Chapter 14: The More The Merrier
Twilight happily walked alongside Cadance at the traveling museum. This whole place was chock full of items about, made by, and used by Star Swirl the Bearded himself! Harry wasn't exactly interested (a real shame) and neither were any of her friends. But Cadance? She was raised by the pony who was taught by Star Swirl! How could the two of them not be having the time of their lives?
"A whole day to celebrate Star Swirl the Bearded. What could be better?" Twilight asked aloud.
"Absolutely nothing," Cadance agreed. She glanced at some of the stalls, all decorated with items from Star Swirl's journeys or partial recreations of certain discoveries. One of the stalls caught Cadance's eye. She pointed it out to Twilight and said "Twilight, this is a new one."
The two walked up to a pedestal, on which sat a book in a glass box. It wasn't a book Twilight recognized, which said a lot. Like many magical students, Twilight knew almost everything about Star Swirl that there was to learn. This was new. The book was decorated with Star Swirl's cutie mark and a decorated wooden staff. Wait, it's not a staff, Twilight realized. It's a wand.
"Hey, I recognize that thing. The book's cover has a wand on it," Twilight said.
"A what?" Cadance asked.
"It's a magical tool for human wizards, from Harry's world. Like our horns, in a way. I wonder why Star Swirl's book—"
Twilight's speculation was cut short when the book vanished, and a small, blue, shrunken-down draconequus replaced it.
"Discord! What are you doing here?!" Twilight demanded.
The glass cube tilted over, and Discord poured himself out.
"Oh, dear, dear Princesses, I'm sorry to say that I'm sick," Discord said, before hacking into his elbow. "Blue flu," he moaned.
"Blue flu?" asked Cadance.
"Yes. Unfortunately, I've already passed it around to some of your friends." Discord reared back, ready to sneeze. Cadance tilted her head forward and cast a spell. When Discord did sneeze, a blue-green bubble shimmered around them, protecting them.
"Magic health bubble," Candace explained.
"Good thinking," Twilight replied, glad for her sister-in-law's quick reaction and proficiency in healing magic. Twilight never had a gift for healing and it would've taken time out of studying more magic.
"Indeed. How would Twilight nurse me back to health if she were sick too? You will be letting me stay at your place until I'm all better, won't you?"
"Stay? With me?!" Twilight shouted, shocked. She and Cadance shared an anxious glance, taking stock of the situation. It wasn't like Discord planned to get sick... "Uh, now is not really the best time, though I'm sure you already knew that..."
"But taking in the sick and the desperate— isn't that what Fluttershy would do?" Discord pressed himself against Cadance's barrier, his eyes enlarged like a foal's. "Isn't 'helping' something that friends do for friends?" Discord seemed to come to a realization and back away from the barrier, pouting. "Unless, of course, you're really saying that you're not my friend."
"No, that is not what I'm saying," Twilight scowled at the draconequus. The last thing her day needed was a draconequus that was sick and moody.
Discord turned around, practically beaming. His arms and legs vanished, and his serpentine body coiled around the health bubble. "Oh, how elated I am to hear that. Shall the three of us head back to your place? I don't want to get anypony else sick."
"Guess we don't have much choice," said Twilight.
"Carry me?" Discord asked, his wings falling off his body pathetically. Twilight resisted the urge to roll her eyes. How he could effortlessly manipulate his body and be sick confounded her.
"It isn't far. I think you can manage," Cadance replied.
The three of them made their way to Twilight's house; one anxious princess, one angery princess, and one smug-looking draconequus.
Twilight scowled as she opened the door to her home. She and Cadance were having fun at the traveling museum, even seeing a new exhibit Twilight knew nothing about. But then Discord decided to intrude! He looked sick and all but guilt-tripped her into convincing her to help with his "blue flu". Of course, Discord had to choose now of all times to show up! He had to have known Cadance was visiting today, he was trying to ruin their reunion! Twilight stomped over to her spare bed, Harry was gone for the day, after all.
Except, well, the bed was already occupied by a very sick and very blue unicorn.
"Harry!?" Twilight sputtered. Harry was lying face-down over the covers of his bed. His whole body was the same shade of cerulean as Discord. Twilight felt her stomach drop.
Harry rolled over in the bed so he could face Twilight. "Oh, hey Twilight." He hacked and coughed.
"Harry, what happened to you?" Twilight demanded. She put a hoof on his head to feel his was practically burning up.
"Well, Discord sneezed on me, gave me whatever this is," Harry informed Twilight.
"Blue flu," Discord said from Twilight's bed. "Twilight and Cadance have offered to take care of me, although I guess you're included."
"Why didn't you tell me you got Harry sick?" Twilight demanded of Discord.
"You never asked," Discord defended himself.
"I'm sorry, Twi," Harry murmured. "I know today meant a lot to you."
Twilight turned away from Discord and shook her head. "Harry, this isn't your fault." It was, after all, Discord who got Harry sick. The thought irritated her to no end. She and Harry had plans, and Discord had to have known!
"I was going to rest here while you were with Cadance." Harry sneezed. "The Dursleys always left me in my cupboard when I was sick. I can take care—" Harry broke into a fit of coughs.
Twilight smiled softly. "Well this time, I'm taking care of you. Just rest up, okay? I'll be right back," she said as she pulled the covers over Harry and fluffed his pillow.
"Thanks, Twi. You're the best," Harry whispered as he buried his face into his pillow.
Twilight looked down at Harry. Twilight had taken care of a sick Spike, but never another unicorn. She felt the need to coddle the sick Harry. She made sure the blanket was tucked snugly around Harry before she turned to Cadance and "patient zero".
Cadance had Discord tucked up in Twilight's bed, as her spare was occupied by Harry.
"Need anything else?" Twilight demanded. She wanted to get back to Harry, pronto.
Discord gave a smile and rudely rummaged through Twilight's nightstand. "Just knowing that I have a good friend like you to take care of me has made me feel better already. I'll be fine here on my own," he said. Twilight turned around to go back to Harry's bedside. "Oh, just before you go, just a little small request," Discord said.
Twilight groaned.
Cadance patted her sister-in-law's shoulder. "It's going to be fine. I'll get Discord what he wants, you go help your coltfriend."
"Thanks— Hey, I thought you agreed not to—"
"Sorry, I can't help it," Cadance said. "It's kind of my whole thing. Besides, you make it too easy." The Princess of Love turned back to Discord. "What was it that you needed?"
Harry couldn't be having a worse day. He missed his train, he was sick, he was tied but couldn't sleep, Twilight's day was being ruined, and now...
...is Discord singing?
Through the fuzzy cloud of exhaustion, Harry could hear Discord singing his list of demands to the mares. All the while, reality itself was turned inside out to the draconequus' whims. Harry tucked himself tighter under his sheets, covering his head under the comforter and another pillow. If Discord could sing, do magic, and travel from wherever he lived to Ponyville, he should've been fine! But no, he just had to get me sick!
Harry's line of thinking was cut off as a literal tidal wave of water rushed crashed over his bed, catching him in a cold, wet, swirling vortex. Harry's sheets were soaked, and the cold seeped into his bones. Harry lowered the sheets to see the whole room looked soaked. His teeth chattered as he tried to cast a heating spell. Rarity had taught him a few "household spells", but they weren't coming out. The "blue flue" must've disrupted magic if it could get Discord sick.
Correction: this day can get worse.
"Alright, this is ridiculous!" Twilight scowled as she stormed away from Discord. His impromptu musical number was wrecking her house! She went past Harry's bed as she did so, the poor stallion had also been caught up in Discord's musical number. He and his sheets were soaked, and Harry was clearly trying to cast a spell. Rule number one for sick unicorns: don't do magic.
"Great, now I'm sick, wet, and cold," Harry muttered, shivering.
"I'm so sorry about this," Twilight said to Harry. She cast a quick heating and drying spell on the area. A layer of steam rose as the water evaporated.
"Not your fault," Harry replied with a sigh as he readjusted in his bed.
With Harry taken care of, Twilight returned to her shelves. She pulled out some nearby books. A few about herbs, diseases, and even "Supernaturals: Natural Remedies and Cure-alls That Are Simply Super", but they had nothing on this "blue flu" at all!
"There must be some way to just cure you two," Twilight said as she pulled out another book. "There has to be a spell or remedy in one of my books!"
"There is one way," Discord added. Twilight took a frustrated breath and set her books down.
"And you didn't think to mention it earlier?" Cadance asked, slightly irritated.
"Let me guess: he forgot?" Harry muttered from under the covers.
"Precisely. You know me too well, Harry," Discord replied. He waved his claw in the air, manifesting a cloud with an image of a flower with magenta petals in a desert. "On a hill at the very edge of Equestria, there grows an exquisite magic flower." The image changed to a petal being used on some tea, which an illusory Discord drank to return to normal. "Pick the flower as it drops its petals at sunset. Then you can make a magical soothing elixir to cure the blue flu."
"I suppose you have a good reason you didn't bother to get this flower as soon as you realized you were sick?" Twilight demanded
"Well, I couldn't travel that far in my condition. By the time I got there, I'd be too weak to even attempt to retrieve the flower." Discord wrapped himself in blankets, shivering.
"So where exactly are Cadance and I headed?" Twilight asked. She wanted to go get that flower, cure Harry, and get Discord out of their manes so she could have a calmer day.
Discord held up a needlessly complicated map. "Well, you'll want to head north, turn left, th— Oh... You know, it'd be much easier if I took you there myself." He folded the map into a hat to give it to Twilight.
"I thought you were in no condition to travel," Cadance noted with an air of suspicion.
"I'm not. We'll need to make some arrangements." Discord had a wicked grin plastered on his face. Twilight felt her stomach drop.
How does this day keep getting worse!?
Harry had never been airsick before, but this came very close. Discord had manifested a comically (had Harry said that before?) elaborate gold chariot and placed himself and Harry on it. The two alicorn sisters-in-law pulled the cart for what felt like hours. By the time the sun started going down, both were sweating and tired. Harry's exhaustion was a different kind, he barely felt he could move at all. Whatever disease Discord had was putting him through the wringer. Hopefully, this elixir could cure the disease before the end of the day. Harry hated sleeping while sick— dreaded it.
"You girls okay up there?" Harry called out.
"To be honest, I'm a little out of practice when it comes to flying," Cadance confessed.
"Same here," said Twilight.
"Well, then lucky for you; we're here," Discord announced. Twilight and Cadance went down to the ground. Discord pointed a blue paw at a hill. "It's just at the top of that hill."
Twilight and Cadance walked away to retrieve the flower. As soon as they went around a corner Harry decided to rest his eyes, they would be back soon enough—
"WOO-HOO!" Discord shouted.
Harry shot awake to see the lord of chaos dancing around, without blue skin. He looked as healthy as ever. Harry realized exactly what this whole adventure had been. He shakily rose to his hooves, anger flaring.
"You were faking!" Harry accused, then coughed.
"I was!" Discord said proudly. "But I a good reason."
"Then why am I still sick?" Harry demanded.
"Well, I had to make it convincing. Blue flu's not common, so neither's the cure. Plus, it was adorable to watch the little princess fawn over her favorite little pony." Discord snapped his fingers, and Harry felt the disease fade away, along with the blue skin. "Now, all we do is wait for their return. They should be back any second now."
Harry's anger simmered at the draconequus. If Twilight decided to encase Discord in stone, that wasn't Harry's problem. He'd support it, at this point. Harry and Discord sat and waited until Twilight and Cadance appeared with the (now useless) flower. The two looked very confused as they approached, shocked at their "miraculous" recovery.
"Harry!? You're cured?!" Twilight said in shock.
Harry pointed a hoof at Discord. "This over-sized Rubix cube was faking the whole thing!"
"I find that term offensive," Discord replied.
"Good, because you've ruined the days of five ponies today, three of them with your fake disease!" Harry shouted.
Discord looked offended. "Ruined? This was a test of friendship between me and Twilight. I said I had a good reason, after all." A large purple tree sprouted from the ground, with Dsicord atop it. "Well, I was in my thinking tree – that's where I do most of my really deep thinking – I was there, and I said to myself, I said, 'Discord, your friend Twilight says that she's your pal, but she never writes as she does with her friend Harry. She and her friends never bother to pop in for a visit.'"
"We don't know where you li—" Twilight's protest was cut off by Discord pinching her lips shut.
"Get to the point, Discord," Harry demanded.
The draconequus huffed.
"Fine. I wanted to see if one of the most important ponies around could prove our friendship by going to the ends of Equestria for me, of course. Which you did, literally. Congratulations, Twilight, you passed my friendship test!"
Discord placed one of those two-part lockets around her neck, which matched with the one in his claws. The image was Discord and Twilight, though she was mostly obscured by the former.
Everypony glared at Discord for wasting their day. Harry knew Twilight was upset she didn't get to spend time with Cadance, and he both missed a training session and wasted Twilight's time by having her take care of him!
"What's with the pouty glare?" Discord asked. "Surely my little exam didn't put a damper on Twilight's visit with Princess Cadance, did it? Made it so that there was no time for those two to focus on their friendship?"
"You didn't put a damper on our visit at all," Cadance said.
"He didn't?!" Twilight and Harry said.
"I didn't?" Discord said, equally surprised.
"Spending the day at the Star Swirl the Bearded exhibit would've been more relaxing," Cadance confessed. "But to be honest, relaxation is the last thing I need."
"It is?" Twilight asked.
"Don't get me wrong. Life in the Crystal Empire is wonderful, but it's become a little... predictable. I enjoy a little excitement now and then. Getting to face all these challenges today was just what I needed. And facing them with you just made me realize even more how lucky I am to have somepony like you as a friend. We may not see each other very often, but I know you'll always be there when I need you. Just like she was there for you, Discord."
Discord scowled. "Yes, she's a real sweetheart. We're all so lucky to have her in our lives."
A rumbling shook the ground. A large worm-like creature burst forth, roaring violently to the sky
"What in the world?!" Discord exclaimed, grasping Twilight.
The worm collapsed in front of the four of them. The worm reared back and sneezed at Harry and Discord, covering them in slime. Cadance's health bubble protected the alicorns. The worm slithered back into the ground, looking tired and sick.
A sickly green color and spots spread across Harry and Discord. Harry felt like he was going to spew.
"Discord..." Harry sneezed. "You owe me."
Twilight and Cadance's trip back was no better than the one there. Upon arrival in Ponyville, Cadance had to say her goodbyes to Twilight when her train arrived. Thankfully, Fluttershy was back from her trip so she could take Discord off of Twilight's hooves. Twilight floated Harry back to her house (much to his protest) and tucked him in bed. She then asked Spike to make Harry a warm bowl of soup while she cast an inverted magic health bubble on Harry.
"So, how was your day with—" Harry sneezed, lighting the bubble— "Cadance?"
"Not what I expected," Twilight admitted. "That's not to say it was bad, even a chaotic day ended up being a great experience that brought us closer."
"Good to hear," Harry said.
Spike walked in with a steaming bowl of soup. "Here's that soup, just how your mom makes it." Spike handed the bowl over to Twilight.
Twilight took the bowl with thanks and turned to Harry.
"Please don't spoon-feed me," Harry pleaded.
"Sorry Harry, but until you get your strength back, I'll be seeing to your health myself." Twilight smiled. She offered up a spoonful of the soup to Harry, who begrudgingly took it. He seemed less upset after the first spoonful, Twilight Velvet's recipe for soup was fantastic. She had used the same recipe on Twilight Sparkle when she was sick.
Twilight's smirk turned a little mischievous. "Get used to this, because I'm going to be your nurse for the duration of your recovery."
"Great, the princess is a nurse now."
Harry violently sneezed again, making the bubble glow.
Twilight's smirk turned a little mischievous. "Get used to this. If you ever get a marefriend, she's going to take any chance to coddle you."
"Like you're doing right now?" Harry mumbled slowly.
Twilight's cheeks flushed. Maybe she shouldn't tease Harry while he was sick. He clearly wasn't in a clear mindset.
Spike chortled. "I'll leave you two be," he said as he left. Twilight rolled her eyes and held another spoonful of soup to Harry.
"And why do you have to spoonfeed me?" Harry grumbled.
"Sick unicorns shouldn't do magic," Twilight said. She held another spoonful for Harry, which he begrudgingly ate.
"Thanks, Twi— I mean, Princes Nurse Egghead," Harry said with the smallest of smirks.
Twilight rolled her eyes. What was she going to do with him?
"Just eat your soup, Harry."
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Blue flu? He's a disgruntled police officer who's barred from going on strike?
OK, it's Discord.
Is it to do with Starlight?
Harry was too sick to think of Asteroid belts or Dozer racing?
I'll have to admit that I liked it. Let's just say that the episode is not among my favorites. Discord manipulating and gaslighting ponies always puts me a little on edge. As for the Blue flu, court orders are often attempted to no avail. So far the only known cure is a new contract.
So cute twilight loves Harry I just know it they are slowly showing it.
So is that Starswirl book real? The one with the wand on it. Or was that just something Discord turned into to get Twilight’s attention?
I hear music!
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Not Starlight. I don't have plans for her, yet.
11786926
I'm glad you liked it. Discord's not the most polite person unless Fluttershy's involved. But this chapter (barring Discord's attitude) was a treat to write.
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It's real. Discord doesn't need a book to get attention, that book was an original idea. Shame it's gone, though.
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I'm not an experienced fluff writer, but cute moments are rare and fun things to write.
11787354
I know songs are controversial in fanfiction, and I had transcribed the song in the original outline, but I kept it out in the end. The words would be better spent elsewhere. And fun fact, "Glass of Water" has a brief moment where Discord transports the three of them to a Harry Potter inspired scene. My profile and this story's cover use images from that scene.
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I know they do that, Twi's in Gryffindor.
Was Harry not a 'little' surprised to see Discord send them to Hogwarts during the song?
"Princess nurse egghead"
God, I love this fic!