“The Modern Magic by Twilight Sparkle,” Sunset read off the cover of the book she had been handed.
“It’s one of Equestria’s best sellers,” offered the hippogriff librarian sitting at the front desk as she readjusted her glasses.
Sunset figured if she was really going to catch up on several missed decades of magical study, she couldn’t be picky about where the information came from. “Alright, I’ll take it. Check it out with the rest of the books, please.”
“My pleasure. It’s so nice to have somegriff take an interest in these old books. Aside from the princess, you’re the only one who ever comes here regularly,” the middle-aged hippogriff responded as she checked out the latest collection of books Sunset Shimmer had decided to read through.
Experimentation and observation were Sunset’s preferred methods of learning new magic, but she wasn’t averse to some old-fashioned textbook learning when the situation called for it. Within a few days, she had made record progress reading through the stacks of books she picked up from the castle library.
“Well, it’d be a shame for nopony to make use of your impeccable organization system, Sky Quill.” Sunset said with earnest to one of her new friends within the castle.
It seemed the possession of flight and hand like claws made for a deadly book organizing combination. There was no shelf in the castle Sky Quill couldn’t reach. Nopony short of an alicorn could even hope to do the job better.
Before Sunset could even bid the kindly hippogriff goodbye a stiff blue skinned changeling in a tailored tuxedo approached them sporting a typical look of indifference. “I figured I’d find you roaming about here. Princess Twilight requests your assistance, Ms. Shimmer.”
By now, Sunset knew that he referred to her as such simply to try and get a rise out of her. It always worked. “That’s DOCTOR Shimmer to you, Cercus. I didn’t spend countless sleepless nights studying my flank off to be called, ‘Ms.’ Shimmer.”
“Until you can provide me with your degree or an answer to your place of study beyond, ‘It’s complicated’ I’m afraid I will not be able to oblige,” Cercus responded without a single change in inflection.
As far as Sunset could tell, the changeling’s expression had yet to change even once since she had met him, but she swore she could see the mockery behind his purple eyes.
Cercus was something akin to the Kibitz of modern Equestria. One of Twilight’s most trusted attendants and advisors who made sure that the princess had her crown on straight before she left her chambers. More recently, he served as Sunset’s keeper. Tracking her down whenever Twilight was in need of her, helping her become accustomed to the castle, and keeping whatever tabs on her he felt was necessary.
All things considered; he was a real stick in the mud. He was also her first new friend in the castle. Once you moved past the sarcasm and dry humor, there was a changeling who seemed to genuinely care. At least, that’s what Sunset thought she was seeing behind the blank mask he called a face. In any case, she could think of worse creatures to hold her leash.
“Whatever. You said Twilight needs me?” Sunset picked up, moving past their typical banter.
“Indeed. Her majesty is about to begin her daily research. On that note, I would advise you to rehearse your defense spells while on your way. Today’s research appeared particularly dubious,” Cercus informed her.
“It’s one of those days then,” Sunset thought as she began to make her way out of the library. “Alright, I’ll see you both later. I hope anyway.”
Sunset wasn’t quite sure what Twilight had meant when she said she needed a unicorn powerful enough to keep up with her and her experiments, but after the third castle shaking explosion of the day she was fairly certain that she simply needed a unicorn strong enough to survive her scientific exploits.
So far, her own shield spells had been proficient enough to endure the experiments, but the amber mare still wondered how comfortable she was spending her days hanging around ground zero.
“Khoff…kaff…well, it seems like griffin feathers weren’t the stabilizing agent I was hoping for," Twilight choked out, her face now blackened with soot and her wind-swept hair now more hurricane-swept.
“Really? Was it the violent gurgling or the explosion that tipped you off?” Sunset said with perhaps a small hint of irritation at nearly being unmade for the third time that day.
“I didn’t bring you here to sass me, Sunset.” Twilight responded with perhaps a dash of frustration at exploding for the third time that day followed by her new assistant berating her.
Sunset couldn’t suppress the roll of her eyes, though she didn’t try very hard. “I’m starting to think you brought me here as some sort of belated revenge for stealing your crown.”
By now Twilight had managed to clean herself up with a little magical aid as she turned to face her companion. “Oh, like YOU’RE the one getting blown up? Can you please just give me the data we collected from that trial?”
Figuring she had heckled Twilight enough, and internally acknowledging it was somewhat hypocritical to accost Twilight when her own hooves on approach had led to plenty of explosions in her time, she cooperated with her request as she approached the machine that should have recorded the magical reading from the experiment.
Sunset noted that the machine was likely the most current Equestrian technology available at the time, several decades after her own, yet it still seemed primitive in comparison to the devices of the human world, only giving vague numbers and graphs in response. Perhaps she’d take it upon herself to upgrade some of the equipment. Those years of college education might end up being good for something after all.
“It looks like the repulsion spell matrix is still rejecting the weather magic elements in the mixture. As far as I can tell, all the griffon feathers managed to do was delay the feedback, but that just made a bigger explosion,” Sunset interpreted from the readings on the screen.
Twilight let out a sigh at the predictable result. “I had hoped outsourcing to the magic of another species would solve the issues we’ve been having, but it looks like the weather protection potion is just going to have to wait another day. Hopefully we’ll be able to work out the kinks before the storm season starts. What do you say we break for now?”
“I think that sounds like a great idea,” Sunset responded. Magic was great, and she’d be lying if she said the past few days she had spent as Twilight’s assistant hadn’t been wonderful. Getting to toy around with all the advancements in magic and read all the books she had missed out on had been wonderful. To be a unicorn without magic was like being a pegasus without flying. It was like she was finally whole again. Still, there was only so much of nearly being incinerated a pony could take for one day.
“Well, come on,” Twilight beckoned as she opened the laboratory door. “I was thinking I could show you around Canterlot today.”
That declaration managed to instantly shatter Sunset’s brief relief. “Oh, you don’t need to do that, Twilight. I’m sure you’ve got plenty of other things to take care of besides showing me around,” Sunset said in an attempt to wave her off.
“Actually, I’ve cleared my schedule for this.” Twilight offhandedly stated as she guided Sunset through the door and the two entered into the hallway. “I’ve been meaning to show you around for a while now. “
“Come on, the sole ruler of all Equestria can’t be using her precious free time to play tour guide. Surely, we can think of something more meaningful to do than wander around Canterlot,” Sunset tried to justify in an attempt to get out of the trip that was seeming less and less optional by the second.
Right as she finished, a long slender alicorn leg placed itself directly into her path, stopping her in her tracks. At least twice a day, Sunset was confronted with just how annoying it was that Twilight was so much bigger than her now.
“Sunset…” Twilight began. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed what you’ve been doing. You’ve been here for almost a week now, and not once have you left the castle. Now, I’m not going to force you to do something you don’t want to do, but I think it’s time you got outside and refamiliarized yourself with the city you grew up in.”
“That’s just it, Twi. That isn’t the city I grew up in,” Sunset confessed. “I know it’s the same place, but now everypony and building are like complete strangers to me. At least the castle is still the same general shape, even if a lot of it’s changed, but every time I look down at Canterlot I can barely even recognize the place.” She finished while slumping over slightly.
Twilight seemed to consider this for a minute. She had already figured that Sunset was having trouble readjusting to life in Equestria. She had taken to her renewed studies with an exceptional vigor and she had no trouble making friends with the palace staff despite their differing species, but it was difficult to miss the way the amber unicorn would avoid even gazing upon the city below and lost herself in books and murals that recounted the past.
It was the main reason she had felt the need to organize this particular excursion. Ordinarily, she rarely left the castle herself these days for the sole purpose of seeing the sights, but if it meant making Sunset more at home in this world it would be well worth the time. Besides, making occasional appearances in town was generally good for public spirit, and perhaps with a friend by her side she’d actually enjoy it. Spike was always on her case about getting out more anyway.
“I think that it would be good for you to explore the city. Things have changed, but you of all ponies should know that change doesn’t have to be a bad thing,” Twilight rationalized while bending her head down to be eyelevel with Sunset. “So, what do you say we go down there and spend some time together looking around? It would mean a lot to me.”
It was then that Sunset knew that this was certainly not an optional event. Twilight’s words told her that she was fully able to refuse. Logically, she could turn the princess down and that would be the end of it. She could lock herself in her room and read the copy of Advanced Magical Transmutation she picked up from the castle library today. All she had to do was crush Twilight’s spirit as she looked upon her with those hopeful violet eyes.
And that was why there was just no choice.
“Alright, just let me pack a saddlebag and we’ll go sightseeing,” Sunset sighed in defeat.
The toothy smile and excited glint in Twilight’s eyes were all it took for Sunset to know she had made the right choice.
“So, if I mapped this out right, which I did, we should be able to take in every notable sight in Canterlot before dinner,” Twilight explained as she looked over her masterfully organized checklist.
Sunset couldn’t help smiling at the sight. It seemed that some things really did never change.
“Of course, I had to account for your significantly slower walking speed. I may have to carry you between a few stops if we want to keep up with the timetable”
And just like that, the novelty was over for her. “Hey, Twilight, can I see that checklist?”
“Oh, here you go, Sunset,” Twilight said as she passed the list suspended in her magic into the red magic of her friend. “Did you want to see something?”
“Something like that…” Sunset remarked.
The checklist promptly caught fire in the red aura surrounding it and was reduced to ashes within seconds. Sunset tried to feel guilty about the look of sheer and utter betrayal carved into Twilight’s face. She really did.
“This is supposed to be a relaxing trip to the city, Twilight, not a speed run,” Sunset explained to the distraught princess. “Let’s just explore the city at our own pace, okay?”
Twilight’s eye twitched in response. “It took me HOURS to map out that route, Sunset!”
“Look, I’ll buy you something to make it up to you, ok?” Sunset said in an attempt to pacify her agitated friend.
“With what money? I’m the one who gave you those bits.” Twilight deadpanned; her earlier excitement now cooled into mere irritation. “Come to think of it, can you really ever buy me anything when all your money comes from me?”
Sunset sighed in response. “Look, what’s important is that we see the city, and have a good time. We don’t have to see it all at once. I’ll be here long enough to see it all eventually.”
“Alright, but I’m never trusting you with another checklist again,” Twilight relented as the two approached the inner ring of Canterlot that surrounded the castle.
It seemed the diversity contained within the castle really was just the new reality of the world. pegasi, griffin, changeling, dragon, and hippogriff children could be seen playing with each other in the sky as soon as one was within the city. Earth ponies, yaks, kirin, and even a few zebras could be seen mulling about the streets openly conversing. Several creatures actually stopped to happily wave at them as they passed by. It was all so…different.
“So, this really is what Equastria is like now?” Sunset muttered to herself as she stopped before a fountain modeled after a Griffin.
“What do you mean?” Twilight inquired as she strolled up next to the distracted unicorn.
Sunset broke her gaze from the world around her to look into the eyes of the only remnant of the world she used to know. “I mean, look at all this…the people. They’re all talking to each other. They’re just enjoying themselves. No one’s even running over each other to see you like they used to do with Princess Celestia. You remember what Canterlot used to be like, right? A busy city where everypony had somewhere to be and nopony had time to chat, especially with anypony that wasn’t rich or famous. Back when I lived here, most ponies would walk right over you if you fell over on the sidewalk.”
Sunset broke eye contact to look as a large Yak stomped by carrying a litter of foals and hippogriff fledglings upon its back. “And look at all these…creatures. I’ve never even seen some of these species in person before I came back. When I was a foal it was rare for anypony that wasn’t a unicorn to live this close to the castle. It was rare for other types of ponies to live here at all. Now, you have dragons, and these colorful changelings, and a whole ton of things walking around like they’ve always been here,” Sunset finished clearly trying to wrap her head around the entire thing as she looked into the water of the fountain and stared at her reflection.
“Is…is it all like this now?”
Sunset felt a gentle wing wrap around her back in a manner that reminded her of her old teacher. “Does it bother you? How much everything’s changed?”
Sunset subconsciously shifted further into the wing upon her back, as she did when she was an upset filly, longing for something familiar to take solace in. “No…I mean it doesn’t. It shouldn’t. Right?”
Sunset tried her best to put her hoof on exactly what she was feeling. “Everyone’s happier now. I can see it in their eyes. I should be happy too, but it’s like…”
“Everycreature’s happy without you,” Twilight offered.
“Yeah…” Sunset sighed. “It’s funny, I came back to this world because I didn’t have a place in the human world. Now I’m back and there’s not a place for me here anymore either. Maybe if I had stayed here in the first place, I could have been part of the reason everyone’s so happy, just like you. Now, I’m just a piece of a different time. It makes me wonder if I belong anywhere at all,” Sunset finished with a look that gave away just how lost she felt.
“That’s why you make a place,” Twilight cut in after a few moments of silence.
“Huh?”
“That’s what’s you came here for, right? That’s what’s so beautiful about Equestria now. You said it yourself, Equestria wasn’t always like this. Everycreature here is only here because they’ve found a place here. If I know anything about you, Sunset Shimmer, it’s that you’re not the type of pony who gives up. I know you’ll find where you belong, and I’ll help you until you do.” Twilight punctuated her speech with a gentle squeeze with her wing.
“Where I belong?” Sunset thought to herself, wondering what such a thing would even entail. Still, she couldn’t very well be acting aloof and unloading all her problems on Twilight the entire trip when they were supposed to be having fun.
“Thanks Twi, I can always count on you. Now, let’s get to sightseeing. What’s the most popular place in Canterlot these days?” Sunset asked.
“Well, these days, that would probably be the marketplace. It’s where everycreature in Equestria comes to sell their goods.” Twilight said
“Well, let’s go see what we can find then.” Sunset offered with a newfound enthusiasm.
The two mares walked off, side by side amongst the assorted crowd of happy creatures and new buildings, Twilight’s wing still draped over Sunset.
“Sunset! Sunset, look!” Twilight all but shouted into the amber mare’s face. “A first edition copy of Canterlot Cantabiles, volume one…VOLUME…ONE!”
“I thought you said they didn’t get good until around the thirty first volume?” Sunset calmly questioned, by now far too used to Twilight’s overzealous fascination with books to be taken off guard by the enthusiasm.
“While it’s true, I personally prefer the pieces in volume thirty-one onward, this book is beyond classic, and it’s in good condition. I’ve been looking for a first edition to complete my collection for ages, and now it’s mine!” Twilight concluded with a grin that was only slightly unsettling. “So, how about you? Find anything interesting?”
“Well, I did pick up some books about classic magical theory, a few igneous statues I got from those dragons over there, you know to tie my room together, and best of all, this crystal amulet.” Sunset listed off before floating the amulet between the two of them. “It’s made of a rare type of sapphire that’s supposed to be super conductive towards magic, and best of all…I think it’s cursed,” Sunset said with far too much glee for somepony possessing a potentially dangerous artifact.
Not that such information was any more unappealing to the alicorn than it was to the unicorn. “Oooh, what kind of curse! Are we talking an ancient spell or some sort of magic booby trap?”
“I don’t know, but the kirin who sold it to me was happy to get rid of it, so you know it’s gotta be good.” Sunset stated as she floated the amulet back into her saddlebag for future study. “I think that’s everything that interests me, what about you? Ready to head back?”
“I think so, I just…” Twilight trailed off as her eyes locked onto a small booth in the distance being manned by a brown earth pony stallion with a slicked back mane and an assortment of gems for a cutie mark.
As far as Sunset could tell, his booth was filled with an assortment of dull antiques, assorted gems, and rusty metal trinkets, but clearly something on the table had caught the princess’s eye.
“Excuse me sir,” Twilight called out to the stallion as she walked up to his booth, “Is that a Fire Ruby you have there?”
“Ah, fair Princess Twilight, I cannot tell you what an honor it is to have a pony of your standing grace my booth. Why yes, this is a Fire Ruby, and a rather fine cut I might add.” The Earth pony said in a somewhat overdone salespony voice.
Sunset walked beside Twilight as he finished and took note of the gem that had drawn Twilight over. It certainly looked to be a rather fine ruby, though the golden metal necklace it was attached to had seen better days.
“Why, rumor has it that this ruby used to belong to the famed fashion designer and element of generosity herself, lady Rarity. As generous in death as she was in life, it was among her worldly possessions distributed to the less fortunate by order of her will. Whether there’s any truth to that story…well I suppose only you could say, Princess. Be that as it may, it has come into my possession after I made a trade with a rather strange changeling in Appleloosa,” the stallion finished.
“Is there anything you would be willing to trade for it now?” Twilight asked with a hint of longing laced into her voice that did not go unnoticed by the ponies present.
“Well, as you may have noticed by my cutie mark, I’m something of a collector of rare gems. Potentially historic as this ruby may be, I already possess a fair amount of Fire Rubies. I suppose I could part with it for a gem that I do not contain in my collection. Perhaps…something contained in the royal treasury?” The Earth pony proposed while resting his chin upon his hoof.
“The nerve of this guy!” Sunset internally fumed. “The savior and ruler of all Equestria, several times over, bothers to come over to this dinky little booth, and he still has the gall to try and squeeze her for all she’s worth.”
“I’m afraid I don’t have anything like that on me right now. Isn’t there something else you would be willing to trade for it? I have quite a few rare books,” Twilight offered.
“I’m afraid not, your majesty. I don’t have any particular interest in that sort of… uhm, treasure,” the stallion spat out, clearly not placing the same level of value on the offered items as the royal pony before him.
“I-I see. We’ll leave you be then. Come on Sunset.” Twilight said clearly crestfallen as she turned to leave with her head hung low.
“Wait!” Sunset called out. “How about this?”
Sunset levitated the amulet she had purchased earlier from her saddlebag and placed it on the table.
The Earth pony practically hopped out of his seat. “Is that, a Baby Blue Sapphire amulet?”
Sunset had to admit, presenting the amulet she had just received was something of a long shot, but she took the earth pony’s reaction to be a good sign.
“Why, this has to be around sixty carats. I’ve never seen one this big before. And such a perfect cut as well. How on Earth did you manage to get a hold of such a specimen?” The now drooling stallion asked as his eyes glassed over.
“Well, I haven’t tested it yet, but I’m pretty sure it’s cursed-” Sunset began.
“Nothing a trip to the local shaman can’t fix.” The stallion said as he cut her off with a wave of his hoof.
“Now, hold on a second.” Twilight cut in. “Sunset you can’t jus-”
“Why not?” Sunset asked. “It’s my amulet, which means I get to trade it for whatever I want, and right now, I want that ruby.”
“So, do we have a deal?” Sunset prompted the still mesmerized stallion.
“What? Yeah sure, take it,” the stallion said without so much as looking up to chuck the ruby in their direction.
“Pleasure doing business,” Sunset responded sweetly to the pony she knew had barely heard a word she said as she took the ruby in her magic and trotted off.
The two made it out of the marketplace before Twilight broke the silence between them. “What was that? Sunset, you didn’t need to give up your things just so I could get what I wanted.”
“Twilight, I had that thing for twenty minutes tops. Don’t make a big deal out of it. That ruby clearly meant something to you, so I got it. Speaking of which, here you go.” Sunset said before levitating the gem in front of Twilight’s face.
Sunset always knew Twilight was far too self-sacrificing for her own good. Ever since they had that heart to heart in Pinkie’s kitchen during the siren attack. A pony that just gave and gave, but never did anything for herself. It was another thing that reminded the unicorn far too much of the Sun Princess she had inherited the throne from.
Well, Sunset resolved that as long as she was around, that was going to change. It was about time somepony did something for Twilight, and if it had to be her, so be it.
This particular incident also helped with another matter. Sunset couldn’t claim to know the full details just yet, but it brought her a fair bit closer to putting together the puzzle Twilight had been unknowingly presenting her with for the past several days. As usual though, it could wait for now.
“Sunset I…thank you” Twilight said as she relented and took the ruby into her own magic before tenderly placing it into her own saddlebag.
“Don’t mention it, Twi. That’s what friends are for.” Sunset proclaimed now feeling particularly proud of herself for making the princess happy.
Sunset’s pride was short lived however, as Twilight did something she had not anticipated. The towering lavender alicorn leaned her head down and gave Sunset a gentle nuzzle as thanks for her act of generosity.
Sunset’s cheeks flushed a bright red at the action. Nopony had ever nuzzled her, aside from Princess Celestia. She had been a mere filly the last time she willingly let it happen. It happened under strong protest when she was a grown mare. To have such an embarrassingly tender action done to her in the middle of the city could have killed her.
“ahem, um, well this has been…just great, but I think I’m ready to go home, please,” Sunset forced out through her embarrassment.
Something Sunset had said seemed to please Twilight even more than she had been previously. “Yes, let’s go home. The chefs should be just about finished preparing dinner, and I need to lower the sun soon.”
“Sounds good. I could really use a shower right now. Can we take the short way back this time?”
Twilight merely smiled in response as her horn started glowing.
Sunset found Spike diligently setting the table as she walked into the dining room. She was fairly certain they had plenty of hooves around the castle who could have performed such a mundane task, but the unicorn figured that after a lifetime spent looking out for Twilight, old habits must have died hard for the little big drake.
“Hey Sunset, how was your trip?” Spike asked the mare who was trotting over to take her seat.
Sunset only briefly wondered how he knew about their little excursion in Canterlot before surmising that Twilight probably ran everything by her advisor before she did it. “Oh, it was good, great even. Twilight seemed to enjoy it.”
“Yeah, she’s a lot happier whenever you’re around,” Spike offhandedly stated before giving a slight grimace. Perhaps he had said too much there? Fortunately, years of diplomatic experience had taught Spike to simply not draw attention to any potentially awkward slip ups. “Dinner should be ready in a few minutes and Twilight should be here after she finishes raising the moon.”
Sunset saw an opportunity after she had taken her seat. Spike had been present for most of the week she had been here after their reunion, but she had never gotten him alone after that. Her days of manipulation and twisting the situation to her benefit were long behind her, but the skills she had acquired from those days would always remain. Now was a perfect time to probe Spike for information.
“So, Twilight rules day and night all by herself now. That must have been something to get used to?” Sunset ventured out to see if Spike would take the bait. People or ponies, it was a safe bet that when someone was forced to hold onto something for a while, they’d vent to anyone who offered to listen.
“Well, it wasn’t supposed to be just Twilight running things when she took over for Celestia and Luna, but…I guess that’s the way things were always going to end up.” Spike confessed as he took his own seat, clearly starting to lose himself in his own head.
Sunset was walking a thin line here between coercion and trickery, and Spike was her friend. She really didn’t want to resort to her old ways in order to get what she wanted, she’d have simply used her powers to take the information otherwise, but she needed more to go on if she was going to help Twilight through whatever she was going through.
“What do you mean?” She pressed on.
Spike took a moment to respond. “Well, the thing is-”
“Sorry it took me so long. There was a minor dispute in the west wing of the castle. You would not believe how territorial the maids can get,” Twilight interrupted as she took her seat.
“Ponyfeathers!” Sunset internally cursed at being interrupted just before her question was answered. “Hey Twi, no worries. We were just waiting for you.” Sunset expertly recovered without a trace of worry, her experience as a supervillain once again coming in handy.
“Dinner should be here soon,” Spike offered, thankfully also having dropped the previous subject.
Speaking of which, the doors chose then to fly open as a griffin wheeled in a cart topped with an assortment of side dishes and a large silver platter covered by a traditional domed lid.
“apologies for the wait madame,” the griffin who spoke in what Sunset could only ascribe to be a rough French accent. “You know how particular the chef can be, but dinner is served.”
“Actually, I’d say you were right on time,” Twilight assured the griffin as he placed everything onto the table and made his exit.
“Aw finally, I’m starving.” Spike exclaimed as he leaned forward in anticipation. “What are we having for dinner?”
“Well-” Twilight began as she used her magenta magic to begin lifting the lid.
“SURPRISE!”
The lid was suddenly flung into parts unknown by an explosion of smoke and confetti that left all at the dinner table in coughing fits.
“You’re having the Lord of Chaos for dinner!” exclaimed a tall lanky amalgamation of animal parts striking the pose of one basking in the spotlight and standing in place of what should have been dinner.
“DISCORD!” Both Twilight and Spike shouted in unanimous shock.
“Discord,” Sunset whispered under her breath, hardly believing her eyes. It wasn’t like Twilight had never mentioned him through her journal. On the contrary, some days she complained about him. A lot. Still, there was something different about meeting an ancient evil in person instead of simply hearing everything about them second hand. Reformed or not.
“The one and only…well unless you count those guys,” Discord said while gesturing to five identical copies of himself playing cards at a poker table that was suddenly in the room. The one holding his cards backwards had the courtesy to wave.
“Not that it’s not good to see you, Discord, but you seriously couldn’t have just written ahead of time, or at least used the door like everypony else?” Spike questioned with a cross expression that was perhaps a little ticked that his food had been randomly replaced with a god of disharmony.
“Well I suppose I COULD have done that, but then I’d miss the delightful look on your faces when I popped in for a visit. I even took pictures,” Discord remarked while flashing the unflattering photos to the dragon.
“Besides, between keeping up the animal sanctuary, spreading a dash of light-hearted chaos to keep me going, and enjoying my visit to the Crystal Empire, all simultaneously I might add…” Discord paused his spiel to give his poker playing doubles a wink. “I’m afraid I’m quite booked these days,” he finished while putting on a pair of reading glasses and opening a day planner that exploded with all manner of items from Slinkys to trick dice.
Suddenly Discord vanished from the table before reappearing next to Twilight and wrapping a lion arm around her shoulders. “Still, I always make time to visit my good friends.”
“Well, you know you’re welcome to join us at any time, Discord. Though next time we’d appreciate it if your grand entrance doesn’t get rid of the meal the chefs worked so hard on,” Twilight said while giving the draconequus a disapproving look that she had long learned had no real effect on him but was far too ingrained in their relationship to ever stop.
“Well, can you blame me? It took those slowpokes forever to get that stuff out here, and I got hungry in there. You’ll be happy to know however, that it WAS delicious.” Discord punctuated this statement by sucking the tips of his eagle hand clean.
“You ate the food!” Spike exclaimed now wholly disappointed.
“Oh relax,” Discord said in what appeared to be an attempt to placate his audience. “I saved a little for my two friends,” he finished while producing an apple in his lion paw.
With a snap of his other hand the apple vanished, and two apples reappeared…both lodged firmly in the mouths of a surprised Twilight and Spike in what may or may not have been a move to silence them.
“Now then…” Discord began as he pulled himself onto the table and quite literally slithered over to where Sunset was sitting, the amber unicorn still speechless and now considering the benefits of teleporting out of the castle. “Why is it that nopony told me YOU were back in town?” he questioned as he finally reached the mare and positioned himself to be as face to face with her as possible.
Sunset used her magic to pull her chair a few feet back from the chaotic being with no concept of personal space before carefully responding, “Excuse me?”
“I’m sorry, perhaps I’m mistaken. You ARE Sunset Shimmer are you not?” Discord asked while repositioning himself to lay on the table like somepony who wanted to be painted.
“Oh!” Sunset exclaimed, believing herself to have finally understood the situation though it did nothing to make her feel more comfortable. “So, Twilight has told you about me?”
Discord placed a hand to his chin. “Yes, if memory serves, she has mentioned you once or twice, but that’s not where I know you from. We’ve met a few times before if you recall.”
Now Sunset was really confused. “I’m sorry, and please don’t take any offense to this, uhm Mr. Discord, sir, but I’ve never met you before.”
“OH! How cruel!” Discord exclaimed as he rolled onto his back and clutched his heart. “We finally see each other once again for the first time in years and she doesn’t even remember me. What a horrid fate!”
Suddenly Discord was behind Sunset’s chair wrapping his head around the back to face her. “Seriously though, you don’t remember me? Even just a smidge?”
Sunset now at a complete loss for words merely shook her head in a small panic hoping she wouldn’t be on the receiving end of some serious chaos magic for offending the lord of chaos and disharmony.
All levity and jovial nature drained from the draconequus as he took on an unamused expression. “You remember the palace maze gardens? The ones you used to study in so nopony would bother you?”
Sunset nodded an affirmation.
“How about the statue of me? The one you always used to make faces at when you were little?”
“Oh…” Sunset tentatively responded finally putting the pieces together. “So, you could see all that? I guess I should apologize.”
“Oh, no need dear girl!” Discord said coming back to life as he smacked the back of her chair and left Sunset flailing to stay stable. “Through all those lonely centuries spent trapped in stone, YOU were the most interesting thing to happen to the castle in decades.”
Just when Sunset didn’t think she could get any more confused this strange creature proved why he was the physical manifestation of chaos.
“When you have nothing to do but stand around all day as a hunk of solid rock, the most entertainment you get is watching the boring dull lives of ponies unfold before you. Watching Celestia was entertaining for a few years, but after old Luna got blasted to the moon, it just got really sad most of the time,” Discord explained while conjuring a statue base to pose on as he weaved his story.
“But that all changed when you came into her life. A bad tempered, lonely little filly, with way too much power for her small little body, and a desire for more, desperate to be loved by anypony or anything. Oh, things got so exciting when Celestia took you in,” Discord finished practically bouncing from his seated position on the base. “Why, I had such high hopes for you, little fireball. In a few years’ time, your temper and bad attitude would have broken the seal on me all by itself. I was going to make you my general of chaos.” Discord finished while placing a general’s hat onto the mare.
“Oh, but then…” Discord continued producing a hanky. “Then, you just up and vanished. Off through some strange mirror into parts unknown. Celestia and I were so devastated. You should have seen her. It was Luna all over again, so very tragic.” Discord said as he wiped several tears and blew his nose into the hanky.
“Oh, Great,” Sunset thought internally. “I had almost forgotten what crushing guilt and self-loathing felt like.”
“But none of that matters, because you’re finally back home little sunspot,” Discord picked back up with his arms splayed out. “Although…there is one thing I just can’t figure out.”
Discord invaded Sunset’s personal space once again to look her over. “All this happened, assuming I have my years straight, nearly a hundred years ago.” Discord pondered as he took hold of Sunset’s face in one hand while studying her through a magnifying glass with the other. “Exactly what kind of moisturizer are you using these days?”
“Discord! Enough!” Princess Twilight Sparkle interjected with a loud bang upon the table. Thankfully she seemed to have dislodged Discord’s makeshift gag, though Spike seemed to still be having trouble.
“What? I’m just having fun with an old friend. Is that so wrong?” Discord defended himself as he picked Sunset up in a one-armed hug.
Sunset was beyond grateful when a magenta magic surrounded her and pulled her away from the touchy draconequus’ grip.
“The way you were doing it? Yes, it is. I expect better from you, Discord, now either apologize or leave.” Twilight demanded as she set Sunset down beside her and used her magic to dislodge the apple Spike was still struggling with.
To his credit, Discord managed to look genuinely ashamed. “doh, alright. I’m sorry. Sometimes I still get carried away with all the fun. What do you say, Sunset, friends?” As Discord said this, he remained across the table, but a dismembered eagle hand popped in front of her and extended itself in what seemed to be a handshake.
Sunset warily eyed the hand, unsure of what to do until it disappeared of its own accord.
“You know what? We’ll work on it later. Much as I’d love to stay for dessert, I actually came here to deliver a message from the Crystal Empire.”
Twilight Sparkle immediately shifted into collected ruler mode as she heard the news. “There’s not any trouble, is there?”
“Oh no, don’t worry, nothing serious. I just came to warn you that your dear niece is on her way to pay a visit. You know how she is.” Discord waved off.
“Oh,” Twilight muttered, disengaging from ruler mode and shifting into distraught relative. Part of her almost wished Sombra was back again now.
“Now, I really must be off. You know how the rabbits get if you leave them be too long. We’ll all talk later. Bye now!” Discord finished as he vanished in a puff of smoke and the room returned to the state it had been in before, food included.
“Well, at least he’s not totally evil,” Spike remarked upon seeing that tonight’s dinner had not actually been lost.
“Sunset, are you all right?” Twilight questioned the unicorn who had not said a word in some time.
“Oh me? I just got through a meeting with the all-powerful lord of chaos who just completely deconstructed me and threw my greatest regrets back into my face, on top of just being generally freaky. All things considered; I’m doing great!” Sunset finished while flashing Twilight a toothy smile that said she was most certainly not doing great.
Twilight had to admit, she was doing better than some ponies did upon first experiencing Discord. “I’m sorry about that. Discord usually means well, but he has a pretty funny way of showing it.”
She sighed, trying to put the past few minutes behind her. All in all, it had still been a good day for Twilight Sparkle. All she wanted now though was to settle down and enjoy a meal with the pony and dragon she cared for.
“Well, let’s eat.”