//------------------------------// // Apple of Discord // Story: An Apple a Night... // by TheTalentlessPony //------------------------------// "H-hello? Anypony there?" Fluttershy trotted along the forest path. She couldn't remember how or why she was traversing it, but she felt a need to get home. There was a light wind that flew by, making her ears twitch uncomfortably. The air was unsteady, and she felt alone. Far too alone. She only vaguely remembered that she put her animals to bed for the night and... then what? She drew a blank, despite racking her brain for some time. Even her mane was a mess! What happened? Against her better judgment, she tried calling out again. "Hello?" Perhaps it was the complete silence that compelled her to do so. No rustling, no chirping, no crickets. She expected some sort of dragon, or monster, or just... something! Maybe it was Discord's influence, but she was almost disappointed. Almost, and only because the stillness was freaking her out. "...Discord?" she called out specifically, knowing that he usually came when she shouted. She waited for a while longer on that one, ears twisting about to detect even the slightest sound. No answer. That time was the most discouraging. Her ears flopped. "Maybe he's upset with me. I didn't mean to snap at him..." "Fluttershy?" She perked up, looking around. "Discord? Discord!" She ran about, trying to find out where his voice was coming from. "Where are you?" Her stress heightened. Was she hearing things now? She couldn't find him anywhere! She turned this way and that, but by that time, she knew it was pointless; any inkling she had as to where he was had vanished when she had lost her original orientation. She sighed, then noticed a pond in the distance and walked over. She really needed to clear her head. She leaned forward to drink, but gasped as she saw her reflection, flailing her forelegs to the point where she fell back on her flank in surprise. She saw herself in her reflection, only it wasn't herself. She had teeth - vampire teeth - and bat wings, and red eyes, and—! "Fluttershy!" Discord's voice sounded louder now. "D-Discord?!" She stood up with a start, looking around frantically. "W-wait, don't come any closer!" She shielded her face, fearing the worst for when he finally would see her. Then, another voice cut in. "Does something trouble you, young Fluttershy?" Fluttershy paused, then slowly put her forelegs down. "P-Princess Luna? Does that mean...?" She turned, seeing said pony standing behind her, hovering slightly over the lake. She gasped, covering her face again. "Wait, I—" "You are disturbed. I've seen signs of fear from your previous moments of sleep, but this is the first time I've sensed an oncoming nightmare." She stepped onto the grass and sat down next to her. Fluttershy frowned, avoiding her gaze. "I don't want anypony to think differently of me. Discord caught on, and I don't want him to see me like this, but I don't want to hide anything from him either!" "Then don't," Luna told her simply. "He worries about your well-being. Even disregarding that, if you have to hide yourself to be friends with him, is that truly friendship at all?" Fluttershy's ears drooped lower. "I-I know, but... I'm still scared." "That too will pass," Luna assured, "Given what I've heard, you always overcome your fears by facing them head-on, do you not?" "...Yes," Fluttershy admitted. This particular situation was different, but still similar enough. Her hooves came up to her chest. "...Wait." She looked over at Luna. "Why did you come so early? I thought you were only meant to interfere if things turned into a true nightmare." She paused. "And... how did you know Discord was worried about me?" Luna giggled, head raised and eyes closed. "I can answer both questions with one response. It is true that I tend not to interfere unless things truly become bad, but I had to speak with you and knew my time would be cut short, because..." She leaned close, her voice a whisper. "he's here." "FLUTTERSHY!" Fluttershy gasped as she awoke, her breaths heavy from shock as her eyes met with Discord's. His mismatched eyes were laden with concern, though it turned to relief and almost embarrassment after a moment. Had he thought she was...? "D-Discord?" "Oh, Fluttershy!" he exclaimed, suddenly in over-dramatic mode again, as if covering up his earlier mood. "Here I come to the sound of you calling for me, and you can't even bother to wake to my presence! I'm hurt, harmed even, my dear! You've wounded me!" He clutched his chest for emphasis. "C-calling for you?" She wondered silently to herself; perhaps she'd mumbled his name in her sleep? "I'm sorry. I was... dreaming..." "About me?" Discord asked, sliding up next to her, so close that Fluttershy turned pink at the cheeks. "Oh, then of course you wouldn't want to wake, silly me~" He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, her pink cheeks becoming red. "Still, you have the real deal here now; no need for any wild fantasies!" She leaned slightly into his embrace, partially hoping that he wouldn't notice. There was always a sense of comfort when he was near, but physical contact was something she cherished the most when it happened. "...Discord? Do you remember," she paused, looking away from him, "what happened earlier? With the fridge?" "Mmm~?" He raised his brows. "I hope you realize I haven't given up yet." "No, no, that's not..." she looked up at him, "I mean... I want to tell you." "Oh!" He seemed extremely surprised by that, but very accepting. He grinned, taking Fluttershy in both hands and holding her out. "I knew you would come around eventually! My persuasion is irresistible!" He suddenly recalled a long time ago, when he tried to persuade her into a discorded state, yet she forced his hand and made him change her himself. She was a special one, for sure. "D-do you have an apple?" Fluttershy asked, bringing him out of his thoughts. "Oh, of course!" An apple appeared, though his hands were full so he caught it with his tail. Setting Fluttershy down on the bed, he offered it to her, and she hesitated before taking it gently in her hooves. A red, ripe apple, so shiny that she could see her worried reflection. "Can we a-also be... not here? Maybe a quiet forest without any animals?" She brought the apple up to her face to hide herself. "I-I'm sorry for asking so much! I just--" Discord huffed. "Have you forgotten who I am?" In a flash, they were in a forest that matched Fluttershy's description exactly. "Nothing's too much for me." Unless it was anyone else asking; then I would most definitely say 'no'... Fluttershy smiled at his demeanor. Where others would find it obnoxious and loud, she only found comfort. Still, she lowered her gaze to the apple with another concerned expression. "...T-there is... one more thing," she said softly. "Hm?" "Y-you have to promise... not to react." Discord's face shifted to pure confusion immediately. "Not react? At all? Surely you aren't serious?" He crossed his arms, looking away from her as if insulted. "Even no reaction is technically a reaction!" He paused, then looked back, seeing her staring down at the apple nervously. He gave a low whine under his breath, then relented, "Very well." She smiled at him, which at least warmed his heart a bit and made him feel like it was worth it. "Though, honestly, I can't comprehend what exactly is going on with you!" He disappeared in a flash, then reappeared floating in the air, "lying" on his stomach with his face right in front of hers. "But it does make me immensely curious." She blushed at their closeness, but Discord gave her space after a moment, standing back up on the ground and watching her with expecting eyes. Fluttershy looked back down at the apple, taking a moment to collect herself. She took a breath, then finally bit into the apple, a bit of the juice seeping down from it. She swallowed, feeling a mild tingling sensation. A shudder ran down her spine, and the transformation began. The sounds around her became louder as her ears adjusted to that of bat ears. Her wings stretched and skewed, becoming large bat wings. Two of her teeth lengthened, sharpening to a point, while her cutie mark traded away butterflies for bats. Her mane and tail became unkempt, and her cyan eyes shifted to a deep red, finishing off the form change. She looked down at herself, giving her bat wings a soft flap, but stiffened, remembering that Discord was watching. She slowly eased her gaze upwards, seeing him just... staring at her. She did ask him not to react, but now she was starting to regret that. She searched his eyes for a positive reaction, but unfortunately, he'd stuck to his promise, though standing still like that was probably not easy for him. Her nerves were getting to her, and she quickly scrambled to her feet, dropping the apple. "I-I'm sorry. This...this was a mistake!" She turned, flapping her wings, gaining a lot more height than she thought, but still flying off. "I need to go!" "W-wait, Fluttershy!"