Nights in Equestria are usually quiet at this time of night. With the moon high in the sky, every pony tucked away into their warm beds as they dream, and nature as quiet as a whisper; you can never find a more peaceful time of night.
But tonight was not one of those nights. For tonight was The Day of New Beginnings.
Ponyville was aglow with the candles of families lit for their loved ones. Everypony was gathered at the cemetery to celebrate the lives of the dead, where candles were aglow around everyponies grave, as different ponies of every kind brought offerings and gifts to their loved ones. It was a festive night where everypony danced, sang, and shared stories around the graves. On this particular night though, the gods decided to observe in person.
Discord rose up from a grey and withered grave of a pony that had no one alive to remember them. He looked around at the mortals that celebrated The Day of New Beginnings. A couple of children playing a game of tag ran by him, but took no notice. Discord made sure that nopony could see him unless he allowed it. He grinned at all the potential chaos that he could ensue; hoping that he can quench his ever growing boredom, but before he could get his fun in, a quiet voice stopped him.
“Oh, Discord. I didn’t know you were coming as well.”
He turned toward the voice and witnessed as Fluttershy rose up from a brightly lit grave and flew towards him; a small smile forming on her face.
Discord’s heart lightly tapped against his chest as she came closer. It always astounded him how a creature like her could ever smile at a creature like him. He’s spent centuries alone because nopony could tolerate his antics and chaos, until Fluttershy. She was the only one who could tolerate him and he would always be grateful for their friendship.
Until he remembered the last time they saw each other.
A sad smile formed on Fluttershy’s face as Discord huffed and walked away. She sighed at his behavior. She couldn’t help but feel guilt on how things turned out, even though it was a fair bet. When they were together, they would always spend their time talking, having tea while Discord displayed his chaotic nature, and watching the mortals lives go by. But ever since that bet, he always avoids her and refused to talk to her. But tonight she wasn’t going to let him walk away. With a determined resolve, she flew after him.
He realized she was following after a few minutes when he could practically feel her stare burning the back of his head, but he ignored her; determined not to have any contact. As a distraction, he snapped his claw and the candles of one family’s grave went out. A small smile played on his lips as he watched their eyes widened at the sudden disappearance of their candles. But it didn’t last as he watched as Fluttershy light them back up with the wave of her hoof. ‘Well’ he thought ‘at least it stunned the family a little.’ And with that, he continued to find more potential distractions, with Fluttershy still on his tail.
When he realized that he wasn’t going to get rid of her, he whirled on her.
“You have no idea how cold and vile the Land of the Forgotten is, do you?” he voiced at her annoyingly, although it was pretty clear he was more than annoyed.
Fluttershy couldn’t help but feel a slight victory at his remark. She had finally got him talking to her. “I’m sorry Discord, bu-“
“Why do I have to rule that bleak wasteland while you get to rule the endless fiesta in The Land of the Remembered? It’s simply unfair!” he interrupted. Since he couldn’t get away from her, he was going to make sure she knew how unhappy he was. He wasn’t going to hold back.
“But-“Fluttershy started again, but Discord continued to walk away. He had no interest in being lectured back. He only wanted to voice his displeasure and unhappiness; that’s all.
He tried once again to distract himself and ignore Fluttershy when he spotted an old stallion kneeling at the grave of his wife. He chuckled as he extended his lion paw to take the soul of the stallion. He enjoyed seeing the reactions of the living after a pony dies and watch the reaction of the pony that has died.
“Discord!” Fluttershy warned sternly as her hoof came down, smacking Discord’s paw in mid-air, before he could touch the stallion.
Annoyed at Fluttershy’s attempt to take away his fun, he turned to her. “What!? It’s his time!” he exclaimed in mocked surprise. “More or less” he mumbled to the side.
“Not today.” She simply stated, irritated and disappointed at his lack of empathy for ponykind. With a sigh of defeat, Fluttershy flew away from him.
He knew that he should just let her fly away….but it’s been so long since he’s talked to her. Even though he was still angry at her, he missed her. He missed talking to her and making her smile with his chaos. He wanted to talk to her, but he couldn’t make himself walk forward. With a snap of his claw, he made a boot appear behind him; making it kick him and send him flying; dropping himself right in Fluttershy’s path.
She squeaked at his sudden appearance, but didn’t get to recover as he started to talk like nothing ever happened. “Come on, my dear, trade lands with me. I beg you.” He pleaded, transforming into a puppy version of himself; looking up at her with his best puppy eyed stare, but Fluttershy didn’t budge.
“I’m sorry Discord, but I can’t do that and you know it.” She answered, trying her best to be understanding.
With a grunt, Discord transformed back into his old self. “I’m serious Fluttershy, I hate it down there!” he whined.
“Well I’m sorry Discord, but that’s what happens when you cheat. You have nopony to blame but yourself when you made that wager.” She lectured.
He lifted his paw to retort back, but dropped it when he realized that he couldn’t say anything back. Even though the very thought made him retch, she was right. When he realized that he was losing the bet, he tried to cheat his way to victory, only to be caught. Fluttershy unknowingly caused a scene when she realized that he cheated and drew the attentions of the ruler of the gods, Celestia. When she was forced to tell her what happened, she wasn’t happy. A bet between the gods was a serious matter and wasn’t to be taken lightly. To go back or cheat on one was cause for punishment. And with that came his banishment to The Land of the Forgotten. His thoughts were interrupted by Fluttershy as she continued to talk.
“Please Discord, why can’t we go back to the way things were before that bet. Going on picnics and having our annual tea get-togethers. I actually miss your chaotic magic. You always made me laugh….” She pleaded. With every reminder of their days together, Discord’s heart ached more and more that he couldn’t take it anymore.
“Let’s not dwell in the past, my dear.” He said lazily, earning him a slight disappointed look from Fluttershy. His ears flattened. He had to distract her. Anything to get that frown off her face. “Anyway I was thinking….” He started, but realized he didn’t know what to say so he said the first thing that came to his head. “How about another little wager?” he questioned slyly.
Wrong question.
Fluttershy’s pupils dilated. Another what? How dare he wager with her after what happened last time? After he tried to cheat his way through the last one, he has the audacity to make another one!?
Discord realized that he said the wrong thing a little too late before Fluttershy was in his face.
“You think you can make this all better with another bet!?” she lectured, her voice getting higher and higher.
With nothing else to say, Discord could only cringe at Fluttershy’s rising voice. Trying to find a way out away from his doom, he realized that it has gone silent. When he turned back towards Fluttershy, he found her contemplating.
If you want to know the weakness of a god it’s this: wagers. It was the only thing that kept things interesting during a god’s immortal life. Nopony was immune to it, not even Fluttershy.
“What exactly did you have in mind?” Fluttershy asked wearily.
Surprised by Fluttershy’s response, all Discord could do was laugh and with the snap of his claw transported to the top of the town’s main tower with Fluttershy landing right next to him. “Let’s look at the venue for today, shall we?” Discord suggested, looking for a good idea for a wager. When he took notice of three children playing, he motion for Fluttershy. “Look there, my dear, classic mortal dilemma.”
Fluttershy looked toward where Discord indicated.
Two colts and a filly were playing together. One colt was a white unicorn with a blonde mane, standing tall and bold. The second colt was another white unicorn with a dark blue mane with one light blue stripe swinging a wooden sword weakly around with his magic. The third was a pink pegasus filly with her pink, purple, and white mane up in ponytail tied with a blue bow sitting on one of the tombstones. She was giggling at the display the young colts were playing, the blonde trying to look regal and bold while the blue mane colt was trying to look heroic for the young filly.
“Two colts, best friends no less.” Discord observed.
Fluttershy sighed in realization, “In love with the same filly.”
The blue mane colt looked up at the pegasus with love struck eyes. He opened his mouth to speak when the blonde mane colt stepped in front of him.
“Excuse me, princess, it looks like you need a helping hoof getting down from that tombstone. It would be unprincely of me to let you step down without help.” He offered boastfully.
“Is that so?” the filly asked slyly.
“How dare you interrupt a knight of Ponyville. I challenge you to a duel.” The blue mane colt challenged. Raising up his wooden sword with his magic, he swung it at the blonde mane colt’s side, but it was easily dodged. The sword continued to go forward as the blue mane colt’s magic lost its grip. Seeing that he was distracted, the blonde colt waltzed over to the filly and extended his hoof to her. She giggled at the display, extending her hoof to his, but was cut off as the wooden sword came between their hoofs, cutting them off.
“I forbid you to lay a hoof on my lovely princess.” The blue mane colt bellowed.
“How dare you swing that vulgar sword at me when I’m trying to escort my princess down from her throne.” He bellowed back.
Tossing her hoof from the reaches of the blondes extending hoof, the filly stood up and extended her wings stating with authority, “I am no pony’s princess!”
The two young colts stared at the filly with her wings extended, admiring her beauty. Both couldn’t help but fall more in love with her because of her independence.
Discord clasped his hands in confirmation. “I believe we have our wager, my dear. Which colt will marry the filly?”
“Very well.” Fluttershy nodded in agreement, spreading her wings, she descended down to the ground. Discord stayed where he was, admiring her angelic wings as she glided down. He shook the thoughts from his head and with a hard smack to his face; he snapped his claws and teleported down to the ground. He appeared right at the edge of the cemetery, with Fluttershy landing softly next to him.
“I guess we should pick our champions.” Fluttershy suggested. She started to walk forward when was stopped by a lion paw on her shoulder.
“How about we pick one on a more….personal level.” He suggested slyly. Before she could question him, Discord snapped his claw and with a flash, they were both transformed into old ponies.
With a bow of his head, Discord led Fluttershy toward the cemetery. “Let’s go wish them luck, shall we?”
“Hey Cadence, weren’t you grounded?” The blue mane colt asked.
“My mother is overreacting, I mean, how was I supposed to know chickens don’t like baths?” Cadenced questioned shrugging her shoulders.
“Well, it’s alright if you’re out here anyway.” The blonde colt spoke up as he sauntered over to Cadence’s side. “She knows she doesn’t dare refuse an invitation from a prince.”
“Why Blueblood, I had no idea you were a prince. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?” Cadence questioned jokingly.
“Hey! I have a title and everything.” Blueblood whined at her jab.
“Yea, and I’m the king of Equestria.” The blue mane colt jabbed back, laughing at his own joke. Cadence joined in on the joke, loving the look of disbelief on Blueblood’s face, but after a while, he joined in on the laugh.
“Shining Armor!!”
“Cadence!!”
The two children turned towards the voices. “I have to go.” They both yell as they ran towards the call. Blueblood waved goodbye to them both as they ran in opposite directions. When they were no longer in sight, his ears lowered as he came to realize that he was alone.
Shining Armor ran towards the voice at full speed, not wanting to get a second warning. As he came upon his destination, he slowed down his speed till his father and mother came into view.
His mother was a light lavender unicorn with a white and light purple striped mane, bearing three dark blue stars as a cutie mark. His father was a light blue unicorn with dark waving blue mane while his cutie mark was a white crescent moon. When he saw Shining Armor standing there, he motioned for him to come closer.
“Come here, Shining. Come say hello to your sister.” He compelled.
After a moment of hesitation, Shining Armor came closer to them and gazed upon the gravestone.
Decorated with flowers and bread, the gravestone was etched as a six pointed star with a picture of a smiling lavender unicorn with straight dark purple mane with a strip of pink. Shining Armor beamed at his older sister as his heart filled with longing. Seeing the emotion cross Shining Armor’s eyes, his mother came up from behind and nuzzled his face. “Your sister would be so proud of the stallion you’ve become.”
“Do you think I’ll see her tonight?” he asked his mother hopefully.
“Twilight is already here.” His mother assured.
“But, it’s more like a warm feeling you get when loved ones are with you.” His father cut in, putting his arm around him. “Every family has lost somepony close to them, but as long as we remember them we can feel their presence with us for one night each year.”
Shining Armor’s heart withered at his father’s answer. “I just thought….I might see her….one last time.” He sighed as he closed his eyes and let the memories of his sister fill his mind. Twilight looking out for him when he was in trouble, teaching him the importance of friendship, always being surrounded by books. “She always smelled like old books. I remember her always helping me when I was in need……she was the one who helped me make friends.” He recollected, smiling at the memories like it was yesterday. He started tearing up as the images kept coming. “I miss her….so much.” He choked out, barely keeping the sadness from pouring out.
“Just keep still, Shining, and you can feel it. Your sister is here, along with all of our family. As long as we remember them, they are always with us. The moment we forget them, then are they truly gone.” His father consoled him.
Shining Armor closed his eyes once again, letting his father’s soothing voice calm him. He remembered his sister’s warm smile, her never ending knowledge, the smell of old books and it brought a smile to his face. It filled him with never ending warmth, like Twilight was right behind him; embracing him with all the love she could ever offer him.
Opening his eyes softly, he whispered, “I can feel her.” smiling with the feeling of Twilight right next to him.
“Excuse me good sir.” A voice interrupted. Shining looked up and saw an old green mare with a messy white bun. “May I please have some of your bread? I’m so hungry.” The old women pleaded.
Shining Armor picked up a piece of bread without hesitation with his magic. “I’m sure my sister would want you to have some.” He said with a smile, offering the bread to the old mare.
Taking it into her hooves, the old mare looked down at the colt thankfully. “Thank you, young colt. In return, you have my blessing. May your heart be courageous and filled with honor.”
Shining Armor’s heart filled with pride, like the old mare’s words itself was filling him with strength and courage.
“What do we say, Shining?” his mother voiced behind him.
Blushing at the thought of almost forgetting his manners, he replied “Thank you ma’am.”
Gazing at the group across the cemetery, Blueblood shook his head in wonder. Why would you just give stuff away for free like that? What was the gain in that?
He looked up at the statue that was the center of the cemetery. Surrounded by loads of bread and candles stood the tall image of Blueblood’s father, Time Turner, Prince of Canterlot. His subjects loved him for his brave and kind heart. On a routine trip to Ponyville, he past away staving off changelings and diamond dogs from attacking the town before he was defeated in battle by the bandit king Tirek. He continued to gaze up at his father, his heart filling with pride that maybe one day he can be a leader worthy of his title.
His gaze broke away from the face of his father when he heard a menacing laugh coming from behind the statue. Blueblood slowly came around the statue, trying to find the source of the laugh.
“Hello?” he called out shakily.
Out of nowhere, an old light blue stallion pops out from behind the statue with thick black glasses. Blueblood jumps back at the sudden appearance of the stallion, but quickly reclaims his composure.
“Young sir, may I please have some of your bread. I’m so hungry.” The old stallion pleaded.
Blueblood picked up the bread with his magic and floated it in front of his face. “This bread is for my father. And it’s delicious.” He grinned tauntingly.
Discord couldn’t help but want to turn the little brat into a snail at his taunting remark, but he smiled on the inside as a plan started to formulate in his head.
“Then perhaps, maybe, you would be interested in a trade?” he questioned as he held out a green tornado shaped medal before Blueblood.
Blueblood looked at in skeptically. “An old medal? Why in the wide world of Equestria would I want that old thing?”
“Oh this isn’t an ordinary medal. It has tremendous power. As long as you where it, you can never be hurt and gives you strength and wisdom.” He explained.
Blueblood couldn’t help but be entranced by the medal. It will give him strength and wisdom? He looked up at his father’s statue. With the medal, he could be like his father! He looked back at the old stallion with determination. “Deal.” And with that, he tossed the bread to the old stallion with his magic and took the medal.
Discord caught the bread with his hoof, smiling at the thought of his plan coming into place. But before he left, he had one more thing he needed to do.
“But you need to be careful, my dear boy. There is a bandit king who would stop at nothing to get that medal.”
It took Blueblood a moment for his words to sink in as he gazed down at the medal. “Bandit king?” he questioned, but gasped at the realization. “You mean Tirek?” But when he looked up, the stallion was gone.
Fluttershy looked down on the ponyfolk from the tower, waiting for Discord to show up, but she didn’t have to wait long.
“So then, if my colt gets the filly, I will finally rule The Land of the Remembered.” Discord concluded, staring off into space, dreaming of the day that he could finally rule the land of fiesta and chaos. The dream was interrupted as the smell of roses drifted through is nose. He refocused and found that Fluttershy flew over to him and placed both of her hoofs on either side of his face.
Fluttershy rarely came this close to Discord, and honestly, just the thought made her blush, but she needed him to listen and pay attention to her when she spoke; she could already see that he was drifting off into his own little world. “And if my colt wins, you will….”
But he barely heard her as he gazed into her teal eyes. Were they always this bright? They couldn’t always have been this beautiful. Surely he would have noticed them a lot sooner if they were. He was losing himself in her eyes when her next statement brought him back.
“…..stop interfering in the lives of ponykind.” She finished.
“WHAT!?” Discord yelled, pulling him out of her eyes and hooves. “I can’t do that!! Come on! It’s the only fun I ever get! You want to take that from me too?”
“I’m sorry Discord, but it’s either that or the bet is off.” She finished sternly.
He growled in frustration and was about to pull out when he remembered what the reward was if he did win. With a sigh of defeat, he relented. “Very well, my dear.” He held out his claw for Fluttershy to shake and with firm determination, she took it. “Then by the ancient rules, the wager is set.”
“And so the greatest wager in Equestrian history began.” Luna’s voice rang out in front of the children. “Shining Armor versus Blueblood for the hoof of Cadence.
“Wait, so these ancient gods picked three kids out of nowhere to represent the whole world?! Are you kidding me?” The silver filly questioned.
“Yes. I guess it does sound pretty strange.” Luna reluctantly admitted.
“It doesn’t matter! Keep going!” The brown colt ushered the Princess. And so she did.