After an hour of waiting, Rarity returned clean and in a stunningly beautiful black dress that contrasted her white fur.

"Well darling? How do I look?" she asks.

"To be honest, beautiful," I reply.

She giggles and flutters her eyes. "Thank you. Now come, let us find a nice restaurant to dine at," she says and grabs my left arm and pulls me out of the Library, much to the amusement of the others.

We walk through town with her holding onto my arm... this feels so awkward. We reach a nice looking place called the Silver Platter.

We walk in and everything goes quiet.

"Isn't that the Princesses knight?"

"Yeah! It is! But why's he with Rarity? I thought he was with the Princesses?"

"Maybe he's expanding his herd?"

"But doesn't he already have three Mares? Isn't he just getting greedy now?"

I sigh and find a table with Rarity, who looks oblivious to the comments around us. A waiter greets us and asks for our orders.

"You're paying, so I'll let you decide. Just nothing with grass or hay please," I tell Rarity.

"Hmmm," she hums in thought and looks over the menu. "I'd like two vegetable casseroles with two glasses of dreamvale red wine please," she asks him.

"Very good. I shall be back with your drinks in a moment," he says with a slight bow and walks away.

"So darling, what have you been up to since you were last here?" she asks.

"Well. I've been training and practising my magic using my new shield... erm... I've also practised my sword skills with Twilight's Brother. Blueblood has..." I reply but she interrupts me.

"Blueblood? I don't want to know what that useless Prince is up to. Probably tormenting some poor mare," she says.

"Oh? You haven't heard yet? The Blueblood you met was a changeling impostor. The real Blueblood is actually a nice guy. Over the last month, he's adopted a young filly who was taken by Chrysalis’ changelings as well. He even helped with the funding for Shella's Hive. Right now he's trying to get the nobles to be more... well... noble," I tell her.

"What?" she asks stunned.

"You should meet the real Blueblood. You'd be surprised at how different he is from the impostor you met," I reply.

She looks unsure. "Well, I guess so..." She frowns in thought for a few more seconds. "Alright. I shall meet with him next time I'm in Canterlot, but if he's not as you say he is, I'll turn you into a pincushion," she tells me with a smirk.

I chuckle. "Fair enough," I reply as our food arrives.

During our meal Rarity tells me the same thing Twilight told us when we first arrived in Ponyville three days ago. She also told me why she was at the Quarry. She wanted gems for three dresses she's been hired to make but won't say who they're for. She apparently needed sapphires, diamonds, and topazes specifically. Most of the rest would have been given to Spike to eat.

Once we finish our meals, Rarity pays for it, even though I did offer to pay for mine. She said it was the least she could do for saving her.

"Well, thank you for the meal, Rarity," I say as we exit the restaurant.

"It was my pleasure darling," she replies and sighs. "To be honest, I'm rather envious of the Princesses and Queen Shella... to have such a brave knight who would do anything to protect them and care for them. If you were still single, I would have loved to court you," she says with a sad smile.

I smile back. "Sorry, Rarity, but I'm happy with Tia, Luna, and Shella. I'm afraid that my heart belongs to them and them alone," I tell her.

"I know, but a mare can dream can't she?" she replies.

We head back to the Library where Pinkie has thrown a 'Thank you for saving Rarity' party. We have fun for a few hours and everyone had a good time. Pinkie also threw a pie in my face 'by accident'... was a shame, it was a good pie too.

After the party, we head back to Canterlot. Celestia looks much happier than she was when we first arrived. Less stressed too after all her court duties and my coma.

---

---

The last two weeks were quiet. No reports of more undead showing up and the gryphons have stayed away from the borders... it feels like something big is coming. I keep getting this feeling from the Statue Garden, like a presence is waiting there.

Celestia, Luna, and Shella have had some fun with me as well when we had some spare time alone, and Shella's stomach is really big now, just a few more days and she's ready to lay her eggs. I had to be careful when we made love again two night's ago.

We've been spending every afternoon together, just talking, reading, and cuddling in bed.

Celestia's starting to worry everyone with a new craving she's getting, she's been asking the chefs for some cooked fish. The guards and maids are worried that she might be turning into a carnivore... which is just silly. I guess since I can eat meat, our child will be able to as well if she's craving it. She even thinks it tastes good.

I've caught a few fish for Celestia and myself with Shining and the other guards when they went fishing again. I've also gotten my own rod and tackle box to fish with as well.

Word has spread about me bringing Rarity back to life after having her throat cut open. I've had two offers of marriage from two noble families, most likely just because of my new ability. I turned them both down of course, which they said was an insult to their family. Like I care, I'm going to marry Tia, Luna, and Shella. Not some women I know nothing about and who are probably pains in the ass.

Celestia has also told me our wedding will be in just over a month's time. I'm really looking forward to it.

I've been continuing my training and I'm close to using four elements at once, but I still need practice to stabilize it. I'm pretty proficient with my shield now and my sword skills are getting even better. Shining and I are pretty even now.

I'm laying on Luna's bed after a tiring workout in the Gym, Celestia is also laying beside me reading a book. Luna is dealing with court duties while Shella is at the Hive getting ready to lay her eggs. Though I have been invited to witness it.

I yawn and wrap my right arm around Celestia who giggles and cuddles up to me. "I take it your training was tough?" she asks.

"Not really, I think I just over did it a bit," I reply. "What are you reading?" I ask her.

She closes the book and shows me the cover. 'A guide to parenting. How to care for a foal.' "I've seen many foals, but have never cared for one before so I've been reading this book to learn how. I've also been asking some of the staff who've had foals before for advice as well," she tells me.

Huh, maybe I should read it as well. "I guess I should learn to do that as well. I can't let you do all the work raising the foal by yourself," I reply.

For the next two hours we read the book together. Once I feel rested, I bid Celestia goodbye with a kiss and head back out to the Training Grounds to practice my spells some more, but that feeling is pulling at me again. 'Screw it, I'm going to find out what that is. It's been annoying me for weeks,' I think to myself and head to the Statue Garden.

After some looking around, I stand in front of a statue of a creature made from different animals: A long serpent like body. A lion’s paw for it's right arm. A bird's talon for it's left arm. A lizard’s right leg and a goat's left leg. A dragon like tail and a horse like head. It has two mismatched horns and wings and a long snaggletooth. A goatee and bushy eyebrows. The pose its in looks like it was surprised.

The nameplate has moss covering it so I pull the moss off and read the nameplate, Its name is Discord? I frown and look back up at the statue only to go wide eyed and back away a few steps. Cracks start to spread across it and yellow light seeps out of the cracks.

I think I'm in trouble. Small stone chunks start coming off and I can see colour behind it: Brown torso. Yellow talon. Golden paw. Green scaled leg. Tanned goat leg. Red tail. Grey head... Yellow eyes with red irises. Wait... it looks kinda like the guy that gave me the spell book. Same colours, eyes, and the horns he had on his hood.

Once all the stone falls free, it yawns and stretches. "Oooooh boy! You have no idea how stiff you get after a thousand years stuck in the same pose," he says and bends back until he looks at me with his head between his legs. I just stare at him, unsure on what to do. "Not very talkative are you?" he asks.

"Errr, what are you?" I ask.

His legs go over his head and he's floating belly down as if he's laying on the air itself. "Why, I'm a draconequus my human friend. By the way, how's life been treating you since you got here?" he asks me.

"What?" I ask confused.

"Don't you remember my handsome face? I'm the one who brought you here my boy!" he says with his arms spread and I stare at him wide eyed. He brought me here? He then changes shape into the man that gave me the book. "I've been keeping an eye on you since you got here. I must say, hooking up with both Celly, Woona, and a changeling Queen is rather impressive."

I frown and quickly punch him in the face. "If you've been watching me this whole time, then you know of all the trouble and pain I've been through since I've been here!" I yell at him. I then sigh and offer him a hand. "But if it wasn't for you, I'd have never met Tia, Luna, and Shella," I say.

He rubs his cheek and chuckles as he takes my hand and I pull him up. "I guess I deserved that." He snaps his fingers and changes back to his draconequus form. "Oh! I can feel Celly is on her way. Now, do I run and we begin our game of hide and seek, or do I stay and try to reason with her?" he says.

I frown at him. "What were you doing in stone in the first place?" I ask him.

"Oh?" he says with his paw on his chest, looking shocked. "Dear ol' Celly didn't tell you about me? Well if you must know, she had a bit of a sweet tooth when she was younger. She loved her cake. So one time I turned her cake into a giant, but harmless, filly eating monster. It was basically twice her size and tried to eat her instead. It was just a harmless prank. Once it 'ate' her, it would just turn back into a normal cake where she would just climb out." He then sighs. "But it would seem she took that very personally and with wittle Woona's help, sealed me in stone! She never could take a joke." He waved his talon dismissively.

A flash of light blinds me for a second and I look to my right and see Celestia standing there with an angry expression. "Discord! How did you get free!?" she asks him.

"Celly! Even after a thousand years, you're still mad at me? I hold no hard feelings even after you turned me into a lawn ornament," he tells her calmly.

"I almost suffocated in that monstrosity!" she yells at him.

"Yes... well..." Discord says and sighs as his ears go flat. "I may have miscalculated that part..." he tells her and hangs his head. "That was never my intention. Still, sealing me away for a millennia was a tad excessive! I'm just lucky I could still visit my friends and their descendants," he says.

"What?" Celestia asks.

"Even though my body couldn't move. I could still send out an astral projection of myself. Certainly helps to stave off the boredom and insanity!" he replies. "And if you missed what I just told Adrian here, I'm the one who brought him here. You wouldn't have your coltfriend if it wasn't for me," he says.

Celestia looks shocked and looks at me. I just shrug in reply. "I think he's telling the truth, he does resemble the guy who gave me the spell book..." I tell her then look at Discord. "How did you get that book in the first place?" I ask him.

"I felt old Beardy disappear from Equus after Celly stoned me. So I tracked him down after two years to your world. I kept in contact with him as much as I could. He even turned himself into a human to fit in. I was told to give the book to his descendant when I felt the time was right, and with Grogar getting free, I felt it was time and that's when we first met," he tells me.

Celestia frowns at him. "Then why didn't you bring him back?" she accuses him.

"I would have, but it was his decision to stay. He wouldn't tell me why," he replies. He conjures a couch and sits on it.

Wait... this Starswirl is my ancestor? "I'm related to Starswirl?" I ask dumbly.

"That you are Stormy! I was asked to watch over you and your family... but I failed that when I was distracted in Equus by Grogar's release. I wasn't there to protect your parents and you," he says with a sad expression. "After that, I've kept a close eye on you. Remember that time you were captured by bandits? And you broke free? It was I that undid your bonds," he tells me.

So he's been looking out for me? "Why?" I ask him.

"Because Starswirl was one of my oldest friends and I owed a lot to him. Besides, I like to think of myself as your family's weird uncle," he says and sticks his tongue out.

Celestia looks a lot less angry now. "So what do you plan on doing now that you're free?" she asks him.

He pulls the top of his head off by one of his horns and scratches his brain... yeah, that's not nasty at all. "I guess I'll help you protect Equestria from Grogar and maybe even teach Adrian two elements not even Beardy found," he says.

"What elements?" I ask.

"Order and chaos," he replies. "but you need to master both the light and shadow elements first," he tells me.

Next Chapter: Chapter 37: Walk in the Light. Step into Shadow Part 1 Estimated time remaining: 14 Hours, 26 Minutes