With the guests making themselves at home, the son's and daughter of Discord reconvened in the meeting room where they all sat at the round table in their respected seats. An awkward pause filled the room's atmosphere as the children didn't say a word as they waited for Discord to arrive.
Deciding to break the silence, Cheese Sandwich spoke, "they all seem nice." Cheese said, referring to the guests.
"You say that now, Cheese," Sunset said, "but just you wait until you realize their true intentions."
"Whada ya mean?" Cheese asked, tilting his head.
"It means," Johnny began, "that these gals aren't here for love, they're here for an alliance."
Fancy Pants sighed, "I must agree, it doesn't take an idiot to understand the situation," Fancy glanced at Jonny, "Jonny is living proof of that."
"Love ya too, bro," Johnny said, putting his hind legs on the table and resting his head.
"The point is that we don't know these girls, or guys," Fancy added for Sunset's benefit, "all we know is that they're here for business, nothing more."
This fact sank into Flash, Soarin, and Cheese. They couldn't deny Fancy's point, the girls were only here to ensure that their kingdom would be protected, not for love. Flash wore a saddened expression upon realizing this fact, the mare he had talked to had seemed so kind and nice, but her personality must've been a facade. Sunset noticed Flash's saddened expression,
"I know that it's hard to understand," Sunset reached to hold Flash's hoof, "but-"
Flash withdrew his hoof, making Sunset reel back hers, "You're right, Fancy, we don't know all of these girls or guys. Yet here we are, already making our judgments about them like we've known them for years." Flash began. "It's true that they may have come here only to marry for an alliance but we don't know if that's entirely true. Maybe some of them are here for the hopes to actually find love? Who are we to judge them without enough evidence to back it up?"
Silence returned as the five ponies pondered Flash's statement.
"If I know Fleur De Lis, she's only here with the interest of power." Fancy stated, based off of past experiences. "However, you are right brother. We cannot judge them just yet, it's not fair nor is it right. Therefore, we must give them the benefit of the doubt."
"But we also have to keep in mind to stay clear of those we know who is gonna be trouble," Soarin added. "Me and Lightning Dust, for example, no way is it gonna end well if she and I are together," Soarin stated, glancing over to Sunset. "The same goes for you and Blueblood."
Sunset nodded.
"Johnny, where do you think you're going?" Fancy asked his brother as he walked out.
"I have an appointment." He answered.
"Come again," Flash asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I have an appointment." Johnny reiterated. "I'm gonna go work and do stuff, you guys have fun with the whole ball thing."
"Johnny, you can't just walk away from this." Fancy stated.
"Hey Fancy, look at what I'm doing," Johnny asked rhetorically as he moonwalked out of the room like a baller.
Fancy face hoofed, Sunset sighed, Flash and Soarin chuckled, and Cheese wiped away a tear of pride at how impressive the moonwalk was. Then realization dawned on Cheese and he asked the big question.
"Hey um...does anybody know where King Discord is?" Cheese asked.
Indeed, Discord had not arrived despite him being the one to request all of his children to come and meet him. Unknown to them, Discord was currently preoccupied.
Discord had two moments in his life when he was frozen like a stone statue, the first was when Melody put him in time out, and the second was now when this pony saw his true form. Fluttershy stood in awe at the sight of Discord, her eyes the size of dinner plates and her jaw unhinged. She took a step forward and Discord's reflexes activated as a result. He snapped his fingers and the doors shut closed with several locks appearing over the door. The lights went out which caused Fluttershy to squeak in fear, and when the lights came back on Discord was standing right in front of Fluttershy in his deer form.
"What did you see?" Discord demanded.
"I, um...I..." Fluttershy sputtered.
"WHAT DID YOU SEE?!" Discord roared, the entire room shaking under the weight of his volume.
"Beauty." Fluttershy squeaked, one that Discord's ears picked up on.
"Wh-what?" Discord stuttered.
"I...well, um...you...you looked...you looked...amazing." Fluttershy admitted, a blush forming upon her cheeks.
Discord blinked, a look of utter confusion upon his face. He quickly shook away his confusion and placed a hoof on Fluttershy's forehead. He was going to use his magic to erase her memory but then a pink light shot through his hoof and sent him flying back. He returned to his true form as he laid on the ground, groaning in pain.
Fluttershy gasped before apologizing, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I-..." Fluttershy reached out a hoof to Discord to help him but the moment that she touched Discord he roared in pain as pink magic swirled around the spot where Fluttershy had touched him, leaving the spot on the body turned to stone. Fluttershy recoiled in regret, horror written on her face at the damage she had caused. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine." Discord groaned, returning to his deer form. He used his magic to return the stone portion of his body back to normal. "What is your name?" He asked.
"Fl-...Fluttershy." Fluttershy answered.
"Well then, Fluttershy," Discord began, "tell me, are you good at keeping secrets?"
"Um...sometimes," Fluttershy answered honestly. "If they're really important."
"Well then, this secret is gonna be one that you're gonna have to take to the grave." Discord narrowed his eyes. "You are to tell no one, and I mean no one, of what you saw here." Discord growled, but then realized the terror in the young mare's eyes. He calmed himself and returned his composure. "Look...I apologize for my actions, what I did was wrong and uncalled for. I just..." Discord cringed, "I just...need to be sure that no one knows my true form. Please, I'm begging you, don't tell anyone about this."
Fluttershy stood still for a moment, processing the information she had been given. She nodded her head in understanding, and Discord let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you." He used his magic to remove the locks and the door swung open. "Return to your quarters, and never speak of this." He ordered and Fluttershy left. When Discord was alone he used his magic to collect the remnants of the pink energy that flowed out of Fluttershy. A ball of pink magic formed in Discord's hoof, the magic felt old, really old, yet...
Somewhat familiar.
"Where have you been?"
Fluttershy was broken out of her daze by the orders of Lightning Dust. Fluttershy had returned to the room that the pegasi had been assigned too, with the guidance of some of the guards. On the way, she thought of Discord and the secret she now held, and of the consequences that would follow should she break that promise.
But Fluttershy was also plagued with the image of Discord's true form, Fluttershy had always been fond of animals and their appearance but Discord was something that she had never seen before and, to her, he looks...beautiful. A combination of all kinds of animals in the form of a creature that matched perfectly, not too much and not too little but the perfect amount of each species of creatures.
"Well?"
Fluttershy was once again broken from her daze by Lightning Dust.
"Huh?" She asked dumbfounded.
"My coat," Lightning Dust stated, "did you get it?"
"Umm..." Fluttershy trailed off. She couldn't tell Lightning Dust the truth, or else she would suffer the wrath of Discord. "It...was not there."
A lie, but one that Lightning Dust believed as her mind was preoccupied with more important things.
"You sure were chatting with Soarin a lot on the way here." Lighting Dust said. "Just what were you two talking about?"
"Oh, um...you know, the usual friend stuff." Fluttershy lied once more, not wanting to discuss Soarin's interest in Rainbow Dash.
"I see..." Lightning Dust trailed off. "I'd like to take a bath, come along Fluttershy."
Lightning Dust and Fluttershy entered the bathroom, with a large white tub in the center of the room. All bathrooms were enchanted thanks to Discord's magic to be somewhat sentient, the room instantly knew what Lightning Dust wanted and instantly made accommodations. The faucet turned on and hot water began pouring out, soap was dispensed and mixed with the running water. Candles were lit which gave off a sweet-scented aroma as well as illuminating the room. Lightning Dust slipped into the tub, letting out a pleasant sigh as she did so.
Fluttershy got to work, pouring lotion into her hooves which she massaged into Lightning Dust's back. Being gentle, and slightly firm, with the massage to ensure that Lightning Dust would be satisfied.
"I don't need to remind you how important this wedding is." Lightning Dust began speaking, "An alliance with Chaosville will provide Cloudsdale with exponential resources and a formidable army. Which is why it's imperative that this ball goes without any problems."
While it was true that Lightning Dust had intentions of only marrying in order to form an alliance with Chasoville, but to her, it was her second priority. Her first was to marry her ex, Soarin. The two dated when they were younger and when they were both members of Cloudsdale. That is until Soarin ended their relationship and a couple of months later he became a prince of Chaosville.
"My lady," Fluttershy spoke up to ask a question.
"What is it, Fluttershy?" Lightning Dust asked.
"Have we heard any word back from Lady Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked.
Lightning Dust paused for a moment before answering, "unfortunately, I have not."
When the invitations had been sent out for the ball, Lightning Dust had sent Rainbow on a mission that would delay her. She did this because she knew all too well of Soarin's crush on the rainbow-maned Pegasus, and didn't want the two interfering with her plan.
Suddenly, there was a flash of white light on the side of the tube and an envelope appeared. The envelope, being magical, opened itself up and hovered in front of Lightning Dust for her to read.
"What's it say, what's it say?" Pinkie asked, bouncing with excitement as she waited for Twilight to read the letter she just received.
With a roll of her eyes at Pinkie's joy, she read the letter out loud. "Dear my most humble guests, it is with a pained heart that I must postpone the ball. The reason for this is that I have suddenly become ill as well as other members of other kingdoms have yet to arrive. With that in mind, I have tasked my children with planning activities for each of you to participate in. I ask that you write the name of two of my children you wish to spend the day with and if they chose to, then you will spend that activity with them. Thank you, and apologies."
At the bottom of the letter was a blank area where the name of one of Discord's children was meant to be written.
"Ooh, who ya gonna pick?" Pinkie asked.
Twilight wrote down her response, making sure Pinkie couldn't see her answer. With her answer written, the letter rolled itself up and vanished in a flash of white light.
"Who'd ya pick, Who'd ya pick?" Pinkie asked over and over.
"It's a secret Pinkie," Twilight lightly chuckled, "now then, I'm in the mood for a bath."
Johnny was originally born in Chaosville, he was an orphan but was raised by a well-respected farming family here in Chaosville. They had a business with selling apples in all kinds of ways; apple pie, apple cider, apple slices, caramel apples, you name it and they no doubt sold it. Johnny had been raised by them and respected them his whole life, even when he became a prince he would still come down and help out around the farm.
The farm was placed on the outskirts of the town next to the castle, it had lots of farmland with the barn and silos in the center of the fields. Johnny went up and knocked on the door, he then waited for a response.
The door opened, revealing the two delighted smiles of his two father's who were known by everyone as,
Flim and Flam.