//------------------------------// // Round Five: Kindness // Story: The Puppeteer's Creation // by Arreis Of Avalon //------------------------------// “O-Oh!” Fluttershy ducked as a carrot went flying through the air towards her. She peeked out from behind her mane at the angry bunny tapping his foot on the floor. “N-Now now, Angel Bunny, you should really eat your carrot…” Angel chattered at her angrily. “Now, don’t speak that way Angel. If you don’t eat it now, you’ll just be hungry later.” Angel rolled his eyes and kicked his paws at her, hopping away. Fluttershy sighed. She could never get Angel to listen to her when she needed him to. He must just not be hungry. Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door. “EEP!” Fluttershy gasped as she flinched away from the sound. “C-c-come in,” she whispered, flying softly over to the couch and hiding behind it. Discord pushed open the door with his hoof, smiling. “Fluttershy? Are you in here?” Fluttershy looked up from behind the couch, smiling brightly. “O-Oh! D-discord? Is that you?” She lightly flapped over and opened the door further for him. Discord smiled back at her, trying to keep his own emotions out of this game. Games are best played without emotion – the celebration came when you won. “Yes, it’s me, in the fur~” Fluttershy shut the door behind him, smiling. “O-Oh Discord, you look so… different!” Discord chuckled and made a slight face. “Oh, I much prefer my true form, but ponies these days are still terrified of anything different.” Fluttershy smiled brightly. “Discord, you know you are always welcome to make this place your home. You can be in any form you want to be.” Discord couldn’t help but feel a spark of friendship within him for this yellow Pegasus. She was always so kind. That’s what I’m going to fix, he reminded himself. With a flash, Discord was back in his true form, stretching. “Oh, my, that feels amazing~” Fluttershy went to the kitchen quickly to get him some tea. Discord sat on the couch, smiling. When Fluttershy came back, Discord thanked her for the tea and waved his claw over it, adding some chocolate flakes to it. She smiled softly. “I hope you enjoy it, Discord.” Discord sipped the chocolate tea, smiling back. “Oh, thank you, dear Fluttershy. You always know just what I need.” Enough friendship, Discord… Just get this one out of the way so the REAL fireworks begin. He stirred his tea with magic, watching Fluttershy. “You’ve probably guessed why I came by…” Fluttershy shook her head. “N-No, actually… O-Oh, I’m sorry, should I know?” Discord shook his head. “It’s alright. You see, I’m afraid our friends are going through a rather… rough time.” “R-rough?” “Rainbow Dash is having trouble staying loyal, Twilight has been locked in her library all day, Pinkie Pie can’t smile, Applejack has been strangely quiet, and Rarity has been feeling rather weak.” Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “O-Oh my… W-well, I suppose I can try to help. I can just do the best I can.” She smiled brightly, positive in her own strength. She could always help her friends. Discord looked at Fluttershy curiously. “How on earth do you remain so kind?” Fluttershy looked just as curious back. “What do you mean? It’s simple, when your friends are always so supportive and kind back.” “But they aren’t.” Fluttershy gasped slightly. “O-Of course they are! They put up with somepony as weak and helpless as me – why, I’m grateful that they understand me so well. How could I not be so kind to ponies who are kind enough to deal with little old me?” “But, Fluttershy, don’t you see? They AREN’T kind!” Discord sat up a bit straighter, shaking his head at her sadly. “Haven’t you ever noticed how they treat you? Rainbow is always putting you down behind your back. Pinkie and Rarity push you around.” “Oh, they just don’t understand when they hurt me. If I’m always kind to them, someday they’ll apologize to me.” “And then they’ll just hurt you again.” Discord frowned at Shy. “You don’t realize how much you’re hurting everypony, do you?” Fluttershy was stunned for a second. “Hurting? H-How am I hurting?” Discord sighed. “You are always so kind everyone, you let yourself fall into this state of abuse. It’s like with me and my pony form. I’m betraying myself and letting myself be pushed into something I don’t want. Do you like that I have to do that?” “W-well, no…” “Imagine how all your friends feel, knowing you’re always too kind to say no. You’re always going to be your own downfall, Shy. I mean, Pinkie and Rarity even tried to take steps to help you. ‘Assertiveness training’, Pfft. As if somepony so far fallen such as you could be assertive.” Shy shook her head as Discord watched the first shades of grey tinge her fur. “W-well, Discord, if I’m always kind, there has to be a way to find my way back.” Discord shook his head. “No, Fluttershy, I’m afraid you’re too far gone now. You see, all of your friends are out of sorts. Without your friends to hold you up, you are nothing.” Fluttershy sat in her chair, watching her tea swirl in her glass silently. Discord placed a claw on her shoulder, smiling internally at the rapidly changing hue of her yellow coat. “Don’t feel so bad, Fluttershy. After all… You’re going to have a lot more abuse to come if you don’t start fighting back~” With that, the final patches of the yellow coat turned grey, shading the kind pony in a gloomy, dim grey. Discord smiled ruefully and walked out. Fluttershy sat still, thinking. Angel Bunny hopped back over, curious as to the silence of his caretaker. “O-Oh, Angel Bunny…” Angel held up a carrot for her, hoping it would make her happy. Fluttershy stared at the carrot. “… What did I tell you earlier??” Angel flinched back at her suddenly harsh voice. “Eat your carrot, you dumb rabbit. It better be eaten completely when I get back, otherwise little Bunny gets punished. You don’t want to be punished, DO YOU?” Angel quickly shook his head, fearful of the suddenly aggressive Fluttershy. Shy grinned, grabbing her saddlebags. “Good Bunny. I’m going out to talk to my friends. Maybe I can help them. After all… What am I without my friends?~” Outside, Discord beamed with happiness. He realized he hadn’t lost a friend – He had gained an ally. Someone to fight the endless war with the Celestial Tyrant they all praised. He would win, now that the elements were his to control. They all retained that special part of them that powered the elements. All that was left was to get them all in one place… Discord walked through down, uncaring about his form. Above, grey clouds swept past in an unnatural wind. “Time for the real games to begin.”