It was a nice summer day in Ponyville. Everyone was busy chatting and frolicking. But unusually for one feline fellow, he was not having fun at the bowling alley or exploring some nearby caves. He was busy meditating in his mansion's courtyard.
"Aru shemu zania! In the night I am like a breeze. Silent but there." He had been chanting these ancient Speed Shifter poems for thirty minutes. Though the only meditation he would normally want to do would be a nap, he knew he had to take this seriously… Even if it was still boring.
"I am one with lightning, I am one with the air. For I am a Speed Shifter."
Night Fury decided thirty minutes was enough for now. This was a beautiful day! He wasn't going to waste it. So what if the Emperor said one hour in the morning? He can get that later.
"Besides, he doesn't have to know."
So he walked outside on the path. It was a nice day so far. He waved at the other ponies. But as he was walking, he noticed none of the Mane Six were in their houses when he knocked.
"Huh, that's strange. Maybe they're already up and out enjoying the day." Fury said, deciding to walk into town to see if they were there. He strode through Ponyville looking for any signs of his friends, but came up with nothing. He was just about to give up when he looked to the outskirts of town to see Twilight and the others at the top of a grassy hill. He revved up and took off towards the hill, jumping up once he reached the peak and landed on top of the hill with a skid.
"Hey guys, what's going on?" He asked, wondering why his friends were just standing around on the hill.
"Oh, we're simply waiting for Princess Celestia to arrive." Rarity replied, looking at herself in a mirror.
"Yeah, but it's taking forever!" Rainbow said.
"Now Rainbow, be patient. This guest is said to be very important." Twilight said. "We just have to wait until she gets here."
"Really, Celestia's coming? I would like to talk to her about all my wacky escapades with meditation." Night Fury said.
All the while Spike looked completely nervous. Seemingly expecting the worst.
"What's up with you, champ?" Fury asked Spike.
"It's just… she's been four hours late. Usually she arrives fairly soon. But maybe she got in some trouble! Maybe some villain kidnapped her and took her place!"
"You gotta relax." Night Fury reassured him. "This isn't a comic book. You're starting to sound like that crazy teal unicorn's rants on the streets. I'm sure she probably is just busy with some negotiations."
"Or maybe it really could be that snake like dude with those strange chaos powers!" Spike said.
"Okay, now you're just trying to mess with me. You have to be a bit more clever for me to fall for-"
"No, I mean it! Look!" Spike pointed.
Night Fury then saw something quite peculiar. He saw not only Celestia but also a statue of a snake-like creature with an assortment of body parts descending to their level.
"Wow, this land of ponies gets weirder every day." Night Fury said.
Celestia walked out and the others bowed to her.
"Greetings everypony. Oh and you as well, Ambassador."
"What's going on here?" Night Fury asked.
"You see, this is the Lord of Chaos himself, Discord. Do you recognize him?"
"Oh, I don't think-"
"Night Fury, get behind us!" Twilight said, her and her friends getting in front of him "We know exactly what this is."
"You do not have to participate in this if you don't want to," Celestia said. "I understand you had a lot of things going on before, after all."
Part of Night Fury agreed with Celestia but he felt bored throughout the day and was curious what this Discord fellow would be like. This could be interesting. And besides he could help if it seems opportune.
"Nah, I'll stay and observe. I'm kind of curious."
"You don't know what you're doing, Night Fury. This is best left to those familiar with Discord." Twilight said.
"Don't worry Twilight, Discord's power should still be restrained. Night Fury will be just as safe or in danger as the rest of you. In fact… perhaps Fury might have something to offer considering his characteristics" Before Fury could ask what she meant Celestia simply went back into her chariot to fly back to Canterlot.
The Mane Six used the spell, the stature was affected and out came the Lord of Chaos himself.
"Hello there everyone! It is nice to see such familiar faces! And um whoever you happen to be. A um kitty cat?"
Fury felt like slicing him at first. "Okay one, you do not call me kitty cat. And two, at least I'm not a big ugly noodle or snake or whatever you are." Fury said with a smirk satisfied he came with a come back line.
"Ah nice comeback. But I will have the last laugh when I rule the world!" Discord said that he used his magic. "Wait, it's not working!
"Yeah, that's because we disabled it. You oversized lizard!" Rainbow Dash said, getting in Discord's face.
"Awww, I should have thought of that one-"
"Shhh!" Twilight shushed Fury.
"Alright Discord, I don't know why Celestia asked us to reform you, but rest assured we will do our best to do so or have you turned into stone again. So no more funny business!" Twilight said firmly.
Discord simply laughed at this.
"Um excuse me, Discord, sir."
Night Fury could recognize that voice..
"Fluttershy?" Night Fury asked confused. She of all ponies is going to tame him? Did Celestia lose her brain?
"Oh ho ho ho ho! You adorable little thing. Go ahead and tell me please behave. Ha ha ha ha!"
"Um how about we go have tea, if that's alright." Fluttershy politely requested.
"Very well that we shall do. We shall have a lot of fun there." Discord said.
The rest of the Mane Six looked quite worried. Although Night Fury was cautious, he was also quite curious. He was not like the fearsome Sombra, he seemed more like a weird relative except with cosmic powers. He wondered if the emperor ever met Discord.
Everyone went into Flutterdhy's cottage. And there Discord was already causing mayhem. With cups sprouting legs and the house being upside down, it seems like Discord was taking advantage of Fluttershy's trust.
Night Fury was annoyed at how Fluttershy seemed to treat Discord. Was this punk really going to get away with harassing others and the world?
"Oh Night Fury, you seem to be a little angry, kitty cat." Discord said as he transformed into a kitten. "Are you mad?"
"Shut up. I don't have time to deal with you, so get out of my way." Fury said, swiftly kicking Discord against the wall, cracking it with a decent amount of force.
As he kicked the mischievous draconequus, his kick bounced and lunged Fury into the wall adjacent to him.
"Well, I technically am out of your way now!" Discord cheekily said.
"Ow, sweet mother of Equestria! That's one way to snap someone's spine! And that's saying something considering my kind is more resistant to pain." He said, rubbing his back.
Night Fury liked mischief and pranks but this was a whole nother level. "That is admittedly a clever joke. I'm kind of impress- wait what am I saying?! I could probably mess with that old troublemaker more than him!
"Now now Discord, Night Fury is sorry for trying to kick you."
"Yeah, not really." Night Fury replied.
"Shush!" Fluttershy said. "He is trying his hardest to change. He just… needs you to put up with less savory traits for just a little longer."
"Oh suck it up, Flutters. When are you gonna realize that this just isn't going to happen?!" Rainbow said, rather agitated. "Some ponies are just the way they are and nothing is going to change that."
Fluttershy looked upset at what she said there. It looked like it hit a nerve.
"Well I disagree with that entirely, Rainbow. Remember when everyone thought I could never win at anything? That I would always be a cowardly loser who would never get things done?! But I am changing! And while I can't be certain yet, as friends I think we should give the opportunity to change."
Fury could relate to Fluttershy since he used to doubt his own fighting abilities. He still wasn't sure whether he agreed with her but at least he saw her point of view.
"F-friends? Did you say friends?" Discord said in confusion. "Are you just saying that because you're overly friendly?"
Fluttershy warmly smiled.
"I mean it, Discord."
Night Fury noticed the brief change in attitude from this mischievous fellow. Was Fluttershy actually getting through to him?
Discord coughed.
"It's about time we get on with this tea party, yes?" Discord tried to refuce this awkward feeling he had.
"And I think you should apologize to a certain dark haired cat?" Fluttershy said.
"Ugh, fine! I'm sorry Mr. Night Fury for having fun," Fluttershy did not approve of that. "Fine, sorry for alienating you and insulting you."
Night Fury was about to say 'whatever' but he did feel like he was a bit unnecessarily hostile by trying to slap Discord.
"Well that's alright, I guess. I suppose I shouldn't have tried to hit you." Night Fury said. "And honestly you actually… uh never mind."
"Come on, what were you going to say?" Fluttershy asked.
"Grrrr, you have a somewhat funny sense of humor. I liked when I hit you I was flung back actually. JUST A LITTLE! I'm still a little mad about that." Night Fury reluctantly admitted.
"Oh ho ho ho, finally a creature with a sense of humor!" Discord said. "Well, allow me to toast someone with good taste."
His arm detached and Fury toasted his arm as weird as it seemed.
"Time for me to drink!" Discord drank the glass of the bottle. And then… "Blech! What in the world is this?! I can handle paper, glass, houses, but this just seems awful!"
"Ah yes, Mr Discord sir, just a coWeatrice egg in the drink. I swapped the drinks before we had this dinner. I actually forgot about the prank in anger." Night Fury said smugly.
"Why you…!" Discord said angrily "How dare you give me cockatrice, I am the Lord of Chaos! You must pay for your level of disrespect!"
Night Fury looked a bit intimidated by this appearance of Discord, so he moved back and splash.
He landed in some water.
"Ah ha ha ha! Now we're even!"
The rest of the Mane Six were quite confused. Were things going well or was this just hostility?
Night Fury was a little shocked at first but he actually was impressed by this agent of chaos.
"Alright, not bad Discord. You might actually be kind of cool." Fury said. "If I did that with Twilight she'd give me a lecture on how I shouldn't be so naughty."
"Hey!" Twilight said annoyed.
Night Fury and Discord on the other seemed to be getting along strangely. Everything seemed to be calming down. But not for long. Because Angel Bunny came in.
Angel Bunny was giving a whole bunch of signs. The Mane Six struggled to comprehend at first. But they finally made out some bad news. That Sweet Apple Acres was flooding.
"What?!? How did that happen?!" Apple Jack said in shock.
"Well, there's no point in waiting here for things to blow over. C'mon girls, let's go!" Twilight said, the rest of the mane 6 and Fury following her lead.
-
The mane 6 arrived at the orchard and were in complete shock to see that Sweet Apple Acres was now practically a frozen lake of flooded trees and floating apples.
"This… is not good." Fury said.
"YOU THINK?!? MY TREES ARE PRACTICALLY SITTING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND!" Apple Jack said, clearly distressed.
"See Fluttershy, I knew he was up to no good!" Rainbow said.
Meanwhile Discord was having the time of his life sliding on ice. After doing a few a self congratulatory stunts, he finally met up with Fluttershy and the gang
"How did you like my tricks? Pretty snazzy, eh?"
Night Fury even though he knew Discord for less time, already felt a little betrayed. He thought he had made up! And now he was back to not just but environmental damage!?
"Dang it Discord, you played us like a bunch of fools!!!" He said, about to go on a long rant.
"THAT IS NOT VERY NICE!!!" Fluttershy yelled while running towards him. Night Fury had never heard someone so timid yell in anger so much. He was looking forward to seeing Fluttershy of all ponies give this skinny punk a lesson to humble him.
"Oh, I'm just having fun with my new friends." He pointed to a bunch of panicking rabbits running from corrupted beavers. "I think you will learn to like this."
"This is unacceptable, Discord." Fluttershy reprimanded him. "You need to change them back right now."
"Oh why don't you just turn me into stone then?! That would solve all your problems!" Discord smugly retorted
"I want you to do it out of your own free will, not mine." Fluttershy said. "What is it going to take for you to listen to me?"
"Hmmm… how about you agree to never use your elements of harmony again and I will turn things back to normal? Don't you trust me Shy? Hmmm…" He looked at her with puppy eyes.
"Dream on, noodle breath!" Night Fury said. "There's no way Fluttershy would fall for that!"
"It's a deal." Fluttershy replied.
"You tell him Fluttershy, wait what?!" Fury said, a bit shocked.
"I will not use my elements if you agree to turn everything back to normal."
Night Fury couldn't handle this anymore. He ran over to Fluttershy to ask her what the heck she was doing.
"Are you crazy! He's going to do whatever he wants now! Have you gone crazy?!"
Fluttershy looked at him with an unusually serious expression.
"I know what I'm doing. Trust me."
Night Fury had no idea what she was going on about. And yet he saw in her eyes a certainty he had not seen in awhile. His mind was telling him to say she went bananas but his heart was telling him Fluttershy knew Discord. And saw through his soul. So he said nothing.
Fluttershy proceeded to throw her Element to the side. And did Discord stop. No. He instead was surfing on the cold waves now. He was happier than ever.
"See Fluttershy, my friend, this is the life. You can't stop me from my awesome time because I'm your friend! You can't encase me in stone because I am your friend! No wonder your friends like you! Ha ha ha ha!"
Back where Night Fury came from, you would be forced to climb a volcano for twelve hours at night for being such a spoiled brat. He was surprised that Fluttershy seemed angry but it seemed like she knew this would happen. She looked still resolute. Was this part of Fluttershy's plan? Fury was now not angry but curious what she would do.
"I AM NOT YOUR FRIEND!" Fluttershy said with unusual harshness, to Fury's shock.
"Who cares?" Discord said bluntly. "I am able to do whatever I please. Just as I should have done before!"
Rainbow Dash was about to fly and give Discord a good hit on the jaw but Fury stopped her.
"Lemme go! I want a go at this punk!"
"Fluttershy knows what she's doing. She knows Discord's weakness!"
"Yeah right! Fluttershy is nice but she can be so naive and a little foolish. There's a reason why we always have to protect her!"
Night Fury looked into Rainbow's eyes intensely.
"Listen to me carefully Rainbow, I haven't gone to school Fluttershy like you. I don't know what her family is like. But I know she is far more capable than you think she is. She is not as helpless as you might imagine her to be."
Rainbow looked conflicted now. "Well it's just… she's not how should I say…."
"I know what you mean. You're right, she isn't perfect. But right now she might have a weapon you and I don't have. Persuasion and psychology. You just need to trust that she knows what she's doing. I can see it with my own eyes."
Rainbow started to see his point of view.
"Fine… I'll let her keep going. But if this turns out bad. I'll find a way to make Fluttershy use that element!"
"Fine by me."
Meanwhile Fluttershy was simply walking away at a boastful yet seemingly angry Discord.
"Did you really think you could actually make me change?! Did you think the Lord of Chaos would bow to you just because of friendship?! And that now we're not friends that means… you've … won?" Discord stopped.
Discord feels empty now. It was like he had everything planned out and this shy pony somehow got through to him in a way the others didn't.
"Well played Fluttershy, well played." He then turned everything back to normal.
Much to Rainbow and the other Mane Six's surprise that Fluttershy actually succeeded. Night Fury too.
Night Fury wondered how Fluttershy was able to do that.
Before he answered his question, Princess Celestia came by to see the progress.
She walked and Discord, Night Fury and the Mane Six walked by to see her.
Celestia could tell everything was successful. She didn't even seem surprised.
"Well Discord?"
Fluttershy urged him on.
"...fine. I learned that… that…" Discord said.
"I got it!" Night Fury said "Fluttershy showed him kindness others never showed him before and now he realizes he can't do without that friendship. Fluttershy has her own talents. Her kindness is also its own type of warfare. The war of hearts and minds."
"Hah! Check out Fury, he's already started to understand friendship!" Rainbow Dash said, giving Night Fury a nudge.
"Yep, same for you Rainbow! Since you seemed to doubt her and the rest of you too."
The other six looked a little embarrassed.
"Yeah I'm sorry Fluttershy," Rainbow said. "Sometimes I forget you aren't that little wimp from Flight School I had to protect. You've become someone way better. Sometimes, just sometimes, you do it better than me."
Fluttershy simply hugged Rainbow.
"Don't worry, I doubt myself too. But it all worked out." Fluttershy said.
"I just meant that as a joke." Night Fury said. "But this is fine too."
But he also heard Celestia say to keep an eye on Discord. Night Fury had a fun idea.
"How about I help keep track of it sometimes." He said, smirking.
Discord rolled his eyes at this youngster's potential attempts to prank him. "You haven't seen anything, Night Fury!" Discord said.
"Nah, I've seen enough to know you're like an old magician. Full of himself and out of the times."
"Oh really," Discord asked. "Am I the one full of himself or are you?"
He said as he inflated Night Fury like a balloon.
"Hey, help me out here!" Night Fury said in a squeaky helium voice.
"Don't worry, I've got you." Celestia said, using her magic to deflate him and return him to normal.
"Am I in trouble for this?" Discord asked, realizing he got a little carried away.
"Mmmm, Night Fury can be an exception. He can be a bit mischievous sometimes." Celestia giggled.
"Hey!" he said, a little annoyed.
"Sorry, but it's true!" Discord boasted.
"No I was insulted, you didn't realize that you're also inflating!" Fury said.
"Wait a second. How is this happening?!" Discord asked.
"A magician never reveals his tricks." Night Fury smugly said. It was his stare. He had mastered it so well that he used Discord's pranking mindset right back at Discord. It was kind of exhausting and something like that could only be done once a month. But it was worth it.
Discord seemed unamused at how he was now the butt monkey. But then he laughed it off.
"Ha ha ha ha! You might not be so bad, kitty cat!" Discord noogied him.
"Ah same for you, old noodle snake!" He replied.
The mane six were perplexed at how these two bizarre creatures were getting along so well. Except for Fluttershy who simply giggled. And Celestia who seemed to give a satisfied smirk.
As for Fury who wanted to see Discord later on, he realized that this was part of his training, getting into the mind of someone else, and using diplomacy rather than wrath. This he realized makes the marks of a good ambassador.
And besides, who would not want to party with a strange weirdo with a funny voice? Certainly me! Ha ha ha ha! I wonder what the emperor will think of him? He thought to himself as he wondered what would become of him in the future. But little did he know that someone was plotting against him and his rapidly growing success.
"Hmmm, how interesting. I think it's the perfect time for his majesty to put his plan into motion."