Chaotic guard shift [Closed, RexDraco, invite only]

[PrinceoftheNight]

Darkness Knight, a grey pegasus night guard was ready to make this days shift from day guard to night guard, yet it was still early. There were still hours left before Princess Luna had to move the Moon out so the night could start. He was at the barracks but had decided to go for a stroll. He put on his armor and started to walk around, giving a quick look to the halls he was assigned to watch over that night, which was the upper bedrooms, the ones where both Princesses Luna and Celestia had their rooms located.

Princess Luna was still in her room, sleeping, while her sister was heading to her room, to get ready to sleep.
"Oh, good evening...Darkness, is it?" Celesita asked when she spotted the pegasus, who was walking on oposite direction, towards her.

 

The guard perked his ears up and looked at her. "Oh, princess celestia..." He said as he made a light bow, feeling a bit honored that the princess remembered his name. "Yes, it is." he said with a soft, yet obvidient voice as he stood up tall again, chest out and head back, just as any guard would do if they were greeted by the princess.

 

Celestia smiled a bit. "My siser told me your name." He blushed a bit at that, making Celestia giggle a bit but not said anything about that. "Getting ready for today's watch?" She asked as she walked towards her room, getting a small nod in respond. She smiled and turned towards the door. "I need you to come with me, a guard told me that Discord wished to speak with me." She soon said as she opened the door to her room. "I just need to get somethign from my room and I will head to my study to greet him there..." She soon explained as she walked in.

 

Darkness nodded and headed inside behind her.

 

 

(@RexDraco )

[RexDraco]

Magnanimous. 

 

If Discord needed a word to describe himself… he would declare that magnanimous couldn't cut it. While a fine word to describe one who was quite forgiving to rivals or those they felt beneath them… Discord was far from such a glorious title. He was sometimes moody, and found many of the habits modern ponies partook in exhausting (though he had taken a liking to Ogres and Oubliettes). He was a prince of chaos and a twister of time. He enjoyed being a wacky wizard and a tyrannical chimera. But -- magnanimous? No he wasn't quite forgiving to Celestia. Having to reform and play by these rules was most degrading and it was becoming trite. Soooo he cause a bit of trouble and sent a pony to the hospital. It had only been a prank!

 

Using his chaos in such a tame manner was insincere. The boredom compacted like his body coiling around a pillow until -- pomf! The feathers erupted from up top. He wanted to play, to exercise he ability to command the heavens, the lands, and the seass. Honestly he had a list of demands that included seeing if he could make a lion out of stars to satiate his curiosity about something involving a throne and mouse (it could be throne, but sometimes reading Modern Equestrian came with hiccups). It is possible his actions had once resulted in the Ursa Major's creation, but it was also probably a different bored wizard dabbling in chaos. 

 

Backwards or forwards, whichever way he went, he was intent on weaving a dastardly Web of tricks that benefitted him. Soooo he sort of liked ponies and their mortal limitations. The boundaries of a short life came with rather creative ways to live it. He could never imagine what a pony would make were they given immortality. He hardly counted the sisters. Their victory over him that one time had been sheer, dumb luck and did not count. He never counted the tally as a win since they used outside forces against the rules (even though the Plunder Seeds had been just as rule breaky). He had come with demands, but stayed out of amusement.

Celestia had take soooo long with holding services for her ponies, that time had sunk away. Mind you he had spent those hours tangling himself and any easily distracted pony in line, with his string crossing game. Difficult, neigh, impossible without gldingers, he would weave intricate line puzzles only to insist the ponies try and they tangle themaelves. It had become a challenge for most, brave enough to talk to him, to take up the failed challenges of the ponies before them, truly believing they could win.

 

It did cut the lines rather short as, some pinies, having come to the front, were naught but defeated shells. Discord sat off in the corner covered horn to tail tip in his string like a cat obsessing over movement. Now that the solar mare dismissed herself to prep for bed he had demanded compensation for his ah-- good behavior? Given his previous acts of no-goodery, there was no lie in his exaggeration, just a distinct glorification of reward being required for something he should be doing anyway. Though the guard he demanded this of hadn't the foggiest what Discord meant. 

 

They all assumed he was playing and lounging around to make citizens nervous. Even if that were the case, and it was, he did have the question, which slipped his mind when he began his new game. The chaos spirit was left in the hall leading out of the throne room, by the guard who went to contact the retreating princess of light.

 

Well he had been in the throne room, but became bored waiting so moved closer to the guard ponies path of retrat. Since they were prepping to swap shofts, the snaky spirit made sure to be as much in the way as possible. He wet ad far a scouring a cotton candy cloud, as if it t'were some beanbag chair, and flopped on his back, dangling all in the hall. Some guard remained stalwart, while a number of the new ones were unsettled by the monstrous chimera chaos king. For the moment Discord had demands, or 'questions' as the cowardly guard probably worded. 

 

When she arrived it would perhaps change.

 

Who knew?

 

He usually didn't. 

 

He was to be told when to heat in, but his patince thinned as the cotton candy puff did. Before he fell to the ground he flashed out, only to appear perched on the solar mare's vanity with a suspicious accurate Celestia winlg... was that her tail again? Discord, no! "You know it is rude to make others wait." he chuckled before the 'wig' vanished and returned to its rightful place.

 

A rather intimidating beast in both size and shape. But he wasn't so bad... at least according to a certain, yellow mare of Kindness.
 

[PrinceoftheNight]

Celestia blinked softly as she walked in, watching the spirit of chaos suddenly appear in her room, in the place where she placed some of her private things. And was that a wig? Where did he got it? She didn't remembered having one, specialy one that was like her mane and tail. Why would she need it anyways?
"Good night Discord." Celestia said as she cleared her throat, partyally surprised only, considering she was a bit used to his... randomness.

 

Much couldn't be said about the guard. Darkness was both surprised and shocked by the apperance of the spirit of chaos, quickly giving a step forward and getting his sword out, as a natural reacion thanks to her guard instincts kicking in, just to get Celestia placing her hoof on his chest, pushing him back.

"Is okay..." She said softly as she gave another spet forward, towards Discord.

 

"Of course, princess." Darkness said with a small nod before giving a step back.

 

"And you know it is rude to enter somepony's room without advice." She simply replied to Discord with a soft grin in her face, walking towards him as Darkness followed her, walking behind her as he sheathed his sword back into place, sighing softly.

[RexDraco]

The spirit always did find it appropriate to have a laugh at Celestia's expense. While he was, begrudgingly,  thankful that she gave him a chance to properly meet the ponies (Stars forbid the spirit ever admitted to her helping him), he still had a few reservations about changing. He had a good, several, millennia living as he was. Friends were pretty great. Having tea with Flutter every Tuesday and sending letters rambling on about his upside down week. It was wonderful to have somepony to share these things with and somepony who would listen. 

 

Yet still he regarded having to change himself a travesty, like art being removed from the world. He did not hate the princess, far from it. He was just grouse they couldn't finish their little power game. He took great pleasure in snarking so she would feel she made a mistake, but she always felt ... as if she did right by him. He was the sort that never let anypony have an easy win. The spirit was a bit annoyed about it all... about not having a choice. Though had he a choice -- the spirit would have not. And that is, what perhaps, infuriates him most. The harbinger of change... had to have another interfere with them.

 

He watched as the guard readied his weapon, but was quickly pushed aside by Celestia. Smirking the spirit cocked his head and vanished. Reappearing he slithered behind the solar mare. In the air. His paw came to stroke his beard. "So an eye for an eye than princess~" He offered teasingly. "Who is this pipsqueak? Does he actually have a name? Tia, if you start naming them they'll become real ponies." After guards were far too stiff for his liking. "I am bored. Let's play. You never play anymore." Albeit, he cheats.

[PrinceoftheNight]

"Hey! I am no pipsqueak!" Darkness replied to Discord, a bit angrily. How could he call him like that! He was now a bit angry, and embarrased by being called like that.

 

"His mane is Darkness Knight. A night guard of my sister." Celestia replied to Discord as she walked towards her bed, letting him do what he wanted. What could she do anyways? Is not that she had the actuall power to stop him, she would need Twilight and her friends in order to do it. Still, she knew she had to do something from time to time.

"And I don't play for a reason. Right now I am tired, and need to sleep soon. I will lower the sun in a while and let my sister take over." Celestia soon added, replying to Discord's wish to play, and she knew rather well he never played by the rules, another reason why to decline.

 

Darkness stayed near the door at all times. He was not supposed to go far deeper into the room unless needed or ordered to, and since neither of those were applied in that moment, he stayed where he was, looking at discord for a bit. He didn't seemed that bad, maybe a bit just too... playful, to say the least.

[RexDraco]

Discord pursed his lips as he raised his head. Darkness Knight's reaction was nothing short of perfect. To see a guard fluster so easily would make this so much easier. His ears pinned back as the chimera's mismatched eyes narrowed and focused on the solar mare. As he floated his hind legs dangled down beneath him. His forepaw and claw were tucked closely to his chest as his wings were spread out, slightly, off form his back. If not for his monstrous array of parts the grace of his post could be rightly compared to a qilin. His head was cocked up, pride and power emanating forth from his being. If not for his very nature to behave in an abstract, obscure and generally opposite manner: it was sometimes hard not to be terrified of him. He was capable of twisting the world, bending it, even destroying it were he so inclined. But chaos wasn't about destruction. It was about the aberration of reality and redefining of the mundane. He had no cause to ruin a world, but what was fun in making sense? Seeing faces contort, twist and rattle in confusion caused an undeniable mirth to rumble from his chest.

He pressed his paw to his feathered chest, looking quite aghast by such news. "Oh? Lulu's guard? Well~" Discord had a fanciful way with nicknames, particularly towards figures of power. He had no respect for authority, feeling they were what stood in the way between him and utter chaos. But anarchy needed to be controlled too, lest it roll over and collapse under the weight of its own irony. "I should have expected such dreary armor and such a drab name come from the night." Though he did not separate the sisters as rivals, it would do well to measure Darkness Knight's temper. Would he stand forth while he insulted his princesses?

 

it did not escape the chaos god's notice that he had not stepped forward. Turning to the mare as she prepped for bed Discord frowned. He lowered himself to the ground. Silent was his hoof and talon when it touched ground. The flexible digits of the green-scales, reptilian limb was a bit shorter than the sandy-furred goat's limb giving him an awkward stance that forced him to keep his legs parted. The red dragon's tail, adorned with magenta spines that protruded from his lower back to the tip of his white tuft dragged against the floor to hold him upright. Just standing in his form seemed a complicated task full of arbitrary actions. But he was the embodiment of chaos. If going to the store and returning with a gallon of eggs, a dozen breads, and a loaf of milk wasn't unordinary, neither was the task of standing. His predatory smile, full of fangs, hid a muzzle full of pony teeth hidden behind his more fearsome dentures. His ears pinned back as he looked to the mare, his manticore paw flexing, claws poking in and out of their sheaths. 

"How boring princess. After all the time i waited for you." Waiting? It seemed more like he was just teasing citizens! But Discord always had a reason for the way he did what he could do. "And what about this little guard here? Since he's not yours... shall I play a game with him? It seems rather discourteous of you to leave me alone after so many -- decade." He hissed out, slithering a forked tongue from between his lips, rather teasingly. Oh he did love to play the guilt card.

A spoiled brat -- but the spirit was not the sort to find being alone enjoyable these days, when he was in such a mood. There was no telling what he would do being left to his own devices. Not everypony could handle his overly playful nature. It was like giving a lion a toy mouse. Were it happen to shred it -- twas no fault of his. As part of his reformation he had to learn to get along with all sorts of ponies, as well as trying not to dissuade them from accepting him as thief overlord! Buwahhaah! Evil? Hardly. Just a being with phenomenal cosmic powers... and a shoooort attention span. Was there more to Discord than a big foal wit ha magnifying glass on an anthill? He turned to look at Darkness Knight, moving to mark toward him. It was like something out of a horror movie! A gigantic beast sauntering through a small town, wrecking things until it found a damsel in distress to climb the highest building with!

[PrinceoftheNight]

Celestia looked back at Discord as she sat on her bed, watching as Discord landed and stood on his back legs, the way he usually stood around. "Yes. He is my sisters guard indeed." She said, not minding that much that he called her Lulu.She did it as well, and she knew that he liked giving nicknames. Nothing so wrong with doing it, so she didn't protested against it.

"I was busier than I expected." She soon replied when he said that he was waiting for her. "And Luna has more authority over him than me." She soon added, regarding what he said afterwards. "Hmmmm..." She closed her eyes for a moment. "I guess there would be no harm in making sure he goes with you and see that you don't get intro trouble." She added after a moment of thinking. A game? What did he had planned?

 

Darkness blinked when he saw the expression in Discord's face. He seemed to be enjoying making him angry! How could he?! He simply frouned a bit to him when Discord asked if he was Luna's guard, saying nothing when Discord also joked about his armor and name. He liked that armor! It was the one he always used. Purple and black colored, heavy, protecting most of his body. He always liked more heavy plate armor over the usual armor bat ponies used. Even though he was a pegasus, he seemed fir enough to carry it around like if it was just a light piece of cloth, not botering him at all.
He mumbled something when Discord asked if he could play a game with him. What kind of game? And why did he wanted to do this?
He remained silent as the other two speak, simply nodding to Celestia when she had decided what to do.

[RexDraco]

A dark tempter, an irritating trickster, the chaos spirit was comparable to a foal. While quite capable if shown confidence and patience, he was just as capable of throwing a tantrum for, what seemed, the tiniest of things. All it took was understanding how he worked. Like a clock -- sometimes he chimed at noon, sometimes he coughed up gears and bobs. Perhaps Celestia knew with her natural foresight, perhaps Luna noticed the way he weaved about like a shadow. There were parts of himself that were hidden and made him more a complete pony. For the time being he was a short-tempered noodle with the power to collapse the casing of the universe in on itself. Luckily he hadn’t the devotion to do so. Peculiar tea parties and twisted pranks were enough to set him a giggle with the interruptions it caused ponies in the long run.

 

“You need to learn to find the time for your friends Tia or you’ll become a hermit again.” He grinned, perhaps hitting a bit too low below the belt with that comment.

 

How long had it been again? She had been without a sister or friend. For countless years all she had wre subjects and the role of supporting a kingdom on her back with naught but squabbling nobles and barking enemies looking to invade her country. Sure it was peaceful now, but Discord knew the greed that slept in the world, the kind that made chaos dangerous. There could not have been perfect peace for a thousand years, because the world was not a kind place. The chimeric brute’s face twitched as he realized he perhaps had stepped a bit too far across the line with his words. His brows twitched and paw and claw would press to his chest, like a foal who was caught with their hoof in the cookie jar. His ears folded back as he lowered a bit on his haunches. He wasn’t going to apologize outright -- it just wasn’t his nature. It was difficult for Discord to admit he made a mistake.

 

He waved his paw. “I am sure you find the time to sneak out, you naughty princess.” He threw out there as to cover his social faux pas with a bandaid.

 

He did find it rather amusing the sisters split up their guard as they did. Was it recent? Luna had been gone for some time so he couldn’t be bothered to figure. His head turned to Darkness Knight as Celestia offered him up to be his foalsitter. A guard? An ordinary night guard to watch him? Discord? It seemed Celestia was slipping, forgetting just who it was she was dealing with. It had to be the exhaustion! Such a hilarious concept! No pony could keep Discord from what he wanted to do if he really wanted to do it. All that kept him bond from putting the whole of Equestria on a rinse cycle was his friends. While closer to some than others, that was something that took time and progress. He’ll find a means to garner their affection more solidly. After all -- he was just a big, spoiled foal.

 

Pressing his paw and claw to his stomach he began to laugh, the mirth, quite literally, lifting him off the ground. “Oh please, him, keep me out of trouble? You have far too much confidence in this sour grape.” He held out his paw for the guard to shake. “Charmed, I’m sure…” Whether Darkness Knight took his paw or not in greeting Discord spun in the air and ‘sat’ up.

 

He laughed, rubbing his forepaw and claw together. He would attempt to teleport the guard, and himself, onto the roof of a tower on the castle, far from Celestia’s ear shot. Let her decision worry her! It was night so a bit chilly outside. Discord’s thick coat of feathers did well to protect him, but that didn’t stop him from manifesting a lovely scarf. He dropped to all fours and slithered along the, stone purple tiles of the rooftop. Like an army of mice his sharp claws and hard hoof clattered over the interlocked plates. He slinked up a flagpole and coiled about. His gator talon clung to it, tail wrapping around, as his hoof rest over his leg. The male sat up straight in a feat of muscle strength, that serpentine body quite flexible and defiant of traditional limitations of bone.

 

“Now we can either pull stars from the sky, give Luna such a fit, or we can have a scavenger hunt.” He gave the offer, but that, decidedly, left Darkness Knight with one choice.

 

Why would he choose to defile Luna’s night sky? Either way the pony would play into the draconequus’ paw...

[PrinceoftheNight]

Celestia said nothing at Discord's comment. He indeed had made a rather low hit with what he said. She usually never had the time for anypony after what happened with Luna over 1000 years ago, and now that she is back she had someone who spend time with in her free times, which were rare though. She sighed as she sat on the bed, ears folded while she closed her eyes.

 

Darkness simply stood there. It was not everyday that a guard saw the princesses like that. They were always figures of authorithy and what a pony could aspire to be, but that... it just reminded him that even though they were princesses, she was still a pony at the end. Alicorn or not.

After a momentof awkward silence, Celestia opened her eyes again, looking back at Discord and the guard. "I am sure I will..." She simply said softly before blinking at what now Discord was doing, which was teasing Darkness. She knew that assigning him to this kind of jobs would be tagged as crazy, and she knew Discord was thinking the same about that. Who wouldn't blame him, anypony would say the same, even herself, but she had confidence in him. Besides, it was not her guard, and if Luna ordered him not to do it, he would have to comply to her. Yet she was not here, and this would work as a small prank to both the guard and her sister. Just imagine her face when she realizes that Discord is being babysitting by one of her guards.

 

 

Wait what? He was supposed to do what?! It took a moment to Darkness to realize what he had to do. Make sure Discord didn't bring havoc and chaos, all by himself?! How would he do that? He was just a pegasus, not an alicorn or unicorn. The only thing he would do was fly after him all he could?!
"Are you sure about this Princess...?" He asked, in a bit conserned tone of voice yet keeping calm at all moments, all he could at least.

 

She simply nodded in return as she laid on the bed now.

 

"And who are you calling grape?!" She said to Discord a bit angrly and embarrased. Sweet Luna, how was Discord getting him so easily? Oh dear....

He blinked when Discord moved his paw so he could shake it. Why would he do that is anyone's guess, but that was no the problem now. He was trained as a knight, so he had to act as one, and it made him comply. He shook his paw after a moment, simply sighing a bit. It was the right thing to do.
He blinked again when he realized what Discord did next. He teleported them?! And onto the roof?! Why?

 

He looked as Discord got comfortable, altough he wouldn't call it like that for his standars, and sat on his flanks. The night ws cold, but he was used to it. he was a night guard after all, being outside in the cold was something he was used to.
And what did he wanted to do now?! Defile the beautiful night sky Princess Luna had made?! How could he even dare to say that! And the other option... a scavenger hunt? The real question was, hunt for what?

"I...." what to choose, well, it was a bit obvious. "Choose the later..." He said after a second.

 

---

 

"Ah, they are finally gone..." Celestia said as she looked to where the two were seconds ago, before gently snuggling her bed as she made the finall preparations to finally sleep.

 

[RexDraco]

Discord was often praised for being radically maniacal. His knowledge of ponies made one wonder just how powerful he was. His keen sense of observation was often buffeted by his inane habit of sabotage. Where all he needed was a focus to rule the world, he often fell short due to his chaotic nature and natrual happenstance when it came to his progression. A curious creature whose entire existence balanced on the stability of existence. It was truly boggling. Was he an accidental creation?  Like an alicorn born of a pure nature of great magic and power, or was he, instead, simply a manifestation of what nature needed, a replacement for the old, or somepony that has been there since the dawn of time. 

 

Regardless of what he was, or the circumstances of his being, there he was. The prickly beast was often a thorn in the princess' side, but he was certainly a necessity that couldn't be ignored long. That would do nopony any good were his games left unchecked. But there was another side to him that many failed to understand, the reason he was no longer a lawn ornament, a prisoner of his own, egotistical arrogance. His knowledge was infinitesimal and his curiosity, never sate. The pony that grew too content with his life often needed a reminder of the instability that could easily create diaster.

 

To be bereft: chaos bred creativity and restored a life gone stale.

Day in, well night in and night out. The same task and duty over and over, nothing that changed and leaving nothing to chabce: one proceeds to do as they did yesterday and do so tomorrow so that what one has, is not lost. Twas no way to live. So the decision was made: time to play a game. To conduct oneself in a way that amused the dictating spirit would be its own reward. 

 

The slinking snake grinned at the pegasus' choice, nor that there wasone, in the end. "Very good." He cooed, snapping his claws and manifesting a rolled parchment in front of the guard. Should he look upon it, eyes would be graced with the knowledge of it being a map.

 

Were Darkness so inclined to know so: it would be a map of the ground floor of the castle, quite a large and winding labyrinth it was. On the opposing side of the map were five questuons, his clues on where to locate each proceeding object in question. A scavenger hunt was not often a game that guard would play, or even could, but with their rounds being within the castle, the familiarity would harbor a sense of confidence in one who thought they were playing a fair game.

 

But Discord's games were never so simple.

 

"As you can see I have hidden a treasure in five locations in the castle," but when? "Your job is to use the first clue to find the first treasure, which will have part of the remaining clue, for the next clue." And it would seem that the second clue on the back of the map was incomplete. "Oh, you have until day time to complete the hunt. There is a penalty in place for an incomplete game and it would be a shame  if whatever, or whomever, I left in hiding may find freedom in the castle." Heaven knew what he was hiding. An animated object, or something as foul  as a Parasprite.

The first clue was simple, though reaching it from theater ting mark on the roof, was another issue altogether. 

 

"Down to a place where all sit equal. Where one shares something complete, that often observed at day, noon and night."

 

Was the clue.

 

The spirit appeared behind the guard with a detective's shawl and cap, a bubble puffing pipe in his muzzle. "I dare say my dear Watson, you best get a move on…" He held a ticking pocket watch in his paw.

 

In a dark space, a box sat full of strange objects. Toys, fit for a foal, and picture frames of a time that was frozen forever, only to be forgotten by age. Inside that box was a small creature with beady, red eyes… 

 

Bak-kwok

 

It warbled…
 

[PrinceoftheNight]

Darkness gave a small concerned look to Discord, but the look of concern was most for himself rather than for him. He was a night guard! He had no time for games! But the orders of the princesses were clear. He had to stay with him and make sure he didnt brought havoc and chaos to the castle, and perhaps this game would help him buy some time with that. At least for now. And hey, wonder what treasures he might had hidden around. Maybe it was something that could be fun or entretaing for him. 

 

He blinked at what DIscord summoned infront of him. It was... a map. Anypony could see that, and it didnt took him long to recognize what the map was showing. It was the first floor of the castle. The place he usualy spent most of his time guarding. That was one of the floors he knew the best, besides the floor where the rooms of the princesses were. He knew it was it. it was really odd looking but made sense for him. He always thought that the pony that made the castle was a fan of laberynths.  That had to be the reason why the castle was so... odd. And that was just a gentle way to say about it's layout. 

 

Darkness read the clue that was given to him. Ugh... he was never good with this kind of stuff. Uhm... think think think...
He started to think a bit about what it was writen on it but was surprised by DIscord appearing behind him. "Gah!" he yelped as he gave a step to a side. "D-don't do that!" He added as he quickly took the map with his hooves and read the line again. 

 

 

Down to a place where all sit equal. Where one shares something complete, that often observed at day, noon and night.

 

Uhmmmm... All sit equal... errr... day, noon and night...
"Lets go then..." He added as he flapped his wings to fly down to the first floor. He was a pegasus after all. He could fly down easily. First stop... uhm.... the... throne room! For now... He was not sure exactly where to go. He was never good with ridles. 

[RexDraco]

 

The game started with a bang, or in this case: a question. Riddles were always a staple to Discord's tomfoolery. They provided a flair of dramatics for what could easily be a seek and find mission. But what fun was that? To make a game so simple. For the spirit though: a straightforward manner downplayed the sophistication of the game, diluted the beauty of its natural complexity. This was an art! He felt that if a pony really wanted to succeed they would reach deep into their consciousness and solve the presented problems.

 

A Cheshire grin curled over his muzzle, revealing a muzzle full of fangs. He curled up, a slithering mass of amusement. He rattled with mirth as the night guard took off. Discord flexed his own wings, as if he was to follow, but with a flash he vanished with a puff of smoke. It wasn't always easy ridding yourself of habits. Riddles forced a pony to think outside the box, but it seems that this one sought to remain in his little hole. He followed the stallion in and between. He reappeared, the night guard at the throne room.

 

So he thought this a place of equality? 

 

How amusing. It did not seem Luna had yet arrived. Which was good. The princesses would only try to coddle their guards insecurities. If the guard turned around he would find Discord perched on the throne with a wind shorn umbrella in paw. His hind goat leg sat crossed over his talon. In his eagle's claw he looked to hold an 8 ball. The coy trickster set it upon the throne's hoofrest. The phrase "try again later" appearing on the fortune reader. 

 

"You know there are many ponies who say the princesses are fair and treat all ponies equal? Yet they take on apprentices, special ponies to coddle them and teach them special skills that could go to the betterment of all ponies." Well, conspiracies aside. "Equal… sitting so high above their so called constitutes born of the tribes. Nobles mostly, ponies living off the wealth of their ancestors. So tell me Darkness Knight. How much work did it take to get where you are? Hardly equal." He laughed before vanishing.

 

When he reappeared once more he was floating over the entrance to the connecting hall, sitting mid air, with a cup of chocolate pudding paw. He delighted in the small cups, truly. Travel sized treats. He hummed and waves the spoon, releasing the cup from his grip. Both objects moved to a float as he pressed his claw and paw digits together. Rolling upside-down he pointed at Darkness with his talon.

 

"Dare I ask and receive, but just what so you gain from all this sacrifice?" He laughed and transformed into a oddly patchwork colored bat, squeaking madly. "But I'll bite!" He fluttered toward the dark kitchen before he hung upside-down in a moonlit window. He folded his wings in and waited until Darkness came to find the first clue to his second path.
 

[PrinceoftheNight]

(Finally back)

 

Darkness was surprised after he arrived to the throne room. Perhaps his intuition was wrong. He always saw that the princesses took everypny for equal. Of course, Discord made a fair point in saying that Celestia took special ponies, if you wanted to call them like that, under her wing. Case in point. Twilight. How interesting that a creature of evil, or what many ponies would say he was, made a rather truthfull comment. Nevertheless, he was a bit annoyed at how Discord showed him that he had a wrong start. Perhaps he had to rethink his first clue on the path ahead. 

"Hmm..." he said nothing regrding Discord's question about how hard he had to try to get to his position. In reality, but perhaps that was a question he didnt had to answer, he did work hard, but in a different way. He had wealth and a good family when he was younger, but he left that behind to follow his true calling. Being a knight, eventually becoming one of Lunas night guards after something happened. But perhaps that was a story for later. 

"I sacrifice everything for the ones I care." he replied to his second question. "To prove I am better:" he added as he looked Discord changed forms into a bat and fly away. Rather than letting him be, he decided to go after him. Perhaps he was helping him without realizing, or not. But he lost track of him at a certain point. Good thing he knew the lower level of the castle good enough. This way lead to the kitchens. 
Darkness rushed in, litting up a small torch to light up the place, since it was quite dark in that moment of the night. And for a moment, he wondered where Luna was. He might need help with all this. Yet at the same time, he didn't wanted her help. He wanted to be able to win this silly game he somehow agreed to. 

[RexDraco]

Nothing was more boring for the spirit than a pony who couldn't play the game. Honestly he's played enough nights with Luna and enough days with Celestia to know they could have a good time, but their guard? They seemed as capable as a magitech rumbler without its controls. He was little surprised at the male's hesitation, given he jumped at the game after Celestia's declination to play due to her need to sleep. Far be it for him to understand as he rarely slept and only did so as to accompany friends into Dreamland. And, on occasion, plot some chaos beyond the realm of the waking hours.

 

“For a pony looking to play the game you certainly fail to heed to referee.” He complained while crossing his forelimbs over his chest.

 

After shifting into the patchwork bat the chaos spirit would perch, upside-down, in the moonlit window. As such his shadow would be cast against the cold stone floors of the kitchen as Darkness made way in. He had to locate the objects in the clue. It was the whole point of a scavenger hunt. But this was no ordinary find. It would contain a number of Darkness’ memories from his your. How the chaos Lord's got his paws on these particular objects stood to question, the mystery only would grow in the night.

 

“If you fail here, knight, you'll never find out where the path leads you. If you are given to continuing on being a shadow amongst your peers, by all means. But this is a chance to be noticed.” He smirked with his fang filled muzzle.

The tiny bat squeaked and waited. This was his only chance.

[PrinceoftheNight]

Darkness didn't liked this that much now. At least for the part that Discord said at the end, if he failed. Well, he was not good enough for riddles or that sort of things. He was more a stallion of action rather than sitting down to think, but he had to overcome this challenge to the best of his ability! For himself! Alright, how was it again...?

Down to a place where all sit equal. Where one shares something complete, that often observed at day, noon and night.

The only thing he could think about was perhaps either the dinning room or the table where once food was ready. Perhaps in one of them. As it made sense. At least for him it did! The table where nomatter who you are, you will eat something, most of the time made by somepony else or you giving it to somepony else too. yeah. That must be it! Well, at least that is the first idea. He was not sure if he was right or wrong. It could be either. The last part was the one that still bugged him. Perhaps a cake? They took time to make, since how complicated they were. He knows that really, really well... and that just brought memories... perhaps this was what Discord had planned?

 

Darkness shook his head and after clearing his mind he went on to check the tables in both the kitchen first and the dinning room then if he found nothing. The place was dark, and he was no batpony, so it was perhaps a bit hard to look for something, and lightning a torch for light wouldn't be perhaps the smartest of ideas. Nopony should be in the kitchen at this hours, except for Luna of course and a special chef she has so she can have something made this late, and the usual guards. Oddly enough, the guard that was supposed to be stattioned here was nowhere to be seen. 
But whatever. Time to look around! He started to look for things around the kitchen first. Something out of the ordinary, as most items would be stored in their respecting places