Screwball opened her eyes and yawned. She stretched out her front and back hooves. The smell of the damp cave overwhelmed her nostrils. There had been one heck of a thunderstorm last night, and although she loved her father, she wasn't particularly interested in getting cold and soaked.
She walked to the mouth of the cave to check if it was too muddy to go out. She placed a hoof on the ground, half expecting it to slurp her up. However, the ground was only a bit soft. The ground under the trees was hard, due to them overlapping and blocking the rain. Screwball was suddenly that Everfree trees had very big leaves, or else she would've been soaked on her way home the previous night.
The little filly whistled a jolly tune as she trotted to Canterlot Gardens to see her dad. When she got there, however, she was met with an unfortunate sight. She hid behind some bushes to watch.
There were four guards lifting Discord's statue into a small chariot, while two more were hooked up to it. Here was also a bigger one nearby, both gold-plated and shiny. Screwball gasped in fear as Princess Celestia came into view. She quickly covered her mouth with her hoof, hoping nopony had heard her. Apparently she was out of luck, because the princess immediately turned her head to look exactly where Screwball was hiding.
Screwball curled herself into a ball, trying to remain unseen as Celestia took a few steps towards her hiding place. Screwball held her breath as she prepared for dungeon-time.
One of the guards behind the alicorn groaned in pain and she turned around to see if she could help, the small gasp quickly forgotten. Screwball relaxed her body and peeked through he bushes again to see where they were taking Discord.
She watched as they loaded Discord onto the small chariot while Celestia took the bigger one. Those four guards hooked up to the harnesses to carry their princess and they flew off.
Screwball watched the chariots disappear until they were a mere speck among the clouds. She felt a tear trace her cheekbone. "Daddy."
Twilight stood with her five friends as they stood in a circle around the imprisoned chaos god. Her mentor's words rang loud an clear in her mind and the unicorn wished to please her, but she wasn't sure that reforming Discord was possible. Maybe he had some good side underneath what everypony else saw, just waiting to be discovered. After all, he was apparently capable of loving. Or at least, that what she had been told by Screwball.
Twilight channeled the energy through her horn and lifted herself and the other Elements of Harmony into the air. Her eyes were bright white with no iris or pupil. A rainbow shot from each of her friends' necklaces, Twilight's coming from her horn. The rainbows came together and swirled around Discord, making the stone start to break off of him until there was none.
"Well, it's about time somepony got me out of that prison block. What a relief!" Discord said dramatically.
He stretched out his limbs, snapping and turning a squirrel into a huge and muscly, furry creature. The mares gasped in shock. "What do you think you're doing!?" Twilight demanded angrily.
"Why, stretching of course! When you're a creature of chaos, stone body suits aren't your usual go-to fashion choice." He got very close to Twilight and whispered so that nopony else could hear. "You know, little Screwy was right when she said I still wouldn't like you, even though you saved her from being caught and sending me into dullness and misery." He stood back up straight and continued his 'stretching.'
Twilight thought about what he had told her. He apparently could hear things while encased in stone, and it seemed that what he was trying to say was that he'd actually be sad if Screwball were to be take away from him. Maybe this wasn't impossible after all.
Twilight stacked books on the floor in neat piles, humming softly. The reformation had been a success! And it only took about 22 minutes. the best part was that Fluttershy was his friend now. He really needed it. Twilight was a bit surprised that Screwball hadn't shown up that while day. A loud knock on the library door interrupted her thoughts. She opened the door and saw the filly in question standing there, glaring daggers.
"Screwball!" Twilight said happily. "I was wondering when you would show up. It's been at least a week since you visited me last."
"What did you do to my father, Twilight Sparkle? What was it?"
"We just helped him to see how friendship could benefit him more than chaos. Besides, now he can help Celestia with problems all over Equestria!"
"Friendship is better than chaos? Yeah right!"
"Come on, Screwball. I think we should have a talk."
"I know that word. It never means anything good." Screwball mumbled to nopony in particular as Twilight ushered her in.
Twilight and Screwball sat across from each other at Twilight's small dining table, the latter refusing to make eye contact with the former.
"Now Screwball," Twilight started gently. "I know this might be hard for you to understand, and I would appreciate if you didn't interrupt."
Screwball clenched her jaw and scowled at the wood grains in front of her.
"I know this isn't what you wanted, and granted this isn't what he wanted either, but Princess Celestia asked Fluttershy to do it for her."
Twilight saw the filly's face turn a shade paler at he mere mention of Celestia. She recalled how frightened she had been on their first meeting. She hated to think of how scared Screwball must be of Celestia, especially considering how young Screwball was when her father was turned to stone the first time.
"Screwball, Discord could help Equestria and maybe even become a household name. What I'm trying to say is," Twilight lifted Screwball's chin with her hoof. "There is more to life than chaos."
"Yeah, well how am I supposed to know that?" Screwball said quietly, thrusting Twilight's hoof away. "Chaos is the only thing I've ever known. All I am is chaos."
"Screwball, you know I didn't mean-"
"Now my life will never be the same and it's all yours and Celestia's stupid fault! You could have told her no! You could have mentioned me!"
"You and Discord wouldn't have been safe with Celestia knowing."
"Don't act like you know what's best for me, Sparkle." Screwball said as she walked to the door. She put a hoof on the handle, but before leaving she turned her head and looked at Twilight one last time. "Maybe you should leave that to my actual parent."
Twilight sighed as she watched Screwball teleport to Celestia-knows-where. "I'm sorry it came to this, Screwball." Twilight said, even though she knew the girl couldn't hear her anymore.
When Screwball opened her eyes again she was in the familiar surroundings of her cave. Tears threatened to push past her eyes at any moment.
"There you are. I've been waiting." Screwball looked up and saw Discord sitting on his throne, drinking a glass of chocolate milk. She met out a choked sob and ran to the chaos spirit, wrapping her front hooves around his long neck and cried into his chest. "Well, not exactly the 'welcome home' hug I was expecting, but alright." Discord said, making his chocolate milk glass disappear and wrapping both arms around his daughter.
Screwball lifted her head and looked teary-faced at her father. "Daddy, why don't you like chaos anymore?" she asked meekly.
"What?" Discord asked in mock offense. "I course I still like chaos... I just finally found somepony that actually wanted to give me a chance."
His words slightly hurt Screwball. But what about me? I gave him a chance.
While she thought, Discord was still carrying on. "Her name is Fluttershy. I think you'd like her, but she's so anti-chaos. She'd love to meet you. Maybe I could bring you to our next tea party. You would have to hold back on the magiking, like I said. She is a bit sensitive. At least she's nice and has a pretty face or else she and that devil rabbit would be like a thorn in my side."
During all this Screwball had laid her head on his chest, listening to his erratic heart beats. In truth she wasn't actually listening to his words, only his voice. She needed to hear it after spending so long on her own. She really wasn't expecting him to drop this bomb on her, especially considering who turned him to stone just a few months prior. Friendship was new to Screwball. When she was created nopony wanted to be around her, so her daddy was her best friend. And how he just moved on? But why?
A few more tears squeezed out of her tightly closed eyes. "Now that you have friendship, will you not love me anymore?" Screwball didn't know she'd said it out loud until she felt Discord stiffen for a moment. Then he relaxed again and wrapped a talon around a strand of purple mane. "Oh, Screwball, Screwball, Screwball." he whispered.
I'm sorry," Screwball apologized frantically, one again meeting his gaze. "I just wasn't sure because now it's like chaos doesn't matter as much to you, and you made me with your chaos magic."
"Screwball." he said, making her fall silent. He was standing now, cradling her in his long, thick arms. "I've known you for over a thousand years, and I only met Fluttershy just this morning. I also said that nopony had been so kind to me. You, dear, are different. You have the blood of a draconequus in your veins. Besides, you're also my child which means you'll always come first. True, we're not related biologically, but that hardly matters. What matters is that you're happy." Then Discord changed his tone to a more jocular one. "Besides, you look so adorable with a smile on that cute little face." He bopped her muzzle lightly, making Screwball giggle.
"I love you, Daddy." Screwball said, rubbing her cheek against his neck. She felt a hand run through her curls. "I love you too, Screwy." he replied with equal happiness in his voice. He summoned a glass of chocolate milk and handed it to her. "So, we're all good, then?" he asked hopefully. Screwball laughed. "Yes we are." She tipped the glass forward to drink it, but the substance stayed unmoving. She flicked her tongue across the surface of the drink only to find that it was solid chocolate. "Dad!" Screwball cried in annoyance.
Discord released his grip on her and threw his head back, laughing loudly. "I can't believe you fell for that one. I thought for sure you were going to notice." he said, wiping away a tear.
Screwball gave an indifferent grunt before biting a chunk out of both the glass and the chocolate inside. She tossed it behind her and it made a little explosion.
Discord sat back down on his throne and motioned for Screwball to sit on his lap. "Now," he said, stroking her mane. "About coming to tea with Fluttershy and me..."
Screwball sighed. "Alright. I'll do it. I guess she can't be that bad. At least, not as bad as Twilight Sparkle."
"Oh, and her evil bunny presumably won't take kindly to another chaos spirit in his house, so be mindful of him."
"An evil bunny?" Screwball asked. "Really? It's a bunny. How bad could be possibly be?"
"You have no idea."Discord muttered under his breath.
