Luna didn't reveal who she'd plan to see about Twilight's unorthodox situation, but Twilight nevertheless agreed to meet the older Princess at Fluttershy's cottage the next day, something Twilight was initially confused about.

When Twilight had asked, Luna had told her it wasn't Fluttershy they were looking for. She tried to figure out just why the Lunar Princess would want to meet at friend's home, if they weren't there to talk to Fluttershy, but in her currently sleep deprived state, she couldn't make sense of it.

Twilight didn't want to sleep—she'd never sleep again if she could help it, but Luna eventually convinced the overly weary mare to rest. In actuality, it wasn't all that hard to do.

On top of being too tired to really argue, Twilight had also ended up convincing herself that if she did have another vision, it might hold some sort of clue, so she acquiesced to Luna's wishes and tried to fall asleep despite her fears.

Twilight was out like a light in seconds and, much to her immense relief, there were no visions this time around. She had woken up late the next day feeling much better than she had the night before, and as she ate lunch—having had to skip breakfast entirely due to sleeping in—her mind began to piece together the rather obvious answer to whom Luna was speaking of if they were going to Fluttershy.

Discord.

Once her mind latched on to that realization, she frowned. Of course he'd be the one Luna would go to for such an issue. Twilight knew for a fact that the Lord of Chaos wasn't tethered to just this reality like the rest of the world.

The draconequus was insane, but Twilight knew more than to underestimate Discord's intellect. He'd given her some more than helpful advice in the past, and somewhere beneath all the madness was a surprising amount of wisdom.

She hated to admit it, but Luna was right, if anypony could figure this out, it was Discord. Unfortunately, as much as Twilight had come to respect Discord, he was still Chaos incarnate, and as such, was still a hoofful to deal with.

She was just glad Fluttershy was there to keep both him and Tirek in line.

Once she'd finished her lunch, she had Spike send a letter to Princess Celestia, who in turn informed her sister. Spike, for his part, was hopeful—confident that things would finally start looking up and that life could go back to normal.

He and Discord had gotten along swimmingly over the last couple of years Discord had been released, and was certain he'd have the solution to Twilight's problem.

A short flight later, Twilight landed just outside the cottage and found that Luna was already there, a scowl on her face. Twilight raised an eyebrow as she trotted closer, but didn't comment on her expression.

"Twilight Sparkle," Luna greeted with a nod, "I trust you are feeling better this day?"

"Yes, much," Twilight replied with a relieved smile, "I didn't have any visions last night, thankfully," she frowned slightly, "in fact, I don't think I dreamed at all now that I think about it. Was that your doing?"

"Neigh," Luna replied, her frown turning troubled, "that is another thing I wished to bring up during our discussion."

"With Discord, right?" Twilight surmised, "I was... more than a little out of it last night, so I didn't register who you were talking about, but it would make sense for it to be Discord."

"You are correct," Luna confirmed with another small nod, "last night I had taken some time to actively search for your presence in the dream realm, but I did not find you and feared the worst had come to pass," she smiled slightly, "I am glad that was not the case, but this still bodes ill."

"I think you might be right," Twilight agreed with a grave frown, "all the more reason we should hurry and meet with Discord. If I can't stop these visions, I at least want to know why they're happening."

"Yes, well," Luna's scowl returned and she cast an irritated glance in the direction of Fluttershy's cottage as she spoke, "I had intended to inquire of Discord's whereabouts with young Fluttershy, but alas, it seems she already has company."

Twilight furrowed her brow in bemusement before trotting over to one of the many windows. Her eyebrows raised in surprise when she saw both Fluttershy and the thin, wizened form of Tirek sitting around a small table in the living room.

They both sat chatting over tea, something Fluttershy was wont to do from time to time with Discord and her other friends. It had taken some time for the shy pegasus to warm up to the centaur once he'd reformed, but they eventually came to enjoy each other's company.

Twilight herself had spoken to Tirek more than once, and found that the centaur was well versed in both arcane magic and the ancient lore of countless cultures from around the world.

Their conversations had been rather intellectually stimulating—a pleasant and welcome surprise to the lavender alicorn. It seemed however, that Luna still had her misgivings about the reformed Lord, if her expression was anything to go by.

Twilight couldn't hear what was being said, but judging by Tirek's calm expression and Fluttershy's easy smile, it seemed to be an amicable conversation.

"I see what you mean," Twilight replied as she stepped away from the window and turned back to Luna. She bit her lip and glanced back at the window, "normally I'd suggest we come back later, but... this is important."

"Indeed," Luna replied, moving towards the front door of the cottage, "I hate to interrupt Fluttershy's... get-together, but this is something that cannot wait."

With that, Luna raised a hoof and gave a few firm knocks on the door.

"Fluttershy," she called out, "I hate to interrupt, but it is important that we—"

The door swung open, and before either Twilight or Luna could so much as blink, a large brown cane shot out of the doorway and wrapped around Luna's neck, yanking her inside.

"Wha—Luna!? What—"

Twilight's alarmed outburst became a wordless cry of panic as an arm ending in familiar yellow talons stretched out from beyond the doorway and grabbed the shocked mare, pulling her in along with Luna.

A few extremely confusing moments later, the two alicorns found themselves standing in a very different cottage—the larger alicorn rubbing her neck with an annoyed grimace.

A large, maroon couch nearby panted and barked like a dog, a coffee table constantly shifted colors from brown, to blue, to white, to orange, then back to brown.

A lamp stand, a grandfather clock, and a couple of small dressers bounced and swayed to a rhythm neither Twilight nor Luna could hear.

The large room was filled with all manner of ridiculous and mind boggling things like these, and as Twilight and Luna looked around, a sudden and almost violent sense of vertigo overtook them.

They now sat at a circular table, and though it didn't look like anything had changed in the insane room, they were certain something definitely had.

Twilight turned to a nearby window and glanced outside, her jaw dropping at what she saw. Outside it was almost completely dark save for the shifting violet hues that marked the sky.

She could see a grassy field outside, which wouldn't have bothered her, but the fact that the land was where the sky should be and vice versa put her on edge, and also explained the odd vertigo.

"Luna," she muttered in wide eyed disbelief, "I think the house is upside down."

Luna followed her gaze and her expression flattened into one of annoyance. Before she could reply however, a familiar voice caught their attention, making their ears swivel in its direction.

"Quite right you are, my dear."

Both mares turned their attention to the draconequus now sitting at the table across from them, calmly sipping tea from a teacup in an orthodox fashion—an action completely unorthodox for a being like Discord.

"You'll have to forgive me," he chuckled once he had their attention, "I wanted to try flipping my house, but I think I may have missed the mark a bit, wouldn't you say?"

He waggled his bushy white eyebrows at the two sitting across from him, but all he got in response was a small irritated groan from Luna and an eyeroll from Twilight.

"Discord, why did you bring us into the Chaos Realm?" Twilight asked, furrowing her brows, "not that I don't find this place fascinating, but... why?"

"Oh?" Discord replied, raising his own eyebrow, "I heard from a little birdie that you two were looking for little old me. Was that not the case?"

"No, we were," Twilight replied with a small nod, "but you could've just talked with us back in Ponyville. You didn't have to literally yank us into the Chaos Realm."

"Perhaps," Discord replied with a shrug, "but Fluttershy looked so content, I simply didn't want the two of you to bother her with your no doubt silly inquiries."

"They're not silly, Discord," Twilight replied with a slight frown, "and while I'm glad you're taking Fluttershy's feelings into consideration, I still find it rather... odd that you... er... invited us here."

"Why, Twilight!" Discord cried, placing a paw to his chest and giving the lavender alicorn a look of mock hurt, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were ill at ease in my humble abode!"

"That's—no! T-That's not what I meant at all!" Twilight stammered, waving her hooves defensively, "I just mean that it's weird. You're usually content to just... pop into Equestria unannounced. In fact, I was starting to get the impression you didn't like having anypony here."

"Nonsense," Discord scoffed, "I'll have you know, I've invited dear Fluttershy here for lunch more than once. While I do enjoy my privacy, I'm not as averse to having company within my home as you'd like to believe."

"Enough!" Luna cried, cutting off Twilight's reply, "Discord, we are here to discuss a very important and very grave matter."

"Oh fine then," Discord replied, rolling his eyes as he dropped his teacup onto the table, where it proceeded to sprout bunny-like feet and hop away, "enlighten me, Loony, what exactly is this grave matter?"

Luna watched the teacup for a moment before turning back to Discord with a serious frown.

"It has to do with Twilight," she began, "she's been having vivid visions of... well... I believe Twilight herself can explain it better than I," she turned to defer to the younger alicorn next to her, "...Twilight?"

Twilight nodded and turned to Discord.

"These visions... at first I thought they were just vivid nightmares," she explained, "but they're too... raw—too real. I feel like... like I'm actually there," she slowly lowered her gaze and stared at the table, "they feel more like... memories of a life—lives I've never lived... horrible, horrible lives."

Discord stiffened slightly, his eyes widening just a fraction in shock. He quickly regained his composure and put on an expression of mild curiosity just as Luna turned her attention back to him.

"Oh really?" the draconequus replied in an intrigued tone. He steepled his mismatched digits above the desk and leaned forward, "and what praytell, do these visions consist of?"

Both Luna and Twilight glanced at each other, Twilight wearing an apprehensive expression and Luna donning a reassuring smile.

"Go on," Luna encouraged with a nod, "it may be unpleasant, but it is necessary if you want to get anywhere, Twilight."

"Right, I get it... it's just... painful to think about," Twilight replied with a weary, resigned sigh. She looked back to Discord, who, to her surprise, looked back with a troubled frown of his own, "Discord? Are you okay?"

"Oh I'm fine," Discord replied airily, his frown vanishing in an instant, "just worried for my dear, dear friend is all."

Both Luna and Twilight looked dubious, but didn't comment as Discord spoke again.

"Now go on," Discord said impatiently, motioning for Twilight to continue, "what did you see in these visions of yours, Sparky?"

Twilight closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and as she did with Luna, she told him everything. Though Twilight was expecting Discord to interrupt with an insensitive quip, he surprised her once more by remaining completely silent throughout her explanation, his frown growing deeper and deeper as she went on.

Luna watched his face with growing curiosity, wondering just what the Lord of Chaos was thinking. After Twilight had finished her explanation—which she found to be a lot easier than it had been before—Discord leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

Luna raised an eyebrow at his silence, a silence that continued to drag on for another few moments before Discord sighed, opened his eyes and stood up from the table.

It was all done in such a normal fashion that it caught the two mares off guard.

"I must say, Twilight," Discord finally replied, pacing across the room and ignoring the dancing furniture as it leapt out of his path, "this is most definitely a grave matter."

He stopped and turned back to Twilight, a grim frown on his normally smarmy face. If Twilight didn't know better, she would've said the draconequus looked almost... apologetic.

"These visions," he continued, "these aren't something you or any other pony should be seeing, and I'm sorry you've had to endure something like that."

"Yeah, I... well... uh..." Twilight blinked and turned to Luna, who was just as shocked by Discord's grim sincerity as she was. She shook her head and turned back to Discord, "it's... alright, I guess, but do you know what's going on? Can you do anything about it?"

"Discord didn't answer right away, and as Twilight and Luna watched, he seemed to be struggling with himself. His expression changed from worried, to contemplative, to frustrated in the span of a few moments.

Eventually he sighed and shook his head.

"I'm afraid I don't know what's causing this or why it's happening, Sparklebutt," he replied with a helpless shrug, "and until I figure it out, I won't be able to stop it."

"Oh," Twilight replied quietly, her ears flattening against her skull and her frame visibly sagging in her seat, "you... you really can't do anything?"

"Now I didn't say that," Discord answered with a chuckle, "there's actually a number of things I can do, but most—if not all of it would require me to do all sorts of nasty, unethical things to your mind, and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want that after what happened last time, would you?"

"No," Twilight conceded slowly, "no, I wouldn't want that."

Discord's smile faltered and he sighed again.

"Look, Twilight," he began with an apologetic frown, "I want to help you... I really do, but until I find out what's going on, I'd only be doing more harm than good. Chaotic powers and all that, y'know?"

"Yeah... I suppose I can see your point," Twilight agreed unhappily, "still, there has to be a way to figure this out and stop it."

"I'm sure there is, Twilight," Luna said, placing a comforting wing on the smaller alicorn's back, "we'll keep looking for as long as it takes, and I'm sure Discord will do the same," she gave the creature in question a side glance, "isn't that right, Discord?"

"But of course," Discord replied easily, crossing his arms as he floated above the two of them, "as I said, this is quite upsetting, even for me, and as a friend, I'm duty bound to help in anyway I can."

He gave one last small frown before putting on his characteristic jovial, if slightly cocky grin.

"Now if you two ladies will excuse me," he began, raising a talon, "I'd like to get started resolving this little dilemma as soon as possible—"

"Wait!" Twilight suddenly cried, causing the draconequus to pause and raise an eyebrow, "Discord, wait a minute, there was one other thing I wanted to ask you."

Twilight stood up on her chair, her hooves planted firmly on the table as she looked up at Discord.

"The creature I saw from my first vision," she said with a solemn, curious frown, "the biped... do you know anything about it?"

DIscord was quiet for a long moment, his face unreadable. Twilight's frown deepened as she waited for an answer. Next to her, Luna narrowed her eyes slightly as the pause dragged on.

"...Discord?"

"No," he finally replied, "I have no idea who or what that creature may have been."

"But—"

"Goodbye, Sparklebutt, Loony," Discord said, dismissing any further comments or questions, "I'll let you know when I figure something out. Tata for now!"

With a snap of his talons, he sent them both away while simultaneously returning the animated furniture to its immobile state.

For a time he simply floated above the table, his face pensive and his mind working furiously. He knew something had obviously gone wrong, and now these universes were affecting his friends regardless, and in a way he hadn't expected.

The question now was how?

How was this happening? Why was it happening, and why Twilight? Where was the link, and did it have something to do with his own magic?

Or was it Salvatore himself that was the cause?

One thing was for certain, he'd have to step very carefully. He surmised that Luna already suspected him of something, and it wouldn't do to have his friends and the Princesses suspicious of him.

He was only doing what he had to to protect his world, but alas, it seemed chaos magic was ill suited to such a task. This is why true heroes never wielded the power of chaos.

It was too wild, too unpredictable. It was far too prone to messing things up at the worst possible time, and while he wouldn't trade his power for anything, even he had to admit to its occasional inconvenience.

Now he had to find a way to rectify this mistake, and fast. Perhaps Salvatore held the key, perhaps not, but either way, it was the chaos magic that was ultimately the root of the problem he was sure of it.

After what felt like hours, but was probably closer to a few minutes, Discord finally stirred, a wicked smile crossing his face as he rubbed his claw and paw together.

"Salvatore old buddy, I think it's time for a bit of experimentation..."

Y'know, contrary to how I feel about Chrysalis being reformed, I find the idea of a reformed Tirek to be an interesting one. This was basically my take on what Tirek reformed would be like, and I could totally see it happening like this (which is why I wrote it this way).

Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I kind of do wonder what Chrysalis would be like reformed...