THIS IS A SIDE BLOG STEMMING FROM @atbussysparks! That is also me!! I will be attempting to re-write bride of discord
Respect for the original property goes to DisneyFanatic2362, writer of bride of discord. This fanfiction was not meant to be "better" but to be a love letter to the original author.
If you or your friend is into MLPFiM, please tag them in my posts!! I want new fans to be able to experience a modern take on a classic fanfic (^^)
Others may write chapters, and I will reblog that! I will write them, but if someone has a better written chapter I'll reblog that instead
THERE WILL BE NO NSFW. While many people have been touched by this series, far too many have touched themselves to it.
I will omit some ridiculous examples of discord being emotionally or mentally abusive past the point in which he has fully developed as a good character. Instead he will face consequences for his abuse.
This is not a safe space for pro/comships. No questions asked
Spike will still have a crush on rarity, but spike being a romantic interest for adult ponies, or having his feelings reciprocated in any way will be removed from the story.
Music and silly corny early 2010s Disney channel humor will stay, unfortunately. BUT! WE WILL MAKE MORE FUNNY JOKES I SWEAR
No cursing within the story, and if they curse it will be subtle. Horse related. Replaced with @$#&*!?¥£€.
Hell, damn, frick, frack, crap, darn, dang, shoot, balls, loser, shut up, fools, doofus, dingus, and ugly are allowed.
The word "ass" will only be used 3 times. Make it count.
Topics such as death should be handled with care and emotions. It is okay to say stuff related to dying.
Characters can be LGBTQ, but explicit sexual references to ponys' relationships, homosexual or heterosexual, are not tolerated. these horses could be sequential hermaphrodites OR self fertilize through an asexual manner called parthenogenesis, and give birth by teleporting the baby horse from their stomach to the ground via magic nurses. But that's not for us to know.
SOMETIMES dirty jokes are allowed. Like, really subtle ones. BUT NO HORSES DO THE NAUGHTY IN THE PLOT. NEVER MENTION IT.
Please write zecora doing actual Hoo Doo. And respect it, as it is cultural magic. Where used to live people did not respect hoodoo and voodoo as actual lifestyles, and viewed them as Halloween gimmicks. In the same place, many black people practiced voodoo.
I'm sorry I will reference fat Albert. I used to watch reruns of it. Fluttershy will explicitly say "HEY HEY HEY" like in the damn YouTube vid. I'm sorry I loved fat Albert.
Rarity will have a daughter from a previous relationship, and the fully will not have that weird diet culture obsession.
Also justice for rarity what the heck did she do to deserve such a horrible life 😭😭😭
If Applejack's speech is funny y'all don't get to say nothing because I'm southern and i am clearly supreme in this area of expertise. She's probably Georgian but that's not my accent so suck it.
Bigots of any kind are not tolerated. Read my main account, (atbussysparks) about section.
And remember! This project was born of love for the original, appreciation of everyone involved with the creation of the audio drama, and the opportunity to make fat Albert references.
Bride of Discord Rewritten Chapter 15: since my last confession
Please note that this chapter may be more mature in writing than the other chapters. It is SAFE FOR WORK, but I'm bad at writing in a lighter tone, or simplistically. That isn't a brag that's bad.
Limp.
The body of discord hung from a slab of wood, surely A hybrid piano chair; Unsupported- hanging high above the consciousness. Awake in the dream relm. Of course he has wandered into the holes amongst the walls, scurrying and nibbling on the fleshy wrinkles incessantly, not bothered to even wipe his sniveling maw. Morally upstanding ponies dare not question their ineptitude, nor acknowledge or even ever be aware of the lingering sense of freedom he has and cannot possibly show remorse for.
No reason to.
How good would their malformed jaws feel when they spit out the bridle, tore the blinders away? He'd never know. They wouldn't let him know. They envied his innate love for everything and they were none the wiser.
Discord was a relative young being, he never went to high school, he uh, spawned around the same time as Celestia. He assumes. She was always older than him but probably not by much. Maybe he appeared to balance the chaos/science scale. Who cared. Discord was alive. Luna was older than him. He likes Luna, she didn't bother to change they way she spoke.
All that reputation-building from Celestia as Luna was caught in the midst of her adolescence chained to the moon. When old Celestia, pedestal Celestia, oh, pristine pure celestial, Celestia the CLEAN SCUM FILTH! when she revised the world to her whim where was Luna but surrounded by her beautiful night she couldn't even touch!
It didn't seem that simple anymore for discord. Where other ponies couldn't see how, for lack of a better word, beautiful and horrible his chaos was, fluttershy could breathe it. For a species of one, discord could see the simplistic contentedness normalcy. Celestia loved Luna more than she loved her sun. Luna appreciates the reclaimed love from her subjects, her colleagues, her equals. Her sister, her return to being a good pony.
Discord slumped down chair, cascading into a cheese wheel, before eating his way out, still scratching his beard. He fell downward towards the floor, his body smooth slithering down the... air.
He lay on the floor as everything around him spun. Backwards, slow motion, becoming 2D, 4D, fractals and organic shapes. It always came back to two shapes. One being a cane, the other... a silly shape. Like a spade..
"you shouldn't have her out like that. Shell waltz off!"
"She's grown."
"hey moron? You hear me? I know you do, I'm you! Haven't spoke to me in a bit!"
"Didn't need to."
The mirror hovered above him, trimmed in lead. Just a block. It didn't used to be. Had leaf detailings, with figs serving the vines a long heel. It clinked in tinked and sparkled like an icy windchime. Now it was just a block.
"newsflash: YOU DO!" The reflection maimed his ears. "I mean, who do you think you are, shutting out me? I'm yourself, I always will be!"
"no you won't."
Defiance. Dissent. How infuriating to have something flipped on you, that you wouldn't think would irritate you.
"I think you need to-"
"YOU DON'T THINK ANYTHING!" Discord boomed from the floor. Everything fell, clattering to the linoleum and wood.
"YOU'RE NOTHING WITHOUT MY THOUGHTS AND I DONT THINK OF YOU ANYMORE!"
The reflection grew big and tore through the walls. Stones crushed the atmosphere.
"NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU WANDER YOUR MIND AND TRY TO ORGANISE THE SCAPES-DONT YOU KNOW WHY THEY DONT STAY THAT WAY?! DO YOU POSSIBLY THINK SOME IMBECILIC STINT IN YOUR LIFE WILL POSSIBLY CHANGE YOUR NATURE??!!"
nature. What a joke. He is nature. Nature was to love. And he loved this life. This mind. This unorganized mish-mash of her.
The antler fell off of the reflection. that was what he was, nothing more. It didn't even have all of its features anymore, just misshapen and unfamiliar orifices.
"You're not high and mighty because that one horse out of billions wants to, perhaps, NOT kill you!"
"because I deserve it! She deserves it! You're nothing more to me but a shard of glass I threw out for not reflecting!"
The nose Sloughed off of the reflection. As did the teeth and the fur.
"and that's just it! I had no reason to listen to that! How easy to make you- no, IT break with just thinking different! You hold nothing over me! DO YOU HEAR ME? YOU'RE NOTHING!! THIS REFLECTION IS NOTHING! YOU'RE GONE UF I SAY YOU ARE!!!"
The reflection shouted as the feathers slid off like melting wax, screeching as its very covering slithered form the body in a green glinting madness, leaving just bone that turned to dust.
Discord watched in horror, chucking the mirror furiously into the wall, watching a single shard embed itself into the stone. He covered his face as the ice ricochets towards him at mach speeds. A hail of glass that used to mean something. The sound resounded throughout the empty room, a great clattering, a metal bar slamming against the tile and then tinkling gently as the clear dust settled.
He didn't need this.
All of it. The kidnapping, the contract- it was worthless to him. She shouldn't even want to look at him again, after all of this. He couldn't just use her to become better and leave her with nothing? He had to make it right. Nothing he could give her could match the profound gift he received, ever.
Discord swirled in on himself, wrapped into a protective shell. Glass snow hovered above him idly. His eyes set on the ponies as they jabbered on beyond the door he peeped through.
"Don't be ridiculous, Applejack, she just said they were best friends!" Ouch. Why did he feel so hurt?
"He's fun and all, "but you can't really-" ouch!
He was just fun. I couldn't possibly be loved. He shook the thought from his head. How ridiculous! He was fun! She just couldn't see past that because she doesn't know him...
"Fluttershy, you can't be serious! He tried to take over Equestria! Three times!"
It didn't feel like him.
"He practically keeps you prisoner!"
But he cannot deny the accusations.
"He threatened the princesses!"
Every word made him Sick to his stomach.
"He beat me at Twister!"
And it was a damn challenge!
"GET OFF HER FLANK!!!"
...
The baby. He stood up, levitating. Another of him, standing short and twittering above the young mares, defending him. Sharing with him what he knew since he was born, what growing up with ponies taught him despite it being so uncomfortable to be told.
Discord knew he had a heart, because now it was aching. It wasn't jealousy, it wasn't spite at the young thing that pulled at his tear ducts uselessly. It was the relief that the baby dragon grew up with something he couldn't possibly imagine having all his life.
A commandment of love.
And he knew the ponies were right. And he knew the dragon was wise beyond his years. And he knew that fluttershy deserves to be around the love she grew up with.
Kimono told to him of the most powerful gift to grant on another.
[img txt: #simple #i would bunt the baby and sprint for first #thus making the problem that of handling the live ball/baby the problem of the catcher and third baseman #who would then have to throw the baby to first before I got there #Then I'd steal second because what're they gonna do try to toss a baby back and forth to get me in a rundown? No fuckin way #I'd take a quick break on second before stealing third and then home #for the game's single most upsetting inside the park home run]
genuinely in love with the reveal, from the baby prodigy scenario, that Christian Baby does not refer simply to a baby baptised and born to christians, but to an infant that holds a belief in christian theology
Me when my piece of shit dog interrupted my leisurely break after a long, backbreaking day writing four words in the chapter I started working on weeks ago:
Screw you Merlin that's why your inbred ass got bowlegs and a bald head. I love him very much he is so goofy
Broken beams of marmalade skies swayed through the windows of fluttershy's room, cropped gently by the tangerine trees outside the cottage flailing their leaves as if to tenderly rouse her awake.
When Fluttershy did awake, she could not help but think she had forgotten something. She could not put her hoof on it, but something about today felt different, like an anti-deja vu.
At that moment, Discord appeared at her bedside with a tray of food.
"Happy Birthday, dearest!"
She slapped herself in the forehead. "Of course."
He set the tray onto her lap. "Breakfast in bed! Hope you're in the mood for pancakes."
"Oh, you didn't have to do anything for me, Discord," she said with a smile. "You've been so sweet to me, I'd like to treat you sometime!"
"Come now, your birth was a great enough treat! Now eat up! I have lots more planned for your special day!"
He vanished and returned once she had finished eating, which of course she had quickly enough that she had gotten the hiccups. The next thing she knew she was dressed in a robe and sitting in a sauna. Discord, wearing a pink fluffy robe, stretched out beside her.
"Ah, nothing like a good steam bath to help you forget your troubles."
"When did we get a sauna?" Fluttershy chuckled.
He raised his paw. "Relax, my dear! Unwind yourself!"
Now that she thought about it, she had not been in a sauna since her last get-together with Rarity. Her chance to relax was long overdue. So Fluttershy closed her eyes and leaned her back against the wall, letting the steam sink into her skin. How lovely it graced her once it got past her coat... In a quarter of an hour, she opened her eyes to see Discord staring down at her with a wide grin on his face.
"What?" she said.
Discord straightened up. "Nothing! I just…"
"Maybe we've been in here for too long. You're sweating."
"You're supposed to-"
"Yes! On to the next part of the treatment!"
A snap of his fingers transformed the sauna into a bath of a gooey green substance. Fluttershy recognized it as the crystal mud from the Crystal Empire. She had not had the chance to try it while she was there, and sitting in it now confirmed that it was as refreshing as Cadence had said. She laughed as she remembered that day when they were welcoming the inspector for the Equestria Games, only to find out that they had gotten the wrong pony. She and her friends had always wound up in the craziest of situations.
Discord was confused as her sudden laughter turned into a frown.
"What's wrong, my dear? Is the mud too warm?"
"No," Fluttershy sighed. It's nothing, really."
He snapped his fingers. "I know what you need! A massage!"
The mud bath disappeared, and Fluttershy found herself lying on a massage table.
"Really Discord, none of this is necessary, I just want…"
She trailed off as she felt the draconequus' hands gently rub her shoulders. In a second, her eyelids slid shut as she relaxed on the table.
"If it troubles you then you should spit it out! I'd say it's something rather than nothing when it's your birthday."
Fluttershy was about to answer, but was lulled by his tender touch that all that came out was a sigh. After massaging her for half an hour, Discord teleported them both to the gazebo.
"Now for your gift."
Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. "The spa treatment wasn't it?"
"No, that was a bonus. I have something more special in mind."
He seated her on a bench and lifted the ring around her neck.
"I'll bet this thing has given you some distress."
"A little," she muttered.
She had nearly forgotten she was still wearing that.
"Well, I just want you to know that…I don't want you to feel like you're being forced into this, and…for what it's worth…I…I can't imagine being with any other pony, so…"
He curled around her and pointed a gleaming finger to the ring, engraving words into it. Once the writing had stopped glowing, Fluttershy squinted to read it.
"To my one and only Fluttershy." She blinked. "I…I don't know what to say."
"Id like you know if you..."
"What?"
He couldn't do it. Not with her eyes glinting with joy.
He teleported in front of her with a birthday cake in his hands. It was a proper red velvet, sweet and buttery like a southern treat, chocolate enhancing every note, without overpowering them. A hint of Hazelnut coffee lined every bite. Paired with a tangy cream cheese it felt like heaven.
"Make a wish!" he exclaimed, holding it out to Fluttershy. "And as it is your birthday, it will be my duty to make it come true!"
That caught her attention. "You promise?"
"Cross my heart," he said, making the gesture.
Fluttershy closed her eyes and blew out the candles.
"So what will it be, my sweet?"
She puffed her chest.
"I wish to visit my friends."
As she had predicted, Discord's face fell. "Sweetheart, I thought we talked about this…"
She crossed her hooves. "No, we haven't. And I think it's time we did."
He laughed nervously. "Isn't there something else you'd like?"
Fluttershy shook her head. "I want to visit my friends, nothing more, nothing less."
He set the cake down and laid his hands on her shoulders. "Darling…" She turned her head from him. "I can't overturn the law-"
She hovered over him. "You promised you would grant whatever wish I made!"
"and I will! But-"
"Then why?!" She spun around, revealing her water filled eyes. "Why won't you let me see my friends?"
He furrowed his brows. Discord felt a pang throughout his thought to his chest.
Her commanding then turned into begging. "Please? Just for the day? I promise I'll come right back, and if I don't, you can bring me back with your magic. In fact, you wouldn't have to. You can trust me."
"I do trust you, Fluttershy! More than anypony, but I have to guarantee that your visit stays within the confines of the contract!"
"please, can't we rewrite it?"
He rubbed the back of his neck. "That, and…"
"How about this? Instead of letting me go to them, you'll bring here!"
"I don't know if that counts as foalnapping! Besides, they're not allowed within our territory-"
"Not even for one day? It is my birthday, after all."
"I want to let you see them! I want to give you this one thing! But it's not that simple... "
She lay her hoof on his shoulder.
"or maybe it is. All I know is that I'm not the draconequus I was when I made that deal. And I know that I don't want..."
Fluttershy tilted her head to an angle. "You can tell me."
"some part of me doesn't want them to take you away. Because I know if they convince you to go back and you did it, it wouldn't be because they brainwashed you or whatever. It'd be because you had a reason, and you wanted to. I'm not scared that you'll go back to your life and be happy...I'm terrified of losing my first friend."
His voice cracked gently before he turned his head off the the side and cleared his throat.
"I'm terribly sorry fluttershy, I didn't want to spin your feelings back on ole' me!"
"I promise, we can rework the treaty, and you can come visit me, but we have to have them here. Besides, you never allow my friends to visit, who are my bridesmaids going to be?"
Discord's ears perked up. "Brides…?"
"And I promised Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo they would be my flower girls, and Spike, the ring bearer, and…well, you need some pony to perform the service and Twilight IS the duchess of celestia now…"
"Wait, back up!" he interrupted, facing her. "Are you saying…?"
She inhaled, only allowing a short breath in, and a longer one out. It was circle breathing then,it was muay Thai technique.
"I'd like to marry you, when and only when we rework the deal. I feel like... like we are close enough that we can marry."
Discord was speechless, not believing what he was hearing. This had to be a dream, or at least a trick, but he was awake and Fluttershy was not one to kid. Gosh deal or no deal he'd have to be a complete starchy spud not take up her offer. Marrying his... best friend, never being alone again, giving her anything she could ever want....
She squeaked as he suddenly took her in his arms. "Oh, thank you! You've made me the happiest creature in the world, my dear! Now, do you think I should wear a tux or what? I'm partial to a off the shoulder ball gown, something with lots of ruffles and peacock feathers-"
Fluttershy tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong. "Discord! Sweet! Youre-"
"of course if you do like traditional I can wear a tux, but not any boring- oh! What about a non-west equestria wedding!"
She squealed as he spun her, around like a fancy carousel with strobe lights. He apologized before putting her down, as she giggled and twirled her mane in dizzy. He danced gently.
Pinkie lay dormant on a large circle bed in the boutique. Surrounded by the colors not unlike that of a mallard, mottled with mustard yellows. All the ceiling drapes now caught on the columns, surrounding her like Spanish moss, however below such a flourishing plant still was an extinction. One of natural joy.
"Come on, Pinkie, this is getting ridiculous!" Rainbow exclaimed. "You've been crying for hours! You're gonna flood the place!"
"It's Fluttershy's birthday!" Pinkie cried. "I had a big party planned for her! It was going to be out in her garden! I was going to surprise her!" She pulled out a wrapped gift from under her bed. "I was going to give this to her! Now I'll never know if she'll like it!"
Applejack laid a hoof on her shoulder. "We miss her too, Pinkie, but we just have to accept…"
"How can we accept that our best friend is gone for good? We're never gonna see her again! Worst of all, she's never gonna see her birthday present!"
Suddenly, Spike burped up a letter. When he opened it, he gasped.
"It's Discord again!"
"What?!" every pony shrieked, huddling around him.
"seriously dude, get a fax machine..."
"What does it say, Spike?" Twilight inquired.
The dragon cleared his throat. "You are cordially invited to Fluttershy's birthday party at Discord's castle. Starting now."
The next thing they knew, all nine of them were standing in front of a dark castle.
"What in tarnation!?" Applejack proclaimed.
"Where are we?" Twilight wondered.
Rarity cringed as she looked up at the cottage. "Clearly an area in need of some interior designers."
"This has gotta be Discord's place!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"Oh, well that makes sense."
"It wasn't supposed to!"
Everyone turned around in shock to see the draconequus standing over them. Rainbow Dash looked up in abject horror and slowly fluttered down to the cobblestone path, bolting to rarity's side.
Discord rolled his eyes. "Well, I was going to let you see her, but if that's the way you're going to behave…"
"Slow yer roll there hoss, what's goin on?"
"Didn't you get the invitation?"
He tugged the parchment out of Spike's claw using his magic. Pinkie leaned forward to read it again.
"You mean…?" Her eyes slid down the wall of her skull dropping like a sack of loose muscle. They dilated with anticipation. "BIRTHDAY PARTY!"
As she screamed, she launched into the air and fireworks exploded behind her, creating a visceral display of every possible twitching emotion contained in the word "exitement." Discord scratched his head. How does she do that? Pinkie then rushed to the front door, bursting it open.
"Wha- my door! That's teakwood"
"Discord?" Fluttershy called as she entered the main hall. "Are they…?"
"FLUTTERSHY!"
Pinkie tackled her into a hug, giving Fluttershy no chance to escape. The others galloped to her every angle and squeezed her like they would never feel again.
"Fluttershy!" Rarity exclaimed. "You're alright!"
"Girls! Spike!" Fluttershy said, tears coming into her eyes. "I missed you so much! I…" She choked as Pinkie squeezed tighter. "Can't…breathe…"
"Oops!" the pink pony blushed, not very noticeably, backing away with the others. "Sorry, I just can't believe it's you! I thought I'd never see you again and that you'd never get to see what I got you for your birthday…" She gasped dramatically. "Your birthday! Quick, close your eyes!"
"Why do I have to…?"
She was cut off as Pinkie tied a blindfold around her head. "One second!"
Fluttershy heard a few familiar blasts before the cloth was removed. The room was now walled with balloons, streamers and other party decorations.
"How did you…?" she started to ask, but she already knew the answer.
"I never go anywhere without my party cannon!" Pinkie chimed, bringing the object into view.
"oh hey, I love that band!" Discord panted out as he caught up to the six of them and spike.
She strapped a birthday hat onto Fluttershy's head, laughing as the strap poofed her expanse of hair every which way. Pinkie started up the gramophone.
"Let's party! This is my mixtape, I made it when I had that big hide-and-seek birthday bash a few years back!"
The music rang throughout the rooms, funky 8-bit tunes filling the ears with wonder and joy.
But instead of dancing, the ponies fed Fluttershy a million questions.
"Have you been kept safe?" Rarity asked.
"How are the animals?" inquired Applejack.
"How do you not get dizzy in here?" Rainbow questioned, glancing around the distorted room.
"Are you married yet?" Spike asked, looking at the engagement ring. "He seems so different!"
"Does he know pi?!" Pinkie inquired eagerly.
"Whoa, girls!" Twilight exclaimed, silencing them. "Give her some space!"
Fluttershy summed it up. "Yes, he's kept me safe in the forest, and we're not married yet. Actually, Discord's treated me quite well. He's really…sweet."
Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "You've got to be kidding me."
"We brought you here, didn't we?"
Twilight giggled, trying to lighten the mood. "What does it matter? It's Fluttershy's birthday. We should be celebrating!"
The Duchess began her awkward dancing, which everyone stared at for a while. She was so careless and free, she almost resembled that mare from Seingeld. Then they shrugged and danced themselves. In between songs, Fluttershy received updates on every pony's lives.
Rainbow Dash couldn't see her feelings for applejack being requited, so she didn't want to infringe on their friendship and dating status with rarity. Fluttershy snickered as she explained this. How aloof this filly could be! She'll be over the moon if applejack says something!
"sometimes I just see her, and we're cuddling with rarity, and I see the way she looks at her and-GOSH! She makes my heart race like when I'm flying! She's so headstrong and caring, and I just wanna take her out to treat her, y'know? Real classy just for her! wanna surprise her with something hoity toity. Like, hey! I got us a bucket of chicken! Wanna date?"
Fluttershy nearly cackled, "That's not fancy at all!
The blue pegasus rubbed the back of her neck. "It's a self proof thing. I wanna prove I'm the type mare she'd like! Like rarity!"
"I'm sure she likes how different you three are, and you don't have to get fancy for her!" Fluttershy giggled!
"Well," Rarity interjected, "I think this relationship is much sweeter and more genuine than that with blueblood! I just anticipate seeing my mares every day!"
"have you been taking those vitamins rarity?"
"Oh yes! They've worked wonders for my mane! And don't worry, applejack and rainbow dash already know. They were elated! I think I'm really gonna spend my life with them!"
She buried her head in fluttershy's embrace, squealing and tapping her hooves, blushing madly.
Seeing rarity pratter on about her love made spike's heart crumble, and slowly wash together again seeing her smile so hard and celebrate so sporadically that her mane frizzed.
The earth pony glanced at the dragon on the other side of the room, freaking it sensitive style as he watched in bitter-sweet pining. She lay a hoof on his little head, so tender and mild was the baby boy. Her eyes never exceeded the far off gaze.
"it wasn't meant to be spike. But something is. And I can't wait until you find it, Angel boy."
He smiled up at her so burning and gratifyingly, earnest as if to say "her love is my love. Thank you for showing me this."
"Who wants to play Pin the Tail on the Pony?" Pinkie called, throwing a blindfold around Fluttershy's eyes again. "Birthday girl goes first!"
As the afternoon went on, Fluttershy enjoyed her friends' company as they played more games and caught up with one another. One after the other, operation, clue, monopoly, Texas hold'em! It was after the third round of candyland that fluttershy's attention averted to the draconequus cutting it up in the corner.
She excused herself from her friends and flew up to him.
"Thank you, Discord," she said with a smile, "for bringing my friends here."
His expression changed at the sight of her. "You're welcome."
"You don't have to sit here all day. Why don't you join us?"
"I think your friends," he pointed at the ponies, baring his teeth in a way that wasn't anger, but unsureness. Q"would not appreciate that."
She was about to say something when he slid his arm around her. "Have you told them yet?"
Fluttershy blinked. "Told them what?"
He chuckled, playfully twirling the ring on her neck. "Have you really forgotten already?"
She looked down at the ring and blushed. "Oh."
She had been so excited about seeing her friends, she had forgotten the reason they were here in the first place.
"N-no, I…
"We should do it together! We wanted them here?"
"I…it's just…"
They were interrupted by Pinkie, who had bravely approached the draconequus. "Hey, Discord! You wanna play Twister with us?"
He stared at the pink pony, shocked at the invitation and then stood up. "Alright, but I warn you, I'm the world champ!"
Pinkie snorted. "As if!"
"Is that a challenge?"
"Only if you're up for it!"
"Oh, it's on!"
Before following the pony, he turned back to his fiancé. "We have to, to rewrite the deal!"
The ponies erupted in jeers and competitive whoops! Overlapping voices gave way to reveal rainbow's epic shouting.
"IM TAKING ALL BETS, 9-2 ON PINKIE, THE MARE WITH THE FLAIR, THE GREAT PINK HOPE!!"
Only Pinkie, Dash, and twilight were bold enough to go against Discord in Twister. Thanks to his long snake-like body he was able to defeat them with ease. While Pinkie called for best two out of three, Fluttershy pulled Applejack aside. Since she was the one she had confided in before, she felt more confident telling her first.
"I'm glad to see you're gettin' along fine, Shug," the southern pony sighed. "I don't know what you've been doin' the past month, but Discord seems a might different. I'm surprised he let us come here."
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Applejack," Fluttershy whispered. "You see, the reason we brought you here is…um…"
"Because it's your birthday?"
"No…well, sort of, really wanted to see you and this was a really special occasion.."
Applejack laid a hoof on her shoulder. "Take it easy, lovebug, Whatever you have to say, say it."
She took a deep breath. "I…I want to rewrite the treaty."
"Oh, um…great?"
"I need you girls at the wedding in the next 12 moons!"
Silence fell over the room and Fluttershy realized that she had shouted that last part. Pinkie fell from her position and Discord pumped his fist.
"Yes! Victory!" He then noticed the glares he was receiving. "Oh, come on, don't be sore losers!"
"You're marrying him in 12 moons?!" Rarity uttered.
"Oh, so you've told them!" He teleported to his fiancé's side and threw his arm around her. "Yes, our big day is in almost two weeks and you're all invited! The four of you can be bridesmaids, the foals can be the flower girls, the dragon can be the ring bear or whatever it is and Princess cranium can perform the service!"
Twilight's jaw dropped in horror. "You want me to…to…marry you two?!"
"You can't do that,I'm marrying her!" He cackled!
"Um, Discord?" Fluttershy said softly. "Could you let me talk to them?
"Oh, sure, go ahead! Who's stopping you?"
"Alone?"
"ooh, gotcha!"
Once he had vanished, Fluttershy floated down to her friends.
"That was awfully rude of you."
"Rude?!" every pony exclaimed.
"You're marrying that monster so soon!!" Rarity cried. "How do you expect us to react?"
"But you know I'm engaged to him," Fluttershy pointed out.
"We didn't…" Rainbow stammered. "We didn't expect it to happen now! And…now you want us to be a part of it?!"
"I thought you'd want to come to my wedding."
"Not when it means watching you get married to a monster!"
Fluttershy stomped her hoof defensively, "monster us subjective! And from what I've been shown I know that if he's a monster, than so are we!"
"He took you away from us!"
"It was my decision to come and stay, and I had my bargains respected!"
"how can you be so accepting of this?!"
"Because he's my friend! And he's a good pony! And if I had the choice to spend the rest of my life with anyone else I wouldn't take it, not for a million billion bits!!!"
She trailed off and realized that she had already said too much. Applejack raised an eyebrow at her flushed cheeks, more flushed than usual. She knew that look.
"Are you…in love with him?"
Rarity huffed. "Don't be ridiculous, Applejack, she just said they were best friends!"
"Yeah," Rainbow laughed. "But I call you my best friend by habit sometimes!"
Rarity gasped infiginified
"He's fun and all," Pinkie chimed, "but you can't really-
"Fluttershy, you can't be serious! He tried to take over Equestria! Three times!"
"He practically keeps you prisoner!"
"He threatened the princesses!"
"He beat me at Twister!" Pinkie shouted.
"GET OFF HER FLANK!!!"
Silence permeated throughout the walls. A hollow and yet shallow steady beat of breath rattled through the baby dragon standing defiantly above the ponies. His chest rose and his head pelted back, as arms rested at his sides, hoisting himself up upon a bench. Fluttershy stuttered,
"So you don't…?"
"I know that in a lotta places, dragons like me would be irredeemable monsters. Heck, some places don't allow us in! And while yeah uh.. few of us are, the one big thing we can use to turn back their path or like, prevent it maybe, is FRIENDSHIP."
Twilight felt the corners of her mouth perk up like they were tied with string, tears pricking her eyes. Her baby boy, her little man, her other half...
He was gonna tell her teachings better than she could one day, and she couldn't be prouder.
"I believe her. Princess Luna can be changed, and love beats up evil. If we don't practice what we preach, then what's the point of being at our friend's birthday?!"
...
As his valiant words echoed throughout the room, Fluttershy's heart sank. Her friends lost their anger as tears streamed down her face. Twilight held out her hoof.
"Fluttershy, we… I wanna hear what you have to say. I want to hear you out."
Rarity sat back and listened,giving her warmest smile, squeezing spike in adoration. Rainbow flew to her side and quirked her head smirking warmly,and inquisitivly. Applejack rested her head in their laps. Pinkie leapt from her previous position and hugged fluttershy.
"For the record, I think it's a pretty metal story tell your kids. Stretch out that ten minute story for eight years and you can get a sitcom out it." Rainbow commented.
Fluttershy buried her head in her hooves. Betwixt her grasp was a smile that flexed no muscles. Her hair was frizzy and unkempt, her limbs shook like a elm in a drought. Her nerves shot as if through a rivet gun. The queasiness never subsided, her bones were glass and her skin was paper.
She couldn't feel any of it as she embraced her friends.
"Of course ya don't understand!" Applejack snapped. "You of all ponies wouldn't understand! You talk about romance all the time, but you wouldn't know love if it was starin' you right in the face!" She turned to the others. "That goes for all of ya!"
"you never opened your present..."
"Oh! Of course!"
As she bore into the delicately wrapped gift, revealing to herself a jade and rose quartz comb, etched with love it read, "born to love, live to create." Fluttershy was downright crying at this point, no conclusion she could come up with was coherent enough to exact her spirit.
Fluttershy heard a grunt and looked up to see the draconequus standing over her. Despite the circumstances, she was happy to see him, for now he was here to comfort her. Her joy turned into suspense as she noted the nervous smile cracking across his face. His hands were clenched to the sides, and his eyes were glaring into the scene with remorse.
"The portal's ready," Discord said after conjuring a swirling red void. Beyond everything there would be freedom. Amongst the populous, hearing manes swiftly flutter, and ponies laughing. Everything was different and uncanny. Behind the weaved web of space in front of her the grass was still growing, the workweek still happening. It was tender and consistent.
December 4th. 3 months. 9 moons. Fluttershy arrived on August 25th. 3 months with no friends, not a single day of work, no routine. And Fluttershy couldn't bring herself to say any of this was damaging her. It would be a lie on her part, at least on surface level. No matter how much she tried to explore it, she never felt alone, truly and without discernable reason.
All the animals were gathered in front of the portal, staring at it questioningly. The draconequus looked to Fluttershy.
"Are you ready?"
She inhaled deeply. "Yes." She turned to the crowd of creatures. "My friends, I know some of you are unhappy here and wish to go, so…I'm giving you a chance. This portal here will take you anywhere you want. No boundaries. Whoever you want to see."
It stung like nettles.
"Don't worry about me. I love every one of you, but…you can't stay here for my sake, not forever. I…I'll be fine."
After hearing some more chirping, Fluttershy hung her head.
"I'm not going. I can't."
Angel stepped forth and pointed towards Discord
"Yeah, I'll be with him. It shouldn't concern you, mon petít ange. I'll be safe with him."
For a while, the animals stood there, wondering what to do. Then a few headed towards the portal. Fluttershy turned away, unable to watch. She could hear the electric noise as the animals stepped through the void. She tried to hold back the tears, but it was no use. She ran to the nearest tree and buried her face in her hooves and began weeping.
After a while, she could no longer hear any chirps, squeaks or grunts. She did not need to turn around to know that they were all gone now. Then she felt something soft patting her head. She looked up and saw Angel smiling at her. Other animals surrounded her, some badgers, squirrels birds, ducks and mice who had stayed behind.
She sniffed. "Thank you, friends. If you wanna be here I promise you can come back whenever you want."
But she could not help but weep for the animals that had left. After closing the portal, Discord cautiously approached his fiancé. He got a few angry glares from the animals, but Fluttershy raised her hoof, assuring that it was alright. Still glaring at the draconequus, they slowly broke apart. Discord knelt down to her.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah," she choked.
"That was…very brave of you."
"I know. I just…can't help…"
She buried her face in his fur and cried. Discord slowly wrapped his arms around her and stroked her mane.
"Shhh," he whispered. "There, there. They're free. They have no duties."
"It must feel so light..." she sobbed.
"No more tears then."
He took her face in his hands and wiped away her tears. He had to think of a way to cheer her up. Then it hit him.
"How about I take you out to dinner tonight?"
Fluttershy blinked in confusion. "Out?"
He nodded with a grin. "I get it! Feeling cooped up isn't that nice, and since you can't... leave without legal ramifications- heck, I think we should do it!"
"You mean…outside the castle?"
"Well, if you need a m- castle? I don't have one! We live in a cottage!"
"No! That would be wonderful."
"I'll see you at seven, then?" She nodded as he pulled away. "Oh and why don't we make this a formal occasion? So, wanna wear something nice? Might wanna wear practical shoes-"
He looked down at her iron lined hooves.
"Alright. Tonight then."
Discord watched his mirror as it showed and Big Macintosh on another date with his dame, sugar belle. Jeez, if you like it then you should put a ring on it!
...
He probably yelled that out loud.
"How does he do it?" he wondered. He doesn't truly expect marriage after this, perhaps the strongest friendship ever maybe. But he, Macintosh, seems so charming he makes her swoon.
They gave him nothing. They were already in love. They were having lunch at a café, sharing a milkshake with two straws. It was a strange flavor, something like root beer and latin strawberries. Probably Mexico. Nopony ever remembers the other countries, or the whole continent.
"Any leaves falling?" Sugar Belle asked her date.
"Eyup."
"You think maybe we could prance in the leaves sometime?." She glanced her hooves. "Ooh, and I'll bring some cider! It'll be cold!"
"Yup," the red stallion nodded.
Before standing up, sugar belle leaned over and gave him a peck on the lips. Discord's eyes widened at this action. Of course! Why didn't he think of it before? They're already in love! And he needs a crush-duo!"
Now he knew he had to make this night perfect. Something he couldn't remember at the moment was at stake!
Fluttershy was pacing around her room, Angel standing impatiently on her bed.
"Ooh, what should I wear?" She held up a green dress in front of the mirror. "This one? No." She picked up a blue dress. "This one? No." The next was red. "Maybe? Oh, where's Rarity when you need her?!"
Angel thumped his foot on the bed to get her attention. She turned to him as he squealed.
"Why am I so nervous? Oh, I don't know! I just…want to look nice…"
The rabbit glared at her, his head tilted and his nose scrunchied.
"Oh, Angel, if I didn't wanna go I wouldn't! And I want to go, so I want to look nice. I want to look as pretty as I should feel."
Angel snorted. He leaned back and quirked his eyebrow, little paws resting folded on his crossed legs. His paws only have fur on the bottom. Rabbits have no paw pads. They have toes with bottoms. There is no squish at the bottom.
"I don't know for a first friend I seem kinda lousy... I wanna feel cute. I want my new friend to feel handsome."
The bunny turned away in a huff. Fluttershy sighed and flew over to the vanity. As she gazed in the mirror, she thought of all the times Discord had called her beautiful. Although she would never admit it, just being with him made her feel beautiful. That's why she had to look her best tonight.
She did not know where these thoughts were coming from. Since when did she care so much about her appearance? He likes how she looks! Friends don't care anyways!
Fluttershy spun around to face Angel. "Can you help me pick out a dress?"
The rabbit stared at her for a moment, then hopped down and began rummaging through the closet.
Discord spent the rest of the day searching for other couples in Equestria to learn from. None of them were she and he.
It was now five minutes to seven and Discord was making last minute adjustments to his appearance. The tuxedo he had summoned made him feel ridiculous, but he had a girl to impress, so he was willing to suffer whatever pain to do so. He could do nothing to improve his physical appearance, however. He was able to change form, but he had figured out long ago that no matter what he turned into, part of his deformed figure would remain. But if there were any more of hims he would be proud of his nation! One that can be loved!
"Okay, Discord," he said to his reflection. "You can do this. You can do this!"
He licked his paw and slicked his mane back, only to have it pop back up. He sighed in defeat.
"Oh, who am I kidding? I can't do this! Discord, wake up and smell the hummus! She's the most beautiful creature in the world and I'm…" he looked at himself in the mirror. The reflection was so unfamiliar. So silly and loving. It made him warm.
He teleported outside of Fluttershy's bedroom and was about to knock when a thought occurred to him.
"Hold on. If you're going to do this, do it right!"
He summoned a bouquet of roses and straightened his tux. He then knocked on the door and heard the angelic voice from inside: "One minute!"
As he waited, Discord started sweating.
"Alright, no need to be nervous," he muttered to himself. "Just one girl. Just one amazing, BEST FRIEND. my, it's hot in here." He tugged at his collar. "You can do this. Whatever you do, don't look like a…"
"Discord?"
He was so distracted he had not heard the door open. He quickly straightened himself up and felt himself lighten.
"Fluttershy! You ready to…?"
He stopped at the extraordinary sight before him and nearly dropped the bouquet. She wore a marigold dress, voluminous ebbing only slightly before bounding back into another tier. roses and vines embroidered in and out along the hem dancing along the silhouette. Her hair was tied into a long ponytail flouncing dainty over her shoulders like a calm stream. Her ballroom gloves seemed redundant, but framed her soft nature and gentle touch. Her sleeves fell off the shoulder.
"Is everything alright?"
Discord opened his mouth, but no words came.
"Is it too much? I can change, if you'd like."
"No!" he blurted. Then he pulled himself together and cleared his throat. "You look…amazing."
She turned away with a blush. Discord then remembered the bouquet and handed it to her.
"Oh yeah yeah!! Here!"
Fluttershy took the flowers with a smile. "Thank you, I haven't seen these around the cottage!"
"It suits you."
Fluttershy blushed again. "You're too sweet. So where are we going?"
Discord turned his back to her and crouched down. "Hop on and I'll show you!"
Her eyes widened. "You mean…climb on your back?"
"Yes, we're flying there!"
"Oh but…I can fly by myself…"
"oh yea.."
She hesitantly crawled onto Discord's back and locked her hooves around his neck. The draconequus turned around and opened one of the windows.
"Hold on tight," He unfurled his wings and raced towards the window. Fluttershy shut her eyes and let out a squeak as he launched into the air.
"Woo hoo!" Discord cried. "Fluttershy, you've got to look at this view!"
His only response was a whimper. He turned his head to see the pegasus burying her face into his neck. He raised an eyebrow.
"You can look, you know?"
"But it's so…" Fluttershy stammered, "…high."
"Oh come on! Don't tell me you're afraid of heights! You're a pegasus for crying out loud!"
"It's um…not of heights, it's of…falling."
"shoot, sounds reasonable!"
"Are we going to land soon?" she pleaded.
The draconequus rolled his eyes. "Alright, hold it."
He blinked hard. Trees and grass turned into ash instantly. Everything that was there before pony kind would never outlast them. It was all toppled by the ancient apex predator of flame. Acres of carnage raged across the small clearing, leaving little in its wake.
His descent landed 200 yards away from the target area.
He slowly descended into a large clearing in the wood. He snapped his fingers and turned to the shivering pony on his back.
"It's okay. You can let go now."
Fluttershy opened her eyes and floated to the ground. She glanced at their surroundings and gasped at the sight of a table draped in a white cloth, centered with a lamp, one with oil higging the flame tight. Two covered dishes were set in front of two cushioned dining chairs. As a last minute touch, Discord summoned a violin, then an invisible orchestra of jazzy tunes playing softly by itself in midair. He bowed to his date, gently taking her hoof.
"Shall we, my dear?"
She giggled as he lightly kissed her hoof. He then ushered her to one of the chairs, holding it out for her as she sat down and pushed it back in. Fluttershy was impressed at what a gentleman he was being.
"And what would my dear, sweet Fluttershy like to eat?" Discord inquired as he seated himself.
"Gosh uh... I don't know. This is all so wonderful... I've never seen anything like it!"
"I know just the thing!"
He snapped his fingers and when Fluttershy lifted the cover of her dish, she saw a bowl of bright green leaves with no stems, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, feta cheese and ranch dressing. It mouthwatering. He offered the one thing she'd craved then and there: RHUBARB. it was swiftly devoured.
Discord had a chocolate milkshake, though as he sipped through the straw, the glass disappeared rather than the liquid.
"This was really nice of you," she said with a smile
"Well," he chuckled, "I think we've both been cooped up in that castle for too long. Besides, it is lovely out here!"
His laughed was bouncy, and his speech was lined with a smile and snaggletooth. He was adorable.
She gazed into the darkness of the trees. "What if a Timberwolf or something shows up? Or-"
He waved his paw nonchalantly. "Please, I'm the scariest thing you'll find in this forest."
She looked at him shyly. "I don't think you're scary."
Discord tried to contain his joy at hearing her say that. "Well, there you go! Nothing else should frighten you then!"
"Oh…um…I'm not brave…"
"Sure you are! You left ponyville to be here..."he cringed. Sore spot. The only reason she was here was because-
"I wanted to find something purposeful, something I could contribute to. I'm a ponyville citizen, and I'd to anything for the other ponies..."
...
"well, I admire your tenacity! ANYWHO,"
He summoned them each a wine glass, filling them with grape juice. He raised his glass.
"A toast to the future!"
Fluttershy gave him a small smile and clinked her glass with his. It was only now that she started growing suspicious. They had had a candlelit dinner before, but dressing up, playing romantic music and talking about the future? Not only that, but they were out in the open where someone might assume they weren't friends. Hell, it was questionable since they were technically fiance's.
"is this a date?" She asked slyly and cautious.
"You hear that, dear?" Discord said. "They're playing that song from like, a million moons ago!"
°°Unforgettable, that's what you are
Unforgettable, though near or far
Like a song of love that clings to me..°°
He teleported beside her and bowed. "Enchanté, mademoiselle. May I have this dance?"
She stared at his open paw for a while and then slowly took it, giggling at his pronunciation. In a flash, the clearing had turned into a marble pavilion, the columns decorated in flowered vines. Cloaked around the pillars hung damask chenille fabrics. candles illuminating the tiled floor. Made it seem like the stars had landed here just for them. He led her to the middle and pulled her close.
°°How the thought of you does things to me
Never before has somepony been more Unforgettable in every way
And forevermore (and forevermore)°°
He twirled her around as he had done the first time they danced, swinging like they flew. Maybe they were, flying in a sense of being lifted.
°°That's how you'll stay (that's how you'll stay)
That's why, darling, it's incredible, That someone so unforgettable, Thinks that I am unforgettable too°°
Certainly all pressure released from their every joint, as if they were held. A whirl, a twist, and once more they embraced, simple stepping in a preconceived and unplanned pattern. Shuffling almost. They remained enclosed and circling until the next song.
°°You're my world, you're every breath I take
You're my world, every move I make°°
"I mean, that'll do, just fine."
"But you…" Fluttershy was about to say, but was cut short as he snaked his paw around her waist and gently took her hoof in his paw.
°°As the trees reach for the sun above
So my limbs reach out to you for love°°
Suspicious or not, she couldn't deny how a tender waltz would have made her downright uncomfortable with anypony else.
Luna watched on from her perch. Their appearance should make ponies tremble for how drastically different it seemed beyond word of mouth. Rather than a prisoner, she looked as if she were worshipped.
How mundane the things said in public felt now. How inferior they should feel under the weight of love, of any kind. This embrace broke laws and treaties, at any moment fluttershy could fly away of her own accord, and how unwilling discord would be to force her back.
The waltz was difficult for Discord, because Fluttershy was so much smaller than him. He could not hold his arm outward without straining her forelimb, as she was quadrupedal. he turned and dipped her as much as he could. Eventually, he found a solution and placed his claw on her waist along with his paw, bringing them closer together.
"Where did you learn to dance like this?" Fluttershy inquired as he dipped her again.
He smirked as he slowly brought her back up. "You'd be surprised how much you can learn without the aid of magic."
She glanced around nervously.
"discord-"
"Shhh," he whispered, putting a finger to her lips. "No words, my dear. Let's just enjoy this beautiful night."
Luna puffed her chest in pride at her beautiful night.
The pegasus was not the only one who seemed different. Discord's eyes never left Fluttershy and he was gentle with every movement he made with her. what he had created out here was not his usual wacky construction. Everything was orderly, even the tuxedo he was wearing. A tuxedo! His voice was different as well, softer and kinder. This was not the draconequus Luna had helped turn to stone.
Luna bit her lip and quirked her brow in astonishing awe as fluttershy lay her head on his chest. He looked at her in a manner none could replicate.Luna's jaw dropped. She knew that look. Could it be that the Lord of Chaos was in…? How could a creature of his nature feel this way?...
Then again, who was she to judge someone in such a manner? She of all ponies should know better than to label somepony as completely evil.
A thousand years, he had suffered alone, as did she. The difference between them was that Luna had her sister. Discord had no one to let him in, until now, it seemed. So was this genuine?
°°If our love ceases to be
Then it's the end of my world for me°°
Her thoughts seemed to move godspeed as only a verse had passed. With that, she left through means of teleportation.
The two sat there awkwardly for a while, waiting for the other to break the ice. They stole glances at each other, but looked away before the other could notice. Fluttershy smoothed out her dress while Discord rubbed the back of his neck before looking at her again. After a few minutes, she finally caught him.
"What are you staring at?" she asked playfully.
Discord smirked as if the answer was obvious. "Why you, of course. You fascinate me. I've never met anything or anypony more accepting, so autonomous and timid at once!"
Fluttershy blushed slightly. "That's very sweet."
He curved his body around her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I speak the truth, my dear. You are everything I could ever ask for."
She closed her eyes as he leisurely ran his fingers through her hair. His face was so close that she could feel his pastry breath. A month ago, this would have frightened her, but now, she just wanted him to keep stroking her mane, soothing her, whispering these things in her ear. Whenever he was around, she felt safe and secure, beautiful and important, cared for and adored.
"Fluttershy," Discord whispered.
"Mmm-hmm?" she uttered absent-mindedly.
"Might I ask you a teensy question? It's not the usual one!"
"Mmm-hmm."
He turned her head towards him. "May I... kiss you?"
She froze. Her shoulders seemed to pass her ears as she was was racked with blush.
The orchestra seemingly added a longer instrumental. Because of course they did.
He quickly moved away from her. "Sorry, I…I've just never kissed anypony before and…since we're friends, you wouldn't mind…"
"Okay," she replied weakly.
"Are you sure?"
She breathed and boldly faced him. "One k-k-kiss w-wouldn't hurt."
Her permission felt like a firework in his chest.
He gently took her face in his hands and leaned forward. What if she doesn't enjoy it? What if she hates me for the rest of my life? What are you waiting for? Do it now!
He panicked and kissed her on the forehead before quickly pulling away. Fluttershy opened her eyes in confusion. She shivered.
"Discord," she said slowly, "are you…nervous?"
He scoffed. "Nervous? W-why should I be nervous?"
"It's okay. I'm nervous too."
The draconequus blinked. "You are?"
She hung her head. "Well…I've never been kissed either and…if I'm going to kiss anypony for the first time..." She trailed off and looked back up at him. "I won't mind. Go ahead."
Discord gulped. "Um…alright. Here it goes."
She closed her eyes as he leaned toward her again. He was only an inch away from her lips when his panic returned. Her lips pouted, anticipated. He couldn't be enough. She was a oil lamp. She was warm and covered. On every surface of his being there was dense sheen. She was everything he could possibly foresee.
°°With your hoof resting in mine
I feel a power so divine-!°°
Nothing. Buzzing, fluttering. Pounding. Silent under the guise of tension. Fluttershy closed the gap between them, as momentarily Discord's widened eyes softened. His eyelids slid closed.
°°You're my world, you are my night and day!°°
Nothing could end. Combustion. Sparks. A burn at first, them gripping yearning. This Was unlike anything, imperceivable. The meaning of life was nothing, a dead concept with no answer, time's arrow neither stands still nor reverses. It merely marches forward. As does definitions. The definition of life at this moment was...
°°You're my world, you're every prayer I pray!°°
"That was…" he stammered.
"…nice," she finished.
°°If our love ceases to be...°°
"How about another dance?" he asked suddenly.
°°then it's the end of my world...°°
"Are you alright, my dear?"
°°end of my world...!°°
"I don't think any other kiss will feel like that again..."
°°END OF MY WORLD...°°
She looked at him with nothing close to what she looked at her most favored things with. It was otherworldly, ethereal endearment.
°°FOOOR, MEEEEE!!°°
The climax. The shattering. The orchestra replicating the brains neurological sense of compassion that will nevermore be spoken with such brilliance and conciseness.
"Do you want me to tuck you in?"
"No, thank you," the pegasus said, flying out of his arms. "Thank you for tonight. It was lovely," She yawned.
She surprised him with a peck on the cheek. "Good night."
"Sleep well, my sweet," Discord said, putting a hand where she had kissed him.
She did not take his eyes off him until the door was shut. Discord couldn't handle the walk back, opting to teleport to his room and rejoice like a teenage filly. His hooves flew in circular motions, and he shouted nearly squealing.
He brought the bed down so it could catch him as he collapsed. He had just kissed the most amazing pony in the world and she was the one who initiated it!!
After replaying the events of the evening in his head, his grin slowly disappeared as realization hit him.
thinking about the toki skwisgaar yin yang symbolism. skwisgaar brings/represents life and toki brings/represents death, but at the same time skwis is more gloomy whereas toki is more cheery. skwisgaar is "masculine" and toki is "feminine", but at the same time skwis is slender and prissy whereas toki is buff and aggressive. one is blonde one is brunette they are SO perfectly complimentary and interlocking in every way it drives me insane
The draconequus had just finished showing Fluttershy his water skiing tricks and was drying off. His feathers clumped up and he looked as if he were one of those dogs, the ones that leave a film on the hoof when pet. Fluttershy loved how happy and prideful he looked when he wanted to show her a trick, like the previously mentioned playful puppy.
"Anything, of course!" he said over his shoulder.
She looked down at the blanket she was sitting on. "Well…I've been here since late summer, and now it's winter, so... and…"
He made his towel disappear and teleported to her side. "Yes? It's been a pretty confusing series of time. I had no idea how much time had passed since you got here!"
"Well…there's something that's been on my mind and…"
She felt him scoot closer and rest his hands on his... whatever's. What were they, if not hooves? Claw and paw? "Go on?"
"I…I just want to know…"
A ray of hope appeared on Discord's face. Was she finally going to say it? But she said it was a question. Still, was this it?!
She looked up at him. "Where did you come from?"
His expression fell. "Oh…see here, when two ponies are in love- you ever heard of spores? Well-"
"Dear no,that's not what I meant! I meant what was your life like before... uhm, y'know, turning into stone." She quivered. She didn't want to think about how that felt.
He sighed. A great weight rested on his every fur, every fibre. " I'll tell you now, it's not very cheery, but if you look at it like a book or painting, then it's kinda beautiful."
Fluttershy lay on her belly. "I'm curious, about what art is to you."
Discord smiled and took a breath. "I like to think that art is seeing the beauty in the ugly and the ridiculous in the aesthetic. Like looking out the window at an ugly forest. If it was a painting, the elements would make it meaningful."
She shifted her weight. She was getting him comfy, and that's what mattered.
"if my life was a biography,I'm sure the paintings and music it would inspire would be beautiful. Perhaps even architecture. Im particularly fond of maximalism, ecobrutalism, cubist works... you get the point. I like to romanticize things. Back to the story!"
She smiled warmly at him, brushing the weight from his follicles with a gentle hoof. He still needed to know where she gets her iron shoes fitted
"well, I'm rather famously one of a kind. I like to think of it as a blessing, no younger brothers or culture to feel like I'm disappointing! I think I just appeared one day, in a big star, surrounded by bigger stars. I remember a quaint little Stone house I'd take apart and put together again. That was how I honed my craft, magic! Chaos! In the middle of space!"
He scratched his hand.
"it does get rather lonely. I have no idea what the concept of age is, or how old I was. I didn't know there were others until I met an owl. It's first reaction was to screech and fly off. So I had no idea what interactions were. The only thing I knew was remodeling a single building, with no idea what it was or why it existed. I found out by wandering around that I was in a dimension between dimensions. I was intertwined between the multiverse."
Fluttershy looked at him like he was... well somehow less normal than he is. He looked down at her and giggled. "See? Weird painting."
He made another pause before continuing. "I'll spare you the details. Let's just say that it didn't take long for me to realize that I was different from most creatures. I came to equestria by complete accident, by my magic bursting while I was practicing. in the middle of the forest, where I met the aforementioned owl. The forest turned black and spikey, and I heard before that it was regular. I corrupted it. I knew then that I wasn't meant to be interacted with. I was a complete anomaly, and should never have existed. Yet, I learned every day for something to accept me."
He felt corny. Fluttershy snuggled close to him. Gosh, that must have been jarring. No concept of anything and then constant yearning. It made her want to cry.
"Then I found Equestria and you ponies, and…well, let's just say they didn't take kindly to my appearance either. I eventually gave up trying to fit in and focused on my magic, making myself at home in a cave in the mountains."
"Was it that cave you took me from?" Fluttershy interjected.
"Yes, in fact. You know Celestia has stopped by there several times to see if I was hiding there? I made myself invisible whenever she came. She found me there, when her mane looked like yours. She saw me practicing my magic and might I add, she was quite impressed with it. She said I should use my talents for good, for her court! Well…" he twiddled his fingers, "she wasn't very specific on her definition of 'good.'"
He gave a small laugh. "My magic wasn't made for pony ideals! It was just wacky! I guess I got in over my horns. I had packed houses every day! Just hours and hours of ponies adoring me, giving me what I wanted, what my magic was made for! Lights! Attention! Laughs! I guess she didn't really like how little i cared about actual court matters. Wasn't my fault!"
Fluttershy Stared intensely at his manners, the lordliness of it all.
"I wished more than ever to date this alicorn. She always pestered me about her day and I just heard her, and didn't listen. I just dreamt about her being my... housewife. I KNOW!" Fluttershy cringed and laughed.
"I asked her out once and... it was over. She couldn't see me anymore. Granted, her sister was locking herself away and becoming... less than favourably hostile, and her kingdom was constantly yelling at her. But I asked anyways. She told me that I only liked her because she was the first pony who was ever kind, and she didn't owe me anything."
Fluttershy sat up. "What did she mean?"
" gosh, it's so stupid. I used to think that since I was nice to her she owed me her hand in marriage! Can you imagine? I didn't care about her princess struggles or her look to the kingdom of she married, I just wanted a wife. Everypony else had that one pony who loved them no matter what, and I thought I was entitled to one!"
Fluttershy spoke up. She puffed up her chest, tried to hold it in, and laughed. "Oh dearie, at least you're past that!" She looked almost pleadingly at him with a warm smile. He nodded.
"well I blew up on her, and she cast me out, telling me to go find a place that accepts my magic and all my demands, but somewhere else. I felt rejected again, and... tried to takeover. Thank Celestia she- wait, what? That's so weird. Anyways, she turned me into stone."
It felt crushing to hear himself thank the pony he harassed into hating him for thwarting the plan that was still in motion.
"Did it hurt? The stone, I mean."
"woof! Lemme tell ya, I've never had a better sleep in my life! It's like all the benefits of sleep, and a good stretch. Never felt a thing."
Discord looked down at her. "But yeah. I got pretty messed up being alone. Not anymore, now that you're here."
He used his tail to bring her closer, making Fluttershy blush. She put a hoof over her muzzle and grinned gently.
"you don't think... of me like that Celestia thing, do you?"
He felt like he was going to heave. He did. One hundred percent. He Never made an attempt to this point to even think about it, but he knew it.
"I've been trying so hard not to think about it, and when I see you, my best-first friend, I can't help but cringe when I remember it. I Can't imagine being in that deep of whatever that was!"
He trailed off and stared into space.
"I suppose I should tell you about me?"
"wouldn't object to it, if you really want to tell me."
"You see…" She glanced down at her hooves. "I was very shy as a filly and could barely fly. All the other ponies laughed at me. It didn't help that I believed them. These boys, they were the only ones I swear loved me."
He choked. "They laughed at you?! You didn't do anything wrong!"
She giggled. "Don't do that. It was a long time ago. Anyway, I know what it's like to be…different. Alone. They treated me like I was too much when I was happy, like I was a disease." She whimpered, and shook it away.
Fluttershy squeaked as he threw his arms around her. "We can't make each other sick, can we! Sickness buddies!!"
She gently tried to push him away. "Discord, please…"
"Did you not hear me, darling? I'm saying you're perfect! And you make me feel less alone! We're peas in a pod!"
"dis-"
"Which reminds me! Do you love me? Better get it out of the way now!"
A wall burst
"I can't! I can't just love you now! You don't know me!"
He floundered into a deflated dunce.
"That's really flattering and all, but…those colts didn't like me. They liked my looks. They never hung out with me after school because they didn't want to have to hear me. They didn't want to listen. Everybody in the world could love you... but nobody really likes you. And I feel like that every time you compliment me, I can't help it. They beat me down just like anyone else, but we're embarrassed to be around anyone else when they said they liked my face."
He felt like a sludge of trash for what he thought. For trying to convince her with a stupid little sob story and a dumb little question.
"I just know it in you you aren't like that anymore, but I just wish you'd let yourself fully heal before you try to marry me. Even if we're just married friends. I wish I could heal first."
True or not, Fluttershy knew he was lonely and that he seemed to care for her, but she could not do it. She might as well be saying 'I do' at the altar. She was not ready.
"Are you alright?"
...
She was so honest with what she wanted. She was so shy and retracted, so outspoken through years of tears.
...
"I think I'm gonna start exploring those thoughts. I think I want to be nature, y'know? I want to be a part of the life here, a little animal. I don't wanna tell myself I'm different until it's true."
She looked at him like he was a roaring river, like he was a gentle spider web. It fascinated her. After everything, he was there.
"Maybe one day we'll get married. one day. but right now, I want to stay as your friend more than anything."
"Be patient, Discord. You've at least gotten somewhere with that pony. She'll say yes eventually. You just need to up your approach. She admitted it herself!"
He smashed the glass. It made him sick. How callously it ignored every word she ever said. At least pretend like you were trying! At least pretend like you're not thinking like that, like you detest it! I'm sure I dont actually hate it, I was right back then... I know it. I think.
He hates that he was unsure. He hates that he knows it was horrible, how he treated Celestia and how he still thinks that way. He hates that he didn't think that way. He hates that Fluttershy tore his plan apart with pony morals.
Across the dinner table, now less quiet, to simple pain.
"why are you making me better?"
She shrunk under his gaze.
"I think you'll be happier when you know you love yourself. And you'll find its easier to make friends that way."
He hoped he didn't come off as how he used to act.
"Well, glad to have you then! I don't want you to feel like you're forced to lo-"
"YOU DONT HAVE ME!"
His face fell as she snapped at him. Fluttershy then took a breath and moved towards the window.
"I understand you don't want me to leave and that we had a deal, but... You've tried so hard to make me happy, but you still deny me the one thing I want." She glanced out as some of her birds tried to fly into the forest but were stopped by the force field.
"Well, you've denied me the one thing I want, and what I want is…"
His frustration melted away when he saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. He cautiously stepped toward her.
"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean to …"
He lightly hovered his claw over her, almost asking, only to have her pull away.
"Fluttershy…"
She faced him. "I want to let them go."
He blinked. "What?"
Fluttershy glanced back at the animals outside. "It would be selfish of me to keep them here. They're not here because they need me. I thought they did, but…I just wanted them here for myself."
Discord put his claw on her shoulder. "That's why I brought them here. For you."
"And now I want you to send them back."
"But…don't they make you happy?"
"Look at them." She pointed at the birds pecking at the invisible wall. "They don't want to stay here. That's why you have to send them back. And besides this... in sorry, but I want you to help yourself too. I can't always help you, because we're too similar."
He stared at her for a while, wiping away her tears. "I understand. I know you can't always help me, but I'm glad you're real with me. I guess I'd like to have more friends, not just you. But... you sure this is what you want?"
She looked up at him and nodded.
She knew he knew she never owed him a thing, and smiled as he let them go. He simply hugged her hard and sat and talked throughout the meal. They talked and laughed and he never asked for a thing. The birds sang louder than they did when they were trapped. He probably didn't even know it, but he climbed the stairs once more and they felt one step lower.
I'd like to ask about this "Kimono" character from your own re-written version of Bride of Discord. Are they a character from G3 or are they just your own MLP OC?
Thank you for asking! She's from generation 3, and I thought her inclusion would be perfect, because it's revealed in the end of DoD twilight is telling pony history to children, but Kimono is the canonical keeper of history! Plus I want her to interact with zecora and give their character something more than the "all knowing colored pony," y'know? (~￣³￣)~
