//------------------------------//
// Epilogue 
// Story: No Sharing 
// by Grey Faerie 
//------------------------------//

	Pinkie slurped her shake. It was strawberry today. Discord sat across from her with his fries. He dipped them into her shake when he thought she wasn't looking.
"Hello again, are you enjoying your meal?" The waitress asked.
Discord smiled, "Of course! Thank you for asking."
The waitress nodded and trotted away. Discord turned to Pinkie.
"See! I'm making progress! I didn't flirt with the pretty waitress like I really, really wanted to."
"You are indeed making progress." Pinkie smiled. She looked back at the street. "Hey, don't you think that stallion is really hot." Pinkie joked.
"Eh, he's okay but that mare next to him is fine."
"Do you want to play a little game?"
"What type of game?" he asked, dunking a handful of fries in her drink. She scrunched her face at him.
"Let's make up a story for the ponies walking by. Like that guy waiting by the tailor. I bet he's really a rich noble come to find the love of his life."
"Yes, but the truth is, his wealth comes from black market deals."
"Discord! That's not fun."
"Just wait a sec, let me finish." He said, playfully offended, "He doesn't know that's how his parents are rich, so after he finds his true love is the tailor's sister. His parents are arrested. She stands by him throughout the whole trial. He's currently waiting for her to meet him so they can leave town and start anew somewhere else."
"Ooo, that's nice. Look at them. The older couple." Pinkie points, "They look like perfect couple but the truth is, they just met. She got lost and ended up in the park. He saw her by the pond and offered her some bread crumbs for the ducks."
"Yes! But then a wind blew and the crumbs went everywhere." he spread his arms out wide.
"What do you think their past is like?"
"Hmm," Discord bent down to her level, "He used to be a circus performer that got drafted into battle. He left behind a beautiful tight rope walker with one eye."
"One eye, wow. That's skill. She used to be a nature activist who chained herself to trees. She always loved climbing as a child and wished other children could experience the view from above."
They continued on with their stories. Discord was fighting back a fit of giggles when a certain officer came by.
"Just wait here Pinkie. There's someone I want to talk to." He quickly snuck some fries into what was left of the shake and ran off.
"Why, hello there officer."
"Discord. Not up to trouble today are you?"
"Oh no, I have disturbing the peace scheduled for later. I just wanted to talk to you."
"Did everything work out with your gal?"
"There were a few hurdles but yes. We're all good now."
"A few hurdles but it worked, hm? Tell me, how it went?"

"Well, I did trust her. But it turned out she was doing it on purpose. I guess in the end trust didn't work out like it was suppose to." Discord grumbled.

Steel raised one eyebrow. "Hmm... could you tell me about it in more detail? I promise no one else will know about this."
Discord sighed, "It was all my fault as it turns out. I can't help it! It's who I am. I...she got tired of my 'flirting' with others." He rubbed the back of his neck, "And she liked the thought of giving me a taste of my own medicine. We argued for a moment and she sort of, admitted to cheating. Or at to wanting to cheat. I didn't mean to make her feel bad."

Steel looked down, his mind trying to come up with an answer. Being bland and sensitive was not something he was used to. His thoughts drifted to his wife, knowing she would have something to say. But she was not present, so, he would have to think of something for himself. He finally realized Discord expected an answer and he spent a little longer than he should lost in his thoughts.

"Well," he began, "I suppose it is quite understandable. It's hard to suppress our most 'natural' urges. And I say 'natural' as in something we got so used to do that became part of us. I used to be quite a troublemaker in my youth. And I was quite lazy too. But once I met Aya, through a chance encounter at a trip I made here, I knew I could not spend my entire life risking myself in stupid bar brawls around Manehattan and doing an occasional odd job here and there to get enough bits to survive. I wanted to marry her and live with her, so I knew I should mature up. I moved here, where she lived and began the hard task of straightening myself up - not only for her, but for me."

The stallion used his magic to take off his hat and wiped the sweat from his brow, before putting it back on.

"It wasn't easy. I got this job and found out I was quite good with it. Even nowadays, I sometimes get the urge to stop trying to argue with drunk and disorderly stallions and just hit them. But I don't act on these urges. It would be bad not only for my relationship, but also for me. And Aya would hate to see that. What I mean is... well... you WILL feel like hitting on girls once in a while. That's only natural and will never fully fade away. But you can do it. Specially if you do not plan on cheating Pinkie. I mean... through all I heard here and there, you just do it out of sport. But if you do not plan to cheat on your marefriend - which everyone would disapprove, may I add - then why do you need to hit on them anyway? Looking at people who catches your eye is natural once in a while. Even Aya does it. But she does not actually go and hit on every stallion in this town."

Steel smiled and looked up at Discord "Good thing it all ended well, but remember to check yourself, so you don't slip again. Pinkie is a very nice mare and, though I do think she could have better, she decided to give her love to you. She does not deserve a broken heart. And you do not deserve to regret losing what might be the only person who loved you."

The cop mentally flinched as he finished his words, knowing he was accidentally blunt again. But then again, that could bring the point home. He watched the ponies coming and going with their business, then turned his gaze to the skies - due the position of the sun, it meant he should get back on patrol soon.

Finally, he turned back to face Discord and waited to see if he had anything to say.
Discord stayed quiet for a moment. He hated getting speeches directed at him. Mostly because they're about what he's done wrong, but this one was important.

"I do like what you've said. I do need to change for her. Her kind like to settle down with one person. But my kind, me. I hate settling down, in anyway. It's too boring just sitting around in one place. There's a whole universe out there for me to have fun in! So many girls. I just see them being born and raised everyday. I'm ageless. There's always going to be something new just around the corner." Discord looked up at the sky, "Everything is still growing. I want to live. I never want to just stand around at some road house like there's nothing to do."

He looked back at Steel, "There's a road there that can take you anywhere but some choose to believe they've seen it all. I know better. There's always something new. The reason I go as far as hitting on them is because the most fun you can have is by interacting with what you see. Seeing is one thing, playing with it is another. You can see even the most ordinary thing in a new, remarkable light by the interaction you get."

Discord sighed and rubbed his face, "I guess I just don't want to become like so many others. I love life too much to believe it could ever be old news. I love Pinkie, I really do. She's so, fun. And creative. Among my kind, laughter can come to mean life. It's the enjoyment of life. I don't want to lose anyone just cause I can't sit still."
Steel's lips moved to give a hint of smile.

"I know the feeling, I might not be old or smart or special in any way. But some things are true and, indeed, no one experiences it all. But you know? You can still have a lot of surprises with just one mare. Or a griffin, in my case. No one truly knows someone else, you know. Yes, you want excitement, but if you cannot find it with Pinkie Pie, then I believe you are the most dense troublemaker I have ever came by. And that, coming from me, means a lot. You can spend your entire life around someone, yet, they still do or say something that will catch you by surprise. And in that little mare's case, I am positive that this goes up to eleven. I believe that, since you made your choice to stay by her, then you should try to walk this road together."

He then stopped and rubbed his head. "Wait, that sounded wrong. It is like I meant for her to hit on other people too. What I mean is that you both still will have a lot to find out about each other, making your lives an exciting adventure with each other. Ever see my wife when you are roaming around Ponyville? She seems quiet and placid, tending to her garden and some chickens..." Steel shuddered.

"That she likes to eat. But every day, I discover something new about her. Or she discovers something new she shares with me. Or we do nothing, yet, have a good time together. Sometimes, even while you did not discover everything life has to offer, you find out the best it has. And, to me, it is to spend a nice day around the ma- I mean, griffin I love. I believe you have never felt anything so strong for anypony - or anyone for that matter - that made you WANT to be with her. So, instead of going on with your 'discovery', you should try to discover what you already have, which is new to you."

"Hmm, that is a good point. I guess, in a slightly morbid way, it wouldn't hurt to stay around for one lifetime. It has been a while since I've done that. And when it comes to Pinkie, there is the saying 'You wouldn't know it if it smacked you in the face'. I think this is the Universe smacking me in the face and telling me to stick around for a while. Pinkie is... just about everything I could ask for. She is just so surprising in the best way. Thanks Copper." He saluted him and ran off back to Pinkie.

Steel stood there, a smile forming on his face as he saw Discord walking back to the cafe he was sitting with Pinkie.
"Anytime." He then trotted off to work the last hours of his shift.
When Discord came back, Pinkie raised a brow in question but he shrugged.
"So Pinkie."
"Yeah?"
"How did that party ever turn out?"
"Oh, I don't know. I finished the orders and set up but I didn't stay for it."
"Really?"
"Yeah, it just didn't feel right. But I did hear that the police were called, so I'm glad I didn't stay."
"Well, that's good to hear." Discord snickered. He wasn't petty. Not at all! It just pays to be on friendly terms with the police. Then they're more willing to do little things for you. Like getting a certain party shut down early.