Chaos Isn't Easy

"DISCORD!!!"

The clear voice of the Princess of Friendship could be heard loudly and clearly through the walls of Fluttershy's cottage, and the meek young pegasus let out one of her customary "eep" noises as soon as she heard it. Turning, she looked on as her friend burst in, seeing that she was looking rather upset. It did not take long for Fluttershy to figure out why, however, as it appeared as if she was covered in what was almost certainly flour. Raising a hoof to her mouth, the yellow mare finally spoke up.

"Goodness! Have you been babysitting the Cake twins with Pinkie?"

Letting out an angry snort, Twilight shook her head, entering the cottage in earnest. After magically closing the door behind her, she walked with purpose to the table Fluttershy was sitting at, before raising her hoof and pointing it angrily.

"No! This was his doing!"

Turning, Fluttershy regarded the other visitor she had today; Discord, the spirit of chaos. Currently, he was busy floating just above his chair, sipping tea in a dainty fashion out of a small pink cup. He'd barely acknowledged Twilights arrival, even with all her bluster and rage present. But, having finally been accused outright by the Princess, he turned to look at her, smirking in that devilish manner of his.

"My my! Looks like our little Princess friend has gotten herself into a bit of a pickle this morning."

Narrowing her eyes, Twilight's wings flared up before she started speaking up to him.

"A pickle?! Is that what you call having flour dumped on me when I'm trying to give a friendship lecture to my student?!"

Discord chuckled at that.

"Trust me, I'm sure Starlight would have appreciated the break from that sort of thing."

Twilight, naturally, continued to glare at him, and it was here when Fluttershy, peacekeeper as she was, tried to intervene.

"Alright now, there's no need for harsh words. We're all friends here."

Looking to her, Twilight couldn't help but try and calm herself down, letting out a long sigh before placing her hoof upon her temples. After rubbing them slightly, she took a few deep breaths, before turning her attention to the spirit yet again.

"Looks, Discord, I'm willing to accept that you feel the need to play these silly games. But I'm a Princess! I've got a lot of work, and I can't deal with interruptions like this!"

Discord rolled his eyes.

"I'll have you know, Princess, that my work is just as important as yours."

Here, Twilight gained an incredulous expression.

"Work? You think playing pranks, messing things up and generally being a nuisance is work?"

Discord looked to her, seeming almost insulted by that remark.

"Indeed it is. I'm a spirit of chaos, Twilight. Just like with you and friendship, chaos is my job. Jobs need work, and that's what I do!"

As before, Twilight remained sceptical.

"Okay, if you think doing chaotic things is fulfilling some vital role for the world, that I could accept. But thinking that it's work? Or even hard work? That, I'm afraid I cannot accept."

Placing his cup on the table, Discord gave the young alicorn his full attention.

"Is that so?"

Sensing the rising tension, Fluttershy looked around nervously for a way to diffuse the situation.

"Um...I mean...would anypony like anymore tea?"

Sadly, things were far too beyond her control now, as Twilight's eyes were dead focused on Discord.

"Chaos is just random things for the sake of randomness. Anypony could do it."

Hearing that, Discord broke into a sly smile.

"Very well, Twilight. I accept your challenge."

The moment those words were spoken, Twilight's smile faded.

"Um...pardon?"

Maintaining his smirk, Discord folded his arms.

"You heard me. If you think you can be so chaotic, then by all means...show me."

For a moment, Twilight seemed hesitant, but, as she continued to look at the smug expression on Discord's face, it was as if that alone made her feel insulted, to the point where, at last, she spoke up defiantly.

"Fine! You're on!"

Smirking wider, Discord bowed his head slightly.

"Alright then...name something chaotic that you've done in the past."

Here, it was Twilights turn to smirk.

"Ha! Got you already! I once turned a frog into part-orange!"

Discord raised an eyebrow, seeming almost impressed.

"Hmmm...not bad, not bad. But..."

Again, he smirked.

"...was it intentional? Or, what it one of your oh-so frequent magical accidents?"

Twilight's confident look faded somewhat, and she tried avoiding his gaze.

"Well...um...you see..."

Taking her words for what they were, the spirit chuckled mockingly.

"Yep. Thought so. Do try again, Princess."

Twilight frowned at this, and all the while, Fluttershy was just trying to keep the peace, and failing utterly to do so.

"Oh...can't we all just get along?"

Apparently not, as Twilight then continued with Discord's challenge.

"Okay, if it's intentional you want, I once used a bunch of tricks and stuff to make it look as if mares had been turned into stallions, and adults had become children!"

As before, Discord considered that.

"Alright, that does sound like something I would do!"

Twilight smiled in triumph, which, as before, proved to be a short-lived endeavour, as Discord grinned wickedly yet again.

"But, if it was fake magic, then that doesn't count!"

Predictably, Twilight let out a grunt of frustration, which naturally pleased Discord to no end. The young Princess kept wracking her brain, trying to find a solution to all of this, only to then gain a look of understanding, and then a smile.

"How about when I first got my cutie mark? When that happened, I let out so much magic, that not only was Spike hatched, but a lot of ponies around me turned into potted plants!"

Discord rolled his eyes again.

"I say again, Twilight...that was an accident, wasn't it? And a destiny-induced accident at that!"

As before, Twilight was growing increasingly frustrated with all of this, much to Discord's delight and Fluttershy's concern. But then, during the silence that followed, Twilight appeared to be deep in thought over something. She pondered and pondered for several minutes, leading to a rather bored look from Discord, until, at last, she spoke up.

"Well...if your acts are intentional...that you've never truly been chaotic!"

That caught the spirit off-guard, and he looked to the mare with confusion plastered all over his face.

"Er...say again?"

Realising she had the upper hoof, Twilight's smile grew.

"If what you do was something you intended to do, then it was all part of a plan. It was something you thought up and carried through. And that, Discord, means that all your little tricks and japes have never even been chaos to begin with!"

As one would expect, such an accusation truly hit Discord where it hurt, and he rose up, glaring angrily at the pony before him.

"How dare you?! I am Discord! The master of chaos! You dare to claim that my work isn't chaotic?!"

Here, it was Twilight's turn to look smug.

"Yep, that's right."

Discord narrowed his eyes.

"Ha! Your petty little rational mind could never even hope to understand the inner workings of a true child of chaos! You can philosophise all you want, but it will do you no good!"

Twilight raised an eyebrow.

"Oh please! You're just acting up because I've seen through you!"

To that, Discord folded his arms, gaining the same manner as a pouty little child.

"Nu-uh! You're the one who's lost this!"

Fluttershy looked from one to the other, hearing everything they had to say to one another, which was rarely ever pleasant to listen to. In the end, after many insults and pseudo-philosophies had been thrown about, the timid pegasus finally spoke up.

"Um...can we just call this whole thing off now?"

While keeping her eyes on Discord, Twilight answered.

"Only if one of us backs down from this."

Fluttershy let her friend's words sink in, and as they did so, realisation now grew upon her face, followed by dismay, and then, finally, acceptance. She let out a sigh, hopping out of her chair and walking off to the kitchen as her two friends continued to glare at one another.

"Alright...I'll get another pot brewing."