“Thank you for helping with this outfit, Hiss. I don’t know really why Discord wants me to wear a big puffy yellow ball gown, but he says it will work with his.” Twilight said as she struggled to get dress over her head.
Hiss fluttered around Twilight in her changeling form. Trying to help the princess make the costume fit on her correctly.
“You’re welcome. I find this tradition fascinating. You are all trying to mimic something you’re not. We changelings do that to survive; you do this for fun.”
The girls stopped and looked over to Twilight’s door as it creaked open. Discord head poked out from the other side. He squinted like he was trying to make something out in the distance then his eyes went wide and he gasped.
“Spike!” Discord threw open the door and pointed at Hiss. “A wild ditto appeared!”
Spike come out from behind Discord with a red utility vest, a red cap on and fingerless gloves. The young dragon blinked a few times confused then looked up at the sprite. “What?”
Discord rolled his eyes. “Throw that thing I gave you at Hiss.”
“Um...ok.” Spike pulled a white and red ball out from under his vest and threw it like he was told.
The device hit Hiss on her horn lighting her up and magically pulling her into the ball.
“Hiss!” Twilight yelled out of concern and surprise.
The ball shook a few times before Hiss popped out of it.
Discord grumbled. “Darn, it was so close. We didn’t damage it enough.” The trickster pulled a mallet out of nowhere and ran towards the changeling.
Hiss reacted quickly and turned into a baby Twilight giving Discord the biggest puppies eyes she could muster. Discord Stopped in his tracks and stared at her.
“Hiss used adorable.” Discord huffed as he put his weapon down. “It was super effective.”
“Well I’m lost.” Twilight commented.
Discord leaned his elbow on Twilights back. “Your lost is my gain.”
“I think you misunderstood what the saying means.” Twilight said.
“You’re lost and I’m entertained. I think I understand enough.” Discord responded.
Twilight rolled her eyes and walked a few paces ahead. Forcing Discord the stand up straight. She positioned herself just right and magically lifted up her yellow dress and wagged her tail at him. She still couldn’t understand why this stuff bothered Discord so much but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to use it against him.
“Mooned by a princess.” Discord said trying to play it cool, but everypony could see the scarlet dancing on his cheeks.
Twilight looked over her flank and raised an eyebrow at him. “Mooned?”
Discord sighed in frustration. “So many things lost on this era.”
“What is lost on this era?” Luna asked as she joined the group. She wore a black rope with a blue crest on the front that had a bird of prey on it. Luna also sported a dress shirt and blue striped tie underneath the robe.
“Mooning.” Discord said casually.
“Nonsense.” Luna said definitively as she was across the room to the rest. “Our mooning has always been a part of this era.” She said pridefully.
Everypony nodded in understanding, except for Discord who had a twinkle in his eye.
“Does the people of Equestria enjoy it when you moon them?” The spirit asked.
“Many do.” Luna answered. “Our moon is the jewel of the sky. Every night the ponies of Equestria vast in my glory as we moon them all.”
To everypony’s surprise Discord was floating in the air holding his stomach laughing.
“Um, Luna, what are you going as?” Twilight ask wanting to move on from whatever Discord was pulling.
“We are Luna.” She answered.
“Yes we know,” Spike said. “But what are you dressed as?”
“Luna,” she answered.
Discord smirked knowingly. “So you're going as yourself?” He asked. “Funny, you don’t look like you.”
“We are not we. We are Luna.” She answered nonchalantly.
“So we are going as we?” Discord clarified.
“We don’t know what you are going as but we are going as Luna.” The lunar princess replied.
“So your costume is of Luna?” Twilight asked with her head tilted.
“Yes.” Luna frowned a little. “No?” She said unsure. “Which Luna do you mean?”
“There are two Princess Luna?” Hiss asked.
Discord turned to his assistant and winked at her. “Why do you think she always says ‘we’?”
This time Hiss smirked. “I just figured she drank water too often.” The changeling turned her head back to Luna. “So you’re going as your alter ego?”
“No, we were Nightmare Moon last year.” Luna pointed out. “We are Luna this year.”
“Then where’s your crown?” Hiss asked adding the fire.
“We are not we this year, we are Luna.” She said again.
“What?” Said Twilight.
“What?” Said Spike.
“What?” Said Hiss.
“What?” Said the proof reader.
“Asparagus!” Said Discord.
“We are a character from that charming book series about that young wizard.” Luna clarified.
Twilight instantly knew who she was talking about. She wondered if Luna intentionally chose a character with the same name; she has learned that Luna shares her sister’s sense of, mostly.
“So you’re not going as Luna?” Discord asked.
“Stop it, Discord.” Twilight scolded. “It’s not even that funny.”
“I’m confused.” Spike said.
“I’m confused.” Hiss said.
“I’m entertained.” Discord said.
“As are we,” Luna added winking at Twilight.
Twilight walked down the stairs making her entrance into the ball room. Her mane was pulled back with elegant curls and her yellow dress accented her complexion while her jeweled hoofs matched her crown.
The stairs were actually two that conjoined before leading into the main ball room. She made it to the landing and looked up to see Discord coming down the other end. His mane was slicked back and brushed out giving him a more streamline look. He wore blue Lord’s coat gold trims and cuffs that was a fashion a few hundred years ago.
The palace was filled with ponies of different class and origins. Luna and Twilight had convinced the royal family that holding a party on this night would honor the Moon Princess. Luna insisted that a handful of ponies from every major settlement be invited and that this was not a gathering the famous and the influential like the annual gala.
Discord started walking down the stairs like he was some rock star. Every step was a strut; a flock of mares had formed in front of the staircase. Camera flashes and whistling mares berated him. A few of them made a howling nose while the rest threw roses at him.
Twilight rolled her eyes but she still smiled at the scene. His attics really grew on you after a while.
Discord finally made it to the landing with Twilight. He reached out with his claw and took the Princess’ hoof giving it a kiss.
“I see you have admirers.” Twilight commented as his lips parted from her.
“Jealous?” Discord asked and he stood up straight.
“Hardly, they’re changelings.” Twilight clarified.
“Saw straight through it, then?” Discord responded.
“Like a lumberjack.” Twilight joked.
Discord turned the mares that had lined up under the stair case. “She’s on to us. Go. Mingle and feed for it is the night of all nights.” The changelings dispersed and disappeared into the crowed.
Twilight shook her head at him and started down the steps. “Dramatic as ever, come one, we have to mingle ourselves.”
“Yes because we are very socially skilled individuals.” Discord said with a sarcastic tone as he walked with by her side.
“Hey, I have come a long way.” Twilight said defensively. “It’s you who needs to socialize more.”
“Speaking of socializing.” Discord pointed over her shoulder at Rainbow Dash flying up to them. “Your friend with questionable sexuality is coming this way.”
Twilight became very annoyed with Discord’s stereotyping. Twilight knew that he was just trying to get under her skin. No way was Discord this ignorant, but such remark was hard to ignore. “She’s dating Big Mac.” She said through clenched teeth.
“That proves nothing.” Discord replied as he waived a dismissive claw at her. “I’ve read Broke Hoof Mountain.”
Twilight was about to start raising her voice at him but Rainbow Dash saved him.
“Sup, Twi?” Dash said as she landed next to Twilight. “You two playing nice?” Rainbow teased as she took note of her friend’s cowl.
Twilight gave a sigh and let Discord’s transgression go. “We’re good, how about you? Are you enjoying yourself?”
Rainbow shrugged. “Mostly, just had a very confusing conversation with Princess Luna about her costume.”
“Oh? What is dressed as?” Discord asked playing stupid.
“Nope.” Rainbow Dash said mimicking her colt friend before trotting off.
“Too many ponies seeing through me tonight.” Discord grumbled as he crossed his arms. “I must be losing my edge.”
Twilight laughed, but she wasn’t laughing at Discord. She was happy about what he said. “That’s because we’re all friends now. We all know you enough to catch on when you’re about pull well a Discord.”
Discord was about to rebuttal but a very gruff looking clown smoking a cigar cut him off as he approached.
“Discord!” Iron Hoof said in a raised voice. “I like the costume; I can see the irony in it.”
“Irony? It’s a lord’s coat the fashion is from-“
“About 500 years ago when the royal family made up most of the military leadership,” Iron Hoof interrupted. “That, my antimilitary friend, is a dress blue bravo Lord General over coat worn only in battle.” Iron Hoof paused to take a puff of his cigar. “You are wearing a military uniform.”
Twilight smirked “I take it back; you are losing your edge.”