Fluttershy looked up at the clock- it was 8:00. Discord would be here any minute.
A couple of seconds later, she heard a loud knock and got up to open the door.
“Hello, Discord!” Fluttershy greeted him cheerfully as he walked in.
“Good evening, Fluttershy. By chance do you already have a story chosen?” Discord gestured to the small wooden shelf.
“Actually, I was going to let you choose, like last time. Take a scroll and…. Oh, is that the teakettle already?” Fluttershy rushed into the kitchen to finish making some tea she had put on earlier. A couple of seconds later the high-pitched whistle of the kettle stopped.
Discord sat down on a carpet, grabbing a scroll from the small wooden shelf. For some reason he had looked forward to this all day, getting many questions of ‘master, are you feeling alright?’ from his servants.
He supposed it was because he found everything else boring - he had no one but his servants to talk to, who were always too afraid of him to have a casual conversation. Every day, he would do the same things, with no variation. Sometimes it just got to him….
Discord was snapped out of his thoughts by Fluttershy moving a chair. He smiled and gave her the scroll as she sat down.
Fluttershy opened the scroll and began. “In a city in Saddle Arabia, there lived a poor young stallion named Shining Armor….”
In a city in Saddle Arabia, there lived a poor young stallion named Shining Armor. He usually scavenged for food, as he couldn’t afford it. However, whenever he saw someone even less fortunate than he was, he would try to help them to the best of his ability.
Often, he would dream about living in the palace that overlooked the city. He would be constantly waited on, and never have to run from the law again!
Shining Armor sighed as he looked out of the opening in his small rooftop shack. Unfortunately, he knew that the chances of that happening was incredibly low. He sighed again and settled down underneath his one blanket.
Meanwhile, in the palace, the princess Cadance had rejected yet another suitor.
A young stallion ran out the door, swearing he would never come back. From inside the house, a young mare’s voice could be heard. “But auntie, I only want to marry a guy that will appreciate me!”
An older mare answered her. “Cadance, dear, I know you want a happy marriage, but you’ve rejected so many suitors!”
The younger mare, Cadance, turned away and answered, obviously discontented. “They all treated me like some prized object, Celestia, not a pony! How can I be happy with a colt who thinks only like that?” Cadance’s tricolor mane whipped around, highlighting her point.
Celestia calmly answered. “I know, dear, but you must at least try to choose a suitor, and soon. I’m not getting any younger, you know” She laughed at her joke.
Cadance sighed deeply, and sulked off to her room. Just once, she wished that one of the dreaded suitors would have at least a bit of decency. As Cadance glanced out the window that overlooked the city, she had an idea.
The next morning was a quite pretty one in the city. The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming, the market was busy….
Shining Armor looked around. The vegetable seller was still suspicious of him, and the baker wasn’t busy at the moment, and so would notice him. Shining Armor looked around, and then he saw the fruit cart, with a long line and overflowing crates of fruit. He quickly ran behind the cart, and leaped on a couple of barrels to get on the roof without noticing.
Grabbing a couple apples and a bunch of cherries, Shining Armor put them in a small cloth to carry. He jumped off of the roof of the cart and began to run with the taken produce. The two produce sellers took notice and yelled, chasing after him.
Shining Armor laughed and ran even faster. A few people joined in the chase, yelling “Stop, theif!” as he navigated the slightly cramped streets. Eventually, though, all but the two sellers were left. When he turned down a winding alleyway, though, the two market sellers soon fell behind and he was left to eat his breakfast.
“Um…. hello” Shining Armor turned around, startled at the voice that had come from a hooded figure behind him.
The hooded figure took a couple of steps backwards. “I- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Shining Armor didn’t hesitate in asking the hooded figure to join him for breakfast, holding out an apple. The hooded figure took it and sat down a short ways away. The hood was taken off and Shining Armor was surprised to see a rather young woman staring at the apple nervously.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t do anything to them” Shining Armor said with what he hoped was a reassuring smile.
She looked over to him. “I…. I guess I’m just new around here. I’m not really used to doing things like this. Thank you for the food, though.” She turned away and took a bite of the apple.
Shining Armor felt bad, he didn’t like to see people having a hard time. “Hey, y’know what, how about I show you around? That way, you can at least find your way around.” he gestured to the array of squat buildings.
“If you wouldn’t mind, I would very much appreciate it.” She stood up, finished with the apple.
“Of course I wouldn’t mind! I don’t have anything better to do today anyway.” Shining Armor practically leaped up and began to show her the various shops and places around the city, with his own personal commentary of course.
For example, as he passed the bakery, he commented on how they often didn’t remember the extra loaf when making a baker’s dozen, so he could take it and they would assume they had only made a dozen without even regarding a certain empty space! They went on like this for hours, until, last but not least, they arrived at his rooftop abode.
“What is this place?” the girl asked, a little confused.
Shining Armor, feeling a bit awkward, explained. “It’s the place I live…. I brought you here in case you don’t have a room in an inn. I have a little side room over here, where I can set up a separate bed if that’s the case.” Shining Armor pulled back some old blankets, revealing a small area.
“Oh...,. Thank you…. But I do have a room.” the girl was about to leave when she noticed the window. “Wow, you have a great view of the palace from here.” she commented as she walked over.
Shining Armor followed her. “Yeah, it sometimes makes me jealous though. Every time I wake up or go to sleep, I think of what life would be like in the palace.” he sighed, leaning on the windowsill. “I’ve always lived on the streets, never knowing what will happen next. For once, I wish I could be sure that I would get another meal”
The girl strangely grew angry. “I would hate life in the palace! EVEn though it is….”, the girl coughed, “ WOULD be luxurious, it would be torture! Every day, told what to do, what to say…. You’re life planned for you in front of your very eyes!” she looked at Shining Armor, and seeing that he was confused, continued. “Though not like I would know or anything….”
Shining Armor gave her a strange look and walked away from the windowsill. “Well, you should probably get going then, since you have a room”
“Right…. I’ll be going now! Thank you for all the help.” The girl went to open the door, though instead of an empty stairway, she stared into the face of a royal guard she recognized as Bulk Biceps who was making his way up the stairs. Quickly, she stepped backwards, desperately trying to put her hood on. However, it was already too late.
“FINALLY! CELESTIA HAS BEEN LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR YOU, PRINCESS CADANCE!” She flinched as the guard screamed into her face.
“Wait….. PRINCESS CADANCE?” Shining Armor felt a little weak. He had been harboring a princess! However, he decided that getting her to go back to the palace was the best option. “You should probably go back to the palace, where you belong.” He sighed, a little dejected. “Besides, like the guard said, Celestia is probably worried sick about you.”
Princess Cadance reluctantly went with Bulk Biceps, as she knew there was no way to get around him, the pegasus was as large as the door! He walked her out an she sadly glanced back as Shining Armor closed the door.
“What were you THINKING, running around in the streets like that, Cadance? You could’ve gotten seriously hurt!” An angry Celestia paced in Cadence's room.
Cadance, even though she loved her Aunt, all but snapped. “Celestia, I know you want the best for me, but I will only marry for love! Even the highest ranking prince won’t get my approval if I don’t love him!” Cadance flopped on her soft bed. “I wish I could make you happy, Celestia, but I just can’t give my life to someone I can’t stand!”
Celestia nodded, but was still annoyed. “Cadance, dear, I know how you feel, but you must choose at least one suitor soon! The kingdom is growing anxious, and so do I. I want to have foals in the royal nursery again, to be a grandparent to them.” Celestia kissed Cadance’s forehead. “Do you understand?”
Cadance sighed, and nodded. “Yes, auntie.”
“Good night, then, Cadance.” Celestia walked out and closed the door to her niece’s room.
The next morning was as beautiful a one as the last, and this didn’t help Shining Armor, constantly reminded of the princess. Why hadn’t he known sooner? Her hair was one of a kind, and how did he even not realize she was an ALICORN? He supposed it was the hood, though.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was missing the princess even though he knew he could never see her again. Every once in awhile, he would turn to make a witty comment about something, and realize she was not there. It was one of these times, as he was looking down, dejected, when he saw a small, slightly rusted oil lamp. He picked it up, hoping he could later sell it.
Later that night, Shining Armor had decided to bring it home and polish it. He grabbed a rag and some cheap oil and began to slowly rub the lamp with it. As he was doing this, a bright blue light shone from the lamp, and a loud voice proclaimed
“I AM THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!”
Fluttershy rolled up the scroll and yawned, with a mischievous look in her eye. “That should be enough for tonight, Discord”and put the scroll back on the shelf.
“But….. But Fluttershy, we only just got to the good part! Please….”Discord protested, attempting to grab the scroll from the shelf. However, a quick Fluttershy blocked Discord’s hand from taking it. He recoiled, and gasped.
“You can come back tomorrow, and we’ll finish the story, like last time. You should really get going now, though” Fluttershy gently gestured to the door and for Discord to leave.
Defeated, Discord sighed and made an umbrella appear. “I guess I’ll be going then….” He tried to give Fluttershy a sad look, but she persisted. Finally, he gave up and ventured into the dark night, not knowing why he had let her tell him what to do.
Maybe it had something to do with the way she read the stories, or looked at him, or talked to him, or…. Discord shook his head. He was bored, that was all. It was a common thing among people who never had anything fun to do. Yes, he was just bored.