Chapter 3

"Window Repairing"

It was just after dark by the time Discord had reached Canterlot castle. He knew that Princess Luna and the night guard were on duty and that he had to work fast to finish what he had set out to do. Quickly disguising himself as a member of the night guard, Discord began to make his way towards his target, which was the stained glass windows in the castle's throne room that now possessed depictions of himself and Tirek as well as several crude depictions targeting the princesses. But, just as he was about to reach the windows, an alicorn with a long flowing blue mane and tail saw him.

"What are you doing here, guardsman?" asked the alicorn and Discord could see that it was Princess Luna standing in front of him. "You should be at your post."

Knowing that he had to respond, Discord began to talk in a very gruff voice almost like he had a hairball caught in his throat.

"Uh, going to investigate a disturbance, your highness," he replied to the Princess of the Night. "There was an intruder of some sorts. Too dangerous for yourself, of course, you know how it is."

Luna was baffled for a moment at this. For all she was concerned, her guards would never act this way in front of her. Nevertheless, she nodded to the disguised Discord and although she was suspicious, walked away to resume her duties as Princess of the Night. With Luna gone, Discord took in a heavy sigh of relief and made his way into the throne room.

"That was close," he thought as he shed his disguise. "I need to work fast before Celestia raises the sun."

Discord then began to take action and moved towards the first window that was now depicting him and Tirek slicing a cucumber sandwich. Snapping his fingers, Discord removed the window and it changed back into the depiction of Twilight and her friends defeating Nightmare Moon.

"Heh," he chuckled to himself as he looked at the depiction in front of him. "Who knew Princess Luna had a dark side? Perhaps maybe we should hang out together or something."

Next, Discord moved to a window depiction of himself giving a thumbs up and snapped his fingers, reversing the window back to the moment where Twilight and her friends defeated him the first time. This was a very sentimental moment for Discord as he felt that going back to his stone prison was a sign of his future reformation.

"This was the day that my life was changed forever," he whispered to himself, as he looked at the depiction of his second defeat. "I was a free creature that day and corrupted Twilight Sparkle and her friends allowing me to do what I wanted do."

He then moved along and got several more windows changed back to their original depictions and with each window returned to normal was another memory of his time with Tirek removed from his mind.

But it wasn't until he returned the depiction of Princess Cadence and Shining Armor defeating Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings at their wedding a while back did the emotions start to settle in. A sound belonging to Shining Armor began to ring out in the back of Discord's mind as he looked up at the window.

"Back off, Traitor!"

And Discord knew that he was indeed a traitor and that was the whole purpose of why he was in Canterlot to begin with. He knew that he would never be loved after all that has happened but he felt like he needed to do something as a way of apologizing for his actions.

"I guess that you won't be bothered anymore after tonight, Shining Armor," Discord said sadly.

Then, the emotions really started to kick in when Discord had finished restoring the depiction of Spike saving the Crystal Empire. For he then moved to a window that made his heart sink: it was the depiction of Twilight's recent princess coronation that was melted by Tirek when he found out who Twilight was. Tears began to form in Discord's eyes when he gazed up at it. Almost immediately, Discord got down on his knees and banged his lion's paw down on the ground.

"I can't believe I did all of this," he thought to himself in despair. "I almost took away everything that these ponies had accomplished throughout their lives. Had I not joined sides then none of this would have happened. Twilight, I just hope you, your friends and fellow princesses can find it in your hearts to fully forgive me for what I have done to you."

He then got up and planted himself against the melted window and began to cry quietly. It was very rare of Discord to show his emotional side, but this was completely different. He knew that this window along with all the others was very important to his friends and especially to Princess Celestia herself. Twilight's coronation was the most important event in her life as well as Twilight's life and it was because of Discord and Tirek did this important moment nearly end up being erased. He may not have been at the ceremony personally, but Discord could always be reminded of it through this window.

After a few moments, he broke off of the window and snapped his fingers, returning the window to its former glory. But, Discord was not done for at the base of the window, he placed a parchment that he had written back at his tree:

"To all my friends and especially to you my dear Fluttershy,

I writing to you for the very last time as my deferring to Tirek have made me feel like I have no purpose

in Equestria. I have had a lot to think about since Tirek was brought back to Tartarus and it seems to me

like maybe it would be best if I chose not to be in your lives from now on. This was the best decision on

my part for if there was ever another escapee from Tartarus, I wouldn't be in the way. I have failed all

of you, and I have failed all of Equestria. But remember, when you look at my soon to be permanent

stone prison, I hope you remember me as a friend rather than the monster that I was to you.

Your friend,

Discord."

So, Discord stuck the parchment against the window and with a snap of his fingers disappeared just as Celestia came into the throne room after raising the sun. She looked up to see all of the windows back to their normal state, much to her pleasure as every single one of the windows were important to her. Celestia then came across the depiction of Twilight's coronation and although she was happy that Discord had returned it to normal, she looked over at the parchment that Discord had placed at the base of the window.

After looking at it for moment and reading what Discord had written, Celestia's heart sank and a look of despair came onto her face. She knew that Discord was going to do what she feared that he would do and that he needed to be stopped. Throwing the parchment on the floor, Celestia began to sprint out of the throne room as fast as her legs would let her.

"LUNA! CADENCE!" Celestia cried as she ran out of the throne room, trying to warn her sister and niece of what Discord was about to do.

It was now a race against time to stop Discord from ridding himself from Equestria permanently.