The sun hung low over Canterlot, perched at the edge of the far horizon with impunity. Discord, however, wasn't as lucky. Before him sat Princess Celestia, her brow furrowed in concentration. He'd chosen to remain standing, perched on the top of the wall of the palace overlooking the Canterlot Gardens. Below him stretched a reflection pond filled with pink and white lilies that bloomed. The sun's reflection turned the water silver, like molten metal, and reflected the barest hints of the sunset's colors at the crests of the gentle waves that lapped at the edges of the pool. The pool was surrounded by flowers and blooming bushes of all types, and they'd all exploded into perfection at his behest. A few snaps of his fingers and it was all perfect.
Now, he only had to contend with an angry alicorn. Well, two angry alicorns. Twilight was here, too, and she looked unhappy. "Honestly, Discord, were you even paying attention? I told you to apologize, not... do whatever it is that you're doing!"
Discord frowned and dabbed at his brow with a striped handkerchief. "Hush, Twilight. I told you, this is part of the apology. I really wish you'd trust me!"
Celestia scowled, her horn glowing brightly, and Discord briefly struggled against the titanic magics she unleashed to try to return the sun to its previous position. Discord held on, though, refusing to relinquish so much as a single inch. "Celestia! Stop it. I already promised that you'd get your sun back as soon as I got a chance to speak to Fluttershy!"
Celestia shook her head. "There were better ways to go about this, Discord. You could have asked for my help! Or even asked to borrow the sun, briefly."
"But then you could have said no. Better to beg for forgiveness, hm?" He chuckled, wiping the sweat from his face again. It was tough work, holding the sun hostage. The sun had lots of things to say on the matter, none of which were particularly kind, but Discord ignored it. He had more important things to worry about.
"I could have said yes, too," Celestia said with a huff, "Did that thought ever cross your mind?"
Discord pondered for a brief second, and then smiled, "Nope."
Twilight's wings flared out and she threw back her head, letting out a sigh. "This is ridiculous."
"Life, my dear Twilight, is ridiculous," Discord countered, briefly distracted by a blue flash of light, "And, more importantly for mortals, terribly short. So there's no time to waste with niceties. I have one chance to apologize properly, and this is—"
"Discord!"
Discord froze mid-sentance, eyes widening. Fluttershy's voice carried, loud and disappointed, across the wall from the garden below. He smiled briefly, and murmured, "I knew I could count on you, Luna. Us ex-villains have to stick together." With a grin, he nodded to Celestia, "I've got an apology to make. The most important one. Yours can come second, but I make no promises as to how sorry I'll actually be!"
Celestia shook her head and strode over to the edge of the wall as Discord leapt from the parapet to stand before the gaggle of ponies gathered in the garden. Fluttershy stood, wings open, her mouth an adorably terrifying frown, glaring at him from across the reflecting pool. Discord approached her slowly, walking around the side. He snapped his fingers, and birds suddenly filled the branches of the nearby trees, happy birdsong filling the air. Fluttershy's gaze didn't shift. He could feel the sweat dripping down the back of his head, but he ignored it, and maintained a pleasant smile. He stopped in front of her. "Hello, Fluttershy. Glad you could make it."
Fluttershy didn't flinch. "Discord, what are you doing?"
Discord winced at the harsh tone of her voice. "Something incredibly stupid, but I promise, I had only good intentions."
Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak, but Fluttershy suddenly held up a hoof, her frowning visage never moving. "No. This is my job." Fluttershy gestured to Discord, meeting his gaze evenly. He had to fight not to look away in shame. "Explain."
Discord coughed awkwardly, and spoke with a slow, deliberate intonation. "I'm apologizing, but I'm doing it in my own way. No sappy letter, no chocolates, no standing outside your house with a boom-box playing Peter Neighbriel. I'm saying 'I'm sorry', so let me say it properly. Please," he added at the end, hopefully.
Fluttershy's eyes left his, glancing around slowly at the beautiful gardens, the shining reflection pool, the trees full of birds, and the sunset sky full of pink and silver clouds. She sat down, and nodded. "All right. Go on."
Discord exhaled and then sat down across from her. "I thought back to what I'd said to you on the side of the mountain. Not... not all the stupid things I said when I was afraid. Those were said out of panic and fear, and I'm sorry for that. But, what I'm thinking of was what I said earlier." He glanced past Fluttershy to her friends. Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Spike. He glanced over his shoulder, as well, to Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle. They were all watching him, all listening with curiosity.
Good. He wanted them to hear this, too.
"You told me you wanted a daisy sandwich. Not unlimited power, or world domination. A daisy sandwich. And I told you that you could ask for all that and more." He gestured upward to the sun that hung in the sky, "I could do it, you know? I could take over this world, if I was serious. I could hold the sun in the sky, fight the princesses and win. I could even stop your Rainbow Power. I am a god. A silly one, yes, but a god, nonetheless."
He shrunk himself smaller, not by much, but enough so that he didn't tower over Fluttershy. He looked her in the eye as he spoke. "I could give you everything if you'd ask, and you know I would. But you'd never, ever ask me for that. You could live as Queen, but you'd rather stay in your cottage and tend to your animals."
"What are you trying to say?" Fluttershy ask, softly. "That... that we aren't compatible?"
Discord chuckled and shook his head. "No. I'm telling you that... maybe I don't want the world, anymore, either." As he spoke, he released his hold on the sun. The astral machinery unwound rapidly as Celestia took control of her charge once more, her wings opening with a blinding flash of golden magic and the sun returned to it's rightful position in the sky, as Discord spoke his next words.
"I think I'd rather have a daisy sandwich with you."
Fluttershy stared at him, her body still, her wings folding to her sides, and she bit her lower lip. "You... you'd rather have a daisy sandwich with me?"
"You're worth more to me than anything else in this world, Fluttershy. I could have it all, but I'd never be happy. I think, though, that I could have a cottage, and some critters, and a daisy sandwich with the pony I love, and that would be... perfect." Discord snapped his fingers, and a daisy sandwich appeared in his hand, which he offered to Fluttershy.
Fluttershy stared at it, blushing slightly. Discord spoke quietly, "Wheat bread, light dressing, hold the mustard, extra petals."
Fluttershy smiled. "You know my favorite sandwich?"
"Of course," Discord said simply.
Fluttershy exhaled, slowly. "Thank you, Discord. But, I... I need to say some things, too."
Discord faltered slightly. He hadn't expected this! A part of him reveled in the unexpected, while another part was filled with dread. "So... apology not accepted?"
Fluttershy's eyes widened with surprise, and her head shot up to look him in the eyes, "Oh! Oh, no, Discord, this is sweet, and wonderful. I feel so... happy right now!" Her wings fluttered at her sides, and she smiled at him. "But I need to apologize, too."
Discord frowned. "I don't understand. For what?"
"For scaring you. For not being... more clear about what I meant. I had all these feelings, this perfect moment out there on the side of that mountain, and I was very, very happy, and I opened my mouth and... said something that I should have known would make you uncomfortable. And I'm sorry."
Discord stared at her; her morose expression, and the way that the corners of her eyes glistened with barely restrained tears, and then he began to chuckle. "Fluttershy... are you really apologizing to me? For telling me that you love me?"
Fluttershy nodded, and a small hiccup escaped her lips as she started breathing hard. "I just wasn't thinking."
A thought flashed briefly in Discord's mind, and he struggled with a sudden feeling of terror. "So... you didn't mean it?"
Fluttershy gasped, and shook her head, "N-no! I meant it, I truly did, but... I don't want to hurt our friendship by putting such a burden on you. So, if you don't want me to... to love you, than that's... okay."
Discord frowned. "No. No, no, no." He stood up, and glared at Fluttershy, indignation filling his posture. "Fluttershy, this isn't about just me. This is about you, and asking for what you want. Now is not the time to be timid, my dear. Now is a time for bold moves!"
Fluttershy stared up at him, conflict ranging across her face. Discord bent down and looked her in the eyes. "What do you want? Do you want a friend, or do you want a lover?"
"C-can... can I... ask for both?" Fluttershy said, closing her eyes tightly.
Discord paused at this. He'd never considered this option. He glanced over at Twilight. "Oh, Twilight? Princess of Friendship? Can I be Fluttershy's friend and her special somepony?"
Everypony present at once shouted in unison, "YES."
Discord winced at the cacophonous answer. "Geeze. Okay. Calm down, ponies." He turned his attention back to Fluttershy. "Say the word, Fluttershy, and I'll give you all that and more."
"I choose both," Fluttershy said, opening her eyes and meeting his with a confident, if tearful, gaze.
Discord smiled as relief flooded his body, and all the anxiety unwound from him at once. He was about to speak, when Fluttershy jumped to her hooves, grabbed him by the face, and kissed him gently on the mouth. It was quick, shy, and light, barely a tap, but Discord felt like his heart had exploded twice. Fluttershy smiled, and she was beautiful, like a radiant sun goddess, lit yellow like a halo and pink like a sunset. Behind her, her friends cheered and hollered, stomping their hooves or clapping their claws, but Discord only had eyes for her. He smiled the most honest and sincere smile he'd ever given to somepony. "Apology accepted."