My Little Draconequus: Wishing is Chaos
Chapter One: A Wish is Made
Tonight is the night.
The night was beautiful, Luna’s moon shining magnificently on a sheet of obsidian, the stars twinkling like opals scattered across the sky. The wind was blowing hard, making the Everfree dance by the sway of the leaves and moan as the branches shook to and fro against the torrents.
The only other sound was the flapping of a black cape, tied around the neck of a four-legged shadow, the face hidden under a dark hood. The mysterious figure seemed to be in a hurry, running easily between the confusing maze of the forest, heading towards the edge of the Everfree.
I must stay out of sight.
Not far now; the stranger was nearly there, jumping fluidly over rocks and easily avoiding broken twigs on the ground. The wind was helpful in masking any noises, but the cloaked creature didn’t want to take any chances when it came to the mission at hoof.
I must do what is demanded of me…Things are not the way it ought to be.
The edge could be seen now, the grass lit by the magnificent light of the moon. No trees were there to shroud the earth in darkness. The destination was in sight.
She is not angry, but hurt and unsure.
The soft clopping against the ground started to slow from a trot to a cautious walk. The hooded stranger came out into the open, looking to the right, then the left. Right again. Left.
The cottage. It was right there. Nopony was in sight, not even the Pegasus who lived there.
Lifting a hoof, the figure reached into a pocket located inside of the cloak, removing a small, velvet bag tied shut with a roped cord. Clamping the tied-off end of the package with her teeth, the stranger approached the cottage, slowly but surely.
The magic whispers to me; I have the cure.
The leaves in the tea and the smoke from the fire had never lied. The energies that radiated from the earth itself—the magic that was forever free from the manipulation of sorcerers—demanded that things be put back to right between chaos and kindness. The union was needed; not only for the happiness of the two creatures, but for the balance of the world as well.
If this was not done, the balance would skew and the world would tip over. Nothing would ever change for the better.
The stranger sighed in relief, finally arriving in front of the cottage, the velvet bag still held firmly by her mouth. Walking gingerly over to a small patch of blue flowers by a small chicken coop, she stopped and lowered her neck, gently laying the bag on the ground. With a hoof, she scraped a small hole into the ground and the cord of the bag was loosened. As it opened, a small light radiated from the inside, and the stranger plunged a hoof inside and came out with a small, glowing blue seed.
The seed was placed carefully in the middle of the small hole, and then covered in soil, its glow choked out by the seed’s burial in the dirt.
A wish to be made on the morrow…
The task was done; it was all up to them now. All she could do now was wait.
With it, a hopeful end to their sorrow…
The stranger turned, and escaped back into the darkness of the forest.
The sky is so beautiful tonight.
Fluttershy sat at the edge of a high hill not far from her backyard, her gaze on the universe above. Her hair and tail billowed behind her as the cool wind blew against her face. Normally she would have been in bed by now; she wasn’t usually somepony that enjoyed being alone outside in the dark.
But tonight, the moon and stars seemed to beckon for her, yearning for her attention. She had heeded to this imaginary call, unfurling her wings to feel the soft caress of the wind against her feathers. It felt so nice, and though she had been afraid at first to come out into the open at night like this, it felt right.
But…
Other things plagued her thoughts, and a frown marred the peaceful look that had been on her face. Worry now clouded her aquamarine eyes.
It’s been two days…and I see him tomorrow…
Her heart seemed to sink into her stomach. That had been happening a lot lately, whenever she thought of Tirek.
Of cucumber sandwiches.
Of the now-decimated library.
Of losing her Pegasus magic.
Of him.
But I forgave him…I forgave him! I shouldn’t feel this way. I should be happy, it’s all in the past now!
The wind wasn’t soothing her anymore. Now gentle, silent tears ran down her face. They glittered in the moonlight as they fell against the ground, resembling shooting stars escaping the galaxy of her eyes.
She had been so happy when it was all over—happy to have all the magic back, to have all her friends with her, to have Discord back on their side.
But the glow of victorious harmony had not been enough. She was still hurting on the inside. She put on a brave face, still smiling and assuring everypony that she was fine, but both her heart and her head knew the truth.
I wasn’t good enough.
That hadn’t been the first time she’d had the same thought in the past few days. And each time, it seemed to tear at a crack in her heart, breaking it apart.
My friendship wasn’t important enough. He saw Tirek as a better friend than me. He wanted to cause chaos more than he wanted to spend time with me. He saw it all as the better option…
She screwed her eyes tighter together; maybe if she did that, the tears wouldn’t escape so easily.
Such a silly thing for me to believe…that I could ever be so important to him…To anypony, for that matter. To think that I could ever be number one.
She was so ashamed of herself. Just how arrogant could I be? Oh, I’m such a bad pony! She curled herself into a ball, her hooves covering her eyes, curling her tail around herself.
I’m not the Element of Kindness! I’m the Element of Failure! Of Silliness! Of Delusion! I was absurd to think I could ever be as important to him as he is to me.
She had been so proud to be his friend. It wasn’t solely because she had successfully reformed him, making Celestia and her friends proud. That had been nice, of course, but…
He had cherished her. Nopony had ever appreciated her as much as he had. When she had decided to send him a letter the week after she reformed him, he had written back in a way that reminded her of Rainbow Dash whenever she talked about Daring Do—as if Fluttershy was the epitome of all things good in the world, and thus demanded his utmost admiration and affection. He had written back to her so fast that she received his reply merely five minutes after writing it—and the envelope had opened up with a burst of confetti.
For her. Her.
Discord had once been a prankster with a habit of torturing ponies and using them as his personal playthings. But then he became friends with Fluttershy, and he had began to change his point of view. He still criticized ponies with contempt, but he saw her as different from everypony else. He had valued her as somepony worthy of not only his time, but also his friendship, his kindness, his hugs, his smiles, his amusing displays of magic, and his companionship. And that had meant the world to her.
She had loved having him around. It had come to a point where a smile automatically appeared on her face any time he showed up, whether she noticed it or not. He brought her a joy and a sense of pride that Fluttershy didn’t even know she could have. She was so grateful for it. Nopony had ever made her feel so special or important before…And she did everything she could to make sure she made him feel the same way.
But I didn’t make him feel that way. I failed.
She had loved their friendship.
And she had thought he felt the same.
But he didn’t. It wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t as good as chaos…as good as Tirek…At least, not at first…
Not being good enough—it was one of her biggest fears, and brought such terrible memories to mind.
Foals, laughing and pointing at her awkward height, her skinny legs, her squeaky voice…But most of all, they mocked her for being such a bad flyer.
Her father, appalled by his daughter’s cutie mark and her destiny to be a Pegasus living on land—and slamming the door in her face, never to see her again.
Bullies at school, shoving and pushing her around for being such a wuss.
A draconequus dropping a plate of perfectly good cucumber sandwiches on the ground, only to place her in a cage with her friends.
“I thought we were friends!”
“Oh, but we were. But I found something much better than friendship.”
Better than friendship. Better than her.
What was she thinking, that she was so important to him? She had never been that important to anypony. She knew her best friends loved her, she knew her animals adored her, but…
She had thought she and him had something special. She couldn’t put her hoof on exactly what it was, but it was something that she never got from anypony else, not even her best friends.
Discord…Why? Why did you do this? I thought I understood you, or at least was beginning to. We were friends for such a short time, but we grew close so quickly. You meant so much to me, and I thought that maybe I meant just as much to you. l thought you didn’t mind…
Though the wind felt good against her face, she turned against it, walking carefully downhill, her head hung low and her ears pressed back.
I always knew how much chaos meant to him…I know he is chaos…But I didn’t think he felt like our friendship was a form of imprisonment. I thought he was happy. I thought I made him happy.
The tears continued to fall, splashing against her now trotting hooves as she made her short way home. Now she wanted nothing more than to just get into bed, try to sleep, and hopefully feel better tomorrow, before he came.
I was happy.
She started to sniffle, her nose starting to run a bit.
But I wasn’t enough. He still wanted to so much, and I couldn’t give it to him. I knew he played pranks, I knew he didn’t like the others as much. I knew he missed parts of his old life. But I had never dreamed he would do what he did. He seemed so happy to have a job for Celestia, and so pleased to have a picnic with me. I didn’t see it coming, I thought he would capture Tirek with no problems, but I was wrong!
She circled around the house as she saw her backyard, passing the chicken coop, her precious fowl long asleep in the hen house.
I just don’t understand…I don’t know why…
“I don’t understand you…”
She came to a small patch of wildflowers that always grew by her house each year. She had always loved those flowers; they were old friends to her, always growing back in the springtime to greet her. She bent her head low and gave a sniff, and the soft, pleasant smell brought a sigh to her lips.
As the fragrance entered her nostrils, Discord’s image remained in her head, making her tense and her knees weak. She had to see him tomorrow; he was coming for a visit in the afternoon. How was she going to keep herself together as she was feeling these things? How could she possibly make things better?
The words had left her mouth without her planning to; it just came out, as if her secret desires demanded to be heard, even though nopony was there to listen. “I wish I could understand you, Discord.”
She turned her back to the flowers, slowly dragging her hooves to the door, wallowing in her own sadness. She failed to notice the small mound of dirt near the front of the patch, and missed the glow that seemed to radiate from it the moment she had voiced her wish.
She opened the door, the warm light of the cottage coming through to the outside, yellow warmth in the darkness.
“But I don’t think I ever will,” she whispered, voice cracking. With her hoof on the knob of the door, she took one last look at the moon, wondering who else was looking upon it right now.
Maybe he’s looking at the moon, too…
Gently, she closed the door.
A stalk began to bud in the dirt, its glow doubling in intensity as it reached for the sky.
And through the upper window of the cottage, a soft weeping echoed through the air. Slowly, slowly, it quieted itself, and the crying was no more.
The glow hit the window, entering the cottage, caressing a small sleeping Pegasus in her bed until she began to glow as well.
The spell had begun.
Discord wasn’t just looking at the moon that night; he was on it.
“Can’t say this is the worst place to be banished to,” he mumbled to himself, using magic to keep himself laid against the lunar surface despite the lack of gravity. “Though the silence could drive anyone crazy. No wonder Nightmare Moon was so angry all the time.” He sighed.
But I’m all right with quiet for now.
Discord didn’t often visit the moon; whenever he had needed a place to be alone with his thoughts, he often conjured up his thinking tree and rested there. He wasn’t sure what compelled him to go to the moon.
He scoffed at himself. Don’t be daft; you know perfectly well why you’re here. The guilt was killing you.
No matter where he went, there was always something to remind him of Tirek’s tirade through Equestria, sucking everypony’s magic out with his help. Sometimes it was something as simple as a Pegasus-shaped cloud. Other times, it was a piece of wreckage that still hadn’t been cleared from all the buildings he and Tirek had crushed. But everywhere, there was guilt.
Of course, he still felt horrible as he lay there, staring down at the world from above. There was no way of escaping that. But at least there weren’t any visual reminders that made him feel even worse than he already did.
Lifting a single claw, he made swirling patterns out of the primordial dust that forever floated around the universe, turning it to different shades of light and color. He sighed, long and low, as he wondered if he would be getting any sleep tonight.
Barely had a wink the past two nights. It’s probably better off that way—I’m sure it wouldn’t take long for nightmares to take hold of my crazed noggin, leaving Lulu with dreams the like of which she’d never seen before.
Though his friends had forgiven him, he himself still hadn’t. Every moment was a chance to berate himself for being used as a tool and betraying the trust of Equestria. He didn’t need the glaring and the angry whispers from the citizens as he walked around town in order to feel badly for what he had done. He was doing just fine on his own for that, thankyouverymuch.
He hated himself for what he had done—especially for making a certain pony cry, when she had been the only one to truly believe in him, the only one to ever really care.
Sweet Celestia, how am I ever going to face her tomorrow? He thought with a grimace, dragging a paw over his head and stretching his face downward, only for it to slap back into place when he stopped. What ever were we thinking, meeting up for a get-together so soon? It’s not going to be the same, it will never be the same, not after all I’ve done to them…To her.
“Guuuuuuuuhhhhh,” he moaned, his head banging against the hard ground of the moon, his stomach against the ground with his legs spread out, as if imitating a star. “I can’t do this. Things were so much simpler when I didn’t care about anyone. But that’s all ruined. Now I want things like friendship and kindness and all that jazz!” A trumpet and a saxophone suddenly appeared next to him, playing the blues.
“I don’t know what to do anymore.”
Darn that Fluttershy! This was her fault, it was because of her that he was like this. She was the one that befriended him, the one that sent him all those sweet letters, the one that took care of him when he was ill, the one that always let him cause chaos in her house because she knew he liked to do that, and complimented his cucumber sandwiches and had tea and picnics with him and made him feel like he was lovable and important and maybe not so much of a loner and laughed at all his corny jokes and gave him hugs without hesitation and—
He groaned again. You’re a moron. A complete and utter moron. I always thought everypony else was the moron, but you know who the moron is?
He raised a clawed arm and pointed down on himself. “Me,” he said, answering his own question. “I’m the moron…I’m the one that screwed it all over. You’ve lost her, Cordy, you most definitely have. She’ll never care for you the same way ever again. Because you’re an imbecile!”
He stretched out an arm and grabbed both his floating instruments by the handle, and banged them against the moon. The smashing and clanging of the brass pleased him—nothing blotted out the thoughts of self-destruction like decimating inanimate objects did.
The satisfied feeling didn’t last long.
He stared at the earth of Equestria, and wondered where she was. Probably in her cottage, asleep, with that little Demon Bunny curled up by her side. He sniffed at that. Lucky little furball. He didn’t even have to do anything to get to where he is!
He was starting to get restless, and the silence now began to gnaw at him, along with his thoughts. “Yep, I can definitely see why perhaps Nightmare Moon went crazy up here,” he muttered with a dark chuckle, before snapping his fingers and teleporting himself back to his room in the Royal Castle in Canterlot.
Sweet Celestia I hate it here. Despite all the chaotic changes he made to his Royal chambers—paint-splattered walls, a checkered floor with both squares of carpet and polished wood, two types of disco balls on the ceiling, a bed made of soft sponge—it still felt like more of an imprisonment.
And now I’m to remain here even longer! He moaned. I’m never going to be free if I ever want to be trusted by these ponies. I don’t even care for most of them…
With a jump and a swoop, he landed on his spongy bed with a few bounces, his stomach cushioned against the softness of his sponge mattress. He turned his head to his orange bedazzled nightstand, and his eyes landed on a picture of two friends with their arms around each other’s shoulders, looking at each other with wide grins on their faces.
And to think, I even had that picture with me as I made the wrong decision…
He reached an arm out, and his clawed fingers landed on the top edge of the picture frame. He paused, his eyes boring into the still, aquamarine eyes of the yellow Pegasus. The guilt started to tear at his heart again…
“Surely you saw this coming?”
“I didn’t! I really didn’t!”
He slammed the picture down against the tabletop, turned his back to it, and screwed his eyes shut.
He didn’t sleep at all.
A jolt of electricity, the beat of his heart. It thumped against his chest, and his brain seemed to jump out of his head. It was a red alert.
Something is wrong.
Discord’s eyes popped open, and jolted upright in bed.
What is this?
His nerves were on end. His body flailed around involuntarily, waving and swirling as if his body were a wet noodle in boiling water. His skin grew cold, and sweat gathered in his brow. He squinted as the rays from the hot sun fell across his face from the window.
The balance is off. There’s magic in Equestria, magic beyond normal proportions. I haven’t felt something like this since…
Suddenly his body went from thrashing about to as straight and rigid as a rod.
Tirek.
He closed his eyes, and sent invisible waves of magic all around Equestria, feeling around for anything that resembled Tirek’s magical signature. It reached all the way to Tartarus, where he sensed Tirek’s weakened state of power.
If not him…Then who?
His waves of chaotic magic suddenly went off as it neared Ponyville.
This…thing…was in Ponyville.
Rubbing his temples, he focused even harder on his magic, trying to pinpoint the magical being’s direct location.
Twilight’s castle…Sugarcube Corner…Carousel Boutique…Sweet Apple Acres…The clouds…Nowhere in town…
It couldn’t possibly be in the outskirts, could it? That’s where…
Discord gasped as he found the direct spot, his body convulsing so strongly in reaction that he grit his teeth and tried holding back a strangled cry. He had never reacted so strongly to a source of imbalance before. Usually he just had a tremor that made him wiggle around like a silly strand of spaghetti, but this power…
This signature…It is nearly identical to my own..! Impossible! And…
He swallowed, his adam’s apple bobbing as he made a fairly loud gulping sound with his tight throat.
It’s in Fluttershy’s cottage!
She awoke as the rays of the sun hit her eyes from the window, yawning squeakily as she stretched her limbs out. “Ah,” she breathed, enjoying the warmth of the light on her face. She still felt tired from staying up so late the night before, but she always had busy mornings.
Feed Angel Bunny…Seeds for the birds, honey for Harry…Check to see if his back needs a massage, check up on Angel’s friends and the jackalopes…
As the list went on, she managed to roll herself off her bed and land on all fours on the floor. She began to her way to the hall, but paused at the doorway to look back at the snow-white bunny still sleeping on the bed. “Angel,” she giggled, smiling at the drooling rabbit. “It’s time to wake up!”
The rabbit’s ears twitched, but he only rolled over to his other side, his back now to Fluttershy.
“Oh, Angel, come now. You know what they always say; the early bun gets the carrot!” she sing-songed, trotting over back to the window side of the bed. She laid her chin on the mattress and stared at his sleeping face, then gently nudged him on the shoulders. “Wake up, Angel Bunny. You can’t oversleep now. There’s much to do today.”
The rabbit still wouldn’t open his eyes, and batted Fluttershy’s foreleg away, rolling onto his stomach and laying his face against his paws.
Fluttershy sighed. Sometimes he could be just a little bit difficult. “Angel,” she said, her voice a little sterner. “It is time to wake up, or I won’t let you have any sweets today. Do you understand me?”
His ears went up immediately, and he used his paws to lift himself up on to his hindquarters, his eyes now fully open and alert. He hopped off the bed and out of the doorway, and looked over to his owner.
“Good boy!” she praised with a wide smile. “Now let’s go downstairs and—“
She paused as she saw Angel freeze in place when his eyes landed on her. They grew as large as dinner plates, and his face was horrified. He let out a high-pitched shriek, hackles raised, and jumped high into the air, eyes still glued on her.
“Angel! W-What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked him. She took a step closer, only to find that the rabbit scrambled backward as she did so. He hunched on the ground, shaking harder than Fluttershy had ever seen him, and stared at her as if she were a monster.
“What’s wrong, sweetie? Is…Is there something…outside…?” she squeaked, slowly growing scared at whatever it was Angel was afraid of. She turned her head and looked towards the window. The sun still shining, everything seemed normal from what she saw. Three birds perched at the sill, and Fluttershy smiled at them with a wave.
“See, Angel Bunny? There’s nothing—“
The birds, now seeing Fluttershy’s waving, looked towards her, expecting to see their dear friend and sing her a friendly hello, but instead they squawked and honked in terror while looking inside. They jumped off the sill and into the sky as fast as possible, feathers floating behind them.
“What…?” She trotted over to the window and opened the oval glass outward, and stuck her head out. “W-wait! Please come back! Wh-what’s wrong?”
Looking downward, she saw assorted animals on her front yard, walking and running and hopping about. Raccoons, beavers, squirrels, mice, rabbits, and jackalopes scavenged through the grass, waiting for their caretaker to come out and enjoy the sunshine with them. Harry the bear was over by a tree, using the bark to scratch a part of his back he couldn’t reach. Over in the creek, frogs, fish, newts, and salamanders swam and lounged about, waiting for Fluttershy to come and feed them, perhaps even share a splash with them.
“Oh friends!” she called, trying her best to keep her voice pleasant despite her growing fear. “Is…Is everything alright down there?”
All of them turned their heads to the sweet, soft voice, recognizing it as Fluttershy’s. Dozens of small, innocent eyes landed on her, smiles on their faces, ears perked, and tails wagging.
Harry roared at what he saw in the window before getting back on all fours. His hair on end, he lumbered back towards the forest as fast as he could. The smaller animals followed, screaming and whining and squeaking as they followed the bear, each with an alarmed look on their face. All of the fish, frogs, and other swimming creatures dove into the water and dug themselves into the mud beneath, or escaped in holes between the rocks.
“Wait! N-no! What’s wrong?!? I don’t understand!” She got on her hind legs, about to leap out of the window and fly towards them, when a flash suddenly appeared. Fluttershy squinted in the light, shielding her face from it. Before she could even process what had happened, a blur of brown, red, and gray crashed into her.
“YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Discord roared.
Fluttershy screamed, but the breath was knocked out of her as Discord slammed into her, grabbing her arms and pummeling her to the ground. Angel, who had remained frozen throughout the whole spectacle out of fear, screamed again as he watched the Draconequus slam Fluttershy down. He scrambled away before he could watch any more.
“Now I have you!” he roared, his eyes glowing blood-red and neon-yellow, snarling as his fangs glinted in the early morning light. He snapped his fingers and Fluttershy found herself suddenly wrapped in a large net, her limbs tangled and twisted in it.
“D-Dis—!” she protested, her heart in her throat. She had no idea what was going on.
“Silence!” he growled. “Who are you?!? What are you doing here?!” He squeezed her arms harder.
She yelped in pain. “Discord, you’re hurting me!”
Letting go of one arm, he reached his claw through one of the holes of the net and gripped the side of her face. With this, he forced her to look at him and into his flashing eyes.
“I said for you to be si—“
His heart stopped and his mouth dropped open.
The eyes he saw were gentle. Kind. Tears of terror ran down her face, but he knew he had seen those eyes before. Those innocent, turquoise eyes…
“Fluttershy?” he breathed. His hands immediately let go of her, and he stood back up and took a step back. “Is…Is that…you?”
“W-what are you talking about?!?” she demanded, trying to get herself back up. She struggled; she was so entangled in the net that she wasn’t sure if she could get herself out. “E-Everyone’s acting so strange, even Angel was afraid of something! W-what’s going on? Wh-why are you attacking me, Discord? You…”
She grew more tearful. “Are you going to hurt me…?” She couldn’t believe it. She refused to believe it. “Discord…”
Discord knew that voice too. It was undoubtedly hers. He had no doubts now. “No!” he protested, his eyes no longer glowing, but panicked by what he saw. “Fluttershy! My dear…Oh, I’m so sorry, please, let me remove that!” He snapped his fingers, and the net disappeared.
Fluttershy was quick to get back up on her legs. “What’s going on?” she squeaked, breathing hard and breaking out in a cold sweat. “W-why did you…Did you…? Why are you…?”
Discord still couldn’t believe what he was seeing, and continued to blatantly stare at her. “Fluttershy...” he cleared his throat. “Have…Have you looked at yourself lately? Since you woke up?”
She blinked at him. “Huh…? No…”
“I think…I think perhaps you should take a look at that first, and then I’ll…I’ll explain myself. And then I think you may have some explaining to do as well,” he said to her, giving her a curious look, before snapping his fingers. A full-length mirror as tall as the ceiling appeared next to the window, leaning on the wall. Discord stepped aside and gestured towards it.
“Come look, dear.”
The fact that the problem seemed to have something to do with her made her throat constrict as she grew more nervous. She gulped. “Why? Do I have…Do I have something on my face?”
“No, not exactly. Just…Fluttershy, look at your forelegs.”
“Huh?” Despite her confusion, she did as she was told and looked downward. “At my hooves? But—“
She gasped, the sudden breath of air stinging her throat. “What…” She sat on her haunches, staring at them. “Discord…Did you do this?!?” she yelped, looking at him hopefully. “Is this another one of your pranks? It is, right? I-I won’t be angry, but if you could please—“
Discord put his paw and claw up in defense. “I swear to you Fluttershy, I did nothing to you! How could I, so soon after—“ Now he was the one to gulp. “After what happened? Fluttershy, I came because I felt a strong source of energy coming from your cottage—one as powerful as mine, with a signature that nearly copies my own. I came here thinking you were in grave danger from some sort of menace. But…Fluttershy…It’s you. You’re…”
He couldn’t get the words out, but Fluttershy didn’t need him to. She got back up and ran to the mirror.
There was no pony in the reflection, but something else. Something that was her, but couldn’t possibly be her.
Her neck was elongated, and the bridge of her nose connected her muzzle and her forehead. Out from the top of her head were two…things plummeting out between her ponylike ears. The one to the left seemed to be a thicker and heavier version of a butterfly antenna that matched her eyes. It was thick, balancing both sides of her head, since the other protrusion was the antler of a moose. Her left foreleg was now the damp, green cold one of a frog’s, and the right was the soft, familiar foreleg and paw of a rabbit. Her head and graceful neck were the same shade and texture as her pony coat, her pink tresses cascading down as they did in her real form. On her back, she sported the small wings of a periwinkle bat and a yellow wing similar to her Pegasus ones. Her torso was a soft, creamy tan color, and it ended at the long, green dragon tail she sported, with a long tuft of pink hair at the end. Her back left leg was the leg of a bear, the other leg being that of a duck’s, webbed foot and all.
Mouth agape, she rubbed her eyes, thinking maybe she was dreaming, or seeing an apparition. When she removed them, she looked again.
Nothing.
She took a sharp input of breath, about to scream from the top of her lungs, when Discord quickly came to her side and placed his claw over her lips.
“Shhh!” he said, taking a panicked glance out the window. “We don’t want anyone to hear you, dear. Listen, I know this is a bit of a shock, but you need to relax, and—“
“R-relax? Relax! D-D-Discord, l-look at me!” she said, putting her hands on her chest. “I’m not supposed to…This isn’t...” She couldn’t seem to form a coherent sentence as she continued to look at herself, lifting her fingers and sweeping her tail back and forth. She looked to her stomach and gasped.
“I mean, look, Discord! I have a pouch! On my stomach! I’m part kangaroo!” she exclaimed, holding the flap of her large pouch open, staring at it as if it were the most gruesome thing in the world.
“Yes, I know, and I’m extremely jealous of the fact!” he said, poking at her stomach with furrowed brows. “Why don’t I have a pouch? It would be so much easier to have for carrying my things! That is just not fair.”
“Discord!”
“Sorry, sorry, I’ll complain about that later,” he said, scratching his head. “But Fluttershy, you really do need to calm down! If you don’t, you could trigger…” His lips formed into a deep frown.
Her eyes grew bigger as she stared at him. “T-trigger? Trigger what?”
He sighed. “Fluttershy. You know what you are, do you not?” he said, glancing at her webbed hand and paw. He seemed to hesitate for a second before he finally made up his mind and took each of them in his own paw and claw. “We may not look exactly the same…But it’s just like how ponies don’t all share the same coat, or cutie mark. You know what you are, dear. You’re a…”
His grip on her hand and paw loosened as he realized just how much weight his words held. He never thought in a billion years he would ever see another one of his own kind.
“You’re a Draconequus, Fluttershy.”
Though Fluttershy continued to shake, she nodded. She already knew that. She just couldn’t get herself to say it.
“I have chaos powers, don’t I?” she whispered.
He opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly, a pink light blinded the two of them, making the room flash. A hole suddenly appeared in the floor, and with Discord’s hands still in her own, the two plummeted towards the first floor.
Fluttershy screamed, letting go of Discord’s hands and instead wrapping her arms around his torso, her two over-small wings flapping uselessly. Discord was about to snap his fingers when another pink flash once again obscured their vision, and an indoor swimming pool appeared in Fluttershy’s kitchen floor.
They fell in with a loud sploosh!
Discord was the first to come out, gasping for air and raising himself out of the pool, Fluttershy following close behind. Discord, now on all fours, began shaking himself dry like a dog, the drops of pool water hitting Fluttershy like raindrops.
Fluttershy grit her teeth and stared back at the pool, seeing her reflection in the chlorine green waters. Another light flash, and the water turned into orange jello. She gasped at the magic, and took a step back.
“Discord!” she said, turning to him as he wrung out his tail. “The hole in the floor! The pool! Was that—?”
Discord turned his neck to gaze at her. “Yes, I’m afraid so.” He faked a smile, though his face still looked deeply troubled by the abrupt change in circumstances. In all his life, he had never been through anything like this—and for him, that really meant something.
“It seems you’re our new Lady of Chaos.”
He snapped his fingers, and repaired the hole in the wall. The pool vanished. He rubbed the back of his neck, and looked to Fluttershy. The tension was so thick it could have been cut with a knife. But instead of literally doing so, Discord took her paw and shook it slowly.
“Welcome to the club.”