“Good morning,” Celestia said with great cheer to Luna. Princess Luna muttered back a halfhearted ‘morning’ in response. Luna picked up a pineapple and took a big bite out of it. “Hard night was it?”
“Night court was fun.” Luna offered sitting down.
“How so? Oh, and Cadence is here. She made some pancakes...” Celestia was about to warn Princess Luna not to eat the pancakes Cadence had made when Cadence came in with a stack and delivered them to Princess Luna.
“Morning Auntie Loo.” Cadence offered.
“Did you make your Sweet and sour sauce?” Luna asked.
“Sure did,” Cadence replied.
“She puts chilies in her pancakes, how can you eat that?” Celestia asked perplexed.
“Unlike those bland things you make, I can taste them.” Luna offered. After a thousand years on the moon, Luna’s taste buds were all but shot. “Cadence, what brings you to Canterlot?” Luna looked about, put a quantity of butter on her pancake stack, and then located the pitcher that had the sweet and sour sauce in it.
“Flurry is having issues at school,” Cadence replied. I’ve decided that I’m going to start picking random days to sit in with her. Just to keep her on her hooves.”
“Oh, speaking of troubled youth… or in this case, elders...” Luna began.
“Oh don’t tell me...” Celestia interjected.
“Constable brought him into court last night,” Luna replied. “He was being belligerent, so I had him put in the lock-up to sober up.”
“Who? Anyone I know?” Cadence asked curious.
“Star Swirl. Star Swirl the drunkard they are starting to call him now. He was absolutely plastered,” Luna offered. Celestia just let out a sigh.
“Star Swirl?” Cadence asked shocked.
“Drunk as a Lord,” Luna informed them. “From last night’s tirade, I gather that part of the reason is he’s figured out that Sombra had used his transformation spell.”
“So he’s blaming himself for everything that happened.” Celestia surmised.
“Pretty much,” Luna replied with an air of defeat. “He also voiced his concerns about Discord.” “As in I suspect Discord may well be the author behind Star Swirl’s newfound past time.”
“Discord is reformed now.”
“Tia, I’m not entirely sure he is.” Luna offered. “I don’t think he treats Fluttershy very nice either.”
“Has Discord done something?” Celestia asked.
“Unfortunately nothing I can point a hoof at, and say that it was definitely discord. Let us not forget that he sided with Tirek until Tirek took his powers. Nor should we ignore the many incidents at Twilight’s school.”
“He did end up helping us with Tirek.” Celestia offered.
“Not helping us essentially meant a death sentence for him. Without his magic, without our magic we are mortal. No different than any other with a normal ordinary life expectancy. He was conspicuously missing during the Storm King’s invasion, and a good deal of the complaints coming into the night court are very suspicious. When it comes right down to it, I doubt very much if he’s truly reformed. Oh, he makes the effort to behave when we’re watching, but he is sorely lacking in any integrity.”
“Seems I’d better look over the transcripts.” Celestia offered.
“I also fear that if it becomes necessary to move against him, we’ll get no cooperation out of Fluttershy. And her counterpart required to use the elements of harmony, Mage Meadowbrook, is off on a humanitarian mission.”
“And the one pony who can help us come up with an alternate solution is in the drunk tank. Great, just great.” Celestia grumbled.
Kitzumi woke with a start. She looked about and let out a sigh. She was in her room in Twilight’s castle. Not the room she’d used growing up, but the room she now called home. At least when she was staying at the castle of Harmony. It didn’t feel like home though as it was lacking in many of her things. Things she’d lost when she went back in time, and waiting for updates on her favorite books was going to take a long time. To be honest she felt more at home in Princess Luna’s apartments. At least there, there were things familiar from before her unplanned trip back in time. It was late afternoon, the shadows were growing long, and she was hungry. Princess Celestia was no doubt putting the sun to rest for the night. Kitzu got up, she was feeling better, and headed down to the bath where she washed and dried her face. She looked at herself in the mirror for a bit wondering if what her mother had said was true or if it was just meant to make her feel better. From there she decided to head downstairs to see if anyone was about. When she was about halfway down the stairs Kitzu could hear what sounded like a very heated debate going on in the map room.
“Discord, please ‽” Came Twilight’s voice from the room. Kitzu hurried down the stairs and headed down the hallway to the map room, the fur on her back lifting. She’d learned about Discord but had yet to encounter him for some reason. Granted the charms she put up could have had something to do with it, but she’d yet to activate any of them. She already knew she didn’t like him from the sort of things her father had told her. Discord was a creature universally feared and despised in Equestria. It seemed the only means ponies had to counter the whims of Discord had been the elements of harmony, and they had been returned to the tree of harmony. No matter, she was prepared for this challenge.
“Oh, I just don’t know… I always thought I was family?” Offered the serpent-like mismatched creature that was discord. “I just know my not being invited had to be some kind of oversight.” His tone had changed to one of anger.
“I’m sorry. The wedding is going to be family, close relatives, and members of the wedding party. You just aren’t on the list.” Twilight said. Her tone and body language was that of an employee being bullied by a boss who might at any moment fire her. In short, Twilight was very much afraid of him. It’d been Lady Aiko, Matriarch of the Dakiniten, of the fox pony kingdom, who’d specifically requested that Discord be omitted, barred even, but Twilight couldn't bring herself to shift responsibility from herself.
“Then put me on the list, and then everything will be fine.” His demeanor seemed cordial, but his tone was menacing.
“You aren’t invited,” Kitzu announced in a strong voice as she entered the room.
“I’m what? Not invited?”
“Kitzu, stay out of this please?” There was a hint of panic in Twilight’s voice. “Now please, what would Fluttershy think?” The peace they had with Discord hinged on whether or not he wished to remain on friendly terms with the ponies, and it was a bit like walking a very frayed tightrope. Discord’s whims were constantly having to be appeased, and dealing with him was like having to deal with a very spoiled child who quite literally had the power to turn a pony inside out with the snap of his talons. Twilight also knew much of the history of Equestria, the mayhem and carnage which had been visited upon Equestria at the whims of Discord. Freeing him was perhaps the one act of Celestia’s that Twilight was adamantly opposed to. Discord was a living natural disaster waiting to happen. Just having Discord about was like living in the eye of a perpetual hurricane.
“I’m not afraid of him,” Kitzu announced as she maneuvered about the room.
“Oh really...” Discord said in a low undertone as he moved from his present position to close the gap between himself and Kitzu. He raised himself up off the floor and slid along a cushion of air, silently slithering ever so slowly.
“Discord, please. Leave her alone she’s just a filly. For friendship's sake, for Fluttershy’s sake, won’t you please listen to reason?”
“Fluttershy‽ This isn't about Fluttershy. This is about me. Me! Fluttershy?! She’s replaceable. Why I can make all the Fluttershys I want,” Discord said in a mocking tone. “Why I could make a whole village of them, with little huts in the forest if I wanted, and make sport of hunting them day after day, just me and Opaline Arcana. Pitty she went and got herself banished, she was fun.”
“Discord you can’t mean that? Fluttershy is your friend. You can’t be serious?” Twilight pleaded with discord. She'd read about Opaline Arcana as well and if half of what had been recorded was true... Whatever it was Kitzu was doing wasn’t helping calm Discord either.
“Oh, but I am. I’m afraid I’ve grown weary of that diversion,” Discord admitted. His tone had switched to that of a person who’d just been playing a game of lawn bowling, his eyes watching Kitzu.
Twilight was at a loss as she too watched Kitzu her mind reeling. “Kitzu what are you doing‽” That familiar mist that heralded the advent of the mystic fox fire had formed about Kitzu’s hooves as she muttered some incantation known only to fox ponies, followed by the mist swirling, and spreading outwards in what seemed to be random directions.
“Attend to me oh spirits of divine heaven,” Kitzu spoke loud and clear as she stalked Discord. “Attend to me oh spirits of the sacred earth,” Kitzu spoke her words in a sing-song pattern as she maneuvered around, the mist of the foxfire billowing out. A swirl of blue flame rose up about Kitzu’s hooves, her agitation reaching a fevered pitch. “Attend to me oh myriad of divine spirits. Hear my modest words. Humbly, reverently I beseech thee. Cleans me of all impurities.” “Cleans this place of all that is of decay, and purify this place.”
“What? What is that? What is she doing?” Discord asked. His manner showed a level of astonishment that only helped fuel his anger.
“Attend to me oh spirits of divine heaven. Attend to me oh spirits of the earth. Descend upon this place from the heavens, from the waters, and from the land, and grant us thy divine protection.”
“Kitzu?” Twilight whispered as her panic rose. “Please don’t. You’ll just make him angry.”
“She can’t be serious?” Discord asked and began to laugh. I do believe she’s actually trying to challenge me.” He laughed a manic laugh. “Me‽ Discord! God of chaos!”
“Bless this place that the land shall prosper under the protection of the sun and the moon following in the ways of divine nature so that this place may know peace and stability.” Kitzu then stopped, sat on her hunches, and clapped her front hooves.
Discord dropped heavy onto the floor with a thud.
“What just happened?” Twilight asked truly baffled.
“Oh, just a little prank.” Kitzu offered as a delighted smile took hold of her face. “It’s really just a foal-level spell. It’s how fox ponies manage to live in the Everfree. They write it all over the place in their ancient script.”
“A prank?” Discord asked. His tone was that of astonished bewilderment.
“I’ve written it all over the castle. This castle was created by the combined magic of friendship and harmony. Fox magic, while wild and chaotic, is the magic of new life, and harmonizes with the magic of the castle.”
“A prank you say,” Discord said slowly rising to his feet. His anger began to boil. “Let us see how you would like a prank?” He snapped his talons. Nothing. Snapped them again. Still nothing.
“The castle is amplifying the spell, and negating all discordant magic.” Kitzu offered with a smile while getting up. “Just a little something I discovered in my studies.” Truth be told the credit wasn’t all hers, but Discord didn’t need to know that. “I must say it does seem to be working quite well.” Kitzu couldn't resist a little dance.
“Why you little shit!” Discord growled and lunged for her.
“No, don’t hurt her!” Twilight shouted, fear clouding her thoughts. Kitzu on the other hoof had no trouble dodging the now absurdly gamely assault. As Discord went sailing past Kitzumi, Twilight hit him with the most powerful stunning spell she had. Discord sprawled across the floor and slid along the hard tile surface coming to an abrupt stop on hitting the wall. “Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!!” Twilight looked about as pale as a violet pony could possibly be.
“You have no power over me!” Kitzu announced triumphantly and then stomped her hooves.
“He’s not moving,” Twilight said in a hushed tone.
“Who’s not moving?” Luna asked entering. “What’s going on?”
“Discord!” Twilight announced. “He’ll kill us all.”
“Dis . . . Discord‽”
“Who-hoo! It worked!!!” Kitzu shouted triumphantly oblivious to Twilight and Luna’s moment of utter frozen panic. “Dad told me what to do, and it worked!”
“He what?!” Twilight asked stunned.
“Discord has no defense against fox magic, and my spells have him powerless, and he’s out cold!”
“He’s out cold?” Luna said a gasp. A thought struck her like a slap across the face with a fish. “Quick, into the portal with him!”
“What?” Twilight asked shocked.
“Look, Discord does not deserve our compassion,” Luna said lifting him up with her magic.
“But he’s reformed now?” Twilight asked halfheartedly not half believing herself. It was just, that giving ponies another chance was what Princess Celestia always emphasized. But then, how often had Discord been given that second chance? Even with demonstrating that they could fight back, would he behave? Could he? And if so for how long?
“Only so long as it amuses him, and he’ll be furious when he wakes up. Twilight, the portal.” Luna implored. “Now is our chance to be rid of him once and for all! With any luck, he won’t have any power over there. And he’ll have the opportunity to reform for real.”
“Alright,” Twilight said and hurried out of the room into the hall. “If for no other reason then he’ll just take his anger out on some poor innocent. Or worse yet, take it out on Kitzu the first opportunity he gets.”
Off they went to the room that housed the mirror portal. Twilight put the book in, and then took hold of Discord with her magic. A moment later the two alicorns tumbled through along with Discord.
💫💫💫💫💫💫
“Well, this is different,” Luna muttered. The three were tangled together.
“Get him off me!” Twilight protested. Nearby a student who’d been attending a late afternoon club activity looked, and screamed. For whatever reason, discord, having emerged as human, was now completely naked from his head to his toes. He’d not a thing covering his body, not even hair. Unlike Twilight and Luna who’d emerged wearing whatever their counterparts had been wearing that day. A moment later School Resource Officers rushed over to them, grabbed naked bald human Discord, cuffed him, and drugged him off to their office to await the police, while Twilight and Luna’s names were being called by staff and students alike. Only Luna was addressed as Vice Principle Luna.
“What’s a vice principle?” Luna asked Twilight.
“Oh dear, you must have hit your head mighty hard.” A member of the staff said.
“It’s OK, we’re fine.” Twilight offered, as she and Luna were helped to their feet. “Twilight then grabbed hold of Luna to help steady her. The two were then escorted to the school’s infirmary. Both were showing signs of stress.
“I’m OK, I’m OK!” Twilight protested as she was being prompted to sit down.
“No, you’re not.” Nurse Redheart countered. “You are shaking like a leaf.”
“What’s going on? I was told Luna and Twilight had been attacked?” Principle Celestia asked entering the infirmary followed by Vice Principle Luna. “Oh my?!”
“Twilight!” Shouted another Twilight as she burst into the room. Applejack, Scootaloo, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Apple Bloom followed close behind. “What happened?! Are you alright!?” A moment later the two Twilights had embraced.
“Wow.” The human world Luna said. “Didn’t know I had a twin.” Pinkie quickly brought Vice Principle Luna, up to speed regarding her double.
“That man who went after us...” Twilight began.
“If it is within your power, lock him up in the deepest darkest dungeon, and throw away the key.” Princess Luna beseeched them.
“I’m terribly sorry about bringing him here.” Twilight offered. “I’m hoping he won’t have any magic here. I pray to everything I hold dear that he has no magic here. Even without his magic, he’s as likely to go after you all if he gets free.”
“The school went into lockdown.” Principal Celestia offered. “I’m going to assume this was an issue with the magical world?”
“We can’t tell the police about them About our doubles.” VP Luna offered, adding an amendment on seeing the panicked look in the eyes of the two from Equestria. “So I’ll just tell the police that the naked man attacked me.”
“I’ll do the same.” offered the human world’s Twilight.
“You’ll do that for us?” Luna asked. “It is our fervent hope he won’t be able to use magic here.”
“Only one way to know for sure, and that’s to wait till he comes to.” Twilight offered.
“No.” Apple Jack countered. “You two get back through that portal and close it. Close it for good.”
“But how will we know?” Twilight asked.
“The book silly.” Pinkie offered. “It still offers a link.”
“Alright,” Twilight replied. “Just one thing...”
“Watch him, and if he shows any sign of having magical power, destroy the book.” Luna requested.
“Alright.” The human world Twilight offered. “As much as I hate to do that, I’ll do it.”
“I’m going too,” Scootaloo announced.
“Wait, what?” Twilight asked as the two Twilight’s separated. “But this is your home.”
“Are you sure you want to do that?” Principle Celestia asked.
“I’m living in hiding,” Scootaloo informed Princess Twilight and Princess Luna. “Ever since that bastard of a father of mine told the immigration people my birth certificate was a fake!”
“What?” Twilight asked stunned.
“I don’t understand?” Princess Luna asked. “Birth certificate?”
“A despicable man by the name of Amos Anon, Louis's father, in order to get out of providing support, signed an affidavit claiming Louise wasn’t born in this country, and in order for her to be able to stay, she needs to have proof, and right now the only proof she has is a photocopy of her birth certificate we have on file. There’s no copy at the courthouse, it vanished, and immigration took the one they had at the foster home.”
“Maybe if I let them ship me off to some foreign land I might find my mother, but I think the chances of that are mighty slim.” Scootaloo offered. “I know I have a half-sister in Equestria, and Sunset Shimmer is practically a second mother to me. So I’d rather take the chance at being stuck there.”
“All right. If that’s what you want,” Princess Twilight replied.
“We should get going,” Princess Luna prompted.
“And we’ll gather up the students who saw anything, and make sure everyone has their story straight.” Principal Celestia offered.
❇❇❇❇❇❇❇❇❇❇❇❇❇
Back at the castle Kitzu presently had Spike in a headlock as she waited. “What’s going on?” Starlight Glimmer asked entering the room.
“Twilight might need me, and she won’t let me go through the mirror.” Spike protested.
“Spike, she doesn't need you. You’d be nothing more than a hindrance. When are you going to understand that you can’t go rushing to her side every time there is something going on?!” Kitzu rebuked.
“Let me go!” Spike shouted in frustration.
“No! Don’t force me to use my magic on you! I’m so agitated right now I might blast you all the way into next Tuesday!”
“What’s going on?”
“I cast a spell that deprived Discord of magic. He was furious. He lunged at me, hit his head against the wall, and was knocked out cold. Twilight hit him with a stun spell as well. My two moms took him to the human world in hopes that he’ll not be able to use magic there.”
“Let me go!” Spike protested.
Kitzu was not about to let Spike go through that portal shouting her answer in return to his demand. “N0!!!”
To the relief of everyone present, Twilight, and Luna, plus Scottaloo emerged through the mirror. Twilight used her magic to retrieve the book from the apparatus that opened the portal, Luna turned, faced the portal, and vaporized the mirror with her magic.
“What? What have you done?” Glimmer asked in shock.
“Closing the portal for good,” Luna replied. “With any luck, Discord will be powerless over there.”
“And if he’s not?” Glimmer asked as fear crept into her.
“The book is still connected,” Twilight announced. “The police have arrived, and they are dragging Discord out to their car. He’s kicking, and screaming, and raving like a lunatic.” Twilight quickly penned something. “Oh good, they are all hiding inside. He can’t see them. They tased him? What does that mean?”
“It’s a device that emits a powerful electric shock,” Scootaloo announced.
“Oh, and he’s down for the count!” Twilight announced joyfully. “No magic, and we’ll never be plagued by him again!” Twilight and Luna hug.
“Let me go!” protested Spike.”
“Sorry,” Kitzu offered as she let him go.
“Twilight!” Spike called rushing to her and hugging her front right leg. “I’m so sorry. I wanted to help, to do something – I couldn't move, and then, and then you took Discord through the mirror. I wanted to help, but I couldn't move, and then when you went through the portal I just knew I had to follow. I... Kitzu grabbed me and prevented me from...”
“Spike!” Twilight scolded. “There are going to be times when you can’t help me. At least Kitzu understands that.” Had you followed me through, and I not knowing; you could have been trapped there. As a dog! Forever! Now let go.”
“I’m sorry Twilight. I’m sorry.” Spike let go and began to cry. “I was so scared.”
“Mom… He does think of you as his mother.” Kitzu offered quietly in the stunned silence. “Kind of makes him my big brother. My big little brother.”
Twilight let out a sigh, dropped to the floor, and gave Spike a hug. “I’m sorry Spike. That was a bit harsh, but it’s over now. It’s finally over.” Her words were echoed by the sound of a small pony running through the hall calling. A moment later Apple Bloom burst into the room and announced that there was a fire out at Fluttershy’s place.