I grinned as my eyes skimmed through the first letter of every sentence in the letter sent to me.

All of us have been thinking about you.
Great things are happening here, but it’s not the same without you.
Unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies alike, all of your friends send their regards.
Although it’s tough now, remember that you have a lot of support.
Rest assured, brighter days are ahead.

During these times, it’s important to stay strong.
We all miss you and can’t wait for your return.
I hope you’re keeping your spirits up.
Life can be challenging, but you are tougher.
Little things can bring joy even in difficult times.

Hold on for a while longer.
Everypony here believes in your innocence.
Life has its ups and downs, but your strength must never waver.
Ponies here believe, you will win your trial.

You should know that you’re not alone.
Our thoughts and support is with you.
Understanding that can hopefully be comforting during your time there.

Everything may seem distant and bleak, but it’s not as bad as you think.
Stay strong and hopeful.
Caring friends will always be here for you.
At the right moment, everything will fall into place.
Prepare yourself for that time.
Everypony is looking forward to your return.

Always with you in spirit.
Truly yours.
MidNight

A guard will help you escape at midnight.

I crumbled up the letter and disposed of it in a nearby bin as I heard hoofsteps approaching.

The guard whose name I learned was Iron Will, indicated for me to follow him.

I sighed but acceded.
Was it time for me to go back to my cell already?

Now with Ratty gone, it was going to get lonely…
I wondered how I would pass my time in isolation.

I blinked in confusion as we reached a room that was clearly not my cell.

“You will stay here till it’s decided what to do regarding your case.” Iron Will explained as he escorted me to some kind of empty waiting room.

I smiled relieved, I didn’t have to go back to my cell this time at least.

While the room was simple yet elegant, it felt bare.
Special care seemed to have been taken to ensure that I couldn't use anything as a weapon.

Oh well, Anything’s better then the dungeons.

“Don’t I have to be present as well for court proceedings?” I ask, wondering if I would even be given a chance to defend myself against the charges levied against me.

“Both, Princess Celestia as well as Shining Armor aren’t pressing charges for your assault on them. The royal council is currently deliberating the matter of you breaking in but I am sure you had your reasons.” The guard explained, glancing at me with an unreadable expression.

“Yes, I broke in to rescue my pet.” I admitted.

“Then you have nothing to worry about. I am sure you will be released once your innocence has been proved. This will be sorted out quickly and you can be on your way back home.” The guard’s serious expression softened.

“That’s good to know. How long do you think it would take them to finish reviewing my case?” I inquire, wondering if there was a need for me to escape if I was going to be released anyways.

“Hmm…Princess Luna wanted to attend the royal council’s deliberation as well, perhaps to add her contentions…..So it might be a while.” He looked thoughtful.

“Princess Luna?….She will have a say on my verdict as well?” I froze, my voice wavering slightly as a cold, paralyzing fear gripped my entire body.

“That's correct.” He affirmed, his muzzle dipping in a slow, deliberate nod.

“I see…” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady, struggling to maintain a facade of calm, though dread churned within me.

If Princess Luna had a say in my fate, I knew there was no hope for exoneration. She knew I was the masked pony from the auction—the one who had stolen the Elements of Harmony and evaded arrest.

If the Night Princess revealed my crime to the other council members, I knew for certain that I would be condemned to darkness in a cold, desolate cell, never to see the light of day ever again.

And that would be the best-case scenario.

I wouldn’t be surprised if she decided to execute me for stealing objects deemed to have national importance.

Luna wasn’t like her sister, Princess Celestia. While Celestia exuded warmth and light, Luna was a figure of pure, unyielding darkness. Her presence was terrifying, like the cold, merciless void of the night itself.

She seemed to loom over you, a towering figure of judgment, her piercing eyes capable of seeing into the deepest corners of your soul.

I was afraid of her.

I remembered our last encounter during the interrogation vividly. Her cold, unfeeling gaze had locked onto mine, and it felt as though she was siphoning the very life from me, draining my energy until I was left suffocating, gasping for breath as if drowning in an ocean of shadows and darkness.

The memory of her icy, relentless power sent a bone-deep shudder coursing through me. There was no escaping her judgment. Luna was not just a princess—she was the embodiment of the night’s most terrifying aspects: cold, merciless, and utterly unyielding.

“You alright? You look pale,” Iron Will asked, his voice laced with concern, making me snap out of my thoughts.

“Just dealing with the aftereffects of mana depletion,” I lied smoothly.

“Should I call a doctor?” His worry deepened, evident in his dark blue eyes.

I shook my head, offering what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “Thank you, but I’m quite alright. Just need some rest.”

He hesitated, still unsure, but eventually nodded. “Alright, stay right here. I’ll be back in a while.”

“Wasn’t planning on going anywhere,” I lied easily, faking a yawn as I headed toward the bed at the back of the room.

I watched him leave, hearing the door click shut behind him, locking me in.

I waited, listening intently as his hoofsteps faded down the corridor, holding my breath.

“I need to escape tonight,” I muttered grimly, hoping my trial wouldn’t begin before midnight, sealing my fate before rescue arrives.

I recalled the letter mentioning the sender’s name as Mid Night and wondered if it was the pony’s name who would help me out or was it there just for the letter to spell out a message.

Probably the second, I didn't know anypony named Midnight.

While it was a name that would have suited the night princess, I doubt if the one who wanted me executed would also be the one to aid my escape.

I really hope the letter wasn't from Fluttershy or Rainbow. They were good ponies who I considered as friends.

I didn't want the first friends I made in this world to get into trouble for being my accomplice in a prison break.

I sighed as I looked up at the pale yellow lights shimmering through the chandelier above me.

Time seemed to go by exceedingly slow when you are locked up in a bare room with nothing to do.

As the minutes dragged on, the silence in the room became unbearable. My initial resolve to stay calm wavered, and the restless energy inside me grew stronger with each passing second. I began to pace back and forth, the sound of my hooves tapping lightly against the cold marble floor.

Then, out of nowhere, a voice broke through the silence, smooth and mischievous. “Its boring, isn't it? To simply wait for the time to pass?”

I froze, my heart skipping a beat. “Who’s there?” I demanded, scanning the empty room, wondering if I was loosing my mind, hearing voices in my head.

Perhaps, I would have a better chance of winning my case if I plead insanity.

“Oh, relax,” the voice continued, light and playful. “I’m not in there with you, if that’s what you’re worried about. But if you look outside...”

I whipped around, eyes darting to the window, where the courtyard lay bathed in the eerie glow of the setting sun. There, among the statues, one figure seemed to catch my eye—a chaotic, mismatched form, frozen in an exuberant pose.

I recognized it as the one that drew me in, and I felt the same strange pull, I couldn’t quite explain as I laid my eyes upon it.

I blinked, convinced I was imagining things.
I shook my head, trying to clear it, but the strange feeling just wouldn’t go away.

“There! You see me now!” The voice seeming to come from within the statue itself chuckled.

“You’re losing it,” I laughed to myself, trying to dismiss the voice as a figment of my overworked mind, turning away from the window.

“Oh, come now, don’t pretend you didn’t hear me,” the voice continued, a playful edge to it. “I’ve been stuck here long enough, imprisoned in stone.”

I ignored the voices in my head, yet it continued speaking.

“Doing nothing but wait for time to pass for ages. You’ve got it easy, my friend. At least you can move.” It sounded bitter, exhausted and lonely.

I went back towards the window and looked right into its stone eyes.

I really hoped I wasn't loosing my sanity.
“What… who are you?” I asked, running a hoof through my mane, unable to ignore its sad voice.

“I can’t believe I’m having a conversation with a statue.” I groaned to myself.

“Discord.” The voice answered softly after a while.
“Discord, that's an interesting name.” I observed, glancing at the sunset outside.

“Let’s just say I have a knack for making life… interesting.” The voice was playfully mischievous once again.

I glanced back at the statue, my mind racing. This was madness—talking to a statue, listening to a voice that shouldn’t exist. And yet, the more it spoke, the more I felt a strange compulsion to listen.

It strangely seemed to draw me in.
I stared at the statue, its frozen form somehow radiating an energy that I found both comforting and intriguing.

“I saw you break in the castle earlier. It helped ease some of my boredom. Is that why you got arrested? For breaking in the castle?” The voice seemed pleased to have somepony to talk to.

“No. I was arrested for stealing the elements of harmony.” I sighed, regretting that I had admitted it to the night princess.

The figure was quiet for a while which I found to be strangely unsettling.

Would you look at that?” the figure finally said, voice laced with a bitter edge. “Dear Lulu and Tia used the Elements of Harmony to turn me into stone.” A hollow laugh echoed through the darkness. “For thousands of years…”

“Yet you are still alive?” I ask this strange creature, perplexed by how mere gems could be used to imprison a creature in stone.

“I am an immortal spirit of chaos. I cannot die.” The draconequus spoke with a weariness that seemed to resonate deep within its ancient soul.

I don't blame it.
A sentient creature, imprisoned in stone for thousands of years—unable to move, to speak, to even breathe freely.

How had he not gone mad?

I was surprised it hadn't lost its sanity after undergoing such torture.

“What about you? What was your crime?” I asked quietly, holding my breath, waiting for its answer.

“I am Discord, the spirit of disharmony. My very existence defies everything Equestria holds dear—peace and harmony,” Discord answered, his voice laced with disgust.

“Sure, I did cause some chaos, unrest and unhappiness throughout Equestria, but that's just what I am.” He continued, voice tinged with a mixture of disdain and resignation.

I looked at him sadly.
“Its cruel, isn't it? To be punished for simply being what you are.”

He didn’t answer, but I could sense his mind retreating into the labyrinth of his thoughts, contemplating his existence.

“I am going to escape tonight.” I sighed, sharing my plan with the stone figure.

If I wasn’t going insane and this was somehow real, it couldn’t hurt to confide in a statue—a statue that must surely resent the diarchs of this world for turning him to stone.

I could almost see the statue’s eyes twinkling, despite it being a lifeless stone. “Ooooh~ Intriguing! My dear friend, Do tell me, how do you intend to escape?”

“…Somepony is coming for me,” I replied, cautiously, glancing at the darkening skies. “But if the trial happens before Midnight, I’m done for. I just need to buy a few more hours.”

Discord hummed thoughtfully, his voice full of exaggerated contemplation. “Hmm, delaying a royal trial... Tricky, but not impossible. You know, the wheels of justice do tend to move slowly, especially when given a little nudge in the right—or wrong—direction.”

“Can you do it?” I asked, a spark of hope igniting within me.

“Oh, I can do many things,” Discord said, his voice dripping with playful arrogance. “Creating a bit of confusion, causing a little chaos, maybe a minor catastrophe or two—these are my specialties. Consider your trial... postponed. Just make sure you’re ready to move when the time comes. Midnight, you said?”

“Midnight,” I confirmed, feeling a rush of adrenaline. “Just until midnight.”

Discord’s amused chuckle echoed through the room, the sound bouncing off the walls like a playful breeze. “Midnight it is. I’ll keep them busy until then, so you can make your escape.”

I paused for a moment, feeling a mix of exhilaration and curiosity bubbling up inside me. I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of distraction Discord would create, if he could even do anything in this stone form of his.

I knew there had to be a catch. Taking a deep breath, I called out into the night, “So, what is it? What do you want from me in return?” I asked the strange sentient rock creature, who might just be a figment of my imagination.

“There is nothing I want from you, my friend. Your mere presence in this world is sufficient for me.” Discord replied cheerfully, his voice carrying a playful lilt.

I froze.
Did he know that I wasn't from this world?

“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask warily.

“Exactly what you think it means.”

The figure was quiet for a while before it spoke again. “I have lost track of time. Without chaos, I feel my existence fade away, yet here I remain—trapped in stone.”

I couldn't help but shudder. There was something strangely unsettling and eerie about the way his voice sounded when it turned serious.

“Your mere existence has returned some of the strength and powers I once possessed. Every second you remain at close proximity to me, my powers grow stronger.”

“You know what I am,” I remarked, more a statement than a question.

“I know you aren't part of this world. I know you exist, yet you shouldn't be. You are a walking paradox.”

“A walking paradox…right.”
I couldn't help but smile.

This must be why I found myself so strangely drawn to the spirit of chaos.

“Just like you, I might escape tonight as well. I think I have gathered enough power for that,” Discord hummed thoughtfully.

I observed the statue and noticed the slight cracks from before had widened, becoming much more noticeable now.

“I wish you luck as well, my friend,” I said with a grin, stepping away from the window and listening intently for the sound of hoofsteps outside my door.

…………………………………..…………..

As the hours ticked by, I paced the room anxiously, glancing at the door every few minutes. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to happen, though I wasn’t sure what to expect. Suddenly, a strange rumbling noise echoed through the walls, followed by the unmistakable sound of chaotic laughter.

Through the window, I saw the moon hanging low, signaling that midnight was approaching. Just as I was starting to wonder if Discord’s promises were empty, if Discord was even real, it began.

There were a series of loud pops and bangs from the corridor, followed by the frantic shouting of guards.

I peered out through the window again and watched in astonishment as the once-serene courtyard erupted into chaos.

Flowers sprouted from the stone walls, bursting into a kaleidoscope of colors, and garden gnomes began to dance and sing.

“What in Equestria…?” I muttered, my eyes widening, as I noticed that Discord’s statue had now vanished into thin air.

I couldn't help but chuckkle as I glanced at the cotton candy shaped clouds that drenched the guards below in chocolate rain.

Their once-metallic armor had transformed into balloons, rendering them helpless to counter the unseen threat.

It seemed I wasn’t losing my mind after all, judging by how the guards were reacting to the surreal chaos unfolding around them.

The commotion grew even louder, and I found myself enjoyed the spectacle before me. Even being locked up didn’t seem so bad with Discord as company.

“Thanks, Discord,” I whispered, knowing the voice would not answer me back this time. “You really know how to create a diversion.”

I saw a troupe of flamingos, their feathers alight with magical fire, parading around the courtyard as if it were a grand festival. A group of pigeons, wearing tiny top hats and monocles, began to swoop and dive in an elaborate aerial performance. The once-staid statues of the courtyard now had mischievous grins and were moving their limbs, joining in the madness as music played in the background from who knows where.

The door to my room clicked open, and I was startled to see a griffin guard grab my hoof and drag me out hastily.

“It’s time. Hurry up! I know a hidden way out,” the griffin said urgently, as she swiftly draped a dark cloak over me.

I galloped as fast as I could, trying to keep up with the griffin who had sent me the letter.

I didn't know her.
In fact, I was absolutely certain, I had not seen her before today.

I couldn’t understand why she was helping me with a prison break, when she could risk loosing her job as a royal guard if caught.

My heart raced as a group of guards hurried past us. She swiftly pushed me to the side, shielding me and blocking their view of me.

Fortunately, the guards were distracted by the pandemonium outside and barely glanced in our direction.

“Why would you help me?” I asked, panting as we ran through the underground tunnels beneath the castle floors.

“You saved my child’s life,” She answered with a determined expression, only a parent could possess.

“You paid for his treatment too without asking for anything in return. My boy, Glider, is alive because of you.” Her voice trembled as she held back tears of gratitude.

I did what anypony….or anygriffin would have done,” I replied with a warm smile as we made our way toward the tunnel exit, leading to the back gates of the castle.

Go to the Ponyville Station and take the last train as far as it goes,” she instructed, shoving a bag toward me that contained some necessary supplies, a train ticket, and a large amount of bits.

I blinked in confusion, surprised by the fact that this world had vehicles.

“Thank you.” I whispered to the dark skies as I watched her swiftly fly back towards the castle, leaving me no time to respond or refuse the bits.

With a final glance at the chaos behind me, I slipped quietly through the gate and into the darkened night.

I had successfully broken out.
I was now a fugitive.

Author's Note

Did a little editing for all the chapters which took forever ;-;
Didn’t change anything much other than some spelling or sentence structure errors and added a few sentences here and there.

Hopefully it makes for a better reading experience now. :D

Also please don't forget to like or leave a comment! It really motivates me to write more!

And good job Nunyabussiness and LazyHooves for being the first ones to figure out the letter's hidden message! XD