Standing out on her balcony in the cool night air, Princess Luna was conflicted. She had done much since her return to help ponies in need, primarily by way of her Nightmare Patrols, something she wished she could remember Celestia’s less intimidating name for at that moment, but still it didn't feel like enough. Her sister had raised two new princesses, one having accomplished many heroic deeds sure to color the history books, the other now a co-ruler of a legendary kingdom, but what, apart from providing much nicer night skies than Celestia could manage, if she could say so herself, had Luna done?

She'd proven she wasn't a monster anymore, nopony she could see or hear, save for the confines of their darkest dreams, thought of her that way anymore. At least, not alou-She clamped down on the thought.

She didn't feel important as she once had, back when she and her sister vanquished mighty foes together, performed great feats of awe and wonder. She wanted to accomplish something, take part in an action that would reshape, or at least improve, Equestria as a whole.

About ten minutes later, she was stumped.

Now how do I do that?

She knew Celestia hadn’t truly done much at all, directly, but primarily depended on others to achieve her goals, as with Twilight Sparkle. Perhaps Luna could find somepony to act as an extension of her own reach?

She looked to the royal gardens below, in which she observed two mares, one with a long blue gown and ruby-addled headdress, the other in a short, green dress with many gold bands weaved through her mane. Luna faintly wondered if her regalia could use a modern touching-up before enhancing her hearing with a faint glow in her horn, so as to hear the two below.

“Ugh, I simply can’t believe I wasted an entire week on that insensitive lout!”

Green-dress laughed quietly. “I did tell you he was untouchable, better than both of us have tried and failed to get the young prince’s attention for more than a few minutes. Although,” smirking, she placed a hoof to her chin, “I’m not sure how many of them have tried… getting his attention.” She said with a suggestive waggling of eyebrows.

Blue-gown immediately reddened brighter than the dozen rubies in her hair, eyes darting about the garden nervously, as though afraid anypony might have heard as she stammered out a reply. “S-s-such scandalous, I don’t even, t-there’s no way I could-“ she was interrupted by her friend laughing uproariously, cluing her in that the suggestion was not a serious one. She sighed. “Whatever am I to do with you?”

As Green-dress giggled, Luna got to thinking. Young prince? Do they refer to Shining Armor, who rules alongside Cadenza in the Crystal Empire? I very much hope so, as the only alternative is the one Sister refers to as Blueblood, hardly qualified to be called ‘Prince.’ I can’t for the life of me recall a time he had done something useful, something worthy of a royal title! The closest thing he has to daring feats are the miscellaneous errands Sister sends him on. The rumors that reach my ears are simply dreadful; shouting at ponies who've done little to deserve it, parading about as though superior to all under Sister’s sun, insulting nearly everypony that he speaks with, and… Ugh! One would think he could take inspiration from the Element Bearers, I don’t think he even knows all of their names! So much of his time is spent mulling about, neither saying nor doing anything of great relevance, no drive in his daily life, no-

“My, my,” came a familiar voice from behind Luna, many times louder than intended due to her hearing-enhancing spell, which caused Luna to jump high enough to support the notion that wings were not needed for flight after all. “Don’t suppose we’re projecting a little?” When she landed and got to her hooves again, her hearing spell cancelled, she looked up to see Discord, snickering, but otherwise posing no threat.

She pointed a hoof at him accusingly. “Spirit! By what right do you intrude on my thoughts?”

He laughed for a moment. “Intrude?” Springing from his claw-tips as he spoke were a lockpick, crowbar, suction cup, and an object she didn't recognize. “Well, I do have a knack for getting locks open, prying things apart, scaling buildings, and, well… Other things,” Smirking, he withdrew all the objects once more into nothingness. At least, to the best of Luna’s guesses as to where things he conjured went. “I did not,” Discord draped a paw over his face dramatically, “as you would so stain my good character by stating, intrude. That would be rude, as I would conclude, but-“

“Discord!!”

He grinned, shrugging at the blatant lack of appreciation for spontaneous rhyme, but still smiling widely, eyes half-lidded. “Whatever, dude.” His upper limbs stretched and wavered like rubber, curling around themselves as a finger of each hand -claw?- pointed at her, “Youuuuu were talking out loud.”

Luna couldn't help turning nearly shade of red in the spirit’s eyes, Celestia had told her about the problems speaking to oneself could cause, even in private.

“Anyway,” Discord continued, bringing forth a small, chocolate alligator from under, or perhaps within, his armpit, “I couldn't help but over hear, a problem I’m sure you can identify with, that you were thinking Bluebrat here in the castle doesn't really measure up to the elegant, noble,” His head began to resemble Celestia’s, “image of Canterlot royals?” He sloppily took a bite of the chocolate gator, which seemed to be filled with bubblegum, chewing with his mouth wide open.

Luna only stared, equal parts disgusted and curious as to where he was going with this.

“Sh’o,” He said with his mouth full of chocolate and gum, “Why don’sha jush send ‘im onna quesht, like ol’ sunny-butt did wif Twiwight?” Thankfully, he swallowed, though Luna was quite sure you weren't supposed to swallow gum. “Get him doing something heroic, he’ll become a model prince, and you can soak up the praise for sitting on your flank all day, juuuust like-“

The rapidly increasing glow in Luna’s eyes told Discord she was still too forgiving of her sister to appreciate a bit of perceived laziness commentary. Sheesh, some ponies, noooooo sense of humor. His face reverted to his own as he tugged on the chocolate gator, which then took off into the sky and exploded like a firecracker. “The point I’m trying to make here is that if you want to do something heroic, why not mess with some heads? ‘Bettering’, as Celestia calls it?”

Luna pondered this, a hoof to her chin. I have heard it said that to change Blueblood’s ways would take nothing short of a miracle, being that he seems to make a game of insulting and driving away most everypony that approaches him, especially mares… Perhaps this is where I could start?

“As soon as you stop talking to yourself, Princess.”

Luna scowled, Discord laughed, but she didn’t care, she had a plan; She would make Prince Blueblood a nicer stallion, first making sure he could behave himself. And then, ohh, yes, there will be glory, THERE WILL BE-

She paused, looking back at Discord inquisitively to check whether or not she’d just been broadcasting her thoughts again. By the look of his smile and a gesture that involved holding up a thumb on one of his claws, whatever that meant, she believed she got it right this time.