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// Assemble the troops 
// Story: Fluttercord vs. Dislestia 
// by Miner 
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One day later at the Crystal Empire,

Big Mac has entered the throne room and has brief Candance on what is going on. She rubs a hoof on her head before pulling it down her face. She takes in a deep breath and tries to make sense of what has happened, "So let me get this straight. Discord likes Fluttershy." She points a hoof to her left,

"Eyeep."

"But after Celestia kissed him; he now likes her too." she points the same hoof to the right,

"Eyeep,"

"And you are asking me what he should do." she points the hoof to herself,

"Yes."

She grunts and stomps the floor angrily, "First off, I would have smake him in the back of his head for letting another mare kiss him while his heart belongs to another. But what done is done." She takes a few seconds to calms herself down, "So he has no idea how to move forward?"

"Enope."

Candance may be the Princess of Love, but the problem in front of her is not an ordinary case of love. She puts a hoof to her chin looks down and starts to think about how to approach this situation. As she does this, she is not aware that she is thinking out loud, "I would say that it would be best for him to forget about his feelings for Celestia, but I have no idea how deep these feelings he has for her goes. They have known each other longer than I have been around. If things turned out differently, they would have been together, and he might not have become the Discord we know. Celestia's kiss must have rekindled some long-forgotten fire of passion he had for her. But the problem is Fluttershy. She was the one that reformed him by becoming his first friend after so long being a villain. And she has become a part of his life that was empty ever since he lost Celestia. But now his heart is divided between the two mares. This is not a situation that can be easily dealt with. The heart is a fragile thing, and Discord has let two mares get to close at the same time." She looks at a small book she was reading earlier, "Then again, I am sure if I look through the law book; I could find something about having multiple partners to become a herd. But if I do that, then this would apply to every couple in the lands and since I am not ever planning on sharing Shining Amor. That is not going to be an option ever." So some reason every stallion in the room sighed after hearing that. Candance paid them no mind as she finalizes her thoughts, "As painful it is for me to say this, but I cannot help Discord on this matter. He must decide for himself which mare he wants to spend his life with? His first love or his best friend?" 

Big Mac is not a stallion of many words but even he has no words to reply to her suggestion, "Huh?"

This got her attention, and it was just then that Cadence notice that everypony in the room was looking at her funny. It took her a moment to understand why, but she had to ask, "Was I thinking out loud?" They all nodded, "I was afaird of that. Sorry." *Ahem* "Anyways Big Mac, my only advice for Discord is to go after the mare who reformed him first. Since she was the one who changed his heart for the better. As far as we know what Celestia did was just in the moment and might not happen again. But if that is not the case then he should have a talk with Celestia."

"But what about Fluttershy?"

"Big Mac. This is a very difficult situation we are dealing with here. Discord first needs to know if the girls have feelings for him before he can do anything. Beside that kiss was in the garden at Canterlot. Fluttershy was nowhere nearby when Celestia kissed him. So the situation is still manageable. I can't imagine what were to happen if she knew that it did happen and she had feelings for Discord."

"I recon that those two would tear Equestria apart."

"Which is why that you must never tell Fluttershy about this. If she does have feelings for Discord, then this can get out of hoof very quickly."

"Can you help us?"

"I can't. Right now there is no clear path on who likes who. If I were to intervein then Somepony may do something drastic. I don't want anypony to be sad if this doesn't work out for anything of them. For the sack of their friendship, I must not interfere. Tell Discord I wish him the best of luck but he is on his own until he sorts out his feeling. Then I can help him."




Meanwhile at Canterlot,

"Sister!"

"Not now, Luna, I am busy," Celestia calls from inside her room. She has been in there ever since she and Fluttershy had parted ways, and have been planning her game plan on how to win Discord's heart. She will not let anything get in her way, not even her sister.

"With What! It is ten-thirty, and you haven't come out of your room yet."

"I am in the middle of delicate planning. I am sure you can handle anything that needs my attention today."

This angers Luna as she slips into the canterlot voice a little, "I am not going to do your royal duties two days in a row sister! Get your royal hindquarters out of there at once! I am giving you three seconds before I buck your door down."

"Luna," Celestia warn,

"Two!"

"Don't you dare!"

"One!" just as she was going to buck the door down, it opens. Not noticing this Luna hind hoof continue to move to hit nothing sending her to fall onto the floor.

"I rather have you not destroy our doors, dear sister," She looks at her sister getting off the floor, "We, don't have as many spares as we did before your banishment."

Luna dusts herself and marches to her, "Then what in your name, are you doing that you refuse to do your royal duties today? I may be generous in helping you with your duties as of lately but even I have my limits," Her eyes wander around the room, "And why does your room look like you are going to war with somepony?" Luna notices the there are maps of towns in Equestria with circles and x marks everywhere with random notes littering the floor.

Knowing that she can't tell Luna about her game with Fluttershy. She quickly tries to usher his sister out of her room, "I am sorry Sister, but this is a matter that you can't help me with."

"Why ever not?" She takes a closer look at one of the maps to see it's Appleloosa and moves onto other maps, "It has been so long since we have ever gone to war intentionally. I am curious about what has called you to action."

Celestia's magic pulls the maps off the wall as well as everything else to her in a neat pile, "As I said, you can't help me. This is something that I must do alone."

"Is it more important than you doing your royal duties?"

"That is not a fair question, sister, and you know it."

Luna points a hoof at her, "Speak thee secrets sister!"

"I can't. Now get out," She picks up her sister and drops her outside her room, "And only interrupt me if you find some pony or creature trying to destroy Equestria." She slams the door,

Luna sits her pondering over what haves just happened, "Sister has a matter that she can't speak of and can't ask for help. And whatever the matter is; she doesn't want me involved," she a feeling a dread came over her, "It must be something so secret that even speaking of it will put her in danger," She gets up with a newfound urgency, "Don't worry, sister. I will do everything in my power to help you from the shadows." She heads to her room to plan.




Meanwhile at Ponyville,

"Fluttershy?" Rarity calls from her front door, "Fluttershy darling, are you home?"

Fluttershy opens the top part of her door to see her friend, "Oh hello, Rarity did you need something?"

"Why yes. Today is our weekly visit to the spa. Did you forget?"

Fluttershy was so caught up with her plan on winning Discord's heart that she forgot what day it was, "Oh. Uhm. Yes, I did." She looks to the side trying to think of a way to get back to work, "Uhmm Rarity I can't go to the spa today."

Rarity puts a hoof to her chest, "Why ever not? You have always looked forward to our spa visit. Is something wrong?" she tries to give Fluttershy a look over to see if anything was wrong. But it is very hard to do so when the pony to are trying to look at only open the top part of her door,

"Yes- erm hum no," Fluttershy is panicking right now. She doesn't want to lie to her friend but she can't tell Riarty what is going on due to the rules of the game. After all, nopony want to get a bad cold, "I- Uhm. I can't tell you."

"What!" Rarity is now concern for her friend, "Fluttershy, since when are you a pony that keeps secrets?"

"Since yesterday. Now if you excuse me, I have to get back to work." She tries to close the door but Rarity uses her magic to keep it from closing,

"Fluttershy, as one of your best friends, I implore you to tell me what is the matter and how can I help you."

Fluttershy never thought she would ever say this as she looks at her friend with a very sad face, "You can't."

Rarity stands there flabbergasted at what she was told. This causes her magic to stop working for Fluttershy to close the door. Her mane sprang a few loose strands, "I must tell the others at once!" She charges back to Ponyville.

Fluttershy sniffs to herself. She never thought that telling one of her best friends that they can't help her would be so hard to do. She takes a few breaths and looks at a scroll she was working on earlier with determination. "The soon you can win his heart, the sooner I can tell my friends what is going on." She tells herself,





Celestia pull out a scroll and starts writing down her plan, "First I will invite him over for friendly get together-"





Fluttershy goes over her plan, "Then I will talk with him about taking a trip to Rainbow Falls-"





"Once he agrees I can make an excuse for us to stay the night in the woods-"





"That way she won't be able to find us. And I will not be breaking the one day rule-"





"After all. It is not a date-"





"If Discord doesn't know that it is one." She rolls up her scroll and smiles at her pet, "What do you think Angel?" The bunny just shakes his head in disagreement, "Don't worry Angel. I know what I am doing. everything will be alright-"





"So long as the little mare doesn't get in the way and mess things up," Celestia said talking to her pet Philomena who shakes her head as her own looks over her plan one more time. "Now all that is left is to see if Discord is available. Now how did that spell go again?" Philomena squawked at her. Celestia thinks about it,  "You are right Philomena. I better send him a letter instead."