The room wasn't what she didn't expect it to be. For a guest room in the castle, it was extremely spacious with only a bed, bathroom to the left, a bookcase and dresser with a mirror sitting by one another on the right side of the room and by the bed, there was a set of light blue pajamas with darker blue stripes running vertically through the clothing. Looking around, she would usually feel the need to put a living plant on the ceiling or turn the bed into a water bed complete with sharks the size of goldfish, but she didn't so much as think of changing anything.

"Spacious." She said looking at the walls, a blank orange that contrasted with the lapis edges. "A blank canvas and I, the painter, with an unfathomable intellect and hunger for creativity."

Pulling out a can of paint and a mason jar filled with brushes, she dipped a thick brush into the paint and held it in front of the wall. Her smile fell when, realizing the time and place and whose property it was, she got rid of everything and sat on a stool that popped into existence as she sat.

"As quiet as you are, I may have missed you looking all serious in the mirror." Eris commented looking sidewards at her conscience who was leaning against the frame with a frown. "Nothing smart to say?"

"So close!" She yelled, kicking at nothing. "We almost got the answer! The answer to finally bury this stupid decision of whether to ask him out or not! To know whether he likes you as a friend or more! Just to finally know what you want to know, what you want!"

Eris watched in amusement as her threw a small tantrum in the mirror, doing nothing to the surface but throwing colors and objects around that smashed into splinters or fragments.

Sliding herself over, Eris leaned on her elbows while she rested her head in her fingers as she watched the mini-her rage.

"I think I like this you better." Eris said propping her legs up while she ate from a tub of popcorn. "It suites how you make me feel."

"I knew you would say that." Her conscience said kicking a chair leg away. "Back to the matter at hand; Sunshine's emotions. How do we find out what he feels towards you if we keep getting interrupting before we can convince him to give us a clear answer."

"How about you not make me so nervous around him?" She said even as her conscience rolled her eyes. "Me again?"

"No, the little gummy bear on your shoulder. Yes you!" She yelled at Eris making her host body flinch. "The chaos takes over your senses. I get completely blocked out whenever you start talking with him. You start acting too natural, so much that your magic just ignores me and your irrational thoughts, which may I tell you, should not happen because they're both chaotic."

"If you ask me," Eris said smiling down at her small self. "It could be you trying to interfere. What if my magic, the chaos in me, is just letting me take control over it again? Real control like I had those ten centuries ago."

"You would have taken it." Her conscience said dismissing it with a wave of her paw and roll of her eyes. "You would ignore me, but I would have decided yes to taking the reigns again. Maybe it's the setting? First it's in the hospital where he looks like death and now it was the throne where you were freaking out. That's it..." Her tiny eyes widened as something clicked. "He can't focus properly like you do when one of you is acting like a parent. You need to-"

"-put yourselves in a situation of equal threat or power." Said a familiar voice sarcastically. "I was holding onto the hope that you two would not need my assistance until it came to pick out an item on a menu for when you and him are on a date."

Eris, leaning forward, saw a small Discord walk into view on the opposite end of the mirror wearing a backpack on the verge of falling apart. Even her smaller version seemed both confused and surprised to see him.

"Me?" She said and in return he graciously bowed. "I thought all of my masculinity was drained away?"

"It was." He said looking at the smaller Eris in interest. "Hm, a female Draconequus. How interesting."

"Than how are you-" She was saying before he cut her off.

"-here?" He said smiling as he took a book. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am your intelligence. Otherwise known to your conscience as the force keeping her from interacting with you while you speak with Sunshine."

"That was you!?" The mini-Eris yelled as she started throwing pieces of furniture at him. "I was trying to help her first!"

"And you both have done a wonderful job at that." Eris remarked making them both flush. "Was it you who put those dreams in my head?"

"Not I, nor was it her." The mini-Discord said. "You should speak with your love. Love, could you come out here, please?" He called.

Eris's eyes widened as a miniature Luna came out weaving in circles with an invisible dancer. She stopped inches away from the mini-Discord, and brushing her mane back she gave Eris half-lidded lidded eyes making her uncomfortable.

"Hello gorgeous," the mini-Luna said seductively. "I see your bed is still empty, would you care to explain that?" She asked pursing her lips.

"I-I don't like this." Eris said looking at the mini-Luna. "This is creepy seeing his sister like this."

"That's not what you thought that one century in your stone prison." Eris's love said smirking as her host blushed. "Such a naughty little fantasy about Celestia and her sister... a dream lasting a century. You do remember it, don't you? I was the one trying to show entice you to be good, but that nasty chaos magic messed it all up." She said stomping a hoof pitifully.

"That wasn't-I mean it wasn't just me?" Eris said feeling the blood rush to her face. "It was one time! It was one time, wasn't it?" She asked staring at her love.

"If you're referring to last night's dream," the miniature alicorn said pressing herself against the mirror. "Only the gazebo was my idea... the rest was all you." She said smiling as Eris crossed her arms and looked away. "Not that it wasn't good enough, but I could have done better."

"Better at making her feel worse." Eris's intelligence remarked getting a playful look from her love. "All we have done is pressure the poor dear; give her some space, let her do what she feels is right."

"Thank you, intelligence." She said earning a polite nod from him. "Why is it he's the only one making sense in here?" She asked pointing at her head.

"I am intelligence." He remarked. "Your conscience needs my approval or disapproval before submitting an inquiry, but love pushes me away, making me as useless as she is to me. If you want actual advice," he leaned forward as she did so too. "Write a letter explaining your feelings, and once you are finished, put it away until he feels the small spark of love in himself. Unfortunately, every situation requiring it will be one of life and death, unless you can throw love in the mix. Say something, do something in a crucial moment to make him see you for what you could be to him."

"A bit long winded, but I get it." She said nodding. "There's only one problem though: winter is here. The most trouble that could happen is if he got a cold or slipped on a patch of ice, but neither of those are exactly life and death scenarios."

"You have the magic, an empty canvas," he said looking around the room. "Would it hurt to make a beach with a dock and warm water to swim in?"

"Not a bad idea," she shrugged. "Although it would seem suspicious if it were just me and him."

"That's why it's good to have friends." Her love said. "To talk in secret about forbidden and very naughty loves, whom would date whom, but also to have a good audience."

"Yeah, that is a good idea." Eris said but she didn't smile, instead she looked down at the desk as she leaned on her hands. "A manipulative idea just like I would have thought of before."

"You disapprove of this, don't you?" Her conscience asked looking at her worriedly. "You're trying to decide whether or not you should do that. Intelligence?"

"I think..." he said looking at love. "That this is a matter for the heart. Love, what is your take on this?"

"You want my opinion?" She said looking at the three Draconequi. "Well, the only thing I can offer is to do the right thing. Tell him while you're relaxing, make him feel comfortable before just hitting him with it." She said shrugging.

"That's better, but do I have to bring my friends just to set the scene?" She said blowing her hair out of her eyes. "What if I threw a party for them? Plus if I invite Luna, she would just think it's because of the nightmare I had last night." She said smiling as the party began playing out in her mind. "It's marvelous."

"I believe it's lunch time." The mini-Discord said observing as a knock came at the door. "Smells like potato soup, water, asparagus and vanilla pudding."

"Ma'am?" A female voice said from behind the door. "Would you like me to leave your lunch at the door?"

"Oh, come in!" Eris said watching politely as a beige mare in a maid outfit came in pushing a trolley with a large platter on it. "It smells great."

"I'm sure it tastes as good," the maid said smiling as she lifted the lid and set the food down at the edge of the bed. "If that is all, may I take my le-"

The mare blushed as her stomach growled making Eris smile as the mare's cheeks flushed pink.

"Excuse me," Eris said sliding through the air to hang over the food. "Would you like some? I wasn't feeling quite so hungry, so if you would like it, take it."

"M-Me?" She said looking at Eris with a mixture of shock and hesitation. "I couldn't. That food was brought for you."

"If it's my food, shouldn't I get to decide what to do with it?" Eris thought aloud as she back-paddled to the mare. "Go ahead, I'm giving it to you. Therefore, my food is your food."

The mare, swallowing a lump in her throat looked at Eris once more before she was pushed by Eris's tail. Going to the bed, she hesitantly grabbed a spoon and the pudding bowl. Taking a bite her stomach grumbled again as she slowly ate.

"So," Eris said watching the mare quietly eat the pudding. "I take it you're one of Sunshine's maids?"

"I am." The mare said simply showing no sign of stopping. "I wash chosen for my memory really, to be able to navigate the castle without a map or a guard. My name is Memory Trotter, pleased to meet you...?"

"Eris," the goddess said making the maid's eyes widen. "You've heard of me?" She said stepping onto the ground.

"I've heard Prince Sunshine mumble about you when I bring him his food." She said making Eris lean in, in curiosity. "I-I shouldn't be talking about that. It's his business what he talks about alone."

"Are they positive things?" Eris asked leaning down to look the mare in the eyes. "Has he said anything... strange about me?"

"I-I wouldn't know." The mare said keeping a straight face.

"Dear little pony," Eris said smiling as she put a hand on the maid's shoulder. "You can't lie to me. I've been the master of deceit and lies since I was fist lied to. Now tell me, what has he said?"

"H-he doesn't really say that much." She said glancing at the door. "He always looks like he's in his thoughts, thinking about you. All I've heard are mumbles, to light to hear unless I got up close to him, but I've never had to do that before."

Looking at the mare, Eris sighed and put her arms behind her back as she paced the room. Looking at the mirror, she could see her love waving a feather duster. Alongside her, her intelligence was holding up a picture of her in the maid outfit and her conscience, standing next to him was giving a thumbs up. Staring at the three of them, an idea formed in her mind.

'If she can get in his room and hear him mumbling, than I can sneak in as her and find out what he's saying.' She thought turning her head slowly with a large grin. "Memory Trotter, I don't suppose it's time for you to go on break, is it?" She asked as she silently snapped her claw.

"I still haven't delivered Prince Sunshine's food yet," she said unknowingly taking a bite of her now medicated pudding. "After-" she stopped speaking as her eyes closed and she fell asleep sitting up.

Giggling, Eris shrunk down until she matched the mare's form and using a quick burst of magic, put the maid outfit on herself. Looking at her fake body, she couldn't help but feel the need to paw at the red bow on the end of her tail. Shaking the thought from her head, she took the cart and exited the room, leaving her sleeping friend behind.

Sunshine's Bedchambers

Looking at himself in the mirror, fixed by Eris, he rose onto his hind-legs and flexed. Snorting in amusement as he saw the muscles rise up form his fore-legs, he got back on all fours and snickered louder before stopping to glance at the door.

"I don't know why this is so amusing." He said smiling as he looked back at himself. "It's just me flexing in a mirror."

Snickering as he flexed his shoulders, he was momentarily blinded by the lightning outside. Stopping to watch the flashes and listen to the dull thunder, he went to the balcony doors for a better look. The clouds blocked out almost all sunlight and whatever did make it through was cut up by the rain as it came down in sheets; the city below was almost in near darkness if it weren't for the enclosed streetlights.

"I hope nopony is in that." He said shaking his head. "I wonder how Eris is doing?" He said looking at his side where she had cut him earlier.

"You should ask her yourself." Luna's voice said echoing throughout the room.

Turning his head, he looked around the room, but seeing no sign of his sister, shook his head before turning his attention back to the window.

"She was awfully frightened earlier." Discord's voice said followed by Luna's giggling. "Hush you, the stallion is trying to think."

Turning again, his eyes ran over the room again, this time checking for any abnormalities. Seeing none, he stepped away from the glass doors and went to his bedroom door. Knocking twice, a guard poked her head in and placed herself in between the door and frame as she stared up at him in attention.

"Has there been anypony in my room recently?" He asked looking over his shoulder. "Anypony unusual or, a better question, has Eris been in my room lately?"

"No, your majesty," she answered looking over her shoulder. "No other being but yourself has entered."

"Thank you, that is all." He said turning around as she nodded and closed the door. "It must be the storm playing tricks on me. My age might finally be catching up to me." He mumbled humorlessly.

"Oh, please, you're just as sane as you were before." Said his own feminine voice.

Turning again with his horn alight, he saw nothing again but the same empty room as before. As he was looking again, a flash of color caught his attention in the mirror. Slowly approaching it, he went slack-jawed at the sight before him.

Three faces were staring back at him, his sister, Discord and Celestia were all looking at him with varying expressions. His sister had a worried look as he stared at her in surprise, Discord had a monocle with a red robe on his serpentine body and Celestia was looking at him with a smirk as she giggled at his expression.

"Who or what are you?" He said  watching in curiosity as they all looked at one-another and smiled. "I want answers."

"Please, calm down, your blood pressure is rising." His two-dimensional sister said as she fanned herself with a wing.

"You will get answers," the Discord look-alike said cleaning his monocle. "For now, we should introduce ourselves, or rather, who we once were. I am intelligence, the Celestia here is love and this Luna acts as both your conscience and maternal instinct. Pleased to finally meet you, sir."

"Once were?" He parroted. "What does that mean?"

"When you had your gender change," the two-dimensional Discord said as he leaned against the mirror frame. "Discord's masculinity wasn't just the only thing transferred. Parts of his mind were swept up too, fragments of his already fragmented mind. Forgive me for saying this, but your head wasn't any more spacious than his. I wonder how our other halves are doing?" He mumbled pulling at his beard. "I'll think on that later."

"You're telling me that Discord's own thoughts were alive?" Sunshine asked rubbing his head even with the helmet on. "That would explain a lot of things."

"They still might be." The mini-Discord said. "We have only been observing you for some time now, you and our former host. What we've noticed has been quite interesting in both of you."

"A little more than interesting sometimes." The mini-Celestia said giggling. "I'll admit it, I only kicked those thoughts off while you were sitting in the tub."

"You made me think those things about her?" He growled. "I nearly had a panic attack from the embarrassment when I saw her."

"That was your fault, not mine." She said giving him a cheeky grin. "I only started the thoughts and you continued them without a hitch. By the way, she is that flexible." She whispered winking.

His face turned completely red at the derogatory comment his former look-alike said. Pulling up the stool Eris had left in there, he sat in front of the mirror staring at the wood as his face became warmer with each heartbeat. He hardly turned his head to acknowledge the guard posted at his door when she poked her head in and spoke to him while a second pony behind her was looking over the cart she had in front of her.

"Your highness," his guard said glancing behind her to make sure the pony wasn't doing anything suspicious. "A, Memory Trotter, is here with your lunch, is this true?"

"It is, let her in." He said turning his gaze back to the mirror where all three mini-immortals were all watching Memory Trotter as she pushed the cart in. Looking behind his shoulder he saw her calmly glance his way before moving her hoof to the remaining platter on the cart.

"Memory Trotter," he said making her snap around to face him with a nervous expression. "When you went to see Eris, did she seem... okay to you? Not scared or nervous about anything?"

"I-I wouldn't know your majesty, I didn't stay long." She said looking him in the eyes. "I only gave her, her food before the floor started throwing up monkeys. I don't believe I've ever ran any faster than that in my life."

"Monkeys?" He asked smiling. "She is a bit bananas I suppose." He whispered sharing a snicker with her. "Tell me, did she happen to mention me in any way?"

"L-Like I said, I didn't stay that long." She said sighing. "I don't think I would have heard her over the monkeys if she did."

"Thank you, regardless of what you couldn't have heard if she had said anything." He said. "Just place my lunch at the foot of my bed, I'll get to it in a minute."

She gave a polite bow, turned and picked up the platter with a hoof. He watched her questioningly as it not so much as wobbled on her hoof or that she hadn't dropped it from the hot metal. As she was turning back around, he took a step in front of her making her stop in an instant to look up at him.

"Tell me, Memory Trotter," he said leaning his head down to look her in the eyes. "When did I assign you as my maid?"

"A-A week ago," she said swallowing a lump in her throat.

"Wrong. " He said calling her bluff, even as she froze. "Eris, you're the only one besides myself who doesn't have a problem holding a hot platter on their bare hoof or claw. You can drop the disguise."

The nervous look disappeared and was replaced by a defeated one as Eris appeared before him, still wearing the maid outfit it had shrunken on her real form. The skirt just barely reached past her wist, the dip in the collar was stuck out from her breasts, the fishnet stockings that had been Memory Trotter's were now up to Eris's elbows and just above her knees, the black hoof covers that had once been for Memory Trotter were now turned into elbow-high gloves and high-heels, the small frilled hat was resting between her horns and the bow on her tail tied off the scales to fluff transition at the end.

"Oh." She said looking down at herself and, blushing, she tried to cover most of herself with her tail and succeeding to hide her face with her tail fluff. "This is probably one of the most embarrassing things I've worn in front of you."

"It's uh-It's not the most compromising way I've seen you, but it's close." Sunshine said turning as red as a tomato behind his wing. "W-Would you mind changing into something else? Everyday clothes perhaps?"

"Right." She said raising her claw to get her older clothes back but, stopping to look down at herself, she smiled and put her paw on his wing. "Sunshine," she said softly making him twitch. "With it raining and just plain dreadful, I was wondering if you and some others would like to have a small beach party in my room?"

"E-Eris," he said feeling her gently try to push his wing down. "I'm not sure I can just drop everything and go to a party."

"Not even," she pushed harshly down on his wing and his face was completely red as he blinked a few times to process what he was seeing. "If I ask nicely?" She said batting her eyes as she twirled a lock of her black hair.

"I-I'll think a-about i-it." He said shaking his head to rid himself of his stupor. "I might-could!" He corrected himself abruptly as she blew a hot breath of air out of her nose onto his face leaving the smell of chocolate in the air. "I could have somepony come in and request to see me."

"In this?" She said cocking her head as more lightning flashed outside. "I think only the guards will want to come in. Anything with any sense will have taken cover and stayed out of the storm. I don't think anyone would mind if their, obviously stressed prince, took an hour or two to relax after such a hard day's work, right?" She said slowly tracing a finger up his cheek to pluck his helmet off his head.

He stared dumbly at the red metal before looking away and, taking in a deep breath, he turned back to her smiling and nodded. She smiled and giving his helmet back, was gone from the room when it touched his hoof.

He stood there, a dumb smile splayed on his face as he held his helmet out. The guard outside, looking in after the new voice, just stared at the alicorn before a boom of thunder spooked him making him gasp for air. As he sat there gasping, he was also laughing at himself in the mirror.

"Did I just get led into a beach party?" He chuckled watching the three mini-immortals nod in unison. "So, this is what my nephew in-law was talking about with Cadance. I'm not sure whether I should feel embarrassed or pleased she did that to me."

"Pleased, definitely pleased." The Celestia look-alike said smiling like him.

"I second that." The mini-Discord said nodding. "She may not admit it, but your conscience here also agrees."

"I feel pleased." He said trying to hold back another laugh. "Oh, I wonder if she was serious about the monkeys though. I hope not, unless it's the ones that bathe in the hot springs with ponies alike during winter."