Stone and Secrets

The diary went on through many misadventures, and a steadily growing relationship between Celestia and Shining Smiles. It eventually became obvious even to Twilight how Celestia truly felt about him, but she continued to deny it to herself.

There was finally a marked change, in one page where Celestia noted how Luna had confronted her on the matter, albeit in a lighthearted way, and she finally admitted it to herself after repeatedly questioning it.

It was at that point that Celestia began recording her lengthy consideration of the nature of mortality.

I've always wondered about that. How does she live, knowing that almost everyone around her, no matter how loved, will eventually just pass on without her?

It seemed Celestia was having similar thoughts at the time of writing. Twilight noticed a marked shift in tone; things seemed to suddenly become more poetic, and then more formal, in what seemed to be an unpredictable way.

I cannot leave someone like this. He's done nothing wrong.

And yet I know, no matter how much I wish it could be another way, that he will grow old.

That he will die.

And that I, with my alicorn magic, will stay eternally young.

Eternally lonely.

Eternally without knowing the sweet abandon of love...

But I digress.

Another issue too concerns me. It is a magic, spoken in whispers and behind closed doors far more often than it is in the open.

It is called Chaos Magic, and it functions differently from everything else in this world. It seems it can be manipulated to some degree, but not entirely, and therein lies the danger. It has brought a lucky few some one-time benefits, or so I have been led to believe by what knowledge I have been able to accrue on the matter. But it has a mind of its own; a dark, manipulative mind that can often take and gives as it pleases.

.......

I do not know why I write as if this is for someone else, but it is a long engrained habit,and  suppose it could prove useful to me if I ever look back here.

And perhaps if anypony else ever finds this information, if anypony else ever needs it.

A shiver ran down Twilight's spine.

At any rate, there is no way other way to explain the relation between this information and the previous entries than to state it.

I fear Shining Smiles has come into contact with Chaos Magic before.

He can apparently teleport from one place to another (he calls this "Easy-Peasy Movement"), he can fit into places far too small for him... he can even sometimes predict the strangest sorts events mere moments in advance with his "Shining Sense".

I had assumed it was his own special sort of magic. I still think it very well could be.

But I cannot ignore the possibility of Chaos Magic either.

And I have seen other indications of this as well, on reflection. For instance, when he used a mind game to break down that awful, racist, classist unicorn the other day...

I also cannot dismiss the fact that... that he might want to become immortal for me.

It is known all too well that regular magic cannot simply cheat death, but Chaos Magic bends the rules of reality by its very nature.

And even now, some small, selfish, and foolish part of me hopes he would be willing to do such a thing.

Part of me longs only for a lover's embrace, someone to share my heart and soul with...

And I wish, oh how I wish, someone who could go on into the dusty years forever with me.

Thus, I have made the decision to investigate this, starting with Chaos Magic itself, for I cannot go forward to fix this without truly knowing what it is that I am going into.

I must take utmost caution and immediately curb any temptation to dabble in this art, lest I get drawn into it myself. I will study it only in the theory of its nature, and in its effects. Only what I absolutely must, for him.

I love you, Shining Smiles.

"Oh dear sweet Celestia..."

Twilight could hardly bring herself to say anything else, though her mind was racing. "Spike, this is bad. This is really, really bad." She was struck by a sudden realization. "And this isn't what Luna told me. I mean, she told me about Shining Smiles, and Celestia, and Discord killing him... but there was nothing about any of this."

The book, however, ended rather abruptly a few pages later, when the torn-out section began. Only one more page remained, and only precisely three inscribed lines were still legible upon it; several in between were gone from water damage. Even those had some parts of words missing.

How... how c..ld I let this ha..pen?

A few more lines of ruined text...

I can..t allow this mistake to b..  ...peated.

A blotted out line or two...

As Celestia, Pr...ess of the Sun and Diarch of E...estria, I will put an ..d to Ch..s Magic. Never again, ne..r will my friends be claimed by this fi..th.

She needed more information, and there were two good ways to get it right now. "Spike, I want to you go back to where you found this book. Look for anything else that relates to it, especially if it's written by Princess Celestia, and take a look around in case someone kept the torn out pages. I have something else I need to do."

Spike nodded. "Alright, Twilight. I'll do my best."

Twilight looked once again upon the dull grey statue of discord, and the bizarre expression that shaped his face.

With quiet resolve, she took a deep breath, let out a sigh, and placed her hoof firmly on the statue.

"Discord, I want to know about a pony named Shining Smiles."

Shining Smiles, Shining Smiles. Quite the ring to it, don't you think? It's been all too long since I've heard that name. More than a thousand years since it's crossed my ears properly. Shining Smiles, Shining Smiles, oh, how  I remember him, hahahah!

Twilight shuddered, and became increasingly angry.

"Tell me what-"

What happened to him? Oh, but you must have asked dear old Luna about that by now. She did tell you, didn't she?

"She told me that he was the only pony Celestia had ever fallen in love with... and that you killed him."

Twilight suddenly realized that she might be playing into his mental trickery. "Enough of your games, Discord. I know there's something I'm missing here."

Well, quite the investigator, aren't you?

Tell me, do you know why I killed him?

Twilight was taken aback by the suddenly very apparent gap in the story. "No, I don't. She didn't tell me."

That's because I didn't kill him.

Twilight's anger came flooding back. "What? Why in Equestria should I believe you?"

Because while I am many things, Twilight Sparkle, I am no murderer. Murder isn't my style, as you and your friends have seen.

No, it was Celestia who killed him.

Twilight reeled in shock.

Celestia could never have done such a thing... could she?

Oh, yes she could. It isn't always easy to deal with problems in a peaceful fashion, now is it? Murder is so much simpler. Oh, the lengths I go to keep things classy for you ponies...

Twilight cringed at the slithering voice in her head. Of course Discord could hear her thoughts this way...

"I don't believe you!"

Of course you don't. So go ask her yourself! I'm sure you'll find the answer very... insightful, hahahaha! Run along now, there's fun to be had!

Twilight withdrew her hoof, disgusted. "I will! You can't play these games forever, Discord."