Facing the Truth

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It had been about a week since Tirek was defeated and the Friendship Kingdom was established. The ponies of Ponyville were ecstatic to be apart of Princess Twilight Sparkle's newfound domain. They had known the studious alicorn before she had become a princess. She had played a vital role in keeping the town safe, organized, and in control. Now, she could help them in even larger ways by settling their disputes and resolving any conflict that might tear apart Ponyville's harmony.

The newly-appointed Princess of Friendship had also gained the interest of a certain mischievous spirit. Discord had betrayed all of ponykind by siding with Tirek and helping to drain all of Equestria's magic. He had every right to stay in that bubble. To suffer any fate that would have befallen him. But, she didn't allow it. She would not relent until he was released.

That moment, Discord saw Twilight in a different light. No pony had ever sacrificed something for him before. Not even Fluttershy. Ever since that fateful day, Discord didn't see Twilight as just a friend. He saw her as something more.

Discord was sitting in his thinking tree, doing exactly that. In his claw was a picture of Princess Twilight Sparkle, the mare who had outwitted him time and time again. He gripped the picture tightly, glaring angrily down at it.

"Twilight, why must you make me feel like this? I can't look at you for five seconds without that sickly feeling showing up in my lower abdomen. I don't understand it," He put the photograph down and placed his head in his paw.

Discord snapped his fingers, hoping that a little bit of chaos would take his mind off of things. A bowl of chocolate pudding appeared.

Discord looked at it curiously. "Well, that's not very chaotic, is it? Let's try this again."

He snapped his fingers once more. The branch he was sitting on turned into a cheese stick, still strong enough to support him.

Discord looked at the cheese branch with dissatisfaction. "Not feeling it. Ugh! This isn't working."

His eyes turned back to the picture of Twilight. In the past, now would be a good a time as any to get that mare's mane in a knot. He would have had no second thoughts about it. But, now, after the event, it didn't seem right anymore.

Discord got up and loudly exhaled. "Come on, Discord. This is just a phase. I'll get over it. These feelings are just come convoluted thoughts that popped into my head and have no inclination of leaving me right now. They'll go away, I'm sure." He glanced back at the picture of Twilight. She certainly had some fascinating qualities about her. The way she freaked out over small things. The perfect pony she was seen as everyday was just a façade, hiding a disaster waiting to happen. She had a habit of creating chaos without sometimes even realizing it.

Plus, she wasn't that bad to look at. The way her mane sparkled in the sun, her horn glowing in a beautiful magenta aura, her--He shook his head and turned away. He silently cursed himself.

"Get it out of your head, Discord! These thoughts will dissipate in a matter of days. Besides, it would never work out. She is far too organized for me. I wouldn't last one minute without her yelling at me for placing a quill in the wrong place," Discord conjured up one of his signature cotton confections.

"Yup, like I said before, this is just a phase. It is springtime, anyway. I'm sure every male is going through it. I have nothing to worry about." Discord calmly took a bite out of the cloud, settling down for a nap. And yet, the purple pony remained in the forefront of his mind.

Twilight and her friends were salvaging everything they could from the remnants of her old library. Seeing the burned-up stump brought some tears to the young alicorn.

Twilight took in the sight of her precious library burnt to a crisp. "Hard to believe that just last week I was sitting on that balcony reading a book. Can't do that now, can I?" She chuckled sadly.

Spike came over to her and patted her side. "I'm sad, too, Twi. I mean, we spent two years living there. Why wouldn't we get attached to it?"

Twilight gave a sad smile. "That's the bad part about getting attached to something. You don't know what you have until it's gone."

Applejack came over and put a hoof around Twilight. "I know this is hard for ya, Twi. But, everythang happens fer a reason. If the library was still around, ya wouldn't have that there fancy palace." Applejack pointed a hoof at the Friendship Palace.

"Applejack is right, darling," Rarity said, coming over to join them. "It may take awhile for you to get over the fact that you can no longer visit the library, but I'm sure in time, you'll grow to appreciate your new abode. I know I will."

Twilight gave them a smile. "Thanks, girls. Though, it's going to take me more than awhile to get over this." She looked back up at the burned down stump with solemn eyes.

"We know, dear. We know. Oh, by the way, I found a stack of flash cards," Rarity levitated them over to Twilight. "They are surprisingly well-preserved."

"Oh, good. These were in my emergency kit. They probably survived because of the magic ward I placed on it." Twilight took them in her own magical aura and placed them in her saddlebags.

"Wait a sec," Rainbow dusted off her hooves then moved over to Twilight. "You're telling me you put a stack of notecards in an emergency kit? What else did you have in there? Safety 101?" Rainbow broke into little chuckles, eliciting an annoyed grunt from Twilight.

"Your jokes are getting old fast, you know that," Twilight turned around and went back to work.

The girls worked for a good half hour. Finding some items that were salvageable. They found some photographs of Twilight and themselves. They weren't in the best condition, some burnt around the edges, but considering the devastating blow that Tirek had given the library, they were pretty well-preserved.

Spike's basket had taken a few hits, but Spike didn't care. As long as it wasn't ashes, it was good enough for him.

Pinkie Pie was sorting through a pile of books, or at least, parts of books. Mostly pages and ripped bindings, nothing too important. She managed to find a few books that could be salvaged.

None of the books were entirely important, but Pinkie knew that Twilight would want to save every single book possible.

She threw some other books into a pile and picked up another one. She was about to put it aside, when the title caught her eye.

"Ooh, this looks interesting! HEY, GIRLS! I FOUND SOMETHING" Pinkie held a book out in the air.

"PINKIE! For Celestia's sake, we're all right here. You don't need to blow out our eardrums!" Applejack clutched her ears with her hooves.

"Oh, sorry! But, look. I found this book about Discord." She trotted over to the others, balancing the book on her head.

"About Discord?" Fluttershy perked up at the mention of her friend.

"That's strange. I don't remember reading this one." Twilight looked curiously at the book. She took it in her magic, wiping off the dust with her hooves. The corners were a bit burnt, but it appeared readable.

"I don't know if I'd be all that intrigued to read a story about him," Rarity said in an aloof manner.

"Now, Rarity, I don't think Discord would be happy to hear that. He's been trying really hard to gain back everypony's trust after...well, you know." Fluttershy gently scolded the white mare.

"Yah, well, he's not trying very hard. That's for sure," Rainbow crossed her forelegs.

"You guys are being a bunch of mean, judger, judgy pants..es. Discord's a fun guy. I'm sure if you gave him a chance, he'd be an awesome friend. Right, Twilight? Twilight?" Pinkie looked over to the mare in question.

"Huh? Oh, of course. Now, let's see," She opened up the book with her magic. "Discord: The Untold Story, I wonder what it's about." Her friends gathered around her, and she began to read.

Many know of the creature known as Discord. The living embodiment of Chaos himself. However, what most ponies fail to realize is that underneath that playful exterior, an unknown gold mine of truths and facts make up the interior. Twilight glanced up at her friends, already engrossed. She continued.

Discord was not always the mischievous being he's most commonly referred to. In fact, he used to be a very benevolent ruler. He was not even born a draconeques. Twilight's eyes widened as she read. He used to be a very wise and loving king named Accordance, treating his subjects with fairness.

However, he still had that playful spirit that invigorates him to this day. He would plan week-long celebrations for sometimes no reason. He would entertain his court with his clever jokes and vivid sense of humor. Life in the kingdom was truly wonderful. Until one day.

"Uh oh, you know what that means." Pinkie leaned in, both eager and anxious to hear the rest of it.

King Accord was in the royal archives when he stumbled across an old tome. It looked like it had been untouched for decades. It was about reaching the next level of magic. The king was quite intrigued by it. He was one of the most powerful unicorns at the point in time. As a recreational activity, the king would study every spell he could get his hooves on. If he could reach the next level of magic, who knows what her could do for his subjects. Unfortunately, the king failed to read the repercussions of achieving the next level. He carefully read and took in the information. Feeling he was ready, the king began the ritual.

He reached down into the deepest depths of his font, focusing on expanding it. A mental image formed in his mind. He pictured a giant hole and a shovel. As he pushed farther, the shovel would dig deeper. He could feel it. He would achieve the next level of magic. But, something went wrong. A new form of magic emerged itself into the "dirt" if that's what you would like to call it.

Accordance didn't pay any attention to it. It actually made him feel good. He welcomed the new magic, allowing it to consume him. This new magic affected the king in a very significant way. It corrupted his mind, getting rid of all his memories and replacing them with those of evil intentions. Not only that, his body began to transmogrify.

The king didn't try to stop it because it made him feel good. This new magic provided him with an unexplored field of arcane magic and a vastly enlarged amount of power. The king took in the feeling, not realizing the outcome, until it was too late.

Finally, the magic dissipated. But, King Accordance was no longer. In the once kind unicorn's place, a creature of chaos was born. A being with no intention of keeping harmony in its land. At that moment, the Era of Discord had begun. And the rest is history as we know it.

Twilight closed the book, her mind racing with thought after thought. She took a look at her friends and saw that their faces were grim. This was a lot to take in. Who could've guessed that Discord was a result of a spell gone wrong. She knew that this book spoke truth because of the author, Genuine Fact. She was a very reliable author in Equestria, known for her dedication to finding out the genuine truth, hence the name.

Still, this was all very hard to believe.

Rarity broke the long silence. "Oh my, what a back story."

"Yah," Rainbow rubbed her neck sheepishly. "Kind of makes you feel sorry for the guy. Almost."

"I find it hard to believe," Applejack looked up, staring into space. "But, I reckon there are some thangs out there that we might never grasp."

Twilight got up and began walking towards her castle. Her friends quickly followed suit.

"What are you doing, Twilight?" Pinkie asked, bouncing along side her.

"Well, this information about Discord is truly amazing. It's gotten me thinking that maybe there's more to history than what we know from books. Our world has been around for many millennia. Do we really have all there is to know about the past? I have to wonder if even Celestia knows about this. If she did, I would think she would have told me this." Twilight speculated as she ascended the steps of her castle.

"So, what are you doing now?" Spike asked.

"I need some alone time with my books. I'll be in my study. You're all welcome to stay longer, but I need some time to think." She trotted down the hall to her study, preparing for a few hours of research.

An Amazing Discovery

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Discord was slumping in his chair, obviously upset about something. He was at Fluttershy's cottage for their weekly tea party. He was still surprised that she wanted to continue them after...his big mistake. But, being the kind pony that she was, Discord could understand her actions.

Fluttershy came back into the living room, carefully balancing a plate of cookies on her head. She trotted over to Discord and set the platter down in front of him.

"Double chocolate cookies. Help yourself," Fluttershy picked up one herself and gently took a bite.

Discord mumbled a thank you as he grabbed one.

Fluttershy noticed that Discord was not acing like his usual exuberant self. "Discord, are you all right?"

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine, Fluttershy. I've just had...a lot on my mind," He took a bite of his cookie and looked the other way.

Fluttershy sat down next to him. "Are you still feeling guilty about what happened?"

"No, well, not exactly. I...don't want to talk about it." Discord couldn't stop thinking about a certain lavender mare. Try as he might, she kept permeating his mind and wasn't leaving anytime soon. But, of course, he would never admit it. It would ruin his reputation.

"Discord, that's all in the past now. We're not angry anymore." Especially after reading that book yesterday.

"Yah, well, I don't think you can say that about everypony. I did do a lot of bad stuff," Discord stretched out his long body before finishing his cookie.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Fluttershy perked up as she thought of something. "Oh, Discord! I just remembered. Twilight invited us all to explore her new castle with her. If you like, we can go together."

Discord cringed at the mention of the purple mare. He sighed. He had been wanting to check the place out.

"Sure, why not. I have been curious to see what else that glowy box bestowed. Let's go." Discord snapped his fingers, and they disappeared. He would have to push his undefined feelings aside. He would just act the way he always did.

Twilight, Spike, and four of her friends were waiting at the base of the castle. They were waiting for Fluttershy. They knew that Fluttershy was having her time with Discord, but they didn't want to count her out just yet.

At the thought of Discord, Twilight's mind went back to that book. It was just incredible how Discord came to be. She never would have guessed that Discord had once been a kind ruler. From what the princesses had told her, Discord used to be a sadistic tyrant, putting ponies, as Celestia worded it, in an eternal state of unrest and unhappiness. That book had changed her perspective on Discord. It also got her wondering what else she might not have known about the past. What other information might have been hidden from the world. But, she would have to focus on that later.

A bright flash of light momentarily blinded the expecting ponies. As their vision returned, Discord and Fluttershy were standing in front of them. Discord tried to avoid contact with Twilight trying to keep that feeling away.

"Fluttershy, I'm glad you made it. And it's nice to see you too, Discord." Twilight gave a polite nod towards the draconeques.

"Yah, yah, good to see you too. I--Ack!" Pinkie tackled him with a hug.

"I'm soooo glad you're here, Discord! I haven't seen you in forever!" She continued to hold onto him, much to his dismay.

"Uh, that's great, Pinkie," Discord detached himself from her by teleporting a few feet away. "Now then, Twilight, I believe we are standing in front of an unexplored castle. Shall we?" That's right, Discord. Just act casual.

"Of course, let's go." The group entered the large palace, eager to see what exactly this place had to offer.

Twilight was amazed. Scratch that, she was awestruck. This castle had literally everything! There was a game room and a movie theater. She already knew about the library (that was the first thing she checked out). There were numerous rooms all with different layouts. Twilight knew she didn't need all of this, but what was she going to do? Ask the box to take it back? There was no doubt this was going to take some major readjustments.

"Wow, does this place have it all!" Rainbow Dash hovered ahead, a big smile plastered on her muzzle.

"Twilight, dear, you are so lucky! A pony could only dream of living in a beautiful place like this. And to think that this all belongs to you!'' Rarity glanced over to the dragon riding on Twilight's back, bearing an unamused expression. "Oh, and Spike, of course."

Spike rolled his eyes. Crush or not, he couldn't help but be a little annoyed by the fashionista's overlook.

"This place is almost is large as the farm. An' this is jus' a buildin'," Applejack noted with awe in her voice.

"It could use some...added features," Discord smirked, preparing to snap his fingers.

Twilight used her magic to pin Discord's arms to his side. "Oh, no you don't. I don't need frogs hanging from the ceiling, thank you very much. No offense, but you wouldn't be my first choice for a renovator."

Discord chuckled, but secretly tried to keep that nauseating feeling down.

Pinkie was bouncing along, as per norm, when her eyes caught a glimpse of something that piqued her interest. She stopped by a ruby red door and looked up at the sign.

"The Elements of Harmony?" The sign depicted all of the girls' elements. Her mind raced with ideas on what could be in there. She opened the door and gasped.

"GUYS! YOU'VE GOT TO COME SEE THIS!" Pinkie shouted. The others came galloping over, wondering what the pink pony had discovered.

"What is it, Pinkie?" Fluttershy looked at the door.

"Are those your cutie marks? What kind of room is this?" Spike asked after reading the sign.

"This room is awesome!" Pinkie's voice came from the room. They entered the room and reacted in the same way Pinkie did.

The room was huge, about as large as two houses squished together. But that wasn't what made the room great.

This room was a conglomeration of all of their interests. The room was divided into six sections. One section looked like a supply store with quills, ink jars, scrolls, and anything else a student could ask for. Another looked like an open plain that spanned from one side of the room to the other. Perfect for a flight. There was a section that had almost every kind of fabric imaginable, plus sewing tools and other clothing material. There was a section containing baking materials and party supplies. A miniature apple orchard was set up, including a vegetable garden. Next to that was an empty pen, most likely for little animals.

They couldn't stop staring. Even Discord and Spike had to admit that this room was incredible, despite the fact that there was nothing here that interested them. This castle really did have everything.

The mares all rushed to their designated sections, pooling with glee.

"Oh my! Is this nylon silk?! All of the stores I've went to didn't have it in stock. It was either being sold out, or it was in too high demand! This fabric is perfect for spring outfits!" Rarity smoothed out the expensive fabric with a delicate touch.

"My animals friends would love it here. It's even got a feeding trough. This is beautiful," Fluttershy merrily trotted around inside the fenced area.

"Hey, there's nougat here! The Cakes just ran out. I can take some over there!" Pinkie grabbed a container of nougat and placed it in an unknown location.

"Wow! I was afraid I was going to have to buy everything all over again. But, I've already got everything here!" Twilight levitated a jar of ink, quill, and parchment in her excitement.

"I could fly forever in here. It feels like I'm actually outside. This is fifty degrees of awesome!" Rainbow proceeded to do some crazy flying maneuvers that only a pro-Pegasus could pull off.

"How is anythang growin'? Is this actual dirt?" Applejack picked up a hoof full of soil and sniffed it. "Good gravy! It is! This castle is full of surprises!"

Spike and Discord looked at the girls, watching them enjoy this newly found scenery.

"Too bad we don't get a section," Spike muttered.

"Well, what are you going to do? This castle was made by the Elements of Harmony after all. And since they are the bearers of the Elements, they get to have all the fun." Discord scoffed and leaned back, unknowingly hitting a hidden button. He felt something against his back and turned around.

A trapdoor opened leading down to another room. Twilight noticed this and came over. The others were too enamored by the intricacies of the room to notice. She stood next to Discord and peered down into the chamber.

She lifted her head and turned to Spike. "Spike, stay here with the girls. I'd like to check this out. Discord, you coming?"

"Huh?"

"Well, you did discover it. Come on," She carefully used her wings to descend into the hidden room. Discord jumped in instantaneously.

They landed on what felt to be a carpeted floor. Discord felt his heart thumping with excitement. He didn't know why, but for some reason, he could sense something...unexpected was about to happen.

Twilight lit up her horn to illuminate the area. For some reason, though, she found her magic waning. She was trying her hardest to produce light so they could see, but her horn wouldn't allow it. It was as if something was preventing her from using her magic.

"Discord, my magic isn't working properly. Could you?" She gestured towards the darkness of the room. Discord was a little surprised she couldn't do it but lit up the chamber with his magic.

They were met with an unexpected sight. It was an empty room, with the exception of one or two pillars, probably there for support. What was the point of this room?

"Well, this was a waste of time." Discord was about to head back up when Twilight's voice stopped him.

"No, there is something about this room. I can't put my hoof on it. I feel something...off. My magic doesn't work in here, yet yours does. Why?" Twilight put a hoof to her chin.

"Maybe your magic has bad reception," Discord joked, although he could tell she was not in the mood for jesting.

"You didn't have any trouble lighting this room up, did you?" Twilight ignored his previous comment and looked up at him.

"None at all. I pulled off that spell with ease. In fact, I actually feel awesome. This room has some special vibe to it. Makes me feel good." Discord flexed his hands.

"Wait a second, that's it!" Twilight's voice made him jump.

"What's it?" Discord was trying to figure out what she had come up with.

"I think this room is an anti-harmonic chamber." Twilight began to pace as she talked.

"Anti-harmonic? It doesn't like harmony?" Discord had never heard of such a thing.

"Well, kind of. Think about it this way. Anti means opposite. So, what's the opposite of harmony?" Twilight wanted him to think.

"Disharmony. So, what?" Discord's eyes widened as he came up with the solution. "Wait, are you telling me that this room only allows chaos magic?!"

"I think so. I have to assume that the Tree of Harmony created this room for you. After all, you did supply us with the final key to defeat Tirek." Twilight concluded, pleased with her deduction. "Rather counter-intuitive, if you ask me. But, I'm not going to question the works of a sentient magical embodiment."

Discord's mouth contorted into a huge smirk.

"Does this mean I can create chaos in here freewill?" He leaned down so he could look her in the eye.

Twilight was hesitant at first, but she relented. "Fine, but only if you promise to remain in here while doing so."

"Done deal." He shook her hoof as a sign of agreement. Her fur was soft. He could just run his fingers over it all--Discord instantly let go, cursing his mind for coming up with such ridiculous thoughts.

Twilight raised an eyebrow at that but shrugged it off. "We'd better head back up. Don't want the girls to wonder where we are."

"I doubt they even realized we were gone. Those mares get so easily entranced." Letting Twilight go first, Discord climbed out. He couldn't wait to let loose his chaotic powers. If Twilight hadn't--No. Now was not the time to think about that.

Discord climbed out and saw Twilight talking with her friends. He sighed, knowing he had some feelings to sort through.

Seeking Help

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Discord had been going down to that anti-harmonic chamber ever since the day they found it. He absolutely adored the place. He could spread his glorious chaos in there all willy-nilly, and the best part was, he didn't have to worry about hurting and/or upsetting anyone.

Twilight would keep a close eye on him, making sure he kept to his end of the deal. This, of course, did not help Discord in his current situation.

His undefined feelings kept bugging him. He tried so hard to forget about them, to toss them aside, but seeing her every day didn't help.

She was proving to be pleasant company. Sure, she was a organization freak who would ram him against the wall if he stepped anywhere near her books, but that was another aspect of hers that made his heart thump at uneven rhythms. If she was pushed the wrong way, she could easily blow up an entire city.

Thankfully, Discord was a skilled actor. He wasn't a novice at hiding his emotions, well real emotions. He continued to act the part of the pranking, frivolous draconeques, and she would never suspect a thing. If she did, she'd probably just shrug it off as another one of his jokes.

Discord decided that it was about time that he get some help to sort out his undefined feelings or possibly tell him how to get rid of them. He couldn't allow Twilight to continue being the main focus of his thoughts. He needed an expert's advice. Who did he know who was an expert on love?

It was a beautiful day in the Crystal Empire. The Kingdom was shining beautifully in the light of the noon day sun. The Crystal inhabitants happily trotted around their home, enjoying life to the fullest. Life in the Empire couldn't be better, especially for the monarchs of this sparkling region.

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Prince Shining Armor treated their citizens with kindness and love, and the Crystal Ponies happily returned the favor. After all, Cadence was the Princess of Love. It would make sense for her to shower her subjects with it. The Crystal Ponies couldn't ask for more appropriate leaders since their source of protection came from their love and unity with one another. Life in the Empire truly was wonderful, and everypony believed that nothing could interrupt this time of peace and tranquility. Oh, how wrong they were.

Princess Cadence sat atop her throne, filling in some paperwork that had been recently given to her. Shining Armor was in the process of training the newly-recruited members of the Crystal Militia. Young stallions who had just graduated from base camp had come here with the hopes of joining this rare army. It wasn't an incredibly busy day, they've had worse, but they had enough on their plate to keep them occupied.

A pony cleared their throat, gaining Cadence's attention. She looked up from her work and her gaze fell upon a brown crystal stallion with an unkempt grey mane. She raised an eyebrow at him. She knew almost everypony in the Empire, but this stallion's face was new to her.

"Good day, sir. I do not recall seeing you before today. Who are you, if I may ask?" Cadence set the scroll down next to her and faced him directly.

"You know who I am, Princess," he spoke in a familiar voice. Cadence recognized that voice, but she couldn't remember whose it was.

"I am sorry. I do not. Your voice sounds familiar, though. I can't quite put my hoof on it," She lifted a hoof to her muzzle trying to pinpoint where exactly she had heard it before.

"You most certainly have met me before, Your Highness. Just...not in this form." The strange stallion gave a small smirk.

Cadence took a closer look at the colt. She knew she had seen those colors before, but where? She thought back to his previous comment.

Not in this form. What does that mean? Her eyes widened as she came up with an idea. This form? Could this be...? No, I need to be sure.

She turned towards the guards in the room. "Leave us." They gave a nod and trotted out of the room.

She turned back to her guest. "Discord?"

"Bingo!" A burst of smoke erupted and the infamous draconeques strutted out of the cloud. "About time you figured it out."

"What do want, Discord? I don't exactly see you around much here. I know you're not here for just a casual visit. Now, I hope you have a good reason for coming here. Otherwise, I can easily summon my husband. I'm sure he'd be willing to escort you out of here, need be. Why are you here?" Cadence leaned back against her throne, hooves crossed in a business-like manner.

Discord dreaded this part of the meeting. He slouched down and let his head hang. "I, uh..." He muttered something inaudibly.

Cadence raised an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong? I've never known the Spirit of Chaos to go silent."

Discord sighed and looked up. "I need some...advice." His cheeks burned with the embarrassment he was feeling.

Cadence waited for more explanation, but he didn't give any. "Um, advice on what exactly?"

Discord looked up with an annoyed expression plastered on his face. "Come on, Cadence. What are you the princess of?

Cadence thought about his question, and realization dawned. Her mouth twisted into an amused smirk. "Oh, oooh! Has someone found that special somepony?" She asked in a teasing manner.

Discord groaned as his cheeks slightly lit up. "Noooo. I just have some...unsorted feelings to work out."

Cadence came down from her throne and trotted next to him. "Well, this type of thing can't be discussed in the open. Come with me to my room. We'll talk there." She headed for the door. "Also, you might want to revert back to that Crystal Pony form. Don't need you causing any unintentional disturbances."

Discord shrugged and instantly transformed into his previous form, quickly following after the pink alicorn.

Cadence walked past one of the guards and informed him to cancel court for the rest of the day. They turned a few corridors and entered one of the rooms.

The room was what one would expect the room of royalty to look like. It had a large queen-sized bed in the middle with a canopy overtop it. There was a small bookcase off to the side which probably contained at least fifteen or twenty books at the most.

There were purple cushions laid out on the floor with a velvet carpet beneath it. Of course, there were other intricacies of the room, but Discord didn't pay much attention to the rest of it.

Cadence placed herself in a comfortable seating position on one of the cushions and gestured that Discord do the same. Instead of doing that, he transformed the cushion into a full-sized throne. He plopped down on it, earning himself a weird look from Cadence.

"You are going to turn that back, right?"

"Of course, I will. But, you can't expect me to sit on that dinky, little thing. I find this much more suitable," Discord snuggled into his throne.

Cadence rolled her eyes and looked back at him. "Anyway, let's talk business. First off, who is it?" She looked at him with an eager expression.

Discord huffed and crossed his arms. "What makes you think I'll tell you? I do have a rep to maintain, ya know."

"Discord, I need to know so I can help you. No one's going to think any less of you for liking somepony. It's part of life, even for draconequi...es...?"

"The former."

"Right. Besides, I've given love advice to many ponies. You really think I don't know what I'm doing? I'm not the Princess of Love for no reason, you know." She gave him a knowing look.

"Yah, don't remind me," Discord rolled his eyes as he lowered his head.

"Now, tell me. Who is it?" Cadence folded her hooves in front of her chest as she waited for his answer.

Discord kept his head down but looked at her. "You promise not to laugh?"

"Uh, okay?" Cadence answered, wondering who he could like that would make her laugh.

Discord took a deep breath. "Fine. The pony who I like is..." Cadence leaned forward in anticipation. He mumbled the name.

Cadence thought she heard it but wasn't sure. "Who?"

"Oh, for the love of chaos! It's Twilight!" He blurted out, thankful he got it out before dying of mortification.

Cadence's eyes widened. Her mouth broke out into a huge grin. "Discord! That is so sweet!" She squealed.

Discord facepalmed. How did he not expect that reaction. "Yes, yes, Discord's gone sappy. Let the whole world know." He said in an irritated tone.

Cadence calmed down, but her grin remained on her face. "Well, Discord, I have to say I'm surprised. But, I'm happy for you. Twilight's a sweet mare. But, what I can't figure out is why? Last time I was in Ponyville, you had set out to ruining mine and Twilight's day by faking ill. And she's also told me about many of her other encounters with you. And every time, she mentioned how exasperating you were to her. Not to mention the fact that you were once enemies."

Discord rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, I haven't exactly had these feelings for a long time. They've only developed recently. Ever since she called me her friend when Tirek was here, I've been...seeing her differently. And I can't stand it!"

Cadence jumped slightly at that. "What? Why? These feelings are nothing to be ashamed of."

"But, I can't be around her for five seconds without that sickly feeling showing up. Plus, she's the total opposite of me. She loves everything I stand against. I mean, sure I'm reformed now, but I'm still the Spirit of Chaos. She is like entrenched in the ways of harmony and all that is organized. If I ever tried to pursue it, it would never work out." Discord waved his hands in the air before setting them back down.

Cadence took in what he had to say. "Well, Discord. I understand where you're coming from. You two are of completely different and opposing natures. But, have you ever heard the saying, 'Opposites attract'? You and Twilight may have many differences, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work out. Love is a strange and mysterious force, but most of the time, it provides you with the best result."

Discord turned his head. He felt a hoof touch his paw.

Cadence looked up to him with sincere eyes. "You know what I think? I think you should go with what your heart wants. You'll never know unless you try.''

Discord jumped up from his seat. "Whoa, whoa, you're not telling me to confess, are you? 'Cause if you are, I can kiss my chance good bye." He waved his talon.

Cadence stood up, too. "Like I said, Discord, you'll never know unless you try. Twilight may not reciprocate your feelings right away, but who knows? Only time will tell." Just then, the door creaked open, causing both of them to jump in alarm.

Shining Armor entered with his helmet covering his eyes. He used his magic to lift it off of his head. "Cady, where are the keys to the--" Shining stopped in his tracks as his eyes rested upon the third occupant in the room. Shining jumped into a defensive stance in front of Cadence and brandished his horn.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY WIFE?!" He yelled with the ferocity of a manticore.

Cadence and Discord covered their ears at the high decibel level the stallion's voice had reached.

"Sheesh! Talk about quick to judge!" Discord rubbed his left ear with his finger before turning back to Shining.

"You had better leave in the next ten seconds or--"

"Shiny!"

"I-uh, yes?" Shining turned his attention towards his wife but still glanced at Discord through his peripheral vision.

"You have got to stop jumping to conclusions. Discord just wanted to talk about a few things," she said, giving Discord a knowing look.

Shining noticed this and grew suspicious. "What kind of things?"

"They are none of your concern," Discord turned his back and crossed his arms.

"Obviously, they are if you had to discuss them with my wife!" Shining glared at the spirit.

"Have you heard of personal issues? If not, I suggest you look up the definition. Let's see," Discord conjured up a dictionary and flipped through the pages.

"Do, de, do, personal, p, p, p, ah! Here it is. Personal means, 'of, affecting, or belonging to a particular being rather than to anyone else.' You know what that means? I don't have to tell you, Mr. Nosy Armor." Discord slammed the book shut.

"Then why'd you tell Cadence?" Shining continued. Cadence put her hoof to her head.

"Like I said. It's none of your business!" Discord put his hands on his hips, clearly annoyed with Shining's persistence.

"It is if my wife know--"

"Enough!" Cadence yelled, ending their argument. They looked up to see Cadence's disapproving glare. "Stop bickering like little colts. It's very immature." She turned to Shining Armor.

"Shiny, Discord has met with me to discuss some issues. I will respect his wishes by keeping them to myself. You do not need to know everything."

She then turned to Discord. "And Discord, remember what I said. It might do you some good to follow my advice. You'll never know unless you try." She gave him a warm smile.

Discord gave a side nod. "Yah, well, I'll consider it. Thanks for the help, Princess Cadence." He turned to the door and walked towards it.

He stopped when he was partway through the door. "Oh, and Shining Armor?"

Shining looked up with a glare.

"Don't keep your wife up all night because of your insatiable curiosity. You might be unpleasantly surprised if you found out. Tootles!" He walked out, and they heard a flash, indicating he had left.

The Fun Has Just Begun

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Twilight stood there, watching Discord revel in his chaos. She had known from the very beginning that Discord would totally abuse this privilege. A chance to spread chaos without anyone stopping him had to bring joy to the draconeques.

Despite the many chaotic aberrations being created, Twilight couldn't help but smile. She enjoyed seeing Discord happy, especially after everything that happened. After his betrayal, she didn't think she'd ever trust him again. How could she? He had turned his back on everything he had earned. His friends, his acceptance, his freedom. It seemed as if all of that had been flushed down the drain.

But, friendship is magic. After realizing that, Discord had proven that he was ready to be sincere in his reformation. Twilight couldn't be prouder.

Twilight's thoughts were interrupted by a lemon meringue pie soaring past her head. She ducked quickly, avoiding the assault. She turned her head to see Discord, attempting to conceal his snickering with his paw.

"Not funny, Discord. I just took a shower. Besides, isn't a pie gag rather cliché?" She raised an eyebrow, giving a small smirk.

Discord gave a chuckle. "I suppose you are right. Though, it would have been funny nonetheless."

Twilight looked down at a pie on the ground, and her smirk grew slightly bigger. "Oh, I'm sure it would have been. Ha!"

Nothing happened.

"Uh huh," Discord looked down at the same pie, noticing it remained docile. "I don't see what's so amusing about a solitary pie. You have a poor sense of humor, Twilight."

Twilight was confused at first, but she remembered she couldn't use her magic. "Right, I forgot. No magic. Well, that was embarrassing." She gave a sheepish smile.

"I'm sure it was. Don't worry. I'm about ready to pack it in. Let's head back up." Discord said, trying not to think about how cute she looked when she was embarrassed.

She gave a nod and flew back up with a mighty flap of her wings. Discord quickly exited as well.

Once Discord was back out, Twilight sealed the room with her magic, covering it up.

Discord sighed, "I can't remember the last time I had so much fun. Haven't had the chance to spread chaos free reign for a looong time."

Twilight smiled, "I'm glad you're happy. I don't like having miserable attitudes in my Kingdom." She gently poked him in the chest.

"Huh, yah, well. I shouldn't have a problem following that rule," he chuckled.

She was about to say something but was cut off by the sound of the clock chiming, indicating that another hour had passed.

"Hey, what do you know. It's already noon. Time sure flies when you're having fun. Literally," Discord snapped his fingers, and the clock grew wings and began to fly away.

Twilight returned the clock to its stationary form before realizing something. "Wait, noon? I know I had something to do at noon. But, what was it?" She put a hoof to chin. "Let me check my schedule." She summoned a notepad and flipped to a page. Her violet eyes skimmed the page. A gasp escaped her throat.

"Oh no! I completely forgot! I'm supposed to be heading to Canterlot for a meeting with the Princesses. How could I have forgotten?!" She began to hyperventilate. Discord poked her head.

"Hey, what was that for?" She asked, rubbing her head.

"Don't get all worked up over nothing. It's very unbecoming of a Princess," Discord patronizingly wagged his finger at her.

"But, it's a meeting with the Princesses!"

"Don't you mean the other Princesses?" He crossed his arms. "You have got to start remembering your job, Twilight. You, Celly, Lulu, and Candy are all equal. Sure, you're not the main ruler of Equestria, but the point is, you're all princesses."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "You're basically saying they won't care if I'm late, right?"

Discord chuckled. "If that's what you got out of it, then sure!"

Twilight gave a slight chuckle, "Well, I guess you're right. I should probably go," She headed towards the door but stopped.

"Oh, wait, the train already left. The next one comes at 1:15. I don't feel like draining my energy teleporting to Canterlot." She looked at Discord.

"Say, Discord?" He turned towards her. He knew what she wanted.

"Don't tell me. You want me to teleport you to Canterlot, right?" Discord raised an eyebrow.

"Well, that, and would you like to come?"

Discord's heart leapt. He sincerely hoped he was hearing her right. "Pardon?"

"Well, I don't like going to Canterlot by myself. Even though I grew up there, I really hate dealing with the uptight Canterlot society. Plus, me now being an official Princess might get me some unwanted attention. If you know what I mean," She gave a pointed look.

Discord was reluctant at first, but he couldn't pass up an opportunity to go to Canterlot, especially since he was going with her. He shook his head at those thoughts. Still couldn't get rid of them.

"Very well, Princess. I shall escort you to our glorious capital. Don't expect me to shake off all of the paparazzi, though," Discord said in a joking manner.

Twilight giggled. "No, but I don't need a full crowd of fanponies gushing all over me. Let's go." Discord nodded, and with a snap of his fingers, they were gone.

With a flash of light, the pair reappeared in the beautiful city of Canterlot. No pony noticed their arrival due to their head in the air with closed eyes. Discord rolled his eyes. Two thousand years and the upper-class hadn't changed.

Though a Canterlot citizen by birth, Twilight desired no affiliation with high society. And, though she didn't like to admit it out loud, she ranked far higher than the average Canterlot pony due to her Princess status. She smiled at the thought.

Twilight felt something bump into her, or rather somepony. She turned around to see the rich couple Jet Set and Upper Crust dusting themselves off, eyes still closed.

"Would you mind watching where you are going? There are ponies walking these streets," Jet Set reprimanded standoffishly.

Twilight shared an amused glance with Discord. She enjoyed their oblivion of who they were talking to. She quickly summoned her royal regalia to further insinuate her humor.

"Yes, dear, I suggest paying attention to where you are going. You might have wrinkled my ensemble. This wasn't cheap, you know," She finally opened her eyes and gasped to see Princess Twilight Sparkle and Discord, the Lord of Chaos, standing in front of her.

"Upper Crust, what is--Princess Twilight!" Jet Set exclaimed after opening his eyes as well. They both fell to their knees in a bow, feeling ashamed for speaking towards a princess in such an ill manner.

"Forgive us, Your Highness. We did not realize it was you," Upper Crust proclaimed, trying to make up for their faux pas.

Twilight giggled, "Do not feel bad. I know you didn't intend on speaking to me in such a way. You didn't know. I do not hold anything against you." She tried to speak with regality as a princess is known for doing. It just added to her delight in playing with them.

Jet Set looked up and scrunched his nose in disgust at Discord. "My Princess, you certainly have an...odd taste in companions. I would have expected a lovely mare such as yourself to go out with a more sophisticated stallion."

Discord was taken aback by that statement. Did this guy really think they were here for...personal purposes? Twilight was also shocked at this stallion's assumption.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Where'd you get that idea?" Twilight asked abruptly.

"Well, what other reason would he be with you? Unless he's planning to conspire against the crown," Upper Crust flipped her elegant mane.

Discord placed his hands on his hips, "Now, hold on there, missy. I gave up that idea a loooong time ago. I am simply escorting Princess Twilight to the Palace. Is that a crime?"

Upper Crust lowered her teal-shadowed eyelids, "Of course not. However, are those your true intentions?"

Twilight was about to rebuke that statement, but Discord defended himself. "Whatever my intentions were in the past, I have no desire to see them come to fruition now." His face was serious, unlike his usual playful expression. Twilight was surprised at the sudden shift of emotion.

Discord sighed, "I have done a lot of bad things, I cannot deny that fact. However, I can try to make up for them. I no longer wish to rule Equestria, too much paper work if you ask me. I am a changed draconeques. I am trying my best to make ponies see that. And you have the audacity to assume that is why I am here." He harshly poked both of them in the chest.

"I say!" Jet Set exclaimed, rubbing his chest as though he were shot.

"I am simply abiding by my friend's request. She asked me to escort her here, and who am I to say no to a Princess?" He winked at Twilight who proceeded to roll her eyes. She wouldn't deny that she was impressed by his speech.

Discord turned back to them. "So, do you want to stick to your assumption and call the guards? Even if you did, nothing would happen. But, just some food for thought for ya. Wow! Didn't expect that to come out of me."

"Neither did I," Discord looked down and saw Twilight smiling at him, which in turn, made him smile.

Jet Set cleared his throat, "Well, Sir Discord, we apologize for the misunderstanding. I do hope you won't hold it against us."

"Indeed. It would be just awful for our image. Imagine being known for wrongly accusing the innocent. We are sorry, Your Highness." Upper Crust and her husband bowed reverently.

Twilight and Discord rolled their eyes. "You are forgiven. Now, we have another engagement someplace else. We bid you both good day."

With that, Twilight and Discord began their walk towards the castle.

"I've got to say, Discord, I am impressed. You have a surprising way with words," Twilight complimented.

Discord gave a side nod. "Well, you pick up a few things over a thousand years."

They arrived at the Palace, looking just a magnificent as always. They greeted the guards and went in. There were a few court mages running around, probably running an errand for Princess Celestia. The two approached the double doors of the throne room and opened them.

It was empty for the most part. Princess Celestia must have canceled court for the rest of the day. The Princess herself sat atop her throne, holding an object with her magic. She sensed another presence in the room and lifted her head. Her eyes widened as her gaze fell upon the two.

"Oh, Twilight, Discord! What are you doing here?" She hid the object behind her back.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. Discord smirked, "You called us here."

Celestia lowered an eyelid, "If I recall, I asked for Twilight. Not you. You know, in some countries, you would be beheaded for this."

"Oh, Celestia, you know you're happy to see me," Discord casually walked towards the throne.

"Discord, stop. Princess, I asked him to come with me. I don't really like coming here alone," Twilight explained after trotting next to Discord.

Discord nodded but suddenly looked confused. "Wait, what about Spike?"

"He promised to spend a day with the Cutie Mark Crusaders in exchange for them helping him clean the basement." Discord and Celestia gave her a questioning look. "Don't ask."

Princess Celestia nodded her head, "Very well. I honestly didn't think you were coming. This isn't a formal meeting. I just wanted to spend the afternoon with my faithful student."

Discord gave a triumphant laugh, "See? I told you, you were getting worked up over nothing. And you didn't trust me. Hmph!" Discord turned and crossed his arms.

Twilight laughed, "Hey, I calmed down. And I-wait, what do you mean by 'spend time with'?"

Celestia looked up. She was fiddling with the unidentified object in her magic.

Discord smirked, "Tia, what are you hiding?"

She quickly hid the object behind her back and tried to produce an innocent smile. "Hiding? I'm not hiding anything."

Twilight and Discord exchanged glances and nodded. "I beg to differ!" Discord teleported to her throne and snatched the object from behind her back.

"Hey! Discord, I order you to give that back," Celestia tried to grab him, but he teleported back to Twilight's side.

"Since when do I obey orders from you?" He held out the object in a gloating manner. "Ha! I've got--wait, what the hay is this thing?!" Discord took a closer look at the object. It was a three-dimensional cube with different colored tiles spread all around it.

"It's nothing!" Celestia tried to snatch it back with her magic, but Discord blocked it.

"Yo! Keep your magic to yourself!" Discord turned away.

Twilight took the cube in her magic and inspected it. Discord was not expecting that.

"Hey, the same applies to you!"

Twilight recognized it, "Oh, I know what this is. My brother and I used to play with this all the time when we were young. I haven't seen a Rubik's Cube in ages. These used to be so fun. Shiny would always get frustrated whenever I figured it out, and he couldn't," Twilight giggled at the memory.

"How you figured it I will never know. That piece of plastic exceeds my millennia of knowledge," Celestia placed her hoof on the foreleg rest of her throne and laid her face on it.

"I am sorry, but this is new to me. What is a Ruby Cube?" Discord asked as he held the cube in his hand.

Twilight grabbed the cube with her magenta magic, eliciting a groan from Discord. "Rubik's Cube. It's a brain-teaser basically. The goal is to get all of the same colors together. One side red, another side blue, and so forth."

"Well, that's not very exciting," Discord was disappointed as his excitement began to go down.

"I know it seems that way. But, it's really hard. So much twisting and turning. Let's see if I still remember the strategy." She began twisting the sections of the cube with her magic, moving them up and down and side to side. After a few minutes, the sections were still as color-jumbled as before.

"Ugh! I can't remember the steps. It's been too long. Oh, well," Twilight placed the cube in her hoof.

Discord smirked slightly at her frustration. She looked cute when she was frustrated. He pounded his head at those incessant thoughts.

Discord teleported the cube back to Celestia. "Here you go. Enjoy your Rubo Cube."

"You're not going to try?" Celestia smirked, stashing the cube in a little box.

"You kidding? If she can't solve it, what makes you think I can? I'm not in the mood for having my brain teased right now. It's very sensitive," Discord joked.

Just then, the doors opened revealing the Princess of the Night carrying a box in her magic.

"Ah, Twilight Sparkle! Annnd Discord? Well, more the merrier, I suppose. Sister, I brought the supplies needed to have entertainment," Luna set the box down.

"Lulu! So nice of you to join us on this gorgeous day. And here I thought you were nocturnal," Discord started digging through the stuff that Luna had brought.

"Where did you get all of this?" Twilight asked, levitating a yo-yo and a bouncy ball.

Princess Celestia came down from her throne. "A family donated these to us a few days ago. They suggested we open a Foal Area here in the Palace. We are considering it, but for now..." She levitated a stack of cards. "Who wants to play Poker?"

After several hours of playing cards and other games, Twilight and Discord headed back home. Luna had raised the moon while they were there, so it was already dark. Discord teleported them in front of Twilight's room in the Friendship Palace.

Spike was already asleep in his new bed. Even though his basket hadn't been destroyed, Spike felt he was old enough to sleep in an actual bed. His old basket was now used as a crib for his pet phoenix, Pewee.

Twilight smiled as she lovingly watched her young assistant sleep. The Cutie Mark Crusaders must have knocked all of the energy out of him.

Twilight turned to Discord and whispered softly, "Well, Discord, this was a surprisingly fun day. We should do it again."

Discord was glad it was dark, otherwise she might have seen him blushing. He coughed, "I'll have to consult my schedule. Though, I'll definitely make a note of it. I had fun with you today." He bit his tongue after saying that.

Twilight smiled, "So did I. Now, " she yawned, "it's late. You'd better head home, wherever that is. Goodnight, Discord." She entered her room and closed the door.

Discord nodded. "Goodnight to you too, Princess." He teleported back home, feeling not so conflicted about his feelings.

What is This Feeling?

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Twilight had been spending a lot of time with Discord these past few days. Whether it be with her friends or just the two of them. During that time, Twilight couldn't help but see something...different in Discord.

He wasn't being annoying, he wasn't messing with her, and when he did, he always would stay in the limits. Twilight could tell that Discord had definitely changed since that day.

But besides that obvious factor, Twilight began to feel something. She couldn't identify it, but whenever she was around Discord, she was happy. This happiness, however, felt different to the happiness she felt around her friends. She didn't know what to call it.

The mischievous spirit must have been rubbing off on her. She began to see chaos magic differently. She couldn't execute it without causing damage, but the entropy of that Element of Order intrigued her.

Order is comprised of two elements: Harmony and Chaos. One cannot exist without the other. During her time with Discord, Twilight began to realize that it was true.

Whenever Discord was around, she would feel off, but in a good way. She wanted to find out what it was that was causing her to feel this way. And who better to go to for advice than your closest friends?

The girls were having lunch at Fine Dining, the classiest restaurant in Ponyville. It wasn't often that they went out to eat. It was Rarity's suggestion, and none of them disagreed with it. This place was rated five-out-of-five-stars. They also were given a rather nice discount due to them being relatively famous. Twilight insisted that they pay the normal price, but the manager wouldn't allow it. So, they made due with the 40% discount.

Rarity levitated a breadstick into her mouth and daintily wiped her mouth with her napkin. "So, ladies, what's new?"

Rainbow took a sip of her cola before responding, "Ah, that hits the spot. New you ask? I'll tell you what's new. I just got a letter in the mail from the Wonderbolts! You already know that I made it into the Reserves, right?"

They all nodded.

"Well, one of their members sprained their wings. So, they asked me to sub for them. Can you believe it?!" Rainbow's eyes were bright and full of joy.

"Wow, Rainbow Dash, that's fantastic!" Twilight placed a hoof on Rainbow's forearm.

"Soooo, does this mean your Wonderbolt now?" Pinkie asked. Rainbow was about to answer before Pinkie interrupted. "Because if you are, that means you'll have to perform every single day. And if you perform every single day, you'll never have time for us. And if you never have time for us, we'll all be sad. And if we're all sad, we--"

"Pinkie! I am not a Wonderbolt. Well, yet anyway. But, even if I were, I'd make sure I found time for you guys. I wouldn't join if I couldn't," Rainbow elbowed Pinkie.

"Well, we're all very happy for you, Rainbow. What about the rest of you? Has something come up in your life that you would like to share?" Rarity glanced at all of them before taking a bite from her salad.

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Are you implyin' somethin'?"

Rarity put down her fork. "I'm not implying anything. Is it wrong to want to know how my friends are doing?"

Fluttershy took a drink from her water. "Well, I don't think we would want to share secret things. Unless, you're okay with it, in which case, feel free."

Twilight thought back to her strange feelings. She figured now would be a good a time as any to get some clarification on the subject.

"Well, there's something that's been bothering me lately," her friends immediately turned to her. She slumped down a little as they were staring at her.

"Oh my, are you okay?" Fluttershy asked, concern in her voice.

"I'm fine. Really. It's nothing major. But, I've been feeling...weird lately. I don't understand it," Twilight's eyebrows furrowed.

"Well, what kind of feelin' is it?" Applejack asked, sipping her apple cider.

"Are you sick? Do we need to get Nurse Redheart to give you a checkup?" Pinkie began examining Twilight very closely.

"Not exactly," Twilight pushed Pinkie away with her magic.

"Can you give us a description of what it is?" Rarity asked, finishing the last of her salad.

Twilight sipped the last of her lemonade and pushed the glass away. "Well, it's like..." She sighed. "That's the problem. I don't know how to describe it."

Rarity put a hoof to her chin. "Hmm. You know what? We'll discuss the rest of this outside. By the empty plates, I'm assuming we're all done?" The group gave collective nods.

"Well, I'll go up and pay. Fluttershy, can you come up with me?" Rarity turned to the Pegasus.

"Oh, uh, sure. I don't have much, though." She gestured to her yellow satchel.

"That's fine. We'll meet the rest of you outside." With that, the others headed for the exit.

The group began to head towards Twilight's castle. It was all the way across town, so it would take them a few minutes to get there. That would give them plenty of time to talk.

Rarity walked next to Twilight, "So, let's see if we can figure it out. What kind of feeling is it? Is it happy or sad?"

Twilight bit her lip, "It's more on the happy but weird side. I'm okay with it, but at the same time, I'm indifferent with it. Does that make sense?"

"So, you both like and dislike it. I guess that makes sense. Then again, I'm not a psychiatrist, so I wouldn't know," Rainbow shrugged her shoulders.

"Do you feel it often?" Fluttershy asked, stepping over a rock on the street.

"Well..." Twilight rubbed her neck sheepishly. "To be honest, the only time I feel it is when I'm around..." She mumbled the last word incoherently.

"What was that, hon?" Applejack strained her ear.

"You need to speak up, darling," Rarity moved closer to Twilight.

Twilight sighed, "Well, I feel it whenever I'm around Discord."

They all stopped. Silence reigned supreme for a few minutes. Twilight suddenly felt awkward.

Rarity cleared her throat, "Well, that is...uh?"

"Why don't we discuss this inside? We're here anyway," Applejack suggested, still unsure of what to make of Twilight's previous comment.

In agreement, the girls entered the crystalline castle.

They all settled down in Twilight's lounge. Cushions and chairs held them comfortably. Spike was sitting comfortably next to Twilight, munching quietly on a gemstone. Rarity fluffed up her cushion a bit before sitting down.

"Now then, Twilight, please forgive me if I'm wrong, but did you mention Discord? As in that's when you get these feelings?" Rarity looked towards the purple alicorn.

Spike began choking on his gem. He spit it out causing Twilight to flinch away. "Whoa, hang on. What did I miss? Twilight's not telling me anything." He shot an annoyed glance at the young Princess.

Twilight gave him a sheepish smile. "It's nothing to worry about. I'd just like to know what I'm feeling."

Rainbow hovered gently in the air, her hoof to her face. "You could be annoyed by him. I mean, he is known for causing mischief."

"Now, Rainbow, Discord has been doing his best to get along with everypony. He's not causing any mischief. He's changed. You should now this by now," Fluttershy scolded Rainbow Dash in a gentle but firm tone.

"Yah, and besides, Discord is a lot of fun. His chaos isn't bad if he's not using it to torment ponies. Like the chocolate milk! Who doesn't like chocolate milk? I love chocolate milk!" Pinkie smacked her mouth with her tongue at the thought of the delicious beverage.

Applejack rolled her eyes, "I never would've believed it." Deadpan obvious in her voice.

Rarity cleared her throat, "We're getting off track. Back to the subject at hoof. What have you been doing with Discord?"

Twilight began telling them about the days they spent together from the days in the anti-harmonic chamber to the day in Canterlot. From what she was telling them, she and Discord had been getting a good amount of bonding time in. The listening ponies shared knowing looks.

From Twilight's description, it was pretty obvious what the mare was feeling.

"Well, Twilight, " Rarity had a small smirk on her face. "I believe we have the answer to your feelings."

Twilight's ears perked up. "You do? Great. So, what's the story?"

Applejack came over and patted Twilight's shoulder, chuckling slightly. "For a smart pony like you, you can be so naïve sometimes."

Twilight shot her a questioning look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Rainbow came down and landed on the ground, "Egghead, you really need to get out more."

Twilight's eyes narrowed. "I'm not getting an answer. Apparently it's a subject that I'm oblivious to. What is it for Celestia's sake?!"

Pinkie laughed. "Your feelings, silly, are just that. Feelings!"

Twilight facehoofed, "I kind of got that, Pinkie. Somepony please start making sense!"

Spike scratched his head, "So, does Twilight feel sorry for Discord?"

Twilight put a hoof to her face, "I don't think that's it."

Everypony groaned. "Do I have to spell it out for you? Twilight, according to what you said, I believe that..." Rarity walked over to Twilight.

"You. have. feelings. for. Discord."

Twilight's brain registered this and immediately Twilight reacted. She jumped off her seat, backing away from her friends. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! You're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting, are you?"

"You can't argue with the evidence, Twi. The proof's all there," Rainbow gave her a sly look.

"I don't have feelings for Discord!" Twilight tried to defend herself.

"Well, what would you call it?" Fluttershy asked, stepping into the conversation.

"Well, I--"

"Twilight likes Discord? Since when?" Spike was unable to believe it.

"I don't! Not in the way you're implying," Twilight insisted.

"Keep telling yourself that, Twi. Your mouth may be saying, 'no.' But, deep down, you want to say, 'yes.'" Pinkie winked.

Twilight groaned, "Girls, you've got it all wrong. I like Discord. But, I don't like him like him."

They all exchanged glances. "Let's test that, shall we?" Rarity levitated Twilight over to the couch and laid her down on it, as if she were being seen by a psychiatrist.

"Rarity, what are you--?" A hoof was pushed to her mouth.

"We are going to ask you questions. And I want you to answer truthfully. We won't think of you as any less. We promise," Rarity gestured to the others who were Pinkie Swearing.

"What kind of questions?" Twilight asked with a wary look.

"First up, what do you feel around him?" Rarity asked, ignoring Twilight's previous inquiry.

"Remember, Twi, honesty is the best policy," Applejack winked.

Twilight rolled her eyes and sighed, "Fine. I feel...happy. It's kind of hard not to around the guy. He's been showing me that chaos, when it's being kept under control, isn't that bad. I know what he does goes against everything I live for, but order can't exist without both elements. So, he's broadened my horizons, I guess."

Rarity looked towards the others with a questionable smile. Pinkie giggled and raised her hoof, "My turn! My turn!" She trotted over to Twilight and stared at her. Pinkie was staring at her very intently, making it hard for Twilight to maintain contact.

"Uh..."

"You've got a piece of hay in your mane, " Pinkie said in a completely serious tone (well, serious for her).

Twilight looked quizzically to the side of her face and grabbed the piece with her hoof. "Uh, good observation, Pinkie."

"Thanks! Now, for my question. What do you feel when you're around him?"

"Didn't she just--"

"Not emotionally. I'm talking physically," Twilight gave a confused look. "Like...do you have butterflies in your stomach? Does it feel warm when you're around him? Do you sweat?"

Twilight bit her lower lip, "I, well, maybe the second one. Only a little though. I just figured it was the warm weather. It has been in the upper seventies lately."

They all laughed. Spike was still oblivious to what they were talking about. But, what do you expect from a baby dragon?

"Seriously, Twi. Do you know nothing about romance? I'm not an expert, but even I know the basics," Rainbow shook her head while smirking.

Twilight rubbed her eyes with her hooves. She certainly did not envision this part of the day. But, perhaps they had a point. Discord wasn't that bad. He had his downsides, that was obvious, but his upsides made up for them. He was funny, had a millennia of knowledge behind him, he was charming in an odd way. The idea seemed to disgust Twilight, but at the same time, she kind of liked it. Was it possible that she had developed feelings for Discord? She shivered at the thought.

Twilight sighed, "Guys, my personal life doesn't concern you. My emotions are strictly my business. I appreciate your compassion, but can we talk about something else?" She got up off the couch and began walking towards the door. The others scampered after her.

"But, darling, this is your love life we're talking about. It can't just be swept aside," Rarity said, walking behind her. Twilight stopped suddenly, causing her to bump into her.

"Whoa, back up. Who said anything about love? That is going a little overboard don't you think?" Twilight looked at Rarity with leery eyes.

"Yah, Rare. Let the gal be. Her business does not involve us. Unless she asks for advice, we don't give it," Applejack gently shoved the white unicorn.

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd let to get home. I promised to read a story to Mama Bear's new cubs. You know how babies are. See you girls later," Fluttershy headed towards the nearest window and flew out.

"And I'm foalsitting the Cake twins again. They're turning a year old in two days. Catch you later!" Pinkie quickly gave each of them a hug and dashed off.

"You'd all better leave too. I'm sure you've got something you'd like to do before the moon rises," Twilight gave a calm smile to her remaining friends.

"You're probably right. I've got some chores I need to work on. Take care, ya'll." Applejack trotted towards the exit.

"Eh, not really. But, I'm sure I'll find something to kill the time. See you two later," Rainbow took off in a cloud of smoke, leaving behind her signature trail.

"I'll see you later, Rarity," Twilight gave Rarity a hug.

"Bye, Rarity!" Spike said from down the hall.

"Good bye, Spike!" She responded.

"I'll see you later, darling," she began to walk towards the exit, but turned back. "Oh, and Twilight?"

Twilight looked in her direction.

"Don't forget what we talked about. Think it over. He wouldn't be my choice for a coltfriend, but you never know. Ta ta!" She left the purple alicorn alone, leaving the mare in question with some heavy-duty thinking.

Confiding in Friends

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Discord was staring into space, thinking about, sadly, the newly-named Princess of Friendship. Just the thought of her brought some...less than awkward ideas into his head. He clenched his hands into fists and slammed them against the trunk of his thinking tree.

Ever since his visit with Cadence, Discord had been considering telling Twilight about his feelings. But, that was still undecided.

It bothered him greatly that as powerful a being as he was, he wasn't able to confront a mare about his feelings.

Discord had never had to deal with this kind of situation before. Eons ago, he had almost developed an interest for Celestia, but she could never appreciate that chaotic nature that he possessed. Celestia was solely entrenched in everything harmonic. If she found something that went against it, she would either work to correct it, or eliminate it altogether. Discord had known from the get-go that trying to pursue a relationship with her would not have been a good idea.

Twilight was a different story. True, Twilight had been raised by the same precedents Celestia believed in, but she possessed the ability to harness both the powers of Harmony and Chaos. She couldn't execute chaos magic properly without damaging something in the process, but the point is she could do it.

Discord smiled at the thought of training Twilight in the Art of Disharmony. Though her stick-in-the-mud mentor would forbid it, Discord could just imagine Twilight creating chaos like he did.

His smile quickly disappeared as he thought back to his feelings. This whole undecided crush thing had been going for quite some time now, and no matter what, he couldn't get over her.

Cadence had given him advice, but he couldn't tell her. How would she react? Would she stop being his friend? Would she freak out at him? Discord knew that she'd probably reject him. He hadn't exactly earned her respect in the past. They had been getting along better, but saying that they were more than friends was a pretty far-fetched idea.

He banged his head against the tree trunk. "Why does life have to be hard?" He looked down, resting his head on the thick branch beneath him.

All this grief was making him sick. How tame he had gotten. All of these problems caused by his stupid emotions. And Twilight, of course.

Discord leaned back against the tree trunk. He had to do something. He couldn't let her continue plaguing his mind. He would only tell her as a last resort. What could he do?

"Friendship, a blessing and a curse. If only there was something I could--Wait, that's it!" He summoned some scrolls and quills.

"Who better to ask for help than your friends?" He used his magic to animate the quill to writing itself.

He opened his mouth to begin dictating before stopping. "Hmm. Knowing them, this kind of thing could only lead to giggles and gossip. Ah, well. If they spill, I'll wreak some insufferable vengeance upon them, but in the politest way possible. Anyway, Dear Fluttershy..."

The Mane Six sans Twilight were all gathered at Fluttershy's cottage. They had all received letters from Discord stating to meet here for some important matters. Obviously a little surprised at first, but they figured they might as well see what he wanted. What they couldn't figure out was why Twilight wasn't here. She was usually always on time, but she hadn't shown up yet. They would soon realize the reason why.

Discord appeared in front of them, startling a few unsuspecting ponies.

"Discord, please, do you mind announcing your arrival? I can think of a much more civilized way of showing up," Rarity huffed, flipping her mane.

"Since when do I have to be civilized? Besides, we're all friends here. And friends enjoy surprises, right?" He embraced them all in a group hug, earning himself several smacks.

"I know I do! Parties are a lot more fun when they're surprises! I mean, who doesn't like surprises?" Pinkie jumped out of Discord embrace, smiling as usual.

"Wow, Pinkie, I never knew that," Rainbow said in a sarcastic tone.

"But, you've known me forever. How could you not have known about that till now?" Pinkie asked with an innocent look.

Rainbow rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to bother answering that."

"Okay, Discord, I think we're gettin' off track. Why're we here? What's so important?" Applejack faced the draconeques with a questioning look.

"And, Discord, do you know where Twilight is? She should have been here by now," Fluttershy looked towards the crystal palace that their lavender friend occupied.

Discord silently groaned. He knew that question would come up. She was the whole reason they were here. Discord had known that Twilight would be in Canterlot visiting her parents today. She had told him to let him know that he couldn't go down to his favorite room today.

Discord was rather thankful for the break, since now he could talk to the rest of them without worrying about her popping over.

"Well...that's actually what I need to talk about," Discord's voice took on a more serious tone.

"Why whatever do you mean, Discord?" Rarity raised an eyebrow.

"We'll talk inside. So, get," He ushered them into the little cottage.

The five mares all fit comfortably into Fluttershy's abode. The faint smell of animal fur wafted around the room, which was to be expected. Fluttershy offered each of them a cup of tea, which they politely accepted.

Discord closed the door and walked over to them, sitting down in one of the chairs and grabbing a teacup. He took a sip, then placed it on the table he had just summoned. Now for the hard part.

"So, Discord, what's the big deal? It's not normal for you to have matters that would be considered 'important,'" Rainbow lounged back on the comfy couch, holding her cup in her hoof.

Discord scratched the back of his neck, "Well, I...," he sighed, "It's hard to explain."

"Don't worry, Discord. We're all friends here. Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll be able to help you," Fluttershy said in her usual kind voice.

"Of course, we'll help you. Friends help each other. And if you don't help them, then you're not friends. But, we are friends, so we will help you!" Pinkie bounced in place, a smile once again visible.

Discord looked at the mares present. He could trust them, well, most of them.

"Fine, but you must promise me you won't laugh. This is rather serious for me, and I'd very much appreciate it if you all would consider it likewise," Discord leaned back in his chair, giving the impression that this, whatever it was, wasn't a joke.

"All right, Discord. We'll take this serious. Now, what's the trouble?" Applejack drank some of her tea, proceeding to wipe off her mouth with her hoof.

Discord took a deep breath. "You all remember what happened with Tirek, right? I'd be surprised if you didn't." They all nodded in agreement.

"Then I'm sure you remember being trapped in those bubbles."

"That was a very horrifying moment for all of us, I'm sure," Rarity shivered at the memory.

"But, what does that have to do with anything?" Rainbow scratched her head.

Discord exhaled once more, "Well, when...Twilight agreed to give up her magic for her friends, I was so sure she wasn't going to have me released." He smiled. "I am so glad I was wrong. She would not give in until I was freed. I just..."

The others gave him compassionate looks. They all knew that moment had been a great impact on Discord that day. Finally being truly accepted as a friend. Was this the important matter?

"Discord, we already know all this. Why would you tell us something we already know? I don't think anypony forgot," Pinkie asked quizzically.

"I wasn't done," He cringed. Now came the hard part. "After that day, something was different. I...began noticing a few things about...Twilight. She called me her friend, something I thought would never happen. I mean, I wasn't exactly trying to be her friend."

"Well, now the truth comes out," Applejack crossed her forelegs.

"Applejack," Fluttershy scolded in a reprimanding manner.

"It's okay, Fluttershy. Anyway, I began to think about her more than I would've liked to. Every time I would see her, I would think about that moment. Well, maybe not all the time, but most of the time. In the past, I would only see her for her power. That mare could blow up an entire city if she got aggravated."

They all nodded knowingly, recalling the Smarty Pants incident. She didn't blow up the city, but she did create some chaos.

"Now, I'm beginning to see her as something...more. I can now call her my friend, just like I can for all of you. But, deep inside me, though it pains me, something in me wants to call her something more," Discord took a quick glance at the mares with him.

Some of them had looks of surprise. The rest of them shared knowing looks, indicating that they knew something he did not.

Rarity gave a sly smile, "Oh, I see what you're saying." She giggled.

"I never thought you to be the type," Rainbow gave a similar smirk.

Discord lowered his eyebrows, "I know, I know. Discord has feelings. Shout it out to the world. This became Deja vu rather fast." He smacked his face with his lion paw.

"So, are you saying you like Twilight?" Fluttershy asked, sharing a smile.

Discord groaned, "How else would you interpret it?"

"Well, this is great because Twi--mmph!" Applejack slapped a hoof onto the exuberant pink mare's face.

"Story for another day, Pinkie," Applejack gave a pointed look. Pinkie understood and nodded.

"This is wonderful, Discord. Everyone needs someone in their life," Rarity patted Discord's paw.

"It's not wonderful," Discord quickly shook off her hoof before getting up.

"Why ever not?" Rarity raised a eyebrow.

"Don't you see? She's my polar opposite. Harmony's her thing, Chaos's mine. Even if I wanted to pursue a relationship, it would never work out. She'd reject before I finish my sentence," Discord huffed, sitting down on the floor while resting his head on his claw.

The five mares shared knowing looks.

"Well, that explains why you didn't want her here," Applejack lowered her eyelids and smiled.

"You get a sticker for figuring out my motives," Discord replied half-heartedly.

"Aw, I want a sticker," Pinkie stuck out her bottom lip.

"Anyway, Discord, you shouldn't think like that," Fluttershy stated gently.

"Fluttershy is right. You don't know how Twilight thinks. She might return the feelings if you told her," Rarity smiled at her last conversation to the mare in question.

Discord shook his head, "Nope, not gonna happen. It'll be a sunny day in Tartarus before I give her a confession."

Rainbow rolled her eyes, "Yeesh, dramatic much?"

"I kinda doubt Twi would reject you just like that. Knowing her, she'll look it up in the dictionary," Pinkie snickered.

Discord turned away. He felt a hoof touch his shoulder.

"Discord, I'm going to give you the most cliché advice in the book. You need to tell her. You never know--"

"Unless you try. It's like my visit with Cadence again, I swear," Discord rolled his eyes.

"The point stands, Discord. Twi's not one to flat out ignore somethin' like this. The worse thing she could do is say 'no.'" Applejack assured him.

"And if she does, then she's not the one for ya. It's as simple as performing a double-flip corkscrew," Rainbow nodded her head.

"That maneuver's not easy," Fluttershy looked over at Rainbow.

"Well, for me, at least."

Discord sighed. The same advice, just given in a different way. He thought about it. Would it be so wrong? Having a relationship with a mare would be a new experience for him. Twilight would make a great companion. She had several facets that Discord admired.

If he told her, he'd be lifting a huge burden off of his shoulders. At least then he would know how she felt. They had gotten considerably closer. Who knows?

Discord sighed, "I shall think about it. I haven't decided yet. But, I'm not counting it out. Like you said, the least she can do is turn me down. I thank you all for the advice. Some better than others, but I'm not one to pick and choose. Usually," Discord wrapped them all in a hug. One which they all accepted.

Discord went home to think it over. He couldn't exactly picture how it might play out. He couldn't decide what her answer would be. They had gotten close over the past few weeks. She might accept him or reject him. Love was a foreign concept to him. He had never truly loved something or someone before. He had been too caught up in his chaos that he never had the chance to seek it.

Now, that he was reformed, the idea wasn't all that bad. It'd be nice to call someone something more.

Would Twilight be the one? He'd find that out someday.

Igniting the Spark

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Discord was sleeping, or at least trying to. He was in his inner-dimensional home, a place only he had access to. He was having a hard time falling asleep. He wasn't having a nightmare; it was, in fact, a rather pleasant dream. Though, it was one he would not prefer having.

Discord was sitting on a hill, overlooking the beautiful sunset. The day had been just perfect. He had had a wonderful day with the most wonderful mare in the world. Twilight Sparkle. And there she was, snuggling next to him. His lion paw covered her being, enjoying this moment of tranquility. She was everything he had ever dreamed of. She was his.

He sighed, "This is nice, isn't it, Twi?"

"It sure is, Dissy. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be than right here beside you," She nuzzled his furry side, sending a pleasant shiver down his spine.

"I second that, my dear," He kissed the top of her forehead, eliciting a cute giggle from the mare.

"How about some of your delicious cotton candy, Dissy? You know I can't go a day without eating that delectable confection," Twilight gave him her adorable pleading eyes, ones he could never say no to.

Discord smiled, "Like you even have to ask, darling." He snapped his fingers, summoning the pink cloud.

Twilight grabbed a piece with her magic and began munching on it. "Good, as usual, Dissy. I love it. And I love you." She nuzzled him once again.

Discord blushed and leaned down to meet her in the eyes, "I love you, too." He planted a gentle kiss on her muzzle, one she gladly returned.

Discord woke with a start, cheeks red. That dream came out of nowhere. But, as he thought back to it, he realized that...he wanted that.

Having someone to call love, hearing someone say those three precious words. Discord sighed. He wanted that. He had to have it. He had to give it a try.

Discord took a deep breath, "I have to tell her."

Twilight was tossing and turning in her bed. Thoughts unending plaguing her mind. What she couldn't understand is why she was thinking about him. Of all the things to interrupt her sleep, Discord had to be the one.

Her thoughts, however, were not negative. She was thinking about all the times she had spent with the chaotic being, both the good and the bad. She began to realize that Discord mainly interacted with her more than the others.

Fluttershy may have been the first to introduce him to friendship, but Discord seemed to be mostly interested in her.

After these past few weeks of getting to know Discord, he was all she could think about. What did it mean? Were her friends right? Was she seeing Discord differently? Had she developed romantic feelings for him?

Twilight shivered at the thought. She had, at some point in time, envisioned herself settling down with a nice stallion and raising foals. But, being with Discord for all her life seemed kind of delusional.

Twilight had never had romance in her entire life. She had turned a few heads, but she never found her perfect match. To be honest, she never really cared for stallions besides her brother. Discord was no stallion, but if he put his mind to it, he could very well be a fine gentlecolt. Was it possible Discord was the one?

Twilight opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling, "Have I really fallen for Discord?

Discord slowly walked towards the Friendship Palace. He didn't feel like teleporting or flying. Not while he had an important mission at hand.

His dream last night had made the decision, after all this time, he was finally going to confess. He had a terrible foreboding of what might happen. He knew that her rejecting him was not out of the question.

They had become good friends, no doubt, but wanting to be more might be pushing it. Twilight didn't exactly seem interested in starting a relationship, especially with him.

Discord knew that his chances with her were slim to none. There were many capable stallions out there, and Twilight was a very pretty mare. He was surprised she didn't have a coltfriend already.

He shook his head. No time for jitters. He was the Master of Chaos, for Celestia's sake! He could handle saying a few words to a Princess. He was not about to turn tail and run. He could do this.

With the new vote of confidence, Discord picked up his pace and headed towards the castle.

Twilight was in her lounge, waiting for Discord. It had been a few days since his last visit with her. But, he messaged her saying that he would be coming over today. This led Twilight to think about the previous night and the thoughts that had entered her mind. She tried shaking it off, but for the life of her, couldn't.

Twilight sighed. Had she really developed feelings for Discord? It was a crazy thought, but pleasant in a way. She could just picture herself and Discord, sitting by a lake and enjoying each other's company. Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by the sound of the double doors opening.

She left the room and went to greet her guest.

Discord opened the doors with his claw, stepping into the massive palace. He heard the sound of hooves clopping against the floor. He had a pretty good idea who it was and braced himself. He wouldn't tell her right away. He'd tell her when, as cliché as it sounds, the time was right.

The hoofsteps drew closer until she was a few feet in front of him. Discord took a deep breath and put up his playful façade.

"Why, hello, Twilight! What a pleasure to see you. I hope you haven't missed me too much. I have been busy as of late. But, I'm sure you managed without me," Discord shot her a toothy grin.

Twilight rolled her eyes. Always the playful spirit. "I don't think I could've lasted another day," Twilight said in a sarcastic tone.

Discord silently gulped. If only those words were meant to be sincere. "A-anyway, I have another craving to spread my glorious chaos. We ready to head over to my favorite room?"

"Huh? Oh, yah, sure. Let's go," Twilight said a bit uneasily. Get a grip, Twilight. These feelings are still undefined. Just push them aside for now.

Discord followed Twilight down the few corridors that led to the "Friend Room," as Pinkie Pie liked to call it. Twilight opened the door and held it open for Discord. He gave a small nod before entering, Twilight doing the same shortly after.

Discord pressed the secret button, and the hidden panel revealed itself.

"After you," The Chaos Spirit ushered.

"Thank you," Twilight opened her wings and carefully descended into the anti-harmonic chamber.

Twilight landed firmly on the carpeted floor. Discord came down, as well.

"Well, go ahead. The floor's all yours. Quite literally, actually," Twilight stepped to the side, gesturing with her head for him to start.

"Oh, of course. I'll get right on it. Let me close the hatchet first," Discord flew up slightly and shut the panels.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Twilight asked warily.

"You worry too much. Trust me, I know what I'm doing," Discord came down and snapped his paw.

Suddenly, the room burst into color. Orange polka dots covered the walls, while red and green stripes outlined the floor.

Twilight picked up her left hoof, surprised by the sudden aberration to the carpet.

"Interesting," She mused, "But, it's definitely lacking something."

Discord looked over at her, then looked at the changes. He stroked his goatee. "Hmm, you might be right about that." He snapped his paw once more. This time, cotton candy and rainbow licorice filled in the empty spots in both the wall and the floor. He offered some licorice to Twilight, which she politely accepted.

"Mmm! This is surprisingly good. Though, I can't make out the flavor," She licked her lips, tasting an assortment of several different flavors.

"Well, it is rainbow-colored for a reason," He took a piece for himself and began chewing on it.

"Red part's cherry, orange is, well, orange. Yellow's lemon, green's lime, blue's blueberry, and purple's grape. My own personal invention. Tasty, no?" He slurped his right up.

"Wow, that's...rather smart. You should give this to Pinkie. She'd love this," Twilight finished the last of hers.

"I'm sure she would." Discord snapped his fingers, causing his signature throne and Twilight's throne to appear. His spell also placed Twilight in her assigned seat.

She shook her head after being plopped down so suddenly, "Is this from the throne room?"

"Uh huh, why? Do you not want to sit? I can easily put it back," He readied this fingers to snap again.

"Oh no, it's fine. Just surprised a little."

"I'm surprised you're still surprised after knowing me for so long. You should be used to my antics by now," Discord leaned his head against his claw.

"Well, chaos isn't exactly predictable, you know. You never really know what to expect from it. Well, I guess you could. I mean, you're the Spirit of Chaos. You kind of have to know," Twilight gave a joking smile.

"I guess," Discord shrugged. "Truth be told, I don't think chaos can ever truly be understood. I mean, I can harness it. Doesn't mean I understand it."

Twilight nodded her head, "I guess that makes sense. The same goes with harmony. It's a wide concept. We have many theories and speculations on it, but even the greatest magical minds would never be able to understand it in full depth. I know I never could or will."

"Perhaps some things are meant to be shrouded in mystery. Not everything in the universe has to be explained," Discord reclined on his throne, placing his hands behind his head.

Twilight nodded. In her mind, she was amazed that she was having this kind of conversation with Discord. It was a serious topic, one she wished she could discuss more often. Her friends could never talk with her about issues like this. She loved her friends with all her heart, but Twilight knew they didn't have the mind to converse about matters like this.

Discord had thousands of years behind him. He was even older than Celestia herself. He had experienced many things and had probably gained plenty of knowledge because of them. That was another aspect that Twilight admired about him. But, now was not the time to go there

"I'm rather hungry. How 'bout you?" Discord's voice brought Twilight from her thoughts.

"What? Sorry, I zoned out there," Twilight gave a sheepish grin.

"That's all right. Happens to me all the time. Are you hungry? I know I am," Discord rubbed his stomach.

"Uh, sure, I guess. What did you have in mind?"

Discord put a finger to his chin, "Well, what would you like?"

Twilight looked at the ground for a second. "Are daffodil and daisy sandwiches an option?"

Discord chuckled, "My dear, anything's an option. Daffodil and daisy sandwiches coming right up." Discord snapped his fingers, and a platter of the requested sandwiches appeared.

Twilight took the sandwich in her hooves-since magic was out of the question-and took a bite. Her face lit up.

"Oh my, this is delicious! It tastes super fresh," Twilight savored the meal.

Discord smiled as he took a bite out of his. "Only the freshest for a Princess."

Twilight blushed and turned her gaze away.

After an hour of silent munching and talking, Discord snapped the platter away before getting up and stretching. "Well, I don't know about you, but I've had my fun for today. Let's head back up." Discord flew up and pushed on the panels. He froze as they weren't opening as they should.

"Uh, Twilight? Mind lending me a hoof here? These panels won't move," Discord gritted his teeth as he pushed with no success.

Twilight's eyes widened. She quickly flew up and began pushing with all her might, and yet, the panels remained immovable.

"Hoofston, we have a problem," Discord banged his long body against it, but to no avail.

"See! I knew it wasn't a good idea to close them! I kept them open for a reason!" Twilight flapped her wings as fast as she could, trying to build momentum.

"Well, how was I supposed to know this would happen?! I'm not a psychic, you know." He flew down to the ground and spread his wings.

"Discord, what are you--"

"Twilight, please move to the side. I'm going to attempt a 'Rainbow Dash.' May not be the smartest idea, but I have to try!" Discord readied his wings.

"Discord, I wouldn't if I were--"

"Shush! I'm ready." On the count of three, Discord took off as fast he could. He hit the panels as hard as he could. He fell down, head spinning, the panels still remaining immobile.

Twilight flew down quickly, "I tried to warn you. Now, look what you've done," Twilight motioned to his head.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Discord shook his head, clearing away the dizziness.

"Well, if all else fails, use magic," Twilight pointed to his hands.

Discord stood up, a little wobbly at first, but regained his balance. "Yah...probably should have done that first." He snapped his fingers, expecting to see the shutters open in an instant. But, to their dismay, they remained closed.

Twilight flew up to try and open them. They remained in the same state as before. Twilight looked down at Discord and shook her head.

Discord was shocked. "That should've worked!"

Twilight came down and sat down next to him. "Well, it didn't. We'll have to wait until someone comes by. Can you message Spike to come help us? They probably can be opened from the outside."

"You think one little dragon will be able to open those heavy panels?" Discord raised an eyebrow.

Twilight rolled her eyes, "Then tell him to get Rainbow or Applejack. Come on, Discord. I can't think of everything."

Discord chuckled, "Very well." Discord quickly sent a letter to Spike, informing him of their current conundrum.

"Well, I guess we're stuck here for a little while," Twilight sighed.

Discord nodded. He looked over at the purple alicorn. Guess now's a good a time as any. Nothing will interrupt me, that's for sure. Here goes.

"Hey, Twilight?"

"Yes, Discord?" Twilight looked him in the eye, causing him to blush slightly.

"I...have to tell you something. It may sound silly, but I kind of need you to take this seriously," Discord felt quite warm, but pushed the blood out of his cheeks.

"Uh, okay..." She answered uncertainly.

Discord took a deep breath, "Well, you remember the first time you called me a friend?"

Twilight smiled, "How could I not? It was a very important moment for everyone. Plus, it's kind of hard to forget something like that."

Discord slightly chuckled, "Um, yah, heh. Well, truth is, you didn't have to. I deserved to be rejected, to be shunned. I had betrayed all of Equestria, due to my inability to see the truth. I deserved your distrust. You could've easily looked at me as an outcast, and I would've been fine with that. That's what I probably would've been, if not for you. No pony would have accepted me back into society, and yet...here I am."

Twilight looked touched. He sounded sincere, and she knew it. She slid closer to him and put a hoof on his paw.

"Discord, I tell you time and time again that we've forgiven you. I've forgiven you. I was upset that you had betrayed us, but I know you probably wouldn't have if Tirek hadn't tricked you. You were misguided. Think of it as a test. You may have had a failing grade in the beginning, but in the end, you came out with an A+. You figured out that friendship really is magic. It may have taken some struggles for you to fully see it, but good things can come from personal conflict. It all worked out in the end, didn't it?"

Discord smiled at her encouraging words. Another reason why he liked her. "I suppose you're right. Thank you for that. But...that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

Twilight raised an eyebrow, "Oh? If that wasn't it, then what?"

Discord looked down at her. That gentle smile, those sparkling eyes, that wonderful attitude. He had to tell her. "Well, at that moment, or maybe, shortly after that moment, I began to...see you differently."

Twilight's heart skipped a beat. Was he saying what she thought he was saying?

"I didn't know what to make of it at first, but then I realized something. No pony has ever shown be such kindness. Not even sweet Fluttershy. You stood up for me, when you could've let me rot in that bubble. I find that to be quite remarkable."

Twilight blushed. She had a feeling she knew what he was getting at but let him continue.

"And especially after these past few weeks. Hanging out with you and truly getting to know you, I've got to say they have been some of the most fun moments in my life."

Twilight looked at him with earnest eyes, "Discord--" He placed a talon on her lips, silencing her.

"Let me finish." Discord was finding this much easier than he thought. He didn't even know where these words were coming from. They sounded weird coming from him, but they felt right.

"So, after much thinking, and many restless nights, I've come up with only one conclusion," He picked up her hoof in his paw and squeezed it.

"I find this hard to believe, Twilight Sparkle. Especially for a guy like me, but I've never met a mare quite like you. The truth is...I think I've fallen for you. Take from that what you may, but it's the truth either way." He gave her a sincere smile, something rarely seen on someone like him.

Twilight's mouth stood agape. Her heart was pounding at uneven speeds. Discord liked her. He actually liked her. And everything he had said about her was just unbelievable. Twilight's eyes threatened to unleash tears. She never would have guessed it. The Spirit of Disharmony had just poured his heart out to her. Twilight couldn't be happier.

"Discord, I..."

Discord released her hoof, "You don't have to say anything just yet. I know this it a lot to take in, but like I said, it's the truth. You should feel ashamed, missy. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. You should feel guilty." Discord gently poked her in the chest, feeling relieved to finally get that off of his.

Twilight moved a strand of her mane that had covered her eye, "I had no idea, Discord. You certainly hid it well. I never would've known."

"Well, I am a master of deception. Anyway, I don't expect your answer just yet. It's a lot to take in, after all," Discord suddenly felt something against his chest.

"How about I give my answer now?" Twilight rubbed her head against his fur. Discord's face lit bright red.

"Y-you...what?"

She pulled away but kept her hooves on his chest, "I've been thinking about you lately, too. You've rubbed off on me, Discord. You haven't been rude. You've been showing qualities I never thought I'd see in you. And they're all good." She nuzzled his chest again.

"And to be honest, I wouldn't mind calling you my coltfriend. You're definitely an unorthodox choice, but I wouldn't mind giving it a try," Twilight looked up at him.

Discord's heart pounded in his chest. Was it really happening? "Twilight, you can't be serious. I mean, I'd love to be with you, but are you sure this is what you want?"

Twilight pulled away. "I am. It will take some adjusting to, but I'll never know unless I try. We can take it slow, I don't want to rush this, but I wouldn't mind starting a relationship with you." She leaned against his long body.

Discord's eyes were wide. She likes me. She truly likes me. Should I accept? Oh, who am I kidding, of course I'll accept! Discord wrapped his arms around the young Princess, breathing in her lovely scent.

"Twilight, you can not begin to imagine what I'm feeling right now," Discord stroked her ever-so-soft mane.

"I don't need to. I already know, " Twilight snuggled into her new coltfriend's embrace.

Discord kissed the top of her forehead, just like in his dream. He knew at that moment that there was nowhere he'd rather be than right there with her in his arms.

Unfortunately, the joyous moment was cut short by the sound of the panels opening. Twilight and Discord quickly separated from each other, happy to finally get out.

Applejack and Spike peered down at them from the top. "You two, okay? You've been in here for quite some time," Applejack asked with concern.

"Twilight! I'm so sorry for taking so long. I tried finding Rainbow first, but I couldn't so went to get Applejack," Spike bent down to help Twilight up as she and Discord came up.

"Don't worry about it, Spike. It gave Discord and me some time to talk," Twilight gave Discord a knowing look. He gave her wink back.

Spike and Applejack exchanged glances. "What exactly were you talkin' about down there?" Applejack raised an eyebrow.

Twilight smiled at Discord, "Well, let's just say I took your advice."

Applejack scratched her head, "Advice? On wha-oh! Oh, ah see." Applejack gave a smirk.

"I'm confused," Spike looked between the two.

"Well, I must say, I'm shocked. Though, I'm right proud of you, Twi. And Discord, too. You'd better look out for 'er, Discord. Or you'll be talking to the twins," Applejack pointed to her back hindlegs known as "Bucky McGillycuddy" and "Kicks McGee."

"Don't worry, AJ. She's a keeper," Discord messed up Twilight's mane, causing her to giggle.

"Wait, what?" Spike was still completely oblivious.

"You'll find out soon enough, buddy," Discord laughed. He, Twilight, and Applejack began walking towards the door, with Spike quickly chasing after them.

Beginning the Journey

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It had been about a week since that special day. The day where the Lord of Chaos, Discord, finally decided to confess his feelings to Princess Twilight Sparkle. To his surprise, she had accepted him almost immediately, and he couldn't have been happier.

The new couple wanted to take things slow. After all, this was the first time any of them had had a particular love interest. Twilight and Discord were new to romance. Sure, they knew what it was and had a good understanding of it, but they themselves had never experienced it.

That was due in large part to their previous anti-socialism. When Twilight lived in Canterlot, she was always distancing herself from other ponies. She had never expressed any interest in finding that special somepony. There had been numerous high-society stallions who would have pleaded for her hoof in marriage if they ever got the chance. Twilight was of Canterlot nobility, so she had caught the eye of several eligible colts. But, her studious nature caused her to reject any talk of courting and the like.

Discord was like her in the sense that he never sought love. He wasn't a shut-in bookworm like she was, but his chaotic tendencies drove away any hopes of romance in his life. Plus, it wasn't like he was looking for a potential partner.

But, the past is the past. Twilight and Discord are now going to be embarking on a journey that many long to make. Romance may have been unheard of for them in the past, but now, they'll be able to experience it for themselves.

Twilight was reading a book in her lounge, a sight not uncommon to see. She was also thinking about her new coltfriend, or should it be draconeques-friend? Anyway, Twilight hadn't really told her friends about their new relationship. Applejack already knew, but Twilight was unsure how the others would react.

As far as she was concerned, her friends didn't have a companion of their own. Would they be jealous? Twilight shook her head.

"Come on, Twilight. These are your friends you're talking about. They're not going to be jealous. They were trying to encourage me to tell Discord about my feelings. If they didn't like the idea, why would they persuade me to take actions? I'm sure I have nothing to worry about." Twilight looked around the empty room and slumped her head.

She sighed, "I really need to stop talking to myself."

"Then, why not talk to me?" A voice that Twilight recognized reverberated throughout the room.

Twilight giggled, "Hello, Discord."

There was a flash of light, and the infamous spirit appeared in the room.

"Aww, how'd you know it was me?" Discord feigned surprise.

Twilight raised an eyebrow, "It's not hard to figure out, you know." She jumped off of the couch and trotted over to him.

"Well, I'll have to kick my tricks up a notch to impress you," Discord grinned. He curled around Twilight and placed his hands on his hips.

"So, how're things? Regretting your decision yet?" Discord joked.

Twilight rolled her eyes, "We haven't exactly done anything that would make me rethink my decision."

Discord stroked his white goatee, "I suppose you're right. We're gonna have to change that." He smirked, tickling her nose with his tail fluff.

She scrunched her nose and backed away, "If you plan on doing things to me, you can pack up your things and leave because I will dump you on the spot. I may be new to this whole relationship thing, but I'm not ignorant."

"I never said you were. And I don't plan on doing anything to you. Unless, of course, you want me to, in which case, feel free to ask," Discord wiggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

Twilight felt her cheeks warm up, "I-I don't think I'll make such requests. It's a little early to be thinking about that. This is the first stage. We haven't even told the girls."

Admittedly, that was something they should have done already. Better to tell those who you can trust then to tell random ponies and start gossip.

"Well, I guess that's our next course of action. This kind of thing isn't something to keep quiet about. How should we tell them?" Discord summoned a stool and sat on it, posing in a thinking manner.

"Well, Applejack has given us her approval, so that's one down already. As for the rest, uh..." Twilight put a hoof to her chin.

"To be honest, I don't think they'll give us much trouble. They're the ones who give us the advice to tell each other. Huh, wow! I still can't believe you had actually developed feelings for me. That has never happened before," Discord mused.

Twilight chuckled, "Well, same goes for me. Nopony has truly developed an attraction for me. I mean, I've had some admirers, but none to the point of establishing a relationship with."

"A fact I find hard to believe," Discord gave Twilight a comedic grin, to which she rolled her eyes at.

"Sure. Anyway, I think you're right. But that's just our friends. How will others react?" Twilight looked over at him.

Discord opened his mouth to respond but closed it as he processed the question. How would others react? They didn't know about their situation.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Besides, what's the worst thing the populace could do to us? I mean, most of the ponies in this town couldn't come up with an insult even if somepony was paying them a million bits to do so. We've got nothing to worry about." Discord put his hands on her shoulders.

Twilight smiled, "You've got a point. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm getting kind of hungry. Shall we get something to eat?"

Discord put his claw on his chest. "Why, Twilight Sparkle! Are you asking me out on a date?" He asked, feigning surprise.

Twilight blinked, "I-uh, if you want to call it that, you can. I wasn't--"

"'Cause I'm pretty sure that's my job," Discord gave her a sly smile. "Would you like to get a bite to eat, my princess? My treat?"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "I'd love to, my good draconeques. Wherever are you planning on taking me?"

"I was thinking the Haybuger. I have a sudden craving for some hayburgers," Discord rubbed his stomach.

"Funny, so do I. Guess the vote's unanimous. Let's go." Twilight lit up her horn to teleport, but Discord's finger being placed on her horn disrupted the magic flow.

Twilight looked up and frowned, "You know, if I had been at the apex of that teleportation spell and you had done that then, I could've gotten hurt. Please do not disrupt my magic. I get very ticked off by that."

Discord took a step back, "Sheesh, don't take it all out on me. Anyway, I apologize. But, I don't want to teleport. I think now would be the perfect time to have a nice stroll with my princess. Surely you wouldn't decline such a tempting offer. Especially from me." He slid a finger down her cheek, sending chills down her spine.

Twilight gently pushed him away, "Very well then. I give you permission to escort me to the Hayburger. If anything happens to me, I'll hold you responsible." She walked out of the room, pulling her neck back to mimic a Canterlot noble.

Discord chuckled before realizing she was getting ahead of him. "Hey! How I can escort you when you're walking ahead?"

Twilight and Discord were strolling down the dusty roads of Ponyville, passing by several ponies. By this time, the citizens of Ponyville had pretty much forgiven the draconeques. It took some time, but Discord proved to the town that he truly had changed by helping out the townsponies. He had definitely gained the trust back from some ponies. He hoped that one day, everypony in Equestria would learn to reaccept him.

"Hi, Princess Twilight!"

"Oh, hello, Daisy. How are you?" Twilight greeted the florist.

"I'm doing okay. What are you doing today? Oh! Would you like to come to my stand? I'm having a 30% discount on red carnations," Daisy motioned over to her shop with her head.

"Flowers, huh?" Discord butted in. "I can think of no better gift to give for my mare." Discord winked at Twilight.

Twilight blushed, trying to conceal her embarrassment by turning away.

"Oh, Discord! Sorry, I didn't realize you were there. Wait, you have a marefriend? Who is she?" Daisy raised an eyebrow.

Twilight jerked her head up. Discord, please don't say anything that you might regret.

"Why don't you guess?" Discord smirked, placing his paw on his hip.

Daisy put a hoof to her chin, "Uh, I don't know. Pinkie Pie?"

Discord chuckled, "Good guess. But, no. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy Pinkie's exuberance. But, she's a little too much for me to handle. That mare's got the energy of a dozen little kids at the park who just had seventeen pounds of sugarcubes. And that's dumbing it down a bit."

Twilight silently huffed, "Why do I have the feeling this won't end well?" She muttered to herself.

"Well, then is it...Applejack?" Daisy shrugged.

Discord held back a laugh, "Are you serious? The day Applejack becomes my marefriend is the day I renounce chaos."

"Ugh, this is pointless. Just tell me who the mare is, for pony's sake!" Daisy furrowed her eyebrows.

"Look, Daisy, I--"

"I'll give you a hint. She's standing next to me," Discord gave a pointed look towards Twilight.

Daisy looked at Discord, then at Twilight, then back at Discord. Her eyes widened.

"Wait, you two are...? Oh! Well, that's unexpected. You certainly have odd tastes, Your Highness." Daisy grinned and winked.

Twilight shyly hid behind her wing. "You don't plan on spreading this news, are you?" Twilight peeked over her wing.

Daisy giggled, "Only if you want me to. I'm not one to gossip. But, you know, ponies are going to find out one way or another."

Twilight nodded. "Yah, I know. We're working on it. Thanks, Daisy."

"No problem. Here, take my card. I've got a great selection of flowers on display. Feel free to stop by anytime!" Daisy walked away, waving a hoof.

"Well, that was a fun distraction. But, it's past noon, and I'm not going to wait any longer. Forget walking, it's magic time!" Discord flourished his eagle claw and snapped his fingers, causing both of them to disappear in a flash.

In a burst of light, Discord and Twilight appeared inside Hayburger, startling almost everypony there. They found themselves seated at a booth.

Twilight hoped with every fiber of her body that this would not turn into a rotten day.

This was actually their first official date. Twilight had read several romance novels and understood that the first date was always the most important one. It would decide whether or not they should continue the relationship. Knowing Discord, Twilight could easily predict something would happen that she would not be appreciative of. But, there's only one way to find out.

"So, what are you getting?" Twilight held up the menu, examining it.

Discord held his menu with his goat horn. "I don't know what to get. Everything here is in another language. What's a regrubyah?"

Twilight turned her attention to his menu and noticed it was upside down. She rolled her eyes. She used her magic to turn the menu right-side up.

Discord gave a look of fake surprise. "Oh? It was upside down? Oh, my mistake. Thank you for correcting my error, Twilight." Discord gave a fake smile.

"Yah, mistake. Anywho, I already know what I want, so I'm going to go up and order. Feel free to come up when you're ready." Twilight quickly got up and went to the counter.

Discord noticed Twilight's lack of enthusiasm. Drat! You're losing her, Discord. Not a good way to start. Got to step up my game.

Discord looked around the restaurant. His eyes landed on something. Bingo! He got up and was about head to the counter when he bumped into someone.

"Hey! Watch where you're--Discord? Since when do you get fast food?"

"Oh, hello, Rainbow Dash. And yes, I'm eating out. But, really, I love fast food as much as the next guy. I just don't come here often," Discord crossed her arms.

"Hmm. Okay, I'll buy it. So, what are--"

"Oh, hi, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight interrupted. She was levitating a tray of food in her magic. She set it down on the table and turned to Rainbow.

"Oh, hey, Twi! Wow, is everypony here today?" Rainbow nudged Twilight.

"Just a coincidence, I guess," Twilight shrugged. She looked at Discord for a second before panic flooded into her eyes.

Discord noticed this and gave her a subtle wink.

"So, Twilight, you feel like going for a flight later on? Today's my day off, which is the reason I'm here." Rainbow took a bite from her hayburger.

Twilight took a sip of her fruit punch before responding, "A flight, huh? Sure, I'd love to stretch my wings." She looked at Discord who raised an eyebrow at her.

Discord rolled his eyes, "Can I join you? I'm fancying a flight myself."

Rainbow narrowed her eyes, "You really think I'm going to let you--"

"He's fine, Dash. I want him to join us. After all, he is our friend," Twilight looked at Discord.

Rainbow gave Twilight a quizzical look before shrugging, "Have it your way. Don't blame me if we get snow in April."

Discord put his claw to his chest, "Why, Rainbow Dash, how could you possibly think that I would do something so, so boring? Come on, snow? How delightfully simple. I'm offended at the mere thought of that."

Twilight giggled. "Don't worry, Rainbow. I'm sure we'll be able to keep him in line." She subtly fluttered her eyelashes, causing Discord to turn his gaze away.

Rainbow noticed this odd display. She raised an eyebrow. "Uh, Twilight? You feeling all right?"

Twilight grinned, "Of course, I am. What makes you think I'm not?"

Discord stretched his arms out in front of him, "Ah! Well, that was a satisfying meal. But, I'm in the mood for dessert. How 'bout you, Twi?"

Twilight turned to Discord, "Dessert? That sounds nice. Can you get a--?" Before she could finish, Discord dashed up to the counter and ordered something.

Rainbow narrowed her eyes again, "Twilight, something's not right. Discord's acting weird."

Twilight rolled her eyes and looked at the blue Pegasus next to her. "Always with the conspiracies. Honestly, Rainbow, can't you look at Discord in a--" She was once again interrupted by Discord's return.

"Anypony in the mood for a banana split?" Discord set the bowl of ice cream down on the table.

Twilight gaped, "How did you know?"

Discord shrugged, "Great minds think alike, I guess." The mismatched creature winked once again at the purple alicorn.

Twilight grinned and took a bite from the dessert, "Mmm! You're too sweet."

Rainbow scrunched her eyelid, "Ok. What's going on? You two are acting strange."

Discord took a bite from the split as well, "You'll find out soon enough." He said with his mouth full.

After a few minutes, the three had left the Hayburger. As agreed earlier, they took off into the cool blue sky. It was a beautiful day, hardly a cloud in the sky, flying all the more enjoyable.

"Isn't flying the best?" Rainbow flew in a loop before flying back to the others.

Twilight was behind a bit. Her flying had improved greatly, but that didn't mean she had perfected it.

Discord stayed next to her, making sure to keep a close eye on her. "You doing okay?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. I've pretty much gotten the hang of it." Twilight wobbled around a bit but straightened herself up.

"Come on, Twi. I know you're faster than that. No rush or anything, but do you mind picking up the pace?" Rainbow asked in a rather impatient manner.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Oh, Rainbow." Twilight flapped her wings a little faster, allowing her to propel herself forward.

Discord flew faster to catch up with her. Rainbow was a little ways away. "So, do you think we ought to tell her? She's been suspicious of us all day."

Twilight looked towards Rainbow and smiled. "We'll tell her. But, let's make this interesting. If you know what I mean." She winked.

Discord raised an eyebrow, but his confused expression was soon replaced with a smug grin. "I catch your drift."

He took Twilight's hoof and rocketed forward to catch up to Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow felt something coming and turned around to see Discord and Twilight finally catch up. "About time, you guys! I was wonderi--uh?"

She saw what she never expected to see. Twilight was sitting on Discord's back, snuggling against his furry backside.

Rainbow Dash rubbed her eyes but continued to witness the same thing. "Okay, what the hay is going on? Twilight, what are you doing? You two have been acting odd all day. And I don't mean your normal 'odd.' Spill!" Rainbow flew in front of them, crossing her forehooves.

Discord winked back at Twilight, "Why, Rainbow Dash, I do believe it is customary of mares to snuggle with their coltfriends. I don't believe that certain tradition has changed." Discord smirked in a Cheshire cat-like manner.

Rainbow stared blankly. Twilight got off of Discord's back and waved a hoof in front of Rainbow. "Hello? Dash? I think you broke her, Discord."

Discord waved his eagle claw. " Pish, Posh! Broke Rainbow Dash? Ha, not in a million years. She'll snap out of it in three...two...one..."

Rainbow shook her head and looked at two with confusion. "Are you saying that the egghead and chaos king are an item now?"

Twilight snorted, "I guess that's one way if putting it. But, yes. Shocking, I know. But, he's really not that bad." Twilight smiled at Discord.

"Oh, stop it. I'm going to lose all of my dignity if you keep doing that," Discord turned away with a slight blush spreading on his cheeks.

Rainbow Dash was silent for a few seconds before her face broke out into a sly smirk. She started flying ahead, causing Twilight and Discord to quickly follow.

"So, who was the brave one? I know you two already had feelings for each other. But, who confessed first?" Rainbow asked with anticipation.

"Guilty as charged, Your Honor. Frankly, I could've picked a more 'proper' location for it, but hey, you work with what'cha got. Am I right?" Discord chuckled. He noticed Twilight beginning to strain herself, so he flew underneath her allowing her to rest on his back once more.

"Thanks, Discord. And, I must admit, I never expected to hear those words come out of your mouth." She gently nudged him with her hoof.

"What can I say? Hanging with you has improved my lexicon," Discord tickled her nose with his tail fluff, eliciting a cute giggle from her.

Rainbow shook her head and chuckled, "Got to say, Twi. Didn't think you had it in you. You two may be the strangest couple I've ever seen. But, you've got my support." Rainbow patted both of them on the back.

Twilight gave Rainbow a hug, which she gladly returned.

After about an hour up in the sky, the trio eventually decided to call it a night. Twilight and Discord dropped Rainbow off at her cloud home and bid her goodbye.

Discord then teleported back to Twilight's castle, where Spike was waiting. And from the looks of things, he didn't seem too happy.

"About time you guys got home. I've been here for about three hours alone. Though, I appreciate a little 'me time,' can you try to get home sooner next time?" Spike crossed his arms.

Discord rolled his eyes, "Yes, Dad. So sorry to have kept you waiting."

Twilight giggled, "Yah, sorry, Spike. We didn't realize how late it was. I promise that next time we'll be back sooner. Okay?" Twilight stretched her hooves out for a hug.

Spike hopped into her arms, and she wrapped her hooves around his little body. "Okay. Thanks, Twi. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm rather tired. I'm heading to bed. G'night!" Spike scurried off down the hall.

Twilight sighed as she watched her assistant run off. "Spike, don't ever change." She then turned to Discord. "And you."

Discord was examining his nails but stopped when he heard her speak, "Yes?"

Twilight flew up and gave him a little peck on the cheek. Discord froze immediately, cheeks turning the brightest red.

"I-I--"

"I had a great time today, Discord. Even if we didn't get the day to ourselves. But, next time, let's go somewhere for just the two of us. I'm thinking a picnic in the park. Sound good?"

Discord's mouth was slightly open. He quickly shook his head, gaining a sly expression, "For you, my Princess, anything."

Twilight gave Discord a hug, and he teleported back home.

When he got home, he lounged on his bed and sighed in contentment. Yes, this day had been great. And there were more great days to come.

Just the Two of Us

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Discord and Twilight were down in the anti-harmonic chamber. Despite their friendship status changing, their normal routine remained the same with a few adjustments. Twilight smiled as she watched her colt--draconeques friend create chaos with nothing more than a flick of his wrist.

Ever since Twilight had first met Discord, his powers had never ceased to amaze her. He could turn Equestria upside down without even blinking, and it didn't seem to take any effort at all.

That was an aspect of Discord that Twilight envied. Twilight was a brilliant magic user, that fact was true. But, it had taken years to develop her skill, and even now, she hadn't quite reached her maximum potential. Discord, however, as far back as she had read about, had his chaos mastered eons ago.

Plus, he used to be a powerful unicorn king. Twilight could not help but feel a little jealous.

Twilight chuckled dryly.

Discord turned to her upon hearing it. He smirked, "I heard that. What's got you laughing? You're usually not one to think of my chaotic masterpieces as amusing. Even though they totally are."

Twilight waved him off with her wing. "It's nothing."

"You don't just laugh about nothing. I know you well enough to realize that you won't just laugh about anything." Discord playfully pushed her with his tail.

Twilight giggled, "Don't worry about."

Discord curled around her and put his talon around her neck, "Come on, you know you can tell me anything." He bounced his eyebrows, causing Twilight to shift her gaze somewhere else.

Twilight cleared her throat, "Get off me."

Discord smiled in that sly manner of his, "Not until you tell me."

Twilight rolled her eyes, "It's not important."

"I don't care," Discord insisted, that sly smile still plastered on his face.

"Fine, have it your way. I guess I'm just a little envious."

Discord's smile was replaced with a confused frown. He slithered off of her and sat in front of her. "Envious of what? Me? Well, that's not very surprising considering I am quite amazing, but what exactly are you envious of?"

Twilight shrugged, "It's not really anything big. I just find your control of chaos magic incredible. All it takes is a simple snap of your fingers and poof! You materialize things into thin air. It's kind of hard not to be a little jealous. But, it's no big deal, really."

Discord stared at her for a few minutes, creating an awkward atmosphere between them. Twilight coughed, "Uh..."

Finally, Discord began to laugh. This confused the hay out of Twilight. "Now, what are you laughing at?"

Discord wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh, Twilight, there's a reason I saw something in you."

Twilight felt her cheeks warm up slightly, "W-what's that got to do with anything?"

Discord calmed himself before answering, "Twilight, I haven't always been this good with my chaos. At first, I couldn't control it. But, after sometime, I got the hang of it. True I gained the expertise through recklessly tormenting ponies, but live and learn I guess."

Discord stood up ready to head back up to the first floor. Twilight followed his example and opened her wings.

"Sooo," Discord began as they ascended out of the room, "Got any plans for the day?"

"Not really," Twilight said, as she placed her hooves firmly on the ground upon reaching the top. She closed the panel with her magic.

"I do have to pick up a package from the post--" Discord snapped his fingers and a package appeared in front of them. Twilight jumped back, surprised by the sudden action.

"--office," Twilight gave Discord a wryly look, "Let me guess. This is my package, isn't it?"

Discord grinned and placed his mismatched hands on his hips, "Anything else?"

Twilight rolled her eyes, "I didn't know that the Lord of Chaos would be accepting favors today. If so, I would've scheduled more. But, no, I don't. Spike and I took care of most of this week's work already. He's spending the day with Pinkie Pie, so I'm free."

Discord rubbed his hands together. "Great. Now, then, I have a question to ask you." He knelt in front of her in a dignified manner.

"Twilight Sparkle, will you join me at Trotter's Lake this afternoon for a picnic?" Discord offered his paw to her.

Twilight laughed at the sheer corniness of his way of asking her on a date. Well, might as well play along.

"Discord, I would be honored to go on this date with you." She delicately placed her hoof in his paw.

"Date?" Discord grabbed her hoof and swung her onto his back. "Who said anything about a date? I certainly didn't."

Twilight nudged him with her hoof. "We both know what this is. Your dramatization gave it away. Anyway, onward, my steed!'' She gently bucked his sides with her hindlegs.

"Excuse me?"

"Just fly, you goof."

It was a lovely day in Ponyville. The sun was shining ever so brightly, and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. Rain wasn't scheduled until the week after, so it was the perfect day for a picnic.

When Twilight and Discord arrived at Trotter's Lake, they noticed there were at least three or four other ponies occupying the lake as well.

Discord narrowed his eyes in annoyance. He scoffed, "Ponies, think they can be anywhere they want to be. It's too crowded."

Twilight rolled her eyes as she held onto Discord, who was still in the air not yet descending. "Oh, yah, this crowd of four ponies will definitely interfere with our plans." Her tone was dripping with sarcasm.

Discord stroked his goatee, "Hmm. I think you're right." Discord smirked, "We'll have to change that."

With a snap of his fingers, the ponies at the lake suddenly gathered all their things, and headed back into town.

Twilight watched the ponies leave and shook her head. "You know, you didn't have to do that." She said as Discord landed.

"You're the one who said you wanted a picnic for just the two of us," Discord shrugged innocently as Twilight jumped off his back.

"Besides, those other ponies would have just gotten in the way. And, it's not like I hurt them or anything. I could've easily scared the hay out of them and made them leave the hard way. But, I decided not to because I know you would disapprove."

Twilight chuckled, "I see that you're learning. Anyway, now that we have the lake all to ourselves, what should we do?"

Discord snapped his fingers, "Well, it wouldn't be a picnic without food now, would it?" A picnic basket appeared along with a checkered blanket to lay beneath them.

Twilight looked at the arrangement curiously, "Hmm. Seems a little dull for a picnic with you, don't you think?"

Discord looked at her then looked down at the picnic setup. A smile slowly made its way across his face.

"My dear, you are picking things up very fast. Dull is an understatement. I would've given it my own personal flair from the beginning, but I wasn't sure if you'd appreciate that. But, I guess I can."

He snapped his fingers once more. The blanket turned into two lounge chairs each with their own unique design.

The bigger one, clearly for Discord, was orange with brown and blue polka dots. Twilight's was similar, but it matched her color scheme. Navy blue with dark purple and magenta polka dots.

The picnic basket remained the same, but Discord gave it legs, which allowed it to run around and give each of them what they wanted.

Twilight shook her amusedly at the display. "Discord, you never cease to amaze me." The animated picnic basket came up to her and offered her a cucumber and daisy sandwich, which she gratefully took in her magic.

Discord sat down in his lounge chair and grabbed a fluff of yellow cotton candy. "I know. I do have that effect on ponies."

The couple sat and talked for about an hour, discussing different things.

Eventually, Discord began to get rather bored. After all, do you really expect the Spirit of Chaos to just sit around and talk all day?

Twilight suggested that they take a dip in the lake. And, Discord couldn't agree more. But, they were going to do it his way.

Twilight sighed contently as she waded in the warm water. "Mmm! The water sure does feel good, doesn't it, Discord?" She looked around for the spirit in question, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Uh...Discord?" No reply. Twilight felt a chill go up her spine. She had a feeling Discord was planning something. But, what that something was, she didn't know and was afraid to find out.

Twilight felt a ripple in the water. She looked down cautiously, waiting with trepidation. Obviously, Discord was trying to pull a prank on her.

"Come on, Discord. This isn't funny." She swam over to shore and quickly dried herself off. Once her wings were dry, she flew above the lake, trying to get a better view.

Twilight crossed her forehooves. She sighed, "He's got to be here somewhere. Discord! If you're planning on pranking me, now would be a good time to do it!" Still no response.

"Ugh, that draconeques makes me so mad sometimes." She was about to head back to shore, when she saw something out of the corner of her eye.

Twilight turned her eyes towards the lake. She noticed something swimming underneath.

"Discord? If that's you, your prank's not going to work." She quickly cast a spell on herself, which allowed her to breathe underwater.

She quickly dove into the lake. Once she was under, her eyes began scanning every single thing down there. There was nothing incredibly interesting.

She saw a few fish and tiny plants, but beyond that, nothing spectacular.

She looked everywhere, but there was no sign of Discord.

As much as she wanted to deny it, she was getting worried.

Where could he be? If he was pranking me, I'm sure he would have done so. Oh, Discord. Where are you?

Just then, Twilight felt the lake water shift. She furrowed her eyebrows. "What's going on?"

She quickly swam back up to the surface. When she poked her head out of the water, she noticed that the lake was beginning to form into a whirlpool.

Twilight's eyes filled with panic. Last time she checked, Trotter's Lake usually remained peaceful.

She tried to fly out, but the water was starting to pick up and move in a swirling fashion.

Twilight tried to swim against it, but the water was now moving far too fast for her to get out of it.

"Oh, Discord. Now, would be a good time to show up!"

"Whee!" Twilight turned her head, but she was quickly grabbed by a blur of brown and grey.

Twilight covered her eyes with her hooves, but chanced a peak at her captor. Her eyes widened. "Discord!"

"Hey, Twilight! Isn't this awesome?" Discord smiled. Twilight noticed that he was riding a surfboard.

Her face was about to break into a smile when she remembered her surroundings.

She narrowed her eyes. "Discord, change it back."

"Awww. But, I was having so much fun. You have to admit, this it pretty fun." Discord jumped up and landed back on the surfboard with ease.

At any other time, Twilight may have deemed this is as fun. But, right now, she was not exactly in the mood.

"Discord, change it back," Twilight repeated.

"Do I gotta?" Discord whined.

His answer came in the form of a glare.

Discord groaned, "Very well." He snapped his fingers, turning the lake back into its tranquil state. He also teleported the two back on to the shore.

Twilight shook herself dry and immediately turned her attention to Discord.

Discord was examining his eagle claw when he noticed her stern expression.

"What?"

"What? What do you mean what? What were you doing? I was getting worr-uh...I mean, I was wondering what you up to." Twilight hoped he didn't catch that faux-pas.

Unfortunately for Twilight, he did. "Why, Twilight, I am flattered that you care about me so much that you would actually worry about me. Oh, come here, you!" He swiftly took her in his arms and hugged her like there was no tomorrow.

While Twilight was a bit irritated, she soon melted into the embrace. Whether she wanted to admit or not, he was like a big, soft teddy bear.

They broke the hug and smiled at each other.

"Ok, I guess I was a little worried. I mean, you did just vanish without a trace. Frankly, I shouldn't be surprised by that, considering you do that on a regular basis." Twilight mused.

Discord patted her on the head, "You know me so well, my dear."

Another hour or two passed. Twilight and Discord had gone for an actual swim. No jokes, pranks, or anything weird. Just a normal swim, well, normal for them.

It was about two o'clock. The two were lounging back against the thick trunk of an oak tree, enjoying the serenity. Discord had fallen asleep. Apparently, it was too serene.

Then, the sound of hoof steps caught Twilight's attention. She looked over to see a white unicorn, accompanied by a similarly colored cat.

"Rarity!" Twilight called out and waved.

Rarity turned her head and noticed the two. "Oh, Twilight! And, Discord? Well, hello." She walked over to them, levitating Opalescence with her.

Twilight stood up and walked over to Rarity to give her a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm taking Opal for a walk. My poor darling could really use the exercise. Isn't that right, Opal?" She rubbed her cat's head, eliciting an annoyed hiss.

Twilight and Rarity flinched. "That's her way of saying yes. Now, what are you doing here? With Discord as company?"

Twilight looked at her sleeping companion. She rubbed her neck nervously, "Well, heh, funny story actually."

A yawn was heard from behind them. They turned around to see Discord waking up.

He stretched his arms before noticing the extra pony. "My dear, I thought we agreed no outside--Oh, Rarity, I didn't realize it was you. My apologies." He got up and walked over next to Twilight.

"Hello to you, Discord. Now, if I may repeat myself, what are you two doing here?" Rarity asked.

Twilight was hesitant to answer, "Well--"

"Oh, that's an easy one. We're on a dat--Ow!" Twilight elbowed him hard in his shins. It wasn't like she was ashamed she was on a date with Discord. Far from it. But, she wanted to tell Rarity they were an item in a more subtle way.

Rarity raised an eyebrow, "Uh, pardon?"

Discord glared at Twilight but understood what she wanted.

He looked down at Twilight and nodded. He then turned to Rarity, with a completely serious expression. "We're on a date."

Twilight stiffened up. She was about to hit him but decided against it.

"Discord!"

"What? You shouldn't be ashamed of something like this." Discord replied innocently.

Twilight sighed. She looked at Rarity, who was surprisingly silent.

"You two are on a..."

Twilight slowly nodded.

"Does this mean that the two of you are...?''

Discord nodded vigorously, "That's right!"

Rarity's face broke into a huge smile. She squealed, "Oh, I'm so happy for you two." She ran up and hugged both of them.

"Twilight, I'm so proud of you. You actually confessed. I'm so happy!" She wrapped her hooves around the purple alicorn.

"Well, actually, it was Discord who confessed first."

Rarity released her and looked at Discord.

Discord rubbed his claw on his chest and looked at it. "That shouldn't come as a surprise to you."

Rarity smiled, "Well, I'm guessing you took our advice, then. I'm very happy for you two. He's not who I envisioned you with, Twilight darling. But, if you're happy, then I have no reason not to support you two."

"Thanks, Rarity. That means a lot to me." Twilight kicked Discord's shins once more.

"Ow! You know, if you want something, you could just ask. But, yes, thank you, Rarity. Now, if all that's done, I'll be heading back to the tree. You're welcome to join me, Twilight." Discord winked and headed back over to the tree.

"I should be going, too. I think Opal's had enough exercise for the day. Bye, Twilight. I wish you the best." She gave her lavender friend a hug and headed back into town.

Twilight and Discord had basically spent the entire day at the lake. But, their perfect day was soon drawing to an end.

Twilight was leaning against Discord as they noticed the sun begin to make its descent.

"Looks like Lulu's raising the moon a bit early today. Tia must have had quite the field day. It's only half past six." Discord commented, looking at a watch that suddenly appeared on his wrist.

"I can only imagine. I may be the Princess of Friendship, but that's probably nothing compared to the responsibilities of the Sun Princess. She is the supreme ruler of Equestria, after all." Twilight sighed as she thought of her beloved mentor.

Discord scoffed, "I'm sure it's not that hard. I had no trouble ruling Equestria."

Twilight raised an eyebrow, "Really? Well, next time I see her, I'll make sure to tell her that."

Discord chuckled, "I look forward to hearing the outcome of that conversation."

Twilight giggled and sighed as she leaned into his side. "I had fun today."

Discord smiled and put his talon around her. "So, did I. A year ago, I would've thought that to be impossible with you. You were nothing but a big stick-in-the-mud. But, you've taught me that the impossible can be made possible." He squeezed her tight.

Twilight wrapped her hooves around his midsection, "And a year ago, I never would have pictured myself doing this. You were nothing but an annoying nuisance I couldn't wait to be rid of. But, you've taught me that anypony or anyone can change for the better."

Discord smiled and kissed the top of her forehead. "Funny how this has only been our second date."

Twilight lifted her head and kissed his cheek, "Yes. But, it definitely won't be the last."

They stayed in each other's embrace as they watched the moon slowly make its way up into the clear night sky.

Twilight and Discord's relationship was truly beginning to form, and it would only get stronger.

Under the Weather

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"Achoo!"

"Bless you, darling," Rarity levitated a hoofkerchief to the sneezing alicorn.

"Ugh, thank you, Rarity." Twilight took the tissue in her magic and gently blew her nose. "I've been sneezing all morning. Spike thinks it's allergies, but as far as I know, I'm not allergic to anything."

Rarity adjusted the sleeve on the dress Twilight was wearing. "All morning, you say? Have you been feeling all right?"

Twilight looked over at Rarity, "Um, I think so. I do have a slight headache, but that's probably due to me staying up late last night. Princess Celestia gave me some new study material, and I wanted to get through them. Admittedly, I probably should've saved Agricultural Advances for another time, but you know how I get when it comes to new books." Twilight smiled sheepishly.

"I know all too well, darling," Rarity chuckled, while taking off Twilight's dress. "There. Perfect. Fit for a Princess, literally. Here you go, Twilight."

"Wow, thanks, Rarity. I've been meaning to get some new dresses. Since, the old ones..." Twilight's ears drooped down slightly.

"Ah, ah, ah! There shall be no frowning in my boutique," Rarity came over and nuzzled Twilight in a comforting manner.

Twilight smiled. "Thank you. It's hard to believe it's been about three months since the incident. I really do need to move on."

"You needn't feel bad, darling. I wouldn't expect you to get over it in three months. It's going to take some time. You don't need to pressure yourself into forgetting about it all at once. All right?"

Twilight hugged her friend, "All right. Thanks again, Rarity."

"Don't mention it." Rarity returned the hug.

"Achoo!"

"Bless you!" Rarity pulled away from the hug, and grabbed a few tissues with her light blue magic.

"Ugh, thanks."

As the day progressed on, Twilight began to feel rather weird. When Spike had made lunch, she barely had an appetite. And Spike had made his famous nachos. Yet, she scarcely ate any.

He asked if she was feeling okay, but she quickly dismissed the question by stating that she was fine.

After lunch, Twilight decided to do some more studying. But, her pounding headache made it increasingly difficult to do so.

Twilight then opted to taking a nap, hoping that would ease some of the pain.

Needless to say, it did not.

Twilight banged her head against her pillow, an action unwise in her current state.

"Ugh, why must history be so captivating? I really need to set up a bedtime. These late night studies are going to be the end of me someday." Twilight groaned to herself.

The young alicorn lay on her bed, feeling quite miserable. She was feeling so miserable that she didn't even notice that someone else had entered her room.

A shadow loomed over her bed, but her eyes were shut, so she didn't see it.

It got bigger and bigger as it moved closer and closer to her bed. And just when it was about to make a move--

"DISCORD!" Twilight jumped in surprise and fell off of her bed, which didn't do wonders for her headache.

Discord's eyes widened as he scurried over to her, "Oh my, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you'd react that way. Are you okay?" He got her back on her hooves, but noticed she was still a bit disoriented.

Twilight shook her head and quickly regretted doing so. "Ow, ugh, I cannot catch a break today." She placed her hoof on her head.

"Did you hit your head? I'm sorry, Twilight. I didn't intend for this to happen. Here," Discord snapped his fingers and summoned a pack of ice.

"Oh, thank you, Discord." Twilight took the ice in her magic, feeling grateful that levitation was so simple a spell that it did not require any effort.

Discord looked at Twilight more closely and frowned. He lifted her head with his talon, "You don't look so hot, my dear. Are you feeling okay?"

Twilight sighed and gently nuzzled him, "I'm fine, Discord. I've just been feeling a little icky today. But, don't worry about me."

Discord stroked her mane, "You know, it's kind of my job to worry about you. But, if you're sure."

"Of course, I'm sure. Ow!" She felt a sharp pain shoot through her head.

Discord cocked an eyebrow, "Are you sure you're all right? If you want to rest, I can leave." He pointed towards the door.

Twilight shook her head gently to avoid any more pain. "Nonsense. I'll be fine. My head's starting to feel better anyway. Well...sort of. But, I'm fine. Besides, I've faced nastier foes than a simple headache." Twilight winked at Discord, causing him to chuckle.

"I suppose you're correct." Discord stood up, sniffing while doing so. "Something smells good. I'm assuming Spike is preparing dinner. Didn't know the little guy could cook."

"Yah, he can do a lot of things, " Twilight began heading out of her room, Discord following close behind her.

"That's why he's my number one assistant. Well, technically, he's my only assistant. Owlowiscious is more of a pet, even though he does help me when Spike isn't available." Twilight and Discord turned a corner, which led to the dining hall.

Discord chuckled, "You're a Princess, and yet, you have only one assistant. You should consider talking to Celly about getting some servants."

Twilight shrugged, "I haven't really needed servants, to be honest. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Ouch!" Another burst of pain shot through Twilight's head, causing her more discomfort.

Discord frowned again as they entered the dining hall.

"Twilight!' Spike ran up to the purple mare and hugged her legs. "Are you feeling better? I made some veggie stew for dinner. Oh! Hi, Discord."

"Hello, Spike. That soup smells good. Don't suppose I could join you for dinner?" Discord asked with a smile.

"No problem. I'll just set up a third bowl," Spike ran over to a cupboard and took out three bowls. He set them on the large dining table.

"Thanks for making dinner, Spike. I would've helped, but this stupid headache won't--Achoo!" Twilight winced as another sneeze came upon her.

"Gesundhoof.'' Discord summoned a napkin and gave it to Twilight.

"Ugh, thank you." She blew her nose for what seemed like the hundredth time today.

"Maybe having something to eat will help you feel better," Spike said after pouring the soup into the bowls. "Dig in!"

After dinner, Twilight decided to head to bed. She figured that whatever she had would go away by morning. All she needed was a good night's sleep, and she would be better by the morning.

Sadly, that was not the case.

Twilight woke up with an insufferable headache. Not only that, but she was incredibly warm. She cursed to herself. There was no doubt about it. Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship and the Element of Magic, was sick.

Twilight groaned. She could barely move. Her head was pounding, and she felt like trash.

"S-spike?" Her voice was hoarse(no pun intended). She coughed, "Spike, are you up?"

She heard some rustling on the side of her bed. She glanced over and saw Spike getting up, rubbing one of his eyes.

The little dragon yawned, "Good morning, Twilight. Are you feeling better?"

Twilight sighed, "Not even a little. I feel horrible." At that, Spike rushed over to her. He placed a claw on her forehead and quickly reeled back his hand.

"Twilight! You're burning up. Oh no. You must be sick. Don't worry, Twilight. I'll take good care of you. I'll even get the girls to help." Spike promised, placing a claw on her hoof.

"No, Spike. I don't want to bother them. I'm sure they've got more important things to do than cater to a sick pony," Twilight insisted, pulling the covers over her.

"Well, all right. I guess I better go make some breakfast. Will you be okay?" Spike asked as he walked towards the door.

"I'll be fine, Spike. Go make breakfast. I could use some more sleep," Twilight snuggled under the blanket.

"All right. If you need anything, just let me know." With that, Spike headed to the kitchen.

Spike was making breakfast, just like he said he would. He was making grass pancakes, fried hay, and a fruit smoothie for his sick friend. He didn't know how much of an appetite she would have, but whatever she didn't eat would be food for him.

Spike flipped the pancakes in the air. He stopped when he heard a flash behind him.

"Good morning, Spike. Making breakfast, I see. Looks good," Discord complimented as he peered over Spike's shoulder.

"Morning, Discord. And, thanks. This is for Twilight." Spike flipped the pancake another time.

"Ah, yes. How is she doing? Did a twelve hour sleep get rid of her headache?" Discord joked slightly.

Spike put the finished pancakes on a plate, "No such luck, I'm afraid. She woke up with a fever, and from what I could tell, she wasn't doing too well."

Discord's eyes widened slightly, "So, she's sick? I knew she wasn't herself yesterday. That's the one thing that bothers me about her. She never wants to bother anyone with her problems. She'll discover one day that that action will bite her in the rump, if she's not careful."

Spike put all the food on a tray, "I know how you feel. Twilight's my best friend in the whole world, but she's far from perfect."

Spike began walking to Twilight's room, while attempting to balance the rather heavy tray of food in his little claws.

Discord trailed along behind him, "Need a hand with that, buddy?" Before Spike could say anything, Discord lifted the tray out of the dragon's grasp with his tail and placed it in his hands.

"Thanks, Discord. I hope Twilight likes it," Spike said as they approached Twilight's chambers.

"She'd be a foal not to like it. I'd eat all of this in a heartbeat," Discord inhaled deeply, savoring the delicious aroma the food in his hands was giving off.

"Now, we'll need to be quiet. She's probably sleeping," Spike creaked the door open ever so slightly. He opened it a little more, motioning for Discord to follow.

Discord opted to silently teleporting inside. He looked over at the bed and noticed a sleeping alicorn.

He smiled. So peaceful.

Spike scurried over to Twilight's bed and gently shook her. "Twilight?"

Twilight shifted slightly. She groaned, "Spike?" She slowly roused from her sleep.

"We got your breakfast for you," Spike whispered softly.

Twilight sat up in her bed and rubbed one of her eyes, "Mmm. It smells good. But, who's 'we'?"

Discord presented the sick alicorn the tray of food, "That would be me and Spike, my dear."

Twilight looked up and noticed Discord. A small smile made its way onto her muzzle, "Hi, Discord. It's nice to see you. I'm afraid I won't able do much today, if that's why you're here. I'm kind of indisposed at the moment. Achoo!" She grabbed a tissue with her magic and blew her nose.

Discord set the food down on the side table next to her bed, and sat down next to her. He put his paw over her hoof.

"I can see that. Well, don't you worry, my sick Princess. As your friend, it is my duty to make sure that you are well. And I am not leaving this Palace until you are."

Twilight smiled, "I appreciate the gesture, Discord. But, I don't want you to waste your time taking care of me. I wouldn't want to burden you with that task."

"Did I say it was a burden? No. And it wouldn't be a waste of time. Your well being is important to me. And right now, your being is not well. Soooo... " Discord snapped his fingers, causing a thermometer to appear in Twilight's mouth.

Twilight jerked back and crossed her eyes to see the thermometer protruding out of her mouth. "This hasn't been used, right?"

Discord took the thermometer out of her mouth, "Of course not. Why would I give you a used thermometer? I'm much more sanitary than that." He examined the temperature reading.

"Well, there's bad news and good news. The bad news is that you have a fever. The good news is that it's only slight. 99.6. Spike, be a good dragon and go get Twilight some water." Discord instructed.

Spike was a little surprised, but he complied. He scurried out of the room in an instant.

Twilight glanced over at the tray of food and levitated a piece of fried hay into her mouth. "Since when are you a doctor?" She asked while chewing.

"It's just common sense. Everypony gets sick after all. This is what Fluttershy did for me when I was ill, so naturally, I'd assume taking care of a sick pony would require similar treatment. Feel free to correct me if I do something wrong." Discord grinned, taking a piece of fried hay for himself.

Twilight smiled before her face contorted into a look of displeasure. "Ugh, stupid sickness. It's affecting my taste buds. This hay tastes like cardboard."

As she said that, Spike came back to the room with a glass of water in his hands. "Here you go, Twilight. A nice glass of water for you."

Twilight took the drink gratefully and began sipping.

"A little glass of water, please. A fresh pressed hankie if I sneeze. Some tea with--"

"Don't even think about," Twilight interrupted before he could continue. "I'm the one who's actually sick."

Discord laughed, "I'm sorry, dear. I couldn't help myself."

The rest of the day went by slowly. Spike and Discord made sure that Twilight was as comfortable as possible. And Twilight was thankful for their efforts. She hated having to be waited on, but whether she liked it or not, her illness prevented her from being able to function properly.

Discord basically stayed at the castle all day. He made it his mission to get Twilight back to good health. And it seemed as if his attempts were working.

Twilight was doing a whole lot better than she was this morning. Her headache had subsided, and her fever was hanging on for dear life. Twilight's friends had even stopped by to see how she was doing after Spike had sent them letters.

They had all given her something to help her. Fluttershy had brought in some herbal medicine that Zecora had given her. Pinkie Pie brought in some cupcakes, stating that she needed sugar in her blood. Rarity had made Twilight a nice lavender blanket, laced with magenta to help her stay warm.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash didn't bring anything, just simply stating that they hoped she would get well soon.

Twilight was very appreciative of everything her friends had gotten her, whether it was physical or verbal.

By the end of the day, Twilight was almost back in perfect condition. Her head still ached, but it wasn't strong enough to keep her in bed. She had, at least, gotten her appetite back and was sitting in the dining hall with Discord and Spike, finishing up the leftover vegetable stew.

"Mmm. I'm glad I have my appetite back. This is delicious. I don't know what I would do without you, Spike. Though, I have to wonder why you never cooked before." Twilight glanced over at him curiously.

Spike slurped up the rest up his soup and wiped his mouth with a napkin, "Probably because you never asked. Plus, we always had something to eat. One of the perks about living with a Princess."

Discord had finished his soup a while ago. He now had a bowl of chocolate pudding in front of him. "See, Twilight? Even your little dragon is thinking the same thing. You shouldn't do it all the time, but abusing your authority is not unwarranted. Think about the stuck-up Canterlot nobles. They abuse their position all the time. And nopony's stopping them."

Twilight finished up her soup and frowned, "That doesn't mean I have to. If I go about demanding things, I'm going to be seen as a dictator. And I don't want that."

Discord and Spike looked at each other and shrugged. "Well, can't say you didn't try. Anyway, if you both are done, I'll take these to the kitchen." Spike gathered the now empty soup bowls and placed them in the kitchen sink for cleaning later.

"Twilight? Can I head to the lounge? The latest edition of Power Ponies came out, and I want to read it." Spike asked hopefully.

The lavender alicorn giggled, "Sure thing, Spike. You definitely deserve some time to relax after all the help you were today." Twilight trotted over to her assistant and wrapped a wing around him.

"Love you, Spike."

"I love you, too, Twi." He gave her a quick hug and rushed out of the room.

Twilight sighed and turned back to Discord, whose arms were crossed in an impatient manner.

"Ahem. I do believe another thank you is in order," Discord grinned, leaning towards her.

Twilight smiled, "Oh, you're right. I should thank Fluttershy for that medicine. It really helped decrease my discomfort."

"Thanking Flutters is a nice gesture, but I'm pretty sure you owe your gratitude to more than that." Discord raised an eyebrow.

Twilight put a hoof to her chin, "Hmm. Oh, of course. Rarity deserves some thanks. That blanket she made for me was so very comfy."

Discord gave her a deadpan glare, knowing that she was playing him. Twilight laughed, "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself."

She then trotted over to him and nuzzled his lion paw. "But, in all seriousness, thank you, Discord. You were definitely a big help today. I apologize for making you take time out of your day to care for me, but it couldn't be helped."

Discord smiled and bent down to give her a kiss on her head, "Think nothing of it, my dear. It's my job. I'm sure you would've done the same for me if I were sick."

Twilight raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Are you sure about that?"

Discord glared at her.

Twilight giggled again, "I'm kidding. But, really, thank you." She wrapped her hooves around his midsection. Discord wrapped his own mismatched arms around the pony.

"You're welcome. "

Nothing Can Break Us

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Discord awoke from his peaceful slumber, refreshed and ready for another day. He stretched his arms out in front of him, giving his appendages a crack.

"Mmmm! Nothing like a good stretch to work away all those nasty little kinks." He flew over to his floating mirror and gave his appearance a once-over.

He smoothed his black mane back with his talon and smiled, "For a mismatched creature, you are one handsome devil."

He snapped his fingers, causing a calendar to appear. "Let's see. What's on the agenda for today?" He stared at the calendar. Nothing was marked for the day, or any day for that matter.

"I really ought to plan more things. Oh, well. I know what to do." Discord summoned a bouquet of lilac tulips. "I haven't given Twilight much lately. This should make up for it. All mares love flowers after all." With an approving nod, Discord teleported away.

Discord arrived at the front door of the castle. He figured he ought to arrive in a much more dignified manner. Suddenly popping in and out of thin air did not leave a good impression.

He casually opened the palace doors and proceeded to Twilight's lounge, since he knew that's where she spent most of her time.

"I haven't seen Twi for a few days now. I bet she's been dying to see me." He chuckled as he approached the lounge.

He opened the door and walked in. "Hey, Twilight. Miss me? I brought you some..." He opened his eyes and was met with an unusual sight.

Twilight was here all right, but she wasn't alone. She was talking with a light gray unicorn stallion with a swept-back black mane with brown highlights. His cutie mark was that of an open book with a magic wand touching it.

Discord dropped the bouquet, while his eyebrows furrowed. He decided to make himself known, "Ahem!"

Twilight's ear flicked, and she turned her head, "Oh! Discord! Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Obviously," He muttered softly.

"So, this is the famous Spirit of Disharmony?" The stallion said appraisingly.

"Yup. Discord, this is Professor Archaic Theory from Canterlot University. He came here to discuss some theses on alicorn magic." Twilight explained.

"Charmed to make your acquaintance, Discord." Arcane stretched out his hoof to Discord.

Discord begrudgingly shook the stallion's hoof with his paw, "Likewise."

Twilight looked at Discord with a bit uncertainty. "Are you okay, Discord? You seem a little tense."

Discord ruffled her mane with his tail, "Oh, of course, my dear. I'm fine." He assured her with a smile.

Twilight still looked unsure but decided not to worry.

"It was nice to meet you, Discord. But, I believe we should cut this meeting short. I have to get this down in my lesson schedule. I'm doing a lecture on alicorn magic on Thursday. I'll need all the help I can get." Professor Arcane nodded apathetically.

Twilight nodded in agreement, "He's right. I'm sorry, Discord. You can come by again later. I'm kind of held up at the moment." She looked over at Archaic Theory with a smile.

Discord narrowed his eyes, "Fine. I'll see my way out. Enjoy your lesson, Professor." He flourished his talon and snapped his fingers, teleporting away.

Discord teleported into the open sky, far enough away so that nopony could hear him sulk.

"Who does that stallion think he is? He's wasting Twilight's valuable time. I was planning on taking her for a stroll in the Everfree Forest, but thanks to Mr. Canterlot University Professor, that plan has to be put on hold. Hmph!" He crossed his arms in an indignant manner. "Whatever. I'm fine with that. If Twi wants to hang out with a boring magic teacher, that's fine. We'll...just have to make up for lost time, that's all."

Discord nodded in satisfaction. After a few moments of silence, he realized something. "Well, now what do I do? My plans for today went down the tube. So, what can I do?"

He glanced down at the little town of Ponyville, seeing innocent-looking ponies going about their normal business.

Discord's mouth turned upward into a malicious grin, "Genius." Discord teleported away, preparing to prank a few unsuspecting ponies.

He silently approached Lyra Hearstrings, who was playing her harp.

"Such lovely music. I almost don't want to do it. Almost," he snickered. He snapped his fingers, turning the strings on Lyra's harp into noodles.

Lyra's grip on the instrument was lost as her eyes widened in horror. "What the huh? How did--?" She turned her head when she heard a familiar laugh. She could barely make out the silhouette of the Spirit of Chaos hiding behind a nearby tree.

Lyra groaned, "Ugh, you'll pay for this, Discord!"

"Send me the bill," he chortled and quickly vanished.

Discord crept slowly and cautiously through the orchard, trying to decided what to pull on the Element of Honesty. He noticed Applejack and her brother bucking some apples.

"Hmph. Do they ever do anything else?" He glanced around Sweet Apple Acres, and it him.

"Oh ho! Discord, you clever guy." He said as held a red apple in his claw. With a look of pure mischief, Discord snapped his fingers, and every single apple in the orchard turned into pears.

Applejack had just finished bucking a tree when it happened. Big Mac came over next to Applejack.

Applejack just looked on with alarm, but then she realized what happened.

She narrowed her eyes, "Last time ah checked, we lived on an apple farm. Not a pear farm."

"Eeyup," Her older brother agreed.

Applejack turned around and caught a glimpse of the saboteur, "Only one spirit has the nerve to do this. DISCORD!" She began galloping towards him at a speed that would make Rainbow Dash gawk. "YOU GET BACK HERE AND CLEAN UP YOUR MESS, YA HEAR ME!!!!"

Discord laughed, "Make me!"

Applejack jumped with the force of a recently-oiled spring and hit the draconeques head on.

She pinned him to the ground, steam coming from her nostrils, "Ya'll heard me. Change it back, or I'll buck ya into Saddle Arabia."

After that encounter, Discord believed that she very well could pull that off. He quickly snapped his fingers, turning everything back to normal.

Applejack lifted her hooves, "Thank ya, kindly, Discord. But, jus' remember, do something like this again, and I'll give ya a poundin' so hard, you'll be out longer than you were a statue. Have a nice day." She trotted back over to her brother, acting like nothing happened.

Discord gulped and decided it'd be best to make his departure.

Later that evening, Discord decided to attempt another visit to Twilight's place. He couldn't imagine that dimwitted professor having to take up an entire day studying magic.

"I don't know anypony who has spent one whole day studying. Well, except maybe Twilight, but she's a rare case." Discord chuckled to himself. He approached the lounge a second time that day and opened the doors.

"Twilight? It's me, Discord. Are you here?" He looked around the room, the purple alicorn nowhere in sight.

Discord huffed, "Guess not. Well, she's somewhere in this castle. I can sense it. The question is where?"

A faint aroma wafted into the room. Discord gave the air a sniff. "Hmm. Smells like something's cooking. She's probably having dinner. I'm sure she won't mind if I join her." He nodded to himself and teleported away.

With a flash of light, Discord reappeared in front of the dining hall. He casually walked inside.

"Hey, Twi. Smells good, mind if I--" Discord stopped upon spotting the other pony in the room.

"Oh, hi, Discord. We're just starting dinner. Would you like to join us?" Twilight politely invited.

Discord paid her no mind. His gaze was affixed to the same stallion that had been here earlier. He was STILL here!

Discord snapped out of his outraged daze upon feeling the stares of both Twilight and Professor Theory on him.

"Oh, forgive me. I was just a little surprised to see that you're still here, Professor." Discord said in the nicest voice he could muster at the moment.

"Well, the discussion went on longer than either of us had anticipated. So, the Princess kindly offered to provide dinner. I'm not one to turn down such a generous offer." Arcane smiled.

Discord felt heat rising in his face. "She is quite the giving soul, isn't she?"

"Definitely, especially for a Princess." Archaic Theory joked.

Twilight giggled, "Oh, please. The other three Princesses are just as giving. We are not here to be served, we're here to serve. Imagine being run by a leader who wanted nothing more than to be waited on."

"That is very true, Princess. It wouldn't be easy living, that's for sure." The professor gave his hooves a stretch. "Well, I fear I have taken up enough of your time, Your Highness. Thanks ever so much for the information. I'm sure the students will be very interested."

"I should hope so. Alicorns by themselves are incredibly fascinating to study. I'm not saying that out of bias. I may be an alicorn, but even I don't understand everything about what I am. I hope your lecture goes well, Professor."

Arcane nodded, "So do I. I'll let you know what happens. Have a good evening." He bowed in respect.

Arcane approached Discord, "It was nice to meet you, Discord. Nice to know that we don't have to worry about you causing anymore trouble."

Discord had been silent the entire time. The stallion was nothing but a goody-four-hooves. But, Discord felt inclined to at least offer a bit of gratitude. "Thanks. You...have a good night."

The professor nodded and trotted out of the castle.

Twilight walked over to Discord, "He's a nice stallion. I hope his students appreciate his lecture. We had quite a good discussion today." She looked over at Discord.

Discord huffed silently, "I'm sure you did."

Twilight's ears picked it up, despite his efforts to conceal them. "Discord, are you all right? You don't seem like yourself today. Is something wrong?"

"Of course not," Discord quickly brushed her comment aside, "Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about. It doesn't concern you."

Twilight's eyes remained on Discord, not buying that statement. "Of course, it concerns me. If something's troubling you, then I want to know what it is. Let's talk in the library." Twilight tugged Discord's paw with her magic, forcing him to follow her.

Once they entered the library, Twilight pulled Discord over to a chair with her sitting adjacent to him.

She sat down, gesturing for him to do the same.

"All right, what's up?" Twilight began, sitting up in a business-like manner.

"The ceiling. Not sure why you couldn't see that, but whatever." Discord tried to push Twilight's concern away by making a joke. Obviously, that did not work.

Twilight lowered her eyelids,"Really?"

Discord coughed to cover up for his embarrassment.

"Come on, Discord. What's wrong? I can easily tell you're bothered by something. Would you mind telling me? You can trust me, right?" She batted her eyelashes at him, causing him to blush.

"Um, of course, I trust you. It's just..." he sighed, "You're going to think I'm silly."

Twilight smiled, "I already do. And nothing you say is going to make me think any less of you. Tell me."

Discord sighed again. She was persistent. "Tell me honestly, Twilight. If you met a stallion who you could picture yourself with, would you leave me?"

Twilight pondered that question for a few moments. "Where'd the question come from?"

"Just answer the question, please."

Twilight didn't understand why he would ask such a thing. They were perfectly happy together. No stallion in the world could give her what Discord offered. He wasn't what she had in mind when she thought of her special somepony, but they had made it work.

"I'd never leave you, Discord. You've made everyday of life exciting. I would never consider breaking up with you. Why are asking about thi...Wait." Twilight stopped and thought for a moment.

Then, realization dawned. "Oh...I get it. Now, it all make sense."

Discord stared at her in disbelief, "Tell me you didn't?"

"How funny that you ask this question the same day I met up with Professor Arcane. A...stallion. Why, Discord, were you, by any chance...jealous of the professor?" Twilight smirked, with a teasing expression on her face.

Discord winced, "Maybe."

Twilight, to the surprise of Discord, laughed.

"Oh, Discord. That's funny and sweet at the same time. Honestly, Discord. Just because I'm talking to another stallion, doesn't mean I'll fall head over hooves for him. I'm not one of those mares who swoons whenever a stallion talks to her." She chuckled.

She hopped down from her chair and walked over to Discord, "And besides," she flew up and gave Discord a peck on the cheek, "I'm already taken."

Discord was deeply touched. To think he ever thought she'd leave him. The moment was too perfect, so Discord decided to end it on a good note.

Without warning, he leaned forward and connected his muzzle with Twilight's. Twilight jumped in surprise but found herself kissing him back.

They pulled apart and looked at each other. "Wow. That was...I don't know what to call it."

"Call it a kiss, my dear." Discord stroked her mane and kissed her softly on the head.

Discord and Twilight will face many obstacles in their relationship. But, one thing's for sure. Nothing will be able to break their bond. They both found love, and nothing would ever come between them.

I Found Love: Discord and Twilight

by MLP Fangirl

Facing the Truth

An Amazing Discovery

Seeking Help

The Fun Has Just Begun

What is This Feeling?

Confiding in Friends

Igniting the Spark

Beginning the Journey

Just the Two of Us

Under the Weather

Nothing Can Break Us