Fluttershy’s heart nearly stopped as a heavy weight came down upon her shoulders.
“AHH!”
Swinging around she threw her hoof into her would be assailant.
“What the? Ow! Fluttershy what do you think you are doing?”
Heart pounding, she slowly opened her eyes only to see Discord looking a little worse for wear.
“Discord?” stuttered a somewhat flustered Fluttershy.
“No its spike, who did you think it was?”
Discord stood with his arms crossed, ready to continue his tirade, when he was knocked to the ground by and overenthusiastic mare.
“Oh Discord it’s you! It’s really you! I’m so glad to have you back.” Fluttershy’s death grip on Discord only increased as she gave way to sobs.
A little uncomfortable at the mare’s strong reaction, Discord began to slowly extract himself from the unexpected hug.
“Yes, well I’m here now. No need to get all hysterical darling.
He patted her head gently and then began to brush off any lingering dirt.
Fluttershy sniffed back the rest of her tears.
“Discord are you alright you seem to be acting a little strange.” She asked tentatively.
“Hmm, oh yes sorry darling I’m just a little preoccupied. This place is a tad dangerous for the unwary you know.” Said Discord Flippantly.
Something was definitely off that was for sure, but Fluttershy decided it was probably just this crazy journey. She knew that it was definitely
getting to her and making her act out of sorts.
“Well now that we’ve found each other again its best we get going. You don’t want to linger to long in a place like this.” Chided Discord before walking off in the opposite direction from Fluttershy.
Not wanting to get left behind once again Fluttershy galloped after the quickly disappearing Draconequus.
“Twilight! Twilight!”
Twilight jumped at hearing Spike call her name, almost knocking over the pile of books surrounding her.
“Yes Spike, what is it? Did you find anything?” she questioned hopefully.
“I’m not sure, but I think you should definitely take a look at this”
He quickly presented her with the hair sample she had given him to examine.
Twilight quickly snatched up the hair and reading from Spike. Before she could examine it further she noticed Spike’s pale complexion.
“Spike, are you alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Spike just shook his head in response and anxiously pointed to the reading.
Twilight quickly scanned the document and almost dropped everything by the time she got to the end.
“This can’t be right! Spike are you sure this wasn’t a mistake?” She was very afraid that it wasn’t.
“Not a chance! I took it to Celestia herself.”
“We’ve got to tell the others. Spike go and get Rarity and Applejack. I’ll go after Pinkypie and Rainbowdash, we have to warn everyone.”
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“Discord do you know where exactly we are going? Everything looks the same.” Fluttershy couldn’t shake the feeling that they had been walking for hours and getting nowhere.
“Of course darling, don’t you worry your pretty little head.”
Not for the first time Fluttershy wondered at his calling her darling. It wasn’t bad exactly, but normally he would call her flutters or even my dear, but not darling. Even stranger he hadn’t made some silly magic or tried playing a trick on her once, not once!
She was about to comment on this fact when she remembered the way he reacted to her earlier questioning. Fluttershy really did not want to fight with him again, especially not in such a strange place. So instead she kept quiet and told herself it was just the stressful situation they were in.
Discord gave Fluttershy a quick glance before clearing his throat.
“So how are you holding up darling?”
“Oh uh just fine I guess. I just hope we can get out of here without running into that mare again.”
“Mare?” questioned Discord.
Looking a little stunned at his question she answered “You know that mare that we saw before we were dropped into these ice catacombs.
“oh right, right. I guess with everything that’s happened I kind of forgot” He looked a little sheepish as he answered her.
Fluttershy couldn’t help the slight happiness she felt at his apparent disregard for the mare.
‘No what am I thinking were in danger I shouldn’t be worrying about some mare and what Discord does or doesn’t feel for her.’
“Hmm you look a little flushed darling you wouldn’t happen to be jealous, now would you?” questioned a very smug looking draconequus.
“What no! Of course not” assured Fluttershy.
Chuckling Discord stopped walking and winked at a very flustered Fluttershy.
“Come now my darling I am a very beautiful draconequus. You said so yourself.”
Fluttershy just gaped at him completely mortified.
“I I didn’t mean it like that Discord and you know it!”
He just gave her a look that said he didn’t believe her before turning around and conjuring a dining table complete with chairs.
“What are you doing Discord?”
Fluttershy was used to his strange behaviors, but even for him this was highly unusual.
“Aren’t we supposed to be getting out of here? You said it yourself it is very dangerous to linger here for long.”
A look of annoyance quickly crossed Discord’s face, but he quickly hid it behind a devious smile.
“What could possibly be more dangerous than me, hmm? Come on now darling you look exhausted why don’t we just stop for a bit and eat?”
Just then her stomach growled causing the mare to blush a deep crimson.
“Oh alright I guess it couldn’t hurt to rest for a minute and eat.” Conceded Fluttershy.
“Excellent!”
With a flourish he quickly seated the wary mare and conjured up a feast of wild berries, oats, salad, and numerous pies. Fluttershy even spotted applejack’s famous apple pie.
Without another word they each dug in and began to devour the entire meal.
Once finished, the now full Fluttershy beamed at Discord and thanked him.
“It was nothing darling”.
“You’ve got something on your cheek”.
Discord gave her a small smile before reaching over with his napkin and wiping a small berry stain from her lip.
Fluttershy blushed and looked away.
“You look lovely when you blush darling”. Whispered Discord.
This caused Fluttershy to blush even more and Discord chuckled at her response.
“You know Fluttershy there is something I have been meaning to ask you for quite some time.”
This caught Fluttershy off guard. What could he possibly have to ask her?
“Yes Discord?”
He fidgeted a little before responding.
“I know this isn’t the best time or place, but under the circumstances I would like to get this off my chest before anything else happens.”
‘Oh no! It was that other mare wasn’t it? He was going to tell her that he was already with her and that they could only be friends’ thought
Fluttershy.
Discord nervously looked down at his paws before twisting his wrist and presenting Fluttershy with an elegant box.
She gasped in astonishment. ‘No he couldn’t be doing what she thought he was doing could he?’
“Fluttershy my darling will you…..
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“What do you mean Fluttershy is in danger!” yelled Rarity?
“Its Discord isn’t I knew it was him!” raged Rainbowdash.
“Quiet!” yelled Twilight.
Twilight shook her head in exasperation. This was going to be difficult to explain, but they needed to know what was going on so they could be prepared.
“No it’s not Discord it’s something much worse”
“What could be worse than Discord?” grumbled Rainbowdash.
Deciding blunt would be best Twilight spoke “It’s a kitsune”.
“A What!?” The entire gang save for Spike and Twilight screeched.
“A kitsune is a magical being, specifically a fox that is a trickster. Some have even been known to shapeshift.” Explained Spike.
“Let me get this straight darling you are saying that Fluttershy is in danger from a fox?”
“Bahahhaa a fox really? Why don’t we just go and kick his butt? What is he going to do kill us with fluffiness hahaha” Rainbowdash erupted
into hysterical laughter.
Twilight rolled her eyes in exasperation. “No not just a fox a kitsune. A kitsune is a magical being that loves to trick others and get into
mischief. This one however is known for being far more dangerous. Not only that, but I believe he is the one who put the barrier around the forest.”
“But why would he want Fluttershy? I mean she would hurt a fly silly.” Questioned Pinky.
“Exactly darling, not that I don’t believe you, but it is a bit of a stretch.”
Twilight hung her head. “I’m not exactly sure, but we know he was at Fluttershy’s cottage before she disappeared and whatever he has in mind it can’t be good if he went to all the trouble of trapping her and Discord in the Everfree Forest.”
“So what are we gonna do? We can’t just let him take Fluttershy!” yelled Rainbowdash.
With a determined gleam in her eye Twilight nodded “I know and I’ve got a plan”.