Discord and Screwball were rolling on the floor laughing after their successful prank on Pinkie Pie. She had sat down for a second only to set off a giant whoopee cushion that mooed like a cow. She snorted along with them.
"Okay, you got me! Good one!"
Discord's laughter died down as his wife approached him.
"Up to your old mischief, I see," Fluttershy said.
He smiled nervously. "Well, I...just a little?"
"So I take it you're too busy for a dance?"
The draconequus jumped up and grabbed her hooves. "Never!"
Screwball watched as their parents glided across the dance floor. She also saw Dinky with Cinnamon Stick and Apple Blossom with Thunder Dash. Flutterby Lily was dancing with some unicorn while Rainbow and Soarin were grooving. The romance in the air made Screwball sigh.
"Can you believe they finally got together?" Lightning asked, joining her friend.
"Thunder and Blossom or Dinky and Cinnamon Stick?"
"Both! Crazy, huh?"
"Well, it was about time, don't you think?"
"Yeah. If there was some pony special in your life or mine, then this really would be an eventful evening!"
"Right," Screwball muttered.
"Excuse me?"
The two mares looked up at the sound of a male's voice. It belonged to a brown unicorn stallion with blue eyes and blonde hair. He held out his hoof.
"May I have this dance, Miss?"
Screwball looked around and pointed to herself. "Me?"
"But of course."
She glanced at Lightning, who mouthed, "Go on!"
"Um..." Screwball stammered. "Sure."
Her pegasus friend winked at her as the stallion led Screwball onto the dance floor. He bowed to her before pulling her in. The stallion was exceptionally light on his hooves, even when dancing on his hind legs! As he dipped her and Screwball got a glimpse of his eyes, she could not help but think there was something familiar about him.
"Have we met?"
The stallion smirked. "No, we're complete strangers."
He was lying.
"Are you sure?"
"Well, I know who you are."
"You do?"
"You're Screwball, daughter of Discord, the Lord of Chaos."
"Was it the eyes?"
"Actually, it was the gorgeous purple and white hair."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, so it was the pretty lollipop eyes."
"You're just full of those, aren't you?" Screwball muttered.
The stallion chuckled. "You're as quick as you are attractive."
"You certain we've never met?"
"Hmm. We might have crossed paths once."
"Did you go to my school or something?"
"I doubt it. I was homeschooled."
"Homeschooled?" A certain someone came to mind, but she had to make sure. "What's your name?"
He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "If I told you, you'd know I was lying."
When he moved away, his blue eyes flashed green. Screwball's pupils dilated.
"Mothball?"
He smiled. "There's no fooling you, is there?"
She opened her mouth to say something when the music stopped and Apple Bloom spoke into the microphone.
"Y'all havin' a good time?"
The audience stomped their hooves and cheered.
"Well, now we're gonna bring it down a notch! Boys, it's time to grab yerr sweethearts for a little slow dance! Take it away, Sweetie Belle!"
"Ooh!" Pinkie piped. "Can we, Red? Can we, can we, can we? It would be so romantic!"
Red Shoes chuckled as he took her hoof. "Anything for you, my little joy buzzer!"
Soarin looked at Rainbow Dash. "Babe, I know how you feel about slow dances, but..."
"Hey, it's no problem," she said, pulling him close.
As the music played, Screwball looked into the eyes of the stallion before her. They were not Mothball's, but that did not change the fact that he was there.
"In a very unusual way," Sweetie Belle sang, "One time, I needed you."
Mothball placed his hooves on his partner's shoulders and they began to sway to the music.
"In a very unusual way,
You were my friend."
"I got your rose," Screwball whispered. "It was...sweet."
She remembered how thrilled she had been to see the flower on her windowsill. It got her thinking about why Mothball kept coming to see her.
The disguised prince, meanwhile, was so transfixed on Screwball's beauty. He had almost not recognized her at first, dressed in an elegant purple gown and without her propeller hat. She was even prettier than he remembered.
"Maybe it lasted a day."
Her purple and white curls bounced gracefully over her shoulders.
"Maybe it lasted an hour."
Her smile brought warmth to his chest.
"But somehow it will never end."
And the more he gazed into those endless eyes, the more that warmth pounded inside his chest.
It was at this point in the song that Discord noticed the young couple.
"Screwball is with..." Smoke blew from his nostrils. "A BOY?!"
His head was on the brink of exploding when the feeling of soft hooves against his fur calmed him down.
"Take it easy, honey," Fluttershy said gently. "They're only dancing."
"But dancing could lead to hoof holding, and hoof holding could lead to cuddling, and cuddling could lead to kissing, and kissing could lead to...!"
"Discord!"
He sighed. "You're right, you're right. I shouldn't overreact."
But he kept his eye on them as the song continued:
"In a very unusual way,
I think I'm in love with you.
In a very unusual way,
I want to cry."
Mothball was so lost in Screwball's gaze that he did not realize they were floating off the ground. Screwball was not even aware she was lifting them.
"Something inside me goes weak."
The prince then glanced down and shrieked.
"Something inside me surrenders."
He wrapped himself around Screwball, who only giggled.
"Sorry. Sometimes I can't help myself."
"And you're the reason why."
Mothball grinned awkwardly. "You never cease to amaze me."
"You're the reason why!"
As the song reached its climax, ponies began taking notice of the young couple in the air and watched with awe as the stallion gracefully spun the mare. Discord's teeth ground together so hard, they cracked in his mouth.
Sweetie Belle saw the couple too and sang the next verse with passion:
"You don't know what you do to me.
You don't have a clue!
You can't tell what it's like to be me
Looking at you."
After bringing her up from a dip, the two locked eyes again.
"It scares me so
That I can hardly speak."
At that moment, it was only them and Sweetie Belle's angelic voice.
"In a very unusual way,
I owe what I am to you."
Mothball flinched as Screwball lay her head on his chest. He could feel the love transferring from her to him. It felt stronger than last they met.
"Though at times it appears I won't stay,
I never go."
Reluctantly, he ran his hoof through her mane. It was as soft as cotton.
"Special to me in my life,
Since the first day that I met you."
"I missed you," she whispered.
"How could I ever forget you,
Once you had touched my soul?"
He tenderly lifted her head so he could look into those eyes again. "I missed you too."
"In a very unusual way..."
Screwball closed her eyes and leaned forward.
"You've made me...whole."
Mothball panicked once he realized what she was trying to do. He moved his head as far back as possible. When it was clear she was not going to give up, he put his hoof to her lips. Screwball opened her eyes in confusion.
"Why don't we talk outside?" he whispered.
The applause brought her back to reality. Ponies were watching. Her dad was watching. She nodded in agreement.
"Where are they going now?" Discord asked as the couple floated back to the floor.
"Does it matter?" Fluttershy responded. "I think it's sweet that Screwball's found a nice colt."
"But is he nice? Does he have a sense of humor? Is he good enough for my daughter? What's his name? Does he even have a name?! Why isn't Screwy introducing him to us? WHO IS THAT COLT?!"
"Honey, your temper..."
"Temper, schmemper! I want answers!"
He pushed past the ponies and followed the young couple outside.
"Okay," Mothball said as he and Screwball ducked behind a bush. "I don't think any pony will find us back here. Oomph!"
Screwball tackled him in a hug.
"Where have you been all this time?"
"Can't breathe!" the prince wheezed.
"Oops." She pulled away awkwardly. "Sorry."
"I'm sorry. Mother rarely let me out of the hive, and when she did, she kept a close watch on me with her guards."
"How'd you slip away?"
He shrugged. "Dances are the ideal hunting grounds for changelings." He leaned forward. "Plus, I couldn't pass off a chance to see you again."
"Why didn't you tell me it was you in the first place?"
"I was afraid someone might hear."
"Well, it's good to see you."
After a long pause, the gap between them diminished. Once Mothball saw this, he instantly drew back.
"Screwball, you can't!"
She scowled at him. "Why not?"
"Do you know what happens when you kiss a changeling?"
"No, but I'm about to find out."
He stopped her next attempt with his hoof. "Screwy, a changeling's kiss is very dangerous and can be life threatening! If I kiss you, I'll drain all the power from you like a sponge! It's bad enough that you're sitting so close to me!"
She crossed her forelegs. "How is that bad?!"
"I don't want to hurt you! Okay?"
She groaned in annoyance. "Fine. But...you know you don't have to hide from me?"
Mothball sighed. "Screwball, someone might see..."
"I don't care! I want to see the real you! Please!"
"Well...alright."
He took a deep breath and his body erupted into green flames, transforming him to his changeling self. His hair was longer, he was a few inches taller than her, and his muscles had developed. Any other pony would have found the sight of him terrifying, but not Screwball. In her eyes, he was the most handsome stallion in all of Equestria.
Mothball could feel her emotions growing by the second. How could some pony possess such intense feelings for him?
Neither of them heard Discord sneaking around the garden, frantically searching for his daughter. He heard a pair of voices and followed them to a bush. He peered over the edge in time to see the mysterious stallion change form.
He was so overcome with shock that he was frozen in place! He expected his daughter to do the smart thing and run away, but she did not! Instead, she raised her hoof to touch the wretched creature's face!
He snapped out of his trance and growled as he recognized the changeling. Screwball and Mothball jumped back as he popped out of the bush.
"YOU!" he bellowed.
"Daddy, wait!" Screwball exclaimed.
Mothball was about to run when Discord grabbed him by the tail. He tried to struggle, but the draconequus had paralyzed him with his magic.
"I WARNED YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!" Discord shouted at a volume that could be heard from the ballroom.
Many ponies rushed out to the garden to see what the commotion was, including Fluttershy and her friends, Screwball's friends and the princesses.
"Ah!" Cinnamon Roll screamed. "A changeling!"
"Oh!" Gemstone cried. "It's so horrid!"
Had Mothball been able to move, he would have winced at that comment.
"Daddy, put him down!" Screwball pleaded. "It's not what you think!"
"Stay back, Screwball!" Discord commanded. "This insect has fed enough on you!"
His eyes literally burned with anger, making Screwball gasp. "Daddy, don't!"
Without thinking, she used her magic to blast her father into a tree. As he cried out in pain, his spell on Mothball broke.
"Go!" Screwball said to him. "Get out of here!"
The prince did not waste a second and vanished.
Fluttershy flew to her husband's side and tenderly stroked his head.
"Are you alright?"
She jumped as he suddenly sat up. He crossed his arms and glared disapprovingly at his daughter. Screwball made the mistake of glancing at the horrified crowd of ponies. Her friends' jaws had dropped to the floor and they were all staring at her in disbelief.
Screwball looked back at her father and hung her head in shame.
"You," Discord grunted, "have a lot of explaining to do, young lady!"