//------------------------------// // Trying // Story: The Spirit of Chaos and the Element of Kindness: Tales of Friendship and Discord // by heavymetalqueen //------------------------------// Discord chuckled as he watched the ponies cry out, their hooves making a constant clatter as they ran around in circles. Leaning back in his chair grinning he sipped on his glass of water. He watched the unicorns, pegasuses, and earth ponies as they screamed and ran around in terror. If he had known that ordering a salad would have done such a thing he would have taken his best friend out to eat so much sooner. “Oh, oh! Look, it's my second favorite pony!” Discord called out waving his hands up and down as he shrieked with joy. Cackling as he watched Derpy try to avoid the scurrying ponies. Her flight pattern was a constant set of circles and loops. She didn't last long when she swerved to the left to avoid a panicking earth pony, that jumped a little too high, running right into one of the many street lamps. “Oh! It's just too perfect~! Wouldn't you say, my dear?” Fluttershy hid her face behind the cafe menu, her cotton pink mane barely sticking out. Her face heated up with embarrassment again as Discord chuckled. She bit her lip and peaking over the paper on the table she whispered out her reply shyly. “If you say so- I mean, it's fine if you like it an-” “No need to be so nervous, my dear, you can say whatever you like. Unless you think my mane is funny, if that is the case let me live in blissful ignorance.” The draconequus tapped his best friend playfully on the nose, grinning widely as the pegasus gave a small giggle. “You know how I am about,” Discord pause to dramatically flip his bangs with the back of his lion hand, “my perfect mane.” “Yes, I do know,” Fluttershy smiled shyly at her friend, speaking in her signature quiet voice. “I just wish it wasn't so... loud?” “My dear, why didn't you say so earlier!” Discord covered his eyes with his eagle hand, snapping his fingers he giggled as the sound of the other ponies stopped completely. The ponies continued to scream and cry out, but now Flutershy and him couldn't hear the screams. “Does that suit you better, my dear?” Fluttershy took in Discord's hopeful eyes, she knew that Discord would bend over backwards for her if she asked for it. She also knew that Discord didn't do anything but order what he wanted for lunch. That and it was healthier for the draconequus to have a bit of chaos in his life. She nodded as she went back to reading the menu, she knew that there was little she could do to change her friend, it was up to Discord if the draconequus wanted to be good. Discord puffed out his chest slightly, pride washing off of him in waves. Of course he would be proud, his best friend was happy and being taken care of by him. His best friend, regardless of what the rainbow waste of space said, and he was the bestest friend that Fluttershy had, he made certain of it. He knew it was slightly petty to go through so much effort to try to out show the pegasus's other friends, but he was part dragon; dragon's were possessive and protective over what was theirs. Make no mistake, Fluttershy was HIS best friend. His only friend, so he was allowed to be a bit petty. “Now since our waiter has run off,” Discord gave a mock sigh as he dramatically looked around to hide his grin. The earth pony was probably still trying to open the door that he magically glued shut. “What would you like to eat, madame?” Discord popped up next to the yellow pegasus in the stereotypical waiter's outfit, the suit vest and all. A little french mustache wiggled as he pushed out his lips and fluttered his eyelashes at his friend. At her giggling he nearly fell out of character. With a small grin splitting his face he mussed that he would do anything to keep his best friend happy and safe. Readjusting the towel draped over his arm, he cleared his throat waiting for her order. “Oh- Sorry,” Fluttershy whispered, “I- uh- can I have a sandwich?” “What kind ma'am? There are,” Discord snapped his finger, little plates of sandwiches covering the table and paved patio around him. “Hum, there are a lot more than I thought there would be...” Spotting a sandwich made of mostly meat and one slice of cheese he pulled back in disgust. There wasn't even any bread on the sandwich, “Is that even a sandwich, it's just meat!” Fluttershy turned to the sandwich in question, sure enough the sandwich was just slices of meat between fried meat. Discord gave another cry, “There isn't any bread! A sandwich is anything that is between two or more pieces of bread, it is not made of meat and ONE slice of cheese. You disgust me!” Discord whooshed the sandwich away with snap of his fingers, “Fluttershy my dear, you can have any sandwich but THAT one.” Fluttershy giggled quietly into her hooves, Discord found the strangest things upsetting. He would get worked up over silly things and not take important things seriously unless she asked him to. The draconequus pouted at his friends laughter he was being serious, that was not a sandwich. “It's not,” Discord whined as he draped over his friend. Slowly he pressed some of his weight onto the small pony, his clawed fingers tickling the pegausu's ribs. His happy parade was rained on by the appearance of his tied for least favorite pony. Sighing in irritation he snapped his fingers, making all the sandwiches disappear. His face dropping to a heavy frown as he leaned against the wooden table. Oh, joy, he thought with a snort as he watched five ponies run up to him in anger, well four ponies were running, one was flying. His least favorite ponies in all of Equestria –not counting Trollestia–, sadly that included Pinkie Pie, were here to “stop” him. It was enough to almost make him laugh as the rainbow maned pony snarled in his face. Snapping his fingers he brought the sound back. As funny as it was to watch the rainbow pony silently scream, he was still out to prove that he was Fluttershy's BESTEST friend. “-so what do you think you're doing Discord?” Rainbowdash growled at the creature before her. “Why I was taking my dearest and only friend out to lunch,” Discord smirked at the irritated pony as she tried to grab at his horns, ducking slightly he just shrugged, “I was only ordering a salad when they all started screaming.” Applejack snorted, “I'm sure you did,” Turning to her shy friend she spoke softer, “Now, Sugercube, is he telling the truth?” “Ye- yes, we were just going to have lunch when Discord ordered a salad and every started to scream,” Fluttershy mumbled pushing the coaster around. “He was really just trying to be nice...” “See,” Discord flopped backwards, “You are all just SO mean to me, what have I ever done to deserve it?” “You threw Equestria into chaos. Corrupted and hurt us, mainly Pinkie Pie.” Twilight Sparkle shouted back at him. “Oh, pish-posh, that is so done and over with. You ponies keep living in the past,” Discord flopped down onto a blue bean bag chair. He just smirked as they continued to try to argue with him. Like he really cared about what they said or did, he scoffed as the one with the ridiculous purple hair called him a brute. Their words didn't sting like they did before, not since he was call a sweetheart. He poofed up a bag of candy watching as Fluttershy's face twisted to a disappointed frown, “Rarity, he's not a brute he's my friend, just as much as you all are. Now please stop ganging up on him, you don't have to like him, but- but I wish you were more civil around him. He's changed, so- so why can't you guys just give him a chance, please?” “Only if we get to throw a party!” Pinkie Pie shouted, “I didn't get to throw one when he was con- conver- became nice.” “Oh, a party for me!” Discord hid his face behind a fan, “Oh, but I'm much too shy!” “There's no need to be, everypony is going to be there and you just have to talk to everyone- and dance, you have to dance! There will be games, music, food, and cupcakes! You have to come!” “Pinkie Pie, you can't just throw a party and not ask them about it,” Fluttershy scolded her friend lightly. “What if it's a surprise party?” “Well, then I guess it's OK then.” “We aren't having a party for Dipcord,” Rainbow Dash grunted her hooves crossed over her chest as she floated above the ground. Her eyes glaring down the smirking draconequus. “The freak doesn't deserve one.” “Dashy!” Fluttershy cried scandalized at the idea of one of her oldest friends call Discord a freak. “What it's true and you know it!” “No it's not, Discord is not a freak- no matter what anyone thinks. He is one of my best friends, he is kind, funny, and very sweet,” Fluttershy glared with tears in her eyes. “Alright, I'm sorry I called him a freak,” Rainbow Dash grumbled, her eyes down cast in shame. “Yay, we're throwing a party!” Pinkie Pie clapped her hooves, doing kicks as she pranced around balancing on her back legs. “Come on Dashy!” She cried clamping her jaw around the floating pegasus's left leg, “'E ar ging tuo deecoreate!” “What?” The pegasus scream and shouted as she was dragged off by her enthusiastic friend. Her wings flapping to try to pull her out of the earth pony's grip. The remaining three watched as the two disappeared into Sugar Cube Corner. “Don't let me catching you doing anything funny, Discord,” Twilight Sparkle threatened with a small glare. Blowing her mane out of her face she turned around to head back to her library, glancing back at the waving draconequus every once in awhile –making sure that there wasn't anything flying after her. Rarity huffed, flipping her mane back with grace that came from practice, she wrapped her arms around the butter pony's neck in a tight hug. “Just let us know if he is bothering you, dear. I won't have anypony acting uncouth around you.” The mare turned around with a prim “humph” and stalked back as harshly as she could while looking after her manicured hooves. Applejack just rolled her eyes at the others' reactions. Pulling down her hat and squaring her shoulders, she calmly strolled over to the draconequus, her eyes hard but understanding. “Now don't you give her any more problems, you know that she doesn't have the easiest time handling it, so stay out of trouble for her sake.” Turning back to Fluttershy she put a hoof on the mare's shoulders, “If it gets to be a bit too much just let me know alright?” “Um, o-ok,” Fluttershy nodded, “I don't think it will be a problem, if that's alright with you?” “Of course it is, Sugar cube.” Applejack gave her friend a small smile before nodding to Discord. Fluttershy and Discord watched as the earthpony pranced off with a proud trot. “She is such a flipper-flopper.” Discord mused as he tilted his head slightly, “Going from hating me one minute to being almost accepting of me the next,” his head suddenly turned around too much to be natural, “It's enough to give a pony a neck cramp.” “Please don't take what they say to heart, they don't mean it. At least I don't think they do...” “Of course I won't take it to heart, they just want to lock me up and turn me to stone for the next thousand years.” He waved her concerns off. “Now about that party! I hear Pinie Pie throws the best parties!” “Oh yes, they are very nice, she makes certain that there are ponies that I know there so I don't feel too uncomfortable. It's very kind of her to do so, she doesn't force me to dance when I don't want to either.” Fluttershy smiled as she told her friend all about the parties she has gone to. “Even at the party for that mean Griffin, Gild-” “Mean griffin?” “Oh, um, she was a friend of Rainbow Dash's, she wasn't very nice and, well, she roared at me, and... made me cry,” She mumbled out remembering the mean griffin. Her eyes looked back up at the spirit of chaos, the draconequus's teeth bared and eyes narrowed. It made her make a small squeak of fear. Hiding in her tail and mane she made a small whisper, “Sorry.” Discord swooped down and wrapped his reptilian body around his smaller friends. Smiling softly he used his lion hand to pet his friend's head, “Oh, my dear, there is nothing for you to apologize about, it is HER who should be saying sorry.” Fluttershy didn't look up from her hiding place at the draconequus's growl. “But I ran into her without looking and-” “NO.” Discord growled into her pink mane, his mind already forming ways to get revenge on the next griffin he saw, “She made you cry, you! That is unforgivable, making my bestest and dearest friend cry, you wouldn't even hurt a soul- not even when you were wrestling that bear.” “I was giving him a massage,” Fluttershy peeked out of her hiding place at her friend. “Still! Making you cry,” Discord grumbled with rage, his tongue running over his snarled fang as he thought of all the unpleasant things he would do to the griffin for upsetting his friend. “And that takes a lot of courage my friend, even I am slightly afraid of bears.” Discord put his eagle hand over his eyes, “They're so big and HAIRY, oh the hair, it's not even fabulous like my eyebrows.” Giggling into her hooves she leaned into her friend's petting, “He's very sweet actually. You should see Applejack do a round up, it's very impressive, more than anything I could do.” “Oh please, doing a rope trick is impressive? You just have to give them the stare and they would fall over themselves trying to form a line,” Discord snorted resting his head on his lion arm as he uncurled from around his friend slightly. Laying on his side he began to examine his nails, “Now, do I really have to go to that party that Pinkie Pie wants to have for me? Would it even be worth it?” “Oh, yes,” Fluttershy nodded, “Pinkie Pie throws great parties, even I have fun at them.” “But what if no one likes me?” “Nobody changes over night, but all you can do is try. Real friends will give you a chance, you just have to give them one,” Fluttershy smiled looking up at her friend. Anyone else would think that the draconequus was nonchalant, but she could see the uneasiness in the other's eyes. “I'll be with you the whole time, just promise me you'll try. Pinkie Pie does try really hard to make great parties.” “I prah, hum that's a hard word,” Discord rubbed his jaw uncertainly. His face twisted up as he tried again again and continuing to make gurgling noises, “Promihhhh- promahhsh, pormi- Oh drat this confounded word!” “You mean promise?” “Yes that word, to trahha-” Discord pursed his lips, this friendship thing was so hard sometimes. “I that word to do the other word.” Fluttershy giggled into her hooves at her friends slight distress. She knew he was trying very, very hard and that things just came out wrong. Another unfortunate effect of being the spirit of chaos. “Just as long as you try.” “I will, now about that salad; do you think Angle will be upset with me for taking his?”