Chapter 20

"Moving Ahead"

In the days following Discord's apology to Equestria, many of its citizens were debating whether or not they should forgive Discord for what he did to them. Some were willing to forgive him while others were not that willing. Many of the ponies who he saw wanted to destroy him like Tirek were the ones who were willing to forgive him, particularly in Applelosa where they remembered their time that they had a land dispute with the buffalo tribes.

Discord had spent most of his time hiding in either his thinking tree or Fluttershy's cottage, in case if there were any ponies who wanted to bring him to Canterlot in chains, but he was sitting on the hilltop where he had been summoned to Canterlot by the princesses and bring Tirek back to Canterlot to face the ponies he had attacked for their magic. He was now waiting for anything to happen, whether it was good or bad news. As soon as he saw the sun about to go down, he saw a group of ponies and Scorpan coming towards him.

"All right," said Discord, placing a bull's eye on his chest. "It's time to face the music for what I have done to these ponies."

After a few moments, he could see that it was Twilight and her friends that were the group of ponies coming towards him. Seeing that he wasn't in immediate danger, Discord removed the bull's eye and began to feel comfortable.

"We have some good news, Discord," cried Pinkie Pie, dragging her party cannon behind her. "So good, that I brought my party cannon!"

"It sure seems that way," replied Discord. "Now what's this all about? What news did you get that was good?"

"Everypony has been responding to what you said," said Rainbow Dash, excitedly. "Most of them accepted your apology. You don't need to be afraid anymore."

Discord sighed happily at this and Fluttershy flew over to hug him as the others looked on. It seemed at that moment, he knew that he had been forgiven. However, he was still worried about the others.

"But, what about the ones who won't forgive me?" asked Discord, looking over at Twilight. "Aren't I still at risk?"

"You will still have a chance to redeem yourself, Discord," replied Twilight wisely. "We are more than willing to have you spread the magic of friendship with us all across Equestria and then you could be fully accepted for who you are."

This made Discord feel even more reassured knowing that he was going to be given a chance to give friendship to others just as Twilight and her friends had been tasked to do when the Friendship castle had come to be. However, Scorpan knew that his time was ending and that he needed to return to his homeland. He walked over towards Discord and gave him a very warming look.

"Discord, I hope you remember what I have said to you," he said. "You cannot let anypony get you into a state of wanting to rid yourself of Equestria. My brother is dead and gone so you can no longer be influenced by him. Before I go, I want you to promise me that you will never use your magic for evil ever again and only use it to spread the magic of friendship."

Discord then produced a halo and harp, strumming it sending harmonious lyrics through the air. Scorpan could see that he knew that his final message to Discord had not fallen on deaf ears.

"Cross my heart, hope to fly," replied Discord as Scorpan chuckled slightly. The two new friends then got together and embraced each other tightly as Twilight and her friends looked on. After a few moments, they broke apart and Scorpan made his way to the edge of the cliff.

"I wish you well in your future adventures, Princess Twilight," he said, bowing to her one final time. "And if any you need me at any time, send me a letter and I will come to you. But remember; just because my brother is dead, it doesn't mean that the memories of what he had done will ever go away. All you can think about is the future, you cannot look back on the past and only focus on the future."

Scorpan then turned to face the sky and spreaded out his wings as Discord and his pony friends looked on.

"Scorpan," said Twilight, looking up to him one last time. "Remember that you are always welcome back here any time you want and give my regards to Starswirl."

"I will, Princess Twilight," replied Scorpan as he took to the air. "And until we meet again, farewell to you all."

And they all watched as Scorpan took to the sky and headed back towards his homeland. They all waited until he was out of sight and then began to make their way back towards Fluttershy's cottage.

"You know, Scorpan's a really good guy," remarked Applejack. "I can't wait to see him again when he comes back."

"That is if he comes back," replied Rainbow Dash. "You never know what could happen next."

"But, whatever we do we face it together," stated Twilight. "Whether as friends or as a family, right, everypony?"

They all cheered and later that night, Discord returned to his thinking tree and stared back at the mirror who had showed him the ponies that wanted to destroy him. But, this time, things were much different.

"It seems to me that you are not the monster everypony thought you were," said the mirror. "Many ponies are willing to forgive you, although some may not and you will have to earn their respect back."

"Indeed," replied Discord, as he read a copy of the friendship journal. "Perhaps now you will show me all good things that happen in Equestria as opposed to the horror you showed me previously."

All the mirror could do was chuckle at that as it disappeared and Discord was left alone. He began to think of how far he had come since that dark day when he joined Tirek's side and how much he had changed since then.

Whatever challenges that Discord would face from here on in, he and the friends and family he made would face them…together.