Love is in every corner, even a cornerstone

by Featherclaw

Some thinking, some sleeping, some worry and some relief.

By the time Fluttershy was done with her shift, she could see the sun's rays lift up into the sky. With her new job, she worked at odd hours, but it was worth it, because she never had to encounter anybody, except a few stray animals, and of course, Discord. Fluttershy had thought about Zecora's words once more, and by now, it has been eating up her insides like a parasite. She had to get Discord out somehow, and judging from the book she checked out, she would have to use the elements of harmony on Discord. She knew her friends would not approve of be-friending a thousand year old villain, let alone, release him. Who knows what would happen when he is no longer gray? What does he look like when he was not gray?
All these thoughts were one hundred tons to Fluttershy's shoulders, and she felt so weak because of it, for she was losing courage and determination. Then Fluttershy thought of something; What is a good substitute for the elements of harmony? Fluttershy thought up of all the battles, and enemies equestrian have faced, and she remembered one.

Princess Cadence's and Shinning Armor's wedding.

---

When Fluttershy left to go to her house, she fell unceremoniously onto the green couch and slept before her mane touched the ground. Little did she know, her friends were waiting patiently for their friend to respond to their letters that they sent her, and she has forgotten them. They got to the point of where Rainbow Dash finally decided to check if Fluttershy was alright, and without persuading otherwise, she zoomed off to Fluttershy's cottage and left her friends in the dust.
Her friends didn't have much time to eat the dust though, because Rainbow Dash came speeding back, and reported that Fluttershy was asleep. This resulted in all of them to sigh harmoniously.

"Good. I thought this job was making her not sleep! It's good to see her sleeping, thought at such odd hours, I don't think I would ever handle it." Rarity dramatically emphasized the end.

"Well I reckon Fluttershy is as dead as a log! We shou' keep some peace and quiet fer her. She's been having a wild schedule." Applejack spoke in her southern accent. Twilight was the pony to speak next.

"Maybe, this new job is not the best for her. She doesn't get to see Ponyville that much, and she hasn't associated with us in a couple of days. I wonder how she's doing."

The four ponies then turned to Pinkie Pie, who hasn't said a word this whole conversation. She usually has something to say every other sentence, and whenever she is hiding something, she usually zips up her mouth tight, (Some times literally,) and never says a word. Though, the stare that all her friends were poring on her, were slightly intimidating her, so she replied, trying to keep her usual bubbly tone.

"W-what's up? Well, besides the ceiling obviously. Heheh...." Pinkie shifted her weight on her hooves. Her friends then looked at each other, and decided to leave it be.

"*sigh* Pinkie, we're all just worried about Flutters that's all. Plus you can tell us anythang. Flutter's stress seems to get ta me too, so it's okay to feel not yer usual bubbly self." Applejack knew something was up with Pinkie Pie, but she decided to keep it quiet, and make Pinkie chill, for once in a life time.

"Thanks for understanding Applejack." Pinkie bearhugged Applejack. "I will always consider you one of my closest friends!" Pinkie then let go of Applejack, much to her relief, but Pinkie looked at her wrist, which somehow had a watch on it. Her friends knew better than to wonder how it got there in the first place.

Look at the time! I need to make a special order for mom and dad at the Cake's! C-ya alligators!!!" Pinkie Pie zoomed off and into the heart of Ponyville and already out of eyeshot before anypony could say Cupcake.

Pinkie was inside her room, and she sighed in relief.

"Whew! That was a close one." Pinkie exclaimed, and went off to grab her baker's hat out of the wall and flew down the stairs to make the special order for her parents, which was a special rock candy cake, with rocks inside.

Rainbow Dash and Twilight were the only ones left at Fluttershy's cottage. The other's left, so this gave them time to theorize over Fluttershy and the possible Discord.

"What should we do about it Rainbow? I bet it's a weird subject to talk about with Fluttershy." Twilight spoke, rubbing her hoof. "It's like asking if you were marrying a plant!" Her voice got a bit louder at the end. Rainbow Dash would have laughed if it weren't concerning a 'thought-to-be' dead villain.

"Yeah. You could say that..." Rainbow Dash tottered on two of her hooves. "I'm just concerned about, Fluttershy. That's all." Twilight could tell that Rainbow Dash was having a moment. "She was one of my only friends in Flight Camp. We have been best friends ever since, and now I don't want her fragile heart getting broken because of some stupid colt she has been secretly meeting up with!" Rainbow Dash then had the expression of an idea, the one that Twilight gets daily. "How about we go meet with DISCORD!!??" Rainbow enthused.

Twilight looked surprised. Then she face-hoofed herself. "I hadn't thought of that! That's a brilliant idea Rainbow Dash!!" There was a spark of excitement in Twilight's purple eyes. "Let's go get the others!" Twilight and Rainbow Dash then flew and trotted over to Ponyville, first to get Rarity, who was daintily walking on the dirt path back to her boutique, and then Rainbow Dash bolted on over to Sugar Cube Corner to go get Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash then flew on over to Applejacks, who was still making her way on over to her farm. They then all gathered at the train station.

Rainbow Dash wore a prideful face, Twilight wore a determined face, Rarity's was of curiosity and slight disgust, Applejack's was of boredom, and Pinkie's was of.....

Uneasiness, nervousness, and fear.

But Pinkie is the master of masks, so she wore a nervousited one. They all got their tickets, and they were called for the train, so the group made their way into the train. They settled themselves down; Rarity and Applejack on one seat, Rainbow Dash and Twilight on another, and Pinkie Pie on one by herself, which she did not mind and actually enjoyed the isolation actually. Except for each passing moment, Pinkie Pie grew more and more scared, about what her friends would say of Discord. She also thought of what she were to do if they asked her about anything with Fluttershy and Discord.

"Heya Pinkie! We're leavin'. I'a suggest ya get on up so we can go." Pinkie felt Applejack nudge her.

"h-huh?! How long did I sleep?" Pinkie fluttered her eyes, which reminded her of Fluttershy, which also reminded her of Discord. Oh no...
She thought.

"Ya slept fer two hours. Well, the train ride was two hours, so it was understandable." Applejack lend her hoof to Pinkie. "Ya comin'?"

"Oh oh! Yes! Of course I am!" Pinkie jumped from her seat and leaped up, without grabbing Applejack's hoof.

"The res' are outside. We were waitin' fer ya." Applejack made her way down the little stairs that led out of the train, and Pinkie followed suit, except with her usual bounce.

"Come on girls! The gardens are this way!" Twilight called. She also waved her hoof to point towards the street that leads to the gardens. The gang followed Twilight, as Pinkie stayed slightly behind the rest of the group. Rainbow seemed to have noticed, because she hovered, and eventually glided to Pinkie who was staring at her moving hooves on the ground.

"Hey Pinkie. What's up?" Rainbow Dash trotted at the same pace as Pinkie.

"Oh nothing... Just thinking about Discord and Fluttershy." Rainbow nodded her head, but then she stopped walking, which caused Pinkie to stop as well. "Why did you stop? Was it something I said?"

"How, do you know of Discord?" Rainbow pressed.

"U-um... PINKIE SENSE!!!" She squealed and ran over to the gardens, leaving her friends in the dust.

"Uh... What just happened?" Rainbow asked herself.

---

"*pant *pant *pant * "

Pinkie was at the entrance of the gardens, and she saw Discord's statue in sight, along with some other ponies in sight. Pinkie knew she had to be inconspicuous, so she sneaked into a bush and another and another and eventually ended up next to Discord's statue.

"Discord? Discord!" Pinkie whispered. She heard a sound of waking up, like you have been snoring, so it sounded more like a snort than anything else.

"What is it? I was trying to sleep...." Discord mumbled.

"Fluttershy is too, but my friends aren't." Pinkie whispered. "They're coming to see you! Don't even try talking with them! They think you are evil and all sorts of stuff!"

"I knew it. Not all of ponykind is as kind as Fluttershy. I guess that's why she is the element of kindness." Discord said rather bitterly.

"Wait, I think they're coming! Just remember! Don't speak!" Pinkie then snuck into a nearby bush and popped out of the bush near the entrance, startling Rarity.

"Oh my word! Pinkie! You startled me!" Rarity gasped.

"Oops! Sorry. My bad!" Pinkie then jumped out of the bush and next to Rarity and Applejack.

"Where were ya Pinkie?" Applejack asked.

"Um, I was.... looking around! I saw Discord, obviously, but then I also saw these guards and also a unicorn!" Pinkie excused.

"Oh! Really? Did Discord terrify you?" Rarity asked.

"Nope! Actually, he looked rather crazy to be honest. But I think he also looks cool!" Pinkie smiled, relieved that her excusing was accepted.

"Not sure if your opinion matches with mine, but that's fine. I would probably be told of it sooner or later because of Sweetie Belle's upcoming field trip."

"Oh right! Applebloom is doin' that too!" Pinkie Pie noticed that AJ and Rarity were having their own conversation, so she decided to talk with Rainbow Dash and Twilight.

"Hey guys! Did you see Discord yet? I thought he was really cool looking!" Pinkie smiled.

"You sure about that Pinkie? Because I thought it looked rather, chaotic." Twilight was about to speak, but she stopped herself as she met her eyes with two mismatched feet.

Comments

[Firebrace101]

A wonderfully written story with a cliffhanger having me want to beg for more chapters. I do feel that I am not as appreciative of this story as I could be. This is due to the fact that your story was read sometime before 12pm and ended at 12:40... Why I think the best time to read is when I want to fall asleep, I will never know.

Anyway, thank you for producing a wonder work of art known as your story.