Equestria Girls Spikebelle 3: Summer Vacation Part 2

by Chaos04

Chapter 6: A Friendship Solution

For days now, Twilight had been trying to get ahold of Discord to apologize for her atrocious behavior. She had tried calling him, and found her number was blocked. She had tried to visit him at his house, but he was never home. She had tried asking her friends to convey a message to him, but he never responded.

Things were so bad now that not even Fluttershy was able to get Discord to talk to her. But, she wasn’t about to give up. First thing when she woke up that morning, Twilight picked up her phone and composed yet another text message to Fluttershy, asking her to talk to Discord for her again.

Twilight read over her message, rewriting what she thought needed work to it. Every word had to be perfect to convey her heartfelt apology. She hoped that this would be what reached Discord. With a quiet exhale, she sent the message, before crawling out of bed.

After she changed into her street clothes, Twilight went downstairs to join her parents for breakfast. Her parents were already eating when she sat down.

“Look who decided to wake up. Decided to sleep in again, did you?” Night Light asked, as his daughter served herself a plate of pancakes and eggs.

“Yeah,” was all Twilight answered.

Both of her parents heard their daughter’s low, breathless tone. When her glasses slipped down her nose, they both saw her tired, sagging eyes clearly, before she pushed them back up.

“Honey, are you feeling alright?” Velvet asked.

“I feel fine. Why are you asking?” Twilight answered.

“It’s nothing really. It’s just that for the last couple of days, you’ve been a bit sluggish. You’ve been waking up later, and you don’t seem to talk to us as much,” Night Light said.

It was true. Twilight had been unknowingly distancing herself from her parents. By focusing so much on her problems with Discord, she had been neglecting her family. Even with this knowledge on her mind, she couldn’t stop thinking about her friends.

“Is it something with your friends?” her mother wondered.

“...Why do you ask?” Twilight said, after a moment of silence.

“Because, you normally talk about all the time you’ve spent with them during the day. But, for the last couple of days, you haven’t mentioned Fluttershy or her boyfriend,” Velvet answered.

“It’s just...I…” Twilight trailed off before answering. She could never face her parents if she told them she had ostracized her own friends. The weight on her mind became unbearable. Abruptly, she stood up and left for the door. “I need to be somewhere.”

“Wait. Twilight, where are you going?” her father asked, before Twilight left out the door.

Twilight didn’t answer. She left her parents in surprise, and her breakfast untouched as she left to make things right.

Her search began again at Discord’s house. As it was all those times before, he was not at home. With a frustrated groan, Twilight then went to search downtown Canterlot.

Once there, she checked all of Discord’s usual haunts. The joke shop. The beach. The movie theater. The improv club. He was at none of these places.

Twilight had grown desperate. She looked all around for Discord to fix their problems, but kept hitting walls. In her act of desperation, she did the last thing she could think of and called to the crowd.

“Discord! Wherever you are: I’m sorry!” Twilight shouted.

The crowd around her gave her a quick, concerned look, but ultimately went on their way. All but one boy in the crowd.

“Sounds like somebody’s in a bit of trouble,” the boy said.

“It’s not like it’s any of your business, but yes,” Twilight said, not particularly caring for the stranger’s approach.

It took a second, but she realized this boy may not have been such a stranger after all. After a second look, she thought she recognized the indigo-grey hair and the ever-present red coat he wore.

“Wait. Do I know you from somewhere?” Twilight said.

“Not really. We’ve never spoken before. Name’s Capper. We have calculus together,” the boy replied.

“Right. That’s where I’ve seen you. It was nice meeting you, but I can’t stay and talk,” Twilight said, before she started to leave.

“Looking for Discord, right? Then you might want to stay around, because I know where he is,” Capper said.

That stopped Twilight in her tracks. If she could find any leads to his whereabouts, she was going to take them.

“Where is he?” Twilight asked.

“That information comes with a price,” Capper said.

“What?”

“I’m going to need a favor from you, if you want to know how to find your friend.”

“I don’t have time for this,” Twilight said, before starting to walk away once more.

“Okay. You can just keep wandering around. Discord won’t be where he is forever, and you know he rarely stays the nights at his home. Happy hunting,” Capper provocatively said.

That got Twilight’s attention. With a sigh, she turned around to face the boy.

“Alright. What do you want?” Twilight said.

“A date with Rarity,” Capper simply answered.

“A date!?” Twilight said.

“You know, one of those things where you have fun and learn about another person. Usually over dinner and a walk in the park,” Capper replied.

“I know what a date is. Why do you want me to set you up with Rarity? Why don’t you just ask her?” Twilight said.

It seemed that she had stepped on a sensitive issue. Capper suddenly broke eye contact, and tapped his fingers to his chin.

“Well...don’t let this charismatic facade fool you. I’m actually a nervous twit when it comes to girls,” Capper answered.

Twilight rolled her eyes. If she was ever to proceed, she would have to comply with this half-cent hustler. She reached into her pocket and produced her phone, before dialing Rarity’s number. There were a few rings, before the phone was answered.

“Hello?” came the answer.

“Hi, Rarity. It’s me,” Twilight half-heartedly said.

“Twilight, darling. What brings you calling about?”

“Uh...I kind of need a favor from you.”

“Certainly, Twilight. Anything for a friend.”

“I need you to...go on a blind date,” Twilight fought to say.

“Excuse me?” Rarity asked.

“I wouldn’t ask, but I need this to find Discord. Please, Rarity,” Twilight begged.

Rarity knew full well the emotional turmoil that Twilight had been going through since she had her falling out with Discord. Going on a blind date was one of the last things she wanted to do, but she said she would do anything for a friend.

“Alright. I’ll do it. Who is the dreg I’m to meet?” Rarity said.

“Telling you who would defeat the purpose of the blind date, wouldn’t it?” Twilight said. “But, I’ll tell you that you’ll have your work cut out for this one.”

Capper huffed indignantly.

“Sounds promising,” Rarity said in a way that Twilight knew she was grimacing over the phone, “Does my knight in rusty armor have an idea of what we might do, or where we might meet?”

“Hold on,” Twilight said. She covered her phone’s speaker with her fingertips and spoke to Capper. “Where did you plan on taking Rarity.”

“Dinner at the Bridle Bistro, then to the evening concert in the park,” Capper answered.

That even sounded good to Twilight, who nodded slowly, before speaking into her phone.

“Dinner at Bridle Bistro, and a local concert,” Twilight said.

“Uh-hm,” Rarity answered. “At least it seems like I may have a decent time. But, if this goes badly, you’ll owe me for the rest of summer.”

“Understood,” Twilight conceded.

“Six P.M. tomorrow,” Capper told Twilight.

“Six P.M. tomorrow,” Twilight conveyed to Rarity.

“Perfect. I’ll see him tomorrow. Ta-ta,” Rarity said.

“Bye,” Twilight said, before hanging up.

That was that. Twilight put her phone back in her pocket and turned back to Capper.

“Okay, I gave you what you wanted,” Twilight said.

“And a deal’s a deal, so I’ll take you to Discord,” Capper said, before leading Twilight away.

---

It was a rather long walk to where they were headed next. So long that Twilight almost thought that by the time they got to where they were going, Discord wouldn’t be there anymore.

Finally, they reached their destination.

“The zoo?” Twilight said.

“Yup. I saw Discord and Fluttershy heading in there not fifteen minutes before I found you,” Capper answered.

Twilight then realized that she had not figured in a crucial variable to her search for Discord. He would have been in places that Fluttershy would have liked as well, hence he was now at the zoo.

“No need to thank me. I’ve done my good deed for the day,” Capper said. “I’d better be off now. I’ve got to get some new threads for my hot date coming up.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, before paying her entry to the zoo and beginning her search.

There were many paths to take around the zoo, but Twilight tried to deduce which one would lead to Discord. She tried to think like he would, and thought he would want to see something zany, active and unpredictable. Perhaps the primate house? Or the aviary? No. Discord would do what Fluttershy wanted to do. That would mean they would be somewhere where the animals were small, cuddly and friendly. With that, Twilight knew exactly where to go.

---

At the petting zoo, Fluttershy giggled as a lamb ate grains out of her hands. Soon the lamb was joined by another lamb. And the two lambs were then joined by a full grown billy goat.

“Now, don’t be greedy. There’s enough food for all of you,” Fluttershy said.

“Got any of that for me,” Discord joked.

“No. But, why don’t you go get some oats for Mr. Goat? If you want to,” Fluttershy said.

“I don’t know. Maybe I don’t,” Discord said.

“Oh. Sorry for bothering you.”

That sounded an awful lot like an emotional ploy. Discord raised one eyebrow, and suspiciously glanced at Fluttershy with one eye.

Fluttershy couldn’t keep a straight face. Her ploy to manipulate her boyfriend completely fell apart when she burst into a fit of giggles.

“I was going to get the grains anyway. You just keep taking care of those woolly babies, and I’ll handle gruff n’ stuff here,” Discord said, pointing to the goat.

The goat bleated excitedly at the prospect of being fed, and followed Discord to the grain bin.

Once Discord reached the dispenser, he was faced with Twilight, who was on the other side of the animal pen.

“Hi,” Twilight said, more out of a lack of anything else to say than anything else.

“You open that gate, and I’m going to set my goat on you,” Discord answered.

That wasn’t the greeting Twilight had hoped for. It seemed that Discord wasn’t in the mood for reconciliation. But, she had come this far, and wasn’t about to give up.

“Discord, listen--” she began.

“Listen to what?” Discord interjected. “More insults. More criticisms? Stop me if I get it right. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.”

Discord turned around, and walked off with his goat companion. Even the goat seemed to be against Twilight, as it huffed and walked away with its snoot in the air.

This would not be the end of it. Twilight tried to open the gate, before the goat rammed it shut.

This wouldn’t stop Twilight. She simply climbed over the top of it.

“Dammit, Discord! I’m trying to--” Twilight’s sock caught on the metal paneling of the gate, and made her fall forward onto the dusty ground.

“Bah-ah-ah-ah,” the goat said, as it looked down on Twilight.

Fluttershy jumped when she heard the crashing noise and turned to see Twilight standing up from the dirt.

“Twilight!” Fluttershy greeted her. Any joy she had at seeing her friend left her when she remembered the rift she created between herself and Discord. “What are you doing here? You know that Discord’s not exactly...happy with you.”

“I know that. That’s what I’m here to fix,” Twilight said, as she dusted herself off. “If somebody would just listen to me!”

“I’m done listening, Twilight. I already know what you think. Just the idea of me and Fluttershy. Why, it goes against all that is sane and logical,” Discord said, as he fed his goat companion.

With its cheeks full of grains, the goat nodded in agreement.

“Discord, listen to me,” Twilight said, starting forward.

“Bah-ah!!” Discord’s goat companion fiercely bleated, taking a defensive stance.

“Oh, for--” Twilight said. She knew the solution to this problem. She reached into the grain bin and grabbed a handful. “Come here, goat!”

The goat eyed the massive handful of grains Twilight had produced, then glanced to the pitiful amount Discord had left. Its mind was made up. After kicking a tiny bit of dust at Discord, the goat trotted over to Twilight to eat her morsels.

“Traitor!” Discord accused the goat.

Now that he was without a bodyguard, Twilight passed the grains off to Fluttershy to approach Discord.

“Discord, I’m trying to apologize,” Twilight said.

“Accepted. Now, beat it,” Discord answered.

“Um, Discord,” Fluttershy began. “Twilight’s clearly been through a lot of trouble to be here. Don’t you think you should at least give her a chance to say what she wants?”

Twilight knew then that she had Discord. While unpredictable, he always did whatever Fluttershy asked of him.

“Alright. You have thirty seconds,” Discord said.

That wouldn’t give Twilight much time to say what she had wanted to. Knowing she had to make every second count, she cut straight to the point.

“Discord, I know you have every reason to be mad at me,” Twilight began.

“Twenty-five seconds,” Discord said, motioning for Twilight to hurry it along.

Twilight felt this almost wasn’t worth the effort she had gone through. But, the thought of filching out of her effort after setting Rarity up on a blind date kept her going. After all, that would be worth nothing if she gave up now.

“I realize what I saw was really hurtful--”

“You mean only now?” Discord said.

“--But,” Twilight continued, ignoring the verbal jab, “I’ve done a lot of thinking since then. I realize that the only reason Fluttershy would be with someone like you--”

Twilight stalled to a halt. One look from Discord, and she knew she had used the wrong words. But, she continued to power through her verbal misstep.

“--I mean, she’d be with you if she saw something truly special. Look at you now. I searched all over for you to apologize, but I never found you because you were spending all that time with someone you love. And instead of watching the monkeys break public decency laws, you came to the petting zoo with her. You’re someone who puts the enjoyment of someone you love ahead of your own.”

Twilight hoped she was getting through to Discord.

“Go on,” Discord said.

“Not only that, but you changed yourself for her. You’re the kind of person who sees what’s wrong with themselves, and changes for the better so easily. I...I wish I was more like you,” Twilight said.

Discord, Twilight, nor Fluttershy said much for several seconds. Both Twilight and Fluttershy hoped for something to be said, but neither dared to speak, for fear of saying something wrong.

Fluttershy flinched internally when she saw Discord’s chin shift, and his jaw open just the slightest bit. At first, Discord said nothing. After a second, he spoke.

“Are you saying you’d like to be the kind of person Fluttershy would date?” Discord said.

Twilight squeezed out a laugh from the back of her throat. If that wasn’t an acceptance of an apology, she didn’t know what was. All the more, it was accepted in a way that only real friends would do and understand.

“Yes, I’m saying I’d like to be someone Fluttershy would date--Wait!” Twilight said, when she realized what she answered.

Fluttershy gasped, blushed and covered her face as she giggled into her palms.

“No! I didn’t mean it that way!” Twilight laughed.

“Too laaate,” Discord said. He reached out and put his arms around both Fluttershy and Twilight, holding them closely to himself. “Although, I have wondered if you two would consider going out. That’d be pretty wicked.”

“Sure,” Twilight said.

Fluttershy turned a darker shade of red.

“After you go out with Thorax,” Twilight finished.

Fluttershy had to bury her face in Discord’s shoulder to muffle her hysterical laughter. Discord, however, was not so amused.

“Point taken,” Discord said.

As Fluttershy’s laughter died down, Discord released his lady friends. Past them, he saw a red llama wearing a colorful manta. Currently, the llama was trying to nudge open the grain bin to reach the snacks inside.

“Let’s give that llama a hand. She looks hungry,” Discord said.

The three friends all scooped their hands into the grain bin and began feeding the animals at the petting zoo. Discord and Twilight fed the llama together, giggling as its lips tickled their hands.

Sure, things were never perfect. But, as long as they valued their friendship, things could be as close to perfect as possible.