The air was electric with the excitement the group of four were feeling. The months had passed, and the most hallowed of annual celebrations was nearly begun: Christmas.
At the front of Canterlot High, by the statue of the horse, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Applejack all waited for their holiday visitor.
“Are you girls excited!? I’m so excited! We haven’t seen her in so long, and--” Pinkie cheered.
Pinkie expressed her enthusiasm by hopping around the statue. Dash, Sunset and Applejack all watched their friend almost literally bounce off the walls as they leaned against the statue.
For as happy as they were, watching Pinkie had become exhausting for them. Dash reached out and snagged Pinkie by the back of her shirt.
“Enough, Pinkie. We’re all excited, for the hundredth time,” Dash said.
“But, are you really excited? Really, reeeaally excited?” Pinkie asked.
“Ya don’t have to keep askin’. We’re all happy Starlight’s comin’. We’re just better at not buggin’ everyone else about it,” Applejack said.
It was a wonder to Pinkie that nobody would want to express their happiness as much as she was doing. For the girl with pink hair, nothing was so unbelievable. All of a sudden, her friends seemed more to her like the villains of the seasonal holiday specials. If that were the case she would need to be the hero who showed them the true meaning of the season.
“Come on, everyone! Where’s that holiday spirit! Where’s that cheer that--” Pinkie began, before she was cut off by Sunset’s fingers over her mouth.
Dash and AJ silently thanked Sunset for her service to them. They recognized Pinkie’s speech as the very same one from ‘The Christmas Party at Snowflake Lake.’ The same speech the lead character in that movie said, just before she broke into song. Pinkie’s favorite holiday song.
“So, how long is Starlight stayin’? After Christmas?” Applejack asked.
“No. She can’t stay with us, because she has to be home for Hearth Warming,” Sunset said.
“That stinks. What’s Hearth Warming?” Dash asked.
Sunset had forgotten that she hadn’t enlightened her friends to the seasonal celebrations in Equestria. Willing as she was to explain to her friends about the culture of another kingdom, it would have to wait.
The statue behind them started to glow, and a silhouette appeared within the light.
“Why don’t you ask our visitor?” Sunset said to Dash.
The light faded, and standing among them now was a girl much like themselves. She was taller than any of them, and had very little weight to her body. Her face was mousey, her eyes were beady. And as far as anyone could tell, her clothes, hairstyle and backpack were all at least fifty years out of date.
As unremarkable and plain as she appeared, her entire body seemed to glow with a shine that could only be noticed if one were looking for it. With her eyes that sparkled, her hair that shined, and her skin that seemed to glow, the newcomer did live up to her name.
“Starlight Glimmer,” Sunset greeted their guest, “Welcome to Canterlot City.”
Deep in the darkness of a passage between buildings, where the eyes of a thousand hoods and lowlifes gazed on the grimey asphalt ground and the graffiti-covered walls, a figure lurked. His torn jeans and stained coat lending to the remiss state of the alley, he was truly as one spawned from the depths of depravity.
Since his escape from that horrible place where all delinquent children stayed, he swore revenge against the one who had put him there.
For months, he had stewed in his own hate, frustration and rage. What was once a promising future of knocking over shops and corrupting the hearts and minds of Canterlot City’s youth, it all came crashing down with one horrific twist: someone ratted on him.
“You’ll be sorry you crossed me,” the boy said, as he ran his fingers through his orange hair.
His steps into the light beyond the alley were his first into a new world. One where he would reclaim what was his, and bring down the one who turned on him.
“I’m coming for you, Spike. I’m coming,” he said.
In a happier part of the city, where the buildings were clean and the people were friendly, Sunset, Dash, Pinkie, Applejack all took Starlight to one of their favorite hangout spots: ‘The Bean Scene.’ Though it was not Canterlot’s hottest cafe, or even trendy in any way, shape or form, the girls loved the place for its excellent coffee, personable service and local amateurs trying their hand at music and poetry.
When they took their seats, they each ordered their drinks, and a sixth for Fluttershy, who was scheduled to join them.
With talks of what they had been up to, and the holidays of their homes, they accelerated the time until Fluttershy walked through the door.
“I’m here. I’m sorry. Am I late?” Fluttershy asked.
“You can’t be late. We never agreed on a time to meet,” Sunset said.
“Oh. Oh, thank goodness,” Fluttershy sighed, before she sat down in the empty chair at the table. There, her drink was already set before herself.
Fluttershy stared at the cup of iced brew that was intended for her. To her, no greater beast was that of the unknown. Not knowing what was ordered for her made her hesitant to take the cup to her lips.
“What is it?” Starlight asked.
“Nothing. But, um...is this decaf? I don’t like caffeinated. It makes my hands sweaty and shaky,” Fluttershy said.
Everyone at the table moaned with exasperation. All but Starlight, who giggled warmly at Fluttershy’s answer.
“It’s okay. It’s decaf. I remembered that’s what the other you likes in Equestria,” Starlight explained.
“Oh. Okay. Thank you,” Fluttershy said.
Starlight looked around the table at all the others. Even though she had crossed to a world apart from her own, she felt as if she were still in her own home having drinks with her own friends.
“It looks like some things don’t change,” Starlight said. “Except, when the others and I were talking, they did tell me about something new: is it true you have a boyfriend here?”
“A boyfriend? Who is it?” asked a new voice from somewhere nearby.
A rudimentary look around them, and none of the girls could find who had asked.
“Who’s there?” Sunset asked.
Starlight’s bag jumped up onto the table all by itself. Though it was zipped shut, it split apart as if it were held together by velcro. From out of the bag crawled a tiny creature the likes of which nobody in Canterlot City had ever seen.
“Discord!” Starlight said. “What are you doing here!? You should be back home in Equestria!”
To be left behind and not experience something new was not in the nature of Discord. By definition, it went against the very nature of chaos for him to not do what was wished of him.
“Don’t be such a party pooper, Starlight. You know I’d never pass up the chance to tag along and see a new place,” Discord explained.
“Starlight? What is that?” Applejack asked.
It was a question Discord always hoped someone would ask. Never passing up a chance to wow the crowds with his special brand of chaotic magic, the tiny creature danced across the table to address the others.
“Back home, folks call me Discord. But, you can call me ‘Your Royal Zaniness,” Discord said, before he materialized a cane and a top hat to his person.
Whatever Discord hoped to do next, the god of chaos was distracted from it when Rainbow Dash started poking him with her spoon.
“He looks like a really ugly caterpillar,” Dash said.
“Hey! Knock that off! Do you know what I can do to that thing?” Discord said.
Discord snapped his fingers, hoping to make something catastrophic happen to that piece of silverware. Have the coffee eat it? Make it sprout arms and legs and run away? Destroy it with a tiny nuclear explosion? Even Discord didn’t know what, but it was sure to be fun to watch.
Instead of anything Discord hoped for, he was prodded again by Dash’s spoon.
“That’s it! You’re asking for it now!” Discord said.
Another snap of the draconequus’ fingers, and nothing happened. Nothing but getting poked by the spoon again.
It was Discord’s worst nightmare come true. Though not lost, his powers had become muted and softened by the travel to another world. Now, he was at the mercy of Dash’s silverware.
“Rainbow Dash! Stop that!” Fluttershy said, as she scooped up Discord and protectively cradled him in her palms.
“Thanks. It looks like some people have respect for a deity,’ Discord said.
Fluttershy giggled at the praise. Looking down at the creature in her hands, she smiled giddily. Even though he looked completely different, she could truly believe that this was another form of her beloved boyfriend. The same mischievous sparkle in his mismatched eyes, and the very same crooked smile that gave Discord away when he was thinking of something he wished not to tell.
“So, you’re Discord?” Fluttershy asked.
“That’s right. And I’m here to see the sights,” Discord said, before donning himself with a straw hat, floral shirt and sunglasses.
“Discord, don’t!” Starlight said.
“Oh, please. I just got here, and you already want me out of your hair. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine on my own,” Discord said.
With a puff of smoke, Discord disappeared, ready to make his way through the city that was at once new and familiar.
Having seen what Discord could do firsthand, each of the girls at the table knew things could go very wrong very fast. But, Fluttershy knew that no such thing would happen. With herself around, she would keep him in line for whenever he started trouble.
Friday night at Applejack’s house had been magical for Spike. As if he were a caterpillar metamorphosing to a butterfly, the trip into and beyond that night felt like it had made a new man out of Spike. Somehow, for some reason, he felt bolder and stronger. Like he could take on anything that came his way.
With his newfound fortitude coursing through his veins, Spike felt he had the nerve to go and surprise Sweetie Belle at her house without calling her.
Puffing his chest and slicking his hair, Spike began walking to his bedroom door to announce himself beneath the window of his love like a scene from Shakespeare.
“Whoah!!” Spike shouted, as he fell to the floor from his bed.
When Spike landed, he knew that something was very wrong. Looking up, he saw that somehow his bed had grown at least a meter and a half taller without his notice.
“Careful. That first step’s a real loo-loo,” called a familiar voice.
“God dammit, Discord! What have you gotten into this time!?” Spike shouted.
“Into? I didn’t get into anything. I’m just here on vacation, and I wanted to see how you were doing,” the voice called.
Spike looked all around his room, but couldn’t find where Discord was hiding. Knowing Discord, he would not be in an obvious place, and would be somewhere like the laundry basket. Or with his magic, he would be hiding under the crack in the door.
Then again, in the spirit of not being obvious, Discord would be in exactly the first place Spike would look.
The elevated bed was obvious enough. After grabbing the leg, Spike pulled it so that it shrunk to the floor. Once it was on its normal level, he pulled back the bedsheets. Beneath, he found a surprising sight. A tiny creature that was the same as the one he met in that other world of colorful ponies.
“You?” Spike said.
“That’s right. Long time, no see, Spike. How have you been since you visited us?” the tiny Discord asked.
“Not bad. Great, actually. What have you been doing?” Spike asked.
“Aw, nothing much. Things are a little too harmonious back home, so I decided to take a vacation. Know any good places for fun?” the miniature deity asked.
“Sure. I have a friend who knows all the good places to go,” Spike answered.
Spike jumped slightly when the tiny Discord crawled up his arm and settled onto his shoulder.
“Then, lead the way, mighty steed. Show me where fun can be found!” Discord ordered, as he pointed ahead like a general of a cavalry.
Spike was never one to take orders lightly. But, as long as fun was to be had, he decided to put off seeing Sweetie Belle to indulge his new visitor.
Over countless cups of coffee, and even more of listening to every hack with a pen and paper, Sunset, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie, Dash and Starlight all caught one another up on their day to day lives.
Finally, as the sun was going down and the sky was painting itself with its glorious golden hues, Starlight had to go back to her home.
It was a somewhat somber gathering at the statue front of Canterlot High. But, the girls knew their friend had to go home. Farewells were exchanged and affections were given as Starlight prepared to head back to Equestria.
“So long, sugarcube. Too bad ya can’t stay longer,” Applejack said.
“Me too. But, Twilight has me helping with the Hearth Warming pageant, and I can’t leave her hanging,” Starlight said.
“Wait. Don’t you have to wait for Discord?” Fluttershy said.
“No need. Here I am,” Discord said, appearing from within Starlight’s bouffant hairdo.
“That’s everything I need. Goodbye, everyone,” Starlight bade the others.
“And a fond adieu to you,” Discord said to Fluttershy.
Fluttershy giggled as Discord waved a tiny paw at her.
In a flash, the visitors disappeared back to their home. Though it was sad to see their friend go, the present Rainbooms too knew they had holiday responsibilities to tend to. Side by side, they all left, ready to make this a Christmas to remember.