Discord learns a friendship lesson in the space it takes to release a breath.

Written for the Writer's Training Grounds '15 #3.

As the Grand Galloping Gala draws to a close, tensions linger from Discord and Fluttershy's fight. Discord, nervous and remorseful, is afraid to approach her. Meanwhile, Fluttershy regrets yelling at him, even while knowing better.

The good news: Fluttershy knows she can set everything right again.

The bad news: it's going to require her to come to grips with old wounds.

Editing duties courtesy of nanashi_jones.

Discord's the only creature in Equestria who can recognize the human for what he is -- not the long-lost Seventh Element that never actually existed and couldn't have existed before the human arrived, but a meta-reality warper, an entity far more powerful than Discord with the power to warp the minds of all around him and the very rules of magic to make sure that he's always the Big Hero. And the role the human's assigned to Discord is the Villain to beat down or kill.

Pre-reform Discord's fine with being the villain. But on his own terms. Not dancing on some alien interloper's puppet strings.

Without friendship, or even allies, Discord's going to have to find a way to defeat a creature who can alter fate itself and who can even mind-control him. Or he may just end up worse than dead.

Art by Tenchi-Outsuno. Progress Bar at my writing journal.

Trigger warnings: Mind control (magically induced love, magically induced friendship, magically induced stupidity, Discord being Discord), noncon/dubcon (magically induced love, other forms of highly dubious consent), rape (female on male), violence/gore (mostly against Discord), literally everything in chapters 19-21, humans not being presented as unilaterally wonderful and superior to ponies and/or draconequui.

So Fluttershy said, “Pretty much everypony knows you’ll ask us out. Your performance at the Gala is the talk of the town. The Downtown Rag ran a transcript.” I said, "Well, then, dinner out?" To which Fluttershy replied, "Yes, if Tree Hugger agrees."

And there in a nutshell lies my problem: This red-maned Bohemian was inscrutable and unflappable. And picky about the food she puts in her temple. Worse, I had the uncanny feeling she was playing me. Me? Yeah, she didn’t remember meeting me. That was my line! So, how do you arrange a double date, without raining down chaos, and keeping every pony happy?

Well, I started by asking Spike about Rarity...

Apple Bloom was hopeful when Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo got their Cutie Marks.
But as she got older, the idea of remaining a blank flank forever became less of a mild fear and more of a disappointing reality. Now an adult and one of the few ponies in existence without a Cutie Mark, she has created a unique brand of study known as "blankology" in the hopes of uncovering the secret of her blank flank, as well as the blank flanks of other adult ponies.
Lately, her enthusiasm for her work has been slipping. Is it time for her to give up blankology?

After the gala, things return to normal quickly. Yet it seems like there are some things that need to be talked out.

At least, Discord feels that he should.

Short little thing that came to me after the 'Make New Friends But Keep Discord' episode.

Enjoy.

On a sweltering day in mid-August, a mysterious stranger rides into Ponyville on a mission to remove excess body hair.

Featured on Equestria Daily!

We doubted the queen's power. We thought nothing of her tales of strength. Why should we have believed the far fetched rumors of awesome power? Of her loyal maidens of battle? That the small country that had the gall to call itself the "Crystal Empire" was in its right a true empire?

Well, the simple answer is, we didn't. And we should have.

Then maybe the bloodshed could have been avoided. I believe that's what Queen Megan would have wanted.

-From the memoirs of an ex-Providence soldier.

Inspired by a particularly excellent piece by Equestria Prevails!

Celestia is payed an unexpected visit by Discord, leading to them both swapping memories between each other.

Story based off dragonfoxgirl's art, pink strand of memory. I do not claim to own it.

Maud Pie has written thousands of poems.

Here are some of her poems.

They're about rocks.

Featured by the Royal Canterlot Library and the Royal Guard.