Chapter 7

"A Picnic With Fluttershy"

It had been several days since Discord was convinced by Fluttershy and the Princesses to not rid himself of Equestria. They loved him despite everything that had happened and Discord promised that he would continue to be in their lives. However, his betrayal was still fresh in his mind and in the days following Tirek's re-imprisonment, he could not sleep for he still heard the sounds of Tirek in his mind, calling him worthless as his brother, Scorpan. When Discord came over to Fluttershy's the next morning for their weekly picnic, the timid Pegasus began to notice Discord's discomfort.

"I hope you aren't still thinking doing what I think you are doing," said Fluttershy as they drank tea and ate cucumber sandwiches that Discord had brought. "If you are having those thoughts, then you need to tell me before taking matters into your own hooves."

Discord's eyes popped open when Fluttershy said that, for he didn't have front hooves after all. But, he chose to ignore the remark and respond to his best friend's message.

"Yes, yes, Fluttershy," replied Discord, adjusting the blue top hat he had on his head. "I know what you said and after what you and the princesses said to me, I promise to stay here in Equestria with you. But, there is something on my mind that will not go away."

"What is it that will not go away?" asked Fluttershy, taking another sip of tea. "Is it Tirek still?"

"It is unfortunately," sighed Discord, taking a bite out of his cucumber sandwich. "Had I been not manipulated by him into trading in friendship for freedom, then we not have been in the situation we were in."

Fluttershy had to make Discord remember that although he had betrayed them, he did give them the final key that helped them defeat Tirek to begin with. But, at the same time, she could see that Tirek was still fresh in his mind.

"But, Tirek's brother medallion was the final key," remarked Fluttershy, staying upbeat. "We couldn't have found it without you."

Discord stayed silent and then walked away from Fluttershy and over to the edge of the hill overlooking one of the valleys. He put his paw and claw behind his back and stood out overlooking the battlefield where Twilight had her fight with Tirek. In his mind, Discord knew that even though Tirek had been imprisoned again, he felt that it wasn't enough as Discord felt that Tirek needed a much more severe punishment for what he did to him and his friends.

"I'm sure you understand that, Discord," continued Fluttershy flying over to her friend and placing a hoof on his paw. "There's no need to run from your troubles, you know."

"I'm not running from my troubles," replied Discord, looking back towards Fluttershy. "I've just been thinking that Tirek needs to be punished for what he did to us."

This began to make Fluttershy uncomfortable, for she somehow knew that Discord was dead set on this goal of his. But at the same time, she disliked violence and thought at that moment that Discord was intending on crossing a line, a line she strongly disliked.

"Isn't being re imprisoned in Tartarus enough, Discord?" she asked, trying to get his mind off of his intentions. "I hope you aren't thinking what I think you are going to do."

At that moment, Discord became so cross that he crushed the teacup with the tea still inside. He wasn't angry with Fluttershy, he was angry at Tirek for putting him in this situation and because of it, almost everypony in Equestria seemed to have a bounty on his head.

"He needs to pay, Fluttershy," growled Discord, talking in a low voice. This caused Fluttershy to back away nervously. "I would much rather have HIM cease to exist in Equestria instead of me. I want him to pay for all the troubles he caused us."

Fluttershy was starting to become scared at this and wanted her friend to stop this behavior that he was displaying in front of her.

"The only reason I want Tirek brought back to Equestria," continued Discord, walking over towards a tree. "Is so I can finish him off MYSELF!"

And he punched his paw into a tree and continued growling menacingly as Fluttershy just stood there just being scared for herself and for her friend, who was now feeling this way.

"Why are you doing this?" she thought to herself, tears of fear filling her eyes. "This isn't like you Discord. Whatever happened to the friend that I know, the one who would share my picnics with me and my friends? Where is that ex-chaotic friend that I used to know?"

Releasing his paw from the tree, Discord had calmed down slightly and walked back over towards the still scared Fluttershy and knelt down to hug her as an attempt to comfort her for his current behavior. He didn't like releasing his anger in front of Fluttershy, but he needed to do so. After all, he wanted to correct the mistakes that he had made while he was with Tirek.

Just then, Discord looked up to see a pair of Celestia's Royal Guard Pegasus' flying down towards Discord. They landed and approached Fluttershy and Discord as the two friends got back on their feet. Discord bowed to the guards as they relayed the message to why they were here.

"Discord," the brown winged guard said as he and his partner looked over to him. "You are wanted in Canterlot at once and we are to escort you there."

"What could it be for?" wondered Fluttershy, looking nervously up at them. "What do the princesses want Discord for?"

"They need to see him on a personal matter," said the white winged guard. "Princess Celestia is considering bringing Tirek back to Equestria where he will possibly be destroyed for his crimes."

This gave Discord a sense of relief at the matter. He could see that the princesses were finally considering the option of destroying Tirek. After all, he was the biggest threat to Equestria since Discord himself and that it was becoming clear that imprisonment in Tartarus wasn't enough.

"When do we leave?" asked Discord, snapping his fingers and donning hunter's clothes with a rifle in his hands. "Give me the word and I will follow you."

"We leave immediately," said the guards and they flapped their wings and took to the skies once again and Discord turned back to Fluttershy and gave her another hug.

"Don't worry," he whispered to her. "I'll be back soon."

With that, Discord took to the air and followed the guards back to Canterlot for a meeting with the princesses. At the same time, a strange creature had managed to sneak into Canterlot undetected and was also making his way towards the castle as well.