Celestia lowered her head until her eyes were on level with the board. She moved a few steps to the side, then back again, taking in Discord’s new piece from all angles.
Finally she looked up at the draconequus and asked, “What is it?”
Discord examined the claws on one hand (or paw). The claws appeared to be dancing a jig while playing hoofball and poker at the same time. Celestia tried to ignore the constant motion.
“I’d really rather just play this one out,” Discord said. “And this time I won’t lose.”
“We’ll see about that,” Celestia retorted.
She moved a single pawn forward.
***
Bon-Bon moved through the Ponyville market, selecting her groceries for that week and marveling at whatever there was to marvel at. Merchants passed through the small town on a daily basis, and more often than not there was something to look at.
The marketplace darkened suddenly, as though the sunlight had been cut off. Bon-Bon looked up, expecting to see the weather team moving a particularly thick cloud over the sun.
Instead she saw a tall, dark alicorn-like pony, with wings and a tail and pale, slit-pupiled green eyes.
“Citizens of Ponyville,” the alicorn-creature said. Her voice was an eerie reminder of Nightmare Moon’s failed takeover. “Kneel before your new ruler: Fear of Darkest Night!”
***
“‘Fear of Darkest Night’? Now you’re just being lazy.”
“Me? Lazy? Why, the thought!” Discord retorted, from his custom-made floating cloud-pillow-bed. “I am being completely original.”
“Right.” Celestia returned her attention to the board and moved her queen piece forward.
***
Bon-Bon sighed with relief as Twilight Sparkle burst into the market with her five friends in tow. The Elements of Harmony arranged themselves into their usual formation. One by one they began to glow, auras emanating from the jeweled necklaces they wore.
Finally Twilight’s eyes turned pure glowing white, and something akin to a sonic rainboom exploded outward from the six friends. It arced up, into the sky, and then down, hitting Fear of Darkest Night square in the face.
When the excess light cleared and all had returned to normal, the dark alicorn was still there.
***
Celestia stared at the still-standing chess piece with something very close to confusion.
“Discord, my queen should have killed yours.”
“Nope!” chirped the draconequus. “It didn’t.”
“Obviously.” Celestia sat back and studied the chess board for several long moments, noting the positions of every one of her pieces, along with the placement of Discord’s fighters.
After a long silence she spoke:
“Your move.”
***
Bon-Bon huddled against the ground in an uncomfortable kneeling position, ruing the moment she decided to leave her house this morning. Fear of Darkest Night was in full-on villain mode now, monologing to Twilight and her friends.
“Foals! Did you really think you could defeat me with such feeble relics? I was born of dark harmony, a force too powerful for your puny mortal minds to comprehend! I have defeated Celestia herself—”
***
“Fat chance,” Celestia muttered. Discord cleared his throat irritably.
***
“I have defeated Celestia herself, and covered her precious sun in my wrath!” Fear of Darkest Night thundered. “Nopony can stop me now!”
As the dark alicorn went on, Bon-Bon chanced a look to the side and saw a trio of young foals huddled underneath a market stall.
Poor things, she thought. Having to see this—having to experience this!
Almost before the though had finished, one of the fillies—an orange pegasus with a short, ruffled purple mane—burst out from underneath the cart. She was quickly followed by her friends.
As Fear of Darkest Night gaped in shock, the three fillies leapt into the air, yelling in unison:
“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CRIMINAL CONQUERORS!!! YAY!!!”
***
Discord stared in shock at his toppled queen, downed by a trio of pawns. Celestia grinned, taking the opportunity to slowly move her rook into place near his king.
“Checkmate.”
Discord stared at the board for a moment more before punching the board with all his might.
The marble pieces scattered, then magically realigned themselves. Discord slouched down in his seat, muttering some very impolite things about certain ponies.
“How in the hay was I supposed to know a few fillies could take down a villain?”
“The fate of Equestria is regularly left in the hooves of ‘a few fillies’, namely the Elements of Harmony.” A slight pause. “You experienced that first-hoof. A few times.”
“Ah, well,” Discord said, a sudden mood swing kicking in. “Go again?”
“Of course.”
The draconequus smiled.