Discord looked at his watch. Three hours, down to the minute, since he and Fluttershy had their biggest fight. Well, biggest fight where the world didn't hang in the balance because of some nefarious deed he'd committed.

And yet, at the time, Discord felt like his own world hung in the balance. He could hardly believe it: even after turning over a new leaf, and promising not to enslave the world or remold it in his image, he still experienced conflict.

Life was strange. Friendship was strange. Nothing about either made any sense these days—and being chaos incarnate, he knew a thing or two about incoherence.

He groaned. He needed to amuse himself and get his mind off of this. Sauntering over to his green, gelatinous companion, who had taken to downing punch instead of valuables, he threw an arm around the gooey fellow.

"Smoozie, I feel like having a few laughs,” Discord said. “Not like last time, though. Something that will make these uptight guests actually smile with us. What do you say?"

The Smooze squashed, then stretched, in a manner that Discord understood as an excited jump.

"Couldn't have put it better myself," Discord said, tapping a nearby glass with his claw for attention.

"Fillies and gentlecolts," he called to the surrounding area, "step right up and observe the ninth wonder of Equestria! You know it as the Smooze, the all-consuming blob of... uh, blobbiness, but let me be the first to tell you that it is also an otherworldly being of several other talents!"

To Discord's utter shock, a few ponies actually walked up—and Rarity was among them! Okay, so she was flashing him suspicious eyes, much like every time he entered her boutique, but still, there she was! With supreme effort, he maintained his composure.

"Glad to see you're all interested!” Discord cheered. “I know we made a bad first impression, but Smooze is quite the upstanding blob when given the chance to redeem itself. Now just as a warm up, this little wonder is going to do its world famous 'turning gems into gold' trick! Does anyone here have a gem on them? Anyone at all? Doesn't matter the type."

As he spoke, Discord's eyes wandered across the ballroom, glancing at Fluttershy. To his pleasant surprise, he caught Fluttershy stealing a glance back. Fluttershy quickly turned back to Tree Hugger and a few other gathered ponies, carrying on her conversation like nothing had happened.

Discord pushed aside a final lingering pang of jealousy. Tree Hugger had her strengths, as she had already demonstrated. He would simply get used to her being a part of Fluttershy's circle. He had to get used to it, lest he lose his only true friend.

Or did he have two, now? Smooze actually appeared happy to be here, despite all that had happened. The green blob looked expectantly at Discord, as did one other who had walked up while he was distracted.

Rarity cleared her throat. In her magic, she held a sizable emerald, offering it up to him. "My better judgment is screaming for me not to do this," she said, "but I am afraid I am overridden by curiosity. For both our sakes, make this good."

Discord thought he saw a flash of yellow moving in the corner of his eye, but he vowed not to look. Instead, he took Rarity's emerald in his claw.

"Perfect!" He darted over to the Smooze. "Now before we begin, please note, there is nothing up the Smooze's sleeves! Mainly because he doesn't have any—"

"Discord?"

The voice close to his heart cut through the din of the ballroom. Looking down, he met a familiar mare who was smiling up at him, nervously.

Discord smiled back. "Oh, ahem. Yes. Hello, Fluttershy." The massive ballroom suddenly felt much smaller. His smile quickly folded into a look of contrition.

"Discord," Fluttershy repeated, offering a hoof, "Can you come with me?"

Discord looked over his shoulder. "Smooze?"

Smooze nodded, never losing its smile. Discord turned to address the gathered ponies, including a Rarity who was eyeing her emerald and doing her best not to panic. "Sorry, folks! Looks like the show is on hold."

He tossed the emerald in Smooze's direction. He didn’t see the Smooze's subsequent swallowing of the gem, nor did he hear Rarity's subsequent squeals of rage. Instead, he walked side-by-side with Fluttershy out of the ballroom, and out of the castle.

---

Outside, the castle's backyard stretched before them. Fluttershy led the way across its length, while ponies packed up their concession stands for the night.

Fluttershy remained silent during the whole walk. Discord noticed that her eyes were fixed on the other side of the meadow. He looked across, but all he could see was an archway, and several trees beyond. Once they arrived at the archway, Discord found it covered in foliage. Fluttershy stepped through, and the two entered a sea of trees, leaves, and flowers.

"This looks like the royal garden," he said, looking around. "So much natural serene color! A little boring, actually, if you ask me. Though perhaps with a few more snakes—"

Fluttershy took a deep breath. "Discord?"

Discord blinked in confusion. "That's three times you’ve called my name, but I'm already here. How about we jump ahead to the rest of the proceedings?" He snapped his claws, a black and white striped suit appearing on him.

As he grinned at his friend, Discord saw Fluttershy’s smile from earlier had faded. The garden became smaller, just like the ballroom did.

"Oh, no. I saw this coming. The 'after-fight', I believe it's called?" He sighed, snapping his claw again to vanish the stripes and resume his Gala wear. "Alright, lay it on me. I deserve it. I think. That was what we agreed on, right?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "That's not why I brought you here. It's because..." Fluttershy shifted back and forth on her hooves. "...yes, you were wrong, but I still feel bad about our fight. That we even had one in the first place. I mean, a fight that didn't involve you… you know..." She wiggled her forehooves, making her “grr" face.

Discord snorted, shaking his head.

“So, I just wanted to...” Fluttershy mumbled. “I mean, I need to say that—”

"Oh, Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy,” he chided, laying a paw over her muzzle. “I've seen this look before, to say nothing of hearing these words. You're about to take everything back, aren’t you? But I keep telling you, when someone deserves your scolding, you need to own it. And I am hardly exempt from this."

"Discord, please," Fluttershy said, her tone... surprisingly not commanding. More like pleading. Fluttershy pressed her hoof to her head, her jaw clenched.

Discord sobered. He had never seen Fluttershy like this. He knelt in front of her, touching his claw to her hoof, and gently moving it aside. "There's something deeper here," he said, looking straight at her. "Tell me, Fluttershy. Please."

Fluttershy nodded, then looked to a bird perched nearby. She flew over, and stretched her hoof towards it. It flew away, quick as a bolt.

Discord blinked. What the…

But before he could speak, Fluttershy flew to other birds. And squirrels. And rabbits. And no matter the species, the result remained the same: all fled from her.

Eventually, a dejected Fluttershy flew back to a shocked Discord, sitting down in front of him. "I should have known nothing would have changed," she muttered.

"I've... I've never seen that before," said Discord once the surprise had worn off enough for him to to open his mouth. "Animals love you. They're supposed to love you... aren't they?"

"They did. Until my first Grand Galloping Gala," Fluttershy said, fiddling with her tail. "It was right here that I had to deal with being ignored by those who I thought were my friends. I..." Fluttershy hung her head. "...I didn't take it well, either."

Discord cocked his head. "Really, now?"

Fluttershy nodded, sniffling as she recalled the events. "I-I got angry, lost control of myself, a-and the ballroom got overrun with screaming animals! Oh, it wasn't pretty at all.” Discord rested a paw on her back, and Fluttershy leaned into the contact.

“I thought my way with animals in Ponyville would extend to all animals everywhere,” Fluttershy continued. “Only now do I realize how silly that was. You have to make sure those animals are your friends first, and even then, they have their own lives. They won't drop everything just because you showed up."

Discord nodded, the lesson he'd learned a few short hours ago resurfacing in his mind.

Fluttershy looked up, rubbing her eyes. "Anyway, I guess all the commotion with the Smooze reminded me of how I messed up back then, for the same reason. My words still stand, but... I guess I should have said them differently? I was angrier than I should have been. I was mad at both you and myself. For that, I'm sorry."

For the briefest moments, Discord's grin showed teeth. At last, the out he'd been looking for. Fluttershy had just told him in so many words just how much of a hypocrite she'd really been when she had chewed him out. Getting out of jail free now would be like taking candy from a baby! And, even better, he'd have something to lord over her forevermo—

Discord shook his head.

"No, Fluttershy,” he said, solemnly. “Your anger was completely warranted—and honestly, I think it was good that we were able to work through that anger the way we did. Gives me hope that what we have might actually last, you know?" He hesitated before adding, "And... just speaking for myself... I know I'd like it to."

From behind disheveled pink bangs came the smile that Discord loved to see on his friend. The smile that told him that everything was going to be okay.

"Me too," Fluttershy said.

Discord chastised himself. A millennium ago, he never would have let someone live a confession like Fluttershy's down. He chalked it up to old age making him soft. Yeah, that was it.

"Thank you, Fluttershy,” he said, hugging her lightly. “I know that what you said, both then and now, took a lot. And I don't blame you for it." He let go, then shrugged. "I'm still new to friendship. And it wasn't so long ago I had you and your friends at my mercy once."

"Twice," Fluttershy said.

Discord cleared his throat. "Yes, twice. But I'm happier than you know that I found someone willing to give me so many chances. Rest assured, they have not gone ignored."

His toothy grin returned, as he sat against a nearby log. "Still, what I wouldn't give to see you running amok as you described..." He snapped his fingers. "Oh! I could open a time portal! How many Galas ago did you say this was? One? Two?" He drew miniature circles in the air with his talon.

Fluttershy gasped. "You wouldn't!"

Discord laughed. "Why wouldn't I? Pinkie's not the only one who enjoys a good laugh. And I'm sure Celestia was beside herself! You know she's only disappointed when these social events go without incident."

"I'm perfectly aware. I..." Fluttershy turned away, blushing. "...I just don't like looking at that side of myself."

"Why not?" Discord asked. "It's just as much a part of you as the sweet side. Why stifle it?"

Fluttershy blushed. "It doesn't work very well around other ponies."

Discord scoffed. "Oh, Fluttershy, you're always so scared of being yourself. Take it from someone who can't turn it off: sometimes other ponies are just going to have to deal with you being you. I did with you, and you most certainly did with me... and I like to think we're both the better for it."

Fluttershy turned back and nodded. "I like to think so, too."

"Think we can keep at it, then?" Discord asked.

Fluttershy hesitated. "No time portals?"

Discord gave an overlong mock-sigh. He dispersed the magic circles. "No time portals. They take preparation anyway."

Fluttershy sidled next to Discord. "Then I don't see why not."

The two sat silently, content to watch the garden's flowers, fireflies, and frolicking animals from a distance.

Author's Notes:

Ah, there we go.

Now I can put this episode to bed.