“So… This is the night you say it all fell apart? The night that made twelve thousand years of planning and the sacrifice of an entire race, worthless,” the diminutive little creature said aloud as he walked calmly amongst the hooves of the assembled equines around him. The ponies seeming to move in super slow motion, a second for them lengthened to an hour for the being sent to observe the moment.

“Indeed. Though some would like to think it salvageable, I fail to see how. Even if Luminescent is proven correct, the Draconequus will succumb to the darkness. It is in his nature, his very soul acts as an amplifier for the darker forces of Chaos,” a deep feminine voice answered in kind from the shadows, seeming to come from multiple points at once.

The tiny creature sneered in an almost playful manner as he glanced in the direction of the voice’s true source, unleashing a smile of sharpened teeth not belonging in the mouth of the amphibious embodiment in which he resided. “Chaos, an all too familiar subject for you,” turning to glance at the seemingly gigantic Alicorn he twiddled his stubby little fingers together as he looked at her in thought. “Do you think she knows? About Luminescent, I mean? Any fool with half a functioning brain could tell the bastard is hiding something.”

From somewhere behind him the presence approached, emanating energy enough to make his skin crawl. The ethereal bonds about his wrists making themselves well known in her increased proximity. “In the end, it will scarcely make a difference now. The flow has already been disrupted and things have been revealed before their time. Malevolence still slumbers, none the less, his plan is in motion and our best chance to slow him down dies with the sparing of that life,” a book blinked into existence in the general proximity of the voice. “Kamarag saw this coming from the very beginning. And I have been a fool for my blindness in following Infinity with such stubborn zeal. I only hope Fate can forgive me, at the end,” the book opened to reveal a quill, scribbling away in a flurry of glowing golden runes.

“Please,” the barely six inch tall newt said as he turned to ‘look’ at her, his tone holding just a hint of genuine compassion. “That boob of a dragon was a complete dick. You did everything within your power to fix this, without ever truly interfering with Infinity’s writings,” he shook his head in earnest. “If that’s not the sign of someone trying to do better, then, I don’t know what is,” the tiny thing crossed his little arms and turned away. “If the Forger hadn’t imprisoned me, I’d have shown that arrogant flying handbag what I thought of him.”

“To think that to this day you still question your bonding, oh little Tillook, what are the Fates to do with you?” The voice asked, closing the book and blinking it away.

The half-crazed creature put a hand to his chin in mock thought. “Hmm… Break these shackles, restore my full power, and return my true form. That would be nice of them,” he said before walking off to the side of the meeting place and disappearing around the corner from which Luminescent had arrived. “And what of this one then? I don’t recall her being here as part of the plan.”

Moving to follow him the presence passed directly through the wall of solid granite separating the group of ponies from Tillook’s discovery. “She has become somewhat of an enigma, in all honesty. Only recently has she appeared in Infinity’s writings,” she said, moving up to reside next the newt who was painting a rather inappropriate picture of the mare before him, seeming to spend significant time on her eyes. He had drawn them with a more cat like iris, for whatever the reason…

“Will she be trouble?” Tillook queried as he framed the picture before simply devouring it in a single bite.

A dull silvery shimmer appeared in the air as the presence increased in power, the very laws of reality bending away as the energy condensed by its own force of will. “That, will be difficult to answer, Tillook. She is all but an unknown in all this. A wild card that has somehow been dealt from a new deck,” at this the presence began to fade away from all perception. “All that remains is to see what is in store for her. And whether or not, she believes,” with that final word the voice faded away, leaving the perplexing little monster alone for but a moment. A moment, is all he would need.

“Deer sweet, naïve Malithion,” Tillook muttered under his breath as he turned to look at the mare crouched behind a boulder. “For all your power, knowledge, and, dare I say it, wisdom,” he glanced back at the ponies. Particularly the one holding the Index. “You never seem to notice a perfectly good opportunity for a little…mischief!” With barely comprehensible speed the tiny newt crossed the distance between him and his newest target, stopping at the side of the floating crystal with a mad grin covering his features. “Of all the Tools to survive,” he said with a little emphasis on “Tools,” fusing his tiny hand into the depths of the crystal. “You were my best work yet,” frowning he reached a little farther till he made contact with the sleeping child’s forehead. “And now. It’s high time you did the job you were created for,” smiling, he removed his hand as he himself began to vanish. “You’re late… My little Discord.”

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

Two years later.

“Again! Again!” A tiny, yet impossibly powerful voice demanded of her begrudging protector. The young stallion groaned inwardly but complied none the less. His horn lit in a momentary flash that shrouded him from view.

“Tah dah,” Star Swirl mumbled when he could once more be seen, or rather, the pair of him said it in perfect unison as they took a sweeping bow. He huffed as the sound of hooves thudding together filled his ears, normally he enjoyed entertaining foals. This however, was excruciating.

“Again!” The tiny dark ball of adorableness commanded as she bounced up and down on her haunches gleefully, clopping her hooves with excitement.

Lowering their heads in defeat the pair of Star Swirls vanished in a bright flash, to be replaced by four more identical ponies. They looked to the princess and each made a different face, causing uncontrolled fits of laughter to flow from the filly.

“How long do we have to do this?” A certain shimmery pony groaned from his entrapped position under the bouncing princess. His face souring as she started bopping at his horn playfully before shouting. “Again! Again!” At the top of her lungs, making for good practice at developing the well-known Alicorn shout. “It’s been six hours,” he moaned, splaying his ears away from the noisy child.

As one the assemblage of Star Swirls let out a collective groan of their own before the copies burst into puffs of purple smoke and vanished, leaving a slightly panting original in their place. “Just until their majesties return from the dispute, come on Silver, I thought you said you loved foals?” He said teasingly.

Silver Spark winced. “I did. But that was before I spent time with one… Ouch!” He grit his teeth as the monster on his back bit down on his still twitching ear. “Remind me to run the next time master Luminescent mentions a test on patience.”

Star Swirl couldn’t help a chuckle at the sight. “Sorry Silver, but unfortunately I’ll be too busy preserving my own hide to warn you,” his ear twitched out toward the farther reaches of the palace gardens, body stiffening as he listened to some unheard message. “Shadow Depth says the forest perimeter is all clear,” he said shaking his head free of the signal, he hated telepathy sometimes.

“Why does she even bother with a patrol?” Silver Spark muttered as he tried to pull Luna’s hooves from his snout. “Anything sinister happens around here. Bam! The Paladins will wipe it from existence before you could even blink,” he said nodding to the massive Alicorn guards keeping an ever watchful gaze trained over the gardens, their armor glinting in the sun as a shimmer of translucent energy flowed over their forms.

Snorting in affirmation Star Swirl flopped down in the cool grass to continue his panting, flopping tongue included. “You know her, procedure nut,” he said, glancing around casually at their little corner of heaven. It was mid-summer and everything was in full bloom and rich with life.

Silver just grunted as the princess finally vacated his back to investigate a ladybug crawling up a flower. He watched her go before his own ear flicked a bit towards the castle. After a few seconds of mumbling he held his hooves to his ears. “Get out of my head mare,” he said pleadingly, smacking his face into the turf.

“I take it Star Shine has become bored with her post,” Star Swirl said with no restraint to his mirth, watching his friend writhe about on the ground with utter amusement. Perhaps this day would bring something more to his liking after all.

“No, she was just letting me know we are about to have some company,” Silver muttered, his voice muffled by the grass as he had neglected to rise from where he lay.

Star Swirl raised an eyebrow at the collapsed form drooling into the grass. “Come on Silver, I know you better than that. What cruel thing did she do to your mind this time?” He asked dully.

The downed pony mumbled quietly to himself before looking up. “I’ll tell you when you’re older,” at this both ponies picked up on a trio of signatures approaching from the air, a pair of Pegasi warriors, and a third of such power that it could only belong to their worst nightmare.

“Tia!” The tiny Alicorn shouted as she ran to welcome her older sibling, tackling the larger filly as she landed. The two of them rolled across the grass, laughing and swatting at each other as they went.

As the foals tore off across the lawn the pair of Pegasi landed heavily next the relaxing overseers. One was a pony of roughly average height, though upon closer inspection appeared to have a larger than typical wingspan, the feathers of which crackled with tiny jolts of electrical energy that flowed outward to a set of wicked looking wingblades. He wore armor bearing the marks of the royal Elite Fighting Pegasi, beneath which was a gray coat that faded to black at his hooves, snout, and ears. “Tiberius Rustwing, commander of their Royal Highnesses Elite Fighting Pegasi and Grandmaster at Arms. At your service,” the Pegasus said with a sweeping bow at the end of his lengthy title, his wings crackling with barely contained power as he ruffled them. “It is a privilege to be working with the Star Order,” he finished with a genuine smile.

The other newcomer simply gave a short and more to the point bow. “Ardarius Rustwing,” he said simply, lacking his brother’s gift with words. He was a fair bit shorter than the other making him the smallest of the stallions present, though his authority seemed no less diminished. His appearance proved just as intimidating as the first, what with similar armor and a teal coat finishing his look of strength.

Star Swirl stood from his position and nodded at the pair. “Apprentices Star Swirl, and Silver Spark. Appointed to the task of,” he glanced at the playing fillies. “Personal escort,” by the high master, and as…” He trailed off at this.

“Play things…” Silver Spark muttered as he massaged his ear. “So who do we owe for this fine visit? And for bringing us the missing piece too our gruesome twosome,” he stood as well and made his way over to the warriors, eyes scanning over the pegasi with well-practiced speed.

Tiberius inclined his head in the fillies’ direction. “Her highness completed her studies well ahead of schedule, and as such demanded to be taken at once to her sister,” he stated simply, giving Silver an inspecting glance of his own.

Star Swirl took note of their armor and armaments, the pair seemed fitted for a long distance mission of sorts. With a hint of curiosity entering his demeanor he couldn’t help but ask the question tugging at his mind. “You said you would be working with the Order, I find it strange of the guard to spend such resources on foal sitting,” he said glancing at the fillies.

The shorter Pegasus grunted as if to confirm his suspicions as Tiberius nodded. “His majesty returned just this hour, the four of us are to accompany your high master on a quest of great importance. We leave as soon as he arrives,” he said firmly, giving little acknowledgment to Silvers confused look.

“Guess that means the test is over then…” Silver Spark said quietly, his face scrunching up further as he caught a look at Star Swirl glancing about the garden randomly. “And just what are you on about?”

A growing look of concern spreading over his face Star Swirl turned to stare blankly at the silvery pony next to him. “Where are the princesses?”

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

About two minutes earlier.

“Luna! Get back here with thy crown at once!” Screamed an alabaster filly with a bright pink mane and tail as she chased her little sister, a face that said she really didn’t care one little bit about the situation so long as she could keep running.

Without missing a beat the tiny blue Alicorn in the lead tossed the crown skyward, catching it in her magic she then leapt into the air and spread her wings in an attempt to glide over a tall hedgerow. “Weeee!!!!” She shouted with glee, floating effortlessly over the shrubbery. “Thou shall never lay eye on thy crown again Tia! The princess of the night shall rule ever more!” She said giggling as she went.

Grunting in effort as she ran at the hedge Celestia jumped as her sister had done, though her wings remained where they were at her sides. In a bright flash of barely controlled magic, she vanished. Only to reappear an instant later mere inches above her flying sibling, tackling her out of the air the pair tumbled to the ground and rolled down a slight hill into another grotto. They came to a laughing rest next to a small fountain beside a cobblestone pathway and lay there panting, an occasional snicker escaping them.

Both ponies froze as another source of laughter joined in with theirs, it was coarse yet still had a youthful quality about it as it changed in both pitch and volume. “You… You should see the looks on… Your faces…!” A high pitched squeaky voice said between laughing fits from some place over near a distant flower bed. “Priceless. Absolutely priceless,” it sputtered.

“Who is there?” Celestia demanded as she hopped to her hooves and stood in front of her sister in a defensive stance. “Come out now!” She said, eyes narrowing as they searched out the voice. “Or I shall call out the Paladins on you!”

“Oh no! Not that! Anything but their disapproving eyeballs!” The voice pleaded from its hiding place amongst the foliage. “I shall do, whatever, you say…” A soft whimpering could be heard from the stand of flowers.

Luna glanced up to her sister with uncomprehending eyes that were beginning to show confusion. “Tia, what are you doing? It is just Disky pretending to be a flower again,” she said pushing past her sister and trotting over to the now snickering stand of tulips. “Come out come out wherever you are!” She called happily as she nosed around the plants. As her muzzle brushed against a particularly scraggly one with curled petals it shivered with a chuckle.

Celestia simply shook her head as she moved closer to her sister and gave a less than bemused look as Luna began nuzzling the flower, causing it to burst into a laughing fit tailored for a crazy pony. “Discord, you know you aren’t supposed to be out here with us. You’re going to get in trouble again, worse if father catches you,” she stated as the flower reached up with a pair of leaves and pulled itself apart from the top down, revealing a tiny mismatched creature about her own size that was shaped similarly to a serpent.

“Oh, come on Tia. The castle is sooooo boring,” he said, shaking the last of the flower suit from his goat leg, one of several mismatched limbs his body sported. “And besides,” Discord said as he looked around slowly. “I believe that I was here first, so it’s you who are out here with me,” he laughed with an impossibly wide grin as he blinked away. Only to appear on top of the tiny fountain holding a lion paw to his ear. “Did you two manage to lose Star Swirl again? Judging by how slurred his voice is, I’d say he’s foaming at the mouth with worry,” he grinned.

“Oh Ancients…” Celestia grumbled, her mood darkening instantly. “Is his horn blue?” She asked with her face scrunching up.

Discord rubbed his chin with an eagle talon hand. “I would describe it more as, cyan, but sure, let’s say yes,” he said looking away from the panicking stallions he could see from his perch atop the fountain. Turning to admire his reflection in the water he started caressing the pair of fangs hanging from his upper jaw. “What’s your point?”

“My point,” Celestia muttered as the stallions came pouring into the grotto followed closely by a pair of the hulking Paladin vanguards, the later crackling with energy as their power levels skyrocketed. “Is that…” She said deadpan followed with a facehoof.

“My princesses!” Tiberius exclaimed as he moved closer to inspect the foals more closely before scanning the surrounding plant life for threats. “You must not run off like that…” He said, growing a startled look as his eyes found the draconequus perched atop the fountain, the creature seeming to be rather pleased with itself. In a flash of electrical discharge and flaring wings the Pegasus was drawn up into a defensive stance and along with his counterpart, moved to subdue this new potential threat. That was until a certain unicorn got involved.

As he inspected the foals for possible damage Star Swirl picked up on a familiar presence just as the Grandmaster at Arms’ voice trailed off, and knew things just got complicated. He rounded on the pegasi as they began a lunge that was certain to end in a great deal of pain… For them. Even as he charged his horn for a stasis spell he could see Discord’s face shifting to one of fear, talons ready to snap. Bad things were known to happen when he became frightened by unfamiliar faces. Star Swirl concentrated, knowing he was already too late for what he had in mind.

In a blinding flash of silvery light, both winged ponies blinked away… And appeared again on the other side of the fountain, tumbling through the air briefly before correcting their trajectories and landing with a flourish of blades before spinning in perfect unison and readying for a fight, only slightly confused as to what had just transpired.

Smiling despite himself Star Swirl managed to release a held breath in thanks to Silver Spark’s quick intervention, despite what a great many ponies may think of him, Silver was always in command of a situation. “Such a reaction is most unnecessary, I assure you, good sirs,” he said raising a hoof to try and capture their attention before gesturing at the little being coiling around the top of the fountain’s figurehead. “His name is Discord. And he is a guest of the crown, under the instruction of their majesties and the Star Order,” at this he glanced at the mismatched thing now staring back at him, the child’s face lighting up as he spoke. “A friend.”

A quadruple sonic boom thundered across the sky pushing the clouds away as it traveled. From the direction of the castle a massive collection of purple and violet lighting tore through the air and arced into the ground beside the fountain, instantly steaming away the water as a flash of light of the entire spectrum filled the clearing. A resounding boom and the smell of ozone filled the nostrils of all who were present, save the fillies who were now protected by a layer of the lightning.

Standing in a slightly charred circle, still covered in a bluer shade of the flickering lightning, stood the Alicorn King Terra. The massive black equine slowly looked about the assemblage, his very being radiating energy as his body seemingly warped and wavered. Tendrils of his lightning traveled down his legs to the ground where they traveled across the grass to fuel additional energy that coursed over every pony present. In a single instant, he had entrapped them all.

After a few seconds of simply glancing about the power holding the tiny draconequus faded away as the Kings gaze settled upon him. “Discord. You shall return to thy quarters. Thou are to await there until such time as I see fit to determine a course of disciplinary actions. Understood?” He boomed in a voice that made it clear there was no haggling over the point.

The child in question swallowed deeply before nodding quickly. With a glance at Star Swirl that merely garnered a sympathetic half smile, Discord raised his talons, and with a snap he was gone in a flash of white.

Terra then turned to the Paladins as the energy released them as well. “The Draconequus is to be sealed within his chamber. See that he gets there, and stays until I arrive,” the Paladins bowed low as they backed away a few steps before spreading their twenty foot wingspans and took to the air, winging back to the castle without a word. Turning finally back to the comparatively miniscule ponies before him he sighed, simultaneously releasing them from his power. Smiling as the fillies rushed forward to great him he lowered to the grass and lay on his side, taking them into his hooves for a hug.

“Daddy!” Luna hollered as she leapt into his waiting embrace, the little filly immediately began nuzzling her father with affection. Celestia, however, was decidedly not so enthusiastic about the situation as she sat on her haunches with a pout crossing her face.

“Why?” She asked looking up as Terra regarded her with a questioning gaze. She scuffed at the ground before continuing. “He was not hurting any pony, father. Why must you treat him so?” She said, not wanting to finish the sentence aloud. ‘Cruelly’ she thought to him.

Terra regarded his daughter, his eyes slowly softening from the hard coldness they had been displaying. “Celestia, my dear, I see it may be time to explain some things to the both of you. Please, take thy sister and return to the palace and await my return,” he said, placing Luna back on her hooves as he stood. Not appearing the least bit satisfied, Celestia frowned but nodded in submission before tugging on her sister and leading her out of the garden.

Watching them go the King then turned to inspect the four remaining ponies before him, two of his finest pegasi elite, and two apprentices from the Star Order of Luminescent’s own choosing. Having few others he could trust with such a matter, he could never ask for a finer team. As one the gathered ponies bowed low to their King in silent praise. Only after he gave a slight nod of his head did they rise up to look at him.

“Elites, Tiberius, and Ardarius, at the ready as requested sire,” the armored Pegasus stated regally before his ruler with much pride evident in his voice. “To what grand task dust thou appoint to us this day?”

“The task,” Terra replied, nodding to Luminescent, whom had inexplicably appeared behind the ponies as they had bowed. “Shall be to tread within the realm of a once great power,” Luminescent interjected. “To set hoof in a place no pony has wandered since the days of old,” the haggard unicorn pushed past them to look up at the King. “We are going, to Cromithia.”