The Matter Of Friendship

by HeartShieldFiM

Chapter 16 ~ The Big Encyclopedia of Historical Creatures of Equestria

'Twilight,' Spike said, covered in books and quilts and other interesting Twilight-stuff. 'Twilight! Why didn't you help Discord?'
The purple pony did not reply, she just ran around and packed and unpacked bags with stuff.
'Seriously,' the dragon muttered.
After a while, Twilight finally paused and said, 'Because Discord would have been completely fine without me. It was not nessecary to help him, you saw it.'
'Would have saved Rarity a lot of time and effort,' he replied. 'I heard she's still at home, barely able to walk and that Fluttershy is taking care of her, just because she is so tired.'
'So you want ME to be exhausted and unable to do my studies?' Twilight yelled.
Spike crawled up and frowned. 'No, I just wanna let you know that YOU have the most powerful magic here and you could have done it in no time, and that the same spell really tires Rarity. But it was worth it, she told me. That's friendship, Twilight.'
The pony did not reply to Spike.

At the same moment, Pinkie and Discord were having lunch with Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres.
'Still as curious about y'er history, Mr. Discord?' Applejack asked. 'Because ah would love to figure out where you're from.'
'You have heard about it from Rarity, I guess?' Discord asked.
Applejack nodded. 'She told me about one big and special book, located in the Canterlot Library, right?'
Discord and Pinkie looked at each other for a moment. Pinkie then said, 'Discord, listen. There's no use for you to stay here. WE can't get it for you, since ponies are not allowed to take those books out of the library. Draconiqii neither.'
'Can't you just write down all the interesting things you find in there?' Discord asked nervously.
Pinkie Pie shook her head. 'Nope, that'd be WAY too much. You are not allowed to copy things either, by the way.'
Discord sighed. 'Pinkie, could we... talk for a moment? You know, just the two of us?'
Applejack laughed. 'Ah have to do the dishes anyways, you can stay here.'
She stood up and walked to the kitchen.
'Listen,' the draconequus whispered. 'I can't go back to Canterlot.'
'Why not?' Pinkie said. 'It's just... it's just Canterlot.'
Discor shook his head and said, 'No, not at all! It's the housing of the Princess. And I can not, not now or whenever, face her another time.'
Pinkie Pie sighed. 'C'mon, how long was that ago? A gazillion years?'
'You really think I am thát old?' Discord growled. 'It's only seventeenhundredandfortytwo years ago!'
'Yeah, ONLY.' Pinkie said sarcastically. 'That's about a billion times my age.'
'That is slightly impossible,' Discord said. 'But who cares. The point is, when I go back to Canterlot, I would have to face Celestia. And that's what I have avoided in all those years I was a statue...'
'Are you afraid she'll lapidify you again?' the pony asked. 'Or... you know... I wonder...'
'You wonder what?' Discord said.
Pinkie took a deep breath. 'You know, the last time you got lapidified, it was for sixteen-point-six-six-six-six-six-six-six-six-six-six-seven percent MY fault. Are you afraid that WE will do it again?'
Discord sighed. 'A bit,' he said. 'Twilight and Rainbow Dash already don't like me, and Fluttershy is dead scared whenever she sees me. Which results in fifty percent of the Elements against me.'
'Ahem.' Pinkie coughed to correct him. 'And, fifty percent of the Elements of Harmony will thwart your doom and make sure you will stay all... furry and fleshy forever.'
Discord laughed, partly because he was very, very nervous. He then said, 'You really want me to go, eh?'
Pinkie Pie grinned and nodded.
'I guess I have to, if I want to find out who I am and where I come from...'
'So you agree!?' Pinkie shouted. Discord tried to interrupt her, but before he could, AJ walked into the room and said, 'Oh glorious goodness, Discord is going to Canterlot?'
Pinkie turned around in shock. 'You know what's going on?'
'Nah,' she replied. 'But ah dó know Discord doesn't really like dem' Princess...'
'You do?' Discord said. 'But...'
'Ah hear stuff, you know. From ponies. You don't wanna go to Canterlot?'
Discord sadly shook his head.
AJ stomped him on his shoulder. 'Then Pinkie and ah will join you, okay?'
Discord grinned. 'You will?'
'Oh YES we will,' Pinkie said. 'And... maybe we could ask the others...'
'No,' the draconequus said. 'Definitely NOT.'
'Ah won't let you go with just the two of us. It's all or nuffin'.' AJ said. 'If you don't wanna let all of us go, we won't.'
'Well, then we won't!' Discord shouted. He stood up and walked out of the living room. The moment Pinkie got outside, Discord had already left.

'Twiiiiiliiiiight, is there really no other way than to take him to Canterlot?' Pinkie asked.
Twilight frowned.
'You have to do something for Discord after...' Spike tried, but Twi interrupted him with an 'I know, let me just think, okay? Spike, pen and paper please!'
'I'm all set,' the dragon replied.
Twilight quoted, 'Dear Princess Celestia. A couple of months ago, you have sent Discord to Ponyville. Unlike many ponies, Discord does not have parents or any known relatives, except for Screwball of course. He would like to know where he comes from, since he is built from so many different things. Now, my question is if me and my friends could come to the Canterlot Library to borrow your Big Encyclopedia of Historical Creatures of Equestria. We promise we will be very, very careful with it. It's just for Discord. Yours faithful, Twilight Sparkle.'
'... Twilight Sparkle,' Spike repeated. 'Okay, done!'
'Good, now send it.'
Spike blew on the letter and it disappeared in a green curl of smoke. 'Done as well.'
'Happy, Pinkie?' Twilight said.
Pinkie nodded. 'Oh, thank you SO much, Twilight!' she said, and hugged her friend. 'Thank you thank you thank you thank you tha...'
Twilight put a hoof on Pinkie's mouth. 'It's okay. I... I think Discord deserves it to be treated kindly, at least once.'
Spike burped. 'I think you got your reply...'
Twilight opened the scroll and read it. She then said, 'The Princess gives me, as her special student, permission to visit Canterlot with you five, and borrow the book for the time span of a week!'
Pinkie cheered. 'Yay! When can we come?'
Twilight continued reading. 'She said, "as soon as possible"...'

Author's Note:

Oh, Twilight.

Comments

[Dan50]

Good luck Discord.

[Bulletrun]

Super excited! Discord seems very impatient though. Can't wait for them to get to Canterlot. Keep writing!