Wednesday 9.10pm – The Las Pegasus Equine
"Discord! Twilight!" Gasped Fluttershy "What in the world is going on?"
"Fluttershy!" The Draconequus gaped in dismay, then turning back to the Princess "I'm warning you Twilight Sparkle," He snarled "Butt out or else!"
"Fluttershy he's been planning this all along!" Twilight yelled at her "I'll bet he only wanted us all to come to Las Pegasus so he could trap you!"
"Trap me?" The yellow mare exclaimed "Twilight, whatever do you mean?"
As she spoke, Discord growled. The aura of power around him intensified and the air shimmered like a heat haze. The magical breeze blowing through the room became a howling gale, the walls distorting and stretching as if reflected in a fairground mirror. The white marble pillars transformed into shaving foam and began to melt; dripping down onto the carpet and the carved vines at the top of them hissed and writhed like snakes.
As the room warped in the grip of Discord's chaos magic, Twilight's horn lit up in answer. A shining field of energy appeared around her as she prepared to attack.
Without hesitation Fluttershy leapt in between them.
"What in Equestria's gotten into you both?" She cried desperately "How can you behave like this when you're friends?!"
The magical energy inside the room was now so strong that both Twilight and Fluttershy began to rise into the air, lifted off their hooves by the telekinetic storm. Underneath them the pattern of the carpet morphed and changed as it became multi-coloured taffy.
"Fluttershy, I know you two got married last night when you were both drunk," Twilight told her desperately as a swarm of canapés scurried past under her hooves "But it doesn't have to stay that way, we can fix this. We're your friends; you don't have to keep secrets from us, no matter what he says!"
"Stand back Fluttershy," Snarled Discord "The Princess needs to learn to stay out of our business!" His razor claws slashed a glowing rent in the fabric of reality – a gateway to another dimension. His lion paw beckoned Twilight, willing her towards him.
The shield around Twilight glowed hot as she tried to resist, but without the Elements of Harmony, her magic was no match for his. Slowly but inexorably, she was being dragged forward.
Fluttershy looked from one to the other; then she turned towards Discord.
He looked utterly terrifying. Ugly shadows were massing around him and his features were distorted with rage, but she faced him without fear.
"Discord stop." She said softly, "If you cared about me, you'd stop."
Even over the wail of magic, he heard what she said.
He looked down and instantly he was transfixed. Her mane and her dress were billowing around her, borne aloft in the unearthly maelstrom. Surrounded by shoals of cutlery swimming through the air like fish, she looked too beautiful to be real. Those huge blue-green eyes suddenly seemed to fill the world.
"Don't let her distract you, just concentrate on shutting Twilight up!" He told himself "What you're feeling right now is just a neurochemical reaction caused by hormones that are released when you… when you look at… the most beautiful… creature in…all of creation… " He lost his train of thought and realised that once again he could hear birds singing and somewhere violins were playing "Who am I kidding?" He sighed and a dazed smile spread over his face.
As he gazed at her, the glow faded from his fists and the enchanted tempest sputtered and died, dropping Twilight and Fluttershy lightly to the floor. They looked around to find the room had returned to normal.
"I'm so sorry Fluttershy." He said "I just got a little… carried away."
"But you stopped." She said, putting her hoof on his paw "That's what matters."
Twilight began to talk to her "Fluttershy, thank goodness you managed to make him see reason!"
Fluttershy took a deep breath "Twilight," She gulped "I think you should go back to the party."
"What?!" The Alicorn did a double take "Why?"
"Because Discord is right."
"He is?!" Yelped Twilight incredulously.
"I am?" The Draconequus checked in surprise "Ahem! I mean; Yes, I am!"
"Fluttershy, how can you say that?" Her friend pleaded.
"Because it's true," The Pegasus told her firmly "Twilight I don't know how you found out we got married, but I asked Discord to keep quiet for a good reason."
The Draconequus gripped her shoulder "Darling I swear, I never said a word – you must believe me!" He said pleadingly.
"Wait – hold on just a minute!" Twilight put her hoof over her eyes "Fluttershy, it was you who wanted to keep it a secret?"
The Pegasus sighed "Yes."
"But… why would you do this?"
Fluttershy's eyes glittered with sudden defiance "Why did I want to keep it a secret or why did we get married?"
Twilight was taken aback "Well… both!"
"I'm sorry Twilight, but I'll have to give you the same answer to both those questions; you're my friend and I love you, but it's none of your business!"
Twilight gaped "None of my business that you decided to get married whilst you were drunk? To Discord?! That's ridiculous!"
"It's not ridiculous, it's private.… this is between me and my husband."
"Your husband?!"
"Yes." Fluttershy looked uncomfortable, but she stood her ground "We're trying to work this all out and we don't need anypony else interfering. Even you."
"I… I'm not trying to interfere," Twilight stammered "I just don't want you to have to deal with this on your own!"
"I'm not on my own," The Pegasus said as behind her, the Draconequus started to smirk broadly "Now I think you should go back to the party. Ponies will be wondering where the Princess of Friendship has got to and… I need to speak to Discord. Alone please."
Twilight stared at her. This wasn't the timid, deferential Fluttershy she was used to. This mare was in full control of the situation.
"I …" The Alicorn sighed "I'll go… I guess, as long as you're sure you'll be ok."
"I'll be fine."
"Ta-ta." The Draconequus gave her a little wave over Fluttershy's shoulder, grinning like a cat that's just been told it is the sole beneficiary of its elderly owner's will and is planning on a swimming pool filled with cream.
Fluttershy glanced up at him and he instantly wiped the grin off, putting his hands behind his back.
She turned back to Twilight "Please, don't mention this to the others, they won't understand."
Wednesday 9.27pm – The Las Pegasus Equine
"Thank you for sticking up for me, Flitterflutter," Discord said to her after Twilight had gone.
He was trying to play it cool but inside he was dancing a jig of exaltation "She took my side against Twilight, she wants to be alone with me! Maybe she feels the same as I do!"
Then Fluttershy turned and he was surprised to see there were tears in her eyes "Whatever's the matter?"
She gave a little sniffle "I just hope I didn't hurt her feelings!"
"You were the soul of tact," He said "And I'm sure Twilight can handle a bit of straight talking once in a while."
She took a deep breath and said in strict tones "So are you going to tell me what's been going on?"
Discord tapped his claws together nervously "Whatever do you mean, my dear?"
"I mean," Fluttershy fixed him with a steely aquamarine gaze "Why were you and Twilight fighting?"
"Oh, that? Haha," The Draconequus tried to laugh it off "Just a simple misunderstanding, I promise!"
"A misunderstanding?!"
"Everything's fine darling," He said, then he realised something else "In fact everything is better than fine, my magic is working again! I can rip the very fabric of the universe once more!" He kissed his lion paw and eagle claw "Oh, let's never fight again!" He told his hands.
As he said this an audience stand filled with versions of himself appeared, cheering and whistling.
"But what happened?" Fluttershy called over the thunderous applause "Was it another time sphere?"
He snapped his talons and the hooting crowd disappeared "Yes, although it was Twilight who triggered it on this occasion," He gripped her forelegs suddenly "And it made me realise something. Fluttershy – "
"Discord, what did you see?" She demanded "Did it explain why we ended up getting married?"
"Not exactly …" His face lit up "But now my magic is back, I don't have to tell you, I can show you!"
"What? You still didn't get rid of all the time you absorbed?" She looked puzzled "But then, how can your magic be working – "
She stopped dead as he touched the index talon of his eagle claw to her forehead.
There was a flash of light.
Tuesday 11.30pm – The Skyhorse Bar
Rarity had to employ some pretty unladylike tactics to push her way over to Applejack across the packed dance floor but she managed it.
"AJ!" She squealed in delight "I thought you'd gone off to the party with the others but here you are!"
Applejack was almost knocked off balance as her friend unsteadily embraced her, her cocktail sloshing all over both of them.
"Shhhucks sugarcube," Slurred the farm pony, "Ah didn't mean to shpill it on yah!"
"Relax Darling!" The unicorn cried "There's no point worrying over a few tiny drops!"
Applejack's brows shot upwards in surprise "Are ya feelin' OK Rare?"
"Of course!" Rarity laughed "Oh please Applejack, you'd think I was the biggest Fussypants in Equestria!"
The earth mare smiled at her boozily "Now where'd Ah ever get that idea?"
"But we shimply must find the others!" Rarity began to scan the room "I can't believe they would have gone off without us – "
"Well there's Spike sittin' over there." Applejack pointed.
Rarity turned "Oh! But Discord was with him a moment ago!"
"Well he ain't with 'im now, that varmint's as slippery as a cornsnake in a barrel o'oil!"
"Poor Shpike! We can't leave him all on his own!" The unicorn pouted, and they began pushing their way back through the crowd, raising a chorus of 'Oohs' and 'Ows' in their wake as Rarity employed a few well-placed hooves and elbows to clear their path.
"Spikey darling!" Spike looked up in surprise as Rarity and Applejack arrived at his table. Rarity grabbed his face in her hooves, smooshing his cheeks "You shimply can't stay here moping all night, come and dance!"
"Yeah come on Spike!" Applejack grinned but before the Dragon had a chance to answer them a hoof landed on Rarity's shoulder. She turned to see the blue and yellow unicorn stallions who had accosted her and Fluttershy earlier. She'd have recognised them immediately, even if they hadn't still had little traces of greasepaint smudged on their faces.
"Hey, it's that stuck-up mare who doesn't know a good thing when she sees it!" Said the pale yellow unicorn.
"Unhoof me you… you troglodyte!" Rarity cried furiously.
"Y'all get your dirty hooves off ma friend!" Shouted Applejack.
"Coupla livewires, huh?" Said his blue friend "Which do ya want bro, the loudmouth hayseed or the toffee-nosed sourpuss?"
"Yeah, yer pet god ain't here to fight yer battles now!" Sneered the yellow stallion, then blinked in surprise to find a very small but very angry dragon staring him in the face, holding on by two handfuls of orange mane.
"You let go of – argggh!" Spike yelped as the unicorn tossed his head, sending the little dragon flying across the table. A slew of drink and empty glasses went crashing to the ground.
"Nopony does that to my little Spikey Wikey - Hiiiiyah!" Rarity screamed, and as two unicorn stallions were looking to see where the dragon had gone she swung her hoof and delivered a right hook to the yellow stallion's jaw. As he spun round to try and grab her she followed it up with another solid blow.
He folded up with a dopey expression on his face and little birds tweeting around his head. As his blue friend made a lunge for Rarity, Applejack turned and bucked him right into a nearby table, which collapsed as he landed on it.
The whole bar went silent as a hundred conversations ground to a halt. Spike peered up from underneath the table, dripping with booze, a wilting slice of lemon dangling from his head spine.
A couple of burly security ponies were closing in on them.
"Oh no…" He said.
Wednesday 9.35pm – The Las Pegasus Equine
Fluttershy came back to the present with a jolt, to see Discord flexing his talons in irritation "I think you must be right my dear," He said
"Right about what?" She said dizzily, still trying to get her bearings.
"About my magic still being affected by the time retention," He grimaced disgustedly "I was trying to show you the part of last night where we … you know … tied the knot." He looped himself around her in giant bow before snapping out of it.
Fluttershy frowned "But instead… I saw Spike and Rarity and Applejack… I saw how they got into that fight!"
"Oh yes, yes, but that's my point exactly; that wasn't what I was trying to show you at all! But Fluttershy I really need to – "
"We have to get back to the party!"
He stared at her, utterly crestfallen "But I thought you said you wanted to talk!"
"That can wait," She gasped "This can't!"
"What could possibly be more important than talking to me?!" He wailed, but she was already running.
"What's the big rush?" He pleaded as he chased her down the hall "They don't have to face the charges until tomorrow!"
"Because we have a chance to get Spike, Rarity and Applejack out of trouble," She said "And it has to be tonight!"
She suddenly skidded to a halt just before they reached the entrance to the room where the soiree was being held and he stopped only just in time to keep from piling into her.
"But why does it have to be tonight?" He whispered as she peered round the doorframe.
"Because the stallions you chased off in that bar are the same ones who got into the fight with Rarity, AJ and Spike," She pointed them out with her hoof "Big Cheese's sons!"
"The clowns are related to that loudmouth!?"
"Yes! I was just introduced to them but they didn't recognise me." She quickly relayed to him her conversation with Big Cheese's wife and how she'd come to meet the two stallions.
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite his impatience "So what are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking we can do something about it."
"I'm listening."
"Well," Her lashes lowered hesitantly "I thought if we just explained to Big Cheese that the way they behaved wasn't very nice and how much trouble they've caused, maybe he can convince them to reconsider and drop the charges?"
"That's your plan?" He exclaimed "My dear! I know you're above such things but trust me, this calls for much more under-hooved tactics. Lucky for you, devious cunning is my speciality!" He rubbed his paw and claw together with evil glee.
"You're not going to hurt anypony are you?"
"Not if they play ball. Now here's what we'll do; you handle the wife and I'll deal with Mr Name-Dropper. Oh yes, and we'll need to get Applejack and Rarity and …" He stopped short "You intended all along to rope me into this, didn't you?"
"Oh no, of course not!" She said sweetly.
He gave her a look that was part suspicious and part amused "Sometimes my dear I think you're too good to be true and other times I think you know how to play me just like a Steedivarius!"