//------------------------------// // Thinking of the Date to come // Story: Chaos and the Apple // by Evowizard25 //------------------------------// It just didn’t feel right. It was an ordinary day. Ordinary chores. Ordinary meet ups with my best friends. Ordinary pep talks with my baby sister and ordinary Big Mac not sayin’ much. Today was just so ordinary. Why? Shouldn’t somethin’ really strange happen, or just...somethin’?!! Ah grit my teeth as ah bucked an apple tree in agitation. This shouldn’t be an ordinary day. It can’t be. Not with what’s goin’ on. Not when ah’m about ta go on my second date with Discord. Ah...ah still can’t believe ah’m datin’ the spirit of chaos. He caused us so much pain and torment, but he’s changed now. He’s nice and sweet. He’s stupid and reckless. He wants to be with me. Why? Ah’m just Applejack. He just does, because he likes bein’ around me. Ugh, why are my thoughts swirlin’ so much? Just buck up, Applejack. He’s yer coltfriend now. Ain’t nothin’ gonna change that, unless he does somethin’ really stupid. Ah paused at that thought. Of course he’s gonna do somethin’ stupid. That’s one of the reason’s ah like him. Not love him...Not yet. Ah don’t want to go that far and say it. Even though he makes me feel special and loved. Even if my heart races like a jackrabbit in spring when ah’m around him. Even if ah want to kiss...Argh! Ah buck the next tree even harder. Ah needed to get rid of this anger and frustration. Ah was gonna buck Discord at this rate. He’d probably make a joke of that. It’d be a funny joke. Ah don’t know why though. Ah didn’t like him before last week, but now ah can’t think of a life without him. Ah can’t be this clingy. Not yet. Just cause he spent a week wooin’ me. Just cause he saved my life. Just cause he danced with me and made me feel special. Okay, ah know why ah feel this way, but it’s too soon to be this wantin’...Isn’t it? “Nerves gettin’ the better of ya, Applejack?” Ah heard Granny speak up behind me. Ah sighed and turned to look at her. “How’d ya guess?” “Doesn’t take one of those spiffy scientists up in Canterlot ta guess what’s eatin’ ya,” Granny Smith tilted her head to the trees. Ah turned to look and quite a few of them had hoof sized dents in them. Ah blushed in embarrassment and chuckled nervously. “Yeah, well, been a rough day is all. Nothin’ ta worry about.” “Uh-huh,” Granny was givin’ me one of her looks. The look that said ‘Don’t try and be difficult with me’. “Ah know how yer feelin’. Felt the same way when ah was datin’ yer grandpa the first few times.” She sighed, a smile tuggin’ her lips. “He was a good stallion. Dependable, loyal, and not nearly as hard headed as us Apples.” She chuckled. “Just don’t be as difficult as ah was. Gave him more headaches most ponies get durin’ Cider Season.” Ah snorted in good humor, crackin a smile. It was honestly nice to see Granny happy about those memories. It wasn’t always so cheerful when she remember grandpa. She sometimes just went into her room to be alone. Guess ah caught her on a good day. Lucky me. “Yeah, but this is Discord. He ain’t like grandpa.” “No,” Granny shook her head. “Discord’s a little more wily than he was, but that don’t change the fact that he is still a stallion...or whatever they call his newfangle race. So stop yer mopin’. Things are gonna be alright.” “Ah am not mopin’,” ah snorted and got back to work. “Ah’m fine.” “Yer not fine,” Granny narrowed her eyes at me. “Yer agitated. That won’t do ya a lick of good on yer date. Ya might drive him off with that attitude.” Ah rolled my eyes. “He’d just teleport or do somethin’ wacky like he always does….” Ah smiled as ah thought about what he’d do. “He’d get me all frustrated and then try to cheer me up. Thinks ah’m cute when ah’m flustered.” Ah smashed a tree extra hard, showin’ just how agitating that varmint could be. “He’s a nuisance sometimes.” “That he is,” Granny nodded. “He’s also yer coltfriend, so start treatin’ him like one and get yer caboose in gear. That date of yers is today, missy.” “Why’s this so important to ya, Granny?” Ah asked. Ah turned around and stopped buckin’. Ain’t polite to keep yer back to a relative. Well, there was that one time, but Apple Bloom should have known better than tell all those stories. Yes, ah know about Diamond Tiara’s blackmail, rotten filly she is, but Bloom coulda told me ‘bout it and saved us all from the pain.  “It’s my coltfriend,” felt weird sayin’ that. “And it’s my date. Ah don’t think he’s gonna get uppity if ah’m late. Probably just come on over and bug me when he gets bored.” “Because ah see how happy he makes ya,” Granny softened her gaze and put a comfortin’ hoof on my shoulder. “He save my granddaughter. Ah can’t thank him enough and….” She started tearin’ up. “Ah can’t imagine what ah’d do without ya in my life.” Ah couldn’t help but tear up to. Ah couldn’t imagine my life without Granny or the others. Ah couldn’t imagine seein’ them grieve over me. Ah didn’t want to. That would be cruel. Ah turned around and pulled Granny into a hug, careful not to hurt her. “Don’t know what ah’d do without ya too, Granny.” “That and ah want some great grandkids,” Granny pulled back, givin’ me a wide smile. “Hop to it. Ah ain’t gettin’ any younger.” “GRANNY!” Ah shouted, blushin’ up a storm. My cheeks were blazin’ with how strong it was. Discord and me? Havin’ kids? No way. No how. He wasn’t gettin’ in my bed. He’s still a varmint. He’s my coltfriend too, but he’s more of a varmint type. ‘Is he good in bed?’ Get yer sorry hide out of my head, ya stupid voice! Ah ain’t thinkin’ dirty thoughts about Discord. Even if he’s kind of cute in his own way. His fur so soft and warm….His paws touchin’ the right places….Gosh darn it to Tartarus. What the hay is wrong with me? Ugh, ah’m just gonna get this date over and done with. _________________________________________________________________- “Does this hairstyle make me look fat?” Discord asked, wearing an afro. I giggled seeing my friend all flustered like he was. I haven’t seen him like this since he first started talking about Applejack. Well, like a marefriend really. Not that he didn’t talk about her before, but...it wasn’t exactly nice or that much. I’m glad they worked out their differences. They made a cute, if strange, couple. Not that I would ever call them strange. Oh dear, I better apologize to them both for thinking them strange for feeling the way they did. Should I do it at the same time, or one at a time. ‘Fluttershy, you’re being silly again.’ I sighed inwards, giving myself a quick sorry. “No, no, no.” Discord shook his head, returning his mane to his usual style. He growled and started pacing up and down in the air. “This is frustrating. I’ve been on a date before. I’ve fought Celestia and Luna. I’m the bleeding god of chaos! I’m older than your entire race and look at me,” his body broke down into puzzle pieces. “I’m falling apart because of a second date.” “Now, now,” I smiled down at my friend. He was almost as dramatic as Rarity at times. I say almost because, honestly, I don’t think anyone can be as overly dramatic as her. I’m sorry to think that, but she would make a good actress though. I took a puzzle piece with most of his face on it and pet it. “Don’t be upset,” in a flash, he was whole. His head was in my lap as I pet his head like I would pet Angel Bunny. They were both alike, if you thought about it. “Applejack is probably just as nervous as you.” “Oh I know,” he grinned, scooting farther into my embrace. He was like a big puppy at times...which he just turned into. I squeed and hugged him, causing him to laugh. “I’m irresistable, my dear. Anyone would be nervous about dating me.” He frowned. “What I don’t get is why I’m still nervous.” “Because you want her to care for you and you’re afraid you’ll mess this up,” I bluntly put it. “Since when are you a love expert?” Discord peered up at me curiously. I blushed in embarrassment. “Well...umm...you see….I read some of Rarity’s novels when I have the chance.” “Ah,” Discord nodded. “I see. I’m guessing she has quite the collection.” “More or less,” I said. I didn’t want to give it away, but it is kind of obvious. Rarity is my oldest friend, besides Rainbow Dash. She was always kind and always looked out for me. I could appreciate that. She also wanted to help me find my special somepony. It was kind of annoying, because I get so nervous around stallions it isn’t funny. So she did the next best thing after a horrible date that ended up, somehow, wrecking several of Applejack’s barns. They really aren’t built to last. To which she brought me to her secret underground love dungeon….. I wish I was making that up honestly. Of course, I could see Discord’s eyes twinkle in mischief. “I know that look, Discord. Rarity’s our friend and we don’t steal from each other.” “It’s only stealing if I don’t return it,” Discord raised a little puppy paw...Oh so cute~ “GAH!” He squirmed in my hold, but I couldn’t help it. It’s his fault for being a cute, lil puppy. He teleported out of my grip, his old self again. I pouted in disappointment. No puppy to huggle. He rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. Then I had a puppy. Life works in strange ways, but hey, as long as I get puppies I’m good. He chuckled. “Now then, I need to find something to wear.” “I don’t think Applejack’s going ot wear anything to a picnic,” I pointed out. Discord’s tail shot up and he grinned. “Perfect!” I blinked in surprise. Why was that….Oh. I blushed and hid behind the cute puppy. Sorry puppy. “Oh my, Discord!” He laughed, using his tail plush to wipe away the tears that came up from laughing so hard. “Oh my dear friend, you are so easy to tease. Well, you all are so easy, but you are the cutest one.” “What about Applejack?” “She’s the funniest and sexiest one to tease...Well, sexiest really.” He tapped his chin. “Sparklebutt Bookhorse is loads of fun to mess with. All I need to do is change the bindings of her books and make them do the can-can and she goes ballistic. Just one prank and-” He chuckled, spreading his fingers and a shower of miniature Twilight Sparkle cutie marks shot out from his hands. “-boom goes the bookhorse.” “That wasn’t very nice,” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Twilight is our friend. Name calling and pranking her like that aren’t funny, especially if you do it all the time.” “Ponko and Rainbow Pride do it all the time,” Discord shrugged. “They get away with it.” “That’s because they know when to stop,” I sighed. Rainbow Dash had a habit of going a bit too far though. That’s just how she is, really. “Well Ponko is a really fun mare to hang out with,” Discord lamented, tugging at his mane that was now pink and poofy. “She’s scaringly powerful though. Even I have to question how she does things and I’m the god of chaos, spirit of mayham, and all sorts of other things.” “She’s Pinkie Pie, don’t question it.” “I’m Discord,” he bowed. “I coined that phrase. She probably just grew up with a little warp or friendship tinkering. Either would do and I do sense a bit a bit on her. Now Rainbow Pride on the other claw,” he took off one his paws idly as he waved it about. “He’s a bit too rough around the edges.” “Don’t you mean ‘she’?” I corrected his grammar. Discord blinked in shock. “RAINBOW’S A MARE?!!” I sighed. I pitied Applejack deeply.