Celestia paced back and forth in her guest chamber in Twilight’s castle, worry creased her face.
Across from her in the room was Discord, the misshapen and chimeric spirit of chaos. His tone and expression conveyed that this was the most mundane thing in the world despite the enormity of what he had just informed Celestia. His ever whimsical grin plastered across his face as he reclined against a wall with his lion’s paw.
“Interdimensional Fatigue. Are you sure?” She asked, looking at Discord questioningly.
“Absolutely.” Discord answered grinning.
“But there needs to be an anchor to create a portal.” Celestia stated.
“Rainbow that pulled itself from out of no where.” Discord said, pointing out the window. “There’s your anchor, cake flanks.”
“Discord, could your magi-.”
“Nope." Discord interrupted, "Completely beyond even my ability! Isn’t it grand?”
Celestia sighed, this was not the time, she should be spending time with Sunset, or at the very least getting back to work. She shuddered to imagine how Luna must be right now. Instead, something was coming.
Discord looked at Celestia, a frown creasing his face for only a moment.
“I think, Celestia,” The draconequus said in a conversational tone. “you realize the answer to that."
Then the smile returned to his face.
"But are you willing to know it?”
“So that’s the situation, Lulu.” Discord said wearing a general’s getup “Celestia wants the Royal Guard moved to Ponyville since Twilight doesn't have anything beyond the symbolic gate guards outside her palace.”
Luna Princess of the Night and Diarch of Equestria was sitting behind a mountain of paperwork in Celestia’s study, she was haggard, tired, and had far too much caffeine in her system even for her. Having discord barge in telling her that her sister was demanding she mobilize the entire royal guard and there was a potential major threat to equestria was honestly a relief.
“If it’s a potential threat, surely my Lunar Guard and I would be more appropriate.” Luna stated.
“Besides," she added, muttering as she gritted her teeth, "It’d be relaxing after eight sleepless days running Equestria single hoofidly.”
“She thinks they are after Sunset Shimmer.” Discord replied.
After a few seconds to process this, Luna let out an exhausted sigh. The wear of running the whole of the Equestrian nation, raising the moon, and helping the ponies in their dreams was starting to show. She hadn’t had any sleep since Celestia ran off to greet her daughter. While she could do it, it was really starting to drag on her.
“I’ll have the Royal Guard sent immediately then.” Luna stated as she took a sip of her coffee. “But you are going to explain why an inter-dimensional invader would be after Sunset Shimmer specifically.”
Discord's mouth opened, prepared with a funny response, but then, figuring the tired Alicorn was not going to be any fun in the state she was in, decided that it would be better to just be straight-forward with the night princess.
“She has the power of The Rainbow on tap.” Discord stated plainly.
Any trace of sleep vanished as Luna’s cup slammed onto her desk the same moment she grabbed Discord’s beard violently with her magic, pulling his face so he was mere inches away from hers.
“You can not be serious.” Luna said in disbelief. “Discord, not even you could jest about such a thing.”
“I’m utterly serious. She’s a living, walking, talking, breathing element of harmony.” Discord said as he managed to pull himself away from Luna. “And watch the goatee. I rather like it.”
“To think such a thing is possible…” Luna breathed.
The magnitude of the situation came crashing down on the princess as it processed through her caffeine and adrenaline fueled mind. This was much more than a matter of protecting her niece, there was no way she was going to get Celetia to hand control over to her considering that her daughter was potentially at the center of this but that didn’t mean she shouldn’t make sure they were prepared.
“Discord, contact Cadence, i want every possible protocol ready, and you are not to get directly involved.”
Discord looked at Luna in disbelief.
That had hurt.
"After all this time, and after all that I’ve done…”
Discord paused at that thought.
“Ok, considering that, maybe she's a little justified. Still, I have to have proven that I'm not going to do anything like that again."
“But I could help!" Discord protested, "You know I won't-"
He was swiftly interrupted by Luna.
“Discord," Luna stated evenly, "someone is opening holes in the fabric of reality, creating a rainbow as an anchor, and now we have the possibility of there being living conduits of The Rainbow. Whatever it is that is coming, there is a probability that, even with all your power, it is something that you simply can not stand against.”
Luna then looked over at the rainbow over Ponyville.
“I am not doubting your loyalty.” she said, “I am simply worried for your safety."
Discord thought about that before he smiled and nodded at the night princess, taking a soft bow before he teleported away.
Twilight looked out at the force assembled in Ponyville. Hundreds of soldiers Celestia might as well have declared martial law considering the size of the town. This was excessive.
“The ENTIRE Royal Guard?!” Twilight asked, exasperated with the senior princess. “Doesn’t that seem excessive Princess?”
“No.” Celestia stated as if it was the simplest thing imaginable. “Perhaps I should call in the Wonderbolts as well…”
“Princess, we have no idea if this is even a threat...” Twilight stated.
“It is an inter-dimensional excursion. All precautions need to be taken.” Celestia replied as if from a practiced speech.
Twilight looked at Celestia for a moment.
“Celestia, please,” Twilight asked softly, “is this really about that?”
Celestia stopped for a moment before speaking.
“Two days.” Celestia said crestfallen. “Two days after twenty five years. Something is coming for her, and all I am given is two days. Something is going to take her away from me again!”
“You don’t know that Princess,” Twilight protested as she tried to reason with her. “you can’t know that!”
“Can’t I?” Celestia Roared, “What about my sister? I begged and pleaded to The Rainbow to restore my sister, and it stole her away for A THOUSAND YEARS instead! I have every right to feel if it’s sending something through that it might be a threat to my daughter.”
Twilight recoiled. She had never truly experienced Celestia without her usual facade. Now, for the first time in her life, she was on the receiving end of it.
“Celestia…” Twilight said softly “You’re scaring me.”
Pushing the Royal Guard aside with her magic Sunset Shimmer approached the rainbow, determination written on her face, whatever was coming she was going to face it head on.
“Sunset,” Celestia shouted out from behind her, “get away from that! You don’t know what it could do.”
“No.” Sunset responded firmly.
“Please.” Celestia pleaded “I just got you back. I can’t...I can’t lose you again.”
“You won’t.” Sunset promised stepping forward.
A pegasus burst through the rainbow in a wave of color, and quickly landed in front of Sunset Shimmer.
She had a soft multicolored mane, and a white coat. Her blue wings seemed to be made of the same ethereal material as Celestia & Luna’s manes. Her cutie mark was a heart, and like
Sunset’s own it appeared on her hooves and forehead as well.
“I am Starcatcher.” The otherworldly pegasus said with a voice that was serene, calming, ethereal, and echoing.
“I’m Sunset Shimmer.” Sunset said unafraid.
Starcatcher smiled warmly.
“I Know.”