Mr. Discord enjoyed the looks he got as he walked through the mall’s parking lot. A few of them may have come from his lack of any visible mutations, though some aspects were more subtle than others. Most, however, came from his ensemble. A Haywaiian shirt and plaid shorts were a bit odd at the best of times, which were not early December.

“Aren’t you cold?” said one woman, confusion wafting off of her like a pleasant perfume.

Mr. Discord grinned. “You’ve heard of Yuletide in July? I’m trying the opposite.” In truth, it was a simple matter to enjoy the crisp chill without it damaging his tissues.

The confusion intensified. The woman gave an uneasy nod and kept walking, as did Mr. Discord.

He entered the mall, leaned his head back, and held back a contented sigh. Frustration with limited stock, anxiety over finding the perfect gift, annoyance with the endlessly looped carols on the PA system; it was like walking into a hot tub.

Fluttershy smiled at him as she walked into class. “You certainly seem happy today, Mr. Discord.”

He returned the smile. “What can I say? I’ve caught the holiday spirit.”

Author's Notes:

"Well, make sure you feed it regularly."