Celestia says nothing as she sits down next to the statue in her garden. Generous amounts of moonlight highlights the smooth stone surface of the draconequus. Hardly any signs of aging are present. There isn't a single trace of weathering or chipping that one might expect of such a relic whereas the moon's surface is scarred with the presence of a tormented soul.

With a dip of her head, Celestia's pastel mane finds its way across her other eye. In her magic she holds a small basket which she sets on the grass, causing a faint rustling noise. She sees her sister. She sees her friend.

There was still silence.

"Hello Discord," she whispers as pleasantly as possible.

Really? You of all ponies decide to come here. What makes you decide to do something so uncharacteristically spontaneous, hmm? Don't you have some subjects to order about? Perhaps some taxes to collect or whatever it is an orderly ruler does.

"You must be rather lonely," Celestia goes on, "and I thought that maybe you could use some company... if you'd like it that is."

Celestia, please. I don't need my eyes to be open to see that you're the lonely one. You're just as clingy as you were when we were small aren't you?

She opens the basket just as quietly as she set it down. The small glimmers of gold light shimmering around it feel out of place in the world now bathed silver, blue, and purple.

"I know it took nine hundred years, well nine hundred and seventeen, but it had just been so hard to talk to you and I'm not even sure if you can hear me," she mumbles between bites of a daisy sandwich.

You think talking is hard? Have you ever tried putting yourself in my shoes? If I were free right now I'd gladly lend you a pair so you know just how it feels. I can hear you in other parts of this garden, as it is now, do you think I can't hear anything you say? You give tours of the place!

"I'm not sure how much longer the spells will last. I can see Luna moving her stars, but I have no idea how long the effect of the Elements will keep you here," she adds between another bite of the sandwich.

Well, I'd really like to know. Perhaps I'll be angry. Perhaps there will be havoc everywhere. Of course there will be!

"Discord?" Celestia asks weakly, she rests a hoof on the base of the statue not daring to move it any farther.

Oh what is it? What could you possibly say now? I know you're here to boast, I know you're eating down there, and while there's nothing I can do to stop that all because of you and your precious baby sister I do implore you not to leave any crumbs lying about. Pigeons are almost as bad as you.

"It's been foolish of me to wait so long to do this, but I'm a better pony than when you last saw me." There was a popping sound as Celestia hummed a faint, sad tune and poured herself a small glass of wine. She had taken care not to leave any debris around or on the statue. Each and every crumb whether it be from her sandwich or the slice of cake she had brought with her was carefully stored in a cloth napkin.

You, better than when we last met?! Impossible! Didn't you see what happened to Luna? You did that! You made her your shadow and even after I was gone, she ended up succumbing to whatever misery you put her, your own sister, through. At least I took over your silly kingdom. Everypony had forgotten how to laugh under your rule, I was kind enough to let them have some fun.

Celestia broke the silence, keeping her form unnaturally still as she spoke words that should have been said so long ago. "Discord, I'm sorry. It's dreadful knowing that you're in there and have been for centuries, not being able to feel anything or see and hear."

I CAN HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR, CELESTIA!

Discord could not see. He could not move, but he could hear. No sound escaped his ears and he knew every secret of each pony that passed through this place, where unsuspecting equines stood beneath his statue and believed it to be dead stone, a mere carving like all the others.

He could hear Celestia crying.

Celestia, the composed little filly who loved a good laugh and spent her time taking care of her little sister, who she adored above all else... the very same Celestia who tried to instruct every living creature she could find on how to be a proper princess and rarely showed how she felt was crying her eyes out at his feet.

Celestia...?

"I lost you twice and then I lost Luna, and I'm not even sure if she'll still be herself if she comes back. I'm a better pony now, I won't forget her anymore and I'll make sure nopony ever will again."

Celestia...?

"We used to be friends, Discord. Don't you remember? Has everything been lost? Please tell me you remember. Is there any of that Discord left? If you escape this wretched curse what will you do? You know I won't let you hurt my little ponies."

I do have quite a few plans...

"Will you really try to overthrow me again? Discord, I know you aren't cruel at heart, surely you could see the agony all those poor ponies were in and how they suffered. You also said some of the most outrageous things with Luna and I but none of them were evil. You may be a bit of a bully but I know you aren't evil."

Stepping out of line isn't 'evil', Celestia. Knotting the straight line of order and scrambling things a bit isn't the most gods-awful thing that can happen, as a divine yourself surely you would know that. You always loved a good laugh Celestia but rarely did you ever do anything spontaneous. Slugs have more creativity than you, the slime trails they draw on this stone I've become is more creative and random than you'll ever be. Celestia must have been standing to deliver her many speeches to him since Discord could hear her sit down, much less elegantly this time.

I'll be doing exactly what I did last time, Celestia. If I get out of here, you will have a front row seat to whatever anarchy is on the menu. Neither draconequus or Alicorn spoke for quite some time.

"You used to love me." Five words expressing a sentiment Discord never believed Celestia would acknowledge. How artificial it made the silence between them seem.

"If... if you were to stop hurting ponies, or just to do something good to help these mortals... a token of some kind to say you appreciated our friendship... if you can do that Discord I will be able to see past whatever maliciousness may remain in you and return what you may still feel for me."

The moon still shone in the sky surrounded by the dazzling stars that lit the cool spring night. Both the colorful earthly flowers found in Celestia's garden and the stars that populated Luna's cold prison in the sky were blind observers to what had transpired here.

If Discord could have snorted he would have right now. He could do so much more than that! But change his ways? No, never. He would turn the world upside down and reign as the God-King of chaos, after all this time he was oddly serious in his scheme.

Serious enough to want a queen.