Chapters “Okay girls, are we going to do this?” Twilight asked.
Surrounded by Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie, the only light in the room was a small candle. It flickered with warm weak light, which shone on all those present.
Rarity nodded ever so slightly in the dark environment. “But of course, dear!” she whispered excitedly, “With Hearts and Hooves Day just around the corner, there’s no better time than now!”
“I agree,” Applejack piped up, “I might even be able to get the Crusaders in on our little notion here.”
“And I can throw a big party when they’re finally-!” Pinkie was silenced by Twilight’s magic, but she continued to speak through her muffled mouth. “Mmmhmm mmph!”
“Pinkie, not so loud!” Twilight hissed before sighing, “And I don’t know how effective adding the Crusaders into this mix will be. It’s already convoluted as it is, we don’t need anymore chaos.”
“Well, who knows?” Applejack whispered back, “They might be able to-”
“Did somepony say ‘chaos’?” Discord jibed, suddenly popping out of a bookshelf beside them.
“Gah!” Applejack jumped, reacting first. “Consarnit, Discord!”
“Hiya Discor-! Mmmmmph!” Pinkie nearly shouted but Twilight silenced her once again.
“Pinkie! Applejack!” Twilight’s voice rose, “We can’t risk either of them to hear any of this!” Turning to Discord, Twilight huffed. “And you, what do you want?”
“Is it bad that I wanted to check on how my other friends are doing?” Discord asked, “That and the fact that I’m being used as an involuntary plot device.”
“Involuntary what?” Twilight inquired before shaking her head. “Nevermind. Just go, we need to get this done before tomorrow and-”
“Wait a moment, Twilight,” Rarity paused, “ Maybe Discord can help!”
“I can?”
“He could very well distract Fluttershy long enough before leading her to the same place as Rainbow, while the Cutie Mark Crusaders could distract Rainbow and lead her to the same place as Fluttershy!”
“That… that could actually work…” Twilight uttered, thinking the process over.
“Thank you, Rarity,” Discord said while Twilight was mulling over, “I appreciate the fact that you think I’m useful!”
“Don’t push it, Discord,” Applejack grumbled, “Rarity’s only saying that so you can help.”
“Quite right,” Rarity agreed.
“Now I feel like a valued member of the team!” Discord cheered dramatically, contradicting their statements.
“Everypony, quiet!” Twilight gritted her teeth. “Shh!”
Immediately, there was a deafening silence. As everypony looked at each other uncertainly, they could hear hoofsteps echoing across the castle. Just outside the door to their secret meeting place, they could see the shadow of a pair of hooves pause for a moment.
“Pinkie? Twilight?” a scratchy voice called, echoing across the halls of the crystal castle. “Where the hay are they?” Rainbow could be heard muttering, before she finally left. Everypony stood stock still, until Pinkie wiped a hoof across her forehead.
“Phew!” Pinkie muttered happily, “That could’ve foiled our dastardly evil plan!”
“It’s not evil in the slightest, Pinkie,” Rarity chided as she glanced nervously at the door, “Though it most certainly could’ve hindered our progress.”
“I say we’re ready,” Applejack began once more, “Now that we’re all set, we can begin to set up, and by the time Discord’s got Fluttershy and the CMC’s got Rainbow, we’ll be all set.”
“Good work taking the lead, AJ,” Twilight smiled, “Okay girls, we’ve got this!”
“This isn’t exclusively females now, you know,” Discord reminded them and Twilight rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Alright!... girls and draconequus. Let’s go!”
“I’ll round up our sisters for their bit, Rares. Celestia knows how much they’d love to do something like this again,” Applejack told Rarity. Rarity nodded before shivering.
“I just hope they don’t resort to potions again.”
CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MATCHMAKERS YAY!
“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MATCHMAKERS YAY!!!!”
“Now don’t get too excited, y’all,” Applejack began, “All you have to do is distract her up until the clock strikes twelve. Then you have ta bring her to us at the castle, alright?”
“We’re not going to use a love potion?” Scootaloo asked, confused. Apple Bloom conked the purple maned pegasus on the head.
“No! Remember last time with Cheerilee and Mac?” Apple Bloom scolded.
“But it still kind of worked,” Sweetie Belle pointed out, “Though I guess it was pretty bad.”
“Bad enough for Big Mac not to talk to me for a week,” Apple Bloom sighed.
“But all he ever says is ‘Eeyup’ and ‘Nnope’?” Scootaloo said.
“Now now, fillies, we’re running out of time, so arguin’ can wait for later.” Applejack turned her gaze to Scootaloo. “Big Mac says a lot more than just that, ya know.”
“So he does talk-!” Sweetie Belle began to say, but was cut off.
“Come on Crusaders, hustle! We’re counting on you to hold off Rainbow ‘til the bell!” Applejack stated, pushing the fillies along. They resisted ever so slightly, and only began to move at a moderate pace. Thinking of something to speed them up, Applejack smiled. “This can be good practice for your cutie marks!”
She could see them brighten up and look at each other enthusiastically. They then all glanced at their marked flanks and grinned before bolting away in a cloud of smoke.
“That… might not be so good,” Applejack whispered as she stared at the dust clouds being kicked up.
“Why hello there, Fluttershy,” Discord greeted.
Fluttershy smiled at the levitating hybrid. “Hi Discord. What brings you here today?”
“Has the day already escaped you?” Discord smirked, snapping his fingers. A calendar appeared promptly, rolling open in his hooves; a pair of glasses now resting on his face. “As you can see, it’s Tuesday, and that means tea!”
“But, tea is on Sundays…” Fluttershy whispered, confused.
Discord let his grin falter. “Oh, well, would you look at that!” he exclaimed, stretching his face as he adjusted his glasses and squinted at the schedule. “Tea is on Sundays. At least there’s no post on Sundays.”
“What?”
“None of your concern, Shutterfly!” Discord smiled, poofing everything away. “Besides, is it bad for a friend to occasionally drop by?”
“Maybe?” Fluttershy said uncertainly, “You never drop by unless you have some sort of ulterior motive or it’s tea with me.”
“Le gasp!” Discord gasped, “How could you think of something so low of me?”
“I think you’re already forgetting about when Cadence came to visit and I had to leave,” Fluttershy deadpanned.
“That was once!” Discord argued.
“I don’t think so,” Fluttershy said softly.
Discord tapped his claw on his chin. “Okay, so maybe I have done that once or twice, but-”
“Discord, really?” Fluttershy sighed.
“Fine ,” Discord allowed, “I do have an ulterior motive, but!” Discord donned a batter’s uniform and transported them to a baseball diamond. “I certainly hit it out of the ballpark every single time, hm?” he grinned, looking at Fluttershy as a another Discord threw a fastball and the loud smack of the bat against the ball cracked through the air. The baseball went flying, disappearing in the sky with a small twinkle.
“Home run!” Discord cheered, whooping and hollering as he circled all the bases.
“Discord? What are you wearing, and why did you hit that ball?” Fluttershy tilted her head, confused.
“Oh, that’s right,” Discord sighed, snapping the setting away, “Ponies don’t play baseball. That’s a shame.”
“Baseball?” Fluttershy inquired.
“Nothing to concern yourself about, Fluttershy. Although…” Discord poofed a uniform onto Fluttershy. “You can be the first! How about the number ‘42’, hm? Very fitting, first of your kind. I like the look!”
“Dodgers?” Fluttershy asked, reading the woven inscription on her uniform.
“Just a reference, my dear.” Discord snapped his claws and everything went away.
A chime in the distance brought his attention out of his chaotic tendencies. “Oh, hey, wouldn’t you know!” Discord said, pulling a pocket watch from behind his back, a chain hanging. “It’s high noon!”
“Discord,” Fluttershy chided, “Stop stalling and tell me why you’re here. I need to take care of a lot of things today.”
“Oh silly Fluttershy, have you forgotten what day it is today?” Discord tsked.
“It’s Tuesday…”
“Wrong again! Red pill, or blue pill?” Discord reproved before he suddenly asked, donning glasses and a leather jacket. “Red for following me to where I’m supposed to lead you, or blue for the Matrix. If I were you, I’d choose red, because the Matrix is just so confusing.”
“Uhm…” Fluttershy murmured, unsure what was happening.
“Red it is!” Discord announced, and he now flew as an orb of light with four wings. “I’ll help you on your quest!”
Fluttershy glanced behind her at all of her animal critters, who had now all mysteriously disappeared. Several things were left behind, like a mysteriously shaped carrot that looked like a heart. “Well… it looks like I’ve just been left in the dust.” Fluttershy sighed and walked out of her cottage. “Sure, Discord. I’ll follow you.”
“Fantastic!” Discord remarked, now wearing a pinstripe brown and blue suit. “Allons-y!”
Fluttershy rolled her eyes and smiled at Discord’s antics. One small thing was bugging Fluttershy’s mind though. She kept trying to put her mind to why Discord said today was a special day, and she couldn’t put a hoof to it. Walking while thinking, Discord continued to live up to his name of chaos.
