It was a calm and quiet evening down in Ponyville, the moon was full, the bright stars filled the clear night sky. Everypony was fast asleep, except for a certain yellow pegasus and a mischievous draconequus. Discord was walking Fluttershy home from having an evening tea party. Discord had decided on having a tea party at night, so he and Fluttershy could see the twinkling stars and the shimmering moon as they sat on top a small hill.
"Thank you, Discord, for the picnic," Fluttershy said happily. "It was wonderful!"
The draconequss grinned. "But of course, dearest Fluttershy! Anything for you, I'm glad that you enjoyed."
Discord smiled to himself as he was walking Fluttershy back home. The draconequss could've just teleported themselves back to the cottage, but instead of taking the quick route, he wanted to enjoy this moment as long as he could. He looked down on Fluttershy and sighed happily.
It was nice seeing her so happy during that picnic, the draconequus thought. It was surprisingly a good idea actually listening to Cadence for once, however I still prefer doing it my own way and making it all, you know? Exciting. Discord glanced back at the pegasus. Well, it’s sure beats things being stale between us. How was I supposed to know that she'd overreact to being called sweetheart?
"Discord?" a soft voice said, waking him from his thoughts.
The draconequss looked down at the yellow pegasus. She was staring at him, her eyes full of concern.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
Discord blinked for moment, shaking his head. "Who me? Oh, nothing is wrong, my dear. I’m just a bit tired, that’s all.”
“Oh, okay..." she stared down at her hooves with disappointment in her eyes. “You can teleport me back home instead, if you're tired. I don't want to keep you awake."
"Oh, no, no!" Discord uttered, waving up his paw frantically. "I'm fine with walking."
Fluttershy was quiet for a moment. "Well, as long as you're okay," she smiled as a small flush crept on her face. "Let's get going."
The two looked away from the other, and neither of them spoke as they continued their walk. Only the sound of crickets chirping in the night helped fill the quiet void between them, until Discord broke the silence.
“What made you think something was wrong?”
“Hm?”
“Did I do anything out of character of me today?”
“Well...actually, there is something,” The yellow pegasus said, biting her lip nervously. “It was the picnic. Not that I want to be rude or anything, but it felt strangely mundane.”
Discord turned his head slightly, raising a brow from confusion. “How so?”
“Well, there wasn’t anything escaping the law of gravity, inanimated objects becoming alive, and most especially you, Discord,” she stared into his eyes with surprise. “You didn’t even defy the rules of reality for two hours. It felt...normal. Even I was beginning to think you forgot how to use your magic.”
Discord’s eyes widened in surprise. He never knew she had kept track of his chaos, even knowing how long of time when he doesn’t use his magic and what chaos he creates.
Discord chuckled. “I didn’t know you cared so much about my magic, Fluttershy, but there’s no need to worry about my chaos. It’s still here!"
He snapped his talons, and a trio of three pink butterflies like Fluttershy’s cutie mark appeared flapping around Fluttershy nose.
Fluttershy gave the draconequss a stern look. “Discord, they better not be from my cutie mark again.”
He smirked. “Would I really do that again?”
“Y-Yes, you...w-would!...Heheh!”
She started to giggle in delight as they flew around her face, tickling her. “Heh..that’s enough, Discord...heh, put them back now!"
“Aww, but they were having so much fun,” Discord snapped his talons again, and the butterflies disappeared. “You should let them have some breath of fresh air once in a while.”
“Yes, I know. But it doesn’t feel right with them not being where they’re supposed to be.”
He let out a sigh of satisfaction. “I supposed so. Now c’mon, let’s get going.”
“Yeah, lets.”
As they continued to stroll the clear night, Discord noticed a small patch of daisies in front of them. As they past them, he took a quick glance at Fluttershy, just in case she wasn't looking before he hid his hand behind his back. He snapped his talons and a clone of himself popped out from behind him.
Go get a flower, and the most perfect one at that!
The clone nodded his head without hesitation, and went off to do his task. He grabbed a medium-sized daisy and surried back to his original. The clone tapped Discord, and Discord's face appeared behind his head. He looked at it curiously, and then he tapped his finger on it and the white petals become pink, and a swirl of pink and brown appeared on the center of it.
Perfect! He smiled proudly to himself. Can’t let her think that I’m becoming predictable, now can I?
The clone nodded in response.
Now put the flower behind her ear and make sure she doesn't notice! And then you may go back inside my head.
The clone complied and quickly placed the flower behind Fluttershy's ear. Then the clone snapped his talons and disappeared. Discord glanced back down at Fluttershy, and smirked in delight.
Gotta have my own way of doing it, instead of having Princess Lovey-Doovy doing it for me.
The rest of the walk was silent as Fluttershy and Discord reached Fluttershy's cottage. As they got to the cottage door, Discord, using his magic to unlock the door, opened the door for Fluttershy.
He bowed his head as he gestured her inside. "Mares first."
"Thank you, Discord." She smiled at the sight of him being a gentlepony and felt her cheeks turn crimson.
Fluttershy entered her cottage and said her goodnight to Discord, after the draconequss said his goodbyes, and left for his castle in the sky, Fluttershy felt a strange ache in her chest. She frowned as closed the door, she wanted Discord to stay, but she didn't tell him because she knew he had to leave, and it was already getting too late.
The yellow pegasus let out a tired sigh, and slowly trotted to her room, thinking why she felt so sad and wondering why her chest was aching. As she got into bed, she accidentally knocked over a small picture frame, sitting on her bedside.
Picking it up, she noticed it was a picture of her and the draconequss. They were sitting in a grassy plain after one of their picnics, Fluttershy was sitting under the sun, and Discord was sitting next to her, braiding pink and purple flowers in her pink mane with a goofy grin imprinted on his face.
Fluttershy felt a small smile tug at her lips as she stared at the picture. Her cheeks turning rose pink, as her heart started to pound again, even faster then before.
Fluttershy placed her hoof on her chest. “Why is this happening...”
Fluttershy paused as her eyes caught an odd-looking flower, gently floating down. The flower softly landed on the picture frame right next to Discord.
She picked up the flower and stared at it curiously. It appeared to be a pink daisy with pink and brown swirl in the middle of it.
She looked down at the frame, then at the flower, and then back at the frame. Her dilated eyes widened in surprise as a thought popped into her head:
"Do...do...I have feelings for Discord?"
Fluttershy paced back and forth endlessly, thinking about the times her and Discord had spent together. About how he was always so kind and gentle around her, and yet acting so different around her friends, especially when she went on a trip to see the Breezies. Even today when he, all of a sudden, appeared and started insisting on going on a picnic at night. She wouldn't really had questioned it if it weren't for the draconequss not appearing for almost a week, and him hardly acting like himself at the picnic.
About the time when he was supposed to be capturing Tirek, and he came to talk to them about the chest. When he appeared, she always smiled up at him, she always laughed at his antics, and even when everyone was doubting him about capturing Tirek, she told them to trust him. But when she found out he betrayed them, it broke her heart, but forgave him for his mistakes so easily after Tirek was defeated.
"Maybe it was because he was my friend, and I had to give him a second chance," she muttered to herself. "maybe I felt bad for him, because he was betrayed as well, maybe...maybe," she paused, and glanced back at the small picture frame on her bedside table. "Maybe it was because I cared too much for him to ever stay mad at him."
The yellow pegasus grunted in frustration to herself, confused on how her best draconequss friend turned into a sudden admirer. She decided to wait until morning to figure out everything, she slid into bed and closed her eyes. I wonder if Discord like likes me too?
Her thoughts soon followed into her dreams as she found herself in the middle of a flowery meadow with the very draconequss that plagued her thoughts, sitting right next to her. They were at a picnic, but something felt a little...off about it, Fluttershy couldn't put her hoof on it.
Perhaps it was because of all of Fluttershy's favorite animals were there, surrounding them in a circle, looking innocently at her. Maybe it was because the draconequss himself looked different, he looked more...handsome, his mane was brushed perfectly, and even flowing strangely, even through there was no wind that she could feel.
"Fluttershy..." he said in a hypnotic voice.
Fluttershy yelped from his sudden voice. "Y-Y-Yes," she squeaked. "Yes, Discord?"
The handsome draconequss started twiddling his fingers, and looked down at red and pink checkered picnic blanket with a twinge of doubt in his eyes. "Fluttershy, I've been wondering about this for a while now...do...do you have a crush on me?"
The confused pegasus jumped in surprise. "Wait, what!?" she yelled in surprise. "I-I-I mean, what makes you say that?"
Discord smirked. "Well, for one thing, you're as red as a tomato right now," he explained. "and you're always happy when you see me, you laugh at my antics, and your my first friend," he patted her head softly, and smiled. "But please, don't change the subject. Answer me this, do you have feelings for me?" he questioned, sounding honest yet desperate. "Because I think you have one on me as well as I have one on you."
Fluttershy was silent for a moment. "Wait, you have a crush on me?" she frowned, cocking her head. "But I'm not even pretty and even that interesting."
The draconequss gasped dramatically. "Oh, sure you are, Fluttershy! Don't be so modest, my dear. But still, answer my question...please."
Fluttershy gulped as she started darting her eyes to a possible escape route, but only kept meeting the innocent eyes of the small critters, their faces etched with eagerness as if they too were waiting for her answer.
"Fluttershy, please answer me." The draconequss asked once more.
Fluttershy bit her lip as she felt the cool drips of sweat slide down her face and off her checks. The faces still looking at her with now disappointment in their eyes. Fluttershy felt the eyes closing in on her, staring down at her, she started trembling in fear.
With her lip quivering in fear, she tried to say something but she was at a loss of words. She only managed to stammer, incoherent words, "B-b-but I-I do I m-mean I-I d-d...uh..."
The pegasus became quiet, and slowly looked up at the waiting draconequss. The once eagerness that had laid on Discord's excited face now faded into a disappointed frown; his ears drooped, he hung his head in shame, and his uneven eyes stared at her with sorrow in them. He snapped his fingers, and the innocent critters disappeared in a flash of bright light.
The draconequss sighed heavily as he turned his face towards the empty meadow. "I guess it's a 'no' then..."
Regret soon washed over the timid mare as she stared sadly at the lonely draconequss, muttering softly to himself under his breath. Reaching out her hoof, she placed it on his shoulder.
"Oh, Discord. I didn't mean to hurt-" she started to say before the draconequss swatted her hoof away.
"No, I'm sorry." he said, without facing the pegasus.
Without warning, Discord disappeared in flash of light, leaving Fluttershy all alone.
As the lonely pegasus looked frantically for the missing draconequss, the meadow started to fade away. The pegasus cried out in horror as she soon felt herself fall into an empty, dark abyss, her wings felt heavy as rock as she tried to fly up, tears filled her eyes as she got pulled down into the dark, empty abyss.
"Discord, come back!" Fluttershy cried out. "Help me!"
Her unreciprocated cries for help only became distant echoes in the darkness.
Fluttershy sat up in bed with a loud gasp. Angel Bunny was next to her, rubbing his soft paws against her, he squeaked in delight once he saw his owner was awake.
"Oh, Angel!" Fluttershy bawled as she lifted the bunny to her face and nuzzled his soft white fur. "It's so good to see you!" Fluttershy sighed in relief. "Thank goodness, it just a bad dream. It felt so real!"
The bunny squeaked at her, as if to say; What was the dream about?
Fluttershy looked down at the floor nervously. "Well...it involved Discord."
The rabbit glared at her.
"I know, I know," she said firmly. "you don't like him. But I promise he didn't do anything bad to me."
Angel sqeaked in response to her; Then what happened?
The pegasus bit her lip nervously. "Look, I'll tell you later. But, just to let you know..." Fluttershy closed her eyes, bracing herself. "I may or may not have feelings for...Discord."
She slowly opened her eyes to see Angel's jaw dropped. The rabbit stomped his white paw in response.
"I know what you're thinking, and I can assure you, he did not put me under some spell. He's my friend, he wouldn't do that."
He crossed his paws and stuck out his tongue.
"Don't do that, Angel," she said softly, taking him up in her hooves. "Discord's good, and he's been always helping us," she patted his head softly. "Look, after we feed the animals, we can talk about this."
As Fluttershy slid out of bed, she noticed the flower laying on the floor, as she picked up the flower, she heard a loud knock at the door. Quickly, she placed the flower on her bedside and rushed to answer the door, Fluttershy met her multi-colored maned friend, Rainbow Dash, looking tired and frustrated, and she had blue cotton candy stuck in her hair.
"Good morning, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said nervously. "...What happened to you?"
"Mornin, Flutters, " The blue pegasus said quickly, as she panted in exhaustion. "Look, Twilight and the others are in the Friendship castle, and we need you right away! And it's urgent!"
Fluttershy frowned in confusion. "What is it? What happened?"
"What happened?" Rainbow Dash questioned, lifting an eyebrow. "Haven't you looked outside? There's blue cotton candy clouds that's raining root beer, and other chaotic things are happening all over town!"
The color drained from Fluttershy's face as she froze in place. She quickly glanced toward the window and peered outside. Terror overtook her face as she saw a small glimpse of chaos happening outside; there were blue clouds zipping across the sky, raining root beer. She turned back towards the blue pegasus with a worried look in her eyes.
"Y-You don't think it's Discord's doing, do you?"
"Of course, I think it's Discord!” Rainbow Dash snapped angrily. "Who else would chaos? Princess Luna?"
The yellow pegasus shook her head, her lips trembling in fear. "No, no, it couldn't be Discord! He's fully reformed now, isn't he?"
"It doesn't seem like that way to me! Now c'mon, Flutters, let's go!" She exclaimed, pushing Fluttershy out the door.
"Okay, I'm going, but let me just feed the animals first," she said, before a flash of light covered the animals. Soon the animals gained large heads in unequal proportions to their small bodies, the yellow pegasus’ eyes gawked at the sight of them. "Or they can wait until after we come back."
As Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash stepped outside, the yellow pegasus gasped in horror as she saw the chaos that was surrounding them; winged cows, donkeys climbing up trees, ballet-dancing lions, and the strange blue cotton candy clouds that rained root beer.
"This isn't like Discord," Fluttershy said, rubbing her head in disbelief. "He wouldn't just start causing chaos like this, and I mean look at this chaos, Discord's cotton candy clouds are pink not blue."
"Maybe, he's trying to make it different, Fluttershy, I don't know," the blue pegasus pressed, as she opened her wings. “Let's just get to the castle before it starts raining larks again."
"Alright...” the pegasus was silent for moment, then her eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, raining larks?!"
"That's Discord for ya." the blue pegasus said, rolling her eyes.