The Most Chaotic Night Ever!-An MLP Fanfiction

Chapter 6-Sustained Silent Denial-er,'reading'

A couple of evenings later, just before sunset, Princess Celestia stood out in the statue garden looking down into the small gulley where Discord had taken to napping these days. He was there as usual (the guards had been keeping tabs on him for her each night), fast asleep, curled up on the ground under a soft blanket and nestled against a cozy pillow, snoring lightly and smiling.

Celestia smiled down at him.

Then a voice broke her thoughts.

"Sister, what are you doing out here?" Luna asked softly, coming down from the sky to land beside Celestia.

Celestia shrugged and glanced at her sister. "Oh, nothing, Luna. I just wanted to check up on Discord, and then I got to watching him and thinking." She looked back to the slumbering draconequus, and a bit of her smile fell. "I told you he said he's been a little anxious lately…and his dreams are bothering him…and he's still returning to this bad place from his past secretly. I'm just worried."

Luna raised an eyebrow. "That…he'll do something villainous?" She genuinely wasn't sure where her sister was going with her concern.

"No." Celestia shook her head. "Of course not. He wouldn't, not anymore. I can feel it." She sighed. "I'm just worried that he's a little traumatized by everything he's been through lately. I especially think the events of a few weeks ago caused him great pain." She glanced at her sister. "We almost got into a fight when I mentioned Tirek, you know."

Luna blinked. "A fight?"

Celestia nodded. "He's very defensive. He doesn't want to talk about Tirek at all. He says he just wants to put it behind him, pretend it never happened." Her gaze went back to Discord. "I'm just worried that it's been weighing on him, the guilt about his betrayal." She sighed again. "I almost wish I could go into dreams just to take a peek…"

"Would you like me to?" Luna offered.

Celestia shook her head though. "No, thank you, Luna. Discord told me he likes his privacy and that he wants to fix his problem on his own. Besides," she smiled a little again, "he doesn't seem to be in any distress. If he was having some sort of nightmare, then of course you should check on him. But he seems very fine right now." Discord smiled more and chuckled in his sleep. Celestia chuckled too. "Maybe he's just not used to having such happy dreams now that he's fully reformed."

Luna just watched Discord with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, I suppose that's an option." She considered, putting a hoof to her chin. "Still though, as long as I have him here, perhaps I should at least meditate and try to get a clear reading on his emotional state as he dreams. It may help me understand his psyche better should any nightly issues arise from his subconscious. Though by doing so, I might accidentally awaken him."

Celestia smiled but shook her head. "I really think we should leave him to his rest, Luna. Besides," she gave her sister a little nudge, smiling more, "don't get ahead of yourself. The moon isn't due to rise for five more minutes. You're not on duty to check in on the land of dreams just yet." She winked and laughed.

Luna smiled, rolling her eyes. "Very funny, sister." She sighed. "But, yes, I believe you're right. Though I will keep in mind his expressed concerns, for now let us leave Discord in peace." She turned to go. "You can gaze at him while he slumbers next time," Luna added over her shoulder as she started to walk away, trying not to giggle.

Celestia sighed deeply and rolled her eyes, following after her sister. "I was not 'gazing' at him, Luna." Her eyes went a little half lidded in warmth and her grin picked up on one side. "Though you have to admit, it's sort of sweet and cute to see him sleeping all curled up like that with a big smile on his face."