//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Fight // Story: Piece by Piece // by Eltirions //------------------------------// 9 December 1008 Once Rainbow had been brought to her room, Rarity made her way back down to the gardens.  And caught a snowball in her magic, five centimetres from her face. The silence that followed that quite impressive display of reflexes was deafening. Evidently, someone hadn’t been aiming very well. ‘’Well,’’ Rarity broke the silence, ‘’whose side am I one?’’ ‘’Mine!’’ Flurry immediately shouted. She was standing behind one of the bushes, together with Star Glitter. Moon Tower, Jewel Heart and Swift Hoof were together too, on the opposite side of the gardens. ‘’As you wish, darling.’’ Rarity made her way over to Flurry, carrying the snowball with her. Then, when she’d arrived at Flurry’s side, Rarity flicked the snowball towards the opposing side. It didn’t hit, sadly, but that really wasn’t that big of a deal.  Right, time to- ‘’Auntie,’’ Flurry said, ‘’you’re not allowed to use your horn. You have to use your hooves.’’ Rarity turned to face the filly. ‘’I see.’’ That did seem more fair. And so, she scooped up some snow with her hooves and formed it into a snowball, then threw it towards the other team. Flurry and Star Glitter were already throwing more snowballs, and their opponents were returning fire with the same vigour. It was fun in a way that Rarity had missed over the past months. And she couldn’t even recall the last time she’d had a snowball fight with anyone. Certainly not last year; then, she’d been more concerned with the civil war than with having fun. Not that there was nothing to be concerned about now. The Empress’ upcoming visit, restoring the Crystal Empire to a working nation, and perhaps most importantly: taking good care of Flurry. It would be hard. But Rarity was prepared to make sure everything worked out in the right way. |-x-X-x-| 9 December 1008 With a sigh, Nightmare Moon closed the door of her solar. Today was just like any other day: too long and work-filled for her taste. She couldn’t remember Equestria being this hard to rule before. Then again, I was sharing the burden with Sister at the time, and Equestria was smaller. Now, it seemed that there was a new pony for every problem that popped up, and all wanted her to fix them. Because ponies still couldn’t solve their own problems.   ‘’You know, Twilight is probably bemoaning the twisted fate that led to Nightmare Moon returning.’’ Why is he here? ‘’Discord, what in the Moon’s name are you doing?’’ ‘’Me? Nothing. Just visiting an old friend. Why, you don’t like me?’’ Nightmare’s face darkened. ‘’Celestia might have forgiven you-’’ ‘’But you’re not her, ya-da ya-da ya-da. Actually, how much of you is Luna and how much is Nightmare Moon?’’ Discord slipped down from the ceiling and placed himself in front of her, leaning back with his upper limbs on the back of his head, resting on nothing as if it was a wall. ‘’We are one, and we always have been. I am Luna’s true self.’’ There was nothing more to it. Discord quirked an eyebrow. ‘’And her true self doesn’t want to be called her own name by her subjects? You know, for someone who longs for attention that badly, changing your name seems kind of counterproductive.’’ He tapped his chin in thought. Nightmare scoffed. ‘’I wouldn’t expect you to understand. And for that matter, how does the Lord of Chaos feel about his name having never changed in a thousand years?’’ she shot back at him. Discord shrugged. ‘’People call me by many different names.’’ ‘’They do with me as well.’’ ‘’But they all boil down to the same thing. Then again, the same can be said for me.’’ Discord suddenly let himself fall back, sinking into the floor like it was an elastic, then bouncing upwards into the sky and - somehow - ending up on Nightmare’s chair, the one she always sat in. ‘’Is there a point to this?’’ she asked, exasperated. ‘’Maybe. Maybe not.’’ Discord pulled a ball of light out of thin air and threw it up in the air, before catching it and then throwing it up again. ‘’I might just have lost it right about now.’’ ‘’I beg your pardon?’’ ‘’Wait a minute-’’ Discord leant forward, crossing the distance between the couch and Nightmare without moving from the couch, and stuck his paw into her mane. Before Nightmare could react, he pulled it back, something pink contained in his paw. ’’Ah, there it is!’’ He opened his paw, and Nightmare managed to see what he had just picked out of her hair. ‘’A butterfly?’’ Discord nodded, before tossing the butterfly into the air and catching it with his mouth. ‘’A metaphor. The point actually is that I’m here to make a deal.’’ This shall be interesting. ‘’A deal?’’ Discord nodded. ‘’Yes, a deal. Don’t pull that face.’’ Nightmare tilted her head. This was strange, even for him. What was his angle? ‘’You think I’d make a deal with you?’’ Discord shook his head. ‘’No. I’m going to offer it anyway.’’ Typical. ‘’Very well. I suppose listening won’t hurt.’’ ‘’Actually, remember that one time-’’ Discord began. ‘’Discord.’’ And yes, I do. It wasn’t fun. ‘’Oh ruin my fun, why don’t you?’’ Discord complained dramatically.  ‘’Now what was I going to say? Oh yes, the deal.’’ Nightmare waited. ‘’... Well?’’ ‘’It’s simple, really. I want a promise from you.’’ Discord leant across the couch, watching her intently. If he was anyone else, it might even be sexual. Nightmare, regardless, was unfazed. ‘’A promise of what?’’ Discord’s eyes narrowed. ‘’To never hurt Fluttershy.’’ Nightmare blinked. Was that all? ‘’I ordered my soldiers to stay away from her and her cottage when they took Ponyville, you know that. I don’t have any intentions towards her.’’ Discord nodded very, very slowly. ‘’And we both know that could change at any second. So, a deal. I get Fluttershy.’’ ‘’And what do I get?’’ Nightmare inquired. ‘’Me.’’ What. ‘’I’m sorry?’’ Discord put his upper limbs together and cracked them. ‘’In exchange for leaving her and her home alone, I will take her place as protector of Equestria. Any threats pop up that you can’t send your armies against, I’ll take care of.’’ ‘’Discord, you’re not an Element of Harmony-’’ ‘’I don’t have to be! I am just as powerful as the Elements!’’ That sounded very whiny and childish. He was probably reading her mind, but Nightmare still didn’t voice the thought aloud.  ‘’The last time we sent you out alone, you aided Tirek in stealing Equestria’s magic. Why-’’ ‘’Fluttershy’s pregnant.’’ Nightmare blinked. Took a step back. Opened her mouth. Didn’t know what to say. Discord barreled on. ‘’We just found out. She’s overjoyed, of course, as are all of her animal friends. We’re going to tell the others tomorrow.’’ His unnatural eyes locked with Nightmare’s. ‘’So there’s your guarantee. I want a secure future for my child, and I’ll do anything I can to make sure of that.’’ ‘’Congratulations,’’ Nightmare finally managed to say, and it wasn’t a lie. ‘’I- I’m happy, for you both.’’ Discord’s eyes softened. ‘’Thank you.’’ There was a sincerity to his voice that Nightmare had never expected to hear from him. He stuck out his griffon claw. ‘’So, what do you say, Moony?’’ Nightmare took the claw and shook it. ‘’We have a deal.’’