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// Point of Entry 
// Story: Sol Point 
// by CoffeeBean 
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If there was a single thing the staff of Sol Point had been allowed to retain from their old ways in Canterlot castle it would be routine. Every evening, for the most part, followed the same pattern. Dinner was always right at six o'clock, and always lasted between 30 and 45 minutes. Post-supper meant the kitchen and dining room needed to be spiffed up, so the whole staff, despite the constant dismissals of the chefs, always went to work clearing dishes, scrubbing pans, and wiping counters. 

Celestia too pitched her hoof into the mix, much to the dismay of her significantly smaller friends, as the lumbering Alicorn had a habit of not watching where she walked. When ten ponies plus the Goddess of the Sun herself all piled into one kitchen and tried to do the same task at the same time, it became more counter-productive than productive. Be that as it may, it was a good way to transition into the period of the night where the staff migrated into the living room to lounge around the fire and either laugh about the day or the new bruises caused by Celestia stepping on somepony's hoof. 

It was typical of the family to remain in the main room till the clock struck midnight, Celestia being the only one to consistently depart for long periods of time. She would often trot off to spend an hour or two in the study, listening to records or reading and writing. Tonight, however; she found herself in Sol Point's fairly massive library, the space taking up nearly all of the second story; only a few other smaller, more utilitarian spaces occupied the floor such as the laundry room and a few generic closets. 

Out of all the places in the estate, the library was easily the grandest. Filled to the brim with literature, only three east-facing windows, the floor, and the ceiling did not contain books; every inch of wall real estate was occupied by hardwood, lacquered shelves. In the center of the room, stretching all the way to the high ceiling, stood a single, huge bookshelf that nearly split the room in two. The ornately carved shelves were built from the same dark mahogany that comprised most other things within the estate, and when combined with the soft red carpet, the gentle light given off by the four light fixtures in each corner, and the gold leaf ceiling marked with the same sun as Celestia's flanks, the room was a truly relaxing place. It was gentle on the eyes even when the morning sun blazed in through the three eastern windows. The gold leaf ceiling helped to reflect light around the room; be it sunlight or light from a bulb, one could always see wonderfully.

As she browsed over the thousand-plus novels, Celestia's mind wandered over her choices. Non-fiction or fiction? Something cheerful, or dark? Adventure, or mystery? Smiling, her magic pulled forth a book from the Non-fiction area, the thick, blue hardback book's title reading; "The Thermodynamic Effects of Prolonged Magic Use While in Confined Spaces". Shaking her head at the ridiculous title, she placed the book back in its place.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say Twilight lived here." she mumbled as she continued on. 

Celestia yelped in surprise as a bright flash occurred right before her, sparks of magic pinging off the bookshelves as the spell died down. She opened her eyes to see the scowling face of Discord, his hands held firmly on his hips.

"Now, just what in the world do you think you're doing?"

Celestia stammered, taking a step back. "W-What... what do you mean?"

Discord scoffed. "What do you mean; what do I mean?"

With a sigh, Celestia put her hoof over her face. "Discord... why are you here?"

"You retired?"

The hoof came down. "Yes, I did."

"And left your nocturnal, insane sister in charge of all of Equestria!?"

Celestia stood up straighter. "Luna is not insane! She thinks differently than most ponies do, and her dreamweaving takes a lot out of her!"

Discord's fuzzy lion-like paw waved in dismissal. "Put it how you wish. Nonetheless; you retired and didn't tell me? When did this whole grand idea come about? Are you planning on spending the rest of your time in Canterlot's library reading?" he exclaimed, waving his hands around the room as he looked over all the books.

"Seems you only know part of my retirement."

Discord's brow raised as Celestia turned away, going to the library's entrance, "Oh? And how is that?" he questioned.

With a spell, the door came open, and Celestia stood aside, aiming her hoof down the hall and allowing Discord to look.

"Wha- this isn't Canterlot Castle! Where in the world are we?"

Celestia smiled. "Sol Point."

"What in the name of Equestria is a 'Sol Point'?"

"You can teleport; go outside and see for yourself."

There was a flash, Celestia smiling in anticipation as she leaned against the bookshelf. After a short time, Discord flashed back into existence before her, his eyes wide and jaw agape. He looked around the library for a second before bringing his stare back to Celestia.

"This is Sol Point. My estate and home."

Still, Discord was speechless. He stared at Celestia's smile for a moment longer before finally shutting his jaw. "You've... never once mentioned that you had an estate."

"I haven't told anyone for the last 200 years. This place is a secret."

Discord's eyes widened, his lips curling into a grin. "A secret!? You, Princess Celestia, have kept such a huge secret for 200 years!?"

She nodded, prompting Discord to bounce on his hoof... and claws. "Oh, my little Celly has finally done something for herself!! Doesn't it feel just... absolutely wonderful!?"

Celestia rubbed her neck, lowering her head. "I... am happy, yes; but I still feel a little guilty about this whole situation."

Discord's brow raised once more. "What? Why would you feel guilty?"

"Sol Point is... selfish. I've kept it from my family, and... well, they can't be here with me."

A scoff and a wave of a paw was Discord's return. "Selfish? Did you somehow forget the definition of selfish?" Discord's eyes darted around the library, "Where's a dictionary? There's at least 3 trillion books in here..."

"I don't think there is one... actually."

Discord looked to Celestia, rolling his eyes and snapping his fingers, a dictionary appearing before him. Without ever touching the book, the pages flipped rapidly, eventually stopping as a pair of reading spectacles zapped into existence upon his face. He cleared his throat, holding his head back and peering down at the book, a claw following along as he read.

"Devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare. Regardless of others." 

The book turned to Celestia, his claw still in the area of the definition of 'selfish'. "Do you see a picture of yourself?"

"Discord, I get your point..."

The book snapped shut. "I don't see a picture of you."

"I understand what-"

"Is this place harming anyone or causing your 'family' any harm?"

Celestia sighed, beginning to become annoyed. "No, but that doesn't change the fact that I feel bad Luna, Twilight, and Cadance can't be here."

"That, Celestia, is not guilt; that is longing."

Celestia peered into Discord's yellow eyes for a moment, caught a little off-guard by his sudden insight.

"Maybe you're right. I... maybe I have had too much time to think about everything."

"Oh, thinking is a great way to ruin things. I try to avoid thinking."

Celestia grinned. "It shows. You certainly didn't think through teleporting to me. What if I had been in the bath?"

"Then you would have been wet. Besides, who takes a bath at..." Discord held up his wrist, a watch appearing. "8:30?"

"When you're retired, you can do whatever you want, when you want."

"Precisely, which is why I'm here, as I'm sure you're wondering my reason."

Celestia cocked her head to the side, raising a brow.

"You see, Celestia; I too am... technically retired. Fluttershy, with her husband and all, has been quite occupied as of late, and she says it's becoming a little bothersome having me around so much... which I totally understand!" Discord looked only a tiny bit hurt. "So, when I was informed of your retirement, I thought it would be a perfect time for me to spend time with you!"

Celestia laughed. "A fine proposition, Discord; but I'd prefer if my estate didn't become your second home."

"You're afraid that I'll run about ruining everything, aren't you?"

"I- no, that's not at all what I'm worried about. I'm not worried about anything... I simply wished for this place to be private."

"Would you turn away your sister if she wanted to stay here with you?"

"Discord; Luna is my sister. You and I aren't even related. That would be totally different." Celestia chuckled nervously. "I... barely even know you."

Discord snapped his fingers. "Then this would be a perfect time to get to know me, and for me to get to know you! If you are afraid that I'll sew chaos through your wonderful home, then you must have forgotten that I'm reformed."

Celestia stared at Discord for a time, the hopeful smile spread over his face bringing a tightness to her chest. She couldn't turn him away. 

She sighed, rubbing her hoof against her leg nervously. "Look, Discord; there's still a few problems with this. My estate only has enough bedrooms for myself and my staff, and..."

He scoffed. "Unlike you ponies, I don't need an entire room just to catch some Zs."  suddenly, Discord shrunk down to the size of a mouse, a tiny bed appearing along with him. "You see, I'm quite compact." his magic undid the work, the bed disappearing and his body returning to normal size. "On top of that, I'm sure you have a large bed. Fluttershy let me sleep with her quite often."

Celestia threw her head back in a roaring laugh, her hoof stomping on the floor. "Please, don't joke like that! Oh, Discord; I'm sorry to tell you, but you're not sleeping with me!"

"Suit yourself; according to Fluttershy, I make a great pillow."

Celestia laughed again as she went for the door of the library. "I'll take her word for it, Discord."

"So... are you letting me stay here?"

Celestia paused her walking, sighing. "I... suppose I am." she looked back, concern clear in her expression. "Do you promise that you won't disrupt the tranquility my staff and I enjoy so dearly?"

"You have my word."

"Good." Celestia began her trek out of the library, Discord following. "Now, why don't we go to the main room? I think you've got some ponies to meet."

"Ah, this staff I keep hearing you speak of?"

"Indeed."





"What does a Draconequus eat?" inquired Flip, looking up at Discord.

Rather than take a seat in an empty cushion on one of the three couches, Discord had created himself an odd, yet very fitting seating arrangement. In total defiance of conventional gravitational laws, Discord sat comfortably in a red armchair that hung from the ceiling.

Discord pulled at the fluff of hair on his chin. "I suppose the same things you ponies eat, plus fish."

Chef Tea sat up. "You eat fish?"

"Oh, yes. Carpe and Salmon have become quite a favorite."

Tea swirled the glass of bourbon held in her hoof as she tilted her head back. "Fish... I've never cooked a fish."

"We've got a river, maybe there's fish in it." noted Flip.

"What seasonings would go good with a fish, though? I read a book a long time ago from Griffonstone on how they prepare meat, but I don't remember a thing..."

"If it helps, Fluttershy would grill them." 

Tea hummed, sipping at her drink. "Fluttershy, huh?"

Discord glared down at Tea. "Yes, Fluttershy. I think I can anticipate what you're about to ask."

"I take it she was just a friend."

"And only a friend, especially now that she's married."

Tea winced, drawing in a sharp breath through her teeth. "Ouch."

Discord sighed, slouching into his chair. 

The conversation fell quiet, though total silence did not take over the main room. The pop of the fire and gentle rush of the river beyond the open windows maintained a calming ambiance, never letting true silence set in. A loud yawn from Mint, who was still snuggled against Vesper upon the middle couch, drew Celestia's eyes to him. It was quite late into the night; Raven had fallen asleep at the fire with her book as a pillow, and Tremor and Clean Sweep had already retreated to their shared bedroom for the night, though Celestia suspected the couple was not immediately going to bed; the way their wings were excitedly unfurled had been a good indication of that.

Yawning herself, Celestia stretched out her hind legs, her limbs dangling off the edge of her big white cushion.

"I just noticed; you're not wearing your crown." Discord commented, drawing Celestia's gaze up to him.

"Indeed."

"Or your... chest thing and shoes. I've never seen you without them."

Celestia nodded. "I don't often equip my attire when I'm here," Celestia smirked. "If I'm doing paperwork, I'll put on my crown. It reminds me I still have a position in this world."

"Paperwork? You're retired..."

"I know. Luna sends me my share of work in the morning before she goes to bed."

Discord clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "You're a workaholic."

"And I'm an alcoholic." added Chef Tea, a glass of bourbon swirling in her hoof.

"That's something you shouldn't be proud of, Chef." Celestia smiled in return.

"I dunno, I think being able to drink three glasses of this and never gag is quite the accomplishment."

Celestia shook her head, chuckling quietly. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, dear Chef."

Chef Tea held out her glass. "It does help me sleep!"

"Speaking of sleep..." began a drowsy Pan Sear. "I'm going to bed."

There was a round of 'goodnight's from those still in the main room as Pan Sear stood from the couch, stretching as she did.

"You tired yet, honey?" Mint asked Vesper, who had just now begun climbing from atop her partner.

"Yeah... I am."

"Same." Mint looked to Celestia, Discord, and the two remaining chefs. "Goodnight, everypony."

Again, the group gave their collective 'goodnight'.

"I assume you and Flip will be departing soon?" inquired Celestia.

Chef Tea nodded as she finished a sip of her bourbon. "After this glass, I will. Dunno about Flip, though."

Flip's head rose from its resting place on her hoof. "What?"

"You goin' to bed soon?"

Flip rubbed her face with her hoof. "Yeah... soon; as in now."

In response to Flip beginning to stand, Tea drank down the little bit of bourbon left, smacking her lips. "I'll adhere to this 'now', as well."

Celestia smiled as she watched the two chefs head off towards the estate's entry hall and staircase. She looked over to Raven, who still slept soundly by the fire, her book under her chin and her glasses set off to the side. With a tired groan, Celestia got to her hooves, spreading her long, swan-like wings out as she stretched, the firelight bringing a lively orange glow to her feathers.

"I assume I'm about to hear a 'goodnight' from you, as well?"

Celestia shook her head as Discord dismounted his chair, the seat simply vanishing as he returned to a normal position before her. "No, actually; I think I'll be in the study for a while before I finally go to sleep."

"I assume you'd prefer to be alone?"

Celestia nodded, beginning off towards the entry hall.

"Ah, well... I'm going to find someplace comfortable to sleep."

"Don't get too creative. I don't want to wake up tomorrow and find you in my tea kettle." smiled Celestia over her shoulder.

Discord hummed. "A tea kettle, eh? Sounds cozy..."

Celestia rolled her eyes. "Goodnight, Discord."

"Yes; goodnight."