Starlight Over the Forest

by DwarvishPony


3. A Mad Tea-Party

Starlight took a deep breath. Fluttershy had said it was okay to join her and Tree Hugger for tea, so long as she didn't mind the small chance that Discord may show up unannounced. Very small. Usually he was only there at the regular Tuesday tea time.

Which is precisely why Starlight was both surprised and not surprised to find a Spirit of Chaos at tea.

"Oh I do love dropping in on my best friend unannounced. It shows just how close we are." Discord hugged Fluttershy tightly.

"Discord, I love having you visit, but don't you think- oof. Don't you think this is a bit much?" Fluttershy squirmed from the Draconequus' grasp.

"Whatever do you mean, dear Fluttershy?"

"You're one of my best friends, but I don't want you getting jealous again. I still remember what happened at the Gala." Fluttershy pointed a hoof in Discord's direction.

"I promise to be on my best behavior. Scout's honor." Discord held up a salute with his talon, which immediately popped off from his wrist, sprouted wings, and flapped off to harass a parakeet.

"Okay then... But I'm warning you Discord. No funny business." Fluttershy shot one last look at Discord before settling back into her seat and pouring tea for the four of them. "It's so nice to see you again, Tree Hugger. How have you been?"

"Amazing. I've been travelling around a lot, you know? It's really helped me find my center." Tree Hugger responded. She had a look in her eyes that reflected a serenity that Starlight couldn't help but envy silently.

"So um, where have you travelled to?" Starlight asked, fidgeting her hooves under the table. "I'd love to hear about some of the places you've seen."

"Wherever the road takes me, you know? Like yesterday I was meditating in the forest nearby, and I met this pony with the most majestic aura." Tree Hugger smiled. "The animals were frolicking, and it was just this super relaxed vibe. You should have been there Fluttershy."

Starlight blinked, taken aback by Tree Hugger's description of yesterday's events. She did know that that was Starlight... Right?

"That sounds wonderful. Maybe I should join you some time. It get's awfully stressful taking care of the animals by myself. I could use a break." Fluttershy answered. A sparrow fluttered up and chirped excitedly at the mare. "Oh, no Sammy. I wouldn't trade taking care of all of you for anything." The sparrow seemed to accept this answer and flitted off into one of the many birdhouses hanging up in the room. "So who was this pony you met, Tree Hugger?"

"That... was me actually." Starlight answered. "I was going for a walk when I came across Tree Hugger."

"Oh goodness. You went for a walk in the Everfree?" Fluttershy's expression did little to hide the horror on her face. Starlight nodded in response and reached for her tea.

Starlight's tea, however, was currently walking away from her outstretched hooves on a new set of legs. As she stared in surprise, the teacup turned and blew a raspberry at the mare.

"I... Fluttershy? Why is my teacup making rude gestures at me?" Starlight stared as the teacup began dancing in place.

Fluttershy was giggling into her hooves uncontrollably.

"Discord, teehee. Let Starlight have her tea back." Tears had begun forming in her eyes as she held back her laughter.

"Oh, all right. But you're going to miss out on the show tunes." Discord snapped a talon and the teacup trotted back to it's saucer, where it's legs disappeared in a tiny puff of smoke. Starlight still eyed the teacup as if it would blow another raspberry.

"So, Tree Embrace," Discord started, getting another look of warning from Fluttershy in the process. "where were you before coming back to Ponyville?"

"I just came from the Hayseed Swamps. There's a three-horned snake that's been endangered for a while, and I had to help relocate them. Seeing their happy faces as they slithered into their new homes made me feel this divine peace. Like, that's what this is all about. Making animals happy, you know?" Tree Hugger seemed to wear serenity like a blanket, her expression one of nirvana.

"Oh yes, I understand completely." Discord grinned. "I heard that some animals even enjoy tea. Is that true?"

"Really? No way!" Tree Hugger asked in awe. "That's far out!"

"It's true! Angel Bunny can't get enough of the stuff. Look, he's at it again!" Discord pointed to Starlight's tea, where Angel Bunny's head had just popped out of the tea like a jack-in-the-box.

Angel Bunny was not amused. Somehow, he managed to hop completely out of the cup (which was much smaller than the bunny, so Starlight had no idea how he managed to fit in there) and proceeded to splash it's contents at Discord. The tea never made it to the spirit, as it decided to float around Discord and out an open window. It would then travel through the skies to Canterlot, where it would land in a lovely white porcelain teacup and be drank by a certain sun princess during her evening tea.

"Oh my!" Fluttershy exclaimed softly as she stifled yet another giggle. "Let me get you a new cup, Starlight." She picked up the teacup that had held Angel Bunny and trotted into the kitchen.

Starlight glared at Discord, certain that the draconequus had something to do with a rabbit hopping out of her tea. Discord had a halo floating over his head, and Starlight was pretty sure he didn't have such voluminous eyelashes a few seconds ago.

"So, Glim Glam, what do you do in Ponyville now that you live here?" Discord broke the awkward silence that threatened to settle over the room. He pinched the halo with two claws and tossed it out the open window as he spoke.

"It's Starlight, actually..." Starlight corrected. "And I'm Princess Twilight's pupil. I'm studying friendship under her?"

"How do you study friendship?" Discord scoffed. "Next you'll be telling me she sends you on friendship missions to make friends with lonely ponies."

Starlight didn't reply, instead choosing to stare sheepishly at her own hooves.

"Oh, that is too rich! And here I was thinking Twilight having a student would be an educational experience." Discord was clearly enjoying Starlight's discomfort.

"We're all students of something. It's like, part of the wheel that we call life. Learning is the spokes that hold it together." Tree Hugger interjected, much to Starlight's relief. Discord pantomimed gagging as Tree Hugger smiled at Starlight.

"But friendship isn't something you can just learn. There's a reason there's no books on friendship. Believe me, I've checked." Discord retorted.

"Actually, Twilight was telling me she's in the middle of writing one." Fluttershy said as she trotted back in with a new teacup. "She agreed with what you were saying, Discord. There aren't any good books on the subject."

"Ugh... Figures that she'd write a book on it." Discord rolled his eyes so hard they popped out of his head and rolled across the table, where they stared at Starlight.

Starlight Glimmer recoiled in disgust as she let out a cry.

"Discord, how many times have I told you not to leave your eyes lying around?" Fluttershy sighed. "I'm sorry Starlight. Discord's really very sweet when you get to know him. He just comes off as abrasive until you find his sweet side."

"I'm sure..." Starlight said flatly as Discord scooped his eyes up and put them back into his head with a wet plop.

"Would anypony like a crumpet?" Fluttershy interrupted, attempting to deflect the growing tension between Starlight Glimmer and Discord. "Rarity says they're absolutely scrumptious."

Fluttershy passed out a crumpet to everypony, shooting Starlight an apologetic look as she handed a crumpet to her. Silence took over as everypony took a moment to adorn their treats with honey, butter, jam, or whatever. Discord slathered on a helping of garlic-smelling chocolate and ate his in one bite, much to Starlight's disgust.

"Mmph, These are delicious, Fluttershy. Where did you get them?" Discord asked as he reached for another.

"Sugarcube Corner makes them on special request." Fluttershy answered. "Rarity says they're great for picnics, too."

Starlight, her momentary nausea passed, silently munched on her crumpet as the other three fell into pleasant conversation. It was nice to watch, but at the same time, she felt like an outsider. At least food was a good excuse to not speak often.

"-and the Cakes got the recipe after Rarity asked Princess Celestia for it. So technically, this is a royal recipe." Fluttershy finished her story on how the Cakes started making crumpets at their bakery (a hit in Ponyville, apparently). "Where are you going, Starlight?" Fluttershy asked.

"What?" Starlight looked around in shock. She'd been so intently listening to the story, she hadn't realized that she was walking away. No, that wasn't it; a group of woodland critters had started carrying Starlight's stool away from the table, with Starlight still on it. She let out a gasp of surprise.

"Discord." Fluttershy's voice carried a tone that threatened The Stare. "I told you not to mess with my animal friends. They're sensitive."

"Oh, all right." Discord clapped once and the poor critters scattered in fear, the spell upon them broken.

"Excuse me, everypony. I need to make sure that they're all okay." Fluttershy excused herself before tending to her animal friends. "Oh, you poor things..."

Once again, an awkward silence settled over everypony. Tree Hugger settled into a deep-breathing exercise, silently cleansing her chakras. Discord amused himself by juggling his legs and horns. Starlight stared suspiciously at Discord.

"I'm sorry, Discord. Have I... offended you somehow?" Starlight broke the silence, unable to work out the answer to her question on her own.

"No."

"It just feels like all of your pranks are directed at me." Starlight sighed.

"No." Discord replied again.

"Are you sure? Tree Hugger and Fluttershy haven't been on the receiving end of anything today." Starlight pointed out. "Not that I want them to be." She quickly added. "It's just... can you please let everypony enjoy our afternoon tea?"

"No."

"Why not?" Starlight was losing her patience, if the grinding of her teeth was any indication.

"Because, Glim Glam, there's fun to be had in letting loose. Sometimes you just need to liven things up once in a while. Cut lose, get wild, buy a motorcycle!" Discord produced a two-wheeled contraption that rolled itself out of the cottage and into Ponyville, where it would wreak havoc until Twilight Sparkle blew it up with a well-placed magical blast.

"But there's a difference between letting loose and having a good time at somepony else's expense!" Starlight slammed a hoof into the table in anger.

"Star..." Tree Hugger's soft voice brought Starlight crashing back down to earth. "You're harshing the vibe here." She placed a hoof on Starlight Glimmer's. "Can you lower your voice just a skosh?"

Starlight Glimmer pulled her hoof back gently, blushing furiously at her childish behavior.

"I've got to go. Sorry." Starlight's eyes never left the floor as she hurriedly excused herself, brushing past Fluttershy with a lame excuse before leaving.

"Is she all right?" Fluttershy asked of Discord and Tree Hugger.


Starlight was debating between another walk in the Everfree and just heading home. She was sitting on one of the bridges over the river staring into the water when a voice startled her.

"Starlight?"

She turned around to find herself staring at Fluttershy and Discord. Fluttershy had an angry look on her face, making Starlight's heart drop. She's mad at me. I ruined her tea party. Starlight's mind began to race as she thought about the many ways she screwed up this afternoon. Fluttershy huffed slightly.

"Discord has something he needs to say to you." Fluttershy stated like an angry mother.

Huh? Starlight had been so focused on Fluttershy's anger she hadn't bothered looking at Discord. Glancing at the draconequus, she now saw the reserved expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Discord huffed poutily.

Fluttershy cleared her voice and shot Discord a look that was borderline Stare. He sighed.

"I'm sorry, Starlight. I was wrong to push your buttons so hard." Discord wrung his hands together. "I should have taken your feelings into account."

Starlight didn't know what to say. She stood slack-jawed as she stared at the two of them. Fluttershy snapped Starlight out of it by embracing Starlight Glimmer.

"Don't hesitate to join us for tea again. I promise Discord will be nicer next time." Fluttershy invited.

"I... Thank you, Fluttershy." Starlight pulled from the hug after reciprocating. "And Discord, for what it's worth, I'm sorry too. Fluttershy warned me that you could be... abrasive. I shouldn't have taken things so personally."

Discord scooped Starlight up in a tight hug.

"I guess we both still have things to learn about friendship, eh Glim Glam?" Discord whispered so that only she could hear.

Starlight Glimmer chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so. Maybe you should talk to Twilight about being her pupil too."

Discord shot Starlight a flat look before breaking into laughter. Soon Starlight and Fluttershy had joined in, enjoying the moment.

"You're all right, Glim Glam." Discord chuckled. "I think it would be nice if you joined us for tea again."

Starlight Glimmer smiled genuinely. "I'd like that."