The doors to the balcony opened silently to the touch of a familiar magic. The crimson rays of the setting sun seeming to part as the Princess of the Night stepped gracefully out to perform the nightly ritual which she had done so many times. A deep, vibrant light emitted from her horn as the sun began to dip below the horizon behind her. The crisp, winter wind blew gently against her coat, the flurry of snowflakes glistening along with her star-filled mane.
Princess Luna closed her eyes as she focused on the celestial wheel of the heavens. With what had normally taken many skilled unicorns to accomplish, she did with an ease that served as proof of her strength. With the grace and talent of an artisan, she moved the moon and stars into position overhead. Princess Luna always took extra care to arrange the stars into the most beautiful patterns, each one having its own unique feel as she reached out to grasp it in her magic.
However, tonight, she sensed the hint of a presence that she had not felt in a very, very long time. At the very edge of her magical sight, a moving mass of ice arced towards them as part of its hundred year orbit: Snowdrop's Twinkle. Princess Luna smiled sadly at the last remnant of a friend long past. She stood there for a long moment, her magic feeling the path the comet would travel towards them, a small tear forming at the corner of her eye.
"Hello, old friend." Luna said aloud. Her voice was barely a whisper, but she thought for a moment, she could feel the comet pulse softly, as if to answer her greeting. "It's been a long time, little one."
Princess Luna closed her mind's eye and opened her physical ones to gaze up at the beauty that was her night sky. She stepped away from the balcony, out of the winter's embrace, and back into her cozy bedchamber.
"We'll see each other again soon, my little Snowdrop."
-----
The grand door of the royal court closed as the last pony had concluded their business for this evening's Night Court. The guards escorted the last citizens through the doors, and then, after a wave from their princess, excused themselves as well. Princess Luna glanced around the large room, her eyes falling across the magnificent stain-glass windows, before she looked up to the ceiling.
"You can come down now, Discord."
With the sound of yawning and stretching, the Master of Chaos floated down to the Princess of the Night, his descent slowed by an inverted umbrella. As he touched down, he held the umbrella of to his side, which promptly dissolved into a puddle in his eagle claw.
"Greeting, Mistress of the Cheese Wheel, how may I be of service?"
Princess Luna rolled her eyes at him, though her sister usually refrained from such actions, she couldn't help but fall into Discord's game at times.
"Discord, we would like to ask a favor of you, and we truly hope you would consider it."
"Oh?" He curled forwards, around Princess Luna's whole person, before coming back up in front of her, face to face.
"You need a favor from little ol' me?" Discord punctuated his statement by pressing a claw to his nose. In a blur of color, he transformed into a miniature version of himself. Luna held a hoof out, low to the ground, which Discord climbed awkwardly. After he was properly situated atop the royal horseshoe, she raised Discord him up to eye level, a small grin sneaking across her face.
"Yes, Discord, this is very important to us, so please listen carefully, for the details should remain hidden from ponies for now."
"Alright, then, I'm all ears," he said with a grin. A flash of magic later, his claw and paw were reflected with ears with colors matching the limbs to which they were attached.
"Can you take anything seriously?" Princess Luna said with a touch of exasperation. With another flash, Discord returned to his normal size and with the correct appendages.
"I'm the Master of Chaos, a spirit of trickery and eccentric magic, I don't really do serious."
"If you do this for us, Discord, then I'll..." Princess Luna whispered softly into Discord's ear. Discord's smile became wickedly wide as he chuckles maniacally.
"Just tell me what you are planning, my sweet Princess Luna," he said with a mischievous grin.
"Well, in the near future, a very special comet will be crossing the skies of Equestria..."
---
Princess Luna and Discord stood amidst Canterlot's mountain peaks as they gazed into the sky. A light snowy breeze twisted gently around them, before spiraling passed the pair, upwards into the night. Slowly, a streak of blueish-white began to cross high above them, a beautiful trail of cold tracing itself into the equestrian sky. Turning her head towards Discord, a melancholic smile spreading upon her face, she's unable to stop the beginning of the cascade of tears down her dark fur.
"Don't you start crying now, Moonbutt. If you can't keep it together, how do you expect me to?" His head rolled off his head, down his arm and then landed in the snow in front of Princess Luna.
With a soft giggle, she plucked the head from the snow with her magic and held it in front of her. Luna gave Discord an appreciative smile and boop on his nose, before placing his head snugly back into place on his shoulders.
"Are you ready, Discord?' Princess Luna asked as she looked up at the ever-growing memory of her past.
"Whenever, you are, dear Luna."
Her horn lit in response, the dark glow reaching upwards to envelope the meteor in her magic. Discord's eyes glowed a luminous gold as he rested his paw on Luna's backside. Their magic worked together, a mixture of monochromatic aura that shifted as if it were the flicking flame of a fireplace. A flash of brilliant magic later, and the comet now possessed a subtle golden sheen.
"One last time, my little Snowdrop, you'll hear wishes made into the winter snow."