Tough love
Discord didn't even feel the impact when he hit the ground, he was still laughing uncontrollably. Oh the fun he could have, what if he told Fluttershy, or stood in the centre of town and announced it to everypony in the royal Canterlot voice. Well in any case, he had to tell somepony, but whom? Then it hit him, why not catch up to Applejack and tell her, she would probably get as much of a kick out of it as him. He locked on to Applejack mentally, she was in her kitchen, talking to a yellow filly who was most likely her sister. With a flash he was standing in front of them. “APPLEJACK YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT!!!” he shouted excitedly.
Applebloom fell back in surprise, "who the heck are you!?" she demanded.
"Oh um Applebloom, this here's Vanish, he helped me out on the farm this morning and he’s new in town," Applejack explained.
"A pleasure to meet you my dear," he said shaking Applebloom’s hoof.
"Umm, yeah, nice ta meet ya too I guess," she said hesitantly.
"Uh, Applebloom why dontcha run along, I'll catch up in a minute," AJ told her sister.
"Sure thing sis!” Applebloom replied, running out the door, glad to get away from the stranger in their kitchen.
"Now what the heck do you need to tell me that was worth scarin mah sister?" AJ asked.
“Well you know Rainbow Dash,” Discord said.
“Yeah,” she replied.
“Did you know she has a crush on, wait for it,” he said struggling not to laugh... “FLUTTERSHY!” he burst out, falling on the floor in a fit of laughter.
"Yeah ah course I know that, everypony in town knows," the unamused mare deadpanned.
He stopped abruptly, “are you kidding me? So you all know? Does she know you know?"
“I didn't think it polite ta ask, now if all ya wanted was ta laugh at mah friends, I’d thank ya ta leave" AJ said, sounding annoyed.
"Oh don't be like that, I was only having fun," Discord said.
"Fun at the expense ah others ain’t my kinda fun" she said angrily, “now I gotta go".
As she left, Discord sat contemplating what had just happened. How could Applejack not find it funny, the fact that it was her friend shouldn't have made it any less funny, but somehow it did. Well it had been over 1000 years since he last had what could be called a friend, so maybe more had changed than he thought. "Applejack wait up", he called trotting after her.
"What in tarnation do ya want now?" she asked as he caught up to her.
"Look I'm sorry I laughed at your friends alright, I didn't mean any harm, honest," Discord told her, trying to salvage the situation.
"Fine," she said, not looking at him.
"I really mean it. Look, is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" He asked.
A smile spread across Applejacks face, "yeah, now thatcha mention it there is, get Rainbow to admit her feelings to Fluttershy." Discord was speechless, she expected him to play matchmaker. "How the heck did ya find out about Rainbow anyway" she asked suspiciously.
Oh damnit, he was caught, "um I kinda sorta...”
"yes?" she demanded impatiently.
"I read her mind", he said timidly.
“YA DID WHAT NOW!?” she shouted, but before she could say another word he was gone. Only to reappear on a cloud above her, he peered down, silently watching as she ran to catch up with her sister.
"Well I think that went well", he said to himself. For the first time in centuries he felt regret. A great opportunity to actually make a friend, and avoid disintegration at the hooves of Celestia, and he completely wasted it. He groaned, "Rainbow Dash it is then.”
In the little town of Ponyville, the day was in full swing. The sun was shining, stall keepers were selling their wares, the streets were busy with ponies going about their daily business. You would never guess that high above it all ,in the clouds, a blue Pegasus was crying uncontrollably.
“Why me?” she wondered, “of all the ponies to get stuck with these weird feelings why me?” The perfect opportunity had been last night, after Twilights crazy doomsday prediction. Fluttershy had been right there, curled up in a ball, scared out of her mind about this supposed danger. But Rainbow had wimped out, the words had gotten stuck in her throat, the ones she had said to the mirror so many times. “Fluttershy, I think I like you,” it sounded so simple when she said it to herself. But it didn't matter now, she was never going to get that good of an opportunity again. Rainbow leaned over the side of her cloud, looking at the happy ponies below. She resented their happiness. Suddenly she was blinded by a flash of light, she opened her eyes to see a brown stallion standing on his own cloud, directly in front of her.
"Rainbow dash I presume," he said with a grin.
"Who the heck are you!?" she demanded.
"Hey hey, relax, consider me a friend," Discord replied in what he hoped was a soothing voice. “The names Vanishing Act”
“I've got plenty of friends, I don't need weirdo ponies like you spying on me!" Rainbow snapped.
“I can assure you I wasn't spying,” he lied,” in fact, your friend Applejack sent me to talk to you."
"Oh really, and just what did she send you to talk about?" She asked suspiciously.
He took a deep breath, "look Rainbow I'm going to be to be blunt with you, everypony in town knows you like Fluttershy, except for Fluttershy herself obviously.”
Rainbow blushed furiously, “everypony?” she whispered.
“Yes that right everypony, and I'm on a deadline here, so you're going to fly over to Fluttershy’s cottage right now, tell her how you feel and then we'll all live happily ever after, doesn't that sound like fun?”
“NO!” she yelled, looking at him like he was a madpony. “I can’t!”
Discord groaned. "And why can’t you?"
“Because, well, what if she says no, or thinks I'm some kind of freak!?" Her voice sounded panicked.
“If she says no I'll turn her inside out" Discord growled.
“You'll what!?” Rainbow asked, shocked.
“ Never mind, forget I said that, look you can fly or I can drag you, either way you’re going to Fluttershy’s house!” Discord told her, getting annoyed.
"I WONT GO!" she yelled, attempting to fly away.
Discord caught her in a field of red magic, "fine we'll do this the hard way" he declared angrily. With a flash they were standing in front of the small cottage on the edge of the Everfree Forest. Rainbow hung limply in the grip of his magic. "Now are you going to knock or should I?" She was silent, so Discord reached out with a tendril of magic and knocked on the door three times.
“Just a minute” came a soft voice from inside, there was the sound of quiet footsteps and the door opened slightly. "Who's there?" the voice asked.
"It’s me Fluttershy, open the door" Discord said, mimicking Rainbows voice perfectly.
"Oh Rainbow Dash thank goodness, I thought maybe it was the danger that Twilight warn...” she stopped when she saw Rainbow floating in the field of red magic, and a brown, grey maned unicorn wearing shades standing slightly behind her, horn glowing red.