//------------------------------//
// The Release 
// Story: Breaking Stone 
// by KidatHeart5 
//------------------------------//

	After Teardrop arrived in the throne room, Princess Celestia said, “I’m very glad you’re well again to resume your studies.” Teardrop said, “Yes, I’ve found the reason I was so ill, which is why I have a…strange request for you.” Princess Celestia asked, “Yes?” Teardrop nervously told her, “I…I…I…would like to free Discord.” 
The guards gasped in horror, but Celestia remained emotionless. She said, “You do understand the full responsibility that will be required of you, don’t you?” Teardrop nodded, “Yes, Princess. If I free Discord, I will assume responsibility for his behavior.” Celestia raised an eyebrow and asked, “’If’?” Teardrop explained, “Well, I plan to be the one to kiss him. If my kiss doesn’t work, I don’t know if anypony else would be willing.”
Celestia nodded, “I see. And the reason you’re looking to free Discord is…?” Teardrop responded, “I think it would help me find my destiny. I know he would be my servant, should my kiss work, but I only want him to help me in a…non-servantly way.” Celestia asked, “So you are not doing this to for your own gain. I understand you want to find your place in Equestria, but to free Discord will be a difficult task. He is a creature of chaos, and once he is free, he cannot be detained for long. 
“You must be careful if you are to reform this unruly mischief-maker. I do not underestimate your capabilities, but you should not do this alone. You must not keep from asking for help if it gets to be too much for you. Do you understand what I’m saying?” Teardrop nodded and replied, “Yes, Princess. I will not fail you or Equestria.”


Teardrop asked for no guards, so she walked into the sculpture garden by herself. She searched for the statue for several minutes. She thought in aggravation, Ugh, come on! How hard can it be to find the only statue that’s not a…Just then, she turned the corner and found Discord’s statue. Her pupils shrank as she finished thinking, …pony? She face-hoofed and groaned from being embarrassed about not finding the statue earlier.
She had seen the statue before on her walks through the garden, but as she drew closer to it, she felt intimidated, nervous about what she was about to do. She was between hoping that her kiss would work…and secretly hoping that it wouldn’t. She felt so conflicted when she stood before the statue. Then, she thought, Well, if Luna could be redeemed, then so could Discord. Finally, she gathered enough courage to fly up to Discord’s head and whispered, “This one’s for you, big guy.” Before she could regret it, she planted a kiss on Discord’s left cheek. 
She flew back to the ground and waited to see if her kiss was the one prophesied by Clover the Clever. After a few long moments, Teardrop felt disappointed that Discord could not be freed. As she lowered her head and sighed…
CRACK!
She was surprised by the sound and looked up to see long cracks beginning to form from the feet up. She felt a mix of emotions: joy, fear, anxiety, anticipation…and dread. Light begin to emanate from the cracks and chips of stone blasted away from Discord’s body. Finally, after some of the statue had broken away, Discord emerged!
“RAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGH!”
Teardrop fell backwards and gasped in shock. Just then, Discord yawned, groaned, and stretched. Teardrop found this weird, but amusing as she let slip a small chuckle. Discord grumbled, “Well, it’s about time somepony got me out of that prison block.” He smiled as he stretched, “What a relief!” When he snapped his fingers, the statue of a cupid pony started shooting stone arrows all over the place. When Teardrop dodged an arrow aimed at her, she cried, “Hey! What are you doing?!”
Discord groaned as he stretched, “Why, stretching, of course. When you’re a creature of chaos, stone bodysuits aren’t your typical go-to fashion choice.” When he stretched again, he snapped his fingers and the trumpet-playing pony statue came to life, playing music very loudly. Teardrop covered her ears and demanded, “Discord, I command you to cease at once!” Discord shouted defiantly over the trumpet, “Says who?!” Teardrop stood her ground and shouted, “Says I…” She spread her wings to prove her regal status and continued, “…Princess Teardrop!” Her pupils shrank when she realized that the trumpet had blasted a fanfare as she stated her name.
Thankfully, the music soon stopped and Discord snickered, “Well, no offense, Teardrop, but I don’t take orders from a princess who has no cutie mark. Well, I must be off. Toodles!” He poofed away from sight, only to return mere seconds later. Confused, he desperately tried again…and again. He asked, “What the…What is happening to my magic?!”
Teardrop smirked and answered, “Don’t you know? You’re bound to serve the one who freed you.” Discord face-palmed and groaned, “Oh, right. I forgot.” Teardrop was surprised to hear this and asked, “Wait. How did you…?” Discord answered matter-of-factly, “I may have been turned to stone, but my ears certainly weren’t cloth.” 
The princess giggled to this, which Discord found surprising. He asked, “Did you just laugh?” Teardrop’s hooves flew to her mouth as she apologized, “Oh, I’m sorry. Shouldn’t I have?” Discord said, “No, no. It’s just that no one’s laughed at my puns before. It feels…weird.”
Teardrop shrugged, “Then I guess it must’ve been a long time for you then, huh?” Discord retorted, “A long time? A long time?! I was trapped in stone for over a millennium! You know how much time I could’ve spent otherwise?!” Teardrop argued, “Well, if you hadn’t tried to rule over Equestria, you wouldn’t have been imprisoned like that! Thankfully, I freed you because I thought you could be given a second chance.” 
Discord scoffed, “’A second chance’? Oh, please. I’m already past that point. If they thought I needed a chance, they would’ve given me a kiss centuries ago.” Teardrop said, “Well, the fact that it was my kiss that freed you means that I’m your one true love.” 
The draconequus remarked snidely, “You?” He burst into laughter before gasping, “You…a princess…with no…cutie mark…How rich!” Teardrop deduced, “I see you’re not too fond of princesses, considering the two who imprisoned you. I can’t say I blame you for holding a grudge against them, but would you rather be under their servitude and not mine?”
Discord stopped and paused to look at Teardrop. He groaned, “I suppose you’re right, but how would you be any better than those no-nonsense sisters?” Teardrop explained, “Well, for starters, I can offer more leeway, providing you do not leave the palace walls.” Discord retorted, “You call that ‘leeway’?! I call it cabin fever’.” “Cooperate,” Teardrop threatened, “or you get turned back to stone. Your choice.”
The spirit grumbled, “Well, there’s not much of an alternative, is there?” He sighed, “Very well, princess. I shall be at your command.” He looked behind his back and flicked his hand, which created sparks of magic. He grinned and thought mischievously, But that doesn’t mean I won’t have some tricks of my own...