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// Overreactions 
// Story: If Solaris had a Text-to-Speech Device 
// by Jay David 
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"...SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT. EDUCATION IN THIS COUNTRY HAS DESCENDED TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT YOU ALLOWED A NIGH-UNCHALLENGED STALLION TO TAKE OVER AND INFECT IT WITH PRO-PONY PROPAGANDA, INSULAR THINKING AND EVEN DICTATORIAL TENDENCIES?"

Luna glanced uncomfortably to the side. "A rather harsh condemnation...but I can't exactly call it incorrect." She then looked back to him. "Look, in the early days, it was simple. Celestia had her school right here in the capital, and she was sure to teach all young ponies herself. But as time went on, the city grew larger, as did the population. Contrary to popular believe, we rulers cannot be in all places at once, so after a while, Tia had to bring in other teachers, and then other schools in other cities. Eventually, a whole board had to be created to oversee those schools, since Tia had a good many other state matters that took her attention. After a while, her only real, direct involvement with the education system was that first school of hers, which is now renowned as one of the finest institutions for young unicorns."

"BE THAT AS IT MAY, IT'S CLEAR THAT THIS SCHOOL BOARD, AND CHANCELLOR NEIGHSAY IN PARTICULAR, ARE A ROT THAT NEED REMOVING. AND REMOVE IT I SHALL."

Luna's eyes narrowed. "Dare I ask exactly how you intend to do such a thing?"

"SIMPLE. I SHALL MERELY ASK THE MOST FAMOUS MISCHIEF-MAKER IN THE WORLD TO MAKE SOME MISCHIEF."

After a moment, both Luna and Blueblood looked over to Discord, the latter placing his paw upon his own chest and looking to Solaris with at least a modicum of genuine surprise. "Moi?"

"YES, YOU. WE ALL KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE TO CAUSE HEADACHES FOR PONIES, SO LET'S SEE YOU DO IT AGAIN. BRING THIS CHANCELLOR NEIGHSAY TO ME RIGHT HERE AND NOW, SO THAT I MAY PASS JUDGEMENT ON HIM FOR HIS CORRUPT WAYS."

Discord slapped his paws together, rubbing them with glee while taking on a look of pure delight. "Oh ho ho! This is gonna be fun!"

He then raised one paw, readying his fingers to snap and bring in the unknowingly-doomed stallion. Alas, before he could, Luna intervened, grabbing hold of Discord's arm and forcibly lowering it. While Discord himself was naturally annoyed by this, it was instead her father that Luna now looked to. "Father, with the greatest respect, you don't need to treat him like some criminal."

"DID YOU NOT TELL ME, MERE MINUTES AGO, THAT HE WAS SUCH A COLOSSALLY UNLIKEABLE FIGURE THAT HE EVEN IMPRISONED CHILDREN BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THEY WERE ENEMIES OF THE STATE?"

Luna sighed. "Yes, I did. And believe me, if he had remained as such, I would simply stand by and let you do what you intended. But, and it admittedly pains me to say this, Neighsay has changed for the better since that hostile time. He has softened on the non-pony students of Twilight's school, and he even helped to rally other ponies to her cause during her most recent encounter with Equestria's enemies."

"HOW IN THE FRICK DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING?! I ARRIVE BACK ONTO THE WORLD STAGE AFTER THOUSANDS OF YEARS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S LIKE EVERY BAD GUY UNDER THE SUN IS TURNING GOOD LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTRE. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MOUSTACHE-TWIRLERS THAT I COULD JUST BE SATISFIED WITH SEEING FAIL AT THEIR PLANS?"

"In Neighsay's case it would be more of a goatee really," Luna considered. "But yes, bottom line, Neighsay's better than he used to be, and whatever you were planning, I say he should not be put through it."

"ARE YOU DEFYING ME, DAUGHTER?"

In response, Luna smirked. "Once a rebel, always a rebel, I suppose."

Discord, having wrested his arm free from Luna's grip, exhaled. "Okay, so maybe she's right about him. And I did sort of promise Fluttershy that I'd lay off causing problems for ponies on purpose." He then folded his arms and frowned as he looked off to the side. "Even if he is an arrogant jerk with a pole up his rear-end."

"VERY WELL, IF YOU TWO WON'T HELP, I'LL JUST BRING HIM IN MYSELF."

"Father," Luna warned.

"SORRY, ALREADY DOING IT," Solaris replied, with the chamber around them starting to rumble. 

"Don't you do it," Luna said again.

"IMMA DO IT."

"This should be good," Discord declared with his usual amusement.

The rumblings in the chamber grew more and more pronounced, and soon, in a flash of light similar to how Discord himself was brought in a while ago, a new pony now stood among them. Unfortunately, it was not the old stallion Solaris had intended, but rather a small, unicorn filly, with a pink and purple curly mane, whom Luna recognised instantly. Solaris, for his part, was rather annoyed by this development. "DANGIT. THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN I GET STRESSED."

Sweetie Belle, for her part, was understandably confused and startled by her new and un-asked-for location, as her head darted about in a frantic manner. "I...what...who...where?!"

"YOU THERE, CHILD. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"

Sweetie, having at last noticed the giant, talking skeleton, acted in the way most people would in such a scenario, and froze in terror, barely managing to get out any words at all. "I...I...I...I..."

"SORRY, TOOK TOO LONG. YOUR NAME SHALL BE FILLY FROM THIS TIME FORWARD."

Luna, thoroughly exasperated by her father's antics by this pointed, walked over to the still-unnerved child, placing a hoof upon her shoulder. The effect was immediate, as Sweetie looked up to her and, finally seeing a familiar face, calmed down somewhat. Luna, smiling to her, before leaning down and whispering. "Sorry about this. Just smile and nod to him for a bit and I promise I'll get you back home."

Discord, who had been enormously entertained by this whole display, leaned onto Blueblood for a bit, much to the latter's chagrin, before declaring his thoughts on the matter. "Look at it this way, kid. At least you've got a good story to tell the other two when you get back to the clubhouse."