Fluttershy was pacing back and forth, trying to hold back her tears. Rarity and Applejack were sitting on Rarity’s chaise longue, waiting for her to tell what was wrong.
Applejack happened to be visiting Carousel Boutique, when an upset Fluttershy came barreling in, seeking Rarity’s advice. The shop was promptly closed, and the two friends took Fluttershy upstairs.
”Now sugarcube, why don’t ya tell us what’s eatin’ at ya?” Applejack asked. ”It’s awful sad seeing ya torn up like this. Did something happen?”
”It’s… it’s Discord,” Fluttershy sniffed. ”I think he’s hiding something from me.”
”Oh? Hiding what?” Rarity said, concerned.
”I don’t know!” Fluttershy exclaimed, her wings shifting in agitation. ”But he’s been acting strangely lately.”
”Isn’t he always acting strangely, though?” Applejack wondered.
”No! I mean yes, he does, but I’m not talking about his usual chaos. He’s keeping secrets from me! He never used to keep secrets from me. At least, not after we became a couple…” she answered.
”What kind of secrets? What do you think he’s hiding?” Rarity asked.
”I… I think he might be in love with somepony else…” Fluttershy’s voice cracked.
Both Rarity and Applejack gasped. Discord was having an affair?! It was unthinkable!
”Now what in tarnation gave ya that idea?! Did you see him romancing somepony else?! That no good son of a varmint!!!” Applejack stormed.
”No, I didn’t see him doing anything, exactly. But lately, I often hear him talking to somepony else when he’s alone, and as soon as I walk into the room he stops and looks really guilty. And sometimes, he’s obviously trying to hide something behind his back, and he teleports it away before I can see it!” Fluttershy sniffed.
”And this happens when he’s at home? Who else could be he talking to if you are the only ones there?” Rarity asked.
”He could be talking through a magic mirror, or a portal! He uses those to talk to ponies, like Big Mac when they plan their O&O sessions,” she explained.
”But what makes you think he might be cheating? There could be other reasons why he’d want to keep a conversation private,” Rarity reasoned.
”Be… because today… I clearly heard him say… ”I love you so much” to… to somepony else!!!” And Fluttershy dissolved into sobs, collapsing into a weeping heap on the floor.
”Oh sugarcube!” Applejack exclaimed, rushing to hug her distraught friend. ”It’ll be alright, Ah’m sure!”
Applejack shared a look with Rarity. They both saw the hurt and anger in each other eye, but a wordless understanding passed between them: right now it was more important to give Fluttershy strenght and comfort, than go make him regret every last thing he did wrong by her. So, Rarity scooped up one her many boxes of extra soft tissues, put it in front of the pegasus, and hugged her too.
Fluttershy had a good cry. She couldn’t help but think this was inevitable, she and Discord were so different! Nopony could deny they were an unusual matchup, and she had always wondered in the back of her mind if he’d grow bored of her one day. She was just a quiet, meek little pegasus, and he was a god of chaos! But she had been so sure he truly loved her, as much as she loved him! The thought that their love was fading broke her heart into a million pieces. But the way her dear friends whispered words of encouragement was a balm to her spirit. They didn’t let go of her until she stopped sobbing uncontrollably.
”So. When did this start, exactly?” Applejack asked, determined to get all the facts together, should they need to confront Discord.
”I think… it started during our last trip to the Crystal Empire. We were away for a whole week, so I guess that gave him plenty of time to meet somepony else…” Fluttershy replied.
”Ah see. And when ya heard him say… those words… to somepony else, are ya sure he wasn’t joking around? He is a flippant kinda guy, ya know?”
”I’m sure he wasn’t joking. I can always tell from the way he says it…” Fluttershy trailed off, remembering the hundred hundred times she had heard him say those words in his deep rich voice, snuggled in bed just before they fell asleep, on their dates, or when he flashed in front of her at random just to say it…
”Look sweetie, I think the best thing to do right now is to talk to him directly. Ask him straight up if he is seeing somepony else, or not. Living under the cloud of suspicion isn’t good for you! Even if the truth is unpleasant, it is still better than not being sure where his affections lie!” Rarity stated firmly.
Fluttershy choked back her tears. ”I know. I need to talk to him. But still, I’m scared…” she trailed off, not wanting to think about the possibility of her heart being torn in two.
”We know, sugarcube. Do ya want us to come with ya? Ah can tell if he’s hiding something from ya, and if he is, we will make sure he never hurts ya ever again!” Applejack told her, wondering if she could turn him to stone all by herself.
Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for what she would have to do.
”Alright. I’m going to confront him, but I think it’s best if I talk to him alone. If I need your help, I’ll come to you. Thank you so much for the support girls! It really means a lot,” Fluttershy told them.
”Of course we support you! That’s what friends are for,” Rarity assured her, hugging her fiercely. ”Have courage! And no matter what, remember you aren’t alone.”
Fluttershy took a deep breath, and opened their front door.
”Discord?” she called out, timidly. He apparently didn’t hear her, or wasn’t at home. Sighing to herself, she slowly started plodding through the eclectic maze of corridors and rooms that was their shared home. Finally, she heard him, talking to someone in the Rainbow Room. Choking back fresh tears, she stepped into the room.
”Discord?” she said again. Looking up at him, she saw him hastily arranging his face to a smile that was his version of normal.
”Fluttershy!” he said in a slightly startled voice. ”You’re home!” and he moved to give her a kiss. But before he could, Fluttershy stopped him with a hoof on his lips.
”Discord. We need to talk,” she said, sternly. She saw his eyes flash with concern at her serious tone.
”Of… of course, my dear,” Discord replied, stepping back. ”Is something wrong?”
”That depends,” she answered, narrowing her eyes a bit.
”Depends? On what?” he asked, looking puzzled.
”On your answer. Discord, I’m going to ask you a very serious question, and I need you to be completely honest with me,” she said with as much conviction she could muster.
”Oh?” he said, dreading what was coming.
”Discord,” Fluttershy said, stepping forward and locking her eyes with his, ”Are you, or are you not, in a romantic relationship with somepony else?”
The question was met with a moment’s stunned silence. Discord’s eyes widened and his jaw slacked open.
”Wha… what are you talking about?!” he spluttered, completely off kilter. ”What makes you think…”
”BECAUSE I HEARD YOU!!!” Fluttershy bellowed at a volume rarely heard from the shy pegasus. ”I heard you say ”I love you” to somepony else! And I’m not STUPID, Discord!!!” she shouted, pointing an accusatory hoof at him. ”Don’t you think I haven’t noticed you’ve been hiding something?! You’re not as slick as you think mister…” she hissed with uncharacteristic venom.
”NO! No, it’s not what you think!” Discord finally got himself together enough to answer. ”I swear!”
”Then WHAT IS IT?! What explanation could you POSSIBLY have?! Don’t… don’t you love me anymore?” Fluttershy’s rage was giving way to sadness, and the tears started flowing anew.
Grabbing her by the shoulders, Discord said, very seriously: ”Fluttershy! There is NO WAY in the universe I would EVER stop loving you! You taught me about friendship and love, you stood by me, you looked past my mistakes and saw me for the draconequus I am, and not as a monster! Fluttershy…” he gently lifted her chin, and looked deep into her eyes. ”You are my heart, my light, my everything. Please, never doubt my love,” he softly whispered, wiping away her tears.
”So… so if you aren’t in love with somepony else, then why did you say…” she choked back the words.
”Ah, that. Well… it’s true I said that, but it’s not what you think! It’s just, umm…” he hesitated.
”Yes?” Fluttershy prompted, her eyes pleading, pleading for him to tell the truth and take away her doubts.
Sighing, he put his paw in his pocket, and pulled something out. Slowly, he uncurled his fingers, revealing what was inside.
Fluttershy stared.
Sitting on his palm was…
Herself.
A mouse-sized Fluttershy was staring back at her with bright interest, tilting her head to side.
”What… is this?” Fluttershy asked, completely flabbergasted.
”Well… when you and the girls took that trip to the Crystal Empire, I missed you like crazy! So, to ease my loneliness, I created Teenyshy here. It was only meant to be a temporary thing, a bit of comfort until you came back home, but by then she had sort of… taken on a life of her own, and I couldn’t just poof her into non-existence! I know she isn’t really you, but she reminds me of you, like a living photograph, or something…” he babbled, tomato red in the face and obviously flustered.
She gaped at him. ”Why didn’t you just tell me about it?”
”I thought you’d be angry! Or thought it was creepy, or both. In my experience, ponies reaaaally hate it when I make replicas of them…” Discord muttered.
”But, you made it… her… because you missed me, not because you were trying to be mean!” Fluttershy pointed out. ”I though… I thought… Oh Discord!!!” And she flung her hooves around him. ”I’m so sorry! I never should have doubted you, I should have known you wouldn’t break my heart like that, I should have…”
Discord gently shushed her, putting an end to her apologies. ”I’m sorry too, I should have been straight forward with you. And I never should have made you feel insecure.” He pulled her face away from his fur and kissed her lovingly. For a moment, they looked into each other’s eyes. They both had made mistakes, but the gaze between them spoke of their forgiveness, and their love.
”So. This is who you’ve been talking to?” Fluttershy finally said, returning her attention to the miniature pegasus on Discord’s palm.
”Yeah,” he replied, scratching her tiny ear with a talon. ”She doesn’t really talk back, but she likes cuddling.” Teenyshy closed her eyes contentedly, and leaned into the scritches.
”Oh?” Fluttershy looked closer. The mini her smiled up at her, and as soon as she was close enough, she lifted her little hooves and hugged her nose. ”She is actually… quite cute,” she said, smiling.
”Isn’t she? But I prefer you, of course,” Discord purred, nuzzling her face.
Fluttershy giggled. ”Where have you been keeping her all this time?”
”She lives in my pocket, see?” Discord opened the pocket he had in his side, and let Teenyshy climb into its furry insides. Immediately, the little pony curled on the bottom, obviously ready to take a nap.
”She looks really happy there,” Fluttershy admitted. ”And you made her because you missed me?”
Discord blushed, and nodded. ”Yes. I tried to summon pictures and living pictures and body pillows, and finally I made her. Watching her made me feel a little better, and I could talk to her and tell her all the things I wanted to say to you…”
Fluttershy hugged him fiercely. ”Oh sweetheart! I’m sorry you felt so lonely!”
”It’s okay. I’m just happy you aren’t upset with me anymore,” Discord told her.
”Of course not! And you know,” she said, peering up at him, ”I missed you like crazy too…”
”Is that so? Well,” Discord smirked, ”I have the perfect solution!”
Fluttershy was almost finished with the day’s feeding rounds at Sweetfeather Sanctuary. The bunnies happily dug into the food she had just put out for them. Angel bunny’s numerous kids and grand kids all had a healthy appetite, but they did insist on eating only the freshest of vegetables.
Suddenly, she felt a stirring in her mane, and a tiny Discord’s head popped out her pink tresses. He leaned in and whispered in her ear: ”A picnic lunch has been served, milady.”
She giggled and thanked the tiny draconequus. Making her way to the center of the sanctuary, she soon spotted her beloved, sitting on a huge polka dotted blanket and waving at her.
”Oh this looks delicious!” Fluttershy complimented, admiring the abundant spread of pastries and sandwiches, soup, salads, fruits and dancing glasses of pink lemonade.
”Thank you! I did outdo myself, even if I say so myself,” Discord preened.
Fluttershy snickered at his adorable, smug face, made even cuter by the way Teenyshy was gleefully swinging on his antler. But as soon as Teenycord spotted her, he abandoned his perch in her mane and flew to snag her up in a hug.
As Discord and Fluttershy settled down for a nice, leisurely lunch, their miniature counterparts gamboled in the grass, chasing bugs and butterflies, and each other, only stopping to cuddle every once in a while.
”So, how has your day been so far, my dear?” Discord asked, spreading mustard on his éclair.
”It’s been fine. There are a few new residents who are still a little shy around the other animals, but they are slowly adjusting. And Applejack brought Winona in for a grooming,” she replied.
”And uh… how was Applejack?” he asked, hesitantly.
”She was doing well. And don’t look so worried! We already explained everything to her and Rarity, and all is fine,” Fluttershy assured him.
Discord nodded, but he wouldn’t soon forget the look the farm girl had given him before they cleared up the misunderstanding.
They ate the wonderful food till they were positively stuffed. Finally, they flopped back on the blanket, tummies full.
”That was such a lovely feast! Thank you so much, sweetie,” Fluttershy sighed.
”You are quite welcome, my darling,” Discord answered.
”Well, I guess I should go back to work…” Fluttershy made to get up, but Discord stopped her by gently grabbing her hoof.
”What’s your hurry? I think they have the right idea…” he purred, nodding at Teenyshy and Teenycord, wrapped tightly around each other in the shade of a rhubarb leaf.
Fluttershy smiled, and lay back down, burrowing into his chest fur. ”Mmm… I suppose a little nap wouldn’t hurt…” she muttered.
Wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling her mane, he whispered: ”Never said a truer word, my love.”