As sunset approached, Cadance and Twilight were pretty bored. The two princesses listlessly stared at the fire with their heads on the rug; a pile of books beside Twilight and the constellation globe and a pile of maps and other observatory trinkets beside Cadance.
And then with a burst of magic, Flurry Heart appeared floating between them, giggling.
Cadance’s eyes brightened and she stood and smiled. “Oh, my baby!” She came forward and cuddled Flurry Heart. “How did you get here? Did you miss mommy?”
Flurry gurgled.
“And did you miss your best aunt ever?” Twilight cuddled Flurry Heart from the opposite side—the result was that her and Cadance’s forelegs touched as they each half hugged the baby. They stayed that way for a moment then blinked and, with awkward glances down, stepped back from the levitating foal.
Twilight finally glanced back at Flurry Heart and tilted her head. “Hey, a scroll!”
Cadance used her magic to remove and unfurl it.
The two princesses read together.
Dear Mommy and Auntie Twilight
Auntie Luna sent me to say goodnight to you both before bedtime. She also says she thinks you two should spend the rest of the night up here and that you will both help her with paperwork before you go to sleep. She’ll send up dinner for you as soon as I leave. She’ll see you in the morning to talk before Auntie Celestia and Uncle Discord arrive.
P.S.
I want to spend next Nightmare Night with Auntie Luna. She says I would make a most adorable bat.
Hugs,
Flurry Heart
Twilight sighed and glanced at Flurry with a tired smile. “Well, Luna certainly picked a cute messenger.”
She glanced over to see Cadance already writing a reply which she furled and then attached to Flurry’s nightcap. Cadance smiled at the baby. “Mommy loves you so much, Flurry Heart. Have sweet dreams.” She kissed her cheek.
Twilight nodded. “Sweet dreams, Flurry Heart. We’ll see you tomorrow.” She kissed Flurry Heart’s other cheek.
And then with a coo and a yawn the baby disappeared.
In a flash, two large piles of paperwork appeared in front of either princess along with covered plates of food.
Both of them sighed deeply but finally settled in and took a page and a quill each.
Twilight barely glanced at Cadance. “What did you send to Luna?”
Cadance smiled a little to herself, though her eyes stayed down as she wrote. “Oh, just something to make clear that I can take advantage of a cute messenger too.”
Twilight bit her lip, considering asking, but then just sighed and got to work too.
The princesses still weren’t talking but at least they weren’t scowling as they worked side by side now.
After a moment they both both paused at the same time and said at once. “This scroll needs two signatures…” They blinked and glanced at each other, then with uneasy grimaces exchanged papers and signed each other’s before moving along.
Flurry Heart reappeared in Luna’s room.
Luna smiled and floated the baby onto her back. “I take it you were successful. Very good for thine first mission as a princess.” The baby snuggled into her mane again. “Hmm…” Luna tilted her head at the sight of the note attached to flurry’s nightcap now. “And what is this?” With a slight smirk she opened the scroll.
Dear Auntie Luna,
I have been a very good little pony and delivered your message to Mommy and Auntie Twilight. I was so good that Mommy decided to send a message back with me. She says that she will most certainly see you by tomorrow morning. She and Auntie Twilight will be waiting very patiently but only until then: otherwise they’ll come to you themselves.
Oh, and she says I can visit for Nightmare Night But if you feed me too much candy or keep me up too late, you’re going to be the one who has to deal with my fussy tantrum. I shoot magic beams of raw power when I get fussy. Remember?
Love,
Flurry Heart
“Hmm,” Luna lowered the scroll with an intrigued grin, “they are getting impatient. That should produce some results. And at least Cadance speaks of working together with Twilight. Progress.”
The baby yawned and cuddled into Luna’s mane, her eyes hazy.
Luna smiled gently and levitated Flurry Heart into the crib. “Come along, Flurry Heart, time for bed. And when you awaken, Auntie Celestia and Uncle Discord will be back to see you, tiny one, born of friendship and love.”
Flurry Heart gurgled, her eyes heavy as she gazed up at Luna.
Luna hummed a lullaby, keeping her eye on the window for the right time to raise her moon.
A carnival at Rainbow Falls: was there a more perfect way to end a date?
“You and I need to go to more carnivals,” a disguised Discord mused with an almost coltish enthusiasm. “Can carnivals be our thing? This place is great—deep-fried snacks, cheesy rides, flashing lights, ponies running around laughing and screaming, and so many games I can use to show off to you.”
Celestia (in her disguised form as well) just sighed and tried not to encourage her date by laughing as the two of them strolled through the bustling fairground. Floating just behind her in an aura were about ten stuffed animals. “We can go to carnivals and festivals and fairs—as our true selves or just as we are now. I’d forgotten how much fun something like this could be.” Her eyes took in all of the colors and sounds around them, which had only been amplified by the falling of night (she blushed a little bit to remember how when she had lowered the sun an hour ago, she had let Discord touch her again during the process to feel her magic). She shook her head to come out of her reverie and added, “But I promise you don’t have to win me a prize from every booth, Discord. I already know you’re a very capable creature.”
He only gave her a smirk and lowered his voice a little. “Oh come on—what about when hit the platform on that strength tester with the mallet, and the bell went so high it broke through the top of the machine? When I gave you the stuffed animal from that win, I saw how you blushed…”
“Discord!” Celestia rolled her eyes and moved forward, blushing anew. He was getting so much more comfortable acknowledging their relationship’s more awkward and intimate moments. She felt relieved and flustered at the same time—his confidence made what was going on between them somehow more real.
“I’m not hearing a denial, just you coyly saying my name.” He cocked up one of his ears with a smirk.
Celestia sighed and tossed one of the stuffed animals at him.
“Hey!” He laughed.
She laughed too and then magically sent the animals back to her room in Canterlot.
An announcer came over a speaker. “Attention, the fireworks will start in ten minutes!”
Celestia blinked. “Oh, is it really that late?” She sighed. “I don’t think we’ll make it on the ferris wheel in time to see them from there.” She lowered her voice. “Maybe we should just change back to normal and watch them from a distant cloud.”
“Nonsense—and I don’t mean that in a good way.” Then Discord took her foreleg and swiftly glided them toward the ferris wheel. “Trust me, we’ll get a seat. Discord has taken care of everything.”
“Oh dear, you’re referring to yourself in the third person. Should I be worried about whatever’s coming next?” she asked dryly.
He laughed. “Just being my usual surprising self. And the best date for you I can be. Come on…” They walked past the line and up to the pony running the ride. “Excuse me, sir, I believe my lady friend and I have a reservation—Dizzy and Tia, party of two.”
The ride operator winked and led them up the staircase. “Right this way.” Once they got to the top he gestured to a compartment with a sign inside that said ‘Reserved’. “Here you go!”
“Thanks, pal.” Discord gave him a little salute then pushed open the door and bowed low. “After you, my lady.”
Celestia, still in some amazement, stepped inside and took a seat. Discord followed after her. She blinked and looked at him. “How did you—“
“I did what any guy in my situation would do, and what guys going out with girls have done for countless centuries to secure better treatment—I paid him off.”
“Discord!” Celestia tried not to laugh. “You didn’t?”
“Afraid so.” Discord shrugged. “Snuck off to do it while you were getting us cotton candy before to compare it to my own cotton candy for that taste test I so cleverly suggested.” He winked. “And besides, like I said back in Manehattan, you’re the one who insists on paying me a teaching salary even though I really don’t need money. So if I have a chance to spend it, especially to give you a good memory, I’m all in.”
“Well,” Celestia shrugged, blushing, “I guess it’s not the most scandalous thing anyone has ever done on a date. And this is our first one, so it should be special. Thank you, Discord.” She moved a little closer to him.
Discord leaned a little against her. “Any time.”
The safety bar closed, and then the wheel began to turn. It went a few cycles up into the sky and then back down to the ground. The fireworks hadn’t started yet so Celestia just enjoyed the view and experience for now. “It’s funny, I’ve been able to fly since I was born but something about being up in the air like this is different, special.”
“I like the spinning part.” Discord grinned. “And seeing all the lights over and over. I have half a mind to snap us up our own permanent carnival near my cottage. Or at least a ferris wheel in the attic.”
She smiled at the idea then looked to the dark sky again. “I just hope the ride doesn’t finish before the fireworks start.”
“Yes, well…” Discord smirked again. “About that…” And then the ride slowed down, leaving Discord and Celestia’s cart at the top. “I tipped that ride worker very, very, very, very well. Surprise, Tia.”
The fireworks began, and Celestia watched the sky light up from the best seat in the house. She beamed. “Discord…” left her softly.
“I know, I know—I’m the greatest date there ever was,” he teased. “You can tell me in your own words later after the fireworks.”
Celestia heard a snap and glanced away from the sky for a moment. Discord was back in his usual form. “Discord?” She raised an eyebrow.
He shrugged. “No one can see us up here, and that pony body makes me feel so confined.”
She considered then nodded and used her magic to return to her normal form too. “And we can see better too now that we’re both taller again.”
“See, I always have the best ideas!” He held his head high, and Celestia smiled more.
She sighed as their attention went fully back to the fireworks: they filled the dark sky with rainbows of light. “Luna would love this…”
“Then we’ll take her to a carnival with us sometime.”
“And Fluttershy too…” Celestia added, “but we’ll make sure there are no fireworks since she doesn’t like loud things.”
“You’re cute when you understand my best friend.”
She blushed a little then felt him move a bit closer. “I’m going to slip an arm around your shoulders now,” he murmured. “Try not to pass out or anything, okay?”
The sun princess’s eyes widened and her blushing increased for a moment but then a snort of laughter left her. “Discord…”As she said his name again, she felt his arm slip beneath her hair around her shoulders.
The chaos master just sat there with that easy grin he’d had all day. “Yes?”
She shook her head. Then she moved a little closer too. “You’ve been different today. More…I don’t know—more sure about…us. Less nervous. Like you’re finally convinced this whole thing isn’t just some elaborate dream of yours.”
He smiled a little more. “Not exactly. I just…finally realized something. When I told you how I felt during our first gala, everything seemed so sad to me afterwards. Like our friendship had to be over because you didn’t feel the same way and because I didn’t know how to feel this new way about you. But…you understood and guided me through the awkwardness. You helped us find a better place. “
“I’m afraid I had to,” she mused with her eyes hazed. “Your plan was that you would stay in that donut shop for a few centuries stuffing yourself with éclairs and that we would never see or speak again. And I’m afraid I just couldn’t accept those dramatic terms.”
He chuckled. “Yes, well, don’t you see? Now, you’re the one with the new feelings that make you feel a little awkward. So, instead of being all wrapped up in myself, I get to help guide you through our new relationship. I get to be there to make each unusual moment a little nicer and to bring us to a better place—but this time as more than friends.” He raised an eyebrow with a sheepish grin. “I’ve been trying all day to be comforting. Did I do a good job?”
Celestia’s eyes widened. And suddenly she realized how much his new, easy demeanor about their date really had let her discover greater confidence in their relationship inside of herself too. “You were…splendid. Thank you, Discord.” She hugged him with one of her forelegs.
He sighed and patted her shoulder with his arm that wasn’t still across her shoulders. “We’re both a couple of pieces of work, you know. A thousand years just to finally date, and then all of this shyness. But we’re both rather fetching when we’re being coy, so that’s a bonus I suppose.”
They shared a laugh, the fireworks still lighting up the sky around them. Celestia pulled back a little and smiled. “We really do have more in common than most ponies would think.” She sighed. “Actually, Discord… I know I told you that I started to have some feelings for you after our first gala but that I didn’t want to progress our friendship until I felt as strongly as you do. But…that wasn’t the only reason I waited.” She swallowed. “I also wanted to give you time to get to know me better…just in case. After all, you might have realized you’d prefer another type of mare.”
“Very considerate of you,” he teased, “We really have to teach you to be a little more selfish. Believe me, I knew enough to know how I felt was real from the start.”
She nodded. “But…even if your feelings didn’t change, I also wasn’t sure I could live up to whatever you saw in me that made you fall for me so quickly.” Her blushing burned. She had never imagined telling him all of this so soon. “Ponies tend to think I’m much more special and ‘perfect’ than I really am. It’s hard enough to live up to their admiration but to live up to your lo…” she took a breath and didn’t say ‘love’—she had never directly used that word to refer to his feelings—she didn’t want to embarrass him, “…to your…affection…it was very hard to imagine.”
“Hmm…” his voice was quiet, “but you understand now that what I care for is you, not some ideal image of you I have in my head, yes?”
She nodded. “Yes, of course.” Her eyes met his, and she laughed a little. “It’s…just…well, it’s like a couple days ago at the tatzulwurm’s flower when you wanted to prove to me you could be a good prince. If you think living up to the idea of being the prince of the sun is stressful, try living up to the idea of being the mistress of chaos.” Those last words left her mouth quite suddenly.
Discord’s suave grin and gaze dropped away, replaced by wide eyes and a slight tilt of his head.
Celestia’s eyes widened a little too. “I…I meant…heh, ‘mistress of chaos’ probably isn’t even an actual title. I just meant…it was overwhelming living up to the idea of being someone who could help you with your purpose the way you’d want to help with mine.”
“I know what you meant, sweet Celestia…” The words were so soft that her ears had to prick up to hear them. “Mistress of…” Discord sighed, and she watched his eyes haze in a new, almost giddy way now. A little smile barely came to his lips. “Don’t sell yourself short. You’re your own kind of chaos, Princess. And still so delightfully, maddeningly orderly.”
She smiled a little too. “Discord, we’re missing the fireworks.”
“I’m not. I’m watching them reflect is those orbs of warm lavender you call eyes. Mistress of…” He blushed and his gaze went down. “Sun prince.” He chuckled.
Celestia giggled softly. “We’re going too far for a first date again, aren’t we?”
“Oh yes, and it’s delightful.”
Their eyes met as they shared another laugh.
Then Celestia moved her lips to meet his. She pulled back after a moment, eyes hazed. He moved his lips to meet hers for another kiss until he pulled back too. And then Celestia wasn’t sure how, but soon they were kissing, slowly, gently, holding each other and continuing. And Celestia felt like she was happy and safe in a place she’d wanted to be for some time now. His arm around her shoulders hugged her as his other hand cupped her cheek, fingers in her hair. Celestia rested her hooves on his shoulders. She fell into the sweet moment that didn’t end as their mouths found each other between each breath, and sweet warmth grew in their little compartment. Her heart raced, and as her chest brushed his, she imagined his chaotic heartbeat throbbing a catchy tune. Nothing could make them want to come apart. What a wonderful private world they had finally found together.
And then with a lurch the ferris wheel started turning again.
The alicorn and draconequus only had about thirty seconds to react before their cart would reach the bottom of the ride and show an entire carnival of strange ponies their sun princess necking with the master of chaos. In those thirty seconds, Celestia and Discord separated, gasped, pulled apart with wild blushing, and quickly changed back into their disguises just as their cart hit the bottom and they were able to exit.
Without saying a word or sharing more than one blushing glance with each other, Celestia and Discord headed out of the carnival grounds at a very quick walk.
They were neat the edge of a forest soon enough, concealed from any nearby ponies. They changed back to their normal forms.
Celestia sat there with wide eyes. The breeze of the night air made her remember with a start how cozy their cart had been. She wanted to look at Discord, to see how he was handling all of this, but she was worried she would see him hesitant, unsure, and overwhelmed again. She hadn’t meant for them to go so far, and yet she felt so good that they had. She finally took a breath and glanced over at him.
To her surprise, he was sitting there looking down with his brow knit in thought.
She bit her lip. “Discord?” She hesitated. “Are you okay?”
“Hmm? I…” He blushed a little as he glanced at her. “Yes. Are you?”
She nodded then smiled a little. “Maybe we should head back to the castle now. It’s been such a full day…”
“Actually, if you wouldn’t mind, I think there’s one more place I’d like to go.” He stood up.
“Oh. Of course. Where?”
“It’s a little bit of a surprise.” Discord smiled a little sheepishly. “Do you mind indulging me?” He held out his paw.
Celestia stood and placed her hoof in that paw that had pulled her so close moments ago. “Let’s go.”
They shared a small smile. And then with a snap of Discord’s tail they disappeared.
The number of scrolls that conveniently had to be signed by two princesses was large enough to make Twilight and Cadance have some regular interaction, however professional and dry. But at this late point in the evening, with the scrolls almost done, Cadance was yawning. And for the last few minutes Twilight had been looking down at her hooves and biting her lip.
Cadance knew from far too many years of foalsitting that the gesture meant Twilight had some thought on her mind that she was probably letting herself get more anxious about by the second. And as no pony could sleep with a wide-awake and anxious Twilight beside them, Cadance finally sighed and asked. “Is something wrong?”
Twilight shrugged. “Well, it’s just…what are we going to tell Luna in the morning?”
“About what?” Cadance stretched a little. “All the scrolls are almost reviewed and signed. We’ll just finish up the final ones early before she comes.”
“No.” Twilight shook her head. “I mean, she clearly sent us up here to make up with each other and learn something. What are we going to tell her about that?”
Cadance almost smiled. “You’re not still in school you know, Twilight. This isn’t an assignment. It’s not like she asked for a report from us.”
“She still meant for something to happen between us up here,” Twilight countered with a pout.
“Well, we’re not yelling at each other or outdoing each other or getting carried away about Discord and Celestia anymore, so I think we’re fine now.” Cadance cleared her throat, glancing down. “We still love each other—that’s what matters.”
Twilight frowned more, but then released a deep breath (just like Cadance had taught her to do in tense situations). “But we’ve always had more than just love.” When Cadance gave her a slight pout, she went on. “Love’s the foundation, but we developed something special between us because of the love. Like sisters…I thought. Like a special kind of best friends.” Twilight’s gaze went down a little.
Cadance blinked. She reached out a hoof but then pulled back and looked down too. “Of course we did.”
“But it feels like something’s wrong there right now. It feels like we hurt our friendship a little,” Twilight went on. “And I don’t want to just be glad we still love each other no matter what and move on from there.”
Cadance’s brow furrowed in thought for a moment. “Well…I want that too. I just don’t understand what happened downstairs.” She sighed and turned to Twilight. “You know Celestia and Discord are so good together as lovers. You’ve even sent me letters whenever it seemed to you like they were getting closer to being more than friends. And I came here to help now that they’re both ready to try. Why would you try to push me out?”
Twilight’s eyes widened and she glanced to the side guiltily. “I didn’t, I just—didn’t like the idea of suddenly treating Celestia and Discord like they’re a romantic couple first and friends second. I’ve watched them develop such a great friendship. And I know they’re ready for more, but it’s only their first date. I just wanted to celebrate what led them up to this point along with wherever they’ll go from here.”
“But maybe that could have waited?” Cadance shrugged. “I don’t get to visit from the Crystal Empire often, which means I don’t get to see Celestia often, which means I don’t get to do things for Celestia often. You get to see Celestia a lot, especially now that you’re a princess too. This was important to me.”
Twilight’s ears went down but then came back up. “But it was important to me too, Cadance. Maybe I should have held off on the friendship decorations. But I don’t think it was wrong to support the idea that the two of them still might not be ready to officially be more than friends. And you didn’t have to make me feel like friendship was the junior version of love or like I was the junior version of a princess.”
“And you didn’t have to make me feel like love had a smaller place in the world than friendship or like what I tend to in ponies isn’t as significant simply because creatures aren’t trying to attack it all the time or because I don’t go on adventures to save Equestria.” Cadance was pouting and scowling a little again. “Maybe it doesn’t seem like much, but being a ruler and a wife and a mother is kind of a big adventure on its own.”
“I know that!” Twilight’s emotions were flaring as well. “And me having to run off on adventures so often and the fact that friendship gets threatened so often doesn’t make me a bad princess.”
They were standing now.
“I never said that!”
“Well, that’s how it felt!”
They glared at each other for another moment, then they let out deep breaths.
Finally Cadance stepped back. “Maybe we need more time to sort this out than just an evening locked in the observatory. I’m going to bed.”
Twilight blinked. “But Cadance...”
However Cadance continued walking over to the bed. She crawled into one side and placed herself as close to that edge as possible.
Twilight looked at the bed with a frown for a moment. Then she sighed, approached, and got in as well, facing away from Cadance and likewise near her own edge of the bed.
There was silence at first.
Then Cadance said softly, “Goodnight, Twilight.”
Twilight sighed. “Goodnight, Cadance.”
Both princesses tried to settle in.
Some of Celestia’s dreams over the years about Discord had progressed from simple talks in their valley in the castle gardens to small fantasies—them dancing alone in her ballroom, then building a castle in Chaosville, them having an upside down tea party in a tree house in Discord’s thinking tree.
But as Celestia found herself standing on a sidewalk overlooking one of the moonlight waterways of Veneighce, Italy, she realized that clearly Discord’s fantasies had been more elaborate.
“Discord…” She was trying very hard not to smile—she didn’t want him to think she wasn’t taking his idea seriously. There was just something so sweet and absurd all at once about the whole thing.
Discord, wearing a black brimmed hat and holding an oar, gestured to a long gondola resting on the water at the sidewalk’s edge. “It was a dream I only had once, back before I’d even admitted my feelings for you to myself, but it kind of stuck with me. You and I in a gondola alone here on a starry night. Just for a little while—please?”
The sweet, unassuming smile he gave her made Celestia’s eyes go half-lidded. As though she would actually say no. “It’s a nice idea, Discord. Very romantic.” She blushed slightly.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” He blushed a little too then went forward. “I’ll get on and help you on.” He stepped into the gondola and turned to her with his paw held out.
Celestia was about to reach for it, when the end of the boat that held Discord suddenly plunged into the water and the other end shot into the air. She gasped.
A couple minutes later, the gondola was back to normal on the water and Discord stood by Celestia on the sidewalk, wringing out his tail. “Okay, okay, fair enough, I didn’t consider that these things are designed for the weight distribution of ponies. And I can’t make it larger or it won’t fit in the canal.” He furrowed his brow in thought.
Celestia just continued trying to keep her smiling under control.
He glanced at her. “Okay, you’re a pony, so your weight gets distributed over four legs and not two. You get on first, and then I’ll get on slowly and we’ll balance it out.”
“You know we could just take a boat out onto the Mareterranian Sea…”
“Please, Tia…” He shrugged sheepishly. “The gondola, Veneighce, the waterway streets—it’s all important. Really. I’m going for something.”
Again, how could she resist him when he was being sincere? She took a breath and approached the boat. “Okay…” One front hoof in and then the other—so far so good. She smiled and then brought her back legs in carefully on her end of the boat—it held.
Discord beamed.
Celestia smiled and turned to look out over the stern at the lovely sights.
That was when her end of the gondola sunk under her.
A few minutes later Celestia was wringing out her mane on the sidewalk. “Discord, I really don’t think this new plan is going to work…”
“No, no, trust me!” He shook his head, his brow furrowed in determination. “This gondola is not going to outdo us. We’ve got this.” He flew near one end of the gondola and Celestia, trying not to smile, walked over to the sidewalk near the other end. “We get on at the same time on opposite ends. Then it’ll balance and we’ll be okay.”
She smiled a little. “We’ll have to stay awfully far apart for our ride then.”
He blushed slightly. “It’ll just be to start. We’ll move toward the middle together once we’re settled. Then you can rest, and I can row. And…we can talk.”
Celestia tilted her head at the request to talk. But Discord was already focused on the gondola again. “Ready…set…all aboard!”
And then he and Celestia carefully stepped into the gondola at the same time.
The gondola lowered a little in the water but held. They smiled.
They carefully walked closer to the center. The gondola held, the gondola held, the gondola held…Then when they got within three feet of each other it dropped like a stone into the water.
A few minutes later, Discord and Celestia were lying side by side in the bottom of the gondola, looking up at the night sky as the boat drifted down the canal. They had towels under their heads.
“See?” Discord grinned. “I knew we’d figure out something. As long as we lie down, no part of the boat gets too heavy. Simple.”
“You must have enjoyed the dream very much to go through all this trouble, Discord,” Celestia mused.
“Actually, it’s more like I thought I’d enjoy having this dream with you in real life more than any other one,” he explained with a little shrug. “You know, the two of us, tucked away under the night sky, on a cheesy romantic outing in an exotic place on an adventure…”
Her heart fluttered, and her smile grew. She sighed as her eyes found the stars. “I’m glad you thought so. This is nice…I’m happy we’re here.” They were pressed side by side. She felt warm and safe.
“Me too.” Discord held her hoof and gently squeezed.
She glanced over at him. “Discord?” she whispered. “Did you want to talk about something?”
He nodded. “The carnival—how we kissed on the ferris wheel…”
“Yes?” Her blushing returned. If he wanted to go back to that here where they wouldn’t be interrupted, she wouldn’t say no.
“Did you like that?”
Her smile grew a little. “Very much. Yes.”
He blushed more and let out a deep sigh. “Good. Me too.”
Yet he was hesitating, still not looking at her. She kept her gaze on him. “Is there a problem though?”
“Maybe.” He swallowed then finally glanced at her. “Remember I said there was something I wanted to tell you? And remember how I promised to tell you before our date was over? That thing…I also wanted to tell you it before we ever did anything that, um…I mean, so very…” He was stuttering—he never stuttered. So charming. Her heart fluttered faster. “Something…more intimate than usual,” he quickly finished.
A small giggle left her that she failed to hide. Discord pouted and raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged sheepishly. “Sorry. You’re just…very attractive when you’re being so noble.”
He turned a shade of red that practically glowed in the nighttime.
She smiled more. “What we did was different. But it wasn’t such a huge step. I didn’t feel like I was missing anything from you when we kissed like that.”
He hesitated. “But…you were missing something. Just one thing. One thing you deserve to hear before we head home and make what we have real for us and everyone else.”
She blinked twice. Her smile faded to a curious frown. “Discord…what is it? You can tell me. Anything. I promise.”
He nodded. Then he turned on his side to look at her.
She turned a little on her side to look at him too. She remembered him saying he wanted to look into her eyes for whatever this was.
He swallowed and almost smiled again. “No chance you’ll guess what it is and save me the awkwardness huh?”
The sun princess almost smiled a little again too. “I’m afraid not…”
He nodded. And then the chaos master looked into her eyes so deeply she felt herself blush again. “Celestia.” He took a deep breath…he bit his lip…he cringed…he pursed his lips, and his cheeks puffed like the words were stuck in his mouth.
His dramatics were normally quite cute to her, but Celestia felt like he was getting carried away. She moved closer, her gaze unwavering. “Discord. Tell me.”
“I love you.”
There was a period of silence between them broken only by the sounds of lapping water. Celestia just looked back at him with wide eyes, her mind blank…but her heart racing.
“I…” Discord tried to make words again, his features aflame with blushing, “O-Okay, you know, thinking about it now, that was definitely way too much to say on a first date. I, um…I—I’m sorry.” His tail was ready to snap.
She held up a hoof. “You promised!”
He paused and blinked. “What?”
She swallowed. “You promised you wouldn’t run away from me anymore when you’re embarrassed.”
He took a breath and nodded; his tail lowered. “Can…can we at least go back to the castle together? I need…I just told you I love you and now I really need to get off this gondola.”
She nodded. “Okay. Together.” And then she used her magic to teleport them away.
Celestia made them reappear in her parlor they’d been sharing in the castle (with four feet of distance between them for good measure).
She was concerned she would have to coax more talking out of Discord, but he began rambling right away. “That probably sounded stupid. And I know you’ve known—right from the start you’ve known. You just never used that word so I wouldn’t get embarrassed. And I never used that word so I wouldn’t get embarrassed. The closest we got was talking about the general concept. But still, I…” And then the chaos master held his head high and looked her in the eye, “if we’re going to be anything serious with each other, I needed you to hear it from me. I needed to say those words to you. I am in love with you, Celestia. You’re the only mare I’ve ever loved in my life.”
Celestia felt like her heart had stopped beating and then was racing so much she could barely feel its pulses. She swallowed. “I… Thank you.” She blushed and cringed. “I mean, I…” She shook her head. “I mean… Thank you for telling me, and I understand. I just don’t know what to say. I feel very much for you, but…” She sighed, her brow furrowed.
Discord moved closer to her, his eyes wide and on hers. “Hey. It’s okay. I did not expect you to fall in love on the first date. Really. I only wanted to say the words to you, to let you know. I wanted that last secret between us gone.”
She nodded then blinked to feel some tears in her eyes. She wiped them away.
“Tia?”
“I’m just a little overwhelmed,” Celestia smiled and shrugged, “and very flattered and…very happy I finally know what you wanted to tell me. I was starting to get nervous.” She nudged him with her hoof.
Discord chuckled. “Hey, you know me—I like to build things up.”
She nodded and wiped the last tear from her eye. “Discord…maybe I don’t feel in love yet, but…what I do feel for you is very deep. And very serious. And it’s grown a lot in the few days we’ve spent together. And it’s more than I’ve ever felt for any other suitor…” Her blush returned.
Discord’s eyes widened and a little smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
She smiled too. “Now that you told me, do you feel better about what we did on the ferris wheel?”
He blushed too and nodded. “Oh yes.”
“Good.” She laughed a little. “Then why don’t we get comfortable now that we’re back here. It’s been a full day and it is our last night together. And we both did fall into a canal three times. I think we’ve earned a cozy night.” She used her magic to light the fire then made her regalia and shoes disappear and stretched a little.
He snapped to bring them sitting on the rug before the balcony doors with a perfect view of the full moon. Then his tailed snapped up a tray with cups and a steaming kettle that smelled of lemon and herbs. “I think we’ve earned a few thousand cozy nights, but just one will do for now.” He let out a deep breath as he poured their tea. “I’m so glad we had this time together, Celestia. And I’m so glad everything’s out in the open. I don’t think I’ve ever felt closer to you.”
“Hmm…” She nodded as she looked down at her tea. “I…only ever felt closer to you once.”
Hi sipped. “Oh. When?”
“On the ferris wheel…”
He chuckled, blushing a little again. “Very cheeky, Princess.”
Celestia half smiled as she sipped her tea. Then her blush returned too as she shifted just a little closer to him. “Discord…are you tired?”
“Relaxed, yes, tired, no. But if you are we can turn in.”
“No.” She shook her head. “Actually I was just thinking about what we could do before bed.”
“Ah, any fun ideas?” He squirted whipped cream on his tea.
She took a breath and accepted that blunt honesty was the only way anything would ever get done between them sometimes. “You had some fun suggestions when we first arrived here a few days ago. Is…the necking option still open?”
“Why, yes, of course, my darling. I—“ Then his eyes widened and his teacup lost all magical hold and dropped to the floor.
Celestia’s magic caught it just in time.
Discord wasn’t moving.
She took a breath and spoke softly. “Discord, we’ve gotten to know each other in many ways as more than friends over the last three days. Except for one way, really… We’ve kissed and held each other, but there’s still hesitation and uncertainty there. And whenever we get interrupted, we don’t work past that newness. But right now, we’re finally alone…so we’d have time to get used to things slowly, together.” She blushed more and more. “I want us to know that part of our new relationship, Discord, just like how we know each other so well in every other way.”
He was still wide-eyed and unmoving.
Her smile picked up on one side and she looked down sheepishly. “I’ve, um…never been the one to ask someone to do something like this. If I’m coming off too direct and not romantic enough, please let me know. I-I’m not used to trying to flirt.”
Discord finally looked at her, his eyes still wide, his blushing pink. His gaze made her blush more, made her wonder about her appearance in the moonlight, and about whether it had been too bold that she’d made sure to remove her regalia before making this request, and about whether he felt the same deep need for touch that she was feeling in this moment.
He finally spoke. “You’re…nice when you flirt. I like getting to know you as a mare.”
She tilted her head, her features burning.
Discord shook his head. “I-I mean…” he took a deep breath, “okay, so you want to…the necking option…with me. So we can… and I should…” His eyes met hers again.
She swallowed. “Discord, if you’re not ready, it’s all right—“
“I’m ready.”
Her heart fluttered at the conviction in those two words.
“I just um…don’t know where to begin, with you…” Discord’s hands clenched and his eyes went down again. “The ferris wheel was a surprise to me too.” He squirmed shyly.
Celestia smiled a little. She moved beside him. “Why don’t we just start by talking and let things happen naturally again?” Her voice softened. “After our first gala, I comforted you. And during our first date, you comforted me. But maybe now we can comfort each other.”
His eyes met hers again. Then Discord smiled a little and nodded. He moved a closer to her as well.
She felt comfort as his tail curled through hers behind them.
Discord lightly cleared his throat and looked out the window. “The stars are nice tonight. If I hadn’t cut short our Veneighce trip, we could be watching them from the water.”
“We can always go back,” she replied, her attention on the sky as well. “And besides, I…like the view from here very much. I grew up with the view from here.” Her smile almost faltered. “I used to look out here when I was missing Luna. I’d watch the stars for hours.”
She heard Discord shift and his claw came to rest on her hoof. “You must know a lot about them then…”
“Almost more than Luna.” She swallowed. “I studied the stars so much. I wanted her to know, when she came back, that even if no one else would appreciate the nights in the way she wanted, I would appreciate them as much as all of her subjects put together. I didn’t want her to feel her struggles had all been in vain. And really the night is so glorious.”
He sighed and lightly squeezed her hoof. “I’m sorry you went through that alone.”
She took a deep breath. “It’s okay. It taught me a lot. It helped me be the pony I am today. And now everything’s so much better.” She glanced at Discord and wiped a surprise tear from her eye. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to talk about something so serious.”
Discord shook his head and glanced at her too. “No. I want to know the things you feel and think about, the good and the bad. Okay?”
Celestia nodded. “I’ve liked visiting here with you. It’s made this place…come alive for me again.”
“Well, you make me feel like I come alive every time you glance at me or touch me or say my name, so I guess we’re even.” He chuckled.
She held back a laugh. “And what about when I kiss you?”
He blushed, his gaze warm. “That isn’t just life—that’s lightning. Like going from stone to me ten times at once.”
Her heart pounded.
Discord raised her foreleg in his hands. “You said we could start slow…?” He raised an eyebrow with a smirk.
“Y-Yes.” She tried to keep her nerves under control.
“Okay.” And then he raised her hoof to his lips and kissed it. The sensation was a pleasant and familiar one. It grew more interesting as he held her leg and began slowly placing gentle kisses along the limb heading up to her shoulder.
“How does that feel?” he murmured between two tender kisses.
She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. “Like lightning…”
He chucked low as his mouth finally reached her shoulder and ended with a kiss there before he raised his head. Celestia’s eyes fluttered open to meet his gaze.
The chaos master shot her a charming little grin. “You’re happy—I can tell.”
She laughed softly and shrugged. “I always wanted to know what our night might have been like, after our first gala—when you wanted to take me away to our valley in the statue garden after you confessed. Now I feel like I’m starting to know.”
His eyes brightened. “Well, I’ll be happy to keep letting you know darling Celestia—oh!”
In a rare and delightful moment of impulse the sun princess set both of her front hooves over his shoulders, half pulling herself up. “And of course, there was another moment just before you would have snapped us away from the gala…when you danced with me on two hooves, and held me close, and dipped me back…” Her blushing burned and her smile grew. “Oh!”
He was up and had his hands on her shoulders to keep her steady on two hooves. He lowered his voice. “If you want to be dipped back, my hands should probably be around your waist. Is that okay?”
His tone was smooth and steady but she could see the slight hesitation in his features. He must have been remembering that first time they had been like this—how she had asked him not to hold her so closely and then how she’d pulled away when he’d gone to kiss her.
She used her magic to gently guide his hands around her waist.
They shared a small smile.
Then Discord pulled her a little closer, a gleam in his eye, and Celestia grinned as her heart pounded. The chaos master chuckled. “Those wings of yours—they really are just magnificent…”
She closed her eyes and shook her head with a blush. She knew her wings were pushed out behind her completely in her anticipation. “Discord,” her eyes opened a little again to meet his as she whispered, “why do you always tease before you act? Ever since I met you…”
“Because…” he whispered in return, “I know it drives you just crazy.” And then before she could speak, he dipped her back sharply and gave her the kiss she had been dreaming of ever since their first gala night.
Celestia felt a great rush of magic throughout her body followed by a gentle calm she couldn’t recall ever achieving in all of her centuries tending to politics and protocol and the needs of her people. At her current angle, if Discord hadn’t been holding her she would have fallen backwards. The effect was that she felt totally supported in his strong hands that held her firmly but still with care. His chest brushed hers, which made her imagine their hearts beating so close to one another. And the way his mouth moved on hers was like being told ‘I love you’ over and over again, but through a kiss instead of words. It was better than her dreams because it was real and she wouldn’t wake up from this moment in a lonely fluster. She matched his kiss with gratitude, with curiosity, and with a romantic lilt all her own.
Discord, for the first time ever, let himself give in completely to a desire about Celestia. He had craved to kiss her this freely ever since he’d first realized he was in love. Fear, uncertainty, a constant state of being emotionally overwhelmed had tempered his actions. But here and now he let his fingers touch curiously into the curve of her waist, he let his body press close to her own, and into those soft pale lips of hers he did his best to impress how totally attracted to her he was and how completely he aspired to the love of his sun princess. When he realized she was kissing him back just as eagerly, the only thing that kept him from dropping to the floor in a daze was knowing that he was responsible for safely cradling her elegant form.
Their kiss continued for a very long time.
Then finally Celestia pulled back slightly with a gasp, her breaths shallow, her features cherry-colored.
Discord’s eyes opened slightly with a hazed gaze; he was almost panting.
“Nobody…has ever kissed me like that.” Celestia’s eyes widened after the words popped out of her mouth.
“Well,” Discord cooed in a low grumble, eyes narrowing, “now someone has.”
Her eyes still remained wide, looking into his.
“Tia?” Discord raised an eyebrow slightly. But then he blinked twice, and his smarmy gaze fell to something gentler. “Are you okay? Did you not like it?” He cleared his throat, almost frowning. “Maybe I did get too carried away. I—“
Celestia came forward, eyes closed, and pressed her lips to his. She used her alicorn strength to guide herself back up to standing, still in Discord’s arms. And then she became vaguely aware that she had moved him backward to one of the pillars in her room. Now he was against it as she tilted her head more and kissed him gently but with conviction. She heard a deep sigh of satisfaction escape his nose and smiled a little to herself.
When her lips left his, Celestia opened her eyes to see the most dazed draconequus she had ever encountered. And he promptly slumped against the pillar to sit on the floor. She removed her hooves from his shoulders and sat too. “I’m very okay, and I liked it very much, Discord. I hope you did too.”
“Oh yes…” left him in practically a purr.
Celestia held back a giggle.
His eyes finally came into focus again to meet hers. “This was a very good idea for how to spend the last evening of our date. I approve.”
She blushed and shuffled her hooves with a small sheepish smile. “I haven’t been so impulsive with anyone since I was a teenager—and even then, it wasn’t the same. I’m glad I wasn’t too rusty.”
Some of his daze was fading as Discord raised an eyebrow. “Are you kidding? You were beautiful…and you felt beautiful…you are beautiful.” His own look became a little sheepish. “And besides, I haven’t been so impulsive with anyone in over a thousand years…” Her eyes asked the question, and he went on, “And especially not with all of my little flings over the last few years. I told you, that day under my thinking tree after our first kiss, I decided I wanted something serious and deep if I was going to really pursue anyone. And no one ever made me want what you make me want.”
Celestia’s heartbeat increased a little. “What do I make you want, Discord?”
He shrugged, and some of the coltish shyness she found so sweet came back to him. “To be with you…always.”
She experienced the pleasant mix of feeling overwhelmed as well as eager and perfectly happy all at once.
“I love you,” he added softly, then he raised an eyebrow, “I know you don’t feel the same way about me right now, but would you mind if I told you sometimes anyway? If we keep doing things like that, I think it’s going to pop out.”
Blushing, Celestia nodded. “You can tell me you love me, Discord…. I think I like hearing the words now that you’ve said them.”
“Oh good.” Discord chuckled to himself again, delighted.
And then the happy couple became aware of how close and warm they were again.
Celestia took a deep breath. “Discord, I enjoyed…everything. But for now I’d like to go more slowly, take our time.”
“In the interest of me not passing out, I think that would be best as well.” He twiddled his thumbs with a goofy grin.
She smiled more. “Hold me again?”
He nodded. As his arms came up, she slipped herself between them. His hands rested lightly around her waist again, his fingers brushing against the lower feathers of her wings. She sighed in peace, her eyes closed. “I’m glad I got to know what some of that night would have been like after our first gala.”
He ran his fingers over her hair, which made Celestia relax even more against him and cuddle her head under his chin. “Me too,” he replied. “But I’m happier it’s here and now. Somehow this is better.”
“I think you’re right.” She pulled her head back slightly to look into his eyes again, blushing as she smiled. “And I think I’d like to know more.”
He smiled too as his hand brushed against her wings, sending a light, pleasant tickle through the feathers. “Are you sure you aren’t tired? You do have that pesky sunrise schedule to keep.”
She shrugged and moved her hooves over his shoulders—this time she let them gently graze the top of Discord’s mismatched wings (which gave an adorable, quick flutter). “Luna works days sometimes. So I can work nights. Besides, I’m really not tired. I guess lightning will do that to you.” Her blush grew.
His blush grew too. “Yes, I suppose it can.”
They moved a little closer and their mouths gently met, for one kiss, then two, then three, just like on the ferris wheel. It was sweet and warm and full of good magic that Celestia blushed to admit might be love.
Celestia and Discord continued to enjoy their simple time together.
Apparently falling asleep in a bed with someone you were angry with was hard, even if you had known them for years and were family. As late as the hour was, Twilight just lay gazing at the fire with a frown, while Cadance looked at the moon through the window, frowning as well.
“Twilight? Are you still awake?” the love princess finally whispered.
“How did you know?” the friendship princess whispered back.
Cadance smiled a little to herself. “I know the sound of your breathing when you sleep. When I would foalsit you and read you bed time stories, I’d know you were asleep without even looking up from the page just by listening.”
Twilight almost smiled a little too. “You used to read me all the stories I’d ask for, no matter how many.”
“Of course I did. You were my favorite filly.”
“And the few times when mom and dad and Shining Armor went away overnight, you’d let me fall asleep next to you on my bed so I’d feel safe.”
There was a warm moment of quiet.
Cadance sighed. “I always knew my special talent was in love, that it was what I was meant to take care of. I felt it since forever.”
Twilight swallowed. “I didn’t have a clue that I was supposed to oversee friendship, let alone that I’d be a princess. Not until Celestia showed me…”
“Love and friendship: do you think Celestia had this all planned out when she set me up to be your foalsitter?”
“I think Celestia’s got everything all planned out for the next millennia.”
They shared a small laugh.
“I guess Discord was the one thing she didn’t plan for,” Twilight added. “She likes him a lot, Cadance. I don’t think I expressed it right in the letters I sent you. He brings all of this confusion and unpredictability to her, and she just lights up about it. It’s like life finally surprised her, and she’s glad.”
“Hmm…” Cadance took a breath. “That’s how love is—you don’t realize until the moment it hits you and then everything changes. When I felt it hit Celestia, I was so happy for her, and for Discord. They found something unusual and special. But they needed a friendship first—Celestia especially. I’d never felt someone so overwhelmed by the magic of love before, except for maybe Discord himself.”
“They needed both like Equestria needs both the sun and the moon…” Twilight added.
“I guess we figured out what Luna wanted us to realize,” Cadance added softly. “Maybe ponies flock to the sun—whichever one of us that is depending on the situation—but the moon is just as meaningful. And without both, even though they’re different, Equestria would be incomplete.”
“And without Twilight and Cadance being Sister-in-law-best-friends-forever, something’s incomplete too.” Twilight took a deep breath. “Cadance, I’m sorry I got so defensive about what you were trying to do for Celestia and Discord’s relationship. I started this…”
Cadance turned to face Twilight. “But I came on too strong at first. And when it upset you, instead of talking to you about it I got defensive too and competitive. I became more concerned with showing off than with doing my duty.”
Twilight turned to face Cadance. “I didn’t do my duty right either. And we both almost ruined everything for Discord and Celestia. They shouldn’t have to come home to a fight; they should be able to come home to all of their friends and family supporting them. Whether it’s love of friendship…”
Cadance blushed a little and glanced down guiltily with her mouth quirked to one side.
Twilight raised an eyebrow. She knew that look—it was the look Cadance got when she had something to say that might not go over well but felt bad about delivering the news.
“Cadance?”
Cadance swallowed. “It’s…love. Celestia and Discord might not be ready to tell everyone it’s love, but…I told you, if they were nearby enough and something big happened between them I’d be able to feel the magic. I felt it about an hour ago. Their feelings are completely mutual now. I just didn’t want to say anything and maybe upset you—or us—again.”
Twilight smiled softly. “Thank you, Cadance. But it’s okay. And I’m very happy for them. And I’m just glad they stayed away an extra day and didn’t have to deal with us.”
Cadance nodded. “Yes. But Shining Armor and Flurry Heart and Spike and Owliscious and Fluttershy and Luna had to deal with us unfortunately. I can’t imagine what we put them all through.”
Twilight’s eyes widened. “Oh no, we have to make it up to them!”
Cadance smiled. “I think we’ve already done too much for now, Twilight. Let’s just apologize to them in the morning and offer to help with whatever they’ve planned for Celestia and Discord’s homecoming.”
Twilight nodded. “Does this mean we’re made up now too?”
Cadance came forward and hugged Twilight. “Yes, Twilight, it does.”
Twilight hugged her in return. Then she sighed. “Can we sleep like we used to when I was a filly? Like this?”
Cadance nodded. “I’d like that. It’s cozier anyway.”
They closed their eyes and yawned. “And can we promise not to fight about love and friendship anymore?” added Twilight.
“Of course,” replied Cadance sleepily. “Besides, I heard what Starlight did to Celestia and Luna the last time they were fighting. And I kind of like my cutie mark just as it is.” They shared a small chuckle.
“We’ll have to let Luna know her plan worked.” Twilight sighed, her breathing already slowing.
“We’ll let her know—but hopefully she’ll be too busy planning for Discord and Celestia to…gloat about it.” Cadance gave a final yawn then her breathing slowed too.
The two princesses fell into a deep, peaceful sleep together.
After a while, the steadiness of Discord and Celestia’s kisses had tapered off into cuddling and giggles. Celestia was content now to sit beside Discord near the fire, playing with his tail. He kept gently swishing it over the rug, and she would try to tap the tuft with her hoof but always just miss. And she laughed each time, especially since she couldn’t imagine that he was putting much effort into evading her because he seemed thoroughly engrossed in his own course of action at the moment.
The chaos master was playing with her mane. But not just touching her hair: he kept gathering ethereal locks in his hands and forming them into complex shapes—animals, ponies, castles, and other objects. Of course, as soon as he released the ‘sculpture’, her hair melted into its natural shape. But he would just chuckle and start over on something new.
Celestia, who had settled for the moment on just lightly touching some of the spikes along his tail, glanced over her shoulder finally with a grin. “Are you having fun, Discord?”
“You have no idea.” Discord laughed as he twirled the strands to make them resemble a three-tiered cake. “I’ve adored your hair—it’s your most chaotic feature. I’ve always wanted to get a hold of it, but it didn’t seem like the thing a friend would ask to do.”
Celestia held back a giggle as her smile grew. “I thought your favorite feature of mine was my legs.”
“Your legs are my favorite to look at,” Discord replied with a smirk, “your hair is my favorite to touch.” He raised an eyebrow. “Incidentally what’s this new little obsession of yours with my tail? Trying to create art out of a magic mane and keeping you entertained at the same time hasn’t been easy, you know.”
She blushed and laughed. “I suppose I like your tail. It seems very…”
“Colorful? Unique? Scaly? Sarcastic?”
“All of those things. And also strong.” She shrugged with a small sheepish smile. “You’re very skillful with it. Remember when you made the ballroom floor like glass before our first gala. I slipped and you caught me with your tail.” A slightly dazed look came to her features. “I guess asking for a closer look also didn’t seem like something a friend would do either.”
His chest puffed up with a little bit of pride. “Well, there’ll be no more pesky awkwardness like that now that we’re more than friends. But I promise I’ll try to keep my hands out of your hair on a regular basis—I can’t imagine how distracting this is. I’m just glad to have one evening to explore it completely.”
“Discord,” she blushed a little, “you can touch my hair any time. Actually I like it very much when you do that.” She closed her eyes and raised her head a little. “Making shapes from it feels interesting but when you pull your fingers through it, I….” She took a deep breath then blinked a couple times and added shyly, “It’s nice…”
“Oh really?”
And then both his hands were combing through the tresses.
Celestia released a deep sigh and nodded, her back arching a little. She knew her mane was long but somehow his hands wound fully through every color and wave with ease. Her eyes opened and in a slight daze, some words left her. “Is there anything I do that you like very much, Discord?”
The pulling through her hair ceased. Celestia regained herself and blushed at her words but couldn’t help smiling as she glanced behind her, curious to see Discord’s response.
He was blushing, yes, but he didn’t seem awkward or smarmy. He had a faraway look in his eye like he was remembering something good. His eyes met hers again and he cleared his throat sheepishly. “It’s…very silly.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from the master of chaos,” she replied, turning and moving a little closer.
He twiddled his thumbs, an eyebrow raised. “You won’t laugh?”
She shook her head.
He swallowed them smiled a little again. “I like…nuzzles.”
Her eyes widened a little and her smile grew slightly.
He rolled his eyes. “There’s just something about when you get close to me and brush up against me like that. The first time you did it was at our picnic before our first gala, remember? When you found out about that neat little library trick I did for Twilight…” He brought a hand to his forehead. “I honestly don’t know how you didn’t figure out everything then and there. You nuzzled me, and I practically shut down from the feelings: I even dreamed about it later. If Luna hadn’t had it all figured out by then and covered for me, I don’t know what I would have—“
He stopped talking.
Celestia had figured that would happen when she came up close beside him and pressed her full side and chest against his, nuzzling under his chin. “Like this?”
“Mmm hmm…” was all that he mumbled out in response.
Eventually she felt his arms come up to hug her close.
She nuzzled her head alongside cheek and gave it a small kiss. Discord chuckled and sighed as glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “Promise you won’t tell anyone that the suave, confident, devilishly handsome chaos master’s favorite thing to do on a date is cuddle?”
She nodded and whispered back to him, “That can be one of those special things between us. “ She winked, watched him get a delightfully dazed look again, then started to kiss the side of his face once more, moving near the top of his neck by his mane.
“Tia…” he sighed, and she swore she heard a little growl at the back of his throat. His hands held more tightly around her waist. She kissed near the crown of his head and sighed by his ear, which twitched in an adorable way and brushed her lip. How could all of his fur seem so bracing and rugged while his ear felt soft? She kissed that ear and caught the velvet end firmly between her lips. “C-Celestia?!” Discord exclaimed in a tone of sudden surprise she’d never heard from him.
Celestia blinked a couple times then pulled back to look into his quite wide eyes. “Oh, I…” She cleared her throat, blushing, realizing what she’d just let herself do.
“Did…you just?”
She shuffled on her front hooves, her voice a little high, her features bright cherry. “Ponies used to do that—nip—as a sign of affection. I didn’t even think about how you might… I just got carried away.” She met his eyes again. “Sorry.”
“No, no!” He swallowed. “It was…actually it was quite…” His eyes narrowed a little for a moment and his smile grew, but then he cleared his throat and quickly finished, “It was nice. And…if want to tell you I love you sometimes, I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to nip me sometimes. It’s okay if you get carried away—really.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m just not sure if I could do it back to you though. There’s my fang—I wouldn’t want to hurt you.”
Her smile warmed and a gentle sigh escaped her. “Thank you, Discord, for understanding. And that’s okay. I know you’d never hurt me.”
Some of his suaveness returned. “If there’s anything else that would make you happy from me though, let me know. I hear and I obey, my princess.”
Celestia laughed too and raised an eyebrow. “Hmm, you’ve never been one for obeying before, Discord.”
“I know.” Discord smirked. “And isn’t it just chaotic that now that we can’t keep our hands and hooves off each other, I’m all for giving you everything you could ever want from me?”
She laughed more. “Well, in that case…there is one small—or, I guess, not-so-small—thing. But it’s very, very, very silly…” She shrugged sheepishly.
He raised an intrigued eyebrow. “Silly, hmm? I’m learning to expect nothing less from the sun princess in her off time.”
Celestia sighed and tried not to roll her eyes at herself. If Discord could admit his dream about Veneighce and the fact that he liked nuzzles, she could admit this along with the fact that she was open to nips. “I’d like to be under your thinking tree again.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve thought about what we shared under there so many times. I’ve had dreams of you chasing me around it and catching me and then we fall and laugh. And I never felt as peaceful as when we rested together under the boughs afterward our first kiss just enjoying the day. That tree seems like a lovely part of…you…” Celestia’s eyes widened. With a single snap Discord had made the tree appear in the middle of the room—a little shorter than usual to fit but with the special willow boughs he’d given it during their first kiss.
The chaos master smirked. “You are quite the sentimental one, aren’t you?” He floated around her and spoke into her ear. “You know, I’ve never brought a single lady under this tree except for you—not in the past and not during my life now. Good to have you back.” He floated over to the tree and looked back at her with his arms crossed and an amused eyebrow raised. “Now then, what’s this about me chasing you…?”
She blushed completely as she approached the tree. “I suppose it was like a game… I couldn’t decide how I felt about you, and there you were teasing me with the chance to feel something more about you: always coming closer…”
“A game, huh?” He wound his body around the tree once. “Well, I’m afraid a chase would be a little difficult here indoors, but a game sounds fun. And this is a sleepover, technically, so…” He snapped: two dozen colorful pillows rained down from the ceiling and dropped to the floor.
Celestia glanced at them and smiled. “A pillow fight?”
“Hmm, no, let’s make things much more interesting.” Discord landed and gathered up a bunch of the pillows in his arms. “Why don’t we make some forts, have a little battle like old times? Come on, I know you enjoyed the thrill in the air during our little snowball fight in the Crystal Mountains just as much as I did.” He smirked. “So let’s give in completely now to those old instincts for battle: the princess versus the villain…”
Celestia laughed. “Well…if you really want to, maybe it would be fun.” She used her magic to gather up some pillows.
“Great.” Discord snapped to turn his pillows into a fort nestled in the lowest bow of his tree. “I’ll be the princess.”
Celestia looked up as another snap sounded. Now Discord was looking out of a window in his fort and wearing a pink, cone shaped hat with a veil hanging off of the tip. Her jaw fell. “Discord you’re not serious.”
He just shrugged. “Hey, whenever I played the villain against you, I had a bad habit of losing. This way the game will be much more interesting.” He smirked. “Besides, you can’t tell me you never wanted to play the villain even once…to flaunt society’s expectations. I’ve seen you be playful and sneaky and cunning. I think you have it in you, Tia…and I think you know you have it in you.” He held up a finger. “But no ‘Day Breaker’ stuff—that’s Starlight’s image of you. And no trying to act—we both you’re not very talented at it. I just want you to cut loose and let me see how you feel like being on a more adventurous, more selfish day, Celestia—when you want things your own way or else…. Just once.” He lowered his voice. “It can be one of those special things that stays between us.”
Celestia listened to him with an intrigued smiled. She let his words absorb and then took a breath and used her magic. Once the aura dissipated she stood there wearing a dark bronze tiara with a black jewel. Her smile bright and her eyes narrow, she took a step forward. “It’s over, Princess Discord. Give up and surrender rule of your kingdom and your castle to me unless you want to face the burning wrath of the sun at the hooves of the mistress of fire and light, the Evil Celestia.”
Discord’s jaw fell.
Celestia had to try really hard not to break character with a giggle.
“Wow,” he finally mumbled, “if I wasn’t in love before…”
Celestia rolled her eyes and leaned her head up toward his fort. She whispered in her normal tone. “You’re supposed to say something princessly back now.”
He blinked then chuckled and whispered back to her. “Ah yes, right.” The chaos master cleared his throat and put a dramatic flair into his tone as he held his head high. “You will never conquer the powers of good and chaos and friendship, Evil Celestia. And Princess Discord will never surrender to you. Also, friendship is magic, so there!” He stuck out his tongue.
She smirked. “Then prepare for the doom of a thousand black holes.”
Discord’s eyes brightened and his grin grew. “Ooo, dark…” He chuckled then lowered his voice and added “This is the part where you storm the castle.”
She held back a burst of laughter and nodded. Discord pulled back, and then Celestia dove at the fortress of pillows only to be repelled by a well-tossed pillow from Discord. Suddenly, the fight was on, and the room was soon full of laughter and feathers and burst of magic and (especially) dramatic monologues for fun.
On this lovely night so far, Luna had been swooping about the countryside, tending to some minor duties but mostly enjoying the peace of the evening and letting herself think (the fact that she had pretty much unloaded all of her paperwork for the evening and all of Celestia’s paperwork for the morning—and them some—on Twilight and Cadance definitely contributed to her current freedom.)
She’d also had a chance to reflect on some of her own slight insecurities about Celestia and Discord. She knew her sister would return home with Discord as her confirmed suitor, and she was happy for both of them. But still Luna felt a small twinge of jealousy, as though Discord could now take her place by Celestia’s side. Of course, Luna knew that wouldn’t happen: whatever bond Celestia and Discord formed, it would not be the same as the bond between the two sisters. Still though she wanted to take some part of this night to confront the issue in her own mind and to let it go with acceptance of any changes that were to come. Already, with dawn still far away, she felt at peace about the situation and glad she had taken the time for herself.
Before Luna returned to her room to check on Flurry Heart again though, she knew there was another issue that needed tending. And so the princess of the night circled around the castle and flew toward the observatory tower. There had been no word from her fellow princesses since the note Cadance had attached to Flurry Heart. Luna wondered how her plan had progressed, and worried for just a moment that perhaps an evening together had been enough to calm the immediate strife between the two sister-in-laws but not enough to fully reconcile their bond.
When she reached the window though and peeked in, she smiled and her fears went away. There was Twilight and Cadance, cuddling together in their sleep with smiles. Luna could sense the ease and relief and warmth in their dreams.
She made a mental note to give them plenty of opportunity to thank her in the morning for the success of her strategy and then teleported to her own room.
Her ears met the sound of Flurry Heart’s gentle cooing in her sleep.
Luna walked over to the crib and smiled at the little sleeping filly. “Thine mother and Aunt are all made up. There will be no more fighting, tiny one. And tomorrow morning we shall have the juice from oranges and many pancakes, and you shall have chocolate chips on yours for all your hard work. And then you will get to see Auntie Celestia and Uncle Discord. And if all goes well, as you grow up, you’ll be the first one to have known them only as lovers—not awkward good friends and certainly never as enemies.”
Flurry Heart gurgled in her sleep, and Luna nuzzled her. “I will be here when you awaken. But for now, I must make plans for Discord and Celestia’s homecoming tomorrow before I retire. We can all work on putting it together in the morning.” Luna tucked in Flurry Heart a little extra then teleported away.
A little while later, the remains of the great battle between ‘good and evil’ could be found under Discord’s tree—which meant that Celestia was trapped against the trunk of the tree under the pillows from both of their forts. Discord set the last pillow into place so that only her head stuck out and smirked. “There—I’ve defeated you and sent you to pillow Tartarus where you belong. It seems the forces of good have one again, Evil Celestia. But you did put up an excellent fight.”
Celestia giggled though she tried to remain in character for just a little longer. “But the forces of evil can rise again. Perhaps one day I’ll escape pillow Tartarus and have my revenge.”
“Or one day I’ll come bust you out to reform you,” Discord countered with a wink. “But until then, we’ll just have to wait and see.”
The both burst into laughter finally. Once Celestia caught her breath she smiled up at him. “Discord that was—the most fun I’ve had in ages.” She blushed and shrugged beneath the pillows. “No one except Luna ever asks me to play anymore. And especially not as a bad guy.” She laughed more.
“That was the most fun I’ve had in a very long time too.” Discord rested on the pillows covering her. “That’s the one thing I missed most about the old days with us—the witty back and forth, the struggle for success, the agony of defeat, all the well-timed kooky attacks. Part of me learned to admire something in you from all of that alone. We should do this again some time.”
“I’d like that very much, Discord—it was a wonderful challenge,” she replied with another laugh, though it turned into a yawn. She blinked. “It’s too cozy in here.” She wiggled under the pillows. “Can you help me out, Discord?”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, who said your prison term in pillow Tartarus was done?” The chaos master raised an eyebrow and his grin picked up on one side.
“You do know I could just teleport out of these…” Celestia countered with a grin and a dry look.
“Ah, but that would be the easy way out—quite boring and quite beneath you, Princess.”
“Then how else do I get to leave?”
“Finish your term…” Discord cuddled up closer on the pillows resting over her.
She held back a laugh. “And how long would that be, chaos master?”
“Probably no longer than til sunrise for obvious reasons.” He yawned.
She raised an eyebrow. “Have I tired you out already, Discord?”
“Defeating the forces of evil is very draining apparently. That’s all.” His sleepy eyes met hers.
“Would you consider shortening my term if I asked nicely?” She hazed her eyes. “Please?”
He blushed a little and shrugged. “Well, please is the magic word.” The chaos master snapped: now the two of them were sitting under the tree surrounded by the remains of pillow Tartarus. “I have a feeling that internal princess clock of yours knows just what time it is,” Discord mused, “and I do shudder to think of how late I’ve kept the princess of the day awake…”
“No later than I wanted to stay awake with you.” She gave his cheek one more nuzzle. “Though I guess you were right—sunrise probably was the limit.”
He savored her nuzzle but then his smile became sheepish. “It’s starting to sound like you’re ready for bed too.”
She considered. “Yes, bed does sound nice. We’ll have a long day tomorrow travelling back home and managing whatever’s going on back at the castle.” She rested her hoof against his paw. “You seem disappointed.”
“I guess I sort of just didn’t want our time together here to end—or something mushy like that.” Discord shrugged, blushing more. “You wouldn’t be up for maybe…staying here forever to rule on high as king and queen of the Everfree, would you? Or even just for a month or a year or so?”
She laughed but shook her head with a sheepish smile. “I’m afraid not. You know we’d miss our friends and family too much, Discord. And you have chaos to run, and I have the day. But this really isn’t an end, Discord. It’s the start of so many more times like this to look forward to.”
His nodded, his fingers playing over her hoof. “I know this is probably too much for a first date again but…I hope these times never end.”
She moved a little closer to him. “It’s okay. I…think I hope the same thing.”
They shared a smile again.
He raised his fingers to snap. “I’ll clean up.”
She held up her free hoof. “Can you leave it, actually, just until morning?” She glanced at the tree. “I like your tree. I like the times we’ve had under it so far. Maybe we could even have breakfast under it tomorrow.”
He nodded and lowered his claw. “As you wish, darling Celestia.”
She blushed and smiled more. “And besides, it would be nice to have a goodnight kiss here…the same place where we had our first kiss.”
Celestia’s blush increased and her eyes widened a little as he chuckled low and then snapped his fingers. In the tree’s boughs appeared little glowing points of blue light, just like during their first kiss. Only this time the boughs moved to frame the happy couple instead of closing them in entirely.
When she met his eyes again, Discord had such a charming look on his features that Celestia felt her knees go a little weak. He reached up, brushed her mane away from her eye, and twirled the green lock always framing her face around on his finger. “Can I tell you a secret?” he whispered. She nodded, breath caught in her throat. “Each time I go to kiss you, I still get nervous…” He shrugged, his smile sheepish. “Not ‘bad’ nervous—more like ‘amazed’ nervous. Like ‘in love’ nervous.”
Her gaze warmed and her smile grew. “I get a little nervous too.” Celestia brought up one hoof to rest on his shoulder, her foreleg against his chest. “But we’re alone right now—and everything under your tree stays under your tree…”
“Our tree when it’s like this…” Then Discord tilted his head and moved his lips forward to meet hers, fang glinting mischievously. She closed her eyes, tilted her head, and let her mouth forward to meet his in return.
A wonderful moment happened—this was so much like their first kiss but finally fully realized. His hand ran through her hair, and she moved closer to embrace him and his wings and even his beard fully. There was no string of kisses like back on the ferris wheel or at the start of their time together this evening. This was one long, warm, full kiss, moving through motions as it lived.
His thumb brushed her ear tenderly, and her lips parted for a small, happy gasp.
She felt his mouth smile.
Silly draconequus—what was he planning now?
She found out when his thumb came to the corner of her mouth, and his fang settled lightly between her lips, and his lips opened too. Then her mouth became acquainted with something slender and forked and…quite fun. His kiss went deeper than words—hesitant at first, until her lips melted to him and welcomed him. If there was still any doubt in her mind that they hadn’t gotten to know each other very thoroughly at the end of this evening of cuddles and kisses, he now erased it entirely.
When they finally separated, a light shudder left Celestia. Her eyes slowly opened.
Discord sat before her with a sweet smile and looking so pink. His voice was a tender whisper. “I thought our date should end with something special. And as you said, what happens under this tree stays under this tree so…”
Celestia’s smile grew as did the feeling of warmth in all of her features. “Was it as good for you as it was for me, Discord?”
His eyes widened and then a bashful smile returned and a small chuckle left him. “Yes. Very…” He swallowed. “So we can…do that again sometime?”
Her smile almost became a smirk. “I’d insist upon it, but I don’t want to seem like I’m coming on too strong.”
He chuckled, and she laughed a little too.
Then Celestia placed her hoof against his paw. “We should probably go to sleep now, Discord. We’ve had a very full day.”
Discord stood and bowed with his arm gesturing forward. “Ladies first.”
She moved forward to her bed and placed herself beneath the covers with her head turned so she could face Discord.
A moment later the chaos master entered his own bed facing her.
The sun princess wondered how she would be able to fall asleep with her heart dancing so much.
“Goodnight, Celestia,” Discord said softly. “I love you.”
Celestia felt a little tug in her chest. In response she could only bite her lip and then respond, “I know. Goodnight, Discord. I’m happy we’re together.”
“Me too.” His smile warmed. And then his sleepy eyes closed and he was soon snoring lightly.
Celestia found she didn’t mind the sound in the least. It was comforting; it lulled her into a gentle repose. And she actually wasn’t sure how she would fare without the sound by her side once this last night of theirs together was over. She truly loved being with him.
“Rise and Shine, fellow princesses!”
Twilight and Cadance cringed and yawned deeply at the sound of Luna’s cheerful voice filling their ears.
“It’s morning?” Twilight’s ears twitched.
Cadance pulled up the covers more. “Luna, not yet. Twilight and I aren’t you and Celestia—we don’t wake up at dawn. In the note I sent with Flurry Heart I just meant we’d see you in the morning as in ‘after breakfast’.”
“Ah, but we have much work to do!”
Then in a burst of magic the blanket disappeared. Twilight and Cadance held closer to each other for warmth and cringed in annoyance. When they finally blinked open their eyes they saw Luna smiling down at them and a faint light of dawn from the window.
“I see you two have reconciled quite nicely. Congratulations. I knew my methods would be most effective.” The moon princess held her head high.
“You know, Celestia never gloats when she’s right, Luna,” Cadance murmured, finally picking up her head.
“Ah but I am not Celestia,” Luna merely countered. “Otherwise you would have to send me a letter about what you learned, for starters.”
“I told you…” Twilight murmured, finally raising her head as well.
Luna glanced at the pile of completed paperwork. “You almost got through it all—impressive. Especially considering I gave you all my work for last night, all of Celestia’s work for today, and all of my work for tonight.”
“You did what?” Twilight and Cadance exclaimed at once.
Luna chuckled and turned to them with a sheepish smile. “I didn’t want you to run out. And besides, you wouldn’t want Celestia to have to do work when she comes back today, would you?”
“But why did you give us your work for tonight too?” Twilight raised an eyebrow.
“Because this way I will be free to stay up late gossiping with my sister about her new coltfriend!” Luna replied with a cheery smile.
Twilight had to smile too, as did Cadance. They shared a glance. Then Cadance sighed and looked forward. “Okay, Luna, you win—we were wrong to argue about our domains.”
“Not wrong to argue,” Luna shook her head, “just wrong to get so carried away. You two may not be in charge of directly opposing forces but you’re in charge of realms that have distinct differences. Which means differences between you may arise. But the point is to respect those differences and talk them through and never let them overshadow your bond.” Her eyes hazed in wisdom.
Cadance and Twilight nodded.
Then Twilight’s stomach grumbled. She grinned sheepishly. “Heh, as long as we’re up, why don’t we head downstairs for some breakfast?”
Cadance smiled and nodded.
Luna smiled more. “Oh, I’m afraid breakfast won’t be ready for another hour—plenty of time for you two to finish up the last of the paperwork I gave you while I go lower the moon.” Luna made the completed pile disappear, leaving the small incomplete one behind, ready and waiting with two fresh quills.
Cadance blinked then rolled her eyes, “Luna…”
Luna’s smile didn’t falter as she went on. “And then we can begin the preparations for Discord and Celestia’s homecoming with help from Shining Armor and Fluttershy and Spike and Flurry Heart, and you two as well as long as you’re willing! I’ve even invited the rest of your friends to assist, Twilight Sparkle, and to share a lovely breakfast together!” Luna gave both princesses a cheery wave. “I’ll see you both in a little while! It shall be a most glorious day!” And then she teleported away.
Twilight sighed with a dry look. “I can’t believe we did three cycles of Princess work in one night.”
Cadance, her look equally dry, nodded. “I can’t believe we needed to be taught a lesson like a couple of school fillies just to get along.” She smirked a little. “Want to team up and get her back sometime?”
Twilight smirked a little too. “Once things settle down with Discord and Celestia, I think we could work something out.”
The two princesses shared a warm laugh. Then Cadance sighed and shook her head with a smile. “For now though let’s just finish the paperwork. I’m hungry too: fighting and making up takes a lot out of you.”
“Definitely.”
The two princesses sat side by side before the fire and went over the last of the paperwork together as the sun rose.