“What do you want, Discord?” Twilight’s tone was bitter, as her back was against him.

Twilight looks at her ex-husband with a disapproving look on her face. Tempest and Starlight look between The Princess of Friendship and The Lord of Chaos, slightly on edge.

Tempest begins to hold her ground with caution, sneering at the draconequus. A low growl escapes her throat, Discord looks away from Tempest quickly and turned his attention back to Twilight.

“I just want to talk to you dear…” Discord tone was cautious. He tried to get closer to Twilight a little, but he was anxious and even nervous to get anywhere near her.

He sighs. “Listen… about earlier… it was-” He tries to explain.

Twilight put a hoof to his mouth. As if to say shut the hell up and let me do the speaking. “I do not wish to hear what you have to say, Discord. Just a few days you cared so much about Harmonia and I. As if we’re your most valuable and prized possessions. And now all of a sudden you throw us away like trash!” Twilight’s voice hardened a bit, as tears aligned her eyes.

“What happened to the draconequus I married nine years ago? What happened to the draconequus I fell in love with?” Twilight questions, her tone still remained hard.

Discord remained silent as he listened to what Twilight had to say.

“We made vows Discord! You and me for better or for worse! Not me you, and Celestia! Did those vows mean anything to you?!” Twilight questions.

Twilight looks at Discord before scoffing. “After nine years I can’t believe you let me down. I’ll admit I’ve had my doubts from you for many years, denying everything that anypony would bring bad about you! I’ve wiped my own tears hearing the god awful things that they have said about you because I knew in my heart that it wasn’t true. Guess I was wrong.” Twilight said, her ears down folded.

“Twilight do you need us to-?” Starlight begins, but Twilight cuts her off.

“As much as would I appreciate it. Harmonia still needs him here.” Twilight said, before turning her attention back quickly to her ex husband.

“Did Celestia use some dark magic on you to brainwash you to like- well correction even be in love with her?” Twilight asks, coming to the realization that could be the only be the most possible explanation as to what was going on right now.

“No, she did not brainwash me, Twilight.” Discord explains.

“Then what could it be?” Twilight asks, her tone becoming rather agitated.

Discord sighs. “You know that I love both you and Harmonia, right?” He asks, awaiting Twilight’s response.

“Love?! If you love us, you wouldn’t go off and marry somepony else Discord!” shouts Twilight, her tone stearn, angry and full of hurt.

Twilight then paused. “..... That explains why you’ve been so distant, isn’t it? And why your heart has been unobtainable. Sad to know this is the reason why. You’re having an affair....” her eyes going wide, but a fire was burning in her purple eyes.

Discord said nothing.

“How stupid and foolish could I have been to deny any rumors about you? Apparently a lot. However you think I’m insane for reacting like this? Thinking that I wouldn’t find out what you’ve done?! Well let me tell you something Discord ponies talk.” Twilight said, her tone cold.

“Now it makes sense why you said you needed a mare of higher status. What? Do I not fit that status anymore?” Twilight snarked.

Twilight’s features became darkened a bit. “You got five minutes to start talking and start talking now.”

“Just let me explain…” Discord stated.

“Oh this shall be good.” Mutters Twilight.

Discord sighs. “At the Grand Galloping Gala, which was in 2015 held by Celestia. I accepted a formal invitation from her. Well it was late, but that’s besides the point. Anyways, of course I accepted and went. Upon arrival, I met you, I noticed that you were the most beautiful mare there nothing else mattered in that moment. However, when I locked eyes with Tia- - I mean Celestia- I notice that she was acting differently around me, of course I thought nothing of it. That night at the Gala she took me out on the balcony to talk.” Discord explains.

“About?” Twilight asked, pressing for answers.

“Just simple things, honestly.” Discord explains.

Twilight arched her eyebrow, as if she wasn’t buying it for one second.

“And that night that she asked me to talk to me about Harmonia’s behavior in school... It’s like her feelings had resurfaced from her past, but you have to understand, I’ve known her for a very long time! When she was a filly I was there for her and with her, we both loved each other…” He said, trying his best to reason with Twilight, but his guilt still let him down.

“So your saying that you still have feelings for her in return?” Twilight asks, her tone broken and bitter.

“Twilight, I love you more, I loved you more! I loved you more than anypony I have ever laid eyes on! I love both you and our daughter more!” He explains.

“Doesn’t seem like it….” Twilight mutters, her tone cold.

“You just used a past tense word: loved. Which means you loved us in the past, not now.” Twilight’s tone was ice cold.

“Honey...please… listen to me….” He begs. He then, moves in front of Twilight, his face full of guilt, Discord hugs Twilight tightly as if he never wanted to lose her in the first place. Twilight remained a rather cold distance toward him, bitter and silent as she contemplates her thoughts.

She looks down at the ground. He tilts Twilight face into his claw. Twilight smacks his claw away from her and pushes Discord off of her.

She looks at him, her eyes cold and unfeeling.“Back at that castle you literally propose to Celestia. Why did you do that?” Twilight snaps, her tone bitter.

“Yes, I needed a mare of higher status, but it was for a very good reason.” Discord explains.

“A very good reason? What could having an affair be a very good reason for!” Twilight asks, she was still fuming pissed over the whole situation.

Discord was filled with frustration. “It was an act of royal Sacrifice!” He snaps.

“Royal… Sacrifice?” Twilight mutters to herself.

“Royal Sacrifice!” Twilight yells.

“You went behind my back and had an affair with Celestia of all ponies, and you think that I won’t find out! Ponies talk Discord.” Twilight said her tone bitterly amused at this.

She gave a sarcastic laughter, which set Starlight and Tempest unease. “How can I forgive the love of my life who is planning on marrying somepony who I personally know and to go as far as to have an affair with them? That’s just sick!” Twilight’s tone was bitter.

Discord was speechless. He then slightly regret his decision about proposing to Celestia, he starts to sob a little in front of Twilight, asking for forgiveness, he knew it wasn’t possible to gain back any form of trust or forgiveness from Twilight this time.

“I… didn’t know…. How could I hurt the love of my life…?” He softly mutters to her.

“Well you did! Don’t even try to take Harmonia from me because it would be a cold day in Tartarus before I ever let that happen.” Twilight seethed.

“Besides as you said before: “I’m pretty sure you can handle her on your own.” Doesn’t that sentence ring a bell?” Twilight’s eyes narrowed at the draconequus.

Discord remained silent.

There was a small creek in the door to reveal Harmonia, who was rubbing her eyes from her nap. “Mommy… daddy… what’s going on?” She questions.

Twilight and Discord stops their bickering for a moment and looks at their daughter. “...Sweetie go to your room.” Twilight said, her tone slightly stern.

“But…” Harmonia squeaks, her voice sounded small and fragile.

Discord sighs. “Listen to your mother sweetheart.” He said.

Harmonia nods and leaves the room.

“I have nothing to say to you!” Twilight hisses her tone was venomous toward Discord.

Discord sighs. “I understand if you want me gone Twilight… just say the word….”

Twilight bit her bottom lip. Discord remains talking. “Banish me... exile me…. I’d do it for you either way…” He explains, giving Twilight so many different options.

Outside the hallway, Harmonia remains there, quite as she peeps through the crack of her mother’s throne room. Tears silently stream down her face as she thinks to herself: “You mean Daddy is leaving?”

Twilight takes a deep breath. Her voice was monotones. “Honestly Discord, I don’t care where you go. Maybe if you didn’t do what you did. You would still have a place here. But..”

Twilight pauses as she gives a sarcastic laugh to her ex-husband. “You screwed that up! What? Am I not somepony of higher status than her? Not good enough for you? That’s exactly what you said back in Canterlot!” Twilight’s tone was venomous.

Discord was hurt by the words that came out of Twilight’s mouth.

Discord’s eyebrows furrow, clearly he was angry at the choice of words she was using. “You know it isn’t like that Twilight!” He snaps.

“That’s always the card everypony pulls isn’t it?! “it isn’t like that” my flank! When clearly you can’t come up with a grand enough excuse.” She snaps back.

Twilight thought for a moment. “How long has this been going on?” She asked.

Discord didn’t answer at first.

“Discord, How long has this been going on?” Twilight repeats again, this time her teeth bared, her tone hardened.

“Four months…” he mutters.

Twilight then picks up a crystal vase, without warning and throws it at Discord, however Discord avoids it.

“Get out.” She mutters, her tone dark.

“Just get out!” She screams, tears aligned her eyes.

Discord was in so much pain, his gaze from Twilight now ended. Pain of regret filled his chaotic mind. He paused thinking should he turn back or just walk out once and for all.

Twilight then processed to collapse onto the floor in a mess of sobs.

Discord flinches at Twilight’s words. Pain of regret filled his chaotic mind. He paused thinking should he turn back or just walk out once and for all.

He had his claw on the door. “I’m sorry my dear…” He mutters. Discord opens the door, and reveals Shining Armor, who was about to open the door himself, but instead was met by Discord. Shining lets out an angry expression toward Discord. “Get out of my way!” He grunts, his voice full of distaste and spitefulness toward the creature.

Cadence follows alongside Shining and Flurry. “You should be..” Cadence mutters, her voice was bitter.

“Ashamed of myself? Already doing that Princess of Love… it’s repulsive really....” He mutters, ashamed of his actions. Twilight’s friends where the next ponies to enter the castle. Each of the Mane 6 members give Discord a look of disgust and annoyance, even Fluttershy.

Discord knew that his presents was not needed here any longer than it needed to be, he got the gist that it was time to leave. He snaps his fingers and teleports out of the castle.

Rarity gives her a hug of sympathy. “Twilight… are you okay, darling?” She asks, giving Twilight a hug. “I’m fine Rarity, it’s just.. How am I going to tell Harmonia about this…” Twilight said, looking upstairs.

Shining and Cadence approach Twilight, Cadence wraps a comforting wing around Twilight giving her a warm hug. Twilight cries softly into her sister-in-law’s fur, her brother watched with concern for his sister. Flurry joins in, hugging her aunt tightly.

“Whatever he did to you...I’m not letting it slip by, I knew Discord was bad news from the start.” Shining said, his tone stern.

Cadence thought for a moment. “.....just be gentle with the news. She may be upset at first, but she will eventually comes to terms with it after a while. Yes, she will hurt, like you are right now, but she will eventually come to an understanding.

Starlight agrees with the Princess’s statement.

Flurry carefully looks at her aunt. “Aunt Twilight? Where is Harmonia?” She asks.

Twilight looks at her niece, tears still coming. She sniffs. “She is in her room, sweetheart. You can go see her if you want to.” Twilight offers, her tone sounded scratchy and raspy from all the crying she has been doing.

“Alright.” Flurry Heart leaves the room, going to find her cousin in the huge castle.

The others turn their attention back to Twilight and Shining. “Do you want me to send the royal guards after Discord?” He whispers to Cadence, not wanting to trigger Twilight.

Cadence looks at Twilight then looks back at her husband. Her expression softened, mixed with worry and sorrow for her sister in law. “I don’t think that would be necessary, dear. Besides who knows where Discord went to.” She softly whispers to her husband.

Flurry could hear crying coming from inside of Harmonia’s room. Flurry knocks on Harmonia’s door. “Harmonia, it’s me Flurry Heart, may I come in?” She asks.

The young alicorn carefully opens the door. She looks at her cousin, a pitiful look displays on Flurry's face for her cousin. Harmonia remains curled up in her ball. “..... it’s my fault Daddy left…..” Harmonia mutters to herself, as she softly cries into her fur.

Flurry looked at her cousin in confusion. “What do you mean Harmony?” she asks. Flurry makes her way over to her cousin, making herself comfortable beside her. She lifts Harmonia’s chin gently with her hoof. Harmonia looks at her cousin, hugging her ever so tightly, guilt running through her tiny chaotic mind. Flurry hugs back, her wings wrapped around her.

“I overheard mommy and daddy fighting.” She mutters softly.

“About what Harmony?” Flurry Heart asks with concern. Flurry wipes Harmonia’s tears gently with her hoof, she rubs Harmonia’s back and mane, calming her down little by little.

She looks at Flurry a sad expression remains on her face. “I’m not fully sure what the fight was fully about, but I know whatever the reason is… it’s my fault…” she said.

Flurry gives her cousin a soft. warm smile and a kiss on top of her cousin’s forehead. “Harmony don’t say that, it’s never your fault. You have done nothing wrong. Don’t beat yourself up just because of a little fight. Harmonia, you know better than that.” She said, looking at her cousin.

Harmonia cries softly. “But… you was not here.” she softly mutters.

“I may not have been here, but I know that it’s not your fault. All families fight, even my mom and dad fight sometime. Trust me when when I tell you this Harmony: No family is perfect.” she explains.

Harmonia looks at Flurry with tears still streaming down her cheeks. “Really…?” She asks.

“Mhm.” Said Flurry, giving her a soft smile. Harmonia took her cousin’s words into account. She then lunges at Flurry wrapping her claw and paw around Flurry’s neck as she cried softly into her cousin’s mane, but Flurry didn’t care as she rubs Harmonia’s back, muttering “shhh…” into her ear, trying to comfort her the best she knew how.

“Are you sure you are okay Twilight?” Shining asks, careful not to trigger his sister. He sits down quietly, as Twilight’s friends carefully watch them.

Twilight averted her eyes from the door that Discord left out of hours ago, her ears slightly flatten. “I’m fine, Shining.” She said.

Noticing her expression, his eyes narrowed slightly at his sister, as if he knew that something else was bothering her, but decided against it. “Alright...if you need me I’ll be up stairs with the kids.” He said, he leaves going to check on Harmonia and Flurry.

“Darling, I’m so sorry this had to happen to you… we are really sorry.” Said Rarity, her expression looked hurt and filled with sorrow for her best friend.

“We just heard the news and…. I can’t believe he did this to you….” Rainbow Dash was speechless at the news.

“I knew I couldn’t trust that thiefin varmint.” Mutters Applejack.

Cadence unwraps her wing, and she brings a hoof to Twilight’s chin, lifting it up slowly. “Give it some time Twilight, love is like a box of chocolates, we never know what’s “inside.” She then gives Twilight a warm smile. “All you need to do is give it time.” she repeats, her tone softens.

“Thank you for the comfort… all of you, but I don’t think just mere words for thought are going to fix any of this. I just need some time alone to think.” Twilight moves away from Cadence.

“Alright Twilight.” Cadence mutters, she then releases a sigh of disappointment from Discord’s actions. Cadence then calls for Flurry and Shining to come downstairs. “Honey, sweetheart! It’s time for us to go! Come say goodbye to Aunt Twilight, Flurry.” Cadence calls out.

Flurry and Shining make their way down stairs together. Flurry looks at her aunt with a wave of sadness washes over her. She can’t stand to see her aunt like this, she looked so vulnerable. “....Bye Aunt Twilight.” Flurry says, her tone soft.

Twilight gives her a soft smile. “Bye sweetheart. Here let me walk you guys out.” Said Twilight, she makes her way to the door leading the family of three out. Cadence looks at Twilight, her expression still symphonic toward her aunt.

“Twilight…. If you ever need us, any of us. You know where to reach us.” Cadence said, her tone full of sorrow for her sister in law.

Twilight nods and watches for a moment, she then shuts the door behind her. Turning her attention to her friends, her friends where worried for her, they all gave her a look of remorse as she passed by making her way to Harmonia’s room.

Twilight leans into the door frame of her daughter’s room, her ears flatten at the sounds of her daughter’s crying. She lightly knocks on the door. “Sweetie? Can we talk?” She softly asks.

Harmonia looks at her mother a sad expression still etched onto her face. “Okay mommy….” she softly squeaks. She was still curled up in her ball like she has been for the past four hours ago.

Twilight makes her way over to Harmonia’s bed, sitting on it. Harmonia scoots closer to her mother, hugging her. “You know that your Daddy and I love you very much, right?” Twilight asks.

Harmonia silently nods her head. “Then why did Daddy leave….” She asks, her tone sounded broken, as if her whole world has came crashing down. Harmonia begins to cry uncontrollably her tiny body still shaking and her breathing became raggedy. As she so desperately wish her father would come back.

Twilight’s eyes started to tear back up. “I’m taking it that you overheard?” She asks, her tone full of guilt. The tears in Harmonia eyes gave away the answer that she indeed overheard them. Twilight sighs. “Sweetie, to be honest I really don’t know…” Twilight mutters.

Harmonia screams while crying, as she hugged her mother tightly as she sobbed harder. Her eyes were bloodshot. “Don’t leave me mommy…… d-don’t….l-leave me!” She wails, trying her best to speak.

Twilight’s eyes widened at Harmonia’s sudden outburst. She hugs her daughter tightly, as she raked her hoof through her daughter’s mane. “That will never happen, sweetheart!” She said.

Twilight’s ears suddenly went flat, as an idea came to mind.

Harmonia buries her face into her mother’s fur sobbing harder. “I-Is i-it my-my fault d-daddy left?” Harmonia cries out, blaming herself.

Twilight looked at her daughter, agasphed that she would even think this. “No! Look at me and listen.” Twilight commands.

Harmonia looks at Twilight with remorse in her eyes. “What happened today was and never will be your fault.. Do you understand?” Twilight’s tone went from stern to soft.

Harmonia nods her head.

“Besides your daddy and I are just taking a very long break from each other.” Twilight explains.

“Why...?” Harmonia asks, tears still streaming down towards her cheeks, warm salty tears dripping off her cheeks and onto her bed sheets and pillow.

Twilight cringes not wanting to tell her daughter the real reason why. She thought to herself as she looks at her daughter with pain in her eyes. “Because, I caught daddy in a scandalous affair with your teacher- or ex-teacher I should say.” She secretly thought to herself.

“Mommy…?” Harmonia asks her tone softened, as she snaps her mother out of her thoughts. She looks at her mother, with tears streaming down her face.

Twilight sighs. “Sweetie, it’s something you wouldn’t understand until you are older.” She explains.

Harmonia laid her head on her mother’s chest, she started to calm down a little, wrapping her tiny paw and claw around Twilight tightly. They stay like that for a moment or so, before Twilight gets up from Harmonia’s bed.

Harmonia looks at her mother slightly scared and confused. “Mommy…..?” she cautiously asks, her tone sounded worried for her mother.

Twilight looks at her daughter, her expression softened. “Mommy just needs to go and do some thinking, don’t worry I will still be in the castle, however.” Twilight explains.

Harmonia wipes away her tears, she gave a small soft smile to her mother. “Ok..” She said, softly.

Twilight makes her way to her throne room. She opens the doors to reveal a dimly lit room, the only thing glowing was The Friendship Map. She sighs in deep thought, her friends silently watch from the door frame, before slowly entering.

The mare's tears, softly streaming down her face. "Twilight, darling are you okay?" Rarity asks.

"Does she honestly look okay Rarity?" Applejack asks.

Starlight was the next pony to speak up. "Twilight just know that you are never alone and that one day you will be found." Starlight said, her voice softens at the young alicorn. Twilight's friends gather around her as she cries softly into their fur. Hugging them as tightly as ever. Without notice, Twilight's cutie mark begins to glow, signaling that somepony needed her help.

But who?

Edited/Rewritten: November 7, 2019