//------------------------------// // 4 Loathe at first sight // Story: My Little Pony: love is magic // by Star Hope //------------------------------// Several days had passed without any remarkable problem. Twilight and Spike had gone to the School of Friendship to check on how things where going, she had been really impressed by how well Starlight and Sunburst were running it. Besides, the teachers they had hired to teach the classes that Twilight and her friends used to were doing a great job. Applejack had been to Appkeloosa to visit her cousin, Pinkie and Cheese had been occupied planning parties for several ponies' birthdays on consecutives days, Rainbow Dash and the rest of the Wonderbolts had been preparing a new routine for an upcoming event and Rarity had gone to Yakyakistan in order to supervise the construction of her boutique that would soon be ready for its inauguration. Fluttershy had also been very busy because many animals had caught a cold, even though they weren't at the time of the year when they use to be the most cases, Dr. Fauna took them to the sanctuary to recover. Luckily, it didn't last for too long and most of the animals were already cured. Talking in general, everything was going fine, but peace can't last long. It was a day like any other when it all started to go wrong. Discord was at his house in Chaosville. Spike, Big Mac and him had agreed to meet that afternoon to play Ogres and Oubliettes, but right now he had nothing to do and was bored so he decided to go see Fluttershy. He teleported to her cottage and found her flying around, seemingly to be looking for something, she was so distracted she didn't even notice him. “Not even going to say hi?” he joked calling the yellow pegasus attention. “Discord! Sorry, I didn't see you.” “I already noticed that, what are you looking for anyway?” “Recently, there was a cold epidemic among the animals of the zone and has affected a group of pukwudgies from the Everfree forest. It's not anything serious, but there's a tiny problem when they sneeze.” Just when she said that, there was a sneeze coming from upstairs followed by a similar sound to what arrows make when they hit something and Angel came down with two spikes stuck in his tale, to which Discord snickered. “Every time they sneeze, they shoot spikes in all directions, that’s why I keep them upstairs,” Fluttershy explained as she took the spikes out of the angry bunny and covered his tail with bandage. “Angel was watching them while I went to see Zecora to ask her for a potion to prevent them from sneezing, but now I can't find it and I've looked for it everywhere. It must have fallen on my way here and I can't take care of them if they don't stop shooting spikes.” “Can't you just go ask Zecora to make more potion?” Discord suggested. “To prepare it she needs leaves of pimentonic herb and she’s ran out of it.” “I suppose I could help you with this pointy situation.” Fluttershy looked at him hopefully. “Can you help me find the potion?” “I was more thinking of creating you an armor, but I guess that'll do,” he said popping in some sort of metal detector but with the image of a potion in it. Naturally, that was all for show up as he could perfectly just summon the lost potion from wherever it was. However, he didn't have time to do that because at that very moment, Tamer showed up carrying a bag with something inside. From the moment he saw him walk through the door, Discord knew he didn't like that guy a bit. “Here you are! I've been looking for you, you dropped this before,” Tamer said taking out from the bag a little jar with a red liquid on it. “The potion! Where did you…?” “It must have had fallen off when we collided, by the moment I realized it, you were already gone. I went to the sanctuary to give it back to you, but you weren't there.” Fluttershy remembered how, when she was returning from Zecora's house, she was in such a hurry that she didn't see Tamer coming and they bumped into each other. As the two of them spoke, Discord's gaze shifted from one to the other repitedly. “And who are you supposed to be?” he asked a bit bugged. Tamer, who hadn't noticed him till now, startled at the sight of the strangest creature he had ever seen. “Oh, I'm sorry. Discord, this is Tamer Whispering. Tamer, this is-” Before she could finish, Discord teleported right in front of him and shook his hoof with his lion paw. “Discord, Lord of Chaos and Fluttershy's best friend,” he gave special emphasis to the last part. While his smile might had seemed friendly, his gaze was saying otherwise. Just then, the sound of a sneeze came from upstairs followed by the sound of spikes hitting wood. “I’d better give them the potion, I'll be right back,” Fluttershy said before flying upstairs with the jar on her hooves. Once she was gone, Discord's expression darkened, he pulled Tamer's hoof, which he was still holding, pulling the confused unicorn closer to him. “Listen up Tamer, whatever it is, I'm okay with you being friends with Fluttershy, I understand the whole ‘multiple friend’ thing and all of that,” he said motioning with his eagle claw, then, he leaned his face closer to him and added in a threatening tone, “but let me make one thing clear to you, I am Fluttershy's best friend.” To his surprise, Tamer didn't seem to be intimidated. “You don't have to worry, I'm not trying to replace you as her best friend or anything,” he said in a rather calm voice. “I actually want to be more than just her friend, if you know what I mean.” After saying that, he let go of the draconequus’ grasp and went to the bottom of the stairs by which Fluttershy was already returning. Meanwhile, Discord stood stunned on the spot with a puzzled expression on his face. “Did it work?” Tamer asked her. “Luckily, yes.” “I'm glad to hear that,” he said heading to the door. “You are leaving already?” “Yes, I still have some things to unpack.” They said goodbye and Tamer went on his way. “Isn't he lovely?” Fluttershy said to Discord. “Yeah,” he answered sarcastically looking disdainfully to where Tamer had left. Yep, not a bit. Meanwhile, in Ponyville, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich had already found the perfect location to their party planning and gag shop (yet to be named), it was an empty plot next to the Sugarcube Corner. Now they only had to build it. And, for that, they met in a cafe with Hard Hat, who they had hired for the construction. He was currently showing them the plans for the building he had made as a first concept so that they could give their ideas. He still didn't know what he had gotten himself into. “This would be the part where the customers would be,” he pointed at it in the plan with his hoof. “This would be the back room, then, this part and the second floor would be for domestic use; this would be the kitchen, the dinning room, the bathroom and three bedrooms here, here and here. Of course, this is just a first concept so feel free to give your ideas.” Pinkie Pie looked thoughtfully at the plan. “Weeell… it's okay, but something's missing.” “What is it?” Hard Hat asked. “We would like the shop to have two different levels to fit more gags,” Cheese answered. “Sure, if we change this part…” Hard Hat modified the plan with a pencil. “…the shop would win more height, and the staircase would go here.” “Oh! Oh! Can it be a double one?” Pinkie asked. Hard Hat erased the stairs he had drawn and substituted it by a double staircase. “Yeah, and in the center we can put a sliding pole to get down like in a firestation,” Cheese said. “Umm…” “Good idea!” Pinkie exclaimed. “We also need a secret party planning cave.” “A what now?” Hard Hat asked. “That's where you plan the parties, silly,” Pinkie answered as if it were the most obvious thing in Equestria. “The secret entrance could be over here,” Cheese said pointing somewhere in the plan. “Yes. And, oh! Here we could add some balloons,” Pinkie said drawing them with some colored pencils she’d pulled out of thin air. “And the sign at the entrance could have some colored lights,” Cheese said drawing them with one of the pencils. “Good idea! And the entrance feels a little dull to me. What about a cake-shaped door?” Pinkie proposed. “Or piñata-shaped,” Cheese continued. “Or balloon-shaped.” Once they started with the brainstorm, there was nopony who could stop them. That afternoon, in the world of Ogres and Oubliettes. “I don't trust that pony,” Discord said absently as he shot an arrow at an skeleton-card. “Who?” Spike asked making him realize he had said that out loud. “That Chistering guy or whatever,” he answered getting his name wrong on purpose. “You mean Tamer Whispering? I met him the other day when Twilight and I visited the school, he seems nice.” “He might seem like it, but I assure you he's not to be trusted,” Discord said bowing momentarily at the little dragon's level. Seeing his obvious dislike towards the unicorn, Spike and Big Mac exchanged complicity glances. “Oh, I see what’s up,” Spike said with a knowing smile. “You're jealous.” “Ey-yup,” Big Mac confirmed. “I'm not jealous!” Discord replied offended by the insinuation. “What reason could I possibly have to be jealous of that two-bit unicorn?” he added scornfully, not realizing that way he was just confirming their suspicion. “I mean, he has become quite close to Fluttershy, it’s understandable if that bothers you.” “I'm perfectly fine with Fluttershy making a new friend, I learnt my lesson with what happened with Tree Hugger,” Discord assured, although it didn't convince them. “Yeah, right. It's cleat that those two are on their way to being more than just friends and it's also clear that you're not ‘perfectly fine' with that.” “He also used that expression. ‘More than just friends’, what does that even mean?” he asked crossing his arms. “You really don't know what that means?” Spike asked. “No, should I?” Spike thought for a moment in the best way to explain it to him. “Just so you understand, Pinkie and Cheese are more than just friends.” Judging by the look on his face, he had understood, but he soon returned to his nonchalant expression to scoff at he idea. “Oh, please. Fluttershy would never be interested in that guy, she's better than that. I almost feel sorry for him, to think he could have a chance at all,” he mocked faking contempt. “You sure about that?” Spike's comment made him hesitate for a moment. “Yeah, well. In the remote case that that happened, why would I care in the slightest?” he asked crossing his arms and looking away. Big Mac and Spike stared at him, the level of denial was huge. “What?” Discord asked. “You really expect us to believe that, don't you?” Spike asked raising an eyebrow. “You know what? I've got better things to do that listen to your nonsense,” Discord said. He was fed up with Spike’s insinuations, he disappeared leaving them alone. “Just because you can’t see what's going on doesn't mean everypony else doesn't see what's going on!” Spike yelled at him knowing he could hear it. He then crossed his arms and looked around, then he realized. “Um… How are we going to get out of here now?” Discord reappeared in Ponyville and started to walk around muttering to himself. “Jealous? Me? That's the dumbest thing he's ever come up with. Jealous.” He walked past the cafe where Pinkie and Cheese were still coming up with crazy ideas for their shop wile Hard Hat banged his head on the table. “What if we put two slides instead of stairs and ask Discord to put a spell on them so they slide up instead of down?” Pinkie Pie asked modifying the bunch of doodles that once had been a plan. “Great idea! And instead of a normal lamb, we can put a disco ball,” Cheese followed. Discord didn't pay attention while he continued reaffirming the absurdity of the idea of him being jealous, he felt the need to argue all the reasons why Spike and Big Mac were wrong, but rather trying to convince himself of it. He was doing that when he saw the pony, of which he was not jealous, coming out of the antique shop. He rapidly disappeared from his field of vision, the last thing he wanted was to start a conversation with that guy. He reappeared a few feet above on a cotton candy cloud created by himself, far enough to be out of sight, but still close enough to watch him. He was carrying the same bag from that morning. Discord’s eyes followed him as he walked away from the shop, there was something about that pony that made him want to turn him into a potato, he decided it was because he didn't trust him. That’s why he didn't like the idea of Fluttershy having feelings for him, which obviously she didn’t, and he decided to make sure to keep it that way, he would make sure to be there whenever Tamer was with her to prevent them from getting closer. He convinced himself it was to protect her, and wouldn't admit that the thought of Fluttershy being in love with Tamer caused an unpleasant feeling on his chest which he couldn't identify. On their part, it took them most of the afternoon, but Spike and Big Mac managed to get out of the game. After going all over the place trying to find the end of the board, they finally found a door with a sign that said ‘EXIT’ on it. They went through it and appeared in Ponyville next to the cafe where, yes, Pinkie and Cheese were still coming up with ideas, each of them crazier than the last one. Their outfits from the game had disappeared, both returning to their usual appearances. “Remind me to never make Discord angry while we are in a dimension he created,” Spike said. “Ey-yup.”