Canterlot castle can best be described as grand: grand halls, grand rooms, grand kitchens, grand baths and bedrooms.
The two-thousand year old structure left nothing but thick stone between its inhabitants and the outside elements. Many spells surrounded the structure to make the inhabitants comfortable without altering the historic icon of Canterlot with modern methods of insulation.
Even with all that magic, two weeks into her rule and Twilight’s fireplace was still going out halfway through the night. She would wake up to an overwhelming cold every morning.
As the chill set in, she began to stir under her sheets, wishing to be warm. She felt the cold seep into her hooves and legs. It nipped at her nose while her ears hugged her skull for warmth. As she felt it take over her body she rolled over hoping to cover herself with more of her blanket. She bumped into something warm and furry; without thinking about it she pulled it close and latched onto it.
Twilight found the fur to be soft and thick as it tickled her nose. The heat that radiated from underneath it not only warmed her up but relaxed her; almost made her feel safe. As she drifted back to sleep she rubbed her face deeper into the fur and warmed her cold ears and cheeks.
Then the warm fuzzy thing started snoring.
Twilight eyes shot open and she slowly looked up to find Discord close enough to breathe on her.
Her legs wrapped around his midsection, while his tail swept around her and pressed against her back; the white tuff tangled in her mane. His head was just above hers; the heat of his breath rolling down her neck.
Her heart started beating its way out of her chest, her face became flushed as her stomach filled with butterflies; she opened her mouth, and…screamed.
A purple plume of magic shot Discord’s still sleeping body up, and smashed him against the ceiling. He fell right back into the bed with a few bits of the ceiling.
After landing, his eyes were wide and bloodshot; he had to blink a couple of times to get his bearings. He soon noticed Twilight next to him; red faced and holding her sheets to her chin, as if to hide herself from him.
“Why are you in my bed?” Twilight yelled. She gritted her teeth at him and squeezed the blanket so tight that her joints hurt.
“A princess shouldn't raise her voice.” Discord mocked while wagging his finger at her. “Your guards could come in here to investigate all the yelling and find us in bed together.” Discord brought a claw to his mouth in false concern. “Oh, what would they think?”
Twilight understood what he was suggesting and took a deep breath, letting the air roll out of her nostrils, taking most of her rage with it. Once her anger subsided enough to control her voice she glared at the spirit.
“Why are you in my bed?” she asked, thrusting her face towards his.
“I was sleepy.” Discord answered as he stretched his arms out and popped his joints.
“Then why didn't you sleep in your bed?” she said throwing her hooves in the air.
“I lost it,” Discord stated casually as he popped his neck by twisting head all the way around.
“How did you lose your bed?” Twilight asked half halfheartedly. Annoyed that he would so casually invade her privacy; though part of her was not surprised.
“I gave it legs.” he answered as if that was normal.
“Yo- wha-, how, why would you do that?” Her voice began to rise again.
Discord opened his mouth to answer, but Twilight interrupted him.
“Never mind, I don’t care,” she said while she rubbed her temples. “Why did you choose to sleep in my bed?” Twilight asked as she gained some control over her voice again.
“I didn’t. Well, I did, but that’s not why I came here. I wanted Spike to send some letters.” Discord pointed to a basket near the bed. “When I got here he was asleep, you were asleep, and I found myself sleepy.”
“That makes no sen-“ she stopped herself from finishing that sentence. “Never mind, with you nothing makes sense.”
“Or, everything makes sense with me and,” He said poking her in the nose. “You're the mad one.”
Before Twilight could yell at him to get out, Spike came out of nowhere and climbed onto the bed. Their augment woke him up and just like a foal would climb into their parent’s bed, so did Spike.
“Hey Discord.” He greeted him through a yawn. “What are you doing here?”
“Teaching Twilight about the birds and the bees.” Discord answered, smirking at the chance to cause trouble.
Twilight growled and raised a hoof to slap Discord.
“Oh she already knows about the birds and the bees.”
Twilight froze, her face quickly became a look of shock.
“Oh, really?” Discord gave Twilight a mischievous smile.
“Yea, she and Fluttershy showed me what they knew.” Spike yawned again.
Twilight pupils became like pinpricks while her mane became a little more disheveled. Her eyes didn’t focus on anything in particular.
Discord rolled onto his stomach and put his head in his claws, like a foal listening to a story.
“How did it go, Spike?” he asked.
“It hurt,” he answered.
Discord stifled a laugh. “What? Did a bee sting you?” he teased.
“No.” Spike answered innocently. “Fluttershy had this little pecker and it got me good.”
Both Twilight and Discord started laughing so hard that they rolled off the bed. Spike, however, was rather taken back.
“It’s not funny!” Spike, clueless, started yelling at them. “Her pecker got me right in the eye!”
The two started laughing even harder, tears running down their faces. After gaining some control, they dragged their way back onto the bed like they were scaling a cliff.
“Spike,” Twilight said after catching her breath. She walked up to Spike and nuzzled him. His innocence made him such an endearing companion. “Don’t ever change,” She said as she placed a hoof around him.
Spike was really confused at this point, but embraced her back. However, a growl from Spike’s stomach interrupted them, causing Twilight to giggle a little bit more.
“Why don’t you go to the kitchen and eat; I asked them to stock a few gems for you. They might be in by now.”
With those words Spike forgot about everything else and ran out of the room licking his lips.
Twilight watched him leave with a smile on her face and an endearing feeling in her heart.
“You know, he was the reason I was here, right?” Discord said a little annoyed.
Twilight turned to him and gave him a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”
Discord sighed and levitated three letters out of nowhere into the air. He then snapped his fingers; Twilight watched as all three letters disappeared.
“You just sent them, didn’t you?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Why didn’t you do that in the first place?” Twilight asked as she sent him a glare.
“I was bored,” Discord said as he lay back down in the bed.
Twilight sighed, “Of course you were. So whom were those letters for?”
“Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie,” He answered.
Twilight brain started ticking with curiosity, but all that came out of her mouth was, “Why are you writing to them?”
“Celestia suggested it; she said it would help remind me why I'm a, ‘Lord of the Court’, and not a paper weight.”
Twilight giggled, “Did she really say paper weight?”
“Yes she did,” he answered her with a smirk of his own. Discord enjoyed a good joke, even when he was the punch line.
Twilight giggled again, “Sorry, that was a little mean of her.”
Discord fluffed up his pillow and put his claws behind his head. “It’s ok. There was this one time that a certain mare that turned me to stone. Now that was mean.”
Twilight decided to play along with the spirit.
“Yeah, I heard she did it with a rainbow. It must have been so embarrassing for you.” She rolled her eyes at him.
“Worse, she shot it at me with a tiara.” The two started laughing again.
A thought crossed Twilight’s mind as the laughter subsided. They were just talking, like normal ponies. Well, Discord wasn’t a pony, but he wasn't being-.
“Discord, you're being… pleasant and not as… hyperactive.” Twilight stated after she was unable to put a hoof on his current behavior.
“I just haven’t laughed this much since the castle was mine.” He answered her.
Twilight smiled and nodded. She didn’t need to ask any more questions, she knew full well the power that laughter could have over some ponies. She settled back in bed and let the feeling of contentment and happiness sink into her.
Twilight’s mind drifted, but it back peddled a bit after she thought about what Discord just said.
She almost lost control when she realized that a gateway to all the unwritten history of Equestria was in bed with her. So much information at her hooves; that is, if she could get him to answer her questions.
“Discord, may I ask you a few questions?” She asked, looking up at him.
Discord opened his eyes and gave her an annoyed look. He saw the anticipation in her eyes. Twilight wanted to ask about his past, thinking he had some kind of hidden history to divulge. Discord sneered and grinned at her as wheels spun wildly behind her eyes.
“Only if you solve my riddle.” He said to her.
Discord raised an eyebrow at Twilight as she clapped her hooves together.
“That sounds fun,” Twilight declared.
She wiggled her body deeper into her bed and pulled the blanket to her chest. She seemed to have grown oblivious to the fact that Discord spent the night in her bed.
So she wants to have fun. Let’s see how far you can go. Discord thought to himself. “Alright, I'm not deaf, but if you ask right I will answer left.”
After he gave Twilight the riddle; he mimicked her and slithered further under the blankets, making himself comfortable. Discord watched as Twilight’s brain worked its magic. He could almost see her unraveling the riddle.
Then her ears perked up.
“What is your name?” she asked with a smirk on her face.
“Drocsid.” He answered.
“Ha! I knew it!” Twilight exclaimed throwing a hoof into the air in triumph. “If I answer right you’ll answer left. So if ask left you will answer right,” She explained her understanding of the riddle. Twilight sat there for a few moments looking at her hooves. Slowly her ears dropped as she thought; then suddenly they perked right back up. “Os ohw tliub siht eltsac?”
“I built it.” Discord said as he jabbed a thumb into his chest. “Who else would have half of it hanging off a cliff?” Discord answered with an amused voice.
“Tahw saw ruoy elur ekil?” However, Twilight would not get her answer, as Celestia flew through Twilight’s balcony door.
What Celestia saw was precarious at best. Discord laid back with Twilight next to him. Both had happy and content looks on their faces.
“Oh! My apologies, I didn’t mean to interrupt you two.” Celestia said while frantically looking for a way out of the awkward situation.
Twilight tilted her head frowned at Celestia, then scarlet danced across her face as she understood what this might look like.
“No, no, no, it’s not what you think Celestia!” Twilight called out; her hoof stretched out to Celestia, her jaw just hung loose from her face as she lost control of it. A series of ‘ahs and ums oozed out of her open mouth. Her eyes widened and her pupils shrank as she tried to muster up a reasonable explanation. She herself didn’t understand why Discord decided to spend the night with her. A lost bed was not an answer.
Twilight turned to Discord with pleading eyes that were shifting from him to Celestia. He sighed as he understood that she wanted him to back her up.
He turned his attention to Celestia, looked her right in the eyes, and in a clear, calm, and sincere voice said.
“It’s exactly what you think.”
Twilight’s eyes became white voids. Her face seem to melt as she became petrified; even more inaudible sounds of disbelief escaped through her agape mouth.
“Twilight my dear, there is no reason to be embarrassed. You’re a young mare,” Celestia said. “Why, this is healthy of you.”
Twilight slowly turned to look at Celestia, her face still frozen in a state of horror.
“I’ll give you two some privacy.” Celestia said as she flew back out the balcony.
Twilight could do nothing but watch her leave.
As soon as Celestia was gone Discord snapped his fingers, turning the bed into a heart shape with red silk sheets.
“Come my princess,” Said Discord as he ran a claw down the side of Twilight’s face. “We don’t want to make liars of ourselves.”
As Discord spoke Twilight eyes became narrow, her mane started stand on its ends, and her teeth clenched down.
Fluttershy was enjoying her morning tea when her teapot started coughing and gagging.
“Oh my.” she said softly putting her hoof to her mouth.
She watched as the ceramic wear spit up a letter addressed to her. With a grimace on her face Fluttershy slowly picked up the letter and saw who it was from.
“Oh, look, Angel, it’s a letter from Discord.” She said to the grumpy bunny as she unfolded the parcel. The white rabbit just rolled his eyes at her as she read the letter.
“Oh, he would like a visit from me soon. It would be nice to see how Twilight is doing, wouldn’t it, Angel?”
Fluttershy slowly flew to the door and went outside to take in the morning air. In the distance the castle could be seen as a very faint shape on the horizon. Fluttershy stared at it with fond memories of one of her best friends.
She heard the peaceful chirping of the morning birds around her. a cool breeze flowed over the flowers and around her hooves; bringing her the scent of the fall season as her mane flowed with the moving air.
Her eyes followed a few leaves that blew by. The Running of the Leaves was not far from now. As the breeze died down Fluttershy could hear the faint buzzing of some insects around the flowers. Fluttershy adored mornings. To her, the world seems to always wake up with such brightness.
Fluttershy's enjoyment of nature was interrupted by the sight of a large mushroom cloud of purple smoke that jettisoned from the castle. The strange sight was followed by an ominous clashing sound that reminded her of distant thunder.
Fluttershy became quite scared and started to rush inside to hide, but her sharp eyes caught something moving in the distance.
It seemed to be coming from the castle as it arched its way closer to her with tremendous speed. A high pitch whistling grew in volume as the object closed the distance between itself and Fluttershy.
When Fluttershy realized that it was going to land near her she jumped back into her cottage and slammed the door shut.
Hiding behind her couch, Fluttershy covered her head with her front legs as her whole body shook. A few whimpers escaped between her clenched teeth. The loud whistling could still be heard through her windows moments before the impact.
The moment it landed everything in Fluttershy’s home, including herself, jumped into the air; even the carpet under her couch levitated for a few moments before falling back into place.
She was content to hide there the rest of her life until she heard a moan coming from outside her door. Fluttershy stopped shaking and looked over at her door.
Concerned that some poor animal may have been hurt by the impact, she poked her head out her door. She could see a long snake like figure dragging itself out of a small smoking crater in the ground. She perked up and forgot her fears when she recognized the creature’s silhouette through the smoke.
“Oh, Discord, how are you?” Fluttershy said as she flew to him. “I got your letter but I thought I was going to visit you. Luckily I have some tea ready, that is if you would like som-”
She stopped mid sentence when the smoke cleared and revealed that Discord’s long body was grotesquely bent at unnatural angles, a horn was broken off with both eyes blackened. His long fang was chipped with a crack branching its way up the tooth. Tiny little Twilights flew around his head.
“But mother, I don’t want to go to school.” Discord fell to his knees. “I want to stay home and bake cookies with you.” Discord fell over unconscious.
After dragging Discord’s limp body into her cottage, Fluttershy was still a little red from straining herself as she fetched her medical supplies.
She was frantically zipping around inside her home in such a panic that she didn’t notice Discord slowing rising to his feet.
His body felt heavy and sore as he forced himself to get up. He desperately tried to get Fluttershy’s attention but she just would not stop moving. Finally, he gritted through the pain and yelled at her. “Fluttershy!”
“I’m sorry, Discord, but not now. You’re unconscious and injured; I need to get you some help.” She came to a halt right above her couch. Hovering there with her forelegs full of first aid supplies, she looked at Discord carefully.
Discord magically made himself good as new, not even a patch of dirt from the impact. Still worried about him she forced him to sit down and rest. She brought him some tea and gave him another look over.
“Now, Discord,” Fluttershy said as she sat next to him, satisfied that he was ok. “Can you tell me what happened?”
“Oh, Fluttershy, it was horrible!” Discord said as he raised his eagle claw in a fake swoon. “There I was peacefully sleeping and Twilight attacked me.”
Fluttershy raised her hoof to her mouth with a look of shock. Discord gave her a whimper as she tried to comfort him.
“Oh my goodness! W-why did she attack you?” Fluttershy asked with concern.
“It was so mediocre, she honestly overreacted. You see I may have...” he took a deep, exaggerated, breath
“Snuck-into-her-bed-and-made-her-look-like-a-loose-mare-in-front-of-Celestia-then-came-on-to-her-as-a-joke.”
Fluttershy flew up to his level so that they were eye to eye. She crossed her front legs and gave him a stern look.
“Now, Discord, I know you like to play jokes.” Her voice took on its signature, ‘listen to mother’ voice. “But there is a line and that line is different with every pony. You need to learn what kind of jokes to play on your friends and what jokes not to.”
“Twilight is not my friend! You’re my only friend Fluttershy, remember?”
“You’re wrong, Discord.” Fluttershy expression softened as she spoke. “Twilight is my friend and a friend of a friend is a friend.” Discord just rolled his eyes at her. “It’s true, Discord. Twilight will do anything for me and she trusts me. I trust you and can call you my friend so Twilight also trusts you. She will help you out if you need it because I'm your friend. If this was not true, wouldn’t you still be in the garden?”
“Well if you ask me, that’s shallow.” Discord said in a huff.
“I am asking you, Discord. Wouldn’t you rather have a friendship with her because she sees what I see?” Fluttershy sipped her tea. She smiled as the warm liquid flowed down her throat and warmed her center.
Discord's stubborn expression softened a little as he rubbed the back of his head. Why would he care about Twilight’s friendship? He honestly found her to be an annoying little do-gooder and a know it all. He would have more fun making her a victim of his than sitting with her and having tea like he was with Fluttershy.
Well, he liked the game they started before Celestia interrupted them, which reminded him of the joke they shared on Spike’s behalf.
Looking down at Fluttershy, enjoying her tea, he realized that those were things she wouldn’t enjoy. Discord really couldn’t think of anyone else who would enjoy a game of wits with him, there was only Twilight with whom he could have that kind of fun.
“Once again Fluttershy, well played. I’ll attempt to be her friend. I will go to her and apologize. Maybe even take my position seriously to help her out. ”
“That’s great!” Fluttershy exclaimed as she clapped her hooves. “It would be nice to hang out with both of you when I come and visit."
"By the way, my dear, Spike told me you have a pecker," Discord said with a mischievous look in his eyes.
Fluttershy stared at him, blinking in confusion. Then she smiled when she understood what Discord was talking about.
"I do, he’s an older woodpecker that I take care of from time to time," she said. "The poor thing keeps getting injured because of his age. He's here right now, in my room, would you like to see him?"
"Yes I would love to see your pecker," he answered.
"Oh wonderful, come on I'll show you my pecker up stairs."
She started flapping up the steps when she heard Discord burst out laughing. Fluttershy was confused again, but then blushed when she realized what she just said.
Twilight’s doors opened to a mass of books floating its way into the room, with the owner right behind her new hoard.
“Wow Twilight... I mean Princess,” Spike said, waddling right behind her with a few more books. ”It’s been weeks since you were crowned and all you’ve done is study.”
The young dragon was looking around for a place to set his share of the books, eventually he was content with letting them drop where he stood.
“You know Spike,” Twilight mimicked her assistant and let her books drop to the floor, “You don’t have to call me princess.”
“But Twilight, I think it’s cool that you’re a princess now,” He pointed his claw at her in a condemning manor, “and you should be happy about it too. You’ve been moping around the castle like this was the worst possible thing.”
“If you say so, Rarity,” Twilight teased.
Spike’s body stiffened up at her pun and giggled with her as the joke set in.
Twilight sighed as she marshaled through the books. “I really miss the girls.”
“So do I, Twilight.”
Soon after Twilight found herself with a new body and position, her life changed just as fast. Her new responsibilities would keep her in Canterlot, away from her friends.
It soon dawned on her that she could be drifting away from her friends as more and more as time goes by. It was unavoidable as each mare had to live their life and achieve their goals.
Her mood was no better after the realization that she would also long outlive her friends. It had saddened the young princess so much that she drowned herself in studies in order to ready herself to participate in daily court with the royal sisters.
Hardly anyone saw the princess outside of her trips to the library, replenishing her reading material. Soon there were more books in her room than in the royal library. Spike assumed it was another one of her overreactions, but he came to realize that this was not paranoia, it was cause and effect. The dragon assistant started joining her in her seclusion, slowly reconnecting her to the reality around her and helped her to move on.
From time to time, however, she remember that her time with her best friends was limited.
Most of the public was very happy to have a new princess in the kingdom, but for the leaders of Equestria it was political pandemonium. Twilight's antisocial behavior, prior to her living in Ponyvile, made her a mystery to most of the political leaders. It didn’t help that she hid herself from the public almost immediately after her coronation.
“So,” Spike rubbed the back of his head, eager to change the subject, “Ya ready for court tomorrow?”
“I don’t think I'll ever be ready for that, but Celestia thinks I am and I won’t let her down. Ah ha! Here it is Spike.” She held up a grass yellow book with an earth pony silhouetted on the front.
“An Earth Pony’s Green Hoof,” she read aloud, “It’s a history of farming innovations,” she explained to Spike. “Farms and ranches are the base of our economy; it all comes down to food and our ability to grow it. I'll need to know as much as I can before tomorrow, Spike.” Without waiting for a response she dug right into the book.
She read into the evening. Long after Spike settled for a pile of books near the bed, as his basket had long since been lost in the jungle of tomes and scrolls. She didn’t realize how much time had passed until a knock at her door intruded her reading.
She trotted over to the door, happy for the distraction. “Hello,” she said cheerfully as she opened up to…Discord.
“Why hello, Twilight Princess,” he pushed his way through the door before she could object.
“I think you mean Princess Twilight.” She corrected with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
He didn’t respond; he just stood there looking around at all the books. They climbed the walls and fortified the windows, towers of them reached for the vaulted ceiling above and small piles mined the floor. Not a single tome was in any order. Discord was flabbergasted at the sheer number, and also wondering how the hay she got towers of them past her chandeliers.
He shook himself out of his mental stupor and turned to respond, “And how do you know what I meant? Are you Discord? Wait! What if I'm Princess Twilight?”
Discord suddenly twirled around and shrank down. His body instantly morphed into a carbon copy of Twilight. Only his eyes were the same.
“There we go, now you turn into me.” Twilight was a little disturbed that his voice didn’t change either.
Twilight let her shoulders slouch a little bit. “I don’t have time for your games Discord. I have a big day tomorrow and I only have three more books to read before I'm done.”
“What, these?” Suddenly three tomes were balancing on his new hoof.
When did he get those? Twilight thought.
“They're all about the same thing.” The spirit said as he juggled the tomes into the air, “Dear, there is chaos and there is just dumb, try to know the difference.”
“No, you’re the dumb one.” She smirked arrogantly, “They are about the same thing, only from different eras. They are- HEY!!”
Discord started smashing the books together turning them into an accordion.
“What are you doing?” she yelled with her hoof outstretched and her eyes wide with concern. “Stop that right now!”
Discord ignored her as he played a few notes and then handed the ‘accordion’ to her as one big book. She flipped it open and skimmed through it. Every page was different from the one before it; he had shuffled the pages of the books together as one.
Every time he’s around, my books suffer.
Twilight was still very cross with him from this morning. Twilight could feel heat rising up from her belly to her chest as she slowly surrender to her anger.
“Out.” She practically whispered.
“Pardon?” Discord honestly didn’t hear her.
“I said out!” her voice reached a volume that Luna would have been proud of.
The guards slammed through the doors, spears drawn ready for anything; anything except for two Princess Twilight Sparkles. The guards didn’t know what else to do but point their spears at each one.
“Relax boys it’s just me.” The guards instantly recognized Discord’s voice. They relaxed their posture but kept their spears still pointed at Discord. Taking the hint from the guards, Discord made his way through the door.
“Hey wait! Fix the book!” Twilight yelled at him as he left.
“Sorry, I can’t hear you over you kicking me out.” He yelled as he made his way down the hall. The guards bowed and closed the doors as they backed out.
Twilight groaned and threw herself on her back. Lying there staring at the ceiling, she scooped up the book with her magic and prepared herself for a long night of sorting through the oversized tome.
Guards stood at perfect attention as Twilight made her way through the castle with her assistant in tow.
“Sorry about falling asleep on you again, Princess,” Spike said shamefully.
“Spike we’ve been over this, you're still a baby. I know you strive to do the best you can, but I rather have a well rested Spike than a burned out Spike.” She looked over her shoulder and gave him a loving smile, to which Spike soon returned.
“So, are you still worried?” he asked as they walked.
“About court? No. I think I'm ready for that. I am however worried about a discovery I made last night.”
“Really?” Spike sprinted up ahead of Twilight in order to see her face. “Well, what did you find?” he asked her.
“Well for the last 1500 years we have used the same farming techniques.”
“Well you know what they say.” Spike raised his finger in a matter of fact gesture. “If it’s not broke don’t fix it.”
“Actually, Spike, it’s not a good thing to just stick with what works.”
“Wait, it’s not?” Spike asked as the pair turn down a different hallway.
Ahead of them was the large doors to the Grand Hall where court was held every day.
“If we don’t change or try new things there is no progress,” Twilight said as she went on with her lecture. “It is very disconcerting to discover that our ways of farming have grown so stale."
“Funny thing is I wouldn’t have discovered it if it wasn’t for Discord smashing those books together”
“What are you talking about, Twilight?”
Twilight raised an eyebrow at Spike but then remembered that he was asleep when Discord visited her.
“I’ll tell you about it later, Spike,” she answered him as they approached the Grand Hall.
The door glowed with magic as they opened up.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle and her first assistant, Spike the Dragon.” A nameless announcer called out.
Before Twilight was the throne room, it was here that she had met up with her mentor so many times before. Only now a third seat was at the end of the long hall; with ponies from every corner of Equestria greeting her at the door. So many ponies were happy about the element of magic joining the royal family, however something as a big as a new princess is going to step on a few political hooves. Her first court was going to determine a lot about her rule.
Upon seeing all those faces as the doors opened, Twilight’s nerves broke. She was not unfamiliar to large crowds giving her attention, but never as a princess of the court. She should be walking down the hall to her throne to take her place next to Celestia. She should move with grace and prestige worthy of her title. But she just stood there wishing to hide herself. Her paranoia took a hold of her as a million possible outcomes flooded her mind and froze her body.
“Former ruler of Equestria,” the announcer started up suddenly. “Court advisor, and…a-and court jester, Lord Discord.”
Twilight’s eyes widened as she looked behind her and up at the last spirit she wanted to see.
“Twilight, are you ok?” Spike’s concerned voice hardly registered to the new princess. She just stared at Discord’s smug face.
“I didn’t know there was a line to the throne room, do you require some assistance, my princess?” Discord gave her a mock bow.
To his surprise she nodded, unable to move her mouth.
He raised an eyebrow at her but shrugged it off. Discord snapped his fingers and Twilight’s golden hoof shoes turned into roller-skates. The spirit smirked menacingly and gave her a push. All eyes followed her as she slowly rolled down the red carpet. Her body was still frozen as Discord walked behind her giving her a light touch every now and then as they…well, he walked and she rolled down, past all the ponies. Spike was waddling behind Discord with his claws over his mouth so not to laugh. Twilight’s shame grew as every inch went past her, she heard snickers here and there, she saw the faces of her subjects, some looked horrified and disgusted with either her or the spirit ‘assisting’ her, but what was worse was the silence. Hardly a noise could be heard as most of the court watched in silence.
Finally, after what felt like hours to Twilight, she came to the steps of the three thrones. Still frozen she only moved her eyes to look up at the other princess.
Luna wouldn’t look at her and Celestia looked like she was fighting off a fit of laughter.
At this point Twilight was screaming at her body to move, but it still would not listen.
“Thank you for joining us, Princess Twilight” Luna spoke up suddenly, “We see you have fallen victim to one of Lord Discord’s pranks. Why just last month he cast a spell that switched the clothes of any one that walked into the great hall. Sorry dear sister, but gold just isn’t our color.” A snort could be heard from Celesta as the laughter built up inside of her began to overflow.
Twilight felt a little lighter and a little bit more mobile.
“He froze you didn’t he?” Celestia asked Twilight.
“Well-“
Discord spoke up before she could answer. “It really doesn’t take much to immobilize you ponies.”
Twilight looked up at the spirit in bewilderment.
He didn’t freeze me, I lost my nerves.
“Lord Discord, as entertaining as this is, please allow the Princess to take her seat.” Celestia said.
The spirit snapped his fingers and Twilight found herself on her throne with the skates gone. Spike made his way to stand next to her. While Discord stood off to the side.
“We shall hear the first petitioner,” Luna announced.
One of the lunar guards had a list and pointed to a brown earth pony with a seedling cutie mark. The stallion made his way to face the three princesses.
“I have come here like my father before me to ask that the winter season be extended. Most farms are suffering more and more every year, because their fields just can’t recover enough nutrition during the winter months. It causes less than desired crops and sometimes none at all.”
“You are Top Soil’s son, Seedling?” Celestia asked. “How is your father?”
“Ill, your majesty, it’s why I'm here instead,” Seedling answered.
“I’m sorry to hear that Seedling, your father is a tenacious stallion he has come to us with this issue every year.”
“Yes, we have respect for your father.” Luna said, “But we have never been able with adhere to his wish. It would shorten the other seasons.”
“Furthermore,” Celestia added, “this will stretch the food reserves of many ponies. Inflation will ensue and both our economy and citizens will suffer.”
“But your grace,” Seedling pleaded, “each year the farmers have to buy or obtain more land in order to grow the same quality and amount of food that they grew last year. We will eventually have less viable food than mouths to feed them with.”
Twilight solely focused on the dilemma, and suddenly found her voice again.
“He’s right, Princesses, but it’s more dire than what he suggests. Most farms are a part of a community, and the encroachment of the land grabbing that they have to do could lead to a lot of problems all over Equestria. I found a history of small proxy wars that happened long ago. I noticed a pattern that drew a line and connected the wars to this issue. It might be a good idea to extend the winter season to maintain a balance.”
Seedling’s eyes seem to grow at Twilight’s input, unfortunately his joy was quickly shot down.
“The winter season has never changed and neither has our economy. Further our culture is past such pettiness that strife like that is hard to fathom in this day and age.” Princess Luna said in a flat voice, “Your concerns are noted, but unfounded.”
“Exactly!” Twilight seemed to have found more than just her voice. “Our economy has not changed much in a thousand years. Our climate can’t change; too much of Equestria is sensitive to the seasons. However, our population is growing but our economy is not. He is right, Princess Luna, something must be done or we will have fights over land and then food.”
Several moments of silence went by as all eyes were on Twilight.
“I think they’re waiting for your solution, princess” Discord yawned, still floating off to the side. Twilight nearly forgot about him, she was surprised that he had not caused a scene yet.
He must be dreadfully bored with all this. She thought.
“Yes, well, I’m sorry I don’t know a solution, but I agree. We must find a way to give more time to the soil’s recovery.”
The court seemed to erupt in murmurs and whispers at her response. Twilight was sure she was not leaving a great first impression on the court. The political fallout of her first court was looking grim indeed.
“Oh oh oh!” Discord was waving his talon hand in the air like a little school filly.
“Yes, Discord.” Twilight sighed.
“Why don’t they just not plant anything?” Discord smile like he said something clever.
“Is he even trying?” Luna whispered under her breath as her temple throbbed; Celestia was trying to cover her giggle at her sister’s frustration.
“Wait, that’s it!” For a second time, Twilight found all eyes on her, “If the farmers only plant crops on half of their land for the year and then switch the next year, the soil will have time to recover thoroughly. It would be rough the first year, but we have food reserves that we can distribute to offset the effect of the transition.”
“That’s...” Celestia spoke hesitantly as she tapped her chin, “Doable, we can do that, yes.” Her voice and demeanor perked up as she understood the concept more and more, “Great idea, Princess Twilight!”
“It wasn’t mine, it was Discord’s.” Twilight said.
“She’s right, Discord.” Celestia said with a smirk on her face, “The idea stemmed from you. Thank you very much; it’s a problem we have been pondered over for a long time.”
Celestia was milking this for everything it was worth. She knew that Discord’s nerves were grinding with every word of congratulation from her.
Discord said nothing but grumbled to himself, his arms crossed in defiance.
“Now that the issue has been resolved,” Luna spoke up hoping to move things forward, “we should bring on the next petitioner.”
A tan colored unicorn mare and stallion whose clothes and jewels dignified them as nobles stepped forth. The mare cleared her voice before speaking.
“I am Sandy Shores and my colleague here is Coconut Estate. We represent the victims of the changeling incursion into our lands. We have come to petition that our government does away with the looming threat past the barren lands to the south.” The mare spoke in an uppity voice that was screaming superiority. “As long as that filth exists, no-pony is safe; even in our own lands.”
To everyone's surprise it was Discord who answered.
“So you want to wipe them out?” he asked raising an eyebrow at her.
Twilight was taken back, she had never seen him so serious, even with Fluttershy; it was almost scary to her.
“If they no longer exist then we are safe from them, so yes, like any other pest, exterminate them.” The mare answered him.
Discord stopped hovering on the spot and stood. He seemed to glare at the mare. Soon Twilight was not the only pony who noticed the change in him; soon the whole court was watching him.
There was a soft expression of anger in his face. Twilight has never seen Discord express anger before. Annoyance and other negative emotions, yes, but not anger.
Luna turned to Celestia, “Yes, sister, we must find a way to protect our people, we might ju-“
“I move for a change of law, to prohibit any form of genocide by this government.” Discord said interrupting Luna.
Everyone in the room was astonished by the tone coming from Discord. He sounded like a proper lord of the court, like a leader or a politician, not what you would expect from the spirit of chaos.
“Lord Discord.” Luna started to speak, “there is a time and place to-“
“I second his request.” Twilight interrupted. “Discord is within his rights as a lord of this court and I have given him my backing. This will allow his request to be judged by the court at any time we are in session.”
“We are pleased to see our new members of this court are familiar with its rules bu-“
“I think I agree with them, sister.” Celestia said.
Luna temple began to throb again as she glared at her sister.
“What?!” Celestia asked innocently. “Everyone else was interrupting you.” Celestia gave her a pouting face. “I was starting to feel left out.”
Luna started grinding her teeth.
The two ponies that came to petition were getting nervous and impatient. The mare cleared her throat at the princesses. Luna turned her attention to the mare and was considering taking a page out of her sister’s book.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle is right.” Luna said to the mare. “The protection of our people must be attained without bloodshed. We are nation of peace so let it be known-” Luna turned to her sister as if to read her mind, then both of them raised their hooves in declaration and spoke in unison.
“Our government shall never seek the genocide or extinction of another species as a solution.”
“But your majesties.” Coconut Estate spoke for the first time. “You must defend your ponies. It is your duty; surely our lands would not miss the ugliness that the changelings bring to our country.”
Now Twilight grew angry.
“What you are requesting would make us far uglier than the changelings.” Twilight said to the stallion, “Your concerns about their looming threat are understandable, but we will be looking for an alternative solution. Your petition has been denied.”
The uppity mare spoke in an accusing manner. “Am I to understand that you are extending your protection to the Changelings?”
This was it. Twilight first political trap. The catch 22 question. She spent two weeks making sure she was ready for the games these politics played.
“No, I am protecting us from becoming monsters far worse than the changelings.” Twilight answered.
Before the mare could offer a rebuttal Luna called for the next petitioner. The rest of the session was just like the first two petitioners. Everyone seemed to get his or her best resolution from Twilight rather than Celestia or Luna. Despite the success that Twilight was having during her first court, she found herself distracted the whole time.
It was Discord. He was floating to the side, mostly looking bored. Twilight had never seen this side of him before. All she ever known about him was he was a monster that ruled Equestria before Celestia and Luna.
Twilight also knows she can hardly stomach the sight of him. She found him repulsive; both in body and personality, but today he surprised her. His reaction to the changeling request made her more curious about him.
“Princess Twilight, what do you think?”
Twilight was looking at nothing in particular while she drowned in her thoughts.
Her head snapped up like a filly caught sleeping in class. She wasn’t even sure who asked that.
“T-think about what?” she said forgetting where she was.
“The lollipops!” cried Discord. “There is a shortage of them; a lot of candy stores are going to go under. There are just too many ponies licking them. We need to stop them from licking so many lollipops!”
Twilight placed a hoof on her chin and looked down as she thought. She opened her mouth but stopped…the room was empty.
Twilight looked up at Luna and Celestia both of them smiling while trying to hold back their giggles.
“Sorry Twilight,” Spike said, still at her side. “The court has ended and you kind of went blank there for a while.”
“Well princesses it has been boring as always. I'm sure you’ll drag me to another painful get-together so I'll disappear till I feel like it. Ta-ta.” Discord teleported away.
“Why do you keep him around, Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked as the three made their way out of the great hall. “He seems to undermine you and Luna more than anything.”
“Undermined us, Princess Twilight.” Celestia said. “You're not my student anymore, you are my equal. And I think Discord did well, considering it’s his first time.”
“Wait, you said he’s been to court before,” Twilight said as they turned the corner leaving the great hall.
“He never stayed around for the proceedings, mostly he would just remind us how ‘boring’ we are and fly off somewhere.”
Twilight was finding herself lost in thought again.
The first time he stayed was when I held my first court. Before that he lied to everyone to make me look better. He visited me the night before my first day as well…he’s been helping me in his own twisted way. Twilight stopped as she reached her conclusion. “What is he playing at?” She said out loud without realizing it.