My Little Pony: Third Gear

Chapter 17: Planning For Chaos

Crown Investigations and the DA began their search two days after Otto’s last attack, since nobody came forth to claim responsibility. In a way it was a shame, since it was a great scientific and magical achievement in the fields of independent intelligence and automation, however with the crimes Otto had committed everypony from Princess Celestia to Gearhead understood why nobody with power would want to claim responsibility. And it had to be some being with a great deal of power and resources, to have that much adamantine and magic available for a single unit.

When a CI unit discovered the secret laboratory complex in the Canterlot Caves, not far from where Chrysalis had held her prisoners, they also confirmed that it took a high amount of resources to do what the responsible party had done. The complex itself was a third the size of the city, and while every room had been stripped clean and the wiring melted to ensure none of the larger equipment could be used, the structures themselves remained intact.

Princess Luna brought Gearhead and Twilight into the investigation to see what they could recover, but with everything remaining scrapped, all Gearhead could tell the investigators was how to remove and replace the wiring if they intended on making use of the complex from then on. It was, after all, a usable space.

The one thing that Gearhead knew for certain was that development of Otto had not had any boosts from his own magi-tech. While chances were great that it had been inspired by the Alicorn Engine, none of Gearhead’s signature touches had been on Otto, nor any of his safeguards. Even as Otto had attacked an Array, his original safeguards had thwarted its efforts. Still, the DA insisted on investigating every possibility.

Gearhead returned to Ponyville, and for the rest of SorSci he would spend one day of each week checking in on each project’s progress. The rest of the time, he continued to run Gearhead’s Gadgets and work on his own innovations.

One innovation Gearhead hoped would never see the light of day again was the Full Sword. He removed it from the Full Armour and placed it in a deep vault build underneath the Hangar. If he ever used it again, it would be against a foe too powerful for any half-measures, or even for the Elements of Harmony.

* * *

As he flew out to the field just north of Ponyville, Gearhead wondered why Princess Celestia always seemed to keep her summons so vague and cryptic. This morning was not any different, since according to the letter to Twilight, the princess had only asked that Gearhead join the Elemental Six there, and further that he bring the Stabilized Twin Engine.

The one thing he did know was that it was wise to take such things seriously, as warnings, and prepare as best as possible. To that end, Gearhead had only left the Fireheart Gemstone behind, once again secured after his battle with Abyssal Trance and Nightmare Moon.

When Gearhead landed in the field, only Applejack, Fluttershy, and Dash were missing. Princess Celestia had already arrived, and from the distinctive form she had had a second team of Royal Guards fly in, Gearhead could not readily blame Twilight for chewing her mentor out, even as respectful as she was being in the process.

“I believe that there should be a way to reform Discord,” Celestia was saying. “If you can convince him to use his powers for the greater good instead of evil, I have a purpose for them.”

“And how are we meant to control him?” Rarity asked.

“I believe Fluttershy may hold the key to that,” Celestia said. “Where might she be?”

“She’s helping Applejack over at Sweet Apple Acres,” Pinkie said.

“I already sent Rainbow Dash to bring both of them back here,” Twilight said. “They should be back shortly.”

“I am sorry to place this kind of pressure on you and your friends once again, Twilight. I have to return to Canterlot for the Royal Summit, yet the sooner we have Discord on our side the better.”

“Again with all due respect, Princess, I don’t know how we can do this, but we’ll try our best. I suppose at worst we could just turn him back to stone using the Elements.”

“That is true, although it would be unfortunate for us all,” Celestia said.

“Unfortunately I do not currently trust him as far as Fluttershy could throw him,” Gearhead said. “I know this mysterious purpose you have in mind will be worth the effort we are about to go through, or you would not ask this of us.”

“That is correct,” Celestia said. “And speaking of ‘correct,’ Discord seems to follow his own set of rules, provided you can make any sense of them.”

“Really?” Rarity asked.

“I didn’t get that sense at all,” Twilight said.

* * *

Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy arrived a couple minutes later. “Discord? Seriously?” Dash asked.

“Seriously,” Celestia said with an absolutely straight face. “As I just finished explaining, I hope that all of you will be able to work together to reform him, motivating him to use his magic for good. Fluttershy, because of your skills managing different creatures I believe you are the natural choice to lead in this effort.”

“Again, seriously?” Dash said.

Celestia ignored that jibe. “Fluttershy, if you are willing to do this, I would be highly grateful.”

“Do you really think I could tame Discord?”

“I do,” Celestia said softly, and Fluttershy blushed.

“Then I’ll do my best, together with everypony else.”

“Then I guess I’d better go run to get the Elements,” Spike said. He only got a couple of steps, however, before Celestia revealed that she had brought them with her in a chest, and even enchanted them with protection against Discord’s meddling. She then left for the return flight to Canterlot.

“I guess we had better get this over with,” Twilight said, distributing the Elements. Gearhead noticed that they were all also wearing their Anklets as backup, although like his they were in their black inactive mode.

“I really wish we didn’t,” Spike said.

“We have to at least try,” Twilight said.

“Even if it makes no sense,” Dash said as she and the others got into position around the still-petrified Draconequus.

“Of course it doesn’t make any sense,” Rarity said, “it’s Discord we’re talking about here.”

“Maybe we can get a little chocolate rain? With whipped cream?” Pinkie said.

“Focus, please. Lets give this our all, even if we just end up re-sealing him,” Twilight said.

With all six mares in position and focused, the gems set in their necklaces and Twilight’s tiara shone with power. The mars lifted into the air, and then prisms of energy wound out to surround the statue. Once the target was set and his status thoroughly read, the Elements connected with each other through a ribbon of rainbow-coloured magic that met around the gem in the tiara. The circle of Artifacts flashed with blinding light, and then Gearhead was watching cracks form in the statue, and Discord’s roar turned into a yawn. The Earth Pony’s vision became sharper, and his thoughts became clearer as the magic within him resonated with Discord’s.

Discord started stretching. “Finally,” the Draconequus said, “it’s about time somepony got me out of there..” He wiggled every which way, then leaned over and back, looking Twilight directly in the eye.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Twilight asked.

“Stretching, of course. As a creature of pure chaos, a stone prison isn’t typically my go-to fashion choice.” He snapped his claw, and a rabbit turned alarmingly buff. With a snap of his paw, Discord also similarly transformed a squirrel, which immediately broke off the branch on the tree below it.

“You turn them back to normal now, Dipcord!” Dash said.

“Or what? You don’t dare disappoint your precious princess.”

“What do you know about it?” Twilight said.

“Oh please. Being turned to stone doesn’t mean I don’t hear everything you, or Celestia, say, although it does make rolling my eyes a challenge.” Discord took his eyes out of his head with his paw, and rolled them into a pair of holes in the ground, from which he materialized, rising back up.

“You heard everything?” Twilight asked.

“Including how you think this one can be the one to ‘tame’ me,” Discord said chuckling in Fluttershy's direction. “You’re just too cute, I could pinch your cheeks!”

“Sorry, I am still on the fact that you were aware of everything that was going on around you,” Gearhead said. “For over a thousand years?”

“What do you expect? It’s not like the spell was perfect.”

“Is that why you’re the way you are?” Pinkie asked.

“Oh my, no! I’ve always been this fun. Ha! Mind you, I did go sane for a few hundred years there.”

“I may be starting to see why Princess Celestia insisted that we do this for her, and you,” Gearhead said.

“I think you mean ‘try,’ Gearhead. No matter how smart you might think you are, there’s no way you’ll be able to control me.”

“Well then, if it turns out we can’t, I’m sure the princesses would understand why we would have to return you to stone!” Twilight said.

“Yes, I suppose that’s correct,” Discord said. He snapped his claw, returning the rabbit and squirrel to normal size, only to have the squirrel’s makeshift club crash down in his head, and the rabbit fall to the ground. Discord shrugged, but then he snapped his tail. Gearhead felt the air shiver with magic, but did not see any changes. “Oopsie,” the Draconequus said to nothing behind him.

“Lets get started,” Twilight said.

“Oh yes,” Discord said. “Lets do that, and I believe I know where I’ll be staying for the duration.” He warped Fluttershy into his arms. “With you,” the Spirit of Chaos said, laughing.

“Oh... my,” Fluttershy had to have been wondering what she could do, but then Princess Celestia had placed most of the burden on her anyway. It was time to start brainstorming ideas.

“Oh hey, Discord?”

“What is it, Gearhead?” Discord found himself looking down the length of the Geargem Dagger.

“Claws and paws off my marefriend, if you please, unless she gives consent for, say, hugs.”

“My bad,” Discord said, immediately letting go. If he expected Fluttershy to drop directly to the ground, he was mistaken, as she reflexively started to fly again. “Oh poo,” he muttered.

“It seems to me you know not with whom you are dealing anymore,” Gearhead said, sheathing his weapon.

“We shall see who knows whom best,” Discord said.

* * *

“Are you sure about this, Fluttershy? We don’t even know how long this will take.” As Twilight spoke she could not help tracking Discord after he materialized on the couch in the cottage, appropriating Angel’s favourite spot in one neat move.

“It’s alright, Twilight. We should be able to think of ways to let him see that it’s better to behave well as we watch over him.”

“I can’t keep watching this,” Dash said, wincing as Discord continued to tease Angel.

“We’ll be outside,” Rarity said.

“But if you need anything at all, just whisper ‘help’ and we’ll come running,” Twilight said.

“Okay,”

“Gearhead, are you coming?”

“One moment,” the stallion said before he turned away from Discord to follow the others outside.

“I don’t like this,” Rarity said. “I’d really prefer to have a Plan B in place just in case.”

“Yeah, I don’t wanna leave Fluttershy to do this alone, but I just can’t stand that guy,” Dash said.

“I think I have an idea,” Twilight said. “I just need to find the right book.”

“A spell?” Gearhead asked. “Are you certain magical manipulation would be a good idea?”

“I’m sure I could find something that’d work even on Discord.”

“But how would that make us any different from him?”

“You’re right: we shouldn’t force it on him, as long as he gives us a choice. On top of that, who knows how long it’d last, and what he’d do after breaking free.”

“He’d probably be pretty pissed off at us,” Dash said.

“We don’t want him angry, we want him happy!” Pinkie said.

“So, any bright ideas, Gearhead?” Applejack asked.

“Since we want him to take our side, the most basic aspect would be to show him that there is more value in being our friend than in being our enemy.”

“Considering the alternative is to be locked away in stone, that should be easy,” Rarity said.

“But he’ll try to make it impossible for us to use the Elements and seal him again, I’m sure of it,” Dash said.

“Not that that should matter now that we also have the Anklets,” Gearhead said.

“You know, I’ve never made a real friend by threatening them before,” Pinkie said.

After a moment Twilight said, “you’re right: threatening Discord should be a last resort at best, if we really want to make the best example possible of what friendship with us could bring him.”

“So what does that leave us, taking away all the threats?” Dash asked. “Do we just do nothing at all while he changes everything around us?”

“No. Like Gearhead said, we demonstrate the values of friendship ourselves. Even if we do it one at a time instead of all together he should be able to see the benefits if somepony just shows it to him instead of sealing him away,” Twilight said.

“And you know,” Dash said, “tag teaming him could help us extend our endurance against him.”

“Not to mention our sanity,” Rarity said.

“What was that?” Pinkie asked, bouncing on the spot.

“Nevermind,” the others chimed.

“But we should also be firm,” Twilight said, “that way we also show what’s at stake.”

“That said, I can’t see leaving him alone with Fluttershy being a good idea,” Applejack said.

“Agreed,” Gearhead said, “which is why I am going back in.”

“Isn’t that going to be awkward, being in the same place with the mare you’re dating while trying to teach a chaos spirit about friendship?”

“The awkwardness does not matter compared to Fluttershy. Besides,” Gearhead turned back to the others, looking each in the eye, “apparently my resonance with Discord lets me see things others cannot. He casted one more spell before we came here, but I have not seen the results yet. I would like to keep up my vigilance, just in case.”

“Ah, okay,” Dash said.

“Well then, good luck,” Rarity said.

Gearhead waved a hoof as the others left, then he went back into the cottage.

“You’re back?” Fluttershy asked, wide-eyed in surprise.

“Yes, I changed my mind: I will act as your second, unless that gets in the way of your plans?”

“Not at all, I appreciate it.”

“What’s this, don’t trust me, Gearhead?” Discord asked from the couch. Gearhead could already see that the lamp that had been on the table beside it had been replaced with one shaped like Discord.

“Trust is something that beings earn even as they become friends, Discord, and at the moment I do not trust you. You have yet to do anything to earn my trust, but hopefully soon you will.”

“And here I thought lecturing was Twilight Sparkle’s thing,”

“Do not worry, Discord: we all have lessons to impart to you. Each of us, in turn, will play our part in your reformation.”

“Aren’t friendship lessons Twilight’s thing again?”

“Actually,” Fluttershy said, “Princess Celestia lets all of us do them. She has since just after you came along.”

Discord looked directly at Gearhead and Fluttershy. “Oh joy,” he said flatly.

“Maybe,” Gearhead said. “In any case, we are currently in a stage of experimentation. We are going to try different things to see what passes with you, and drop the things that do not. While we do so, we would also like you to take note of the things that do not pass with us as well.”

“You do realize who you’re talking to, right? What ‘passes’ for me is that I do what I want. Or is that too complicated for you?”

“I believe you are going to learn fairly quickly that you cannot always do or have what you want,” Gearhead said. “Friendship is as much about compromising to reach a comfortable middle ground as it is about trust and respect, among other things.”

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to make me do trust exercises,”

“I do not believe you would be ready for those,” Gearhead said.

“For now, lets see how we all adjust to being in the same space with each other, okay?” Fluttershy said.

* * *

At first Fluttershy nervously watched Discord and Gearhead out of the corner of her eyes as she prepared tea and snacks for them. To her, it felt as though they could spring into a fight at any moment, especially since Gearhead’s green eyes had seemed brighter and sharper ever since they had released Discord. And Gearhead seemed to be making a point of letting his opposite number know it, by keeping his glasses propped up on his bangs as they sat and talked.

Naturally, Discord could not remain silent or still for even a moment, and he spent most of his time picking on Angel in little ways, probably knowing that Gearhead would not let anything else slip by. Fluttershy, however, intervened by asking Discord to help her see to her animal friends, and closely guided him in dispensing their food and drink.

“I think I understand you a little better now,” Gearhead said when Discord sat back down.

“Do you mean to tell me that you’ve been trying to make sense... of me?”

“Indeed,”

“Well then by all means, lets see what your amateur psychoanalysis can reveal, shall we?”

“Amateur indeed. Really, the only things I have to go by are my observations of you, and while I doubt I could understand a long-living spirit’s methods or motivations very well, I do understand that most, if not all, living beings have many needs in common.”

“Like friendship?” Discord rolled his eyes.

“To an extent, yes, many of us are social. There are those who are solitary creatures as well, but that generally does not do well when it comes to the continued existence of a community. Naturally I do not know if you ever belonged to one, since the earliest any of us knows about you comes from the princesses’ confrontation with you.

“Similarly, when we caught up to you in Ponyville all you were doing was making changes and watching to see what would happen. You barely interacted with anypony, except for us and one or two ponies on whom you used your powers to prank.

“And you kept changing nature, and pulling pranks, never seeming to be satisfied with anything you had done before.”

“You think that’s strange? I’m the Master of Chaos. I can make anything happen at a mere snap.”

“Which is why I find your choice of actions so fascinating. By comparison, Nightmare Moon tried to usurp the throne. Chrysalis was after conquest to fulfill the needs of her subjects. Sombra ruled through cruelty and fear to serve his own ends. You altered day and night, reversed gravity in isolated pockets, and made chocolate milk explode. You can do great things with your power, but of course you would have to want to do them.”

“Which is what all this is about. Yes yes, I heard Celestia. That doesn’t mean I’ll go along with it, though.”

“Thank you for the warning, and speaking of, who or what do you think Princess Celestia has in mind when she says she has a purpose for your power?”

“Some eldritch foe from a millennium or more ago, I imagine. Just like all of the rest of her enemies.” Discord sat up and leaned forward. “Don’t you ever get tired of cleaning up her messes for her?”

“In all honesty, I find it challenging.”

“You want a challenge, eh?”

“Within a certain range, I suppose I should say. Really, I would like to avoid causing you to get serious.”

“And here I thought you designed that for me,” Discord indicated the Twin Engine with a wave of his paw. Gearhead had detached the Stabilizer and set it beside his chair so he could sit more comfortably, but he could dock with it again in moments.

“I did, but I would prefer to hold off on that sort of testing, if you do not mind.”

“Do I mind? You tell me, young stallion: what have you found?”

“Some of the things you do are large-scale, like moving the sun and moon, however most of them are far smaller, even if they are in the order of spot gravitational inversions. That you make change after change is similar to the way you are unable to remain still, like you are motion and change, never resting or satisfied. And I believe that lies at the core of your motivation. To put it simply,” Gearhead leaned forward. Discord and Fluttershy did likewise. “You are bored.”

Fluttershy blinked rapidly. "Bored? Is something like boredom so powerful that it can drive a being to torment others just to relieve it?"

Discord burst out laughing. “Is that so?” He asked between breaths. “Is that what you think?” Suddenly he was not laughing at all. “And why would you think that?”

“Because the things you do with your power are as limited as they are, and yet you hardly ever stop these little changes – like with the Verdant, Azure, and Shadows.”

“Beg pardon? I know what I did to you, but those other two..?”

“Prism is the firstborn daughter of the Azure Wing. In a generation where she should have a season for her name, it instead relates to the pigment of her eyes. Dawn is the second-born daughter of the Third Conclave of Flowing Shadows. As her name would indicate, she is a rising star amidst a dark, all-encompassing sky. And me? The third-born son of the Herd Verdant, who has high mechanical skills instead of farming skills. Did you not hit all three of us?”

“Did I now? Let me think.” Discord rubbed his chin, pulled on his goatee, and rubbed the top of his head. “Ah yes, the big three of the Alliance,” he said, his eyes actually brightening up a bit as the memory connected. “Your families put such a damper on my fun, and I knew they had to be proud of it, so I put a little wrench of my own into the works. And then forgot about it. I guess you were right to call it a small thing, eh?”

“Oh my,” Fluttershy said, worried again.

“You mad?”

“I am not even mad,” Gearhead smiled, “because that helped make us who we all are. It just took me awhile to realize the pattern, just like it took me awhile to realize that even though Princess Celestia said you tormented all three pony tribes, you seem not to have ruled any of them. It just was not something you were concerned with.”

“’Rule’ means rules and order, so of course I wouldn’t do such a thing. I’d have thought that’d be obvious.”

“Did it not leave you feeling lonely?”

Discord shrugged.

“I have the feeling that your experiences in the coming days will relieve your boredom,” Gearhead said.

“Wouldn’t that be fascinating,” Discord said.

Fluttershy shuddered.

* * *

It only took a couple of hours before Applejack returned. “Howdy, y’all. I’m here to take Discord to where I’ll teach him his first lesson.”

“Do you want us to come with you?” Gearhead asked.

“And I can’t help noticing you’re not wearing your Element,” Discord said.

“Oh, we’ve decided we don’t want you worried about ‘em, so we put ‘em all away. Don’t bother lookin’ for ‘em, though.”

“So then they’re not completely off the table,” Discord said flatly.

“Look, the Elements don’t matter none beside what you’re gonna learn. So come on, we’re wastin’ daylight.” Applejack turned from the doorway and started walking away. Fluttershy and Gearhead moved to follow. “Oh, you two don’t need to come. Fluttershy, you should take the opportunity to go see Twilight.”

“Okay,”

“Gearhead, you’ve got some staff to keep informed.”

“Understood,”

Discord glanced back at Fluttershy and Gearhead, uncertain at this new direction. Gearhead nodded, and Fluttershy waved a hoof for him to go on and follow Applejack, so he did.

* * *

Applejack took Discord to Sweet Apple Acres, the new growth of the West Field heavy with apples. Having evidentially seen the two of them coming, the other Apples assembled in front of the house. “Listen up,” Applejack said to the others. “For the next few hours, Discord here’s gonna be helpin’ us with our harvest. I hope y’all will lend him your guidance whenever necessary.”

“I’m going to help? At least be realistic here, Applejack. Or lie creatively.”

“It’s no lie,” Applejack said. “Mac, what’s your lookin’ through them fields tell ya?”

“We got ourselves a good little bumper crop of cider-making apples, but we’d best hurry and harvest ‘em all today, before they start spoiling on their trees.”

“After the last time, I hope we can make enough cider for everypony,” Apple Bloom said.

“That sorta thing’s exactly why we’re workin’ on a bumper crop now, ahead of the next cider season,” Ann said. “We won’t have those foul brothers prodding us on, so we gotta do all the work ourselves and make our supply match our demand.”

“I’m sorry, who’re you?”

“Granny Smith. ‘Course this may be your first time seein’ me like this. Best get used to it. And call me ‘Ann,’ not ‘Granny.’”

“Yes, well, when you have millennials for adversaries you get used to beings who don’t look their age.”

“I’m a centurion, son.”

“I’m a millennial, and that makes you a baby in my eyes.”

“We’re wastin’ time,” Mac said.

“Right! Pair up and start your harvesting. We’ll work our way through the field one row at a time. Since it worked so well against Flim and Flam, we’ll use Gearhead’s wheeled basket and big hamper, but we won’t start usin’ the mill ‘till we’ve gathered all we can. We clear? Move out!” Applejack called, and the rest of her little clan burst into motion.

“Come on, Discord, you’re with me today.” Applejack was just as fast moving toward the field. Discord rolled his eyes, but followed her anyway.

“So, Apple picking, is it? That’s your lesson?”

“Make fun all you want, there may have been a time in your life when you had to earn a living through real work. Just in case you’ve forgotten what that feels like, I thought I’d give you a quick refresher. So yes, my lesson to you is nothing fancy. But do this right the first time and I won’t force you to again.”

“Fine,” Discord landed and uses his hoof-and-paw to keep following his ‘teacher’ instead. What followed was a lot of kicking trees in just the right spot, catching apples in baskets, running with baskets, and picking up apples that missed their baskets. It was not long before Discord tries a shortcut, and used his magic to harvest several trees at once.

“Hold it there, mister: that tree’s not ready yet,” Ann said pointing a hoof to a tree near the middle of a cluster of seven on which Discord was exerting his considerable magical might.

“And how can you tell?”

“Experience, but if ya bucked it like you’re supposed to, you’d be able to tell too. Give it a try.”

“Very well,” Discord strode up to the tree, turn around, and swiftly gave it a kick. “Hm, that does sound different.”

“There now, now you know what to listen for for next time, yeah? Maybe now you won’t pick willy-nilly and use that head of yours instead.”

“If I was picking ‘willy-nilly’ you’d know,” Discord said, raising one paw.

“I could use a little help over here!” Apple Bloom called.

Discord sighed, but he warped over anyway. “What is –“ He suddenly had to flail like crazy to catch all the falling apples, juggling some and dumping others into Apple Bloom’s basket even as his hooves pedalled backwards and forwards in an effort not to lose a single apple. When they were all in the basket, Discord wiped the sweat from his brow. “Now what did you do that for?”

“I’m sorry! I just thought I’d be able to make it go faster is all.”

“I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought of a shortcut, but you have to be care... what do I care whether you’re careful? I’m Discord!”

“Thanks for worrying anyway,” Apple Bloom gave Discord’s nearest leg a little hug, then she went back to work.

“What was that?”

“I been spendin’ AB’s whole life tryin’ to figure that out,” Applejack said, coming up from their end of the field. “I think it’s just the sort of thing the younger fillies can do automatically-like. Now c’mon, lets try an’ see what else we can do before lunch.”

* * *

As fast as they were going, Applejack soon realized that they were ranging far enough from the big hamper that they were starting to run out of available baskets. She started having the others pile the apples as high as they would go before bringing them back to be dumped into the hamper, but she also knew they would run out of space long before they were done with the field. At the same time, she did not want to send Apple Bloom or Granny back to the hamper unnecessarily to unload a basket, only to have to do it all over again a couple minutes later.

Discord looked at the piled-up apples and snapped a claw.

“Square, huh? Certainly easier to stack such a regular shape, plus it don’t matter if they get a little squished since they’ll just be cider soon anyhow. Wonder how they taste?”

“Lets try this shape,” Discord snapped his claw again, and they turned into stars, causing them to explode into even higher piles. From Applejack’s expression, she was far from pleased, but she made every effort to maintain control over her temper, and to Discord’s disappointment, she won.

Applejack took one of the star-shaped apples and tried a bit. “Oh wow, so sweet! Too bad we can’t sell ‘em like this, but think of the quality of the cider!”

I just can’t win, Discord thought, and decided to go along with it for now. He went back to work on gathering more apples, and it was a surprisingly short time before the others invited him to join them for lunch. He had never had such an invitation from such a lively family before, and they kept up a steady, comfy chatter going all through the meal.

“There now,” Applejack said when the meal was done. “What’re your impressions on a job well done? You like eatin’ your work?”

“But you said..?”

“Most was for the cider, but as a special treat I included some of it in your lunch.”

“Letting me taste the ‘fruits of my labour,’”

“Ain’t nothing like the satisfaction of a good, honest day’s work,” Mac said.

“Well good, ‘cause we have a whole lot more to do before our day’s done,” Ann said.

“Yes ma’am!” Apple Bloom and Mac said.

“Y’see?” Applejack asked.

“Maybe,”

“Good, ‘cause I see Pinkie Pie coming along, so it looks like that’s all you’ll be gettin’ from me today.”

“What, already?”

“I can’t very well stop her. You?”

The pink Pony popped up between the two, cutting off Discord’s answer. “Enough farmwork, it’s time to spread some fun!” She grabbed Discord, pulling him after her. “To Sugar Cube Corner!”

* * *

Gearhead decided to close the shop while he invited his staff to a lunch meeting. “This has to be important for you to do this sort of thing,” Spring said.

“Things do not get much more important than dealing with Discord,” Gearhead said.

“’Discord?’ I didn’t see any fighting,” Torrent said.

“No, Discord is the Spirit of Chaos. He is a Draconequus who can bend reality to his will,” Dawn said.

“Oh,” Torrent nearly dropped his food. “So how do you fight that?”

“We do not,” Gearhead said. “We are trying to get him to see the value of our company as greater than even the threat of being sealed in stone -- which is why we have removed the tools for doing so from sight.”

“It’s a shame you don’t need the Elements to do that anymore,” Dawn said.

Gearhead nodded. “Which is why we shall not spread it around. More importantly, if you do encounter Discord, give him a chance and approach him as a friend first, not as an enemy. He might come to prefer it.”

“What about you?” Radar asked. “Are you going to be able to forgive him for what he’s done to you?”

“There is nothing for which to forgive him,” Dawn said. “The changes he has made have helped us to be who we are.”

“We can show our thanks by making an honest attempt at befriending him instead of trying to fight him. It is slightly ironic, given his words the last time we encountered him.”

“He is a chaotic being, after all,” Dawn said.

“So we’re seriously going to do this?” Torrent asked.

“That is correct,” Gearhead said.

“In that case, we may as well give it all we have,” Torrent said.

* * *

At Sugar Cube Corner, Carrot and Cup Cake stepped back to give Pinkie the room she would need for her baking. They barely took Discord’s presence into account at all, and soon he realized why.

Pinkie Pie, it seemed, had a habit of zipping all about the kitchen as she finished her prep work on all the sweets she had decided to make together with Discord. While she moved, Discord made some banana peels appear to try to slip her up, but Pinkie was too quick, merely tossing the bananas themselves into mixing bowls. “Great idea, Discord: who doesn’t like banana chocolate chip cake?”

“Not exactly what I was going for, but...”

“No come on: time to get with the baking.” Pinkie pulled Discord into the middle of the kitchen and started instructing him on what should happen with what pie or cake or pan of cookies next. She might tell him what to do, but beyond showing him her baking techniques the first time she left the how completely up to the Draconequus. And it turned out his lion’s paw was perfect for mixing, while his talon could do the cutting. The one thing Pinkie insisted upon absolutely was that he wash properly before starting.

With the kitchen in complete chaos, the Cakes retreated to the shop until the oven dinged for the last time, and the two frenzied bakers came out with their creations. Everypony there was astounded with the sheer volume of cakes, pies, muffins, cookies, and other sweets the two had made in such a short amount of time – and better yet, they were all fresh!

Soon ponies were streaming in from Canterlot, Appleloosia, and even Dodge Junction for a taste of sweetness. Even if they intended on going home before trying what they had purchased, Pinkie insisted that these ponies at least try a bite in the shop. Oh, how even the greatest scowl melted away into a massive grin! As each customer left, he or she waved and thanked Pinkie and Discord for their great creations.

“So, what do you think?” Pinkie asked when the last of their creations was going out the door with Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara.

“I have to admit I’ve never heard so many ‘thank you’s’ or seen so many smiles before. It’s kind of nice. But I don’t expect it to become a regular thing,” Discord said.

“It could be, if you don’t mind lending me some of your skip-forward magic again.”

“We’ll see. I didn’t realize so many ponies had sweet teeth.”

“Oh, everypony has one once they get a taste of just the right treat, and I aim to find it for every single being in Equestria!”

“Why go so far?”

“For their smiles, of course!”