//------------------------------//
// Chaos! 
// Story: Equis: Interlude 
// by Tatsurou 
//------------------------------//

	Celestia was rather unsurprised that Twilight and her friends were...upset...about her bringing Discord to them to be reformed.  After everything they'd been through, she knew this was asking a great deal, especially of Twilight.  It was part of the reason she planned to place Discord primarily in Fluttershy's care.  "I know Discord caused some...problems...last time he was here," she began.

"If by problems you mean..." Rainbow began, only to fall silent.  She glanced at the others who were there, a confused expression on her face.

Twilight and Rarity both seemed surprised, then thoughtful.  After a time, Rarity was the one who spoke up.  "Yes, he was...incredibly uncouth," she admitted finally, catching Celestia off guard.

"He provided gallons of chocolate rain without a dollop of whipped cream in sight!" Pinkie proclaimed angrily.  "Not one dollop!"

Celestia was rather perplexed that Pinkie Pie seemed to be the only one expressing anger at this point.  "Well," she began, "I have brought the Elements with me, enchanted so that Discord cannot steal and hide them again-"

"How'd you manage that?" Twilight asked eagerly.

Celestia sighed internally.  She had hoped Twilight would be too relieved at the safety net that provided to ask how it worked.  Its actual workings were...embarrassingly simple.  "...Brussels sprouts," she admitted finally.  "Discord's allergic to them.  Touching them - even with his magic - makes him break out in bees.  It's their specific magical wavelength, which I've anchored to the Elements for the time being, making it impossible for him to touch them with magic, hoof, or claw."

Twilight's face fell.  "Oh..."

"I don't blame him!" Pinkie proclaimed.  "Those things are icky!"

Celestia managed a chuckle.  Though she couldn't say anything as Princess, she was in full agreement with the party pony...but she'd spent too many centuries convincing parents that the vile vegetable was good for growing foals to protect them from chaos magic to undo it all now with one candid moment.  "But where is Fluttershy?" she asked.  "I believe she would be able to best begin Discord's reformation."

"How?" Rainbow joked.  "By siccing Sapphire on him?"

"...Sapphire?" Celestia asked in confusion, only to be greeted by happy giggles.

"Skreee!"

"Sorry we're late!" Fluttershy called out, racing forward alongside Applejack, Sapphire floating around her head.  "The beavers built their dam in the wrong place and were flooding Sweet Apple Acres."

"Quite alright," Celestia replied, examining the jellyfish-like creature that was now floating around her.  "And...I assume this is Sapphire?"

"Yes," Fluttershy replied happily.  "I hope you don't mind, but...she just wants to taste you."

Celestia blinked.  "Taste?" she asked.  Though she hated to admit it, this was the first time in millenia one of her own ponies caught her so off guard.

"Sapphire eats energy," Twilight explained.  "She doesn't take anywhere near as much since she came out of her cocoon.  Apparently, she's learned to feed on the ambient magic in her environment to a certain extent, though she still needs a taste from a pony for a satisfying meal."

"It doesn't hurt," Fluttershy promised.  "It's just how she gets a sense of who you are."

Celestia frowned nervously, but couldn't really see the harm.  "Well...I suppose-"  She gasped as she felt slight pinpricks against her back between her wings, biting her lip as she felt a small amount of her magic and life energy drained out of her.  Not enough to really notice - less than she expended lifting her tea cup - but a very unusual experience nonetheless.

"Skree!"

"She says thank you," Fluttershy translated.  "And that you tasted really good...like sun on her teeth."

Celestia gathered herself, trying not to show that this was the most unnerving compliment she'd ever gotten...even more so than those given her by that one erotic minstrel in the middle of a world summit 1500 years previously, with Luna struggling not to laugh as the song went on.  "You're quite welcome," she said at last.  "I leave Discord in your care."  Turning, she left quickly, before she could be put any more off kilter by the unexpected behavior of Twilight and her friends.





Discord stretched, yawned, and wriggled as he was released from stone.  "Well, it's about time somepony got me out of that prison block.  What a-"

"Skree!"

He was cut off from releasing some chaos by that unexpected noise.  Turning, he saw something he couldn't believe.  Oh, the shape of the creature was nothing special as far as chaos was concerned.  There were any number of ways it could be more horrendous, grotesque, and unimaginably terrifying.  But he could see chaotic potential, how easily a creature could sow chaos and to what degree, and he'd never seen so much in a single creature before.  "What is this adorable critter, and why haven't I ever made any before?"  He began tickling it between its teeth with his lion paw.  "Coochie-coo!  Coochie-coo!"  He jerked his paw back as the teeth tried to slam shut on his paw.  "Ooh, feisty!"

"Sapphire!" Fluttershy snapped.  "Behave.  He was just trying to be nice."

Sapphire skreed petulantly, her colors fluctuating rapidly before settling back into a mix of blue and petulant yellow.

"Oh, is she yours?" Discord asked playfully.  "Wherever did you get her?"

"Oh, she's from outer space," Fluttershy replied.

Discord froze.  "...really?  You don't say."  He crossed his arms.  "So where am I going to be staying during my 'reformation'?"  He conjured air quotes of clouds.

"Oh, you'll be staying with me," Fluttershy replied happily.

"Oh, just peachy!" Discord crowed happily, ignoring the confused expressions of the others, and sending a bit of stray magic into a nearby group of beavers, just to get back into a normal mood.





Once inside Fluttershy's cottage, Discord was caught off guard by the kindness and consideration he was shown.  Oh, he'd expected it from Fluttershy, but the way the others were being so accommodating - except Pinkie, who kept complaining about some sort of whipped cream shortage.  It wasn't long before they all left, leaving Discord somewhat confused.

While Fluttershy was in the kitchen getting tea and cookies, however, Sapphire latched firmly onto his head.  He started to scream about getting her off, but paused.  He felt as though something was trying to touch his mind.  He had his own ability to touch minds - it was part of the 'discording' process - so he decided to humor whoever it was, redirecting his thoughts to make contact.

You hurt Mama?  The thought came through loud and clear from the life eating jellyfish latched to his head.

Now, why would you think I'd want to hurt Fluttershy? Discord responded in thought, stretching time so the conversation wouldn't take so long.

Past.  You hurt Mama?

Discord hesitated.  Well, I suppose what I did might constitute hurting...

You not hurt Mama again.

Discord actually chuckled at that.  Or what? he thought back, gathering his magic.

To his surprise, the magic he was gathering was sucked right out of him faster than he could gather it.  I eat you.

Discord released his magic, deciding this was not the time to antagonize the magic-eating alien latched to his head.  Understood.  ...perhaps we can arrange some sort of compromise?

You no hurt Mama, I no eat you.

Fair enough, Discord replied.  I won't hurt Fluttershy.  Truce?

If not hurt Mama, you not food.

Discord chuckled as he let time return to normal, noticing that Sapphire was still on his head.  Turning the mind link off, he saw Fluttershy come in with tea and cookies.  "Sapphire!"

Discord grinned widely.  "Like my new hat, Fluttershy?"

"Skree!"





After a rather chaotic day of Discord relaxing at Fluttershy's cottage - though making sure nothing he did ran the risk of hurting Fluttershy - Fluttershy's friends joined them for a dinner party, just to see how he was progressing.  Discord had a bit of fun animating various things during the dinner - the gravy boat, the candles, and so on - but was rather put out when none of the ponies made much of a fuss.  Pinkie certainly found it enjoyable, but even when the others seemed unnerved, they kept their thoughts to themselves.  It left him very confused.

Finally, after a time of dinner, he couldn't take his curiosity being unabated any longer.  "There's just something I've been wondering girls," he spoke out finally.  "I'm rather certain I made a rather horrid impression on you all when we first met.  When Celestia set this all up, she expected - and certainly I expected - hostility, if not downright hatred, from several of you.  So...what's with the rose touch?"

Twilight shrugged.  "Well...after what we saw when the Space Pirates invaded-"

"The who the what now?" Discord asked, confused.

"Evil aliens!" Pinkie hissed.  "They came for the meteor!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Discord pointed out.

"Let's just say that after seein' war first hoof," Applejack explained, "the things you did...well, it ain't all that bad in hindsight."

Discord fell silent.  "...I see," he said at last.  Glancing around, he noticed a picture framed on a nearby shelf.  "...Fluttershy, when did you befriend a human?"

"Oh, you mean Samus?" Fluttershy asked happily.  "She came to help us fight off the Space Pirates and deal with the Phazon.  She's such a good friend.  I hope we get to see her again soon."

"Though she's not entirely human," Twilight pointed out.  "If I understood her story right, she's apparently part Chozo-"

"Chozo?" Discord demanded in shock.  "Are those old featherbrains still fluttering about the stars?  It's been ages since I saw them last."

Jaws dropped.  "You knew the ancient Chozo when they were here on Equis?" Twilight asked eagerly.  "Then you knew the ancient alicorns, too?  Please, tell me everything!"

"I'd rather not talk about it," Discord countered flatly.  While he genuinely didn't want to relive that part of his life, he also hoped to see Twilight's expression of frustration at such precious knowledge just beyond her reach.

Which is why he was rather disappointed that she simply smiled, took her seat again, and replied, "Alright.  Whenever you're ready to talk about it, though, I'd love to hear it."

Discord sat back, struggling to figure out what was going on...and why it left him so flummoxed when Fluttershy welcomed him as a friend.

Unfortunately, his musings were interrupted as Angel came in and managed to charades the message that Sweet Apple Acres was flooding.





Once at the farm and seeing how bad the flooding was, Applejack turned to Discord.  "Did you do this?"

"Well, plainly the beavers-" Discord began, hemming and hawing.

"Just a straight up yes or no answer, please," Applejack interrupted.  "Is this your doing?"

Discord tugged at the neck of his suit which he hadn't discarded yet.  "Well...I suppose there's a chance this is the result of a stray burst of chaos back when I was set free..."

"Can ya undo it?" Applejack continued.  "Make it so the farm's all better, and none o' the trees take harm from the flooding?"

Discord blinked in surprise.  He had expected anger, accusations, possibly even threats.  But instead, Applejack - the one most hurt by his actions - was being completely calm.  "Well...yes, I can undo the effects of chaos magic..."

"Will ya promise ta do so by sunset?" Applejack asked.

Another surprise.  She didn't want him to fix it right away?  "Well, sure, I suppose..."

"And could ya make sure Granny won't drown?" Applejack finished.  "She don't swim too good no more-"

Before she'd even finished her request, Discord had snapped his talons and frozen the lake that the Acres had become.  "That ought to do it," he said firmly, conjuring numerous pairs of ice skates.

Smiling, Applejack bent over to tie a couple pairs on her own hooves.  "I'll hold ya to fixin' it by sundown," she said with a smile.

Discord stared at her, stupefied.  "Eh?  But...why are you being so blase about me flooding your farm?"

"Because you're being a good friend about it," Fluttershy explained.  "You didn't know it would cause a problem, and you addressed the problem as soon as you realized it, and promised to clean up later.  That's the actions of a good friend."

"It is?" he asked, still shocked.  "It's that simple?"

"Well, you also showed quick consideration of her requests," Rarity pointed out.  "Freezing the water so Granny Smith wouldn't fall in."

"That's different," Discord stated flatly, turning away.  "...I don't play games with Life and Death..." he mumbled under his breath.

"But really, that's all friendship is at its most basic level," Twilight explained.  "Being considerate of others."

"We aren't trying to change who you are," Fluttershy explained.  "Celestia may want to find ways your magic can help the country...but we just want to teach you about being friends.  And you've already shown a great deal of consideration for me.  I saw you redirect those frying pans so they wouldn't hit me while the cottage was rotating in midair...which was kind of fun."

"I missed that?" Rainbow asked, shocked.  "Aw, I bet it'd have been like those gravity chambers I keep hearing about!"

"Well, that's different, Fluttershy," Discord pointed out.  "Sapphire said she'd eat me if I hurt you!"

"Sapphire!" Fluttershy snapped angrily as the others burst into laughter.

"Not sorry!" Sapphire skreed quickly, setting Discord to laughing.

As the group shared a laugh, Discord realized...it felt good to share a joke with others when they found it as funny as he did.  Maybe...maybe friendship wouldn't be so bad after all.  "So...that's all friendship is?" Discord asked.  "Just...taking others thoughts and feelings into consideration?  That just sounds so...easy."

"At its most basic level, it is," Twilight replied.  Then she sighed ruefully.  "It's when you move beyond the most basic levels it can become a real headache of a learning experience."

"But not one you'll experience alone!" Pinkie chimed happily as she skated on two skates, one on her head and one on her tail with her legs waving in the air.

Discord managed a smile.  "Well...maybe it would be worth it," he replied carefully.  "...maybe..."