Celestias’ normal calm had been cracked with panic. What David had just said wasn't possible. It just plain wasn't. The magical seal was too strong to let him do that; at least, she thought it was too strong. "Are you absolutely sure that this wasn't a dream?" Celestia asked to make sure she heard him right. It almost sounded like he said Discord summoned them to the Void and offered them a way home that they refused, thank goodness. If he had used his Chaos magic to gain influence over the two...

"I'm absolutely sure that it wasn't a dream. Rob was there with me." David said to clarify.

Rob looked up to Celestia with a serious face. "I'm afraid he's right. It was... different, but not a dream." Rob said, causing the crack in Celestias’ calm to grow a little. Celestia processed what she had just been told. Discord, her immortal enemy and Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, the soul being that opposed her every whim, had made contact with these two creatures, and followed their progress. Discord had cast a spell that reached outside the Void.

Discord's power was growing, against her best efforts.

Discord made contact with the humans.

Discord.

Could.

Try.

To.

Escape.

And could sway the humans to help him.

Sun and Stars, he could sway the humans!!!

"I am very glad that you resisted him, and I must tell you to refuse him under any circumstances. Am I perfectly clear? You must NEVER help him, understand?" Celestia said quickly, unable to suppress the panic in her voice any longer. The pair looked at her with slight worry, but nodded in agreement. They had resisted him once; they could do it again, right? Celestia managed to regain some of her composure. "Good, very good. I must ask that we continue this meeting later. I must reflect on what you have told me. I will summon you when I am ready to continue. And don't leave Canterlot." Celestia told the humans.

David and Rob shared a confused glance, but obeyed the goddess nonetheless. After they left the throne room, they wandered down to the town, someplace they hadn't really visited in all their trips here. After all, it was with the Princess they had their business, not the townsponies. After wondering about the town for a while, they realized they had no idea what to do. Most of the time they had spent together was done at one another’s house or at school. Eventually they stumbled upon a courtyard of sorts and sat down on a bench and watched the ponies go about their business, bored and out of ideas on what to do.

"Hey, want to guess what their like as they walk by?" David asked, looking to his friend.

"Don't see why not. How 'bout that guy, orange coat, black mane?" Rob asked.

David studied their target for a time. He had a saddlebag, so that must mean he had a lot to do. He visited some toy shops, his bag fuller when he left each store. "My guess, buying his kid presents for their birthday."

Rob nodded in agreement. "Seems 'bout right. What 'bout- wait, don't we know her?" Rob asked motioning over to a cyan colored pegasus by the fountain in the center of the plaza.

***

Rainbow Dash has had better days. After seeing Paladin and Twilight's kiss last night, she felt... down. She wasn't sure why, but it just irked her. She decided to go to Canterlot to try to take her mind off the strange feeling of sadness that washed over her. Usually Canterlot was great for distractions. Big town, lots of ponies, cool stores selling anything under Celestias’ sun and more, even the Wonderbolts, her childhood heroes, have failed to distract her. Well, that's not entirely true; she was psyched to have seen a Wonderbolts performance and awed at their flying prowess.

But after the performance, spent wandering the town for something else to distract her, she ended up sitting down by this fountain and looking at her reflection in the water. 'What's up with you? This isn't the super-awesome, super-cool Rainbow Dash I know' She thought to herself. She was so lost in thought; she jumped straight up and yelped when somepony tapped her on her shoulder. After recovering from her mini-panic attack, she noticed the shocked pony that had disturbed her. 'No way...' she thought looking at Paladin and Dusk.

"Uh, sorry Dash. Everything ok?" Paladin asked.

She stared in disbelief at who, of all ponies, she had run into. After a few moments she remembered she hadn't responded. "Oh, uh, yeah, everything’s totally cool!" She said forcing a smile and trying her best to repel a blush.

"Okay. Well, fancy seeing you here. What are you doing in town?" Paladin asked.

"I was just wandering around; saw a Wonderbolts performance, which was awesome! And just some shopping around. What are you doing here?" Rainbow asked, trying to shift the conversation from her.

"We were here on our weekly trip to see Celestia. We're taking a small break though." Paladin said. Rainbow was going to ask what they were doing in this courtyard when her stomach rumbled followed by Paladin's and Dusk's. "Heh, sounds like we're all hungry. Wanna get lunch?" Paladin asked with a smile.

Rainbow forced herself to suppress a wave of 'oh my gosh's and said, "Yeah, sure."

"Great! Do you know anyplace good around here?" Paladin asked rubbing the back of his head. "We, uh, we don't go to the city often." He said with a sheepish smile.

Rainbow thought for a moment. "I can't think of anywhere." She said after a while.

"Huh. Hey Dusk, do you see any- Dusk?" Paladin asked looking around. 'Aw, that son of a-' He thought looking for his friend. Dusk was nowhere to be found. He had an ability to disappear at will like that. Paladin had to ask him how he did that someday.

"Hey, I see a place. It looks decent enough." Rainbow said, pointing to a brick building with the sign 'Canterlot Cuisine' above the door in cursive writing.

Paladin looked up and back to Rainbow. "Uh, are you sure? Looks kinda... fancy." Paladin said.

Rainbow gave him a happy nod, "Yup! Let's go!" Rainbow said and began trotting off towards the door before Paladin could respond. Paladin sighed and followed after her, vowing to find some way to get back at Dusk for abandoning him.

Down the Street, In the Farmer's Market

Dusk wandered over to the local Farmer's Market after his stomach rumbled, realizing he was really hungry from not eating breakfast today. What caught his eye, however, was the tan mare selling apples amongst the several other stands. Walking over without her noticing, he stands behind her for a moment before leaning in behind her ear and whispering, "Boo." Applejack jumped up in the air with a small scream. When she turned around to see who scared the living daylights out of her and saw Dusk rolling on his back laughing and waving his legs in the air.

Applejack glared at him and waited for his laughing fit to end before she eventually got a smile of her own. "Ya think yer really funny, huh?" Applejack asked once Dusk stood up and got his laughter under control.

"Heh heh, I don't think I'm funny, I know." Dusk replied with a few chuckles, wiping a tear from his eye.

Applejack laughed a little herself. "Well, ya did get me pretty good..." She said. "But, what are ya doin' here?" Applejack asked.

Dusk was still chuckling at how Applejack, one of the toughest ponies he know, jumping up like she did. "Wha- oh, we have one of our meetings with the Princess today. I see ya are sellin' some apples." Dusk said motioning to her small stand.

"What gave me away?" Applejack said playfully.

Dusk laughed, "Well, the apples made it kinda obvious."

Applejack smiled once more; she just couldn't help but smile when she was around him. "Come here, Ah got somethin' ta show ya." Applejack said, walking behind the counter. Dusk followed close behind her, curious as to what she would have. After pretending to look around under the counter for a moment, she turned back to Dusk and kissed him. Dusk wasn't expecting this, but was more than happy to accept it. Applejack pulled back and smiled at him. "It's nice ta see ya, Dusk." She said.

"It's nice ta see ya too, Sugercube." Dusk said with a laugh from Applejack.

"Ya ain't gunna take that away from me now, are ya?" Applejack said with a small chuckle.

Dusk smiled, "'Course not AJ." he said with another kiss. Applejack was beginning to get lost in the moment when she remembered they were still in the Farmer's Market.

Applejack pulled back again, "Uh, we can continue this later, somewhere a little more privet." she said with a wink at the end.

Dusk felt his heart skip a beat. "Alright. Want any help with the stand?" He asked.

Applejack smiled. "Well, truth be told, Ah'm gettin' kinda hungry. Would ya mind taking a mare ta lunch?" Applejack asked.

"Right this way Miss Applejack." Dusk said offering his hoof.

The Void

Discord was taking a small nap when he was woken up by a *plush* sound come from his bucket. He looked inside and saw the level of Chaos had risen just a tad. 'Well, they must have told Celestia about our little meeting.' He thought to himself happily. Time seemed to pass a little faster after that meeting; he could feel his power slowly crawling back from its long dormancy. 'Soon... soon glorious chaos will rein once again.' He thought to himself, lying on his yellow cloud to resume his nap.