*A year later. The day of the Grand Galloping Gala*
Discord knocked on Celestia's door and waited for her to open it. She did and ushered him inside, closing the door behind them. She began to fill phials with a bright blue liquid, of which Discord assumed was the youth potion.
"The directions say that it's ten millimeters to a year, so you've got a lot to drink." She handed the phial to Discord and warned him: "It's bitter,"
Discord downed it, setting the phial on the table and accepting the next one from Celestia. He drank it and frowned. "Shouldn't something be happening?"
"The potion takes affect when the doses stop after ten minutes. Like I said, you've got a lot to drink."
Dose after dose, Discord drained each one, reminding himself what this was for. He kept Eris in his mind the whole time.
An hour later, Discord forced the last one down his throat and set the phial on the table.
"Now we wait," Celestia said, scanning over the recipe. Ten minutes later, a groggy feeling set itself upon Discord's brain. He moaned and Celestia looked up from the book. "Are you alright?" She took a step closer and through Discord's eyes, the room began to swim. "I'm fine," He assured her. "Just a bit... tired." He slid onto the floor and fell unconcious.
Discord's dreams were all past memories. The time he was trapped in stone, his reign of chaos in Equestria; they sped by in a blur, until it abruptly stopped at a recollection. It was when he was young, the day Celestia finally released him from education, a particularily dreadful time. It faded to black and white, and finally to blackness. It was all over.
Discord woke up in sunlight. Celestia was sitting by the window and Discord stretched, sitting up. Celestia noticed his awakening and walked over.
"How do I look?" Discord asked. He noticed that his voice hadn't changed, as he was five years old, the age of a fully grown adult.
"Younger," Celestia said simply, levitating a small mirror over to him. He grasped it on the edge and stared at his reflection.
His goatee was gone. His eyebrows, usually white, were black and a shock of white hair covered the top of his head. His antler and horn were shorter and the fang that poked out of his mouth was non-existent. He tested his wings-they worked- and flexed his muscles.
"How's your memory?" Celestia asked.
"I remember everything,"
"Do you feel different at all?"
"Not really."
"Then I guess we should get you ready for the Gala."
"Celestia please, I don't think the Gala is really my thing. It's so boring and sophisitcated."
"Eris is going. Besides, how am I supposed to explain another young chimera running around the castle. I think it would be better to do this publically." Discord agreed, and they teleported back to his room, where Celstia pulled a brush through his hair and made him brush his teeth.
"Am I presentable enough for you?" Discord asked dryly.
"You look fine. Now, I'm going to check on Eris, and I'll come get you when it's time to go. I want you to make a special appearance."
Celestia left and walked down to Eris's room, where she sat in front of her mirror toying with her hairbrush. her expression was dull, like it had been all year. Celestia had not seen her smile since the day she had left the castle to Ponyville, and she rarely spoke to anyone.
Eris's head rested in the palm of her lion paw and she didn't bother to look up as Celestia approached. Eris didn't portest as Celestia gently took the brush from her and began to stroke it through her hair.
"I have a gift for you," Celestia told her, pulling an exotic flower from seemingly nowhere, placing it in Eris's hair. "It's a tiger lily," Celestia told her. "One of Twilight's friends collected it from the Everfree Forest."
"Mmmm." Eris was clearly unimpressed, only giving the flower a quick glance.
"Come on, it's time to go." Celestia nudged Eris to her feet and followed her out until they reached the closed doorway."
"Try to look happy," Celestia pleaded. Eris nodded, standing next to Blueblood. Celestia joined Luna, and they went out to greet the cheering ponies. They took their places at the thrones and watched as Blueblood and Eris walked down. Surprisingly, Eris was smiling as if everything was right in the world, waving to the ponies behind the velvet ropes, who snapped her picture. When she and Blueblood reached the two sisters, Celestia smiled.
"Thank you," she whispered to Eris. Eris returned her praise with a curt nod and walked down to the ballroom. She sat doen at a table and accepted a glass of ciderfrom a waiter, drinking it dry and setting the glass on the table.
"Bad day?" Eris pulled her eyes away from the white tablecloth to see a white unicorn wearing a dark blue gown.
"Do I know you?"
"No, but you know my friend, Twilight Sparkle." Eris concentrated on the recollections of last year's Gala and pulled a certain detail.
"You're Rarity."
"Yes, and you are Eris. Love the tiger lily by the way. It's a perfect splash of color onto your white hair."
Rarity sat down. "Bad day?" she repeated.
"How did you guess?"
"Nopony downs a glass of cider that quickly unless they're drunk or depressed," The white unicorn told her.
"I've just been a little... occupied nowadays." Eris chose her words carefully.
"Ah, well there's no cure for that now is there?" Rarity sympathized.
"That's a nice dress," Eris commented.
"Thank you, I made it myself. I actually own a boutique back in Ponyville."
"Really?"
"Yes, have you ever been in Ponyville before?"
"No," Eris replied. "I've been to Manehattan once or twice and a few times outside of the castle to Canterlot, but that's really it for my travel background."
"You should come down sometime."
At that moment, the royal trumpet sounded. The talking and music ceased as Princess Celestia approached the microphone. She cleared her throat.
"Welcome, my little ponies, to another fantastic Grand Galloping Gala." She said cheerfully. "Now as you know, a year ago I had welcomed Discord as a member of the Royal Court. At his request, I have modified his age to five years." Ponies began to murmur and gasp, including Rarity and Eris.
"She never told me she had planned this!" Eris said, shocked. "A youth potion takes a year to brew. she's been keeping secrets."
Celestia raised a hoof for silence and continued: "Please welcome Discord to his first Grand Galloping Gala. Treat him kindly." The curtain on the stage parted and Discord stepped out.
Eris gasped. "That can't be him,"
Rarity was silent, her mouth agape in utter bewilderment. She had every right to be.
Discord, now young and handsome, dashing even, was dressed in a tuxedo jacket. He stepped gracefully over to the micro phone and leaned down to speak into it.
"I'm very glad to be here, everypony." He announced warmly. "I have also brought along a little surprise for you all. Now don't worry, it isn't chaos," He chuckled at his joke, and the ponied chimed in nervously. "but I've brought along a friend of mine. Please give a round of applause to DJ P0N-3 or to her friends, Vinyl Scratch." He cast him arm out to the opening curtain, revealing DJ P0N-3 and her DJ set. the white unicorn spun a record around to make a scratching noise and started the music with a pumping beat that filled the ballroom. A light blue pony with a rainbow mane and tail- Rainbow Dash, as Eris remembered from The Wonderbolts performance- let out a hoot and stepped onto the dance floor. She was joined by Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle. A few brave stallions came to join them, and eventually, every young pony at the gala was dancing to the upbeat music. A few of the older ponies retreated outside to the gardens and Eris laughed.
"Leave it to Discord to find a way to liven up the Gala." She remarked.
"Well, I'm glad you like it." Eris spun around to see Discord himself standing behind her chair. "What fun is a party without dancing, eh?" His gaze flickered to Rarity for a moment. "Nice to see you Rarity. Love the dress."
"Uh.." Rarity was left speechless as Discord redirected his attention to Eris.
"So what do you think?"
"Of what? You or this?" she gestured to all around her.
"Well you've already given your opinion about the Gala so... me, I suppose."
"You look different," Eris remarked. "Younger." Eris noticed that Discord seemed a little crestfallen about her observation, but quickly brightened up.
"You two should be dancing," He pulled them to their feet and pushed them onto the dance floor. "Have fun!" He commanded.
They began to dance, compelled by the music. Eris realized that her caution was slowly deteriorating, and the depression that she had bottled up for the past year came spilling out as she danced. Rarity and Eris caught up with Twilight, Rainbow and Pinkie, and they laughed and talked, their fun sides getting the best of them.
From the sidelines, Discord had eyes only for Eris. He had never seen her so happy, and smiled. Ambling over to the DJ box, he murmured something to DJ P0N-3. she nodded and spun the record, changing the song. The first part of it was quiet, consisting of only drums.
"Hey, wait a second," Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. "I know this song. It just came out yesterday. It's ah.. oh, I forgot the name of it. Starts with Party Rock though." (A.N. Can you guess what the song is? Sorry guys, I know author's notes are a bit unprofessional -at least in my world- but i promise this is the only time I will do this. I had to put Party Rock Anthem in here.) The beat suddenly exploded into a song that could make you-figuratively-lose your mind. The lyrics stated so, and the ponies went crazy. "I know all the dance moves," Rainbow Dash bragged. "Just follow my lead." Eris and the ponies did so, and Eris found herself catching on pretty quick.
"I've never had this much fun in my life!" She confessed over the music. Eris shuffled. She laughed. She danced until she thought she'd pass out from exhaustion, and at the end of the song, Eris stumbled to a nearby chair and collapsed in it.
The ffour other ponies did the same.
"Too bad Applejack or Fluttershy couldn't come." Pinkie Pie panted.
"You mean didn't come." Rainbow Dash corrected. "Fluttershy doesn't like parties anyway, and Applejack is busy preparing for Applebuck season. I swear, that pony does preparations earlier each year." The five girls rested throughout The next song, and were ready to continue dancing until the next song became a slow dance.
A bold pegasus stepped over to the group and asked Rarity to dance with him. She accepted out of politness (and that the pegasus was rather handsome), and Pinkie Pie announced that she was going over to the buffet table to see if there was anything good to eat. Rainbow Dash noticed Spitfire and Soarin' in the VIP section and flew off, telling Eris and Twilight that she was just going to say hello.
Twilight and Eris continued the conversation without them, but were immediately interrupted by Discord.
"Eris, would you care to dance with me?" He asked.
Eris gave him a smile and accepted, allowing him to take her onto the dance floor.
"So," Eris said.
"So," Discord echoed.
"Fun party, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Why weren't you dancing?" Eris asked.
"Oh, I was. You just couldn't see me."
"Liar."
"I never lie." Discord insisted. "It goes against what I believe in."
"Really?"
"Mmhmm."
"So how long were you and Celestia planning this youth potion?"
"Since the day you uh, you know."
"Why did you do it?"
"It's complicated."
"That's not an answer."
"In my world, it is."
Eris had no reply to Discord's reasoning. The song finished, Eris broke away from Discord. "thank you for the dance," She said. "But I must be getting back to my friends now. Twilight will be wondering where I am." Twilight knew where she was of course. She could see the two chimeras from the table she sat at. Pinkie Pie returned with a few cupcakes and Rarity rejoined the little group. Raibow Dash did as well, flopping into the seat. Eris stole a cupcake from Pinkie's stash and began to nibble on it.
"So," Rarity said casually. "You and Discord, huh?"
"What about him?"
"Oh come on, Eris!" Rainbow intervened. "Anypony can see that you two like each other."
"What? No!" Eris denied her feeling towards Discord. He had take a youth potion for her. He had given her flowers. He had danced with her. He was handsome too, and her age now.
"Someone's in denial!" Pinkie Pie sang.
"I don't like him!" Eris protested. She finished off the cupcake and took another glass of cider to wash it down.
Thankfully, the ponies dropped the subject.
'But I do like him.' Eris thought. 'How can I be so stupid?'