Agents of Discord

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 78 What to do about the invitations

By the time Aerie and Luna made it to their front door of their cottage the last edition of the morning papers were out. Twilight was getting the lion’s share of the credit. On the cover was a picture of Shining Armor kissing Princess Cadance.

“You OK with that?” Luna asked as they entered the house, the paper in Aerie’s telekinetic aura.

“Ya, it’s fine. The rest of the world doesn’t need to know about me. That and the Nobles are calling for an inquiry. I for one have no desire to get caught in that circus.”

“Pore Princess Luna is going to have to explain about the Night Wing.”

“She’ll think of something. They are being proclaimed heroes and every pony loves her right now.” Aerie dropped the paper on the kitchen table. “So, now that all the excitement is over…?”

“I’m going to go have a meeting with my sister and Queen Idol Hooves. I for one, do not want to see a repeat of this mess over in our world.”

“Alright, I’m going to go upstairs and maybe watch the BBC for a bit. Just relax and do nothing for a while.”

Aerie opened the door at the top of the landing, once more human, just as Aurora and the Crusaders were coming in the door.

“Aerie!” Aurora shouted, went to her, and gave her a big hug. “So, did they sort everything in Equestria?”

“Oh, ya, it’s all sorted now.”

“We got invites to go to Hogwarts!” The Crusaders chimed.

“Ya. Listen, girls. Right, I got the message that you all got invitations to go to Hogwarts. The only pony I’ve had a chance to talk to was Applejack.”

“Did she say I could go?” The tone was hopeful suppressed excitement.

“Apple Bloom, the only reason you got to come here is because your Granny doesn’t know it’s in another dimension. She thinks you are in Manehatten. And it’s Granny who decides on this matter. I’m sorry Apple Bloom, but right now she’s being extremely paranoid and isn’t likely to say yes to anything, let alone go to school in another dimension.”

“It’s gonna be a hard no. Ain’t it?”

“I’d say that’s a good possibility.” She took a breath. “Sweetie, go easy on your Mom. I’m going to try to come around this afternoon to talk to her, but right now I just need some time to unwind.”

“I’d say, you still have your pack on,” Moonie offered as she stepped forward, in human form, and hugged her. “What happened?”

“Later, I’ll tell you about it later.”

“Will I be able to go?” Scootaloo asked.

“I think we should talk to your Aunts, but I think it would do you good. Allow you to exercise your magic and, well… who knows what might happen?”

“You think my horn might grow?”

“I’d say it’s a distinct possibility.”

“We could tell every pony that it’s a special school in Canterlot,” Aurora offered.

“You mean bring them through the Canterlot door I’m gathering. Might need to get Princess Celestia’s help.”

“What if we got a changeling to take my place?” Apple Bloom asked to illicit a big sigh out of Aerie.

“No. Absolutely not.” Aerie stated. “Listen, there is something I need to tell you before you go through that door downstairs.”

“Does it have something to do with what you wanted to talk about?” Aurora asked.

“Queen Chrysalis swarmed the Changelings and invaded Canterlot. Everyone is alright. Everyone we know… so far as I know. Canterlot is a mess. There was fallout in Ponyville when Cadance and Shining Armor used their… what should I call it, an eviction spell? Anyway, they activated this massive spell that seemed to be derived from a shield spell that swept every single airborne Changeling out of the city and a bunch that hadn’t been airborne. Lings were raining all over the place and a lot of them got hurt and a lot were killed because they’d lost control and hit the ground going way too fast. It took me with it too because I was grappling with a ling

“The reason you need to go easy with your sisters is because they might be on the outs with Twilight. Twilight was able to see through the queen's disguise, and no one else could.”

“Not even you?” Aurora asked.

“I could. I supported Twilight but didn’t want to push it. Chrysalis had taken Cadance and took her place. She had everyone gas-lighted and we needed to find the real Cadance. Long story short, the real Cadance was freed, Twilight got her to Shining Armor, and we won. Girls, don’t ask me questions, there’s a paper downstairs.”

“Careful on the stairs!” Aurora called after the trio as they ran downstairs.

“Let’s get that pack off you,” Moonie offered. “And that hammer has some kind of enchantment on you.”

“Hammer?” Aurora asked, stepping back to see a very large hammer hanging from a strap at Aerie’s hip. The design of the hammer tapered from the center to the ends on the sides and top giving it the same silhouette as a Thor’s Hammer pendant, and had numerous designs and letters on it. And yes, it was entirely too large for her present frame. “What the? Where’d you get that? OK, let's be honest with ourselves, we both expected the changeling invasion was imminent when we saw the shield. Where'd the hammer come from?”

“Down in the mines under Canterlot.”

“What were you doing in the old mines?”

“That’s where the lings were establishing their new hive. I got cocooned.” She took a deep breath as a look of horror flashed across Aurora's face. "Things were a lot worse than any of us expected. I had to stop Chrysalis at any cost. I killed…” Aerie’s tone softened. “I killed hundreds of them. I’ve friends that are lings. I could see no other way. I had to cut a path for the others. I had to stop Chrysalis.”

“And you still haven't fully recovered from the expenditure,” Moonie pointed out.

“You’re still here.”

“Scootaloo is wearing the pendant. She has a surprisingly large manna reserve, and I doubt you could support me right now. Even with me generating some of my own magic.”

“You go watch some TV, take a nap, and you can tell us about it when you’ve better recovered,” Aurora offered.

“Ah, I need to go,” Moonie stated, dropped the pack and vanished.

“You take it easy, and I’ll go see why she just took off like that.”

“Ponies are being paranoid right now. They probably got tied up with an idiot.”

“Right… I’ll be back shortly,” Aurora promised and went downstairs.

Aerie let out a sigh, reached down, picked up the pack, slung it over her shoulder, and went downstairs herself. This time she was going to deposit pack and hammer in her bedroom and take a nap, surprised that even with her mom’s assistance she’d become so exhausted so soon.

Moonie popped in just as guards and angry ponies were surrounding the Crusaders. “What is the meaning of this!”

“They’re Changelings!” Diamond Tiara shouted. She’d a malicious smile on her face. “They were gone all weekend, and the trains aren’t even running, and now they are just strutting down the street thinking no one will notice.”

“What’s going on here?! Sweetie?” Rarity shouted as she ran up.

“Mom!” Sweetie was in a near panic, bolted, and a moment later was being hugged by Rarity.

“That proves it!” Diamond shouted triumphantly.

“Silence!”

Every pony cringed at the sound of the Canterlot voice, but it wasn’t Moonie. Aurora stepped up to Diamond.

“Care to explain to me why you hate Scootaloo?” Golden energy rippled off of Aurora. “Or is it just the three of them in general? Well?” Diamond took a step back. “For your information, we spent the past three days playing O & O. And yes, I knew what was going on so I deliberately kept them engrossed in the game to keep them from getting underfoot.” Playing the adventure game had been the perfect cover in case anyone got too curious. After all, they’d been seen going into the house if any pony was paying attention and only a select few ponies knew that there was more than one way out of that house.

“But, but, she called Rarity, mom,” Diamond pleaded. Grasping for straws was more like it. That and it was more than likely her mother who’d been spreading rumors about Rarity and Sweetie Belle.

“She is my daughter,” Rarity stated. “Her father was a Guards Pony. Hondo and Cookie are her grandparents, not her parents, and she is not illegitimate.”

“Mam?” one of the guards asked.

“Rothwell Belle. Canterlot Guard. We were newlyweds. He responded to a bar fight in the lower quarter and was killed by a Griffin.”

“Rarity…” Aurora said softly. She had to remind herself that every dimension was a little different. She turned back to Diamond. “Go home, Diamond. And try being a decent pony before someone mistakes you for a Changeling.”

“I’ll do-eep!” Diamond was about to say that she could do what she wanted, felt the unmistakable sting of being hit by a spell, and suddenly found herself compelled to go home.

“Alright, nothing to see here,” One of the older guards ordered. “Sorry mam, I knew him. He was a good guard. - Come on let's go. Just a hysterical filly.”

“Sorry you guys had to go through that,” Aurora offered. “And I hear your weekend was considerably more exciting than ours. Aerie told us.”

“Did you hear that Twilight’s not talking to us?”

“Is she back?”

“Well, no. But she…”

“She’ll forgive you. After all, you aren’t the ones who were practically raised by Cadance.”

“Practically raised?”

“Indeed. But…”

“Aerie said she’d just good at predicting. But you knew. Talking us into letting the Crusaders go with you, to spend the weekend with you the moment you saw that shield over Canterlot.”

“Yes, I’ve been through this. Glad I missed it this time around.”

“And you just let it happen? You knew, and you just let it happen?”

“Like I said, Twilight was practically raised by Princess Cadance. Princess Celestia has known Twilight since Twilight was four. Princess Celestia knows about Changelings, and yet…”

“She shut down Twilight. We were all making excuses for that creature's behavior. We were all so well entrenched in making sure that wedding happened that when Twilight sounded the alarm, none of us would listen.”

“And Twilight is not good at expressing herself when it's personal. Maybe Aerie could have spoken up, but what were they to do without the real Cadance?”

“I really don’t know. The number of lings, there were so many that they’d overwhelmed the Canterlot guard. I’m to understand that if not for the timely arrival of the Night Wing out of Hollow Shades Twilight might not have been able to make it to the castle with Princess Cadance.”

“At least it's all over now save for ponies getting all paranoid. - Now, there was something else we needed to talk about. Probably shouldn't talk out here.”

“Let’s go back to my shop then. What about the girls?”

“It does involve them.” Aurora paused. “Apple Bloom, why don’t you head on home? And don’t look so blue, we haven't given up completely.”

“Hey, you feeling any better,” Aurora asked Aerie. The two were in their bedroom, Aerie lying on the bed, Aurora sitting on the edge.

“Ya, I’m fine. I’m just running out of steam way too fast.”

“Luna, your mom, is here. She gave you a little more of her magic. She says you’ll be fine in a few days.”

“That’s good. Imagine trying to explain to the people at Hogwarts that I’m magically exhausted thanks to a battle with a mad Changeling Queen.”

“Doubt they’d believe you and make you do twice as many assignments. - Now, Lofty and Holiday are here. Are you up to having dinner?”

“Eat and sleep is what I’ll be doing until I’m fully recharged,” Aerie offered as she got up. She straightened herself out as best she could and headed out to the main room of the flat.

“Aerie… you did have us worried,” Lofty said in greeting.

“I’ll be fine,” Aerie protested.

“I mean about Scootaloo.”

“Scootaloo?” Aerie asked as she sat in one of the chairs.

“I was a bit cryptic in the telegram. Fortunately, the trains are running again,” Aurora offered.

“Let’s just cut right to the chase,” Aerie replied. “There are certain things about this house that we haven't told you.”

“I’m aware that the house has a reputation,” Holiday said. “Certainly nothing Scootaloo can’t manage, after all, she’s lived here several months now.”

“Pull the curtain back on the window and have a look,” Aerie instructed and then waited.

“Allow me,” Aurora offered as she’d not yet sat down.

The view out the front window was undoubtedly Canterlot City. Damage to the building across the way could be seen, and there was a stream of trades-ponies going back and forth either toting construction equipment or hauling rubble to be dumped.

“That… that look’s like…”

“It is. Welcome to the house that Discord built,” Aerie supplied. “Canterlot. The house connects to two Canterlot Cities. That’s the local one.”

“I don’t understand?” Lofty asked.

“Princess Celestia knows about it,” Aurora informed them. “In fact, they both know about it.” She closed the curtain and then went to sit down. “And I’ve got a confession. I’m from yet another world, and the reason I look so much like Sunset is because I’m her counterpart.”

“Parallel worlds,” Aerie supplied. “Each with their own little quirks. One world has an Obnoxious self-serving Sunset Shimmer while another is a loving caring version of her.”

“The reason we are telling you this is that the CMC has received invitations to attend a very prestigious school of magic,” Aurora informed them.

“Ah, let me guess, it’s in another dimension,” Lofty stated.

“It is,” Aerie confirmed. “Right now it looks like we are probably going to get a hard no from the Apples for Apple Bloom. Applejack knows, but no one else in her family knows.”

“And if Granny Smith learns the truth she is just as likely to show up at your doorstep with pitchforks and torches,” Holiday stated with an air of finality.

“I’ve talked to Rarity, and she’s on the fence. She wants Sweetie to go to Princess Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns, and she’s got the raw power to get in.”

“And despite my reservations about the school, I’d like Scootaloo to go. I’ve got a hunch that their methods could induce her horn to grow.”

“I see,” Holiday said softly.

“I’m assuming you want our blessing,” Lofty stated. “Just one thing, what are you going to tell everyone in Ponyville?”

“I’d think that’d be obvious,” Aurora replied with a big smile and a tilt of her head to the window.

Author's Note:

I almost forgot. It is the weekend after all and that's when I post.

Happy New Year!

Comments

[Theresa hall]

Yeah never did understand the whole diamond Tira hating the cmcs. I get that mom says you are better than them but she was always going out her way to make them miserable more than anyone else.

[KittyrinnAiko]

11787717
Unfortunately, I've run into my fair share of people like that. It's generally a combination of poor self-esteem and someone has either taught them to behave like that or allowed bad behavior. I saw a news report about a fourteen-year-old who shot his sister. Why does a fourteen-year-old even have a handgun and why is it no one took it away from him when they had the chance?!?!!

So ya, real-life Diamond Tiaras exist. Only we call them Carens.

[harts fire]

Oh i would love to be Q in this story line as there are a few pony's that need a wake-up call.

i am loving this story line and were it is heading.