“Have you ever thought of ascending?” Discord poured his lover a steaming glass of kettle into her pink teacup, quick to place the brown liquid back atop the stove.
“Can't say I have?” Fluttershy scrunched her muzzle with teacup held in both hooves, blowing the steam away from her cup of kettle.
Discord simply gave a light-hearted chuckle into the air as his claw flaunted towards his guest in a mischievous manner, he adored the private time he spent with his special somepony in this pocket dimension, the only downside being that it was a once a week arrangement.
“Well my dear Fluttershy, I've been thinking of us recently.” The draconequus gave a deep sigh, taking his seat on the coffee table and placing both their glasses upon the sofa to his right.
“Aww, that's very sweet of you Discord.” Fluttershy lifted a hoof politely over her lips, a giggle escaping from her muzzle.
“Not just of our weekly meetings nor about our summer excursions.” Discord searched his mind for the right words, his claw brushing through his goatee in deep thought.
“Oh!” The mare blushed a bright pink.
“Dear, I'd love to ask if you'd consider moving in?” Discord pointed a paw around his humble abode of chaos and disharmony.
“Move in? Here?” Fluttershy glanced out the living room window, spotting a flock of toasters flying by on their yearly migration.
The draconequus gave a loud squee of excitement as he slithered across the air much like a snake, curling around his dream mare with the utmost care, pulling her into a tender embrace.
“You complete me Fluttershy, I'd simply love if we could perhaps start a life together.” Discord wrapped his arms around the yellow pegasus, pulling her inward as his crimson eyes locked onto her own.
“Discord, that sounds lovely.” Fluttershy pressed her soft muzzle against his firm muzzle, sliding into a deep tender kiss, suckling sweetly upon his upper lip.
“But?” He enjoyed the sweet taste of her lips, his goofy grin faded into a saddened frown.
“You know I can't spend more than a few hours here, any more than that and I'd…” Fluttershy nuzzled his neck with her muzzle, enjoying the cozy cuddle with her lover.
“Lose your mind?” Discord scoffed aloud, biting down roughly on his lower lip.
“Mm-hmm.” Fluttershy closed her turquoise eyes with content, her head lowered over his chest, listening to the chaotic beating of his heart.
Discord smiled with joyous love for his mare, watching her slender body curl into a tiny ball in his embrace. He searched his mind for those perfect words before lowering, placing a loving kiss upon her forehead.
“If I grant you ascension, you'd be able to live here.” Discord spoke in a serious tone of voice, Fluttershy gazed up towards him with uncertainty.
“You can do that?” She asked confused, her heart raced wildly in her chest.
“I could, but such a transformation would be irreversible.” Discord winced as those words dropped from his lips, he so dreaded to ask her this question, for the answer would decide their fate.
If she accepted then he'd have the love of his life for all of eternity, they'd be able to travel dimensions and skip across time itself. The only limit to their romantic conquests would be their imagination, yet if she declined such an offer.
Then he'd one day lose his heart, to the sands of time and sorrow of mortality.
“Transformation!?” Fluttershy whimpered pulling away from his loving touch, gazing up to him with fear built within those innocent hues.
“Yes, into a creature of chaos!” Discord weakly forced a smile across his lips sheepishly.
“You, mean a draconequus?” The mare tilted her head to the side, unsure if she could imagine herself a mixture of various animals.
“Maybe!?” He gave a large shrug, popping out of existence for a second as he reappeared next to his living room window.
“What in heavens, does that mean?” Fluttershy widened her adorable gaze in surprise to his reply.
“It's not like one can choose! If a mortal creature ascends into chaos, it will become whatever havoc is within their soul.” Discord swallowed the large lump in his throat, the tiny mare stared to him with mouth agape in shock.
“What if I become something monstrous?” Fluttershy let her gaze fall to the floor in fear, her slender body quivered with uncertainty, even as her heart ached with desire.
“I'd love you, all the same.” Discord floated over gently as his oversized claw held her hoof tightly, giving it a squeeze as she tilted her head upward full of sadness.
“I want to be with you forever, though I'm so frightened.” Fluttershy wept before the draconequus, her head slumped down in somber woe, rounded cheeks stained with tears.
“Just say yes, I promise you'll never feel fear again!” Discord cupped her cheeks in his grasp, her gaze lifted back to his own with a smile of reassurance.
“No.” She spoke with a heartbroken tone; her body numb as those once vibrant eyes became pools of despair.
“I understand, it was quite a bit to ask.” Discord felt his ears slide back in defeat.
“Not tonight, I mean.” Fluttershy took a sharp inhale, as those words fell from her mouth cautiously.
“Dear?” He fixed his eyes on her body in complete shock, did his ears perhaps play a cruel joke upon him.
“If we do this, I need time to prepare.” Fluttershy blushed a red shade scrunching her nose adorably in place, Discord dashed to her side in ecstasy of the moment.
With the utmost ease he lifted her high into the air, the mare quick to share delightful giggles and joyous tears as her draconequus twirled her around the room happily.
Both soon leaned into a passionate kiss, feeling a wave of pleasure wash over them. This would be a chapter in their lives they'd never forget, a golden light engulfing each creature in warmth.
Forever binding them on a journey of love, intertwining their souls as one.
“You want to what!?” Twilight allowed an odd horse noise to escape her muzzle in shock.
“I'm going to ascend.” Fluttershy spoke in an oddly confident tone of voice, chest puffed out as she sat upon a crystalline chair.
Both mares had decided to meet and discuss something of great importance. Yet now the large Royal Hall was filled with an awkward silence, Twilight unsure how to proceed forward from such a bombshell.
“Ponies can't ascend, it's unnatural.” Twilight blurted out with a loud snort.
“Excuse me?” Fluttershy narrowed eyes to the alicorn sternly.
“I mean becoming an alicorn, is an act of benevolence.” Twilight quipped in a collected manner; hoof flaunted towards her friend in dismissal.
“But becoming a creature of chaos is wrong?” Fluttershy pursed her lips with frustration.
“I wouldn’t say wrong, just unpredictable.” Twilight frowned in place with a genuine look of concern.
“Without chaos, harmony wouldn't exist.” The yellow pegasus spoke under her breath with conviction, her eyes seemed to glow with newfound determination.
“But look at Discord, he's an absolute mess!” Twilight huffed as her guest gave a sudden slam of the hoof upon the cutie map.
“He's our friend and my…” Fluttershy could feel her cheeks burning brightly as anger began to course across her tiny frame.
“I'm just saying, without proper insight, you could get hurt.” Twilight lowered her head down in a sense of dismay, she loved her friend yet knew she must give an honest reply.
Fluttershy could feel tears sting her eyes, she thought Twilight would be overjoyed about such news. Instead she was inclined to be against such a choice, the pegasus slowly allowed her wings to spread outward in sadness.
“I'm not, I'll be living my life for someone I love.” Fluttershy wiped the tears from her large eyes with a limp hoof, head turned to face an open window.
“Fluttershy, just think this through!” Twilight swallowed a large lump in her throat.
“Goodbye, Twilight.” Fluttershy whispered in barely a whisper, flying off into the morning sky and vanishing over the horizon.
“Awesome, so you'll become a draconequus!” Pinkie giggled in unbound excitement for her friend, jumping out from behind the counter of Sugarcube Corner her coat streaked with fresh flour.
“Well Pinkie, Discord said I could actually become a number of things.” Fluttershy giggled nervously, the pink mare pulling her into an extra-large hug.
“Even Smooze!!” Pinkie gave a loud squee, in her mind picturing quite a sight.
“Um, I guess so?” A large pile of yellow goo spoke towards Pinkie, a pastel blue flower placed atop her sticky amorphous head.
Pinkie couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles, her imagination trying to run away on her once again. Though her playful demeanor was cut short as she noticed Fluttershy seemed troubled, her Pinkie Sense warning something dreary was ahoof.
“What's wrong?” Pinkie folded ears back, her hoof placed atop Fluttershy’s in worry.
“Twilight.” Fluttershy frowned sore over the subject.
“Oooooh!” Pinkie shook her head, as she cantered to the counter calmly.
“She believes if I do this, I'll regret it.” Fluttershy spoke in a whisper.
“Would you?” Pinkie raised a thin brow curiously, already knowing the answer.
“Am I scared? Am I excited to start a journey of the unknown? Yes!” Fluttershy gave a flustered sigh aloud, wrapping herself in a tight hug to calm quivering nerves.
“But regret this choice? No.” Fluttershy spoke in a tone of a dreamer.
Her mind flashed to Rarity who moved away across the sea to a new land of creativity or drifting to Rainbow Dash a pony now on a Wonderbolts tour across the furthest reaches of Equestria. They chose not to live in uncertainty or fear, but to live in the moment with faith in their choices.
“If you have no doubt in your heart, then follow it from the start.” Pinkie turned to face her friend with a smile which beamed brightly.
“You wouldn't judge my actions?” Fluttershy held back a fresh batch of tears, walking over to her friend who simply giggled.
“Of course not, I only want you to be happy!” The pink mare embraced her friend with an open heart, both ponies soon locked into a long silent hug.
The strength of their friendship shined brighter even in the most uncertain of circumstances, both breaking the hug only to hold each other's hooves tenderly, each shedding joyous tears in the moment, for whatever the future might hold.
The night would bask all Equestria in a pale blue light. It had arrived much quicker than most days, as if to guide the yellow pegasus across her path into the unknown. To many the abyss something to be feared or shunned, yet tonight she found beauty within the void.
Fluttershy cantered down a large open path of The Everfree wearing a flowing white dress, a tiara made of multicolored flowers placed atop her head. She moved nervously towards her destination, Pinkie at her side with a large wagon which overflowed with various party supplies.
Her only regret this night being that Applejack was away on business in Manehattan, Fluttershy decided she was ready to take the plunge tonight. Just in case Twilight didn't quite desire to stand idly by and watch, this was her life and she wanted a fresh beginning.
After her animals each grew up and left the nest or simply enjoyed a long-fulfilled life like Angel, she had begun to feel a sense of loneliness creep into her soul. Fluttershy gave years of her life away for the betterment of others, it was time she was rewarded for such an act of kindness.
Both mares soon escaped from the claustrophobic path of the forest and into a large open space full of light, the beauty of the full moon cascaded down upon them. Nocturnal sounds of nature created an otherworldly melody for those of the world to hear, flowers littered the landscape or danced upon the wind.
A scene of true beauty.
Far across the large opening in the blue spotlight of the cosmos, stood a most handsome draconequus dressed in his most dapper of suits. His goofy grin spread ear to ear across his face, those chaotic eyes drinking in the elegance of his special somepony.
Fluttershy felt faint but excited, her hooves shook non-stop as she shifted her gaze to her supportive friend. Pinkie returning a knowing wink to the pegasus, as she allowed the wagon to come to a rest behind them.
“Go to him.” Pinkie whispered with a tear rolling down her cheek, Fluttershy darting off into the opening, radiating with happiness.
Pinkie didn't have much time to prepare before the ceremony began, but she'd make sure this tiny get together, would be cherished forever.
“Am I too late? Is she a centaur!?” Twilight galloped out of the thick tangled mess of the forest; her horn lit up with a warm glow.
Pinkie had just finished setting up a small wooden table with refreshments after the ceremony, as she noticed the alicorn shift out of the abyss with an odd look of worry upon her face. The faint glow of the moon created a mood of the otherworldly upon the land.
“You didn't bring guests?” Pinkie took a soft breath of uncertainty, placing cookies, juices and even sandwiches over the wooden surface.
Part of her feared to face her friend, that she might see an angry mob of ponies gathered to halt the ceremony. Yet with a swift spin of the hoof she came to a delightful sight, Twilight stood alone in the darkness with a somber gaze.
“I thought bringing guests, might be perceived as rude.” Twilight flashed a cute smile over her lips, Pinkie overjoyed bounced to her friend’s side.
“I knew you'd come, Twilight!” Pinkie suddenly lifted her friend into a firm hug, giving quite a large squeeze afterwards.
“I might not wholeheartedly agree, but it's by no means my choice.” Twilight softly nuzzled the pink mare on the cheek.
Twilight let her gaze shift to Fluttershy across the open meadow, she noticed how happy this choice had made her friend. Discord busy etching odd symbols into the damp soil of the earth, both lovers cast in a bright light of true love.
Twilight could feel the joyous warmth wash over her, Fluttershy’s happiness all that mattered at this moment. Though this sight in the middle of the night did fill her with some dread, those symbols not of this realm nor anything in equestrian history.
She found them not only curious but emitting an aura of the unknown, as if the symbols were alive pulsing of mysterious energy. Shifting on the ground in a dance of chaos drawing in light from the cosmos, as if to open the door of this reality to something far darker.
Even as Pinkie spoke of splendors of the future and merry memories of the past, Twilight could just hear her heart race ever faster within her chest. The world tilted on its side as the light of the sky seemed to dim, her eyes locked on Discord’s gaze as they shared a fleeting moment of silence.
For a few seconds felt no less than a decade long, the cooling wind more of an icy touch of despair. Twilight felt herself dragged back into reality, a stern hoof adding pressure to her shoulder.
“You came!” Fluttershy spoke in a sweet whisper, the stern touch simply a fleeting figment of Twilight's unease.
“Of course, Fluttershy, I wouldn't miss anything important to my friends!” Twilight gave a forced smile with a genuine tone.
Fluttershy arched her brow curiously yet could sense that Twilight meant well, it was her nature to be a pony of facts and answers. When faced with the unknown it opened a door to her more vulnerable state, one ruled by fear and driven by uncertainty.
“I'm just happy to see you!” Fluttershy spoke with love in her tone, wrapping her friend in a tight embrace.
Twilight nodded with a smile of joy, her hoof running through the mane of the pegasus. Each gazing deep into each other's eyes as Fluttershy felt her heart suddenly grow complete, without so much as a word, Twilight had given her friend the blessing she so desperately desired.
Discord soon called for his special somepony from across the way, the inky black mass of the ground now glowing a bright ocean blue. The symbols were alive with the power of eternity, each pulse threatened to tear the universe asunder.
Fluttershy placed a tender kiss upon Twilight's cheek, the alicorn could only watch as her friend fluttered away towards her destiny. The sky above formed into a vortex of blue energy and swirling clouds, the temperature of the area plummeting wildly to an icy chill.
“So exciting, do you think she'll become a draconequus!?” Pinkie snorted with childlike enthusiasm, quickly pulling a large pink frosted cake out of seemingly nowhere.
“Perhaps.” Twilight used her magic to easily float Pinkie’s party cannon off the wagon, placing it beside the impressive buffet of snacks the earth pony had created.
“Or perhaps something else.” Twilight whispered under her breath in near silence, a large bolt of lightning struck across the sky as the wind gave a wicked howl.
The trees towered over the alicorn casting a demonic shadow over the land of Equestria for a split second, almost as if in the shape of a massive behemoth not quite a pony but of a creature with sickening massive squirming tentacles.
“Don't worry my dear, this should be quite relaxing as if drifting into a dream!” Discord leaned down kissing the top of Fluttershy's hoof tenderly.
“So, do I just walk into the circle?” Fluttershy asked in awe of the moment, a large circle of odd symbols forming a type of opening on the ground.
“Indeed, once inside just follow your instincts! You'll be guided to your destination!” Discord placed a claw firmly on the shoulder of the pegasus, giving it a tight reassuring squeeze.
“Fluttershy!” Twilight yelled out in a voice of worry; she was quick to fly over to the symbols in the blink of an eye.
“Twilight?” Fluttershy nervously spoke.
“Be careful.” Twilight calmed her heart slowly, watching as her friend bravely entered the light.
Fluttershy felt instantly lost in an endless void, everything around her ceased to exist as even the faintest of noises became lost to the eons. She was certain that she was no longer even on solid ground, the yellow pegasus floated in the abyss of absolute nothingness, numb to the touch.
With no sense of direction nor a feeling of belonging, Fluttershy followed her instincts to search out her destination amongst the stars and beyond the cosmos. Her head tilted to the sky, she suddenly felt time itself open before her. The stars shifted across the universe and the darkest fears of her heart melted away, she witnessed The Great Old Ones offer a glimpse into madness itself.
The energy of the symbols seeped into her coat like sulfuric acid burning her beyond flesh and bone, the fiery sting of insanity shattered her mind within a matter of seconds. A beam of light suddenly exploded into a eternal chasm below.
Twilight and Discord gazed to Fluttershy in surprise that her form didn't alter at all, the slender pegasus petrified in place with hollow eyes locked upon the stars. Pinkie letting out a shrill scream of horror, the pony flesh upon Fluttershy's backside decayed into dark rotting ooze.
“Fluttershy!” Twilight zoomed over to her friend helplessly, hooves grabbing the mare by the shoulders shaking her frantically in place.
Within the void of her own imagination Fluttershy was shown the splendors of the universe and beyond, green slimy vaults of a rotting corpse city soon sprouted into existence around her. Built from nothing and created into terrifying non-Euclidean shapes, her lungs filled with the bitter taste of saltwater.
“Ph'nglui mglw'nafh…” Fluttershy felt her eyes roll back, her body exploded in waves of pain, every muscle cramped as the foul stench of decay spread further up her backside.
“Do something!” Twilight screamed in confusion towards Discord, the lord of chaos watching on in calm collected silence.
“I couldn't even if I wanted too, it must simply play out.” Discord replied his mare tumbled to the grass in agony, her body twisting and convulsing into unnatural positions.
Within the dark depths of her soul, Fluttershy could see ghastly visions of the sleeping gods, colors never meant for pony kind engulfing her body in a spectrum of forbidden knowledge. She could feel the massive city of R'lyeh pulse to life, the reality of this far off realm weakened for the arrival of ancient terrors.
“Please Fluttershy, wake up!” Twilight couldn't hold back her tears any longer, the pegasus grew limp in her hooves as black ooze trickled out of the edges of her muzzle.
Within a few seconds an eerie rattle of a final breath escaped Fluttershy's lips, her hooves dropping to her side as everything seemed to fade into oblivion. Twilight winced in pain of the moment, wrapping her fallen friend into a loving embrace with alicorn wings.
“That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange eons even death may die.” Fluttershy suddenly snapped her neck upward with a loud crack of bone, flashing an inky black smile towards her quivering friend maliciously.
The pegasus passed out with a sigh of defeat, her face full of agony as the clouds above blotted out the welcoming moonlight. Slowly Twilight lifted her head towards Discord, the world silent and bleak.
