//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: New Year, New Lesson // Story: Dancing With The Shadows // by Vocal Sweets //------------------------------//  Twilight walked outside her castle, as a cool March breeze blew through her mane. She walks along the tiny bridge, which was connected to the school.  Her school.  The School of Friendship.  The corridor is covered with ponies and creatures of all species and sizes. She overheard a few of her students talking as she passed by.  “I can’t wait to see what Princess Twilight has in store for us this semester.” an overly excited pegasus says.  “You twit! She’s a Headmistress, as well as a teacher.” Sasses a unicorn.  “Duh, I know that! But she is still the overall Princess of Friendship.” Twilight giggled under her breath, then focused back on the task at hoof.  “Okay Twilight, just breath. This is your friendship school! I just have to meet with the girls and assign the rooms.” Twilight said, pulling out her list.  “Hey, Twilight!” Greeted Starlight. “Hey Starlight! Where are the girls?” She asks. She saw everypony here except the girls. “They should be here in a few. I imagine that they are trying to find their way around this place.” Starlight giggles.  “Well I guess they could get their classes assi-” Twilight got cut off by Applejack, who was racing towards Twilight. “Sorry we're late, Twilight.” Apologizes Applejack.  “Yeah, who knew how big this school would be to find your way around this place!” Pinkie pipes up.  “Well, now that we are all here I can assign the room I have given to you.” Twilight passes out each a map and schedule to the 7 girls.  “Ooo, I get to teach fashion!” Squeals Rarity. "Yeah, because we all know how important fashion is to you Rarity.” Mutters Rainbow Dash.  The girls giggle. Rainbow Dash looks over her map and schedule. “I get to coach some of the flyers here? Sweet!”  “You were saying, Rainbow Dash?” A playful smirk plays onto Rarity lips.  “If you need help showing you to your rooms, I could get Starlight to-” Twilight stated.  “Oh, please Twilight. We're not little fillies you know.” Pinkie Pie says.  Twilight arches an eyebrow. “And how long did it take you to find your way to the main lobby?” She asks in a deadpan voice. “Hehe forty-five minutes.” Pinkie Pie said, giving her a nervous giggle, as she rubbed the back of her neck. Twilight rolls her eyes in a playful manner. “Starlight, do you think you can show the girls to their rooms?” Starlight nodded. “Come on, girls. I already have this place memorized like the back of my hoof.” Starlight directed the girls down the hall.  “Can't believe we are getting treated like fillies.” Mutters Rainbow Dash, who Twilight overhead as she passed by. Twilight giggles to herself, then looks around the school everything was in perfect order.  Twilight gazes down at the list, she grabs a quill in her aura and checks off everypony’s name.  Except for one.  “Hmm? I must have missed this pony,” Twilight looked at the name: Professor Shining Star. “Must be new here. I would hate to get off on the wrong hoof with him/her. No matter! I'll just go greet myself to them. Just be friendly, but not too friendly.” Twilight made her way down the hall, making a left turn.  “Princess Twilight?” A young unicorn asks. “Oh, hello there! How may I help you?”  Asks Twilight. “Could you point me in the direction of…” The unicorn looked at her schedule. “Applejack's Homecare and Wellness class?”   “That is down the hall. Take a right and it is the fourth door on your left.” Directed Twilight. The unicorn giggled and ran off. “Thanks!” She shouts.  Twilight focused back on the task at hoof. There before her was Professor Shining Star door. “They must have already made themselves at home.” Sighing Twilight uses the breathing technique Cadence showed her to use whenever she felt nervous or stressed.  “Besides as long as Celestia believes in me, I know I can do this!” Twilight mutters, trying to boost her self-confidence. She knocked on the door before entering. “I bet this new professor is some harmless, strict, for-”  “Come in.” Muffles a voice.   Twilight pushes the door open to the professor’s room. She noticed that he was writing a complex spell onto the board. “Good morning, Professor Shining Star.” The professor turned away from the board to reveal the rest of his appearance. His coat was light grey like the color of a pre-storm cloud with wavy-like salt and pepper colored mane His beard was a medium sized goat-tee. His tail was long with the same colors as his mane. His cutie mark symbolized a tornado. His eyes showed an aquatic blue.  Twilight stopped in her tracks. Her mind racing and her heart skipping a beat. Blush rose to her cheeks and spread like wildfire, making it no Flustered by the looks of this dapper professor, Twilight was rather speechless by his outward appearance. Professor Shining Star grins at Twilight giving his hoof for her to shake. “Headmistress Twilight Sparkle, I presume? Pleasure to meet you.” His accent was thick almost British-like.  “P-Please Headmistress Twilight is fine,” Says Twilight. After the blush tones down from her face she continues. “But it's wonderful to meet somepony who is willing to teach “Physics of Forgiveness” is one of the most complicated subjects. Because no pony really understands what it means to Forgive. But, I am so relieved to have found a quality instructor willing to teach it.”  Professor Star waved a dismissive hoof in front of The Princess of Friendship. “Tish Tosh, my dear! It’s an honor to teach here! I mean just look at where we are standing! You made this school happen! After others have said you can not do something that you love! You took a stand and realized that everypony deserves to learn friendship.  Other ponies- would have probably stepped down- but you, you let your voice be heard and opened a School of Friendship! Opening it to other races other than the traditional races. You have a whole new race at your disposal such as hypogriffions, yaks, dragons, and changelings.”  Twilight slouched for a bit, slightly annoyed by how much this stallion rambles. “Everypony thought that you couldn't do it. Putting you down when you least expected it. They say you were crazy to even consider something like this to even happen! But, I say you’re crazy like a fox.”  This statement broke Twilight from her stubborn streak, Professor Shining Star now had Twilight’s full attention. “You have defined what friendship truly means. Embrace chaos!” He chuckled to himself. “Consider me a fan.”  Blush returned to Twilight’s cheeks. This time she was speechless. Somepony was a fan of her hard, dedicated work? Nopony- besides her family, friends and of course Celestia herself- has admired her work, but not like this. “... I well… Thank you, Professor.”   Twilight gazed around the spacious room, proud of herself and how far she has come. “But I can’t take all the credit! It was my friends and Princess Celestia who encouraged and suggested that I should open a School of Friendship. Plus the map was expanding much more. For example, it has reached out from Saddle Arabia to Manehattan.  However, I have always supported the idea of teaching Friendship to non-unicorns- I mean anypony can learn friendship. So after months of structure research and educating myself in different races it became perfectly easy...to...embrace….chaos.”  Smoke enveloped around the unicorn stallion, Twilight stopped in her tracks once more. This time Twilight was pondering her thoughts to herself before it all became clear. “.... Where have I heard that saying before?” Thought Twilight. Her eyes widen in bewilderment. “I bet you think this is really funny.” Twilight turned half around giving a glare at the “stallion”. Her voice now had the tone of distaste and slight bitterness. “.... Discord.”  Discord gawks at the Princess of Friendship’s expression, laughing. “Actually, dear headmistress… I thought it was hilarious. I mean being a headmistress of your own school, who-”  Twilight cuts him off. “What are you even doing here Discord?” Bitterness laced in Twilight's voice. “Well if you ask me I think the question is why did you hire me?” Discord riddled. Twilight was slightly confused at what the draconequus was inclining.  “Looks like to me you couldn’t resist my charms.” He looks at Twilight with a sly fox-like smile.  “Pft, you wish.” Twilight scoffed.  Discord rolled his eyes. “Oh come on Twi Twi-”  “Don’t call me that!” Twilight hissed.  Discord sighed. “Anyways, you “claim” you are not into me, huh?” Discord asks, backing Twilight into a corner, holding an intense gaze at her. “No.” Twilight said, her tone blunt. Discord transformed back into the stallion Twilight first encountered. “So you are saying your not into this?” A playful smile spread across his lips.  Heat rose to Twilight’s face. “N-no..” She stammered. “It looks like to me like somepony is lying to herself.” Discord teased. Twilight tried to get out of the corner that she was backed into, but between the two of them she knew there was no escaping. “Discord, I swear to Celestia if you do not let me go.” Twilight said, her tone sounded harsh she intended it to be, but her eyes seething distaste in the creature.  “Twilight,” the draconequus stated. “You can lie to yourself all you want to, but I know you have feelings for me.” Twilight stayed silent for a moment thinking of what to say to him. “I thought you were in love with Fluttershy?”  “Psh, that was in quite a few audio dramas especially a popular one: Bride of Discord.” said the draconequus. “Wait… what?” Twilight looked at him with confusion. “What are you talking about?” Discord sighed, muttering to himself. “Oh, right I forgot you didn’t like me that much in that one,” he turned his attention back to Twilight, who was still glazed with confusion. “Ugh, never mind!” Discord said.  Twilight scrunched her nose, not liking the words that were about to come out of her mouth next. “When did you ever start taking a liking to me anyways?” she asked Discord tapped his beard with his hoof. “Hmm that’s a good question! Give me a second.” He grabs the script, wearing his reading glasses as he flips through the pages. “So that is why I started falling for you? Who came up with that genius idea?” Discord asked to no one in particular, as he scans the rest of the scene. “Vocal Sweets, what have you got yourself into?” He mutters to himself, he poofs away the script. While looking at a slightly confused Twilight.  “Look as much as I would love to figure out why you have fallen for me, which I will seem to never figure out.  I actually have office papers I need to return to filling out.” Twilight grabs Discord in her aura and pushes him to the side, she trots forth toward the door and leaves.  “I actually know why I have fallen for you. Just wish you felt the same way Princess.” Discord mutters to himself.  *** Twilight heads back into her office, shutting the door behind her. Sighing she slumps into her seat, eyeing the stack of papers to her left that she still needed to sign and put away. A quill wraps around in her magenta aura as Twilight bears down on the paper, signing her name. After what seemed like the two-hundredth paper Twilight had signed, there was a knock on the door. “Go away, Discord!” shouted Twilight. “Uh… Twilight? It’s just me.” A familiar voice called from the other side of the door.  “Calm down, it’s just Starlight.”  “Yeah, sure come in Starlight.” Announces Twilight.  Starlight opened the door. “Woah! looks like you have a lot of papers to file away. Do you need any help?” Starlight asks.  “No, thanks Starlight. I have a simple spell for that.” Twilight let her aura grab the stack of papers and put them away.  “Finally done for the day.” Twilight said, said as she begin to lock her office door, with Starlight in tow she begin to walk down the empty hallway. They stayed silent for the next five minutes until they were both outside of the school. “Hey, Twilight. Can I ask you a question?” Asks Starlight.  “Hm? Sure Starlight.” Said Twilight.  “Is everything okay with you? You have been acting really strange all morning.” Starlight questions her friend. It was already 5 and Celestia was starting to set the sun.   Twilight’s thoughts traveled back to that room and to Discord, but she brushed off the thought. “... I’m fine.” Mutters Twilight in a slight high pitch tone. “Really? Because the tone in your voice says otherwise.” Starlight said, her voice laced in worrisome for her friend. Twilight sighs. “Yes, I’m fine now will you please get off my back? I’m just really tired, all I want to do is  head home and lay in my bed just to forget that this whole day ever happened.” Starlight was about to ask her another question, but decided to brush it off.  Not wanting to annoy the Princess any further. She left it at this as her last word: “Okay, but if you need someone to talk to about anything that is on your mind just know that I am here for you.” Starlight gave her a small smile. Twilight returns the small smile back, turning off the lights in her office and leaves.  *** Discord drummed his claw onto his couch, thinking and pondering what exactly just happened today between the Lord of Chaos and The Princess of Friendship.  Discord sighed knowing that The Princess of Friendship could never fall for someone like him. “Who am I kidding, she will never fall for me.” The draconequus thought to himself. “Yet why do I have feelings for her?” He lets out a groan of frustration. “I mean yeah I know why I have feelings for her, but this doesn’t make sense! Even to me, and I’m the Lord of Chaos!”  “I really need somepony to talk to about this. I mean, I can’t talk to Twilight about this, she will only brush it off.” Discord thought to himself for a moment. “And her friends will only tell Twilight, especially PInkie Pie. We all know how hard it is for her to keep this a secret.” Discord tapped a claw to his chin. He then had an idea of who he could talk to about this. Somepony who know Twilight better than Twilight knows herself. A light bulb when off from over his head as he knew the perfect pony to ask about Twilight.  In a flash he teleports himself to The Crystal Empire, sadly not the location he was desired to be at. Night had fallen across the Empire. However, two tiny lights were still shine from inside the palace. Indicating that somepony was still awake at this hour. Discord snapped his claw once more, this time inside the palace, but once again not in his desired location. Instead he comes in contact with aquamarine blue eyes. The filly look like she wanted to scream at that moment, but Discord quickly silences her. “Calm down, it's just me Flurry Heart.”  Flurry silently nodded and the draconequus unzipped her mouth. “What are you doing here Discord?” Flurry Heart asks out of curiosity. “Oh, I'm just here for a quick visit.” Discord said, trying not to let the filly pry into his business. “Oh, um okay while you are here would you like to play? I was currently having a  tea party with my snail Wammy, but I wasn't aware of another guest coming.” Flurry gave Discord a toothy grin.  Discord tried not to gag at how girly it seemed, but then again he didn't really want to break the young filly’s heart. “Hmm fine, a quick mini tea party game then I have to actually go see if your mother is around.” Discord snaps into a slick tuxedo, but Flurry insisted that he wears a light yellow tutu with a silver princess tiara. “I really hope nopony sees me like this.” Discord grumbles to himself.  “So, mind if I ask why do you need to see my mommy?” Flurry asks, as she passes the tea to Discord. “Aren't you a curious little filly?” Discord chuckles, pouring himself some tea. “Well yeah, I am five after all.” Flurry states, sipping some of her tea. Discord sighed. “I can't believe I am telling this to a five year old.” Discord mutters to himself. “If you must know I need to talk to your mother about some love advice.”  Flurry Heart gazed at Discord with a spark of admiration in her eyes. “Well, mommy is kind of busy right now she's helping daddy with something, I think…” the little filly trailed off for a moment before getting back to that she was planning on saying. “But anyways I would like to try and help you with your love advice!” Flurry flashed Discord with another toothy grin.  “Ya know...as much as I just love hearing the advice of a young filly such as yourself, I was thinking more along the lines of asking your mother, not that your advice isn't just so good!” Discord sprouts an extra pair of eyes at the back of his head, and rolls them in a sarcastic manner. “But I feel Cadence is more adept in her experience of...ugh...Love!...”  Flurry pout for a moment. “Fine, but I'm telling you she is going to be gone for a good while.”  Bewilderment struck the Princess of Love, trying to find the right words to say. “I know what you are thinking, but I can pull this off better than you can and I look fabulous!” Discord said, flipping his fake mane. “.... Umm sweetie why don't you head to bed, while Discord and I have apparently  a small chit chat.” Cadence shot Discord an odd look, before returning a small smile to her daughter. She leads Discord out into the hallway and into the living room.  Discord sits on the couch with Cadence across from him in a lounge chair. “So you needed to see me?” Cadence asked, trying her best to not to burst out of laughter at Discord’s appearance. “I’m sorry, but I can’t take you seriously when you look like that..” Cadence said, laughing.  “Oh, ha ha. Very funny.” Discord muttered. He snaps his fingers and transforms back into his regular self. “But yes, I did need to see you Cadence. You see I have this friend of mine who is having a problem with his friend. He likes her, however he feels like she doesn’t seem to feel the same way. Do you have any advice on what they could do to win their mare friend over?” Well, I really don’t know if Twilight Sparkle even considers me her “friend”. Discord thought the last bit to himself.   “Well there hasn’t been a helpless lover's case I haven’t solved yet. So, yours should not be too difficult to solve.”  Cadence said. “Does she have anything that she likes? Something that could bring her happiness, perhaps.” Discord starts to think of all the things Twilight enjoys doing like hanging with her friends, books, and hopefully her happiness would be him one day when the time comes.  Discord rose from his seat. “I think I have a pretty good idea of what I can tell my friend.” Discord said grinning. “Thanks Cadie! You were a big help! Boy he will be so glad to hear the news once I tell him.” And in a flash Discord left.  “I wonder who that draconequus is in love with this time?” Cadence asked, a smile played upon her lips. Cadence thought of so many ships that Discord has been involved with that she has lost count: Fluttershy, Luna and Celestia. Heck it could be any of those mares. **** Candles lit the dining hall of the castle, Twilight was dressed in a sparkle dark blue gown, her mane done in an elegant up do. Diamond earrings enchanting her ears. Her hoofs echo into the empty dining hall of her castle. “Hello? Is anypony there?” Twilight walks in her silver shoes that Rarity let her borrow, however she couldn’t exactly recall why she even had these shoes or even the dress for a matter of fact, in the first place.  She looked out at the spread of food before her. It had all of her favorite foods. “Whoever could have done this was very generous, maybe even more generous than Rarity.”   “Why don’t you look beautiful tonight, Miss. Sparkle.” Heat rose to Twilight’s cheeks, and spread across her cheeks like wildfire. She spun around in her dress, but her face turn to one of distastefulness. “Discord? How did you get in my castle?” She asked. He chuckled. “Oh I have my ways, dear.” He flicks his tail under her chin. “But why did you do this whole spread for me?” Twilight asked. “Can’t I just do something nice for somepony for once?” Discord questioned. “Well- yeah but-” Twilight got cut off by the sound of music.  “Oh! I love this song. Care to dance?” Discord asked, holding out his lion paw to her. Twilight was reluctant at first. “Come on, I won’t pull anything over you.” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “I pinkie promise.” Twilight rolled her eyes. As if I have a choice. Discord leads Twilight in a simple, but elegant dance. "I didn't know you knew how to dance to classical music." Twilight said, her lips played a smile, mixed with mystery and playfulness. “Well… there are a lot of things you don’t know about me.” Discord said with a sly smile.  Discord tries pulling Twilight close to him, but Twilight pushes him away. “Wait… this is wrong.” “How is this wrong? I do care about you, Twilight.” “Well for starters, I’m an independent mare with responsibilities and now a school to run. I just can’t handle adding being in a relationship into the mix, I’m sorry.” The music stopped and the buffet table disappeared, even Discord himself disappeared like a puff of thin smoke. “Wait.. what’s going on?” Twilight gazed out of her dim lit kitchen window, the moon still shone brightly. “Discord? Where are you?! Could you at least leave the food?!” Twilight groans in frustration.  “Hello, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Don’t you look very elegant!” A familiar voice greets Twilight in a calm, yet warm tone. Twilight greets Princess Luna with a slight bow. “Princess Luna? Thank you, but I don’t understand… is-is this a dream?” Twilight questioned Luna. “This is very much a dream, Princess.” Luna confirmed Twilight’s suspicions. “B- But why am I having a dream about Discord out of all the ponies in Equestria. Why him?”  Luna gazed at Twilight with a calm expression still on her face. “I am not an expert on love like Cadence, but if my hunch is correct could it be that you actually do have feelings for Discord and you are tired of hiding your feelings, but when you do you just bottle up your real emotions for him.” Every word that Princess Luna was speaking was exactly the truth. Twilight did have feelings for Discord; she just didn’t know how to express them. Twilight sighed, “Maybe you’re right.”  “Look, Tia and I have known Discord for longer than you have Twilight and I have to say- and my sister will probably agree to this as well. He’s not overall a bad guy. Chaotic? Yes. But overall he is a good guy.” Luna smiled at Twilight. “But like I told Discord and now I am telling you.. I can’t be in love with anypony!” Twilight said, frustration as well as a bit of stress laced her voice.  “You know if I had hands instead of hoofs I would slap you and shake you a couple of times just to make you realize how stubborn you are being towards yourself and your feelings.” Luna said, in a slightly stern voice. She then sighed. “Look Twilight for the sake of yourself, sanity and most importantly feelings please be honest with Discord, but most importantly be honest with yourself.”  Twilight jerked out of her sleep in sudden awake. Gazing at the clock it reads 11:34 pm. “It was just a dream, but it felt so real.” Twilight mumbled to herself. Grogginess left her body, but she got out of bed anyways despite the time. Twilight walked towards her mirror and gazed at her slight frazzled appearance. "Ugh! What's the matter with me? You think a mare would learn..." Twilight mutters to herself. Luna watched from the bay window smiling to herself, before flying back to Canterlot.