Cadence and Shining Armor stared at each other, not sure if Discord’s magic was still cast upon them.
“We have to warn Twilight,” Cadence said successfully.
“I know, but Discord’s going to be trying to keep this ‘tradition’ going,” Shining Armor responded.
“It’s a tradition that should have been abandoned long ago. I went through it, I know how much torment it can put on friendships… I just hope that Twilight and her friends have a stronger bond than I did with mine.” Cadence’s countenance fell.
“I’ve known you just as long as anypony, and I know how great you are. Surely these Strange Cases can’t be too hard for friends to handle,” Shining Armor said, putting a hoof to his wife’s chin and raising her eyes to meet his. “We’re going to tell Twilie if it’s all we can do.”
With a knock on the door, Twilight appeared. “I thought I told you two to go get some rest, you were being more nonsensical than Pinkie Pie… and you’ve met her.”
“Twilie, these Strange Cases, they’re a practical joke that the elder princesses of long ago cooked up to have fun with the new princesses as they began to fill their role as Princess,” Cadence said successfully.
“You sure have good deadpan faces,” Twilight replied with a chuckle. “Practical jokes. Princess Celestia wouldn’t have sent me to investigate practical jokes.”
“You have to trust us, Twilie,” Shining Armor almost pleaded.
“Haha, begging? You? Captain of the Royal Guard begging me? Now I know you’re joking.”
“You wrote a letter asking about the Equestrian Bureau of Investigation, well, there’s no such thing. If there was I, of all ponies, would probably know about it.”
“Of course there’s an Equestrian Bureau of Investigation! Applebloom must have taken someone’s badge because I saw her with one the other day.”
The Royal Guard and the Princess of Love looked at each other. “Discord,” they both said in harmony. “You need to listen close, Twilie, Discord has put a spell on you. He’s making you think everything we say is a joke.”
“Those deadpan faces! They’re so good! I think you need to try to loosen up a little!” Twilight fell over laughing. “Haha!”
“This obviously is never going to work. Discord’s always going to be a step ahead of us. We need to stop this at the source,” Shining Armor said.
“I… we need to take the train, I can’t teleport us back—I’m too weak.”
They left a laughing Twilight on her stoop and headed to the station, where they caught the next train to Canterlot.
After hours of laughing, Twilight finally got up. “That was the weirdest thing I ever felt, uncontrollable laughing. Maybe that’s what’s in Pinkie’s head all the time?” She pulled out a fresh paper and dipped her quill.
Case 20:
I can’t remember what they were saying, but Princess Cadence and Shining Armor were saying the most hilarious things… I just couldn’t take them seriously! I was laughing for hours with no reason why…
Sincerely,
Princess Twilight Sparkle
Discord smiled as he knew his plan had worked. How simple these ponies were. Predictable, easy prey for practical jokes. And with Celestia and Luna out of the way, he was free to complete the tradition. He read the letter with a laugh himself, and smirked afterward. This was all too easy.