Rarity watched with great amusement as Rainbow Dash attempted to hide the small olive pill inside a large blob of egg white. Originally it had been a fried egg but now seemed like it had been scrambled by someone who had no idea how to cook, due to the pegasus's multiple attempts to get the pill into the egg unseen.
"So this is how you get her to take her medication, hm?" Rarity asked with a grin reeking of smugness. "Hiding it in her food? I do the same for Opal's flea medication. I know quite a few do it for their pets meds. Never thought I'd see it done for a little pony. Particularly Scootaloo."
"It's the best I can do. She hates the taste and have you seen the size of these things? You'd think a capsule meant to be taken by fillies wouldn't be so large. Even I couldn't swallow this stupid crap if I wanted to. Scoot always gags. I'm almost gaggin' just looking at this nasty thing. Why can't they make a gummy version of these?" Dash sat back, finally satisfied with her work, turning her head upward to bellow, "SCOOT! BREAKFAST! EGGS!"
A blur of orange appeared through the doorway, the loud scraping of tiny hooves against tile as Scootaloo leaped onto the table, nearly inhaling the eggs as her tiny wings buzzed loudly. The plate was clean in mere moments with Scootaloo licking her snout and leaning over to nuzzle Dash.
"SCOOT!" Dash shouted sternly. "I know you have better manners than that!"
Scootaloo let out a small burp and bowed. Dash laughed uproariously and hugged the small orange filly.
"That's my girl! You ready to go to the park with me and Sweetie and Applebloom and Pinkie? Have a nice fun day while the other grownups get to meet ol' boring Celestia?"
"Yeah! Sweetie says there's lots of birds in the Canterlot gardens! Is that true, miss Rarity?" Scootaloo asked, her eyes lighting up with hope as she turned to the unicorn.
"Yes it's true. The gardens are absolutely teaming with all sorts of filthy tree creatures. Plenty of birds. They even have an area where you can feed peacocks with little cups of sunflower seeds. Because heaven knows we should reward those colorful turkeys with free food for crowing all night while ponies try to sleep."
"Cool!" Scootaloo squeaked. "Me n' Bloom n' Sweetie can get our birdwatcher cutie marks!"
Dash watched her new little sister scamper happily out of the room as Rarity turned to her.
"You know you could always put it in her tea." Rarity mused, taking a sip of her coffee.
"What kind of little filly drinks tea?"
"Sweetie enjoys a nice cup of tea with brunch, much like myself. What does Scootaloo like to drink?"
"Chocolate Milk."
"Ah yes, a very healthy choice. Well why not grind up the tablet and mix it into her milk, then? That seems a lot easier to me than trying to find new and interesting ways of cramming it into her breakfast meals."
Dash looked at Rarity in a similar manner as an armadillo would when it comes face to face with a speeding truck.
"Oh.... my gosh.... that is such a good idea."
Rarity nodded sagely and smiled as she took another sip of her coffee.
**********************************************************
Fluttershy sighed contentedly as she worked her hooves around Twilight's shoulders. It seemed like every time the studious alicorn finally seemed relaxed, something else would come up in her thought pattern, and the bunched up muscles would immediately return, aching to be massaged back into a relaxed state as Twilight chattered incessantly about her worries. Worries that Fluttershy was all too happy to help Twilight fret less about.
"Look at it, Fluttershy. It's wilting. Brown creases on the leaves. Grey tint on the petals. I can practically hear the lignen and carbon in it floating away." Twilight groaned, studying the pyrola.
"You're wilting, too." Fluttershy whispered, pushing the plant away and gently rubbing her muzzle on Twilight's neck. "You look more tired than ever. Didn't you sleep?"
"Not very well." Twilight admitted. "I keep trying to think about what I'm going to be expected to do at this summit. With Luna out of the picture it means Celestia is going to need help with the night again. What if she makes me move back to Canterlot to be the NEW Princess of the Night?"
"Oh Twilight that's a silly thought. Celestia was perfectly fine making the night and day for a long time. I'm sure she can do it again. And she'd never do something so cruel as forcing to move somewhere you don't want to go."
Twilight winced at those words.
"But she did once." Twilight mumbled. "And besides that....none of you have been to a royal meeting but it's basically like a potluck. All the members of parliament bring something and it's like a little feast. It's good because it helps visiting dignitaries feel more at home. It's also bad because I have nothing to bring."
"But this is an emergency meeting, Twilight." Fluttershy said softly. "I'm sure....that Celestia wouldn't expect you to bring food for an emergency meeting. Would she?"
Twilight's look of annoyance was the only answer Fluttershy needed. The two sighed sadly.
"I was really hoping you'd get to relax." Fluttershy lay her chin across the top of Twilight's head. "But you're more stressed than ever. I wish I could help."
With a grunt Twilight flipped over, pressing her lips against Fluttershy's own, feeling some of her stress seem to disappear.
"You've been a huge help, Fluttershy." she said, wrapping her forelegs around the yellow pegasus and holding her close. "I'm not sure how I'd have gotten through this trip without you. I just wish this had been like I'd hoped. Just you and me and our friends having fun. Now instead I need to find something to cook to bring to this stupid summit."
The door to the room creaked open as a pair of familiar jade eyes peered in, followed by an even more familiar thick southern drawl.
"Beggin' yer pardon Twi n' Shy but I couldn't help overhearin' y'all sayin' ya need somethin' cooked."
"We do but...." Twilight frowned a bit. She'd love Applejack's help but this seemed unfair. "It's really not a big problem. I could probably buy something from a nearby bakery or dessert parlor and try to pretend I made it. Not that any of them would know the difference."
"Well now if it ain't a big problem then I don't see why it'd be too problemic if'n I just cooked somethin' for ya to take." Applejack said with a wink. "Besides y'all shouldn't be spendin' any bits at all these hoity-toity snooty second-class bakeries round here. Celestia deserves the best. And I personally think when it comes to bakin'...that the best round these parts is me."
**********************************************
Few would argue that Applejack was indeed the best when it came to this sort of thing. Few ponies would argue to her face either, knowing the tough farm pony wasn't one to mince words. And if she claimed to be the best, she probably was. For her sake, when it came to baking she really was one of the best and within a few minutes had a freshly made crumb cake sitting neatly in a tray. Thinking the cake might be a bit too plain, Twilight politely asked for Applejack's advice on how to make it seem fancier. As far as Twilight could recall, Celestia was a fan of pineapples...or so she thought. It had been a long time. Regardless, soon the cake was drizzled with a sweet yellow syrup made of pineapple glaze. Twilight thanked Applejack, promising to return the favor one day despite the farmer's protests. With a last check in the mirror and a few goodbyes all around, she was soon walking briskly down the cobblestone streets of Canterlot, with Fluttershy beside her. They hadn't made it more than a minute before Fluttershy spoke up.
"Um.....Twilight."
"Yes, Fluttershy?" Twilight asked, peering at a street sign to be sure she was heading in the most efficient direction.
"This seems....unnecessary."
"What? The pineapple icing? I would agree but Canterlot ponies really like decadence. Even on their food. One of many things I don't miss about this city."
"No I mean.....me."
Twilight stopped in her tracks, turning to look at Fluttershy with a concerned expression.
"What do you mean...you?"
"Why do I need to come, Twilight? Celestia wants to see you....not me. I don't want to be barging in on official royal business. That would be rude of me."
"Honestly it's because....I really really like you Fluttershy." Twilight leaned forward and gently nuzzled Fluttershy under her ear. "I don't like being apart from you. I don't know what's going to happen at the meeting. I don't know what kind of implications and obligations Luna quitting her job has caused. I'm scared and I need you by my side."
"Oh."
"And it's not just that." Twilight's eyes filled with determination. "I don't want you hiding away. You're too wonderful and special for that. Everyone should know what an amazing pony you are and that we love each other. I'm not scared of them knowing anymore. I'm not bothered by them knowing one of the princesses of Equestria is in love with one of the Elements of Harmony anymore. They have a right to know and if they don't like it then they will simply need to deal with it."
Fluttershy grinned. "You could have stopped after saying you really really liked me. But....I'm honored you want me attend as your date, Twilight."
"The honor is all mine, Kindness." Twilight said in a very regal accent, kneeling before her friend.
"Thank you, milady." Fluttershy said with a quiet giggle. "I hope they don't mind me being there."
"With all the work Celestia's been sending me over the last few months....." Twilight said with a toothy rebellious smile. "I really hope they DO mind."
***********************************************
Hippity Hop Hall was somewhat of an underwhelming last stop on any tour through Canterlot Castle. It lacked the pearl walls of the rest of the interior, the stained glass windows that invited the sun within the other wings, the gold trim along the structural columns that ran along the corners. It had been one of the first pieces built of the massive fortress that would later become Celestia's home. It had once been a stargazing building, where ponies would look through telescopes to see the stars. Centuries in the past, a young pegasus named Hippity had saved a large fleet of hares from one of the most brutal winters that Equestria had ever seen. She had housed the rabbits in this very building, caring for them like a mother. When spring had finally come, the rabbits were set free. However the pony who had cared for them had grown gravely ill. Celestia and Luna set up camp next to the building and nursed Hippity back to health, conducting all royal business within the astronomy building. As time passed, more additions were added to the camp and eventually it had become the grand royal castle seen today. Every time an important matter came up, any meetings for it were held in Hippity Hop Hall. Diplomats, delegates, and legislative issues were all seen to in this room. It was a tradition. A very old tradition.
It hadn't been the first time Twilight had been in this building. Part of her studies before moving to Ponyville had been all about how ponies around Equestria would come to this very room to ask questions, ask for favors, ask for help from the powerful roundtable of ponies who conducted much of Equestria's business under the leadership of Celestia. Countless times the mare had been in this wing of the castle. She knew it by heart, as she knew Canterlot by heart. Every crease in the marble, every chip in the pearl, every scratch on the tile. Every stain, every mark, all were forever marked in her brain. And for the first time in Twilight's life she felt like a stranger in the place she once called home. All that was once familiar was now frightening, and she hugged Fluttershy to her side with her new wing, trying to fight the urge to run as she brought up her hoof, knocking four times upon the great brass door, as was customary.
Fluttershy had never been to something like this before. It was so different from going to Grand Galloping Gala or any of the other royal events that were usually a cheery public spectacle. She sat at an oblong table, surrounded by ponies from all walks of life. Each with a very serious and dour look on their face. Government officials, the ones elected to help Celestia run the nation now that it had grown so much over the centuries. Celestia was a goddess, able to raise the sun and see into the future. But even she didn't have the strength to take care of every matter that required attention in her Kingdom. Especially in a land full of a couple million ponies, horses, donkeys, and deer. And although these ponies were of all different breeds and creeds, one fact they shared in common was they took their jobs very seriously. They nearly reeked of "nofun" as they mumbled and chattered amongst themselves. Fluttershy sat to Twilight's right, trying not to cower under the lavender wing wrapped around her shoulders as her partner made small talk. Every now and then a few of the officials would glance at Fluttershy, some curious, others with a crafty grin, and they would whisper amongst themselves. To her relief, none of them seemed to disprove of Fluttershy's closeness to Twilight, as far as she could tell. But it didn't make it any easier to sit this in crowded room full of strangers. She busied herself trying to listen to the various conversations around her.
The topics were of all sorts of things important to the welfare of Equestria. Peaceful conquests, merging of statehoods, mopping up what was left of the villainous tribes of changelings. Somewhere up north where it always snowed, a group of ponies had found an old circlet that caused the wearer to say all manner of vicious things. The famed and lost Crown of Cruelty, which was now on it's way back to Canterlot, to be guarded by Celestia like all dangerous magical artifacts. Elsewhere down to the east where the bay met the ocean, a coven of moose witches had enchanted several mushrooms and made them able to bake bread. Normally giving a consciousness to an object that had none was a forbidden magic, but because mushrooms were living things a great debacle had broken out. Was it ethical to force mushrooms to become bakers? And if it was ethical, should the mushroom men be paid? These were questions that this roundtable of serious ponies would have to solve, or at least come to some sort of compromise on. But these conversations came to a halt, as silence filled the air and many pairs of eyes looked onward at the large curtain that lead to the royal chambers.
There she was. Princess Celestia, goddess of the sun and queen of all that was radiant. A shimmering tall steed, easily several feet taller than any of the other ponies, with dainty features and a graceful step as she entered the room. Her mane was like a nebula, a gleaming undulation of colors and transparent tones, moving on it's own, and gently bouncing with every step her large white cloven hooves took along the tile, brushing the polished ceramics with her near transparent fetlocks. A golden usekh collared her long neck, a purple chiseled hunk of obsidian sitting nestled in the brooch, hardened by dragonfire ages ago. On her head sat a small golden tiara, almost invisible amongst the light that poured from her form. Almost as gracefully as she stepped in, Celestia nodded at her colleagues, and smiled at Twilight and Fluttershy. Every head bowed in respect.
And almost every head snapped back up in confusion and annoyance as Discord, god of Chaos and Pandemonium, shuffled through the curtain behind Celestia, a large granola bar in his claw, crunching loudly as he greedily chewed. He stepped into the silence that had now become awkward. With a sniff he glanced around at all the serious faces before swallowing the candy whole, pulling out a chair by scraping it across the tile, and plopping himself down at the table.
"Please, don't everypony applaud at once."
*************************************
Celestia's amethyst eyes roved silently over the Pyrola Lunata Borealis as she held it aloft, encased in a bubble of yellow light. Her smooth features pouting in a look of deep concentration. Any initial smalltalk had stopped as the three stared at their princess. Discord's claws drummed with annoyance on the marble table. All at once Celestia's eyes lit up and she nodded knowingly.
"I do know this flower. Quite a wave of nostalgia. You did well to bring it to me, Twilight and Fluttershy." Celestia folded the flower up neatly with a magical spell, turning it into a small square like origami, depositing it within her mane. "I hope you don't mind if I hold onto it for a short while. I feel that I may know of a very important use for it."
"Yes yes that's all very nice. So who made it? It's clearly unnatural." Discord said with a snort. "I'm pretty certain YOU made it Celestia. I'd like to know before I grow a second beard."
"I did make it. For my sister a very long time ago."
"But why?" Twilight asked.
"Yes do tell." Discord motioned, taking a drink from his mug of wine. "An answer that cryptic usually comes with a story. Plus I find it strange that Celestia would do something as dangerous as creating a whole new type of plant."
"I created it for Luna. Something to bloom on nights when the moon was full and she was at her proudest." Celestia said with a sad smile. "I was to present it to her on her birthday a very long time ago. When I was certain I'd perfected it."
"She never got the flower, did she?" Fluttershy asked.
"That she did not." Celestia said with a sigh. "Her birthday was the day after I...."
"BANG! ZOOM! Straight to the moon!" Discord said with a chuckle, drawing more than a few dirty looks from the crowd. "What an awful turn of events."
"Yes it was." Celestia sighed again, shooting Discord an annoyed but fond glance. "And now Fluttershy and Twilight have managed to find my lost flower. And of course it's after Luna has vanished. The universe is certainly having an ironic jest on me as of late."
"How did you make this flower?" Twilight asked. "I performed a whole wide array of experiments on it. I tried every sort of sigil and rune based enchantments I could to mark an origin for this plant and nothing came up! I tried vodun spells, totems, even basic cosmological seals! How could this one plant be...like this?!"
Fluttershy had been quietly observing this conversation at Twilight's side, trying not to interject. She felt it wasn't her place to get involved with these sorts of discussions as she had very little to add. And even if she did have something she felt was important for the conversation she could always mention it to one of her friends and have them speak for her. But hearing Twilight's voice trill about magic and science sent a pleasant shiver through her spine, her wings shifting outwards slightly. Twilight apparently noticed and smirked slightly, wrapping her own wing around Fluttershy to hide the yellow pegasus reaction.
"The flower was made with pure magic, Twilight." Celestia answered. "A very old sort of magic. Magic these days is very different than it once was. Pure magic was completely natural. Brought to us by the wind, the air, the water, and fire. It was the one type of magic that was incorruptible. And one of the only kinds of magic that Starswirl the Bearded and I could never fully understand."
"And what happened to this so-called 'pure magic' of yours Celestia?" Discord asked, raising his eyebrows in curiosity.
"It's gone." Celestia said simply, taking a sip from her tea. "It died a very long time ago."
"How?" asked Twilight.
"Luna and I killed it with our quarreling, my faithful student. Pure magic died the night that me and my sister shattered the original Elements of Harmony. I was the Element of Grace and Luna was the Element of Devotion, but I wouldn't know it until I had destroyed the other 6 elements to banish my sister to the moon. But those are gone now, scattered in many pieces all over Equestria, much like this flower. The only ponies now who wield such magic are you and your friends, Twilight. It's why you were able to seal away Discord the Element of Chaos, repel pure wickedness like the changelings, and even resist pure infinite evil like King Sombra. It is the most pure and powerful of magic and it's source is love. Without love, the magic dies, and without the Elements of Harmony it has no way to be channeled. This is why you and your friends are so important to Equestria, even now that the elements are sealed once again inside the tree they came from."
The grin on Discord's face had long since faded as he stared down at his mug, his brow furrowed.
"What's wrong, Discord?" Celestia began with a light jeering tone. "Shocked to learn yet again that love is a more powerful magic than any of us could ever hope to attain?"
"You learn something new every day, I guess." Discord replied with a weak smile, drinking from his mug.
"But....how did this flower end up in the Everfree Forest?" Fluttershy asked. "It was there long enough for ponies to give it a name and record it in my botany books. So many thought it was extinct. But I know there's more out there."
"Well I didn't just make one flower." Celestia said with a wink, her face turning sad. "I made a lot of precious things back then. But when Luna and I fought...in the cataclysm that followed...a lot of those precious things were lost. Things I yearn to have back but never can."
Celestia cleared her throat. "But anyway, that's enough about my regrets. Twilight in your letter you sent me, you claimed you've been very tired. Unable to perform some of your duties as princess..."
Twilight trembled slightly. If there was one thing she hated in the whole world, it was disappointing Celestia.
"...but that's not too important, really. You said you had discovered a new sort of friendship. That of falling in love. You said you found it 'addicting' which I found very amusing."
Twilight grinned sheepishly.
"You said you weren't ready to say who it was you had fallen for. But I'm afraid I already know."
Celestia turned to Fluttershy and gave her a small nod.
"I am glad that it is somepony with your gentle demeanor and not some ruffian."
"But...but how..?" Twilight stammered.
"Discord told me." Celestia said with a smile.
"DISCORD!" Twilight growled.
"What? Was it supposed to be a secret or something?" Discord asked, looking offended and baffled. "You two could have told me that back on the train. You can't just tell me things like this and expect me not to blab about them everywhere. I blab about everything. I have the gift of blab. I'm a connoisseur in blabberating!"
"I think I would have figured it out anyway." Celestia interrupted. "I haven't seen you hold a pony so tightly in all the years I've known you." She gave the wing Twilight had wrapped around Fluttershy a poke with her royal hoof, chuckling slightly as the two mares cheeks both turned red.
"This is very sweet and all, my Queen." began one of the elder senators at the table, whose conversations amongst themselves had come to an end. "And while Princess Twilight loving a mare will make it difficult for her to have heirs, assuming she even desires any but...what of your sister? This entire meeting was planned to discuss the very fact that one of the most important members of the royal family has disappeared without a trace. Leaving not only a great void in how we do things here in Canterlot, but a void in the cosmos themselves. What of the moon? What of the time?"
"And people think I'm rude." Discord muttered haughtily, pouring himself some more wine with the end of his floppy tail.
"Now now...he's right." Celestia began, giving Discord a stern look. "This is business, after all. We can't keep Equestria moving smoothly if we don't try to help with this crisis."
"I fear it's already out of control." said an old grey mare at the table, with purple spectacles on the tip of her snout. "On my way here, pretty much all the local papers and rags are claiming Luna was kidnapped. There's misinformation in the air and everywhere."
"Then the first thing I need to do is make an announcement about what really happened." Celestia sighed. "Let them know that Luna quit and as far as we can tell, has left Canterlot. That they have no reason to fear. And that we shall continue running the nation to the best of our accumulated abilities without her. Which we did for a very long time while she was...away."
"Yes, we did it once and we can do it again!" piped up a younger senator with a beehive haircut on her head. Her face was full of pride which slowly melted away into melancholy. "It won't be the same though. I enjoyed having Luna around for a second opinion on royal matters and matters of state."
"I miss having her around as well." Celestia said softly. "I thought the Summer Sun Celebration would be the end of our troubles but I misjudged myself."
A sad silence filled the room.
"Princess...." began the new leader of the royal guard, seated at the table as well. "What of you? Surely you can't go back to raising both the sun AND the moon again like in old times? With as busy as we've been these last few months, it'd be a real blow to have you undergo the stress of controlling both celestial bodies again. You already have so many responsibilities here as it is."
"I know I do. That is why I've been having Twilight Sparkle take up some of the workload for me. But it's already proven too much for her." Celestia said, giving Twilight a glance.
Twilight felt her stomach knot up. Such a short glance it had been. But what could it have meant? Was Celestia giving her a sympathetic look, knowing the stress and exhaustion she'd been through lately. Was it a look of criticism? Letting Twilight know she'd been underperforming in her new duties as Princess? Twilight couldn't be sure but she knew how she felt as those eyes glanced at here. The crushing weight of guilt fell upon her, smothering her. She leaned heavily into Fluttershy, trying not to faint, a lump forming in her throat.
"At the moment," Celestia continued. "We simply will have to cope. I'm going to write a letter to Princess Cadance soon to see if perhaps she can take over moon duties for a while. Or at least after she feels her Empire has recovered from Sombra. If not then I will simply have to control both sun and moon again. My schedule will be altered to the way it was about a year ago. Meetings of parliament will once again have to be mostly the rest of you making the decisions and asking for my guidance from afar if you feel you need it."
"But! But Princess!" the senators and diplomats protested.
"It's going to be just fine." Celestia cooed, always seeming calm and collected. "You ponies ran the more complex parts of parliament perfectly fine on your own without me having to oversee everything. You are all much wiser than you think you are. Probably even wiser than I, despite my age. I have the utmost faith in you all."
A few hesitant nods were had around the table.
"There, now. Now with that ugly road bump out of the way, let's eat." Celestia said, using small sparkles of magic to pass plates around the table. "After we eat I think we can adjourn. I'll continue trying to locate Luna with magic."
"Had no luck?" Twilight asked, chewing on a mouthful of spinach. "Your location spells were always so accurate."
"That's what worries me." Celestia mumbled, as she curled some angelhair pasta onto her fork. "Luna is so adamant at not wanting to be found....and she seems to have learned how to block my magic. That was one of the few advantages I had. Our metaphysical connection with our minds. Without that I am powerless against her and helpless to find her."
Celestia leaned over to Twilight and Fluttershy, glancing at the other governing bodies at the table to be sure none could hear her as she spoke.
"I fear I may have made Luna very cross." Celestia whispered. "I don't think she would turn into Nightmare Moon again or anything quite so drastic but...still....I am worried. I made a grave mistake to laugh at her cultural differences. Now she's gone and I'm absolutely terrified I've ruined any chance at seeing my baby sister again."
"I wish we could help." Twilight muttered.
"I....I must admit I've peered into the mind of your friend Rarity after she was acting...suspicious. I think she may have seen or talked with Luna since Luna's disappearance. She claimed she did not but...her memory wisps said otherwise. Twilight and Fluttershy....I know Rarity is your friend, and I would never ask you to betray her. I'm sure if she knows something...and didn't tell me....it has to be for a very good reason."
"Celestia..." Fluttershy began, looking helplessly at Twilight. "I don't think I could lie...about this. Rarity...has...um...well she's been keeping in contact with Luna. Please don't be upset with her. Luna doesn't want to be found."
"But why?" Celestia pleaded, looking almost ready to weep.
"Luna is trying to live life as a normal pony, now. Hiding amongst the citizens of Canterlot. Rarity's been helping her." Twilight grimaced, fearing she might have said too much.
Celestia bolted upright, her eyes scanning the room with a determined look. But it faded and a look of amusement played about her face as she ate her pasta.
"Is she happy? Is Luna..... happy?" Celestia asked quietly.
"Rarity said Luna's been having a lot of fun living like a normal pony." Twilight offered, feeling relief as Celestia smiled. "Going to sports games, parks, and nightclubs and such."
"Well good. Bless her, I hope she is finding joy in these endeavors. I'll tone down the search parties and pretend I'm still looking for her. I guess Luna just needed to take a vacation just like you did, Princess Twilight." Celestia sighed, wiping her eyes with a dainty kerchief. "I'm glad she's having a good time. I shall keep this secret...a secret."
"Should I keep this a secret as well?" Discord asked, slithering out of Celestia's mane like a curious snake. "Sorry, couldn't help but eavesdrop."
Twilight shot Discord a dirty look while Celestia giggled at the antics of the spirit of chaos.
"Yes, Discord. Please keep it a secret." Celestia plucked Discord from her hair and deposited him back into his seat, where he quickly grew to full size and downed the rest of his wine.
"No blabbing then, I take it?" He asked.
"No blabbing. This is a royal decree. Blabbing about this is outlawed for the time being."
Discord nodded knowingly and pulled his mouth off his face, crunched it up like tissue paper, and stuffed it into a pocket along his dark brown scales. As if to say 'the secret is safe with me'. Celestia stifled a giggle. The representatives around the table continued eating, having smalltalk amongst themselves. Discord didn't eat much, preferring to turn the food into tiny soldiers and having them fight each other atop one of the pies on the feasting table. Celestia quietly nibbled at a bowl of spinach and celery, saving her appetite for the cake that Twilight and Fluttershy had brought in. Celestia had always had a weakness for sweets, with most photos of her that showed up in the newspapers usually depicting her eating some sort of confectionery treat.
"This looks delicious." Celestia murmured, licking her lips as she hovered a large slice of the cake over to her plate. "Is this crumb cake?"
"Yes it is! Fluttershy and Applejack made it." Twilight nuzzled Fluttershy.
"Oh....well it was mostly Applejack....I just helped a little." Fluttershy whispered, her face going red.
"Well it's certainly delicious." Celestia garbled through a mouth full of cake, small crumbs toppling out of her mouth. "How has Spike been, Twilight? I haven't seen him in so long."
"He's doing fine. He's been taking this whole....princess thing...much more calmly than I've been. He's growing, too. Naturally this time. It's getting harder to carry him around." Twilight grinned. "He was supposed to show up but I wanted to let him sleep in."
"How is he doing in school? I imagine being away from home all day must be challenging for you both."
"To be honest he's bored." Twilight chuckled nervously. "I warned him he was already far beyond the level of education for someone his age. I already talked to Cheerilee to see if he could come home early after he finishes his work so he isn't sitting around for too long. He wasn't a fan of that either since it meant he couldn't hang out with with Rainbow, Rarity, and Applejack's little sisters."
"You should let me teach the boy." Discord muttered as he watched a piece of toast impale a marshmallow with a pretzel. "I could use a new apprentice. He knows basically nothing of his species."
"Well...that's probably a good thing." Fluttershy replied quietly, looking away from the eyeroll Discord sent her way.
"Spike also had me visit class during...erm..." Twilight cleared her throat. "...parent's day."
Celestia stopped chewing for a moment to raise her eyebrows slightly. She sat for a moment or two motionless before a very faint smile creased across her noble features, chewing slowly and thoughtfully.
"Oh?" the pearly white alicorn asked, calmly as if this were something ordinary. "How did that make you feel?"
"Weird." Twilight scrunched her face up a bit. "He even accidentally called me 'ma' while he was addressing the class. I mean...I love Spike so much....but I'm not sure if it's a good thing for him to look up to me that way. I'm not even a dragon."
Celestia scratched at her throat for a moment. "I don't see why not. You've been there for him his entire life. Spent more time with him than I ever could. Raising him to be the dragon he is today. It's only natural that he'd latch onto you. I would have thought you would feel the same."
"I do...I always have felt like....he was my little guy but....hearing him say it." Twilight wiped her eye a bit. "It's not that I don't like it...but it makes me all...teary."
"Yes I know that feeling very well." Celestia said with a small sigh, her voice wavering. "I miss my little Cadance every day. I know she's happier away in her own kingdom but it doesn't make it hurt less."
"So do I." Fluttershy agree'd with a tone of sadness. "I've only been away from home a day and I already miss Angel."
Celestia wiped her brow, coughing a bit.
"Are you alright, Celestia?" Fluttershy asked, tilting her head. "You look very pale."
"Well her coat is white, Fluttershy." Discord quipped with disinterest as he armed several strawberries with toothpick spears. "She's going to look pale no matter what. She'll never be able to achieve a tan, no matter how many beaches she goes to."
"I'm fine....Fluttershy." Celestia gasped, breathing heavily and leaning back in her chair as she took another bite of cake.
"See? Fine." Discord mumbled, turning back to his food army. "Now my grapemen, the time has come to seize control over the lands that the strawberries have stolen from you. Use those little martini umbrella halberds to defeat them in these times of war. I won't lie, it will be a bloody battle and many of you will end up part of a fruit salad I will be eating. But you will die in honor of conquest. And of course in honor of me."
A hoarse garble of pain uttered from Celestia's throat as she leaned heavily against the table. Her eyes streamed with tears as she doubled over, the golden boots she wore on her hooves flailing and clawing at her throat as she made indecipherable noises with her mouth. Everything stopped at once. Every official in the room who sat around the table, every guard who stood by a doorway, every fruit minion on Discord's plate, all stopped and watched in horror as Celestia gasped and frantically tried to breathe. A small pink stream of blood dribbled from her mouth.
"CELESTIA!" Twilight shrieked, leaping from her chair, putting her small purple hooves on her mentor's shoulders. "IS SOMETHING CHOKING YOU? I'LL HELP JUST LET ME UH...UH"
Twilight scanned the room frantically, searching for something, anything that might aid the princess. She turned back to see Celestia's eyes give her a look of pure sadness, and all at once Celestia's limbs hung to her sides, limp and lifeless. The world moved in slow motion as every able-bodied pony leaped from their chair, eager to catch the falling princess as she toppled backwards from her chair. Muted shouts and screams tore through the air.
Then the most powerful pony in the world, the queen of sun and light, and leader of Equestria, fell to the floor. A pony who had only ever desired tranquility and happiness, and was by far the most benevolent ruler that the land had ever or would ever be blessed with, crumpled onto the tile. A deafening silence filled the room. Twilight stood in horror looking down upon Celestia's still form, the purple eyes she had seen every day as a child, the eyes of the teacher who had been like a second mother to her, rolled upwards as the eyelids slowly creaked shut.
Twilight couldn't hear a thing, the shock numbing every sense in her body. She didn't hear Fluttershy crying. She didn't hear all the shattering plates as tables were overturned. She didn't hear the shouts the politicians made for the guards to rush into the room and find out what happened. As the gears in her mind finally began to turn again she heard only one sound. A quiet clap of hands and a familiar chuckle. She turned to see Discord giving her a very approving nod and chortling to himself, his yellow eyes filled with glee and respect for Twilight. He stood from his chair, the wooden throne screeching loudly across the tile. That sound silenced everything and the calamity in the room made itself clear but just as quickly died down as every eye in the room turned towards the most powerful creature in Equestria now. Discord, god of chaos, stood next to the table clapping loudly. All the tiny fruit warriors on his plate clapping as well, their applause thundering throughout the room.
"Well, Twilight I must admit I didn't think you had it in you." Discord said with a laugh. "I always thought you were a goody two-shoes but this...this is amazing. I am really impressed. I've done some foul things in my time my dear but I never would have thought to do this."
He picked up the cake Celestia had been eating and took a large bite. His glee turned to confusion for a mere moment.
"Hmm that's odd. It certainly doesn't taste like poison. But then again if it were magical poison I'm sure it'd be flavorless and odorless. Either way, it doesn't make what you've accomplished any less impressive."
Twilight's jaw hung. "Y...you....think....."
"Think what? That this was all set up? Of course. It makes so much sense. Twilight Sparkle, personal protege of the QUEEN OF EVERYTHING, always kept on a short leash. Never very social, never very well known, but with clearly very high ambitions. But only an alicorn is allowed to rule Equestria as it is. You might be a rebel, Twilight but you're too nerdy to break rules. Celestia making you into an alicorn was the perfect opportunity for you to rid yourself of her. You've been patiently waiting your entire life to make this moment happen haven't you? You're so diligent! You've managed to do in one dinner what Sunset Shimmer failed to do in two lifetimes."
"No!....I would never!"
"Oh of course you wouldn't." Discord said with a wink. "I mean who would want to rule Equestria and have all the money, power, and magic they could ever want? Have every library, and illegal book of dark magic all to themselves. Certainly not Twilight Sparkle, a glutton for education. No need to be so humble my dear. This is how Kings and Queens ascended each other all the time back in the past before you ponies arrived. It's actually quite refreshing to see someone take out their leader in such an oldschool style. Very retro."
Every eye in the room turned from Discord to Twilight, their eyes filled with terror as Twilight's eyes grew wide and she tentatively took a few steps back from the crowd.
"GUARDS! GUARDS!" shouted one of the politicians. "TWILIGHT SPARKLE HAS MURDERED THE QUEEN! SEIZE HER...I think?"
There was a green explosion of fire as Discord leered at the politician, the incoming guards giving him a wide berth.
"Seize her?" Discord shouted in a booming angry voice. "You should be WORSHIPPING her you imbecile! She's the leader now! She's your QUEEN."
"Why are you doing this!?" Twilight shrieked at Discord as he turned away from the guard.
"Fluttershy had me promise to the leader of this ridiculous cluster of horses you call a nation, to serve our fearless leader and use my powers for GOOD. You're the leader now Twilight. Which means I work for you. And I won't have these ruffians ruffing you up. Besides those wings are still pretty fresh aren't they? Can't have a bunch of steroid stallions getting their armored hooves clamped all over them now can we? How ghastly!"
"I am NOT YOUR LEADER!" Twilight bellowed angrily, clambering off the table and away from several angry guard ponies.
"Of course you are. Celestia's clearly dead. Like a goldfish you win from a carnival. Belly up, as they say! RIP in pieces."
"Celestia is not dead." came Fluttershy's voice from near Celestia's still form.
During the chaos, Fluttershy had crept from her chair, the grief of knowing her queen was dead, and wanting little more than to hold Celestia's body, and hope against hope that she could do something, anything to help. Every day since she was little Fluttershy had been thankful that she was so easy to ignore. Nobody ever paid attention to her or the things she did. And as the guards filled the room and cowered from Discord and Twilight's shouting match, she had quietly made her way to the white lump on the ground. Through her tears, Fluttershy had noticed something that had immediately given her hope. The pool of blood at Celestia's mouth had small ripples going through it every second or so. The Princess of the Sun was still alive, her lungs heaving to keep her alive. But there was something else. Something....toxic about the blood. Small red welts were forming around Celestia's snout. Were those hives? Then that meant....
"Twilight..." Fluttershy whispered, turning to see that quite a few ponies were now staring at her. "I think....I think I can help Celestia. But in case I can't...find Luna."
"Oh yes. Let's put the fate of our great nation in the hooves of the Royal Goth!" Discord said with a grin.
"Discord SHUT UP!" Fluttershy shouted. Discord nearly flopped over with grief as he looked sadder than anyone had ever seen him. "I'm sorry, Discord but you're really just...making this situation worse right now. You aren't on your best behavior and it's making this situation even more of a mess. You understand that, don't you?"
"Yes." Discord muttered, clearing his throat and shuffling sheepishly away from the guards. "Sorry."
"Why should we trust you?" shouted one the politicians, pushing her way to the front of the guards. "How do we know you didn't poison Celestia as Discord claims? How do we know that you aren't planning to finish her off?"
"Because I'm the Element of Kindness." Fluttershy said as sweetly as she could, trying very hard not to lose her temper. "You also don't have much of a choice. Don't be stubborn and let me HELP or Celestia WILL die."
The two locked eyes for a moment. The mare's face was angry, but her eyes were full of fear. Fluttershy could understand that. This was probably the most intense moment any of them had ever been through. With a nod, she gave way and went back to standing behind the guards.
"Twilight." Fluttershy began as she started collecting herbs from the feasting table. "Take Discord and see if you two can find Luna. I think Celestia is very sick but I might be able to help her if some of these other ponies are willing to help me. But in case I can't......find Luna."
"Don't you worry about a thing, Fluttershy." Discord quipped, grabbing Twilight and shoving her under his arm so he could carry her like a suitcase. "Twilight can't fly very fast but I can. Plus honestly how hard could it be to find Luna? She has a voice like a megaphone in a city full of the most polite and snooty ponies in the land. Like finding a foghorn in a haystack."
"Fluttershy if something happens...." Twilight wriggled under Discord's arm. "I really love you, ok?"
"Don't worry so much." Fluttershy replied with a weak smile. "And I love you too. So much."
With a burst of grey smoke Discord had transformed himself into a short fat biplane with his nose for a propeller. With a loud buzz and a honk like that of a goose, the propellers spun, and Twilight yelped in fright from the cockpit as the Discord plane flew through a stained glass window, shattering it. Leaving behind nothing but a trail of exhaust and the echoes of Discord's hooting laughter. Fluttershy felt her heart ache as she watched them go. Knowing full well she could be in the dungeons by the time they returned. She turned towards the group of guard ponies slowly advancing on her with their spears lowered, aggressively looking for combat.
"I know you're all very upset. But I can help her. Please....let me help her."
A few of the guards flinched at the pleading cry.
"Please."