Dating isn't just for mortals...

Discord sat in silence watching Fluttershy process the question that he just asked her. The poor shy pony hated being put on the spot, and obviously the question posed by the draconequus had put her timid nature into overdrive.

“Fluttershy, are you alright?” he asked tenderly, moving next to her . It had only been a few weeks since the Tirek incident and their friendship was still recovering from his ultimate betrayal. It had been tough, but they were working through it.

“I...I don’t know” Fluttershy finally replied “I’m...not so good when it comes to these sort of things.” A faint blush appeared on her cheeks and she turned her away bashfully.

“Sorry to put you on the spot...but I didn’t know who else to ask.”

“Perhaps we should ask the others, they’ll have a better understanding...especially Twilight as she knows the Princess better than anypony else.”

“Are you sure Twilight would be willing to help me? I did sort of get her house blown up.” Discord head fell a little as he spoke

“I think she’s proven that she has forgiven you...mostly. Besides, a true, true friend helps a friend in need!”

“I’ll go round them up.” Discord was about to click his fingers when Fluttershy put her hoof our to stop him.

“Perhaps it would be more friendly to simply go round in person than use your magic to gather them up. Besides, I could do with getting out for some fresh air.”

Discord looked down at the yellow hoof in his hand, and smiled over to his first friend “Of course Fluttershy, we’ll go whenever you’re ready.”

Twilight and the majority of the council of friendship were gathered in the main hall of Twilight’s new castle, along with Discord. They were waiting for Applejack to arrive as the farm pony was just finishing up some chores, and without much of a delay the orange mare came galloping in.

“Sorry gals, just wanted to finish up bucking the east orchard” Once Applejack had sat down, the focus switched back to the creature that had asked them to meet.

“So Discord, what did you want us for?” Rainbow Dash asked brashly.

Twilight rolled her eyes at her testy friend “I think what Rainbow Dash meant to say is that you said you needed our help? What can we help you with?”

Discord stood up and was a nervous as any of the ponies had ever seen him “I have something to ask you. Something, of a personal nature”

Apart from Fluttershy who knew what was going on, the five ponies and dragon present looked at each other with confusion. “Go on darling” Rarity encouraged Discord, perhaps hoping for some juicy gossip.

“Well...I’m thinking of asking Princess Celestia out on a date.” The room was silent and so the draconequus continued “I know we have had our history, but I’ve always respected and admired her…”

Discord noticed the sudden incredulous looks from the others in the room and added “...in my own way. But I have no idea of what she thinks of me. So, what do you think, should I give it a shot?

“Of course” Pinkie Pie was the first to respond “We’ll have a great big party!”

“I’m not so sure thats a great idea…” Twilight spoke to Pinkie and then turned to Discord “...but if you want to ask her out, you should follow your heart!”

“I wasn’t sure when you first asked me, but I thought it was a good idea. It’ll be so nice!” Fluttershy added

“But what if she turns me down?” Discord asked the mares present.

“Now Discord, you can’t get apples without bucking some trees...sometimes the tree will give you a bushelful, other times you’ll get nothing, but you don’t know until you give it a kick.”

Twilight nodded in agreement, trotted over “Nothing in life comes without risk - we’ve all had risky adventures and have gained something from it, so no reason you can’t do the same.”

“Thanks all, I’ll do it. But I also need you help...in working out what to do! I feel it’s best to ask with a specific proposition in mind...seems more mature that just asking like a young colt”

“Thats probably a good idea, it’ll make it seem more genuine rather than some sort of joke!” Rarity replied. Dating and everything to do with romance...she was the expert of the group and so naturally took the lead.

Discord turned to the fashionista “So I was thinking that we should do something in the daytime, to bask in her glorious sunlight?”

“No, it should definitely be at night. Apart from anything else, it’s traditional.” Rarity smiled.

Twilight nodded “It’ll also give Luna a nice bit of heart if her sister enjoys her date during her night.”

“And nothing means more to a mares heart than family” Applejack added “You’ll earn some points for that!”

“So, what should we do?” Discord asked a little desperately “She’s lived for thousands of years, she must have eaten in every restaurant in canterlot numerous times!”

The room quietened again as they all thought, until one voice broke the silence.

“I have the perfect first date idea!”

Discord, and all the ponies present, turned to the dragon whelp sat next to Twilight. “You do?” they asked in surprise.

“Yeah, well…” Spike rubbed the back of his head, suddenly nervous that the attention had switched to him. Spike stood up in his chair and proceeded to tell the others of his idea, with an astounding amount of detail.

“My...that sounds perfect!” Twilight smiled at her assistant “It’s different enough to show that there is real intention, without being so over the top that it’ll overshadow the actual date. Spike, you are a genius!”

“How come you had all that to mind?” Pinkie Pie asked.

Spike made sure to look anywhere but in the direction of a certain white unicorn in the room “Heh, I guess I’ve been thinking about this for a while!”

“But, if we do this, it’ll spoil your chance of doing this wonderful plan yourself!” Discord asked in surprise. Hearing this made Twilight smile as it showed that the god of chaos did occasionally think of others but himself - maybe him and the Princess did stand a chance.

“I doubt I’m going to be dating anypony from ponyville so there’s still a chance of surprising my special somepony with this.”

“Well, if she accepts, would you all help me pull this off?” Discord turned to the ponies gathered in turn as he spoke!”

“Of course, we’ll do anything for a friend, right girls?” Rarity asked, to be met with her five friends nodding in arguement.

“Excellent. Spike, take a letter!” Discord commanded, to receive a look of slight contempt back from the dragon. “Please?” he added.

“Of course Discord, ready when you are.” Spike grabbed a nearby quill and parchment which was dotted all over Twilights new home...for list making emergencies.

Discord cleared her throat and began “Dear Princess Celestia….”

Whilst the focus was on the draconequus, Rarity turned away when nopony was looking and discreetly wiped a tear from her eye.

Celestia, Luna and Cadence sat round a table, their evening tea laid out in front of them. A silence had fallen over them as Celestia had just finished reading the letter she had just received to her two fellow princesses. The guards and maids had previously been dismissed, leaving just the sound of three ponies breathing.

The silence was then rudely interrupted by a squee from Cadence, and the two sister turned to their niece.

“Aunty has a date” the Princess of love gushed, her eyes practically turning into hearts as she excited clopped her front two hooves together, causing Luna to giggle a little.

“But what does it mean?” Celestia asked with a slight amount of confusion, the surprise of receiving such a letter still making her mind churn.

“I think it means, in the modern vernacular, he wants some of your hot flank action sister” Luna managed to suppress her laughter as she spoke.

Celestia shot her younger sister a look that would turn the average pony to stone “I meant...does he mean it?”

“I don't think even Discord would joke about such things, especially if it meant roping in Spike to send it to you.” Luna replied, taking a sip of tea.

“I agree. Besides, we all saw him give you a bunch of flowers after the Tirek incident...not myself or Luna who was also sent to Tartarus, or Twilight who had gone through so much!”

Celestia smiled a little remembering the surprise gift of flowers she had been given...along with a wink. Bringing her mind back to the present, she asked her companions“Why do you think he didn’t ask me in person?”

“He may have not wanted to put you on the spot and given the recent issues, decided it was best to play it slow?” Luna mused “Although that isn’t the Discord we know, perhaps being around timid Fluttershy is helping to cool him down a little”

Cadence nodded in agruement “ And perhaps he thought you would take it as a joke and laugh it off? Can you imagine declaring your love for somebody, and they treat it as a joke?” She shivered slightly at the mere thought.

“Thats true...so what should I say?”

“Well, it depends...doth thou like thy jester?” Luna slipped into the old dialect to match her teasing tone. “Does thy heart flutter like butterfly whenever he appears?”

Celestia smiled in response that could only mean yes. She levitated her writing instruments over to her and began her letter of reply.

“Discord and Tia, sitting in a tree…” Cadence started to sing with a giddy glee.

Celestia smiled that knowing smile she often used for diplomatic purposes “Be careful Cadence, or I’ll tell Shining Armour about your first marriage…”

Cadence froze up “You wouldn’t...besides, I was barely a foal and kindergarten ‘weddings’ don’t count!”

Celestia smirked as she wrote her reply “When a Princess declares that she and one of the colts in the playground got married under the slide, who were the teachers to declare that void? My, what an interesting afternoon that was...”

Discord was pacing around the hall, the others chatting nervously. Whilst their relationship with the god of chaos had often been a strained one, knowing that their friend had put his feelings out there made them empathise with him.

Suddenly Spike held his stomach and belched up a scroll, Twilight catching it in her aura. Twilight unraveled the very top, and looked at the first couple of words. “Discord, it’s addressed to you!”

Discord gently took the paper in his hand and read down the page. He abruptly did a somersault in the air and with a gleeful voice announced “She said yes!”