As the moon rose high over the Equestrian Empire, Celestia took comfort as Discord wrapped himself around her. As chaotic as he was, ruining things left and right, Celestia always loved this time of night. The moon was slowly climbing in the sky. It would be a few hours yet until Luna was finished. She was still coming to terms with her magic. The Princess turned to meet Discord’s lips and they kissed briefly.

“This cannot go on much longer, Discord.” Celestia said. She spoke with a heavy heart, but it was true. The fate of Equestria was based on her ability to control the daily mishaps caused by Discord, but the closer they got, the harder it was to punish him for his mistakes.

“Now, Princess, this is the tenth time you’ve said that in the past week. If it were true, you’d have...oh, I don’t know, turned me to stone by now.” Discord turned his entire body to stone, save for his head. Celestia rolled her eyes and he shattered the stone around him, popping his body back into place. Celestia watched the moon raise into the sky, reminding herself to praise her sister for the work. Luna had been growing resentful lately, and they had argued just yesterday about Luna not wanting to lower the moon.

“She’s angry,” Celestia said softly.

“Your sister?”

“Yes. She won’t tell me much, but she wants to know that somepony appreciates her night. She works so very hard on it.”

“You work equally hard on the Day, Tia, darling.” Discord always knew when Celestia was in a mood. He had gone from chaotic being to caring lover in less than a minute.

“I’m afraid that if she doesn’t get any recognition soon, she’ll begin to...expand her powers. She no longer wants to lower the moon when it is time for the dawn.”

“Compromise, dear, Tia. Let her moon stay out longer half the year, come out earlier, stay out later. During the cold months. You can have more Day hours on the warm months.” Discord had been suggesting the idea for centuries, but Celestia had never taken the thought into account. Equal hours of day and night had always been easiest. There had been no arguing over when they would switch. Now, it seemed as though what Discord was suggesting was the best idea.

“I will run it by her in the morning. I need to leave you now, Discord. There are many Royal Matters to attend to. Try to stay out of trouble.”

“No promises,” Discord said, planting a swift kiss on Celestia’s lips before vanishing with a very audible ‘pop!’.

Celestia stared out into the stone gardens, her eyes lingering on the stone Discord. She turned her gaze to the moon, where her sister was imprisoned. She couldn’t remember the last time she smiled. She was expected to make an appearance at her magic school. A filly named Something Sparkle was taking the entrance exam. She figured she would show up near the end, to hear the final result, and take off, returning to her quarters and remaining there for the remainder of the thousand years she had sentenced on her sister.

One thousand years that was very nearly up. Just a few more years of isolation, and Celestia would fetch her sister. When Luna returned, she would be able to tell her sister everything. Her love for Discord. Her regret at turning him to stone. If she was lucky, Luna would agree to at least try to break him free. Celestia knew the Elements of Harmony had gone missing, but she didn’t know if their powers had left her and her sister. Celestia sighed as the thought occurred to her that, maybe, they might not be able to free Discord.

This was the thought running through her mind as she set off to watch the Sparkle filly take her entrance exam. She had opted to fly, not wanting to spend much time around her guards. Long gone were the guards that knew of Celestia’s heartache. This set of guards was uninformed as to why their ruler was always so reserved. This set of guards had no idea of the constant state of confusion Celestia was always in. They had no idea that she had banished her sister shortly after turning her lover to stone.

As Celestia made her way across the skies of Canterlot, she had an odd feeling that something...odd was about to happen. She couldn’t place it, but she’d had the exact same feeling when she had joined her sister to turn Discord to stone. She’d had the same feeling when she’d vanished her sister. Just as she began to place the feeling, the sky exploded in a bright flash of rainbow. There was a loud cracking sound and something large and purple shot up through the roof of her school, only to disappear again just as quick as it appeared. Celestia dove down towards the building, surprised to see a small purple filly staring in disbelief at a baby dragon. A smile crossed Celestia’s face as she realised what the feeling had been. The same feeling she’d always gotten just before using the Elements of Harmony.

This filly was going to be very very important.

Reformation. It was a possibility. It had to be. Celestia stared at the statue of Discord, her mind whirring. The Element of Kindness, Fluttershy, would be able to reform Discord. There was no doubt in her mind of that. If the Elements could save her sister from Nightmare Moon, they could save Discord from the chaos inside him. Of course, he would never be truly ripped from the chaos. He would just control it better. She had to believe he could change.

She had been right, she realised. Discord had changed. Not by much, but he had changed. He was still the chaotic being she had grown to love, without being far too unreasonable. Now, he flitted around the castle, enjoying his freedom.

“Tia, dear, I’ve been free for over a week, and you’ve said a total of three words. I thought you would be happy that I was here, but all you seem to be is blue.” Discord snapped his talon-like fingers and the entire room turned a shade of pale blue.

“I have been...wary, Discord. I cannot allow your reign of chaos to take over Equestria again. If I distance myself, I will not be hurt if I have to return you to your stone prison.”

“Now, Tia, do you not trust Fluttershy’s judgement? I’m a whole new Draconequus. Now, where is my loving welcome?” Celestia turned to face Discord, a small smile on her face.

Celestia paced back and forth in front of Discord’s quarters, trying to find words. Expecting. The word shouldn’t have applied to her. She was an immortal princess of Equestria. She was an alicorn. Discord was an immortal being of chaos. He was a Draconequus. They shouldn’t have been able to ‘expect’ anything like this. Her stomach fluttered, or so she thought. There was no way she’d be able to feel anything like that now. She’d only just returned from her routine check-up. She was only a few weeks in.

“Discord, I need to speak to you.” She said in a firm voice. Out the nearby window, she could see her sister teaching Twilight how to blend the colours of the sky to create the perfect ‘just before dark’ scene in the sky. Celestia briefly remembered trying to explain the concept of colour blending to Sunset Shimmer. The unicorn hadn’t cared about blending oranges together to create the perfect sunset sky. Discord opened the door and Celestia inhaled deeply.

“Oh, what a treat. The princess herself!” Discord bent his head low to the ground, kissing her hooves.

“Now is not a time for foolishness. This is important.”

“It must be. You normally send for me. I can’t remember the last time you came to me directly...oh wait, yes I do. A few weeks ago. Don’t tell me you’re here for that again? What would the subjects say if they knew what you were doing instead of running a kingdom?”

“That is not why I am here, Discord. This is urgent.”

“I’m all ears,” Discord said, snapping and making ears appear all over his body. Celestia took a deep breath and told Discord everything she had just found out. At first, he was dead quiet. After a few seconds, he exploded--literally--into laughter.

“Oh, this is rich. Princess Celestia, pregnant? I may not be a studious Draconequus, but I’m pretty sure I read somewhere, oh, yes, here it is,” he conjured a scroll from thin air and read aloud. “Nowhere in Equestrian history is there any record of inter-species offspring. There have been several inter-species relationships scattered throughout history, however, none of them have produced any offspring due to their varying chromosomal patterns.”

“They did not account for immortal beings.” Celestia pointed out. “Besides, I have been with none, aside from you. The only pony I have lain with is Starswirl, and that was thousands of years ago. The foal I am expecting could not be his. It must be yours.”

“So what, the doctors just told you that this was possible?”

“I refused to name the father. I did not want to draw our relationship to the public eye.” Discord sniffed loudly.

“I refuse to believe this nonsense. Either you’re lying, or you were with somepony else. I don’t mind, of course. We aren’t exclusive.”

“Are you questioning my loyalty?” Celestia asked, rising above Discord.

“I’m not questioning anything, Tia, dear.” Discord said with a shrug. He spun around and vanished with a small ‘pop’, leaving a grief-stricken Celestia to wonder just what she’d done wrong.

“Discord, my sister wishes to see you. She’s with the doctors. She says it is most urgent.” Luna bowed at her sister’s lover, unaware that they hadn’t spoken in months.

“Do I have to go?”

“It is my sister’s wish. You do care for my sister, correct?”

“Yes, yes, I suppose so.” Discord sighed and rose to his feet, following Luna to the royal hospital chambers. He could hear Celestia arguing with someone as he pushed the door open. Luna didn’t follow.

“I’m assuming this is the father?” The doctor asked. He was a plain brown stallion with a black mane, and a stethoscope on his flank. Discord looked to Celestia, confused.

“Yes, this is he.”

“Have I missed something?” Discord asked. Celestia’s eyes were puffy and red. The doctor looked solemn.

“Er, Discord, I have some rather distressing news to tell you.”

“If this is about Tia’s pregnancy, I am already aware. I have come to terms with the idea, and I am, of course, prepared to father the future prince or princess.”

“That is not the news, Discord.” The doctor gave Discord a look, and the chaotic being sat beside his lover, trying to figure out what could have possibly gone wrong.

“The Princess and yourself are, when it comes down to genetic composition, very similar, as you are both immortal beings. It would be very possible for the two of you to produce offspring. However, because the Princess is an immortal pony being, and you, Discord, are an immortal...er...”

“Draconequus,” Discord supplied. The doctor nodded.

“Yes, Draconequus. Because you are a Draconequus, and the Princess is a pony, there was a very high possibility of something going wrong. Much higher than average. Even higher than that of magical conception. I’m afraid that I have to inform you that the foal the Princess was carrying was lost.”

“Well, go find it then,” Discord said, not understanding. He never bothered acquainting himself with these things.

“Discord,” Celestia said quietly. “There is nothing to be found.”

The realisation hit Discord like a brick. Gone. Forever. The guilt settled in around him as he realised that this could only be his fault. Some otherworldly force was punishing him for not believing Celestia when she first broke the news. He looked from the doctor to Celestia, his mind racing.

“I...I’m sorry.” He said under his breath. There was a loud ‘pop’, and he was gone.

Celestia spent a good portion of two centuries waiting for Discord to return. She had seen the life spans of Twilight Sparkle’s friends come to an end. Still, Discord did not return. Princess Cadence had decided not to take a new husband, and spent many of her days at the gravesite of Shining Armor. Still, Discord did not return. Twilight Sparkle also spent her days grieving. She spent equal amounts of time at the gravesites of her friends, and her late husband, Flash Sentry.

The only pony not spending her days missing somepony else was Luna. She had found that her guards were, of course, immortal to an extent. She had fallen for one of them, and the two were said to be expecting a foal. Celestia had tried to be happy for her sister, but...

Celestia sighed. She had given up waiting for Discord to come back. The princess spent much of her time now in her room, staring out the window. She lifted the sun from her window. She watched Twilight and Luna working on the night sky. She had, of course, considered taking a husband. It was expected of her. Yet, she could not bring herself to look for one. Every time she tried, Discord and the memories she had with him would pop into her head.

“Now, now, Tia. I didn’t think you missed me that much.” Discord’s voice echoed through her mind. She was going crazy. Now she was hearing his voice as though he were here, having a conversation.

“Of course I’m here, Tia.”

“I am above the mental downward spiral of heartbreak.” Celestia said softly. “I am alone, in my study. There is nopony here but me.”

“Suit yourself,” there was a soft pop and Discord stood in front of Celestia. “If you’d rather I go...”

“Discord.”

“In the flesh.”

“What are you doing here? You left.” Discord hung his head and nodded slowly.

“Yes, I left. I was...upset, I suppose is the word. I was upset.”

“You? Upset? Over what, may I ask? Because I was under the impression that you never wanted a foal in the first place.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, actually. I was used to the idea. I was even excited. I’ve been around for even longer than you have, Celestia, darling. The thought of a foal, somepony to carry on the Chaotic name, well, I found it quite thrilling.”

“I’m sure that’s why you left.” Celestia muttered.

“Exactly so. You see, chaos is, in the simplest of forms, things that should not be. Chocolate rain, for example.” He snapped his fingers and a small cotton candy cloud appeared. Chocolate milk began raining down. Another snap, and the cloud was gone.

“What does this have to do with anything?” Celestia snapped. She knew of his chocolate rain. Equestria had nearly flooded with chocolate milk when Discord reigned supreme. Discord smiled and snapped again. A blanket appeared in his arms, and Celestia peaked with curiosity.

“You see, Tia, I can travel through dimensions, and you can’t. All I had to do was find the right one.”

“The right one?”

“Celestia, I present to you, your daughter.” He pushed the blanket down to reveal a foal with a pale grey face. Her eyes were shut, and she snored lightly in her sleep. Further moving of the blanket revealed that the foal had mismatched legs. One eagle talon, one lion paw, and two pony hooves. Her pink and teal mane had the same flowing properties as her mother’s.

“She’s got wings, but they’re nothing too special,” Discord said softly. “Regular old pony wings. So she’s got the whole alicorn thing going for her. Her eyes are mismatched. One is yellow, the other is purple.”

“This is what you were doing?” Celestia asked, staring at the foal in Discord’s arms.

“Well, you were quite torn up about it. I figured I would dimension hop until I found her.”

“You just took her away?”

“I made it work.” Discord shrugged. “Do you want her?” Celestia seemed shocked.

“Of course I want her. She’s my daughter, isn’t she? What’s her name?”

“She...she didn’t get one. Complications at birth, we didn’t really stay around long enough for her to be named. I figured you could name her now, if you wanted. I didn’t want to name her without your input, otherwise her name would be...Desdemona or something like that.”

“Dissonantia,” Celestia said softly.

“Pardon?”

“Her name,” Celestia rearranged some things in the room, making a makeshift bed and helping Discord to lower the foal. She cooed quietly and Celestia smiled. This was the life she had always wanted. “Her name is Dissonantia.”

Author's Notes:

This was written for The Princess Rarity, for her birthday last Friday, but I'm just now publishing it. This doesn't count as me coming off Hiatus since I never intended to publish this, and I only wrote it as a birthday present. I am still on Hiatus.