//------------------------------//
// My Date With A Draconequus 
// Story: One Bolt, Spreading Harmony 
// by Boltsinger 
//------------------------------//

The spirit of chaos was in a jovial mood today. He’d been planning a special surprise visit to Fluttershy’s cottage for the last week, and this morning, he was ready to deliver. He strolled down the way with a literal spring in his step, letting a mischievous smile onto his snaggletoothed muzzle as several onlookers gawked. “I wonder what she’ll think…” He started, stroking his beard with his talon as the cottage came into view. “I bet she’ll be so happy to see me she won’t be able to resist flashing that wonderful smile of hers!” He bounced higher with his next step, returning his feet to normal and shooting his body hoof-first at the ground in front of the abode. Just as he was about to touch down, there was a bright white flash, leaving the front step completely empty.





Naught but a moment later, the same flash filled Fluttershy’s living room, followed by the sound of party favors as Discord appeared triumphantly. “Surprise!!!” He shouted, spreading his arms wide. “I, Discord, your best, most trusted, most faithful, and most exuberantly amazing friend have arrived!”

As Discord lingered in his pose, the other occupants of the room opened their eyes to see him. "Oh. Hello Discord." Fluttershy greeted, putting her teacup on the coffee table. "We weren't expecting you today."

Discord's eyes snapped open, revealing a number of red marks around his pupils. "'We'?" He lowered his head, looking down at the couch, spotting two shades of orange with his favorite shade of yellow. Boltsinger waved his free wing, offering a smile while Nova giggled at the entrance. "Oh… Hello, Bolt. Come over for tea, have you?"

"Oh, we're just taking a break from all the prep." He corrected, motioning to a corner of the room with his wing. The Draconequus extended a single eyeball to see a picnic basket filled to the brim with goodies. "All that cooking can be thirsty work." He ran his hoof through Nova's mane, giving him a nuzzle and a smile." Isn't that right, little Prince?"

"I see…” He gave the ponies a wide grin, vanishing again only to appear between the adult equines on the couch with his arms on each of them. “So, where are we going?”

Fluttershy’s face brightened exponentially at the question. She brought her hooves together, beaming like an early morning sun. “Oh, we’re going to a butterfly garden!" She announced. She reached for a pamphlet on the coffee table, showing an image of a grassy field surrounded by lush foliage. "There's always a few locations in Equestria where the caterpillars are brought together every year, so that they can safely enter their cocoons and change into beautiful butterflies! And I thought it would be a fun experience for little Nova to see them!"

“Oh, how delightful.” The snakey spirit sassed, crossing his arms and leaning back. “So I take it Twilight and Scootaloo are on their way to make this a ‘family’ trip?”

"Actually, Twilight and Scoot are taking a 'girls day'." Boltsinger corrected. He took a moment to scratch his cheek, considering his words. "Much less girly than it sounds. More along the lines of bungee jumping and river rafting. Twilight's been discovering the joys of adrenaline."

Discord's eyelids slowly began to lower. "I see… So it's just us, then?"

Boltsinger shrugged. "I mean, you're welcome to come along, but…"

"But?"

"We're not sure how much you'd enjoy it there." Fluttershy stated, showing the Draconequus a considerate smile.

"Why wouldn't I enjoy it?" He retorted, putting his paw on his favorite pony's cheek. "After all, you'll be there."

Fluttershy's smile warmed as she put her hoof on the paw, gingerly pushing it away. "That's sweet. But I really don't think you'd have much fun at a place like this."

"And why not?" He asked, adding a distinct pout to his tone.

Fluttershy put her hoof on her chin, the barest hint of an excited smile on her face as she imagined the destination they had in mind. “Well, it’s quiet.”

“It’s peaceful.” Boltsinger added, forcing Discord to hide a pained wince.

“And it’s so harmonious.” The mare noted, causing the Draconequus to nearly gag.

“Mostly one color.” The stallion stated. Discord rolled his eyes, leaning back on the couch.

"Except the butterflies." She corrected, looking ecstatically at the pamphlet again. "They're going to be all sorts of different colors and shapes and sizes, and they'll be so beautiful fluttering through the air!" Her eyes began to dilate like a mare in love, with her smile reaching its zenith. "Oh, I can't wait to show you, Boltsinger! It's going to be the loveliest thing you'll see all year!"

“Oh, yes, it sounds just perfect.” Discord snapped, standing up and dragging his hoof on the floor. "Such a lovely experience for the happy family. Nothing there something like me would appreciate, anyway."

Fluttershy’s face turned softer than usual. She lowered the pamphlet to the table, reaching her hoof out toward her friend. “Oh, Discord, that’s not what we meant.”

“Then what did you mean? Did you mean that it’s not somewhere that a creature like me belongs? That I’m not pony enough for something so harmonious?”

Fluttershy rose from her seat, stepping toward her most unusual friend. “Discord, I--”

Discord snapped his claws, zipping the mare’s mouth shut. “No, no, it’s fine.” He put his claws on his hips, trudging his way to the door. “I have my own plans anyway. You have fun at your fancy butterfly pony thing. I’ll be off having some real fun.” He opened the door, opening a fold in space. In one fluid motion, he entered the fold, closed it, and left a white flash that turned Fluttershy’s face back to normal, leaving stunned expressions all around.

The yellow-coated mare placed her hoof on the door, lowering her ears and hanging her head. "Oh, Discord… It's not like that…"

"I…" Boltsinger breathed a tiny sigh, slowly approaching her. "I'm sure he understands, Fluttershy." He gave her a somewhat uncertain grin, placing his hoof on her shoulder. "Or, at least, he will. Just… Just give him time."





Once again, Discord walked through Ponyville, letting a sour look creep out onto his face as he recalled his most recent encounter. "Not a place I'd enjoy very much? Why? Because I'm not pony enough? Have they even met me?! I'm Discord! I can be as pony as I want!" A snicker sounded behind him for the briefest of moments, forcing him to stop in his tracks with a stomp of his foot. He twisted his body around, glaring at the source of the laugh to find only the most familiar of faces.

Another Discord, with a pair of black-framed glasses sitting in front of his eyes.

"Oh." The original Draconequus started, crossing his arms. "You again. What kind of bright ideas do you have this time?"

“Oh, it’s nothing.” The nerdier of the two dismissed, waving his paw between them with a limp wrist. “I’m just laughing at how you think you’re able to pass yourself off as a pony!”

"And what makes you think I can't?" The first Discord spat.

A smug grin adorned the second Discord's face. He leaned in and placed a claw on the first's snaggletooth, flicking his head to sound like an off-key tuning fork. "I'm you, remember? I know everything you know and then some. And we know that you wouldn't be able to 'pony up' even if you wanted to!"

Discord classic's face grew sterner as he raised his claw, making ready to snap. "I'll be the judge of that, if you don't mind!" He snapped, creating a swirling mass of gravitational force above his doppelganger.

He looked up at the black hole, shrugging his shoulders. "Well, I suppose this is better than the last hole you dropped me into…" The bespectacled bringer of bedlam admitted. He let out a sigh, letting himself get sucked in.

Discord’s grin returned as his eyes began scanning the townsponies, looking for any quirks he could find. Precisely on cue, a tiny Discord appeared over his shoulder, typing extensively on a typewriter. “Let’s see… Cutie Mark, mane, long bits of fluff for a tail… Should probably stick to just one color for the coat, shouldn't I?" He turned to the miniature Discord, stroking his beard. "What have you got?" The tiny version pulled the paper from his typewriter, floating next to the original’s ear and whispering details. “Oh? Interesting…” He began to rub his claws together maliciously, letting his most sinister laugh out. “I love it!”





A pair of gold eyes scanned the town once more, darting left and right with a bounce of her hair bow as her head twitched into a better viewing angle. Apple Bloom was on the hunt again, but she was running out of options. Practically the only stallions she hadn’t scouted were the ones that had boyfriends or ponies that were just too… weird. It reminded her, as always, of her first attempt at matchmaking with Miss Cheerilee. A light smile crossed her muzzle as she thought of how far she'd come since then. She directed her eyes to the most muscular stallion in town, Bulk Biceps, who was lifting dumbbells with a group of significantly smaller ponies. "Hmm…" The red-eyed stallion directed his attention to her, gingerly waving with his free hoof. She smiled and waved back, slightly picking up her pace. "I think he's prob'ly too strong. Might make Applejack feel inadequate.” She looked around again, spotting one stallion she'd once described as 'too stuffy'. Unfortuately, he still fit the description. Another was still too short, while another, still too tall. It was a plethora of ponies, but they were all far too familiar. Except for one. While he did look familiar, it was an out-of-place kind. A gray-coated Earth Pony with a pure white mane, beard, and tail that looked so slick as to almost be out of place on his sinister, smirking face. He had yellow eyes, with a shine in his pupil that looked almost red in the light. Most interesting was his Cutie Mark. It was a butterfly with a pattern that looked like arrows going in six directions, with its body looking almost like two more arrows. She compared this face to the various ones around town, seeing if she could spot anything she'd seen before. Finally, with a firm nod, she made her approach. "Excuse me, sir."

The gray pony looked around curiously, motioning to himself as his eyes met hers. “Are you speaking to me, by chance?” He asked in a voice that sounded almost sinister.

“Yup! Nopony else around.” The filly affirmed, offering him a bright smile.

“I see…” He turned his eyes back for a moment, mumbling something to himself before returning his full attention to the Crusader. "It's very nice to meet you… um… What was your name…?"

“Name’s Apple Bloom!” She answered, extending her hoof to him. “How ‘bout you?”

"My name?" He began. The filly before him nodded enthusiastically, sending his eyes darting around. He spotted a tiny ant scurrying behind Apple Bloom that carried a tiny leaf. “I’m… Ant…” He looked around more, spying a cricket hopping to the ground from a potted plant. “Ant...jiminy? No, that doesn’t work…” He thought a moment more, his eyes almost literally lighting up as the thought finally arrived. “An… timony! Yes! That’s it! My name is Antimony!” He placed his hoof in the outstretched one, earning himself a rapid shake.

“Int’restin’ name ya got there, Antimony.” She pointed out, stepping a little closer with hopeful eyes. “Anyway, you new in town?”

Antimony pondered for a moment, stroking his beard with a sly grin. “You could say that, yes. Why do you ask?”

"Oh, just curious if ya wanted to meet somepony special." She told him, meeting his grin in kind.

Now the stallion seemed intrigued. He leaned closer to the little pony, raising an eyebrow. "Special how?"

"Well, she's real pretty." Apple Bloom explained, retrieving a picture of her sister. "An' she can buck ten trees in ten seconds flat! Plus she's one o' the ponies that hold the Elements of Harmony!" She gave Antimony a side-eyed glance, quirking her eyebrows. "So, whaddaya say?"

Antimony took a hard look at the photo, letting a sense of familiarity onto his face as he continued stroking his beard. "Hmm… I'm not sure…”

"Pleeeeeeeeease?" She begged, turning to look straight on with big puppy-dog eyes. "It'd mean a lot if ya did…"

Antimony recoiled, stepping back a ways only to be followed by the filly. "Oh, no. You're not getting me with those adorable 'I-can-make-you-do-anything' eyes! I know better, and there is absolutely no way you can get me to go out of my way just to--"





"Meet my sister, Applejack!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, gesturing to the mare in question at the door to the farm house. The green-eyed Earth Pony had a tired, almost deadpan expression on her face, but she maintained a smile regardless. “She’s the best dang apple-bucker this side o’ Dodge!”

"I see…" Antimony said, taking a step forward and extending his hoof. "It's nice to… meet… you, Applejack. I've heard so much."

Applejack accepted the hoof, earning an excited squee from her now-fleeing sister. Once the two were alone, her smile dropped a bit. "I take it she hit ya with 'er puppy-dog eyes?"

"How'd you know?" He confirmed.

Applejack waved her hoof dismissively. "That's how she gets most of 'em. Can't say I blame 'em, though. I got the best little sister a pony can ask for."

"Yes, she certainly seems like it." He turned away from the mare, looking out at the road rather longingly. "So how about we just say we did this whole 'date' thing and go our separate ways? You don't exactly seem like your one hundred percent on board with it anyway."

"Naw, that wouldn't be right." She stated, stepping up next to him. "Wouldn't be very good o' me ta lie like that. 'Specially considerin' how much Apple Bloom wanted ta make this thing happen. Know what I'm sayin'?"

Antimony scowled for a moment, the red light in his eyes beginning to cover part of his pupils for a flash. "I suppose you're right…" He took a deep breath, looking back at the mare. "Well, then. What is it you do for fun?"

Applejack put a pondering hoof to her chin. "Well, most o' the time I'm doin' chores or teachin' at Twilight's school."

"Ah yes, the vaunted 'School of Friendship'." He interjected with a roll of his eyes. "A place where 'anycreature can come to learn all about being friends'. Sound about right?"

The farmer nodded earnestly. "Sure does."

"And what kinds of things do these so-called 'friends' do? Hm?" He stomped ahead, glaring at the ground. "Plan for weeks to go to butterfly gardens together and abruptly exclude you because…" He went into a nasally mocking tone. "... 'it's just not your thing!' 'You'd be so bored!' Or my personal favorite… 'It's mostly one color!'" He dug his hoof into the dirt below him, flinging a clod forward with a flick of his foreleg as he seethed.

Applejack was taken aback at the display, finding a hint of familiarity in the tirade. A large portion of it didn't make much sense, yet somehow that felt right with this pony. As if he wasn't one to go with the flow. A kind of… "Discord?"

The air became thick with silence at Applejack’s question, letting a cool breeze blow through the gray stallion’s mane. He stood upright once more, brushing himself off and looking back at the mare. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh ya don’t, do ya?” She raised an eyebrow at her companion for the day, stepping up to him with a sly grin. “Well, I bet you’d like ‘im. He’s a real swell dragon!”

“A... dragon, you say?” Antimony repeated with a noticeable twitch in his ear. “Like the kind that breathes fire and terrorizes villages and all that?”

“Well, not s’ much fire as much as it is...  glitter.” She corrected, looking reminiscingly at the sky. “He’s got a bit of a flair fer the dramatic.” She chuckled to herself, watching Antimony’s ear twitch more. “I remember this one time, he ‘n his best friend, Pinkie Pie, were bouncin’ around town, makin’ all sorts o’ jokes about fish, of all things!”

“FISH?! Why would I ever--” He reared back, covering his mouth. “I mean… do go on…”

“Why, he an’ Pinkie are downright in-separable!” She continued, swinging her foreleg joyfully. “With how much Discord talks about ‘er, ya might even think ‘e’s in love with ‘er!”

“Wha…?” Antimony looked back at Applejack, dropping his jaw in sheer disbelief. “In… With… Pinkie?!” A deer antler sprouted from the top of his head, turning the whites of his eyes yellow. “No! It’s Fluttershy!” He corrected as another horn protruded next to the antler. “FLUTTERSHY is my favorite!” He stomped toward the mare, scowling behind a large snaggletooth. “And it’s not love! It’s… It’s…” Applejack crossed one foreleg over the other, giving the now-outed Draconequus a playful smirk. He plopped his rump onto the ground, slumping over dejectedly. “Oh, poo…”

"All right, now, playtime's over." The farmer started, pulling Discord to his hooves. "Why're ya goin' around in disguise like this?"

"No reason." He stated, instantly averting his eyes. "I just felt like being a pony for a day."

"Uh-huh, sure ya did." She deadpanned. "An' it just so happens to be the same day Fluttershy's goin' to that butterfly thing with Bolt."

"Well I had to do something with my time after I was so rudely excluded." He admitted, turning his nose up at nothing. "Besides, what better way is there to prove just how pony I can be?"

"That's what yer tryn’a do?" She wondered, cocking her head to the side. "Is that why you were askin' what it is I do fer fun?"

"More or less."

"Well that don't sound so bad." She put her hoof on Discord's back, pulling his gaze toward her. "Buck up, 'Antimony'! You 'n I 're gonna have one heck of a day!"

“Oh, are we?” Discord started, returning to his full disguise and looking her in the eye. “Let’s see what you’ve got, then!”





Minutes later, the pair stood over a ten-foot field with a stake sticking out of the end. At their hooves lay three horseshoes apiece, half red and half blue. And seeing it all, Discord let out a groan. "Really? I ask what you do for fun and you take me out back for horseshoes? How positively dreadful."

“Now don’t you dismiss it outright.” Applejack retorted, sending him a knowing smile. “Have ya even played before?”

“Oh, that’s required?” He rolled his eyes, raising his hoof and twisting it slightly while his expression turned its usual shade of smug. The only problem was the lack of anything actually happening. He looked down at the horseshoes, finding them lying still, then looked at his hoof. “Oh, right. No claws.” He pondered for a moment, letting his eyes glow a bright yellow as a pair of wings sprouted from the horse shoes below him, rapidly flapping and shooting toward the stake, hooking perfectly around them and landing with ease. His eyes and the horseshoes returned to normal, and he turned to smile at Applejack. “There. I win. Now can we go and do something interesting please?”

“First off, ya haven’t won a dang thing.” She stated, going to fetch Discord’s horseshoes. She tossed them back to him, stomping her way over through what dust the dirt had made. “I never got a turn, an’ it ain’t exactly fair ta do it like that. Yer supposed to use yer own strength an’ skill ta try 'n get a ringer. Not make ‘em throw themselves!”

“Oh, but I did use my strength and skill.” Discord corrected, motioning to the stake. “Magic is my strong point, and I like to think I’m quite skilled with it.”

“That may be true normally, but when you came up with that little disguise o’ yers, you chose to be an Earth Pony. An’ that means...” She motioned with her hoof, inviting the chaos spirit to finish.

Discord let out a deep sigh, looking back at the stake in the ground. “No magic…”

"So why don'tcha give it a real try?" She suggested.

Discord cocked an eybrow, eyeing the mare curiously. “What’s in it for me?”

“I might be willin’ ta take ya to see that butterfly garden.” she started, picking up a horseshoe with her hoof. Discord’s face almost literally lit up at the idea, his hooves scrambling for a horseshoe of his own. Applejack made a gentle toss, sending the horseshoe flying forward to land only six inches from the stake. “But only if you win.”

“So I just have to win this little game of yours?” He asked, zeroing in on the stake. “You have yourself a deal.” He threw the horseshoe forward with all of his physical might, sending it sailing through the air, landing only a foot away from him. He compared the distance between his toss and Applejack’s, letting the gears in his head turn as he realized just how much of a challenge it would be to win this game. “You know, I think that your sister may just be my favorite of that little Cutie Mark team she’s on.”

“Really?” Applejack replied, cocking her head as she took aim. “Why’s that?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” He started, taking his time before continuing. He took a deep breath as Applejack’s hoof began its motion, he took a deep breath. “Because of the chaos!”

Applejack stumbled, scrambling to keep the horseshoe in her hooves at the disguised Draconequus’ comment. Eventually, her hooves returned to the ground, with the horseshoe following suit soon after, only a few inches away from her. “The heck d’ya mean by that?!”

Discord looked, rather gleefully, at where his opponent's supposed toss had landed, picking up his next horseshoe. "Just that she has a history of sewing the seeds of mayhem. Why, I heard once that she tried to magic herself a Cutie Mark and ended up sending the whole town into a panic over some fake disease…" He smiled back at the farm house. "Oh, what I would give to have seen it…" He made another toss, landing a couple feet past his first.

"Yeah, well, ya didn't" The farmer stated, picking up her last horseshoe and lining up her shot. "Y'all were still stone back then, so nuthin' doin' tryin'a relive it."

“I guess you’re right.” He admitted, refocusing on his current task. “But that’s not to say she isn’t still causing a bit of chaos. I mean, just look at the mess she’s making of your life!”

“A mess?!” She repeated, turning to face him. "Just what kinda mess would my own baby sister be makin' of my life?"

A roll came to Discord’s eyes. "Oh, please! You're saying you actually enjoy being sent into the civilized wilderness of Equestria with every stallion she has a wild hair to set you up with?”

"An' what if I do?" She spat back, narrowing her eyes. "I've had a great time with a lotta them fellers! Made a buncha good friends thanks to that whole datin' thing!"

"Lots of friends, maybe." He affirmed, turning his face to a snaggletoothed smirk. "But how many of those 'dates' you've been on bore fruit?" He stepped up to the mare, gently nudging her with his elbow. "Any of those 'hot dates' prove to be boyfriend material?"

Applejack's features softened, feeling a pang of guilt as the chaos creature's words hit home. "Well, no. But…" Her foreleg went limp, causing her to drop the horseshoe only an inch into the throwing area. "But I know if I keep tryin', someday I'll--"

"Be as happy as you were before thiis whole thing began?" He interjected, taking hold of his last horseshoe. "Not have to worry so much about what some guy might think? Have someone more dependable to work the farm while you do some… I don't know… Baking? You Apples do a lot of baking, don't you?"

"But I never trusted some 'more dependable' pony ta do my chores for me!" She corrected, poking him in the side. "I always did 'em myself! Like any sensible pony should!"

"Oh, yes, that's right. You're Little Miss Self-reliant, aren't you?" He wiggled his rump a little, hunching over to get a good feel for the terrain. "Then what exactly are you looking for with all of these dates of yours?"

“Well… uh…” Applejack’s eyes naturally looked to the side, seeming to search for her reasoning. What had all of this been for? She’d been going along with her sister’s idea for the past year, now. Was she doing it for her? Or was it something else? Maybe… “Love?”

Discord stumbled onto the ground, sending his horseshoe flying as he clutched his belly in a fit of laughter. The horseshoe sailed through the air, landing with a definitive chink around the stake at the end. When the laughing finally ceased, Discord rose back to his hooves, wiping away a single tear. “Oh, I’m sorry. I just can’t help but laugh when I hear you of all ponies in such an obvious lie.” Applejack’s face turned stern, forcing a scoff out of the chaos spirit. “Oh, don’t give me that look. It’s clear that you’re as interested in ‘love’ as I am!”

The mare’s sternness turned into a face so flat that it could have been mistaken for a particular Pie sister, calmly raising a single eyebrow. “This comin’ from someone who literally put Fluttershy on a pedestal last Hearth’s Warmin’?

“No, it’s coming from the winner of our little game.” He corrected, motioning to the stake.

Applejack examined the field, finding her every toss having fallen short, while her opponent’s had all come closer, finally landing that elusive ringer. “How’d you…?” She let out a low growl, digging her hoof into the dirt. “All right, fine. You win. I was a little int'rested in goin', anyway."

Discord chuckled to himself, taking a moment to revel in his victory. “You know, I have to admit that was actually kind of fun.” He stepped up to the farmer that had been his opponent. She was drawing circles on the ground with her hoof with a slightly forlorn expression. He let out a sigh, placing his hoof on her shoulder. “There’s still a little time before that… butterfly thing… is supposed to happen. Why don’t we do something fun before then?”

Applejack’s eyes turned toward her disguised date, showing a mix of concern and intrigue. "What kinda fun you talkin' about?"

“Nothing too chaotic, actually.” He assured her, bringing the yellow glow to his eyes once more. In a flash of white, the two of them were standing on the dance floor of a club where upbeat, jazzy music was playing. Discord, even in his pony disguise, sported an orange tuxedo with an absurdly wide-rimmed fedora, while Applejack found herself in a comfortably form-fitting white dress with her mane and tail treated in such a way as to make it decidedly wavier, hanging free with no hair ties. “Just some good old-fashioned fun!”

The country pony took a look around the area. “Really? This is what you do fer fun? I thought it’d be more like turnin’ apples ta oranges or makin’ lumber outta cheese.”

“Lumber out of cheese?” He repeated, stroking his beard with his hoof. “Now that’s an interesting idea...  But I digress!” He approached the mare with his hoof over his heart. “This is one of the things I do for fun. I thought you deserved something simple and enjoyable after what I just put you through.”

Applejack chuckled, finally sending a smile his way. “With what I did to you before, I reckon we’re even.” She listened to the music for a moment, unconsciously beginning to sway to the music. “Although… I don’t think it’d be a bad idea, stickin’ around here for a while." She started to tap her left hind leg, letting a smile work it's way onto her face as the Draconequus began his first attempts at dancing like a pony. "Actually, this is kinda nice, not havin' ta worry 'bout romanticizin' or tryin'a impress whoever I'm with."

"Isn't it, though?" He affirmed, stumbling fir a moment and quickly rising to his hooves. "Being with a friend is so much better than all of that 'love' nonsense! No expectations, no pressure, no problem."

"Yeah…" She started, her hooves starting to move more to the beat. "Yeah! How'd I ever get by thinkin' these big ol' dates were supposed to be anything but fun? I don't care if I ever get a special somepony! I already got all the love I need!"

“Yes, yes, we all know all about it.” Discord dismissed, extending his hoof to the mare with a smile. “Can we just dance now?”

Applejack beamed, putting her hoof in his. “You got it!” The music picked up, sending the pair into a dancing frenzy.





Under the midday sun, a large number of picnic blankets lay in the middle of a forest clearing. Every tree around the scene was covered in tiny cocoons, each and every one of them wiggling ever-so-slightly in anticipation of what was to come. In the center, Fluttershy sat with Boltsinger and Nova, with the yellow mare laying dejectedly on the blanket below. “I really hope Discord is okay… I haven’t seen him since this morning.”

“I hope so, too.” Boltsinger admitted, putting his wing on her back. “But I know that he’s strong enough to move past things like that… eventually.” He put his hoof to his muzzle, thinking about their mutual friend for a moment. “At least he usually does. Either way, we can’t afford to dwell on it right now.”

Fluttershy raised her head, looking at her friend with misty eyes. “Why not?”

Boltsinger looked over to Nova, who was flitting above the gathered ponies with a look of wonder on his face. “It didn’t take me long to learn that when you have a foal as young as Nova, sometimes you have to smile no matter what. Even when things seem bad. If they see you upset, they start to worry as well. Especially with a sensitive little guy like Nova.” He smiled down at her. “And I never wanna take that smile off of his face.”

Fluttershy wiped her eyes, looking to the flying foal with a smile of her own. “Neither do I."

Boltsinger turned his attention back to the colt, standing up with a stretch. "Besides, I'm sure Discord is having a great time doing…" He trailed on for a moment, unable to find the words he sought. "... Whatever it is he does when he's alone. Maybe he found a friend to spend the day with?"

At the edge of the clearing, another pair of ponies made their arrival. Applejack looked around at the trees, her jaw slightly dropping at the sheer number of chrysalis to be found. “Wow… I didn’t even know this many butterflies existed in Equestria!”

“Yes, yes, there's a lot of them.” Discord stated, glancing around for a chance at a familiar sight. "So where do you think Fluttershy went?"

Applejack gave her companion a sly grin, nudging him with her elbow. "I thought you didn't care about that whole 'love' thing."

A flash of red came to the faux stallion's face. "I never said it was anything about 'love'. I've made my opinions quite clear, and Fluttershy said she'd be here today."

"Uh-huh, right before ya stormed out in a jealous fit."

"Yes, right before I--" He stopped for a moment, turning to stare at the farm mare. “How did you know that?”

“Knowin’ you, it ain’t hard to figure out.” She deadpanned.

A look of sheer terror formed on Discord’s face. “You don’t mean to say I’m becoming--”

"Predictable!" Chided another Antimony, smirking beside the original from behind his spectacles.

Discord waved his hoof at his doppelganger, forcing it to disappear in a puff of smoke. Applejack gave off a hearty laugh, waving her chaotic friend forward. “Come on, ‘Antimony’, Nova’s over there.” She pointed her hoof at the fluttering foal, starting her way toward him. “Bolt ‘n Fluttershy can’t be far behind.”

“Actually, Applejack…” He started, placing his hoof on her shoulder. She glanced back at him, finding a surprisingly sincere smile on his face. “Why don’t we let them have their fun? We can…” He chanced a look at his surroundings, finding a lump in his throat that he forced himself to swallow. “... enjoy this together.”

Applejack recoiled, causing her hat to slip from her head. “Are you sure?” She turned to face him completely again, putting her stetson back in into place. “You don’t wanna go an’ spend yer time with yer favorite pony in the whole world and best friend ever?”

“Oh, believe me, I do.” He assured her, taking a forlorn look at the spot of yellow and pink he found in the crowd. She was smiling and laughing, looking as happy as he’d ever seen her before, which sent a small frown to his face. “But I don’t want to take that smile from her face.”

A soft, warm smile came to the mare’s muzzle. She put her foreleg around Discord’s neck, pulling him into a light embrace. “That’s real sweet of you, Discord.” She pulled back, looking him in the eye. “I’m proud o’ you.” Discord’s face began to mirror that of his companion, his features melting to match them more exactly. Applejack let out a nervous chuckle, nudging his cheek with her hoof. “Careful, there. Yer blowin’ yer cover.”

“Oh! Yes. How silly of me.” Discord stepped back a bit, shaking his head back into shape. He sat down, examining their surroundings one more time. “So, is something supposed to… happen?”

No sooner had Discord asked his question did the answer come. The clearing had gone silent, save for the subtle cracking of the many cocoons. All at once, thousands of pairs of tiny wings spread on each and every branch. With the sound of many tiny flaps, a rainbow of wings appeared on the trees, quickly rising into the air. “Well, wouldja look at that?” Applejack stated, awestruck at the sight of the insects fluttering down over the crowd. The smallest pony in the gathering flew up to the soft swarm, his eyes wide with wonder as one of the butterflies came to a hover above his horn. The corners of his mouth turned up as the bug landed on the tip, stretching its wings before his eyes and lifting off again.

"Is that all?" The chaos spirit wondered, cocking a curious eyebrow. "They just… come out and fly around?"

"Eeyup." The farmer confirmed, wiping a tear from her eye. "Beautiful, ain't it?"

"I suppose." He started, his expression falling flat. "Fluttershy made it sound much more appealing, though."

"Didn't she also say sumthin' about you maybe not likin' it too much?" She reminded, cocking an eyebrow back at him.

"Well, yes, but…" His face drooped. "I see… Maybe they know me better than I gave them credit for."

“Almost like ya been friends fer years, ain’t it?” She teased, playfully nudging him with her elbow.

“Yes, yes, I get it.” He replied, pushing her foreleg away. “Can we go now? I’ve had more than enough serenity for one day.”

Applejack rolled her eyes, hopping up to her hooves and stretching. “I s’pose. We might as well start windin’ down on our little ‘date’, anyway.”

“Agreed.” He raised his hoof in preparation, flicking his tail eagerly. “Just say the word and you’re home.”

“That’d be nice, but I got another idea.” She put her hoof on her foreleg, looking to the forest path. “Could you come along with me? I got sumthin’ ta tell Apple Bloom, an’ I’d feel a bit better if I had a friend to back me up. Like a good luck charm, even if all ya do is watch the chaos.”

Discord put his raised hoof to his beard, meeting her with a friendly smirk.





Evening came at last over Sweet Apple Acres, and Applejack made her way back through the front gate with Antimony following close behind. From the house, Apple Bloom galloped up to her big sister with an expression on her face that defined excitement. “You’re home! You’re home! You’re home!” She leaped at the mare, here forelegs spread wide as she was snatched out of the air in a tight embrace. “How’d it go? Gonna have another date? Tell me everything!”

“Hold on a sec, baby sis. Lemme get a word in before ya start yer questionin’!” She put her little sister down, tussling her mane. "I was gonna tell you all about what I figured out."

Apple Bloom's face lit up like the night sky, smiling wider than ever. "Oh my gosh! Do you mean you finally found yer special somepony?!"

"Not quite." The elder sister corrected. "Antimony is certainly a good friend…" The disguised Draconequus behind her waved a bashful hoof between them. "But he ain't really 'special somepony' material fer me."

Apple Bloom's ears fell flat against her head, which simultaneously began hanging. "Aww… Another flop?" She looked up to her sibling with a new determination, holding her hoof high. “Don’t worry, sis! We’ll find someone next time!”

“But what if I don’t want to find someone?” Applejack suggested. “I don’t wanna find a special somepony at all, Apple Bloom.”

Apple Bloom gave her head a curious tilt. “Why not? Life gets so much better when you got one!”

“Maybe for most ponies.” The orange mare admitted with a shrug. “But I just don’t get that spark like everypony else. Heck…” She put her hoof on her sister’s chin, lifting her head to look her in the eye as she leaned in. “I’ve only been goin’ along with this whole thing ta make you happy. But I think it’s about time this crusade came to an end. Don’tcha think?”

I guess I have been at this fer over a year already… The filly pondered. She looked between her sister and the stallion she set her up with. Ain’t got much to show for it, neither… But it’s… it’s… “Well that’s just silly!” She finally declared, sending her sister recoiling. “I bet you just haven’t found the right stallion yet!” Her hoof came to her muzzle as a new thought arose. “Or maybe… A mare! That’d definitely be a new experience!” She turned back toward the house, starting her trek back. “I should tell Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo about this at school tomorrow. Just think of all the ponies we haven’t tried, yet!”

A chill breeze blew past Applejack and Discord, leaving a strange kind of silence in its wake. After a few moments, Discord took a breath. “So that went well.”

“Yer tellin’ me…” Applejack replied. She hung her head with an audible sigh. “I guess that means I got more ‘dates’ ahead o’ me, don’t I?”

“You know, you could always say ‘no’.” He advised, taking a step closer.

“But what if she’s right?” She wondered, looking back at him. “What if I really haven’t met the right pony yet? Or whatever it is I happen ta get that spark with? It happens with everypony else, so why not me?”

“Does it really matter, though?” He started. “Then again, you already know my take on this whole ‘love’ spiel.”

“I mean… It should matter, shouldn’t it?” She continued, removing her hat and staring at it. “With my parents, it was like it was written in the stars. They just had it right from the beginnin’.” She returned the hat to its rightful place, looking up at the twilit purple sky. “An’ with Twilight… She had the spark hit her long before she even knew about it! Even Apple Bloom has it comin’ easy, what with her an’ that Tender Taps colt.” She turned back to Discord, wiping a budding tear from her eye. “What if there really is sumthin’ wrong with me?”

“Even if there is, is there a problem with that?” Discord asked, sitting down and crossing his forelegs. “Oh well. In the end, it doesn’t matter what I think.”

“Well, I bet yer gonna let me know anyway.” She stated, sending him a simper. “And, honestly, I wouldn’t mind hearin’ whatcha think every now an’ then. If’n ya don’t mind.”

“Hmm… I’ll have to think for a while on that.” He said, turning one hoof back into a lion paw snapping his claws. With a flash of light, he vanished from sight, only to reappear as his typical Draconequus self but a second later.  “Alright, fine, you’ve convinced me!”