//------------------------------// // Bound to Break // Story: The Mark of the Soul // by Comicizzum //------------------------------// The conversation with Cadence had lit a fire in Fluttershy’s heart and she was more than ready to stand up and defend her love! But the raging inferno had diminished to a flickering shimmer as days turned into weeks without a sign of Discord. And she’d never been so depressed.  Her friends had immediately noticed her lack of happiness and tried to wiggle out the cause but the pegasus refused to confess until after she’d cleared things up with Discord. In her spare time she tried to keep busy, caring for the animals at the Sanctuary and teaching at the School of Friendship. Since Discord had missed three consecutive tea parties, she’d decided to spend the time tending her flower garden in the backyard. That didn’t stop her from having a kettle ready just in case he did show, however.  When Tuesday rolled around again, she set the kettle on the stove (along with a collection of tea options) before heading outside. Tying her hair in a braid so it would stay out of the way while she worked, she picked up a basket and flew over to a flower patch. A few birds, butterflies, and squirrels kept her company as she pulled up the weeds; Angel was inside taking a nap or he would have been there too.  The sun had traveled just past noon when she heard a familiar pop that usually accompanied teleportation. Her heart leapt as she looked around and saw the tall handsome keeper of her heart standing there in all his mismatched glory. Discord was rubbing his paw and claw together, his cloven hoof nervously digging into the dirt. “Um, hello, Fluttershy,” he muttered, unable to meet her gaze.  She leapt up and pounced, her arms wrapping around and hugging him tight. The draconequus froze before wrapping his own arms around her, his head bending down to nuzzle hers.  “I missed you,” she cried, unable to help the escaping tears. His paw gently wiped them away, the large pads underneath smooth and pleasant against her cheek. “Please don’t cry, Fluttershy,” he whispered. “I-I’m sorry,” she said, reluctantly letting go. “I was starting to fear you’d never come back.” “I tried not to,” he confessed. “But it seems my heart had other plans.” Fluttershy frowned. “Why?” “Huh?” “Why did you try to stay away?” He looked at the ground uncomfortably. “Because… because you and me… it’s just not in the cards, Fluttershy. Look at me. Do you honestly want to be with me when you can have any stallion in Equestria?” “But I don’t want any stallion!” she cried, grabbing his face. “I want you!” He gently removed her hooves. “No, Fluttershy, you don’t.” Anger overcame the small pegasus and she kicked her back legs in frustration. Flaring out her wings, she shoved her hoof into his chest and snapped, “That’s not up to you to decide!” “Why are you making this so complicated?” he snapped suddenly. “Isn’t it enough for you to just remain friends?” “No, it’s not!” she shouted. “And it’s not enough for you either!” He opened his mouth to retort, closed it, and then stomped his foot. “What do you want from me, you infuriating canary horse?!” “I WANT YOU TO LOVE ME!” “AND YOU THINK I DON’T?!” he bellowed back, his ferocity causing her to physically step back. “Of course I love you, Fluttershy! I want to be with you more than anything! But it’ll never work!” “WHY NOT?!” “Because it’s impossible!” he snapped, throwing his hands in the air.  “No it’s not! I love you! I want to be with you! Why can’t you accept that? Why can’t you give us a chance?” “BECAUSE I’M NOT WORTH IT!” he shouted. “I’m not worth it, Fluttershy! Can’t you see that? Here, at your cottage, we make sense but out there” - he threw his claw out towards Ponyville and Canterlot - “we don’t! If you’re with me, everypony will judge and reject you. You’ll be an outcast. And I will not see you treated the way ponies treat me! You, the epitome of kindness and all that is good, cannot be despised for being in a relationship with the Lord of Chaos. It wouldn’t be right. It would be a crime.”  “I don’t care what anypony else thinks!” she cried, latching onto his paw and pulling it closer to her heart. “You’re worth everything to me! Besides, what fun is there in making sense?”   A slight smile lifted his face and she silently applauded herself in triumph. But then the smile fell as Discord looked away.  “Even if we could ignore everypony else, there’s one thing that can’t be avoided.”  “And what might that be?” He twisted around so his back was to her, his arms tightly hugging his body. “It’s nothing.” She huffed in silent frustration. “It’s obviously not nothing. What else is bothering you? Tell me.” “No.” “Discord!” “It’s NOTHING!” he snarled, his body immediately tensing like a bowstring. Fluttershy took a deep breath before gently moving around so she was in front of him again. Taking his face in hers, she lifted his chin and waited until their eyes had locked. “Please,” she whispered. “Please, let me in.” To her surprise, his eyes began to water. “I can’t.” “Yes,” she encouraged softly, “you can.” He shook his head and turned away. “No, Fluttershy. I can’t. You and I… we’re bound to break.” He looked at her, his eyes glossy with sorrow. “I can’t have you forever.” He lifted his eagle talons. Fluttershy saw what he was about to do. She flew forward, hooves outstretched. “No!” she cried, but it was too late.  He was gone. Again. The yellow pegasus slowly landed and collapsed into the dirt, tears falling anew. She’d been so close. So close! Frustration soon replaced sorrow and she stomped her foot.  “I’m not going to give up!” she whispered before filling her lungs with air and shouting, “I’M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP!” <><><> In his dimension, Discord sat in front of a huge lake of chocolate milk, his claws digging into the brown sugar shore unconsciously.  “For the first time in my incredibly long life, I curse my immortality,” he muttered, looking down at the broken heart he’d just drawn in the sugar.  Scowling, he swiped it away with his tail. It reappeared instantly. With a growl he swiped it again. It reappeared. “Would you just leave me alone?!” he snarled, smashing his paw into the drawing.  The sugar exploded all over the place, shifting and floating up into the air, creating more broken hearts.  He screamed and buried his head in his arms. Unbidden, a tear fell. Then another. The drops transformed to chocolate milk and soon formed a slivered stream heading for the lake; a lake formed from over a millennia's worth of shedded tears.