Sunsets Over a Gala

by TheMessenger

First published 25th of September, 2013

Prince Solaris "Diddy" loves his mommy, even if they don't always see eye to eye. Follow the two as they struggle through the aftermath of Solaris's first Gala.

Meet Prince Solaris, or "Diddy" as his father calls him. The child of Princess Celestia and Discord, a grand destiny awaits the young boy, one that will one day shape all of Equestria. A villainous agent of destruction...a shining paragon of justice...who can say?

For now, he will simply be known as the Troublemaker, That Child, the Bane of Galas, and My Sunshine...

This is a story about the last two designation, a story about a mother and her child and their bond.

A story about a certain Gala's aftermath.

Art by lirazio.

Prologue: Love Blooms

"Well, now we know he definitely has your appetite."

The mismatched being of animal parts grinned devilishly as a velvet pillow flew into his face. A few loose feathers drifted out and stuck stubbornly to the Draconequus's fur. He chuckled as he floated next to the elegant mare lying in bed. Her coat was white, as were the feathers of her wings, save for her flanks which were adorn with a bright yellow emblem of a sun on both sides. A single spiraling horn sprung from her forehead and out from beneath her aurora-like mane. The horn glowed gold, as did the edges of the cushion that served as her weapon.

A large plate sat in front of her, dotted with cake crumbs and spots of icing. The mare scowled as she lifted the plate with her magic and licked away the remains.

"Very princess-like," the Draconquus sneered, resting his chin in a paw. He grabbed hold of a discarded fork with his other hand and twirled it around in his bird-like talons. He threw the silverware into his mouth and swallowed with a dramatized gulp.

"How are you in any position to judge?" the Alicorn asked, setting her plate to the side and shifting over. The bulge of her belly was now much more obvious. "Twilight still refuses to dine with us after the last incident."

There was a chuckle. "Funny, I always thought she was the forgiving type. Still a stick-in-the-mud after all these years. Don't worry, Junior," he whispered to the mare's stomach. "I'll make sure Auntie Pinkie and Auntie Flutters are the ones who babysit."

"What makes you so certain it's a boy?"

"Celestia, Celestia, Celestia, please. You of all ponies should know better than to question my hunches. Have I ever been wrong before?"

"How many bits did you lose again this year to Shining Armor?"

"That depends," the Draconequus said, stroking the tuff of white fur hanging from his chin. "How many hoofball games were there this season?"

The pony giggled. "I'm still surprised you didn't cheat."

"You wound me, Celestia. I always play fair, in a twisted sense of fairness."

Princess Celestia sighed, stretching her slender legs outward. "We still need to come up with a name, you know."

"Oh, I know! What about-"

"We are not calling our child 'Discord Jr.'"

"Okay, how's-"

"No 'Discord the Second' either. Or any variation of that."

"Humph, so much for that," Discord the First grumbled, crumbling up a long list and tossing it out the window. "What about Diddy then?"

Celestia tapped her chin. "Hmm, what do you think of Aurora?" The princess sighed as her husband's face twisted into a horrified gag. "Yeah I didn't think you'd like it."

"What kind of sick monster are you, giving our son a girl's name?"

"If you're so sure we're having a son then...I like Solaris, that's a nice name."

"Nah, I like Diddy. What do you think, Junior?" Discord leaned forward, placing an ear on the princess's belly. "You like Diddy, don't you boy?"

There was no reaction. Celestia grinned triumphantly.

"Hey, that doesn't mean he likes..." Discord pretended to gagged. "Solaris."

The Draconequus jerked his head back just as his wife gasped. "Did you feel that?" she asked.

"Yeah, looks like our son's got quite the kick. Not much sense in taste though. Oh well." He patted the bulge. "That'll come with age. I'm still going to call him Diddy, you know." His paw drifted lower...

"Discord!"

"Oh come on. It's been ages. I'm bored and you've been stressed. I told you to take a break from all that delegating and princess-ing and stuff but you never do listen. I'm sure you could blow off some steam right now." Both of his hands rubbed gently against the princess's shoulder and around the wings. "It'd do you some good."

"Oh, that's...wonderful," purred Celestia's.

"I know I am," Discord chuckled, dipping his head and running his tongue against her soft neck. Celestia moaned, shivering in pleasure. His tongue traveled upward, venturing into the mare's welcoming mouth. The two locked lips.

All too soon Discord broke the kiss, leaving a rather disappointed Celestia staring up at him in confusion.

The Draconequus smirked. "What, you want me to continue?" Almost instantly his smug smile disappeared as his wife responded with a matching grin.

"Say it first."

"W-was that a yes or a no?"

Now it was Celestia's turn to laugh. "I think we both know the answer," she said, drawing circles in Discord's chest with her hoof. "But first you have to say it. Go on."

Discord groaned. Something was muttered reluctantly under his breath.

"A little louder please."

"I...you."

"What was that?"

"Do I really have to every night?" Discord protested. "Seriously, you have the weirdest fetish ever, and that's coming from a guy as open-minded as me."

"What can I say?" said Celestia, tickling the Draconquus's chin with her flowing mane. Her lustful smile sent another audible gulp down Discord's throat. "I love it when you're honest. But if you'd rather not..." The Alicorn turned away with a sigh, laying her head against an undamaged pillow and closing her eyes. "I do have another busy day tomorrow, after all..."

Her smile returned as she felt the Draconequus leaned over and whispered into her ear:

"I...love you."

"Show me."

She leaned forward. His lips met hers.

Before the Gala

"It's been quite a day, hasn't it Sister?"

Celestia nodded slowly and bowed her head, a display of weariness few ponies saw from their beloved princess. "I'm just glad it's almost over." She smiled at the dark blue Alicorn next to her. "Do you have any plans for tonight, Luna? Perhaps there's time to finish our little chess game before dinner."

"I'm afraid the conclusion of our match must wait for another time," Princess Luna answered. Like her older sister, her wings were colored the same as her coat and a large horn stuck out of her head. Like Celestia, her mane seemed to wave about, though Luna's had an extra feature of shimmering like a starry sky at night. Her flanks were decorated with white crescent moon on top of a darker patch of fur. Though slightly shorter than Celestia, she carried herself with just as much elegance and authority. "I was asked to make an appearance at the opening of a new night establishment bearing my name."

"Another one?"

"Indeed," the younger mare laughed. "I still find it rather peculiar that so many ponies would prefer to dance at night instead of the day. I can nary find a dancehall that operates during traditional hours in this era."

"Traditions change over time. But some things remain consistent." Celestia smiled. "No matter the year, our little ponies love to dance."

"Perhaps. I will miss the fox trot however. It was the only step I could preform without collapsing. A pity it is no practiced."

"You should ask Twilight for some tips. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to show you how it's done."

The two shared a laugh. "How is she doing?" Luna asked. "I am most ashamed to say that I have not found the time to read her latest report. She is returning from her diplomatic trip to the Griffon's summit, is she not?"

"She arrived this morning actually. I thought of waking you but you've been so busy as of late-"

"No more than you have, dear Sister," the Princess of the Night interjected.

"Yes, but we both know how much more difficult it is to wake you after a long night." She grinned as Luna grumbled in defeat. "She didn't stay for long, just to say hello, have some tea, and off she went to Ponyville. She sends her regards, of course, and looks forward to seeing us at the Grand Galloping Gala tomorrow evening."

"I do not understand how she can say that so honestly. The Gala is always terrible."

"Yes, well, friends do have a way of making even the worst of times something wonderful. And I assure you, Discord will be on his best behavior this year."

"I doubt it would make a difference," Luna said, rolling her eyes.

"If it'll keep the upper crusts off our backs for a few moments, that'll be enough. Can you believe a few tried to petition against allowing Spike into the castle? Never mind him being a national hero or anything. No, you just simply can't housebreak a dragon." The princess slapped her hoof on her forehead, as if swooning.

Luna giggled at Celestia's not-so-exaggerated imitation of Canterlot nobles. "And how is our little dragon? I do hope Twilight is not working him too hard."

"Spike is fine. He's grown a little taller since the last time you two met. Wings are much larger as well." Celestia sighed. "Oh, he's just like Twilight, growing up so fast." She turned to her sister and smirked. "And so handsome too. Don't worry, he'll be at the Gala, in case you were interested."

Luna smirked back. "And what makes you think I would ever be interested?" she wondered aloud innocently. Her face was anything but innocent.

"Just a hunch I suppose. Found a few letters in your waste basket." Celestia's smile grew as her sister's cocky appearance collapsed. "I didn't know you were such a poet. 'You are the flame that brightens my night, the light for my stars'..."

"T-those could be for anyone."

"'Your scales against my chest, pierce me with your true Spike'. I had considered showing them to Twilight until I reached that line." The princess chuckled, draping a wing over her sister who was quickly turning red. "Just be careful. I hear Rarity is quite possessive, fights dirty too."

"As do I," the Alicorn joked, her face returning to its natural color and embarrassment banished. She moved forward and gave Celestia a nuzzle on the cheek. "Celestia, I might not be around tonight but still, try to do something other work tonight. I do believe Discord's getting a little restless. Perhaps he could use some of your...attention."

Luna grinned victorious as a blush now painted Celestia's face pink. With a final knowing wink, she took to the air. Two leather-winged guards wearing her insignia appeared seemingly out of nowhere and followed closely behind. Celestia watched as her sister and her escort grow smaller and smaller.

"I don't think I'll ever say this again but I have a pretty smart sis-in-law."

Celestia nearly leaped out of her golden slippers. She glared at the grinning Draconequus that had snuck up behind her.

"What do you say? How 'bout you ditch that old paperwork and spend a little quality time with moi and the bed?"

"What's in the bucket?" Celestia asked, ignoring Discord's proposition.

"Paint."

"Why?"

"Diddy and Daddy are playing hide and seek. Winner gets to paint the loser green." He shrugged. "I had a hard time convincing him to stop losing deliberately. Can't blame the kid, what with a coat like that."

"What's wrong with white?" Celestia demanded. Her eyes narrowed.

"O-oh, nothing, absolutely nothing. It's that...you look so sexy in white and when I see Diddy I get a little confused and-"

"Please stop right there."

"Let's just ignore everything I said after I called you sexy. You sexy, sexy mare..." Discord tilted his head forward.

"Not in the open," the Alicorn scolded, pushing the Draconequus back.

Discord crossed his arms. "Hmph, figures I'd end up married to a prude."

"A prude am I? Then perhaps I should simply get back to work. There so much that still needs to be done for the Gala after all..."

"And by prude, I meant prune, or as in the wonderful magical fruit juice that really isn't as wrinkly or old as one would expect but-"

"Stop while you're ahead," Celestia interrupted with a kiss. "So I was thinking...tonight, in the sculpture garden..."

"Yes?"

"Just the two of us, right there in the moonlight. No sheets, no coverings."

"In front of your sister's moon?"

"Umm hmm."

"With all the statues watching?

"Yep."

"Right where I was sealed in stone?"

Celestia's smirk grew. "I knew you'd like this idea."

"Like it? I love it!" Discord grinned ravenously. "So, can we go now or-"

The door behind them swung open. "Dad, I'm bored. Can I give up yet?"

A young Alicorn colt stepped out from behind the door. Like his mother, he was white with matching wings, though his were too small for any real use. His mane however acted more like hair, laying limply on his head without any desire to wave or shimmer. It was brown, at least three shades lighter than his father's own fur. His tail on the other hoof was dark red, branching off at the end so that it appeared a bit like a claw. It certainly acted as one, as demonstrated by the way he held his little bucket. His eyes were another gift from his father, yellow and filled with mischief and a touch of possible insanity.

"Of course, should I really be surprised?" Discord mumbled as he and Celestia quickly separated. "Hey, why's your bucket empty?"

Young Prince Solaris shrugged. "I got bored, decided to decorate the hall a bit. Auntie Fluttershy is coming to the party tomorrow, right? She likes flowers, right? I hope she doesn't mind green ones 'cause I kinda ran out of pink."

Celestia bit back a groan as she kneaded her forehead, her exasperation barely tempered by Solaris's habit of calling Fluttershy by that enduring little term. It had been Discord's little way of showing appreciation for his very first friend. "Which hall?" she asked.

"Um, all of them, I think."

A sudden scream echoed throughout the castle as if in answer, likely the discoverer of the young colt's art project. As Discord nodded in approval, the Sun Princess pressed her hoof deeper into her face. "Of course something had to happen the night before the Gala."

"And I didn't have anything to do with it this time!" Discord placed his paw on his son's head and ruffled his already messy mane. "Atta'boy, Diddy," he said proudly as the child tried to escape.

"Come now, Solaris," Celestia said, peeling her husband off the young colt. "It's time for a bath. A real bath," she added, giving Discord a quick look. "With warm water and soap." The Draconequus answered with innocent whistling.

"Mom..."

"You've got paint all over your face. First, a bath, then we can discuss the Gala during supper."

"But Dad said he'd paint me green," the boy whined.

"Well, I did promise him," Discord said, stroking the white tuff of fur hanging from his chin. "And the last thing we want is for him to grow up with trust issues. I really don't trust those psycho-analysts that you pay by the hour."

Celestia's eyes grew narrower. "Discord, you paint him and I'll personally see you banished to the royal couch."

The Draconequus sighed. "Sorry Junior, looks like my hands are tied." He lifted his hands which were tightly wrapped in ribbon. Neither Celestia or Solaris appeared amused.

"I don't get it. What's wrong with the couch?" the boy asked. "It's real comfortable and you can make a fort and everything."

"True, but your mother is far more comfortable."

"DISCORD!"

With a laugh and a snap of his talons, the Draconequus disappeared. "See you at dinner!" his voice echoed.

"Um, Mommy, what did Dad mean when he said you were comfortable?"

"Bath time."

"But-"

"Bath time!" Celestia shrieked as blood rose up into her face. Her horn glowed brightly as she began to drag the reluctant boy off to be cleaned.

"Does it have anything to do with whatever you're planning in the garden? Dad seem excited so must be fun. Can I come too?"

Discord chuckled as Princess Celestia's anguished cries reached his ears. "That's my boy."

"Discord, please stop playing with Solaris's food. Solaris, please don't encourage your father."

The lettuce stopped dancing. The tomatoes stopped racing. The potatoes stopped sculpting themselves into caricatures. The peas continued to roll because, well, they were peas and Discord had no desire to touch those vegetables.

"Thank you," Celestia said, taking a sip of chilled lemon tea. "Now, about the Gala tomorrow..."

"Is it really as bad as Mrs. Pinkie says it is?" asked Solaris with a mouthful of chocolate covered alfalfa.

"...yes."

"Then I don't wanna go. Why can't I just stay home and play with Pinkie Pie or Auntie Fluttershy like last year?"

"Our home hosts the Grand Galloping Gala, remember? Also, this year all of our friends will be at the Gala and won't be able to babysit," Celestia explained. "And, as a prince, you'll be expected to make public appearances at these events." Her voice softened. "I'm sorry but I can't keep using the excuse that you're too young anymore. The nobles demand that we follow tradition, which means having you attend the Grand Galloping Gala."

"It's not that bad," Discord tried to reassure, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Once you get past the dull atmosphere, boring reception, tasteless entrees, dry speeches, endless groveling, boring music, security checks, the occasional Changeling assassin, the occasionally occasional Changeling not-assassin that's just misunderstood, uninteresting conversation topics, uninspired decorations..."

"All you need to do is sit next to your father and I and wave every now and then."

"That doesn't sound too bad."

"You have to sit still," added Discord. "For an hour at least."

"...oh."

"It won't be that long," Celestia quickly interjected. "Like I said, you just need to make an appearance, then you can spend the rest of the night with your friends. You wanted to show Fluttershy the jelly bean sprout you're growing, right? There'll be plenty of time to explore the gardens with her."

"While you'll be frolicking in gardens with all your pony friends, your mother and I will be fending off the hordes of pretentious, self-satisfying snobs, forced to laugh at their witless jokes and talk about the economy and the weather and the weather-economy and how it's all your mother's fault." Discord leaned back and wearily rested his hand on his forehead, much like how Celestia had done earlier. Solaris snickered and Celestia smiled.

"Just be on you best behavior tomorrow and everything will be fine," the Alicorn mare said, gently rubbing off a smear of chocolate sauce from Solaris's lips. "I am, of course, referring to your father. I know you'll stay out of trouble." She nuzzled against the boy's cheek. "You're my sunshine, after all."

"Moooom..." Solaris giggled. "That tickles!"

"Can we not do that at table," Discord pleaded, pretending to ram a finger down his throat in disgust. "Some of us are trying to eat." The Draconequus lifted his glass of cold chocolate-flavored milk to his lips.

Celestia returned to her seat and gave her son a wink. He winked back. "Hey Dad, Mom told me about your plans tonight. Do you think me and Fluttershy could too when we're in the gardens tomorrow?"

He and Celestia quickly ducked under the table, avoiding the brown chocolaty spray.

After the Gala

There would have been a spring in the young whelp's step if he hadn't been floating on a white fluffy cloud. A few servants trailed Solaris undetected as they mopped up the occasional rain puddles and pie crumbs.

He licked his gooey sticky hooves. The palace chefs weren't bad but nothing could beat Mrs. Applejack's apple treats. Setting the empty pie pan aside, Solaris reached into the cloud and pulled out a paper bag of apple fritters. He took a bite and smiled. Rainbow Dash had been right, the cloud had kept them fresh and delicious. Solaris finished the rest of the fritter and reached for another.

Solaris had to admit, the Grand Galloping Gala hadn't been as bad as he expected. He had fun. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and the rest of that strangely tight group of mares had fun. Even Discord and Celestia seemed to enjoy the Gala in the end. Solaris beamed at the memory of their smiles as they watched him and Fluttershy chase after the small army of critters that had escaped the garden perimeter. Well, at least his father was smiling. Celestia was more in shock. The three did share a nice laugh at the end, however, and Solaris grinned as the memory of his mother's musical chuckle rung in his ear.

Lost in his reminiscence, the young princeling floated into a wall and found himself in the very ballroom that held the main event. Credit to where it was due, Solaris was impressed by the speed and deligence of the castle's servants; one could have never guessed that just last evening this room had hosted a giant stampede of animals before being flooded by a mixture of tropical fruit punch, carbonated apple juice, and jelly beans. Besides the sizable hole in the wall he had just floated into, there was no sign of the destruction that served as this Gala's highpoint.

In all honesty Solaris was a little disappointed by the lack of evidence. He hoped they would at least keep the hole. Even as he made his childish wish, a group of repair ponies made their way toward the damaged wall.

The colt watched the hard-hatted ponies work, quantifying the destruction and sorting out the costs. It took him a few moments to realize that nopony had brought explosives and so nothing exciting was going to happen. Ignoring the workers' annoyed shouts, Solaris went through the hole one last time.

"Good bye hole," he whispered sadly, touching the jagged edge. "May we see each other again someday soon."

Now what? Solaris wondered as he wandered through the corridor. He reached back into his cloud, producing nothing besides a moist hoof. He tried using his head, only to pull it out of the improv cooler and wipe away the moisture on his face. "Empty," he muttered with a pout. "Drat. Now what?"

The young colt rolled over onto his back and sighed. He could always try raiding the kitchens. Who knows, maybe they were baking a cake or perhaps a few leftovers could be found. Applejack always left a few fritters and pies whenever she visited...oh wait. Solaris wiped the crumbs off his face. Those were already gone.

He could always find his father. Discord always had something to do, whether it was a new game or a new prank to pull. Sometimes the two would even sneak off to Ponyville. That was always fun. The trick was, of course, finding the tricky Draconequus, something Solaris had never been able to accomplish. Every single time the boy would throw his hooves into the air in frustration and turn around to find the self-proclaimed King of Chaos grinning at him.

Maybe he could go see if Aunt Luna was awake and could play a game. Maybe he could try flooding the bathroom again or "reorganize" the library. Or maybe he could try sneaking out and visiting Ponyville. Yeah, that sounded fun. It couldn't be too hard to find. What's the worst thing that could-

Solaris's train of thought derailed as he floated and smushed his face against another the wall. As he dusted himself off, the guards standing on duty considered him with raised brows before returning to their default stoic expressions.

He could always try to make one of those guys laugh. Rainbow Dash swore she managed to do it once but Solaris didn't really believe her. As he reviewed the collection of jokes Pinkie Pie had provided him, guaranteed to make milk spurt out of your nose even when you're not drinking any, the young princeling noticed the line of important looking ponies waiting just outside a pair of regal looking door. The entrance to the Day Court, Solaris realized, where Princess Celestia did...stuff.

What did his mother do during the day? She always seemed busy but with what Solaris didn't know. Sometimes she'd be too tired to even join in the games he and his father played. The curious boy had asked the princess several times before about her work, once when Celestia had begun to doze off in the middle of a bedtime story, but he never received anything more than a sleepy smile, a pat on the head, and the assurance that it wasn't something he had to worry about. He was too young, Celestia had told him, too young to be exposed to the strife and stress of "poly-ticks". Apparently, the word was a bad one as every time Solaris tried to bring the term up around Fluttershy or one of her friends they would immediately change the subject. Well, except for Miss Twilight, but her explanation made the poor boy's head spin like a top.

His father had been less helpful, providing only a joke about whips, rope, wax candles, and octopi and the most confusing punchline ever: the aristocrats. When Celestia attempted to chastise the Draconequus, Discord argued that the jest was far cleaner than the actual topic. His offer for a second explanation in the form of a puppet show had been instantly vetoed the instant he had shown Celestia the puppets.

The most straightforward answer he received was from one of the gardeners: his mother was a princess and so she did princess stuff. But what exactly were princess stuff? He didn't know but with determination found only in the misguided mind of a child, Solaris had settled on finding out. Maybe he could help Celestia finish early, then the two of them could play for the rest of the day. Now he just had to slip inside without anypony noticing, else the surprise would be ruined. If only he had a cardboard box...

"...this is inconceivable! Inconceivable I say!"

Solaris dangled from the ceiling, unnoticed by the princess, her advisers, or the angry yelling nobles. As he tried to free himself, Solaris observed the happenings of the Day Court. He remained largely unimpressed.

"I'm sorry, Sir Vizzineigh, but my decision stands," Celestia said. Solaris paused in his struggling as he heard the hint of fatigue mixed with mild annoyance in the princess's voice. "I will be reviewing the current garden's designs but I will not cage the animals. No pony was hurt and I see no reason to punish innocent creatures. Is there anything else?"

"No, Princess," the Unicorn grumbled. "That is all."

As soon as the noble was out of the room, Celestia let herself sag a bit and sigh. Solaris reach down toward his mother, trying to offer her a comforting hug, as she would to him whenever he was upset. Alas, several feet of air stood between the two and while Solaris was confident that a hug would cheer the princess up as much it would him, the lack of contact between the two rendered the service useless. He returned his attention to the snare, hoping to surprise Celestia with an embrace later, just like his father would.

"Are there any more Gala related issues today?"

One of the scribes, a white Unicorn with a black mane and tail and glasses looked over her notes. "Well, the orchestra will be here later to discuss payment, Lady Upper Crust has a complaint about the beverages and has a few suggestions for next year, Madam Big Wig demands repercussions for damages done to her toupee and would like any pictures of her without it destroyed before they can be published, Sir Gilded would like the chiefs fired immediately, says the food had too much flavor, the Wonderbolts have requested not to make an appearance next year, again, Sir Legal Eagle plans to press charges, again, Lady Posh-"

"Milady," a guard interrupted. "The next petition, Lady Clout Right, is ready."

"Send her in then," Celestia said, quickly recovering her queenly visage. "Lady Clout, how wonderful to see you. I trust you are well."

"If I may be honest, dear Princess," the salmon Unicorn said as she straightened herself from a bow, "I could be better, though I cannot complain seeing how I could be in your shoes."

"In my shoes? I'm afraid I do not understand."

"I am talking about the disaster last evening of course. I cannot even hope to fathom how you are feeling as of now." Clout shook her head. "To act so calm in the face of such embarrassment, you are truly an inspiration."

"Thank you." I think. "I'll manage, of course, like every year."

"Oh, but Princess Celestia, surely you recognize just how horrible this year's Gala was. An utter debacle. I dare say this has been the worst Gala of all time. Again, I cannot even bare to fathom the shame you must be suffering from right now. Why, if you would pardon my morbidity, if it were me I would have died of shame straight then and there, on the spot."

"Really?" Celestia lifted an eyebrow. "I can't say this one has been anymore memorable than the others."

"I am talking about...the prince."

"Discord? Odd, I hadn't heard of any complaints about him beyond his attire, his entrance, his sense of humor..."

"Oh, not him," Clout said quickly, shaking her head. "I meant..." The Unicorn took a deep breath. "...your, ahem, son."

"Oh."

"Yes, the colt, though he takes more after his father than any pony I've had the...experience of seeing," Clout said with a sniff. "I come as a delegate of several other Canterlot nobles who find Prince Solaris a...a poor representation of royalty and of this fine city, unlike Prince Blueblood. Quite frankly, the notion that that...child may one day rule over all of us keeps me up at night."

"What are you trying to say, Clout?"

"Well...dear me, is that a draft?"

"No, I do not believe so," answered Celestia coldly, ignoring the shivers of her advisers and the worried glances from her guards. "Continue."

"My apologies, I suppose I'm just a little sensitive to cooler temperatures. Yes, we feel it best that in order to avoid another catastrophe like last night young Solaris should avoid public events like the Grand Galloping Gala."

Celestia's pale magenta eyes darkened as they narrowed. "Weren't you one of the ponies that demanded, excuse me, requested Solaris's appearance."

"Yes, because he is a prince and it is traditional for the subjects to see who we are to cast our future support behind. As of last night however it is obvious that Solaris is not fit for the title of prince. He shouldn't even be considered part of royalty after such behavior."

Solaris flinched at the sound of shattering marble. He was not the only one.

"I'm sorry," Celestia said, pulling her hoof out of the floor. "Please, do continue."

"Ur, well, ahem, yes, we deem it best that the title of prince be removed from the boy immediate and perhaps given to somepony more deserving. My son, for instance-"

"You'll have to forgive me, I thought I heard you say remove Solaris's title."

"Yes, that is what we believe is best for Canterlot. Now, my son, an admirer of your nephew by the way-"

"That title was bestowed onto him by blood," Princess Celestia interrupted. "He is royalty directly through me. Are you asking me to denounce my own son?"

"Denounce is such an unfortunate word. We prefer repudiate. It is, of course, for the greater reputation of Canterlot. I am sure you, in all your vast wisdom, will understand."

"No."

"No? Well I do have a written explanation detailing our purpose and our reasons." Clout began to present a large scroll.

"I understand perfectly. I have made my decision. As long as Solaris wishes to keep the honor, he is a prince."

"But-"

"The status of the royals is not in the hands of a few elite, Clout. Do not think I have forgotten the objections directed at Princess Twilight Sparkle's ascension and before then the arguments around the position of my sister Princess Luna."

"T-this is completely different! This is the entire reputation of Canterlot at stake," Clout protested. "We can't be represented that...thing!"

"Take care to how you speak of my son, my little pony," Celestia nearly growled. Several of her secretaries inched back.

"He's an abomination, a monster! I refuse to bow to a freak and neither will the rest of us. You've seen the destruction last night! He is capable of far more. All of Equestria will end in ruin if that grotesque bastard takes power! Can't you see? Can't you-"

"That's enough." It wasn't a shout but Celestia's words rung clearly, echoing through the court and cutting through Clout's objections like a sword. An appropriate metaphor, considering her voice was as cold as steel. Princess Celestia's eyes, however, were aflame, nearly shining with barely bridled fury as she regarded the mare before her. Clout took a step back.

"That's enough," Celestia repeated. "I will hear no more on this subject. Is that clear?" The last word came out as a hiss.

Clout Right tried to regained her composure. "V-very well, Princess," she said, trying to control her shaking. "B-but do not think this is the last word. Discord's boy will not receive our support."

"He won't need it," Celestia said to Clout's retreating figure. The Unicorn made no sign suggesting that she heard.

A guard nervously cleared his throat as he reluctantly broke the reigning silence. "Princess? The next petition-"

"Day Court will be taking a ten minute recess. Captain, please let everypony know. I wish to be alone during the break."

The bespectacled advisors and the armored guards gave each other fearful looks, before bowing respectfully and leaving. The door closed with a resonating slam.

Celestia let her majestic mane fall over her face. Her head fell into her hooves and her shoulders began to shake violently. The acoustics of the courtroom carried her soft sobs off, stopped short only by the solid thick doors at the entrance built for the purpose of deterring eavesdroppers.

Ten minutes later, Day Court resumed. Three minutes in and Day Court was interrupted by the petitioner screaming on the way out as a coil of rope fell onto his head. Surprised and more than a bit confused, Princess Celestia scanned the roof, expecting to find some wayward Pegasus or maybe her husband.

She found no one. The owner of the rope had long since disappeared.

Father? I Hardly Knew Her!

An echoing sigh filled the hall as the mare marched through, levitating a large stack of important documents tied together with red ribbon. A few grey hairs stuck out of the normally exquisite bun she had chosen to style her mane in and her glasses sat slightly crooked, diminishing her usual professional appearance.

"One more year like this and I'm retiring," she grumbled to herself, quietly so that her words went unheard by the few guards on guard. Nasty little gossips in armor they were...

"Really? And I was on my best behavior..."

Raven groaned. With obvious reluctance, she looked up and sure enough, Discord was there leaning on top of the stack of paper. She answered the Draconequus's toothy grin with a frown, before dipping her head in a bow. "Highness."

"Where?" Discord swung his head side to side. "Oh, you meant me. Honestly, I have no idea how you keep your job if you can't even remember my name."

The secretary resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She turned to leave only to find the Draconequus standing directly in front of her, blocking her path. She took a deep breath.

"Is there something you need, Your Highness?" she said as sweetly as she could.

"Dunno, that's why I came to you." Discord tossed a small book in her direction. Raven nearly lost her grip on her own load as she caught the book. "What does my planner have for me today?"

Raven pursed her lips before setting aside her bundle of work and cracking open the calendar. "The dates are all written backwards."

"Yup."

"As are the notes."

"Well, so they are. What, can't you lead right to left?"

"That's not exactly the problem here," Raven said steadily.

"Oh, I know!" With a snap of his fingers, a large piece of reflective crystal materialized before him. A few greener guards flinched at the sound of shattering glass. "Here you are," Discord said, offering the largest shard.

"...thank you, Your Highness." Celestia's head clerk quickly adjusted her glasses and set the improv mirror next to the page of today, which, unsurprisingly considering the circumstances, actually said 'today'.

"Today," Raven read, "pick up dry-cleaning."

"Check!" Discord held up a sizable banana suit. "Our anniversary is coming up, I'm thinking about doing something special."

"Later today," the Unicorn continued, "discuss politics in the form of a puppet show."

"Don't listen to the leftist; they're donkeys! Don't listen to the righties; they're elephants! We're all racists and politicians and racist politicians, rawr."

"Later later today, predict the future."

"In the next second you will be reading someone else's planner for them."

"Some time later today, thank the Secretary and shower her with compliments."

"Raven, you are the most talented and well-spoken pony I've ever had-hey, wait a minute..."

"Play with Diddy, eat dinner, food fight(?), surprise waifu with..." A bright red blush lit across the mare's white face. "Oh my..."

"Ah, the perks of married life." Discord sighed as he clutched at his heart. "I'm sure you wouldn't understand, being married to your job and all. I'm sure it's very rewarding, well, except in the bed-"

"I have a husband," the scribe said coldly, ignoring the breach in protocol she made by interrupting the royal. As if in apology, she added hastily, "Your Highness."

"Could've fooled me." The Draconequus, snaking an arm around the mare and plucked the agenda out of her magical grasp. "You spend way too much time buried in paper. Take the rest of the day off."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Take the day off. Eat at Joes or punch an opera bouncer's nose or spend some quality time with this imaginary husband of yours."

"You were at the wedding!" Raven shrieked before remembering herself. "Ahem, in any case, I've got a lot of work to do first, and as much as I appreciate the gesture, I would appreciate it more if you would just let me get back to work."

"I'm sorry, what was that? I was too busy eating this lovely stack of important documents."

The Unicorn let her jaw hang loose. She really had no other reaction. "I...but...my work..."

Discord gave the mare a gentle pat on the back. "Take the day off."

If there was ever one thing constant about Discord, it was that he loved his games. The trick was, of course, finding willing participants as most of these games were created to accommodate multiple beings. During his first reign the Draconequus had so much difficult finding others to play with that he completely dropped the "willing" part. Thankfully, the acquiring of friends and his marriage meant a reduced likelihood that a pony would find him or herself kidnapped, tied to a rusty toilet, and forced to play twenty questions with a very bored Discord. The birth of his son, whom was just as playful, was a blessing to the Draconequus along with a weary Fluttershy who now has trouble touching dogs named "Bingo" and Princess Celestia who just couldn't afford to spend all day in bed; interpret that as you will.

There was just one little matter: finding the boy in the first place. Every single time Discord would end his search with his head hung in defeated only to turn and find the princeling standing behind him. The conclusion never failed to brighten Discord's day and it always brought back the Draconequus's smile faster than he could snap his fingers.

"Looking for something, sire?"

Discord pulled his head out of the oven and found himself in front of the notoriously grump that served as the castle's head chef. "I might be, but first you have to guess what it is I'm looking for."

The stallion sighed, removing the tall toque from his head. The castle staff quickly learned that it was often easier to play along with the trickster than it was to force his cooperation. "You do realize that the princess would be in Court at this time of day."

"Ooh, good guess. Close too, but nope, not looking for those kind of hot buns right now, if you know what I mean." Discord wiggled his eyebrows, much to the chef's growing discomfort.

"You're never here for food so I doubt you're looking for the other kind...are you looking for a three-legged pony striped like a zebra with a green mane with buttons instead of eyes that flies around our kitchen replacing all the cinnamon sticks with magical glow-in-the-dark licorice?"

Those insane yellow eyes blinked. "...Celestia's right, I do spend too much time here. I'm looking lil' Discord Junior. You might have heard of him, prince of Equestria, Son of the Sun, sort of a big deal." The Draconequus pulled out a wallet. He opened it and out tumbled a long roll of photos. "He's got his mom's coat," Discord said, showing the chef a picture of a young Alicorn colt sucking his hoof. "And my Y chromosome, my sense of humor, my charm...oh, let me show you the picture I have of him being chased by Flutters's chickens. That ones a hoot." He looked around. "Hmm, I could have sworn he'd have shown up if I showed you that one. I know, here's little Diddy wetting the bed for the first time!" Discord lowered his voice. "Is he here yet?" he whispered.

"No, sire."

"Drat."

"I saw Prince Solaris some hours ago," an assistant called as she carried a large bag of flour. "He made away with the bag of Bearer o' Honesty's fritters and a couple o' leftover pies after replacin' all the cinnamon sticks with licorice."

"There you have it, sire," the head chef said coolly, placing his toque back on, not realizing that it was now a sleeping badger, . "Prince Solaris is not in the kitchen. Now, if you could excuse me, I need to get to work and make sure the sugar hasn't been mixed with the salt."

"Well, I guess you're right. Still, it wouldn't hurt to check the fridge."

"Please don't."

Too late. The ice box door swung open and several small penguins hopped out. Each one held a large tub either ice cream or cream cheese. Ice began to spread over the ground as the penguins paraded through the kitchen. Pots and pans and pastries flew into the air as cooks slipped and fell.

This time the chef didn't bother trying to suppress his groan. "Please let Princess Celestia know that dinner will delayed tonight, again," he told an assistant as the mare skated by. "And sire..." He turned around and sighed. Discord was gone, leaving him to clean up the mess. To make matters worse, he had left the refrigerator open.

"Have you seen this colt? Have you seen this colt? Have you seen this-"

The doors were flung open violently. It took all of the guards' discipline not to scream out as they were crushed into the castle's stone walls by the infamous Royal Canterlot Speaking Voice.

"WHO DARES INTERRUPT OUR SLUMBER?"

"Indoor voices, Lulu."

"Oh, it is you, Discord. I should have realized." Princess Luna tore off the laced mask from her eyes and yawned. "Though foolish asking may be, I must know: what are you doing?"

"Oh you know, breathing, being, cellular respiration, thinking about your sister covered in chocolate-"

"I meant why are you wandering these halls, screaming at my guards, and disturbing my sleep? For the time being, I'll just ignore all the flyers you seem to be trying to wallpaper the castle with." Luna sighed. "I trust you do have an actual reason for all this and not just another chaotic episode of yours."

"Luna Luna Luna..."

"Yes, that is my name."

"After all these years, you should know by now; I don't have chaotic episodes, I'm an entire show of chaos, though I have to say this season's a bit subdued. I haven't even jumped a shark yet." Discord shook his head and rested his arm around Luna's shoulder. "And I promised the viewers so much," he lamented, bringing his wrist to his temple. "And now I've gone and disappointed them all!"

Luna blinked. "Unless you start making sense soon, I'm going back to bed. My headache remains from accompanying Prince Blueblood for the majority of last evening. A pity I missed young Solaris's reappearance."

"Solaris...reappearance...oh right!" Discord slapped himself in the forehead. His sister-in-law flinched as the clashing of cymbals shadowed the action. "Have you seen little Diddy?" the Draconequus asked, shoving one of the flyers in the Alicorn's face. On it was the crude rendition of the colt drawn with crayons. "I've been looking for him for, like, fifteen minutes. Don't let anyone know but..." Discord looked around and lowered his voice. "But I'm kind of getting a little worried," he whispered.

Luna stared at him. The crazed smile that normally occupied Discord's face had been replaced with a thin line, bordering on, dare she say it, a frown. "You're serious."

"Do you really think I'd offer the entire treasury as an award if I wasn't?"

"Yes." Luna peeled the paper off her horn and gave it back. "Where have you looked?"

"Well, there was the kitchen, this hall, that corridor over there...and that's about it."

The Princess of the Night rolled her eyes. "Then I trust you have yet to check the gardens? Our nephew does enjoy spending time cultivating and playing with the many animals there. I hear the upper class learned that rather recently."

"Yeah, can't imagine the scandal." Discord held up his hands. "'Breaking news, particular prince plays with posies, petunias, and possums, possible panic probably prepared'. The garden eh?"

"Aye," Luna said with a nod. She yawn and groaned, clutching her head. "Let my sister know that I might not make it to dinner."

"Again? Luna, keep this up and Diddy'll think he's part of a broken dysfunctional family. Next thing we know and he'll need years of therapy and it'll be all your fault."

"Apologies, Discord," she deadpanned. "I will see you later. I bid you luck on your search."

"Night sis." Discord waved his hand and presented a glass of warm chocolate milk. "Sweet dreams."

The glass was lifted by a blue aura. "Thank you." Then the princess disappeared behind closed doors.

"Well, to the gardens..."

"Well, if it ain't Sir Discord. Fancy seein' you 'round here."

The Draconequus shrugged at the scruffy looking pony wielding a broken rake. "Just looking around. I'm looking for a special kind of creature. He's got white fur and-yeah, I'm looking for Diddy," he finished impatiently. "You know where I can find him?"

"Can't say for sure, boss. I haven't seen him but if he's here, he'll either be somewhere."

"...somewhere?"

"Yep, somewhere. Can't say with that boy. Might be climbin' with the monkeys or feedin the ducks or waterin' the sunflowers. Those are his favorites for some reason. But you can never tell. Get's a lot from his father, if you don't mind me sayin' Your Highness." The old pony chuckled. "Well good luck, I've gotta get back to work. Giant mess let over from last night, I'll tell you what." And with that, the gardener wandered off whistling.

It took a few seconds before Discord recovered his encounter and with a quick shake, he refocused himself at the task at hand. As the Draconequus looked between the trees and vines, he couldn't help but be impressed by Greenhooves ability, especially considering the stallion's current age. One could have never had guessed that an entire herd of animals had stampeded through here the previous night.

An eternity seemed to pass by as Discord searched. In reality only eight minutes had passed when he finally found the colt sitting next to the pond. A few quacking ducks swam past the unaware princeling as Discord approached.

"Guess who?" the Draconequus squealed, grabbing his son's shoulders. Odd, were they always this stiff before?

"Hi Dad."

Discord started. That wasn't the expected response. Just 'hi'? Just 'Dad'? And what was with the complete lack of energy? No shouting or hopping about? And where were the little giggles?

Not that there was anything wrong with the unexpected, Discord reminded himself, smiling again. After all, what was life without a little chaos?

"Ding ding! Give the boy a prize!" With a snap and a wave, Discord appeared in front on a bright stage with blinding lights and red curtains. Another snap and Solaris was now sitting on a raised pedestal. "Now behind one of curtains lies a wonderful prize. What could it ever be? A new one-of-the-kind deluxe ice cream makers? A year supply of chocolate milk? An amazing third thing?" As Discord gestured toward the curtains behind him, applause exploded from an invisible crowd. "So Diddy, what'll it be? Curtain number one, curtain number two, or curtain number sixteen?"

"Dunno." The colt shifted onto his belly, watching the ducks again.

"Tough decision huh?" the Draconequus said, stroking his chin. "Okay, here's a hint: it's not going to be number one or number two, so that leaves..." Discord prompt.

Solaris sighed. "Sixteen?"

Confetti burst from the ground like colorful geysers as trumpets thundered into the air. The ducks swam off in fright.

"That is correct! Give a hand for our winner, Diddy!" Discord cheered, grabbing his son and hoisting him into the air as he was met with the loud delighted shouts and claps from Discord's audience.

Solaris slid limply out of the Draconequus grip and took a step forward, away from the crazy scene behind him. He took another step, and then another.

"H-hey, aren't you going see what you won?"

The colt paused. "No, not really. I don't think I really care. Sorry."

Discord felt his jaw drop. Not literally, in a comical fashion in which he would simply pick up the detached body piece and reattach it using a drill. No, Discord's lower jaw simply hung there in utter shock.

The curtain was yanked aside and another Discord popped his head from behind it. "Did he just-"

"I-I don't know," the first Discord whispered. There as a flash and the stage, the pedestal, and other Discord vanished, leaving the spot how it had been moments prior.

"Well how about a game of hide and go fish?" Discord suggested, floating next to Solaris. "I'll be the fish this time."

"No thanks."

"No? Okay, what about painting?" Discord pulled out a pair of brushes and two large steel buckets of paint. "Wanna paint the town red?"

"No, not today."

"Monopoly? Dodgeball tourney with the guards? The floor is literally lava?"

"No Dad." Solaris turned around and looked up at his father. "I just don't want to play today, okay?"

"Don't want to play? But-"

"No!"

Discord recoiled as if stung by the boy's scream.

"Please," Solaris pleaded, "j-just leave me alone, alright?"

The Draconequus's feet landed on the ground as he watched Solaris dash away. Again, he let his mouth hang open and again he let the opportunity of a visual gag slip by. No bug of any size flew into Discord's gaping mouth as he watched his son run past the trees and flowers. As he watch his son run away from him.

He recognized the scent in the air. He'd recognize it anywhere. It was something he was familiar with, something he loved more than almost anything else.

Chaos. Chaos was in the air.

It had never tasted so bitter.

Inner Discord

The kitchen was finally in order once more. The royal meal had been prepared under the head chef's watchful eye. Every parsley dash and every celery stalk had been purposely arranged. Cooking was an art and Chef Palate was an artist and like many artists, he was very difficult to please. He was a perfectionist, down to the most superficial detail. How unfortunate that his art had always been served to those who could not truly appreciate it.

As such the chef watched with teary eyes as the servers placed his magnificent broccoli and cheddar soup and mint salad onto trays and trolleys and pushed them into the private dining room where they would no doubt be doused in ridiculous condiments or used to summon eldritch horrors. He shuddered at the image of young Solaris dipping his garlic bread into the soup.

The doors to the kitchen were opened and the butlers and maids rolled in the trolleys. Palate's eyes quickly fell on the untouched bowl of fresh and crispy corn flakes, coated with just the right amount of honey, and paled. He turned to the servants and grew whiter at the sight of their worried appearances. Most of them refused to look the chef in the eye.

"Did the meal not please Her Highness?" he asked, shaking the nearest server's shoulders. "Was it too sweet? Did it go soggy? Did she figure out that we used brand corn flasks instead of making them ourselves from scratch? Does she prefer oatmeal or-"

The butler brushed him off wearily. "Princess Luna was not at the table," he said stiffly. "We shall be bringing her meal to her room momentarily."

"Oh." Palate released a breath of relief. "What about Princess Celestia? Did she enjoy her meal?"

The few nearby cooks and dishwashers rolled their eyes and returned to their card game. Palate may have been a culinary genius but he was also quite the worrywart and more than a just a bit insecure.

"I'm afraid I did not have the opportunity to consult her Majesty's royal taste buds," the steward answered dryly. "But judging by the multiple times she lifted the spoon to her lips I'd say dinner was a success."

"What about His Highness or the young prince?" asked the head chef nervously. "Did they enjoy the meal as well?"

"I, er..." The stallion cleared his throat and tried to pass by. "There are things I must attend to, excuse me."

"What did he do to my soup?" Palate demanded to know. "Did he turn it all into chocolate sauce?"

The butler shook his head.

"Then did he transform it into a bowl of ice cream?"

The butler shook his head.

"Did he transform his meal into anything else besides what it should have been?"

"No."

"Did he flood the entire dining room with syrup?"

"No."

"Did he use my creation to water some foul odor emitting plant that grew in the middle of the room?"

"No."

"Did he freeze the soup and sculpt a twisted phallic image?"

"No."

"Did he pretend to drown in the contents in his bowl?"

"No."

"Did he really drown? Please don't tell me I'm going to be charged with regicide."

The butler shook his head. "No."

"Did he ask for saltine crackers?"

"No."

"Did he and Prince Solaris begin a..." Palate gulped. "...a food fight?"

"No."

"Did he complain about how fascist the soup tasted in an over-the-top foreign accent while grooming a toothbrush mustache?"

"...no."

The cards laid deserted on the ground, the game abandoned as the players and the rest of the kitchen staff crowded around the steward and the shaking chef.

"Please, Alfred," the cook said. "Tell me what happened. I'm strong, I can handle it."

"I have the smelling salts!" chirped a veteran.

The butler took a deep breath. "Nothing."

"Pardon?"

"Lord Discord did nothing, nothing at all. No transformations, no silly dance routines, no improv musicals, no outrages costumes, no inappropriate flirtatious gestures toward Her Highness, no jokes made toward Prince Solaris, not even a knock-knock joke. He didn't even mock my accent or insult my attire under the thin veil of fashion advice."

The entire kitchen gasped.

"He just sat there! He picked up his spoon-yes, picked up a spoon, in his hand! And he just dipped it into his bowl. That's it! He didn't do anything else. No explosions, no confetti, nothing! Nothing, nada, zip! I-I-I need a drink."

The cooks made way as the butler ran past them toward the liquor racks. There was a moment of shocked silence before panicked chatter and whispers danced between the cooks.

"Lord Discord, using a spoon?"

"What's going on? Is he sick?"

"Nothing? He did nothing?"

"Is this, like, some sort of reverse psychology prank he's pulling to scare us? Because quite frankly, it's working."

"Does he know something we don't know? Is Equestria in danger?"

"Do you suppose he's thinking about having an affair?"

"I hear Lord Discord is close to the Bearer of the Element of Kindness? Is she dying?"

"Maybe the soup was just that bad."

"Can Draconequus get terminal diseases?"

"We're all gonna die!"

One of the younger assistance raised his hoof, as if in class. "Um, sir?" he address the head chef. "W-what does this mean?"

Palate simply stood there, as if struggling to register the lad's words. "What indeed," he muttered under his breath. All eyes fell upon him as he walked up to the counters and lifted himself onto it. "Members-" he squeaked. He clear his throat and tried again.

"Members of the royal kitchen staff," he announced boldly this time. "The kitchen is to be closed immediately. You may have the rest of the day off."

A collective gasp and dropping of jaws was the response Palate received while he heaved himself off the counter and dusted himself off. A day off for the cooks? How absurd.

"B-but sir," stuttered a young mare. "What about the dishes? Shouldn't we-"

"Dirty dishes will be here in the morning," the chef interrupted, tossing aside his toque and replacing it with a light brown fedora with a red ribbon tied at the base. "The world may not. Ladies and gentlecolts, if I never see you again..." Palate nodded to each and every one of his colleagues. "It's been an honor."

"Solaris, is something the matter? You've been awfully quiet tonight."

The white colt shook his head. "Just a little tired. Can I be excused? I'm not hungry."

Princess Celestia almost lost her magical grip on her spoon. "We haven't had dessert yet," she said, turning to her husband. Discord kept his head down, focused on his bowl of cold soup. "It's a new recipe for chocolate cake I hear. Don't you want a slice?"

Solaris shook his head again. "I really just want to go to bed. Please Mom?"

The boy quickly lowered his eyes as Celestia tried to stare into them. "Very well," she said after what felt like a thousand years. "I'll read you a story later, okay sweetie?"

"That's okay, you don't have to," Solaris said quietly. He got up and left the dining room, leaving behind a barely touched meal and a trail of weary footsteps echoing on the marble floor. Celestia watched the colt walk away until her vision was blocked as a pair of guards closed the door behind the young prince.

Discord released an exhausted sigh that was barely audible over the shutting of the doors. He churned his own meal, picking up the occasional broccoli and letting it fall back with a weak splash. The Draconequus barely registered the soft thud next to him or the clinking sound of silverware at the side of his paw. It wasn't until he felt the gentle touch of her cheek against his did Discord realize who had moved directly to his side.

"Discord, what's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've been quiet all evening. Have I ever told you how much I hate silent meals? It reminds me of the first nights without Luna. So depressing." Celestia leaned her head against the Draconequus's furry shoulder. "So lonely. Discord, tell me what's wrong. Please."

Discord felt his eyes drawn straight into Celestia's. With a Herculean effort, he managed to tear away from those grey magenta eyes but the damage was done and the walls he had built were collapsing.

"Celestia...am I...a bad parent?"

Yes, the walls Discord had built around him were collapsing, revealing to the princess the defenseless scared soul that sat before her. And it scared her. It scared Celestia seeing just how vulnerable the Draconequus was, how weak and powerless he could appear. She drew closer, grabbing hold of her husband's arm. Discord made no move to resist.

"Discord," she whispered. "You're a wonderful father. How can you say otherwise?"

"Then why...why does Solaris hate me?"

Celestia recoiled as if burned by Discord's words. There was as much pain in his speech as there was in his golden eyes. Discord pushed aside his bowl and leaned his chin against the table.

"I don't know how to be a dad," he said with the voice of a confessing criminal before judge and jury. "The idea never even crossed my deranged mind. I'm...I'm sorry Celestia. I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready and..."

"Are you saying Solaris was a mistake?"

Discord sprung up and turned to face Celestia with shocked eyes. "O-of course not. How can you say-"

"Are you saying that you regret having our son, that you regret the life you have now?" she asked coldly.

"No! I love Solaris!" Discord roared, leaping onto his feet and knocking over his chair. "I-I love you, I love our son! I-"

The Draconequus shut his mouth as his princess silenced him with an embrace.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I know you do. And that's enough, more than enough to be a good father."

"What do you mean?"

"You love him. You want to be a good father toward him. If you weren't already the best father Solaris could have, I'd say you're on the right track."

"Celestia..."

"I mean it, Discord. There's no one else in the world I can think of that I would rather have had father and raise my foal." She pressed herself against the Draconequus's chest, drawing small little circles in his fur. "Solaris is lucky to have you. I'm lucky to have you. And you..."

The Alicorn looked up and smiled expectantly as Discord stared in bewilderment. Some time passed before the two of them noticed a tiny little Discord walking along the larger Draconequus's shoulder.

"Hey, I think she's setting up a line for ya, you big lunkhead," mini Discord whispered. "Are you gonna finish it or do I have to do it for you?"

Discord flicked off the nuisance from his shoulder with a talon. "And I'm lucky to have you," he said. "Lucky and handsome," he added with the tiniest of smirks.

"There's where my husband went," Celestia smirked, brushing her lips against the Draconequus's cheek.

"Technically, I never left but I've never been one to sweat semantics." He quickly grew solemn however and said, "Is that all I really need to be a good dad? Just some love and that's it?"

"Well, you can't be one without it. You're far from perfect-don't try to deny it-but you're still a wonderful father toward Solaris. You've changed, Discord. We've come a long way since that day we first fought. You're no longer that hedonistic tyrant I first sealed." The princess smiled as she levitated Discord's meal and heated it up. "What brought this up anyways?" she asked, placing the bowl back in front of Discord and setting the chair that had fallen over upright. "You said Solaris hated you. What made you think that? Does it have anything to do with why he was so quiet tonight as well?"

Discord sighed, sitting back into the chair.

"Would it help if you acted it out with puppets?"

He shook his head. "It's just...well, I was looking for Diddy in the garden, you know, to play and everything."

"Uh huh." Celestia motioned him to continue.

"And I found him. And he was just sitting there in front of the little pond."

"So? What's so strange about that? The gardener tell me that Solaris has quite the green hoof. I haven't got a clue who he got that from."

"I'm getting there, I'm getting there. So I go up to say hi, you know, typical sneaking routine that ends up in screams and squeals and giggles, right?"

Celestia nodded. "Yes, and?"

"Well it didn't happen. I mean, I'm about ninety nine point nine nine nine nine nine eight five six that I was playing my part perfectly but you know what happened?"

"Screams, squeals, and giggles?"

"No."

"Squeals, giggles, and screams?"

"Not even."

"Giggles, screams, and squeals?"

"No."

Celestia blinked. "Any variation of squealing and screaming and giggling? Any synonyms?"

"No," Discord answered. "There was no screaming or giggling or squealing or laughing or cries of delight or cheers or yay-ing or anything remotely similar, unless you're crazier than me and consider nothing to be remotely similar. He barely responded."

"Maybe he was just really surprised this time," Celestia said with little confidence. "Or he was just tired. Last night was quite a night after all."

Discord shook his head in his own disbelief. "Okay, let's say we buy that but that wasn't the strangest thing. He...didn't want to play."

Celestia blinked again. "He didn't want to play?"

"He didn't want to play with me. He told me...to...leave him alone." Discord found himself staring back at the ground. "Then he ran. My son ran away from me, like I was some sort of mons-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Princess Celestia said sternly.

"...monsieur?" he amended with a weak illusion of a smile. And like most mirages, it soon faded away. "Where did I go wrong? Did I smother him with too much affection? Too little? He can't be..." The spirit of chaos gasped. "He can't be growing up, can he? It's too early! Celestia, I'm not ready for this, I'm not!" Discord began to wail. "I'm not ready for the rebellious teenage phase! That's way too much chaos. That's right, I said it, way too much chaos there for me to handle!"

"...Solaris is seven."

"Next thing we know he'll be sneaking out at night, hanging out with the wrong crowd..." The Draconequus began to pace. With each step, he grew more and more frazzled. His voice shook as he spoke: "...getting into trouble, and not the good kind mind you, ignoring us and distancing himself from his family, refusing to eat dinner, starting a punk band that's doomed to fail, talking about..." He shuddered. "...dating."

"Discord dear, please, this is a new tablecloth." Celestia ushered the distraught Draconequus off the dining table and offered him his untouched glass of chocolate milk. "I fear the days when our child truly experiences puberty if this is your reaction. Don't worry, Solaris is still young and will be for several more years." She smiled and patted Discord's lion paw. "This isn't a phase, simply a bad day, yes, Solaris is just having a bad day."

"A-are you sure?" Discord whispered. "You sure he doesn't actually hate me?"

"I'm sure. How could anyone hate you?"

"Well..."

"Don't answer that." The princess's head turned toward the doors that had hidden the colt's path as they close behind him. "Talk to him," she said, blanketing the Draconequus's shoulder with her wing. "If you still have your doubts, talk to Solaris."

"What if he doesn't want to talk? What if I just make things worse? What if I say the wrong thing or I laugh at the wrong moment and he gets angry? What if I can't understand what's going on because it's a pony thing? What if-"

"You're beginning to sound like Twilight."

Discord turned white. "Please tell me I'm not turning purple."

"I'd say you'd look quite dashing in a light shade of purple," Celestia teased before her features grew stern once more. "But in all seriousness, you can't let your worries get between you and your son. You need to talk to Solaris and resolve all this drama, hopefully before the day ends entirely. Speaking of which..." The Alicorn withdrew from the embrace and peaked out the window. "It's almost time to lower the sun. I need to grab Luna, wherever she is."

"I...I just don't know if I can. I mean, this talking business is still new to me."

"Funny, I was under the assumption you had a monopoly in that area."

"Ha ha." Discord ran his claws through the hair between his mismatched horns. "Could you, I don't know, talk to him first? You know, so I have a little time to prepare, collect my thoughts, rehearse a bit, make a few flashcards, and-oh dear me, I am sounding like Twilight Sparkle."

Celestia tapped her chin thoughtfully, then nodded. "I suppose I could," she sighed. "But-"

Discord grabbed her and pulled the princess into a hug. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!"

"But only if you promise that you will be talking to Solaris in the end, and not, say, run off to Manehattan to escape or something of that nature."

"I..." Discord drew in a quick breath and let it out loudly. He laid a hand on his chest.

"I'd better not see any crossed fingers."

The Draconequus raised the other hand into full display.

"Tail."

The furry appendage joined its cousin in the air. "I promise I will speak to Diddy after you talk to him first. Should I grab my lawyer and get this all in writing as well?"

"No, this is good." The princess leaned forward and left a kiss on Discord's nose. "It will all be well in the end, you'll see."

"I really, really hope you're right about this." For the first time since the beginning of the meal, Discord's eyes met with Celestia's. The corners of his mouth lifted and this time the smile stuck. "Um, Celestia?"

"Yes dear?"

"Luna wanted me to tell you that she won't be joining us tonight for dinner. You know, just FYI."

The Princess of the Sun rolled her eyes. "Yes, I think I gathered that."

Resolution

Two books sat before the young Alicorn colt. One was the latest installment of a popular adventure series he loved starring a tan Pegasus that oddly reminded him of one of his aunties, the other was a small collection of bedtime stories, complete with illustrations. One he had yet to finish and appeared almost brand new, the other was a tad worn out from the years and he could recite some of the pages by memory.

Solaris had to decide: Which one would be left behind? He turned to the already bulging bag on his bed and frowned. If only he didn't have so many scarves.

Running his hoof gently against its spine, Solaris shoved the picture book into the bag. It was a tight fit. There might not enough room for his dragon-worthy hoard of Wonderbolt memorabilia. He'd be lucky to squeeze in a small figurine.

A knock rang against his door. The boy jumped and dropped the bag.

"Solaris? It's me. May I come in?"

That was his mother's voice. It was musical, warm. How different from the cold speech he had heard earlier.

"Um, yeah, uh, give me a second!" Solaris shoved the bag underneath the massive bed and quickly crumpled a large checklist into a ball and stowed it beneath a pile of plush animal dolls. "Okay, you can come in now," he announced, satisfied with the disposal of evidence.

The door opened halfway and Celestia peeked her head inside. There sat the colt, laying in bed innocently. The princess allowed herself a small smile. Appearances could be deceiving, Celestia knew, and the innocence act rarely worked on a mare as experienced as she was, a mare who knew all of the tricks. Solaris had been sitting far too still, the room was suspiciously clean, his breaths were a little uneven and unsteady, shaky even, and those bright golden eyes, normally so filled with mischief, refused to look into hers.

Celestia's grin faded a little at the last observation.

"May I come in?"

"Y-yeah, sure, go ahead." Solaris hoped his gulp went unnoticed as Celestia approached. Perspiration matted his forehead as the princess's eyes fell to the base of the bed. The colt shut his own.

"What's this?"

With reluctance, Solaris reopened his eyes and found his pack dangling in the air by his mother's golden aura. "Oh, uh, that. Right, um..."

"May I?"

"Huh?" Solaris looked up. Celestia gestured to the bag and waited. "S-s-sure," he stammered. "I-I mean, yeah, I guess."

Slowly, gently, the bag fell open and the items flew out and toward their proper places. A rainbow of colorful scarves, both woolen and silken, made their way back into the princeling's closet. A wrinkled simplistic map of Equestria unfolded itself onto the dresser. The series of smushed chocolate bars flew straight into the small empty waste basket. A scrap piece of paper lingered in the air right in front of Celestia's nose. She unfolded the paper.

Solaris rubbed his hooves together nervously. "Um..."

"Yes?"

"N-nothing, it's nothing."

Excruciating seconds passed as Solaris waited for his mother to finish examining the little loose leaf of paper and undoing all the hard work he had done that last hour. He rubbed his hooves together nervously and found far more interest than he should have with the cubist pattern of his blanket. Even the complex subtext behind impressionistic art proved to be a weak distraction as Solaris continually forced himself to look at the blanket, at his hooves, at the wall plastered with posters and pictures, at anywhere or anything besides the beautiful mare next to him.

Something soft draped itself over the colt's shoulders and Solaris felt something warm against his side as Celestia pulled him closer to her with an angelic wing. Timidly, like one trying to stare directly into the blazing sun, Solaris lifted his head and looked up at the Alicorn that held him. Her smile disappeared as he quickly averted his gaze.

Like an aging autumn leaf, Solaris's note drifted onto the floor. Only two words were visible amid the mess of scribbles, a simple two word phrase that spoke volumes.

"Solaris," Celestia began. "Solaris, please talk to me. Why do you want to leave?"

"I...I don't." The boy sniffed and rubbed his nose furiously. "I don't want to go away."

"And nopony can ever make you." Celestia nuzzled the colt's cheek and wiped away the tear streaks. "What's wrong, Solaris?" she asked quietly, gently pushing his chin up so that the two looked into each other's eyes for the first time that night. "Solaris, please talk to me. It hurts to see you like this."

As the young Alicorn's chin trembled against her hoof, Celestia quickly withdrew and let her son turn away. Before the pain of his rejection could settle in, Solaris moved closer toward the princess, burying his nose into Celestia's coat as he shivered and sniffed. Celestia tightened her embrace and began to run her hoof through the child's hair. She hummed softly as she stroked Solaris's light caramel mane.

"My sunshine, my loving sunshine...when you're not with me, my skies are grey..."

It was a simple lullaby, sung by the princess herself one night some time ago as she rocked her crying babe asleep while her dear husband pretended to be asleep. Solaris snuggled deeper into Celestia's fur. She could feel her chest dampen as the boy shook against it, his sobs muffled but not silenced.

"My sunshine, my loving sunshine...come back and please send these clouds away..."

The trembling grew, the cries became more audible. Celestia winced as Solaris grabbed hold of his mother's sides almost painfully as he tried to push himself even closer. He lifted his head weakly, giving Celestia a perfect view of the tears that cascaded from his eyes and down his cheek and chin. It took a deity's will and strength, strength Celestia did not know she had, not to turn and look away, not to allow her warm loving smile falter and fall, the smile that served as Solaris's support and shelter. It took all that and more to stare back into those pained golden eyes, brimming with tears and distress. The boy ducked his head back down into his mother's chest, right in front of her heart, unaware of just how close he truly was to it.

"My sunshine, my loving sunshine...please, won't you come and play...please be my sunshine, my loving sunshine, please be my sunny day..."

The trembling slowed and the cries grew weaker until all Celestia could hear were soft sniffs. She held her colt close as her hums continued. No more lyrics, no more words, only the simple soothing melody now filled the princeling's room. Slowly, ever so slowly, the music began to grow quiet and fade.

"I'm so sorry," she heard Solaris mutter. Celestia's embrace grew tighter. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, my child," the princess whispered softly into Solaris's ear. "You've done no wrong."

"W-what about the Gala?" Solaris's voice shook and threatened to break apart as he looked back up at his mother. "I-I ruined the Gala last night. I-I-"

"Shh." Celestia leaned over and nuzzled the colt's cheek. Was this the entire source of the problem, the cause of all the suffering she saw, the root of the entire day's vexation? Wasn't the mountainous stress that came from dealing with the never satisfied nobility enough? Did the blasted night have to inflict pain upon her child as well? Truly, if there ever was a reason to retire the Grand Galloping Gala, tradition be damned, this was it.

"Don't worry about the Gala," Celestia said, wiping away the the remaining tears. Her smile grew radiant, shining over him like the sun that was her symbol, her sign of hope, his beacon of security. "The Gala is always, always, awful. I told you, your appearance was the highlight of my entire evening. It's alright, there's no need for any more worry."

A haunting chill ran down the princess's spine as Solaris shook his head. His eyes began to water again. "B-but I embarrassed you, Mom. I messed up in front of the entire city, when everypony was watching you. That lady was right, I-I..." The dam broke and the tears flowed freely once more, dousing what warmth she had attempted to kindle.

"Lady?" Celestia inquired, her brows raised in confusion.

"T-the Unicorn in the c-court. S-she was yelling at you because of me, because w-what I did," sobbed Solaris. His shivers returned with a vengeance.

"What are...how did you-"

...a coil of rope fell onto his head...she found no one. The owner of the rope had long since disappeared...

The rope! The princess's gasp sent Solaris into a flinch as if he had been struck. "I'm sorry," she quickly apologized. "Don't worry, I'm not mad, just surprised. So it was you..."

"I-I know you said you were b-busy but I-I wanted to see you. You a-always look so tired after work and I t-thought...I thought...I-I thought..."

"You thought you could help me?" Celestia suggested, tilting her head.

The child nodded. "I wanted t-to surprise y-you a-and cheer you up like Dad does."

"Oh, Solaris..." Celestia moved forward to hold her son, to embrace him once more, this time in appreciation. In the midst of all the grief her heart found room for pride. Her son, so young and yet already so considerate and kind.

Something pushed her back. The fuzzy feeling she had was banished, leaving behind a cold empty space inside. Something in Celestia broke as her boy held her bay, pushing away from her so that a good few inches stood between her and him. Those inches might as well have been leagues.

"B-but I couldn't!" Solaris continued through the tears. "I-I couldn't help, b-because...because it was all my fault."

"Solaris, no-"

"It was my fault that pony yelled at you, because I ruined the Gala," he cried. "It was m-my fault she was yelling at y-you. It w-was my fault you looked so tired and sad. It was my fault...my fault you were crying. I-I made you c-cry!"

Celestia felt her jaw fall. She tried to form words, tried to contradict but it was if her tongue had been glued to the roof of her mouth as Solaris continued.

"S-so maybe...m-maybe if I went away, you wouldn't be s-so sad. I-I don't wanna leave, b-but if staying with y-you will just m-make you cry, m-maybe I should just go away..."

"Solaris!"

Celestia's shout shocked him into silence. His bawl was reduced to hiccups and gulps for air. She rarely raised her voice directly toward her son, no matter how far he tried her patience, but this time it looked like he had gone too far. Bowing his head shamefully, Solaris waited for further punishment, for Celestia to growl angrily as she did with Lady Clout Right and disown him just as the Unicorn had suggested before properly banishing him.

He heard sniffing instead.

Alarmed, Solaris lifted his head just as Celestia had rushed forward, swinging her forelegs around him.

"M-Mom?"

"It's not your fault," Celestia whispered. Her shoulders began to shake, as did her voice. "Don't you dare blame yourself."

"But I-I made you cry. I-I'm making you cry right now."

"Listen to me carefully, Solaris," Celestia said, more pleading than demanding. "When I lost control of myself today, it wasn't because of anything you did. That pony just said some nasty things that made your mother angry and sad."

"But she said those things because I ruined the Gala, because of what I did."

Celestia shook her head. "That pony was wrong. What she said was wrong. What she said about you, how she judged you and said all those awful things about you, all wrong. Solaris, I got mad because of the way that mare and her friends wanted to treat you. You saw me crying because every insult they threw at you, every unfair name, every suggestion of making you anything less than my son, than who you really are, hurt me."

Now Solaris could feel Celestia's tears soak into his coat. "I-I don't get it."

"When someone you love is in danger or in trouble, you feel the need to protect them," the princess explained. She leaned back, wiped her own watering eyes and forced a weak smile. "How would you feel if somepony took me, or your father or perhaps one of our friends far away from you?"

"I think I'd get mad," Solaris answered after only a few seconds of consideration. "I'd try to get you back."

"Ah, but what if you couldn't. What if you couldn't save me?"

The silence was much longer this time around, giving Celestia the opportunity to brush away Solaris's more recent tears. "I-I don't know," he finally admitted. "What do you mean, I couldn't..."

"When that pony said all those things about you, I couldn't do anything. She kept saying this and that about how you...well, you were there. There's no need to repeat any of it." Celestia sighed and rested her head gently against Solaris's shoulder.

"Anyways, I couldn't stop her. I might have told her that there was no discussion and sent her away but, well, I can't control how ponies think. I can't make Lady Clout Right see you the same way I see you and I don't know if I ever can. And that's why I cried, Solaris. I lost control because there was nothing I could do to protect you from those ponies' mean thoughts. I was crying because I was so sick, so angry, so upset with my own helplessness. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't do anything to protect you from their opinions. I couldn't even stop those words from reaching your ears."

The princess shook her head. Her mane hung limply over her face and over Solaris's shoulder. Celestia seemed to age before his very eyes. Her voice carried the same weariness he had heard in court earlier today.

"It's a silly wish, I know, horrible even, to want to make others think a certain way, but you're still so young. I didn't want to see you judged so soon and so harshly, when you're just a foal. They insulted you, called you names, wanted to separate me from you, just because you were yourself? It's not fair," Celestia declared bitterly. "It's just not fair."

"I'm sorry."

"I told you, it's not your fault."

"But if I had behaved, then maybe those ponies wouldn't say those bad things about me," Solaris argued. "If I hadn't ruined the Gala, then all the ponies would have liked me and then you wouldn't have to worry about what they thought. Then you wouldn't be so sad and everything."

"Maybe, but maybe not. Solaris, I..." Celestia took a deep breath. "You're still so young. I didn't want to expose you to the impossibly high expectations ponies have for us. They want, and expect, perfection but everypony's vision of perfection is different. You could have been the emotionless little puppet Clout Right wanted to see and I'm sure somepony would have found a problem."

"Then what can I do?" he asked. Celestia was pleased to find eagerness now dominant in her son's yellow eyes, though the slight swelling beneath his eyes and the redness cutting through the gold served as a reminder of the previous sorrow. "There's gotta be something I can do."

"What can you do?" the princess repeated. "Be yourself."

"Be myself? But-"

"I can't stop ponies from judging you the same way they judge me. I'm sorry Solaris, but one day you will also have to deal with everypony's expectations and the impossible goal of perfection, simply because you are my child. That's the price of being the son of Princess Celestia." The princess chuckled sadly before continuing, "They expect great things from you and one day you will have to face all those ponies but not today. You might be royalty but you are first and foremost a child so, for now, for the time being, ignore what every other pony thinks and live like a child. Be yourself."

As if in emphasis, Celestia retrieved one of Solaris's toys, a velvet dragon, and set it between them. She smiled as she turned back to her son and motioned him closer. He obeyed.

"One day you'll have to grow up," Celestia sighed. "One day Solaris, but not today. I'm not ready to see you all grown up yet, and neither are you. When I see you playing with your father, smiling and laughing, I smile too. I-I..."

"Mom?"

"Don't worry about what all those ponies had to say, alright? You'll have plenty of time to worry in the future. Just let your mother deal with it, okay, honey?" Celestia tightened her hold around Solaris's shoulders. "I shouldn't have cried. Just forget about what you saw today."

"But-"

"Promise me, Solaris. Promise me you won't concern yourself with what the nobles have to say until you're ready. Just let me handle that."

"But-"

"Promise me."

The child grew limp against Celestia's chest as he leaned against it and huffed. "When will I be ready?"

"When you understand what our responsibilities are. That," Celestia interjected, predicting Solaris's next question, "will come with time, age, and study. Don't rush yourself, Solaris, okay?"

The colt sighed. "Then can you promise something too?"

Celestia took a moment to answer. "What is it?" she asked.

"If you don't want me to worry about what those ponies said, then I won't, but can you too?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"I mean not worrying," Solaris said, looking up. "I don't care what they think of me, really, I don't. They can say anything they want about me but it won't matter. I just don't want you to be upset. So if you won't care about what they say, I won't care."

The princess turned away. Solaris gulped, worrying that he had said something wrong, something hurtful. He reached out. "I-I mean, if that's alright with-"

"It's fine." Celestia turned back around. She quickly wiped her eyes and rested her head on Solaris's shoulder. The colt shrugged under the weight.

"What did I say about growing up too fast?"

"Huh?"

"Nothing." Celestia lifted her head and shook it. "You're demanding a lot, you know, asking a mother not to worry. Almost unreasonable, even."

Solaris's defiant stare wavered slightly, but he refused to lower his head.

"So be it," she whispered. "We have a deal. No more crying over this unfortunate event."

"No more crying," Solaris agreed, rubbing his nose and sniffing. "No more crying."

The two shared a small smile before both moved forward into a tight embrace. Celestia's feathers blanketed the foal as his own warm wings stretched over her stomach. The Princess lowered her head and left a gentle kiss on Solaris's forehead before sighing.

"Discord? You can come out."

The window curtains were slowly brushed aside, revealing the tittering Draconquus behind. He took an uncertain step forward.

"Your father's been worried," Celestia whispered. "He was wondering why you were acting so strange around him today."

Solaris swallowed at the remembrance of that disastrous afternoon.

"Is there something you'd like to say to him?"

Solaris swallowed again and nodded slowly. He took an uncertain step forward.

"Dad? I-I'm sorry, for running off and shouting at you. I-I wasn't-"

The rest of the apology was lost. Discord, Lord and Master of Chaos, had rushed forward and flung his arms around the boy, holding him close. Celestia smiled as the ancient Draconequus, her old nemesis, held their son tightly while he whispered softly, so softly that she almost missed it, "It's okay, it's okay."

Discord lifted his head and matched Celestia with his own little grin and beckoned to her. The princess squeezed into her husband's arms and rested her head on his chest as her son huddled into hers.

"We're one big messed up family, aren't we Tia?"

Celestia chuckled. She considered making a comment on her sister's absence, perhaps a jest or a play on the word lunacy. She considered, and decided against it, choosing instead to simply kiss Solaris's forehead again, then press her lips against Discord's.

"Yes, I suppose we are," she said, "and I wouldn't have it any other way. What about you, Solaris?"

The colt snuggled closer.

Years would pass and Celestia's words would become true. Solaris would grow up, and accept and don the public image forced upon him. Studies would replace games, much to Discord's chagrin. The childish, prank-loving boy would become a diplomat, an adjudicator, a prince worthy of relation to the Princess of the Sun.

The colt snuggled closer to Celestia, his mother. Not to Princess Celestia, but simply Celestia his mother.

Future Galas would end with insufferable nobles crushing each other to shake his hoof, to sing praises and ignore or forget his first Gala. Lady Clout Right would be there, of course.

The colt snuggled closer.

"That's okay," he whispered. "I wouldn't have it any other way."