//------------------------------//
// Order and Chaos 
// Story: Colours of Dusk 
// by AlphatheGriffin17 
//------------------------------//

Twilight didn't know how long she had been on the floor, her forelegs wrapped around her tail and crying into it. She could feel her wings quivering on her back and she wanted nothing more than to tear them off. Throw them right at the hooves of the one who'd cursed her with them.

That anger flared again at a thought. This was her room. Celestia's room. If her mentor wasn't here to be hurt, she'd do the next best thing.

Magic surged into her horn and it was unleashed. She blasted her illustrious bed into a tattered mess of feathers and quilts. She reduced her splendid curtains to cinders. Her furnishings and tables were left splintered and broken. By the time she was finished, the once grand, gilded space looked like the aftermath of a battlefield.

Yet it didn't help. She was still angry. She heard the door open behind her and rounded, ready to fire off a spell into Celestia's stupid, perfect face.

But the spell went too high, just skimming over the shorter Princess Luna rather than where Celestia's head would have been. Even so, the Night Princess ducked. Twilight's rage suddenly seemed much smaller in the face of hers.

"Twilight Sparkle! What is the meaning of this?!"

"P-Princess Luna! I-I can explain! I was… well, I was…" A thought occurred to Twilight, one that made her forget Luna's outburst. "Did you know? About what Celestia had planned for me to become a princess?"

"Twilight, if this is some misbegotten attempt to deflect this act of vandalism-!"

"Luna, please! I need to know, just tell me!"

Luna frowned. "Not entirely. Even with me, my sister keeps things close to her chest. I knew she intended to have you finish Starswirl's spell as a test. Only at the cusp of its completion did I become aware of what its effects would be. I fail to see what that has to do with this current situation, however."

Twilight didn't answer, only letting Luna's words turn in her mind. She could be lying, but Luna wasn't like Celestia. She wore her intentions and feelings openly. She was direct and forthright. Though Twilight felt some lingering resentment, it was nowhere near as much when it came to Celestia.

The weight of the earlier exchange started to press on her again. She could feel her eyes start to blur with tears and she looked away from Luna. But it didn't go unnoticed by the younger princess.

"Twilight, is something the matter?" Her tone was still stern, though concern mingled with it. "I understand a great deal has happened and if there is something you'd like to tell me about, I would…"

She trailed off when Twilight suddenly latched onto her. Luna tensed at the sudden contact, but she returned the hug regardless. She didn't say anything or prompt an explanation. Only waited until the worst of Twilight's sobs had ebbed away. At that point, she pulled away and gently touched her chin.

"Despair doesn't become you, Twilight Sparkle," she said. "Come, speak with me. Tell me what troubles you."

Twilight was initially hesitant. But who else could she speak to about this? She had no wish to see Celestia right now and Cadence was in the hospital. Luna was the only one who might understand, at least.

So she told her. It took a lot of pauses, either from rising anger or sadness, but she did. About what had happened during the attack. The state of her brother and sister-in-law. What Dusk hadn't told her about his suspicions. Everything she felt towards Celestia and everything surrounding it, including her anxieties about being a princess.

Again, Luna said nothing. Only listened. The patience and empathy of a pony who had helped countless through their worst nightmares. When Twilight was finished, she spent a few moments in silence before breaking it.

"Young Twilight." A smile graced her face. "I think perhaps, in the wake of all that, we can excuse a little wanton destruction."

"Huh? But I… I-I mean…"

She chuckled at the confusion that must have shown on Twilight's face. "You forget, you're not the only one who has harboured resentment towards Celestia. Though yours is far more sympathetic and less spiteful than a lack of appreciation."

"O-Oh. Right." Twilight looked away again, still feeling a little embarrassed. "Luna, can… can I ask you something?" She waited until Luna nodded. "Do you… still feel resentful? About what happened when Celestia… you know…?"

"Banished me for a thousand years?" There was no bitterness in Luna's tone, just acknowledgement of a fact. "By and large, I have made peace with it. I've come to terms with my feelings back then and what they drove me to do. I was a threat to my sister and everypony else as well. However…" Her features clouded. "There are times when… I wish she had taken a different approach. If there had been a chance for us to resolve the rift between us, before it grew the way it did."

"Before she used the Elements," murmured Twilight.

Luna nodded. "Though it was as much a shock to her as to me, the result of the Element's magic. I think perhaps she hoped they would simply free me from my darkness, as they did when you used them."

"But then why didn't they?" asked Twilight.

"I cannot say, my friend. As you've learned, there is much the Elements can still surprise us with, even when we think we understand them." She nodded to Twilight's wings. "And still just as shocking as before."

"Yeah. A warning would have been nice," she muttered. "At least the Elements have the excuse of just being magical necklaces. Celestia, she… she never even told me, that this is what she had planned. Not once."

Luna went quiet again. Her eyes lingered on Twilight's wings for a long time.

"Twilight," she began, "what I'm about to say is not intended to exonerate or excuse my sister. Whatever her reasons for her secrecy in her intentions for you, that's something only she can tell you. But you're right: she should have been upfront in regards to making you a princess before it happened and you're justified in how you feel towards her for it. But if you would permit me, I hope to at least provide some light on the subject from my perspective."

Twilight hesitated for a moment. A significant part of her wasn't interested in hearing this. But there was something that lingered. Some remaining portion of respect or affection for Celestia. Though it was almost reluctant, she nodded.

"You must understand something about my sister, Twilight. She has always focused on the big picture. It's the way she has ruled, since before and after my banishment. It was part of what fed my resentment to her." Luna looked out the window. "I always believed that she spent her days, being loved and adored by our subjects, to the extent that I may as well have not existed. But after my return, we spoke extensively on the matter. To avoid history repeating itself. What I came to understand was just how many responsibilities Celestia had during the day. So many things to maintain and attend to, it was all she could do to keep track of it all. It was something that I, who has always worked alone and with all the time I need to solve a problem, had never fully appreciated. It was a burden that only became greater when she found herself alone.

"Of course, she didn't try to excuse her neglect of me or my feelings, any more than I tried to justify my actions as a result of them. Again, I cannot speak for her reasoning as to why she didn't intervene in the occasions you mentioned, not at first in some cases such as Discord. Any number of factors could have been at play. But one thing that can't be denied is the result of them. You've saved Equestria, rescued me from my darkness and helped return my beloved Sombra. For these actions, Twilight, I have a great deal of respect and admiration for you."

"You… you do?"

She nodded. "Indeed. Aside from your talents in magic and keen intellect, you also possess a steady resolve and great determination towards achieving your goals. Not only that, you're not afraid to draw from the strength of those beside you. It takes great courage to be able to rely on others, as much as yourself. Your victories are ones shared with them."

"But…" She gulped and pressed on. "But what's the difference between that a-and… and just using them? Th-That their lives aren't as important as mine?"

"In asking that question, you have already provided an answer." She wrapped a wing around her. "Consider this: if it were Applejack or Pinkie Pie who stands where you are now, would you leave their side? Would their being a princess make any difference?"

"No, of course not," she said at once. "They're my friends, I'd never abandon them."

"Precisely and I can tell you, with complete certainty, that they feel the same way." Luna's smile was small, but sincere. "That is not to say the fight ahead of us will be easy, but all of us are ready to face it. My sister and I were not here when we should have been, but nothing can make us leave you now. This I vow, with all that I am."

The solidity of this promise made Twilight feel a lot lighter. It didn't make her worries about being a princess go away, nor did it completely resolve how she felt towards Celestia. But that didn't stop her from hugging Luna again, which the Night Princess was ready for and gladly returned.

"Th-Thank you, Luna."

"Considering all that you and your friends have done for me, Twilight, it's the very least I can do. Oh and in regards to my student…" She quietened for a moment before continuing. "Again, your feelings towards him are warranted. He should have expressed his concerns sooner. But I ask you, as a personal favour: please, don't think too poorly of him. I'm sure he only acted in the way he felt best, mistaken though it may have been."

Dusk's face flashed in her mind. How shamefaced he'd looked when explaining himself. How hurt he was when she said she couldn't trust him. Looking back, perhaps she'd been projecting some things she was already feeling in regards to Celestia. Having her fiancé do the same thing, in her eyes at least, was just icing on a very nasty cake.

Maybe another talk was due, one with clearer heads. Not just yet, but soon.

"I won't," she promised. "He is still an idiot. But… he's my idiot."

"An idiot with a good heart and a kind soul. The best kind." She nuzzled Twilight's face a little and gave her one last hug. "Besides, I had already picked out the most splendid wedding present. It would be a shame to see it wasted."

Twilight laughed appreciatively. "I'll keep that in mind. What is it?"

"Ah, that is for me to know and you to find out. On the day," she added with emphasis and a wink. "Now, I had best attend the throne room. Will you be joining me?"

"I still think I need a few minutes," she admitted. "But I'm feeling better about it now. And Luna? For the record, even if it feels like nopony else appreciates you, we definitely do."

"For which I will always be grateful for. Oh and Twilight?" She paused at the door, smirking over her shoulder. "You can be the one to explain to my sister why her room is in its current state."

"That's uh, that's fair enough." She laughed sheepishly and blushed. "Thanks for understanding, Luna."

"As I said, I do understand, better than most. I shall see you momentarily, my friend."

As the door closed, Twilight began to try and collect herself, along with wondering if there was any point trying to fix anything before she left…



 "Well now," said Discord, gazing around, "isn't this quite the collection of primary and secondary characters? Almost as if somepony is trying to make up for something." His eyes flickered off into the distance for a moment. "Now, I've been hearing through the grapevine that some big business is kicking off!" He pulled out grapevines, holding some up to his ears and mouth as something chattered inside. "Yes, I know, I'm here now, you don't have to keep telling me."

"You're correct, Discord," said Celestia. "Fallen Soul has made his move. He has taken possession of six Demon Beast hosts and found a way to harness their power without fully unleashing them."

"Yes, I could feel it even in my little pocket of chaos," replied Discord. "Like a little buzzing when a fly goes right by your ear. Seemed to be coming from somewhere up north. I assume the overly gaudy Hearts and Hooves Day decoration didn't impede his efforts?"

Celestia nodded grimly. "The Crystal Heart has been destroyed and the Empire along with it."

Discord raised both eyebrows. "Now, that is a pity. If only somepony here had an idea beforehand about what Fallen had cooking and told the rest of you, perhaps it may not have been this way."

His eyes focused on Dusk. An unpleasant smirk formed on his face. Before the guilt could well up too much in him, somepony gently but firmly moved him aside. The instant he found himself looking at Fluttershy instead, Discord visibly wilted.

"How dare you?" she whispered. "How dare you treat this like it's some kind of joke, when you knew what you did?"

"Fluttershy, I…" He tugged at his 'collar' nervously. "I-I assure you, I don't know what you-"

"Yes, you do!" she shrieked. "You were the one who told Dusk about what you suspected and you just let him go around, with it weighing down his thoughts and the burden of telling us! Why didn't you tell us, Discord?! Why… why didn't you tell me?"

The draconequus had lost all of his earlier bluster. Despite how much taller and larger he was, he seemed to shrink before Fluttershy's anger.

"Well I… you see, what it was… what I'm trying to say, is that-"

"No, no excuses! You knew and instead of saying anything to anypony else, you decided to make it like… like a game! Like how you just stood back and watched Dusk suffer in his state after Twilight used Starswirl's spell, all for what? To learn some kind of lesson? Like what you put Ray through, reminding him of the worst thing he'd ever done?" She flew right up in his face. "Well, I hope it was worth it! Ray is gone, ponies are dead and homes are ruined or destroyed! I thought… I thought we were friends… I trusted y-you, Discord. I really did…"

"Fluttershy, w-we are," he said desperately. "I-I made a mistake, I realise that. A misguided attempt to remind our dear little Dusk of the importance of openness and honesty among friends, even with things that may cause worry or concern."

"Maybe he shouldn't have been the one learning it," she said with venom.

Her glare melded into despair again, turning away from Discord as new tears fell. He reached out to comfort her, but she slapped his hand away and was met by Pinkie. She held the Pegasus closely, giving Discord her own glare.

"Jokes are only funny when everypony else can laugh too," she said. "This, Discord? This isn't funny."

There wasn't a sympathetic gaze from anyone gathered for the draconequus. Not even the non-ponies, who may not have been as familiar with the Lord of Chaos, seemed keen on him. It was remarkable how a being with so much power could suddenly seem so… powerless.

"I believe," said Celestia evenly, "that Fluttershy has said all that needs to be said, in regards to how you've handled this matter, Discord."

"Yes, because you're always so upfront about your plans and thoughts, princess," he growled.

"DON'T…!" Celestia surprised them with her sudden outburst, though she quickly recovered. "Don't try to deflect the issue. Regardless, enough has been said on the matter and we have greater concerns. You must know that Fallen Soul is on his way here."

Discord rolled his eyes. "Well, that much is obvious. He's practically a beacon of magic now. I can almost feel him from here."

"You can sense his coming?" Luna had joined them as well, arriving from the private rooms. "I wasn't aware you could do that."

"Soul is an example of my handiwork. As a being of chaos, I'm naturally drawn to potential instances of disruption, mingled with his current company," he added with a shudder. "I can tell you, I certainly haven't missed feeling those overblown nuisances, the Demon Beasts."

"Then the question becomes, what do we do about it?" asked Luna. "He must be intercepted before he can reach us."

"Well that's easy enough!" Discord linked his fingers, stretched and cracked them. "I'll just pop out and deal with this, won't be-"

"Absolutely not, Discord," said Celestia. "With his powers as an alicorn and the strength of the Beasts, Soul is too powerful for any one of us to face alone. Even you."

"Oh be reasonable, Celestia!" he chortled. "You forget who it was that set Soul down his little temper tirade to begin with."

"Trust me, we haven't," said Luna with an icy glare.

"Well there we are. I'll just find him, sort this whole mess out and be back in time for tea. Nothing to it." His eyes flicked to Fluttershy but she wasn't looking at him. "It'll be a snap, literally!"

"He isn't the same pony you manipulated all those years ago, Discord," said Celestia. "He won't respond to you as his master and he'll be ready to fight you."

Discord huffed. "And what makes you say that?"

"I would," said Doom from his spot.

"Excuse me, I don't remember asking you anything," returned Discord. "You're sure you're not about to pass out again, from all these big things going on?"

Doom bared his teeth, but stayed where he was. "At least I have the sense to recognise when a fight is beyond my capabilities. If you face him, you will die."

"And we've already lost a great deal as it is." Celestia fixed Discord in her gaze, one that was almost beseeching. "We need to stand together against him, if we are to have any chance."

Discord didn't add anything else. He held Celestia's look for a few moments, then looked away.

"I suppose you'll be looking to use your little Element frenemies instead," he muttered.

"We weren't fortunate enough to have them when the Beasts first roamed the land," said Celestia. "Using them whilst Fallen is harnessing the Beasts' power may even rid us of multiple problems at once."

"Are we certain they will even work, my sister?" asked Luna. "Given that he has already withstood the Crystal Heart, do the Elements have a chance?"

"We're willin' ta try, princess," said Applejack. "Least ways if it don't work, we can figure out somethin' else."

"What even is there, after the Elements of Harmony?" asked Rarity.

"The old fashioned way, that's what!" Rainbow slammed her hooves together. "We beat him black and blue, then put him right back in the hole he crawled out of!"

"We're not letting that meanie get away with hurting so many ponies." Pinkie's smile wasn't a cheerful one. "And we'll do it together."

"That's right," said Fluttershy. She didn't even look a little bit afraid. "Once we beat him, then we can rescue Ray and this'll all be over."

"In which case," said Dusk, "we're still missing one important pony. I suggest we go and find her."

"No need. I'm right here."

They all turned at the sound of Twilight's voice. There she was, in the doorway of the throne room. Her mane and tail were frayed, her eyes looked fairly red but that look of determination was no less real.

They all galloped over to her and hugged her, asking if she was alright or if she needed anything. Dusk stayed back and kept quiet. Not that he was unhappy to see her, he just didn't know if she felt the same.

"Don't worry, everypony. I'm alright," she said. "I'm really sorry again, about how I was before. I just… I had a lot to deal with."

"Hey, we already said not to worry about it," said Pinkie, ruffling her mane. "We're really sorry about Cadence and Shining. You must have been so worried."

Twilight nodded. "I was. I still am, honestly. But at least they're okay, we just have to wait."

"Hey, those two are troopers. They'll be back on their hooves in no time. I-I mean," Rainbow said quickly, "that's not meant to be a crack about your brother, it isn't. What I mean is-"

"Rainbow, I think she gets it," chuckled Applejack. "But she's right, Twi. They'll bounce back from this, just ya wait."

"Quite so. Oh but darling, you're being so strong." Rarity placed a hoof on her shoulder. "So much you've endured and have yet to endure. We're so proud of you, truly."

"Thanks, Rarity. I really appreciate-"

"Ahem!" Trixie's cough got their attention. "So when are you planning to address the blue elephant in the room? Not to interrupt this moment, but this is a loose end that Trixie would like wrapped up, thank you."

"Huh? Dusk isn't an elephant." Pinkie suddenly gasped, dashing over to him. "Are you saying you've been an elephant all this time and you told Trixie, but not us? Dusk, I could handle the other stuff but this?! This is too much! How could you?!"

Dusk managed a laugh. "Pinkie, I'm truly sorry. I wanted to tell you but it never seemed… relephant."

"Pff!" Pinkie snorted and giggled. "Well, just for that, I'm gonna take you to tusk."

"Now, I'm not certain you'll survive that kind of treatment, Dusk." Sombra went to stand with him. "In fact, ivory much doubt it."

"And there it is, the King of Puns retains his crown!" Pinkie bowed to Sombra. "Sterling work, milord."

"My thanks, milady," he replied. His expression turned serious when Twilight approached. "I wish to say, Twilight, that part of Dusk's anxiety was caused by a thoughtless remark from myself. Please, don't hold that against him."

"Yes, please don't, Twilight." Fluttershy was there too. "Discord was the one who told him in the first place, just to see what he would do. Isn't that right?"

She directed this at Discord himself. He flinched at her tone, but nodded when Twilight looked at him. She considered for a moment, then turned her attention to Dusk. He managed to look her in the eye, just.

"I'm still sorry I didn't tell you, Twilight. Any of you," he added. "I understand when you say your trust in me has been damaged. Whatever decision you make, I'll… I'll respect it."

He lowered his head and waited. The silence was unbearable. Her hooves stepped into his field of vision.

"Dusk. Look at me, please."

He did. His heart leapt when he saw her smile. A real, genuine smile.

"You're right, you should have still said something. But given the circumstances, I can understand why you didn't. And…" Her smile faded. "I'm sorry too. Everything that happened, it was so… so much. It wasn't just you, I almost felt like I couldn't trust myself." She turned to face them all. "I began to think that, as a princess, that put me above you all somehow. But that isn't right. That isn't how it should be. I'm not going to just sit back and watch you all ride off. I'm going to be right there with you, no matter what. Not because I'm your princess, but because we're all friends. Every single one of us."

Her eyes met every being in the room, even Discord. The last one they found was Celestia. There was a tension between them that Dusk hadn't felt before. Twilight didn't regard her mentor with the same fondness as before. It was borderline dislike. Celestia hung her head a little lower, but didn't look away.

"I stand by what I said," Twilight began, "and I'm not apologising for it. There's a lot we need to talk about, especially about my becoming a princess. But for now, I'm willing to wait until the current crisis has been dealt with. Until then, I'm going to do all that I can with the responsibilities and power given to me. Not as a princess, your student, or even an Element of Harmony. But as Twilight Sparkle, citizen of Ponyville, with my friends by my side."

If Celestia was disappointed or elated by this, she didn't show it. Instead, she nodded gracefully.

"And I will stand with you, even if it's not as your friend. If you would have me," she added, almost tentatively.

Twilight was quiet for a long moment, mulling over her answer. In the end, she gave it. A nod in return. A very slight smile came to Celestia's face. She started to take a step towards Twilight, but thought better against it. Twilight didn't miss it and took an involuntary movement back, before looking sharply away.

Oddly enough, Dusk once again spotted Samore. The changeling princess was watching the exchange with a peculiar expression on her face. If he had to guess, it was a mixture of fascination and also… longing? Regret? It was difficult to say. But his attention was diverted by another question from Pinkie Pie.

"Just so I know, the wedding is still on, right? 'Cause I've already got a few ideas of what the cake is gonna look like!" She whipped out a large drawing pad. "I mean, I'm probably still gonna make it anyway and it'll make a great celebration cake, but… it'd be nice to still go with the original idea."

"Now, Pinkie," said Dusk, walking over. "It's very sweet that you would do that, but I don't think that now is the best time to really be-"

He was cut off when a purple magical aura surrounded him and dragged him to the one casting it.

"You didn't think you were getting out of it that easily, did you?" asked Twilight with a half-lidded look.

"Well, I… I only meant that, there's a lot going on a-and I'd understand if you wanted to reconsider after I… well, I know we've talked about it, but if you still wanted to take some time to think, I would-"

Whatever he had to say completely went out of his mind when she slammed her lips into his. His eyes went wide from shock before he melted into the kiss. A stunned silence followed when it was over.

"So," said Pinkie, "I'm gonna put that down as a 'maybe'?"

Everypony laughed appreciatively at this. Dusk and Twilight leaned their heads against each other, sharing in the feeling of contentment. Whatever came next, at least they were back where they belonged: together.