• Published 8th Sep 2012
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Starlit Knights - BlackRoseRaven



Darkness has come to Equestria, and the world is threatened with destruction. Can Luna stop it?

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Chaos Theory

Chapter Thirteen: Chaos Theory
~BlackRoseRaven

Luna grumbled a bit, striding through the halls of Canterlot beside Scrivener Blooms as she said distastefully: “I think, Scrivy, I much preferred when they considered us to be evil monsters, or at least unwelcome outcasts. Why is it that I come back from the moon a Princess, they revile me… and I stride into Canterlot in the guise of Nightmare Moon, and now they all keep wishing me good luck and being all nice and ‘tis even stuffier here now than I recall!”

“Stop whining, that’s my job.” Scrivener Blooms replied mildly, and then he winced when she firmly checked him, staggering into a wall and cringing as he almost knocked a painting down, watching as it rocked back and forth and then giving a sigh of relief when it didn’t fall… before Luna glowered at him, horn glowing, and the painting was flung off the wall to bounce off the earth pony’s face, the canvas tearing loudly and ancient, colored dust puffing off the canvas. “Luna!”

“Oh, hush, ‘tis nothing more than some clichéd landscape of Canterlot from several hundred years ago, when all the famous painters were copying one another’s work in any event.” Luna said grouchily, and Scrivy groaned at the sight of the battered painting, the earth pony half-propping it against the wall before he turned and grumbled as he followed Luna quickly away, the winged unicorn continuing seriously: “But honestly! ‘Tis maddening! Oh, all is well and sure for now, but the moment I either fail or this darkness is pushed back, I’m sure they’ll want me collared and chained up like some slavering Diamond Dog in the dungeon!”

“You and dungeons and chains.” Scrivy muttered, and Luna gave him a half-amused, half-challenging look, quirking an eyebrow at him. “Well, please don’t storm around wrecking Canterlot Castle, that will just get them to hate us again even faster. I’m sure once the initial thrills wear off, though, you’ll be proven right… does that cheer you up?”

“Nay, it does not. This is a battle I cannot win, Scrivener Blooms.” Luna muttered, dropping her head forwards as they stepped into another hallway, a pair of enormous golden doors at the end of this leading into Celestia’s personal quarters. “But come, at least my memory has not yet failed. Let us see what else sister has in store for us… displeased as I am that she promptly abandoned us the first chance she got to ‘prepare’ and ‘tend to other matters,’ but at least we were able to speak with Twilight and found the lodgings for the Starlit Knights.”

She quieted, then shook her head quickly as they approached the golden doors… and then they both glanced up as they swung slowly open for them, Luna muttering: “Sister expects us, too. Why must she always be so well-prepared? She is like Cowlick’s machines, running on clockwork and keeping always to a strict schedule, doing the tasks she is assigned with eerie ease.”

“And she’s stuffy, right?” Scrivener tilted his head towards her as Luna began to open her mouth, and then she huffed and closed it as they strode into the velvet-carpet corridor beyond the double doors, which quietly closed behind them as they continued down to an open set of sliding oak doors, both gazing inside the small library beyond to see Celestia standing in front of a fireplace, her head lowered in concentration, her horn glowing as a strange, sharp golden tool carved the last of a long series of runes into the floor in front of her. It was shaped almost like a hybrid between a trowel and an enormous fountain pen, with a sharp, triangular blade at the end of the long, hollow handle, a glass tube visible down the center filled with glowing ink.

Luna immediately scowled, but Celestia only gave her sister a look, saying quietly: “I mean no offense, but I do wish to speak to Scrivener Blooms alone for a moment, little sister… and I need to take precautions that you wouldn’t listen in. I know that the moment he steps outside the Silence Circle you’ll know what he knows, but… it is a delicate question I wish to ask him. You understand, don’t you?”

“Thou hast been Queen for two hours and already thou art issuing orders and indulging in conspiracy.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener hesitated… but then the winged unicorn gave him a quick, one-limbed hug, kissing his cheek and saying quietly: “I know, I know, daydreamer, worry not, I am too tired to maim Celestia today. Perhaps tomorrow, unless she truly does address a sensitive issue. Then I shall pummel her. Does thou understand, Celestia?”

“Yes, Luna, yes.” Celestia shook her head slowly, then she stepped carefully around the large circle of runes and looked pointedly at her younger sibling as Scrivener Blooms nervously walked into the library, and Luna dropped heavily to a sitting position and glared back before Celestia’s horn glowed and the sliding wooden doors pulled firmly shut.

Immediately, another circle of runes glowed over these, and Luna gave a grumble of frustration from the other side of them as Celestia said clearly: “To prevent prying eyes, little sister, I am not a fool. Now, Scrivener Blooms, if you wouldn’t mind, we must both step at least partway into the circle. It will muffle your connection to my sister for a short period of time… she will not be able to hear your voice or thoughts, but it should not be painful.”

Scrivy nodded hesitantly, then he glanced nervously at the circle before carefully stepping forwards and into it… and then he winced a bit as a static filled his mind. It was unpleasant, but not awful, like the sound of rain falling inside his head… and then Celestia stepped carefully forwards, standing so she was beside him but facing the opposite direction, their sides almost touching as he looked at her almost embarrassedly but she only faced calmly ahead, saying quietly: “Scrivener Blooms… I have to tell Luna something that will pain her deeply. Deeper than it pained me, and it was awful to see, awful to know… and I must also confess to her the reason I have been insistent on her bringing Twilight. I do not wish to hurt her… how can I… bring this knowledge to her gently?”

Scrivener Blooms frowned a bit, and then Celestia smiled faintly, sadly, lowering her head and whispering: “Sleipnir is not in the Vale of Valhalla… he is frozen, in Helheim. I know not when, I know not how, but I have seen him there… and not in any nightmare or vision, but through scrying rituals I have not used for hundreds of years, gazing beyond the veil and into the darkness, while seeking answers. The demons have him as an icy, living trophy, already proclaiming their victory over us… the higher players in this nightmare that is slowly growing throughout Equestria, but far from the highest.”

“Horses of Heaven, Celestia… why? How?” Scrivener asked sharply, shaking his head slowly. “It… will devastate Luna. But you know you have to tell her… you know that if she could, she’d want to charge down to Helheim itself to save him-”

“Which is exactly what they want, which is why we cannot make that journey, even if we had a path down into that accursed place.” Celestia said dryly, but her eyes were full of pain even as she looked back ahead, breathing a little harder before she murmured quietly: “I do not doubt that Helheim’s forces are mixed into this catastrophe somehow, but… they are not what is in charge of this madness. Demons can be persuaded to serve a purpose, or seek power or to delight in sin and feed off emotions, and in a few rare cases there are creatures of Helheim that will give their aid… provided proof of strength or price. But these resurgences… Ignominious, Veliuona and the Velites, Nibelung and Ekleíp targeting Luna with mad visions of Nightmare Moon and now, Sleipnir being used to mock us… someone hates us. And… I think I know why, Scrivener Blooms. But this… this I will wait to discuss with Luna, because I wish for her to be here, to hear it from me… because it is… difficult to believe. And I need her to hear my honesty, not just see it in your mind. I need her to… understand the gravity of it.”

Scrivy frowned a bit, but before he could ask, Celestia said abruptly: “Secondly, tonight I plan to take Twilight Sparkle on a short journey to the mausoleum to seek answers from… a lost friend, and more importantly… and in this I will require your opinion as well, not just on how to handle telling Luna this, but Twilight as well… I am going to do something I should have done long ago. In a way both different and the same as Luna did with you, I am going to entrust part of myself to Twilight Sparkle… I am going to share my knowledge and my power with her. I do not have to tell you I love her like my daughter… but the time has come for me to… let her choose her own path. To give her what I have been holding back… to acknowledge her, not simply as my apprentice… as my equal.”

Scrivener nodded slowly, looking down quietly… and then he shook his head and murmured softly: “Queen Celestia-”

“No, just… Celestia, my brother. Just Celestia.” The ivory equine smiled faintly, glancing down and saying softly, as her eyes trailed slowly along the glowing golden runes: “I have done too much to you and Luna, and Twilight too, to be able to permit any of you to look up to me. I do not even feel worthy of being an equal these days… and I cannot stand the thought of harming any of you, yet I seem to anyway. It is why I have asked you aside… because as well as I once thought I knew everyone around me, now I realize… I don’t think I ever did. I only analyzed them from a distance, judging what would get the best possible reaction and going with that, not understanding that… there is much more to being family and friends than that. So what do I say to her? How do I tell her these things? Part of me wants to keep it all from her… because I don’t want to see her hurt, and cruelly, I don’t want her to lose focus on what must be done. Yet she has to know…”

Celestia looked away… and Scrivener Blooms shook his head slowly before he said quietly: “Luna will… be glad to hear about Twilight, even if she doesn’t… react that way. Tell her that… after you tell her about Sleipnir. Just tell her… and then give her a hug. It’s that simple, Celestia… let her calm down, let her talk through it, and for the love of the Horses of Heaven be honest with her when you’re answering her questions.”

“Honesty is a difficult task.” Celestia smiled all the same, however, nodding slowly and then sighing a bit as she lowered her head forwards, closing her eyes. “But, if you don’t mind me asking while I have you here, and my overprotective sister won’t intervene… are you confident you’ll be able to carry out this mission to North Neigh? It is not that I doubt your strength or ability, especially alongside Luna… but… I have come to understand your upbringing there was less than pleasant.”

“Well, Luna and I get to march in side-by-side, right? Sure, I’ll be bitter and it won’t be fun, but I’m now a large and scary earth pony married to the murderous Nightmare Moon, now-Champion of Equestria.” Scrivener said blandly, and Celestia sighed and shook her head slowly even as she smiled a little. “Thank you, but… I understand why we have to go. I understand why we have to do this and that… I can’t let an entire village face possible destruction just because of my own upbringing there.”

“I would not be so generous. I’m glad that you are.” Celestia said quietly, and then she shook her head slowly before nodding to herself and murmuring: “Very well. Please stay in the circle, Scrivener Blooms, I shall fetch Luna and speak to her.”

She turned around… then paused and leaned down to kiss Scrivy’s scarred cheek gently, making him blush and rear back slightly, but she only smiled softly. “And thank you.”

“For what?” Scrivener asked dumbly, glancing over at her, but Celestia only smiled again and shook her head before she turned and strode towards the sliding doors, and he watched as she quieted and visibly steeled herself before her horn glowed, and the circle of runes inscribed over the paneling faded from sight before the doors popped open.

Immediately, Luna pushed her way inside, glowering moodily back and forth as she said distastefully: “I sense bad news. You may foil our mental link but daydreamer and I are still connected, Celestia, thou canst do nothing about the way our very souls connect even with thy clockwork machinations… Scrivy, come, out with it.”

Scrivener Blooms only glanced towards Celestia, however, and Luna frowned a bit before she turned to face her sister, opening her mouth… but at the look on the ivory equine’s face, she slowly closed her jaws, their eyes locking as the larger, older female stepped forwards and lowered herself to gaze down into her eyes as she said quietly: “Luna, I have been scrying into the darkness… and I have seen our brother in Helheim.”

“Sleipnir? Impossible!” Luna barked, shaking her head violently… and then she reared back in surprise when Celestia stepped forwards and embraced her tightly, a tremble running through her body as her starry locks all-but-sizzled with electricity and pulses of light before she gritted her teeth and buried her face forwards against the side of Celestia’s neck, whispering: “Truly then… if the dead can be punished for crimes they did not commit, have we not already lost this war?”

“No, Luna, we haven’t. We shall save him… but first, we must save Equestria, what Sleipnir helped envision and build.” Celestia said quietly, leaning back and resting her hooves on Luna’s shoulders as the winged unicorn looked up at her silently, shuddering a little… and Scrivener grimaced as he stepped out of the circle and walked over to her, feeling her emotions crashing into him like a typhoon and almost staggering from their weight the moment he was out of the circle. “If we do not save Equestria, we defile Sleipnir’s wishes and memory…”

“Aye, I… I understand, but… sister…” Luna shook her head, then closed her eyes and stepped back a bit, gritting her teeth as Scrivener halted beside her… then slowly took a step back before Luna threw her head back and yelled furiously as shock wore off and fury rose through her body, mixed with tangible sorrow as Celestia only looked at her with sympathy. “Why? First Ignominious becomes a demon, then we lose Sleipnir to that awful beast in the mountains, then I become Nightmare Moon… only to return, only to endure it all over again! Why sister, why?”

“Odin tests the warriors he values most. I believe more than ever these days in the stories of the gods, my little sister… I think I begin to understand, after so many years of living, why we are special, where we came from.” Celestia replied quietly, shaking her head slowly, but Luna only muttered under her breath as she slumped a little, stomping her hooves bad-naturedly against the hardwood floor before she sat back, then closed her eyes and dropped her head against Scrivener when he embraced her quietly from the side. “We will discover more information tonight… I have plans to consult someone who may help us, with Twilight Sparkle’s aid. And I promise you, we will find a way to free Sleipnir in time, but… for now…”

“We leave him to rot as a trophy of the demons.” Luna said bitterly, shaking her head in disgust, and Celestia glanced away with a faint flush before Luna nodded slowly and looked down, whispering: “Nay, sister, I know. I understand. Both from shared knowledge and emotion from Scrivener Blooms and… the fact that I do trust in thy words, little as thou believes it sometimes. Thou art my older sister, and thou were the leader in olden times, and I still look up to thee, or at least up to thy… treacherous mind.”

“I see little to admire there, sister.” Celestia laughed a little all the same, straightening slowly and looking down at her quietly as Luna looked back up, the two studying one-another before the ivory equine asked hesitantly: “And as you share thoughts with Scrivener Blooms, do you already know then…”

“About Twilight Sparkle? I have long suspected thou would do this one day, Celestia, thou hast never been shy or particularly-stealthy when it comes to the subject of Twilight… thou art blinded by a mare’s love, and understand not how obvious thy grooming of her has been while thou art busy telling us all about Twilight this and Twilight that.” Luna replied quietly, shaking her head quickly as if to try and clear the bitter thoughts from it, leaning against Scrivener as she closed her eyes… then smiled a little and said finally: “Selfishly, I am… glad for it, if thou must know. I have also come to care for her very much, as it were.”

“I know, sister. Twilight Sparkle cares for you as well… she cares for you both.” Celestia halted, and Luna’s eyes opened as she blushed a bit, the two looking awkwardly at one-another before Celestia lowered her head and said quietly: “You’re adventurous, and you’ve never been shy of indulging yourself. And ever since… you left Canterlot, escaped my perhaps-somewhat overzealous need to take care of you, I’ve seen the old you more and more rising to the surface. Not scared Luna, or the Luna who felt she had to impress me or live up to my expectations… the Luna who once wrestled a dragon ‘because I could,’ the Luna who was unafraid to fight fire with even greater flames… the Luna who went against my orders to help me raze a demon-infested tower to the ground to destroy everyone inside and instead plunged inside with Sleipnir, and came out twenty minutes later, covered in blood and bruises… but saving every last life you could between you both.

“Luna, I admire you. And I’m very jealous of you. You and Scrivener Blooms share a mixed soul, are more than just two halves of one whole… you are one whole. You are like one entity… and without hesitation, you do anything for each other. I am… glad that Twilight is… so close to you two, even if I don’t always… approve.” Celestia grimaced a little, and this made Luna smile a bit and straighten as she leaned quietly against Scrivener Blooms. “I like to think that… we have made progress in certain things, after all.”

“I have always enjoyed the fact that forgetting about past traditions, ostracizing others for their differences, and weeding out the ‘unnatural’ is considered progress.” Luna remarked, and Celestia shook her head slowly, but then the two smiled a little all the same before the younger sibling bowed her head forwards, murmuring softly: “But thou hast my thanks, Celestia. It means much to hear you say all this. When does thou plan to perform the ceremony with Twilight?”

Celestia looked meditatively for a few moments at Luna, then she replied quietly: “Tonight, after one last test, one thing I wish to see. And perhaps we should leave our own last piece of business between us until the morning… I have already given you much to think about, and Twilight will require a period of recovery after… what will happen. We have other business to attend to as well… and this may answer many questions for us both, about Sleipnir, about what may have happened.”

Luna gritted her teeth, tilting her head back and forth… but then she grumbled and nodded, muttering: “Underhanded game, Celestia. A promise of one thing, defied by the knowledge that I will wish greater to know another, as it concerns not just myself… but my brother, lost to me twice now. I hope thou truly intends to keep thy promise of the morrow.”

“I do, Luna, that and more.” Celestia said softly, then she smiled a little as she strode towards the open doors, saying quietly: “Besides, if all goes well… the friend I hope to visit may be able to clear up other details that worry me at the moment, and provide a better picture of a possible past.”

“Thou speaks in riddles again. ‘Tis never good when thou speaks in riddles, it always leads to catastrophe.” Luna muttered, then she sighed and lowered her head, following moodily behind Celestia as she closed her eyes, pressing almost side-against-side with Scrivener as they followed in the wake of the regal ivory equine. “Scrivy, I demand recompense after this. Thou hast been doing the bidding of a vile creature.”

Scrivener only smiled a little at Luna, however, leaning over and kissing her cheek gently, and she grumbled a bit even as her starry locks silently twisted to the side, stroking against the male’s frame as she murmured: “I know, I know, but it hurts, Scrivener Blooms, and I am not good at dealing with pain brought on by emotional turmoil. And think not thou will escape a pummeling later, Celestia, ‘tis ridiculous thou of all creatures required reassurance on how to deal with me from my husband, I am thy little sister.”

Celestia only sighed at this, however, shaking her head and favoring Luna with an exasperated look over her shoulder. “And when I speak to you as such, often you take me for being patronizing. It’s always been hard for me to understand you, Luna, because… you are my sister. You are one of few ponies who can make me feel a wider range of emotions than most… who can make me respond in ways that I would rather hide from the world beneath a smile.”

“Like Sleipnir.” Luna said quietly, glancing up and laughing a little, and then she shook her head bitterly, a shiver running down her spine as she murmured: “’Tis like he died again, Celestia. I loved him so dearly… I know thou did as well but…”

“Yes, I know.” Celestia looked down and shook her head slowly, murmuring quietly: “I was always at the pinnacle, the leader. You both looked up to me, so I placed myself there, not realizing… how lonely it would be, how I eventually started to distance myself from you both. But you two were always there for one another… always so similar. Always doing awful things behind my back.”

Luna smiled at this thought, and then the trio fell into silence as they strode through the halls, only nodding in return to both bowing ponies and the salutes of guards they passed. It wasn’t long before they found Twilight Sparkle, however, the unicorn standing with Applejack and Pinkie Pie: the latter had removed her armor, but the former looked as comfortable as ever in her own gear, and now wore a holstered carbine rifle over her back as well.

The three bowed as Celestia approached, but the ivory equine shook her head and rose a hoof, saying quietly: “There is no need for that, Twilight Sparkle, from you nor your friends. It is I who owe all you a great debt of gratitude today.” She paused, then glanced curiously towards Applejack, drawing her eyes along the weapon. “I see Kilby Kwolek has outfitted you with the weapons of the modern age… if you were not already aware, there is a large-scale practice range in the rear of Canterlot Castle, used by the Pegasus Guard. I am not sure if I can provide munitions, but there are serviceable targets, at least.”

“Thank you, Princess, I wouldn’t mind some practice. Cowlick said something about target shooting, so maybe she’s there already. Pinkie, you coming with me?” Applejack glanced towards the pink pony, and she smiled and bounced a bit on the spot, nodding a few times.

“Sounds fun! At least, as fun as you can have with stuff like this… and… Pr… I mean, Queen Celestia, Pinkamena wants to say thank you. Well, she doesn’t really want to say it but I think she means to say it and I certainly want to say it so… thank you. We’ve been trouble to you in the past, and we both really appreciate you… trying to help us both out.” Pinkie Pie smiled, looking both embarrassed and exhilarated as she glanced awkwardly up at Celestia, but the winged unicorn only smiled in return and nodded slowly. “Okay, then! Come on, AJ… I bet Twilight has some more work to do, anyway.”

“There’s always work to be done.” Twilight Sparkle smiled a little all the same, looking at the two earth ponies, and they both nodded, hesitating only a moment longer before turning and heading down the hall. Then Twilight’s eyes roved slowly over Luna, Celestia, and Scrivener, the unicorn hesitating for a few long moments as she brushed her black cloak back before blushing a bit when Celestia reached a hoof up to quietly stroke along the Element of Magic.

She said nothing for a moment longer, then she simply nodded and gestured with her head for the others to follow, and they fell into awkward pace behind her, neither Luna nor Scrivy knowing if they should say anything to Twilight… and yet all the same, the violet unicorn seemed expectant, seemed almost to know where they were going as they made their way slowly through the Castle. For a few minutes, there was silence, and a tension that formed almost a bubble around them, making other ponies hesitate to greet them even as they passed… and then, finally, trying to break the awkward quiet, Twilight asked hesitantly: “What did you think of Scarlet Sage, Celestia?”

“Blood Seers are dangerous and powerful… the reason behind this is not simply because they are capable of supernatural feats despite having no horn, no so-called ‘instrument of power,’ but because their magic… is often very wicked magic.” Celestia paused for a moment in front of a set of redwood doors, and then she smiled a little over her shoulder, gaze lingering on Luna for a moment. “But as I have seen… not everything is always as it seems, and vice-versa. I saw the little girl for a short time, and you have explained to me the extent of her powers… and… I see no cause to meddle. In the past, I may have demanded… terrible things done to this little foal, to ensure the safety of Equestria. Instead… I entrust her to you, and to Luna, to continue to teach her and raise her. I will give her a chance, like all ponies deserve, no matter who they are born to, no matter what they are born with.”

“Thank you, Princess.” Twilight murmured, then she stopped and laughed a little, shaking her head with a blush. “I mean, Queen Celestia. That’s going to take some getting used to.”

“Then don’t grow used to it, Twilight Sparkle. There is no need for a title to come between us.” Celestia glanced ahead, pushing her way through the doors and stepping out into the cool night air, the moon hanging high in dark skies above as Celestia gazed up at this thoughtfully, watching dark clouds slowly roll through the starry skies. The others joined her on the long, stone walkway that followed the side of the castle, and then followed as the ivory equine turned, almost glowing in the dark, and strode along the covered stone path.

They descended a staircase down the side wall of the castle, passing beneath a wide bridge to emerge onto a path lit by effervescent blue lanterns leading towards a set of open iron gates. Now Twilight looked apprehensive, but she was silent, patient, as Luna and Scrivener traded a look before both gazing ahead as they passed through the wrought-iron archway and between stone monuments, the Queen of Equestria leading the way into the Royal Cemetery without hesitation: a square of land in a deep, recessed courtyard hidden inside Canterlot Castle, looming statues of ponies and angelic beings standing like an honor guard before the immense, sealed mausoleums, where urns filled with the ashes of the dead stood.

“Please wait here.” Celestia said quietly over her shoulder, and the three ponies nodded, watching as the ivory equine strode towards the center crypt: it was the largest, topped with an engraving of the symbol of Equestria and with a massive stone door that was patterned with runes and prayers in ancient script. Celestia stopped in front of this, then lowered her horn forwards slightly as she closed her eyes before she whispered something softly, a blessing or a meditation… and a moment later, the stone door smoothly rolled upwards, opening the way inside.

She vanished into the chamber beyond for a moment… then emerged, her horn glowing and a bronze urn in the shape of a dragon’s roaring head floating beside her, a heavy lid in the upwards-tilted, open jaws. Twilight grimaced a little, leaning back a bit, before the vase slowly floated down and in front of her, the lid spinning rapidly before lifting itself free and setting itself silently down as the faint aura that had surrounded both urn and lid fading out as Celestia said quietly: “This is the dust, the ash, the last of Discord. And somehow, Twilight… I can’t help but notice you don’t seem surprised.”

“I don’t think you expected me to be, Celestia… you left some books for me in my room on scrying rituals, and you bookmarked one in particular.” Twilight replied with a faint smile, glancing down as she studied the urn silently. “This is about… what Discord said to me, when he died, isn’t it? This is about the fact that he said… I was a little corrupted, and a little saved.”

“It is that, and more. Discord’s touch affected much, but such things fade with time… with you, however, Discord did more than simply brush against your spirit. He left a mark on you, he visited you… and for some reason, he connected with you.” Celestia said softly, then she reached a hoof up and brushed Twilight’s mane gently back, making the unicorn blush a little in surprise at the sudden, maternal touch. “Discord was a being from Ginnungagap. A particularly-powerful one at that, and his ashes, even now, likely maintain a connection to that world. If Discord has left a mark on you, contact with them will… generate an instinctive reaction, may allow you to speak to something from the other side of reality with my guidance, and if she will give it, my sister’s help as well.”

“If Twilight agrees, then of course I shall.” Luna said quietly, and Twilight hesitated as she looked over her shoulder at the winged unicorn… but Luna only smiled faintly in return, saying quietly: “Sadly, Twilight… I have selfish motives in this affair, so I cannot ask thee with clean conscience to do this. It is thy choice, though… but remember, ‘tis… ‘tis not Discord. ‘Tis only ash, ‘tis only dust. If he lives on somewhere, ‘tis far more likely in thee than it is in such easily-swept-away debris.”

Twilight Sparkle looked down silently… then she gritted her teeth and nodded slowly, finally looking up at Celestia, but not speaking, her eyes almost imploring. Celestia gazed back tenderly, a hint of sorrow in the gleam of her eyes before she instructed quietly: “Dip your horn into the ashes. I do not know what may happen… but Luna and I will aid you if it is required.”

The violet unicorn nodded hesitantly, taking a slow breath as she looked down at the bronze urn… and then she leaned forwards, angling her horn downwards into the jaws of the dragon head, wincing as it pressed into something, and for a moment, there was nothing… nothing but a chill that crept along her spine, before her eyes widened, a gasp spilling from her jaws as something that felt like a claw seized against her horn before a voice whispered into her mind: Come now, Twilight Sparkle… I told you to keep a little chaos in your life, didn’t I? I’m rather delighted you’d come so far for it.

Ashes burst up over her features, Twilight hacking and coughing as she staggered backwards before another shock rolled through her body, Celestia’s eyes narrowing and Luna and Scrivener both setting themselves as the violet unicorn groaned, then arched her back, shrieking in surprise and pain as electricity shocked along her horn, her eyes beginning to glow brightly… and then she reared back, body moving of its own accord as she slashed her horn downwards, leaving a red wound in reality that trembled for a moment before it released a terrible gush of force as it ripped open, knocking Twilight sprawling as Luna and Scrivy skidded backwards and Celestia winced away.

Slowly, Twilight’s eyes flickered as a laugh rolled through her mind before it faded slowly into static, blood dripping slowly from one of her eyes as she shuddered violently… then stared upwards at the sight of the green, strange portal that now hovered in the air. It swirled and rumbled, an alien vortex into an unnatural world… and then, slowly, a large talon stretched through it, and Twilight forced herself up to her hooves even as she swayed on them, Scrivener supporting her as she rasped in shock: “D-Discord?”

And then the figure beyond emerged… and Twilight felt a strange pain in her heart as a Draconequus stepped through, but it was not the incarnation of chaos she had briefly known, and even briefer still become a friend to. Rather, this chimerical creature had a body of black, smooth scales and broad shoulders, one arm the thin eagle’s talon that she had mistaken for Discord’s, but the other was longer, with shaggy red fur and gray-skinned, dexterous fingers. He stood upon a slender giraffe’s leg with groomed golden fur and odd brown spots that seemed to flow like ink, the other lower limb feline and deep blue, ending in short, retractable claws on a slightly-too-big paw, long legs and long body giving him an impressive height of at least eight feet.

A sinuous, mauve kangaroo tail twisted slowly back and forth behind him, and large fins stood from his back: one was gray, rubbery and shark-like, the other thin and almost transparent, tipped with small spikes like a lizard’s frill that had been put in the wrong place. They stood out from his shoulderblades like wing-like protrusions, moving once as his features – a mix of dragon and stallion, with faded red, leathery scales and thick black eyebrows – tensed slightly, then relaxed as black eyes with small white pupils surveyed the ponies around him.

He reached up, absently brushing a hand back through the short, cropped Mohawk that stood between a twisting, golden ram’s horn and the strange, discolored-white backwards-curved bone that stood from the other side of his skull. He seemed strangely calm as he stepped backwards, putting his hands behind his back as he looked meditatively over the four as the green vortex he had emerged from shuddered, then sparked before rapidly furling in on itself before there was a loud pop, and in place of a portal, a green stone floated for a moment before it fell to the ground with a quiet rattle that shook the stillness of the cemetery.

“I suppose strange times make for strange allies, but from the stories we have heard, it is stranger still to be summoned by Midgard’s harmony-obsessed ponies.” The Draconequus spoke in a cultured, calm voice, his features serious as he studied them with as much curiosity as the ponies looked at him with. “I see, though… a last laugh from the one you called Discord, the being that sought to escape Ginnungagap. He left a mark on you.”

The creature’s eyes roved slowly to Twilight, who looked nervously at the Draconequus before she winced as the creature stepped suddenly forwards and reached its eagle claw quickly down, sweeping up the bloody trail beneath Twilight’s eye before it stepped smoothly away from the ponies, studying the crimson fluid on its talon as it murmured: “A pity. He did not listen. He never listened. He was among our most powerful, and yet he was also among our least useful. He was the piper, content to sit and play his melodies and watch things move and enjoy his jokes, and I am sure that he has barely noticed the difference between living and dying.”

“Who art thou, creature? We called him Discord, what do thou call thyself?” Luna asked quietly, stepping forwards and frowning a bit, and the Draconequus looked at her thoughtfully, tilting his head slowly as if trying to understand a foreign concept. “I am called Luna.”

“No, you are not, you are called Scrivener Blooms, and he is called Luna.” the creature replied in a voice that was almost kind, and Luna reared her head back at this, looking surprised… and then half-grinning as she shook her head as Scrivy looked up dumbly, not knowing whether to be confused or entertained. “The other two are Twilight Sparkle and Celestia, this is well known by us, at least when we care to understand or know things… when we do not, you are all merely ponies, some with horns, some with wings, two with both, and the rest with nothing at all and thus the entire world to gain for it. You are correct in one thing, however, and it is that you said you called him Discord… Discord was the name ponies gave to him. We have little use for names ourselves, after all… it is merely a label by which we know things, so we may take them for granted all the faster.”

The creature paused, then he crossed his arms and said in his serious, soft voice: “I do not have a name, and what I shall tell you to call me is not my name. But in the spirit of Discord, I shall be referred to as Discombobulation. Is this acceptable? Although I only ask to be polite, as I care not whether it is acceptable or not: it is what it is, and it is what I have said, and that is all.”

“Bob the Draconequus, wonderful.” Scrivener muttered, and the creature favored him with a sharp look… then an odd, strange smile that showed off needle-like teeth, making the earth pony wince back a little. “Not that I’m assuming anything or anything but… you’re not going to start causing chaos for us all, are you?”

“I am not Discord, as I thought was perfectly clear already. As I believe I hinted that he was among the most powerful of Ginnungagap’s residents.” Discombobulation replied calmly, looking seriously towards the earth pony before his eyes roved towards Celestia, who was still silently studying the creature. “You were the one who summoned me. Or rather, you were the one who had reason to summon me, but could not do it yourself, so you used the unicorn as a tool, not that you treated or thought of her as such. Semantics do not change reality, however, much as we treat them as such, much as we wish they did or do or could or would or should.”

Twilight glanced down with a wince as Celestia continued to regard the creature, but then she only shook her head slowly, asking the chimerical being quietly: “I begin to understand what the old texts said of the residents of Ginnungagap. A place of chaos and debris from other worlds, where the intangible may become incarnate. You say you are different than Discord, but you are no less a dissident than him, are you? Only a little more subtle than by pranks and altering reality.”

“I can lie, but the truth is usually more effective… therefore I did not lie when I said Discord was among the most powerful of us. I do not simply choose to work through different methods, to be effective, I must work through different methods, although I am by no means unable to defend myself.” Discombobulation answered after a moment, drawing his eyes curiously over Celestia. “In my experience, however, words cut deeper… but, like Discord, I am no destroyer. Discord fed off movement and chaos: murder puts a halt to all movement, ends all chaos with the awfulness of ultimate order, of ultimate stillness. I enjoy the emotions, anxieties and most of all, confusion… I am no insipid yet powerful prankster, but a heartbreaker and a dream-taker and a few other old rock ballads all mixed together.”

He stopped, then looked towards Twilight Sparkle as she stepped towards him, the Draconequus frowning a bit as the unicorn sat silently, meeting his eyes as they studied one another. Then she leaned forwards, her horn sparking as she winced a little and concentrated, and Discombobulation grimaced a little as she said slowly: “I can feel… something… a link. A strange kind of link…”

She leaned closer towards him, and the Draconequus grumbled before he leapt suddenly upwards, the tall creature showing off a surprising spryness as he jumped on top of the mausoleum behind him and then sat at the edge of it, his slender body leaning forwards as he grasped the edges of it and said moodily: “Please refrain from that, unicorn. I do not enjoy being the butt of Discord’s pranks. It was why we did not cry when he left Ginnungagap, sad as we were when he was lost forever… but it never hurts to watch an annoying person leave, and nothing is more painful then hearing that same person died far from home.”

“Saved, and corrupted…” Twilight murmured… and then she straightened and grimaced a bit, shaking her head and muttering to herself: “Of course, that’s why… that’s what he meant. I understand.”

Luna and Scrivener both looked curiously at Twilight as Celestia only gazed expectantly at her, seeming to already understand what was going on before the unicorn straightened, then shouted: “Come here!”

For a moment, Discombobulation only glared at her… and then he slowly slid off the roof of the mausoleum, landing on his hoof and paw and moodily walking towards her before sitting heavily on his rear, looking sourly at her as he rested his elbows on his knees. And Twilight stared, then leaned forwards, saying quietly: “It was a riddle. ‘Keep a little chaos in your life.’ Discord… he knew something about what was going to happen, didn’t he? So he gave me… a little chaos. A-”

“Yes, he gave you the gift of his lower-class acolyte from Ginnungagap, skipping the monologue because you are boring.” Discombobulation snapped, losing his calm to sulky irritably as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Chaos does not have ranks, but it does have powers. The higher powers and incarnations get to do as they please, and often get what they want by forcibly-ensnaring the loyalty of others. It was how Discord escaped Ginnungagap. It was how Discord amused himself inside Ginnungagap. And now, it seems that it will be how Discord will continue to laugh at me even though he is nothing more than an urn of ashes and dust.”

The Draconequus glared at the dragon-head shaped bronze vessel, but Twilight Sparkle only smiled a little before she glanced towards Celestia, asking quietly: “Did you know?”

“Celestia knows all, she is a grand manipulator.” Luna muttered, and Celestia sighed a little before the dark sapphire equine strode forwards, looking calmly across at Discombobulation and asking quietly: “Will thou answer our questions?”

“I will, but not asked by you, or Luna, or Celestia. If you try to ask me anyway, I will lie to you, and avoid the truth, and do anything else I can to cause trouble. But I must tell Twilight Sparkle the truth if she wishes it, although I am sure many times she will wish for a lie… in which case, I will be forced to lie to her, even when I don’t want to.” Discombobulation shrugged a bit, his serious calm slowly returning before he looked towards Twilight meditatively. “Or I could be lying right now, and that reverses everything, doesn’t it?”

“What do you want me to ask him, Celestia?” Twilight asked quietly, glancing over at the ivory equine. Celestia, however, only gazed quietly back, and the violet unicorn hesitated before voicing another hesitant question: “Afterwards… can we free him?”

Discombobulation glanced up in surprise at this… and then, to the surprise of the ponies, he crossed his arms, huffed loudly, and said distastefully: “So because I’m not Discord, now I’m not good enough for Miss Twilight Sparkle? You would throw me away, back to the garbage heap of Ginnungagap? I never wanted to leave that place, but now I’ve left… and now I’m stuck here, dragged through a hole in reality that can only be opened if two attempt to do it at the same time, and I am very certain all doors leading back will be bolted shut by my brethren as they laugh at my misfortune, call me the next Discord, and wait for me to die so they may cry at the celebration of my funeral in a land far from home.”

Twilight stared at the creature, but before she could be dragged in, Celestia leaned forwards and said clearly: “Ignore the Draconequus… remember, he seeks to cause confusion. Read between the lines, and sample carefully what he says before you make any decisions.”

Discombobulation began to open his mouth, but Twilight winced and glared at him, and her horn gave a faint spark… and a moment later, the Draconequus’s jaws slammed shut and locked together, and he gave a muffled grumble as he grabbed at his features irritably. The unicorn stared in surprise at this as both Luna and Scrivener Blooms grinned, but the winged unicorn’s expression faded slightly as she leaned towards Twilight and said quietly: “Ask the wretch about Sleipnir. And ensure that he knows what will happen to him should he lie or speak ill of my brother.”

“Sleipnir? I… why?” Twilight frowned a bit, looking from Celestia to Luna… but when they both only looked at her silently, she sighed and nodded hesitantly, looking towards the Draconequus nervously. “Discombobulation… tell me what’s happened to Sleipnir. Be polite. Tell me the truth.”

The chimerical creature winced as its jaws unlocked… and then it carefully stood up and stepped backwards, features becoming serious as it looked from Celestia to Luna. “My words tend to be poisonous, even when I mean for them to serve as remedy. May I show you instead?”

“No hypnosis.” Twilight said firmly, and the creature nodded… and after a moment, the violet unicorn nodded back with a sigh. “Alright, then. Show us.”

The Draconequus straightened, brushing himself off… and then he flicked one hand quickly outwards, palm towards the sky, and a green, glowing bubble of light formed above this, as large as a boulder, wild images spilling across it as points of white light burned over its surface before it suddenly solidified into hovering emerald glass… and, as if reflected from inside, images shone in the enormous globe, of an immense horse surrounded by awful, warped figures, the equine frozen and howling in pain, covered in thick ice that glinted like gemstones-

“Cease thy assault, creature, or I shall shatter this bauble and thy skull!” Luna shouted angrily, clenching her eyes shut and lowering her head as a shiver ran through her, Twilight staring in horror at the awful images as Celestia only gritted her teeth… and then Luna’s eyes snapped open, glowing white as she shouted: “We do not wish to see this!”

“But I know that you do all wish to see who did this to your brother… and as the forces of Ginnungagap and Helheim are rarely friends and never allies, permit me to show you that instead.” Discombobulation said softly, features bathed in eerie, eldritch light as he waved his other hand in front of himself, and the imagery in the globe distorted… then formed into the smoky, smoldering shape of a grinning black unicorn, his form unstable and semisolid. “This is the mask your enemy wears, this is the puppet who was foolish enough to think the demons were doing his bidding… when in reality, he is only doing the bidding of even greater monsters. Monsters that do not wish to be exposed and employ many names and shapes and guises and who have thrown their refuse into Ginnungagap for many years, for Ginnungagap is the place where all ideas, where all debris, where all ruination and ash ends up… and in this heap of stinking garbage, we, brought into life by the toxic mix of a million intangible elements good and bad, become the masters of all knowledge in the universe. Discord could have told you more… but Discord, sadly, is no more. But I also could have told you less… but I chose not to. The truth hurts, does it not?”

He looked up with a smile… then winced as he was tackled backwards by Luna, the green orb shattering into fireworks of light as she pinned the Draconequus on his back and leaned over him, snarling: “And pray tell, nasty, venomous creature, what is to stop me from breaking thee into a thousand little pieces now that thou has had thy laugh at the wretchedness which seems to surround all those who come into contact with me?”

“Oh, Scrivener Blooms, you’re so selfish. Thinking this is all about you… and yet I’d be lying if I said you were wrong, because in a way… it very much is.” Discombobulation looked up at her, unfettered, as he reached up and grasped her shoulders, pushing back against her as she glared down at him furiously. “You really don’t think you can threaten me with-”

Luna slammed one of her hooves into his face, knocking his head back, and the Draconequus’s eyes bulged in shock and pain before she punched him firmly again, and he yelled in shock as he shoved and kicked at her, barely managing to force the winged unicorn off before he scampered backwards and grabbed at his muzzle with a wince. “Awful, horrible, wicked, foul little monster! Impossible!”

Celestia looked unfettered, holding up a hoof towards Luna as the winged unicorn started forwards again, and she cursed under her breath, eyes still glowing faintly as she muttered and forced herself to calm and step backwards, Twilight Sparkle wincing and looking back and forth before Celestia said quietly to Discombobulation: “This is not Ginnungagap, creature. You said yourself you were more limited in power than Discord ever was, and you should understand that your abilities are further hindered because you are not in a lawless, groundless dimension of chaos and idea-made-real. You are not impervious to the physical here, as Discord was quick to learn himself… therefore, I would cooperate with us.”

Discombobulation shook his head quickly, looking disgusted as he rubbed at his face… then he straightened slowly, features smoothing out as he regained his composure despite the bruise on his features before he looked towards Twilight as she asked quietly: “Are you okay?”

For a moment, he only studied her, as if he didn’t understand the question… then he nodded slowly and favored Luna with a suspicious glare as she glowered back, Scrivy stepping up beside her with a grimace. “Scrivener Blooms has a foul temper, and her husband Luna is both indulging and protective, a bad combination. Tell me, Twilight, will you insult me with freedom so they might maim me viciously before I am left to wander the world until I die? Or will you accept the fact that Discord has one last great prank or his first great scheme in action, and honor me with enslavement?”

Twilight shook her head slowly at this, then she looked towards the Draconequus and said quietly: “Discord… obviously had something in mind. I don’t know what… but I want to find out. So I’m going to… invite you to come with us, Discombobulation. As an ally, and maybe one day as a friend.”

“I would cry if I could cry and had cause to cry, but I won’t, can’t and don’t.” the chimerical creature replied mildly, and then it shook its head slowly before walking over to the bronze urn that contained Discord’s dust, bringing one leg back as if to kick it… but when Twilight glared at him, he sighed and halted, slumping his shoulders instead and only scraping his paw against the ground before he turned around and said distastefully: “When you need me, I will already be there. When you want me, I may hide. And should you not desire my presence, know that I’ll always be hovering nearby. Click your hooves or call my name or snap the fingers you don’t have, and I’ll be there, Twilight Sparkle. As a matter of fact, I’m here right now, and I’ll be here whenever you look for me. But the rest of the time…”

And with that, Discombobulation rose his hand and snapped his fingers, and he simply vanished from the spot, Twilight looking back and forth in surprise before a faint wind whispered by, carrying with it the faint voice of the Draconequus: “I’ll always be nearby… just out of sight, in the less-cluttered purgatory that exists in the space between spaces in the causeless air, thinking of Ginnungagap and missing everyone I’ll immediately wish to be away from the moment I find my way back home. I’ll see you soon… in fact, I see you right now… but you won’t see me until later.”

Discombobulation gave a short, dry chuckle, and then there was silence… and Celestia shook her head slowly, glancing down at the urn before it glowed a faint gold as the same aura surrounded her horn. Silently, she slipped the lid back into place and carried it back into the crypt, then exited, the heavy stone door sealing behind her without the ivory equine needing to turn around as she sighed quietly, then murmured: “You have my apologies, Twilight Sparkle. I expected only to contact a creature, not… to see another…”

She stopped, then shook her head and frowned quietly, looking over her shoulder as the three ponies looked up at her silently. “I don’t know what to call it. Blessing? Joke? Gift? I… no longer feel the wrath and hatred I once did for Discord, and… accept that he was important to you, Twilight. In many ways… and this creature has given us a glimpse of our brother, confirmed what I feared… confirmed that Ignominious is both behind these events and only a puppet for a greater threat. And he seemed to know…”

“Yes… he seemed to know something about me. And thou, too… has hinted at knowledge of this… and more and more, I find this revolves not merely around Equestria, although all of Equestria suffers the attack… but around me.” Luna looked up at Celestia, meeting her eyes, breathing a little harder as she gazed at her sister imploringly, frustration and fear mingling in her eyes as she stepped towards her. “Tell me what thou knows, sister… please. Tell me, in front of our honored dead, tell me now, and hide no more from me what it is! What did that creature of chaos hint at, what is so awful thou would not even whisper it to Scrivener Blooms in secret, why does thou look at me even now as if it burdens thy soul!”

Celestia looked silently back… and then she looked quietly up at the night sky, closing her eyes and saying softly: “It does burden me, Luna. It hurts me, and scares me, and… I do not know what to say, or how to explain this. And… I… there is much to do tonight, and I do not know-”

“Celestia…” For a moment Luna snarled, eyes glowing, stepping forwards as if her anger was about to overtake her as Twilight winced… but Scrivener only gazed silently at the winged unicorn, feeling the roil of her emotions… and, as suddenly as her anger had risen, the dark-sapphire female slumped miserably, staring weakly across at Celestia and whispering: “Big sister… please. Just tell me…”

For a few moments, the Queen of Equestria gazed at her younger sibling, her Champion… and then she closed her eyes, lowered her head forwards, and said quietly: “Very well. Luna… that is not your name, any more than mine is Celestia, any more than Sleipnir’s was our brother’s… just as we are not sisters and brother in anything but name. For more than seventeen hundred years I’ve lived, and only now are the memories coming back… only now, after years of searching darkness and light and the shadows of my soul, have I begun to understand, and the simplest way to tell you, is to speak to you a single name. Do not fight it… do not resist what dreams may come. I am sorry, Luna…

“I am sorry, Brynhild.”