Discord and Rainbow Dash watched as Soarin paced around the garden.
"Okay, I give up," Discord declared. "What's gotten you so upset?"
Soarin stomped his hoof. "I won't stay here any longer!"
"Why not?" Rainbow asked.
"Yesterday, I saw Rarity fawning over the Duke's servant!"
"Did she see you when you saw her?" Discord inquired.
"Yes! She walked right by me!"
"Don't you see? She's making you jealous!"
"Oh, quit it, Discord!" Rainbow shouted. "She's not interested, Soarin! I suggest you give up this foolishness and find some other..."
"Play along and we'll have some fun," Discord whispered in the multi-colored pegasus' ear. "What you need to do, Sir Soarin, is get the competition out of the way."
Soarin blinked. "How am I supposed to do that?"
"Challenge him to a duel! Ladies like it when stallions fight for their honor!"
The knight smiled. "Yeah. A duel! It's perfect! I'll go write the challenge right now!"
As Soarin flew off, Rainbow Dash punched the draconequus in the shoulder. "Are you nuts? He could hurt himself!"
"Trust me," Discord said, patting his friend on the back. "This will be a lot of fun, I assure you!"
The two of them turned as they heard a mare's laughter. Fluttershy was coming up the path, chortling uncontrollably and crying tears of joy.
"Now, what is this?" Discord said, putting his paw and claw on his hips. "I've never seen you laugh so hard!"
Fluttershy lost so much control that she fell over. Rainbow caught her in his hooves.
"Cranky..." Flutershy gasped, "he...he's...lime green stockings!"
Rainbow and Discord started laughing along with her.
"And..." Discord said, pointing to his head, "wearing a...?"
Fluttershy nodded and the tree of them collapsed to the ground.
"Oh...he actually..." Discord wheezed. "Show us where he is! I have to see this!"
Big Mac searched about the busy streets for an inn. He had never been to Illyrimane before, so he did not know where to find one. A part of him wished he had allowed Trixie to come along so he would not be in this predicament, but it was dangerous for her to travel with him.
He suddenly felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He glanced around, feeling he was being watched. Then he spied a black head duck behind a barrel as soon as he looked its way. He cautiously approached the barrel and peered behind it. Hiding there was a hooded figure. He could not see its face, but he could see the blue hooves covering it. He knelt down, moved the hooves aside and gasped.
"Trixie!" he cried, flinging his hooves around his friend.
"I'm sorry!" Trixie exclaimed. "I...I had to follow you and...see that you were alright."
Big Mac smiled sympathetically. "Well, as long as you're here, you might as well help."
Trixie smiled in return as he helped her up, though she still kept her hood up.
"What's the most affordable yet comfortable inn around here?" Big Macintosh asked his companion.
"That would be The Sugar Cube," Trixie replied. "Come on, it's this way."
"Why don't we look around for a bit? It's a nice little town."
"No, we should get settled first."
"I'm not tired."
"Please, it would be best if..."
She trailed off as a pair of guards approached them. Trixie quickly pulled her hood over her face and tried not to meet their gaze as they passed by. This behavior did not escape Big Macintosh.
"Trixie, what's going on here?"
"Not here," the unicorn whispered.
She took him by the hoof and pulled him into an alley.
"I should've told you about this sooner," Trixie explained, "but I didn't know what you'd think."
"Why? What's wrong?"
"You see..." she gulped. "I can't be seen here. If I am, I'll be arrested and possibly executed!"
"Whatever for?"
Trixie glanced around to make sure no pony was listening and leaned in closer. "Have you ever heard of a unicorn named Sombra?"
The stallion nodded. "I heard that he tried to take over Illyrimane and later, Equestria, and that he used dark magic and was destroyed by the princesses..."
"Yes, well, he's..." Trixie sighed. "He was my father."
Big Macintosh gasped.
"Yes, it's true. He was an awful unicorn, he did terrible things, but I stood by him, because I was his daughter. What could I do? You must always stand by family. You understand, don't you?"
He nodded, knowing he would have done the same for his sisters.
"I did terrible things too, things I regret. I...I also used dark magic. Not just any magic, but the Alicorn Amulet! Lady Twilight Sparkle, an expert at magic, managed to defeat me in battle. When my father was destroyed, the Duke took pity on me and only sentenced me into exile."
She looked up at the stallion. "That was many years ago! I haven't used dark magic since!"
"It's okay," Big Mac said, putting his hooves on her shoulders. "The past is in the past. But if you're in so much danger here, why did you come?"
Trixie glanced down, avoiding his gaze. "I...I couldn't stay behind you."
He smiled. "Okay, but you should stay out of sight."
"We probably shouldn't be seen together either. They'll think you're an accomplice or something. I don't want you in danger."
"Maybe we should split up."
"You're right. Here." The unicorn fished into her cloak, pulled out a bag of gold and placed it in his hooves. "Here's some money. I'll go to The Sugar Cube, get us a room and something to eat, while you go explore the town. We'll meet at the inn in an hour."
Big Mac blinked. "Why are you giving me money?"
She shrugged. "In case you want to buy some souvenir or something."
He nodded. "Alright. I'll meet you in an hour."
"At The Sugar Cube!" Trixie called as he walked out of the alley.
"Eeyup!" he called back.
"So you remember what he looks like?" Rarity beseeched Pinkie.
"Uh-huh!" the jester nodded, the bells jingling from her hat. "Orange coat, blond hair, freckles, green eyes, marish face! I never forget a face!"
"Good. Find him and bring him back here as soon as possible. If he won't come, find ways to convince him. Can you do that for me, Pinkie?"
"You bet!"
Pinkie saluted and dashed out of the parlor. Rarity began pacing back and forth.
"Oh, what should I say to him? What can I do to impress him? How can I make him see my love for him is true and I'm just as pretty as that...that...puny purple pony?!" She paused. "Oh, I shouldn't be talking to myself!"
She opened the doors to the parlor and called, "Cranky! Oh, Cranky, where are you? Cranky!"
She heard some laughter, but instead of Cranky, she saw Fluttershy coming down the hall. She should have known, since Cranky never laughed.
"Fluttershy!" Rarity commanded. "Have you seen Cranky?"
"Oh, yes!" Fluttershy snickered. "Yes, I've seen him!"
The unicorn tilted her head, surprised at Fluttershy's mirth. "What's so funny?"
"Oh, forgive me, my lady. Cranky is...not all in his wits today."
"Why? What's the matter with him? Oh, I hope he's in enough wits to talk. The Duke's pagecolt is coming and I need someone as serious as Cranky to vent my sorrows to."
"Well...he's not quite serious today."
"What? How is he?"
The two mares jumped as laughter echoed throughout the mansion that sounded like an evil spirit haunting the place.
"Uncle Discord, is that you?" Rarity called.
"No, sweet lady!"
Her eyes widened as a lime green leg appeared round the corner. The color made Rarity want to gag. She gasped when the owner of that leg revealed himself.
"C-C-Cranky?!" she shrieked. "What are you wearing?!"
"Oh," the donkey smirked. "You mean...my fez?!"
He gestured proudly to the tall red hat on his head. Rarity cringed, as she absolutely appalled fezzes when they weren't worn by Saddlearabians.
"And how do you like my..." he shot up his leg, "lime green stockings?"
"Oh, that shade of green with that shade of brown..." Rarity muttered in abhorrence.
It was a crime against fashion!
She had never seen Cranky in such high spirits. She had never even seen him smile, let alone wear a fez! Meanwhile, Fluttershy was trying to suppress a giggle.
"Are you alright, Cranky?" Rarity inquired.
"Alright?" the donkey repeated, jumping in the air. "I've never been better!"
"Um...perhaps you should get to bed."
Cranky gasped. "To bed, my lady? What a splendid idea!"
She shrieked as he put his hooves around her waist. "What is the matter with you?!"
"I'm doing exactly what you told me! You remember! 'Some are born great...'"
"Huh?"
"'Some achieve greatness...'"
"What are you talking about?"
"'And some have greatness thrust upon them!'"
"Goodness!" Rarity cried as she wriggled out of the donkey's embrace. "This is madness, I tell you! Madness!"
"My lady!" Rainbow Dash called as he and Discord came down the hall. "The Duke's pagecolt is at the..."
He paused when he saw Cranky and he and his friend exploded into laughter.
"Stop laughing!" Rarity commanded. "What was that you were saying about the Duke's pagecolt?"
"Huh?" Rainbow uttered. "Oh. He's at the gate, here to see you."
"Well, that was fast. Fluttershy, please, take care of this...fellow. See that he doesn't hurt any pony, especially himself. You two rascals, help her."
"Yes, my lady," Discord snickered.
They waited until the unicorn was gone before turning to Cranky.
"Now come quietly, Cranky," Discord said, slowly approaching him. "We don't want to hurt you."
"Get your filthy paw and claw off me!" the donkey cried before Discord had the chance to touch him. "You no-good, dirty scoundrel!"
Rainbow gasped. "Oh, no he didn't!"
"Scoundrel?" Discord said, placing his paw over his chest. "Well! That's a little harsh, isn't it?"
"Come, let's get you to bed, Cranky," Fluttershy said, taking the donkey's hoof.
"Unhoof me!" Cranky commanded, wrenching himself away. "And go away, you peasants! I am above all of you!"
"My, whatever makes you think that?" Discord asked, feigning ignorance.
The donkey held up his chin and turned his back to them all. "You'll understand in time."
They watched as Cranky proudly marched away in his ridiculous attire and then they all broke into laughter once again.
"I don't believe it!" Discord yelled. "I simply can't believe it!"
"If this were a play onstage," Rainbow declared, "it would be the most unrealistic thing ever!"
"What if he finds out this was all a prank?" Fluttershy asked.
"Then we'll do away with him before he says anything," Discord said.
"Oh, dear! You don't mean...?"
"No, no, nothing like that! My niece asked us to take care of him. The donkey is surely mad. He must be locked up so he can't hurt any pony."
"Ooh!" Rainbow squealed. "That's really going to drive him nuts!"
"And the house will be much quieter."
"It seems kind of mean," Fluttershy said. "Don't you think locking him up is going a bit too far?"
"Nonsense!" Discord huffed. "He needs to be taught a lesson!"
"Guys!" Soarin called, racing up the hallway with a parchment in his hoof.
"Soarin!" Rainbow exclaimed. "You're missing out on all the fun!"
"I have the challenge! Want to read it?"
"I'll read it," Discord said, taking the paper from the knight. He summoned a pair of spectacles for effect. "Dear Loser..."
"Classic," Rainbow scoffed.
"You've been spending a lot of time with the Lady Rarity, my intended. So I challenge you to a duel. Winner gets the lady's hoof. Loser...gets Rainbow Dash."
"WHAT?!" Rainbow grabbed the letter. "It doesn't say that!"
"It doesn't," Discord snickered, taking the parchment back. "That was a joke. It says the loser dies. Signed, Your Greatest Enemy. P.S. You suck."
They all looked at the grinning knight.
"Great, huh?"
"Uh, yeah," Rainbow uttered. "Intimidating."
"He'll be scared out of his wits!" Discord declared. "You go and sharpen your sword and we'll deliver the challenge."
"Oh, yeah!" Soarin cried, running excitedly in place. "Head in the game, head in the game!"
He dashed out of the mansion and Discord waited awhile before crumpling up the piece of paper and popping it in his mouth.
"He's a lousy writer," he said. "We'll scare that puny colt with a challenge of our own."
"But what if he's not as puny as he looks?" Rainbow asked. "Soarin might seriously get..."
"Relax. This will all be worth it."
Big Mac was pretty sure he was lost. It had been over an hour since he has parted company with Trixie and he had trouble finding The Sugar Cube. He had asked several ponies for directions, but he found himself going in circles.
He let out a yelp as some pony rammed into him and they both toppled to the ground.
"Hey!" Big Macintosh cried. "What's the big idea?"
He sat up to see that his attacker was a jester. A female jester, for that matter. The pink mare stood and readjusted her jingling hat.
"Sorry!" she shrieked, holding out her hoof to help him. "I'm looking for a pagecolt. He wasn't at the Duke's place like he was supposed to be, so I've been searching all over town and I can't seem to find him! Have you seen him?"
He shrugged. "What does he look like?"
"Well, he has an orange coat, kind of your shade, and a blond mane, a bit like yours, has green eyes like yours, the exact same amount of freckles on his face as yours and looks a bit marish and..."
She paused and looked over the stallion again.
"Hey!" she squealed. "Where've you been?! I've been looking everywhere for you!"
Big Mac blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
"Come on!" Pinkie commanded, taking the stallion's hoof. "Lady Rarity wants to see you!"
He narrowed his eyes and tugged his hoof away. "I'm not going anywhere with you, crazy mare!"
"Oh, I understand if you don't like Rarity much, but if she doesn't see you soon, she's gonna go nuts!"
"Sorry, you must have me confused with some pony else."
He turned to leave when the fool popped up in front of him.
"You're coming with me!" she screamed in his face. "Okay, Applejack?"
"Applejack?"
"Come on, let's go! You know how Rarity hates waiting!"
Big Mac wrenched himself out of the jester's grasp. "Leave me alone, you crazy pink horse!"
Pinkie gasped at this insult. "Excuse me?!"
But Big Macintosh did not wait for her to make a comeback and took his opportunity to run.
"Hey!" Pinkie shouted. "I'm not finished with you, mister! My lady wishes to see you! Applejack, come back here!" She continued yelling as she raced after him. "YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ME! APPLEJACK!"