Discord went back to his own little dimension instead of going back to the cottage, needing to ease his mind from what he had just said to Celestia. Oh God, he cringed when he thought back to it. He got ahead of himself. And he left before Celestia could say or react. At least, he didn't turn back to see it.

He laid his back on the roof of his floating house, turned upside-down in the fashion of nonsensical chaos. He stared into the abyss of the void he called home, feeling a little bothered by what happened as well as slightly....guilty?

Why did he feel guilty? He felt like what he had said was all justified, albeit an out of nowhere downpour.

His mind wandered back to Fluttershy. What would she think had she heard what he said? He didn't want to imagine Fluttershy feeling guilty for not opening up sooner. Yet....Celestia was right, Fluttershy did have a life outside of 'babying' him and she deserves to have that time to herself. He....he burdened her, didn't he? Well, he is aware of how bothersome he could be, but...damn it, Fluttershy. The element of kindness, too kind to even open her mouth to say a simple 'no' and mean it. Alas, she can't just sit there all day with him on the couch anymore, neither can she always be there for him to dawdle and complain about stuff to.

He took a deep breath. Well then, all he needs to prioritize now is Fluttershy's little task and he'll be done with it all. Ugh, friendship is hard. But... as prideful as he was, he couldn't exactly say he didn't like not being alone anymore. The perks of not being a garden ornament anymore, he guesses.

And he didn't want to repeat history. He didn't want Fluttershy to... bail on him. Not now, not again, not ever.

If it takes everything he's got to accomplish it.

"Fluttershy!..." he called out, knocking maniacally on her cottage door. "Fluttershy, I'm sure plenty of friends are waiting to be made so hurry up and open the damn door!...."

It was the next day, bright and early. Well, bright was a bit of an exaggeration. It was the wee hours of the morning still, the sun only beginning to rise into a deep orange just a few seconds ago. The door opened slightly, and out popped out the groggy and messy-haired Fluttershy, who definitely looked like she was woken abruptly from peaceful slumber. ".....mmhh.....Discord?"

"Hi, yes, it's me- anyway, when are we starting?" he asked rather impatiently.

She yawned as she let him in. "Starting what?"

"You know, the friend-making business you've been yapping about."

Fluttershy's eyes widened in surprise. "Why, I thought you weren't interested in making friends, yet here you are looking as excited as ever."

"Yes, yes, now when are we starting?" he asked again, feeling impatient yet.. rather excited. The adrenaline of it all, the drive to get the task done. Almost a challenge, he knew he couldn't back down from a challenge.

Fluttershy yawned again. "Discord, I know you're excited. But the sun is barely out and so aren't my friends."

"Yes, well, you once told me that the early bird catches the worm. Frankly, I see plenty of worms wriggling outside but no bird out there to get them," he snapped his talon, and earthworms the size of chihuahuas started crawling up the outside walls of her cottage, leaving a trail of dirt and moistness on her windows.

"My friends aren't usually awake at this hour, Discord," she said again. "Unless.... you want to start with Applejack first? She always wakes up early for her daily chores. That's the result of living on a farm, I guess."

"Are we only doing your friends?" asked Discord with his head tilted slightly.

"Who else do you have in mind?"

"Well," he looked up in thought. "It's kinda not fair cause your friends hate me."

"That's not true," she said, almost scoldingly. She had faith in her friends. "My friends just aren't used to you yet, that's all."

"That's just a fancier way to say that they disapprove of me," he said again, but immediately his look contorted to an apologetic sort as his friend gave him a sad frown.

Fluttershy sighed. But her frown was replaced with a look of question, as an idea came to mind. She looked to Discord with a pretentious look. "You aren't going to chicken out, are you?"

Discord's sorry face was immediately taken over by that of surprise. "Chicken out?"

"Why of course. You don't seem to be up to it anymore since you know it's just my friends. Maybe I should tell them-"

In a flash, he was then floating above her with a paw over her snout, not daring to let her even think of continuing on. "I am Discord! I don't back out from a challenge!" She mumbled under his paw. "...what was that?"

He pried his paw away. "Are you sure? I don't want to push you over your limit...." she gave him a playful smirk. Ah, of course. She was making it a challenge. Too bad he had already beat her to that bush. Yet, he played along.

"You watch your words, Fluttershy! I will befriend anyone and everyone on this list!" he said as he snapped himself up a list. "Now let's see...." he read the list. "We're doing Applejack first, correct?"

"Mhmm," she nodded. "She wakes up the earliest out of all my friends. You can even help her with chores."

"Wha- chores?!," he gagged.

Fluttershy frowned. "You always help me with chores. It's no different."

"It's very different, your animals are easy to handle. Apples on the other hoof, they romp, they play, they run around, roll in the mud, it's hard." Fluttershy raised a brow at him. ".....oh alright, fine. I'll... help." That word tasted sour.

She walked towards her front door, flapping her wings as she reached for the saddle that hung on the coat hanger beside her. "Then come on," she said, turning the doorknob and exiting. That was before came another snap of his talon, and Fluttershy's mane was combed down finally. She giggled.

And he sighed. Welp, time to start his day.

They arrived at the orchard. They could've simply teleported there, but Discord took the scenic route with Fluttershy instead, giving himself a bit more time to mentally prepare himself. Alright, Applejack, prepare to be friendshipped!

They walked up to the farmhouse. Courtesy, Fluttershy knocked on the door. She looked back to Discord and gave him a soft smile. A gesture of no words yet conveyed plenty. Are you ready?. He returned it reluctantly, as he felt he had doubts of this whole endeavor already. Maybe this wasn't a good idea....

"Who's there? Applebloom, be a dear and get the door!" hollered a voice of what sounded like an elderly mare from the inside of the house. Discord gulped, and when Fluttershy noticed it she put her hoof by the side of his leg, reassuring him. The door opened not long after, a red-maned filly peeked her head out.

"Hello?" Applebloom peeked out. Fluttershy gave her signature warm smile, but the filly's eyes wandered longer onto Discord instead. Discord smirked. He knew of his reputation, and he found it amusing that fillies are still easy to frazzle a bit. She gulped but gathered the courage to finally ask. "......you're here for Applejack, right?"

"Indeed I am. My, my, young one, why the stare? Scared I'd eat you?" he teased, although Fluttershy gave him a disapproving look.

Applebloom laughed suddenly. "Pfft, as if! My sister gunned you down before, she can gun you down again!" Applebloom spat. Discord's eyes widened at the filly's sudden change in attitude and chuckled as well. What a confident little brat.

Fluttershy stammered. "N-now now....we're all friends here. Applebloom, mind guiding us to where your sister is?", she quickly tried to avert the subject. Applebloom gave Discord the stink eye before finally nodding and leading the way.

"Hoo-wee! About time you two showed up, I've been nothing but busy like a one-legged cat in a sandbox!" exclaimed Applejack. Discord groaned. This felt more like community service than actual "friend-making".

Fluttershy smiled. "I'm glad he could be here to help. You do seem rather swamped recently. Say, where is Big Mac? Haven't seen him out in awhile..." she scanned the orchard.

"Big Mac's been under the weather the last few days. Caught the stomach bug. Chores have been pillin' up like crazy. Granny's too old to help out an' Applebloom's got school....." she paused, then turned to Applebloom with a frown. "Speakin' of school, why're you still 'ere?"

"I had to answer the door an' bring em' here," she pouted.

Applebloom chased her away. "Well don't just stand there, vamoose yer kaboose already! Can't have ya bein' latel!" she waved her hooves at Applebloom, who huffed then headed back to the farmhouse to retrieve her saddlebag. Applejack looked to Discord, eyeing him up and down. She spoke to Fluttershy with her eyes still pinned on Discord, who smiled an almost worried smile. "Don't worry, Sugarcube, you can leave em' with me. I'll handle him and I'll handle him good."

Discord stared back at her in confusion, his ears leaned back as his head tilted. "...em...I'm right here, you know. Voice-activated too."

Fluttershy rolled her eyes. "Well then, I'll see you two again in the evening."

"Mhmm," was all that Applejack said to her, still eyeing the draconequus. Fluttershy gave Discord a small little pat on his leg before she left. He smiled reluctantly, beginning to grow concerned about Applejack's piercing stare.

"..hmm..." Slowly, she trailed around him, examining what she's working with. She then started poking him left and right. "Limp-" she poked his stomach as he winced, "Soft-" she poked his goat leg....

"Woah- hey!" he protested as he was helplessly poked left and right.

"Out of shape, weak, quite skinny- are ya even a stallion?" said Applejack. "I feel like I'm more of a stallion than you and that says a lot."

"Jeez, what is this? A physical?" he frowned. Applejack walked away for a bit to one of her trees. He watched as she walked up to it, pawing at one of the branches a bit, then- CRAK! She broke off a long stick.

He gave a look of question, tilting his head a bit at the sight. Was it.... a test of some sort? She tapped the branch against her hoof, a repetitive tapping to be commenced. "Now- Discord," she trailed around him again. "As you know, my family owns this orchard. We worked our tails off to build this orchard to the top. That being said, we're not lazy-" she poked his ribs with the branch.

He winced. "Ow! What was that for?!"

"For bein' lazy an' out of shape. Now I'm gonna fix that. Discord....." don't know where or how, but she found a bucket out of nowhere and tipped it over. Discord dropped down onto all fours, cautiously, as he examined the...empty bucket? He looked up again from the bucket and... gulped. Applejack towered over him, the branch pointed into his face. She smiled slyly. "....I'm gonna teach you how to work." Uh oh.

Author's Note

edited 7 november 2021