“…So then I just, like, found my center, and I’ve been so chill ever since.” A smiling Tree Hugger (currently seated at a certain chaotic-looking tea table in a certain chaotic-looking cottage floating in a certain chaotic-looking realm) let out a peaceful sigh as she pressed her hooves together in front of herself in a Zen-like fashion and closed her eyes.
Fluttershy, seated near her, sipped some tea from a teacup and smiled. “You really are always so calm, Tree Hugger. It makes you very comfortable to be around, especially for me. That’s part of why I like our friendship so much.”
Discord, reclining in the air above his seat across from Tree Hugger and holding a teacup in one of his hands, raised an eyebrow at his green pony guest. “She’s right, you know, Tree Hugger—you really are the most relaxed creature I’ve ever come upon. I mean, I know how to enjoy myself or even completely goof off if the mood strikes me. I’m an expert at it actually.” He grinned, then sipped some tea and continued, looking at her in perplexity again. “But you’re just…beyond being truly troubled by anything. Even my chaos couldn’t rattle you. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Seated near Discord, the Smooze nodded with a smile, then made a gurgling sound and absorbed the crystal cup filled with tea that was upon the table before him.
Discord chuckled slightly at his other greenish friend and nodded. “Agreed, Smooze. It is an almost impressive degree of relaxation.” The master of chaos snapped his fingers, creating another crystal cup for his amorphous friend, and then twisted himself in the air to look at Tree Hugger (and to drink his tea…and its cup) upside down. “Can you teach me about this whole ‘Zen’ thing, Tree Hugger? I really do let myself get too stressed—one of the burdens of being the chaos master, I suppose.”
Tree Hugger smiled more and waved him off with a hoof. “Aw man, you’re, like, already half way there, Discord. I mean, you have to be totally chill deep down to go all twisty in the air like you’re doing now. It’s like how Smooze doesn’t have a shape—he just goes with the flow, you know?” She glanced at Smooze.
Smooze smiled back at Tree Hugger and belched. Then he finished off his fresh crystal cup of tea and slumped into a wide blob now instead of a tall one, letting out a soothing gurgle.
Tree Hugger nodded with a grin to him. “Radical, Smooze, radical.”
Fluttershy laughed softly and looked to Discord. “Tree Hugger’s been teaching me to meditate to reduce stress, Discord. Maybe she could teach you too.”
“Righteous!” Tree Hugger nodded and looked to Discord again. “Yeah, man, you’ve just gotta close your eyes and get somewhere comfy and totally just let everything go…. No stress.” She held out her arm to the side with her elbows slightly bent. “Just take a deep breath, in and out, and let go of all your thoughts. There’s nothing to harsh your mellow. You’re you…that’s all you have to be. Can you dig it, Dissy?”
Fluttershy giggled.
Discord blinked at the new nickname. Then he eyed Tree Hugger very curiously for a moment, seemed on the verge of dismissing her advice with an offhand joke, but then reconsidered and placed his teacup down on the table. “Well…I suppose I really have been under some stress. The last thousand years or so haven’t exactly been a day lounging on Horse Shoe Bay between the battles and the drama and that pesky stone body suit.” He twirled his beard, looking up in thought.
Tree Hugger frowned and shook her head. “Ugh, stone—so confining. Talk about a chakra blocker. You are, like, the freest spirit ever, Discord. You’re chaos! Trust me, meditation will totally help you get back in touch with that.” She let out a deep breath and smiled, closing her eyes. “Just let the positive vibes carry you away to a better place away from the past or the future—be immersed only in the present.”
Discord sighed and eyed her for a moment longer. But finally he snapped up a cotton candy cloud for himself and took a seat upon it. He closed his eyes, sat up straight, and held out his arms like Tree Hugger was doing.
While Discord made his attempt at meditating, Fluttershy and Smooze looked on with smiles of great interest.
Discord sighed. “All right then…deep breath…and think of nothing…I’m me and that’s all I have to be…. Perfectly content within myself.”
Tree Hugger merely responded with a deep sigh like a hum.
Discord and Tree Hugger were quiet for several moments.
Then Discord cleared his throat. “Should I feel something, or…?”
“Shh…” Tree Hugger whispered, “Like I said, just go with the flow, man, like when you make yourself all twisty or make chaos without even trying. Don’t think, just be…in the moment. Feel the energy fields of the present.”
Discord sighed and nodded. “Okay…in the moment…chaos without even trying…energy fields…” He let out a deep breath and tried again, his brow just a touch furrowed this time.
Fluttershy and Smooze both tried to hold back giggles.
Discord lasted for a few more seconds, but then peeked open an eye. “Are you sure I shouldn’t be moving or…”
“No…” Tree Hugger’s voice was barely audible. “We all move too much each day. Just…chill. It’s like sleeping but not sleeping—dig, Dissy?”
Discord rolled his lone opened eye but closed it again and mumbled. “I’d dig it more if you’d stop calling me Dissy…honestly.” But he let out a breath and tried again.
“Now visualize your aura like a magical manifestation all around you…” Tree Hugger whispered. “What color is it?”
Discord’s brow furrowed more, though his eyes remained closed, and then he raised an eyebrow. “Paisley. Does paisley sound right? It seems sort of paisley…”
“With, like, a neon checker-board pattern kind of inlaid through it?” Tree Hugger suddenly suggested.
Discord blinked and opened his eyes, looking to her. “Yes, actually, and…”
Tree Hugger opened her eyes with a smile, and she and Discord (who still looked quite surprised) spoke at the same time.
“…ultraviolet and infrared upside down rainbows!”
Discord scoffed and grinned, leaning in closer to her. “How in the world did you know that?”
Tree Hugger shrugged. “I can, like, see auras when I spend enough time around other creatures. Yours is totally the coolest one I’ve ever seen by the way. It’s a real head-trip. I love it. Very chaotic.”
Discord beamed in a touch of pride. “Well, I…yes, I should hope so, heh. Really, the coolest one you’ve ever come across?” The touch of pride grew considerably.
“Totally.” Tree Hugger winked. “You are one of a kind, Dissy.”
Discord’s smile warmed and he nodded to her as well. “So are you, Treesy, so are you.”
Tree Hugger chuckled and then lowered her arms. “All right, probably enough meditation practice for now. We don’t want to harsh the vibe of the room by leaving our other friends out.”
Discord chuckled lightly and nodded, snapping away the cloud and resuming floating in the air again, his teacup in hand once more. “No, I suppose not.” He looked to Fluttershy. “Sorry, dear Fluttershy, didn’t mean to steal your friend.”
Fluttershy giggled. “That’s perfectly okay, Discord. Smooze and I had fun watching you anyway.”
The Smooze smiled more and gurgled.
Discord grinned. “Glad you enjoyed yourselves. Up for another bit of crystal, Smooze?” He raised his fingers to snap.
The Smooze gave his usual wobbly smile and nodded the part of himself that served as his head.
Discord nodded in return and snapped up a particularly large (and tasty-looking, in Smooze’s opinion) crystal goblet, which Smooze proceeded to half absorb as though he were merrily sucking on a lollipop.
Discord chuckled at the sight.
Tree Hugger looked to Smooze and smiled. “I can try to show you how to meditate too, Smooze, but you’re like the chilliest one of us all, so I’m not sure if I could teach you much. You’re just kind of everything and nothing and whatever you want to be all at once. And your karma feels like it’s flawless. It’s really radical.”
The Smooze’s smile grew, and he released what was left of his big crystal goblet to ooze across the table and ‘hug’ Tree Hugger with his slime, effectively covering most of the area with smooze as well.
Tree Hugger patted his head, coating herself even more in his goo and not caring about it at all as her continuing placid smile and gaze showed. “You’re welcome, Smoozey. I dig you too.”
As the Smooze pulled back, Discord chuckled. “Hmm…maybe when you return home, Tree Hugger, I can continue my meditation lessons with Smooze since he’s so good at ‘being chill’, as you say.” He made air quotes around the phrase.
“Righteous.” Tree Hugger nodded, looking to Discord. “Totally drop me a line, let me know how that goes, ‘kay?”
Discord laughed more and nodded. “Totally.”
Fluttershy just smiled warmly at the whole exchange as she finished removing a few blobs of stray smooze from her hair before taking another sip of her tea and then addressing her chaotic friend again. “Discord, later Tree Hugger and I were going to explore the Everfree Forest a little together before she has to head home. You and Smooze are welcome to join us.”
Smooze’s smile grew as he finished engulfing his crystal goblet.
Discord smiled at his dear friend but shook his head as he finished another sip of his tea. “Thank you, Fluttershy, but actually Smooze and I have plans ourselves.” He chuckled and snapped his fingers, suddenly putting himself floating right beside Smooze in the air. He hooked an arm around him, pulling his smiling sliminess close, and then held out his other hand high in front of himself as he envisioned their plans for later. “We thought we’d have some guy time—go cruising throughout the cosmic dimensions, talk about the trials and tribulations of being misunderstood immortals, maybe pick up a few chicks, swap some stories, play some pranks. That kind of thing.” The Smooze nodded in his smoozey way. Discord went on, still looking to the two mares. “You two friends enjoy the last of your time together. And we’ll all hang out together for a ‘group Tuesday Tea’ the next time Tree Hugger’s in town.”
Fluttershy smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Discord. And you and Smooze enjoy your time together too.”
Discord nodded in return. “Thank you, Fluttershy.” Then he released Smooze, snapped to put himself hovering back over his own seat, and turned his eyes once more to the green pony seated at his table. “And Tree Hugger,” Discord’s tone and look softened, “I apologize again for all of the trouble I tried to cause you. And I’m very glad we’re learning to be friends…and that this experience has taught me that Fluttershy will always be my friend no matter how many new friends she makes so long as I keep being a decent enough being of chaos to earn her friendship.” He shrugged with a touch of sheepishness in his grin.
“Dissy, it is water under the bridge…” Tree Hugger merely replied with a smile and a slow, wide movement in front of herself with her hoof.
“So we’re cool then?” Discord asked, his grin picked-up on one side and an eyebrow raised as he rested on his arms in the air.
Tree hugger sipped her tea and nodded. “Cool as can be. And don’t sweat it, Discord.” She shrugged. “Your aura was all stressed—people do weird things when that happens. Learn to just be in the moment though like I said, and that should help. You’re chaos…I think chilling is very important for your health.”
“I completely agree.” Discord twisted through the air and then came to settle into his chair, leaning back in a perfectly relaxed manner as he finished his tea.
“I agree too, Discord.” Fluttershy nodded. “I’ve always worried about how stressful the reform and learning about friendship could be on you. It was such a great change for you to go through, after all.” She smiled. “But I’m happy you’re starting to feel like your life’s settling down now, and that you’re even feeling comfortable enough to start making new friends all on your own, like Smooze.” With a giggle she reached over and patted Smooze on the head, who responded with a gurgle and then a spreading out of his ooziness to wrap his friends in sort of a blobby hug that mostly just consisted of spreading himself entirely around the perimeter of the table and immersing half of each of them in his gelatinous form (though the sentiment was clearly there). Fluttershy laughed more and looked to Discord again as Smooze got himself together once more. “And I’m happy that you’re starting to make new friends like Tree Hugger too.”
“Definitely.” Tree Hugger nodded to Discord with her usual blissful grin. “I can sense that you’re very close to being totally one and at peace with the universe—like you’re finding your true place in the world and making it your own in the way only you know how. Congrats, Discord.” She winked.
Discord beamed a little at all of the positive attention and chuckled. “Yes, well…I’ve been trying, but I also have my friends to thank for that…dear Fluttershy most of all of course.” He smiled over at his little pegasus friend who beamed all the more in return, then went on. “And I’m glad it seems I’m just as good at making friends as I am at letting others befriend me. And that I was as successful as ever at incorporating a lot of particularly brilliant chaos into the whole situation.” He chuckled. “Speaking of which…” Discord glanced around and sighed, “I’m dreadfully sorry for the state this place is in today.” Indeed, the cottage looked rather clean. “You know how it is—in orderly reality you can’t keep the dust bunnies at bay, in chaotic reality you can’t keep them around.” He snapped, making a half a dozen dust bunnies suddenly appear which started bouncing all over the place.
Smooze smiled more and looked at this one then that one prancing about.
“Aww,” Fluttershy smiled as she leaned down to tickle one of the little creatures under the chin, “They’re so cute, Discord.”
“And they totally question the very nature of reality itself,” added Tree Hugger, gazing at the bunnies. “I mean, order, chaos…who decided on the separation? They’re like two sides of the same bit—they need each other to exist as opposites and yet friends of each other, you know? Like a logical paradox of illogic.”
Discord chuckled at this odd if oddly accurate view and nodded. “Righteous.” He sipped his tea and glanced at Fluttershy once more. “And speaking of chaos, Fluttershy, you really did have a wonderful suggestion back at the Gala even though you didn’t realize you were giving it to me.”
Fluttershy smiled and tilted her head to the side. “I did?”
Discord nodded to her. “Yes. You mentioned something about what it might be like if I had a friend I could discuss chaos magic with. Well, now I do.” He snapped up some more crystal teacups for Smooze (who happily started absorbing them). “I’m the only master of chaos of course, but Smooze ‘gets the vibe’, you might say, behind my magic since his operates on a similar principle—the more he consumes and gets stimulated, the more out of control and chaotic he gets as a being.” He glanced to Tree Hugger. “He’s very glad you discovered that chanting technique to calm him down though. Usually it takes him hours to relax on his own.”
Tree Hugger smiled at Smooze. “Not a problem at all, Smoozey. Glad to help. Chanting totally relaxes me too.”
Smooze finished consuming another teacup, then gurgled and raised his top part high enough to give her an appreciative nod.
Discord smiled. “So it’s been fun for me having someone who gets how crazy it can be to wield and be subject to chaos, who knows what it’s like to have a sort of knack for spreading disharmony, but who also knows what it’s like to struggle with adjusting that knack to make his actions a positive and enjoyable experience for others. And it’s been interesting getting close to someone who has a slightly checkered past as well.”
“Oh my…” Fluttershy frowned a little and glanced at the green blob. “Smooze, did you used to have trouble making friends too?”
The Smooze pouted a little and nodded, then made a series of gurgles (which Tree Hugger understood in spirit, Discord understood to a growing extent, and Fluttershy with her intuitiveness understood perfectly).
Fluttershy nodded, frowning more. “I understand. That’s awful though that people used to summon you up just to make you do bad things for them by using dark magic. You’re so nice, after all.”
The Smooze smiled a little again and then made several more gurgling remarks before beaming happily and suddenly moving to the side and wrapping up (a very surprised) Discord in a nice, fresh, big, oozy hug that pretty much absorbed all of the draconequus except his head, neck, and his paw holding his teacup.
Fluttershy giggled (both at Smooze’s actions and at Discord’s sudden surprised and shy look at the gesture). “I see. Well, it’s very nice that Discord was the first one to summon you and to just let you be yourself and stay around for as long as you want. I know—he’s really a very good and very sweet friend once you get to know him.” She sipped her tea and smiled more at the sight.
The Smooze nodded to Fluttershy with a big smile in return as he released Discord and resumed his seat.
“Yes, well…” Discord cleared his throat and glanced down and shrugged, playing with his teacup, a smile starting to grow upon his features. “I suppose I’m an all right friend at that.” He chuckled, brushing the excess smooze off of himself as best he could.
“You’re an awesome friend, Discord,” Tree Hugger suddenly offered, resting a hoof on his arm and smiling warmly up at him. “Never be afraid to own it. It’s in your nature, it’s who you are.”
Discord’s smile couldn’t help growing as he glanced at her. “Thanks, Treesy.”
“Not a problem, Dissy,” Tree Hugger assured as she removed her hoof. Then she got herself centered again, closed her eyes, and sipped some more of her tea before letting out a pleased sigh. Meanwhile, Fluttershy was playing with another dust bunny and Smooze was finishing off the last of his crystal teacups.
For a moment Discord glanced forward and just took in the sight of Fluttershy and Tree Hugger and Smooze seated around his kitchen table all enjoying themselves and talking with him. His smile grew.
Fluttershy raised an eyebrow and smiled more back at him as the dust bunny bounced off and she finally noticed him observing them all. “Discord? What is it?”
Discord chuckled and sipped more tea. “Oh, nothing…Just, um…” he set down his cup and flew into the air again, “Hey, you know, as long as we’re all here and enjoying ourselves, how about a group picture? I’ve, uh…sort of been keeping an album, and I also have a ton of frames that need filling, so I’ve been trying to get photos of all of my friendship experiences. I think one from today would be nice.” Something a touch hopeful came into his smile.
Fluttershy’s smile brightened, and she nodded. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Discord.”
“Photographs are the simplest but best mementos—like memories you can see,” Tree Hugger added, spreading out her arms and looking up with a philosophical smile.
The Smooze gurgled and grinned a lot, stretching himself out and then contracting himself back in again in an expression that could only be described as enthusiasm.
Discord chuckled and then snapped, making an old fashioned camera appear on a stand (the whole thing floating in the air). It had a cord attached to it with a hand control to activate the shutter from a distance. Discord flew over to his friends with the control, and hovered in the air just above them with a big grin. “All right, everybody, say Smooze!”
Everyone laughed and smiled.
“Smooze!” (The Smooze himself, of course, just gurgled).
Discord pressed the shutter, making a flash.
The picture taken, the chaos master flew back over to his side of the table and snapped the camera away. He looked back to his friends. “I’ll make you all copies and send them to you,” he assured. “Now then, we’re almost done with the tea—any suggestions for how to spend the rest of our chaotic time together?”
Fluttershy nodded. “Maybe you could take us all on a tour of your house, Discord?” She looked to Tree Hugger and Smooze. “I’ve been on the tour a couple of times, and it’s always really fun. There are rooms full of pillows, rooms full of Discord lamps, rooms full of pies that rain up from the floor, and all the rooms change each time.” She laughed softly.
Discord’s grin brightened. “Say, I’ll do you all one better: a tour of the house and a tour of my chaos realm. It’ll be great.”
The Smooze gurgled and nodded his head.
Fluttershy’s smile brightened. “I’d love that, Discord.” She glanced to her green pony friend. “What do you say, Treesy?”
Tree Hugger grinned. “A radical ride through a crazier part of the cosmos to connect with the chaos within us all? I’m in.” She gave a nod.
“Excellent!” Discord clapped his paw and claw together, and then he snapped his tail. Suddenly there was a small train on a track running through his house (or rather, over the ceiling of his house), and everyone was seated on top of it with Discord at the front wearing a conductor’s hat (or rather, everyone was seated on top of the train but hanging upside down from the ceiling). Discord pulled the cord of a whistle floating in the air, which made a sound like a kazoo as it blew. “We’ll start with the house then and work our way out. First stop, ladies and gelatinous gentleman, my game room—it’s flooded with cherry cola a fair amount of the time, so I’d suggest some umbrellas.” He snapped, making inverted umbrellas appear over everybody. “Now then, just keep your hooves, wings, and various gooey appendages in the confines of the space of the train at all times…unless of course you just can’t help touching something…and stick with the tour…unless of course your curiosity for chaos gets the best of you…and follow all of the rules…unless of course you just don’t feel like it. We are dealing with chaos, after all! Let’s have some fun!” He chuckled. “And let’s go!” Discord pulled the whistle once more, and then the train started puffing forward (each puff of the engine not producing rings of smoke but rather rings of white powdered donuts which could be taken from the air by anyone as a snack at will). Suddenly, the track spiraled downward from the ceiling in a sudden quick loop through the air, putting the train and everyone right side up again as the contraption headed out of the room.
Laughing together, the whole group went along on their chaos tour, thoroughly enjoying their afternoon and very glad for the new friendships they had managed to form and let thrive.
That evening, Discord, dressed in a pink and blue striped nightshirt and nightcap, sat atop a cotton candy cloud in his dim bedroom (floating furniture, upside down clocks, swirling lava lamp-like wallpaper, and other such chaotic accessories decorating the space). He faced the large glass windows leading out to his veranda (which was constructed of solid chocolate and had pinwheels sticking out of random spots along the railing). Discord’s eyes were closed and he had his arms held out low and to the side, clearly in a posture of meditation. He was doing quite well at the practice this time around (and had been for about twenty minutes or so).
However, despite Tree Hugger’s insistence on quiet, Discord couldn’t help mumbling to himself a little as his chaotic thoughts found their own peaceful rhythm and brought him to peaceful conclusions. “I can’t remember the last day I had so much fun…and with so many friends.” Discord sighed, smiling more. “Tree Hugger’s really not so bad once you get to know her. A little loopy, but then again who am I to talk. And this meditation thing really is so relaxing. I really don’t take enough time for myself.” A deep yawn escaped Discord. Then he let his eyes flutter open slightly as he looked down and shrugged. “Fluttershy said I was a good friend…a sweet friend. And maybe she’s right. And maybe that means I’ll not only be able to make new friends like Smooze and Tree Hugger on my own but that I’ll be able to strengthen the friendships I already have too.” His eyes went up at the hopeful thought. “After all, you know what they say—make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other’s—Celestia?!”
Discord blinked and his jaw fell in quite a bit of surprise. He then popped out his eyes like marbles, gave them a quick roll in his hand, and popped them back into his head and blinked several times. But indeed, he was seeing things right—the sun princess herself was standing on his veranda. And now she was smiling brightly at him through the glass doors and giving him a wave.
Discord blinked several times before finally leaving is cloud to approach the doors. He snapped to make them open, upon which his grin picked up on one side. “Well, hello, Celestia. What an unexpected visit. Your timing is almost chaotic in a way—I’m impressed.” He chuckled.
Celestia laughed softly in return. “Hello, Discord. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to surprise you even if you did enjoy the chaos of it. I would have knocked, but I didn’t want to interrupt you doing…whatever it was you were doing.” She raised an eyebrow, smiling. “What exactly were you doing just now anyway?”
Discord instantly snapped away the cotton candy cloud behind him and shrugged. “Meditating—Tree Hugger suggested it as a way to relax. And I think it’ll help prevent me from, you know…going off anymore emotional deep ends for the present.” He rolled his eyes at himself and grinned. “Besides, you wouldn’t believe how stressful it is being in charge of chaos. Always trying to keep my material fresh, always topping myself.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s really a full time job.”
Celestia chuckled lightly and nodded. “That sounds wonderful, Discord. I’m happy you’re getting so much out of your new friendship. And I understand. I feel the same way sometimes about my own job—so much stress being a princess and being in charge of the sun, trying to make each dawn and evening interesting in some way for the ponies, throwing Galas….” She sighed. “Perhaps you can teach me how to meditate sometime? I could stand to relax a little more myself.”
“Grim Celestia finally admitting she’s too grim?” Discord’s smile picked up on one side. “That’s the most chaotic thing I’ve seen all day—and considering where I live, that’s saying something.”
“Very funny, Discord.” Celestia rolled her eyes. “I’m glad to see your mood’s improved so much since the Gala.”
Discord sighed and nodded. “Yes, well…like I said, the meditation helps…”
“And friendship?” Celestia eyed him a little, her smile growing.
Discord sighed but nodded. “Yes, that too, I suppose.” The two friends shared a smile. Then Discord crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the edge of the doorway. “Okay, I’ll bite—how exactly did you manage to get here of all places, and what in the world can I do for my favorite former arch foe?” He chuckled. “And just so we’re clear, if you’re looking for tips on how to get Smooze stains out of anything, I’ve tried everything and nothing works. I’ve just learned to accept them.”
Celestia just gave him a little smirk. “Actually I just wanted to talk with you about something, and now that the moon is risen and I’m off duty, it seemed like the perfect time.” She raised an eyebrow, finally really noticing his outfit. “Unless of course you were getting ready to go to bed. It’s a little early though, and I never took you for a person with a bedtime, Discord.”
Discord waved her off and snapped his fingers, making the nightclothes get-up disappear. “Hey, I’m all about the nightlife. But today was a long day though, so I thought I might turn in early with a good chaotic book or something.” He sighed and smiled a little more. “But if you really want to talk, let’s talk.” Discord stepped out to the veranda overlooking the glorious chaos realm around them. “I suppose this is about the apology I owe you for the absolute spectacle I made at your Gala party. Very well, then…” still smiling, he stepped back and gave a dramatic bow. “My humblest apologies, Princess Celestia, for doing second rate stand up and dousing your party in smooze. In my defense, I was going through a personal crisis at the time. But I promise you, at the next major social function, only first rate comedy from me and good, old-fashioned, classic chaos in the form of chocolate rain and cotton candy clouds and general amusing nonsense that’ll be fun for the whole family.” He straightened up and gave her a wink. “It’s the least I could do.”
Celestia smiled warmly. “Apology accepted, Discord, and thank you for the assurance about your chaos at future affairs. But you really don’t have to be sorry about the Gala. The whole night actually turned out better than I dreamed it would. You never fail to impress me, Discord.” She shook her head in amusement.
Discord raised an eyebrow, then grinned. “I impress you? Really? And I’ve never failed at it…ever? Even a thousand years ago?”
Celestia nodded. “Of course you impress me, Discord. You’re a very talented wielder of magic. And my favorite thing about chaos and how you use it is that I never can tell what you’re going to create. I enjoy the surprise. And speaking of surprises…” She used her magic to make an envelope with a royal seal appear in the air, which she floated over to Discord. “Here. So you’re not up in the air again next year, I’m giving you your Gala ticket in advance.”
Discord took the ticket envelope in his hands and then looked to Celestia with a grin. “You mean I’m invited again?”
Celestia nodded. “Of course, Discord. I told you I liked what you did at the party. You made the night very fun and very unforgettable.” She rolled her eyes to the side. “Usually the Gala’s so boring and stuffy, but you gave us a night we’ll look back on and laugh about for years to come. I loved it. I invited you hoping you would make the night that special.” She smiled brightly. “In fact, Discord, I really can’t believe you thought I’d leave you out of the party. Fluttershy told me that it sounded like you’d just assumed this whole time that the only way you were going to go was as her guest.” She frowned a little.
Discord blinked, then shrugged and pouted slightly. “Yes, well…I honestly wasn’t sure whether you’d invite me to a big, formal affair like that or not, and then when no ticket came for me, I just assumed…”
Celestia smiled again and moved closer to him. “Discord, you’re my friend. Of course you’re always going to be invited to any event that’s important to me. But in the future if you ever do feel left out or like an oversight might have been made, please just let me know. Besides…” her smile grew into a grin, “How could I throw the biggest and grandest party of the year and not invite the chaos master himself to liven things up?”
Discord just eyed her so curiously for a moment. Then he snapped his invitation away and grinned, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms over his chest. “You actually like my chaos, don’t you, Celestia? You’re actually really glad that I can spread it now and still make friends, aren’t you?”
Celestia nodded. “Yes, I do like your chaos, Discord. And I am happy to see you spreading it now for the amusement of everyone instead of just yourself. And even if your stand up at the Gala was second rate, in a way that made it all the funnier.” She chuckled. “Poor Twilight about her wings…”
Discord chuckled too. “Yes, well, that one at least was sort of a good one. I still can’t believe you laughed at it, and right in front of her.” He shook his head. “She’ll be having a complex over her flying skills for weeks.”
Celestia smirked and couldn’t help herself. “What flying skills?”
There was a moment of silence, and then Celestia and Discord burst into warm laughter.
“Celestia, that was terrible!” Discord remarked, wiping a tear from his eye.
Celestia looked down sheepishly. “I know…. Please don’t tell Twilight I said that. It just slipped out.” She chuckled more.
“No problem.” Discord winked and nodded. “It’ll just stay between us.”
Celestia nodded in return. “Thank you, Discord.”
Then Discord shook his head and glanced out to all of the chaos occurring in his realm. “So you really came all the way here just to deliver me my ticket a year in advance? After all, you can’t use pony magic to zap yourself here once you’re in this realm—you have to physically travel through all of the chaos obstacles. Did you have any trouble?” He raised an eyebrow.
Celestia shrugged, dusting off her shoulder with her hoof. “One of the krakens in that bubblegum whirlpool was a little difficult to subdue. And flying backward through the reverse wind vortex while avoiding the pudding nebula was certainly an acrobatic feat. But otherwise, I had fun working my way here.” She smiled sheepishly. “Actually, that’s another reason I wanted to deliver your invitation myself. I didn’t realize you lived in an entirely different dimensional plane, and one so full of chaos too. I’ll really have to write a long apology and appreciation letter to the mailpony who had to traverse this place to bring you your Gala ticket.”
Discord grinned a little and shook his head as he leaned back against the veranda railing. “Yes, I’m a little impressed with you and the mailpony as well for making it to me. But really, Celestia, how could you not realize I was in a pocket dimension of disorder here? I told you my mailing address, after all—sent notice of it to everyone actually as soon as I made a home here.”
Celestia sighed a little dryly. “When you wrote that you lived at ‘1313 Chaos Lane’, I thought it was a pun or a metaphor or some small strip of road near the Everfree forest that you’d named after yourself. I didn’t realize you were serious about the lane literally being made of chaos, and people having to travel through a portal to get here and then traverse chaos obstacles to find you.”
Discord chuckled. “Yes, well, one of my weaknesses is being literal to a fault after all.” He shrugged. “I’ll put a mailbox outside of the chaos dimension entrance portal for the future. Though I hope that won’t deter visits from my friends, you included.”
Something in Celestia’s gaze warmed. “You know, I think that’s the first time you’ve referred to me directly as a friend, Discord.”
“Yes, well…” Discord’s gaze drifted out to the chaos around them, “The times are changing, after all.”
Celestia nodded, her gaze moving out toward the chaos as well. “And Smooze is happy and doing well, I take it?”
Discord nodded. “Oh yes. We had a grand evening today.”
“Fluttershy told me.” Celestia glanced at him. “I saw her after she and Tree Hugger got back home. She said something about you and Smooze going cruising, shooting the breeze about chaos, picking up chicks?” She grinned more.
“Oh please, like we even had a chance of finding ladies cool enough for us,” Discord waved her off, grinning more as well. “We did take a little trip around though. I showed Smooze some of my favorite sites, he told me some stories about bygone days.” He shrugged. “It’s funny—I just summoned him for the sake of bothering Fluttershy. But now I really like him as a friend, and he likes me too. I actually offered to let him stay with me for a bit, just until he gets on his feet…er, on his blobbyness. I think it’ll be good for me and for our friendship.”
Celestia nodded. “I think that’s very kind and wise, Discord. I really am proud of you.”
“Ah, quit buttering me up, Celestia.” Discord snapped of his fingers, and suddenly Celestia nearly slipped as the veranda became coated in butter.
“Only if you promise to bring butter floors to next year’s Gala,” Celestia countered with a smile, finally regaining her balance so she could continue taking in all of the crazy chaos. She sighed softly. “This really is a beautiful place, Discord. I’m happy I came for a visit.”
Discord smiled more. “If you’d like, I’d be happy to take you on a tour sometime.”
Celestia laughed softly. “Fluttershy did also mention that you give the best tours.” She nodded. “I’d love a tour, Discord. Just send me a letter whenever you’re available and we’ll work out a time to meet.”
Discord chuckled. “You’ve got it princess. But hey, don’t think this’ll just be a walk in the chaos park or something. I usually give Fluttershy and others the ‘lite’ tour—the one with the fewest paradoxes and nothing that could keep you trapped for eternity in string cheese or lava glaciers if you don’t approach the situation chaotically enough. But you’re a powerful pony, Celestia—I’d only give you the grand tour. I guarantee you’ll never look at chaos the same way again.” He grinned proudly, holding his head high.’
“I’m looking forward to it, Discord.” Celestia nodded. “I don’t get nearly enough chaos in my life.”
Discord smiled with interest down at her as she smiled up at him.
Then suddenly there was a knock at Discord’s bedroom door. The chaos master glanced over his shoulder. “Smooze? Is that you? It’s okay, come in. We have a visitor.”
The door opened and Smooze (wearing a big blue nightcap) peeked in hesitantly but then quickly rolled himself over to Discord and Celestia. He smiled at the sun princess and gave a bow of his head.
“A pleasure to see you again as well, Smooze,” Celestia replied with a bow of her own.
“Something wrong?” Discord smiled and raised an eyebrow at his amorphous friend.
Smooze gurgled a little and then nodded his head and started to gurgle some more.
“Hmm…I see.” Discord’s smile softened. “Well, if you want, I can snap you up a nice chaotic cot and you can stay up here with me for tonight until you get more comfortable.”
The Smooze nodded eagerly, his wobbly smile growing.
Celestia raised an eyebrow and smiled a little at Discord. “You can understand him?”
Discord shrugged. “I get the gist.” He looked to Smooze again. “Now, Smooze, you run along and get your stuff and bring it up here. This can be sort of like a sleepover. I’ve heard friends have those often. It might be fun to try for ourselves.”
The Smooze nodded. Then he gave Celestia another bow (which was returned) before departing back downstairs.
Discord chuckled and shook his head as he watched him go. “He’s just a little nervous being in a new place all alone for the night. And I think he’s a little afraid of the dark—you know how much he loves shiny things.” He rolled his eyes. “The company will do him good.”
“Company does everyone good, Discord.” Celestia looked up at him with a special smile.
Discord blinked but then crossed his arms over his chest and grinned down at her. “Don’t you ever get sick of finding the sappy moral at the heart of every moment, Celestia?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Never.” Celestia’s smile grew and she shook her head, holding it high with a soft laugh. “Well…” then she turned back toward the veranda, “I should get going now anyway.” A yawn escaped her. “I’m quite tired myself. I’ll see you at the Gala…and hopefully quite a few times before then, Discord.” Celestia winked at him over her shoulder.
Discord nodded. “You can count on it. And if you thought I made this year’s Gala great, you haven’t seen anything yet. And I’ll put you right at the center of it all.” He winked back at her.
“I’ll be looking forward to it.” Celestia went through the veranda doors and spread her wings. “Goodnight Discord.”
Discord waved to her. “Ta ta, Tia. Try not to let the chaos muss up your enormous ethereal hair on the way back.”
Celestia waved to him over her shoulder with another laugh and then took off and was soon out of sight.
Discord smiled to himself in silence for a moment until there was another knock on his door. He snapped, making his nightclothes return, and then snapped open the door for Smooze, who quickly entered with his pillow and blanket and a big smile on his face. Discord snapped again, making a low bed appear at the foot of his own bed. Smooze quickly settled into his cot as Discord yawned and sat on the edge of his bed, lowering the light of the lava lamp wallpaper a little. “Goodnight, Smoozey.”
The Smooze made a gurgling sound.
“Not sleepy?” Discord raised an eyebrow and his smile on one side. “Well, come to think of it I’m not entirely sleepy yet myself. And this is a slumber party…. Want to play cards or something? A little Go Fish? And maybe have some snacks?”
The Smooze nodded, sitting up in bed.
Discord chuckled and floated up on his stomach over his own bed leaning down toward Smooze. Then he snapped up a hand of ‘cards’ for each of them (cards in the sense that they had numbers and suits printed on them… ‘cards’ in the sense that they were made of actual fish). Then he snapped up some bottles of cider, and a bowl of hot fudge and popcorn for himself, and a bowl of hot fudge and diamonds for Smooze. “Got any threes?” The Smooze gurgled, propelling a slime-covered fish card toward Discord, and thus the game began.
Smooze dumped some of the hot fudge-covered diamonds into himself and then made several gurgling sounds in speech.
Discord chuckled. “Yeah, I liked today a lot myself. And no, sorry, no Jacks. Got any sevens?”
The Smooze shook its blob head and gurgled some more conversational tones.
Discord nodded, looking over his cards. “Oh yes, I think it would be wonderful if we visited with some more of my friends casually like we did today with Tree Hugger and Fluttershy.” He pulled a couple of cards out of his hand with his tail. “And here you go, two aces…” He glanced up at Smooze again. “You have anyone particular in mind to better make the acquaintance of?”
The Smooze blushed a little as he took the cards and gurgled again.
“Rarity? Really?” Discord raised an eyebrow, smiling more in interest. “Funny, I pegged you more as Pinkie Pie’s type.”
The Smooze gurgled a lot more, shrinking down in even more shyness.
Discord chuckled and nodded. “Ah, yes, I get it—all of Rarity’s jewels and that diamond cutie mark of hers. Excellent choice then. I’m sure once she gets to know you better that she’ll love you.” He glanced down to his deck again. “Any Kings?”
The Smooze shifted a slimy card toward Discord. And then the blob-like creature started to make quite a few lengthy gurgles, all of which Discord listened to attentively, glancing over his hand and munching on some of his hot fudge popcorn. “Yes, Celestia is nice. I’m glad she visited. What about her?” There was some more gurgling. “Interrupting anything?” Discord raised an eyebrow at Smooze. “I don’t get it. How could you have possibly been ‘interrupting anything’ with us? I…” Then there was some more gurgling (and something akin to chuckling) from the Smooze, upon which Discord’s eyes went wide and his ears perked up. He scoffed at Smooze and grinned. “Wait, Celestia? You think me and Celestia were…are…” The master of chaos instantly burst into warm laughter. “Oh Smooze, that is fantastic.” He sighed, wiping a tear from his eye. “Yeah, maybe in her dreams. No, no, we’re just friends. And the grim sun princess just stopped by to give me my invitation for next year’s Gala. And I hope you’ll join me as my plus one again. I promise you’ll have a lot more fun this time.” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
The Smooze nodded, expressing many satisfied gurgles.
Discord chuckled. “Good, I’m glad you accept. I’m sure we’ll have a wonderful time.” Then he yawned, shaking his head. “Hey Smooze, you maybe want to save the card games til tomorrow? The effects of that meditation thing are a bit slow acting but suddenly I’m just exhausted.” He turned on his back in the air, stretching.
The Smooze nodded and ate his cards (or at least he ate the ones with a diamond suites printed on them). Then he reached up from the floor and gave Discord a big smoozey hug goodnight.
Discord’s eyes went wide, and he struggled a little among the slime and goo. “Hey! Smooze, come on, I have an emotionally aloof reputation to maintain. All that stuff with Fluttershy at the Gala was bad enough at tearing it to shreds, the last thing I need is hugs making me look like a softie too.” Despite his words of protest, Discord smiled warmly.
Smooze just hugged him a little more, then snuck in a quick affectionate kiss to his cheek before pulling away and settling back into his bed.
Discord looked down at his smooze-covered nightshirt (and touched his now smooze-covered face). “You’re a party animal, Smooze, I swear.” He chuckled and gave his friend a little pat on the head. “Now, have a good night and sweet, chaotic dreams…” He hesitated, looked to the side awkwardly, but then just grinned, shrugged, and leaned down to give his affectionate friend a quick hug goodnight. He then quickly pulled back and snapped himself up a clean outfit and a towel to wipe off his cheek before lying down and settling into his bed underneath his covers with a chuckle. “Hmm…Celestia and I. Priceless. That’s the best joke you’ve made all day, Smoozey. I have half a mind to say she and I should try it just for the chaos of it all…” Discord let out a soft sigh. “At the very least though we’ll give her and all our other friends another fun Gala next year, guaranteed.”
The Smooze gurgled his assent and then a good night in return. Discord yawned and snapped to turn down the lava lamp wallpaper entirely (or at least down to the faintest glow to help with Smooze’s fear of the dark).
The two new friends soon drifted into a peaceful and happy sleep as the chaotic night grew around them, glad for the chance misadventure that had brought them together and for the circumstances that had brought so much friendship into both of their lives.
