If there was one thing Discord felt he needed to give Twilight credit for (as well as grudging respect), it was that she still insisted on getting things done herself rather than find some pupil to do it for her.
With the help of her friends, of course. It was in her title, after all.
But he had been a bit flattered when she had asked him to come along.
“It’s like Chrysalis’ hive, though. There’s a magical barrier that’s going to put the two of us at a major disadvantage. But I want you to come along anyway. This is going to be a big one, and you’re nearly always at the big ones. It’ll just feel weird if you’re not there, you know?”
Okay, scratch that. He had been way more than a bit flattered. He had agreed instantly.
(He had played it cool though, of course. That was the only way one did such things.)
Besides, it meant he could go on an adventure with Fluttershy. One that would take days! And he’d finally be able to watch all the shenanigans!
And oh, shenanigans there were. For Elements of Harmony, they sure did attract a lot of those, Lord of Chaos present or no. There was a bridge keeper who didn’t let them cross until one of them won in a fencing battle against him, which Pinkie won while singing a song about it. Rarity and Spike had to use their gem know-how to find the one pure gem in a cave full of impurities to use as a key to get into a treasure room. The room had a map they needed to get to the bad guy’s fortress (which had been an ancient one that had previously been lost to ponykind). Farther into the adventure, Discord and Twilight had used their magic to get everypony out when they fell into some well-hidden quicksand. There was even an instance when the best pony ever tamed a giant bear-sized rat that was destroying the tavern they were staying in for the night.
Fluttershy.
Sometimes he couldn’t sleep, because she would cuddle up close to him when they made camp. Despite how thin he was, he was still tall and furry and actually made quite a good furnace. The girls found themselves crowding him at bedtime when the night air was just a tad chilly. Spike's internal fire made him warm enough, but even he would join them. "For the company!" he'd say, resting his tiny head against his friend's long belly.
Fluttershy always got the best spot though, right at his chest with his lion arm draped over her. She was his best friend, so it made sense that she would get the best spot in the house. Nopony questioned it or even fought her for that spot.
Though Discord would never understand why Pinkie liked draping herself between his horns on his head to the point where her hoof nearly poked his eye, but whatever. It was better than feeling nothing, like he had when he was stone. Her mane and tail were floofy enough that it was kind of comfy, anyway.
But the spot that was always warmest on his end was the spot that Fluttershy occupied, right at his chest, where his godforsaken new heart would beat against her.
Geeze.
His heart was racing like that now, actually.
But that was to be expected when you were forced to hide in a closet with six full-grown mares and a small dragon, and you were over six feet tall with a horn and antler to boot. Especially when your alluring and charming and amazing best friend just happened to be the one crushed against the wall next to you.
Twilight had forced them all to cram inside of there when they had heard a pair of guards walking in the intersecting hallway, chatting about the increased quality of the rations lately. (Apparently the gruel now featured the occasional raspberry, which offered a much better contrast to the gruel than last month’s croutons had.)
“In here, come on!” she had whispered furiously, opening a large door and making them file in. Discord was first to get pushed in, with him being the largest and most eye-catching of them all. Fluttershy was shoved in next.
Hence, they were the ones smushed on the furthest wall, with the others crowding against them. The ceiling wasn’t tall enough for Discord to stand on his two feet comfortably, so his neck craned down into an ‘n’ shape, his head dipping down to Fluttershy’s height.
Right in front of her face.
Oh, geeze.
Her face was right there. Her big eyes, her soft pink bangs, her gentle face. He could smell her sweet scent easily, he was so close.
But he could only be embarrassed for so long, because her eyes were glued to the closed door, breathing heavily, her face flushed. But none of those things were because of him, or because it was hot in there with all those bodies in that cramped space. She was terrified. They were in the lair of yet another tyrant that wanted to take over the world (a tyrant that was a lot smarter and crueler than that idiotic Storm King that Discord had heard of), they were far from home, and they had no magic to use. Things were bad, and one of the things that made Fluttershy so brave and courageous was because she felt fear the most intensely of all of them and she still did these things for her friends.
Gods, she was amazing. And she’d be fine, because there was no way that Discord was going to let anyone lay a claw, paw, hoof, or whatever on her. He was determined to do that, and if he was going to get killed today, it was only going to happen when he knew that she was safe and far, far away from here first.
He had to tell her that. She needed to know.
But more guards were coming, and the sounds outside were growing louder. He couldn’t say a word. He’d have to tell her another way.
There was only one way he could think of.
He stretched his neck only the slightest bit, just a skosh. Just enough to press his lips against her cheek. A feather-light touch, and only for a little bit. Nothing more and nothing less. He didn’t even try to find out what the skin of her sweet face tasted like. He just wanted to reassure her.
You’ll be fine, Flutter-nutters.
One second. Two. Three seconds. Then he retreated. The kiss had been so light that his lips hadn’t even clung to her face.
But he kept his eyes on her and gave her the most sincere and most comforting smile he could muster.
Her gaze snapped right to him, and her eyes widened. There was hardly any light in the closet except for what managed to sneak in through the paper-thin cracks of the door, but he swore her eyes were brighter than any evening lantern. Perhaps he had made them that way? He hoped so.
Their eyes met, and he saw her chest slow from breathing so hard. She seemed to calm down a little bit. Oh, thank Tartarus! He hated seeing her scared, especially when he didn’t have his magic at his beck and call. He was clever and wily enough that he was sure he could find a way to weasel them all out of this if needed, but he couldn’t deny that he obviously felt a lot more like the powerful and unstoppable Lord of Chaos that he was with his magic available.
He was a lot more stoppable right now, but if Disney’s Ron Stoppable could do it, then he definitely could, too. Wasn’t sure if he could get his Kim Possible to date him, though.
But no matter. He’d keep her safe, and as long as she knew that and felt better because of it, then it all would be fine. In that way, he was determined to be unstoppable.
Then he noticed that their eyes were still meeting. They were staring at each other.
And staring. And staring.
And staring some more.
They stared so much, that eventually, the rest of the world seemed to evaporate until he only saw her. He forgot about the pain in his neck from being locked in such an awkward position against a stone wall for so long. He forgot about the bodies of the others pressed against him, trying to fit in their hiding place together. He forgot about the kink he had in his tail, due to it being stuck between the wall and the small shelf shoved in the back corner of the closet.
At that moment, all he was aware of was her and the thumping in his chest and the blood rushing through his veins. Sure, she wasn’t as visible as she usually was, what with the dark closet and all, but she was still someone he very, very much wanted to keep staring at.
And for whatever strange reason, a mysterious force began to very slowly pull him towards her. And something seemed to be doing the same for her as well, because her face began to draw closer to his.
Nothing else mattered. There was nopony else there. Nothing. Just her.
Her eyes began to close, but that was okay. His slowly began to drift closed as well.
And again, the touch was feather-light, but this time he felt the pressure being returned, her lips softer and more pliant than he had ever imagined. He felt himself tremble slightly as they kissed, and he dared to bring his claw up to her face to stroke her jaw with a finger. Just a single, slow stroke as he continued to kiss her back.
At this gentle stroke of the talon, her lips went from barely pressing against his to just a little bit harder, but it was still the softest thing he had ever felt in his entire existence. By the time his finger had reached the base of her ear, they softly, softly, parted ways. Their lips didn’t even click as it ended, but the feeling of their lips on each other still lasted long afterwards.
“…Okay, I think they’re gone,” Twilight whispered, cautiously opening the door. One by one, they filed out.
“Thank goodness for that,” Rarity said with a flip of her hair. “It was getting hot in there! And my mane is already suffering from all this danger.”
“Oh, and the danger isn’t over yet, my friends,” said a strange voice from behind. “It is far from over, I fear. At least for all of you, that is!”
Discord, snapping out of his daze as he made his way out of the closet with his Fluttershy, rolled his eyes. “That would be the villain, I’m guessing,” Discord said before turning around with the rest of the gang, finding himself face to face with a creature that very much resembled a bipedal rhino.
Discord groaned. Oh, what was this? Kung Fu Panda 4?
But the Draconequus was slim and fast, magic or no, and this new baddie was big and beefy with a face that looked as cocky as Discord often felt.
The difference between Discord and this guy, however, was that Discord was cocky for a good reason. Discord actually was amazing. He wasn’t some power-hungry poser that just pretended to be amazing like this Dreamworks reject was.
And Discord was feeling particularly cocky right now thanks to the little mare that stood behind him, shielded by his tail.
Discord could buy them enough time to get away. He’d reconvene with them later.
He glanced back at his friends. “Listen, my little technicolor ponies and dragon compadre. If this guy is like any other stereotypical bad guy—and I can guarantee you that he is—then he’s probably got a chamber close by. Look for a place with a giant door, probably studded with gems with a giant handle that leads to a room lined with candles and creepy paintings. I’m guessing that’s where you’ll find whatever ancient artifact he’s got that’s making him so powerful.
“But not to worry; I’ve got this. You all go. Just do me a favor and none of you touch the artifact. I’ll bet once you touch it, it’ll make your eyes go all white and you’ll be overcome with a power you can’t control and blah-blah-blah. I’ll bet Whine-o over here is planning to do that later, probably at the full moon or something lame like that.”
His gaze returned to the rhino-like villain, and he smirked at the incredulous look on the idiot’s face.
“How did you…?”
“I’ve read a lot of books, seen a lot of movies,” Discord said. “I’ve also been a villain myself. And tropes do exist for a reason, you know. Such as playing the martyr for your friends, as well as for the girl that makes him a bit weak in the knees.”
He winked at Fluttershy. She blushed with a smile, despite it all.
Rainbow Dash blinked. “What’s a ‘movie’?”
Her question was ignored as the villain snarled, revealing some fangs that rhinos didn’t normally have. Huh. They were pretty well polished. Not as polished as Discord’s of course, and he was pretty sure that he saw a sprout of broccoli in there, but still. That was probably the only thing this guy did that impressed him, though.
Twilight bit her bottom lip. “Discord, we can’t just--!”
“Oh, yes you can Twilight, let’s not carry this trope out any longer than it has to!” Discord interrupted. “Just… let me do this for you, hmm? Do it before this guy realizes that he actually doesn’t have to let us finish talking before he can attack! Go!”
“He’s right!” Applejack interrupted, pushing Twilight forward. “Let’s just go! Thanks, Sugarcube!” Applejack said, flashing Discord a grateful look.
Huh. An invite to an adventure for no particular reason from Twilight, a ‘sugarcube’ from AJ, and a heavenly first kiss with Fluttershy?!?
He felt something stir deep from within a soul he thought he had lost, and it felt a little bit like magic.
And so, as his new girlfriend and their friends ran off to finish saving the day, Discord made a stance, and gestured towards the villain.
“You think you can defeat me, with no magic? Ha! I laugh at your arrogance!” the tyrant said with a sneer. “But I’ll indulge you for now. Prepare for your defeat.”
Discord’s smile was wide as his eyes began to glow. He gestured at his foe with a talon.
“Bring it on.”
Author's Note
This isn't the oneshot I made that post about. That's still in the works. But I made this little drabble and liked it enough to share. I hope you enjoyed it!
Constructive criticism is always welcomed!
