The damp, gray mist curled across the rain-soaked front lawn of Canterlot High School. As early-morning darkness turned to twilight, the nearby streetlights winked out one by one. Breaks in the dark clouds above permitted the last few twinkling stars to shine down upon the statue where the portal to Equestria lay.
Sunset Shimmer rubbed her eyes as she pushed open the front door of the high school and pulled the zipper of her custom-fitted leather jacket all the way up. She wrapped her arms around herself to guard against the pre-dawn chill. Pinkie Pie followed Sunset Shimmer outside, and then cheerfully skipped down the stairs towards a large statue of a powerful horse rearing up into the air.
Pinkie Pie turned around when she reached the bottom of the stairs. Stifling a yawn, she said, “I’m glad we were able to pop that bun in the oven!” One of her blue eyes closed in a conspiratorial wink.
Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes and shook her head at Pinkie’s choice of words. “If you compare the mold to a baby again, I’m going to hope very bad things happen to you. Anyway, if we’re lucky, it will be done late tonight. Fortunately, the school hasn’t changed any locks lately,” she replied sleepily.
The two of them were able to begin firing the mold for Chainbreaker in the wee hours of the morning. Aria Blaze’s hints for haste, urging for speed, and finally demands for progress drove Sunset Shimmer and Pinkie Pie out of Fluttershy’s cottage and into Canterlot High School’s darkened art rooms the moment after the mold was finished. Once they had gained access to the school, Sunset remembered that the kiln only appeared to be an intimidating piece of equipment. Like most other machines of this world, it was relatively simple to operate if one took the time to read and follow the instructions.
“And it’s super-duper timing that the art classes are working on paintings and not pottery right now!” added Pinkie Pie enthusiastically.
Sunset Shimmer reached the statue and tentatively tested whether the portal was open. Her index finger pressed against solid, mirror-finished rock. “Well, it’s five-after-six. Where is everyone?” she asked impatiently.
“We’re here, Sunset Shimmer!” announced Applejack.
Applejack was herding Sonata Dusk and Rainbow Dash toward the statue. She touched the brim of her hat and seemed unusually energized. On the flip side, Rainbow Dash was sullen and appeared exhausted. Her multicolored hair stuck out in several directions and her eyes were only half-open above an annoyed frown. Sonata Dusk, shuffling forward in yet another set of borrowed clothes, yawned and gave Sunset Shimmer a pleasant wave.
Sunset opened her mouth to greet her friends when a loud bang came from the mist in the general direction of the student parking lot.
“Are you trying to give me a heart attack, Fluttershy?” cried Aria Blaze through the mist. A car door loudly slammed shut.
Fluttershy’s embarrassment was evident as she demurely replied, “Oh, the van must have backfired, Aria. I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you.” A second car door clicked closed in the distance.
A few moments later, Fluttershy and Aria emerged from the milky fog. Aria rushed to Sunset Shimmer and coolly asked, “Did you get the mold started?”
“Of course,” Sunset replied. “We started the kiln at about three-thirty. Pinkie and I got a little bit of sleep on the couches in the lobby before coming out here.”
Aria started an attempt to justify herself. “Sunset, I’m sorry that I pushed… Ooof!” she grunted as Sonata Dusk enfolded her in a surprise hug from behind.
“Aria, you’re better!” Sonata exclaimed happily.
“I might not be if you tackle me again like that,” she grumbled. Her frown changed to a small smile. “But, it’s good to see you, too.”
Sunset Shimmer looked at the two Sirens in surprise and pride. She noticed the profound changes that the past few days had wrought on their appearances. Sonata, who had demanded the former unicorn’s attention as a sobbing, injured, damsel-in-distress, was now projecting mystery and radiance while enigmatically smiling at Aria. Aria’s cruelty was once the defining aspect of her personality and appearance. This morning, she tentatively returned the hug and Sonata’s smile. Still, Aria’s darting eyes betrayed her vigilance and determination. Sunset Shimmer grinned at the reunion before her, despite her fatigue.
Sonata Dusk turned towards Sunset Shimmer and looked her in the eyes. She said, “Thank you, Sunset Shimmer. I would have never have met a great family like the Apples without you.”
“And, I would have never have been free to make my own choices without you,” added Aria Blaze.
“You’re very welcome, both of you, but I was just doing what I thought was right,” replied Sunset Shimmer. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and played with the zipper on her jacket.
An impatient Rainbow Dash interrupted and asked, “Hey, are we going to get this show on the road, or what? What happened yesterday?”
“What sort of help is Twilight sending?” asked Applejack.
Rarity’s voice inquired, “Yes, indeed. What did happen yesterday, Sunset Shimmer? I, for one, am simply dying to know.” Her voice had a prissy tone as she emerged from the mist.
Rarity had dressed for the runway this morning, not the classroom. She wore a beige trenchcoat over a deep purple business suit and traded her everyday boots for fashionable, expensive heels. Sunset Shimmer couldn’t quite tell whether Rarity’s blue eyes were staring or glaring at her, but the fashionista’s pose demanded attention. She placed one hand on her hip, her body language challenging Sunset Shimmer.
Sensing trouble, Sunset Shimmer gulped and glanced at Fluttershy. From the back of the crowd, Fluttershy shooed Sunset towards the statue with both hands.
Sunset Shimmer, with seven pairs of eyes upon her, cleared her throat and began. “The past few days have been crazy. I know that. Before the portal opens, I wanted to take a couple of minutes to sum up what’s been going on. Rainbow Dash, the bottom line up front is that the eight of us, if not all of Canterlot, are in serious danger.”
Rainbow Dash stifled a yawn and gave Applejack an elbow to the ribs. She joked, “Danger is my middle name.”
Applejack whispered a facetious reply. “Last week it was ‘responsibility.’”
“Aria has told me that the Sirens served a dark Master called Leviathan beneath the seas of Equestria’s world. He changed them from mermares into Sirens over a thousand years ago. We knew that Adagio, Aria and Sonata nearly divided and conquered Equestria before their exile here, but we didn’t know that most of their powers came from their connection to this evil, squid-like monster,” continued Sunset Shimmer, her brow furrowed as she concentrated on choosing the correct words.
Aria held up a purple-tinted finger and corrected Sunset Shimmer. “He-Who-Swims-in-Darkness is more of a demigod than a monster and much more dangerous than say, a unicorn-turned-demon.”
Sunset Shimmer gestured with her right hand and proceeded. “Fair enough. Thanks, Aria. After the Sirens were exiled, the society that they came from was completely destroyed and reformed. An empire built upon slavery and female dominance was replaced by a realm of co-existence and music. This new domain has lasted for the past thousand years. In our time, the most important thing that we’ve pieced together is that Adagio is now more desperate than ever to wake Leviathan and return home. That must not happen, because it would bring magical war to this world and to Equestria.”
Pinkie Pie waved her hand in the air wildly. She shouted, “How would big, bad and slimy get a wake-up call?”
“We don’t know.” Sonata and Aria both regretfully shook their heads in unison.
Sunset Shimmer kept moving forward with her explanation. “Adagio kept many secrets. She was the main link between the Sirens and Leviathan. Here is my plan: Aria and Sonata have both given me their shattered Siren pendants. Twilight Sparkle is sending me a being called Discord to give me a hand. He is thousands of years old and has a lot of magical knowledge. Twilight said that he can be a pain, but that he really wants to help.”
“Discord? I’m not sure I like the sound of that,” declared Applejack suspiciously.
Sunset Shimmer gave Applejack an uncertain frown. She replied, “Neither do I. Discord is an old mare’s tale that has come to life since I left Equestria. I simply have to trust Princess Twilight’s wisdom on this, but my intuition tells me the situation is much more complicated than she could explain in a journal entry to me.”
Applejack fiddled with her hat and finally declared, “I can live with that. Keep going, Sunset Shimmer.”
“With Twilight’s help from the other side of the portal, I am going to make magical items from the Sirens’ shards at Applejack’s forge.” Sunset Shimmer ticked off the items on her fingers. “One is a necklace that will help me focus the Equestrian magic that has entered this world, which could restore much of my spell casting ability. The other will be an enchanted weapon that will be used to combat our new enemies.”
The girls who had not stayed the night at Fluttershy’s began to jabber with disbelief and excitement. Sunset Shimmer glanced at her watch. It was a little more than ten minutes to sunrise.
She held up both hands and announced, “I’m not finished yet!” The others quieted and permitted Sunset to speak. “Two terrible things happened yesterday that made me decide to do this. First, when we retrieved Aria’s belongings from the Sirens’ hideout, I felt traces of dark magic. Technically, this is called ‘necromancy,’ but it’s simply described as ‘death magic.’ Someone or something allied with Adagio used this type of magic to kill some animals.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! More evil magic? We are totally awesome, but how many times do we have to save the world this year?” interjected an incredulous Rainbow Dash.
Fluttershy laid a hand on Rainbow Dash’s arm and said, “It was terrifying! Those poor fish had no way of knowing what happened.”
“Twilight admitted that she wouldn’t have left us if she knew about Leviathan, but she has made it clear that she’s not coming to rescue us this time. We just have to find Adagio and stop her in order to protect Twilight’s new kingdom and our own world,” Sunset declared, punching her palm with her fist.
Before Sunset Shimmer continued, Sonata Dusk interrupted. “I think I know how I can find Adagio.” She waved the simple card that Ms. Raven had given her. “Maybe I can help set up an ambush.”
Sunset glanced at her watch again and hurriedly said, “Let me get through this, please, but thank you, Sonata. We will need all the help we can get.” Sunset Shimmer pulled Adagio’s belt buckle from her pocket and handed it to Rarity. Rarity’s intensity softened for a moment as Sunset’s impromptu speech continued. “Second, Adagio broke into my apartment and took a lot of things from my early days in this world that I hoped would have stayed hidden. I have already spoken to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie about what was stolen. They reveal many, if not all, of the awful, selfish things I did before you and Twilight helped me to understand the power of friendship last fall.”
She extended her index finger in an effort to stall the inevitable blitz of questions. “But I would like to speak with Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity privately about this. Rarity, before our guest arrives, would you mind talking to me inside?”
“Very well. I also need to discuss an important matter with you,” agreed Rarity. She turned on her heel and strode purposefully towards the school’s entrance.
“Pinkie Pie, don’t let us be late,” directed Sunset Shimmer.
Pinkie Pie nodded enthusiastically and replied, “Okie dokie lokie!”
Fluttershy hugged herself and looked at Aria Blaze worriedly. Aria held both hands out, palms up, and shrugged her shoulders.
-----
Sunset Shimmer used her set of school keys to reopen the front door and they walked inside. “Rarity, I think you’ll need to take a seat,” invited Sunset Shimmer. She motioned Rarity towards one of the couches in the main foyer.
The gray twilight filtered through the large windows, sending eerie shadows dancing across the expanse. Rarity, with practiced grace, unbuttoned her trench coat, removed a large manila envelope and laid the coat carefully over the back of the couch. Her facial expression was impassive, almost sphinxlike. Rarity clutched the envelope in her right hand, smoothed her skirt and took a seat. Sunset Shimmer moved to sit next to her friend, but realized that Rarity had not left her enough space to sit.
“Rarity, there’s something I need to tell you. Something I should have told you a long time ago,” began Sunset Shimmer.
The muscles behind the skin of Rarity’s jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed dangerously. Still, she kept her tone even. She said simply, “I know.”
Her perfectly manicured white hands shaking, Rarity opened the envelope and handed Sunset Shimmer a large photograph. Its smaller twin was in the pocket of Sunset Shimmer’s leather jacket. The former unicorn suddenly felt like she needed to vomit.
The larger print of Sunset Shimmer kissing Rarity’s father revealed even more hurtful details of the captured moment. Hondo’s left hand lingered on the girl’s shoulder, plainly showing the wedding ring that he clearly intended to betray. The man’s eyes were closed and he was passionately enjoying the kiss and associated embrace. Sunset Shimmer’s eyes were open, seeking the hidden photographer.
Rarity’s eyes were wide and her lower lip trembled. She set the picture next to her leg on the couch. Her voice cracked as she asked, “Why didn’t you tell me? You had so many chances before now.”
Sunset walked towards the couch and extended a hand. Rarity crossed her arms and shifted in her seat. Sunset Shimmer sadly replied, “I’m sorry, Rarity. I just couldn’t. After this winter, I should have told you, but I was too scared.” Tears began to well in the corners of her green-blue eyes.
Rarity saw Sunset’s tears begin to form and her blue eyes flashed angrily. She pointed a finger dramatically and said, “Scared? Sunset Shimmer, you are many things, but I have never thought of you as being frightened of anything. I am hurt and I am furious that after all you’ve accomplished, you never found the time to reveal this devastating secret to me. What is it that you wanted? Was it someone more mature and experienced? I decided to play that part for you this morning.” She made a practiced gesture that took in her suit, her figure and her displeasure.
“No, that’s not it at all, Rarity! Please, let me explain! I don’t want to lose your friendship,” Sunset Shimmer pleaded.
Rarity bristled at the last word. Wounded beyond the point where her normal theatrics were possible, Rarity said simply, but sadly, “Until I opened this envelope, I held hopes we could be more than that. But those hopes are evaporating like the fog out there will when the sun strikes it. My mother and I know my father’s failings. We have been forced to endure it for a long while. Why did it have to be you this time, Sunset?” Rarity’s composure was starting to show cracks, and she retrieved a handkerchief from the pocket of her trench coat.
“Rarity, I’ll tell you the truth, but it will hurt to hear it,” said Sunset Shimmer. She sat on the floor next to the couch and drew her knees up to her chest. “Are you ready?” A single tear ran down her face and fell to the floor.
“My heart is already broken. What’s a bit more at this point?” wailed Rarity. She dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief.
She looked at the floor as she confessed the entire sequence of events to Rarity, including the episode involving the gangsters and the Mare’s Bridle flowers. “About a year ago, I realized that I didn’t have enough materials to finish the replica of Twilight’s crown. I was running out of time before the portal reopened and I needed money quickly. The flowers were all gone. The teachers seemed to know all about your father, so I used that information to trap him.”
Rarity began to cry in earnest, and not even the monogrammed handkerchief could save her makeup.
“We went on a date. I kissed him and he kissed me back. But that’s all that ever, um, physically happened between us. A week later, I revealed that I was still in high school, showed him the pictures and demanded twenty-five grand to keep my mouth shut. He was furious, but agreed to pay. That money bought what I needed to finish the crown.”
At the mention of the money, the blood drained from Rarity’s face, and she stopped crying. She scooted as far away from Sunset Shimmer as the couch would allow. Rarity moaned, “You know who paid that bribe? I did! My father asked me for a loan last summer! Now I know why! Is money all that you loved?”
“Oh, Rarity, I don’t know what to say. Of course not! Not anymore! I care about you and all of our friends.” Sunset Shimmer reached out to Rarity again, and again she was rebuffed.
Rarity shook her head and her face betrayed a complex set of emotions. “Why did it have to be you? Two nights ago, it was perfect. You were so beautiful, so admirable under pressure, and you saved a life in my home. But, now I can’t forget about the monster you used to be! I can’t trust you anymore!” She began to sob.
Sunset Shimmer saw a scrap of paper beneath the incriminating picture and snatched it while Rarity wept. Sunset compared the handwriting on the two notes and came to a sudden realization.
“I know what I did was wrong, but look who dropped off this picture to you,” said Sunset Shimmer, handing both notes to Rarity.
“Adagio Dazzle?” asked Rarity, taking the bejeweled orange belt buckle from her pocket. The flow of her tears halted.
Sunset Shimmer nodded and wiped away a tear of her own. She replied, “Yes. Remember what I said outside. Adagio is up to something sinister and we have to stop her.”
Sunset Shimmer’s attempt to inspire Rarity failed. She shook her purple curls vigorously and said, “No, you have to stop Adagio. I need some time away from you to think about what a fool I’ve been.”
“I’m not that person now!” Sunset Shimmer protested. “I need your help!”
Rarity stood, pulled the trench coat over her shoulders and gathered her belongings. She said, “I’ll have Elegant Ensemble call the school. If I’m inclined to see you or speak to you, I’ll find a way to let you know. Until then, I need some time away from magic, betrayal and dirty secrets.”
“But, Rarity…” Sunset Shimmer sputtered.
She walked back to the entrance. Rarity looked back sadly and said, “Do pass on my apologies to Twilight’s colleague. Today, I’m not fit company for any creatures that normally roam on four legs.”
Sunset buried her face in her hands. Rarity slipped out the front door of the high school just as Pinkie Pie ascended the stairs.
The pink-haired girl raised her eyebrows as Rarity hurried past her without a word. Sticking to her appointed task, she said, “Where’s Rarity going? Sunrise is in a minute or two!” Pinkie Pie suddenly realized that Sunset Shimmer was crying. She put her arm around her friend. “Oh, no! Rarity will come around. It’ll just take some time, and some sugar. Lots of sugar! But, we have to go to the portal right now.”
Pinkie Pie helped Sunset Shimmer to her feet. Rarity’s handkerchief still sat on the couch. Sunset Shimmer grabbed it, dried her eyes and carefully placed it in her jacket’s inside pocket.
"Thanks, Pinkie," said Sunset Shimmer, recovering her composure. "Let's go and meet Discord."
-----
While Rarity and Sunset Shimmer spoke in the high school foyer, the two Sirens stood a bit apart from the rest of the group, which afforded them a small measure of privacy. Aria Blaze listened to Sonata Dusk gush about the Apple Family in general and Big Macintosh in particular.
“You should hear him sing, Aria! His music is nothing like the songs that Adagio made. Big Macintosh picked stuff that was sad and sweet all at once.” Sonata clasped her hands excitedly over her chest.
There was something different about Sonata’s enthusiasm that put Aria on guard. “What do his sisters say about all this, Sonata?”
Sonata cheerfully and randomly continued. “Hmm, let’s see. Apple Bloom tried to tell me Big Mac’s dating the school librarian.” Sonata waved her hand dismissively. “Um, Applejack is a fantastic cook and told funny stories over dinner. We were such a great family together! Neither one of Big Mac’s sisters heard how well we sang together in the basement!”
Uh oh, Aria thought. There’s something very wrong here. Sonata’s avoiding a straight answer. Aloud, she asked, “Sonata, did you think that the Apples are just being nice to you because you’re their guest and because you’re so good at helping with the chores? You’re not part of their family.”
“Not yet!” Sonata giggled. “But anything can happen once Adagio is dethroned.”
“Listen to yourself, Sonata! Slow down!” hissed Aria, hoping that Applejack couldn’t hear Sonata.
Sonata seemed confused and a bit hurt. She replied, “What do you mean? Now that I can sing again, I just know I can make Big Mac help us stop Adagio. Once there’s a new princess, life will be so easy for the Apples!”
Aria grabbed Sonata by both shoulders and angrily whispered to her, “Dammit, Sonata, haven’t you been listening and watching Sunset Shimmer? She has guided us to better decisions, but the decisions are ours to make. This talk of ‘making Big Mac help us’ sounds too much like Adagio and the old me for comfort. Are you in love with him?”
Sonata twirled her blue hair around a finger and looked off into space. She stammered, “Umm, maybe?”
Aria leaned forward again and asked, “What about the woman in Big Mac’s life that Apple Bloom told you about?”
“What about her?” Sonata Dusk frowned.
“Sonata, what I’m trying to tell you is that Sunset Shimmer nursed you back to health and showed you ways to help others. She trusts you and so do the Apples. Don’t do anything to screw that up! We need to be ready to fight Adagio and our old Master!” advised Aria Blaze.
Sonata extended her blue lower lip and pouted. She said, “I’m making friends and recruiting allies. Big Mac would be incredible in a fight!”
Aria spoke slowly and clearly. “Sonata, I’m worried you’re hatching one of your little plots. If you want Big Mac to help us, ask him and let him make the choice. Manipulating him will cause bad feelings all around. That’s who we were. I don’t want it to be my future. Sunset Shimmer is probably having a bad time with Rarity inside because she messed with others’ feelings. Let’s learn from her example and save us both the heartache and pain.”
Before Sonata could muster a reply, Pinkie Pie looked at her watch and gasped. Pinkie shrieked, “It’s time! I need to go fetch Rarity and Sunset Shimmer!”
As Pinkie Pie sprinted past, Aria Blaze looked intently at Sonata Dusk and asked, “Sonata, what really have you learned since the Battle of the Bands?”
“I’m not sure what you mean, Aria,” replied Sonata. She quizzically tilted her head.
Aria sighed. “I’ll tell you the lessons I learned from my dream and from watching you, Adagio and Sunset Shimmer. I learned that we were wrong. What we thought was good and evil has been turned on its head. I thought serving the Empire and Leviathan was a positive thing and that relieving other beings of their ability to choose was a comfort to them. Sonata, that’s an evil path. I’ll never act that way again. I don’t want to see you disappear back into the darkness because of love, or jealousy, or because you thought it would be fun. Even though our voices aren’t what they were, we have to find other ways to help them defeat the Master!”
“This is all so confusing,” Sonata meekly replied. “I’m not sure what to do.”
At the distant school entrance, Pinkie Pie was nearly knocked over by Rarity, who rapidly walked directly to the student parking lot.
Aria gave Sonata’s shoulder a sisterly squeeze. “I have faith that something will happen that will make you see all of this clearly. I truly believe that you’ll make the correct choice, Sonata.”
----
To Sunset Shimmer’s relief, there was no time for the group to ask her about Rarity’s hasty departure. Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Sonata Dusk and Aria Blaze gathered just in time to see the mirror-smooth marble base of the Canterlot High School statue become liquid and take on a third dimension. The morning mist’s slow metamorphosis from gray to white was the only indication that dawn had occurred.
The portal rippled and a tall figure stepped through. Slicked-back black hair was short in the front, but grew long and wild about the man’s shoulders. A long white goatee sprouted from his chin. Crimson eyes gazed forth from eyeballs that were tinged with yellow. The being’s sardonic smile revealed one canine that was sharper and longer than it should have been. The skin of his face and hands were light gray in color.
The new arrival wore a plaid sport coat over a paisley shirt and striped dress pants. The only hint of normalcy in his clothing was a gorgeous lapel pin of a pale yellow butterfly, accented with pink and teal jewels. Over the top of his ensemble, he was wearing a backpack that was filled to bursting that he immediately removed and set down on the ground. A wooden branch extended a significant distance out of the backpack’s main compartment.
“Greetings, salutations, felicitations and palpatations!” the figure said in a deep voice. He looked down at his clothing and fingered the jacket’s lapel with a smile. “I have two legs, you have two legs, everybody has two legs!”
The new arrival smirked and snapped his fingers, but nothing happened. He frowned, then concentrated intently and snapped his fingers again. A single peppermint candy appeared in a flash of light and fell to the ground.
Sunset Shimmer asked impatiently, “Discord, I presume?”
Discord silently asked for a moment by extending an index finger. He then reached into his jacket with his right hand. Flinging forward his arm, a shower of peppermint candies finally burst forth. Pinkie Pie instinctively leapt forward to fill her pockets with the magically-created sugar.
“So that’s how it works!” Discord exclaimed. A sarcastic smirk returned to his face. “It’s been so long since I had to manage chaos with this sort of body. And yes, I am Discord, Champion of Friendship, Chosen of Twilight Sparkle, Spirit of Chaos and Mixologist of Magic reporting for duty!”
The mismatched suit disappeared for a moment, replaced with a coverall-like garment that was a dark red through the chest and sleeves, but black everywhere else. A silver replica of Twilight Sparkle’s six-pointed star was pinned to Discord’s left breast. Four tiny butterflies adorned Discord’s right collar as he dropped into a deep bow.
“Twilight sent you to help Sunset Shimmer?” asked Applejack, raising a suspicious eyebrow.
A flash of white light came from Discord. Suddenly, he was back in his original clothing, but was wearing the farmgirl’s hat. “Well, you all did, technically, or at least your equine counterparts did. Robert’s Rules and all that,” he said.
Sunset Shimmer stepped forward and handed Applejack’s hat back to her. Her eyebrows lowered threateningly as Sunset asked Discord, “Don’t you think you should tone it down a bit?”
Discord showed no signs of backing off of his chaotic comedy act. “You must be Sunset Shimmer. The hair is a dead giveaway. The princess sends her regards!” The Spirit of Chaos’ skin turned light purple and his hair transformed into an imitation of Twilight’s mane. He walked forward and gave Sunset Shimmer’s cheek a mocking pinch.
Rainbow Dash stepped forward and gave the new arrival a warning poke in the chest with her finger. “Hey, buddy, just what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Discord’s red eyes rolled. He replied, “Oh, it’s you. Rainbow Dash, I’d recognize that tone in any universe. Well, that’s not the truth. It’s your hair. Better check yourself before you wreck yourself!” He tapped Rainbow Dash’s shoulder and she was instantly encased in bubble wrap from the neck down. Just as she was about to lose her balance and fall, Discord touched her again and the plastic disappeared.
Pinkie Pie groaned. “Aw, come on, Discord! I wanted to pop the bubbles.”
Discord laughed uproariously. “Is it a bubble you want, Pinkie Pie? Hmmm, let’s see what I can do to make you float away quietly for a while.” He grinned mischievously and reached out his hand to touch her.
“You stop that right now!” shouted Fluttershy’s soft, firm voice.
Upon hearing Fluttershy’s voice, everything immediately returned to normal, or as normal as was possible under the circumstances. Discord’s facial expression immediately changed from amused to shocked and finally to guilty. He looked at each of the seven faces in turn, finishing by looking into Fluttershy’s angry teal eyes.
Fluttershy’s displeasure was palpable. “I don’t know who you think you are or how much magic you have, but you have no right to make fun of my friends this way. If you can’t play nice, then Sunset Shimmer should tell Twilight that we’re sending you back,” she declared.
“My dear Fluttershy, you are truly a constant across worlds. But, didn’t Twilight Sparkle give you some idea of what to expect from me?” asked Discord, who then sniggered into his hand.
“I read every word that Twilight Sparkle wrote to Sunny. Every word.” Fluttershy pointed accusingly at Discord. “Oh, she stuck to the facts and gave you the benefit of the doubt. But you’d better remember that you’re just meeting us for the first time. By being mean to my friends, you’re messing up that clean slate you had when you came through the portal.”
The Spirit of Chaos hung his head in shame. “I’m sorry, Fluttershy. My excitement got the best of me.” He touched his lapel pin, it took flight around his head and settled back into its normal place.
The gratuitous magical display touched a nerve with Fluttershy. She stepped forward and said angrily, “If you think I’m going to cut you any slack because of that pin,” Fluttershy pointed at the butterfly on Discord’s lapel with an angry jab of her finger, “you’ve got another thing coming, buster! You’ll do what Sunset Shimmer tells you to do and help us all out of this mess!”
Discord straightened himself up and looked at each of the girls in turn, starting with Fluttershy. He said, “I’m not sure what to say about the fact that you are all just a little bit different from the ponies I know in Equestria. I am deeply sorry for getting off on the wrong foot, claw, hoof and wing. We’ll all have to give a little bit, it seems, but you’ve made it clear I need to go first. Let’s just say that I’ve had a recent and dramatic shift in perspective, not unlike your new songbird friends.” He gestured to Sonata and Aria.
Sunset Shimmer took charge of the situation once again. She asked, “Why don’t you tell us what you mean without the riddles, Discord?”
Discord nodded admiringly at Sunset Shimmer. He replied, “Twilight was right to trust you, Sunset Shimmer.” The Spirit of Chaos continued. “I was once an emperor. I was frequently a prisoner. In my home, I have powers to reshape reality, powers that are beyond your minds to comprehend. But, that home is barred to me because I am on probation. I committed a horrible betrayal that Princess Smartypants may yet tell you all about. But, I was betrayed in turn and robbed of all my magical abilities for a time. So, I volunteered to come here to try to make up for all that I have done wrong.”
Sunset made an imploring gesture. “We all need your help. I need your experience in crafting magical items. We need your knowledge of our enemy. Most of all, we need your cooperation without double-speak and riddles.” Sunset Shimmer smiled and added, “But, it can still be fun for all of us as long as we win.”
Discord gave Sunset Shimmer an exaggerated salute, his hand smacking against a shiny silver military helmet that suddenly appeared on his head. The Spirit of Chaos rolled his eyes and said, “Ma’am, yes, ma’am! Where’s the forge? Let’s get started so we can vanquish that nasty squid and I can get back to Equestria.”
Sunset Shimmer took advantage of the opening and reached into her jacket. She pulled out Twilight’s letter of recommendation and showed the letter to Fluttershy. Mischievous smiles curled across both their faces.
“Oh, Twilight’s idea is wonderful!” exclaimed Fluttershy.
Sunset Shimmer raised an eyebrow. Her green-blue eyes twinkled with amusement. “Fluttershy, do you think this will keep him out of trouble until it’s time to go to Sweet Apple Acres? Could you please tell Discord what the plan for today is?”
“Of course, Sunny!” Fluttershy took the letter from Sunset Shimmer’s hand and spoke to Discord as if he were one of the animals in her cottage. She said, “Now, Mr. Discord, because Sunset Shimmer won’t be ready to make the magic items for some time yet, we need to give you a cover story for why you’re here. Twilight has recommended you to be a math teacher here at Canterlot High, teaching us something about chaos. We’ll go see Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna to make sure it’s alright. After you’re done teaching and we’re done at school, some of us will go over to Sweet Apple Acres to get started at the forge. Do you have any questions?”
Discord snatched the letter from Fluttershy and scowled. He read intently. The fang in his mouth switched sides five times. Discord traced Twilight’s wax seal with his fingers and frowned. His plaid coat’s tartan alternated through every color of the rainbow. The stripes on his pants swam across the fabric. The Spirit of Chaos’ brow furrowed in anger, and then finally, he threw back his head and roared with laughter.
He said, “Hilarious! It’s about time Twilight Sparkle developed a penchant for mischief. Maybe we’re finally rubbing off on one another!” Discord suddenly sported a mortarboard, complete with tassel, atop his head and exclaimed, “I’ll do it!”
“Then you and I will meet with Principal Celestia,” ordered Sunset Shimmer. “Celestia doesn’t rule here in quite the same way she does in Equestria, but you’ll still need her approval. Discord and I will catch up with the rest of you either at lunch or after school!”
-----
Discord and Sunset Shimmer were seated in uncomfortable chairs in the main office. The administrative assistant clacked away at his keyboard while the two unexpected visitors waited to speak to Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna. Discord continually shifted in his chair, earning sullen looks from Sunset Shimmer. Discord’s red-eyed gaze fell on the newspapers and magazines scattered across the nearby coffee table.
In this body, I have to actually touch something to add chaos to it? thought Discord. Even then, I can only infuse it with a paltry ration. Well played, Moonbutt. I underestimated you. He reached out to grab a magazine.
Sunset Shimmer lightly smacked the back of Discord’s hand. She whispered, “Not here, Discord.”
“But, I’m bored, Sunset Shimmer! I’m not even permitted to read about spring fashion tips for the professional woman? What sort of torture chamber have you brought me to?” Discord replied with exaggerated anguish.
She wrinkled her forehead and replied, “It’s called the principal’s office! You need to be more patient. Haven’t you ever had to wait for an audience with our Celestia?”
The administrative assistant paused his typing and eyed the pair suspiciously. He placed his index finger to his lips, silently ordering them to quiet down.
Discord sheepishly whispered, “Well, not really. I just happen to show up whenever and wherever the desire strikes.” He stroked his white goatee. “That’s not the right way to do it here, is it?”
Sunset Shimmer sighed and answered quietly, “Until we leave this office and you have permission to teach here for a few days, you should be asking yourself one simple question: What would Fluttershy do? Aside from hiding under the coffee table, her example is probably better than anything you’re thinking of right now!”
Discord’s lapel pin crawled from the left side of his jacket to the right side and fixed itself in place. He waggled his eyebrows and reached for another magazine. “Fine. But are you sure I can’t read about how to improve my standardized test scores or how I might drop three dress sizes in two weeks?”
Before Sunset Shimmer could rebuke Discord again, the door to Principal Celestia’s inner office opened. While somewhat less regal than her royal Equestrian counterpart, Principal Celestia was an unnaturally tall, strikingly beautiful woman of indeterminate age. Her perfectly coiffed, multicolored pastel hair fell about the shoulders of a bright yellow suit jacket. A large pin of a rayed sun, as usual, was affixed to the left lapel.
Celestia’s alabaster face displayed a flat, judicious expression. She narrowed her lavender eyes suspiciously and examined Discord and Sunset Shimmer carefully before speaking. “Sunset Shimmer, you and Professor Discord may come in.”
They entered, and Principal Celestia motioned the pair to sit in two chairs in front of her large desk. Celestia sat in her chair and looked up at her sister. Vice Principal Luna set Princess Twilight’s letter of recommendation on Celestia’s desk and pointed to the elaborate royal seal with a gray-blue finger. Though the family resemblance was often difficult to spot, the two sisters had identically displeased facial expressions. Celestia and Luna both crossed their arms and waited for Sunset Shimmer to speak.
“I’ll tell you as much of the truth as I am able,” said Sunset with a deep sigh.
Luna was genuinely angry. “That would be an excellent start. I won’t have you putting your classmates in danger, ruining their education or putting this school’s reputation at risk.”
Discord opened his mouth to speak. Celestia pointed at him and forestalled any comment by saying, “You’ll get your chance soon enough, sir.” Discord gulped and remained silent.
Sunset Shimmer earnestly summarized the situation for Celestia and Luna. “Discord is from the same world as Twilight Sparkle and the Dazzlings. Twilight sent him because she knows of a new danger threatening CHS, and he is uniquely able to help end the danger. His presence in the classroom would speed up the process, even though his entire educational resume is a fabrication. Once the danger has passed, he’ll return and report to Twilight.”
Luna nodded at Celestia, then said, “I’m glad you admitted that Twilight’s letter contained falsehoods. Selecting the truthful choice allows us to honestly evaluate your request.”
Sunset Shimmer spread her arms wide. She asked, “Is it out of line to say that you sort of owe me one? If not me, then you certainly owe Twilight Sparkle. The Dazzlings got to you first, after all.”
Discord covered his mouth to hide his facial expression, but his red eyes held a hint of fear. Luna’s eyes narrowed and her dark lips frowned disapprovingly. Celestia held up a hand to calm her sister.
The principal said, “Of course, we could have done much more to see the danger that Adagio posed, and you have earned a bit of latitude.”
Discord looked at Sunset Shimmer expectantly. One of his eyes was suddenly covered with a pirate’s eye patch that disappeared the moment it was noticed.
Sunset Shimmer blinked in surprise. She returned her focus to Principal Celestia and asked, “So you’ll let him teach for a few days, then?”
“Balanced Equation has been asking me for some time off for a while, but I have had trouble finding a suitable substitute,” explained Celestia. “Professor Discord, if you can show me that you can cover advanced mathematics concepts, up to and including differential calculus, you may consider yourself hired.”
Discord stood and cleared his throat. He bowed deferentially and asked, “Principal Celestia, may I use your board to display my teaching acumen and a lifetime’s worth of knowledge?”
Celestia smiled. She handed Discord a dry-erase marker and the show began.
Fifteen minutes later, diagrams, equations, Greek letters, and odd illustrations filled every erasable surface in the office. Luna grudgingly handed Discord a classroom key.
Celestia positively beamed at Canterlot High School’s newest substitute teacher. She warmly clasped his gray hand in both of her white ones and said, “I never expected to learn so much about ‘The Butterfly Effect’ this morning, Discord. Good luck today. I am curious to learn what your students will make of your innovative teaching methods and advanced concepts. Luna, could you please give Balanced Equation a call and let him know that he can take the next few days off?”
“Of course, sister,” answered Luna simply.
“Please excuse us, Sunset Shimmer. We have to finish getting ready for the school day,” said Celestia, dismissing her and Discord.
As Discord shouldered the heavy backpack in the outer office, Sunset Shimmer hissed, “Butterfly Effect? Is this some trick you’re playing on Fluttershy? What are you up to?”
The Spirit of Chaos innocently replied, “Nothing at all! Haven’t you heard the theory that if a butterfly flaps its wings in Vanhoover it will affect the weather in Manehattan?”
“It sounds like a bunch of horseapples to me,” replied Sunset Shimmer disdainfully.
“So says the apprentice artificer. If we are to work together, you must embrace a little more of the chaotic world around you and open your mind to obscure possibilities. Isn’t magic making the very improbable into reality?” Discord retorted.
Discord opened the door and nearly collided with another teacher.
Sunset Shimmer cried, “Oh, Ms. Raven, I’m so sorry! Professor Discord didn’t see you!”
The tall, slender woman ignored Sunset Shimmer and looked Discord over from head to toe. Discord was performing a similar appraisal of Raven, raising his eyebrows and tilting his head to the side. Students unconsciously gave the two teachers a wide berth in the hallway.
Discord spoke first. “Ms. Raven, is it? I’m perfectly charmed, though I can’t escape the feeling that I know you from somewhere.”
“Déjà vu is a common phenomenon in literature, but quite rare in real life,” replied Raven. She folded her arms across her chest. “I would certainly remember an encounter with such a unique personage such as yourself.” Her sweeping gesture took in Discord’s flamboyant clothing and unusual appearance.
Sunset Shimmer’s head began to itch. Her instincts were telling her to run and hide, but she watched the wordplay take place between the two teachers.
“Well, then perhaps my memory will kick in later. I am morbidly curious why I thought I knew you.” Discord pressed both his hands over his heart, stacking one atop the other.
Raven pursed her lips and stared at Discord with her flat, black eyes. “As am I. My mind is as blank as a statue.”
Discord decided that this had gone on long enough. He cheerfully said, “Have a pleasant day, Ms. Raven.”
“Good luck with your first day, Mr. Discord. I hope all your calamities are manageable,” replied Raven as she walked away.
Sunset Shimmer was still having trouble processing what she had just witnessed. She couldn’t ignore the near-crackle of magical resonance in the hallway, but couldn’t explain it either. So, she inelegantly reached out for the easiest source of knowledge.
“What the he…” Sunset Shimmer stopped herself and rephrased her question to make it more appropriate for a student addressing a teacher. “Professor Discord, could you please tell me what just happened?”
Discord motioned for Sunset Shimmer to follow him through the throng of students. They entered his assigned classroom and the Spirit of Chaos triple-checked that the room was empty. He placed his hand on Sunset Shimmer’s shoulder and looked her in the eyes. Sunset Shimmer was struck by the intensity of the crimson gaze, which contrasted violently with the being’s previous mischief.
Discord intoned gravely, “Princesses Luna and Twilight were right and I was wrong. We are indeed in serious danger. Tell me, have you found anything dead recently? Something small and weak, but there’s no reason for it to have been killed?”
Sunset Shimmer gulped and felt her stomach flutter. She answered, “Yes, at the aquarium where the Sirens used to have a hideout.”
“Your new friend, the grouchy Siren with the purple-skin, is right to scowl all the time and to pace with impatience. Our time is running out,” said Discord as the first students entered the room.
“What will you do now?” asked Sunset Shimmer, attempting to conceal her worry.
Discord smirked and transformed his clothes into a tweed suit with elbow patches. He looked through thick wire-rimmed spectacles, smiled at Sunset Shimmer and said, “I’ll put on a mathematical exhibition to help my mind figure out how to best employ the goodies in that backpack! Multitasking is my chaotic contribution to productivity. Your classmates won’t know what hit them.”
“I feel safer already,” replied Sunset Shimmer, rolling her eyes.
As students filed into the classroom, Discord looked over the top of his spectacles and gave Sunset Shimmer one last ominous response.
“I don’t feel safe and neither should you.”