Chapter Five: Many Months Later
Life was great. Twilight moved to Canterlot. She told her friends that being a princess means to move, but she at least tried to visit every other week or so. Applejack and the rest of the Apple family had a fundraiser for the farm, since they wanted extra space. The rest of the girls helped out by spreading the word. Rainbow, after many years of practicing and perfecting her tricks, finally got into the Wonderbolts. Fluttershy hadn’t seen her for a week or so, but she writes Pinkie letters, which are shared, of course. Rarity’s been a bit… depressed lately. She doesn’t seem so happy. Everypony felt bad for her. Now Fluttershy’s life had been somewhat complicated. Like most of her friends, she was in a relationship, but the pony she was dating, well, he wasn’t exactly a pony. He was a draconequus, the god of chaos to be exact. Twilight and Pinkie were happy for her, but Rarity, Applejack and especially Rainbow, thought she’d lost it. When she first told them she had a crush on him, they thought nothing of it, but now that they were actually dating…
So, it was dark and gloomy, rain layering the dirt road that connected Fluttershy’s house to the rest of the town. It was late spring and a while ago, her animal friends that were hibernating came back out. During Winter Wrap Up, Discord actually helped, since Fluttershy had taught him how to be nice to the animals. Fluttershy woke up, brushed her teeth and combed out her mane like any other day. She peeked into the guest room, where Discord still stayed, and saw that he was still sound asleep. She smiled, and walked into the kitchen to make her animals breakfast.
She saw the calendar on the wall. A large circle was around the days date. It’s…Father’s Day. She grabbed her coat, draped it over her shoulders and ran out the door. Sobbing, Fluttershy ran to the Ponyville Cemetery to find her father.
Bright Skies. Bright Skies. Aha, there you are, papa. She said in her head. She laid her head on his tombstone, a large Pegasus stallion with a halo on top of its head. She thought it was supposed to look like her father since he was a Pegasus. She cried softly for what seemed like hours, but was only a few minutes.
“Wishing you were somehow here again… Wishing you were somehow near…” she sobbed.
Behind her a voice called out: “I knew you would be here.”
Fluttershy looked behind her and saw Discord with an umbrella, upside down of course.
She tried to smile, but more tears came pouring out of her eyes. Discord walked over to her and put his ‘arms’ around her. She started to sob into his chest.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m here.” He tried to calm Fluttershy down.
“Discord, I miss him.”
And with that, Discord began to sing.
“No more talk of darkness, forget the wide-eyed fears; I’m here, nothing can harm you, my words will warm and calm you. Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears; I’m here, with you, beside you, to guard you and to guide you.”
Fluttershy sang back. “All I ask is ev’ry waking moment, turn my head with talk of summertime. Say you need me with you now and always; promise me that all you say is true, that’s all I ask of you.”
He smiled down at her. “Let me be your shelter, let me be your light; you’re safe, no one will find you, your fears are far behind you.”
She wiped her eyes and sang again. “All I want is freedom, a world with no more night; and you, always beside me, to hold me and to hide me…”
“Then say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime; let me lead you from your solitude. Say you need me with you, here beside you, anywhere you go, let me go too, Fluttershy, that’s all I ask of you.”
“All I ask for is one love, one lifetime; say the word and I will follow you. Share each day with me each night, each morning.”
She stopped singing and said, “Say you love me…”
“No, I do.”
Then they both sang. “Love me, that’s all I ask of you.”
Discord pressed his lips against Fluttershy’s and she blushed. When they broke off the kiss, Discord took out a box. He bent down on one ‘knee’ and opened the box. It contained a bracelet with a charm of a pink and blue butterfly, which matched Fluttershy’s cutie mark.
She gasped and covered her mouth with her hooves as he said “Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” she screamed, wrapping her hooves around Discord’s neck, hugging him tightly.
She forgot about her deceased father, forgot about all of her worries. The only thing that mattered is that she was engaged. Fluttershy, a Pegasus afraid of heights, well, falling from heights, to be exact, Fluttershy, a mare who could never, ever talk to anypony new, normally saying a word or two, unless they were, like herself, an animal lover, was getting married. First of all of her friends, too.
“Wait,” she said, pulling out of the embrace, “How will I tell my friends?”
“You could invite them over, or send them letters. Or both.”
“Okay…” Fluttershy said, ran pouring on her face, “We should head back to cottage. This rain looks like it’s gonna get worse.”
“Fine with me.” They teleported with that.
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Fluttershy wrote five letters; one to Twilight and Spike, one to Rainbow, one to Applejack, one to Pinkie and one to Rarity. Each went something like this:
\Dear (Name),
This Saturday, at 12, I want all of my friends to come to Sugar Cube Corner. I have big news for each of you. For Applejack, Rainbow and Rarity, she added: P.S: Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are welcome.
RSVP by the day you get this, Fluttershy.
Derpy came at mid-afternoon and delivered the letters. Pinkie was first to respond, then Applejack, then Rarity, then Rainbow. Twilight finally responded on Friday. Late, as usual.