//------------------------------// // Back Track // Story: What Happens in Las Pegasus // by Inkquill //------------------------------// Twilight was pacing around the sitting room. The others weren't doing much better, looking just as agitated and impatient as she felt. "I can't believe we left them alone." Rainbow muttered, mirroring Twilights thoughts. "They have been alone for a while now…maybe someone should check on them?" Rarity suggested. Twilight turned and was about to agree, when there was a flash in the center of the room. They all looked down to see an eagle claw waving a white flag. "Um…Twilight." They turned at the sound of Fluttershy's voice. The yellow pegasus was walking into the room and Pinkie instantly ran over and gave the mare a hug. "Fluttershy! Where's…" Twilight started and stopped as she looked down at the claw, which had transformed into a tiny discord, still holding the white flag and a shield. "I call a truce in the name of our friendship and ask that you not fire until after we've figured out everything that happened last night." He said as he looked up at all the mares with his large puppy eyes. "Girls…" Fluttershy prompted and they all nodded. Discord returned to his normal size and smiled nervously at them. "I guess we're not going to get anywhere unless we sit calmly and talk about last night." Twilight agreed and as she walked past a glaring Rainbow she whispered, "Calmly, Rainbow…" Which made the rainbow mare growl under her breath, but she went to sit on the couch next to Applejack again. The others took their own seats, Pinkie and Rarity sitting next to each other again. While Discord and Fluttershy sat next to each other, both looking nervous to be near the other, but not for the obvious reasons their friends thought. "Okay…so what now? No offense, but none of us had an easy time waking up this morning." Applejack said and Fluttershy noted that Pinkie and Rarity blushed slightly. Spike came in at that moment carrying a tray of hot coffee. "Here this may help. It will clear up the fog that's swirling around in your brains." Each took one of the steaming cups and sighed in bliss. Twilight gave a soft moan as she smiled at Spike, "Thank you Spike. What would I do without you?" He rolled his eyes, but smiled anyways as he took the empty tray away. He stopped and turned back to Twilight. "Hey I was just wondering…would you like me to call the front desk again and see if they can answer some more questions?" Twilight brightened at the question and nodded, "Yes, that may help us out. Thank you Spike." He nodded and left to make the call. Once he had left Discord cleared his throat to get their attentions. "Ehem…I was just thinking. The last thing we remember is being at the club. Maybe we should head over there and see if some of the staff can direct us to where we went next?" Applejack's mouth fell open and she said, "You know what…that's a really good idea. I'm starting to worry about you Discord." He blinked and stared at her confused, so she smiled and continued. "You sure are thinking clearly on this trip and giving some helpful advice. It's so unlike you." Discord rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Considering everything…" He held up his claws and waggled them, showing off the ring on his finger. "I think I have to behave for the moment…but don't get used to it." His last statement was said with a wide grin and most of them suddenly relaxed. The mood in the room eased and all but Rainbow smiled again. "Okay so now all we have to do is find clues about last night and the answer to…whether or not…Discord and I…if this is all real." Fluttershy whispered, blushing slightly. Rarity hummed in thought and then jumped up as an idea struck her. "I think we need to split up. Half of us should head to the club we were at and then other half should look through our rooms. Maybe something will turn up." Twilight nodded and looked over to Discord and Fluttershy. "I think that for the time…you two should stick together." "W-what?" Fluttershy stuttered, surprised that Twilight had actually said what she was thinking. Twilight nodded and looked at the others, "Each of us paired off and we have a stronger chance of remembering something if we stick with our partners. Maybe something will trigger a memory." Rainbow muttered under her breath, but also agreed with Twilight's plan. "Then it's settled. We'll split up and hopefully we can make sense of all this chaos." Twilight and Spike went down to the front desk to ask the staff some questions, and to also apologize for the damages. "I'm so sorry again for the conditions of the rooms. Of course I'll be paying for the damages." Twilight apologized to the hotelier once more. The tall brown stallion shook his head and held up his hoof, looking frazzled to have a princess in his office. "N-nonsense your…your highness. There's no need to fuss so much. We are quite used to troublesome guests. Honestly your party is one of the calmer ones we've had in." Twilight smiled and shook her head. "I doubt that. Not many guests are toting around the Lord of Chaos. The damages will be paid for, I won't take no for an answer sir." "You are too kind your majesty." "Please, formal titles are unnecessary. Actually, I was hoping you could help us out with some questions we have." She said and the stallion nodded. "Of course pr-Miss Sparkle. I would be happy to help anyway I can." She turned to Spike and he nodded, "When I called earlier, one of the front desk ponies said that you had moved our friends. As a gift from the hotel." He asked and the stallion smiled wider. "Yes. As a present to the new, happy couple. I authorized the request made by the new groom." "Wait…Discord requested that they be moved?" Twilight asked, starting to get suspicious once more of their friend. "Indeed. He asked if it would be possible to move to a higher-quality room. He said only the best would do for his new bride. I have to admit that it was hard to understand him when he slurred so badly…it must have been some wedding." He stopped and blushed, realizing that he may have insulted the creature and the princess before him. "Pardon me miss…I did not mean…Ehem…Was that the only question you had for me?" Twilight thought about it and then sighed, "I guess. It seems that after we arrived we went straight to our rooms. Looks like we won't be learning anything else tonight Spike. Come on, I think we should catch up with Rarity and Pinkie." They thanked the stallion and made their way to leave. The pony called out one last thing that made Twilight stop. "Be sure to congratulate the happy pair again. I have to say that I have never seen two creatures look more in love than they did last night." "W-what? Last night?" Twilight asked as she looked over her shoulder at the manager. He nodded, even though he was now looking down at the paperwork on his desk. "Yup. The groom may have been drunk from celebrating, but I know a sincere confession of love when I hear one. I've never seen two creatures look at each other as your two friends were last night. I'm sure they'll have many happy years together." Twilight hesitated, unsure of how to respond or what to think. She chose not to say anything and turned to walk out again. When she was far enough away from the office she stopped again and fell deep in thought. Was what the manager said true? Was Discord sincerely in love with Fluttershy? It seemed so ridiculous that she should have brushed it off right away, but… She thought back over the times she had seen them together in Ponyville. Discord stuck to Fluttershy like glue. At first she thought it was because Fluttershy was his closest friend…but after what she had just heard… "Crazy old pony…probably hasn't had his morning coffee yet. Right Twi?" Spike said as he nudged Twilight. "Huh-What? Oh…oh yeah…probably." "Yeah, like Fluttershy and Discord are really in love. Has to be the funniest thing I've heard all week." Spike kept going, laughing to himself. Twilight followed the dragon and shot one last look over her shoulder. "Yeah…funny…" Rainbow and Applejack had talked to some of the hotel staff, but had turned up empty and so had decided to catch up with Pinkie and Rarity. Hoping that they could lend some help in talking to the club's staff. They had caught up to the pair just as they finished talking to the same mare that had served them the night before. "So what did y'all come up with?" AJ asked as they stood together, off to the side. "Well. She said that after we drank almost our weight in those martinis…her words darling, not mine…we left, saying something about a special party to get to." "Hmph…Guess we know where that was." Rainbow muttered, and the others looked at her in concern. It was evident that she was still angry, but none of them wanted to touch on that just yet. "So…So now we know we left from here. The problem is…where exactly did we go after?" "I think I can help with that." They turned at the deep voice and saw Charmin Devil walking towards them. He smiled and bowed his head to the four of them. He looked around nonchalantly and inquired, "Are your other friends not here? The princess and Miss Fluttershy perhaps?" Rarity smiled and batted her lashes at the stallion, "You aren't fooling me sir. No Fluttershy isn't here. She…uh…she's back at the hotel with our other friend Discord." "Ah yes…the bru-male mentioned he would be accompanying her today didn't he. Well in any case, I believe there was some confusion as to where you went after you left here?" They nodded and Rainbow moved forward, "Did you happen to overhear where we went?" He nodded. "Not only that. I helped you arrange a limo for your large group. Something about that creature being unable to control his teleportation powers or some other." "Yeah that's great…now the name of this place we went to?" Applejack interrupted. She wasn't sure why, but something seemed off about this fellow and she didn't want to be around him longer than she had too. Last night she hadn't noticed, but now she noticed a look in his eyes that set a shiver down her spine and not in the good way. She nudged Rarity in order to get her out of her fantasizing. The white unicorn shook her head. "Yes, of course. We are so sorry, but we are kind of in a bit of a hurry. You see…well…we must return to the hotel and collect the rest of our friends." That made the stallion's ears perk. "Oh? Well hopefully I'll get to see all of you later. Hmm, actually…" He spoke as he moved behind the bar and began to write something on a piece of parchment. "Here's the address of the place the limo took you. I'm afraid I don't know what it is exactly. Here is also the name of a restaurant that I co-own with a friend of mine. Please come down and let me treat all of you to lunch." He levitated the parchment to Rarity who took it with her magic. She was reading over the information as Applejack tried to make excuses for them. "Oh, I'm afraid that we can't-" "Can't possibly miss such a gracious offer. We will be sure to meet you for lunch." Rarity interrupted with a warm smile as she ushered the others out. When they were outside Applejack glared at the unicorn. "Rarity, what are you thinking? You know that we have more important thing to worry about than lunch right now." "Yeah like where did we go after this place?" Rainbow asked as she snatched up the parchment and read the address. Rarity glared at the both of them. "We can't be rude. He was kind enough to help us with the information we needed. Besides, I think he is quite taken with our dear little Fluttershy. It is my duty as her friend to help arrange a meeting between the two of them." Applejack groaned and Pinkie tapped Rarity on the shoulder. "Yes? What is it Pinkie?" Rarity asked and Pinkie winced. "Um…not that I don't see what you're doing as a good friend, but…well…I think you've forgotten something important." "Oh? What could I have possibly forgotten?" "Well…He's about seven feet tall, made up of different creature parts and a tiny bit on the jealous side." Pinkie finished and Rarity rolled her eyes as she walked ahead again. Taking the parchment from Rainbow once more she said, "Nonsense. Discord has no right to be jealous. Now he may be a bit protective of her as she is his best friend…but he'll understand when he sees how happy Fluttershy is with Charmin." "Rarity…are you also forgetting that the two of them may very well be married?" Applejack asked as they waited in line to get a cab. Rarity shook her head, "Of course not. But their union may very well be a fake. And even if it's not, it was a silly mistake and will be resolved. So either way, Fluttershy is free to court Charmin if she wishes." Applejack sighed and shook her head as they all climbed into the cab and headed towards their destination. She looked out at the sky and wondered… I wouldn't be so sure Rarity. I've seen the way Fluttershy acts around Discord. I was the one holding her when she cried…Those were tears of a heart breaking. And now it seems that she may have gotten herself tangled further with the chaotic lord. I doubt that if she was given the option to choose, it would be that stallion. I have a feeling that she has her eyes on another entirely…one that may very well break her heart again. While the others were out searching for clues, Fluttershy and Discord went back to the room they had woken up in. They were hoping to find something that would help clear up some of the fog. Discord was under the bed with a light on his head to illuminate the small space. "Did you find anything Discord?" Fluttershy asked and he jumped up and bumped his head on the underside of the bed. "Ow! Uh…" He lifted up a sock and stuck out his tongue in disgust. "No, not yet…how about you my dear?" He stopped, realizing that the endearment he had always used held new meaning now. He smiled for a second, enjoying the way it filled him with joy. Calling her his dearest, when she may very well be his wife made it all the sweeter. "No, nothing…" She whispered and he could hear her moving away from him. He sighed and shook his head. He had to focus on reality and stop daydreaming about what could never be. He pulled himself out from under the bed and chanced a look at the mare with him. She was pulling open drawers and checking inside each one. He watched her for a few minutes, he couldn't help himself. Whenever he was around her he was always filled with fascination and bliss. She was the most beautiful and kindest mare he had ever met. So why would she ever really be yours? A cynical voice taunted and Discord shook the thought away, deciding not to dwell on 'what ifs' at the moment. He continued to look around the room and sighed . "I don't think we're going to find anything here Flutters. Maybe we should head back and wait for the others to return." She shook her head and started going through the nightstand. "No, I have a feeling that the answer I-we need is here somewhere. I just have to find it and then I'll know." She muttered the last part to herself, but Discord still heard it. He looked at her curiously, wondering what she had meant by that. Know what exactly? Fluttershy seemed to have an ulterior motive for finding out the truth. If only he could read her mind and find out. However after the last time he had invaded her thoughts, she had banned him from doing so ever again and he wasn't about to risk her wrath. He still had a scar from the vase she had hurled at him out of embarrassment. Honestly, he had just been curious to see what she looked like in that cute, bunny costume. How was he to know that she had only worn it for a photo shoot and had been horrified to be seen in it, so had requested it not be published. She had looked so adorable though, that he didn't regret seeing it. Even if she refused to talk to him for a week after as punishment. He snorted...it's not like the image haunting him wasn't punishment enough. "Discord!" Her shout made him jump, coming out of his own thoughts. He was at her side instantly, wondering what she had discovered. "What is it my dear?" He looked down to see her holding a piece of paper in her hooves as she looked up to meet his eyes. "I-I think I found our answer…" She whispered and he couldn't judge the emotion behind her soft voice. So he just took the paper from her hooves and read over it. His eyes widened and he looked back to her. Her face was turned away, hidden behind her mane. He swallowed and gave another nervous chuckle. "So what now? Mrs. Chaos?"