Twilight was once more rubbing her temples as the school children were hopping around her shouting. They hadn’t even been in Canterlot for a minute before they started causing the chaos little children cause so expertly. “OK little Colts and Fillies, please calm down. We haven’t even left the station yet.”
He words went unheard as the children shouted and talked hopping about. Twilight hung her head sighing. Just then she heard a familiar voice. “Hush now quiet now it’s time to rest your sleepy hooves, hush now quiet now listen to us please.” The children quieted and sat down as Fluttershy and Pinkie walked up to them. “Heya Twily!” Pinkie shouted bouncing over to her friend and giving her a hug.
“Uh, hey Pinkie. Fluttershy. What are you doing in Canterlot?”
“Oh, we’re here on a date Twilight. But I saw you needed help so I came over. Um...i hope that was ok...you didn’t mind did you?”
“Oh Celestia no. Thank you for that. Um...can I talk to you two real quickly?”
“Sure thing Twily!”
“Ok children, wait here.” The three adult mares moved a little bit away from the school group. Far enough so they could whisper without any of them over hearing, but close enough they could keep a keen eye on them. “I found a note from Cheerilee earlier.”
“Well that’s no surprise. She is the head teacher.”
“No I mean...this note was different. It had nothing to do with teaching.”
“Oh that’s most unusual.” Fluttershy said in her usual quiet voice.
“Indeed. But it also involved you two. And the other girls. It’s about....R.”
“R?” Pinkie and Fluttershy asked confused. Twilight looked back at the school group then whispered in both of their ears. “Oh....that R.” They said simultaneously. Twilight nodded.
“Cheerilee believes it’s time we faced our past and visited his statue. Maybe she’s right. If you see the other girls can you let them know?”
“Sure thing Twily. See ya around.” Pinkie said with a smile and bounced off. Fluttershy gave Twilight a quick hug then followed her mare friend.
Twilight said before going back to her charges and calmly spoke to them, “Alright kids. We’re going to the gardens now. Get into pairs and stick close together. Follow my instructions and we should arrive there before noon.”
The children cheered and got into pairs. Another few short minutes later they were on their way down the streets of Canterlot.
================================================
Twilight led her students around the garden stopping at each statue to tell her students a little about it.
“This statue represents Victory. It was erected after one of the last great pony wars. The Earth Pony Mare depicted in this statue brought Victory to her side. She alone survived the battle upon Star top hill, hence the stars of the statue. The flag is the flag of her side of the war. Alas her name has been lost as well as the name of whatever side she fought for.”
She stood still for a minute as the young ponies talked amongst themselves and awed at the statue. She let them talk for a few minutes before deciding it was time to move on.
“Come on my little ponies. This next statue is of Knowledge.” Twi said as she moved on. “As you can see there are two of these statues. If you look at them closely you can see that there are slight differences between the two. They are the sisters of knowledge. Together they discovered much of the knowledge known now in Equestria.”
Twilight led the children over to the next statue. “And this is Discord. He is the spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. Unlike the other statues this one has Discord Sealed inside. Yes Crimson?”
Twilight looked at the colt raising his hoof. “Ms Sparkle, Why is he made up of many animals? And why is he sealed in stone?”
“Good question Crimson. As I said Discord is the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. He wrought Chaos upon old Equestria, so our princesses Celestia and Luna sealed him away. But about a thousand years later he broke free, and the bearers of harmony had to seal him away again. As for his many body parts that is because he is what is called a Draconequus. Little to nothing is known about these creatures, and only two have been documented.”
“Ms Sparkle! Who was the second.”
“We are about to see him.” She led the children to the final statue of the garden. She looked up slowly as a she got butterflies in her stomach. “This...........this is Retribution. He is the Spirit of Chaos and Fury. He was not always a Draconequus. He used to be a pony just like you or me. He was a very talented unicorn and one of my dearest friends.”
“What happened to him Miss?”
Twilight sighed sadly. “He discovered something about himself. And we rejected him because of it. And he fell to chaos and became this creature of Fury. The incident that followed became known as the Day of Red Sky. And that is your homework for tonight. You must research up on The Day of Red Sky.”
There was a series of groans from her students. “Come on children. We’ll get some Ice-cream before we head back to Ponyville.”
“YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY”
==============================================
Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie happily wandered around Canterlot before stopping in at a cafe for lunch. One they had ordered they sat outside and ate in silence. “Hey Pinkie......”
“Yeah Flutters?”
“What do you think about going to the statue gardens this evening?”
Pinkie was unusually silent for a while chewing her food. “I think we should go.....We need to apologize for what we did. I only hope he’ll be able to hear us.”
Fluttershy nodded with a sigh and they went back to eating their food in silence before an familiar voice entered the cafe area.
“Well you see my darling Applejack it all matters on how you look at it.”
“Ah don’t care Rarity. Ah don’t like it.”
“Guys keep it down. Oh hey it’s the love birds.”
Rainbow, AJ and Rarity turned their heads to take a look at Pinkie and Fluttershy before coming to sit with them. They too ordered their own lunch and began having a pleasant conversation.
“Oh AJ, Flutter and I ran into Twily and little Blossom.”
“Really. Ah didn’t know they were in Canterlot.” Applejack's eyes darted side to side signaling she was lying.
“Oh don’t lie AJ. We know you’re here to keep an eye on little Blossom. Anyway, she said Cheerilee believes we should all pay a visit to R while we’re here.”
AJ, Rarity and Rainbow all gave Pinkie a blank expression of confusion. “R?”
Pinkie stole a glance at Fluttershy before answering. “Our favorite angry non-pony.” A chorus of oh’s sounded at her answer. “I think we should. We all need to apologize for what we did. And AJ......Blossom deserves to know. She’s old enough now, and if we don’t she might just do what her father did and go traveling.”
AJ sighed defeated and nodded. “Ah know. Ah was just waitin for tha right time, but ah suppose no time like tha present.” AJ, Pinkie and Flutters looked at the other two waiting for their response.
“I agree. I behaved terribly to him before the incident. I need to face up to my crimes against him. And what do you say Dashie?” Rarity said.
Rainbow was silent for a while before replying. “We need to see him. I wasn’t very loyal to him. I jumped to conclusions. Let’s do it tonight. Agreed?”
“Agreed the others responded.”