Rainbow Dash did somehow stand out even when she wasn't doing anything. She was one of the few not wearing any makeup whatsoever, and actually the only mare in the room (Excluding Pinkie Pie) not to wear any kind of dress either. But now that she was actively pushing asides pony to get in the front of the crowd a few eyes full of disapproval briefly pointed her. Not that she cared, and even the other ponies weren't bothered too much by that minor inconvenience. Everyone was just paying too much attention to what was happening in front of the throne, in almost religious silence.
Compared to previous candidates, and especially to Trixie, everything was being so much quieter. A bit too much, even. The reason for the silence was actually that everyone was trying their hardest to hear what the mare was saying. And even Pinkie Pie and Discord themselves had to lean fairly close to having any understanding.
"Ugh. Pony..." The Lord of Chaos was now massaging his temples with his paw, looking annoyed. Not the angry kind, luckily, he just seemed tired.
"Fluttershy!" Pinkie was still trying to help, though. She insisted that everypony had a name and had to be treated with respect, and kept gently reminding that to Discord.
"Fluttershy... Do you realize I can barely hear you, and my ears are better than those of your average pony?" To emphasize the fact, he made his ears become a lot larger. Hard to say if his hearing was improving too. Probably not.
"I'm sorry..." The yellow mare that Discord himself called "cute" was standing in front of him. Although "standing" couldn't possibly give the idea of the situation. She was basically shaking, and her legs looked like they would give up on her at any moment. Her gaze didn't move from the ground, and her voice was almost inaudible. This was not at odds with her usual demeanour, but it was clearly more extreme.
"Don't be." Discord was trying to show patience but was actually very close to just teleporting her somewhere else. "Stop shaking, look at me and raise your voice!" His voice, forceful as ever, was probably not helping.
"I... I'm trying, but I'm n-not used to talking in front of so many p-ponies" It was true: the effort was there. But the result was still lacking.
"Nnnrgh..." Discord was really losing hope, but an Idea came to his mind "Ok, I'll try to help, but it's your last chance!" Both Pinkie and Fluttershy wondered what the Lord of Chaos could have in mind, and so did many among the other candidates. Rainbow Dash especially, which was now in the first row and was thinking of some way to help her friend out of that situation, was observing Discord with mistrust "Just look into my eyes"
Slowly, timidly, Fluttershy started raising her head a bit, until her eyes finally met with those of the draconequus. She ended up blushing slightly, seeing him so close to her, but soon the blushing went away. Now she was only focused on the eyes themselves. There was something magnetic in them, it felt as if they were pulling her in, influencing her in mysterious ways. In a few seconds, she actually stopped shaking. Keeping her head raised was becoming a bit easier, and her whole body -although still very tense- started relaxing a little bit. It was as if she had momentarily forgotten all the eyes pointing at her.
"Feeling better?" And now Discord was quite eager to hear the response. Maybe they would have been able to have a proper conversation, finally?
And with her renewed confidence, now showing a small smile on her muzzle, Fluttershy answered: "Y-yes, thank you!"
Discord fell somehow silent again. He backed a bit from Fluttershy, and now looked at her assistant almost asking for help.
Pinkie Pie was initially a bit pensive, but tried to stay optimistic "That's an improvement!"
"Yes, yes it is..." Discord sighed. He was some ninety seconds in and didn't make any real progress. At this point he was pretty sure "But... This can't work"
Rainbow Dash let out a small breathe of relief. It seemed to be over, finally?
"Wait, what do you have there?" Both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash froze. It was too early to relax, apparently. "Show me!" Discord tone what inquisitive and firm, but also full of a certain curiosity. Something on her back was still shaking, transmitting the movement to the green dress she wore. It was barely noticeable, actually, but it couldn't escape the draconeequs' gaze.
Terrified, the yellow pony turned her head toward the moving spot, looking there for a few seconds before going back to Discord faking a smile as well as she could. "N-nothing!" She was a terrible liar. Not only the smile looked as forced as it could be, but the tension in her body and the fact she was now unable to look at Discord eyes gave her away easily.
"Really...?" The clearly unconvinced draconeequs raised his claws and started moving them in a circular motion in the air. The trembling thing started moving under Fluttershy's dress, pulled toward her head until it finally popped out from the collar. Surprisingly, it wasn't just one thing... It was three small living beings. Three cute mice, one larger and two very small, who face to face with the Lord of Chaos started squeaking desperately "Someone has to take care of her hygiene, it seems!" A large smile appeared on the draconeequs face. Finally something a bit interesting!
Fluttershy Blushed, hard. That was a mean joke! And Rainbow Dash was affected by that too. She had given a lesson to ponies bullying Fluttershy for much less! But that was not Fluttershy main concern, actually "L-let them go. They are scared!"
That was an almost normal tone of voice. And that was by far the most assertive the yellow pony had been in the entire chat "Just kidding. Are they your pets?" Discord wasn't an Animal expert, but he could see that although healthy and well nourished they didn't look well groomed. "Or did you find them somewhere?"
"They were in our room, in the castle. I... I wanted to bring them home with me!" And she hoped that Discord would just grant her request. But that was not what Discord had in mind, not at all.
"In my castle? How embarrassing!" He was just acting, dramatizing the fact more than necessary. For someone knowing him well that was simply obvious, but that was not the case for all the ponies in the room "What have my maids been doing?" The put more emphasis he also started moving his forelegs decisively, just like a bad actor in a Shakesmare's tragedy. The result was just terrorizing the mice (and therefore alerting Fluttershy) more. But he could do more than just metaphorically poking at her. he could attempt a final stab! "I'll have to deal with them myself, it seems" His menacing smile and malevolent eyes left little to the imagination. And so did the numerous mouse traps of all shapes and sizes (some even looking absolutely impractical or plain funny) that he just conjured from thin air, and that started levitating around him.
Fluttershy's eyes went wide, and she brought her left forehoof in front to her now wide-open mouth, both astounded and terrified. She couldn't conceive something so evil "Y-you Wouldn't!"
"I would" Discord's smile went wider, revealing his sharp teeth. His gaze pointed at the mare almost with defiance. "And. I. will."
Slowly, The mare lowered her hoof until it delicately touched the ground. then she looked at the floor for a moment, before going back to the more-terrified-than-ever mice family levitating above her. And finally, her eyes pointed straight ad Discord's eyes again. her expression was different, though. The cowardly mare from before had vanished, leaving somepony completely different in her place. Steady on her hooves, in a pose which showcased confidence, she was looking at discord with a serious expression. It wasn't cold, though, it was similar to that of a mother scolding a child. And her voice was too "How can you even think about something so mean!" Each word had his weight, and it was supported by the intensity of the stare... Which seemed to have something almost supernatural to it "They are just doing their best to live their life! At most send them away, or even better give them to somepony that can care for them! I would!"
Everypony was simply astounded. Even Discord and Pinkie were speechless for a few moments. Pikie especially, as the incredible stare of the yellow mare was enough to have her freeze. Discord, instead, seemed to be absolutely resistant to that kind of power, but could not be indifferent to her demeanour. he appreciated how easily the words were now coming out of her mouth, and couldn't avoid making a little smile "You can stop. They can stay."
All the traps previously floating in the air vanished suddenly, while the mice were gently put on the floor, from where they quickly ran back to Fluttershy, climbing her forehoof and hiding back into her dress. As for the mare, she simply stopped. Realizing what she had just done, she couldn't help but blush. But being completely sure of her little friends' safety was her priority "R-really?"
"yes, really. Actually, I wouldn't have done all that." Was that true? Difficult to say. Ancients legends were quite clear about what Discord did to his enemies. It didn't seem likely that he would be much more gentle with rodents."Also, you can stay too."
Rainbow Dash was in shock. She thought her friend was safe from the king's grasp, and now apparently she was one step closer to be that monster's bride. The only thing that Rainbow could do now was somehow styling her mane with her hooves to be at her most presentable, and try her hardest to pass this first selection phase. She had to be there for her friend!
In the meantime, Fluttershy was almost catatonic, simply unable to say anything after the unexpected news. The first to speak was, therefore, Pinkie: "Sooo... We have another maybe?" Her tone was cheerful and almost playful, directed to Fluttershy just as much as it was to Discord. She wanted to have her feel somehow comfortable. After everything the Lord of Chaos did, it's only natural she would be extremely confused.
"I didn't say that, did I?" Discord's tone was ambiguous, now. Fluttershy was completely unable to grasp the situation she was in, and so were most of the candidates looking at the scene. Even Pinkie for a moment didn't know what was going on in the mind of her king. But then it hit her, and her eyes went wide.
There was a thing nopony in the room had considered, not even for a moment. They were in front of the lord of Chaos, by far the being that hated rules the most in Equestria and beyond. Did they really think that rules, especially rules he himself made, would be something he would just blindly follow? Did they really think that all the 'steps' of the selection would go on smoothly?
Just a grin from the draconequus. "She is the one!"