//------------------------------// // Keep Calm and Flutter On // Story: The Tale of the Second Alpha // by Bergen //------------------------------// Alpha landed back in Canterlot, as the sun began to set lighting the city that rested on the mountain. "What was all of that about?" Luna asked Alpha, as he towered over the castle. "It was just some power crazed pony that just happened to being one of the most dangerous magical items in the world... you know the usual." Alpha said. The two princesses unable to stop themselves from having a slight giggle escape passed their lips. "Before I left you said that you had something very important to discuss with me. Something about Discord... I think it was." Alpha said to the two alicorn princess, getting the conservation back at the topic at claw before... well what happened last chapter happened. "Oh, yes, right... Discord. We just wanted to inform you, and get some of your own personal option on a matter that me, and my sister, have been planning for a while now." Celestia said to Alpha, being intentionally vague. "And what would that be?" Alpha asked Celestia. "Well ever since the second imprisonment of Discord me, and my sister, have been in discussion, and we have both come to a conclusion that we both believe be of great benefit to both Equestria and the Dragon Empire in the long run." Celestia said, speaking entirely in exposition. Alpha beginning to become frustrated with her strange way of getting things across. "Celestia, I mean this in the kindest way possible. But could you please just skip past the bullshit, and just tell me why you had summoned me here?" Alpha said bluntly to Celestia. The white alicorn taken aback from the giant dragon's words. "What my sister is say. Is that the both of us have come up with a way to handle Discord." Luna said, catching Alpha's attention completely. "Well if you want my option on that. I would just crush him, there's no point in risking the populus further." Alpha said, making the two alicorn sisters shared a concerned look. Them not sure how their old friend would take their plan after his last words. "Well... exactly we planning on..." Luna began, her words fading mid sentence. "Yes Luna." Alpha said, urging Luna to continue. "Well, we were planning on rel..." Luna started to continue, only for her words to fade out again. Alpha's irritation beginning to grow. "Yes..." Alpha snorted, his anger raising. "We were planning on releasing Discord." Luna said, fearing the response from Alpha. Turning her face away from the towering dragon. When Luna didn't get a response, she turned her head toward Alpha to a stunned look on his muzzle. His brain still trying to comprehend what the blue alicorn had said to him. "Loading... loading... loading... bing!" Alpha thought to himself, as his brain processed the information that he had been given. "A... Alpha are you alright?" Theta asked his mentor, the one to finally bring the million pound dragon back to reality. "WHAT!?" Over in Ponyville the Mane Six, and Spike, were gathering in the park in the middle of the town, waiting for Princess Celestia. Who apparently had a special surprise for the seven of them. "I love it when Princess Celestia comes to Ponyville! I got my hooves shined just like Rarity for the occasion. Ya like?" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly, showing the white unicorn her polished hooves. "I certainly do!" Rarity said to Pinkie, her being able to see her reflection in the pink pony's hoof. "I'm surprised she's not here yet." Twilight said, noticing the her mentor's tardiness. "Oh sure I guess it fine with the Princess of the Sun is tardy. But when Twilight is tardy everypony loses their minds." "I wonder what's taking so long?" Spike sighed, sharing the same thoughts as Twilight. "And where are Applejack and Fluttershy?" Twilight asked her friends, Fluttershy and Applejack also being mysteriously absent as well. "Fluttershy's detained helping Applejack with a mishap at Sweet Apple Acres. They'll be along." Rarity said to Twilight, answering her question. "But, I still don't get why the Princess would be so late." Spike groaned. "She's bringing an important visitor. That could be part of it. Maybe we will get another visit from the Alpha." Twilight said, trying to find a reason for "A visitor who's important and slow." Rainbow groaned, becoming border by the passing second. "Maybe it's somepony so terribly important, she still had many more terribly important things to do before she got here." Rarity said, giving her own reason for Princess Celestia's lateness. All eyes shifted towards the skies as an all too familiar roar broke the silence of the sunny day. Alpha massive body appeared over the mountains of that marked the border of Equestria and the Dragon Empire, Equestria becoming his second home he had visited it so often. Alpha went in for a landing. Landing in the middle of the park of Ponyville. "Alpha!" Spike greeted his King, bowing in respect. "Are you here for the meeting with Princess Celestia?" Twilight asked Alpha, getting an agitated growl out of the mountain-sized dragon. "Yes... Celestia should be along shortly." Alpha growled, making the six ponies present share a confused look. Not sure as to why Alpha would be on edge. The royal trumpets sounded overhead, all eyes, dragons and pony alike, shifted toward Canterlot. Celestia sitting on a golden chariot pulled by a pair of pegasus guard. The chariot having a smaller one behind it, the petrified body of a certain draconequus "Maybe the visitor has a deer antler, a goat leg, a bat wing, and a snake tail!" Spike gasped, noticing the petrified draconequus in tow. "Yeah, right. That's... Discord!" Twilight said, coming realization as to what Celestia was bringing to the meeting. "Why in the wide, wide world of Equestria would Princess Celestia bring along someone like that?" Rarity questioned, getting a now understandable growl from Alpha. "M-m-maybe you should ask... her!" Spike hesitated as Celestia's chariot came to a stop on the grassy grounds of the park. The park almost completely covered by the shadow of the Alpha. "Umm... this should be interesting." Zulu mumbled to himself. The massive shadow of Alpha being a perfect cover for the Shadow Changeling. Zulu eagerly awaiting what was going to happen next. "With all due respect, Princess Celestia..." Twilight began to say to Celestia. "How could you bring Discord here?!" Twilight all but yelled at the white alicorn. Zulu not able from keeping a laugh escaping past his lips. "Your majesty." Twilight said clearing her throat. "I'm fully aware that the last time Discord was here, he created serious havoc." Celestia said to the six ponies. "If by "serious havoc" you mean "turning Ponyville into the chaos capital of the world..." Rainbow began vent about the horrors that Discord had invicted on Equestria only a few months earlier. "...and tricking us all into being the opposite of our true selves..." Rarity added. "And making yummy delicious chocolate milk rain all over the place without a single dollop of whipped cream to go with it anywhere in sight! Not a single dollop!" Pinkie added, another giggle escaping past Zulu's shadowy form. Him quite enjoying these six ponies. "Alpha! Did you know about this?" Twilight asked Alpha. "Yes, yes I did. I share the same options as you do." Alpha said, sending a glare toward Celestia. A glare that Celestia ignored. "Yes, I understand. But I have use for Discord's magic if it can be reformed to serve good instead of evil. This is why I've brought Discord here, because I believe that you are the ponies who can help him do just that." Celestia explained, only adding to the ponies discomfort. "This will never work! This is a disaster! How will we ever control him?! We're doomed!" Spike said quickly and in a panic state, fully remembering what happened the last time Discord was released from a stone prison. "Need I remind you that you are the ponies who turned him back into stone like this in the first place?" Celestia reminded the Mane Six. "I suppose we can just use the Elements of Harmony against him again if it gets out of hoof?" Twilight said. "Uh, w-w-we probably need a volunteer to run away from here right away to get them. I'll do it!" Spike said, as he began to run off, looking for the Elements of Harmony. "No need, Spike. I have them right here..." Celestia said stopping Spike. Using her magic to hold an encrave wooden box that held the Elements. Alpha drifted his eyes down to the Elements. The six small gems sparkling as he look down on them. His green eyes flashing all the colors of the rainbow for a second. "And I've cast a spell so Discord can't take them and hide them again. Now where is Fluttershy? I believe she may know best how to begin reforming Discord." Celestia said, looking around the yellow pegasus. To no prevail. "Fluttershy? Really?" Rainbow Dash questioned. Over at Sweet Apple Acres, Fluttershy was helping Applejack with a certain problem involving beavers. "What's he goin' on about now?" Applejack asked Fluttershy, the yellow pegasus negotiating with the beavers. "Good news. Mr. Beaverton Beaverteeth has agreed to take his dam apart and move it." Fluttershy said to Applejack, her being the one out of the Mane Six that had the ability to understand all other animal's languages. "Well, it's about time. My apple trees are so waterlogged, I can practically hear 'em gargle!" Applejack said, looking back her poor apple trees, them all covered to their roots in water. There was numerous loud complaining coming from the beavers. "But he says first you'll have to apologize for calling him "a nuisance"." Fluttershy said to Applejack, translating the beaver's complaining. "Apologize? He's lucky I didn't call him a varmint!" Applejack spat at the beaver. Applejack's words were soon followed by another round of complaining coming from the beavers. "Mr. Beaverton Beaverteeth! Such language!" Fluttershy gasped, disgusted at the beaver's choice of words. Choosing for the better not to repeat them. "Fine, fine. I apologize." Applejack reluctantly apologized to the beaver. The beaver accepted the cowpony's apology and took out one of the logs of the dam he had built, destroying the entire structure. "Thanks, Fluttershy. Don't know what I would've done without you." Applejack sighed, thanking the yellow pegasus. "Glad I could help." Fluttershy said, her face turning a slight pink in a blush. "Hey, slackers! Double time it on over to Ponyville, would ya?! We're all waiting on you." Rainbow said flying in. Back in the park of Ponyville, Celestia gave Fluttershy her mission. "I realize that this is a tall order, but I wouldn't ask if I weren't confident you could get him to use magic obediently of his own free will." Celestia said to Fluttershy, giving the yellow pegasus her largest task that she had ever been given to date. "And... you really think I'll know best how to do that?" Fluttershy asked Celestia, understandably nervous as to what the Princess believes would make her the most qualified to 'reform' Discord. "I do. Now, I must return to Canterlot for Equestria's royal summit. You may release Discord when ready." Celestia said as she trotted onto her golden chariot, ready to return to Canterlot. "Del... I mean Alpha, are you coming?" Celestia asked Alpha. "Momentarily, I just want to make sure that nothing to chaotic happens." Alpha said to Celestia. "Go on ahead. I will catch up with you later." Alpha said, shifting his attention back to the petrified draconequus in front of him. "Right, well I wish the best of luck onto you all." Celestia said as she traveled back to Canterlot on her golden chariot. "You're going to need it." Zulu said as he shadow traveled back to the Changeling Hive. Knowing that his new master would enjoy the news that he was going to bring him. "Okay, ponies, guess it's time to get started. Let's just hope this releasing spell works." Twilight said, using her magic to place each of her friend's respective Element of Harmony around their necks and her Element of Magic crown on top of her head. "Or... let's not." Spike commented, remembering the last time Discord was released from his stone prison. "We'd best keep our elements on at all times 'til further notice." "Check!" All of Twilight's friends said, as they got into position to use their Elements. "Alpha, you'll help us if things get out of hoof?" Twilight asked the massive dragon above them. "Do you even have to ask, Miss Sparkle?" Alpha said, as his red scales began to glow a bright orange, as his fire began to build in his chest. Ready to finish Discord once and for all, if he tried anything too chaotic. Twilight and her friends all shot their eyes and consecrated hard, using their unrivaled friendship to activate the Elements of Harmony. The six ponies all raised into the air as the Elements glowed in magical energy. The necklace all getting connected by a line of rainbow colors, before finally reaching Twilight and her Element of Magic. A beam of rainbow colors shot from the Element of Magic and rained down on the stone statue of Discord. The statue beginning to crack from the spell. Discord finally broke free from his stone prison. Stretching his arms as a yawn escaped past his lips. "Oh! Ooh! Ooooh! Well, it's about time somepony got me out of that prison block. What a relief!" Discord yawned, streching his limbs made out of all different sorts of creatures. Snapping his fingers, and turning a squirrel on a tree branch more than five times its original size. The tree branch it was sitting on breaking from the sudden weight gain. "What do you think you're doing?!" Twilight questioned Discord. "Nnnnnnnnngh– Why, stretching, of course. When you're a creature of chaos, stone bodysuits aren't your typical go-to fashion choice. Nnngh..." Discord said, enjoying his newly found freedom. Him snapping his fingers and changing a black bunny from his cute appearance, to a much larger and meaner version of itself. "Make that bunny cute again! Now!" Pinkie gasped, demanding Discord to return Angel to his original form. "Oh... sniggers... He's adorable the way he is." Discord sniggered. "You know what else is adorable? You ponies truly believe that you can reform me, and that you're putting your faith in this one here to make it happen. Makes me wanna pinch your little horsey cheeks..." Discord said, enjoying picking on the Mane Six. "How'd you know about that?" Twilight questioned Discord. "Being turned to stone doesn't keep me from hearing every word that Celestia says." Discord said answering the purple unicorn's question. Discord's body was than covered completely by the massive shadow of Alpha. "Um... who turned out the lights?" Discord asked to himself. "I did!" Alpha roared. His booming voice almost making Discord jumped out of his skin. "Oh... Delta... when did you get back? How's Omega doing?" Discord asked the dragon that towered over him. An fully grown alpha dragon being the only thing that he would think twice about pranking. "About a month, and it's Alpha now Discord, and don't you forget it." Alpha roared down at Discord, black smoke coming out of his nostrils as he snorted in disgust. Ignoring Discord's question about his traitorous brother. "Omega... who's Omega." Twilight thought to herself. Logging away the strange name for later usage. "Right... of course." Discord said with genuine fear in his voice, shifting his attention back to the ponies. "And if you don't want to be turned back to stone. You will zap those animals back the way they were, pronto." Twilight ordered at Discord. "And what would happen if I didn't?" Discord asked Twilight, folding his mix matched arms across his chest. "Then you will deal... with me." Alpha roared down to Discord. Discord's yellow eyes instantly shrunk at the Alpha's words. Him fully remembering his battle with Omega, his own twin brother. "Fine." Discord said mocked defeated, snapping his fingers and turning the squirrel and bunny back to their original form. However, behind the ponies, literally, his used the feathers on his tail to snap. His chaos magic affecting the beavers at Sweet Apple Acres. Their eyes turning red and snaring vemonessly. Running off into the apple orchard to do whatever Discord wishes. "Oopsie." Discord said to every reader currently reading this story. The ponies and dragons, seemly noticing his words. "Well, it looks like I know where I'll be crashing while I'm being 'reformed'." Discord said in a mocking tone. "With you, Fluttershy!" Discord said, the yellow pegasus being teleported into Discord's arms. "Oh dear." Fluttershy said to herself, as Discord patted her on the head. "As much as it pains me. I must depart." Alpha snorted, not wanting to put all his faith on a group of six ponies. Alpha then opened up his wings and launched into the sky, heading toward Canterlot. Over at Fluttershy's cottage, the Mane Six were thinking up a plan as to how to reform Discord. The Elements of Harmony still wrapped around their necks, just in case Discord needed to return to his stone prison. "He may be horrible, but that doesn't mean we have to act the same way. We should at least try to be hospitable." Fluttershy said, cleaning her cottage. "You don't mind giving up your favorite spot on the couch, do you Angel?" Fluttershy asked her pet white bunny. Discord relaxing on the green couch in Fluttershy's cottage. Angel ran over to the draconequus and did his best to remove Discord from the couch. By pulling Discord's green dragon leg, to no prevail. Angel slumbering away in defeat. "Oh! Um sorry about Angel. Are you alright?" Fluttershy apologized to Discord. "Oh, yes. Thank you Fluttershy, for the concern. If only your pony friends could be as considerate." Discord said, getting a snort from the other five ponies present. "Don't listen to him Fluttershy!" Rainbow said, raising off the ground. "He's just trying to create a wedge between us, like he always does." Rainbow said to Fluttershy. "Now why in the world would I even try to do a thing like that?" Discord questioned the cyan pegasus, his words burning with sarcasm. "So we can't unite and use the Elements of Harmony against you, that's why." Rainbow Dash spat at Discord. "I never thought of that..." Discord said, having fun playing with the fiery personality of Rainbow Dash. A personality that could rival the heat from an average dragon. "You big liar." Rainbow said, flying back over to her friends in the center of the room. "Now looks you's a liar. Anypony can plainly see that I'm not big at all." Discord said, using his magic to shrink himself to about the size of Angel. Angel was about to jump on the couch, only for Discord to increase back to his normal size, pushing the bunny away with his dragon leg. His sudden change in size making him knock over a lamp on a end table next to the couch. The lamb breaking in a small crash of broken pottery. "Oops." Discord said, using his magic to 'fix' the lamb. The lamb now being a lamb in the design of himself. "There. All better." Discord said, admiring his handiwork. "I can't watch." Applejack said, placing her hat over her eyes. "We'll be outside." Rainbow Dash said, Fluttershy's friends all exiting her home. Before Twilight left, however, she asked Fluttershy. "Are you sure that you're ok with this?" "I know it's not going to be easy, but Princess Celestia is counting on me. And I actually think I know what to do." Fluttershy said to Twilight. The purple unicorn's eyes widening at Fluttershy's words. "You do?" Twilight said, eagerly awaiting Fluttershy's answer. "I think the key is to befriend him." Fluttershy said to Twilight. Discord having fun messing with Angel behind her. "Being kind to him and letting him be my houseguest is probably the best way to do that." Fluttershy said, putting Twilight into deep thought. "And you really think that will work?" Twilight asked Fluttershy, not sure if anypony could be friends with Discord. "I think it's worth a try." Fluttershy with determination in her voice. "Ok, but if you need us, all you need to do is whisper 'help' and we'll be back here with our Elements" Twilight whispered to Fluttershy. "So watch that goat-legged step of yours, pals." Twilight said calling out Discord. Who was holding Angel from one of his small legs, upside down. "Wha... What?" Discord said, using his magic to place him, and Angel, in two large chairs. Discord now dressed in a light blue tuxedo and matching hat, while wearing a monocle, and taking a sip of hot tea. "Look at me, I'm practically already reformed." Discord said, having the best time in his life since his last escape from a stone prison. Fluttershy gave a fake grin and close the door to her cottage. Twilight rolling her eyes at the current situation. "She's really alright with him staying there?" Rarity asked Twilight. "That's what she said." Twilight answered. "Personally, I think we should come up with a backup plan. In case this whole 'befriending' thing doesn't work out." Rainbow suggested. "Rainbow Dash is right." Rarity began in agreement. "Wow! Rarity and Rainbow in agreement. This is a screwed up situation." "This is Discord we are talking about. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have another trick up our selves." Rarity said, an idea forming Twilight's head. "And I think I know just the trick." Twilight said. A few hours later Fluttershy was searching her cottage looking for Discord. "Discord?" Fluttershy said, searching for the draconequus. "Oh, there you are." Fluttershy said, finding Discord sitting on her couch having a snack out of a brown bowl. A snack that Fluttershy first assumed was some kind of chips. "Listen Discord. I just wanted to make sure you know that if there's anything I can do to..." Fluttershy began to say to Discord, trotting closer to the draconequus. Seeing what he was truly eating. "Um... are you... eating paper?" Fluttershy asked Discord, confused as to why he would something so... strange. "Yeah! What's wrong with eating paper!" "Am I? Huh... I guess I am. How odd of me." Discord said to himself, stopping momentarily, before returning to eat the paper in his bowl. "Well, um, I'm just heading out, so you just make yourself at home while I'm gone." Fluttershy said, leaving her home. "Bye-bye. Have a nice time!" Discord called out to Fluttershy as she trotted down the path to her cottage. "Everything is fine here. Bye-bye." Discord said more to himself as he flashed back into the cottage, slamming the front door behind him. "You like carrots, Angel?" Discord said down to the poor bunny, pulling an orange carrot out of his left ear. "I'm playing your for a foal." Discord said hitting Angel with the carrot. Knocking the white bunny across the ground. The carrot landing in Angel's paws, Discord's face appearing in the carrot. "How do you like them carrots?" Discord, as the carrot, mocked Angel. In Twilight's treehouse library she was searching through the many books in her home for a certain to defeat Discord. "That's weird. The spell I had in mind isn't here." Twilight said to herself, using her magic to flip through the many pages of a book in her library. "Spike, where are the other books I asked for you to pull?' Twilight asked her number one assistant. "Right here, Twilight." Spike said, holding a stack full of books that was double his height. Twilight used her magic to take the books from Spike, and created a circle around herself with the books. Quickly reading the said books, looking for a certain spell. "I really want to have a reforming spell up and running pronto." Twilight said to herself, searching through all of the books at once. "What if he makes the Elements of Harmony disappear like he did last time?" Spike asked Twilight. "Princess Celestia cast a spell protecting them, remember?" Twilight reassured Spike, not taking off from her books. "No offense Twilight, but based on Celestia's current track record with taking on villains. I won't count her words as hard as stone." "Uh-oh." Twilight said, releasing her books from her magic, them falling to the ground in a small thud. "What's wrong?" Spike asked Twilight, covering his mouth with concern. "Princess Celestia didn't cast a spell protecting our books! Everywhere I thought I would find the reforming spell..." Twilight said to Spike turning to a page in a book that she thought would contain the reforming. When Twilight found the page in question she showed it to Spike. The page in question being torn out of her book. Back in Fluttershy's cottage, Discord was having the time of his life. Him using his chaotic powers to make Fluttershy's home float above the ground and rotate. "Are you sure this isn't overdoing it? You said to make myself at home while you were gone, but I wouldn't want to overstep my bounds." Discord asked Fluttershy, using her past words against her. "I did say that. So, if this makes you more comfortable, by all means, please fill free." Fluttershy said to Discord, barely missing getting hit by a falling pot and pan. "Oh well, it does. Very much so." Discord said to Fluttershy, admiring his handiwork. "You're so kind, my dear Fluttershy. I always knew you were the understanding one." Discord said hovering over toward Fluttershy. Fully remembering how she was the one that was able to withstand his tricks in the hedge maze. "Not like those nasty friends of yours." Discords said, Fluttershy taking great offense to his words. "gasp... My friends aren't nasty!" Fluttershy gasped, coming to the defense of her friends. Much to Discord's delight. "Well of course, you'd say that. It just goes to show how understanding you truly are." Discord said to Fluttershy, the yellow pegasus shooting him a glare. Discord then teleported over to his couch, and continued to flatter the yellow pegasus. "You know, I think Princess Celestia is right when she singled you out as the one who could reform me. You're off to a great start, in fact, I am seriously considering actually being reformed." Discord said, telling Fluttershy what she wanted to hear. And based on the smile and slight blush appearing on her face, it was working. The chat between the two 'friends' was interrupted by the sound of Twilight's voice calling for Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, can you hear me?" Twilight called for Fluttershy outside her cottage. "Goodness! I hear Twilight!" Fluttershy exclaimed flying out of her cottage, catching Angel in her hoofs. "Fluttershy, what's going on? Are you ok?" Twilight asked Fluttershy, the yellow pegasus' cottage hovering a solid fifty feet above the ground. "We're fine. Everything's going great." Fluttershy said, placing Angel on the ground. "Isn't it Angel?" Fluttershy asked Angel, the white bunny stumbling away in dizziness. Answering Fluttershy's rhetorical question. "We've come to get you away from Discord. He's just terrible, and from the looks of it, completely out of control." Twilight said, pointing at the currently cottage floating in mid air. A disappointed scowl on Spike's face. "Oh, but you're wrong. We're making great process." Fluttershy said happily. "Seriously?" Spike and Twilight said in disbelief at the same time. "I'm earning his trust by giving him a little space to be himself." Fluttershy said, not knowing the consciences of her actions. "Hate to break it to you, but he that 'space to be himself' to tear out all of the reforming spells from the library." Spike said, showing Fluttershy a book with a pagee torn out of it. "That does explain the paper eating." Fluttershy said, placing a hoof to her chin. "HE ATE THEM!?" Twilight groaned, facehoofing. "But we aren't going to need a spell. he's already considering being reformed. He said so." Fluttershy said. "And you believe that Fluttershy, I mean I knew you were naive, but damn." "And you believed him?"Twilight questioned Fluttershy. "My thoughts exactly Twi." "If I'm going to be his friend, I have to start by giving him the benefit of the doubt." Fluttershy said. "I'm not even going to respond to that." "Tell you what, bring all the ponies over for a dinner party this evening, and I'll bet his manners will have really changed by then." Fluttershy offered to Twilight, Twilight and Spike sharing a concerned look. "I'll even get him to put the cottage back on the ground first." Fluttershy said, flying back into her house. "Alright... dinner it is." Twilight sighed, not expecting this to go very well. Over at the Changeling Hive, Zulu warped out of the shadows, excited to tell his master of the good news. Zulu was blasted by a gust of warm air as he walked into the large cavern that held Omega. The giant dragon sleeping, his massive body only moving as he breathed. "Acem..." Zulu cleared his throat. Omega's eyes flashing open at the disturbance. "Zulu, haven't I told you time and time again. NOT to interpret my sleep!" Omega roared, raising his massive skull off of the dirt floor. His head slamming into the ceiling of the cavern. "Yes... you have. But I can assure you that the news have brought you is certainly worth the interruption." Zulu said up to Omega. Omega cocked one of the bridges of his eyes. "What is this 'news' that you speak of?" Omega asked Zulu. "Princess Celestia is trying to 'reform' Discord." Zulu said to Omega, getting no visible reaction from the giant dragon that towered above. After a few moments of pure silence, Zulu fearing that he had done something wrong, Omega broke off into a chuckle. A chuckle that soon erupted into a fit of devilish laughter. "Um... Omega... are you alright?" Zulu asked cautiously. Beginning to retreat backwards. "Yes Zulu... I am very much alright." Omega said, his one black eyes seeming to twinkle in delight. "Zulu!" Omega roared, taking Zulu off guard. "Yes... yes Omega." Zulu stammered, saluting the massive dragon in front of him. "Return to the town of Ponyville, and see how this 'reforming' of my old apprentice turns out." Omega ordered down to Zulu. "Yes Omega, right away Omega." Zulu said quickly, warping back into the shadows. "Ha Ha Ha, just wait brother. Soon I will return, and this time I will be victorious." Omega roared. About an hour later Fluttershy's friends all arrived at her cottage ready to have a dinner party with Discord. Most of them not to pleased about it. "Ugh! I can't believe that we're having a dinner party with Discord." Rainbow groaned, the one least pleased about the current situation. "This evening is sure to be a disaster." Rarity said in agreeance, her wearing an elegantly crafted purple gown that matched her mane. "Seriously Rarity and Rainbow Dash agreeing. What is happening?" "Glad I didn't bother to wear one of my fancier gowns." Rarity said, looking down at her current gown in slight disgust. "Rarity, I've seen some of your gowns in Season 4, so you can just shut the buck up." "Fluttershy thinks this is the best way to reform Discord and asked us to give it a chance." Twilight said to her friends, as the door to Fluttershy's cottage opened. Discord dressed in a butler's outfit and adorning a curled moustache ready to greet the pony guests. "Oh, our pony guests." Discord said to the five ponies, and one dragon, using his literal tongue to create a red carpet. "We're so delighted that you've come." Discord said, teleporting into the cottage. "Please do come in." Discord said to the the guest. Them all in a state of shock. The five ponies and one dragon entered the cottage, and it was completely different. With a golden chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and a large wooden that look like a pizza if somepony had cut a small section of it out in the middle of the blue tile floor. "See what a beautiful job he did helping? Discord set the entire table himself. I'm so proud." Fluttershy said, believing that she had fully reformed Discord. "May I take your... ahem, hats, ladies?" Discord asked Twilight reaching for her crown. "Hang on to your elements girls. it's going to be a bumpy night "Adam Prancer would've made a sex joke there, but I'm a better writer than he." As time passed the dinner began to go by surprisingly smoothing, the creatures present not even noticing when I got an unexpected guest. "Ugh finally I found him... I just hope I'm not too late to miss anything important." Zulu said to himself, shadow traveling into Fluttershy's cottage. "What in all of Tartarus am I watching?" Zulu asked himself. Seeing the dinner setup in the cottage, the thing that surprised him the most however being Discord dressed in a butler's outfit of all things. The lighted room making difficult for Zulu to hid, but he was able to find enough shadow to hide underneath the table that the creatures were eating on. The tension in the room being felt by nopony, or dragon, or draconequus more, than Zulu. Though nowhere near the power of love, but hate work as a good appetizer. "As you all know, Princess Celestia hoped we'd help Discord use his magic for good instead of evil." Fluttershy said, reminding her friends why they were there, because reasons. Pinkie Pie stuffed her face with mashed potatoes, her actions halted by the calm sound of Fluttershy's voice. "Pinkie Pie, care for some gravy?" Fluttershy asked Pinkie. "You bet!" Pinkie said happily, her face covered in mashed potatoes. "Allow me." Discord said to Fluttershy, using his magic to make the gravy boat acting like a small dog come alive and run over to Pinkie. "Oh, what a cute you little gravy boat you are! Yes you are, yes you are!" Pinkie said, petting the gravy boat, as it poured its contents on Pinkie's mashed potatoes. "That's one creepy little gravy boat if you ask me." Rainbow said, Zulu taking in a large dose of hate from the cyan pegasus. The shadow underneath the table growing in size. "Oh come on, Dashie, you're not even giving this a chance." Fluttershy said scolding Rainbow. The gravy boat then poured its contents on the cyan pegasus. Rainbow blasting into the air at the touch of hot gravy. "Yeah that's hot." "You don't say!" "Oops! Well, I'm so sorry." Discord said, giving a fake apology. "He did that on purpose!" Rainbow Dash accused Discord. "Oh, well, I don't know about that. Mistakes happen." Discord said trying to avoid the occurrence. "Oh, look everypony, dancing candles." Discord said distracting the ponies present by using his magic to make the candles come alive. "I'm not falling for that." Rainbow said, blowing out three of the candles in front of Spike. 'Discord's just trying to distract us from..." Rainbow tried to convince her friends of Discord's plans. Only for the three candles to start hitting her. "Hey, knock it off. I suppose that's just another 'mistake'." Rainbow said to Discord. "No, I think they just don't like you." "No, I think you just made them mad." Discord said. "My thoughts exactly." "There's something fishing going on." Twilight said, only to get spurted in the by a soup tureen in the shape of a fish. The fish then for some reason hit Spike in the face with it orange liquid, I assume is tomato soup. "Discord?" Fluttershy asked Discord, Zulu getting a strange sense of friendship coming from the yellow pegasus. "Well, it's not my fault if the soup tureen finds the term 'something fishy' to be offensive." Discord said, using Twilight's words against her. "Not the dress, not the dress!" Rarity exclaimed as the fish tureen hit Rarity with it's contents. "But I thought you didn't like it. Rarity you have no logic." "That tureen's only doin' what you're makin' it do!" Applejack said to Discord, covering her face as the tureen sprayed her. Discord having to cover his mouth to conceal his laughter. "Now let's not jump to any conclusions." Fluttershy said coming to Discord's defense. "Seriously, are you really that dense." Zulu whispered to himself, from under the table. This diner party being the best meal he had in ages. "Fluttershy, can't you see what he's doing? He's playing innocent with you, so that you will never use your Element of Harmony against him." Rainbow Dash said to Fluttershy, as she was also sprayed by the fish tureen. "Thank you Rainbow, I think I got a cinnamon roll here for you somewhere." "Oh, well that's a bit harsh, isn't it?" Discord said playing innocent. "Get out of there dude you're about to be busted." Zulu whispered to himself. "Do you see what I'm saying, right, Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked the yellow pegasus, covering the fish tureen with a dish cover. "Fluttershy..." Rainbow pressed, only to get an unexpected reaction. "You know what I see? I see that Discord's far from perfect..." Fluttershy began, coming to the defense of Discord. Placing her literal hoof down on her friends. "But I also see none of you girls giving him a chance." Fluttershy called out her friends. "Come on!" All of Fluttershy's friends complained. "What's gotten into you? Why do you keep cutting him so much slack?" Rainbow asked Fluttershy. "Because that's what friends do." Fluttershy said, surprising everypony present, including Discord. Zulu getting a shot of friendship from Fluttershy that could've kept him full for an entire week. "We're friends?" Discord asked Fluttershy softly. "Why of course, I can't remember my house ever being this lively before you came along." Fluttershy said to Discord. Him genuinely moved by her kind words. "Oh... well... I've never really had a friend before." Discord said to Fluttershy, him truly beginning to change. "Well, now you do." Fluttershy said, Discord slightly blushing at the pegasus' words. All the ponies present in a state of shock. None more so than Zulu. "Oh no, this isn't good." Zulu whispered to himself, him fearing what would happen if he had to tell Omega that Discord was reformed. Zulu's fears were slightly relieved when Angel hoped through an opened window, landing the wooden table, waving his arms up and down. "Now is not a good time, Angel. We're having a diner party." Fluttershy said to Angel. "Hold on, I think he's trying to tell us somethin."Applejack said, as Angel covered himself in a cup of water. Angel then held a red apple in his paws. "Apple!" Everypony said. Angel then pointed at Applejack. "Applejack!" Everypony said, Angel's face falling into a frown. Angel then threw the red in a pitcher of apple cider. "Oh, Sweet Apple Acres." Rarity said, Angel jumping up and down in excitement. "Flooding at Sweet Apple Acres." Rainbow said correctly. "And we all know who's behind that, don't we?" Rainbow asked a rhetorical question, pointing her hoof at Discord. "Who, me?" Discord responded innocently, an angel's halo appearing above his head. "Oh, give it a rest." Rainbow said as Fluttershy's friend left the cottage. "What do you think of your 'friend' now Fluttershy?" Rainbow said, storming or more technically flying out. "Well this just got more interesting." Zulu said as he shadow traveled to the apple orchard in question. Over at Sweet Apple Acres the apples trees were completed covered in water, some of it going up to the branches of the trees. "Wow, now that is a lot of water." Zulu said, him determining that it was safe enough for him to remain in his changeling form. Him watching the chaos going down from on top of an half submerged apple tree. "Oh such language." Fluttershy gasped not able to get the beavers to stop. "It's no use! They won't listen to a word I say." Fluttershy said, cross at the beavers in question. "You see Discord's behind all this, right?" Rainbow asked Fluttershy angrily. "Of course I do! Do you all think I'm a silly, gullible foal?" Fluttershy snapped back, Rainbow's word biting her back in the flank. All of Fluttershy's friends laughed nervously as Fluttershy continued. "I've just been trying to gain his friendship in any way possible. So that I can he'd come to trust and listen to me." Fluttershy explained to her friends. "Oh, I guess I've underestimated you pegasus." Zulu said, now impressed by Fluttershy's actions. "Hey, there, Fluttershy! You want a turn the water's great!" Discord called out to Fluttershy, him water skiing on water that flooded Sweet Apple Acres. "Time to see if it worked." Fluttershy said to herself, determination burning in her teal eyes. "There you are. A sight for sore eyes." Discord said, meeting up with Fluttershy. "As you can see, there's a big mess down here at Sweet Apple Acres." Fluttershy said angrily to Discord, pointing at the flooded apple orchard around her. "Oh yes, awful business that, mm hm." Discord said disinterested, drying himself off with a towel. "It is awful." Fluttershy pressed. "This is Applejack's home and it's being destroyed by innocent creatures who never be acting this way if it weren't for your reckless behavior." Fluttershy scolded Discord. "You need to fix this." Fluttershy said, turning away from Discord. "Well, yes. Yes very well, I will fix it. I only ask one thing in return." Discord said catching Fluttershy attention. "Yes?" Fluttershy asked Discord, believing that she had finally gotten through to him. "I ask that you never use your Element of a Harmony against me." Discord said poking the necklace around Fluttershy's neck. "As a sign of our friendship." Discord pressed, using Fluttershy's desperation against her. Fluttershy looked toward her friends for help, them all shaking their heads in an unanimous no. "Don't do it pegasus, don't do it." Zulu said to himself, before realization set in. "Wait... if she refuses to use her Element of Harmony that would mean that the rest are useless. So... do it pegasus, make it easier to invade your land, again." Zulu said, eagerly awaiting Fluttershy's answer. "I will never use my Element of Harmony against you." Fluttershy said taking off her necklace and throwing it away, it landing in the claws of Spike. "Excellent!" Discord exclaimed, snapping his fingers. A blinding light came from his magic as the water that flooded Sweet Apple Acres was now frozen into one great ice skating rink. "There much better! I do prefer ice skating to water skiing, don't you?" Discord exclaimed, skating on the newly created ice. "DISCORD!" Fluttershy snapped, furious. "Oh, shits about to go down." Zulu said to himself, enjoying the current chaos that was going down. "That's not fixing it!" Fluttershy said, running onto the ice after Discord. "Why I oughta..." Fluttershy charged Discord, unable to stop on the ice. "Where you going?" Discord said sarcastically. "What's wrong pal?" Discord asked the furious Fluttershy, who was doing her best to stay standing on the ice. "DON'T call me PAL!" Fluttershy snapped at Discord. "Come skating with me, and we'll let bygones be bygones!" Discord said using his magic to create four white ice skates for Fluttershy. "Here you go Fluttershy. Game on." Spike said, skating down toward Fluttershy, holding her Element of Kindness. "He fixes this, or he goes back to stone. Princess Celestia will understand." Twilight added, threatening Discord. "This has gotten really interesting." Zulu said, the hate from the others being a welcomed addition to his already full stomach. Fluttershy shifted her eyes between Spike and Discord before finally making her decision. "I made a promise not to use my Element against him, and I'm going to keep it." Fluttershy said, taking the four ice skates in her mouth. "Yes!" Zulu exclaimed a little louder than expected. "This is going perfectly." Zulu said to himself in glee. All of Fluttershy's friends groaned at the yellow pegasus' actions. "You see? She wants to have fun with me because we're friends." Discord said in a mockery tone. "She can't use her Element against we're friends!" Discord continued, Fluttershy about ready to explode. "I am free, hahaha!" Discord broke off into maniacal laughter. "Discord, evil overlord rule number six. I will not gloat over my enemies predicament before I kill them. Wait what!?" "NOT! YOUR! FRIEND!" An enraged Fluttershy snapped, throwing the white ice skates out of her mouth. "Who cares? I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. I'm Discord, the Master of Chaos!" Discord said teleporting to Fluttershy's side. "You think you can boss Discord around? You think I am going to turn all this because you say so?" Discord said to Fluttershy, her remaining silent. "Because if I don't I'll lose the one friend I ever had?" Discord said, realization as to what he had done hitting him a like cement truck. "Oh..." Discord sighed looking at the frozen orchard around him "Well played, Fluttershy. Well played." Discord said with tearing eyes realizing just how much he actually valued their friendship. And Zulu was hit with an emotion that hadn't expected or wanted coming from Discord... sadness. "No... No... NO!" Zulu screamed intentionally at what was happening in front of him. Discord then sat on an apple tree that was almost covered by ice and reversed his spell. Sweet Apple Orchard returning to normal. "Way to go Fluttershy!" All of Fluttershy's friends congratulated her. "I like it better my way, but I guess when you're friends, you can't always have the things exactly your way all the time." Discord said, learning his first lesson about friendship. "No..." Zulu said, his green eyes filling up with tears. "I was so close." He said burying her face in the tree his was sitting on. Him melting into the shadows, pretty sure knowing what would happen next. In the center of Ponyville, Princess Celestia and Alpha were waiting for the answer to the question of the day. Had Discord truly reformed. "Yes, Princess, and Alpha." Discord began to the two royals. "I'm ready to use my magic for good instead of evil." Discord said giving a bow to the two royals. "Most of the time." Discord muttered to himself. Celestia and Alpha either didn't hear or just didn't care as Celestia began to speak. "Congratulations on your success, ponies. I definitely sense a big change in Discord." Celestia said, accepting Discord reformation. "I'll leave the Elements of Harmony with you, Twilight. Just in case." Celestia whispered to Twilight. "You were right when you said Fluttershy would be the one to find a way to reform Discord. By treating Discord as a friend, she got him to realize that friendship was actually important to him. And something that once he had, he didn't want to lose." Twilight said, a blush appearing on both Fluttershy and Discord's faces. "Go on, say it." Fluttershy poke Discord in the side. "Oh, alright." Discord groaned, stepping forward. "Friendship is Magic."Discord said quickly, the words burning like acid in his mouth. "See? He can be a real sweetheart once you get to know him." Fluttershy said, putting her hoof on Discord's lion paw. "Fire the shipping cannons." "I told you it would work." Celestia said to Alpha. "Don't rub it in Tia." Alpha said using Celestia pet name from when she was younger. "TIA!" Everypony gasped, a massive blush appearing on Celestia's face. Everypony than soon broke into laughter at the white alicorn's discomfort, her shooting the giant dragon a death glare. "What?" ALpha shrugged, only adding to the laughter. Inside the Changeling Hive, Zulu warped out of the shadows in defeat. Knowing of his failure to keep Discord evil. "sigh... Well here goes nothing. I just hope that Omega takes this news well." Zulu said to himself, as he stepped out of the shadows and into the massive cavern inside the Changeling Hive that held Omega. Fearing how the giant dragon would take the news of Discord's reformation. "Zulu, I was beginning to worry." Omega said noticing the changeling entrance. "How did the 'reformation' of Discord go?" Omega asked Zulu, expecting Equestria to be already half destroyed by Discord's chaos by now. "That's the thing... well how do I put this." Zulu said, trying to find his words. "Yes!" Omega roared, the literal look of death staring Zulu directly in the face. "This isn't going to end well." Zulu thought as he took in a deep breath, fearing that it would one of his last.