Discord has been searching every part of Equestria for Fluttershy. He had checked various parts of Draconia. For each local resident, the King had asked, "Have any of you seen my nanny?" To show Fluttershy's appearance, Discord had rolled out a materialized poster of the pegasus with his talons. A couple of Draconians had recognized his former staff member as that 'enchanted pony' who had sang and danced around with the princesses a few months ago.
Alas, they always answered him,"No, but I will keep an eye out for her."
In response, Discord sighed, poofed the poster into oblivion, thanked them, and be on his way. The Draconians gave thier King looks of sympathy and wished him the best of luck.
After hours of searching, it was apparent that Fluttershy, wasn't in Draconia. Discord remembered Celestia and thought of going to Canterlot. He knew that Fluttershy was sent by Celestia, so having him check with her would be a very smart thing to do. The King hoped that Celestia or Luna could help him. He used teleportation to travel to Canterlot. It was much faster than getting there by train.
When Discord arrived in Canterlot, he appeared at the main gate.
"Halt, who goes there?" A royal guard demanded, drawing out his sword. "Friend or foe?"
"Friend!" King Discord replied. "I need to see Queen Celestia, immediately!"
"She is busy going over her documents," the Royal guard answered stiffly.
"But this is an emergency!" Discord cried. "And I need her help!"
Before the royal guard could turn him away again, the Queen's voice rang out.
"Is that King Discord?"
"Yes, my Queen!"
"Let him in," Celestia ordered. "I can accept walk-ins this evening."
The Royal guard put his sword away and allowed Discord in. The King was relieved because he was tempted to turn the guard into a plate of cookies if he was denied entrance once more. He came into the throne room where Celestia was finished with her papers. Luna was also there as she had just woken up. She wanted to help her sister before she starts her night duties.
"Discord, this is quite a surprise," Celestia blinked. Then she let out a giggle. "Then again, you are always full of surprises. What brings you here?"
"Fluttershy is missing!" he cried.
"What!?" the sisters gasped. Celestia dropped her quill in horror. Luna looked as if she had seen a ghost.
"What happened?" Celestia implored.
Discord let out a sad sigh. He flashed himself a floating chair and sat on it, in front of the two alicorns. The Draconequus told them everything that happened from the party to the morning after. Discord also made sure to mention how his valet found Fluttershy's suitcase and suspected that she may be kidnapped. Last thing the King added was that Fluttershy was nowhere to be found in his kingdom. When he finished, Celestia and Luna were still appalled but ready to take action.
Celestia hastily rose up from her seat. "GUARDS!"
At her command, all soldiers dashed up and lined up in front of the three royals.
"Send a high alert to everypony that my subject, Fluttershy is missing. We suspect that she may be kidnapped. Leave no rock or tree unturned until she is found!"
"Yes, your majesty!" the guards saluted and scampered off.
"Sister, is there anymore we can do?" Luna asked, her eyes showing worry.
Celestia shook her head. Her eyes looked solemn.
"No, this is all we can do. We are not sure where she is right now."
"Then what are the chances that she might be here, instead of Draconia?"
"Not to sound ungrateful or anything," Discord began. "But is there someone that knows Fluttershy around here? Like a grandmare or a cousin? Maybe they would know!"
The two sisters gave each other shocked looks as they shudder.
"Celestia, you don't think Fluttershy went back to-to..you know...,"
"I don't know!"
Discord raised his eyebrow.
"Went back to where?"
The sisters turned to Discord.
"Has Fluttershy told you about her family?" Luna queried.
The King shook his head. He had recalled one time when he asked Fluttershy about her family. The pegasus had mentioned about her parents and her little brother with a loving smile. Then her smile would crumble and tears would spill from her eyes. When Discord had asked her what was wrong, all Fluttershy had told him was they had died. When he asked her who she had been living with after their deaths, she cringed and didn't want to talk about it. Even his daughters did not know much about Fluttershy's family background.
"I knew she had parents and a brother who died in a terrible accident. But that is all I know. Why doesn't she speak of her other family?"
Queen Celestia gave out another sad sigh.
"When Fluttershy was eleven, she went to live with an aunt and an uncle. The relatives did not show kindness to Fluttershy. They were always hitting her or kicking her over small matters, like a spilled glass of milk. Everyday, Fluttershy would get bruises from them before bedtime. She was only lucky, when she had to leave for Faust Academy. I paid for her to go there because it was her mother's wish that she should go there. I also thought it would help her be away from her relatives. She dreaded going back home every summer, knowing that she would get kicks and slaps, instead of hugs and kisses. Once she graduated from Faust Academy, Fluttershy looked for a job that would also provide her shelter. Last thing she wanted to do was go back to her aunt and uncle."
Discord was near the edge of turning into a valcano-and explode like one! No wonder why Fluttershy felt uncomfortable telling him about her whole family background!
"Those bastards!" He hissed. "Filthy bastards!" His eyes glowed yellow and his teeth gnashed. His claws were visible on his paw and talon. "Where are these relatives? I ought to show them a piece of my mind!" He was about to teleport only to be halted by Luna with her horn.
"Discord, we understand your anger but there is no need to hurt them. They are still our subjects. Two wrongs don't make a right!"
"I can't let them go unpunished!" the chimera retorted. He was gently released by Luna. "Besides, I want to make sure that Fluttershy is not there. Perhaps, they were the ones who took her?"
"Discord," Celestia chastised. "That doesn't make any sense! Why would they kidnap her?"
"Sister, since when does Discord say anything that makes sense?" Luna said in a casual tone.
The Draconian King quickly disappeared and was gone for ninety seconds.
"Should we send someone after him or should we wait?" Luna questioned her sister. Before the elder could think of what to do, their friend reappeared before them.
He wore a smile that looked a little disturbing but comical at the same time.
"Okay, what did you do?" Celestia raised an eyebrow in a disapproving tone. "You didn't put a Hot Fudge mudslide on them, did you?"
"Ladies, ladies," Discord said all too calmly. "I only asked them if Fluttershy came back to them."
"Is that all?"
"And I left them...a present...from Draconia."
The alicorns wondered what present did Discord leave them...
Nearby Canterlot, there was a small brown house. It looked shady and was made out of mud. Inside the house, there were two alligators who were chasing two ugly ponies, who were screaming their heads off.
"GET THIS ALLIGATOR AWAY FROM ME!" An orange stallion with purple mane ordered as he hid behind a dirty couch.
"YOU GET RID OF IT!" his wife, barked, who was also orange with with long purple mane. She hid underneath the table. "YOU WERE THE ONE WHO CALLED THAT KING 'UGLY', AND OUR NEICE A 'TRAMP!'"
"HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT HE WOULD CONJUR TWO ALLIGATORS?"
The two alligators licked their teeth as they inched closer to thier meals...
"Was Fluttershy there?" Luna piped up.
"No," Discord answered in a sad voice. His ears drooped.
The two sisters approached closer to him, feeling sorry for him.
"You'll find her Discord," Celestia smiled a comforting smile. "We'll make sure that she is safe and sound."
"Thank you, ladies," the King bowed and smiled sadly. All he wanted to do was find a way back to her.
A few days have passed, let's go back to our heroine. Back at the concentration camp, things were dark and gloomy for Fluttershy. Everyday, she and the other prisoners were forced to do heavy work such as digging the ground or carrying anvils to the other side of the cave. It did not matter which grueling chore Fluttershy hated the most, she was terrible at doing them! Plus, she was always receiving a whipping or extra work from the soldiers whenever she messed up.
One day, the buttercream equine struggled with all her might carrying an anvil. She was walking she came upon a river. When Fluttershy tried to sidestep, she slipped and fell into the river all the while dropping the anvil. Thankfully, the pegasus inched away from the anvil as it fell. She was pulled up by Cheese Sandwich and Fancy Pants.
"Thank you, gentle colts," she breathed, after coughing water out.
The two stallions smiled kindly. Until they were both pulled away from Fluttershy from behind by two lieutenants. Fancy Pants and Cheese were forced to face two very angry mares.
"Who gave you two permission to stop working?" Sugarcoat demanded them.
"W-we were j-just helping her!" Fancy Pants stammered.
"Y-yeah!" Cheese stuttered. He was shaking in his hooves as much as his friend was.
"This is going in your record!" Sunny Flare hissed. "You two will be sentenced to do extra work for the whole night!"
She and Sugarcoat swished their heads to a silent and scared Fluttershy. They gave her death glares.
"And as for you, Fluttershy, you're dead!" Sugarcoat barked. "That's ten lashes for you!"
She dragged a screaming Fluttershy away from the trail and headed toward the office where Svengallop sat.
"NO, NOT THE LASHING! PLEASE, PLEASE! NOT THE LASHING!"
Cheese Sandwich and Fancy Pants just stared at them helplessly. They only wished they could help her get out of this mess. With their powers blocked, what could they do? They prayed that Fluttershy would make it through.
Later in the evening, Fluttershy limped to her prison cell with more fresh slashes on her back. She reached a wall and sat down while leaning against it. Tears had been running down from her eyes. The whipping and the slashing gave her such incredible pain that Fluttershy wondered how long it would last. The soldiers never bothered to put ointment or use their healing spells on her back, when she asked. The pegasus put her head down and let out a quiet sob. Oh how she hated this place! What would she give to return to Draconia! At the mention of Draconia, happy memories began to replay in her mind.
The first memory that came to her mind was her meeting with the children. The pony giggled when she remembered that they put a frog in her dress. AJ had said that she was lucky that it wasn't a snake. Well, it didn't matter whether it was a frog, snake, or a spider, Fluttershy handled the situations with grace. Another fun memory of the children was when Fluttershy first taught them how to sing. She recalled feeling that rush of joy when she and the girls ran around the town, singing "Do Re Mi." It was also their first time experiencing around the kingdom together! Even though, it was only for one day, the former nanny was grateful to give the children a little taste of life outside the palace.
Another memory appeared, only this time, it featured the staff. She smiled at how she and Pinkie had sung together as they swept the dirt into the grass. Rainbow Dash and Flash had shown Fluttershy how to fly higher thus she could easily reach the ripe apples from the trees. After she had gotten the apples out, AJ was able to use them to make her apple dishes. Another memory that came to Fluttershy was when she and Rarity made play clothes for the children. She recalled at how excited Rarity had been, when she had asked the white unicorn to help her. At first, Fluttershy had asked her about the children's' measurements. Then when Rarity asked Fluttershy why and discovered that she was making new clothes for the children, Rarity squealed and offered to help. Rarity had told her that she used to design dresses for the children. But when their mother died, Discord forced the kids to wear the same sailor dresses every single day, which meant no more dress-making for Rarity. She was very thankful that somepony came along and inspired her to get back into dress-making business. Ever since then, Rarity now felt useful and helpful around the kingdom.
Another memory appeared, but it wasn't about the children or the servants. It was a certain Draconequus. He was smiling at her with his goofy grin and dreamy eyes-
Fluttershy shook her head. No, she would not think of him! Why should she? He played with her heart by leading her on thinking that he really loved her when he actually didn't! Did he love her or not? Why couldn't he just be honest with her about his feelings? But no matter how hard she tried to suppress her memories of Discord, they keep popping up in her mind. One memory was how she first met him. Her heart had stopped when he blew that whistle. Second memory was of Discord apologizing to her for being rude to her and begging her to stay. It was the first time that Fluttershy had realized that there was a tender side to him. That was when she no longer saw him as hardened stallion but a stallion who was misguided and broken. This led to another memory of Discord. After he had yelled at her about Mothball, which she blamed herself for as well, the King came back and admitted that he overreacted. The way he begged her to not leave him and the children, made her heart do flip-flops. Her heart always skips a beat whenever she thinks about his eyes or his smile. Just when Fluttershy was about to think of something else, her head brought up another memory. This time it was about the events of the gala. She had never imagined that Discord, of all ponies, would be the one to come and save her from embarrassment. And the way he sang the song, it was as if he truly meant those words. Butterflies flew in her stomach the more she thought of his voice or the way he held her in his arms. Whether she liked it or not, Fluttershy could not stop thinking about Discord. But if her memories of him were all she needed to distract her from this cruel world, then let it be.
Hopefully our heroine will meet our hero soon enough. In the meantime, let's see what our antagonists are up to.
Starlight Glimmer and her army were still marching toward Draconia. All ponies stood upright as they marched forward. Through the rocks and through the woods, they marched and marched and marched. It was hard to tell whether they were feeling tired because they did not show any emotions. If Starlight and Trixie could, they would teleport themselves and the entire army to Draconia. However because they have about three hundred soldiers and a couple of tanks, it would have taken a lot of energy out of them. Which was why they had been marching and heiling for days. The army stops whenever it is twilight thus they could eat and get some rest. Then, they would be back on their hooves by morning.
One day, Starlight and her army stopped at a green and grassy spot in a valley for the night. As the ponies were unpacking their belongings, a young green unicorn spied on them from afar behind a bush. Curious at what these ponies are doing here, the unicorn teleported himself to three of Starlight's followers. His sudden appearance spooked them out of their wits.
"Be not afraid!" the unicorn announced. "I only want to say hello and ask what are you doing here!"
The unicorn was very handsome with long flowing red mane, sapphire eyes, and a mint green coat.
Trixie and Lietuenants, Lavander Lace and Fuschia Blush, all swooned at him. Forgetting everything that Starlight told her about love, Trixie glided over to the handsome unicorn. Usually, Trixie is not the type of mare that is into boys and romance. But this stallion has her bewitched.
"Why, we were just stopping here for the night," Trixie said in a very happy voice. "My name is Trixie Lulamoon. What's your name handsome?" She felt herself enchanted by the unicorn's voice.
Lavender Lace and Fuschia Blush both drooled with their tongues hanging out. Each of them hit themselves on their heads with hammers.
"My name is McDreamy," answered the unicorn. "Where are you going?"
"We are on our way to invade Draconia and kill the Royal family!" Trixie answered without hesitation. She could not help but boast, believing that McDreamy will be impressed by her.
McDreamy's eyes widened before relaxing into a smile.
"King Discord is a mighty being and so are his little daughters." he stated. "How do you expect to kill him?"
Trixie, foolishly, took out the canister out of her bag. "With this!"
"Yes, it's the mucus from that terrible tatzlewurm plant in Ponyville!" Lavender Lace added.
"And it is our only weapon to take them down!" Fuschia Blush nodded.
McDreamy was fixed upon the canister.
"May I hold it?" he asked innocently. "My eyesight is not good and I see better close up."
Once Trixie naively hoofed the canister to McDreamy, the stallion smirked as green flames engulfed him.
This confused the mares until they dropped their jaws at his real form. McDreamy was a changeling!?
"So long suckers!" He laughed as he teleported away before any of them could get to him.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Trixie screamed, her hooves shaking in anger. "How could Trixie be so stupid?"
"What happened?" Starlight Glimmer exclaimed as she galloped over. She heard Trixie scream.
When Trixie told her what happened, Starlight's face showed a combination of anger and fear.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! TRIXIE HOW COULD YOU! THAT MUCUS WAS OUR ONLY HOPE!"
"Trixie is very sorry, my Fuhrer!" the blue unicorn said bowing her head down in shame and guilt.
"You should be," Starlight growled. "NOW WE HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER JOURNEY TO PONYVILLE AMD GET MORE MUCUS!"
"Please calm down, my Fuhrer!" Trixie said, putting her hooves on Starlight's shoulders. "I will go back to Ponyville and get more mucus. With my teleportation skills, I should be back here in no time!"
"For your sake, I hope you're right," grumbled Starlight. "Oooo, of all the things to go wrong, this one just had to happen!"
Meanwhile in Draconia, the princesses are still worrying over their father and Miss Fluttershy. They were all sitting alone in their nursery and staring out at the window.
"What are you guys doing?" Mothball asked as he and the other servants came inside. He was in his real changeling form.
"Waiting," Screwball answered, solemnly. When she turned around to look at him, she gasped. Her sisters swished their heads around and gasped as well.
"Oh no, Mothball, your disguise! What if the other servants see you?"
Her crush halted her with his hoof.
"It's all right, Screwball, they won't send me away," he said calmly and softly. "Besides, they figured it out."
"How?" the heir wondered.
The other servants came in, led by Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry.
"Because changelings buzz wherever they go," Sunset explained. Her smile turned into a playful smirk. "And this one was buzzing around here!"
The young boy nervously chuckled as he put his hoof around his neck.
"You're not going to hand him over to Starlight, are you?" Screwball asked hesitantly.
"Screwball, I've told you before, they won't send me away," Mothball reassured his crush.
"Sorry," Screwball sighed. "I'm just...I'm just stressed out right now."
"We know, you're not the only ones who are worried about your father and Miss Fluttershy," Sunset Shimmer murmured.
"Girls, you've been sitting by the window all day, come downstairs and have something to eat!" Applejack pleaded.
"I'm not hungry," Apple Bloom said sadly.
"Me either," her sisters nodded. AJ would have persuaded them more but in these circumstances, she understood why. She and the other servants were missing their King and their former nanny as much as the children were.
"Are father and Fluttershy coming home today?" Babs Seed asked Sunset Shimmer, absentmindedly.
"I wish I knew, kid," the orange unicorn sighed. "I am not sure if he'll be home or not."
Babs Seed groaned. Sunset rubbed her back, bringing a pleasant warm feeling to the filly.
"They'll be back someday," she said with a sad smile. "I don't know when but we can't give up hope yet."
"Can't one of you guys send him a telegram?" Sweetie Belle urged.
"We would but he'd say that he'd tell us when he has found Fluttershy," Rarity answered.
Sweetie Belle groaned and slammed her head down on the windowsill.
"What can we do to cheer them up?" Rainbow Dash pondered. "Hey, guys, why don't we all sing? Fluttershy once said that singing will make you feel better right?"
"Right," the children smiled.
"So sing that song she first taught you!"
The children got up from their chairs and took deep breaths before singing. As soon they started singing, they stopped. Their faces were no longer sad but they were sadder than before.
"What's wrong?" Flash asked.
"It didn't make us feel better," Screwball's voice cracked.
"It made us worse!" Apple Bloom added, tears forming in her eyes.
"Hey now, don't cry, sugarcube," Applejack wrapped her forearm around the middle child.
Instantly, Mothball wrapped his arms around Screwball, which allowed her to cry on his chest. "There, there," he said softly in her ear. "It'll be all right."
Rainbow Dash pondered if a different song would work better. Another idea hit her.
"Pinkie, sing one of the songs you learned from Rock Farm to cheer up the children."
"Not another song!" Scootaloo moaned, covering her ears. She couldn't bear to have another song remind her of her beloved nanny.
"Okay!" Pinkie chirped. Then, she took a deep breath and began bouncing around. But her song, the Orphanage Song, was anything but cheerful.
"PINKIE!" Rainbow Dash yelled. Her cheeks flushed in anger. "Not that song!"
"Ooops, sorry!" Pinkie murmured, looking down shamefully. "It worked on Flash!"
Sunset gave Flash an odd look who just smiled sheepishly and shrugged.
"It's okay, Pinkie," Sunset Shimmer assured her, patting her hoof on her shoulder. "Can you remember any other songs you learned from Rock Farm?"
"No," Pinkie sighed. "This one is the only I remembered."
"Remember that song that the late Queen used to sing?" Sunset encouraged.
"Oh yeah!" Pinkie brightened up. "I remember!" It was a song about happy talk and making your dreams come true.
Eventually, the servants pulled the princesses in for a group dance. They all laughed as they danced around in a circle.
Screwball, who was holding hooves with Mothball, looked into his eyes and felt that strange but wonderful feeling in her heart. Mothball felt it too as he smiled dreamily at her. He could get lost into the heir's eyes forever! They were so lost in their world that they accidentally tripped and fell down.
The others stopped dancing and looked at the two fallen teens to see if they were all right.
Mothball landed on top of Screwball. But he pulled himself up and helped Screwball up. When the teen did, he stared into Screwball's swirly eyes again. She gave Mothball a kiss on a the cheek, which made him flush.
Everypony giggled.
"Is everypony feeling better now?" Pinkie asked, smiling big.
"Yes!" the servants and the children said in unison.
The young changeling sneakily planted a kiss on Screwball.
"Mothball!" her cheeks became pinker than a raspberry.
"You know you love me!" he winked.
Screwball pretended to ponder. "Do I? Yes...Yes I do."
Mothball gave her a playful smirk.
"Well now that we all feel better, what could possibly go wrong?" Rainbow Dash relaxed on Scootaloo's bed.
Unfortunately, she spoke too soon.
BOOM!
The sound was so loud that it made the children and the staff jump.
"WHAT WAS THAT!?" Rarity screamed.
They all rushed to the window and looked as if they just saw a train crash.
Outside of their kingdom were thousands and thousands of changelings swarming around the castle. Draconians were either running away from changelings or being tied up by them in ropes.
"Oooh Discord! Little Princesses!" a low and seductive voice taunted.
"The witch is back!" Sunset Shimmer and Flash both whispered in a sing-song voice. They shivered and their teeth chattered.
Pinkie Pie, Sweetie Belle, and Rainbow Dash gulped.