A Festive Second Impression
It was a cold December evening at the Cloudsdale weather factory. The ringing of holiday cheer from the Hearth’s Warming company party earlier that day could still be felt, if not heard—wreaths and garlands lined the walls and holiday lights illuminated the hallways in soft hues, no longer overpowered by the sun. But the corridors they lit up were quiet now—the workday was done, and the pegasi who worked there had mostly gone home for the weekend, with only a few stragglers remaining to finish up their duties.
At a small cubicle near the cloud production room, Foggy Freeze was one such pony.
He had had a very busy day. All morning, he had been hard at work with calculations and blueprints for the perfect snow clouds for Hearth’s Warming. Foggy was particularly proud of his design this year. If his calculations were correct, the clouds should produce a snow that was both light (for the perfect amount of snowfall) and sticky (for the perfect consistency for making snowballs and snowponies). It seemed like such a small thing, and maybe it was, but it still made Foggy’s heart feel full to know that he was helping to make the holiday special for all ponies, in his own special way. It was why he’d brought the first run of the new variety to the holiday party, even though it wasn’t really a time to be discussing work.
He’d also announced his retirement at the party. He was getting older, and topping this year’s holiday batch of clouds was going to be pretty difficult, so why not go out while he was on top?
Congratulations from his coworkers had abounded. Although many were sad to see him go, of course. Hadn’t Stormy Lullaby retired just last month, in order to spend more time with her grandchildren?
Foggy smiled lightly at that, remembering the questions if he was retiring along those same lines. He picked up a double picture frame on his desk, showing his daughter, Fluttershy, on one side, and his son, Zephyr Breeze, on the other, back when they were just foals. They were older now, of course, but Foggy knew he wasn’t on track for grandchildren quite yet, from either of them. Maybe someday.
He thought he heard a rustling down the hallway, and his ears perked up cautiously. After a few moments of silence, he turned back to his desk, gathering up the rest of the photographs and trinkets on his desk and placing them in a box. A wedding picture of himself and Zenith Skies remained on the desk, front and center. It was an older photo now, of course, but Foggy still smiled warmly at it, thinking to himself how his wife still looked as lovely now as she did all those years ago. Behind the wedding photo were messy drawings nearly as old—pictures of their family that Fluttershy and Zephyr Breeze had colored in school as foals, proudly presented to their dad. They’d probably be embarrassed to know that he still had them displayed on his desk, but Foggy couldn’t bear to part with them. He tucked them inside the box too.
“Ah, there you are! Good evening! Might I have a word?”
Startled, Foggy spun around. The creature who had spoken wasn’t one he was expecting at all, although perhaps that was the point. Foggy had heard many things about this Discord. Many ponies were terrified of him. Some spoke of him in awe-struck tones, mesmerized by his chaos. Foggy’s own daughter, on the rare occasions that she visited her childhood home, always beamed when talking about him, declaring him to be “so, so sweet.” Foggy had never quite understood Fluttershy, and this wasn’t helping matters.
For his part, he had met Discord before—briefly, on just one occasion, and it had been so distressing that that one occasion was quite enough for him.
Apparently Discord hadn’t gotten that memo, though, because he was boldly hovering in the air in front of him, holding a plate of red and green frosted holiday cookies. At least, Foggy assumed they were holiday cookies. Who knew for sure from the Lord of Chaos himself?
“Wh-what do you want?” he stammered out, his voice shaking as much as his limbs.
“To share some holiday cheer, of course! Spirit of the season, and all that.” Discord’s bat wing reached out and plucked one of the cookies from the plate, and it stretched unnaturally to reach the tip of Foggy’s nose. “I got this recipe from Pinkie Pie, and she swears it’s exquisite. Having sampled one before coming here, I can’t say I agree, but I suppose you ponies have different taste buds than me.”
Foggy trembled wildly, making no motion to take the cookie offered to him.
Discord sighed. “I see this isn’t working.” He moved his eagle claw away from the plate, snapped his fingers, and the plate disappeared. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell Pinkie. Wouldn’t want to offend her, you know.”
Foggy finally found his voice again, although it was squeaky and thin. “S-seriously, what do you want? More magic from the generator? J-just take it and be gone!”
“I’m not here as that megalomaniac’s whipping boy this time,” Discord said, scowling a bit, although his eyes darted to the side, away from Foggy’s gaze. “Although, granted, I can’t fault you for assuming the worst of me. Your initial impression of me was, quite justifiably so, fairly horrendous, I assume. But I hope you’re willing to turn over a new leaf!” Discord brightened a bit and extended his lion paw, suddenly dressed in a fancy, lime green suit—Foggy had no clue when or how he’d been able to change clothes so quickly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Fluttershy’s Dad. I’m Discord, supreme ruler of Chaosville, crusader against all banality and triviality, and, most importantly of all, a very contrite creature. And you are?”
Foggy was still frozen in place, too shocked and terrified to respond.
Discord sighed. “Come now, I can’t keep referring to you as ‘Mr. Fluttershy’s Dad’. It’s a mouthful. Unless you prefer that, that is.” A large “HELLO, MY NAME IS” nametag suddenly appeared in the air between the two of them.
Foggy stammered on his words. “F-f-Foggy Freeze. M-my name is Foggy Freeze.”
His name appeared on the nametag as soon as it was said, and Discord beamed, placing the tag on Foggy’s forehead. “There we go! Foggy! Or Mr. Freeze? Which one should I use?”
“F-Foggy’s fine,” Foggy stammered.
“Oh, thank goodness. ‘Mr. Freeze’ sounds like a comic book villain.” Discord snapped his fingers again, and a large blue ribbon with the words “ABSOLUTELY NOT A COMIC BOOK VILLAIN” appeared on Foggy’s chest.
Foggy was not amused by this, however. “What do you want?” he demanded for the third time, his voice not trembling this time.
“Nothing like the last time,” Discord said bluntly. “Just your forgiveness. If you’ll give it.”
Foggy said nothing to that, his fears still not exactly quelled by this strange explanation.
Discord sighed, his eyes falling into a slight despair as his bright suit disappeared. “For full disclosure, Fluttershy asked me to do this. But… I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t mean it.”
Foggy’s shoulders relaxed a bit, waiting for more.
“Can I start,” Discord said, suddenly brightening, “by congratulating you for raising such a marvelous daughter? Really, she’s the tops. The most wondrous pony Equestria has ever known. You must be very proud of her.”
Foggy was taken aback a bit by the sudden praise. “Of… of course I’m proud of her. She’s done wonderful things for all of Equestria. She’s gone on to far greater things than I ever could have imagined, and… I’m so honored to even know her, let alone to be her father.”
Discord smiled warmly at this, and for a brief moment Foggy felt like he could understand how Fluttershy could deem him ‘sweet’. “Knowing her is an honor, isn’t it? See, we already have something in common!” He extended his paw again.
Foggy still didn’t take it.
After a moment of waiting, Discord groaned, pulling his arm back. “I’m bad at this, you understand? I’ve had to do this so many times since your daughter melted my stone-cold heart, and I still muddle through like an amateur. I’m trying, though, if that counts for anything. I keep messing up, and I hate it, and your daughter keeps forgiving me even when she probably shouldn’t. But understand, Foggy—understand that I am sincere. I deeply regret any pain that I caused you while I was working under Tirek’s misguided direction. And even if Fluttershy hadn’t asked me to do this, I’d still feel that regret. And I hope… for Fluttershy’s sake… that you can forgive me.” Discord’s gaze fell to the floor with this.
Foggy still hesitated.
The day that Tirek and Discord had taken over Cloudsdale was a dark memory for Foggy. He’d never felt so helpless, so unprepared for the evil that overtook his hometown. And he’d never even met Tirek… he’d only encountered Discord, in that brief moment when he’d invaded the factory. Thus, if there was a face to assign to the terror of that day… it was Discord’s. And it would take more than a plate full of Hearth’s Warming cookies and an “I’m sorry” to change his opinion.
“May I ask…” Foggy finally said, tentatively, “why you’re sorry? Or better yet, why you did it in the first place? Are you sorry just because you lost?”
“Oh no, I’m glad I lost,” Discord said quickly. “And I’m glad Tirek is in Tartarus, where he belongs. Truth be told, I probably belong right there with him. He… got to me. Although I don’t want to give him too much of the credit. No, it was my own self-sabotaging mind that’s to blame. Tirek just took advantage of an already confused, miserable draconequus.” He paused, frowning deeply, before turning back to Foggy. “Please be aware that having this conversation is near the absolute bottom of things I’d like to do. I don’t like being all mushy and self-reflective to anypony, and I don’t even know you!”
Foggy almost said something, but Discord continued. “But I know Fluttershy, and you know Fluttershy, and you’re obviously important to her. I would feel bad about what I did to you even if you weren’t Fluttershy’s father, though. I feel bad about all of it! I absolutely can’t bring myself to apologize to anypony else, though—I can hardly apologize to you, and—“ His shoulders slumped. “I’m not making a very good case at all, am I?”
Foggy breathed slowly, waiting to speak until he knew for sure that Discord wouldn’t cut him off again. Discord regarded him, meekly and contritely.
He had to admit, he did seem sincere in his regret.
“I’ll ask you again,” Foggy said, doing all that he could to keep his voice stern and not trembling. “Why did you do it?”
Discord sighed. “I was confused. Muddled. A little resentful. I know none of these are actual justifications.” His eyes darted back and forth. “Mind if I pull up a chair? Explaining myself will be easier if I’m sitting down.”
“G-go right ahead,” said Foggy, not seeing any chairs in the vicinity that he could utilize.
But Discord simply snapped his fingers again, and an oversized, polka-dotted beanbag chair materialized to the side of Foggy’s desk. Discord plopped down in it. The instant he did, it let out a slide whistle sound and inexplicably transformed into a rocking chair with spaghetti spokes.
Foggy was flabbergasted.
“There’s no need to stare. This is the best way to sit.” Discord gave a thoughtful pause, then leaned a bit towards Foggy, the rocking chair moving with him. “And this makes as good of a lead-in as any. I’m the Lord of Chaos, Foggy. Some call me the actual embodiment of chaos, and while I wouldn’t go that far, I can see where they get the idea.”
Foggy simply nodded at that, still too taken aback to really say anything.
“And, well, chaos doesn’t do familiar. It doesn’t do routines and schedules and habits. It isn’t recurring. So what kind of chaos lord am I, then, when all of a sudden I find myself having very typical days and very typical tea parties on a very typical schedule? Despite how much I like it, I thought, it’s the very antithesis of who I am! And before you say anything, yes, I realize now how utterly foolish this all sounds.”
Foggy blinked in confusion. “But what does all that have to do with trying to take over all of Equestria?” Discord’s rocking chair was now a throne adorned with cat ears. Foggy decided to not even bother asking about that.
“I’m getting there.” Discord took a deep breath, about to launch into the next part of his story, before abruptly slumping down, practically deflating. “Well, truth be told, I’m actually not getting there, because there is no there. It has nothing to do with taking over Equestria. But I was too blinded by my own hubris to realize that at the time. I was originally tasked with saving Equestria, you know. And I could have done it in a heartbeat. But what would that make me, then? Merely Celestia’s “get out of jail free” card? One so locked in constancy and familiarity that he actually, heaven forbid, enjoyed it? So when Tirek offered me both a chance at ruling Equestria to my chaotic liking and his friendship, I’ve gotta jump at that chance, right? Friendship is magic, you know! And even though it hurt me inside to think about what I was doing to my other friends, well, I’d get over it eventually, right? I mean… really, who needs Fluttershy?”
With those words a big red “ME” appeared in the air above Discord, the bottoms of the letters forming arrows pointing directly towards him.
Looking up at the signage, Discord sighed heavily. “Indeed.” He snapped his fingers and the word went away, and he was suddenly sitting on a decidedly plain wicker chair. “You see, Foggy, I made two horrendous mistakes that day. Not only did I believe Tirek’s offer of friendship was sincere when anypony with half a brain could tell that he was just using me, I also make the mistake of thinking that Fluttershy is replaceable. And I am sure that I don’t have to tell you this, but let me emphasize that she absolutely is not. And part of me knew that from the start, but I just charged on ahead, thinking the more I ignored that nagging little voice in my head, the sooner it would go away. Clearly not the case, I’ve found out.” He sighed again, his ears and tail sagging. “I understand that none of this excuses what I did, and I am truly sorry for any suffering I caused you that day.”
It was now very quiet in the factory, and Foggy had a lot to take in.
“It… sounds… as if you learned a very hard lesson that day,” he finally said.
“Oh, yes,” Discord readily agreed. “And one not soon forgotten, I assure you.”
“Well, I’ve always believed that everypony… every creature,” Foggy amended awkwardly, “has the capacity to learn from their mistakes, no matter how severe. And that if they are truly willing to take what they’ve learned and improve themselves with it, then they deserve a second chance.”
“I’ve already used up my second chance,” Discord muttered. “And my third. And possibly my fourth? Am I on my fifth now? Quite frankly, I keep mucking up so often I’ve lost track.”
“With me, it’s only your second chance.” Foggy finally made himself smile at Discord. “And after what you’ve told me, than I’m willing to give it to you.”
Discord straightened up, also smiling, albeit hesitantly. “I promise to make the most of it!”
Foggy extended his right foreleg. “I’m… ready for that shake now.”
Discord’s glee was much less restrained now. He grabbed Foggy by the hoof and shook it boisterously, nearly pulling Foggy off-balance in the process. “Splendid! And so help me, if I ever do anything to make you regret it, send all the disapproving glares my way, they’re much more effective than you’d realize!”
“I don’t think I’ll have to.” Pulling his foreleg away from Discord’s grasp, Foggy carefully removed the “ABSOLUTELY NOT A COMIC BOOK VILLAIN” ribbon that Discord had planted on him earlier and held it out towards him. “I think you’re worthy of wearing this, too.”
Discord let out a little squeak of surprise, a rather unexpected sound coming from a creature like him. “What an honor! I’ll wear it with pride! But you’ve earned it too, Foggy Freeze, father of Fluttershy!” He snapped his fingers and the ribbon split in two, each half reforming to full size again, and Discord planted one back on Foggy before proudly attaching the other to his antler. “It’s time for a ‘Not-Villain-Selfie’!”
Abruptly, he pulled Foggy to his side, yanked out a small camera from who-knows-where, and snapped a picture, Foggy again too surprised to have any reaction other than shock. The camera printed the photo instantly. Predictably, the photo showed Discord looking gleeful and exuberant, while Foggy just looked alarmed.
“To commemorate the occasion,” Discord said, handing the photo to Foggy. “With my sincerest gratitude!”
Foggy stammered a bit. “Could... we… take another one, if you don’t mind? I wasn’t expecting the first one and I’d like to look… not so startled.”
“That’s certainly fair,” Discord conceded with an accepting shrug. He held the camera out at arm’s length again. “On the count of three, give me the brightest smile you can imagine! One, two, three!” Click.
The camera produced the newest image, and Discord held it out for Foggy to examine. He still did look a little surprised in this one, but there was a least a smile on his face. “That’s much better,” Foggy said, still smiling as he nodded.
Instead of giving him the new photo, Discord just snapped his fingers again, and the original photo Foggy held in his hooves suddenly changed to show the image from the second one. “This one will be my commemoration,” Discord explained, pulling back the fur above his hoof and seeming to tuck the second photo in a pocket located there. “Well, thank you for your time, Foggy. Have a happy Warth’s Horming, or whatever this holiday is called. I look forward to seeing you again, under hopefully much more pleasant circumstances!” He lifted his eagle talons in the air, snapped them, and in a bright flash he was gone.
Foggy blinked a few times, both from a still lingering sense of surprise and from trying to adjust his eyes back to the dimly-lit office. After a moment or two, he looked back at his desk and the box that sat atop it, now containing most of the photos and mementos that had decorated his desk throughout the years.
Reaching over, he clicked on the desk light and examined the photograph still in his hooves.
After a moment, he smiled, carefully placing it on top of his wedding picture in the box. He’d have to find a good place for it at home.
…
Fluttershy leaned back in the plush blue easy chair in her parents’ living room, the chair that had always been her favorite, and sipped her hot chocolate carefully. It was Hearth’s Warming Eve, Celestia had lowered the sun hours ago, and the Freeze-Skies-Shy-Breeze family had already eaten their traditional holiday dinner and opened their presents. Fluttershy looked over to her side, smiling a bit at the framed paintings of robins and chickadees her parents had gifted her. The smile faded just a bit when she looked again at the present her brother had gotten her—a gift certificate for a free mane styling at his salon, if/when he ever even had a salon. Fluttershy sighed slightly and made her smile return, however—at least Zephyr actually seemed to be sticking with his classes for longer than half a semester this time, and staying in the dorms at school, too. Maybe he was finally starting to grow up.
“Excellent hot chocolate, Mom,” Zephyr was saying approvingly, sipping from his cup with much less restraint than his sister was using on hers. “Not that I expected any less!” He carefully shifted the blue and green knitted scarf around his neck away from the cup before taking another drink.
Fluttershy smiled more fully at this, glad to see that he was treating his present from her with care. In truth, she was rather relieved that he’d liked it at all. Gift-giving sometimes stressed her out a bit, she had to admit. Especially now that she had so many friends and family members to buy gifts for—ten of them! Would everypony like the gifts she selected? She didn’t want to disappoint any of them. But she had struggled to come up with any ideas. It was only after knitting a potholder for her kitchen that she hit upon the scarves idea. Of course, she wasn’t the world’s most skilled knitter, but the girls and Spike had all loved theirs when they had gotten together a few days previously, and her brother seemed very taken with his, too. Her parents, well, of course they had smiled and said “thank you”, but that’s what parents are supposed to do.
That just left Discord’s. She had purposely saved knitting his for last, fashioning it out of the jumble of leftover colors and fabrics she had left over. To her eyes, it seemed chaotic enough, although she didn’t know if it would ultimately be to Discord’s tastes. She hadn’t seen him since finishing it to gift it to him yet, but she hoped he liked it. And if he didn’t, she would give him permission to change it however he wanted. She felt herself giggling a bit at the thought. She almost hoped that he wouldn’t quite like it and would alter it to suit him better; everything that he created was always so fascinating, so much more than Fluttershy could ever come up with on her own.
“You’re very welcome, Zephyr,” Fluttershy’s mother, Zenith Skies, was saying. “I can make you some more, if you’d—“
The door to the kitchen opened suddenly and Fluttershy’s father, Foggy Freeze, flew out and into the living room, a new cup of hot chocolate in his hooves. “Your hot chocolate is amazing this year, Zenith.”
“Hey, thanks, Dad!” Zephyr said, quickly bolting out of his seat, grabbing the cup from his father, and sitting back down.
Foggy stammered awkwardly, the cup obviously not one he’d intended to share.
Fluttershy opened her mouth to chastise Zephyr for his rudeness, but Zenith managed to speak first. “Before we have any more hot chocolate, Foggy, wasn’t there something you wanted to tell the kids?”
“Ah, yes.” Foggy’s cheeks turned a bit pink and he coughed once into his hoof. Fluttershy turned her attention towards him, and even Zephyr set his ill-gotten mug down in anticipation. “Well… I announced my retirement at the weather factory. Friday was my last day.”
“Oh,” said Zephyr.
“Oh,” said Fluttershy.
“I know… it’s rather sudden. But I’ve been thinking about this for awhile. I’m ready to spend more time with my cloud collection… with your mother… just, I’m ready to spend more time enjoying my home and my family, without worrying about work.”
“Totally understandable,” said Zephyr with a chuckle. “Thinking about work? Who needs that kind of stress?”
“I didn’t…” Fluttershy began. “I mean, I am happy for you, Dad, but I didn’t think you were even at the age to consider retirement yet.” Surely her dad couldn’t be that old, right?
“I’m old enough to qualify for the company’s highest paying retirement package,” Foggy said. “And besides… I feel like I’m ready. I loved my job and I’m proud of the work I did, but I’m ready to focus my energies elsewhere.”
“I can’t say that I’m not surprised,” said Zephyr, “since I didn’t think you were old enough for this either, but… I am happy for you!” He raised his mug in the air. “To Dad, and his retirement! May your days be filled with joy and fulfillment!”
Fluttershy smiled as both she and Zenith raised their mugs, too. “Hear, hear.” While this news was unexpected, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of gladness for her father’s sake. If spending more time at home was what he wanted, and he had a perfect opportunity to do it, then how could she object?
Foggy’s eyes crinkled with his own soft smile. “That’s the plan.”
Zephyr chugged his hot chocolate in one go. “And I gotta tell you, this hot chocolate fills me with joy and fulfillment. Got any more, Mom? I can’t get enough of this stuff!”
“Come with me,” Zenith said, quickly standing up before Foggy could go back in the kitchen again, “and I’ll get some just for you.” She nodded at Foggy knowingly while she fluttered into the kitchen, Zephyr right behind her.
Fluttershy sighed, although her smile remained, as she took another light sip of her hot chocolate.
“Your brother has always loved your mother’s hot chocolate,” said Foggy with a chuckle. “She knows to make enough so that we all can have some. Would… would you like some more?’
Fluttershy politely shook her head. “I’ve still got a bit. Thank you.”
“Ah.” Foggy awkwardly cleared his throat and moved over to the mantel, removing something and flying over to sit next to Fluttershy. “This… is as good of time as any to show you this. I… sort of… have an extra present for you.”
“You do?” Fluttershy set her mug down on the table.
“Well… it’s not exactly from me. More from a friend of yours.”
Fluttershy blinked, confused. The only one of her friends who knew her parents was Rainbow Dash, and she had already received her present from her when the girls and Spike had all gotten together for their Hearth’s Warming celebration.
Foggy held out what he had retrieved from behind one of the picture frames on the mantelpiece. It was a small, square photo of him wearing a small blue ribbon of some sort… with an excited Discord hovering in the air next to him, an identical ribbon on his chest.
Fluttershy drew in her breath. “Oh! Discord came to see you? What… what did he…” She turned her attention fully to her father, not daring to hope what had transpired between them.
“Fluttershy….” Foggy exhaled heavily. “You know that… sometimes… I just don’t understand you. In regards to many things. And this… friend of yours, in particular. He… didn’t leave a good impression on me the first encounter we had, let me just put it that way.”
“I know,” Fluttershy murmured. “He told me…”
“He came by the office the other night… to explain himself, I suppose. He’s certainly… quite the strange creature, isn’t he?”
“He’s actually really sweet, once you get to know him.”
Foggy chuckled softly. “You’ve said that before. And before meeting him for myself, I found that rather hard to believe. But after spending a little bit of time with him… well, I still wouldn’t say ‘sweet’, but I can at least better understand where you’re coming from.”
Fluttershy felt her tenseness relax, albeit only by a small degree. “I know that he’s made mistakes… lots of them. But he really is trying to improve. I can’t even begin to tell you how many strides he’s made in the past six months.”
“I can imagine, though,” said Foggy. “He came by the office to tell me he was sorry for how he’d acted before.”
Fluttershy drew in her breath. “He… he did?”
Foggy nodded. “And I forgave him. I figured if you’d already forgiven him, you knowing him so much better than I do, then I should be able to trust your judgment, shouldn’t I? Besides…” Foggy smiled warmly at his daughter. “I believed him. He was very sincere in his apology. And I’d like to think I’m a pretty good judge of character myself.”
Fluttershy exhaled, shaking and almost laughing with relief. “Oh… oh, Dad, I’m so, so glad to hear that. He’s my best friend. I don’t expect you to understand him, but… knowing that he’s apologized to you, that you’ve forgiven him… I can’t even tell you how much that all means to me.” She hugged him gratefully, her heart swelling and feeling as though it might burst. She remembered, back on her birthday, when Discord had abashedly informed her that he’d met (or rather, terrorized) her father and that she’d suggested that he apologize… but while she of course wanted him to do so, she honestly hadn’t really expected it of him. She knew that his apologizing to her and the rest of the girls was difficult enough; how could she ask him to humble himself over a pony who he didn’t even know?
But, well, Discord was nothing if not full of surprises. And with this action, he’d once again surprised her, in the best possible way.
Foggy hugged her back. “I’m glad to hear that I’ve made you happy. You know I approve of all of your friends.” He pulled away and gave her a sly grin. “I’m not sure if I’m ready for him to come by to visit, though. At the very least, your mother will need a bit of forewarning of what she’s in for.”
Fluttershy giggled. “That’s fine. Baby steps.”
At that moment, Zenith and Zephyr entered back into the living room from the kitchen, another full mug of cocoa in Zephyr’s hooves. “Aw, did I miss a family bonding moment?” he asked, eyeing their closeness.
“That’s the price you pay for another mug of hot chocolate, son,” said Foggy playfully. “Speaking of which—“
Zenith cut him off, smiling, holding out a mug for him in one hoof, and for Fluttershy in the other. “Right here.”
“Thank you, honey.” Foggy gratefully took his mug and sipped his drink in contentment.
Fluttershy took the other mug. “Thank you,” she said softly.
As she drank, she couldn’t help but muse to herself that the warmness of the cocoa couldn’t begin to compare to the warmness that was in her heart.
…
The next day was Hearth’s Warming, and holiday it may be, but Fluttershy still had her fair share of chores to do. When your home is a veritable animal sanctuary, free time is a luxury, no matter what the calendar said.
Granted, things were slower in the winter. All but the hardiest of animals had either shut down or moved out due to the cold, and those that stuck around to brave it out were self-sufficient enough to have little need for Fluttershy’s usual services.
But, well, even the most resilient of animals still needed attention every now and then. Accidents could happen at any time of the year, after all. A particularly haughty falcon could attest to that, not that he wanted to.
Fluttershy examined his wing, still set in a sling. “It is looking much better, Greywing. But I think it still needs to stay in the sling for another week or so, just to make sure it fully heals.”
Greywing screeched in protest.
“You want to fly again, don’t you?” Fluttershy gave the falcon a playful wink.
Greywing sulked a bit, twittering out a few more complaints.
Fluttershy frowned. “Hmm. I’ll have a word with him.” Since she had been away yesterday spending the day with her family, she had entrusted Angel Bunny to deal with the animals in her care. Apparently, the rabbit had instead spent most of his time wrapped up in his new scarf and admiring himself in the mirror. He had been a bit offended upon seeing Fluttershy knitting the scarves for her friends and not having one of his own, so Fluttershy had made a small one just for him. It was so small, in fact, that it hadn’t taken her very long at all to craft. She did feel a bit guilty at initially neglecting to include Angel amongst the recipients of her Hearth’s Warming scarves… but with Angel’s self-assured arrogance the second he wrapped the scarf around his neck, she was beginning to wonder if maybe she should have gifted him something else.
Oh well… at least he appreciated the gift, right? If only he’d appreciated the extra responsibility he’d been given yesterday just as much.
Sighing to herself, Fluttershy resolved to broach the subject with Angel later. It was Hearth’s Warming, after all. The holiday was no time for chastisements, no matter how appropriate. Instead, she trotted over to the hollow log that sat on the border of her property, which housed two gray squirrels. “Timothy? David? Everything alright with you?”
The two squirrels’ heads emerged from the log, and they chattered an affirmative.
Fluttershy smiled. “I’m glad to hear that.”
A third squirrel head poked up, between Timothy and David, who both looked surprised at the newcomer’s presence.
Fluttershy was also a bit startled. “Oh? And who might you be?”
The squirrel smirked, in a very un-squirrel like manner. “Is that really any kind of way to greet your dear friend?” he asked in a very familiar voice, raising a very familiar bushy eyebrow.
Fluttershy’s confusion morphed into glee. “You get out of that log right now so I can hug you.”
As the other two squirrels scooted backwards in confusion, the imposter stretched out, taking his true form. “Oh, and I thought I was going to be punished for my little bout of identity theft,” Discord said with a chuckle.
Fluttershy barely heard him as she flew up towards his arms and wrapped her forelegs around his neck. “You did it,” she marveled, feeling happy tears spring up in her eyes. “You really did it.”
“Really now, Fluttershy, is my coming to visit you that momentous of an occasion to warrant such a reaction? Not that I’m opposed to the hug, mind you!” Discord wrapped his arms around her in turn, his lion’s paw resting between her wings.
“Not that, silly.” Fluttershy pulled away from his neck, beaming through her tears. “I visited my parents yesterday. My dad told me what you did.”
“Oh, that.” Discord flashed her a toothy grin, shrugging nonchalantly. “It was what you wanted, and it was more than simple enough to arrange. It almost feels cheating for that to be your Hearth’s Warming present, but as it’s my first time celebrating the holiday, I hope you can let that slide.”
“Oh, Discord.” Fluttershy chuckled again and nuzzled Discord’s neck, her eyes still slightly misty. “What you did is the most wonderful present I could imagine. It means so much to me that you and my dad are on better terms. And I know that apologizing wasn’t easy for you. But you did it anyway.” She looked up at him. “Thank you so much.”
“My dear Fluttershy, really, it was nothing. I’m the lord of chaos and more than capable of amazing feats the likes of you ponies can’t even imagine, and actually you’re right, it wasn’t easy at all, it was excruciatingly awful! And he didn’t make it any easier!”
“It is tough to apologize, to admit that you were wrong. I know. It’s tough for anypony… any creature. The fact that you were willing to go above and beyond to make things right when you didn’t need to… well, I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m very proud of you.”
“It seems that you’re not the only one who got the greatest gift imaginable this holiday.” Discord’s voice was low and warm against her ear as he gave her a nuzzle of his own, stroking a talon through her mane. Fluttershy lay very still against him, her stomach all aflutter at the sensation of being blessed with another gift from him.
Wait.
Another gift!
“Oh, but—Discord, wait, I actually do have a gift for you!” Fluttershy broke free of the hug and gave Discord an apologetic look.
“I’ll keep the squirrels company while you go fetch it—“ Discord stopped himself as he looked around. “Wait, where did they run off to?”
Timothy and David had indeed apparently scattered off, but Fluttershy wasn’t too worried about them at that moment. She flew into her house and retrieved the last present underneath her Hearth’s Warming tree, balancing it carefully between her teeth as she flew back outside. “Here you go,” she said as she set it down in front of Discord.
Discord hesitated.
Fluttershy blinked in befuddlement. “Is… is something wrong?”
“Oh—“ Discord flashed Fluttershy a reassuring smile. “Nothing’s wrong, my dear, it’s just… I’ve never received a gift before,” he finished quietly.
Fluttershy gulped as a wave of pity washed over her. Moments like these, when Discord admitted a complete unfamiliarity with what seemed to be such basic life experiences, still sometimes caught Fluttershy off-guard and… well, saddened her. How does a creature go for thousands of years without even once receiving a token of friendship and compassion?
Sometimes she wanted to ask him about it. Only sometimes, though. Because most of the time she remembered how terrifying he’d been back then. She was well aware that there were probably many very valid reasons as to why he’d never received gifts or letters or hugs in the past. And it wasn’t even having to think in the abstract to acknowledge this; she herself had been terrified of him when she’d first met him, and with good reason. She knew, logically, that he’d committed atrocities in his past. And that was as far as she wanted to know—she didn’t want to have to reconcile that with the sweet, funny Discord that she knew. It wasn’t a creature’s past that mattered, after all—it was how they acted in the present. And Discord’s present actions all told Fluttershy that he was good, and he was trying to be kind and considerate to every creature he met.
And that knowledge just made the realization that he’d never gotten a present until now simultaneously understandable and heartbreaking.
“W-well…” Fluttershy made herself smile, hopefully a supporting one, at him. “You’d better get used to it, because you’ll be getting presents from me every Hearth’s Warming from here on out.”
“And I’d expect nothing less from my bestest friend,” Discord replied smoothly, the earlier vulnerability he’d displayed seemingly washed away. He dug a claw under the ribbons and wrapping and easily freed the package from its giftwrap. A simple, unmarked box was revealed. He ran the same claw along the taped flaps, springing the tops of the box open.
“It’s… nothing special,” Fluttershy said awkwardly, suddenly feeling self-conscious. If she’d realized that this was Discord’s first-ever Hearth’s Warming present—or first-ever present, period—she would have put much more thought into her choice of gift. “I decided to do some knitting for everyone’s presents this year, and I used the different yarns left over for yours… If you don’t like it, you can change it, I won’t be offended…”
Discord had removed the large, multi-colored scarf from the box and held it out in front of him, the ends of the scarf draping from his arms. He was unusually quiet again for a moment, almost balancing the scarf delicately between his claws, as if he were afraid he would damage it.
“It’s too large, isn’t it?” Fluttershy asked, meekly. “That’s easy enough to fix… I could do that, if you want.”
“Absolutely out of the question.” In an instant, Discord has the scarf wrapped around his neck. “I wouldn’t have you change a thing. It’s positively perfect.” He lightly snapped his fingers, and a fringed end of the scarf floated towards Fluttershy and brushed the tip of her nose, like an affectionate little caress. “Thank you,” Discord added, his voice once again soft and heartfelt.
Fluttershy giggled a bit at the tickling sensation of the scarf. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it. I know it’s not… the most spectacular gift for your first ever Hearth’s Warming—“
“Ah, ah, ah, Fluttershy, you know I normally love speaking nonsense, but I don’t love it when the nonsense is something that undervalues you.” The scarf fringes shook a disparaging “finger” underneath Fluttershy’s muzzle, mimicking the actions of Discord’s eagle talon. “I can’t think of any better gift. Why, it’s even keeping me warm all over!”
Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile wider at that, although even being bundled up herself, she was keenly aware of the cold. And Discord wasn’t wearing anything other than his new scarf. It couldn’t be comfortable, no matter how snuggly the scarf was.
There were better, more festive ways to warm up. And being inside helped, too.
“Are you busy?” Fluttershy asked him. “Or would you like to stay for a little bit? We could go inside and drink some hot chocolate.”
“Ooh, drink not tea? Shaking things up a bit. I like it.” Discord snapped his fingers, and a cup and saucer appeared in his hands.
Fluttershy giggled again. “You don’t drink hot chocolate in a teacup.”
“You don’t, maybe, but I do.” Discord winked at her.
“Of course. And I love that you do things your own way.” Fluttershy extended a hoof. “Shall we go inside?”
“I call the green throw pillow this time. You always hog it. Getting to have that pillow under my elbow would be a delight, if it isn’t too bold to ask for a second Hearth’s Warming gift.” Discord smiled playfully at Fluttershy as he took her hoof in his paw.
“Not too bold at all,” beamed Fluttershy. After all, getting to spend the morning with him, on top of what he’d already done for her and her father, made it feel like she was receiving ten gifts from him all at once.
The two friends sauntered towards her cottage, their hearts already warm and full with Hearth’s Warming cheer.