//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: Hercules/Discord AU // by fluttercordlover232 //------------------------------// Discord followed the sound of the muted cry for help, but it didn’t seem to get much louder. If it did, it was a very soft change. He couldn’t tell if the cry was more prominent because he was on the ground now, instead of up in the sky. Discord peered through the trees just in time to see a buttercream pegasus mare run across a small shallow pond before tripping and falling in her rush to escape. Following close behind her was a brawny and robust, steel blue minotaur. Huge silver bull horns sat squarely on his head, along with a matching nose ring. He had a dark navy blue mane and tail, and his eyes glowed a predatory yellow. “Where do you think you’re going?” the minotaur boomed as he grabbed the pegasus tightly around the waist. His grip on her was so strong he was practically squeezing her. The mare gasped in pain as the monster’s grip on her tightened even more, and in a last desperate attempt to free herself, she punched him square in the face as hard as she could. It must not have been hard enough, because his grip never loosened. Instead, the minotour looked at her with shock and bewilderment. He smiled evilly at her, “Iron Will likes em’ feisty!” he growled with dark subductiveness. Discord felt himself boiling with rage at the way this creature was treating her. He didn’t even notice that Spike was standing beside him and had watched the whole thing as well. Spike instructed him on his next move, speaking softly so as not to give themselves away. “When faced with a situation, the first thing you gotta do is—“ he turned only to discover that Discord was no longer there. Spike smacked his face, “he’s loosing points for this,” he grumbled. At this point, the minotaur was attempting to kiss the mare on her lips, while said mare had her hooves against his puckered ones in an effort to block him from doing so. Discord marched across the pond straight up to the bully and loudly cleared his throat. The mare and her attacker simultaneously turned their heads to look at him. Discord swallowed the nervous lump in his throat and summoned as much courage as he could muster. “Put. The mare. Down.” he spat. The beast took one look at him and laughed. “Step aside, squirt. This is Iron Will’s prize, and Iron Will does not like to share.” He looked at the mare as he licked his lips deliciously, “Especially when it’s something that Iron Will desires.” The mare squeaked in fear as she tried even harder to pull herself free from his grasp. Discord couldn’t take any more of this. He snapped his fingers and summoned a blue lightsaber, but before he could swing it, Iron Will struck him in the face with so much force that Discord flew though the air and crashed head first into a rock. He hit it so hard that the rock split in two! “Ouch! That’s gotta hurt,” Spike winced. Bleeding and barely conscious, Discord managed to lift his head out of the water and looked at his mentor. “Come on Discord! Don’t give up! Use your head!” Discord perked up with a sudden idea. After using his magic to quickly heal himself, he stood himself up and reaching over his head, grabbed the top of his black mane and pulled his head right off his body! With literally his head in his hand, he tossed his head like a boomerang. Spinning straight for the minotour so fast that when it hit him, he flew across the pond and into the side of a nearby mountain. Spike clapped and cheered, “Way to go, Discord! That’s how you do it! Not exactly what I had in mind. But still, not bad.” Something suddenly emerged from the water, coughing and sputtering. Discord suddenly remembered the mare and went over to her aid. Her long pink mane draped over her face. “Here, let me help you. I’m sorry about that, that was dumb,” he said as he picked her up out of the water and placed her on a large nearby rock. She parted her soaking wet hair out of her face, “Yes, it was. But it’s ok though,” she said in a gentle voice as she started to wring out her hair. She was surprisingly calm despite everything she just went through. Discord liked that about her, expecting the unexpected. Before he could introduce himself to her, Iron Will came running back with his head down and his horns forward. An angry bull ready to charge. “Would you excuse me for a minute?” he said as he turned away from her and summoned his blue lightsaber again. He slashed at the minotour with it like a brave Jedi Knight. The buttercream pegasus watched the fight unfold before her from her rock, while continuing to wring out water from her mane. The physical confrontation didn’t last long. After a short while, Discord walked up to shore with a proud smile on his face. Once he was on dry land, he got down on all fours to shake himself dry. “How was that Spike?” “You got lucky this time, champ. Next time you have to think before diving head first into things. Pun intended.” This was not the praise Discord was expecting to get, “At least I beat him, didn’t I?” “Yes, you did; but you can’t let your guard down and lose focus because of a pretty tail swishing...” Discord didn’t listen to what else Spike was saying, he was to focused on the mare that was now standing on shore. Her long pink mane hung over the water as she was squeezing out the last remnants of water. The golden light from the setting sun reflected off the water, making it appear that she was outlined in gold. Discord walked passed Spike without a second thought and approached the mare, “Are you alright? Miss...” He could see one bright teal orb looking at him through her wet pink strands. “Um…..I-I’m Fluttershy” she drifted off into a mumble “I’m sorry, my dear; could you repeat that? I didn’t quite catch that last part.” “M-My name is Fluttershy” she said in barley a whisper this time. “Hmmm…There must be something in my ears then” To the mare’s bewilderment, her rescuer pulled out multiple things from his ear. Such as a French horn, a pillow, a rubber duck, and a frying pan. Thouroughly amused, her earlier shyness forgotten, the mare let out a little giggle at the display. For reasons yet unknown, her sweet bell-like laugh made Discord’s hear skip a beat. He couldn’t help but smile softly when he heard it. “My name is Fluttershy.” She said with the utmost clarity. Discord smirked, “My name is Discord.” “Well, thank you Discord. I am forever grateful to you.” The draconequus felt his face grow warm as he leaned against a tree. Mostly to keep himself from swooning “So, h-h-how did you get all tangled up with uh...um...” he pointed behind him to indicate the minotaur. “Oh, well you know how stallions are. They think no means yes, and ‘go away’ means ‘take me I’m all yours’.” She sighed sadly, “My whole life, I’ve always been viewed as more of an object or a prize to be won instead of a pony. Believe me when I say, Iron Will wasn’t the first time I got caught in some psycho’s twisted fantasy.” Discord felt sorry for the mare and anger toward all the stallions that had treated her horribly. “Well, I better get going. It was nice to meet you Discord, and thank you for your help.” She opened her wings and flew gracefully out of the woods. The draconequus smiled shyly and slowly waved his hand, a dreamy look on his face, “Bye,” he mumbled. He sighed blissfully. “She’s... she sure is something. Isn’t she, Spike?” “Oh, yes. She is something alright.” Spike’s words dripping with sarcasm. “Come on, Discord; we still have a job to do. You know, the reason we came out here in the first place? Let’s go! Manehatten is waiting!” Discord snapped out of the trance he was in and flew after his mentor, taking to the skies once more. Little did he know that the pony responsible was standing by a tree gazing up at the darkening sky just as Discord and Spike flew off and out of sight. The stars just beginning to dot the sky.