“Does she have ta go?” It was a question spoken as a whine, a noise Octavia had heard commonly all morning. But despite it being often attributed to aggravation, the alicorn found the sound rather enduring -- cute, even. It did help that the decidedly cutest foal in Fillydelphia was the one complaining.
“Sure as a harvest in fall she’s gotta go,” Fiddlesticks responded, rubbing her hoof into her younger sibling’s mane. Candy attempted to bat the hoof away futilely. “She’s got places ta be and ponies ta meet. Can’t keep the wagon on the farm all the time, can we?”
“I am thankful to hear I am like a wagon to you, Fiddle,” Octavia spoke up to the mare, smirking at the red flush spreading over the other mare’s yellow coat. She mused on whether or not she looked that way when she was embarrassed. Aside from the adjusting of the Stetson hat, Octavia had to assume so.
“Yeah, well… Ah don’t like it,” Candy replied again, staring at the ground in a huff. “Who’s gonna help me make more cinnamon candy apples?”
“Yer brother, Ah reckin’,” Fiddlesticks replied again, recovering from the embarrassment and regaining her authorative tone. “Same way yer gonna help make his sugar sweet caramel apples!”
Octavia smiled at the pair, lightly pushing the brim of her own tall hat upwards. It annoyed her that she had to don the heavy and otherwise cumbersome accessory, equally so as the jacket over her back. But, as accepting to her as the Apple Family had been for the past few days, she could not very well walk onto the train home with wings flared and horn waving.
She gazed behind her, seeing the steam of the train’s coal powered engine rising into the air. Only a few sparce ponies littered the track around them. The departure time was too inconvenient for most ponies, too late in the day and just before another busy weekday. Octavia was sure she would enjoy the solitude of the train’s interior.
“We are gonna miss you, ya know that.” Octavia turned her head to see Tart standing beside her, closer to her than his own siblings. The alicorn nodded to his words in agreement.
“I know, and I will miss you all as well.” She spoke only honestly, no exaggerations or myths to her. “I will be remiss to say that I did not enjoy myself, even though I had slept longer and deeper than I have in a long while whilst in your care.”
“Workin’ the fields tends ta tucker out the limbs,” Tart agreed, wagging his own foreleg. If he was trying to show it to be limp, he did a poor job. That was mostly the fault of the years of apple bucking showing in his legs. It was difficult to make a muscular limb appear weak. Still, he settled his leg back on the platform before he spoke again. “Gotta say though, worked was a lot smoother the past few days with yer tunes swimmin’ in the air. Ain’t gonna be the same with just Fiddlesticks carryin’ on.”
“Oh hush,” Octavia replied with a roll of her head. She patted the stallion’s shoulders lightly. He didn’t move an inch. “Your sister could play all the musical pieces of the symphony and still have the energy to make dinner for every twig and leaf in your family. I believe you are all set.” Tart gave the mare a half-drawn smirk, pulling at one of his cheeks.
The effect was lost when the bandana over his head fell down, blocking the rest of his vision. He let out a sound of discomfort and settled on the ground to readjust the cloth over his mane. Octavia turned to eye the perpetrator, having no surprise when she came eye to eye with Fiddlesticks.
“’Preciate the praise, Octy, but he’s at least half-right.” Octavia was still not keen on the idea of the nickname Vinyl had conjured being used by other ponies. But then again, she couldn’t help but feel a sort of comfort that came with the more personal name. “Well as Ah play, don’t think Ah’m ever gonna play as well alone as we did tagether.”
“Yes, well, I suppose that’s true,” Octavia agreed. “Two heads tend to be better than one.”
“More like two bows,” Fiddle corrected, smirking as she did. Octavia let her own, more-controlled smile match her doppelganger’s. The two shared a silent conversation, eyes looking at one another. Fiddle’s smile sobered slowly as the time passed, until she at least appeared to be further mirroring Octavia.
“We are gonna miss ya, though,” Fiddlesticks eventually spoke again. She reached to her side, pulling her little sister in close. Candy fell into the embrace with only a few complaints. She reached with her other hoof, pulling Tart to her other side. The stallion had a much easier time keeping his balance. “We all are.”
“And I will miss you all as well.” Octavia spoke earnestly, allowing her emotions to show on her sleeve for once. She extended her foreleg, intending to give Fiddlesticks one last hoofshake before her departure. She was sure the mare wouldn’t be able to lift her this time -- at least hopefully, not. The alicorn was half correct.
Instead of a shake, the mare grabbed Octavia’s leg, pulling on it with the same strength near every member of her family had. Octavia was only able to let out a small gasp before she felt herself enveloped in the mare’s legs, a strong hug embracing her. Her head was stuck over Fiddle’s shoulder, looking down the mare’s back and over her blue vest. It took only a short time for Octavia to wrap her own legs about the mare.
It was to no surprise when Octavia felt Candy’s smaller set of hooves wrap around the pair. Tart’s sudden embrace about the pair, large enough to wrap them together, was slightly more surprising. Octavia had no complaints.
“Ya take care now,” Fiddlesticks spoke into Octavia’s ear. “An’ make sure ya visit sometime. Candy won’t forgive ya if ya don’t.”
“Yeah! Come back soon!” The youngest of the trio chorused her sister, much to the elder’s amusement. Slowly the embrace broke, leaving Octavia staring at the trio of siblings, their many relatives all back at the farm; working today as they had nearly every day before. It really never did end for them. Octavia now understood that it was not just a good thing, but a great thing.
“Next destination, Canterlot for 6:00, three minutes to departure. Repeat, Canterlot for 6:00, three minutes to departure,” the announcer spoke from above. It felt like an early alarm clock on a weekend. Hesitantly, the mare picked up the case for her cello, lifting it until the black shape was supported by the wheels beneath it.
“I will see you all before long, I promise you that.” Octavia made sure to give Candy the most earnest smile she could conjure. The filly matched hers easily, smiling back up at her brightly. The alicorn spent no more time.
Turning tail, she stepped onto the platform for the train and lifted the awkward case for her cello with her. With much less hassle than when she had first arrived, Octavia boarded the train and passed the conductor her ticket from a pocket of her coat. With a tip of his hat, the stallion bade her own. The alicorn went inside with haste.
Once she was inside, she pushed her cello case to the chair in front of her, grabbing the seat next to the window. It took her little time to see the family outside looking back at her. Octavia nodded to them, smiling happily.
She saw Candy’s mouth moving, likely asking for her to come back soon. The roll of Fiddlesticks eyes made it all the more apparent. It made Octavia giggle, daintily holding her hoof to her lips so as to keep the action from being seen. It was a poor effort on her part and she knew it.
And then she was off again.
With a lurch, the train began to chug forwards, departing the station and separating the disguised alicorn from the Apple family. The gray mare waved gingerly through the window, smiling fondly at Fiddlesticks and her family. Her twin grinning with a wry smile as she waved back.
Candy Apple was jumping on her rear hooves to wave goodbye, swinging her forelegs as if Octavia was already leagues away and not just a few meters. Octavia never tired of the filly’s seemingly endless supply of energy.
Tart stood just beside her, nodding his head and grinning. Three days and Octavia still knew about as much of him as she did the odd pony at her symphonies. Still, she could not forget the heart behind his kindness, nor the sincerity in the words he spoke to her.
Too soon for comfort, the train left the station behind completely, putting more and more distance between Octavia and the family. They were already far out of sight, but the mare knew it would be quite some time before they were out of mind.
With a sigh, the alicorn leaned back against her seat, shutting her eyes as in preparation herself for the hours of solitude ahead. The small vibrations of the train kept lulling her, like the rocking of a baby’s crib. Octavia would never admit the analogy aloud.
She rolled her head to the side, looking out the window at the passing countryside. They were far and gone outside the city limits by now, already traversing the open country of Equestria. Octavia would have liked to be in the mountains or forests, seeing the behemoth of natural structures towering over her. Instead, they were in an open field with nothing but the odd hill and tree. The plains were fairly plain indeed, she reflected.
She sighed, turning head back around to gaze at her cello. It sat on the seat across from her, still as a rock. She was honestly going to miss playing with Fiddlesticks. Her doppelganger was far more active with the violin than any member of the Symphony, willing to dance with the instrument like a partner. It likely had to do with the reason she was so skilled.
Octavia slid her eyes closed, letting the rumble of the train car carry her home. There was nopony in the carriage with her -- not that unusual given it was the day before the weekend. If anything it at least meant that she was going to enjoy a peaceful sleep the whole trip back. That was a pleasant thought in her mind.
“Pardon me, but is this seat taken?” The thought was quickly dashed with the words.
Octavia turned head and parted her lids to see a stallion standing by her seat. She hadn’t heard him approach, not until he had spoken up. But then again, she was halfway to sleeping.
He was considerably older than her, that much she was immediately aware of. A unicorn with a brown coat, he had a gray mane with striped white and with a fair goatee to match. He wore the top of a nice suit, fitted with a green bowtie about his neck. His smile was calm, relaxed, as if he was looking for a place to pass the time as well.
“No,” she answered honestly, looking at the cello in the opposite pair of seats. “No, you can sit if you like.” The stallion nodded to her.
“Wonderful. Thank you very much,” he spoke, courtesy easily falling upon his words. Octavia smiled in return. He took the seat next to her, taking little time in leaning back into the cushioned chair. He flexed his neck, adjusting himself against the material.
Octavia turned away from him, looking back out the window. The plains were still as expansive as ever, dotted with the odd house or landmark to show the land was far from unexplored. A few bushels of trees or eroded ditch skimmed by, but nothing so near as vast or interesting as the mountains or forests for which she pined. She sighed, content to again try to sleep the trip away. The stallion next to her, however, decided to speak again.
“Are you returning or visiting?” The question was spoken with nearly zero context. Octavia turned her head, adjusting the hat atop her head to keep it from falling. Though she quirked her eyes and stared at the stallion, he did not elaborate upon his question. It appeared she had to speak questions to get answers.
“I beg your pardon?” She questioned. Now the stallion would be compelled to ask again, hopefully in more detail.
“I’m curious if you are returning to Canterlot or merely visiting,” he clarified, motioning his hoof towards the front of the train, presumably towards Canterlot. “I myself am just visiting. Have some small business to attend to before returning home.” Ah, small talk.
Octavia was hoping to sleep at least a dozen or so winks on the trip home, but it would be beyond rude of her to end a conversation of the sake of sleep, at least during midday. Suppressing a sigh, she answered the stallion.
“Retuning. I was meeting a friend of a friend in Fillydelphia.” The stallion opened his mouth, nodding his head, presumably to let out a low ‘ah’ of understanding. Though no words came from his mouth until he spoke again.
“I assume this friend is a musician such as yourself?” He motioned towards the cello nearby. It wasn’t an altogether unreasonable assumption on his part.
“Yes, actually. I was hoping to practice a duet with her. A violin with a cello,” Octavia smiled softly as she answered. The stallion shut his eyes briefly, for just a moment longer than a blink. Octavia could only presume he was imagining the sound of it. If that was the case, then he was quickly earning his way onto her good side.
“That does sound lovely, although a bit unexpected.” Octavia felt one of her brows rise up at statement. The stallion clarified himself quickly. “Apologies. I simply meant there are many talented violinists and other musicians in Canterlot. Why make the trip to Fillydelphia?” A sensible question, but Octavia was sure she had already answered it.
“As I said, visiting the friend of a friend. I couldn’t very well meet her without leaving to see her.” The stallion made the same motion as he had before, imitating an ‘ah’ expression.
“Very true, very true. You can’t discover what is different without leaving what is normal, can you?” Octavia, further intrigued, rose her brow a bit higher still. She heard a bell go off somewhere in her mind, but she ignored it. The question reminded her of philosophy class in Canterlot University, which she had attended between studying sonatas and symphony practice. Instead of answering, she decided to answer his question with one of her own as respectfully as she could.
“I apologize, but would you happen to be a professor of some sort?” She motioned with her hoof as she spoke, taking care to not move her jacket too much. It wouldn’t be hard for a pony this close to spot the jacket moving by itself, as would be the fault of her wings. “I mean to say, that question is not what I would expect out of a normal conversation.”
“It isn’t, is it?” The stallion pulled a smile across his lips, presumably trying to stifle a chuckle of his own. “Ah, please forgive me. I simply get swept up in asking what usually is considered abnormal.” A whistle joined the bell in her head. Octavia could take that to mean she was correct in her assumption, or he was an investigator of some kind.
The former was just fine. The latter was greatly unnerving. Panic started to creep into her mind.
An investigator was trained to see tells, small signs that something was being lied about. He was old -- at least, older than most ponies -- so that meant he was likely not only trained, but skilled as well. Those were not two good things to be put together next to a pony with something to hide, let alone an alicorn.
“Is something the matter?” He asked again, smile still present. “You appear to be sweating a little?” Was she? Octavia wasn’t aware until she lifted one of her legs to her hide, pulling it away to find a damp spot on the sleeve of her jacket.
“I-it’s nothing.” The alicorn desperately tried to hide. “Just a bit warm is all.”
“Then wouldn’t it be beneficial to remove the jacket? Or maybe just the hat?” Octavia could feel her stomach plummeting through the floor. This was bad. This was very bad. It was bad and it was only getting worse. She had to control herself, quickly!
“I-I’m sorry,” she apologized, attempting to look meek. It wasn’t a hard effort. “I am simply… self-conscious about myself at the moment. Too many sweets recently.” This was a gamble, a hard one, but one she had heard many times before. After all, no proper stallion would ask a mare about her size, let alone to show herself to him.
Judging by the blinking of the stallion’s gaze, she appeared to have scored close to home.
“Oh I understand that,” he replied with a smile. He leaned in closer to Octavia, and the alicorn had to keep herself from bending back as he approached. In a whisper, he spoke on to her. “I’ll confess, I’m wearing the jacket to hide a bit of extra flab myself. Tends to build up as you get older.” Octavia held her sigh in place.
“Yes, though you may do well to think before asking a mare about her size in the future.” She was playing double or nothing, but she had to go all in on this bet.
“Of course. You won’t hear a word more about it from me.” The stallion smiled slightly as he nodded towards her, appearing every bit as respectful as before. Octavia was more than a little thankful, but that didn’t mean she could relax just yet. “But now I am still curious about something else, if I may ask.” Octavia thought about stopping him, but relented faster than she expected. He was being kind to her, not forceful in any obvious way. It would be rude to simply bat him away for asking nondescript questions.
“You may, so long as it pertains to less about my figure.” He chuckled softly at that, a relieving sign for her part. It appeared that she could relax a little more.
“It’s just your instrument, the cello.” He pointed towards her case again, still leaning on the chair as the scenery rolled by the window. “I don’t often hear an instrument like that, but when I do, it’s almost always in the company of other strings or brass instruments.”
“It creates the best harmony,” Octavia lightly defended, not intending to sound forceful. The stallion didn’t appear to take her words as such either.
“Believe me, I know. I was simply curious if you had tried to play it with something new. A guitar maybe, perhaps a set of drums? Maybe you could really surprise some ponies and attempt to play it with that modern electronic music.” It was only by sheer force of will that Octavia kept her hoof from slamming into her forehead.
“I… have attempted that before,” she honestly confessed, not intent to lie to a stallion that she was so sure was keen on spotting the smaller details now. “I will admit as well that I was surprised by the quality of the music produced. But the classics are far and gone my preferred form of playing.” The stallion appeared satisfied with her response.
“Well, now I’m interested to hear how it sounded,” he spoke, placing a hoof on the edge of his goatee. “Something entirely different from what usually is. Something outside of what is normal or acceptable. Something… disorderly even.”
Every bell and whistle that Octavia had ignored before were now blaring in her head.
“I’m sorry,” Octavia began carefully, fully preparing an octobass chord in her mind. If he was going to say something off, she was going to use some form of magic to leave… somehow. “I don’t believe I caught your name.”
“My name?” the stallion asked, placing a hoof on his collared chest. He started to snicker -- quietly at first, but the pitch only deepened as the sound rolled on. The grin that was hanging off his face was now splitting it. Octavia felt her eyes widen in panic.
“Dear Octavia, I’m what you ponies would call abnormal. An anomaly, weird, maybe even just a little… chaotic.”
As he spoke, the stallion began to change. Though Octavia was already approaching the line of fright, the sight before her launched her leagues over it. The stallion blinked, and in that millisecond of time his white sclera and gray pupils turned to yellow eyes with red pupils. That was horrifying enough, but it wasn’t nearly the end.
His smile continued to grow, grow not only to match the mirth he felt, but to match the teeth in his jaws. His teeth were growing, both in size and in shape. One canine appeared to jump in growth far more than the rest, jutting outwards and hanging over his bottom lip like an imposing fang. Octavia stopped noticing it only when she saw how his face had grown… long. Long like it was being pulled out with force. He still kept smiling, though.
“You may remember me. There was a lot of hullabaloo about me coming around a little while ago. Put quite the damper on the curtain of normalcy.”
Octavia was watching him all the while he spoke, and she was starting to crane her neck so she could keep doing so. It wasn’t just his face that was changing; it was his entire body. He was growing elongate like a snake, now towering over the frightened mare. Octavia felt something on her head. It took her a moment to realize that it was a lion’s paw. Specifically, a paw that was connected to the now-scaled body of the once-stallion.
“If it helps, most ponies refer to me as-”
“Discord!”
Octavia shouted the name, shouted it like she was waking from a bad dream. She honestly wished she was. Unfortunately, the volume of her cry did nothing. She opted to try again, hoping perhaps somepony would come help.
“Discord! Discord! Discord! Dis-” He put his opposite claw on her lips. Octavia grimaced at the touch.
“Even my name gets old if you say it too much, so please don’t wear it out.” He chuckled at his statement. Octavia felt a ball grow in her throat. “Oh, please. Relax, I just wanted to surprise you a little. Normal meetings are just so dull that it almost hurts to suffer through them.”
As if to emphasize his point, the revealed draconequus stiffened like a board, his face suggesting he was struck by some invisible blow. Then, like an unbalanced twig in the wind, he fell over. As soon as he hit the floor of the cabin, a tulip bloomed from his clasped paw and claw, just over his chest. Octavia was unsure if she should scream out of fear for herself or for him.
“But enough of that,” With a bang, Discord was gone.
Octavia waved her head left and right, madly looking for the draconequus. She saw nothing, no pony, only herself and her cello. The cabin was empty save for her. Her breathing echoed in her ears, rapid and growing in pace.
“What I want to know about is this thing.” Octavia heard the voice, but couldn’t see the speaker. That was when she felt something push against her horn, still hidden away in the tall hat on her head. Octavia lifted the accessory up and over the sharp appendage on her skull.
A miniature Discord was sitting on the end of her horn, poking it like a sore bruise.
“It looks so new. Freshly made even,” the small figure spoke so easily that Octavia was sure she must have been dreaming. Every poke he pushed against her, however, said otherwise. “Did you get a good deal on it?"
With a shriek, Octavia lifted her hoof, attempting to bat him away. But with another bang of light, he was gone.
“And this jacket is so heavy.” Octavia felt the voice behind her, but when she turned, she saw nothing. “I applaud you for trying to be different, but there isn’t much sense in acting different to hide a difference. Maybe that’s not so bad after all.”
The alicorn pulled the jacket from her back, realizing with a sudden chime in her head where he was. She tossed the jacket to the floor of the alley, settling herself onto all fours with wings expanded.
Sure enough, a crooked smile and mismatched gaze were plastered on the back of her jacket.
“But you, Octavia, you really are the greatest surprise I’ve had in a while.” Her jacket disappeared with another bang and flash, replaced by the draconequus looming over her, crooked smile and gaze fixed on her. “And that’s never a bad thing. Why, in fact, I’d say-” He didn’t get a word further.
Octavia slammed a chair into his side.
“Owf!” The draconequus let out as the armchair rammed into him. His twisted expression contorted into one of surprise and pain. Octavia did her best to not notice the look of pleasure on his face. She at least hoped it wasn’t because of the pain. “That… was quite unexpected. I don’t suppose you plan to-”
Octavia slammed the chair into him again. Then again. Then again.
She shouted at him. “What!” Slam! “Are!” Slam! “You!” Slam! “Doing!” Slam!
Every word she screamed sent the chair against the draconequus, pounding him deeper and deeper into the cabin floor. A chorus of angry trumpets, blaring louder and louder with every hit, accompanied each slam. It occurred to Octavia that she might be risking puncturing the bottom of the train, but she disregarded it. It was worth it.
When she lifted the chair up again, she held it above Discord, watching the crushed draconequus carefully. Her breathing was labored, but her mind was clearer after she had vented her anger. Ordinarily, had Octavia snapped and slammed a pony with a chair like she just had, she might have been debating about taking refuge in Fillydelphia or The Crystal empire. Instead, given the immortality of the mad god, she had only the thought that she might not have gone far enough.
Discord was crushed in a heap on the metal floor. His long, slytherin body was curled like a knot, mismatched limbs bent against one another in a way that looked absolutely painful. His eyes were looking in different directions, and one of them appearing to have slipped further down his face. Even his tooth appeared to have spun around, facing up instead of down.
But he was still smiling.
“Well, that was quite the introduction!” Another bang and flash blinded the cabin. Once Octavia could see again, she noticed Discord standing upright, indent in the floor gone and draconequus appearing to be his miss-matched self again. His claw brushed against his long body, pushing off a few spare particles of dust and splinters. “I must say, it’s been some time since anypony has assaulted me like that. Really spices up the getting-to-know-you bit.”
“I can continue if you like,” Octavia felt herself snarling, chair held in her magical grasp still, the trumpet in her head playing a low C in preparation. Discord, however, only chuckled as he waved his paw towards her, dismissing the idea as if it were an offer for a beverage.
“Oh no, that won’t do. Repeat performances are so dull that it almost pains me.” As if to emphasize his point, the draconequus lifted a claw to his long body. Holding over where the alicorn presumed his heart was, wearing a hurt expression all the while. “But no, I did actually come to greet you.” He extended his paw towards her, smiling in the same crooked manner he always did. The thought never occurred to Octavia to accept his greeting.
“And why do you want to meet me? No, wait,” Octavia shook her head, realizing a far more important question that had to be asked. “Why are you meeting me here, disguised as a pony, and trying to scare me?!” Despite the rise in her voice, Discord only chuckled at the hostility.
“Simple. Anywhere else would just be too normal.” Octavia was quickly sensing a pattern with his choices. “Royal Courts, Dining Rooms, and even music studios are just all easily predictable places for ponies to meet one another. So why not a train? I considered popping into your room one night for an introduction, but-”
Octavia didn’t let him finish. She slammed the chair on his head again.
This time, it splintered into pieces.
“OOOOoooooohhhh,” Discord let out a moan, a comical bump growing atop his head. His tall, snake-like body waved left and right, his already mismatched eyes crossing. His crooked smile lulled into a goofy grin. Octavia swore she saw stars circling his head. Then he fell over flat.
The gray alicorn stared at him, feeling her chest and expand and deflate in exasperation. She settled on her haunches with a sigh, feeling a mighty weight lift from her shoulders. She stared at the ground of the cabin, feeling the vibrations of the moving train rumble beneath her. She was at least glad she was still moving.
When she raised her head again, staring at the unconscious draconequus on the cabin floor, Octavia felt her eyes narrow. It had been quite some time since she felt actual anger towards another pony. Not just annoyance or discomfort, but the actual desire to cause them harm. A spare thought told her that that was what Discord wanted, as he did seem to desire what was the most unusual. Playing into his will only aggravated her more.
“So,” she spoke to herself, directing her voice towards the god that couldn’t hear her. “What am I going to do with you?”
“He said what?” Octavia wasn’t sure if she was thankful or worried to see Luna so upset.
“That he wished to surprise me in my room,” the gray alicorn spoke aloud, no embarrassment or nervousness in her voice. A unique combination of time spent with Luna and anger directed at Discord meant there was little Octavia couldn’t say with a straight face, at least regarding that particular draconequus.
The Lunar Princess was standing across from her in the courtroom, eyes wide and wings expanded in shock. Her mouth was parted, slack, as if she forgot how to work the jaw while thinking on the story that Octavia had told her. It was truthfully far from what anypony would reasonably expect of royalty. Then again, as Octavia already noted, Discord’s intervention didn’t tend to be very reasonable.
She was standing in Luna’s court, the dark alicorn having only just taken her post when Octavia arrived. It was not the younger alicorn’s intention to even approach the lunar princess tonight, but the sudden introduction and subsequent assault of the draconequus made the meeting somewhat of a necessity. Most other ponies thought so, as no mare or stallion questioned her when she demanded to be front of the line.
Discord floating above her, held in her own gray magical grasp, was a hard sign to argue.
It was both amazing and perplexing how the supposed god of chaos was able to be knocked out so thoroughly, but then again Octavia supposed he was not expecting her to be so… violent. Careful wishes and all of that. It was only the thought of the princesses delivering a swift hoof of justice that kept her gaze neutral as she walked from the train station all the way to Luna’s court.
Now here she was, finishing her tale of boarding the train and meeting Discord, and observing Luna’s response. Octavia was pleased to see that the princess saw less humor in the notion than she did. It meant Discord was unlikely to walk away without some regret, hopefully.
“This is… oh how I wish I could say this is abnormal for him,” Luna spoke with clear disdain in her voice. Her head dropped, hiding itself beneath her raised hoof. It took little time for Octavia to see the princess massaging one of her dark temples. “Discord has always been a nuisance for ponies. I was hoping he would have learned some form or manner of restraint by now.” Selfish as Octavia felt it was, she was somewhat glad to see Luna in distress. It meant that her own anger from before was justified.
“If I may venture,” the gray alicorn began. “How did he even know where I was? Or even what I was?” The question made Luna raise her gaze to Octavia, her visage of annoyance replaced by a cool mask of contemplation. Her eyes shut partially, just enough to hide her cerulean eyes.
“It would have had to be the fault of one Miss Fluttershy, from Ponyville,” Luna concluded. She did not need to see to know that Octavia was confused. “Discord has been… in the care of the pegasus. She is one of several companions to Princess Twilight, also the previous bearer of the Element of Kindness. My sister supposed it would be a generous idea to offer Discord a chance to reform himself, with regards to his previous… exploits.” She didn’t need to elaborate. The memory of Canterlot Castle upside, the moon shining like the sun, buffalos doing the can-can, and chocolate raining cotton candy clouds was a difficult thing to forget, especially without therapy.
“It took a significant period of time, but Fluttershy was able to convince Discord to reform himself to the beneficial ways of harmony, rather than meaningless chaos.” She ended her short explanation with a sigh, clearly still troubled. “That has not kept him from being the sole cause of many random and often pointless exercises through the kingdom.”
“Oh Luna, are you still sore over the shampoo?”
Octavia’s and Luna’s collective attention both whirled to Discord. He was still caught in the gray alicorn’s equally ashen aura, but now he was lying belly down, swinging his rear legs and tail as if preparing to gossip. He even held his long head with his paw and claw. Literally; it was detached from the rest of his body.
“I do apologize if it is a sore memory. I honestly thought you would look rather stunning with short hair.” Octavia glanced to Luna, curious of how the Lunar Princess would respond. She safely concluded that the feral look of rage across her dark features promised nothing for the ears of a foal. “Oh alright, so it was curly too, but I thought the clown hair was really dashing on you!”
“As dashing as you would look running from me and my guard, Discord!” At her words, be they commands or not, the lunar guards about the room prepared themselves, ready for action at command. Octavia was impressed by their synchronicity. She was less impressed by her close proximity to said draconequus. It didn’t help that he was laughing.
“Now that is a fun thought, but your sister and I have had that dance too many times before. I’m afraid a change in actors won’t do much to the plot.” Octavia felt her face redden as he pointed towards her rear end. Luna’s flank...
She didn’t hesitate to slam him to the floor, tuba blasting in her head to strengthen her magic.
The resounding crack echoed about the courtroom, ringing in Octavia’s hears. It was a satisfying sound. Octavia glowered at Discord, her head hunched and mane hanging ominously over half of her face, parted by the long horn on her head. Discord, mismatched eyes further skewed by the blow, looked up at her with a twisted smile, complete with what appeared to be a few crooked and missing teeth.
“You never cease to startle me, Octavia,” He complimented her, much to the cellist’s further disdain. “But if I must be honest, your preference for violence is becoming rather obvious, and quickly at that. At least Fluttershy is creative with her punishments.” He shivered at the statement, an action that made his whole body contort. In a flash of white and bang later, he was standing tall above her, towering as ever, eyes and teeth fixed as much as they could be.
“Enough, Discord,” Luna spoke up, attempting to place herself between the two. Octavia and Discord both turned to see her trotting towards the pair, wings extended to their fullest to make her already powerful form appear dwarfing. It had a great effect on Octavia, who never failed to be humbled by the princess’s presence. Discord, however, appeared only slightly amused, either out of greed for surprise or simply used to the acts of the Solar Sisters.
“Should I expect myself to be thrown from the balcony this time?” Discord asked, an odd amount of curiosity in his voice, though with him it was hard to tell. “Or perhaps I should plan on being chased again. Your little night-guard can see surprisingly well at night.”
“You should expect,” Luna began… before letting her voice fall off. A short silence hung between them, surrounded by the attentive and alert guards. Octavia watched as an amused smile crept up Luna’s lips. “To join Octavia and I in my private chambers.”
Octavia felt her jaw fall. She saw Discord’s grin rise, literally, past his eyes and horns.
“Really?” He questioned out of genuine wonder. Octavia had the same question, but her shock forbade the use of words.
“Truly, but do not misunderstand my intent,” Luna explained, her confident smile becoming more subdued as she spoke on. “I know well enough that your intent is beyond simple annoyance for either Octavia or I, but I also know you will not betray the trust of Fluttershy thrice.” Octavia didn’t miss the wince hit Discord’s crooked smile. “So, any intent you have or explanations you intend to give can be done so outside the public eye. Octavia has already risked enough with your presence alone.”
It wasn’t until the princess said it that Octavia realized what she meant. Her coat and hat were just beside her, quickly discarded upon her entry, but for the first time in a while, her appearance in public was not at the forefront of her mind. She didn’t know if she should be further angered or begrudgingly grateful to the Mad God.
“Oh dear,” Discord began, faux concern laced in his voice. “I wasn’t aware that my very presence made ponies act differently.” The draconequus chuckled with mirth into his paw. Octavia debated slamming him into the floor again, but decided against it. The floor was already cracked enough.
“Do you wish to join us?” Luna asked again, ignoring the baiting words of Discord. “I will have to ask you to leave otherwise. But wait.” The Lunar Princess held up her hoof before the draconequus could respond, his mouth already moving to speak. She moved her attention to the younger alicorn, offering Octavia a kind smile before she spoke.
“I apologize that I did not consider you in the arrangement, Octavia. If you do choose to stay, would you permit Discord to join us? Believe me, I would be more than happy to remove him otherwise.” The rather subtly dark grin on the equally dark alicorn gave the cellist room to pause. Her eyes shifted to Discord, looking down at her with his towering height. Instead of the crooked smile and gleeful gleam to his eyes, he had adopted a more pitiful look completed with high-pitched whine.
His mismatched red eyes were far larger than before, shining with a soft curtain of unshed tears. They appeared to far larger than any stomach he may have possessed, though because Octavia wasn’t about to assume biology about the mad god. Discord even had his paw and claw knitted together in a pitiful display. It would have been cute if the claws and furred digits of the paws were not literally stitched together. It made the image far more morbid.
Still though, Octavia was far to brush away any pony, or draconequus it seemed, simply because of a poor first meeting. Accounting for Luna’s words and actions, she had more than enough reason to wish for Discord to be banished from the meeting, and all future events as well if it were possible. But, he visited Octavia for a reason. Perhaps he had something to contribute to the mystery that still plagued them. Octavia was not about to burn a bridge she was still currently crossing.
“He may join us,” Octavia finally spoke, watching as the unshed tears in Discord’s eyes turned to sparkling diamonds, falling from his eyes and shattering across the floor. “But you must keep your tangents to a minimum, as most of the words that come from you appear to be as twisted as your appearance. Is that clear?” Though insulting as she intended her words to be, Octavia did not expect Discord to keep his look of joy.
“Insults and invitations?” He questioned either curiously or jovially, likely a mixture of both. “Oh, if only the princesses were as bold and brash as you.” He wore a crooked smile as he leaned over the gray alicorn, the gold of eyes his gleaming with delight. Octavia waited for him to speak on, but instead of words the draconequus chose action.
He reached up with his claw, grabbing at the edge of his mouth, pinching the fur on his long face. Then, with comical proportions, he pulled the edge of his lip down. While Octavia was about to make a wince at the movement, not favoring the sight of a pony hurt his or herself. But instead of the usual pull and likely rip of coat hair, Discord did what he did best, the unexpected.
A zipper appeared from the edge of his claw, pulling and connecting itself across his lips in line with his appendage. In no time at all, he had reached the other side of his crooked smile, completing sealing his mouth shut.
It was a welcome sight to both Octavia and Luna.
“Highly acceptable,” Luna commented, nodding towards the draconequus. Discord flashed his mismatched eyes at the dark alicorn, blinking them as if flirting. It was enough to turn the Lunar Princesses accepting grin into a frown once more. “Though lacking in some areas.” Octavia found herself grinning at that.
“It satisfies the agreement, just to the minimum,” the cellist nodded. It earned an affirmative nod from Luna, as well as an undisguisable glint from the tall draconequus’s gaze. She hoped it wasn’t sinister. If Luna was correct in her assessment of the mad god’s character, she needn’t worry. Although that didn’t stop her.
“Now, before we continue,” Luna began before she turned to her lunar guard. They had relaxed in their pose from before, relaxed in that they didn’t have weapons drawn or magic trained. She addressed the stallion closest to her, wings now drawn to her sides. “Apologize to those waiting outside, but the court will be postponed for an undetermined amount of time. Offer any who wish to stay food and drink.” The stallion bowed deeply and quickly before trotting off without a word.
“Luna,” Octavia spoke to the princess, earning the dark alicorn’s attention. Unlike their first few interactions, the cellist felt little to no need to be on the tips of her hooves. “Are you sure they will understand?” It was a similar question every time she came, and every time the princess returned with a similar answer.
“So long as they understand that for any matter I attend to, I do so out of need, not spite. They it will be alright.” A bit more forceful than the usual ‘don’t worry’, but Octavia understood the point well. “But before we speak further, let us-”
A flash. A bang. Then poof, they were gone.