• Published 4th Aug 2019
  • 2,837 Views, 10 Comments

Discord Between the Worlds - Bronyxy



It’s the last day of term and Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna are kicking back for a few hours peace after a stressful school year. Suddenly there’s a ring at the doorbell, but they don’t have a doorbell. Who has come to see them, and why?

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5 A Transport of Delight

A slight ripple spread across the surface of the Crystal Mirror heralding the arrival of two travellers stepping out together to set hoof back in Equestria.
“Oh Discord!” chirped Fluttershy happily upon unexpectedly seeing her friend. That was not the reaction of either of the other two ponies present, both of whom had been expecting Twilight as Sunset’s plus one and were somewhat more subdued at his arrival.

“My, that was fun!” he enthused, “Reminds me of the time when I accidentally got stuck in a kaleidoscope.”
“You never told me about that” remarked Fluttershy.
“It was far more shocking for the young colt who was looking into it and saw me waving back at him …”
“Oh my” gasped Fluttershy, her tender blue eyes growing wide with empathy, “Was he traumatised?”
“Not until I squeezed myself out of the eyepiece.”
“How gross!” chastised Rarity primly making a sour face, while Applejack shook her head and rolled her eyes.

“Hey, guys” Sunset broke in, “Twilight thinks there’s some magic loose in Canterlot Castle and Discord’s going to help us.”
“Shall we go?” he asked, “Sooner we start, the better, wouldn’t you say? I can take us there if you wish.
“Thank you Discord, that would be nice” agreed Fluttershy, expecting him to teleport them there, but when he snapped his fingers, she was a little disappointed to find that they hadn’t moved.
“Our transport awaits” he announced proudly, “Follow me.”
The friends did as they were bidden and found themselves led out onto Twilight’s balcony where five giant koi carp hovered expectantly, all tacked up with reins, saddle and stirrups and ready to go.

“You don’t seriously expect me to ride on one of those, do you?” Rarity complained petulantly.
“Oh, very well” he sighed and snapped his fingers as a four posted howdah complete with sun canopy popped into existence on the back of one of them, “Now …?”
“If I must” pouted Rarity, raising her nose high in the air and climbing aboard.
“Well I think you’re very nice” said Fluttershy patting her fish appreciatively.
Allons y!” cried Discord from the front, wearing a cavalry hat and brandishing a sword theatrically in his raised paw, which he then lowered to point assertively towards Canterlot like a brave general leading a heroic charge.

The friends all took firm hold of their reins, except for Rarity who reclined luxuriantly on the plush seating atop her mount and watched as what was surely the oddest convoy ever seen in Equestrian skies set off. The fish made gentle swishing movements and in a few moments had accelerated from a fairly uneventful and languid pace to one so fast that it seemed to make the very clouds part for fear of being hit. Applejack whooped her excitement while Fluttershy closed her eyes and whimpered, but the fish all flew with an uncanny certainty of their every movement that would have given even the Wonderbolts a run for their money.

Within a few minutes they had covered the distance that would have taken hours by train and slowed down as Canterlot Castle came into view.
“Hey, Discord!” called Sunset, “Neat way to travel!”
“Oh, it’s nothing really” he replied nonchalantly, “ A friend at JPL owed me a favour.”
“What’s JPL?” she asked quizzically.
“The Jellyfish Propulsion Laboratory at Bass Adena; they’re really awfully clever. For ponies, that is.”

The fish all came to a halt by the Royal Balcony, although it looked for all the world as they were docking nose in like boats, all except for Rarity’s which was guided alongside with flawless precision. One by one, the friends dismounted, Fluttershy taking time to pet hers and say a nice thank you.

Princess Celestia, alerted by the guards, strutted out assertively onto the balcony, which everypony knew was a part of the castle reserved exclusively for the Princesses and their specially invited guests, ready to deal personally with such a breach of protocol. As soon as she saw Sunset and some of her closest friends, her pace relaxed and the confrontational glare she had worn instantly melted into a warm smile of welcome.

“Sunset, Rarity” she greeted, “Welcome; you too Applejack and Fluttershy; oh, and Discord too, I see. I might have guessed you would be behind such unusual transport.”
“Princess Celestia” he replied warmly, producing a bouquet of flowers from behind him, “Always a delight to see you. Even if you weren’t the Sun Princess, you would still brighten up my day …”
“OK Discord, enough” she said, trying unsuccessfully to withhold a smile, “What do you want?”
“Honestly, if I wasn’t so evolved, I would feel insulted that you should think me that shallow.”
“But we both know you are, so what can I do for you?”

As Discord and Sunset proceeded to outline Twilight’s theory about the leak of magic from Equestria going into the human world, Princess Luna came to join the party, greeting the friends and then listening intently.
“That is a cleverly thought out hypothesis indeed” she concurred, “Shall we adjourn to the Throne Room and see if such a magic residue still resides there?”

The pure white mare led the friends towards the door leading off the balcony, engrossed in catching up with Sunset, while Luna hung behind to learn more from Discord about this other world which she yearned to see for herself. As he approached her, he turned to look back and snapped his fingers, whereupon the fish disappeared, returned to wherever he had borrowed them from in the first place.

“I must say what a pleasure it is that you should choose to wait for me“ he commended, ramping up the charm, “Why, I was looking for an opportunity to complement you on that wonderful new display in the east of the night sky that you only just completed.”
She blushed deeply, her embarrassment showing clearly even through her midnight blue fur.
“I … I am touched that you noticed” she stammered.
“Why, I stay up every night just for the exquisite joy of watching the majesty of the night sky unfold” he said, leaning his head against hers and curling his tail around her.
“Discord” called Celestia from the doorway, tapping a forehoof gently on the doorframe and wearing an admonishing look in her eyes, “Put my sister down, please.”
“But we were getting on so well …” he protested, feigning emotional hurt.
“She doesn’t know you like I know you, you old rogue” she added.
I do so despise bossy mares” he grumbled under his breath, but caught a sly wink from Luna who had remained beside him.
Older sister issues” she whispered back pleasantly, and they both shared a secret smile before catching up to the rest of the party.