Apple tree
Its been a few days since this event, as Discord and his wife sat in their little lake house, but this time Angel was along with them. Surprising enough the rabbit behaved for once, so Discord didn't pay to much attention towards him... except once, as he used his magic to make a golden carrot appear. Of course it was eatable and just a decoy to get that pesky longear out of the house for a while, since it never ever could finish eating it, sitting with Fluttershy in front of their new chimney, cuddling up under a soft red blanket, as he explained to her what actually had happened, having pride swinging in his voice.
"You should had seen your self! That wana-be-alicorn had not the slightest chance! I could not had done it better my self... oh, she wont dare to come back ever again!"
The yellow mare listened carefully and felt a excited about it. Fluttershy could not remember or even image to be this strong and wild – able to defeat something scary as Nightmare Moon on her own!
"...but why didn't you chose Twilight?"
"Well... i... didn't felt like it".
She gave him a serious glance and made him sigh.
"Fine. If you must know: ...she could not had handled it, like you did."
"W-what you mean? She is so good with magic and su-" as he put his finger onto her lips.
"I didn't say it was about the magic... it was ..." how could he put it delightfully "it was about you." He tapped her nose once, which made it tickle a little, so she rubbed it with her hoof.
It was to cute to watch.
"You see, my powers ain't just any ordinary come-along-alicorn-magic... they are..." as he leaned down to place his lips close to her ear, to whisper the most secret thing ever told anypony "...chaos."
Discord now continued to walk up and down in front of her, which was absolute necessary for his explanations.
"You see, the poor TwiTwi... she would been corrupted in a matter of minutes, Rarity probably seconds... and the others i don't know..." giving her a short glance, raising his eyebrows "unlike you... i knew, you would not be corrupted that easy... after all, you are the kindest pony there is...!"
Now his wife began to understand what he was trying to say, making shrinking a little in size
"... i´m not, anything special..." shyly rubbing her hooves on one another.
This made him laugh and he had to get up "ain't special!? Are you kidding me! I ran through all of Equestria, blew up a howl city and time traveled twice ... just to get you back!" his voice now became a lot softer "and i would had traded all my powers to keep it that way" as he kneed down and kissed her hoof upwards until he was kissing the side of her neck, making her giggle.
"Had not done it for anypony else ... my beloved Fluttershy!"
"Oh Discord" she blushed.
Than she suddenly came back to what he just sad "Wait... y-you blew up a city?"
His mouth opened but it was more of a croak than words "Ieiiiiiiiiii..................."
when suddenly a tingling feeling run down his spine "Sorry, got to go!" giving her a quick kiss on the forehead, zapping himself quickly back to Ponyville.
"Huff... close one" he sighed, as he noticed the filly that had summoned him, they probably stood somewhere in the middle of apple acres, all around them hundred of apple trees as far the eye reached.
"Oh, its you" raising an eyebrow "what you want?"
Apple Bloom hold up his card, he had given her "Ma wish..."
"Wish?" he thought about it for a while, playing on his goat beard "Ohhhh... wish. Sure." as he felt quite generous today. After all this trouble, doing something this simple, was quite a nice change up. "Okay, what you want?" rubbing his hands in preparation for something ordinary.
"I want ma granny to be young forever!"
His jaw dropped a moment "Come again!?"
"She is really old and i ... i don't want her to go..." the filly frowned.
Discords hand stroke over his head to stop on his neck, rubbing it a little, as it came back to his mouth playing a little with his beard.
The yellow filly became snippy as he obviously didn't fulfill her wish "You said you can do anything! No questions asked!" she shouted.
Why he had to be the one to break it down to her? Did he look like his father or so? Of course not!
"Just, one question okay?"
"Fine, but just one and then, you do it!"
He rose his hands in defeat "Fair enough...." he paused for a moment, trying to give it a dramatic effect "... did you ask her?"
Apple Bloom failed to understand "Ask her what? What you mean...?"
"If she wanted to be young again! You didn't... !"
"Why wouldn't she?"
He sat down next to the filly and put a hand on her back back, which gave him a suspicious look, like he tried to talk him self out of their little deal.
Her darn sister Applejack should had talked about this stuff a long time ago he figured... element of honesty? Pah, quite easy! As long nopony asked - just keep your mouth shut and there you go!
As much he knew AJ, she would treat Apple Bloom like a baby, until its to late... and since he had lost his own parents under similar circumstances... back than nopony had told something like this ever could happen... so he decided to rather take chances, than sending that little brat unprepared down this awful road...
He snapped fingers and an apple came flown down a nearby tree. He took a bite out of it, while the filly watched him eating, as he offered it to her as well "No thanks...". When he had finished eating, he spit two seeds onto his hand. Taking one per hand, between forefinger and thumb. Showing it to the sitting filly "What you see?"
"... spit?"
"Uhhg... seeds!"
"Ohh..."
"Look..."
Two small holes formed in front of him and put in one seed each.
"I thought you have to snap for that?"
"I don't. And now pay attention" as he performed a short motion from the left to right above the two holes, like a magician would on his top hat, making the holes close up, but nothing else...
"Nuthing happens" she said, after just a few seconds.
"Just wait a darn minute!"
The filly starred with him onto the ground, not sure if he tried one of his stupid pranks on him.
Then small green plants started to grow out of the two spots, both becoming tiny apple trees in a matter of seconds, wearing even tinnier apples on them, making the filly stare on them with big eyes.
Discord rose his finger, and tapped onto the left tree and it shrunk in size, now being just half as old than the other tree - than he snapped his fingers and time seemed to pass just for those tiny trees, like every second would equal about five years.
The left tree didn't move at all, while the right one grew up and dropped apples over and over again, until it was old and tired. The other one hadn't dropped a single apple, since it never got old enough to do so.
"So?" Applebloom asked as the first part of his little example was done.
So naive.
"Look!"
He snapped once more and the time elapsed once again, when suddenly a few smaller trees started to grow around the first one, until it died away in their center, while the first one still stood alone – frozen in time for all eternity.
The young filly looked at this process for a while, repeating it self over and over again,
as she suddenly started to cry and he stopped the example.
"I´m... sorry...." he said, putting again his paw on her back, as she put her face onto his side, making his fur go wet with tears. "i'm really sorry..."
"But you said..... y-you said you could..."
"Yes. I could."
She looked up to him, sobbing.
"But this one is not up to me to decide... neither to you..."
The poor filly put her head again on his side and kept it there for a while, as he stroke her mane slowly, holding her company.
After a while, he performed the same gesture from before, as the small forest vanished and he got up. Apple Bloom had almost calmed down totally, despite still sobbing a little.
"I guess... i don't need this anymore" as she pushed his card over the grass and he picked it up, to take a look at it.
-Discord, Spirit of Chaos : Your local source of mischief-.
He lifted his other hand and flicked his finger one time against it.
"Here, you might need it one day..." he said, as he passed it back to the filly again, giving her a short nod to the card, so she read what was written on it.
-Discord, Spirit of Chaos : Your local friend-.
This gave her a little smile on her face.
"Just don't... tell anypony..." he said a little sheepishly.
The filly got up and gave him a hug "Thanks"
"I... uhm..."
He returned the hug until she let go...
then Apple Bloom left him alone, walking back to the farm, to spend some more time with her family, in particular Granny Smith.
Still, Discord now was the one to stare on the ground, where his little example had took place. Of all the curses he had in his repertoire... being immortal was the worst.
Everything was meant to go at some point.
It was just natural to grow up together, making the hours count, making them special and let go when it was time.
This was the kind of bitter sweet pain everypony had to go trough... the one thing that made the next generation stronger, ready to step into the future on their own hooves and still...
...not everypony could take it.
Those suffered on something called "Broken-Heart-Syndrom".
Most of the time, it struck upon love couples, which had spend their entire life together,
so when one of them died away, so would the other one soon after.
Nopony could explain how or why... but it was like the partner would lose his will to life.
Despite being perfectly healthy, his body would refuse to continue... until one day his heart just would stop beating, unable to take it any longer.
Still, it was not just meant for old couples.
Young ones, married, unmarried and even pony's which acted like foes could get caught by it, as long their bond was strong enough. It was an disease without cure.
Discord was a living legend... far over thousand years old, like Princess Celestia.
The difference being, she had spend her time being free, loving every single pony there was and receiving nothing but love in return – which had made her life worth while ever since.
Loved by ten-..., might even hundred-thousands every day... generation by generation... this was the only power strong enough to withstand a broken heart... but what he had to show for himself?
He had spend a big share of the time in a cold stone prison, hated by history ever since and despite his "reformation" to the good side, most pony's still feared him or used his name like a curse.
There was only one exception to this, Fluttershy.
Their love to one another might even was stronger than anything else in all of Equestria.
Strong enough to replace the love of thousands, across all of time...
at least this was what he felt like, despite his lack to express it with words.
Only problem being... it would not last forever.
He was immortal. She was mortal.
He already thought he had lost her at times... but the very idea she wasn't even alive anymore... - it would kill him.
There was just one solution and he had thought about it often, still he was nervous and needed a last advice before he was heading out for the final step.
Literally nothing could prevent him to reach his goal and if it would mean to end the world, he would.
Discord rose his paw and was gone in an instant, to reappear inside Twilight's castle, right in front of Spike which bumped into him "Woah!" the young dragon shouted, waving his arms in order to keep balance "w-what you doing here!?"
"None – of – your – business" he said dry, before he started to wander quickly trough the castle, unable to hold his paws still.
The dragon could not else to get curious.
Usual if pony's searched for Twilight it was for advice, or in her new role as Princess of Friendship.
Discord wasn't quite that guy who was willing to take advice and ... friendship? Not quite either... also there was something familiar in his behavior he knew him self just to well, so he followed him for a bit.
Spike had his brave moments and this was surely one of them, when he dared to speak up to Discord, which was probably his first time doing so "...do you need love advice from Twilight?"
This was a line he wished he had buried alongside his tongue, next to the diamond dogs, as Discord spun around, pointing a golfclub at him.
Twilight had told Spike every single detail what Discord had done to Nightmare Moon... and even tried calculating her precise course afterwards... wasn't quite the same solar system anymore, to put it nicely!
Spike rose his claws in defeat and froze like this.
Discord slowly put his golf club on the little dragons chest "one day i will solve your mess... but right now, get lost!" as he tapped it with the club, sending him outside the castle in a bright flash.
The young dragon was still not moving for another twenty minutes, until he dared to shake and fell flat on his stomach, but could not else then wonder what he mend by "Fix... my mess?"
Like it could be any different he found Twilight in the middle of the new library, which also hold a big Telescope and the pink Alicorn was running between books and checking the telescope several times, to make little adjustments once in a while, paying no attention to her surroundings.
"Oh Spike, can you hand me the ruler... i think i can tell on which planet he had send her..."
The ruler was handed over, but he refused to let go "Spike you have to... oh..." this was when she noticed it wasn't a baby dragon, but a grown draconequus standing right in front of her.
"Discord?.... and where is Spike!?" she asked.
He waved it off "gone".
Twilight's eyes grew wide and she run to the telescope, checking the sky right away.
"Uhhhhhh..." he sighed "just outside the castle! Sweet chaos..."
"Ouh... sorry. A moment i thought you still would be angry..."
He grabbed her cheek "Twi... we are friends... i don't send friends...away..." as he paused to reconsider his words "...not this far..." to paused once more "... usual."
Just to wave off his own words "but that's not why i'm here... i ....i... neeeeed.............yoour........... "
Twilight was wondering if he was sick or something, since he seemed to choke on his attempt to speak.
"..... your .........." as a blackboard and chalk appeared in his hands and he wrote something on it "advice" just to throw it careless in a corner and sit down with a long “huffff...”.
This was more than serious! She put all books away and made sure every window and door was shot. If of all creatures he would come to her for advice, this must be a one of a life time thing.
Twilight sat down next to him and took a last deep breath "So... how can i help you?"
Discord still didn't feel quite comfortable with this situation, so he snapped his fingers and his chair became a red couch with golden frame, while she suddenly sat in a big armchair - her hair had become a dutt and there were glasses on her nose, like somepony in a psychiatric session. Twilight being the doctor, the lord of chaos, the patient.
Still he avoided her sight and didn't start right away.
"You have to tell me your problem, or i cant help you."
"Its..." he still was grinding his teeth "about... Fluttershy..." he squeezed out.
"She is alright, right? She is not a bat again or di-"
"She is fine! What you think!? ... also its not... quite like that." putting his paw on his head, as there appeared a tiny glass of water, two pills dropping into it, which he rushed down.
"Relationship... problems?" Twilight dared to ask.
"W-what?... NO! I'm a great husband! I mean: look at me! And she is ... well... she..."
There was to less data to get any clue out of his jabbering "Than what is the problem?"
"The problem is... uhm..." maybe he just needed another angle "... is that... you are, an alicorn..."
"What has me being an alicorn, to do with Fluttershy?"
"Well, you see... you are not a unicorn anymore ...and she is still... just a pegasus... a pretty one of course... but..."
"OH.........." now she understood "oh.............." this topic "ouhh..................... uh..."
An awkward silence hung between the two. Discord didn't want to say anymore and Twilight didn't know how to start either, since this situation was suddenly really complex.
"Well... i guess... i think what you try to say."
"You do!?" he rose him self for a moment, to slump down once again "of course you do." shrinking a little in size, literally.
"Its alright Discord, you are not the first one with this issue, in fact i have thought about it my self for a while now."
"You did?"
"Of course. I mean... i didn't because of my a special somepony or so" blushing at this line "but still because of my beloved friends, including Fluttershy."
This made Discord listen carefully
"You see... i knew right away, what it meant to become alicorn - so i tried to figure a way how to handle it, but right now i haven't come up with a plan my self."
"Wait! What about your friends? don't they know!?"
The alicorn was a little ashamed to admit "most of them, didn't quite think about this yet and i wanted to keep it that way, until i have an idea how to handle this."
"Great just great" Discord thought to himself "the one time i need advice, and the bookworm is clueless!"
"Wait a second!" he said, "What you mean by ... most of them? So, not all of your friends are that st-... simple minded?"
Twilight gave him a serious glance, but just continued "No, in fact there is just one other pony which had similar concerns... our Fluttershy."
Discord spun around on the couch and looked at her in disbelieve "Fluttershy!?"
"She also asked me for advice, because of you... she knows you are immortal and what this means."
"What she said!? Come on Twilight, don't leave hanging!" with this he pulled out a hangman's noose "She wont leave me, right!?"
"Calm down... its alright, she wont"
This line alone almost made Discord melt, as he blew all air out of his lounges, letting his body become soft as rubber.
"But as i was about to say, she knows you are immortal... i could not give her to much advice either, but... she said its alright for her, she will spend her time together with you."
At this line Discord jumped up and performed a little Irish dance, despite this would not solve his problem. It was still great news.
"DISCORD please..."
"Uh!? Oh... sorry." he sat down on his couch again.
"The point is, she really loves you, no matter if you are immortal or not... she will give you anything she has to offer and... as much i seen earlier, you would do the the same, right?"
"Of course!"
"...but this wasn't your worry, this ... isn't why you are here, right?"
He took a checking look around in the room and snapped his fingers as the windows and doors became iron shots and only magic light illuminated the room, giving Twilight a deep look into her eyes, as he reached out his claw "this never ever leaves this room"
She willingly reached out her hoof and shook his claw "I promise, on my duty as princess and our friendship."
"Well, i guess this will have to do." he said grumpy.
The following words he tried to speak as calm as he could "I wanted to ask her... if she would like, to become - immortal".
Twilight leaned her head forward and also to side "You what?" blinking a few times.
"Do i speak gibberish!?"
"No you don't, but..." she paused here to sort her thoughts "i didn't know you can do that"
"Of course i can! I can do anything! Hello! Almighty!" as he hold up a dictionary with his picture below the word.
"Discord, this is a incredible request you got there, you are aware of that!?"
The smartypants glance he gave her was summing up quite much anything.
"Okay, you are" she rubbed her hoof on her head side "but what if she, doesn't want to? You cant force such a thing upon her or talk her into... she might is your wife, but she is also my friend..."
"I... wont." he let his head hanging "I just..." he said shyly.
Twilight got up from her seat and stepped on his side to put her hoof on his shoulder "I understand and i tell you something... i think the only thing you can do about this is, to talk to her about it next."
She was right. It was the very same question he had asked Apple Bloom before.
He could not decide this, neither could Twilight... there was just one pony that could do so, her.
"Thanks Twi..." he mumbled.
"You are always welcome" as she gave him a warm smile.
She sure was a good friend of his, one you could always count on.
The draconequus got up on his feat as Twilight talked to him once more.
"Discord, i think i know why you chosen me to talk about this and i'm glad you did...
and I think that, I now also know how to handle this my self. Thank you." as she gave him a little nod.
He kinda felt odd about this. He was the one to ask for advice and she was helped with by doing so?
Friendship is was strange thing... even more unpredictable than chaos. He could not else to grin a little. It was kinda... magic.
Now he felt confident to do the final step.
The butterfly's in his stomach danced like on the day she said "yes".
He also gave a short nod towards Twilight and was gone, but the alicorn was still locked behind the iron curtains "What the .... DISCORD!"