Date
Fluttershy awoke from her bed, yawning and raising her hooves in the air for a stretch.
“Ahhh….” As her eyes adjusted to the light of the morning, she smiled to herself.
Why, I don’t think I’ve slept so soundly in ages! I slept like a foal.
She giggled to herself at the thought, and rose out of bed. After doing her normal bedroom routine (brushing her teeth, taking a shower, brushing her mane and tail, etc.), she returned to her bedroom as she always did, to greet her bird friends.
It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining and, of course, birds singing.
A cardinal, a bluebird, and a small finch flew up to her window in greeting.
“Oh, hello, my friends! Why, it’s so beautiful today!” she said, looking around with her head poked out of the window. “You wouldn’t think winter was coming, it’s so pretty! With the bright sun, and the beautiful fall leaves…”
The birds chirped in response. Oh yes! It’s wonderful, and the leaves are so pretty!
“I’m glad you agree!” she answered. “Oh, but I will miss all of you so much when you migrate south for the winter.”
The birds squeaked. Don’t worry! We’ll be back! But since it will be soon, won’t you please sing with us? One last time, before we go?
Fluttershy beamed at them. “Oh, what a lovely idea!” She hopped out of her window, something only a Pegasus could do without anypony being alarmed. “Let’s go!”
Fluttershy’s most prized instrument—her beautiful vocals—soon filled the sky with a personal favorite song of hers.
Oh, there’s music in the treetops
And there’s music in the vale
And all around the music fills the sky~
As she sang, she fed all of her animals, whom she valued dearly as her forest friends.
There’s music by the river
And there’s music in the grass
And the music makes your heart soar in reply!
She then went into a long length of simple “ah’s” with her voice, hitting every key perfectly without fail, as she fed some squirrels by the tree…
”Ahhhh, Ahhhh, Ahhh, Ahhhh AHHHH ahhh a—“
Suddenly, a long, snake-like, furry creature came shooting out of the tree trunk, right in Fluttershy’s face.
“Fluttershy!”
“Ahhhhh!” she screamed, her ‘ah’s’ suddenly not so musical anymore. Her wings seemed to spring out from her side, and she flew up into the tree branches at a speed Rainbow Dash would have found impressive.
“D-Don’t hurt me!” she yelled, clinging to a branch upside down. Since her head faced the sky, she did not see her sudden visitor. “Oh please don’t hurt me!”
“Fluttershy.”
She was too alarmed to stop and listen to the voice. “I’ve so much life left to live!”
“Fluttershy…”
Big fat, worried tears ran down her face. “I don’t even taste very good!”
Discord sighed and smacked his head in exasperation. She was so adorable, but at times way too excitable. He stretched his neck up towards the branch where his new marefriend hung like a fall leaf hanging on for dear life.
“Fluttershy, dear, you really need to calm down. ‘Tis only me, Discord, your devilishly handsome Draconequus!”
She stopped shivering and turned her head. “Discord?”
“You know, darling, you really should learn to—“
”Discord!”
This time he was the surprised one as the butter yellow Pegasus lunged herself at him, hugging him by his elongated neck.
Smiling warmly, he shrunk his neck back to normal size, and returned the hug. “Hello, Fluttershy,” he said rather tenderly (why, he had never used such a voice before he reformed!). “I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you too,” she replied, and she nuzzled his face. Without pause, he returned the gesture, neither embarrassed or ashamed—though the fact that they were alone helped him show more affection towards her.
They let go after the nuzzle, and Discord summoned a giant mushroom for him to sit upon while Fluttershy continued to fly low to the ground.
“I apologize for scaring you, Fluttershy….Though, now that I think about it, I must say…” he glanced at her, and he couldn’t stop himself.
“That was hilarious! Oh, you should have seen the look on your face!”
Fluttershy’s eyes flew open in surprise and slight confusion. “Huh?”
He landed on his back and ended up rolling off his mushroom. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pony jump so quickly, and so high!”
He continued to guffaw with laughter while Fluttershy’s eyes lowered and her lips turned to a frown. “But you scared me! I thought you were going to eat me!”
That just made Discord laugh harder. “Eat you? Eat you?!? I wouldn’t have done that even if I hadn’t been reformed! I’d rather eat paper and glue than eat a pony! Ahahahahaha!”
“It’s not funny!”
Discord’s laughing started dying down as he paused to remove tears of mirth from his eyes. “Ahaha, yes it is. You were just too scared to notice. Oh, I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard since…since…Well,” he brought a claw to his lips in thought. “Since you tried using The Stare on me? Hmm…Well, I’ve laughed a lot since then, but I laughed so hard at that…”
He paused to look at her, and while she wasn’t trying The Stare on him again, he certainly didn’t like the look of extreme anger on her face.
“You…You…” She hadn’t remembered being so angry since she screamed at the Palace animals from the Galloping Gala a few years ago. “Oh, you make me so mad, Discord! You were so sweet to me a week ago when you told me how you felt, but now this! Did going away for a week right after suddenly make you decide you didn’t want to be nice to me anymore?!? Don’t you…”
Her shoulders lowered, and the fire in her eyes sizzled away as if doused by a glass of water. She slowly descended from the air and sat on her haunches against the green grass. “You…You still want to be my very special somepony, right…?” She looked away from him, as if the ground were more interesting than his face.
Discord blinked. “Oh, Fluttershy…”
He floated next to her and sat. “You do know you’re the first thing that came to mind as soon as I came back, don’t you? Hmmm?”
Shyly, she looked back up at him. “I…was?”
He wrapped an arm around her, bringing her closer to his side. “Oh, yes. Couldn’t get you out of my brain all week, in fact!”
To show her, he reached into his own ear, and out came a small toy Fluttershy. He squeezed it, and a squeak emitted from it. “No matter how hard I tried, you were always in my head.”
He placed the Fluttershy doll in her lap. “It was quite a struggle, trying to focus on my mission and not think about you. Oh, it was dreadful!” he said overdramatically. “I finally get my sweetheart, and then Princess Celestia drags me on the most boring trip ever! Ugh, it was horrible.”
“Oh…” she replied, already softened by Discord’s words. “It couldn’t have been that bad, was it?”
“Are you kidding me?” he answered, letting go of her and getting up, walking back over to the mushroom. “I was like a showcase pony, Celestia showing me off to the other pony countries, showing how I wasn’t a threat anymore! Not only that, but Celestia…Ugh!” He pounded a fist into his claw to let out some frustration.
Fluttershy gulped. Why was she so important now? “W-what about her?”
He turned back to her. “As you already know, Celestia and I grew up together. The Celestia you know may be regal and kind, but the one I know is very good at teasing me.”
He sat against his mushroom again. “She knows about us, dear.”
“She—she does?!?”
“Oh, does she ever!” he scowled. “She forced it out of me, forced my heart to come off my sleeve!”
He pulled his heart out of his chest, beating in his palm. Fluttershy didn’t gasp; it was simply an illusion, and it wasn’t gross or anything—there was no blood, no leaky tissue, no anything. Discord was mischevious and full of chaos, but he wasn’t disgusting.
This is just Discord, she thought lovingly, her heart jumping for a moment. I don’t think I realized just how much I missed him!
“And she just kept bringing it up whenever I was feeling bored and wanted to pull a prank or two! But she used you as a way to get to me!”
“Used me?”
He nodded. “Oh hohoho, she did. She would always bring you up in front of others when I got fidgety, itching to use my magic.”
He pointed his paw towards a dead leaf on the ground and made it into a giant kite.
Fluttershy couldn’t hide the satisfied smile on her face. “Did it work?”
“Did what work?” he asked as his eyes focused on the leafy kite, using it to smash clouds apart in the sky like hammer on rock.
“Did talking about me in front of everypony keep you from…” She paused, not wanting to offend him. She knew he had to use his magic multiple times a day—it was a requirement his body and magic demanded of him. Not using it only gave him pain and serious discomfort, and using it actually kept him healthy and happy.
Discord noticed the pause. “I was a complete and utter delight throughout the entire thing,” he answered her. “I did not cross any lines, if that’s what you were thinking.”
“But you said—“
“It would have only been a harmless prank or two on a few ponies, a couple of ambassadors. Nothing important, you know—something Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie would do. But I couldn’t, because Celestia would bring you up and how we were together, and I wouldn’t be prepared, and…”
A gust of wind passed through the area, and Discord’s kite smashed to the ground.
Discord’s face turned red.
Fluttershy only smiled wider. She walked over to his kite, picked it up, rose to the sky, and sent it back flying again. Her hair whooshed with the wind, the sun lit up against her, and her eyes sparkled.
It was so cheesy and something to be read in a romance novel, and yet Discord couldn’t help but think she looked beautiful, and he wished he could have spent his week with her instead. He could look at her all day; she was fascinating.
“The girls kept bringing you up too,” Fluttershy said. “They kept asking me if I missed you, and for details on what happened in the forest and how we spent time together before we even became each others’ special someponies, and it was…”
She watched the kite fly away, because Discord had let it go.
“It was nice, but….” She turned to him and giggled. “It’s kind of embarrassing, isn’t it? When ponies ask about the two of us?”
He chuckled too. “Huh. Well, at least you didn’t have a bunch of prudish old ponies laughing at you for it, along with Celestia.”
He vanished for a second and then reappeared, flying by her side. “But at least I’m back and don’t have to do that again.”
He wrapped his arms around her once again and held her for a moment, smiling as she returned the embrace.
“Are you doing anything today, Fluttershy?”
He couldn’t see it, as her head was against his chest, but her mouth turned to an ‘o’ and her eyes lit up with surprise. Was he going to ask her on a…?
“No…” she slowly answered, lifting her head up and meeting his eyes. “Why?”
“Well, I have a favor to ask of you, my sweet.” He let go of her and started to fly up higher. “One that requires you to come the castle in Canterlot.”
Her eyes grew bigger, a feat Discord thought wasn’t possible. “The castle? Oh, Discord, that’s a bit far away, if you wanted me to get there today.”
“Not a problem dear!” he said, waving her comment off. “I’m Discord, remember? I’ll just send a portal outside your cottage door that’ll send you right to the palace grounds. Problem solved!”
“Oh, of course, but…why the castle?”
“Well, as you know, that’s where my official living space is, though you know full well that I much prefer the hominess and comforts of yours,” he answered, and the two continued to ascend to the sky. “But now that we’re together, I think it best to stay there awhile. Can’t have you getting tired of me, now, can we?”
She gasped. “Discord! You know I would never get tired of you! After all, I lo—“ She stopped herself, turning red. She looked away. “Um, I mean…”
Discord smirked. “You what, Fluttershy? I don’t think I heard you correctly.” His left ear grew about ten times bigger, hovering over Fluttershy. “You said you what, now? You ’lo’ me? I have no idea what that means. Perhaps some pony lingo I’m unaware of?”
“I-It’s nothing!” she answered. “B-but that’s not the point. You know you can stay at my cottage as often as you like. Why does being more than friends mean you can’t?”
Discord, not wanting to embarrass her (at least, not for this particular reason—he loved embarrassing her when it came to him), didn’t tell her the truth—that they were a couple now, and that he didn’t want anypony getting the wrong ideas about what he was doing in her cottage. She was far too innocent for such things.
Instead, he lied. “I just want to work on having a place of my own for a while, is all. The living quarters Celestia granted me at the castle are so boring. I need to work on giving it some chaotic pizazz, you know what I mean?”
Fluttershy tried to ignore the disappointment she felt in her heart at the thought of him absent in Ponyville even more often. “O-Oh, okay,” she answered sadly. “I guess that makes sense.” She sighed.
As she looked up she saw Discord staring at her from only a few inches away, but upside down. He was flying right above her, craning his neck down to look at her.
“But of course, I’ll visit you so often, you’ll hardly notice I’m not at the cottage,” he answered, and then took a risk by kissing her forehead. “No need to worry about that.”
He was relieved to see her eyes light back up again, ecstatic from his affections. “Oh, good!” she answered. “I was worried! This week was hard enough.” She blushed again.
“You’re telling me! Like I said, I didn’t want to go with Celestia. She probably did it on purpose just to torture me.”
“Oh, I don’t think so…”
“She did, and she knows it! But we’re getting off topic.” He rotated himself so he wasn’t upside down anymore and floated beside her. “There’s some things I’d like to get done to work on my new home, and I’d like you to come help me. I don’t think anypony else can do it, after all, since you know me best.”
“Oh, well, I’d love to help then,” she answered happily. “I can come today, if you want me to.”
“Excellent!” A sudden poof of confetti randomly rained upon them, and a few trumpets floating in the air started playing a happy tune before disappearing after about twenty seconds.
Then, Discord started distancing himself from her, about to go back to Canterlot.
“Be outside your cottage at six thirty sharp!” he called after her. “Just go on through, and you’ll be there before you know it!”
She laughed at his mirth. “Alright! I’ll see you then. Goodbye!”
Sunglasses appeared in his eagle claw, and he placed them on his head. “Arivederci, my sweet!”
He poofed away, and Fluttershy sighed.
Maybe he’ll ask me on a date another day.
Despite her disappointments, she did as she was told and was outside her cottage at the given time. As soon as six-thirty struck, post meridiem, a large white portal showed up.
Fluttershy gulped. She wasn’t one to go through portals, and the thought of something going wrong scared her. What if it sent her somewhere else? What if Discord made a mistake?
A small push against her leg startled her thoughts, and she looked down to find her precious Angel Bunny beside her.
Squeaking in bunny language, Angel said I still don’t like Discord…
Fluttershy sighed. “Oh, I know, Angel. I wish you would give him a chance. All the others ha—“
He put a small white paw up to her, getting her to stop talking. But, I can tell he cares about you. I’m sure this portal thing is fine, so go on. Stop being a scaredy-pony! Why do I always gotta look after you, huh?
Fluttershy giggled, especially since technically, she was always looking after him. “Okay, Angel. You’re right. Thank you, sweetie. You’re such a good little bunny!”
She stopped to kiss his head and nuzzled him, and Angel grumbled like an embarrassed son. He pushed her face away. Yeah yeah yeah, stop kissing me and go already! I’ll look after everything, so go ahead!
“Okay, thanks Angel! I love you!”
Bah, whatever. You too.
With one last laugh, she walked through the portal, unafraid, thanks to her bunny.
It was as if she had been looking at a picture of her cottage, turned the page, and suddenly there she was, at the foregrounds of the Royal Palace in Canterlot. She blinked; she had forgotten how incredible Discord’s portals were, and hoped they weren’t common enough to put the Ponyville Train out of business.
She was interrupted in her amazement by a beautiful, lovely voice. “Fluttershy. It’s so wonderful to see you again. I hope portal travel treated you well?”
She gasped, and turned to find Princess Celestia standing there. “Princess!” she exclaimed, and quickly bowed before her. “I-it’s an honor,” she stated nervously, as if she had never spoken to the Raiser of the Sun before.
Celestia laughed. “There’s no need for that, Fluttershy. We’re friends, remember? You don’t need to bow.”
Embarassed, Fluttershy rose back up on her hooves. “Oh, of course!” she answered. “I’m so sorry. I forget that you don’t like it when I bow, sometimes. I hope it’s okay, really, um, and I’ll go, if it’s inconvenient. Um, should I, perhaps…?”
She stopped when Celestia put a hoof under the shy Pegasus’ chin to look at her. “You know you are always welcome here.”
Princess Celestia, in Fluttershy’s opinion, had to be the most calming and understanding Princess in all of the world, besides maybe Twilight. She immediately felt calmed and reassured. “Thank you,” she said, smiling genuinely at one of Equestria’s most beloved alicorns of all time. “I feel very welcome.”
“Good! Now, if you would just follow me, I’ll take you over to Discord.”
“Oh, you knew I was coming, Princess?”
“I did,” Celestia answered her. “And I’m afraid I never properly thanked you, Fluttershy, for all you’ve done in the past for me. I thanked you publically, but I never talked to you alone about how much I appreciate all you have done for Discord.”
“O-oh!” Fluttershy smiled and did nothing to hide her red cheeks. She went off in a tangent about her very special somedraconequus without even realizing it. “It was nothing, really. Discord really is very sweet, and kind, and funny, and he’s a bit mischevious, but he’s actually very charming once you get to know him. Why, he’s the most charming pony—uh, Draconequus—I’ve ever met! And, and, and I know he’s made his mistakes, like teaming up with Tirek, but he was just confused, and misunderstood, and he missed his freedom. But I can’t blame him for that. He wasn’t used to his new life yet. He never stopped caring about me, not really. He didn’t want to hurt me, and he still wasn’t sure if I really cared about him, either. But I did care, and I saw regret in his eyes when I started crying about what he did. And I knew right then that he—“
She stopped, realizing she had just gushed about him for what seemed like ages. “Um…”
Celestia only smiled even more warmly towards her. “He always wanted other ponies to open their hearts to him.”
Fluttershy’s ears perked up at her words. “I know…He just didn’t want to admit it, did he?”
The alicorn shook her head. “He didn’t,” she confirmed. “He was too prideful, and he didn’t want to show all the ponies who scorned him how much their opinions of him truly hurt him. They detested the way he looked, and thought his powers were a curse rather than a gift. That’s why he became a villain, long long ago: because no one gave him a chance to be good. Nopony offered him friendship…”
Fluttershy’s heart plummeted. She never heard this before.
“And nopony loved him.”
Tears pooled at Fluttershy’s eyes. “Oh, Discord…I didn’t know…”
“Nor did I, and I grew up with him at the beginning of time,” Celestia said. “I’m afraid I was one of those ponies who looked down on him, and turned his heart to stone before the rest of him could.”
“Oh, well…” Fluttershy stuttered, trying to make Celestia feel better. “Nopony knew, right? He acted out of pain, instead of talking…”
“Yes, but friendship, as you know, is a thing that is shared. He did not reach out to me, yes, but I did nothing to reach out to him either.”
“But you were younger then…”
Celestia nodded. “I was, and lacked the same wisdom that kept me from saving my sister, who turned into Nightmare Moon.”
Celestia looked towards the castle, and smiled. “Discord is not the only one who has become a better pony, Fluttershy. And it’s thanks to you that this was possible—that we were all able to make amends, and have peace with one another.”
“O-oh no,” Fluttershy answered, shaking her head. “You give me too much credit, your highness. Um, Twilight, and all my friends—well, I wouldn’t even be the pony I was if it weren’t for them. We all worked hard to help you, together. Especially Twilight, and that’s why she’s a Princess now, and…”
Too flustered to speak more, she shook her head to clear her thoughts before she spoke again. “You think too highly of me.”
“I don’t think I do, Fluttershy,” Celestia said. “I chose you to reform Discord because you are the embodiment of kindness. And while Twilight and your friends are also five of the nicest ponies I shall ever have the honor of knowing, they do not love quite the same way you do. You love without fail, and you love without fear.”
“Oh, but I’m afraid all of the time…” Fluttershy began.
“Yes, but you give all creatures a chance, and you all give them an opportunity to have a place in your heart if they let you. And that, Fluttershy, is a quality that is hard to come by. Even though you have faced so much pain, even though ponies mistreated you for years as a filly, condemning you for what you couldn’t control—you have a heart bigger than all of Equestria, and that’s why Discord reformed himself. It took him a few tries to get it right, but he’s truly reformed now. I wasn’t sure before, but now I truly can tell he is changed for the better. And that’s because of you, and it’s because of your golden heart that Discord loves you.”
She met her eyes with the Pegasus’, hoping to get her point through. “He loves you so much, Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy’s throat was tight. She was warm, sad, tingly, uncomfortable, overjoyed, nervous…She felt so many things at once that she didn’t know how she felt.
“Thank you” was all she could croak before a few joyful tears escaped her eyes.
Celestia opened the door to the palace, happy for the Element of Kindness. “There’s no need to thank me for the truth,” she said, and put a hoof on her companion’s shoulder.
“Now, let’s take you to Discord. I’m sure he’s anxious to see you.”
“Discord, I fail to see why you could not be straight with her. Why did you lie?”
The Draconequus froze after tilting a picture of himself and Fluttershy crookedly against the wall, as he liked it.
He plastered a fake smile on his face. “Lie? Why, I’ve no idea what you speak of, Princess. Why would I lie to her?”
Princess Luna stared at the rest of Discord’s room, unflinching at the blinding, clashing colors of the checkerboard floor and the mismatched walls. Though his room certainly portrayed Discord’s ideals of chaos, it did nothing to deter Luna. Discord did nothing to surprise her anymore, and she was always as calm and composed as her moon.
“You asked her to help you make your headquarters at the castle more livable, and told her she was the only one qualified to do so. And yet, your space is nothing but chaos, and you are done.”
She entered the room, and allowed a smile to show on her face. “Tell me, Discord: what are you planning? Why did you not just tell Fluttershy that you wanted to spend time with her alone tonight for a romantic evening? Were you embarrassed? Shy, perhaps?”
Discord gulped, and he cleared his throat and grumbled. “Ah, what is this, Luna? An interrogation? Trying to solve a case, huh?”
He snapped his fingers and Luna found herself in a detective costume, with a fedora and an overcoat.
She sighed. “I just cannot see why you refused be honest with her.”
“I’m not Applejack, that’s why!”
Shrugging off the coat and throwing the fedora away from her head, she approached him. “But it would make her happy to know that you wanted to make tonight special. Why be embarrassed? She is already aware of your feelings for her. Do you doubt her feelings for you? Is that it?”
He grimaced. “Must we really speak of this now? Fluttershy will be here any minute, and I must make sure everything is perfect for her!”
He snapped his fingers, and vanished from the scene. He found himself at the very top of the palace. Celestia’s sun was slowly descending, coloring the sky in a magnificent array of oranges, reds, and pinks of all different hues. Beautiful.
Sitting in the middle of the palace top was a small table, with a few lit candles and covered dishes.
Fluttershy and Discord’s table.
The moon was Luna’s, but the night itself, as far as Discord was concerned, would belong to them.
“I am sure it will be perfect.”
Discord actually jumped. “Luna!” he barked, turning to the dark-colored Princess. “I am the one that startles ponies by showing up out of nowhere. How did you get there without me noticing?”
Luna laughed. “That is not important,” she spoke. “But you may wish to know that there is a smudge on one of the glasses on your table.”
“What?!?” He went to the table, spotted the smudge, and magicked it away as fast as he could. “Thank you, I guess,” he muttered. “Sheesh. It’s bad enough Celestia knows about this. Did you have to know as well?”
“My sister and I know everything that goes about in the castle,” Luna answered, making herself comfortable by leaning against the palace wall opposite of Discord. “You did not think this would be a secret kept from all of the palace, did you?”
“Oh, whatever!” he yelled. “Don’t you have a moon to raise or something?!?”
“Oh, I have an ample enough amount of time for that, Discord. What I want to know is, why are you still insecure? Do you not truly think that Fluttershy returns your affections?”
Once again, Discord froze. He grit his teeth as her words struck a chord in his heart.
“I see your nightmares, Discord. I see them, along with all the dreams of everypony in Equestria. And yours are of concern to me.”
He looked back at her, his eyes anything but joyful to look at her. They held not only frustration for the Princess of the Night, but also of fear.
“Why should you care?”
“Because we are friends.”
“Are we?”
“We have had our differences, and we have not always been kind to one another. Now that you are reformed, I have wished more than once that we had given you a chance, and not turned you to stone.”
Discord crossed his mismatched arms. “You and me both, sister.”
“If you wish me to be like a sister to you, then you shall have it,” she answered, though she knew he was only being sarcastic. “And, like a sister, I wish to give you advice.”
Discord’s look of disdain disappeared, secretly touched by her words, just as Fluttershy’s declaration of Friendship to him had done a year ago. “Oh?” he said.
“Yes. My advice is to be honest with her, Discord. Tell Fluttershy what you fear. Tell her tonight. I want you to enjoy your romantic evening with her, of course, but you cannot ignore this. If you do, your fears and insecurities will eat at you, until you cannot control it. I know; it happened to me.”
He frowned, thinking of Luna’s past. “Nightmare Moon, I presume?”
She nodded. “Yes.” She met eyes with him. “So, tell her. She will understand. You know she will. Nopony is more understanding than she is. She will be able to soothe your soul, and make you feel loved.”
Discord sat down, the talk too heavy for him to stand. “And how are you so sure of that?”
“Because…” She grinned at him—a genuine, full-blown smile that Luna used only when she was truly delighted with something. “I see everypony’s dreams, remember?”
Discord grew confused. “Yeah, so?”
“Why, Fluttershy is a pony, is she not?”
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, Captain Obvious.”
She ignored his insult. He was embarrassed, so she let it slide. “I know what she dreams of, Discord. Every night.”
Now that caused Discord to wake up. “You’re right…You do, don’t you?”
He grinned. “Oh, you’re clever, Luna. I never gave you credit for that! So, Luna, my dear, tell me…” He slinked towards her. “What does she dream of?”
Luna smirked. Discord is not as unpredictable as he gloats he is, she thought, amused.
“Does she dream of me? Is that what you wanted to say? If she does, I hope they’re good ones. Not nightmares…”
“Oh, I do not know if I should tell you, Discord,” she answered him. “You not only insulted me, but also Captain Obvious, one of the best soldiers to ever serve this kingdom. It is a shame he retired early…But that is not important. No, no…” She turned away from him, definitely teasing him now. “I do not think I will tell you. I do not share the dreams of ponies with others without their permission, anyway.”
“Aw, c’mooooon” he complained. “You’re just going to bait me like that and then leave me hanging?”
He turned to a bat, his antlers still visible, and hung upside down in front of Luna from an edge in the castle wall.
She laughed. “Yes, I am,” she answered frankly. “But I will tell you two things: are you ready?”
He turned back to himself and sat on the chair again. “Yes.”
“Yes…?” She was really milking him now, and Discord groaned. It was nice—to have something he wanted and use it to tease him him—for once. Usually, it was the other way around.
“Yes, ma’am. Ugh, if I vomit later, it’s your fault.”
She shook her head with a smile before answering. “One: Fluttershy’s dreams in the past week have been nothing but joyful ones, it’s only players being herself and you. She has not slept so deeply and soundly for years.”
Discord’s eyes grew big and shiny and he bit his lower lip in happiness, a happy ‘squee’ sound emitting from his throat.
“And second…”
“Yes?!?!?”
She smiled at him, and looked back at the door that served as the entrance to the castle roof.
It started to open.
“She’s here.”
Her arrival was too quick for Discord to hide his excitement from Luna. “Flutter--!”
Celestia came out of the door, and Discord’s happy and expectant expression was immediately replaced with one of frustration. “Oh.”
Celestia and Luna only laughed. “Don’t be so disappointed, Discord,” Celestia said, and looked back towards the open door. “She’s right here.”
A buttermilk-colored foreleg stepped from the shadows of the door, and out came Fluttershy, slowly and nervously. “H-hello…” she said, nearly whispering and smiling shyly at Discord, rubbing her foreleg with the other.
“Fluttershy!”
He rose up in the air and tackled Fluttershy with an embrace. “Finally! What took you so long?!?”
“O-oh, am I late?” Fluttershy asked. “I went to the portal on time, I shouldn’t be…I’m sorry for keeping you waiting, Discord.”
“Ah, you’re on time, I’m just eager! Come, come, I’ve something to show you!”
He pulled the pony away from the princesses, as giddy as a foal on his birthday, and the Princesses slowly made their exit.
“Have fun,” Celestia said under her breath. Luna closed the door behind them.
Tonight, Luna would make sure the night would look perfect for them.
“So you really didn’t need my help with your room,” Fluttershy stated as she looked at the cute little table and chairs Discord had set up for them. “This really was just a way for you to…”
She kicked at a small pebble on the ground, her face reddening. “To ask me on a…date?” She said, as if it were a question. She looked up at him, hoping for an answer.
Discord smiled sheepishly. “What can I say? I wanted to surprise you!” he said, raising his arms in the air with flourish. “I went through all the annoying, boring trouble of asking the Princesses for permission to use the roof for this. They teased me to no end, but I knew they would let me, once I told them it was for you.”
“For me?”
“Well of course! I’m not with any other pony, you know. And who else would I do this for? Celestia? Pinkie Pie? Pffft! No way.”
Her heart beat fast. “It’s lovely…” she said. The sky began to darken, but the colors of the sunset were still bright enough to admire. “And the sky is just beautiful.”
“Indeed,” he agreed, though that wasn’t the beauty he was admiring as he stared at her. “Nothing but perfection for my Fluttershy!”
She continued to smile shyly at him, his words making her face as pink as the sunset.
Discord returned her smile, and he pulled the first chair out and gestured for her to sit.
“Thank you…” she said, taking a seat. “Aren’t you the gentlepony?”
“Oh, and there was a time when you thought I wasn’t?” he joked, knowing full well that there had been, indeed, a time where she thought that. But he ignored the thought, and sat himself down in the chair next to hers.
He snapped his fingers, and the glasses on the table instantly were filled with chocolate milk, one with a straw for Fluttershy’s usage and one without.
Fluttershy giggled. “Your favorite drink, of course. Will you be drinking the milk or the glass today?”
“Hmmm,” he pondered, wondering what he was in the mood for. “I think I’ll just have the milk this time; the glass is always good, but I do that mostly to just startle ponies. The actual beverage is always better. But of course, I’m being ignorant, how horrible of me! Do you want to drink something else, Fluttershy?”
She shook her head, and sipped some of the sweet milk from her straw. “No, of course not. I haven’t had chocolate milk in too long. B-besides, I’m just glad…to be here.”
Discord gulped. “You mean…here, with me? Because the castle never struck me as a place you’d be especially fond of.”
“Oh, the castle is pretty, of course,” Fluttershy answered, taking a napkin and wiping her face to avoid a possible milk mustache. “But of course I mean with you…I was actually hoping that…Well…”
“Yes?” he encouraged her. Anything she had to say about the two of them, he needed to hear. He was still so unsure of the situation; Luna wasn’t lying about that. He knew Fluttershy wasn’t a liar, but in his deepest heart of hearts, he still had trouble believing she could love a beast like him. What had he done to make him so lovable to her, anyway?
It just wasn’t right, it seemed.
“I was hoping we’d spend some time alone together, like this.” She rubbed her foreleg, blushing, staring at the table. “O-of course, n-not that we haven’t been alone together. We’ve had tea together so many times, and you always visited me in the cottage, I don’t mean that. Oh, not that I didn’t love spending alone time with you before all this happened! It’s just…I just wanted to spend time with you, as more than that, and, and, and…”
Discord could see Fluttershy growing more nervous, her breathing growing more intense with anxiety. He laid a claw on her shoulder, and put a paw under her chin to lift her face up, so he could look at her.
“Now, now, my darling Pegasus,” he told her. “No need to fret.” He smiled wider. “I understand what you’re trying to say. I wanted to go on a date with you too.”
She smiled, but she was confused. “If you did, then why didn’t you just ask me? Why did you lie?”
Oh no, not this again! Am I in trouble? Discord thought, feeling slightly panicked.
“Well…”
She didn’t look angry, at least. She just stared up at him, waiting for an answer.
His ears drooped, and he stared at the ground. It wasn’t a look that suited him; Fluttershy had seen it before—in fact, she had seen it far too many times in the past few weeks—and it always hurt her heart to see the silly, mirthful Draconequus down.
“Discord—“ Fluttershy said, before a deep, rumbling sound interrupted her. Feeling her stomach rumble, a look of horror flashed across her face, and she turned crimson.
The Draconequus’ sad face disappeared, forgetting his worries temporarily at the sound of Fluttershy’s hungry stomach.
“Oh! Of course, you’re hungry!” He chuckled at her embarrassment. “No need to blush, dear Fluttershy…You probably haven’t eaten since lunch, and it’s getting late. I can fix that.”
With a snap, the lid of Fluttershy’s platter rose, and food appeared. A haysteak covered in a tomato-based marinade was the main food of Fluttershy’s plate, along with a side of sliced grilled carrot flavored in a caramelized glaze. A side salad of lettuce, radish, carrot, and deviled egg appeared beside the dish. It was all arranged in a professional and artful display, as if made in the fanciest restaurant in Canterlot.
Surprisingly, Discord served himself the same thing, going for actual food rather than paper, glass, or whatever else he was able to eat. That food just wasn’t proper for a date, he reasoned.
And of course, he became a vegetarian when he reformed, for the sake of all his pony friends—and especially Fluttershy, who would have shuddered at the sight of any meat.
His beloved Pegasus gawked at the food. “Oh my goodness!” she marveled, looking at the food as if it were a painting rather than her dinner. “Discord! This looks amazing!”
A small smile graced his face. “Of course it does; but taste is what truly matters, does it not? Go on, eat. You’re starving!”
Not needing more prodding, she eagerly took a bite of the steak. She chewed it thoughtfully, and Discord could see she was enjoying every minute of it. “Mmmm…” she practically purred, swallowing and eagerly leaning towards her plate for another bite. “This may just be the best thing I’ve ever tasted! Discord, you’re so talented!”
He smirked. “My magic allows me to do many things, yes; all I have to do is read a recipe, and I’m able to make it with magic.”
“Really?”
“Oh, yes. I took that recipe from the royal chef’s cookbook just this afternoon…” He looked right, then left, and then leaned towards her, a paw shielding the side of his face. “But let’s keep that between you and me; nopony but the royal chef is supposed to use those recipes!” He giggled mirthfully.
Fluttershy only smiled, shaking her head. She didn’t want to reproach him for stealing a recipe; she didn’t want to spoil the night with such a thing, and besides, what did it hurt, taking a look at a cookbook?
“You’re so silly, Discord.”
Discord took a bite of steak. “That’s news to you?”
She only giggled.
They continued to eat their dinner, though an uncomfortable silence sometimes occurred, and they tried filling it in with small talk.
“These carrots are really good.”
“Yes, sweet, but not too much so.”
Silence…
“Did you go to Saddle Arabia on your trip?”
“Ugh, yes! Even the land there is boring! Nothing but sand for miles!”
“I’ve never been there.”
“Don’t go there.”
“But aren’t there a lot of interesting animals there?”
“Meh, I suppose. I can always take you there for a day in the future, if you want.”
“Really?”
“Of course. One snap of my fingers and we’d be there.”
More silence…
“…Sun’s almost all the way down.”
“Yes. I can’t wait for the stars to come out.”
“It won’t be too much longer, dear Fluttershy.”
“We can look at them together.”
A smile. “Yes.”
………
“Discord?” Fluttershy said, breaking the third bout of silence.
He turned to look at her as he finished the last bite of haysteak. “Hmm?”
“I…I don’t mean to be demanding, or rude, or mean or anything…But…you never answered my question from earlier.”
“Oh…Really? And what question was that, my dear?” Discord asked, feigning innocence. Of course, he knew exactly what she was talking about. He was just hoping she would forget that she ever asked him that without getting an answer.
“Why did you lie and tell me you needed help with your room? Why didn’t you just ask me on a date? You know…” Her hair fell adorably over her face, hiding one of her eyes. “You know I would have agreed, don’t you? I-I don’t mean to pressure you, I promise I’m not angry at you. Oh, am I being too persistent?” she asked. “I don’t mean to be, I really don’t.”
“No, no, Fluttershy, it’s alright,” he said, trying to soothe her nervousness. “It’s a perfectly understandable question. I…shouldn’t have lied to you, I know.”
“Then why?”
He closed his eyes tightly, and grit his teeth. It made him look angry, but really, he was just trying to suppress his emotions. He had let them get away from him once, when he and Fluttershy talked in the forest a week ago; he did not want them to leak out this time. He always prided himself as being as solid as a rock, never breaking down or letting anything get to him. He hated it when he showed any sort of pain to others. He knew he needed to correct such an attitude, especially with Fluttershy, but old habits were hard to break.
“Please don’t be angry…”
Discord stopped at the sound of Fluttershy’s sweet voice, filled with concern for him, and fear that he was mad at her. He unclenched his teeth and opened his eyes, relaxing the muscles of his face.
He stroked her hair. “I’m not angry at you, Fluttershy. Not at all. I’m just…”
He paused, and thought of Luna. He didn’t want to think of another mare at a time like this, but he only pondered her words.
Tell her. She will understand. You know she will. Nopony is more understanding than she is. She will be able to soothe your soul, and make you feel loved.
She had been right about all but one thing.
“She already makes me feel loved. It just seems too good to be true.”
“What?”
Discord did not realize he had spoken out loud; usually he was more careful than that.
“Oh, nothing nothing!” he said, trying to make her forget what he said. “Just thinking to myself, darling, nothing to worry about.”
But Fluttershy knew better. “Too good to be true? Discord, is that what you really think…of us?”
Discord let out a giant sigh. Fluttershy was always so much more perceptive than she led other ponies to believe. Nopony ever gave her enough credit for all that she could do, and sometimes, they only seemed to focus on her flaws.
But not Discord. Definitely not him.
“How could I not, Fluttershy? I never thought, in a million years, that I would end up with somepony such as yourself. I…”
He felt a hoof cover his paw, and he gripped it gently.
“I don’t deserve you, Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy gawked at him incredulously. “What?”
Despite his mood, Discord had to chuckle. Her reaction was just so…so Fluttershy. “Don’t look at me like I just told you I’m dying, Fluttershy. Really, you’re much too modest. You know…”
His amusement wore away. “You know it’s true. That I don’t deserve you, that is. You have to know that. Everypony knows that. And it just…Well, it really is very unnerving!”
With that conclusion, he looked around him. A kind, gentle, thoughtful, beautiful Pegasus. A darkening sky, dying but desperate to stay beautiful with the colors of the sun. A castle for royalty. Candles for romantic lighting.
And then, he looked at his hands, his legs, his feet, his tail.
Which one of this doesn’t belong? Take a guess! he thought jokingly, but grimly as well.
“In fact, maybe this whole thing just wasn’t a good idea. A horrible one, actually!” He stood up from the chair.
“W-what?” Fluttershy dared to say. Her heart suddenly felt as if it were about to fall into her stomach. She didn’t like where this was going. Cautiously, she got off her chair as well. “Disord, I don’t understand what you’re thinking. Please, just tell me.”
She put a hoof on his chest, over his heart, looking up and into his eyes.
“Let me in, Discord.”
She tapped her hoof again. “Let me into your heart, and tell me what’s wrong.”
It was an incredibly cheesy line, Discord couldn’t help but think, but it was also so touching he didn’t know what to do. Run—no, fly away? Tell her that this was all a mistake, and that she should just forget about him? Go off, find another stallion, marry him and start a family with him instead—that was the logical thing to do. She’d be much better off that way, he thought.
“Discord? Look at me.”
He obeyed her, and opened his mouth to speak. “Maybe we shouldn’t be together after all, Fluttershy.”
It broke his heart to say such a thing, but he stayed strong.
She froze, and her eyes were already starting to moisten. “H-huh? W-what? What…What are you saying, Discord?” She started to laugh, though it was anything but happiness. “That’s…That’s not a very nice joke, Discord. You can do m-much b-better than that. You—“
He put a claw to her lips.
“I’m not joking. I wouldn’t joke about this.”
He could see she was about to burst out in tears, and he was quick to keep her from getting the wrong idea. “No no no, Fluttershy, no,” he soothed her, moving his claw to capture the single tear that had escaped her eye. “That’s not what I…I’m not saying I don’t want to be with you, Fluttershy, okay? That isn’t what I’m saying at all. Oh, now dear, please don’t cry, I can’t stand to make you cry.”
Now it was Fluttershy’s turn to grip her teeth and stare at him angrily. She stomped a hoof against the floor. “Then what are you saying, Discord? I-I mean, goodness! You say we shouldn’t be together, b-but then you say you want to be with me? Discord, I don’t understand! Help me understand. You were fine and happy this morning; you said you still wanted me to be your marefriend when I asked you earlier today! So what’s going on?!? You’re confusing me, Discord! You’re always confusing me!”
She flew up and pointed a hoof at his face. “Stop confusing me, and stop with the riddles, and tell me what’s going on so….”
Her face softened at the sad look on his face. “So I can help you. Please tell me…”
She hugged him, and put a hoof on his face. “Please?” she asked again, quietly and sincerely. “I just want to help you. Because…”
Her face reddened, but she smiled, looking at him with nothing but love in her eyes. “I love you, Discord…”
His throat turned to nothing but a hard knot, making it hard for him to breathe. Though she had said those magical three words to him once before, and it had only been a week ago, it still choked him up. He had been living thousands—no, millions of years without even an ounce of compassion, friendship, or love. And looking at her now, as she was trying so hard to open him up and crack his hard exterior shell open, he felt like he was going to melt.
He wanted to say it back. He wanted to kiss her, to say “I love you too”. He opened his mouth to do so, but then…
Flashbacks came back to his mind, pictures of a weeping Fluttershy, an angry Fluttershy, a Fluttershy turning her back to him, flying away, never to come back. Another stallion, unspecific and too hazy in his mind to remember in detail, stood with her, close to her, laughing, talking, gazing at her…
”Oh, honey, I’m so much happier now, being with you. I don’t know what I was thinking, being with Discord. Oh, he was just so awful, I should have never given him the chance…”
The strange stallion only nodded enthusiastically, agreeing with her.
“But it’s all alright now, now that he’s out of my life and with you in it.…I love you so much!” the dream Fluttershy said, bringing her face closer to him.
Kissing him.
Nuzzling him.
It killed Discord on the inside.
This was the dream that Discord had been having ever since he became her special somedraconequus. This is what haunted him at night.
“It’s my dreams, Fluttershy,” he said. “They show me my fears.”
She stared at him, concerned and smitten. “Tell me all about them,” she whispered soothingly to him, embracing him and stroking his neck. “I’m listening.”
And so he recounted it to her, all of it—how each night, he dreamed of Fluttershy growing tired of him, falling out of love with him, and eventually leaving him altogether for somepony else. How in the dream, Fluttershy screamed at him, telling him to never show his face around her ever again, calling him a monster and other names that changed every night, but hurt all the same, and how he would not only lose her as a love interest, but also as a friend, because he was nothing but a loser, a monster, a nuisance. At least, that’s what Dream Fluttershy would always say to him.
“And it’s true,” he said, after telling her all he could of his nightmare. “You’re too good for me, Fluttershy. And I’m afraid of losing you.”
Fluttershy was astounded by the dream. “Well, no wonder you would be afraid of such a thing…” she said to him soothingly, nuzzling his face. “The pony I am in your dreams…Well, she’s awful! Absolutely awful!”
“That’s interesting, because that’s what you say about me in my nightmare.”
“Well, Discord, that Fluttershy is not me. She’s just a figment of your imagination and…”
She smiled and shook her head to herself. “Didn’t I tell you to stop putting me on a pedestal? Didn’t you say the exact same thing to me, about losing me, last week? Don’t you remember what I said?” she asked him, smiling and holding his head up with her hooves.
“I do,” he answered, voice low. “And I know you said that; but what if you change your mind?”
“I won’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Will you ever change your mind about me, Discord? Will you ever decide that I’m actually just a silly little pony who just tries to keep you away from your freedom? Will you ever try to use our friendship against me, and try to manipulate me?” she asked him seriously, but without anger.
He gasped, and grabbed her with his claw and paw.
“What? I…Never! I know I did that before, but I’m truly reformed now, I couldn’t. Oh, Fluttershy, how could you possibly think that? You’re crazy!”
She smiled. “You’ll never change your mind?”
“No!” he practically yelled, looking at her with a desperate look. “I’ll never go down that road again! Ever! Tirek was a fluke, but I—“
This time she stopped him talking with her hoof, covering his lips. “That’s right. You won’t change your mind. I know you won’t. I trust you. So can you just trust me when I say to you that I will never ever change my mind about you?”
“But…Fluttershy, this is different! My life is better because of you!” he protested. “You were never a villain like I was. How exactly have I improved your life? Why do you even love an old, crazy draconequus like me? Why…”
He brushed a claw against a stray strand of Fluttershy’s mane. “Why me?”
“Oh!” she brightened, and she flew up higher to get a better look at him. “There’s a thousand reasons why, Discord! It would take me so much time to tell you all the reasons why you’re the stallion for me.”
He blushed, though he wasn’t paying attention to the rising heat in his face. “What? Really?”
“Yes,” she smiled, her own face growing a bit warm. “My life has gotten so much livelier with you in it, and I’ve had so much fun being with you. You’re the most gentlepony I’ve ever met, and you’re always paying so much attention to me. You…You make me feel special, Discord. My friends are always there for me, and do their best to make me happy, but…”
She lowered herself to the ground, and folded her wings. “I-I don’t mean to sound selfish, but…Nopony has ever made me their first priority. My parents…They were always ashamed of me. They didn’t like having a long-legged, awkward Pegasus who couldn’t fly very well for a daughter. When I got my cutie mark, and told them I was going to live on the ground…Well…”
She kicked at some imaginary dirt in the ground. “They told me they never wanted to see me again, and kicked me out of their lives forever. I don’t really have a family anymore.”
Discord’s feelings were at war in his heart. Pity, understanding, and love for his Fluttershy softened him and touched his soul, while anger and perhaps even a little hatred for her parents hardened him and made him want to punch something. “Fluttershy…”
“And my friends, well, like I said, they’re just wonderful. But with five ponies and one dragon, well…Sometimes I have trouble getting a word in, and sometimes my shyness keeps me from doing what I need to do or say, and they don’t always hear me, or think of me when I need them to. Oh, I know I do the same thing, of course I do!” she said guiltily. “That’s just what happens sometimes with friends, and my shyness is my fault, not theirs. We all sometimes have trouble helping each other, with so many other friends and responsibilities to attend to. But at the end of the day…”
She rubbed her foreleg. “They all have other ponies or friends to go to. They have family. Pinkie Pie doesn’t live with hers, but the Cakes love her like family and treat her like one of their own. Not only that, but her sisters visit her. Twilight has Spike with her constantly, and I’m still not sure whether they are more like brother and sister or mother and son, but they love each other nonetheless, and Twilight’s also got her brother, her sister-in-law, and Celestia…”
“Rarity has her sister, and their parents live close by. Applejack’s life is dedicated to her family, which is spread all over Equestria!” she said, her forelegs spread out to emphasize just how big the Apple Family is.
“And Rainbow Dash…” A look of shame seemed to cross her face. “I hate to admit it, but…I’m jealous of her, at times. I don’t hold it against it, no, never!” she quickly said after, looking at Discord in a panicked way before he could possibly accuse her of such a thing. “It’s just…Rainbow Dash lives alone, but she goes to Cloudsdale a lot to see her family. They’re all so proud of her, because she’s one of the fastest, most amazing Pegasi out there.”
She smiled sadly. “I have no doubt that she will one day become a Wonderbolt, like she dreams. Her family knows it too. My parents…always wondered why I couldn’t be like her.”
“Fluttershy…” Discord began, but she stopped him.
“I-It’s okay, r-really,” she said, awkwardly moving some hair out of her face, behind her ear with the rest of her mane. “I don’t blame Rainbow Dash for it at all. She’s truly one of my heroes, to be honest. She always stood up for me, and actually threatened to toilet paper my parents’ house when she heard I was kicked out.” She giggled at the thought. “She is nothing but loyal. She really is in her element, she always has been. She’s always been there for me.”
“But…” Discord prompted her.
“But…I never had anyone that was just for me. I had my animals of course, yes, and I love them with all my heart. I would be nothing without them, along with my friends,” she said. “The animals are the reason I am who I am today. They saved my life, once upon a time. They give me purpose, and they love me. I love them.”
“Then what do you need me for?” Discord asked her. “I’m not nearly as good as a friend as the other Elements of Harmony are. I’m not as innocent and cuddly or as lovable as your animal friends either. You could use somepony much better, Fluttershy. You deserve better.”
“There is nopony better, Discord. Don’t you see?” Tired of standing, she sat back down, and Discord did the same.
“You saw me, Discord. You didn’t take me seriously at first, but when we became friends, you showed me your entire world, and you let me show you mine. You showed me tricks and told me jokes with your magic, and you did everything you could to make me laugh. Whenever you came to Ponyville, it was usually to visit me. And not only did you tell me things about yourself that you told nopony else, but you always listened so well when I spoke. I never had to repeat myself, even if I whispered.”
“But of course!” he said. A foam finger with the phrase “# 1” in large white font appeared on his claw. “You have and always will be my Number One Pony, my dear. Everything you say and do is important to me, something I want to be a part of!”
He realized he started talking a little too enthusiastically about her, and cleared his throat. “Ahem.” He looked away from her for a second before muttering “Fluttershy, number one!”
She laughed. “See? You always make me laugh.”
He smiled tenderly at her. “I should hope so. That’s all I ever want to do, really. Your laugh is quite…intoxicating, actually.”
She smiled back, and pushed the strand of mane that was always escaping her back behind her ear yet again. “Th-thank you. B-but…Can you see why I chose you now, Discord? You are always there for me, like I’m always there for you. You’re fun, and sweet, and you always....You always make time just for me, and you look out for me, and you…make me a priority.”
She put a back leg on the ground, and scooted her chair closer to him, so they were side by side.
She leaned against him. “It’s nice, to have someone put me first for once…That’s only one of the reasons why I chose you, why I fell for you, but it’s the one thing you’ve done for me that nopony ever has. I made you my friend, and you made my life more fun, and less lonely, and you visited me all the time. You wrote me letters, and made me feel like I was important and special. And that’s how I realized just how important and special you are, too.”
“Fluttershy” was all he could manage to say. As Fluttershy leaned against him, she felt his fur against her face, and at first she thought perhaps it was the wind that was making it seem as if his coat was flowing downward.
But as it continued to rub against her face, she grew curious and lifted her head to look at him.
She gasped. “Discord!”
“Huh? What?!? What’s the matter?!?” he shouted, suddenly alarmed by her face.
“You’re melting!”
“Eh?”
He looked down, and saw that he was, indeed, turning into a puddle, spilling onto the chair and the floor. He was down to his knees, his feet and lower leg now goo on the ground.
“Oh!” He laughed at himself, and simply snapped his fingers, and his feet and lower legs returned back to normal. “There, all fixed! Oh wow, did I scare you, dear Fluttershy?”
“Scare me?!? W-what happened?”
“Oh, nothing much; you just caused a magical reaction, is all.”
She stared at him, horrified. “Me? I did that?”
He nodded. “Ever heard of that metaphor? Such as ‘I melt for no pony’ or ‘my heart melted’; things such as that?”
“Y-yes.”
“Well…” He leaned his head against his paw and grinned. “My magic and my tricks can make such a metaphor reality. Perhaps you should get used to it, should you ever say such kind words to me again. You really had me swooning there, Casanova.”
“Casa--?” She had no idea what he was talking about, but she got the gist. “So…I made you melt?”
“Dear Fluttershy, you’ve been making me soft ever since the day you called me your friend. Taking that a step further has only doubled the effect.” He stared at his feet. “And apparently made it into a lovely visual representation.”
“Oh, I didn’t think it was so lovely! D-don’t melt again, it scared me…”
“Hmm…” He just smiled at her, gazing at her affectionately, and Fluttershy could only turn red, though she loved it whenever he looked at her like that. “I really am a fool, aren’t I? I should learn not to pay so much attention to things as unmeaningful as nightmares.”
“It’s okay, I understand,” she said. “Nightmares are scary. I’m just sorry that’s the way I’m portrayed in them. I wish you had told me about them sooner.”
“They were only a representation of my fears, anyway,” he said. “Because I used to be a villain, and you have always been perfection. I never thought I deserved you. And to be honest, I’m not sure I ever will.”
“Don’t worry,” she comforted him. “I’ll convince you that you deserve me. Besides, I’m the one who gets to decide what I deserve, don’t I?”
“Yes, but you never give yourself enough credit, Fluttershy. You’re so much better than you think.”
“I think the same thing about you. You don’t give yourself enough credit either, Discord. I think you’re an absolute sweetheart, and you’re wonderful.”
His cheeks turned pink. “Perhaps, and I promise you I will work on my fears, but…We just don’t make sense, Fluttershy. You and I, together like this. None of it does.”
Fluttershy beamed, secretly amused that he said such a thing. She nuzzled him, and in a low, shy voice, she said:
“But what’s the fun in making sense?”
His eyes widened, and he stared at her. She cleverly used his own line against him, and there she was, gazing at him, giving her time to him in one of the most special ways possible, showing him just how much he mattered to her.
She understood him. She always did. She knew him better than anypony else, and had covertly opened his heart and squeezed into it, making it hers and only hers. In return, she gave him her own heart. She gave him that power, and trusted him with it, despite all he had done, because she was his angel, who intertwined her life with his so he would never have to be alone again, always by his side.
She gave him kindness, she gave him love. He gave her all the excitement and fun that chaos could bring, gave her a reason to laugh and try new things, and he returned that love.
She knew that Discord wasn’t an evil villain. She knew that he was always much more complicated than that, and she always gave him her attention. She not only tried her best to understand him, but she put herself in his shoes so that she did understand him.
She did all of that, just for him, out of kindness and love, because to her, he was worth it.
All these thoughts buzzed through his head, but he did not melt. Not this time.
Instead, he quickly lowered his neck to her level, took her shoulders in his paw and claw, and kissed her lips gently.
Fluttershy’s eyes widened at the sudden kiss, but slowly closed as she pressed her lips back against his, and put her hooves around his neck.
They had shared a kiss before, but it was not like this. The kiss before had been nothing but a quick seal for the deal, an innocent and childlike way to physically show their affection. It hadn’t even lasted a second.
This kiss, however, was one that lingered as much as possible, with candles illuminating their faces, the stars finally showing themselves and lighting the night sky as the two continued to hold one another as they relished in the sensation of the kiss. Her lips were so soft, and his were so warm, and they heard nothing, sensed nothing but the feel of each other.
They held it a long as they could before breaking apart, and Fluttershy immediately shoved her face into his chest afterward, releasing his neck and putting her hooves around his torso instead.
“Fluttershy?” he said, holding her and stroking her mane, his chin against the back of her head.
“Yes?”
“I forgot to tell you one more thing. Quite silly of me, really…”
“What is it? I’m listening.” She turned her head so her cheek was against him instead, and perked an ear upward to hear him better.
“I love you too, you wonderful, beautiful, amazing mare you!”
He grabbed her torso, breaking her hold on him, and lifted her into the air, and she squealed. “Discord!”
“What? You’re a Pegasus, you should be used to being this high off the ground!”
He whirled her around in a circle, and she laughed beautifully, enjoying their happy time together as the cool wind whipped through her hair. “Put me down!”
“I don’t think soooo!”
“I can’t see the stars with you whirling me around!”
“Oh, you weren’t even looking at them!” he replied, stopping his twirling to look at her. “You were too busy cuddling yourself against me to look at them!”
“Well, I’m ready to see them now.”
“But I’m not done dancing yet!” This time he took her by the hooves and started dancing with her in an exaggerated manner, twirling them both around in circles. “C’mon, Fluttershy! Dance with me! You need to be more footloose!”
She laughed again. “I don’t have a foot!”
“Hoofloose, then!”
Still giggling, she pulled her hooves away from him and flew above his head, (“Hey! You get back here, you!”) only to land on top of him, holding herself up with her wings and holding on to his horns with both forelegs. “There…” she said, making herself comfortable and wrapping her tail lightly around his neck as if it were a scarf. “Now I can see them, and oh, they are just so pretty.”
“Fluttershy, my head is not a seat!”
She looked at him upside down and pecked him on the lips, her face red again by her boldness. In turn, Discord was surprised, but most definitely not unhappy by it.
“Well, I suppose, if you really want to sit there, who am I to stop you?”
So he leaned against the barrier of the castle roof, a few feet away from the table, with Fluttershy on top of him, to look at the sky. His claw glowing, the stars swirled in beautiful patterns, in whirls and bursts like fireworks, putting on a show for his dear marefriend.
Fluttershy hopped off Discord and put herself in the crook of his arm to watch. She said nothing, but her eyes, as Discord glanced at her, said everything. They shined in amazement.
“So, despite the deep talks and the misunderstandings, can I say I did well for the first date?”
“Oh yes,” she answered, taking her eyes off the stars for a moment to look at her Draconequus. “You did a wonderful job. I hope…” She poked her hooves against each other. “I hope we have a lot more of them…”
“How about tomorrow then? I think there might be a fair coming in!”
“Oh! So soon?”
“You can stay in a room in the castle—Celestia won’t mind, I’m sure—and we can head out tomorrow morning and spend the whole day together.”
“R-Really? You’d spend the entire day with me?” She flew up and stared at him, eyes full of excitement.
He gave her a smile. “I can think of no better way to spend my day.”
“Even without chaos?”
He laughed, giving Fluttershy a hug. “I can go without chaos for one day, I’d say. I caused quite a lot of chaos just to decorate my room!”
“Oh my…” she said, putting a hoof to her chin. “Your room is probably more chaotic than when you put my house upside down…”
“It’s a masterpiece, if I say so myself.”
“Oh, I’m sure it is,” she said truthfully, beaming at him. “After all, I helped you with it, right? That’s the whole reason I came down here.”
“But of course.” He stroked a finger against her face, and she closed her eyes from the feel of it, feeling at peace. “Why else would you come all the way down to Canterlot to see me?”
“I have no idea,” she answered, though they both knew the real reason as they touched foreheads with closed eyes, just enjoying their closeness. “But I think maybe I should stay another day, to help you finish the room.”
“Oh, thank you, Fluttershy. I need all the help I can get.”
“Oh, you’re so welcome, Discord.”
He laughed, and rubbed her head. “But truly, thank you, Fluttershy.” He lifted her chin. “I can’t thank you enough, for all you’ve done for me. And I have a hunch that those dreams won’t be bothering me anymore.”
“Oh, I’m so glad!” She beamed, and hugged him again. “I was so worried, when I sensed something was wrong. I want you to be just as happy as I am.”
“I am, Fluttershy…” His claw glided over the clip in her hair as he stroked her mane, the one he had made for her as his feelings for her had begun to grow. “Thanks to you, I am.”
And so they kissed one more time under Luna’s moon and stars.
But for that one date…The night belonged to them.
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4608695
Uh, this is wrong. "She loves to cook, too." is correct, though "She loves to cook too" would also be acceptable. Also your correction features a run-on sentence (you have a comma between food and she; this is wrong, the original is correct.) Also while "Maybe even" is awkward phrasing, it's grammatically correct and sometimes people do talk like that, so in dialogue it's acceptable.
Wait...Discord said "five-thirty," but the portal opened at "six-thirty." So Fluttershy was waiting for a whole hour?
Only four? Who'd she leave out? Rainbow Dash?
first of THAT WAS GREAT, I LOVED IT.
.
second I would be interested to were your ideas would be going with the other 5 and spike.
SO CUTE!!!!!!!! So far, it goes in my top five fan fictions.
So lovely
Beautiful! And awwwww, I love Numbuh 3 and Numbuh 4 from KND!
...
How is this story not in the high echelons of this site?
I mean really, it's adorable, sweet, and best of all, sincere!
4624145
I have fixed the errors you pointed out! Thank you kindly! No, I didn't mean to leave anypony out (Poor Dashie...She's nice! She's just passionate, and sometimes that makes her forget that she's nice). I only made that error, I think, because of the "Twilight" part, and just thought of the other four.
I'm glad you thought it was beautiful though! It's what I was goin' for! :D Oh, and by the way, I appreciate all your hard work towards the radio BOD series. I could never do that. I wish others didn't pressure you. That ain't right. There are authors who take years to write a novel or make movies...They gotta be patient!
Numbuh 3 and 4 are amazing, right?!?!? Are you a Panda Warrior too?!?!?!?
4624422 Awww.
That is so nice of you to say! Thank you so much! I don't know why it isn't featured or anything, but I'm just happy it's getting lots of reviews! I try my best to make it sincere and have tension, but with fluff to ease it out. Warm feelings and fluff are the best when paired with personal conflict! 
And I'm so glad you think it's sincere! I'm always so worried about characterization and wording and wondering if it's all natural or not. I'm glad you think so! Thank you! 
4624185 Thank you! I'm glad you do, it makes me happy!
As for other ideas, I'm not sure...I was gonna just do more Fluttercord, but of course I DO love the other characters. There is not one of the Mane 6 I do not like. Actually, if I did do anything, it would be on Spike and Twilight's relationship. I love their mother/son relationship. That one episode where Spike was afraid that Twilight didn't love him anymore....I wanted to hug him so badly, right through my computer screen! I really love those two, together and apart.
4624263 Top five?!? Really?!? Wow, I'm so honored!!! Thank you!!!
4624331 Thank you! You, along with all my other reviewers, are lovely too.
And look everybody! I figured out how to respond to multiple people at once! I learned THINGS!
Okay, I don't really expect you to treat that like a big deal, but all the space my replies were using up was bugging me.
4624823 Either way I still love your story and if you make more Fluttercord, especially Fluttercord shipping love those to as a paring
So much cute! So much fluff! So cute! So cute! So cute! I squeal every time! Please continue these stories they really are adorable and well written.^_^
more please and I hope they don't fight
This was great. Lotsa talking, but it worked. And I love the image of Shy and Discord dancing on top of the castle under the stars, it is both adorable and kinda beautiful to imagine.
Oh, and "what's the beauty in making sense" was fantastic. I love a well-used callback and that was just perfect. It is now my personal headcanon that this fic leads into the dancing Shy and Discord in The Firework Lotus.
A few comments:
"normal bedroom routine (brushing her teeth, taking a shower, brushing her mane and tail, etc.)," Guh, such a boring and meaningless use of a parenthesis. Unless you use them a lot and in very clever ways, avoid parenthesis whenever possible. And it is almost always possible to write around them. And also, avoid uninteresting list and particularly "etc." This would have been just as well if you just did "went through her morning routine".
" he said rather tenderly (why, he had never used such a voice before he reformed!). " Again, write around parenthesis whenever possible. Same goes for the "(get down here you)" in the stargazing scene.
had to be the most calming and understanding Princess in all of the world, besides maybe Twilight. She immediately felt calmed and reassured. “Thank you,” she said, smiling genuinely at one of Equestria’s most beloved alicorns of all time. “I feel very welcome.” One, two use of "calm" in just two sentences is too many and kinda repetitive. I suggest "She immediately relaxed." instead of "felt calm and reassured." Also "one of Equestria's most beloved alicorns of all time" is both a little clumsy and a very narrow category unless it is your headcanon that there used to be many, many alicorns. I suggest just cutting that off and going "smiling genuinly at the alicorn."
Well, that's about it. Good job, this was a nice read. Next chapter please.
Happy writing.
Beautiful
I cant believe this is your first mlp story and is so good
4625090 Hehehe, squealing during cute scenes is the best! I'm glad you are getting the full experience out of it. Because really, I'm begging for more Fluttercord fics, because we are suffering from lack of fluff! Hope this is a good remedy for everyone!
I don't know how long these oneshots will last (don't wanna drag it on, you know?) but I think I will write more Fluttercord. I should have the time before school. 
It's fun, anyway!
4625218 There will be more, one more chapter for this thing (unless I change my mind, which is quite possible, and I'd add more, haha), and maybe separate oneshots, and I have a few ideas multi-chapter stories...
4625580 Ah, yes, I do indeed love a good callback as well, like in that one fic where he says "Well played, Fluttershy, well played." That was perfect, and I wanted to try it myself. (Many fluttercord fics I've read have inspired my own.) Your comments are, as always, completely helpful. I'm not sure if I should go back and edit it more...What do you think? I mean, I completely agree it your suggestions would make it better, but since it's already been read...Hmm, what to do? Do that, or just start the next? Hmmm. And yeah, I tend to reuse adjectives a lot in the same sentence. As much as I may brag about my vocabulary, I still use pretty simple words multiple times. That's one of the things I've always known I had to work on. I will keep that in mind for the next one! And I'm not sure why I have such a love affair with parantheses. I use them a lot unnecessarily, haha. I'll work on that too. "Sorry, Parantheses...But I need some time apart...."
. I wanted it to be cute, endearing, beautiful--what have you---, but kind of fun too. Because Discord's a fun guy.
And I was wondering about all the talking. Do you think I should have a more action-y one coming up? Hmmm.
And yeah, I liked the dancing too. But I didn't want it to be slow, romantic dancing. I thought Discord would be more "I'm just gonna twirl you around and go crazy" at that moment, with a giggly, happy Fluttershy:
4626899 Yes. Feels, Discord, and Fluttershy make an excellent combination. I just hope your heart's okay!
4626941 Aww, thank you friend!
That makes me smile. Yeah, it's my first MLP one, and it makes me a little nervous at times with characterization and whatnot, but I have written for other fandoms, so I have a little experience. It's a lot of fun! 
Thank you everyone!
Five*
Other than that little typo, this was, like always, amazingly written. I hope to see from you soon
4627892 Fixed it! Thank you so much for pointing that out! It's amazing, how much you can edit something and still miss things. But I have a feeling that I made that typo amidst editing it! Because I swear it wasn't there before. Oh, tater tater tater...
I'm glad you liked it! I'll probably start writing more soon!
4627620
Well, I'm an obsessive fixer, always going back when I realize something could be better and those few points I made shouldn't take long. On the other hand, letting your writing stand as it was when it was first unleashed on the public might be better, so you can go back and go "wow, I've completely stopped using stupid parenthesis' now, I was so silly back then".
And personally, I can see Discord dancing any dance that is slightly old school and which involves twirling. As in, any dance that involves real interaction with a partner that isn't just grinding (Celestia, that is a horrible image). So, go Fluttercord Waltz, Tango and what have you. Look up "The Firework Lotus". It is mainly about Spike and Twi and their family relationship, but it has a gorgeous dance number with Flutters and Discord at the end. You have to read it.
4628043 Sounds good! I love the family relationship between Spike and Twilight anyway. And it isn't that I can't see Discord doing old-school waltzing--I can see him doing pretty much anything G-rated, and I really loved all the dancing in Bride of Discord--but that isn't what I envisioned him doing at the moment. I imagined him being so happy and excited that he just kind of twirls around like a happy goof with Fluttershy, something I can also easily see him do.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I'll go read it.
hoorayyyyyyyy!
4630350 I'm gonna take it that you liked it then?
Thank you! 
Or maybe you're happy about an upcoming chapter?
I registered just to say this:
HNNNNG.
That was way too adorable, too fluffy and too beautiful. And that's why I loved it!
Really, I loved all of these oneshots, and fluff is my favourite dish, but this... This made my heart and feels jump out of me and scream: YAY!
Keep writing, you are awesome. <3
Adorable. Awesome.
When this chapter came out i about died from happiness
4640008
That's so sweet! You registered just to say that? Dear, that really made my day, reading that. Thank you so much! I'm glad I made you "HNNNNG"! Based on your review, I can say that my story is doing its intended job, filling the appetites of Fluttercord lovers. I couldn't ask for more. Thank you so much!!! 
4641317 Thank you! I'm glad the latest chapter made you feel that way. I know the feeling, getting to read more of a story about a ship you really like. Glad I could do that for you!
And if there's anyone who can suggest how to end this story, I'm still struggling with what to do for it. I'll decide on something...
Oh my gerd there better be a next chapter! Haha sorry i'm just loving this to much
4646660 Don't be sorry! I'm glad you want more because you enjoy it! Isn't that what all authors want?
So thank you! I'll start writing it soon!
4646917
is it okay with you if I draw fanart of discord and fluttershy on the castle?
You could maybey use it for something (hint hint)
*cough, sequel, cough*
4650220
YES YOU MAY!!!!
:D :D :D :D
As for a sequel, hmm...Maybe! I was thinking of doing a multi-chapter one with more of a solid plot. This is just kind of a collection of oneshots that I'm tying together. But hey, who knows what I'll do?
But I'd be beyond honored if you made a picture. I could make it the cover art!
I'm so happy...!
Thank you!!!
And to everyone, I finally started the final chapter! Thank goodness...Took me forever to decide what to do!
4677594 Yay for squees!
Thank you! Hopefully I'll finish the last chapter one day, lol. Gotta get on that...
4628061
Just saw your review on Firework Lotus, glad I led you right there. Love that one and that it just got on the front page again.
4721150 Ooh, another reviewer that gives good constructive criticism! Good, I need it. Yes, you're right, I'm a spoonfeeder. I tend to overthink things, in not only my stories, but in others. I'll take the obvious things that readers show, and think, "Oh, but is it really that obvious?" I'm not sure what to call it, be it paranoia or whatnot, but sometimes I just straight up write what's going on just so there's no doubt about what's happening. But I agree with you and what you say; it's just my own insecurities that make me do such a thing. But as I write this last chapter, I will look over it with your advice in mind. And thank you for the compliments too! I'm glad it's not too sappy for you...i did make it quite cutesy in a few places, but I too have a 'fluff' limit....It it sounds too Hallmark-ish, I won't like it, haha. But then again, I know I definitely have some of those types of lines in there, but at least the story is still enjoyable to fans, including you! Thank you VERY much for your thoughtful review! Hopefully the new chapter will be out this week; I hope you can review that too, as I'd love to hear your comments on how I can improve and what I did right.
I'm not one to really add constructive criticism unless it's super obviously needed. I'll just say it is cheesy, but it's fluttercord, so what do you expect,?
Any who, loving the story, it's so sweet
LOL
And the Dislestia and Discopie shippers were shot down!
Fluttershy beamed, secretly amused that he said such a thing. She nuzzled him, and in a low, shy voice, she said:
“But what’s the fun in making sense?”
YES! I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOREVER TO READ THAT LINE, YOU MADE MY DREAMS (WHoops, caps lock) come true and for that have a moustache
I think this episode is cute!
Cuteness. Overload. Too. Adorable. Must.have.MORE!!!!!!!!!
Best line ever!!!!!!!
No, the fluff kills me!!!!!! They're just so adorable!!!!!!!!!
You write Fluttercord so well!!!!!! First, we have a really cute scene of poor Flutters being terrified of getting eaten. Next, Discord and Luna have a funny yet in depth conversation. Then Discord and Fluttershy get down to the foundation of their relationship with an interesting snippet of Fluttershy's back story. And, finally, to top it all off we have a bit of fluff while Fluttershy acts as adorable as ponyly possible. It ends with a nice bit of feels that leaves you all warm and fuzzy inside. Of all the Fluttercord stories I've read, this one is definitely my favorite. Fantastic work!!!!!!!!!!! 
You've earned a crazy amount of moustaches!!!!!!!! 
And also some Flutter yays thrown in for good measure. 
I just about died when Fluttershy used his catchphrase!
This story is one of the best Fluttercords out there!
Fluttershy = does not like meat
Bites steak
>discord knew exactly what she wanted
GIRL I LOVE YOU FOR THIS
Tell that to the shippers...
