Chapter 2: A Memory of Awkwardness
Before long, the sun rose up, and Fluttershy was woken by her animals walking around the house. She got out of bed and stretched. She walked downstairs and saw Discord reading her book.
“Good morning, Discord.”
Discord dropped the book on the floor. The petite Pegasus had silent hoofsteps and her voice slightly surprised Discord.
Fluttershy smiled. “I didn’t know you liked to read, Discord.”
Discord tried to come up with an excuse. “Well, I don’t like reading, the book looked interesting.” He smiled awkwardly.
“Well, it is the book version of that musical we had to do.”
“Oh, that’s why it was so familiar.”
“That was a fun musical to do. Sort of. I don’t really know why I was picked for a lead and not a professional.”
“Well, a least you weren’t alone on stage. You had Twilight and the rest of your friends.”
Fluttershy was a great singer, and she knew, but that wasn’t the reason she didn’t particularly liked doing a performance.
“Well, I know my friends were with me on stage, you included. I just thought some scenes were a bit……..awkward. Don’t you think?”
In their Canterlot performance of The Pony of the Opera, idea by the great Celestia, Fluttershy played Christine, while Raoul was played by Applejack’s older brother: Big Mac, who was surprising good. Discord played the Phantom, and he had to wear a custom-fit mask, which he thought was very uncomfortable.
Discord was confused. He didn’t pay too much attention to the script when they were performing. He knew his lines and lyrics, just didn’t understand what Fluttershy meant by “awkward”.
“What do you mean, Fluttershy?”
“Well, some scenes were just, awkward. That is just the only thing I’ve got to say.”
Discord “facepalmed”. “No-I mean, what was awkward?”
“I don’t wanna talk about it.” She sighed. “Do you want anything for breakfast?”
“Sure, why not. What do you have?”
Fluttershy walked towards the kitchen as Discord picked up the fallen book.
“Discord, I have vegetables. Do you like salads?”
Discord sighed, annoyed. He still wanted to know what Fluttershy was talking about. He responded to Fluttershy’s question with: “I guess. I don’t eat them very often. I mostly eat chocolate milk and cotton candy.”
Fluttershy laughed a bit. She should have made that connection. She grabbed some lettuce, some tomatoes and carrots to put into the salad. In no time she had two perfectly made salads.
She balanced the two bowls on her wings, trying to carry them into the living room. Fluttershy tripped on a slanted plank of wood and fell on her stomach. One of the bowls that were on Fluttershy’s wings flew up into the air, cluttering the floor with vegetables. The bowl landed on top of her head, covering her eyes.
Discord heard a loud crash come from behind the couch. He turned around and sees Fluttershy sprawled out of the floor with a bowl on her head.
He had to admit; it was a funny sight to see, but he didn’t want to be rude.
Discord help the mare get up from the ground, making sure she wasn’t hurt. Fluttershy did get a small bruise on her hoof, but no harmful injuries.
Fluttershy was embarrassed, since she wasn’t a normal klutz, like Derpy or Crash.
“Sorry Discord. I didn’t mean to ruin the salads.”
“It’s not a big deal. Let’s just clean this up, and I’ll just teleport us something.”
“Okay, but you don’t really need to do that.”
The two cleaned up the mess of salad ingredients, Fluttershy making sure she didn’t have any carrots in her mane.
After the salad was cleaned off of the floor and discarded, Discord snapped up a meal of pancakes, and other breakfast items, such as oatmeal and muffins.
Fluttershy’s mouth was wide open, her eyes filled with shock. She wasn’t even too hungry, and it wasn’t even a necessary thing to do. It was a buffet, one that could feed all of the regular customers of Sugar Cube Corner.
“W-wow, this is a lot of food. Do you mind if I invite my friends? I don’t wanna waste all of this.”
“Of course. I’ll send them each a note to come over at once.”
With a snap of his claws, a note appeared in front of each of Fluttershy’s friends.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Twilight was reading a spell book as the note appeared. She was interrupted by the note teleporting above her and falling onto her face.
“What is this? A piece of paper?”
She took the note off her face and read it aloud.
“’Dear Twilight, You and Spike are invited for a brunch at Fluttershy’s cabin. Hope you can come. Signed, Discord.’ Discord? Why is he back in Ponyville?”
Spike walked into the room and heard Twilight talking about Discord.
“Discord is here again?”
“Apparently, Spike.”
“Can we go to brunch? I am sorta hungry.”
“I don’t know Spike. I still don’t trust Discord.”
“It’ll be fine, Twilight. Let’s go. The rest of our friends were most likely invited as well.”
“Fine, we can go.”
The princess and the dragon walked out of the library to start walking to the cabin, wondering if the rest of the girls would be there as well.
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Rarity and Pinkie were at Sugar Cube Corner, Rarity helping take orders and Pinkie making cupcakes and other goodies. The Cakes were out visiting some family in Canterlot for the week and need Pinkie and Rarity to watch the bakery and café. Many ponies were there for breakfast, like Derpy ordering a batch of muffins to last up till the end of the week. Maybe.
Pinkie and Rarity both received their own notes.
“Pinkie, did you receive a note from Discord?”
“Yes, Rarity. Did you?”
“Yes, hmm. I don’t understand why this is all of a sudden.”
“I’m sure it is just a fun meet-up. Or maybe they made a surprise buffet. Or maybe….”
This pink pony muttered the rest of the sentence quickly so nopony could understand her.
“Pinkie, are you sure we should go to this. We did promise to run the store.”
“Oh, it’ll be fine. We can go for an hour or two and just close the shop when these ponies leave.”
Rarity sighed. “Fine. Let us go then!”
The two ponies waited for the last of the morning’s customers, then placed the closed sign on the door to the café. They headed on their way to the cottage.
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“Alright Rainbow!” cried Applejack as Rainbow Dash performed a Sonic Rainboom, the move the nopony thought was possible.
Applejack hadn’t seen in a few months, since Rainbow never needed to save somepony, or just do it for fun.
“This is sooo awesome!” Rainbow yelled to Applejack, the wind blowing through her mane.
Rainbow landed safely after do a few flips and other tricks. She and Applejack received there notes as soon as Rainbow reached the ground.
“What the hay?” Rainbow said as the note fell into her hooves.
Applejack quickly read the note. “It’s from….. Discord?!”
“What?! Why?!”
“Hmm, it says that it’s a brunch at Fluttershy’s cottage. Sorta random, if ya ask me.”
“I don’t trust it. Should we go?”
“I guess. The rest of the girls are most likely going to be there.”
“Well, that is true. I don’t know how Twilight feels about this thought.”
“It’s settled then; we’ll go, even though we both don’t really trust Discord.”
“Fine.” Rainbow ended their conversation.
Their walk to Fluttershy’s house was quiet, since they were the two friends in the group that did not trust Discord. Twilight trusted Discord a bit, as did Pinkie and Rarity. Fluttershy was Discord’s only friend, and Fluttershy was the only one in the group of friends that trusted Discord.
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When the five mares and the baby dragon finally got to the cottage, Fluttershy greeted them all warmly at the doorway.
“Good morning girls! If you’re wondering why this is all of a sudden, I’ll explain in a bit. Come in girls.”
The five girls (and dragon) hugged their friend before entering her house. They all took a seat at a long dining table where all of the food was placed.
Pinkie Pie’s mouth was agape. “Wow! That is a lot of food!”
Rainbow jumped excitedly. “Good thing I’m hungry!”
“Alright girls, calm down.” Fluttershy responded to her friends. “This was technically an accident. I original made two salads for me and Discord, until I-“
“Wait, did you say Discord?” Rarity interrupted.
“Yes Rarity. He’s been sitting over there the whole time.” The Pegasus pointed to the figure sitting in the corner.
“Oh. Hello Discord.” Rarity said sarcastically, with a roll of her eyes.
“Hello there. You mares were a bit rude to me. Didn’t even notice me.” Discord said in a way to make it sound like he was hurt.
“Anyways,” Fluttershy continued, “I tripped and spilled the two salads, and Discord offered to make breakfast. Well, he just made this appear.”
“Did you hurt yourself Fluttershy?” Rarity asked.
“Don’t worry I’m fine. I just got a bruise on my front right hoof.”
“Wait!” Rainbow interrupted, “Why is Discord here in the first place?”
“He came to visit, Rainbow. You don’t need to be so rude.”
“Sheesh.”
“Let’s stop talkin’ and start eatin’! I’m starving!” Applejack called out.
The six friends and Spike started to eat. Discord eventually got hungry himself and sat down at the table. Rainbow and Applejack both gave him a weird look. He shrugged it off and ate some pancakes.
By the time it was half past noon, most of the food was gone. Pinkie started to tell her friends about some new jokes she’s been telling the customers at Sugar Cube Corner, Rarity was working on dress designs for the upcoming Grand Galloping Gala, even though it’s three months away. Rainbow told them about her new routine that she’s gonna show the Wonderbolts, while Applejack and Twilight haven’t been doing much. Fluttershy talked about her new book, which started a new conversation.
“Wasn’t that the name of the musical Celestia made us do?” Rarity asked.
“Yes. I was Christine, Discord was the Phantom, umm, Big Mac was Raoul, Pinkie was Meg, Princess Luna was Madame Giry, Rarity was Carlotta, Flim and Flam were the two managers, and who else?” Fluttershy stated as she pointed to each of the cast members.
“If I remember correctly, Rainbow Dash was Buquet, Applejack played Passarino, Blueblood was Piangi and Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were singers and dancers.” Twilight hesitated to say, since she was trying to remember. Twilight and Celestia were the directors of the whole production.
“Oh right. That was fun, besides one thing….” Fluttershy remembered.
“Why wasn’t it fun? Was it the music? The choreography?” Twilight asked concerned.
“No, not that, Twilight. I-I just don’t feel comfortable saying it….. With Discord here anyways. Can you excuse us please?” Fluttershy pleaded to the tall draconequus.
“Fine. I’ll be in the guest room.” Said Discord as he pushed in his chair and walked towards the room he was staying in.
“Okay, so do you girls remember the song All I Ask of You in Act 1 and The Point of No Return and Down Once More, both in Act 2?”
“Yeah, Flutters.” Rainbow responded. “Why do you ask?”
“Well, I-I-I had t-to……” Fluttershy began to explain before a deep red blush formed on her cheeks.
Twilight laughed. “I can understand why you’re blushing. Those are quite awkward scenes.”
“T-Twilight that isn’t r-really helping.” Fluttershy responded to her friends comment.
Rarity got up and walked over to her embarrassed friend. “Fluttershy, Twilight, what was so awkward? Every time that scene would happen Prince Blueblood would annoy me.”
“W-W-Well, I had to k-kiss Big Mac during the song All I Ask of You.” Fluttershy remembered as the blush on her cheeks started to cover most of her face. “A-A-And d-during Down Once M-More and had to k-k-kiss D-Discord.” Tears formed in Fluttershy’s eyes.
“Calm down Fluttershy, darling. You are okay. It was only the one time. It happens all the time when you are an actress.” Rarity said, patting Fluttershy on the back.
“I-I know, b-but that was my first time acting. A-And it was w-weird.” Fluttershy sobbed.
Rarity walked to the other side of the table to talk to the rest of the girls. Spike wasn’t involved to conversation since he had fallen asleep after they finished eating.
“Fluttershy is certainly unhappy for some reason. I think I know why.” Rarity grinned.
“What in Equestria are you talkin’ about Rarity?” Applejack asked.
“I’m saying I think Fluttershy has a crush!” Rarity stated in a sing-song voice a bit too loud.
Fluttershy picked up her head from her hooves. Her friends looked at her with goofy expressions.
Fluttershy blushed back at them.
Rainbow nudged her friend. “So, which one do you like? Discord or Big Mac?”
Fluttershy muttered an answer.
“What?”
Fluttershy muttered again.
Rainbow sighed. “Speak up please.”
Fluttershy sighed slowly. “Both of them. I like both of them.”
“Really? Two crushes? I knew many stallions liked you, but you liking two stallions.” Rainbow said trying to cheer up her friend.
“You will be fine Fluttershy. Two crushes isn’t bad. Wait, is it?” Twilight responded, trying to be reassuring.
“Well, Pinkie and I should be heading back to Sugar Cube Corner. Bye Fluttershy.” Rarity said, walking out the door.
“Bye Flutters. Hope you can deal with this is the long run.” Pinkie stated before being pulled out the door by Rarity.
Fluttershy waved goodbye to her friends that had left and buried her face in her hooves.
“Aww, Flutters. It’s fine. Why are you crying anyway?” Rainbow said.
“I-I don’t know how to express my feelings, and I don’t know which one I like better.”
Applejack felt a bit uncomfortable that her friend has a crush on her brother. “I’m gonna go back to the farm. I’ll come back tomorrow to see how you’re doing. Bye.” Applejack shut the door quickly and ran to the farm.
“I wonder what’s up with her.” Twilight said. “This isn’t anything to get worked up about. I bet Rarity didn’t mean to get you so upset.”
Fluttershy wiped her tears away. “I know, it’s just….I don’t know how to feel about it. Does that make sense?”
“I understand, Fluttershy.” Twilight responded.
“Me too.” Rainbow agreed. “Are you okay now?”
“Fluttershy sniffed. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?” Twilight said.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“See you later, Flutters.” Rainbow said before taking off into the sky.
“I do hope you feel better tomorrow. Bye.” Twilight waved as she levitated Spike out the door.
After Twilight closed the door Fluttershy walked upstairs to her room and locked the door.
Little did anypony know that Discord had his ear to the door the whole time.