“...Did it work?”
Rainbow’s question pierces the silent atmosphere. Eyes peel away from the gray stone statue, cautiously but optimistically looking at the clear skies. Nopony dares cheer, and only Pinkie Pie gives a soft sob of regret at the missing pink and brown littering the ground with chocolate rain. Trixie picks herself up, brushing off the dirt, sighing in relief. The rest bear hopeful smiles, joining Trixie in wishing that hopefully - and more permanently this time - Discord has finally been dealt with.
Celestia peers up to the heavens, her horn flaring a bright gold. Luna copies the motion, a cobalt aura shimmering in the air. The sun and moon slowly, but surely, calm their speedy progress through the sky. Pleased grins cross both of their muzzles, the two sisters exchanging almost unprincess-like smug smirks of satisfaction. The sun then speeds again and fades from the sky - with any luck, for the final time that night - as Luna repositions the moon to precisely where it should be.
“It would appear so,” Celestia’s regal voice rings out, examining the statue. Discord is standing, an arrogant smirk on his face with both arms crossed across his chest. “Though we should still be on our guard.” She turns, a light gasp at Luna’s pained expression. “Sister, are you all right?”
“Ugh, yes, we just know that Doug is rifling through our things.” Luna sighs. “Probably looking for something that will help us. Though now that our Moon again rests in the sky, perhaps he will cease his efforts.” Her attention turns back towards the board and the filly opposite her.
“One can hope.” Celestia turns to Lemon and Meringue and sternly addresses them. “I believe the two of you owe us an explanation for your actions.”
“Y-you wouldn’t throw a filly in Tartarus, would you?” stammers Fluttershy while Pinkie Pie looks oddly unconcerned.
“I suppose that depends on their answers,” Celestia coldly responds. She pointedly stares at the two yellow fillies.
Lemon sighs, though not terribly unhappily. More like she has to explain why she didn’t get her homework done on time. “I saw somepony - well, not really somepony, more like somecreature.” She glances at the amalgamation of parts that constitutes Discord. “Somecreatures? Anyway. I saw Discord, and he looked like he was really unhappy with being all alone. You know, like all he wanted was attention? I know I can sometimes get like that. Ponies have told me that I’m just like my dam-”
“It’s true!” Pinkie Pie pipes up.
“-but I don’t really see the resemblance.” Lemon shrugs. “I’m trying to help ponies feel better about themselves, and Pinkie Pie is trying to cheer them up. Big difference!”
She says the last part without an ounce of sarcasm, nodding at everypony as if she is expecting nods in return.
Getting none, and not caring, Lemon continues. “So, I guess what I’m getting at is that while Discord might have looked like he needed an audience, what he really needed was more than just an audience. He needed somepony who was there for him, and not just for his jokes. I mean, some of them were really funny, but a lot of them were dark.” She shudders, closing her eyes against imagined eldritch horrors far too old for anypony. “He didn’t seem to like that part. Even if he thought that it was expected of him.”
“I think nopony hopes for a dark lord of chaos,” Celestia readily agrees. “A being with his power intent on actually causing harm would be unstoppable. Yet, his great power is also his undoing. After all, any plan of his by definition would impose order on himself. And as a being of pure chaos, he cannot abide by such a contradiction, even if such a thought might suit him.”
“Yeah, exactly.” Lemon nods along. “So, I was really trying to be his friend! And, um, try to help all of you at the same time. Make him no so mean. I mean, some of his ideas were really dark. Like, he wanted this rack shear thing? I thought it was a clothing thing-”
Rarity shakes her head at that.
“-but then it turns out that he wanted Celestia and Luna to engage in single combat to the death. And, by single combat, I mean that everypony who likes Celestia would fight everypony who likes Luna while the two of them duel.”
“That seems pointless and destructive,” Celestia says, “especially with such a forgone conclusion.”
“Yes,” Luna agrees confidently, swishing her mane. “Everypony knows who is best Princess.”
“You think you stand a chance?” Celestia snorts in naked disbelief. “I have led Equestria for a thousand years!”
“And your younger, better looking Sister has returned to claim her rightful place!” Luna leaps to her hooves, eyes twinkling mirthfully. “As I have bested you in Pie rolling, I shall best you as best Princess!”
“Lies and deceit!” Celestia rises to the challenge as a soft voice pierces through.
“Please stop fighting,” Fluttershy implores, cowering down and peeking through her hooves at the two alicorns.
Celestia looks around warily, then sighs in relief. “And that is how I know Discord is truly defeated. Because he could not have passed up that opportunity to prove me wrong, or gloat at myself and my Sister fighting. That he has some grand master plan that will end with all of ponykind bowing on their knees to a dark and terrible overlord.”
Celestia winces as Luna nods, also calming down. “Unless he was planning on me saying that, and then decided to interrupt when I let my guard down.” She pauses another moment. “Or then.”
Another pause, everypony tensing up.
“Or then.”
“Come on,” Lemon impatiently cries out. “That could go on forever. You’ll deal with him when he comes back. If he comes back.” She motions to the board in front of her. “I convinced Discord to give up some of his more heinous ideas, and rein it in on a couple of his other means ones. Now sit down! We have a game to finish!”
Celestia sighs, one final glance at the Discord statue before she turns to Meringue. “And you, my little pony? What do you have to say for yourself?”
Meringue's voice is impassive, every syllable carefully chosen and enunciated.
“Chaos magic unique; similar to Dream magic. Intriguing concept. Opportunity for study, too great.”
Meringue pauses, bowing her head slightly, almost contritely.
“Cannot deny purpose. Would defect again, given equivalent chance. Must improve.”
“You remind me of a student I once had,” Celestia says neutrally. “She too was willing to go to any length, cut through any lock, and open any portal, should she think the reward outweighed the risk.” She peers down at Meringue. “And, what are we improving ourselves for? Or against?”
“Unknown. The unknown. Entities undiscovered.”
Meringue huffs at the lack of change in Celestia’s demeanor.
“Potential awaiting. Must pursue. Must.”
Celestia stares at Meringue for a long moment. Long enough for nervous glances to be traded among the others. Meringue merely meets her gaze, unflinching. Not quite daring Celestia to send her away, but challenging her to dispute her reasoning.
Celestia eventually turns to Pinkie Pie, the bored and disappointed mare halfheartedly pronking in place. “Why did you stay with us?”
Pinkie Pie considers for a split second before a smile crosses her face. “Oh? You think if I had swapped sides too, we might still have all sorts of wonderfully fun and delicious chaos going on?”
Pinkie Pie considers this as everypony turns and glares at her.
“Wha-a-t?” Pinkie Pie exclaims, trying to stay cheerful but forlornly staring at what used to be a puddle of chocolate milk and is now just a slight depression in the ground. “It’s not like it would have been that bad. Not, like, the end of the world bad.” She shrugs blithely. “Or even the end of all equine life bad. Or the end of magic in Equestria bad.”
Pinkie Pie smiles again, as if nothing had ever happened. “I’m sure we could have adapted!”
“Adapted to eternal chaos?” Celestia smirks, sparing a glance at Discord. “You are optimistic. As always.”
“Yupperoonies!” Pinkie Pie giggles as she inspects the board game between the two diarchs and her two foals. “So, who’s winning?”
“I… don’t rightly know,” Celestia says, her cool and confident mask slipping and showing the unsure mare underneath. “The rules are constantly changing. I’m just waiting for a ‘gimme’ card where I get all of the pieces.”
“That… doesn’t sound very fair,” Pinkie Pie says, her voice verging on unhappiness. Her face quickly brightens, “Actually, it sounds like what happened when we defeated Nightmare Moon! We turned an enemy into a friend!”
Celestia’s eyes flick to Luna, though neither say anything.
Celestia eventually breaks the silence. “I don’t suppose-”
“Sister,” Luna rebukes, though only half as harsh as she can make it, “tonight is not the night to attempt Discord’s rehabilitation. Please, I beg of you, as does the rest of Equestria and the lands beyond, please, wait at least one day? Preferably, a week?” She considers what will be happening in a week. “Or two?” Then the likely outcome of that. “Or three? At least three weeks?”
“Well,” Celestia says, looking over at Discord’s statue. “I suppose he has waited a thousand years. What’s another few weeks?”
“Precisely.” Luna’s attention turns back to their game. “Now, I just need to beat this fiend and we shall finally be free!”
“Um, Luna,” Celestia says, though she stops herself with a small titter. “Actually, nevermind.” She turns back to her own game, a slight smirk on her muzzle. “Now, where were we?”
Applejack watches the four, plus Pinkie Pie, return to their board game. She remarks to Twilight and the others, “Well, Ah don’t know about you, but Ah need to go apologize to Fancy Pants about ripping him off. Ah don’t know what came over me, putting making a few bits, even if it was for family, over honesty and integrity!”
“Oh, Applejack!” Fancy Pants says as he comes out from hiding. “Think nothing of it! Just a, how shall I say, well deserved bonus! A bit of grease to help get everything started! I’m sure we can come up with an equitable price for the rest!”
“Well, Ah ain’t taking it!” Applejack stamps a hoof. “There’s no way Ah’m delivering a crate of apples at that price! It’d have to be at least half that!”
“Applejack, you’re being unreasonable!”
“Ah can go lower! You want me to go lower?” Applejack paws at the ground. “Ah’ll do it!”
“I think I figured out why we’re so poor,” Rainbow Dash quietly remarks to Twilight, drawing a smirk from the unicorn. “We need to get, like, Gilda to negotiate all her trade agreements.”
“Maybe I can take a look at them as well,” Twilight returns with a wry smile, waving at Spitfire and Prince Blueblood as they peek around the corner.
“Well, I got a lot of Wonderbolts to get through.” Rainbow Dash stretches her wings, flying out of the entry hall with Spitfire. “See ya later!”
“And I’m sorry we got off on the wrong hoof,” Rarity says charmingly to Lunaris, making sure her dress is free of any imperfections. “What would you like to do?”
“I’ll humor you,” Lunaris replies, dipping his head slightly. He pulls the rose from his suit. “Ma’am.”
Rarity takes the rose in her magic, giddily strutting away, Lunaris in tow.
Trixie takes the opportunity to collapse to the ground and take a nap. Fluttershy leaves for the gardens, Pinkie Pie to the party, and Applejack with Fancy Pants. Spike, no longer coughing up scrolls and feeling a lot better, quickly grows bored and leaves to make sure the fillies, specifically the Crusaders, haven't gotten into too much trouble. That or see Sweetie Belle and get a hot chocolate at Donut Joe's. It'd be the perfect place to lay low if they did get in trouble, actually. Joe's cool like that.
Twilight sighs, happy everything ended well. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be an endless procession of ponies waiting to shake Celestia’s hoof, so once they finish that seemingly neverending game of theirs she’ll be able to chat with her mentor about all kinds of things!
Twilight sits down, watching the game. Except she quickly grows bored of watching the ponies in front of her think. And every three moves, when they add in a new rule, they have to think even more. And she doesn’t really get what they are trying to do, either.
It’s quite a relief when Doug arrives, though his shudder at seeing the Discord statue is a little disconcerting. Still wearing his armor, but holding something.
“What do you have there?” Twilight asks, motioning at the brown, twine bound book in his hand.
“It’s a spellbook, I think; I was going through Luna’s stuff, trying to find something that might help, and this Star Swirl thing caught my eye." Doug turns, shouting, “Luna, I took a book from your office!” Doug plops down next to Twilight. “It’s a present for Twilight!”
“Knave!” Luna shouts, though it appears to be directed at Meringue. She glances up at Doug. “Thou filly cheats!”
“You can’t prove it!” Doug returns, the book on the opposite side of his body from Twilight. Luna’s frustrated groan is nearly music to his ears as he looks at Twilight. “So, what’s gotten you so interested all of a sudden?”
“Did you say… Star Swirl?” Twilight demands, trying to get a peek at the book. “Star Swirl the Bearded?”
“Maybe,” Doug says evasively, hiding the book behind him. “Why? What’s it to you? I thought you wanted to hang out with Celestia and talk magic and how your studies are coming along.”
“Yes, well,” Twilight says, peeking her head left and right to try to catch a glimpse of the book. “She’s busy.” Trying to distract Doug by pointing a hoof at the game doesn’t work either. “So, just…”
“On one condition,” Doug says, doing his best not to smirk mischievously.
“Done,” Twilight immediately agrees, practically pouncing on Doug and forcing him to the ground, the book still behind his back. “I don’t think they’ll mind, since we’ll be doing it again in ten days.”
“You… seriously? Really?” Doug beams, pulling the book out from behind him. A few loose pages stick out, the whole thing looking as haphazard as the stallion that made it was rumored to be. “I’m glad, and really happy and overjoyed and all that you’ve made that decision. I really am.” He kisses Twilight on the nose, the mare grinning back. “But that wasn’t the condition.”
Twilight grasps the book with both hooves, her weight resting entirely on Doug, made a little uncomfortable by his breastplate. “Oh?”
Doug taps the book. “I have no idea what’s in here. I was just hoping it contained a spell or two that might affect Discord. So, no casting the spells unless you know what they do. Okay?”
Twilight rolls her eyes, scoffing. “Duh. Oh, and deal, and you get to talk with me about them.” Twilight lets go of the book, shifting so she and Doug are laying next to each other. “And you have to hold the book.”
Doug rolls his eyes, flipping open Star Swirl the Bearded’s spell book to the first page.
Twilight sighs happily, snuggling next to Doug. The Gala might not have gone exactly how she wanted it to go. Maybe not the best night ever, but how much more could you really ask for?