//------------------------------//
// Merciful Revenge 
// Story: Discord vs. Harmony: The Greeting-Card Industry Strikes Back 
// by SoloBrony 
//------------------------------//

Starlight and Chrysalis made their way backstage once the crowd had dispersed. Starlight was chuckling to herself still when she spoke.

"Discord and Twilight? I know the story behind Discord helping her, but I wonder how Trixie wrangled that kind of backup for this!"

"It was for us. For you, more specifically."

"Oh." Starlight laughed a little more uncomfortably. "I guess that makes sense. But hey, what a show!"

Chrysalis nodded. She had enjoyed the show, but there was one aspect that bothered her.

"You ponies are terrifying."

"Wha...?"

"Time dilation. Remote weather control. Impenetrable barrier. Automatic, selective clairaudition. That was some incredibly potent magic – and all for a performance. It might as well have been a military demonstration."

Starlight's laughter was significantly more uncomfortable and a full octave harder when she patted Chrysalis on the back. "Oh, Chrysalis. Don't be silly! I'm sure a lot of that was... special effects! Trixie does have a way with stage magic! Besides, I don't think they meant to intimidate anyone—"

Chrysalis just shrugged. "I don't take it personally. I was a dangerous criminal in their eyes until a week ago. It only makes sense to make an underhanded threat to keep me in line."

Starlight lowered her hoof and kept trotting, nervously chewing over her lip. They wouldn't do that... would they? She couldn't entirely discount the possibility, so she couldn't deny it outright...

Trixie, Twilight, and Discord came into view. They were laughing heartily about something, and it was Discord who saw the pair first.

"Ohohoho! If it isn't the two lovebirds! Or, hmm..."

Discord teleported over to the two of them, inspecting them.

"Well, given your lack of wings," Discord poked Starlight in the side, eliciting a dirty look and defensively-raised rear hoof, before teleporting over to Chrysalis and leaning in to inspect her wings, "and your, hrm, situation, let's go with lovebugs instead. Close enough!" He made that declaration with good cheer and teleported back to Trixie and Twilight, who were still snickering.

Chrysalis just sighed irritably. "Discord, while the show was appreciated, I just want to be clear; Starlight and I don't need you interfering in our lives any further. The idea you set up this ridiculous spectacle just to further your—"

Discord laughed uproariously at that, and even Twilight seemed somewhat amused, chuckling openly. He suddenly extended his neck over to Chrysalis. "Oh my! Look at who's all full of herself! You think I did all of this for you?"

He snapped back into place and rolled around in midair, gravity entirely forgotten, still laughing. Twilight just shook her head with a smirk, picking up where Discord had left off. "Chrysalis, Trixie wanted to invite the two of you. Discord and I put this show together for, er... someponies else."

Chrysalis and Starlight exchanged confused looks, but then something dawned in Chrysalis' eyes. "The private booth. Who was in it?"

Discord paused in his midair roll and landed on on the ground, wiping a tear away. "Oh, noponies of importance, at least to anypony but themselves and their families. Nothing you need concern yourselves with."

Trixie, for her part, just rolled her eyes. "For what it's worth, Starlight, the Great and Powerful Trixie wanted to give the two of you a truly magical evening of romance, utterly independent of whatever... these two have in mind."

Starlight scrutinized Discord and Twilight. "You two are working together now?"

Discord smiled broadly and leaned down, wrapping an arm around Twilight, who did her best to smile malevolently. It almost didn't look nerdy. "Why yes, we are. More specifically, Twilight is studying under me. Isn't that wonderful?"

Starlight looked to Twilight in confusion, but Twilight just nodded back. "It's true. Discord is teaching me about chaos magic! I'll have a full report—"

Discord groaned. "A report? Twilight, demerit!"

Twilight groaned, facehoofing. "Right. Old habits."

Starlight just stared at Twilight for a few moments in disbelief before shaking her head with a smirk. "Yeah... good luck with that, Discord. Twilight's about the most orderly mare—"

Discord suddenly appeared about Starlight and patted her on the head. "Why thank you. It's true, I will need all the luck in the world, but we'll manage. After all, I'm the foremost expert on chaos there is! Professor Discord is in!"

Twilight suddenly checked a non-existent wristwatch. "Discord, look at the time! There's still loads of discordant harmony we can spread before the night's out! We should get on it!"

And with that, Twilight's non-wristwatch-wearing left hoof fell off, rolled to the side to point upright, and Twilight did a midair somersault towards it, clapping her other hoof to it and disappearing into thin air. Discord floated up a bit and took on an appraising stance.

"Ooh, very good. She's getting top marks when I figure out where she went."

Discord held up a hand to snap. "Wait!"

Discord glanced over to Chrysalis, who had called out and raised a hoof. "Discord... I need to know something."

Discord raised an eyebrow and his eyes glowed slightly. "Yesss?"

"I saw the look of venom on your face when we took Fluttershy. Why have you done all of this for me? For us? Did you not want revenge?"

Discord frowned, looking unusually serious, and appeared in front of Chrysalis. "Of course I wanted vengeance, Chrysalis. You hurt Fluttershy. You weren't the only one plotting how to get back at someone these past few months."

Chrysalis recoiled slightly. "Then why?"

Discord rolled his eyes. "Well, how do you think Fluttershy would feel about it if I took vengeance on you? Hmm? I decided to do what she would want and extend a little kindness. Hrmph. Look a gift horse in the mouth why don't you."

And with that, Starlight teleported to Discord's side, and he held her mouth open. She chomped down on his fingers and irritably trotted back over to Chrysalis, prompting Discord to blow on his red, swollen hand. "Ouch!"

Chrysalis shook her head. "That's not the only reason. There's something you're not saying."

Discord just groaned. "And you think you can understand me, is that it?"

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes, studying the draconequus for a few moments. "You had to know."

The two stared at each other for a few moments, locked in a tense silence. Finally, Discord shrugged. "I suppose I did."

Chrysalis sighed, and pawed at the ground for a moment. "... Thank you."

Discord leaned down to eye level with her, and Chrysalis met his gaze with a surprisingly vulnerable expression. He looked at her intensely for a few seconds.

"You're welcome."

And with a snap, he was gone.