//------------------------------// // Chapter 28: Making Amends part 2 // Story: The Singing Heart // by Toonsgirl //------------------------------// "So what is the trouble?" Discord asked. He, Celestia, and Luna were seated around in a round table that was reserved for royals whenever they have council meetings. All royals revealed looks of worry, confusion, and fear. "We have all gathered around to talk about the Countess Starlight Glimmer," King Rutherford stated. "Currently, she's been trying to replace monarchy with democracy by planning to hurt the us one by one. Just like she told her followers! If we don't put a stop to this, Equestria will be ruined!" Discord understood what they meant by that. "Starlight wanted to create opportunities for mares and low class ponies," Spoiled Rich pointed out. "Although the idea of giving jobs to low class ponies is ridiculous!" "Beg your pardon, Spoiled Rich," Ayaan disagreed. "This is what she plans to do after killing all of us in order to accomplish her all-equal society. I also had discovered that it was Starlight who had taken some of my subjects to be her followers! Her army had stormed into my country months ago, and persuaded my ponies to go with her! It seemed to me that the more followers she gathers, the sooner she'll murder us!" "Aah, that mad mare is probably coming to Ponyville and brainwash my subjects to assasinate me and my family!" Filthy Rich freaked out. "I have a suggestion," Duke of Maretonia spoke. "Somepony should go and find out who is Starlight planning to kill first so they could stop her from trying to wreck the government system. One of us will have to do it." "I'll go," Luna volunteered. "I have known these parts of Equestria well. And it is my time to raise the moon up anyway." "Let me come along, Luna," Discord added. He conjured up a scoreboard in his claws. "I have a score to settle with her..." "No Discord!" Celestia warned him firmly. "It is too dangerous! Starlight would injure you easily because you, as a chimera, are a much bigger target for her than the other royals, who were regular ponies." Discord morphed into a gray pony. "Um, Hello! Have you forgotten that I can disguise myself? I am just as capable-more capable than any of you! Starlight has done many unforgivable things-including hurting my precious nanny!" "But Discord, Celestia has a point! What if-" Luna began but was shushed by the frustrated chimera. Blue steam flew from his ears and his eyes glowed. "Look Luna, either we can work together or trip over each other to see who will get the leader first!" he snapped. He crossed his arms as his ears stopped steaming and his eyes reduced from glowing. "So what's it going to be?" Every royal looked at Luna. It did not take long for the moon queen decide her answer. She understood that Discord wanted to confront Starlight for hurting Fluttershy. "I'll make sure he's safe, Celestia," she finally said. Her elder sister sighed and reluctantly gave them permission to go. Discord poofed himself and Luna faster than lightning out of the castle. Trixie galloped as fast as she could. She hoped to make it to her camp before sunset! Eventually, the blue unicorn reached her destination. Trotting forward, Trixie entered into one of the tents where her leader sat. "THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE...has got that deadly mucus you asked for!" The blue pony held her can out with magic through her horn, proudly. Starlight Glimmer gently, took the can with her magic. "Thank you, Trixie!" she smiled. "I knew you can do it! After this war, is over, I'll give you another medal!" Starlight Glimmer held the can in her hooves and thought of her late husband and friend, Sunburst. Tears welled up, remembering his voice, his eyes... "Don't worry, Sunburst, I will avenge your death!" she sobbed. Suddenly, there was a sound of Poof and clouds, that made their hearts stop. Trixie screamed so loud that it would make your ears ring. Starlight was so terrified at the sight of Luna and Discord that she dropped the can. It smashed to the floor into pieces. The purple unicorn did not expect them, of all ponies, to show up out of nowhere! Nor did she expect them to teleport her, her friend, and her army away from their campsite. As soon as Luna and Discord teleported back to Canterlot, he immediately poofed Starlight's followers in the dungeon, after magically tying them up in metal chains. Starlight was chained up with his magical blue handcuffs. She was the only one not to be thrown in prison because the King wanted to have a hard talk with her. A very long hard talk. Thus, the chimera took her into an Interrogation room which was next to the dungeons. Luna went off to report to her sister that Starlight and her army have been founded. Discord roughly dragged the light purple pony into the room and sat her down on a stool by a brown table. He snapped his fingers and lit a lamp that hovered on the ceiling. It's light was so bright that almost blinded his prisoner. Starlight hissed at feeling her flank numb with pain on her seat. She would have grab her flank and rub it if she were not handcuffed. Discord cleared his throat and glared daggers at Starlight. Two small flaming daggers appeared from his eyes, causing the leader to scream. He quickly encased her in a bubble, so she would not try to run away. "What's the matter?" He snapped. "Never seen daggers before? Wow, you are so pathetic!" The daggers went away right away. The prisoner gave him a death glare, hearing his insult. "LET ME GO, YOU FITLHY BEAST!" Discord's eyes glowed a dangerous color of orange-yellow. His head also lit on fire, making Starlight scream again. "MADAM, IT IS YOU WHO IS THE BEAST!" "HOW DARE YOU TAKE ME AND MY SOLDIERS HOSTAGE!" "HOW DARE ME!? HOW DARE YOU TRY TO HURT OTHER PONIES, ESPECIALLY CHANGELINGS!" "Why do you care so much, your royal angry pants?" Starlight challenged. The King opened the bubble and punched Starlight in the muzzle. His punch was so hard that it gave the pony a bloody muzzle. "Don't speak to me in that way," he whispered in an icy voice. He closed her up in a bubble, as the pony held her muzzle. "You have been causing a lot of trouble lately in the past several months. Recently, you kidnapped my nanny! Why did you do it?" "I'm not telling you!" Starlight sneered. Discord pounded on the table and the bubble turned into ice, making the pony wrap her arms as she shivered. "Answer me or else-" "I don't need to tell you anything, you disgusting beast!" the countess spat. "Out of all those annoying royals, you were the worst. You were always voicing your opinions against me! I thought your nanny would confide me in your weaknesses or something, for me to use against you and Chrysalis! But she proved to be useless because she did not know anything at all." "What made you decide to attack me now?" Discord demanded. "I never proved to be a threat to you!" "Actually, you did!" Starlight scoffed. "You were planning to marry my arch nemesis, Lady Chrysalis. If you two marry, you will both plan your attack against me!" Discord gritted his teeth and tightened his fists. "Why in the world would I do that? And you should not worry, I broke the engagement off with that horrible mare!" "Hah!" Starlight bitterly laughed. "A likely story! If that were true, then why wasn't it in the news? But no matter, I was willing to get rid of Chrysalis anyway so all ponies can live equally with one another. And not be hurt by those disgusting green bugs, who are a disgrace to all pony kind!" "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY LIVES YOU HAVE RUINED!?" Discord exploded. Images of Mothball crying out for his parents, filled in his mind. His paw and claw turned into iron fists before he pounded them on the table, almost breaking it. "YOU BROKE INTO MANY TOWNS, STOLE EVERYPONY'S FAMILIES AWAY! HECK, YOU EVEN KIDNAPPED A YOUNG CHANGELING'S PARENTS! AND THERE IS NO TELLING HOW MANY PONIES DIED IN YOUR CAVE! WHY ARE YOU SPECIEST AGAINST ANYONE THAT IS NOT A PONY?" ARE YOU JEALOUS OR SOMETHING-" "SHUT UP!" The pony leader screamed back at him. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH! YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LOVE SOMEONE ONLY TO HAVE THEM BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU!" Her eyes misted as Sunburst swirled around in her mind. She crossed her arms and turned away from the chimera. She would not let him see her cry. Her words made Discord's heart tighten, thinking back to how he almost lost Fluttershy. He closed his eyes and turned his head away trying to conceal his sad look. "I do, Starlight," he said softly. "I do." True, he had found his nanny, but he wondered if they could ever repair their friendship. Now, you'd think that Starlight would turn around at Discord's answer. But the pony did not because she did not believe that Discord had ever lost someone to Chrysalis before. The door opened and the Queen of the Moon appeared. Discord quickly poured bird doo doo over the bubble. Then he got up and poofed over to Luna. "Has she said anything important?" The Queen of the Night asked. Her ally responded by summoning a green folder with containing information of Starlight Glimmer's. Luna looked through the folder, and read a page that showed the countess' answers to her answers to the chimera's questions. "That is all she had to say," Discord grumbled. "It is apparent she would not talk anymore." "Let me take over," Luna said. "Perhaps, I can pick up from where you left off and break her. Her muzzle became repulsed at the dirty bubble. "And could you please get rid the bubble?" "Oh very well," Discord mumbled, snapping his fingers. He made the bubble disappear and in place, was Starlight wrapped up tightly in rusty chains. The chimera did not care that the pony landed unceremoniously on the chair. "Perhaps, I'll take my leave." "Wait!" Starlight shouted, making the draconequess stop in his tracks. "A couple of days ago or so, Trixie stole some mucus from the Tatzlewurm. She and I have planned on using the mucus to weaken Lady Chrysalis. But then a changeling came and stole it!" The King's eyes widened and he poofed over to where he was sitting before and glared at the prisoner. "Where did they take the mucus?" Discord questioned, harshly. "Who do they plan on using it?" "I don't know!" the lavender mare whimpered. She gasped as she felt the King's claw grabbing her by the throat and strangling her. "TALK, TALK, TALK!" Discord screeched. "I-I-can't because I don't know!" Starlight choked. "Let her go, Discord," Luna spoke gravely. "It is apparent she is not ready to talk." The chimera released he pony and watched her plop down to the ground. Then he snapped his fingers, and with a poof, Starlight Glimmer was back in the dungeons with her comrades. "Well, that was a waste of time!" His Majesty grumbled. He and Luna walked out of the room and into the hallway. "Not completely, Discord," Luna disagreed. "We may not know why Starlight was hurting the changelings but it must have something to do with Lady Chrysalis. We also know that one of the changelings had stolen the Tatzlewurm's mucus that was meant for her. Has Lady Chrysalis mention anything to you about Starlight?" "Not really," Discord sighed. "She has never said anything to me about Starlight other than how much she hates her speeches as much as I do." "Maybe she had a past with Starlight?" Luna wondered. "She implied that something happened to them." "From what I heard, perhaps Chrysalis was the one who took somebody away that meant a lot to Starlight. It was so bad that it caused our 'beloved countess' to snap!" Discord theorized. "It seems likely," Luna commented, still unsure. "You know she has her posse with her," Discord reminded the midnight alicorn. "We could talk to Trixie." Just as they turned around the corner, they jumped when they saw Fluttershy in front of them! "Fluttershy?" Discord spoke. Fluttershy was taken aback from seeing the royals unexpectedly. She had felt bad for not trusting her former employer. Unable to sleep, the pegasus had gotten out of her bed to find Discord and apologize to him. She was walking around trying to find Disord before she turned the corner. How was she supposed to know that DIscord would be turning the corner, too? Along with Luna? Taking a deep breath, she bowed to them. "Hello, Your Highness and Your Majesty." She still felt afraid to look at Discord, and missed the disappointment in his eyes in response to her not calling him by his real name. "Evening, my little pony," Luna expressed politely. "But why are you up? Shouldn't you be in bed?" "I want to speak with him," Fluttershy answered, referring to her former employer. "If it's all right with you." The draconequus felt his heart leap in surprise. She wanted to talk to him!? He dared to hope that there was a possible future for them. "Of course!" He eagerly replied. "Luna, you go ahead and interrogate Trixie." Then he snapped his fingers and poofed himself and Fluttershy to the Canterlot gardens. "No need to tell me twice," The queen playfully rolled her eyes. Now the pegasus and the draconequus were sitting down inside a gazebo made out of marble. She glanced around the grass and the flowers, and took deep breaths, trying to ease her worry. Just calm down, Fluttershy! Everything is going to be okay. Just say you're sorry. Why is she so nervous? Discord wondered, facing his love. She did nothing wrong. "Discord?" "Flutterhsy?" They chuckled and turned pink, realizing that they spoke at the same time. "You go first," Discord smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "No, you go first," Fluttershy voiced, smiling. "Oh no, ladies first." "But Discord-" "I insist!" Fluttershy sighed. "I-I just want to apologize." "What for?" Discord blinked. "You did nothing wrong!" "I was a fool!" the mare moaned, covering her muzzle with her hooves. "I jumped to conclusions when Chrysalis tricked me! And when you tried to tell me the truth, I did not believe you! For that I am really really sorry!" "It wasn't your fault, Fluttershy!" The King expressed his concern. "Don't worry about it. Anypony could have fallen for Chrysalis's tricks! She has been known for taking the form of someone you love and feed off your love." "I know," Fluttershy murmured. "Emerald and Thorax told me." "What did Chrysalis say to you when she pretended to be me?" Discord asked her. Not that he did not know but whatever that witch told his former nanny, must have tainted their friendship. Fluttershy shivered as she recounted her last day at the castle. "The fact that the idea of you and I getting married is, how she put it, "laughable!" All because it was against the law!" She sniffled and her eyes so tears form in her eyes. "She was right, it wouldn't work!" She was quickly scooped up into the arms of her lover. "Oh sweet Fluttershy, don't cry," the chimera whispered gently. He was horrified at what she had to put up with from his fiancé. He held her securely and rested his chin on top of her mane. His claw brushed the mare's pink locks behind her ear. Lifting her head up, Discord locked eyes with his beloved. "Ignore what that horrible changeling told you!" he told her firmly. "She had no right to tell you who gets married and who doesn't! Only I can decide who I want to marry! The economic status of a mare should not matter!" "But Discord, the law says-" "To Tatarus with the law!" Discord barked. "I'm the King! I can do whatever I want!" Fluttershy raised her eyebrow at him. "Okay, maybe not whatever I want," Discord quickly added. Fluttershy's look made him wince and sweat cherry juice. He still didn't understand why he had to get Celestia's permission to change the royal marriage laws. Not only did he have to get her approval but also votes from other royals, too. Why must he go through this if he wanted to fix the marriage laws? Just because Starlight went around changing things without asking permission from Celestia? It must be that reason. But whatever it takes to have Fluttershy be his love. "But I know one thing, you are the only one that I want. At first, I was looking for someone to be a mother to my children. Now, I realized that I don't just want a mother figure, I want a wife! Someone who could love me and the children! You're the one mare that I want to spend the rest of my life with, just like in my dreams!" The King took his chance to serenade Fluttershy. Fluttershy looked away, blushing. She could feel her heart skipping a beat. Just like it always does whenever she's with him. Discord cupped her muzzle with his paw and claw, and turned her to face him again, smiling so tenderly. He smiled at her blushing. Fluttershy glanced up at the evening sky and levitated toward it. She smiled sweetly at her lover and sang as if she knew the song very well. Discord looked at her in mesmerized by her flight and beauty. She floated down and landed gently in his arms, continuing the song. The King locked lips with Fluttershy. His mouth on her was gentle but desperate. He pushed her up against the wall, never breaking the kiss. Joy rushed through the pegasus, as she closed her eyes. Fluttershy moaned at feeling the warmth of Discord's wet lips. It was like happiness she had never knew! She hoped it would never end.