In the dark of night, deep within the depths of a mountain surrounded by the sea, a meeting of dire importance was about to be held.
“Soso… I am not so certain about this. You know what kind of reputation he holds… What he is capable of doing… Who he has almost dethroned. I do not wish to owe a titan like that any sort of favor.” A fair-voiced female said to her companion as they neared the end of an ancient hallway.
“Neither do I, Lulu.” A male with a voice as gruff as a crackling fire responded to his fair-voiced partner, “but I fear we may have no other choice. More and more pokemon are becoming rampant with every passing day, and the efforts of the Ranger Council to quarantine them within the mystery dungeons have been growing increasingly more difficult.”
The two exited from the carved stone hallway into a large circular room of similar design. With a wave of his head, four torches lining the wall ignited. The light illuminated the center of the room revealing strange symbols that were scattered about the floor. They resembled some form of ancient letters with large eyes placed in the middle of each symbol.
“These events bear many similarities to the ones that happened so long ago, and if they are signs of the past repeating itself… then I think it’s time to call for assistance from beyond our world.” The male stated with deep thoughts of ages past.
The female hung her head in thought, “you're speaking of bringing a human to our world? Like in the legends?”
“A human or any other being that could provide us aid,” he responded. “Giratina is said to be able to open gateways between dimensions, even from his prison in the Distortion World. If the stars are in the right position, like I believe they are, we should be able to reach him through our link to Ultra Space. ”
“And if he were to ask for a uku(1) for his services? I’d rather not have to give up my firstborn child or something unendurable like that.” The female huffed, crossing her wings.
“You know I would never let that happen once that glorious day comes. You, ʻohana(2), and the wellness of our subjects mean everything to me.” The male answered as he nuzzled his partner's face.
“I know.” The gentle creature blushed as she relaxed. “It still doesn’t make me feel any better for what we are about to do.”
The two creatures stood next to each other on the outer edge of the room. Marks upon their heads begin to glow, dispelling any darkness that remains in the room like a supernova. They both concentrated and within seconds, a large ultra space portal of pulsing blue energy opened in the center of the room.
For the first few moments, the two were both worried and relieved that the wormhole they created hadn’t reached its desired location. Only when the portal shifted to a horizontal position and sunk into the floor with mass-less shadows beginning to seep out of it like water from a spring, forming a black tar-like pool over the center of the room, did they realize they had succeeded.
From the shadows of the darkened portal rose a silhouette with two shining red eyes and six black tendrils ending in red spikes. The two creatures stood as steadily as they could in hopes of hiding their fear from the ancient being before them.
“Who summons me?” Asked a voice so foreign it could only be described as an empty echo, a sound that doesn’t reverberate but only fills the area immediately with itself.
The male stepped forward, “we are Solgaleo and Lunala. Mōʻī(3) and Mōʻī Wahine(4) of the Nation of Light. We have contacted you to ask for your aid, Lord Giratina.”
The mound of darkness said nothing right away and only continued to stare at Solgaleo and Lunala with its emotionless expression. “And what would you request of me? You are both legendaries. Beings far beyond the powers of normal pokemon. Along with that, you are royals. You have an army at your command and the Ranger Council at your aid.”
Solgaleo furrowed his brow, he did not have time for the renegade titan’s games. “If you know all this about us, then I’m certain you already have the answer to that question.”
A low chuckle came from Giratina’s form that rumbled like thunder and stone. “Very astute, your majesty. Yes, I am well aware of the blight of madness that burdens your world. But that still doesn’t answer my question. What do you request of me?”
Llawa o kēia lapuwale!(5)” Lunala shouted, flying up to Giratina. “You already know our world is suffering and that we need your help to fix it! We will gladly tell you what we wish you to do, but only if you will stop drawing this out and listen. Every minute we waste talking to you, the world’s situation just gets wor-”
“You’d do best to not speak to me in such a manner, Mōʻī Wahine Lunala.” The air in the room grew deathly cold as Giratina’s power leaked from the portal like poison. The legendaries felt themselves at a loss for breath but kept their composure. They didn’t want to appear weak in front of Giratina.
“Please remember where you both stand.” He turned his gaze back to the king, “you two may be legendaries, but I am not one of your subjects.” His gaze shifts back to Lunala’s glare, “I am a being far beyond either of your capabilities. I was there when the universe first came into existence and I nearly bested my fellow titans in battle. Entertain the idea that I have the patience, or care, for your impatience and you will find not but regret…” pausing for a few moments as Lunala returns to Solgaleo’s side he continued once their tension was gone. “Now, as this is a meeting, I will ask again. What is it you request of me?”
Solgaleo took on an expression of dour compliance. He looked towards Lunala before meeting her eyes, they both knew he was right. Even if this was just an extension of Giratina from his imprisonment in the Distortion World, they both knew he could easily destroy them with a thought. What was worse was that he could just as easily refuse to help them, and in such a decision, sentence them and their subjects to an even more disastrous fate. Lunala needed to apologize, even if every ounce of pride in her body was telling her not to.
“E kala mai iaʻu(6). Forgive me, Lord Giratina. I misspoke.” Lunala bowed her head in respect.
Silence filled the room, almost as if Giratina was weighing the honesty of her statement or simply didn’t care since his point was already made. He was still waiting for the two of them to address why they had called him to their realm.
Solgaleo broke the moment of silence, “we believe that the blight of madness, as you call it, is the result of an old enemy rearing their head once again. We, alongside the other rulers of this world and the Ranger Council, were able to fight them back and seal them away many centuries ago. But as it stands now in the present, I fear none of us are strong enough to do it a second time. We know of your ability to access other dimensions, so we ask of you, please send a warrior to our aid. Someone who can lend us strength and help fight back this ancient enemy. One who can show us a way to finally remove this threat to our world once and for all.”
The projection of Giratina appeared as if in thought for a moment before answering, “very well. I will bring one who can aid in your struggle. But I do ask for a boon. I want the two of you to break the power that binds me from traversing freely between the dimensions of our universe.”
Solgaleo and Lunala realized what he was implying. They backed up, changing their stances to defend themselves as if expecting for Giratina to burst from the portal at that very moment.
“Calm yourselves,” Giratina commanded with a dismissive wave of a spiked tendril. “Despite the reputation that your world has given me I don’t seek destruction. The battle between myself, Dialga, and Palkia was not for conquest on my part, but for the preservation of my realm. My home.”
Both rulers were surprised at hearing that. Looking at each other for a moment before they resumed a more relaxed stance again, they waited to see if Giratina would tell them more, and he did.
“Dialga and Palkia were the ones who had begun the fight with each other. Their powers extend into your world and mine is the dimension that is the reverse side of it. The clash of their powers damaged my realm as it did yours. Normally damage is expected in small ways, but their battling threatened the stability of my home and thus was when I entered the fray. It was our clashing might that drew Arceus’ full attention and my punishment shortly after.”
The king and queen visibly relaxed since the start of this meeting, even if they hadn’t noticed it themselves.
“So I will grant your request if you both give me your word that you shall aid in freeing me.” He stated in an easier tone, the heavy presence he had brought into the room lifting somewhat.
The two legendaries bowed their heads in respect. “Mahalo(7), Lord Giratina. We swear to aid in freeing you if you bring us a hero to aid in defeating our ancient foe.” They said in unison.
Giratina nodded at their words, “very well, I shall bring you a hero who can aid you in the coming ordeal. Until we meet again.”
And with that Giratina’s projection withdrew into the portal and all of his presence disappeared as if it were a dream, leaving the room as it was before.
The two legendaries stood eyes wide and silent for several minutes before Lunala started to laugh, leaning into Solgaleo who got caught in her laughter as he let out a long hearty laugh of his own.
“Soso, I don’t believe I’ve been that strained in centuries,” Lunala said to her king.
Collecting himself he nodded, “I know what you mean, my love. I haven’t been tense like that since the time I first tried courting you.” He replied with a snicker which earned him a loving swat from his queen.
“True as that may be, we have quite a lot more work ahead of us and much to prepare for the hero Lord Giratina brings us,” she stated as she righted herself and they began to exit through the hallway they had entered from, “and just so you know, I thought it was rather cute how nervous you were with your courting back then.” She said as she smiled sweetly.
The king grinned at the memories they had made together all that time ago and thus now they returned home together, free of the fear that had gripped them before their meeting with the titan.
*The Distortion World, Giratina’s Dimension*
The titan held himself in quiet thought as he reviewed the facts of what that world was facing and whether the small world he had in mind would fulfill the island royals request for a suitable champion. Much of the sentient creatures there were experiencing a lack of impressive individuals within current generations. He would have to view that world once more to find one suited to the trials and the impending task ahead. Turning his head he began flying off in a seemingly random direction and released a blast of his energy, forming a portal to a dimension suited to observe. The time of final twilight before the dawn of the inevitable battle was ever nearing.
He flew through the portal, allowing his shadowy visage to take form in another dimension. He expected to appear before a castle that was built into the side of a mountain. The last time he was here that was where he had arrived. Now, however… well, he couldn’t quite place where he was.
The space surrounding him was fluctuating multiple different colors like a kaleidoscope set to hyper speed. Large patches of land, like islands of green dirt, floated in the nothingness like balloons with seemingly no form of gravity or wind to pull them together or push them apart. Waterfalls fell from their undersides and disappeared into clouds of mist above them. Creatures beyond description flew, walked, and even swam through the air as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and in the center of it all, a quaint little house sat on the largest island.
“It’s considered very rude to pop in unannounced, you know?” Giratina’s head turned towards the house upon hearing the new voice address him. In front of the house was a creature composed of several pieces that vaguely resembled the body parts of different pokemon, but were likely called something else in this dimension. It was dressed in an apron and sun hat with a large pair of rubber gloves on each hand. It was currently using a turnip to dig holes so it could plant a row of trowels in front of the house.
“But really who am I to judge? I pop in unannounced all the time!” The creature chuckled to itself as if enjoying some kind of inside joke. “I can’t help myself really. It’s just too funny seeing all those surprised expressions whenever somecreature sees me appear out of thin air.”
The creature turned and smiled at Giratina with a pair of differently sized yellow eyes. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Discord, Equestrian Spirit of Chaos, and who might you be?”
“Giratina… Lord of the Distortion World.” The titan would have said more, but he currently felt unnerved by this being. One wouldn’t usually act so calm after an alien monster appeared out of a portal. He’d either have to be a mortal who had vast experience in summoning or be a godlike entity much like himself and considering the organization of this realm, he was more willing to believe the latter.
Discord stood and snapped his fingers, causing his clothes to vanish in a flash of light. “Forgive me for being blunt. But I can’t help but think, have we met once before?”
“I don’t think that’s likely.” Giratina replied. “This dimension is completely new to me. I was actually following a strong energy source and I was expecting to arrive in a dimension with a land full of a race of creatures called ponies. If I recall correctly, the last time I followed this energy source it took me to a mountain with a castle and town built into it. I believe the mortals called it Canterlot. I can’t quite fathom the reason why it would lead me here now.”
“I zee.” Discord said, now dressed in a lab coat with crazy white hair and a pair of oversized glasses. Continuing to speak with an accent he pulled out a title-less textbook from his pocket, “zen I can broudly azume zis broffes mein hybozezis.”
He turned the textbook around to reveal it was actually a photo album, “vu must haffe Harriffed in Equestria during zee time I vas Himbrizoned. Zee energy zource vu vere folloving must haffe peen me vile I vas on disblay in zee Canderlot Kartens. “
Giratina’s visage flew closer and observed the album, “if this is true, then perhaps you may just be the being I seek to recruit.”
At those words, one of Discord’s eyebrows arched in curiosity, “oh? Do tell.” He encouraged Giratina to tell him more while dropping the accent. Then with a smile and a snap of his tail he made his attire disappear in another flash of light.
Giratina explains his quest to the chaos spirit, “the world in the dimension opposite of mine is threatened by a malevolent entity that is rapidly regaining its power to rise again and finish its goal to drain that world of all energy, including the life energy of everything on it. If that world goes it will cause great irreparable damage to my own. The rulers of that world have entered a pact with me to find a hero to aid in defeating this ancient evil.”
Hearing the titan’s words, Discord took note of a certain word used. Discord threw away his notepad before saying his piece, “interesting, though I do have a question. You said the rulers entered a pact with you. What do you get in return for finding this hero?” Discord asked with a literal twinkle of interest in his eye.
“I shall be unbound from the bonds placed upon my dimension that prevent me from moving freely through the other dimensions of my home universe.” Giratina states.
At that Discord visibly stopped moving in his entirety. He didn’t expect to relate to this creature so easily, nor so close to an experience he himself once endured.
“How long have you been bound?” The draconequus asked.
Giratina mused a moment on the time when he was imprisoned before speaking, “it was shortly after I, along with my fellow titans, came into existence shortly after existence itself. The first one had tasked my fellow two titans with the responsibilities of space and time as each held the power over one. They went about their task, seeing that reality within their jurisdictions acted accordingly. But, while working on a new world they came into conflict. The damage from their fighting affected my own home dimension as it was the opposite of the dimension they were fighting in. When the first one had not bothered to take notice, I was forced to intervene or watch as my dimension suffered permanent damage. While I am stronger than the other two, my destructive nature clashing with theirs got the attention of the first one and he halted the battle. His anger was such that he bound me within my dimension to prevent me from ever leaving and had the other two return to theirs. While I hold a disdain still at the actions of the first one, I had unwisely earned the focus of his anger at that moment when I had voiced my anger at the events that had unfolded, including his lack for taking notice of my fellow titans fighting before I had to deal with them.”
The look on Discord’s face was one of outrage and bafflement, “are you serious? You are, you really are.” He massaged his forehead with his lion paw as he closed his eyes, “I can understand if you had been just thrown back into your dimension and told to stay there for a time by this first one you speak of. But he took his full ire out on you alone because you called him out on not stopping your fellow titans when it was him that had given them the responsibility of maintaining space and time? That is… I can’t even… What is this first one’s problem?!” Discord said as his body turned into literal flames of seething anger, each a different hue of fire for his varied body parts.
Giratina was actually surprised by the response. He had never thought someone would get upset over what had happened to him.
Discord turned his attention back to his guest, “tell you what Giratina, I’m going to help you find a hero for this little pact of yours. I’d go to deal with the problem in this other world myself, but as a spirit of chaos, I tend to cause more problems than fix them when it comes to super-heroics. We have quite a few choice individuals these days in Equestria, even some from other lands.” The chaos spirit assured the titan as he put an arm around his neck. Snapping his eagle talons, he caused a large scroll to appear before them with the images of many creatures on it. “Let us see if we can find the one best suited to your predicament.”
Upon the scroll, Giratina could see many creatures ranging from scales to feathers, hooves to fins, and colors as varied as a bag of jelly beans.
“Now we did just get back some of our more experienced heroes from a thousand years ago-” Discord began telling Giratina of all the creatures he knew of that were good at dealing with big bad villains.
*Equestria, Nighttime, the Everfree Forest*
Elsewhere, a pair of candy blue eyes were staring at a roasting marshmallow more intently than usual, before a curious country accented voice made those eyes blink and turn their attention to the voice’s orange owner.
“You ok there Pinkie?” Applejack asked, “you’ve been starin’ at that there marshmallow for a while now.” Applejack asked her confection loving friend.
Pinkie blinked again and just giggles, “of course I am silly! I was just thinking about a big party I’m planning. But it’s majorly, super-duper, big! hush-hush! So I’m not able to let anyone know about it.” Pinkie explained with a big grin.
Applejack smiled as she figured that was what was on Pinkie’s mind, she was a party pony after all, “well ok Pinkie. S’long as you’re ok.” Applejack said as she ate her roasted marshmallow.
Everycreature around the campfires were busy talking and eating marshmallows, smores, and other fun treats. This camping party Pinkie had put together for the many heroes of Equestria was going better than she had expected. The renovated Castle of the Two Sister was perfect for parties, especially now that the garden had been restored. Though a few like Discord hadn’t been able to show up some other guests like Ember and Thorax had managed to come when invited by their young subjects who were attending the School of Friendship and invited them to enjoy a small break from royal duties. The Pillars were probably enjoying this the most as they were telling many tales of their time to the others. Starswirl was even loosening up from his usually rigid demeanor and was telling stories of Celestia and Luna’s youth, which had the younger pony royals laughing their manes off as the two sisters reactions changed from amusement to embarrassment as their mentor revealed secrets they’d rather never relive.
This was a good night and would make things easier for whoever was going to traverse to this other universe in need of a hero. Pinkie’s pinkie sense was right on the money again, somecreature was going to be traveling to another world. As she concluded that satisfying thought she bit into her marshmallow only to yell, “HOT!!!” and immediately seek the closest liquid to cool her burnt mouth.
“Now let’s see, what other tales are there to tell…” Starswirl questioned as he scratched his beard in thought. “Oh! Perhaps the time a young Celestia discovered my prototype for the magic mirror and ended up traveling to an alternate universe where she met-”
“Or! Perhaps it’s time to let someone else have a turn, Starswirl.” Celestia interjected, her face beet red and hotter with embarrassment then the celestial body she rose every morning. Almost on instinct, she turned her gaze towards Twilight. Her faithful student had prevented so many dire situations before, it wasn’t like she couldn’t solve this threat to her dignity as well. “Why don’t you tell us about one of your adventures, Twilight.”
The princess of friendship suddenly felt tense after being put on the spot like this. She chuckled nervously and scratched the back of her head, “oh you wouldn’t want to hear any of my stories, I’m not very good at retelling them. I’m more of a ‘read books aloud’ kind of pony than spinning fables like Starswirl. Besides, I’m sure you’ve all heard them before.”
“Nonsense, Twilight,” Luna exclaimed, her expression equally as anxious as Celestia’s and just as determined to get the young princess to speak. “I’m certain whatever story you choose will be exceptionally thrilling. Plus it would be refreshing to hear the tales of your adventures as they happened in your factual mind rather than by your friends. No offense to any of them, of course, I just feel some of them have a tendency to over-exaggerate certain details.”
The other princesses and the pillars all nodded their heads in agreement, it would be nice to hear one of her adventures as they actually happened, which they were certain Twilight would be able to deliver given her analytical personality.
The young princess suddenly felt a lot of pressure fall upon her shoulders, and in a fit of nervousness, desperately searched for a way out of having to boast about herself. Thankfully, she found her scapegoat quickly when she saw that their campfire was growing noticeably low.
“Oh, would you look at that!” If Twilight was trying to be subtle, she most certainly was not going the right way about it. “We need more firewood. I’ll just pop out of the castle for a minute and grab some more. Be back in a flash!”
She turned on her hooves and began trotting away at a brisk pace. It was obvious to everypony watching that she was just trying to get out of having to tell a story. They could tell she was nervous even before she started making excuses and it would be lying to say they didn’t feel bad that they drove her to such a reaction with their well-meant encouragement.
Celestia and Luna felt bad for this reason too, but they felt even worse about what Twilight’s absence meant for their shattered prides. A sense of dread filled their cores as they heard Starswirl speak up again, “well I suppose now that Princess Twilight is gone, somepony else will need to tell a story. Would anypony else like a turn?”
“Swirly!” Princess Flurryheart shouted joyfully from between her mother’s folded front legs.
Princess Cadence giggled, “I think Flurryheart wants to hear another story from you, Starswirl.” She turned an impish eye towards her aunts as a smirk spread across her face, “I wouldn’t mind hearing a few more myself actually.”
The princesses of the night and day preemptively gulped. If they weren’t certain of it before, they were sure of it now that any respect they had from the other pillars and the ruler of the Crystal Empire would be gone by morning.
Twilight was frustrated with herself, it wasn’t like she didn’t have any stories worth telling. She raised her head and looked around at all the creatures having fun around the campfires, all the creatures she had a part in bringing together through her actions as an Element of Harmony and the Princess of Friendship. Never before had such a peace been achieved in the world before she became a princess, never before has such harmony existed between the races thanks to her and her friends' teachings. It was truly something to be proud of. Maybe she was just too humble.
It didn’t take long to reach the forest after exiting the castle. If it were several years ago, she might have been afraid to enter the Everfree Forest alone, but with the amount of power she now boasted and countless excursions she made into the woods, it felt more like a casual trip to the Ponyville market more than anything.
She stepped deeper into the forest where she knew she’d be out of sight of everycreature else in the castle. This would be a good place to do some thinking. She walked about the forest floor, picking up any fallen branches or twigs she could find to feed her group’s campfire. She began to wonder why she acted the way she did around the pillars and the other princesses. She did feel nervous at the time, so maybe it was a natural reaction. But why was she nervous? Maybe it was because she was surrounded by her idols, ponies she had always strived to be like since she was just a filly reading fairy tales? It was jarring to think about honestly. That she now stood as an equal to legends like Starswirl the Bearded and Princess Celestia. She couldn’t believe she had reached this point in her lifetime. Most ponies toiled throughout their entire lives to even get their names known, and here she was, helping to rule the nation alongside mares that could be considered gods.
Twilight smiled to herself. To say she had come far for a little antisocial unicorn growing up in Canterlot would be the understatement of the millennium. Her smile grew wider as she turned it towards the large bundle of firewood she had collected. She decided right then and there she’d go back and tell all her idols the greatest story they ever heard. It would be as real as the day she lived it and she would leave no facts uninvolved. After all, this was her journey she’d be retelling and she’d want it to be as amazing an adventure for them as it had been for her.
She turned to head back towards the castle, only to see one of the ponies she had been thinking about trotting towards her.
“Princess Luna?” She called out to the pony in question.
Luna turned her head back from over her shoulder to see Twilight was blocking the path before her. “Oh, Princess Twilight! Hello.” She brought her hoof up and ran it through her ethereal mane in embarrassment. “Forgive us. We weren’t aware you went this way to collect firewood.”
Twilight giggled but tried to hide it with her hoof. “You seem flustered Princess, is something the matter?” Like she didn’t already know.
Luna blushed and blinked in surprise, “you can tell?”
“You haven’t used the Royal ‘We’ since your first Nightmare Night, and a book I read once said that ponies tend to fall into old habits when they become stressed or anxious.”
Luna’s eyes widened, but soon after she began to laugh. Much like most of the castle’s library, her sister’s faithful student could read her like a book. A prime example of how much she had come to understand about friendship during her time as a princess. “As this generation would say, you’ve hit the nail right on the head. Call it silly, but I needed to get away from Starswirl for a while. As much of a father figure and mentor he’s been to me and though I cherish all the memories we share, there are some memories I’d wish he’d have the tact to keep quiet.”
Twilight waved her off with a hoof and a sympathetic smile. “If it makes you feel any better, my parents are the exact same way. I can’t begin to tell you how embarrassed Shining Armor and I were when he and Cadence started dating. By the end of their fiftyth tale about our foalhoods, we were afraid Cadence would never look at us the same way again.”
Luna chuckled, “it’s a little different when you’ve been ruling a kingdom for several odd millennia, Twilight. Ever since the paparazzi was invented, they’ve been looking for secrets to use against us, Equestria’s oldest living celebrities.” She shook her head, dismissing her concern, “thankfully, Starswirl is wise enough to not speak of anything too incriminating for fear of just such reasons.”
Twilight nodded, “then perhaps it’s time we head back to the castle? I know for a fact Princess Celestia would prefer your company alongside her misery. Plus I was planning to start telling some of my own stories. Hopefully, give you and your sister a break from all those embarrassing trips down memory lane.”
They turned to head back towards the castle, “finally… I’ve finally found you.” Only to stop when they heard a deep echo that sounded almost like a voice. “I came here just to find you.”
Turning back around their eyes were greeted by an enormous vortex of shadows hosting a pair of menacing glowing red eyes, “your strength is needed.” The mysterious voice told the two of them, the owner's silhouette showing only in shifting glimpses through the portal’s swirling darkness.
Both princesses took a quick glance at each other as if to confirm what they were seeing was indeed real. They both took up defensive stances as Luna stepped out in front of her sister’s former student. “I do not know who you are or what your intent maybe, but if you have come to capture us I assure you we shall not be taken so easily. Explain yourself quickly and mayhaps battle shall be avoided this night.”
Before Luna could make good on her threat or Giratina could explain things any further, both princesses felt a sudden pinch at the base of their necks. They fell unconscious as Discord stood over them. He was dressed in a long-sleeve blue shirt with a black bowl cut on his head.
“That would be most illogical, princess. Our friend here has little time to explain his actions.” He then grabbed his shirt and ripped it off his body like tissue paper and took off his bowl cut revealing it to be a bowl of wheat cereal with milk and a spoon.
Giratina paused and looked at Discord in confusion. “I appreciate the aid, Discord. But I don’t believe that course of action was required. I could have easily explained my presence without inducing any conflict.”
Discord sighed as he ate a spoonful of cereal, “it happens every time, if I dress up as anyone other than Q somebody gets uppity.” He took a bite out of the bowl, somehow causing none of its contents to spill. “Despite what you think of my methods, trust me when I say they’re necessary. Ponies have a tendency to judge others according to their appearances, and I’m sorry to say this, but you're not the friendliest-looking creature around.”
Giratina looked down at the princesses before reaching through the portal and wrapping his tendrils around them, “without further observations of this world, I will have to take your word for it. Though I still wish you hadn’t resorted to such actions.” He voiced as he gently lifted the two mares off the ground.
“I believe this mare, Twilight Sparkle, may be capable of bringing balance to that world now thrown into madness. The accomplishments you have shown me make her seem more than qualified. But this prejudice present in the pony society you mention…it concerns me. I know our deal was that I only take one hero from Equestria, but perhaps two would be safer? If only to have two minds overseeing the problem and make better decisions based on differing opinions.”
Discord was now dressed in a smoking jacket with a tobacco pipe and thick glasses on his face. “Just as long as you treat them right and have them back before midnight, young man. And no funny business, my little princesses are very important to me.” He tutted his pipe at Giratina like a supportive father on his daughter’s first date.
“Be aware, Discord,” Giratina said as he held Luna and Twilight before his portal, “once I transport these two to the pokemon world, my time in the mortal plane will be done. I will not be able to watch over them and it will be up to them to look out for each other and find allies to keep themselves safe.”
“No worries then.” Discord snapped his finger making his clothes disappear again. “Twilight is intelligent and has an uncanny talent for making friends. And Luna… well she's always combat-ready and far more versed in politics and the harsher aspects of life than Twilight .” Discord smiled a heartfelt grin at the two princesses. “Together they should be able to balance each other out and keep each other safe. I’m 132% sure of it.”
“I hope you're right.” Giratina pulled the two into the portal, “because the pokemon world will need all the help it can get.” Once the princesses disappeared into the black mass, the portal began to shrink. “Thank you for your aid Discord. Your kindness will not be forgotten.”
The draconequus waved to the titan as the portal closed, addressing him as if he were a friend leaving from a playdate. Once the portal closed however, Discord’s smile and hand both fell. “Wish I had 200% confidence in them.” He sighed, “whelp, guess I got a new story to tell everycreature at the party.” He turned and began walking towards the castle. “Wonder if they have any marshmallows left? I’ve still got some chunky pineapple salsa I’ve been meaning to finish before it goes bad.”