Applejack and Discord scowled toward Concordia, as AJ shouted again.
"So what if it is against the natural order?! When you love someone, really love someone, it don't matter!"
Spike gapped when seeing how passionate she said that and she was even looking straight at him with pleading eyes. Could it be…? Did she…?
But before he could dwell on it further, Concordia screeched.
"Discord! What are you doing out of your stone prison?!"
Discord gave a smug look, "I got out, thanks to Celestia, and…" he popped to Fluttershy's side and held her shoulders, "This exquisite mare right here! She helped reformed me."
Fluttershy blushed when he called her, 'exquisite'. It made her fall deeper in love with him.
Concordia's gawked when she saw their eyes exchanging lovingly looks causing her to shout out, "YOU TOO?! What in the world of Equestria is going on?! Interspecies relationships are not supposed to happen!"
Discord chuckled, "Oh, Concordia, a lot of things have change in Equestria… Remember how the three pony tribes never married out of their race?"
She furrowed a brow, "Yes, it supposed to keep the tribes going so they can exceed in numbers of their own race. Why…?"
"Well, nowadays, ponies marry whatever race they want." he gave a slight snicker.
Concordia blinked in bewilderment.
Discord continued, "Not only that, but they can marry whatever gender they want!"
Concordia stiffened.
Applejack added, "It's true, Bon-Bon and Lyra say their best friends but everyone knows much in love they are in. They maybe both mares but hey, everyone deserves love in their life."
Spike and Fluttershy agreed.
"ENOUGH! THIS IS NOT HOW EQUESTRIA SHOULD BE!" she panted while all four gave off worried looks toward her reaction and she said in a serious tone with anger in her eyes, "Celestia has fallen far from her rule… She had forced me away from the ponies so I cannot give them the natural order of their lives… Oh, how my mother would be ashamed… Celestia is not worthy of wielding the Elements of Harmony anymore… Therefore I must now wield the Elements myself to restore harmony…"
Spike spoke up, "But you can't! The Elements belong to the bearers now! Fluttershy is the Element of Kindness and Applejack is the Element of Honesty! The rest of our friends hold the Elements as well!"
Concordia eyed the ponies present and slowly said, "Is that so…? You are the new Elements of Harmony?"
Applejack stood her ground, "That's right, and we've been spreading Harmony now for a long time so whatever you think is Harmony is not…"
Fluttershy pointed, "The Tree of Harmony gave Twilight a castle and a map that allows us to go to places that have a friendship problem and we help mend those friendships."
Concordia gasped and sputtered, "But-but-but how is that possible?! The Tree was only supposed to store the Elements!"
Discord shrugged, "Beats me. I'm still not sure how that tree gave a chest full of Rainbow Power that had to be unlocked by six keys that used to be personal items in the first place." he quickly said, "Of course, that never would have happen if my plunder seeds hadn't deplete the Tree and needed the Elements to replenish it."
"Then it is your fault that the Elements of Harmony were force to rely on other beings to have magic that should not be theirs!" she told the mares, "You are not worthy to carry my mother's harmony magic!"
Discord, not liking the sound of that, scowled, "Now wait-a-minute, Concordi-aaaaaa!" he yelped when he felt Concordia's magic binding him and Spike was bind too as they were stuck to the gem wall.
The girls tried to rush to them but were stopped when Concordia pointed her horn at them and suddenly they felt their harmony magic being drained from them making them feel weak.
The guys shouted, "NO!"
Spike struggled and demanded to Discord, "Can't you get us out of this?!"
Discord growled, "I wish. But Concordia is the opposite to my chaos, I can't override it!"
Fluttershy and Applejack felt weaker by the second until finally Concordia stopped and they dropped to the ground. Discord and Spike had watched in horror and again struggled with their bonds. Concordia permitted them free as they went to their fair maidens' side.
Spike held Applejack's head and caressed her cheek. AJ looked at him with weary eyes and managed a small smile as she touched his cheek.
He softly said, "I know we made a promise to avoid situations that required saving each other's lives… but I would have gladly broken that promise for the sake of your well-being…"
Applejack gave out a tiny laugh, "It's a good thing then we didn't make that a Pinkie-Promise…"
He smiled.
Discord held Fluttershy in his arms with near tears in his eyes, "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"
"It's not your fault…" she weakly said.
"Oh, but it is, Fluttershy… Had I told you about Concordia ahead of time, you would have been more careful in dealing with her. I'm sorry I didn't tell you this but I was almost betrothed to her, but I never loved her that I swear."
"So… you were almost force to an arranged marriage?"
"That's right."
"How awful… I could never force you to marry someone you don't love…"
"I certainly hope not… Not when I rather have you for a wife…"
She gasped.
He sighed, "I know, I know, I don't deserve someone like you but I couldn't help myself… I was going to confess to you in a whole different way, I was going to sing to you like the way you sing but… I guess it's pointless now…"
"Oh, Discord… do you mean it…? Every word…?"
He smiled, "Every word. I love you, Fluttershy."
She smiled back, "I love you too, Discord."
His heart pounded like crazy when he heard those sweet words.
Spike sighed, "I guess you heard me telling Concordia that l love you, uh?"
Applejack said, "Maybe a little… but… I would love to hear you say it to me…" she smiled.
He gave a loving glance as he said, "I love you, Applejack. I have for awhile now… That's why I came here, I was going to give you a golden apple as proof that I no longer hold an interest for Rarity as you are and will always be the apple of my eye."
Tears of joy welled in her eyes, "I love you too, Spike. But I couldn't tell you sooner without making sure you moved on but at the same time all I wanted was your happiness…"
Spike felt his heart bursting with pure delight, after years of pursuing Rarity hoping she would love him in return, but when it never came he went on to someone better who in fact loved him this whole time! It was an amazing feeling of having love returned to you and he promise to himself he would always treasure this feeling.
Concordia had watched the scene with mixed feelings. She admired what the lovers were saying to each other but at the same time she couldn't invest in their romances due to their different species. Then when it looked like the lovers were about to kiss, she quickly stepped in and stated.
"I still do not approve of your relationships. But I am willing to make a bargain with you."
Discord and Spike glance at each other before scowling at Concordia.
"What kind of bargain?" Discord stipulated.
"I will give the mares their harmony magic back and let them go home if you and the dragon stay here."
The boys had wide eyes before Spike asked, "And if we do stay?"
"I will have you guarding my jewel collection while Discord marries me to keep the balance in Equestria just as my mother intended."
"No!" both the girls weakly protested.
Fluttershy begged, "Don't do it, Discord!"
AJ clutched Spike's claw, "Spike, I refuse to be a bargaining chip that causes your unhappiness."
The boys looked at each other and wordlessly, they shared a mutual agreement. Their minds were made up long before Concordia made the deal.
Discord spoke up, "We accept your bargain."
The girls gasped.
Spike whispers while touching his forehead to AJ's, "No matter what happens… I will always love you…"
Discord kissed Fluttershy's forehead, "Always remember that you were the only one I will ever love in my life…"
The girls were speechless when they suddenly felt their magic returning but before they regained their full strength they were suddenly teleported by Concordia before having a chance to say goodbye to their loves.