The air felt warm in the bright summer sun as I walked to the hedge maze; the Canterlot Gardens were filled with the songs of many birds. My mission had gone well; however, I needed to speak with the princesses. The ponies in the castle informed me that both of them were in the maze. The royal guards stood more straight and at attention as I reached the entrance; both held their spears high. I stopped as the two eyed me with suspicion.
"Identification and business," the guard on the right said in a commanding voice.
Using my magic, I pulled a Royal Badge and small scroll from my saddlebags. The unicorn's eyes popped wide when he saw and read the letter. Both stallions saluted me and apologized for the delay. I placed both items back in the bags and entered the maze. Unlike most ponies, I knew the secret ways through the hedges, so it did not take me long to reach the center. Celestia and Luna both stood near a large stone creature frozen in a scared position. My body shivered at the sight of it. Once it had been the most powerful villain in Equestria. Now he was nothing but a lawn ornament, so it was hard not to laugh at Discord. I heard he had been free for a day causing all sorts of trouble, but Twilight Sparkle and her friends returned him to stone. My feelings towards the draconequus were mixed, on one hoof he needed to be stopped and I was happy he was, on the other hoof, I felt sorry for him being trapped like that. My mother, Princess Celestia was the first to notice me; she had always been able to sense when I was close. Luna, however, never took her eyes from the statue.
Celestia smiled and walked over to me; the sunlight made the colors in her mane sparkle as it moved with majestic energy. She leaned down to give me a hug and I returned it. It was nice, when we could drop our masks and just be ourselves. I deeply treasured these moments and I hoped for more of them.
"Welcome home," mother said releasing me, behind her smile I could feel that something was bothering her.
"I should have been here sooner." I answered.
Mother's eyes turned sympathetic, "There was little you could have done."
I hated how true that was. Though the Alicorn Blade is powerful, it would have been worthless against Discord. Even though his magic was troubling, it was not evil. Chaos was funny that way, it was capable of great good as well as bad. It was that one thing you never saw coming.
"Still, I should have been here for you two at least." I said, knowing how painful it must have been to see an old enemy again.
Mother shook her head, "No, your mission was more important, but we can discuss that later. For now, I would like to decide what to do with Discord."
"As would I," Aunt Luna said walking over to us. "However, lets not talk here."
She was getting better at talking like modern ponies, but she still had some ways to go. Looking back at Discord, Celestia and I agreed. It was still unclear just how conscious he was, but if he was aware of his surroundings then there were things he didn't need to hear. Mother's horn glowed with golden light and in a flash we appeared inside her room. Mother's pet phoenix, Philomena was asleep in her open cage as we all sat down. Aunt Luna made a tea set appear on the table as I removed my cloak and saddlebags. Mother poured three cups and began to speak.
"Before we talk about Discord, I would like to hear about your mission, Sun."
I put two sugar cubes in my tea, stirred, and took a small sip.
Placing the cup down, I gave my report, "I searched the eastern woods as ordered, after three days I found nothing. Even with the help of other explorer ponies, the changeling nest still remains hidden."
Aunt Luna had a look of serious determination on her face; in her eyes I could tell she was making plans. The changelings were the closest threat to Equestria, so finding them was a high priority. Mother's face was concerned; however, her eyes looked like she was fitting pieces together. Maybe, she had a closer idea of where the nest was.
"I see," mother said taking a small drink of her tea, "I will have the Wonderbolts and Cadance investigate further."
Changelings did feed on love, so who better to find them then the princess of love. I always smiled when thinking about Cadance because she had always been full of kindness and courage. Everypony had been shocked when mother took Cadance in as her niece. More were surprised about her being an alicorn, including me. Cadance and I both could not stop laughing when Aunt Luna asked if Cadance was my sister. Even though she wasn't, I had always thought of her that way.
"Well, if that's out of the way," Aunt Luna said, breaking me from my thoughts. "We should talk about what to do with Discord, sister."
"As you wish," mother answered with a nod.
After taking a long drink, Aunt Luna began the discussion, "We here all know just how dangerous Discord is, and we know just how much damage he is capable of."
Mother and I both nodded.
"And now," Aunt Luna continued, "We know that his prison is not as perfect as we had originally thought." She looked at mother, "Sister, when you and I first trapped him, we hoped it would contain him forever. However, it appears that we were wrong." She closed her eyes in disappointment, but quickly opened them. "If he can get free once, he can certainly get free again. So we need to make sure that does not happen."
I looked at mother and spoke too, "She's right. Someday Twilight and her friends will lose their connection to The Elements of Harmony, and when that happens we need to have a plan."
Mother spoke calmly, "Do either of you have an idea?"
I looked at Aunt Luna before speaking again, "Well, if three fillies could release him with an argument, then maybe we should place him somewhere no pony will ever find him. Like the bottom of a lake, or maybe we could drop him in the ocean."
"Or we could throw him into a volcano." Aunt Luna said in a neutral voice.
Both mother and I looked at her in complete shock. From the way she had said it, neither of us could tell if she was joking. However, I could understand what she meant. We had a big opportunity to put a final end to Discord. But it felt wrong right now Discord was helpless. Maybe it was the warrior in me, but it just felt unjust. I was about to say so, when mother spoke first, "No, what I have in mind, will be much harder. But, if it works, we will gain a greater reward."
She had both Aunt Luna's and my attention now.
"I intend to have Discord reformed."
Aunt Luna and I were so surprised, that we said, "WHAT!" very loudly at the same time. I was certain they heard us all the way in Ponyville. Aunt Luna could barely talk as I tried to calm down Philomena; the poor phoenix had been awakened by our shout. Mother sat quietly drinking her tea as if she had not sent us into a frenzy. Aunt Luna swallowed and regained enough composure to speak.
"Sister, you cannot be serious? That idea is simply crazy."
After calming Philomena down, I could not help but agree with my aunt. That idea was beyond insane; there was no other way of saying it. I looked at my mother and I saw how calm she was; there was no doubt on her face.
"Not only is she serious," I thought to myself. "She is confident that it will work."
My curiosity was aroused.
"You have a plan," I said out loud.
Aunt Luna looked at me then back at mother, "Is that true, sister?"
Mother dropped down her cup and took a deep breath, "Yes, I do."
Aunt Luna and I both sat back down at the table; we were very interested to hear what mother had to say. Philomena watched us from her cage. The tea was cold as mother told us her plan.
"We will have Twilight and her friends release him, and I wish for Fluttershy to reform Discord."
"Why her?" I asked.
Mother smiled, "When the six of them were in the maze, being manipulated by Discord, I saw something interesting. When Discord tried to twist Fluttershy against her true self, it failed."
Aunt Luna looked perplexed, "But I thought he twisted all of them."
The small smile on mother's face did not waver, "In a way, but with Fluttershy it was different. I watched with my own eyes as Fluttershy resisted everything Discord tried. Her kindness and understanding were so great that, in the end, Discord had to force her to change."
That was different. All the others, including Twilight, had given themselves up of their own freewill, but Fluttershy had never surrendered her true self. She had a good chance. I stood up and began to pace slowly back and forth.
"If this works," I began, "Then we will have one of the most powerful creatures as an ally."
"Perhaps," interjected Aunt Luna, "However, if she fails we will need to use the elements."
My heart sank as I remembered the important news I wished to tell them. Mother became concerned at the look on my face. She got up and walked over to me.
"What's wrong, Sunblade?" she asked.
I took a deep breath as the two of them stared at me.
"If you really plan on doing this," I said in a sad voice, "You need to do it soon; I have been to the tree."
Both of them gasped in alarm.
"The Tree of Harmony?" asked Aunt Luna.
I nodded.
"Is something wrong with it?" asked mother.
"Yes," I answered. "I fear it is dying."
Both of them looked very troubled, I could not blame them. After all, both of them had taken the elements from the tree. Mother looked at the floor, closed her eyes, and asked the dreaded question.
"How long do we have?"
My sad voice got sadder, "A year, maybe less."
Aunt Luna's voice was shaken, "We can't free Discord."
"Luna," Mother said, her voice slightly raised, but my aunt cut her off.
"NO! Sister, I was willing when we believed the elements would still be usable. But now, if we free him and give up the elements; there will be nothing standing in his way."
"That is only if the plan fails." mother said, trying to calm down.
"Why? Why do you have such faith in your student and her friends?" Aunt Luna asked almost pleading.
There was a very heavy pause, not even Philomena made a single sound. Mother's face sank and her eyes looked very old; Aunt Luna and I had never seen her like this. She looked so hollow and lost, my heart felt troubled.
"Mother," I asked cautiously. "What are you not telling us?"
She turned her face away from us, and she looked like she was in pain.
"I didn't want to tell you two until the time was right. However, it seems I have no choice now." Using her magic, mother made the tea set disappear and replaced it with a very old book. "There is a good reason I believe in Twilight and her friends. It is because I wish for them to one day replace me."
Aunt Luna gasped and my eyes grew wide, neither of us spoke, so my mother continued to explain.
"I have been working on this plan for a long time, I first started thinking about it after you were banished to the moon, Luna. For many years it stayed quiet in the back of my mind, until I lost Brightwing."
We saw tears go down her face; I felt tears fill my eyes, too.
"After that, I started to work on finding a pony or ponies who could be my successor. I built my school and kept my eyes open for anypony of special potential. There were a few over the years, but none of them had what Twilight has. There was one a few years ago, I thought she could be the one. However, she was consumed by pride and ambition; she ran away and I don't think she will return."
I remembered the student mother was talking about, Sunset Shimmer. There were times when mother and I thought about her, where was she? What was she doing? And, would she ever return? I once had feelings for her, but she never paid any attention to me. Or, anypony.
Aunt Luna took a step forward, "Sister, we are meant to rule together."
Mother gave a faint smile, "No one said we had to rule forever."
Aunt Luna considered that, "If we do need somepony to replace us, why not Sunblade or Cadance?"
Mother looked at me before answering, I gave a small shake of my head. She understood, "Sunblade has no interest in the throne, and I mean for Cadance to take up a different throne."
That was all true. Cadance would take back the throne of her family, and I wanted to serve not rule.
"How can you be sure they are the right ponies, sister?" Aunt Luna asked.
Mother's face turned to a look of determination, "They all have lessons they still need to learn. But in time, Luna, I hope you see the same potential in them that I have seen. Once Twilight is ready, I will give her this book." Mother put a hoof on it. "And if she can finish our old teacher's last spell, then that will prove without a doubt that Twilight is the one."
"And what will happen to her after that?" asked Aunt Luna.
Mother's smile became bigger and her face turned warm, "You will both see."
That answer was enough for me, but Aunt Luna still looked unsure. Finally she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let it out slowly, "Very well sister, but I still feel like we are making a mistake."
"Trust me Luna, they will succeed."
With that, our discussion came to its end. I told them that I would see both of them at dinner, but for now I need a bath and a bed. I walked out of the room with my gear, wondering just what the future held.
