Peace and harmony were abundant one Spring day. The deep blue sky was spotted with fluffy white clouds, the trees swayed gently in the breeze, and the grass was extra green. A dazzling lake at the base of a tall hill served as the swimming hole for ponies from the nearby town of Ponyville.

“Come on Fluttershy, the water’s great!”

In the water, the cerulean Pegasus, Rainbow Dash, egged on her friend to join her. Although her short prismatic hair was wet, it still held it’s signature spiked look.

On the dry shore, the shy Pegasus pony Fluttershy contemplated getting in. Next to her was their friend, Alicorn Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Fluttershy peeked an aquamarine eye out from her long flowing pink mane and studied the surface of the lake. “Are you sure?” she asked in her quiet, soft voice. “The water looks rough.”

A ripple gently floated onto the grassy shore where a nearby ladybug looked on without concern.

“Don’t worry, Fluttershy,” Twilight soothed, “we’re right here. Why don’t you try putting one hoof in at a time?”

Slowly, cautiously, the Pegasus put her front right hoof into the water, but immediately withdrew it and shook it dry. “It’s so wet!”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “This is going to take forever!” she complained. “Just jump in and get it over with!”

“Rainbow!” Twilight scolded. “She’s not going to get over her fear of swimming just by jumping in!”

In a flash a white light, a serpentine creature appeared in the water next to Rainbow Dash. It had the gray head of a pony, but the rest of its body was an amalgamation of a lion, eagle, lizard, goat, and bat. All three other ponies gasped as they immediately recognized him as Discord, the Draconequus embodiment of chaos.

“I’m entirely with Rainbow Dash on this one.” He spoke as if he were there the whole time, casualing floating on his back. “If we do it your way it’s simply going to take all day!”

“Discord!” the Rainbow Dash jumped out of the water with a splash and hovered in the air. “What are you doing here?” She frowned suspiciously at him.

“What, can’t I go swimming with my friends?” His voice was as condescending as it was defensive.

Rainbow’s departure from the water pushed a small wave up onto the beach, throwing three droplets onto Fluttershy’s face. She squealed in surprise and immediately rubbed at her face to wipe it off.

“And now look, you splashed my dear friend Fluttershy! How naughty of you.”

Rainbow dash cringed. “Ooh, I’m sorry Flutters. Are you okay?” She flew over to her to help.

“I’m fine,” she sputtered, still wiping her face.

“What do you want?” Twilight Sparkle demanded, giving a stern look at Discord. “It’s not like you to visit so unexpectedly.”

“If you must know, I wanted to ask Fluttershy a question.” He lazily pointed his eagle claw at her.

“Well?” Rainbow Dash asked. “What is it?”

Discord rolled his differently sized yellow eyes. “I didn’t want to disturb your pony sensibilities by talking about it in public. I wanted to ask her alone.”

“Whatever you have to say to Fluttershy, you can say in front of us,” Twilight declared. “We’re her best friends.”

“Yeah!” Rainbow agreed.

“No, it’s okay,” Fluttershy said meekly, stepping forward.

“What?” Twilight and Rainbow looked shocked at her.

“He’s our friend now, remember? And even if you two are my best friends, I don’t think you’re his best friends.” She smiled meekly. “No offense”

“But what about swimming?” Rainbow asked, still hopeful. “You haven’t even gotten in the water yet!”

“I’ve had enough for today.” Fluttershy smiled. “Thank you both for your help.”

She looked up at Discord. “We can talk in private, if you’d like.”

“Thank you Fluttershy,” Discord said evenly. “I knew you’d understand.” With the snap of his lion paw, both of them disappeared.

******

Fluttershy’s pet bunny, Angel, was relaxing reading a newspaper on the couch in their cottage when suddenly Fluttershy and Discord appeared in the middle of the room. In his surprise, he tossed the newspaper and rolled off couch with a squeak.

Fluttershy blinked twice, recognizing where she was. “You shouldn’t teleport others without asking,” she scolded softly. “It’s not nice!”

“Of course, of course,” he patronized. “I should have asked first.”

Angel bunny stuck his head out from behind the couch leg and scowled at Discord, who frowned back.

“So how have you been, Fluttershy?” he asked offhandedly. “Read any good books lately?”

“Why yes, I have,” she said with subdued excitement. “I read this really great one about knitting coats for animals and…” she stopped, wondering if he was paying any attention.

He had sat down in her easy chair, put on a pair of white cateye glasses, and was reading from a yellow book he held in his lion paw.

“No, go on,” he waved at her, glancing up. “I’m listening.”

“Okay…” Fluttershy said skeptically. Angel crawled back up onto the couch and continued reading, posing like Discord.

“...and they had many wonderful suggestions on how to keep mice warm using…”

“Uh-huh” Discord turned a page.

Discord was being awfully rude, but the Pegasus had learned that this was his way of asking for attention. “Um, what are you reading?” Fluttershy asked.

“Oh me?” the demon looked up. “It’s just a book about Draconequus.”

Fluttershy’s eyes went wide with excitement. “Really? I never knew there was such a book!”

“Of course there is, see?” He held the book close to her so she could read the title, Draconequus 101, by Discord.

He took the book back and continued reading while the Pegasus watched on in silence.

“Discord? What was it that you wanted to talk about?”

“I thought you’d never ask!” Discord stood up, throwing his book and glasses behind him.

“The problem is,” he exclaimed dramatically, “it’s far too embarrassing to talk about!” He placed his arm on his forehead. “It’s something not even you, my dearest, closest friend, could understand.”

“Oh dear.” Fluttershy frowned. “Are you sure? My friends say I’m a really good listener.”

“If you insist!” He turned his head away from her, crossing his arms. “You see, a Draconequus like myself has certain needs, and well, if they don’t get met, then bad things happen.” He turned to her and waved his arms in the air with exaggerated movements. “Awful, terrible, horrible things!”

“That sounds… horrible!” She agreed, “What do you need?”

Discord rolled his eyes. “I’ve only been trapped in stone since before the Royal Sisters were divided. I’m free now, but there isn’t a single other Draconequus left, especially any of the female persuasion. That means… well, I’m sure you can figure it out.”

“You’re... lonely?”

“Very good, Fluttershy!” He slowly clapped his claw and paw together.

“...and?” she asked innocently.

“And?” Discord shook his head. “I need you to take care of my needs.” He threw an arm around her and pulled her close to his face.

“Especially my physical needs.”

“Hm…” Fluttershy contemplated, furrowing her eyebrows. “No.”

Discord was taken aback. “What?”

“I said ‘no’.”

“But Fluttershy!” he protested. “You’re my closest friend!”

“No means no.”

“But who else am I supposed to ask? Nopony would say ‘yes’.” A mischievous grin crept across his face. “I could just use my magic to make you do it…”

She lept into the air with a few flaps of her wings and stared him in the face with one angry, determined eye. “And just what do you mean by that, Mister?”

He stepped back putting his arms up defensively. “Nothing!” His head lowered pitifully to the ground. “Isn’t there anything I could do to convince you?” He made his best cute eyes at her.

Angel bunny looked up from his newspaper and gave him the raspberry. Discord glared back for a moment before resuming his cute eyes, batting his eyelashes.

“Well,” her face softened as she gently lowered herself to the ground. “You could ask me on a date. If it goes well, then, well, maybe...”

Discord frowned. “A date? Really?”

Fluttershy closed her eyes and nodded. “Yes.”

Discord weighed his options. Forcing her with his magic would certainly mean another thousand years or so in stone. He could come back later in a different form and try to convince her that way, but it would probably take longer than the date and it really wouldn’t suit his needs. He sighed with defeat.

“Fine. Fluttershy, will you go out with me?”

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. “Yes, I will.”

“Oh goody,” Discord feigned excitement. "So where shall we go, hmm?"

Discord was eager to get on with the date. The sooner it started, the sooner it finished, and the sooner he got what he really wanted.

“May I offer you some choices?”

The twinkle in his eye would have convinced any other pony that he was not to be trusted, but Fluttershy, being the kind pony she is, gave him the benefit of the doubt.

“Yes, you may.”

Discord snapped his lion paw.

******

They flashed to a Canterlot hall where a four pony quartet played.
“How ‘bout a little dance?”
Fluttershy shook her head, “no”.

They appeared at the Eiffel Tower and the Draconequus wore a beret.
“Why not a trip to France?”
Fluttershy shook her head, “no”.

At a movie theater, Discord took a sip from his drink and offered his popcorn.
“A funny movie, perchance?”
Fluttershy shook her head, “no”.

In the park in Ponyville, he spun a white parasol over his shoulder.
“A walk in the park, to prance?”
Fluttershy shook her head, “no”.

At a restaurant in Manehatten, Discord presented a meal to Fluttershy.
“Would a dinner do the trick?”
Fluttershy shook her head, “no”.

In the middle of the ocean on a ship, Discord turned the wheel.
“A boat that isn’t too slick?”
Fluttershy shook in fear, “no”.

On a mountain overlook, he planted a flag.
“Or a hike, fast and quick?”
Fluttershy shook her head, “no”.

At the cottage again, Discord threw his hands up.
“I give up! Whatever you pick!”
Fluttershy stood in thought.

“I’d like to go on the nature trail through the hills.”

“Finally!” Discord raised his paw to cast another spell.

“But I want to walk there,” Fluttershy stipulated.

Discord dropped his hand and groaned. “Fine.”

Author's Note

I originally wrote this story to be a Fluttershy / Discord ship with a high-status Fluttershy. For better or for worse, my intention meandered away from that goal.