Chapter 1: The Draconequus
*Fluttershy POV*
"Oh.... Twilight you don't have to...." Fluttershy manged to whisper out.
"No, no, no! I insist! You girls need to get on with your lives! This is MY role! I understand that friendship is the most powerful magic, which is why I'm doing this!" Twilight replied, shaking her hoof around. "I'm afraid this is gonna HURT our friendship!"
"Aw, Twi..... Nothin' can ruin our friendship!" Applejack smiled, pulling Twilight in for a hug.
"You may think that's true...." Twilight squirmed out of the friendly hug. "But you guys have been working very hard to come along with me. This is my work! I should be doing this alone! You guys have stuff to do here!" Twilight shouted throwing her hooves out to represent the land around them.
The six mares had just gotten home and were sitting in the new castle, taking a break before their next friendship adventure. Ever since Twilight had become the princess of friendship, the girls were traveling all over Equestria! The map always showed them where to go. Although she was beat, Fluttershy thought nothing of the situation.
She should help out Twilight! She was her friend and it was the right thing to do!
"Twilight.... The castle came with SIX chairs!!! And they each have one of our cutie marks on them! And the map ONLY activates when we ALL sit on the chairs!" Rainbow dash argued.
"You girls can sit on the chairs so I can figure out where to go! Then you guys will know where I am! So, if there IS any trouble.... you girls can be there in no time!" Twilight replied, now looking aggravated.
"How will WE know if YOU'RE in danger?!" Rarity screamed dramatically.
Twilight sighed. She put a hoof to her forehead, squeezing her eyes shut. "You think that I haven't already thought about that!? I'm going to tweak around with Pinkie's Pinkie sense!"
Everypony now looked at Pinkie, whom now seemed agitated.
"Um.... Twilight.... I don't think that is a good-"
"EXCUSE ME?!?!?!" Pinkie shouted, interrupting Fluttershy. "YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY PINKIE SENSE!!!!!"
"BUT PINKIE!!! IF I DON'T, I WILL HAVE TO MAKE YOU GUYS WORK FOR ME EVERYDAY!!!! AND I DON'T WANT THAT!!!!" Twilight was screaming her mane off starting to slowly fly up a bit.
"I..... uh..... It doesn't really-"
"MY PINKIE SENSE IS SENSITIVE!!!! [Say that ten times fast!]" Pinkie wailed, jumping out of her seat.
Now the group began shouting, arguing over what they should do. Everyone, except Fluttershy, who's eye's widened as she quickly scrambled out the door.
~*~*~*~
Fluttershy slammed her cottage door behind her, breathing heavily. "Oh..... *huff* I'm so *puff* glad I got out of that situation....." She breathed.
Suddenly, there was a rambunctious knock at the door. She let out a little yelp as she darted away from the door.
~Oh dear..... Did they follow me?!~ She thought in her mind. She eyed the door from behind the sofa, quickly shifting down when the chaotic knock happened again.
"Fluttershy..... are you um..... in there?" A voice said from the door. Fluttershy walked quietly out from behind her hiding spot, over to the door. She gulped as she creaked it open. She blushed when she realized who was at the door.
"Oh..... Discord it's just you...." Fluttershy mumbled as she opened the door for the Draconequus. He said nothing as he floated inside. The two hadn't spoken for a week. Ever sense the Tirek incident, Fluttershy has not said a word to him. She was either away or too afraid to talk to him.
Discord looked down at the pegasus. A small frown formed on his lips as he uttered: "I'm..... I'm sorry...."
Fluttershy continued to stare at the ground. This was very awkward......
A multi-colored bouquet of tulips appeared in Discord's eagle claw. He held them out to Fluttershy and looked away himself.
She still said nothing, and did not make an attempt to grab the flowers. So, he set them carefully in front of her. "I'm sorry Fluttershy. I took advantage of you. I know what I did was wrong. I shouldn't have done it. But, I had not been able to spread my chaos for a while and...... I just wanted to get in a state of comfort. I just wanted to be able to not have to be forced to keep my personality inside me..... Like I was poison. I want to be able to have my chaos...... but I cant without losing you." He had a tone of uncertainty, as if he were hiding something.
Fluttershy looked up, her eyes now filled with tears.
"I know Discord I know! But I cant believe you would just toss me aside like that! Like I was worth nothing to you! Is that what you think of me? Just someone to use and then throw away?" Fluttershy was shouting now. Even her shout seemed kind of loud.
Discord's head sunk down as he sulked in his guilt. Fluttershy knew she was being harsh. But, she just couldn't believe that Discord would do something like that!
~He never cared..... He never appreciated me..... He just thought of me as an escape plan......~ Fluttershy screamed in her mind.
Discord reached down and picked up the tulips.
"I know that tulips are your favorite..... You know why?" He asked, smiling a bit. "Because you were my friend that's why! You may think that I gave it all up because I didn't care about you..... But the exact opposite is true! I thought that YOU didn't care..... You just thought of me as a fixer-upper. I didn't think that you would care if I wasn't your friend anymore! So, as a test...... I accepted the deal. When I saw you crying in that cage it broke my heart! But, it also made me realize that you DID care! You did want to be my friend! You were even CRYING about it! But, it was too late..... I had already roped myself into the deal. Now, I thought that at least Tirek would be my friend...... but then he betrayed me, as I betrayed you. Please forgive me Fluttershy! I don't know all there is about friendship. Testing your emotions like that was WRONG! I know that now! So PLEASE, give me a second chance!" His face turned into that of a pleading one.
His words stung Fluttershy's heart. She didn't know whether or not to forgive him. She knew he was telling the truth, but she was afraid it might happen AGAIN.
But she couldn't keep it inside of her anymore. She burst from her spot and into Discord's arms. She was balling her eye's out as discord pulled her in for a comforting hug. He patted her back, letting her cry on his shoulder.
"Shh, shh. It's ok...." He whispered as she continued to weep.
"Please..... don't.... *sniffle*..... do that..... again." She managed to choke out between her sobs.
"I wont.... I promise I wont...." Discord said, squeezing the crying mare even tighter. He never wanted to let her go again.
*Applejack POV*
Applejack could see the crystal door fly open from the corner of her eye, and then saw a dash of yellow and light pink shoot out the doorway. She could feel the anger boil up inside of her..... WHY WAS EVERYPONY ARGUING?!?!!?
Applejack pounded her hooves on the table, resulting in a large splash of colors from the map, and a loud crashing noise.
"WILL Y'ALL SHUT THE F*** UP!!!!!!! YA' SCARED AWAY FLUTTERS!!!!" She shouted at the top of her lungs.
"APPLEJACK!!!!" Rarity screeched at her use of vulgar language. Applejack simply rolled her eyes at the dramatic mare and turned back to her friends.
"Sorry 'bout that..... but ya' guys didn' even notice Fluttershy LEAVE!" The country mare argued, throwing her hoof towards the door, which was still swinging and squeaking on it's hinges.
"Oh Celestia..... Did we scare her away AGAIN?!" Rainbow Dash face-hoofed herself, and shot Applejack a look of disapproval.
"It was ya' own darn faults too!" A.J. sighed, shifting out of the cold crystal chair and started to trot towards the door.
"And where do you think YOU'RE GOING?!" Pinkie screeched, launching towards the farm girl. But, luckily Applejack dodged her and Pinkie crashed into the wall.
"To calm down Fluttershy!"
~*~*~*~
"Flutters! Come on gal'! Ah' just wanna help ya'!!!!" Applejack shouted, running through town like a mad mare.
Wait a minute....... Ah' still haven't checked her own damn cottage yet..... haven' ah'?
Applejack halted suddenly in the dirt road, producing a load SCCCCRRRREEEEECCCHHHH and a small ditch behind her. Applejack stood and turned in the opposite direction, running towards the home of the little pegasus.
After a couple minutes of galloping, she finally made it to the cottage. She stumbled over to the front door, out of breath completely. She panted as she rose a hoof to the door, but was interrupted by a sound from inside. It was the sound of a burst.... a burst of tears....
Suddenly she wasn't so sure about knocking....
"Fluttershy?" Applejack asked through the door.
"Shh, shh. It's ok...." someone had said quietly. Applejack became very alert.....
Who the hay is that in there?! She wondered, slowly making her way too the window. As she peered inside, she didn't see a sad sight; but rather a bittersweet one. It was beautiful, Discord sitting on the ground, dried tears on his cheeks. His mismatched arms were wrapped around the yellow mare. Her face stuffed into his chest, crying her eyes out. Normally the sight would be depressing, but Applejack knew EXACTLY what was going on....
He had finally apologized.
Applejack smiled at the two, feeling her eyes become glassy as well.
"Please..... don't.... *sniffle*..... do that..... again." Fluttershy mumbled into his chest.
"I wont.... I promise I wont...." Discord smiled, and tightened his grip around her.
At that moment, Applejack tipped her hat and head back for the castle. This was their moment, not hers.
~*~*~*~
*Fluttershy POV*
Fluttershy groaned softly as she tugged her comforter up and over her head, trying to block Celestia's rays. Not that she didn't appreciate the princess, but raising the sun meant that Fluttershy would have to crawl out of her bed, just to get back to work.
She sighed in comfort as she finally got out of the bright sunlight, starting to drift back off to sleep......
Until she heard a poof and a friendly: "Good mourning my dear!!!!"
She yelped out and jumped off the bed, crashing to the wood below along with her comforter. She tried to get out of the mess of fabric, but only managed to poke her little head out, and gape at the draconequus standing before her.
"D-Discord?! What are you doing here?!" She asked. Discord simply covered his mouth to hide a wide grin, snickering a bit.
"Would you- pfffftttt -like me to get you out of that blanket?"
Fluttershy blushed as she realized the position she was in. "N-no..... I'm fine!...."
She rolled around the floor, trying to free herself of the bed ridden object, but to no avail. She kept rolling until her body met her dresser, bumping into it.
"Ouch!" She exclaimed. At that moment, Discord exploded into laughter. "It's not funny!" Fluttershy snapped, sitting up, although she couldn't see anything due to her face being covered. Discord stopped laughing altogether.
Suddenly the blanket on her face was swiped away, to where she could see Discords smiling face right in front of hers. She blushed at realizing how close in proximity their faces were. But Discord didn't even notice as he picked the pony up, the covers sliding off her.
"Well I must admit, that was quite an adorable way to start the day! But I didn't come here to watch you roll around in your bedsheets!"
Fluttershy's blush darkened at that comment. Adorable? Her? No..... no way.....
Discord noticed this, smiling even wider. "Fluttershy, I do believe you have some spaghetti sauce on your cheeks! Did you forget to wash your face last night?"
Fluttershy's eyes widened as she stared at the draconequus face. "N-no! I.... I...." She started.
Discord laughed a bit. "You don't have to answer that!"
Fluttershy frowned a bit before saying: "I..... I'm not adorable....."
Discord placed her gently on the ground. "Why so modest Fluttershy? You were rolling around in a comforter for Pete's sake! How is that NOT adorable?"
Fluttershy needed a way to change the subject, QUICKLY! "Erm..... Who's Pete?" She asked innocently.
Discords face turned that of a puzzled one. "What....?"
"You said 'for Pete's sake'. Who is Pete?"
"You do realize that is a figure of speech, right?"
"Well, yes but...... I was just wondering. I mean, why do we say 'for Pete's sake' instead of 'for Mary's sake'....... or something?"
"Hmmmmm......." Discord put a hand to his chin, stroking his beard. "That is a good question..... I will have to ask Celestia!"
He turned back to the pink haired mare in front of him. "Anyways, you are probably wondering why I'm here....."
Fluttershy nodded a bit, indicating a 'yes'.
"Well, after..... everything....... I thought it might be a good idea to spend some time together....." He mumbled, looking away.
"Discord..... you don't have to do anything for me....." Fluttershy smiled.
"Oh but I do! Here!" He snapped his fingers and the bed behind her was completely made.
"I made your bed, fed the animals, and made a delicious breakfast for you!"
Fluttershy gaped at the creature. "You don't have to-"
"Yes I do! Come on!" Discord interrupted, grabbing the mare in his arms and taking off for the dining room.
"Woah!" Fluttershy exclaimed, thrusting her hooves around him to regain herself.
But, sooner than you could say 'Pinkie picked a pack of pickled peppers', they were in the dining room. Discord put the mare on top of one of the many fuchsia colored pillows, and sat upon one himself, directly beside her.
"So, what would you like?" Discord asked, waving his lion paw to indicate the many plates scattered before them on the large, brown table.
"......Oh my..... You don't...... I mean... This really....... Pancakes please?" Fluttershy whispered, flabbergasted by the draconequuses kindness.
He snapped his fingers, and the only things that remained were two plates of pancakes, a tea kettle, and two tea cups.
"Good choice my dear! Would you like syrup with that?" Discord asked, pouring the tea into the two cups with his magic.
"I.... Um...... Sure?" Fluttershy was completely speechless. She didn't know what to say! Finally she let out a sigh.
I'm never going to influence him to stop..... so I might as well go along with it.....
Fluttershy didn't like to let ponies..... or anyone..... try to do things for her. She was always too kind for that! She never wanted anyone to do her work, or even help her. Although, it did feel nice to actually eat breakfast this early, instead of going out to take care of her animals. She loved them all so dearly, but she had to admit.......
It was kinda tiring to always worry about THEIR needs instead of HER OWN.
Alas, Fluttershy couldn't bring herself to put her needs first. She barely even wanted to THINK about it! Fluttershy smiled a bit and looked up at the draconequus above her, whom was still pouring the tea. True, she didn't like to be catered to.... But she had to admit.... It was nice to finally get a single moment to relax........
Suddenly she remembered the certain conversation she had ran away from last night. She stood up abruptly, bonking into the table.
"Fluttershy? Is everything alright?" Discord asked, setting the kettle down.
"I.... ERM! Ugh...... no....... Me and my friends were.... arguing...." She answered, frowning as she look down at her pancakes.
Discord slid his lion paw on her shoulder, which made her shiver. She sat back down on the velvet pillow, and looked up at the draconequus once again.
"Tell me all about it...." He mumbled calmly, which was weird. He was never calm!!! He was the Lord of Chaos for..... Pete's...... sake!!!!
"Ugh! It was so..... SO STUPID DISCORD!!! Twilight wanted everypony to stop going on trips with her because of important stuff here! But the thing is, GUESS WHAT?!!
We're her FRIENDS!! Do you know how many adventures we've had together? How many enemies we've defeated? How many enemies we've REFORMED?! EVEN IN DIFFERENT UNIVERSES WE'RE FRIENDS!!! And she wants to keep us home because of.... of THAT?!?!? I just felt like screaming! AND YOU AND I BOTH KNOW I DON'T NORMALLY SCREAM! So then everyone started arguing..... and I went back home...." Fluttershy sighed, trying to keep the tears from streaming down her cheeks. "I just don't want her to get hurt.... or lost.... or-"
Discord put his eagle claw against her lips, causing a tinge of pink to appear of Fluttershy's face. "You know what I think?" He started, looking strait into the mare's eyes.
"I think she was right..."
"Wha-WHAT?" Fluttershy pulled his claw off her mouth to question him. "How could you think that?!"
"Think about it Fluttershy! I haven't had the chance to apologize to you FOR A WEEK!!! And that was all because of my stupid decision! If I had arrested Tirek in the first place, THAT DAMN CASTLE WOULD HAVE NEVER SPROUTED!!!!" He was sitting right in front of Fluttershy now, a bit closer than her comfort wanted.
"D-Discord....." She started, regaining herself. "This isn't your fault!"
Discord rolled his eyes and continued to speak. "Even so, you don't get any time to yourself anymore! It's always the same routine! Eat. Work. Eat. Work. Sleep. Wor- IT'S DRIVING ME BONKERS!! You're wearing yourself down, Fluttershy!" Suddenly, he snapped his fingers and a handheld mirror appeared. "I mean, I don't want to nag but... LOOK AT YOURSELF!!!! YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANY SLEEP!!!!"
Fluttershy looked in the mirror, and gasped at what she saw.
Her eye's had large dark circles underneath them, and her hair was messy and frizzed. Her once bright teal eyes now seemed dull and old....
And just like that, the mirror snapped away, and she looked back up at Discord.
"And I swear to Celestia all your friends look the same way..... All.... But..... One......" He let out slowly, and Fluttershy's eyes widened when she realized he was correct.
Twilight looked like nothing had ever happened.....
"Miss Perfect Magic Twilight Alicorn Sparkle Princess herself!!!!" He exasperated, poping up a bright pink horn and bright pink wings. He also poofed up a makeup set and applied it to his face ever so carefully. Maybe Fluttershy would have laughed, but she didn't feel like it at the time. So Discord got rid of the getup and looked back at Fluttershy.
"She's an ALICORN! She's built for this! NOT you!" His ears drooped downward and he looked at the mare with great pain in his eyes.
"I..... I just don't want you too get hurt....."
Fluttershy was very touched. He was right..... everything he said was right...
"You..... You would really c-care that much?" Fluttershy asked softly.
He snapped his fingers once more and a little purple box appeared. It floated swiftly to Fluttershy's lap before resting.
"Open it." He said vaguely.
She did as she was told and removed the little pink ribbon neatly. She took the lid of the box and peered inside. It was a small silver necklace. Nothing more, nothing less. It was just a little chain. Fluttershy stared at it, genuinely confused. It was just a silver chain! What was so special about it? Nothing! Nothing at all! IT WAS JUST A CHAIN!
But, to be polite, she merely said: "Oh um..... It's..... nice......"
Discord just laughed a bit and pointed at the box. "Keep looking!"
Fluttershy turned her head back to the small box. It was completely empty! What was there to see?
"I don't understand......" She stared at the box a bit more, flipping it over and over in her hooves. She looked back up at Discord, who was now grinning from ear to ear.
"Sometimes you have to look closer to understand." He casually said, once again pointing at the box.
Fluttershy examined the box carefully. Sometimes you have to look closer to understand. She peered inside the box one last time, and noticed that the bottom seemed higher than it was supposed to be. Confused, she reached her hoof inside and tugged at it. The bottom shifted. Fluttershy immediately pulled the bottom out. There, two small charms sat, side by side.
"You did it!" Discord laughed ecstatically. But Fluttershy barely noticed as she plopped the two objects in her hoof.
One was a tiny, black, twisted root that had a very chaotic sense to it. There seemed to be no end to it! On one part of the tree root was a painted rainbow twisting along with it. Fluttershy then averted her gaze to the second one. It was a small white flower that was as hard as a rock. But, when Fluttershy picked it up, the flower swirled into a bright lime green.
"Oh! What? Um.... Did I break it?" She innocently asked, worried that she might have destroyed Discords gift.
Discord chortled at her statement. "Oh no no no! You just activated it! This thing is EXTREMELY complicated. I hope you know I made these by hand.... Or claw..... or paw....."
Fluttershy gasped at the draconequus. "You didn't have to do that for me!" She quickly added, blushing even darker.
"Oh but I did! And it's the thought that counts is it not?" Discord laughed once again and looked at the flower once again.
"As I was saying, this thing is EXTREMELY complicated! At first it was a regular white flower that I sterilized with a spray! But, I thought it needed something more. So, I walked myself to Zecora's and got a color changing mood potion! It's really strange actually! If you feel more than one distinct feeling at once, it might turn to a whole new feeling! Or the flower might just swirl with two colors at once! Like if you feel angry and sad at the same time, both blue and red will appear! I don't know what each and every color means, but I do know that lime green means happy! Here! Here's a guide!" Discord popped up a small sheet with words in different colors to represent each feeling. And, sure enough, Fluttershy saw that Discord was correct.
Happy
"Wow Discord! This is really neat!" Fluttershy enthused. She turned her attention back to the twisted root. "What does this one do?" Fluttershy asked, unable to hold her excitement.
Discord smirked a bit before saying: "Careful Fluttershy.... You don't want to get too excited! That mood flower will represent it!"
Fluttershy peered at the small flower that still rested in her hoof. It swirled with, now, both green AND lilac.
Excitement
"Oh my...." Fluttershy blushed before turning back to th-.
"Now I have NO idea what that means!" Discord added, making Fluttershy (once again) look at the flower, which now swirled with green, lilac, AND baby pink.
Embarrassment
Fluttershy flushed once again and quickly put the flower down on the table. "What does THIS one mean???" She asked, changing the conversation.
"Oh! Well that flower represents you, and this twisted root represents me! The root took FOREVER to find! But it was SO worth it! Its dark and twisted, kinda like me. But, it also has a little rainbow to represent how friendship has changed me! It's very chaotic, in other words! But the best part is the one you barely notice!"
Fluttershy tilted her head and examined the root. Sometimes you have to look closer to understand. She kept repeating the term in her mind, turning the charm over and over in her hooves, until she noticed the small writing on the side.
Hi!!
Confused, she looked at the writing again, only to find that it had changed.
This is magical writing and will change ever so often, to give you advice and messages. Don't worry, you'll get used to it!!
Fluttershy smiled and looked back up at the draconequus. "Thank you Discord.... Thank you so much!" She threw her arms around him in a tight hug and Discord happily hugged back.
"No. Thank you Fluttershy...." Discord smiled and released himself from the hug. He picked up the two charms and the chain. The flower quickly flashed orange before he put it on the chain alongside the root.
Fortunate
He carefully put the chain around Fluttershy's neck and smiled. "It really does look good on you..." He added.
Fluttershy blushed and grinned to herself, nearly giggling. Her heart felt warm and fuzzy, like a baby mouse had curled up inside. Her smiled only kept increasing.
"Oh darn! I totally forgot to feed that demon rode- I MEAN.... Angel bunny of yours! I'll be right back!" Discord said, floating out of the dining room.
Fluttershy couldn't help but chuckle, and she noticed the flower charm swirling and glowing with MANY colors. But, before she could look them all up, the whole thing changed into a hot pink.
Hot pink? What could that mean?
Fluttershy peered down at the little guide on the table to search the color.
Love
