Twilight walked over to the chaotic sphere, which lay peaceful and still upon the ground. She lifted it with her magic as if handling fragile glass, and the surface gleamed in the sunlight and reflected a worn alicorn (that it took a moment too long to recognize as herself)—alongside the image of Spike holding Owlicious upon astride her. The silence following all the earlier confusion and Timberwolf rampage seemed to flood Ponyville and overwhelm her. It was like some pony had muted the world.
But then wild cheers and stomped applause exploded throughout the street, punctuated by whinnies and whistles from ponies standing upon front porches, leaning out of windows, coming out of alleyways, and even peeking out from behind overhanging clouds. Twilight peered around at the crowd to see her dearest friends pushing to the front, with Pinkie Pie shooting off confetti with her party cannon, Applejack lifting her cowgirl hat, Rainbow Dash zipping about (leaving behind a rainbow in her wake), and Rarity blowing a kiss to Spike (causing her assistant to blush in ecstasy).
It should have been a perfect scene of triumph, with Fluttershy flying down to tend to Roots and Spike smoothing out Owlicious’ feathers. And that sight was a great comfort to her after everything that had happened.
Yet there was something, or some pony Twilight still needed to confront waiting behind her. She could practically sense his approach, as the sounds of celebration faded to a much softer hum. Spike and Fluttershy even appeared to give Twilight what she interpreted as looks of support before she took a deep breath, turned around, and faced Discord.
Her teacher stood as Twilight had glimpsed during the confrontation, with his expression set and inscrutable, and arms crossed as if in expectation (or perhaps, in her mind, disappointment). Princess Celestia was also not far away, which reminded Twilight of her worst fears again. Discord wouldn’t have needed to tell Celestia of her folly. Her former mentor had seen it for herself and might agree Twilight wasn’t ready to handle this next level in her studies. Perhaps she had even made Discord look bad in front of Celestia, who might then question his teaching abilities.
Well, Twilight just had to pony up and take responsibility for her actions.
“Here is the pure chaos you trusted me with to practice our lesson,” Twilight said, giving the chaotic sphere to Discord—who took hold of the object with his lion’s paw and seemed to study it for a moment before returning his attention back to her. “I’m sorry I couldn’t change it into something more impressive as promised. It was too difficult for me to do. And sorry for all the trouble I caused today with it.” She raised her voice at the last part, so Celestia might better hear her confession as well. “Your magic lesson really was comprehensive and well-done, and I learned a lot. But, I would understand if—”
Before Twilight could continue, Spike cut in, coming to stand in front of her with Owlicious roosting atop his head frills.
“No, Discord,” Spike proclaimed. “This whole thing was my fault. I brought home Roots—she’s the Timberwolf, by the way.” He indicated the crouched pup, whom Fluttershy gently stroked along the snout. “I wanted to have an impressive pet for the Equestria Pet Show, and when I heard Fluttershy had found Roots, I tried to adopt and train her. But she was more than I could handle. I was too inexperienced, and it was only because of Owlicious that I could make any progress at all. He was a true friend. But Roots was my responsibility, and if I had kept a better watch on her, she wouldn’t have run off with that chaos magic—or whatever it’s supposed to be. So don’t blame Twilight and stop teaching her. Blame me.”
Owlicious hooted loudly in agreement.
“Well, I think—” Discord began then, when Fluttershy approached with Roots trailing after her.
“Please, Discord—and I don’t mean to interrupt. This is a big misunderstanding. Twilight has been working ever so hard all week with that chaos sphere and taking the assignment very seriously. If this was any pony’s fault, it was mine. I should have known, as an animal caregiver, not to let Spike take Roots home until he was ready for her or to make sure Roots had a place at the palace where she could stay and not get into mischief. Spike has learned a great deal, yet I should have shown more discretion. So please don’t get angry at Twilight or Spike.”
“No. Really, I’m the one who should have known better,” Twilight gently pushed between Spike and Fluttershy. “As your student, or maybe your former student now, I—”
“No,” Spike persisted. “Don’t stop teaching her for something I did.”
“Discord, please don’t stop the lessons. Twilight would be very sad,” Fluttershy put in, and Roots yapped.
Twilight might have argued her point, but at this moment Discord (who had appeared to grow more agitated throughout these exchanges) clapped the chaos sphere between his paw and claw, which produced a sharp popping sound that made them all stop.
“My, you ponies are quick to make assumptions!” Discord declared. “Who said anything about Twilight not being my student anymore, or even that I wanted to stop teaching her? I didn’t. And why are you trying to pass around blame like a hot potato?” As if in illustration, a red-hot spud materialized in his claw, hopped off, and rolled after one of the few rabbit cakes still loose in town. “Really, I am quite used to getting accused of causing chaos, but it is quite another sensation to have every pony begging for my mercy.” Tugging at his beard, Discord appeared to mull over this thought for a moment, although Twilight could see a grin spreading across his features. “Tell me, Princess Celestia. Was this a common occurrence when you mentored Twilight?”
“Well, there were a few incidences,” Celestia replied, effectively undermining how crazed and stressed out many of her past assignments had made Twilight. And in hindsight, her week-long struggles to influence the chaos bore unsettling similarities to how she had tackled past workloads. “Twilight takes her studies seriously and always strives to do her best, although sometimes she puts just a little too much pressure on herself.”
“I love magic,” Twilight spoke up. “But Princess Celestia is right. I guess I do get a little stressed out over assignments.” Of course, that was not counting the time where she had enchanted her smarty pants doll and caused a fight between crazed ponies due to a spell gone wrong. Yet Twilight didn’t feel the need to bring that up in their conversation.
“That much is clear to me, dear Twilight,” Discord said. “Yet setting that aside, I fail to see how you failed to fulfill the promise you made a week ago related to this chaos.” He spun the sphere on one finger.
“I said I would change the chaos sphere into something more complex or impressive,” Twilight stated.
“No. That was not what you promised, although you seem to have forgotten.” Discord warped the chaos sphere into a small speaker, from which the assembled ponies heard Twilight’s voice ring out:
“I can handle it. And by the time you return, I’ll be able to show you more than a sphere of chaos magic.”
“Your exact words were to ‘show me more than a sphere of chaos magic’.” Discord caused the chaos to return to the spherical form, and then to rotate through various shapes with faint swishing sounds. “And it seems to me that with your little demonstration in changing this Timberwolf back to the right size, you far exceeded that expectation. I would say the lesson went well.”
“I did?” Twilight paused, realizing the implications of what Discord had said. The relief was like a heavy weight rolling off her shoulders.
“Yes, so good job.” Discord clapped is paw and claw together. “And here’s your gold star, if that works for you.” A small golden star appeared in the air and landed on the tip of Twilight’s horn. Horns blew, a concentrated amount of confetti rained upon her (borrowed from Pinkie Pie, probably), and an invisible band played somewhere. “Feel better?”
“I think I do.” Twilight sat down and heaved a pleasant sigh.
“Speaking of Timberwolves,” Spike said. He approached Roots and scratched her gently behind the ear. Roots returned this display of affection by licking him, and maybe out of a bit of guilt for the earlier trouble. “Fluttershy, I’m really sorry for letting Roots out of my sight, when she was my responsibility.”
“That’s all right, Spike,” Fluttershy returned. “Roots is just a sweet, energetic pup who needs plenty of space to be herself.”
“I know,” Spike sighed, gazing sadly at Roots. “She’s strong and needs some pony knowledgeable enough to handle her, which is why—I mean to say—” He turned away, despite the Timberwolf’s gentle nudges in the back. “Perhaps she would be better off with you, Fluttershy.”
“Oh, Spike,” Twilight murmured, forgetting about all else except the plight of her number one assistant. It was clear to see how much the prospect of letting go of Roots was hurting him.
“You don’t have to say anything, Twilight,” Spike pressed on. “I understand. Having any pet is a big responsibility, especially a Timberwolf. I just don’t have the experience the Fluttershy does and still have too much to learn. And because of that, Roots got ahold of that chaos and almost destroyed the Equestria Pet Show and Ponyville. I was afraid of failing at keeping her for a while but was even more afraid to admit it, except to Owlicious. Then things just kept getting more out of control from there.”
“Sound like some pony you know?” Discord commented, and Twilight turned her head to find him smirking at her.
Yes. Twilight certainly knew that situation, and she might have made some comment to Spike on it then if Fluttershy hadn’t gotten there first.
“It’s true you didn’t have enough experience when you brought Roots home.” Fluttershy landed before Spike and gently lifted his chin with one hoof. “And this was partially my fault as an animal caregiver for letting you bring her home unprepared—especially since I am only just beginning to discover more about Timberwolves myself. But that doesn’t mean you need to give up Roots.”
“It—it doesn’t?” Spike asked, hope creeping into his voice.
“Tell you what.” Fluttershy smiled. “I can keep Roots at my home for the time being, where you can visit her every day and begin to train her at a slower and more natural pace. We could also begin to build a place closer to the palace for her to stay for when you’re ready. In exchange, perhaps you could help me to continue my research on Timberwolves in the Everfree Forest? I might also need some extra help around the cottage with the animals during my research as well.”
“Of course, I could!” Spike sprang to his feet. “Oh, thank you, Fluttershy.” First he hugged, Fluttershy, before wrapping his arms around Roots’ snout. “Thank you!”
All the ponies present smiled in happiness for him, and the thought occurred to Twilight yet again of how quickly Spike was growing. And if he took time to achieve things at his own pace, and didn’t rush, everything should work out just fine and he would enjoy the journey a lot more.
It was the same lesson Twilight had learned that day.
“My own pet,” Spike murmured in glee, petting roots. Of course, with this decided he seemed to remember something—and puzzlement overtook him for a moment.
“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked.
“This is a miracle, but—we never did find out where Roots came from, did we?” Spike mused aloud.
“I can clear that up for you,” Discord interrupted, breaking into a huge grin. “It was me!”
“Huh?” Every pony exclaimed at once.
***
“What do you mean by that?” Spike asked Discord, noting the obvious mischief lurking in the latter’s comment. Even so, he had already started to get a sneaking suspicion he knew what it involved. “Did you possibly—?”
“Correct. I am the one who put the Timberwolf pup on darling Fluttershy’s front doorstep,” Discord stated this so matter-of-factly it stunned every pony anew.
“Oh, Discord,” Fluttershy said, flying up. “Thank you, but why didn’t you let me know?”
“Because she was supposed to be a surprise.” Discord came over and scratched Roots on the head. “Given how things have changed around here, I thought it was about time you had something like a Timberwolf at your cottage. Of course, given your recent expeditions into the Everfree Forest, you probably now have a whole pack on the alert for you instead.”
“Is that because they are good at protecting things?” Spike asked.
“Indeed, Spike. You are quite right.” Discord seemed impressed, which Spike found a surreal experience. “They make excellent guard dogs—or wolves, if you prefer. They are good at keeping nastier creatures away, detecting possible dangers, and loyal to other members of their pack. And this little Timberwolf.” Here he tickled Roots under the chin. “Came from pieces of the loose branches and such carefully collected from around Fluttershy’s cottage. So of course she feels the most at home there at the moment.”
Discord had made Roots.
Well, after learning not so long ago that the Everfree Forest abounded in chaos magic that did not seem too much of a stretch.
“Is that why Roots went after that chaos you gave Twilight?” Spike asked.
“Precisely,” Discord said. “When Twilight was practicing with it, she must have encouraged the magic to keep changing unchecked—and Roots picked up on that and probably sought to protect both of you.”
“Good girl!” Spike said, and Roots whimpered in happiness.
“But, in addition to all that, Fluttershy had told me of the Equestria Pet Show the following week,” Discord pressed on. “And I figured she might prefer to enter the competition with a strong Timberwolf over that little bunny rabbit of hers.”
At this, Angel Bunny—who had apparently been hiding out in Fluttershy’s mane the entire time—poked out his head and gave a protesting outcry, much to Discord’s obvious amusement.
“Now Discord,” Fluttershy insisted, taking Angel in her hooves and hugging him. “I appreciate your kindness, and I already care for Roots, but Angel is a special member of my family. No pet could take his place, and there’s none with whom I would rather enter the competition.”
“I feel the same way, which reminds me,” Spike interjected, holding out his arm for Owlicious to perch upon. “Something else I’ve learned is that pets are more than creatures to win contests with, or even just to have in general. They’re family and friends to care for and love. For instance, Owlicious here is one of my best friends, and he’s helped me a lot with Roots over this past week. I don’t think it would be a good idea to enter the competition with Roots just yet, but if he wouldn’t mind, perhaps Owlicious will do me the honor of being my partner for the Equestria Pet Show this time. Then we can both compete. What do you think?”
In response, Owlicious hooted in glee and rubbed his feathered face against Spike’s.
“I think you’re getting better with animals already,” Twilight laughed.
***
In this way, Spike and Owlicious entered the Equestria Pet Show together, with much success. Twilight might have worried, during the judging portion, that she would be biased towards the pair so dear to her heart. However, it soon became apparent they were the favorites of all the ponies watching the show, and even of those participating in it—with their menagerie of tricks and seemingly boundless enthusiasm.
Spike practically glowed while playing fetch with Owlicious, while the owl had never looked spryer as he dive-bombed for the ball and did various other daredevil techniques. At one point, Owlicious even flew Spike high into the air, and the two sky-dived. It was very impressive, and even Discord appeared pleased by it. The only contestant her teacher showed the same amount of interest towards and cheered for was Fluttershy, although Twilight could tell that was for Fluttershy herself, and not Angel.
Roots howled her applause after both contestants finished, although Twilight did have to use her magic to keep from bounding over the barrier to run when first Spike, and then Fluttershy, competed.
Even so, Celestia and Twilight had to agree that despite the fair showings of the other teams, Spike and Owlicious—in the end—should receive the gold trophy in the end. And every pony rooted for them from the stands, and Roots howled (which frightened a few ponies, though not for long). Rarity even gave Spike a kiss, which lifted him almost higher than Owlicious had during the contest.
And it was truly a magical occasion, and one Twilight knew neither she nor Spike would soon forget.