The four ponies sat around the desk, awaiting for their last member to arrive. The room was dark, each mare only carrying a silhouette shape to confirm they were still there. No one spoke, with the exception of the clock that kept ticking.
"Hey wait a second... we don't have a clock in here!" A young southern filly broke the long silence. "Sweetie Belle, stop clapping your hooves together." She turned to the unicorn filly next to her, who's mane was curled. Sweetie Belle obeyed her friend, and pulled her hooves back under the table to stop her tapping.
"I'm sorry Apple Bloom, I'm just so bored." She sighed. "Where the hay is she?"
"Now girls," An older mare spoke up. "We have to be patient. What she's doing right now is very serious. Of course it's going to take a while!"
"Yeah. Four hours and fourty-two minutes." Another filly with a more scratchy voice scoffed. As soon as she said that, they heard hooves clopping on the floor, coming towards them. The pegasus filly than gasped. "We've been found out!"
"Well, we ain't goin' down! Not today!" Apple Bloom retorted. "Scootaloo, get the big spotlight thing!"
"On it!" Scootaloo then rushed over to the corner, and started to pull out a large object. She grunted as she did so, then let go and panted when it didn't budge.
"Let me help!" Offered Sweetie Belle, running over to her side. Green magic sparked from her horn, eventually an aura with a matching colour glowed around the handle.
"Thanks." Scootaloo nodded, taking on the job to push it in the middle of the room instead of pulling it. Just in time too, as soon as the light was facing the door, it opened. Apple Bloom quickly flicked the switch on so that whoever was about to enter was visible. She then leaped in front of her whole team.
"We ain't gonna let you tell anypony about this without a fight!" She announced, then widened her eyes at whom she had just said that to.
"Oh my! I didn't mean it, I'm innocent!" In front of them, a yellow pegasus cowered as the spotlight beamed on her alone. Everpony sighed with relief.
"Oh, it's just you, Fluttershy." The other full grown mare said. She walked over to her, then held out a hoof. "Sorry, we thought it was somepony else."
"It's alright Cadance..." She squeaked.
"So, did you get the stuff?" Scootaloo skidded over next to her and nudged her leg. Fluttershy flinched a bit, still slightly shaken up.
"Um... yes." She confirmed, slowly making her way to the desk. Reaching her hoof in her saddlebag, the pegasus took out a book, along with some separate pieces of paper. Then, she sat down on her own seat, followed by the others.
Apple Bloom reached over to the book she had dropped in front of them and scanned it with her eyes.
"So Twilight did have it after all." She rubbed her hooves together in excitement.
"I feel so bad about taking it without her permission..." Fluttershy whimpered, looking down to the floor.
"Don't be. It's a library." Scootaloo assured her.
"Um... she lives in a castle now, not a library."
The younger pegasus blinked. "Uh... castle library then."
"Woah... you took a lot of notes." Cadance commented, levitating the papers in front of her.
Fluttershy giggled out of embarrassment. "There was so much to write down..."
"I can see that."
"Hey! Check this out, love can usually be triggered by an act of jealousy." Apple Bloom exclaimed, almost totally lost in her interest of the book. Sweetie Belle raised a brow.
"Um, why are we researching love? I thought we were just going to use Cadance's powers." She tilted her head in confusion. Everpony in the room stopped to stare at her.
"Did you learn nothing from the love poison?" Apple Bloom asked her.
"And my magic only works for those already in a relationship." Cadance looked up at her horn.
"But from the notes I took, Discord and Celestia were once in a relationship." Fluttershy added.
"They aren't anymore though. Which is why I think this plan could work." The southern filly tapped the page. Fluttershy looked at the book.
"Jealousy?" She echoed her. Apple Bloom smirked, then nodded. "But... how do I make Discord jealous?"
The filly slapped a hoof on her own face. "No, I mean, make Princess Celestia jealous!" She explained. Fluttershy became all the more confused.
"Uh... how do we do that exactly?" She whimpered, also noticing everypony staring at her, clearly knowing something she didn't.
"Tell me, who's Discord's closest friend?" Cadance rested her hooves on the desk.
"Pinkie Pie?" Fluttershy guessed. Next to her, Scootaloo groaned.
"You, silly!"
"Wait... are you saying I have to try and make Celestia jealous?" She gasped. "But I don't have a crush on Discord or anything, we're just best friends!"
"Of course you don't, you have a crush on Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo rolled her eyes. Fluttershy turned to look at her in surprise.
"What?"
"Nothing!" The orange pegasus raised her hooves. "What I mean to say is, you don't have to be in a romantic relationship, you just have to make Celestia think that!"
"Oh... I don't know..." Fluttershy shyed a little, her main covering some of her face.
"Oh please, our aim is for Celestia to take her anger out on Discord, not you. The worst she can do to you is send you to the moon!" Cadance giggled.
"Thanks for being the supportive princess that you are." Fluttershy scowled.
"I was kidding." She told her.
"I know... but how exactly do I make Celestia even consider we're in a relationship?" The timid pegasus asked. The five ponies thought for a second, then Apple Bloom stood up from her chair and trotted over to the wall behind them. She reached her hoof up to a string that hung from a tiny ledge, pulled it, and revealed a drawing board.
"Simple..." She began.
Fluttershy nervously made her way back to her cottage, hoping Discord hadn't got bored and left. She stopped in front of her door, and was about to open it when she heard a rustling sound. Her head swung round to face to bushes, not that far away.
"You're going to be following me everywhere?" She hoarsly whispered.
"What?" Came another whisper. "Fluttershy, when you whisper, you aren't even speaking!"
"I said, you're going to be following me everywhere?" Fluttershy told them louder.
"Oh. Yeah, we are. Well, until we get to Canterlot, then Cadance will go find the princess."
The pegasus sighed, then opened the door. It surprised her when she saw Discord still sitting in the place he originally was a few hours ago. When he noticed her, he sat up from his comfortable lying position on the couch and gave a grin.
"Well good afternoon dear Fluttershy!" He greeted. Fluttershy trotted confidently over to her friend.
"Hi Discord. Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm surprised you're still here after these few hours!"
Discord just shrugged. "I have my ways of keeping myself entertained. I'm sure you can guess the word." The draconequus gave her a nudge on the shoulder, awaiting for her to complete the sentence for him.
"Chaos." There wasn't even any uncertainty in her voice. It was always chaos.
"Correct!" He praised her, shaking her hoof rapidly. As he did so, Fluttershy gritted her teeth, afraid of her hoof loosing control and hitting her in the face. "Congrats my dear friend, you get a medal!" A white and blue medal with a gold medallion appeared in his lion paw. Her friend proudly put it around her neck, then let confetti rain down around her.
"...You gave me a medal last time." She said.
"So picky!" Discord hovered a paw over his mouth. "Last time it was a silver."
The statement made Fluttershy give up on the subject. Well - not completely.
"Are you trying to put me in a good mood Discord?" She have him a glare. Discord put his two different limbs in front of him, giving an offended look.
"Now, why would I do that? Aside from the fact, you deserve to be happy that is!" His awkwardness gave Fluttershy enough information.
"What broke?"
The two were silence for a few moments, then Discord gave up and pointed to the right side of the room. "Sorry Fluttershy. I really didn't mean to break it." The thick guilt in his throat was enough for Fluttershy to know it wasn't on purpose. "And I wasn't sure how to fix it, I forgot what it looked like."
Fluttershy looked at the scattered pieces of a bird house. Though she was quite surprised when he said he couldn't remember what it looked like.
"Do you even know what it is?" She turned back to him. Discord put a talon under his chin and thought for a few seconds, then shook his head. "It's a bird house."
He perked in surprise. "Oh! Well that's an easy one." He snapped his talons, and it was back on the shelf, fixed.
"Thanks." She smiled. "Anyway, are you doing anything this afternoon?"
"Hmm..." All of a sudden, Discord was holding a schedule in one paw, and moving some glasses up his muzzle with his talon. "Nope, I've done everything I could think of to do today this morning." He threw the paper and the glasses behind him.
"That's good. Because I was wondering if you wanted to come have dinner with me-" This was her last chance to change her mind. But oh, if this plan worked, she would be so happy! "-In Canterlot." She finished.
"Canterlot? The home for snobby unicorns?" Discord's muzzle wrinkled up at the thought.
"That's racist and stereotypical Discord."
He shrugged. "I wouldn't call it a racist statement. Stereotypical, yes. But then again, my stereotype for you is your a wimpy pegasus who's afraid of every single thing. I was wrong though - you're my best friend. Sure, why not?"
"Okay - we might as well be headed off now. I think the train comes in ten minutes."
"Pshh... never mind trains. With a snap, we could be there in a split second." He raised his lion paw to teleport them both, then Fluttershy raised a hoof to signal for him to hold it.
"Uh... one second!" She quickly rushed to peak outside. Maybe them all following her was a smart idea. She waved a signal to the bush they were originally in. Four heads poked out, then nodded at her. Once she saw them off, she slowly shut the door and looked back at Discord, who was giving her a strange look.
"What were you doing?"
"Uh... checking the mail?" She laughed nervously. The draconequus stared at her for a few moments, then shrugged. He gave a snap of his fingers, and in a bright white flash, they were both suddenly in Canterlot. In fact, they were right in front of Canterlot Castle. In front of her, was the pathway to the main city.
"So, where do you think we should go?" Discord mused. Fluttershy tapped her chin in wonder.
"I guess we could just wonder around and look for a place with nice food." She suggested. In reality, she was stalling so that the others could get to Canterlot in time. Discord gave a long, bored sigh.
"Fine."
"Come on train... you can go faster than this." Scootaloo groaned as she stared out of the window. For all the knew, Fluttershy and Discord might of finished dinner and went back home by now.
"We're almost there." Cadance soothed.
"While we wait, should we go over the plan again?" Sweetie Belle asked. Her two other friends gave her a disapproving look.
"Why? We've went over it ten times already!" Apple Bloom muttered. The white unicorn twiddled her hooves.
"What if we mess this up? I don't wanna disappoint Fluttershy."
Scootaloo gave her a nudge. "We won't. Besides, we're not gonna do much, just give Fluttershy hints on what to do next if she gets confused! Leave it to Cadance... she's the Princess of Love after all."
The princess chuckled, and blushed with slight embarrassment. "I'm flattered, really."
"...Though, Luna's still my favourite princess. She can walk in dreams, nothing is more awesome that that! Aside from Rainbow Dash, that is."
Cadance's smile turned into a frown. "Really... sometimes I feel like I'm a throw away character brought in for the sake of some sort of plot, then is forgotten about the next day." She mumbled under her breath.
"Oh hey, we're here!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, pointing outside. Turns out, they were indeed at Canterlot station. The four ponies casually trotted off of the train, but as soon as they were in public, they dove for cover.
"At least Canterlot doesn't seem too packed." Scootaloo whispered. "Now, we gotta go find Fluttershy and Discord."
Cadance saluted the three. "Good luck, I'll do my best to get Celestia out here."
"We'll report to you our findings as soon as we can!" Apple Bloom confirmed, before they went their different ways. The Crusaders, to the main city. Cadance, to the castle.
"Princess Mi Amore Cadenza! A pleasure seeing you here!" A royal guard bowed before her. Cadance just nodded, trying to keep her awkwardness in check. When ponies addressed her by her full name, it was weird.
"Please, you may call me Princess Cadance." She told him.
"But calling you Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is more formal!" He insisted.
"Uh... well I like the name Cadance better." A nervous chuckle escaped her. The guard still shook her head.
"But your full name is Princess Mi Amore-" Cadance interrupted him by bumping his chest with her hoof.
"Call me Princess Cadance." It took some effort not to sound like she was scolding him.
"You have my word, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza..." That's when she gave up. The alicorn just groaned and walked past him. Sometimes I wonder why The Crystal Empire seemed to suddenly appear out of nowhere, and sometime's I'm super glad I live there. She thought to herself. I hate to be rude... but the Royal Guard can be so stupid sometimes.
Once Cadance entered the thrown room, it surprised her when Celestia was not sitting on her thrown. However, this suggested something good. If she wasn't here, she was most likely in her room. Perfect place to do what she wanted to do! Before anypony could question why she was there, she galloped off towards her auntie's room.
You're going to look perfect for him, Celestia! She couldn't help but giggle out loud.
Though there were many ponies surrounding them, this was nowhere near how packed Canterlot could get during midday. So far, none of the three had spotted either Discord or Fluttershy, however.
"If we don't hurry, we may not catch them!" Sweetie Belle panicked. "I think we should ask somepony if they had seen either of them."
Her two friends looked at each other, then nodded. "I guess there's no harm in that." Scootaloo sighed. The unicorn then grinned, and trotted over to a pony sitting at a table outside a cafe.
"Excuse me." She had to raise her voice a little to be heard above the crowd. "Have you seen a yellow pegasus with a pink mane and butterflies on her butt?"
"Well, I last saw her in the mirror this morning." The mare answered, turning around to reveal the face of Fluttershy. The three fillies perked in surprise.
"Oh, hi Fluttershy. Where's Discord?" Scootaloo looked around, not spotting the draconequus anywhere.
"He went to pee." The pegasus cringed as she said this. She didn't really like to say things like that.
"Oh. Wait, how do draconequuses pee?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"How should I know that?" Fluttershy raised a brow.
"You're his best friend. How wouldn' ya know?" Apple Bloom tilted her head. The timid mare blinked, not knowing how to reply.
"...Because I don't watch others while they pee?"
"Fair point." Scootaloo shrugged. "Oh, and Sweetie Belle, the plural is draconequi, not draconequuses."
Apple Bloom scoffed at the pegasus' statement. "Actually, it's neither. It's still draconequus. Like pegasus."
"No, it's draconequi!" Scootaloo retorted. Fluttershy watched as the three argued, then was alerted when she noticed a slender shape hovering towards her table.
"Girls!" She cried quietly. The three looked at her, each stopping their arguments. "Hide, Discord's coming!"
When she said that, the three dashed off, conveniently in the same direction. They spotted a bush nearby, most likely put there for decoration, and clambered into it. As they tried to make themselves comfortable in the scratching branches, Scootaloo had to spit out some leaves and twigs that happened to find their way into her mouth. She grunted at the bitter taste.
"That was close." Apple Bloom muttered. "Now... where's Cadance?"
Cadance slowly opened the door to Celestia's room. She didn't want to startle her, whatever she was doing. Eventually, she spotted her sitting on her bed, reading some letters.
"Hi auntie!" She greeted, trotting happily into the room. Celestia looked up at her in surprise.
"Oh, hello Cadance. I didn't expect to see you. What brings you here?" She moved her letters to the side, then got up to go and meet her niece.
"Oh... I was just wondering..." Cadance was careful to keep her tone casual and innocent. "Are you free this afternoon?" She gave the older alicorn a small smile from the side. Celestia blinked at her, then looked back to her pile of letters. She though for a moment, then brought her gaze back to Cadance.
"Well... I do have a lot of letters-" When Celestia looked down at her niece, she stopped. Cadance's eyes were large and sparkling, and she wore a pout. Guilt started to eat at Celestia's hooves. "-Err... on second thought... yes... I am." She giggled nervously, not wanting to disappoint her. As Celestia said this, Cadance's begging expression became an excited grin in a split second.
"Great!" She jumped in the air. "So, what dresses do you have?"
Her aunt gave a confused look. "...Dresses?" She echoed.
"Oh, I just wanted to spend an afternoon with you in Canterlot. No harm in looking good in public!" She quickly explained, opening her wardrobe to scroll through the different clothes she had.
"Well... I don't mind just going in my regalia..." Celestia said.
"Oh, don't be ridiculous. You never want to where any of these clothes!" She complained, holding out a gold silken dress. "Sometime's I wonder why you own anything." Celestia noticed her trying to picture her in the dress she held with her magic.
"I used to wear them for the gala... but I don't bother anymore because it's always so awful." She flinched as the smaller alicorn replaced her royal regalia and teleported the dress onto her own body.
"Hmm..." Cadance thought for a moment, moving her regalia away from her. She looked at her forelock, then realized her crown was still on her head. Using her magic, Cadance took it away. "Perfect!" She squealed with victory. "Now, let's go!"
"Wait, aren't you going to wear anything?" Celestia asked. Cadance shook her head.
"My clothes are at the Crystal Empire." She shrugged.
"Um... then why did you make me..."
"Last minute thought!" The pink mare blurted out. "Can we go now?"
"Hold on..." Celestia told her, galloping over to her draw so she could get something. "Okay, I'm coming."
"What's that?" She tilted her head to the object she had stuffed under her clothes.
"Don't worry, it's just a sign that says, 'Don't look at me'."
Cadance blinked. "Why do you..."
"I don't wear dresses in public because everypony stares at me and it's really awkward!"
Fluttershy was shifting in her seat. There was a reason why she always had tea parties with Discord inside her cottage - staring eyes. Even thought everypony knew who he was, and a lot even trusted him, most of those ponies were in Ponyville. In Canterlot, however, no one knew just how reformed he was.
"I swear, service here is slow. I'm starting to wish we were back at your cottage." The draconequus groaned, bending backwards on his chair until he was backwards. "Oh well, I guess it's nice to be outside."
"Heheh... yeah..." Fluttershy murmured, still looking around drastically, trying to ignore the ponies that glanced at the two as they walked past. Come on Cadance... you're slower than the service here! She thought. Relief flooded her as she spotted two alicorns slowly walking towards them. So that Discord didn't get suspicious, Fluttershy had to be subtle as she looked. From the angle she peered, she saw Cadance say something to Celestia, then dragged her towards the cafe they were sitting at.
"Your drinks are served." The sound of the waiter made Fluttershy jump back into reality. A red stallion had put tea in front of her, and cola in front of Discord.
"Thank you." She nodded to him as he trotted back inside. In front of her, she saw Discord put his paw over the top of the cup, then he started shaking it violently. Before Fluttershy could ask, Discord stopped then looked back in his drink, and started to laugh. She stared as the drink started to fizz up. Suddenly, two small white things appeared over it, then dropped in it.
"What are you-" The pegasus began, but was interrupted as the drink exploded into the air. Fluttershy gave a short screeched, then covered herself with her hooves, getting prepared for the drink to splash all over her. She heard a snap, then the splashing sound on her left and right followed. But it didn't land on her.
"I wouldn't cover my friend in cola, Fluttershy." Discord scoffed. She couldn't help but look to the side. She noticed that Cadance and Celestia were now closer, and she saw they were very close to the drink landing on them.
"Discord... you nearly hit Celestia. And Cadance." She added quickly.
"Oh, I did? I didn't see them the-" Discord stopped as he spotted Celestia. He blinked when he saw the dress she was wearing.
Celestia had also noticed him looking at her too, Fluttershy could tell. She was looking around awkwardly, before she decided to sit down at the table behind her. Cadance gave Fluttershy a glance, both of them silently squealing.
This might work! She thought positively. Then a movement caught her eye. Fluttershy spotted a movement in a shrub nearby, then realized Sweetie Belle was trying to mouth something to her.
Make her jealous! She told her. Fluttershy blinked, then slowly nodded. She wasn't actually looking forward to this part.
"Dinner is served." The waiter returned, holding their plates for food.
"I see that..." Discord commented. "Is it part of a waiters job to announce their every action? Does that mean your not breathing right now because you're not announcing it? Don't worry, I'm reformed, and I'll save you!" He announced, holding up and oxygen mask. The waiter stared at him, rather scared, then ran back inside quickly. "Rude. I was only trying to help." He gave an offended pout, folding his arms. Fluttershy was about to say something, when she heard Celestia giggle a bit.
"You're looking at Discord a lot." Cadance hinted. Celestia perked, then turned back to her.
"I'm making sure he doesn't do anything rash." She confirmed. Cadance just raised a brow.
"He just make a cup of cola explode everywhere. It almost landed on your dress." She gasped dramatically. Celestia rolled her eyes.
"It was kind of funny." She shrugged. "It didn't even land on anypony."
"He just scared the horn off that waiter."
"One, the waiter was already an earth pony. And two, it was kind of funny as well."
A princess shouldn't laugh at others misery, Celestia!" Cadance said in an overly-dramatic tone, putting her hoof on her forehead for effect. Celestia raised a brow.
"You're the one who took the crown off me. And-" She was cut off by something behind Cadance. She looked where her aunt was looking, and saw two stallions staring at her. When she turned her head forward again, Celestia was holding her 'Don't look at me' sign. Cadance looked back at the stallions, who now looked quite scared, before they decided to gallop off.
"Sometimes I wish I had the ability to banish ponies to the moon." She muttered. "Excepet I don't. You know, a lot of ponies think I'm a tyrant, I really don't know why."
"Yeah... it's a mystery..." Cadance murmured under her breath.
"What was I gonna say? Oh yeah, Cadance, were you implying something before?" Celestia asked. Cadance widened her eyes.
"Not at all!" She lied. She then looked around for something to write with, and spotted a pony writing with a quill. Cadance used her magic to levitate it, and the paper being written on, towards her. In large letters, she wrote,
'She's suspicious!!!'
To get Fluttershy's attention, Cadance coughed loudly. The timid pegasus looked at her, and read the paper. When she did, she starting anxiously biting her hoof.
Then from not far off, Cadance heard Sweetie Belle.
"Should we abort?"
Oh dear. That really didn't help.
"No!" As soon as Fluttershy said this, she covered her mouth.
"What? Who are you talking to?" Discord asked, turning around to where Sweetie Belle's voice had come from.
"Get down!" Scootaloo's rasp could be heard from where Cadance and Celestia sat.
"Err... Fluttershy? Why are the Cutie Mark Crusaders hiding in a bush and whispering two you like you have some sort of plan up your sleeve?" He raised a brow at her. Fluttershy's eyes widened in panic.
"But... uh... I'm not wearing sleeves!" She answered nervously.
"Cadance?" She jumped as Celestia called her name.
"Yeah?"
"Why are you holding up a piece of paper that says 'She's suspicious!!!' ?"
Cadance blinked, not knowing what to say. Lucky for her, the mare she had stolen the quill from tapped her on the shoulder. She was light blew with a dusty blonde mane
"Uh... can I please have my quill back?" She asked, not being very enthusiastic as she said so.
"Sorry..." Cadance gave her the quill, and she went back over to her table.
"I swear, I can never write fanfictions without some sort of interruption." She heard her mutter. The statement confused her a little, but she didn't have time to work it out. Celestia was still waiting for an answer.
"Well... you see..." She began, uncertainly. "Okay forget it! Fluttershy, quick, abort!" Cadance yelled, to Celestia's (and Discord's) surprise.
"But it was going so well!" Fluttershy cried.
"We're busted! We'll have to think of something else!"
"Why are we revealing everything right in front of them?" Fluttershy stopped them both. The two of them looked at Discord and Celestia, who were both wearing similar expressions.
"We can explain. Well, we can't, but still." Cadance grinned innocently, along with Fluttershy. Celestia and Discord looked at each other for answers.
"Were you two trying to pair us up?" The asked spontaneously.
"No."
"Maybe."
"Yes."
"Definitely."
"Stop! It might still work!" Sweetie Belle yelled from the shrub.
"No it won't. We might as well confess." Cadance sighed. "Celestia... Discord..." She was interrupted by Fluttershy, whom put a hoof in front of her so she'd stop walking forward.
"Princess Celestia, Diacord, this was all my idea. I only did this because I thought you two would be a good couple, so me Cadance, and those three-" She pointed her hoof to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, whom were slowly moving towards them. "-Decided to set you up. We only had good intentions, but if you want to punish us by banishing me to Tartarus or the moon, than do it to me and me alone." She bowed her head. Celestia blinked at the guilty pegasus, then slapped a hoof on her face.
"Why does everypony think I'm going to banish them somewhere horrid for the tiniest thing?" She groaned.
"I have no idea." Discord said sarcastically. Celestia then gave a huff at him.
"We're not angry. In fact, I'm quite grateful."
Fluttershy looked up at her. "You are?"
Celestia nodded. "I'm glad you want to help my relationship, Fluttershy. Though... I strongly doubt that-" Again, she paused to angrily glare at some staring ponies in the distance.
"Would you stop looking at me?!" She screeched, causing the three stallions to cower and run off.
"...As I was saying..." She continued. "I doubt me and Discord could ever be in a relationship."
The five mare's heads drooped disappointingly. For five seconds.
"Okay! Let's move on then, I think we should get Rainbow Dash a special somepony!" Scootaloo's wings fluttered excitedly.
"Yeah!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle cheered, as the three fillies dashed off back to the station, followed by Cadance and Fluttershy. This left Celestia and Discord to look at each other in confusion.
"...So, tomorrow night, my place?" Celestia asked.
"Yeah, I should be free then."
