Ray of Sunshine
There was nothing more blissful than watching a sunrise in Equestria. Early in the morning, as everything and everypony began to awake - the flush, full yellow and pink rays began to peek out above the horizon beautifully, in a picturesque format. Almost sort of like the perfect object for a famous painting that could belong in a museum.
But alas, no possible photograph could capture the true essence and brilliant beauty of the moment, not as much as if one were to watch it live.
And Princess Celestia took pride in her job, even if it was simple - it was still important.
"Don't you ever get tired of doing that?" a voice piped up.
However, Celestia took note that it wasn't the usual voice who normally asked her that. As she looked back, she couldn't help but smile as she noticed her young daughter stumble into the bedroom chambers, and onto the balcony next to the much taller Princess.
"Haven't you been doing it forever?"
"I have indeed," Celestia replied, as she turned to look at her work. "And yet, somehow, it feels like a brand new experience everyday." She felt her little girl softly nuzzle her, and she lightly chuckled. "Good morning to you, Cassara."
The young Royal let out a light laugh, blowing frizzy multi-colored locks of sleep-ruined mane from her vision. "Good morning, Mommy," she said simply.
"Might I ask what you're doing up so early?" the Sun Princess questioned.
Even if the question was rhetorical, and she already knew the answer, watching her daughter brighten up more than any sunrise was completely priceless.
Cassara smiled wide, and her tiredness seemed to instantly melt away with those few simple words. "You should know!" she teased.
Returning the grin, Celestia gave a small shrug and shook her head - deciding to play along with the joke. "I seem to have forgotten," she murmured. (And she was told on a daily basis that she didn't have a sense of humor.)
The little Princess giggled, and took note of her mother's joke, as she twirled around in a circle happily. "It's my birthday!" she practically squealed.
"Ah, yes, of course," Celestia laughed. "And... how old are you again?"
"Mommy, I'm eight." Cassara said, in a matter-of-factly tone.
As compared to over six thousand years being alive, the Ruler of Equestria had to admit, while many of those millenia were full of pain, regret and confusion, she was very delighted to know that finally, it seemed everything was going right. She had been married to the love of her life, and had a wonderful daughter as a result. Her nation was calm, peaceful, and the citizens were happy.
Yes, nothing could ruin her seemingly perfect reign.
"Just checking," Celestia teased, as she and her daughter began to watch the soft pink morning clouds cascade near the sun.
Tilting her head to the side in confusion adorabely, Cassara looked to her mother. "Mommy, I thought you said Daddy wasn't allowed to make cotton candy clouds anymore," she observed.
With a laugh, and a sudden realization at how much the weather did resemble the work of chaos, Celestia shook her head. "Those aren't cotton candy, Cassie," she explained. "But you're right, they do resemble the work of your father."
"Was I summoned?" a voice called.
The statement caused both mother and daughter to look back, sharing a smile as they saw who was standing on the castle balcony behind them.
"Hi, Daddy!" Cassara giggled, as she bounded toward her father and hugged him. "Morning!"
Discord chuckled, and picked up his little girl, returning the embrace as he ruffled her mane and smiled. "Why hello there, my dear," he proclaimed. "Isn't a bit early for you to be up?"
The little Princess shook her head, still proudly smiling. "I couldn't wait to get up!" she exclaimed.
With a mock gasp, the draconequus held out his young daughter, and scanned over her for a minute thoughtfully. "You aren't Cassara!" he accused. "Tia, our child's been replaced with a changeling! Somepony call the guards!"
"Nooo!" Cassara whined, trying her hardest not to laugh at her father's usual chaotic silliness. "I'm your little girl!"
"Prove it." Discord challenged.
With the same smug, sly and sneaky smile as her father's, Cassara crossed her arms and cleared her throat. "Mommy's favorite flowers are sunflowers," she remarked. "And the reason you got to marry her is because you were reformed by the Element of Kindness, also known as a nice lady by the name of Aunt Fluttershy."
"Hmm," the God of Chaos mused. "No changeling would know that," He looked over Cassie once more and lightly tsked. "I'm keeping my eye on you, missy."
"And I'm keeping an eye on you, mister." the draconequus filly playfully shot back.
"I don't settle lightly with backtalk either," Discord scolded, with an expected glimmer of mischievousness in his red eyes.
Sticking her tongue out, Cassara immediately burst into giggles as her father began tickling her all over. "Daddy! S - stop!" she laughed. "That's no way to treat your Princess!"
"Princess or not, I don't like being sassed by little fillies!" he argued, continuing to playfully torture his little girl.
"Mommy!" Cassara howled between laughs. "Make him stop!"
With a simple clearing of her throat, Celestia seemed to cease the adorable and hilarious behavior between her husband and daughter, much to the relief and chagrin of them, respectively.
Discord playfully rolled his eyes, and placed his baby girl onto the balcony, shaking a talon at her disapprovingly. "I'm still watching you," he muttered.
Despite the warning, Cassara still didn't seem to learn her lesson - and she stuck her tongue out once more, causing her father's jaw to drop as he glanced to his wife.
"Tia!" he exclaimed. "Did you see that? She sassed me! Again!"
Holding back the urge to laugh out loud, Celestia just shook her head and rolled her eyes with a smile. "Cassie," she said sternly, causing her daughter to cease the cute mocking and sassiness towards her father.
Lightly scoffing, the draconequus crossed his arms. "Oh, sure, listen to her," he muttered.
Amused at Discord's usual immature behavior, Celestia smiled as she stepped forth and lightly nuzzled him, only before their daughter hopped in on the embrace, hugging them both as best as she could with her tiny little forelegs of a lion paw and eagle's talon.
"Alright now, enough dawdling," Celestia chuckled, after a solid irreplaceable moment of silence. "I'd hate to be the one to ruin this moment, but we do have a special occasion to recognize."
With that said, Cassara wriggled out of the hug and began jumping up and down excitedly.
"Really?" Discord said, with his usual sarcastic and playful tone. "Let's see," He snapped his talons and produced a calendar out of thin air, flipping through the pages. "Our anniversary - no, that's not until next month. Hearth's Warming, not for six months. Hearts and Hooves Day, far too away from today. The day you let me rule with chaos... that's not even marked on here, and probably never will be." He tossed the calender off of the balcony and shrugged. "What am I missing?"
Rolling her crimson eyes, the little Princess tapped her paw against the balcony and raised her eyebrows at her father, who still played none the wiser.
Of course. She should have expected this of him.
"Daddy," she said. "What happened eight years ago?"
"Well, a lot of things," Discord replied, with a sly smile. "For example, I beat your Aunt Luna at video games for the first and only time, and she nearly murdered me for it. I also tricked the Royal Guards with hypnotism and made all of them think that they were all supermodels." He chuckled and shook his head at the memory. "Good times. Aaaand a few months after that, your mother nearly sent me to the Sun because she was blaming me for something. What was it?" He stroked his goatee, like he always did when he was deep in thought, only before his expression brightened up. "Oh, right!" He looked to his wife and shook his head playfully. "I ate the last piece of cake, didn't I?"
Holding back the urge to facehoof, Celestia let out a sigh. She could remember the entire speech from eight years ago today - and it involved several words she never dared to utter again, including many vulgarities no Princess should know.
"You had a black eye for a few days?" she reminded him, and Discord's expression faltered.
"Oh. Right. That." He took a moment to recollect the memory and shuddered. "I don't like you when you're mad. My looks are all I have, you know!"
Cassara giggled, and playfully rolled her eyes. "Daddy!" she protested, in a fairly cute manner. "I already heard this joke!"
Discord let out a huff, looking at Celestia with a deadpan expression.
"Stealing my gigs, are you, Tia?" he said simply.
"You're the one who told me I needed to have more fun," the Sun Princess argued.
"Yes, but do try to be original, will you?" the draconequus countered, only before turning back to his daughter. "Of course I remember, Cassie," He gently flicked his nose with a talon, making her giggle. "How could I forget the day my wonderful daughter was born?"
"Just like how you forgot our anniversary three years ago," Celestia muttered.
"Now that really was an accident!" Discord defended.
"Of course it was," Celestia played along, with a slight shimmer in her pretty mauve eyes.
The draconequus crossed his arms and looked at his wife, with his usual mischevious and cunning expression. "You know, I think I now know why Luna sometimes calls you Tro-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence - or you're sleeping in the dungeon for a month."
With a scoff, Discord simply shook his head. "Such a joykill you can be, Tia," he mused. "Don't you agree, Cassie?"
"Maybe~" the little Princess sang, with another adorable and sweet melodious giggle to accompany her statement.
Slightly amused, but still trying to stay strict, Celestia rolled her eyes as she bit back a chuckle. "Enough games," she said simply. "I'd say it's time we finally begin this day, shall we?"
Cassara clapped her lion paw and eagle talon together, about to run out to the palace halls, only before her mother sternly cleared her throat.
"Cassie," she said simply, with a raised eyebrow. "Perhaps grooming yourself and looking presentable first would be appropriate?"
Realizing that she was still in her pink silk bedroom gown, and her mane was still a frizzy, uncontrollable mane, the young Princess let out a nervous chuckle and nodded, as she bounded for her bedroom chambers.
Today was going to be a wonderful day.