//------------------------------// // Worming His Way In // Story: Taming the Draconequus With Coffee // by Graymane Shadow //------------------------------// Discord not only came back the next day, but every day that week. At first, Joe worried that customers would begin to stay away due to Discord’s reputation for antics, but the opposite happened. As he started to feel more comfortable around the draconequus, other customers seemed to feed off that confidence, returning and even bringing friends. Always one to enjoy an audience, Discord would – after some whispered suggestions from Joe, mixed with warnings about going too far – perform a few tricks for patrons, which were invariably met with applause and cheers. By the end of the second week, he had gone from feeling like an interloper to feeling like a critical part of the shop, filling a hole Joe hadn’t even realized had existed. “So,” Joe asked one morning, when they were alone in the store after the breakfast rush had left, “when do I get a Royal Warrant from the Lord of Chaos?” He jerked his head at the wall, where the recently restored Warrants from the princesses were hanging. “From moi?” Discord asked, putting one claw on his chest. “You want an endorsement from me?” “I asked, didn’t I?” “Well, it’s just that I’ve never been asked to endorse something before. Do I get lots of money in return? Awards? Tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala?” “You get a warm fuzzy feeling of pride every time you walk in here and see your plaque on the wall,” Joe said, grinning. “And I’m pretty sure you’re the one with the tickets to all the fancy events, not me.” “True,” Discord replied. “Well, I’m just not quite convinced that I’m worthy to be on the wall with such esteemed ponies.” Having expected this, Joe decided to spring a little surprise on his newest friend. “Well, while you’re thinking on that, let me give you something else to consider. I’ve been thinking of doing a series of special donuts, and I was wondering if you might like to be the one to help come up with the first.” The draconequus rolled his eyes. “Well, now you’re just pranking me.” “No pranks,” Joe said, swiping his hat off his head and holding it to his chest. “Baker’s honor.” Discord studied him for several moments. “You…really mean it, don’t you?” Joe chuckled. “Of course I mean it. I asked, didn’t I?” The chime of the door drew his attention, and he pulled his hat back on, walking over to serve the couple that had just walked in. That caused him to miss the curious expression that briefly appeared on Discord’s face. After the customers had been handled, Joe returned, wiping his brow with a towel. “All right. You think more on my offer?” Discord put on a pensive look. “Well, I suppose I need to check my schedule first.” With a flash, a mountain of scrolls and calendars appeared, with a green eyeshade wearing Discord holding a magnifying glass as he pretended to be studying some fine printing on one scroll. Joe knew the draconequus was just playing hard to get, but he let his friend continue the charade for a little while longer. He’d quickly realized that one of the things Discord appreciated the most was being allowed to be himself. “Okay,” Discord finally said, snapping his fingers to vanish all the clutter. “It seems that there’s just enough time in my schedule to help you craft your donut. That is, if you still want my help. I’m not much for baking.” “Let me handle the baking,” Joe replied. With a tug of magic, he pulled a scrap of parchment and a quill from under the counter. “I’m looking for just a little dash of chaos for this donut, and that's right up your alley.” The Flaming Pudding Donut, as the pair eventually called their collaboration, proved to be very tricky to make, incredibly difficult to store…and immensely popular with the night crowd, a time-of-day Joe’s shop was normally rather quiet. It consisted of a normal jelly donut stuffed with a spiced pudding. Just prior to serving, it was doused in alcohol, given to the customer, and then set on fire, creating a fantastic show for everypony to see. The heat had the effect of steaming the pudding, causing it to gush out in a gooey mess once bitten into. It was stylish, unique, and decidedly Discordian in nature, the exact three things Joe had been hoping for. Having it ready to go on the first day of winter had been a happy bonus. Princess Luna had been one of the first customers, and her ravings about how delectable the donut was had been the top quote chosen for the article in The Canterlot Times, which certainly hadn’t hurt sales. Joe had made sure Discord got his share of the credit, and once he got his hooves on a copy of the paper, he cut out the picture of the two of them standing in front of their creation, framed it, and hung it on the wall below the picture of the Elements of Harmony, right next to the small plaque Discord had presented Joe with a few days prior. Stepping back to admire his hoofwork, Joe couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m sure the first thing he’ll ask is why he’s below the other picture. Then he’ll probably make that picture frame start fighting the others with swords made out of my coffee stirrers, saying how ‘there can only be one’ or something like that.” The chime of the bell over the door broke Joe from his amusing daydream, and he turned, only to stop in surprise. Discord hadn’t come alone today. He held the door open for a pink-maned pegasus, who Joe immediately recognized as Fluttershy. Normally, he was happy to see any of the Elements in his shop, as they were all rather kind, but upon seeing her that morning he felt a confusing pang of…jealousy? That didn’t make sense. Why would he be jealous to see Discord with another pony? He certainly didn’t feel anything special for the draconequus…did he? “Good morning, Joe!” Fluttershy called out, smiling as she walked up to the counter. “Good morning, Fluttershy,” he replied, tipping his hat. Pangs of jealousy or not, he was a master of customer service. “I seem to recall you prefer decaf, one sugar, and a cruller, right?” “That’s right,” she said, smiling. “A cinnamon one, if you don’t mind?” “Coming right up. Usual for you, Discord?” “I’ll have the Celestia this morning,” he replied, looking nervous for some reason. The Celestia consisted of a large black coffee and three lemon bars, a combo Joe guaranteed to wake anypony up from a funk. He quickly put together the orders, setting them down on the countertop. “So what brings you to Canterlot this morning?” Joe asked, casting an eye around the shop to make sure the other customers were fine. “Well, Discord's been telling me so much about you, and how much he enjoys being here,” Fluttershy said, smiling serenely. "I wanted to stop by to see how things were going." She took a gentle sip of the coffee and hummed. “Oh, that’s so good, Joe. If you ever moved to Ponyville I think I’d never leave your shop.” “Just what I like to hear.” Taking a rag in his magic, he wiped at a few spots on another part of the counter. “You two got plans for today?” Fluttershy looked at Discord, who was staring off into space while his three lemon bars circled around his untouched coffee. The coffee cup itself had turned orange, with a now-green saucer below, and Joe thought it sounded like it was squeaking. The two ponies exchanged a glance, and briefly shared a smile. “No, not really,” she admitted. “After we’re done talking I’m going to stop by the palace. One of the groundskeepers has been writing to me about an issue they’ve been having with some of their birds, and I’m hoping I can work out some kind of solution for them.” “Wow,” Joe replied. “That sounds like a big job, working for the Princesses like that. You gonna be helping her today, Discord?” “What?” Discord broke from his reverie, his head making the sound of a clanging bell as he shook it back and forth. Fluttershy giggled, holding one hoof to her mouth. “He asked if you were coming with me to the palace.” “Oh. Oh, well of course. I’ll be happy to go with you to the palace.” He looked to Joe. “Unless you needed me for something?” “I think you’ve earned a day off,” Joe replied, with a wink he didn’t entirely feel. “If you’re free tomorrow, though, I want to start planning our next collaboration. Can’t be setting donuts on fire forever.” “Of course not,” Discord replied. “I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow then.” With a snap of his fingers, the three lemon bars levitated up to his mouth. He ate them in one bite, then, leaving the coffee untouched, headed for the door. Fluttershy watched him leave, and sighed. “Oh, Discord.” She turned back to Joe. “I’m sorry if he’s acting a little weird, Joe. He’s just got a lot on his mind right now. I hope you won’t hold that against him.” “Of course not. He’s a friend.” She smiled. “I’m glad to hear you say that. He’s really a good person, but with his past not many ponies are willing to give him a chance.” “I’ll admit, when I first met him I was a little nervous, but the more I get to know him, the more I like him.” Joe was an expert in small talk, so his next question was almost automatic. “So…how are things between you two?” "Oh, I mean, they're fine, I guess? We're still friends, same as always. He doesn't come around as often for tea, but I don't mind, really. I'm glad he's making more friends. And when he does come around, we have so much more to discuss than we used to. He's so different now that he's working toward a relationship." “I didn’t realize it was taking away from your time together as a couple.” Now Joe felt bad. “I mean, he doesn’t have to come here. Just tell me what day you normally have tea together, and I can make sure he knows he’s welcome to go visit with you.” She giggled especially hard at that statement. “That’s very kind of you, Joe, but I don't think I'm the pony he wants to have a relationship with.” The bell over the door rang, and Discord poked his head back in. “Are you coming, Fluttershy?” “Oh! Yes, I’m sorry.” The pegasus looked back at Joe. “Anyway, thanks for the coffee and the cruller. They were both delicious. Have a good day!” She walked out, leaving Joe standing there alone and confused. It was the little things, really, that finally got Joe to see what was happening. The corny magic tricks that seemed to only be for Joe’s amusement. The way Discord would walk him home on especially late nights. His offers to watch the counter on the times Joe needed to check in deliveries. It was a mark of how much their relationship had progressed when Joe had to make a weekend trip to Manehattan, and realized he trusted the draconequus enough to leave him in charge of the store. He was still plenty nervous, but no more so than he would have been if he’d left someone else in charge. And Fluttershy had come to help keep Discord on track, which helped. He might be reformed, but he was still prone to a prank or two…or six. He was pretty sure that Discord wanted something more than they currently had, but Joe had been hurt before, and having misread the situation multiple times, he was nervous about making the first move. Deep down, a part of him worried this was some extra-long, ultra-elaborate prank, and he didn’t think he was ready to risk finding that out just yet. Carrying on in uncertainty was better than finding out you’d been toyed with. So, he watched and waited. If Discord really did feel something for him, then the draconequus could make the first move. He just hoped it didn't take too long.