//------------------------------//
// The Sunset Sonata, Pt12 
// Story: The Evening Sonata 
// by Daniel-Gleebits 
//------------------------------//

The Sunset Sonata: Pt 12


Sonata Dusk

The possibility had occurred to Sonata in a vague sense over the course of the entire event, even before the gallery, before she’d begun the paintings in preparation for this day. If she was honest with herself, it’d started on that day that they’d met Fleur. Sonata had imagined whilst interceding in Fleur’s initial flirting living in a place where Fleur was constantly around, an ever-present danger to her relationship with Sunset. From there, a general fear of losing herself in the fame and the glory had nudged the back of her mind. It was too much like how it had been with her sisters, and being with them again had thrown that reality into sharp relief.
Absently, she reached for Sunset’s hand and held it. 
“Well, surely it’s optional,” Aria said with a brave stab at confidence. She looked around uncertainly. “You don’t have to move away, do you? If you don’t want to, I mean?”
“I wouldn’t think it’s necessary,” Applejack said, frowning. “Ah mean, I don’t know the whole... fashion world, or anything, but ah don’t see no rules about it.”
“I think they’re, um... unwritten rules...” Fluttershy said, nervously. She looked immensely unhappy.
“That’s...” Rarity said uncomfortably, “not entirely untrue...”
“So wait,” Rainbow Dash said, holding up both hands. “Whoa, whoa. Are you saying they have to move away?” She looked between Rarity and Fluttershy. Neither seemed sure, but they both looked concerned.
“It’s probably a choice of sorts, Arr-Dee,” Applejack said thoughtfully. “I’m guessing that it’s an expectation more than a rule.”
“Yes,” Rarity said eagerly. “That’s what I was trying to say. Thank you, Applejack. So articulate.” She gave Applejack’s upper arm a playful punch, but then recoiled as she felt one of her nails flake.
“Well,” Rainbow Dash said, turning to Sunset and Sonata. “Are you...” she tailed off. Despite her usually brusque manner, some sense of propriety seemed to have intruded itself upon the usually unrelenting celerity of her thoughts. Somewhat to Sonata’s surprise, Aria came to their rescue.
“Whatever you decide,” she said. “Hey, it’s your thing, you know?” She shrugged.
“Yeah, totally,” Pinkie said, clasping her hands together. She was trying her best to smile, but for someone so learned in the art of a cheerful face, it was a rather poor attempt. It was more teeth than anything else, and the bright blue eyes above it all spoke nothing but concern that two of her friends would indeed be moving away.
“Come on, ya’ll,” Applejack said with a little more optimism. “This ain’t the old days. We got Skype.” She looked at Sunset and Sonata, but mostly at Sonata. “Whatever you decide to do, we support ya. And we’ll always be your friends.”
Sonata looked around at them all, feeling a warmth grow in her heart. She thought back, briefly, to those days on the roof of their old apartment. Cold, alone, hopeless, and miserable. Abandoned and worthless, she’d been taken in first by Sunset, and then all of her friends. They’d done it without question, without payment, they’d just opened their arms and let her in. The experience had been so alien, so confusing, so against anything that she had remembered before, that she’d literally been sick with something akin to guilt.
“Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked solicitously. 
Sonata suddenly realised that she’d been zoning out. Looking up, she felt a tear run down her face. She wiped it away, a little surprised. She looked around at all her friends, at Sunset, and at Aria. Even Aria was frowning with something like concern.
“I don’t want to go.”
Everyone was quiet for a short while, eyes furtive, waiting for someone else to speak first.
“Well,” Applejack began slowly. “I don’t reckon anyone is gonna force ya.” She grinned, looking around, but then faltered slightly. “Will they?”
“I don’t think so,” Rarity said slowly, to whom this question was chiefly addressed. “I mean, I don’t see how they can. No offense, dear,” she said kindly, placing a hand on Sonata’s shoulder, “but I don’t think you two have quite the money to move to somewhere like the Capital. And what about school?”
“Hey, anyone tries to strong arm you into anything,” Rainbow put in, “I’ve not met an arm I can’t break.” She looked entirely pleased with herself for a moment or two, until a thought seemed to strike her. “Well, except Bulk’s.”
“Or mine,” Applejack put in airily.
“Or Applejack’s.” Rainbow agreed.
“Or Big McIntosh’s,” Applejack added.
“Nuh uh,” Rainbow protested, “I could totally break his arm.”
Applejack gave a superior sort of laugh, not unlike Rarity’s.
“Now is not the time,” Rarity hissed. 
Sonata however, had been smiling at the little argument. It was so endearing, so what she had come to associate with her friends. All of their little conflicting character traits and oppositions that, unlike what she and her sisters had once been, blended into a harmonious amiability. 
“If you don’t want to leave, then we won’t,” Sunset said, squeezing her hand. “Who could make us?” 
As though in answer to this question, a figure appeared behind them, a figure that, in the late afternoon air was gilded with gold at its edges against the natural silver of its long hair. Like an allegorical figure of doom in a bad play, Hoity Toity appeared behind them, a wide smile across his face.
“Congratulations are in order!” he said eagerly, seizing Sonata’s free hand and giving it a firm shake. “Congratulations indeed. You have triumphed here, make no mistake.”
“Thanks,” Sonata said. She saw Sunset give Hoity a veiled look of dislike, but Sonata saw no reason to open hostilities now. Now that it was all over.
“Well, now is only the beginning of course,” Hoity continued, still holding her hand. “Your début has been glorious, and all the better since your work was really the only ones truly noticeable.”
“Thanks to you,” Sunset muttered.
“I very much look forward to your future works, and may you influence the fashionable world for many years to come.”
“Yeah,” Sonata said awkwardly. “Thanks again.”
“So, where shall you go?” Hoity asked. 
Sonata’s heart gave a twinge. “Go?”
“The fashionable world calls to you, my dear,” Hoity said cheerfully. “You must heed it. Where shall you settle next? Great Trottenham Street and the surrounding area are the principle abodes of the great artists of the Capital, to be sure. A wonderful spot, but if you’ll take my advice—“
“Thank you,” Sunset said coldly. “But I think we’ve taken enough of your advice.”
Hoity blinked behind his purple shades. “Excuse me?”
“Sonata doesn’t want to move away.”
Hoity stayed quiet for a full seven seconds. Sonata, feeling rather awkward at being in the middle of this troubling opening to an argument, simply stayed quiet, uncertain of what to say. 
“I... understand that the change can be difficult,” Hoity began. “But it’s quite necessary, I assure you. Your career—“
“My career isn’t worth becoming like them,” Sonata interrupted. Hoity looked behind him. The paparazzi still buzzing around, several of the more well known artists were happily being interviewed. Every so often, Sonata had noticed, one of them threw her a look either dirty, or superior. “I’ve already been down that road.” Sonata looked Hoity in the eye. “I didn’t like it.”
“But your career!” Hoity blurted. “You can’t pursue your work... here,” he gestured around. “Who will buy your paintings? Who will see them?”
“If my work is any good, then people will buy them.”
Hoity scoffed irritably. “Naive girl!” 
“Hey,” Rainbow snapped, pushing forward. “You watch your mouth, buddy.”
Hoity ignored her. “That isn’t the way the world works, my dear,” he said coldly. “You simply have to go where you will be seen. The fashionable world doesn’t move for you, you move for it.”
“Well then it’s going to have to learn to get off its fat backside,” Sunset said coolly.
Hoity frowned. “Simple,” he said. “You’re just simple little girls. What do you know of—“
“Of the Capital?” Sunset asked. “Mostly that a lot of ‘agreements’ are come to by an exchange of information. Or,” she went on, holding up something small, blue, and square. “The promise to keep it secret.”
Hoity seemed unenlightened. “Information?”
“Like the fact that you gave Sonata an illegal substance,” Sunset said in a dark, quiet tone. “Like the fact that you yourself take said illegal substance.”
Hoity’s lip tightened. “Your word will not carry a lot of weight,” he hissed.
Sunset actually laughed. “You don’t think I’m holding this up just for fun, do you?”
“You have no recording device,” Hoity said firmly. “You’re bluffing.”
“I don’t have one, no,” Sunset agreed. “But you never did catch Photo Finish, did you?”
Hoity paled. “That... girl...” he choked. “Like her damn mother...”
“Now that we’re on the same page,” Sunset said smilingly. “Back the hell up. And if I ever hear that you’ve so much as talked to Sonata again—“
“She’ll kick you in the nads,” Rainbow put in, helpfully.
“Yes,” Sunset continued. “And then I’ll show this to some interested parties.”
Hoity’s face contorted, but it was clear he was at a loss for what to say or do. Whilst Sonata’s friends all stared him down, someone stepped up behind him.
“Give it up Hoity,” Fleur said, sounding bored. “Some fights you just can’t win.”
Hoity spluttered for a few moments, looking between Fleur and Sonata. Biting his lip, he gave a snort of impatience and moved away. Sonata rather expected him to say something threatening, and was surprised that he didn’t. She couldn’t say that she wasn’t glad of it though.
“So,” Fleur said. “You’ll stay here?”
“Yeah,” Sonata said uncertainly. She became aware that she was still holding Sunset’s hand.
Fleur gave them a little smile that didn’t quite extend to her eyes. “I know that we’ve been on the wrong side of each other,” she began a little haltingly. “But I rather hope that we don’t have to part as enemies.” She held out her hand. “Take care of her, won’t you?”
Sonata took her hand. She couldn’t hate Fleur. Not now at least. However much of a challenge she’d been, how underhanded her final desperate attempts might have been, Sonata felt only a certain pity for her. She was one woman in a sea of spite and deceit. Sonata didn’t know how similar to her own putrid years of lust for power and mistrust of her only companions Fleur’s experience might be but if it was even a tenth of what that had been...
“You’re a stronger woman than I am,” Sonata said.
Fleur blinked. “What?”
“Sonata?” Sunset asked, uncertainly.
“When I was like the people in the Capital, I was no better than them. Arguably, I was worse. If our roles had been reversed, I’d have destroyed you first before even trying to get to Sunset. And if I’d have failed, I’d have done everything I can to make you both miserable.”
Everyone stared at her. The atmosphere was palpable with shock at these words.
“Sonata,” Sunset whispered. “You’re not like that.”
“Not now,” Sonata agreed. “But I was. Once. You know that I was. And if I were in her position, I would be still.” She looked Fleur full in the face. “I don’t know if it’s fair to ask, but I’d like it if we were friends.” 
Fleur simply stared at her, their hands still clasped. The astonishment on her face again cracked the usually passive look of natural cheeriness. In front of the all, at the expectant faces of Sonata’s friends, Fleur began to laugh. It started small, but soon grew to be as large as someone can without breaking into hysterics. Sonata didn’t flinch at this, but simply smiled pleasantly.
“You are without a doubt,” Fleur chuckled, coming down from her laughing fit, “the most interesting girls I know.” She took Sunset’s free hand and held both like an old friend. “I’ll be honest. I don’t much believe in happy endings, you know. But if there is such a thing in the world, then I honestly hope that it befalls the two of you.” She beamed at them. “No two could deserve it more.” She let go of them and made to walk away. “Oh,” she said, turning back. “That offer to visit still stands, by the way.” She winked and departed into the crowd.
“Wow,” Applejack said after a short pause. “That was big of you.”
“Or smart,” Rarity said shrewdly. “It doesn’t help to have someone like Fleur as your enemy.”
“I’m not smart,” Sonata replied. “But on the other hand, I don’t have to be smart to not want enemies.” She looked around. “Speaking of friends though; where’s Mr. Discord?”
Most of her friends looked puzzled. 
“Who?” Applejack asked.
“I haven’t seen him anywhere, actually,” Rarity said, hitting Fluttershy accidentally with her beret as she turned her head suddenly.
“Who’s Mr. Discord?” Rainbow asked, frowning.
“One of the other artists,” Sunset explained. “Tall, kind of scary looking guy. You’d know him if you saw him?”
“I need to thank him,” Sonata said distractedly, trying to look over the crowd. 
“Oh, did he help out?” Fluttershy asked, hopefully.
“He poofed away some of my paintings and gave us a ride on his magic elevator,” Sonata answered.
Rainbow, who’d been taking a swig of water from a plastic Wonderbolt’s brand bottle, choked and sprayed the contents everywhere. Pinkie Pie gave an enormous snort of laughter, although what she was snorting at was hard to say. Fluttershy and Rarity both looked undecided whether to be embarrassed or not, and so compromised by turning pink and trying to look thoughtful at the same time. Aria began to laugh but managed to cover for herself by pretending to cough. Applejack just shut her eyes tightly for a second, and then opened them again.
“He took you for a ride on... what-now?”
“His magic elevator,” Sonata repeated.
“Is that innuendo for something?” Rainbow asked, before Applejack elbowed her in the ribs.
“No,” Sunset said through gritted teeth, her arms tightly folded. “He has...” she exhaled. “We’re pretty sure he has magic. He made an old fashioned elevator actually appear in the wall. It’s how we got to the roof without being spotted.”
“Wait, you guys would have taken longer without a magic elevator?” Pinkie asked. “Sheesh!”
“Magic?” Rarity asked, frowning.
“Ya’ll mean like, Equestria magic?”
“I don’t know,” Sunset said in a troubled tone. “The Discord in Equestria is, as far as I know, sealed in stone. He has been for a thousand years. It stands to reason that this universe has a Discord of its own though.”
“There aren’t doubles of everyone, are there?” Fluttershy inquired. “I mean, I don’t think I’ve seen two Sunset Shimmers before.”
“Or two Sonatas,” Pinkie added.
“Well, you wouldn’t find two of me,” Sonata said. “I’m a little older than I look, and, well,” she shrugged. “Without magic, the me from here is probably not around anymore.”
“I wasn’t born in Canterlot back in Equestria,” Sunset said. “Likely this universe’s me is wherever the equivalent of my hometown is.”
The problem served as an interesting topic of conversation for a little while longer. Eventually, when they could come to no firm decision on Discord’s origins or powers, they moved onto other subjects. But Sonata couldn’t forget Discord. She kept an eye out for him up until the point when they all dispersed. 





“Where do you think he went?” she asked Sunset as they waited for a taxi.
“Who?”
“Discord.”
“Are you still worrying about him?”
“We didn’t say thanks,” Sonata complained. “It’s hardly fair to him since he did so much.”
“True,” Sunset said, bumping Sonata’s shoulder with her own. “I’m glad I’ve got you to keep me right.”
“And I’m glad that I’ve got you here to make facetious comments.”
“Facetious am I? I didn’t think you’d—“ She stopped, giving Sonata narrow look. “You did that on purpose.”
“How can you suggest that I don’t know big words?” Sonata asked in a mock hurt voice.
“Fine, you got me,” Sunset sighed, raising her hands. “You know I have to get you back for that, right?”
Sonata was just warming up to teasing Sunset some more, when another person strolled up behind them, and a sleek black car rolled up to the curb.
“Hail, victory and honour,” said a laughing voice. 
Sonata and Sunset turned to find Fancy Pants advancing towards them with the rapidity of a dream. He smiled widely and twiddled his moustache.
“To be serious though,” he said with a chuckle. “Hello again, my dears. I’m sorry to say that this might be the last we’ll be seeing of each other.”
“Well, we might be visiting Fleur at some point,” Sonata said offhandedly.
“Oh yes?” Fancy asked, intrigued. “Well well, she has room for twenty of you. If you stay in her house, follow the map.” He gave a light laugh at his little joke.
Sonata didn’t find it that funny, but laughed with Sunset for the sake of politeness.
“I was rather wondering if you and I might have a private word, Ms. Dusk. If you don’t object, there’s an issue I’d like to discuss with you.” He opened the door of the black car and gestured her in. “It won’t take a minute or so of your time.”
Sonata looked to Sunset, who shrugged, and then stepped into the car.
Fancy seated himself comfortably on the seat opposite Sonata before he began to speak. With much creaking of leather, he leaned back and surveyed Sonata with a knowing glint in his eye.
“So,” he began cheerfully. “Let’s not make this too long. It’s rude to make Ms. Shimmer stand outside on her own. You shalln’t be joining us in the Capital, little birds tell me.”
“Fleur told you?” Sonata surmised.
Fancy bowed his head. “She did tell me of your decision, yes, and the excellent reasons behind it.” He sighed, and his eyes gained a far-away quality. “In all honesty, my dear, I believe you were wise in your choice. People like Hoity will tell you that it is under the eyes of all that you are most likely to be noticed, and they would be right. But mortal men and women aren’t meant to be looked at all of the time. It makes them a little strange.”
“How do you do it?” Sonata asked. “Fleur speaks so highly of you,” she continued when it became clear that Fancy didn’t follow. “How do you stay so... well, nice, and stuff?”
“Nice and stuff.” Fancy smiled. “To answer your question...” he paused, and then shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. I’m not the best to judge my own character. I suppose that I don’t get caught up in the great game of the Capital because I don’t want for anything. I have no interest in gaining political power, or even social standing. The mere fact that I do is, to me, quite inconsequential.”
“But,” Sonata said tentatively. “Fleur said that if you didn’t pick a new fashion here, you’d be in trouble.”
Fancy smiled and shook his head a little. “That is simply Fleur worrying for me. She does play the game, you see. She doesn’t want to see me fall from it, as a friend, even though she knows that I don’t care for it.”
“If she plays,” Sonata wondered aloud, “does she have something to gain?”
Fancy Pant’s indulgent smile faded at this question. He interlaced his fingers, leaning forward on his knees. “It’s not my place to speak of Fleur’s past,” he began. After a few seconds of deliberation, he continued. “Fleur’s life has been... challenging. Far more challenging than my own. When I first met her...” his lip curled upwards, and he touched his face apparently unconsciously. “She made me realise for the first time how privileged and lucky I am. Before she and I were friends, everyone wanted to be my friend, but none of them wanted to know me. She didn’t want to be my friend; in fact that made it known to me that she hated my guts. I was genuinely surprised. So when I wanted to be her friend, she did take the trouble to get to know me. She didn’t care about who I was, or how much money I had when we were kids; she didn’t know anything about it; she just knew I was some pretty-boy that everyone seemed to like. And like any true friend, she stuck with me. And I with her.” He fixed Sonata with a firm eye. “She’ll always have me as a friend, but playing the game, she has few other real friends. That’s why it made me happy to hear that you and Ms. Shimmer don’t hold any serious grudge with her.”
“Did she tell you this?” Sonata asked, surprised.
“Oh no,” Fancy smiled a little knowing smile. “No. People assume that since I don’t play the game, I don’t have any skill for it. But when one of my best friends plays the game, well...” He made an airy gesture. “I know about your confrontation on the roof, about your changing your paintings. Oh yes,” he said quickly as Sonata opened her mouth. “Don’t concern yourself. There was no rule against it. And I shalln’t trouble to inquire on your exact methods. I just want you to know,” he leaned forward and took her hand, not unlike Fleur often did. “Openness and honesty are things Fleur is not often subjected to. I appreciate you being her friend.”
“It was no problem, really,” Sonata said, blushing.
“To be frank,” Fancy said, sitting back again. “I’m curious. Given what Fleur was trying to do, I’m surprised that you’re open to being her friend.”
“Well,” Sonata said, feeling a prickly heat on her skin. She wasn’t sure she wanted to discuss this with Fancy. “It’s just... it’s not that I feel sorry for her or anything,” she said quickly. “It’s just... I realised that Sunset had a lot of trust in me. She always has. I felt jealous of Fleur, and I let that get in the way of the fact that I knew Sunset loved me, and not her. Sunset deserved better than that.”
Fancy regarded her with raised eyebrows. “My word,” he said quietly. “I do believe that is one of the wisest things I’ve heard come out of a young person’s mouth.” He gave a little chuckle. “I look forward to purchasing more of your work in the future, Ms. Dusk.”
“Huh?” Sonata said, sure she’d misheard.
“Yes, I’ll let you in on a little secret,” Fancy said, steepling his fingers and looking at her over them. “Do you know who it was that decided to form this Capital event? And why it was formed here? In this city.”
“You?” Sonata asked, slowly.
“Indeed,” Fancy said, nodding. “I have always liked country settings. I share that inclination with Trenderhoof, you know. We dwell so often in the city that the sight of open fields and quite people is quite enchanting.”
“Then why don’t you move to the country?”
“Why, then every day would be Christmas, my dear,” Fancy said solemnly. “And I can think of no greater crime than subjecting Christmas to an everyday occurrence.”





“How do you think Adagio and Aria are right now?”
“I don’t know. Why do you ask?”
“Just wondering.”
Sunset turned her head slightly. Sonata felt the arm around her tense a little as her girlfriend sat up.
“Why? You said goodbye long enough.”
“I know,” Sonata said. “And I know that I can see Aria whenever, but...”
Sunset ran a hand through Sonata’s hair. “You’re gonna miss Adagio?”
“I guess,” Sonata murmured.
“Oh come on,” Sunset complained, giving her a little shake. “You can’t be all sad and mopey now. Not when we’re watching Notting Hill. I love this film.”
“It’s a stupid film,” Sonata said in a faux sulky voice, trying to hide her smirk.
“Now dear,” Sunset said lightly. “We can disagree on many things, but there will be no badmouthing Julia Roberts in this house.” She paused a moment. “Except for Eat Pray Love...”
“Whatever,” Sonata grumbled. “The movie sucks, and there’s not a thing that you can say that’ll—Eek!” She cut off as Sunset started to tickle her. “N-No fair!” she giggled.
“All’s fair in love and war,” Sunset said evilly. “And technically this is a little of both.”
“Not fair, because – hee – you’re not – haha! – ticklish!”
“And what are you going to do about it?” Sunset asked, catching her abdomen with a swift round of tickling fingers. Sonata shrieked with laughter, seemingly powerless under the onslaught. “Yes, bow to me, the Lord of Tickles!”
“So... *gasp* corny!”
“Nah, you love it!” She reached her other hand to Sonata’s neck, but in a sudden burst of self-control, Sonata caught it by the wrist. Before Sunset could react, Sonata pulled her down and twisted around. Sunset lay on her back, breathing heavily, clearly surprised by the sudden change in position. Sonata would have been tempted to return the favour, had it not been for the recollection that Sunset wasn’t ticklish. Kneeling over her on the couch, Sonata’s excitement changed within her.
“You know,” she began. “You still owe me that kiss.”
“Huh?” Sunset asked, clearly nonplussed. 
“Your little rain check on the roof,” Sonata reminded her, booping her on the nose.
“Oh, of course,” Sunset said, grabbing hold of Sonata’s collar. “How could I forget?”

The kiss was all Sonata could have wanted after that very tiring day, and could almost think that it had been worth waiting to do it. So what if she’d endangered her chances at the exhibition? What was that to the feel of Sunset’s lips? To the warmth and softness of her skin? To the gentle caress of her eager hands?
Their tongues slid greedily over each other, their breath in each other’s mouths. One of Sunset’s hands reached blindly for the remote and switched off the television, leaving the room semi-lit by the street lamps outside. The heat building in Sonata’s stomach gave a leap inside her, and she broke the kiss to sit up. Wiping her mouth, she looked seductively down at her girlfriend trapped below her. Without a word, she lifted her hands to her collar, and pulled her shirt up and over her head.
She watched with no little enjoyment as Sunset’s face went red at the sight of her. She tossed the shirt idly onto the floor.
“It was warm in here,” she said deviously.
“I kinda noticed,” Sunset said hoarsely. She cleared her throat. 
“Sounds like you’ve got a tickle in your throat,” Sonata said solicitously, leaning back down. “Let’s see if I can help you with that.”


HHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNGGGG!!!!!


Sonata leapt backwards in shock, her heart leaping up into her throat as she lost her footing and fell with a shriek off the sofa.
Sunset herself leapt up too, and hit her head on a large, hexagonal sign that had appeared over the sofa. Reeling back, she peered through streaming eyes and gasped.
“D-Discord!?”
Sonata stopped rubbing her bruised backside and looked up. Then she shrieked again and seized her discarded shirt, using it to cover her modesty. Blushing furiously, she stared in shock at the man standing behind the sofa.
“Halt! Halt!” Discord shouted through a megaphone. Sonata convulsively held her ears at the sound, but gasped as her shirt fell down again. “Let’s keep it PG-13, ladies.”
Holding a mobile ‘STOP’ sign in front of him, Discord was decked out in a reflective yellow coat and hat. Upon the hat was a flashing siren bathing the room in blinking red light, and filling the relative silence with a cacophony of sound.
“Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to put the shirt back on. Let’s have no heroes today, ladies.”
“Discord!” Sunset shouted.
“What?” Discord asked through the megaphone, leaning down.
“Turn off the siren!”
“What?”
“She said to turn off the siren!” Sonata cried.
“I can’t hear you,” Discord said. “Maybe if I turn off the siren.” he snapped his fingers, and the siren, megaphone, coat, and sign vanished, replaced by his usual maroon duster. The lights in the room came on.
“H-How did you get in here?” Sunset demanded.
“Through the door,” Discord said, shrugging, and indicating the door. Both girls looked towards the door, which was closed and locked. “Ah ha!” Discord erupted. “Oh, you should see your faces! I do so love confusion.” He snapped his fingers again, and Sonata’s shirt appeared on her chest. “I teleported in, obviously.”
“W-W-What are you doing here?” Sunset asked. 
“Yes, I do apologise for interrupting private sexy time,” Discord said dispassionately. “But I’m afraid the time has arrived.”
This sounded ominous, Sonata thought. “Time for...?”
“You’re the Equestrian Discord, aren’t you,” Sunset said. It wasn’t a question, but a statement.
“I am indeed.”
“How did you escape imprisonment?” Sunset asked warily. “You were a statue in Canterlot Gardens. I saw you many times—“
“When you were Princess Celestia’s star pupil, yes,” Discord said impatiently. “Yes, I know. I was there. As to how I escaped, well that’s ancient history now. I’m reformed.”
Just to make this point clear, he made a halo appear over his head and angel wings sprout from his back. The kind of halo held up by wire and filled with neon-glowstick goop, and the kinds of wings employed by high school theatre productions.
Sunset and Sonata gave each other raised eyebrows. “Right.” Sunset said slowly.
“Well, he did help us out today,” Sonata reminded her.
“Which raises more questions,” Sunset declared. “Why are you here? How come you’re not turning this world upside down?”
“Hey,” Discord said, flicking the halo so that it wobbled above his head. “Reformed. I did mention I was reformed?” He gave a sigh at Sunset’s suspicious expression. “In the time that you’ve been here, I’ve escaped, been defeated, been let out, and reformed. Mostly by Fluttershy, but there was also an... well, an incident, which made me consider that perhaps friendship is something to be taken seriously.” His mouth curled a little as though remembering something unpleasant. 
“But that doesn’t explain why you’re here,” Sunset retorted.
“Or why you’re interrupting private sexy time,” Sonata added.
“Well,” Discord said, beginning to pace whilst Sunset turned scarlet. “I’m afraid that something rather... unfortunate, is going to happen in Equestria. Has happened for me, will happen soon.”
“Will happen, has happened?” Sunset asked. “Did you time travel here? I’ve heard of such spells.”
“I did nudge the time-vortex a little, yes,” Discord said, airily. “When I was forced to come here. You see, I fixed something in Equestria, as well as I could anyway, and I broke a very important rule to do it.”
“You fixed something?” Sonata asked. “Aren’t you the spirit of chaos?”
“Precisely,” Discord said, nudging a painting out of alignment as he passed it. “Immortals have certain rules we have to follow – even me – and breaking them has consequences. Ever hear of Nightmare Moon?” he gave a twisted smile. “Yes, now there was a good example. And King Sombra another, although he was a self-made immortal. He broke rules simply being.”
“So you broke a rule by fixing something?” Sonata asked. “Wow. You must have to buy a lot of new things.”
“He doesn’t mean fixing broken things like that,” Sunset said.
“No. I brought order to a great chaos I hadn’t caused. As the spirit of chaos, you can imagine that’s a big no-no.” Half-way through pushing the phone from its stand, he paused and looked serious. “But I couldn’t let this one happen. It was hurting my friends.” He looked at them both then. “Huh, that explains a few things, doesn’t it?”
“You mean why you were a big meanie pants back in the day?” Sonata suggested.
“Yeah, that,” Discord commented, snapping his fingers. Sonata’s shirt suddenly had the legend ‘Freebie Friday’ emblazoned across its front, and ‘Property of Sunset Shimmer’ on the back. “In short, I fixed that chaos as best I could, which turned me to stone, which meant that my essence was banished to the Chaos Lounge.”
“The Chaos Lounge?” Sunset asked.
“My personal world. I made it,” he said, suddenly turning into a dorky looking high school kid with a lisp and thick-rimmed glasses. “And oh boy is it swell!” He poofed back to his adult form and continued “But I opted to come here instead, back before Twilight and her friends discovered the problem. I can’t return to Equestria for a few hundred years however, unless someone invokes enough chaos in my name.”
“Well, what’s the problem?” Sunset asked. “I can go back and help if it’s that serious.”
“Ah, see,” Discord said with a large grin. “I was hoping you’d say that. Twilight Sparkle speaks highly of you. You see, in about...” he pulled out the absurdly large pocket watch again “three hours, twenty eight minutes, and thirteen seconds, you’re going to get a buzz in that journal of yours from Twilight, telling you to stay out of Equestria. That there’s nothing you can do, that she hopes you stay safe, etc.” He made ‘blah blah blah’ motions with his right hand, which suddenly had a Twilight-shaped sock puppet on it.
“What’s so bad that she wouldn’t want me to come help?” Sunset asked, a note of real fear in her voice.
“In short?” Discord asked. He looked Sunset right in the eye, and raised a hand, poised to click his fingers again. “A plan by an unknown enemy, Sunset Shimmer. A plan that has turned half of Equestria into a realm of monsters.”
With a snap, he began to glow. “See you in a few centuries,” he said cheerfully, and vanished for the last time.

Sunset and Sonata looked at each other.
“I’m keeping this shirt,” Sonata said, pulling it straight to admire the legend.
“Sorry Sonata,” Sunset sighed, ignoring this comment. “I think we have to postpone private sexy time again.”
Sonata gave a huge false sigh. “I’ll get you eventually. You want to grab the book and me call our friends?”
“Yeah,” Sunset said, standing up. “We’ve got a statue to visit.”


- The End

... of this part