Screwball awoke with a yawn. The young filly stretch her leg, accidentally causing her lamp to come alive and start tap dancing. Only a few months had passed since Fluttershy adopted young Screwball. Since then, Screwball still had trouble controlling her chaotic powers. Her mother thought it would be best to tell Twilight and the gang about Screwball’s father is and where he now was.
It still brought tears to her eyes, thinking about her poor father, trapped in his stone prison, unable to eat cotton candy. The thought of a world with no sweets brought fear to Screwball. She looked at the tap dancing lamp, thinking it might be time for another magic lesson with Twilight. Even though the purple unicorn said that she could teach the earth pony filly anything, nopony knew anything about Chaos Magic.
“Screwball, breakfast is ready,” Fluttershy lovely voice beckoned, causing Screwball to jump out of her bed and rush down stairs to meet face to face with her mortal enemy. Vegetables. They had returned for revenge: the war between the pony and the vegetables raged on since Screwball moved in. The war seems endless; too many good lives lost in this onslaught.
Screwball stared at the horrible monster that now sat on her plate. Fluttershy was already on the enemy’s side, saying “It’s good to eat them.” What’s good to eat is pancake mix with chocolate and cotton candy; now, that is delicious. But this, these horrible beasts are nothing, but monsters. Screwball had tried everything, but nothing ever worked.
She always got caught in the act. Screwball looked over to the kitchen, seeing Fluttershy washing the dirty dishes while humming a happy ditty.
Okay, focus, Screwball; you got this. Think of cotton candy, think of cotton candy. Screwball thought to herself, waving her hooves, making the food on her plate change into a giant dragon head.
Screwball quickly reacted, forcing the plate upside down, holding her body weight on it. Fluttershy’s ears moved. Thinking she heard something, the yellow-coated pegasus looked toward the dining room, taking in Screwball grinning while struggling to hold her plate down.
“Screwball, honey, what are you hiding?” Screwball let out a nervous laugh.
“What, me? Hid something? Never! I finished my breakfast! It was so good that I just thought it would be nice to put my plate upside down. You know, for nonsense making.” Screwball fibbed, Fluttershy to raise her eyebrow.
“Yes, and did this have to do with a giant mutant spider? Or what about the half-ant, half-lion creature, the Liant?” Fluttershy deadpanned. Screwball rolled her spiral eyes.
“What? No, this time it’s a dragon head.” Screwball corrected just before she noticed her mistake, Fluttershy smiled triumphantly.
Once she noticed Screwball’s face and how the now sobbing filly’s eyes fell to the floor, Fluttershy pulled up next to the earth pony before wrapping her yellow wing around her.
“Shh. It all right, dear. Look, how about we go shopping for something you might like? Just remember: no cotton candy pancakes. Deal?”
Screwball rubbed her eyes. “Deal.” The filly nodded with a small smile.
“Now, how about you try and turn this plate back into a plate?” Fluttershy asked Screwball turned toward her, worried. “I believe in you”
Screwball closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and exhaled. The plate had begun to roar, but the sound ceased when the pink filly pointed her hooves at it. Raucous and evil cackling soon filled the quiet room; the pegasus and earth pony looked on in astonished silence as the plate started to levitate.
“Ha, ha, ha! Now I will build my army to destroy Ponyville and take over Equestria!” The plate then escaped, flying out an open window.
Fluttershy and Screwball both blinked. However, they dismissed the sentient plate’s threat and decided to leave to go shopping. The two walked through the town, the sun whimsically shining down, giving warmth and comfort to all. The mare and the filly tried to search for some breakfast cereal, with no luck.
“Hi, Fluttershy,” the voice of Twilight Sparkle unexpectedly rang out, causing the two to turn and look at her.
“Oh hello, Twilight. It’s nice to see you again. What brings you here?” Fluttershy asked. Screwball rolled her spiral eyes at her mother again.
“Oh, Spike and I are shopping. How are things with Screwball?” Twilight asked. The filly’s eyes widened. Were they really talking like she wasn’t here?
“Just great. She still can’t fully control her powers, but she’s slowly getting better. With time, she might be able to make a cotton candy cloud” Fluttershy said. Screwball blinked. How could they just forget she was standing right there and could hear every word they were saying.
“Well, sorry to cut this short, Fluttershy, but Spike and I need to return to the library. Goodbye!” Twilight grimaced and waved, walking hurriedly away and holding Spike with her magic.
Twilight sat on her stool before her desk with a blank piece of paper and a quill. The unicorn fired up her magic, deftly wielding the quill, and began writing her letter to her teacher.
Dear Princess Celestia,
It has already been several months since Fluttershy took in Discord’s child Screwball. Since then, the young filly has changed from bringing doom and destroying everything around her to a amiable and sweet filly, most of the time. Fluttershy really did something special with Screwball by showing her kindness. It has made that filly change her ways. However, Screwball herself is still unable to control her powers, and without anypony around to teach her, she may never. While her progress is remarkable, I am concerned.
Your Faithful Student Twilight Sparkle
“Spike, can you send this letter, please!” Twilight called. The drake languidly ambled into the unicorn’s room and breathed fire on Twilight’s letter, sending it to the princess.
Sitting contentedly with nothing more to do, Spike rolled his eyes at the over proud unicorn, before suddenly he burped up a letter from the princess.Twilight, excitedly pored over the letter, grinning widely.
Dear Twilight,
It’s always nice to hear from you. It so good to hear Screwball is doing well since Discord’s imprisonment. Now, I would like to meet with you and your friends on Friday for a picnic. I’ll be bringing an important guest with me, so, please, do treat him with kindness and friendship. He’s a little bit of a jokester.
I’m sure Screwball will learn how to control her powers in time. I’ll can’t wait to meet with you again, and that includes your friends. Remember, I’ll be over in two days, and Twilight, please try not to go overboard. This is just a nice and simple picnic between friends.
Princess Celestia.
Twilight rolled her eyes at the last few lines from the Princess.
“Please. When have I ever freaked out?” Twilight blurted out incredulously, causing Spike to face away, hiding his folded arms and his equally incredulous face.
“I’M FREAKING OUT!” Twilight yelled. It was now Friday, and Rainbow, Pinkie, and Rarity were all trying to calm Twilight.
She had been frantic for almost a whole hour. Suddenly, the purple unicorn felt like the flowers weren’t in the right place. Or maybe there wasn’t enough shade, or perhaps the wind was too warm and they should just move this to another day entirely. Princess Celestia arrived just then and looked over at Twilight before leaning down to whisper in Spike’s ear.
“Another conniption?” Celestia asked. Spike nodded. Celestia let out a small laugh.
The important guest’s arrival caused all the girls to pause and behold the statue of the draconequus in fear and hatred. Celestia had begun explaining why she had bought Discord's statue to Ponyville when Fluttershy and Applejack arrived, horridly surprised at the sight. Once Celestia saw the yellow pegasus, the tall white alicorn smiled and told them how she would like the shy mare to reform Discord Celestia left and the girls nodded, knowing if Discord got out of control, they could just use the elements again to petrify him
The Mane Six gathered around Discord’s statue, forming a circle. Twilight ignited her horn, lifting herself and the five other Elements of Harmony into the air. A rainbow connected them together before blasting Discord free from his stone prison. The draconequus looked around as he stretched his body and released his chaos energy.
Back home, as Screwball looked around for something to do, her body began to twitch. The young filly rubbed her chin. ’That can’t be right,’ she thought.
She felt a powerful magical energy pulse through Ponyville. She looked to the top of the hill where it came from. It was hard to make out who was up there, but from the number of ponies, she guessed her mommy and her friends. Screwball rushed there, only to met a face she didn’t think she’d ever see again. Discord.
“D-d-d-Daddy?” Screwball forced herself to say, tears rolling down her cheeks as Discord looked at her, smiling, before conjuring a cotton candy cloud.
With a smile as wide as a mile, Screwball rushed over to her father. Discord picked his daughter up into a hug, like he wasn’t ever going to let her go again.
“Daddy, I missed you so much!” Screwball cried into his coat. All while, Fluttershy eye began to twitch.
“Umm... ‘Shy, are you alright?” Rainbow asked
“Just... peachy,” Fluttershy feigned, with holding her rage at the sight of Discord and her daughter hugging like a family.
Screwball happily let go of the hug and began bouncing around the creature of chaos with massive joy. The young filly began cheering that her dad had now returned, and Fluttershy’s anger started to rise immensely. The animals were still discorded, and, well, Fluttershy had had enough. The pegasus flew up to the draconequus.
“Look, buster, if you don’t back down right now, I’ll give you The Stare!” Fluttershy threatened, her once lovely voice now a primal mix of hate and anger, all toward Discord. Screwball swallowed nervously at the mention of The Stare.
“Umm... Daddy, you might want to back down. The Stare is really powerful.” Screwball urged before hiding behind her father’s back.
“How would you know that?” Discord asked softly, lowering himself to Screwball’s height.
“Well, duh, because she’s my mummy!” Screwball cried out with a joyful smile.
Discord’s eyes exploded in shock, causing them to deflate like balloons. Fire then burned within him, and he grew a new pair eyes as he and Fluttershy glared each other down
The two ponies and the one Lord of Chaos made their way toward Fluttershy’s cottage near the woods. Once inside, Screwball ran up the stairs to show her daddy her photo collection. Discord looked around the small cottage before turning to face Fluttershy, who was still glaring at him
"Aren’t you supposed to be teaching me the magic of friendship?" Discord asked with sarcastic derision.
"Screw the magic of friendship! You, mister, are going down if you think you're taking Screwball away from me. You will go down, down, down!" Fluttershy exploded, initiating another glaring fest.
"You want to dance, Fluttershy? I must warn you, I’m a horrible dancer. I have two left feet."
"So do I. But I have two left hooves. Plus, dancing with a goat leg must really be difficult." Fluttershy said, glaring into the draconequus’s eyes even though he was looking away.
"Trust me, it is,” Discord whispered. Screwball reappeared, and seeing them bickering, let out a gasp before rushing over.
“Well, Discord make yourself at home,” Fluttershy forced herself to say, noticing Screwball. Discord smirked looking at his daughter and then back toward Fluttershy.
“Do you know what the time is, my dear? I don’t think I have ever seen clock anywhere in this world. Or a calendar for that matter. How does anypony know what the date is? Do you ponies just randomly celebrate holidays when you feel like it?” Discord wondered, entertained by his own tangents.
Fluttershy, in her search for carrots for Angel, discovered she had none. She turned to look at Discord who began eating paper out of a bowl. Screwball looked at the bowl, and Discord casually offered her some of the paper, at which she licked her lips.
“Umm... Discord, Screwball. I have go out for a bit. Try to avoid destroying the house. I’ll be back in a hour.” Fluttershy left the house--just to poke her head back through the door to see the two playing cards.
Once she was gone, Discord grew a evil smirk and looked at Screwball who was holding her cards horizontally.
“Screwball, my dear, how about we work on your chaos powers?” Discord asked. Screwball blinked.
“But, Mummy told me: ‘no chaos in the house!’” Screwball said. Discord quirked an eyebrow.
“Yes, but I’m your father, and, well, I did create you. Who are you really going to listen to: me, or a mare who took your own father away from you?” Discord asked knavishly. Screwball rubbed her chin and looked at the picture on the desk. There she was with Fluttershy, both smiling. Her eyes fell to the ground before agreeing with her father.
Fluttershy hummed a little song as she walked home with a bag of carrots. She saw Twilight and Spike and greeted them with a small smile.
“Good afternoon, you two.” Fluttershy said as pleasantly as possible.
“Fluttershy, I came over to say that Discord stole my reforming spell from the library” Twilight said. Fluttershy reflected.
“Well that does explain the paper eating,” Fluttershy said. Twilight’s eye twitched.
“He ate them?!” Twilight shrieked.
“Umm... they, they ate them. Screwball had some, as well,” Fluttershy corrected. Twilight let out a frustrated moan.
“Hey, Fluttershy, you know your house is flying and spinning midair, right?” Spike said. Fluttershy turned and look in disbelief at the floating house.
’I’m going to destroy him,’ Fluttershy thought. She turned back toward Twilight. “Twilight, I promise that Discord will behave. Bring everypony over and I’ll show you how reformed he is.”
“Alright, then,” Twilight said before leaving with Spike. Fluttershy’s smile disappeared once her friends were far enough away.
A fire burned within the mare as she looked toward her cottage. She flapped her wings, lifting herself into the air to fly inside. She didn’t think she would see the day when her tree root cottage would become a levitating carnival featuring a giant swimming pool filled with chocolate, a cotton candy rollercoaster, and strange creatures. Fluttershy took a deep breath before she stomped her hoof, promptly summoning Screwball, who beamed at her.
“DISCORD!” Fluttershy called out furiously. The draconequus emerged from the swimming pool with a towel around his waist.
“What is it, my dear? Screwball and I were just having fun.” Discord said disappointedly, looking down at her.
“Screwball, you know the rule: no chaos in the house.” Fluttershy said with firmness, that made the young filly’s eyes drop. “You’re grounded.”
“Fluttershy! You’re being unfair; she was just doing what she was made to do. Be the Princess of Chaos!” Discord implored, snapping his fingers causing Screwball to wear a tiara and hold a golden scepter.
“No, Mummy is right. I should have known better. Sorry Mum. Don’t worry, I’ll try to not be such a screw-up.” Screwball said plaintively, bowing her head as she took a giant python to her room.
“You really messed up this time, Fluttershy,” Discord said with a grin.
“I know what you’re trying to do, but I need to talk to Screwball. I’ve invited my friends over for dinner, and I promised you would have at least tried to change. I was wrong. I don’t know or care about you, but you’re Screwball’s father, and, like it or not I’m, her mother. I would hate to see her go through the same pain as the last time you got locked away.” Fluttershy said, walking toward Screwball’s room.
Fluttershy knocked on the wooden door and slowly opened it to see Screwball sitting dejectedly. Fluttershy let out a sigh and sat next to her. The pegasus wrapped her wing around Screwball, letting the filly to cry into her coat. Fluttershy just smiled at her, moving her hoof up and down the chaotic filly’s back. Fluttershy started to hum Screwball’s favorite song, making the pink earth pony smile, even if was a little one.
Fluttershy looked out the window, seeing the beautiful ground. Screwball also took notice of this. The two journeyed down the presently normal stairs to find the house completely normal. Discord stepped forward.
“I’m sorry for turning your house into a chaotic mess. I turned everything back, even though it was better the way it was before. I talked Screwy into causing chaos with me. Don’t be too hard on her. But she did make that rollercoaster...” Discord added. Screwball bit her lip.
“As much as I am disappointed in you, Screwball. That was kind of impressive. Now get ready. Mummy’s friends will be here soon.” Screwball to nodded and took off.
“Thank you, Discord.” Fluttershy said
The Mane Five walked to Fluttershy cottage, ready for dinner with Fluttershy, Screwball, and Discord. It was easy to tell that one of them was not going to enjoy this visit. Wearing the elements, the kind mare thought they would see nothing but chaos. Seeing Fluttershy’s cottage completely normal was eye-catching to say the least. Discord, wearing a suit, opened the door, rolling out a red carpet appear with his tongue. The girls entered with looks of confusion.
“May I take your hats, ladies?” Discord asked, trying to seize Twilight tiara.
“Hold on to your Elements, girls, this is going to be one long night,” Twilight said. Discord smirked and whipped his tail to make a defeated snapping noise.
The girls took their seats at the table. The silence between every pony at the table was strange. Not one of them knew what to say or even trusted Discord to be nice and reformed. It almost seemed impossible, the only one who happily dug into her food was Screwball. The young filly tried to start a conversion with little luck.
“Alright, that is enough. I know Discord has done some bad things before, but I know, with time, he can become someone we could call a friend. All you girls just need to give him a chance.” Fluttershy said with as much confidence as she could muster.Rainbow rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, right, the day I trust Discord is the day I stop being awesome,” Rainbow vowed, flipping her mane out of her face.
“Look, everypony, Discord is my father and I trust him. I know that what he did was wrong, but if he’s willing to change, then you should believe in him like you did with me. I’m thankful for the second chance, so please, just give him a shot,” Screwball interjected, causing Discord to look away remorsefully before shaking his head.
“Why go through all this, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked. The pegasus looked at the draconequus for a second.
“Because that's what friends do,” Fluttershy said, nodding her head.
“We’re friends?” Discord questioned, rather baffled.
“Well, more like acquaintances, but since we don’t like talking to each other often, we could just meet up for tea once a week to try and believe that we are friends. So, I’ll say we’re more forced to meet up but we both can’t be bothered to stop being friends and go make some new ones.” Fluttershy explained, trying to dismiss any ideas of the two being friends.
Discord blinked before turning and looking at the shy pegasus. The anger in his glare was apparent. Before he could say anything, Angel Bunny hopped through the open window. The small white bunny chattered and gesticulated, telling them that something was amiss at Sweet Apple Acres. The girls all looked at Discord, who could simply shrugged.
“Screwball, stay here,” Fluttershy commanded, before leaving with the others. The filly’s eyes fell before she trailed the others only a few minutes behind.
Screwball got to the frozen Sweet Apple Acres and saw Fluttershy and her friends hesitating to use the Elements of Harmony against Discord.
“Look, Fluttershy, do you really want to be the one to take Screwball’s father away from her again? Just promise to never use your Element of Harmony, and then Screwy will be happy!” Discord coaxed
Fluttershy to look away contemplatively.
“I promise to never use my Element of Harmony against you,” Fluttershy said, taking off her necklace.
“I’m free forever!” Discord cheered triumphantly, skating around the frozen farm. He suddenly stopped, seeing Screwball standing in his path.
“You used me, just to be free forever?! Did you ever love me? Was I just a bargaining chip to you, dad? Well, you can have it because you are no longer my father!” Screwball stormed away.
“Screwy, dear,” Discord called after her.
“Mum, turn him to stone for all I care.” Discord laugh.
“Please, she wouldn’t because she promised and she’s my friend” Discord said, skating next to Fluttershy.
“I’m not your friend! I don’t want anything to do with someone who would do something like that to their own daughter!” Fluttershy condemned, following Screwball.
“Well, who needs you? So what if you were the only two who let me be me... and would want to be friend and family… Oh, fine. Well played, Fluttershy” Discord conceded, bowing his head before sitting on the nearest apple tree, turning everything back to normal.
Fluttershy and Screwball looked at Discord in confusion as he walked up to the two ponies.
“I’m sorry how I acted. I wanted chaos and well you can’t always get what you want in a friendship or in a family” Discord said, making the two ponies smile and hug the draconequus.
The next day, Princess Celestia and the Mane Six and Screwball watched as Discord kneeled before the Princess of Equestria.
“I promise to use my magic for good instead of evil... most of the time” Discord vowed Celestia rolled her eyes.
“I suppose that good enough for now” Celestia said, before turning to Twilight, “I leave the Elements with you for now.”
“Now, Discord…” Celestia said, before she noticed him and Fluttershy bickering once again
“Are they even friends?” Celestia asked Twilight seeing the glare the two were giving each other.
“Well… umm… about that…” Twilight muttered.
“Of course they not! They are going to be lovers,” Screwball cheered, eliciting worried looks from the others. “You can see it in their eyes”
“I think that’s just hatred,” Applejack stated
“Yeah, you can practically see the fire from that hatred flaring around them” Rainbow pointed out.
“Yeah, isn’t it romantic?” Screwball said with a sigh.
Author's Note
The sequel to Where's My Daddy and well I quite enjoy writing this, I thought I would never write the words "Screw the magic of friendship" In a MLP fanfiction. So that was weird, there isn't going to be another sequel because one, I'm leaving again after this and two, I have no idea what to write. Maybe the last episode of Season six where the changelings took both Fluttershy and Screwball.
Anyway, I would like to thank TheDizzyDan once again for editing this story and making it at less readable. That should be it, unless I'm forgetting something... hmm, nope nothing is coming to mind. Well later everyone.
