Spring Scholar, a mild mannered pony researcher, stood at the steps of Fluttershy's house. He was excited to speak to her, the foremost expert on animal behavior in all of Equestria. Knocking softly, but not too softly, he was finally rewarded with a response. Fluttershy herself opened the door.
"Hi... how can I help you... sir?" She had said, with the softness of fall.
"I... I'm Spring Scholar. I came here to ask... well, interview you. About animals. I'm... I do research on them. Animals, I mean. And that's why... you... I wanted to ask..." he stammered.
She looked nervous, which was reciprocated silently by Spring. Even her rejection sounded melodious.
"I'm afraid I can't..." she said before a louder, less inhibited voice spoke from behind.
"She's with me, mister. We are doing important work. No doubt beyond your caliber, Mr... Spring, is it? Why don't you get Sprung. We're busy." He said in what could only be called the epitome of smugness. It was Discord. If Spring had any reservations before, they were increased tenfold. He could have walked away, but of course, he froze.
"Not much of a talker, is he? Well, he would make a great lawn ornament. That look of frozen horror would be the perfect thing to add to the decor, don't you think?"
Fluttershy spoke out, as she often did with her erstwhile friend's ersatz caprice.
"You will do no such thing! This is our guest. Our talk can wait." she said, giving the embodiment of chaos a mid-level stern look. Discord, to his credit, looked sheepish.
"Did I say lawn ornament? I meant 'lets invite him in and talk to him'. The two sound similar, so I'll forgive you for making the mistake. Come in, come IN, my friend. You are always welcome at chez Fluttershy." Without warning, Spring was shunted into the house by an unseen force, and catapulted into a chair. He was dizzy for a moment before recovering. He had imagined being there roughly a dozen times by the noon of each day, but he was unprepared for the quaintness of it. It was eternally endearing; with animals at every glance, and decorations that made this look like a home. Like her home. He barely had time to swoon before he was smacked back into reality by the lovely vision that stepped before him.
"Are you OK? I'm Fluttershy, but you probably already knew that. I've never been interviewed before. I'm sorry for the state of the house." She spoke and apologized with equal candor, fussing about things here or there before finally coming back to speak to her guest.
"I'm quite alright. I... just had a few questions. And your home looks lovely." he managed to say while somehow retaining his composure. He continued, "You have been my inspiration. Your affinity with animals is miraculous. I too love animals, but they all seem to flee from me. I want to be your student. I want to learn how you earned their trust."
She was taken aback, and responded with a confidence that undermined his expectations.
"I don't earn their trust. They trust me because of who I am. It has to come from you." she pointed directly at Spring to punctuate her words.
"But I can't teach that. You have to have a pure heart. If they flee from you..." she stopped herself. Of course she knew what it was like, but now was not the time to recount that incident.
"You can't want them to come. They must want it all on their own. They have to feel that you are serene. I'm very sorry, but I'm no teacher." She said with lament in her voice.
"But you should really go. I can't really help you, but maybe you can find someone who can. I hear that meditation is helpful." she offered. Spring was crestfallen, but he hardly had time to respond before Discord snapped his fingers and shunted the colt out of the home in an instant. The chaos creature then poked his head out the window, grinning and waving.
"Don't forget to write, young man. Sorry you aren't pure of heart. Maybe I'll give you some pointers some day on being exceptionally pure. Tata!" The chaos being spat the words out in a way that seemed pointedly insulting.
Spring Scholar barely had time to process what had just happened, and simply sat in the dirt, considering what Fluttershy had said.
After many long minutes, he dragged his hooves as he left, with a depression that dwarfed his earlier anxiety. What more did he have to look forward to now?
***Later***
"I feel bad, but the poor man was confused. I've been through this before..." Fluttershy opined to her confidant, Discord.
"Oh?" Discord said lazily, half listening and half irritated at the very obnoxious interlopes that was looking at HIS Fluttershy in such a way and... _his_ Fluttershy? 'What made me think that?' he thought to himself.
"I feel very very bad. I'm not cut out to be a mentor. Not in that way. I like being a role model but... teaching things about nature is beyond me. I've tried to impart it to others, but it never works. And here everyone thinks I'm an expert, when it is all so intuitive. It frustrates me to no end. Do you know what I mean? Discord? Are you listening to me??" She displayed a soft irritation at her distracted friend. To her surprise, he went from mild disinterest to chatty in no time flat.
"Hmm? Oh yes, unwanted attention. Yes, I get that all the time. You should see how Celestia just glares at me. I'm only actually guilty about half the time, but the way she gets mad, you'd think it was 100%. Oh wait, you're not talking about making people mad on purpose. You know... I feel like I used to have admirers all the time. But that was so long ago..." Suddenly, Discord stopped his diatribe. For a moment, Discord looked wistful.
This took Fluttershy by surprise. It was hard to find Discord in a mood other than bored or capricious. She quietly admired him for a fleeting moment before he broke the silence.
"Now everyone just watches me and waits for something random to happen." As he finished his sentence, his eyes exploded into confetti, before popping back into his sockets. "I tell you, putting on a 24 hour show can be exhausting." He finished his statement with a smile that informed Fluttershy that he was in fact trying to impress her in his sophomoric way. She sighed.
"What's the matter FS, did that rude colt get you down?" Discord was quick to shift the blame.
"No, it's just that... never mind. I think he meant well. I just hate to think of his disappointment. I'm not someone to be put on a pedestal. He can be great on his own." Fluttershy took a deep breath, hoping to put the unpleasantness behind her.
But her words unsettled Discord. Why did she have to keep talking about that colt? Did she entertain the idea of being involved with THAT pony? The very idea!
"Whatever toots. I've got to get to some important business. You gonna be OK by yourself? Yes? Fabulous. Don't wait up."
Before she could speak, he was already gone in a wink and a pop. She knew that he was upset, which made her nervous. It was so hard to read Discord, and he exhausted her, but she genuinely enjoyed his company. More so, she worried about him. He didn't normally leave like that. Not unless he was mad about something, and it was rarely easy to discern what that 'something' is.
Fluttershy resolved to speak to her animals to help calm her nerves.
***Meanwhile***
Spring wandered aimlessly, devastated by his apparent rejection by his hero and his inspiration. The waves of humility made him realize how foolish he'd been. In the harsh light of reason, he reeled at the audacity of his actions. How dare he? He was inconsolable as he tried to reconcile his foolish thoughts. And yet, he continued to wander, going further and further into the Everfree forest without care or concern.
He bumped into a tree before long, the impact waking him from his unfortunate reverie. He wondered where he was, before realizing that he didn't care.
But he did care. Suddenly, he realized that he was in danger. He had been walking for nearly an hour, and nothing looked familiar. He knew that the Everfree Forest was close, and he knew that it meant danger. He was not confident enough to navigate out of it. He was stuck, and the sun was going down.
He grew weak with worry, and his sight began to blur, and just like that, he passed out.
***Later still***
He woke, but was still groggy. It was dark. He could barely make out any shapes. But he did hear a familiar and rude voice. Discord was speaking to someone. A someone that hissed. Who was it? Before long, Discord blinked out of existence, and the hissing shape came closer. Spring's vision returned to normal, but the darkness of night made it difficult to focus. It was not too hard to see who the hissing shape was, as it came close, bowed its head to meet with Spring's, and smiled a fanged smile.
"You belong to me now. Isn't that grand?"
It was Queen Chrysalis. As unlikely as it was, Spring had been granted the ill fortune of meeting two of the most dangerous beings in Equestria on the same day, and one was laying claim to his life. The other had probably sold him out.
"I uh..." he barely managed before she roughly nudged him.
"'I uh..' NOTHING. Get up. You serve me now, and you serve me quickly. I do not suffer layabouts." She spat. The Changeling Queen watched him impatiently as he rose.
"I... I don't belong to you. You can't control me..." Spring said unconvincingly.
"Well, do you suppose you have any hope of resisting me? You don't. And I need help. But I can either get your cooperation, or I can wring it from your lifeless corpse. I... wait... what is this?" she said in shock, before continuing.
"Your heart... it has... such a delicious feeling. You have... untapped potential." she somehow said her words while licking her lips. It was a disturbing sight.
"My heart? Potential?" Spring asked incredulously.
"Forget about that. You must come with me." she said, gesturing as though she were tugging on a leash. It must have been some kind of magic, because her felt a force tug jarringly at his neck, and he was obliged to follow.
***Back at Fluttershy's***
The scent of a cake had already filled the house. Fluttershy was busy decorating it. Almost as if planned, she felt a familiar oppressive but comforting presence behind her. He had frightened her enough times for her to grow accustomed to his game, silly as it was.
"Boo!" he said perfunctorily.
"Discord, you know that doesn't work anymore." she replied with a sigh.
"Well I COULD scare you, but that hasn't been fun in hours."
"Are you mad at me?" she said abruptly, not wanting to be drawn into whatever game he was playing at.
"I... what?" he said in genuine surprise.
"Are you mad at me?" she said again, turning from her cake to face him with a serious expression.
"I... no. Of course not. Fluttershy, we're friends. Why would I ever..." he stammered.
"You have been upset since that colt came to interview me. I'm tired of you acting this way. You do this whenever I say or do things with anyone else, and yet you and I spend so much time together. I don't know why you do this, it makes me so stressed, and I can't think right and this cake didn't turn out the way I wanted and you DON'T tell me what's wrong ever..." she stopped because she was unsure of what else to say. She also felt bad for being so effusive. Her hair fell over her face as she considered whether to say something or cry. Seeing this really shook Discord, though he did not show it.
"Fluttershy... I'm... no. No I'm not mad. Except at that pint sized weirdo. I mean, he's probably off getting into some kind of trouble. Don't let it bother you further. I came to say I'm sorry. And from the looks of it, you were baking me a cake." His confidence was irritating, but he was right.
"It is for you. I wanted to make sure to help you feel better. But we have to talk." She punctuated her statement by slapping his hand before it touched the cake.
"Talk about what? I just want to celebrate us being friends over cake and tea. You still like cake and tea, right?" he said evasively. He was exceptionally good at that.
"That's not the point. Why do you act so possessive around me? I feel caged in. You don't own me. I'm not some trophy for you to claim. I can't be shut in by you." few people saw Fluttershy cry in a way that didn't involve fear or anxiety, but these tears were of anguish. Discord had seen tears like this on a few occasions. In a rare moment of empathy, he was speechless. He had never truly contemplated his actions, especially as they affected others. This was difficult for a being as mercurial as him. But if anyone could cause him to reflect, it was Fluttershy.
"You really feel that way?" he said after a lot of thought.
"What way?" she asked meekly.
"Like I fence you in? Keep you to myself?" he clarified.
"I... well, no... just when you... get jealous and..." her words came out jiltingly. The tears, however, were flowing freely.
"My precious friend, I'm a being of chaos. And yet, the only constant in my life is you." he couldn't believe the words he was speaking, though he wanted to with all of his empathetic might.
"What do you mean by that?" she wondered.
"Don't fret, mon ami. I'm only just understanding it myself. If it makes you feel any better, plan a party. Invite the girls. And even Spike. I'll hang out, chat it up, and let you be yourself. How does that sound?"
"Really?" she smiles through tears.
Something continued to stir within Discord. It was hard to identify through all the years of petrification and cynicism.
"Really. You aren't mine. That's absurd! We're friends. It's time I began treating you like one. I think I forget myself sometimes."
"Discord I...." she was all twisted up inside. The way he was acting... it was new. But she could tell that it was genuine... or maybe she inwardly hoped.
"Yes?" He said through a sideways glance.
"Nothing. I'll invite the girls."
Discord stood for a second, contemplating. It was unlike him to ponder at all, but he pondered her words and expression all the same. However, he wasn't very good at reading emotions yet. Especially ones that he hadn't experienced for so long.
***Back in the forest*** As he was being forced to march through the forest, Spring thought of his family. Of his brother, and the nature reserve that they both dreamed of starting. He had spent many bits to go to school and learn how to tend to animals, but not how to act around them. That was something that no book could teach. And no pony, as it turned out. He had, perhaps, picked a doomed path, perhaps even literally speaking. He was, at present, being led by a mystic leash by the most dangerous woman in the world. She claimed to own him, though he did not know for what purpose. He only wanted to help animals, and yet here he was.
Spring remembered getting his mark of destiny. He was watching a young mare about his age sing. It warmed his heart to see her so at peace that it he wanted to learn everything there was about animals, eventually going to school to learn more than nearly anyone else. And yet it felt empty. Books and pictures are no substitute for nature.
The irony then was that he was here, in the very heart of nature, and instead of enriching his soul, he was a slave to this creature. It was enough to make him angry. He tugged again at the leash after hours of complacent marching. Chrysalis turned and seethed. She circled the poor colt and hissed.
"You are brave. Do you wish to court death? I don't think you understand how much pain there is between you and oblivion. If you did, you'd follow me without another tug." He lost the will to fight, seeing her up close. She was not a disgusting creature, but she was fierce. The click of her exoskeleton, the glow of her eyes, the glistening of her fangs, and the caress of her sharp horn.
"No, mistress." he said despite himself. He had worked up the courage to fight back, but she tore it from him as she had apparently torn his freedom; effortlessly and ruthlessly, it was hers unquestionably.
She merely snorted, pleased with her victory. "Remember your place, fool." she extorted before tugging at his leash purposefully. Before long, they were back on the trail, at the same torturous pace as before.
Spring Scholar was exhausted in all ways. Physically, emotionally, and perhaps some ways he had not thought of. His captor lived up to her name, and subjected him to the thousand little cruelties that revealed her as a true tyrant. In the midst of the immeasurable journey, she had kept silent, speaking only to command and scold him. His requests were usually met with derision, and were only sometimes met.
Grazing was difficult. Rests were infrequent. The first time that Spring collapsed, he was encouraged by her withering scorn. The second time he collapsed, she merely mumbled her disgusted thoughts, and carried him on her back. It was of little comfort, though she seemed to understand the practicality of her predicament.
"If only I could have brought my subjects... this would have been much easier. I would not have even come, but the strange one told me to come quickly. To come for you. And why worthless little YOU?" she with a venomous pause. Though the question was rhetorical, he was in no state to reply, so she continued.
"Because you are an integral key part of the plan. Somehow, that chaotic buffoon knew you were special. And you are. You don't understand yet, but I will help you." Spring felt nauseous at the prospect of the queen's 'help'.
"You are a good captive. And a quick learner. Perhaps that is why your rump mark is that of a pair of spectacles and a clover. How quaint..." though it was not pleasant, the queen was making conversation in a way that was different from the scorn she was so good at giving.
She continued to speak at length, speaking frankly about her people, her society, almost as if she were trying to instruct Spring. Despite these bizarre overtures, Spring was so tired that he faded in and out of consciousness. Being draped over the chitinous back of a quadrupedal insect wasn't very comfortable either, and now he'd endure the rest of the trip without eating, as the queen had already forgotten that he ate plant matter, considering that she herself did not.
***At Fluttershy's House***
"You're being a perfect gentleman, Discord." Fluttershy said with open praise. "Everyone is having so much fun. I think they are seeing a new side of you.
He raised an eyebrow in bemusement. "New? Why Fluttershy, everything I do is new. But for you I'll pull out some old tricks. I'll have you know that I was once the prince of parties." he said all of this without any flashy transformations, sight gags, or even silly faces. Fluttershy beamed with happiness.
"You know, you are more than just your mercurial nature. I want to get to know you better. All of you. And so does everypony else." she said, touching her hoof to his hand. She was so happy that she hadn't seen the disaffected frown that Discord had grown.
"My dear, you think too much of me. I am change. There is no way to ch... ahem. I will always be that way." he retorted. It was very hard to maintain a facade of civility, as if he knew what that was. It was even harder to be thought of as anything but change. Why would there be anything more to him than chaos?
He WAS chaos. If he wasn't chaos, he wouldn't be anything at all. 'And this train of thought was going on for too long', he thought, which was a thought that he had thought far too often. He was used to being thought-LESS, not thought-FULL. Thoughts were for fun, not for dreary introspection.
He had recovered from the semi-normal thought pattern to realize that Fluttershy was speaking. With a sigh, Discord produced a remote control, rewound the scene, hit play, and listened to Fluttershy.
"You really WILL always be that way, but you are also kind, and helpful, and you appreciate friendship. I bet you would love to be friends with everyone here." she responded cheerfully.
He couldn't disagree. Twilight was his favorite, after Fluttershy of course. If nothing else, she reminded him of... something. A pony that could take a joke, despite not laughing. It was somehow satisfying to bother her, knowing that she would just act the 'straight man' and lend her dignity to a well timed punchline. But what did he know of dignity but to tear it down? The other girls were fun too, in their own way. They worked so hard at their passions. He would have to pretend to remember to get to know them better.
"Fluttershy, you bring out the best in people. Why that animal nerd..." Discord paused. It wasn't a good idea to bring attention to that twerp. Not right now. Perhaps not ever.
"Animal nerd? You mean that pony that came asking for my help. Why did you stop suddenly?" Fluttershy asked curiously.
"Oh nothing. Just being random again." he said with a nervous smile.
"Discord, I know exactly what is wrong." she responded with a serious look. From where he stood, she was preparing a 'stare', though its efficacy against him had grown for numerous reasons.
"You... you do?" Discord said as he tugged at the collar of his shirt for nervous effect. Had she seen him in the forest? He couldn't be found out. Not when things were going so well. And even now he pondered what 'well' was.
"Discord?" Fluttershy asked, relenting as she gazed at her friend in worry.
"My dear?" he replied almost reflexively as he snapped back to his senses.
"You're acting... weird. Are you OK?" She reached up to feel his forehead. Sensing her intention, Discord picked her up daintily, allowing her to do so.
"You don't feel hot. But you tell me if you start feeling under the weather." she said with concern. He had contemplated making some sort of meteorological joke, but he was mostly just happy that she had forgotten what they were talking about, and set her down gingerly.
"I will, my dear. But for now, let us enjoy the party. Lets play bobbing for Applejacks! Kidding of course..." and the party went on into the night.
***Near the entrance to the hive.***
"... and that is when I realized that romance was tastier than platonic love. Oh look, we are here." The queen had been talking nearly the entire rest of the trip. Spring was exhausted both from the physical ardor, as well as the mental strain of her incessant talking. It had really gotten to be too much since she didn't ever seem to rest. It kept him from getting anything resembling rest, and he was ready to break down completely. If this was some form of changeling torture, she wasn't indicating that she was doing it on purpose.
She cheerfully trotted towards the entrance, making a series of chirping noises that alerted her subjects to her return. They greeted her dutifully, excited that she was back, but also nervous that they would have to be vigilant against her wrath.
Spring continued to suffer as her pace jostled him just enough to wake him again, allowing him to take in the sight. He was ushered through tunnel after tunnel, and would have been lost even if he wasn't worn out. His mood was slightly improved as they reached the deepest part of the hive. A brilliant chamber made of a strange substance that shone turquoise, black, and even bright green in different places. Strange lights dotted the bizarre three dimensional chamber as creatures moved up, down, through, and throughout the chamber itself.
Spring didn't know much about changelings, but this evoked the inner workings of a termite colony, though much more ornate.
"Are you... a termite?" he said in his stupor. Luckily, the queen was too excited to pay any attention, instead turning to him and speaking.
"We are here. It is my home. And you will know it well enough soon." she spoke with glee before inhaling to shout. "MINIONS!!!"
Suddenly, a small army of changelings converged on her, keeping a respectful distance. "Take this thing. Clean him. Shackle him. He is our slave. But none had better harm him, or I will rearrange your genealogy... do you understand?!" Her words were fierce, and her threat was perhaps only slightly exaggerated, though the changelings had no innate desire to harm the creature. At least not until they were ordered to, of course.
Spring was taken, further into the depths of the complex, through tunnels so vast, and crevices so dark, that it was nothing but a strange montage. The only thing that had changed was the pressure that he felt built up as he was taken deeper and deeper, through the darkness of the world that was now his elaborate cage. He had wondered to himself if he would ever see another dawn.
Spring woke in a cell, groggy and exhausted. He felt a deep thirst, hunger, and pain all compete for his attention. Through the haze of pain and want, he noticed that he was not alone. Three other creatures shared his cell. They appeared to be other changelings, though they seemed to be in just as much duress as he was.
He tried to stand, but found that he was too weak to do so. The other changelings were asleep, and he resolved to rest, miraculously sleeping, and rather soundly. The next thing that woke him was the sound of a guard knocking on the cell. All the changelings had woken, as food was being given. One of the changelings nudged some food to him, having realized that he was awake.
"What is your name, stranger?" the creature hissed.
"Sp...Spring." Spring could barely speak, saving his energy for eating the strange mush that was offered to him.
"We are changelings. I am number 88. This is 26. We were exiled to this prison for having radical ideas. We thought you were brought here for impersonating a real pony, until we discovered that you were one." The creature known as 88 had a more pleasant voice than the changeling queen, and spoke with tones far softer than Chrysalys had when addressing Spring.
"Where am I?" Spring asked quietly.
"The changeling hive. That is all I am allowed to say. Please rest. We are not your enemies. If you could, I would like to ask you about the outside world." 88 seemed to have a vested interest in Spring, and even rested next to him while he ate, watching him intently.
"Outside? Have you never... been out...side?" Spring attempted a verbal courtesy that he was quite used to, but took great effort at the current moment.
"No, I have not. Many changelings live and die without so much as seeing what is outside of the caves. But please rest. You have been through a lot. Starvation is a cruelty that we rarely visit upon even our enemies." she said, over explaining the situation. Spring only managed a nod before resting indignantly on his plate of mush.
*** In Ponyville ***
Discord had been having a hard time resting. Which is to say that he didn't sleep. He often spent his time recovering his energy by engaging in some of his favorite relaxing activities. Some of those activities were indulging in pure chaos. Other such activities included watching Fluttershy as she went about her day.
That was a relatively new development. He had never really rested in such a way, but in these days of peaceful repose he had discovered new aspects of his inner life. Or perhaps old ones. It was hard to say.
In fact, a lot of things had become hard to tell. There were glimpses of remembrance. Persistent threads of thought that had once been swallowed by the enduring chaos of his mind. Discord truly grew concerned, neither willing to share these changes, nor entirely able to tell whether the changes were even good for him.
It was during one of his "rests", as he watched Fluttershy in the garden, that she had questioned him.
"You've been awful quiet lately. Usually you just say what you think. Is there something that you are afraid to tell me?" she asked in her mild and tender way.
"Hmm? Oh, yes. Watching you makes me happy." he said with an absent but genuine smile.
Fluttershy returned his smile, and replied.
"Why does watching me make you happy? Usually when people are together, they talk and interact. Lately you just sit in silence. I'm glad that you like watching me, but I miss our talks." her words were earnest, and potent enough to rouse him from his reverie.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I've been so busy that I..." he began to say before Fluttershy interjected.
"Busy? You're with me almost all the time. Are you going out at night?" she asked with genuine concern in her voice. She trusted Discord implicitly, but she wondered what he could be getting up to at such odd hours. Part of the peace in their friendship was knowing that he was always nearby.
"Oh no, my dear. I spend some odd times making sure that things are running smoothly. Call it a deal between me and Celestia. She expects me to pull my weight, _obviously_ because she is not nearly so capable as 'moi'. I've been keeping an eye on some of her enemies, and it keeps her off my back. She has made a startling number of enemies, which is amusing given that... oh, but I'm rambling. Tell you what, I'd rather not sacrifice my time with you. I'll take a night off soon. Then I can properly spend time with you."
"Well, I don't want you to shirk your duties, but does Twilight kn..." it was Discord's turn to interject.
"Oh pish posh. Twilight would have an aneurysm if she knew... ahem." Discord had began his retort with a thick layer of sarcasm before clearing his throat, and speaking in the kindest voice he could muster.
"We wouldn't want to worry Twilight's little head over nothing." he placed a hand over his chest in a delicate manner to underscore his words. He snapped back to normal in an instant.
"But really, her mind would snap. And yet, you could probably come with me. I trust you that much." he said to her with no pretense in his voice. Extending a hand out to her, he waited for her to approach. She nudged his palm in a sign of acceptance before responding.
"I would love to go with you, as long as I wouldn't get in the way. I hate to think of you doing so much hard work alone." And it was true. She really did worry for her friend. She did also want to know what he was doing. It wasn't that Fluttershy didn't trust Discord, but rather that she felt nervous about whatever Celestia had him doing. It might even be more true that she didn't entirely trust Celestia to treat Discord fairly, and that he could be putting himself in danger. Despite the fact that Fluttershy may not be able to do much to defend the impressive Discord, she would still feel better to have her fate tied to his. She got a tingle as the thought crossed her mind.
"I won't tell anyone. Please take me with you." she implored. Discord smiled at her confident gaze. He saw the confidence in it, but also the admiration. It was those looks, and that proof of their closeness for which he now persevered. He knelt and softly picked up her hoof in a gesture of kindness before speaking.
"I would love nothing more than to have you accompany me, my dear. But it will be dangerous." He watched her face to read her reaction as she spoke.
"I'll brave any danger to be by your side. That's how I feel about you." she said, feeling vulnerable yet confident in revealing her emotions. A deep blush came over her as she wondered what he would say in return.
"Why, that's the nicest thing I think I've ever heard. And especially about me. Fluttershy, I..." Discord began, before being interrupted by an especially irritating and ill timed knock on the door.
"I wonder who that could be." Fluttershy said as she snapped out of her emotional moment and went for the door.
She opened the door to see a tall and stern earth pony. He spoke seriously and with a desperate tone.
"I am looking for my brother. Please tell me that you've seen him. I know that he was coming to see you." the pony said. Fluttershy was taken aback, but responded.
"I remember seeing someone here a month ago, but I get so many visitors. Was your brother Spring Scholar?" she meekly asked.
"Yes! Was he here?! Where did he go? He's been missing this whole time!" the stallion pushed his way in and looked around. Fluttershy was knocked on her hindquarters and was trying to recover as the interloper barged in. Quickly, Discord intercepted the desperate pony rather quickly.
"And what makes you think you will find him here? He left of his own accord, and wandered off." Discord didn't seem too eager to entertain this pony, nor his questions.
"Look, I'm not here to fight or accuse. I just thought I might find him here, or near here. I won't cause you any trouble. I am just out of options. I've tried every other place but here, knowing that he was on his way. He tried coming here many times and lost his nerve each time. Or so I thought. I'm glad to know that he was here but I have to know where he is now." The earth pony spoke effusively, though he maintained his stony demeanor. Discord interceded and spoke.
"Well, we would love to help you, but we barely know a thing about you or your brother. We know your brother's name, but not yours. We know that he came here, and that he wandered off, but not much more. Why should we help you when we know so little?" he retorted.
The Earth pony paused for a moment before speaking.
"My name is Autumn Shepherd. My brother came here to get your advice. I told him that there was no need, but he was convinced that he was not good enough to help me with out plans. Our dreams. But none of that matters if he is in danger. I must find him."
Fluttershy had taken the time to get back on her hooves, and listened intently to the poor pony's story.
"Of course we'll help you", she said with a reassuring calmness. "We wouldn't feel right about your brother being in danger because of how things went between us. Right Discord?"
He snuffed at the question, but it may as well have been a yes.
"Good. We will start our search in the morning." she replied cheerfully.
"I am in your debt for even agreeing to help. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart." The earth pony, who had once been forceful and insistent, was now shedding tears.
Discord was upset for many reasons, especially as _yet another moment_ between him and Fluttershy was summarily ruined, but also that he would have to be dragged into this nonsense. After all, he knew only a little more about Spring's fate, but enough that finding him was a triviality. Besides, the plan had not yet come to fruition...
"Who will? Where am I?" Spring asked with groggy eyes.
"The queen. She comes and inspects us once a week, and it's our time. She gets angry if we are not at attention!" they continued to nudge him to get him awake. 88 was trying to get under his chest to lift him up onto his hooves.
The queen's guards arrives, heralding her imminent presence. Spring was finally able to stand, thanks to 88's efforts.
Soon, the queen's horn poked into view, as Spring shuddered at the very thought of her mocking face. It was almost as thought he world was in slow motion as she came into sight, her humorless face being revealed bit by bit in a cold and smooth fashion.
"Good morning my pets... has anyone decided to repent? Perhaps you could make me happy this morning and relent to your queen. Bring a smile to my face... no?" she said in half sentences, trying to elicit a response.
"And you, my newest larva... have you thought about our talk on the way here?" she asked. She had kept her profile facing the cell, and trained her eye on Spring in a most disconcerting way.
"I uh... I can't... what did we..." he said nervously.
"YOU CAN'T REMEMBER!?!" she screeched. "I asked you to speak to a creature for me! That wretched Fluttershy is too well protected, and Discord promised that you knew enough about animals to speak to this creature for me and assure me that I could make a deal! Did you not hear my words, you disgusting little worm??" she asked in shock and disbelief. She was very honestly upset and surprised that such a meek creature would dare ignore her important words. Just who did he think he was dealing with?
"I... I'm sorry. I'll speak to this creature, if you want me to, but I'm not Fluttershy. I don't know what you were told, but I'm not really as good with animals as all that."
The queen did not respond with words, but rather by stomping with her feet as if she was getting ready to charge him. She motioned for the guards to open the prison, and she had murder in her eyes as she waited with frayed patience for guards to grant entry for her.
As the door swung open, 88 and 26 interposed themselves, bowing in exaggerated motions.
"We will repent! Please my queen, accept our surrender. We see the error of our ways. We have been wrong, and deserve whatever fate you decree." the two said, shivering as they declared their guilt.
"Oh, do you now? I may accept... but first..." she stepped over them with her graceful yet menacing legs to croon her neck down and meet the gaze of Spring. "First you will come with me. You had better stop this pathetic display and come with more vigor in your step, or I will feed you to the creature in hopes that it obeys me. One way or another, I will find a use for you, and I don't care if you get chewed up in the process. Do you hear me?" Her voice was steady and threatening, with a hint of a quiver behind it. Spring had never heard such naked hate in his life, and it made his bones ache just to contemplate it.
"Yes... queen... I will go with you." he managed to stammer. She huffed, and turned around.
"I will be back for you soon. Be ready, for I do not suffer incompetence..." she said, leaving with the same predator's grace that Spring had noticed before. The guards left shortly after, leaving the cell in relative peace. 88 was the first to speak.
"Please do not go with her. Many have tried what you are about to attempt. None have returned." For the first time, Spring looked to 88 and tried to read the face of his cell mate. He didn't know changelings very well, but he could swear that 88 cared about him, as did 26.
"But I don't have much of a choice. I imagine that she will kill me no matter what I do. Maybe I can do something worthwhile. It could be the only chance I have. Thank you for repenting by the way. It seemed to take the sting out of her anger. But what did she want you to repent about?" Spring asked, looking to the both of them.
"We are branded 'misfits' for wanting to see the outside world. She deems us unsuitable for integration with the hive. She imprisons all so called misfits until they repent." 88 said sorrowfully.
"But once we do repent, she doesn't let us go back into the hive... we get 'exterminated'. She does this to teach the others the price of dissenting. We had hoped to hear from you about the outside before she took you away, but it looks like our time ran out. Still, it was nice to learn even a little bit about your world." said 26.
88 approached Spring, resting her muzzle on his back. "You outsiders are warm. It's kind of nice. I bet everything is warmer where you are from."
Spring was taken aback, but he did not move. Something about these two was different than any expectation he may have had about changelings. Were there other changelings like them?
"I will request that you go with me, then. If I tell her I need you to help with this creature, she may believe me. If we see an opportunity to escape, we will. I'll take you with me, and I can show you my world. I promise." He said to the pair. Now they both approached him, trying to share in his warmth. He wasn't sure why, but it was actually comforting. They had risked their lives for his, despite not knowing him, and it was the kind of thing that Spring might do for them. He couldn't be sure of all changelings being nice, but these two certainly were, and he was happy at least for that small relief amidst the unrelenting disaster that his life had become.
"Spring... tell us about your world before she comes back. I want to know even just a few details in case we are to be exterminated." 88 asked, with a resigned sadness. Spring cleared his throat before beginning.
"I come from a small town called Ponyville, and I'm certain that you would like it there. The people are so kind that hardly anyone is without a smile..." As Spring continued his story, the two changelings stopped feeling sad, and were for a moment calm at having a small portion of their dreams fulfilled.
*** Back in Ponyville ***
Fluttershy had fussed about packing for far too long, but Discord was more than happy to watch her do it. Hearing her fuss almost made him happy. But why?
"My dear, you are simply over-preparing. I can take care of our every necessity." Discord said while reclining on thin air.
"But this isn't for us. It's for Spring, if we find him. He might be hurt, and while I know you can feed and take care of us, I don't think you are as good at tending to people as I am. No offense, of course. I could teach you, if you wanted to... but there's no time for that now. I have to be prepared for anything. I just know if my brother was-" she spoke before being cut off.
"Slow down, Fluttershy. This is a missing persons case, not a war zone. And while I appreciate that you feel connected to this familial emergency, don't let it cloud your judgement. I'm only going with you as a formality, not because I think it will be dangerous or exciting. I only wish it were either of those things. Now if this were a safari, I'd-" It was Discord's turn to be cut off.
"You seem awfully calm about this. This man has been missing for days. He isn't the kind of person who knows how to survive in the wilderness. He could be dying! Don't you even care?" She said, tears welling in her eyes. She too asked herself why.
"Oh I am concerned. But I er... need to keep my head calm. I'm very sorry that I'm not being more sensitive to your sensitivity, but that's one of the things that I find most-" and again he was cut off. This time by Autumn, who entered the room with his heretofore severe expression, eliciting a half-sneer from Discord.
"We should be prepared for anything and everything" he said, bringing in a sack full of weapons.
"Oh my. I don't know about this..." Fluttershy vacillated. She didn't like the prospect of hurting anyone unnecessarily. She wondered nervously if it would in fact come to that. Discord quickly interjected.
"Listen, my good friend, you are traveling with a powerful being. I hardly think that weapons are necessary."
Autumn huffed in frustration and stared Discord down.
"You would think so, but your power isn't bringing my brother back like I thought it should, so we are doing this my way." he said in a decisive tone.
Discord began to speak, but Fluttershy quickly interposed herself between the two agitators.
"This is Autumn's brother, so we should listen to him. But Autumn, please don't use those weapons unless you very much have to. I'd like to minimize any blood shed." she said calmly. She had worried that this mission was going to be a failure mostly due to the conflicting issues. The only reason she hadn't tried to get the help of her friends is that she knew that more voices could lead to more disc... tension, and time was precious.
"We should go, I think we are ready, and we have to be quick. I will try to scout by air, but the forest is thick so we should do most of our searching on hoof." she asserted, and made her way for the front door. Autumn followed quickly after, shooting a glance back at Discord as he did, to which Discord responded by sticking his tongue out, and blinking from Fluttershy's room to the outside of her home, ahead of the other two.
"Well, lets do this then. No time like the present." he said dully as he took the lead. Fluttershy and Autumn exchanged a look of uncertainty as they followed their apparent leader, whom was evidently very confident in the direction in which he was walking.
***At the hive***
The trio had fallen asleep in a huddle, and were resting in relative peace when they were woken by a the unfriendly voice of the queen.
"Wake up, scum! It's time for executions... except for you, outsider. You come with me after I deal with them..." her scowl and venom were enough to send 26 and 88 to press against the back wall out of fear. Spring merely stood, strong enough to bear his own weight for the first time in days, and approached the door to the cell bravely.
"You will take the three of us or none of us. I need their help in this task." He spoke with conviction, which surprised the queen considerably.
"So you DO remember our discussion... but you're certain that THEY can help?" her eyes were full of skepticism, but her mouth was pursed in contemplation. She had bargained for this pony's life with a powerful being, and she didn't feel like doing so again. She would have to trust that he was telling the truth. That aside, there would always be time to execute the dissidents later.
"Very well... bring them. I won't hesitate to feed either of you to the creature once we get there, so you had better be everything that the stupid mish mosh thing said you'd be. The unpleasantness of your failure will be felt far and wide. Do you hear me?" she said, her horn glowing in a display of her raw emotional expression.
Spring gulped and nodded, losing some of his bravado from the nauseating anger radiating from her very being.
"Good!" She said with a sudden smile that was somehow slightly more terrifying than her scowl. "Let's get moving!"
The quartet made their way out of the hive in a relatively short time. Spring attempted to keep note of the hive's twists and turns to make sure he could find his way out if need be. All the while, 26 and 88 stuck closely to Spring, at once ready to protect him from the queen, and draw strength from his newfound confidence.
But what neither 26 nor 88 were prepared for was the sight that awaited them. Having lived in the hive their entire lives, they were shocked by the grandeur of the open sky, the beauty of nature, and the clean winds that brushed at their faces. To them, this was an alien vista, and a beautiful one. They cried in awe, causing Spring to smile at them. He winked and nudged them once he was sure that they had a moment to take it all in. He didn't want their moment to be ruined by the queen's wrath, and he succeeded in prodding them at just the right moment, as the group had set off in search of the mysterious creature.
