//------------------------------// // Adjusting // Story: Violet-Rose Equestria Tales // by Fizzyberries302 //------------------------------// Violet woke to a beam of light shining through the window. Window! She bolted upright and remembered that she was no longer on the streets, but instead she was lying on a soft trundle bed. Violet saw that the large bed on the opposite side of the room was empty and there was a sweet smell coming from down stairs. Violet looked at the clock on the wall. It was 7:15am. Violet climbed out of the bed and into the bathroom, she took a lifelong shower and washed all the dirt, mud and sweat off her body and washed her hair, three times. After drying herself of she got back into the clothes that Discord gave her and wrapped her treasured scarf around her neck. As Violet made her way down she saw that Discord was still asleep on the couch and Fluttershy was making some pancakes. “Oh good morning Violet, did you sleep well?” Violet beamed at the pegasus. “Are you kidding! That was the best night's sleep I've had in years.” Fluttershy smiled at the human. “I’m glad to hear that.” There was a groan and Violet spun around to see that Discord had woken up. “What time is it?” he asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Violet checked the time on the wall-clock. “About quarter past seven.” Fluttershy gasped. “I should go feed the animals, Violet could you watch the pancakes please?” “Sure, wait feed what animals?” “Fluttershy cares for the animals and birds in Ponyville. They’re her pets.” Discord explained. “Oh that explains all the feathers and hair on the floor.” Violet said, while flipping the pancakes over. “What do you know about romance?” asked Discord. Violet jerked her head around to face him. “Pardon?” “What do you know about romance?” he repeated. Violet raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Is this about Fluttershy?” Discord rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Yes…so what can you tell me about romance?” “Your asked me?!” said Violet, as she lifted the now cooked pancakes onto a plate. “Well duh, you’re a girl aren’t you. You know what girls like, so how do I get Fluttershy to like me? Quickly, before she comes back.” said Discord in a panicked tone. “Okay, okay, don’t get your tail in a knot. I guess I know a little bit about romance.” Discords mouth turned up into a big goofy grin. “Perfect! You can be my...what’s the word?” “Matchmaker.” Violet finished for him. “Matchmaker, that’s it. So what can you tell me about romance.” “Oh, um…” Violet stammered. “Where do you want me to start?” “First tell me why she doesn’t like me!” Violet’s mouth fell open. “What do mean she doesn’t like you? Of course she likes you!” Discord frowned and turned away with his arms crossed. “Really, well that certainly doesn’t seem to be the case. I mean the other day, before you came along. We were out shopping in the market and I saw a stallion looking at Fluttershy and I kind of…” The draconequus pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “I turned the stallion into an orange.” “YOU DID WHAT!!!” Violet screamed. “He was making goo-goo eyes at my Fluttershy! I had to teach him a lesson, however Fluttershy wasn’t too pleased.” he explained. Violet rolled her eyes. “I think I know what’s going on.” “Then tell me what I’m doing wrong!” Violet twiddled her fingers. “Well, how do I put this lightly?” “Is it my looks?” Discord asked. “No! Girls like Fluttershy don’t care about looks, some girls might but not Fluttershy. I think the problem is that you might be coming on a bit too strong with her.” “Coming on too strong! What are you saying?” “I’m saying that you might be rushing things, you know. Pushing her too far.” Violet explained. “I don’t rush things. It’s not like I’ve asked her to marry me or something.” Violet cringed at this comment. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that, but just to prove my theory is correct. Have you done anything else to…guys that hit on Fluttershy?” Discord bit his lip. “Well, there was one time when we were at the Summer Sun Celebration Party, a stallion walked up to Fluttershy and asked her out, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer and I may have turned him into a mouse.” Violet nodded. “I see, any other times?” “Well, there have been multiple times where ponies cut into the line in front of her and other times when stallions are acting all creepy towards her. I was just trying to be a good friend and protect her.” “Say no more, I think it’s clear what’s going on. You’re being a bit of a bully.” Discords mouth fell open. “A bully! I’m not a bully! Sure, I took over Equestria a few times, but I’m good now!” “You may not be an evil villain but… Okay, you do still pull pranks on ponies, do you not.” Violet gave Discord a glare. “Yeah, and they are hilarious.” Discord cackled. “Well I don’t think the ponies like it, I certainly wouldn’t like it if you pranked me, how would you like it if someone pranked you?” Discord tried to speak, but he had nothing to say in defence. “Well played Violet, well played. But how do I fix this mess?” he asked in a pleading tone. “You could try and be more gentlemanlike. You know, be classy. Do stuff her like open doors, carry her things, go all Sir Walter Raleigh and lay your coat over a puddle.” Violet explained. “But I don’t wear a coat and who is this Sir Walter Raleigh?” Violet face palmed herself. “Never mind that, my point is that you should be nicer to the ponies as well as Fluttershy, but for creeps who are pestering her I think a firm warning will work just fine. I think Fluttershy will like you more if you did so.” "Oh yak, yak, yak!” He made a mouth motion with his claw. “Get to the point!” “Hey! I’m trying to help you get the girl here. Why don’t we try something else here, like…compliments? What is it that you like about Fluttershy?” Violet asked. Discord thought for a moment. “What’s not to like about her? After all, she’s…she’s…” His eyes trailed off into space. “She’s the kindest, most beautiful pony who has ever lived. So delicate and graceful, like a flower. Usually I’d turn a flower into a lollipop, but not Fluttershy.” He sighed dreamily. “Even her name is graceful! I thought nothing of her looks when I first saw her, but when she first called me her friend…it was like an angel had dropped from heaven. Her eyes, they’re like staring into the sea, and boy, are they a wonder when she looks at you with those eyes. Her mane, so soft like silk. And her voice…oh! Don’t even get me started on her voice! She’s an angel, perfect in everything I’m not. And she doesn’t even try!” “And she treats me like she would a normal stallion, not a monster. She brings out the good in me, without her in my life, I have nothing left to live. Without my sweet Fluttershy, my life has no meaning.” In his outburst he had forgotten that Violet was standing right there and everything he had been holding back had poured out. Violet, meanwhile, was standing there with her mouth open. “Wow,” she uttered. Discord blinked out of his daydream and blushed bright red. “Pretend you didn’t hear that!” “Are you kidding, that was beautiful. That is the sort of thing you need to say to Fluttershy.” “Violet, if I say that she’ll think of me as a fool.” “Discord, you don’t know that. Look at yourself, what do you see?” Discord summoned up a lengthy mirror and looked at his reflection. “I see a misshapen creature with nothing to gain and nothing to give.” he said, with a sad look in his eyes. Violet put her hand on his shoulder. “You know what I see, I see the heart of a prince. A longing prince who is yearning for the heart of his love. I also see someone who is scared and confused, but I also see bravery that needs to come out, a faint heart never wins the fair lady.” Discord looked into Violet’s eyes through her own reflection. “Your right, I do need to come forward, but I’m afraid that she’ll leave me for another stallion.” “Discord, you’re getting yourself all worked up over nothing. Just be yourself, the perfect you.” “Violet, I’m anything but perfect, just look at me.” The expression on his face was something that Violet had not expected of the draconequus. It was a sad, defeated look. She thought that he was not the type of guy who cared about what others thought of his appearance, but it turned out he did. He just refused to show it. “You really like this girl, don’t you?” Then she remembered the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ story she loved as a kid. Violet figured she should tell the story to Discord. “Hey, why don’t you sit down for a bit, I have something to tell you.” Violet sat Discord down on the couch and looked straight into his eyes. “This is a story that my mother told me,” she began. “Once upon a time, a young prince lived in a shining castle, although he was loved and cherished, the prince was spoiled, selfish and unkind. Then, one winters night an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter. Repulsed by her appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him, not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. But when the prince dismissed her again, the old woman’s ugliness melted away, revealing a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to apologies but it was too late and as his punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast. Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside the castle, the rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose which would bloom until his twenty first year. If he could learn to love another and earn her love by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken, if not he would be doomed and remain a beast for all eternity.” Discord’s eyes widened at the story, he was intrigued but had little idea on what the story had to do with him and Fluttershy. “What happened to the beast?” he asked. “He remained in the castle, but then, one month before his twenty first birthday, a merchant came to the castle, the beast found him and locked him away in a cell. But the merchant also had a daughter, who’s beauty was known for miles around. The girl followed her father’s tracks to the castle and found him locked in the tower. The beast found her too, then the girl made the bravest decision she could make. She went in her father’s place.” Violet explained. “The girls first few weeks at the castle were hard, but then the beast started treating her differently, he gave her food, clothing, a room of her own, he gave her gifts and respected her space. Then the impossible happened, they fell in love. Over the time the girl had stayed in the castle, she had managed to warm the beasts ice cold heart, reforming him for good. But the girl missed her father terribly, so the beast released her.” “WHAT! Why did he do that?!” Discord demanded. “Discord will you shut up so I can finish the story!” Discord was silent after that. “Continue.” “Anyway; without the girl, the beast felt empty and alone. But you know something, she returned to him and they finally confessed their feelings for each other.” Discord raised an eyebrow. “How does this apply to me, are you saying that I have to be like the beast in the story? But what I don’t get is why he let her go in the first place.” he asked. “The girl missed her father, the beast didn’t want to see her sad, so he let her go. Because he loved her, he let her go.” Violet explained for him. She grinned when Discord jumped up from his seat. “Alright! I’m going to try and be more gentlemanlike.” “That’s the ticket son!” cried Violet, giving Discord a slap on the back. “I’m not your son.” Violet laughed. “It’s a figure of speech.” Just then the front door opened and Fluttershy stepped inside. “So sorry guys. I had to run to the store for more chicken feed, I also invited the girls and Spike over for breakfast. Are the pancakes done?” she asked. “Yes, they might be a little cold though.” said Violet. “I can fix that.” said Discord. The spirit of chaos snapped his fingers and a large table with a blue table cloth appeared with nine plates, each with at least twenty steaming pancakes on it. “Thankyou Discord., but please don’t enchant the syrup this time.” said Fluttershy. Discord groaned. “One gravy boat coming alive and your labelled for life.” Violet looked Discord in the eye. “What did you do?” Discord bit his lip. “On the day Celestia had Twilight and her friends bring me out of stone, Fluttershy invited her friends and I over for lunch and I may have made the gravy boat come alive, along with the soup tureen and candles. Bear in mind, I hadn’t been reformed yet.” he explained. Then there was a knock at the door, Fluttershy opened it and the other five ponies were standing there, but Violet then noticed a small purple reptile like creature standing by Twilight. “Is that a dragon?!” she asked out loud. The dragon looked up at Violet. “You must be the human Twilight was telling me about. I’m Spike, what’s your name.” it said. Violet gasped. “You can talk?” Twilight stepped in and said. “Spike, this is Violet. She’s going to start a new life in Equestria and she’s not used to ponies talking or dragons.” Spike looked away, sheepishly. “Oh, sorry Violet.” Everybody in the room was startled by Rainbow Dash’s voice. “Oh no! I am not eating anymore meals with that- “ She was cut off by someone pulling on her tail. She had expected it to be Applejack, but instead it was Violet who was wearing a stern look on her face. “Do me a favour Rainbow and quit being a party pooper.” The human let go and Discord was rolled around on the floor in laughter, clutching his belly. Rainbow was lost for words. “Party! Did somepony say party? Oh that reminds me, I still have to throw Violet the Welcome Party.” cried Pinkie Pie. “Why don’t we all have something to eat first.” said Applejack. As they ate breakfast, the ponies asked Violet questions about the human world. “Do you wear clothes all the time or only on special occasions?” Rarity asked. “All the time,” Violet replied. “So you can always be fashionable, right?” “If you’re that type of person, then yes.” “Well, if that’s the sort of thing humans wear, your species must have a poor taste in fashion.” Violet glanced down at her pyjamas. “Oh these are for sleeping in and those clothes that I was wearing yesterday were the only clothes I had.” “If you don’t have pegasi,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, “who controls the weather?” “No one controls the weather.” The blue pegasus looked like she had been stabbed in the back. “What sort of animals do you have?” Fluttershy asked, holding her pet bunny, Angel. “Gosh,” Violet exclaimed. “There are too many to count. I can tell you that none of them talk.” “Are there dragons?” Spike asked. “We have komodo dragons, but they’re a type of giant lizard.” “How big do they get?” Twilight asked. Violet measured out the length of the lizard with her arms. “This long, and they have a very poisonous bite.” The ponies gawked at her in shock, including Spike. “Do they breathe fire and eat gemstones?” he inquired. Violet blinked. “You eat gemstones?” “Yeah, they are delicious!” Glad he’s not a carnivore. “Do have winter?” Pinkie Pie questioned. “How about spring and bouncy balls?” “Uh…yeah.” “What kind of food do you grow?” asked Applejack. “Any apples?” “Sure!” “Well, then you should come down to Sweet Apple Acres some time. We got the best apples in all of Equestria.” “By the way, how did a sweet girl like you end up on the streets?” asked Pinkie Pie. Violet gulped as all eyes were on her. “Well I wasn’t always homeless, I had parents too at one point. I’m an only child so I basically grew up with my Mom and Dad, well mostly it was my Mom as Dad was away a lot.” Violet explained. “What did your Dad do?” asked Fluttershy. “He was a soldier in the army, so I was raised by my mom. She was a perfume maker and I wanted to be just like her, so she taught me how to extract the essence out of flowers and add that to the mixture. She also taught me how to make beauty and spa treatments and we even invented a new type of moisturiser that makes you smell like a garden.” She smiled as she remembered the time she had with her parents, her face fell at the next part of the story. “But, when I was 11 years old. My father was killed in a war; my mom was like a zombie at the funeral, saying that she would never find another man like Dad. But she was always there for me.” A single tear fell down Violets cheek onto the tablecloth, the ponies and Discord were staring at her with their mouths open. “Then on my thirteenth birthday, my mom told me she was going to pick up my surprise birthday cake. I was left at home, I waited and waited, but she never returned. I called the police, but the trail went cold. I stayed in the house in case she came home, but she never did. After a few weeks, I still attended school, but as there was no one to pay my school fees I left. Then the landlord of the house came to me and kicked me out. I gathered up what little things I could carry and I ran away. For days I crossed the country, taking buses and hitchhiking from city to city. I then settled in the woods outside of a small town, made that wish and here I am?” Fluttershy and her friends all shared the same sad look. They couldn’t believe how much this girl had been through. “Oh Violet, we’re so sorry you had to live like that.” Fluttershy said, putting a hoof around her. “Ya know sugarcube, I don’t have parents either. They died when I was seven, I was raised by my Grandma.” explained Applejack. Rainbow Dash flew over to Violet’s side. “I don’t have a Mom either, she died in an accident when I was two. I was raised by my Dad, which could be the reason why I’m such a tomboy.” The blue pegasus chuckled. Violet looked up at the ponies. “I…I don’t know what to say. You’ve all been so nice to me.” “Don’t mention it, Violet. We’re your friends, are we not.” said Twilight. Violet blinked. “We’re really friends?” She felt like crying. “Sure!” Violet was so happy that she pulled everyone into a group hug. Pinkie pulled away and started bouncing. “Yippee! Can I start working on the Welcome Party yet?” “Not so fast Pinkie, you know how the ponies are going to react when they see a human. The only way Violet will be able to move around is if she was…” Twilight looked over at Violet, who was back in her T-shirt and jeans after Discord snapped them back. Violet seemed to read the princesses mind. “Me? A pony? You can turn me into a pony?” she asked. “I can’t, but I know someone who can.” Twilight looked over at Discord, Violets eyes followed. “Can you really turn me into a pony?” she asked. “If that what you want.” said Discord. Violet glanced at her reflection in the mirror, then at the other ponies. She threw her arms in the air. “What the hell! If it’s the only way I’m going to move around this place, I might as well.” Discord beamed. “Splendid, now what would you like to be, a unicorn, a pegasus, an alicorn or a normal boring earth pony.” “Hey!” cried Pinkie and Applejack. Violet glanced around at the ponies. The idea of having a horn grow out of her head freaked her out a little, she then remembered her childhood dream of flying. “A pegasus, since I always wanted to fly.” she said. “Say no more!” Discord snapped his fingers and a light enveloped Violet. Violet shrieked as she felt a pain in her lower back, she was getting smaller and on all fours. When the light died down the ponies gasped. “What?” Violet turned around and saw what they were looking at. “Oh. My. Gosh.”