//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 - The Silent Agreement // Story: An Unprecedented Advancement // by GravelordNito //------------------------------// This time, Discord felt sure he was a goner. After a stunt like this, there was no way in Tartarus that Twilight would be willing to even so much as look at him for the next week, at least. All Discord could hope for was some measure of understanding from Twilight: surely she would be able to deduce that this was just a simple mistake? Bathroom time was private time in the land of Equestria, and thus any intrusion was a violation of one’s privacy, especially when caught as exposed as Discord had just found Twilight. As Discord continued to await his moment of judgement, the one moment that could possibly break Discord’s one shot at a possible romantic relationship in his long and lonely life, he grew steadily more uncomfortable. He could feel his heart beating along rhythmically with the passing seconds, or at least, as rhythmically as is possible for such a chaotic heart. He had been praying, begging and hoping with all his will that something beyond himself would solve the current situation. But alas, nothing happened. Twilight continued to stare, frozen in place. Her eyes had now grown impossibly large, and her breathing was rapid, when she suddenly stopped breathing entirely. Discord’s extreme embarrassment and anxiousness disappeared in an instant, being replaced instead with worry and concern, as he could tell that something was wrong. As Discord watched from the doorway, he saw the thawing Twilight begin to drop to the floor once more, her eyes rolling up into her head. Could she really be…? Oh dear, she is! Without a moment’s hesitation, Discord launched himself across the room in hopes of catching Twilight on her descent. Discord wrapped his talon around her front, just as her head was about to collide with the tiled floor. After a brief moment to admire how fantastic his reflexes were, Discord gently held the violet alicorn to his torso in a protective embrace. After a small and daring squeeze, and a short lived moment of pleasant satisfaction, Discord proceeded to hold his new-found stress-reliever out at arms’ length, and check if she is actually okay. It had occurred to Discord that this was very peculiar behaviour for Twilight. He understood the rule of general Equestrian etiquette when it came to bathrooms, but he was expecting something more along the lines of a screaming Twilight cursing at him, who then proceeds to give him a lecture about how terrible he is and how much she hates him. For a brief quantum of time, Discord had a passing thought that made him feel a little queasy and excited. Perhaps she reacted that way because she was even more embarrassed about being seen bathing by me than she would be by anypony else? And if that were to be the case, could that possibly mean that…? No, of course not. That would be ridiculous. After just one successful, yet non-official date, there’s no way she could possibly see me that way. Especially after all I have done to this land and its ponies… Feeling his excitement deflating as quickly as it arrived, Discord wrenched himself back to the matter at hand. Or, in this instance, paw and talon. Twilight was passed out like a light, but it wasn't the first time Discord had made a mare faint. However, despite the fact they usually just fainted out of fear, Discord liked to think that it was his dashing good looks that did them in. In this case, Discord had deemed both of these possibilities unlikely, and instead decided that extreme embarrassment, confusion and shock had been the most likely culprits. Unsure of what to do next, Discord supposed he should wrap the princess up in a towel, carry her out of the bathroom, and lay her down on her bed. Gently. He carefully drew the bed covers up over her small frame, and after lowering his head to get a better look at her face, Discord suddenly felt a wave of some unknown emotion wash over his body. She was awake, definitely. Twilight was laying on her bed, allowing Discord to tuck her in, after having just awoken from passing out. I can’t believe it… Does she honestly think that if she continues to close her eyes, I won’t notice the change in her breathing pattern? Why in Equestria would she even pretend to still be passed out? He suddenly felt that same uneasy feeling from earlier relapse. Could she possibly desire for me to tuck her in like this? Or is she just too embarrassed about the fact she passed out, and thus isn't willing to face me yet? Allowing these thoughts to fade once again, Discord suddenly remembered the breakfast he had prepared for Twilight. Walking over to the trolley, he grabbed the handle and rolled it over to the bed. He decided he would leave Twilight the breakfast by her bed, and then react accordingly when she eventually got up, and came to find him. He would prefer to spare her the embarrassment of telling her he knew she was awake, and pretend this never happened. He could only hope she would rather it be that way too, and thus avoid bringing it up. After all, Discord had plans, and those plans would be very difficult to carry out if there was to be an uneasy air between them. Upon this thought, Discord wafted his arms in the space between him and Twilight, dispersing the jumble of letters fluttering around within it. He felt rather frustrated that the only letters floating around were 'u', 'n', 'e', 'a', 's', and 'y'; that made far too much sense considering what was passing through his mind at the time. With a frustrated huff, Discord then proceeded to leave the room, and after one long, backwards glance through the doorway, he walked down the spiral staircase in a completely usual fashion, and back into the living area. Discord found a comfortable looking sofa, and sprawled across it. His long, tufted tail trailed off the end of the expensive fabric padding, and then dangled upwards as the sofa began to levitate around the room. Left alone with his thoughts, Discord let the many things nagging at his mind all come barrelling in at once, allowing a comfortable chaos to dull his impending migraine. Although the chaos was comforting, Discord noticed that this time, a chaotic mind wasn’t going to get him anywhere when it came to putting these matters to rest mentally. Begrudgingly, the Lord of Chaos began to attempt to order his thoughts, and tackle each problem one at a time. Oh, this ought to be fun… ---------- Twilight waited patiently as the sound of footsteps grew increasingly distant, and when she knew for certain he was gone, she sat bolt upright, and began to feel a little overwhelmed. What just happened? Her mouth was left agape, as she stared at her bathroom door. That actually just happened, didn't it? Oh, I'm such an idiot… Why did I pretend to be passed out for so long…? Why did I even pass out? What’s wrong with me?! I've never read about this sort of thing; how was I supposed to react?! Twilight’s mind was ablaze with emotion, confliction and confusion. She was a princess: the most faithful student of Princess Celestia, so why was she letting this bothersome draconequus get to her? Twilight roughly ruffled her damp mane with her hooves, becoming increasingly frustrated with herself. She couldn't blame Discord for what had just taken place; it was obviously an accident. He must have been so worried… No. No he wasn't. I don’t care for him, and he doesn't care about me. He betrayed us, and serves to do nothing but play with a pony’s mind… But if that were to be how I truly feel, then what’s this feeling in my stomach? I don’t understand… Groaning with displeasure at her current state of mind, Twilight looked over to her bedside and noticed a trolley, upon which was a plate of pancakes. Hesitantly, Twilight picked up a pancake with her magic, and took a bite. Thankfully, it was still warm, and it didn't taste off in any way. This certainly was strange for Discord, and so Twilight simply did not know what to think any more. Upon second thoughts, she supposed this was actually pretty normal for Discord, as being constantly and thus by nature chaotically different was supposed to be his speciality; being normal was actually quite chaotic for a chaotic being. Twilight decided to spare her mind further torment over the paradox of chaos, and just accepted the situation as it was. She figured thinking about it too hard would only serve to give her a headache, which was probably what Discord wanted. Thus, Twilight sat in a blissful silence, her tumultuous thoughts dissolving a little more with each piece of surprisingly delicious pancake she ate. ---------- Discord had given up hope of dealing with all his problematic thoughts in an orderly fashion. He had become too frustrated and flustered, and it simply wasn't his style. It was so much easier and less frustrating to let these thoughts just blow over, and he was good at that. So instead, he focused entirely upon making their day as successful as it could possibly be. No use dwelling on the past now, I suppose. If Twilight brings anything up I will simply improvise. Although, I deem that an unlikely event, of course. The way she feels about me will become clearer the more time I spend around her, I’ll bet. And so, rather than thinking it through and driving myself insane, I think I’ll just go with the flow for now. Satisfied with his decision, Discord lazily rolled himself off of the sofa, and slowly lowered himself back onto his legs again. He began to patrol the lower living areas of the castle, growing impatient due to Twilight’s absence. Discord certainly was not one for sitting still and waiting patiently, and although he wouldn't admit it, he was giddy with anxious anticipation. Of course, Twilight was none-the-wiser concerning what Discord had planned, and thus Discord’s current plight was convincing her to spend the day with him. One careful step at a time, Discord. A bead of sweat began to run slowly down his cheek, and he wiped it off in haste. Breathing steadily, Discord steeled himself in an attempt to calm his nerves. Oh dear, this is so unlike myself… Whatever happened to the determined, strong and reliable Discord I know and inherently love? Discord summoned up a mirror and began to stroke his goatee in silent contemplation. All this worrying is ageing me. Whatever would I do if I developed crows’ feet?! My beautiful complexion would be ruined! I'm an immortal, so surely that can’t happen, right? Discord’s voice was strained and desperate. His reflection moved to reply, but Discord clamped its mouth shut, as he reached into the mirror with his talon. Nope, not talking to myself any more. We – I stopped doing that, remember? Discord hurriedly snapped his talons and the mirror was gone. As he turned to his right to make for a door behind him, he caught sight of a mirror on the wall adjacent to the door he aimed for. Glancing into it for a moment with an irritated expression, Discord scoffed disapprovingly. I knew you were there, of course. I just prefer to use my own mirrors… Moving through door quickly, lest the mirror have a chance to snipe back, Discord heard the distant sound of hooves on tiles approaching him. Suddenly standing to attention, Discord looked around the room frantically, as though looking for a place to hide. Upon realising that he was too late to take action (and that there really was no reason for any to be taken anyway), he casually leaned against the wall to his left, and grinned nervously at the door frame he suspected Twilight Sparkle was soon to trot through. Act. Natural. ---------- Twilight had gratefully finished the plate of pancakes, and decided to go downstairs and see if Discord had decided it was time for him to take his leave or not. After teleporting the trolley back to the kitchen, Twilight proceeded down her staircase, and began to patrol the lower living areas of the castle in search of Discord. Twilight noticed one of her sofas had moved considerably and was facing a very out of place direction. She was on the right path. After wandering around the adjacent rooms for a while, she had almost given up. She felt certain Discord had taken his leave. Drowsily, Twilight made for the one last room she hadn't checked yet: the seventh living room. Walking through the doorway leading to the room, Twilight noticed Discord stood leaning against the right hand wall of the room, a stupid grin plastered across his face. She immediately became flustered, “G-Good morning, Discord. I t-think we may have p-possibly met already this morning, b-but I was probably day-dreaming, right? I went to have a shower, clambered back into bed, fell asleep again, and you were kind enough to make me some pancakes and leave them for me when I woke up. That’s definitely w-what happened, I'm sure of it.” Cursing herself for completely botching up her cover-up of what happened that morning, Twilight winced and closed her eyes as she awaited Discord’s response. “Oh, yes, you must have been day-dreaming.” Discord waved his hand over his shoulder dismissively. “I have been busy all morning preparing those pancakes for you. Good thing I knew – I mean, managed to find my way around your kitchen, eh?” Careful, Discord. Think before you speak in future! Twilight was incredibly thankful that Discord seemed to share her wishes that what had happened in the bathroom never be mentioned again, and so calmed down a little bit. She noticed Discord fiddling with his forearms as he looked hopefully into her eyes. There was a brief pause in conversation that did not go unnoticed by either party, and so Twilight decided she ought to speak up. “Indeed it is! Thanks for the pancakes, by the way, they were delicious! Almost as good as Spike’s, in fact.” “Oh, well, I don’t really know what to say…” Discord blushed and looked away. Twilight felt a tinge of that frustrating feeling come back, as she didn't know how to react to Discord’s actions. Is he really that glad I enjoyed his cooking, or is he just messing with me, as usual? Surely if he didn't care then he wouldn't have bothered to prepare the pancakes at all…? Discord had noticed Twilight staring off into nothingness for a moment, deep in thought. “Twilight? Twilight! Snap out of it!” “H-Huh? Oh, yeah. Um… You don’t have to say anything, Discord. In fact, I owe you a favour, especially after what you did for me last night. Is there anything you would like that I can do for you, in return for what you've done for me?” Twilight looked up at the draconequus, giving him her sweetest faux smile. I will find out your true intentions, Discord, just you watch me! Good or bad. ---------- Discord blinked in surprise upon hearing those words. Twilight would do me a favour? What an opportunity! He put his paw to his chin as he thought through his options, and oh were there so many of them. Discord was now the one to be lost in thought, a smile creeping across his face as he basked in the wonders of his imagination. “Err, Discord, you okay there?” Snapping out of his stupor, Discord realised he must have been creeping Twilight out. Impeccable timing, Discord. Are you deliberately trying to drive her away?! Let your imagination go another time, not while you are stood right in front of the mare herself! With a frustrated grunt as Discord realised he was talking to himself again, he looked down and saw Twilight’s quizzical yet concerned expression, and so returned to the task at hand. Answer wisely. “Well, Twilight, I am honoured that you would offer me something like that so casually. I hope you don’t mind if I seize this opportunity right here and now?” “Of course not, Discord.” “Alright, all I ask is that you accompany me around Ponyville today. We can go wherever you like.” Discord said, and looked down at Twilight seriously, having regained his confidence. “Oh, y-you mean, like a picnic or something? But we already ate together last night…” “Oh, no! No! You have me wrong,” he held up a talon, “last night was an unofficial dinner date. Today, we can do whatever you'd like.” “But, then, today is official because…?” Discord’s eyes widened; as far as he was concerned, he had just asked her out on a second date, and this time, he had no explanation for why it could be unofficial. His confidence had buckled as he replied, “W-Well, yes. Err, today is the day I… Uh…” Discord could not find his words, and looked as if he was having a miniature nervous breakdown. Twilight blushed lightly as she clearly realised what this meant. “N-Never mind, Discord, you're working yourself up a bit too much. I will accompany you today, for whatever reason it is you have for it. I’ll go and get ready; you should wait here.” As Twilight began to gallop away, Discord was left feeling a little incomplete. That had not gone how he had planned it to at all. He had messed everything up at the last moment. She had him figured out now, for sure, and he had no way of knowing how this would affect their day together. Oh, poo. ---------- As Twilight ran through the halls, and back up the staircase to her room, she could think of nothing but chaos and confusion. Discord’s act seemed so real! How am I meant to react to that?! A date? Is he pulling my leg, or is this the real deal? I just don’t know! Twilight bounded up to her bed and threw herself onto the pillows, she now regretted offering him a favour. She had done nothing but cause herself more grief, and for all she knew, she could have been playing right into his plans to ruin her. Twilight sat up, and steadied herself. She was going to go on this date and find out his true intentions no matter what. When I find out, I can finally set my mind at rest. But, if by any chance he is being serious… do I feel the same way? Twilight shook her head; she would cross that bridge when, or if she even comes to it. For the time being, she had to focus on playing detective during this date, and in turn attempt to expose the true intentions of the Lord of Chaos.