have you ever wonder what your most cherished memories you ever had .well fluttershy does
Everypony feels the need to sit down and revisit their most cherished memories. One day Fluttershy comes down with the urge to reminisce about the best days of her life; and about the Draconequus who was part of them.
“Ready or not, here I come!” Fluttershy’s shout rang through the air as she started her search. Every week at noon, her friend would come and visit her to play games; after all, he needed a break from the usual. Pranking the princesses quickly grew old after the first hundred thousand times.
Discord loved to go visit the shy pegasus. He felt like she always listened to him, always understood him, just like a friend.
A friend that he had never had for the past millions of years.
Today, the duo were playing hide and seek. Discord already knew the perfect place to hide: a location so simple yet so unexpected that Fluttershy could not hope to find him. The mare searched around the trees, behind the bushes, inside all the holes, beside the plants and even within the clouds. Sadly, he was nowhere to be found. She knew he was good at hiding, but she hadn’t thought he was that good.
She sat down and sighed. “Where can he be? I hope he’s not cheating and using his magic.” That was when the mare started to hear a laugh nearby, a stifled chuckle. She could recognize that laugh anywhere.
“Discord!” She turned her head towards the sound as the chuckling continued, her head rotating this way and that.
This sound will lead me to Discord’s hiding place… If I can ever figure out where it’s coming from!
She could still hear it, but no matter where she turned: no draconequus.
“Discord, where are you? I know you’re here somewhere,” she commented in a curious tone. All of a sudden, she felt something tickling her mane, almost as if a small creature had decided to make itself comfortable. She looked up to see what it was, and she was soon face to face with a miniature Discord, all curled up in her mane. She carefully grabbed him in her hoof and brought him down.
“Discord, were you hiding in my mane the whole time?” She laughed just a bit as a grin spread across her mouth. Discord quickly teleported behind her, back to his normal size as he put his claw and paw on her shoulder.
“Of course! It was the perfect place to hide. You never told me where I could hide, so I thought: ‘Hmm, I’ll just hide in your nice, smooth, soft mane.’” He started to chuckle.
“Oh… Um, you’re right, I didn’t say where you could hide.” She cleared her throat as she began to blush ever so slightly. “So, now it’s my turn to hide and your turn to find me.”
“Absolutely. Get ready, now!” He closed his eyes and began the count. Fluttershy started to look around, searching for a place to hide, a place where he would never find her. She then noticed a small meadow full of flowers, with colors exactly matching her coat: a perfect place to conceal herself. She galloped towards them and carefully lay down, taking care not to crush any of the delicate plants.
“28...29...30. Ready or not Fluttershy, here I come!” Discord shouted and started the search for her friend, and he didn’t have to look far. A short distance away, he noticed something pink and fluffy among the yellow daffodils. He couldn’t help but smile as he snapped his talons and disappeared.
In her hiding spot, Fluttershy giggled quietly. “He’ll never be able to find me here.”
Instantly, Discord reappeared beside her and tackled her by surprise, wrapping his arms around her.
“I found you!”
“EEP!”
After the initial shock, the pegasus mare began to laugh alongside her friend as they lay on the ground.
“How did you find me? Did you cheat again by using your magic?”
“No, when do I ever cheat?”
Fluttershy simply stared quizzically at the draconequus.
“I-I mean, of course I didn’t cheat! I just knew where to find you. Also, I saw your pink mane sticking out in the flowers.” He gently squeezed her in his arms as he spoke.
“Oh… Well, what counts is that you found me.” She smiled at him and prepared to get up, but he was still holding her in his arms.
“Um, excuse me, Discord, you can… um… let me go now, if you don’t mind,” she remarked calmly.
Discord began to think as he started to stroke her mane, Fluttershy starting to blush.
Something’s different about him…He’s acting much more… friendly…
And he thought of letting go of her… But why should he? He was holding her in his arms, laying on the ground surrounded by flowers, the mare atop his chest as they both watched the clouds in the sky float by. For some reason, this felt right, like it was meant to be.
“I would, but I have a better idea, my dear. Why don’t we just relax and enjoy the moment?”
Fluttershy didn’t know where he was going with this, but he was right: it was so peaceful, birds fluttering by as puffs of white floated by on top of them. In these past weeks, she hadn’t had much time to just… well, relax.
“Well, okay, but only five minutes. I have to go and feed my animals.”
A snap of a claw later, and the critters were fed in a flash. “There. Now, you don’t have to worry about them.”
“Um… Okay, I suppose.”
Fluttershy could feel a slight burning sensation in her cheeks, but she countered it by looking up once again at the puffy clouds, the scene so peaceful, so tranquil. She enjoyed the small talk that followed, the way Discord would use his magic to paint beautiful landscapes in the sky with only a flick of his claw…
She never wanted the moment to end.
At Fluttershy’s place, it was already nighttime, and the two friends had already gone inside for a bite to eat. Fluttershy had just finished her bowl of salad, with lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, and some dressing on top. As for Discord, well… it seemed that for some time, he hadn’t gotten over the craving for paper.
“Thank you, Discord, for making dinner,” Fluttershy said, giving him a soft smile. “That was very nice of you.”
He reciprocated the gesture as he spoke. “Not at all, my dear, it was my pleasure to make it. I thought to myself, ‘You’ve worked so hard in getting all the new animals fed and cleaned,’ so I decided you needed a break.”
“That’s really thoughtful of you, Discord.” She blushed lightly and started to pick up the dishes, but as she did so, Discord suddenly appeared behind her.
“Let me help you.” He quickly levitated the silverware and porcelain towards the kitchen, but after thinking twice, he snapped his talons, and the items disappeared.
“Okay, now that the dishes are ‘done,’ I wanted to ask you something.” In less than a second, he was dressed in a suit, and before Fluttershy could even react, she found herself wearing her magnificent gala outfit. “I w-was wondering, would you like to dance with me?” He summoned a small violin, which soon started playing a slow song by itself.
“Um… sure, I-I’d love to.”
Is this really happening?Maybe there was something in the food?
She hesitantly placed her hoof on his shoulder, gently raising her other hoof to meet the lion paw. With the fluidity of a ripple in a pond, he led her through the music, and soon Fluttershy began to loosen up. She began to match each movement, slowly enjoying herself more and more as the sweet melody continued.
“I can’t remember the last time I danced like this, not even at the gala. It feels so…”
“Exhilarating? Like your heart’s racing a mile a minute?”
“Yes, but also… peaceful, as if this is how it should be.” As soon as she recognized what she had said, she began to blush profusely, attempting to clear her mind when Discord spoke again.
“Fluttershy, I was wondering…Do you like me?"
“Of course I like you, Discord.”
“No, I mean something else.”
“L-like what?” Fluttershy could already see where this was going, attempting to control the redness she could feel emanating from her face.
Discord carefully spun her around and proceeded into a dip. “I mean that I… I l-like you not just as a friend. I mean that I like like you, like in love with you. When you started to reform me, I found something I had never had before… a friend. But then, that grew even more as I’ve been close to you, when I visit you… You’re the only pony that understands me and listens to me. I can’t stop thinking about you… Fluttershy, I‒”
He suddenly found himself with hoof on his lips, and all he could see was a hint of surprise in the mare’s expression… at least, before she responded.
“Discord, I know what you mean, and, well… that’s how I feel about you, too.” She no longer made an effort to hide her blush. “I always enjoy your visits. You made my life a little more fun, and the things you do for me, whether I need help or not, it’s really sweet of you to do that for me…
“This feeling… I haven’t felt it with any other pony…
“The truth is, Discord…
“I love you.”
When he heard those words, his entire body froze, but only for a second. His smile grew ever wider as he picked her up, staring into her sparkling eyes, slowly leaning closer to her face as he whispered.
“I love you too, Fluttershy.”
The kiss was unexpected, the contact unknown to the mare. Fluttershy was stunned at first, but she began to enjoy it, her first kiss with a draconequus. How long it lasted, nopony knew, but after what seemed like an eternity, Discord drew back and looked at her, slowly frowning as she kept quiet.
She didn’t like it. It was horrible, and she doesn’t want to see or speak to me again!
“You didn’t like it… did you?”
“Discord, I liked it… I’m just surprised, is all.”
“Surprised?"
“You see… you’re the first one to kiss me.” The redness around her cheeks complemented her smile as she continued.
“Could we… keep dancing? If you don’t mind…”
Discord smiled back and obliged, Fluttershy nuzzle his chest softly, still unsure whether this whole thing was a dream…
But she didn’t care.
She was enjoying this tender moment. Discord couldn’t help but lightly brush and stroke her mane, the remarkable softness of his touch prompting Fluttershy to give out a little yawn and close her eyes. The draconequus stopped dancing and looked down as he noticed her starting to fall asleep on his chest.
“Already tired my dear?”
She nodded her head slowly.
“Do you want me to take you to your room?”
“Yes… please,” she replied sleepily.
Discord carefully scooped her up and snapped his talons, both reappearing in Fluttershy’s room. He carefully tucked her in, running his paw through her mane one last time before kissing her on the forehead.
“Good night, my dear Fluttershy,” he whispered.
“Good night, Discord,” she muttered.
“I love you.”
He smiled back at her before his exit. “I love you too, Fluttershy.” He snapped his claws and disappeared from the room.
The setting sun slowly gave way to Luna’s moon as night grew closer. Discord and Fluttershy were enjoying the swirls of color in the sky as they proceeded with their picnic. It was the perfect spot for an evening outing: it was at the top of a hill, a massive tree housing birds of all kinds that would chirp and sing well into the night. The delicacies the two had brought further made this a lasting memory.
“How about a nice strawberry, Fluttershy?” In an instant, he displayed a few strawberries in his paw. “These ones here are very large and really sweet. The flavor literally starts dancing in your mouth!” After proving his point by having the fruit grow legs and perform a small jig, Discord stretched his arm out to the Pegasus.
“Sure, I’ll try one.” Fluttershy took a small bite, the tiniest piece…
And it felt like heaven. It was sweeter than Pinkie’s sweetest pastries, an unending party of exquisite flavors dancing on her tongue.
“Well, what do you think?”
“I… I’ve never tasted a strawberry that sweet before!” Fluttershy hungrily took another bite.
“Of course! I ‘pick’ them from a field hidden to everybody else. And it’s good that only I know, because the fruit tastes so good that nobody, not even you, could resist eating them all.” He smiled as she watched the pegasus devour all the strawberries in a second, her cheeks reddening as she noticed what she had done. “Now, Fluttershy, c-could you be a dear and get me a cup a tea from the basket, please,” he requested politely.
“Of course, Discord.” Fluttershy began to take out all of the basket’s contents when she noticed a small black box.
I don’t remember putting this here.
Curious as she was, she took out the item and found a small letter right below it. Taking note of the… unique handwriting, she read every word as her eyes grew in surprise.
Underneath that shy character, you are the most attract beautiful pony I have ever met. You are so kind to all the other ponies and creatures, and you have the most wonderful voice I have heard in my thousands of years here. When you sing, I could listen to your sweet voice all day. I get lost in your wondrous eyes, those sparkling jewels like twinkling stars in the night sky. When I look at you, I feel overwh entranced by your beauty. The way your smooth pink mane smells like the most fragrant roses…
It’s hard for me to write something this sappy, and to tell you the truth, this is still new to me. But for you, my dear, I would do anything.
Will you marry me?
The blush on her cheeks was almost uncontrollable as read and reread that small note, not noticing the way the draconequus was fidgeting. She finally mustered the courage to peek inside that unknown container as she slowly raised the lid…
To reveal a shimmering diamond ring.
“Oh… my…”
The jewel itself was one of the prettiest she had seen, easily rivaling even the most expensive gems she had seen in Rarity’s boutique. The fading colors of light in the sky danced inside the diamond, and Fluttershy could swear she spotted miniature butterflies flying around inside.
Discord wrapped his arm around her, attempting to hide his anxiety. “So, what do you say, Flutters?”
“I… I don’t know what to say…”
Noticing the hesitation, Discord gently took her free hoof in his paw. Fluttershy took her eyes off the ring, silently gazing into his eyes.
“It would make me happier than I’ve ever been.”
And so she remembered all the times they had spent together. It had been five months since the first time they said those three words, when they had confessed their love to each other… and they enjoyed every minute they were together. No matter that he was the King of Chaos and she an Element of Harmony: it was like they were meant to be together.
That was when Fluttershy slowly pulled out a piece of paper from her saddlebag, handing it to the waiting draconequus. He began to read, and no sooner had he finished when Fluttershy began to speak.
“There was another reason I wanted to have this picnic, Discord. Y-you see, I w—
“Eep!”
The draconequus’s hug caught her unawares as she was suddenly lifted to the sky. A moment later, Fluttershy opened her eyes and found herself staring right into Discord’s eyes. No words needed to be said. it was the perfect moment, both of them happier than anyone could describe as they kissed, slowly descending back onto the grass.
Sweet Apple Acres. From the outside, nobody would have noticed anything different, but everyone knew it would soon hold one of the most important milestones in the life of one of Equestria’s saviors. In fact, every pony was waiting patiently for the pegasus in question to come out.
“Hold still, Fluttershy! I’m almost done with the dress.”
“O-okay. I’ll try.”
“Aaaaaaand done! What do you think, darling? The perfect dress for this perfect occasion.” Rarity led her to a mirror, and Fluttershy could not believe her eyes.
To say that she was surprised would be an understatement. Majestic white vines of thread wrapped beautifully around her hooves as the light green hues of her dress accented her love of nature. Small, colorful flowers filled her pink mane, adding to its natural sheen. The dress was otherwise white as snow, except for the one single gem around her neck. The jewel, a present from her favorite draconequus, was as green as the grass of the most luscious meadows, sparkling ever so slightly in the light.
“Rarity… It’s lovely.” Fluttershy gave the dress a small twirl as she smiled. “Do you think he’ll like it?”
“Like it? Darling, he’ll love it! You look positively stunning!” Rarity’s eyes began to water as the realization hit her. “Well… This is it… I can’t believe one of my friends is getting married… I’m so proud of you, Fluttershy.”
“Thank you for everything, Rarity. I know that at first you didn’t want Discord n—”
“Now, now, let’s not talk about the past. It’s your big day today.”
Spike quickly poked his head in from behind the door as he searched for Rarity. “Hey, is the bride ready?"
“Just a moment, Spikey Wikey.” Rarity turned her head back to the yellow mare. “Are you ready?”
Fluttershy breathed in and out slowly, recognizing the importance of what she was going to do, remembering all the ponies who are outside and will be watching her every move.
Oh, what if I accidentally trip and my dress rips and everypony starts laughing at me, or if I d—
No, keep it together. Everything will go fine.
“I’m ready.”
“Okay, Spike, you can take her now.”
The purple dragon held the door open as Fluttershy exited. All the ponies stood up as she slowly walked down the aisle, attempting to control her breathing as the music started to play. In no time, she reached the very front, right beside the love of her life.
“Now, aren’t you cute with a tux, Discord!”
“I’m still not used to dressing nice, but anything for you, dear. In fact, you look even more beautiful, Fluttershy.”
“Do you really think so?” Her blush did not go unnoticed, and Discord was about to speak when the music stopped. Everypony sat down as Twilight stepped forward and took her place in front of the couple.
“I’ve always wanted to do this! I-I mean, let’s get started.
“Since the dawn of Equestria ponies have always forged a path toward their destinies. From the time we receive our Cutie Marks and even before, we all strive to find our true harmony. When the paths of two ponies… or, in this case, a pony and a draconequus… intertwine in love, it is truly a special thing, but it is never simple. By choosing to gallop together you accept all the triumphs and hardships that the other will face as your own.” Twilight shifted her gaze towards the pegasus.
"Fluttershy… will you walk this road with Discord? Will you go forward, hoof in hoof, to wherever your path may lead?"
Without hesitation, she looked into Discord’s eyes and responded: “I do.”
“And you, Discord, will you walk this road with Fluttershy? Will you go forward, hoof in hoof, to wherever your path may lead?”
The draconequus paid no attention to her as he lost himself in Fluttershy’s stunning eyes, sparkling like jewels. He felt himself whisked away to a new world, one where it was just the two of them holding on to each other, never letting go.
“Um… Discord, are you okay?” Twilight began to poke the draconequus as he returned to the real world.
“Wha-huh, oh, yes, yes, I’m fine, just zoned out, is all.”
“Ooookay, then.” Twilight cleared her throat before continuing. “Will you go forward, hoof in hoof, to wherever your path may lead?"
“I do.”
“Excellent. Now, may I have the rings?” Spike presented the rings to the unicorn, who placed the first on Discord’s claw and the other around Fluttershy neck.
“Fluttershy and Discord, you have sworn to brave the road of life together. May you find harmony along your journey, and you may now now kiss.”
It was the kiss that sealed everything…
And it was perfect.
Every pony began to scream in joy, whistles abound, but the couple paid them no heed.
“I will love you no matter what,” Fluttershy whispered.
“And I will always feel the same way. I’ll always be here for you.” Both of them walked through the aisle, hoof in claw as Pinkie’s streamers showered down. The reception, still at Sweet Apple Acres, was one of the best parties Pinkie Pie could have organized. Ponies galore were playing, eating, dancing, and talking amongst themselves. Fluttershy simply watched as they had fun.
“This is the best day of my life.”
She turned to her new husband and gave him a smile, to which he responded with a kiss on the cheek.
“Okay, everypony, make room for the bride and groom to slow dance!” Pinkie Pie shouted as she set up the music for the occasion.
“May i have this dance, my wife?” Discord held out his paw at the happy pegasus.
“Why of course, my husband,” she replied as she let him lead her to the dance floor. With one hoof in claw and the other in paw, they began to sway to the melody.
“To the end of our road. Ponies really will say that back then.”
“Now, aren’t you cute when you don’t make sense, Discord?”
“What’s the fun in making sense? I haven’t been this happy in forever!”
Fluttershy giggled as she explained. “That’s because I’m here now, and I’m all yours. I do hope you think of me as more than a ‘friend’ now.” They kissed once more as they continued to dance, every pony watching the couple’s graceful movements.
“They look so cute together! I can’t help it! I’m going to explode!” Pinkie quickly galloped out of the barn as she held her breath.
“He better not break her heart else he’ll be talking to me,” Rainbow Dash commented as she crossed her forelegs.
“Relax, Rainbow. He wouldn’t do that.”
“And how do you know for sure, Twilight?”
“Well, Fluttershy loves Discord, and he loves her back. Neither would benefit if the other one were hurt.”
“Ah hope you’re right about this, ‘cause Ah still don’t feel right about them two together,” Applejack replied.
“Really, Applejack? On her wedding day?” Rarity shot a disapproving glance at the farmer.
“Ah’m just telling the truth as Ah see it.”
Time flew by as the couple was having fun; soon, the night sky was proudly displaying its twinkling stars as the last of the invitees left the barn.
“Are you ready to go, my dear Fluttershy?”
“I’m ready.”
Discord scooped his wife up, and with a snap of his paw they teleported into Fluttershy’s room. To the mare’s surprise, however, it was not how she had left it. Her bed and pillows had been shaped into hearts, and rose petals were spread out on top of them. Candles were the only source of light, Fluttershy noticed as Discord gently lay her down on the bed.
“Now that we’re alone…” He moved in closer and gave her a kiss. As he admired her beauty, however, she noticed a small inkling of doubt in his wife.
“What’s the matter, Fluttershy?”
“I… I’m just nervous,” she muttered. “This big step we are about to take… to tell you the truth, I’m a bit scared.”
“Don’t worry,” Discord replied as she looked directly into her eyes. “If you don’t like what I’m going to do, then tell me, and I’ll be happy to stop and just hold you in my arms.”
“Okay… Discord?”
“Yes, my love?”
Her lips approached his as she moved closer.
“I love you with all my heart.”
“And I love you too, Fluttershy.” They locked lips one more time before the draconequus snapped, putting out the candlelights.
Fluttershy lay atop Discord as she stared off into the sky. Though that night it was a bit cold, the small fire her husband had made was more than enough to counteract it.
“See? Didn’t I say it would be a good idea to stay outside?” Discord gently squeezed the pegasus. A warm smile spread across her muzzle.
“And you were right. The stars… they’re so beautiful!”
“Not as beautiful as you,” he commented as he ran his paw through her soft pink mane. Time was of no importance as they relaxed below Luna’s night, lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly, a cold breeze washed over the mare, rippling through her fur as she shivered ever so slightly. In response, the draconequus gently wrapped his own body around hers.
“Thank you, sweetie, ” she replied contently as she snuggled closer.
“Anything for you, my dear.” Discord chuckled a little to himself as he slowly nuzzled her mane. Suddenly, a small flickering light flashed by in Luna’s sky.
“Oh, a shooting star! Make a wish, Discord.” Fluttershy closed her eyes and began to think hard… at least, until she heard a familiar chuckling. The mare stared at him quizzically, to which Discord responded calmly:
“Oh my dear, why would I make a wish now? I already have everything I could wish for… right here.” The draconequus smiled at his wife, who smiled back and gave him a quick kiss on the check. “I love you so much, Discord.”
"I love you too, Fluttershy.” They both continued to gaze up at the starry sky, until suddenly Discord had an idea.
“One second, Fluttershy. I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
“Oh, now, don’t you worry. I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
With a small kiss, the draconequus took to the skies and flashed away, leaving Fluttershy a bit befuddled.
Oh, what could he be up to? A tiny smile crept up her lips, but before she could think any further, a small trembling arose in the ground below her.
“Eeep!” Before she had a chance to take off, an outstretched hand caught her in a firm grip. Out from where she had stood rose three creatures, three that Fluttershy recognized instantly:
“D-D-Diamond d—”
Quickly, one of the dogs placed a paw on her muzzle. “Be quiet, pony! We got you now!”
With as much strength as she could muster, she began to squirm in his grasp, contorting her body this way and that, hoping for that one opportunity…
“Ah, I can’t hold her! What are you buffoons doing? Help m—”
At that instant, the grip on her mouth lessened just a bit, but for all intents and purposes it was enough.
“DISCO—!”
And that was all she could say before the second dog slammed her muzzle shut.
“Come on, quickly! Put her in the bag!”
“But if I move I can’t keep her quiet!”
“You idiot! Why don’t you use that powder the boss gave us?”
Fluttershy simply watched in horror as her captors finished arguing. The largest dog reached inside his vest and pulled out a small black pouch. Squirm after squirm proved fruitless as the dog slowly poured some sparkling blue powder in his paw and blew it on her face.
“Mmmf! Mmf! Mm…” Fluttershy could feel her eyelids closing against her will as her body slowly grew limp…
And then there was only darkness.
“Wh-Where…” Fluttershy blinked her eyes in succession in an attempt to make out the blurry outlines before her. After a couple of seconds, the images began to sharpen, and she started to make out other features: the slouch in three distinct figures, the small holes riddling the other…Holes?
Fear slowly worked its way through the pony’s body, almost ridding her of her strength as she recognized that tall, holed figure…
But it wasn’t fear that held her. No, from what Fluttershy could discern, she was being trapped in some sort of… receptacle? A cocoon?
I… I can’t… move my legs…
She would have kept trying for many more seconds, had not a familiar voice spoken at that instant.
“Seems like somepony finally decided to wake up.” The black figure’s malicious tone made Fluttershy cringe just a bit. “Nice work, dogs. You can leave now.”
“B-but what about our reward? You promised us gems, Queen Chrysalis.”
“They will be sent to your caves. Now leave before I change my mind!” The dogs quickly scampered away as she returned her gaze to the pony imprisoned before her. “Oh, if it isn’t the Element of Kindness, Miss Fluttershy herself.”
“W-w-what are you going to do with me?” Fluttershy tried her best to hide her fear, but she knew she would not last long as she stared deep into Chrysalis’s dark, cold eyes.
“Why, I’m just going to let you wait here for a little while, until Discord comes to rescue you, of course. Then we’ll be able to negotiate.”
“N-negotiate?"
“Oh, yes. I’ll make him a simple deal… a deal he can’t refuse.” Right before Fluttershy’s eyes, the changeling’s body began to morph, the black changing to pale yellow, all the features becoming a mirror image… down to the glittering turquoise in her eyes and the three butterflies on her flank.
“Soon, I shall finally rule all of Equestria. To tell you the truth, I never expected you to get married with the God of Chaos.” The changeling leaned closer to the cocoon, close enough to see the small droplets trailing down the captive’s muzzle. “But thanks to you, I will control the most chaotic force of all.”
“N-no… No! Y-you can’t do this!”
“And you’re going to stop me? I’d love to see you try.”
With that, Chrysalis headed out of the chamber, a small smirk on her muzzle.
“Let’s see how much love I can feed off of him.”
“Wow, look at all those gems!”
A small mountain of brilliant, sparkling rocks lay in the center of the chamber, leaving all the dogs around it in awe.
“Quick! Store it in th… th… th—”
A small rumble at the center of the pile began to grow with unprecedented speed as the dogs simply stood there, completely stupefied. It didn’t take long for them to recognize the figure that know stood atop the glittering stones.
“You’re D-D-Dis—”
“Now, I do believe something of great value was taken from me just a moment ago.” The entire chamber suddenly glowed red as every dog’s fur began to stand on end. Small sparks of electricity crackled from the gems to the walls of the cavern as the enraged draconequus made his way towards the largest of the pack.
“And if you know what’s good for you, you will show me the way.”
The search was on as Discord arrived at a black castle, its texture easily giving away the nature of its ruler.
So it was Chrysalis, then.
In the form of a snake, he slithered around from corridor to corridor, searching in every nook and cranny… until he at last came to a large black door, slightly ajar, just enough space for him to poke his head in.
That was when he saw it: Fluttershy was lying down, peppered with small cuts and bruises. In an instant, he appeared at her side and gently lifted her up.
“Fluttershy, are you okay?”
“Discord… you came for me?”
The king of chaos smiled warmly. “You know I’d always come for you, my love.” A short, heartfelt hug drew the two of them together before he spoke again.
“Where’s Chrysalis? I have to get you out before she returns.”
“I… I don’t know… she said she wanted you, or something like that…”
“Okay, I’ll deal with her later. I’ll send you b—”
But something caught his attention: those eyes.
“Fluttershy… do you love me?”
“Of course I do, honey. Why do you ask?”
“Just a thought.” He reached out to Fluttershy and kissed her once, only once…Before he constricted his body around her.
“You’re not Fluttershy. Show your true form.”
“Ow, Discord, stop that! You’re hurting me!” Her eyes grew watery as she tried her best to act afraid.
“Cut the act. When I look into Fluttershy’s eyes, I see happiness, kindness, love— that same emotion that makes me feel weird inside. Do you know what I see when I look into your eyes? I see anger, revenge, all those chaotic emotions I used to toy with. Did you think I wouldn’t notice how you’re feeding off my love just now?”
The impostor quickly teleported herself out of the choke hold and reappeared a couple feet in front of Discord.
“But you know what your biggest mistake was?” Discord continued. “You’re not wearing her wedding ring.”
“Hmm… you’re very clever. I guess I should have learned a little more about that wimpy pegasus.” The transformation was already in process as green flames erupted from the impostor’s yellow mane, leaving behind that familiar chitinous shell.
“Behold, Discord, my true form!”
Queen Chrysalis charged a large amount of energy on her horn and shot it at Discord, propelling him backwards into the wall and leaving a large crater in its wake.
“Thought you got me, now didn’t you?”
Discord appeared right in front of Chrysalis and stared angrily into her eyes.
“Now, where is my dear Fluttershy? Answer me!”
“Oh, I’ll give her back… if you do what I say.”
“My patience is wearing thin! Give her back to me or I’ll d —”
“Remember now, her life is in my hooves. So, do you want your loving wife back or not?” The changeling walked smugly around Discord as she predicted his response.
“I’m listening. What do you want?”
“I’ll let your dear Fluttershy go, don’t worry about that… IF you help me take over all of Equestria. With my army of changelings and your chaotic powers, not even the princesses could stop us! I’ll even let you rule alongside me, and you can live for all eternity with your dear wife as a queen.”
“And if I refuse this deal?”
“Then your wife will become a large source of food for us… down to the very last drop. So, what will it be?”
Silence as he pondered.
“Hmm…Hu… hu…Hahahahaha!”
“What are you laughing at, Discord?”
“Did you really think I would join you? Have you forgotten who I am? I’m Discord, the master of chaos!” One snap and thunderclaps rang ominously throughout the room. “I highly suggest you let my wife go.”
“Too bad for you. She’ll make a great meal f—”
Discord reached out with one paw and grabbed the changeling by her neck, squeezing tighter and tighter with each passing second. Chrysalis watched as his eyes burned brightly… literally.
“Nobody, and I mean nobody touches Fluttershy and her love other than me!”
In one quick gesture, Discord rammed the changeling straight through the wall in front of him. Large jagged slabs of black stone crashed onto the floor, producing a powerful burst of sound.
“Now tell me, where is she? Tell me or I’ll d—”
“D-Discord?”
That was the voice he yearned to hear. That was truly her voice.
“Fluttershy?” He turned and there she was, imprisoned in a green cocoon. It was her, it was really her… or was it?
“Fluttershy, do you trust me?”
“O-of course, Discord.”
“Then don’t move a muscle.”
An immense heat began to rise from within Discord’s body, and out of his mouth flames protruded and covered the cocoon. Slowly it started to melt, and Fluttershy closed her eyes but stayed motionless.
The flames continued to propagate, forward and forward, inching ever closer to the mare…She opened her eyes at that instant and almost fainted. She wanted to flee, to move the slightest bit away from the flames…But she saw Discord’s face through the fire.And she stayed still.
And when she opened her eyes, he was still there.That was when he knew…When he looked into her eyes.
“Oh, Fluttershy.”
“Discord!” Tears flew across her face as she galloped with all her might to her savior, to her husband, into Discord’s arms.
“I knew you would come back to save m—”
BAM
Discord careened backwards as the green blast made impact.
“Now, now, did you forget about me?” Chrysalis’s horn glowed once again, and this time a small cloud of magic began to appear around Fluttershy.
“Oh no you don’t!” Discord instantly pinned the changeling down, but in response she sent another magical beam at her assailant, propelling him upwards. Unfurling her wings, Chrysalis flew towards Fluttershy, who was still too petrified about the fight occurring before her.
“I’ve got you n—”
Chrysalis was only barely able to stop as a ball of cotton candy zoomed by her head. There stood Discord, a cannon in front of him…And he was mad.
“You won’t survive this, Chrysalis!” Volley after volley of cotton candy charged directly at the villain as she dodged them left and right…
Until one of them struck her wings. Flight no longer possible, Chrysalis fell to the ground but quickly stood back up.
“Well played, Discord…But let’s see if you can handle what’s next.” One small whistle later and tens of changelings suddenly appeared in front of her, all of them copying Fluttershy’s form.
“Discord, come on, let’s go!”
“Don’t listen to her. I’m Fluttershy!”
“No, I am!”
“No, I am!”
Slowly, step by step, they encircled Discord and inched forward. The draconequus carefully inspected each one, but he didn’t have much time to lose. Some changeling drones had already finished removing the cotton candy from their queen’s wings, and she was getting poised for the final attack…
When he felt it.
The love…It was slowly being taken from him…And a brilliant idea struck him.The changelings wanted his love for Fluttershy? Then let them have it.
The entire room lit up in a grand display of color…The explosion could be heard all the way to Canterlot.
“But… but how…” Chrysalis was on the floor, as were the rest of the changelings, all reverted back to their black, chitinous forms. The only one left standing was Fluttershy, who was awestruck only for a second.
Then, she spotted Discord’s smile, and she ran right over to him.
Oh, how time can speed up and slow down to suit the moment, how even one second can seem too long, or an eternity too short….
“If I can’t win… then at least I can take her from you.”
With one small movement, Chrysalis gathered up the remains of the love she had absorbed, and she shot that final blast.
And he was just a second too late. The magic struck Fluttershy directly on her back and sent her careening into Discord, who expertly caught her and fell on his back to protect her.
“Fluttershy… Fluttershy, are you alright?”
No response.
“Come on Flutters, speak to me!”
Absolutely no sound.
“You’ve l-lost, Discord.”
A threatening darkness surrounded the king of chaos, and a familiar evil began to rise up from the depths of his heart.
“You see, D-Discord, this wouldn’t have happened if you joined me… She would still be alive n—”
“You.”
He gently placed the mare behind him on the floor, and those malevolent eyes fixed themselves on the changeling queen.
“You killed her.”
A dense ball of magic began to form in one of his paws.
“Chrysalis, when I’m done with you, not even your ashes will be left over.” Discord threw the fireball directly at the changeling. Chrysalis put up a shield just in time, but she was growing too weak to stop its full effect. The impact sent her flying back into the wall, and Discord was already right in front of her, a foreleg’s distance away.
“Y-You know, it doesn’t have to be this way.” She called upon the last reserves of her magic and began to use the sorrow, the hatred, the love, the joy she had accumulated years ago…
And she transformed right in front of his very eyes. The yellow fur and pink mane so familiar.
“Discord, we can live like this… forever. For all eternity. I can be the dear Fluttershy you so care ab—”
“No. You will never be my Fluttershy.”
Out of nowhere, Discord summoned a huge hammer and slammed it down on Chrysalis. Her shield and disguise buckled under the tremendous force.
Barely able to move, Chrysalis looked at Discord in the eye once more.
“Please, Discord… R-Rethink my offer…”
Another fireball arose from his talons.
“This is for my Fluttershy.”
The attack was ready. Only a second was needed for the act to be complete…
When a sweet voice called out to him from behind.
“D-Discord…”
The pink-maned figure had begun to move weakly, and it was slowly starting to stand up.
“F-Fluttershy?”
Her legs quickly gave out, but by then she was already in her lover’s arms.
“I’ve got you, Fluttershy… I’ve got you.”
He could feel it. Her heart. It was still pounding away, and so he tried to heal her…Unfortunately, his chaos magic was not adept at healing another creature, not as much as was necessary to keep her alive…In fact, as much as he tried to deny it, he could not avoid the reality.She had at most a minute. Not even the finest hospital, not even the princesses could heal her.Nothing else mattered. Everything else faded into nothingness as he stared into her eyes for the last time. All his life, he had spread chaos, made other ponies feel pain and suffering… and now it was happening to him. He had finally found love… and it was being stolen from him second by second.
“I’m so sorry… I wasn’t able to protect you…”
“Y-You don’t have to be sorry f-for anything, Discord. I l-love the time we spent together… I know I’m n-not going to make it…”
Tears accumulated in both their eyes as sadness washed over them. Discord’s chest began to hurt, a pain he was unfamiliar with, one he could not fix.
Memories flashed by Discord’s mind, memories that made him leap with joy, that made him want to put his chaos-inducing ways behind him…
And there it was. There was the way to save her. Something so risky, so powerful it could save the one he loved.
“Fluttershy, y-you know I would do anything to save you…”
“D-Discord…”
“Please, forgive me for this, Fluttershy.”
Black spirals of magic began to form around the two of them, and soon they were encased in darkness. Fluttershy was being held up by some mysterious force, her four limbs outstretched.
“D-Discord, what are y—”
“Do you trust me, Fluttershy?”
“O-Of course.”
“Then close your eyes. This will hurt a bit, but whatever you do, don’t open your eyes.”
It’s the only way to save you.
She slowly nodded her head, and they shared one more kiss before she closed her eyes tightly.
A dark conglomeration of magic began to form on Discord’s chest, and it grew ever larger with each passing second.
I hope… I hope you can forgive me, Fluttershy. He took his paw and claw and pushed the magic onto her chest.
“AAAAHHHH‼‼”
The darkness continued to seep in, and Discord’s heart wrenched as he watched Fluttershy’s face writhe in agony.
Just… Just a little more…
The last wisps of magic flowed into her, and the darkness around them shattered into mist…
And on the floor lay both Discord and Fluttershy.
It was Fluttershy who opened her eyes first. All of a sudden, she felt full of energy, full of life… until she saw her husband.
“Discord! Are you okay?”
Slowly, the draconequus began to stand up.
“F-Fluttersh—”
He fell over, so limp, so devoid of energy, but Fluttershy helped him up.
“D-Discord! W-What did you do?”
“I… I had to give it all up… All of it.”
“All of w-what?”
“My chaotic magic. It’s inside you now. You’re now immortal. Nothing will ever hurt you again.”
“B-But what about you?”
“Don’t worry about m—”
“Who you should worry about is me!” Chrysalis threw her remaining power at Fluttershy, but Discord stopped her with the only thing he had left…
His body.
Discord roared in pain as the attack hit him, as the energy pounded away at his body, ate away at his soul.
“Discord!” Fluttershy watched in horror, and then something else arose: something unknown, yet so familiar.
It was rage. Rage forced itself through Fluttershy’s mind and heart, and she stuck out a hoof at the changeling. What she least expected was for a ball of pure chaos magic to charge into Chrysalis, leaving her unconscious on the floor.
As quickly as rage had overcome her, so did it dissipate once she looked over to her husband.
“Discord! Discord, please say something!”
“F-Fluttershy…”
With all her might, she began to pull him out of the castle.
“C-Come on, w-we have t-to get you to a h-hospital…”
“F-Fluttershy… It w-won’t…It won’t work. I-It’s t-t-too late f-for m—”
“No, don’t say that! If we have to, we’ll get the princess or the Elements or T—”
“Th-There’s no time, Fluttershy.”
“No, that can’t be true!” The rivers of tears began to flow down her muzzle, but she tried to carry him forward. Oh, how she tried, until finally exhaustion caught up with her.
“D-Discord, we’re almost there…Discord?Discord, w-wake up! P-P-Please w-wake up!”
It was no use. He would not answer, and Fluttershy could not feel a heartbeat. There was no longer a sign of life, no longer a mismatched being who befriended ponies, who fell in love, who did all he could to protect that one pony.
“Discord.”
And she wept silently for the one she loved, for the one who gave up his life to save her.
Fluttershy slowly pushed the door open, not wanting to disturb the figure lying in bed. With each step she grew closer, and she couldn’t stop herself from noticing the horrible state her husband was in.
“I brought you a washcloth for your fever.”
The draconequus turned to face her.
“T-Thank you, dear…”
The change was almost too hard to bear. His voice was quiet and shaking; no longer did it hold that charisma, that characteristic chaotic joy…
Fluttershy softly placed the damp washcloth atop his forehead, hoping it would at least help with the fever, but to her dismay, her hoof clearly confirmed the worst.
“You’re burning up even more.”
“Don’t w-worry about me. The G-God of Chaos cannot be stopped by a m-mere fever.” He patted her head comfortingly. “I’ll be better soon, y-you’ll see.”
“O-Of course you will. You’re Discord. I’ve got nothing to worry about!” Unfortunately for Fluttershy, her expression betrayed her at that moment, but just before Discord could respond, a knock at the door broke the conversation.
“Fluttershy, I came back fr—”
“Oh, Twilight, you’re back! You found the cure, right? What do you need? I can get you any ingredients you need from the Everfree Forest, just tell m—”
“Fluttershy! Can I talk to you outside, please?”
“Oh, of course. We need to hurry if we want to prepare the cure.” The two walked out of the room, Twilight softly closing the door behind them.
“Listen, Fluttershy, I c—”
“Okay, so which flowers and plants do you need? I can get any s—”
“No, Fluttershy, I don’t need anything! There is no cure!”
Silence. There was nothing the pegasus mare could do as she processed the information
“N-No…
“P-Please… Tell me you’re joking, Twilight.”
“I’m so sorry, Fluttershy. I wish I was. I searched through all my books and couldn’t find anything. I gained some insight at Zecora’s: a very powerful poison is the cause, but even she did not know the cure. I sent a letter to the princesses…
“But they won’t get here in time. Discord only has a couple hours at best.”
“It… it can’t…”
A few tears threatened to stream down her muzzle as those words sunk in: in “a couple hours” her husband would be gone. Alas, no words escaped her mouth as she struggled to contain her whimpers. Slowly, she trudged towards the closed door, pushing it open ever so slowly with her shaky hoof. With each step, she focused on containing her sorrow, until she finally reached the bedside and embraced Discord’s paw with her two front hooves.
Oh, but Discord could easily see through her brave façade.
“I’m not going to make it, am I?”
Each second was more excruciating than the previous one as Fluttershy struggled to control her tears, now slowly paving the routes from her muzzle to the bed below.
“Now, Fluttershy,” Discord responded as he slowly lifted her head to match her gaze. “Please don’t cry. I don’t want my last image of you to be you crying like this.”
“B-But I d-don’t want you t-to go!” Finally succumbing to the sadness, tears unfettered streamed down as she hugged him with all her might.
“My dear Fluttershy, I know the sadness you feel. There are only a few moments left until we say goodbye.” Discord responded with his own embrace as he attempted to calm his wife down.
“But is this how you want to remember our last moment together? I know I would like to see that b-beautiful smile on— *cough— once more.”
With newfound strength, Fluttershy looked up at Discord with teary eyes and wiped away the streams of sorrow as best she could, and thinking of all the times they had spent together— all the hardships, all the adventures— she smiled as one last tear dropped down to the sheets.
“I love you, Discord.”
“I love you too, my d-dear Fluttershy, and always will, until chaos turns to order.”
With one last breath, he whispered his last words:
“And I guess this is good-bye.”
…
“Discord?”
A gentle touch, a soft shake, but he didn’t respond, and Fluttershy knew the time had come.
“D-Discord…” The crying never seemed to cease as she was slowly engulfed by darkness…
Her eyes shot open as sheprocessed the sounds coming from the bedroom next to hers. As quickly as she could, despite her groggy state, she clambered out towards the noise to find the two [a]fillies causing the ruckus. Screwball, with her purple-white teary eyes, was shivering as if from fear, while Screwloose light blue coat was mottled in many places.
Poor dears, it must have been a nightmare…
Fluttershy gently picked them both up in her arms and rocked them back and forth.
Screwloose was the first to calm down; at the same time, however, Fluttershy could still notice the trembling of Screwball’s violet coat.
“D-D-Daddy…” Screwball whimpered as she curled up closer to Fluttershy.
“I know, Screwball… I miss him too… “Why don’t we go and see him?"
The two fillies nodded slowly, and Fluttershy stood perfectly still and closed her eyes. Surprisingly, the teleportation spell had been the easiest to learn, but other simpler spells— even levitation— were proving to be bothersome with her new chaos magic. In a flash, the three were at Ponyville cemetery, standing in front of a tombstone with that familiar name. Each time she had gone to place flowers on his grave, she would stop to recall all those wonderful times they spent together as she read the inscription:
Here Lies Discord, the God of Chaos,
a Great Friend, and a Caring Husband and Father
“Discord, we miss you so much.” She hugged her fillies even tighter as she controlled the urge to cry.
Perhaps it was her mind playing tricks on her, but she wanted it to be true, she wanted to believe that the soft voice in the wind replied, “I miss you, too.”
Seven years. Seven years had come and gone since that fateful day, the one Fluttershy would never forget…
But for the moment, she had other things on her mind. Screwball and Screwloose would run around the cottage without a care in the world, and Fluttershy always tried her best to keep up.
Children really do take… a lot out of y—
“No, Screwball, those knives are not toys!”
Fluttershy reached out with her magic and pushed the items just out of Screwball’s reach, and she noticed that characteristic pout beginning to form on her filly’s face.
“Now now, wouldn’t you like to play with your sister instead? She’s having fun with the animals.”
“Aww…” Reluctantly, Screwball obeyed, allowing the tired mare to sit down and ponder for a while.
With Twilight’s help, she had been able to gain some control over her chaotic magic, though putting it to good use was proving harder than she originally thought…
But that could wait a little longer. Celestia had already started to lower the sun below the horizon, and Luna’s moon slowly inched upward. Fluttershy briskly finished feeding the animals their evening snack and headed up the stairs. She had already mentally prepared herself for the chaos she was sure to encounter in a few seconds.
“Screwloose, sweetie, you know it’s not nice to jump on your sister’s bed.” Fluttershy held her up in her magic as she fixed up the mess, all while Screwloose giggled uncontrollably.
“Hee hee, it tickles!”
Alas, exhaustion was showing through Fluttershy’s magic, and her hold was slowly getting weaker and weaker. Fortunately, it only took a couple minutes to fix up her fillies’ bedroom.
“Now where did your sister go?” Fluttershy asked to nobody in particular.
She was only mildly surprised when she looked in the direction of Screwloose’s hoof to find Screwball on a pink cotton candy cloud floating around the room.
“Screwball, dear, come down from there. It’s time for bed."
“I don’t want to. I want to stay up and play all night!”
“I want to stay up and play, too," Screwloose echoed as she poised herself to jump on the bed once more.
“Don’t you want me to tell you a bedtime story?"
"Story time!" Screwloose shouted as her grin grew ever wider, and of course, her sister would not be far behind.
“I want to hear a story!" Screwball bounded down from her cloud as it burst into wisps of magic, and she lay down on her bed as Fluttershy tucked them both in and pulled up her favorite rocking chair.
“So, which story do you girls want to hear?"
“I know, I know! How did you and dad meet? What was he like?” Screwball wasn’t the only one with questions, though.
“Yeah, and was he powerful? Did everypony like him?” Screwloose would have kept asking had not her mother interjected.
“Okay, I’ll tell you how I met your father.” It’s time they knew anyway.
“Yay!”
“Your father wasn’t a pony. He was a draconequus.”
“What’s a dra… draconcus?” Screwball asked.
“Well, a draconequus has a body of many different animal parts."
“Wow. That would look weird.”
“Oh, weird was right, almost perfectly weird.” And so she went on, pulling from those cherished memories all she remembered about Discord, even those early moments where evil had taken control of his heart.
“But why did you stay with him if he was evil?” noted Screwloose.
Fluttershy simply smiled at her. “Ponies can change, and in this case, Discord changed. I always saw through his flaws, and we were able to became friends. The more time we spent together, the closer we became.
“And what did I see in him? I saw that he wanted a friend, somepony to talk to and who would listen to him. He really made my life a little more… fun…”
YAWN
“Oh goodness, look at the time! It's time for you to sleep, girls.”
“Aw, but I want to hear more about Dad!” begged Screwball.
“Tell you what: I’ll tell you the rest of the story tommorow night. How’s that sound?"
Screwball sighed. “Okay mom.”
Only the small lullaby was left, and in a soft voice Fluttershy sang as the two fillies closed their tired eyes.
Hush now, quiet now,
It's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now,
It's time to go to bed
A good-night kiss later and the two were sound asleep, and Fluttershy tiptoed ever so softly back to her room, her eyes once again lingering on that one picture atop her dresser: Discord and her, looking out into the distance happily, peacefully. Next to photo lay the box, that small box that held the ring she cherished so much.
Sleep abruptly took over, washing the stressful day away, but she didn’t exactly know what to do with the sight before her. She was facing a large flowery field, the sun resplendent in the light blue sky. A warm wind lightly blew through her mane as the wisps of clouds slowly hovered above. That was when she heard the laughter of two fillies. Curious, she galloped in the direction of the unexpected sound until she reached the top of a hill, only to be struck speechless.
Screwloose and Screwball. That’s who the laughter belonged to. But the creature pushing Screwball on the swing…
“Higher, Daddy! Higher!” Screwball shouted.
“D-discord… is that really you?”
He turned around, and with a snap of his talons appeared right in front of her and picked her up.
“My dear Fluttershy. You still look just as lovely as when I left.”
“B-but… is this real? Is it a dream? I d—”
“You tell me if this is a dream.” He slowly brought his face closer to Fluttershy’s, and the kiss felt so warm, so real…
This can’t be a dream. It feels too real.
She let go of his lips and slowly opened her eyes.“I miss you so much.”
He smiled back. “I miss you too, Flutters.”
The perfect opportunity for one more kiss… at least, before they noticed their children covering their eyes and sticking there tonges out.
Discord laughed and brought them in his arms.“Fine, then, if you don’t want to see us kiss, then how about we play a little game of tag?”
Screwball immediately jumped up and poked his nose with a hoof. “Tag, you’re it, Daddy."
Screwball and Screwloose scurried away, all the while Discord and Fluttershy smiling at them warmly… until Discord poked her forehead.
“Tag. You’re it, my dear.” In a flash, he sped off into the distance.
“Hey, that’s not fair!” she cried out as she chased after him.
“Oh Flutters, have you forgotten who you‘re married to? The greatest trickster of them all!”
Fluttershy giggled to herself as she galloped along.
I never want this day to end.
Oh, but it was still a dream, and in the real world a single tear slowly made its way down her muzzle, as if deep down, she knew. But she also knew she wasn’t alone, as she felt the soothing embrace of her husband’s spirit.
And she heard those last words almost as if he was lying right beside her:
“I will forever be with you. You shall never be alone.”
