It took mere seconds for Rarity to edge her way between Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, and even less time to start squabbling with the pegasus.
Twilight only caught bits and pieces of the argument. Rarity rambled on in a shrill voice while Rainbow countered in an ever louder tone.
“I can explain!” Twilight shouted suddenly. The chatter ceased.
“Twilight, you don’t have to explain true love," Rarity, ever the romantic, assured. She glared at Rainbow and snorted. "It doesn't matter what ponies think about it."
“This isn't one of your dumb romance novels, Rarity,” Rainbow huffed, worry hidden behind her fiery eyes. She turned to Twilight. “He’s obviously plotting something, Twi. You could get hurt.”
“Well that’s just great, girls, but I don’t actually like him—at all.” Twilight braced herself against her friends rebuttal, but neither of them said anything. She sighed and continued on. “Look, he’s always tricking me and being a pain in my flank, right? Remember when Cadance came to visit? Maybe I just want to get back at him, okay?”
“How so?” Rarity took a step back from Twilight, looking far more reserved.
“When he asked me to dinner, it just clicked,” Twilight explained. “This is my way to pay him back. He doesn't like me. He thinks he has me right where he wants me… but this time, I’m a step ahead. This time, I’m going to get him before he gets me.”
“Wait, so you’re pranking Discord?” Rainbow Dash brandished a nefarious smile and her ears twitched with excitement. “That’s awesome! Oh my gosh, you gotta let me in on this!”
“No, it’s okay.” Twilight’s words extinguished Rainbow’s enthusiasm like water to a flame. “I’d rather do this on my own.”
“Oh… okay. I get it. You got this.” Rainbow’s rebound was quick, if not forced. “I could give you a few tips if you want.”
“I think I can manage.” Each word punctured the air like needles as Twilight spoke them. Anger swamped her thoughts, but before she could add on another abrasive statement, a beam of realization shone through. Her eyes snapped wide open and her heart sank a few inches. “Oh, Rainbow, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean it like that!” Urgency tinged her voice, and her ears swiveled backward.
“Nah, it’s all good.” Rainbow Dash put on a thin, but strong smile. “Some pranks you just gotta do on your own, right? Well, I have to get back to cloudbusting. Still got a whole section left.” She trotted toward the front door and took a sideways glance at the broken window. “Hey, Rares—sorry about the window. I’ll come by later to clean it up.” She opened the door and gave one last look behind her. “See ya ‘round.” Then she was gone in a flurry of light blue feathers.
“That Rainbow… at least she always cleans up her messes,” Rarity said with a sigh. She turned her full attention back to Twilight. “Now whatever is going on, darling?”
“What do you mean? I just told you—”
“No. That’s not the truth, Twilight. I've always known you as a pony who was above petty things like that. It’s something else, isn't it?”
“Rarity, I may not be the Element of Honesty, but do you really think I would lie to you?” Her voice became colder by the minute. “I just want to win for once.”
“Yes, I heard you the first time.” Rarity thought for a moment. “Haven’t you, as you’d say, won before?”
“No!” Her voice jumped octaves with her sudden intensity. Surprise momentarily shone in her eyes, but it quickly faded behind her hardened expression. “I've never won with him. Not once!” Her ears flattened themselves to the back of her head. “The first time we met him, he played me so well that I didn't know right from left! It was only because Celestia had been able to send me my friendship letters that we were able to turn him back to stone.” She squeezed her eyes shut
Rarity listened patiently through Twilight’s little rant, taking it all in. She searched for a source to her friend’s odd behavior, but oddly, she couldn't find a thing. She latched on to the only thing she noticed.
“I see you haven’t mentioned our little spat with Tirek,” Rarity pointed out. “Couldn't you see that as a victory? He learned a valuable lesson then, I think, and he said he owed it all to you…” She trotted over toward the shattered window, and began to sweep up the glass shards. “Now that I think of it, I don’t think he’s done anything at all lately. Not so much as a cotton candy cloud.” She turned to look at Twilight over her shoulder. “Am I correct? Or has something happened that I’m not aware of?”
“I… it doesn't matter! He’s gotten off far too easy for far too long now. I don’t… He’s going to get what’s coming to him!” Twilight’s ear twitched erratically as her voice wavered between anger and uncertainty.
“Twilight, really, you don’t sound like yourself.” She turned away from sweeping and looked Twilight straight in the eye, much like a school marm to a young foal. “Are you certain nothing has happened?”
“I’m fine!” Twilight nearly shouted before taking a deep breath. “Look, this is just between me and Discord. We all have these little feuds, right? Like Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack.”
“Only theirs are all in good fun.” Rarity set the broom down leaning it against the wall. “Speaking of Rainbow, what was that?”
“Just—I’m just—I don’t know.” Twilight stared at the floor, looking for words to explain herself.
“Be careful, Twilight. I’m not sure what you’re up to, or why it’s so difficult for you to tell me. While it’s difficult for me to let this go, I’ll leave you with a word of advice: tread lightly when playing with one’s emotions—yours and others.”
“Rarity, I already told you, I don’t think—”
“I know. Just keep that in mind.” Rarity’s posture resumed a warmer stance and a smile returned to her face. “Now then, I believe I've got a dress that would look just dazzling on you! We don’t want to disappoint your date, now do we?”
“No, I will not be caught wearing that!”
“I think you’d look very handsome in it, Discord. Can you at least try it on? Um, I mean, I’d like you to, but if you don’t want to, that’s okay…”
“Fluttershy, how many times must I remind you to assert yourself?”
“Does that mean you’ll try on the suit?” Fluttershy’s ears perked up as she asked, hoping for a yes. The suit in question was a dark scarlet color which looked like soft velvet. A white undershirt and black tie accompanied it. The sharp look was trending in Manehatten, according to Rarity, that is.
“No, I won’t be trying on the suit.” Discord turned up his nose at the thought. “Me, wearing a suit? Why, that’d be the day!”
“I’m pretty sure you've worn one before… multiple times… a dress as well.”
“When it’s blue it doesn't count,” Discord stated a matter-of-factly.
“I see…” Fluttershy trailed off, remembering a certain flu from a while back. “But I still think it would look nice on you. Don’t you want to look nice for Twilight?” Her voice neared a teasing tone. A small smile accompanied her words, which succeeded in thoroughly ruffling Discord’s feathers.
“Maybe,” he answered icily. He took the suit from her and looked at it. “You do know that this is meant for a pony, right? I couldn't possibly fit into this.” He promptly tossed the suit over his shoulder as he spat the word “this”, which neatly folded itself as it drifted towards Fluttershy’s dresser.
“Yes, well, I thought that you’d be able to um, change it?”
“Yes, yes, that I could. But the question remains; should I?” He floated two feet above the ground on his back, much like one would float on the surface of a pool. The tip of his tail twitched every now and then, something of a nervous tick.
“If you’re not going to wear the suit, would you maybe wear this..?” She held out the question along with the object in her hoof.
“A watch? I have a feeling that wearing only that would make me seem more naked than I already am,” Discord tutted. He turned the golden watch over in his claws. “It is a nice time piece, though. What, 500 LE?”
“I’m not really sure… it was my grandfather’s.”
This stopped Discord right in his tracks. His ears perked up, and he looked at her in surprise. “And you want me to wear it?” he asked. “I may not know much about that kind of thing, but shouldn't this watch be a bit more important to you?”
“Yes,” she managed to answer through her sudden embarrassment. “It’s a stallion’s watch anyway—I would never wear it, and I don’t really have anyone to give it to.”
Discord laid his paw and taloned claw across Fluttershy’s shoulders. “If it means that much to you, then I’ll wear it.” He spoke calmly, almost too seriously for a creature such as he was. He gave her a small nod before letting go and sharing a smile. “Maybe I’ll try on this suit of yours too. That is, if you’d allow me to make some adjustments.”
“Adjustments? Oh dear…” A flood of images assaulted her mind; none of them sat well with her conscience.
“Oh, don’t you fret.” He patted her head and motioned for the suit to come to him. Once within his grasp, he studied it. “This is technically only half a suit - for a semi-nudist society, I suppose that would be acceptable.”
“So you are going to wear it?” She stared at the back of the suit top blocking her view of Discord’s face.
“I don’t wear suits,” he stated absentmindedly. With a SNAP the coat changed to a deep sea blue. “But if it’s blue…” Another snap of his claws changed it’s shape, elongating and narrowing it at the same time. “...it doesn't count.” One last snap and he was wearing it.
“Oh, it looks lovely, Discord,” Fluttershy murmured. She walked up to him and helped to straighten him up a little, smoothing out small creases and brushing off pieces of lint.
“Smart, suave, stately, stylish… yes, I believe we are in agreement.” A mirror materialized before him, ignoring the mirror across the room, and he struck a few poses, admiring himself as he did so. The old watch appeared on his wrist after a few choice moves had been executed. “Thank you, Fluttershy, this is a wonderful coat. Your watch certainly completes the outfit, doesn't it?”
“It does.” A warm glow of happiness bubbled up in her chest. The feeling manifested itself as a rather large smile on her muzzle. She couldn't help but notice that Discord’s tail was still twitching about. “Discord, are you nervous?”
“Absolutely not,” he stated without hesitation, though his tail stiffened at her words. “Why would you think that?” He adjusted his tie a little, even though its placement was already perfect.
“Well, this is your first time approaching a mare in a while,” Fluttershy said thoughtfully. She flew up to the top of his head and hovered as she touched up his crest and fur. “I’d be nervous too. Well, more nervous, that is.”
Discord stared into his own reflection in the mirror. “And what makes you think that?” he asked incredulously.
“Well, I um.” She withdrew her hoof from his head and let herself drop to the floor. “I just thought that—”
“No, you’re completely right, my dear.” He let out a long-winded sigh. “I went in to that place expecting rejection, and—”
“You’re lying,” Fluttershy murmured softly. Though her voice was quiet, her eyes spoke volumes. What aren't you telling me? they seemed to say. Why are you trying to hide something from me?
“How did you know?” The mirror before him vanished into a cloud of pink smoke as he turned to face her.
“Your tail.” She pointed to the white fluff flicking about. “You’re all jittery, like when one of my little forest friends is hiding something from me.”
“You know me too well. Usually, that would mean I would have to “un-alive you”, as they say. But, I suppose, I’ll have to make an exception.” He reached out and grabbed a cane out of thin air and made of show of spinning it like a baton. “Well, I can’t be late for the dear Princess, now can I? Don’t wait up for me!” He tossed the cane high into the air, and when it hit the floor he was gone.
Fluttershy huffed irritably. He hadn't told her what — or better yet, why — he had lied to her. Well, she thought, he won’t be getting off that easily. Sometimes, he was just like a child. He had to be reprimanded, and this little act of defiance wasn't going to just fade away like he hoped. She’d be waiting, but she also knew he’d be ready.