long guo All Harmonious Paths Lead to Chaos (PM for Invite)

[Dio]

The reformed spirit of chaos and disharmony? That seemed to be an oxymoron of titanic proportions! Qing respected Mister Silverheart as both an instructor and a favored stallion vetted by Miss Yue, but she had to question his judgment on such things. Thankfully, Discord seemed to be willing to be diplomatic, his smugness belying neither malice nor hostility. Furthermore, Miss Yue seemed to be firmly in control.

 

It was then that Qing realized that the Chamberlain’s sudden absence. Or more precisely, his sudden departure, much to the chagrin of her eardrums. Aiya! With the Chamberlain gone that meant… gulp. She was in charge. Her ears drooped as she realized the sudden responsibility that she had suddenly been saddled with. She could only hope this would be resolved quickly and a simple dismissal of the staff would be sufficient. But without Miss Yue’s command, the best she could do was remain on standby and keep the staff there as well.

 

There was also the more pressing issue of Yun He. Qing could immediately tell she was uncomfortable. The lack of eye contact, the dazed expression, the awkward ticks from both her hooves and wings. In a moment, the skittishness from assuming command departed and her heart swelled as she recognized the classic signs of anxiety. Oh the poor dear. Qing empathized, she truly did. She had to do something to assist her!

 

“[Miss Yun, I am Dong Qing, Her Majesty’s attendant. I am here to ensure matters go smoothly, which also means ensuring that matters concerning her fair citizens are attended to.]” Qing’s tone softened considerably, a slight smile appearing on her face. “[As an academy alum, you are free to enter and leave the academy as you please. Even with Her Majesty present, I would not expel you under these circumstances. If you require escort to your destination, however, I can quickly make arrangements so that you arrive unmolested.]” She gestured with a wingtip toward the retinue of staff that remained on standby.

 

"Always a pleasure to see you, Silverheart, I trust you've been well since we last spoke? Perhaps after all is said and done we can take some time to catch up?"

 

Qing recognized that voice. She recognized it all too well. Oh no, how could she have missed it? She had been so concerned with the Chamberlain and Yun that she had entirely missed Prince Lian’s arrival. Unforgivable!

“[Prince Lian!]” Qing’s conditioned response was to whirl around instantly bow, nearly dropping her glasses and narrowly missing Yun’s face with her tail. “[My humblest apologies for not even acknowledging your arrival. Please forgive me!]”

[Pretzelparty]

 

 

Silverheart stood his ground, watching Discord's antics with the empress play out as much as he could. Soon though, the spirit's sights were set upon him again. This time though it was more a refusal to believe his correction earlier. With each remark, the grey coated unicorn only felt his irritation grow. He took a few deep breaths as Discord continued to speak, the comment on his height, the penguin comparison! Of all the absolute gall! If Silver was a qilin there would surely be a ribbons of smoke drifting from his nostrils as he felt his irritation growing, Still though: He kept his calm smile... even if now it was more visibly strained. A momentay and subdued snort being the only sign of his irritation.

"I'll have you know, Sir Discord. I have met the height requirements of the Royal Guard."

 

The bare minimum requirements, but there was no need to share that part. "As for the penguin part I am wearing a Hanfu and I'm sure your comparison would work better if I was black and white... oh... um wait that's right there are grey penguins, aren't there?" Soon Silver found himself sharing his personal space with the prince of chaos. This was so far off from how he'd figured his day was going. Having come to a land of harmony and peace where he found himself feeling very much at home... but then a lovely afternoon with his -erm Long guo's  empress interrupted by a chaotic visitor and then seemingly everyone else. 

A lion's paw held out a curious photograph that made him blink... and in regards to the mare in the center of the frame relate on some level. Thankfully Silver didn't have to reveal that he did in fact know who that mare was: She was a sworn sister of Yu. It wasn't his place to reveal the connections of the empress, even if it might sooth the curiosities of Discord himself. Strangely, Yu was willing to share that information herself. A bold move although it left Silver's mind to wander what exactly would come from the meeting with Mei and Discord, "I am curious about this as well... have you made a new friend, perhaps?" The sudden close proximity brought a blush to the stallion's cheek as the spirit began to whisper into his ear, "A-and it's hardly surprising idea... I mean you are indeed vastly important to my homeland's history. Also, we have to give a chance to make a good impression, don't we? " he asked, wincing slightly as his cheek was pinched. 

 

Once his cheek was freed, Silver subtly brushed his fetlock over the area. Prince Lian's greeting drew a smile from the unicorn, "It's good to see you as well, Prince Lian." He bowed his head politely while the students at the balconies whispered about the meeting of the two stallion. Some merry whispers were heard from the crowds above in the Long sun dialect, most of them spoken too fast for a non native speaker such as silver to comprehend. The instructor did manage to gather that it was some sort of speculation about the relationship between the royals and the foreigner who had gotten in their good graces. "A bit fo time to catch up later sounds delightful, Thank you." 

 

 

[Windwright]

It wasn't that Sī Jīn hadn't been keen on following the Prince into the garden, she had been, however she'd found that something was nagging at her once they'd entered the Academy grounds, and had Ridden to check on security arrangements, silent as an owl's sigh and hidden as a bat in the night. Once her paranoia had been sated, she Rode the wind back to the garden's gates. With the scene being played out now, she immediately returned to paranoia.

 

Feng was there, so clearly nothing was about to happen to the Empress, but the hodgepodge creature they were speaking with could only be the being she'd read of in legend, Discord. She didn't have the Weapon, no one thought it would ever be needed! There were other new faces as well. Silverheart, one of the Prince's acquaintances from Equestria, was surprising but perhaps the Empress had acquired him. There was the chamberlain glaring daggers at Discord and both of the unfamiliar faces, as was his way. Liviel seemed to be speaking on behalf of the false-Long, but that was her way come to that. The first newcomer she had seen was the one closer to the Prince, of course, whose tail seemed to be nearly smothering the other in her hasty bow. She had heard a name on the lips of one of the spectators to this event, Dong Qing? Sī Jīn was resolved to keep an eye on this new mare, for now, and as for the other...well, she looked like a stiff breeze would probably do her in right now.

 

A course of action laid itself out to Sī Jīn, but she suppressed the first instinct. And the second and third ones to boot, and instead stepped calmly into the garden as if she hadn't a care in the world. She'd found a summer dressing gown after her bath and the reapplication of her make-up, and in its voluminous sleeves she had a trick or two tucked away she hoped she wouldn't need. She placed herself on Lian's right side, flanking him by half a pace or so as if she simply belonged there and to suggest otherwise would be like asking why the sun rose in the morning. She bowed graciously to those present after she'd stopped walking, a gesture of silent deference and respect that seemed to offer no explanation for its owner's presence.

 

She'd carefully cultivated a reputation for being simple but capable, and she wasn't going to let it slip now just because they were back home. She'd felt validated in this view after that Noodle Incident, when the would-be assailant was made a laughingstock for even suggesting that Lian's maid had bested the attempt not out of clumsy stupidity but cunning deception. No, let Lian introduce her or let them ask who she was, no need for them to think she was anything more than a pretty face following the Prince and carrying his things and doing as she was told.

[RexDraco]

You could call Discord many things: a liar, a misanthrope, but you could never call him uncultured. Culture was the very cumulation of what he represented. His knowledge of it, his experience: it is what allowed him to communicate with these primitive ponies, long beyond and after their time. His very presence was proof of a merging point in time where both culture and anarchy became indistinguishable. It was quaint, almost endearing the way she defended it, not yet realizing that it was the natural state of all to change. Ponies changed as long as they had ideas and to force otherwise was, in true form: utterly barbaric. Yuè was right to be incensed though. The very idea of an insensitivity towards a specie's history was putridity on her ideal of Harmony.

 

But he was  Discord.

 

Yuè grit and bore his presence in lieu of denying Silverheart's educational pursuits as a mere charade. The spirit couldn't deny he was a fantastic subject, but understanding him was like understanding what slept at the bottom of the sea. It was a daunting task in a world ever-changing. The captain was given the terrible news. It, quite frankly, pleased the spirit to see him denied his post, denied the pleasure of believing he could stop him. The spirit sucked his extended tooth in a wholly, unsympathetic, regard for the currently pink-maned guard. His paw pushed against his chest in a mock display of pity: his head turning to profile as his brows knitted in a show of sympathy.

 

All and all it was nearly tickled pink, taking on a temporary shade of red with customary, curled back horns to tease the captain, before returning to his base form. His forelimbs tucked against his chest as he floated, body constantly shifting as he leaned forward and canted his skull, hindlegs raiding far above where his head currently rest, which was eye level to the ponies in question.

 

“While on a whole I couldn't recommend it, culture is a wonderful tool in helping ponies out when it comes to solving and dealing with life’s greatest mysteries, but it is also a staunch pursuit of perfection I cannot condone.” He declared idly. “A vain virtue many ponies, all too often, mechanically adhere to.” as if an expert on culture. “History is a specialty of mine, given…” he let hang as he held out his claw and let his paw pull from his sleeve of feathers a bouquet of colorful flowers. “Magic? Well I could say I know a thing or three.”

 

Contrary at best, nonsensical at worst. Discord should be given merit for the effort put out on not displaying the madness he had once been feared in Canterlot and Ponyville for. To her residents he was shy of a kind-hearted delinquent that fed the stray cats, or gushed over the sob stories mares seemed to enjoy reading.

 

He smirked at Yuè’s answer. No matter how much he seemed to push her buttons she remained composed. It was a bad sign, really. It means she was already infested by Harmony, by the unbendable force of peace. He dug his claws into the bouquet and from it pulled a small box, no bigger than the palm of a hoof, and tossed it towards Yuè with intent for her to catch it. If her hoof-eye coordination failed her he would levitate the box just inches from her muzzle so she could see the white cube, which seemed bound by a green bow.

 

“Well since you are knowledgeable about her whereabouts a mere empress to her, you are not. This is a gift for her, but be sure not to let anyone but Mei herself peek. It's a gift I wasn't able to give her during the festival I made acquaintance with her at.”

 

“Oh, and of course, one for lovely Liviel!” The spirit seemed to be teasing Yuè, or was he? “We had such a time talking of blossoms, decorum and meeting ponies that consumed her patience quite rapidly. I was surprised at her ability to breathe fire, and so much.” Yup, teasing. He passed to the Diamond Dog a small box as well, wrapped in green ribbon!

 

She questioned his need to visit, Mei of all ponies, but it truth his venture had become so complicated that even the spirit couldn't quite recall what it was he had stepped hoof in the capital. He seemed to continue to float up and out of sight of the direct sight of the ponies. Having mockingly pinched at Silverheart’s cheek the question the empress presented was let, for the moment, unanswered. The spirit grinned at the prince. It seemed said leaders were an opposite on the coin. His ears pinned back as that predatory smirk grew, Liviel’s supporting words. He leaned back, with his claw on his chest, paw curled against him in a regal manner. He was always an exaggerated sort, but that was what made him so Discordy! The Diamond Dog asserted the seriousness of their appointment with the Neighponsese Shougun. His features became flat as he turned that narrow skull to the side.

“I’ll never understand the importance of meeting an illusionary concept such as a figurehead of state. I mean if you want to convince yourself it is important…” The anarchist hissed with a chuckle rolling from his throat.

 

Yun He seemed flustered having plopped into the middle of a ninja-party between the Empress and her guard. He will admit there was a sense of amusement bred from the overprotectiveness of the guard. It made him wonder just how weak the dragon empress was to have such force hidden within the shadows. Even Celestia, whom he has just contest with never seemed to have need for her guard. They were props only good for crowd control during emergency situations. And barely that. Silverheart should know! In a flash, the words of the prince sent the poor hoofmaiden  to her knees! Now that he has never seen Celestia’s wards do.

 

So did that mean the rulers here had power -- or lacked power? There was a certain paradox to the behaviors presented to him in the past few minutes. Fear for the well being of the royals, yet concern of how that power held, was viewed. Which sort of respect had they? In that thought -- something came to light. His ears perked up as his eyes widened. The mis-sized pupils seemed to glitter with untold mischief as Dong Qing gave him the perfect ammunition to use against her empress… His ear swiveled back to SIlverheart as he declared his having passed the regulations required for guards. Surprising to say the least, given that Discord couldn’t believe, at first meeting, that anything about the stallion said he was indeed a stallion! Eyeing one more to enter… his chance at retribution was complete!

 

“A hanfu?” He looked to Silverheart, that telling smirk. “Well since you are a pony who seems to appreciate the culture here, tell me: what is this false sense of peace and harmony you're trying to feed me?” He leaned his head back, landing on his hind legs as his paw ruffled against his chest, the feathers floofing to accommodate the touch of his soft paw. As he looked down to them he did seem to momentarily flash with the fierce persona of what embodied the Long. That sharp glare was full of pride, power, and proven posterity that provided a paragon partisan pedantically partial to peace. “And it is not to offend you Empress, but since my arrival I've seen none of this peaceful serenity that guards try to enforce. I simply walk down the street looking for a friend of mine and panic follows. If you request eyewitness accounts you shall see I was on my best behavior and was polite.” Which was…

 

True.

 

All except for the walking part.

 

Discord always held to the etiquette required of him as a guest even if he did so in the most peculiar manners like holding teacups upside-down or eating the peels of his oranges before the fruit and eating his utensils after using his salad fork in the salad. He was not aware of the restriction of a house of education. It seemed silly to restrict access to a place of learning. Quite the opposite of Ponyville and Canterlot! And how could one expect a visitor to know? Ignorance of the law may be no excuse, but it was still ignorance.

 

“It was no act of aggression that sent your guards into a flurry. Nor was it my decision to arrive precisely when I did ---” For that was Feng’s selfish wishing! Nor did I know your compatriot here would arrive without your knowledge or --” He noted of the empress' brother. He pointed to Qing. “Or that she would respond to his arrival. And yet -- all these things are occurring without me using any of my influence. After all a quiet, quaint and peaceful countryside -- you should always be prepared for the odd visitor…” He motioned his paw to the one standing beside Lian who had seemingly appeared with no interference of Discord. “I dare say tis not I encouraging these events.” He pointed to the empress. “But you.” Grinning at Silverheart he dared the male-in-question to contest it. Sure he could have made Lian appear, but Sī Jīn too? Unlikely.

[Bellosh]

 

An imperial sovereign never had a need to personally catch objects thrown in their direction. Thankfully, Empress Yuè had Feng to count on for that sort of thing as he masterfully caught Discord's small gift box a full second before it would have struck the qilin mare. Like the loyal guard he was, Feng presented the box for royal inspection, allowing Yuè to warily take it into her hooves.

 

Discord's exposition came just in time to prevent the Empress from opening the box herself. A gift for Mei, was it? And only her. What sort of surprise would the Spirit of Chaos have in store for the Lotus Beauty? Yuè doubted it was anything her sworn sister would enjoy, if that one picture was anything to go by. Recalling the Equestrian legends of the relic known as Pandora's Box, the royal qilin suspected something similar was ahoof... hence Discord's warning to not peek at it.

 

Well, Mei would be sheltered from whatever cosmic annoyances were waiting to be set loose. Discord didn't need to know that, of course. "I assure you Lord Discord," Yuè calmly stated with no apparent animosity as she slipped Discord's gift within her robes; "That no unwanted eyes will see what's inside this box." Whether it'd ever be sent to Garden Gait was another question entirely. Such a shame that the draconequus dodged Yuè's question about his connection with her friend. Otherwise, the Empress would find it easier to trust the chaotic spirit.

 

It was only Empress Yuè's indistinct rubbing of her hoof that gave any sort of sign of the monarch's growing uncomfortableness. The qilin was not prepared currently to bicker with Discord over the authenticity of harmony within the Imperial Capital. Too many onlookers had gathered by now, and they of all beings shouldn't be forced to witness an empress profane herself by arguing out in the open. Debates were the province of loyal advisers, Yuè had been taught; NOT that of the Heavenly Daughter of Dragons.

 

One thing was painfully clear; the Empress was long overdue to return to the sanctuary provided by the Imperial Palace. Yuè had to tread carefully, lest Discord humiliated her with his magics and forever tarnish the qilin's image as a respectable ruler. "I would like to stay in this lovely park," Yuè's voice rang sweetly as ever; "But I'm afraid pressing matters require my attention in the Imperial Palace. As you can see, Prince Lián has already arrived, and great insult has already been paid because preparations for his return banquet weren't completed in time." A blatant lie, but ancestors could only hope her dear twin brother won't give Discord any reason for doubt.

 

Empress Yuè briefly placed a hoof over her heart. "I myself must now make amends by personally overseeing the final stages of the banquet's arrangement. In the meantime... it appears that Instructor Silverheart's pupils are anticipating their once in a lifetime meeting with an Equestrian draconequus..." With a knowing smile, Yuè glanced towards her unicorn companion. The rewards for Silver would be great if he managed to keep the chaotic interloper in check.

More than anything else, Yuè wanted to give her beloved brother a nice big embrace. But she'd need to retreat inside the Imperial Palace first; couldn't let the onlookers see her displaying any sort of emotional vulnerability.

 

...All part of being a worthy empress, of course.....

[Dubstep]

This really was a treat for such an early arrival. Not only because the Chamberlain nearly had a mental breakdown either. This Discord guy was strange, but in a humorous sort of way. He wondered...Though his thoughts were put on hold for a few moments however, as Qing turned to quickly make apologies to the prince. "[No apologies necessary!]" Lián said with a little laugh and a shake of his head. "[Not only was my arrival early, it appears you've had your hooves full with more than a deal of excitement! But thank you either way, Qing.]" he really was worried the poor mare would just burst into flames from her nerves one of these days, the poor dear...

Everyone save himself and perhaps Silver and Liviel seemed to be on edge about this spirit. While he certainly seemed like he was a troublemaker, Lián didn't get the impression that he was particularly malicious. More like a child who was perhaps a little to eager to press buttons once those buttons were found. Still, he was proving to be an interesting and dare it be said wise presence in his own way? Yes, this was far too good to pass up. If he were there, oh how it would ruffle the Chamberlain. "Oh sister, please don't trouble yourself on my account. No insult has been lain before me. That you would even go to such trouble in the first place warms my heart like nothing else." he said with a bow and a smile to his wonderful sister before turning to face the draconequus once more. "Lord...Discord was it? Firstly let me say, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance I'm sure. Secondly allow me to have the honor of introducing my handmaiden and dear friend Sī Jīn to those who have not had the pleasure." the prince motioned to the mare who for all intents and purposes simply appeared on the scene. He was used to that.

"And thirdly, while the banquet may not be ready as of yet, allow me to formally invite you to it. As you are a stranger in a strange land, I feel it would look poorly on me were I to not provide some measure of hospitality." Lián smiled and let that just hang in the air. Oh he was sure this would be fun!

[Blueblood]

If true harmony could be achieved simply by a strict adherence to rules and procedures, then Feng could hold his head high and proudly claim to have achieved it by training and discipline.  At no point during this most trying time had he lost his nerves, wit, or temper; even at the sudden toss of the gift box towards the Empress, he was alert enough to snatch it from the air mid-arc with nary a blink of an eye.  His confidence in himself, as a Watcher, was not to be shaken by one mere incident of chaos, for it was for such incidents that the Watch existed, to protect and serve the Empress in all, even the most trying, circumstances.

 

However, if true harmony meant the outer world and the inner world being at peace... then Feng must in shame withdraw his boast, for such peace he had never known.  Not as a young longma, hyperactive and rambunctious in his own village, feeling the pressure of expectations of failure and shame from the elders.  Nor even after joining the Watch could he achieve it, for he was now placed so close to the highest and most noble object of his affections, and yet could not reveal the truth behind what motivated his devoted service.  And, what was worse, he must be silently present at all instances of rivals for Yue's affection earning her favor!

 

It was jealousy, he knew; pure jealousy that cut like a knife across his chest when he saw the smile that Yue gave Silverheart's efforts to distract Discord.  But deeper still was the ache of empathy within.  Knowing full well himself what it was to bury one's true feelings for the sake of decorum and the Dragon Throne, he was close enough to see in her eyes the same situation.  Oh, how he longed to give her a sympathetic word, to pour out the great and encouraging truth that she was not alone!  Alas, to do so would mean admitting the full truth, and in front of her hoofmaid, chamberlain, and own born brother?  He could not.  He knew he could not.  And so, they seemed doomed to suffer alone, even while together...

 

*Whump!*  The sudden stomp of his hoof surprised even Feng, but the inner spirit within, the inner source of energy and power, refused to countenance silent pain any longer.  He was literally putting his hoof down, now.  "Lord Discord, you may give us what lectures you like on the nature of chaos and harmony.  I daresay you know more about the subject than we.  But nothing changes the fact that you are an uninvited guest making a thorough donkey of himself, to the extent that any poor hostess in our fair country would feel justified in evicting you at the end of a broomstick.  As for the Empress, she has enough time-wasting irritations in her life,"  Here he could not help but shoot a subtle look over to the chamberlain, "And few friends.  Your welcome is extended on sufferance, in the hopes you plan to be the latter, and not the former.  Your efforts so far are not encouraging."

 

The guard inhaled, letting out the breath slowly.  The whole of his speech had come out in a rush, and now that'd he'd finished it, a suspicion began to grow in his mind that he just might have overstepped his authority as a Watcher to put words in the Empress' mouth like that.  But, darn it all, someone had to say it.  The plain fact of the matter was, Discord was a source of distress to the Empress, an undeserved one as far as Feng was concerned, and he wasn't having it!

[PyroBlaze]

"Ah... perhaps a bit aggressive, sir Feng, but well said nonetheless." Liviel said, frowning a bit at the tone of the message. She could understand where he was coming from though, Yue needed more friends in her life that weren't there because of her position. 

 

The dog looked at the present present she had received, the small box with its bow. Seeing as it was hers, she opened it slowly, a smile spreading across her face as she saw the contents. A cherry blossom frozen in time, presumably from that day at the festival. She gave Discord a happy smile, nodding in thanks. 

 

"Thank you for this wonderful gift, sir Discord, I will cherish it always." The dog said, carefully putting the box away in her bag. That would have to do for now. "If you are to join the banquet though, I suggest you refrain from causing trouble."

[Pretzelparty]

 

 

The rather blatant disrespect towards the empress made it harder for the stallion to keep his composure. Silver could never say he could truly understand the mind of a being such as Discord, but this trying his patience. Which should really tell you something. The whole stiff upper lip rumor about the guards in Trottingham was far from a lie, and get a unicorn like Silverheart to even entertain the idea of breaking that 'oh-so-proper' demeanor of there was surely something only a chaotic incarnation could do. KEeping his calm expression, the only hint the stallion let out about his attempt to calm his nerves was deep breath.

 

"Lord Discord, Allow me to present upon you a possibly novel concept." The stallion would gesture the spirit come rather closer so as to give the empress some breathing room, "There may have been errors on both sides of this tense situation. While you are indeed reformed and a noble being, the information has barely gone beyond the borders of the land you were most known for ruling in the ancient past... I do believe that for the sake of your new brand of chaos that maybe the first step in affecting change is a gentle hoof and measured action and an examination of yourself. You only moments ago did say you are new to this land, dd you not?" The unicorn lowered his voice abit to a whisper and spoke into the spirit's ear...
 

Spoiler

"If you entertain these 'illusions' as you call them, I dare say you will find more of the locals might like you."

 

 

It hurt him to even pretend that a figure such as the Empress could ever be called Illusory. For the greater good and the sake of peace though he would have to pretend such a thing, if only because it might give discord proper motivation to behave... somewhat civilly. The mention of the banquet oversight thoguh caught th silver coated stallion's attention, "Does this mean you will be taking your leave, Empress? If so, I only wish you to know that it has been an utmost pleasure to share in your company... even if the quieter moments of it have long passed us by."

 

 

 

[Windwright]

These were...developments. Feng had deftly and professionally caught the package before it had reached Yu Y- EMPRESS Yu Yue, and that was right and proper, and he had presented it to her, as was correct, and then he'd tipped his hoof. A guard couldn't afford to let the Court begin to think her devotion was anything but loyalty to the crown, otherwise there was Talk. Sī Jīn knew this better than many, but a few careful words could defuse this. She could even downplay Silver's reaction.

She produced a fan from one of her sleeves and started fanning herself, the expression on her face one of vapid admiration as she said sotto voce "Oh! Such devotion! It it good to know the good sers are so ready to defend our Empress's honour!" in a stage whisper so loud a deaf beggar would have heard it across a crowded auditorium in a thunderstorm. Hopefully.

[RexDraco]

Contrary to to what others may say of the Empress to her face it was clear to Discord that she had much to hide, even from herself. Subdued was not the word he sought to use, but instead: constipated. He could almost hear her teeth grinding. He wondered just how far her patience went. He poked and prodded ponies just to see how far they would go, and how far they wouldn't. These tests gave him everything he needed to know and the pleasure of seeing their struggle. After all it was a game of survival life and meeting it with such undisciplined regard was nothing short of cheating. In the short time of their meeting, had come to understand her better than what she hoped to reveal of herself. The very fact she had not moved hoof to catch the tossed gift, lest break possibly fragile contents and her confidence her hireling would catch it stood as testament to the dependency she carried towards him and the pride that irradiated off her form. It was like a predator’s dream to have such worthwhile prey at hoof.

 

“It's not the unwanted eyes I'm worried about.” His voice crawled from his lips with the same expert weaving he would with his magic.

 

Those masterful words played on both fears and dreams. He had no reason to put power behind his words, but the occasional whisper would slip causing the attentive natures of the collective prey in the presence of a hunter, to falter. It was a divine sensation as ponies became aware of him. Their eyes, their focus, their thoughts: all on him! Call him an egoist if one must, but what being, supreme or not, had the desire to be forgotten ? As the Empress played her role the spirit felt the tickle of temptation from his naughtier nature. The pranks that could be played we're endless! The lost could go on forever. Her worries, her fears, none of which showed on her face, were the apparent worries of a noble. Yup was either on the same level as Equestria's diarchs or she was a mirror of past rulers who held their personal image above their impersonal relationships… Amore.

 

But which was she? He hadn't enough. There was not enough information to expose just what it was that made her tick. His lips would curl back on his muzzle as she spoke her piece. His lips twitched with the anticipation of the words she carefully picked to follow the ones already spoken. She sought to escape! Schedules to keep, events to plan, things to distract her from the fact she was a prisoner to her own worries and of somepony else's rules. Freedom was, in essence, a chaotic construct. A balance of the ebb and flow of peace and anarchy. There was not one without the other and this time it was not Discord who created the prison.

 

The Chamberlain was but the first bailed out of his entrapping serenity -- but as Lian spoke the attention of the spirit shifted from the pleasures of his first, small victory over the Harmonious Path. His ruby eyes drifted from the back of the retreating qilin’s head to the nose of her sibling. How odd it was the way these soft-skinned equi-dragons could have such hard plates, which broke up their visage in a delightful manner. He found himself staring too long for his ears touched the back of his neck where his stuff mane sat fettered by the creature's own bizarre nature. The tickling touch caused him to shake his head as his ears resituated to hear just the first part of his second sentence. The first one had to do with the fleeing mare but…

 

“A pleasure?” He'd almost guffaw in laughter, but would manage to swallow it down as the young prince introduced his… hoofmaiden did he call it? How tantalizingly amusing. So Sī Jīn and Qing? “Is that what you call friends these days?” He teased.”I don't know many who would find it pleasurable to meet one such as me and if you two are the first, than you are the only.” He manifested a top hat so he could remove it and bow as he would attempt to take the hoof of Lián and Sī Jīn to give them a kiss in greeting.

 

A charmer really. Especially if you played his weaknesses in such a way. Nothing calmed a deni,-group more than the sweet utterances from potential followers.

 

It wasn't until a sounding whomp, of what sounded like a thunderclap, drew the spirit from the festering desire to dismantle Yué’s reality with a few choice words. The spirit's hackles rose as he seemed to set focus like a prairie dog in the spring. Grey brows drew down as they knitted at the tips, together forming a fuzzy caterpillar. His eyes held a focused gaze on Feng who had spoke with conviction against the demi-god’s appearance by comparing him to an uncivilized donkey. His paw slowly drew up to his chest as the internal struggle to not turn the prized guard horse into a winning koi fish rose exponentially. In an eye’s blink the discordant draconequus was gone from where he had been floating. His energy, his presence, everything about him was just gone. When he moved, or if he arrived or had always been there: were unknown, but the spirit now hovered behind Feng, his skull dangling just above his right shoulder. The soft, heated breaths escaping the predator’s jaws could easily be felt thanks to his proximity. His lip quirked in a smile. The hoofmaiden’s brazen words only did to paint a clear picture, one he had not yet pieced together until she spoke. Something had been off all that while, the way the individuals interacted. They were nothing like Fluttershy and her friends. These stood together, yet they stood apart. That was it, wasn’t it? There was tension

 

“Wasn’t it well said Liviel?” He held his paw and claw under his chest and slowly clapped. The sound of his paw beating against his claw created a dull rhythm in due part to the soft fur and pads so, as such, it created a muted noise that was reminiscent of the stalking plods of a hunter. “I find it rather ironic though…” His words were slow, carefully chosen as he laid out the foundation for his curbed retaliation.

 

In the past the moment Feng opened his muzzle to stream his complaints would have been the hour he forfeit his mortal bounds to suffer as another toy in Discord's wild games. While far more subdued it did not mean his temper and impatience did not occasionally flare into something… dangerous. One could not turn several thousand years of unchallenged immortality and two consistent losses into a truly perfect hero. No, he was imperfect and the epitome of grey morality. After all it is not what you do, in the end, but how you do it. And he did it with style, but also with regard for their survival as a whole.

 

As the Diamond Dog opened her gift Discord spoke in a low tone leaving Feng’s ear touched by the venomous whisper of spellwords. “Such audacity. Never is it the place of a guardspony to speak for their leader -- so that can only mean one thing: you speak for Yuè…” The tone he held was soft, yet it was one riddled with suggestiveness.

 

Accusation.

 

Each word he spoke caused the magic in his words to open up that doubt. If Feng was so vulnerable he could plant that worry. He shifted so his head was now on Feng’s left. There was no telling who saw him. Who could? Was he really beside Feng or elsewhere and only was it in the guard’s mind that the mismatched creature say in such proximity? Regardless of the truth of the matter, or its reality, it made no difference as those words of his carried a force more suitable for cutting down the likes of an enemy. “The way you so boldly act -- it isn’t hard to see the truth. The same words so feverently spoken in a play I once watched. You know who Yuè would be? Rosaline and you...” He chuckled and would look at the Diamond Dog before appearing in front of her, leaving Feng to his thoughts. “Isn’t it fantastic!?” He grinned at the pup. “It will never change.” His words still rattling with the spell meaning they were aimed at Feng, though he spoke to the serene dog. “It is a simple accessory.” And with that he released the spell from his words.

 

“Oh alright.” He mumbled at the Diamond Dog before he raised his head at the sound of a shaky exhale.

 

His left ear swiveled back as that serpentine smile touched his long muzzle end to end. He slithered back and lowered down to all fours only to rest on his haunches. A sneaky serpent of unknown origin it was only a matter of time before somepony said the wrong thing. He was a temperamental feline with the grace of griffon during tax season who had the disposition of a pony. It was all in all a wild paradox that was disinclined to be realized. He was both a menace and a an all around nice pony. Unilateral in his ways the only reason his actions affected the peace of others was the paradoxical reasoning that ponies and their ilk were all, somehow: connected. So, in while, he had only addressed Yue with such interest it was the others who were, on a whole, perturbed and overall offended by his presence due to the very nature of her unease with the words he spoke and the actions he took, despite the possible truth laid in them. Their denial of his assertions was the refusal of the very existence that was him. He would once again be addressed but it seemed by a more reasonable voice. Letting his spellwords slip away, lest the unicorn caught wind: he turned his head, sitting up on his hindquarters in a way that made him look like an Unyasi meerkat.

 

That was quite novel. Brand new chaos? He hadn’t thought of it in such a way. He had to admit since getting friends his magic has changed, though he had merely assumed it was just his usual ways. His chaotic nature. There was indeed something untapped within the bowels of his spell keeping, but what stood as a mystery. “Quite new. Hours new.” He entertained the guard. Retired or not: guards always retained that air about them after duty. While Equestria, on the whole, was more peaceful than most countries its unusual, magical occurrences could weird out even the most serene guard. While he had no memory of ever being the one who had scarred Silverheart’s serenity … he would be most delighted to learn of it. “Oh?” The tickle of the whisper made the spirit give pause. He pondered this thought, scratching at his beard. “A compelling argument…” And while he would not admit to the fact that he would like nothing more -- the argument was compelling nonetheless.

 

He looked over as he moved to float off the ground and a bit over Silverheart. “Leaving already? And here I had so much culture to share with you all. I would have thought it was the duty of a leader to attend to foreign dignitaries and all?” He murmured. He pressed his paw to his lips, giggling. “Well I wouldn’t want to decline the prince’s invitation.” He looked to SIlverheart. “Wouldn’t you say it would be rude to refuse the prince of a foreign country on his land? I should certainly make use of these illusions, no?” He cooed close to the stallion’s ear. Gah! When did he get so close?

[Bellosh]

 

That moment in time when Yù Yuè wanted to retreat into the filial embrace of her brother? Completely gone once Prince Lián not only ruined the whole "insulted royal" routine, but made sure that Discord could bring chaos to the Imperial Palace itself by inviting him to the banquet. There was absolutely nothing Empress Yuè could do to voice an objection; unlike the Empress, her twin brother valued the freedom to rock the boat every so often. Lián apparently worried not that Discord's antics could potentially cast Yuè in a foolish light in front of the entire Imperial Court!

 

As if that wasn't enough for Empress Yuè to worry about, Feng picked this delicate moment to speak out of turn. All things considered, everyone was lucky that Discord didn't exploit the imperial bodyguard's slip up as a pretext for inflicting chaos magic on all gathered. Indeed, the discordant spirit possessed a higher level of restraint than the royal qilin expected. At least, more than Fang at any rate. Although Yuè refrained from publicly chastising the loose-lipped longma, a subtle glare in his direction would have to suffice to indicate the qilin's displeasure. There would always be time later for a more thorough reprimand later, when there weren't any eyes watching.

 

The arrival of an ornate, veiled palanquin carried by a team of bearers meant that Empress Yuè's sojourn to the Inner Ward had come to an end. Assisted by her servants, the royal mare entered and took her seat on the comfortable cushion. Once Yuè nodded, a lone voice from the entourage cried out:

 

"THE EMPRESS DEPARTS FOR THE IMPERIAL PALACE!"

------------

 

*Several Hours Later*

 

The Hall of Plenty: one of the more modest-sized sections of the Imperial Palace. Nonetheless, it was large enough to house a feast attended by the entire Court. About a dozen square, exquisitely furnished tables were organized into two rows save for one at the head of the hall. That was where the Empress and her most distinguished guests sat, naturally. Musicians in the Palace's employ added a stately ambience to the proceedings with their soothing yet majestic tunes that evoked everything traditional about Long Guo.

 

Empress Yuè (along with her personal assistant) were nowhere to be seen yet; the imperial sovereign would make her grand entrance just before it was time to eat. Feng wouldn't be part of that procession though; in a stroke of genius, the Empress decided to honor her dedicated bodyguard with a seat of honor right next to Lord Discord. In other words, the longma stallion was to be taken off duty for the rest of the night. Yuè hoped that would send Feng the proper message about how to address chaos spirits.

 

Ironically enough, all banquet attendees who had earlier met Discord in the Inner Ward would be seated at the head table with the Empress. As per Palace custom, one side of the table was reserved for the monarch herself; Prince Lián would be sitting directly adjacent to his sister's right side, while Discord sat opposite of the Prince. While everyone waited for the Empress to show, there was plenty of time for the guests to get better acquainted with one another.....

[Zeig]

 

 

So....

 

Spirit of chaos showing up in the Inner Ward to talk shop with the Empress of Long Guo. All fine, everything was fine.

 

Which wasn't actually too much of an exaggeration, if the servants and workers around the Palace were to be believe. While some claimed that the being had immediately wrecked havoc upon the flower beds and rained chocolate down from the skies, others insisted that Discord had been nothing more than a slightly eccentric guest in the Imperial Palace. Xiu supposed that rumors and infamy conflicted with fact and reason in this case, as she'd seen no evidence of chocolate rain on her way through the gardens...though, she also supposed wouldn't need to go supposing any longer, if the spirit was indeed one of the Empress' honored banquet guests, as he would be seated at the high table. 

 

Where she, herself, was already seated, having arrived far too early.

 

Oops.

 

Really though, Xiu thought she might cut herself a little slack, because it wasn't like she was called upon as an honored guest to the high table on a regular basis or anything. And in all truth, the pale pink Qilin thought she would have felt much more at ease simply enjoying the banquet at one of the lower tables, rather than sitting elevated above the hall. But when a Qilin got an invitation from the retinue of the Empress of Long Guo, a Qilin went where she was called. It wasn't like she could have simply declined said invitation with an apology and gift. Oh, so sorry your Majesty, not really my cup of tea, but thanks anyways!

 

Yes...that would have gone over wonderfully.

 

But it was fine. All fine, everything was fine. Xiu shifted a bit in her seat, messing up what had been a perfectly angled presentation of silverware in favor of fiddling with a pair of chopsticks that shone like polished silver...which they undoubtedly were. The other places set around her were equally styled and perfected, with the Empress' own seat across the table and looking even more intricate than the others. Xiu wondered, idly, how much time and effort had gone into this banquet that had been throw for Prince Lián's return. The imaginations of her mind alone almost left her head reeling.

 

She only hoped she didn't completely lose it when she ceased being the lone occupant at the table.

 

 

 

[Blueblood]

As long as Feng had spent at the court of the Dragon Empress -which was admittedly not that long, all things considered, the young longma was far from mastering the intricate subtleties of indirect communication that were considered the polite norms in urban society, and absolute necessities in the presence of the Empress herself.  At the end of the day, he was a mountain lad, as direct as the elements of earth and fire.

 

Hence, the general reaction to his words puzzled more than it troubled him.  There was no doubt about it, Discord was behaving badly; at least, none of Yu's own subjects could have possibly hoped to get away with what he was doing right now.  And he seemed to be the only one with the guts to tell that mixed-up noodle what's what!  *Sheesh, the way they're acting, you'd think the guy was an actual long.*

 

As confused as he was as to why Yu seemed to be so upset at one defending her honor and rights, alternative explanations as to why everyone was looking at him oddly were not long in dawning upon him.  And, interestingly enough, it was Discord's voice in his ear that began to open his mind.  At first, the guard remained sure in his own rightness, responding to his first accusation with a muttered, "Of course, we are called to act as the eyes of the Empress, and other parts when the occasion demands, mouth included."  It was a liberal, but not invalid interpretation of the role of the Watchers.  However, as the insidious whispers continued, Feng's confusion was transmuted into a creeping dread.  Never having been to the theater in his life, the reference to a foreign play went right over his head, but the implications were not slow in dawning upon him.

 

*He knows.  He can't prove anything, else I'd be exposed, but he knows.*  It took every ounce of Feng's discipline and self control to keep a lid on his inner turmoil now.  If a stranger could figure it out, who else was he betraying the signs of his affection to?  By the long, what did Yu Yue think of it?  Not well, from the look she gave him.  There was scarcely time to implement anything like damage control, though, as the whole party was soon swept up in preparations for the feast suggested by the returning prince.  And so, dutiful in troubled silence, Feng followed his Empress into the palace....

 

~

 

When the evening rolled around, Feng found himself off-duty.  If some message about what was expected of him at the feat tonight was meant to be conveyed to him by this, it was garbled in transmission.  Was this a rebuke, or letting him off the leash?  After all, when not on duty, he could be assumed to speak for himself, and thus not have to implicate the Empress in any gaffe he might happen to make.

 

A puzzle, that.  A real puzzle that he was still mulling over as he abstractedly took his seat slightly early.  Old guard habit, scout the area first before your charge entered it.  On duty or not, he kept up the habit to keep in practice.  Oh, and it seemed his diligence would be rewarded tonight, with the presence of a friend!

 

"Oh, hello Xiu!  You have the evening off too?"  He shook his thoughts off to give a smile to the mare.  Any guard as zealous as he would be likely to make a friend or two in the infirmary, and Xiu was his, as she always seemed to be the one on duty whenever he needed to be patched up after his latest scrape.

[Dubstep]

Today's events were turning out...interestingly. And Prince Lián wasn't sure on which side of good or bad they laid on. Tensions were always high around the palace. There was always so much dreary talk of politics and proper etiquette. Yes that was all well and good, some traditions were even fun. But sometimes things needed to be shaken up a bit. Truth be told, while Lián hadn't had the chance to meet the chaos spirit while in Equestria...to his knowledge...he knew of the creature! What better source of a shake up than a god of chaos? Already it had put the Chamberlain in a tizzy. Points! The kiss to the hoof though was strange. Dated too. But no points lost, even if the points don't matter.

Though Feng's sudden outburst on the other hoof...Lián quite understood part of where the Watcher came from...but at the same time, the Watchers were fairly guilty of strict staunch tradition with little wiggle room for fun...Not that Feng was a bad guy, he seemed a decent fellow. But being a Watched seemed to mean you had to be uptight about things! Sī Jīn's 'whispering' caused him to arch a brow...What exactly was she playing at? Well honestly she was oft times more observant to subtle things than he was. She knew what she was doing, even if he himself didn't.

All of this was neither here nor there now though. Yuè was making her leave to get ready and start the preparations...and he knew he'd have to smooth things over with her later...For now he did have his own preparations to make...It always took so long getting ready for these sorts of things...Bah he'd just go with something simple. It was his welcome home party after all! "I suppose that is my cue. I shall see those attending the party! Until then, farewell!"

~~~

Having decided to go ahead and give the Chamberlain another reason to have a fit today, Lián had opted to wear not a thing to the party. Way too much clothing to be lugging around on a day he was celebrating being home! At the very least he did have his hair pulled back. Since he forewent all the tedious prep work, Lián made his way into the Hall of Plenty...Seemed he was actually early! Twice in one day at that! A new personal record. It looked like guest wise only Feng and Xiu had arrived so far. Xiu was nice and it was a pleasant surprise to see her here. She was one of the scant members of the Imperial workings that was easily tolerable. "Hello you two! Seems we're all a little early ah?" he said as he approached the table.

 

[Windwright]

Sī Jīn bowed low and followed at Lián's side as he exited the courtyard, keeping herself between the Prince and Discord for all the good that would do. She knew she'd need to set Lián's banquet preparations in order before she could relax, but compared with watching for the Spirit of Chaos and fretting about how to stop him if he decided to attack, arranging the prince's attire and seating for the evening would be a 'piece of pie' as one of his new acquaintances would say. She smiled to herself as she started considering what options to present Lián...

 

~~~

 

Aiyaaaa! Of all the days for the prince's foolhearty sense of wonderful humor! Not only had he decided to rib the court even further with Sī Jīn's outfit, which had taken nearly the entire time since the garden for her to get into, he'd opted to attend the banquet in nothing he hadn't been born with. Considerably less if some of the silk paintings were to be believed. Which meant he had arrived to the Hall of Plenty early, and she would be late. Very late if one were also counting all the time she should have been seeing to household matters. Instead she was being painted by sheepish maids to make sure her appearance was- well, not appropriate, there was no salvaging that, but at least not overtly disrespectful. To Yù Yuè. Personally. Much.

 

The kunoichi in her seethed at the attention this would draw. The consort in her reveled in it. Certainly it would probably be embarrassing for both herself and the Empress, but not outright shameful, and it would have most of the court in a huff and talking about her. Sure, it would be about the gaffe, but for one thing she was still actively cultivating the perception that she was a vapid nothing hanging onto Lián's arm, and for another- she'd seen herself in the mirror. Certainly the fact that she was wearing this was inappropriate in the extreme, but she wore it well even with much plainer jewllery than would normally accompany it.

 

And so it was that Sī Jīn strolled confidently into the Hall of Plenty nearly ten minutes after the prince and took up a seat that would place her beside the prince wearing an Imperial-cut mianfu in white, with gold threading and plum trim. One of Yù Yuè's, in fact, from a few years ago. It really didn't help matters that her natural colouration was not far off from the empress's. She'd been very careful to make sure that her mane was pulled and teased into a style more appropriate to her own station, not the Empress's, and she'd foregone a headpiece in favour of a pair of plum-blossom barrettes so it wasn't technically against Imperial law, but Yù Yuè had been wearing it in one of the portraits that led to the Hall so it would be difficult not to know unless a guest arrived through the kitchens or somehow bypassed the hallway.

[Zeig]

 

 

Good news, she was no longer sitting alone at the head table.

 

More good news, she had been joined by none other than her favorite face in the Imperial Palace.

 

The banquet was already looking up in her favor!

 

"Oh, Fēng!" the healer said brightly, eyes wide with surprise as the Longma sat down next to her, despite having seemed quite preoccupied just a moment ago. She wasn't surprised to see Fēng here, of course - where the Empress walked, Fēng followed - but it was a surprise to see him...well. Here. Sitting at the table, rather than standing behind the Empress seat in order to watch her back and sides. Not that she was complaining, of course - Fēng's presence was more than welcome at her side - but it was so out of place to see him without the Empress, barring visits to her infirmary, that it took Xiu a few extra seconds to realize exactly why he was here.

 

Ah. Off-duty.

 

...Off-duty?

 

Was the Empress not attending the banquet then?...but that made little sense, why would she not attend a banquet in the royal prince's honor? Could she be ill? No, that made equal sense - which was to say, none at all, because she, Xiu, wouldn't have been sitting here if that was the case. And Fēng did not seem anxious or worried, just distracted by something. Perhaps something had happened during the rumored visit with the spirit of chaos?

 

Why was she just thinking these questions in her head?

 

"Yes," Xiu finally answered, giving herself a mental shake as she shifted slightly to angle her body towards the Longma better, "I was...ah, cordially invited to attend the banquet as a guest of honor." Her first attendance at the head table...ancestors, the night had better proceed smoothly. "But what about you, Fēng?" the Qilin questioned curiously, heedless of the danger her innocent question might pose. "You've been given respite to enjoy the evening as well?" Was he, too, perhaps being recognized for his peerless dedication and service to the Empire? Perhaps that was why he was being honored as a guest rather than employed as a guard for this evening?

 

But before Xiu could get any sort of affirmation, a shadow fell across the table, causing the Qilin to glance upwards - and immediately straighten out her back. "Your Highness!" the dragon mare greeted just a tad too loudly, and Xiu valiantly fought against the urge to bite her lower lip as she carefully avoided eye contact with the handsome Qilin. "Ah - yes, i-it would appear so," she answered passively, even as she racked her brain on a proper response. Years of etiquette had ingrained certain behaviors into her very essence, and it was difficult to let them go, no matter how casually the royal prince acted around her.

 

And no matter how few layers of clothing he wore to a banquet dedicated to his honor, ancestors. Luckily, she was saved from having to form a decent response as another entered the hall shortly after.

 

Unluckily, her salvation had taken on a very...unique form.

If she had been drinking anything, it would have been all over the table the minute the other Qilin entered the hall. Fortune was surely smiling upon her today as Xiu was saved from disgrace. A lack of drink didn't stop her mouth from falling open in complete shock, however, as the somewhat familiar visage of Prince Lián's maid walked up to the table and took a seat next to the prince. What wasn't familiar was her clothing, an outfit so regal that it was instantly recognizable as Imperial Regalia, something only worn by the Emperor or Empress. The Qilin appeared entirely confident and controlled as she sat down, as if the outfit was hers and hers alone.

 

And the Prince seemed entirely serene about it as well, not a hint of surprise on his face.

 

Xiu was vaguely aware of the whispers and scandalized gasps springing up behind her from other guests of the hall, but the Qilin did her best to ignore them as she focused back onto her silverware, as if she could hide away from the second-hoof gossiping that Sī Jīn was undoubtedly generating at this very moment.

 

...Oh, and if she could also close her gaping mouth, that would be a treat as well. 

 

[Pretzelparty]

 

 

 

So it had come to pass that Silverheart was unofficially named the watcher and guide of their new disharmonious guest. A keeper of chaos if you will. To any who knew this stallion, they may have known that this was possibly a nightmare for Silverheart. One of his troops back home would have sworn that she could hear the stallion's mind snap on the first days of Discord's release. Granted what had happened that day had left more than a few R.E.A. officers rather mentally exhausted by the events, Silver's entire being was very much devoted to the upkeep of harmony and order. HE even spent ample time in the morning to make sure his bowtie was straight. Now he was going to have to try and make sure the embodiment of chaos himself could be at least somewhat well behaved for the sake of a foreign kingdom.

 

"Just keep your wits about you, Silver." He would mutter quietly under his breath, "This is all for her and her empire. You cannot let Y- Empress Yu down." Silverheart would take in a deep breath through his nose and then put on a smile. With his cheerful mask put on he would look to his new 'charge' , "Ready to grace them with your presence, Lord Discord?"

 

Once the expected yes was given Silverheart would open up the door for spirit and follow behind. It seemed a few staff and individuals of note had already arrived. Feng had already arrived, along with one the mare who had come along with Prince Lian... and one qilin he didn't recognize. Well, that will need to be fixed soon hopefully! Lian was here as well, although that was to be expected seeing as this party was in honor of his return to Long Guo after his time in Equestria. "Greetings, Prince Lian! I'm sorry our last talk was cut so short. As you can see I've brought along you're newest guest. May I formally introduce you to Discord, lord and master of chaos and reformed spirit of Disharmony. Could I trouble you to introduce to the rest of our friends at the table?" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Blueblood]

What was he doing here?

 

As soon as Xiu asked it, Feng realized the answer must be more complicated than he had supposed.  If his being relieved of duty was discipline, obviously he would not be invited to such a banquet.  So... perhaps this was a reward in reality, while his discipline was just for show!  Of course, now it all made sense; the Empress had to be diplomatic, even to rude guests, if they were powerful.  Such political realities had escaped the guard's notice, pre-occupied as he necessarily was with Yu Yue's personal safety and honor.  Thus, while the Empress must have appreciated his defense of her, she had to give some customary slap on the wrist, and show appreciation in subtle ways later.

 

Yes, that was obviously what was happening here!  

 

Thus visibly brightened, he chatted easily to his healer friend.  "Yeah, as far as I can tell.  I've been pulling more long shifts than most guards lately, so they probably figure I need a break anyway.  Probably right; I don't think about that as much as I should, perhaps."  Xiu would know that last fact better than most; at least one of Feng's infirmary visits had been due to sheer exhaustion.  Boy hadn't that been grounds for a conversation and a half between him and his commanding officer.

 

Although, it seemed that Xiu might be due for a visit herself, due to shock!  Although Fen had been trained in more or less the same etiquette as Xiu, it had been more of a crash course in his own case.  Not to mention his own proximity to royalty had given him more familiarity with their funny little ways.  Not that he would ever disrespect them, of course, but the absolute prostrating reverence that tradition seemed to demand was not to be found in his heart.  At least, not for Prince Lian, in whom he sensed a humor that was... not too dissimilar to Feng's own.  At least, when Lian walked in without a stitch of clothing, while his handmaiden was dressed to the nines, Feng quite appreciated the joke. flashing a troublemaker's grin before quickly hiding it behind his hoof.  Still, he couldn't let his friend's visible distress pass without comment-

 

*Wait, isn't that what got you in trouble just earlier today?*  The Watcher's better sense chimed in, but found itself overruled by his own humor and friendly concern.  "Your Highness, don't you think it's a little hard on such guests as have not eaten at this table before to make them feel both over and under-dressed?  One might think the joke just slightly cruel upon the sensitive."  He had to be careful at his tone; it was not a rebuke, oh no!  Just a... friendly observation, spoken out of concern for a mutual friend.  He himself felt no offense on that mark; having a uniform meant never having to worry about dress.

 

 

And then... came the guests of honor.  Feng greeted them with an ambivalent look, reflecting his ambivalent heart.  Silver seemed a decent fellow, but Feng was increasingly seeing the Equestrian as a rival to the Empress' affections.  And if the Watcher had to be honest, compared to the foreign noble, he was probably the underdog in that contest.

 

As for Discord... well, Discord.  They hadn't exactly hit it off at first, but now they would have to smile at each other over the Dim Sum.  Oh dear, did everypony really know what they were doing here?  This could not end well...

 

Nonetheless, Feng managed a smile and a wave.  Least he could do for the cause of Harmony.  Small victories, start with small victories...

[PyroBlaze]

Liviel was a bit late to the party it seemed. At least, later than Lian and most of the other guests at the main table. She had sort of expected as much, seeing as she had to store her meager belongings somewhere, and then she had to change into her one dress, which she was currently wearing. The diamond dog smiled as she looked around the table, moving over to take a seat at the table and ending up near Lian. Well, relatively near considering they were on opposite sides of the table. 

 

"I trust all goes well?" She asked the group at large. "Oh hello, I am not certain we have met." She said when she noticed Xiu sitting at the table as well. "I am Liviel Mizu, a friend of Prince Lian and Empress Yue, as well as Sir Discord." She smiled, extending a paw for her to shake. 

[RexDraco]

Even after everything: none of it seemed to matter.

How long has it been since? Months, maybe years? Even now the spirit of chaos had made an effort to travel and learn about this world that Celestia seemed to adore. He could never understand it: their tastes. When he had first arrived it was no different than any other time or realm he had traveled to. A young group just blossoming in their culture and learning of their own potential that soon begin to find themselves unable to progress: stuck by traditions, beliefs, laws, and the search for perfection. No matter how many times he had tried to derail the events it always ended up the same with the ones to stand in power in the next. The same had occurred for the ponies. For their word. Everything had become peaceful, slowly lulling into a cycling history of war and peace. Good versus evil. Destruction and creation. Nothing changed. It was the same. It was the same, boring cycle that had no color. It was all grey. As a result of the more aggressive actions of the empress’ guard and her rather pretentious, snobbish manners, something he was far from used to as a god and as a resident of Equestria: it was all turning rather black.

He was a god, by all accounts. He was long lived, possibly immortal as far as ponies were concerned. Being spoken to by a dragon horse who was, by every measurement: beneath him… He was offended. To the standard that Equestria held itself the draconequus had never seen such a restrictive rule-bound society since the country of the diarchs. Long Guo took the cake! Celestia would be shocked! When grounds for education were only for the select elite to visit, to view one had to evaluate just how they responded to a visitor who was, presumably, unaware of their customs it was as welcoming as a barrel full of eels presented as a hot tub. Even as she left there was enough pomp and parade to choke on the smug. The spirit was left standing there on his hind legs, his harmonious keeper blathering on about one thing or another. All he could hear ringing in his ears was one phrase:

“...uninvited guest….” His ears pinned back as he set his forelimbs to tuck against his chest.

How souring.

It was at this point he began to feel an ache in his chest. His claws brushed up against the chocolate colored plumes, pushing up against the grain of the growth up to the center of his chest. It was not heartache. These -- these were not his friends. What it was. He did not know. There was no anger to it, no sarcasm present on his lips. It was a heavier feeling. He was not sure what to call it. It was rare that he felt new emotions in a lifetime of many ponies circling him. It wouldn’t be an easy task for the self-proclaimed knight to keep up with Discord. He did not walk, nor did he often travel in a straight line. Why, Tartarus thee sat moments the spirit vanished from existence as he moved between here and there to get yonder. When everyone had dispersed to the Palace to gather for this social event the spirit kept on his airs. The feeling in his chest did not grow lighter and without his close friends to discuss these things with: lest this unaffiliated mortals take his curiosity as a weakness… he would simply ignore it!

Having escaped Silverheart’s antagonistic stalking -- he called it keeping an eye on Discord, Discord called it stalking, the spirit would head off to explore, clear his mind of its irritations. Their views on the matter of SIlver’s ‘watchful eye’ differed so Discord broke away from the knight errant and left him to panic a bit. After all what was more panic inducing than a god of chaos loose in an unfamiliar palace that followed laws of Harmony? Nothing. Nothing was, at least if you did not know the calamitous horror that was Discord. He was far from the mind twisting tales of unending madness. So he turned gravity on its head and made it rain chocolate milk from cotton candy clouds. If anything that sounded straight from a foal’s storybook of a magical land of candy and neverending fun than a horror of a million terrors where his name could not there be spoken lest the very picture of its form would twist and decay in the mind turning it into the aforementioned unspeakable. It was poppycock.

It wasn’t too long after that Lian called to Discord among the others, which allowed Discord to have reason to worm off with greater haste.

 

Well, that was certainly interesting! Now that everyone was setting about their own business, with Lian sending Si Jin off to get dressed, the prince could attend to his business, of sorts. Namely addressing a certain noodle that was lingering about. The qilin was quick to catch up wherever Discord may be headed off to and gently tap him on the shoulder.

 

The spirit did not seem his usual, bright self, but a stranger among many it wasn't hard to be mindful of one's distance. He was not that confident beast that wiggled in. At least it has seemed. When he turned he was full of laughs. "Well, well if it isn't the prince!" He grinned widely. What was that strange feeling if not sorrow?

 

Lian thought himself rather good at reading ponies...In this case it was blatantly obvious the draconequus before him was painting on a smile. Politely the qilin gave a bow to Discord before speaking. "Please please, call me Lian! I wanted to speak with you some before the party, that is if you don't mind?"

 

The spirit decided to be the contrary as he would grin. "Well prince, I must say a party is a fantastic idea after such a tight-lipped procession. I was starting to think all Kirin and Longma have an agenda of perfection!" And for a chaos god that was -- quite bad. "Speak to me though? Whatever of?"

 

The prince remained as he was. "While it's not really my place to apologize on behalf of my sister, I would like to offer a general apology if you felt ahh...." Lian rubbed the bridge of his snout. "Less than welcome? In lieu of that, I thought I would do my best to offer you an explanation? You're a stranger in a strange land, far from Equestria, and so I'm sure that you're feeling like a fish out of water yes?"

 

Discord gave a snort, pulling his forelimbs against his chest. "Well were I here on the princess's business I certainly would have to report such deplorable behavior." He snaked out while coiling around the prince, though he did not touch him. "And I'd say more a gummy worm in a potted plant."

 

However difficult Discord's analogies seemed Lian kept up! "Certainly out of place still!" he said with a nod. "Pray, forgive my sister...the burden she carries with title of Empress is a heavy one. Long Guo has long been a land of...staunch tradition. Emperors and Empresses are expected to carry themselves as divine as possible. Even the slightest crack in that facade would be an opening for their enemies...You'd be hard pressed to hear this from her, but she has to deal with far more stress than anypony our age should have to bare..." Lian sighed softly and frowned. "The reactions from the guards and of the Chamberlain are also part of that 'tradition'. Anything that could even be remotely seen as a threat practically is a threat until proven otherwise. I however, owing in part to my stay in Equestria and hearing some few tales of you, realize that you're far from a threat...Or rather, your presence and intent are far from threatening. I'm sure you wanted we'd all be chickens by now, no?"

 

Discord snorted, his ears folding back. "Divine? Seemed less divine and more obstinate." Though given his case the difference was slim to none. "Your age? Well I would submit I know nothing ponies or, kirin, your age should be doing." He presented. "Oh you would still be chickens. Don't let my polite manners fool you into thinking that... But being reformed means I turn you back." Therein was the key to understanding him. He was not malicious, yet still a prankster.

 

The prince chuckled. "So long as I don't end up on a menu, I'm sure there are worse punishments. My sister and I are twins, young still. Just into adulthood. It wasn't that long ago that she and I were at the Monastery, and even closer still when we had gotten the word of our father's failing health." Lian paused a moment to stop himself from choking up and cleared his throat. "Apologies. Yue was thrust into her position unprepared and now carries the weight of Long Guo and everything our father left behind on her shoulders, for weal or for woe. She has not many friends or those she can trust. And it's difficult for her to make those connections due to this. I wish for this to not paint her in a poor light. I'm certainly not expecting you to forgive and forget like nothing happened, but I pray that this brings understanding. On another note, I must ask, as you've never been to a Long Guo celebration of any sort, I doubt you have anything proper for attire, am I correct?"

 

Discord twisted his face up in mock surprise. "Twins you say?" He said in mock surprise. "You don't say." Because you know the looks or age didn't give it off at all. He snorted and leaned 'forward. "Well I suppose I can accept an apology but what I cannot accept is I've nothing manageable to wear." And he had a plethora of things to choose from. he was the god of chaos after all. Anything and everything was within his reach when he wanted. "But who knows if I'll offend your Empressy sister just by wearing pants.” He chided.

 

The prince quickly shook his head. "Forgive me, I didn't mean to imply you've no finery. I simply meant that you likely do not have, say, a hanfu? I have several, and I would be most willing to loan you one for the duration of your stay here!"

 

"A hanfu?" He questioned. "I've never heard of such an outfit." Though they didn't quite exist during his time! It was a reasonable assumption to determine he had no idea! "What ... show me." he seemed interested. Something new?! Of course. Still.. would they be keen on his --?

The prince seemed more than willing to share! "Excellent, please follow me!" Lian replied with a smile, turning to make his way off to his room. When they two hit the castle halls, they were met with both confused looks and bows to the prince, yet none seemed to question why the strange serpentine creature was here. "I think..." he began as they continued down the hall. "Some manner of confusion stems from the fact that you're not entirely dissimilar to a Long in looks. Albeit a bit more, ahh, jumbled? I suppose chaotic would be an appropriate term yes?" the young stallion chuckled.

 

The chimeric snake snorted. "Pleease I've been about much longer than your.. Long, as I've said before. It really is them who are copying me. They aren't capable of the chaos magic I do." He said smugly and floated along. "Fake Long..." Pah! "By the way how big is this place, it couldn't be much bigger than Canterlot Castle....?"

 

The young prince was keen to respond. "The castle is much like a small city in and of itself actually." Lian said with a nod. "There've been cases where an emperor spent their entire reign and never once stepped outside the imperial palace. Keep me reminded and I'll get you a map. I remember when I was little, one of Yue and I's older siblings got lost for three days." the qilin giggled to himself. "They claimed they were 'testing' the guards to see if they could find them, but the one who found them said they were crying in a corner from a small dog that was barking at them. I'm inclined to believe the guard."

 

A city huh? Well Canterlot Castle overlooked its city. Though the way he worded it it is quite different. Discord scratched his chin thoughtfully and nodded. "It seems rather -- entrapping. Just a city in a box? It reminds me of a world i once owned." Wait ... what did he mean. "It was a small scale world in a music box. When you opened it their cheering would make music, quite delicate. I couldn't keep it very long though." A story for another time. "Well dogs can be quite scary. Especially wolves." He smirked. "Voracious creatures, quite barbarous." He tittered.

 

Lian was a bit disbelieving in such a fact. "I've heard wolves can be quite kind, depending on the demeanor." he said as he lead the way into his room. It was rather humble for someone that's a prince. There was a movie projector, a few movie posters hung up. It looked more like a typical teenager's room really. "It is. That's why Yue and I would often sneak out whenever the chance arose. We mingled with the ponies of the city. That's how we met Mei!"

 

The overlord of madness chortled. "Oh dear Prince... don't confuse barbary and kindness... they are very different and distinct things... Oh?" He looked around. "No magazines? Mei? You know her as well? Your sister seemed remiss to speak of her as well as if she was trying to hide her from me." Little do they know if he wanted to find her, he would.

 

The Long Guonese leader could still understand his sibling's trepidation. "Mei is one of the few friends that my dear sister has, as well as her sworn sister. She's very protective of her from, well, anyone." he said with a nod. "The three of us have known each other since we were foals, yes!" The prince wandered over to one side of his room and slid open the door to a walk in closet filled with luxurious clothing. "Anything on the left side you're welcome to borrow! That on the right has the royal emblem on it and while I wouldn't be a bit bothered by you wearing any of them, it's likely that somepony in the court would bother you about that, and I don't wish more trouble on you."

 

This was all new to the troublemaking serpent. "I see well I met her at the cherry blossom festival." he would note. "With a young caribou. We had a chat and even took a photograph together to commemorate our friendship." Hen odded before slithering around the inside of the closet. "oooh, I think this one will fit me!" He started picking out one outfit in particular!

 

Alas, the young Kirin was limited in his time, thus lamented! "Ahh, I wish I had been able to attend. I've heard tell that she's been with a handsome young caribou. I admit I feel a small measure of jealousy." the stallion chuckled and shook his head. "Feel free to try on whatever you'd like before making your choice."

Discord took his invitation and would try on a few but, overall he would pick the one he picked first because it was the inevitability of the future! Nopony knew that better than he. Or maybe it was the wild card choice? Never-the-less... "Well I am going to find the unicorn before he catches a  conniption fit for not being able to locate me in the palace. Stars forbid he isn't keeping the peace." He snickreed.

Lian had to make sure. "Silverheart? Ahh, he's a good soul. We met briefly while I was in Canterlot, fun guy. Well don't let me keep you, I'm sure he'll be worried. Oh, and Discord?" he said with a smile. "Please, have a good time. I know it may be awkward for you, but keep in mind what I've spoken with you about, and remember that at the very least, you have two friends at the table."

 

Discord seemed to take pause, even hesitate. "Two?" he paused to look at the young prince., ears twitching as he bundled the hanfu in his forelimbs.

 

Lian would affirm his meaning. "Silverheart, and if you're fine with that, me."

 

Discord did not really think Silverheart was a friend. Just a foalsitter who took it upon himself to handle more than eh could chew to entertain the empress or look good. He never liked folks like that.... perhaps too much like himself. "Well -- thanks. We can be friends." he scratched his muzzle before floating off to get ready. How embarrassing....

 

After a bit of talk with the young Prince Discord was given access to some of the royal’s finery. While the spirit could manifest anything and everything he wanted it was nice getting something from somepony else. It comforted him some and doing a bit of dress up would only boost his chaotic moral especially if it was in fine, silken hanfu robes that were borrowed from the local prince!

And it suited the spirit quite well. The flowing silk fitted that snaking body that moved like taffy on a pull. Candy colored limbs popped against the sun colored robe which was flecked with silver embroidery that were shaped like playful nightingales dancing about the silver stars stitched above in the daylight scene. The golden surface also had hems of black along the sleeve and bottom length of the robes. The spirit seemed giddy in his outfit, but as he swayed back into Silver’s view it was back to business as usual it seemed. He sighed and followed the overly dutiful knight into the dining hall where it seemed the others were gathering.

So many ponies were already seated. The spirit of chaos felt that feeling return all too quickly. It made him openly baulk at the thought, that is: having to sit with all these pretentious paraders. There were faces he couldn’t recognize from earlier. Was that pale pink kirin part of those estranged gaggle of ninja? He had to tell Squall some time that they were a real force -- of annoyance. All the myth and none of the force behind it. Feng was also here … perhaps continuing to provoke him for his scathing words would put the shoe on the other hoof. While he may speak eagerly of his ill belonging the soldier himself was fated to nose about another like a love-struck yearling all -- twitterpated. It was grossly obvious. There was nothing wrong with romantic affections, and unrequited love was quite chaotic -- but it was his impetuous straggling after a boat that has long since left -- or perhaps was never there.

He let out a sigh as he floated above the flat of his seat, his hindlegs, which were draped in that fine fabric, crossed. His left hind hoof was rest over the knee of his right, reptilian talon. Pricking up his ears he would let his idle paws find business in braiding the white tuft of his tail. The red appendage was also decorated, which had perhaps been previously hidden under the train of the luxurious hanfu. He waved a paw to Liviel before folding back his ears and looking towards Feng. He was gone from Silver’s side in a flash and was now looming over the off-duty guard. Clasping his claw into his paw the chaotic overlord’s eyes punched up in delight as his smile pulled back into a full-faced grin.

It was easy to feel the pressure once he was closer. Those spellwords carried a significant weight that made it difficult to ignore. Vulnerable minds would feel the sway. Sometimes it was a simple case of doubt, other times guilt. The words fed off weakness and would feed off the victim's own truths. It was like having your feelings completely open. Sometimes he could twist those feelings but this was hypnotism so it pulled to the surface only what was already there.

 

“Feng, fancy meeting you here. After our meeting I would have thought you would need time to yourself. I hope it wasn’t too evicting having to face the truth.”

 

What had he meant by that?

 

Did he know that he had pushed the soldier beyond his limit?

 

“I mean not everypony understands how to handle a god when they meet one so I can sympathize the trouble.” Perhaps not.

 

It didn't seem he knew

 

But sisnt gods know everything?

 

Discord would lay his paw over the male’s shoulder and nod solemnly. “But I must say it's difficult always questioning yourself wondering if you should face difficulties or turn tail. I am quite impressed you faced me… but at the same time…” He raised his head tapping his chin.

 

Impressing a good was a palatable fest, but why did it taste bittersweet?

As Discord posed to ponder, feigning deep thought, he murmured something lowly, his spellwords trickling from those fangs like a venom. The words insisted that Feng couldn’t even bring himself to say what was really on his mind…

 

Using Discord as a scapegoat for his deep, emotional frustrations…

 

The poison perverted the guard’s action of scolding him, treating it as a selfish act belonging to a coward… Even if Discord would release the weight of his words the poison lingered... These whispers were for the ears of the guard Feng alone, and spoken with such expertise that the spirit looked to be telling s joke most impolite for present company. But isn't that what Feng had perpetrated? He had asserted himself that Discord was no better than the backside of a donkey so his crass joke telling would not be far-fetched. The chimeric entity turned his head slightly to look to the kirin whom Feng had been pleasantly speaking to. Discord floated up and gave an over exaggerated bow.

“Well, well if it isn’t another new face! I am meeting many today it seems.” He crooned motioning to Silver. “I would love to chat more, but I should get back to my seat before my keeper loses his already thinning patience.” He would pet the Diamond Dog’s head on the way back to his seat and settled down, his tail tuft nicely braided!

A bit of steam had brushed off after giving Feng a “stern” talking to of their earlier, verbal, altercation. Perhaps the guard would take care to whom next he ousted when he could not stand to be honest with himself. Discord was, at the very least, generally, thoughtful of his personal whimsies.

[Bellosh]

 

"THE EMPRESS ARRIVES AT THE HALL OF PLENTY!"

 

That was everybody's cue to stand up in deference as their empress finally made her appearance. First came a procession of guards, ceremoniously lining up in two rows on each side of the Royal Table. A large column came next with two Imperial Watchers at the head. Behind the Watchers was the Empress herself, decked out in a red shimmersilk diyi in all its lavish embroidery. On Empress Yuè's head was a phoenix crown, the same headpiece whose image marked her flank. Aside the Empress was her ever-faithful personal assistant, Qing.

 

As the remainder of the royal retinue assembled in a row at the end of the room, Empress Yuè took her seat, which by custom allowed everyone else to sit back down. All was not well for Yuè though; she too had noticed her brother's personal hoofmaiden dressed in royal regalia... Yuè's regalia. The royal qilin remembered those robes well; her father commissioned them with the expectation that his youngest daughter would sit on the Dragon Throne after him. Yuè wore that very outfit the day she was officially announced to Long Guo as the late Emperor's successor.

 

In short, that royal regalia held special meaning to Yuè... and to think Sī Jīn could so flippantly wear them without permission! What in the Dragon Kingdom possessed that mare to even-

 

...

 

Lián, OF COURSE!!! He asked earlier in the day about borrowing those very robes! And it was always like Lián to be the irreverent oaf. Did he or his servant ever stop to consider how badly their actions would reflect upon Yuè in the eyes of her Court? Of course her twin brother wouldn't; no wonder the Prince saw fit to invite a chaos spirit to his own banquet. Now the dark pit in Yuè's stomach was rumbling about what travesties were to come later tonight.

 

Still, the imperial pageantry had to go on smoothly, or else the Empress would hear even more grumbling from her courtiers. Satisfying herself with a brief death glare in Lián and Sī Jīn's direction, Yuè reverted to a neutral facial expression as she made her address:

 

"TONIGHT, WE ARE GATHERED TO CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF PRINCE LIAN, WHO HAS RETURNED FROM HIS JOURNEYS IN THE WEST. ALSO HONORING US WITH HIS PRESENCE... IS THE GREAT SPIRIT OF ENTROPY, DISCORD. TO EACH OF OUR GUESTS..... MAY THEY BE LUCKY AS THEY DESIRE."

 

Once Empress Yuè finished her opening remarks, her herald took over; "THE PALACE CHEF WILL NOW PRESENT HERSELF!"

[Dio]

 

To say that the day had been eventful would have been the understatement of the century, nay the millenium. Qing had already taken over the Chamberlain’s duties for the evening in addition to her own and the early arrival of the prince and his spontaneity had all but shattered any semblance of structure she had arranged in the week prior. Perhaps it would have been better for her to outright throw planning to the wind and just allow the royal family to run amok as they pleased; not that they didn’t seem to do that already with Lian returned.

 

Indeed, Lian seemed hellbent on dashing any planned event schedule to pieces. If she didn’t know any better she’d think he delighted in her suffering. But he was his sister’s brother and surely there couldn’t be such cruelty in the bloodline of Miss Yue? Qing chose to believe there was not, as the alternative was much more than she could bear at the moment.

 

Having taken temporary leave to escort Miss Yun He to the academy stacks, Qing had returned to find that arrangements were in need of making. The chefs were hastily contacted and told to prepare their best for the newly returned prince and their guest of honor… Discord. Lian’s orneriness, Qing could handle, but Discord… Discord was something else.

 

“It was no act of aggression that sent your guards into a flurry. Nor was it my decision to arrive precisely when I did -- For that was Feng’s selfish wishing! Nor did I know your compatriot here would arrive without your knowledge or -- Or that she would respond to his arrival. And yet -- all these things are occurring without me using any of my influence. After all a quiet, quaint and peaceful countryside -- you should always be prepared for the odd visitor…  I dare say tis not I encouraging these events. But you.”

 

However brief the encounter, his words had cut deep. His monologue -- the monologue burned into her mind -- may well have been one of a villain, a bully, one who took pleasure in embarrassing others and derailing things and inflicting such suffering upon her. Reformed? Hardly. Her Equestrian history may not have been that of a native, but she remembered enough to know the trouble Discord had caused in the past.

 

And yet any action taken by Discord was Qing’s responsibility. Any word spoken meant the blame fell upon her. No matter how guilty Discord was, it would always be Qing’s fault. So fell the Lord of Chaos’ words.

 

Qing fumed in private, nearly shattering her quarters’ mirror when she had returned briefly to touch up her mane and don a more appropriate collar and jacket for the dinner. But laced in with the frustration was fear. What if Discord was right? What if his appearance was merely a catalyst for a disaster waiting to happen -- a disaster that her lack of foresight and inflexibility had been setting up to happen all along?

 

The thoughts milled about in her head even as Qing trotted alongside the Empress to the Hall of Plenty. Royal finery glittered and flowed next to the dull tones of Qing’s slate grey attire, enabling her to hide both her golden scales and her towering height over the Empress so long as she stood correctly. With the amount of thinking she was doing, it was a wonder she didn’t trip over her own hooves on her way in. Somehow, their entrance occurred without incident, but only just.

 

What on earth was Lian wearing? What on earth was Si Jin wearing? Oh no, had she forgotten to arrange laundry? Lian would have sent word, wouldn’t he? Qing stiffened when she realized the answer. No, no he wouldn’t. Si Jin’s state of dress was proof enough of that.

 

This afternoon was proof enough of that. Qing bit her tongue and surreptitiously dug her hoof into the carpet. A sidelong glance at the Empress showed that Qing did not seem like the only one disturbed by the sudden developments. Still, in her infinite patience, Miss Yue presented herself with poise and grace in spite of the farce preparing to blow up in front of them. Qing could only hope she could cobble together a plan quickly since the evening already seemed fit to explode at the seams.

 

She whispered in the Empress’ ear, “If you require, Miss Yue, I can quietly make other arrangements. Just say the word.”

 

Qing took a deep breath and did her best to shrink into the background as the Empress took her seat. A snack earlier would tide her over until this function was finished, after which she could order a proper meal from the kitchen. For now, she would have to play the role of wallflower and if need be, attendant.

[Zeig]

 

 

If her face burned any brighter, her head was liable to simply melt into a puddle on the floor.

 

It wasn't even as if she were the one ponies were whispering about behind their spread fans and raised hooves! But the second hoof embarrassment was palpable all the same, making Xiu keenly aware of everything from her posture to her mane to the company around her. Fēng was being of no help, of course, flashing that grin of his that would have turned her legs weak if she wasn't safely sitting down, and Xiu continued to gaze steadfastly at the table in front of her, as if she could ignore everything going on around her if she tried hard enough.

 

It never worked, but it was worth a try.

 

Luckily - and she did mean luckily, this time - a new reprieve came in the form of a white Diamond Dog wearing a dress, who very politely introduced herself with an open paw. "Delighted!" Xiu blurt out hastily in a slightly higher pitch than normal, nearly falling over herself as she grasped the paw with both her hooves, eager for a semblance of propriety and order in this chaos. "Delighted to make your acquaintance," she continued on in a normal sounding voice, though it wasn't enough to dissuade the flush on her face as her eyes were, inevitably, drawn back to the hoof maiden dressed in royal regalia. "I am Dēnglong Xiu, Imperial Wood Synergist to Her Imperial Majesty." Xiu hesitated at the last, but could she be blamed? She had a fancy title, but what good was a fancy title in the face of one who called herself friend to the royal twins, and a being of chaos besides? The healer would never even dream of calling herself a friend to anyone of those. 

 

And to be honest, she was fine with that. So long as she did her work and performed to the best of her abilities, she was fine. So long as she had the few ponies whom she could honestly be comfortable around, be herself around, she was fine. 

 

- at least until yet another anomaly waltzed into the banquet hall.

 

Well...floated, would be the more apt term.

 

If seeing a simple maid decked out in royal regalia had been a traumatizing sight, then the image of a vaguely long-shaped creature dressed in flowing silk and...braiding his tail across the table was downright bizarre. Xiu had long learned that it was rude and insulting to stare, but she honestly, truly, could not help it...especially when the being suddenly flashed across the table to appear right next to Fēng's side, causing the Qilin to yelp and flinch away instinctively. He seemed amiable enough, even laying a genial paw against the Longma's shoulder.

 

...He also seemed somewhat conniving, if XIu was being honest, as if he were teasing Fēng about something that had happened earlier. Mockery seemed to drip from every syllable, and even though it was also rude and insulting to eavesdrop, she honestly, truly, could not help it. 

 

Facing the truth? Turning tail from difficulties! Ha! As if Fēng were ever the type to run and flee in the face of the difficult...but what on earth was he talking about? What exactly had happened?

 

Xiu couldn't ponder it any further, however, as the creature floated directly in front of her, causing her to give another false start. He simply crooned out some pleasantries however, before returning to his seat, leaving Xiu feeling as if she had missed a very important piece of a very important puzzle. It was a disconcerting feeling to be sure, but the Qilin did her best to ignore it as she gave Discord a polite nod of acknowledgement, before forcibly focusing herself on the one being she knew as constant. 

 

And she hoped he realized that, as well.

 

"I'm glad, by the way," the Qilin said quietly, softly, "if anyone deserves some peace and rest, it's you." 

 

Their conversation that had been quickly swept under the rug by the arrival of one prince and his hoof maiden hadn't escaped her mind, despite the various going-ons. Xiu only wished that - 

 

"THE EMPRESS ARRIVES AT THE HALL OF PLENTY!"

 

For the third time that evening, Xiu's body gave an involuntary start, and she scrambled to stand herself upwards in a smooth and graceful motion as the Empress herself, followed closely by her personal hoof maiden, entered the banquet hall. The Qilin kept her head bowed low to avoid looking directly into the Sovereign's eyes - and to avoid the expression no doubt covering Fēng's face - and dutifully sat back down in place, hardly listening as Her Imperial Majesty addressed the banquet hall. The Head Chef would be arriving soon, yet another sour twist to the evening...but oh, she was already thinking miserable thoughts. No reason for that. All she had to do was breathe, eat her food with no fuss, and the evening would be over.

 

Just...breathe. 

 

 

[Pretzelparty]

 

 

Such volume the Herald had. You'd think they were worried their cook was growing deaf! Far from it actually, in fact if Yanhua didn't keep her eyes almost entirely shut already then she might have winced from the horrendous bullying of her eardrums. To keep up this masquerade, well she'd need to bear it... and bear it she did. Just before the door to the dining hall opened up, she did take a moment to massage her temples, but the moment the light of the hall caught her she would bring her hooves right back down onto the floor. 

 

A swell of sweet music filled the hall as the cart was pushed in by no servant's hoof, Normally Yanhua just said she was using her breath the move the cuisine in a very subtle way so noone would question her. In reality she was just using old fashioned yokai telekinesis. The qilin would pause mid step for a moment sniff the air. A brow arched, she turned her head, momentarily facing Feng before continuing along and approaching the empress. It had been quite some time since she'd seen Miss Yu in her regal splendor. She could only wonder what was going through Feng's mind right now... after what she caught of whiff of earlier she found herself wondering if Feng was even his normal self right now. If she wasn't so mentally fixated on Feng right now she might have reacted more intensely when she got a look at a very unconventional guest: Discord. She had heard of the spirit long ago when she was but a kitsune minus the 'sune'. She'd heard all kinds of conflicting tales from her elders about this spirit and yet here he was: Sitting in the dining hall. If she was able to she wouldn't mind chatting with the noodly creature a bit later. There were a few other faces that she failed to recognize, but of the ones she did: Xiu's stood out. The head healer and her weren't terribly fond of each other. Given the nature of their relationships in regards to a center stallion of the watch, this could only be expected.

 

 

"Empress Yu. It is truly a pleasure to serve you and your most wonderful guests. Many times I have worked to make sure your food is prepared thoroughly to please the pallets of all those who enter this hall, and on this night I have made quin tuple the effort to make sure your beloved brother experiences a taste of home to welcome him back."  

 

After Miss Yu responded, Yanhua would tap her hoof to the ground before the dishes would float off the cart and set themselves up on the primary table. Each silver platter had its top lifted up above, unleashing a fragrant aroma upon all those seated. "Tonight I have prepared..." The lids on top of each dish lifted up as she named and explained each dish, "Xiao long bao, tofu filled dumplings with a rich, savory broth of my own design. To our foreign guests a bit of advice, the best way to sucessfully eat them is to bite the corner and and allow the broth to pool in your spoon or empty cup. Then eat the dumpling and sample the broth. Next in line we have Cong you bing, for those who desire something more fried. A simple delight of fried flatbread with scallions cooked into them, they make a nice addition to any other chosen dish... in particular the peking tofu. It's roasted, succulent, flavorful and only slightly crispy on it's surface. For those in the mood for something spicy, I have prepared a delicious Yu xiang rou si, shredded tofu in hot garlic sauce, sauteed with mushrooms and peppers. LAst but not least, for those of you craving something more..." She looked to the draconequus at the table a moment, "... Noodle oriented, We have Zha jiang mian: delicious long sun noodles topped with stir fried mushrooms and soybean paste, along with a bowl of something I added to give us some variety for those willing to try it: Shrimp dumpling soup. Made with fine thin noodles soaked in a fragrant wonton broth." 

 

With her introductions done, Yanhua would take a deep breath and bow her head to Empress Yu, Prince Lian and her guests. She looked to the empress,"Your grace, Would you prefer I return to the kitchen or shall I witness the results of my work?"