Keep Calm and Chaos On

by Azure129

Sequel: The One with the Milkshake (with Two Straws?)

“Hmm…” Discord’s eyes drifted forward, “Did you ever consider the possibility that, Celestia forbid, maybe all of this time I haven’t been joking and egging you on? Maybe I just think that you’re cute, but I’m too insecure to ask you out for a milkshake or something, so gags and off color comments and the occasional bouquet all work just as well for now?”

----A Discord quote from “Flower, Pillows, and Cake Makes It All Complete!”, Keep Calm and Chaos On

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“In a way this adventure was kind of like facing every villain I’ve ever seen all over again, Princess Celestia, but the thing that worried me most the whole time was not having my friends beside me while I did my best to set everything right again.”

Princess Celestia, seated upon her throne on this sunny afternoon, looked up from a scroll she was reading and smiled at her former faithful student who stood before her (and who had just delivered several scrolls, as a matter of fact, all stacked in a neat little pile beside the throne). “I understand, Twilight.” She nodded to Twilight’s observation. “And thank you very much for being so thorough with your reports about the time travelling issues with Starlight’s actions. I appreciate the detail very much, and I’m looking forward to looking over all of your notes on the magic involved.”

Twilight Sparkle nodded to her mentor. “Of course, Princess Celestia. I just wanted you to have all of the information possible. Starlight was using powerful magic, and I know it’s important that we make sure power like that doesn’t fall into the wrong hooves in the future.” Twilight looked down a little, her smile falling. “I’m just sorry my notes on some of the later futures I witnessed are a little sketchy. All of the darkness started to blend together after a while….” Something faded in her eyes.

“Yes, well,” a familiar voice of a certain master of chaos began to remark, “personally I do wish you had at least stuck around my future to record a few more details.” And indeed not too far from Celestia’s throne floated Discord, who was resting on his stomach in the air as he looked up from reading one of the scrolls with a grin. “But otherwise not a bad little tale of bad guys run amok, Twilight. I’ll have to peruse the whole thing some time.” Discord snapped the scroll back onto the pile and rested his head in his hand.

Celestia rolled her eyes with a small smile and then looked to Twilight again. Her voice was soft, her gaze was tender. “Twilight, everything you gave me will be very helpful. I’m very proud of you. And I’m so glad that in the end you made a new friend.”

Twilight looked up again and smiled a little once more. “Thanks, Princess Celestia.”

And then the two royal mares started in on some discussion about temporal magic details and official princess protocol that Discord was frankly too bored to listen to.

The chaos master appreciated the fact, of course, that Celestia had made a point of regularly requesting his presence at official government gatherings and briefings about Equestrian issues ever since he had moved out of the castle a few months ago to carve out his own little chaos dimension now that he was permanently on the side of good. Her invitations gave him an excuse to stop by and really did make him feel like chaos was adding something to the nation that made a difference for the better. But still sometimes all of this official talk and afterglow about happy conclusions could get so dull. (He really wasn’t sure how good guys managed it on a regular basis.)

So Discord smiled to himself for now and decided to daydream a little like he had developed a habit of doing on and off during moments like these. He hid a yawn as he continued to pretend to listen. And speaking of Celestia and of the day being saved yet again, his thoughts drifted over to the aftermath of the last major crisis for Equestria (Tirek, to be precise). He recalled the drama, the resolution, the moments in between, and his time with Celestia at the end of it all. And as Discord’s reminiscing progressed, like many people are prone to do, he daydreamed in a way that made himself the (rather exaggerated) hero of the story. The scenario was sort of a private favorite of his actually, appealing to his ego in every way possible.

It was an alteration of a particularly favorite moment he had shared with Celestia not too long ago, to be precise….

---

“You tried and you succeeded most wonderfully.” Celestia’s smile grew even more, her eyes seeming to haze further (though, again, the gesture was suspiciously akin to a narrowing). “I’m very…very…impressed.”

Discord blinked just one more time, but then he swallowed and an intrigued smile came to his lips. His own eyes hazed just a bit now. “Really? Well, perhaps I’ll have to help save Equestria more often then. If I’d known mastering friendship was this ‘impressive’ to you, Celestia, I would have put more effort into it from the start. In fact, maybe you and I can go somewhere private sometime and discuss your feelings about me and my friendly ways?” His grin picked up on one side.

Celestia just chuckled lightly but shook her head. “Oh, no, no, we don’t have to go anywhere special. Here is just fine—we have plenty of privacy. In fact, I have something for you—sort of a gift in return for the flowers, and also something to let you know how deeply I feel for all of your actions in this epic chapter of Equestria’s history.” She leaned in closer still. She was practically nose-to-nose with him now.

Discord’s grin widened, and he perked up quite a bit at this news. “A gift? And all to celebrate me? A token of your…affections, dare I say? Ooo, well, then, let’s have it, Tia. I can still call you Tia, right, even after all of that unfortunate peril from today?”

“Hmm, sure….” Celestia giggled. “And there are a few things I’d like to call you as well,” she added as ‘sweetly’ as possible.

Discord just chuckled deeply. “Oh, in time, Tia, in time. For right now though, I’d really love that gift from my favorite pony princess.” He winked with charm and charisma in his gaze.

“Of course.” Celestia nodded, and her voice softened. She batted her eyelashes a few times. “Close your eyes…”

“Hmm…” Discord chuckled again and shut them accordingly. “Can do.” Then he pushed himself back just a little more on the bed and actually slightly puckered his lips.

“Okay, Discord…” Her voice was a gentle coo now, “here you go…Oh!”

Celestia, about to grab a pillow with her magic, was stopped as Discord’s tail suddenly wrapped around her and pulled her in close to him.

Celestia stared with wide eyes as Discord’s eyes opened and his mischievous grin grew. He chuckled lightly. “You were going to hit me with a pillow for being such a naughty reformed villain about Tirek, weren’t you?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “How did you—”

“But wasn’t I also a very good reformed villain, Celestia?” The chaos master shrugged, still looking into her eyes as he interrupted her. “Didn’t I try, at least? And didn’t I come back around in the end? And didn’t I give you flowers? And haven’t you and I gotten so very close?” He let his tail hold her just a bit more snugly.

Celestia’s eyebrow arched higher.

Discord chuckled. ‘She’s confused—how cute.’ He sighed. “Fine. Maybe I do deserve a good whack with a pillow for the bad thing I did today. But…for all of the good things and for all of our time together until now, haven’t I earned anything else? Is hitting me with a pillow really the only thing you want to do to me right now?” He moved a little closer, lowered his voice. “And do you really think it was fair of you to tease me just now like that?”

The sun princess pouted and scowled now (but also blushed lightly). She cleared her throat. “Discord, I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Tia…” Discord sighed again. “It’s just us. You can stop pretending now that there haven’t been a few strange—dare I say, intimate—moments between us ever since I came to live here. And I can stop pretending too after everything we’ve just been through.” His eyes narrowed a little.

Celestia’s wide eyes looked down…but then they came back up to his.

Discord smiled a little more. “And after all of the harrowing moments today, the epic battles, the drama and the passion, doesn’t it just make you want to let go…just for once…just to try? Just for the sake of curiosity…and maybe for the sweet sake of chaos too?”

Celestia blushed. “Discord…”

“Yes?” left him in a deep octave.

She took a breath. “Let go of me with your tail please.

Discord blinked, almost faltered, but then gave a single nod and released her.

Celestia let out a deep breath.

And then she came forward with her hooves on either side of him on the bed and kissed the chaos master with an abandon he had never known she had.

Discord quickly took hold of her shoulders and reciprocated her gesture with a smile and his own bit of enthusiasm.

The sun princess pulled back after a moment, catching her breath, her eyes hazed and her features flushed. “Discord…how did you know?”

“I didn’t.” Discord shrugged and gave a low chuckle. “I just knew how I felt deep down and hoped you might feel the same way. I like this side of you, by the way, Celestia. You and I need to be together and save the world from certain doom more often.” He raised an eyebrow. “So…how long?”

Celestia glanced away and blushed more. “How long…what?”

Discord’s playful smile grew. “How long have you wanted to pin me down on your bed and kiss me like that? I’m guessing it didn’t start from the first moment I moved in here no matter how attractive I think I am, otherwise you probably would have jumped me the first night I spent in your room.”

Celestia hesitated but then just sighed and looked to him. “That movie night we had…when we watched my favorite love scene between those two ponies…and you talked about my figure, and then you started to wrap your tail around me.” Her voice grew quieter. “It’s… ‘been a while’.” She cleared her throat slightly.

Discord blushed a little and nodded. “For me I guess it started after I crashed that poker night with your guards and heard them wondering if you really were attracted to me…which made me start wondering if I could really end up attracted to you. But that movie memory put me through quite a lot too. And…yeah, I know what you mean…about the ‘it’s been a while’ thing.” He rubbed the back of his neck and then lowered his claw back to the bed.

Celestia nodded too. Then she swallowed. “Discord? What are we going to do now about…this…and us?”

“You mean long term?” The master of chaos raised an eyebrow. “Honestly, I have no idea. But stop living in the future always, Celestia, really.” Her eyes went wide as a smiling Discord suddenly used his magic to lift her up and place her sitting beside him on the bed. “Why don’t we just worry about what we’re going to do right now and deal with the future when it comes? After everything we’ve been though, I think we’ve earned that much.” He smiled more and brushed back some of her ethereal mane from her face with his tail tuft. “Hmm…you’re pretty when you’re overthinking things.”

Celestia couldn’t help herself: she smiled and giggled.

“…And prettiest when you laugh.” Discord chuckled, his eyes brightening.

Celestia smirked just a little. “I guess we could…stay in here for a little while. No one’s really expecting us anywhere for once, especially not after today. We could just enjoy each other’s company and the moment…and…”

Celestia stopped talking as Discord came forward to give her a gentle kiss on the mouth that lingered in a particularly passionate way. He pulled back and smiled at her. “Tell me, were you just egging me on before or did my masterful wielding of the magic of friendship today really impress a lady such as yourself?”

Celestia smiled more and shrugged. “Well…maybe a little. You were quite daring sometimes, after all. And you did sacrifice so much in the end all to keep the land safe and the ponies safe…and me safe.” Her eyes hazed slightly.

“You’ve never had a prince charming swoop in and save the day for you before, have you, Tia?” Discord’s grin picked up on one side as his eyes narrowed playfully.

Celestia rolled her eyes to the side, blushing more. “I’m not exactly sure if that’s an accurate description of what you did, Discord.”

“Close enough.” Discord shrugged and then went on in his mischievous tone. “Never been the damsel in distress and had anyone scoop you up in his arms at the end of the day, present you with flowers, seal your salvation with a kiss…? I’m glad to be the first, in that case.” He chuckled again. “Oh, but you’ve always been so impressive in battle and during major crises too, Tia. And you were especially impressive just now kissing me like that—for once daring to do something you wanted to do without worrying about the consequences. There’s a fire in you, sun princess. The only problem is no one tends to it enough…” His voice lowered on the last line.

Celestia took a very deep breath, and her eyes came back to meet his. “I’ve…never been in this exact position before, no, Discord.” She sighed and shook her head. “Discord, we really shouldn’t be in here. If anyone found out…. And what would they think, and…”

“It doesn’t matter.” Discord moved closer to her; he whispered near her ear. “Besides, Celestia, you might not realize this, but, regardless of my spotty past with friendship, I’m a perfect gentleman when it comes to ladies. I would never take advantage of the fact that the only place you and I can get any real privacy and peace in this castle happens to be your bedroom….”

“As though I would let you, Discord…” Celestia instantly nudged him with her hoof but blushed and smiled all the more. She considered, and then her eyes hazed as well. “Just today, right now—no thinking about the future? No…obligations about whatever happens here?”

“Not at all.” Discord smiled and shrugged. “Just two very close friends celebrating a great victory for the nation in the best way they know how.” He slipped an arm around her back.

Celestia giggled and then gave a single nod as she moved closer and brought a hoof to his shoulder. “Okay, Discord. I’ve never had anyone to ‘celebrate’ with after a battle. This might be fun.”

“I guarantee it, princess.” Discord smirked. “And then we’ll go get cake.”

And then with a chuckle and a giggle the two friends came forward to spend some time relaxing and having fun and enjoying the end of their trying adventure.

---

In the throne room, the voices of Celestia and Twilight had faded into the background while Discord had continued to just lie on a cloud in the air with his head on his hand while he smirked slightly and gazed off at nothing in particular.

“Discord…”…. “Discord?”… “Discord…?”

“Discord…”

“Hmm?!” Discord blinked and snapped back to reality at the sound of Celestia finally saying his name followed by a very distinct deep sigh of impatience from her that he knew all too well. “What, what? I’m up! Yes—time travelling, villains, precautions, boring tactical issues. I’m right with you.” He smiled sheepishly (and specifically avoided eye contacts with Celestia, turning his cheeky grin instead to Twilight).

Twilight sighed, looking up at him. “Discord, I was trying to ask you for your advice about Starlight.”

“My advice?” The chaos master raised an eyebrow. “About your latest little reform project? In what context?”

Twilight shrugged. “Well, she is the second reformed villain I’m working with, and you were the first. I was just wondering if you had any suggestions for me based on your experience of learning to use your magic for good instead of evil. Is there anything in particular I should do for Starlight, anything I shouldn’t do…um…anything I should look out for as a sign that she might be thinking about not being reformed anymore?” Twilight raised an eyebrow and looked into his eyes with uncertainty.

“That’s part why I wanted you to come here today, Discord,” gently added Celestia’s voice alongside him. “I thought you could provide some very valuable insight for Twilight.”

Discord put his chin in his hand in thought. “Well, Twilight, all I can say is have patience with this Starlight girl like you did with me. Give her space but also support, don’t get discouraged…maybe don’t send her off to save the day all by herself unless it really is an emergency…and make sure to try and not talk about her like she’s an asset to the nation first and a person second, even if it is right before a crisis. Sometimes people overhear things…” He barely glanced at Celestia out of the corner of his eye and saw her raise an eyebrow and then blink. Discord looked back to Twilight and smiled a little. “And talk to her, Twilight, and let her talk to you about whatever she wants. Share with her to let her feel welcome. Make some good memories. That’s what’s most important.”

Twilight considered and then nodded with a smile. “Okay, Discord. I’ll keep all of that in mind. Thank you.”

Discord nodded in return, his gaze warm. “Just be as friendly as you always are, Twilight Sparkle. You’ll do fine.”

“Thank you, Discord, all of those suggestions were very insightful.” Celestia’s voice was much kinder this time and full of its usual patience again.

Discord finally glanced at the sun princess, and he smiled more as he found her smiling at both him and Twilight. And then Celestia’s gaze turned fully to him. “I knew you would be the best person to talk to about something like this, Discord. We all want Starlight to be comfortable and happy regardless of the past…or, er…the future…the futures…” She smiled sheepishly. “You know what I mean.”

Discord chuckled. “Yes, well, speaking of, I’m still sort of a fan of the idea of chasing you and Luna around on a unicycle while you wear clown costumes. Maybe on the anniversary of my reform we could do that just for fun?” He raised an eyebrow and smirked.

Celestia smirked back at him a little. “Don’t push it, Discord.” Then she looked down once again at the scroll she had been reading…though her grin picked up a bit on one side as she added in a mumble, “…But maybe on your birthday we’ll see.”

Discord laughed fully, unable to help himself. He had missed this, truly—so much witty back and forth with her. He had needed to move out of the castle sooner or later though of course. As a finally fully reformed villain, it had eventually been high time for him to spread his mismatched wings and make a place for himself; it had been a good way to grow. But still…. ‘It’s almost evening. I wonder if she’d let me stay for the night just like old times if I asked? I’ve missed my room and the cake and the shameless flirting and oodles of awkward moments with her and Luna. And she did say when I left that I’d always be welcome…’ He raised an eyebrow as he considered.

Meanwhile, Celestia and Twilight’s conversation went on as cheerfully and full of hope as ever.

“Starlight’s a very gifted unicorn, Princess Celestia. I think she’ll be able to do great things one day.” Twilight smiled.

Celestia nodded. “I hope she turns out to be as helpful a magical advisor to you as Starswirl the Bearded was to me, Twilight.”

Twilight beamed and blushed at the comparison.

Discord’s thoughts, meanwhile, went on as well. ‘Just staying for the night wouldn’t hurt. We’ve had so little quality time together ever since I left.’ Indeed, ever since Tirek, Celestia had had to help Twilight prepare for her princess duties now that the purple alicorn had a castle and a proper title, and Discord had needed a lot of time to carve out his chaos dimension and build himself a house. Major affairs occurred frequently…and their cake dates occurred less frequently as the two of them were no longer under the same roof. They had gotten so distant that the ‘Gala Misunderstanding’ had even managed to occur not too long ago with Discord actually believing that he seriously hadn’t been invited to the affair. Time just went by so quickly now that the pony sisters didn’t have to keep a close eye on him about his reform and now that he didn’t have to invest so much energy in slightly trying to get them and everypony else (Fluttershy excluded, of course) to doubt their friendship for him so that he could use their lack of acceptance to his advantage.

And, at the bottom of everything…Discord simply missed seeing Celestia at night. At the very least, he could ask if he could stay around for dinner later. ‘Besides, it’s not like I’m asking to move back in…. I really can’t ask that anymore for obvious reasons.’ He cleared his throat and tried not to blush.

Meanwhile, Twilight smiled up at Celestia again as their conversation went on. “The girls all really seem to like Starlight, and Starlight seems so happy now that she understands the magic of friendship. I just hope I can be as good of an advisor to her as you’ve been to me.”

Celestia’s smile grew, and she looked down humbly. “Oh Twilight, you’ve already been an excellent advisor to her. I have faith in you. But if you need any guidance, you know I’m just a letter away.”

Twilight nodded.

Discord sighed to himself. ‘After all, that’s another reason I had to move out…. Living with a friend is one thing, living with someone you clearly have some loopy crush on is just a chaotic problem waiting to happen.’ So he had left a few months ago in part to protect his friendship with Celestia from getting overtaken by tension of a more-than-friendly nature which he had started to feel particularly strongly after that night in her room when he had told he loved her as a friend and she had kissed his forehead; a tension that had been building for a while courtesy of his ‘flirt with Celestia to bother her’ plan which had escalated a lot more quickly than he had ever anticipated. Yet, now that he thought about it… ‘We don’t live together anymore. So…if something happened…it might not be the worst thing in the world. But do I actually want something to happen?’ The spirit of chaos blushed a little. ‘I mean, I wouldn’t mind a few kisses with a nice mare—what guy wouldn’t? But with her, I…I don’t know. I don’t know what would happen. I wouldn’t even know where to start.’ He let out a light huff through his nose and almost pouted to himself. ‘This is ridiculous, I should just let it go.’

“And has Starlight found a place to live yet in Ponyville?” Celestia asked her former student with interest.

Twilight rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof. “Not yet. But actually I was thinking of having her stay at the castle with me. It would make having our lessons together easier. And of course things worked out so well with Discord staying with you and Luna after his reform that I’m confident Starlight would benefit just as much from some time with me.”

“I think that’s a very wise course of action, Twilight.” Celestia nodded her approval.

Discord sighed to himself again. ‘Is it so wrong that I pretended to flirt with that mare for so long that at some point I forgot I was pretending? Is it so wrong I actually think I could like her like that even after all of the loopy turns our lives have taken? Is it so wrong that I can’t help an occasional daydream? Is it so wrong that I maybe meant it that night when we were walking to the kitchen for cake after Tirek and I told her that maybe the real reason I bother her so particularly is that I’m just too insecure to ask her out for a…a…’ Discord’s eyes went wide.

Celestia set aside her scroll onto the pile beside her throne. “Well then, I suppose everything’s in order, Twilight. Unless you have any other questions for me or for Discord.”

Twilight smiled but shook her head. “Nope, I think everything’s—”

“Actually, I have a question!”

Celestia and Twilight blinked and looked at Discord who had just made this grand announcement, his eyes a little wide.

“Oh.” Twilight tilted her head to the side. “Uh…okay. About Starlight, or…?”

Discord cleared his throat. “It’s a question for Celestia actually.” He looked to the sun princess, and then he asked her simply with a single light clearing of his throat: “Celestia…erm…would you go out with me for a milkshake or something?”

There was total silence in the room.

Both mares stared at him with raised eyebrows.

Celestia finally spoke, her tone as perplexed as her gaze. “Discord, I’m afraid I don’t…. What are you talking about?”

Discord swallowed. He kept his gaze low and his tone aloof, arms crossed in front of himself. “I’m talking about, you know… ‘a milkshake’.” He rolled his eyes to the side and added in a mumble, “…As opposed to gags and off color comments and the occasional bouquet….”

Celestia blinked a few times, her look pensive. And then suddenly the sun princess’s eyes went very wide.

Discord just let out a breath, a stubborn pout on his features as he continued to float there…though he did let his dull gaze meat hers in a meaningful way.

There was silence in the room again.

Then Celestia blinked once and looked to Twilight. Her tone sounded normal enough and her look was calm even if her request was a little odd. “Twilight, as long as everything’s taken care of about Starlight, would you mind showing yourself out of the castle? I have to discuss something with Discord. And I’m afraid it’s a little private.”

Twilight blinked and glanced from Celestia to Discord and back to Celestia. “Oh. Okay…. Are you sure everything’s fine?”

Celestia smiled a bit more normally and nodded. “Yes, Twilight. Just, um…something from when we lived together. That’s all.”

Twilight nodded. “Okay then.” She smiled and waved to them both. “Have a good afternoon, Princess Celestia, Discord. Please come by the castle soon to visit Starlight. Bye!” And then Twilight walked over to the doors and left the throne room.

The doors closed behind her. Discord and Celestia were alone.

Eventually Discord took a breath and cleared his throat. “So…”

“…So?” Celestia’s wide eyes went to him again.

Discord sighed. “So, Celestia, I asked you a question.”

Celestia swallowed and nodded. “Yes. You did.”

“And your response would be…?” Discord raised an eyebrow.

Celestia sighed. “Discord, what kind of game are you playing?”

Discord swallowed and replied in a very sincere tone, “One where I missed you…and I was wondering if you’ve missed me too?” He flew in a slow, wide loop around her.

Celestia’s eyes took on a faraway look—she was remembering the last time he had said those words to her, in this very room, his first escape. ‘Did you miss me, Celestia? I missed you…’ Celestia took a breath and blushed a little as she came back to the present moment. “Discord, you haven’t pretended to flirt with me like this since…before you moved out. Why are you teasing me now all of a sudden?” She raised an eyebrow and frowned. “Is this because of…Discord, did you listen in when I was talking to Luna and Cadance during the Tirek crisis? That’s the only time I would ever have even brought up your value to the nation like that. But you have to know, our friendship is so much more important to me than that. When you went off with Tirek, I didn’t care that we’d lost a powerful magical ally—I cared that I had lost a friend.” She met her gaze with his.

Discord sighed and spoke before she could keep going and get him as emotional as she was getting. “I’m not teasing, I’m not flirting, Celestia, I’m just asking a question. Do you want to have a milkshake or something with me…or not?” He paused before her in the air and smiled gently. “And don’t worry about what I overheard—we’ve talked since then, and I understand better now that you just meant I could be a help to the nation, you didn’t mean that was the only reason we were friends. It’s chocolate milk under the chaotic bridge.”

Celestia looked back at him still with a frown but then nodded. She considered. “Just a milkshake?”

Discord gave a nod. “For now.” He blushed slightly.

Celestia blushed too. Then she took in and let out a breath. “All right, Discord. I’ll have a milkshake with you.” And with those words she was walking off to the throne room door.

Discord’s jaw fell in the wake of her reply, but then he quickly got himself together and flew over to land and walk beside her as they exited the throne room together and started down the hall. “Well, that’s good then.” He swallowed. “So…you said yes pretty easily. I figured it might take me weeks of badgering before that happened.”

Celestia shrugged. “It’s just a milkshake, Discord.” And yet she still blushed. “And I figure there’s still a chance you’re just flirting with me to bother me.”

The chaos master merely shook his head. “In that case, why ask you out for something? I could just flirt with you right here.”

Celestia just blushed a little more as she continued walking. Then she sighed. “I’ve missed you too, you know. And so has Luna.”

Discord raised an eyebrow.

Celestia went on. “You were starting to feel like our obnoxious, loveable older brother. We miss you popping in and out of places, teasing us, playing with us…trying to make us feel totally uncomfortable around the guards and yourself. And…maybe I’ve missed you making jokes about me and trying to fluster me…and the two of us sitting close at night in the kitchen and sharing cake and talking about private thoughts together. The time’s gone by so quickly since you left, and it seems like we’ve barely spent any of it together.” She swallowed and glanced at him. “Discord, do you really feel—”

But as they came around a corner now, Celestia’s question was stopped by the two of them almost bumping directly into Luna.

“Luna!” Discord jumped a little, then quickly cleared his throat and did his best to get his slight blushing under control.

“Luna.” Celestia smiled and did her best to maintain her poise as well. “What are you doing up so early?”

Luna blinked a couple of times and then blushed considerably as she rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof. “Er…well…this is awkward, but it seems someone very near to here was having such an intense and—for, not wanting to use a less appropriate word, let’s say— ‘vivid’ daydream that it couldn’t help but engage my senses.” She blinked as she finally noticed Discord (who happened to be standing there with wide eyes and a very distinct blush now). “Oh, hello, Discord, how nice to see you here.” She looked back to her sister (who had an eyebrow raised and a pensive look on her features)…but then Luna blinked and quickly looked back to Discord to confirm the rather suspicious response he was having.

Discord, however, was now just floating in the air with a casual look on his face while he filed his talon. “Oh, er, daydreams, and in this area, you say? Hmm, probably just one of the guards fantasizing about you two or, uh…you know, Twilight’s thoughts running away with her. It’s always the quiet ones, right?” He cleared his throat, holding out his claw to admire it. “And nice to see you too, Luna.”

Luna just watched him with an eyebrow raised and her jaw slightly fallen. Then she looked back and forth from him to her sister and back to him. Her smile grew, and her eyes narrowed.

Celestia, meanwhile, blushed rosy and brought a hoof to her mouth to cover a very distinct smile. She suppressed a laugh and then finally lowered her hoof. “Yes, well…someone will have to have a word with one of the guards or ‘Twilight’ soon then.” She swallowed then looked to Luna. “Anyway, sister, as long as you’re awake, would you mind if I left the castle to you? Discord is taking me for a milkshake, I believe.”

Discord let out a sigh and truly turned casually filing his claw into an art form.

Luna exercised a great deal of self-control as her eyes narrowed all the more. “A milkshake? How nice. I do believe I ‘approve’, Discord.” She giggled softly…until her mouth was suddenly plugged up courtesy of a snap of Discord’s tail.

“Put a cork in it, Luna.” The master of chaos rolled his eyes and landed as he snapped away the file. “I’m taking her for a milkshake, not cocktails and dancing. Honestly, you pony sisters—I try to be friendly and more social, and you respond with teasing. Where is the love?” He grinned.

Luna spit out the cork and rolled her eyes. “Oh just get going, Discord. But you are to have her home by midnight.”

“Luna…” Celestia smiled more and shook her head.

Luna ignored her and merely smiled more at Discord. “If she is not back at this castle safe and sound by then, I’m afraid I’ll be forced to roam the night in endless search of you.”

Discord smirked. “However much fun that sounds, I’ll have her back to you safe if only so that she can get her full night of beauty sleep. Whether or not I’ll be leaving then myself or pestering her to spend another night in her room is another matter entirely. She is a most gracious hostess after all.” He chuckled.

Celestia just sighed now, trying not to smile too much. “Okay, that’s enough you two. Luna, thank you for your concern, Discord, we’ll discuss that situation later. Come on.” She gave him a light nudge and then the two of them strolled past Luna who held back a giggle.

“Farewell, you two. Have fun!” The night princess waved and then went on to head to the throne room…a light blush on her features as she mumbled to herself. “I’m surprised it took him this long to make his move…and yet if he’s having daydreams like that, I’m not surprised that he couldn’t wait any longer.” She sighed and yawned. “Speaking of daydreams though, maybe I should attune my powers a little more to such daylight fantasies the guards might have. I wouldn’t mind someone to get a milkshake with myself.” She giggled as she turned the corner down her corridor and went along on her way.

---

Discord and Celestia were in sight of the castle exit now after a long moment of walking together in silence.

And then finally Celestia, smiling and blushing and looking down, couldn’t help herself. “Daydreaming, Discord?”

The chaos master sighed. “Shut up.” But he was smiling too.

“And a ‘vivid’ one…?” She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

He blushed a little bit rolled his eyes to the side with a half grin. “Oh please. First of all, if your sister thinks that was ‘vivid’, she definitely needs to get out more.” He held his head high. “And second of all, your ‘isn’t it great that we had another happy ending’ talk with Twilight was boring me a little back there, so I decided to amuse myself while I waited for you two to finish. Don’t flatter yourself too much…” Discord shrugged, still smiling though as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“So you really do find me attractive then?” Celestia finally looked at him completely.

Discord took a deep breath. His eyes were wide. “It’s complicated.” He swallowed. “I did technically try to let you kiss me in your room that day after Tirek: what do you think?”

Celestia blushed very much.

Discord cleared his throat. “Not that I could be blamed of course,” he went on more casually, lowering his arms. “After all, you technically were coming on to me—and with a skill that leads me to suspect you’d considered coming on to me in the past. I know this is a matriarchy you’re running, Tia, but you should know that guys don’t have a lot of endurance for resisting and wanting to escalate the advances of beautiful females.” He smirked a little.

“So you think I’m ‘beautiful’ now?” The sun princess smiled more.

Discord blinked then rolled his eyes and waved her off. “Oh, come on, Celestia—me and everypony else on the planet. It’s just a basic observation, a common sense thing between the hair and the eyes and the figure and…” He cleared his throat, moving on. “Besides, that’s such a small part of everything.”

“What do you mean?” Celestia raised an eyebrow. “What ‘everything’?”

Discord’s eyes widened, and a more distinct blush settled upon his features. “I don’t know, just…why I like you. Yeah, you’re beautiful, but I also think that Luna’s beautiful and Fluttershy and paisley skies and peppermint-flavored flowers. But you’re…well, you’re also just interesting to me. You’re a challenge. I respect that.”

“Really?” Celestia smiled.

Discord merely gave a sigh and a nod, putting his arms behind his back. “Yeah, and if we could move on from how sappy all of that must sound, I’d appreciate it.” The blushing persisted.

Celestia’s gaze warmed. “I had no idea. Discord, can I tell you something?”

He shrugged. “Sure, as long as we’re being gushy and sharey, why not?”

Celestia looked forward. “I sort of think about you in the same way—as a very formidable opponent who I also respect…and who’s very interesting to me. You know, around here it’s just Luna and I who are alicorns and who have lived so long: it’s been nice to have a friend I can make jokes with about immortality, who I don’t feel awkward about using magic in front of, like I’d be showing off, who doesn’t need me to be poised and perfect all the time.” She sighed and added softly, “I’ve…come to find you quite charming in a way, Discord. And I know you had to leave the castle for yourself, and I’m very proud of you for making your chaos dimension and your new home, but still…it disappointed me a little when you went away.” Her eyes found his again. “While you were here, you made me feel special, Discord, and in a special way. I came to appreciate that.”

“Really?” Discord’s features were getting very rosy, and he swallowed.

Celestia nodded, blushing present in her own features now. “Yes.” Her smile grew, and she laughed softly. “Now that you’re more comfortable with your reform, if you really do want to socialize more, I think you should try dating. I’m sure you could sweep any mare off of her hooves. After all, you weren’t even really trying with me, and even I still became aware of how easily someone could be moved by your romantic words and actions.”

“Oh.” Discord blinked. “Dating.” He cleared his throat, an eyebrow raised. “Yes, well…I don’t know, Tia. I mean, I really need a lot of mental and magical and emotional engagement to get close to anyone. And I haven’t met many mares who could provide all three of those for me…”

“Well, you can always feel free to continue practicing with me,” Celestia offered with a pleasant smile.

Discord tilted his head to the side. “What do you mean?”

Celestia shrugged. “Your flirting grew on me a little, Discord. It started to mean something to me actually.” She looked down. “No one ever usually talks to me like that. The change of pace was sort of enjoyable.”

“Oh…” Discord blinked, his smile gone for the moment. “Well, I’m…glad you liked it?” He scratched his head with his claw.

“Yes, I did like it.” Celestia nodded. “So you can keep flirting with me if you’d like, Discord. And as long as you can practice on me for as long as you’d like…maybe I could practice on you a little too?” Celestia’s blush returned as she noticed his eyes go a little wider and his eyebrow rise up in confusion. She explained. “How you talk to me…the different perspective you’ve forced me to take on myself as a mare…” she cleared her throat, “…eventually it started to make me wonder about the idea of actually courting. I might like to try that one day, I think. And spending more time with you can only help make me more comfortable with the idea of being close like that with…someone.”

Discord blinked a few times and looked down. He considered before opening his mouth and starting slowly. “So what you’re saying is, you and I are friends, but at the same time we could flirt and get flustered and act like we’re dating…without actually dating. For now.”

Celestia considered. “I’m saying that it took a while for our relationship to evolve into a close friendship, Discord. And if that friendship ends up evolving even more…that change also might take a while. So to start it might be nice to have some time together without a lot of pressure to see where things lead.” She glanced at him. “It’s a unique friendship, but it’s ours and I cherish it.”

Discord’s smile grew distinctly if subtly on one side. “Very well, then. And the whole thing does sound like an excellent excuse to bring back cake dates as a regular, steady thing for us during the nights.” He smiled more, and so did she. “But just one question.” He glanced at her. “If anyone happens to catch us doing all of this ‘bonding’ and asks for clarification on what the difference is between pretending to date and actually dating, what should I say?”

“The difference?” Celestia raised an eyebrow, and then her smile grew. “Well…I suppose the difference would be that in the event of sleepovers in my room in the immediate future, you continue to sleep in front of the fire instead of cuddling in my bed with me.” She gave him a gentle nudge in the side with her foreleg.

For a moment, Discord’s eyes went wide and his blush was distinct again. But then he blinked a few times and quickly tried to laugh off the odd teasing comment. “Heh…good one, Celestia.” He considered and then grinned in his usual mischievous way, glancing in her direction. “So, another example would be, with the way things will be right now, that I can make jokes about us sneaking off to neck passionately, but we just can’t actually sneak off to neck passionately. Something like that?”

It was Celestia’s turn to go wide-eyed and to feel blushing fill her features. In fact, she quite nearly stumbled forward on her hooves but managed to right herself quickly enough. She swallowed and tried to smile. “Yes, I think you’ve got it, Discord.”

Discord’s grin picked up on one side as the chaos master held in a chuckle and went on. “And I can gaze and grin at your divine figure all I want…but I should try to refrain from touching it. Rules subject to change, of course.”

Celestia’s features were rosy with color now. “Yes. I mean…I suppose.”

And Discord wasn’t done yet. “And you can act ridiculously flustered when I somehow in casual conversation bring up that I’m a man and you’re a woman, but we just really shouldn’t act on that difference…outside of daydreams of course.” He winked at her.

Celestia let out a very deep sigh and then proceeded with the only strategy to curb his flirting that had ever worked before: she flirted back. “Yes, Discord, and you can put an arm around my neck sometimes and call me ‘good buddy’, but you should only wrap your tail around me during intimate movie scenes if you absolutely can’t help yourself.” She met his gaze with a coy smirk.

Discord blinked and then blushed distinctly again. He sighed. “Point taken.” They passed through the castle exit now and came out into the courtyard. Discord looked out to Canterlot before them, brimming with places for a couple of friends to get a milkshake. “So…one milkshake with two straws then, Tia?”

“Discord!” Celestia smiled and blushed.

“Too much?” He raised an eyebrow with a grin.

The sun princess sighed and looked down a little. “Not exactly. I just…happen to be hungry, so I’d like my own milkshake to start. But on the second round…we can see about sharing one with two straws.” She walked past him, heading for the castle gates. He followed her, smiling considerably.

Celestia remained in thought for a moment. Then she swallowed. “Discord? How long have you really felt like this about me?” She asked the question very softly.

Discord’s eyes went a little wide. For a moment he imagined giving some sultry reply and sweeping her off her hooves like in one of his daydreams. But then he just cleared his throat and told the truth. “I don’t know exactly. But I started to realize it after Tirek. We were real, close friends by then. And it was simple really: even when there wasn’t a need anymore to bother you by flirting with you…I still wanted to flirt with you. And the way it made me feel for that one moment when you suddenly flirted back that day was…good.” He took a breath, blushing lightly. “You’re not so bad, you know…as a mare.” He glanced to the side to see Celestia still looking down but smiling very much. “So, um…you wouldn’t mind if this worked out with me—not a prince, just an odd draconequus with very weird ways of breaking the ice with girls?”

Celestia blinked and then replied carefully. “I’m not sure yet, Discord. But a milkshake’s a simple way to see for sure one way or the other.”

Discord nodded, smiling to himself. “Fair enough.”

Celestia brought her gaze to him, her smile brightening a little. “We’ve never had a ‘date’ in public before, Discord. This should be interesting.”

“Oh absolutely.” Discord grinned and nodded. “I’m predicting we’ll either be met with pitchforks against me for daring to curry your favor, a medic for you for going insane enough to come out playing with me, or just a bunch of stunned silence from everypony we see.” They shared a laugh. Then Discord smiled more. “Hmm…still, could you imagine if we actually tried it though right off the bat? Dating, I mean, in a mushy, official way? Or ‘courting’ as you so elegantly put it, Tia.”

“Discord…” Celestia glanced at him, blushing a little again.

Discord only shrugged and went on. “No, really, just think about it: we’re so utterly strange together—it would probably be the oddest relationship on the planet, especially if it worked.”

“It would certainly be a complicated relationship…” she replied softly.

Discord moved closer to her. “Oh, don’t act so flustered. Worst case scenario jumping into things like that, we’d go for it and we’d burn each other out in two weeks.”

“That almost seems sad, Discord.” She tilted her head to the side.

Discord just shook his head though. “No, not really. We’d still have our friendship in the end. And besides…” his eyes narrowed, “…what a two weeks it would be, Tia, what a two weeks it would be.” He winked.

Celestia rolled her eyes to the side with a smile. “ I have no doubt.” She raised an eyebrow. “And what would be the best case scenario for our relationship then?”

Discord put his arms behind his back as he considered. And then he smiled mischievously again and shrugged. “Best case scenario? It would involve the phrase ‘do you want any foals?’”

Celestia almost turned scarlet and on an impulse gave him a very firm nudge in the side with her hoof. Then she just sighed deeply and tried not to smile too much as she replied back quietly, “It’s already enough of a challenge taking care of your shenanigans around here, Discord, let alone a whole little troop of chaos beings…”

“Troop?” As he said the word with glee, Celestia knew she had misspoke. Discord grinned almost ear-to-ear as he eyed her. “My, my, Tia, I didn’t realize you were so ambitious. I mean, I’m a very busy master of chaos, but I’ll do what I can to supply your needs if you really insist.”

Celestia really almost broke into laughter but she kept up a poised smile and merely responded, “Still though, maybe they would all just be perfectly well behaved little alicorns. Poised and proportioned and orderly…”

“And what makes you think I would care for them in that case any less than I care for you?” Discord winked at her with a chuckle.

Celestia’s whole look couldn’t help but brighten for a moment, though she quickly looked away and down with her smile.

“Or we could just say together, you and I…” Discord went on, moving closer to her. “Romantic dinners, crazy hijinks, some spontaneous ballads, a little necking on the side…”

“What a ‘vivid’ friendship it sounds like, Discord.” Celestia smiled more. “I think this could be okay, Discord. Even if it doesn’t work, we still love each other as friends like you said, and that’s what counts.”

Discord sighed. “Yeah, but if you go spreading around that mushy fact, I’ll make all the cake in your castle taste like broccoli and buckwheat for a month.”

Celestia laughed. They were at the threshold of the open castle gates, and she paused and moved a little closer to him herself. “Discord…we promised Luna by midnight. Did you really want to stay out that long? I don’t think a milkshake or two will fill all of that time.”

A glint came to the chaos master’s eye as he paused as well and his tone took on a particularly low and pleasing quality. “Oh I’m sure we can figure out something, Tia good buddy, even if it’s just retiring back to your room to reminisce…or to my room—my new room, that is, in my new secluded bachelor pad. A milkshake for food, my chaotic cottage for shelter, my tail over your shoulders for ‘clothing’…. Let me repay you all for the kindnesses you’ve given to me.”

Celestia cleared her throat and did her best to only blush slightly. “One step at a time, Discord. Unless this is a dream Luna’s pranking me with, in which case I’m sure we’ll be married soon and at the top of a windswept hill at sunset, and then we can just do everything at once.” A small giggle escaped her.

Discord chuckled, looking forward again. “Very funny.”

Then Celestia raised her hoof and put it in Discord’s paw. The chaos master swore he felt a flicker of an emotion inside of himself that he’d never felt before at the sudden gesture.

As he stood there with wide eyes, the sun princess smiled and spoke softly to him near his ear. “I knew it was a good idea to reform you, Discord. I felt it in my heart.”

Discord swallowed and with a few blinks managed to find his voice again. “Don’t kiss up, Celestia. It’s beneath you.” He smiled in a special way.

Celestia laughed as the pair finally proceeded forward together into Canterlot. “Just showing affection to a friend I love.”

“Me too, Celestia.” Discord leaned down and raised her hoof to give it a gentle kiss (and while that was happening, his tail silently snapped), then raised his head. “Me too.”

Celestia blushed and smiled all the more at the gesture. She let him continue to hold her hoof as their walking continued.

Meanwhile, as the happy couple headed off farther into the city, a sign was now visible on Celestia’s back reading, ‘Ask me all about my dates with Discord!’

It was the continuation of an interesting friendship—daydreams, ‘dates’, shenanigans, food, clothing, shelter, flowers, pillows, cake and all.

Author's Note:

Hi everypony!

And there it is, the conclusion to this very odd, written very out of order story I hope you all enjoyed it and that you liked how this fic evolved and expanded over time. And really, a special thank you to all of you for reading and reviewing--seeing the reviews for the original two parts and hearing people say they wanted to see more is what inspired me to do the midquels and this sequel now, and I've really enjoyed putting it all together

And for anyone who's interested, The Most Chaotic Night Ever!!! has also been updated today

Take care!

~Jenna

Comments

[TheRedBaron]

Aww, that's it? Oh well, It's been fun. Looking forward to TMCNE.

[Azure129]

6845719 Unless I get another small idea of something to tack on. But otherwise, yup, story's all complete for now. But MCNE definitely has quite a bit more to it

[Krazyfan1]

dawwwwww!

[Azure129]

6845719 So... (and this happens way too frequently with me lol), I got another idea for a little bonus story. I was starting to get curious about what might happen next myself. Should be added by the end of the month, no working title yet though

[Nerfyy]

best possible ending you could write :D
i loved this chapter ^^
the best of them all
thanks so much for this journey ;3
*hungry gaze* and now to the new chap of TMCNE hehehe

[Azure129]

6847881 Thanks, I'm so happy you enjoyed it I've had so much fun writing this story!

There might be a tiny bit more coming though, just a tiny little bonus chapter, just for fun. I got inspired last night

[howard035]

I really like the way Discord ended up just blurting out a request for a date, rather than planning it. It's very like it. Celestia may still be in denial here. She's gone from "let's pretend to flirt" to "let's flirt for real but pretend to date." Luna's right, Celestia is a very private person. Still, I have faith Discord can wear her down in the long run.

[Azure129]

6854612 Thanks, I'm glad you liked how things wrapped up

[Zubric]

A w well enjoyed read