Heart of Stone: Part 4
"If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it is yours. If it doesn't, it never was."
- Unknown
The first sign that the bed Fluttershy awoke in wasn't her own was the fact that it was far more comfortable. Instead of a cheap, lumpy queen-sized mattress, she found herself in a king-sized waterbed. As she sat up, her whole body wiggled along with the mattress. Frantically, she patted her hooves around to get a feel of where she was.
The sheets were red and felt as smooth as satin, and the comforter was, surprisingly, made of black cloud. Looking up, she saw that the canopy was literally a night sky, with stars stretching unto infinity. She couldn't see anything else around her as the bed was shut in with red velvet curtains.
It took a second for Fluttershy to remember the events prior to her blackout. Discord had escaped from stone, pretended to be captured, brought her to his Realm of Chaos against her will, and then…
Squealing, Fluttershy threw the cloud covers off her body. The sight of the chiton dress Discord had dressed her in made her sigh in relief. She was still clothed, and, upon feeling her stomach, there were no other surprises hiding there.
"At least he hadn't…" Fluttershy said with a shudder. "At least he's not that kind of god."
Suddenly, said god flashed beside her, lying on his side with one elbow propped up. Shrieking, she pulled the covers over her body, despite not being naked.
"Oh, thank Chaos you're awake!" Discord exclaimed, his tail wagging like a puppy's. "With you being mortal, and I being not, it was difficult to determine the severity of your situation."
"Um…" Fluttershy said, unsure of what question to phrase, as there were so many.
"Are you alright?" he asked, feeling her forehead. "Any dizziness?" He took her hoof, examining it. "Swelling?" A goblet appeared in his claw. "Do you need some water?"
Despite still being in shock, Fluttershy couldn't help but feel a bit touched over his concern, as it seemed genuine.
"I-I'm…fine, thank you," Fluttershy said, politely pushing the goblet away. "Um…what am I doing in your bed?"
He huffed. "Oh, this isn't my bed, it's our bed!"
Her pupils shrank to a point where they were barely visible. "Our bed?!"
"By that I mean it will be our bed." He traced his claw along the sheets. "You like? Personally, I prefer to sleep upside-down and have a few spikes and shards present, but I figured you'd be more attracted to gravity." He flopped his whole body up and down, making the bed wriggle. "And bounciness."
When the bed became still again, Fluttershy scooted a few inches away from the god. "Okay, we'll, um, talk about this later. Back to my previous question, why am I in this bed?"
"Oh," Discord said, sitting up. "You fainted right after my proposal."
Fluttershy's face turned red. "Oh, right, your…proposal." She rubbed her foreleg awkwardly. "Um…could you…remind me what my answer was?"
"Don't know." He shrugged. "You fainted before you could give one."
She nodded slowly. "Yeah, that…sounds like something I would do."
"Oh, don't worry about it, darling. I understand."
She looked up at him. "You…do?"
"Of course." He smiled brightly. "You were so overjoyed, your delicate mortal body couldn't handle the excitement!"
"What? N-No, I…I mean not that I…"
"But now that you've gotten that out of your system, we can pick up right where we left off!"
In a flash, the bed was gone and Fluttershy found herself back on Discord's throne. Once again, Discord knelt to her with the open box containing the butterfly necklace in his paw.
"So as I was saying, my sweet darling," he said with a toothy grin. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Now that the initial shock had worn off into mere uneasiness, Fluttershy was better able to process the situation.
She had to blink several times to keep herself from fainting again.
If any pony had told her this morning that an all-powerful god would be proposing to her, she would have laughed it off. Yet here he was, on one knee, looking at her expectantly with hope in his eyes.
What was she to say? What could she say? Despite having visited his statue since she was a filly, they had technically just met today. Did he really expect her to say yes to marriage now?
"I'd really appreciate it if you wouldn't faint again," Discord whispered. "But if you must, do you think you could give your answer before you pass out? It'd kill me to have to wait in anticipation for several more hours."
"N-No, I'm not…" Fluttershy started to say, but then shook her head. "I'm just a bit…confused."
He cocked his head. "What's there to be confused about? The fact that I, the God of Chaos, am offering you the role of a goddess in return for your eternal love and devotion, or are you wondering how much this necklace cost?" He leaned forward to whisper, "Like we gods need to actually pay for anything."
"Um, okay," she said, pulling herself as far back as the seat would allow. "Possibility of theft aside, I just don't understand…why me?"
Discord chuckled. "Why not you? Didn't you hear my speech earlier? After hearing your comforting voice for years, is it really any wonder that I should eventually fall in love with you?"
Fluttershy's mouth fell open. "L-L-Love?"
"But of course!" Releasing the jewelry case to let it float in midair, he took her hooves in his paw and claw. "My heart's yearned for you for quite some time, Fluttershy, in a way I never knew it could. See, it's not easy for me to care for some pony. Ever since I realized I was in love with you, I've longed for the day that I would make you my own.
"Although," he said, raising his claw to her face, "I didn't expect you to look so…normal."
Scowling, she swatted his claw away.
"Not that there's anything wrong with how you look!" Discord said hastily. "It's just with all your talk of being a monster, I thought you might be…deformed in some way." He smirked. "Doesn't matter. I'm willing to take you for my wife no matter what you look like, for it's your kind, gentle soul that makes you beautiful."
Fluttershy's nerves were increasing dramatically. "You want me to be your wife?"
"It's like I said, buttercup. I have everything a god could possibly want," he said as his ears drooped slightly, "except someone to share it all with. What I need is an eternal companion, someone to appreciate me and everything I create, someone who isn't quick to judge me. After all, Zeus has Hera, Poseidon has Amphitrite, Hephaestus has Aphrodite, Eros has Psyche, Dionysus has Ariadne, even Hades has a bride.
"However," he said, rolling his eyes, "unlike some gods I know, I intend to be loyal to my wife and not waste my time with lesser beings. Fortunately, I don't get attracted very easily so you'll have no one to be jealous of."
Fluttershy squeaked as he brought her hooves to his chest, forcing her face to be close to his.
"And out of all the mares," Discord said, his eyelids drooping, "out of all the females, out of all the beings in the world, I've chosen you," he sighed as he pressed his forehead to hers, "my beautiful Fluttershy, to be the one to bring my days of loneliness to an end."
He gently cupped her chin. "I can make you a goddess, Fluttershy. Oh, and you'll be a magnificent one. Mortals everywhere will adore you, worship you." He lifted his head proudly. "Though I, of course, will be your most devoted follower. Anything you desire, my queen, will be yours. You will never want for anything, this I swear. So, what do you say, my darling?"
Throughout his entire speech, Fluttershy had been staring unblinkingly at him. She believed him. Truly, she did. His sincerity was apparent in the gentle way he held her hooves and the affection he held in his gaze.
He was in love with her.
Never had anyone admitted such a thing to her, and while she'd dreamed of hearing those words one day, this wasn't what she'd had in mind. She hadn't thought the one who would confess his feelings for her would be a practical stranger…let alone a god.
He looked so excited and hopeful that she truly hated herself for what she was about to do.
"Um," she said, biting her lip, "no?"
Discord seemed to wilt like a flower. Every part of him fell: his face, his ears, his paw and claw, his wings, even his horns.
"N-No?" he said in a voice so small it wrenched Fluttershy's heartstrings.
"Don't get me wrong," she said, trying to sound comforting. "I'm f-flattered, really. I mean no one's ever proposed to me before…"
"Really?" he said, his horns rising slightly. "I would've thought all the males would be knocking at your door."
"N-No, not really." Fluttershy shook her head. "Anyway, everything you said was…nice, but…aren't you forgetting something?"
"Hmm." Discord tapped his chin in thought. "Let's see. Find a fair mortal, wow the mortal with divine gifts and or acts, whisk her away to some remote location, make her your mate." He listed each thought on his talon. Then he shook his head. "Nope. Don't think I left anything out."
She sighed. "Discord, that's not how…"
"Oh, but of course!" he said, smacking his forehead. "How could I have not seen it before?" He looked down at her, his excitement returning. "You'd prefer it if I were in some other form, huh? Perhaps a swan?"
He transformed into a gray swan, keeping his yellow and red eyes and bushy white eyebrow. Fluttershy pressed her back against the throne as she cringed.
"Or maybe a bull?" Discord asked, turning into a gray bull. "Or a giant worm?"
Fluttershy yelped as he turned into a fifty-foot gray worm towering over her.
"Nope?" he said, cocking his bushy eyebrow. "Not doing it for ya?" Sighing, he returned to his original form. "How does Zeus do it?"
Scowling, she shouted, "Your appearance isn't the problem here, Discord!"
"Oh," Discord said, clasping his paw and claw together, "then you find me handsome the way I am?"
Fluttershy had to grip the armrests of the throne to keep her budding frustration at bay. "That's not what I'm…"
"But of course, if you grow tired of looking at me each day…"
He poofed away. Not wanting to be left alone in this strange dimension, Fluttershy looked around frantically for him.
"I can make myself invisible," Discord's voice whispered into her ear. "And come to you only when you sleep."
"Discord!" she hollered, her face burning as she became angrier.
"You're right," he said, becoming visible again. "Even I think that's creepy. I don't know how that Psyche managed not to lose her mind over being married to a ghost."
Putting her hoof to her head, Fluttershy said, "Discord, if you'd just listen…"
"It's the place, isn't it?" he said, gesturing around him. "I can change it so it's more to your liking."
Snapping his fingers, he made several patches of exotic flowers appear. The sight was enough to dispel her anger for the moment.
"They're…lovely. But Discord…"
"Or animals! You like animals, right? How 'bout a puppy?"
Suddenly, an Orthros leaped onto her lap. It would've knocked her over had the throne not been so sturdy. At first, she screamed in surprise, but then giggled as the two-headed dog began licking her face.
"Stop, stop!" Her face became serious when she remembered her situation. "Seriously, stop!"
She shoved the Orthros off. Then he began whimpering, which earned her pity, so she allowed him to set his heads on her lap.
"None of that is what's wrong here, Discord," Fluttershy said calmly as she pet the Orthros' heads with both hooves.
"Then what is?!" Discord asked, holding his paw and claw out in desperation. "These things worked for all the other gods!"
She hung her head with a sigh. "That may have been how relationships worked two thousand years ago, but that's not how they work today. I'm glad I finally met you, and I'm glad you're out of that awful stone prison, and I'm more than willing to get to know you better, but…love? Marriage? It's too soon for any of that, Discord!"
"Too soon?" He placed his paw and claw firmly on his hips. "Too soon?! I've been waiting for you for years! Before that, I was frozen in a cave for thousands of years more! If there's one thing that prison has taught me is that life's too short, even for gods! Who knows when someone might try and imprison me again?"
She looked up at him sternly. "You may have had a lot of time to think about this, but for me…this is all new. We've only just met and…I hardly know anything about you. Maybe you…we felt a connection while you were in that statue, but…our conversations were still one-sided. While I told you so much about my life, you were unable to tell me anything. Can you really expect me to…to love you when I wasn't even sure if you were there?"
Discord stared unblinkingly at her, saying nothing for a long while. Fluttershy wondered if he had understood her and was about to ask when he suddenly snapped his fingers.
"Oh, I get it!" he said with realization.
"You do?" Fluttershy asked hopefully.
"What was I thinking?" He slapped himself in the forehead. "Of course you wouldn't just say yes to someone you've just met, you're too good for that sort of thing!"
Fluttershy sighed in relief. "Glad we have an understanding."
"You want to be courted first!"
"Yes, exact—" Her face fell. "Wait, what?"
"I mean you're the most perfect being in the universe!" Discord said as he paced around, his hoof and foot not touching any surface. "A mare like you needs to be earned through grand romantic gestures before anyone can win your hoof in marriage!"
"That's," she said, holding up her hoof, "not really what I had in…"
She yelped as Discord grabbed her hoof and yanked her off the throne. His lion arm caught her around the waist and pulled her close. Flustered, Fluttershy looked up at the god grinning mischievously down at her.
"Very well then, my dear," he said, snapping his fingers. "Let the wooing commence!"
Suddenly, they were in a marble pavilion with ionic columns entwined with vines of roses.
"Let's see," Discord said, looking around, "we have the ideal romantic setting. Now for some candlelight!"
With another snap of his fingers, candles appeared floating all around them.
"Next, music!"
A lyre and some kind of flute materialized above them and began playing slow, peaceful music.
"And finally, a dance!"
Fluttershy yelped as she was abruptly spun around and dipped below Discord's waist. "Discord! This is…"
"Exciting?" he said as he spun her again. "Thrilling?" He brought her back to his chest. "Romantic?"
Scowling, Fluttershy pushed against his chest. "As lovely as all this is, I'm just not…"
"Into dancing? Understood." He snapped the floating instruments away. "You're more into poetry, aren't you?"
He summoned a scroll and cleared his throat. "Some say a cavalry corps," he recited. "some infantry, some, again—oh no, wait." He tossed the scroll aside. "My mistake. While I do appreciate Sapphony's work, it doesn't really fit this situation."
"Discord," Fluttershy said slowly, "if you'd let me speak…"
"Aha!" He snapped his fingers. "Perhaps I can prove my bravery by bringing you the head of a mighty beast!"
Shrieking, Fluttershy put her hoof to her mouth.
"Oh, right, right." He cringed in embarrassment. "You're an animal lover, of course." Snapping his fingers, he had another idea. "Would you like more pets?"
Fluttershy was instantly surrounded by animals. There were so many, she couldn't quite process what species they were.
"Discord," she said, gently pushing a platypus off her lap.
He clapped his hands together. "More flowers!"
Fluttershy screamed as she was showered with a countless variety of flowers. "Discord!"
"More jewels!"
In another flash, she was covered head to hoof in jewelry, from bracelets to necklaces to a pearl crown upon her head. Fluttershy's eyes glowed red, for she was unable to keep her anger in any longer.
"DISCORD!" she shouted in her Saddle Rager voice, pushing all the flowers and animals aside. "STOP IT!"
Discord was stunned into silence upon hearing her outburst. Seeing his astonished gaze, Fluttershy gasped and turned her back to him, covering her face.
Don't lose your temper, Fluttershy, she thought. Remember what your teammates said. Letting him know your identity will give him power over you. Just use the techniques Tree Hugger taught you.
She took in a deep breath, her mind clearing with the help of the aroma of the hundreds of flowers surrounding her. When she opened her eyes, they were teal again. Feeling calm, she faced Discord, who was still staring at her in bewilderment.
"Please," Fluttershy said slowly. "Enough."
Discord blinked. "What was that?"
She pretended to be ignorant. "What was what?"
He pointed to her. "You…sounded different there for a moment. And your eyes, they…they changed."
She kept a stiff expression. "I have no idea what you're…"
"You're hiding something from me." He slithered over to her so that his face was in hers. "It's very…intriguing." He smiled brightly. "Do you have some kind of hidden personality or something? If so, I'd very much like to know more about it!"
Fluttershy gently pushed his muzzle away. "These gifts are very lovely, Discord, and, frankly, it's nice that you paid attention to my interests," she said, looking around at the flowers and animals, "but I'm afraid my answer still stands. I…I don't love you, Discord. Not in the way you want me to. I'm sorry, but it's the truth."
Surprisingly, Discord didn't seem at all disappointed. "Oh, that's quite alright, my darling," he said, poofing the animals, jewels and extra flowers away. "You don't have to say yes right away." He sat down in his throne, which had suddenly appeared behind him. "I'm a patient god. It doesn't matter what you think of me right now, because I know you're going to be my wife eventually."
Once again, she was confused. "W-What?"
"The Fates have decreed us the perfect match. It's in the prophecy, don't you know?"
"Prophecy?"
He propped his elbow onto his armrest, leaning his head on his paw. "When I was turned to stone, Apollo gave a prophecy foretelling my release. It goes something like this."
Straightening up, he put his paw to his chest as he recited:
"Two thousand times the Earth shall turn
Before the Chaos Lord is released from stone,
When the Keeper of His Heart accepts his gifts,
He will roam free once again
And grant the pony life everlasting,
Making her his and his alone."
He looked down at Fluttershy, seeing her eyes wide in bewilderment. "Believe me, it sounds a lot more poetic in Gracian. Even rhymes. The point is," he said, leaning forward, "we're meant for each other, Fluttershy. One day, you're going to be my immortal queen. And take it from someone who was there when Oedipus blinded himself, running from our fate won't bode well for either of us."
In a flash, he was kneeling down to her again, holding her hooves. "So why wait for the inevitable?"
She stared at him long and hard. "Are you…sure that's what the prophecy means?"
He shrugged. "What else could it mean? All you have to do is accept my gifts."
She blinked. "You…really don't know…"
"Know what?"
She shook her head. "Discord, there's nothing you can give me at the moment that can help me change my…"
"Then name it!" He held her hooves tighter. "Wish for the most impossible thing you've always wanted, and I'll give it to you! I'll give you anything!"
Fluttershy went still. "A-Anything?"
He grinned. "Anything."
It was a lot to consider. If he can do anything, could he…take away my curse?
To think she could be a normal pony again. She would never have to worry about hurting any pony ever again.
It was the most tempting thought she'd had throughout this entire ordeal.
Then another thought made her frown sadly. "You couldn't do it."
His mouth moved to match hers. "Yes, I can!"
"No." She shook her head. "You said you couldn't do anything to…change ponies."
"I could! I mean…provided you give me something in return."
She looked up at him. "What do you mean?"
Releasing her hooves, he moved his paw and claw in illustrative motions. "See, gods are allowed to bend the rules a little bit, provided they create a divine contract with another party. For instance, Artemis once wanted me to create a new beast to scare off this stalker guy Orion. In return, she agreed to make one night a year longer than the rest so I could party in the dark longer. That's why we have the Winter Solstice." He bowed. "You're welcome.
"But we often make contracts with mortals who want impossible gifts from us. The mortals must do us favors in return. It often involves a lifetime of servitude or the selling of one's soul…" He noticed Fluttershy's uneasiness. "Not that I ever did something like that! Sometimes it doesn't have to be that big. Dionysus had given a king the power to turn things to gold just for letting the drunken fool crash at his place."
"And," Fluttershy said with a gulp, "what would you ask for in return for…my wish?"
"Why," he said, chuckling, "your hoof in marriage, of course."
"Right." She supposed it silly to expect anything less. "Isn't there…some other way we can settle this without my having to marry you right away?"
"Well," he said, stroking his beard, "if I had my Amulet of Chaos, I could simply grant your wish without the need for a magical contract."
"Oh." She crossed her forelegs. "So this is about your precious amulet."
He huffed. "Well, you can't expect me to take over the mortal world without it."
She shook her head. "You know something? I was beginning to think you weren't like the Discord in the stories at all, but you're…you're just…" She grunted. "Mean!"
Turning her back to him, she shut her eyes and lifted her chin in defiance. Discord was hurt by her words, but he couldn't help but admire her boldness at the same time.
Honestly, it was really hard for him to be upset with her.
"Sure I wouldn't mind ruling the world again," he said, floating towards her, "but only if you'd rule it with me." Cupping her chin, he turned her face towards him. "Your boldness is only further confirming my belief on how excellent a queen you'd make."
Glancing downward, she lowered his paw. "I don't doubt your feelings for me, Discord, but this isn't the way to win my heart."
His arms drooped in exhaustion. "Then what is?! Tell me what I have to do, Fluttershy!" His voice became small. "And…I'll do it."
"First of all," she said, meeting his gaze, "I am not a prize you can simply win. Nor am I some idol you can worship. I'm a person, Discord, a person you can't keep. I may not have this kind of experience, but I do know that love doesn't come so easily. It's not about the things you can do for me, it's…whether or not I feel comfortable around you, whether or not I can trust you." She sighed. "And I'm sorry, but at this point, these standards haven't been met."
Unable to handle the sight of his disappointment, she turned away from him again. "I don't need jewels, I don't need gifts, I don't need…to be Queen of the World. All I need is a friend I can trust my life with." She murmured the rest. "Trust my heart with."
As Discord listened to her words, he started to see the misery that was building up inside her. It pained him to think that he had been the cause.
He truly didn't understand how romance worked, at least not how it worked in this new era. If he was going to win her love, he had to learn the rules of this time period first.
"I…have to go."
She faced him in confusion. "What?"
He snapped his fingers, opening a swirling vortex. "I…have some errands to run. I'll be back in a bit."
She glanced at her surroundings. "Wait, you're gonna just…?"
"Just stay in this pavilion and the wandering beasts shouldn't bother you!" He paused. "Probably."
"Wait, Discord!"
But he had gone through the vortex before she could stop him. As the portal closed, Fluttershy gritted her teeth in annoyance.
"He is really making it hard for me to hold myself back!"
The librarian of the Maretropolis Library, a pale yellow unicorn with messy red hair and spectacles, was taken by surprise when a strange creature with a body made of several different animals suddenly appeared on her desk.
"Excuse me," Discord said, looking at the nameplate on the desk, "Miss Moondancer, but where do you keep your scrolls on romance?"
After blinking several times, Moondancer pushed her glasses back into place. "Um…we don't keep any scrolls here. We have books, DVDs, videotapes…"
"Interesting," the draconequus said, lifting the cover of one of the books on her desk. "You ponies really have come a long way, haven't you? What does DVD stand for?"
The librarian opened her mouth and then paused. "Um…it stands for, um…" She scratched her head. "Huh. You know I never really thought about…"
"Ahem. Romance?"
"Oh, yes. Are you looking for romantic fiction or relational advice?"
Discord tapped his chin. "A little bit of both, actually."
"Well, the romance section is in Aisle 7, and you can find relational advice over in Self-Help." Using her horn, she opened the drawers to the filing cabinet behind her. She spun her chair around to search through the cards. "I'm sure I could find you some recommendations if…"
"Oh, that won't be necessary! Bye!"
And then he was gone in a flash. Moondancer readjusted her glasses as she tried to sort out what had just happened.
A scream came from Aisle 7. The librarian was about to shush them when the pony shouted, "WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE ROMANCE NOVELS?!"
Mistress Mare-velous watched as the Masked Matter-Horn, back in wings and costume, focused her magic on one of the holding cells. In its center, sitting on a pedestal, was the metal box containing the Amulet of Chaos. Surrounding it was a circle of salt lined with lit black candles. It didn't look so bad until the magic from the Matter-Horn's horn turned from magenta to black.
The beam shot towards the salt circle, instantly causing it and the candles to glow purple. The Matter-Horn panted heavily as her horn diminished.
"There," she said, pressing some buttons on the control panel beside the cell. "The spell should create a secure barrier around the amulet, and even if anyone or anything teleports within the circle, it will cast them out." The cell's force-field activated. "The force-field's just an added precaution. Even if it hadn't stopped Discord before, it will still trigger alarms. There should also be one of us patrolling the tower at all times, in case all this isn't enough."
Mare-velous shook off her astonishment from watching the spell. "Okay, we really need to talk about all this freaky forbidden magic you're usin'."
"Later," the alicorn said as she trotted towards the elevator. "Come on. I asked the others to meet us in the main lounge in a few minutes."
Sighing, Mare-velous stepped into the elevator with her. "At least tell me somethin' to assure me that you're not some dark wizard in the makin' or that you're secretly plannin' to raise the dead or somethin' like that."
The Matter-Horn did not look at her, only stared blankly ahead as the doors closed. "Let's just say that I was once…young and…foolish." She hung her head. "And it ended up costing me a friend."
Seeing that this was a painful subject for her, Mare-velous decided to drop it for the moment.
The doors opened and sure enough, the rest of the Power Ponies, save for Saddle Rager, were gathered in the main lounge.
"The new spells should be enough to ward off Discord…" the Matter-Horn said as she and Mare-velous approached them.
Zapp huffed. "Why does that sound familiar?"
The alicorn cleared her throat. "Nevertheless, we should take shifts in guarding the tower. I suggest that each night some pony also sleeps here."
"Ooh!" Fili-Second cried. "Like a stakeout sleepover!"
"Did you find a spell that can get us to the Chaos Realm?" Radiance asked.
"Yes," the Matter-Horn said, levitating an old and tattered brown book from her saddlebag. "But a simple dimension-hopping spell won't be enough for us to get somewhere as remote as the Realm of Chaos."
"Did you just call a dimension-hopping spell simple?" Zapp asked.
Ignoring her, the Matter-Horn flipped open to a bookmarked page. "Opening the gateway to the Realm of Chaos requires a more…complicated ritual. There are actually two rituals we can perform, but considering how rare a jellyfish heart is, we'll have to use the other one. First, we'll need to draw a spiral on the floor out of blood…"
"Say what now?" Zapp said.
"Blood?!" Radiance exclaimed at the same time as Zapp.
"Wait'll ya hear the next bit," Mare-velous murmured.
"Not just any blood," the Matter-Horn said, tracing her hoof over the words on the page. "A mixture of blood from all four races of pony: earth pony, unicorn, pegasus, and alicorn."
"Well that's just great!" Fili-Second said. "Where are we supposed to find an earth pony, unicorn, pegasus and alicorn at this hour?!"
They all stared at her. After a few seconds, Fili-Second's mouth fell open.
"Ohhhhhhhh." She giggled. "Right."
"Thing is, I'm not sure if my blood's enough," the Matter-Horn said, ruffling her feathers. "I'm not an alicorn by birth, after all."
"We've gotta at least try," Zapp said. "And I suppose Radiance and I are gonna have to give our blood with Fluttershy out and you representing the alicorn."
"I'd be happy to give my blood for my friends!" Fili-Second piped.
"No need, Fili," Mare-velous said. "I've already offered to do it."
"There's more," the Matter-Horn said. "At the center of the spiral, we're supposed to place a chaotic object or creature, something that defies all logic."
"What do you suppose it means by that?" Fili-Second asked, taking a lick of an ice cream cone that suddenly appeared in her hoof. She noticed everyone's eyes were on her again. "What? There something on my face?"
"Looks like you'll be playing a role in the ritual after all, Fili. Now," the Matter-Horn said, taking a series of empty blood bags out of her saddlebag, "who wants to go first?"
It was evening, and Discord lay on a cloud high above the Maretropolis Park as he read through the mountain of books he'd "borrowed" from the library. For him though, "reading" was flipping through the pages of each book in a matter of seconds. As a god, he was able to commit everything he saw and heard to memory.
"Strange," he said. "I don't know why I didn't consider meddling in romantic affairs before. Romance is even more confusing than chaos." He huffed. "Thank you, Aphrodite and Eros."
Every love story was the same. Boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, there is some complication, the complication is resolved, then they live happily ever after. Of course, every now and then he found a refreshing change.
Sometimes, the main couple did not get together in the end. One story ended in the boy and girl killing themselves. Discord tossed those books aside, knowing they weren't going to be of any help.
Sometimes, it wasn't necessarily a boy and girl falling in love. Not that it really surprised Discord, for he'd known quite a few gods into that sort of thing. It just seemed to be a lot more common now than it was in his day.
Sometimes, the two romantic leads were not of the same species, which gave Discord some hope. There were some stories that reminded him of Eros and Psyche. All of them seemed to end in the beastly character becoming a pony by the end of the story.
"Is that what she wants?" Discord asked himself. "Some princely figure to save her from a miserable life of solitude?"
Then something caught his eye as he gazed down at the park below. Two mares were sitting side by side on a park bench. One was a pale yellow earth mare with a curly blue and pink mane. The other was a green unicorn with green and white hair and yellow eyes. The earth mare wore a dark uniform of some sort while the unicorn held a paper bag in her hooves. Being the ever curious god that he was, Discord made his ear grow larger so he could listen in on their conversation.
"Sorry I missed our big night out, Lyra," the earth mare said. "Miss Sparkle had quite a few errands to run this evening."
"That's okay, Bon-Bon," the unicorn, Lyra, said, using her magic to take something out of the bag. "I've got something better than a fancy spaghetti dinner!"
Bon-Bon gasped when what appeared to be knotted bread covered in cheese and some kind of red sauce was levitated into view. "Pizza pretzels!" She snatched the food. "You know what I love!"
"Yup," Lyra said, smirking as she took out her own pretzel. "Probably the only thing you love more than me."
"That's not true!" Bon-Bon said, biting into her pretzel. "Pizza pretzels are only my third-favorite thing."
"Oh?" The unicorn scooted closer to her. "And what's the first?"
Swallowing, Bon-Bon replied, "Chocolate bonbons, of course. Then there's you."
Lyra stiffened. "Hey!"
"You have to admit, honey," Bon-Bon said. "Bonbons are hard to beat. You oughta know." She booped her on the nose. "You married one."
Lyra stared at her and then burst out laughing. "See? We don't need to go anywhere fancy to have a good time."
"Yeah," Bon-Bon said, looking down guiltily. "I know my job can keep me…busy, sometimes. But…I'm glad that no matter how busy things can get, we always find time for each other."
"You bet," Lyra said, taking her hoof.
Discord watched in awe as the two mares rubbed each other's noses. It truly amazed him how…simple it all was. There was no candlelight, no flowers, no expensive gifts. The unicorn, who had the magic, wasn't doing anything magical to impress her partner. They were just sitting there, enjoying nothing more than a simple meal and each other's company.
And they seemed happy.
He clutched his chest, wishing he and Fluttershy could have what they had.
A candle appeared above his head and Discord cried out, "That's it!"
His sudden outburst caused Lyra and Bon-Bon to look up, but there was nothing for them to see.
"Did you hear something?" Bon-Bon asked.
Lyra shrugged. "Big park. Some pony must've gotten excited over something."
Fluttershy was scratching the Orthros' belly, smiling at how the animal was enjoying it. However, there was sadness and confusion behind that smile.
"What am I to do?" she asked the Orthros. "He won't listen to me. Now that he isn't frozen in stone, he won't listen to me." She sighed. "Maybe I should marry him. No, really. I mean…he cares for me. That much I know. Perhaps, in time, I could feel the same way.
"And if I marry him, he might take my curse away. I wouldn't have to worry about hurting any pony anymore. I wouldn't be a mon—"
She stopped, staring at the two-headed dog. It reminded her of the incident this morning, and what had caused for Discord to be released in the first place.
"But…I'm not a monster," she murmured, laying her head on the Orthros' stomach. "Not any more than you or Discord is. When I'm Saddle Rager, I help ponies, not hurt them. They need Saddle Rager." She closed her eyes. "My friends need Saddle Rager."
Her head rose up in determination. "I need to find a way out of here."
Glancing around the pavilion, she searched for an exit. Despite what Discord had told her, she had to believe there was another way out. There was nothing around the pavilion to suggest it though.
"Come on," Fluttershy said, standing up. "You can protect me in case any…less friendly beasts show up."
Walking to the edge of the pavilion, she found that there was nothing beyond it but the swirling purple void. Taking a deep breath, she flapped her wings and took off. The Orthros whimpered behind her.
"Sorry," she said, turning back to it. "Looks like I'm going to have to go at this alone."
Shaking with fear, Fluttershy flew into the void and searched all around. Random objects and creatures floated by, ones she could not describe. If she never found a way out of here, was this to be her home for the rest of eternity?
It's the place, isn't it? Discord's voice echoed throughout her head. I can change it so it's more to your liking.
She shook her head. "No, Fluttershy. You can't get distracted."
Her heart leapt with joy as she came across a door. Was this the way out?
Then she paused upon seeing the door's design. It was yellow, the same shade as her coat. Painted near the top were three pink butterflies. Her cutie mark.
Curious, Fluttershy slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open. What she saw made her gasp.
It was a bedroom. The walls were painted green, covered in vines of gorgeous pink and blue flowers. The large canopied bed in the center was adorned with pink petals scattered across the green bedding. A string of butterflies fluttered past Fluttershy's muzzle.
Stepping inside, Fluttershy glanced around in awe. It was like walking into a fairytale garden, only for sleeping in. It was certainly unusual, but it did not match the chaotic nature of the rest of the realm. It was peaceful and serene.
She came across a vanity made of what appeared to be oak. The mirror was made of crystal, framed with pink and blue flowers. Fluttershy ran her hoof across the wooden surface, making contact with a brush made of green crystal. Picking it up, Fluttershy noticed an engraving in the crystal. The letters looked Gracian, so she could not read it.
"It says, 'for my dearest love, Fluttershy.'"
She spun around upon hearing Discord's voice. He stood in front of her, looking down at her with solemn eyes.
"I warned you not to wander," he murmured.
"W-What," she stammered, glancing around, "what is all this?"
He held his paw out to his side. "Yours."
She blinked. "But…you said that bed I woke up in…that would be…"
"Yes. But I also figured that even if you accepted my proposal, you would not yet be comfortable with sharing a bed, so I made this room while you were out. It was meant to be an engagement gift."
Holding the brush to her chest, she said, "Y-You…made all of this…for me?"
He nodded. "I…knew you would desire something less…chaotic, so… I incorporated everything I knew about you into this room." He looked away in embarrassment. "This…this is how I feel…whenever you are with me." He held out his finger to allow a butterfly to land on it. "Peaceful, natural, even…a bit harmonious."
He watched as the butterfly flew away. "My only wish is that one day, you could…feel the same way."
As Fluttershy stared at him, she felt her heart beat heavily against the hairbrush. He faced her again, taking one hoof in his paw.
"I mean it, you know?" he said softly. "I would do anything for you."
"Even," Fluttershy murmured, "stop thinking about taking over the mortal world?"
Discord's mouth closed, which caused her to hang her head.
"See? You hesitate."
"Do…you think, though?" he said hopefully. "That one day, you could love me?"
She raised her head. "M-Maybe…one day." She locked gaze with him. "But not today."
He sighed, lifting his claw. "I waited a lifetime for you." Fluttershy closed her eyes as his talons entangled in her hair. "I can wait a little longer."
She opened her eyes. "So…what now?"
His claw stopped moving. "I…recently read a story where…a hideous creature takes a beautiful mare prisoner. As time passes, he dares to fall in love with the sweet thing." Straightening up, he backed away from her. "But he knows he cannot keep her, for every day she becomes more and more miserable. So," he said, hanging his head, "he has to do something…very hard."
Fluttershy stared up at him. "What?"
"Just to be clear," Fili-Second said, "this isn't gonna be a live sacrifice thing, is it?"
Fili-Second stood at the center of a newly-made blood spiral on the floor of the main lounge. Zapp, Mare-velous, Radiance and the Matter-Horn each had a bandage around one front knee.
"This is just to open the portal, Fili," the Matter-Horn said, setting a damp brush inside a bowl containing the mixture of their blood.
"Besides," Zapp said, "despite Discord's lack of mercy, none of the ancient texts say anything about him being interested in live sacrifices."
"If he does try to take ya," Mare-velous said, levitating her rope into view, "we'll stop him."
"Oh, okay," Fili-Second said, her legs shaking. "I guess?"
"Now what do we do?" Radiance asked, massaging her sore leg.
"We join hooves around the spiral," the Matter-Horn said, placing herself at the edge of the bloody pattern, "and I will say the spell."
She sat down and held out her front hooves. Mare-velous took one and Zapp took the other. Radiance took Zapp's hoof while Humdrum took Mare-velous'. They all sat down and closed their eyes.
"This better work," Mare-velous whispered to the alicorn.
"It will," the Matter-Horn said, taking a deep breath. "Almighty Discord, Spirit of…"
Suddenly, there was a crash of lightning and a yelp from Fili-Second. Everyone opened their eyes to see a swirling vortex open right behind Fili-Second.
"Wow, that was fast!" she said, zipping over to her friends.
"But this can't be," the Matter-Horn said in confusion. "I hadn't even started…"
They were all silent as Fluttershy stepped out of the vortex. Once she was out, it closed in around her.
"FLUTTERSHY!" they all cried, rushing to embrace their friend.
"You're okay!" Fili-Second exclaimed.
"We were so worried!" Mare-velous said.
"We thought that monster might have defiled you!" Radiance said, looking Fluttershy over. "But oh my! Where did you get that gorgeous gown?"
"But how?" the Matter-Horn said, pulling away. "I mean it couldn't have been the spell. We'd barely begun it!"
"What happened in there?" Zapp asked.
"He…" Fluttershy said in a tiny voice. "He asked me to marry him."
They all gasped.
"I knew it!" Zapp said. "Daring Do told us about the prophecy."
"Then what happened?" Mare-velous asked.
Fluttershy hung her head. "I said no."
Radiance huffed. "I knew you wouldn't give into that monster so easily."
"Then what happened?" Humdrum asked.
"Did you beat him up?" Fili-Second asked, looking a little too excited.
Fluttershy shook her head. "He let me go."
All were silent.
"It's true," Fluttershy said. "Once I explained that I didn't share his feelings, he opened the portal and let me go."
"Just…like that?" Mare-velous asked.
Nodding, Fluttershy started walking away from them. "Just like that."
They watched her go, unsure of what to say or think.
"Hang on!" Zapp shouted, holding up her bandaged leg. "You mean to tell me that we just gave our blood for nothing?!"
It was Saturday afternoon and Fluttershy still hadn't come out of her room. Worried, Applejack went in to check on her. Fluttershy sat at her window, petting Angel on her lap as she stared wistfully out. Sighing, Applejack slowly approached her.
"Sugar," she said, "I'm sorry I didn't tell ya what I knew about…you and Discord."
"I'm not mad at you, Applejack," Fluttershy said with a shake of her head. "You were just trying to protect me."
Applejack hung her head. "Hell of a lotta good that did." She looked at her roommate. "Look, I know what happened may have been…overwhelmin', but it's been almost a week now. Ya haven't been to work, ya haven't joined us on any of our missions, and ya haven't gone outside."
Fluttershy looked down at the bunny on her lap. "He…he loves me, Applejack." She closed her eyes. "He looked so…sad when he let me go. I know. I saw his eyes. There was no pretending. I…I know he's supposed to be evil, kidnapping me was wrong and he still wants to take over the world, but…I can't help but think that…somewhere deep down, he…"
She trailed off, unsure of how to finish her thought. Applejack laid a hoof on her shoulder.
"Do you love him?"
Fluttershy stopped her petting. "I…care for him, at the very least."
Applejack nodded in understanding. "Ya have the biggest heart I know, Fluttershy. That's…why I waited so long to tell ya. I…was worried ya'd let him out as soon as ya knew ya could."
"It didn't matter if I knew or not. It happened." She opened her eyes. "All because…for once in my life…I accepted myself for who I was."
Wrapping a hoof around her friend's neck, Applejack said, "Ya know, he could've taken away yerr…gift, if ya'd asked him. Why didn't ya?"
Fluttershy gazed out at the cityscape. "For years, I wanted nothing more than to be normal again, to have what was done to me be undone. But…after all I'd been able to do as Saddle Rager, when I…finally had the opportunity to get what I wanted, I realized that…" She turned to Applejack. "I didn't want it anymore."
Grinning, the earth mare hugged her tighter. "Ya can't spend all yerr time in here mopin' about it though. Ya should at least get some air to clear yerr head."
Sighing, Fluttershy said. "You're right." She stood up. "I'll go take Wynona for a walk."
But she soon discovered that not even the fresh air, the flora of the park, or the cheerful panting of the dog whose leash she held could cheer her up. All of it reminded her of the Realm of Chaos, and all the gifts Discord had given her.
I need to stop thinking about him, she told herself. Though it is strange how no one seems to have heard from him over the past few days. I really thought he'd at least be causing mischief. I hope he's not too heartbroken about…
She shook her head. No. It wouldn't have worked out. You were right to say no to him. It's your life, and he should respect that. Besides, it's not as if you were truly in l—
Her thoughts were interrupted when she collided into some pony, causing her to fall and let go of the leash.
"Eep!" she cried, hearing rapid barking. "Wynona!"
Just then, the end of the leash, encased in blue magic, floated in front of her. Looking up, Fluttershy's eyes met a pair of bright red ones. The eyes belonged to a unicorn stallion with a smooth gray coat and a short, but neat, jet black mane. His horn was lit up with the same blue magic that had the leash. Upon squinting, Fluttershy realized the horn was unusually blue too.
"Fear not, milady," the stallion said in a deep, rich voice. "Your hound has been apprehended."
Giving her a warm smile, he held out his hoof. Blushing, Fluttershy took it and allowed him to lift her up.
"She's…not my hound, err, dog," Fluttershy stammered, taking the leash. "She's my roommate's."
"Terribly sorry for colliding into you, Miss," the stallion said sincerely, "but I was so taken in by the wondrous sights, I wasn't looking where I was going."
"No, no, no, the fault was mine," Fluttershy said with a small giggle. "Though I can understand. The park is very beautiful."
He locked gaze with her. "I wasn't referring to the park."
Fluttershy's cheeks flushed pinker as she gazed into those bright red eyes. Something about them felt familiar.
"H-Have…have we met?"
He gently took her hoof. "I think I would remember meeting such a lovely specimen of pony-kind."
He took her by surprise again as he pressed his lips lightly to her hoof. Fluttershy reluctantly glanced at his flank, seeing a cutie mark of a cyclone.
"Perhaps," he said smoothly, lowering her hoof, "I could make up for this incident…over dinner?"
Unable to hide her blush anymore, Fluttershy looked away shyly. "I…don't even know your name."
"My friends call me…Delancey," he said, frowning slightly. "Of course, they would if I had any friends."
"Oh," Fluttershy said, saddened by this confession. "W-Well, D-Delancey," she said, shaking his hoof, "you've made at least…one friend today."
He grinned. "I'm glad to hear that, Miss…"
"F-Fluttershy," she said, brushing a lock of hair out of her face.
"Fluttershy," he said with a sigh. "Such a pretty name." He kissed her hoof again, making her heart skip a beat. "I think we'll get along just swimmingly."
"Twilight?" Spike called, opening the door to his guardian's study.
"What is it, Spike?" Twilight asked, looking up from her desk. "Trouble?"
"No. At least," he said as he closed the door behind him, "it could be trouble."
She leaned forward. "What do you mean?"
Gulping, Spike held his tablet out to her. "You should have a look at this."
Twilight took the tablet with her magic. The screen showed a news story from the Canterlot Times. The headline alone made her eyes widen: Dark Magic-User Granted Early Parole for Good Behavior.
She skimmed through the article, her eyes lingering for several moments on a black-and-white mugshot.
"Should…we be worried?" Spike asked.
"For now?" Twilight said, setting down the tablet. "No."
"But," he said, biting his claw tips nervously, "if she's back, won't she come after you?"
She shook her head as she stood up. "The article says she was let out on good behavior." She made her way over to the bookshelf. "Hopefully, she's put everything behind her."
"And…if she hasn't?"
Her hoof ran along the spine of the book Don't Cry After Sunset. "Then I'll be ready for her."
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Delancey is obviously Discord trying to woo Fluttershy by living as a pony. I honestly hope that works out well.
And even if he has to reveal his true nature in a dramatic moment, it won't make things too bad. He could easily say it as him wanting to create a situation where Fluttershy could get to know the real him where the standings were more equal, without divine pressure. He might even come to realize that the world's enjoyably chaotic enough without him running the place, and have more than enough with just Fluttershy...
...good lord, he's pulling a Megamind.
You just couldn't resist, could you, you glorious bastard!
That was a beautiful end to the Discord arc. Now we see Fluttershy spending time with "Delancey" and it seems like our favorite chaotic creature may eventually earn his happy ending after all.
With that ending scene, it looks like we'll see the Sunset arc soon. I hope that we see Sunset Shimmer start as a bad guy, but Twilight helps her become friends with the Power Ponies. I'm thinking that the title of the arc might be "Don't Cry After Sunset", something related to "phoenix", or something else. I think the title "Golden Hour" could work for a Sunset Shimmer chapter.
Yes! Eeeeeeevil Sunset Shimmer foreshadowing!
Amazing finish to the arc, DF. You're somehow making me love this story more and more with each new chapter.
Also I'm really looking forward to seeing your take on Sunset Shimmer as the Phoenix.
Delancey...I both thank you and curse you. (A quote from Dr Doof.) Also, I'm curious to see what occurs next with Sunset.
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Let's see how long can he fool Fluttershy and the rest of Power Ponies.
Welp, Discord sure's clever. I get Delancey will be appearing again, right?
So Discord is Delancy, as in John Delancy.......clever
Would this Delancey be related to a certain Bernard?
...well, that was a bit anticlimactic, but still. It was probably the best possible way you could have ended this arc.
Though I do have one question. In part 2, Discord said he was "at least in the top 10" when it came to the strongest Gods. Which implies that there are Gods who are stronger than him. And based on Part 1 of this arc, Egyptian Gods exist as well in this universe. So, out of curiosity, who is the strongest God in this story's universe? I'm really interested as to who it is. I hope you answer.
Discord: Incredibly handosme, chaotic genius and master of all disharmony!
I actually do ship this Discord and this Fluttershy. I wanted to both laugh and cringe at 'Delancey' though. Although it could be worse, Fluttershy could have called herself 'Andrea'.
Well I see Discord becoming at least an ally down the road.
So there is bad blood between Spike and Sunset... Interesting. So is the Phoenix arc about a former villain trying to show she's a hero?
Okay, the bit with the romance novels, then just seeing a real couple in the world World was pretty cute, smart, clever✌🏻, and brillent!
So glad you've updated
. Can't wait for the "Phoenix" arc and to see how you incorporate other mlp characters into the story.
So Fluttershy meets Delancey. Interesting. And I get the Megamind reference there. I can't wait to see more of that. "Dark Magic User Granted Early Parole for Good Behavior" So Sunbutt will be released from jail. I can't wait for the reunion.
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Which Sunbutt? There are two with suns on their booties.
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Two-toned bacon hair sunbutt.
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Oh, bacon hair... yeah she's coming soon
“Even Hades have a wife”
Me: *looks at my fanfic* YUP!
Lol! Thanks for crediting me! ^_^ also I love the chapter! Can’t wait for more!
I like how Discord’s pony disguise name is Delancey, after his voice actor. I thought it was a fun easter egg.
Delancey huh I see what you did there.
Oh boy. Time to delve into the dark arts. I'm loving how Twilight has this dark aura around her. Magic always seems to be two sides of a moral coin. I'm wondering what you're pulling from this. If it's Dr. Strange I might actually die, cause then there are a few places we could be going.
Why do I get the feeling that after two or three park-dates or such Fluttershy say something like, "You know what this place needs?" 'Delancey' asks "what?"
Fluttershy answers whispering into his ear, "A little more Discord" 'Delancey' asks "how did you..." And Fluttershy boops his horn... "Oh, right blue horn."
As Discord leaves, Fluttershy stops him and says that she is willing to love him if he would be honest with her. And we get to see the start of FlutterCord in this story.
Now I don't expect Discord to go from Chaotic Evil to Chaotic Good at the drop of a hat, but with Fluttershy's encouragement help him shift into a Chaotic Neutral that is tapping on Chaotic Good.
Dang, and I thought I came up with the best Discord alias that shouts out to John Delancie for my WIP Fluttercord fics! But then, you're the top Fluttercord writer in the entire internet, so I shouldn't be that shocked.
Also, I'm a hopeless addict for "Beauty and the Beast", so having that tie in with Fluttercord...
That's also something I use in my WIP Fluttercord fics. Pretty much had to.
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This is Discord, we can't really understand that which is the embodiment of chaos itself.
Hi DF!^^ I've decided to review your Power Ponies story on Fimfiction for now on instead of on Fanfiction, it'll be quicker and easier for me and you^^ Anyway, to conclude my thoughts for the parts I haven't reviewed yet (Part 2, 3, and 4) and just for this arc overall: this definitely has to be the best arc for this series and the best story you have ever produced for Fluttercord, tied with BOD^^ True, this Fluttercord story is not technically finished yet, but you get what I mean^^ I think the reason why it is pulled off so well is because of how well Discord is written. Using Mxyptlk as your inspiration for this story really shines through and helped with Discord's portrayal and how he interacts with Fluttershy <3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ommQyUJ7qBA (Love this video by the way, so well done^^!)
You strongly established the tone and the pace that Fluttercord relationship goes at, you clearly have both sides getting to know one another and liking each other at a reasonable pace, you have Discord confused about love and not fully understanding but making the effort to learn about it, and you have Fluttershy being honest with her feelings portrayed in a reasonable and understandable way:) And yet, you give them a place where they can grow their relationship and progress by having that whole Delancey the unicorn ending at the endXD OMG I was not expecting that and that has to be the best thing you've ever came up withXD That is just too perfect for words and I'm so glad that you included it in^^ It's funny, the ending of this arc is kinda like coming full circle for you since you started out making fanfiction for Megamind and now you get to come back to Megamind in a sense by having this reference/part of the movie in this arc and for the future of this story<3 Well done and I can't wait to see and review for more of what you have in store:) So sorry that this took so long to get out, and hopefully I'll be more diligent in the future.
This chapter gave me a “bride of discord” vibe. Both touching and heartbreaking
Hey guys? I think that's Discord.
actually didn't aphrodite cheat on hephaestus with ares?
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He didn't say they were PERFECT marriages. At least half the gods (maybe more) have been unfaithful to their spouses.
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it was more of the fact that Hephasestus and Aphrodite was an arranged marriage. Either one loved each other, Aphrodite and Ares loved each other so they would be convidered one of the actual good marriages in greek mythology