The Truth of a Sugar Cube

by taterforlife

Rating: everyone
Tags: Romance, Fluttershy, Applejack, Discord, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 8853

Applejack has a potion. Discord has a secret. Fluttershy has an offer. Everyone gets some truth.

Applejack makes a deal with Discord that seems both daunting and too good to be true.

And yet, the truth is the very thing the deal is about: because how can you get closer to others without letting yourself be a little vulnerable? How can one make deeper bonds with a friend through the truth?

And what if Discord wants a bond even deeper that that?

Is she worth it?

Is she...?

Written for Fluttercord Week 2022: Truth Serum

Published 2022-01-26 12:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2022-01-26 12:40:01 UTC

The Truth of a Sugar Cube

Luck seemed to be upon him that day, for the moment he stepped into that lonely, dust-ridden café, his eyes landed directly upon the corn silk-haired dame.

He didn’t have to speak with her to know that this was a feisty one, one who didn’t blink in the eyes of adversity. One could say that he was deeply acquainted with her, maybe even call them good friends.

Her braid fell off her withers as she tipped her Stetson back from her eyes. She was lounging at the table, a single mug of spiced apple cider in her hooves.

The dame lifted her face so her jade-green eyes could meet his. They didn’t hold a candle to the turquoise irises that he enjoyed most, but he welcomed the eye contact. Mares like this weren’t always so bold.

“I wasn’t sure you’d get my message. I’m glad you came,” she said, her familiar southern accent instantly making him feel welcome.

“I always find a way, you know that,” he replied, sticking his paw and claw into the pockets of his trench coat. He tipped his own fedora back to meet her gaze. “Anypony wanting an audience with me will always find me in the end. Anypony who actually deserves my time, that is.”

“I’m flattered. But, uh, Discord?”

“Hmmm?”

“Why’d everything turn black and white when you walked in? And what’s with the weird getup you got goin’ on there? Turn it back, sugar cube. I’m used to this kinda thing from you, but you got the whole place black and white and you’re scaring ponies.”

Discord sighed. Well, at least the charade lasted for even THIS long. Ponies, with their never-ending need for predictability…

He snapped his fingers.

And so, the colors returned.

“I was trying to go for a noir film mood here, add a little mystery, but noooooo,” Discord griped, pulling out a chair and huffing as he sat down. “You ponies just have to have your bright colors over thoughtful mood lighting. Rarity would have liked it!”

“I’m not Rarity, and I think she’d back me up on this to make other ponies comfortable.”

Discord’s frown deepened to the point where he started resembling Rarity’s grim-faced cat.

Applejack tried giving him a smile. “Awww, come on now, cheer up!” she said, waving a hoof at the waiter. “You want some cider? It’ll be on me! As much as you want. And they have some snacks too, if you want some.”

Discord’s ears perked.

“Do you have some of that tabasco sauce Granny Smith makes?”

Applejack grinned as she took a small red bottle out of her saddlebag in the seat next to her and slid it over.

“Here you go. All for you. All I ask in return is you hear me out.”

Discord quickly grabbed the tabasco sauce and was quick to squirt a generous helping of it into his cider. “Are you talking about the ‘proposition’ you mentioned in your letter? Oh, AJ, you know I can’t resist a mysterious meeting! You do so know how to lure a guy in, don’t you?”

Applejack rubbed her hooves over the warm cider mug. “Well, I would hope so, since I’ve known ya long enough. It’s been two years since we took down Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow. And I have to say, you’ve been doing great since then, sugar cube. We’re all mighty proud of ya. Fluttershy especially.”

Applejack smirked as she caught Discord’s chest puffing out in pride.

“Well, I am pretty great, you know,” he replied, crossing his arms over his puffed chest. “I always have been, of course, but… I suppose I’ve exhibited more traits over the years that ponies tend to admire. Like how I’ve become such a top-notch friend!”

“You’re definitely a lot better than you were back then,” she acknowledged. “You’re more generous, especially with your magic, you’re kinder to ponies, you’ve been loyal to us and stood up for us when we needed you. But… there’s just one thing that I’d like you to work on. It’s actually what I asked you to meet me for.”

Discord groaned. “It’s honesty, isn’t it?”

“How’d you know?”

“Oh, come now, AJ!” he said, glaring at her. “I’m not stupid. You mentioned all the elements except honesty, laughter, and magic. Causing laughter is easy for me, and magic isn’t really something I can work on, it’s more the product of our friendships and Twilight is the only one who can manipulate it directly. And you’re the honest one. Of course, it’s honesty. But I have been totally honest!” he argues. “Name one time in the last two years when I made such a big lie that it led to a disaster.”

Applejack gave him a blank stare. “You know that being dishonest can be wrong even if it doesn’t lead to disaster, right? There’s a lot more to it than that.”

Discord rolled his eyes. “Oh really? And pray tell, apple horse, what is that?”

“Well, take your entrance to the café, for example. Instead of telling me that you’re happy that I asked you to come meet me today, because you want to spend time with me, you put up an act instead. You came in like some hotshot doing me a favor by granting me an ‘audience’,” she said, making hoof-quotes.

Discord gasped and put a hand to his heart. “Jackie! How could you? Did I not say that you were worth my time? I was nothing but genuine in my dramatic and very well-thought-out noir film entrance!”

Applejack sighed, rubbing her temple with both hooves. “Discord, come on. You know what I’m saying. You just don’t want to admit it. And listen, I get it! It’s hard opening up. Fluttershy’s told us before that you don’t like making yourself vulnerable—””

“Say what now?”

Applejack met Discord’s eyes in that way of hers that said she meant business. He couldn’t help but find himself caught in her trap.

Applejack continued. “Listen. The dishonesty isn’t even really what I’m tryin’ to target here. You’re focusing on the wrong part of it.”

“Oh, am I now?” He raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her.

“Like I said, I just want you to open up a little more. To speak your mind—in a polite way, mind you—without being so guarded. You can trust us.”

Discord surprised even himself with his next words. “But I do!”

“To a degree, yeah, ‘course you do. Or else we wouldn’t be friends at all,” Applejack said. “But you’ve still got an armor that you wear. I suspect when you’re alone with Fluttershy, you take some of that off, what with her bein’ your favorite and all. But with the rest of us? You still use jokes and distractions to get away from what you really want to say sometimes.”

Discord bristled slightly. “Oh, and that makes me the entire problem, does it?”

Applejack took a quick drink of her cider. “Nope.”

“Yes, I knew that’s how this would go, I--”

A pause. “Wait, what?”

Applejack gave him a small smile as she placed a hoof on his arm. (Because this guy barely has shoulders.)

“I think part of it is because you actually are trying to be polite, in your own way. You’ve gotten in trouble plenty of times for saying too much. And I’m also proud of ya for that. But it’s also because of trust. It’s a two-way street. And you and I, and the whole rest of our group, minus Fluttershy, have a rocky history of trustin’ each other. If you can’t trust us consistently, then why would you let yourself be vulnerable around us? It just makes sense.”

Applejack had to chuckle as she felt a shiver go down Discord’s spine. “Sorry. I forgot you don’t always like it when ponies mention that you DO make sense.”

Discord opened his mouth, and then promptly closed it.

That’s not why.

But he couldn’t say the words.

Oh, I DO so hate it when you’re right on the money, Applejack.

“Anyways, to make a long story short, I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. And I’ve come up with a deal to make with you, sugar cube. And I think I’m giving you a pretty sweet deal at that, because I’ve decided to make it easy for you.”

“Whatever do you mean by—”

But he was interrupted as Applejack reached yet again into her saddlebag and took out another bottle. But this one was far different from the simple bottle of tabasco sauce. This one was purple, with a long-stemmed neck and with a cork at the top.

Yet the bottle itself didn’t grab Discord’s attention. Instead it was the glowing, sparkly liquid inside that did.

Normal liquids didn’t glow like that.

“Sweet Celestia, you’ve liquified Twilight Sparkle.”

“What?! No!” Applejack retorted. “Aw, Discord, quit pulling my tail. It’s a potion, and you know it! And it’s a truth serum, at that!”

“Ah, so now we’re getting to the heart of things,” Discord said, doodling a heart into the wood of the table. (He had to stop himself from drawing Fluttershy’s face inside of it.)

“Yeah, we are. Here’s the deal, Discord.” She pushes the bottle to him. “It’s simple. I want you to take this. And I want you to drink it. You can take a little at a time, or you can take it all. It’s up to you. Zecora told me the effects of it are directly related to how much you drink of it at a time.”

“I was wondering if you got it from Miss Rhyme Time or not,” he mused. “Since you liquified Twilight Falafel and everything.”

He met Applejack’s eyes again and decided from her look that perhaps it was best to shut up for a minute or two.

And the farm mare groaned. “This is exactly the problem I’m talkin’…!” She stopped her words. She took a deep breath. In through the nose, out through the mouth…

Ah. There. Better. Time to try again.

She pushed the bottle to him again until it touched his claw. “I want you take this, sugar cube. And I want you to drink it. There’s no time limit. There’s no certain amount I want you to take at a time. You get to decide how much, and when. I don’t care who you talk to with it, either. It doesn’t even have to be with one of us. And when it’s empty, all you need to do… is bring the empty bottle back to me.”

She leaned back into her chair. “And when you do, I’m going to give you free reign of the Apple family farm for an entire weekend.”

A short silence followed.

Followed promptly by a whump! as Discord’s jaw dropped to the table, making his face even longer than it normally was. It cracked the wood of the table.

Applejack smirked.

“…I was wonderin’ what kind of visual gag you’d use when I said that. Anyways, that’s the deal. Drink all the potion, however way you want, and see what it does for you. See how you feel when it happens. Learn from it. Then bring the empty bottle back to me, and my family and I will high-tail it outta town so you can get your kicks there. The only rules will be that you’ll have to return the farm back to normal by the time we get back, and that you keep things relatively safe for everypony and everycreature around.”

She folded her forelegs to her chest.

“And that’s all.”

This time, Discord couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

“I can think of several reasons why this deal of yours is absolute evidence that you have finally let the rotten apple fumes rot your noodle!”

“Oh?” AJ adjusted her hat. “And how’s that?”

He barked in laughter. “Do you realize how simple you’re making it for me to dupe you? All for my own gain? I wouldn’t even need to use magic to do it! I could just pour the bottle in the grass! Or down the sink! The gutter of the street! I could even sneak it in other pony’s drinks, and laugh at the results! It would be so easy.”

She nodded. “Sure would.”

“This is hilarious!”

“To you, absolutely.”

“I haven’t laughed this hard in eons!”

“That’s not true, but okay.”

“I never pegged you as a comedian, JackApple, but now, hoho! I should give you a medal!” He snapped his fingers and a medal with Discord’s laughing face stamped on the surface appeared around her neck.

“Uh, thanks, I guess.”

“I’m going to temporarily wreck your farm, and you aren’t going to get any real value out of it! You’re going to just… go along with it! Just for me!”

“Pretty much, yeah. I admit, normally I wouldn’t want to use magic to get you to learn open, honest communication, but I have a feeling that this could do you a lot more good than harm. You’ve learned a lot of good lessons in the past with magic involved that wasn’t your own. And you still have the control. But for it to work, I’ve gotta do my part and take the first step.”

Discord wiped the tears from his eyes as his laughter began to wane. “Hmm?”

Applejack’s voice was softer as she spoke. “I’m going to trust you, Discord. Completely. At least, I will when it comes to this deal. You bring me the bottle, and I’m going to trust that you did what I asked you to do. That you didn’t cheat, or scam, or try to fool me. That you honestly tried what I’m asking you to do, because you wanted to. And I’m not gonna try to figure out if it’s the truth or not, either. I’m going to take you for your word.”

She paused to see what he would do. He continued to stare at her, and she couldn’t say for sure, but she thought that he almost looked touched by the way his eyes widened.

“It’s the least I can do for you. I want our friendship to improve too, you know. You may not know how to say it, but I know you want the most out of your friendships. I know you like being close to others, because I see it when you let yourself open up, just a little bit. I just… would like to see you be able to do that more often, without being uncomfortable. I want…”

She could feel herself blush a little.

Well, it was best to show by example…

“I want you to feel comfortable around us the way you feel around Fluttershy, is all. I see you two together, I see your friendship, and darn it, it looks nice. I’d like the rest of your friendships, including ours, to look more like that. I don’t expect it to look exactly like what you’ve got with Fluttershy, because she’s your best friend, and she’s your favorite, and I don’t want that to ever change.”

She smiled at him.

“Though like I said, feel free to use that potion with whoever you want, because I still think you’ve got some walls to tear down with her, too. Maybe the biggest, most intimidatin’ walls of ‘em all. It’s all up to you.”

Ignoring Discord’s suddenly reddened face, she picked up her mug and, in true fashion, glugged it down like a queen of the land. When she was done, she threw some bits on the counter.

“Drink’s on me tonight, sugar cube. The rest is up to you.”

She winked at him before heading out of the bar, leaving only Discord, his mug, some bits, and a glowing purple bottle behind her.

A few minutes passed before a waitress came to the table to grab the bits and the empty mug. She wrinkled her forehead at the sight of the Draconequus staring out the door.

“Are… you okay?”

Discord merely turned his neck, almost resembling an owl as his blank stare remained, only this time directed at the poor waitress.

He picked up the purple bottle and, without breaking gaze, uncorked the bottle and slid his tongue down the neck. It merely touched the surface of the liquid before retreating, barely taking in a drop.

“I’m… flabbergasted. And I don’t think I’ve ever been truly flabbergasted before. Especially not by the Apple Horse!”

He corked the bottle again and stood up.

“I’m going to Fluttershy’s.”

Fluttershy was reading an interesting book on marsupials when she heard a rapid knocking on her cottage door.

“Fluttershy! It’s me! Come quick! I think JackApple’s lost her core! She needs to go to the psych ward! An insane asylum! Or maybe just to time-out! I’m not sure, I’ve lost touch with modern interventions!”

Fluttershy smiled as she rolled her eyes. Putting her book gingerly back into its place on the bookshelf, she got off the couch and trotted to the door.

“Discord!” She couldn’t stop her smile from widening at the sight of one of her nearest and dearest friends, nor could she stop the warmth she felt every time he was near her. “It’s so nice to see you!” She flitted forward and wrapped her forelegs around his neck, a gesture Discord immediately returned, wrapping his arms around her in a slight squeeze.

When she released him, she gave him a curious look. “Now what is this about Applejack, um, ‘losing her core’, I think is how you put it?”

“It’s just as it sounds,” Discord replied, pulling a glittering purple bottle from behind his back. “She gave me a truth serum. She wants me to use it in exchange for giving me the farm for a weekend, to do whatever I want with it!”

Fluttershy closed the door behind him as she thought his words over. “A truth serum? I’m guessing that’s what’s in the bottle?”

“Correctamundo, sweet little bird horse,” he said. “Bonafide truth serum, brewed by Zecora the Walking Poem.”

“I’m a little surprised to hear that Applejack wants you to use a potion to be more honest,” Fluttershy said, taking a closer look at the mysterious potion. “She’s always been more of a traditionalist, really. She leaves the magic to the unicorns, for the most part.”

“She did mention that and explained that I’ve learned a lot of things from magic that wasn’t mine,” Discord replied. “So she went with this instead. But really, I think she’s just making it all up as she goes, because clearly she’s gone bonkers!”

To emphasize this, Discord’s horn and antler suddenly sprang out of his head, bobbing up and down by wire springs that sprouted out between his ears.

Fluttershy smiled and giggled as she flew up to push the antler and horn down back into his head. They made a comical clinking sound as they locked in.

“I don’t think that’s really any cause for worry, Discord. But is that really what’s bothering you?”

“Whoever said that anything was bothering me?” he replied, levitating the potion in the air as he poked his horn and antler to make sure they were secure. “I’m just concerned for our dear apple farming friend! Because trust me, Fluttershy, that’s only the beginning. That’s not the part that makes me doubt her sanity.”

“Oh, really?” She flew to the couch and patted the seat beside her. “Then what is?”

Discord made his place by her side on the couch and put the bottle down on the coffee table. He then explained to her the entire story, describing with great gestures and dramatic detail of their meeting at the cidery and Applejack’s deal, leaving out only a few minor details that he believed Fluttershy didn’t need to know.

“And when she said she was going to just accept the empty bottle without question, that’s when I knew it.” He snapped his fingers and a tiny wooden Applejack sat on a tiny rocking chair upon the table. Discord took a finger and flicked the top of the chair backwards, making the chair fall and the wooden Applejack careen backwards across the room.

“Applejack had gone off her rocker!”

Too busy wincing at the slightly disturbing visual gag to properly laugh, Fluttershy touched Discord’s arm. “Discord,” she said, “She’s just trying to trust you first so you can learn to trust her, too. Trust is the best way to open up to others, and that’s why she’s asking you to do this. You can’t just open up to me all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I love that we’re so close, I love… that we make each other such high priorities in our lives…”

Discord noted with interest that Fluttershy’s eyes suddenly looked away from his, yet her face was pink.

“…But I know so much about you that the others don’t, and I think it would make you closer with them if you did open up. And, I mean…” A guilty look wrinkled Fluttershy’s forehead. “You do sort of, um, cover up your feelings a lot with jokes and change the subject a lot when you want to avoid talking about certain things. But that’s something a lot of creatures do! Being open and speaking from the heart is hard.” She sighed. “But it’s also brave. One of the bravest things a pony, or any creature, can do.”

Discord put a hand over his heart and gasped dramatically. “Are you saying I’m not brave, Fluttershy? Do you think I’m a wimp? A lilly-livered coward?” Another snap of his fingers and strange white flowers in the shape of livers floated down towards the couch. One landed on Fluttershy’s nose. It was adorable.

But Fluttershy shook her head so fervently that the flower didn’t last long in its landing place, slipping off her muzzle and onto the floor.

“No, not at all! You’re one of the bravest creatures I know. I know I always feel so safe when I’m with you,” she said, touching his arm in a way that made it burn in the most pleasant way possible. “But nopony—or creature—is brave all the time, and sometimes it’s harder to be brave when it means you have to speak plainly about how you feel or what you’re thinking. No one wants to be judged or hurt just for speaking from the heart. It’s one of the reasons I used to be so painfully shy.”

The corner of Discord’s mouth turned upward in a satisfied smile. “Not so much, anymore, though.”

She smiled back. “I’ve improved, but there’s always room for more. And I think Applejack knows now just how hard you have been working and wants to give you the benefit of the doubt. If she can trust you to use this potion, and use it to teach you what it’s like when you just let yourself say what you’re really thinking… but do it in a way where you know she won’t leave any room for doubt… Well, I think that’s wonderful.”

The warmth in Fluttershy’s eyes and the faith in her voice forced Discord to clasp his hands together and break eye contact, staring instead at his twiddling thumbs.

“I… “

The words stopped in his throat. And all he had wanted to say was, I think YOU’RE wonderful.

He glanced at the potion.

She did say I could use it for anypony… But…

“She had said that she wanted something more akin to our relationship. You know, something more buddy-buddy, I guess. Though she knows just as well as you and I know that nothing can totally replicate the amazingness that is our five-star friendship!” he said. He made a pose, shooting up with one foot on the floor and the other bent on a cushion of the couch, his lion fist raised towards the ceiling like a heroic figure. A glittering yellow-and-gray striped cape tied around his neck willowed behind him, despite the closed doors and lack of wind.

He was finally rewarded with Fluttershy’s lovely laughter, lifting her hoof to her mouth as she giggled.

“Haha, a-and I agree!” Fluttershy said, looking up at him. “We… do sort of have something special and unique, don’t we…?”

Discord nods eagerly. “Nothing can compare!”

They smiled at each other, their gazes lingering before a rather loud “ahem!” interrupted the moment.

“Demon Bunny.” Discord didn’t even have to look at him to know he was the culprit. “A non-pleasure, as always.”

“Right back at you, circus freak. Fluttershy, it’s my lunch time. I tried making my own salad, but I can’t find the sunflower seeds.”

“Oh! I did decide to rearrange the pantry yesterday. Let me show you where they are. Discord, I’ll be right back.”

Discord saluted her and was rewarded with one last lovely giggle before she followed Angel Bunny into the kitchen, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

The biggest, most intimidating walls of them all…

While he had never actually drank a truth serum himself, he knew plenty about them back in his younger years when he was an extremely voracious reader, learning all he could about any and all magic to help him figure out how to use his own. While potions were definitely a lesser type of magic, with more limited capabilities, they definitely had their own important place in the magical hierarchy.

He picked up the bottle again and tapped a talon against the glass, making it ting.

The problem was that truth serum in particular was a misunderstood marvel. Most ponies compared it to the lack of inhibitions one had when they, for example, had drank a little too much wine. But from what Discord knew, it wasn’t quite like that.

It calmed the drinker down, and it certainly lowered their inhibitions, but only when it came to the secrets they held within themselves. The mind itself stayed perfectly clear, with no side effects of dizziness or loss of self-control.

The serums normally only lasted for a few minutes, and it didn’t cause a creature to just start blurting out everything and anything on the drinker’s mind, as most ponies mistakenly thought. They would answer any question asked truthfully, if they drank enough to answer the amount of honesty it required. Or it would give them the courage to say what was closest on their mind and needed to be said.

The effects of the potion were also directly proportional to the amount one drank. Drinking a little was best for tiny little truths, like telling somepony the cookies they baked weren’t like grandma’s or revealing more details about the bad day they had.

Drinking more, or say, drinking the whole bottle, was better for the truths that were the most intimidating. The ones that were the most difficult to face.

Such as Discord telling his best friend that he was so head-over-hoof-and-foot in love with her that he practically did cartwheels every time she was around.

And yet… it crossed his mind.

He had never considered the idea himself before. A truth serum! Of course! Take a little of the pressure off, and just get it off his chest. It would be so simple. And then, once it was done, it would be over. No more worrying about it, no more holding back. It would be out there like a wild animal, prowling and mewling around, calling for reciprocation.

A reciprocation that might not exist and could collapse everything that Discord had worked so hard to gain.

Nope. Nope nope nope! Discord put the bottle back down on the table so forcefully that it clacked against the wood. He pushed it away from him as if having it close brought him physical pain.

Our amazing friendship isn’t worth the risk! SHE’S not worth the risk!

He froze.

Wait.

That didn’t sound righ—

“Discord?”

Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts. “That’s my name, last time I checked.”

Fluttershy had a tray in her wings, and she laid it on the table. “I hope you don’t mind that I brought us some tea and snacks. Did you want to stay awhile?”

Fluttershy, I will straight up live here as your full-time maid in a dress of sequins and seaweed if you ask me. I’m so wrapped around your precious little hoof, that I might as well be your slap bracelet.

He plucked the teacup from the tray and took a sip. “Oh, Flutterfloof,” he says with a smile. “You know I can never resist an invitation to spend more time with my bestie, now can I?”

Her wings gave a little twitch, as they often did when she was excited or pleased, and it caused a flood of warmth to overflow in his body. She picked up her own cup and rejoined her place by his side.

“I’m happy to hear it. So, if you don’t mind me asking, have you… thought about it? Using the potion?”

Discord’s heart gave a start at the question, but he managed to keep a straight face. “I think about everything, Fluttershy. Of course, I have. And I’ll admit, Applejack definitely knows how to tempt a guy. Acres and acres of farmland, loaned to me for my chaos go nearly unchecked, for an entire weekend? Oh, the possibilities are endless to what I could do with that kind of freedom!”

“It’s definitely a generous offer.”

“Which is why I still stand by my theory. The cowpony’s gone crazy.”

“Discord, she’s not crazy,” Fluttershy said. “She just wants to help you, because she wants to be closer to you. Doesn’t that make you happy? To know that your friend wants to be closer to you?”

He stared at his reflection in his cup as his claw traces the rim. “…Yes.”

“See? You just decided to be more truthful with me, and you didn’t even drink a bit of potion!” Fluttershy said, looking proud. “She just wants you to be able to do that, more often, with more friends. That’s all. I know it’s scary, and it takes time, but that’s why she’s letting you take your time and decide how you want to do it. There’s no rush.”

“That’s basically what Applejack said.”

“I’m not surprised. I’m sure she wanted to reassure you,” Fluttershy said. “She just cares about you.”

Discord sighed and took another drink of his tea.

“… Would it help if we practiced? Together?”

Discord stopped mid-sip to look at her. “Pardon?”

Fluttershy stared at the potion. “We could have a really honest conversation. But it would be with me, and I know you’re most comfortable with me. But I would do it with you. You won’t have to do it alone. I’ll drink some serum too. You can duplicate things with magic, so you can copy it and make a second one for me.”

And for the second time that day, Discord was flabbergasted.

“You would do that for me.” It wasn’t a question, because he already knew that she would.

“Of course I would. I want you to be closer to everyone, too. But maybe if you see what it’s like with me first, that will help.”

Discord clutched at his chest. His heart was beating rapidly and he wasn’t sure if it would stay in place.

“…Your kindness truly knows no bounds, you know that, Shy?”

Her eyes sparkled like the rarest of gems as she smiled up at him.

“I don’t know about that. But I’m always going to be here for you, Discord.”

It would be such the perfect opportunity.

Two benefits in one bet!

Get the truth out of Fluttershy and find out if she likes you before you can even tell her how you feel! You know she won’t be as invasive with her questions! You can get her first!

And then, based on whatever you find out, use the bottle for one big truth with a big benefit! Or a bunch of tiny, little truths that will hardly hurt you at all!

A big truth if she tells you she likes you!

Little truths that reveal nothing of your feelings if not!

It’s the perfect plan!

The perfect plan!

THE PERFECT—

Discord clapped his hands over his ears.

“No!”

Fluttershy slightly jumped at the sudden shout. “Discord! What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

She leaned towards him and took his face in her hooves, looking at him with concern and care.

Pony hooves were so hard and rough. They had to be.

But she held him so softly and gently. She cradled his head as if he were the most precious of treasures.

Nopony ever touched him or treated him like that before her.

And he loved her for it. That, and for so much more.

“You are worth the risk...” he whispered, more to himself than to her.

He couldn’t let his old, manipulative habits touch her. Not anymore. She had already sacrificed so much. How could he possibly ask for more?

He eyed the bottle at the table.

“My turn, now…”

“Discord, what do you--?”

She gasped as Discord suddenly ripped his head out of her grasp, grabbing the purple bottle with his tail and latching onto it with his mouth.

He sort of reminded Fluttershy of a baby bird being fed a worm—he didn’t even hold on to the bottle with his hands. He threw his head back and gulped it down so fast that she couldn’t even tell if he drank every drop of it. He snapped his fingers and made the bottle disappear before she could.

“You drank it!” she said, her eyes wide. “All of it!”

Discord nodded as he wiped his mouth with the back of his wrist. “That would be a correct observation, yes...”

Immediately, he felt the effects. The calmness of it. He wasn’t sleepy, exactly, and he was still plenty afraid of what he might say or how he might say it. His mind was still plenty aware that this could all go the wrong way, that Fluttershy could deny his affections and possibly hurt their friendship. But the fear was just a teeny bit lighter than usual.

And his motivation to tell her the truth? It was much more powerful. Not so much that it had to spill out of his mouth without a care… But enough for Discord to sort through the words in his mind, pick them out, and prepare for it, without being so clouded in fear that it left him in a fog that made him want to run for safety.

Yes. That was it! The potion made telling the truth feel safer. Like the magic he ingested was soothing him, swirling with slow, fluid calmness, a calmness that reminded him that telling the truth did not have to mean it would be the end.

It also told him that lies, however, would not be tolerated. His brain wouldn’t even tolerate such a notion.

And that was okay.

Discord straightened on the couch. “I have so much to say to you, and I don’t know how long this lasts,” he said. “But let’s still have some fun with this, shall we? Ask me something simple. I want to see what happens when I try to lie.”

She was still taken aback, but it was a simple enough request. She nodded. “Okay. Um. What color is Angel Bunny’s fur?”

He brought his lips together to start to string out the word “black”, finished off with an additional, “like the heart of the most horrific demon in the deepest rings of the underworld”.

But his lips twitched instead, as if saying nope nope nope! Instead, his lips stretched into a small ‘o’ formation, to make the ‘wh’ sound.

“White. His fur is white.”

“Correct!” She clapped her hooves together. “How did it feel?”

“Basically like a muscle spasm. It was a bit underwhelming, really. But it’s much more appreciated than the trope where you basically just spew out word vomit on whatever you’re thinking. That trope is way overdone.”

“That’s… an interesting way to put it.”

Discord nodded. “I know. Ask me something else. Something a little more difficult.”

“How much more difficult, though?”

“Good question.” He stroked his beard in thought. “Something that has feelings involved, but nothing too deep. Though, honestly… I could just do that on my own.” He stopped for a moment to just look at her. “I don’t like being vulnerable. I hate that Applejack knows that about me so well.”

Fluttershy gave him a sympathetic look. “I know. But do you like it when she calls you ‘sugar cube’?”

Again, he tried to form the words: “No, that nickname is DUMB, and she uses it for everypony besides!”

Again, his mouth refused to listen to his lying thoughts and turn to the truthful ones instead. It waited, however, until Discord formed the words, perfectly aware of which ones he would use.

“I love that. I remember when she first called me that, and it was the first time I truly felt like she saw me as a real friend. Because that’s the term of endearment she uses with everypony she cares for, you know? I was actually hoping she would, one day.”

Listening to his own words, he wrinkled his snout in disgust. “Ugh. Please don’t tell her I said that. I sound so gross.”

Again, his nerves tingled as her hoof touched his paw. “I think it’s sweet.”

“Ha! You think everything sappy is sweet.”

“Sap is naturally sweet, so yes, that makes sense.”

“Are you being sassy with me, missy?”

“So what if I am?”

“If you are, then there are consequences!” He playfully nudged at her side, making Fluttershy laugh. His ears wiggled at the sound.

It was a short-lived moment before Fluttershy moved her hoof and rubbed it against her other leg. “Hey, I don’t know how long the truth serum lasts, and I know you said you have a lot to tell me, but can I ask you one more question first?”

She smirked before he could open his mouth. “And asking you if I can doesn’t count!”

Discord snapped his mouth closed. “You got me. But yes, you may.”

Another laugh before she eyed the bottle, reminding her of the real question on the table.

“Why did you drink all of the serum? You could have saved some.”

Discord cursed himself on the inside. He should have seen that coming!

“Because…” He bit his lip.

“Because you’re worth it.”

Fluttershy wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion. “What do you mean?

Discord sat up a little straighter. “Fluttershy, when you offered to help me by drinking some of it yourself, two things happened.”

He held up two fingers and started ticking them off. “One, I was completely and totally blown away by how absolutely selfless and sweet you are. From my perspective, there is absolutely nothing—nothing—that directly benefits you by drinking that potion with me.”

With a single upward palm, he stops her before she can even think of protesting.

“You were about to say you’d benefit by growing closer to me or something sweet like that, weren’t you? Fluttershy, we are always finding a thousand new ways to be closer every single day. We don’t need to share magical potion truth bombs to do it, and you know it. You’re just being thoughtful, and I bet you were still nervous about it. But you were going to do it, because you are absolutely true to your friends. You are the most well-meaning creature I will ever know.”

His gaze was locked on Fluttershy, and he decided that he didn’t need to tell her how beautiful she always looked when her face turned the color of roses. Later, he urged the magic from the potion. Later.

He ticked down another finger. “Second, the moment you did, I thought about how I could use your suggestion to my advantage. To see if I could maximize input and minimize output without getting hurt. And it scared me.”

He started wringing his hands together while Fluttershy leaned forward. “Discord, it’s okay…”

“No it’s not, Fluttershy.” His eyes didn’t break her gaze, but his eyes were dark and cloudy. “Can’t you see? You give, and you give, and you give, and the little evil Discord inside of me, the one I will never be able to blot out, still tempts me to take and take and take. You don’t get it, and you never will, because you’re too good to ever be the kind of creature I used to be.”

Her ears perked. “But aren’t you listening to yourself? The truth of it?” The corners of her lips perk into the beginnings of a smile. “The creature you used to be!”

Sweet Celestia, he loved this girl.

Suddenly, he clutched her hooves, almost desperately. It made Fluttershy gasp, but she didn't dare move as his eyes froze her, unable to look away from those heated eyes that reminded her of flowers under a simmering sun. She didn't want to.

“You’re right. The guy I used to be. The jerkwad deep inside of me, the one that wants to trick you, to see how you feel before I even think about uttering the words of how I feel… He’s gone, Fluttershy. He’s not coming back. He’s gone, and he’s gone because he didn’t care about anypony, he didn’t care about his friends, and most importantly, he didn’t care about you, and I despise anyone who doesn’t care about you!”

“Discord…” Her heart continued to pound. His hands wrapped more tightly around her hooves, but it didn’t hurt. Instead, it felt… heated. The tension in the air was thick, so thick that it was making her heart pound and her veins vibrate and every nerve go on end.

And Discord continued to practically yell in her face, but for the first time in Fluttershy’s life, she stayed close. She didn’t flinch.

“Because I care about you! Gods, Fluttershy, how do you not even notice? I feel like everypony else notices!”

Fluttershy’s ears immediately sink as Discord released her hooves.

Clutching his head, Discord decided to give in. Just give in to it all.

My choice.

She is worth it!

His eyes scrunched close as his shoulders shook. He fought the desire to plug in his ears to keep himself from hearing it. The magic of the potion pushed and pulled inside his body without taking any certain direction, like an unsteady ship waiting to see how the captain wanted to take on the storm.

But this is MY CHOICE. She is WORTH it.

It’s now or never.

“Fluttershy.”

He forced his eyes open to look at her.

She leaned in closer to him. “Yes, Discord…?”

Let’s choose now.

“I’m madly in love with you.”

She was so close to him that he watched her pupils dilate.

“I love you more than my own magic, and if I had to choose between them, I’d choose you. I asked myself that once, not long ago. And that’s how I knew it was love, of the romantic variety. And I’d still choose you, regardless of how you felt about me.”

And he felt that weight lift up, up, up off his shoulders, as if balloons had pulled them up and took them far, far away.

“I didn’t tell you because I was terrified that you wouldn’t love me back, and that as a result, I’d lose you if I did. Not because you were cruel, or a bad friend, or anything of the sort, but because that kind of awkwardness, it can make a void. And trust me, I know my voids, Fluttershy, and many of them are unbreakable, no matter how hard you try.”

“Oh, Discord…”

“No, let me finish! Please!” he said, rubbing his temples. “Oh geeze, it felt good now but I might be talking more just to keep you from talking. I probably am. Sorry.”

He blew out his cheeks. “But I don’t want a void, Fluttershy. Not between us. I could eventually get over it, if you don’t love me back. I really do think I could. But if I lose you, at least like this? I’m not…”

His voice broke as tears squeezed out of his eyes. “I’m not strong enough for that. I need you. I need my best friend. Even if I can’t kiss you, even if I can’t take you on dates that I’d no doubt overdo and overthink, even if I have to watch you be with somepony else, with Twilight holding me down with her magic before I can attempt to turn him into coconut rice with mango…”

He used the potion’s magic still left swirling inside him to give him the courage to look at her.

“But no matter what happens, I’ll deal with that pain, Fluttershy. You’re worth the risk. Because I love you.”

It took so much truth out of him that he could feel the potion’s magic dwindling and dying.

“I love you so much.”

And then, the flames of the potion snuffed out.

And then he was just his usual, truth-optional self again.

But just as scared as he was before.

Especially once he heard her voice.

“Oh, oh Discord…”

His ears perked. He knew that tone. It was a tone he spent a lot of time learning from her.

So when he saw her tears, he knew they weren’t the sad kind. (When they first met, he always assumed they were the sad kind.)

“Yes…?” he breathed, taken aback by the smile of pure and utter joy on his favorite creature’s face.

“You…”

Instinctually, he leaned in.

“Yes…?”

His heart nearly stopped when he saw her use her perfect pink tongue to wet her lips. She tried to hide it, but it was a terrible performance.

“If you don’t kiss me right now, mister, I’m… I’m going to just keep crying like this, and then you’ll just drown in salt, and-and-and then you’ll see how happy I am!” she yelled, pushing her hooves against his chest.

But he was unmovable.

Unbreakable.

Just like their relationship was.

And that was the truth.

He grabbed her by the withers and crushed his lips against hers. He heard her moan in delight as she quickly wrapped her forelegs around his neck and returned his passion.

The truth tasted like honey and lemon and tea. It sounded like music played by the rapidness of their breathing. The truth felt like plush silk and warmth, like heaven as her forelegs gripped him like a vice as their chests heaved against each other.

By the time they parted, they were gasping for air. He blinked, finding that during their first kiss, he had lowered himself against the couch with her on top of him. Her pink silken mane fell against him like a cool river of pink as he looked up at her.

The sunlight continued to encircle her like a halo as she gazed down at him and said:

“I love you, too.”

Discord had never felt so warm and light in his entire life. He grinned up at her.

“So much?”

She rewarded him with another giggle.

“So, so much.”

“…Fluttershy?”

“Yes, Discord?”

“Wanna go on a date with me this weekend? There’s a place I know…”

Applejack was rearranging some of the equipment in the barn when she heard the barn door suddenly slam open.

“What in tarnation?” Applejack started, whipping around towards the entrance. “This barn’s old, you know! Just because we raise it up each year doesn’t mean you can just—”

Her head reared back in further surprise as she saw the newcomer. “Discord?”

He was dressed in some ridiculous getup again, an oversized purple Stetson between his horn and antler. The spurs on his boots whirred in the wind as he adjusted the gaudy gem-studded belt buckle he wore over his jeans and brown vegetable leather fringed chaps. It was completed by a red bandana tied around his neck and a fringed vest.

He curled his fingers around the belt buckle.

“This here farmland ain’t big enough for the two of us.”

“What the…?” She took a moment to catch his meaning. “Wait, that was an hour ago! You’re tellin’ me you’re done already?”

Reaching into a holster, he took out a familiar bottle.

“Sure as Sally, I sure did. I drank it all. But I know where real work is, and I can’t be havin’ you feel like I don’t give a hoot and a holler about yer lil’ ol’ self, like yer a load o' hooey…”

She lifted a single blonde eyebrow at him.

“You can cut it out with the countryisms, but what were you sayin’ now?”

Discord rolled his eyes and groaned. “Come on, Jackie! That’s two scenes in a row I’m trying to set up for you, and you’re just not going along with it!”

Nonetheless, he snapped his fingers and made the outfit go away.

“Look. Read it and weep.” He tossed the bottle to her.

Applejack caught it easily and checked it out.

“Well, I’ll be! It’s all gone. Whaddaya know.”

She smiled up at him. Discord cocked his head and crossed his arms.

“Want to know what I did with it?”

“Only if you wanna tell me.”

“Wanna go question the town to see if they saw me do anything with it besides drink it?”

“Heck no. I’m gonna see to my end of the deal. It’s Monday, anyway. Got plenty of time to pack,” she replied, trotting happily across the barn and moving past him to get on with her chores. “We’ll be out by Friday evenin’. If I don’t see you ‘til then, have fun, ya hear?”

“…Thanks. I’m… bringing Fluttershy.”

Applejack slowed her trotting to a stop. She didn’t look back at Discord, sparing him the sight of her grin.

“Are you now?”

“Yes. And now that you can see the potion is gone, I have one more thing I’d, ah, like to say.”

Before she could reply, Discord disappeared in a flash, only to reappear before her, face to face.

“Gah! Discord! Why aren’t I used to that yet?!?” She pounded the ground in frustration at herself. “I gotta be sturdier than that…!”

“I like it when you call me sugar cube.”

That stopped Applejack’s mumbling immediately. “You do?”

She had never seen Discord blush at anypony who wasn’t Fluttershy, or without someone making fun of him about Fluttershy, but he was blushing then.

“Yes. It makes me feel good, I guess. Like you really like me, like you do everypony else.” He had his arms crossed, and he stubbornly refused to look at her.

But it was a step in the right direction, and it was more than Applejack could have ever asked for.

“Aww, it’s ‘cause I do like ya,” she said, patting Discord on the cheek. “And I’m proud of ya. I really am.”

His face looked like he had just tasted a lemon, even though Discord very much actually liked the taste of raw lemons. But if he didn’t, Applejack figured that was the face he’d make if he had one.

But she knew deep down he was just hiding how pleased he was.

Oh, well. Canterlot wasn’t built in a day. And he did tell her something deep, without even using a truth potion.

He had extended his lesson to her, and gosh darn it, that was awful nice of him to do.

She patted him one more time on the cheek. “Listen, this was a real good moment for us, and I hate to cut it short, but I gotta get goin’. I've got a lot of chores to do, especially if we all don’t have the weekend to finish them.”

Discord bit his iip. “Well, there’s no real need to end the day here, is there? I need to survey the place anyway. I have to make sure it’s perfect for my big day with Fluttershy, after all.”

Applejack chuckled.

“You sure do…”

Discord joined Applejack’s side as they walked to the orchards together, the sun shining against the rolling hills of Sweet Apple Acres.

“You sure do, sugar cube.”

Author's Note

I wanted to find a way to get Discord to say sappy, oversaturated truths, while still doing the following:

1) Give Discord the ability to still have control over his words and undermine the trope of "truth serum makes you just say anything and everything without inhibition".

2) But still get him to say sappy things that normally are out-of-character for him due to effects of the potion. AKA Magical hocus-pocus jargon to help Tater do what she wants Discord to do without sacrificing her credibility with characterization.

How'd I do? Constructive criticism has done me wonders in the past!

By the by, I actually wrote this one first. I mean, they asked me to think of a prompt, right?

So I had to try.

Thanks for coming. :twilightsmile: