“Nightmare night what a fright give us something sweet to bite!”

Twilight smiled as she moved through the crowd mingling in the gardens just outside the Canterlot castle ballroom. The mare watched the foals receive their candy with glee before rushing off to find another group of castle staff that were hiding all around the premises, giving out loot to any filly or colt that could find them. This was sure to be a grand event, the first of its kind and all the ponies who could make the trip were in attendance.

This gathering was to be something special, Luna herself had taken charge of the event and turned the entire castle into a nightmarish wonderland. All in good fun of course. After her second time of playing Nightmare Moon for the youth of Ponyville the princess had commissioned a new addition to the holiday festivities already held for the occasion. Thus, the Nightmare Night ball was born, a gathering for all who wished to attend.

With a slight giggle Twilight watched as the ravenous foals nearly bowled over an unsuspecting guard as they spotted the saddlebag of candy he not so secretly carried. It was all over in moments, the poor fool never stood a chance. Even Celestia’s finest were no match for the pure desire for sugary goodness.

Carefully stepping around the mass of flailing limbs and empty candy wrappers Twilight ignored the cry for help with an amused grin as she made her way towards the doors to the ballroom, the place her friends had agreed to meet. She occasionally glanced about as she went, admiring the decorations that clearly had a lot of thought put into them.

There were monsters of all kinds hidden in the shadows around the gardens and ghostly apparitions floated through the air above, occasionally emitting mournful calls to one another. To complete this wonderful display and to strengthen the atmosphere, the ground had been carefully shrouded with a thin wispy layer of dark blue fog. Luna had even taken the time to decorate the sky itself as the stars were drawn into patterns that had been made to look as though giant eyes watched the party below. Nearly tripping as she came to a set of carved marble steps, Twilight brought her gaze back to the path before her and approached the towering double doors leading to the ballroom within.

Not to be outdone by the décor outside, the grand space of the ballroom was nearly unrecognizable from its usual self. The same fog from the gardens was present here as well, though thicker and it moved and swirled on its own accord as though caught in a breeze. The vapor coiled up around the many pillars and along the walls. Only to fade when it reached the ceiling, which had an enchantment about it causing it to disappear from view, showing off the night sky above. To finish off the lovely effect, a dozen or so small stars floated about the space in place of the chandeliers that would normally be found there.

Off to the left and floating off the floor slightly was a stage supporting an orchestra group playing what she thought was exceptionally fitting music, it was very creepy. Twilight found herself humming along to the music as she gave a familiar gray earth mare a nod while she played. The cello complimenting the other woodwinds perfectly as she made her way around the few ponies that had taken to the dance floor in search of the others.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Staff Sergeant Rustwing of Her Majesty’s Elite Fighting Pegasi leaned heavily upon the balcony railing as he watched the festivities in the gardens below. His gaze tracking first one pony, then another before catching sight of one of the M.V.P’s on his list of ponies to observe while attending the ball. He watched the bearer of magic as she made her way up the stairs and into the castle proper.

A hint of amusement flashed over his face, just long enough to make itself known. He had missed this place he thought, listening to the playful hollers of the private bellow being roughed up for more chocolate bars. Celestias finest, indeed.

He ran a hoof absentmindedly along the serrated gauntlets he wore over his forelegs. The serrations were actually layered armor plates with sharpened edges that allowed his gauntlets to act as both armor and weapons. They were scuffed and chipped from a decade of hard fighting in a war few here even cared to remember, and fewer still beyond Canterlot even knew of it’s existence. The conflict had been a long time border dispute along the edge of the Changeling Desert. But they had finally won, he thought flexing his limb in such a way his gauntlet released the spring loaded blade hidden within. Thanks to a few good ponies, who had given everything.

Rustling his wings the goldenrod stallion examined the blade as he reminisced around its every detail, that chip near the end caused by the thick chitin covered armor of a changeling enforcer. Or that long scratch down the side where a warrior drone had grabbed it in its sturdy jaws.

Rustwing was drawn from his thoughts at the sound of the door further down the hallway behind him opening, signaling the departure of the group of servants seeing to the princess within the chamber. That was his queue to proceed.

Re-sheathing his blade the soldier made for the door, pausing in front of the guard as he lowered a short spear into his path. “Staff Sergeant Rustwing reporting to escort duty for her Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,” Rustwing stated briskly, narrowing his eyes slightly at the guard’s momentary look of surprise that flashed across his features. The Pegasus stood taller than the officer in front of him, boasting an Earth pony-like build that many found imposing.

After a moment to look the newcomer over the guard raised his weapon and nodded. “Yes of course Staff Sergeant. The princess is expecting you,” he said horn glowing an eerie green color that reminded Rustwing all too much of the hue of Changeling magic, if it were any closer to the right shade it would have made his hair stand on end. As the door swung open in the Unicorn’s magical grip the Pegasus nodded and walked into the room.

“Ahh. Staff Sergeant Rustwing, do come in,” came a soft soothing voice from over near the far wall, accompanied by the sound of a brush moving through mane. On closer inspection the stallion took in his surroundings before his gaze finally fell upon the Princess herself. The lovely mare meticulously adding the final touches to her rather impressive hairdo. He paused near the center of the room and took a deep bow, his nose stopping mere inches from the floor. “Staff Sergeant Rustwing reporting for duty, as requested. Your highness,” he said with a tone of near reverence. He slowly rose from his bow to look at her.

Setting down her brush she turned to look at him over her shoulder with calculating eyes, her gaze seeming to pass clean through his own eyes and into his soul. “Just Cadence, if you please Rustwing,” she said turning back to her work and smiling at him in the large mirror in front of her. “I never have been fond of titles. Especially ones that would put me above anypony else.”

“Yes your highne…” he halted himself with gritted teeth. “As you wish, Cadence,” Rustwing said awkwardly with a forced smile. He realized with a start just how out of practice he had become with simple, pleasant conversation. He had been gone a long time, and it was showing as he made another attempt. Or would have had the princess not beat him to it.

“There is no need to be so tense,” she said with a giggle as she inspected an assortment of perfumes laid out on the dresser. To her surprise the words seemed to backfire as the Pegasus did what she thought was impossible at this point and stood even straighter. “I know you are here on orders but,” she selected a bottle and gave it a short spurt to her mane. “I want you to have fun out there, alright? This is supposed to be a part of your shore leave after all,” Cadence returned the bottle and again levitated the brush. “Now go make some friends, you’re going to be stuck with my usual entourage for the evening and I would like it if you were all acquainted before hoof.”

The Pegasus bristled slightly at this, he was supposed to be busy strengthening security. He already had to keep an eye on multiple V.I.P’s and he had to guard a door, whoever thought up his assignment needed a swift kick in the head he thought. He had much better things he could be doing than, making friends. “Is that an order, ma’am?” He asked, careful not to let the annoyance enter his voice. He would never question a princess, never, although the fact remained. He was here for her protection, not fraternization.

Cadence flashed him a knowing glance and followed with a sly smile that surprised him greatly to say the least. “Only if it needs to be,” she smirked before making a shooing motion towards the doors behind him.

He bowed again before turning to leave. ‘Well, that went well,’ he thought to himself as he reached the thick oaken door to the hall. ‘Broad Sword, you owe me one when your sorry flank gets back here,’ he reached for the door handle, then stopped as the mare called on him.
“Staff Sergeant, if you would not mind, there is one last thing,” she said looking back at him again with a look of curiosity framing her eyes. “When I was told of your joining us for the evening I requested your service file, I make a point to get to know those I spend my time with,” she said smiling again. “I was simply wondering, the file only had your surname, but made no further mention of what your given name might be. May I ask it of you?”

Rustwing rested his hoof against the door for a moment in thought, he had not seen that coming. Most ponies found his first name a little, odd. To say the least. But if the princess wanted to know, then who was he to deny her. “Alex. My full name is Alex Rustwing,” he said turning back to face her.

Cadence smiled and nodded, satisfied. “Thank you, Alex, that will be all,” she said, selecting another bottle off the table to examine. “We shall be joining the festivities shortly.”

“Yes my lady,” said the Pegasus with another low bow before he turned and stepped out of the room.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

“Ahh. Miss Sparkle, what a pleasure it is to see you again,” came a somewhat stuffy, formal toned voice that Twilight at first didn’t recognize as she turned to seek the speaker. Her face scrunched up before softening into recognition. “Obsidian Black,” she said smiling as he moved through the crowd to catch up with her. “Wow, it’s been awhile. How are you?”

The large bat pony stallion slid between two other chatting groups and came to a stop in front of the lavender mare. “Quite well my dear, quite well. In fact I have just returned from overseas on behalf of their majestie’s orders,” he said with his own smile as he looked her over, his eyes flashing momentarily as they found hers. “Goodness you’ve grown since last I saw you, and how is that rascally little dragon of yours?”

Twilight giggled softly. “You know him, still as rambunctious as always,” she said shaking her head. “Oh!” she hopped into the air with a grin on her face. “You simply must meet my friends, they would love to meet you,” the mare said giddily as she pranced in place.

Obsidian nodded in agreement. “That would be wonderful, Twilight,” he said glancing around the room. “I had noticed some of them around the place, most of them, all but one actually,” the stallion said looking back at her, his eyes flashing again as she met his gaze. “I must know, where is Applejack tonight?” He asked with a friendly grin, the mare seeming not to notice the enunciations in his tone, she just stared mindlessly for a moment before answering.

“She couldn’t make it tonight,” Twilight lamented as her ears drooped slightly. “She’s helping out with the festivities in Ponyville, most likely still at home right now though,” she said with a shrug. “Don’t worry, I’m sure you will get to meet her soon.”

Obsidian Black smiled as he laid a wing over her back and steered the now cooperative mare over to a shadowy corner away from other ponies, she followed without a fuss. “Me too Twilight, me too,” he muttered looking her in the eyes again with another smile. “I was never here,” he said in a dull monotone. “You have not seen me since living here in the castle and have no memory of this talk. Now walk slowly to the reception area, you will find your friends there. Ask them to accompany you to the upstairs balcony in five minutes,” and like a ghost, he was gone.

Twilight blinked as she found herself passing through the doors into the ballroom’s reception area, momentarily confused as to how she had arrived there. The last thing she could recall was watching Octavia play and thinking how she might enjoy learning to play herself. Just as her mind started to tell her something was amiss a certain fashionista called out to her in that patented high-pitched way she commonly did, thoroughly derailing her train of thought.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Lapis lazuli, or green quartz? Such a simple, near mindless, completely unimportant decision. Celestia stood before her floor to ceiling vanity mirror with a look of complete disinterest in her eye as she continued to gaze upon the tiny stone earrings she had chosen for the ball that evening. Not once truly even looking at herself, not once.

Her chambers were a far cry from their usual organized chaos of her daily work. Her posh bed was covered in ancient scrolls of old, pulled there from the bowels of the archives, read, then cast aside. Her sitting area near the balcony doors had fared little better. Scores of priceless tomes covered every inch of table and cushioned chair available. Accompanying all of this were the dozens of spent candles that had met their ends over the last few days.

Most troubling of all though, she thought with a sigh, was the pile of jewelry laying atop a table nearest the far side of the room. The color had continued to drain from the once vibrant and regal looking artifacts, leaving them a dull graying color.

There would be no hiding it much longer, soon Luna would know whether Celestia told her or not. She would eventually sense their fading power levels and come looking. Despite what she had led Twilight to believe, the two of them were still very much connected to the Elements. Once a bearer, always a bearer. The princess hung her head and inhaled deeply as she lost herself to thought.

“I like the green ones, personally, they bring out your eyes beautifully,” came an all too familiar voice from somewhere just in front of her. Celestias head shot up, a look of pure disbelief covering her features.

“Discord!” She shouted as anger filled her, her horn crackling with energy before she even thought of doing so. “How?” Celestia challenged as her wings began to flare with her growing desire to attack. “You cannot leave your prison,” the room brightened slightly as her power began to shine through her sides.

With a sly smile the Draconequus fully resolved in the mirror’s reflection. “Has anyone ever told you you’re angry when you’re beautiful?” He said tilting his head at her quizzically. “As to the how, I thought you would have heard,” Discord thought aloud as he scratched at his beard. He pointed to the pile of dull Elements behind her, a look of mock surprise flashing over his face, only to be replaced moments later. “With your precious Elements at odds with each other their powers over me no longer apply.”

Celestia stomped a hoof on the floor as a low growl grew within her throat. “What, do you want? Creature,” she spat, face darkening. Then her blood ran cold as her gaze found his eyes, the normally tiny red pupils having grown to occupy nearly the entire surface of the orbs. The growl died and her breath caught in her throat. She had not seen those eyes, since…

The face of the Draconequus smiled darkly as he saw her recognition. “What I want?” he said, features growing more serious. “Is to have a little chat, just the two of us,” Discord raised his talons in a snapping position. “Meet me in the gardens won’t you, tis a perfect evening after all,” and with that, he was gone.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Luna paced in a near perfect circle as she waited for her queue. From her hidden position just outside the castle gardens along the tree line of the forest she would swoop in on the foals as her sister told them the, much abbreviated, version of the tale of Nightmare Moon they had both agreed upon. She positively vibrated with excitement as she listened with impeccable Alicorn hearing to the party going on beyond the walls of hedge work.

As a means to pass the time, seeing as she had a good half hour to wait, Luna turned to her hobby of seeking out power levels that she recognized. It was something that she had grown to be rather good at, and had spent a great deal of time perfecting her talent. She closed her eyes as a soft glow lit around her horn.

“Hmm. Now let us see,” she mumbled under her breath as she looked about the castle grounds, seeking any familiar signatures. Nearly immediately she picked out Twilight Sparkle as she ascended the stairs into the ballroom, there was her sister of course.

Luna turned her attention away from the more obvious ones and focused elsewhere. There was a certain DJ she recognized preparing to take her place on stage after the current group. She looked out into the dance floor, finding Fancy Pants here was no surprise. Rarity, meh. Minuette, could swear she had a different name. Apparently some pony invited Chrysalis for whatever reaso… The Alicorn sighed heavily as she opened her eyes and scowled. “Shame, this night ‘twas going so well,” Luna said looking back over her shoulder as the Changeling queen moved out of the shadows.

Chrysalis smiled broadly as she approached. “My my, if it isn’t her royal highness,” she said elegantly, stopping just out of Luna’s reach with a searching glance. “This truly is a pleasure, meeting the Princess of the Night.”

Luna turned to face her with a scowl. “Chrysalis,” she said with a low growl in her throat, keeping her voice even. “What dost thou want?” The mare questioned as the flow of her mane quickened in pace, slipping back into the older vocabulary she favored when angered.

With a laugh of malice the changeling’s face grew a devilish smile as the air around her began to crackle with magical energy. “Why my dear,” she said coolly with a slight sneer. “I would have thought that was obvious,” A burst of green flame surged forward and exploded over the Lunar Princess.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

“Twilight darling!” Rarity squealed as she trotted up the stairs to wrap her in a tight hug, followed closely by the others. “Isn’t this place just fabulous? Luna has truly outdone herself, clearly she spared no detail,” the fashion pony gushed as she looked around at the décor with a gleam of excitement in her eye.

“It certainly is lovely,” Fluttershy commented from the side, voice considerably higher than usual, leaving it just over a whisper. “I…I wish Applejack was here to see it,” she said glancing around.

“Meh, she ain’t missing much,” Rainbow Dash muttered as she lazily hovered up the stairs behind Rarity. “I mean, don’t get me wrong it’s nice ‘an all,” she said rolling a hoof in front of her face while looking around at the decorations. “But it could really use about, twenty percent mo...” She froze as she caught sight of Gummy sitting on the top step, slowly shaking his head at her, his soulless eyes giving a silent warning. “Ugh. Never mind,” she mumbled to herself when the gator disappeared as another pony walked between them.

Rarity gave a soft titter before giving the rainbow Pegasus a cautioning look. “Now Rainbow Dash dear do be nice, Luna has clearly put a lot of effort into this. I expect you to be more supportive towards her work. You are the element of loyalty, after all,” she finished with a smirk.

Twilight giggled behind a hoof at the comment before glancing around at several passing ponies. “So where did Pinkie Pie get to? I thought she would be with you girls by now.”

“Oh she’ll be along in a moment,” Rarity said ignoring the glare from a red faced Rainbow Dash as she tried to form a fitting comeback. “We just left her downstairs, having a wonderful conversation with Zecora,” the Unicorn raised an eyebrow as she thought about the bizarre event. “About oranges, of all things.”

“Yeah it was great, Twi,” Rainbow said chuckling trying to stay airborne as she laughed. “You should’ve seen it. I don’t think I have ever seen such a bad case of twitchy eye,” she said before yelping in surprise as a ball of pink seemed to materialize from out of nowhere and hug her right out of the air.

“Dashy is right it was hilarious!” Pinkie beamed as she squished Rainbow Dash even closer to her side. “At first she was all like talking about her plight, and I was all like,” she nodded Dashs’ head up and down. “Then she was saying something all about garden blight, and I was all like,” she nodded Dashes head again, more vigorously rattling the mares’ eyeballs around in their sockets. “Then I remembered a letter my sister sent me two years ago about how our old orange tree caught some kind of blight, so I asked her,” Pinkie shut her mouth and her voice puppeteered from Rainbow’s mouth instead. “If you know about curing garden blight, do you know anything about curing tree blight? Specifically orange tree blight? Specifically Huanglongbing?” the pink mare looked up at the ceiling for a moment with a serious expression. “It’s a real tree disease people, look it up. Don’t worry, we’ll wait for you,” she looked down at a wristwatch and fell silent.

“Ok…” Twilight said looking to Fluttershy and then to Rarity, both of whom simply shrugged and looked back at her. A thought then flashed into her mind and she acted accordingly. “Would you all like to go to the balcony with me?”

Pinkie Pie instantly dropped a gasping Rainbow Dash to the floor. “Ohhhhhhh!” She hollered trotting up the stairs past the rest of the group. “Twilight is right, we’re going to want the best seats in the house for this one!” A knowing smile spreading over her face as she went.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Alex Rustwing took up his post just outside the door and to the left, opposite the guard whom had admitted him earlier. He shifted awkwardly on his hooves for a moment before letting out a sigh, orders were orders after all. Opening his mouth to make some introductions he looked to the guard next to him, but stopped himself as another pony approached from down the corridor. Moving towards them at a rather brisk pace was a young Pegasus private adorned in a shiny new set of armor. ‘This year’s fresh meat,’ Alex thought to himself as the stallion drew closer. ‘The buck kind of coat color is that anyway?’ Gamboge, came to mind.

The newly minted guard came to a stop just before the doors and gave a crisp salute to the officer in front of him. “Flash Sentry reporting with a message for her Princess Cadence, Sir,” he nearly shouted with the glee of a colt who could barely believe he was standing within a hundred miles of a royal. Let alone three of them. All in all, he did rather well. The addressed officer looked him over momentarily and nodded before opening the door with his magic and quickly ushering him inside.

Seeing the green hued glow of the officer’s magic once again caused Alex’s neck hair to stand just a little straighter. At first he tried to ignore the sensation, the color simply wasn’t right, though it certainly was close. Still, the hair was never wrong, and had saved his hide on more than one occasion. Perhaps he was merely jumpy. That many years of near death experiences would do that to a pony. His nostrils flared slightly as he took a deeper breath, searching for the faint scent of chitin. No matter how well a Changeling hid, there was always a tell tail hint of musty bug in the air. Nothing. He inhaled again but was immediately distracted by the guard across the hall from him clearing his throat for attention.

“That sure is a handsome set of armor yah got there sir,” the stallion said approvingly from his post. Like all the other guards in the room he was a unicorn of fairly decent build. For a unicorn. And just like the other guards in the room, he was nearly identical to his fellow soldiers. Almost perfectly identical, in fact.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

“Oh Flash. Do come in,” Cadence said with a warm smile as she scrutinized herself in the mirror. She turned and beckoned the young soldier forward from where he stood just inside the door. She looked at him expectantly, an air of excitement tinging her face. “Well?” She coaxed.

The Pegasus gave a smile of his own as he delivered the good news. “We just received word from our contact in Ponyville, Cadence,” he added with a light blush. “Shining Armor and the others just reported in, mission was a complete success. They boarded the train and should be arriving within the hour.”

The mare’s smile brightened at the news and she giggled softly under her breath as she turned back to the mirror. “Thank you Flash,” she said trying to contain her glee, and failing miserably. “And I’m glad to see you’re getting over that whole titles only nonsense the guard hammered into your skull.”

“Hours of practice ma’am,” he said before motioning back outside. “The party has started and I’m told Celestia will be making her speech soon,” Flash continued, a wistful look growing more noticeable over his muzzle.

Cadence gave him a wry smile in the mirror. “Tell you what Flash, why don’t you head down to the ballroom and see about saving us all a place on the balcony. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

His face lit up like a star as he moved towards the doors, an extra spring in his step. “Yes ma’am. I will get right on that,” he said turning swiftly to leave, only to stumble as the entire tower lurched and groaned sickeningly from some massive impact far below. Cracks spread throughout the room, travelling up walls and across the floor. The lights flickered out and the Pegasus heard glass shattering followed by a cry of pain.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Alex regarded the Unicorn across from him for a moment, something whispering in the back of his mind that wanted attention. Something his nose was trying to say. He brushed it aside as he instead reprocessed what had been said. With a well-practiced eye the Pegasus scrutinized the guard across the hall, reading every detail in an instant. Something just wasn’t right about him, what was it? “Thanks, it’s rather special to me,” He said brushing a hoof over the chest plate. The design adorning it was split down the middle, a sun on the left and a moon on the right. The entire chestplate had a white frame, the background behind the sun was yellow with a hint of orange, while the background behind the moon was a deep blue with a hint of purple. It was easily the most colorful and ornate piece of armor on the Pegasus, the rest of it was a simple silver with white trim.

“I can imagine,” the guard said, apparently wanting to strike up a conversation. “It looks familiar somehow. Have I seen you somewhere before?” He said squinting slightly with a look of deep thought flashing over his features. As he leaned forward Alex thought he caught a glimpse of a golden ring around his horn, hidden by his mane and helmet.

“I doubt it,” Alex said, standing just a little straighter, his muscles tensing slightly under his armor. He had seen that ring, somewhere. He glanced to his right at the officer next to him, just visible under his near identical mane and helmet was the same ring encircling his horn. The same exact horn right down to the tiny chip near the base. “I’ve been on assignment out in the badlands for an awfully long time, and I only got back just yesterday,” he said looking back, images of intense fighting flashing through his mind. Blades, chitin, and bright green ichor.

“What a coincidence,” the guard smiled as he brightened up. “I just transferred back last week from Fern Ridge, medical leave for a few broken ribs,” he said rolling a shoulder to stretch his side with a wince. “Doctor says no running for another two weeks, next thing I know they’re sticking my flank on guard duty.”

Rustwing’s wings lowered down his sides slightly as he tensed further, preparing for what was coming. “That’s a good cover story, or it would be if we hadn’t pulled out of Fern Ridge more than three months ago,” Alex said evenly, watching the officer next to him tense as well. He also took note of the other guard stationed next the one across from himself, and how his face was furrowing into confusion at what was being said. Alex cursed in his mind, poor bastard hadn’t figured it out yet. “My guess is your intelligence left out that little detail. Hmm?”

Silence reigned supreme in the hallway as the foursome traded glances with each other. Alex sighed under his breath as the fourth guard realized the situation developing around him. “Ahh buck,” he moaned, the grip on his spear tightening. Just as the tension reached near palpable levels and the Pegasus was certain all Tartarus was about to break lose, another voice echoed down the hallway with a hint of authority behind it.

“Excuse me gents, but could one of you possibly point me in the direction of her highnesses chamber?” Alex froze on the spot, he knew that voice. But to hear it again, here, was impossible. He turned to watch as a black as midnight pony with dark violet mane and tail walked slowly towards them from down the hall. The newcomer wore a set of armor similar to Rustwing’s, though of a much sleeker and more complicated design and was as dark in color as its wearer. A set of leathery wings and large bat ears served to complete the look of one of the deadliest weapons in the Equestrian arsenal.

“Obsidian Black?” Alex said, stumbling over the words as he spoke them. He barely even registered the other two guards flanking the newcomer as he continued to gawk. “But you’re…”

“Dead?” Obsidian said with a chuckle as he paused just outside of their circle. “Hardly, it’s good to see you again by the way,” he said with a smug tone.

Alex’s gaze flashed over the pair of guards standing just behind Obsidian, and his gut lurched into his throat. Each one of them was a unicorn stallion, nearly identical to each other. And both sported rings around their horns.

The bat pony smiled lightly as he watched a look of realization spread over the Pegasus’s face. “Now if you wouldn’t mind, Rustwing,” Obsidian said with a strange sense of formality. “I really must speak with princess Cadence.”

Just when Alex was about to make a move the tower shuddered violently, tossing all but a certain bat pony to the floor. He caught a look at Obsidian, then the lights went out.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Celestia stepped from her teleport to find herself standing on the expansive outside balcony overlooking the gardens, the music and laughter from the party within the ballroom wafting out of the open doors behind her. All that and more fell away from her perception however as her eyes focused solely on the being floating out beyond the first hedgerow, just beyond the luster of the party’s light. He simply hung there, the ponies mingling mere feet from him going on with their conversations as a devious grin spread over his face.

‘You look lovely tonight, truly you do,’ Celestia flinched as the voice flowed smoothly through her mind, effortlessly piercing multiple layers of wards as it went. ‘Such a shame, really,’ she glared across the mass of ponies, several of them glancing upward at her arrival and beginning to cheer.

‘What do you want, Discord?’ She ‘said’, latching onto the telepathy signal and tracing it back to him, adding a hefty amount of bitter anger into her signal for emphasis. ‘If you know what is good for you, you will not disrupt my little ponies! Or I will…’ Celestia grit her teeth as the next wave of thought crashed into her mind with force enough to cause physical pain.

‘You will what?’ His face contorting to match the leer in his tone. ‘Send that pawn of a student after me with her halfwit friends? Tell them to use the Elements of Harmony like you always do,’ Discord’s face hardened into a scowl as he shook his head. ‘Of course that is what you would do, but we both know that is not an option this go around. Is it?’ He asked dully as he floated forward into the light.

Celestia bit back a gasp as the Draconnequus emerged fully into view, not even hearing the first screams from below as several ponies bolted away from the sight. Floating before her was Discord, but not the Discord most ponies would know. This was the Discord from every foal’s nightmare, his features had reverted back to a much more animalistic appearance. His claws had grown longer, his teeth sharper, and his hair had taken on a much coarser look.

“No Celestia, this time it will be just the two of us, to the end. As it should be,” he said quietly, eyes glowing a vibrant red with paws balling into fists as they began to crackle with energy. “As it always should have been!” With speed the eye could barely hope to follow his lion paw shot upward and fired a blast of bright yellow energy at the solar princess.

Her first instinct told her to dodge as she watched the attack draw closer, it was of a surprisingly low yield and there were no ponies directly in its path, save her. Celestia tensed as she began to move, the energy seeming to advance in slow motion as her Alicorn senses went into overdrive, fueled by her inner energy and brought to focus by her well-practiced mind. She was just about to leap as the voice once more invaded her thoughts. ‘You would evade such a simple attack? How easily... Predictable. I hope your student will understand,’ it said with something near regret. At that very moment Celestia became aware of a familiar presence moving up behind her. “No…” Twilight crested the stairs just as the beam reached the edge of the balcony, freezing in place at the sight before her.

Celestia had time enough to turn her head to glance back at her faithful student, she took in the look of pure terror forming over her lavender features, and made her decision. Snapping her head forward again she braced herself as best she could and glared in defiance as the beam splashed over her chest and forelegs, burning at her aura and pushing her back across the stone floor. The Solar Princess began to scream as she pushed back against the force of the magic, her fur beginning to smoke as her protection aura flickered under the sudden strain. By sheer force of will alone her skid came to a stop and she took a step forward, horn glowing brightly she pushed her head forward and down, horn intercepting the beam and catching it in a shield of hard light and swirling magic. With additional effort she put another hoof forward and forced her head up, shunting the beam back on itself, sending it hurtling back to whence it came.

Growling angrily the Draconnequus threw his eagle talons forward to intercept the beam as it approached him, a glow of power surrounding the balled fist as it connected with the beam. A shockwave of expended energy burst away from the opposing forces as the beam hurtled skyward sailing higher than the peak of the mountain itself before detonating in an explosion of multicolored plasma and light, radiating enough heat to raise the air temperature several degrees for miles around.

Taking a deep breath Celestia dropped the shield as she turned to look back at Twilight, sensing her pain. The mare was sprawled over backwards lying on the floor at the edge of the stairs, a soft groan escaping her as she climbed back to her hooves. “Twilight, are you alright?” Celestia inquired as she glanced over her, taking joy in finding nothing visibly wrong.

Twilight stood and shook her head to clear the stars swimming around the edges of her vision as she looked around. “I’m fine, I think. What happe…” The rest of her question died in her throat as she caught sight of the creature floating across the gardens. Discord floated there, massaging his smoking talons. A glare growing on his face that would have terrified her if not for the sight of the rest of him. His eyes glowed with a seething red fury, his features drained of his originally fun loving mannerisms, and, was he bigger than before?

Celestia faced her opponent, unfurling her wings she took flight and approached him cautiously keeping a close eye on his movements as she drew closer. “Stand down, Discord. On the field of battle you and I are equals, neither stronger than the other. Once my sister joins me in this fight, you will be defeated. Elements or no,” she said confidently as she searched for Luna’s signature.

Discord extended his eagle talons before him and worked the digits a few times before looking up at her somberly, ears twitching occasionally to follow the sounds of the screaming ponies below them. “You assume a great deal, Celestia. To say without question that little Luna will be joining us,” as he spoke his power signature began to rise to the point an aura of dark blue and purple energy developed about his body, shimmering in the light of the lanterns around them. “I believe she has just found herself in a similar situation, a situation most... Familiar,” at those words a gout of emerald flames erupted near the farthest corner of the gardens, signifying the beginning of a pitched battle. “As for the two of us being equals,” he said, a sphere of energy growing in each paw. “That remains to be seen!”

Before Celestia could even blink twin blasts of magic smashed into her, propelling her backwards over the roof of the ballroom and slamming her into the base of one of the many towers atop the castle proper. She crashed through multiple walls before rolling to a stop somewhere near the center of the tower’s superstructure, then, the energy that had propelled her detonated. A massive explosion of roiling destruction magic tore through the tower’s base destroying critical walls and supports that held the millennia old structure in place. The tower began to shift and list as countless tons of deadweight found themselves no longer properly supported. It leaned sickeningly as cracks formed along its surface, random stones dislodging and plummeting to the castle below to smash through the roofs of the chambers beneath the tower.

Cracking his neck with a simple twist of his head the chimera glanced back down at the balcony, his face producing a grin at the sight that greeted him. Standing there all grouped together in a convenient cluster, stood all of the present bearers, as planned. “I will be with you ladies in a moment.”

Author's Notes:

Shooting for shorter chapter lengths. PLEASE take just a little time to post a comment and give us your opinions. Are multiple shorter chapters better or are 20,000 word giants more to your tastes?
-Jake&Dollars