An Unexpected Surprise [Private / CableZ]

[20monkies]

Canterlot Castle was a landmark structure that stood out against the backdrop of various cities in Equestria. It's unique design planted against a cliff side made it so that everypony knew where the capital was, even at a distance. But what made it more stunning was the fact it housed the co-rulers of Equestria, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, from where the two reigned peacefully side by side and helped keep the peace and harmony of the land.

Princess Celestia had woken before the break of dawn and taken to her duty as she did every single day, raising the sun and catching up on the night report from her sister. It was a particularly sunny morning, with not a single cloud to be seen in the sky. The past couple of days had been rather uneventful, guards standing by at all times in cases of emergency and the Princess tending to urgent matters and needs of the residents.

The solar princess walked through the castle halls, making her way towards the throne room. She looked up at the stained glass windows and admired the different events that had taken place, captured in its essence as a reminder. Ever since the inauguration of Princess Twilight Sparkle as the Princess of Friendship, things seemed to be going rather smoothly and without a hitch in Celestia's day to day life. No more threat of invasions, no more villains of past returning, no more disharmony.

Yes, it was a little too quiet sometimes, but Celestia always found a way to keep things interesting for herself and her staff. Just as any hardworking pony, breaks were necessary in the keeping of one's own sanity.

There were a few important letters she needed to write up and send to distant lands she kept contact with. A few ambassadors would be making a trip to Canterlot in a couple of days and Celestia had to make sure all was in order for their arrival. There were some discussions that needed to take place in keeping the peace between the foreign lands and Equestria. The princess was working through a list of tasks that needed to be completed, prioritizing the most important to the least important. But she couldn't help have a strange feeling gnawing at the back of her mind.

It was very quiet within the walls of the castle at this hour. There should have been some hustling and bustling going on just about now. With the changing of the guards, there should have been more ponies coming and going from the hallways.

She moved with elegance and grace as her hooves took her hurriedly towards the throne room. Celestia truly hoped that there was nothing too serious about the situation. It could have just been her imagination, or a trick of the light.

The throne room was empty and the silence was nearly deafening. Her guards were not there as they normally would be. She had to blink away the confusion that suddenly gripped her. What was going on?

"Is anybody here?" She called out with her authoritative voice, it's sound echoing around her. Her wings automatically spread out in defense as she surveyed the room before she noticed something out of place.

It was just sitting there on the seat of her throne.

Folding her wings back neatly against her body, she took a few slow steps, climbing the stairs towards her seat.

At first she was confused, now she was downright dumbfounded. Raising a brow, she nudged the object carefully with her hoof.

It was a box.

It didn't seem dangerous to her, or threatening... but who put it there? She had to glance around the room, her radiant orchid eyes shining, taking note of anything else that was out of place. She had to keep herself calm and collected if she were to think clearly about this.

[CableZ]

As Celestia was investigating the box atop her cushioned throne, there began a strange occurrence in the room. All of a sudden, every shadow in the room that lay in the corners and behind the pillars began to stretch across the room. As if the sun were setting and casting shadows across the land. It seemed very artistic but was only for a second or two before they began moving in ways that were impossible considering the ridged nature of their sources. The shadows began pooling into a black spot in the middle of the room and soon there in the middle of the carpet that lead to the throne was a one meter wide black hole. Celestia would have only seen the shadows stretch from behind her throne before they disappeared a second later into forming that black hole, it would be all that was there.

From down the hole there came several echoed noises and one singular faint yet recognizable voice. As quickly as the hole had appeared, there popped out a sadly and regrettably recognizable face. Discord, lord of chaos climbed up and out of the pitch black hole. You couldn't actually see anything down said hole, it was like a painted black spot on the carpet and it appeared as though Discord was climbing out of nothingness. It is worth noting at this point that this hole had formed from the shadows in the room and had actually left no shadows in place. As such the room had become a very surreal place to be as there was no shade to anything, just a weird light tone to everything. Discord climbed from the hold and brushed himself down with a few more hands than he actually had, a dark dust flowing out from his patting.

"Shadows are no way to travel, far too murky" Discord tutted to himself as he turned around and picked up the black spot in which he had entered from and put it into a blender that was suddenly balanced on the end of his tail fluff. As the blender blurred the black nothingness around with a generic buzz sound that came with blending, Discord himself looked quite into the process. Any attempt that Celestia made to talk to the annoying uninvited guest would be met with a louder blending sound. Sighing happily as he poured the blended shadow into a drinks shaker, one again creating a large amount of noise as Celestia might have tried to speak. As the ice rattled around in the metal shaker making an insufferable noise, Discord looked in various directions with his eyes closed in a goofy yet overly dramatic fashion. After a few moments of that, Discord finally poured the liquid into a glass but as he rose the shaker to pour the drink, nothing came out of the metal cylinder.

In the flash of a second, shadows returned to the room in a way that strained the eyes as they tried to process the sudden new visual information. With that Discord had done his little nonsense and brought his attention to Celestia as he began floating just above the ground, his body lazily flowing softly as if in a very gentle breeze.

"Hello dear Celestia, how are you this beautiful afternoon?"

In a flash Discord appeared at Celestia's side as he pressed his cheek to hers "kudos on the sun by the way, very pleasant out there." Another flash and he was floating a few meters away from Celestia, he was on level with her despite her being up the stairs thanks to his floaty nature.

"Ahhh good you found the box, I must confess I was very confused when I found it in my closet. I've rather forgotten what it does, frankly I'd completely forgotten I had it left alone what it might be. There are a lot of strange oddities in that closet, quite chiefly because I don't have a closet" Discord scratched his head with a confused look on his face.

When Celestia turned back to look at the box in question, it would be gone. Turning back around would reveal that it was now in Discord's hands as he was inspecting it and shaking it softly to see if he could hear what was inside, certainly it seemed as though many things were rattling around in there. At one point it even sounded as though something was falling down the stairs.

"Your memory is always so impeccable, I was wondering if you had any idea what it might be in that crown topped noggin of yours?" Celestia would then feel an odd sensation on her head, a quick look up revealed that the box was now balancing on her head while Discord was wearing her crown, his tail fluff flowing like Celestia's hair normally would. Giving her a smile and a wink as she turned her attention back to him.

[20monkies]

Celestia had caught from the corner of her eyes the shifting of shadows and only watched completely the moment when the shadows pooled and created a black hole in the center of her throne room. Her guard was raised, assuming a threat. It must be that box, the one that looked unsuspicious at first glance. She turned back to look at it, but it seemed to have nothing to do with the strange occurrence around her. It remained unwarped, just sitting there perched upon her seat. As her attention turned back towards the center, she blinked steadily.

"Discord?" She exclaimed breathily, all of her muscles that were tense and at attention now relaxing considerably. Of course, only Discord could manipulate in such a manner. As her wings folded firmly against her sides, her chin raised, the princess was about to stride down the steps towards the king of chaos. Her mouth was parted to speak, but her voice disappeared as the grating sound of the blender pierced the air. She paused at the top of the stairs, ears folding back from the sound. She frowned at what he was doing.

Blending the shadows? It didn't come so much as a surprise with what he was doing, and yet it always brought some level of amusement to her to watch something she knew she would never do.

Shadows finally resuming their position in their rightful places, after a moment of distortion and readjusting of the eyes, the racket was now subsided. Celestia cleared her throat and glanced to the side as Discord suddenly appeared beside her. She didn't have a chance to speak, her cheeks pressed against the other, before the other disappeared and reappeared a distance away from her. He always managed to take her by surprise.

"Discord, where in Equestria have my Royal Guards disappeared to? Surely their absence is also your doing." She knew the former bringer of chaos was now reformed after his test to friendship, but in some ways Celestia knew he couldn't let go of his true playful nature of bringing confusion and bending the space around them. It was in his blood, just as keeping the peace and bringing justice was in hers. Why else would her staff have suddenly disappeared without so much as a trace?

Recomposing herself, she smiled at the other.

"And I am doing rather well myself. But why the need to bring this… box to my attention? I am sure you have much more important tasks to take care of." She asked, realizing that the box had disappeared, reappearing in the claw and paw of Discord. His shaking it made a medley of strange and peculiar sounds, rattling and clanging upon one another. Celestia finally took a step forward, confused more than ever. Again, she stopped in place as the box appeared upon her head, wobbling unbalanced for but a moment before it fell forward. She immediately caught it with her magical aura, allowing it to float level with her muzzle, watching Discord wearing her crown.

She took a moment to examine it, the box, twisting it and turning it in every which angle. It was a strange looking thing, indeed. But nothing she could recall from her memory.

It was black in colour, with odd designs and markings intricately carved, wrapping around the entire cubical shape like tendrils of hair. The box itself was made of a warped looking material, almost like a mixture between metal and wood. It had a seal at the front where a locked clasp held it's lid in place. A gem, glowing with the swirl of rainbow colours, was at the very top in decoration surrounded by the designs.

"I cannot say I have seen such an object before. It could possibly be something dangerous, if you have had it lying about for quite some time." She moved the box back towards Discord, worried that some threat would be unleashed if it were to open up. "For all I can tell, it is ancient as any magical artefact I have come across. Perhaps it is safer to keep it away from where you found it. It could be nothing at all but I would rather not take those chances. If you really want to know what it is, perhaps some research at the library will reveal its purpose. Literature upon its creation may well be in the archives and scrolls."

Celestia was a bit wary now, hoping that Discord would listen to her words of wisdom. She had the mind to just have it disappear completely, but also some curious part of her wanted to know as well what it did. Still, it was safer than being sorry. "Surely, this wasn't all that you had come here to talk to me about." A brow lifted up, her eyes brightening at the Dragonequus.

[CableZ]

With a click of his clawed hand, Celestia's crown was once again back on her head while the box was now orbiting around Discord lazily. Discord himself looked a little annoyed, he was no longer lazily levitating up and down and was now just fixed in place in mid air. Sighing softly, Discord then began oddly orbiting the box while it orbited him. Before Celestia was the scene of Discord moving around in a circle while never actually looking away from her and a box doing the same on the opposite side of the the orbit circle.

"Celestia I came here looking for some help, if I wanted to be told to read and entire library I would have gone to your newly housed student." Discord's arms moved as he spoke as if he weren't being incredibly weird right now. "I came to you for wisdom and from what I am reading in your little text up there, you are wanting me to listen to your words of wisdom that aren't all that wise. Worst of all you have no curiosity, at least if I took this to Twilight she'd be a little curious before she dismissed me as just being Discord.." With a click of his fingers he turned into some random looking pony stallion "..Which is entirely uncalled for, as you can see I'm not Discord all the time." He spoke dryly, still orbiting the box as it orbited him.

With a click he was back to his usual form and finally came to a perfectly synchronized halt as he floated back into position in front of Celestia and the box orbited around into his waiting hands, Discord lowered down to the ground and placed the box gently down onto the carpet. Looking back up to Celestia on her throne he sighed and had a moment where he actually acted unlike 'Discord' and his facial expression changed to one of a more serious plea than his usual smirk and sly smile.

"Please Celestia? I wish to bridge the thousand year gap between us, you're the one who wanted me to know this whole 'friendship is magic' malarkey and I would like for us to be able to be friends." His smirk soon returned as he teleported to an unseen location. "Besides how many individuals in this world are as unique as we are?" The voice came from behind her as she now found that Discord was lazily sat on her throne with a singular raised eyebrow and a smirk.

[20monkies]

A part of Celestia knew that there was good in Discord, otherwise she would never have trusted him becoming reformed, and helping them in the most dire of times when his assistance of needed. Sure, he had disappointed her through that quest and strayed from his path, but he did return and had understood the true value of friendship.

The look on Discord's face, his extension of that now as he floated above the ground in front of her, made her feel a pang of guilt for brushing his kindness away and having dismissed his attempt at coming closer to her. With an air of a sigh, she pressed a hoof to her forehead to rub the tension that had been brought there with thinking too much, before resting it back on the ground before her. She gazed upon Discord with a more relaxed and friendlier expression, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"Forgive me, Discord, for misunderstanding. All you really needed to do was say so." As the Dragonequus disappeared and his voice snuck up behind her, she turned to see that he was now upon her throne and she glanced back down at the box. Discord was right – the two of them were very unique in many ways than one, and quite powerful when it came down to it. No other pony could match their level of strength when it came to magic. But Celestia was always humble about herself, downplaying it and only using what was necessary of her without over exaggerating or showing off her abilities. Around other ponies, she was very self-conscious of herself. Even with Twilight, she maintained her level of authority all the while staying in a manner the other would always look up to. With Luna and Discord, it was a different story.

With a simple gesture, it was floating back up between the two with Celestia's own magic, and she continued to allow it to spin, examining it from every angle she could. Some of the patterns appeared familiar, but again she would have to look through some of the books and scrolls that were in the Archives and Library. Her look was definitely one of curiosity, and Discord was sure to see this upon her expression as she tapped at the gem with her horn, glowing brightly as she did so.

"I am quite curious about this box, indeed. But I am still hesitant to say what it could be. If something terrible should come from this, I am positive you will assist me in dealing with the outcome." For a moment, the light seemed to catch on the designs surrounding the rainbow gem. Then, upon closer inspection, Celestia's eyes widened a little. She levitated the box back towards Discord, and settled it upon his lap.

"You see, the circle upon the top of the box, around the precious gem? It appear to have some scripture written out upon the lines. They are very fine, and miniscule." She raised another brow, now moving closer towards Discord to come at his side. She did not mind that he was on her throne, now quite used to his antics. "It looks to be another language. Do you know what it could possibly say?"

[CableZ]

As Celestia inspected the box, Discord floated from the throne (still in a seated position with his legs crossed however) and floated around in front of Celestia as she inspected the box. Even Discord himself was unsure what it was, he'd found it in a large pile of knick knacks of his. He usually remembered all of his old schemes, even the ones from thousands of years ago. This one was en enigma, and frankly that was fun for Discord. He loved not knowing what to expect, there was an excitement to it.

He was a little unsure as to what on earth Celestia was doing, he peered at different angles to see if he could see what she saw. His neck stretched a little longer than possible as he did so, going so far as to circle around the princess while she looked. When she began speaking it pulled back like a tape measure, a severe winding sound could even be heard. As his head slammed back a little to far into his shoulders and popped back out, she grinned sheepishly at the princess before getting partially serious as he looked at the box.

'Circle around the precious gem eh, how interesting' While that might have been Discord's inner monologue, Celestia heard it as clear as if he were speaking, albeit with more of an echo.

Clearing his throat softly, he once again shot her a sheepish grin before taking a hold of the box in claw and paw. Peering close at the inscription that Celestia pointed out, his eye stretched out of his eye socket for a moment before shooting back into his head causing both eyes to roll around in his head until he shook about a bit to sort them out. Rubbing his beard with the fluff at the end of a tail in the shape of a hand, he pondered for a moment. His tail then moved behind him, but quickly came back with the fluff now holding a magnifying glass. Brining it up in front of him, he peered closer to the box, again his eye seemed to stretch out of its socket but this time the magnifying glass went with it.

"I can't quite make it out out but I think...Yes! I'm sure of it!!" Looking quite enthusiastic, Discord placed the box down on an invisible surface in front of the princess that didn't exist. He smiled at her as the magnifying glass moved out of his view, almost taking his eye that was stuck it it with it before it once again shot back into his socket. "Its a take out menu!" He grinned.

His tail fluff shook the magnifying glass into a blur and when it came to an abrupt halt it was now a telephone rest on the palm of the fluff hand. Picking up the receiver he quickly typed in a few numbers and held it up to his ear, resting his other hand on his hip as he waited for a reply with a bored look on his face.

"Ah yes hello, I would like a large 32 inch double cheese pizza delivered to the throne room of Canterlot castle...why of course I'm serious why wouldn't I be? Ah...yes..hm...ok...yes" As Discord continue talking, Celestia would notice that the wire coming from the phone didn't actually go anywhere. "Good!..oh, what else? one moment.." Moving the phone away from his head he covered up the bottom part of the phone with his hand. "Do you want anything Celestia?" He asked with an expectant look, as if what he was doing were completely normal.

[20monkies]

Princess Celestia moved in closer to Discord's side, watching his eye bulging in and out of his socket. It was a grossly odd sight, but one only Discord could do. If she weren't in a particularly firm mood right now, she'd have laughed easily at his over exaggerated theatrics.

But that box!

It still amazed her how he had come across it and did not even know what it was. Or what was ever contained inside of it. She had to think deeply, trying to figure out if there had been anything she came across from her many, many years as being Princess of Equestria. Some text, or even an inkling. The language could have been present in one of her books that lined the shelves of her study and bedroom.

Quite sure Discord could make out the written inscription around the detailed swirls, she looked as the magnifying glass presented itself and he continued to inspect the foreign object. She raised a brow, as it disappeared into the base of her crown.

"Yes? What is it?"

Their gazes met, and in that moment of pause she was positive their riddle was unlocked. Then, she was hit with a curveball and it nearly knocked her off of her hooves.

She stumbled back, aghast at his discovery.

"A – a takeout menu?" She shook her head, deep lines creasing between her brows as she frowned at the Dragonequus. "Discord! Please, be serious! This is no time to joke around. It can't possibly be something so absurd!" As the other talked into the phone, asking if she wanted anything on her pizza. But in a way, her lips tugged to bring a smile upon her face. She let out a soft laugh, and shook her head again. "No, no, Discord. That is quite alright. Perhaps some extra tomato sauce, and I'll be plenty content."

With her magic, she levitated the box from it's place and began to step down from her throne area, crossing the length of the ominously quiet room.

There was a task ahead of them, and Celestia knew just what to do if they needed to find answers to the many questions surrounding this box.

"I'm sure I have a translation of the text in my bedroom somewhere. A few of these markings I seem to recognize as Camelu hieroglyphs. Perhaps it is a mixture of the tongues, but I would not be sure until it is decoded. Come with me." She didn't have to look back to know that Discord would follow suit, even if he were to automatically appear in her bedroom before she got there wouldn't surprise her.

[CableZ]

Happy to see her chuckle and finally lighten up a bit, Discord smirked and turned his attention back to the phone.

"Make sure to use plenty of tomato purée, oh oh oh and add some garlic bread to the order...yes...uh huh...cash please..good!"

Discord continued with his little sketch until he looked up from the phone and saw that Celestia wasn't there any more. sighing as he saw Celestia walking toward the door, Discord put the receiver down on the phone as it disappeared with a puff of smoke. Lazily floating toward her like a snake on water, Discord decided to have some fun. As she walked toward the door, the room began getting longer and longer as if her perception were being warped. It was like a strange perspective trick of the eye as the door got further and further away the more she walked toward it.

However after a minute or so of frantic walking she would reach the door, although opening it begot a rather strange sight. Opening the door would reveal that it now lead out to...the same room. Through the open door she would see the very throne room that she was stood in, Discord was floating there, behind him was the throne. Giving a little wave to Celestia with a straight face, Discord was playing it cool. Turning around to look at the room would reveal the same scene as the one through the door, Discord was in the same place as he gave another little wave. Closing the door and opening it again would serve no help, it was if the room had been simply mirrored through the door. It was no mirror however, she could put her hoof through the door and everything.

"Celestia my dear, why bother translating it when we could simply OPEN it. It's a box, boxes are meant to be opened you know?." Discord crossed his arms as he stated a matter of obvious fact, closing his eyes as if what he said was profoundly intellectual. "In all your years have you never found something curious and just wanted to open it? Where do you think all those books and their various scribbles came from? From ponies who had the curiosity to wonder just was it that killed that cat..besides theoretical physics of course" Discord waved his hand in a dismissive manner as he gave Celestia a smile. Dropping down to the floor and walking over to her, he floating the box to his hands as he leant down and held it in his hands in front of Celestia. "For once, go down the rabbit hole" Discord smiled as he looked at a watch that was hanging from his tail with an urgent look on his face.

[20monkies]

The Princess was quite certain the texts she needed to help translate the words on the box would serve a great purpose. It would help uncover most of the mystery surrounding it, if Discord were only helpful in that aspect. Because when Celestia opened the door to lead herself and the Master of Chaos towards the hallway that led to her bedroom, she saw that the same room lay ahead of her. The Throne Room that they were leaving. Princess Celestia took pause to look back at Discord, and then back through the door. It was a rather odd sight, as she placed her hoof forward, backwards, closing the door, opening it in slight frustration.

Letting out a heavy sigh, the Princess turned to stare more sternly at Discord. Levitating the box with her magic as she pointed at it with her hoof.

"My dear Discord, if you haven't noticed the box will simply not just open on it's own." She touched her horn to the box, using it to levitate the top. But it was jammed in it's place, and would not budge an inch. "Words are a most powerful tool, and if those inscriptions across the top of this mystery are the key to opening it, do you not think that would be most helpful in us discovering what is inside?"

She raised a brow, her head tilted as her mane and tail continued to flow freely against whatever non-present wind there was.

"I am just as ever curious as you are, and if we can get to those texts quickly we can accomplish this more swiftly." The suspense was killing her just as much as it must have been killing Discord. That bit of playfulness was still playing in her expression, a child ready to open up a present on their birthday. She turned again, shutting the door. "Now please, let us make haste and be on our way. Let us slide down that rabbit hole faster than the speed of sound."

[CableZ]

Discord rolled his eyes at Celestia, she somehow managed to walk the tight rope of intrigued but boring at the same time. He supposed that a slower approach might work, but they had yet to test the never ending success of the quick approach out on this box. Discord however knew this argument wouldn't slide, but being a rather clever one he had an idea of how to get Celestia to slow her studious self.

"Celestia dear, as you so astutely pointed out these are no normal words. We have no clue what they may do if they are spoken!"

Discord made a few overly dramatic gestures, it was fairly clear he was aware that he was just making up excuses. However he was not wrong in his idea, even if he didn't entirely believe it himself. Still it was an excuse he was sticking with, at least up until he could get that box open!

"If words are as powerful as you say then we should first discern what ever may be in the box, a jammed lid is nothing to worry about!"

With a snap of the fingers, the box disappear and reappeared rested on Discord's palm. He peered in close at the box, his eye stretching out slightly as he inspected it with a decidedly curious hum. Moving his hand away to rest his elbow in his palm as he stroked his scraggly beard in thought, the box stayed rather still as in fact it didn't move at all.

"What if we try and magically repair the lock, of course such a thing is well within my capabil-"

Discord had planned to snap his fingers and simply let that accent his point but something got in the way of that. There was a bright blue light from the lock, in fact it was so bright that it seemed to absorb all light in the room. It was as if the contrast of the room had been turned down and then right up with the only light left being the light from this lock. Time seemed to slow for a moment before reality stretched for a moment before everything went dark.

~~

As light came back into their worlds, Discord and Celestia would find themselves completely elsewhere in the world. In fact it seemed as though they had blacked out, who knew for how long but all Discord knew was that light faded into obscure view. It was the same kind of feeling you got from many hours of sleep as the sun pierced your gaze early in the morning. Rubbing his eyes with a groan, Discord sat up as he pushed himself up with his mismatched hands. Looking around for a moment, he was rather surprised at what he saw.

Both he and Celestia were laying on a dirt path, grassy meadows surrounded them as trees and the like dotted the incredibly unsettled landscape. It seemed as though nopony lived out here, where ever 'here' was. Standing up to his feet, Discord turned around to see a rather expansive mountain range close behind them that the path seemed to be leading to, he could identify it weaving far up the mountain. With a rather straight face of 'well, this is odd'.

"Hmm..this! I did not expect.." Rubbing his chin in thought, Discord looked back over at the currently unconscious Celestia...he'd never hear the end of this.

[20monkies]

Discord did have a point, and Celestia knew it. There was no telling what the words actually were without looking up the meanings, even if they didn't speak the words at least they could decode it and understand the truth behind them.
 
However, it didn't seem like Discord wanted to let this go so easily. He wanted her to open the box, and it made Celestia all the more suspicious, her right brow raising higher and higher until it disappeared into her crown line.
 
"Discord, are you positively sure you don't know what this box is? Any hint, or a clue as to what it's purpose was when you first put it away into your closet?" The Dragonequus did say he had forgotten, but at this point anything would help if they didn't want to risk danger to befall Equestria from opening it. It could be just a harmless little thing, with nothing inside it. Or, it could be one of those gifts Pinkie Pie would give that exploded in a shower of confetti, balloons and streamers. Discord was quite pointedly not taking her route of discovering the translation and rather resort to the ultimate task… opening the lid.
 
Celestia's face paled as Discord suggested magically repairing the lock.
 
"You of all creatures must know that using magic to bend magic can have dire conseque-" her voice cut off abruptly, eyes widening. The box suddenly erupted in a burst of blindingly brilliant blue light that sucked in all the energy from around them.

Princess Celestia's mouth parted to say something, but even her own vision was blocked out, until there was nothing.
 
What was left in the Throne Room was nothing but the box, clattering to the ground.
 

*****

There was no telling for how long blackness had overcome Celestia or Discord, but when she came to, the haze of her vision fell into place, becoming more focussed. What she saw unsettled her greatly, as she rubbed a hoof to her forehead. Her crown had fallen to the ground, lay by her side. She paid no heed to it as she pushed herself up with a soft grunt, and stretched her body and wings.

"What did you expect…?" she murmured, replying Discord subconsciously. The world in which they were in did not seem familiar, to say the least. Celestia did not recognize the landscape in which they had landed.

When she caught sight of Discord, frustration built up inside of her as she remembered what had happened not so long ago.

"Discord…" She said with a stern voice, "Where, in Equestria, have you brought us?" She continued to look ahead of them, towards the mountain range and then at the meadow surrounding them. "You… you opened the box. I strictly said not to, and yet you still…" letting out a sigh, she folded her wings again and shook her head. Discord always did things his own way, but the least he could have done was listen to her in this instance. Now that it was done, there was no turning back. They were here, brought by the box to a foreign land.

Noticing her crown on the ground, she pointed her horn towards it to levitate it…

It didn't move.

Celestia blinked once, in confusion as she attempted to use her magic again to levitate her crown, but there was a spark at the tip of her horn until it gave out. Fused, sputtering until there was nothing but just a gentle glow at the tip.

Her brows furrowed and she rubbed her forehead once more.

"… You do realize that where we are, we are unable to use magic…?" She turned to look at him, her expression almost unreadable as her mind swirled with different thoughts.