The Tale of Discord and Pacer

CHAPTER 2: Starlight Meets Discord –

At Twilight’s Castle, Starlight woke up last at about ten AM. Which makes sense, since she was up until eleven PM that night (with all those sad things on her mind). Starlight was in the guest bedroom and bed and when she got out, Pinkie Pie burst out with streamers and balloons!

“Happy one month anniversary, Starlight!” Pinkie Pie screamed.

“What the- huh?!?” Starlight replies surprised and baffled at this “jump-scare.”

Rainbow Dash comes over smiling, “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”

Starlight swats the streamers out of her mane and replies with a giggle, “Maybe. But what anniversary?”

“Duh! The one month anniversary of you joining our friendship castle and group!” Pinkie shouts with joy.

“Oh, right,” Starlight says, finally remembering. “What else do you have in mind?” She adds, going along with Pinkie’s Partying Mood.

“Well, basically each pony here has a different surprise for you to show how much we appreciate your friendship with us,” Pinkie explains. “I obviously showed off my PARTY CANNON!” And with that, Pinkie lets loose another streamer and balloon blast from her signature Party Cannon filling Starlight’s now, frizzy hair, with more streamers than before!

“And I worked with applejack for your next surprise!” Rainbow Dash adds. “Race you to the bottom!”

Rainbow Dash then zooms down the stairs, as fast as a lightning bolt (as usual) and made it to the bottom. But then turns her head to see Starlight was already there. “Oh, I thought I felt a strong breeze going down……Anyways, follow me outside.”

Starlight came out with Pinkie Pie and saw everypony else with a tarped over gift for her! She went to Applejack and Rainbow Dash first who pull their tarp off and revealed a large barrel.

Starlight looked at it, but shrugs and uses her magic to yank over the lid. She looked in and smiled as wide as her tail. “Fresh Apple Cider! Courtesy of Sweet Apple Acres.” Applejack nods.

Rainbow Dash looks in as eager as Starlight and points to it while turning to Starlight. Starlight could tell this look meant, “Can I have some too? So she rolls her eyes and replies, “Go bananas.” Then Rainbow sticks her head in drinking as much as she can! Applejack almost yelled something at her, but then, Starlight stops her with her hoof.

She then went over to Rarity’s tarp and was pleased to find underneath it a pretty blue, green and purple dress with beads connecting like a spider web. Rarity explains, “It’s the last dress I had after working at Sassy Saddles Boutique in Canterlot. It’s old, but it’s just what felt right for a gift.”

Starlight hugs the fellow Unicorn and smiles sweetly, “It’s perfect, Rarity.” And with that, Rarity returns the smile and hug.

Twilight waves to Starlight and unveils a photograph of she took of her with Double Diamond, Party Favor, Sugar Belle and Night Glider! Starlight tears up and Twilight nods to her new friend. Starlight quickly hugs the photograph and turns to a concerned looking Twilight.

“Sorry. Long night,” Starlight explains.

“Oh…You can explain later,” Twilight assures Starlight.

“But, thanks for the photo anyways.”

Starlight then notices Fluttershy had something under a tarp too, but it was smaller than the other gifts she was given.

“Fluttershy, what’s under yours?” Starlight inquires.

Fluttershy turns to Starlight surprised and shyly (as usual) says, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I lost track of time. My gift, is actually something very close to me that I just know you’ll enjoy too.”

“Is it jewelry?” Starlight asks walking over to the yellow Pegasus. “Because it’s oddly small, honestly.”

“Well, not exactly. And you can’t exactly keep it either,” Fluttershy explains.

If everypony wasn’t confused before, they certainly were now. “Why is that?” Starlight questions.

“Oh, you’ll find out,” she smiles as she unveils the tarp to reveal an orange!

“It’s not jewelry! It’s an orange!” Starlight states bewildered.

“I know,” said the orange with two yellow eyes and a toothy mouth! Then it shakes and pops open to reveal Discord himself in a jazz hands position with oranges raining from the sky! “ORANGE YOU GLAD IT ISN’T!!!”

“DISCORD!” The five other ponies cheer.

But Starlight was so surprised and so shocked and scared that she fell over frozen.

“Oh dear, too much?” Discord nervously asks Fluttershy.

Fluttershy looks at the others looking at and helping up Starlight and giggles to her friend, “Maybe just a little.” But Discord couldn’t help but giggle too.

Discord goes over and helps up Starlight, who continues to stare at him shocked. “Hello my dear Starlight. Name’s Discord. Flutershy brought me to meet you.”

“Discord?” Starlight asks putting her hoof on her chin. “I feel like I’ve heard of you before."

“I’d be surprised if you hadn’t,” Discord replies.

“You see,” Twilight explains to Starlight, “Discord here was once an adversary of ours like you. He even tried to ruin my friendship with the others! But like you, he was eventually reformed.”

“It’s true,” Discord adds next to Twilight. “I WAS the demon of chaos and disharmony, but now I’m trying to understand friendship just like you!”

“That’s why I invited him here as your ‘gift.’” Fluttershy finishes.

“Well…” Starlight thinks. She seemed uneven with the idea of a strange and crazy creature like Discord as a friend.

Suddenly, Discord shakes his body.

“Again?” Discord asks himself.

“Again what?” Rainbow Dash asks, getting up from the cider barrel and trotting over.

“You know how I can sense magic disturbances sometimes? Well I’ve been feeling something oddly familiar in my systems lately,” Discord explains.

“What kind, sugarcube?” Applejack inquires (the first time she’s called Discord that before).

“No idea. Just something I feel is important but don’t know how so,” Discord replies.

“Well, maybe I can help,” Starlight offers. “After all, you seem to have a strong sense in magic.”

“Oh yeah,” Discord agrees happily. “I know lots of things about magic. But I can’t remember how…”

“What?!?” Everypony gasps.

“You mean you have all this magic and you can’t remember where it all came from?” Rarity inquires.

“I know…It’s just, that was over a thousand years ago! Before even I came into power before Celestia!” Discord answers.

The ponies looked at each other with confusion. But Starlight decides, “Well maybe I’ll help you kill two birds with one stone.”

“What?!? Why kill those poor birds with a stone???” Pinkie weeps.

Everypony smacks their face, but Discord bursts out laughing along with the pink pony.

“Anyways,” Discord adds, “Shall we go to my place?”

Starlight walks up to the Draconequus and nods in agreement. Discord grabs her hoof and Starlight asks, “So where do you li-”

Discord poofs himself and Starlight away. As Twilight and the others remember where Discord lives, Pinkie states, “Oh, I get it!”