In a small cottage near the Everfree Forest, a pegasus was doing her best to try and fulfill the mission given to her by princess Celestia: to reformthe Spirit of Chaos. To become friends with him so he wouldn't immerse the kingdom in pure chaos again.

It was easier said than done.

Mainly because he was purposefully trying to drive her crazy.

"I must admit, Fluttershy; I didn't expect you so patient!" Discord commented, as he turned on a mini carousel that used to be a table. "Most people would have run away or tried to kick me out by now."

"Well ... we all need space to do things that makes us feel comfortable..." Fluttershy said, hovering a few centimeters above the ground.

Emitting a glow with extra rays and stars shooting out of him, the carousel was a table again and Discord appeared beside Flutershy, floating in the air and reduced to the size of Angel Bunny.

"Ponies don't like when I 'get comfortable'. As the beings of order that you are, most of you don't approve of the changes I do." he said absently while flying around. Fluttershy looked at him in curiosity.

"Beings of order?"

"That's a story for another day," having said that, Discord teleported to the couch, again in his normal size, "but look at you; here I am taking advantage of your kindness and hospitality, and you still haven't called your dear friends to try and return me to be a garden ornament."

"You what?"

" What did you think I was doing? If we are to be 'friends' -ugh, that word has a horrible taste-, I have to see if you can withstand my whims and ideas. So I'm overwheming you to see when you'll reach your limit and blow your lid, so to speak."

Fluttershy bit her lip and looked to the side; he had confirmed her suspicions.

"Ummm... Discord? That's no a good thing to do."

"For you; I see no problem in it. If you really plan to do this, you'll have to accept that we are very different. You think you can do that?"

"Yes."

After her simple but honest answer, Discord raised an eyebrow in surprise and confusion. That was fast.

"Really?"

"Yes; all my friends are different. Whether it's the animals I care for or the ponies I know ... or dragon. I know we don't have much in common sometimes, but we accept and respect each other and seek common things to do together. And if there are conflicts, we try to solve them. Because that's what friendship is about!" Fluttershy replied, her soft voice friendly and confident.

"...I don't know if to throw up of how cheesy your speech was, or clap at your deep and meanigful words."

"Well, I know what I'll do. Blergh!" Kevin said, retching.

"Cleaning in hall 3!" Meridian quipped.

"With you it's the same, just ... more extreme."

Discord laughed at that.

-"Well, I never liked doing things halfway." With a snap, lots of food appeared in the kitchen while various utensils came to life and began to prepare dinner. A couple of brooms were sweeping the floor as dishes, glasses and cutlery were positioned on the table.

"Oh! Thank you Discord." Fluttershy said, surprised to see the activity in the kitchen. "But you're my guest; you shouldn't be the one cooking dinner."

"Meh, don't mention it; I just want to spend some magic. Besides, I have to show a gesture of good faith to your buddies. They'll probably think it's poisoned or something cliché like that, though..." he mused loudly, ignoring Fluttershy's alarmed look. "Now, let's see what to do with you."

"What?" Before she could utter more words, a huge mirror appeared in front of her. Discord stretched his claw and it seemed to dissappear; he was actually checking an invisible reality bubble where he kept a lot of things for safekeeping and the occasional gag.

He had another one for storing food; it always felt like it lacked something when he created it from nothing. Go figure.

He pulled out a long line of diverse clothes and briefly rummaged through it. He pulled out a gala suit and wrapped it around her; it shifted and changed to fit her form perfectly.

Fluttershy was trying to tell him it wasn't necessary, but he was both too focused and distracted to pay her attention. Though she had to admit that it looked good on her, even though it was like Spike's suits for galas and weddings and the like.

"Mmm ... no, too formal," the draconequus said, before snapping his fingers. He replaced it with a yellow dress.

"Nah, it's indistinguishable from your coat."

Snap!

A beautiful red dress appeared on her while her hair acquired some curls.

"I like it, but I doubt you know how to dance flamenco."

Snap!

He put an elegant blue dress around her to replace the former, while her hair was braided and fell on her left shoulder.

"It's a dinner with your friends, not a date. Although that's a good hairstyle."

"Discord-"

Snap!

"Let's see..." then he put out a piece of clothing that was definitely for ponies, but too deviant to describe with this rating. Fluttershy went redder than a tomato at seeing it while Discord just stared for a few second before pulling it back.

"Ok, that's a definite no; I'm pretty sure the old Rainbow Dash would try to kill me if she sees you with that, and I'm not in the mood to dish out thrashings. Why do I even have that, anyway?"

"What, don't you like? It's what my last pony lover used. She was so kinky and daring..." Chryssie answered with a nostalgic tone, mixed with a significant amount of desire.

"For the last time, queeenie, we DO NOT CARE with who or how many you were with!" Kevin yelled, trying his best to get that image out of his mind.

"I don't... need to use anything in particular; it's just a dinner with my friends," Fluttershy said while Discord kept looking for a dress. He stopped and pushed all the clothing back into the reality bubble before folding the mirror and putting it in a pocket of his pants that weren't there instants ago and were gone just as fast.

They were useful for keeping things, but pants just weren't made for draconequi.

"Yeah, well, good impressions and all those silly, boring things." Discord did several spins, a butler suit and a long, thin mustache appearing in him as he finished. "How do I look?"

"You look good!" Fluttershy replied with a little smile.

"Fluttershy, my dear; was there any doubt?

Discord had to admit he did not expect to enjoy friendship so much. Never before had he needed a friend; but maybe it was not a matter of necessity.

Spending time with Fluttershy was... pleasant, fun even. Like the entertaining dinner where her friends were rude enough to insult the sensitive kettle without caring if they hurt its feelings, and had the gall to feel offended when it sprayed them with hot tea. It was worth watching, though.

And Fluttershy had even called him a friend! Something in that old, tired heart of his beamed and he felt warm and fuzzy feelings that made his stomach go to the bathroom and throw up of how sickeningly sweet the other organ was acting.

He was so lonely and desperate for companionship that he was starting to care for a pegasus that he had spent only a few hours with. An imaginary pegasus from a dream.

When Kevin and Meridian called him pathetic, he had to agree.

But still, being with her was without a doubt different from his permanent interactions with the spirits in his head.

And, apart from Eris', infinitely better.

"You know something, Discord? That hurts; we help whenever you need it. And even endure your lack of good chaos" Kevin, clearly offended for what he thought.

It's the truth.

"Well the truth hurts ..."

Of course, it hadn't been enough to stop his plan. He wanted to have fun while the dream lasted. It was the only good thing in this imitation of life his current existance was.

And annoying the Bearers was a great way to do it.

Flooding Applejack's farm? It was funny! Especially with her family paddling in carts and barrels like they were in the middle of a lake.

Seeing Fluttershy angry with her friends for believing her a dumb and gullible pony? Hilarious!

Improving the place making it an ice rink? Sometimes simple was the best option. Besides, why keep a promise to a fragment of his imagination? He wasn't crazy enough to do that.

You know, I missed skating. The draconequus muttered in his mind, while he put clothes and skates on and went to do incredible pirouettes on the ice.

"So did I. And I must admit, dear, you did a great job defeating the Bearers."

Thank you, Eris; and that did not even have make an effort.

And with Fluttershy keeping her promise, they could not stop him. This was getting better!

It seems like she loves being my friend so much she doesn't want to make me a lawn ornament again. We're going to have so much fun together!

"Really?" Chryssie asked, suddenly interested. "Because I have a couple of ideas ...

Not that kind of fun, Chryssie.

"Awwww..."

"Are you going out to eat something? Because I have a craving for rabbit...

Not that neither, Nidhogg.

"Oh, come on! When are you going to eat something I like?!" protested the spirit.

And if I ignore you, nothing will ruin this dream.

"I'm not your FRIEND!" Fluttershy shouted, throwing the skates Discord had given her to have fun together to the ground. She turned around and started walking towards where the dragon and the other Bearers were. Her friends.

"...When will you learn not to tempt fate?" Kevin asked rhetorically as he snickered.

Discord was confused, and surprisingly upset too; after all he did for her, she left him that easily? After tolerating her, helping her and having fun together? He just wanted to play for a while! And this place could be fixed in an instant if he felt like it.

"Now you see why it's no use having friends" Chryssie said.

"With the huge differences between them and you, such a complicated and disruptive bond as friendship is unlikely and useless." Silver added.

"Face it, dear: the Spirit of Chaos can't be friends of beings of order like them. They don't tolerate change; and you live to change things. Why don't we go and have fun elsewhere?" Eris suggested, trying to comfort him when feeling how upset he was.

Discord skidded over to Fluttershy, to tell her a few things before leaving. And leave a sweet ice storm in the village.

"That's it? You spent hours trying to show me how wonderful friendship is, and you then go just like that? I thought that I was the one not putting any effort into this."

"You're hurting my friend and her family. You ignored my request to fix your disaster!" Replied the pegasus, looking at him for just a few seconds.

"Disaster? It's a wonderful ice rink! And the place can get back to normal with a snap. Why can't I have fun?" Discord was starting to get angry; when was the last time a dream had bothered him so much?

"You must be considerate of others! You can't always do what you want!" Fluttershy bit her lip before continuing, frustrated "I didn't want to do this! But I did it for the princess!"

Fluttershy turned his back and walked on.

"And then... because I thought you could be a great friend..."

"But if I don't do what you say, if I do what I want, you just leave? If I don't want to be controlled and manipulated by that stupid alicorn you give up? And don't say it's not like that!" he almost snarled, seeing her open her mouth to deny his last words "She clearly said, in front of all of you, that she got me out because she wants to use me, and nothing else! And you, sweet, little manipulator, are no better for doing this."

"Discord, I... I don't think she wants to control you."

"Oh, because you believe she's a paragon of goodnees and fairness, incapable of doing something bad? Stop looking up at her so much, little pony. And while you are doing that, try to be brave enough to say 'no, princess, I don't want to try and reform Discord'!" he said, imitating her voice perfectly "But if you are gonna be that much of a coward, then..."

"Hey!" Rainbow then got between the two of them, the rest not far behind. It was a little hard not to slip on the ice.

"I'm not talking to you, so stay out of this." Discord then slid his leg over the ice, the portion where the ponies were spining so that Fluttershy was again in front of him, if looking in the wrong direction. She turned around and glared at him.

"I'm trying to make you understand that there's things you can't do if you want to make and keep friendships. This much chaos is an example of that."

'This much' Discord mouthed in disbelief. An ice rink was too much for them?! Unbelievable.

The other Bearers, Spike, and even Applejack's family watched the exchange in surprise; Fluttershy's frustration and anger against an equally bothered but sincere and free of tricks Discord. It was hard to say what was more bizarre.

The draconequus snorted like a horse, steam coming out of his nostrils.

"Fine! Well then, go! You don't wanna be my friend and enjoy my chaos? So be it!"

He turned around and skidded away. He felt most of the Elements starting to charge, and Fluttershy's refusal to use hers. As they were about to start an argument, a wave of chaos magic surged from him and pushed them back a little, his power smacking the magic they were gathering and dispersing it.

While Twilight's jaw hit the floor in disbelief, Discord turned around. He had one thing left to say.

"Do you honestly think that you can control me?! Thatt I will listen to you so I don't lose the only friend I've ever had?!"

And just as those words left his mouth, Discord froze. Metaphorically speaking.

"Discord ... What's wrong?" Asked Eris in concern.

"Oh, no ... Are you serious" Meridian said, his voice full of disbelief.

It was. Discord was alone. And he was tired of it. With Fluttershy ... it felt good. He had forgotten what it was like to be with someone who wanted to be with you.

"Discord... uh... dream, remember?" Said a nervous Kevin.

I know; none of this is real... Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. But I will never be free. This is all I have. And ... I don't want to lose it. I don't want to lose her.

The other spirits were silent due to the obvious sadness and resignation in his voice. Discord always made jokes and bothered them; they had not seen him in that state in centuries.

"... Zero, we should-"

"No; he wouldn't believe us, Eris" interrupted Silver "and less in this situation."

"Well played, Fluttershy," The pegasus looked at him, her anger and dissapointment mixing with confusion at his defeated and resigned tone. She saw the draconeques sitting in the crown of a tree protruding from the ice, looking very tired. "Well played."

A blinding light appeared surged from chest, growing and consuming the whole place. In a moment it faded, revealing the farm as it was that morning; it was as if nothing had happened.

Defeated by my own imagination and my dreams; I sure am good, huh? Discord thought, laughing without humor.

The next day, Ponyville witnessed a very special meeting.

Celestia stood in front of the Bearers, Spike and Discord; but while she showed her typical royal pose, pride in her subjects could be seen in her eyes and the smile on her face.

"I did not expect to hear from you as soon; and I'm really impressed that you have succeeded in such a short time."

"We can't take credit, princess. Although it was difficult, all this was done by Fluttershy herself," Twilight said, giving her friend a wide smile. The timid pegasus smiled back while looking sheepish.

Celestia gave her another smile before looking at the Spirit of Chaos, walking to stand in front of him.

"Discord, despite the word of the Bearers, I must ask: Are you reformed?"

Discord huffed, annoyed; but he took a step back and surprised the princess by genuinely bowing to her, no mocking or pretense on his act.

"I won't not take this kingdom from you, and try to be your definition of 'good'. But I will not stop causing caos," he said, before giving her a mischievous smirk.

"I don't expect you to, Discord. Reforming doesn't happen overnight, but it's a long and continuous process; you've already taken the first steps. The path you have chosen is long, and it will take you time to adjust to how things are in Equestria..."

Discord stopped paying attention. She sure is boring when giving one of her speeches.

Author's Note

And here we have the next chapter.

I thin kthe drama came about right, but I want your opinion on it. Discord can be a hard character to write, in part because he's hard to understand sometimes.