe Applejack was just being as stubborn as that time Twilight told him about Applebuck Season and the farmer refused help until she finally broke down...

As if on cue, he heard a familiar accent. "Howdy there, Pipsqueak."

The little colt turned and gave his most sincere smile as Applejack stood beside him, admiring what they had planted on the large area of dirt in which they had plowed through snow. He took sight of the Element of Honesty around here neck and felt his heart pain a little.

"You think I'll actually grow something soon?" He couldn't help but ask. "Even if Discord makes it snow for a really long time?" That second question, Applejack could just hear the slight bit of fear in his tone.

"Aw, shoot, of course," she assured him, placing a hoof atop his backside in comfort. "We've all put our hard work into this, I be darned if we got nothing by the end of the month."

Pipsqueak turned back to his little mound of dirt. "What do you think Twilight would have thought?"

That question was quite a surprise for Applejack, as well as a large impact on her as she lowered her green eyes to the ground, her bottom lip quivering. "I reckon..." Her voice trailed off as she hid her eyes beneath her hat. "I reckon she'd be hugging you like there be no tomorrow just for being a good planter."

That got the little colt's eyes sparkling as he gazed up at her with the widest of smiles. "Really?"

She managed a smile, nodding her head. "She'd be quite impress by some of that fancy organizing you got there."

"Hey, Pipsqueak!" Both turned and there a few feet away from them were the Cutie Mark Crusaders, waving for their colt friend to come over.

"Come on!" Sweetie Belle called, motioning with her hoof. "We got work to do!"

"Work?" Pipsqueak repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You don't mean the kind of work that nearly got us eaten by a hydra, do you?"

"Of course not!" Scootaloo scoffed. "Those Canterlot ponies won't let us go into the Everfree Forest again."

"And Zecora's got a good eye," Apple Bloom added.

Pipsqueak turned from them to Applejack, who gave him a nod in understanding.

"You go on ahead, little guy," she chuckled before nudging him with her muzzle. "Go on. Me and the rest of the elements got work of our own."

Nodding gleefully, Pipsqueak rushed over to join his friends, and together, they walked off, perhaps out of Ponyville towards who knows where. Applejack watched as her sister led her little search party off, and as soon as they were gone, the Earth pony slowly took off her hat before placing it to her chest in slight despair. Her eyes glistened as she gazed at the field of planted seeds.

"We ain't given up, Twi," she told herself softly, "just like you never gave up on us."
_

Discord slithered through the main halls, wondering where on Earth Twilight had run off to. She wasn't in her room; her books remained untouched, and wasn't in the cloudy tree fields where she usually is during her free time to read, so that only left the dining hall.

His choice served him as he entered into the glamorous kitchen to find Twilight, her hair tied back in a bun, hard at work gathering baskets of food that was harvested outside from yesterday's little Winter Wrap-Up. Her horn glowed bright as she picked up various vegetables while her teeth were wrapped around a little basket full of flowers she saved earlier after she woke up.

The Draconequus simply smiled as he leaned against the kitchen doorway, watching as the unicorn took no notice of him as she bounced with every step in continuing her tasks.

"You know you could do the work of ten Earth ponies with that horn of yours," he couldn't help but say.

Twilight let out a small squeak before wheeling around and finally took sight of him, who let out a guffaw at her surprise.

"Oh, you're awake," she said, smiling nervously while blushing with embarrassment. "Well, don't mind me!" She chuckled softly. "I'm just keeping organized with the produce that we didn't work through." She said before raising a disapproving eyebrow at him.

He held up his hands in defense, smiling innocently. "At least we don't have to wait weeks for something to grow, Twilight Sparkle." He smirked. "I'll expect harsher remarks from your Element of Honesty."

"More like Granny Smith," Twilight rolled her eyes before wrapping her hooves around a basket on the table and carrying it over to the others. "That time the Flim Flam brothers came by with their locomotion, she was doing her best not to slam Flim right in the muzzle."

"Oh, yes, I recall you mentioning about them before," he pondered, rubbing his beard with his eagle talons. "But still..." He chuckled quietly.

As Twilight kept busy with her work, she nearly dropped her next basket when Discord slithered beside her, smirking.

"Quite some magic there, my dear," he said in an amused tone. "I know I've said this before, but you are quite powerful. Perhaps more so than me."

The unicorn's eyes widened at his compliment. She ducked her head in embarrassment. "Oh, don't flatter me with things that aren't true."

"Aren't true?" Discord repeated, his gold and red eyes blinking with pure surprise.

As Twilight tried to pretend she was busy with checking a carrot if it needed more cleaning or not, she felt soft fingers under chin. Soon, her head was gently turned in Discord's direction, his expression soft and sincere.

"My dear, Twilight," he spoke, "weren't you the pony that saved her town from an Ursa Minor?"

Twilight thought back a moment. "Well, yeah, but that was kind of unexpected of me to use so much-"

"And were you not the one who had discovered the Elements' power to stop Nightmare Moon?" He added.

"Well, it took some time..." She mumbled, her face heating up with embarrassment at her own forgetfulness.

"And was it not your magic..." He added quietly. "That helped bring your friends back...and stop me?"

Twilight's eyes widened before turning to look at him, her purple eyes blinked in utter shock that he would bring that up.

"Oh..." Discord blinked in realization, seeing the reawakened guilt in her eyes as his paw left his hold on her. "Maybe that wasn't a good example considering-"

"Look, Discord," Twilight cut in, "as touched as I am that you are intrigued by my magic, well...I can't summon cotton candy clouds, nor make it rain chocolate milk, and I definitely can't shift the sun and moon."

"Still," Discord couldn't help but say. "You are the most powerful pony I've ever met, and with that power, you've shown great responsibility..." He smiled warmly. "And care."

"Okay..." Twilight felt her mouth twitch in a shy smile. "As humble as I am...I sure do like these compliments; I mean, I have studied hard for them, so it's fine and no pride is too dangerous for me." She knew she was rambling again. Seemed Discord's sincere words really flattered her so deeply.

Suddenly, the little tie that was holding her bun in place somehow managed to fly off, and she found her mane fall down her back like a wave.

"Oh, uh, yeah..." Twilight smiled nervously as Discord raised an eyebrow at what just happened. "I got to...yeah...I got to tighten that more..." She quickly went back to her basket of produce, feeling even more embarrassed.

"Here let me," he insisted as he snapped his fingers and the basket floated out of her grasp and he set it with all the rest. He saw dozens of baskets placed in the corner. "Tell me, what were you planning?

"Gee, let me check my schedule," Twilight said before taking out an agenda.

"Schedule?" Discord asked in disbelief. "You have a schedule?"

"Hey, I'm an organized pony," Twilight retorted as she opened to the right page. "Here it is..." She read. "Nine-thirty: gather produce. Ten-thirty: prepare breakfast with produce. Eleven-thirty: resume studies and other leisure-"

"Other leisure, eh?" Discord cut in with an amused chuckle. "No doubt you mean me."

"Pardon me for asking this," Twilight began, "but wouldn't you prefer yourself some alone time?" She raised a curious eyebrow at him.

"My dear..." He sighed. "I've been alone for over a thousand years..." He gazed at her thoughtfully. "Before you came along and actually stood by my side, unlike the rest."

Twilight blinked, ever so touched by his words. Finally, she gazed down at her agenda. Her horn glowing, she summoned a marker and began scribbling.

"Eleven-thirty to rest of day," she said aloud, "continue studies while at the same time resuming with Discord."
_

Zecora gazed up at the sky before noticing fast-flying figures speeding through the clouds at an extremely fast rate. Waiting at the train station, she felt quite embarrassed in her winter clothes as ponies chattered amongst each other, prepared to depart to Manehatten. Upper Crust, being ever the more determined, was pushing the group on more than Fancypants, claiming she might have something on Discord's whereabouts from a friend's call in Manehatten.

"You know, Zecora," Fancypants began as she walked beside her, "you really should join in our Canterlot activities some more. Why, watch a Wonderbolts show with us for once."

Zecora turned toward him, the furry coat given to her creating slight discomfort around her neck. "Being with your kind of ponies seems Canterlot activity enough," she chuckled, "but perhaps I shall benefit more from you in this newfound stuff."

"Ah, I never get tired of your rhymes, my dear," the stallion chuckled as he adjusted his monocle. "They surely soothe the situation a little more."

"Come on, everypony!" They immediately got out of the way when Upper Crust cut through them, now taking the lead as the train finally stopped before them. "Our connections in Manehatten surely must have tracked that ruffian down!"

"And if they don't?" Her husband was almost afraid to ask, seeing the fire of determination in her eyes. She wheeled toward him, making him flinch.

"Then we try Trottingham," she said in a quiet tone before turning her skirts and boarded the train.

"Oh, yes! Trottingham!" Photo Finish exclaimed excitedly as she followed behind her. She raised a hoof in triumph. "More glams for my work of the glamour! The the beautiful glams are never-ending!"

Fancypants rolled his eyes at Photo Finish's comment before regarding Upper Crust once more. "Ah, yes," he stated as they followed behind her, "Upper Crust has certainly dropped her shallow mask, has she not, Zecora?" He turned to the zebra.

"Her heart beats of love like a mother's," Zecora stated simply as they entered the train, "for now she realizes her care of all others."
_

In the back of a railway car connected to the one Zecora and Fancypants had just boarded, a fuchsia mane popped out from one of the supply crates, followed by the sound of munching.

"We're going to get in trouble for this!" Sweetie Belle cried as she, along with Apple Bloom and Pipsqueak, emerged from the crate full of packaged cookies. "Why couldn't we just walk to Manehatten?"

Scootaloo quickly swallowed the cookies she had eaten. "Are you crazy?" She demanded. "No way can my scooter make it all the way there! It would take forever!"

"It wouldn't for Twilight," Pipsqueak couldn't help but say, his tiny hoof holding a cookie, not sure whether to eat it or not.

"Well, yeah," the filly pegasus rolled her eyes, "Twilight knows some transport spell or whatever that can get her from Ponyville to the castle if she wanted."

"Isn't that what that scary Discord can do?" Apple Bloom asked timidly. "I mean, my sis said that he can pop out of nowhere. That must have been what happened. He must have popped into Ponyville unnoticed, slipped into Twilight's house like some snake..." Her eyes went wide as she held her hooves up, gazing at her three friends with an expression of mixed anxiety and fear. "...and grabbed her!" She brought her hooves down in a tight hug gesture, immediately scaring the other three.

"That's scary, Apple Bloom!" Sweetie Belle whimpered.

"But isn't that what he had done?" Pipsqueak asked with a scared tone. "I mean, nopony saw it, but we just know it happened!" He gulped. "Because this is Discord, Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony."

"Now he's Discord, Number One Ponynapper," Scootaloo said in a tense voice. She gazed at the other three with fierce, determined eyes. "Guys, remember why we got into this wagon in the first place."

"Because your scooter can't travel far?" Sweetie Belle asked, eyes blinking.

"No!" The orange pegasus exclaimed hotly. "To look for that ponynapper Discord and save Twilight, duh!"

"And cutie marks," Apple Bloom added with a nervous smile, "see if our special talent is rescuing."

"You three can go ahead and think about your cutie marks," Pipsqueak stated, "all I can think about is what Twilight might be in right now." He lowered his head a bit. "Probably scared..."

"Sick."

"Discord would make her sick?" The pinto colt cried, eyes widening as he looked up at Scootaloo. However, his expression faltered a bit when he saw the pegasus' face turn a little green.

"Oh, I ate too many cookies..." She gurgled, clutching her stomach.
_

Twilight laid upon a patch of grass that stuck out from the snow surrounding her while she read. She didn't bother to wear anything on account of Discord holding a beam of sunlight just for her to read under and receive that nice, toasty feeling. As she turned a page, she looked up and smiled as Discord floated in the air, wings flapping nonchalantly as he was on his back, almost as if he was asleep.

How she admired his mismatched wings...the flaps they did per second...the blur they shone as they moved so quickly...how they connected with the air...

The unicorn no longer paid attention to her reading as she found herself thinking about flying, and how much fun it could be. Sure, it seemed quite exciting and thrilling in Rainbow Dash's case...graceful and elegant in Fluttershy's case...and how could Twilight forget the time Rarity had gained a pair of butterfly wings that day they went to Cloudsdale? Though the white unicorn abused the use of it, she did have fun.

Flying seemed fun...

Though Twilight was proud to be a unicorn of gifted magic, she couldn't help but sometimes wonder what it would be like to have wings. To fly through the glorious skies...feel the rush of wind past through her long mane...the beat of her heart as she sped faster than she could with her hooves on ground...

"Lost in your thoughts again?"

Twilight let out a startled gasp before turning to see Discord lying on the ground beside her, smirking.

"Do you have to keep doing that?" She said with a groan.

"Only to get that reaction out of you," he chuckled. He slowly turned on his side, resting his head against his plopped elbow as he regarded her. "The skies sure are beautiful, aren't they?"

"Well, yeah..." Twilight said softly before she gazed up at the cool, crisp clouds. "Even more so with the birds seemingly coming in early from the south because of early winter."

Discord chuckled before gazing at her. "You want to be like those birds, don't you?"

"Huh?" She flinched before turning to gaze at him.

"To experience such a thrill," he went on, "is that not what you must desire for only today?"

She blinked at him. "What?" She asked in confusion.

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" He exclaimed in frustration as he lifted his body up from the ground. "Are you up for flying or what?"

"M-me?" She stuttered, eyes widening. "F-fly?"

Discord's annoyed expression quickly melted into one of amusement as he lowered himself to her level.

"I bet you would automatically be a professional on flight," he stated, "as it would match well with that power of yours."

"Okay, whoa there..." Twilight said, standing on all fours as she narrowed her eyes at him. "First off, thank you for that compliment. Second, I don't think flying suits me..." And she turned her head away, nose in the air.

"Stubborn mare..." He muttered under his breath as he rolled his eyes.

Before Twilight knew it, Discord leaned down, placing his lion paw against her back as he eyed her mischievously.

"Think of it as a new lesson to study, my dear," he said playfully. "I mean, after all, isn't studying what you simply adore?"

"That's different," she remarked, "I study magic. Flying is simply something I peak at every now and then."

Discord smirked, placing an eagle talon to his chin. "Perhaps you're not such a scholar after all..."

He smiled as Twilight immediately snapped to attention at his comment.

"Excuse me?" She asked, her voice slightly rising as her eyes narrowed.

"Hey, I'm just saying," he said innocently, fiddling with his lion paw. "That perhaps you're not true to your reputation as a pony that is familiar with every subject matter, especially flight."

That did it. His grin grew as he watched her face become red with slight rage as her hooves dug into the ground.

"Oh, I'll show you!" She spat. "I'll fly then! I'll fly like...like...like a Wonderbolt if I have to prove how wrong you are!"

Finally, Discord thought happily, some time in the skies are sure to be fun for the both of us.

"Excellent," he said.

"Okay then," she said as she stood her ground. "Well...what do I do?"

Discord just smiled as he gazed at her form, analyzing every point as he pondered a bit.

"Hold still," he said.

Twilight blinked. "What?"

But he didn't respond as he reached his paw forward and placed it gently on her backside. Twilight almost felt frightened and immediately closed her eyes. As she did so, she didn't realize the beauty that was forming from Discord's paw as he gently ran it across her frame.

"Twilight..." He said softly. "Open your eyes."

Ever so slowly, she cracked one eye as she turned to gaze at his work. It immediately opened along with the other as her jaw fell in disbelief.

Wings...she had wings.

But they weren't like a pegasus' wings. She had more feathers than Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy combined, and they were much larger that they almost towered over her head. And most of all, unlike the wings of her pegasi friends or the princesses...

Hers actually sparkled.

It was as if glitter had spilled on them, and the sunlight reflected the shine of what looked like diamonds in her eyes.

"You like?"

Twilight immediately turned to Discord, who had his arms folded and smiling proudly at his work.

"Discord, I..." She was at a lost for words. "I don't know what to say..."

He continued smiling, then extended his paw to her. "Say that you'll fly with me."

"Oh, uh..." Twilight bit her lip. "I don't know if I can..." She turned back to her wings.

"Here, let me help you," Discord said softly as he reached down and gently grasped both her hooves.

Before Twilight knew it, she felt her back hooves leave ground. Gazing down, she saw the area around them become smaller before she found herself high above the trees. Honestly, this frightened her, but the hold of Discord quickly brought some assurance to her that she suddenly felt herself flapping.

"That's it," Discord said soothingly, "just spread your wings..."

He slowly let go of her hooves, but keeping close just in case. Twilight swallowed hard as she tightened her eyes and winced, hoping what she observed from Rainbow Dash would help her.

Suddenly, she felt a slight breeze against her face, flowing through her hair. Slowly opening her eyes, she realized that she was moving. Turning her head, her wings were guiding her.

She was a complete loss for words as she saw what she was doing. "I-I'm..."

"You're flying," Discord flew beside her, smiling. "See, now was that so hard?"

Twilight blushed a bit. "Well, it was in my mind..."

He just chuckled before nudging her and motioning to so much sky before them. Giving a shy nod, Twilight placed shaking hooves in front of her as she focused on the sky before her, trusting her wings more than ever.

She didn't realize she was actually going quite fast.
_

"Hurry up!" Rainbow Dash called, wings flapping as the other four followed behind her on ground. "Or we might miss them!"

"Miss who?" Fluttershy asked as she gracefully walked behind Pinkie Pie.

"The Wonderbolts, duh!" The cyan pegasus exclaimed before pointing to the sky. "While, of course, we're off looking for our Twilight, I want to catch a glimpse of the Wonderbolts in the sky before we continue on." She turned her full gaze toward the clouds. "I just want to see them in action as they try and search for our friend."

"Oh, we're going to have a little show right now?" Rarity asked. "Darling, you should have told me sooner! I would have worn something for the occasion!"

"Oh, like your Element of Generosity ain't glam material enough?" Applejack teased, pointing at the necklace around her neck. "Or would you prefer that rock you thought was a flawless diamond?"

Rarity's eyes narrowed, her lips tightening. "I said never to bring that up again."

"There they are, guys!" Rainbow Dash hollowed, pointing a hoof to the sky as she made out many figures in the far distance. "Looks like Spitfire's ahead!"
_

"Huh, they've cleaned up the snow quite nicely," Fancypants commented as he and his friends trailed through the streets of Manehatten. "Lovely place Manehatten is."

"Hey, out of the way, you mook!"

He nearly bumped into another stallion of equal dress and a monocle that passed him with a narrowed expression, followed by his colleagues that were of high class as well.

"I say!" Jet Set huffed, completely offended by their rude behavior as the other group carried on without a care to whom they snapped at. "That was uncalled for!"

Upper Crust bit her lip. Those ponies...they looked like they might have come from Canterlot...Oh, how difficult to tell apart which pony was from where! She hoped never to make that mistake again, considering that one incident of a certain unfortunate mare's birthday...

Recalling Twilight, Upper Crust kept her head high as she continued leading her group through the clean streets of rude, highly-obnoxious ponies.

"Who exactly are we meeting, my dear?" Fancypants asked her.

"Oh, some friends of ours," the mare responded without turning to look at him. "They're actually relatives of that Applejack filly."

"Relatives of Applejack, you say?" Zecora questioned. "I hope they are not surprised by us visiting them in hopes they will lead to Discord's way."

"Well, they said yes when I called them," Upper Crust said. "What else could they possibly be referring to?"

"You're going to visit relatives of the Apple family?"

Upper Crust let out a squeak of surprise before bending her head down. And there stood Apple Bloom among the group.

"Apple Bloom?" Jet Set exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just going to ask you the same question!" The little filly smiled innocently.

Suddenly, Sweetie Belle skidded to a halt in front of the older ponies, her eyes wide with desperation, fearing as if they were in immediate trouble.

"It was her idea!" The little unicorn cried, quickly pointing a hoof toward Scootaloo, who was looking ill as ever. Pipsqueak stood close by her side, assisting her if she needed it.

"I never want to eat another cookie again..." Scootaloo murmured, trying to hold it in.

"How...?" Upper Crust's voice trailed off before turning to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. "How on Earth did you get all the way here from Ponyville?"

"Surely not by scooter," Fancypants added.

"No," Apple Bloom shook her head, "we took the train just as you guys had!"

"I'm not even going to ask whether or not they had boarded the train properly," Upper Crust shook her head in exasperation.

"Does your sister know you're here?" Jet Set asked Apple Bloom.

"Um..." The bow-wearing filly scuttled a hoof on the ground. "Not really..."

"But she let us go on our quest!" Sweetie Belle added stiffly. "As long as it wasn't the Everfree Forest."

"Young lady," Upper Crust told her calmly, "Manehatten is much too big a place for a little filly. Surely, you know you need chaperoning for your little 'quest'."

"We can handle it!" Scootaloo said hotly as she and Pipsqueak trudged over to them. "We're the Cutie Mark Crus-URP!" She immediately clutched her stomach, feeling it would burst any second.

"I get the feeling somepony who made an order is not going to be too pleased..." Fancypants rolled his eyes.

"Guys!" Apple Bloom began, turning to her three friends. "We got a job to do! A really big one since we're in a really big town!" She raised her hoof up, instructing them. "Sweetie Belle, you search every drink vendor pony! My sis told me Discord loves to drink chocolate milk! You find chocolate milk, we find Discord!"

"Understood!" Sweetie Belle saluted before dashing off.

"Wait, now-!" Jet Set tried to call her back before she was out of sight.

"Pipsqueak and Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom turned to the other two. "You search all those candy and cookie vendors! Discord loves sweets, remember that!"

"Oh..." Scootaloo felt her ill stomach rumble angrily as she rubbed it.

"Get going!" The apple filly urged.

"Right on it!" Pipsqueak gave a salute before nudging Scootaloo and they were off.

"Hold on there!" Fancypants exclaimed as he watched them go.

"Oh, dear," Upper Crust sighed and rolled her eyes. "While looking for Twilight, we've suddenly found ourselves having to watch over these young ponies..."

"It is no small task, that we know," Zecora stated, "for they've always done this back in Ponyville, that is what Applejack said so."

"Zecora," Fancypants called as he stood beside the zebra. "Join me as we make sure Rarity's little sister doesn't get in trouble." He turned to Upper Crust. "Keep an eye on little Pipsqueak, and especially Scootaloo. She appears to be needing some stomach soothening so."

"Agreed," Upper Crust sighed. "But what about-?"

"I got dibs on the fancy donut shops!" Apple Bloom shouted as she galloped off, leaving the adult ponies stunned.

"I've got this one!" Photo Finish stated. "And my camera, too!" And she held her precious device around her neck as she chased after the little filly.
_

Though she struggled, Twilight grew more confident as she flapped her wings, inner strength within her pushing her almost as much as Discord's encouraging words as they flew side by side through the thick skies.

"You're doing great!" He said. "Just keep at it!"

"Yeah," Twilight told herself, eyes focused. "I...I am!"

Discord suddenly found the unicorn become more distant from him as her speed began to increase. She seemed to be going faster.

"I...I'm flying!" Twilight cried out happily as she continued on. "I'm really flying!"

"More like jetting if you ask me..." Discord observed as he kept up behind her.

Twilight's mind suddenly clogged up with pure determination as she barred her teeth, her eyes gazing at sky before her. Her hair and tail soared behind her as her wings flapped. It almost hurt, but Twilight just wanted to keep going.

Discord noticed how even more fast she was going...and her sparkling wings seemed to be leaving some small trail.
_

"Aw, yeah!" Rainbow Dash hooted as she pumped her hooves into the air, wings flapping. "Look at those guys go!"

"They're all just flying in one direction," Applejack said, green eyes gazing at the clouds.

"But check out their speed!" Rainbow Dash cheered. "Bet my wings are just as fast as theirs!" And she extended her prized wings, showing off to her friends. "Dopey Discord can never master these, no matter how much magic he can use to make some!"

"Shouldn't we continue on trying to look for Discord?" Fluttershy asked softly, though her voice carried a hint of fear of actually coming across the Draconequus.

"Yeah, yeah," Rainbow Dash waved a hoof at her to keep quiet, eyes never leaving the sky as she watched her idols continue their search through the clouds.
_

Twilight continued coursing through the skies, her heart beating rapidly as she took even more into her wings than she expected of herself. No wonder Rainbow Dash cherished her wings, no wonder the Wonderbolts loved their jobs so much...this was fun! Exciting! Mind-blowing!

"Discord really knows how to make the heart and mind grow stronger..." She told herself, the wind hitting her face. "He really knows how to help bring out a feeling of excitement..." A small smile formed on her face.

As Discord came closer to her, his wings flapping, he was startled when her saw her back legs jerk for a moment, and the noise of what sounded like sky breaking coming into full-motion echoed.

Before he could call out to Twilight, she zoomed at even greater speed...leaving behind a trail of bright violet and glittering stars.

He quickly shielded his eyes when the light suddenly grew brighter, and it seemed it was growing even more, far beyond where they were flying. And the impact was quite strong as well...
_

"Slow down, you silly bow-adorner!" Photo Finish cried as she tried to catch up with Apple Bloom who took to the sidewalks where open shops laid.

"Young Sweetie Belle, please!" Fancypants called as he and Zecora were trying to keep the little unicorn from harassing every beverage vendor pony.

"Dear, you're much ill, you know that!" Upper Crust cried as she tried to catch up with Pipsqueak and a sickened Scootaloo.

"Discord ain't in the fancy umbrella shop!" Apple Bloom called after pressing her face against the window of a nearby store.

"He's not even here!" Sweetie Belle called, having accidentally knocked over a barrel of juice next to an outraged vendor pony. "And this guy's not even selling chocolate milk!"

"No sign of him!" Pipsqueak called out, a paper cone of pink, gooey cotton candy in his hooves. He took a bite before offering to Scootaloo. "Want some?"

The orange pegasus immediately turned away, feeling herself wanting to retch as she clutched her aching stomach.

"There you are!" Upper Crust stated as she quickly stood beside the two children. "Honestly, you mustn't run off like that so! You could-"

BOOM!

Sweetie Belle let out a scream at the terrifying noise as she immediately stood close to Fancypants, who had his hoof over her back protectively as both he and Zecora gazed around the streets of Manehatten. Finally, their eyes rose to the sky, indicating a slight difference in the air.

As soon as there was a huge eruption in the sky, Apple Bloom tripped over her hooves and fell to the floor. Though that noise was scary, the immediate 'breeze' that was hitting against her was just as terrifying. Apple Bloom clung to the ground as best she could as she felt wind try and push her back, and she let out a scream of fear.

"I got you!" Photo Finish cried as she leaped over and landed on her stomach beside Apple Bloom. Despite that she might get her dress dirty, she placed protective hooves over the scared filly and hovered over as the wind blew through her short hair, nearly blowing her glasses off.

"What's happening?" Pipsqueak cried as he and Scootaloo stood close by Upper Crust.

"I don't know, dear," the older pony said worriedly as she pressed against the two kids protectively.

"Hey, look!" Scootaloo cried as she pointed a hoof toward the sky.

All at once, everypony gazed up into the sky...and witnessed one of the most amazing sights they never thought they would come across.

Despite the violent wind that was pressing against their skins, equalling that to the cold snow, they could never keep their eyes off the beautiful strip of bright violet color, followed by stars that glittered more than the ones at night.

"I say..." Jet Set gasped lightly, his glasses nearly falling off his face.
_

"Whoa!" Rainbow Dash cried as she and her friends suddenly felt pushed back by a strong wind that came out of nowhere. As she struggled to continue gazing at the sky, she took notice that the Wonderbolts had also become victim to the sudden change of weather.

"What happened?" Fluttershy gulped, trying to pick herself off the ground as the breeze continued blowing through her long, pink hair.

"I got no idea!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Look!" Rarity cried, pointing a hoof toward the sky.

All eyes turned, and jaws dropped as they witnessed violet and stars in the sky.

Rainbow Dash felt her wings droop as her jaw fell even lower than the others as she took sight of the color and glitter of whatever had been made in those skies.

For some reason, she almost felt envious. But equally impressed.
_

Before Upper Crust's eyes, the wind died down and that array of beauty in the sky vanished.

"What happened?" She exclaimed as she was joined by the others with the children.

"I'm not sure..." Fancypants responded quietly, gazing around them. "That was quite unexpected."

"And quite powerful as well," Zecora added. "Somehow, I think this is another one of Discord's tricks or spells."

"Discord!" Upper Crust cried, eyes widening. She immediately turned to the others. "Oh, dear! We mustn't waste more time! Come along!" She gently nudged Scootaloo beside her, wanting her to follow close due to having a stomach ache.

Leading the group, they finally came across a fancy apartment building. Quickly climbing to the top, Upper Crust rapidly banged on the door with her hoof.

"Tell me, Apple Bloom," Fancypants said as he looked down at the little filly. "Who are these relatives of yours, again?"

Before Apple Bloom could reply, the door swung open and the group was greeted by two ponies with sophistication and class written all over their features.

"Aunt Orange!" Apple Bloom exclaimed happily. "Uncle Orange!"

"What in dear Equestria?" Mrs. Orange gasped as she took sight of Apple Bloom before regarding the Canterlot ponies before her. She then gazed at the leading pony. "Upper Crust, is that you?"

The other mare gave a weak smile. "Hello, dear friend," she greeted. "Sorry for coming so unexpectedly, but when you told me you and your husband might have come across something about a Ms. Sparkle, we just had to come as soon as possible!"

Mrs. Orange looked at her in confusion. "Ms...Sparkle?" She raised an eyebrow.

Upper Crust was quite surprised that her friend was as well. Finally, Scootaloo stepped forward, her stomach aching even more.

"Can I have some milk?" She said weakly.

"Oh, where are our manners?" Mr. Orange chuckled before he and his wife pushed the door wide open for the group. "Come in! Come in!"

As soon as the group entered the fancy-decored of the room, Upper Crust immediately turned back to Mrs. Orange, becoming slightly impatient.

"So you know where Twilight Sparkle is?" She asked ugently.

The other mare regarded her in confusion. "Twilight?"

"You know," Upper Crust said, "the one you said you've found traces of and such."

It took a few moments for Mrs. Orange to finally realize what she was talking about before letting out a small, classy guffaw.

"What's so funny?" Upper Crust demanded, losing her patience.

"My dear!" Mrs. Orange laughed. "I have no idea who this Twilight is!" She said. "When I said 'Sparkle', I meant..." She motioned a hoof toward a table beside her.

Upper Crust looked over and noticed many newly ordered dishes lying atop of it. They sparkled.

"I mean that I was able to find traces of the sparkle dishes I had been wanting for days since finding it in the Manehatten Interior Design magazines!" Mrs. Orange laughed. "Oh, dear, however did you get such an idea? I mean, I never even heard of Twilight or whatever!" Then she pondered a bit. "Hmm...maybe I have...Is she some pony that's missing or such?"

But she got no reply from Upper Crust. The other mare's face was red with rage, her white teeth barring as her hooves dug into the floor.

"Darling, are you okay?" Mrs. Orange asked, oblivious to how incredibly angry the Canterlot pony was. "Oh, my! You look like you need something to drink!"

With that, she quickly picked up a large bowl of punch on the table and offered it to Upper Crust.

"Here you go, darling!" She said proudly. "And I'm using my new sparkle dish as well!"

Suddenly, before she knew it, and in front of everyone, Upper Crust slapped the bowl from underneath it and it flipped before landing atop of Mrs. Orange's styled mane. Punch dribbled down her now ruined hairdo and onto the floor, her dish serving as some sort of hat.

Upper Crust placed her rough hoof down, feeling a little shocked at herself as well as triumphant.

"I'm not thirsty," she said through gritted teeth.

"Feeling better, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked as she watched her friend down a glass of milk she had asked for.

"Much better!" The little pegasus said happily. Suddenly, her eyes fell upon a plate of sweets on a nearby table. "Oh! Are those chocolate orange slices?"
_

The unicorn felt herself growing a bit tired as her wings flapped in a slow, graceful manner before her hooves met ground. She felt slightly dizzy, head pounding not as much as her heart.

"What happened?" She murmured, her eyes blurring.

"You just created something just as powerful than with your horn, that's what happened!" She looked up and Discord flapped beside her, smiling gleefully. "Oh, you were amazing, my dear! You flew so fast I could barely catch up! And the little show! Oh, those Wonderbolts are going to have a run for their money!"

"I did what?" Twilight rubbed her forehead.

"Let's just say that Rainbow Dash won't be thinking of you as just an egghead anymore," he chuckled.

Twilight just gazed at him, her expression a mix of amazement, surprise...admiration. Discord had given her so much these past few days...kindness, shelter, gifts, and his meaning of fun. He was just so sweet...and he even made it possible for her to actually fly! She would have laughed upon such a thought, but considering she was living the moment, and had even performed something that was sure to have made Rainbow Dash's jaw drop, she felt that she could do nearly anything...all because of Discord.

Discord just smiled at her, not sure what to say, feeling he had said his fill of compliments and admiration for her work. She was a smart pony with so much in her mind and heart, he was just glad to awaken whatever she desired.

Before he knew it, tired yet elated hooves grasped around his furry neck, soft coat against unruly one.

Twilight smiled, eyes closed in pure joy as she hugged him, her wings flapping in utter bliss as she held onto the one that made what she thought was impossible possible.

"Thank you, Discord..." She said with all her heart, her cheek nuzzling against his fur.

Discord blinked for a few moments, quite surprised at the action. This had happened before, but that was the day he and Twilight...

Slowly, he closed his eyes, lowering his head as the side of it gently pressed against hers as he allowed his arms to wrap around her frame, returning the embrace.

"You're welcome, Twilight." He would say that over a thousand times and it still wouldn't be enough to show how grateful he was for her.
_

Became

NOTE: For anyone who's seen the movie 'Tangled', particularly that "I See the Light" scene...ENJOY! ;)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Fluttershy gracefully flapped her wings as she flew over the streets of Ponyville, her scarf paying her warmth as she breathed in the chilly air. Snow still covered most of the town, but ponies were able to carry on with their bright, sunny morning. How much longer would this snow remain, the yellow pegasus wondered timidly as she gently landed in front of a familiar house.

The library.

Pain filled Fluttershy's heart as she gazed through one of the tree's windows, only for it to become even heavier as she spotted a familiar purple dragon idly fingering at his duster, too depressed to continue his chores. Not that he needed to clean up the library, he had been doing that almost a dozen times after breaking into Mayor Mare's office and fixing her shelves for the last three...

Fluttershy lowered her head and turned away, knowing better than to come in and soothe the poor baby dragon, that would just make things a little worse as soon as the name of a certain unicorn came out of her quiet mouth. Pink hair covering part of her face, the butter-colored pony decided to stroll over to Sweet Apple Acres where she would meet up with Applejack and together they would meet the others in an hour or so. As she walked down the familiar path toward the farm-

CRASH!

The shy pegasus let out a squeak of surprise before wheeling her head toward wherever that horrifying sound came from. It seemed to have echoed from part of the field as the sound became even louder, her shaking hooves carrying her fearfully through trees. It almost sounded like an animal going mad!

As soon as she came into an opening within the field, she realized it wasn't really an animal. But Rainbow Dash sure was mad.

Fluttershy's sea green eyes could only widen in utter shock as the rainbow-maned pegasus sent another kick to a poor, defenseless tree, a sickening crack emerging from it as apples rained upon the angered pony. The yellow pegasus took a few steps back, feeling ever so frightened that Rainbow Dash was acting so violently upon Applejack's trees. Where was the apple pony herself? Had she not heard the noise, or was she not around the farm at this time?

Finally, gulping, Fluttershy spoke out in a quiet tone. "R-rainbow Dash?"

Hind legs immediately stopping inches away from a tree that was suddenly spared, the cyan pegasus turned her head and spotted her friend emerging from the shadows. Biting her lip and trying to cover her shameful expression, Rainbow Dash hunched her legs and gazed at the ground.

"Hey, Fluttershy," she muttered.

The yellow pegasus slowly walked over to her, gazing at her with concern and sympathy. "Are you...?" Her voice trailed off, knowing too well what the answer would be.

The other pegasus didn't even look up at her, eyes still glued to the ground. "A week..."

Fluttershy blinked in confusion. "What?"

"A week," Rainbow Dash repeated, only a bit louder, her voice growing more firm and angry.

Before Fluttershy knew it, Rainbow Dash extended her wings and flapped a few feet off the ground. The yellow pegasus shook in fear as she regarded the expression of hate, anguish, and fury that was on her friend's face.

"A whole week!" Rainbow Dash shouted loud enough for all of Equestria to hear. "One week and we're nowhere close to finding that dumb Discord or our friend!"

With that said, she swooped down, and in one swift motion, sent a hard kick to a tree, making it shake before more apples rained to the ground. But Rainbow Dash kept going, anger and shame taking over her body as she vented out on her apple-loving friend's field.

"We've searched aimlessly!" She cried as she kicked another tree and more apples fell. "I even had the Wonderbolts help us and what good did that do?" Another kick. "Nothing!" Kick. "We've gotten nothing!" More apples hit the ground.

"R-r-rainbow dash..." Fluttershy gulped.

"What in tarnation is going on here?" She turned just in time to see Applejack rush onto the scene, witnessing her fast-flying friend attacking her trees. "Rainbow Dash!" She cried. "Cut that out!"

But the cyan pegasus didn't even hear her as she continued kicking and muttering, more apples covering the ground. Now if this were a happier situation, Applejack would be pleased by the unexpected work, but considering the past week, apples were the last thing on her mind as she whipped out a rope and threw it at Rainbow Dash. It wrapped around her leg and before the pegasus could kick another tree, she was jerked down, landing face-first on the ground.

Rainbow Dash groaned as she spat out grass from her mouth, her wings flapping slowly as Fluttershy and Applejack approached her.

"Rainbow Dash," Applejack said in a soft yet firm tone as she stood before her. "Look, I understand what you're going through. Trust me..." She sighed sadly, her green eyes glistening. "A whole lot of us are." She turned to Fluttershy.

The yellow pegasus slowly stepped toward the other pegasus. "I miss Twilight, too," she spoke quietly, "and yes, I'm quite upset that it's been a week and we've found no traces of either her or Discord."

"And we understand how angry you are, Rainbow Dash," Applejack added, "and I can't blame you for kicking my trees off their roots."

The cyan pegasus' eyes remained on the ground, feeling even more ashamed of herself. Both for feeling like a failure to find Twilight, and for taking so much frustration on Applejack's fields.

"But we can't give up," Applejack said, "I mean, that's probably what Discord wants us to do. To give up, well...you remember the first time Discord set his chaos on our town."

Rainbow Dash slowly moved her eyes to meet the apple pony's. They seemed to be glistening with tears as her bottom lip quivered, remembering that day all too well.

"I wasn't a very loyal pegasus..." she murmured. "I ditched you guys when you needed me the most."

"It wasn't your fault!" Fluttershy cried softly. "Discord influenced you!"

"Still, I could have fought it," Rainboe Dash whimpered, lifting herself off from the ground. "I could have been stronger...and I should be even stronger now...now that Twilight has been pony-napped..." She lowered her head. "I feel like such a failure..."

"Now hold on there, sugarcube!" Applejack exclaimed. "You ain't failed nothing! You as loyal as any pony I know, and knowing how truly loyal you are to Twilight this minute, why, that's your element right there!"

Rainbow Dash looked up, remembering she left her element at her house as did the others. She wanted to smile, but it seemed painful at the moment.

"If Twilight were here right now," Applejack continued, "she'd tell you not to give up."

"Yes," Fluttershy added meekly, "she'd tell you to keep going. Remember how she encouraged you during the Best Flyer Competition?"

"And look how you made that there Sonic Rainbow," Applejack smiled.

"Yeah, I guess you're right..." Rainbow Dash scuffled a hoof on the ground. She smiled sheepishly at Applejack. "Hey, sorry about your trees, Applejack."

"Aw, think nothing of it," the apple pony assured her before turning to see the apples that had scattered on the ground. "I think you just saved us a few days of work."

And they all shared a laugh, something they really needed after what just occurred moments ago. Rainbow Dash allowed herself to let go, though her heart still pained and her mind was clogged with fear, she let the moment of their friendship help her keep strong no matter what.

"How's about you help me gather these here apples and we can meet up with the others?" Applejack suggested as she began picking them up. "Perhaps the mayor can give us some map for some place we haven't been to yet."

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash nodded, "I'll scope the skies, seeing if Discord will be up there. And when I see him...POW!" She jammed a hoof into the air. "That'll teach him never to mess with my friends!"

"I'm sure Twilight would appreciate that," Applejack nodded.
_

Princess Celestia resumed her pacing in the throne room while her sister stood in place, having rolled up the message she just received and held it close to her chest as if she was cherishing it. They had just discussed about the plan concerning if they ever did find Discord. What exactly were they to plan? Not all the elements were with them, and Twilight, being the most powerful, might be corrupted under the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony's influence by now and therefore would refuse to give her power instantly.

"There just has to be some way..." Celestia muttered, stopping in her tracks for the third time today. "I know there's something we can use, I can feel it." She turned to her sister. "Can you?"

Princess Luna continued holding the message close to her. "A type of power courses through us and through many other sources if I know correctly," she pondered. "Though I can't say what these 'sources' are, they are strong...perhaps strong enough to aid the remaining elements." She smiled sheepishly. "Isn't it just pathetic that we have some sort of magic that we're unaware of?"

Her sister shared her smile, though it was painful. "Whatever it is, we must look into it..." The smile quickly faded as she gazed at the stained glass window before them.

The one featuring Discord's defeat by the Elements of Harmony.

Their eyes fell on the stained-glass image of a certain crown-wearing unicorn whose power connected the other elements that imprisoned Discord once more. Celestia felt her eyes glisten as she turned away, fear and pain flowing through her as she hoped that despite a week having past they would find dear Twilight Sparkle soon.

Poor Twilight...perhaps lost, unprotected for maybe Discord might have taken away her magic, trapped and frightened and near losing hope...

Discord will pay for such a deed...
_

Twilight gazed at herself in the mirror, from her bare hooves to her neatly-brushed mane. She greatly admired her beauty, but not as much as she cherished her intellectual.

But at this moment, she truly treasured what she had with Discord. What did they have, exactly? A bond perhaps?

To call themselves friends...the unicorn wasn't sure. She never heard Discord refer to her as his friend or buddy, but always stated how she was a true Element of Friendship. They were always by each other's side, talking, laughing, throwing snowballs at each other...that's what friends do, right?

Since the beginning, after imprisoning him in stone a second time, Twilight had made it her goal to fix Discord, and she did it. However, along with that completed goal was becoming his friend, true to word and heart, and always there for him no matter what, even protect him if needed.

Well, seems that goal would be post-poned...

As Twilight turned away from her mirror and walked over to her desk, she gently dug a hoof into a drawer and pulled out a glistening crown. The Element of Magic and Friendship.

She hadn't thought about it in a while, just storing it away as she got to know the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony more. She no longer feared he would take it away from her, seeing as he had such a soft, tender side and was actually considerate.

She couldn't imagine what could have been if she didn't follow herself and went after to find him...what could have been if she remained under the eyes of her friends, preparing her element.

Could have been...

Yes, she often asked herself questions regarding Discord's second imprisonment, showering herself with regret and tears. She begged herself to see differently and hoped for something...and looked where she was now.

She was happy, of course. Proud? Yes. Homesick?

Definitely.

How long has it been since she left Ponyville, leaving that note for the others to read? A week or more than? How long did she intend to stay here hidden with Discord? Certainly cannot be a month, no, that would really panic everyone, and Equestria, and maybe the whole world, would literally be flipped upside down to find her.

Still, as Twilight slipped out of her chambers to walk down the halls, she knew she had to remain here for a little bit.

She needed to protect him.

Twilight smiled to herself as she floated her schedule book next to her along with a quill.

"Brush hair, check!" She said happily. "Meet Discord outside at ten." As soon as she came out of the house of chaos, she checked that one off as well. Seeing as there were only two items on her list, she placed her book aside as soon as she saw Discord's back to her.

"Well, it is exactly ten o' clock," she stated with a proud smile as she gracefully walked over to him. "According to the bulleted items on my schedule, I signed myself to see what else we can do together."

Discord raised an eyebrow at her, though he smiled. "You're really putting a strain on my chaos with those organization skills, you know that?"

Twilight gave a cheeky grin as she flipped her mane. "Well, your chaos could use some organizing."

"Me? Organizing?" Discord asked in a playful mock tone. "My dear, the way we all see it, my chaos is my organization." He smirked down at her. "Just like your organization is your chaos." He smirked, his single tooth gleaming.

"Please don't remind me of my chaos..." She muttered, eyes dropping in annoyance.

"I have to admit, that doll scene will never escape my mind," he chuckled, "and I must say, I did like the interesting hairstyle you managed to create."

He immediately stood back, smirking, as Twilight threw him a warning glare. After that, they continued walking down the snow-covered path, simply enjoying each other's company.

Finally, after about fifteen minutes of strolling, Discord halted her with his lion paw as his mismatched eyes scanned ahead of them.

"Twilight, over there..." He said in a surprised yet giddy tone. "Is that...is that what I think it is?" His red pupils widened as his smile brightened.

The unicorn raised an eyebrow at him before looking in his direction. All she could see was a tree with snow-covered flowers beneath it.

Familiar blue flowers.

Twilight simply shrugged this, knowing well she needed to keep away while Discord could handle its effects. "What, the plants?"

The Draconequus held his giddy expression as he slithered over to the patch of flowers. "It is! Poison joke!" He cried out gleefully as he knelt before them. "I love this stuff!"

"Wait, you love it?" Twilight exclaimed. She shouldn't have been surprised, Discord was, afterall, a lover of pranks.

Discord turned to her, his smile resuming as he laid over the poison joke. "Twilight, I made it."

Twilight felt the blood suddenly rise as her jaw fell in utter disbelief. "You what?" She exclaimed.

"I thought for sure Celestia would have ordered every last plant hunted down and destroyed while I was a statue!" He laughed. He lowered his mismatched hands and plucked one before sniffing it. "Ah, this takes me back..."

"This takes me back..." Twilight muttered to herself, taking a few steps away and recalling her first experience with the dangerous plant.

Discord sensed her discomfort and smirked, twirling the flower in his fingers. "What's wrong, Twilight Sparkle?" He asked as he got to his feet. "Afraid to..." He held it in front of her nose. "...have the joke on you?"

Twilight tensed a bit as she took a few more steps back, however, he kept moving further, teasing her so.

"Get that away from me!" The unicorn cried angrily.

"Come on, it smells good!" He chuckled. "Come on, smell it!"

"Ew, no!" Twilight cried before she turned and galloped off.

However, Discord continued chase, going after her as he guffawed. Twilight gritted her teeth in annoyance as he continued pursuing her.

She wished she still had those wings...
_

"I'm still wondering what the hay that was yesterday," Soarin' stated as he and the other Wonderbolts grouped together on the outskirts of Cloudsdale, preparing for another run across the skies.

Yesterday they had resumed their sky search for any trace of the unusual, then suddenly, an impact that took them by surprise nearly drove them off their wings. And they had even been blinded by the sight of what looked like glitter in a violet aura. It was beautiful, but very unusual. Spitfire wanted to follow the trail, assuming it had been left by that mischievous character Discord, but the bright line had immediately faded before they could carry speed and pursue where exactly it came from.

"I'm sure all of Equestria is wondering the same thing," Spitfire stated before unfolding her wings, indicating it was time to move. As they all took air, both she and Soarin' resumed their discussion. "It looked like it took on for so many miles."

"Only to just disappear without a trace in seconds flat!" Soarin' exclaimed. "Look, I know that was totally unexpected, but it was pretty cool." He pondered for a moment, wings flapping. "Though to compare that to Rainbow Dash's signature move...well, I don't want to call favorites here."

"Well, it sure did sparkle a lot," Spitfire murmured as she resumed leading the group.
_

"Pipsqueak, have you awaken?" Called Zecora as she opened the door to one of the guest rooms of Fancypants' home. "The other three have come out of their beds if I'm not mistaken."

After yesterday's situation back in Manehatten, Fancypants and Zecora decided that if Pipsqueak and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were going to keep up with running and searching for the unicorn, then they were to be kept with chaperones while doing so. Fancypants had asked Applejack if her sister and her friends could stay under his roof in Canterlot until the whole Discord conflict was resolved and the apple farmer obliged to the offer, seeing as she herself would be much too busy, being the Element of Honesty and all.

The four children jumped at the offer, excited to be staying under some rich famous Canterlot pony's roof while still permitted to continue their 'daring rescue', and each was given a room.

The zebra spotted the little colt hunched over something on the writing desk in his room. Taking quiet steps toward him, she looked over his shoulder and saw twigs and colorful paper on his desk.

"What project is this done at such an hour?" Zecroa asked quietly. "For I see such determination upon you with hooves of such power."

Pipsqueak looked up and saw her. He smiled sheepishly. "Just working on something...something that maybe could help us find Twilight sooner."

Hearing that name, the zebra couldn't be more surprised that this little project would concern her. Out of the four kids, Pipsqueak was the most desperate to find her. He was a such a brave colt, Zecora gave him that.

"And done!" Pipsqueak exclaimed before lifting it up to the light.

The zebra peered at it. It almost looked like twigs wrapped around each other to make some sort of halo, and on top of it, wrapped in different colors yet holding more of a lightish/pinkish effect, was a jagged oval shape that almost resembled a lumpy star.

"You like it?" He beamed. "It's my own Element of Magic."

Zecora nearly choked on her own words as she heard this. "Element of Magic, you say?" She repeated with surprise. "Have you made this..." She winced a bit. "...in hopes of driving Discord's powers away?"

"I'm not sure..." Pipsqueak confessed quietly, gazing down at his little crown. "I thought that maybe because the other ponies are an element short, I'd make a crown to replace the one Discord took away along with..." His voice trailed off, bottom lip quivering.

The zebra immediately drew him close, a hoof over his head. "It is touching of you to take this into regard," she smiled down at him. "For, dear Pip, you have a caring heart."

Pipsqueak smiled and blushed as Zecora took the crown from him and placed it upon his head. He beamed proudly as it attached so nicely upon his mane.

"A supporter to the Element of Magic, I see," Zecora nodded, "a true supporter to our harmony."
_

Twilight felt her face heat up with absolute fear as the poison joke hung behind her ear like a fashion decoration. She turned to Discord, who snickered. Though he assured her many times there would be no effect on her because he placed magic over it, she knew what a sneaky creature he was.

Still, as Twilight looked over herself in the river before them..she thought it looked quite beautiful on her.

After all that running, yelling, and laughing, the two decided to take a break and lay beside the river that was now flowing freely thanks to some ice-skating over the thick sheets. Twilight laid on her stomach, hooves tucked underneath her while Discord laid on his back, arms folded behind his head and his legs crossed.

"Kind of a boring morning, don't you think?" He asked idly, gazing at the sky.

"Seems peaceful enough," Twilight rolled her eyes, still regarding the poison joke against her ear.

"Maybe I should just drop the sun and put it in the ocean," Discord said nonchalantly, "That would make some nice glowing effect, eh?"

Twilight's eyes widened in shock before wheeling toward him. "Absolutely not!" She cried. "That would be completely against the time of day, the cycle of nature, the-"

"Oh, listen to you," He rolled his eyes. "it's not like I'd make it last night forever. Night can sometimes be so boring!"

Suddenly, before he knew it, Twilight jumped on him, her hooves pressed against his chest as her purple eyes gazed into his red and yellow ones. Though Discord was incredibly surprised by the action, he kept his cool. His wings went a little stiff when her raging face pressed against his, her teeth gritting angrily at him.

"If you have forgotten," she boomed loudly, "I adore the night, just as I adore the day! And if you're too absent-minded to realize the true beauty of those two halves of one whole, then consider yourself ignorant!"

Discord's eyes widened a bit as she continued glaring at him, her belly pressing against his in total rage. Finally, he just lowered his eyes and regarded her with half a smile.

Twilight suddenly realized what she was doing and her eyes widened before pulling away. "Wow..." She gasped. "That was so not like me." She sat back atop his chest and placed a hoof to her head. "Why did I do that?"

"Well..." Discord played with his fingers. "I didn't exactly tell you the truth about washing away all of the poison joke's effect..." He smiled innocently when she was regarded him with widened eyes. "Hey, all it gave you was the ability to easily get angered over simple things, not like it made your mane stick up or your horn drop off."

The unicorn immediately pressed her muzzle against his nose, her rage returning due to the effect of the poison joke on her ear.

"Not. Funny." She growled.

"Let me fix that," he said, eyes not breaking away from angry ones as he reached an eagle talon behind her ear and pointed at the flower.

In one quick motion, a small surge of light beamed from his talon and the plant glowed upon her ear before the light dispersed into sparks that showered upon the unicorn.

Twilight immediately regained herself, shaking her head before realizing what she had done again. "Oh, wow..." She rubbed her cheek.

Shifting her eyes, she saw the the poison joke still remained intact...but it sparkled as well.

"Should have added that to the poison joke as well, huh?" Discord chuckled, leaning on folded arms behind his back as he watched Twilight sit atop his chest in confusion.

"At least I didn't need any herbs and remedies," she muttered as she hopped off him.

While she busied herself running a hoof down her mane, Discord took this chance to gaze up at the sky. Smirking, he snapped his fingers.
_

CRASH!

"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy cried.

The cyan pegasus quickly pulled away from the tree she just crashed into before shaking her head, trying to rid the stars she was seeing. Finally gaining consciousness, she glared around her, seeing as daytime had become nighttime.

"Who the hay turned off the sun?" She demanded, wings flapping angrily before lowering down to meet up with the other four.

"Discord, who else?" Applejack muttered angrily, glaring at the night sky. She could only imagine how furious the princesses were at the moment that their enemy had actually played around with the time period.

"Oh, as beautiful a night it is..." Rarity sighed, shaking her head. "This is most unpleasant! Now everypony is confused!"

"Oh, not me!" Pinkie Pie giggled as she bounced around, performing some kind of dance. "It never bothers me whether it's day or night, because I like it either way!"

"Will you quit fooling around?" Rainbow Dash shouted at her, making her dancing come to a complete halt. "Night time makes it more difficult for us to resume our search! And considering it's been a week, that doesn't make this any better!"

"Calm down, Rainbow Dash," Applejack assured her. "We've hit the night before, we can handle looking through this time again."

"Y-you think..." Fluttershy gulped, shaking a bit. "You think Discord might have taken away the sun to...to scare Twilight more?"

The others looked at each other apprehensively. Discord had shifted the sun and moon before, the day he was released the first time, and that was usually out of playfulness and mischief.

But what if this was just another way to frighten their magical unicorn friend? Who was probably left with no magic at all, imprisoned under that monster with her horn gone and the rays of sunshine being the only source of happiness she could hold in her dire state? Maybe Discord took away the sun to scare her with the darkness of night!

Although the moon sure was bright, but perhaps wherever Twilight was the moonlight could never be seen by, what the others feared, eyes filled with tears of despair while Discord mocked her as he fooled around in his own chaos. They wouldn't be surprised...why else had he even brought out snow? To freeze her and scare her, that was just cruel right there!

"Come on!" Rainbow Dash urged as her wings continued flapping. "Let's find this Discord so I can pound him! Big dummy trying to scare us while scaring our friend! Oh, he's going to pay for that!"
_

"This is not fun at all..."

Soarin' lifted his goggles just a bit and looked over at Spitfire. After the shocking witness of the sun suddenly being replaced by the moon, just as they were heading east, the Wonderbolts had nearly crashed into one another when the light had suddenly gone out and replaced by night. That would have been an embarrassing moment if anypony had seen that, especially Rainbow Dash.

Now they had landed upon some open field with thick snow, deep in discussion about the sudden change of time period and what to do next; they've all decided that in a few minutes they would continue on hoof and call it an 'early night'. If this night had not been created by chaos, they would have enjoyed it, having done many Wonderbolt races and shows at night, especially in Canterlot.

Thinking of Canterlot, Soarin' couldn't help but wonder how Twilight Sparkle's parents were doing, same went for the princesses, who cherished the unicorn like friend and family. He could only assume Discord had lowered the sun and raised the moon so abruptly just to scare them all. And to strike even more fear and hopelessness into that poor unicorn girl.

He hoped Twilight, despite being trapped and held prisoner by the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, could still count on him and the rest of the ponies to find and save her.
_

"Wow!" Sweetie Belle's eyes widened as she gazed at the full moon thats light blanketed over Equestria. "The moon is even prettier when raised so early!"

"It's the same moon every night!" Scootaloo scolded her as they walked down the streets of Canterlot, having to keep close by the older ponies.

"Discord raised the moon?" Pipsqueak questioned, wearing his lucky 'Element of Magic' crown. "Why would he do that?"

"To be unable to see, I suppose," Fancypants pondered as he gazed around the slight darkness placed upon Canterlot. "Oh, dear, Princess Luna must be furious."

"Does that mean we get to skip bedtime for a whole day and night?" Apple Bloom asked excitedly.

"Goodness, no!" Upper Crust exclaimed. "Whether the moon is up for a whole week, that does not mean you shall miss out on your slumber!"

"You think Twilight is able to get some sleep?" Sweetie Belle blurted out.

Thats statement immediately caused a few hooves to stop in place, especially Pipsqueak. The little colt felt himself shake as he gazed up at his crown.

"I don't think so..." Upper Crust growled, digging her hooves into the ground, fear yet determination plastered on her face. "She must be too scared to even consider sleep."
_

Though Twilight tried to show she was still angry with Discord for bringing up the moon and messing up the time periods and perhaps having caused havoc for her friends back in Ponyville as well as anywhere else, the Draconequus could just sense her thrill of excitement and pleasure as he steered the boat he conjured up and took to the river, Twilight sitting on the other side, eyes completely on the water.

The poison joke glittered from her ear as she continued watching the river before her eyes rose to the sky where the stars sparkled.

"You going to thank me for bringing up your desired nighttime?" Discord asked playfully as he rested against the end of the boat and watched her.

"I didn't desire this!" She retorted hotly, glaring at him. But he could tell from the look in her eyes how thankful and impressed she was.

Silence reigned between them as the boat floated along the river, Twilight's eyes glued to the sky while Discord's eyes were glued on her.

Finally, he leaned up and reached a paw over and placed it on her shoulder. When she turned to him in slight surprise, he just smiled at her before motioning with an eagle talon toward the distance.

Twilight turned, and though her eyes were straining for a good look, she was able to make out a glow that was approaching them.

Before she knew it, that glow turned out to be fireflies, ever so bright and illuminant in the moonlight as they flew around their boat. The unicorn could no longer hide her mask of displeasure as an astounded smile spread across her lips as she gazed around her, seeing such beautiful light.

Discord watched the little show as well, before turning to Twilight, who was just so absorbed in the moment. Her tail swished back and forth happily as she stood on the end of the boat, reaching a hoof out to a few fireflies before letting out a small giggle and finally returning to her seat.

Discord smiled, feeling so caught in the moment as well. And so caught up in how happy and pleased Twilight was.

He made her laugh and smile, showed her the true chaos in her order, and even shared so many new experiences together. He never thought he would share such moments with anyone, feeling he would forever remain alone because he was the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, a creature of pranks and dastardly deeds. Back then, he would have laughed at the thought of having someone by his side to enjoy what he could conjure.

Now here he was, with someone so special who especially saw how special he truly was as well.

Seeing the fireflies around them, out here in this boat, under the glorious moonlight, and no sense that either was going to fall asleep anytime soon...Discord knew this was his chance.

Gazing at Twilight's backside, he smiled warmly. "I never thought I'd ever have anything like this," he said, causing Twilight to break out of her trance and turn to him.

The unicorn raised a curious eyebrow at him as he continued on.

"I kept thinking..." He spoke softly. "That because of who I am...I never thought I'd have what I deemed so completely impossible..." He smiled at her, gazing into her eyes.

Twilight didn't break away from his gaze, though she still seemed mildly confused. "What's that?" She asked softly.

Discord just smiled. "A best friend."

Twilight's eyes widened at his confession, her jaw dropping ever so slightly. She was just too stunned for words.

Friend...not just his friend...his best friend.

It all felt so magical, like a trashed dream rising up again and ridding the damages...to be replaced by the true reality that every word, every honest word out of his mouth, was what she wished for so long.

It felt like everything fell into place as Twilight slowly took his sincere words in. Her heart beat rapidly, her eyes glistened with suddenly being so overwhelmed...and the fact that what she had been, perhaps, waiting for so long finally became reality...

She didn't say anything, but her eyes told Discord so much. And so did her smile that took the brightness away from both the moonlight and the fireflies.

What could have been...finally became.
_

The Happiest of Birthdays

NOTE: Okay, before reading this, think of ONE Disney movie that would fit this entire story. :)

Okay, NOW go read this chapter! :D
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Guys, please listen to me!" Twilight pleaded to the massive angry crowd before her.

But no one even bothered listening to her, they all assumed her mind had been corrupted by Discord, who stood over Twilight protectively while glares and sneers directed at him.

The moonlight seemed to be fading and darkness seemed to surround them even more as Twilight stood closer to Discord, never daring to break away from his side.

"Listen to me, Twilight!" One shouted. "Discord's totally got you mind-racked!"

"Mind-racked?" The unicorn repeated in utter horror by such an accusation toward her best friend.

"Oh, really, is that all they assume I did?" Discord spoke sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Twilight's eyes glistened as she gazed up at Discord. The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony looked down at her, his mismatched eyes assuring her that what he was receiving by her friends and loved ones was much expected. He placed a gentle paw on her backside, soothing her fears just temporarily, encouraging her to resume convincing this large crowd of anger and hatred directed at him for somehow 'mind-manipulating' Twilight to find him.

No...no, they can't hate him! They shouldn't! Were they that upset when she left that note in the library? Did they just assume she had gone crazy due to his magic might have seeped all throughout Equestria and to grab at her mind like a claw to gems? Did they not understand what she saw in him like no one else could?

"Get away from her!" One voice shouted.

Before either knew it, Twilight was grabbed roughly from around her waist, pulling her away from Discord as her dear friend was held back, threatened to be met with a violent encounter as she was taken farther and father away from him.

"Twilight!" Discord cried out. He wanted to use his magic to blow them all away, but that could just make things worse for the both of them.

"Discord!" Twilight screamed.

The unicorn struggled to break free as she was held by her front hooves. Tears poured down her cheeks as she could only stand and watch the terrified, pained creature she called her best friend gaze at her from a few feet away.

She knew they were going to hurt him. Use whatever magic to keep him in his place...bring him back to stone.

"Let me go!" She cried, fighting off the hold on her. "No, please!" She begged. "Please leave him alone!"

"Dude, that wacky Discord's really got her mind drained!" One voice shouted.

"He's going to pay for that! The jerk!" Another voice said.

More tears stung her eyes as Twilight cried out once more to Discord, who just stood his ground.

Suddenly, before she knew it, some bright light emerged. The elements? No, they couldn't be working. She didn't want to use her Element of Magic.

But a bright rainbow emerged from within, heading directly at Discord-

"No!" Twilight shouted, her throat burning with both rage and agony as she saw the familiar look of horror on his face.

This was just as the first time...

"Twilight!" A voice spoke.

"No!" The unicorn kept struggling from the grasp on her. One hold was shaking her shoulder.

"Twilight!"

"No!" She cried again.

With one hoof finally broken free, she swung at whatever held her back.

"No!" Twilight screamed before her head shot out from her pillow.

She panted feverishly, her mane feeling ever so hot over her eyes as she pushed it away. Placing a hoof to her beating chest, she scanned her surroundings, wondering where the angry crowd was, where were they in Ponyville...where was Discord?

Taking a moment to take it all in, she realized she was back in her room in the house of chaos, back in her own bed; she wasn't back in Ponyville and that angry crowd never occurred.

Breathing heavily, she wiped her forehead, which was drenched with sweat. But it continued dripping down her face as her eyes widened in horror.

"Discord?" She cried.

She jumped when she heard a groan and looked over the side of the bed, a furry backside having emerged from the ground. Her look of worry immediately transformed into a smile of relief as she gazed at the Draconequus who turned his front to her, his mismatched hands placed over his face.

Her smile quickly vanished as she wondered desperately what was wrong. "Discord, are you okay?"

He looked down at her, sitting upright in bed and her mane a bit messy. "I was going to ask you the same question," he remarked. He rubbed his jaw with his lion paw. "For a little pony, you sure pack a punch."

Twilight's eyes widened in horror to realize that she had swung her hoof at someone in her dream...

"Oh, Discord!" She exclaimed, her eyes brimming with tears. "I'm so sorry! I just had this horrible dream and I...I didn't mean to..."

Discord stopped rubbing his jaw and gazed down at her, his red and yellow eyes filled with wonder and concern at her, looking as shattered as a mirror that hit the floor.

"Twilight?" He spoke softly, reaching over and placing a lion paw to her cheek. He was horrified to feel how hot she was, and the tears that fell down her face and touching his fur immediately made his heart drop. "W-what's wrong?" He asked quietly. Why was she crying? Did she miss home that much?

The unicorn managed a painful smile as she leaned into his paw, pleading she would never stop feeling his lion paw...and begging never to feel it turn stone.

"Oh, Discord..." She murmured as she placed a hoof against the paw on his cheek. "It was horrible!"

"Tell me," he ordered gently as he slowly removed his paw, much to her disappointment. He sat at the side of the bed and awaited her explanation.

As Twilight spoke about her dream, his curiosity went down to sheer fear and discomfort as she recalled that single event that clouded her mind when she slept. He fiddled with his fingers when she included the scene where they were forced away from each other, and somehow magic was created despite her not using her element. He shuddered when she reached the conclusion.

"Oh, I fought all I could..." Twilight muttered as she lowered her head in shame, her mane covering her tear-stained eyes. "I tried to tell them what goodness you truly had, but they...they wouldn't listen...they just wanted to get rid of you..."

Discord remained silent, a lump in his throat as he regarded the frightened and pained unicorn on the bed. He was just so scared for her at this moment, but her fear was much stronger considering it was for him.

Twilight slowly lifted her head and gazed over at the nightstand beside her. There lay the Element of Magic.

Her eyes squinted as she reached over and held the crown in her shaking hooves. It shone in the light her lamp was providing for the room. Despite it's beauty, Twilight saw it as the ugliest object she had ever had in her possession.

Eyes narrowed, she gripped it with angry hooves, wishing she could break it.

"Harmony, my flank!" She cried out before she swung it at a nearby wall.

Discord's ears lowered in utter shock as he watched the crown hit the wall with a tremendous thump before it fell to the floor with a soft thud. He quickly turned to Twilight, who gathered her knees close to her before laying her head against them, her face covered by her mane.

Ever so slowly, Discord slithered to where the element lay, gently picked it up, and magically popped beside the pained unicorn who didn't even bother to look up at him.

"Come now, Twilight Sparkle," he said soothingly, trying to put the least bit of playfulness into his tone as he held out her crown. "You should treat harmony better than that." He twirled the crown in his fingers, smiling nervously.

Twilight finally raised her head and looked at the crown, then at Discord.

"Not if harmony's going to put you back in that stone prison," she said flatly.

"Well, there's that..." Discord muttered under his breath. He gazed at her, the red pupils in his eyes glistening with plea as he placed the crown back on her nightstand. "Twilight, it was just a dream."

"I know it's just a dream!" Twilight exclaimed. "But what I've read, dreams can mean things! I mean, dreams can mean something for us!" She motioned between them.

"Or dreams can mean the body's way of saying always drink a glass of chocolate milk before going to bed," Discord joked, trying to bring her out of her gloom.

"I'm hoping it's that second one," Twilight swallowed, trying to smile but it hurt. "I just...I just can't imagine what would actually happen...when I take you back and..." Her eyes closed in despair.

"Now, now," Discord assured her as he placed a lion paw finger under her chin and gently raised it up, her eyes now opened to meet his. "There will be conflict, no doubt.

Then he smiled. Twilight's heart rose a bit in gratitude to see him truly smile despite her horrid nightmare.

"But I trust in you that you can make things right for harmony, for your friends..." His smile widened a bit, his nose gently touching her. "For us."

Tears threatened her eyes as a big, painful smile spread on her face.

"For us!" Twilight exclaimed, both her hooves grasping his lion paw, not bearing to let go. "For all of us!"

"There's the confident Twilight I know," he chuckled. He turned and gazed at the crown on her nightstand.

Reaching with his eagle claw, he held it before placing it upon Twilight's head, and she didn't protest, too absorbed in his presence to care.

"True Element of Friendship and Magic," he spoke admiringly, "our friendship and magic."
_

Oh, how beautiful Canterlot looked when the sun began to set...the perfect time of the day for the lanterns to glow in Fancypants' garden party.

Dear Fancypants, how nice of him to invite Twilight to his little gathering when she visited Canterlot. Seemed the other Canterlot ponies were quite thrilled that the young unicorn had temporarily broken away from her studies for the joys and glamours that was her home. And it was good to see Upper Crust and Jet Set again, she hadn't been in much interaction with them; the last time she even spoke to them...she could hardly remember, all she knew was that her parents were much admired by them.

Twilight shifted her hooves shyly as she was regarded with stares of utter amazement and curiosity. Dressed in a green gown that glittered with sashes and lace ribbons; a blouse with silky light green sleeves; her ears dawning earrings that were the shape of leaves; her hair slightly softened down with a bun on top, two green feathers on top as decoration; and green eye shadow brought out the glow in her that made the lanterns look pathetic. As a born Canterlot pony, Twilight knew that style was a must in her sophisticated first home, and this was the best dress she could find in her closet of gowns that would, hopefully, set the mood right. It did more than that; it made her quite a spectacle that served her eyes and intrigued whispers about her astonishing choice of fashion.

This made Twilight feel slightly embarrassed, and her cheeks went a little pink to go with her green eyeshadow. She didn't want to be the center of attention, that was usually either Rarity, Rainbow Dash, or Pinkie Pie's thing. Where her five best friends were exactly, she didn't know...

All that mattered was that her one best friend was here at this party with her, despite what would soon grow into a slight conflict with her other kind.

The unicorn turned as Discord suddenly stood beside her, his posture trying to look as 'sophisticated' as possible, with the exception of the slightly bored look on his face. When his eyes met hers, they were filled with assurance as well as gratitude that she had brought him here to meet among her kind.

Though her kind seemed far from it as Twilight took notice that they trembled at the sight of him suddenly appearing before the party. Twilight sighed, shaking her head before shifting her eyes back at Discord.

Despite being the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, Twilight could just feel how much he fit here more than any of those Canterlot ponies. He was even dressed more stylish than they were, in his own chaotic way. Twilight's eyes never left the sight of him dressed in a dark, slightly turquoise suit with a white shirt inside; pinned on it was a poison joke. He looked perfectly presentable! The type of non-pony everypony should know! Yet why were these scared Canterlot ponies failing to see what Twilight had seen in him this whole time?

"I'm sorry, Discord..." She whispered to him, feeling the stares break from her to him.

"About what?" He asked cheekily, smirking down at her. "My dear, you brought me to a party." He gazed around the garden, every glance he gave made the Canterlot ponies tremble and look away in fear. "Kind of boring but still!" He lowered his eyes a bit, then snapped his fingers.

Twilight's eyes widened, but braced herself. Suddenly, she heard a tremendous pop, and gazing up, and the others followed, descending down before them was a cotton candy cloud.

However, the sticky treat began to shift form, and before Twilight's eyes, it took the shape of Discord himself. It actually turned out to be a cotton candy fountain, and it was spurting chocolate milk from the mouth of its figure. Discord smiled and conjured a glass before dipping it into the small pool of the created fountain. Lifting it up, he chuckled before raising a glass to the stunned Canterlot ponies before him.

"Would anypony like some chocolate milk?" He asked in a playful tone.

"Um, I'll take a glass," Twilight said nervously, shifting her eyes toward the still-stunned ponies watching him. She swallowed. "Uh, would any of you like some milk as well?"

Suddenly, Upper Crust stomped her hoof against the neatly cut grass, her eyes blazing at the sight of the Draconequus, who raised an eyebrow at her. Twilight shuddered, although the older unicorn's gaze was not directed at her, she could just feel the daggers of her narrowed eyes piercing at her best friend.

"I say! This is an outrage!" Upper Crust shouted as she took a few steps toward both Twilight and Discord.

"Outrage?" Discord asked nonchalantly. "Look, if you don't like chocolate milk..." He noticed his glass was empty. Shrugging, he tossed it over his shoulder, giving no reaction when a loud burst of confetti formed as soon as it hit the ground, startling the Canterlot ponies.

"Oh, do speak no more of this chocolate milk!" The older unicorn snapped. "Simply ridiculous!"

Twilight eye's widened in despair, and she nearly flinched when Upper Crust wheeled toward her. The look on the other unicorn's face slowly faded from fury to slight sympathy.

"Darling, please," Upper Crust said soothingly, pointing a hoof toward Twilight. "It's horrid enough you spend your time with those ruffians from Ponyville, but to frolic with some..." She casted her gaze up and down the sight of Discord, twitching her nose in disgust. "...monster...well, that is simply risky and disastrous!"

The younger unicorn regarded her with a horrified glance before turning to look at Discord, who turned away. Though he had quite an expression to hide such reactions as to what Upper Crust made of him, Twilight could just FEEL the rising self-shame and slight pain in his heart.

"You forgot chaotic," Discord muttered as he slowly trudged away from the two unicorns as well as the rest of the party. Twilight took great note that his tail did not swish as usual; it just laid limp on the ground as Discord dragged it behind him before standing far away from the ponies as possible. Like a an even bigger line had been drawn between and he honored it by giving the frightened, disgusted Canterlot their space. As for Twilight, whom he mentally insisted should spend with her own kind this evening.

Upper Crust turned her nose with a sophisticated grunt. "Serves him right," she stated hotly, earning nods and murmurs or approval. "Monster...only name that will fit him so."

Twilight could not believe her ears, nor her eyes as she watched Discord stand away from them. From her. He could handle so much hate before, but now...now he was in a different light; he was Twilight Sparkle's best friend.

And as a best friend, Twilight would not allow these snooty, uptight, cross ponies she was ashamed to call her own talk about her best friend that way!

"Darling?" Upper Crust sounded, watching Twilight's face become red. "Dear, are you ill? You seem to be running a fever."

Finally, Twilight wheeled toward her, toward the entire group of Canterlot ponies that had acted so harsh toward the Draconequus. That sweet, kind-hearted, generous Draconequus...which they had all referred to as a-

"A monster, huh?" Her voice boomed, startling everypony around her. Her soft purple eyes flashed with fury under the coat of her green eyeshadow as she glared at the other ponies, particularly Upper Crust.

"My goodness!" The other unicorn exclaimed in shock by her outburst.

But Twilight was not done. Sophistication and style by darned, she would not let them talk to her best friend that way. She dug her hooves into the grass as she glared at Upper Crust and the others, fire blazing as much as Celestia's sun.

"I know a monster when a see one!" She spat. She pointed an angry hoof at Upper Crust. "And I see many of them in front of me!"

Discord raised his head and his eyes widened as her heard this, though not as much as Upper Crust and the other ponies as they regarded the young unicorn with horrified expressions. Twilight let out a deep breath, trying to calm herself down after releasing her anger toward these terrible, judgmental ponies. Was there nopony that was considerate enough to see what Twilight saw in Discord?

Of course not.

With that said, Twilight turned on her hooves, head held high as she trailed her green skirts across the grass toward where he best friend stood, joining him on the other side away from the others. Discord kept silent, though his expression showed his utter amazement at her as she smiled up at him.

"Come on, Discord," Twilight spoke softly as she stood on her back hooves and linked an arm around his waist. "Let's get out here and have our own party." She fluttered her eyes at him sweetly. "Your style."

Before she began to drag him away, a voice called out.

"Hold on, dear Sparkle!"

Getting frustrated, Twilight wheeled toward who dared spoke out to her. However, her temper quickly extinguished when Fancypants strolled over to her after emerging from the large crowd. She and Discord exchanged a glance of confusion before turning back to look at him.

He cleared his throat before speaking. "I apologize, my dear, for what your chaotic friend had to endure..." He casted a quick glance up at Discord before turning back to Twilight. "I admit, the presence of the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony here is quite intimidating, but..." He gave a small smile. "If he truly does have a heart of gold as you also possess, then...perhaps we can try to get better-aquainted." He smiled up at Discord.

Twilight blinked. "R-really?" She asked quietly.

"Well, we're not in any danger at all, are we not?" The stallion chuckled. "Ah, yes, in a way, it's actually truly honorable. The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony...in my party. Oh, the thrill!"

"You're not just saying that, are you, Fancyhooves?" Discord asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Fancypants," the stallion corrected him patiently. "And no, I mean every word." He lifted a hoof up to him. "Please to have you here."

As she watched them shake hand and hoof, Twilight felt her heart beat with utter happiness and excitement. Maybe...maybe there was still a chance Discord...and maybe the others could just see...oh, the joy!

Twilight's eyes slowly fluttered open before finding herself in her room once again. Though she was disappointed that the dream had ended before she got to see Fancypants become more comfortable around Discord, she was grateful, nevertheless. It completely thrashed that horrid first dream she had earlier; this second dream actually gave her assurance as well as hope.

Turning in her bed, Twilight looked over to see Discord lying on the floor atop of a fuzzy rug he must have conjured just for himself. Twilight could only smile as he watched him snore lightly, resting his head against his crossed arms; he appeared like a dog at his finest slumber.

The unicorn stifled her giggle before gazing up at the ceiling, her smile fading a bit.

That was just a dream, just as the first one had been as well. But still...was it possible? Either? Twilight shuddered at the thought of the first dream. Anger and hate and fear...and the second one was just the same, but had received a more positive conclusion. She knew what a kind-hearted stallion Fancypants was, more than half the ponies of her dear Canterlot...but would he able to withstand the sight of Discord's presence?

Twilight let out a sigh before closing her eyes and drifted off to sleep once again.

Thinking of Fancypants brought her to the mere image of Fluttershy...and all her rage when Twilight first brought out Discord's name. If Fluttershy still had that bit of hostility toward him, what hope was there that Fancypants, anypony, could be as considerate?
_

Fluttershy blinked for a few moments, feeling as if something had struck her mind for a few moments then suddenly vanished.

Pinkie Pie came into the bedroom, eating a slice of cake she dubbed her 'after midnight snack'. After another failed day of finding their friend, Pinkie asked Fluttershy is she wanted to stay at her house for the night; have a little slumber party in hopes it would brighten them both despite their long misfortunes. Fluttershy laid on the bed provided to her by the pink pony, a book in her hooves.

"Something wrong?" Pinkie Pie asked as she casted her a glance before jumping into her bed after finishing her cake.

"I...I don't know," Fluttershy said softly. "I had this feeling all of a sudden before it completely left me."

Pinkie raised an eyebrow at her in confusion. "What kind of feeling?"

The butter-colored pegasus turned to her, eyes confused as ever. "Like I suddenly feel somewhat remorseful for something. But I'm not sure what it is. My mind's a little fuzzy just trying to think about it."
_

Twilight made her way across the bridge of gumdrops, wondering where Discord was. She half-hoped for him to pop out of nowhere and scare the living daylights out of her.

Speaking of daylight...Twilight recalled the events of moonlight that had just occurred yesterday. Heart swelling and smile forming on her lips, the unicorn would never forget that wonderful night between her and her best friend.

Best friend...

Twilight Sparkle, best friend to the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. Seemed like history could just erase all their books because, to Twilight, Discord was truly not a bad character. A little mischievous, but that was one of many things she loved about him. She could get annoyed by it, but she sometimes got back at him for that.

Coming across a nearby tree made of clouds, Twilight took notice of a piece of paper taped to the soft bark. Using her magic to remove it, she scanned it over.

"My dear Twilight Sparkle," she read aloud, "forgive me for not being present right now. I have some business to take care of. Sincerely, Discord."

As soon as she finished reading, a burst of confetti shot out of the note, making her scream out in terror before falling back on her rump.

"That Discord..." Twilight muttered before picking herself up.

However, a small smile formed on her face as she closed the note. Though she was disappointed not to see him for a while, she was curious as to wonder what kind of 'business' Discord had referred to.

Was he going to change seasons? Looking toward the doorway that led to the woods, she saw that it was still snowing.

"Perhaps he's just causing some 'innocent' chaos that is completely out of harm's way from my friends," Twilight told herself as she trotted on.

A few moments later, she laid on her stomach in a patch of grass that was squared off from the snow surrounding her. Before her laid her journal and a few books.

Dear Journal...she wrote.

The bond between Discord and I is much stronger than I had assumed. Our friendship is true and he considers me his best friend. And I believe the feeling mutual.

Her smile deepened as she felt her cheeks flush a bit before she continued writing.

He's just so sweet, a little bit of trouble at times, but still, he's very sweet. I can only hope my friends and family can see what I see...though, I fear when we reach that decision, I'll regret it.

Her smile slowly vanished as she paused a bit, homesickness and slight fear taking over her. Then she continued.

They must see that Discord is actually a nice creature, whose chaos is actually not too bad if used the right way. He had showered me with unusual gifts with his chaos...

Twilight recalled the wings, and reminded herself that that was far from unusual. It was beautiful, actually.

He's taken so much care of me, and while I'm here in this luxury of disorder, my friends are out there still worried for me. I hope they haven't thought I'd gone insane when they read that note I left for them.

She sighed quietly, knowing too well that perhaps Fluttershy would take it the hardest. She was the one Twilight had inflicted a memory-erasing spell on...

Discord and I aren't going to hide in here forever, Twilight wrote.

We'll eventually have to come out and make our way back to Ponyville. And I'll have to do my best to convince them of Discord, to give him a real chance.

The unicorn stopped her quill there, her dream plaguing her mind.

Anger and hate from everyone she loved...the accusation that Discord was still the same dark spirit he was...losing him while she remained helpless...seeing him turn into stone-

"No," Twilight let out a squeak of despair as her eyes tightened. "I can't lose him." Tears stung her eyes as her magic gripped the quill harder. "I can't lose my best friend..."

She needed to stop thinking so negative. It was just a nightmare. She had read that things in reality can be alternated, become different than what was dreamt. She needed to believe that.

Sniffing and allowing her tears to dry up, she continued the rest of her journal entry.

I'm going to protect him no matter what.

For all I can say, is that he makes me happy, and I just know he'll make the others happy if they can just see who he truly is.

Putting her quill down and closing her journal, Twilight looked over the books she brought along. One was just some romantic story she was almost done with, the other was-

"Why am I even still reading The Tale of Discord?" She asked herself as she opened that book up. "I've already proven it wrong."

She read over a passage she came across and decided to re-read it.

"Nonpony remained safe from his chaos," she read aloud, "his joy of causing unrest and unhappiness reached no limit as his powers created the unbelievable, scaring the ponies, Earth or sky."

She let out a sigh of exasperation, wondering if she should just put the book down and return to her romance novel. However, before she was about to do so, another paragraph, one she didn't seem to take full notice of before, became visible to her eyes.

"Chaos was his only friend," she read aloud.

His only friend...

Her eyes widened a bit as she read on. "Being more attached to his chaos and mischievous troubles, the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony found no need for...social encounters."

She let out a gasp, placing a hoof on her lips before reading on.

"However, every year, ponies everywhere were well aware of his birthday when cake fell from the sky...made of pebbles that it was a hailstorm that everypony needed to run for cover. That was his gift to him every year."

Unable to read anymore, Twilight put down her book. She blinked a few times, staring into space.

"His birthday..." Her voice trailed off quietly before she stood up and gazed at the sun-filled sky.

Of course even someone like Discord had a birthday, but Twilight wondered how he, even before his first imprisonment, had celebrated such a cherished day. That passage gave her the answer, though it wasn't a nice one.

She recalled her own birthday; well, she had two, actually, which was the Canterlot ponies', especially Fancypants, way of apologizing for not realizing she was one of their own and they were quite critical on her special day. That wonderful party had been filled with love, happiness, music, and fun, and it was with friends and family. Even more friendships were formed that day, and thus more were seemed to be considered family as well.

But Discord...he had no friends, no family, just his own fun for only him and himself only. Those innocent ponies back then had some part in his 'festivities' but that hardly counted...

Discord admitted he had fun back then causing trouble, but he also admitted he was regretful...sad even.

He had been alone for so long, every birthday must have been more painful than the last deep down in his heart. And with every birthday that had passed when he was encased in stone...

"When was his birthday, anyway?" Twilight wondered, tapping a hoof to her chin. "I wonder if he knows when my birthday was..."

Shrugging a bit, Twilight used her magic to pick up her things and walked back toward the house.

She was a little bit grateful Discord was on 'business'. She had some business of her own as well.
_

"Good morning, sunshine..." Applejack muttered as Rarity joined her side as they made their way toward Sugarcube Corner where the others would be. The apple farmer seemed a bit down, and Rarity showed more of it just as well as her mane drooped a bit.

"What's so good about this morning?" Rarity sighed. "Oh, this week had been simply dreadful! How much longer are we to pursue this torturous quest before Twilight is safely back with us?" She exclaimed dramatically.

"We'll have to just see," Applejack sighed as they made it toward the bakery. "No matter what."

They came toward the door just in time to see Rainbow Dash fly down to join them, her expression as miserable as theirs.

"Morning..." She muttered.

"Hey..." The other two greeted quietly before they entered the shop.
_

Twilight's horn glowed as she summoned a cotton candy cloud that drifted near the kitchen area. Oh, how she adored the kitchen Discord had created. It reminded her of her parents' kitchen back in Canterlot: yellow-white walls, marble floors, gleaming tables and appliances, and there was a window that showed the outside of the woods where snow still covered the grass around them.

Putting her journal and other items away, Twilight knew what she had to do to keep herself busy, while, on the other hoof, to give the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, her best friend, to make up for so much time he had spent alone and unhappy. And she knew exactly what that would be.

Cotton candy cupcakes.

How could she forget that one day in Ponyville, when she and Pinkie Pie were baking together, the thought of Discord invaded her mind when the pink pony showed her some leftover cotton candy the Cakes bought? It really frightened as well as annoyed Twilight, however, in the end, the memory proved useful as she was quite complimented for her original recipe of cotton candy cupcakes.

She could remember the adorable sparkle in Spike's eyes when he first devoured her dessert. How hungry and happy he was! The sudden memory pained Twilight a bit...

But enough about Spike, time to make cupcakes! Haired tied back in a bun, Twilight's magic opened a nearby cabinet and she pulled out a baking pan, some frosting tubes she was lucky to find, and other important ingredients.

Hard at work, Twilight scooped as much cotton candy as she could into her bowl before she began bringing out the flour and eggs, mixing all of it together before placing an amount one-by-one on the pan.

"Just like back in Sugarcube Corner," she said simply as she placed the pans into the golden oven.

As she set up the heat, the unicorn smiled proudly before trotting over to a nearby table where a single book lay; the romance novel she was dying to finish before the day was done. Sitting on a chair, front hooves resting on the table, Twilight used her magic to open the book to the right page.

As she read, the passages seemed so 'soft-spoken', almost like a lullaby. She was, indeed, a bit sleepy. Raising the moon so early had its disadvantages...
_

Scootaloo let out a yawn as she leaned against Upper Crust for support, her little legs still feeling tired. Last night, she stayed up most of the night exploring Fancypants large house with her fellow Crusaders. They nearly got lost, but at least they knew what a kitchen looked like. They assumed that since the moon had risen so early, they had the liberty to stay up late without any of the adults knowing. They didn't realize how late it really was before they trudged back to their beds, only getting a few hours of sleep.

Discord shifting the sun and moon really messed up their sleep cycles, as the little pegasus nearly fell on her stomach from near sleep.

"Oh, you're not alone..." Upper Crust sighed, slowly blinking tiredly before turning to Zecora, who had a sleeping Apple Bloom on her back.

"Perhaps the sun should have come hours after," the zebra sighed, "for the sleep deprived has stirred a little disaster."

"I bet this is what Discord planned to have..." Upper Crust growled. "Oh, poor Twilight Sparkle...probably tired, afraid to sleep..."
_

Twilight moaned as her eyes slowly opened, finding her chin resting upon her finished book on the table. Letting out a yawn, she stretched out her hooves as she wrinkled her nose. She seemed to have fallen asleep after reaching the conclusion of her story.

"How long did I sleep?" She muttered, rubbing her head.

Suddenly, she sniffed the air.

"Is something cooking?" She pondered. Then she let out a laugh. "Oh, of course! I was!"

Her eyes shot open in realization before turning her back in horror toward the oven, which was spurting out a huge cloud of smoke from within.

"The cupcakes!" She screamed.

Rushing over to the oven, her magic holding a fire extinguisher, she immediately drew out the flames as they danced upon the stove. Frantically, she grabbed a baking glove before slamming the oven door open and quickly reached to grab her tray.

"Ow, hot!" She cried as she quickly dropped it to the floor.

Her cupcakes endured a merciless torture, every single one of them burnt and smoking that it made the air smell disgusting.

"Oh, no..." Twilight murmured in despair, placing her hooves on the sides of her face. "No, no, no..."

All she wanted to do was give Discord a little surprise, make up for every lonely birthday he had and missed while he was stone! Just prove how much a best friend she was to him and vice versa! She wanted everything to be perfect!

But, like most plans she had in the past, this was another item to put on her list of total disasters and failed expectations...

The unicorn shook her head sadly. She needed to make a new batch quick! She turned her side to retrieve that cotton candy cloud once more-

-and bumped face-first into a furry chest.

Her eyes widened in pure horror before they gazed up into the face of the celebrant she wanted to dearly to please.

Discord gazed down at her with confused eyes as she pulled away from his chest, her eyes showing so much embarrassment and shame.

"Uh, Discord..." She played with her hooves nervously. "Back so soon from...whatever it is...that you're doing?" She tried to smile but it hurt.

"What happened?" He asked as he turned toward the tray of burnt cupcakes on the floor.

Twilight knew any intellectual explanation, aka a lie, was too late now, and she let out a deep sigh before dropping her head.

"Happy late, very late, birthday..." She muttered.

Discord's eyes widened a bit. "Say what?"

"Oh, Discord," Twilight moaned before turning toward the burnt tray. "I only realized now it's been so long, and even before becoming stone, much longer, that you've must have never gotten a proper birthday greeting in your life!"

"My birthday?" Discord repeated. "What were you...?" His voice trailed off, feeling something in him swell a bit.

"Well, considering this doesn't even come close to that light show last night," Twilight muttered as she gazed at hr ruined confections. "Some birthday present this turned out to be..."

"Present?" He repeated in disbelief. "For me?" He blinked down at her.

"Well, why not?" She gave a small smile. "You've been so good to me this past week. And you even led me to discover the joys of flying!" Her eyes sparkled. "Oh, Discord, I just really wanted to do something for you in return, and after I read that passage in the book about how every single birthday of yours-"

"They added that in there as well?" He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Oh, amateur writers..."

"But still..." She lifted her eyes up to him. "Every birthday you had...none of them were happy ones, were they?"

Her soft tone made something deep down inside him tighten like a knot as her winced. He never really gave thought to his birthdays, in fact, he thought about just banning himself from ever having a birthday again. But since Twilight came...perhaps there was still such a thing as a 'happy birthday' now that she was with him? His best friend...

"Based only on how you see it," he replied calmly, folding his mismatched arms and turned his head slightly, trying to seem nonchalant on the subject. "That was a long time ago, anyway..."

Twilight just gazed at him, her eyes saddening. "Still, wouldn't it have been wonderful to be given a proper happy birthday greeting? Kind, thoughtful words directed at you? Friends to share such a day with?"

He turned toward her, and by the expression on his face, Twilight knew she hit a nerve. He had a hand it to her, she was a smart pony, and was able to dig deeper into others, including himself.

"I will be honest," he muttered under his breath, "compared to my birthdays, that recent party dedicated to you makes the gala look even more unappealing."

"What?" She asked in confusion. "Party dedicated to me? Huh?"

"Oh, come on," he gave her a toothy grin, "remember I was not stone, I was hidden among you ponies. I kept hidden when I saw your fantastic garden party back in Canterlot." He smirked. "Quite a dancer you are."

Twilight immediately blushed, her eyes widening. "That was completely unlike me!" She retorted hotly. "And I ate so much sugar during that day." She huffed, flipping her mane to indicate her Canterlot origin. "But we both know I'm an organized, sophisticated, highly-studious being of Canterlot."

"Who double and triple checks her lists, it's crazy," he chuckled, "and, would deepen into insanity when things aren't meant-"

"Drop the doll event!" She barked, barring her teeth angrily at him, making him laugh even more.

"Oh, this is quite a birthday gift, indeed, Twilight Sparkle!" He laughed, wiping a tear from his eye.

Though she was fuming, Twilight couldn't hold her glare much more as she found her lips forming into a smile. A satisfied, grateful smile as she saw Discord laugh.

"Still..." She turned back toward the burnt tray. "I really wanted to give you cotton candy cupcakes..."

Discord smiled, his eyes softening. Snapping his fingers, the tray floated between them.

"Then let's make some more," he insisted.

Twilight just couldn't argue with him as her eyes softened while gazing at him.

Definitely a happy birthday on his part.
_

Spike trudged through the snowy streets, wearing a wool cap and scarf, greeting passerby ponies with his best smile. He had bought a new supply of quills and ink earlier and made it toward the library's front door. Entering, he placed his garments of a nearby table before putting away the items he purchased.

"There..." He sighed, trying to resume his smile. "Twilight will be so proud when she sees...this..."

He swallowed hard, recalling so well how the unicorn's eyes would sparkle when he would surprise her with new supplies for her work. Her smile, her thanks, her presence itself...

Spike quickly avoided the inner pain as he grabbed a nearby duster and prepared to clean the library once more. Just as he was about to start cleaning, his eyes caught sight of something on the desk. Curiously, Spike edged closer and his eyes widened a bit.

On the desk was a cupcake. It was brown with yellow bits on top, and it immediately rid of any worry Spike had in him.

"So delicious..." He muttered, his mouth drooling before dropping his duster and reached over and grabbed the cupcake.

Perhaps Pinkie had left it for him before she went with the others to start a new day? He simple shrugged and bit into it hungrily. Chewing, he was quite astounded by the new flavor he was tasting.

"Almost like there's cheese in here," he said thoughtfully.
_

Twilight smiled up at Discord as the glow faded from his lion paw, having already sent a cupcake on its way to a friend back in Ponyville. She only hoped Spike wouldn't get sick if he didn't like the flavor...

The cupcakes turned out more beautiful than the last batch as they laid on a golden tray on the counter. The unicorn's smile could not get any bigger as she saw a few more trays beside the one they just finished baking. While she and Discord did make her lovely cotton candy cupcakes, he included some of his own creations. She still gagged a bit about the cheese he grated into some of them, especially on those in which he used chocolate milk instead of regular.

While she couldn't send a cupcake to everyone, she did send one to a few friends that needed it the most at this moment, especially Spike.

"He'll eat anything," she rolled her eyes, "even if it came straight from the garbage."

"Nice kid you got there," Discord chuckled, fiddling with his lion paw.

Twilight just smiled at him before pushing the tray of cotton candy cupcakes toward him. Discord returned the smile before reaching down and sampling one.

"Do you like it?" She asked meekly.

"Like it?" He asked as he chewed. "My dear, it's absolutely delicious."

"Yes!" Twilight cheered, raising her hooves up.

She had wondered so long, the first time she had baked cotton candy cupcakes, exactly what Discord would think if he had ever gotten to sample them. And right here, which occurred just seconds ago, she got her answer.

The unicorn felt so elated that she didn't realize she was skipping in circles like a little filly, not noticing Discord watch her in utter fascination.

"Yes!" She exclaimed again, continuously hopping. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Ye-"

She quickly cut herself off, realizing how ridiculous she must have looked right now, with Discord watching. She immediately landed back on her hooves before turning to him, her cheeks red as she winced in complete embarrassment.

Discord could barely hide the smirk that played on his lips as he regarded her with mischievous eyes.

"Talk about taking approval well," he chuckled.

Twilight's blush deepened before standing up straight, trying to keep her posture.

"So, uh..." She cocked her head. "Happy birthday then?"

Discord simply smiled, ever so sweetly. "I'll let you know about that as soon as I show you something."

She raised an eyebrow. "What?"

He just smiled before motioning her with his lion paw. Still confused, she walked over and stood close by his side.

"Remember my note that said I had business to work on?" He asked.

"If by business you mean your usual chaos," Twilight chuckled.

"Not entirely chaos," he murmured before snapping his fingers.

Before Twilight knew it, a bright flash engulfed them. In a few moments, her hooves felt a hard surface.

Blinking from the recent transport, Twilight took her time to realize where they were.

For a moment, she thought she was back in the castle back in Canterlot, but no, this place still held a discordant touch.

It was a massive ballroom, almost resembling the one from the gala. Its walls shone with gold and many windows had the sun shine through them. Twilight's eyes glazed over her surroundings, her jaw falling slightly as she took it all in. Gazing down at the floor, she could make out her reflection in the beautiful marble art.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Discord asked, admiring his work. "It's something I've made for myself every birthday after messing around with ponies. This is a place where I would spend the remaining of my birthday in."

Twilight looked back toward him. "What exactly do you do?"

"Why, not much," he shrugged, "just walk around, lounge on a cotton candy cloud high toward the ceiling, or just eat cake." He averted his eyes. "Considering I was the only one in here, it was kind of boring..."

Twilight just stared at him, a little saddened by his statement.

But he brightened up as he looked back at her.

"But now..." He smiled gently. "Now I got someone to share it with. Because, if you're not fully-aware, it's not just my birthday that is worth celebrating this instant."

She raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" She asked. "Who else's birthday is there to celebrate? I mean, there's only you and me-"

Twilight immediately cut herself off as she finally absorbed in the realization of what exactly he was talking about. Her eyes widened as she continued staring at him, his smirk never ceasing at her expression.

"O-oh..." Twilight said, smiling nervously, her cheeks flushing with slight embarrassment. "Oh, wow...you didn't have to-"

Discord quickly cut her off as he placed the tip of his lion paw finger against her lips to shush her. Twilight immediately silenced as he did so, her eyes gazing at the finger pressed so gently against her mouth. She looked up at him, who just smiled.

"Happy birthday, Twilight Sparkle," he said.
_

"Didn't we already look through the Everfree Forest for the thousandth time?" Applejack asked as they trudged through thick bushes and large trees.

"Thousandth time might be the charm," Rainbow Dash muttered as she flew past the others. "Besides, we already looked in the fields, and on the mountain for hours!"

"Oh, why is it simply impossible to find him?" Rarity huffed as she flipped her mane. "At least let there be a sign that he's still among us with our poor friend."

Suddenly, it felt as if someone had turned off a light switch as the light of Celestia's sun immediately flashed away, and before Rarity knew it, taken by surprise by the sudden change, tripped over a branch in the unexpected darkness before falling face-first into a puddle of mud.

"Oh, you got to be kidding me!" Rainbow Dash cried out to the night sky. "Seriously! Again? He raised the moon early again?"

Rarity lifted her head up from the mud puddle, rage visible all over he face as mud dripped her from mane and muzzle.

"Not the sign I wanted..." She growled under her breath.
_

Discord gazed at himself in the mirror, raising an eyebrow at his reflection. Grooming had never been a big deal for him before, but considering this night of all nights...

Though his expression didn't show it, he was a little nervous for some reason. Why was confidant him so nervous?

Maybe because, after a thousand years, he had something he just didn't want to lose. He wanted to actually impress?

Well, he wanted to. Really wanted to. Twilight Sparkle...she was his best friend, his only friend for that matter.

And tonight, both would celebrate each other's birthdays. How coincidental that she thought of his while he, indeed, thought of hers! He recalled back in Canterlot during that garden party, the usually poised, intellectual unicorn he knew from the day they met...and what a party animal she appeared to be! Not giving a care to who saw her dance like a maniac, her hooves shifting, her head bobbing, all that in some simple yellow dress with a pink ribbon on it...

But tonight, this particular birthday for both of them, there was going to be something different. Discord knew so as he stroked his beard in front of the mirror. After a few moments, he smiled at his reflection.

"My best friend..." He told himself. "Celebrating our birthdays together...I'm the luckiest being in the world."
_

Unlike Discord, Twilight was frantically digging into her closet, desperately searching for a dress to wear. She was starting to act like Rarity!

"Oh, the dress has to be perfect!" She exclaimed as she used her magic to throw one gown onto the bed, followed by another. "This is Discord's birthday in over a thousand years and I can't bear to ruin it!" Then she paused. "Well, it's my birthday as well, but I can't ruin that either!"

Rushing over to her mirror, Twilight checked her face, running a hoof down her cheek before staring at her mane. She let out a desperate cry before running over to her library and searched through books.

"How should I style my mane?" She exclaimed as she flipped through pages. "Or should I wear a hat?" She slammed the book down. "No, wearing a hat would be rude and a sign of hiding eye contact!"

She rushed all over the room, nowhere near being prepared as she checked from dresses, her reflection, and her other books. As she rushed back to the closet, she tripped over her traveler bag and fell face-first onto the floor.

Sighing, Twilight turned her head to gaze at the clock. And hour and half...that wasn't enough time for her!

Quickly picking herself up, Twilight placed her hooves to her forehead, trying to think. Her mind went back to the night of her parents' party in Cloudsdale...that red and gold dress she wore as she became the center of attention.

Red and gold dress.

Gazing into space, Twilight knew that that was dress that would fit so well into this special night. Because she made that dress because of Discord. If only she had that dress...

Twilight bit her lip, tapping a hoof to her chin. A certain spell could work, but she still needed more work on it!

Gulping, Twilight braced herself as her horn glowed a faded red. "It'll be just like that time traveler's spell..." She told herself calmly. "Oh, I hope I get this right!"
_

Spike made sure all lights in the library were on as he finished his chores. The moon having risen early again really startled him earlier as he had tripped over a some books in the process. Why did Discord raise the moon again, anyway? Fear? Scare Twilight more?

The baby dragon only sighed before he trudged up the stairs to Twilight's bedroom, intending to clean her bedsheets; she would be so thrilled to see how much effort he put into keeping her room clean. That is, if she would ever see it.

As Spike fluffed the pillows, lost in his thoughts, he couldn't help but feel a certain presence among him. He tried to ignore it, but then he heard the sound of something 'flashing'...

Wheeling around, Spike was too late to witness what had just occurred behind him. Though he managed a few seconds to see a bright light before it disappeared completely. The room was in no way changed at all. Nothing was out of place or anything...

"What just happened?" He gulped uneasily.
_

Discord slowly emerged from his room, walking turning a corner down the hall as he reached the stairs that led down to the main entrance of the grand ballroom. Honestly, dressing 'sophisticated' and 'gentleman-like' was pretty difficult, but he managed as he adjusted his suit.

Dressed in a dark blue suit jacket with a white ruffled shirt beneath it, his beard brushed and his hair slick as ever, Discord caught sight of something so bright at the bottom of the stairs.

Stepping down, he realized it was Twilight. The unicorn nervously tapped a hoof on the floor with a red, glittering slipper as she bit her lip; she seemed nervous. As he got closer, he took great sight of the dress she wore.

Red and gold. He hadn't seen that dress since he snuck by her house to place that basket of fruity pastries on her doorstep. But her mane, it wasn't tied back as he had during that night. Part of it flowed down in slightly curls, and a bun was held on top, which worked so much better with her dress.

His eyes widened a bit at the sight, but he quickly cleared his throat before standing up straight and approached her.

Twilight merely squeaked in surprise when she saw Discord come up behind her. But she was even more surprised by his attire. For such a chaotic being, he actually looked quite...organized.

As Discord stood before her, he gave his usual smirk. "I don't suppose you have a checklist in mind, do you?"

"Of course not!" Twilight responded hotly, giving him a slightly irritated look. Then her expression melted into one of absolute worry and fear. "Did I need one?" She gulped.

"Considering it's also your birthday," he chuckled, "no."

"Okay, fine," Twilight rolled her eyes. "But I got a list up here just in case." She tapped a hoof to her forehead.

"I might have to get your mind off that," he said with a grin as he offered his arm to her, "get this birthday started, huh?"

Twilight just chuckled, shaking her head in exasperation before standing on her hind legs and linked a hoof around his arm. They both descended down another flight of stairs.

"Keep in mind," she rambled on, "I'm still quite upset you raised the moon so early. Again." She gave him a disapproving look.

Discord smirked, raising an eyebrow at her. "If that's the case, I'll raise the moon more often."
_

"So this is basically swiss cheese with chocolate sauce over it?" Twilight asked.

Discord chuckled as he gazed at her from across the dining table. As soon as they had descended down the stairs, he conjured up the entire dinner set before them. Twilight was quite impressed by the first plan of the night, though she was even more astounded when he actually pulled her seat for her. They ate and talked, and Discord took it in stride when she discussed the difficulty her friends would go through of another 'early night'. But it was all fun and simple pleasure from there.

"Too delicious for your taste?" He asked with a smirk.

"Of course not," she shrugged as she sampled it on her plate. "How am I not surprised that half of what we're eating pays justice to cotton candy and chocolate?"

"Don't forget to take a nibble on the gumdrop cookies," he held another smirk as she picked one up. "You'll find it quite...surprising."

Twilight felt quite a chill when he said that, but she bravely looked at the cookie in her hoof, gumdrops glistening off it, and opened her mouth.

POP!

"Whoa!" She cried as she nearly toppled back in her seat. Confetti and streamers fell onto her plate.

Discord could barely hold his laughter as he leaned back in his seat. "Oh, you should see the look on your face!"

"You're lucky it's your birthday as well," she muttered, running a hoof down her mane.

Finally, after several moments and she felt she had her fill, Twilight slowly lifted herself up from her seat and gracefully walked over to Discord. The Draconequus was quite confused by her action, even more so when her hooves grasped his lion paw, asking for him to get up.

"What are you doing?" He asked as he stood from his seat, being slightly pulled by the smiling unicorn.

"What every birthday needs," she said simply as she brought him toward the center of the ballroom. "Dancing."

His eyes widened a bit, but then he nodded. "Oh, alright," he scoffed, "so should I or you start the shuffle?"

"Not that dancing," she snapped as she rolled her eyes. "Like how they do in the gala..."

"That kind of dancing?" He asked in disbelief. "Though I'm quite a natural at that sort, that style isn't much my taste." And he checked his lion paw to indicate his boredom on the matter.

"Please, Discord," she begged, "it's my birthday, too."

Discord gazed into those pleading purple eyes of hers. Sighing in defeat, he lifted up a hand to her.

Before he knew it, Twilight grasped his lion paw with one hoof, and her other was gently placed on his side, considering she his height towered over hers. Discord didn't even realize that his lion paw grasped her hoof while his eagle claw was pressed to her side as well.

Twilight beamed, proud that this was turning out exactly as she had read in one of her books on 'perfect ballroom dancing'. Suddenly, her eyes widened in realization.

"Music!" She exclaimed. "We need music!"

Discord smirked. "Not a problem." And temporarily removing his paw from her hold, he snapped his fingers.

Across the room, there appeared a stereo system that blared soft, melodic music.

"Boring, isn't it?" He asked her.

"But it fits," she countered as she grasped his paw once more.

The dance started out a little difficult, Discord's mismatched feet keeping up with Twilight's hooves as they tried to go in rhythm; he was actually messing up on purpose just to annoy her.

Though that quickly ceased as he suddenly found himself in exact tune with her ability as they glided across the ballroom. Twilight was amazed by how quickly be picked up as her body soared as he became the guide in this dance.

Slow but upbeat, mesmerizing yet fun. If this were the gala or any special event...

"This dance seems so old as time itself, doesn't it?" Discord asked, pretending to give a yawn.

"Well," she rolled her eyes as they continued dancing, "true as it can be..." she agreed half-heartedly.

Discord took notice that her eyes lowered as they gazed into his, her smile soft as her gold and red dress. He found himself pressed against her as she embraced him while still holding his lion paw.

"I'm glad to do it with my best friend," she said softly.

Hearing that, and while doing this, Discord couldn't hold back his grin.

This was the best birthday ever.
_

"How can you guys fall asleep at a time like this?"

Scootaloo managed to crack on eye open and looked over at the bewildered Pipsqueak while she nuzzled close by her fellow Crusaders. The adults were in deep conversation regarding the situation of an early moonrise once again, Upper Crust being the most upset, leaving the kids to fall to their sleep.

However, Pipsqueak, wearing his 'Element of Magic and Friendship' upon his head, looked down at the three slumbering girls disapprovingly.

"We're too tired," Sweetie Belle murmured sleepily.

"Looks like that mean ol' Discord really is effecting us," Apple Bloom yawned. "With his moving the sun and moon and all..."

"Wake me when he brings up the sun," Scootaloo said as she went back to sleep.

Pipsqueak fumed a bit, however, it was quickly replaced by a yawn he couldn't fight. He couldn't fall asleep just yet! But the nighttime...the glorious moon serving as a mesmerizing object of a lullaby for his eyes...maybe he could close his eyes a bit...

"But Twilight..." He murmured sleepily, feeling his legs give out as he laid sprawled on the ground. "She...she needs us..." And he suddenly fell asleep with the other kids.
_

The duo laughed as they made their way out onto the balcony, which seemed quite unusual to Twilight because she never assumed the house of chaos was that big. But this was Discord's doing, so she didn't let it get too into her head.

"Don't ever make me shuffle in this dress again," she told him in a warning, yet playful tone as they stood before the night sky.

"Why not?" He countered with a smirk. "You never tripped once."

"Still, I could rip at the seems any moment if I did that!" She shot back.

"Oh, quite worrying, worry-wart," he rolled his eyes as he turned toward the stars.

Twilight let go of her anxiety before gazing at the moonlight sky, ever so absorbed by its beauty. She sighed happily, loving how it fit so well to this special night for both of them.

Together, they sat down on the walls that protected them from the edge of the balcony and smiled at one another. Through arguments and and mixed opinions, there was joy, happiness, and the powerful magic of friendship that had formed between them not too long ago.

His best friend...her best friend...

Though Twilight was happy that they reached that point in their changed relationship, her smile faded a bit as she looked back toward the scenery before her. Trees, snow, and more tress...how far was she from home?

As if reading her mind, Discord sighed and lowered her head.

"Twilight," he began quietly, "there's something I haven't been entirely honest to you about."

The unicorn snapped out of her trance before turning to him. "Haven't been entirely honest?" She repeated.

He shifted his eyes toward her, looking so ashamed, the same expression she had seen during that one night when he let all his regrets out.

"You'll go pony rage again once I tell you this," he muttered.

"Oh, come on," she pushed, "that was the poison joke talking." She placed a hoof to his side, gazing at him with pleading eyes. "Please...tell me."

Seeing those begging eyes of hers, Discord sighed and averted his.

"You know how this entire place seems so...border-lined?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Border-lined?"

"How you can't seem to find nothing but just nature and stuff?" He went on.

"Uh, yeah?" She wasn't sure what he was getting at.

"And how I've been so easily hidden among you ponies?" He added.

Her eyes widened a bit. "How...?"

"I used a spell that kept this area secure, no matter where we are," he said regretfully. "You actually having come so far. When I noticed how close you were to the border of where my hidden place was, I was quick to allow you entrance. If I hadn't you would be walking right through it until you reached another town."

Twilight blinked, progressing everything he said. "So you...?"

He looked toward her with sad eyes. "We're actually not far from Ponyville," he confessed. "We're in seclusion where no one can ever find it nor gain any idea that it actually exist. Like in our own little world."

The unicorn's mouth fell. Home wasn't so far away! And her friends!

"I am ready to face your fury, Twilight Sparkle," Discord said, though a little too dramatically as he gazed up at the sky. "Feel free to punch me on purpose this time."

Twilight just gazed at him. She raised her hoof...but she placed it under his chin.

Discord found himself gazing at her once more, her eyes glistening.

"You had to do what you did," she told him softly, "if you didn't, my friends would have caught up to you by now, and I...I would have never found you first..." She swallowed, tears stinging her eyes. "And we...we would never have this..." She motioned between them.

"I was actually half-expecting that from you," he said nonchalantly, "can't blame a guy for protecting himself."

"I don't blame you for anything," she spoke softly, her hooves never leaving his face. "Discord...you're my best friend." She smiled. "And as your best friend, I want you to end this hiding away."

His eyes widened at her suggestion but she went on.

"Discord..." She began. "I think it's time to face the music," she said simply, though painfully.

"Won't your friends...?" He began.

"They'll be mad, I know," she bit her lip. "But we can't hide away forever. I miss them, and Discord..." She gazed into his eyes. "I'd miss you if you didn't come with me."

Her pleading eyes...Oh! Her pleading eyes!

"Please, Discord," she begged him.

Discord just remained in place as she gazed at him. Her muzzle gently touched his, being such a supportive, determined best friend as she could as she nuzzled him.

"Don't think I'm not scared about this," she confessed. She placed a hoof above his face. "No matter what, I'll protect you from their wrath." She sniffed. "I promise."

The Draconequus thought it over for a moment. Here sat Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic and Friendship, unlike any pony he's ever met. Kind, strong, determined, and ever so caring. She risked a lot just to find him, and she stood by his side, searching through his mask of a broken spirit that wanted more than just unleashing chaos.

She was his best friend, and she was there for him no matter what, even if it was highly disapproved under the eyes of her friends and loved ones.

Who was he to doubt her? Especially on her birthday?

Discord gave a soft smile, placing a lion paw against the hoof on his face. His mismatched eyes gazed into his best friend's pleading ones.

"I know you do," he told her gently, thankful for the moonlight that draped over them as he could see her much better. "I trust you, Twilight Sparkle."
_

Supporters of Harmony

NOTE: Finally...the moment you've all been waiting for. :)

Also, there are two VERY special characters featured in this chapter. ;)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight bit her lip as she gazed at the clock that just floated past her a few moments ago. Breakfast of chocolate milk, pie, and some oat bars had come and go for her and Discord, but she wished it had lasted much longer.

Four o' clock. That would be the time.

The unicorn slowly closed her eyes and lowered her head in despair. Though that was still hours away, every second passing made her more scared.

Suddenly, she felt a soft touch on her side. Eyes fluttering open, she looked toward her back to spot a lion paw draped upon it ever so assuringly. She couldn't stop the small smile from forming on her lips before she trailed up the paw and found her eyes gazing up into the owner of that arm.

Discord gave her a soft smirk, his eyes lowering a bit as he gave her an assuring nudge. Nothing extreme was to occur today, both of them simply lying upon the lush grass that cut itself from the snowy area as they enjoyed the sunshine that shone upon them from the sky.

Last night had been everything and more for Discord. It truly was the best birthday he ever had, and to have a best friend who cared about him regardless of the past and what was occurring in the present, he was truly lucky. Though he wished the night hadn't ended...

Though he was a master at hiding his feelings, deep down, Discord felt certain that what he and Twilight were going to face when that clock struck four...was not going to be very harmonic.

He knew to expect hate and anger from her friends and loved ones, and sure, he was going to joke around with their frustrations which had been possessed for so long since Twilight left them, and, of course, he would come face-to-face with the Elements of Harmony once again...

He shuddered a bit at the thought. What if they tried to use it on him again?

Of course not! His mind chuckled as he laid close by Twilight, Little Miss Magic is here, isn't she? Can't have elements without Friendship, right?

But what if some way...if it were possible...

No! He shouldn't think that way! The elements were incomplete, making it impossible to stop him and return him to stone. And take him away from Twilight...

"I barely had any sleep last night..." His ears twitched a bit, almost missing out on what the unicorn just said.

Discord cocked an eyebrow as he gazed down at the violet pony, whose eyes remained on the grass.

"I just can't believe, after more than a week, we've finally come down to this..." She said quietly. She let out a small whimper, eyes shutting tightly. "I'm scared about this, Discord. Really, I am."

The Draconequus gazed down at her, his lion paw never leaving her side. As much as he trusted her that things will work out and she would always protect him if any of her friends dared lash at him, he shared the fear.

But with fear, there was hope. And the hope that he and this magnificent unicorn's friendship would remain intact was much stronger than before.

"Don't worry, my dear," before he could stop himself, he rested his head atop of hers, his beard draped to the side to join where the lower half of her mane was. His lion paw brought her closer to his side and he gently pressed against her, not daring to break ahold of his best friend. "It's natural to be afraid."

Twilight was grateful she didn't shed any tears as she nuzzled against Discord's side; that would have ruined this precious moment between them. And she begged herself that there would be more precious moments between them in the future...a future which involved her friends and loved ones altogether.

How she missed her friends, her parents, home both Canterlot and Ponyville. Though this past week in this forest had been so good to her and it felt like such a paradise, she knew she couldn't handle another day away from the life she had.

She wanted to connect the life she found now and stick it along with.

All the fun she and Discord could have: the lessons, the parties, the happiness of children, the innocent chaos that could make life even more interesting than it already was.

Please don't let me lose him, her mind begged.

For what felt like hours, the two remained in their current positions, sides pressed against each other while heads supported one another. Finally, Discord raised his head from Twilight's and gazed up at the sky once more.

"What is it?" Twilight asked him.

Discord remained silent for a few moments. Finally, he turned to her, wearing that mischievous smile Twilight knew so well.

"What are we moping about?" He let out a chortle. Twilight watched as he began floating about, tail flickering as his wings flapped.

"We should be enjoying the time we have left before we have to endure the pure boredom that is knocking some sense into your friends," he laughed.

Before Twilight could question him, Discord snapped his fingers.

A low rumble startled her as she immediately got on her hooves, cringing as she turned from left to right, wondering what on Earth Discord conjured up this time.

A small drop on her nose was her answer.

Twilight's eyes widened before she gazed up to witness colors of soft pink blanket the blue skies, and sweet rain poured down upon her mane.

"Brings us back to how we met, huh?" Discord chuckled as he lowered down beside her.

"You nearly ruined my mane," Twilight muttered, though there was a small smile on her face as more chocolate milk fell upon her body. "And seems you're doing it again." She rolled her eyes with a chuckle.

"You were quite a hard-headed egghead before," he spoke with a smile. "Now look at you. A little more-"

Suddenly, before he knew it, he was lightly smacked on the face with a milk-drenched mane. It didn't hurt, but the impact took him by surprise as he rubbed his nose and gazed at the unicorn with wide, surprised eyes.

Twilight smirked at him, her long mane wet and dripping with chocolate milk as more rained on her. Flipping her equally drenched tail, Twilight stuck her tongue out at him before galloping off, going wherever the rain led her.

Discord held a dumbfounded expression for a few good moments. Then he broke into a sly, playful grin before chasing after her, his wings flapping and his hair becoming equally drenched as hers.
_

Shining Armor stood off to the side as he watched a group of his men trudged through the streets of Canterlot, on their way to Trottingham to take care of some 'rain business' that had somehow seeped its way into the town.

Giving another salute as the array of armed unicorns left his surveillance, the captain finally lowered his hoof down like a limp noodle, hitting the ground softly. The strong unicorn gave a sad sigh, closing his blue eyes in as he lowered his head in despair.

"You okay, Captain?"

He immediately opened his eyes and snapped to attention as soon as he heard that all too familiar voice behind him. Turning around, he did his best to smile as his blue eyes were met with grayish purple ones.

Cadence knew how strong her husband was trying to appear as she stood before him, having decided to check on him after making sure the families around Canterlot were fine and safe. They two regarded each other for a few moments, simply reading each other through the connection in their eyes.

No doubt Shining Armor could see that Cadence was feeling the same as he had been this day, as of many days before that.

The captain of the Royal Guard let out a depressing sigh and lowered his head before his wife. Cadence quickly came over and wrapped a comforting hoof around him, holding him close.

"She's my sister, too, Shining Armor," she whispered softly to him. "I'm just as scared as you are."

"I know, Cadence..." He murmured. "I know..."

Slowly breaking away from her loving grasp, Shining Armor gazed up at the sky, Celestia's sun pouring down on the snow-covered Canterlot. This snow was freezing his flanks, but what made him ache even more was that it reminded him too well of how he and Twilight would play around it during their childhoods.

Thinking of his missing sister sent another pang into the stallion's heart, and throwing away all manners of sombre and duty, he couldn't take it anymore and immediately broke down, his hooves giving up on him as he slowly dropped to the floor. Cadence quickly rushed toward him, wrapping her hooves around his neck as a few silent tears fell from his onto the snow; her tears combined with his.

While Shining Armor had been on duty, he would temporarily break away from his work to visit his parents, doing his best to comfort his mother while trying to assure his dad that they would find the missing member of their family. Honest to heart, his pain for his stolen sister was far greater than both his parents combined.

And the fact that it had been more than a week, and his men were nowhere close to finding a source, it was like his heart was being stabbed with a spear.

Discord...

Though neither he or Cadence had even met the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony as his parents had, they had been victims to his unusual powers not too long ago, after he had been released from stone. Shining Armor had been on duty and Cadence, who was his girlfriend before he popped the question to her, had been aiding in some Canterlot charities. If either had known Twilight had returned to Canterlot, it would have been a joyful reunion and they would have lunch together and catch up.

But low and behold, her visit was for Celestia only, and it was on the matter for all of Equestria.

Neither could have known Discord's pranks would affect either of them, Shining Armor's men being pummeled with pies left and right and chocolate milk raining down during their march. And Cadence was stressing over having workers pull down houses that somehow managed to float in mid-air.

Though both had been frustrated in the whole matter, their hope and confidence continued lying on the dear violet unicorn that were the happiness of their lives.

Now that unicorn was in the clutches of the enemy.

"What kind of brother can't even find his own sister?" He choked, allowing his bride to stroke his mane.

"Don't talk like that..." Cadence whispered to him, continuously stroking her husband. "If Twilight could hear you, she would be even more proud and grateful."

"But she's with the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony," he whimpered, "even your aunts had a difficult time defeating him before they finally encased him in that stone prison."

"Yes, Celestia and Luna told me all about the story," she said softly, "and the fact that they're no longer connected to the elements, but..." Her voice trailed off, biting her lip. She gazed at Shining Armor, her eyes glistening.

Shining Armor sniffed. "My sister is the most powerful unicorn in Equestria," he said with both pain and pride, "and her element is the most powerful of all. But without her, the Elements of Harmony are incomplete so Discord will continue taking her his prisoner-"

"Not for long, Shining Armor," Cadence cut in firmly, taking his face in her hooves so he would gaze directly into her eyes. "We're going to put a stop to this."

"He took my sister..." Shining Armor swallowed hard. "My beautiful little sister..."

"And he'll regret for doing such a thing," she assured him with soft eyes. "He'll pay for hurting our family."

The stallion could see the blazing fury in his wife's eyes, her concern completely focused on the little pony that had been her friend since childhood. How close she and Cadence were, no matter how far apart. Their sisterly bond was powerful.

And, as Cadence gazed up at Celestia's sun with glistening eyes, she hoped her love for her sister-in-law would aid well in this continuing search.
_

Twilight gazed at Discord from the corner of her eye, seeing how focused he was on the book in front of them. If only this little reading session could last forever...

After chasing one another through the chocolate milk-drizzling cotton candy clouds (which, Twilight was grateful for, did not reach anywhere near home), Discord insisted they do what Twilight loved best: read.

The Big Book of Chaos laid out in front of them as they rested on the grass, the clouds having evaporated and sunshine resumed over them. Though it was a fairly interesting book, Twilight knew all too well that Discord just conjured up and simply put the thoughts in his head onto the paper; most of the pages contained pictures of his usual pranks in the past, followed by some recent events he had done while he remained discreet among Equestria.

She smiled as she came across a picture featuring Discord resting upon a regular cloud, night surrounding his body as he laid on his back with his arms and legs crossed in a relaxed manner.

"Rainbow Dash has nothing on this," Discord chuckled. "No matter how soft her pegasi kind can make the clouds."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "At least you're modest," she said sarcastically. She turned the page and did her best not to laugh. "What happened to you here?"

Discord regarded the picture and he winced, a look Twilight found such amusement in the Draconequus.

"I was sleeping on some regular cloud, bored from watching you little ponies do your tasks," he explained with reluctance in his tone. "Then, what do you know, seemed I was near Wonderbolt training grounds and the sound of what could have been rocks scratching on chalkboard woke me up from my nap." He gave a small pout. "If I didn't have wings, things would have been very messy, my dear."

Twilight could barely hold it in before she finally let out shrill laughter, pointing a hoof at Discord as she continued so. Discord simply gazed at her, his pout becoming deeper.

"The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony," she said between giggles, "falling off a cloud! Oh, Rainbow Dash would so enjoy that!"

"Yeah, yeah, keep laughing..." He muttered. "At least those Wonderbolts got what was coming for them with that invisible wall..."

Twilight wiped a tear from her eye and regarded Discord, though she continuously snorted under her breath. "Okay, not funny, I get it." But her laughter remained muffled as she bit her lip.

"And I thought Pinkie Pie was the Element of Laughter," he mumbled as he turned a page in their book.

However, the corners of his lips formed a small smile, simply basking in the sound that was the unicorn's laughter.

She should definitely laugh more often.
_

"Princess Luna! Princess Celestia! We came as fast as we could!"

The remaining elements, followed by Spike as well as the Sparkle couple, rushed through the main halls of the castle before they halted in front of the Royal Sisters. Having received urgent messages from Celestia, they were immediate to arrive and hear what news they were bringing. No doubt each of the elements read each other's minds knowing they were all hoping it was relating to finding their missing friend.

"We're here, princesses!" Rainbow Dash cried, her wings flapping as she stood above her friends. "What's going on?"

"Any sign of Discord?"

"My daughter?" Mr. Sparkle exclaimed, standing close by his troubled wife.

"Settle down," Celestia spoke softly, raising a hoof to calm them.

"My sister and I have called you here on a great discovery we've made," Luna said, her voice sounding almost elated.

"A discovery?" Rarity repeated, her blue eyes widening.

"Does it relate to that varmint Discord?" Applejack asked timidly.

Luna, during so, had held a grim yet grateful expression on her face when they all first entered; holding a sad smile. However, it widened a bit as she regarded everypony in front of her and Celestia.

"Not only Discord," she said simply, "but it involves all of us, every single one that has supported harmony from the very beginning of this quest."

"Wait a minute..." Pinkie scratched her fuzzy pink hair with a hoof as she raised a curious eyebrow. "Are you saying that everypony is part of some sort of discovery you two made that can really stop that big meanie Discord?"

"And our friends back in Ponyville?" Fluttershy asked, her eyes widening.

"And the help we got from the Wonderbolts?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"And especially me?" Spike asked nervously, pointing to himself. "Really?"

Celestia smiled at all of them, and especially nodded to Spike. "Every single one that has aided us in our search for Twilight, the Element of Magic and Friendship."

Luna gave a firm nod to her sister. "Twilight Sparkle holds the most powerful element of all, even more so powerful than the rest of the elements. The magic of friendship is very strong, and so is its wielder." She turned toward Celestia.

"When the element was first summoned by you little ponies," the sun princess casted her gaze on the remaining elements, "it was truly brought out and given to Twilight through the friendship you made, and the compassion as well as the love you all cherished when you became her friends."

"I'm a little confused..." Applejack rubbed her head.

"Dear ones," the moon princess began, "togetherness is what brought out the magic of friendship, and the element itself."

It took some time for her words to sink in, then finally, every pony's eyes widened in pure realization as to what exactly the princesses were explaining. Spike's jaw nearly hit the floor as his green eyes hardly ever blinked; he felt his heart beat rapidly, almost out of surprise as well as sudden excitement.

"So with all of us together..."

"All of us..." Mrs. Sparkle gasped in realization.

"You're saying..." Spike choked a bit. "You're saying we can..."

"Yes," the sun princess gave a small nod, "we can stop Discord with our unity, our love, and our care among each other."

"That's the true magic in friendship," Luna added with a quivering smile, "and that is what truly powers the element."

Pinkie Pie could barely stop the smile from growing massive upon her face at hearing such news. She turned to her four friends, who all shared equal expressions of relief and joy. Even the news became too much for Mr. Sparkle as he leaned against his wife for support, his eyes tightening as a small, grateful smile formed on his lips, knowing that there was, indeed, hope.

"We can save Twilight! Even if she's corrupted, we can still save her!"

"We'll be able to rescue her!" Rainbow Dash cried, wings flapping even faster. Tears were near the edge of her eyes, but the furious growl replaced her expression of joy with hatred. "We'll put Discord in his place for what he's put us all through!" She slammed her hooves together. "Teach him never to mess with any of us again!"

"True as it may be, Rainbow Dash," Celestia sighed before lowering her head.

Her tone made all sudden happiness fade quickly, and all eyes fell on her, scared and almost pleading. Her sister took a deep breath before regarding the curious and slightly discouraged ponies before them.

"We're not sure how strong all of us combined with the remaining element wielders can be," Luna said dejectedly. "It may be enough...it may not be enough." She added sadly.

"But we've had so much help!" Spike exclaimed. "Don't tell me that doesn't boost power to the Element of Magic and Friendship."

"Everypony has done his or her part!" Rarity exclaimed. "We've all supported one another, which supports harmony all the same!"

"Surely that shouldn't be less than enough, right?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Why, it would be like less than enough food to go around in a party!"

"We know, Pinkie Pie," Luna sighed. "But still..." She swallowed hard. "For what it's worth, dear Twilight Sparkle must be saved, and Discord must be stopped."

The firm yet bitter tone in her voice made the room grow suddenly quiet, even Fluttershy felt herself tremble just hearing the moon princess sound so discreet.

"For good," Luna said firmly.

Like that would be difficult! Rainbow Dash nodded her head slowly, her magenta eyes narrowing as she imagined slamming her hooves against Discord once they did find him. Then she imagined slamming her hooves even harder once he was powerless and encased in stone.

"Carry on home, faithful supporters of harmony," Celestia said. "We will see to it that we spread word of this discovery, that way, we are more than prepared for when we finally discover Discord's whereabouts."

"And bring back Twilight Sparkle to us," Luna concluded.

"Oh, honey, did you hear that?" Mrs. Sparkle exclaimed, tears pouring down her face as she smiled at her husband. "We'll save our daughter! We'll save her!"

Mr. Sparkle said nothing, he was too busy shedding more tears than his wife as his heart pounded, the love for their precious daughter forever strong.
_

"So looks like all that flying around really paid off for something, huh?"

Soarin' turned from devouring a muffin and gazed over at his team captain, reading over the message the princesses had sent them. The Wonderbolts had remained in Cloudsdale for the time being, later going to prepare to search the skies once more. However, after the letter was given to them, a new plan was to be made.

The male pegasus swallowed his muffin slowly, almost not feeling too hungry anymore as Spitfire finished the rest of the letter.

So the princesses had managed to uncover something that could save one of their own...but, as Spitfire had read, it may not be enough.

But it had to be! Everypony had given his or her part to find that missing unicorn and bring balance back into Equestria! If being a 'massive team' was not enough to stop Discord, than what else?

"So, uh, Ponyville?" He asked quietly, not bothering to regard his muffin any longer.

"In a few hours," Spitfire sighed, putting away the note, "I'll contact Rainbow Dash and let her know we're coming."
_

The cyan pegasus gazed at the large notice displayed outside the mayor's office with sad yet hopeful eyes. Everypony in Ponyville was being informed as the great yet concerning news the princesses had sent.

Everypony was elated.

Everpony was nervous.

Everypony was scared.

The last time Rainbow Dash had felt such fear like this may have been that time during the Best Young Flyer's Competition back in Cloudsdale. She had been a nervous, emotional wreck, and her friends, minus a self-absorbed, winged Rarity, had done their best to calm her down.

But that fear could not match this new one she was feeling. To think she was actually frightened about something related to that jerk Discord!

But she really was...because he had Twilight.

"You wearing your element?" She turned and there stood Applejack, the Element of Honestly secured around her neck.

The pegasus gave a tight smile before silently nodding, her Element of Loyalty gleaming for all to see. "You'd think I'd do better with my own hooves than this piece of jewelry," she managed to chuckle.

"Don't count on it," Applejack snorted. "he'd sooner land you in some of that sticky cotton candy than you could flap your wings and pummel his sorry being."

"One time!" Rainbow Dash argued. "And it totally caught me off guard!"

Suddenly, before either knew it, the sound of trumpets invaded their ears before they were attacked with confetti and streamers.

"Pinkie!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "What the hay?"

"What?" The pink pony asked innocently, holding her usual smile as she bounced around them, a party hat on her head. "I'm celebrating early!"

"Celebrating early for what?" Applejack asked.

"For the princesses finding a way to stop Discord which involves everypony we know and love!" She giggled.

Both both were immediately tackled into a tight hug by the pink Earth pony as she blew into an airhorn that nearly got them both deaf.

"We're all going to be together!" She giggled. "We should make this like a party!"

"A party?" Rainbow Dash demanded, her wings flapping angrily. "Pinkie, this is no time for a-"

"Let her at it," Applejack cut her in, "at least she's taken a positive snag on this here whole situation."

"Well, at least she's wearing her Element of Laughter..." Rainbow Dash muttered, folding her hooves.
_

Twilight felt her heart pound as she watched the clock strike two; only a couple more hours before...

The unicorn let out a despairing groan as she laid her body upon the mass made of clouds. She and Discord had retreated back inside the house of chaos and decided to settle in the little field of cloudy trees where they could relax, though mostly in Twilight's part. However, it didn't seem to be working as her eyes kept glued to the clock that floated by every now and then.

"You're getting quite worked up, you know," Discord commented as he laid beside her on his back, arms folded over his chest as he gazed at the never-ending ceiling.

"Sorry," Twilight blushed a bit, eyes glued on her fore hooves. "I've usually counted the time before. And well, seems we've got two hours and..." She looked back up at the floating clock. She let out a terrified squeak. "No, make that one hour, fifty-nine minutes, and fifty seconds!"Discord sighed, seeing her mane become frizzled at the process of anxiety. Lifting himself off his back, he sat up straight and stared down at the unicorn.

"Look," he began gently, "we both know it's not going to pretty..."

"Definitely not pretty," she gulped.

"But regardless of that..." he went on strongly.

Before Twilight knew it, Discord had leaned forward and laid on his stomach, duplicating her position, and wrapped his lion arm over her frame before bringing her close. Her eyes widened a bit when her coat brushed against his and his beard was draped upon her head as before.

"Let's enjoy the time we have left," he said simply. "Alright, my dear?"

Hearing his calm, soothing tone, Twilight felt a rush of self-assurance course through her and she managed a small smile.

"O-okay..." She murmured, allowing herself to be held and comforted by the Draconequus she was proud to call her best friend.

She dared not look at the clock once more as she closed her eyes and embraced in the closeness she had with her dear friend this very moment.
_

"Dear, you really should eat some more."

Upper Crust looked across the table toward her husband, barely paying any mind to the bowl of alfalfa in front of her. She was just too nervous and somewhat excited to eat. While Fancypants and Zecora were up to their own devices, the couple had been left to continue the task of caring for the four ambitious foals that were eating at a table beside theirs.

They would be going to Ponyville quite soon.

"Oh, darling, I simply cant think of my stomach right now," Upper Crust said with an apologetic smile, "not when I feel that we're so close to what we've searched painfully for!"

"You're going to hug her as soon as you find her, won't you, dear?" Jet Set asked, adjusting his glasses with his magic.

"Yes," she said simply. Then she blushed a bit. "Right after her dear mother and father do so."

While the couple discussed, a certain little colt's ears twitched, having overheard their conversation.

"You going to eat your biscuits, Pipsqueak?" Scootaloo asked, turning to him after nearly finishing her plate.

"Here," he said quietly, pushing them towards her.

Apple Bloom watched in disapproval as Scootaloo devoured his meal before turning to their male friend. "You're still thinking about Twilight?" She asked sadly.

"Well, of course he's still thinking about her!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, pointing towards him. "She's on everypony's mind!"

"Well, seems more so him," Scootalloo commented nonchalantly after cleaning off the last of the biscuits.

Pipsqueak immediately blushed as soon as she said that. Ignoring her, he turned toward the clock hanging outside the cafe they were eating at.

They would leave so in half an hour. Yet...why did Pipsqueak suddenly feel like time was becoming so precious lately?
_

Twilight didn't bother to look up at the clock. She knew it had finally struck four.

She was too busy taking her packed traveler bag out from her room and setting it next to her door. The unicorn let out a sigh before she made her way over to her mirror, making sure she looked presentable. Her mane was fine, and her eyes didn't appear as if they would dilate out of anxiety anytime soon, but the curve of her lips in that worried pout still remained.

Twilight lowered her head in front of her reflection, both despair and fear eating her up as before.

She knew the others would bring harm to Discord as soon as he reeled his chaotic face back at them. What about harm towards her? No! They would be happy that she has returned...right? But would they be angry that she had gone missing on them despite that note she left behind? Would they be so overwhelmed with mixed emotions as she was at the moment? Oh, dear Equestria, her mind was gaining a total headache right now!

The unicorn flinched and her eyes widened when she felt something drape over her trembling body, Gazing at her reflection, she saw a pair of mismatched hands drape her beloved red cloak with the fuzzy white cuffs over her frame. She couldn't help but smile tearfully as he gently fit it on her, making sure the hood was over her mane."Want you to keep warm when we get out of here," Discord said simply, gazing at his reflection as well as he lowered to Twilight's level. The unicorn noticed that he had slipped her elemental crown into the pocket of her cloak as well.

Twilight smiled, feeling her eyes well with tears as she gazed at her dear friend.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

Discord looked at her, his gaze matching her own as they stared into each other's eyes. His smile seemed just as tearful as he couldn't break away from the gratitude and care that shone in those large pools of purple on her face. Twilight could barely hold her smile, her lip quivering as she gazed at the creature she wished would stay safe by her side no matter what.

Neither knew who started first, but the next thing they both knew, arms were wrapped around each other and they sank into a warm embrace of assurance.

No matter what, their friendship would remain intact whether the consequences were either troubled and triumphant.
_

"And so," Mayor Mare concluded as gazed up at the sun with a smile, "we all must keep a strong hoof and make sure nopony is left behind when we eventually..." Her voice trailed off. "Well, you know, when that time comes..."

Shining Armor, no longer dressed in uniform, surveyed the large crowd of ponies around him. He and Cadence had unfortunately only managed to stay in the back, same went for his parents, barely hearing the Mayor of Ponyville make her motivational speech. The stallion turned away from the crowd and gazed at the town itself.

This wouldn't be the first time he and his wife had visited his sister's other home. Shortly after their honeymoon, they had surprised Twilight and the three had spent time together while she gave them a tour of the town. It was a such a nice memory as Shining Armor recalled with a small smile; it almost took him away from the despair that reigned upon all of them this moment.

"You sure your aunts were right?" He asked as he turned toward Cadence. "You know, about how we might manage to help support the Elements of Harmony and stuff?"

"Celestia and Luna have done their best to find a solution," she assured him, though she couldn't smile. She gazed at everypony around them. "Now all we need is to put into action.
_

Before Twilight blinked, a snap of Discord's fingers made the house in which they just exited completely vanish in a flash.

"Well then," Discord began as he looked toward the sun, "shall we?"

The unicorn shuffled her hooves a bit, gazing at the ground. "Um, Discord?" She began quietly. "Before we go on...could you...?"

"Yes?" He asked gently, staring at her.

She swallowed. "Could you...could you raise the moon?"

That completely caught him off guard as he raised an eyebrow at her.

"The night is so much more peaceful," she confessed, "especially for something like this." She blinked up at him, "I would love the moon to be raised early this time."

Discord just gazed at her. Then a small, gentle smile formed on his lips.

"As you wish, my dear," he said before snapping his fingers.
_

Suddenly, moonlight consumed the sky, frightening everypony. Gasps and screams emerged as Mayor Mare nearly fell off her podium from the unexpected surprise.

"Whoa!" One voice shouted. "The moon is up!"

"What?" All eyes turned toward Rainbow Dash, her wings flapping angrily. "It's only past four! What the hay?"

"Discord must be playing us again," Applejack grumbled. "Boy, I sure hope when we find him this plan does work!"

Pipsqueak felt his legs buckle as he gazed up at Luna's moon cascaded a blanket of light over the town. Now he seemed even more frightened at this moment. It was like Discord was scaring them right under their noses!

However, as he gazed up at the crown he had made a couple of days ago, his lips tightened.

He had to be brave. He wanted to be brave.

He wanted to be her hero.
_

Twilight blinked at the sight of the glorious moonlight that draped over her and Discord as they silently passed through the woods. They had only been walking for a good ten minutes before they suddenly came to a halt.

The unicorn looked up at Discord before turning back toward the trail before them. Nothing but more grass and trees in front of them, still seemed a long way.

However, Twilight flinched when Discord raised his hands and a soft glowing aura emerged from his palms. The unicorn let out a startled gasp when she saw that magic merge forward, and before she knew it, seemed like the trail before them was shifting, like an image being altered.

Standing bravely, Twilight watched as trees and grass soon faded through a burst of light...and the next thing she knew, she was gazing at familiar streets crowded with familiar faces before them.

Her jaw fell in disbelief while Discord held his usual smile.

"Well, what do you know?" He chuckled, folding his arms. "Looks like all your friends are in one place.
_

"Everypony, calm down!" Mayor Mare shouted over her podium as the crowd before her erupted with cries of fear. "Please, settle down!"

As soon as everypony quieted down and regarded their just-as-shocked mayor once more, she cleared her throat.

"Well," she began, "seems we've gained early nightfall...again."

"This is messing our sleep up," One said.

"Mayor," another called out. "Let's stick with the plan, remember? Can you go over again what the princesses had been talking about?"

"Very well," she said before looking over her notes. "As the royal sisters had stated just earlier..."

"Oh, come on!" Rainbow Dash bursted out, all eyes falling on her. "What's the point of listening to this stuff if it's not getting us any close to finding that jerk Discord or Twilight? Now night's up, and it'll be harder to search that way!"

"Well, search no more, Rainbow Dash!" The pegasus felt her wings stop in mid-motion when she heard that voice. Even when she plummeted to the ground, she still bore the expression of utter shock and disbelief. Almost fearfully, she turned around...

All eyes fell on the glowing aura that surrounded two figures, one on all fours and wearing a cloak, and another quite tall that its silhouette seemed almost terrifying. Behind them was a glowing entrance of some sort, nearly blinding everypony before them.

Shining Armor struggled to keep his eyes open as he stood protectively by his wife as the aura shone upon everypony. However, catching sight of the figures coming toward them, he felt his heart about leap in his chest and he was almost afraid his mind was playing tricks on him. Was he dreaming? Please, oh, please, don't let it be a dream...

Cadence's eyes widened even larger than his as she gazed at the two figures that slowly made their way toward the crowd. "No way..." She muttered. "It's...it's..."

The stallion swallowed, his heart continuously pounding. "T-twilight."

Spike's eyes widened as he found himself gazing at purple unicorn from a distance as the two figures came closer toward them.

"Twilight..." He gasped. Joy and happiness filled his heart at the sight of his dear unicorn friend. He just wanted to run over and give her a hug and pour out all his worries to her while crying on her shoulder. However, five certain ponies beat him to it.

"Twilight!" The remaining elements cried out in joy as they pushed their way through the crowd and stood before the unicorn.

Rarity wanted to run over and hug her dear friend, but she stopped and blinked in surprise, gazing at the red garment that hugged Twilight's body. "Darling! Where on Earth did you get such a lovely cloak?" But she was shoved aside by a certain overjoyed pegasus.

"Oh, my gosh!" Rainbow Dash could hardly stop the tears from pouring down her face. "It's you! It's you! It's you! It's you!" She was about to swoop over and tackle Twilight in a hug that would bring them both high into the sky, but a certain yellow pegasus' voice broke the moment.

"Not just her..." Fluttershy squeaked before her green eyes gazed up at yellow and red ones.

The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony folded his arms, eyes lowered and his single tooth sticking out in that usual smile of his as all eyes suddenly fell on him, the joy of the pony's return having faded. Spike's eyes widened and his jaw fell as he took sight of him; he didn't notice that a certain stallion far-off in the crowd held eyes of furious fire as they regarded the creature as well. And another pair of eyes, so large in surprise and shock for a little colt, simply gazed at Discord, hoping his hoof-made crown would make him all the more braver.

"Discord!" The crowd erupted in pure fear as the creature himself stood behind Twilight and regarded everypony.

"Yes, yes, nice to see you all as well," he chuckled lightly.

The other elements stared at him in utter horror, Fluttershy trembling as she lowered herself to the ground, part of her face hiding beneath her pink mane as she whimpered at the sight of him. Rainbow Dash, however, bared her teeth and her magenta eyes blazed at him with so much anger and hatred.

"You..." She growled, wings flapping angrily. "You...jerk!"

"Is that all?" Discord chuckled, smirking down at her.

"Oh, you're in for a world of pain now, buddy!" She shouted before she bolted at him.

However, she was immediately yanked back before her hooves could strike his face. Surprised and outraged for missing her shot, she turned and her eyes widened in disbelief to see Twilight's teeth taking ahold of her tail.

"What is Twilight doing?" An onlooker demanded as all eyes watched the unicorn in utter confusion. "She should let RD pound that guy!"

Applejack's jaw fell in shock, unable to believe that her own unicorn friend had prevented the pegasus from punishing her captor. "What in tarnation?" She exclaimed as Twilight released Rainbow Dash's tail.

Just as she imagined they would react...Twilight let out a deep breath, closing her eyes. Despite her calm position, her heart was pounding rapidly, her hooves feeling stiff from anxiety. But she knew what she had to do, for both her and Discord's sake. She slowly opened her eyes and gazed at the others, all regarding her with questionable expressions.

"Guys..." She begged in a soft, child-like tone that would have made Fluttershy's voice more dominant. "Please don't hurt him."

"What?" She winced when she was met with erupted shouts of shock and outrage. She lowered her head nervously, ears lowering in slight fear as she witnessed her friends' horrified expressions toward her.

"Don't hurt him?" Rainbow Dash demanded, looking down at Twilight. Then she pointed an accusing hoof at Discord, who still remained silent while close to the unicorn's side. "Why the hay not?"

"This guy kidnapped you!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, bouncing on her hooves in frustration before pointing at Discord himself. "You were stuck with him for a really long time!"

Twilight's eyes widened in disbelief, staring at her as if she had become even more insane. "Kidnapped?"

"He took you away from us!" Rainbow Dash added angrily, before shifting her eyes toward Discord, who just raised an eyebrow at her in confusion.

"He made it snow!" One voice shouted.

"He raised the moon early for days!" Another one added.

Finally, Pinkie Pie stood between Twilight and Discord, her blue eyes gazing fiercely at him as she growled, lowering herself on her hooves like a guard dog for Twilight. "He's a bad, bad guy!" She snarled..

"What?" Twilight cried, her purple eyes widening even more, horrified by such accusations. "You guys! You have it all-"

"Oh, come on!" She was cut off as all eyes fell on Discord, who simply stood off and allowed them their space of special reunion. "What's wrong with being a little bad?" He asked with slight annoyance. Though he did well to hide such an expression, deep down, he was pained by such lies.

"You monster!" Rarity shouted, tears threatening her eyes as she stood close by Twilight. "You horrible, horrible monster!"

Twilight let out a horrified gasp as the others followed the white unicorn's example and she could just feel that growing animosity in the air.

"Guys, wait!" She urged as the crowd drew in, becoming as brave as the five ponies before her. "Guys, listen to me!" She did her best to press her hooves against the other elements, desperate to keep them from getting any close to Discord. She winced as her hind hooves pressed deep into the ground while her fore hooves pushed against strong bodies.

"Twilight, why are you holding us back?" Rainbow Dash demanded, completely taken aback by the unicorn's attempts at stopping them. "Come on, let us go at him for taking you away from us!" Her wings flapped faster, her flight aiding her in moving further despite Twilight's willing strength.

"He didn't take me away!" Twilight exclaimed frantically.

Rainbow Dash's wings slowed down a bit, simply gazing down at her friend in utter confusion. Her magenta eyes gazed into her purple ones; Twilight's eyes glistened, gazing at the pegasus, pleading her desperately. For a moment, as Rainbow Dash gazed at her sorrowful expression, she almost considered that maybe Twilight was telling the truth.

However, the pegasus' expression hardened, remembering too well that Discord was a master of manipulation.

"Oh, come on!" She argued, pushing her hooves away. "You've been missing for more than a week, we've busted our flanks looking for you, and you're saying he didn't take you away?" She demanded angrily. However, despite her growing rage, she felt nothing but sorrow and self-shame as she gazed at her friend, fearing the worse had truly happened

"Well, no, not exactly, I mean..." Twilight felt herself grow small as her mind felt rushed, trying to utter the words.

"What exactly are you trying to say, Twilight?" Applejack asked gently, yet her tone still held firm as she took a step closer toward the unicorn.

Twilight gulped as all eyes fell on her, pausing the moment to challenge her chaotic friend and listen to her so-called explanation. The unicorn felt her throat burn, but she needed a say in all this...or she would lose Discord in a heartbeat.

"Okay, well, look..." She began frantically. "Discord didn't mean to...the snow was just..." She nearly choked on her words, desperate to hand out an explanation so simple that she had worked it well in her head. However, she was failing miserably in this reality. "Guys, he visited my house before he showed his face again! I mean, he's been watching me for a while as I've learned!"

Suddenly, she regretted that last statement as gasps emerged from the crowd.

Twilight's eyes widened at her sudden mistake, and she quickly shook her head. "No, wait!" She cried. "That came out wrong! I mean, just re-read the-"

"You!"

Twilight felt her body quiver as the sound of a loud, terrifying tone nearly shook the streets of Ponyville. Hearing the sound of that voice, Twilight feared it was either Rarity or Rainbow Dash, their tempers having risen beyond the limit at Discord. But when she saw which pony was glaring daggers at her dear friend, she realized it was much, much worse.

"How dare you!" Fluttershy said bravely as she stood before the chaotic creature. Despite her shaking frame, the shy pegasus stood her ground as her ocean green eyes gazed into Discord's red and yellow ones. Her usually calm face held so much rage and her pink hair seemed almost frizzled from the anger she was displaying for all to witness. "How dare you trespass on our friend's home and completely wash her mind ever so slowly!"

Twilight felt tears at the corner of her eyes as she helplessly watched her usually shy friend yell at Discord. This was even worse than that time...before Twilight had inflicted that memory-erasing spell on her...Fluttershy truly did hate him and she had the attitude to reveal it.

"Whoa..." Discord actually took a few steps back as he gazed down at the Element of Kindness. "I haven't even corrupted you and look how unkind you seem!"

"Guys...Fluttershy..." Twilight begged helplessly, her heart sinking. Seemed like reality was slapping her in the face as she watched the hate and anger in the others' eyes; it felt like hope was slowly seeping away no matter how hard she tried to prevent and amend it. "Please, don't-"

"Grab her!"

Before Twilight knew it, Rainbow Dash had swooped down and tackled her, the pegasus' teeth now clinging to the backside of her mane.

"Don't let her near Discord!" Rainbow Dash growled through her clenched teeth as it grasped Twilight's hair.

"I got her!" Applejack shouted as she rushed over and clung to the unicorn's leg "I ain't letting that varmint control her anymore!" And despite Twilight rough attempts at trying to kick her off, the apple farmer wouldn't budge, desperate to rescue her friend from the mind control Discord had laid on her all this time.

Pinkie Pie rushed over and, with both hooves, grabbed her tail and pulled her back, playing tug-of-war as Twilight tried to yank it away. Fluttershy, now out of her rage to help her friends in need, pressed her body against Twilight's front side, keeping her back and assisting Pinkie Pie. Rarity, of course, was clinging onto the red cloak, pulling at it to keep Twilight's entire body from trying to escape.

"Let me go!" Twilight cried, struggling under the hold of her friends as she was drawn to the crowd that wanted her safe.

Despite his growing anger with every second he was gazing at Discord, Shining Armor watched Twilight from where he stood, horrified that she was still desperate to keep by Discord's side. What had that monster done to his precious sister? Severe mind control perhaps?

"Discord's totally got you mind-racked!" One voice shouted.

Though still fighting her friends, Twilight eye's widened in disbelief. "Mind- racked?" She demanded.

Discord just stood still, allowing to be regarded as such. He desperately wanted to reach down and take Twilight away from these ponies she called her friends and pour chocolate milk on their heads to clear their insane minds, but he didn't want to make himself look worse and he promised Twilight he wouldn't use his chaos to harm anypony.

"Oh, really, is that all they assume I did?" He said in a snarky tone, quite provoked by that punch.

However, deep down, he seemed almost frightened. What made him feel this emotion grow stronger was the aching fear that he could possibly lose Twilight forever.

Twilight cried out in despair, wishing she was by Discord's side. The Draconequus' head jerked up, his eyes widening at the shrill cry of his best friend. He took a step forward, desperate to be near her side. However, he was stopped by a few brave ponies having come all the way from Canterlot.

"Stay away from her," Upper Crust said through gritted teeth, her eyes blazing at the sight of him.

"Let me go!" Twilight pleaded, trying to fight off the hold her friends had on her. "No, please!" She begged. "Please leave him alone!"

"Dude, that wacky Discord's really got her mind drained!" One shouted.

"He's going to pay for that! The jerk!"

"Discord!" Twilight screamed.

Twilight struggled as she was continuously held back. She tried to push her friends off, trying to smack them away with the end of her cloak.

However, when her sides bucked, something slipped out of her pocket. Her eyes widened in horror as it fell to the ground, its jewel glistening in the moonlight.

"The Element of Magic!" Rainbow Dash grunted, teeth still clamping onto Twilight's hair.

Before Twilight knew it, Spike grabbed it and slammed it on her head. "No!" She cried, desperately trying to shake it off to no success.

"What do we do now?" Pinkie Pie shouted as continued grasping her tail.

"I don't know!" Applejack cried helplessly.

"Let us through!" Mrs. Sparkle pleaded as she and her husband tried to push through the crowd. "I want to see my daughter!

Despite her and her husband's pleas, there was just too many to push through, and Twilight was just too far a distance from where they stood. Even Shining Armor and Cadence couldn't fight through the angry crowd of ponies that were blocking their way. Couldn't Twilight see how worried and relieved her whole family was right now? And was Discord's mind spell on her that powerful? Mrs. Sparkle only hoped Celestia and Luna were right for what they all must do.

Pipsqueak gulped, watching the commotion before them as he stood close by his friends. He wanted to be Twilight's hero...but how?

Suddenly, Sweetie Belle screamed.

"What?" He asked desperately.

"Discord brought ghosts!" The little unicorn cried, pointing a hoof down at the ground.

Following where she was motioning, Pipsqueak and the other tow Crusaders gazed down. Their eyes widened in complete shock.

Beneath their hooves was a flowing white aura of some sort, and it seemed it was surrounding everypony as well.

"What's happening?" Sweetie Belle cried.

Suddenly, the jewel in Twilight's crown began to glow, and everypony could see how its light was merging with aura that suddenly surrounded them all. Cries and screams emerged from everypony as it became much brighter.

Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle watched as light surrounded their bodies, freely connecting with light that surrounded others. Upper Crust and Jet Set clung to each other as light slipped through their hooves, and it connected with the light that emerged from behind where Fancypants and Zecora stood. Spike gulped as his hands tried to touch the light sources, but he felt nothing on his fingertips; but he did feel something course across his body as the light resume its brightness. Shining Armor especially placed his guard down as he and Cadence gazed at the power coursing across their bodies; this was not unicorn magic.

"Wha...?" Discord gasped, eyes widening at the sight before him. "What's happening?"

Applejack scanned around them, seeing such an usual light cover everypony. Suddenly, she felt something quiver and gazed down at the element around her neck.

The Element of Honesty was glowing.

The others ponies, while holding Twilight down, noticed theirs were glowing as well, and they were becoming brighter as the white aura became much stronger in appearance.

Realization struck them and Applejack found herself smirking at Discord, who had his mismatched hands over himself and his tail curling in utter fear.

"Say howdy to our big stack of harmony, partner," she said, her tone filled with pride as she braced for whatever her body was going through.

As the unicorn struggled, a burst of color immediately shot out of her element, and her eyes widened in horror. What she had been fearing seemed to suddenly reach reality as a burst of color emerged from the joining of her five friends.

"No!" She screamed again, trying to flail her arms or kick her hind legs, wishing to knock the crown off her and break it into pieces. She desperately gazed over at Discord, who was blocked from ever getting near her. "Discord!"

The Draconequus watched her struggle, touched she was willing to fight those dear to her just to save him. But he knew it was pointless now that he was trapped, and he suddenly lost the will to use any magic to either rid the elements or leave in a heartbeat. As if he had been stripped of his powers...

Before gazing at the bright power that was shooting out of all directions, all brought out by the unity of friends and loved ones that supported the elements themselves, his red and gold eyes gazed into her purple ones.

"Twilight..." He whispered painfully.

And the rainbow hit him square against the chest and he roared out in agony.

"Let me go!" She cried, horrified by the sight before her.

The world almost seemed to slow its pace...everything was a blur to Twilight as she watched helplessly...

This was just like her nightmare.

Despite his struggles as the rainbow engulfed him, Discord gazed at her once more. A tear slid down his cheek as he just remained still, accepting what was to come.

More tears poured down Twilight's face as she watched her best friend just stand there, his sad face calm yet pained as the rainbow engulfed his entire figure.

The glimmer in his gold and red orbs connected with hers...soon they began to fade as his eyes began to lose color...

"Discord!" Twilight screamed out even louder, her voice straining with so much pain and agony to just watch happen in front of her.

For a few moments, light had blanketed among everypony, the burst of light glowed continuously as the rainbow resumed...

Then finally, it all faded.

Tired and feeling drained, Twilight's friends slowly released her, all falling in a heap. However, Twilight stood on shaking hooves while everypony was regaining themselves from what had just occurred. Her pupils dilated as she slowly made her way through, every step painful as the next as her eyes kept lookout.

Despite the cheers and applauses around her, especially words of praise and joy that she was saved, Twilight paid no attention. Her face remained expressionless, almost lifeless.

Pipsqueak immediately rushed up to her, the biggest of smiles on his face as he stood before her, proudly wearing his crown. He expected she would come over and scoop him up into a big hug, saying how grateful she was that they saved her and how much she missed all of them, especially Pipsqueak himself.

But she didn't. She passed him as if she hadn't even seen him.

Despite his slightly mixed emotion of confusion and hurt as he realized Twilight had just ignored him during this moment of triumph, Pipsqueak watched as she continued her small trek.

The unicorn slowly came to a stop where Discord stood...now here he laid.

Stone.

The look on her face made many raise eyebrows. And everypony was even more surprised when she bent down to Discord's imprisoned figure. Eyes widened when her hoof gently touched the creature's stone face.

"He...he..." Twilight choked on her words as more tears slid down her cheeks.

"We should so throw a party!" One voice shouted in excitement.

"Ooh! A party!" Pinkie Pie clapped her hooves. "We'll call it a 'We-Beat-that-Big-Fat- Meanie-Discord' celebration, and it'll have cake, balloons, oh, and streamers! Definitely streamers!"

Twilight didn't even hear her. Her eyes gazed into the lifeless ones of her dear friend.

Discord's expression...pain, misery, loneliness. She gazed at the calm yet painful expression on his face. It was as if he was saying goodbye...

Twilight's heart plummeted deep in her chest as her hoof never left his face. How she wish she could feel his fur again...see his smile...hear his laugh...feed his hunger for life itself...continue hanging out with her best friend...

Suddenly, before anypony knew it, a blaze of red aura and was shot out from her horn across the street, its impact so powerful as it knocked a few ponies down, one of them especially Pinkie Pie.

"Hey, what gives?" Pinkie Pie asked in utter surprise as he picked herself up, gazing at Twilight with confused blue eyes.

She immediately cowered, lowering down on her hooves at the sight of the unicorn's expression...Twilight looked angry.

The unicorn bared her teeth, her eyes blazing with both fire and tears as she glared at everypony, especially her five friends.

"HOW COULD YOU?" She demanded angrily.

"How could we what?" Fluttershy gasped, trembling at the sight of her enraged friend.

"Oh, don't lie to me, Flutter-rage-is-my-thing-shy!" The unicorn spat, glaring daggers at her. "You know, I don't regret using that memory-erasing spell on you anymore!"

Fluttershy's eyes widened a bit, though she was still confused. However, she was hurt by her comment.

"Memory-erasing spell?" Rainbow Dash questioned.

"Well, you don't need it!" Twilight shouted, nearly scaring her off her hooves. "You were so good at forgetting things! Especially about Discord himself!"

The pegasus was quite taken aback by her comment, and she felt honestly hurt as her wings began to slow and she had descended to the ground, gazing at the enraged unicorn with near-tearful eyes.

"Twilight, what is wrong with you?"

"I should be asking you all the same thing!" Twilight shouted as she rushed back to Discord's side. "You! All of you! You did this to him!"

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing!" One voice shouted.

"It is!" Twilight sobbed, her anger just temporarily dying down as the emotional pain pang her heart even more. "I was never 'corrupted' by him! I was never kidnapped!" She stared at all of them, her eyes running with tears. "Didn't you even read the note I left?"

"Note?" Spike asked in disbelief. "What note?" He felt his tail twitch, and his green eyes widened a bit, and suddenly, he felt a bit nervous for some reason. Seeing Twilight so angry...it frightened him. But what made him even more frightened was that he felt he had done something wrong.

"The note I left on my desk!" She cried.

Then she looked over at Spike, whose expression held one of utter horror as well as self- shame.

"Oh, no..." The baby dragon murmured, his green eyes wide as dinner plates as he felt a whole load of weight fall on his shoulders.

"So wait..." Pinkie Pie racked her brain. "Discord...didn't...take you...?" She blinked in confusion, staring at the sobbing unicorn.

"No, you sad excuse for the Element of Laughter!" Twilight cried.

Pinkie Pie felt her hair deflate a little as soon as Twilight said that. Her bottom lip quivered and her blue eyes glistened, threatening to shed tears. However, Twilight could care less about her sensitivity right now. Same went for Fluttershy, who was just as hurt from one of Twilight's recent comments.

She didn't care what they were all thinking. She felt she couldn't care about them anymore...not after what they had done to her best friend.

Before any of the elements knew it, painfully ripped from their necks were the powerful necklaces, all taken off by the violent use of Twilight's magic. The unicorn's tears never ceased as they all floated above her, close to the crown on her head.

"I hate all of you!" She shouted angrily.

Shining Armor could not believe what he was hearing as he stared at his sister. All of this...all the trouble that had erupted...was from one single misunderstanding?

So Twilight had not been kidnapped? Discord never penetrated her mind?

If Discord hadn't...if Twilight was never really...then did that actually mean...?

Twilight sniffed, knowing she couldn't stand another minute being among these...these...monsters.

Using part of her magic, Twilight took hold of the statue of Discord and brought her close to her side. She continued glaring at everypony, then gazed back at the face of Discord, her expression temporarily mournful. "He was my...we...I..." Her voice trailed off as more tears fell from her eyes.

Before they all knew it, Twilight rushed off, her magic forming a little portal of light before her. Ignoring the cries and pleads around her, Twilight jumped through the hole, the elements and Discord's statue joining her.

"Twilight!" Shining Armor shouted as he pushed through the crowd.

But he was too late and his sister was gone. Again.
_

The tears continued pouring down her cheeks as Twilight rushed through the woods in which she and Discord had resided in before. It didn't feel the same anymore, not since Discord was now...

"Oh, Discord..." She sniffed as she laid his statue in front of her, followed by the elements.

The unicorn gazed down at her best friend, her tears falling against his stone face.

She lost him. She truly had lost him. And what made it all the worse is that she had lost her friends as well.

Her friends...they did this to him. Twilight promised she would protect him no matter what and she failed to do that because they wouldn't listen to her! They never even read the note she had left a long time ago!

Some Elements of Harmony they were! Applejack was an honest pain in the flank...Rarity was a too generous airhead who would tremble at the sight of a mere spider...Rainbow Dash was rude, crude, and disrespectful...Pinkie Pie was insensitive and just plain annoying...and Fluttershy...just...just...pathetic and horrifying to see just how much tonight showed she very well contrasted with her Element of Kindness.

And all that magic that occurred between everypony! Why?

Who was truly to blame...the unicorn didn't care anymore. She was broken. Alone and broken. What was left for her now that she had lost everything? Discord, her friends, her pursuits in life...

Her horn softly glowed, and it brightened further as she closed her tear-filled eyes while allowing the aura to begin slowly engulfing her body.

"If you won't be part of this world..." Twilight said sadly, her eyes open to gaze into those stone ones with tears. "...neither will I."

And as her horn continued glowing, the lower half of her body began to change texture.

Stone.

Sure, as insane as this act was, and there was still so much to live for...what was the point when you yelled, degraded, and turned away from the ones you love? What was there to be for when a very dear friend was not going to be there?

She couldn't think any better, and this felt like the only thing left to do. She truly was there for Discord no matter what. More tears fell to the grass as she tried concentrating on her magic.

And before the unicorn knew it, before she could finish her spell, she was tackled to the ground.
_

Anew

NOTE: FINALLY, after the last chapter had all your hearts broken...:(

The song in here is called "Anytime You Need a Friend" by the Beu Sisters. :)

SPOILER: There IS a kiss scene in here. :D
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Shining Armor couldn't blame his sister for averting her gaze, tears nearly forming in her eyes as she remained mute.

It had nearly been a close call, Twilight transforming her body into stone to join that chaotic creature. He had been so horrified to witness half his sister's frame being encased in solid texture, and he couldn't imagine what would have happened if he and the others hadn't broken through the magical barrier that helped lead them to where his little sister had resided temporarily.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had joined them moments after Twilight had yelled at everypony, regarding all with tearful eyes and a shattered heart just before she ripped the Elements of Harmony from her five best friends and made a run for it. The royal sisters were both shocked and confused by the young unicorn's actions, and were just as horrified as Shining Armor himself when they had found Twilight trying to conclude the spell that would lead her to join that...that...

Thank goodness the princesses were able to rid Twilight of her lower half being stone; not that it appeared to change her depressed state as Shining Armor had witnessed.

The stallion silently looked back at the frozen Draconequus that laid on the soft grass beside the seized elements. Regarding him more closely now, Shining Armor could only wince at the expression of horror clear on Discord's face.

To imagine the expression Twilight would have forever grasped if she had succeeded in joining the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony...the stallion didn't want to think about it; all that mattered was that his little sister was safe.

And all that mattered now was trying to fix everything.

A small smile crept on his lips as he watched Twilight being affectionately nuzzled by his parents as well as Cadence; as soon as they had found Twilight, the family would not leave her side, tears shedding and the desire to never let go of their precious treasure intact. Twilight had been overjoyed to see her brother again, but even the reunion for their family could not stifle the sadness everypony could clearly see on her face. He looked over at the remaining elemental bearers, seeing their smiles hide feelings of regret and hurt as they regarded their friend's joyful reunion. They felt truly at fault after Twilight had blown in their faces about the truth behind her disappearance...they all did.

Especially Spike.

The stallion watched as Spike lowered his head, his shoulders hunched, unable to gaze at the unicorn he had missed terribly. Shame was written all over his face and Shining Armor couldn't blame him.

This whole mess had been made because of one little mistake that had the whole kingdom in an uproar. And now an even bigger mess had occurred moments before, and , by Equestria, Shining Armor could only hope that he, and everypony else, could fix this.

Anything to see his sister happy again.

Twilight finally raised her eyes and turned toward her friends, the five ponies taking the courage to move closer toward the heartbroken unicorn, regardless if they were going to be yelled at and degraded again. Twilight was quite stunned as Pinkie Pie gazed at her, hooves wobbling beneath her.

The pink pony lowered her head, her blue eyes glistening with tears of regret. Twilight's eyes widened to see such a sight before she turned her gaze toward Fluttershy, whose hooves trembled, her bottom lip quivering and watched her with tearful, pleading eyes. Rainbow Dash didn't bother to look at Twilight, her magenta eyes staring at the ground, a look of self-shame on her face as her wings remained drooped to her sides. Applejack had her front hooves crossed, biting her lip as her green eyes painfully regarded the violet unicorn, as if awaiting to be yelled at. And Rarity, her lips were in a slight pout as her dark blue eyes shone with tears, feeling as if she was already enduring more harsh truth from Twilight.

The violet unicorn swallowed hard, wondering if earlier, before she seized the opportunity of encasing herself in stone, she was right to refer to them in such cold words.

"Guys..." Twilight's voice trailed.

Then her eyes gazed around her, at everypony that had went through so much just for her: Soarin' was crossing his hooves every now and then, frowning sadly as his eyes remained on the floor. Upper Crust leaned against her husband for comfort as she bit her bottom lip, as if questioning herself on this whole ordeal. Mayor Mare's eyes remained closed, her expression showing her slight discomfort and bitterness towards herself.

Then her eyes found Pipsqueak in the crowd, who stood close by the Cutie Mark Crusaders, his bottom lip quivering and the hoof-made crown on his head appearing to falter as they watched the unicorn silently regard them. Twilight suddenly recalled how excited he had been to see her again after supposedly 'saving' her; she winced, realizing she had brushed him off as if he was a leaf in the wind.

He, too, looked regretful, and was sniffling quietly to himself. Seeing that sent more pain into Twilight's heart, but she quickly shook it aside before she turned to Celestia and Luna, both having waited patiently for the unicorn to explain to them, to everypony.

"Twilight?" Celestia asked softly, her affectionate, worrisome gaze never leaving the unicorn's sight.

The unicorn let out a deep sigh before she gazed at everypony, the feel of the red cloak clung around her body paying her the warmth on this particular night. She would have assumed it would faded away, but somehow, it remained on her...just as it seemed the snow around them stood as well.

However, she ignored that and continued staring at everypony; they all seemed tense as she scanned the crowd.

Despite having ignored her several times, especially this night, she would push away all those failed chances and present them one more; they loved her dearly and she returned it as she felt Cadence gently stroke her side with sisterly comfort, being silently encouraging that the unicorn act strong this moment before the royal sisters.

Finally, Twilight took a deep breath.

"Are you ready to finally listen?" She asked softly to her friends and loved ones.

Her parents and Cadence stood behind her, beginning to capture her every word as they remained ever supportive of her. Shining Armor trembled a bit as he watched his sister.

"W-we're listening," he stuttered softly.

"We're listening, Twilight Sparkle," Celestia said calmly, her sister nodding beside her.

Twilight inhaled for a few moments, her eyes closed. Finally, she opened them and projected her voice softly yet with a firm tone.

"I left at my own free will," she confessed.

Quiet murmurs roamed among the crowd, and the remaining elements remained in their surprised state, carefully regarding their strong unicorn friend. Rainbow Dash bit her lip, her magenta eyes blinking back surprising tears as she gazed at Twilight.

"W-why?" She choked softly.

Twilight almost wanted to run over and comfort her usually tough pegasus friend, her eyes blinking back tears she needed to hold in. She shuffled her hooves nervously, swallowing hard before resuming her voice.

"For a long time now..." She continued softly. "After our first run-in with Discord...after..." She nearly choked on her voice but she breathed softly before finding her words. "...after we sealed him in stone...ever so slowly...I felt guilty."

The royal sisters exchanged surprised glances before turning their attention back to the unicorn, who stood before the other elements, no longer biting at them like the enraged pony she had been earlier.

"Why would you feel guilty?" Applejack asked nervously.

"Yeah, why?" Pinkie Pie chirped in, head lowered to a certain level as she gazed at Twilight with saddened blue eyes.

She kept her distance from Twilight, afraid she would be knocked down again by her magic, get yelled at about being a disgraceful Element of Laughter. However, despite all that, the pink pony still cared about her friend, and whether or not Twilight would yell and berate her once more, she wouldn't lose her any way; she just wanted to help her, just as she had always been doing(even though just earlier proved utter failure).

"After all that he...after all Discord did to our home the first time he came?" Pinkie gulped. "After he nearly destroyed our friendship...hurting you the worst, Twilight?"

Twilight was quite stunned by the small, depressing tone in the usually bubbly party pony's voice as she regarded her; she looked like a scared little filly afraid to get a severe scolding from an adult. The violet unicorn suddenly wished to see her usual smile, despite that earlier she had hated it because it was one only meant for their so-called 'victory'.

"Discord, he..." Her voice trailed off for a few moments before she finally found the nerve to continue. "...he regretted it afterwards."

Then she turned toward the royal sisters, an expression of both remorse and plea on her face. "He regretted everything he's ever done."

Both sisters regarded her with slightly raised eyes, their expressions still soft and hanging on her every word.

"A part of me still had doubts," Twilight continued as she took small steps to gaze at every single face that had given his or her time and effort just for the unicorn. "Even when I left home to find him, I still had doubts."

Twilight stood still, gazing down at her hooves, her eyes tightening as she gave slow breaths. A small, sad smile appeared on her lips.

"But then I saw a side of him that made me realize that there's more than meets the eye."

Cadence, who now stood beside Shining Armor, shared a glance with him, her eyes questioning his. The stallion gave a small shrug, though his eyes showed some understanding.

"D-during the first rainstorm of the week..." Twilight stuttered painfully, wincing as she recalled the memory. "H-he saved me...brought me to his humble home..."

Rarity's eyes widened as much as the other elements, wondering how 'chaotic' such a home for the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony had been. But Twilight took no notice of her expression as she painfully resumed her smile, as if the memory shone some relief on her aching situation.

"During the first couple days had been quite difficult between us..." She said in a hoarse tone, trying to regain her voice. "But then, finally, we met eye-to-eye...for real this time."

Shining Armor took great notice of his sister's trembling friend, as if she would fall any moment from the heaviness that was her depressed state. Her voice strained but carried so much power as its effect loomed over everypony, every single heart aching as much as his as Twilight spoke with so much in hers. He watched as her purple eyes flashed temporarily, and, for a moment, he thought he saw a small smile linger on her lips before a sad frown replaced it.

"Oh, sweet Equestria, you guys have no idea how bad he felt about the chaos he created a thousand years back. As well as what he had done the second time he had been released from stone."

"He felt bad?" Scootaloo whispered to the other Crusaders, only to be shushed by Apple Bloom.

"I know you guys can't seem to believe such words," Twilight went on, "but Discord...he's really a good guy if you took the time to see that."

The skirt of her cloak trailing as she took baby steps, Twilight stopped for a moment and gazed up at the moon.

That beautiful, glorious moon that had been raised by her own friend's magic. The light reflected on her face, and everypony could see fresh tears fall down her cheeks.

"When he came back just recently," she continued, not breaking her gaze from the moonlight, "he wanted to fix things...start anew..."

She lowered her head, a tear falling to the floor. "Make friends..."

Fluttershy felt her heart slowly split like a ripped piece of paper as she watched the unicorn's tears fall. That burning guilt she had been feeling suddenly increased. And her heart about pounded when Twilight raised her eyes to meet hers.

"Fluttershy..." She began softly.

A few eyes fell on the yellow pegasus and she let out a small squeak of surprise, feeling even more nervous than ever as the unicorn slowly came over to her, standing a few inches away as if afraid to touch hooves with her.

"Fluttershy..." Twilight repeated. She swallowed hard before she found her voice. "Not too long after we sealed Discord...I...I came to you."

Her shy friend blinked in confusion. "Y-you came to me?"

Twilight nodded sadly. "I felt you were the only pony I could trust with my feelings regarding the growing guilt I had about Discord, and I even felt hopeful that you could help me feel better."

"But..." The unicorn lowered her head before the pegasus. "But when I did tell you..."

Fluttershy's eyes never left hers as she shuffled her hooves nervously. "W-what did I do?"

The unicorn closed her eyes and sighed. "You...you got angry."

Fluttershy let out a small gasp. "M-me?" She stuttered. "Angry?"

Twilight raised her head and regarded her with tearful eyes. "You were so mad...going on and on about how terrible Discord was...you were more angry than you could possibly have been ever."

The yellow pegasus's jaw remained unhinged as she watched her with widened eyes. "And, well..." Twilight gulped. "I did something I regretted after you wouldn't calm down..."

Fluttershy's eyes lowered as she stood still. "What, Twilight?" She asked gently.

Her magical friend let out a sigh. "I...I used a memory-erasing spell on you."

"What?" The other elements gasped in surprise, while Fluttershy remained still and looking shocked.

"I didn't know what else to do!" Twilight cried. "I-I was just so scared...and you were so angry..."

Fluttershy watched her, eyes blinking slowly. She turned her head away, pink hair covering part of her face. "I-I can't blame you, Twilight..."

She watched from the corner of her eye as the unicorn gazed at her with a stunned expression.

"I mean..." Fluttershy swallowed. "Even tonight, I was so angry. I couldn't blame you if you used your magic to throw a zipper on my lips if it meant being protective of Discord..." Her ocean green eyes glistened. "I was so harsh to him, I suppose...and I didn't even give either of you a chance to speak your mind."

Finally, Rainbow Dash stood between them, her magenta eyes trying to blink back tears as she regarded Twilight with so much guilt.

"Thinking back," she stated quietly, "I don't think any of us had given you a chance to talk."

Twilight's eyes widened, but then they closed, feeling bits of weight lift off her slowly, though a great deal still coated her heart like cement.

"Now you guys have heard me..."

She slowly turned away from them and her eyes fell on both the princesses, as well as her family; Shining Armor and Cadence gave her sad, but encouraging smiles.

"His chaos isn't too bad," she stated quietly, "sure he had been a little out-of-hoof the first time we met him, but still..." She stood still, her eyes sparkling.

Suddenly, she raised herself and stood on her back hooves, regarding everypony around her. The biggest of smiles appeared on her face, though the largest amount of pain still filled her.

"I taught him all about Winter Wrap-Up, that's why there is snow around us..." She motioned to all the white surrounding them. "And, oh, when he gave me a pair of wings-"

"He gave you wings?" Cadence gasped loudly, her smile widening in so much surprise.

"-and then, because of his encouragement, I shot through the skies so much, I felt like Rainbow Dash at the moment!"

Rainbow Dash's jaw fell in sudden realization, however, Soarin', who broke away from his team's circle, bravely spoke toward the unicorn.

"Wait..." His voice trailed off. "That was you?" But Twilight barely heard him as she recalled the final night she and Discord had together. The bounce in her step suddenly ceased, and her smile fell instantly.

"His birthday..." Her voice trailed off.

"His birthday?" Applejack repeated uneasily.

Twilight's bottom lip quivered. "Even a thousand years ago, every birthday he had had been as miserable as the first..."

She turned toward everypony she loved near and dear to her heart.

"All he ever wanted was a friend that could accept him..." The need to cry was visible in her tone but she continued on. "To see he's not really bad as he seems..."

She sighed and closed her eyes. "I was his best friend."

"Best friend?" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, bouncing on her hooves. Her blue eyes widened in utter surprise, but she felt she couldn't be all that shocked, recalling how much Twilight's confessed at this moment.

Celestia and Luna's eyes were massive, but they remained silent, surprised as ever. Shining Armor could only feel his heart feel much heavier at the moment as he watched his sister's tears begin to fall.

His own little sister...best friend to the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony? He immediately knew that there had never been any manipulations in all this. Twilight had accepted Discord with open hooves, welcoming him ever so slowly before true friendship finally emerged and no hint of chaotic darkness could be foreseen. She really did care about him, and the friendship she and Discord shared was everything to the mischievous Draconequus, and that made her truly happy...and Shining Armor as well as everypony had taken that away from the both of them.

"Do you even know what it feels like to be alone?" Twilight went on, gazing at every single face with her pained, purple eyes. "To not have anyone care about you? Spend time with you? Be there when there's so much hurt?"

A tear fell down her cheek and she bit her lip.

"I was all he had, but it was enough," she stated quietly, "to at least have one friend...one friend who would do anything to make sure his happiness was intact."

She slowly turned and gazed at the stone figure that laid on the grass, all eyes following her glance. She gave a sigh, and closed her eyes for the moment.

Silence reigned among everypony, simply watching what else the unicorn had on her mind. Waves of emotions filled the crowd, realization of surprise, horror, and guilt coursed upon them to suddenly understand that all this time, all their negative thoughts upon the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony...compared to him, they were the evil ones.

Finally, Twilight opened her eyes. Then her mouth slowly fell. And she sang.

When you're sad

When you're feeling low

When you're hurt

And don't know where to go

Everypony watched in utter amazement as she sang her heart out, her hooves slowly moving to the words that projected out of that strong, beautiful voice of hers. Shining Armor bit his lip, fighting back tears as he watched his sister sing.

Twilight gazed up at the moon, its light bearing down on her like a blanket of comfort.

Think of me, there I'll be

Any time you need a friend

She stood there in silence, breathing deeply.

When you're down

And your luck runs out

"Or if you're in trouble or in doubt," she sang, and her voice nearly gave out, the need to sob evident in her tone but she resumed.

It's okay

Turn my way

This song was for both of them.

Rarity felt tears well up in her eyes as she watched the other unicorn sing. She was so mesmerized and grief-stricken by her song that she didn't even realize that the ending curl of her hair had somehow winded up in her mouth and she was chewing on it for mere comfort.

Any time you need a friend

Mr. Sparkle couldn't hold the tears as he watched his precious daughter sing her heart out for a friend's demise they were all responsible for. His wife leaned against him, and he could feel her tears fall against his fur.

"When you're scared," Twilight sang aloud, "I will stay with you."

When you feel you're falling

I'll lift you

Pipsqueak sniffed, tears falling to the ground as he watched her sing. Beside him, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were leaning on one another for comfort.

When you're heart breaks

I'll ease your aches

Fancypants, despite keeping his posture intact, felt the lower parts of his forelegs tremble and his monocle was nearly slipping off his face. His mustache twitched a bit, his slight frown moving from one cheek to the other as if not sure what to think at the moment. He only stopped momentarily when Zecora placed a comforting hoof on his side, her expression equaling his.

Whatever it takes, I'm in

Any time you need a friend

Finally, Shining Armor couldn't take it anymore and his eyes drew like waterfalls, more tears than half the ponies around him had shed.

His sister. His precious little sister. Hurt, grieving, and singing her heart out because of a loss they were responsible for. And her friendship had remained true to the creature even after he had been taken away from her and sealed in stone; she proved her loyalty when she was willing to give herself up to join him in stone imprisonment, never daring to allow him to be frozen in loneliness.

"Why couldn't I see it?" Shining Armor murmured to himself quietly, more tears falling. He barely noticed Cadence sidle closer to him before placing a comforting hoof on his side; her eyes were shedding tears as well as they continued listening to the unicorn that had brought so much love and happiness into their lives from the very beginning.

All our lives

Anywhere we are

Just reach out

I'll never be too far

Fluttershy felt the tears fall, biting her bottom lip, and Rainbow Dash stood close by her, leaning some of her weight against hers as they watched with pained eyes.

Come what may

There I'll stay

Any time you need a friend

"When you need a friend," Twilight sang, pressing a hoof to her heart, feeling the red cloak upon her body as her eyes tightened. "Come what may...there I'll stay..."

Tears fell down her cheeks as she gazed up at the moon once more.

"Now until the very end..." She sang painfully.

Celestia's mouth fell slightly open, her eyes nearly becoming blurred as she watched her faithful student sing. And Luna, ever strong in both mind and spirit, couldn't help but lower her eyes, her lips forming a deeper frown of remorse.

"Any time," Twilight concluded, "any time you need a friend..."

The song finally ended, Twilight slowly exhaled before she regarded everypony once more, knowing she had explained everything there needed to be said.

The silence remained...until a voice suddenly roared from within the crowd. "OH, FOR THE LOVE OF COD!" A random voice sobbed. "WHAT HAVE WE DONE?"

"Stop it, Milo..." Another voice spoke, and it was obvious that the other was having a lump in his throat this moment as well. "You're going to make me cry..."

But immediately it was Soarin' who beat them both to it as he placed his face in his hooves and sobbed. To Twilight and especially Rainbow Dash, this was the first time they had actually ever seen a Wonderbolt cry.

Celestia and Luna, who had been silent the whole time, gazed at Twilight once more. Their eyes filled with tense yet sorrowful emotions. Finally, Celestia slowly walked over to the pained unicorn.

"Twilight..." She spoke softly. "Is this truly Discord?"

Her student gazed up at her with a tearful smile. Finally, she pressed a hoof to her chest. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

"O-oh, wow..." Pinkie Pie said softly, having been so moved by her song that she couldn't sound excited. "T-that's a Pinkie Pie Promise she could never break..."

"He's a wonderful creature, Princesses," Twilight said quietly. "I've wanted to tell you that before all this happened. And, well, seeing as you all still seemed so shocked even after reading my note, and even more after that..."

"What note?" Luna asked her with a raised eyebrow. "We never received any notes."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "The note I left on my desk. I mean, I left it there for all to see."

Shining bit his lip, then his eyes fell on Spike, who felt he would burst as he tightened his eyes. Waves of guilt obvious on his face.

Finally, the baby dragon couldn't take it anymore. "IT'S MY FAULT!" He bursted out, startling everypony.

Twilight watched with widened eyes as he fell before her on shaking knees, tears pouring down his cheeks.

"I accidentally burned it before I even read it!" He sobbed uncontrollably.

Before Twilight could question him, a charred piece of paper was handed to her. As the unicorn floated it before her eyes with her magic, her jaw fell in shock.

"When all I found was Discord's name," Spike sobbed, placing his face in his hands, "I thought Discord had taken you, leaving a note of his evil deed to scare us all!" He turned and saw all eyes fall on him. "And then one thing led to another, and everyone else agreed with me that Discord kidnapped you! And look where I dropped us at!"

He pointed over to the stone figure. "Because of me...you lost him." He lowered his head, his fingers digging into the grass as more tears fell. "It's my fault..." He told himself repeatedly. "All my fault..."

And he thought almost reading Twilight's journal was the worse thing he had ever done between him and his unicorn friend...

Now look what he had done! If he had just held in his breath when he sneezed, he could have read that whole letter, being only half-frightened while also assured that Twilight wasn't hurt or anything.

Now he really did hurt her. He couldn't blame her if she never wanted to see him again, never consider him friend and family ever again, consider him the worse assistant in all of Equestria.

Suddenly, he felt a light touch under his chin. Opening his teary eyes, Spike slowly looked up and saw Twilight gaze down at him, her hoof under his chin.

A small, sad smile on her face.

"I-I forgive you, Spike," she said quietly.

A sudden rush of surprise surged through him as his eyes widened.

"W-what?" He gulped. "Y-you forgive me? After what I just pulled us all through?"

Twilight resumed her painful smile, gazing down at the baby dragon she cared so much about and vice versa.

"True, this is just so much to take in right now..." She confessed softly. "But...I know you never meant to."

Spike felt more tears well up in his eyes as he gazed at her. "I would never ever hurt you, Twilight."

"No," she agreed. Then she lowered her head and nuzzled her face against his, allowing his tears to fall against her fur. "You're only guilty of caring so much about me."

Spike couldn't say anything, he just allowed to be caressed by this loving unicorn he had been so worried about for more than a week. He felt like a great amount of weight had been lifted off his shoulders. This dear pony had forgiven him for an act so careless...

However, Spike turned toward the crowd behind him, wincing because though one pony had forgiven him so easily, what about the others?

"We're not mad," Apple Bloom assured him softly, doing her best to smile.

"I'm only upset because we didn't get any cutie marks out of this-OW!" Scootaloo gripped when she felt a jab at her side and turned to glare at Sweetie Belle who returned it with just as much fierceness in her eyes.

Twilight smiled softly, feeling so grateful to hold the baby dragon again; she had missed him during her time with Discord, and it touched her how much Spike had missed her, having sulked every passing day and wondering where she had been. Maybe whether or not he had read her letter, he probably still wouldn't have felt fine of her absence.

Finally, she placed him down and turned back toward Celestia.

"So now you all know," she stated softly. Suddenly, tears welled in her eyes and she quietly broke down. "But that doesn't even change anything."

Her eyes fell on the stone figure before she galloped beside it. Shining Armor stood a few inches away, remorse written all over his face as he watched her mourn.

"Discord's gone..." Twilight sniffed. "Again."

Celestia and Luna shared a glance, finally, with a silent nod, the sun princess slowly walked up behind her, then placed a delicate hoof on her shoulder.

"Maybe not," she said simply, her tone so assuring.

Twilight slowly looked up at her, tears falling from her widened eyes. "W-what?" She gasped.

Celestia gave a firm nod. "Perhaps...perhaps we can still break the seal. Despite how strong the magic of all of us combined, and Luna and I are no longer connected to the elements, maybe there's still a chance you can bring him back."

The unicorn's eyes widened, her heart pounding. "And return his powers?" She asked steadily.

"And bring back his powers," Luna nodded behind her sister.

Hope suddenly came rushing into the unicorn, however, it slowly ceased as she lowered her head with doubt.

"But..." She swallowed as she turned back toward Discord's lifeless face. "I...I can't control it!" She recalled how she had been forced to wear her element during the last few minutes she was with Discord. To imagine using it again...she could possibly hurt him while he was still encased in his stone prison. He was in enough pain as is, she knew!

Celestia reached over and stroked her mane gently. "Yes, you can," she stated strongly, "you had just let the element control you instead of controlling it, that must have been what made the power of harmony so strong that it took you in."

Finally, Applejack stood up, her head held high. "Shoot, Twilight, you're the most powerful pony I know! If Celestia says you can do it, then you can do it!"

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash's wings flapped as her expression held so much determination. "Breaking him out of stone will be just as easy as when we threw him back in!" Though there was a hint of doubt in her tone, mostly regarding Discord's being, she couldn't question Twilight about it; she was a smart pony, she trusted her so much.

"We'll help you, darling," Rarity said, her dark blue eyes glistening. "Anything to bring your friend back."

His tears having finally dried, Shining Armor stood close by his sister, his head held high as he gave her a willing smile.

"Oh, yeah!" He chirped in, feeling somewhat elated in hopes to cheer up his sister. "We'll help!"

"Actually, Shining Armor," Luna stated as she held a hoof to halt him. "This is a task for the element bearers only."

"Are you sure?" He asked nervously. "I mean, when we sealed Discord-"

"This is Twilight's doing now," Celestia said softly as she gazed at her student, "it's all in her hooves for this."

Twilight's eyes widened a bit. She flinched when she felt something slip off her and turned to see her mother gently remove her red cloak with her teeth before it was finally off the violet unicorn. Mrs. Sparkle gave her a tearful, encouraging smile as she folded the precious piece of clothe.

"Don't want you to carry so much when you use your magic..." She bit her lip, though the smile was visible in her eyes.

The violet unicorn felt her heart melt even further as she regarded them both with a loving smile. Then she felt something placed atop her head and turned to see Shining Armor gently placing the elemental crown atop her head with his magic, as his hoof gently touched hers. He gave a nervous smile, not daring to break way from her gaze. Twilight just smiled at him.

"Thanks," she said softly.

"Come on, Twilight," Rainbow Dash urged as she gently nudged her, "let's bring Discord back."

Twilight silently nodded before she took her position in the middle among the other elements. Just as she was about to close her eyes and work her magic-

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" One voice shouted. "Let me take a picture of the elements first!"

"Are you serious, Milo?" His brother shouted angrily.

"Hey, this will be the last time we get to see them!" The other argued. "At least let me take a picture of them up close before they work their batteries and all that magic stuff happens, and POOF, they're done."

His brother was about to raise his voice when Twilight spoke out. "It's alright,," she let out a quiet giggle. "Go ahead."

"But make it quick," Rainbow Dash muttered.

The six ponies stood still as they were nearly blinded by the rush of flashing lights and startling clicks, as if their elements were being photographed from every angle.

"Done!" He said happily.

"Finally, can we get this over with?" Rainbow Dash grumbled. "Before it's too...you know?" She turned to Twilight with concerning eyes.

Twilight nodded. Then she closed her eyes, the crown on her head sparkling. Finally, it began to glow.

The light was mesmerizing as everypony watched the power of the combined elements work into effect, and soon, the five ponies slowly ascended into the air.

Shining Armor swallowed as he watched his sister being lifted up, the amazing aura around her body somewhat frightening. He turned to Cadence, who placed her hoof on his side, giving him an assuring glance that Twilight knew what she was doing.

The magic coursed through Twilight's body and she felt it flow freely, along with the five ponies before her. Her eyes slowly opened, the light emerging as she concentrated.

She gazed down at Discord's figure, pain filling her heart as she continued her magic. She hoped, with everything in her body, she would bring him back. She needed to bring him back. She needed him back. And she knew they all did.

"Hang on..." She whispered softly.

And everypony immediately shielded their eyes when the light grew brighter. And suddenly, a massive rainbow emerged from the combined colors of the element bearers, forming a long strip that shot out from them and making its way toward the statue.

Spike unshielded his eyes after a few moments of the elements taking effect to watch the six ponies slowly descend to the ground.

Twilight let out a tired breath, feeling so much having drained from her as she stood on shaking hooves.

"Did it work?" Fluttershy asked nervously.

Everypony watched as the statue continued glowing, still drinking in what the elements had used on it. Twilight bit her lip, her eyes threatening to give tears as the bright glow resumed.

Please...her mind begged.

After a few agonizing moments, the glow stopped. But she saw no movement in the figure itself.

Twilight was about to let out a shriek and sob her heart out...but then she heard a low groan.

Immediately, she rushed over and stood over the figure. Her heart pounded when it began to stir.

His face was the first thing she gazed at...and now she found herself gazing into red and gold eyes that shone with the familiarity she recognized so well.

"D-discord?" Twilight gulped, her hooves shaking.

Everypony held his or her breath as they watched the figure slowly stir. Finally, all hopes had risen when the Draconequus slowly rolled on his stomach, rubbing his head with his lion paw as his eyes scanned everywhere for the first time.

He gazed at every face that fell on him, until finally, he gazed into one he was just so happy to see after what felt like an eternity in his stone prison.

"T-twilight..." He gasped softly, a painful smile on his face.

Twilight couldn't hold the tears anymore as she smiled at him. "Discord!" She cried out happily before she rushed into his arms.

Though neither heard it in the course of their tearful embrace, everypony let out cheers for the reunited friends. Twilight just buried her head in his chest, basking in their hug while his soft lion paw stroked her mane as before.

"But how?" Discord asked as he gazed down at her after breaking their hug. Twilight was too happy to speak. She turned her head and motioned to the others.

It was Rainbow Dash who took a few steps forward, anxiety hitting her hard as she barely even looked up into Discord's eyes.

"Hey, uh..." She searched her head for the right words. "Sorry for, you know...everything."

"There's still a lot to explain," Rarity spoke calmly, giving the Draconequus a nervous smile.

"Lots and lots of explaining!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"And, uh, yeah..." Spike shifted his feet nervously. "Especially me."

Discord blinked in utter surprise, then he gazed down at Twilight, whose smile was becoming too big for her face as her tears fell.

"Please don't worry, my friend," she told him softly as she placed a gentle hoof to his side. "This very day...this very night...this very moment..."

She did not stop the tears of joy from sliding down her cheeks as her smile resumed, gazing happily at him, her heart throbbing with happiness and relief. Discord was quite stunned by her expression, he almost wanted to bend down and wipe away her tears but his arms still felt a bit weak after just being released from that horrid prison.

But her smile, oh, her smile...he knew everything was alright if not just improved.

"You're okay now," she sniffed, her smile almost becoming painful. "Nopony will not dare harm you ever again."

Discord raised an eyebrow before he looked over at every single pony whose eyes fell on the both of them. Neither hatred nor resentment shone on any of their faces; if he didn't know any better, they looked almost ashamed. In fact, Rainbow Dash, the toughest pony he knew of the six elements, appeared quite faltered, almost afraid at the sight of him, her wings drooping and her hooves connected in a worried grip. If he wasn't in a precious moment with his best friend right now, he would have teased the cyan pegasus.

"Recalling our friendship has given me strength, Discord," Twilight nearly choked, blinking back more tears. "And that's what gave me the power to release you."

The Draconequus gazed down at her, and suddenly, he felt like so much weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

He felt...he felt like the opportunity for a whole new beginning has finally unfolded before him.

With friends.

Before he knew it, ponies left and right came to his side, and he was immediately showered with compliments and apologies. He felt uncomfortable at first, but the feeling quickly faded and was replaced with a grateful sigh as well as a smile full of pride. And that smirk became cocky as ponies gave him curious and excited questions.

"So you control both the sun and the moon?"

"With your magic, you think you could make harvest come sooner for some of us?"

"When can we expect some chocolate rain? Our milk supply is running a bit low..."

Discord just smirked, knowing every question could be answered with no difficulty. And with an even larger confidence, the desire for surprising these ponies with his innocent chaos in the future was a must.

Twilight wiped the tears away, so overjoyed as she watched Discord finally receiving the treatment he had longed to have. It was like a second birthday to him...as to her.

"Twilight?"

The unicorn turned and she was surrounded by her five best friends and her number one assistant, all with nervous smiles on their faces and eyes of both joy and guilt. Twilight swallowed, her smile never fading.

"I'm not mad at you anymore, girls!" She exclaimed, spreading her forehooves. "You guys are my friends! You just wanted to protect me!" Tears fell down her cheeks. "Oh, where are my hugs?"

That familiar, glowing smile immediately shone on Pinkie Pie's face, and Twilight felt her heart soar to see the bubbliness emerge from the pink pony whose desire was for everypony to smile.

"Oh, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie sobbed happily as she wrapped her hooves around the unicorn, her tears competing with hers.

"There's that smile, Pinkie!" Twilight exclaimed happily, cradling her head on her shoulders.

The other four quickly joined and formed a group hug, squealing and crying and apologizing, hooves wrapped tightly around each other and the heaviness in their hearts finally lifting. Spike stood close by, doing his best not to shed a tear. But this moment was just so beautiful and Twilight looked so happy, tears the size of his feet dropped to the ground.

After the hug, Twilight took great notice of Spike's tears and gave him a small smile as she slowly walked over to him.

"Spike," she spoke softly.

The baby dragon sniffed as he tried to wipe away his tears. He smiled nervously up at her.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," he choked, "I really am." He lowered his head shamefully. "I know that's not enough and my fault costed you so much..."

He felt a light touch under his chin and he was slowly lifted up for his green eyes to meet purple ones. The sparkle in Twilight's eyes never shone so much brighter than at this moment...

"I forgive you, Spike," she told him gently. "Your mistake was completely accidental, and though it nearly had Equestria turned upside down, I'm not mad at you." She nuzzled his cheek. "Everything's okay now. Please don't be so hard on yourself."

And with that said, Twilight used her magic to lift him up to her level and wrap her forelegs around his tiny body, hugging him like there was no tomorrow. Spike swallowed hard, tears falling down his face as he lifted up his shaky arms and wrapped them around her neck, hugging her just as tight.

As the moments unfolded before them, Celestia and Luna stood behind some of the ponies in the excited crowd as they awaited a chance to speak with the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony.

"Well, dear sister," Luna commented as she watched Discord being praised by a few children while Twilight was hugging loved ones left and right, "seems Discord really has changed during the last thousand years."

Celestia chuckled softly, a small smile on her face, her eyes remained focused as they observed her student reaching over and placing a hoof on the Draconequus, smiling happily. "Indeed, Luna," she said quietly. "And everypony can see that now." She closed her eyes, her smile resuming. "All because one certain pony had truly seen goodness in him and never gave up."

Luna shared her sister's smile. "Wasn't that a lesson you taught her the first time Discord had been released?"

"Yes it was," the sun princess nodded.

Eyes slowly opening, she watched as Twilight turned from hugging Discord to hugging her dear brother and sister-in-law. Celestia felt her heart lift up to see her student so happy. So happy for a friend.

"And Twilight Sparkle had been the only one to take hold of that lesson so deeply."

The moon princess chuckled. "Well, seems the student has become quite the teacher tonight as we have just witnessed."

"She's everything and more, Luna," Celestia smiled, "and I am proud to be her teacher."

As the royal sisters continued watching the commotion before them, Luna glanced up as the moonlight poured down on them, a slight pout on her face.

"If only Discord hadn't raised the moon so early in the afternoon," she stated, her eyes blinking in slight annoyance.
_

Twilight blinked sleepily, raising her head from a soft, fluffy surface and let out a quiet yawn before scanning her surroundings.

Of course, she realized, they were in the hospital. Discord needed rest and a good check-up after that whole ordeal with being resealed and released from stone. Despite his insistence that he was alright, she knew how exhausted he was and Twilight scolded him to follow the nurses and doctors into Ponyville's hospital, saying that even the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony needed some medical attention. Of course, she was just as tired as him.

They were all tired, most ponies more than her. Some ponies were residing in the hospital for the night, most of the others were taking their rest outside the hospital doors, aided and given food and reflecting on the past week that led to this day. The unicorn herself had stayed by Discord's side all night, growing so worried about him every passing second despite the negativity of this day had already faded. Somehow she had fallen asleep while sitting across from his bedside, and she had found her head having rested on his chest as she slumbered along with him.

Finally woken up, Twilight smiled to herself as she watched him sleep, his mismatched arms folded over his chest and his tail curved over the bedside. His closed eyes were calm and serene, his entire face completely at peace.

Things were truly at peace with this chaotic creature now, and that made the unicorn smile even more.

Gazing toward the window, Twilight saw a few ponies strolling around the hospital, some having made camp and resting, and others gnawing on food provided to them.

Everpony was fine now. And although there might still be some things that needed to be worked out, Twilight knew they would get through it. As long as Discord was by her side, as well as her closest friends and loved ones.

Twilight looked over at the clock, seeing that it truly was nighttime and the moon still remained. Now fully awake, Twilight felt she could leave Discord for a few moments, simply stretch her hooves and partake in casual conversations with some of the others.

Letting out another yawn, Twilight smiled softly as she gazed over at Discord's slumbering form. Quietly raising herself from her sleep, gently removing the blanket draped over her shoulders, Twilight silently made her way toward the door, not before grabbing the red cloak her mother had handed back to her just before she joined Discord in the hospital room. Using her magic, she placed the garment on, the puffy hood just hanging behind her neck as the skirt trailed on the floor. With one glance at Discord, the unicorn slowly opened the door before shutting it behind her.

The sound of her hooves clopping against the marble floor, Twilight took a turn around a narrow hallway before finally finding a door that led her outside. Pushing through it, she was greeted by the cool breeze and glowing moonlight that kissed her face as she walked across the grass. Some ponies turned in her direction, giving nods of silent greeting and waves of their hooves before resuming their tasks, Twilight smiled as one pony paid her a wish that Discord would be well, with the mention that there wouldn't be any trouble along the way.

As Twilight made her way down another path, she immediately stopped in her tracks when her ears became attuned to a distinct sound.

It sounded almost like...crying?

High on alert, Twilight quickened the pace of her hooves, trying to locate that sound. Finally, she came across a large tree, where, gazing as she hid behind it, stood three fillies and a certain little colt.

"Just because it didn't turn out the way you expected, that doesn't mean you stink at being a hero," Scootaloo spoke assuringly.

Pipsqueak just sniffed, gazing at the ground. "But didn't you see how mad and sad Twilight was?" He stated.

"She's not mad anymore," Sweetie Belle assured him, "and she's happy now! Her friend Discord's back and okay and since he's okay, Twilight's okay, so everypony's okay!" She beamed proudly, but her smile did not bring even a small one from the depressed little colt.

"But...but..." He swallowed hard. "I wanted to at least, in some way, show her true hero deed." He sighed. "But instead, I, as well as everypony, looked like the bad guy."

Twilight stifled her gasp, her eyes widening as she hung on the child's every word. Poor Pipsqueak! Even after so much assurance and forgiveness, he still felt at fault for what had happened. He, along with the Crusaders, were completely innocent in all this, only just following after the adults and the burning need to find and rescue her when they assumed she had been taken away in chaos's grasp. They just wanted her safe. Especially Pipsqueak, who, much like her brother, wanted nothing but her safety as well as her happiness.

The unicorn flinched when she saw the little colt immediately jerk his head down, throwing his hoof-made crown on the grass. Before the Crusaders could say anything, they jumped back when his tiny hoof crushed down on the hat he had worked so hard on.

Tears immediately fell from Twilight's eyes as her heart broke at the sight of the little colt stamping on his creation, the look of both grief and guilt on his face creating a lump in her throat.

After the hoof-made crown finally laid flat and crumpled, Pipsqueak lowered his head once more, sighing sadly.

"I don't deserve to have my own friendship crown," he murmured, "some hero I turned out to be for Twilight Sparkle..."

Finally, Twilight couldn't take it anymore and emerged from around her hiding place behind the tree, startling the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Pipsqueak took notice of their reactions before he wheeled around and his eyes widened at the sight of the older unicorn standing before him, the red cloak she wore making her appear even more majestic.

Before he could question her, Twilight spoke out. "That's not true, Pipsqueak!" She exclaimed, her tears having dried.

Realizing she head heard every word, the little colt lowered his head, ears drooping, unable to meet the gaze of the unicorn that had gone through so much tonight.

"But I..." He muttered. "I'm not a hero..." He turned his gaze toward the crushed crown beside him. "You didn't even need saving..."

He felt a light touch under his chin and he was gently lifted up with her delicate hoof, his eyes meeting purple ones once more as Twilight smiled gently down at him.

"Of course I did," she told him quietly, "I had been saved from making a grave mistake."

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "Um, doesn't that category land mostly on her bro-" But she was immediately silenced when Apple Bloom placed a hoof against her mouth.

"And you, my little Pip," Twilight let out a soft giggle as she smiled down at him, "you were so brave through it all, from when Discord first came back to the release of him."

"You should have seen how he handled the hydra when we went looking for you in the swamp!" Apple Bloom exclaimed excitedly.

Twilight's eyes widened at her statement, but she immediately shook it aside, knowing well that these three fillies had done much worse even without dragging Pipsqueak along. She turned back to him, who seemed quite mesmerized at the moment, hardly blinking as he looked up at her with those big, adorable eyes of his.

"And by the way, Pipsqueak," she said softly, "you are a hero." She leaned down and nuzzled her nose against his, earning himself some red in the face. "You're my hero."

And before Pipsqueak knew it, in front of the stunned eyes of the Crusaders, Twilight leaned down and kissed his cheek, leaving behind a small kiss mark. Suddenly, everything began to blur for the young colt as his eyes widened in pure realization and his entire frame felt stiff. He was so frozen at the moment, he barely heard the tiny giggles from the three fillies behind him nor did he move when Twilight used her magic to lift his crown from the ground and fixed it up a bit before placing it back on his head, his brown hair seeming to stick up for some reason.

Twilight smiled before the four kids, even more proud of them at the moment, especially Pipsqueak.

"Hey, I have a great idea!" She beamed. "How about some other time I'll have Discord whip you kids up with some cotton candy cupcakes? Made fresh from the most delicious cotton candy clouds he's ever summoned!"

Scootaloo's mouth drooled at the mention of sweets. "Cupcakes..." She muttered.

"That would be great!" Apple Bloom exclaimed happily.

"Can we have chocolate milk as well?" Sweetie Belle asked excitedly. "I never got to drink the rain!"

"Of course," Twilight smiled sweetly, "be sure to tell all the other kids as well." She sighed happily, placing a hoof to her heart. "Discord really does have a soft spot for kids."

"I like him even more," Scootaloo said with a smirk. "He's no Rainbow Dash, but he's pretty cool for a Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony."

"Well, you kids take care, alright?" Twilight said before she turned on her hooves and trotted off. She flashed Pipsqueak one last smile, but he didn't seem to notice, considering he was still frozen from what had just occurred between them.

As soon as Twilight was gone, the little colt quickly shook his head before his eyes shifted over to the kiss mark that still remained on his cheek. Finally, his cheeks deepened like roses and a goofy smile spread across his face and he sighed happily, gently placing his tiny hoof over the part where she had just kissed him.

Scootaloo smirked at him. "I knew it."

Pipsqueak just ignored her, taking too much pride in himself as well as the crown that stood on his head as he adjusted it.

"Man!" The orange pegasus exclaimed. "Isn't it cool that Twilight Sparkle is best friends with Discord, the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony?"

"It sure is!" Apple Bloom smiled.

"However..." Sweetie Belle muttered to herself, tapping a hoof to her chin. "I don't know what it is, but why do I feel like there's something else? Something else I'm not really sure what it is..."
_

Discord smirked as he turned away from the window, having used his magic to summon a few cotton candy pillows for a few ponies outside to sleep on. Oh, the joy of finally being appreciated for what his chaotic powers can do!

Arms folded behind his head as he rested against his pillow, the Draconequus idly listened to the clock tick, every second being longer than the first as he waited until the moment finally arrived and he could leave this boring hospital room.

And start anew.

Looking back, he had been very terrified for himself...and for Twilight. True, the elements had seeped him of his powers, but he did have some magic left to escape if he could; but he had been too petrified by the sight of his best friend desperately trying to stop everything to save him. That loyal act of hers broke his heart, and seeing the tears fall from those purple eyes of hers, not giving up when her chances to save him were slim...if it had really been his final moment before becoming stone, at least he had taken one last look at the unicorn before accepting his fate, holding to heart only the memories of their strong friendship.

Now look where he was now. No longer stone, powers returned, just as mischievous as ever. And for the goodness of all. For harmony to balance out his chaos. He had been quite surprised by what everypony immediately thought of him now, but considering the look he had seen on Twilight, he knew they had gone through so much while he had been imprisoned.

His and Twilight's friendship was very strong, and that touched very heart of every pony, even the princesses, as he recalled.

He was immediately pulled away from his thoughts when he heard a short cough, and turned toward his window where he was greeted by a unicorn stallion with shining blue hair.

"Uh, hi..." Shining Armor greeted nervously, his head sticking through the window.

Discord raised an eyebrow at him, then he just smirked. "Good evening."

Silence reigned between them, and it felt quite awkward for Shining Armor at the moment, trying to search his head for what else to say. If his sister was still around, he could have had something to speak out.

"So, um..." He said slowly. "H-how you feeling?"

"Oh, fine if you like being cooped on in a hospital bed where you can perform only little chaos and you're bored out of your mind," Discord said nonchalantly, raising his eyes to the ceiling with a sigh.

"Oh, okay," Shining Armor chuckled nervously.

"And you are?" Discord asked, observing him closely.

The stallion swallowed but held his head high. "I'm Shining Armor, captain of the Royal Guard. And Twilight's brother."

Discord regarded him for a few moments before he smirked. "Ah, yes," he chuckled, "dear Twilight did mention you. She kept going on and on about how proud she was to be your sister as well as a sister-in-law to your wife...Candy, is it?"

"Cadence," Shining Armor corrected. "And yeah, I'm just as proud to have her as my little sis." He smiled with so much pride on his face. "I mean, I'm her BBBFF."

The Draconequus raised an eyebrow at him in confusion. Shining Armor let out a laugh.

"Big Brother Best Friend Forever."

"Oh," Discord said with slight amusement, "interesting acronym."

"Yeah," the stallion said proudly. Then he smiled at him. "And considering what my sister's said tonight," his smile deepened, "you are probably dubbed her BCSFF or something."

"BCSFF?"

"Best Chaotic Spirit Friend Forever."

Discord held his expression with slight amusement. "That just came off the tip of your tongue, didn't it?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Shining Armor said with slight embarrassment.

"So intellectual really does run in the family," Discord chuckled.

"Well, my sister's IQ is far beyond any of ours," the stallion confessed, "I mean, she is Celestia's prized pupil."

"And a treasure amongst your family, I presume?" Discord asked carefully, shifting in his bed a bit.

Shining Armor caught a hint of curiosity in his tone and let out a sigh. "I think I know what you're trying to bring up."

"Really, now?" Discord asked innocently. "Does that one question reveal how much I wonder how important Twilight is to everypony, especially to her dear brother, that the act of putting me back into stone had been the only choice?"

The stallion swallowed, sensing some sort of slight discomfort in the Draconequus' tone; despite his confident posture, he could see Discord was still a bit shaken after the whole experience.

"Look," Shining Armor began, "when news first broke out that my sister had gone missing, and because Spike had burned her note..." He added quickly. "I really did hold a grudge against you from that day."

Discord's face remained unchanged, simply glancing at him. "Really?" He asked with fake astonishment.

"Well, the first time you were released and unleashing your chaos on Equestria," the stallion continued, "I knew I needed to do my job, try to protect everypony despite the difficulty of chocolate rain and flying pies." He lowered his head, resting against the windowsill. "But the second time your were released, after Celestia assumed you kidnapped my sister..."

Discord sensed the slight darkness in his tone, but remained steady and awaited for him to continue.

"I just wanted to strangle you with my own hooves," Shining Armor confessed. "Well, Cadence, too, but she's not really as strong as me..."

The Draconequus placed an eagle talon to his chin, tapping it as he regarded him with curious eyes. Twilight did mention how her family's love was strong, as well as for everypony she knew and loved, but for somepony willing to go up against the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony personally despite the odds...that was true love right there.

"But after we put you in stone," Shining Armor continued quietly, "after Twilight stated, ever so angry, about how important you were to her and how much you wanted to change...and that you were her best friend...and when she was crying..."

He choked on his words a bit, feeling that familiar lump in his throat return. He sighed as he closed his eyes, the horrid memory of his sister's tears plaguing his mind.

"I just wanted to strangle myself."

Discord's eyes widened at his statement, completely taken back by how much guilt the stallion had. For as long as he knew, it never occurred to him that Royal Guard ponies held any emotion. And considering that this stallion was captain of the Royal Guard...

Finally, after a few moments, Discord snapped his fingers. Before Shining Armor knew it, he had been summoned into the hospital room in a quick flash. As his hooves met the floor, he looked at Discord in slight confusion. The Draconequus smiled at him.

"Au contraire, mon capitan," he chuckled. "You, of all ponies, should feel quite good about yourself."

Shining Armor regarded him with confusion. "Why?"

"Well, let's see," Discord tapped a talon to his chin, "you finally found your sister, stopped her from becoming stone to join me, you believed in her when she spoke about how great I actually am, supported her when she needed it the most to control her element to bring me back, and, seeing as you're speaking to me at this very moment, you like everypony, is giving me a chance."

The stallion blinked at him utterly stunned now that he thought about. After a few moments, he smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof.

"Uh, yeah," he said, "I guess I should be."

Discord nodded, smiling before stretching his arms out as he tried to make himself more comfortable on his hospital bed. "This place seems so dull," he sighed, "I can't wait to get out of here."

"Yeah, my sister, too," Shining Armor said. "Which reminds me..." He tapped a hoof to his chin, searching his head. "Oh, yeah, our parents are bringing her back to Canterlot for a while. And, get this, Fancypants is going to be hosting a garden party in her honor." He smiled at the Draconequus. "And you, of course, are invited."

Discord blinked in surprise. He cocked his head at him, raising an eyebrow. "Are you serious?"

"Upper Crust and some of the other Canterlot ponies would really like you to be there," the stallion said, "and Photo Finish kept going on and on about how she wants to take pictures of the chaotics."

The Draconequus snorted as the words rolled off his tongue. "Well then," he said, "I haven't been invited to a party in the last thousand years. I do hope they won't mind a little fun-Discord style." He smirked to himself.

"I'm sure everypony knows what to expect," Shining Armor chuckled. "But the trip to Canterlot is still probably a few days' away. My folks, along with me and my wife, are going to be staying here in Ponyville until then. You know, family time and stuff." He looked at him closely, smiling. "Hey, maybe after you're done being cooped up in here, maybe you'd like to consider allowing me taking you out for lunch? Just you, me, Twilight, and Cadence."

Discord raised an eyebrow at the offer. Was this pony actually suggesting they...hang out?

"You're not just humoring me, are you, captain?" He asked carefully.

"Hey, I'm no Element of Honesty like my sister's friend," Shining Armor chuckled, "but I totally mean it."

At that moment, Discord felt opportunity tugging at the tips of his toes. Shining Armor did remind him a bit of Twilight Sparkle...

Finally, the Draconequus smirked. "Any chance you'd like it on a particular rainy day?"

Shining Armor just smiled, as if challenging him to a friendly duel. "As long as it doesn't cause a great, big chocolate flood."
_

A Chaotic Celebration

NOTE: Well, guys, this is the LAST chapter. I'm really happy how far I've come, and it almost saddens me to realize that this story is finally finished. Thank you all for reading it. :)

Also, you got to love Shining Armor and Discord. :D
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
"You look very beautiful, you know, sis."

Twilight smiled sheepishly at Cadence, shuffling her hooves while trying to remain absorbed in the soothing atmosphere of the garden party. She had been both happy and relieved during the time she spent with her family back in Ponyville. With the inclusion of Discord, of course. It still surprised her, even now, how well he and her brother got along during the time they, along with her and Cadence, had lunch together.

And they had all laughed when Discord had summoned chocolate rain over the restaurant.

The unicorn nervously shifted her eyes over to where the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony stood. He was deep in casual conversation with a few Canterlot ponies, their faces filled with awe and curiosity as they rambled on with questions and details to the redeemed creature. Twilight couldn't help but smile with relief, however, her eyes were glued on what exactly Discord was wearing.

A dark, slightly turquoise suit with a white shirt inside. And a poison joke pinned at the side of his chest.

Twilight swallowed before she shifted her eyes to what she, too, was adorned in:a green gown that glittered with sashes and lace ribbons; a blouse with silky light green sleeves; her ears dawning earrings that were the shape of leaves; her hair slightly softened down with a bun on top, two green feathers on top as decoration.

She couldn't believe she had found an exact dress like this while going shopping with Cadence. She had thought it had all been just something that only appeared in a dream!

'Only one seemed to have been ever made' was what the owner of the dress shop had told Twilight.

And what made it more coincidental in Twilight's case was the use of green eyeshadow, which Rarity kept complimenting about how it brought out the sparkle in her eyes and made the lanterns of Fancypants' party appear so dull.

Garden party...Discord's suit...Twilight's new dress...green eyeshadow...

This was beginning to appear like the dream Twilight had not too long ago.

If this truly was to occur like in her dream, wouldn't that mean that the Canterlot ponies would consider Discord a...?

"I say, my good Draconequus," her fears were immediately halted when she turned to find Jet Set and Upper crust deep in lively conversation with the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. "I can understand that this party might differ from anything you've been accustomed to back then." The stallion gave a sheepish shrug.

"Oh, darling, please," Upper Crust laughed as she nudged her husband, "a thousand years isn't that large a gap, and our fine, chaotic friend here has adapted to times so well. But perhaps sometimes society can be rather dull."

"Oh, nonsense," Discord gave an amused chuckle, "this all seems fine to me. Could use a little chaos, but who's complaining?"

Twilight felt her fears disperse as she shone with a relieved smile while watching her best friend among ponies of her own kind. She had been afraid that although he had been released from the hospital a week ago, ponies would still tremble at the sight of him. Worse, lash out and call him a monster.

But now everypony seemed to realize how redeemed he was, even high-society ponies of her hometown, and that made her smile even more.

He was happy. Truly accepted.

Seemed her dream came true with some alternations.

"So Discord's house," Twilight turned when she felt a soft touch on her hoof and found her brother smiling down at her, "it's like totally floating above Ponyville, right?"

"Actually, more centered high above my house," Twilight explained.

After Discord had left the hospital, he had temporarily stayed with Twilight and Spike in their library house. Although Spike still felt guilty about everything, the more he got to know Discord, the more his anxiety lessened; and this became even more successful with Discord conjuring as much gems as Spike could eat. Soon, Discord had announced he was going to conjure up his own house. Right above Ponyville.

Out of all the places in Equestria, he could have created a house in either Canterlot or Manehatten, but he decided to reside in clouds high above where Ponyville was.

True, he may have fallen in love with the town mostly because when he had been first released, he had turned it into the 'chaos capital of the world'. Or maybe because his best friend, as well as the Elements of Harmony, resided in it.

"So high in the clouds that Cloudsdale can spot it?" Cadence laughed.

Before Twilight could speak, she felt delicate hooves wrap around her neck from behind, and soon she found herself cheek-to-cheek with Upper Crust.

"Oh, dear, you have no idea how happy I am for you!" The older unicorn exclaimed, hugging her even tighter.

"Uh, thanks?" Twilight spoke, her face being nuzzled be the overjoyed mare.

"I've always known you were a special girl," Upper Crust said softly as she loosened her grip on her, "you're still full of surprises. And hopefully, I'll get to witness some of them."

Twilight's mouth hung low, stunned by the older unicorn's compliment and confession. Though her mind had been blurry, she did recall that time during her childhood when her mother introduced her to Upper Crust and Jet Set, but that had been it; she was just so absorbed in her books. But, now a grown mare, during her birthday and through re-introductions, it brought back some memories. However, Twilight had always assumed that Upper Crust and her husband were just a couple of snobby, flamboyant, ill-mannered pricks.

But after everything that happened, after Twilight found out how much this older unicorn had gone through to bring her to safety, she realized just how much she had changed.

And she loved that about her.

"Thank you," was all Twilight could say, gazing at the motherly unicorn in awe.

Upper Crust held her tears back, her smile becoming too big for her face as she regarded the younger mare as if she was her own filly. Finally, she turned in Discord's direction, who was listening to another one of Fancypants' stories.

"Oh, Mr. Discord," she called. As he turned to her, the mare smiled cheekily at him. "Perhaps maybe you can liven this party a bit?" She lowered her eyes knowingly. "My, my..." She began fanning herself with her own hoof. "I'm dreadfully parched. I could use a drink."

Twilight's eyes widened, gazing at the older unicorn in disbelief before turning her sights toward Discord, who smirked.

"I think everypony could use a drink," he chuckled before snapping his fingers.

And, just like in her dream, a cotton candy fountain appeared, gushing out glorious chocolate milk. But unlike her dream, the Canterlot ponies came rushing over, bending their heads down and dipping their mouths to slurp up what chaos had created.

"Chocolate milk?" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, turning her attention away from the buffet table. "I WANT!"

Twilight could hardly contain her laughter as a bolt of bright pink pushed through ponies that have let their manners die down to savor the liquid.

"I got to tell you, Twilly," Shining Armor laughed as he watched Discord drink from a glass before shaking his paw with a grateful high-society stallion. "Equestria will never be the same again." Then he smiled sheepishly down at her. "In a good way, I mean."

The younger unicorn smiled up at her brother before she turned her gaze back to Discord. ""I know you do."
_

"You can check that off the list now, Spike."

The baby dragon nodded before taking out the long list that fell to the floor and marked it once again. "Blow up balloons. Check."

Cadence smiled as she watched everypony do their job and worked around the massive ballroom. This would definitely be better than a boring gala. Then she smiled over at her sister-in-law, watching her look over the list she had prepared and laughed.

"You know this celebration isn't for a few more days," she chuckled.

"Things have to be perfect!" Twilight exclaimed, appearing a bit frantic. "I want everything to be perfect for Discord!"

"What about for you?" Cadence asked her carefully.

"Discord and I share the, though not all, same interests," the unicorn insisted. Then her eyes widened when she caught sight of a fraction of work becoming disruptive and unimpressive. "No, Rainbow Dash, the sign doesn't go there! It goes right in the the very front of this ballroom between those two windows!"

The cyan pegasus turned back to her, raising a slightly irritated eyebrow. "What?"

"Come on, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight exclaimed. "The light centers from..." Spike and Cadence watched as she galloped away from them before stopping at what appeared to be the center. "...here! So the sign needs to be over there!" And she pointed behind her.

"Alright," Rainbow Dash scoffed before she grabbed the banner with her teeth and dragged it out from where she pinned it.

However, before she could even fly off, Twilight let out a horrified gasp.

"What is it?" Cadence asked her.

"Rainbow Dash, what is that?" Twilight cried.

The pegasus looked down and regarded the writing on the banner. Spike cocked his head and read.

"Welcome, Disco..." His voice trailed off. "Hey, where's the rest of his name?"

"Oh, well, the ponies who made this didn't have any room," Rainbow Dash said. "So they gave me a sticky note to put at the end." And she held out in her hoof a yellow piece of paper with 'rd' on it.

"That's not going to do!" Twilight cried. "Tell them to redo it! Please!"

Rainbow Dash sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said before flying away, dragging the material with her.

Cadence watched as the pegasus flew out the doors before turning to Twilight with a worrisome smile.

"Don't stress so much over this party, sis," she told her, "you didn't stress out when you were planning my wedding."

"But this is Discord we're talking about," Twilight said calmly. "More than a thousand years, Cadence! He deserves the best, and by the best, I mean he deserves perfect."

"I thought chaos meant imperfection," Spike scratched his head.

"Oh, Spike, Discord may-" Twilight began but was cut off when she caught sight of another disruption. "Applejack, why in Equestria are you dragging those plants into the ballroom? They belong in the royal gardens!"

The Earth pony turned from hauling a dozen green roots and gazed at the unicorn. "Sorry about that, Twi," she apologized with a smile, "just grabbing some greens for the royal kitchen."

"But you're trailing dirt on the floor!" Twilight cried.

"Easy now," Applejack chuckled, "the party's still days away, we can clean it up by then!"

"I think this needs to be cleaned up now," Twilight said sternly.

"Calm down, sis," Cadence told her gently, placing a hoof on her side. "I'll call the servants."

As Applejack left to continue on toward the kitchen, Twilight let out a sigh. Cadence and Spike offered her supportive smiles.

"Things look great," Cadence assured her.

"And all the kids are getting excited about dressing up," Spike said.

"You have your dress set, right?" Cadence asked her.

"Of course," Twilight said, "had it cleaned many times to make sure it doesn't falter or wrinkle."

Cadence smiled. "That's gre-is that poison joke?" Her eyes widened in slight horror.

Twilight turned and watched as a few ponies, dressed in air suits and complete with protective helmets with glass coverages, were cautiously hauling a wagon of blue flowers. The unicorn chuckled before turning back to a shocked Spike and Cadence.

"Don't worry," she assured them, "just as long as you don't touch them."
_

Shining Armor walked into the royal kitchen, watching as ponies bustled around with preparations and completing recipes. He wanted to see how his sister was doing, considering it seemed like, just as his wedding, she was in control of the whole operation.

He wasn't too surprised when he found her sitting on one of the stools, hunched over a few notes and lists she established just for the celebration.

"No, Applejack!" The unicorn exclaimed, her eyes bugging out as she took sight of the pastries the Earth pony took out of the oven. "You can't put apple slices on those brownies! They're only for the apple tarts! You're suppose to drizzle chocolate syrup on the brownies only!"

The orange pony rolled her eyes before placing the rejected confections beside the bewildered unicorn. "Sorry about that, sugarcube," she said. "You know how I love putting apples on almost anything."

"I'm sure the next pony does as well," Twilight sighed before checking her list, "well, at least the food is fine. But those..." She pointed a hoof toward the brownies with an apple slice on each. "Just no."

Shining Armor chuckled and shook his head and made his way over to his sister while Applejack rushed off to continue making sweets. The stallion rested his hooves atop the table while watching his sister burry herself in more work.

"I see my sis is getting into another one of her organizational frustrations," he said, nearly startling her.

"Oh, Shiny!" Twilight gave him a nervous smile, hooves placed firmly on her papers. "Barely saw you there!"

"Saw you," he laughed, "and man, oh, man, do you need to chill!"

"I'm perfectly chill!" She retorted, narrowing her purple eyes. "It's everything around me that seems completely un-chill!"

Her brother laughed before turning over to the batch of brownies she disapproved. "Nopony going to eat those?"

Twilight rolled her eyes, pretending to gag. "Take them."

"Don't need to tell me twice," he said happily before using his magic to float one into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully, savoring the taste of apple and chocolate mixed together before placing another brownie into his mouth. "Man, this is good!"

"Okay, so you like it," Twilight shook her head, "but Discord...goodness me, I think he would like all chocolate which is why anything with chocolate recipe deserves chocolate and only chocolate! Though strawberries is a good addition as well." She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"Gee, that's too bad," Shining Armor said before eating another brownie.

"What's too bad?" Twilight asked, anxiety hinting in her tone as she regarded her brother with fearful eyes.

"Oh, nothing," he hid his smirk behind his stuff cheeks as he continued eating, "just me and the chaos man were talking earlier and he kept going on and on about how he hoped the dessert variety would be mixed, you know like daisies and cream, carrots and cheese..." He shifted his eyes at her, his smirk deepening. "...apples and brownies."

He tried to stifle his laugh at the sight of his sister's jaw dropping in disbelief. Finally, after consuming the last brownie on the tray, he turned his back and made his way out the door.

"But I know my little Twilly knows what she's doing!" He stated aloud. "She doesn't need anypony to add ideas to her notes! She knows exactly what Discord wants!"

As soon as he was out the door, he rushed to the side and pressed his back to the wall, ears attuned to the sounds inside the kitchen.

"Applejack, wait!" He heard his sister cry out.

As he overheard the squabbling and desperation from Twilight, Shining Armor didn't flinch when a bright light shone beside him, and soon mismatched feet hit the ground.

"Did you tell her?" Discord asked him, his height overpowering the stallion's as he pressed his back against the wall as well.

"Sure did," Shining Armor winked at him, "maybe now Twilly will trust her friends a little more in regards to great additions to the party. Like the dessert."

"I still can't believe all of this is for me," Discord said quietly resting his paw against his cheek, eyes lowering in awe.

"Hey, you totally deserve it," Shining Armor told him, "I mean, though I had been a little doubtful the first time we met, after getting to know you a little more, you really have redeemed yourself."

"Amazing to believe redemption had never been my calling," Discord scoffed, "well, that was before I met your sister and her little friends."

"She's great, isn't she?" Shining Armor sighed before turning his head to peek in the doorway to witness Twilight giving orders to all the cooks in the kitchen while pointing at the brownie Applejack held proudly in her hoof. "And this party, with her in charge, it will be the best celebration all of Equestria's ever seen."

"PINKIE PIE, WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT EATING THE CONFECTIONS?"

Both he and Discord jumped at the booming sound of Twilight's voice before they both peered inside to witness the Element of Laughter with a chocolate beard and a fuming Twilight who looked ready break a mixing bowl over her pink friend's head.

"I was only testing them to see if they would be tasty enough for the guests!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed with a nervous smile.

"Don't wipe your mouth on that! Those are my notes!"

Shining Armor and Discord winced before turning away.

"Okay then," the stallion said with a chuckle. "It will definitely be the best celebration all of Equestria's ever seen."
_

Pipsqueak's eyes widened in awe as he stepped into the ballroom.

Dressed in a blue suit and tie, the little colt let out a gasp as he gazed around him. The marble floors shone like ice in winter, he could even see his reflection in it. The balloons and streamers were colorful, adorned on every window while the moonlight trailed through the glass and mixed with the bright lights of the ballroom.

He smiled as he caught sight of the sign at the center: Welcome, Discord. It sure was a nice sign.

"Look..." He turned to see Scootaloo's eyes sparkling, her tongue wagging out like a dog. "Brownies..." He looked over and he was amazed by the various colorful treats on the tables; he couldn't wait to get his hooves on some of those brownies with apple slices on them.

Food would come last, all he wanted right now was to see a very special unicorn that had made all this perfect.

"Excuse me," he said, turning to a passing Wonderbolt. "But have you seen Twilight?"

"Sorry, kid," Soarin's said, "nopony's seen her or Discord. Better wait later when the room's full and the party can really start."

Though he was a bit disappointed, Pipsqueak would patiently wait for the mare as well as the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony.

"You know, even though we didn't get our cutie marks," Scootaloo said as she gazed around the massive ballroom, "despite adventuring creepy forests, getting chased by creatures, and living it up with some Canterlot ponies...this is better."

"Discord sure was nice!" Sweetie Belle beamed. "I think I like chocolate milk better when he makes it. It tastes so much better than what you buy at the store!"

Apple Bloom laughed. "I couldn't agree m-poison joke!"

Pipsqueak halted in his tracks while the other two Crusaders bumped Apple Bloom from behind as the Earth pony came to a complete stop, an expression of horror on her face.

"Poison joke?" Pipsqueak repeated. "But that stuff's only been in the Everfree Forest."

"Or caused by Discord's magic," Scootaloo added.

"Then what are those?" Apple Bloom exclaimed, pointing a hoof in front of her.

Eyes followed in her direction and they were shocked to realize that every guest table held a pot of assorted flowers. And in the middle of every assortment was a piece of poison joke.

"Uh-huh," Scootaloo muttered, eyes still wide. "This is definitely Discord's party."

Suddenly, the sound of trumpets erupted as all heads turned toward the doorway.

Pipsqueak's body quivered in anticipation when a dark blue, transparent mane came into view as hooves gracefully touched the floor. Princess Luna and her solar sister smiled to everypony as they made their way across the room. The music continued on as the royal sisters made their way down the carpet, smiling as every pony bowed down in respect before they finally made it to the stage where the DJ pony was standing, desperate to play her music soon.

The trumpets' music blasted even louder, and Pipsqueak's heart pumped before everypony turned their attention away from the sisters.

Finally, the moment had arrived when all heads turned toward the doorway once more in anticipation. Two figures stood before everypony, heads held high with proud expressions of pride and regality.

Shining Armor's eyes widened in amazement as he prepared his camera. Cadence stood by him, her eyes glittering like stars in the sky as they both awaited for Twilight and Discord to make their grand entry.

"Do you see them?" Sweetie Belle asked the others as they waited.

"Ask lover boy over there!" Scootaloo hissed, jerking her head toward the awaiting little colt. "His eyes are scanning for any sign of Twilight!"

Pipsqueak lowered his head, his cheeks turning red. He was about to send her a snappy reply...but his attention drew back to the figures that were finally making their way down the carpet. His jaw fell.

There stood Twilight, dressed head to hoof in a beautiful dress that shone of red and gold. Glittering red slippers clopped against the floor as she gracefully made her entry, her eyes shining proudly as she held her head high, her mane curled below her neck while a bun stood atop of it.

It was like gazing at a fairytale fantasy coming true.

Pipsqueak smiled, awestruck by the mare's beauty and his cheeks reddened even further.

"Wow..." He murmured quietly, watching her.

Scootaloo shifted her gaze toward him, then turned away and shook her head with a laugh. "Yeah, she does look great, doesn't she?"

But it wasn't just Twilight all eyes were focused on. Beside her was Discord, dressed in the same suit he had worn during his little celebration with Twilight regarding both their birthdays. The suit was astounding, what completed it even more, and showed off his chaotic personality, was the poison joke pinned to his coat jacket.

Twilight smiled to every pony that had come to their celebration tonight. She especially casted a bright smile at her five friends, all gazing at her with joy and content. As she gave smiles and nodded her head a few times, she quickly turned to Discord, who was drinking in the positive attention.

"So, uh..." Twilight smiled nervously, unable to meet his gaze. "This is perfect, right?"

Discord smirked, staring down at the anxious mare. "Considering you're the one who made it all possible...yes."

Anxiety immediately died down as Twilight's eyes sparkled. She and Discord shared one last smile before they made their way toward the center of the room, standing before the princesses. Twilight lowered her head in a bow while Discord stood on one knee, his head down as well.

Princess Celestia smiled proudly at them before gazing over everypony.

"We are all gathered here today..." She announced. "To celebrate the return of the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. To celebrate his welcome, as well as the new life he can now live in this new Equestria." She smiled down at Twilight, who raised her head to regard her teacher.

"And to celebrate the pony that had faith in him from the very beginning, who offered her sympathy and friendship, holding the strength and belief through all trials."

Discord raised his head, eyeing Twilight with a smirk.

"Discord still is the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony," Princess Luna announced, "however a grander title has been added to his name, regarding the balance of his chaos with our harmony." The moon princess raised her hoof to everypony, a proud smile on her face.

"Discord, the Spirit of Chaotic Order."

The Draconequus smiled, stroking his beard. "I like that name. It has a nice ring to it."

"Behold, everypony!" Luna announced, raising her hoof to him. "Behold a new spirit of chaos, a balance between him and us. A newfound friendship of magic."

After Luna finished her monologue, cheers erupted from the crowds, hooves clapped and hoots and hollers rose from everypony, all proud for the Draconequus.

And for Twilight.

The unicorn could barely stop the tears from falling down her cheeks as she watched Discord drink in the attention he was receiving.

Positive, wonderful attention.

Finally, he got what he had been longing for so long. Friends, ponies who respected and liked him for who he was.

A new life.

"Hey, Twilly!"

The unicorn barely had time to turn before a flash of light nearly blinded her.

"Shiny!" She protested.

"Aw, come on, sis!" He laughed, holding the camera up with his magic. "You look so adorable in your dress!"
_

Twilight smiled happily as Discord trailed her across the dance floor by her waist, a reminder of the time they spent together on their special double-birthday. She felt elated, overjoyed, proud that she and Discord's friendship had spread across everypony, and that her best friend was enjoying a real good time for once in his thousands of years.

Her hoof never stopped grasping his lion paw while the other never left his side, and his mismatched hands never let go of her either as he continued dancing with her, his smile massive and his red and yellow eyes shining with gratitude and pride.

Suddenly, Twilight felt a tug on her gown and ceased her dancing for the moment as both she and Discord looked down.

There stood Pipsqueak, grinning at her, a rose grasped between his teeth. His eyes twinkled as Twilight gazed down at him.

The unicorn's heart melted before she and Discord shared a laugh. Bending her head down, she used her magic to take the rose from his teeth, his smile never fading. And before Pipsqueak knew it, she leaned in and gave him a loving peck on the cheek.

The little colt's heart soared into greater heights as be gazed at the lovely unicorn with an expression of awe and mesmerization. His legs felt like jelly that Scootaloo had to assist him by dragging him by the tail, leaving behind a confused Twilight and Discord.

"This is the best night ever..." Pipsqueak muttered, his lovesick expression never leaving his face.
_

After a few hours of dancing, chatting, and eating sweets, Twilight and Discord broke away from the massive array and made it to one of the nearest balconies of the castle. The two simply gazed up at the glorious moonlight that blanketed Canterlot, feeling more content than ever for this wonderful night they were sharing together.

"You know, almost more than a month ago, I had wondered what could have been if you hadn't been encased in stone the second time," Twilight said, breaking the silence.

Discord, his arms resting on the ledge and his back hunched to be at level with her, raised a curious eyebrow. "And our time together had answered your question?" He asked.

Twilight turned to him, smiling softly. "Trust me," she whispered, "you gave more answers than I had questions."

He gave her a confused look and Twilight bursted out laughing.

"Hey, that means you are definitely a smart Draconequus," she insisted. Then she gave him tender smile. "And a very sweet one, of course." She wracked in her mind for one more statement. "And sometimes a sweet jerk."

Discord chuckled, feeling very amused by her quips and compliments. "And you, my dear..."

Twilight rolled her eyes, bracing herself for a smart comeback so she could throw him one again.

"...are the most amazing pony I've ever met."

Her eyes widened and she looked at him in slight surprise. It was his turn to laugh.

"Well, you should have realized that even before I stumbled into your life," he added, "I mean, you're very gifted, of course; intelligent, kind, caring...and the fact that you, of all ponies, had a little faith in me from the start..."

He lowered his head, eyes turning away to gaze up at the moonlight once more.

"I am truly grateful that that pony is now my best friend."

Twilight remained still, simply gazing at the creature before her, hooves shaking a bit from surprise.

Amazing to believe they had been the worse of enemies when he had been released the first time. His rude remarks, his cocky attitude, his annoying invasion of personal space...

But now...now he was a beloved figure, adored for who he was and what he could do. The past had become nothing more than a mere horrid memory, history would repeat itself with a better, alternated perspective, chaos can be looked upon as an equal balance along with harmony.

And the magic of friendship, and its lessons, were now recognized by him.

Discord smiled at her, his eyes lowering in a calm, serene expression before he turned back toward the moonlight.

"Have you ever seen such a lovelier night?" He commented.

Twilight slowly turned her head and gazed at the moon once more.

"This night seems much lovelier," she said simply, "considering this night has become one of the best nights ever for both of us."

Discord smiled before resting the side of his face on his lion paw. "Equaling that to our birthday time together."

Twilight beamed. "And there will be many more wonderful nights ahead of us, as well as daylights, of course." She chuckled. "The time to start anew has already happened for us, Discord. However..." Her eyes sparkled as she gazed up at the moon. "This night, this moment between us on the balcony...this proves we've started anew."

The Draconequus chuckled, amused by every word coming out of her mouth. "Oh, Twilight, you're like a poetry book, you know that?"

The unicorn grinned. "Beats your cover of being a joke book."

"Touche," he snickered.

Twilight just laughed. After a few moments, she simply gazed at him, her smile resuming and her eyes twinkling more than the stars in the sky.

Finally, she leaned forward and her nose touched his, before she shifted and her cheek nuzzled against him.

"I know I already said this a week ago, Discord," she said, "but welcome home."

Discord smiled, absorbing the nuzzles and kind words of his best friend.

"Since I met you," he stated softly, "it's truly felt like home."

The unicorn felt her heart go to the depths of bursting, feeling ever so touched by this usually cocky creature. She was about to speak, but something immediately swooped up toward the balcony, nearly startling them.

"There you two are!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, her wings flapping rapidly. She gave Discord a brief nod. "Come on, the Wonderbolts are waiting!"

Twilight looked at her in confusion. "Waiting? Waiting for what?"

The pegasus rolled her eyes. "Flight games, duh!" She smirked at her. "We totally want to see the wings Discord cooked up for you, as well as the Sparkling Boom or whatever you made that totally had ponies' jaws hitting the floor."

The unicorn gasped, her eyes widening, then turned over to Discord, who seemed to possess the same expression Rainbow Dash had.

"Well, well, well, Twilight Sparkle," he chuckled, "looks like that one day experience just might become a special quirk of yours."
_

Pipsqueak and the Crusaders stood among the audience as everypony crowded and stood at a safe distance while Soarin' stretched his wings.

The male pegasus could barely hold in his blush as he watched Twilight, her glorious wings now poking out of her dress, clopped her hooves repeatedly against the grass to psyche herself. Beside her was Discord, simply sipping a glass of chocolate milk while waiting patiently for the games to proceed.

Everypony had been so amazed when Discord had summoned a pair of wings on the unicorn. They had been in complete awe by how much Twilight's wings sparkled, going so well with her eyes. A few members of the Wonderbolts had regarded her with slacked jaws and shaking hooves.

"Yeah!" One pony shouted "Go, Soarin'!"

The Wonderbolt barely heard him, his eyes unable to break away from the sight of Twilight's wings. They were nothing like the usual pegasus'. Finally, he snapped out of his daze and stretched his wings once more.

Rainbow Dash smirked, standing between him and Spitfire. Finally, not only would she hang out with the Wonderbolts once again, but now one of her best friends was going to experience things only a pegasus could. And to make it even better, the inclusion of a fun flight with the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony.

Cadence smiled, ever so amazed by Twilight's beautiful wings; she quite envied her a bit, seeing as how her wings truly did sparkle.

"Oh, she's beautiful, isn't she?"

She turned and noticed Shining Armor standing beside a well-dressed stallion pegasus, both mesmerized by the scene before them. However, the pegasus seemed more mesmerized than Shining Armor himself.

"That's my sister there," Shining Armor said proudly.

However, his smile quickly faded as his eyes shifted to regard the expression on the pegasus' face. He could have sworn he saw a bit of drool trail down his chin.

"Don't even think about it, buddy," he growled, startling him out of his daze.

Cadence rolled her eyes. Always the protective brother...she thought with a chuckle.

"Alright, winged ponies," the announce spoke, "first flight race: ten feet below on the ground, then the rest in the sky. You guys know what to do."

Twilight just smiled before she slowly extended her wings. She and Discord exchanged a glance, his mismatched wings extending and shifting up and down like antennas.

"Go!" The announcer shouted.

With one leap and a flip of her mane, Twilight glided across the grass, Discord close to her side, nearly taking some of the Wonderbolts, especially Soarin' by surprise. 'Ooohs' and 'ahhhs' emerged from the crowd, taken in the breathtaking sight of the mare as she finally glided up and her silhouette coursed upon the bright moon, soon joined by a much large silhouette in the process.

In the middle of the course as other flyers soon came close behind them as they proceeded with their flying skills and tricks, Discord snapped his fingers.

The moon suddenly grew brighter, and some people needed to shield their eyes at first.

However, the near-blindness slowly faded as the light washed over the body of the unicorn, revealing her wings and sparkling dress flapping as she flew with the Draconequus, his suit becoming a bit rumpled but fine.

Cadence's eyes sparkled, smiling as she watched her sister-in-law appearing to look as if she were glowing from the light of the moon that Discord had possessed to make so much brighter for this particular night. Their wings extended further, twirling around each other while imbibing in the moonlight, the satisfaction and exhilarating clear on their faces as they regarded each other with wide smiles.

Chaos and harmony. The greatest combination of friendship.

Spike smiled as he continued watching them, eating a brownie that contained an apple slice.

"Now this definitely beats the gala," he said happily.

THE END
_

Thanks again, you guys! Stay tuned for more stories from me! :)

Dear Journal

That book could have been a little longer...

Twilight smiled to herself as she closed yet another classic she had finished reading just today. While she did enjoy going out and being with her friends, there were times when she just loved to stay in her library house and read her books. Her friends, especially Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, have constantly told her that just staying in with those books instead of coming out to play was not a good thing; there were times when they hauled her out the door by her tail so she could enjoy outside with the others. Though that did seem unnecessary, Twilight knew they meant well. They really cared about her.

The bond Twilight had with them was more important to her than anything. Without friendship, she would be nothing.

Thinking of friendship and how much her friends meant dear to her, Twilight couldn't help but recall the recent events in which all of that had almost been taken away from her...

...when Discord had been present.

The thought of Discord made Twilight's tail twitch with sudden anxiety as she reflected on the spirit of chaos and disharmony. That Draconequus had been more cunning and deceitful than he appeared to be, if not incredibly irritating in Twilight's opinion.

However...

Twilight used her magic to pick up her finished book and place it back in its slot before she slowly walked over to another section of her library. Her violet eyes scanned the titles until she found the one she was looking for.

The Tale of Discord

Twilight was surprised she had only found that book now after she and her friends defeated Discord. Maybe if she had found that book sooner before disharmony began she could have prepared herself for what Discord had up his sleeve.

But Discord was defeated, sealed back in his stone prison and placed in the gardens of Canterlot as he had been before.

Everypony in Equestria was grateful for Twilight and her friends' bravery in using the Elements of Harmony to defeat him. Her friends, as well as the princess, were happy that harmony reigned the land once again.

But Twilight...though she was glad as well as thankful for all they've done in restoring Equestria to its beautiful glory...her heart still ached.

Just recently, after the defeat of their enemy, Twilight had been in Canterlot with her friends, simply enjoying themselves and having fun.

But while her friends were enjoying themselves in their separated ways...Twilight had visited the gardens. She had visited Discord.

The unicorn had no idea why she brought herself to visit the statue of the creature that nearly destroyed harmony as well as the bond she had with her friends. The pony had simply gazed upon the sight of Discord in his frozen state, simply watching him.

But then she had surprised herself when she began talking with the Discord statue. How ridiculous she must have looked! Good thing no pony was around when she did that...

The more she talked to the statue, the more she grew into realization for why exactly she came to him in the first place.

Because she felt sorry for him.

He may have been evil and mischievous and had turned her home into a nightmare of a wonderland, had turned her friends into cold and heartless pawns in his twisted game, and had even led Twilight to nearly losing hope of everything...

But deep down, Twilight knew there had been some good in him.

The unicorn didn't want to read the entire book of her enemy. She simply turned pages, her eyes gazing at the pictures that represented each summary. She didn't need to read the entire book; Celestia had informed her much of what Discord had done before she and Princess Luna had stopped him.

He was the former ruler of Equestria. He made ponies suffer under his disharmony, much to his satisfaction. And when the princesses rebelled, he was turned to stone.

This time, Twilight and her friends had stopped him. And he became stone once again.

Stone...could there not have been any other solution? Twilight knew that although Discord needed to pay for the grief he had caused for ponies everywhere, turning him to stone, again, did not seem like the reasonable punishment for him.

"It just doesn't seem fair..." Twilight sighed as she closed the book. Thankfully, Spike was out doing errands or he would have questioned her why she was suddenly sad.

She was sad because she felt guilty. She felt guilty for what she had done to Discord.

Though Twilight knew that it seemed like the best way to end Discord's second reign, she still felt there could have been another solution...that the Elements of Harmony could have done something better.

Twilight remembered her element: friendship. It was the most powerful element of them all...and what had she used it for? To turn Discord back into stone. The unicorn thought she could truly control the element, use it to simply stop Discord, and maybe knock some sense to him.

But no, instead it just turned him into stone.

Twilight could recall how she had visited him, telling him soothing words of her guilt and her feelings about everything. Even though he couldn't hear her, she hoped he could feel her words through his stone prison. She hoped he could see that she wanted to be his friend.

Twilight sniffed as she recalled that visit to the gardens, having seen the scared expression on the frozen Draconequus's face. She had cried for him when she saw him like that, and she felt it was all her fault for his punishment.

She didn't want to cry again. Instead, she used her magic to summon one of her quills and a notebook that served as her personal journal. She hadn't written in it in a while, having focused most of her writing in her studies as well as her messages to the princess.

Today she would write her inner thoughts about the past events. About Discord.

Dearest Journal...she wrote.

How long it's been since I've written in you. I haven't written in you since the night of the Galloping Gala, having told you all that had happened that unexpected yet wonderful evening.

But enough about that, I have opened you up to spill my deepest thoughts about the recent events that occurred. About a dark creature by the name of Discord.

Twilight sniffed a bit before she dipped her quill into the bottle of ink and continued on with her writing. Expressing her deepest feelings into her journal would better help her with her grief about Discord. She had never told any of her friends about that visit to the gardens, about how guilty she felt about what they had done to stop him. They wouldn't understand her the way Twilight truly understood Discord.

It was during one day in Ponyville, everything didn't seem right. Clouds became cotton candy, rain tasted like chocolate, even Fluttershy's rabbits had grown with long legs! My friends and I needed to get to the bottom of what was going on. Our questions were answered after we received an urgent message from Princess Celestia.

She told us Discord had escaped. And he would set out to do what he had done a thousand years ago when he was ruler of Equestria. And he knew each of us so well without 'introduction'.

He knew which element we stood for. He said Pinkie Pie's element of laughter was his favorite, but he seemed more interested in my element for some reason, calling mine the most powerful of all. Though I did act brave, I was a bit intimidated by the way he said that. Celestia told me he was trouble, and he took the Elements of Harmony as soon as he broke free of his prison.

My friends and I were on a mission. To get back those elements and defeat Discord.

It seemed like hours as the unicorn wrote in her journal, filling the pages with everything she had seen and done while going against Discord. She wrote about how he had taken her horn as well as Rarity's along with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy's wings, how he manipulated each of her friends, thus literally stealing the color of their friendship.

Though her magic was making her tired, Twilight's mind was tireless in writing down everything that happened when disharmony reigned Equestria. She wrote excessively about how she endured the consequences of her friends 'changes' while she tried keeping them together, recalling having suffered Fluttershy's cruelty while also selflessly helping Rarity with her 'diamond' even though the other unicorn had been too selfish to show any trust toward her, claiming the newfound item all hers.

It pained her a bit to write about what Discord had done to her friends. Though he never hurt them physically, what he had done to them truly hurt her. It almost made her give up on her friends as well as herself.

I almost left Ponyville, almost left it in the hands of Discord. She wrote, her eyes drooping with sadness as she remembered how she had tossed her element into the trash while packing her things.

But then I received constant messages from Princess Celestia; Spike was getting sick from delivering so many. They were old messages I sent to her during my time in Ponyville. Messages that reminded me of why I wrote them, awakening something in me I thought I had lost because of Discord.

I read through old messages about helping others, sharing with others, being truthful to others, every lesson I learned about friendship. Then another message came, and it was written from Celestia herself. Apparently, what I had learned from the princess was that friendship is worth fighting for, that you can never give up on your friends.

That was just what I needed, and with that message I raced to bring my friends back. I started with Applejack, whom kept on with her excessive lying. I used my magic and got into her head. In her mind, I showed her images of our time together, from helping her buck apple trees to assisting her in Winter Wrap-Up day.

That did it and the color in my friend was restored. She was so sorry for her lying, having believed in Discord about how being honest would just get you in trouble. Of course I forgave her, she just didn't want to lose any of our friends. One down and four to go as we worked together to bring back Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie.

Rainbow Dash was the hardest. She was even more gray than before, and her words were cold as she refused to even help us, insulting the honor of her element known as loyalty. It was a wild goose chase, having chased her on her little cloud. We worked together to tie her down, Fluttershy the most determined because she was angry with Discord for being mean to all of us.

I can honestly say, I have never seen her fly so fast before.

And of course we caught up with Rainbow Dash and brought her to her senses. She was immediately filled with grief and regret, hoping we were all alright as well as worrying about the elements, which I kept safe.

Now that we were all together, it was time for the final battle.

Twilight bit her lip, feeling a bit nervous about describing their final encounter with Discord before he...

"I have to write it down," Twilight told herself with determination and firmness, "maybe one day it'll become useful for...whatever will happen in the future." And with that said, she used her magic to dip her quill and continue her writing.

There Discord sat, in his little throne with a cup of chocolate rain. He looked so relaxed despite seeing us together, in full color and with our elements. He assumed we would mess up like the first time and just stood and watched.

A little piece of me wished he could have stood up and fought us, while my mind was more focused on controlling our elements and taking care of him once and for all.

Like how we defeated Nightmare Moon, our powers combined and we created a rainbow of harmony which completely engulfed him. Though my eyes were in focus mode with my magic wielding my element, my ears had heard the cry of horror from our enemy.

I don't think I could still call him my enemy after defeating him. I kept thinking that our elements would eventually show him the light. Like when we stopped Nightmare Moon and brought back Princess Luna, and she and her sister were reunited in a beautiful, sisterly friendship. I had hoped the same would happen for Discord. Though my hope was far too extreme for any possibility, I still hoped. I hoped that I was right...that Discord could change once he got a taste of friendship medicine...

I was wrong.

Twilight stopped her writing, her magic having ceased for the moment. Her quill fell helplessly atop the half-covered page, spilling a little ink on the side, though not too much to ruin it. The pony's eyes glistened a bit as she recalled what she had hoped for, and what had happened which pained her heart a bit.

Taking a deep breath, Twilight summoned her quill once again and continued writing.

After the rainbow faded away, I assumed we would see Discord lying on the ground, half-unconscious.

Instead, we found him made into stone.

Oh, dear Celestia, how shocked I was when I realized that Discord was given the same fate he had received a thousand years back! His expression of horror was something I would never forget, because it was frozen that way, forever plastered on his face for everypony to see.

I forgot what happened after we turned him into stone but the next thing I knew, Princess Celestia had come to congratulate us, telling us how proud she was that we saved Equestria. I watched as she looked down at the stone figure on the ground that was Discord; I half-expected she would scowl at him as she had done before when he was released from his stone prison.

Instead, her expression showed slight remorse, as if she felt guilty that Discord had taken his fate once again. She had said nothing to him because her focus was on us, the Elements of Harmony.

Celestia explained she would put Discord back in the garden where he had been originally, ever sure he wouldn't escape again. Pinkie Pie made a joke about how funny his face looked and how every pony would laugh about his expression...

Though I laughed along with my friends, I knew it was definitely not funny.

Discord's expression was nothing to laugh about. His expression before he became stone...it was a mix of horror along with fear. I can't get it out of my mind even during the celebration in honor of our victory!

I keep thinking that maybe I didn't use my element right, that maybe I did something wrong. That I was responsible that this happened to Discord. I don't know...all I know is that Discord is back in that garden because of us.

A small tear slid down her cheek and fell unto the page. Twilight's eyes sparkled with sadness as they became clouded in more tears. She quickly wiped them away as she tried to focus on her writing. She was almost done.

She wrote about the celebration, about Celestia creating a beautiful stained glass window in their honor, showing all six of them defeating Discord. Her friends were so proud of themselves and so was Twilight.

But deep down...the guilt never ceased.

After those events, we went back to our usual lives, enjoying each other's company in our society of order and harmony. Just earlier today I helped Applejack with bucking for apples.

But while I do spend time with my friends...I sometimes spend time in the gardens of Canterlot. Where Discord is.

I have been using a transport spell that can take me there from Ponyville in a few moments, though it does make me tired easily, so I save it for the special occasion.

But even if he still taunts me, I'm still willing to offer my friendship to him.

Twilight stopped there, biting her lip as she lowered her eyes in remorse. She had spilled her feelings into her journal. This all needed to be completely private. She couldn't dare tell her friends about her feelings after the events of Discord, nor could she confess to Spike, whom had been her loyal assistant since day one.

They wouldn't understand.

But maybe when the time was right and maybe Discord...

"I might never see him again..." Twilight told herself quietly. She sighed as she closed her eyes for a bit, taking in everything around her, remembering how everything was once out of place thanks to Discord. Slowly opening her eyes, Twilight finished the rest of her journal entry.

Even though all of that seems impossible, I will hope. I never gave up hope in bringing back my friends, I will never give up hope that one day, if I ever do see Discord again, I will make him see the light.

As Celestia's message said: Friends don't give up on friends.

Finally, Twilight put her quill down, having finished writing her deepest thoughts and feelings. A small sad smile formed on her face as she used her magic to close her journal and put her quill away.

Looking toward the clock, she hadn't realized how long all that writing took her. She needed to go out for a while, let her mind wander away from her inner sadness and enjoy the happiness that was Ponyville.

Using her magic to open the door, Twilight made her way out. However, she stopped in her tracks as she turned back to the journal on her desk.

With a wistful smile, Twilight used her magic to bring out the lock on her journal and sealed it. Extra tight.

Chuckling to herself, she went out, closing the door behind her. Though Spike was her number one assistant, she knew he could be nosy sometimes.
_

For My Eyes Only

"...and that is why I think it's best not to tell the Princess." Twilight said aloud as the summoned quill wrote her last statement to her latest journal entry.

Closing her journal, the unicorn sighed a bit before she placed her quill away. For the last hour or so she had been in front of her desk writing down her personal thoughts. Some were about the previous events that happened today in Ponyville, a small significant was about a certain someone...

...and the rest was pondering the consequences of discussing with Princess Celestia about these thoughts.

Twilight had caught a glance at her last journal entry before she updated, and that made her ponder what could happen if she were to confess about her personal feelings regarding the past events. As intelligent as she was, she couldn't imagine the reaction her friends or the princess would have if Twilight were to speak to them regarding Discord...

While she couldn't master the courage to tell her friends about what's been on her mind, she definitely could not speak to the princess on such a matter. She could still remember the expression of horror and fury her teacher had when they first met Discord...the anger deep in that usual soothed voice of the Princess as she glared disdainfully at the moving glass windows of Discord's form.

The defeat of him was not too long ago, and Princess Celestia still seemed fresh from those events. Twilight knew better than to upset her with questions on such a matter.

Maybe some other time...

He's still in that garden, she thought as she looked out the window of her home.

Just recently had the unicorn visited the stone imprisoned creature had her feelings about the matter become more melancholic. Since the day she visited his statue for the first time, Twilight had often wondered for what could have happened and what could have been.

If the elements had done what she preferred...if Discord never became stone...if he listened to her negotiations...if they could have become friends...

Friends don't give up on friends...Twilight thought with a pitiful sigh as she walked away from her desk and toward the large array of books. She planned to get a few books and bring them over to a bench area somewhere in Ponyville where she could read.

"The Tale of Discord," she said aloud as her magic summoned the book from its slot and put it into her bag. "Definitely."

No matter how many times she had read it, Twilight could never put down that book. She already read everything there was to know about the spirit of chaos and disharmony, yet she kept reading in hopes that something new would reveal itself to the unicorn.

"Facts on the Pony Mind," she said as she placed that in her bag. That book sounded interesting. "And...hmm..." she peered at her newest find. "Well, Ways of Weather it is then."

After she put the last book into her bag, the unicorn made her way to the door. Before she left, she turned back and used her magic to quickly place the lock on her journal as she always did. Though Spike claimed he never tried to open it, the unicorn couldn't be too sure...

Humming to herself as she closed the door behind her, Twilight was greeted with the sunshine. Her eyes sparkled to see how bright it was today.

Too bright...

"Uh!" She flinched as she immediately shut her eyes after they had been exposed to the incredible brightness the sun had to offer. Raising a hoof to shield herself, Twilight opened one eye and struggled to see just what the hay had happened to the usual nice weather Ponyville always had.

The blue skies didn't appear so blue at all as she realized the fading yellow that merged with the clouds. There barely were any clouds at all as Twilight now noticed.

"It's so bright..." She said to herself. "Too sunny..."

Of course the unicorn knew better than to assume Princess Celestia had done this because Twilight knew, since she was a filly, that the princess knew how to raise the sun in a perfect manner and with no complications afterwards.

That could only mean-

"Sorry about that!" Twilight squinted, the blazing light piercing her pupils. She could make out a flying figure in the sky. She could make out some colors even if the bright light was ruining its shade.

"Rainbow Dash," Twilight sighed as if it was the most obvious answer in Equestria. Shielding her eyes, she continued watching the pegasus in the air. "What's going on? Why is it so sunny today that it's hurting my eyes?"

"Uh, yeah..." Rainbow Dash smiled nervously, scuffling a hind leg in the sky. "Yeah, I kind of overdid myself and sort of...well..."

Twilight looked up at her with a questionable expression, awaiting her explanation. "Yes?" The unicorn asked, her voice firm.

"It's a little hard to explain..." Rainbow Dash chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. "See, I did a spin cycle to remove the clouds...more than one I think...sorry, I lost count after three...and then somehow I messed up with the light thingy and...yeah..."

As bright as it was, Twilight could make out Rainbow Dash's apologetic smile in the sky. Groaning, Twilight just shook her head disapprovingly at her winged friend before she made her way to the heart of Ponyville.

"It'll go away soon!" Rainbow Dash called out as she walked off. "Just wear sunglasses!"
_

Twilight could barely make out the obstacles in front of her as her eyes held in slits. That Rainbow Dash really made a day for reading outdoors...

"Bench...bench..." Twilight muttered as she searched Ponyville. She smiled when she finally found one, next to the educational supply store. "Bench!" She exclaimed happily before launching herself into the seat. Tucking her hind legs underneath her body, Twilight laid her stomach against the comfortability of her seat as she used her magic to summon one of her books.

For this special occasion, she took out Ways of Weather. Maybe it would take her mind off the frustration of bright weather and make her await for better sunshine and, hopefully, with some clouds.

"A pegasus is one pony who knows how to make the sky to your satisfactory..." She read. She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

As she kept reading, Twilight's ears held high for any noise that could put more satisfaction to her reading. Though she usually enjoyed peace and quiet, she did enjoy hearing the hustle and bustle of Ponyville's citizens, making her reading more enjoyable.

Suddenly, she realized that there was not a sound to be heard. It was definite silence.

Peering around her, Twilight realized that she was the only pony outside her home. As she noticed, ponies everywhere were in their houses, away from the extremely bright sunlight Rainbow Dash had put upon their town.

"Great..." Twilight sighed rolling her eyes. She winced as her eyes were hit by the sun's rays. It was just so darn bright, it was complicated trying to avert her eyes away.

She suddenly remembered Rainbow Dash mention something about using sunglasses. Twilight wasn't sure if she had packed a pair when she prepared her book bag earlier but she was willing to check in hopes of finding something to cover her eyes from this brightness.

Digging a hoof into her bag, Twilight took out her two books and placed them beside her on the bench. She also took out a few sticks of gum, some quills and paper, an apple-

"Sunglasses!" She exclaimed in triumphant, removing a revealed pair and proudly holding it high.

They were a simple pair with huge, dark lenses. The color was a dark red with golden gem stones all around. Its style was quite fashionable yet interesting in her opinion. The design of the entire object was funky, if Twilight could prefer a better word for it.

Twilight smiled at her find, grinning from ear to ear at having found something she didn't think she would find for this particular weather.

Suddenly, her smile faded as she gazed at the sunglasses with utter surprise.

"I don't remember having these..." She told herself in realization. "I never even bought a pair of sunglasses!"

How in the name of Celestia did she even manage to find a pair of sunglasses in her bag when Twilight had never even used sunglasses? Even when it was a sunny day(though not as sunny as this particular day) Twilight had loved to read under its light, no sunglasses needed. Her eyes had always been accustomed with the sun's light...until now. Spike didn't even wear a pair when it was a little too sunny!

Despite the sunlight pouring down in every direction her eyes turned, Twilight gazed at the sunglasses in her hoof. She tried to recall how exactly they ended up in her bag and when it had happened.

"Last time I saw someone with a pair of glasses like these..." Twilight told herself.

Suddenly, her eyes dilated and her mouth fell in realization of where exactly she had seen these sunglasses before. And who had worn them.

"You got to be kidding me..." The unicorn muttered before she slammed her head against her open book, frustration overtaking her as a memory formed in her mind.

He had worn an exact pair of sunglasses like these.

"Oh, why now?" Twilight cried out to the skies, her eyes tightly shut. "Can I have one moment of peace where I don't think about Discord?"

Thank Celestia no pony was around while Twilight began talking to herself. Thank Celestia again that none of her friends were around when she mentioned Discord.

Though Discord was gone, his presence was still fresh in the unicorn's mind as she gazed irritably at the sunglasses in her hoof. How in Equestria did they ever get in her bag?

Twilight calmed her mind as she tried to recall the events that happened when Discord had been present. An urgent message from Celestia...going through the labyrinth...her friends becoming complete jerks...finding the elements...

Twilight suddenly realized that it was after finding the elements in her house had she seen these sunglasses before. Discord had been wearing them when she and her friends were preparing themselves to wield the power of their elements to stop him.

How dramatic that Draconequus was! Pretending to show fear while also taunting their power! Twilight had been annoyed with him enough when he turned the dirt roads into soap and held her under his lion paw as he gazed proudly at his work of chaos. How irritated she had been when Discord just remained calm and collective, saying he was 'ready' to take his fate.

Twilight remembered how he magically brought out a pair of sunglasses(the exact ones in her hoof) and placed them on, acting in mock fear as she and her friends took position. Twilight remembered how much hope and magic she had put into her element crown as she glared fiercely at the creature.

Then he magically summoned a target on his stomach, preparing for their attack. How annoyed yet slightly amused the unicorn had been by such an act. She was sure not to miss...

She just wanted to take him down and be over with all the nonsense he created. As strong as her voice was as she stood up against him while her friends just stood around like emotionless pawns, Twilight couldn't sense any discomfort from Discord.

His bored expression and mock drama had really gotten on her nerves, and that pushed her further to get the job done. To see who would be mocking who now.

When the elements lined up, Twilight felt its power as fresh as the time they used it to stop Nightmare Moon and bring back Princess Luna.

As annoyed and frustrated the unicorn had been with Discord, she promised herself that as soon as they used the elements to finish him off and weaken him would Twilight go easy on the mix-matched creature. Her plan: use the elements, bring down Discord, then reason with him.

Unfortunately, none of that happened. When she and her friends rose from the ground, the elements glowing as the time they had first been summoned...nothing.

The elements had suddenly ceased and they all fell. Twilight had been horrified when Discord still stood before them, smirking down at them, his mischievous eyes hidden behind his sunglasses. When they had summoned the elements and began using its power, the Draconequus had been a little fearful at first, feeling he was going to get it. After the elements failed...oh how Twilight remembered his taunts and the desire to bite off his eagle talon of a finger when he literally poked fun at her...

Though Twilight had been a wave of overwhelming emotions through all that, she had to admit that Discord was just that confident. It was as if he had expected the elements to fail. How cheeky he was, simply smirking at her when she was desperate to figure out why the elements didn't create the power of harmony as before.

He had worn his glasses for the time being as he watched her struggle with her friends for answers, obviously enjoying the crumble she had so desperately been trying to fix.

Twilight just wanted to slam those sunglasses of his right between his gold and red eyes...she just wanted to twist that smirk and make him frown with fear...

But as angry as she was with him...she envied his calm nature through it all. Wearing those sunglasses, he looked like he was getting ready for a stroll in the park or a day at the beach. Calm, serene, not a problem in the world...It was as if those sunglasses proved even more how confident and flamboyant he was in his work and progress.

And Twilight was right. Though he didn't wear the sunglasses for long; they disappeared from his face as soon as a cruel Fluttershy threw away her Element of Kindness and greedy Rarity stole it for herself. A little bit of Twilight wished he would have kept those sunglasses on...

...then she wouldn't have to keep staring at those eyes that taunted her.

Twilight sighed as she continued gazing at the sunglasses in her hoof. No longer focused on her reading, her mind was now fully focused on the Draconequus. That arrogant, childish...calm, serene, playful creature...

Twilight had to remind herself over and over that even though he annoyed her to no end, picking on her out of all the others and laughing at her power of friendship...she still felt he could have been a great friend.

And who knows? Maybe he would have worn these sunglasses and enjoyed this extremely sunny day. He would have teased her about how sensitive her eyes were to the brightness and might have made some jokes regarding Rainbow Dash's attempts of quickening her job compared to winning the Wonderbolts over...

Twilight chuckled a bit, her purple eyes gazing sadly at the sunglasses in her hoof. She still had no idea how they got in her bag...

Recalling the events, Twilight raised herself up and gently stroked the sunglasses with her other hoof.

There was a sudden feeling of familiarity as her hoof gently ran over the curves of the sunglasses.

"These were definitely his..." She told herself quietly, her eyes softening.

Though she had never even touched his sunglasses(or any part of his face for that matter), Twilight was sure these sunglasses had belonged to him. Who else would wear sunglasses as interesting as these? Twilight couldn't imagine Rarity with this kind of style...

If they did belong to him, which she was completely sure about, why were they in her bag?

Twilight tapped a hoof to her chin as she pondered. Discord had claimed himself as 'generous' when he made cotton candy clouds and chocolate rain for Equestria...but these sunglasses? The unicorn gazed at them curiously.

Why would Discord have left these in her possession before they defeated him?

Obviously, there was no practical joke behind it on account of after they had defeated him everything chaotic had ceased. Maybe he had discarded and dropped it at her house just to mock her...Twilight leaned a little on that reason.

But maybe...maybe to leave as a somewhat 'kind' gift to remember him by as he went on to take over Equestria? That would be surprising...

Twilight shook her head. Her mind was now at rest after thinking so much about Discord. She suddenly felt calm now, simply gazing at the sunglasses in her hooves. Even if that Draconequus had not left her a so-called present, she would still remember him. She was constantly thinking about him, wasn't she?

Suddenly, the light caught up with the focus of her eyes and she grunted as she shielded her face with a hoof. It was still so bright! Gazing down at the sunglasses in her other hoof, Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Then she put them on.

Opening her eyes, Twilight managed to see the sky without nearly going blind. No surge running through body, no practical joke. The sunglasses were just useful for the sunlight, and that made her actually smile.

Maybe Discord had been a little considerate if she had noticed him better before she had turned him into...

"Finally, I can read," Twilight told herself quickly as she laid back down on the bench and gazed at her open book. She was about to turn the page-

"Twilight!"

Sighing, Twilight turned to see Pinkie Pie and Rarity gallop over to her, worry visible on their faces.

"Hey, girls," Twilight greeted unenthusiastically as she placed a hoof over her book. "What's up?"

"It's too bright for you to be our here, darling!" Rarity told her. "Honestly, you could ruin your lovely eyes!"

"Rarity's having a little lemonade party at her house," Pinkie Pie said happily. "You should come! You're like the only pony out here in this super brighty sunshine!"

"Yeah, I'd love to..." They didn't notice her roll her eyes behind the sunglasses. "But I'm rea-"

"Reading?" Pinkie Pie exclaimed with shock. "Instead of hanging out with your friends? Not on my watch!"

Before Twilight knew it, Pinkie Pie grabbed her book as well as her bag with her teeth and began galloping away, heading in the direction of Rarity's house.

Twilight frowned behind her sunglasses, watching as Pinkie Pie ran off with her materials. Rarity couldn't help but giggle as she placed a gentle hoof on her side.

"Pinkie Pie means well, dearie," she told her. "Please, come join us."

Despite having just been 'robbed' from the pink pony, Twilight had to smile at Rarity's words. Nodding, the two unicorns trotted together as they headed toward Rarity's house.

"By the way, Twilight," Rarity said as they reached the door. "I must say, you have interesting taste for eyewear." She said sincerely as she motioned to the sunglasses on her face. "Why, I've never seen such a lovely and delicate style! Wherever did you get them?"

Twilight just smiled as she entered the boutique where Pinkie Pie was waiting. She removed the sunglasses and gazed at them contently.

"A special someone gave them to me," she replied softly, her purple eyes sparkling a bit.
_

You'll Learn Winter Wrap-Up

Okay, reading the recent comments, I'm really happy to meet so many people who adore DiscordxTwilight, or Discolight; and there are a FEW who don't like it. Well, if you've read the Author's Note on chapter 14, I clearly stated that although I out the romance tag in here, don't expect ACTUAL romance. I only put that tag to gain more readers...and because, well, this story almost seems romantic, huh? :D As big a fan as I am of Discolight, this is all clearly friendship right here...but maybe hinting something. ;)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Fluttershy let out a yawn as she slowly raised herself from her bed and rubbed her eyes.

"Oh, another morning," she said softly to herself before giving another yawn.

Suddenly, she found herself shivering as she held the blankets close to her body, realizing how extremely cold it was in her bedroom. She did leave her window open last night to have a nice breeze as she slumbered; she never expected a breeze that extreme.

"Oh, my," she gasped softly as she wrapped her blankets close to her before slipping out of bed. "It sure is cold today."

She turned to gaze out her window. What she saw made her jaw drop.

Snow. Snow was everywhere.

It was a great landscape of white as the trees appeared as if they had been sprinkled with too much sugar, like the hills that looked like somepony had draped a white sheet of thick lace over them, like the animals-

"Oh, no!" Fluttershy cried as she witnessed some of the animals that were residing outside for their daily activities become victims to the freezing cold. She watched as birds were trying to fix their homes with snow covering their nests, how rabbits were doing their best to hop through massive piles of white, and the little stream where few animals kept close by was frozen ice.

Before the yellow pegasus could let out a small cry of horror, a bright flash immediately rushed through her window and came into her room with a crash. Fluttershy quickly turned to see Rainbow Dash on the floor, her wings wriggling with desperation.

"Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy spoke, "it-it's snowing!"

"No duh!" The rainbow-maned pegasus rolled her eyes before lifting herself off the ground and flapping angrily in the air. "This is no doubt Discord's doing!"

Her pink-maned friend blinked in utter surprise before turning to gaze out her window at the unexpected snowfall. "Discord?"

"Oh, come on!" Rainbow Dash threw her hooves up. "Winter doesn't come back for months! And if you haven't forgotten, Discord is still on the loose. And if you really haven't forgotten..." She bent down, wings still flapping, as her eyes bore into the innocent yellow mare's ones. "He still has Twilight."

That last sentence was enough to have the shy pegasus stand up straight, her teal eyes wide with the same horror she had when Spike announced her violet unicorn friend having gone missing.

"Look, we got to get to town," Rainbow Dash urged, having grabbed her Element of Kindness from Fluttershy's bed table. She quickly threw it around the other pegasus' neck.

"But-but-" Fluttershy struggled with her words as Rainbow Dash pushed her toward her open window. "My animals-"

"Don't worry," the cocky pegasus assured her as they now flew out of the cottage, "we'll take care of them later."

As they flew into the sky, Rainbow Dash gazed down at the great amount of white that seemed to have covered nearly all of Equestria by now. She let out a sigh before she continued leading the way.

"Looks like we might have to expect an early Winter Wrap-Up."
_

Zecora gracefully emerged from within the sheets of the bed she had slept in last night. She had stayed in Fancypants' mansion on insistence by her new Canterlot pony friends, all of them wanting to return the hospitality she had given them in her hut back in the Everfree Forest; they wanted her to remain close to them for the time-being during their search for Twilight Sparkle as well as keep together when Discord might strike unexpectedly.

The zebra let out a quiet yawn, not really much used to sleeping in a bed of incredible size, massive silk sheets, overly-fluffy pillows, and bright colors. She slowly slipped out of bed onto the cream-colored carpet before slowly walking over to a nearby window. Oh, this room was ten times the size of her hut!

Whether it was a maid's job or not to open the window for her, Zecora did it herself anyway as she used both her hooves to push back the large, fine-glass doors and prepared to welcome the bright light of Celestia's sun.

However, what she got was an extreme breeze of chill.

The zebra let out a gasp as her eyes widened at the sight of all of Canterlot completely engulfed in massive snow.

"Zecora!" Fancypants cried before bursting into her room. He knew that seemed extremely un-gentleman-like of him, and the fact that he was wearing blue-and-white striped pajamas, but he needed to see his zebra friend about the situation that was suddenly bestowed before them.

She turned to look at him as he quickly joined her side, gazing outside her window as his home became covered in white.

"Can you believe this?" He said aloud, adjusting his monocle.

"Indeed, there is snow," Zecora nodded. Then her face hardened as a frown formed on her lips. "And only one character that is responsible for this, I'm sure we all know."

Fancypants turned to her, an expression of both realization and understanding on his face. "We must dress warmly for the matter, my friend."

The female zebra turned to him, managing an amused smile. "I am sure I can be immune to this incredible cold," she said lightly, "for having always adored the sun, the snow isn't that bold."

The stallion unicorn raised an eyebrow at her before lightly shaking his head. "Absolutely not," he stated firmly. "I will not have my dear friend suffer a chill later on." He managed a smile. "Look, I understand you're not one for Canterlot fashion..." He gazed at the golden jewelry she always wore. "But bear with me, my dear, that considering this is Discord's doing, we cannot take chances, especially you."

Zecora let out a sigh before returning a small smile. "Very well, if you must cloak me in fine attire," she said. She gazed out the window once again. "For the way I see it, nothing could be anymore dire."
_

Twilight yawned as she raised her head from her bed. She winced as it suddenly started to feel a bit chilly for some reason. Rubbing her hooves together, the unicorn flipped her mane and gazed toward her closet.

"Maybe the weather's going to be less sun and a little more windy this time," she told herself as she used her magic to open the large doors that showed her wide assortment of clothes.

Searching through the closet, she finally chose a pale pink dress to wear as well as a red cloak with a hood that had a fuzzy white cuff. Smiling to herself, Twilight draped the cloak over her mane and proceeded out of her room.

"Discord?" She called, wondering where he was during this chilled weather.

He wasn't in the dining room, and he wasn't even among the cloudy tree fields where she would read sometimes, that only meant that he may have went outside. The unicorn proceeded forward until she finally found the exit. However, she stopped in her tracks when she got a good look of outside.

Beautiful white snow blanketed the grass and trees around the woods, the flowers glistening like diamonds as snowflakes lightly covered their buds and leaves. Even the lake had become a thick coat of ice, just perfect to skate on, despite Twilight's last mishap with the sport.

The unicorn slowly walked among the snow, taking in everything in awe. The last time she saw snow like this was-

"Winter Wrap-Up," Twilight told herself softly, smiling.

Last night's conversation with Discord was all about holidays, gatherings and events that were created long after his first imprisonment. When she talked about how she was a great help to Ponyville's Winter Wrap-Up, Discord had been quite confused yet curious about the event. It broke Twilight's heart to realize that despite the Draconequus having adapted so quickly with the times, he was still new to special days and other important events.

Twilight just wanted so much for him: enjoy the simple tasks of Winter Wrap-Up, absorb in the thrills and chills of Nightmare Night, bask in the joy of Hearth's Warming Day, and Hearts and Hooves Day...well, perhaps the children would shower him with love and affection.

And last night, before they had danced to that interesting Hayhanna song, Twilight promised Discord that once all trouble in Equestria would slowly diminish and she could take him home with her, she promised he would be with her at the next Winter Wrap-Up, standing by her side as she took in her job as 'All-Team Organizer'. Though she doubted he would want to stick to doing things the Earth pony way for so long a matter...

The unicorn was drifted out of her thoughts when she heard chirping and gazed toward a nearby tree. Among one of its branches were a few birds singing in perhaps praise of the new weather. Of course, it wasn't truly winter, so she doubted animals would hibernate despite the snow.

She smiled warmly to herself as the birds flew down and twirled around her before leading up to the sky to join their friends in the air. She watched as more birds flew by, simply basking in the weather just as much as she was.

Discord gazed up from high in the sky, hidden among a single cloud as he watched the happy unicorn enjoy the snow beneath her hooves. He smiled to himself, satisfied that she was enjoying the snow he conjured. Covering all of Equestria in snow was no problem for him, he just never thought he would even consider summoning snow on account of that seemed so 'un-chaotic'...and lonesome. Snow was simply white that was able to hide most things, keeping one out of sight and unable to be spotted in even a huge environment, where there was Discord's idea of insane usage like cotton candy, chocolate milk, and even cheese to make his mark and be spotted from thousands of miles away. Snow just seemed so depressing...

...before a certain unicorn came and explained to him the joys and beauties as well as special events that came with it.

His smile widened as he watched Twilight trot around in the snow, letting go of all seriousness and bask in the glory that was an early white wonderland. Finally, after much watching, he lowered his cloud down onto the ground and stepped out. Around his neck was a wool scarf as he slowly came over to Twilight, who had her eyes closed and smiling up toward the sky.

"Good morning, Twilight," he greeted with a chuckle, making her gasp in surprise.

"Oh, Discord!" She exclaimed, smiling nervously. "Uh, hi!"

He smirked as he spread his arms to the snow around them. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Well, as unexpected and incorrectly forecasted as it is..." Twilight stated intellectually as she turned her head to regard the skies. She turned back to him and smiled. "Yes. It's very beautiful."

His grin widened as he rubbed his ear. "I'm very pleased it impresses you, my dear."

"Okay, what's up?" Twilight asked playfully, raising an eyebrow at him. "Why the snow all of a sudden?"

Discord laughed. "My dear, you said you really wanted me to be by your side when this next Winter Wrap-Up event came..." His eyes lowered in satisfaction. "I thought it would be nice to make it come a little sooner."

"Oh, boy," Twilight sighed. "My friends are probably going to have their hooves full." Then her eyes widened as she remembered something. "Oh, no! They're going to be cleaning up winter...without me!"

"Yes, if I do remember correctly..." Discord placed a finger to his chin, "they had messed up many times before you came along and put order to their chaos."

"Oh, gee, I hope they don't falter too much while I'm gone," the unicorn grew even more worried. "I mean, without their 'All-Team Organizer'-"

"Don't fret, Twilight Sparkle," Discord chuckled as he leaned down to her eye level and smiled at her. "Remember, they got your messages. Sure, they must be a little outraged, but they know you're fine and shall handle things without you regardless of the consequences."

Looking into those assuring gold and red eyes, complete with a smile of encouragement, all fear and despair quickly evaporated as Twilight gave a small, hopeful smile of her own.

"I guess you're right," she sighed.

"Excellent," the Draconequus said as gazed down at the snow beneath their feet. "Now, I understand that we can't do everything you ponies do during this event, but perhaps there's at least a few things you could teach me to better ready myself for when the real Winter Wrap-Up comes and nopony hates me enough to not peform such tasks?"

Twilight smiled, shuffling her hooves. "Well, I guess we could start with planting some things..."
_

Upper Crust blew out a puff of chilly air, her fur coat and hat beginning to fail in warming her up. Indeed, when she first found her beautiful Canterlot thick in snow, she didn't know what to think...accept quickly assume this was behind that chaotic creature.

Snow! Right in the middle of the year! Oh, all the lovely flowers that took some time to bloom to its full beauty were now buried in snow! And the streets were almost difficult to trot through as she watched some worker ponies use their magic to plow the thick white out of her way.

"How are you holding up, dear?" She turned to look at Jet Set, wearing a thick sweater and an expression of concern on his face.

She managed a small smile. "Oh, don't bother about this unexpected snowfall, dearest," she chuckled lightly. "This isn't nearly as bad as the poison joke incident!"

"Don't remind me..." Her husband winced before gently tapping his muzzle with a hoof.

In the middle of the clean street were all their friends, deep in chatter of both outrage and astonishment for the snow that had unexpectedly hit Equestria. Upper Crust barely made out Zecora standing beside Fancypants; the zebra was dressed in a dark blue winter gown and matching beret. The unicorn stifled a laugh, biting her lip as knowing too well how Zecora seemed slightly uncomfortable in their fashion. However, her self-humor immediately died down when she took great notice of the two ponies both Zecora and Fancypants were speaking to.

The Sparkles.

No doubt Fancypants' words of assurance were of no help as she witnessed the tears falling down Mrs. Sparkles face. How terrible Upper Crust felt for the other unicorn...and how even more terrible she felt that she had once referred to dear Twilight Sparkle as some 'Ponyville ruffian'.

She had no idea Twilight was, indeed, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle, nor did she ever fathom that she was the prized pupil of Princess Celestia herself. Oh, how much she had grown the last time Upper Crust had even been lucky to actually see her...

It was during one year, when Twilight was at the age between a little filly and a young mare and attending the academy for gifted unicorns. Her parents had thrown a little gathering in their home and Upper Crust recalled all too well how she wanted to wear her new, ordered dress and show off to Twilight's mother. Mrs. Sparkle had been quite an idol in her eyes, holding both beauty and intelligence in such an original fashion. And, apparently, that was inherited by her little girl...

Upper Crust, having had her nose held high while walking across the large living room in her colorful silk skirts and jewelry, found enjoyment in the gathering, as well as her conversations with the Sparkles. However, after a few hours, she finally noticed that their daughter was not present.

While she had been wondering where their little filly was as she explored the halls that held their paintings and home decor, she nearly passed by their small library before hearing a giggle. She had peeked inside, and there sat the adorable little girl with a massive book in front of her, using her horn as her source of light.

The older unicorn was completely in awe by how much such a young pony could read; and the glow of her horn seemed quite powerful for someone Twilight's age. As much as she wanted little Twilight to come out of her library and join in their gathering, she had decided not to and left her to her studies.

As the memory faded, a small smile tightened on her lips as Upper Crust fought off tears that were beginning to form in her eyes.

After so long...just recently, she had met the now grown filly at one of their garden parties. When she first caught sight of her, she thought she was a lovely pony with the most plain dress she had ever seen. Her Ponyville friends were outrageous beyond belief, one of them even swung a croquet mallet that resulted in one of her friends losing her wig. And Twilight...oh, before Upper Crust could recall where she had seen her before...her dancing was unbelievably shocking!

She and her husband and the other Canterlot ponies looked down on them, and began to do so on Rarity when she stood by them, staying true to her Ponyville traits. And Fancypants admired her for that...

After Fancypants showed praise for Rarity and her friends, Upper Crust didn't know what to do, except agree with him immediately, even insisting she buy the dress Twilight was wearing.

After that whole ordeal, it was Twilight's turn to talk after Rarity introduced all them. Every jaw had fallen when the violet unicorn explained she was born and raised in Canterlot before residing in Ponyville; they fell even further when she explained her last name was Sparkle and that she was Celestia's student.

One of their own kind...and Upper Crust couldn't tell her apart from those Ponyville-bornes! Oh, how embarrassed she was to think so lowly of Twilight when she had such awe and admiration for her when she was just a little filly just as she did so for her mother!

Now that she thought about it...that yellow dress did seem quite lovely, though it could have used more designs and such. And the way Twilight was poised and spoke with such high intelligence in a soft, mesmerizing voice...how could Upper Crust have overlooked that? That was complete Canterlot material right there! Upper Crust never felt more guilty in her life!

And what made the guilt worsen was that she had berated Twilight Sparkle on her birthday!

Her birthday...that was a good reason to why the dear mare acted completely out of herself and frolicked in the same characteristics as her Ponyville friends. Even Upper Crust herself would let herself go when she had her special day coming.

But all had been forgiven and the others, as well as Fancypants, listened to Twilight's stories about her studies with the princess, her time in Ponyville, what great friends she has...

The Elements of Harmony.

For somepony as anti-social as Twilight once was, Upper Crust found it slightly ironic how she was the Element of Friendship, as well as Magic. She just needed to be put in the right direction, needed to meet ponies outside the glamours and intellectuals of Canterlot, and she had found true friends...

Was Upper Crust being a true friend right now?

Now that she thought about it, she quite resented dealing with such situations she believed only somepony with Ponyville class would handle, going through the dreaded Everfree Forest, landing face-first in poison joke, handling four unruly foals and battling a hydra.

But recalling those events...she seemed almost excited by such.

And they had made a new, interesting friend while doing so. Sure, Zecora was far from Canterlot material...but her intelligence, enchanted wisdom, and kindness was what immediately drew ponies like her close to the zebra.

Upper Crust quickly shook her head, realizing how even more cold it was becoming as she and her husband just stood in the cleaned streets, awaiting whatever tasks they had to do today. No doubt they would have to re-enact Winter Wrap-Up to clean what that dreaded Discord was responsible for. Finally, she watched Fancypants approach them, leaving behind Zecora who was doing her best to comfort the Sparkles.

"According to weather patrol," the high-society stallion explained, "we might be having this snow for quite a while."

Jet Set blinked as his wife's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you suggest we do?"

"Yes," Upper Crust nodded, "surely there must be some dark plan behind why Discord would summon this snow."

"I dare say I'm not sure," Fancypants sighed, adjusting his monocle, "but I do know is that this snow must be cleaned before we resume search."

"What?" Upper Crust gasped. She immediately looked over his shoulder and watched as Mr. Sparkle hold his heartbroken wife close to him; how she wished they could just gallop through the snow and resume the quest for their dear daughter. "Can't we just ignore the snow?" She asked desperately.

"My dear, it'll pile up if we don't do something soon," Fancypants said.

"But Twilight Sparkle!" She argued, her eyes becoming glassy with sadness and horror.

"Discord couldn't possibly be doing anything to her this instant," her husband assured her, "not when he's summoned snow for whatever purpose he has in mind."

Upper Crust turned from Jet Set to Fancypants. Finally, she let out a frustrated sigh.

"Fine," she muttered, "please, let's just hurry with this so we can resume finding our dear little Twilight." The images of that filly she saw in the home library quickly entered her mind once again.

"Of course, my dear," Fancypants nodded before he turned to a few other ponies and gave them the nod.

As the ponies dispersed to get the job started, Upper Crust turned in the direction of the Sparkles. Her skirts trailing behind her, she quickly galloped over to them.

Mrs. Sparkle sniffed and wiped her eyes before taking in the sight of Upper Crust before her. Her teary eyes narrowed a bit, not interested in speaking with the mare that looked down on some ponies. "What?" She asked hoarsely.

Upper Crust scuffled a hoof against the ground, seeing that Mrs. Sparkle was perhaps too upset over her daughter to carry on her courtesy. "Look, I know this is all so very difficult right now..."

"Oh, you think?" Mrs. Sparkle snapped.

The other unicorn winced at her remark. "But let me tell you, dearie..." She said in a soft, sincere voice. "I, Upper Crust, won't give up on finding your daughter."

She watched as Mrs. Sparkle's eyes widened, as if never expecting such words from her. "W-what?" She stuttered.

Upper Crust managed a small smile. "I remember her when she was a little filly before she shut herself away in dusty old books," she chuckled softly. "She isn't only loved by you, please remember that."

Before either Sparkles could say anything, she quickly turned on her hooves and trotted off, knowing she said all she needed.

She may not be a so-called Element of Harmony, but she knew what the magic of friendship was.
_

"Are you kidding me?"

Mayor Mare sighed before gazing over her platform at all the warm-wearing ponies before her. The speech she gave regarding the situation they were placed in was not a grand one, but she did her best to keep positive, despite that they hadn't been at all prepared for such an early winter clean-up.

"Citizens of Ponyville," she spoke calmly, "I know this is a heavy task for all of you-"

"Of course it is!" Remarked one pony. "We can't clean this up! Not without our All-Team Organizer!"

Having spoken of that, all heads fell in slight despair; Pinkie Pie doing her best not to cry. During the real Winter Wrap-Up, they would have failed once again if it wasn't for her.

Finally, Applejack held her head high before marching toward the platform and stood before all the depressed ponies.

"Listen here, everypony!" She shouted with authority in her voice. "I know that if it weren't for Twilight our Winter Wrap-Ups would have kept on with the tradition of messing things up!" Her eyes hardened. "And boy, we might mess up quite a bit on account of we don't have her..." They lowered sadly. Finally, she held a stiff upper lip before gazing at the town before her. "But we got to keep on, everypony!"

"Applejack's right!" Rainbow Dash shouted, her wings flapping. "Twilight would have wanted us to clean this up without her..." She lowered to the ground a bit, her head dropping.

"And indeed we will!" Rarity stepped forward. "Even though I can't stand to wear my boots so early this year, I'll do it for our dear Twilight!"

"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie bounced up and down. "I'll be sure to skate a picture of her face in the icy lakes!"

"And the animals..." Fluttershy stepped up shyly. "I'm sure they'll appreciate whatever we did in Twilight's way."

Before the five knew it, all the other ponies joined in, confidence reigning among them as the positivity of a good job was now in order. Mayor Mare smiled with relief.

"Then it's settled," she said finally, "everypony gather what you can and meet here in an hour. With or without an All-Team Organizer, I'm sure we'll pull through."

Spike watched as the group dispersed before he followed behind the remaining Elements of Harmony. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold back his tears when a clipboard would be placed in his hand...
_

Discord placed an eagle talon finger to his chin in wonder as Twilight led him into the snow-covered fields, completely surrounding them of the winter-filled nature he summoned. He grew even more curious about this Winter Wrap-Up thing, and hoped the intelligent unicorn would be able to explain it to him in less difficult terms. Finally, Twilight stopped in her tracks before turning to him, a small smile on her face as her eyes shone with pride.

"Well then," Discord said in a calm, interested voice as he began floating beside her. "I got the seeds you requested in stock, and my magic is ready when you are." And with snap of his fingers, a tiny tree emerged from the ground beside Twilight's hooves.

The unicorn gazed down at the magically-made creation before turning to the Draconequus with a look of disapproval.

"No magic," she said sternly, "we must do this Ponyville's way, meaning the Earth pony way."

"That sounds so boring," Discord sighed, rolling his eyes. "Can't we bend those rules?"

"I bended those rules a little bit," Twilight reminded him hotly, "and it only made things worse."

"Sometimes I think that Element of Honesty of yours doesn't appreciate magic," he huffed before folding his arms.

Twilight rolled her eyes before turning to gaze at their surroundings. "Well, let's get started, shall we?"

"So how exactly does this Winter Wrap-Up thing start?" He asked, checking his lion paw in a dull manner.

"Something like this..." She smiled softly, closing her eyes as her heart began to beat to a rhythm she could just feel.

Discord watched as the unicorn, her skirt trailing as she walked, stepped a few distances away from him, her eyes shut before holding her head high to feel the cool breeze of winter.

The beautiful snow has fallen, so unexpectedly

Discord raised a surprised eyebrow as he watched her sing. This was absolutely the first time he had ever heard her sing; he could only wonder why he never heard her sooner.

Dressed warm and snug in our winter clothes, the tasks won't be easy
Discord has made it snow, and has spread it all around

Shaking her hood off, she gave a flip of her mane as her eyes opened to gaze at the all the white before her.

And even though it's still summer, we can't let this job down

Before Discord knew it, Twilight broke into a trot as she went down the hill, leaving him to follow behind her as she continued singing. She could be so surprising sometimes; he liked that.

An unexpected time has come, the snow has fallen down
And the beauty of winter has been shown, the incredibly white of the ground

She stopped in her tracks before turning to see Discord magically appear beside her. She gave another smile before turning back toward the snow.

This is very special time of the year, and new to Discord, too
I must teach him these ways
To do what we ponies do, what would my friends think of this?

Her mind drifted a bit, recalling how much her friend backs in Ponyville must be struggling in this weather without her.

I'm not sure what they'll say
_

Back in Ponyville, the citizens kept themselves in order as they brought forth their plows, their ice skates, and even some seeds if they could still grow something during this weather. Twilight or no Twilight, they had a job to do, and the unicorn would be proud of all of them if she could just see them now.

Winter wrap-up, winter wrap-up
Let's make sure this snow gets cleared
Winter wrap-up, winter wrap-up

"Discord's somewhere around here," Rainbow Dash sang as she soared through the skies.

Winter wrap-up, winter wrap-up

"I'm shaking with fear!" One exclaimed, shivering not from the cold.

Winter wrap-up, winter wrap-up

"Please don't act like the end is near," his brothers sighed as he helped with a bag of seeds.
_

Discord was quite surprised and amused by the unicorn's behavior as she trotted with a beat in her step. Her dress flapped as she led him down fields of snow-covered grass, a bright smile on her face as she used her magic to carry bags of seeds she requested the Draconequus to conjure just for her.

"Winter wrap-up, winter wrap-up," she sang happily as she kept trotting along. "It's not spring but it's near."

Discord was quite taken by the song Twilight explained had been sung during her first ever Winter Wrap-Up back in Ponyville. Though she said she was singing an entirely different version of it, he liked it, nevertheless; she had quite a voice.

"Winter wrap-up, winter wrap-up," she sang as she stopped in her tracks, and motioning for him to do the same. Finally, she flashed her teeth and grinned at him, taking him completely by surprise. "You'll be with me when spring comes here!" She sang, her eyes sparkling.

As if one cue, birds flew out of their trees and glided around the two, chirping in harmony before flying off.

"Admiring the southern birds," she sang as she motioned a hoof to the sky where the birds were flying, "is where a pegasus' job begins."

Discord smiled smugly, folding his arms as he watched the birds fly in formation, keeping together as they continued flying off.

"As well as clearing all the clouds in the sky," Twilight sang as she motioned over to the white clouds covering the sun's rays. She eyed Discord, jamming her hoof toward the sky once more.

Realizing that verse in the song was actually a cue, the Draconequus hastily raised his mismatched hands up to clouds, and in one swift move, a light aura of magic surged out and strike the clouds, completely dispersing them.

Twilight smiled before resuming her song. "Allowing the sunshine in."

Discord watched as the sun's rays beamed upon the snow he created. It made a lovely scene as it shone upon the white flakes, making them glisten like diamonds.

"Moving the clouds to melt the snow," Twilight sang, holding so much pride for what Discord had done.

He turned to watch her resume her singing...right when a ray of sunshine shone upon her.

"When the sun comes up...," she sang softly, eyes closed. "Beauty will grow."

Her eyes slowly opened, gazing up at the bright sky, her eyes sparkling as the light shone upon her.

Discord smiled, though it could never be as bright as hers as she led him through the light-covered snow.

"The little animals sleep and rest," she sang as they came across a family of rabbits, enjoying the snow around their home. "Through snow and ice."

"And we gently wake them up," she cooed as she bent down and nuzzled against the tiniest rabbit, who nuzzled back. "So adorable and nice!"

Before Discord knew it, Twilight gently picked it up in her hooves and showed it to him. The rabbit's big eyes sparkled at him, and the Draconequus found himself holding it in his mismatched hands.

"We gather their food, help clean their homes below," Twilight sang softly as she used a hoof to push some snow away from their rabbit hole before placing a big carrot in front of the family.

Suddenly, the sound of birds was heard as both looked up and saw an array of birds land in the trees near them.

Twilight smiled. "Welcoming the lovely birds," she sang aloud, "so families can grow."

By now Discord as both amazed and astonished, having never taken a good look at nature before, as well as its inhabitants. Finally, Twilight brought him to a clear path where snow had missed its mark. A nice patch of dirt was visible to them, just perfect for their seeds.

"Earth ponies work hard at clearing the ground," Twilight sang as she stepped upon the dirt, "planting all the seeds."

The bag of seeds floated between her and Discord and she motioned for the Draconequus to bring down his lion paw. He did so and she dropped a few seeds. With a smile, she motioned for him to the little hole she dug with her hoof. Taking this silent order, he bent down and slowly dropped the seeds one by one into it.

"With proper rain and sunshine," she sang happily as he patted a small amount of dirt over it, "it'll give everyone something to feed." She gave him a friendly pat on the arm. "Apples, carrots, celery stalks, colorful flowers, too!" She smirked to herself. "Everypony works very hard, everypony knows what to do!"

With a small smirk on Discord's face, he playfully used his magic and before the unicorn knew it, vegetables, fruits, and various other plants grew beside the just placed seeds.

"Hey!" Twilight exclaimed, cutting off her singing tone. "That's cheating!"

"Oh, like you didn't do that during your little Winter Wrap-Up," he chuckled before reaching over and plucking an apple from a tree he grew.

Before Twilight had time to argue further, he grabbed a carrot and shoved it into her mouth. She nearly choked, but the sweetness of the carrot made up for it and she slowly chewed.

"It'll be very interesting if I do get to experience a real Winter Wrap-Up with you, my dear," he laughed, watching her eat.
_

Spike looked up from his clipboard, watching as Pinkie Pie and other ponies kept in formation as they skated along the icy lake.

"Okay, that's perfect!" Spike called out before looking back at his paper. "Skating round...check!"

His hand struggled a bit as he tried to put in a perfect check. Checks reminded him too much of perfect organization, and perfect organization reminded him of...

"Not going to cry...not going to cry..." He swallowed hard, the check he put down looking like a squiggly V.
_

Twilight smiled to herself, gathering the last of the produce as she floated them into her basket. Though they had not grown through the Earth pony way, simply having being conjured by the Spirit of Chaos himself, the unicorn was fine with it; most of it had been her breakfast.

Her mouth drooled as an she picked up an apple from her basket. She closed her eyes, sticking out her teeth, awaiting to savor its juicy goodness-

-and suddenly she was hit with something from behind, making her drop the apple and land face-first in the snow.

Raising her head up, her mane covered in snow, Twilight's face hardened before turning to see Discord a few feet away from her. In his lion paw was a snowball.

He could barely hold his laughter as he clutched his chest. "Oh, you should see the look on your face, Twilight Sparkle!"

The unicorn glowered at him for a few moments, rubbing the snow off her lovely mane. Then the evilest of smirks formed on her face as her eyes narrowed.

Discord kept laughing, holding his chest tight...before he was slammed in the face with a large amount of snow.

Twilight, her horn glowing, watched as Discord nearly fell over from the large snowball she made. After Discord gained back his posture, he stared at Twilight in total disbelief and amazement.

"You should see the look on your face," Twilight said playfully, another snowball floating beside her.

Discord, after a few moments of regaining himself from that unexpected surprise, gave a small, playful smile on his lips before bending down and grabbing another handful of snow.

"Oh, it's on, Sparkle," he said before throwing at her.

It became a playful, all-out snow war as they began pelting each other with snowballs. Twilight never was one for snowball fights, usually having to be dragged or be targeted in such a game. But considering how Discord was playing the game, she began to see differently. If only Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash could see her now...they would be sodoomed.

It quickly became a chase as Twilight rushed after Discord, a few snowballs floating beside her. Discord let out a chortle as he looked over his shoulder and watched her follow him in pursuit.

"I got you now!" Twilight shouted, standing her ground and preparing to fire.

"Actually, my dear," Discord chuckled, stopping in her tracks before floating a bit off the ground. "I've got you now."

And before Twilight could do anything, Discord thumped his elbow against a nearby tree, filled with snow. And a huge pile fell on her.

Discord let out a laugh as the unicorn's head popped out of the pile, glaring at him.

"Okay, okay!" Twilight sighed. "You win..."

"And it actually feels good to win for once," Discord said, a wonderful smile on his face as he watched her emerge from the pile, shaking the snow off her coat.

"Well, nice to know you enjoyed a somewhat Winter Wrap-Up," she chuckled. Then she eyed him nervously. "You did enjoy it, right?" Her eyes shone with a little concern.

"Why, my dear," he began, surprised by her worry, "you've shown me so much about this special event! And I can't wait for the real thing when winter truly does come and we get ready for spring!"

"So you liked what I taught you?" Her eyes sparkled.

"As well as what fun we had out of it," the gleam in his eyes matched her own as he smiled softly at her. "Thank you for showing me the joy that is Winter Wrap-Up."

Twilight smiled shyly, shuffling her hooves. "Well, wait until I teach you about Nightmare Night."

"I think I can understand that," he chuckled, "I mean, it's a night for pranks and candy, am I right?"

"And games," she laughed, "and costumes."

"Costumes sound alright," he rolled his eyes, "but games, oh, I love games!"

"What a coincidence," she said playfully, her eyes fluttering with mischief. "I just so happen to think of a game right now."

"Oh?" He asked curiously. "What game would that be?"

"Ice skating," Twilight said, motioning to the still frozen lake before them. "See who can cut the ice better to get the water."

Discord blinked in confusion before regarding her closely. "I thought you weren't good at ice skating."

Twilight rolled her eyes, flashing him a smirk. "Well, considering I'm going against you, I might have a chance."

"What's that suppose to mean?" He asked defensively.

"Have you not read that one entry in my journal about the sudsy grounds?" She giggled.

His eyes widened in realization, and his ears lowered before turning to her, who just laughed.

"Then it's settled," she said, flipping her mane as she removed her hood. "First rule of the game..." She flashed her eyes at him, filled with so much playfulness. "Well, the only rule of the game."

Before Discord knew it, she leaned toward him, her eyes gazing into his.

"No tricking..."

And she leaned closer until her coat was touching his and she ran her hoof along the side of his cheek.

"And no cheating," she said in a quiet, taunting tone, her words smooth as silk as her hoof slowly came down his cheek before ending right under his chin where his beard was. The look she gave him when her hoof laid under his chin was, like her element, simply...elusive.

Discord had to admit...that was totally unexpected as Twilight pulled away and proceeded toward the icy lake.

"Good luck!" Twilight sang in a teasing tone.

Finally regaining himself from that surprise, Discord ran a hand over his horns, the corners of his mouth slightly twitching.

"Same goes for you, my dear," he said quietly, a small, mischievous smile on his face as he followed behind her.
_

Perhaps she had been a little too confident back there.

As big a proud grin she had as she slipped into the ice skates Discord summoned for them, her expression immediately melted into one of horror as she lost control of herself among the ice. If this was a trail of sudsy grounds, it wouldn't be that difficult for her!

Discord smirked to himself, his feet gliding across the ice like a smug professional as he watched the unicorn struggle. Chuckling to himself, he skated over to her side as she tried to keep her balance.

"You sure I'm the one who needs the luck?" He asked playfully, watching as she nearly slipped on herself.

"I can do this!" She replied hotly, her cheeks red as her coat as her hooves wobbled.

She managed to slide a little farther from him before she found her balance breaking and trip. However, Discord caught her in the brink of time, his lion paw secure around her waist before she could hit the ice. Twilight averted her eyes away from his as she frowned to herself, too frustrated over the fact that she failed iceskating worse than her first time during Winter Wrap-Up back in Ponyville. Now she knows how Rainbow Dash feels...

The Draconequus just smiled before reaching over with the tip of his eagle talon and placed it under her chin, directing her head to finally look at him.

"Truce?" He asked, holding his eagle claw out to shake.

Still frowning, Twilight pouted but still placed her hoof in his talons. "Truce," she muttered.
_

After some time in the snow and watching the not-so-hard work unfold before them, the two made it back to the warm home of chaos. When they got there, Discord had summoned a fancy living room, complete with a warm, blazing fire for them to sit close to.

Twilight smiled kindly at Discord as he helped remove her cloak before placing it on a stand he summoned as well. The unicorn, just in her pale pink dress, used her magic to summon a book from a shelf across the room and floated it toward her as she and the Draconequus laid on the carpet while enjoying the fire.

"Want a drink?" Discord asked, stretching before lying on his back, mismatched arms folded under his head while Twilight laid under her hooves with the book placed in front of her.

"Hot chocolate if that's not too much," she said, opening the book.

With a snap of his fingers, she got her hot cocoa while he got himself a cup of tea. As Discord sipped while lying on the floor, he shifted his eyes and watched as Twilight read as the glow of the fire engulfed her figure.

"Which book did you get?" He asked nonchalantly.

"One about winter stories, what else?" She snorted playfully, turning the page.

"Sorry, I don't notice some of the things I create," he scoffed.

"Still," she said, her eyes shifting toward his lying figure. "You do have good taste in literature."

"Don't push it," he remarked with a sly grin, "some of the books I've seen recently are boring beyond compare."

"They can't all be filled with humorous disaster," she mocked, eyes turning back to her book. "Of course, chaos doesn't entirely mean disaster."

Silence filled the room as the crackle of the fire blazed before the two. Discord's eyes remained glue to the ceiling while Twilight's remained on her book.

This sure was nice...

He never fully enjoyed being in front of a fire before. But now that he finally found the experience of sharing it with someone, he never wanted the enjoyment to drop down to the level he had been stuck with for so long before having been turned into stone the first time.

Good to know this fire pleased Twilight.

He blinked a few times, thinking it over in his head for a quite a bit. Finally, he shifted himself, raising his head.

"Twilight," he began, his eyes lowering in a serene expression, "I meant to tell you this before, but I just wanted to say-" He turned to look at her.

Her head was pressed face-down on her open book; she was asleep.

Discord raised an eyebrow, however, smiling smugly as he watched the drool trail down her lips onto the page. Without a second glance, he folded his arms behind his head and resumed his place on the floor, simply hearing both the crackle of the fire and the slight snoring of the slumbering unicorn.
_