Following the Equestria Pet Show (and a smaller party thrown by Pinkie Pie for the victors), Twilight carried a nodding Spike and Owlicious home to the palace upon her back—wrapping her broad wings about them for extra protection. A happy tiredness tugged at her limbs and eyelids, yet all she could think of was what her assistants had been that day. It made the climb up the staircase, and the slow trot to the bedroom, a little more bearable. And for the first time in a week, the whole castle was quiet and still.
Looking around at these winding corridors, through which Roots had thundered on several occasions, reminded Twilight (for some strange reason) of a time when Spike had gotten lost not long after his hatching. She had been frantic then, as she had a few times recently, worried for the young dragon’s safety. And for over an hour Twilight had run along such hallways, imagining countless horrible fates for him.
But he had been fine.
In fact, Twilight had found Spike snoozing in a small basket of linens in the laundry room, curled up in one of her blankets. He had slept best in a basket ever since then, even when she tried to move him into a cradle or ordinary bed (unless it was hers).
And it was into his basket that Twilight tucked both Spike and Owlicious this night, pulling the covers about them.
Then she reached out one hoof and gently brushed back Spike’s head frills, sighing at the passage of time, before leaning forward and kissing him upon the forehead.
“Sweet dreams, Number One Assistant,” Twilight whispered.
“And thank you for everything, Junior Assistant.” She added, brushing a hoof along Owlicious’ chin.
The sounds of shuffling paper disturbed her wistful reverie, and Twilight noticed then the soft glow of light from her much smaller study adjoining the room. With great care, she crept to the doorway and peered inside to find Discord, browsing all her notes and books, humming and occasionally lifting his brows as if he had come across something scandalous. A few times, he stifled snickers and chortles, especially when he reached the journal Twilight had begun regarding the Tree of Harmony. And despite everything, the sight of him going through her stuff found a nerve and twanged it.
“Discord, what are you doing?” Twilight asked a bit more harshly than intended. “You could have at least asked me before entering my study. There was no need to sneak inside.”
“Ah, Twilight. Good.” Discord’s head spun at a 180 degree angle atop his neck, even as books and notes levitated and made slow rotations about him. “Nice to know you won’t tremble like a filly every time you see me now and can even chastise a bit as before.”
“’Tremble like a filly’? ‘Before’? What do you mean?” Yet Twilight did understand the moment the words left her mouth. “Oh. It’s because of what happened with the chaotic sphere, and me freaking out as I did.”
“Listen, Twilight. I’m all for ceremony and respect after a certain standard, and nowadays more than you may think.” Discord snapped the white fluff of his tail, sending most of the materials back to their proper places on the shelves. The exception was the journal concerning the Tree of Harmony. “However, I would appreciate it if you didn’t tip-toe around me from now on just because I happen to be your teacher, or this fact affecting our friendship in such a way. It’s taken us long enough to get this far.”
So that was the reason Discord had appeared. A pony could never be sure, but Twilight thought she recognized the slightest hints of worry in her friend and mentor’s expression.
“Understood,” Twilight said. “And sorry about that. It worries me to disappoint any pony, especially my friends. But despite everything, I do wish I could have gotten better at influencing the chaos during practice.”
“You came through when it counted.” Discord was thumbing through the journal again, with his mind apparently eased by Twilight’s comment. “Isn’t that what matters the most?”
“Yes. That’s true, yet why then? The last two times I have been able to manipulate chaos magic on my own have happened at stressful and intense moments when there wasn’t much time to think. Yet then when things were calmer, and I had more time to really concentrate without imminent danger staring me in the face, it seemed harder to do.”
“Perhaps you think too much.”
“Huh?”
“Another lesson for another day,” Discord simply said, closing the journal at last with a gentle thump. “I’m sure you would prefer to take a break for the time being.”
“I guess so. Good night, Discord,” Twilight nodded her head to him.
“Good night, my dear Twilight,” Discord returned, speaking his final words before disappearing in another flash of light. “And sleep well.”
***
Meanwhile, out on the fringes of the Everfree Forest, Fluttershy fed the large Timberwolf pup in the front yard.
“Sleep well, Roots.” Fluttershy gave the wolf a peck on the nose. “Your owner will be sure to come by in the morning.”
Roots yipped in anticipation, looking truly pleased.
And all (indeed) had sweet dreams and slept well that night.