Discord and Sombra arrived back at the castle to find two carloads of ponies arguing among themselves. Some of them were gravely injured and some of them Sombra and Discord recognized like Mr. Cake and with him Mrs. Cake. Discord looked among the panicked and hurt ponies and he couldn’t help but feel a bit more stressed out. He looked over to Sombra who also seemed a bit stressed at the moment. Discord approached the ponies “hello, everypony.” He started to say.

“Where is Celestia?” a random pony asked.

“Yeah I heard she was here,” another pony chimed in.

“Where is she?” The group of creatures asked.

“She told me to-” Discord started to say.

“We wanna hear it from her!” A different pony chimed in.

“Yeah!” The group of creatures yelled.

"But I could-" DIscord said.

We do not care, you could be lying. Like last time!” A random pony yelled.

That stung discord a little bit, "let me go get her", he said taking Sombra with him he could see the purple coming from Sombras eyes.

“Scuse me,” Sombra said going into a nearby closet and yelling @&#*^$ discord could see the burst of magic even with the door closed it was that bright

“Sorry, that was aggravating,” Sombra said, exiting the closet with a calm demeanor.

“What just happened?” Discord asked, confused.

“I have been taking anger management classes with the Kirin. I find that stepping away, letting out the anger away from my friends, and coming back is a much better solution than just trying to breathe through it like Twilight does” Sombra said with a smile.

“Huh. impressive.” Discord added

Yeah, it really helped, no more Sombra outbursts which is what I know they named them.” Sombra chuckled. Silence came over them once more as Sombra frowned and stated the obvious “I thought we were past them not listening to us, or accepting our help. I thought...well I guess it doesn’t really matter. What do we do now? What would twilight do? What would Celestia do?

You know I'm tired of asking those questions separately. It's getting annoying what would Twestia do? Combine their name, it’ll save us time I guess.” He said trying to lighten the mood as he snapped his fingers to transform into Celestia “I guess we'll just have to give them what they wanted.”

Sombra frowned “this feels wrong, but I guess we don’t have any other options.” They both got up and walked into the room.

“CELESTIA!” They shouted, “Where were you, why do you keep sending Discord, why do you keep disappearing, why, why, why.”

Discord held up his hoof and they immediately went silent. Holy cow, he thought, one hoove wave is all it took Celestia. That aggravated Discord while he had to fight to get people to listen, she didn’t. People respected her, but now isn't the time to be angry. Even though he knew that he couldn’t help the anger that left his voice. “I am here since you demanded it. Discord and I switched places, he now fights on the battlefield for you all. So what was so important you had to drag me here?”

“We need help! Please help us we do not know what to do.”

Like he wouldn’t know how to help, he took a breath and calmed himself down. Discord decided to fake it till he thought of something better. He had been around Celestia long enough to have her mannerisms nailed down. He hoped no one would see through him. He and Sombra didn’t have a good track for leading but at least they led before. So it shouldn’t be that hard right? He just had to keep ponies calm. How hard could that be? He just had to keep asking himself what would Twestia do? They wouldn’t cause a scene, neither would he. Discord looked around the room noticing all the hurt ponies crowded by the unhurt ones.

“We must tend to the wounded.” He said pretty sure that is what they would do first. “We will build a makeshift hospital over there. Any doctors here please head over there. GUARDS!” He called knowing there were a few of them leftover. He waited until they entered the room “get surprised from the supply rooms, grab anything that you think would help build a makeshift hospital.” He watched them all shuffle off together after he was sure they were gone he looked back over to the ponies. What did they need to feel better, he could snap his fingers and make them better but he had never only tried healing magic once, on the alicorns and it didn't help. What if it didn’t work or just made it worse, if he used chaos magic it would also give him away and he needed ponies to listen. This was going to suck, he was torn out his own thoughts when he noticed Mrs. Cake again, her husband needed attention, “we will need volunteer doctors, anypony with a medical background please help the injured ponies to that corner over there.” Discord said as he pointed a hoof over to the corner it was out of the way so it would be best if the hospital was built there. Discord watched as doctors came forward with injured ponies, and even non-medical ponies helped the injured in ways they could. It sure was easy to give orders as Celestia.

“I ask you to put faith in my decisions once again. I will answer questions later by giving a speech.” Sorry everypony this is for the best, you wouldn’t listen otherwise. I’ll just make it up to them later. Oh gosh, he was feeling a little weak, probably just stress right? What would they do next? What needs to be done? What do ponies need to survive? “I need volunteers to make food. For both the ponies here and the armies fighting the battle, they will need the strength. Chefs if you could follow one of the guards to the kitchen.” Discord felt a shiver go up his spine and his stomach turn, he felt a little nauseous. He really did sound like Celestia. Sombra was right, it was kinda freaky.

Bakery ponies and chief ponies alike stood up to volunteer, including Mrs. Cake. “Mrs. Cake, you do not have to volunteer.” He said as he noticed the guards had come in with plenty of supplies to start building up a makeshift hospital.

Mrs. Cake smiled at Celestia “no, but I should.” She mouthed the words ‘discord’ to him. He smiled, he had no idea how she knew it was him. “I trust I can leave all kitchen operations to you then?”

“Yes, she said. Just please look after my husband.” Mrs cake said looking over to Mr. cake who was being tended to by a doctor. “Please, Celestia,” she winked.

Discord smiled, glad at least one pony put faith in him, “of course.” He called upon a guard “Guard! Take them to the kitchen.” This made sense to do right? He really really hoped it would be helpful. His stomach turned, he was feeling a tad more nauseous. He left the chefs behind and turned to Sombra and the room spun slightly. “Get a bucket.” He said thinking to himself that he just had to hang in there, to not give up. It wouldn’t be that long before he thought of something better. He would come up with a better plan, he just knew it. Until then he had to keep himself together.

Sombra ran off to go fetch a bucket. He picked one out of the closest maids closet in his magic. “Why do you need this?” He said with concern.

“Just in case, I'm not feeling so hot.” Discord said using his unicorn magic to levitate the bucket behind a nearby plant. What if the stomach-turning was a sign, should he stop doing this? Stop, doubting yourself will get you nowhere he thought. Confidence, just like the princesses. Think about them, focus on them. He did his best to calm the ponies promising a speech when they all arrived. What would he say? He just hoped that the princesses would wake before then. He kept his body just like Celestia would, his mannerisms and speech matching her perfectly. WWT/C do? That was his new acronym now, what would Twestia do?

He was glad to have Sombra with him, he felt less pressure being around another former villain plus he had leading skills, sort of. Discord noticed that more ponies have entered the castle. He went over to the crowd. “Hello, my little ponies.” He said, still disguised as Celestia. “Please line up in an orderly fashion.” Discord's stomach severely turned and once again felt very weak but he held himself together “are there any injured.” The ponies moved away to reveal some badly injured ponies, cuts and bruises covered their bodies. He gently levitated them over to the makeshift hospital and when she turned back he noticed injured ponies, but not physically. Their magic had been drained “did Tyrik get to you?” They nodded, “you can just relax in that corner until you feel well enough to help us.” Discord said pointing over to another corner he only had two corners left, he hoped he wouldn’t need more than that. “The rest of you line up, please.” He said as he watched them form an orderly line, his stomach turned once again this time dizziness fell over him. “State your name and occupation, please.” He said as he stared at the first poney in line,

“Rocky Road mam I run an ice cream joint.”

Discord smiled down at him “next!” Discord said as he organized the ponies in groups according to what he needed them to be. Kitchen staff or Medical staff, magic drained ones went to go recover. Soon enough he was through the small group of ponies. He sighed, satisfied with himself. “Sombra take the chefs to the kitchen, check on the food status, and make sure it’s running well. Medical team, the hospital is over there.” He said pointing to the corner with his hooves.

Sombra smiled, he felt his sumach turn slightly, “if you would follow me, chefs, to the kitchen.” He said leading the chef ponies out of the throne room.”

Discord looked back to see more creatures and a pony lined up at the door, his stomach turned again, harder this time. Back to organizing, he really wished he could just snap his fingers. He was in too deep now, ponies would for sure not listen to him if they found out he was lying. Everything was a well-working machine they didn’t have to know right now. Discord looked at all the animals surrounding what he assumed was a vet “Fluttershy.” He said with a smile.

The vet smiled back at him, “yes.”

Discord pointed to the back left corner and called the guards. “Guard! Help this nice mare here build an animal hospital. Please.” He said as he watched the vet and guards trot away to the corner of the room. Of course, Fluttershy would be picking up animals, not that he minded. It was just like her.

He heard shadows coming together behind him, it was Sombra he would bounce back between pony and shadow. It was faster travel then running. “Food has been made for every pony but we're starting to run low on it. We will need to find supplies.”

Discord frowned, well Celestia frowned, he was still faking it. He had not come up with a better idea yet but he wished he would. Lucky the answer to the food problem was right behind him unlike the whole he dug by pretending to be Celestia. “Excuse me.”

He turned around to see several earth ponies and an idea formed in his mind. “All earth ponies follow Sombra to the garden. Try and grow as much food as you can. Once the guards are done setting up the animal hospital I’ll send them to find rations.”

Sombra gave him a worried smile; he was now keeping track of a kitchen, a hospital, several drained ponies. This was just one more thing for him to oversee, he felt his stomach turn again. “Follow me this way.” He said leading the farm ponies to the garden, luckily it was facing away from the battlefield.

Discord sighed, he had seen Sombras face he had been feeling the turning of his stomach for a while now. Maybe they were both just really nervous. This wasn’t anything they had done before. Discord looked back and saw the number of citizens had tripled since he had talked to Sombra. Oh no, he thought as he realized that he felt strange, weaker almost. He felt more confused, did anything make sense right now.? Why was it so hard to connect thoughts together. He continued to organize ponies where he needed them to be. Chefs to the kitchen, Any kind of doctor to the makeshift hospital, all castle maids refocused on cleaning the medical supplies as needed. Vets took care of the occasional animals that appeared. Soon Discord ran out of room corners as foals without mothers and parents had started showing up and he gave the last free corner to them, the bottom right one. Mrs. Cheraly had shown up earlier that day she was helping cook but now she had a different job.

Sombra go get Mrs. Cheraly please,” he said to a tired-looking Sombra. He vanished in a puff of smoke only to come right back with her.

“We need you to look after lost foals, please.” The decided Discord said.

“Sure Celestia.” She said going to the last corner of the room.

Discord looked back at Sombra who took a new group of earth ponies to their respective spot and to check on their progress. Discord had decided long ago that any ponies that couldn’t fit perfectly into food, medicine, and children would be assigned the groups that would benefit from their presence the most. He felt sick once again, he was going to throw up now he could feel it. He had to leave, now. He turned to see a mare, the first to recover from being drained dry of magic.

“Excuse me.” He said to the mare. “Could you cover me? I know you just recovered. I Have to use the little mares room.” He whispered to this random mare. Her coat was a bright yellow, her main was a swirl of green and blue. He hoped this was a good enough excuse and that she would help him as Sombra was busy checking on the food situation, then the drained ponies than the foals. To make sure that every pony was getting along and that there were no problems. They both split the duty of making sure the air in the room still felt cheery even though there was a war going on.

“Of course!” The mare blushed she thought to herself that made sense even goddesses needed to use the restroom.

“Separate ponies into categories and if they don't fit perfectly give them to the group that would benefit from their presence the most.” He said trotting away, picking up the bucket he secretly stashed behind a plant and ran into a vacant closet. He threw up. It was awful he felt exhausted but better until he looked down. Was that blood? He threw up again, all blood. “buck” He whispered. He hid the bucket under some furniture, the fast pace that he hid it in cause him to feel very dizzy. This wasn’t good but he knew he could pull himself together. So what there was a little blood, it wasn’t like he was dying. He would be fine, he was sure of it. That made sense to do right? Did it? It felt like he was trying to climb up a wall with his arms tied around his back. Or like he was wadding through clouds. Did those apologies make sense? WWT/C do? He just had to focus on that one train of thought. Though he admitted to himself that he did need help, badly. He teleported right next to the mare he asked for help. He faced his helper seeing she got through just as many ponies as he did, she was efficient.

“May I ask you for a favor?” He asked while he organized the ponies in front of him, hoping this pony wouldn’t freak out too much. He needs the mare's help.

“Sure Princess, anything.” The mare looked up at him with a smile. “My name is Amber Bee” she said, sticking out a hoof.”

Discord went to go say his actual name then he remembered what was happening “Celestia, you know that of course” he said shaking the hoof in front of him. I hope you can forgive me for lying later he thought to himself. I really need your help. “I came back from the battlefield because I'm sick. I need your help. With your help, I can occasionally leave when I need to, but I need you to Pinkie Pie promise not to tell anyone I'm sick. Please.” Discord asked, giving the most pleading eyes he could. It wasn’t a total lie just mostly one.

“I Pinkie Pie promise I won't… but if you get too sick you have to stop.” Amber looked at him with nothing but concern for him. Well, I guess it was more for Celestia then for him but he still appreciated it. It really must be nice to be her, all these ponies willing to help her at the drop of the hat. It made him feel sad. He wished Sombra and himself had something like this, maybe if they had always been good like Celestia they would.

“Thank you.” He said laying a hoof on Amber’s shoulder. “I shall reward you greatly after all this mess is done.” He said turning to the ponies getting back to work. He noticed more and more of them were soldiers, Shining must have sent them over or maybe they were found. He hoped that Starlight, Rainbow Dash and Trixie found that solution and soon. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could last, he wasn’t sure how much longer anyone could last.

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