"Let me reiterate I do not approve of this idea," you grumble as Twilight paces back and forth along the dusty road.
"Luna, it's been three weeks since I suggested it, and we've been procrastinating meeting with Discord. I can't get ready to teach Anonymous what I know if I don't have some sort of idea of his capabilities," Twilight says in a scolding manner.
Twilight is right, you must admit. In the weeks since discovering Anon's possession of magic, he has excelled in everything you've taught him in the dream realm. Not only did he quickly pick up on navigating into others' dreams, but his manipulation skills are also already quite close to your own mastery.
Then again, hardly surprising when one considers where this magic originated.
"I apologize, Twilight. I just find it very hard to trust somepony like Discord. You must remember, my sister and I had to deal with him when he was more than a mischievous pain in the flank," you say, scanning the horizon.
Rather than meet up with Discord in Twilight's home or anywhere else in a populated area, you suggested that Twilight, Anon and yourself head out into the countryside. It has already been a tiring day, having spent the majority in the throne room of the castle, overseeing the mundane intricacies of ruling the land.
"Have you even met him since your return? Or his return, I should say," Twilight asks. You shake your head.
"The last time I have seen Discord was when Celestia and I sealed him away in stone. I have not been keen on making his acquaintance since then."
"I know it's hard Luna, but just try to cut him a bit of slack," Twilight mumbles, as your ears pick up the sounds of a distant growl.
Anon had insisted on driving out here, rather than be teleported with Twilight. The two of you have been waiting for close to ten minutes for him.
Were you planning to show up at some point this evening? you ask Anon through the link.
"Sorry, took the scenic route. Be there in about five to ten minutes," he replies.
"Pardon me for being intrusive, but I am curious. How do you feel about Anonymous?" you ask Twilight.
"What do you mean, Luna?" Twilight asks. Despite her question, you can see in her eyes she knows what you are referring to.
"I mean what took place in the castle a couple of weeks ago. You are much more relaxed now than you were before. What do you see between you and Anon as far as a relationship?"
Twilight's face instantly turns bright red as she breaks into a sweat.
"I mean, I like him yes. But... I mean, I don't know if I'm ready for anything like what's between you two. And how would that even work with the three of us? and I don't even know the first thing abo-"
"Twilight, calm down," you plead, raising a hoof. "I do not want to cause you distress, I was merely asking out of curiosity."
Slowly, Twilight regains control of herself, taking a few deep breaths and closing her eyes as the sound of Anon's car grows louder as it nears. Looking at the horizon, the unmistakable dart-like profile of Anon's Superbird crests the hill.
"There he is," you say with a smile, looking back down at Twilight. "I apologize if I have made you uncomfortable, don't let it get to you."
"I'll be fine," Twilight says, turning around to face the approaching car. "I guess I need to do some soul-searching to clear my mind at some point."
The engine of the Superbird cuts out as Anon coasts to a stop beside the two of you. The driver's door squeaks open, as Anon steps out, taking a moment to stretch before closing the door and joining you.
"Better late than never, right?" he asks with a goofy smile.
"I suppose," you say teasingly.
Twilight clears her throat, awkwardly garnering the attention of you as well as Anon.
"Sorry," Twilight says, scratching the back of her head. "Anon, I just want you to know Discord is..... well, he's a little odd."
"Odd does not do his demeanor justice, Twilight," you snort. She looks past Anon to shoot you a frustrated glare.
"And I expect *both* of you to keep an open mind. Rather than judge somepony who has a troubled past, which should be a familiar scenario to some of us," Twilight says loudly, making sure you hear her.
"I'm good," Anon replies before he turns around and looks at you. "Everything okay, Luna?"
"I will be better when we get this over with," you sigh.
Twilight concentrates as she casts the summoning spell your sister taught her. A rainbow of color erupts from Twilight's horn as she completes the spell, the ribbon descending to the ground before swirling back up in a violent whirlwind. As the tornado of color slows and fades, a form you have not seen in centuries becomes clear.
Attired in a tuxedo and a top hat, Discord is oblivious to the presence of anypony other than Twilight, as he taps his foot disapprovingly.
"Twilight, you must give me a heads up before giving me a call," Discord says, his attire disappearing with a snap of his fingers. "I was just preparing for a night out on the town."
Judging by Twilight's rather annoyed expression, this kind of reaction from Discord is not a surprise.
"Hello Discord, sorry to bother you," Twilight politely greets. "I was hoping you would be able to help me wi-"
As Discord takes notice he and Twilight are not the only ones present, his eyes widen. Gradually, his muzzle twists into a rather mischievous smile as he approaches Anonymous.
"Wonderful, you've brought me visitors," Discord crows with excitement, looking over Anon with curiosity. Despite the attention from such an odd fellow, Anon remains calm as he just stares back at Discord in silence.
"And ponies say that I look strange," Discord says, scratching his chin. "Tell me, what is your name?"
"His name is Anonymous, he is a human," you interject, causing Discord to whip his head around to face you.
"Princess Luna, what a surprise," he shouts, approaching you with outstretched arms. As you take a few steps away from him, you shake your head, causing his enthusiasm to diminish.
"Oh come now, is that any way to greet an old friend?"
"We were never friends, Discord," you hiss. "Do not toy with me, I still remember your misdeeds."
Rather than frustrate him further, Discord merely laughs your words off, skating circles around you as if on a patch of ice.
"Of course, Princess Luna. Believe me, I've changed," he gushes. "After all, we haven't seen each other in what, a thousand years?"
"One thousand eighty-seven years, to be exact," you respond flatly.
"Yes, silly me," Discord says, slapping his forehead with an open palm. "For some reason, I was thinking of how long it's been since you've seen Equestria."
You figured he was trying to get a rise out of you this whole time. There's his last resort.
"Discord, you do not know the slightest of what happened," you snap, doing your best to remain calm. "After all, my sister and I put an end to your reign of terror years before my own errors."
"Oh, but that's where you're wrong," he says, laughing hysterically. "Sure, I may have been frozen physically, but I could hear all sorts of things. such as a young princess taking pity upon herself for lack of attention."
Without a second thought, you lunge at him, tossing the two of you to the ground in a heap.
Despite this, Discord continues to seem amused, as he struggles not to laugh as you growl at him.
"Touch a nerve, did I?"
"Listen to me, Discord," you fume. "Perhaps others believe you have changed your ways, but I can see through your charade, and you are still the monster you were previously."
With a sudden tug, you fall backward, before slowly being dragged along the ground to Twilight's side.
"Luna, you need to calm down," Twilight scolds as you look over at her. "Discord isn't going to help us if you're rude to him."
"*I'm* being rude? Did you just hear what he said to me?"
"Yes, and I'm not saying he is right, either," Twilight replies, closing her eyes. "But you need to open your mind and give him a chance. Your sister did, so can you."
Looking back toward Discord, the lanky fellow bats his eyes innocently, making your brow furrow in simmering anger.
"I will make no promises," you mumble to Twilight.
"My apologies for losing my temper, Discord," you say, stepping towards him once again. "We have summoned you hoping for some advice regarding Anonymous here."
Glancing over at Anonymous, he watches the two of you, visibly uneasy. He hasn't said a word during this whole ordeal.
"I assume it is about your magic that I can sense radiating off of him as we speak, yes?" he replies, grinning madly.
"Yes. Well, Nightmare Moon's magic," you respond, quickly correcting him.
"Same thing, right?" Discord chips, his expression becoming very smug as you struggle to stay calm and courteous. "Sorry, that came out wrong."
"No offense taken," you begrudgingly force out, clenching your teeth. Discord is enjoying pressing your buttons way too much, but you expected it.
"Wonderful," he exclaims, turning his attention to Anon, who has taken a seat on the fender of his car. Discord strides over to him, silently looking him over very carefully.
"Uh, can I help you?" Anon asks warily.
Discord does not reply, as he procures a clipboard from thin air and begins scribbling at a torrid pace.
"Discord," you call, trying to get his attention. He still pays you no mind, wrapped up in his own charade. "Discord!"
Finally, he looks up at you, his face stoic and serious.
"Luna, if you want me to help you, you need to use a nicer tone. Perhaps some anger management classes are in order for you in the future?"
"Perhaps some etiquette classes are in store for you in the future, Discord," you snap back. Your retort only seems to please the draconequus, as his sly grin grows frenzied.
"Funny that comes from you. At least I did not try to kill my own sibling."
Any semblance of control you had disappears as you grab him by the throat with your magic in a fit of rage, hovering at eye level with a lazy beat of your wings.
"Not another word from you, fiend," you snarl.
"Luna, stop!" Twilight's voice calls out from behind, but you pay it no notice.
As you stare daggers into the eyes of Discord, his pupils slowly begin to roll around, picking up speed until becoming an endless, intoxicating spiral. All effort to pull away diminishes, transfixed on his eyes as everything else melts away into an endless sea of black.
"That's right, Luna," you hear Discord whisper, echoing around you from every direction. "You say I am a monster, but I want you to show everypony the monster inside you."
Nearly as soon as it started, your surroundings begin to fade back in, as in reverse, Discord's maniacal eyes slowly melt into oblivion. However, rather than hovering in front of him, you find yourself standing upon the dusty trail, staring at Discord's serpentine midriff.
"Well, at least it looks like I still possess the ability to calm even the angriest of ponies," he laments, brushing his chest with pride. Abruptly, he reaches behind his back, pulling out an over-sized pocket watch.
"This has been a memorable get-together, but I am afraid I must be somewhere. Long story short, I can not tell you whether Anonymous here will be able to do anything with the magic with which he is imbued. Perhaps in time, he can grasp it, but I can not say for sure." He reaches over with a taloned hand to Anonymous, shaking his hand.
"It was a pleasure meeting you. apologies for the melodramatics," Discord says.
"Uh, yeah. Thanks," Anon mumbles, looking over to you in confusion. Your mind still feeling foggy, you can only stare back, as Discord turns his attention to Twilight.
"Twilight, my dear, always a pleasure," he coos, while Twilight stares back at him, unenthused.
"And dear Luna, we must catch upon on old times, perhaps on better terms at a later date, yes?"
Your mind is blank as you just stare back, having no idea what to so, or how to form words.
"Wonderful. Tat-ta for now." With a snap of his claws, he disappears in a flash, as your mind and body suddenly come back to you.
"Luna, are you okay?" Twilight asks as you turn to face her.
"What?"
"Are you alright? You're breathing heavy," Twilight says, as Anonymous swings himself off the fender of his car, crouching beside you.
As you continue to regain your sense, you realize your breathing is shallow and rapid, on the verge of hyperventilation. You take a massive gulp of air, before slowly expelling it.
"I'm fine," you reply. "I - I suppose I lost my head."
Both of them breathe a sigh of relief, believing your words to be figurative to explain your anger. But that was no calming spell that Discord cast. That was hypnotism.
But what did he do?
"I'm going to have to have a talk with Discord. He was trying to push your buttons the whole time, and that is uncalled for," Twilight growls.
"Yes. I should probably head back to the castle now, and try to digest all of this," you mumble.
"Are you sure you're okay, Luna?" Twilight asks again.
"Fine, I'm fine," you reply sharply. "It's just been a long day, sorry." Hurriedly, you give Anonymous a hug, before nodding to Twilight and flashing back to the castle.
'You say I am a monster, but I want you to show everypony the monster inside you.'
Discord's words echo through your mind repeatedly as you sit at the dining table with your sister, nibbling at the fine cuisine before you. Even after all these years, there is nothing that beats a fresh fruit and nut salad.
"So, how did today go, Luna?" Celestia pipes up.
"Uneventful, for the most part. San Flankcisco is looking for more funds to overhaul their rail system," you lament. "Again."
"Even if we approve it, the system will still be a snarling mess, I'm sure," Tia sighs. "The mayor really needs to get some better engineers on his side, and soon."
"Yes. Oddly enough, the mayor of Manehattan stopped by but left abruptly when he learned that I was presiding today. The bookkeepers said he left no reason for his departure."
Celestia bursts into a fit of giggles, catching you by surprise. It takes nearly a full minute for your sister to regain her composure.
"I'm sorry," she says, snorting. "I assume Anonymous did not tell you of the impression he made on the mayor during his time masquerading as you."
"I can only imagine what he said," you say, unable to keep a straight face. The mayor of Manehattan has always been a pain in your flank, you do not much care for him.
"Well, he has not asked for the funds to begin his grand bridge project since then, so I would say Anonymous did a good job."
You nod in agreement, as your mind quickly shifts back to the evening's events.
"Tia, what do you know of hypnosis?" you ask. Celestia looks up at you from her own meal, perplexed by your abrupt change of topic.
"Not much, dear sister. Why, what is on your mind tonight?"
"Nothing," you say, trying to play it off. "Twilight was asking me, I'm not too sure of her reasoning."
"Well, knowing Twilight, she's buried in another obscure book," Celestia replies, smirking. "I swear she sleeps by reading, it's the only way I can explain her frequent reading marathons. But to get back to your question, might I suggest asking Discord his knowledge on hypnosis? He is certainly well-practiced in the art."
In an instant, your optimism is crushed, finding yourself back at square one understanding what Discord has done.
"I will inform Twilight of your suggestion. But I must ask, do you genuinely trust Discord, sister?"
Celestia does not seem at all surprised by your inquiry, nor enthused.
"I am not blind to the past and what he has done, Luna," she says, as her tone switches from ruler of Equestria to the familiar big sister role. "Yes, he has done some questionable things in the past, but I believe he deserves another chance. Discord can be helpful when he wants to be, and the more liberties we allow him, the more likely he will be to aid us in any future conflicts or projects."
"You and Twilight may trust him, but I must confess, I have my reservations," you blurt.
Tia locks her lavender eyes upon you, her face empathetic. "I know you don't trust him, and I suppose I can respect that. But if you reflect upon the past, was I not willing to give you another chance upon your return, sister? Even after what had transpired between us previously?"
You say nothing as you just stare back at her. How do you even respond to that?
"Or what about Anonymous?" Celestia adds.
"What about him?" you belt out defensively.
"You saw what I saw when we tapped into his mind upon his arrival. The war, the bloodshed, the strife contained within his memories of the world he left behind."
Once again, your sister was right. The images within Anon's head were more akin to Tartarus than any place here in Equestria. By all accounts, Anon should have been locked in a secure area until proven not to be a threat. But you were willing to look past all that and begged your big sister to do the same. For beyond the horrors his memories contained, you saw hope.
Optimism.
Love.
You turn away from your sister across the table and look down, as your eyes become misty with the thought of not having Anonymous. In a matter of moments, warmth envelops you, as out of the corner of your eye you spy the outstretched wings of Celestia embracing you.
"Come now, sister, I was not trying to upset you," she coos.
"I know you weren't," you mumble. "I just didn't realize how hypocritical I had become in such a short time."
You feel your head rise at the insistence of Celestia's magic, as her beaming smile shines down upon you.
"It is quite alright, Luna," Celestia says, soothing your troubled mind. "Even at our age, we make mistakes. Nopony is perfect."
"Thank you," you reply, gathering yourself together and returning her hug.
As you glance out the crystal clear windows of the dining room, you note how low the sun sits in the sky. With a nod, both of you harness your magic, Celestia easing the sun below the horizon as you, in turn, nudge the moon skyward.
"It is getting late, and tomorrow we must begin preparing for the Grand Galloping Gala," your sister says with a roll of her eyes.
Both of you chuckle at your shared displeasure of the event. But, it is a good morale boost for the kingdom, and so it must go on another year.
"Goodnight, Luna."
"Goodnight, Tia."
It does not take long to fall asleep tonight and enter the dream realm, as you are on a mission. Willing to admit you are wrong, you search the various doors to others' dreams, before finding an odd, warped and multi-colored door belonging to a certain draconequus.
Despite your best preparations, you find yourself taken aback by the chaotic world that greets you upon entry. The surrounding is a roiling storm of deep blue and purple hues, as various land masses and objects float through the air past you effortlessly. As you try to move forward, you find your wings are in fact moving you back upon every beat of their lazy rhythm.
Discord certainly did not become known as the lord of chaos by being normal, as you focus your energy upon yourself, warping the dream enough to allow your normal movements.
"Why am I not surprised to find you here tonight?" comes the voice of Discord behind you.
As you turn around to face him, you find the serpent laying upon a recliner, slowly revolving in place as he alternates between right side up and upside down.
"I suppose you're here to terrorize my dreams for my actions earlier this evening? Or perhaps a stern scolding?" he asks, sounding way more excited than would be considered normal.
"Actually, I came here to apologize to you," you softly announce.
Instantly, all movement in the dream halts, even the swirling colors that compose the sky. Discord's eyes go wide, as he studies your face carefully for any hint that you are lying.
"You... are apologizing.... to me?" he asks, gesturing with his hands for clarity.
"Yes, I am. I do not know the spell to summon you, so this was the only way I knew to reach out. I should have given you a chance to prove yourself, rather than revert back to my pessimistic and negative views of you."
With lightning speed, Discord puts his arms around your form, wrapping you in a bone-crushing hug.
"Oh, miracles really do happen!" he shouts emphatically. "I never imagined that I could sway you to believe I have changed."
As he puts you back down, you fiddle with your disheveled mane, ruffled up and draped over your face by this point. "Yes, I am willing to admit that I made a mistake. Upon reflection of the events of the past few weeks, I realized my judgments were in haste and unfounded."
"I suppose you are referring to that being that I met today, Anonymous?"
As you nod your head, Discord snaps his fingers, as you feel a coolness suffuse through your core. He looks a bit perplexed upon your own confused stare, before shaking it off and resuming his crazed smile.
"Sorry about that. Wanted to make sure I did that before you left," he says.
"What did you do, Discord?" you ask, trying to mask any concern in your voice.
"Oh, do not worry your mind, Luna. It was nothing important."
"Discor-"
"I suppose I should be waking up now, the early bird gets the worm!" Discord shouts before everything disappears into a black abyss.
"It's one in the morning," you mutter in frustration. With a burst of magic from your horn, you fade back to the starry skies of the dream realm itself.
While you feel a bit better apologizing to Discord and his apparent reversing of whatever he did to you, your mind still lingers on the same question, as well as a new one.
What did he do to you that he reversed?
And why did he seem confused and unsure upon his revision?