Despite Discord being honest with Fluttershy and them still being friendly, there was an awkward feel to everything for Discord. He wasn't sure if Fluttershy felt the same, but everything kind of felt off since his confession to his first-ever friend. One time he was arriving at Fluttershy's cottage from getting the groceries, moreso teleporting, and he arrived and slid through the door using magic, as it was still barricaded to see Fluttershy standing there as if waiting for him.
"Discord, where did these feelings come from."
Discord began to sweat chocolate milk. Hadn't they already talked about this?
"Fluttershy we already talked about thi-"
"No we didn't, I was so shocked at the timed that I didn't realize it but..."
She looked up at the draconequus as she took one moment to steady herself and then resumed speaking.
"If the breezies taught me anything, it's that tough love is sometimes necessary, Discord, please explain to me the reason you have feelings for me."
Discord sighed as he breathed in, his chocolate sweat fading as he did.
"Fluttershy, you were the first real friend I have ever had. I'm no Prince Charming and certainly, my actions weren't the best of ways of coping from not being accepted into society. You showed me the respect no other pony would and when you guys freed me from stone, I did try to take advantage of you..."
He paused, regretting everything he ever did to harm Fluttershy that day.
"But as you showed me more and more kindness, it was like some kind of Celestia damned drug, I was put under your spell of friendship..."
Fluttershy looked up at him, she had never seen him this calm and emotional before.
"Discord..."
He looked down at the pegasus mare, to see a stern but concerned face.
"I don't feel the... same way about you, as said."
Discord flinched, he knew it, but it would hurt every time he heard it.
"But you've always been a good friend to me... which is why I need to do this..."
Discord stared down at her as with tears in her eyes she said.
"I need you to take down the barriers, leave here, and find a friend that isn't me."
Discord had felt like an arrow had gone into his chest. He could only stammer as tears swelled in both of their eyes.
"Y-you're kicking me out...?"
"It won't be forever... but you need a life that isn't only me."
They both stared at each other until it faded and zoomed out into The Pony of Twilight's foggy inner consciousness where "Twilight" roamed around as she noticed the boards come down and Discord leave Fluttershy's house, both of them hurting.
"It hurts to be betrayed by your friends doesn't it..." The Twilights said, not even noticing her smirk forming.
The consciousness seems to refade in Twilight's head to see Firefly flying away from the dorms, angry and tears stinging her eyes, to see Surprise and Blossomforth coming out of the showers, where they had headed after the short meeting.
"Damn it dash..." Blossomforth muttered under her breath.
Surprise looked at Blossomforth as her face scowled a bit, she was kind of cute when she was angry.
"I'm going to go have a chat with our roomie, Surprise. Please go and calm Firefly down with whatever charm you have, I know you have it." Blossomforth smirked as she flew off towards their dorm.
Rainbow Dash felt bad for what she did. But she didn't know how to express that she reminded her of her dead friend, who just happened to have been the Princess of Friendship.
"Dash
Rainbow turned around to an angry Blossomforth who marched towards her.
"What kind of attitude is that?!"
Rainbow stuttered, she had never seen that side of Blossomforth before.
"You've been treating her like rubbish the past two days, the only two days she's been here, and damn be well to Luna you could've treated her with respect."
Rainbow was silent, her head hanging low from shame.
"Blossomforth I-"
Blossomforth wasn't having it, she needed to step up for once and knock some sense into her.
"She just flew out in tears, Dash, I get that you're mourning over Twilight but don't you dare take it out on the team."
"Blossomforth you don't get it-'
This struck a nerve.
"You don't get to tell me I don't get it Crash.
Blossomforth started to walk out, in tears.
"I'm saying all this because I care Dash..."
Rainbow was left alone in the dorm, not knowing what to think anymore.
Rainbow wasn't the only angry one, Applejack and Spike see a currently furious Granny Smith standing at their door, she had caught them in each other's embrace.
"What in tarnation is going on in here?!"
Neither of them knew what to say exactly but Applejack managed to find some words.
"Granny ah can expla-"
Granny interrupted her with a stern voice
"S-so you jus go an' bring that Spike feller here for "help" and ah finally "relax" only to find y'all jus-
caNOODLIN on yer off time?"
"Granny we-"
"Ah don wanna hear it- I care about Sphake and all but this just seems... wrong!"
Applejack and Spike both winced at that as they saw Granny storm off. Applejack teared up and whispered something Spike couldn't hear
"Is this how you felt paw...?"
Spike rested a claw on her shoulder as she gazed up at him with a sad look.
"Let's just get to work now, Sugarcube."
Spike knew she was trying her best to keep it together while saying that, but he knew she wasn't okay.
He wasn't okay. Not one thing was going okay. They both begrudgingly worked on the farm with Applebloom and BigMac when Applebloom pulled her brother aside and whispered to him.
"Ah assume you also heard Granny Smith's blowup at the two?"
"Eeyup."
"Did you know they were... checking?"
"Eeyup."
"When did you find out, I only found out yesterday, but we could probably blame that on me bein with the Crusaders most of the hours-."
"E'er since the day Spike was "At her service" "
That took Applebloom a minute and then it hit her.
"All the way back then?!"
BigMac put a hoof to her mouth as they almost got the couple's attention.
"Quit makin a ruckus, we don't want them hearing us."
"Yer right... but how could ya kno-"
The older sibling rolled his eyes.
"You kiddin' me Applebloom, every time he was even mentioned afterward she'd turn redder than my coat tone."
The two jumped when they heard a voice.
"Now what are y'all yammerin about?"
"The possibility of...."
Applebloom looked at her older brother for something to get their flanks out of the frying pan.
"Startin' to provide a little more apples to the... schools and orphanage?"
"Normally, I'd get mad at ya both for being such terrible liars right to the element of honesty's face. But that actually isn't half a bad of an idea..."
She gazed up at Spike who approached them and took a hold of her hoof.
"Whats such a good idea?"
Applejack blushed causing her siblings to snicker.
"The great idea from these two geinuises right here is that we provide a little more apple product to the orphanages and schools."
"If ya want us to be honest, sis, we both know yer datin' Spike."
Applebloom bucked her brother's leg as a sign to shut it. The couple blushed furiously and after regaining their composure Spike was about to talk when Applejack butted in.
"Good fer y'all but try not letting this egg hatch outside the coop."
This stunned Spike a little... why wouldn't she want this getting out. As the two siblings scampered off to get to more work trying to escape their sister's wrath, and succeeding, Spike pulled Applejack aside.
"Not letting this egg outside the coop?"
Applejack sweat nervously, kicking her shins for realizing how that sounded.
"I love you, Spike, I really do, but... what if everypony reacts the way Granny does..."
"I'm sure they won't... and no matter what I'll stick to you, by your side... Tartarus we could flee the country back to whatever cringefest this author wrote like 3 years ago."
"What in the hay are ya talkin about?"
Even Spike had to ponder that.
"No clue... But it seems like more poorly done dialogue"
Spike shook his head and got back to the point at hoof.
"Is our reputation that much more imp-"
Applejack shut that up with a quick soft kiss on the lips.
"Course not, but I jus wanna... keep it between us for a bit, till we can tell one of our friends first."
Spike sighed and gave her another soft quick kiss.
"Alright, Sugarcube, if that's what you'd prefer."
"Don't call me Sugarcube, Loverboy, that there;'s my thing."
"You'll have to get it back from me"
The dragon said that with a shit-eating grin on his face as he pulled out Applejack's mane tie and scampered off with it chuckling.
"Hey, you get back there with that you!"
Applejack gave chase to him laughing and smiling.
It was right after the other Apple siblings had scampered off, BigMac had an already preplanned delivery of Apples to the schoolhouse, should mention it's Saturday.
"Hello BigMac, you have the apples I ordered?"
"Eeyup."
"Thank you, mind helping me get them in the room?"
"Eenope."
"Have you told Applejack about our plans yet?"
BigMac starting sweating
"I'll take that as a no. Hon, we've been planning to move in with each other for months, you have to tell her eventually you wanna live in a house with just me."
BigMac sighed and nodded his head.
"Eeyup, it's just hard because my family can be pretty strict with Apples that "leave the family" "
"Well you'll still be working there, just, living with your marefriend, it's so horrible I know" Cheerilee teased.
BigMac chuckled and nuzzled Cheerilee, now they were a known couple in Ponyville. They'd been caught on dates by some of Cheerilee's younger students and they'd always giggle at them.
"What if I told you I didn't want to work on Sweet Apple Acres anymore Cheers?"