//------------------------------// // Discord's Greatest Creation // Story: My Little Sharknado // by Greenback //------------------------------// There comes a moment when every being feels like they've reached the apex of their personal and professional lives, where they cannot go any higher, or do anything better, no matter how hard they try. Most individuals accept this stage and continue doing what they love out of joy, and not for fame or money. Others refuse to believe it's true, and spend the rest of their lives trying to relieve past glories. Then there are those who are the embodiments of chaos and insanity, and when they reach that point, everyone is screwed. For Discord, that moment arrived at exactly two-fifteen in the afternoon as he enjoyed a session of afternoon tea with Fluttershy on the beach. It was also the moment that Equestria was officially doomed (but nobody knew it yet), for Discord was sipping from his cup when he was hit with an awful epiphany. Fluttershy was sharing her tea with nearby crabs and lobsters, but noticed the blank stare on Discord's face. “Discord? Are you feeling okay?” Discord didn't answer; his teacup was halfway to his mouth, and he had the million-mile stare of someone unaware of their surroundings. “Discord?” Blinking, Discord rubbed his eyes. “I'm sorry Fluttershy, what?” Putting her teacup down, Fluttershy got close to the Draconequus. “Are you feeling alright? Is something wrong?” “I...yes, Fluttershy. I'm afraid something is terribly wrong.” “What is it? Can I help?” “I don't know if you can.” Sipping the last of the tea, Discord turned his cup into a towel and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I can try. And if I can't, maybe some of my little friends can!” “Well...Fluttershy, do you ever have the feeling that you can't get any better then you are now?” “Uhhh...no.” A sigh. “I should have known. I'm sorry Fluttershy, but I'm afraid you can't help me. This is something I have to mourn in private. Goodbye.” Discord got up, started to fly away. But Fluttershy wasn't going to let the matter go so easily. “Wait!” She flew after him. “Discord, you should know you don't have to solve your problems alone. That's what friends are for; I'm your friend, and I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong.” Discord wasn't sure he wanted to. But looking into Fluttershy's deep, soul-crushingly beautiful eyes, he couldn't resist. “Well, okay. I'll try. You see Fluttershy...I just feel like I've reached an impasse. A block that's stymied my creativity.” “Stymied?” “Yes, it's a big word. You should look it up sometime. Basically, I think I've used up everything I've got. All my ideas have gone dry. I can't think of anything new to cause good-natured fun and chaos!” Fluttershy flew in close, patted Discord's long mouth. “There there, it's all right. You've been really busy creating all sorts of things these past few weeks. Maybe you just need to rest and get some new ideas. There's no harm in trying, is there?” “Well, maybe...but—” Fluttershy clapped her hooves together. “I know! I'll get some of my shark friends to help! Maybe they have an idea!” Flying low to the waters below, she began to sing a lovely tune. “Wait, she has shark friends?” Discord said to himself. “Since when did that happen?” Fins jutted from the water and headed towards Fluttershy. Then dozens more appeared, until Fluttershy was surrounded by a slow-moving circle of black fins, many of which were bigger then she was. But none of them came close to her, and though an occasional snout popped out of the water, the jaws of the fearsome sharks remained closed as Fluttershy continued to sing. With Discord watching, Fluttershy hovered beside one of the biggest sharks, talked with it for a few minutes. When she was done, she flew back to Discord with an enormous smile. “Oh Discord, it's so wonderful! My shark friends want to make you feel all better, so they're going to sing a concert for you!” Thunder rumbled overhead. “Well, that is, if this storm doesn't get any worse.” Discord didn't seem to hear her. He had the million-mile stare once more, but this time there was something else to go with it. A smile. “Discord?” “Yes, I heard you my dear. Go ahead and tell your little shark friends that I await their concert with great anticipation!” Fluttershy flew back down to the sharks to deliver the message, overjoyed that her plan was going so smoothly. She didn't notice that Discord's grin had grown ever bigger...and that there was now a sinister quality to it. *** Within ten minutes, the number of sharks below had swarmed to over a hundred, containing representatives from every shark in the animal kingdom: the awe-inspiring Great White, the gentle Whale shark, the fearsome Tiger shark, and the hideous Goblin shark, among many others. They moved in organized and disciplined ranks, having performed concerts since time immemorial. And from then, to the present day, they were always pleased to perform, especially if it would cheer someone up. Discord, having conjured up a lavish sofa of the finest silks, sat above the water as the concert began. He watched as the sharks leapt about in crude imitations of dolphins, their most hated enemy since Equestria had been formed from the volcanic earth. The two species had battled to the death to the present day, but it was not the time for battle. It was time for singing, and the sharks did so. Unfortunately for non-aquatic animals, it sounded like incomprehensible roars with absolutely no musical tone, save for the one shark in the back with a musical triangle. Fluttershy hovered beside Discord, trying to keep her smile up as the roars assailed her ears. Every now and then she would glance to Discord, hoping he was having a good time. He appeared to be; he was still smiling, and unlike her, was unaffected by the roars. “Oh, they're so lovely!” Fluttershy said, grimacing as the roars grew louder. “Don't you think?” “Oh, of course Fluttershy! They're oh-so delightful!” He grinned. “But it's such a shame they can only perform out in the open. Don't you think they need a bigger audience?” “Oh yes! But it's so troublesome organizing a concert on the ocean. It's too bad really. They have such a...uh...lovely voice!” Discord laughed. But it wasn't like his normal laugh; it more resembled the time he had laughed at Fluttershy and her friends after first escaping his stone imprisonment. “Indeed, my dear little Fluttershy. It is a voice that should not go unheard! They need an audience, one they can't find here. And what better place to find one then on the mainland?” “But Discord, sharks can't leave the water.” “Oh yes, very true. But why not have the water come with them?!” The sofa vanished, replaced with the chair of a movie director. Discord materialized matching clothing, and a megaphone. “Sharks, positions!” he shouted. “Discord, what are you doing?” “Deadly storm, I need you to flow down and take our friends in your watery embrace! Ready? And...action!” From deep within the storm above, the clouds rumbled like an out-of-control freight train. A giant hole appeared, and a funnel plunged down into the water. It was a tornado, and a big one. Fluttershy had seen aquatic tornadoes before, but they were rare, and when they appeared, all the friendly ocean critters would quickly get out of its way. Her shark friends were doing the same thing below, panicked at seeing it so close. But the tornado wasn't on a random course, for it was being guided. It was heading straight for the sharks. “Discord, stop!” Fluttershy cried. Discord grinned. “Tornado!” he shouted through the megaphone. “Faster!” The tornado did exactly that, speeding up until it caught the sharks. And once that happened, there was only one possible outcome. Fluttershy screamed as her beloved shark friends were sucked up into the tornado. Hundreds of them flew up, roaring all the while (save for the musical triangle shark, who, defiant to the bitter end, continued to play his tune). In a matter of moments, the tornado had sucked up all the sharks, who spun around and around within its watery walls. “No!” Fluttershy shouted. “Discord, what have you done?!” “Done? Oh Fluttershy, don't you see?! You gave me my greatest idea ever! And now I've done it!” Discord laughed, a chilling sound that shook Fluttershy to her bones. “This is the moment that defines me forever! I've created my masterpiece, my pièce de résistance!” He leapt from his chair, spread his arms wide. “I have created the greatest thing ever to be seen within all of Equestria! I have created...A SHARKNADO!” Discord's laugh echoed through the storm, eclipsing even the furious roars of the sharks. Lighting crashed around him, his laughter growing every louder until there was nothing but the maniacal laughter of a genius driven mad by his own creation. “A what?” The laughter stopped. “Sorry?” “You've created a what?” “A sharknado, Fluttershy.” “Huh?” “It's...well, you know. A tornado, plus sharks. A sharknado. It's only the most dangerous thing ever created.” “Well Discord, my shark friends don't like being a...sharknado...so could you please stop it? We'd all be grateful if you returned them all to the sea.” Discord's maniacal laughter started up again, and more lightning crashed down around him. “Oh, I'm sorry Fluttershy my dear, but your precious little shark friends have a date with destiny!” He raised his hands, sent a magical glow around the tornado. “No they're going to go on a tour around Equestria, and let all ponies hear their magical song...of destruction and chaos!” Another laugh, and Discord took off. “Thank you for your help, Fluttershy! I haven't felt so alive in years! Centuries even! Now if you'll excuse me, I feel like sharing my little victory with an old friend of mine. I daresay he'll be hopping around somewhere in the Sol system! Until later my dear friend...tootaloo!” A flash of light, and Discord vanished, blinking out of existence as he left one dimension for another, leaving Fluttershy to deal with the rampaging sharknado. There was no time to go after Discord, or to even comprehend the horror that he had unleashed. All Fluttershy could do was try to stop the horror of the sharknado before it got out of hand. Flying in close, she called out, “Listen everyone, I know you're scared, but I can help! If you just stay here, I can go get my friends, and we—” But the sharks weren't listening to Fluttershy. Their roars, which had previously sung of love and peace, rainbows and sunshine, now sung of anger and hatred, demanding justice and revenge for their torment. Helpless to stop it, Fluttershy was forced to dart out of the way as the sharknado took off, smashing onto the shore and heading inland, as if it had a mind of its own. And even as she called after it, Fluttershy realized that nothing she could say or do would stop her beloved shark friends. Once peaceful and innocent, they were now the harbingers of horror to a world unprepared for their terrible menace. As the sharknado disappeared into the distance, Fluttershy hovered where she was, too horrified to follow, only dimly aware of the horrible chaos a tornado made of sharks could cause. “Oh my...” she whimpered.