Fluttershy sat very still. Her teal eyes were trained on the ground, her brow furrowed in confusion. Discord watched her apprehensively, waiting for her to recoil in horror. He had told her the truth, making it sound as good as possible, but without leaving anything out. And now he waited for her reaction.
Neither of them noticed the blurry landscape darkening.
He wanted to speak, to assure her that he was different now, he wanted to crawl to her and lay beneath her so he could look up into those eyes that were staring at the ground with such bewildered sadness. He wanted to throw his arms around her and beg her to forgive him, but he could do nothing but silently watch her as she thought it over.
Finally, without looking up at him, she spoke. "You said earlier I was your best friend."
"Yes." Discord looked at her with hope.
"Was that just another lie?"
His jaw dropped. "No! Fluttershy, I meant it! We really do have tea every Wednesday, we write letters to each other, I don't know where I'd be without you, you have to believe me..." he trailed off mournfully; the look in her eyes hurt him too deeply for him to continue speaking.
"You'd still be in stone," Fluttershy muttered, with a trace of an edge to her voice.
Discord flinched and turned his head away. Suddenly his eyes widened. The two of them were surrounded by a blurry darkness, a shapeless shadow that had covered their surroundings. "Fluttershy..."
She wasn't listening, still staring at the ground. "You'd still be evil without me..."
The darkness was closing in. Fluttershy didn't notice. In panic, Discord threw himself around her and coiled his body to create a shield surrounding her. He didn't know how much it would help, since she could walk right through him, but maybe whatever that darkness was would be blocked by his body.
"What are you doing?" Fluttershy squeaked, finally looking up from the ground. She looked over the wall he had created out of himself and saw the shadows coming towards them. With a cry of fright, she tried to back away and promptly bumped into Discord's coils.
Both of them jumped in shock at the contact. "Did you feel that?" Discord asked excitedly. Fluttershy nodded mutely, eyes wide. She reached out with one hoof and touched him again. "Her hoof rested gently on his side without passing through him. He was solid again.
"Can you see me?" he asked, the thrills making his fur stand on end. Fluttershy squinted at him, then shook her head.
"No, you're still blurry."
Discord groaned, but didn't despair. If she could touch and feel him, that meant he was becoming real to her. It also meant, hopefully, that whatever that darkness was that was closing in, wouldn't be able to reach her and harm her. Fluttershy squealed in terror as the sky flashed a familiar shade of green, and the darkness seemed to chuckle at them.
Discord gritted his teeth. "The Terror."
"What?" Fluttershy was cowering against him, visibly shivering.
"The thing that brought you here. It said it needed to establish its reality in the dream realm. It must be becoming real." Just like he was. "Don't believe in it, Fluttershy. You can keep it from becoming real if you don't believe in it."
"How can I not believe in it when it's all around me?" she whimpered, her eyes the size of dinner plates.
Suddenly, and idea struck him, and he snapped his fingers. A glowing magenta orb surrounded them. Cautiously, Discord reached out and knocked on it with his claw. It was solid. He grinned. "See that, Fluttershy? It can't get to you now." He uncoiled himself from around her and stood beside her. "You're safe. It can't do anything to you if it isn't real."
But Fluttershy just sat and sobbed, "I don't know what's real anymore!"
The sky flashed green again as the darkness crept ever closer.
Outside in the waking world, the guards watching them were deliberating calling the princesses. Fluttershy's body was pale and emaciated, barely breathing, with patches of fur beginning to fall out. Discord had lost weight as well, his bones beginning to show in places. Neither of them could survive much longer, and the guards knew it. One of them slowly left to find Princess Celestia and tell her the news.
In the library, Twilight slammed her last book down in frustration. "Nothing! Ugh, there's nothing in any of these books about another way to get her back!"
Flash Sentry watched her with quiet concern as she pushed her chair back and started pacing around the library.
"I can't just let her die! She's my friend, what would we do without her? She can't have much time left..." Twilight tried to blink back the tears as she began to realize the inevitable. "Oh, Fluttershy..."
Setting down his book, Flash walked over to the princess and set a hoof on her shoulders. He didn't know what to say; there really wasn't anything that could be said to comfort her. But he wanted her to know that he was there, and that she wouldn't have to suffer this loss alone.
Twilight paused, then looked up at him helplessly. She was able to hold it together for a few seconds under his concerned gaze, but then the waterfall started and she couldn't keep it back any longer. She leaned bodily against him, wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. Her tears ran down his armor and dripped onto the floor, and her sobs racked both of them as she realized she was helpless to save her friend's life.
Flash stood firmly, putting his arms around her and pulling her close. He knew there was nothing he could say, so he didn't try to say anything. One hoof gently petted her mane as she cried, while the other held her tightly against him, as if just feeling another living pony so close to her might somehow lessen the pain. She was crying so loudly the two of them didn't notice right away the guard who came in and soberly cleared his throat.
In Rarity's room, she and Spike were curled up on the bed. They hadn't done anything more than kissing, but had stayed and cuddled until they fell asleep. Spike awoke to Rarity asleep on his chest, and he smiled. As his heartbeat sped up from her closeness, Rarity blinked awake and looked up at him. He smiled. "Hey."
She giggled, planting a tiny kiss on his chest. "Hey yourself." Rarity glanced over him curiously. "You're the same size."
Spike chuckled, running his claws through her mane, careful not to tangle it. "Yeah, I think we got it figured out." He kissed her on the forehead, at the base of her horn. She shivered pleasantly.
A knock on the door made them both jump, and Rarity sat up just in time to see a grim-faced guard open the door.
Down the hall, Pinkie and Cheese were crawling out of bed, both of their curly manes in wild messes. They grinned at each other, each snickering at the state the other was in.
"You look amazing," Cheese Sandwich teased, tapping the tip of her snout with his hoof.
Pinkie giggled. "So do you, handsome."
They were both laughing hysterically when the guard at the door silenced them.
Rainbow Dash snorted awake to Applejack shaking her shoulder. "Rainbow." She blinked and looked from her friend's somber face to the face of a guard standing at the door.
Everypony gathered around the dying sleepers. Flash Sentry was physically supporting the still-teary Twilight. Cheese and Pinkie made a comical pair with their shocked faces and wild manes, Rainbow Dash was kicking herself for leaving them alone even for a second, despite Applejack's attempts to calm her, and Spike held Rarity in his arms as she swooned in horror.
The princesses looked on from behind the little group, their heads bowed in respect.
"It can't end like this..." Twilight moaned.
"Come on, Discord," Rainbow Dash whispered. "You gotta get her back."
In the dream, still encased in the glowing bubble, Fluttershy blinked, her tears suddenly stopping as she looked forward in shock.
"What? What is it?" Discord asked, looking at her in terror.
"I..." she put a hoof to her head. "I'm dying."
His jaw hit the ground. His body crumbled. "No." He physically pulled the broken pieces of his body back together and crawled toward her. "No, you can't die. I'll save you. I have to save you. Fluttershy, you can't--" he cut off when his shield suddenly disintegrated. The darkness laughed wickedly as it covered them.
Discord dove forward and threw his arms around her, wrapping himself tightly around her body. "Fluttershy, look at me." He took her face in his paw and claw. "Look at me. It isn't real. The darkness isn't real."
She was crying again. "Why should I trust you?"
He flinched. "Please. You have to believe me. Me. Right here." He leaned his forehead against hers, getting desperate. "This is real. Nothing else. Nothing but us, right here."
Fluttershy looked at him, her eyes overflowing in fear. "How do you know?"
"Someone once told me..." he trailed off, fear knotting in his stomach. "She told me..."
"What?" Fluttershy's body was trembling underneath him, and her breath was getting shallow.
"Only one thing is real Fluttershy." He could tell she was running out of time.
"What is it?" Her eyes begged him to say it, as her body weakened.
He knew he didn't have time to be afraid. Discord took a deep breath and looked right at her. "It's love, Fluttershy. Only love is real."
She looked at him, her voice failing as her breath stopped coming and her heartbeat slowed. She was out of time.
"I love you, Fluttershy." He closed the gap between their faces and kissed her passionately, pressing their bodies together. He felt her heart start beating again, pounding in time with his as he entangled his fingers in her hair and felt her breath on his face. She was breathing again.
They broke apart to stare at each other. Discord breathed. "I love you."
She stared at him, then grinned. "I can see you. Oh, Discord, it's you!" She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly. "It's you!"
As he wrapped his arms around her, the two of them were suddenly surrounded by a pink glow. Fluttershy's mane started to blow in a wind that seemed to arise from nowhere around them. The two of them looked up in time to see a blast of pink magic burst from their simultaneously beating hearts and scatter the darkness. The Terror moaned in horror as his dreaming existence was destroyed, and the dream world was restored to its own blurry brightness.
The couple looked at each other in amazement. Discord whispered, "You remember me?"
Fluttershy grinned in relief. "I remember you. Oh, Discord, I love you, too. I love you!"
Their lips collided just as both of their dream existences dematerialized.
In the waking world, both of their eyes flew open and they drew a collective breath, as if they were emerging from being underwater. Around them, the ponies gasped.
Pinkie Pie leapt into the air. "THEY'RE ALIVE!"
"They won't be for long unless they get some serious medical attention!" Twilight shrieked.
Two guards rushed forward and lifted them both onto stretchers, wheeling their withered bodies to the infirmary. The little congregation of ponies paraded after them, gathering around their hospital beds once they were safely attached to IV lines.
The survivors reached across the gap between their beds so they could stay hoof in claw. Both were smiling weakly, but it was clear they were far from healthy. But at least now they could be helped. Everypony was relieved and cautiously optimistic.
"I think we should allow them to recover in peace," Princess Celestia said quietly, and everypony slowly filed out of the room in ones and twos.
Cheese and Pinkie hurried back to their room to start planning the celebration for when Discord and Fluttershy were recovered. Pinkie had wanted to throw the party immediately, but when she realized that Fluttershy and Discord wouldn't have been able to enjoy it until they were healthy, she relented and agreed to hold it when they got out of the hospital.
Spike and Rarity went back to her room. As soon as they were alone he picked her up and spun her around, cheering enthusiastically. "They're okay!"
Rarity squealed and giggled. "Spike!"
He set her down obligingly, but his grin was unmoved. She returned it. "I guess Discord did it." She laughed. "After all that, Discord really did it! He saved her."
"I wonder how he did it."
Rarity paused to think, leaning against him comfortably. "I wonder if he really cares about her as much as he seemed to before he went in." She remembered the look he had given Fluttershy before he followed her into the dream realm.
Spike toyed with Rarity's curled bangs in one claw. "He must have to be able to bring them both back. Luna made it sound like he might have gotten stuck in there even if he did bring Fluttershy back."
Rarity nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. He must have done something incredible to save both of them."
"Maybe when they're healed we can ask him about it."
Down the hall, Applejack was putting Rainbow Dash back to bed. "Now get some sleep, sugar. Ain't nothin' to worry about now."
The rainbow pegasus smiled sleepily. "Yeah." She sighed as she sunk into the pillow. "I guess I was wrong about Discord, huh? He really did it."
"Yeah." Applejack smoothed out the blanket over her friend. "Maybe we should try to cut him a little more slack."
"Yeah." Rainbow looked up at Applejack with a soft smile. "Hey, thanks for looking out for me."
The farm pony smiled. "No big whoop, sugarcube. Now get some rest." She leaned forward and gave Rainbow Dash a kiss on the forehead, then turned out the lights and shut the door behind her.
Flash Sentry followed Twilight back to the library, where she started returning all of her books to the shelves. For once, she was glad she hadn't needed her research. Wiping her eyes, she looked back at Flash and smiled. "Thank you."
He blinked. "For what?"
"For being here for me." She walked over to him and summoned a handkerchief to polish the place on his armor that was stained with her tears. "I don't know what I would have done without you."
He chucked awkwardly. "You're strong without me, Princess."
"That isn't my name."
Flash looked down at her and smiled. "Twilight," he whispered, gently closing the gap between their lips.
In the hospital, Fluttershy looked over at Discord. "Did you mean it?" she asked quietly.
He smiled over at her and gently squeezed her hoof. "Every word."