Surprise
The next few days were utter bliss for Discord as Fluttershy would join him for dinner every other night. The second time she came over, she insisted that Discord not hypnotize her aunt, but after fifteen minutes neither of them could stand her anymore, so Fluttershy didn't complain when Discord put his eyes into motion. She found she couldn't converse with him otherwise.
With the awkwardness between them almost completely evaporated, Discord and Fluttershy were able to open up to each other more. Fluttershy was free to talk about her favorite flowers and animals, though Discord remained silent listening to the latter, while he would discuss the places he had been, which Fluttershy was most interested in. He had even finished showing her the rest of the castle, including all the bedrooms.
"Why do you all sleep in coffins?" Fluttershy had asked.
"We're undead," Discord had replied with a shrug, "which technically means we're the dead come back to life. I call it cruel irony."
One could imagine her surprise at seeing Discord's room, which had made her extremely dizzy.
"Sorry," he had chuckled, shutting the door. "I have a…unique perspective on things."
Fluttershy was also getting better acquainted with the servants. Rarity would talk about fashion and she insisted she make a special gown for the mortal mare. Twilight would answer any questions Fluttershy had about vampires or practically anything, for she was well-read, and Spike would answer anything on dragons. Rainbow Dash would show Fluttershy some of her self-defense moves, always using a reluctant Twilight to demonstrate. As for Pinkie, she could talk for several hours without taking a breath and made the most delicious treats.
The only vampire who hadn't warmed up to the mortal mare yet was Applejack. Fluttershy didn't know why the orange mare was constantly avoiding her. Whenever she did see her, she always had a grim expression on her face and would stare at Fluttershy as if she had done something wrong. She had asked the others about this, but they had all given the same answer:
"We're not supposed to talk about it."
Meanwhile, Discord was falling more and more in love with the sweet pegasus each day. He had never met a pony so kind, so caring, so appreciative of the littlest things in the world. His feelings had become than just a product of the mating instinct. While he still found her beautiful, he was now more interested in her gentle nature. In fact, it was all her enchanting personality traits which made her even more beautiful in his eyes, and he considered himself honored to be permitted to be in her presence.
If only she could trust him more. While she was starting to open up, he could tell there were some things she wasn't telling him. For instance, every time he asked about her childhood, she would become silent. He knew her parents had died when she was young, but she never discussed more than that. She also would not tell him why she was so reluctant to let him touch her. True, she wasn't afraid to be close to him anymore, but their touches were never more intimate than his paw clutching her hoof. Even when they danced, he could feel her pushing against him, trying to put some distance between them.
He respected her, of course, and didn't wish to do anything to make her uncomfortable, but his growing desire for her didn't make it easy to restrain himself. He longed to touch her more intimately, not just hold her hoof for a few seconds at a time (she would have pulled away by then). She had sworn she didn't find him frightful anymore, so why was she still so hesitant? Was she having second thoughts?
He decided to approach the subject on their fifth evening together as he took her out on the terrace.
"Fluttershy?" he asked as they sat down on a stone bench together.
"Yes?" Fluttershy replied, looking up at him with a small smile.
He was silent for a moment, as he was admiring how her face shimmered in the moonlight. He cleared his head with a quick shake.
"I've b-been m-meaning to ask," he stammered as he slowly brought her hoof to his chest. "D-Do you…enjoy my company?"
"Oh, yes," she said, her smile growing wider. "Yes, yes. I've had such a wonderful time with you. All of you."
"Even me?"
"Especially you! Oh." She blushed at how quickly and eagerly she had admitted that. "I-I mean…it's been fun and…"
She stopped short when she realized how close Discord's face was to hers. She shivered as he gently brushed his claw against her cheek.
"Fluttershy," he whispered, "I know it may be too soon, but I was wondering if I could…"
They both jumped when they heard a twig snap nearby. Discord straightened up and turned sharply, his ears folding back and his eyes narrowing. A doe was grazing on the edge of the wood. Fluttershy gasped in awe.
"Oh, how adorable!" she whispered.
Her smile vanished as she gazed up at Discord. His expression had not changed. In fact, he was lowering himself into a crouch, his hair standing on the back of his neck.
"Oh no, Discord!" Fluttershy cried in horror. "Stop!"
But Discord did not seem to hear her. She could see his claws springing out of his paw.
"Discord, please! Don't!"
She leapt onto him, knocking him to the ground. Alerted by Discord's yelp, the doe raced off into the forest.
"I'm sorry!" Fluttershy squeaked, jumping off of Discord. "I'm so sorry, I…"
"No need," Discord grunted as he lifted himself up. "Though for future reference, it's dangerous to attack a predator when he is about to…"
He trailed off when he saw the terror in her face. It was only then that he realized what he had almost made her witness.
"I…I'm sorry. Forgive me, I…I haven't dined in a while and sometimes it's hard to control myself when…"
"I know," Fluttershy choked, turning away from him. "I-It's your…n-nature."
He felt a twinge of guilt. Now he understood why she was still reluctant towards him.
"Fluttershy," he pleaded, taking a cautious step forward, "you have to understand, I'm a…"
"Vampire, yes," she said in a cracked voice. "You feed on blood. Yes, I know."
"I have no choice! If I don't drink blood, I will…"
"Die, I know."
"And I find it unethical to feed on ponies, so…"
"You feed on animals. I know this, Discord."
"Then why is that so difficult for you to accept?"
She turned to face him, and his heart ached at seeing tears form in her eyes. "I just…well…when you…you know…do they…do they…suffer?"
He blinked. "I don't know the answer to that."
She looked away from him again.
"By that, I mean I can't read their minds! But…when I…you know, I hypnotize them so they won't feel a thing."
She peered over her shoulder with hopeful eyes. "So it doesn't…hurt them?"
He bit his lip. "Well…some…come out of the trance before…but it's usually over before they know it!"
He couldn't tell if this information had made things better or worse, for Fluttershy's only response was the hanging of her head. Discord moved around her so he could speak to her face.
"Fluttershy," he said tenderly, cautiously holding out his paw. "I know…I know I'm a monster and…"
Fluttershy looked up at him in surprise. "What? No, no! I didn't say that!"
"Yes, you did. The first time you came to dinner."
She frowned. "Oh. I…I forgot about that. I didn't mean it though! I…I don't think you're a monster."
His ears perked up, as did the corners of his mouth. "You really think so, Fluttershy?"
"I know so." She touched his paw and locked gaze with him. "From how you've treated me these past few weeks, I know that…you could never hurt me."
"I wouldn't," Discord said, clutching her hoof in his paw and claw. "These past few weeks with you have been the most wonderful of my existence! Since I met you I've been…happy. I haven't felt that way in a long, long time."
His smile wavered as his nerves started to take over. "I just wish…I had hoped that…you would feel the same way by now."
Fluttershy lowered her head and sighed solemnly. "I do like you, Discord, but…I don't…"
"You don't love me."
His eyes were sad, but his face was etched with comprehension. Fluttershy gave a small nod.
"I just…need more time."
He nodded in return and released her hoof. "I know."
"Discord? Are you al—?"
"Oh, don't worry about me!" he said, waving his paw. "Remember, I'm immortal. I have all the time in the world to wait."
She smiled slightly. "I'm glad you understand. Now, um, it's getting a bit late and…"
"Of course."
Discord bowed and allowed Fluttershy to go back inside and fetch her aunt. Once she was out of sight, he sank back onto the bench, placed his head in his paw and claw and sighed. He sat in silence for a long while until Rarity and Twilight came out to check on him.
"Are you alright, Master?" the latter asked.
"Fine, fine," the draconequus grumbled.
"Did something happen with Fluttershy?" Rarity inquired worriedly. "She looked pretty grim when she came back inside." She gasped. "She didn't…break things off with you, did she?!"
"No, no. Our relationship hasn't shattered." He sighed. "It's not going anywhere either."
"What do you mean?" Twilight questioned. "I thought you two were getting along."
"Me too!" Rarity exclaimed. "These past few weeks, you've been happier than I've ever seen you, Master! And I've known you for a hundred odd years!"
"Don't get me wrong," Discord groaned. "These past few weeks with Fluttershy have been glorious, but…she still can't get past the fact that I feed off animals' blood for survival, and you know how much she sympathizes with animals."
"Oh my. That is a problem."
He stood up and began to pace. "If only I could make her see how much I care about her, that I would give up being a vampire if I could…"
"But you can't change who you are, Master," Twilight reminded him.
"I know! But…if I had the chance to change my…needs, I'd take it! But how can I prove that to her?"
"Perhaps you should do something for her, Master," Rarity suggested. "Like a gift of some sorts."
"Of course!" Twilight agreed. "Something that appeals to her interests, to show her how well you know her."
"And that you appreciate her for more than just her beauty!"
"Now let's see. She likes plants and animals…"
"Scratch animals off the list!" Discord exclaimed. "They wouldn't come within a hundred meters of me!"
"So plants then," Rarity said, rubbing her chin in thought.
"Well, I can't make plants with my magic, and I can't just give her any plants. She's a special mare, she deserves a special…"
He gasped excitedly as an idea sprung into his head. "Twilight! Do you have any books on flowers?!"
"Err, yes," Twilight replied. "I have several books on botany in my r—"
But he was off before she could finish. Discord then spent the next hour searching through Twilight's books, until he found a page describing just what he was looking for.
"Perfect!"
He ripped out the page, making a mental note to apologize to Twilight later, and whizzed downstairs.
"EVERYONE!"
His six servants responded immediately to their master's call and joined him in the main foyer.
"Something wrong, Master?" Applejack asked.
"Have the cupcakes taken over the world?!" Pinkie shrieked.
Everyone stared at her for a long moment until Discord cleared his throat.
"Girls, Spike, I'm going away for a while and I'm leaving Twilight in charge."
"Wait, what?" Twilight uttered in surprise. "Going away?"
As Discord materialized a suitcase in which he packed random things he pulled out of nowhere, he explained his plan and showed the book page to his servants.
"You ripped a page out of my books?!" Twilight screamed in horror.
"I'll put it back when I'm done with it," Discord murmured as he snapped his suitcase shut.
"I think it's a splendid idea, Master!" Rarity cheered. "She'll love it!"
"But it'll take you days to get there!" Rainbow exclaimed. "And days to come back!"
"She's right, Master," Twilight confirmed. "Even with your speed, four thousand six hundred and fifty-one kilometers is quite a distance."
"Don't forget you can't travel in the sun!"
"Which is why I'm bringing the carriage," Discord said, zapping on his travel cloak. "When the sun rises, I'll take shelter in there."
"But what if you're attacked by robbers?"
"You underestimate me, Rainbow."
"I mean during the day! An empty carriage is something robbers would check out. What if you have to go outside to fight them off?"
"The Master can handle himself, Dashie!" Pinkie snorted. "He's a grown vampire!"
"Still, you need some pony to come along and make sure you don't get fried. And when I say some pony, I mean me."
Discord shook his head. "No, Rainbow. I'm making this trip for Fluttershy. I must do it alone."
"But if I come, I can pull the carriage during the day and we can make it there quicker."
He tapped his chin to ponder and then finally nodded in agreement. "Very well, Rainbow. You can join me."
"Yes!" Rainbow cried, jumping into the air. "It's been so long since I've gone adventuring!"
"But Master," Twilight said, "if you're going to be gone for a week at least, how are we going to feed?"
"I could always…" Spike started to say as he pointed to his arm.
"No!" Applejack cried before hastily clearing her throat. "I mean…even with you and Rainbow gone, Master, Spike's not gonna be enough to feed all of us, especially if for some reason you're held up or…"
"Yes, I know," Discord nodded gravely. "In light of the circumstances, I will allow you girls to hunt for yourselves while I'm gone. Just be careful and remember," he darted his eyes at Rarity, "stay clear of ponies. Should Fluttershy or any pony else ask, I'm away on business. I want Fluttershy to be surprised."
The others agreed and said their goodbyes as Discord and Rainbow departed from the castle. Discord snapped his fingers, making the black carriage shrink into his pocket before he turned into an eagle and flew up to join Rainbow Dash, who had taken her bat form so she could fly faster.
"You must really love this girl if you're risking burning up in the sun for her," she snorted.
As they passed over Lady Starlight's mansion, Discord smiled as he thought of the beautiful pegasus currently sleeping inside.
"You have no idea, Rainbow."
Stats
Page generated in 0.03 seconds
Total duration
980 users online
1,509,672 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
OMFG THAT WAS BLISS also....4 WEEKS ONLY 2,800 WORDS?! and I understand plus it worked out perfectly!
Wonderful, fantastic, brilliant, spectacular.... There is so many words to describe this chapter.... Your work astounds me as usual DF
In case anypony is wondering 4651 kilometers is about 2890 miles. Another great chapter D.F. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Sweet! Discord is so cute!
Applejack's reaction was pretty funny. There's going to be Applespike at some point, isn't there?
Another good chapter. I can't wait for more.
She's back ^^
Looks like my theory may or may not yet happen :D
OOO, I wonder what Discords getting Fluttershy? It's a flower for sure, but which one?
Anyway, great Chapter DF!
Is it me or is there a new tag?
I was beaming throughout this, I really was. The way you've paced this is wonderful, even if a little forced at times, and you've made each part of their relationship enjoyable
This whole chapter had BOD all over it, which is a good thing since BOD is my favorite story ever
and another thing that I sadly picked up is
What do you mean? when you nod your head yes but you wanna say no
sorry I just had to do that
Anywho, great chapter
I was literally thinking last night, "I wonder when Disney Fanatic will update her amazing story? That Nutcracker one was the perfect Christmas treat for me last year, but maybe it's too much to hope for an update around this time of the year, what with the holidays and all..."
But you haven't disappointed! That's why you're awesome!
Yet another enjoyable chapter, and just in time for the holidays too.
But, although we still don't know Applejack's story, between how secretive everypony is about it, and how it's supposedly the worst of them all, I'm becoming a little hesitant to know now.
Oh can't wait to see what it is! OH I'M SO EXCITED!!!
Keep up the awesome work DF, I can't wait for the next chapter!
Don't worry about writing the next chapter so soon. We can wait. You must have a lot of things on your plate. The holidays, school work, Daughter of Discord and this. I couldn't handle all of those together. I'm glad to know someone who can
If only there was an update on Christmas *hopeful eyes* but seriously tho I was waiting so long for this! AND IT HAS APPEARED.
Also, it's just a theory that I had since chapter two, but if Fluttershy does become a vampire will there be a solution like... Apples? And does it also help Applejack or something? Dunno. Just wondering. Maybe I can milk up some assumption based on episodes from MLP. But all I care about is reading this amazing story!
LOVE IT
I love it keep up the good work
Love it, love it, love it! Your writing gets better and better!!
Oh I really enjoyed this chapter even though it was short! It's so awesome that Rainbow Dash tags along with Discord since I like Rainbow Dash her interaction with the others in this story the best of all. Can't wait to find out what the surprise is!
when will the next chapter come out just give an estimated release date for us
6765963
I bet it is a garden like Bride of Discord.