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// Discord's Birthday Gift - Chapter Four 
// Story: Discord's Birthday Gift 
// by UniqueSKD 
//------------------------------//

Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy all inched themselves away from the very angry Applejack, who was currently beating the living snot out of a reasonably panicking draconequus, who tried in vain to crawl away from the farm pony's pounding and pouncing with as much dignity he could still keep intact, only to be dragged back to rinse and repeat the attack on draconequus. Anime reference for the win.

"Don't you think we should, you know, maybe help him?", Rainbow Dash asked, wincing as Applejack brought her hoof down on top of the poor draconequus again.

Twilight had already contemplated that course of action, but she shook her head. "We should probably wait until Applejack calms down. It's risky to struggle with her in her state. Besides, this isn't the first time Discord's been in this situation."

"He said he was sorry for what happened at the orphanage, Twilight," Fluttershy quietly said from behind her pink mane.

"If Discord was sorry darling, then he wouldn't have turned the place into a giant gelatin dessert in the first place," Rarity spoke up.

"At least the children had plenty to eat in the end...right?", Fluttershy pointed out.

"Yeah, but they literally ate themselves out of house and home, Fluttershy," said Twilight.

"Um, girls? Earth pony killing draconequus here?" Discord interrupted, desperately wrestling in futile vain with Applejack, who simply knocked him back to the floor again. Fortunately for him, the farm mare was starting to tire out from the smackdown she'd been dishing out on Discord. Her assaults were becoming slow and exhausting, and the orange pony was panting heavily, though she still wore a very angry look on her face. 

A minute later she stopped beating the living snot out of Discord, who lay on the ground in the fetal position shaking. Yes. Just imagine that right now. Pretty humiliating for a former god of chaos, isn't it?

Discord, groaning in pain, somehow was able to pick himself up from the ground. His right eye had a very black bruise, and he appeared to be missing his large tooth and part of his antler, amid a number of scrapes and marks which made the ponies cringe when they saw them. Fluttershy on the other hoof, gasped and fainted.

"Darn, Applejack, you went to Ponyville on him," Rainbow Dash remarked in awe. She knew Applejack could get fierce, but this? The rainbow pegasus made a mental note to tread carefully around Applejack the next time they ever had another Iron Pony contest.

"As much as I don't agree with violence, darling, I must agree with Rainbow Dash," Rarity said, taken aback by Discord's bruises.

Applejack spat on the ground and adjusted her Stetson hat. "Nah. If I really wanted ta hurt him, he'd need wheels to get places once I was through with him," Applejack growled down at the pathetic sight that gulped at her threat. She jabbed a hoof toward his face. "Now Discord, you're gonna fix this mess, an' you're gonna do it right now!"

Discord ceased his shaking and looked up at Applejack. "N-Now now, Applejack. Don't you think you're being just a little bit over-the-top about all of this?" he asked. "I mean, your hyper friend Pinkie Pie seems to be having a whale of a time, doesn't she?"

Everypony looked over at Pinkie Pie in the distance, where she was playing keepy-uppy with a huge Blue Whale. They turned back to Discord, deadpanned frowns on their faces. Discord threw his mismatched hands up defensively. "Okay, she materialized that whale AFTER I made the pun!"

Twilight stepped up beside Applejack and looked down at the draconequus, visibly not amused. "Because giving Pinkie Pie the powers of Chaos is like trusting Queen Chrysalis with the Crystal Empire's crystal heart - it's bound to end in complete and utter disaster for everypony, if not the whole kingdom of Equestria!" 

She prodded Discord's chest with her hoof. "Now call Pinkie Pie over here and take back your powers before she decides to make the sky rain lollipops or whatever," Twilight demanded sternly.

Discord gulped loudly and started to twiddle with his thumbs, a nervous expression on his face. "Yes. Well, uh...about that, miss Twilight..."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Discord?"

"So, remember how I gave your energetic pink friend, well, ALL of my powers earlier?"

Twilight narrowed her eyes. "Yes?" she replied slowly.

"And remember how I said she would have those powers for a day?"

"What is the problem, Discord?" Twilight exclaimed in frustration.

Discord gulped again. He picked himself from the ground and brushed himself off. He then turned to the five ponies and gave a weak smile. "Well...you see, princess...I, um...I can't actually, well...I can't take back my powers from Pinkie Pie."

Everypony stared at Discord in shock. "What?" they asked in unison, dumbfounded.

"I said I can't take my powers away from Pinkie Pie," Discord sighed. "When I said I was going to give her all of my powers, I literally meant ALL of my powers. And since the deal was that Pinkie Pie would have my powers for a day, I can't get them back until either she decides to willingly give them back to me, or when the day ends and night begins. I'm sorry, everypony; I'm powerless to do anything."

Everyone continuing staring at Discord, eyes twitching. Until a few moments later when Applejack tackled him once again.

"YA'LL GONNA PAY FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO MAH FARM'S APPLE TREES, YA DUMB VARMINT!"