//------------------------------//
// Bonus Chapter: Crystal Ball 
// Story: Fine Print 
// by Starscribe 
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Whenever Princess Cadance organized the annual Crystal Ball, she knew to expect strange creatures. The more universalist Equestria became, the more friends they made with distant tribes and species she'd never even known existed, the more of those creatures she began to see wandering around Equestria at large. Before too long, those even ended up visiting her parties.

Ponies could be flighty, even xenophobic at times. But the ponies of her Crystal Empire had never failed to impress her. They welcomed all who came, even if they had antlers instead of horns, or were a little too full of themselves and their proud ability to break things.

But the most frightening visitors of all didn't make a scene shattering crystal sculptures or eating the centerpieces instead of the horderves. He'd even dressed formally for the occasion, though Cadance didn't recognize the style of clothing he wore over mismatched limbs. 

She didn't even know the spirit of chaos had arrived, until quiet word had passed between guards, finally reaching her where she sat on her high throne beside her husband. 

"Princess," whispered Frosty Quartz, a recently recruited crystal guard. "Please, I don't mean to disturb you. But something happened. Princess Twilight is already involved, but she suggested we inform you as well."

He spoke in a low whisper, barely loud enough to hear over the gentle murmur of the crowd. Obviously, he didn't want to start a scene. Her husband had already trained him well. 

"What is it?" Shining asked, sitting up in his throne. Far smaller than hers, located on her right side. Instead of a suit, Shining dressed in precisely polished armor. As true to his name as a pony could be. "Anything that might be a concern for other guests?"

Frosty Quartz looked away. The party wasn't indoors—in spring, it was warm enough that they could use the vast expanse of land under the palace to shelter a party of such scale that even Canterlot would be envious. The area just under the palace was isolated from the rest—though the entire city got to participate, only those with unique connections to the Crystal Empire got to enter. Diplomats, emissaries, nobles from her city or others who had sponsored development projects in the Empire. 

"I'm not sure," he said. "Supposedly not. He's reformed, that's what everypony says. But it still seemed like you should know."

It didn't take long for Cadance to judge precisely where the trouble was. An island was forming in the party, with ponies and other creatures giving a single table more and more space. She could see only three creatures sitting there.

"I can deal with it," Shining said, rising from his throne. "You should enjoy the party, sweetheart."

She stood too, gliding down from the greater height and touching him lightly on the nose with one wing. "That is tempting, Shiny... but it won't work. Discord can't be dismissed. He's here for a reason, and I'm fairly certain it won't have to do with you." She kissed him lightly, then turned away. "Keep everypony calm, if you can. Hopefully he won't make a scene."

He nodded uneasily, but settled back into his throne as directed. "If you say so, sweety. But if you need me, call. I can have the guard mobilized in minutes if we have to."

She walked past the guard, waving him back to his post without a word. Discord did at least have some amount of respect for Shining Armor. But her soldiers—they'd be less than an annoyance to Discord if he was agitated. Best deal with this as quickly as possible.

She cut straight across the party, finding relief on the faces of so many ponies as she went. Apparently the word had begun to spread, and the desperation of these creatures grew. Time for somepony to resolve their fears.

But as she approached, she saw no sign of anger from Discord. His table wasn't even floating this time.

He stood as she approached, removing his hat and bowing politely to her. Well—he removed his entire head at the same time, with gruesome detail. "A special pleasure to see you, princess of an empire. Delightfully chaotic."

Cadence’s eyes narrowed. "We've been over this before, Discord. What do you want?" She turned to the other two occupants. Princess Twilight and her dragon assistant. Neither of them stood when she appeared, though Twilight waved eagerly at her with a wing. She doesn't look like she's going to blast him into arcane smoke yet. Maybe this won't be so bad.

"Please, join us," Discord continued, gesturing with one claw. One of the chairs began to move, its legs transforming to disturbingly realistic legs as it clopped over to her, practically scooping her right off the ground. 

Cadance bore the indignity of it, though her expression became increasingly tried by the moment. "If this is about your invitation again, Discord, I'm sorry. We don't have invitations, all are welcome."

"Oh, I know that." He took his own chair with equal grace, replacing his jacket and coat on the seat behind him. He didn't actually move his claws to eat the snacks in front of him, yet the plate's contents did shrink before her eyes, as though an invisible creature were devouring them. After a few seconds, Discord burped quietly, covering his mouth with one claw.

"Oh, where are my manners?" He gestured, and the tray of horderves levitated over to her. Except Cadance didn't recognize any of the snacks on it, or even the strangely reflective, thin material it was made from. What far-away land had Discord taken this from? And those pinkish slices—were those meat? 

Her stomach backflipped, and she pushed the tray away with a hoof. "It's a pleasure to have you here, Discord," she said. "But I have many subjects competing for my time. Why don't you tell me what brought you here."

"Weird stuff," Spike said, surprisingly without malice. While Twilight had avoided Discord's curious snack offerings, Spike's plate was piled high with it, and he ate with gusto. "Duh."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Discord said, puffing out his chest. "Actually, I've come to meet with you personally, Princess. I had similar questions for Twilight here—questions that concern your particular domain. I don't see the point of Equestria maintaining diplomatic offices over interpersonal relationships if you're not going to give useful advice when consulted."

Cadance blinked, trying to process what she'd just heard. "Is it about that pegasus friend of yours?" she asked. "You want to know if she feels the same way? I think so. But you should try to be a little less hostile around her friends. She'll respond well to kindness directed at the ones she loves."

Now it was Discord's chance to stare. For a full three seconds the spirit of chaos remained silent, utterly dumbfounded.

But then the moment passed. His expression became a mask, twisting with an artificial smile that even alicorn magic couldn't penetrate. "This isn't about me, exactly. It's a more general question theoretical. But you're the foremost expert in your field. So is Twilight. I come before you as a groveling student, desperate for wisdom."

And just like that, he was. He stood on the table in front of her, dressed in a tattered graduation robe, with a face that was somehow covered with acne despite his fur. But some things didn't have to make sense. "Please, wise and powerful pony, answer my questions. I don't have anywhere else to turn."

Cadance glowered down at him, patience wearing thin. "Will you promise not to disrupt my party if I do?" she asked, extending her hoof towards him. "Swear it."

The tiny version of discord folded both hooves, pouting suddenly. He took a few steps away, kicking at her silverware in frustration.

Then the real one appeared back in his chair. "I swear," he said, almost as frustrated as she felt. And just like that, Cadance relaxed. Discord might be a spirit of chaos, but she knew him better than most. She knew that being completely unexpected was just another kind of order. 

True chaos required contrasts. Discord would never break an oath. "Well now I'm interested," she said, grinning. "Something big enough that you'd give up causing trouble at my party. What could it possibly be?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Twilight said. "Good luck getting a straight answer. I couldn't."

Discord was already back to smiling. "I meant what I said—I have some questions, about the values of friendship and love. Twilight here tells me that love is really just a kind of friendship—perhaps the strongest kind of friendship there is."

"That's not—" But before Twilight could continue, an oversized sweet roll appeared in her mouth, so chewy and covered in frosting that it silenced her.

"That's true," Cadance said. "Or... it's part of the truth. Friendship and love aren't mutually exclusive. The word 'love' is simplistic. There are many kinds of love, and several might be felt for friends. Most creatures find their relationships deepen over time, love maturing as they come to better know and accept one another."

Discord sat still, and actually listened. "But what if... imagine a situation. Suppose you had thousands of different creatures all together, thousands of different friendships. Every kind of love in the world." 

"Okay..." Cadance said. "If you're thinking of tampering with my magic, Discord—don't. That pegasus definitely wouldn't like that."

Discord rapped against the table with one claw. "It's a hypothetical, Princess. And it wasn't finished. Suppose I wanted to know whose love was the strongest? If you had to look at that group of ponies, feeling every kind of love there is—who would you say would be able to go through Tartarus and back? Who would still be together when they were old and gray? Who would be able to get closer together, despite their differences?"

"Oh." Cadance relaxed into her seat, waving over a passing waiter. The pony glanced nervously at the creatures at their table, but she didn't keep him long. She just gestured at the bottle of champagne on his tray, and waited for him to pour them each a glass. He did, magic flickering unsteadily with every second.

"There are ponies who might give you a different answer, Discord. I'm not infallible." She took a sip from her glass, smiling politely.

He shrugged. "I trust you, just like I trust Twilight. In the dreadful mediocrity of always answering truthfully, you at least make yourselves reliable sources of information. Tell me what you think."

"It would be romantic love," Cadance said. "I know, my subjects would call me biased, since it's my domain. But it's the strongest glue there is. Romance holds every other kind of feeling wrapped inside. You know what it feels like, you can't hide that from me. It's a friendship, it's admiration, it's nurturing... and it's physical as well. Love speaks to every part of a creature, from their highest aspirations to their basest desires. Just as crystals form their strongest lattice when their layers stack on each other, so is romantic love made strongest by the presence of all the others."

He nodded, apparently satisfied with her answer. Discord sat up, and his tray vanished from in front of Spike.

"Hey!" 

But he ignored the dragon, bowing towards her again. "I might be about to put that theory to the test, Princess. I won't be happy if I've been misled." He grinned a toothy smile, stretching unnaturally wide.

She met his eyes, unmoved by the threat. The empire was hers. She wasn't going to be intimidated in her own home.

"Strength isn't always the best trait in a relationship," Twilight said, finally freeing her mouth from the roll. Or maybe it had just vanished. "Flexibility can be useful too! Think about it like metals—sometimes the strongest materials are the easiest to snap. They need a little ductility, just not so much that they deform. When that kind of love goes badly, it can take ponies down in flames."

"Oh, I know," Discord said, his voice cold. "That's a risk I'm willing to take. I hope you are too." He replaced his jacket, then waved. "Enjoy your party, princesses. I have preparations to make."

He vanished, leaving the three of them alone at the table, staring at the place he'd been standing.

It was Spike who finally broke the silence. "What the buck was that about?"

Cadance ignored the impropriety. "I don't know. But I think we're about to find out."