Author's Notes:

Second verse, same as the first!

The Usual Disclaimer:

The following is a work of parody, and is protected as Fair Use under section 17 U.S. Code § 107 of US Copyright Law. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all affiliated characters are property of Hasbro Inc.

I own nothing. All characters, settings and other belong to their respective owners. This is purely a fan-work with no intent towards profit, slander or harm towards the characters, settings or other, or their respective owners. If the respective owners feel that this fan-work in any way, shape or form threatens or besmirches their property, please let me know so that it be can be removed asap.

Please support the show.

Just a quick warning, we have some non-consensual Molestia in this chapter.

CHAPTER 5

“No … no … no, Luna was correct in her choice. The Amber Swirls and the Golden Hooves have bickered and squabbled their way up every level of the courts. Just because they did not get the desired outcome does not mean that We will allow them to waste any more of the court’s time on this … this juvenile argument.” Princess Celestia told the cluster of courtiers, centuries of practice keeping her smiling as the Solar Princess crushed the urge to smack several of the more sycophantic ones as their sly condemnations of Luna’s short ‘rule’ turned to gushing praise.

Oh my Faust, I almost long for the barbarity of the old days. At least then, I could get away with throwing self-important fools like this into the dungeon for a few weeks …

“And … when can we expect Princess Luna and Princess Twilight to return? The court is eagerly awaiting any news on our Princesses …” A foppish Unicorn stallion asked, his voice oozing the same type of false charm that Celestia had come to associate with most of the Nobles of the current era.

In other words, you’re fishing for information for your masters, you slimy little prat …

Celestia gave a good impression of deep thought as the Solar Princess weighed how much truth she could safely reveal to make the story believable.

“Well, I would estimate her powers will stabilize within a few weeks … Luna will keep Twilight safe during her training. Other than that, I will not say. Too many Ponies have been too interested in telling tall stories for their own gain recently.” Celestia said, giving a pointed look to one of the courtiers whom her Guard Captains had identified as a known sell-out to the gossip magazines.

The git didn't even have the decency to look guilty ...

"Perhaps the Ponies forget, that when Twilight Sparkle's powers stabilize, she will be an official member of the Royal House of Equestria, immortal and with all the rights and privileges such a title grants. I am certain that she will be kind-hearted enough to overlook most of the terrible actions taken against her these past few weeks ... but I am sure she will not soon forget the Ponies responsible anytime soon." Smirking internally, the Solar Princess noted whose smiles twitched or fell slightly, and whose eyes widened in panic or narrowed in anger.

Yes, I was wondering how long it would take you all to realise you're about to make an enemy of an immortal Princess with enough magical power to rival Starswirl the Bearded in the prime of his youth.

“Now, if there is nothing else, I must go over some notes that my Sister … and Co-Ruler … left for my perusal. Excuse me, gentle-ponies.” Celestia decided that after weeks chasing down Hydra-Spawn in the infernal Everfree Forest, twisting the knife a few inches more was well and truly justified, as the winces on several of the courtiers’ faces attested.

As the courtiers retreated, no doubt to report to the various Noble factions vying for her favour, Celestia sighed softly and wished once again that she’d never given in to the Royal Consort’s wishes and born them children.

Her children had been a delight, a welcome distraction that helped with the emotional healing she had needed after the events that had sent Luna, infested with the Nightmare Spirit, to the moon for a thousand years, but their descendants were nothing but nuisances and pests, clinging to her like parasites and sapping her will and attention, while Ponies of all breeds suffered in the outlying regions.

There are those that blame my sister for these recent outbreaks of violence and chaos … Celestia mused as she walked with regal grace back to her quarters, doing her best to keep the ‘Princess’ mask in place as the Servants, Guards and Courtiers crossed her path. Would that they knew that if Luna had not been possessed, if Sombra had not become obsessed with power and control, if Imago had not turned to blood-magic to sustain her youth and beauty, if Starswirl had not grown into an introverted and bitter mule of an arch-Mage … I would not be so stretched thin!

Finally, Celestia’s tired, bitter musings ended as she arrived at her private quarters, the Royal Guards standing at attention giving her stiff salutes before opening the doors for her.

These rooms were supposed to be impregnable. Three foot thick walls of magically hardened marble, with a five-inch thick layer of adamantite behind that, and then another foot of the same marble stone, all of it imbued with over nine hundred year’s worth of warding runes and magical defences that fed off one of the largest and most powerful ley-lines in all of Equestria.

All of which were apparently as effective a barrier as a wet tissue against the occupant who sat on her desk, sipping the glass away from the improbably ‘solid’ core of chocolate milk.

“Oh, goody, it’s definitely going to be one of those days …” Celestia groaned, shutting the doors firmly behind her and adding a magical lock for safety.

“Oh Celestia, my dear, dear girl, you must soooo learn to lighten up!” Discord chortled, the windows behind him opening of their own accord as the Aspect of Chaos threw the ‘chocolate milk’ out the window.

Aaaaand three … two … one …

BOOM!

“Hello Discord. I’d offer you something to drink, but …” Celestia began, only to have Discord chuckle and slither sinuously across her desk.

“But we both know that would end like the last time. Flying cups of raspberry tea chasing your Guards around the castle, and the muffins and slices of cake fighting to see who would be eaten first.” The chimeric creature replied gleefully, as he suddenly disappeared in a flash of light, only to reappear, small enough to hide in a tea-cup, on Celestial’s head. “As enjoyable as a deific food-fight would be, I suspect my little-miss grumpy-hooves has enough on her plate. While I was exploring the ‘magic of friendship’ in Manehattan, I felt something rather … bizarre. Even by my standards.”

Sighing, Celestia walked to her desk, Discord wrapping his body around her horn, stretching impossibly long so as to be able to rest his head on the very tip of her horn.

He’s just trying to get a rise out of … ugh, bad thought! Celestia groaned internally as her body started to react to the firm, warm body that had wrapped itself around the sensitive, blood-rich velvet of her horn. It’s Discord. He doesn’t even think about what he’s doing, he just does it! Just ignore it and carry on!

“I can guess what you are referring to, but why don’t you just come out and say it.” The Solar Princess muttered as she sank gracefully onto the low seat behind her desk and began rummaging through the drawers for the enchanted bell that would, when shaken, animate its twin in the royal kitchens and signal the Ponies there that their Princess required food.

“And be direct? Straight to the point? Oh Celestia, my dear girl, you wound this old serpent’s heart!” Discord chortled, then licked her horn!

It was only due to centuries of control that Celestia’s wings did not immediately poomf out at this ‘attack’. He had hit just the right spot, an attack Celestia had never expected to endure from Discord, of all creatures!

“No, dear Celestia, you know me far better than that. A chaotic surge of magic emanating from Canterlot itself, one of the most boring places in this world? And one that tastes like the Moon and the essence of Magic? Oh ho ho ho!” The miniaturized Discord laughed, spinning in place around Celestia’s horn, the Solar Princess gritting her teeth at the ‘attack’ on her person that sent tingles from her horn all the way to the base of her tail, her wings trembling with the urge to spread out in the natural response to such stimulation.

Just be calm, just let it go. At least he’s not turning the hedge garden into Triffids this time. Green-Acres swore he’d quit if that happened again. Celestia told herself, even as the velvet-skin on her horn tingled and throbbed under the many contrasting features of Discord’s tiny body. If I don’t respond to his little ‘game’, he’ll become bored and do something else.

“No no no, my lovely solar sour-puss, I want you to realise just what’s happening on your own, else where’s the fun? But don’t despair! Should matters get out of hoof, or claw, or talon, I’ll be sure to lend an appendage or three!” Discord promised, squeezing himself tighter around Celestia’s horn to the point where even she could not resist and gave a low groan, before agonizingly teleporting himself away at just the wrong moment, leaving Celestia shaking from embarrassment and the agony of denial. “I did make a promise to stop doing evil things, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop having fun.”

“Discord … I thought we had discussed ‘bad touches’ after that incident with Ponyville’s school-teacher and the self-propelled zucchinis.” The Solar Princess grated, willing herself to physical calmness through force of effort. “Please do not do that again.”

“Oh come on, Cellie, where’s the fun in thaaaa~t!” Still cackling, the Aspect of Chaos reappeared at full size, before flattening himself into a two-dimensional form and wriggling under the door that lead to her bedroom!

“Discord! DISCORD, no!” Celestia shouted, vaulting her desk awkwardly as she raced after Discord.

He could not be in there! There were … things … in that room, hidden behind magical illusions that even her personal Maid-Ponies had never uncovered. Journals on problematic Nobles, correspondence with Twilight Sparkle, half-completed magical experiments, her personal … ahem, 'toys', her diaries!

And Discord was in there, alone and unchaperoned, for at least five seconds, which was exactly five seconds too long for the whimsical Aspect of Chaos to not get himself into trouble in!

“Oh my! Look at all these … oh my!” Discord’s voice rang in Celestia’s ears as she all but flew into the room, panic filling her as she saw Discord whipping around the room, eagerly putting claw and talon on everything.

Literally everything. The whimsical chimera had manifested dozens of disembodied appendages that were flipping through her journals, poking at her private experiments, but thankfully he did not seem to have found anything truly incriminating!

“Oh dear Cellie, you’ve been holding out on me! A complete set of Gryphon … oh and is that a Dragon’s … oh my, oh my, where on earth could someone like you possibly get Tirek’s autograph …”

“Discord! Stop that, please! This isn’t funny anymore!” Celestia pleaded, trying unsuccessfully to dispel Discord’s ‘phantom’ limbs that were rummaging through her belongings.

“But Cellie, look at all this! Why, I don’t think even the Dragons can boast a hoard quite like thi…” Still chortling, the Aspect of Chaos looped his way through the air, before sliding under her bed and going absolutely silent mid-sentence.

Oh NO! Not there, not that!

“Uhm. Is this what I think it is?” Sounding rather shocked, Discord’s head appeared from the far side of the bed, his neck stretching unnaturally as the Chimeric Aspect’s large, yellow eyes focused on an impressively massive piece of moulded plastic that had become lodged in a fork in his antler-like horn.

Not my Itallion Stallion 9000 …

“Discord … you … I …” Celestia fumed, turning bright pink in embarrassment. The ‘toy’ was as long as her fore-leg and half again as thick. She was torn between dying of embarrassment and choking the life out of Discord to keep it a secret …

“Well. Ahem. It seems it’s time for me to be go … ing?” Discord coughed, awkwardly plucking the giant vibrator out of his horn and gingerly laying it down on the bed, before teleporting … only to reappear on the other side of the bed, looking utterly confused. “What in the … that’s not right! Cellie, what are you … oh. Oh dear, that’s not good.”

Still blushing from the base of her horn down to the barrel of her chest, Celestia quivered before Discord with embarrassment and rage, her eyes burning with golden light, her hair rippling and changing of their own accord, the tri-colour mane and tail slowly turning a deep, dusky pink colour.

The torture of being brought to the brink of climax and then being denied by Discord earlier, combined with centuries of enforced abstinence of any form of sexual intimacy with another, and then to have a socially damning secret exposed by the very same Chaos Aspect, all of it churned in Celestia, feeding off her stress and frustrations, and she channelled this frenzy into a spell of negation that wrapped itself around the room, and then Discord.

“Disssssssssscord! We are going to have a very … long … hard … talk about personal spaces …” Celestia ground out the words as she stalked towards Discord, who attempted to back away in turn, but only succeeded in tripping over his own tail and landing on his back on the bed.

“Now wait just a minute! Cellie, this isn’t … where are you … now that is not how a Prince-eeeeeeh! Wait wait waaaait!” Discord babbled, scrabbling on his back as Celestia stalked after him onto the bed, before dropping her body down and pinning the Chaos aspect beneath her.

“No. No more. No more waiting. No more nice Princess. This time, Discord, you’re going to learn the true consequences of your actions!” Celestia raged as her magic gripped the doors to her bedroom, and slammed them shut with a sound like thunder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hum?” Rarity blinked in surprise as Fluttershy jumped to her hooves. “Darling? Whatever is the matter?”

“I … don’t know.” The yellow Pegasus replied softly, looking around the steamy confines of the sauna in confusion. “I felt a voice crying out in terror … and then they were silenced … and now I smell vanilla …”

“Oh, it’s probably just your imagination, dear. Now sit back down and let the steam do its work …”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a pleasant experience to teach Luna something so … so mundane as gathering edible plants from the Everfree Forest.

Humming tunelessly, Twilight parted the thick grasses with her hooves, then used her magic to gently remove one of the plants she was looking for from a cluster of its kind, a small, fleshy green root attached to a thin stalk bearing olive-yellow round leaves, a root that looked something like the result of a messy, drunken one-night stand between a turnip and a squash.

“Twilight, are you sure we are only to take just one?” Luna called out from her position a few meters away, the Lunar Princess eager find food to help their supplies limp along until this mysterious ‘ally’ could show up.

“Yes! Zecora told me that the Jam-Yams can only survive if left in large groups, that’s why we only take one from each clump.” Twilight hollered back, using a fraction of her magic to ‘dust’ the root-like plant and place it in her saddle-bags.

Strangely, here in the Everfree Forest, her magic was returning fast, although not nearly to the level she once possessed. And Luna’s harsh caution about over-extending her magic and possibly crippling herself in the process hung over Twilight’s mind like a shroud.

I could have died. I could have ended up an immortal cripple because I …. Shaking as the image of a self-mutilated, crippled future-Twilight flashed through her mind, the young Alicorn attempted to think of brighter, happier things.

Learning new magic with Princess Celestia and Luna. Flying using her wings. The party she was sure Pinky would throw when she finally got back to Ponyville. Waking up in Luna’s embra-aaaaaah!

Where did that come from? Twilight thought in shock, glad to have some distance between herself and Luna as she felt her face flush with embarrassment, and humiliatingly enough, lust as she remembered certain key moments from the past few days.

Luna twitching and writhing beneath me as our magics twinned, waking up with my muzzle in her mane and feeling perfectly warm and safe, the feel of her flank under my wing …

Was she … what was it Rainbow Dash called it? A closet-case? It wasn’t as if Twilight didn’t have any interest in Stallions, it was just … all the ones she knew were either obsessed with hoof-ball, or they only wanted to know her when she was in estruses, or they were somebody she liked, but were already taken.

There was always Big Mac, but … I knew Fluttershy was crushing on him hard, and he was Applejack’s brother. It would have ruined our friendships. Twilight sighed heavily and moved on, seeking for something other than more Jam-Yams. Sweet and delicious they might be, but Twilight wanted something … meatier.

Wait, Meatier? Is that even a word? And why do we have that word? We’re herbivores, for crying out loud! What made me use that term to describe food?

Despite her mind flitting from one topic to another to distract itself from more troubling thoughts, Twilight was able to make good progress, finding edible fruits and mushrooms, calling Luna over to show the Lunar Princess the correct way to harvest something or how to tell a safe mushroom from a poisonous one. Within a surprisingly short time, their saddle-bags were stuffed with food.

“Jam-yams? I must say, Twilight, I have never before heard of such a plant!” Luna remarked as the two drained Alicorns plodded back to their camp.

“Well, they aren’t really cultivated by Ponies because they tend to take a lot out of the soil, but Zecora plants bulbs all over the Everfree Forest because they were a staple food in her homeland, and the earth around here is rich from all the leaf-litter and such.” Twilight explained, levitating one of the yams out of her saddle-bag to display it to Luna. “First, we need to cut the leaves off, poke a few holes into the yams and let the juice inside drain into a saucepan. We then add some boiling water to that and stir it well, then leave it aside to cool, and we'll have, well, jam.”

“And the yam itself? Is that edible?” The Lunar Princess asked, using her own magic to take hold of the yam, both Alicorns flinching slightly as their magic mingled around the yam before Twilight withdrew her magic, the commingled glow dissipating slowly.

It looks like I’m not the only one who is still thinking about that night! Twilight thought, more than a little bit flustered, before coughing and trying to keep the conversation going.

“Ah, yes, once it’s drained, it’s edible. If we tried to eat the jam-yams raw, while they still had their juice inside, well … let’s just say we’d pay for it the next day. They’re too rich, too sweet, to eat raw. Once drained, we can chop up the yam and cook them like sweet-potatoes. Uh … we might actually be better served frying them with the sweet water-cress and mushrooms we’ve found …” Planning what would be the best way to wring the most food out of their haul, Twilight became so focused on the task ahead she forgot what she was doing now, and began to drift, until her musing ended with a shock.

“Twilight!” Twilight jolted back to reality when she heard Luna’s shocked cry, and realised she’d almost walked off a ledge. The swirling, murky waters of the Everfree’s river burbled and churned a good twenty meters below her hooves, and Celestia and the Royal Guard’s recent encounters with the Hydras came rushing back into her mind.

“Oh … ponyfeathers!” Shaking in fear, Twilight inched back from the ledge a few steps before Luna grabbed her from behind and dragged the younger Alicorn back to the dubious safety of the forest.

“Are you okay? What were you thinking! One minute, you’re right next to me, the next you’re trying to walk off a cliff?” Luna snapped as she held the trembling Twilight against her, furious at herself for not paying more attention, and horrified at what had nearly happened.

“I … I was just thinking how we could prepare dinner … I wasn’t watching where … oh Celestia, I could have ...” Shaking with the after-effects of her shock, Twilight hugged Luna back and gave a choked sob.

For several minutes they remained like that, hidden under the shadows of the forest as Twilight slowly calmed down.

For once, there was no awkwardness untangling themselves from the embrace, or when Luna wrapped a wing around Twilight’s shoulders as they plodded back to camp.

The reality of their situation had finally started to sink in. With Canterlot full of hostile Nobles and scheming News-Ponies who would slander them both for a single week of good ratings, they had nobody they could rely on but each other now. Even their loyal friends in Ponyville held the potential to let slip the secret and ruin both Princesses in the eyes of the Ponies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lunch, (or was it brunch?), was quiet, broken only by the occasional murmured comment from one Alicorn or another and the soft sounds of their eating.

“I never thought yams cooked over a camp-fire would taste so good.” Luna said softly, smiling as she nibbled at the last piece of roasted yam held between her hooves. It was almost like eating sweet potato, but … tangier.

Twilight didn’t respond for several moments, and Luna drew breath to try to rekindle the conversation when the purple Alicorn shook herself and replied. “Well, up until a few months ago, I didn’t know either. After Trixie returned with the Alicorn Amulet and took over Ponyville, Zecora helped train me on when to use magic, and when to use my wits, and she showed me how to prepare them.”

Wiping her hooves on the rock she was seated upon, Twilight sighed, straightened her back and gave Luna a wan smile. “There’s so much about the Everfree Forest that Ponies don’t want to know about because it’s not ‘controlled’. Every time I come here, I find something new, or rather, something old that my books have labelled as myth, or lost for all time.”

“Twilight, the eternal book-worm, enjoys mucking about in the Everfree Forest?” Luna asked in mock-horror, raising a hoof to her mouth in an exaggerated fashion, causing Twilight to snicker and shake her head in denial.

“Not … quite. I just love how I can come out here, and I can find a flower nobody has ever seen, or an animal thought long extinct … it made me think how limited our knowledge of the world outside of Equestria’s borders really is.” Twilight rambled, explaining how she had found medicinal herbs to transplant back to Ponyville, but had been thwarted by Applejack’s venerable, and stubborn, grandmother, Granny Smith, who had declared the plants were weeds that the Apple family had been driving back ever since they had settled Ponyville, and then promptly drowned the herbs in enough poison to make an Ent sick.

How Twilight had then gone back, recovered another sample and brought it back secretly, cultivating it slowly and painfully in the planter on her windowsill before having enough to send samples on to Canterlot and Manehattan to more learned researchers.

“Wait a minute. Twilight, are you telling me you are the Pony that rediscovered the Mother’s Touch?” Luna asked softly when Twilight stopped to draw breath. “That … that herb has a very special meaning to Celestia and myself. Sadly when Equestria was being founded, several of our more … petty rivals for the Thrones had decided that if they could not stop our ascension, they would steal all our joy from the positions. They, amongst other things, burned our private gardens to ashes, plants that had existed no-where else in the land by that time, herbs and medicinal flowers we had used to treat injured Ponies and the other races...”

Twilight nodded slowly, eyes very wide as Luna leaned back and took a deep, shuddering breath.

“I see. Maybe some of the seeds escaped the blaze. Or maybe they thought to steal the herbs for themselves and lost them to fate?” Luna muttered, her eyes half-closed as she thought back to those gardens, a place where Celestia and herself had demanded absolute privacy, a place where they could go and talk, even fight in the way many sisters do, without the squabbling, fractured nobility of the three Pony tribes trying to drive wedges between them or usurp the Alicorns’ powers for themselves.

“Luna?” Twilight’s voice sounded very soft, but very close, and when Luna opened her eyes, she saw that Twilight had come around the camp-fire to sit at Luna’s side, looking very nervous and timid. “Did I … do the right thing? If it really was so important to you and Princess Celestia, maybe I should have just sent them directly to the Castle?”

For a minute, Luna was silent, trying to find the words to speak, to correctly convey her thoughts.

“No. No, you did the right thing, Twilight. For far too long, the Mother’s Touch has been lost. It’s far too vital a medicinal herb to be left in the Everfree Forest because of any bitterness on the part of Celestia or myself, about enemies long since dead and forgotten by the very Ponies they desired to rule.” The Lunar Princess shook herself as if cold, and gave a wan smile of her own to Twilight. “It is probably not much, compared to the medicine of today, but perhaps Ponies of this era might extract whatever healing elements reside within the herb and make newer, more potent medicines.”

“Well, I do know there were quite a few Ponies who were delighted to receive the samples I sent them. Several of them are involved in a plan to catalogue all known medicinal plants and herbs, and their predecessors had long since written the Mother’s Touch off as a myth.” Twilight pointed out, trying to make Luna smile again. “I’m sure they’d love to speak to you about what the Herb was used for back in your … era … oh my, that does sound rude, doesn’t it?”

Yet Luna just laughed.

“Not really, Twilight. You’ll find, as you grow into your powers and your status as an Alicorn, that ‘age’ and ‘era’ have different meanings to you than a normal Pony.” The Lunar Princess explained, an honest smile on her face now. “I may have spent a thousand years on the moon, but I am still ‘in’ my Era … although I will admit some of today’s customs are a little … bold, by my standards.”

“Oh?” Twilight asked, leaning forwards eagerly. While she considered Luna a good friend, learning more about what the shy and socially awkward Princess thought could only help deepen their friendship.

“Ah. Well, I mean … back before my banishment, there was no gender imbalance, and the same-gender relationships that Equestria sees today was considered a very … very shameful thing.” Coughing and turning slightly darker under her fur, Luna kept her eyes focused on the dwindling camp-fire, poking the burning pieces of wood with a prod of magic. “A-a-a-and there’s the whole matter of the Nobility! I cannot understand why Celestia has let them grow so arrogant and dismissive of the other Ponies! And then …”

It was going to be a long rant, it seemed, but Twilight smiled and kept her ears open, absorbing it all.

She was a good friend, after all, and friends listened to each other, no matter what.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I apologise for the delay, my little Ponies. A … matter of state came up that I had to deal with immediately.” Celestia beamed down at the courtiers and supplicants of the Afternoon Court from her throne, her mane lustrous and waving with a life of its own, her features at once serene and joyous.

Many attributed it simply to Celestia being back amongst her beloved subjects. A few wondered if perhaps the Solar Princess was revelling in being the only Princess in Canterlot once again. A handful wondered if they should mention if, self-moving mane or not, Celestia’s hair looked like it had been ruffled vigorously and then hurriedly brushed.

I needed that. Celestia thought to herself, smirking in her mind’s eye as she thought back to the encounter with Discord in her private chambers. It had been far, far too long since she had indulged her feminine side, and Discord had been a fulfilling, if panicked, consort.

Oh buck it all, he had been tolerable at best and she’d had to tie him to the bed to stop him trying to escape the first time, but Celestia had centuries worth of ‘repression’ to deal with, and it had been his fault, after all ….

And if the Ponies noticed that the subtle amount of makeup Celestia used was smudged slightly, or that her crown and royal garments sat a little crooked, or why her chambers were still surrounded by an anti-magic field strong enough to keep Faust herself out, they thankfully did not ask why.

I think I’ll cancel Night Court today. I’ve still got a fair bit of stress to deal with, and it’s so cute to see Discord squeal like that!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There it is again!” Flutteryshy squeaked, jumping to her hooves and startling the other Ponies at the food-court, making Rarity sigh and delicately face-hoof once more.

“Darling! I don’t know just what is going on, but I assure you, nobody else is hearing it!” The white-coated Unicorn snapped, going shrill with frustration. “Nobody else can hear this ‘voice’ you speak of! Are you sure you haven’t run into a patch of Poison Joke again?”

“N-not that I can remember … ooooh! I wish Twilight was here, she’d know what was going on!”