“Mornin'.” said Applejack, as Discord strolled onto the south field.
“Morning.” said Discord, leaning against a handy apple tree. “I believe it's your turn today?”
“Sure is, sugarcube.” Applejack bucked a tree, letting the apples fall into the buckets. “Took me a while ta think o' something, Ah don' mind tellin' ya. But Ah think Ah got a chance. Have ya ever done a solid day's work?”
“I've done more with a snap of my claws than a thousand Earth ponies could do in a year.” stated Discord.
“Ah know that.” said Applejack, waving a hoof dismissively. “That's not what Ah asked. Did ya ever put a whole lotta effort inta some aim – without magic – in order ta achieve some goal?”
Discord sighed, and thought of his fairly recent journey through Las Pegasus, trying in vain to find some means of gambling that he couldn't easily predict. “Yes.” he said.
“Physical effort?” asked Applejack. “The sort that leaves yer muscles sore?”
“No.” admitted Discord.
“Well, then.” said Applejack, placing empty buckets around a tree. “Ah think it'll surprise ya. Why not give it a try? Give this tree a good solid kick, why not?”
Without even getting up, or glancing at the tree in question, Discord sighed. “In that tree,” he said, “there are three delicately balanced apple pies, four water balloons, and a pink Earth pony with a flugelhorn, all ready to fall out around me if I kick the tree. Nice attempt at distraction, by the way.”
“Hey!” said Pinkie, her head dropping from the tree. “How did you know I was here?”
Discord shrugged. “I saw you.” he said.
“Three apple pies?” asked Applejack. “Ah put five up there!”
“Oh!” said Pinkie. “Sorry, I was hungry. So, Discord, you can see through leaves?”
“I once spent a thousand years,” said Discord, “as a statue. A statue with closed eyes. I learnt how to see through things – at least at short range – just to stave off the boredom. Something that hides away, and jumps out when I get near, isn't going to take me by surprise.”
There was a long silence, punctuated by Pinkie blowing a blast on the flugelhorn.
“Well.” said Applejack, once Pinkie had stopped to take a breath. “Ah had some other little surprises set up, but if ya can see through things, Ah don't imagine they'd be all that surprisin'. Ah guess Ah'll have ta fall back on plan B.”
“Let me guess,” sighed Discord, “getting me to do a 'good day's work'?”
“Exactly.” said Applejack. “We can start with some repairs ta the barn. There oughta be some planks an' beams round back...”
“There aren't.” said Discord.
“There aren't?” asked Applejack. She hurried around the barn, and looked at the empty patch where there was supposed to be a pile of wood.
Discord sighed,and snapped his claws. A pile of wooden planks and beams appeared. “I can't believe,” he said, “that I'm even seriously considering trying this. I'm really scraping the bottom of the barrel here...”
* * *
“So,” asked Applejack, after her and Discord had spent all day doing repairs around Ponyville, “how do ya feel?”
“Tired.” said Discord, grumpily. “My muscles hurt.”
“Ya don't feel any sorta sense of accomplishment?” asked Applejack.
“Not really, no.” said Discord. “I could have done all of that in half a second, much more easily, if I'd wanted.”
Applejack sighed. “Ah was hoping a new experience would do it.” she said.