Applejack, Trixie, Melanie and Rainbow Dash were heading to the Canterlot Train station.
Rainbow Dash asked “When did you start having feelings for me?”
Applejack said “It was a month before cider season. Ah started getting this warm fuzzy feeling in my chest whenever Ah was around you.”
Rainbow asked confused “That was over 6 months back, why didn’t you act on it?”
Applejack chuckled “Ah did, too bad you weren’t a farmer or else you would have known. Ah sent you a barrel of free ciderduring cider season.” Rainbow looked at her confused. Applejack said “If we have feelings for somepony, we send them a barrel of cider.”
Rainbow opened her mouth in an O shape as she realised what that meant, she blushed furiously. Melanie said with a smirk “We have arrived at the train station.” Melanie and Trixie entered the train with Applejack dragging the stunned Pegasus into the train.
Rainbow asked “Why didn’t show it, 6 months is a long time?”
Applejack replied “Sorry, sugarcube it’s just Ah didn’t think you would be interested. You were so obsessed with being cool, Ah thought you found romance, stupid.”
Rainbow replied blushing “I did until I started feeling strange around you. I asked Pinkie and I tried to take her advice unfortunately that was the day you collapsed. I didn’t get another chance until today.”
Applejack said smiling “Well, when we think Pinkie can’t surprise us anymore, she does. She is the marefriend with the
spirit of chaos and disharmony. Not to mention the fact she is now an Alicorn.”
Rainbow chuckled nervously “Yes, that is weird. Umm, I’m curious where do we stand? I mean I’m still struggling with this love thing.”
Applejack said “Before we are officially going out as marefriends, we should go out for a few dinners, Ah love you Rainbow and I know you do love me as well. It’s just this is an entirely new field for you, so we should take it slow.” Rainbow nodded for once deciding to take it slow.
Applejack asked “So how do you think Twilight is handling all of this?” She points her hoof to the whole in her chest.
Rainbow smiled as she said looking back at Canterlot “She has much more to deal with than just the fact you are, well, um a robot.” Applejack laughed at Rainbow’s attempt to find another word as she looked back at Canterlot.
In Canterlot, Twilight started open her eyes. Rarity asked “Are you alright?”
Twilight responded “I’m fine, I just had a horrible nightmare, you were a changeling queen. My sister in law to be was replaced by a changeling queen, Applejack and Sweetie Belle are robots built by Trixie, and Pinkie Pie has ascended to Alicorn status due to her coltfriend, Discord.”
Rarity said nervously “Twilight this may shock you but that was no dream.” Twilight started to feel faint, only for Rarity to slap her with her right hoof.
Rarity shouted “This is the truth, Twilight! I know it’s harsh but you need to accept this.” Twilight stared at her friend in shock.
Discord asked “I think you may have broke her brain. Do you have any other ideas?.”
Rarity angrily shook her head. She was about to snap. Discord stepped in front of Twilight and said “I understand this is a lot to take in but push it from your mind. We need to make sure everypony in this castle gets treated for any injuries caused and to prevent another invasion.”
Twilight blinked before asking “Discord, why are you being so kind?”
Discord said “I love Pinkie and you are her friend. That is reason enough for me to treat you with respect. I have plenty of plans to help bring smiles to others. I have a few prank ideas Pinkie helped me work on. After all the best use of chaos is to create laughter, just this time the laughter is not for me, it’s for everyone.”
Twilight nodded quietly before helping her brother Shining Armour and his wife to-be Cadence. Pinkie bounced on him smiling. Discord smiled back at his marefriend. Rarity asked “How did that work? I thought she would faint.”
Discord said “Simple, I just gave hear something to distract her mind from the more complicated issues.”
Shining Armour got up and walked over to Discord. He said “I suppose I owe you a favor. I don’t know who you are but
you have my thanks.” Cadence pulled Twilight to her side as they walked towards Discord.
Cadence said “You remind of a statue in Canterlot gardens. Are you sure we haven’t met.”
Discord frowned before replying “You two, probably know me as King Discord.”
Shining scowled “King Discord, the evil tyrant that ruled Equestria 1000 years ago before being defeated by Celestia and
Luna?” Discord looked down ashamed. He could see the resentment in Shining's eyes.
Pinkie shouted “Leave him alone, He has done more than enough to gain your trust!! If he wasn’t here we would all have
been overrun by changelings!” Twilight and Cadence were shocked by the usual happy mare’s outburst.
Twilight said trying to prevent an incident “My BBBF didn't mean anything by it, Pinkie. He is just a little stressed out from his wedding being ruined.” Shining was about to speak when Twilight scowled at him, he closed his mouth quickly in
response. Twilight thought about Celestia and ran off to find her.
She helped Celestia to her hooves when she found her. Celestia asked “What happened?”
Twilight replied “It would be easier to show you.” Twilight guided her injured mentor into the ballroom as she had been
moved to a different part of the castle by changelings.
Celestia looked around until she noticed Discord. She roared “Discord, what are you doing back!” She charged only to
collapse half way.
Discord asked “Are you alright?” Celestia stared at him lividly before trying to get up before falling over again. Discord said “Pinkie I need to go, I have stop our wayward Princess from hurting herself more.” Pinkie smiled wider than many thought possible happy that Discord was being kind. Discord teleported Celestia and himself into the infirmary. Doctor Heartbeat, a small mare with a red mane and white coat quickly took the princess to a bed.
Celestia asked “Why are you helping me? I hate you and you hate me.”
Discord replied “I was a fool 1 millennia ago, I let my rage control me and I killed your parents. In the end I became no
better than you.”
Celestia roared “I am nothing like you!” Doctor Heartbeat struggled to hold the princess till until Discord used his magic.
Discord said “I don’t want to cause trouble anymore, I found something I thought I would find with you. You destroyed
everything for me that day.”
Celestia fired a spell at Discord only for him to dodge out of the way. She collapsed on the bed the last of her reserves
spent. Discord returned to the others. Celestia woke in a dark room, she saw a evil changeling queen staring at her. The
Queen hissed “The great and mighty Celestia, hahaha, what a joke. She will provide us the perfect snack.”
She felt the world shift and then she was standing in a palace. Then suddenly she heard a loud cackling. Discord stood in
front of her but not as he is. King Discord laughed “Celestia, you weak thing defeated by a mere bug?. What a joke!” He
clicked his fingers and she found herself in a centre of a large crowd of Discords. She saw she was dressed as a clown.
They started throwing all kinds of rotten vegetables and fruit at her.
The room shifted again to be in her palace at night. A shiver went down her spine as a voice spoke “1000 years on the
moon, that’s what I suffered. It’s your turn, weakling.” Nightmare Moon cast a spell sending her to the moon locked in
shackles. She screamed but no sound came out. She cried silently.
Then a voice boomed “Nightmare, begone.” Celestia looked around only to see darkness. Luna put a hoof on her sister’s shoulder “I’m guessing you know everything?” Celestia nodded silently.
Luna said “I assume Discord is back, your nightmare was quite hard to get into. You are still troubled by my banishment I
see.”
Celestia cried “Why, does this happen to me?”
Luna replied “I don’t know, sister. I have no idea what that bug creature was but clearly that is the source of your
problem.”
Celestia shouted “No, it’s Discord he is always there hounding me.”
Luna scowled “Sister, I have seen him. He is not the enemy anymore.”
Celestia roared in her Royal Canterlot Voice “WHAT?!”
Luna said venomously “Discord is not the same Draconequus he was, not to mention you burned his village to the
ground.”
Celestia shouted “You believed him, he is the embodiment of chaos and disharmony a trickster, a monster!”
Luna walked right up to Celestia’s face. When she couldn't get any closer, she roared “THE LAST TIME I DIDN’T LISTEN TO
HIM, I ENDED UP SPENDING 1000 YEARS ON THE MOON! HE TOLD ME YOU WOULD BE SO SELF-ABSORBED, THAT YOU
WOULD LET ME FALL BY THE WAYSIDE! I DIDN’T BELIEVE BUT MUCH TO MY ASTONISHMENT IT ALL HAPPENED! I FINALLY
UNDERSTOOD BUT IT WAS TOO LITTLE TO LATE!”
Celestia looked stunned as her sister walked away. She woke with a start, her wounds had healed. Celestia saw Discord
standing there with a paw out. He said “We can never go back to what we were but we can still be friends. You are not the same Alicorn I knew a millennia ago." Celestia smiled and took it. He helped get to her hooves. Celestia stepped out to see many ponies outside. Discord teleported away. Celestia smiled to her pony subjects.
Melanie had just arrived at the barracks. She had left Rainbow and Applejack behind as soon as she confirmed that
Applejack was okay. She smiled knowing Trixie would do a marvelous job of the repairs. Appleeye yelled “Where have you been?”
Melanie replied “Making sure the one of the elements of Harmony was okay. I was given the order to make sure they were comfortable and that order technically wasn’t ever revoked.” Appleeye scowled at her statement.
Veren said “I was just informed I have the power to choose the successor for Captain. I believe you Melanie are the right
choice, you took charge and turned a bunch of floundering guards into a fighting force.”
Melanie shook her head “No ,I can’t take that position. I believe you should get somepony else. I am still a young filly, I may have the talent but somepony with experience should take the role. I may consider when I’m a full grown mare.”
Veren nodded knowing he couldn’t stop her, he said “I would like you to at least take command of my squad, I am crippled for life.”
Melanie replied “I can do that.” She left for Ponyville to get ready for her new role.
Applejack smiled finally having been repaired. Trixie said “That will be all you need, I suggest you go home and get some
rest.” Applejack nodded as she got up. Rainbow Dash was lying on the floor asleep. Applejack lightly shook her causing the Pegasus mare to wake. Rainbow looked at Applejack with a smile, she slowly dusted herself off and the 2 of them, then
silently left beginning the long trek to Sweet Apple Acres.
They arrived to see the farm bathed in moonlight. Applejack knocked on the door. Big Mac opened the door and gave his
sister a big hug, Applejack said “Ah, don’t want to be broken again.” Big Mac frowned much to Applejack’s confusion, until
she realised they might not know.
She was about to speak when Big Mac said quietly “So you found out.” Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked confused.
Granny Smith and Applebloom came down the stairs.
Granny Smith said “We heard the whole thing, I’m sorry we couldn’t tell you.”
Applejack and Rainbow frowned. Applejack said “Why didn’t you tell me the truth. I could have a nervous breakdown.”
Applebloom said “We’re sorry, we just didn’t want you to think that you had no value because of the fact you are a robot.”
Applejack said “I see, thanks for trying to spare my feelings but next time it would be easier if you just told me.”
Rainbow said “Anyway I think we should head to bed. Today has been a long day.”
Applejack nodded and the pair both flopped haphazardly on Applejack’s bed. Big Mac relocated them so they wouldn’t freeze in the night. He smiled as his sister and the mare she loved laid on the same bed.