“The most I can do for my friend…”
-Henry
The sirens blurbed out a momentary cry before the police parked outside Discord’s home. Old memories from the first incident and been reawakened for both the draconequus and Redheart. Discord lingered in his room until his mother called him to the door. The two unicorns standing there asked him questions faster than he could register. The only sound that made sense was a name. Spike. What about Spike? The flashing red and blue lights outside found their way to Discord as he shook where he stood. “What about Spike?!”
“We were hoping you knew if he said anything that seemed out of the ordinary.”
“Did he ever say he was going anywhere?”
“What do you know about his caregivers?”
“Has he ever talked about hurting himself in any way?”
“No, he wouldn’t do that.” Discord shook his head. “Where is he?”
“He’s missing.”
“Do you know any of his other friends that we could talk to?”
“I’m his friend.” Discord could feel his head spinning like the lights on the cop cars. “I’m…”
Thus, it all began. The search for Spike the dragon had made it across the neighborhood. Discord even heard the search interrupt the local radio station’s broadcast. Police searched the school, the mall, and the homes of everyone who admitted to being Spike’s friend.
Redheart had invited Andee and Donna over along with Rainbow, Twilight, Big Mac, and their parents as well. A bizarre therapy circle formed around Andee as everyone wrangled his thoughts and outbursts through their thoughts and words of comforts. Donna said nothing.
Discord tried to hide his scowl from the griffon. He believed all this was because of her. Spike’s words about Donna, wanting to get rid of him, started to poison his heart with rage. “She did something,” he whispered, “I know she did.”
Rainbow and Big Mac held Discord back in a separate cluster away from all their parents. Twilight got in his face. “How do you know that? You can make accusations like that just because you and Spike both hate her.”
“E-yup.” Big Mac pat Discord on the back. “They’ll find him.”
“What if something happens to him? What if it’s too late?” Discord growled at his buzzing collar.
“Now sonny, you can’t worry about things like that.”
Discord hated hearing that from Bright Mac, Big Mac’s father. “I can’t stand it. I can’t stand waiting here while the police waste their time asking questions and not looking for him.”
Bright Mac nodded. “I understand, but their asking questions so they can find him faster. They’re just trying to figure out where he might have got to. Just you wait, they’ll find him.”
It was sickening to Discord how sincere Big Mac’s Parents were. He watched as Bright mac returned to his wife who had Applejack with her. The circle was peculiar. Of all the people to be talking to Andee, it was Twilight’s parents who gave the most consolation of all. They seemed to know something the other parents didn’t, as if they had been through this before. Discord abandoned that notion as he figured that Twilight would never run away. And as for the rest of their parents, Rainbow’s parents would make intermidden small talk with Big Mac’s parents. Occasionally they’d add to the council Twilight’s parents gave.
Redheart was distant to it all. Discord could see there was a strange gratitude in her every time he made eye contact with her. He supposed she was glad that he wasn’t the one missing. At the same time, Redheart was worried almost as much as Andee. She just didn’t vocalize it.
Discord noticed a moment that transpired between Redheart, Andee, and Donna. Redheart had offered a glass of water to Andee. He declined the offer as he violently wiped tears from his eyes. And as Redheart looked to Donna, Discord swore up and down that the griffon was actually grinning like she had somehow won. It sickened Discord. His paw twitched as he rubbed his digits close together.
Twilight’s eyes grew as she physically swat Discord’s paw with her hoof. “What are you doing?”
“She did it.” Discord muttered. “Look at her. She finally got rid of Spike. She’s smiling about it. That dirty, rotten…” His words deteriorated under his breath hissing across his teeth. He ignored the buzzing collar.
Rainbow grabbed Discord’s arm. “No, stop it. Snapping her away isn’t going to fix anything.”
“Leave me alone.” Discord ripped his arm from Rainbow, readying a snap.
“Discord.”
Discord froze. He felt his anger deflate at the sound of that voice. “Fluttershy?”
“Rainbow called me and told me what happened. I came as soon as I could from the animal shelter.” Fluttershy wasted no time in embracing Discord. “I’m so sorry to hear about Spike.”
In a flash, a blink of an eye, Discord’s snap ready paw went limp as the floodgates to his emotions opened. He buried his face in Fluttershy’s hair as he returned her embrace. Making no effort to hide his tears or cries, he just held on for dear life as he listened to Fluttershy whispering words of comfort. “He’s my friend,” his breaths barely formed loosely coherent words, “my brother. He’s my brother.”
Rainbow couldn’t hide the mist in her eyes as she rested a hoof on Discord’s side. She was brave enough to do that. Twilight followed up by pressing in alongside Fluttershy.
“Discord.” Redheart joined in as well, eyes dripping. “There, there.” She brushed her son’s mane as she held onto the growing bundle.
A set of claws found their way to Discord’s shoulder. Opening his eyes, he saw it was Andee. “I’m sorry.”
“No.” Fluttershy and Redheart parted as Andee wrapped his arms around Discord. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You’re his friend. And, I can never thank you enough for being that to him. Thank you.”
*****
Time had passed. Dark came. Then dawn came. The two officers that remained at the house kept everyone posted on the progress the police had made, which wasn’t much. Rumors floated back and forth between the two cops.
Discord listened to what they were saying as he sat on the couch next to a passed out Fluttershy. The cops certainly didn’t have anything positive to say. He felt worse and worse as the cops went on about other missing kids cases that had ended with either a mystery or a crime scene.
A weight rested on Discord’s shoulder. “Hey.”
While he was grateful for Fluttershy’s distraction from the situation, Discord couldn’t help but feel like there were more pressing matters, like finding Spike. “Morning.”
“Oh my, has it really been that long? I must have,” she looked at the blanket draped around her, “oh, well I guess I did fall asleep with you.” She hid her face a little after saying that. “Sorry, that sounded better in my head.”
Discord felt his body tense up as he caught on to what she said. “Oh. No. Nothing happened. I just felt bad for leaving you alone. So I-.”
Fluttershy brushed the side of Discord’s head. “Wait, did you sleep?”
“No.” Discord admitted. “I can’t. I keep feeling like if I fall asleep, they’ll never find him.”
Fluttershy hummed a sigh before pressing closer. “You really care about your friends, don’t you.”
Discord nodded. “Why shouldn’t I? I think I should. And Spike, he deserves the best I can give him. He deserves better. He deserves a real brother.”
“You don’t have to be brothers to be family. Friends are also family.” Fluttershy placed her hoof over Discord’s heart. “I think you both were already brothers. You just didn’t know it.”
Discord rubbed his cheek against her head, eliciting a soft hum. “Thank you, Fluttershy.”
Redheart walked up with a tray on her back. “Hi there.”
“Hey mom. You met Fluttershy, didn’t you.” Discord picked up the tray that held two plates of waffles
“Briefly.” Redheart sighed. “I’m sorry it wasn’t under better circumstances. But, it was nice to finally meet you dear. I mean, Discord has said much about you.”
“Mom.” Discord grumbled to himself.
Fluttershy giggled at Discord’s discomfort. “Really?”
“Oh yeah,” Redheart sat next to Fluttershy, “I remember how nervous he was about asking you out.”
This was it. Discord accepted his fate as his mother started spilling information to her. I’m actually dead. He endured the small talk until it ended, thanking whatever force it was that prevented his mother from bringing up baby photos. Eventually, Redheart took off to pass out waffles to everyone else.
Fluttershy hummed as she ate some of the waffles in front of her. “I like your mom, she’s nice.”
“I’m lucky to have her.” Discord meant that. Digging in to his own waffles, he thought about saying the same thing to Fluttershy, but he wasn’t sure if they were far enough that he could say anything like that to her. Picking up a whole waffle, Discord bit into it. “Hm.” It was still fresh and crisp enough that it stayed together.
Fluttershy laughed at the display.
“Hm?” Discord tried to talk past the waffle. “Fwhat? I w-like f-waffles.” He was amazed that the waffle didn’t fall apart as he laughed. To his further amazement, Fluttershy bit onto the other end, laughing as well. They both stayed like that for a bit. It gave Discord the opportunity to look, really look, at Fluttershy’s eyes. It really intimidated him at first as he felt like his soul would fall out into them. Gradually though, he began to trust her eyes. There was a hope behind them that drew him in. Discord bit further into the waffle. Fluttershy smiled, biting more into her end. It made Discord’s heart jump from his chest as he continued getting closer, staring into Fluttershy’s eyes as he went. Their muzzles inched closer, slowly.
Discord’s ears fluttered as he heard something. Something clicked and clacked in the house. He reluctantly tore off his piece of the waffle to look. He could tell the sound was coming from his room.
“Disc-,” Fluttershy chewed her waffle before swallowing it. “What’s wrong?”
“Stay here, please.” Standing up, he slowly made his way across the room and down the hall. The sound he heard from just a moment ago had escalated into a panicked mess before disappearing altogether. Reaching for the door, Discord heard a new sound, static.
He pushed the door open.
Scanning the room, Discord could see dirt and black scuff marks on the ground. The window was open, the morning breeze blowing past the curtains. On the desk, Discord’s EC radio was buzzing with sound.
“Spike?” Keeping his voice low and his steps light, Discord crept into the room with open ears and open eyes. “Is that you?” His attention quickly turned to the radio. Someone had switched it on. But who? Discord picked up the mic and held down the button. “Hello? Over.” Through the static he could hear a voice.
It was a sort of whimper. “Hn. Mo- ter. So- ry.”
Discord recognized it. “Spike! This is Discord. Pick up! Pick up! Over!”
There was no response. The muffled whimpers simply continued in their long strain until a set of syllables came through that were understandable. “J-il. Oth- kle. Rarity. Fo- nr. Co- lan.”
“Rarity?” Discord ran to the window and looked outside. There was nothing. “Rarity. She must know something.” Shutting the window, Discord walked back into the hall. Rainbow was there, just getting out of the restroom. “Rainbow.”
She squinted at Discord. “W-what? Food, first.”
“Rainbow!” Discord hushed his voice as he shook the pegasus. “I think I know how to find Spike.”
Rainbow blinked until she was awake and sober. “What? Then tell the cops.”
“No. I think Spike ran off somewhere. If he’s run away, he might just keep running from the cops.” He gestured to his room. “I need you here on the radio to listen for him. I think he has his with him. When I find him, I’ll contact you through his radio. Got it?”
Rainbow saluted. “I won’t let you down.”
Discord returned the salute as he made his way into the kitchen. Andee was working the electric waffle maker with Redheart. Across the room was the phone with the phone book sitting on the counter below. Loosening up, Discord calmly strode across the kitchen. It didn’t take long for him to find the phone number and address that Spike had circled when he called her from here once. Discord recognized the street from his lawn mowing route. “Gotcha.”
“Discord?”
He sped over to Fluttershy before she could get him noticed. “Hey, Fluttershy. I need you to do me a huge favor.”
Fluttershy tightened the blanket around her. “What is it?”
“I might be able to find out what happened to Spike.” He whispered to her. “I need you to cover for me. If anyone asks where I am. Tell them I’m in the basement. Please, I need you to trust me on this.”
Fluttershy reached for Discord’s face and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. “Promise you’ll come back.”
Discord brushed her face and pulled the blanket tight again around her. “Promise.”
“Okay.” Fluttershy walked off back to the couch.
“Promise.” Discord kept the word on his lips as he made his way into the basement, locking the door behind him. “Okay now. Rarity’s street.” He pictured it in his mind. “It would be so much easier if I could just open a zipper straight to the street.” Thinking about it, he figured, why not? After his snap, a large metal zipper appeared in the air. “It can’t be that easy.” Unzipping the zipper, Discord marveled at the street on the other side as he stretched out the opening. His collar was buzzing like crazy, but his didn’t care. It was better than passing through a hellscape.
Once on the other side, Discord followed the numbers on the houses until he found Rarity’s. It was the richer end of the block, and all the homes were uniform with little differences between them. That’s why it took the draconequus a hot minute to find the right home. At last, he found the right door and knocked on it.
“We told them everything offic-.” The white unicorn stallion who opened the door scratched his brown mane in confusion. “Hold up, you’re not one of the investigators. Who are you?”
“I’m a friend of Spike’s.” Discord took a deep breath, reassuring himself that he could do this. “I just came to check up on Rarity. I think you know about them. Right?”
“Oh.” The Stallion opened the door all the way. “Yeah. Rarity and Spike are good friends. Thick as thieves, you might say. It’s a shame he’s gone missing. She’s been all torn up about it. But, maybe seeing a friend of Spike’s could cheer her up. Come on in.”
Discord though he had stepped into a version of Spike’s house from a parallel universe. It had the same sterile feeling, except, it was a decent home. It didn’t feel like you were going to suffocate. Everything was warm and bright. It was definitely a contrast to the museum of a home that Spike lived in.
“Here. Do you think you could take some oatmeal up to Rarity. She hasn’t eaten at all since we heard about Spike.” The stallion passed the tray to Discord with his magic. “Up the stairs to the right.”
Discord watched as the stallion went to work cleaning a mess of dishes that had piled up like a mountain in the sink. Discord found it odd that he just let him in. Then again, the stallion was huge, especially for a unicorn. He could definitely handle himself.
With tray in hand, Discord climbed up the steps and faced a violet door with Rarity’s name spelled out in plastic gems. He knocked. “Rarity? It’s Discord, one of Spike’s friends.”
There was a fumble on the other side before the door was yanked open. “Discord?”
Discord couldn’t help but notice the tear stains that streaked down the white fur of her cheeks. She’d been crying. “I’m sorry if I’m imposing. But, your dad said you should eat.” He held the tray out, not knowing what to expect.
“Thank you.” Rarity wiped her face off and levitated the tray with her magic to her bedside. “Spike has told me so much about you. He always said you were his dearest friend.”
“Friend.” Discord looked around as he talked, searching for any clues that could lead him to Spike. “I thought you were Spike’s dearest friend.”
“Well, we were dating.” She pushed a heart shaped chocolate box out of the way so she could set the tray down.
Discord could see more boxes, and cards from Spike. “Funny, because your dad specifically used the word friend. Friends as thick as thieves, that’s what he said.”
Rarity nervously laughed. “That’s my dad for you. He doesn’t really like that I’ve been dating a dragon.”
Everything that came out of Rarity’s mouth stank to the high heavens for Discord. “What about the police. Did you tell them you were dating? There’s some at my house now. I wonder if they could tell me.” A magazine caught his eye.
Rarity stomped a hoof on the floor. “How uncouth of you to imply that I lied to the police. W-what are you doing?”
Discord picked up the magazine which displayed a flashy unicorn in a dress pressed up against the side of a dragon in a suit. The title of the issue read, My Life With a Dragon. The magazine crumpled in Discord’s paw. His breaths hissed across his teeth as he felt his collar buzzing nonstop. “What is this?”
“N-nothing. Just some old reading material.”
Discord pointed the magazine at Rarity. “He saw this didn’t he? Is-,” his whole body trembled, “is he a game to you?! Was he just another toy? Why?! You didn’t love him. You never did.”
Rarity backed away. “No, it didn’t mean-.”
“He was just another fad to you! How could you?! You didn’t think his emotions mattered?” Discord tightened his grip on the magazine until magic began to spill from his palm. “I guess anything is fine if it’s popular!” The magazine exploded into thousands of paper scraps that fluttered to the floor as Discord teleported out of Rarity’s room.
*****
It was at the spork ranch that Discord teleported. Falling to his knees, he beat the ground as he cursed about Donna, and Rarity. “You good for nothing fiends. Monsters!” Discord beat the ground until he fell over from his arms getting too weak to hold him up. “Spike.” He listened to the breeze that blew the tall grass around him. “Come back.” A whimpering on the wind caught his attention, and he recognized it. It was the same sound from the radio, only quieter. “Spike?”
Discord rolled over and looked for the direction of the sound. His eyes stopped at the shack which had a light flickering inside.
“Spike!” Discord ran to the shack and whipped the door open. “Spike, oh my.” He knelt over Spike who was shivering uncontrollably under a ratty blanket. Looking around, he found his radio by an open window. The window had the same black scuff marks as in his room. The mic on the radio had been taped so it stayed on. Spike’s radio was broadcasting, but couldn’t be reached. “Hang in there. I’m gonna get you warmed up.” He snapped the blanket around Spike into a better one before pulling him outside where he snapped a blazing fire pit into existence.
“Rarity.” Spike mumbled.
Discord rubbed the dragon’s limbs, trying to bring warmth back into him near the fire. “What about her?”
Spike’s face contorted as fresh hot tears rolled out of his eyes. “She lied. She doesn’t love me.”
Discord made more blankets appear and wrapped them around Spike. “It’s gonna be okay, Spike.”
“No.” Spike shook his head. “Donna’s gonna send me away. There’s nothing left. There’s nothing left!”
“Shut up!” Discord shook Spike. “You have so much left. You have us, your friends. You have me. We are brothers, Spike. Don't you dare forget it! I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. Spike, I love you. You are my brother.” He held onto Spike like his life depended on it. “It’s all going to be okay. It’s all going to be okay.” Discord almost didn’t believe it. He didn’t sincerely believe everything would just suddenly be fine. No, he believed it would take a miracle.
But, that was a problem for the future. Now, Discord just held on to Spike as he warmed up. He couldn’t rest, though. Under the sound of the crackling fire, Discord heard someone watching. He couldn’t let his guard down. Not now. He refused to give up his brother after he’d just found him. On top of that, dark clouds were gathering on the horizon. Discord could hear it in the distance, the rain.