Ailan opened his eyes, looking again at the dark-colored stallion laying on the bed. How long had he been sitting here, just watching the stallion? He hoped perhaps even praying would give him an answer to the questions that ate at his gut.
Forty-eight hours ago, they had been happy, eating dinner with family and friends. Now, the stallion who he loved was lying here in front of him, and may never wake up again.
“Oh, Sunny, I don’t know what to do. I love you, but... can I ask such a price from so many?”
A slight noise made the pegasus lift his ears and he turned to look. Quietly, he took note of the draconequus now standing stooped over due to the lower ceiling in the isolation ward room. At least he seemed to be taking things seriously. He was masked and wearing a gown with booties, like Ailan was.
“Discord... why are you taking such an interest in this... in us?”
Slinking over closer and half sitting in a crouch, Ailan watched as the mismatched creature looked down at the earth pony on the bed.
“The truth? Because I have never in my life seen such dedication. Oh, I am sure it was there, but I was too busy having fun to see it. Now that I see the truth and magic in friendship, my eyes are more open to other things going on around me.”
Discord tilted his head a bit. “You are going to say no, aren't you?” it was more of a statement not a question.
Ailan looked back to his husband and gave a little soft controlled sob. “Y... Yes. How can I ask something like that? I am just one pony, Rescue is just one pony.”
The draconequus glanced over at the pegasus, then back to the earth pony on the bed, listening for a time to the hiss and chug of the breathing machine that was keeping him alive.
“Let me venture this to you, Ailan Sempar. No one has said you have to ask at all. In fact, I believe I observed nine of the most powerful ponies in all of existence, along with two of perhaps the most dedicated foals I have come across, and one broken-hearted father, openly offer to pay the price for a chance to see your husband there once more.” gesturing to Rescue.
“All to give you and he the opportunity to grow old together, to teach your son to be a stallion, and perhaps save a life or two. Then again, I am just the god of chaos, what do I know?”
Before Ailan could speak, the avian-like claw lifted up and he snapped his fingers. Just like that, he was gone with a soft pop of air. Ailan frowned and looked back to Rescue, remaining quiet as can be.
---
Twilight found herself leaning on Celestia, still in the private room. All the others had gone out to talk, or to rest. Discord had gone off to who knows where. Right now, the purple alicorn was watching Spike who was sleeping in the chair across the room. In it, pressed in close, was Sweetie Belle, her head resting on his leg.
“He grew up, well, is growing up, isn’t he?”
Celestia peered over to the young dragon, and then down at the smaller alicorn pressed to her side. The same feeling of motherhood swelled up inside her chest, as she lifted her wing and looped it around Twilight.
“He is, as have you, Twilight. I am proud of you both more than I have words for.”
Not looking up at her former mentor, the purple mare exhaled. “Do we have a right to cast this spell, Celestia? Do we have a right to tamper with something so powerful and life-altering?”
Celestia shut her mouth and was silent for some time. She looked over at the sleeping young couple, trying to weigh what was the right answer.
“I believe, if Ailan decides it's right, then yes. I... am not thrilled with the idea, in fact, I wish Cadence had never brought it up. However, with the sacrifice Discord gave of his honor, and how you stepped up first to offer to pay the price asked, I think in that moment, it became the right thing to do.”
Twilight then spoke in a very soft voice. “Are you... disappointed in me for that?”
Celestia shook her head. “Far from it, Twilight. You have proven time and time again that your loyalty, love, and passion for good, can carry the day. I, in truth, stand in awe of all of you. I have lived and ruled for thousands of years. Never have I seen so many come together to help one pony. I said it when you ascended, Twilight, and I mean it now as I did then.”
She then turned enough to lift a hoof under the purple princess' chin and look down into her eyes.
“You... are an inspiration to us all, even to me, Twilight. You have exceeded everything I could have ever hoped, and continue to do such every day. One day, thousands of years from now, I will pass on with my sister into the beyond. I will leave behind somepony I know in my heart will stand proud and sure. Somepony who will guide and teach, and keep everypony safe.”
Lowering her ears, she tucked her face into the sun goddess’s shoulder to hide the blush there.
“Thank you. I... I will do my best.”
---
Rainbow Dash laid in another small waiting room, the rest of the girls around her. She looked over at Fluttershy, who was not sleeping but resting with her eyes closed.
“Flutters, why did he do that?”
Teal eyes opened and the butter-yellow pegasus turned her head. Looking over at her oldest and best friend, she smiled very softly.
“I really don’t know, Rainbow. I have been laying here thinking about it. It was so unlike him, and yet, it was so typical of him.”
Blue wings fluttered and settled back in at her side once more. “Yeah, I guess. I just,” she stopped, giving a long exhale of air.
“He doesn’t even really know the Chief or his husband well.”
“I don’t think that was the reason, Rainbow.” Rarity spoke next. “I think he knew the outcome of the promise we had to make, and I think he made the choice to protect his only friends the best way he could.”
Dash thought about that for a bit, then nodded in agreement. “Yeah, that kinda makes sense, I guess. I mean, for him.”
“D... do you girls think the Chief is going to be okay?” Pinkie, who had taken things very hard, had been sleeping but woke up a bit ago, her mane flat, her tail with none of the poofy bounce to it. She looked over at Rainbow Dash, one of her best friends.
“I don’t know, Pinkie, but, if Ailan says yes, well. We will give it all we've got, right?”
Watching Pinkie nod and lay her head back down, Rainbow stood up and trotted over, laying down once again, pressed up to the pink party pony.
“Hey, then you get to throw a party for him, okay?”
The mare gave a semi-smile. “Yeah, I will. I will even make him that No-Rum-In-It-because-you-can't-have-Rum-Rum cake he likes.”
---
Luna had chosen to sit outside and look up at her beautiful night sky, staring straight up at the star-encrusted space beyond the earth. She knew they should all be sleeping, but, who was going to be able to sleep right now? Her ear flicked and lifted hearing a noise, and turning her head to look.
“Sorry, Aunt Luna. I... I just needed to be near someone.”
Spotting Cadence, her mane was a mess, and her wings needed preening. The young alicorn of love was taking things very seriously.
“We are glad for the company, our niece. We are thinking about Rescue and... unsure of what we should do.”
Cadence sat down next to the slightly larger, dark-colored mare. “He really is one of your friends, isn’t he?”
Luna gave a soft nod. “He was a broken stallion when I found his dreams. We spent months every night working on them. In that time I came to care for him. I know that I should not but, I do,” having broken out of her typical speech patterns for a bit.
Cadence looked up at the sky once more. “Was I wrong to bring this up?”
Luna shook her head quickly. “No, thou—sorry you, were right. Now, only if Ailan will see the hope and love being offered.”
Cadence gave a little smile. “You know, Discord went to talk to him. I have never seen the lord of chaos so worried about one pony and one event before.”
Luna gave a little hum noise and nodded her head. “Perhaps it is time we forgive Discord. It has been thousands of years.”
Cadence smiled warmer still at that statement. “If I did not know better my beloved aunt, I would say you have been reading Twilight’s friendship reports.”
Luna huffed. “We may have glanced at them in our spare time.”
---
Two more hours later, a quiet voice had asked them to gather once more in the room. Ailan had his head down, his eyes bloodshot and puffy. Luna was holding him gently with a wing to her side to help him stay upright.
In a voice that was nothing like the confident and cocky stallion's tone. He spoke as he forced his eyes to each pony in the room.
“If... if we do this, he has to know. He has to be told it all.”
Eyes glanced around, each pony in turn looking to Discord who tapped his chin for a moment with a lion finger.
“It would not be a violation of the oath, he is the subject of the spell, after all. I think ol’ order will give me a tiny bend on this.”
Pinkie Pie lifted her head some. “Order?”
Celestia spoke very lightly with her same calm, yet serious tone.
“Order is to Chaos, Law is to Unrest, Laughter is to Sadness. Each of the gods and spirits have their counterpart. However, Order is the highest of them, Chaos is only second to him.”
Discord snorted. “Not that Order ever had a lick of fun,” rolling his eyes.
Applejack looked around then lifted her head, setting her body and jaw in that way only she could, making it clear she had made up her mind.
“So, are y’all are gonna do this?”
After a moment looking around, each pony in turn gave a nod of their head. All looked back to Ailan. The pegasus lowered his ears.
“I... I don’t have words, even if this doesn’t work. T-thank you. Thank you, all.”
Luna squeezed the emotionally-drained big-winged pegasus lightly. “We shall prepare. This will need to be done someplace away from others. Sister, not even our guards may observe.”
Celestia nodded her head. “Twilight, can you teleport yourself and the Chief, along with all the medical gear, say… half a mile, to the edge of the Everfree?”
The purple alicorn thought for a moment then gave a nod. “I think so, yes, as long as I can rest for a few minutes after that, before we get started.”
Ailan tuned out all of the magic talk, Ailan tuned out because he went limp. His body, up for forty-eight hours, finally gave out and he passed out. It was only Luna’s wing and the quick action of Celestia grabbing him in magic that kept him from face-planting into the ground.
“Y’all put him on my back, ah will carry him over to the next room to sleep while we get stuff done.”
Applejack didn’t even flex at the weight of the stallion, as Celestia lay the unconscious male on the earth pony's back. She just turned and trotted out. Pinkie did smile just a tiny bit, as did Twilight who was standing next to her, both girls hearing Applejack mutter on the way past.
“Darn stallion, ‘bout as stubborn as your husband.”