“If you drop me one more time I'll make good on my threat,” snarled Discord.
Cake squeaked and flinched in fear causing Discord to topple off of him. He slowly floated back up next to Cake with a gaze that could rend flesh from bone.
“I'm sorry,” muttered Cake, obviously scared.
Discord pulled a rope from the air beside him and tied it tightly around his waist. Once he was sure it was secured, he tied the opposite end around the centre of Cake's cake-body.
“I am going to hang beneath you,” stated Discord, “If you manage to injure me further, I will not hesitate to yank on this rope and slice you in two. Now go!”
Discord hung from Cake like a strange puppet and Cake flew forwards without another sound.
I should probably ease up on the poor creature, thought Discord, he probably won't be able to hold my entire weight.
“I do not think we are far sir,” Cake told Discord, breaking his concentration.
“Just get a move on or we will ever get there before the sun rises!” Discord demanded.
I'm surprised he is still in one piece, he thought, impressed with the cake creature.
Cake began flying as fast as he could, trying desperately to avoid any trees that might come to close to his master. After a few minutes of nervous flying, Cake saw Canterlot and began to descend.
“Where are you going?” asked Discord, holding onto the rope around Cake's body.
“To the gate,” Cake replied, his voice almost in audible.
Discord sighed and de-materialised the rope holding the two together and then grabbed hold of one of Cake's legs. He slowly descended and eventually they landed at the base of the mountain, Canterlot high above them. Discord looked at the monolithic structure above.
It has grown, he said to himself, noticing many changes that had been made to the capital since his last visit. After staring for a few minutes, he turned back to Cake, who was nervously shifting from leg to leg.
“Think for a moment will you!”
He flicked Cake in the eye, causing tears to start streaming down his sugary 'face'. To Discord's surprise however, he didn't actually show any signs of crying. He pushed the thought aside and continued talking to Cake.
“If I, Discord, spirit of chaos, just stroll up to the front gate of Equestria's capital, what do you think would happen?”
Cake thought about it intensely while Discord stared at him. He opened his beak to say something, but quickly closed it again.
“The guards would attack me on site!” yelled Discord, tired of waiting for Cake's response, “Last time I was here I rendered the ruler of Equestria helpless and left her and her sister crying for everyone to see. I doubt they would allow me to stroll in and begin speaking to the Princesses.”
Cake thought on this for a minute before speaking again.
“So you are gong to sneak in?”
“Precisely,” Discord said smugly.
“How?”
Discord froze, his face suspended in a look of smug satisfaction.
“You- you hadn't thought of that yet. Had you?”
Cake watched horrified as Discord's eyes slowly moved until they were glaring at Cake. The insane smile that was still plastered to his face made the stare all the more terrifying to the lone creature facing his wrath.
“No, I hadn't Cake. Care to give me some ideas?”
The look on Discord's face hadn't changed, and Cake was beginning to wonder if he had broken his master.
“I- uh, well maybe- You might need- perhaps we could-”
Cake's stammering was interrupted by Discord's unusually calm voice.
“Gee, I sure do hope we get inside soon. I am famished. I think something sweet would be perfect for my starved belly. Perhaps some form of baked chocolate good?”
Terrified of what might happen to him, Cake immediately yelled the first thing that came to mind.
“We could fly up the mountain and enter through the back of the castle itself! If you used some of your magic, you could cast a spell that stopped anyone from seeing us directly! We would be like shadows that not a single other being stops to look at! PLEASE DON'T EAT ME!”
Discord began to move again and walked slowly but deliberately towards Cake.
“Well, that certainly is a good idea Cake. But that amount of magic would require a lot of energy, and I'm not sure my current energy will suffice.”
He reached Cake and placed his claw on his 'head'.
“But suppose I were able to fill myself up and only have to cloak one of us? Wouldn't that be far easier?”
A wicked smile made its way onto Discords face and he tightened his grip on Cake, lifting him into the air so they were at eye level. Cake began thrashing around, flailing and struggling to get free, but Discord held a firm grip on him.
“I'M SORRY MASTER, PLEASE DON'T EAT ME! I REALLY AM! I'LL NEVER QUESTION YOU AGAIN!”
The cries coming from cake were loud enough that the birds in the trees surrounding them took off in fright. Discord's mouth was opened wide now, far wider than seemed physically possible. Cake continued to squirm and shriek as Discord's mouth came closer and closer to him.
“Gotcha.”
Discord had his face almost against Cake's, the latter being covered with tears and trails of washed away sugar. Cake stopped instantly, but his tears were still flowing.
“You should see your face right now Cake!” laughed Discord, placing him on the ground, “It is priceless!”
Having been released, the confused cake just stared at his master, who had begun to roll around on the ground.
“I can't believe you fell for that. Come on? Using all my energy to cast two simple hiding spells? Unlikely. And having to eat to get my energy back? You should know that I regain energy from chaos, not food.”
Discord stopped laughing and knelt down in front of Cake. He placed his poor on the creatures head, far more gently than he had before.
“I promise that I won't eat you Cake.”
Cake looked up at him, his eyes glistening in the moonlight.
“Really?” he asked, sniffing slightly.
Discord sighed.
“Really. I Pinkie promise.”
“I don't care what stupid name you give it, I just want you to promise.”
Oh right, he would have no knowledge of that old phrase. Discord mentally face-palmed and returned his attention to Cake.
“I just promise then. I will never eat you. I've almost come to enjoy having you around. Almost.”
A huge sigh of relief escaped Cake's beak.
“Thank you so much master,” he squeaked and closed his eye.
Discord just smiled warmly and stood back up.
“Come on, let's get moving. We don't have much time before dawn, and it will be harder to sneak then.”
“Are you saying that you couldn't do it during the day?” asked Cake.
Discord smiled again.
“Cake, that promise I made. It only stops ME eating you. Not a pack of rats.”
A small 'eep' escaped Cake, and he followed swiftly as his master began to fly up the mountian.