Evening sunlight filtered through the curtained windows.

Celestia was lying atop a pillow, a tea set for two sitting before her. It glimmered in the pink light.

She stared beyond it, her mind caught up. An idea had grown over the months, absorbing in its insanity and potential.

Discord was to be reformed.

But…should she first tell—?

“Good evening, sister,” came a gentle voice. Out stepped Luna, recently woken, ethereal and magnificent in preparation for the night.

Celestia swallowed weakly, but smiled.

The moment had come.

---

The sun and moon made lightning fast passes through the sky.

Celestia and Luna defiantly ignored it.

They ignored the checkered landscape, the floating trees and houses.

None of it mattered. There was only one goal: the flashing, thundering throne on the distant hilltop.

“Sister…” breathed Luna, licking dry lips with a parched tongue. “Which of the elements will each of us wield?”

“I don’t know,” Celestia croaked. Her ears, dusted brown, flicked at a sudden wail.

There—at that hill—this will end. The hill the hill almost at the hill.

Luna seemed to divine her thoughts, and said, “Sister, we will prevail.” She touched Celestia’s muddied shoulder.

She didn’t turn to look at Luna, to meet her gaze. She knew what she would find in those beautiful teal eyes.

Anger.

“Yes, Luna, we will.”

They were just so tired.

---

“Discord! Do we the rulers of this nation have your sacred word, as an eternal being, that you will live peacefully among the ponies here?”

Floating before the royal thrones, Discord’s eyes glinted, and Celestia interjected, “Does Fluttershy have your word?”

He blinked.

“Yes,” he answered simply. Luna scowled.

Celestia didn’t’ need to look to see Luna glaring daggers at her, to see the boiling anger.

With her magic, she lifted a scepter, showing both the sun and moon, ready to strike it down. Luna’s magic gripped it also, intermingling with hers. It was frigid.

“So be it,” she called out.

CLANG.

---

“Ah!”

Celestia cried out in pain as her body slammed into the ground. Luna tumbled past her a ways, saddlebags coming unclipped in the dirt. Celestia looked on with helpless tears as the elements thudded down around them, useless.

A mad laughter barked out.

“Did you both honestly think you could use those Elements of Harmony?”

Celestia said nothing, some awful feeling growing in her gut.

“Of course we did!” Luna yelled, crawling. “And we will!”

Discord laughed again. Celestia felt sick. Luna’s body rubbed against hers—it was wet and sticky from something.

“Excuse me, but I didn’t think that guilt,” he nodded slightly at Celestia, “and anger,” he looked at Luna, “were the two elements of Harmony.”

Celestia looked downwards, her ragged mane falling over her eyes. Beside her, Luna seethed.

“Perhaps I could find you someone who understands the “magic of friendship” better?” He clapped his hands. “Oh, Twilight!”

The princesses looked up.

Twilight Sparkle came slowly out from behind Discord’s throne, head hung low, hooves dragging, her violet fur dulled grey. Celestia choked at the sight. Luna’s vision blurred.

“Her five friends do remarkable jobs as my personal jesters, but Twilight is my most faithful servant.”

Celestia’s wings flared without command, hurtling her towards Discord—but Luna caught her and held her back.

Thunder rolled to Discord’s cracking laugh.

He picked Twilight up, who was like a limp doll, straightening the crown of tar and thorns atop her head. Sitting her on his lap, he cried, “Behold, the Princess of Friendship!” as he pulled her wings out, completing the abomination of the royal pose.

Twilight just stared sullenly downwards.

“Twilight, can you tell us what friendship is?”

She frowned at the question, eyes filled with a deep sadness. “Friendship…friendship is meaningless.

“Oh Twilight,” Luna whispered.

“Very wisely spoken, princess,” Discord said solemnly. He patted her on the head.

Celestia slowly closed her eyes.

---

The fiery red sunlight was very dim now.

Luna munched unceremoniously on a biscuit, not noticing Celestia staring at her, almost vacantly.

Luna would never accept the plan. She wouldn’t understand.

“Something the matter, Celestia?” Luna asked, having caught her odd look.

Celestia smiled, taking a sip of her cooling tea. “Just thinking about you.”

Luna smiled demurely, and Celestia turned to look out at the dying sun.

No, I won’t tell her. It’ll be easier for her to simply find out, after he’s been reformed, as cruel as it seems.

Yes…this is the right thing to do.

Finally, the sun set.