The Two Who Know
The heart was not supposed to be an easy thing to read. It was the most complicated part of the soul. It held secrets, emotions, desires, hopes, dreams...It was irrational and passionate. It made a pony--or any other creature, for that matter--who he or she was. The heart was everything.
At least, that’s how Princess Mi Amore Cadenza felt about it. And as the Princess of Love, it made sense. But as romantic a title as it was, it was a difficult thing to specialize in. While she had the ability to spread love and light wherever she pleased, and help rekindle feelings between lovers, the only reason she was able to do such things was through her ability to read the heart.
She was exceptionally good at it. It was easy for her to look into a creature’s heart and see the soul within. She hardly needed to cast a spell or call her magic to do so. She just could. No; for her, reading hearts wasn’t the hard part. The difficult part was not reading them.
It was a temptation she fought every day; not to automatically look into the hearts of those she knew, of those she spoke to. It was her inner demon, but she was getting better at taming it.
But not all hearts were quiet. Some screamed and demanded attention, restless and yearning for something. Even if such a heart’s owner didn’t make his desires known verbally, Cadance could always hear it, whether she meant to or not.
Discord had one of those hearts.
She sensed him before he even arrived at the castle. Familiar with his magical signature, her horn pulsed slightly as she sensed his power, capturing her attention as she sat casually on her throne, her court doors thrown open to welcome anypony who wished to speak with her. Magic could be read by any Unicorn or Alicorn of strong abilities. And since Cadance had such talents, this was a typical thing for her to sense from him.
But his heart was also sensed, mixed with the signals his magic gave out. It rang clearly in her head as her own powers reacted to it, his heart’s own feelings pouring into her.
It was strong and powerful, and so warm that she felt she had been dipped in a vat of warm sugary syrup. But the feeling was light at the same time, floaty and frisky and happy and hopeful…
She knew this feeling so well that it was like greeting an old friend she’d known for years. But knowing the source of it made her gasp in surprise.
Really? Discord? He’s…
She froze, and a slight grimace marred her features before she shook her head.
Stop that, Cadance. He has his own feelings. Just because he’s different doesn’t mean he can’t have them.
She felt guilt from reading his heart so easily, but it was as loud as a gong to her ears. He had one of the loudest hearts she had ever known; she couldn’t avoid it. She didn’t even know where he was relative to her location, but he was close enough for her to hear.
And he was coming for her.
But for what?
“Cadance!”
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of her husband, her eyes flicking towards the open doorway as Shining, bedecked in his Royal Guard attire, stood there and looked at her with a slightly alarmed look on his face.
“We’ve got a whole line of ponies who’ve been waiting to see you all day, but we can’t hold him back any more, he’s refusing to listen--”
Her confused look was suddenly replaced by a slight quirk of the lips. “Discord?”
“Yeah; he’s--”
“--Right here, for your viewing pleasure! Hello, hello, good to see you!”
Cadance had seen the flash at the door to be able to tell what was coming, but Shining whipped his head to the side and jumped slightly at the sight of the Draconequus. “Discord,” he said, after straightening himself up and giving him a slightly annoyed look. “I thought I told you--”
“And I told you that I wanted to see your little wifey right away, so here I am,” Discord stated, his paw on his chest and his claw out in what seemed to be a regal pose. “Time is precious to me, and I don’t relish in wasting it.”
“But you’re immortal! You have nothing but time,” Shining argued. “You can’t wait even five minutes while I go to tell her who’s coming?”
“You know, I’m right here,” Cadance interrupted.
Discord met her gaze at this and gave her a suave smile. “That you are, Cady, that you are!”
“Cady…?” Shiny raised a brow.
Discord wiggled his fingers at the captain. “What, I can’t give your precious bride a nickname?”
“Well--”
Cadance merely giggled. “It’s fine, Shining,” she said, waving a hoof at his concern. “If Discord wants to talk to me, well, that’s what my doors are open for. Go ahead back and keep an eye on things while we talk. We’ll be all right.”
Shining didn’t seem so sure about that, but he knew his wife was smart and wasn’t some damsel-in-distress. “Okay then,” he relented, giving Discord an eye as he slowly began to walk away. “You let me know if you need anything, honey. I’ll be close by.”
“I know, sweetie. Thanks.”
When he was out of eyeshot, Discord gave off a sigh before he began stretching his arms. “Well, it’s about time he left! You know, he may act like he doesn’t like me, but personally, I think he’s a fan. He was working awfully hard to keep me away from you. A little too hard, if you ask me. I almost feel sorry for him. But what can you do?” He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m here to see you, not him.”
She sloped an eyebrow at him, taking full notice that his smug demeanor did not match what his heart was telling her. To most, it looked like he was as cocky and cool as could be, without hardly a care in the world.
But his heart was pounding and electrifying him to the core. He was nervous.
And she could still feel that warm, airy feeling radiating from it. It took hold of her, but she was not who it was reaching for. No; she was the wrong pony. It stretched away from her, wondering where the right one was, so it could envelop her within itself. The magic called out for her...
Ah. So that’s who it is. I can’t say I’m surprised. But still….oh, Discord, that’s so cute. I can’t believe I didn’t see it sooner.
“Well, as I said before, here I am,” Cadance said, flying off her throne and using her magic to close the doors. “What is it you need to see me for, Discord? I don’t think you’ve ever come to visit me before. Not with just the two of us, that is.” A pitcher of water and two glasses levitated towards her, and she once again rose a brow at him, a slight smirk on her face. “Can I get you anything? A glass of water, maybe?”
Discord grinned and let out a laugh. “Ha! Nice one, Cady-Lady, but I’ll pass. And I promise you, I’m here today with nothing but good and wholesome intentions.” A halo appeared on his head and he blinked long eyelashes at her. “And Twilight’s not here, so it’s not as if we’re on repeat.”
“Mmm-hmm,” she nodded, pouring herself a glass and taking a short sip, her back facing Discord. “I’m sure you are. So why don’t you tell me why you’re here? It must be something important. You’re not usually the type to ask for help, and for you to come to me, of all ponies...If you had a problem, I would think you’d go to Fluttershy for help…”
She then turned her head slowly towards him, without turning around. “...Wouldn’t you?”
And for a second, he lost his cool, just from the mention of her name. It wasn’t long, but his face fell slightly, and his irises grew small, his fingers slightly twitching.
“Ah, yes, well…” He twiddled his fingers together as he looked away from her for a moment. “...I thought perhaps you were more well suited for this. Considering that fancy schmancy title of yours and everything. And besides, I’ve been meaning to take a gander at the Crystal Empire!” He teleported away from her gaze and reappeared near a window by the throne, taking a look outside.
Cadance snickered inwardly. So, he didn’t want to be outright with it, did he? Well, that was fine with her. He needed to come to terms with it on his own. But if he thought he was fooling her, then he was dead wrong. But she let him think so, for the time being. Anything to keep him in a good mood.
“It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen it. Tell me, what’s it feel like leading an entire city full of sparkly ponies, when you’re not sparkly yourself?” Discord continued. “Makes you feel rather dull, doesn’t it? Does it make you want to cover yourself in glitter so you can be an even prettier pretty pretty Princess?” he mocked.
“Oh no, not at all,” Cadance said, shaking her head. “I love how unique the Crystal Ponies look. I’m proud to be their Princess. And I don’t think that makes me dull at all.”
Discord growled slightly as she continued to smile sweetly at him. “You know, your optimism is nearly as annoying as Pinkie Pie’s.”
“Oh, please,” Cadance replied. “Stop acting like you don’t like Pinkie Pie and the others, because I know you do. Twilight especially. It’s why you tried so hard to keep her attention on my visit with her. And Pinkie just scares you because she can do things without explanation, and you thought you were the only one who could do that. But you think she’s fun all the same. And you like her desserts.” Calmly, she took a another sip of water.
She heard his gasp of surprise without even looking at him. “I am not afraid of Pinkamena Pie, I assure you!” he said. “I have no reason to! She’s about as threatening as a deflated balloon.”
“But you aren’t going to deny that you like her and the others? After all, the only one you freely express your affections for is Fluttershy.” She opened her eyes again after her drink and looked back at him. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you only helped Equestria out because of her.”
His eyes widened at that, and Cadance silently thanked him for refusing her offer of water. Had he accepted it, he might have spit it out all over her.
“What kind of assumption is that?!? Because you’re right, I do like the others!” he retorted, crossing his arms and huffing at her. “And even if that were true, is it really that surprising? She is my best friend, you know. My BFF, if you will.”
“Your partner in crime,” she supplied.
“Yes! My right-hand-mare.”
“Your comrade-in-arms.”
“Mi mejor amiga!”
“Your closest compadre!”
“My sistah from another mistah!” He rose his arms up and shouted the last one, jumping up and levitating, before freezing mid-air. “Wait, that’s not right.”
“Yes, that’s definitely not right!,” Cadance laughed. “You’d be in quite a bind if she was your sister.”
“Pffft, tell me about it,” he said, rolling his eyes as he landed back on the floor. “We don’t even look alike. The only thing we have in common when it comes to looks is that we’re both gorgeous.” He struck a pose.
Cadance detected another wave of warmth from his obnoxious little heart, stronger now that Fluttershy was the subject of conversation. It pulsed so strongly as it radiated through the room that she could practically see it, like heat waves slightly distorting the air. It was looking, looking, looking for the object of his affections. It made no attempt to hide it from anyone magically inclined to see it.
Cadance was such a romantic, and her biggest weakness was a nerd in love. To her, it was just the cutest and most endearing thing in the world. And in her opinion, Discord was a huge nerd of chaos, nutty and silly, but resistant in showing others how powerful his own feelings truly were. He was one of those creatures who covered his emotions up with his own wit and arrogance, refusing to acknowledge the sweetness he was capable of.
Her smile grew soft as she thought of this, watching as Discord posed like a model for a magazine. “Fluttershy is precious to you, isn’t she?”
One eye opened to peer at her. “Hmm?”
She sighed, but smiled again and sat on the floor. “Why are you here, Discord? Do you have something you need to tell me?”
He stopped posing, before flashing away and appearing at her side, sitting there with his palms leaning on the floor.
“Why do I suddenly have the feeling that I don’t need to tell you anything? You’re the Princess of Love, are you not?”
Her smile widened. “That’s what they tell me.”
“Then you know what I came here for. You’re just being a little sneak about it.”
“Well, it takes one to know one.”
At this, he squinted his eyes at her, then gave her a smirk of his own. “Well, aren’t you just full of wit and sass today?” He crossed his goat leg over his lizard one. “Methinks you’ve been hanging around your aunties too much, dear Cady. They’re usually the only ones that use such tactics with me.”
“Or maybe you’re a bigger influence than you think.” She took a bigger drink of her water, finishing the glass, before flashing it away in a small spark of light. “But you’re changing the subject again. Why don’t you just come out and say it? It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I actually think it’s really--”
Poof! Her lips turned into a zipper, and Discord was floating in the air in front of her. “Who said I’m ashamed of anything? What, you think I’ve got a reputation to keep or something? Or that I’m doubting myself? Well, let me tell you something, missy,” he growled, jabbing a finger into her muzzle. “You’re wrong.”
The zipper disappeared and Cadance didn’t even frown. Instead, she continued to give him that sweet, almost pitying smile that continued to aggravate him. Sheesh, she was almost as bad as Celestia, or even Tree Hugger!
“...I just turned your mouth into a zipper, stop smiling like that,” he said, crossing his arms and looking away from her.
She gave a soft laugh. “I can’t help it. I’m the Princess of Love, remember? I’m a little bit of a sucker for things like this. Especially when it comes to ponies--or Draconequui--that refuse to admit how they feel. And the fact that the pony you’re in love with is not only your best friend, but also--”
This time he stopped her with a pointer finger on her mouth. “Would you stop?” His face was red, his lips pouting angrily. It made him resemble a small colt being accused of having a crush on the new filly in class. “I get it! You know I have feelings for Fluttershy. There, I said it even though you knew already. Are you happy now, gossip girl?”
“Not entirely, no. It’s so sweet how embarrassed you are, though. You have no idea how easy it is for me to see it. You really love her, don’t you?” she said softly. “You’ve felt this way for a while now.”
His paw fell away from her face and he rubbed the back of his head.
“Yes. But I only just figured it out. That and something else…” A grin broke out on his face as he looked at her, excited to tell her about it.
She gave in to the bait. “What is it?”
“Ohoho, wouldn’t you like to know!” he said, glad to have the upper hand again.
“I wouldn’t have said it if I--”
“Oh, fine, I’ll tell you, there’s no need to beg me,” he said, snapping up two chairs and levitating Cadance over to a seat as he sat across from her. He scooted forward until they were eye-to-eye. His ears wiggled and his hands turned to fists, shaking them in excitement.
He was so contagious when he was giddy like that. So much that even Cadance felt it a little herself. “What is it?!?”
“Fluttershy…”
“Yes?”
“She…”
She nodded. “Mmm-hmm?”
“...is totally crazy about me! She loves me, I know she does!” He squealed, and his irises were so big they looked like giant red dinner plates. Cadance’s head went back in surprise.
But she broke out into a grin too. “She does? Oh, congratulations, Discord!” she said, coming forward and putting an arm around him in a half-hug. “When did you finally tell her?”
He froze and blinked at her. “Tell her? Tell her what?”
This time it was her turn to look confused. “You know...Tell her that you love her?”
He continued to stare at her for a moment, making Cadance feel rather awkward, before Discord broke out into a great bout of laughter.
“Ah hahahahahahahaha! You...You think I told her?!?” he bellowed, clutching his stomach as he rolled about in the air in mirth. “Really?!? You think I’m that cliché? Did you expect me to take her out on a moonlit night, rose in my hand, bending down on one knee and confessing my undying love for her?!? PFFFFFFFFFT, hahahahahahaha!”
He then immediately stopped and scoffed. “As if. No, nononono. That’s not how I plan on this playing out. I want her...to tell me.”
Cadance sighed, shaking her head slightly at him. “I’m sure you do, Discord...but…” She bit her lip and looked away, trying to think of what to say next.
He glared at her suspiciously. “But what? You think I should do something else instead? Because that’s what I really came here for. A strategy. A game plan, if you will.”
“Game plan?”
“While I am not completely unfamiliar with the concept of lurrrrrrrrrve…”
Cadance rolled her eyes. He just couldn’t be serious about this for one minute, could he? But she stopped when she felt a paw and claw rest on her shoulder, looking back up at him.
“...You, my dear, know all about it. Now, I realize that I’m charming and clever enough to do it all on my own, but I couldn’t help but wonder what ideas you might have on the subject. So tell me...How can I get Fluttershy to confess to me? I’m thinking she’ll need me to hint at the fact that the feeling’s mutual,” he said, tapping a finger to his chin.
Cadance raised a hoof in an attempt to get his attention. “Wait, Discord--”
But he was too much into his own thoughts to pay attention. “She’s a nervous little thing, and wouldn’t want to tell me if she thought her feelings wouldn’t be returned…”
“Discord, just hold on for a sec…”
“Luckily for her, I’m a fantastic flirt. I’m sure I can get the message across, enough for her to realize that she’s completely head-over-hoo--”
“Discord!”
“Gah, what?!?” he yelled back, rubbing at an ear as he glared at her. “Sheesh, is there a fire?!?” To emphasize this, the end of his tail caught on fire. He pointed a finger at it and water squirted from the tip like a water gun, putting it out and leaving nothing but a slight trail of smoke from a few singed hairs. “I’m thinking over here!”
“Well, before you think any further, Discord, I just...I want to ask…”
Hesitantly, she put a hoof on his chest. “Are you sure that she returns your feelings, Discord? I know that Fluttershy is really close with you, and it’s obvious that she cares a lot for you...Anypony can see that.” She offered a smile. “But...I don’t want you to plan on all this, only for you to get hurt. I’d hate to see you with a broken heart…”
Discord gave a small gasp before breaking away from her. “You think I’m wrong?!? Me?!? Discord, the greatest bachelor that any mare could ask for?!? Cady, you hurt me!” He put his hands over his heart. “You really do! Of course Fluttershy loves me. It was inevitable, really, with all the time we’ve spent together.”
“But you just told me you recently ‘figured it out’,” she said, making quoting signs with her hooves. “So you didn’t always think she had feelings for you, did you? Something must have made you realize it.”
“And something did!” he argued. “We were in town a few days ago... and a group of ponies visiting Ponyville saw the two of us together. Some of them immediately started commenting on how odd we looked together, describing me as ugly and crazy and all those other lies--and while this didn’t bother me in the least…”
His eyes softened a bit as he remembered. “Fluttershy looked so bothered by it. I could tell. Her ears were pinned to her skull, her eyes lost their light...She looked like she had been hoofed right in the face. Not many ponies would look so upset on my behalf, you know....”
Cadance tried to keep a straight face and an open mind, but she couldn’t help but feel a little worried for him. That’s not enough, Discord. She’s your friend, she cares about you...But that doesn’t mean that she’s in love with you.
Another voice in her head spoke up: But that doesn’t mean he’s wrong either.
I just really don’t want him to get hurt. The last time he had his heart broken…
But this is different; Fluttershy’s not Aunt Celestia. And he won’t do anything to hurt her, not again. He’s really changed now. Even Luna thinks so.
It’s not only that; I’m not just afraid of him taking over Equestria again. I hate to see anypony I know with a broken heart, even Discord. Especially Discord. He was alone for so long…
Well, he’s not anymore. So maybe you should stop pitying him and see for yourself.
Do you mean…?
That’s probably what he really wants to know, anyway. He’s probably fairly certain about it....He just wants to use you to make sure. He’s just too proud to admit it.
Oh…
“--I mean, sure, she didn’t really get the whole two-cake thing, but she probably just didn’t remember it correctly. So I’ll forgive her for that. Anywho, I’m certain I can’t prove it to be any more obvious to you than I already have,” Discord said, putting his hands out as if he had nothing left in them. “I’ve laid out my case and I’m sticking to it! I know she loves me. And I think you will too, soon.”
“...Huh?” Her head shot up and as she realized that her guest had never actually stopped talking. “Oh, um, of course,” she said, nodding and smiling sheepishly. “Um, I’m...sure I will.”
“Oh, I know you will!” he said, nodding with a smile and his arms crossed. “So, then…” He stretched his neck out to peer at her. “About my request...How should I best go about this? Get her to realize what’s going on?”
Blink, blink. “Oh, you mean, try to get her to realize how she feels and confess? Oh, Discord, you know, you really can’t force these things.”
“And whyever not?”
“Because pressuring somepony--especially somepony as nervous and meek as Fluttershy--isn’t really...sensitive. You need to give her time to realize it on her own. I mean, it’s completely fine to flirt and hint at how you feel about her--that can help her realize how you feel in case she’s uncertain…”
Uncertain like I am.
“But it’s not really something you can plan or develop a strategy for. You just have to let it happen naturally and...well...be a little patient.”
He gave her a blank stare. “...Really? That’s the best you can do? This is the kind of advice that helped get you that crown? Really?”
He finally got a frown for that comment. “It’s either that, or you tell her how you feel yourself. But I guess if you’re not tough enough for it…” She smirked.
“Tough enough for it? Tough enough for it?!?” He looked as if she had insulted his mother. “I’ll have you know that I’m as tough as rock!” He stretched out his arm, which resembled a golem’s rather than an eagle’s. Bits of shale crumbled from his elbow. “You think I don’t have what it takes to confess? You underestimate me far too much, Cady, far far too much.”
But the Princess could tell--he was nervous at the question. He really didn’t want to confess. He wants her to fall for him and confess so he doesn’t have to risk it, she thought. And he’s not even sure if his own convictions are as true as he says. He’s scared.
“You haven’t felt this way about anypony since Celestia, have you?”
The words were out of her mouth before she could stop him. She closed her eyes, ready to feel her lips turn cold and zippable.
“...Not really, no. And we all know how well that went,” Discord said. “But that was different, my dear. That was just a little hiccup from my adolescence, a mere burst of...non-platonic affection that is oh-so typical…” He nearly gagged at the word, “..of the young. This goes way beyond that.”
At this point, Cadence’s eyes were so soft and piteous that Discord had to look away. What did she think she was, a pillow?
“It wasn’t just a hiccup, Discord,” she said, so softly it was practically a whisper. “You had feelings for her, deep feelings. And when you realized she didn’t feel the same way, it hurt you so much that the rejection made you go wild.”
He stared at the wall, as if that would make her presence even less daunting for him. “It did not.”
She ignored him. “And now, a thousand-plus years later, you have feelings for a different mare that are even more powerful, and you’re afraid you’ll get rejected again and fall apart. And it’s not just any mare--it’s your best friend.”
“Do you ever stop talking about idiotic things?” he growled.
But she was too determined to stop. “Discord, you don’t have to hide it from me. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s fine to be afraid. I understand, I was the same way, once. But you can’t let the past keep you from going forward in the present. I know you’re worried--”
Discord’s face contorted into what looked like a mix of disgust and denial, his face wrinkling in ways that wouldn’t look natural on anyone but him. “I...have no idea what you’re talking about! Your accusations are ludicrous! I’m not worried...not worried at all!”
“Discord…” She reached over to touch his arm, but he pushed her away and took a step back.
“She loves me, I know she does. And you know it too!” He slapped his hands together in a clap, his stone arm crumbling only to reveal his true arm beneath, making the room rumble a bit.
“And I was hoping we’d come up with something a little bit more original than patience as a solution, but I should have known better than to trust a silly little Princess that does nothing but sit around all day, harping about romance and light and happiness and what-have-you! After all, you’ve got everything, don’t you? As you Princesses always do. Well, I don’t need your advice! I’ll be fine on my own...It’s what I’m used to, anyway!” he barked angrily, his eyes shining slightly with anger....
And fear.
He had never enjoyed revealing how vulnerable he truly was.
“Discord, wait!” she called. A flash of light made her squint before the doors slammed open.
“Cadance!” Shining Armor shouted as he burst through the entryway, a trio of other soldiers behind him. “Cadance!” He spotted and rushed over to her as if his life depended on it, looking at her and brushing her off.
“Cadance, are you all right? We felt the ground shake and--”
Gently, she laid a hoof on Shining’s lips. “I’m all right, Shining Armor,” she assured him gently, her touch immediately calming him down, his breath steadying and his muscles relaxing a bit. “Discord just got a little upset, but everything’s okay.”
“Okay…” he repeated, taking a deep breath. “Okay. But…”
Copying his fellow soldiers, he looked around and about. “Discord’s gone. Where did he go?”
“I don’t know. But I think he’s done with speaking for me for today,” Cadance said. She looked out the window.
Perhaps she had gone too far, though she hadn’t meant to. All she had wanted to do was make him see that it was okay for him to be nervous, that she understood that he was afraid of the past repeating itself and it was completely natural for him to be that way.
But it was now clear to her what he really wanted from her--what he was hiding.
No...I shouldn’t...but…
Maybe, just this once…
And she could make up for it later. She could make it up to her. And tell the truth when it was time.
“Shining, I’m going to need some time off tomorrow…”
You’d think since I was born a Pegasus, I’d be more comfortable perching on trees.
Cadance did her best to make herself comfortable upon the branches of the tree she hid in, sitting awkwardly on her haunches as she tried to stay as quiet as possible.
Right in front of her, between the spaces of the branches, was a perfect view of Fluttershy’s cottage.
They do this on Tuesdays, right?
That had to be why he had visited yesterday. Because he had known he’d see her for their usual get-together the next day.
I hope my big mouth didn’t make him cancel or something...This is horrible enough already.
A sharp pang of guilt clutched at her, even when she hadn’t even gone through with it yet.
After this I’ll be as bad as Pinkie Pie when there’s a secret being kept from her, Cadance thought, smiling for a moment as she imagined the pink party pony in a full-blown spy outfit, jumping across buildings and using her binoculars from behind bushes.
But she can’t look into the matters of the heart like you can. You’re going to look without her permission, she thought, her smile disappearing instantly. You’re taking advantage of your rank and your special talents...and she’s not even your subject. She’s your friend!
She scrunched her eyes closed. Oh, please forgive me, Fluttershy...I’ll tell you one day, I promise!
The familiar sound of instant teleportation rang in her ears, and she saw light through the backs of her eyes before she could open them.
And there he was, right at her doorstep.
“~Yoohoo~!” Discord singsonged, knocking at the door. “Flutterbuddy! Fluttershy! Your bestie-best friendo is a-here-oh! Yodel-ay-EE-ooooooooo!”
He snapped his fingers and appeared in lederhosen and a feathered hat. He then blew a tuba, making the birds scatter as a few of the animals in the yard put their paws against their ears. Harry the bear even tried sticking some rocks in his.
Cadance nearly fell over before she took her hooves away from her ears in time to hug herself to the trunk of her tree.
But it all came to a stop when she glanced back at the cottage and saw the door opening.
She activated her horn as soon as her target stepped out.
Fluttershy appeared with a wide smile on her face as she regarded her guest with genuine enthusiasm.
A very wide smile, Cadance noted with interested. And her eyes, while always big, seemed larger than life itself. They seemed to light up all on their own.
Fluttershy’s heart was a quiet one, quieter than the average one. She wasn’t a pony that was afraid to show affection towards her friends, but her heart felt no need to scream itself to the world either. Not like Discord’s, whose heart, in Cadence’s mind, had never stopped yodeling.
Cadance’s horn stopped glowing.
I don’t have to force myself to look…
“Discord!”
“Flutterbuddy!” He opened his arms for her and she jumped right into them. He gave her a hug so enthusiastically that he was practically shaking her, which only made her laugh.
I can already see it.
For in that brief moment, where the small shy pony greeted her expected guest, Fluttershy’s heart made itself known, just for a second. It was a delicate tendril that radiated from her--so much smaller than the love that practically rushed out of every pore in Discord’s body--but it was definitely the beginning of something, something that was a little more intense than the love shared between two friends.
Discord was right.
She could hardly believe it.
Discord was right!
She almost wanted to laugh at herself. He would never let her live it down.
But she didn’t really care, because being the romantic she was...She couldn’t have felt more joy for the two of them even if she tried.
She took the Ponyville train back home, not wanting to make a fuss that she had left the Crystal Empire for the day. When she arrived, she greeted Shining Armor with a kiss and hug, before retiring into her throne, sighing as she settled into its cushion.
She glanced out the window, wondering when he would eventually--
“Don’t think I didn’t notice you there. You really are a little sneak, aren’t you? As literal a sneak as a sneak can be! Tell me, do you hide under the beds of young foals and pretend to be the monster haunting them at night?”
Well, then. What accurate timing.
She looked away from the window with a smirk, looking up and behind her to see the lounging Draconequus draped across the top of her throne.
“You’re not the one I was trying to hide from. Though I really didn’t want to hide from her, either. But…” She sighed, her body deflating as she shut her eyes to soothe herself, before looking back up at him. “I never said I was perfect.”
“Oh, trust me, I know.”
She swatted at him with a hoof, though instead of paining him, it only made him laugh.
“I did it for you, you know,” she said.
“Oh, did you now?” He snaked around her throne before he appeared beside her in a mock throne of his own, with a cartoonish version of his head as the icon on the backrest. “Because I don’t recall ever asking you to spy on my dear Pegasus for me.”
“Not directly, no. But you wanted me to double-check for you, just to see if you were right.”
“Oh please.” He crossed his arms. “You think I’m so unsure of myself?” A crown appeared on his head. “That doesn’t sound like me.”
“That’s because you keep the obnoxious side of you loud in every way possible to keep ponies from hearing anything else.”
“...Did you just call me obnoxious? Huh.” He froze for a moment before giving a nod. “It’s nice to hear it out loud to my face, for once. I mean, I’ve been called that before, but it’s usually after I’ve made somepony absolutely furious.” He snapped up a file and started sharpening his nails.”It’s refreshing.”
Cadance gave him a small smile. “Aren’t you supposed to be mad at me?”
He opened one eye up to look at her. “Mad? For what? Oh, for yesterday?” he said. “Of course not! Cadance, I’ve changed! I don’t hold grudges anymore! I mean sure, you brought up unpleasant memories that you really had no business bringing up, and talking about them really did nothing to help me with my current predicament. You just have a problem keeping those pretty little lips of yours shut. But don’t worry. I forgive you. Because I’m so nice.”
She simply rolled her eyes, her smile widening. “That and because I can tell you now...that you were right,” she added.
Clank!
He shot up onto his feet so quickly that his throne fell over and deflated, suddenly resembling an unused inflatable chair with a mouthpiece. The look on his face was so excited that Cadance had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.
“Right about what?!? What was I right about?!? Wait, wait wait wait wait wait! I need to record this.”
A recorder appeared in his hand, and he pressed a red button to get it to start. “Now, state your name and the date and then say what you just said. And remember to dictate.”
“Is that really necessary?” she laughed, but didn’t wait for an answer before she leaned forward towards the recorder. “This is Princess Cadance, on the 3rd day of Spring, in the 5th year after Luna’s Return, here to say that Discord was right.”
Beep!
Discord lifted his thumb from the STOP button and cackled. “I’ll have to make copies of this so I can gift this to both Celestia and Luna for Hearth’s Warming! Which giftwrap do you think would be best? Candy canes or ornaments?” he asked, conjuring up two different kinds of wrapping paper. “I know Hearth Warming’s already passed this year, but you can never start too early!”
“Oh, the ornaments, definitely,” Cadance said, indicating the shiny green wrapping paper with cartoony ornaments all over it. “That’s definitely more you, don’t you think?”
“True, the candy cane one isn’t quite salient enough. Ooh, I can’t wait for next year!” Discord squealed, before shifting himself over to the right arm of Cadance’s throne and resting his elbows there, framing his chin with his paw and claw.
“But enough of that. Let’s move on, shall we? So...What was I right about, pray tell?” His eyes were so smug and expectant that anypony would have been able to tell that he was putting on an act. “Did you have some sort of epiphany during your little spy session?”
“You could say that,” Cadance said, playing along with it. “Though a tree really isn’t the best place for it. But I was...I was going to look into her heart for you.”
“For moi? Even though I never asked you to? Oh, Cady, say it isn’t so!” His grin widened.
“That’s right. Because I’m just so nice like that.” She didn’t try to hide her smile.
Discord let out an amused snort. “Hmmph.”
“Though I don’t normally like to look without the pony’s permission. But I felt bad for upsetting you, and I’ll admit…” She swished her tail back and forth, laying a hoof on her other foreleg as she glanced away from him in guilt.
“I was curious. I wanted to see if she really did feel anything beyond friendship for you, like you believed she did. But the heart isn’t something that’s just for anypony to discover. The heart has secrets, and I felt horrible, because I was doing something that went against my own morals. And she’s not even a citizen of the Crystal Kingdom...She’s my friend. It’s like peeking in her diary when she’s not at home. I was planning on invading her privacy.”
Discord waved her words off. “Oh, you worry too much. Fluttershy would have been fine. I poke through her things all the time without asking, and she knows! I think she realizes it’s a lost cause at this point. The only room I don’t snoop in is her bedroom.”
“Wow. What a gentlecolt you are,” she said sarcastically.
“I know, right? But every other place in the cottage is up for grabs. Did you know she hides a stash of goodies in the back of the spice cabinet so the animals don’t take them? The spice covers up the smell! She’s a clever one.” He smiled warmly at the thought. “She likes ginger snaps.”
Cadance had to keep herself from cooing at how cute his affection for her was. She wanted to wrap her hooves around his skinny neck and call him a precious little lovestruck dork while holding him against her chest.
Instead, she shook her head lightly and kept on smiling.
“That’s not exactly the same thing, Discord. The heart’s not as easily accessible as a kitchen cabinet, you know. It’s where all the real secrets--the ones that matter most--are hidden.”
He knit his brows together. “Well, you don’t seem too upset about it, now that the deed’s been done. If it’s that serious to you, then shouldn’t you be, oh, I don’t know...regretful, or something similar to that?”
“Well, I do still feel a little guilty for spying on her,” she admitted, giving him a slightly sheepish look. “But as it turns out, I didn’t have to use a spell to look into her heart. Her heart is nothing like yours--your heart’s so loud it’s like sitting in the front row center seat at a Sapphire Shores concert with fireworks and honking geese in the sky.”
“Ooh, nice metaphor.” He pointed at her in approval.
“Thank you. But as I was saying, Fluttershy’s heart barely makes a peep at all. Which is why I was planning on using a spell to look deep into hers. But I ended up not having to.”
His normal look of smug superiority vanished as he looked at her with mild surprise. “Really?”
“I was surprised too,” she said softly. “And it didn’t last very long--only a second or two. When she greeted you, her heart called out to you so loudly that I didn’t have to do anything to sense it. And it was only just a small tendril of romantic affection reaching for you...Not nearly as much as yours emits for her. But it was there, and I noticed myself that she looked really excited to see you. It was the kind of excitement you see when you get an unexpected visit from a friend you haven’t seen for a long time. But that kind of thing doesn’t exactly happen every day, which is why it’s exciting. But you…”
She poked his chest. “You see her every Tuesday without fail. It’s something that’s planned, and Fluttershy knows it. She knew you were coming. And of course I expected her to be happy to see you, at the very least, because you’re her close friend and it’s obvious that the two of you enjoy each other’s company. But her excitement went way beyond what somepony normally feels when a friend comes for a scheduled visit. She acted like she hadn’t seen you in years.”
Her eyes grew soft as she remembered. “And her eyes were bigger than usual, and her smile reached her eyes. It was a treat to see her like that; I’ve never seen her look so happy.”
“Heh, well, she’s always like that when she greets me,” Discord said, his chest puffing out slightly in pride. “My visits are probably the highlights of her week!”
“And I’m tempted to actually agree with you on that, Discord. Because you were right. Now, I wouldn’t go so far as to say she’s crazy in love with you or anything.” She raised a brow. “That’s more you right now. But she’s starting to feel something. That’s why I could only sense it for a moment, before it vanished and she calmed down a little. But there’s potential there, Discord. And I really think…”
She reached over and held his paw between her hooves. Discord’s pupils had grown big and shiny, his confidence temporarily out of sight as he anticipated himself for whatever she was about to say.
“...I really think her feelings are going to grow, if you give her some time. You really don’t want to try to rush her, Discord. You know that. And like I said before...You really just need--”
Discord sighed so loudly that it interrupted her. “Patience. I have to be patient, and wait for her.”
“I’m sorry I can’t give you the kind of advice you wanted,” Cadance said. “But it’s true. That’s all you can do. And I also agree with you, that you shouldn’t confess anytime soon. If you told her now, she probably wouldn’t be able to give you an answer as to how she feels about you, because she still hasn’t realized it yet. She just needs some time.”
Discord was about to groan when Cadance quickly interrupted him again.
“But once these things get started, it picks up its pace,” Cadence said with a grin. “And imagine the look on her face, Discord, if you actually got to see her, the moment she figured it out? Because it’s possible that she’ll come to terms with it sometime when she’s with you. She’ll get a look in her eyes…”
She moved her foreleg through the air, as if painting a picture for him. “And she’ll be surprised for a second, before she realizes it’s actually not that shocking! And she’ll gaze up at you with a look of absolute adoration in her eyes, eyes so big and bright blue that you’ll be able to see your astounding reflection in them. But she’ll still be slightly nervous as she says she has to tell you something, her voice soft even though it’s barely a squeak…and you know the rest.”
Discord had listened to her every word, imagining her story in his head as she did so.
“That is definitely something I want to see…” he murmured, before tearing himself away from his own little world for a moment to look back at her. “Oh, Cadance, you’re good. You’re really good.”
She stood up straight against her throne, a victorious smile gracing her features. “So you’re going to wait like a good gentlecolt so you can win her heart?”
“Oh please, I’ve already won it, Cady. I’m just waiting for the award ceremony to get it, so to speak. You said so yourself!”
This time it was her turn to sigh. “You know I’m not guaranteeing you anything, right?”
“Yeah yeah yeah, I can’t box your advice up and send it to you in hopes for a full refund, I know,” he said, waving her words off yet again. “But I know she’ll fall for me. I am me, after all!”
She just shook her head with a tiny chuckle, stepping off of her throne and making her way to the door, with Discord following her. “Yes, you most definitely are.”
“That’s what I said, isn’t it?” He stopped at the door, before snapping his fingers to conjure something up.
Before Cadence knew it, a bouquet of purple flowers were being shoved in her face.
She blinked before looking up to see that it was Discord’s talons that held the bouquet, her eyes looking from the flowers up to his face.
“Is this for me?”
He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “No, it’s for the Powerpuff Girls. Yes, it’s for you!” He shook the bouquet at her.
She had no idea what he was talking about, but took the flowers anyway. “You’re giving me flowers?”
“It’s just my way of...showing appreciation without actually having to say the words,” Discord admitted.
Her eyes shone with slight amusement as she smiled up at him. “What words?”
He slapped his paw over his head. “Uggggghhh. I knew you would do that. You’re just like your aunts, you know that?”
“Thanks for the compliment. Now, you were saying?”
He groaned again before he surprised her further by dipping his head down slightly--the closest thing to a bow she’d probably ever get from him. “Thank you. For the talk. There, are we done?”
She gave a laugh, opening the door for him. “I’ll walk you to the entrance.”
“Mind if I join?”Shining Armor chimed in, coming in from behind and standing beside his wife. “You guys have been really friendly lately. What are you two up to?”
“Oh, nothing much,” Cadance said as the three of them approached the front of the castle, exchanging a look with Discord and making him chuckle. “We were just...hanging out.”
“You two hang out now?”
“Jealous much?” Discord asked, looking back at him. “Don’t worry, Shiny. I promise not to steal your dear Princess away from you. She’s not sparkly enough for me, anyway.”
“She’s plenty sparkly!” Shining immediately said, before realizing that the two of them were laughing and he was just being teased. “I mean, um…” He blushed a little. “Whatever…”
Cadence gave him a peck on the cheek to cheer him up, giving him a smile and a nudge of the withers before turning back to Discord. “So...I’ll see you later?”
“But of course. You should know by now that I’m hard to get rid of. Though try not to miss me too much--I do have a life, after all. After all, if I started annoying you more than I annoy everypony else, then there’s bound to be jealousy, and I just couldn’t do that to you.”
“Because you’re just such a good friend like that,” she added.
He clicked his tongue at her. “Bingo. Well then…” He gave her another bow, this one exaggerated and overdone, with his neck practically laid on the floor. “I bid adieu to you, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.”
“Take care, Discord.” She took a step forward and surprised him with a slight hug, who, after standing there stiffly in shock for a moment, gave her a quick squeeze back.
“Remember what I said, all right? And I want to hear from you as it goes!”
“Yes, yes, I’ll remember, no need to get your tail in a twist,” he said, though he looked rather happy despite his tone. “And I’ll be sure to keep you posted, dearest.”
She nodded. “Good. Now get on outta here,” she laughed. “You have work to do.”
He gave her a toothy grin. “Right-O! Off I go then! Toodle-loo, you crazy lovebirds, you!” Doves popped out of his palms and flew around them as he walked towards the castle gates.
Shining wrinkled his forehead in confusion. “Wait a minute…’Dearest’?”
Discord responded to this with a hearty laugh.
Cadance shook her head. “Don’t worry about it, Shining.” She put a hoof on his withers.
“I’m not the one he wants. Trust me...:”
She smiled as she watched her friend teleport away.
“...I should know.”