Flurry Heart

by Buttery Biscuit


Sides You Don't See

Sombra sat at the kitchen table, levitating in his magic was a newspaper. He was currently searching for his favorite section, the comic section. He had just found it when he felt a shiver go up his spine. He ignored it, it happened from time to time but it wasn't anything to worry about.

So he separated the comic section from the rest of the paper. The discarded bit he folded neatly onto the table. He opened the page when suddenly he felt a breeze. He shivered, there must be a draft. He put down the paper and scoped the kitchen out. All the windows were closed. He shivered again, maybe it was the AC? He went over to the thermostat and looked at the number 70 degrees. Warmer then he was feeling, and he knew. He knew what this was. He went over to the stove and started boiling water for tea.

"Hello Sombra." Cadence chirped as she skipped into the kitchen. "How are you today?"

Sombra looked at Cadence, and smiled. "Freezing." He said honestly, he was glad Cadence cared about them. It was awkward at first. They didn't really know what to do with her affection until they realized they don't have to do anything. They just had accept it. That meant opening up to her. Sombra was willing to take that first step, he wasn't sure he could tell her anything. But he was willing to open up.

"Oh, is it cold in here? I feel fine." Cadence questions

"Not that kind of freezing," Sombra said as the water completed boiling, and he poured a large amount of water into the largest cup he could find. He dug into the cabinet for Discord's supply of special chamomile tea. He found the box and brought it out. He opened it up and dunk the bag into his cup.

"Oh?" Cadence questioned, her heart thumping. "From the ice?" She dared to ask, would she get an answer this time?

"Yeah," Sombra stated. "Do you think I can work from a hot tub today?" Sombra asked, it was time to actually rely on her. She said that he could, so he was going to give it a try.

"If you wish to, but maybe you shouldn't work today," Cadence offered. "What if you hurt yourself?"

"Oh I'll be fine. I just get very cold. It'll go away eventually." Sombra said, she was so sweet to him. It made his heart swell. He went over and gave her a hug. "Thank you though. If I can't handle it anymore I promise I'll get you."

Cadence smiled and hugged Sombra back. It had been a struggle getting into their hearts and staying there. It was not easy after they accepted her love as they were filled with anxiety. Discord still sometimes fought against her love but not as hard or as often as before. She wasn't sure it was her love that he was fighting, it might be her attention. She was glad to have wormed her way into their hearts enough that they let her see different sides of them. "Alright if you insist."

"Thanks." Sombra said as he slowly sipped his tea "have you seen Discord yet?" He said as he snuggled closer to Cadence. She was so warm.

"No I haven't," Cadence said as she patted Sombra's back."

"Ok, body heat is the best for this. Gets rid of it the fastest. Discord is very warm. Though you are too, he's a lot warmer. Sort of like one of those weighted blankets you love so much." Sombra stated as he brought Cadence closer.

Ivy was walking down the hallway at that moment, she just so happened to peek into the kitchen where Cadence covering Sombra as he drank tea. "Hi, Sombra!" Ivy yelled in excitement. She was used to seeing this she was one of the ponies that helped Cadence out. Cadence had told them that she loved them, and the results astonished Ivy, her brother, and Shining. They were like completely different creatures, being so stressed all the time. Ivy assumed it was a form of separation anxiety. Eventually, when things calmed down Spear, Ivy and Shining told Discord and Sombra they cared about them just as much. They freaked out a lot less that time and over the days Sombra got very affectionate. Discord still kept them at arm's length, but less so. Ivy wondered why he acted like that.

Sombra smiled at Ivy "Hi Ivy!" He said as he waved to her. "How are you?"

Ivy stepped into the kitchen "good, how are you doing today Sombra?"

"Just a little cold," Sombra said as he waved off his condition. It wasn't anything he wanted to make a fuss over. He'd hate to bother Ivy.

"Sombra is freezing. He said it was leftover from the ice he was trapped in." Cadence told Ivy.

"Oh no!" Ivy said as she joined the hug. "This better?"

Sombra felt a lot warmer as Ivy joined the hug. He couldn't help but smile. "Yes, thank you but you don't have to-"

"I want to!" Ivy interrupted as she snuggled up. Sombra was pretty comfortable. His hide a little heavier than normal, bushier, fluffy, he was fluffy.

Sombra just smiled. "You know since you are here and you are young. Can you tell me what rad means? The crusaders said I was and I quote "rad yo." I just nodded."

"You know I'm young too Sombra." Cadence stated, she wasn't that old and rad wasn't even a new slang term.

Ivy giggled. "Rad just means you are cool," Sombra asked her lots of these questions. His lingo and cultural knowledge were still pretty out of date. She didn't mind though.

"Out of all the time I spent with Doctor Ponhatten, I expected to be more up to date. Though I guess culture isn't his specialty." Sombra stated. Doctor Ponhatten worked in the scientific reference section down at the M.C.U. Also known as the Manifold Creature University. Twilight introduced him back when Sombra thought trains were large carnivorous snakes.

"It's ok, you'll get there and even if you don't. I think you are pretty rad too." Ivy replied.

"Rad," Sombra said and the two mares giggled. Somehow it was rather funny when he used slang.

Just then the door to the kitchen opened quietly and Discord stumbled in. He looked terrible, his hide and mane a mess. "Sombra," He whispered "there you are. I have been looking for you everywhere."

"I have been in the kitchen," Sombra whispered back, he already knew what was up. The whispering gave it away, he just calmly sipped his tea.

Discord walked past them all, picked up the kettle, and grabbed a large teacup. He got them from Hans Coper, a local ceramic artist. His teacups tasted better than any Discord ever had. So he bought them straight from the source. They also tended to look nothing like teacups which Discord appreciated. Abstract he called it, or that's what it translated to he spoke only Clawmen. He quickly grabbed his chamomile tea and dunk it into his cup. "Well, what's happening, do you need me to come with you or not?"

Sombra didn't get the chance to answer because Cadence jumped in. "Discord are you ok?" She whispered, she had no idea what was happening.

"I just have a migraine." Discord glossed over his condition. He hated seeming weak, but he also cared for Cadence. Even trusting her, somewhat. This dynamic caused him to have some trouble opening up to her. He wanted to, he just, what if she stopped liking him? "Also I really need Sombra to check out...a thing for me."

"Oh I have medicine for that," Cadence said as she left the hug causing Sombra to cling to Ivy as chills ran down the spot she left open. Cadence opened a cabinet and took out some pills, she opened it up and gave one to Discord. "Take this."

Discord did, and then he waited about 30 seconds. "HEY!" He shouted, the pain in his head gone. "That's pretty great, what did you call that?"

Cadence stopped what she was doing before Sombra dragged her back into the hug with his magic. "Medicine, do...you not know what that is? Also what thing? I could take a look at it if you want me too." Cadence offered.

"Must have been invented while I was in stone." Discord stated, man his head felt good. Whatever he was on he loved it, "how do I get some of my own?" Discord said as he brushed Cadence off. He didn't want her to see him like this. What if she hated him, and he never saw Flurry again? He had many issues and secrets, Sombra only knew cuz he caught Discord red clawed.

"Oh yeah, it was. It's sort of like how they make wine. They distill the spells inside crystals, and they grow more and more effective. Then they sell them. They can be more powerful then spells cast by powerful creatures, like you. You have to go to a doctor though, to get a prescription." Cadence explained, "and you never did tell me what the thing was."

"Oh, I can't just bum it off of you?" Discord asked as he once more swiped her attention away. His eyes glanced to the corner and he gulped. It wasn't real, it wasn't there. Everything was fine.

"No, medicine is very special they can't just put it onto shelves like carrots. They give you the exact amount you need and no more." Cadence explained. Discord was starting to look a little stressed, she followed his gaze to the corner of the room. Nothing was there. "Are you doing ok Discord?"

"Well, thanks." Discord paused as he turned back to the corner and just stared. "Sombra can we go now?" He kept his eyes planted on Chrysalis. She sat there and smiled at him, doing nothing else. He knew she wouldn't be here, but he couldn't fully convince himself. What if she was there?

"Yes, after Cadence goes to the corner. I can't do it I'm having one of my episodes, you clearly are too." Sombra cut in, he had work to do and he knew what was happening. Discord was hallucinating again, Sombra couldn't be sure what he was seeing. That is until he saw Discord get even more stressed, it wasn't an object, or shape, or animal, it was most likely a creature of some kind. Those bothered him the most, he ignored and powered through the other ones. But the creatures always freaked him out. Though due to his condition he couldn't go over there and prove it wasn't real.

Cadence walked over to the corner, leaving the hug once more, and sat in it. She watched as Discord visibly relaxed. "Discord you can tell me anything. I promise I won't be mad." She smiled at him.

"I thought I saw something," Discord grumbled, sometimes he saw and heard things that weren't there. Not anything crazy this wasn't like those flashbacks he would get if it was triggered. No, this was different. Usually, he could tell, and he would blink them away or rapidly move his eyes. He also made sure to keep his stress levels down good for both the flashbacks and the hallucinations. He also made sure to be around ponies and other creatures which sometimes helped both, but it helped the hallucinations more. "Let's go Sombra."

Sombra levitated Ivy off and headed off to Discord's arms, shivering the whole way. Soon he was wrapped in Discord's arms, snug as a bug in a rug. No longer did he shiver.

"Wait, Discord will you be ok?" Cadence asked concerned for both of her children. "Would you like me to cook you some waffles? I can make them just the way you like them. Burnt and covered in frosting."

Discord's stomach rumbled and so did Sombra's. Breakfast did sound good, and they didn't have to make it. They also desired to hit the hot tub. Discord liked it because it felt nice, Sombra liked it because it was comforting, they debated on what they should do. "Yeah, just...happens sometimes."

"You know what why don't you two go and I'll bring it to you when it is done." Ivy offered, "it is part of my job and I'm not doing anything."

"We couldn't make you do that." Sombra protested but Ivy just shook her head.

"I don't mind Sombra, now go off with Discord and enjoy the hot tub." Ivy smiled at him. The two of them snapping away shortly after.

Cadence hummed as she pulled flour off of a nearby shelf, self-satisfied. She learned more about them, a different side of them. One most creatures would never see. Ivy of course felt similar, they would both respect boundaries, and tell no other creature, and of course, take it seriously.


Cadence walked up to the spa room, Ivy wanted to do this but Cadence needed to see Discord. She pulled on the doors to see that they were locked. She tugged on them, how strange. It was then she noticed a note, 'please knock' it read. Cadence halted for a moment, she could teleport in. See what they were up to, but what if that broke the trust they had? She put her ear up to the door.

"Well I don't understand why Cadence loves us, she barely knows us. How do you love some creature you barely know?"

That was Discord's voice, in a rage she teleported in and put the waffles safely done on the floor. "How dare you?!"

"CADENCE??" Sombra said in a vibrating voice, he was so surprised he didn't change back to his normal form electing to stay as-is.

"HOW DARE YOU?! Do you still doubt my love? What do I need to do to prove that I love you? Move the planets? I know that you like your waffles burned and covered in frosting, your favorite fruit is apples, you like chaos, you have strong beliefs on freedom. You think it's funny when Twilight tries to measure something and you suggest she does it in cubic meters. You love harassing Celestia, you love Flurry, you're a good caretaker, you love to prank, you are very smart, you like reading upside-down, your favorite color is neon pink, and your favorite animals are cows because their faces are, and I quote "so super stupid." You think gravity is overrated, you like tea, you play the piano and the harp, and you speak several languages. You're also an artist!" Cadence said as she stepped into the hot tub and into Discord's face.

"I never ask you questions because I don't wish to upset you, like this morning. I know your past still bothers you, I know that you care about Sombra and that you have known each other forever. I know that you are a good soul and I couldn't be happier that you joined my family. What I don't know is why. Why do you keep pushing me away? Is this about your time in stone? Is there something else I could be doing?" Cadence wings flared up as tears dripped down her face.

"Ok, ok," Sombra said as he stepped in and pushed her off of Discord. He wrapped her into his smoky hooves. "It's ok Cadence."

"It isn't ok!" She yelled as she snuggled into Sombra, he was warm. She looked up at him and her eyes widened.

"Are you ok Cadence?" Sombra asked as he rubbed her back. Then he realized, he was out in the open, in his normal form, in front of Cadence. Sombra was going to panic before he remembered it was Cadence, he didn't need to worry. He just hugged her closer. "Discord you're being unreasonable. Even if she hadn't shown up I was still planning to tell you that. You can't keep pushing her away. She cares about us, for real."

Cadence looked at Sombra. He was made out of smoke. Taller, bigger, and way more threatening. She would have panicked if she didn't realize this was Sombra. There was no need to fear him, she frowned. "No, I am upset," she said as she hugged him closer. She took a good look at Discord, he looked way more terrifying as well, but she wasn't scared. "Why?" She asked clinging to her child harder.

Discord wasn't sure what to say, he opened and closed his mouth several times. "I just" he finally said. "I feel like there may be something we do or say, and you'll suddenly stop liking us. I also feel...guilty and weak."

"Go on." She said as she laid against her child, Sombra was very comfortable like this. He should stroll around like that more often, it was like laying on a cloud.

"There is so much you don't know about us, how can you be so sure you'll never stop caring?" Discord asked. Discord held many, many secrets. How was he supposed to be sure Cadence would keep her position?

"Because Discord, we're sitting in our normal forms in front of her. She asked zero questions and batted zero eyes. You know why? Because she loves us. Discord I'm going to be very real with you. Cadence is the best thing to ever happen to us. This is the best situation we could possibly be in. We aren't surviving, we aren't evil, we aren't being paraded around like trophies. We're just a couple of creatures. When Cadence says she cares, she proves it. I mean the elements say we're friends, but we know we are just their pet project. What do you expect Cadence to do exactly? What could she possibly be doing that would get you to stop being such a....well you're being a prick."

Discord was silent, he had no idea what to say to that. Was he being unreasonable?

"Discord how do you feel? It's ok to tell me. I won't hurt you." Cadence said, though she wasn't sure what more she could do. She had done everything she could. Well, that wasn't true, she hadn't fixed things between them and the elements yet. But how was she to do that if she couldn't even make this work?

Discord paused, maybe Sombra was right. "I just have some hesitation about all this. I know you love us but I just can't help but wonder. Why?"

"Discord, I love you because your funny, interesting, and I love your attitude. You make my days happier." Cadence replied "you make them easier to live. You and Sombra made my universe shine brighter."

"And you...you won't magically stop liking us? For any reason?" Discord asked as he started to believe that maybe, just maybe she meant it. That she would stay by them, no matter what.

"No of course not. Do you think I'm lying when I say I love you?" Cadence asked.

"Well no not really." Discord said, she did have a point. The longer she sat there, talking to him. The more he believed her. The more his walls came down. He was being ridiculous.

"Well, then there's your answer," Cadence said as she let go of Sombra and flew over to Discord. She hugged him close, burrowing herself in his fur. He was so soft, but in a different way. Sombra was right, he was like a weighted blanket.

"I was hallucinating in the kitchen it happens sometimes. Most of the time its shapes or objects or animals. Sometimes it's creatures. I can deal with the other stuff. Make it go away with some actions I found that work. But I kept seeing Chrysalis and it was freaking me out. So when I can't get it to go away, or rationalize it away. I get Sombra and I make him go check it out. They don't do much besides just sit or stand around, they don't harm in any way. They're just sort of there."

"Do you think I'll treat you differently?" Cadence asked, was this what was bothering him? Or was there more?

"I think you'll think I'm crazy and you won't let me watch Flurry, or be around her. I'm afraid you'll learn something that will convince you I'm not worth it and kick me out. I just don't want to seem weak to you, like I'm incompetent." Discord said as he looked away from Cadence, it wasn't his fault, but he would be blamed for it.

"You would never put Flurry in harm's way, just like Shining and I. Discord if you say it's ok I believe you, you can depend on me. I do not think you're incompetent. Why don't you two tell me everything you can? We can make a night out of it. I'll tell you all about myself too. To make it fair, even the embarrassing stuff." She levitated the waffles over and put them in front of Discord.

Discord held the plate in his claws. The frosting the shape of a heart. He looked at Cadence, and let it go. There was no need to fight her interest, it came from a good place.

"Why don't we show her how we used to live, Cloudclaw does those survival style campouts. We could show Cadence the ropes. We can show, and tell Cadence about our past bit by bit. If it bothers you that much and...Cadence...you're the best mother ever and I care about you deeply." Sombra said, in all honesty, this had concerned him to but now it didn't have to. He smiled at her never would he have guessed that his future would look this bright.

"I love you too," she said as she hugged Sombra harder. "Now eat your waffles, you'll get hungry. I can't have that." She said as she cut his waffle into pieces for him. She picked a piece up with the fork and put it close to his muzzle. "Say aaaaaaa."

Sombra blushed as he opened his mouth. His waffles were covered in raspberries and not burnt. "It's good." He said as he let Cadence feed him. He had never done this before. It was a little embarrassing, but he enjoyed Cadence's attention.