//------------------------------//
// Chapter Twenty-two: An Elementary Debate 
// Story: A Rather Large Adventure 
// by BradyBunch 
//------------------------------//

"I suppose you all know why we're gathered here?" Twilight asked the ponies assembled.

They were in the throne room of Twilight's castle. The day before, after Firestorm, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash woke up in the hospital, they were instructed to lay in their beds until the healing spell given by Noble Blade and Twilight ran its course. For all of Tuesday, therefore, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Firestorm lay in the hospital until their wounds were fully mended. The following day, Twilight ordered everyone to the throne room. The Mane Six, Starlight Glimmer, Spike, and the Guardians of the Sun were all in attendance. Those that had thrones sat in them, while those that didn't were in padded folding chairs in between the thrones- except for Firestorm, who had sprawled out on the table like he was at the beach, complete with sunglasses.

"You want to know how the Friendship Mission went," Rainbow said boredly. "We know."

"There are also a lot of other questions that need answering. What did you find in the castle? Who sent a Fallen there? Did anypony else get hurt?" Twilight hurriedly asked.

"We'll answer them all, Sparks. Just hold up," Firestorm lazily said, waving a hoof nonchalantly. He was in his combat uniform, for some reason.

Rainbow snickered at Twilight's new nickname. Twilight just looked at him inquisitively. "Firestorm, get off the table."

"Aww, but I don't want to!" he whined. He took off his aviators, sat up on his haunches like a dog, and fixed her a pair of adorable wide eyes, his yellow irises and pupils expanding twice in size and shivering slightly.

Twilight didn't even move. "Get off the table."

"Can I pweeeeease welax on the table like a bwowhard?" he asked in an adorable small child's voice.

"No."

He slunk forward, pouting and giving her a doe-eyed look. "Pwetty pweeease?" he asked, now only a foot in front of her. He looked into Twilight's purple eyes with his impossibly-large yellow ones, the black pupil now filling his entire eye socket. He quivered his mouth and started to whimper cutely.

"Get off the table, Firestorm."

There was a moment as most of the mares tried unsuccessfully to hold back snickers. Then he sighed, and his eyes returned to their normal state. He turned to look at Noble, who was next to Fluttershy. "I don't get it. That usually works."

"Perhaps Princess Twilight is made out of tougher stuff than you think," Noble said.

"But what about when I asked 'Tia if I could have a flamethrower?" he asked, lying on his stomach with his hooves holding his head up. "If she cracked under my Bambi Eyes and Twilight didn't, does that mean Twilight's stronger than 'Tia?"

"The only reason I think Celestia gave you a flamethrower was because you were pestering her for more than a month. I think she wanted you off her chest."

He smirked. "Trust me, Noble. I don't think a mare would want me off their chest anytime soon."

Twilight made a gagging sound.

"You can't make that assumption until you actually get on a mare's chest to begin with," Noble responded.

Rainbow Dash inhaled through her teeth and held a hoof to her mouth. "Ooh!"

Firestorm paid no attention to her except a glance, then it subsided.

"Plus, I think with Celestia, you made a cute little sniffle and you started to tear up."

"Riiight. Forgot about that." Firestorm looked contemplative. He then turned to Twilight again. "Hey, if I added a sniffle or two, would you change your mind?"

"No."

"Drat." He pouted. "Fine, I'll get off the table." He used his wings to flap a foot above the surface of the Cutie Map. "See, Sparks? I'm off the table." He flipped his wild fiery mane.

He found himself surrounded in a violet aura. "Whoah! What're you doing, Sparks?!" He floated over to a spot next to Pinkie's seat and the magic cut off.

He crashed to the ground violently, and he raised a hoof above the surface of the table. "One for your side," he said weakly. Beside him, Pinkie giggled.

"Get off the ground and stop acting like a foal," Rarity commanded him.

Firestorm obeyed, though with his tongue out and his eyes crossed. He saluted.

After everyone had their laughs, Pinkie swiveled her head to look at Freedom Fighter, who had concealed himself in a darkened corner of the room. "Heya, Freedom! You want to join us here?" she offered with a wide smile.

Freedom Fighter shook his head slowly, keeping his soft, sad look at the ground.

"Just leave him be," Noble told her.

"But I wanna see him happy! I wanna put a big, big, biiiiig smile on that black-covered face of his!" Pinkie said, grinning with all her might at the super soldier in the corner.

Freedom Fighter looked up, and there was a troubling look of depression in the look he gave Pinkie. He turned away from her to face the corner and slumped down sadly. He then drew a knife with a small shing and started to study it contemplatively, like a geologist would study an unknown type of rock. His grip on the knife was so tight it was trembling. The edges of it were brown with old blood.

Pinkie's smile instantly disappeared.

"The best way you can help him right now is to just leave him alone," Noble advised. "He's having a discussion with himself."

"...Oh. I understand." Pinkie said solemnly. She turned the right way to face the rest of the ponies assembled.

Twilight cleared her throat to get attention. "...Anyway, Firestorm, Rainbow, Rarity, you have the floor."

"Well, um... it started pretty good." Firestorm gave a lopsided grin. "Then I did something stupid. As usual."

"As usual? What're ya talkin' 'bout?" Applejack asked.

"He's talking about our missions to Saddle Arabia, Dragon Country, Arimaspi Mountain- " Noble began.

"Arimaspi mountain was your fault," Firestorm objected.

Noble laughed, a rich, pleasing sound to all that heard. Fluttershy perked up her ears when she heard how warm it was. "You're right. It was. But of course, there was also the business with the changelings."

Firestorm winced.

"The rescue from Midnight Castle," he relentlessly continued.

Firestorm winced again.

"And, of course, Skyworld."

"Okay, Skyworld was everyone's fault," Firestorm said embarrasedly. "We agreed on this."

"Stop reminiscing and get on with the story already!" Spike interrupted his nostalgic memories.

Firestorm picked right up. "AAAAANYWAY, we cantered our merry little way along the pretty little forest of death until we reached the castle."

"It was the way we left it when we carted all those books to the Canterlot library," Rarity reported. "It was dark and dank and musty and did nothing to help my mane."

Rainbow interjected. "Then Firestorm took one of his swords and he set it on fire!" She let out a squeal. "That. Was. So. Awesome!"

Firestorm uncharacteristically giggled. "D'aww, thanks, Dashie."

"How does that even work?" Pinkie asked.

Starlight cleared her throat. "Was the sword enchanted?"

"Yeah, Starlight. The fire's allegedly taken straight from Tartarus's infernos."

"Dude..." Spike marveled. "That's even more awesome than dragon fire."

"Well, I've got dragon fire too," Firestorm bragged, holding up his arms. "There's a Dragonstone in these babies that never runs out of fire, so I can use them as much as I want."

Spike gaped while Rainbow whistled, evidently impressed.

"But the best part?" he asked, pulling a scroll with an orange ribbon out of his mane. "Since it's dragon fire, I can send letters to the princesses!" He aimed his hoof at the letter and twisted it. A faint whine and a small click was heard, and a tongue of flame gouted out and enveloped the letter. The smell of burning paper filled the room.

"Does everything you burn with those go to the princesses?" Twilight asked interestingly as the fire died down.

"Nah." He waved a hoof. "There are different modes that allow me to adjust how far the flame goes out, and how hot the fire is. And there's a mode that lets me send letters to 'Tia and Loony." As if on cue, his flamethrowers ignited and a letter with an orange ribbon came spiraling out. Firestorm caught it in his wing.

" 'Tia and Loony?" Starlight asked with an eyebrow raised to her forehead.

"I'm on a nickname basis with them. Trust me, they love it!" He unrolled the scroll and began to read aloud. "Sir Firestorm, this is the last time I'm telling you. If thou shalt refer to me or mine sister as 'Tia or Loony again, I shall donate thy entire Daring Do collection to the royal fireplace." Everyone laughed.

When the laughing stopped, Twilight spoke again. "So you got in the castle. What then?"

"Well, we went in the throne room," Rainbow picked up. "And that's when things started to get weird."

"You remember how there's a raised platform the thrones are on?" Rarity reminded Twilight. "Well, Firestorm felt like he was being drawn to it for some reason."

"And underneath the staircases that led up, Firestorm activated a catch that split open to reveal a room," Rainbow continued.

"And you'll never guess what we found in there," Rarity finished.

"You know, it's just so cute, the way you all finish each other's sentences," Firestorm observed. When he saw Applejack looking at him like he was an undiscovered type of apple, he shrugged. "Just thought I'd point that out."

"Twilight, we found a carving of the Tree of Harmony," Rainbow said seriously. "And it looked old- like, older than Discord's reign of terror before Nightmare Moon."

In the corner, Freedom Fighter perked up his ears and turned around curiously, sheathing his dagger. He came to the spot next to Pinkie's seat and listened intently.

"And for some, uh, odd reason, the tree... you see, the tree... had all the Elements on it, let's say," Rarity said nervously.

Rainbow delivered the blow. "Twilight, the tree didn't have six Elements! It had ten!"

And the entire room froze in shock. Everyone except for Rarity and Rainbow had their mouths dropped and their eyes wider than dinner plates. There was a creaking sound as Twilight toppled out of her seat. As she hit the ground, nothing moved- body, mane, or eyes. She looked like a wooden prop for a play. She just lay on her side, petrified.

PinkiePie's pupils were pinpricks and her poofy pink mane popped into the air. After a moment she pulled a glass of water out of nowhere, chugged about half of it, and spewed it into the air. A black-garbed hoof reached out and grabbed it, and she turned to see Freedom Fighter chug the rest of it and spit that out as well. But then they heard a third spit-take and saw a flash of white in their peripheral vision that made everyone turn towards the source. A familiar voice then spoke.

"Well, this is an interesting turn of events. I hope I'm not too late to miss out on the conversation!"

Discord was holding a half-filled cup of tea and was holding his pointed tooth like a cookie. He was wearing a fancy suit made of inflatable balloons and was sitting at a picnic table on the wall.

The three Guardians instantly made defensive poses at his appearance. They had been informed by Celestia that Discord had been reformed, but they were still uneasy at his sudden appearance. A knife was halfway out of Freedom Fighter's sheath, and Firestorm was aiming his hooves at him, and Noble Blade had instinctively charged his horn, but he stopped as soon as he heard Fluttershy mumble, "Oh, um, hi, Discord. How are you?"

"Oh, I am doing just absolutely splendid, Fluttershy." He snapped his eagle talon, and the table, suit, and tea disappeared in a flash of white. "It's just that I was trying to make some room in my schedule to show up when I heard about these Guardians of the Sun entering into your lives. I honestly would have visited sooner, but I was busy baking muffins." At that moment a loud ding came out of a stove that had mysteriously materialized next to him, and Discord suddenly had a fiery mane and a dark orange face. "I'm baking muffins, Princess. What does it look like I'm doing?"

When he got no response he groaned. "Oh, come on! Did none of you read chapter four?"

Pinkie was the only one that raised her hoof.

Firestorm looked at him quizzically for a few seconds, then asked, "Are you always like this?"

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Discord, the spirit of chaos and a very close personal friend of both Celestia and little Fluttershy here." He appeared behind her, patting her voluminous mane of hair. Fluttershy giggled.

Discord appeared with a snap and a flash of white on the table. "But I didn't come here for a friendly little chat. You see, I am just as surprised as you all are by this recent development. I mean, come on! I am one of the most powerful beings to ever exist, and this came as a shock? If there truly are ten Elements, then I fear greatly for the future." His tone was actually serious now, and not the light, jovial, mischievous voice most of them were used to.

Twilight seemed to finally come to at that point, and she shook her head as she stood up uneasily. "What are you talking about, Discord?" she asked woozily.

"Well, Twilight, use your head," Discord replied, dribbling his head between his legs like a basketball. He then flipped it back onto his neck--upside down. "First off, if the Lord of Chaos can be surprised, then that surprise must be the most out-of-whack thing that not even I can anticipate."

He then floated in the air upside down, just for fun, and started to sculpt his hand into a bust of Celestia. "And second, it suggests something rather serious indeed. You see, if there was a need for ten Elements in the past, then there must have been something even more powerful and terrible than me, Nightmare Moon, or even Lord Tirek." He spat the last name in disgust. "And if somepony like me does not know what that threat was, then that is very troubling indeed."

There was once again silence as most of them digested the disturbing news. Not even Pinkie was smiling. Finally Rainbow scratched her mane and said, "So... you're just as clueless about this as the rest of us?"

"I am not proud to admit it, but I know nothing about these four other Elements that may or may not even exist. To be honest, I only showed up because I'm as curious about this whole business as you are, so I'm afraid I'm of no help."

Twilight frowned in disappointment.

"I would petition a question of thee, sir Discord," Noble said, looking the draconequis in the face. "Thou sayest thou art an agent of chaos and disorder and art inharmonious. Yet thou art at the same time an ally of the Elements of Harmony? It confuseth me greatly, for it seemeth as though thou art counterintuitive to support the mirror image of chaos. So art thou truly a being we can rely on?"

"Well, as I live! Such an accusation!" Discord pretended to look offended. Then he smiled. "But that's exactly what chaos is, isn't it, old boy?" he asked, floating over above Fluttershy's seat and tapping the unicorn on the head. "Chaos is the art of doing the unexpected at all times. It's unexpected for chaos to be helping harmony, but at the same time, it's perfectly natural for chaos to be unexpected!" He snapped his bear paw, and suddenly the entire table was set for a tea party.

"I suppose thy reasoning is sound," Noble conceded. He picked up his teacup only to find there was no bottom to it. He looked through it and could see across the table through the bottom.

"Would you like some tea?" Discord asked, tilting his head. A stream of dark brown liquid poured out of his ear into Fluttershy's cup, making her jump a little. Noble immediately put his arm around her, and she gave him a smile, which he blushed at. Discord was still speaking. "A very close friend of mine recommends Earl Grey."

Applejack pushed her teacup away. "Can we please git back ta the discussion? Ah'm sure we want to hear the other details."

"Yes, yes, yes, of course," Discord said resignedly, and with a snap all the table settings disappeared.

"So after the girls studied the carving, a whole pack of Timber Wolves showed up and me, Dashie, and Rares roughed 'em up pretty good," Firestorm said. His eyes bulged. "Wait a minute! Rarity, do you still have those knives I gave you?"

"They are at my boutique. If you would only visit, you could, perhaps, reclaim them?" she informed him.

He scowled. "Are you just trying to get me to visit a clothing store so that you won't have to deal with my rags anymore?"

She circled a hoof on the table. "Maaayyybe," she innocently replied.

"Or, or- " He widened his eyes in realization. "Or... maybe you're interested in me?" He giggled. "Oh, my!"

The air of smug superiority surrounding Rarity immediately dissipated, and she was suddenly flustered. "WHAT?! No, of course not!"

"Oh, why must we play games with our love?" he announced melodramatically. Soft background music started to inexplicably play out of nowhere. "If you aren't interested in me, why in Equestria would you want me to visit your place... alone?"

"IT'S BECAUSE YOUR COMBAT ENSEMBLE LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING USED TO CLEAN THE FLOOR!" she screeched, and the background music immediately cut off.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, darling," he said in an exaggerated deep voice. "I know you only want me to visit so you can take my, ah, 'measurements.'" He smirked, running his hooves down his front. Rainbow looked at him with wide eyes and a blush, which Firestorm did not notice. "If you wanted to get your hooves on this, you could have just asked, you know."

Rarity looked madder than a wasp's nest, and was absolutely speechless. A faint whistle could be heard coming from her scarlet face, and her teeth were clenched.

Spike, however, was hooting with laughter. "Duhuhude, just stop," he laughed. "She's way out of your league." He leaned forward. "Way out," he emphasized.

"If she's way out of my league, how much more is she out of yours?" Firestorm asked casually.

Spike immediately became very sullen and crossed his arms.

Trying to steer the conversation away from that particular topic, Twilight coughed hard. It didn't work.

"She doesn't want you and she doesn't like you!" Spike fiercely said to him.

"You're confusing your words. What you meant to say was, 'I don't want you and I don't like you,'" Firestorm corrected.

Twilight coughed even harder.

"I'm serious! You're not going to get Rarity if I don't have anything to say about it!" Spike maintained forcefully. By now Discord and Pinkie had both pulled buckets of popcorn and 3D glasses out of nowhere.

"Why, Spikey-Wikey!" Firestorm gasped in surprise. "Whatever made you think that way?"

"AHEM!" Twilight gave the loudest cough yet, making a few of the mares jump.

Freedom Fighter took something out of a pouch on his forearm and tossed it across the table at Twilight. Twilight, surprised, caught the objects he had thrown and looked at what lay in her hoof.

"Cough drops," she said expressionlessly. She gave Freedom a funny look. "Why the hay do you just carry around cough drops?"

The mute super soldier shrugged, then pointed a hoof at his throat.

"Let's just say he's got throat problems," Noble said evasively.

Starlight did not seem convinced. "...Oookaaayyy..." she said with a raised eyebrow. She then glared at Firestorm and Spike, and under her withering gaze they fell silent. She then looked at Pinkie and Discord. Both of them hurriedly chucked aside their popcorn buckets and 3D glasses.

Freedom Fighter banged his hoof on the table hard, bringing all attention to him. He looked at Firestorm, then asked a question in sign language.

"He wants to know about the Fallen we've encountered," Firestorm announced to all assembled. He then looked squarely at Freedom Fighter. "I honestly can't say much. I haven't seen something like that in my life. He did get really mad when he saw us, though. We didn't even do anything to provoke him, but we triggered it more than assuming his gender. It just started burning the castle down."

Twilight looked down somberly. "I still can't believe that happened, you know. The castle was supposed to be a memorial to the two sisters. And now... it's gone." She rubbed her face. "When I saw the smoke coming from the castle, I was scared... I wanted to rush in there and help you three. I thought you had gotten hurt, or even..." She paused at the word. "...died."

Firestorm cleared his throat. "Well, you were partially correct."

"I saw the fire too," Fluttershy softly said. "Oh, I was so worried when I saw it! And I was in such a good mood, too..." She played with her hair.

"Why were you in a good mood?" Pinkie asked. "I'm always in a good mood, but that's just because I'm Pinkie. Did you have anything reeeaaally good happen to you? What was it? Was it because you found a new pet? Like a bird? Or a dog? Or was it because somepony gave you a present, even though it isn't your birthday? What was the present? Was it a postcard? A bag of jelly beans? A yo-yo?" She was bouncing up and down on her rump excitedly, making small squeaks.

Firestorm leaned next to Rainbow. "Is there a rubber ball under her?" he asked.

"It's Pinkie physics," Rainbow explained. "Just ignore it."

Fluttershy was looking down, a bit of pink on her cheeks. "Um... somepony... complimented me..."

For a brief moment, there was a steely glint in the glare Discord leveled at Noble Blade. Then it passed without anyone noticing.

"Anyway," Rainbow loudly started, "We tried to run out of the castle, but I got trapped." She shuddered. "I'll admit, I was scared." She rolled her eyes. "I mean, not, like, that kind of scared. I was more like... mildly concerned! Yeah! That was it!"

"We get it, you were scared." Spike smiled. "Go on."

"Look, I was trapped under a fallen section of roof! My wings were broken, I had a super huge splinter in my leg, and I had burns all over my body! Wouldn't that hurt you? Wouldn't that scare you?"

"Nope." Spike shook his head, then started to count on his fingers. "I don't have any wings, my dragon scales make it so that I can't feel sharp stuff, and I'm immune to fire!"

A moment passed, then Rainbow said, "Riiight," understandably. "Look, I was scared and trapped and hurting in a burning building, and I honestly didn't think I'd get out again. But then..." She looked at Firestorm, who was hanging on to her every word. "Then you... saved me. You went back in there and you carried me out." Her voice was uncharacteristically subdued. She circled her hoof on the table. "I... I don't know what else to say except... thank you."

Firestorm was unusually silent. He avoided her magenta gaze and squeaked, "You're welcome." A moment or so passed, then he hurriedly continued. "Anyway, you all know the rest."

"I think that's all we need to know for now. You've given us a lot to think about," Twilight said, getting out of her throne. "Unless we have any more business to discuss?"

"Well, on a more cheerful note, the Grand Galloping Gala is coming up," Rarity said pleasantly. "It's Wednesday today, and it's next Friday, I think. If everypony has their dresses ready..."

"I think we should all stop by to visit you to review them," Starlight told her. "I actually don't think I have one yet."

"Then I shall make you one!" Rarity declared. At this point Freedom Fighter got up from his spot and stood by the door, trying very hard not to look at Twilight for some reason. Rarity was still speaking. "But first I need to de-stress from all this unpleasant business. Fluttershy, dear, would you care to accompany me to the spa after this?"

"Certainly!" Fluttershy smiled.

"Ah could visit this Saturday ta review ma dress," Applejack said. "That might be convenient fer everypony, actually. How does Saturday sound?"

"I've got some time in the schedule for that day between three and four," Twilight made known.

"I'm free," Starlight said.

"This Saturday's an off day for Wonderbolts practice," Rainbow said. "I can make it."

"I just have to feed some animals."

"Somepony else is running Sugarcube Corner that day."

"I shall come," Noble said. "I am afraid I have no garments not made of steel. I shall gladly pay thee for thy trouble."

"Oh, absolutely not!" Rarity insisted. "For you, I shall create a smashing outfit to bedazzle all the other, much lesser Nobles in Canterlot." She snorted at her own joke.

"There are other Nobles in Canterlot?!" Pinkie asked with a gasp. "HE VISITED THE MIRROR POOL!" she exclaimed in shock, leaping in the air.

Firestorm made a face of disgust. "I suppose I need to get my knives back soon," he conceded. He sighed. "I'll come to your merry-go-round."

Rarity's face fell at the prospect of him visiting, even though she was the one who had invited him in the first place. "...Oh. Oh, okay."

"But cheer up!" He smirked. "Now you won't have to deal with Noble all by yourself at the boutique! I'll be there! You don't have to be afraid!"

"Don't count on it," she muttered.

Firestorm held up an invisible mirror and began to admire himself, running a hoof through his mane. "It's gonna be great, Rares!" he said. "Now you finally have an excuse to feel me up while taking my measurements!"

"I have magic! I don't need my hooves to touch you!"

"You're right. But I know you want to. I've seen you eyeing me before, you know."

"You mean, looking at you with exasperation and disgust?" Noble asked politely.

"What he said," Rarity said, pointing at Noble.

"Wait, that's what the looks she gives me are of?"

"Well, what would you assume the looks she gives you are of?"

He thought for a bit. "Lust?" he finally said.

"Celestia forbid!" Rarity gasped, holding a hoof to her heart.

There came a series of taps on the ground. Everyone turned towards the source. Freedom Fighter was using his left hoof to tap on the ground. The pauses between taps varied from short bursts to gaps a second long.

"Wha's he doin'?" Applejack asked Twilight.

"I recognize this from a book I read!" Twilight hushed. "It talked about codes, and I memorized some of them. He's tapping out a message in Horse Code!"

Freedom confirmed her guess with a nod, then resumed his tapping. When he was done Twilight said, "He says he can come to the boutique, but he's not that eager to have an outfit for him."

Freedom Fighter nodded again, then tapped out more Horse Code. When he was finished, Twilight interpreted. "He says he's willing to help you in the orchard on Saturday so you can get done faster, Applejack."

"Sure. Ah could use all the help Ah can get. Rainbow, you wanna help as well?"

"Yeah! I can do that!" Rainbow said.

"Okay, then, it's settled. We'll all meet on Saturday at three or four. Any further comments?"

There were none to be made. Discord was just hovering silently off to the side. He had nothing to add, either.

"Until then," she told them, and then she and Starlight exited off to the library with Spike trailing behind them, talking in hushed voices and serious tones.

Noble was at the door first, and held it for all the other girls to exit. Fluttershy gave him a smile at the ground when she passed through, and Rarity beamed at him, and Pinkie just bounced out. Firestorm exited by another door, but Freedom Fighter was nowhere to be seen. Noble didn't let that bother his attention, however. He had probably leaped out of the window when nopony was looking like he sometimes did.

He was about to leave when he heard a voice behind him. "A moment, Noble Blade. I want to have a little chat."

It was Discord who spoke.

Noble Blade turned to face him with a grave expression. "Discord, Lord of Chaos. How may I humor thee?"

"Oh, no, I have plenty of humor already!" Discord held miniatures of both Pinkie Pie and Firestorm in his bear paw. Then he clenched his fist and both were crushed. Discord put his face right in front of Noble's. "But it's Fluttershy I want to talk about," he snarled through clenched teeth.

"What do you want?" Noble asked directly.

"I've seen how you act around her--all caring and innocent. I know you're trying to win her heart." He pushed Noble back up against a chair. "But if this is a false ruse--if you harm a hair on her head--I swear to Celestia I will hunt you down and spread your ashes across the darkest hole in Tartarus!" There was a wild green flame in Discord's eyes as he said it.

Noble looked down. "I believe it. But you won't do it."

Discord put his face even closer to Noble's. "And what makes you think I won't?" he growled in the most sinister voice he could muster, the kind of voice that could rout entire armies in the middle of their charge.

Noble met his fiery gaze evenly with all seriousness. "Because if I were to do such a thing as harm Fluttershy, I would do that myself."

The fire in Discord's eyes died to his normal yellow-and-red state. He looked at Noble inquisitively.

"For anypony to hurt Fluttershy would be an unforgiveable sin. I would sooner suffer agony and torment before hurting her."

Discord considered that. After a moment he drew himself back up. "I believe you," he said. "I hope that you never do. She means a lot to me."

"Why? What relation to her are you? Are you an ex-lover, or..." Noble said uncertainly. If Discord was an ex-lover of Fluttershy's... or, he feared deeply, a current lover...

"What? Ohohohooo, no, of course not!" he said, waving Noble off. "Me? A boyfriend of Fluttershy? What nonsense! I'm more like an eccentric old uncle, and Fluttershy's just my favorite niece!"

Noble breathed a sigh of relief. "That's an interesting way of putting it," he admitted.

"And I suppose it's a bit strange to accuse you of being untrustworthy, right?" he admitted, standing next to a twin copy of himself that was sporting a handlebar moustache, top hat, cape, beret, and monocle. "Coming from the Lord of Chaos?"

"I'd agree with that," Noble said. "You're an immortal trickster that loves to play games, shows up in bright flashes of white, reluctantly helps us, and can alter the fabric of reality with the snap of a finger."

"Well, it's not the first time John de Lancie's played that role in a Next Generation TV show."

Noble tilted his head to the side. "What?"

"Inside joke." He waved him off. "My point is, if you're going to be with Fluttershy, you will never hurt her. I care too much to have her end up with the wrong stallion for the rest of her life."

"The feeling is mutual, my friend," Noble declared.

"Friend?" Discord asked, confused. "What do you mean, friend?"

"Why wouldn't we be? You and I fight for the same side. And we both care for Fluttershy. Why shouldn't we be friends? I'm friends with ponies with personalities worse than yours. And, truth be told, I desire not to see thee as a rival." He extended a hoof.

"What's with the fancy talking?" Discord asked curiously.

"It's just an idiosyncrasy," Noble told him.

Discord slowly, almost reluctantly, took Noble's hoof and shook. Then he fixed him a serious face. "I mean what I said. If you don't protect and serve Fluttershy with every breath of your life, you will have neither life nor breath." He stared at Noble intently, then said in a chipper voice, "Cheeri-o!"

And he snapped his talons and vanished in a puff of white.

Noble shook his head, then put a hoof on it. A cheerful fellow, that one, he thought. But a bit unpredictable.

He suddenly had a horrifying mental image of not just him, but also Firestorm and Pinkie Pie in the same room together unsupervised.

The result of that, he thought as the picture developed in his brain, would probably be the end of the world.