My Little Discord: Friendship is Magic Season 1

by Musiclover435

Over A Barrel

That night, after Applejack read a bedtime story to Bloomberg, her apple tree that she was taking to Appleloosa with her friends. Rarity was trying to get her beauty sleep but the others were chatting. "For crying out loud in the morning!" Rarity covered her ears with the pillow as the others were talking loudly.

Spike was just as grumpy. He was exhausted from making the snacks and wanted to sleep. "Do you guys mind? I was up early fire-roasting those snacks you're all eating, and I'm pooped!"

"Uh, speaking of, some of these popcorn kernels didn't get popped," Rainbow Dash told him elbowing her popcorn.

"Okay, fine." Rainbow's eyes popped as she ducked down. She barely avoided his blast of green fire as it burned the popcorn to a cinder. One kernel was left and Rainbow came back up and in that moment, the kernel popped in her face.

"Good night!" Spike stuffed himself back under the covers and tried to go to sleep.

"Uh…maybe it's time we all got a little shut-eye. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Awwww…"

"Come on, Twilight. I've never been on a train. It's always a carriage if I'm needed being on a train is exciting."

Twilight playfully rolled her eyes. "Yes, Discord, it's late and we need some sleep, even you."

Discord pouted as she sighed. "Sometimes, you're no fun."

Twilight chuckled as the lights went out. Leaving the tired dragon and the cranky Unicorn relieved to finally get some sleep. Until Rainbow Dash said, "Pssst! Pinkie Pie! You asleep yet?"

"No. Are you asleep yet?"

"If I was sleeping, how could I have asked you if you were asleep?" Rainbow Dash asked with a candle in her hoof as she stood in front of Spike's bed.

"Oh, yeah." Pinkie giggled at that.

"When we get to Appleloosa, you think we'll have to carry that heavy tree all the way from the train to the orchard?"

"What tree? You mean Bloomberg?"

"No. Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash said sarcastically.

"Fluttershy's not a tree, silly." Rainbow looks at Pinkie in disbelief as she missed her sarcastic remark. Hearing the commotion, Discord and Twilight joined the conversation.

"What's all the commotion?" Discord asked.

"Rainbow Dash thinks Fluttershy's a tree."

"I do not think she's a tree! I was just..."

Before Rainbow could finish her sentence, Twilight asked, "Did you say she was a tree?"

"No-well, yes-but-not exactly..."

"You know she's not a tree, right?" Twilight asked her.

"Why on earth do you think Fluttershy could be a tree? I mean, I have heard of ponies turning into trees from a sickness but it hasn't happened in centuries."

"She's not a tree, Dashie."

"I'd like to be a tree," Fluttershy piped in quietly.

"Oh, for Pete's sake!" Spike shouted in frustration. He grabbed his pilled, jumped out of the bed and left the cart with slam of the door.

"Well, that was kinda huffy," Twilight commented.

"Huffy the magic dragon!" Twilight and Fluttershy laughed at that joke.

Discord laughed as well then he added, "Good one my dear, and maybe his wife Mrs. Puffy would join him."

They laughed at the pun with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie joined in. Having enough of the noise, Rarity shouted, "Would you all be quiet, NOW!!!!!!"

The light of the candle light Rarity face enough to show a mud ask on her face and cucumber slices on her eyes. The anger in her voice along with the shadows surrounding her face scared the ponies half to death. Twilight blew the candle out and the ponies went to bed.

"Remind to never get on Rarity's bad side," Discord whispered with Fluttershy nodding in agreement.

---

A hard rumbling knocks Rainbow Dash out of bed. The ponies looked outside and saw a heard of buffalo outside running with the train. "A buffalo stampede!" The ponies were in awe at the sight. Even Discord was impressed at the sight, not something he would see from a carriage.

"I just love their accessories."

Twilight then noticed something and it worried her. "They're getting awfully close to the train."

Discord got a bad feeling in his stomach as Twilight said that, "Something tells me they're not here for a pleasant visit."

Feeling nervous, Fluttershy asked, "What do you mean, Discord?" Before he could answer her question, the buffalos rammed from the side of the ponies pulling the train and the sleeping car. They all screamed and they bounced off the floors and walls.

"I want to…speak to the…mana..." Another hit cuts Rarity off mid rant as they continue to bounce.

In the luxurious sleeping cart, Spike continued to sleep like a rock even as the bed moved back and forth, the tree didn't even move an inch.

After the buffalo hit the lead stallion again, he was able to knock the wind out of the leading buffalo but it was only for a second.

The girls and Discord were able to recover from being knocked around as Pinkie noticed them outside again. "Ooh, looky! Now they're doing tricks! Ooh, ooh, ooh! Now do a backflip! Or just jump?" One buffalo jumped on another and a young small buffalo jumped on one then jumped on the stack. The girls and Discord watched unimpressed as Pinkie said, "Ooh, now do a backflip!" The buffalo just jumped on the cart landing with a thud. "Or just jump?"

"Something tells me this isn't a circus act," Rainbow Dash commented.

The young buffalo started to run to the end cart and Discord quickly realized what was happening. He dashed over as fast as he could without the girls noticing. Discord made it to the cart before the buffalo and he tried to wake the sleeping dragon. "Spike, wake up!" Spike barely moved an inch as he continued to snore away. 'Geez, I know Spike is a heavy sleeper but man, I didn't expect this.' Discord took a deep breath and shouted, "SPIKE, WAKE UP!"

"AHH!" Spike fell out of the bed and noticed a frantic Discord, "Discord, what's going on?"

"There's no time to explain we gotta..." Before Discord could finish, the car stopped moving and just as quick, it began to move in the opposite direction of the train. "Oh poo."

The girls made it to the end of the train but they were too late. Spike, Bloomberg, and Discord were being taken away by the buffalo. "They've got Bloomberg!" Applekjack said as she watched them take her tree away.

"HEEEEELP!!" Twilight watched as Spike shouted behind a window

"And Spike!" Discord popped his head upend watched the girls move farther away.

"And Discord!" Fluttershy shouted worried for her friend.

---

The girls arrived to Appleloosa and before Applejack could say anything, Braeburn took them on a tour of the whole town. Applejack, after getting tired of being interrupted by her cousin, shouted, "BRAEBURN!!"

"Uh…yes, cuz?"

"You have a very nice town and all, but we have a huge problem. Some of our friends are missin'!"

"A stampede of buffalo!" Fluttershy told him.

"They took Spike!" Rarity told him.

"They also took Discord, the prince of Equestria."

"Rainbow Dash went after them!"

"And we can't find Pinkie Pie! Oh, I hope Discord's okay."

"Don't worry Fluttershy, Discord may be odd from time to time, but he can handle himself and he's smartest and bravest prince I know, he'll be okay and he'll keep Spike safe." Twilight gets annoyed with Discord... a lot... but she fully believed that he would keep Spike safe and with his magic, he was a pony to be feared. Fluttershy nodded, but it didn't lessen her worry for her friend.

"And we had an apple tree with us for your orchard, but they took that too!" As the girls talked, Braeburn froze and his eye twitched. It was obvious that he knew their problem.

"Did you say "buffalo"?" Braeburn sighed heavily and turned away from the group. "Them buffalo! They want us settler ponies to take every single tree you see here off this land. They sure as hay don't want any new ones added in."

"But why?"

"Beats me. We put a lot of hard work into this land, so we could feed our town, our families, our foals. And now they're sayin' all these trees have to go? T'ain't fair." The girls looked at each other worried for their missing friends and Braeburn's home.

---

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie were trying to save Spike and Discord from the buffalo but were caught by their yelling. Before they could do anything, a shout stopped all of them.

"STOP!"

The buffalo stopped their charge and moved to reveal Discord and Spike completely unharmed. "Hi, guys!" Discord said with a wave.

Dash, Pinkie! 'Sup? Hey, no worries, I know those guys. They're cool."

"If you say so, Spike. Catch you later, bro." The buffalo gave Spike a hoof-bump then he and his friends stampeded away, leaving a properly bewildered pegasus and earth pony in their wake.

---

That night, the four friends sat by a campfire in the buffalo's home. "Seems they took us by mistake. They feel awful about it too, poor guys. Fortunately, they totally respect dragons. so they treat me like an honored guest." Spike snapped his fingers and the buffalo brought Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Discord a bowl of food. Rainbow sniffed the food and she pushed it away just as quick.

"They respect dragons but they still don't like ponies much, though," Discord explained.

"Huh. Well, I still don't trust 'em. I say we turn tail and bail while we still..."

Rainbow looked around to make a quick getaway but Pinkie asked with a face covered in food, "Before we finish eating? Are you loco in the coco?

"You gotta try this, Rainbow. This stuff isn't half bad," Discord told her as he ate his food a bit cleaner.

"Ew! No, thanks."

"Suit yourself," Discord shrugged as he continued to eat.

The young buffalo from earlier came with a bowl full of gemstones for Spike. "Can I please have more of that mushy stuff, whatever it was?"

"I won't mind having seconds as well," Discord told her.

"Certainly! And Mr. Spike, you like gemstones, yes?"

"Turquoise!" Spike ate the gems in one bite and as he ate, he said, "This here's Little Strongheart. And these are our friends Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash."

Pinkie Pie waved happily and Rainbow looked at her briefly before looking out to find a way out. That's when she realized it. She turned back recognizing Little Strongheart immediately. "You!"

Surprised to see her again, Strongheart said, "You!"

"That's it! We are outta here!" Rainbow Dash started to leave then she grabbed Pinkie by her tail and started to leave dragging Pinkie with her but Discord and Strongheart stopped them by standing in front of them.

"Rainbow, wait!"

"Please accept my apologies for what happened on the train. We didn't mean for anyone to be hurt."

"Yeah, right. You practically kidnapped the prince of Equestria." Rainbow rolled her eyes again and turned away but Strongeheart rushed in front of her again to explain herself.

Discord nearly groaned, 'Why does everypony think I can't take care of myself just because I'm a prince. Even my mom and Aunt can take care of themselves.'

"We only wanted the tree. The settler ponies have overtaken the land and have planted an orchard all over it! Because of their thoughtlessness, we can no longer run over our traditional stampeding grounds."

"Huh?" Pinkie and Rainbow looked at each other confused.

Discord walked to Strongheart and told her, "Strongheart, I think it's time they met Chief Thunderhooves." Rainbow Dash squinted at Strongheart untrustingly.

---

Chief Thunderhooves joined his heard and the four friends by a campfire. Chief Thunderhooves was the largest buffalo among them and had a large feathered headress and he had a deep voice. "We have a long and winding stampeding trail that we have run upon for many generations. My father stampeded upon these grounds, and his father before him, and his father before him, and his father before him, and his father before him, and..." Many buffalo were starting to fall asleep as Chief Thunderhooves went on.

Strongheart stopped her chief and told him, "I think they get the idea, Chief."

"Hmph. It is a sacred tradition to run the path every year. But this year, these…settler ponies, these…Appleloosans…" Chief Thunderhooves snorted in anger and before anything could happen, Strongheart stopped him by plugging his nose.

"They planted apple trees all over it without asking our permission."

"Really?" Discord asked. He can remember that many ponies would take over certain parts of land without asking anypony about it and it didn't bother him until now, 'Man, I never realized that making new places can harm others around me. I wonder what we can do. We can't force them to leave but this is their land. Aunt Celestia would know what to do with this.'

"Well, that's not very nice. Right, Rainbow Dash?" Pinkie asked her but Rainbow didn't answer her as she turned away, crossed her forelegs and sat down. She was a stubborn pegasus and still bitter about the train.

"The ponies refuse to move their trees, so we are stuck here, and it is not fair!"

"See, Rainbow Dash? They had a good reason to..."

Before Spike could finish, Rainbow flew up and slammed her hooves on the ground, shocking all of them. "I'll say they had a good reason!"

"Rainbow, wait!" Discord tried to stop her from doing something rash but it was too late.

Instead of defending the Appleloosans, she flew to the chief then told her friends, "Come on! We have some apple-picking Appleloosans to talk to!"

---

The girls and Braeburn were about to confront the buffalo about the missing tree, Spike, and Discord but the four missing friends were waiting outside town for them.

"Hi, guys!"

Fluttershy tackled Discord in pure happiness. "Discord! We're so glad you're safe!"

Discord blushed lightly and told her, "I'm fine my dear, we're all safe and sound."

"Sorry, I was just so worried. I thought something awful happened."

"It's more than a couple of buffalos to take this prince of Equestria down. Speaking of which..." Discord turned to a rock and Little Strongheart came out shocking their friends.

"We brought our new pal Little Strongheart here to explain to the Appleloosans why they should move the apple trees off buffalo land." Rainbow pushed Strongheart to Braeburn.

Braeburn smiled and said, "That information will be quite helpful..."

Braeburn didn't finish his sentence as Applejack pushed her cousin in Strongheart's face as she said, "That's weird. 'Cause my cousin Braeburn here wants to explain to the buffalo why they should let the apple trees stay."

Strongheart smiled as she said, "That would be a useful thing to..."

Strongheart didn't finish as Rainbow interrupted her, "The land is theirs! You planted the tree not knowing that. Honest mistake. Now you just got to move them. That's all." Strongheart smiled at Rainbow Dash standing up for her but Braeburn stared at her in anger.

"Well..."

Braeburn chuckled nervously but once again Applejack interrupted him, "They busted their rumps here and now they're supposed to bust their rumps again just 'cause some buffalo won't stampede someplace else?"

"Plant the tree somewhere else!"

"Where? It's the only flatland around these parts."

"The buffalo had it first."

"The settler ponies need it to live!"

The girls continued to fight about whose land it was but Discord had enough. "Girls, stop fighting! The buffalo and the settler ponies have good reasons for using the land. There has to be something we can do."

"Discord is right. We have to think of something."

Pinkie Pie popped up and said, "I have an idea."

---

Pinkie decided to put on a performance for the settler ponies and buffalo but instead of bringing them together, it divided them even more. They were going to war.

---

Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack tried to convince the settler ponies to talk about the buffalo but they wouldn't listen. They refused to listen and were ready to fight the oncoming buffalo.

---

The buffalo were sharping their horns and putting traditional face paint on their faces. They were ready to defend their land.

Rainbow Dash and Discord were sitting with the chief. They were trying to find a way to get him to call of the fight. "I know you don't want to do this."

"But they have taken our land. What would you have me do, Your majesty?"

"Uh... please, call me Discord and I don't know."

"Besides the point, it's never too late to think of something," Rainbow told him.

"Yeah, Rainbow is right. There has to be something we can do."

"At noon, it will be too late," Chief Thunderhooves said with a determined look on his face.

---

It was almost noon. Ponies were hiding in their homes, others were preparing to fight, and the buffalo were waiting for the right time. Rainbow Dash kept trying to think of something to get the two to get along but the pressure of time left her stuck. 'What can we do? Both have good reasons to stay and claim the land. Ooh, what would Aunt Celestia do?'

It was too late. The clock struck high noon. The settler ponies waited in anticipation but Braeburn looked at the buffalo and the clock worried. He didn't even know what to do.

Strongheart put her hoof on Chief Thunderhooves face and with one look from her he sighed. He knew this wasn't right and harming ponies wasn't their way. The groups of friends noticed this. "He's not gonna do it!"

They all sighed in relief but it was brief as Pinkie Pie came and starting singing the same song that upset the two groups. "....say? You gotta share, you gotta care. It's the right thing to do. You gotta share, you gotta care."

"Pinkie Pie! No!"

This angered Chief Thunderhooves and he ignored his past feelings. "CHAAAAAARRRRRRGE!!"

The war was on. The buffalo charged through the barrier as if it was nothing causing the ponies to feel. The Sheriff had ponies throw pies at the buffalo stopping some in their tracks but not all of them. Some ponies jumped on their backs and giddied up. A buffalo crashed into the clock tower and more chaos continued to happen with no pony able to stop it.

Chief Thunderhooves started to charge at the sheriff and the sheriff, with nothing to fight him with, was ready to accept his fate. However, a pie was thrown into his face causing him to fall to the ground. Ponies and buffalo alike saw the tragedy and cried at the supposed death of the chief. Instead, a small piece of the apple pie fell into his mouth and he licked the rest of the pie off his face. "YUM! Hey! I've got a much better idea."

---

The ponies took down some of the trees leaving an open path for the buffalo to stampede but their trees could still stay up. Applejack whislted once they were ready and Rainbow Dash lead the buffalo through the new path.

"We will allow the apple orchard to stay in exchange for a share of its fruit..." The buffalo stampeding caused hundreds of apples to fall. "Those delicious apple pies." As the buffalo passed, ponies put an apple pie on their heads.

"I'd rather eat turquoise any day of the week."

"You do that, Spike. Anyway, I just need you both to sign the bottom of this treaty." Chief Thudnerhooves and the sheriff signed the bottom line of the treaty. "And with the royal stamp of approval." Discord stamped his hoof on the treaty giving it the royal approval. "And now, no matter how many years pass, the Appleloosans and the buffalo will share this land in exchange for apple pies. Man, what a weird treaty."

Chief Thunderhooves and Strongheart bowed to the Sheriff and Braeburn who did the same before leaving. But... now before Strongheart, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack hung out one last time.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Friendship is a wondrous and powerful thing.
Even the worst of enemies can become friends.
You need understanding and compromise.
You've got to share.
You've got to care.

Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle

---

After a long day, the ponies returned home to get the rest they needed but Discord's mind was racing. He couldn't get his mind off what Chief Thunderhooves and Strongheart told him.

---

When Discord and Spike were captured, Discord stood in front of Spike to defend him. "Leave us alone! What do you want with us?!" Discord powered up his horn, ready to fight, but Strongheart calmly walked up to them and said, "Please, we mean you no harm. We just wanted the tree."

Confused, Spike and Discord looked at each other and followed Strongheart to the chief's tent. "Chief, we got the tree but we caught a dragon and... pony by mistake."

The chief observed them for a few moments then said, "Dragon, would you like some gemstones? I can get you the finest gems we have."

That got Spike excited. "Yes, turquoise please!"

"Hang on! You still haven't explained what you took that tree."

The chief sighed and started his explanation. Apparently, the land where the Appleloosans put their trees was a sacred land where the buffalo stampeded each year. It was a tradition that they have been doing for centuries but the ponies planted the trees without their permission and now they couldn't do anything. They have been taking the trees intended for Appleloosa from the train but haven't taken any ponies until now.

"I'm not sure what we can do maybe we can think of something. My name is Discord and this is Spike."

"Welcome, Spike. The others can take you to get some turquoise if you would like," Strongheart suggested. Spike nodded and quickly left.

"Gee, thanks." Discord was about to leave as well but...

"A moment... please." Strongheart told him. Discord stopped in his tracks and what Strongheart said next shocked him to his core. "We know you're not a pony."

"What?!" Discord shouted shocked they found out so fast. "I mean... I am a pony. Just a unicorn with a weird horn color and red eyes." Discord started to swear nervously as he smiled hoping they would buy the lie.

"As the chief, I am able to see even the strongest of magic disguises and Little Strongheart here, can as well. We know not your true species, but we know it is not a pony."

Discord sighed. "Does everypony pony who isn't a unicorn, Pegasi, or earth pony know what I am?" Discord groaned in his hooves.

"We won't tell the others but there's something you need to know," Strongheart told him.

He looked at them and the chief told him, "Someone is watching you. You don't see it but someone is watching you and they know what you are."

---

He kept this to himself and he wasn't going to tell him mom or aunt. He wasn't even going to tell his friends. If somepony was watching him and they knew he was a draconequus then he could be a danger to his mom and aunt. He was doing the same with his friends but he had a feeling that whoever was watching him, wouldn't do anything with the Elements around but the question is, who is watching him, why, and what did they want with him?