Ch 3: The First Trial
Discord sighed as he saw Twilight’s baby dragon walking beside him. The dragon was currently dragging a heavy satchel.
‘Arg! I can’t believe I agreed to this; I’m not a babysitter! And besides, he’ll just get in the way.’ Discord thought to himself.
Flashback
“Discord, all of us have agreed to your offer,” Twilight said.
“Great!” Discord replied.
“You get to choose which trial to do first.”
“Oh, okay…”
“And one more thing. Spike wants to assist you with your quests.”
“...You’re kidding me, right? He’s just a baby dragon; It’d be like if a filly had to help Celestia raise the sun.”
“ Just give him a chance, Discord. Besides, he could record your deeds as you do them.”
“You know, I can do that too, right?” Discord emphasized the point by making a scroll appear with a quill, the quill moving by itself.
“Well, maybe there will be a trial that needs your undivided attention. Besides he’s a very good assistant. Could you just give him a chance?”
Discord wanted to disagree, but he couldn’t come up with any counterarguments
Spike disrupted Discord's flashback by speaking.“So… Discord, where we are going first?”
Discord then had an idea pop into his head. ‘I could just go without him. He wouldn’t even know where I went.’
Spike eagerly looked at him as he pulled out a quill, ready and waiting.
It reminded Discord of a dog waiting for a treat.
Discord grumbled and sighed.
‘I am trying to redeem myself, here. If I just left him here, it would hurt his feelings… or something.’
“I think maybe we could try a simple one first, so let’s try Applejack's place,” Discord stated.
“Do you really think it will be…”
“Of course it’ll be easy. I mean, it’s Applejack. I’m sure she’ll ask me to be more honest or something for her trial. Couldn’t be easier.”
“After all, I don’t tell lies,” Discord said, taking an almost heroic stance.
Spike looked at Discord oddly. ‘Did his muzzle grow longer?’ Spike thought as he tilted his head.
So Discord teleported both Spike and himself to Sweet Apple Acres.
Applejack was already in the field gathering apples when she spotted the two.
“Well, guess I’m the first one! Ya’ll ready for my trial?” Applejack asked.
Discord and Spike nodded.
They followed Applejack to the edge of the orchard, where the apples from the tree had not been taken yet.
There were twelve medium-sized empty barrels waiting for them.
“Here’s your trial… it comes in two parts, so listen carefully. The first part is to harvest ten barrels full,” Applejack stated
“Ha! No problem...” Discord said, ready to snap his talon.
“Without using any of your magic.”
“But magic is what I’m best at! It’s what I do. You wouldn’t ask Rarity or Twilight to do the same thing.”
“Ya, you’re right about that, tell you what when you finish this task. I’ll tell ya why, I asked ya ta do this without magic.”
“ Okay, but what does this have to with being honest?”
“Discord, didn’t ya want the trials to be based on our elements?” Applejack asked
“Yes, but you’re not creative. I thought it have something to do with being honest,” Discord said bluntly.
“And ya assumed it be would be easy, didn’t ya? I figured as much, and ‘cause of that I made this trial just for ya. Serves ya right for assuming.”
Applejack then gnashed her teeth together and angrily added, “And I can too be creative!”
Discord and Spike gave her a look of disbelief.
“Ok, I’m not, but who says this doesn’t have ta do with honesty?”
Discord rolled his eyes and answered, “Alright, fine, what’s the second part?”
“I’ll tell ya that later.”
“AJ, are there two barrels extra?” asked Spike.
“Yep! Just in case ya’ll needed it,” Applejack answered.
So with that Discord moved five barrels under one of the trees, then stood in front of it and gave it a hard glare. He tried recall if had any knowledge about apple trees.
“Come on Discord, you've been around for a long time, surely there’s gotta be something,” he muttered to himself.
He thought and thought as knowledge of many galaxies, different worlds, and time and space flooded his mind, but nothing pertaining to this situation came to mind.
Discord looked at Applejack, who was just standing there eyeing him. “Are you just going to stand there watching me? It’s kind of creepy.”
“Well, I gotta make sure ya ain’t gonna cheat,” answered Applejack.
‘Of course… Well, I am doing these trials to earn trust, so it makes sense nopony trusts me yet,’ Discord thought to himself
With that Discord went back to the tree and looked it up and down, trying to size it up.
Discord snapped his claw and the tree came to life, shaking the apples off into the buckets, managing to fill them a little bit.
“Nice try Discord, but it doesn’t count. Ya have ta harvest the apples yourself.”
Discord responded with a semi aggravated groan and returned the tree back to normal.
Applejack dumped all the apples he had collected so far into the extra two barrels.
While Applejack did that, a light bulb appeared atop Discord’s head. He took the light bulb and blew it up like a balloon, then it floated away.
Discord snapped and then a clone of himself appeared.
“Oh no, that won’t work either…”
“But Applejack, how do you know which one is which?” They both said, switching positions over and over quickly before Applejack could answer.
When they stopped, Applejack really could not tell the difference between the two.
Discord and his copy both had a big grin of victory on their faces.
Applejack stood there for a moment, looking like she was defeated, but then she smirked
“Okay then; I’ll only count for half of what ya picked.”
Both Discords’ jaws dropped. “Well played, Applejack,” Discord said, snapping his clone away.
Then after awhile Discord give the tree a big push, but it stayed firmly there. Then he pulled on it and got the same result.
Discord stroked his beard in thought, then firmly grasped an apple with his talon and pulled.
The apple successfully came off the tree, and a few drops of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Discord wiped the foreign substance off his forehead.
‘Sweat?...Actual sweat? A lord like me, sweating? Preposterous.’
Discord saw a strange look on Applejack’s face when he put the apple in a nearby basket.
“What?” Discord asked, kind of annoyed.
“It’s… nothing,” Applejack said, looking at the ground.
An obvious lie.
“You’re lying,” Discord stated.
“Really, it’s…”
Spike sighed and interrupted Applejack. “Discord, you left claw marks on the apple. It can’t be sold,” he said, pointing at the apple.
“It’s not a big deal; I’ll just use it ta make applesauce. Just try ta be careful next time.”
“Alright, why don’t you show me how you do it then…” Discord stopped himself, “ and do it without bucking the tree” he finished. His intention was clear; he wanted to give Applejack a taste of her own medicine.
“No problem,” Applejack said, running off.
Spike slapped his forehead. “You shouldn’t have said that.”
Discord just looked at him.
It did not take Applejack long to get a rope. Discord watched as the farm pony lassoed many apples into the baskets with almost no effort.
“Show off,” Discord grumbled under his breath. He grabbed the rope; usually he just would just use his magic to enchant the rope, but he was sure Applejack would say it didn’t count.
Discord tried to toss the rope around an apple; it ended up not even going near tree. He tried again and again and it still wasn’t going anywhere close.
“Alright fine, let’s try this the hard way!” Discord said impatiently.
Discord made a big boxing ring appear, then leaped onto the center of the ring. He suddenly had a referee outfit on him as he pulled down a microphone that had materialized in front of him.
“In this corner we have the devilishly handsome spirit of Chaos, traveler of many dimensions of time and space… Discord!”
“In corner… we have… an apple tree,” Discord said dismissively.
“He’s not,” Applejack said in disbelief.
Spike just shrugged his shoulders.
“Let’s get ready to….”
Discord was suddenly interrupted by Pinkie Pie, who came out of nowhere yelling “Wait!”
Discord was actually surprised. He was pretty sure he didn’t make her come here. He didn’t know how or why she was here. “Don’t finish that sentence!” begged Pinkie.
“Let’s get ready to…?”
“Yes, yes that sentence.”
“Why?” Discord asked.
“Because it’s copyrighted and you won’t want the author of this story to get sued, right?”
“I….” Discord said, words failing him .
‘“Good, you understand... Wait, are those all the lines I have for now… seriously?” And with Pinkie disappeared.
‘What do you even say to that?’ Discord thought as he turned back to what he was doing.
“I didn’t think I would ever see anyone try to punch a tree, but there it is. Now I’ve seen everything,” Applejack said in disbelief.
Discord aimed for the middle of the tree and punched it with a solid cross jab.
Applejack winced slightly as she heard a loud thud as he made contact.
“YEOW!” Discord screamed in pain, his lion paw throbbing red.
Applejack gasped. “Sweet Celestia! Are ya alright?” she asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
“I’m gonna run and get some ice, she said, sprinting away.
Discord sighed and sat on the ground, his face a mix of sadness and frustration. He leaned against the very apple tree he tried to punch.
Discord looked totally miserable. Spike looked at him from across the tree, knowing all too well what Discord was going through. He felt the same thing during the Equestria Games. It was the feeling he felt when he found out that he failed lighting the torch.
It was the sense of trying so hard at something and failing anyway. It was the worst feeling in the world.
This give Spike more determination to help him out.
“I gotta to help him out, there has to be a way. Think, Spike, think” Spike said.
His train of thought was interrupted by his growling stomach.
‘Must have been that light breakfast I ate. I wanted to be sure I wasn't sluggish.’
Spike use his claws to climb a tree and stood on a thick branch, then eyed a juicy apple on it.
He grabbed the apple and started to eat it while thinking.
‘Okay, so there's got be a way to do this. If Twilight were here, she would able to figure this out logically.’
“Logically,” Spike pondered, then quickly scurried to get a scroll, an inkwell, and a quill pen.
Then Spike climbed back up the tree and sat down on the branch, leaning against the tree’s trunk.
Spike unscrolled the scroll in one claw and gripped the quill with another one, while his tail wrapped around the inkwell.
“Okay! I’ve been Twilight’s number one assistant for long enough to be able to figure this out,” Spike said.
“So, one of the methods Twilight uses is brainstorming.”
“She also lists what she knows.”
Spike scribbled down notes as he talked to himself
“What do I know about Discord?... Well, He’s a draconequus, he can makes things appear out of nowhere, he’s a Lord of chaos...”
Spike took a long look at Discord, to see if he could notice something.
“Well none of this is helpful to this situation, so what else?”
“Oh, I know! He’s made of different parts of animals!”
“Two horns, but he can’t use them to pick apples because they might pierce them. He can’t use his legs or his arms for the same reason.”
“But he does have a goat’s leg, which he could use to buck the tree… but then again, he might get hurt doing that.”
As Spike took notes, eventually his quill ran out of ink, so he brought his tail closer to dip the tip of the quill in.
This time Spike took a long look at his tail and got an idea.
____________________________________________________
Meanwhile as Spike was figuring something out up the tree, Applejack came back with a big bag of ice.
“Ya okay, Discord?” Applejack asked worriedly.
Discord rudely grabbed the ice pack without even thanking her and put it on his paw.
“I’m sorry ya got injured. I honestly thought ya couldn’t even get hurt.”
Discord just looked away from her.
Applejack sighed “Maybe I should just give ya another trial.”
Spike then interrupted Applejack by saying that “That won’t be necessary, AJ!”
“Because I figured a way for Discord to do this trial!”
“Discord, could you please wrap your tail around the tree?” Spike instructed.
One of Discord’s eyebrow raised, but he tried it anyway..
“Okay, now shake the tree hard, but not too hard.”
Discord did as Spike suggested and sure enough the apples fell off the tree.
“Wow, good job, Spike,” Applejack praised.
Spike grinned happily.
Discord looked really happy about it too.
“I have seen Discord’s tail be able lift Twilight, I thought well, if it can do that maybe it’s strong enough to shake the apples off the tree,” Spike explained.
“That was real good thinking on your part,” Applejack commented.
Spike blushed and smiled humbly.
Discord replied “Yeah, thanks Spike.”
Although, he knew he should be thankful, Discord was disappointed that he did not come up with a solution himself.
However, he knew now was not the time to reflect on that. Now was the time to harvest apples.
So Discord kept using his tail to shake the apples off.
Then after awhile Discord got all ten barrels full.
“Well, that was mighty fine work, Discord!” Applejack encouraged.
Applejack let out a whistle and a few moments later Big Mac came with a wagon.
So everyone helped put the full barrels in a wagon.
“Great, so that means I passed this trial,” said Discord.
“Nope, I said that there are two parts to this trial, remember? You only completed one part,” Applejack reminded him.
“Two parts?”
“Yes, when we get to the kitchen I’ll tell you what it is.”
“Let me guess, I can’t use my magic.”
“You are right, but this might be a little easier for you.”
So they went to Applejack’s house and carried all ten apple-filled barrels to the kitchen.
“Here’s the second part; make an apple pie,”said Applejack when they all were in the kitchen.
“Make an apple pie?! What am I, a baker?” asked Discord grumpily.
“It’s doesn’t have to be like the ones we make here, just try to make the best one you can bake.”
Discord stayed silent, still looking angry.
“Discord, I don’t have anything else planned. Finish this task and you’ll pass the trial, I promise ya.”
Discord let out an annoyed sigh and agreed.
Applejack gave Discord a recipe card. “This is a simple apple pie recipe. First go grab the ingredients.”
So Discord looked for the ingredients all over the kitchen.
Applejack noticed that Spike looked a bit sad. “What’s the matter, sugarcube?”
“I wish I could help with this, but I’m not so good with baking.”
“Ah, don’t worry about that, there’s still something ya can do. I mean, ya can peel or slice the apples”
Applejack then whispered in Spike’s ear. ”Actually, I’ll tell ya secret; there are some ponies in the Apple family who can’t bake ta save their lives.”
“Really?” Spike whispered back.
“Ah huh. But let’s keep that between you and me, alright?”
Spike nodded in agreement.
So Discord gathered all ingredients and followed the instructions. After some trial and error he managed to make an apple pie that he was satisfied with.
He didn’t do it alone though . He got pointers from AJ, and the apples were cored, peeled and sliced by Spike and Big Mac.
Discord put the pie on the windowsill.
“Congratulations, Discord; ya passed your first trial!” AppleJack said proudly.
“Oh, finally,“ Discord said with relief.
“Now, let’s taste that pie,” said Applejack.
Discord swore he heard Applejack’s lips smack when she said that.
Even though Discord wanted to leave as soon as he passed the trial, he also wanted to know how the pie tasted.
After all, he went through all that effort to make it.
When the pie was completely cooled, Applejack grabbed it from the windowsill.
Pinkie Pie came through the door.
“Oh no,” Discord said with groan.
“Discord, she’s here cause I asked her ta come over ta taste the pie.”
“Wait, I thought you just wanted me to make the best pie I could. You didn’t say anything about judging it.”
“Who said anything about judging it? Pinkie might be a baking expert, but I asked her ta come here and taste the pie, Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Oh...Okay.”
So Pinkie came in
Applejack put the pie on the table, sliced one piece of the pie, and put it on a plate.
Then something happened that neither Discord or Spike could have ever predicted happening.
Applejack said “Hey Pinkie, think fast!” Then she took the rest of apple pie and threw it right on Pinkie’s face.
Pinkie stood there like a statue, pie dripping from her face.
Discord and Spike were completely shell shocked .
“....Ww..w..wha...why...why would you do that?” asked Discord, completely in shock.
“I thought it would be funny,” Applejack replied nonchalantly.
“Y...You thought...it would be funny!” shouted Discord.
“Why in the name of Star Swirl’s beard did you think that was even remotely funny? I mean, we all worked hard to make that pie!” Discord ranted.
“Discord, you wanted to know why I wouldn’t ask Rarity or Twi ta not use their magic when they’re helping on the farm.”
“This is the lesson this trial was suppose ta teach ya; the value of good, honest work. Something they both know the meaning of,” AJ continued.
“Rarity puts her all into the dresses she makes, and Twilight studies hard.”
“Discord, you got angry when something happened ta that pie, didn’t ya? Why? Because of all trouble that went into making it, right?”
“But I do work hard… there was… um” Discord tried to retort back.
“Ah! There was that time I got rid of my plunder seeds,” Discord said, posing in a gesture that said ‘take that.’
“Ya mean, ya enchanted a bunch of shovels to do the work while laying back in a hammock the whole time.” Applejack replied.
“That is the problem, Discord. Everything comes easy for you. But you felt it, didn’t ya? That feeling of accomplishment, of being proud of something you made with you own… claw and paw.”
“Throwing the pie was kind of like what you do when you use your chaos powers to ‘have fun’ at a pony’s expense. It’s disruptive and destroys the accomplishment ponies strive for.”
“Well of course it’s easy, Applejack, it’s what I do. I’m the spirit of chaos, magic is part of what I am. Why shouldn’t I use it? You would too, if you were me,” Discord said, defending himself.
Applejack rubbed the back of her head awkwardly,
“Big Mac, maybe you can explain it better.”
Big Macintosh let in a deep breath, and let it out. “What my sister was trying ta say, is that she was trying ta give ya the experience of what it feels like ta work on hard on something, and the only way ya can accomplish that is if you temporarily didn’t use your magic.”
“We can tell ya about the work that every pony or any other creatures does until we’re blue in the face, but it won’t do ya any good,” Big Macintosh continued, “Unless you experience it yourself. Only then can you appreciate the effort of something.”
Discord was at a complete loss for words.
Big Macintosh took the plate with the surviving pie slice placed on his hoof and gave it to Discord.
“Now, I want ya ta taste this pie.”
Discord made a fork appear and used it to take a bite of the pie.
‘It’s pretty good ’ Discord thought to himself.
“Now, make a slice of pie appear and taste it.”
So Discord made a slice of cherry pie appear then tasted it.
The difference between was clear, and even though the cherry pie was more professional, Discord still preferred the apple pie.
“Ya see, I can tell you enjoyed the apple pie better, and it’s because the effort that went towards it. Ya understand now?”
Discord nodded “I think I understand what you’re trying to say.”
“Good,” Big Mac said.
“I have one question. If you can talk like this, why do you keep silent?”
Big Macintosh grinned and said, “A wise pony should keep their muzzle closed, otherwise they’ll ended up putting their hoof in it.”
So with that lesson learned Discord and Spike left the farm.
Pinkie was no longer a mess, having cleaned herself up during Big Mac’s explanation.
“So he passed his first trial, huh?” asked Pinkie Pie.
“Yeah, he did… hey, Pinkie, thanks again for helping out,” told Applejack.
“No problem, AJ! Though I never would have thought you would ever ask me if you could throw a pie in my face!” Pinkie Pie responded.
“Yeah.”
“You think he’ll pass the other trials?”
“Well, I think he will, but he’s still got a long way ta go.”