Reconnection

by GeekCat

Team Expanded

“Now, hold still, please,” Starlight said, horn glowing brightly with magic. Her magic was all focused around Discord's head, the draconequus giving her an unimpressed look. Thorax was nearby, sniffing at the air around Discord and occasionally flicking his tongue out to gauge his emotions.

Fluttershy tapped her front hooves together, then stood up. “Um…Starlight?” she asked quietly. “Are you sure there's nothing I can do?”

Starlight sighed, closing her eyes and holding her concentration together. “Fluttershy, I know you want these weekly sessions to go well, and you're trying to get things off to a good start, but Thorax and I have got this handled,” she said. “We'll be done soon, anyway…probably.”

Her horn glowed a little brighter, and more magic swirled around her subject's head. Discord snorted. “Oh, there's annoyance,” Thorax said after sniffing the air.

Fluttershy nervously turned to Starlight. “That's not hurting him, is it?”

“No,” Starlight and Thorax both said.

“It might feel a little uncomfortable, or like a tickle, but it shouldn't cause him any pain,” Starlight said, continuing to concentrate on the spell.

“And I can't sense any signs of pain from him,” Thorax supplied. Fluttershy relaxed slightly, sitting back in her chair and watching them work. Starlight's blue magic shimmered around Discord's head, sometimes condensing a little and making flashes of magenta magic strike back.

“Twilight's definitely snuck some defense spells in here,” Starlight said, Thorax quickly jotting down notes. “Those will have to be a priority once I get to the sub-layer they're in.”

“So, it's…controlling him, and fighting back against dangers to itself?” Fluttershy said.

“Pretty much,” Starlight said, retracting her magic. Discord snorted, giving his head a quick shake as though to get rid of water in his ears. Starlight held a couple of instruments up to his head, watching carefully as crystals changed color and gyroscopes spun.

“Not much change since he was last here,” she said with a click of her tongue. “But he's not being as…stubborn, so progress should be faster.”

Thorax sniffed the air. “Ooh, annoyance with a touch of...pride. Sarcasm?”

Starlight sighed, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, since I didn't need to use as much magic today to do the inspection…He should be within safe enough magic levels that I can cast a counterspell.”

“Really!?” Fluttershy said, eyes sparkling. Starlight quickly held up a hoof before she could get too excited.

“Just a very small one, on one of the bridge components,” she said. “It might not even do much besides weaken the two parts it's connecting, but I can at least get it out of the way. …it will require aiming a beam of magic at him.”

Fluttershy shivered, but swallowed and tried to regain her courage. “…only if Discord agrees,” she said. Starlight and Thorax both turned to Discord, waiting for a sign. He slowly locked eyes with Fluttershy, and just as slowly, he nodded.

With a deep breath, Starlight blasted a thin blue beam of light at Discord's head. It quickly disappeared beneath his skin, and he just sat there, eyes wide and mouth open. Thorax sniffed at the air around him, and Discord just kept…sitting there.

Just as Fluttershy was starting to grow worried, he blinked, first one eye, and then the other. He then closed his mouth and both eyes, vigorously shaking his head like a dog trying to shake off water droplets. Once he was done, he lifted his head and looked straight forward. Fluttershy couldn't help but let out a tiny sigh of relief.

Starlight's horn flared as she performed a quick scan before fully retracting her magic. “Alight, it's done,” she said. “The bridge between audi imperium decem and obedire vocatis quatuor is gone. Like I said, it might not do that much, but I don't think I should use more magic on him for a while.”

“That's perfectly fine,” Fluttershy said, standing up. “Thank you so much for all your help, Starlight.”

Starlight laughed and blushed. “Oh, don't worry about it,” she said. “I'm just happy to help. Why don't you two go and enjoy the rest of your day?”

“I think we will,” Fluttershy said, approaching Discord and holding his paw. She gave it a small tug, and he slowly stood up. “Would you two like to join us?”

“Thanks for the invite, but we have a lot to do,” Thorax said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe some other time?”

“Yeah…these books aren't going to organize themselves,” Starlight said. “As much as it seemed Twilight attempted to get them to.” There was a loud crash from deep, deep, deep in the library, and Starlight and Thorax both sighed.

“That would be one of her attempts…we'd better go clean up,” Starlight said. “See you later, Discord, Fluttershy!” And with that, she and Thorax disappeared into the maze of books.

Fluttershy smiled and headed towards the front door, still holding Discord's paw. “How are you feeling?” she asked. He shrugged…but also gave her hoof a gentle squeeze.

She smiled a little. “I know that doing this…isn't very fun. But Starlight's doing her best to help you get better,” she said. “…and since you haven't caused any problems for her, why don't we go out for ice cream?”

His ears perked up, and she giggled. “I take it you like that idea, then?” she said. He gave a tiny nod in response. “Alright. I’m sure there's a nice ice cream place here somewhere…”

After a bit of searching, she spotted a small ice cream shop on the main street. It was clean, with white tile floors and cream-colored walls with colorful lines swirling across it, a chalkboard above the counter with a sizable menu. Just one unicorn, with a cream coat, mane with streaks of white, brown, and pink, and a cutie mark of a bowl of Neapolitan ice cream, was running the shop, but there weren't that many customers.

“They don't seem too busy,” Fluttershy said, pushing the door open. She walked inside, and Discord lowered his head to follow her.

The shop fell silent as soon as they entered. Most ponies' eyes were focused solely and warily on Discord, but a few were staring at Fluttershy, instead. Several even gave them both looks of pity. Her legs quivered, but she swallowed the lump in her throat and headed over to the counter.

She took a seat at one of the stools there, patting the one next to her and encouraging Discord to take a seat as well. He did so, his back still straight and with his arms on the counter in front of him. Eventually, the unicorn mare running the shop approached them, brushing her tri-colored mane away with her magic.

“What can I get for…both of you?” she asked, her gaze briefly flicking toward Discord.

“I'd like a small cup, with one scoop of mint and one of strawberry, please,” Fluttershy said. “What do you want, Discord?”

Discord tilted his head up, staring blankly at the menu. He kept staring, and staring…eventually, the unicorn began to tap her hoof on the ground impatiently. “An order today would be kind of nice…” she said.

“Sorry, just give him a moment,” Fluttershy said, grinning sheepishly.

The unicorn huffed. “Yeah, sure. Not like I have other customers I could be helping,” she said. “No, I'll just wait all day for the braindead…worm-dragon to make his choice.”

Fluttershy narrowed her eyes and sat up straight. “Excuse me!?” she said. “Discord isn't braindead. And he's not some…some worm-thing! He's my friend, and I think you should be a little nicer to him.”

The unicorn rolled her eyes. “Look, I'm just trying to run a shop,” she said. “And if he's not going to order anytime soon—”

“Birthday cake.”

Both Fluttershy and the shop attendant blinked, turning to look at Discord. His gaze had turned from the menu to the unicorn, and he was still staring at her. “…what, sorry?” the unicorn said.

“Birthday cake ice cream,” Discord said. Fluttershy tapped his shoulder, and a few moments later, he added, “Please.”

“Uh…okay,” the unicorn said. “What size?”

A minute or so of silence passed, and it seemed like Discord wasn't going to answer this question. The shop attendant seemed to be getting impatient, so Fluttershy said, “The same size as mine, please.” Once the unicorn had nodded and turned away to work on their ice cream, she leaned over to Discord and whispered, “Sorry…if you want more, I can fix you some bowls at home.”

He slowly nodded. A few moments later, the unicorn came back, placing two plastic cups in front of them with two scoops of ice cream in each. “Here," she said. “Pay up front before you leave.” Her eyes flicked back to Discord. “Don't do anything to spook off my customers.”

Fluttershy started to feel peeved again, but before she could say anything, the unicorn left. And so, with a miffed sigh, she grabbed her spoon and started to eat.

The ice cream was delicious, and…she glanced over at Discord. He was slowly scooping spoonfuls into his mouth, licking his lips every so often and seeming pleased with his sweet treat. But as nice as this ice cream was…she didn't think she'd be coming back to this shop anytime soon. With or without Discord.

They both finished their ice cream after some time, Fluttershy doing her best to ignore the occasional whisper, or the odd looks that burned at her back. As usual, Discord seemed to shrug it all off. They both tossed their cups into the recycling, and Fluttershy paid the shop attendant the exact amount of bits for their ice cream.

She turned and left with Discord right behind her, the whispers growing in intensity as they left…and probably expanding to talking and gossiping as soon as they were out of earshot. She sighed at the thought, her ears lowering.

“Shy?” Discord said, sounding…concerned. She glanced up, and for a split second, even his expression was concerned, and not just neutral.

She did her best to give him a reassuring smile. “I'm fine, you don't have to worry,” she said. “I'm just…a little tired, that's all.” His expression was stiff, but she swore for a second that she saw a flash of worry in his eyes.

“I just need to take a little time to rest at home, that's all,” she assured. “And…maybe on my next market trip, I could pick up some ice cream. So we can enjoy cold desserts at home.” And so you don't have to be shared at and whispered about like you're some kind of exhibit gone wrong…

He blinked, licking his lips. “Sounds…tasty,” he said. She smiled, and they strolled all the way back to her cottage. She took a more scenic route with views of parks and rivers, which at the same time led them away from the busiest of the streets…

---

The next day seemed to be ordinary in almost every way. She fixed Discord pancakes for breakfast, with a few eggs mixed into the batter to make them thick and rich in protein, and chocolate chips to make them sweeter. After that, she fed and tended to all of the animals, with Discord even able to give her a helping hand every so often.

Once her morning chores were done, she stretched out her wings and laid on the couch, Discord sitting right beside her. “There's a couple of hours left before lunchtime,” she said, glancing at the nearest clock. “What do you want to do in the meantime, Discord?”

He tilted his head, pondering over the question. Before he had a chance to respond, though, there was a knock at the front door. “Hmm, I wasn't expecting anyone today,” she said, hopping off of the couch. “I'll see who it is.”

Discord gave a short nod. She quickly reached the door and opened it, ready to greet whoever was there…but when she saw who it was, her mouth clicked shut, and mixed emotions swirled in her, almost making her sick with anxiety. “Oh. Rainbow.”

“Heeey, Fluttershy,” Rainbow said with a nervous grin. “Is it, um…cool if I came in for a bit?”

Fluttershy swallowed, taking a deep breath. “If it's quite alright, I'd…I'd rather talk outside.” She couldn't help but glance over her shoulder, back at Discord.

“Right, that…makes sense, I guess,” Rainbow said with a nod. They both stood in awkward silence for a few moments, while Rainbow took a few deep breaths and gathered up the courage to speak.

“Look, Fluttershy…” Rainbow said, scuffing a hoof against the ground. Fluttershy just raised an eyebrow and waited for her to finish. “…I'm really sorry,” she said, ears drooping. “I didn't mean for Discord to get hurt.”

Fluttershy blinked. She felt torn. On the one hoof, the apology made her anger and hurt start to melt away. On the other, what she had done seemed very hard to forgive, and… “I'm not the only one you should be apologizing to,” she said.

Rainbow chuckled humorlessly. “Right…could I…could I talk to him? To say sorry?”

Fluttershy's first instinct was to say ‘no', to tell Rainbow she needed more time to consider it. But Rainbow was clearly remorseful and willing to apologize to the creature who needed it… “Alright,” she finally said, stepping aside and opening the door a little wider. “Come in.”

Rainbow stepped inside, following Fluttershy to the living room. Discord lifted his head, and briefly narrowed his eyes at Rainbow before his face slid into a neutral expression. “Discord?” Fluttershy said, taking a seat on the couch next to him. “Rainbow has something important she wants to say to you.”

Discord stared at the pegasus, gaze seeming to pin her to the floor. Rainbow swallowed and scuffed a hoof against the carpet, looking down. “Look, uh…Discord,” she said. “…I'm sorry I ended up hurting you. I really thought that I could help you with that command. …I should have trusted Fluttershy, and shouldn't have…thought of you as a means to an end.”

After a few long moments, Discord slowly nodded. “It's…not okay,” he managed to say. “But…thanks.”

“Not okay?” Rainbow said, glancing up.

“…the whole experience was painful for Discord,” Fluttershy said. “Rainbow, we both really appreciate your apology, and I know you really meant well with your actions, but getting past what happened? …it's going to take some time.” Discord nodded in agreement.

“Yeah…fair enough,” Rainbow said, scuffing a hoof against the ground. “If it helps, I…I did bring something for him.” She reached into her saddlebag with a wing, and after a bit of rummaging, pulled out a stoppered glass bottle, filled to the brim with a rainbow-colored liquid that almost seemed to glow.

She handed it to Discord, and Fluttershy realized that it wasn't just rainbow-colored, but actual liquid rainbow. “…how did you get that?” she asked, while Discord took the bottle and examined it.

“Factory made a surplus and decided to sell some for personal use,” Rainbow said. “I didn't have much use for it, but I thought Discord might like it.” She smirked. “After all, I know he likes extreme and chaotic foods, and liquid rainbow is some of the spiciest stuff in Equestria…”

One of Discord's ears perked up, and he pulled out the stopper. “Uh, I'd be careful with that stuff,” Rainbow said, “I wasn't kidding when I said it was—”

But it was too late. Discord had already opened his mouth and poured a dollop of the liquid onto his tongue. He closed his mouth and swallowed loudly, smacking his lips…and his eyes slowly began to widen.

He coughed once, smoke pouring out of his mouth. Twice, and more smoke. He kept coughing, and Fluttershy leaned over, thumping his back with a hoof while using her wing to try to carefully remove the bottle from his tightening grip. Unfortunately, he was stubbornly holding onto it.

After a few moments, he raised his head, coughed…and then breathed a thick stream of rainbow-colored fire up toward the ceiling. The flame lasted a few moments, burning brightly but thankfully not setting anything ablaze. Just as quickly as he started breathing fire, he stopped and looked back at Rainbow. He looked pleased.

“—extremely spicy,” Rainbow said, her eyes wide as she finished her late warning. “Okay…wow. I don't think I've seen anyone have a reaction to the stuff like that.”

Discord licked his lips, eyes flicking back down to the bottle. “You'd better not be thinking of drinking the whole thing right now, mister,” Fluttershy said. “If that was your reaction to one drink…I don't want you to end up getting hurt.”

He blinked, looking almost guilty for a moment, then held the bottle out to her. “I'll put it somewhere for you to enjoy it later…in small doses,” she said taking it with her wing. “Would the fridge work?”

“Yeah, that'll keep it fresh without making it lose spiciness,” Rainbow said with a nod. “Kind of like salsa.”

Fluttershy nodded and carefully set the liquid rainbow in the door of her fridge, right next to the other sauces. She quickly went back into the living room, relaxing a bit once she saw Rainbow was just hovering in the air, rambling to Discord about one of her favorite stunts.

“…and then, just after they skim right over the water, they all fly in a circle and send out the droplets in each direction!” she said. “It's tricky to pull off, but the Wonderbolts always manage to do it, and the arena is just filled with thousands of sparkles from where the sunlight hits the droplets.”

Discord slowly blinked. “…interesting.”

“I know, right!?” Rainbow said. “But it's so much cooler seeing it for yourself. If you don't mind going with me, I can hook you up with some tickets to one of their shows.”

He tilted his head, seeming to consider it. After a few moments, he just shrugged. Rainbow paused and turned to Fluttershy for assistance.

“I think he just needs a little more time to think about it,” she translated. “Right, Discord?” He gave a small nod in response.

“…alright,” Rainbow said. “I should actually get flying to take care of the weather, but just let me know if you want those tickets! Or if either of you need anything from me!” Fluttershy and Discord both nodded, and Rainbow flapped her wings, zipping out Fluttershy's front door in a rainbow blur.

Fluttershy smiled and closed the door behind her, pausing for a few moments to watch her…her friend fly off into the distance. “Well…it was nice of her to come and apologize,” she said, heading back into the living room. “What do you think?”

Discord blinked and gave a slow nod. She smiled and took a seat on the couch next to him. “So…I could make some rice for lunch, if you want to put that liquid rainbow on it,” she said. Discord's forked tongue poked out for just a second to lick his lips. “But until lunchtime comes, want would you like to do?”

He tilted his head, considering it. He slowly turned and looked out the window, where the sun was shining and puddles from last night's rain were scattered across the ground. “…outside,” he said.

“Some time spent outside does sound lovely,” she said, heading over to the front door. Discord was right behind her, looming impatiently as she slipped her rainboots on before opening it.

As soon as the door was open, his wings flared out, and he hovered into the air, twirling in a few loops before his body seemed to try to go back to its neutral position. The end result looked…a little silly, as his stiff body was held aloft by his wings, pulling a small part of his torso away from the rest of his back in a small curve.

Fluttershy chuckled a little, then hovered next to him, rubbing at his shoulder muscles to try and get them to relax. They did so, his body becoming a little less tense and looking more natural flying. “Want to go to the pond?” she asked. He smiled, beating his wings and already heading off in that direction, his body twisting and twirling.

She smiled, flying just behind him. Rainbow's apology made her feel lighter somehow…like a weight had been taken off of her chest.

---

Fluttershy sat in the corner of Rarity's Carousel Boutique, watching Rarity take Discord's measurements but also trying not to stare too much. Rarity had asked them earlier that day to come by whenever they were available, and as soon as they had arrived, Discord had been ushered onto a platform, a measuring tape already being wrapped around his waist.

“And…done!” Rarity said, jotting down the final measurement she had taken. “You can sit down now, darling. Or…go look at the clearance bin, or…whatever you'd like.”

Discord blinked, then slowly stepped off the platform and walked towards Rarity's “clearance bin", a couple of old cardboard boxes filled with hats and simple garments that had never been sold. Rarity tucked her measuring tape away and headed over to her sewing machine, next to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy stood up as she approached. “So, uh, Rarity,” she said. “What made you invite us and…start taking Discord's measurements?” It had been a long time since Rarity had invited her over, but she left those words unsaid.

Still, Rarity hung her head as she tucked Discord's measurements away in a file. “I’ve…been thinking about a few things for a while.”

Fluttershy tilted her head, so she began to elaborate. “Darling…what you said to Twilight when we were in her cell was more right than you think,” Rarity said. Fluttershy scuffed a hoof on the ground, not exactly comfortable with the memories of that day. “What you were doing was better than just not giving him any chance at all.”

She sighed and looked away. “But Twilight wasn't the only one who gave up on him…all of us did. You were far braver and kinder than any of us.”

Fluttershy blinked, raising her head. “It's…it’s not your fault,” she mumbled quietly. “Twilight was…really scary after she did that to Discord.”

“Yes, but you still helped him,” Rarity pointed out. “And the rest of us don't really have an excuse for not helping you after she was arrested.”

“I…” Fluttershy was about to say something before she glanced away. Maybe it was bitter, but she couldn't refute Rarity's words. She had been the one to take care of Discord, and the only other one who offered to help in months ended up hurting him.

“You don't have to try and be nice and sugarcoat it to spare my feelings," Rarity said, setting her glasses aside with a sigh. “Even if I had mixed feelings about Discord…I should have helped him because you believe in him so much.”

“So!” she declared. “From this day on, I'm determined to help both of you, in a way only Rarity can!” She grabbed a nearby notepad with her magic, holding it out to Fluttershy. “What do you think of this?”

Fluttershy's eyes skimmed over it. It was a drawing of a featureless draconequus. The most detailed part of the drawing was the outfit they wore—a suit-dress combo. Their upper half was covered by a tuxedo, Rarity's notes saying it should be dark blue and inlaid with tiny diamonds, while a pink, flowing skirt trailed on their lower half.

“I think he'd look great in this,” she said with a smile. “But you should ask Discord what he thinks.” She offered the notepad back to Rarity.

“Right…right, of course, darling,” she said, taking her design back. She swallowed and glanced over at the draconequus. “…you think he'll…respond to me?”

“I hope that he will,” Fluttershy said. “But you have to at least give him a chance, Rarity. Please.”

Rarity hesitated for a moment, looking down at her drawing. Then, she looked back up at Fluttershy, giving her a small nod. She turned and headed over to where Discord sat, still looking at the clearance bin, occasionally picking up a hat to inspect it before tossing it back inside.

Fluttershy sat back and watched as Rarity cleared her throat, gaining his attention. As he glanced up, Rarity held the design out to him, causally explaining her vision to him. As she spoke, his eyes scanned over the drawing…and to Fluttershy's delight, she saw his eyes gleam for a moment, a smile flickering across his muzzle.

He glanced back up at Rarity and gave a small nod of approval. Rarity beamed, giving off a trademark giggle as she trotted back over to Fluttershy. “He liked it!” she announced happily. “Oh, this will be exciting…one of my most unique creations yet! And he'll look absolutely splendid in it, I can promise you that.”

“He looks good in everything,” Fluttershy said. Almost as soon as the word had left her lips, her face turned bright red, and she covered her mouth as she looked at Rarity. Fortunately, Rarity was setting her notepad aside at the moment, and her voice had been quiet enough that she hadn't reacted to her words yet.

Her ears flicked, and she turned back to Fluttershy. “Did you say something?”

Fluttershy swallowed. “I…just thanking you for doing something like this,” she said. “I'm sure it'll look amazing on Discord.”

Rarity paused, looking almost suspiciously at her blushing face. “Trust me, it's no trouble at all, darling,” she said. “Besides…I should have done this a long time ago. Or…done anything, really.”

Fluttershy frowned, scuffing at the ground with her hoof. “…at least you're helping now?”

Rarity's smile was a bit unsure, and fairly strained. She set her design right next to her sewing machine, levitating a few fabrics and sequins over to her workstation. “It's going to take a while before his order is complete,” she said. “I'll get started right away, of course, but…before that, would you like to spend a little more time together?”

“I'd love that,” Fluttershy said. How long had it been since she and Rarity stopped spending time together? Even before Twilight was arrested, their visits became more and more infrequent as she put more of her time into trying to help Discord…

Rarity beamed, folding up the fabrics and placing them in a neat pile next to her sketch. “Why don't we go to the spa like we used to?” she suggested. “But with a third member this time.” She turned to Discord and gave a small smile and nod.

“Oh, that sounds lovely,” Fluttershy said. “What do you think, Discord?”

Discord blinked, his brows briefly furrowing together. “The spa sounds…relaxing.”

“…is that a ‘yes', darling?” Rarity asked. After a few more moments, and another blink, Discord gave a small nod.

Fluttershy beamed, taking his claw. “Oh, I'm sure you'll love it, Discord!” she said. “It'll be just like when we had mud masks and hoofbaths during that one sleepover, but better, and with more things! And of course, if you ever feel uncomfortable with anything, just say so.”

“That's right!” Rarity said. “And since you're a first-time customer, Aloe and Lotus will ask exactly how you prefer everything. Oh, but you must give their horn filings a try, they're simply divine!”

The three of them headed out of the boutique and towards the spa. For a brief moment, Fluttershy swore she saw a warm smile on Discord's muzzle, and her heart felt lighter.

---

Fluttershy peered into the living room and giggled. Discord was sprawled across her couch, lying on his back with his hands on his stomach, cucumber slices covering his eyes. He had thoroughly enjoyed the spa yesterday, and had spent most of his morning relaxing.

“Many we should make those spa trips with Rarity a more frequent thing?” she suggested, sitting in the chair near him.

“Mhmm,” he said, wriggling his dragon claws, each of which had been painted a slightly different shade of red (the hot pink one standing out like a beacon). Fluttershy smiled and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes. The spa had also drained her of her tension…perhaps the two of them should just spend a day resting. Maybe with a nice cup of relaxing herbal tea later…

There was a knock on her front door, and her ears twitched. Her eyes opened, and she slowly got up. She hadn't been expecting anyone today…and it had been months since she had so many unexpected victors in a single week. Ever since she officially took in Discord, it seemed the number of unexpected visits slowly dwindled to once or twice a month, if that.

Not that she minded, or really thought about it much, but…were ponies avoiding her cottage to avoid Discord? Whoever was at the door knocked in a pattern, and she quickly shook her head, pushing away the sad thought as she stepped forward to open the door.

“Hi, Fluttershy!” Pinkie said cheerfully as soon as the door was open. A large covered plate was in her forehooves. “I came to see Discord…is he inside?”

“Oh…oh, yes!” Fluttershy said, blinking a bit in surprise. She glanced at the covered plate. “Are those for him?”

Pinkie nodded, whipping off the cover with a flourish. “I brought some cupcakes!” Pinkie said, holding out the large platter, which was stuffed to the brim with colorful pastries. “I didn't know what he liked, so I made a little bit of everything!”

“Oh…thank you, Pinkie,” Fluttershy said with a bright smile, opening the door and letting her inside. Pinkie set the platter on top of her mane and bounced in. “I'm sure Discord will love them…he has a pretty big sweet tooth.”

“I thought so!” Pinkie said, tilting her head enough that the platter slid perfectly onto the table. “Cotton candy clouds with chocolate milk rain…I still have dreams about it.” She licked her lips.

Fluttershy giggled. “I'm sure Discord would love to hear that someone loved his chaos…and still loves it.” She glanced back at the living room, but to her delighted surprise, he was already standing in the kitchen doorway, sniffing at the air.

“Hi, Discord!” Pinkie said as soon as she spotted him, waving energetically. “Great to see you! Wanna cupcake?” She held two out to him, one chocolate and one lemon zest.

Discord's eyes slowly focused on the cupcakes, and he quickly licked his lips. “I'll take that as a yes!” Pinkie said, placing the cupcakes on the edge of the table closest to him. Fluttershy set in the seat next to it, while Pinkie sat at the other end of the table.

The room was silent for a minute or two, Discord staring at the treats without moving. Fluttershy glanced over at Pinkie, and saw that she was fidgeting impatiently, a wide grin on her face. But still, even as she started to shake with anticipation, she remained silent, watching Discord and waiting for him to make his move.

More time passed. Fluttershy could occasionally see a muscle twitch on Discord's arm, or on his face. But after quite a few twitches, he took several jerky steps to reach the table, sat in his chair, and shoved the chocolate cupcake into his mouth. With a groan, perhaps of satisfaction or effort, he took a bite and began to chew. His eyes slid closed, and there was chocolate frosting smeared over his cheek.

“Like it?” Pinkie asked.

“Mhmm,” he said with a nod, swallowing and taking another bite.

Fluttershy smiled as she watched him. “You can have some too, Fluttershy!” Pinkie said. “I brought enough for both of you to enjoy.”

“Oh…thank you, Pinkie,” Fluttershy said, selecting a carrot cupcake with buttercream frosting. Satisfied that both of them had something to eat, Pinkie grabbed a vanilla cupcake with rainbow sprinkles and started to eat.

The room was quiet for a few moments, filled only with the sounds of chewing (and Discord and Pinkie licking the frosting off their fingers and hooves). “So…what brings you here, Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked.

Her pink friend's ears perked up. “Oh, that's right!” she said. “I actually overheard a few ponies in Sugarcube Corner saying meanie-pants things about Discord.”

“You did…?” Fluttershy said quietly, ears drooping.

“Yeah, but I went over and told them it wasn't nice to say things about a really nice kinda-pony not-pony!” Pinkie said. “But then I thought, It must hurt Fluttershy and Discord to hear things like that. And then I thought, what's the best way to cheer Discord up and let the town really get to know him?”

“…a party?” Fluttershy guessed.

“A party!” Pinkie confirmed. She shoved the rest of her cupcake into her mouth, quickly chewing and swallowing, then reached into her mane before pulling out a manilla folder with Discord's face drawn on the tab. “I realized that I never actually threw a ‘Welcome to Ponyville' party for Discord! Because both of the times he came to Ponyville…didn't end well…” For a moment, her ears drooped sadly.

But she quickly shook it off. “Anyway, I just need a little bit of information to make this the best party ever!” she said. “Fluttershy, you know Discord better than anyone, so you can help, too!”

“I'd be happy to,” Fluttershy said with a nod.

Pinkie smiled, then coughed up a pen and opened her folder. “Alright, first question⁠—what's your favorite kind of cake?”

Discord was silent for a few moments, then made a sweeping gesture towards the cupcake platter. “He likes anything sweet, really,” Fluttershy translated. Pinkie jotted that down in her file, then looked up and asked her next question.

They spent the next hour going through her list of questions. Discord himself was able to answer most of them, or at least express enough that Fluttershy was able to translate what he meant to Pinkie. All three of them kept nibbling on cupcakes, while Pinkie's folder was filled with more and more information.

“Alright, that’s everything I need to know for the welcome party!” Pinkie said, flipping back to the front page of her folder. “Now, I just need one more teensy-weensy answer to really make sure I can fully welcome you to Ponyville.”

Discord tilted his head slightly. “When's your birthday?” Pinkie asked.

Discord's eyes slowly widened, until he blinked and they fogged up again. He grabbed another cupcake and began munching on it instead of answering.

Pinkie made a plaintive whimper, then turned worriedly to Fluttershy. “You…you can translate that, right?” she asked.

“I…don't actually know when Discord's birthday is,” Fluttershy admitted, glancing at the draconequus as he ate his cupcake from the bottom. “We've never talked about it.”

“What!? But…” Pinkie turned to look at Discord, almost pleading. “…Cordy, you know when your birthday is. Right?”

Discord froze, with a gob of frosting on his lips and in his hand. “…birthday?”

“Yeah!” Pinkie said. “The day you were born? The day every year when all your friends and family come together to celebrate and make you your favorite food and play games and give you presents?”

Discord's brow just furrowed in confusion. “…you don't know when your birthday is?” Pinkie said, her ears and mane sadly drooping. She turned to Fluttershy. “That must be the spell messing with him, right? Preventing him from thinking of fun, happy memories?”

“I…don't know about that,” Fluttershy said, biting her lip. “I mean, I don’t know anything about what his life was like before he met us…or if he really had a family, even…”

Pinkie grew even more upset, and after taking a few deep, gasping breaths, she reached into her mane and threw a calendar onto the table. “Everyone deserves to have a birthday!” she said, almost pleading. “We…we have to find some day that's special to him! A day we can celebrate with him every year and make good memories!”

Fluttershy glanced at Discord. His face still seemed neutral, but…Pinkie's words swayed her. Didn't he deserve a chance to celebrate being alive…being Discord? “…I'll help,” she declared, shifting over to look at the calendar alongside Pinkie. Pinkie smiled a little at her, and they got to work.

But no matter how much they flipped through it, none of the dates felt…good. Both the first time he escaped his stone prison and the day she tried to become his friend left sour tastes in their mouths, so they weren't ideal. Pinkie suggested the day Discord started getting better, but Fluttershy could only shrug. There were several days where he made little bits of progress, or large steps forward, so it was next to impossible to pick out one ‘main' one.

After an hour or so of consideration, a silly, crazy idea entered Fluttershy's mind. “This…might be very silly,” she said, catching Pinkie's attention.

Pinkie’s eyes lit up, and she leaned forward. “Go on.”

“I just thought that…well, maybe…” Fluttershy said. “Maybe I could…share my birthday with Discord. We could have two separate parties, or we could share a party, but either way, I wouldn't mind sharing the day with him.

Pinkie's eyes lit up even more, a wide smile spreading across her face. “That is the best. Idea. Ever!” she declared, her mane reinflating to all of its bouncy glory. “I can throw you both an individual party, or you can share one, but either way I'll make you both separate cakes and I can get you both presents…” As she rambled and planned, she quickly jotted the date in Discord's folder.

Fluttershy glanced over at Discord. The barest ghost of a smile was on his muzzle, but his eyes were bright, and seemed happy. She grinned and leaned over to wipe a smear of frosting off of his nose. “You missed some,” she said with a chuckle.

He blinked, glanced between her face and the hoof that held frosting…then tilted his head and swiped the frosting off of her hooftip with his tongue.

“Okay, that was everything I needed!” Pinkie said cheerfully, looking up as she closed Discord's file. Thankfully, she either didn't notice or didn't comment on Fluttershy's flustered expression. “Thanks again, Discord, Fluttershy! I'm going to make sure that Discord gets the best ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party ever!”

“T-Thanks, Pinkie,” Fluttershy managed to spit out. Pinkie just beamed, tucking the folder back into her mane.

“The rest of the cupcakes are all yours!” Pinkie said. “I'd really love to stay, but I have to go back to the shop.”

“I understand.” Fluttershy stood up and opened the door for her. “Thank you so much, Pinkie. I think that Discord will really love one of your parties.”

Pinkie's smile grew even wider, and she gave Fluttershy a quick hug before heading out the door. Even as she headed down the path, she paused and turned around to vigorously wave goodbye to the two of them. Fluttershy smiled and waved back, slowly closing the door.

A smile was on her lips as she went back into the kitchen. She caught Discord in the middle of eating his cupcake frosting-first, white frosting and raspberry preserve coating his muzzle and hands. A giggle escaped her, and she went to the sink to grab a damp washcloth.

“I'm glad you love her cupcakes,” she said. “But please don't eat too many? I'd hate for you to spoil your appetite for lunch and dinner.”

He licked more frosting off of the cupcake. “…what is it?”

She sat down next to him, placing the damp washcloth next to the platter. “Well, is there anything you’d really like for lunch?” A glance at the clock told her that noon was approaching…

After a short moment of thought, his eyes flicked downward, staring at the cupcakes. As soon as she interpreted his meaning, she smiled. “I suppose we could eat those,” she said. “I'll grab some oranges so that you at least have a fruit, too.”

He took another bite of his cupcake, pointing at the raspberry preserve that seeped out. “…okay, so you are getting some fruit,” she relented. “But I don't think every cupcake of Pinkies is going to have that.”

She headed to the fridge, opening it and pulling out a small orange for each of them. Discord accepted his with a quick roll of his eyes and started to nibble on it without bothering to peel it. She smiled, carefully peeling hers and pulling apart the slices, popping them into her mouth one by one.

---

Fluttershy was out in town, buying things at the market by herself. She had asked Discord if he was interested in coming, but he had shaken his head, seeming much more interested in the books Starlight had recommended to him from the library.

While she was debating how many cherries she should get, she spotted one of her friends out of the corner of her eye. “Hello, Applejack!” she said cheerfully, turning and waving.

“Howdy, Fluttershy,” Applejack said in turn. Her saddlebags were full of flour, sugar, and other baking ingredients. She glanced away and scuffed her hoof against the ground before speaking again. “So, I heard all the others have been…pitching in to help out Discord.”

“Yes, they have,” Fluttershy said with a warm smile. “Isn't it wonderful?”

Applejack sighed, but nodded in agreement. “Look…Fluttershy?” she said. “Do you really think that…that he can get better?”

Fluttershy's stomach went cold. Most ponies gave her doubting looks, and Twilight had insisted she could do nothing, but she couldn't remember the last time someone had genuinely asked if he had a chance.

“I…I…I do,” she said, steeling her resolve. “He has been getting better, bit by bit, and Starlight's carefully pulling the spell apart, and…and the others have been becoming good friends with him…”

“I heard,” Applejack said with another nod. “…I wish I could help, but…I honestly don't know if I could try to be friends with him.” She made a face that wasn't quite a scowl. “Even if I had forgotten what he did…I can't think of a single thing we could bond over.”

“Are you sure you couldn't at least try?” Fluttershy said. “Just…at least give him a chance, Applejack. You don't have to become best friends, or even close ones, but could you at least try a little? For me?”

Applejack paused, staring at Fluttershy for a long time before sighing. “Well…alright,” she said. “I'll give him one chance. One. If you're both free tonight, feel free to swing by the farm for dinner.”

Fluttershy made a happy squee sound, her ears perking up. “Yes, we're both free tonight! Thank you, Applejack!”

“…you're welcome,” Applejack said with a slightly nervous smile.

“I'm going to finish my shopping so I can go home and tell Discord!” Fluttershy said. “Thank you so much!” Applejack just nodded, her expression neutral if not nervous.

Fluttershy didn't let that dampen her mood, though, quickly heading off into the market and buying the goods she needed. Maybe she'd throw a little something together to bring to the farm as a thank-you to Applejack. And of course, she needed to let Discord know right away! He'd probably love an evening spent out of the cottage, eating the delicious food the Apple family always made…

---

The evening seemed to come quickly to Fluttershy. She was walking towards the Apple family home with a loaf of zucchini bread on her back, Discord by her side. Discord's expression was neutral and his stride robotic, but she still saw him sniffing at the air, a bit of drool dripping from his lips.

She took a deep breath herself. The air here was so fresh and filled with the aroma of apples, and she could smell fresh baking from the farmhouse. Honestly, she was pretty close to drooling herself, and she started walking a little bit faster.

Once she made it to the door, she raised a hoof and knocked. It only took a few moments before Applejack came and opened it. “Fluttershy! And…Discord,” she greeted. “You made it just in time. We're just about ready to plate out the food.”

“Oh, I hope you weren't waiting up for us,” Fluttershy said, stepping inside and offering her bread to Applejack. Discord stepped forward…and his horns hit the door frame, and he was forced to stop. His brow furrowed, and he took a step back and tried to walk through again. The frame was still as solid as ever.

He huffed with irritation, stepping forward again—but this time, ducking his head so he could pass through the door. Once he was inside, he rose to his full height, his horns nearly scraping against the ceiling.

Applejack glanced between the two of them. “Well, uh, the kitchen is this way,” she said, taking the bread and guiding them. “Hope both of you are hungry.” Fluttershy nodded, while Discord's expression remained neutral. Still, he remembered to duck his head before entering the kitchen.

Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Applebloom were already sitting at the table, and glanced up when they entered. Applejack took her place at the table, setting the bread next to a plate of apple fritter flapjacks, and Fluttershy took one of the two empty seats. Discord…stood there, sniffing at the air.

The Apple family looked at him with concern, and Fluttershy’s smile tightened as she patted the empty seat next to her. Seconds ticked by until he finally blinked and sat down.

Applejack coughed. “So, we're all here, so let's dig in, shall we?” she said. Everyone began to pile food onto their plates—even Discord, after taking a few moments to watch the movements of everyone else.

The five ponies at the table ate in silence, each occasionally eyeing Discord with some mixture of curiosity and worry. The draconequus was slowly picking at his food, but what he did eat, he seemed to enjoy.

A few minutes passed, and Applebloom set down her fork and knife, leaning forward. “…you're the Spirit of Chaos, right?” she asked. “The one who took over Equestria?”

Fluttershy flinched, fork slipping out of her hoof and clattering onto the plate. Discord didn't react, aside from pausing with his fork in midair. Granny Smith began to sit a little more upright, sensing a growing tension around the table.

“Applebloom,” Applejack said in a warning tone.

“What!?” Applebloom said. “We're talking about him in school! I was just wanting some help with my homework, that's all!”

Applejack raised an eyebrow, giving her a stern look. Applebloom gulped. “…and I may have been curious about what exactly his magic can do…” she muttered.

Discord's fork slipped between his fingers and clattered onto the plate. Fluttershy's head whipped towards him, her eyes filled with worry. His eyes had glazed over, and his hand was shaking…but then he blinked, and seemed to go back to normal.

“…lake…” he muttered under his breath. He then shivered slightly, blinked again, and raised his head.

“…my memory is pretty fuzzy,” he said. “So, I don't know how much…help I can offer with homework.”

“And he uses magic for himself and what he wants, not just for others,” Fluttershy quickly added. Ideally, anyway.

“But what kinds of things can he do with his magic?” Applebloom asked. “I just need a couple of examples to finish my report, that's all!”

“Now, Applebloom!” Granny Smith said. “You should know better than to bother guests. I'm sure that he'd rather eat than yap about himself.”

Fluttershy glanced over at Discord out of the corner of her eye. He slowly took a large bite of flapjacks, raised his fingers…and snapped. Applebloom's pink bow turned neon green and started to glow. She looked up at it as best she could and gasped.

“Oh, wow!” she said. “I don't think anyone has examples like this in their report!” She started to get up, but some stern coughs from Applejack and Granny Smith made her sit back down and continue eating.

Discord smiled and kept eating. Fluttershy took a few bites of bread before breaking the silence with, “So…Applebloom. Has school been going well for you, then?”

Applebloom latched onto the icebreaker and began to chatter about what they were learning in school. The conversation only picked up from there, with Applejack and Granny Smith talking about how the farm was doing once Applebloom had said her piece.

Discord even joined in by asking a few questions, Fluttershy noted with pride. And his appetite was good tonight, as well, with him helping himself to some second servings. He even helped by putting his dish in the sink when supper was done.

Maybe it was odd to be proud he had done so by giving it soap-bubble wings that popped when it landed, but she couldn't help but be so.

Big Mac cleared his throat just as Fluttershy was standing up. “Ah wanted to wait until after supper for this,” he said, tapping his forehooves on the table. “Ah wasn't expecting guests. But, well…ah got a pretty important package today.”

The other members of the Apple Family grinned widely, while Fluttershy looked on with slight confusion. Big Mac headed over to the door and grabbed a small wooden crate next to it, setting it on the table. There was an insignia stamped on top, which Fluttershy had to study for a few moments before recognizing it.

“Is that from the Crystal Empire?” she asked. Big Mac beamed and nodded. Everyone gathered around, excited to see what had been sent to him.

He excitedly opened the box and reached inside, pulling out a large crystal orb on a gold stand. Discord's eyes widened at the sight of it, a glimmer in his pupils. “…feels like magic,” he said as Big Mac looked over it with awe.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said with a nod. “From Spike. So that…we can still have Guy's Nights.”

Though he spent another moment looking fondly at the orb, his gaze flicked over to Fluttershy, then to Discord. “…Discord, Fluttershy,” he said. “Would you want to stay for the game?”

Discord looked intrigued. Fluttershy asked, “I don't think I'll play, but would you mind if I stayed for a moment to talk to Spike?” Big Mac shook his head.

“Aww, how come I can't play?” Applebloom said, pouting and giving puppy dog eyes to her older brother.

Though he almost melted under that look, Applejack remained stern. “Because you have school tomorrow, and shouldn't be staying up so late,” she said. “Speaking of which…don't you have homework to finish?”

Applebloom's pout intensified, but a look from Applejack was enough to convince her to head upstairs. Granny Smith yawned loudly and headed towards her own room, bidding them goodnight, while Fluttershy and Discord followed Big Mac, who carefully carried the orb into his room.

Once there, he set it at the center of his desk. He then tapped it with his hoof once, whispering something under his breath that Fluttershy couldn't catch, but made Discord shiver slightly. The orb glowed with a soft blue light…and an image slowly began to form.

Two faces appeared in the crystal—Spike and Shining Armor. It hadn't been that long since she had last seen Spike, but his image still made her feel the pang of missing him.

“And we have visuals!” Spike declared triumphantly, his face lighting up. His voice was quiet, but still crystal clear in quality. “Big Mac, do we have audio?”

“Eeyup!” Big Mac heartily responded. Spike and Shining Armor both beamed.

“Awesome! Now, let's…” Spike paused, attention focusing somewhere behind Big Mac. “Um, is…is that who I think it is, or is that a magic glitch?”

“Crystal orbs don't glitch,” Shining Armor supplied. “Not in that way, anyway.”

“Ah might have…invited a fourth,” Big Mac said. Fluttershy gave Discord a gentle nudge, and he stepped forward, leaning to peer into the orb.

“Uh…hey, Discord,” Spike said with a nervous grin and wave. “We didn't talk much at all, but…do you remember me?”

Discord blinked, all of his attention suddenly zeroing in on the small dragon. “You are Spike,” he said after just a few moments.

“Yeah, that's me,” Spike said. “I really wasn't expecting to see you…what are you doing with Big Mac?”

Discord was silent. “AJ invited him for dinner,” Big Mac supplied. “Ah invited him to the game.”

“Are you sure?” Shining Armor asked. “I mean, it might not be that fun for him. And…” He bit his lip, and everyone knew what was going unsaid.

“…Discord should join,” Spike said. “I didn't let him, once, because I was scared of what Twilight would do. But what's she going to do now?”

The mood was quiet and tense for a moment before Shining Armor coughed into his hoof. “A-Anyway,” he said. “Discord, have you ever played before?”

Discord shook his head. “Okay, well…the trickiest thing is building your character, but I think Big Mac can help you with that,” Shining said. “Spike, why don't you tell him his character options?”

“Right!” Spike said. “Some good beginner classes are archer, barbarian, druid, rogue, sorcerer, warlock, wizard…”

“I think you'd like a spellcaster class,” Fluttershy pointed out. “Though making and managing a large list of spells can be tricky sometimes, so maybe you'd want to start with something that doesn't require so much management…”

Spike and Big Mac stared at her with wide eyes. “I've…played a little Ponyfinder,” she said, rubbing the back of her head. “But it's been a while, and it's a little different than O&O, so I'll let you three explain.”

She headed to the door, but paused and glanced back over her shoulder. “It was good to see you, Spike. And I hope you have fun, Discord.”

“Sure I will,” he responded with a nod, twirling a pencil between his fingers. She smiled and left, closing the door behind her to give them some privacy.

She wandered her way back into the kitchen, where Applejack was washing dishes. “Want any help?” she asked.

“If you're offering,” Applejack said, handing her a towel. Fluttershy dried the clean dishes before setting them back in the cupboards. “Granny Smith's already asleep, and Applebloom will turn in for the night soon. I hope Guy's Night won't be too loud for them.”

“Your brother is one of the players, so I'm sure he'll try to be aware of how much noise they're making,” Fluttershy tried to assure. The two of them lapsed into silence, working in sync to clean the dishes and get them put away.

“…Fluttershy,” Applejack said as they were putting some of the last ones away. “I still don't know how to feel about Discord. But, he's…not a bad creature, I think.”

Fluttershy beamed, then pulled her friend into a warm hug. “I'm so glad you gave him a chance,” she said quietly. “That all of you gave him a chance.”

Applejack hesitated for a moment before patting her back. “Well…I think their game will probably run pretty late,” she said, pulling out of the hug. “You can take the couch for tonight, if you want. Big Mac can help Discord find an old mattress somewhere once they're done.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said, already heading into the living room. She laid on the couch and closed her eyes, smiling as she heard hushed, excited voices from Big Mac's room…including Discord's.

He was really starting to get better, bit by bit…she could tell. Hope flared in her chest, and burned brightly even as she drifted to sleep.

Comments

[Marina Stars]

I love how, as the title suggests, the team is expanding and Fluttershy has more support in this endeavor. Everyone is using their unique talents to bring a little more chaos into Discord's life.

It is interesting to see how even removing one little bridge component has allowed for so much development. Alrady it seems he is expressing more, talking more. He's moved away from stating facts and has started expressing simple feelings. I wonder it it will get to a point where he is technically back to himself with the last components on the spell simply restricting his magic as opposed to his full personality.

I also love the decision for Fluttershy and Discord to share a birthday. Super cute. (My thought was April Fools, but sharing a birthday is infinitely cuter)

[new55]

That was a good chapter.

[taterforlife]

I like this approach! I was worried that Fluttershy would let her anger overwhelm her and perhaps distance her from her friends, while her friends would take insult or worry about harming Discord, and have some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy of Twilight’s. But I'm so glad that's not the case and her friends took on a supportive role!

And the apology scene was super realistic. I LOVED the liquid rainbow component, and that you made it spicy! I probably would have made it taste sweet like fruit loops or fruity, but I like your twist better. And it sounds like something both Rainbow AND Discord would like. And I like that she stuck around and had a genuine conversation with him.

Also, okay, that outfit Rarity is making? I love it because it is so hard to think of an outfit they could both actually appreciate and you finally did it. Unique and quirky and a little weird for Discord, but chic and risqué for Rarity! I'm impressed. And I want fanart.

But honestly, this was all just really heartwarming and you even snuck O&O in there!

And the part where they share a birthday...

That is something I did not know I wanted in a fic until today.

[soundwave1248]

I loved the prequel to this story and I love romance and happy endings even if I can be a negative person, I am always a Paragon till death, I cant even do the renegade choices in Mass effect, but I do always pick the funny option for fallout 4 dialogue. my favorite character is Discord and fluttershy so of course my favorite episode is keep calm and flutter on, Ive probably listened to it hundreds of times on repeat because it's entertaining.

Edit: I posted this before and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, especially Fluttershy being A D&D nerd I can understand that, also I love that you went with her character because this plays off how sdhe was at the time, and we get to see what would happen in this when we got the episode bats where fluttershy feels wrong about just the thought of changiong something integral to any creature