Far to the north, encroaching the farthest border of Equestria’s tundra, stood the majestic territory of the Crystal Empire; the once lost crown jewel of the land, lovingly protected by a magical shield generated by the Crystal Heart. Within the shimmering walls of the kingdom, hundreds of happy citizens went about their sun-shining day, oblivious to the harsh cold. Ever since the threat of Sombra was extinguished for good, thanks to the efforts of the Guard and an unlikely set of heroes, ponies moved with confidence. Even building repairs couldn’t phase the demeanor of everyone there, as if they were more happy to rebuild from the damage. The atmosphere was so cheerful and proud, one could swear that the populous could almost go into an impromptu song and dance number. Yes, everyone within the Empire’s walls was in the highest of spirits.
However, unbeknownst to all but the rulers of the Crystal Empire themselves, a heavily guarded double sized caravan drew ever closer to the castle’s protective barrier. Said caravan was headed by no less than twenty Royal Guards, and carried the following: Princess Celestia, the light fuchsiaish gray coated and multi-color maned princess of the sun, her sister Princess Luna, the dark blue coated and starry night skied color maned Princess of the night, the Element of Kindness Fluttershy, the pale light grayish yellow pegasus with a flowing light grayish rose mane, and Elvis, the dark skinned, balding black haired biped that wore various golden rings on his arms and fingers, a snazzy but rather tight light gray sleeveless suit that did nothing to hide his rather large, hairy belly, and kept an unlit and lofty cigar chomped between his teeth. However, these weren’t the only strange passengers, considering such an unlikely assortment of individuals. With them was the mismatched, unforgettable creature with a name that perfectly described his visage and purpose, sporting a horse head, a goat horn and deer antler, a ram’s beard, a lion paw and eagle claw, a cloven hoof and lizard’s leg, a dragon’s tail, a bat wing and a bird wing, and two slightly off kilter yellow eyes with red pupils. This was the draconequus and Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony; Discord.
“Oh, dear Celestia, is this reeeeeaaally necessary?” the draconequus whined, probably for the third time, sick of the silent treatment, and the threat of being beat-up by the temperamental demon beside him.
“You tried to turn the royal guard into a ballet recital,” Celestia droned in irritation, breaking her silence.
“And summoned clowns to throw pickle flavored pies at them,” Luna added, also rather irate.
“I needed to do SOMETHING to liven up my departure of that stuffy landfill you call a city,” he barked, crossing his arms. The sounds of angry moos could be heard as the two princesses stared daggers at the reality warping trickster. “You know, you should thank me for not ‘loosening’ everyone up myself,” honestly wishing he could try to set up the old “rubber and glue” routine.
“Just like you should thank me for not punching you in the face in response, pendejo,” Elvis chimed in.
Discord’s gaze fixed toward the chaos magic immune monster that rode with them, grinding his teeth enough to make audible balloon squeaks. Elvis did not flinch, and merely continued to stare at the mismatched serpent. With a huff, he stopped, and finally broke away from the stare-down. “Oh, you’re such a boring spoilsport. If it weren’t for your immunity, your predictable antics would have you right hosed.”
Elvis, quick to the draw, snapped his right hand forward and caught Discord’s claw, mid transformation into a garden hose that was about to violently spray everyone in the area. With the power of the earth itself, The Deva tightened his grip until the pressure began to build in the hose-like arm Discord began to make.
“Ok, Ok, I get the point, now let GO of me!” Discord demanded as his arm returned to normal with the sounds of deflating whoopee cushions. Elvis let go, just as he was told, before grabbing his cigar, preparing to light it up without thinking.
“Elvis, please, not now,” Celestia chastised, trying not to be disrespectful towards the Deva, but having a hard time due to dealing with the mad composite creature they were forced to ride with. “I understand the craving, but just hold on until we’ve landed, ok?”
Elvis growled lowly, “Estúpidos caballos de pulmón rosado y sus sensibles narices.” He then looked toward Fluttershy beside him, whom had been very quiet through the whole ordeal. However, her pleading eyes said it all: the whole situation was stressful enough for all parties involved, and getting angry about not smoking wasn’t helping matters, not even mentioning that no one there would feel very comfortable smelling the smoke at such a close proximity. Maldito, those are some expressive eyes. He relented, and put the cigar in his front pocket for the time being.
Fluttershy gave a small smile and sigh of relief, glad someone was willing to cooperate. She then looked towards Discord, whom was just on the other side of Elvis. While it was somewhat difficult to catch a glimpse of him due to Elvis’ rather large shape and Discord’s own snake-like form, she could just barely see him gazing out the carriage window with a bored look on his face. For a split second, he almost looked like an innocent colt, rather than the horrible manipulator that tried to destroy her friends and the world with pure chaos. She almost felt kinda sorry for him.
It was then the very restricted and moody chimera noticed Fluttershy staring at him. “And what, prey tell, are you gawking at?”
The timid pegasus let out a small squeak of surprise before ducking back behind Elvis’ obstructive frame, out of Discord’s line of sight. Discord rolled his eyes right out of their sockets and onto the windowsill, continuing to stare outside, still bored of the current turn of events.
“We’re here,” Celestia announced as the carriage shook slightly as it finally touched down on the ground. After a few more moments, it came to a stop, and the guards that flew with it lined up on the right side to help usher them out, and keep an eye on the untrustworthy one. One by one, they each filed out, starting with the two sisters, followed by Fluttershy, Elvis, and finally Discord, after he was done looking for his missing eyes. “We don’t have all day, Discord.”
“That’s quite rich, coming from you, Ms. Daymare,” Discord sassed, blowing a party favor raspberry with his forked tongue. The guards all stomped and presented their weapons, pointing them at the Spirit of Chaos. “I suppose this is how you treat all of your dissenters?”
Celestia sighed. “Stand down.” They did as they were ordered, which did nothing but literally have him draw a small, smug smile on Discord’s face. “Elvis, I want you to take Discord, and follow my sister to the Crystal Castle.”
“You’re making me go with moody and gloomy?” Discord questioned faux incredulously, following the quite seriously sounding, “But, I’ll be bored to death before I make it to the front gate. Have you no mercy, Dearest Celestia?”
“Do you have much of a choice?”
“And I thought I was the tyrant. Fine, if you absolutely must.” He then raised his arms in a dramatic fashion, feigning a faint. “Take me away!”
“You’re not as captive or restricted as you think. However, I want you on your best behavior for the time being, at least until everything is said and done. Now go.”
Like a petulant child, Discord stuck his forked tongue out and blew a raspberry. Unlike a child, actual raspberries began flying out of his tongue and at the various guards faces, along with bouncing off limply against the magical barrier around both Luna and Celestia. Elvis wasn’t so lucky while Fluttershy hid behind his large frame to entirely avoid it, only to apologize profusely for using him like a shield.
After that sorry display, Discord finally complied and followed Luna and the Deva to the castle, leaving Celestia with Fluttershy and the entourage of guards. The Solar Princess turned to her diminutive little subject and spoke once again. “As I’ve explained previously, my little pony, I’ve requested your help in this matter-”
“Oh, well, I know, but I still don’t-”
She gave a little chuckle. “Allow me to finish.”
“Okay...”
“I’ve requested you and you alone for this task for a number of reasons. For the sake of transparency, while it is because your patience and kindness know very few boundaries and I have the utmost confidence in your abilities to assist with Discord’s reformation, it’s in part a safety precaution.”
“A safety precaution?”
“Indeed. I’m aware that Discord has tried to manipulate you once when he separated you from everyone else and failed to do so indirectly, resorting to direct mind control.”
“You saw that?!” Fluttershy exclaimed in shock, before feeling rather embarrassed of being spied on at such a vulnerable moment in her life. “H-how? I didn’t see you anywhere.”
“The details as to how I was able to witness what happened then will be discussed later, I promise, but the point I wish to make is that your resilience to his effects is something few can ever boast about.”
“Oh, well, thank you,” Fluttershy squeaked with a light blush.
“I am also aware that you have taken the opportunity to act as caretaker to a creature that made its home not too far from here. From what I’ve been told, he’s been quite a handful.”
“Yes, but Bael can be sweet when he wants to be.”
I believe you say that about a lot of dangerous creatures, Fluttershy, but this is precisely why you’re perfect for the job. Celestia smiled as she continued, “This brings me to my other point. If Bael is indeed keen on your presence, then worse comes to worst and Discord tries anything nefarious, he’ll be there to keep you safe.”
“I suppose so...”
“If anything does go wrong, don’t hesitate to contact us. For this period, if you are in need of assistance, I will come to your aid, as well as your friends, and each of them will have their element at hoof,” she said, as she caused a small, ornate box to materialize between them, “And so will you.” She then opened it to reveal the necklace which contains the small butterfly shaped gem, which sparkled in the daylight.
“A-are you sure?”
“I would not do this if I wasn’t confident.” As she spoke, she removed the necklace from its seat and placed it around Fluttershy’s neck. “With that said, I shall cast a warding spell so that only you are capable of removing the necklace as one last precaution in case Discord tries to take it. I have also cast a summoning spell for your convenience upon saying a specific phrase. You’ll know what it is when you hear it.” Upon stating this, her horn flared as the necklace glowed briefly and shimmered from its magical light.
“Th-thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now, let us join the others in the Crystal Castle. I have a few things to discuss with everyone there.”
Ahead of these two, Luna, Elvis, and the ever lagging behind Discord marched down the central street towards the castle. Their presence, along with the long list of Royal Guard ever vigilantly keeping up with the trio, attracted quite the crowd over time. Some with curiosity, others with shock, but all of them were terrifyingly intrigued. Crystal Ponies far and wide only know the tyranny that was Sombra, but have heard tales and rumors of the Spirit of Chaos, and couldn’t help but shiver in the warm sunlight. Having experienced entrapment by one monstrous nut job was enough. Even gazing upon Discord’s visage was enough to make those with weaker constitutions take a step back in fright.
However, despite his boredom and irritation over being treated with such extreme caution, bemusement did seem to set in as the audience, young and old, stared at him like a sort of side attraction. The terror on their faces was expected, but painfully predictable, and needed to be corrected. The answer? To stretch his cheeks with his fingers and loll his tongue from his mouth, before transforming it into a noodle-y looking pony to flap and wave about in the wind as if it were in extreme excitement. The children's mood slowly changed from fear to fun as they watched the impromptu spectacle before concerned parents brought their little ones closer, weary of the shape-shifting chimera’s antics. Not one to be outdone by parental censorship, Discord snapped his fingers, and suddenly icecream cones appeared in the hooves of fillies and colts in the immediate area. Cacophonous squeals of joy could be heard as every child reveled in the spontaneity of the moment unfolding before them, along with a collective groan of irritated parents. Then, the critique began rolling in, to mixed results.
“Mmmm, I got chocolate!”
“Orange sorbet!”
“Eughhhh... why’s mine pickle flavor?!”
“I’ve never seen that color before... I don’t think I want to see it again.”
“I LOVE strawberry and banana chunk!”
“Son, if that icecream... THING insults me again, you’re grounded.”
“Why do I smell fish?”
“COOKIEDOUGH!”
“HONK!”
“Discord!” Luna shouted, catching the attention of the smirking draconequus, “Make haste or be chided! We wish to conclude our business this eve BEFORE the morrow beckons our duties!”
“Indeed,” chimed in Celestia, whom caught up to the group along with Fluttershy, “Basking in your antics can wait. We have much to discuss in a very tight schedule.”
He sighed, “As you wish.” Discord then turned to the crowd. “Farewell, my adoring fans!” Upon his farewell, he took a bow as a range of cheers and jeers were thrown his way, along with the more unflattering flavors and colors of icecream he summoned. All that earned was a satisfied chuckle out of the mismatched creature.
With that, the party of five all headed for the palace to set in stone what would be officially Discord’s first day of rehabilitation.
-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-
“You have GOT to be joking.” Discord repeated. Nearly everyone, including Celestia, Luna, Elvis, Shining Armor, Cadence, and a few of the Royal Guard present in the room glowered in his direction, deadly serious, while Fluttershy hid behind Celestia, trying to stay out of sight of the judgemental eyes. “Fluttershy? Really?” No one flinched or answered his obvious question. “REALLY?! Fluttershy?!” He elongated his neck with the sound of a compressed accordion so he could see the somewhat nervous pegasus cower behind her ruler and co-conspirator. “And just WHAT is she going to do to stop me if I don’t comply?”
The question was rhetorical, but the implication was clear. Honestly, what could the humble, kindly, and quiet little mare do in the face of such an unruly and unpredictable avatar of disharmony.
“May I remind you for the umpteenth time, Discord, that the Elements are available to be used at a moments notice, and are charmed to be out of your reach?” Celestia said curtly.
“Oh, woe is me. The candy colored bane of my freedom,” he warbled in false sobs, before he snapped back with a more serious follow up. “May I remind YOU that all Element bearers are required to imprison me?”
“Fluttershy has been given hers, and I’ve already made arrangements to instantly summon the others if need be,” Celestia explained, “All it would require is for Fluttershy or anyone in this room to merely say the worlds ‘I need help against Discord’, and Twilight, along with the others, would appear at her side.”
“Ugh,” he groaned, “You’re always so many steps ahead, aren’t you Sunbutt? And what’s going to stop me from just messing with the minds of everyone here before it could even be said?”
“Verily, thou rehabilitation is not to be hosted here. Indeed, dearest Fluttershy will be taking you outside the city, for her duties extend to another... Another, whom will act as her guardian in place of Elvis.”
“There’s another one of YOU things here?”
Elvis simply took a drag from his cigar, and gave a hearty chortle with a toothy smile. “Surprised me too, gilipollas.”
“Speaking of,” Celestia started, turning her attention to the little pegasus still hiding behind her larger frame, “How has our guest been since he’s been under your care, Fluttershy?”
“Oh, he’s very well, thank you. Bael has been quickly learning to keep his temper and watch his behavior. He still has the odd rude comment to say, but he’s getting there.”
“Oh, brother, what sap!” Discord said, before melting into a pile of sticky goo, ruining the cloth that draped the table. Everyone groaned in irritation.
“Never the less,” Celestia concluded, “You will be joining Fluttershy as she attends to Bael. Perhaps his example could help assist in your reformation.”
“He could also kick your ass in my place, if nothing else,” Elvis said with another chuckle.
“Language!” Fluttershy barked suddenly, The Deva raised his hand in apology, before taking another drag of his smokable.
“Fine, fine, if you honestly insist. Now then,” the chaotic spirit started, rising from his seat, “Where do we go from here?”
“Cadence and Shining Armor, along with the Royal Guards I’ll leave behind for the time being, will escort you and Fluttershy to the barrier’s edge, where they will relax the magic enough for you to pass through.”
“Oh, don’t be silly. I’m sure wherever we need to go according to the script is somewhere I can just arrive at in a snap,” he announced, pulling out a small set of papers, reading them quickly, before tossing them behind his head. “Ah, there. And awaaaaaaaaay, we go!” He then declared as he snapped the fingers of his lion’s paw, blinking out of existence.
Shining Armor and Cadence both sighed, which only prompted confusion out of Fluttershy.
“I know he just teleported, Twilight does it all the time, but why do you sound so exasperated?”
“You’ll see when you get there,” said Celestia. “Now then, I have some pressing matters to attend to back in Canterlot, along with my Sister. Fluttershy, follow Cadence and Shining Armor to the barrier where your intended to leave through. With all said and done, however, I wish you the best of luck, and I do hope you will not need to end the rehabilitation prematurely.”
“Thank you. I’ll do my best, “ she said, puffing her chest slightly in pride.
And with that, all remaining parties involved left the dining room, proceeded out of the Crystal Castle, before separating either to go back to Canterlot, or proceed towards the barrier, where a very disgruntled and impatient draconequus snapped his fingers to very little effect, barely teleporting from side to side. It was somewhat amusing to witness such a commander of the unpredictable in such an unpredictable situation to him. Fluttershy couldn’t help but giggle a little at the irony, along with Cadance. Shining Armor, however, was a little less mirthful over the mad creature’s display of incompetence, as well as the implications of such a display.
“Confound teleportation magic,” Discord uttered with venom, “What’s wrong with you?”
“The barrier around the city keeps ponies inside safe from the harsh northern elements of the tundra,” Shining began to explain, “AND to keep out those with malice in their heart.”
“Malice,” Discord questioned incredulously, “ME? Oh the nerve of it all. I don’t have a mean bone in my body.” With that, he opened his mouth, grabbed his snaggle tooth, and pulled out his entire skeleton in a cartoonishly over-the-top manner, which stood beside his floppy body that seemed to just wobble more than it stood. “See?”
It was then seen that the words MEAN in big, bold, black letters were apparent on each of his bones from antlers to toes, save for one of his ribs. “Oops. Ok, fine, maybe I’m a little bit on the nasty side, but isn’t that why I’m here?” His skeleton then opened the mouth of his body, stretched it out like a pair of pants as wide as possible, before pulling it over like some sort of one piece suite.
“Thank you for the nightmares,” Shining deadpanned, before he turned to Fluttershy, “I know you’ve been able to handle monsters before, but this is a whole different beast. If you have any trouble at all, don’t you dare hesitate to summon your friends immediately.” He then looked at Discord who had a smug look on his face. Determined to wipe it off, Shining added, “And if that isn’t enough, come directly to us and we’ll use the Crystal Heart.”
“Oooh, I’m shaking in my scales!” he retorted.
“Uhm, actually Discord, the last one to be hit by the Crystal Heart was vaporized,” Fluttershy interjected, which got the draconequus’ attention.
“Really?” he asked genuinely, “That’s... a bit troubling, actually.”
“So behave yourself for all our sakes.”
“Even a snap of your tail and turning beavers into super-dam building monsters is enough reason for that,” Shining warned.
“Fine, fine, fine! I’ll play ball for now.” He then turned to Fluttershy, as he had no desire to speak to the rulers of the Empire. “Now, how are we to leave this accursed city if my rehabilitation is conducted outside?”
Shining flared his horn with a brilliant light and opened a passage in the barrier about twice the size of a pony of his stature. A small amount of snow spilled onto the grass before melting away in the warmth of the Empire’s sun.
“Shall we?” Fluttershy asked, pointing to the harsh cold outside.
“If you insist, but please, ladies first.”
“Well, thank you,” Fluttershy replied with a small smile, walking out into the tundra.
As she left, and while making sure he wasn’t going to be noticed by his small yellow warden, he quickly turned to Shining Armor, stuck out his forked tongue, blew it like a party favor just before he turned to the exit and marched into the snow himself while giving a sassy snap of his fingers.
Shining closed up the hole in the barrier with another flare of his horn before giving a heavy sigh. Cadance approached her ailing husband and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. “You did very well, honey.”
He gave another sigh. “I trust Celestia and all, but, do you really think Fluttershy will actually be able to handle it?”
“Honestly,” she started, “I have no clue.” Shining Armor practically sagged upon hearing those words, but she continued anyway, “But if anyone can do it, Fluttershy can. Have a little faith.”
“And if it goes wrong?”
She then gave a hard stomp of her hoof, “We’ll blast the sucker.”
High above the center of town, a snowflake fell down to the roads of the empire, followed by another...
-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-
What followed was perhaps the most rocky introduction and greeting one could ever conceive, not that Fluttershy didn’t try to keep things on the positive end. As soon as they had arrived at Bael’s hovel entrance in the mountain side, where the great toad was waiting patiently, Discord had decided to make snide comments and jokes at the demon’s expense. The Lord of Frozen Soil didn’t take too kindly to the insults and remarks, but unlike the past where he would have eaten the insolent fool, be they human or demon, here, he simply growled and returned fire with a few thoughts of his own. It swiftly became a shouting match at who could make the better insults. Despite his years of expertise, he couldn’t quite match up to the creativity that the mismatched being exuded, so he always lost the last laugh. As irritated as he would be, he couldn’t help but feel a bit impressed. He’d never admit it, however. Even under oath.
Despite their spats, the little pony that accompanied the two of them still kept a chipper attitude, breaking the fights and talking down the more aggressive of the two. It didn’t help that the chimera serpent that lorded over the disorderly entirely enjoyed the idea of instigating and egging on the aggression whenever he could, but she did the best she could. Fluttershy would quickly realize that Bael was also doing his best, even though most attempts at remaining even-tempered was destined for failure.
But over the hours as the day ticked by, the little pegasus kept calm and carried on, presenting opportunities for Discord to be himself and act comfortably: offering kind words when he did and bit her own tongue when he went too far. Though, whenever she refused to speak, the Master of Frozen Soil was quick enough to bark an order to pull back on the “comfort”. Dancing frozen fish and turning some of the melting ice into green slime with rubbery properties was bad enough, but instances like making the interior of the cave rotate swiftly while they sat mid air in the dead center of the spinning tunnel were moments they could seriously do without. Of course, Discord ignored the comments, and Fluttershy surprisingly insisted that it would be alright, much to Bael’s chagrin.
“You are a massive irritation, chimera,” grumbled Bael.
“And, you’re just massive. I’d help with your little weight problem, but I’m afraid my magic doesn’t work on you,” Discord retorted, smug smile on his face.
“Discord, would you like some sugar with your tea?” Fluttershy interjected, trying to stop another budding insult match.
“Oh, why THANK you, dearest Fluttershy,” he answered with the fakest enthusiasm he could muster, “I most certainly would love some. Two please, extra lumpy.” He then snapped his eagle claw, and turned the sugar cubes into misshapen representations of the three of them. He took two lumpy sugar Baels, and dropped them in his tea, which elicited a pathetic, mousey squeaking noise from the beverage while the sugar cried for help as it dissolved. Discord shot a glance at the toad as it sneered back.
“I do hope you’re quite comfortable,” she responded.
“I would like it much better if we weren’t in some dingy cave, but I suppose we have to make the best of it. OH, I know what we could do!” He then suddenly snapped his claw again, and this time Fluttershy found herself and Discord in her little cottage, rotating in the opposite direction, inside the cave, while Bael was dropped and left to uselessly tumble just outside the cottage walls. Fluttershy gasped at the sudden change and resisted the urge to shoot a glare. “There, now we can both be comfier. Aren’t I such a nice, reformed, pleasant fellow?” he asked with a raised eyebrow, almost begging her to say something contrarian.
Fluttershy took a moment to try not to pass out from the ever changing vertigo, but with some proper composure, she answered him properly. “Why, yes, Discord. I was actually missing home just a smidgen, so this did make me feel a little comfier.”
“Really?” he questioned flatly, before coughing a bit to think of something better to recover with. “Well, heh, yes, indeed, that was the idea. I’m so glad you agreed with me.”
“Are you *grunt* MAD?” Bael yelled from outside, still tumbling about along the cave surfaces. “He has summoned your *oof* home HERE and is proceeding t- *ugh* to turn it into a *grr* disaster zone!”
“He’s only trying to be polite. I can’t fault him for that,” she responded. “Give him the benefit of the doubt.”
“Yeah, Mister Overgrown-Tadpole,” the Lord of Chaos said with a smirk and an angel’s halo appearing over his head, “give me the benefit of the doubt!”
“I may not be a friend,” Bael bitterly said as he stopped tumbling and began hopping in the direction of the caves rotation, “but I REFUSE to turn a blind eye to this madness!”
“Bael...” Despite his words and denial, Fluttershy could feel the concern only a friend would have for someone in her peculiar situation. She thought for a moment, before a brilliant idea had struck her. “What if we put it to the test?”
The sound of a record scratching could be heard as both the cave and the house stopped their anti-physics tumbling. “Exsqueeze me?” Discord blurted in shock.
“I trust that Discord’s rehabilitation is going well so far, and while it may be too early to call it a success, I want to prove that he’s taking this seriously.”
“Oh, what a MARVELOUS idea! And how will you be doing that.”
“We’re going to hold a dinner party.”
Silence reigned for the moment as the idea sank into the minds of everyone present. The sounds of crickets reverberated off the well acoustic walls as the two just stared at her blankly. It was then that Discord broke the silence.
“Oh excellent! Oh sweet honey on a cheese sandwich, you will NOT regret this, especially you, my dearest Fluttershy,” the Lord of Chaos remarked with a flourish.
“I already am,” the great toad grumbled. Discord then blew a blue raspberry at him with the sound of a kazoo. Bael glared at the offending party, before a thought hit. “Wouldn’t the test be somewhat lackluster if we are the only three present?”
“True...” Fluttershy agreed while pondering.
“And, I also suppose it would be very reckless of us to force anyone in that empire to attend and be mortified by the appearance of either of us together, considering both of our track records.”
“You mean, considering YOUR track record, whatever that may be,” Discord interjected. “I, at least provide the necessity of bringing a little randomness to an otherwise dull day. You’re welcome,” he said, crossing his arms in a huff.
“But, they still need to be sensitive to his actions, in case he tries to pull a stunt.”
“Why, I NEVER!”
Fluttershy sat for a moment, considering what he said. In truth, she had already considered the possible choices. Ever since the Princess had first requested her to tackle this little stunt, in fact. Considering that she had chosen to build the trust between them as an equal certainly helped to sway her thoughts at this point in time. The final cards were about to be dealt, so it was time to move forward with the only gambit that would move her in the right position to hopefully find the chink in his attitude.
“We’ll be bringing my friends over as guests,” she finally concluded.
“The other Elements?” Discord asked, before he pawed at his little white chin scruff in thought. “You know, this might actually be the best idea you’ve ever had. What better way to evaluate my progress than to bring forth my heaviest critics? Oh, but they must be all the way back in Ponyville, doing heaven-knows-what through their day-to-day lives,” he remarked with a toothy grin. “It would be quite the inconve-”
“That won’t be necessary,” she interrupted, as she pawed her Element that was fastened around her neck. It would be quite the risky move, and she would definitely have to explain herself, but she certainly hoped the result would be one of understanding. “All I ask,” she started as she looked towards Discord, “Is that you tidy up the house a little, and get everything ready for the dinner party. The dishes should be in the cabinet, the tea set in the cupboard, and light appetizers in the ice box, provided nothing was damaged during the spin.”
“Oh, what child’s play,” he said with a laugh, “I’ll be done faster than a toad hopping out of boiling water.”
Trying not to visualize that horrifying idea, Fluttershy instead gave a nod and proceeded out the door. “I’ll be back in five minutes.” With that, she exited the front door of the cottage and began walking down the long tunnel of Bael’s cave until she felt she was far enough away, turning back only once to find the house properly placed upon the ground; upright as it should be. Before she started what she intended to do, there was an almighty “thud” that caused her to jump a little with a slight squeak. Turning back around, she found Bael right behind her.
“What are you doing? That chimera cannot be trusted in the slightest, and you are just leaving it unattended?!” the great toad hissed.
“I need to give him the space enough to make his own decisions, and I believe,” she stated with conviction, “that his own desire for positive reinforcement and attention would outweigh his other behaviors.”
“How can you be so sure? He’s done nothing but attempt to provoke, and he makes it a point not to hide it.”
“I know.”
Bael stopped for a moment, before he continued his thoughts. “You know? And yet you allow it?”
“He needs to know that someone can trust and befriend him, Bael. His way of thinking is... different, and so is his lifestyle. Making himself comfortable will obviously be a trial for us, to say the least, but if we can put up with it, and ease him into being more comfortable with our lifestyle and more aware of the thoughts and feelings beyond his own, it’ll put him in the position to take that first step.”
“Which would be?”
“Accepting genuine friendship.”
“You’re mad.”
“It’s not nice to call ponies names, Bael.” she stated in a deadpan manner. She then closed her eyes, held a hoof against her Element, and whispered quietly the words that came to her in her time of need. “I need your help.”
The Element of Kindness that wound around her neck then began to glow as the magic infused in it suddenly shot forward and created five blinding flashes of light. There, standing before her were her friends, each of them already equipped with their own corresponding Element.
“Well, that didn’t take long,” Rainbow Dash snarked with a roll of her eyes.
“Despite the flippant way you put it, yes, it indeed didn’t take long.” Rarity agreed, albeit begrudgingly.
“Alright, Fluttershy, where’s Discord?” Twilight asked, ready for the obvious reason they were summoned.
“He’s preparing dinner as we speak,” Fluttershy confidently announced. There was a pregnant pause among the Element Barers as the odd answer sank into their reality.
“Dinner?” Rarity questioned.
“Mhm-hm,” Fluttershy nodded.
“Regular dinner?” Twilight further pressed.
“Well, a dinner party, but yes,” Fluttershy responded yet again, eliciting a light squee from the pink party pony in the back.
“With no acts of mind control or other evil shenanigans?” Applejack added.
“I most certainly hope not. That wouldn’t make him a very good host, now would it?”
“Wait, are you expecting us to walk into your home, be guests in HIS dinner party, and pretend this isn’t weird at all?” Rainbow Dash all but shouted.
“I’m still standing by the fact that this is a very bad idea,” Bael grumbled.
“I’m with Ugly McToady here. This spells disaster with a capital Discord!”
“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy chastised with a small, disapproving look in her gaze. “First off, you will apologize to Bael for calling him that. Secondly, can’t you all have a little faith in me? I want to give him a chance. I want us all to give him a chance.”
Her brash, but loyal friend backed up a few steps with head dipping slightly. The five then turned towards each other and began discussing what they should do. Despite grievances, the group itself was rather split on the matter. On the one hoof, this whole idea was risky enough to blow up in all of their faces. Even if he couldn’t get the Elements away from them through his own methods, he could always use other, indirect ways. This wasn’t even mentioning that he was still quite a dangerous individual as it were. On the other, they DID have the Elements by their side to deal with him as a last resort, not to mention the demon that towered above the lot of them, whom had a natural defense against chaos magic.
“But, I’m still worried,” Rainbow Dash rebutted with a hushed tone. “I don’t want any of us getting into trouble over this, or worse. You’re with me on that, right guys?”
Twilight looked back to Fluttershy, whom returned a pleading gaze, wishing for an understanding. The unicorn thought back to when they were last in the Crystal Empire, which reflexively brought her gaze up to Bael, whom stared down at her as if he was also waiting for the best possible answer. She then turned back to the rest of her friends. “I do agree with you, Rainbow, but... Maybe we should have some faith in Fluttershy this time.”
“Really, Twilight?”
“Don’t you trust her?”
“Well, sure I do, but I don’t trust Discord.”
“She’s not asking us to trust him. She’s asking us to give him a chance. There’s a difference.”
The stubborn pegasus didn’t know how to respond to that. Was there really a difference? Wasn’t trust needed to give someone a chance? Or, was Twilight implying something else through the subtext that she wasn’t really picking up.
“Worse comes to worse, we’ll use the Elements to fix whatever happens.”
Rainbow Dash huffed in defeat. “Fine. I’ll go to Discord’s stupid dinner party. I better not get gravy on my coat, though!”
Fluttershy then rushed over to her bemoaning friend and gave her a hearty hug, before whispering “Thank you.”
“Yeah, yeah, let’s just get this over with.”
Twilight smiled, as the six proceeded towards the house as Bael watched on, eyes narrowing in distrust.
-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-
The dinner went about as well as expected. As they approached the front door, they were greeted by Discord himself, dressed up as a waiter, inviting them inside in an overtly ridiculous fashion. Once inside, they’ve noticed that the little home of Fluttershy’s had been warped and stretched up as if it were pulled by a taffy machine. Fluttershy herself didn’t bat an eye, but praised the draconequus for setting up the dinner, complete with the correct plates and cutlery. The six and Discord then gathered about Fluttershy’s dinner table, which had a spread of all sorts of dishes and fixings. Everything seemed quite as lovely as it smelled and probably tasted, but that wasn’t the main attraction, nor reason. This was a test, but in his mind, it wasn’t the kind of test that Fluttershy ultimately had in mind. To start, in an effort to liven up the get-together in his eyes, he gave the table’s contents a bit more character. True to fashion, everything on the table had come alive with a mind of their own, producing mixed results. Pleasantly, it seemed that Pinkie had taken a liking to the very affectionate gravy boat that barked like a dog, even petting it as it garnished her mashed potatoes with its contents. It didn’t take long for Rainbow Dash to disagree with some harsh words, earning an irate gravy boat’s filling upon her lap and seat.
With accusations being slung by the now peeved pony with gravy all over her coat, Discord sidestepped the hoof pointing, and stifled his own giggles, by directing attention to a set of dancing candles. Applejack and Rarity couldn’t help actually appreciate the novel entertainment, but Rainbow Dash once again refused to fully commit to the madness and blew them out. Her adamant distrust was rewarded with flame-less candles beginning to poke and jab at her mercilessly as Discord remarked that she must have made them mad. Soon, even Twilight’s patience began to wane as a haphazard comment about the whole situation seeming fishy triggered a fish-shaped soup-bowl into a frenzy, spraying everyone with warm veggie broth.
It took everything in Discord’s power to keep himself from laughing out loud like a lunatic as he watched the five panic and become more and more frustrated with the events thus far. Sure, he could have played the long con and behaved cordial before the lot of them, but this way was far more fun. Honestly, he was hardly paying attention to their complaints, only really catching the tail end of it with Fluttershy’s response.
“I see that Discord is far from perfect...” Fluttershy started.
Oh, but I am Perfect. Perfectly imperfect. The best kind, really.
“... but, I ALSO see that none of you are giving him a chance!” she then finished. Discord struggled to keep his laugh in check, letting a barely escaping snicker get past his snaggle tooth.
Everyone, save for perhaps Twilight, who looked a little more sullen than the others, argued back in a cacophonous, disgruntled rabble, with Rainbow Dash punctuating it with, “Why do you keep cutting him so much slack?”
Fluttershy then did something that Discord never expected in a million years, let alone a thousand. After a short pause from the question, she shuffled up beside Discord, gave him a warm and gentle hug, and declared, “Because, that’s what friends do.” The inside of Discord’s mind sounded like carriage tires screeching to a halt and vinyl records being forcibly paused happening at the same time as he took time to process the whole thing. It wasn’t the words themselves, or the single warm hug really, that made him come to a complete stop. It was the genuine sincerity that came from the combination.
Discord looked down to the little pony that still gently held him. The very pony he was making a fool of and who’s friends were being mocked and pranked by machinations both directly and indirectly in his ultimate control. After a moment or two in thought, he then managed to mutter, “We’re friends?”
Fluttershy then let go of him, only to begin hovering in the air so that the two were now at eye level. “Why, of course!” she announced without hesitation. “I can’t remember my house being this lively before you came along.”
The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, ruler of the unpredictable and master of the perplexing, sat there utterly gobsmacked. His dumbfounded state reflected in the dinnerware, as they all returned to their normal, inanimate design, causing the girls to take note of the obvious change in attitude and power.
“Oh...” Discord finally weakly uttered, “Well, I... never really had a friend before...”
Fluttershy then gently took up his gloved lion paw by her hooves with a tenderness only a seasoned pacifist could tout, and responded with the utmost sincerity, “Well, now you do.” He reacted by bashfully pulling his paw away, no longer sure of himself or anything around him, save for the one fact: He had a friend. It was perhaps the most alien, most bizarre, and most unpredictable concept to him, and yet the notion itself, as foreign as it was, didn’t seem so out of place.
A lengthy silence followed as the other five Element barers looked on, somewhat unsure of what to do or say. Twilight however, gave a slight sigh and a gentle, if sad, smile. I’m sorry I doubted you again, Fluttershy, she thought. “Ok, girls...” she then announced, getting the attention of everyone, “I think we should give these two a minute alone.” She then turned back to her soft spoken friend that hovered beside the mismatched, beastly creature that had previously been so thoroughly their enemy only moments ago. “We’ll be heading back to the Crystal Empire, Fluttershy. If you need us again, let us know.”
Fluttershy nodded, as she watched her friends slowly file out her warped front door. She then turned back to Discord with a smile, whom returned it was a fidgeting half grin. “I’ve... never had a friend...” he muttered again.
“You mentioned that,” she replied.
“Sorry, it’s just quite a new concept, even for me,” he confessed, “It’s quite rare when something so completely throws me off.” And, I can’t help but feel like I’m forgetting something.
“It’s quite rare I throw someone off,” Fluttershy giggled. Discord gave a small, short laugh, still feeling odd, but strangely happy.
However, the moment didn’t last, as the sound of encroaching, periodic thuds could be heard getting closer to the cottage. “What in cold blazes?” Discord asked in confusion.
Fluttershy hovered towards the door, only to turn to Discord to say “Wait right here, I’ll go see what’s going on. We’ll continue this conversation later, ok?”
“Uhm, ok, sure...”
With that, Fluttershy exited her house and proceeded down the long tunnel, where she noticed the loud thuding stopped, and the source of said noise was now conversing with her friends.
“Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash called, “We’ve got a big problem! Frog King here said that something’s going on with the Crystal Empire.”
Bael grunted in response, but made no effort to protest otherwise. “I might be able to quell the issue, but I don’t think I can stop it.”
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“That’s what we’re going to go check out. If he can’t stop it, we may need the Elements to try and fix this.”
“Ok, I understand.” Fluttershy then turned back to her cottage. “Discord! I’ll be right back. Something is going on at the Crystal Empire, and I’m needed. Please, wait patiently, ok?”
“There’s no time, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, as she then started dragging her along to catch up with the rest of the group, whom had already proceeded out of the tunnel following Bael’s unseen exit.
“Oh, ok, sorry...”
-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-
Fluttershy couldn’t believe her eyes. The entirety of the Crystal Empire within the dome of the magical shield, which had nothing but crystals and green meadows within the boarders, was now completely covered in snow, with a wicked blizzard brewing above it. It was like some sort of oversized snowglobe, which, if she was being honest, would be a lovely decoration to have, but this wasn’t the time to be thinking about that.
“This is impossible! The Crystal Heart- I-it shouldn’t be possible with the Crystal Heart there!” Twilight shouted.
“Indeed, my dear, if that book we read last time is anything to go by. But, eyes don’t deceive.” Rarity rebutted.
“I can slow the storm,” Bael stated, “But, I cannot reverse or even remove it. Powerful magic is creating and maintaining it. Powerful... chaos magic.”
As soon as it was said, everyone turned to Fluttershy. Most eyes were filled with concern of varying degrees, while one had a rather disappointed “I told you so” scowl that couldn’t be mistaken. “You see Discord is behind this, right?” Rainbow Dash finally spat.
“Well, of COURSE I do!” Fluttershy shot back with an annoyed glare, “Do you all think I’m just a silly, gullible fool?” Ashamed murmurs and confessions escaped a few of them, before Fluttershy continued, “I’ve been trying to gain his friendship any way I can, so he can come to trust and listen to me.”
“Hey there, Fluttershy, wanna stomp a few sick tricks down the slopes? The Pow-Pow’s fine today!” Discord exclaimed with terrible ski slang as he rode down the side of the mountain upside down with the greatest of ease before skidding to a powder showered stop.
Fluttershy composed herself, and put on a brave face before muttering, “Time to see if this worked,” to herself.
Unclipping the skiis from his horn and antler, he flipped himself out of them and trotted up to the gathered girls and the irate toad that was all but done with his antics. “Oh there you are,” he said with a hint of fondness, “A sight for sore eyes.”
“As you can see,” Fluttershy stated flatly, “There’s a big mess up there in the Crystal Empire.”
“Mess? I don’t mean to alarm you, my dear, but what I see is perhaps Equestria’s largest snowglobe before us,” he insisted, “Honestly, we should be calling up whoever’s in charge of booking records like these!”
“Discord.”
“I’m sure the folks inside could use the publicity. Imagine it. Each one of them famous for being the first residents of-”
“Discord,” Fluttershy repeated, more firmly this time.
“Oh, I’m sorry, go on, my dear,” he offered.
“The Crystal Empire would never be like this if it weren’t for your reckless behavior, and I don’t think the ponies inside appreciate it either. You need to fix this.”
Discord gave it a moment of thought, before a disconcerting smile crept along his face. “Oh, yes, very well, I will fix it. I only ask for one thing in return.”
“Yes?”
“I ask that you never use your Element of Harmony against me,” he requested, still smiling, “As a sign of our friendship.”
Fluttershy took a step back, unsure of the frankly dangerous proposal. She could tell that there was a faint bond of friendship between herself and the chimera, but there was always the possibility that everything she worked on could irreparably flip on its head on her. However, if she trusted anything, she trusted herself to make the right call. Concerned friends nor potentially manipulative lord of chaos could take that from her.
“If I give up the use of my Element against you, you’ll get rid of the snow?”
“I promise, cross my heart,” he stated, drawing an ‘x’ over a spot on his serpentine torso.
Fluttershy then proceeded to remove the necklace from her, and hold it aloft with her hoof, placing her free hoof across her chest. “I promise to never use my Element of Harmony against you.”
Gasps escaped the mouths of the other girls, with a particularly disheartened blue and rainbow pegasus being handed her friends Element of Kindness, as Discord gave a triumphant smile, shouting, “Excellent!” With a snap of his eagle claw and a blinding flash, everyone present found themselves surrounded by lush greenery, bare rocky mountains, and standing beside a sandy beach with a large, clear blue lake sitting placidly, almost inviting all to enjoy its splendor. The only thing ruining the beautiful sight all around was the Crystal Empire still being entrenched in its own snowstorm at this point.
“THERE!” he exclaimed with sincere glee as he broke through the pristine lake’s surface from below, “Much better! I do prefer water ballet to skiing, don’t you?” A second Discord appeared beside him as the two begin to do a synchronized routine. Three more Discords, all sitting at a desk at the edge of the lake, each presented a score card, with two perfect tens, and one begrudging six.
“Oh, spoilsport,” he muttered, blowing a blueberry at the underscoring judge.
“DISCORD!” Fluttershy shouted angrily, “That’s. Not. Fixing it!” She then took flight, and tried to dive at the two Discords, only for them to side stride out of the way, not really paying attention. It was only when she loudly splashed into the water that the real one turned to the frustrated and soaking wet pony that was glaring daggers at him, with his copy soon poofing from existence.
“Do you need a little help there, pal?” Discord asked with concern.
“Don’t call me your pal!” she spat.
“ENOUGH!” shouted Bael, “This farce has gone on too long!” He then inhaled as much as he could take, before belting out the coldest air, instantly freezing the majority of the water, and trapping Discord within the icy grip. Fluttershy, however, was left unaffected.
“Oh, I forgot about you,” he grumbled as he teleported out of the ice that held him. “Can’t you see that me and Fluttershy are about to have a little friendship moment?”
“Be silent, you annoying snake!” he bellowed, before he jumped at Discord, mouth wide open, ready to try and eat the draconequus.
With a smirk, Discord snapped again, which caused the ground below to shake for a moment, and reveal a giant hand made of solid rock to catch the great toad mid-air.
“What in hell?!” he croaked in surprise.
“There, that aughta take care of the most dangerous thing here. Now, where were we, Fluttershy?” he asked, turning back to her, whom has been fuming in the water the whole time. “Why not let by-gones be by-gones, and just come swimming with me? I could really use a partner in my routine, my dear friend.”
“Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash called out, flying towards the two of them with the Element of Kindness in hoof, “It’s not too late! We can blast this sucker and go home!”
Fluttershy looked to her longtime friend, whom doubted her in her efforts but would have her back in a pinch, and to her newest, whom had seemed to trust her in some ways but ultimately didn’t seem to fully understand. She thought about her next action, carefully, and felt if things were going to get better, she would need to take the risk. I’m sorry Rainbow Dash, girls. “I made a promise not to use my Element against him, and I’m going to keep it.”
Collective groans and sighs of discontent were heard as they realized Fluttershy, of all ponies, would fearlessly stick to her guns, no matter the cost to herself.
“You see? She wants to have fun with me because WE’RE FRIENDS! She can’t use the Elements against me because WE’RE FRIENDS! I’m FREE! FOREVER!”
“NOT! YOUR! FRIEND!!!” she shouted as she shot out of the lake and began flying toward the Crystal Empire.
“Who CARES!” he managed to shout.
However, before he could go into a tangent, Bael roared, “DISCORD!” as he summoned massive ice shards laced with chaos magic, ready to be launched and pelted at the mad, mis-matched creature. As he fired, Fluttershy gasped, and proceeded to act automatically and jumped in front of Discord, forelegs outstretched to defend him with eyes shut tight to prepare for the worst. “MOVE, YOU FOOLISH MORTAL!” he shouted just as loud, but it was too late, as everything was in motion and far too late to stop.
“FLUTTERSHY!!!” shouted the other five girls, with Rainbow Dash attempting to speed towards her to tackle her out of the way, but would be ultimately too far to do anything.
Luckily, a wall of rock suddenly sprang up before Fluttershy as the ice shards shattered against the surface, which was followed by the sound of a pony sized “thud” and weak “ow”.
Fluttershy opened her eyes, only for the rock wall to fill her vision for a moment, which soon lowered itself and disappeared back into the earth, revealing everyone’s terrified, albeit relieved stares. She then turned to a visibly confused, angry and shocked Discord. “What in all of Equestria are you doing?! Do you know what could have happened to you?!” the Lord of Chaos shouted, absolutely mortified.
“Y-you... cared?” she questioned, still a little shaky from the adrenaline wearing off and her common sense finally kicking in to berate her rash and extremely dangerous choice.
Discord was taken aback by the revelation of his impulsive action, which resulted in all concentration lost to him at that moment. “W-well... yes, I suppose. I did... care...”
There was an almighty roar as Bael busted himself out of his stony prison and landed with an earth shaking crack. Discord whipped around, only to see the great toad charge in his general direction. However, the massive demon veered to the right, and stopped at Fluttershy’s hooves. “You stupid, inconsiderate, foolish sap of a beast of burden! How DARE you put yourself in danger like that! You know my rule, and you know our pact! I am NOT-”
“Bael, it’s alright...” Fluttershy interrupted, trying to reassure the frantic monster.
“IT IS NOT ALRIGHT! If you pull a stunt like that again, I’ll FREEZE OVER THIS FORSAKEN LAND! I WILL NOT TOLERATE SUCH RECKLESSNESS AGAIN!” he yelled.
“Is he getting louder?” Rainbow Dash quipped.
As Fluttershy was trying to gently calm down the blood-boiled demon, while her friends approached to press their own concerns, having her promise not to throw herself in such a dangerous situation again like that, they failed to notice Discord wander away with this sullen air about him. He sat down on a rock, looking out into the distant sky, and after a heavy sigh, another blinding flash happened, and the scenery around them was once again snow and ice covered, with the Crystal Empire itself finally snow free.
Fluttershy noticed the sudden change, and excused herself from the group before approaching Discord, whom was just about to wander off again.
“Discord?” Fluttershy asked. “Where are you going?”
He stopped in his tracks. No silly sound effect was heard or strange action was seen. He gave a bit of a sniffle before he wiped a tear from his eye. “Well played, Fluttershy...” He said solemnly.
“Are you alright?”
He stood silent for a moment, having a tough time finding the right words. “I... I never expected any of this. I thought I could just play ball until you gave up your Element, and use it against you, but... I just can’t, and I don’t know why. I’ve never had a friend before. This is just all so new to me.” He then turned towards her. “Then you surprised even me even more by throwing yourself in harms way, just to protect me!” He then gave a scowl, “Which was VERY irresponsible of you, young lady! If I hadn’t acted, that lump of warts could have easily hurt you, or worse!”
“I know. Everyone has said something similar. Even Bael, or the ‘lump of warts’, as you call him.” She giggled, before she approached Discord, and gently took him by the paw. “But... I’d do it again to protect you, Discord. Because, that’s what friends do.”
Discord was nothing short of gobsmacked as he looked down to the little pony that treated him with nothing but kindness. He gave a genuine smile, before saying, “I suppose I have a lot to learn.”
“And, I promise to teach you.”