FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A single-minded worship of the sun goddess held tight onto the hearts and minds of most ponies that lived in Equestria. Celestia was a living, breathing piece of divinity. None could deny her existence, and her reign remained an absolute among most of the region. Other faiths were a dwindling thing belonging to those outside of pony kind, species and individuals who often had very little relation to Celestia. Even then, those numbers seemed so few, and it made sense when the light of the sun was something that anyone could witness. All they had to do, really, was look up. Ponies lived all over Equestria under the blessing of this goddess, as well as the blessing of Luna during the night. Many of these ponies gathered in settlements, and one of the larger ones was a town called Ponyville. Not all ponies, though, enjoyed the company of their peers. In the untamed forest outside of Ponyville lived a quiet sort who preferred the company of nature rather than that of her own kind. She gave praise and worship to Celestia like many other ponies, but also gave heed to nature itself. The moon and the sun were simply a part of the world around them, and so the earth, the wind, and the water must equally be given worship as well as the creatures that frolicked among the wilds. These beliefs were, in part, what kept her separated from her fellows. Whether that was the entire truth or not, the girl herself living in the forest figured that most were simply afraid of the forest, and she certainly wasn't wrong. There were strange creatures that wandered in the dark where the sun did not shine, where the moon could not see through the thick canopy covering the forest, and so they were indeed frightened to step hoof in the forest. Despite her slight isolation and her veneration of nature, Fluttershy still held a hefty responsibility as one of Celestia's guardians of harmony. From on high, she had been visited by the goddess herself and given a divine mission. She had an affinity with beasts and things belonging to nature, so Celestia thought she’d be perfect for this particular task. Fluttershy’s friends did not approve of this mission, and all of them thought she would fail given enough time, so they watched from outside the forest instead of offering their help. Cowardice and hubris. Her mission, though, was something that she could handle herself. Travel deep through the thicket of trees and find the statue of the old god of nature and chaos. Free him from his stone prison, and tame him. To obey without question would make the most sense. To be given a mission and an objective from the goddess of the sun meant that she now carried out a divine edict. To question said edict did not make sense, and yet, she had been given the task. So why not complete it to the best of her abilities, in her own way?

Fluttershy did not fear the forest, but she could understand why others did. After all, the canopy thickened the deeper you went, preventing the sun’s full blessing from reaching the floor. Light still guided her way, guided the guardian deeper through the forest until everything began to change as she entered the deepwoods. Gnarled roots rose from the ground from massive trees that seemed to grow at strange angles, not often seen outside of the forest. Bramble covered vines curled through and around bushes. Wild and untamed; a forest where only beasts lay in wait, and yet, none would come out to hunt the guardian of kindness. They simply watched in the shadows as she made her way deeper and deeper into the forest for the purpose of completing the missions she had been given.

The pegasus wandering deep into the forest was a mare with light honeysuckle fur and turquoise eyes. Her mane was pink and partially tied by a ribbon of green. A cloak of the same forested color covered her back. Every step she took brought her further from the light, and each step she took came with a solemn thought. How was she going to do this? To tame a god. To make him see reason so that he may live among them free instead of trapped as long as he adhered to their rules, to their sensibilities. Fluttershy found joy in the idea of releasing a primal spirit of nature, but could she make him see empathy and the benefit of genuine companionship? She had met his whisperings once before in the game they had all played. It had been arranged by him when he had gotten free once before, and true to his word, he had gone back to the stone once they had won the game. Fluttershy had been told by her friends, even Princess Celestia herself that this creature was dangerous, that his magic was something that could corrupt and ruin the mind, and that his harmless pranks were more of a preamble to what sort of danger he could cause. In the past, he had been a terrible tyrant sealed away by Celestia. He had not seemed dangerous to her or all that terrible. Really, he had just seemed annoying, but she had not gotten the chance to truly understand him, so perhaps she was just naive. So why then, give such an important task to the least of all the guardians?

Twilight Sparkle had suggested a more permanent solution. A stronger seal, or perhaps even shattering the statue. Pragmatic. Her idea would keep everyone safe, and many agreed with her, even if they found the idea to be morose. Twilight's element was that of magic, and her domain gave her insight to knowledge that Fluttershy could perhaps never truly understand. If Celestia ordered her to, then Twilight would absolutely be able to tame and teach Discord. The others had more confidence than she did, had more faith in their own abilities, and more faith in Celestia. Even now, she could hear their words said among one another when they thought she had been out of earshot. Her doubts manifested as shadows in the dark of the forest, holding the voices of her friends hostage.

“Why her? It just don’t make a lick of sense.” Muttered one.

“She’s too innocent. She’ll be corrupted or worse. Which means we might all fall.” Another said.

“I’ll admit, I’m nervous about it. She worships nature, did you know that? I don’t mean to judge, but that is a bit weird for a pony. Isn’t that one of Discord’s domains?” Whispered one who thought she had been quiet enough.

“We’ll be there to fix it if she fails. We’ll be there to fix it when she fails. That being said, this is her responsibility. If she wants it so bad, let her deal with it for a bit.” Said clearly the last one with finality before any other could speak.

These were doubts that weighed heavily on her heart as she walked through the forest. It was not that she did not love her friends, but their words stung, their doubts wrenched at her heart. She did not contest what they said, and did not even think to openly confront them about their words. Fluttershy only knew that they all had a point. Among them all, she was the most frail. Among them all, she had been taken advantage of the most. Among them all; she was a coward who hid herself away from others of her own kind, so how then could she face a god? Fluttershy was uncertain if she herself was up to the task. Even still, she kept walking. At the very least, she would give it her all.

There were no beasts that bothered her. A few birds landed atop her head before fluttering off, mostly curious. Every beast hiding from her had that very same curiosity, but soon they all stopped looking at her, treating her as part of the natural world. No fangs were bared at her, for they had no reason to feel the need to defend themselves or hunt her. The vines full of bramble needles did not creep toward her, and her steps were careful to avoid any mishaps among those bushes. She had been through these woods many times, and she had visited this deep once or twice in order to harvest a few blessings of the earth. Oddly enough, when she focused on her surroundings instead of her inner turmoil, she found herself entirely at peace. The forest made sense to her. The flora and fauna had a purpose. The soft sounds of the birds above her spoke of the peace that the natural world enjoyed. Everything had its place. Whether it be a creature hunting another for food, or a mushroom growing from the side of a tree. It all made sense to her.

Soon, she reached her destination and stopped to look upon the object of her mission. There stood the true first step of her journey. Long and coiling like a serpent, with a body of fur, the head of a goat, the tail of a dragon, and many other parts. A draconequus by the name of Discord. The last of his kind, and a god of chaos. His body was covered by stone right now, and vines had grown over his body as if the earth had sought to reclaim him. Even now, she swore she could see the stone trembling as if he knew that he was about to be freed. The location was tucked under a little hill as if it were an altar, and perhaps if anyone still worshipped him as a god of nature, it would be. The vines had thorns on them, and she could not help but frown and shake her head. No one had cleaned the statue. No one had thought to remove the vines or the thorns. Not even Celestia had visited very often, it seemed. Fluttershy could not imagine that it would be comfortable to be called out into the world of the living again with thorns and vines wrapped around one's body. Instead of awakening him now, she leaned up and began to pull vines off of his person with careful tooth and hoof, yanking them down until they were all off of him. If she woke up with thorns poking her body, then she’d be upset too, and she might even forgive someone for cursing and throwing hexes around if they were in such a situation.

Now that she had freed the statue a bit, she found herself looking at his impressive figure, staring at one of his hands that had the shape of a griffin’s talons, and she could not help but wonder again if she could handle this or not. He could overpower her with his claws, with his fangs, or even by body alone. A frightening beast is what he had been called. A manipulator and trickster. Someone who sought nothing but chaos and his own fun to the detriment of others. It did not matter because she wanted to see him free, regardless of what he had once been and once done. It pained her to think about it for too long. Stuck in stone forevermore. Seeing the world around you and yet never truly able to be part of that world. She hoped that he would understand, that he would be able to forgive them for keeping him trapped in here, and though she had not been told to, she wanted to give her apology with all of her heart, hoping that he’d accept it. Fluttershy would not bind him, nor would she collar him in any way. She could not justify it in her heart, though it pained her to be such a selfish fool. To go against what Celestia had said would be considered blasphemous. She could already hear the judgment from a few of her friends, but this was her decision to make, and so she prepared herself to undo the petrification. The seals had already been shaken, so all she had to do was close her eyes and whisper kindness into the world; her element of harmony called into being.

A single-minded worship of the sun goddess held tight onto the hearts and minds of most ponies that lived in Equestria. Celestia was a living, breathing piece of divinity. None could deny her existence, and her reign remained an absolute among most of the region. Other faiths were a dwindling thing belonging to those outside of pony kind, species and individuals who often had very little relation to Celestia. Even then, those numbers seemed so few, and it made sense when the light of the sun was something that anyone could witness. All they had to do, really, was look up. Ponies lived all over Equestria under the blessing of this goddess, as well as the blessing of Luna during the night. Many of these ponies gathered in settlements, and one of the larger ones was a town called Ponyville. Not all ponies, though, enjoyed the company of their peers. In the untamed forest outside of Ponyville lived a quiet sort who preferred the company of nature rather than that of her own kind. She gave praise and worship to Celestia like many other ponies, but also gave heed to nature itself. The moon and the sun were simply a part of the world around them, and so the earth, the wind, and the water must equally be given worship as well as the creatures that frolicked among the wilds. These beliefs were, in part, what kept her separated from her fellows. Whether that was the entire truth or not, the girl herself living in the forest figured that most were simply afraid of the forest, and she certainly wasn't wrong. There were strange creatures that wandered in the dark where the sun did not shine, where the moon could not see through the thick canopy covering the forest, and so they were indeed frightened to step hoof in the forest. Despite her slight isolation and her veneration of nature, Fluttershy still held a hefty responsibility as one of Celestia's guardians of harmony. From on high, she had been visited by the goddess herself and given a divine mission. She had an affinity with beasts and things belonging to nature, so Celestia thought she’d be perfect for this particular task. Fluttershy’s friends did not approve of this mission, and all of them thought she would fail given enough time, so they watched from outside the forest instead of offering their help. Cowardice and hubris. Her mission, though, was something that she could handle herself. Travel deep through the thicket of trees and find the statue of the old god of nature and chaos. Free him from his stone prison, and tame him. To obey without question would make the most sense. To be given a mission and an objective from the goddess of the sun meant that she now carried out a divine edict. To question said edict did not make sense, and yet, she had been given the task. So why not complete it to the best of her abilities, in her own way?

Fluttershy did not fear the forest, but she could understand why others did. After all, the canopy thickened the deeper you went, preventing the sun’s full blessing from reaching the floor. Light still guided her way, guided the guardian deeper through the forest until everything began to change as she entered the deepwoods. Gnarled roots rose from the ground from massive trees that seemed to grow at strange angles, not often seen outside of the forest. Bramble covered vines curled through and around bushes. Wild and untamed; a forest where only beasts lay in wait, and yet, none would come out to hunt the guardian of kindness. They simply watched in the shadows as she made her way deeper and deeper into the forest for the purpose of completing the missions she had been given.

The pegasus wandering deep into the forest was a mare with light honeysuckle fur and turquoise eyes. Her mane was pink and partially tied by a ribbon of green. A cloak of the same forested color covered her back. Every step she took brought her further from the light, and each step she took came with a solemn thought. How was she going to do this? To tame a god. To make him see reason so that he may live among them free instead of trapped as long as he adhered to their rules, to their sensibilities. Fluttershy found joy in the idea of releasing a primal spirit of nature, but could she make him see empathy and the benefit of genuine companionship? She had met his whisperings once before in the game they had all played. It had been arranged by him when he had gotten free once before, and true to his word, he had gone back to the stone once they had won the game. Fluttershy had been told by her friends, even Princess Celestia herself that this creature was dangerous, that his magic was something that could corrupt and ruin the mind, and that his harmless pranks were more of a preamble to what sort of danger he could cause. In the past, he had been a terrible tyrant sealed away by Celestia. He had not seemed dangerous to her or all that terrible. Really, he had just seemed annoying, but she had not gotten the chance to truly understand him, so perhaps she was just naive. So why then, give such an important task to the least of all the guardians?

Twilight Sparkle had suggested a more permanent solution. A stronger seal, or perhaps even shattering the statue. Pragmatic. Her idea would keep everyone safe, and many agreed with her, even if they found the idea to be morose. Twilight's element was that of magic, and her domain gave her insight to knowledge that Fluttershy could perhaps never truly understand. If Celestia ordered her to, then Twilight would absolutely be able to tame and teach Discord. The others had more confidence than she did, had more faith in their own abilities, and more faith in Celestia. Even now, she could hear their words said among one another when they thought she had been out of earshot. Her doubts manifested as shadows in the dark of the forest, holding the voices of her friends hostage.

“Why her? It just don’t make a lick of sense.” Muttered one.

“She’s too innocent. She’ll be corrupted or worse. Which means we might all fall.” Another said.

“I’ll admit, I’m nervous about it. She worships nature, did you know that? I don’t mean to judge, but that is a bit weird for a pony. Isn’t that one of Discord’s domains?” Whispered one who thought she had been quiet enough.

“We’ll be there to fix it if she fails. We’ll be there to fix it when she fails. That being said, this is her responsibility. If she wants it so bad, let her deal with it for a bit.” Said clearly the last one with finality before any other could speak.

These were doubts that weighed heavily on her heart as she walked through the forest. It was not that she did not love her friends, but their words stung, their doubts wrenched at her heart. She did not contest what they said, and did not even think to openly confront them about their words. Fluttershy only knew that they all had a point. Among them all, she was the most frail. Among them all, she had been taken advantage of the most. Among them all; she was a coward who hid herself away from others of her own kind, so how then could she face a god? Fluttershy was uncertain if she herself was up to the task. Even still, she kept walking. At the very least, she would give it her all.

There were no beasts that bothered her. A few birds landed atop her head before fluttering off, mostly curious. Every beast hiding from her had that very same curiosity, but soon they all stopped looking at her, treating her as part of the natural world. No fangs were bared at her, for they had no reason to feel the need to defend themselves or hunt her. The vines full of bramble needles did not creep toward her, and her steps were careful to avoid any mishaps among those bushes. She had been through these woods many times, and she had visited this deep once or twice in order to harvest a few blessings of the earth. Oddly enough, when she focused on her surroundings instead of her inner turmoil, she found herself entirely at peace. The forest made sense to her. The flora and fauna had a purpose. The soft sounds of the birds above her spoke of the peace that the natural world enjoyed. Everything had its place. Whether it be a creature hunting another for food, or a mushroom growing from the side of a tree. It all made sense to her.

Soon, she reached her destination and stopped to look upon the object of her mission. There stood the true first step of her journey. Long and coiling like a serpent, with a body of fur, the head of a goat, the tail of a dragon, and many other parts. A draconequus by the name of Discord. The last of his kind, and a god of chaos. His body was covered by stone right now, and vines had grown over his body as if the earth had sought to reclaim him. Even now, she swore she could see the stone trembling as if he knew that he was about to be freed. The location was tucked under a little hill as if it were an altar, and perhaps if anyone still worshipped him as a god of nature, it would be. The vines had thorns on them, and she could not help but frown and shake her head. No one had cleaned the statue. No one had thought to remove the vines or the thorns. Not even Celestia had visited very often, it seemed. Fluttershy could not imagine that it would be comfortable to be called out into the world of the living again with thorns and vines wrapped around one's body. Instead of awakening him now, she leaned up and began to pull vines off of his person with careful tooth and hoof, yanking them down until they were all off of him. If she woke up with thorns poking her body, then she’d be upset too, and she might even forgive someone for cursing and throwing hexes around if they were in such a situation.

Now that she had freed the statue a bit, she found herself looking at his impressive figure, staring at one of his hands that had the shape of a griffin’s talons, and she could not help but wonder again if she could handle this or not. He could overpower her with his claws, with his fangs, or even by body alone. A frightening beast is what he had been called. A manipulator and trickster. Someone who sought nothing but chaos and his own fun to the detriment of others. It did not matter because she wanted to see him free, regardless of what he had once been and once done. It pained her to think about it for too long. Stuck in stone forevermore. Seeing the world around you and yet never truly able to be part of that world. She hoped that he would understand, that he would be able to forgive them for keeping him trapped in here, and though she had not been told to, she wanted to give her apology with all of her heart, hoping that he’d accept it. Fluttershy would not bind him, nor would she collar him in any way. She could not justify it in her heart, though it pained her to be such a selfish fool. To go against what Celestia had said would be considered blasphemous. She could already hear the judgment from a few of her friends, but this was her decision to make, and so she prepared herself to undo the petrification. The seals had already been shaken, so all she had to do was close her eyes and whisper kindness into the world; her element of harmony called into being.

Fluttershy prayed until warmth began to emanate from her core. It began as a simple feeling from deep within her, but it was not long until a glow surrounded her. The light around her grew as she clung to the sadness she felt. A sadness born of the severity of such a sentencing. To be deprived of light and sensation. To be isolated for so long without touch or conversation. It might have been justified at one point, but an eternal prison where one could not move, where one could only perceive all around them, filled her with a gloom that threatened to drag her under. From the confines of that sadness, a desire broke through. A desire to see him free, to give him a chance to prove himself beneath the sun. Something that she believed was truly possible with all of her heart. A desire born of kindness.

When she opened her eyes, the light of kindness left her body to surround the statue. If not for the fact that the seal had already weakened, perhaps it would not be enough, but thanks to that, the stone began to chip away from the petrified draconequus. Bit by bit, the lord of chaos was freed. First came his arms, one a griffin’s and the other belonging to a lion. The stone continued to chip away until his digits closed into fists, and then he stretched wide as the rest of the stone shattered, breaking him free from his prison. The serpentine body of the god of chaos rose into the air, twisting and coiling, his arms stretched out and his tail flicking. The fur of his body is a deep brown like the bark of the trees around them, the dragon’s tail scaled by ruby red, and his eyes are a deep garnet. His head was that of a grey and silver goat, but his fangs flashed in the filtered sunlight as he opened his mouth and let out a loud yawn. One horn spiraled upward like that of a goat, but the other was more of an antler with small edges poking free of the sides. Eventually, he began to float down toward her with a smile on his face. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad. Perhaps he had a good heart and would be grateful. It would make her job much easier, and it would mean that her decision was justified.

When he hovered just a few inches from the ground, he sighed aloud and clapped his hands, “Gracious! What a feeling it is to finally be free again. I did not get enough time to really stretch my, well, my everything really last time.” He then looked down at her while floating toward her, his mismatched wings fluttering a bit as he hummed, “And it seems that I owe you my freedom, so I suppose I’ll spare you the whole vengeance bit.” What sunlight filtering through the trees seemed to be sapped away, the glow of his eyes growing intense as he rumbled and the shadows of the forest closing in on them, “But the sun itself shall be mine to consume.”

Her ears pinned back, eyes growing wide as she sat on her haunches and brought her hoofs up to start trying to convey a message of peace, “H-hold on. Wait, you uh. Shouldn’t do that because—”

Discord twisted high in the air toward the canopy as if he were going to break free and fly away before giving her a chance to explain. Instead, however, he descended again once he reached the canopy, reclining as if he were lying down in bed, arms behind his head as he hummed, “Just a joke. Relax! That walking chunk of white-meat came here before to explain herself full-knowing that I’d be able to hear. She kept on saying that I’d have to be good, that she’d send one of her guardians to tame me. Honestly, I thought it was some sort of cruel joke! She could have at least taken off those pesky thorns. Which, by the way, thank you for that.”

She breathed out and relaxed as she muttered, “It seems like a cruel joke to me too.” Fluttershy then cleared her throat, "A-and well, the thorns. I thought it'd be a good idea to remove them. Are you feeling well?"

He looked at her with one eye, and she found herself shivering as she noted the good humor fading away from his gaze as he murmured, "Quite stiff, is how I'm feeling." He then smiled, and as quickly as that dark look came, it was gone, replaced by his typical mirth as he clapped his hands, "But enough about that! You've got a mission to tame me, right? Oh, I'd love to hear how you're going to pull that one off."

"W-well, I don't actually have a plan. I wanted to free you, though, first and foremost." She said quickly.

"Oh my goodness, I've been sent a naughty guardian. A rebel!" He said while placing his hand on his chest in mock outrage and shock. Discord then smirked, "Or perhaps just a fool."

Fluttershy shook her head, "No! I'm not a rebel, not at all really." And then quietly she looked down while feeling her ears droop, "Though, I suppose I am a bit of a fool. They sent me and me alone, but the others are more clever than I am. They could think of something by themselves, even. Whereas I am nothing without them."

Claws and talons were suddenly brought before her as he leaned in, as he opened his maw and showed his fangs with a snap of his jaws. It startled her for a moment, but oddly enough, she found herself listening to him calmly rather than feeling frightened, “Now, now. Don't be such a sad sap!” He then sighed dramatically and put his hands together by the wrist before her, “Enough of the games, my dear, seal my magic if you must. Slap the collar on my neck. Defang me, declaw me if you must. No doubt Celestia is waiting in the wings just in case I act a bit rowdy.”

Fluttershy shook her head, “I don’t think anyone is waiting, or maybe they are, and I don’t know about it. I can’t really promise no one is, or that Celestia isn’t watching. The handling of this situation was left to, well, me. I don't think you need a collar, and I'm not really sure what you need. Celestia said to tame you, but also that this task was mine."

Discord craned his head upward and then put his hands on her head, looking behind her and all around. He leaned atop of her head while humming, “So then, what’s the catch? I can at least promise I won’t be mad at you, since you freed me and all.”

“Nothing, I think. Maybe just don’t cause trouble, and well, you’ll be stuck with me for a bit. Not living together, but um, maybe you could come visit every now and then. We could learn about how to properly interact with others, and just make sure that you aren't going to cause trouble. I'd like to help you instead of just forcing you to comply, and uhm, I certainly don't want to trap you again, a-and taming is for wild animals after all. You are most certainly not just an animal.” She said with a small smile.

He let his arms drift off of her head, and he floated back away from her while staring into her eyes as he put a fist on his chin, “So then I suppose I should ask, what would you like in return? If you really are offering me such a gracious deal, then I should offer something. Nothing is for free, after all, and it truly wouldn't be fair for only one of us to benefit. No doubt you’ve heard of my power, of my abilities. This wasn’t what Celestia had in mind, no doubt, so how would you like to use me, little cherry blossom? Be honest with me. I'd rather that than you play any silly games, although I do like silly games, so maybe do play them if they are fun.”

Her ears raised, and she put a hoof up to her mouth while tilting her head, “Strange. From what I had been told, you would not understand the meaning of fair.”

Discord snorted, "Is it so strange that I understand how things work? If someone does me a favor, then I should return the favor and vice versa."

Fluttershy shook her head, "Well, sometimes we do things for others without reason. It is enough that someone benefits."

"Ugh, that won't do. Where is your desire? Your drive and need? Of course, gifts are quite nice, but I'm offering you a fair exchange here. More than fair considering I'm willing to do quite a lot for you in return for this pretty deal you're giving me." He said while scratching his chin.

She stared at him for a moment and seemed to understand at that moment that Discord was truly considering what they were doing to be an exchange. Truthfully, he could simply take advantage of what she was doing and get away with it, but that was not the case it seemed. His view on the exchange of favors seemed a bit skewed. Even then, she could see that it was from a point of fairness. Was that harmony within him? Or perhaps it was the aspect of nature he once embodied. No, just as Celestia had her own personality outside of what she embodied, Discord also had his own personality, it seemed.

With a small smile, she came to the conclusion aloud, "You're actually kind of nice."

“Nice? I’m just being fair! You let me out and offer me a better deal than what Celestia intended for me, so I grant you a wish. Obviously, that’s why you’re doing this.” He said while snorting.

Fluttershy thought about it for a moment before she shook her head, “No, you really are just being nice. You were trapped in there for so long, and even as you got a taste of freedom, you offered to go back. Now you’re out again, and you’re offering me a wish. I don’t want a wish, I don’t mean to use you, or really want to. I’m sorry for the harsh treatment. I’m sure even Princess Celestia regrets it.”

When she bowed her head, she heard him chuckle after a momentary pause, “You’re a strange one. Not scared of me. Not greedy either. Most would be asking me for all sorts of things in exchange for this sort of freedom. And now you're apologizing? If you're truly sorry, then fulfill a request of mine..”

She looked up at him with a smile, “I guess that’s only fair, and I suppose it would feel like giving back to nature. Something that I adore and care for.”

“Is that right? A pony that actually gives heed to the natural world around her rather than only the celestial?” He said with a quirked brow.

Fluttershy sat on her haunches and brought her forehooves together in prayer as she closed her eyes and muttered, “The earth gives us so many gifts. We are part of that nature, part of this earth, and even Celestia herself.”

“Then how about a kiss?”

Her pious expression cracked as she heard him ask for a kiss, his words cutting through the air and hitting her in the chest, causing her to stumble a bit. Heat burned along her cheeks while she processed his request. It had been a long time since he had been originally trapped in stone. A god of chaos and nature in equal measure would most likely have intense desires that would build over time. Why, it would make sense for him to simply pounce on her instead of asking for something like a simple kiss. Her mind kept on fluttering about here and there. Mulling over and tossing around the possibilities of what could happen to her due to an old god’s pent-up lust let loose into the world again. What could happen to other ponies as well! These thoughts continued to occupy her mind even as Discord waved in front of her face. Her eyes had shut, and she remained seated with her hooves raised at her chest pressing together. To deny him this simple request would be to deny a man water after spending so long without a drop, and a kiss could truly be considered just a drop in the grand scheme of things. To give herself as a sacrifice so others may be given a chance to escape unscathed. If this was her fate, then she would gladly accept it. Determination welled up within her, and she opened her eyes quite bravely to look up at him, to see him simply floating there with a smirk on his face, and then she closed her eyes again, finding that she needed a little bit more to gather her courage.

Fluttershy blinked as he pinched one of her ears gently between two claws, and he spoke near it very softly, “You know, I was just teasing.”

She looked at him while she felt her face grow warmer and warmer by the second until she could finally breathe out quickly, “Of course! I see that now, and well, it isn’t a very appropriate tease to make. I doubt many ponies would enjoy that sort of joke.”

“Aw, you’re right. To have someone tease such a thing must be such a blow to the ego.” He said while crossing his arms, “To ask for a kiss and then say it was simply a joke. How cruel of me! If it helps soothe the burn, then know that I think you’re pretty enough for ten kisses.”

Oddly enough, Fluttershy found herself smiling a bit while she muttered, “Oh hush, you’re just saying that.”

Discord rubbed his chin and leaned in a bit closer, a big smirk cutting across his features as he hummed, “Oh? Am I? When I was trapped in Celestia’s damnable courtyard before I was moved out to the wilds, I had the displeasure of seeing many ponies of different standings and looks. Many of them are noble and royal only in name and title. None were a match for the beauty of the sun herself, and now I see that the world outside of those gilded halls has beauty to match a goddess.”

She brought her hooves up and pushed him back a bit while she shook her head, “Oh no, such compliments are too much. You’re absolutely fibbing now, or just trying to butter me up. Comparing me to Celestia is just wrong. I’m nothing more than a regular pegasus.” She then looked at him and blinked before she remembered her purpose, “But that’s besides the point. As entertaining as this has been. We should head to my home. We can talk more on the way. I imagine you’re hungry after such a long time being trapped in stone.”

He tilted his head while staring at her, and he leaned in a bit closer. For a moment, she thought he’d really steal a kiss until he simply said, “You know, that sounds likely. I could use something to chew on.”

The gleam of his fangs became much more apparent with that last statement, and she lowered her hooves slowly before backing away, clearing her throat as she tried not to think about him chewing on her, “Well, let’s go then.”

While she turned around, she tried desperately to dislodge the image of him stealing a kiss from her, to push aside the thoughts of him whispering those silly compliments against her neck before he bit down. It was odd to think that he could stir her like this when they had barely said anything to one another. It had to be some sort of trick of divinity, something to do with his unique magic, or maybe his jokes and teasing truly were some sort of weakness for her. That’s all it had to be. Jokes and chaos galore. She didn’t really find them all that funny, but she did feel something. A bit of warmth and something that bounced around in her stomach. It made her want to smile just a bit and even giggle, but she kept herself straight-faced as she started to walk while remembering her duty. She would not tame him, but in time she would teach him the value of friendship and empathy. When she turned her head to make sure he was following her, he was floating alongside her with an infectious grin on his face. He seemed like a troublemaker and a terrible flirt if given the opportunity. He had the claws, the fangs, the strength, and the magical power to make many things happen, and he could easily overpower her, but she couldn’t find it in herself to fear him at all. There was something fun about the way that he talked, about the way that he winked at her and made silly faces before grinning so proudly when she reacted. This had all been unexpected, but perhaps she had a chance of handling this after all. She just had to be careful.

Twilight had told her to fear Discord. Celestia had told her to fear Discord. Even her other friends had whispered warnings and told her to beware of her own nature getting in the way of her seeing the truth. She found anxiety reaching up to grasp her again as she walked alongside her new charge, but when she looked toward him, he was simply smiling while looking all around. He seemed to be taking in the world around them, staring at the birds passing over them, the leaves falling on occasion, and he even reached over to touch the trees that they passed. The anxiety faded, in part because his smile was infectious, but also because she still could not find a reason to fear him

Fluttershy prayed until warmth began to emanate from her core. It began as a simple feeling from deep within her, but it was not long until a glow surrounded her. The light around her grew as she clung to the sadness she felt. A sadness born of the severity of such a sentencing. To be deprived of light and sensation. To be isolated for so long without touch or conversation. It might have been justified at one point, but an eternal prison where one could not move, where one could only perceive all around them, filled her with a gloom that threatened to drag her under. From the confines of that sadness, a desire broke through. A desire to see him free, to give him a chance to prove himself beneath the sun. Something that she believed was truly possible with all of her heart. A desire born of kindness.

When she opened her eyes, the light of kindness left her body to surround the statue. If not for the fact that the seal had already weakened, perhaps it would not be enough, but thanks to that, the stone began to chip away from the petrified draconequus. Bit by bit, the lord of chaos was freed. First came his arms, one a griffin’s and the other belonging to a lion. The stone continued to chip away until his digits closed into fists, and then he stretched wide as the rest of the stone shattered, breaking him free from his prison. The serpentine body of the god of chaos rose into the air, twisting and coiling, his arms stretched out and his tail flicking. The fur of his body is a deep brown like the bark of the trees around them, the dragon’s tail scaled by ruby red, and his eyes are a deep garnet. His head was that of a grey and silver goat, but his fangs flashed in the filtered sunlight as he opened his mouth and let out a loud yawn. One horn spiraled upward like that of a goat, but the other was more of an antler with small edges poking free of the sides. Eventually, he began to float down toward her with a smile on his face. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad. Perhaps he had a good heart and would be grateful. It would make her job much easier, and it would mean that her decision was justified.

When he hovered just a few inches from the ground, he sighed aloud and clapped his hands, “Gracious! What a feeling it is to finally be free again. I did not get enough time to really stretch my, well, my everything really last time.” He then looked down at her while floating toward her, his mismatched wings fluttering a bit as he hummed, “And it seems that I owe you my freedom, so I suppose I’ll spare you the whole vengeance bit.” What sunlight filtering through the trees seemed to be sapped away, the glow of his eyes growing intense as he rumbled and the shadows of the forest closing in on them, “But the sun itself shall be mine to consume.”

Her ears pinned back, eyes growing wide as she sat on her haunches and brought her hoofs up to start trying to convey a message of peace, “H-hold on. Wait, you uh. Shouldn’t do that because—”

Discord twisted high in the air toward the canopy as if he were going to break free and fly away before giving her a chance to explain. Instead, however, he descended again once he reached the canopy, reclining as if he were lying down in bed, arms behind his head as he hummed, “Just a joke. Relax! That walking chunk of white-meat came here before to explain herself full-knowing that I’d be able to hear. She kept on saying that I’d have to be good, that she’d send one of her guardians to tame me. Honestly, I thought it was some sort of cruel joke! She could have at least taken off those pesky thorns. Which, by the way, thank you for that.”

She breathed out and relaxed as she muttered, “It seems like a cruel joke to me too.” Fluttershy then cleared her throat, "A-and well, the thorns. I thought it'd be a good idea to remove them. Are you feeling well?"

He looked at her with one eye, and she found herself shivering as she noted the good humor fading away from his gaze as he murmured, "Quite stiff, is how I'm feeling." He then smiled, and as quickly as that dark look came, it was gone, replaced by his typical mirth as he clapped his hands, "But enough about that! You've got a mission to tame me, right? Oh, I'd love to hear how you're going to pull that one off."

"W-well, I don't actually have a plan. I wanted to free you, though, first and foremost." She said quickly.

"Oh my goodness, I've been sent a naughty guardian. A rebel!" He said while placing his hand on his chest in mock outrage and shock. Discord then smirked, "Or perhaps just a fool."

Fluttershy shook her head, "No! I'm not a rebel, not at all really." And then quietly she looked down while feeling her ears droop, "Though, I suppose I am a bit of a fool. They sent me and me alone, but the others are more clever than I am. They could think of something by themselves, even. Whereas I am nothing without them."

Claws and talons were suddenly brought before her as he leaned in, as he opened his maw and showed his fangs with a snap of his jaws. It startled her for a moment, but oddly enough, she found herself listening to him calmly rather than feeling frightened, “Now, now. Don't be such a sad sap!” He then sighed dramatically and put his hands together by the wrist before her, “Enough of the games, my dear, seal my magic if you must. Slap the collar on my neck. Defang me, declaw me if you must. No doubt Celestia is waiting in the wings just in case I act a bit rowdy.”

Fluttershy shook her head, “I don’t think anyone is waiting, or maybe they are, and I don’t know about it. I can’t really promise no one is, or that Celestia isn’t watching. The handling of this situation was left to, well, me. I don't think you need a collar, and I'm not really sure what you need. Celestia said to tame you, but also that this task was mine."

Discord craned his head upward and then put his hands on her head, looking behind her and all around. He leaned atop of her head while humming, “So then, what’s the catch? I can at least promise I won’t be mad at you, since you freed me and all.”

“Nothing, I think. Maybe just don’t cause trouble, and well, you’ll be stuck with me for a bit. Not living together, but um, maybe you could come visit every now and then. We could learn about how to properly interact with others, and just make sure that you aren't going to cause trouble. I'd like to help you instead of just forcing you to comply, and uhm, I certainly don't want to trap you again, a-and taming is for wild animals after all. You are most certainly not just an animal.” She said with a small smile.

He let his arms drift off of her head, and he floated back away from her while staring into her eyes as he put a fist on his chin, “So then I suppose I should ask, what would you like in return? If you really are offering me such a gracious deal, then I should offer something. Nothing is for free, after all, and it truly wouldn't be fair for only one of us to benefit. No doubt you’ve heard of my power, of my abilities. This wasn’t what Celestia had in mind, no doubt, so how would you like to use me, little cherry blossom? Be honest with me. I'd rather that than you play any silly games, although I do like silly games, so maybe do play them if they are fun.”

Her ears raised, and she put a hoof up to her mouth while tilting her head, “Strange. From what I had been told, you would not understand the meaning of fair.”

Discord snorted, "Is it so strange that I understand how things work? If someone does me a favor, then I should return the favor and vice versa."

Fluttershy shook her head, "Well, sometimes we do things for others without reason. It is enough that someone benefits."

"Ugh, that won't do. Where is your desire? Your drive and need? Of course, gifts are quite nice, but I'm offering you a fair exchange here. More than fair considering I'm willing to do quite a lot for you in return for this pretty deal you're giving me." He said while scratching his chin.

She stared at him for a moment and seemed to understand at that moment that Discord was truly considering what they were doing to be an exchange. Truthfully, he could simply take advantage of what she was doing and get away with it, but that was not the case it seemed. His view on the exchange of favors seemed a bit skewed. Even then, she could see that it was from a point of fairness. Was that harmony within him? Or perhaps it was the aspect of nature he once embodied. No, just as Celestia had her own personality outside of what she embodied, Discord also had his own personality, it seemed.

With a small smile, she came to the conclusion aloud, "You're actually kind of nice."

“Nice? I’m just being fair! You let me out and offer me a better deal than what Celestia intended for me, so I grant you a wish. Obviously, that’s why you’re doing this.” He said while snorting.

Fluttershy thought about it for a moment before she shook her head, “No, you really are just being nice. You were trapped in there for so long, and even as you got a taste of freedom, you offered to go back. Now you’re out again, and you’re offering me a wish. I don’t want a wish, I don’t mean to use you, or really want to. I’m sorry for the harsh treatment. I’m sure even Princess Celestia regrets it.”

When she bowed her head, she heard him chuckle after a momentary pause, “You’re a strange one. Not scared of me. Not greedy either. Most would be asking me for all sorts of things in exchange for this sort of freedom. And now you're apologizing? If you're truly sorry, then fulfill a request of mine..”

She looked up at him with a smile, “I guess that’s only fair, and I suppose it would feel like giving back to nature. Something that I adore and care for.”

“Is that right? A pony that actually gives heed to the natural world around her rather than only the celestial?” He said with a quirked brow.

Fluttershy sat on her haunches and brought her forehooves together in prayer as she closed her eyes and muttered, “The earth gives us so many gifts. We are part of that nature, part of this earth, and even Celestia herself.”

“Then how about a kiss?”

Her pious expression cracked as she heard him ask for a kiss, his words cutting through the air and hitting her in the chest, causing her to stumble a bit. Heat burned along her cheeks while she processed his request. It had been a long time since he had been originally trapped in stone. A god of chaos and nature in equal measure would most likely have intense desires that would build over time. Why, it would make sense for him to simply pounce on her instead of asking for something like a simple kiss. Her mind kept on fluttering about here and there. Mulling over and tossing around the possibilities of what could happen to her due to an old god’s pent-up lust let loose into the world again. What could happen to other ponies as well! These thoughts continued to occupy her mind even as Discord waved in front of her face. Her eyes had shut, and she remained seated with her hooves raised at her chest pressing together. To deny him this simple request would be to deny a man water after spending so long without a drop, and a kiss could truly be considered just a drop in the grand scheme of things. To give herself as a sacrifice so others may be given a chance to escape unscathed. If this was her fate, then she would gladly accept it. Determination welled up within her, and she opened her eyes quite bravely to look up at him, to see him simply floating there with a smirk on his face, and then she closed her eyes again, finding that she needed a little bit more to gather her courage.

Fluttershy blinked as he pinched one of her ears gently between two claws, and he spoke near it very softly, “You know, I was just teasing.”

She looked at him while she felt her face grow warmer and warmer by the second until she could finally breathe out quickly, “Of course! I see that now, and well, it isn’t a very appropriate tease to make. I doubt many ponies would enjoy that sort of joke.”

“Aw, you’re right. To have someone tease such a thing must be such a blow to the ego.” He said while crossing his arms, “To ask for a kiss and then say it was simply a joke. How cruel of me! If it helps soothe the burn, then know that I think you’re pretty enough for ten kisses.”

Oddly enough, Fluttershy found herself smiling a bit while she muttered, “Oh hush, you’re just saying that.”

Discord rubbed his chin and leaned in a bit closer, a big smirk cutting across his features as he hummed, “Oh? Am I? When I was trapped in Celestia’s damnable courtyard before I was moved out to the wilds, I had the displeasure of seeing many ponies of different standings and looks. Many of them are noble and royal only in name and title. None were a match for the beauty of the sun herself, and now I see that the world outside of those gilded halls has beauty to match a goddess.”

She brought her hooves up and pushed him back a bit while she shook her head, “Oh no, such compliments are too much. You’re absolutely fibbing now, or just trying to butter me up. Comparing me to Celestia is just wrong. I’m nothing more than a regular pegasus.” She then looked at him and blinked before she remembered her purpose, “But that’s besides the point. As entertaining as this has been. We should head to my home. We can talk more on the way. I imagine you’re hungry after such a long time being trapped in stone.”

He tilted his head while staring at her, and he leaned in a bit closer. For a moment, she thought he’d really steal a kiss until he simply said, “You know, that sounds likely. I could use something to chew on.”

The gleam of his fangs became much more apparent with that last statement, and she lowered her hooves slowly before backing away, clearing her throat as she tried not to think about him chewing on her, “Well, let’s go then.”

While she turned around, she tried desperately to dislodge the image of him stealing a kiss from her, to push aside the thoughts of him whispering those silly compliments against her neck before he bit down. It was odd to think that he could stir her like this when they had barely said anything to one another. It had to be some sort of trick of divinity, something to do with his unique magic, or maybe his jokes and teasing truly were some sort of weakness for her. That’s all it had to be. Jokes and chaos galore. She didn’t really find them all that funny, but she did feel something. A bit of warmth and something that bounced around in her stomach. It made her want to smile just a bit and even giggle, but she kept herself straight-faced as she started to walk while remembering her duty. She would not tame him, but in time she would teach him the value of friendship and empathy. When she turned her head to make sure he was following her, he was floating alongside her with an infectious grin on his face. He seemed like a troublemaker and a terrible flirt if given the opportunity. He had the claws, the fangs, the strength, and the magical power to make many things happen, and he could easily overpower her, but she couldn’t find it in herself to fear him at all. There was something fun about the way that he talked, about the way that he winked at her and made silly faces before grinning so proudly when she reacted. This had all been unexpected, but perhaps she had a chance of handling this after all. She just had to be careful.

Twilight had told her to fear Discord. Celestia had told her to fear Discord. Even her other friends had whispered warnings and told her to beware of her own nature getting in the way of her seeing the truth. She found anxiety reaching up to grasp her again as she walked alongside her new charge, but when she looked toward him, he was simply smiling while looking all around. He seemed to be taking in the world around them, staring at the birds passing over them, the leaves falling on occasion, and he even reached over to touch the trees that they passed. The anxiety faded, in part because his smile was infectious, but also because she still could not find a reason to fear him

Fluttershy led them through the same path she had taken to get there in the first place. The glowing eyes in the bushes watching them from the dark darted away once they spotted Discord. A few birds fluttered nearby, watching with tilted heads, but many of the songbirds seemed to avoid them while the crows and owls did not care at all. Discord, at the same time, seemed all too eager to meet and greet the animals of the forest. He'd float up higher to look at the crows, and he even extended a hand to let one hop on as he looked over at the other creatures. The crows and ravens actually seemed to like him, while the owls tolerated him. Everything on the ground, though, seemed a bit more frightened of him. She swore she saw him chuckling with the crow in his hand as if they were sharing a joke or two before the corvid flew away. She had half a mind to ask him if he could talk to animals, but it seemed like a silly question right now. Fluttershy could not help but feel just a little bit curious, though. Not just about his abilities, not just about what he could do, but also about him in general. At some point, though, she could not help but notice that Discord did not float or walk beside her; rather, he remained firmly behind her.

Odd. Whenever she looked at him, he seemed to avoid her gaze in favor of something else, and yet, he trailed behind her without a word. She took a peek over her shoulder with a bit of a subtle turn of her head. It seemed like he was actively staring at her flank instead of looking at where they were going. He was smiling and grinning to himself, enjoying the sights. Well, maybe that is what had brought on so much mirth between him and the crow. Fluttershy felt her face warm as she tried to think of any plausible excuse for what he was doing. The more she darted her head to the side to be able to see what he was doing, the more she found that it was difficult to hide the fact that she could very clearly see him staring at her rear, thankfully mostly covered by her cloak, of course. Part of her wished that she had taken a longer one. Fluttershy cleared her throat in an attempt to dissuade him, to let it be known that his mischief had been caught. She could maybe forgive someone for staring if they had been trapped in stone for so long, and well, it was a little flattering being ogled by a god, she supposed. That being said, when he did lock his gaze with hers, he did not show an ounce of shame and instead winked at her.

“Excuse me.” She said quietly while clearing her throat again, “I’m afraid that you aren’t being very appropriate right now.”

“Ah, my apologies.” Discord responded almost immediately, “I was just admiring the view. It isn’t often that I see such a lovely moon out during the day.”

Fluttershy snorted while trying not to utter a little chuckle at having her rear being called a moon, her ears pinning back as she spoke, “Well, I don’t think that’s a very nice thing to say or very appropriate for that matter.”

“What, that you have a nice butt? That it reminds me of the roundness and fullness of the moon? I don't think I was being all that mean.” He said while humming along.

She managed to keep a straight face as she retorted quietly, “I guess it isn’t all that mean, but you shouldn’t say something so embarrassing. I know that you’re just trying to get a rise out of me.”

Discord passed by her side, one of his hands brushing along her back, causing her to shiver as he spoke softly, “Is that right? Well, I think there are much better ways to get a rise out of someone. For instance, I could give your cheeks a little pinch or turn the road ahead of us into a winding maze. Maybe turn a bird or two into balloon animals.”

Fluttershy shuddered and found herself stopping as his talons brushed along the nape of her neck, as she managed to stammer, “I'd prefer my cheeks unpinched.”

And then he whispered near one of her ears, "All right, but which set of cheeks am I not allowed to pinch?"

She found her cheeks brightening further while she turned her head away from him, "Oh, y-you're terrible. You're not allowed to pinch me unannounced, anywhere."

Discord tapped his claws together, "I suppose, then, that I should apologize. You see. I have so many desires, so many things that I can think of right now that you could help me with."

Fluttershy could not help but notice the shift in tone, the way his voice seemed to tremble and vibrate with a sort of hunger that she understood all too well, and barely the words escaped her lips, "And what exactly could I help you with?"

He chuckled and put his cheek against hers while embracing her with one arm, “Oh, sweet little guardian. Fluttershy, right? Think long and hard about what sort of things that I would want.” Whispering into her ear, he growled just a bit, “What sort of things that I would need from you.”

She shuddered and found that her legs had grown weak, her head dipping downward, and her mane falling over one of her eyes. What was this! Where had this come from?! Had he been trapped so long that all sense of propriety had left him? She would have figured that a man of his age would know how to court, how to be a bit more subtle. And what was wrong with her? Why was she reacting in such a way to his advances? She could forgive him, at the very least, for she understood that he had been trapped for so long. And maybe, just maybe, she could do him a favor or two if he asked nicely.

Cheeks and head burning, she managed to squeak, "J-just say what you want already."

Discord hummed and put his snout under her chin, nuzzling that spot softly while he muttered, “Well, I think that getting a rise out of you might actually be pretty fun.”

Fluttershy blinked and froze. For a solid second or two, she processed what he said through the fuzz and static plaguing her head before she scoffed and trotted ahead, “Unbelievable! You really are just teasing me!”

He laughed as he followed close by, “A harmless bit of fun! Watching you squirm and shiver in utter fear is an absolute delight! Especially when you squeak with such a delightful timbre. Really, it's almost melodic.”

She scoffed, "Terrible! Y-you shouldn't do that sort of thing. It's inappropriate, and well, just terrible."

Discord snickered, "Gracious, you don't even have the words, do you? Did I have those legs of yours quaking that badly, my dear?"

Fluttershy ignored what he said and decided to redirect the conversation with a sigh, “Listen, this is the sort of thing that got you in trouble. Sure, it wasn’t too mean, but it was still something that someone could take as an insult. Don’t you want to get along with others now that you’re free?”

The laughter stopped as he answered her plainly, “Getting along with others? Well, I’d rather think that’d be an impossibility with how much they surely fear me.” His voice then grew chipper again as she saw him floating at her side, “Besides, was it really that mean? You seemed to be enjoying yourself a bit. Is that the problem? That I stopped before anything happened?”

Fluttershy tilted her head to avoid his gaze while she spoke softly in an attempt to redirect the conversation, “Part of what I want to help you with is getting cozy with others, with showing them that you aren’t something scary."

"Is that right? But I am very scary. Very, very scary indeed!" He said while wiggling his claws.

She stared at him for a second before shaking her head, "I don't really know about that anymore, honestly. I suppose I should get to actually know you so I can make up my mind."

“Ah, I see, you prefer things a bit more intimate and slow.” He said with a hum.

She ignored his tease this time, though her cheeks burned, and she spoke slowly, “In a manner of speaking, yes. I mean, it’d help if we knew each other more. I’d like to be friends, and I think that’s a better solution than trying to chain you down and force you to conform.”

Discord chuckled, the rumbling sound tickling her ear, “Is that right? Well, I suppose that you’d be my first friend in a long, long time. You’re fun to be around already, so why not? Tell me everything there is to know about a pretty mare such as yourself, and I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”

Fun to be around? She wasn’t sure about that, and wasn’t sure about being a pretty mare either. Fluttershy considered herself a normal pony, like any other, and well, perhaps even less than that. Twilight could have come up with a better plan. Anyone else could have probably dealt with his teasing a bit better, and well, they surely wouldn’t squeak so much. Anyone else might actually have a plan in the first place, either. Though everything seemed to be going just fine, she couldn’t help but feel her nerves start to latch on. Her embarrassment from his teasing, from his fake flirting, began to fade away. What remained was an anxiety that seemed to grow by the moment. An important task had been given to her. One that now held a lot more weight now that she had set out to complete it in her own way. The idea of teaching others that he wasn't something to fear, the idea of teaching him how to interact with others. It was much better than forcing him to comply through magic or just using him as a convenient tool for Celestia, but that meant that she could very easily fail. Not only fail her friends and Celestia, but she could also fail herself. Such anxiety clung to her that she found that she had to steady her breathing while looking down and closing her eyes.

As her pace slowed, Discord neared her and he spoke softly, “Fluttershy? Are you hurt? This part of the forest has many sharp edges…Here, let me look at where you got nicked. Even a cloak can’t protect against that sort of thing if you pressed too close. Clumsy mare, perhaps this is a wish that I can fulfill for you.”

She shook her head and managed to blow out, “No. It isn’t that. I’m fine.”

When she opened her eyes she noticed him trying to get a better look at her face, so she turned her head while she made an attempt at fixing her expression, a poor mimicry of a smile slowly twisting itself onto her face while he kept on looking at her, until he hummed, “Well, if it isn’t something painful, then it seems that you’re just not happy. Getting saddled with a bothersome thing like me must be tough, or maybe it is something else? Were my jokes truly that mean? Hm, I don’t like seeing you like this for some reason or another.” And then from behind her ear, he plucked a pink flower and placed the blossom atop her snout, “But you know, if we’re going to get to know one another…Then lying about whether you’re okay or not seems a little bit unfair.”

To hear him say those words made her feel more pathetic than anything else. Even he was concerned about her; even he seemed troubled by the way she acted. Except, she was letting her worries get in the way of something else. Had he seemed concerned about being too mean? She did not want him to worry about her, did not want anyone to worry about her, but try as she might, she could not muster a mask to put on before him.

Fluttershy looked at the pink blossom on her snout for a moment before letting it fall to the forest floor, and at the same time, she sighed, “You’re right.” And then she stammered while looking at him in the eyes, “B-but it isn’t about you. I’m not sad about being given this duty, a-and I don’t think of you as a burden even if I know you’re going to be a troublemaker. It’s my fault.”

“Your fault?” He asked while scratching under his chin.

“Yes. My fault. I’m not special. I’m not strong. I’m not smart. Magic is not something I can even pretend to understand. There’s nothing about me that stands out, and even now I’m struggling to understand what to do. No, I know what I should be doing but knowing and actually being able to do it are two different things.” She then took a breath before muttering, “I already feel like I’ve failed you. Your little missteps aren’t a big deal, but it would be understandable if you didn’t learn anything at all with how useless I am.”

Every word she said struck a blow to her confidence further and further until she began to visibly sag. However, that stopped as Discord put a paw under her chin. She blinked and looked at him while he clucked his tongue, “Now that won’t do. I don’t know you all too well, but you’re the only pony who would actually give me the time of day without running for the hills. You’ve laughed at my little antics, you’ve reacted and huffed about them, but you didn’t yell at me. You even explained why you’re upset quite well. I think I can see why Celestia chose you. That being said, how can you expect to do anything while you’re pushing yourself down so much? Really, I’d rather you get huffy at me and call me a burden instead! Sure, it’d sting a little, but at least it’d be better than watching you flog yourself into the dirt.”

He then gave her cheek a gentle pinch, squeezing just a bit until she smiled and shook her head to get out of his grasp. A slow realization came as she opened her mouth to say, “You’re…Really nice, aren’t you? That was sweet. Thank you.”

The old draconequus snorted and gave her mane atop her head a ruffle, “Oh hush, I just didn’t like seeing you so down. I did it for my own sake.”

“Even still, thank you.” She said while looking at him despite his ruffling.

Discord stared at her for a few seconds before leaning in. He touched her chin and lifted just a bit as he got closer. Another joke. Another tease. Obviously, she wouldn’t fall for it a second time. She didn't frown and didn't pull away. Actually, it might be nice if he were serious. His touch was gentle, warm enough that she felt comforted by that alone. A kiss right now would be good. Just a peck. If only he actually meant to do it. Even as she doubted his sincerity, he kept on drifting closer and closer until suddenly, their mouths met. The world around them seemed to freeze, her mind turning frosty before growing warm and fuzzy. His claws brushed against her chin before coming around to her cheek to hold her there in place while his mouth continued to meld against her own. Her body relaxed, her eyes drooped, her body felt as though she were melting, and even her wings began to flicker as the kiss continued at such a loving pace. All of this in a flash of a few seconds before recognition crossed her expression, and she took a few rushed steps backward to break the kiss.

“You stole a kiss!” She said in a hushed squeak.

“Oh? I suppose I did. You didn’t move, so I figured you were on board with the idea.” He said with an innocent little smile, a set of talons at his mouth, feigning a motion of surprise.

Fluttershy’s ears pinned back, and she stamped her hoof, “Well, well no. I wasn’t on board with the idea. I thought you were joking again, so I played along!”

Discord laughed, “But did I not tell you that it has been such a long time for me? That I have my needs? That I think you’re such a pretty mare?”

Her cheeks burned, and she struggled to say something as she stepped forward, as she opened her mouth a few times to summon a lecture. Nothing came free from her mouth, and instead, she remained quiet in the face of his repeated approach. He floated closer to her, his talons reaching out to touch her. Fluttershy thought that he’d steal another kiss, and what point would it be to struggle against a god? She had to do it, though; she had to say something or do something, and so she reared back as his mouth nearly touched hers and she put her hooves outward to stop him. Instead of pushing him back or bracing herself against him, however, she simply plopped back to the ground on all fours. She blinked as he floated around her, as he did not go in for another kiss but instead chose to circle her.

When she turned her head to the right to ask him what he was doing, he gave her nose a little peck. For a second, she felt entirely calm and warm, but then she gasped aloud as the appropriate reaction spilled from her mouth, “Stop that! You’re being far too much of a troublemaker. We barely know one another.”

“So if we knew each other a bit more, would you let me kiss you? Would you let me do all those naughty things to you? You know, I think it’d be good for me.”

She huffed, “That’s not what I meant! And how would it be good for you?”

“It would keep me distracted. It’d surely keep me from doing anything else if I focused all of my attention on you.” He said with a hum.

Fluttershy watched as he continued to circle her and took note of his eyes peering at her. They seemed to sharpen as he watched her, as he traced her every curve with his gaze. At the same time, a goofy grin seemed to be permanently etched on his face. He seemed to enjoy tormenting her, seemed to enjoy teasing her and pushing her buttons in all of these terrible ways. She could not tell if it would be worse for him to simply tease her, or if his words were honest and his full attention would be brought down onto her. If it could help, then it might be good, but what would that then entail? Would she have more of his kisses? Would she suffer more of his pranks? Or something more primal?

Discord stopped in front of her and acted as if he were sitting on a chair in the air while humming, “It seems you've stopped having those pesky doubts of yours or at the very least, you’ve stopped thinking about them.”

It took her a moment before she blinked and muttered, “Well, I suppose not, but you can't just distract me with such inappropriate actions. My friends certainly would not approve of it.”

“And why not? You seemed to enjoy yourself a bit, and you aren't beating yourself up anymore. Why, shouldn't you be proud for holding a god's attention? As for your friends, what does that matter? What do you want?”

“I don't know if I can exactly say that I'm enjoying playing this sort of game with you right now, a-and I just respect how my friends feel about certain things.” She said a bit louder than her normal tone, “I…I should be trying to teach you manners, teach you how to interact with ponies in a way that won’t upset them.” And she stamped her hoof while speaking a bit louder, “A-and I shouldn’t be letting you kiss me so suddenly, shouldn’t be letting you get away with trying to tease and taunt me. I shouldn’t be enjoying this!”

Discord simply watched her with a little smug smile while she clapped a hoof over her mouth after blurting that final statement. She quickly turned away from him and began to walk. Everything felt like it was on fire. She did not think about her failures, did not think about the words of her friends, and the doubts that had been presented. Instead, she thought about how she had admitted aloud to enjoying the attention and teasing of the god of chaos. She walked as if she could get away from him, but he did not pounce on her; he did not even say a single word, instead he just followed her to her home. Somehow, the silence was so much worse. The absence of his voice left her with the sound of her own thoughts ringing, and the feeling of her heart thumping wildly against her chest.

Fluttershy led them through the same path she had taken to get there in the first place. The glowing eyes in the bushes watching them from the dark darted away once they spotted Discord. A few birds fluttered nearby, watching with tilted heads, but many of the songbirds seemed to avoid them while the crows and owls did not care at all. Discord, at the same time, seemed all too eager to meet and greet the animals of the forest. He'd float up higher to look at the crows, and he even extended a hand to let one hop on as he looked over at the other creatures. The crows and ravens actually seemed to like him, while the owls tolerated him. Everything on the ground, though, seemed a bit more frightened of him. She swore she saw him chuckling with the crow in his hand as if they were sharing a joke or two before the corvid flew away. She had half a mind to ask him if he could talk to animals, but it seemed like a silly question right now. Fluttershy could not help but feel just a little bit curious, though. Not just about his abilities, not just about what he could do, but also about him in general. At some point, though, she could not help but notice that Discord did not float or walk beside her; rather, he remained firmly behind her.

Odd. Whenever she looked at him, he seemed to avoid her gaze in favor of something else, and yet, he trailed behind her without a word. She took a peek over her shoulder with a bit of a subtle turn of her head. It seemed like he was actively staring at her flank instead of looking at where they were going. He was smiling and grinning to himself, enjoying the sights. Well, maybe that is what had brought on so much mirth between him and the crow. Fluttershy felt her face warm as she tried to think of any plausible excuse for what he was doing. The more she darted her head to the side to be able to see what he was doing, the more she found that it was difficult to hide the fact that she could very clearly see him staring at her rear, thankfully mostly covered by her cloak, of course. Part of her wished that she had taken a longer one. Fluttershy cleared her throat in an attempt to dissuade him, to let it be known that his mischief had been caught. She could maybe forgive someone for staring if they had been trapped in stone for so long, and well, it was a little flattering being ogled by a god, she supposed. That being said, when he did lock his gaze with hers, he did not show an ounce of shame and instead winked at her.

“Excuse me.” She said quietly while clearing her throat again, “I’m afraid that you aren’t being very appropriate right now.”

“Ah, my apologies.” Discord responded almost immediately, “I was just admiring the view. It isn’t often that I see such a lovely moon out during the day.”

Fluttershy snorted while trying not to utter a little chuckle at having her rear being called a moon, her ears pinning back as she spoke, “Well, I don’t think that’s a very nice thing to say or very appropriate for that matter.”

“What, that you have a nice butt? That it reminds me of the roundness and fullness of the moon? I don't think I was being all that mean.” He said while humming along.

She managed to keep a straight face as she retorted quietly, “I guess it isn’t all that mean, but you shouldn’t say something so embarrassing. I know that you’re just trying to get a rise out of me.”

Discord passed by her side, one of his hands brushing along her back, causing her to shiver as he spoke softly, “Is that right? Well, I think there are much better ways to get a rise out of someone. For instance, I could give your cheeks a little pinch or turn the road ahead of us into a winding maze. Maybe turn a bird or two into balloon animals.”

Fluttershy shuddered and found herself stopping as his talons brushed along the nape of her neck, as she managed to stammer, “I'd prefer my cheeks unpinched.”

And then he whispered near one of her ears, "All right, but which set of cheeks am I not allowed to pinch?"

She found her cheeks brightening further while she turned her head away from him, "Oh, y-you're terrible. You're not allowed to pinch me unannounced, anywhere."

Discord tapped his claws together, "I suppose, then, that I should apologize. You see. I have so many desires, so many things that I can think of right now that you could help me with."

Fluttershy could not help but notice the shift in tone, the way his voice seemed to tremble and vibrate with a sort of hunger that she understood all too well, and barely the words escaped her lips, "And what exactly could I help you with?"

He chuckled and put his cheek against hers while embracing her with one arm, “Oh, sweet little guardian. Fluttershy, right? Think long and hard about what sort of things that I would want.” Whispering into her ear, he growled just a bit, “What sort of things that I would need from you.”

She shuddered and found that her legs had grown weak, her head dipping downward, and her mane falling over one of her eyes. What was this! Where had this come from?! Had he been trapped so long that all sense of propriety had left him? She would have figured that a man of his age would know how to court, how to be a bit more subtle. And what was wrong with her? Why was she reacting in such a way to his advances? She could forgive him, at the very least, for she understood that he had been trapped for so long. And maybe, just maybe, she could do him a favor or two if he asked nicely.

Cheeks and head burning, she managed to squeak, "J-just say what you want already."

Discord hummed and put his snout under her chin, nuzzling that spot softly while he muttered, “Well, I think that getting a rise out of you might actually be pretty fun.”

Fluttershy blinked and froze. For a solid second or two, she processed what he said through the fuzz and static plaguing her head before she scoffed and trotted ahead, “Unbelievable! You really are just teasing me!”

He laughed as he followed close by, “A harmless bit of fun! Watching you squirm and shiver in utter fear is an absolute delight! Especially when you squeak with such a delightful timbre. Really, it's almost melodic.”

She scoffed, "Terrible! Y-you shouldn't do that sort of thing. It's inappropriate, and well, just terrible."

Discord snickered, "Gracious, you don't even have the words, do you? Did I have those legs of yours quaking that badly, my dear?"

Fluttershy ignored what he said and decided to redirect the conversation with a sigh, “Listen, this is the sort of thing that got you in trouble. Sure, it wasn’t too mean, but it was still something that someone could take as an insult. Don’t you want to get along with others now that you’re free?”

The laughter stopped as he answered her plainly, “Getting along with others? Well, I’d rather think that’d be an impossibility with how much they surely fear me.” His voice then grew chipper again as she saw him floating at her side, “Besides, was it really that mean? You seemed to be enjoying yourself a bit. Is that the problem? That I stopped before anything happened?”

Fluttershy tilted her head to avoid his gaze while she spoke softly in an attempt to redirect the conversation, “Part of what I want to help you with is getting cozy with others, with showing them that you aren’t something scary."

"Is that right? But I am very scary. Very, very scary indeed!" He said while wiggling his claws.

She stared at him for a second before shaking her head, "I don't really know about that anymore, honestly. I suppose I should get to actually know you so I can make up my mind."

“Ah, I see, you prefer things a bit more intimate and slow.” He said with a hum.

She ignored his tease this time, though her cheeks burned, and she spoke slowly, “In a manner of speaking, yes. I mean, it’d help if we knew each other more. I’d like to be friends, and I think that’s a better solution than trying to chain you down and force you to conform.”

Discord chuckled, the rumbling sound tickling her ear, “Is that right? Well, I suppose that you’d be my first friend in a long, long time. You’re fun to be around already, so why not? Tell me everything there is to know about a pretty mare such as yourself, and I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”

Fun to be around? She wasn’t sure about that, and wasn’t sure about being a pretty mare either. Fluttershy considered herself a normal pony, like any other, and well, perhaps even less than that. Twilight could have come up with a better plan. Anyone else could have probably dealt with his teasing a bit better, and well, they surely wouldn’t squeak so much. Anyone else might actually have a plan in the first place, either. Though everything seemed to be going just fine, she couldn’t help but feel her nerves start to latch on. Her embarrassment from his teasing, from his fake flirting, began to fade away. What remained was an anxiety that seemed to grow by the moment. An important task had been given to her. One that now held a lot more weight now that she had set out to complete it in her own way. The idea of teaching others that he wasn't something to fear, the idea of teaching him how to interact with others. It was much better than forcing him to comply through magic or just using him as a convenient tool for Celestia, but that meant that she could very easily fail. Not only fail her friends and Celestia, but she could also fail herself. Such anxiety clung to her that she found that she had to steady her breathing while looking down and closing her eyes.

As her pace slowed, Discord neared her and he spoke softly, “Fluttershy? Are you hurt? This part of the forest has many sharp edges…Here, let me look at where you got nicked. Even a cloak can’t protect against that sort of thing if you pressed too close. Clumsy mare, perhaps this is a wish that I can fulfill for you.”

She shook her head and managed to blow out, “No. It isn’t that. I’m fine.”

When she opened her eyes she noticed him trying to get a better look at her face, so she turned her head while she made an attempt at fixing her expression, a poor mimicry of a smile slowly twisting itself onto her face while he kept on looking at her, until he hummed, “Well, if it isn’t something painful, then it seems that you’re just not happy. Getting saddled with a bothersome thing like me must be tough, or maybe it is something else? Were my jokes truly that mean? Hm, I don’t like seeing you like this for some reason or another.” And then from behind her ear, he plucked a pink flower and placed the blossom atop her snout, “But you know, if we’re going to get to know one another…Then lying about whether you’re okay or not seems a little bit unfair.”

To hear him say those words made her feel more pathetic than anything else. Even he was concerned about her; even he seemed troubled by the way she acted. Except, she was letting her worries get in the way of something else. Had he seemed concerned about being too mean? She did not want him to worry about her, did not want anyone to worry about her, but try as she might, she could not muster a mask to put on before him.

Fluttershy looked at the pink blossom on her snout for a moment before letting it fall to the forest floor, and at the same time, she sighed, “You’re right.” And then she stammered while looking at him in the eyes, “B-but it isn’t about you. I’m not sad about being given this duty, a-and I don’t think of you as a burden even if I know you’re going to be a troublemaker. It’s my fault.”

“Your fault?” He asked while scratching under his chin.

“Yes. My fault. I’m not special. I’m not strong. I’m not smart. Magic is not something I can even pretend to understand. There’s nothing about me that stands out, and even now I’m struggling to understand what to do. No, I know what I should be doing but knowing and actually being able to do it are two different things.” She then took a breath before muttering, “I already feel like I’ve failed you. Your little missteps aren’t a big deal, but it would be understandable if you didn’t learn anything at all with how useless I am.”

Every word she said struck a blow to her confidence further and further until she began to visibly sag. However, that stopped as Discord put a paw under her chin. She blinked and looked at him while he clucked his tongue, “Now that won’t do. I don’t know you all too well, but you’re the only pony who would actually give me the time of day without running for the hills. You’ve laughed at my little antics, you’ve reacted and huffed about them, but you didn’t yell at me. You even explained why you’re upset quite well. I think I can see why Celestia chose you. That being said, how can you expect to do anything while you’re pushing yourself down so much? Really, I’d rather you get huffy at me and call me a burden instead! Sure, it’d sting a little, but at least it’d be better than watching you flog yourself into the dirt.”

He then gave her cheek a gentle pinch, squeezing just a bit until she smiled and shook her head to get out of his grasp. A slow realization came as she opened her mouth to say, “You’re…Really nice, aren’t you? That was sweet. Thank you.”

The old draconequus snorted and gave her mane atop her head a ruffle, “Oh hush, I just didn’t like seeing you so down. I did it for my own sake.”

“Even still, thank you.” She said while looking at him despite his ruffling.

Discord stared at her for a few seconds before leaning in. He touched her chin and lifted just a bit as he got closer. Another joke. Another tease. Obviously, she wouldn’t fall for it a second time. She didn't frown and didn't pull away. Actually, it might be nice if he were serious. His touch was gentle, warm enough that she felt comforted by that alone. A kiss right now would be good. Just a peck. If only he actually meant to do it. Even as she doubted his sincerity, he kept on drifting closer and closer until suddenly, their mouths met. The world around them seemed to freeze, her mind turning frosty before growing warm and fuzzy. His claws brushed against her chin before coming around to her cheek to hold her there in place while his mouth continued to meld against her own. Her body relaxed, her eyes drooped, her body felt as though she were melting, and even her wings began to flicker as the kiss continued at such a loving pace. All of this in a flash of a few seconds before recognition crossed her expression, and she took a few rushed steps backward to break the kiss.

“You stole a kiss!” She said in a hushed squeak.

“Oh? I suppose I did. You didn’t move, so I figured you were on board with the idea.” He said with an innocent little smile, a set of talons at his mouth, feigning a motion of surprise.

Fluttershy’s ears pinned back, and she stamped her hoof, “Well, well no. I wasn’t on board with the idea. I thought you were joking again, so I played along!”

Discord laughed, “But did I not tell you that it has been such a long time for me? That I have my needs? That I think you’re such a pretty mare?”

Her cheeks burned, and she struggled to say something as she stepped forward, as she opened her mouth a few times to summon a lecture. Nothing came free from her mouth, and instead, she remained quiet in the face of his repeated approach. He floated closer to her, his talons reaching out to touch her. Fluttershy thought that he’d steal another kiss, and what point would it be to struggle against a god? She had to do it, though; she had to say something or do something, and so she reared back as his mouth nearly touched hers and she put her hooves outward to stop him. Instead of pushing him back or bracing herself against him, however, she simply plopped back to the ground on all fours. She blinked as he floated around her, as he did not go in for another kiss but instead chose to circle her.

When she turned her head to the right to ask him what he was doing, he gave her nose a little peck. For a second, she felt entirely calm and warm, but then she gasped aloud as the appropriate reaction spilled from her mouth, “Stop that! You’re being far too much of a troublemaker. We barely know one another.”

“So if we knew each other a bit more, would you let me kiss you? Would you let me do all those naughty things to you? You know, I think it’d be good for me.”

She huffed, “That’s not what I meant! And how would it be good for you?”

“It would keep me distracted. It’d surely keep me from doing anything else if I focused all of my attention on you.” He said with a hum.

Fluttershy watched as he continued to circle her and took note of his eyes peering at her. They seemed to sharpen as he watched her, as he traced her every curve with his gaze. At the same time, a goofy grin seemed to be permanently etched on his face. He seemed to enjoy tormenting her, seemed to enjoy teasing her and pushing her buttons in all of these terrible ways. She could not tell if it would be worse for him to simply tease her, or if his words were honest and his full attention would be brought down onto her. If it could help, then it might be good, but what would that then entail? Would she have more of his kisses? Would she suffer more of his pranks? Or something more primal?

Discord stopped in front of her and acted as if he were sitting on a chair in the air while humming, “It seems you've stopped having those pesky doubts of yours or at the very least, you’ve stopped thinking about them.”

It took her a moment before she blinked and muttered, “Well, I suppose not, but you can't just distract me with such inappropriate actions. My friends certainly would not approve of it.”

“And why not? You seemed to enjoy yourself a bit, and you aren't beating yourself up anymore. Why, shouldn't you be proud for holding a god's attention? As for your friends, what does that matter? What do you want?”

“I don't know if I can exactly say that I'm enjoying playing this sort of game with you right now, a-and I just respect how my friends feel about certain things.” She said a bit louder than her normal tone, “I…I should be trying to teach you manners, teach you how to interact with ponies in a way that won’t upset them.” And she stamped her hoof while speaking a bit louder, “A-and I shouldn’t be letting you kiss me so suddenly, shouldn’t be letting you get away with trying to tease and taunt me. I shouldn’t be enjoying this!”

Discord simply watched her with a little smug smile while she clapped a hoof over her mouth after blurting that final statement. She quickly turned away from him and began to walk. Everything felt like it was on fire. She did not think about her failures, did not think about the words of her friends, and the doubts that had been presented. Instead, she thought about how she had admitted aloud to enjoying the attention and teasing of the god of chaos. She walked as if she could get away from him, but he did not pounce on her; he did not even say a single word, instead he just followed her to her home. Somehow, the silence was so much worse. The absence of his voice left her with the sound of her own thoughts ringing, and the feeling of her heart thumping wildly against her chest.

As they continued toward her home, Fluttershy remained entirely quiet. Warm embarrassment still washed over her anytime she looked behind herself and saw his smug, self-satisfied expression. How could she hope to help him if she could not even face him? If she couldn't even handle his teasing without bursting into flames? Fluttershy cut off that tiny bit of self-doubt before she ruminated on it further, not wanting him to decide to comfort her yet again with teases and jokes. Either way, she had to pull herself together. Letting him run circles around her would not help her situation, or his, for that matter. Regardless of what anyone thought, she believed with all of her heart that the path she wanted for Discord would allow him to roam free without any intervention or binding, magical or physical. For now, he seemed satisfied with bothering her, but boredom was a very real thing. What would he do when he met other ponies? What would he do when bothering her wasn't enough to entertain him? Would he use his magic to do something terrible? Well surprisingly, she actually couldn’t imagine that. Discord might summon a rain of hot sauce, or maybe he’d flirt with the wrong pony at the wrong time, but she just couldn’t conceive any sort of scenario where he would harm someone seriously or even in a small way. He had even seemed concerned about her when he thought that she had hurt herself, when he had thought that his jokes went too far. Did he not actually enjoy the pain and suffering of others?

“Say…Discord?” She eventually mused aloud.

Discord hummed, “Yes? And here I thought I’d never hear your pretty voice again.”

Ignoring that last part, she breathed out, “Why were you so concerned about me getting hurt? Not just about me frowning, but about the possibility of me getting stuck by thorns. Celestia and my friends think that you’ll do something truly evil, but you haven’t been evil so far. Just pesky.”

She saw him floating at her side now as he answered her, “There’s no point in pain like that. What’s so fun about someone getting seriously hurt or worse? I’d rather make someone laugh! Of course, not everyone can understand my genius, so I suppose that’s why I’m evil to some.”

"Well, you also seemed a bit concerned that you took your genius too far." Fluttershy added quietly.

Discord scratched his cheek while looking away, "Really? I wasn't aware."

After a moment or two, she said while tilting her head up toward the canopy, “It sounds like you’re a big softy.”

The old draconequus scoffed, “Me? A big softy. I should snap my fingers and put your mouth where your butt is, young lady.”

“Then do it.” Fluttershy said with a small smile while looking toward him.

When all he did was cross his arms and sniff, she could not help but smile. There stood the very aspect of chaos and disharmony, a being that had been encased in stone for how terrible he had been, and he was pouting. She had made him pout by simply suggesting that he might actually be soft on the inside, that he might actually care a bit about how he affected others. Well, she couldn't be sure about that, but she was certain that he didn't want to hurt her and actually did care somewhat.

Eventually, the only response that came from her was a little giggle, “I see.”

“What? What?” He asked while floating closer to her.

Again she found herself tickled and put a hoof to her mouth to silence her laughter while she turned her head. It made it harder not to laugh when she felt his snout against her cheek, “Nothing! It’s just, I feel like more and more I’m coming to understand that everyone might be wrong about you.”

With a huff, he backed away and snapped his fingers. She found herself lifted off the ground, floating rather than walking, but again she simply laughed. Discord then narrowed his eyes before sighing, “Oh, not much of a prank or payback if you’ve already got wings.”

Fluttershy turned on her back while floating in the air, and she hummed, “Well, I can’t really do this all too well with my wings, so I’d say it was a pretty nice prank.”

They shared a look for a second, and she couldn’t help but smile while he kept on frowning. A smirk then touched his expression and she blinked before squealing as he launched himself directly into her. Her back did not hit the ground, her body did not experience any pain, but instead she was carted forward and upward, held tight by his arms as they went directly toward a tree. She squeaked as they struck the bark, except that a portal appeared before they collided with the growth, and they came out the other side. He then let her go, and she rolled through the air a bit until she came to a stop, her feathers ruffled and her mane entirely a mess. Despite that, she had experienced no pain, and so she couldn’t help but giggle like a fool. This was the god of chaos that she was supposed to be scared of? That had been a thrill ride, a terrifying one, but in this context, she found that only bubbling laughter sprang up from the terror she had felt.

“Oh, laugh it up.” He said with a sigh.

He sounded annoyed, but when she looked at him, she found a small smile stuck at the side of his mouth. With fluttering wings, she breathed out and cleared her throat, “Your prank was very frightening. I had to close my eyes and everything.”

“Is that so?” Discord said with a sniff.

“Certainly. You were very scary.” Fluttershy nodded.

He looked at her for a few seconds before he snapped his fingers and she appeared on the ground, gravity restored as he sighed, “I suppose that’s enough payback then. Onward and forward. Lead the way, my dear acolyte.”

She snorted and shook her head as she started to trot along with a bit of a bounce in her step, “Acolyte?”

“Why, yes. Why not? You worship nature, don’t you? So that should mean that you’re my acolyte, or my devotee, so to speak.” He answered with a quip.

Fluttershy thought about that for a moment before she muttered, “Well, I guess that makes sense, but I’m still a guardian of harmony. I don’t think everyone would take too kindly to me being an acolyte of chaos.”

“Of nature, not chaos. Come now, they surely wouldn’t mind that, would they?” He said while winking.

She laughed as he leaned in close while winking again and again, “Oh, stop, you’re being a pest now. You just want me to worship at your altar like a good girl.”

They shared a look for a moment. He smirked and raised his brow, and then blew a kiss. Instead of feeling pure embarrassment, she laughed again and trotted on ahead. What silliness! Whether he was joking or serious, she found herself entertained by his antics now that she understood them a little bit more, and she couldn’t help but wonder if that was just him corrupting her in some sort of way. No, she knew it wasn’t. In part, it had to do with her expectations. He could be frightening in a way that made her legs weak, and she’d probably have to deal with that eventually, but he didn’t seem keen on actually hurting her. His pranks were harmless, and at worst, they could be annoying or inappropriate. She could easily see how he could misuse his powers, but she could also see him being good company. The trip to the cottage had gone by so quickly that she hadn't even realized it until they broke through the path and saw her home just a short walk away. Fluttershy opened her mouth to mention something that was on her mind, but the words did not come and the thought disappeared as she saw a purple figure standing just outside the door of her cottage.

Twilight Sparkle had her chin tilted up, the magic of her horn already glittering as the unicorn mare stepped forward. Fluttershy’s smile shifted, became more meek as she lowered herself a bit, and she greeted her friend, “Twilight. Hello.”

“Fluttershy. I see that you’re bringing home that thing with you. I don’t see any restraints, either.” Twilight muttered.

She could feel the heat radiating off of Discord, and she opened her mouth quickly, “He doesn’t—”

Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes, “Honestly. You should have at least come to me for something to seal his magic away while you teach him how to be a proper, civilized, whatever he is. It is in his nature to cause chaos, to make problems for others, and those problems can have dire consequences. You bringing him to your home, of all things, can spell disaster for yourself, and here I thought to leave you to your own devices, but you’re already failing to account for the worst-case. Honestly.”

Fluttershy felt herself shrinking with every word tossed at her, with every exasperated sigh coming from the lecturing unicorn, and then she heard Discord snort, “Well, isn’t that lovely to see that the ones with horns can be just as boorish as I remember. Tell me something, are all unicorns such stuck-up brats, or is it just this one that runs her mouth endlessly? I mean, honestly, she could probably keep the lights on in your little Canterlot with those lips of hers blabbering away. Then again, those lights would need power, not garbage.”

She felt the blood drain from her face as she opened her mouth a few times, but before she could say anything, Twilight scoffed, “You'd better watch your mouth. You’re lucky that you’re even out and about!”

“Oh? Should I be thanking you? Are you the one who gave the order? Are you the one who came to my statue to set me free? No, I think not. Neither of those things. You’re just a pompous bi—”

Fluttershy gave Discord a gentle push with her head against his side as she quickly began, “T-that’s enough. I understand your frustration, but you shouldn’t say such things. She's my friend, and t-that's really inappropriate.”

Discord’s expression softened a bit when he looked at her, but Twilight spoke aloud, “At the very least, you have a handle on his tongue if you can stop him before he says something too stupid.”

Throughout this entire altercation, she had found her anxiety building and building. She did not like raising her voice, she did not like arguments or fighting, but she found that neither was helping their case and she could not help her next words as they slipped so naturally from her lips, “Shut up.”

Twilight and Discord blinked, the purple unicorn asking aghast, “Excuse me?”

Fluttershy's face burned as she squeaked again, “Shut up! You’re not helping me!" She then sucked in a deep breath before she began to let it all flow out, "You want me to handle this situation, then let me handle this situation. D-discord is right too. You didn’t come with me! You didn’t even walk to the edge of the forest or visit me today. S-so just leave! I don’t need your help if you’re just going to antagonize him.” And then she looked at Discord and spoke softly, “Can you please just apologize for what you were about to say? I get that Twilight was out of line, but you can’t just bite her head off like that. You don’t need any restraints, you don’t need anything like that…So prove her wrong.”

Discord seemed to look at her for a moment, considering her words carefully while Twilight stamped her hoof, “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Fluttershy, but I have always been trying to help you. Why is this any different? Yes, I wasn't there with you, but I was thinking of what to do, of how to help you." Twilight's ears then pinned back as she scoffed, "And why are you even defending this freak?”

Her heart thumped faster and faster in her chest as she tried her hardest to salvage the situation, as she tried her hardest not to panic in the face of asserting herself, but she froze. Discord walked past her. He did not float, did not make a show of using magic, but instead simply walked toward Twilight. When he got to Twilight Sparkle, she doubted his intentions for half a second before he simply bowed. Even Twilight seemed to be entirely stunned.

When he rose, he said softly, “I apologize for any insult. We got off on the wrong foot, or rather, the wrong hoof, so to speak. We might not be on friendly terms right now but I hope you understand that I have no intention of being petrified again, so if Celestia has terms then I’ll follow them to the letter. Since Celestia left Fluttershy in charge of me, I’ll be following her terms to the letter.”

Fluttershy found herself smiling, the thumping in her chest easing as Twilight slowly began, “Very well.” Her horn glowed and a set of books was freed from the pack on her side, “Take these. They’re books on our society and history. There are a few things about the other races of Equestria. I thought that Fluttershy would find some of these useful for you, and…I wanted to say that she’s welcome to take out any books that she might need from my library.”

Discord took the books gingerly in hand and hummed, “Very well. I’m sure she appreciates it.”

Twilight Sparkle grimaced for a moment before she sighed, “Right, and I’m sorry. Uh, good luck Fluttershy.”

With that said, the purple unicorn turned and stormed off before slowing her pace to something a bit more graceful. When Discord came back to Fluttershy, she blew out a long breath and hung her head, “Are you okay?” He asked gently.

“I’m just surprised you didn’t do anything to her after she was so combative.” And then she stammered out, “I-I was so scared that both of you were going to get into a fight.”

“Yes, well…Her little bag should be melting anytime soon.” He said with a small smile.

Fluttershy stared at him before she asked, “What?”

“It isn't my fault that her little bag is now made of chocolate.” He said while snickering.

She stared at him dead on for a few moments before she closed her eyes and sighed deeply, “That’s…Not correct.” But she could not find it in her heart to lecture him too much and instead muttered, “I think I need some tea.”

Fluttershy blinked as he yanked her up into the air. He held her with one arm while he snapped, “There, prank undone. How does ginger and chamomile sound? If you don’t have the herbs, then I can get them myself.”

Closing her eyes and not fighting his kindness, she muttered, “That sounds heavenly. I should have some inside and Discord?”

“Yes?”

She leaned her head against his body while whispering, “Thank you for not turning her into a grape or something else, and thank you for believing in me.”

Discord chuckled and didn’t say another word as he carried her inside her own cottage. What a day. What a moment. She needed a break after all of that, but neither the trek nor the weight of responsibility dragged on her as much as asserting herself had. Her throat even felt raw from it all, and her chest still felt odd as if she had overexerted herself. Truly, though, she was thankful that at least one of them had been willing to listen to her immediately, but why hadn’t it been her friend?

As they continued toward her home, Fluttershy remained entirely quiet. Warm embarrassment still washed over her anytime she looked behind herself and saw his smug, self-satisfied expression. How could she hope to help him if she could not even face him? If she couldn't even handle his teasing without bursting into flames? Fluttershy cut off that tiny bit of self-doubt before she ruminated on it further, not wanting him to decide to comfort her yet again with teases and jokes. Either way, she had to pull herself together. Letting him run circles around her would not help her situation, or his, for that matter. Regardless of what anyone thought, she believed with all of her heart that the path she wanted for Discord would allow him to roam free without any intervention or binding, magical or physical. For now, he seemed satisfied with bothering her, but boredom was a very real thing. What would he do when he met other ponies? What would he do when bothering her wasn't enough to entertain him? Would he use his magic to do something terrible? Well surprisingly, she actually couldn’t imagine that. Discord might summon a rain of hot sauce, or maybe he’d flirt with the wrong pony at the wrong time, but she just couldn’t conceive any sort of scenario where he would harm someone seriously or even in a small way. He had even seemed concerned about her when he thought that she had hurt herself, when he had thought that his jokes went too far. Did he not actually enjoy the pain and suffering of others?

“Say…Discord?” She eventually mused aloud.

Discord hummed, “Yes? And here I thought I’d never hear your pretty voice again.”

Ignoring that last part, she breathed out, “Why were you so concerned about me getting hurt? Not just about me frowning, but about the possibility of me getting stuck by thorns. Celestia and my friends think that you’ll do something truly evil, but you haven’t been evil so far. Just pesky.”

She saw him floating at her side now as he answered her, “There’s no point in pain like that. What’s so fun about someone getting seriously hurt or worse? I’d rather make someone laugh! Of course, not everyone can understand my genius, so I suppose that’s why I’m evil to some.”

"Well, you also seemed a bit concerned that you took your genius too far." Fluttershy added quietly.

Discord scratched his cheek while looking away, "Really? I wasn't aware."

After a moment or two, she said while tilting her head up toward the canopy, “It sounds like you’re a big softy.”

The old draconequus scoffed, “Me? A big softy. I should snap my fingers and put your mouth where your butt is, young lady.”

“Then do it.” Fluttershy said with a small smile while looking toward him.

When all he did was cross his arms and sniff, she could not help but smile. There stood the very aspect of chaos and disharmony, a being that had been encased in stone for how terrible he had been, and he was pouting. She had made him pout by simply suggesting that he might actually be soft on the inside, that he might actually care a bit about how he affected others. Well, she couldn't be sure about that, but she was certain that he didn't want to hurt her and actually did care somewhat.

Eventually, the only response that came from her was a little giggle, “I see.”

“What? What?” He asked while floating closer to her.

Again she found herself tickled and put a hoof to her mouth to silence her laughter while she turned her head. It made it harder not to laugh when she felt his snout against her cheek, “Nothing! It’s just, I feel like more and more I’m coming to understand that everyone might be wrong about you.”

With a huff, he backed away and snapped his fingers. She found herself lifted off the ground, floating rather than walking, but again she simply laughed. Discord then narrowed his eyes before sighing, “Oh, not much of a prank or payback if you’ve already got wings.”

Fluttershy turned on her back while floating in the air, and she hummed, “Well, I can’t really do this all too well with my wings, so I’d say it was a pretty nice prank.”

They shared a look for a second, and she couldn’t help but smile while he kept on frowning. A smirk then touched his expression and she blinked before squealing as he launched himself directly into her. Her back did not hit the ground, her body did not experience any pain, but instead she was carted forward and upward, held tight by his arms as they went directly toward a tree. She squeaked as they struck the bark, except that a portal appeared before they collided with the growth, and they came out the other side. He then let her go, and she rolled through the air a bit until she came to a stop, her feathers ruffled and her mane entirely a mess. Despite that, she had experienced no pain, and so she couldn’t help but giggle like a fool. This was the god of chaos that she was supposed to be scared of? That had been a thrill ride, a terrifying one, but in this context, she found that only bubbling laughter sprang up from the terror she had felt.

“Oh, laugh it up.” He said with a sigh.

He sounded annoyed, but when she looked at him, she found a small smile stuck at the side of his mouth. With fluttering wings, she breathed out and cleared her throat, “Your prank was very frightening. I had to close my eyes and everything.”

“Is that so?” Discord said with a sniff.

“Certainly. You were very scary.” Fluttershy nodded.

He looked at her for a few seconds before he snapped his fingers and she appeared on the ground, gravity restored as he sighed, “I suppose that’s enough payback then. Onward and forward. Lead the way, my dear acolyte.”

She snorted and shook her head as she started to trot along with a bit of a bounce in her step, “Acolyte?”

“Why, yes. Why not? You worship nature, don’t you? So that should mean that you’re my acolyte, or my devotee, so to speak.” He answered with a quip.

Fluttershy thought about that for a moment before she muttered, “Well, I guess that makes sense, but I’m still a guardian of harmony. I don’t think everyone would take too kindly to me being an acolyte of chaos.”

“Of nature, not chaos. Come now, they surely wouldn’t mind that, would they?” He said while winking.

She laughed as he leaned in close while winking again and again, “Oh, stop, you’re being a pest now. You just want me to worship at your altar like a good girl.”

They shared a look for a moment. He smirked and raised his brow, and then blew a kiss. Instead of feeling pure embarrassment, she laughed again and trotted on ahead. What silliness! Whether he was joking or serious, she found herself entertained by his antics now that she understood them a little bit more, and she couldn’t help but wonder if that was just him corrupting her in some sort of way. No, she knew it wasn’t. In part, it had to do with her expectations. He could be frightening in a way that made her legs weak, and she’d probably have to deal with that eventually, but he didn’t seem keen on actually hurting her. His pranks were harmless, and at worst, they could be annoying or inappropriate. She could easily see how he could misuse his powers, but she could also see him being good company. The trip to the cottage had gone by so quickly that she hadn't even realized it until they broke through the path and saw her home just a short walk away. Fluttershy opened her mouth to mention something that was on her mind, but the words did not come and the thought disappeared as she saw a purple figure standing just outside the door of her cottage.

Twilight Sparkle had her chin tilted up, the magic of her horn already glittering as the unicorn mare stepped forward. Fluttershy’s smile shifted, became more meek as she lowered herself a bit, and she greeted her friend, “Twilight. Hello.”

“Fluttershy. I see that you’re bringing home that thing with you. I don’t see any restraints, either.” Twilight muttered.

She could feel the heat radiating off of Discord, and she opened her mouth quickly, “He doesn’t—”

Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes, “Honestly. You should have at least come to me for something to seal his magic away while you teach him how to be a proper, civilized, whatever he is. It is in his nature to cause chaos, to make problems for others, and those problems can have dire consequences. You bringing him to your home, of all things, can spell disaster for yourself, and here I thought to leave you to your own devices, but you’re already failing to account for the worst-case. Honestly.”

Fluttershy felt herself shrinking with every word tossed at her, with every exasperated sigh coming from the lecturing unicorn, and then she heard Discord snort, “Well, isn’t that lovely to see that the ones with horns can be just as boorish as I remember. Tell me something, are all unicorns such stuck-up brats, or is it just this one that runs her mouth endlessly? I mean, honestly, she could probably keep the lights on in your little Canterlot with those lips of hers blabbering away. Then again, those lights would need power, not garbage.”

She felt the blood drain from her face as she opened her mouth a few times, but before she could say anything, Twilight scoffed, “You'd better watch your mouth. You’re lucky that you’re even out and about!”

“Oh? Should I be thanking you? Are you the one who gave the order? Are you the one who came to my statue to set me free? No, I think not. Neither of those things. You’re just a pompous bi—”

Fluttershy gave Discord a gentle push with her head against his side as she quickly began, “T-that’s enough. I understand your frustration, but you shouldn’t say such things. She's my friend, and t-that's really inappropriate.”

Discord’s expression softened a bit when he looked at her, but Twilight spoke aloud, “At the very least, you have a handle on his tongue if you can stop him before he says something too stupid.”

Throughout this entire altercation, she had found her anxiety building and building. She did not like raising her voice, she did not like arguments or fighting, but she found that neither was helping their case and she could not help her next words as they slipped so naturally from her lips, “Shut up.”

Twilight and Discord blinked, the purple unicorn asking aghast, “Excuse me?”

Fluttershy's face burned as she squeaked again, “Shut up! You’re not helping me!" She then sucked in a deep breath before she began to let it all flow out, "You want me to handle this situation, then let me handle this situation. D-discord is right too. You didn’t come with me! You didn’t even walk to the edge of the forest or visit me today. S-so just leave! I don’t need your help if you’re just going to antagonize him.” And then she looked at Discord and spoke softly, “Can you please just apologize for what you were about to say? I get that Twilight was out of line, but you can’t just bite her head off like that. You don’t need any restraints, you don’t need anything like that…So prove her wrong.”

Discord seemed to look at her for a moment, considering her words carefully while Twilight stamped her hoof, “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Fluttershy, but I have always been trying to help you. Why is this any different? Yes, I wasn't there with you, but I was thinking of what to do, of how to help you." Twilight's ears then pinned back as she scoffed, "And why are you even defending this freak?”

Her heart thumped faster and faster in her chest as she tried her hardest to salvage the situation, as she tried her hardest not to panic in the face of asserting herself, but she froze. Discord walked past her. He did not float, did not make a show of using magic, but instead simply walked toward Twilight. When he got to Twilight Sparkle, she doubted his intentions for half a second before he simply bowed. Even Twilight seemed to be entirely stunned.

When he rose, he said softly, “I apologize for any insult. We got off on the wrong foot, or rather, the wrong hoof, so to speak. We might not be on friendly terms right now but I hope you understand that I have no intention of being petrified again, so if Celestia has terms then I’ll follow them to the letter. Since Celestia left Fluttershy in charge of me, I’ll be following her terms to the letter.”

Fluttershy found herself smiling, the thumping in her chest easing as Twilight slowly began, “Very well.” Her horn glowed and a set of books was freed from the pack on her side, “Take these. They’re books on our society and history. There are a few things about the other races of Equestria. I thought that Fluttershy would find some of these useful for you, and…I wanted to say that she’s welcome to take out any books that she might need from my library.”

Discord took the books gingerly in hand and hummed, “Very well. I’m sure she appreciates it.”

Twilight Sparkle grimaced for a moment before she sighed, “Right, and I’m sorry. Uh, good luck Fluttershy.”

With that said, the purple unicorn turned and stormed off before slowing her pace to something a bit more graceful. When Discord came back to Fluttershy, she blew out a long breath and hung her head, “Are you okay?” He asked gently.

“I’m just surprised you didn’t do anything to her after she was so combative.” And then she stammered out, “I-I was so scared that both of you were going to get into a fight.”

“Yes, well…Her little bag should be melting anytime soon.” He said with a small smile.

Fluttershy stared at him before she asked, “What?”

“It isn't my fault that her little bag is now made of chocolate.” He said while snickering.

She stared at him dead on for a few moments before she closed her eyes and sighed deeply, “That’s…Not correct.” But she could not find it in her heart to lecture him too much and instead muttered, “I think I need some tea.”

Fluttershy blinked as he yanked her up into the air. He held her with one arm while he snapped, “There, prank undone. How does ginger and chamomile sound? If you don’t have the herbs, then I can get them myself.”

Closing her eyes and not fighting his kindness, she muttered, “That sounds heavenly. I should have some inside and Discord?”

“Yes?”

She leaned her head against his body while whispering, “Thank you for not turning her into a grape or something else, and thank you for believing in me.”

Discord chuckled and didn’t say another word as he carried her inside her own cottage. What a day. What a moment. She needed a break after all of that, but neither the trek nor the weight of responsibility dragged on her as much as asserting herself had. Her throat even felt raw from it all, and her chest still felt odd as if she had overexerted herself. Truly, though, she was thankful that at least one of them had been willing to listen to her immediately, but why hadn’t it been her friend?

Fluttershy found herself lounging on her couch in the living room of her cottage. She had her eyes closed while she decompressed from the situation, while she steadied her breathing and her mind. As nervous as she felt, she couldn’t help but also feel a bit of shame for her conduct. Discord had carried her inside and set her down before wandering off in the direction of her kitchen without even needing to be told where it was. Part of it had to be the fact that he had a nose for that sort of thing, or maybe he had just guessed correctly; either way, she felt embarrassed about it. Fluttershy had the responsibility of making sure that Discord didn't cause any trouble, but also she felt that she had the responsibility of a host. She should have been finding him snacks and brewing tea for him, so that they could sit down together and talk. Instead, she lounged about while he busied himself in the kitchen. Of course, part of her also worried about the prospect of the god of chaos wandering alone in her home by himself, but she found herself more aghast that she wasn’t able to be a good host. It seemed silly in retrospect when stress still plagued her. Fluttershy opened her eyes slowly and looked to the left, where the books Twilight had given Discord had been left. Historical texts, books on social etiquette, and a few general pieces about current events and culture. A lot of things that would be helpful in Twilight ways, scholarly ways. Maybe she could put on some fake glasses, tie her hair back, and pretend to be a teacher. Take a ruler and conduct a class on how one should behave, and the thought made her chuckle just a bit. It wouldn’t work, but maybe she could use something from these books to help nudge Discord in the right direction. With that in mind, she knew that Twilight’s heart had been in the right place, even if her words still hurt, even if Discord had come to her defense first. She closed her eyes again and found herself sighing. Oddly enough, she felt cold.

Just as she found her mood turning downward, she nearly fell from the couch as Discord’s voice came booming, “Room service!”

Her eyes cracked open, and she planted her forehooves down on the floor to keep herself from slipping off the couch as she looked up. She had been about to tell Discord that he didn’t need to yell, but she found herself dumbstruck as he followed behind what appeared to be a small table that had a generous amount of goodies placed atop. When the circular table landed in front of the couch, she could see that there were what appeared to be strawberry shortcakes that she certainly didn’t remember buying or baking, and a teapot spreading the scent of sweet ginger throughout the room.

Discord took the pot and poured her a cup while asking, “So, how many cubes?”

“Oh, just uh, just one.” She muttered.

He poured her cup, set a spoon in it, and then gingerly placed a sugar cube in the liquid. Finally, Fluttershy asked, “Where did you get the cake? Did you steal it?”

“Am I not allowed to?” He asked while gasping aloud. As she rose, prepared to lecture him, he laughed and waved her off, “Relax! I did pluck it from a baker with a bit of magic, but I promise that I paid for it in full. I’d bake it myself, but we don’t have much time for that.”

Fluttershy slumped back onto the couch while raising a hoof to rub the back of her neck, “Oh, I guess that’s less bad.” She then asked softly while picking up her cup, “You bake?”

Discord beamed, “Why, I do many things! Boredom is a terrible thing, and learning new tricks can be fun! Baking takes time, but so does hatching the perfect scheme. Besides, I like working with my hands. Gives me something to do.”

She smiled a bit and sipped the tea. At first, a tentative little sip, and then a deeper one as she tasted the rich ginger alongside the soft hint of chamomile. It could use something, though, but she didn’t have to ask. Discord had placed the honey out in the open for her to make her own decision, and she reached over to add a bit of honey to her tea, mixing it in before taking another sip. The warmth was delightful, and the clouds in her head seemed to spread apart, leaving her clear once more.

When she set her cup down, he asked, “Bit better now?”

Fluttershy muttered and avoided his gaze, “Well, yes, but I’m not particularly pleased that you saw me like that. The tea is wonderful, and I’m sure the cake is too, but I feel like I was supposed to do this for you, or at least something similar. You’re my guest and my responsibility too.”

“Bah, water under the bridge. It was nice actually being in a kitchen preparing something. Getting to drink in all the scents. Rather freeing, really.” He said while beaming before he tilted his head and hummed, “So, that purple pest of yours is a bit of a hardass, isn’t she?”

She winced, “Twilight is just concerned with the safety of Equestria.”

Discord remained quiet for a second before he nodded slowly, “Right, so you’re sure I can’t turn her into something wriggling and small?”

Fluttershy frowned, “Yes, I’m sure. I know she seems a bit rough around the edges, but she’s a friend. Maybe she shouldn’t be so harsh, and maybe she is a bit of a—.” And then she lowered her voice, “Hardass.” And then, higher again she continued, “But she means well. She does want to see me succeed, wants to see this succeed, even if she might not agree with what I want to do a-and maybe doesn’t have any confidence in me, but I can’t blame her for that.”

The chaos god snorted as he stabbed his fork into his cake, “Well, who cares what she thinks and what she’s confident in. She’s lucky that she’s not a toad, or even a decorative flower. Who is that thanks to?”

She thought about that for a moment before blinking, “You?”

Discord rolled his eyes, “No, it is thanks to you. If not for your interjection and your sugary sweet self, then I might have toyed with that purple nitwit. Rotating her like a funny ball before turning her into something more agreeable.”

Fluttershy winced again when he insulted Twilight, and then she said gently, “But you didn’t. You could have, and you didn’t. That’s thanks to your own restraint.”

“Oho, if it were up to my restraint, then the chaos I’d wreak would truly be legendary.” He said before placing a slice of cake in his mouth. Discord chewed and swallowed before rolling his fork at her, “You, my dear, should give yourself much more credit. So kudos. Truly.”

“I don’t really—”

Discord put his fork up toward her and clucked his tongue, “None of that. Accept the responsibility of a job well done and choke on it young missy.” He then tilted his chin up and snorted, “Now, eat your cake.”

She blinked and placed a fork into her cake before taking a piece into her mouth to bite down on. Sweet. A bit tart, but mostly sweet. She’d have to apologize to whichever baker he took this from, even if he paid for it. Fluttershy wasn't even sure how he had acquired the money in the first place. That being said, she couldn’t be too upset when such splendor graced her taste buds. Lecturing him could wait later when she didn’t feel so conflicted about it. It wasn’t the action itself that left her confused, rather everything else. He had done something wrong, but it had been done in order to cheer her up, it seemed. Even now, she couldn’t help but remember how he had nearly pelted Twilight with insults, how he had most likely been about to do something terrible to her, but yet again, it had been in her defense, so that said something good about his heart. She could still see that he was an incredibly pushy and selfish creature, but just like the cake, Discord was sweet. If not a little bit tart.

When she finished her plate, she set her fork down carefully and tended to her tea. After a few sips, she set the cup down and said softly, “Okay, I guess that I should give myself a bit more credit for seeing something that everyone else can’t. You’re really sweet, you know that?” When he frowned at that, she added softly, “Don’t get me wrong, I realize that you’re still all big and dangerous, but I feel so much better than I did before, and that is thanks to you.”

As he seemed to ready himself to complain about her description of him, she got up and promptly ignored whatever huffed out of his mouth before walking around the table to lean up and give him a peck on the cheek. He then clamped his mouth shut before sniffing, “Hm, was I sweet enough for a kiss on the lips?”

Fluttershy did not stutter or stammer this time, and her cheeks only turned a little bit rosy as she chuckled, “Maybe if you keep being sweet.”

“Oho, now I’m looking forward to all the prizes I can win for being a good boy, and what sort of things a naughty boy can tease out of you.” He said with a grin.

Her cheeks darkened, and try as she might, she could not stop her voice from shaking a bit as she cleared her throat, “Right, anyway, let’s take care of the dishes.”

Discord let out a rumbling little chuckle as he got up to snap his fingers to poof away the table and bring along the dishes. They washed dishes together for a little bit in relative peace. She could have done it herself, or he could have offered to take them himself, but they stood in front of the sink doing them together. He would make a few quips or silly jokes, and sometimes flick a bit of water on her, but nothing he did caused any harm. Oddly enough, she had found herself unaccustomed to having company for this long. Most of her friends and most other ponies found the forest to be a bit too frightening to stay for too long, and many of them found her practices odd enough to stay away because of that as well. She had become accustomed to the sound of nature being her only company inside her home, accustomed to the animals and creatures of the forest, she took care of being her only housemates. Speaking of which, she could see her little rabbit watching them from the corner. Most likely, Angel simply found Discord a bit too intimidating to come near, but the bunny looked to be in good health. Another point in Discord’s favor as she figured that he might decide to make her rabbit into a snack, but he had not.

When they finished the dishes, she breathed out, “Well, that’s that. I suppose you should head home now, well, if you have a place to settle that is.”

He scratched his chin, “Hmm, I do have an idea, and it won’t take me very long to get it settled. Is there anything else you could use some help with before I go?”

Her friends rarely offered their help when it came to the chores, so she wasn’t sure if she should accept or say that it wasn’t a problem at all, but then she decided, “Sure, why not?”

There were only a few things that she had left to the afternoon. The morning had been dedicated to her duty to Celestia, and she had originally planned to be busy for most of the day. It meant that a lot of her chores were going to stack up, but now that wasn’t the case. Discord didn’t complain at all when she asked for help tidying up around the place while she fed the animals. Part of her wanted to ask for help with that, too, but most likely none of them would come close to her if she had Discord in tow. She fed the birds outside, the rabbits, the hounds, and other creatures that needed care. Many of them were hurt in small ways, but some of them needed a bit more careful attention, and she took her time with that. When she got into the cottage again, everything seemed perfectly in order and cleaner than when she left it. Together, they then headed to the garden while she piled on the praise, and he lifted his chin as if he were bolstered by it. Maybe no one complimented him in his life? Either way, she got him to help her with watering the herbs and the flowers, and that was the last chore for the day.

“Thank you so much.” She said when they stood together at the front of the cottage.

“Oh, not a problem. A bit of manual labor helps stretch out the poor bones after petrification.” He said with a big smile.

Fluttershy hummed, “I know I said you could visit now and again, and that you should, but I want to let you know you’re welcome here anytime.”

Discord blinked, and it seemed at first that his arms twitched as if he wasn’t sure of what to do with them. She smiled and pressed against him, and he embraced her gently, receiving the message loud and clear as he sighed, “I suppose I’ll take you up on that offer. Don’t be surprised if I end up visiting you at least once a day.”

She chuckled, “I had figured something like once a week would work, but I guess if I’m around, then I don’t have any reason to say no.”

He looked at her before he gave the top of her head a gentle peck, and then he floated back a bit while speaking softly, “I’ll hold you to that. Now then, I’ll be off. Show me around this modern world of yours sometime, or well, maybe I’ll show myself. There’s a lot to do with this freedom of mine. Visiting all of your little friends, maybe even heading up to Canterlot.” When he saw the look on her face, he snorted, “I’m kidding! I’ll save the Canterlot visit until Celestia herself invites me. If she ever does! Now then, I’m off to steal apples and cause havoc. Bye bye!”

As he waved and then floated off, she brought up a hoof to wave as well, but also wondering if she should tell him to behave. She figured that he knew that he had to behave, but she also knew that he liked his pranks and enjoyed his chaos. Well, as long as he didn’t do anything too terrible, then she supposed that it’d be fine. That being the case, she just couldn't see him coming back tomorrow after having done something terrible. She did feel a bit odd, though, seeing him fly off. He had served her tea, given her cake, and spent time helping her around the cottage. Maybe she could have let him stay for the night. It wouldn't really be very appropriate, but she also wasn't sure if he had been entirely honest about having a place to stay. Either way, she could welcome him with a smile whenever he came around again, and oddly enough, she found herself looking forward to it.

Fluttershy found herself lounging on her couch in the living room of her cottage. She had her eyes closed while she decompressed from the situation, while she steadied her breathing and her mind. As nervous as she felt, she couldn’t help but also feel a bit of shame for her conduct. Discord had carried her inside and set her down before wandering off in the direction of her kitchen without even needing to be told where it was. Part of it had to be the fact that he had a nose for that sort of thing, or maybe he had just guessed correctly; either way, she felt embarrassed about it. Fluttershy had the responsibility of making sure that Discord didn't cause any trouble, but also she felt that she had the responsibility of a host. She should have been finding him snacks and brewing tea for him, so that they could sit down together and talk. Instead, she lounged about while he busied himself in the kitchen. Of course, part of her also worried about the prospect of the god of chaos wandering alone in her home by himself, but she found herself more aghast that she wasn’t able to be a good host. It seemed silly in retrospect when stress still plagued her. Fluttershy opened her eyes slowly and looked to the left, where the books Twilight had given Discord had been left. Historical texts, books on social etiquette, and a few general pieces about current events and culture. A lot of things that would be helpful in Twilight ways, scholarly ways. Maybe she could put on some fake glasses, tie her hair back, and pretend to be a teacher. Take a ruler and conduct a class on how one should behave, and the thought made her chuckle just a bit. It wouldn’t work, but maybe she could use something from these books to help nudge Discord in the right direction. With that in mind, she knew that Twilight’s heart had been in the right place, even if her words still hurt, even if Discord had come to her defense first. She closed her eyes again and found herself sighing. Oddly enough, she felt cold.

Just as she found her mood turning downward, she nearly fell from the couch as Discord’s voice came booming, “Room service!”

Her eyes cracked open, and she planted her forehooves down on the floor to keep herself from slipping off the couch as she looked up. She had been about to tell Discord that he didn’t need to yell, but she found herself dumbstruck as he followed behind what appeared to be a small table that had a generous amount of goodies placed atop. When the circular table landed in front of the couch, she could see that there were what appeared to be strawberry shortcakes that she certainly didn’t remember buying or baking, and a teapot spreading the scent of sweet ginger throughout the room.

Discord took the pot and poured her a cup while asking, “So, how many cubes?”

“Oh, just uh, just one.” She muttered.

He poured her cup, set a spoon in it, and then gingerly placed a sugar cube in the liquid. Finally, Fluttershy asked, “Where did you get the cake? Did you steal it?”

“Am I not allowed to?” He asked while gasping aloud. As she rose, prepared to lecture him, he laughed and waved her off, “Relax! I did pluck it from a baker with a bit of magic, but I promise that I paid for it in full. I’d bake it myself, but we don’t have much time for that.”

Fluttershy slumped back onto the couch while raising a hoof to rub the back of her neck, “Oh, I guess that’s less bad.” She then asked softly while picking up her cup, “You bake?”

Discord beamed, “Why, I do many things! Boredom is a terrible thing, and learning new tricks can be fun! Baking takes time, but so does hatching the perfect scheme. Besides, I like working with my hands. Gives me something to do.”

She smiled a bit and sipped the tea. At first, a tentative little sip, and then a deeper one as she tasted the rich ginger alongside the soft hint of chamomile. It could use something, though, but she didn’t have to ask. Discord had placed the honey out in the open for her to make her own decision, and she reached over to add a bit of honey to her tea, mixing it in before taking another sip. The warmth was delightful, and the clouds in her head seemed to spread apart, leaving her clear once more.

When she set her cup down, he asked, “Bit better now?”

Fluttershy muttered and avoided his gaze, “Well, yes, but I’m not particularly pleased that you saw me like that. The tea is wonderful, and I’m sure the cake is too, but I feel like I was supposed to do this for you, or at least something similar. You’re my guest and my responsibility too.”

“Bah, water under the bridge. It was nice actually being in a kitchen preparing something. Getting to drink in all the scents. Rather freeing, really.” He said while beaming before he tilted his head and hummed, “So, that purple pest of yours is a bit of a hardass, isn’t she?”

She winced, “Twilight is just concerned with the safety of Equestria.”

Discord remained quiet for a second before he nodded slowly, “Right, so you’re sure I can’t turn her into something wriggling and small?”

Fluttershy frowned, “Yes, I’m sure. I know she seems a bit rough around the edges, but she’s a friend. Maybe she shouldn’t be so harsh, and maybe she is a bit of a—.” And then she lowered her voice, “Hardass.” And then, higher again she continued, “But she means well. She does want to see me succeed, wants to see this succeed, even if she might not agree with what I want to do a-and maybe doesn’t have any confidence in me, but I can’t blame her for that.”

The chaos god snorted as he stabbed his fork into his cake, “Well, who cares what she thinks and what she’s confident in. She’s lucky that she’s not a toad, or even a decorative flower. Who is that thanks to?”

She thought about that for a moment before blinking, “You?”

Discord rolled his eyes, “No, it is thanks to you. If not for your interjection and your sugary sweet self, then I might have toyed with that purple nitwit. Rotating her like a funny ball before turning her into something more agreeable.”

Fluttershy winced again when he insulted Twilight, and then she said gently, “But you didn’t. You could have, and you didn’t. That’s thanks to your own restraint.”

“Oho, if it were up to my restraint, then the chaos I’d wreak would truly be legendary.” He said before placing a slice of cake in his mouth. Discord chewed and swallowed before rolling his fork at her, “You, my dear, should give yourself much more credit. So kudos. Truly.”

“I don’t really—”

Discord put his fork up toward her and clucked his tongue, “None of that. Accept the responsibility of a job well done and choke on it young missy.” He then tilted his chin up and snorted, “Now, eat your cake.”

She blinked and placed a fork into her cake before taking a piece into her mouth to bite down on. Sweet. A bit tart, but mostly sweet. She’d have to apologize to whichever baker he took this from, even if he paid for it. Fluttershy wasn't even sure how he had acquired the money in the first place. That being said, she couldn’t be too upset when such splendor graced her taste buds. Lecturing him could wait later when she didn’t feel so conflicted about it. It wasn’t the action itself that left her confused, rather everything else. He had done something wrong, but it had been done in order to cheer her up, it seemed. Even now, she couldn’t help but remember how he had nearly pelted Twilight with insults, how he had most likely been about to do something terrible to her, but yet again, it had been in her defense, so that said something good about his heart. She could still see that he was an incredibly pushy and selfish creature, but just like the cake, Discord was sweet. If not a little bit tart.

When she finished her plate, she set her fork down carefully and tended to her tea. After a few sips, she set the cup down and said softly, “Okay, I guess that I should give myself a bit more credit for seeing something that everyone else can’t. You’re really sweet, you know that?” When he frowned at that, she added softly, “Don’t get me wrong, I realize that you’re still all big and dangerous, but I feel so much better than I did before, and that is thanks to you.”

As he seemed to ready himself to complain about her description of him, she got up and promptly ignored whatever huffed out of his mouth before walking around the table to lean up and give him a peck on the cheek. He then clamped his mouth shut before sniffing, “Hm, was I sweet enough for a kiss on the lips?”

Fluttershy did not stutter or stammer this time, and her cheeks only turned a little bit rosy as she chuckled, “Maybe if you keep being sweet.”

“Oho, now I’m looking forward to all the prizes I can win for being a good boy, and what sort of things a naughty boy can tease out of you.” He said with a grin.

Her cheeks darkened, and try as she might, she could not stop her voice from shaking a bit as she cleared her throat, “Right, anyway, let’s take care of the dishes.”

Discord let out a rumbling little chuckle as he got up to snap his fingers to poof away the table and bring along the dishes. They washed dishes together for a little bit in relative peace. She could have done it herself, or he could have offered to take them himself, but they stood in front of the sink doing them together. He would make a few quips or silly jokes, and sometimes flick a bit of water on her, but nothing he did caused any harm. Oddly enough, she had found herself unaccustomed to having company for this long. Most of her friends and most other ponies found the forest to be a bit too frightening to stay for too long, and many of them found her practices odd enough to stay away because of that as well. She had become accustomed to the sound of nature being her only company inside her home, accustomed to the animals and creatures of the forest, she took care of being her only housemates. Speaking of which, she could see her little rabbit watching them from the corner. Most likely, Angel simply found Discord a bit too intimidating to come near, but the bunny looked to be in good health. Another point in Discord’s favor as she figured that he might decide to make her rabbit into a snack, but he had not.

When they finished the dishes, she breathed out, “Well, that’s that. I suppose you should head home now, well, if you have a place to settle that is.”

He scratched his chin, “Hmm, I do have an idea, and it won’t take me very long to get it settled. Is there anything else you could use some help with before I go?”

Her friends rarely offered their help when it came to the chores, so she wasn’t sure if she should accept or say that it wasn’t a problem at all, but then she decided, “Sure, why not?”

There were only a few things that she had left to the afternoon. The morning had been dedicated to her duty to Celestia, and she had originally planned to be busy for most of the day. It meant that a lot of her chores were going to stack up, but now that wasn’t the case. Discord didn’t complain at all when she asked for help tidying up around the place while she fed the animals. Part of her wanted to ask for help with that, too, but most likely none of them would come close to her if she had Discord in tow. She fed the birds outside, the rabbits, the hounds, and other creatures that needed care. Many of them were hurt in small ways, but some of them needed a bit more careful attention, and she took her time with that. When she got into the cottage again, everything seemed perfectly in order and cleaner than when she left it. Together, they then headed to the garden while she piled on the praise, and he lifted his chin as if he were bolstered by it. Maybe no one complimented him in his life? Either way, she got him to help her with watering the herbs and the flowers, and that was the last chore for the day.

“Thank you so much.” She said when they stood together at the front of the cottage.

“Oh, not a problem. A bit of manual labor helps stretch out the poor bones after petrification.” He said with a big smile.

Fluttershy hummed, “I know I said you could visit now and again, and that you should, but I want to let you know you’re welcome here anytime.”

Discord blinked, and it seemed at first that his arms twitched as if he wasn’t sure of what to do with them. She smiled and pressed against him, and he embraced her gently, receiving the message loud and clear as he sighed, “I suppose I’ll take you up on that offer. Don’t be surprised if I end up visiting you at least once a day.”

She chuckled, “I had figured something like once a week would work, but I guess if I’m around, then I don’t have any reason to say no.”

He looked at her before he gave the top of her head a gentle peck, and then he floated back a bit while speaking softly, “I’ll hold you to that. Now then, I’ll be off. Show me around this modern world of yours sometime, or well, maybe I’ll show myself. There’s a lot to do with this freedom of mine. Visiting all of your little friends, maybe even heading up to Canterlot.” When he saw the look on her face, he snorted, “I’m kidding! I’ll save the Canterlot visit until Celestia herself invites me. If she ever does! Now then, I’m off to steal apples and cause havoc. Bye bye!”

As he waved and then floated off, she brought up a hoof to wave as well, but also wondering if she should tell him to behave. She figured that he knew that he had to behave, but she also knew that he liked his pranks and enjoyed his chaos. Well, as long as he didn’t do anything too terrible, then she supposed that it’d be fine. That being the case, she just couldn't see him coming back tomorrow after having done something terrible. She did feel a bit odd, though, seeing him fly off. He had served her tea, given her cake, and spent time helping her around the cottage. Maybe she could have let him stay for the night. It wouldn't really be very appropriate, but she also wasn't sure if he had been entirely honest about having a place to stay. Either way, she could welcome him with a smile whenever he came around again, and oddly enough, she found herself looking forward to it.

The rest of the day became about planning for the week, or rather, mulling over what she could do with Discord. She wasn’t really sure if she should or shouldn’t be direct with what lessons she wanted to teach him, and well, what lessons she would even impart on him at all. It almost felt like she’d push him away if she put him in a classroom environment because, well, he wasn’t a child, and such an organized setting seemed antithetical to his nature. Going over basic concepts again and again seemed more likely to bore him than anything else. He could already recognize empathy, and he seemed to genuinely dislike the idea of others being in genuine pain. He also had enough forethought not to turn others into strange things just because they slighted someone he cared about. Speaking of which, Twilight’s books were something that she needed to look at. At the moment, she sat at a desk in her room while poring over the pages, trying to figure out if there was anything she could use. Yet again, maybe if she were teaching a class, then these things would be useful, but she couldn’t really justify hammering him with history lessons and grander reflections about society because it would bore him, and it’d possibly feel a bit patronizing. When she shut the book, she found herself sighing, looking out the window to see that the night had come to her faster than she had expected. Much of her morning and much of her day had been taken by Discord, and now her night as well, as she thought of her duty.

Her thoughts turned toward other thighs as she set the books aside and instead found herself looking at the candlelight. She could not just seek to teach and control; instead, she needed to spend time with him as well to show him what good could come of connecting with others in a positive manner. Fluttershy found herself shivering as she recalled the connection of his hand along her back, the way he had rumbled and growled at her, the touch of his mouth on hers. The sudden recollection caused her to let out a little breath of heat, her hind legs closing together as she wondered how far he would take it if he could. These thoughts would not do. She should feel angry and disturbed that he stole a kiss in the first place, annoyed with his antics, and yet, these thoughts persisted as a constant warmth in her gut. One that refused to disperse. It was too late for this. Too late in the evening to think of duty, of lessons, and of shameful lust and heat.

With a sigh, she snuffed the lights out in her room and decided that she could not help anyone or do her duty if she didn't get some sleep. Perhaps her dreams, as well, would be less depraved than her waking thoughts. Her cloak came off, the ribbon tying her hair tossed to the side, and she hopped into her bed to curl among the covers and press her face to the pillow. Sleep came without much fuss, surprisingly enough. She did not toss and turn, nor did her depraved thoughts consume her. Instead, she found herself remembering the warmth of his embrace as he had carried her inside her home.

Fluttershy lay there in bed for quite some time, even as the sun began to rise, and even as the birds began to chirp. It was not until she heard a knocking at her door that her eyes cracked open. She gasped and pushed herself up before nearly slipping out of bed. Fluttershy had overslept! Most certainly had, considering how groggy she felt and the fact that someone was knocking at her door. With everything that had happened yesterday, she had forgotten to set an alarm, but usually she didn’t need one. She simply woke up when she needed to, usually because there were pretty birds that sang such lovely songs, and they were singing such lovely songs right now, but she had ignored them. With a bolt of sudden energy, she shed her grogginess and rushed through her home to answer the knocking.

The door flung open, and she cleared her throat while smoothing back a few locks of rosy hair, “Yes? How can I help you?”

Standing there with a brow raised was a friend of hers. Orange fur and freckled cheeks, a ten-gallon hat on her head. The orange-furred mare slammed into her to give her an embrace of sorts while she spoke, “Mornin’ sunshine! Though it looks like I dragged you out of dreamland. Don’t tell me that snake in the grass has you playin’ hooky already? Twilight told me y’all had a special arrangement.”

She winced as she was squeezed, “Special arrangement? Something like that, and well, no. Yesterday was just a lot, so I overslept.”

“That right? Well, I figured that I’d throw my hat in, so to speak. I feel somethin’ awful for not tagging along at the very least. Place gives me the heebie jeebies, but that don’t mean I shouldn’t at least be there fer one of my own. Now, I had a bright idea I’d like to run by yah, seeing as this is your rodeo and not mine. Don’t wanna pressure you or nothin’.”

The speed at which Applejack went through her words felt as though she were steadily bulldozing through her head, and half of that had to do with the fact that she was still feeling a bit groggy. That being said, she answered with a small smile, “I don’t mind. I just uh, just got up, so if you can slow down a bit.”

“Steady as she goes. Got it! It ain’t a complicated suggestion, really. Idle hooves and all that, if you catch my drift? If you don’t, well, all I mean to say is that if Discord is meant to be reformed instead of dragged down and tamed like the rat he is, then he should do a bit of work. Honest work!” She said with a grin.

For a moment, she thought to tell Applejack that it was a terrible idea before she remembered how eager Discord had been to help her around the cottage. She then muttered, “You know? That does sound like a good idea.”

Applejack slapped her on the back hard enough to send her sprawling to the ground while she snorted, “Fantastic! You tell that old snake in the grass to stop by my neck of the woods and I’ll put him to work pickin’ apples in the orchard. Heck, I’ll even feed and pay him.”

“That’s very fair of you.” She croaked while getting up before she said softly, “I’ll let him know if he stops by.”

For a moment, Applejack looked behind her at her open door, and the earth pony hummed, “Hm, guess I figured wrong.”

Fluttershy blinked, “Huh?”

Applejack turned around and trotted a few steps before chuckling, “Nothin' pard’. I just figured he’d already be here. You never know what a feller like that could be thinking. An innocent gal like you? Heck, figured he’d be sinking his fangs right down to the core. Maybe that’s just dirty talk from a mare with an overactive imagination.”

She kept her mouth shut because she could not say that he had been a perfect gentleman, but then she blew out, “I’ll have you know that he didn’t bite.” And then she amended, “And he just helped me with chores after we had tea. Nothing else.”

“Right, right. Nothin’ happened, but you let me know if he causes any trouble. I’ll give him a swift kiss of my heel right to the tail!” Applejack said while demonstrating a kick. She then took off her hat to wave Fluttershy off while saying, “Adios for now. Keep in mind what I said about idle hooves.”

And just like a dust storm, Applejack had come and gone. Fluttershy entered her home and headed to the kitchen to brew a black tea to begin her day. Actually, she canceled the brewing of the black tea and decided on coffee instead. When the scent of coffee began to flow in the air, she poured herself a mug and began to sweeten it. Applejack’s advice actually seemed like something that’d work. Giving him something to do seemed better than just throwing books at him, and maybe he’d actually prove he wasn’t all that bad to one of her friends. Applejack seemed wary of him, but she didn’t seem entirely antagonistic like Twilight had been. She didn't like the insinuation that Discord would try something, but mostly because she didn't want to think about that. Last night, she had allowed her thoughts to wander to dangerous territory, and she would not allow it again. When she went to the living room to drink her coffee in peace while thinking, she heard a tap at the window.

It had to be a bird. She went to check and found that there was nothing outside. She opened the window, and there appeared another friend’s head. Rainbow Dash grinning from ear to ear, saying a quick, “Boo!”

She hopped and kept herself steady enough to make sure her coffee didn’t spill while she coughed, “Rainbow Dash, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Figured I’d do a patrol or two around your house. You know, just in case that thing has been up to no good. Twilight filled us in, and I figured I should, y’know, come around as a bit of backup.” Rainbow Dash sniffed while looking all around.

Fluttershy frowned, “Well, f-first of all, he’s not a thing. His name is Discord, and secondly, you don’t need to do patrols.”

Rainbow Dash blinked and looked her in the eyes while humming, “Huh, so he’s got to you already? Well, don’t worry about that! I’m sure Twilight’s got some idea how to unscramble your brain.”

That’s right. Applejack seemed to be coming around, but now she remembered that most of them had been conferring in secret about her incompetence. Her patience remained resolute as she sighed, “My brain isn’t scrambled. Now, can you please go? I overslept, and I need to start my day.”

For a second, the sky-blue furred pony stared at her, eyes narrowed for a few seconds before she sniffed, “All right. Fine. I’ll head out, but don’t you think I won’t be back to make sure nothing has happened. In fact, I might be hiding in the trees.”

“You don’t like the forest.” She said plainly.

Rainbow Dash winced, “Well, maybe my friends are more important than a little fear. If anything comes out and tries to bite me, then I’ll just have to be faster so it can’t bite me.”

She looked at Rainbow Dash plainly before she sighed, “Thank you for your thoughts. Please don’t fight with anything in the trees.”

With that said, the pegasus leaped into the air and was off, quick as a whip. Fluttershy breathed in calmly and then out before shutting her window so she could go, sit down, and enjoy her coffee. Maybe she should warn Discord about her friends. Applejack had been willing to actually offer something useful, and maybe they all would in time, but it seemed that more than Twilight Sparkle would be a problem. What could she do? How could she make them see that he wasn’t that dangerous? Well, firstly, she had to prove that to herself. It had only been one day. Only a single day of him being around. No one had any disastrous news about things going wrong, but that didn’t mean that something would or would not happen. Ah, and now she felt the stress again getting to her. A pulsing at her temple, her eyes shutting as she tried to relax instead of thinking about catastrophe.

“It’d be nice if he were here.” She muttered to herself.

She leaned back on her couch and smiled a bit as she thought about him making a dumb joke, about him possibly whining about the prospect of work. It would be nice if he visited. Maybe it’d be nice if he spent the night too. Applejack’s words came through again as an echo. Her words of him biting down to the core. She thought about his fangs on her body, and she could not help but shudder a bit. Fluttershy then breathed out and took a long sip of her coffee, hoping the rich heat would drown out the unclean thoughts that had been put there by the earth pony. Now that she thought about it, a visit from Applejack and Rainbow Dash one after the other seemed a bit odd. Maybe she had more company to expect. Her friends come one after the other to voice their ideas or their complaints. Ah, for her head’s sake, she really hoped that they would come with actual help instead of being combative, or worse.

Of course, as if her words were magic, she heard a knocking at the door. She set her coffee down while sighing aloud, “Coming!”

From her couch, she made a lame canter toward the front door, wondering which one it would be this time. Tired from the conversation already, she took in a deep breath before opening the door and blinking. Discord stood there in sight with his head hanging down low so she could see him, a smile on his face, and a hand holding a basket of what appeared to be biscuits.

“So, am I allowed to step into the mighty Fluttershy’s domain? Or should I come later when her mane is brushed and the grogginess is well and out of her eyes?” He said with a wink.

Despite his teasing, she found herself smiling as she opened the door wider and stepped back, “Well, I did say come anytime I’m home, so I guess you’re allowed. Just uh, I did wake up a bit ago, so I might need some time to adjust.”

Discord entered her home, and the scent of buttered biscuits followed him. That’s right, she hadn’t even eaten any breakfast. Oddly enough, all of her nerves seemed to fade away. He didn’t have some sort of accusation or advice for her, didn’t seem to judge her much, and wasn’t going to baby her either. He just wanted to visit to be a pest and to be a friend. The thought of him trying something uncouth came along, and she banished it almost immediately. With her smile growing, she followed him while saying she might have some jam for those biscuits.

The rest of the day became about planning for the week, or rather, mulling over what she could do with Discord. She wasn’t really sure if she should or shouldn’t be direct with what lessons she wanted to teach him, and well, what lessons she would even impart on him at all. It almost felt like she’d push him away if she put him in a classroom environment because, well, he wasn’t a child, and such an organized setting seemed antithetical to his nature. Going over basic concepts again and again seemed more likely to bore him than anything else. He could already recognize empathy, and he seemed to genuinely dislike the idea of others being in genuine pain. He also had enough forethought not to turn others into strange things just because they slighted someone he cared about. Speaking of which, Twilight’s books were something that she needed to look at. At the moment, she sat at a desk in her room while poring over the pages, trying to figure out if there was anything she could use. Yet again, maybe if she were teaching a class, then these things would be useful, but she couldn’t really justify hammering him with history lessons and grander reflections about society because it would bore him, and it’d possibly feel a bit patronizing. When she shut the book, she found herself sighing, looking out the window to see that the night had come to her faster than she had expected. Much of her morning and much of her day had been taken by Discord, and now her night as well, as she thought of her duty.

Her thoughts turned toward other thighs as she set the books aside and instead found herself looking at the candlelight. She could not just seek to teach and control; instead, she needed to spend time with him as well to show him what good could come of connecting with others in a positive manner. Fluttershy found herself shivering as she recalled the connection of his hand along her back, the way he had rumbled and growled at her, the touch of his mouth on hers. The sudden recollection caused her to let out a little breath of heat, her hind legs closing together as she wondered how far he would take it if he could. These thoughts would not do. She should feel angry and disturbed that he stole a kiss in the first place, annoyed with his antics, and yet, these thoughts persisted as a constant warmth in her gut. One that refused to disperse. It was too late for this. Too late in the evening to think of duty, of lessons, and of shameful lust and heat.

With a sigh, she snuffed the lights out in her room and decided that she could not help anyone or do her duty if she didn't get some sleep. Perhaps her dreams, as well, would be less depraved than her waking thoughts. Her cloak came off, the ribbon tying her hair tossed to the side, and she hopped into her bed to curl among the covers and press her face to the pillow. Sleep came without much fuss, surprisingly enough. She did not toss and turn, nor did her depraved thoughts consume her. Instead, she found herself remembering the warmth of his embrace as he had carried her inside her home.

Fluttershy lay there in bed for quite some time, even as the sun began to rise, and even as the birds began to chirp. It was not until she heard a knocking at her door that her eyes cracked open. She gasped and pushed herself up before nearly slipping out of bed. Fluttershy had overslept! Most certainly had, considering how groggy she felt and the fact that someone was knocking at her door. With everything that had happened yesterday, she had forgotten to set an alarm, but usually she didn’t need one. She simply woke up when she needed to, usually because there were pretty birds that sang such lovely songs, and they were singing such lovely songs right now, but she had ignored them. With a bolt of sudden energy, she shed her grogginess and rushed through her home to answer the knocking.

The door flung open, and she cleared her throat while smoothing back a few locks of rosy hair, “Yes? How can I help you?”

Standing there with a brow raised was a friend of hers. Orange fur and freckled cheeks, a ten-gallon hat on her head. The orange-furred mare slammed into her to give her an embrace of sorts while she spoke, “Mornin’ sunshine! Though it looks like I dragged you out of dreamland. Don’t tell me that snake in the grass has you playin’ hooky already? Twilight told me y’all had a special arrangement.”

She winced as she was squeezed, “Special arrangement? Something like that, and well, no. Yesterday was just a lot, so I overslept.”

“That right? Well, I figured that I’d throw my hat in, so to speak. I feel somethin’ awful for not tagging along at the very least. Place gives me the heebie jeebies, but that don’t mean I shouldn’t at least be there fer one of my own. Now, I had a bright idea I’d like to run by yah, seeing as this is your rodeo and not mine. Don’t wanna pressure you or nothin’.”

The speed at which Applejack went through her words felt as though she were steadily bulldozing through her head, and half of that had to do with the fact that she was still feeling a bit groggy. That being said, she answered with a small smile, “I don’t mind. I just uh, just got up, so if you can slow down a bit.”

“Steady as she goes. Got it! It ain’t a complicated suggestion, really. Idle hooves and all that, if you catch my drift? If you don’t, well, all I mean to say is that if Discord is meant to be reformed instead of dragged down and tamed like the rat he is, then he should do a bit of work. Honest work!” She said with a grin.

For a moment, she thought to tell Applejack that it was a terrible idea before she remembered how eager Discord had been to help her around the cottage. She then muttered, “You know? That does sound like a good idea.”

Applejack slapped her on the back hard enough to send her sprawling to the ground while she snorted, “Fantastic! You tell that old snake in the grass to stop by my neck of the woods and I’ll put him to work pickin’ apples in the orchard. Heck, I’ll even feed and pay him.”

“That’s very fair of you.” She croaked while getting up before she said softly, “I’ll let him know if he stops by.”

For a moment, Applejack looked behind her at her open door, and the earth pony hummed, “Hm, guess I figured wrong.”

Fluttershy blinked, “Huh?”

Applejack turned around and trotted a few steps before chuckling, “Nothin' pard’. I just figured he’d already be here. You never know what a feller like that could be thinking. An innocent gal like you? Heck, figured he’d be sinking his fangs right down to the core. Maybe that’s just dirty talk from a mare with an overactive imagination.”

She kept her mouth shut because she could not say that he had been a perfect gentleman, but then she blew out, “I’ll have you know that he didn’t bite.” And then she amended, “And he just helped me with chores after we had tea. Nothing else.”

“Right, right. Nothin’ happened, but you let me know if he causes any trouble. I’ll give him a swift kiss of my heel right to the tail!” Applejack said while demonstrating a kick. She then took off her hat to wave Fluttershy off while saying, “Adios for now. Keep in mind what I said about idle hooves.”

And just like a dust storm, Applejack had come and gone. Fluttershy entered her home and headed to the kitchen to brew a black tea to begin her day. Actually, she canceled the brewing of the black tea and decided on coffee instead. When the scent of coffee began to flow in the air, she poured herself a mug and began to sweeten it. Applejack’s advice actually seemed like something that’d work. Giving him something to do seemed better than just throwing books at him, and maybe he’d actually prove he wasn’t all that bad to one of her friends. Applejack seemed wary of him, but she didn’t seem entirely antagonistic like Twilight had been. She didn't like the insinuation that Discord would try something, but mostly because she didn't want to think about that. Last night, she had allowed her thoughts to wander to dangerous territory, and she would not allow it again. When she went to the living room to drink her coffee in peace while thinking, she heard a tap at the window.

It had to be a bird. She went to check and found that there was nothing outside. She opened the window, and there appeared another friend’s head. Rainbow Dash grinning from ear to ear, saying a quick, “Boo!”

She hopped and kept herself steady enough to make sure her coffee didn’t spill while she coughed, “Rainbow Dash, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Figured I’d do a patrol or two around your house. You know, just in case that thing has been up to no good. Twilight filled us in, and I figured I should, y’know, come around as a bit of backup.” Rainbow Dash sniffed while looking all around.

Fluttershy frowned, “Well, f-first of all, he’s not a thing. His name is Discord, and secondly, you don’t need to do patrols.”

Rainbow Dash blinked and looked her in the eyes while humming, “Huh, so he’s got to you already? Well, don’t worry about that! I’m sure Twilight’s got some idea how to unscramble your brain.”

That’s right. Applejack seemed to be coming around, but now she remembered that most of them had been conferring in secret about her incompetence. Her patience remained resolute as she sighed, “My brain isn’t scrambled. Now, can you please go? I overslept, and I need to start my day.”

For a second, the sky-blue furred pony stared at her, eyes narrowed for a few seconds before she sniffed, “All right. Fine. I’ll head out, but don’t you think I won’t be back to make sure nothing has happened. In fact, I might be hiding in the trees.”

“You don’t like the forest.” She said plainly.

Rainbow Dash winced, “Well, maybe my friends are more important than a little fear. If anything comes out and tries to bite me, then I’ll just have to be faster so it can’t bite me.”

She looked at Rainbow Dash plainly before she sighed, “Thank you for your thoughts. Please don’t fight with anything in the trees.”

With that said, the pegasus leaped into the air and was off, quick as a whip. Fluttershy breathed in calmly and then out before shutting her window so she could go, sit down, and enjoy her coffee. Maybe she should warn Discord about her friends. Applejack had been willing to actually offer something useful, and maybe they all would in time, but it seemed that more than Twilight Sparkle would be a problem. What could she do? How could she make them see that he wasn’t that dangerous? Well, firstly, she had to prove that to herself. It had only been one day. Only a single day of him being around. No one had any disastrous news about things going wrong, but that didn’t mean that something would or would not happen. Ah, and now she felt the stress again getting to her. A pulsing at her temple, her eyes shutting as she tried to relax instead of thinking about catastrophe.

“It’d be nice if he were here.” She muttered to herself.

She leaned back on her couch and smiled a bit as she thought about him making a dumb joke, about him possibly whining about the prospect of work. It would be nice if he visited. Maybe it’d be nice if he spent the night too. Applejack’s words came through again as an echo. Her words of him biting down to the core. She thought about his fangs on her body, and she could not help but shudder a bit. Fluttershy then breathed out and took a long sip of her coffee, hoping the rich heat would drown out the unclean thoughts that had been put there by the earth pony. Now that she thought about it, a visit from Applejack and Rainbow Dash one after the other seemed a bit odd. Maybe she had more company to expect. Her friends come one after the other to voice their ideas or their complaints. Ah, for her head’s sake, she really hoped that they would come with actual help instead of being combative, or worse.

Of course, as if her words were magic, she heard a knocking at the door. She set her coffee down while sighing aloud, “Coming!”

From her couch, she made a lame canter toward the front door, wondering which one it would be this time. Tired from the conversation already, she took in a deep breath before opening the door and blinking. Discord stood there in sight with his head hanging down low so she could see him, a smile on his face, and a hand holding a basket of what appeared to be biscuits.

“So, am I allowed to step into the mighty Fluttershy’s domain? Or should I come later when her mane is brushed and the grogginess is well and out of her eyes?” He said with a wink.

Despite his teasing, she found herself smiling as she opened the door wider and stepped back, “Well, I did say come anytime I’m home, so I guess you’re allowed. Just uh, I did wake up a bit ago, so I might need some time to adjust.”

Discord entered her home, and the scent of buttered biscuits followed him. That’s right, she hadn’t even eaten any breakfast. Oddly enough, all of her nerves seemed to fade away. He didn’t have some sort of accusation or advice for her, didn’t seem to judge her much, and wasn’t going to baby her either. He just wanted to visit to be a pest and to be a friend. The thought of him trying something uncouth came along, and she banished it almost immediately. With her smile growing, she followed him while saying she might have some jam for those biscuits.

Jam and biscuits were the delight of the morning. Fluttershy had neglected to grab anything in the morning, and to her, the buttery baked goods and sweet jam were a blessing. She had to wonder, though, if he needed something more to eat. Maybe something with a bit more meat? Now that she thought about it, he seemed to hold the look and mannerisms of many of the species out in Equestria, so that might make him an omnivore. He could very well be suffering malnutrition, and she realized that this fell under her responsibility as well. Kibble wasn’t exactly appropriate for him, and she couldn’t imagine that he could sustain himself on eggs and eggs alone. Maybe she’d have to do the unthinkable and have a few hens specifically for the purpose of giving him a better diet. She shuddered when thinking about having to pluck and clean meat, considering she didn’t eat it herself. Even then, different guts and teeth required different meals, and she shouldn’t be negligent in that regard. She did find it odd, though, that his diet concerned her more than what he had been up to, and maybe she should ask about that as well. Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't seem to register that the meal had already been finished, and she was simply idling in the kitchen while he did the dishes.

“Oh! I’m so sorry.” She said while looking in the sink to see that he had already finished.

Discord waved her off, “Relax, I figured you seemed distracted with something.”

Fluttershy thought about it for a moment before she breathed out, “Well, there are a few things that I’m curious about a-and I have something to ask of you too. Entirely your choice whether you want to do or answer anything.”

He put a hand against his chest and gave her a bow, “Perish the thought of me ever denying my keeper’s instructions.”

She winced and muttered, “Don't do that, please.”

Discord chuckled, “The bowing or calling you my keeper?”

Fluttershy sighed and shook her head, “Both. A-anyway. I just wanted to know if you’re eating right. Would you want me to keep a few hens around for you? I’m not really keen on cooking that sort of thing, but I could do so if you needed.”

He brushed her off, “Bah, there’s no need for you to trouble yourself. I’m perfectly capable of maintaining whatever dietary needs I require. Besides, what you ponies offer is pretty nice too. I don’t expect you to become a butcher just for me.”

She wanted to apologize that she couldn’t fully meet his needs, but she found herself slumping and nodding, “Oh, thank goodness.”

Discord smiled, “And, what else was on your mind? Wondering about what trouble I got into last night?”

Fluttershy blinked, “Yes, how did you know?”

“Lucky guess! As for what I did, well, I was mostly making my living space comfortable and enjoying the benefits of sleeping in the flesh rather than stuck in stone.” He said while rolling his hand.

She stared at him and hummed, “Well, okay. A-anyway, Applejack came over today, and so did Rainbow Dash. Dashie wants to just make sure that I’m okay, so she might be stopping by more often, or not, I'm not really sure." Fluttershy frowned for a second before beaming, "A-and Applejack had a good idea. How does the idea of picking apples on a farm sound?”

Discord recoiled, claws up in defense, “Oh, Celestia protect me! Hard labor? Perish the thought. These manicured claws of mine would never survive the day!” She didn’t fall for his act, so she simply stared at him until he held his hands behind his back and chuckled, “All right, all right. Jokes aside, I’m perfectly fine with a bit of labor. I’m guessing your friend thinks it’ll help keep me busy, so I'm not busying myself with blowing up Equestria. That being said, I’d need some sort of fair compensation. Not from her, from you.”

“From me?” She asked while tilting her head.

“Yes indeed!” He said while snapping, “I’d like a reward. It’ll encourage me to behave.”

Fluttershy thought about it for a bit before she smiled and shook her head, “Discord. I’m not going to reward you every single time you do something slightly good. You should be able to do this without encouragement. And please, I’m begging you, don’t do anything bad at Applejack’s farm. Be nice, okay?”

He blinked and stared at her, “Be nice? For free? What’s in it for me?” Fluttershy's expression drooped, a little frown touching her features, and he clucked his tongue, “Oh, fine. I suppose my prize will be seeing you not pouting.”

She smiled again and nodded, “Good.”

“Besides.” Discord said with one arm under the other, claws under his chin as he spoke, “What good is a prize when I can just take what I want from you anyway?”

She coughed, “Excuse me?”

Discord leaned in, his body floating off the ground as he brushed his snout against hers, mouths touching for just a second as he hummed, “Oh come now. You’re supposed to be in charge of my needs. If you feel responsible for my meat consumption, then perhaps you should feel responsible for other more carnal aspects of my life as well. I don’t have to do anything for the prize of a kiss when I’ve already stolen plenty, and you enjoyed it.”

The sudden shift in mood caused her to tremble as heat burned at the back of her head before it washed over her. Applejack’s words appeared in her head. The thought of him biting down on her, the fact that he was looming over her. Again, she found herself entirely stunned by his presence, but not by fear. That being said, she had been through this before yesterday, and she could defend herself a bit more easily against it knowing now that he was just joking around with her. She stamped her hoof down and looked up at him prepared to defend herself, and that was when he stole a kiss. A gentle little peck at first. And then another kiss, and then another while he gripped onto her shoulders, a hand trailing up to her neck. Each kiss felt like a dizzying punch to the mind. Everything began to feel fuzzy and warm the more he kissed her, the more his lips melded against her own. The depravity she had managed to control last night began to surface again, and she could not control it. She surrendered to him so easily as his tongue dipped into her mouth, as he held her tight in place to make sure she would not run away, and yet, why would she?

Breaking free from her stunned state she managed to take a few steps back while stammering, “D-D-Discord! Behave!”

He chuckled and followed her, kissing her cheek as he hummed, “You’re right. I don’t have to perform for prizes. I don’t have to be good just to get something that I want. I’ve got what I want right here. You know, I spent so much of last night thinking about you. Part of me wanted to sneak out just to see you again, but I figured I should let you rest.”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack had a point, it seemed, in different ways. Applejack made it seem like he’d try to sweep her off her hooves and act in inappropriate ways. Meanwhile, Dashie had suggested that she needed protection from his corruption, and it seemed that he would indeed try to corrupt her, but not in the way that Rainbow Dash had thought. There was no true violence here. She could feel his hunger, could feel his claws tensing against her body, but he did not overpower her like he could. Discord had brought biscuits to her humble cottage, and she’d like to think that he wasn’t just going to ruin everything they had started over a bit of lust. He was just teasing her again. He had to be. Fluttershy just couldn't stop thinking about that last statement as well. Sneaking into her home at night. Waiting for the right moment to strike. It made her feel weak, but she had to fight back against the desire to fall for such brazen advances.

Even if he stole every single kiss in the world, he was just going to pull back at the last second before he went too far, and somehow, she found that more frustrating than anything else. If he really meant it, if he really thought of her as so beautiful that he could not control himself, then he should just do it already, considering she had already been actively considering it. Actually, why was she trying to push him away? Why was she nervous? Honestly, Fluttershy had found her life mostly bereft of these sorts of interactions. Most saw her as a soft flower that would never dirty her hooves with such things, but was sex not natural? Was desire and carnal want not part of the way creatures were simply made? This wasn’t a form of corruption. She could easily lean into it, she could easily just let it all happen, and she’d have a grand time, but she could tell that he was about to pull away and laugh; she could see it on his smug expression, and for some reason, it made her mad.

Before he had a chance to open his mouth again, she breathed out, “S-so, are you just going to leave me alone now then? Are you just going to pull away and make me feel terrible? Laugh at me, maybe even flick my nose and tell me how dumb I look?”

Discord’s ears flick, and he blinks, “Well, no–”

She snorts, “Yeah, I bet! You’re sweet, you really are, but you can’t just toy around with me like this. Do you think I’m just some sort of small, quiet girl that doesn’t know anything about what you’re trying to do? Even with Applejack, I had to deal with her assumptions about how things are going. Are you worried about me, too? Or do you think it’s funny to watch me squirm?”

He looked at her for a solid second or two before he muttered, “I do. It is a bit funny. I’ll be honest about that.” And when she tried to back away, he held her in place with his hands grasping her cheeks, “Let me apologize then for not following through.”

Instead of taunting her or teasing her, he just kissed her. It wasn’t something that she should enjoy. Her friends would be disappointed endlessly in her for enjoying something like this, and she shouldn’t reward him, considering he had been such a jerk in these moments. Pushing himself on her and then pretending that it was all some sort of game when she was clearly interested, when she was clearly more than just a pathetic little mare in distress. It was stupid! Why should she feel so wrong about wanting this? Why should she feel guilty about what her friends might even think? Finding out whether or not he was truly dangerous could wait until later. For now, Fluttershy threw herself into the kiss, leaning up as the frustration broke apart and she let herself drink in pure primal chaos.

Her hoof came up to rest on his cheek as if she could keep him from leaving, and in turn, he rolled a thumb along her cheek as if trying to soothe her. The kiss had gone from heated and frantic to loving and gentle, a soft thing that promised her that there would be no more games. She barely knew this man, but she appreciated everything that he had done, and it did not need to be love right now. Right now, she could admit that it was something simple and animalistic that drove her to take more. It also served as an escape from the judgment surrounding these moments, from the constant concerns that she had about this situation. It didn’t matter what anyone else thought.

When she pulled her mouth away she felt a vast number of things. Regret and anxiety among them, but at the same time, satisfaction. Quietly, she whispered, “Would you be okay with stopping for now?”

“I think I’d be fine with leaving it at just that.” He said softly while stroking behind her ear, “You’re quite stressed out for such a pretty little thing.”

She tried to frown, but found herself leaning against his touch while she sniffed, “A little bit. I think I’m still a little off balance from yesterday. Rainbow Dash didn’t help much either. A-and you too, mister. You can’t just jump me like that! Give me some warning!”

He chuckled and nuzzled her cheek, “Fine. I’ll be a little bit more polite, and I’ll stop halting in the middle of my advances. Now then, I should head off and report to your friend to see about that apple-picking job.”

Fluttershy thought about it for a bit before she added, “Come back afterward to tell me how it went, okay? And remember to behave. Don’t just pounce on any mare or stallion you see. Most of them probably won’t enjoy that sort of treatment.”

“I’m sure there are plenty of other ponies who would enjoy being ravished by me.” When she simply fixed him with a hard stare, he cleared his throat and amended, “Right. I’ll be perfectly chaste.”

Discord turned away, and she realized that she could very well let this be only a single moment in time that she allowed herself to indulge in something more carnal. She still felt conflicted and uncertain, and he had not pushed any further despite the fact that she could understand his desire. Even then, she’d like to take things a bit slower, with a bit more calm. This very well could be him trying to manipulate her. That just made her feel sad. Doubting him felt wrong. It felt very wrong. She could be concerned about his motives and be concerned that he might be a bit too pushy, but he wasn’t an evil fellow. Just a bit horny and chaotic, she supposed. With a sigh, she wandered over to his side and leaned up to poke him in the side. He leaned down to see what she wanted, and she gave his cheek a gentle kiss.

“Be good…I mean it, prove everyone wrong.” She said softly.

He beamed and leaned down to embrace her before he muttered, “I can’t promise good, but I can promise good enough.”

And with that, he headed out of her cottage. It felt a bit wrong letting him leave like that, and more than just that, she felt lonely now. The quiet of her cottage seemed that much more deafening. The lack of his warmth felt oddly cold, as if she had not been satisfied with just those kisses and those kisses alone. Fluttershy could have probably asked for much more, but she was uncertain whether she was ready to take that leap just yet. Uncertainty plagued her, and it might have been better if she had just gone with her gut and let him have his way with her. At the very least, she wouldn't feel such distracting discomfort. There were other things to do. Other things to think about. She hadn't even started her day properly. Fluttershy blew a breath out and readied herself for the day. She'd feed her animals, gather some herbs, and maybe make another pot of coffee. And maybe dunk her head in some cold water.

Jam and biscuits were the delight of the morning. Fluttershy had neglected to grab anything in the morning, and to her, the buttery baked goods and sweet jam were a blessing. She had to wonder, though, if he needed something more to eat. Maybe something with a bit more meat? Now that she thought about it, he seemed to hold the look and mannerisms of many of the species out in Equestria, so that might make him an omnivore. He could very well be suffering malnutrition, and she realized that this fell under her responsibility as well. Kibble wasn’t exactly appropriate for him, and she couldn’t imagine that he could sustain himself on eggs and eggs alone. Maybe she’d have to do the unthinkable and have a few hens specifically for the purpose of giving him a better diet. She shuddered when thinking about having to pluck and clean meat, considering she didn’t eat it herself. Even then, different guts and teeth required different meals, and she shouldn’t be negligent in that regard. She did find it odd, though, that his diet concerned her more than what he had been up to, and maybe she should ask about that as well. Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't seem to register that the meal had already been finished, and she was simply idling in the kitchen while he did the dishes.

“Oh! I’m so sorry.” She said while looking in the sink to see that he had already finished.

Discord waved her off, “Relax, I figured you seemed distracted with something.”

Fluttershy thought about it for a moment before she breathed out, “Well, there are a few things that I’m curious about a-and I have something to ask of you too. Entirely your choice whether you want to do or answer anything.”

He put a hand against his chest and gave her a bow, “Perish the thought of me ever denying my keeper’s instructions.”

She winced and muttered, “Don't do that, please.”

Discord chuckled, “The bowing or calling you my keeper?”

Fluttershy sighed and shook her head, “Both. A-anyway. I just wanted to know if you’re eating right. Would you want me to keep a few hens around for you? I’m not really keen on cooking that sort of thing, but I could do so if you needed.”

He brushed her off, “Bah, there’s no need for you to trouble yourself. I’m perfectly capable of maintaining whatever dietary needs I require. Besides, what you ponies offer is pretty nice too. I don’t expect you to become a butcher just for me.”

She wanted to apologize that she couldn’t fully meet his needs, but she found herself slumping and nodding, “Oh, thank goodness.”

Discord smiled, “And, what else was on your mind? Wondering about what trouble I got into last night?”

Fluttershy blinked, “Yes, how did you know?”

“Lucky guess! As for what I did, well, I was mostly making my living space comfortable and enjoying the benefits of sleeping in the flesh rather than stuck in stone.” He said while rolling his hand.

She stared at him and hummed, “Well, okay. A-anyway, Applejack came over today, and so did Rainbow Dash. Dashie wants to just make sure that I’m okay, so she might be stopping by more often, or not, I'm not really sure." Fluttershy frowned for a second before beaming, "A-and Applejack had a good idea. How does the idea of picking apples on a farm sound?”

Discord recoiled, claws up in defense, “Oh, Celestia protect me! Hard labor? Perish the thought. These manicured claws of mine would never survive the day!” She didn’t fall for his act, so she simply stared at him until he held his hands behind his back and chuckled, “All right, all right. Jokes aside, I’m perfectly fine with a bit of labor. I’m guessing your friend thinks it’ll help keep me busy, so I'm not busying myself with blowing up Equestria. That being said, I’d need some sort of fair compensation. Not from her, from you.”

“From me?” She asked while tilting her head.

“Yes indeed!” He said while snapping, “I’d like a reward. It’ll encourage me to behave.”

Fluttershy thought about it for a bit before she smiled and shook her head, “Discord. I’m not going to reward you every single time you do something slightly good. You should be able to do this without encouragement. And please, I’m begging you, don’t do anything bad at Applejack’s farm. Be nice, okay?”

He blinked and stared at her, “Be nice? For free? What’s in it for me?” Fluttershy's expression drooped, a little frown touching her features, and he clucked his tongue, “Oh, fine. I suppose my prize will be seeing you not pouting.”

She smiled again and nodded, “Good.”

“Besides.” Discord said with one arm under the other, claws under his chin as he spoke, “What good is a prize when I can just take what I want from you anyway?”

She coughed, “Excuse me?”

Discord leaned in, his body floating off the ground as he brushed his snout against hers, mouths touching for just a second as he hummed, “Oh come now. You’re supposed to be in charge of my needs. If you feel responsible for my meat consumption, then perhaps you should feel responsible for other more carnal aspects of my life as well. I don’t have to do anything for the prize of a kiss when I’ve already stolen plenty, and you enjoyed it.”

The sudden shift in mood caused her to tremble as heat burned at the back of her head before it washed over her. Applejack’s words appeared in her head. The thought of him biting down on her, the fact that he was looming over her. Again, she found herself entirely stunned by his presence, but not by fear. That being said, she had been through this before yesterday, and she could defend herself a bit more easily against it knowing now that he was just joking around with her. She stamped her hoof down and looked up at him prepared to defend herself, and that was when he stole a kiss. A gentle little peck at first. And then another kiss, and then another while he gripped onto her shoulders, a hand trailing up to her neck. Each kiss felt like a dizzying punch to the mind. Everything began to feel fuzzy and warm the more he kissed her, the more his lips melded against her own. The depravity she had managed to control last night began to surface again, and she could not control it. She surrendered to him so easily as his tongue dipped into her mouth, as he held her tight in place to make sure she would not run away, and yet, why would she?

Breaking free from her stunned state she managed to take a few steps back while stammering, “D-D-Discord! Behave!”

He chuckled and followed her, kissing her cheek as he hummed, “You’re right. I don’t have to perform for prizes. I don’t have to be good just to get something that I want. I’ve got what I want right here. You know, I spent so much of last night thinking about you. Part of me wanted to sneak out just to see you again, but I figured I should let you rest.”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack had a point, it seemed, in different ways. Applejack made it seem like he’d try to sweep her off her hooves and act in inappropriate ways. Meanwhile, Dashie had suggested that she needed protection from his corruption, and it seemed that he would indeed try to corrupt her, but not in the way that Rainbow Dash had thought. There was no true violence here. She could feel his hunger, could feel his claws tensing against her body, but he did not overpower her like he could. Discord had brought biscuits to her humble cottage, and she’d like to think that he wasn’t just going to ruin everything they had started over a bit of lust. He was just teasing her again. He had to be. Fluttershy just couldn't stop thinking about that last statement as well. Sneaking into her home at night. Waiting for the right moment to strike. It made her feel weak, but she had to fight back against the desire to fall for such brazen advances.

Even if he stole every single kiss in the world, he was just going to pull back at the last second before he went too far, and somehow, she found that more frustrating than anything else. If he really meant it, if he really thought of her as so beautiful that he could not control himself, then he should just do it already, considering she had already been actively considering it. Actually, why was she trying to push him away? Why was she nervous? Honestly, Fluttershy had found her life mostly bereft of these sorts of interactions. Most saw her as a soft flower that would never dirty her hooves with such things, but was sex not natural? Was desire and carnal want not part of the way creatures were simply made? This wasn’t a form of corruption. She could easily lean into it, she could easily just let it all happen, and she’d have a grand time, but she could tell that he was about to pull away and laugh; she could see it on his smug expression, and for some reason, it made her mad.

Before he had a chance to open his mouth again, she breathed out, “S-so, are you just going to leave me alone now then? Are you just going to pull away and make me feel terrible? Laugh at me, maybe even flick my nose and tell me how dumb I look?”

Discord’s ears flick, and he blinks, “Well, no–”

She snorts, “Yeah, I bet! You’re sweet, you really are, but you can’t just toy around with me like this. Do you think I’m just some sort of small, quiet girl that doesn’t know anything about what you’re trying to do? Even with Applejack, I had to deal with her assumptions about how things are going. Are you worried about me, too? Or do you think it’s funny to watch me squirm?”

He looked at her for a solid second or two before he muttered, “I do. It is a bit funny. I’ll be honest about that.” And when she tried to back away, he held her in place with his hands grasping her cheeks, “Let me apologize then for not following through.”

Instead of taunting her or teasing her, he just kissed her. It wasn’t something that she should enjoy. Her friends would be disappointed endlessly in her for enjoying something like this, and she shouldn’t reward him, considering he had been such a jerk in these moments. Pushing himself on her and then pretending that it was all some sort of game when she was clearly interested, when she was clearly more than just a pathetic little mare in distress. It was stupid! Why should she feel so wrong about wanting this? Why should she feel guilty about what her friends might even think? Finding out whether or not he was truly dangerous could wait until later. For now, Fluttershy threw herself into the kiss, leaning up as the frustration broke apart and she let herself drink in pure primal chaos.

Her hoof came up to rest on his cheek as if she could keep him from leaving, and in turn, he rolled a thumb along her cheek as if trying to soothe her. The kiss had gone from heated and frantic to loving and gentle, a soft thing that promised her that there would be no more games. She barely knew this man, but she appreciated everything that he had done, and it did not need to be love right now. Right now, she could admit that it was something simple and animalistic that drove her to take more. It also served as an escape from the judgment surrounding these moments, from the constant concerns that she had about this situation. It didn’t matter what anyone else thought.

When she pulled her mouth away she felt a vast number of things. Regret and anxiety among them, but at the same time, satisfaction. Quietly, she whispered, “Would you be okay with stopping for now?”

“I think I’d be fine with leaving it at just that.” He said softly while stroking behind her ear, “You’re quite stressed out for such a pretty little thing.”

She tried to frown, but found herself leaning against his touch while she sniffed, “A little bit. I think I’m still a little off balance from yesterday. Rainbow Dash didn’t help much either. A-and you too, mister. You can’t just jump me like that! Give me some warning!”

He chuckled and nuzzled her cheek, “Fine. I’ll be a little bit more polite, and I’ll stop halting in the middle of my advances. Now then, I should head off and report to your friend to see about that apple-picking job.”

Fluttershy thought about it for a bit before she added, “Come back afterward to tell me how it went, okay? And remember to behave. Don’t just pounce on any mare or stallion you see. Most of them probably won’t enjoy that sort of treatment.”

“I’m sure there are plenty of other ponies who would enjoy being ravished by me.” When she simply fixed him with a hard stare, he cleared his throat and amended, “Right. I’ll be perfectly chaste.”

Discord turned away, and she realized that she could very well let this be only a single moment in time that she allowed herself to indulge in something more carnal. She still felt conflicted and uncertain, and he had not pushed any further despite the fact that she could understand his desire. Even then, she’d like to take things a bit slower, with a bit more calm. This very well could be him trying to manipulate her. That just made her feel sad. Doubting him felt wrong. It felt very wrong. She could be concerned about his motives and be concerned that he might be a bit too pushy, but he wasn’t an evil fellow. Just a bit horny and chaotic, she supposed. With a sigh, she wandered over to his side and leaned up to poke him in the side. He leaned down to see what she wanted, and she gave his cheek a gentle kiss.

“Be good…I mean it, prove everyone wrong.” She said softly.

He beamed and leaned down to embrace her before he muttered, “I can’t promise good, but I can promise good enough.”

And with that, he headed out of her cottage. It felt a bit wrong letting him leave like that, and more than just that, she felt lonely now. The quiet of her cottage seemed that much more deafening. The lack of his warmth felt oddly cold, as if she had not been satisfied with just those kisses and those kisses alone. Fluttershy could have probably asked for much more, but she was uncertain whether she was ready to take that leap just yet. Uncertainty plagued her, and it might have been better if she had just gone with her gut and let him have his way with her. At the very least, she wouldn't feel such distracting discomfort. There were other things to do. Other things to think about. She hadn't even started her day properly. Fluttershy blew a breath out and readied herself for the day. She'd feed her animals, gather some herbs, and maybe make another pot of coffee. And maybe dunk her head in some cold water.

Through the grace of another warm mug of coffee, Fluttershy was able to actually start her day. She showered, tied her mane back with an azure ribbon, and got to doing her chores. There was significantly less to do since Discord had helped her yesterday with a few things, but that didn’t mean she had been freed of responsibility. The animals out back needed to be fed in her little sanctuary, and they gathered more comfortably around her today. It seemed like all of them had been on edge since Discord had been around, but now things were back to normal. Well, somewhat. It still felt like her cheeks were flushed from the events of the morning, and she swore she could feel the press of his fang at her mouth as if he had nipped her there just to leave a mark. There wasn’t a mark. She had checked in the mirror just to be sure, but well, she could still feel it. Part of her wondered how it would have been if she had leaned further into his lust, if she had encouraged him more to stay with her and enjoy the morning together. It might have been nice, and yet, she hadn't sorted out her own feelings on the matter. Discord, after all, still had not proven entirely that he wasn't a problem. She wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to do something regrettable, and also well, she needed to get past the silly guilt she felt for even entertaining the idea of lying with him.

Fluttershy looked down at Angel. The small rabbit had approached her with a few bounces and leveled a look at her that said many, many things to her. None of them particularly nice, and so she asked softly, “You probably think I'm a bit silly for thinking about him at all, don't you?”

The rabbit looked at her, whiskers twitching and he said something with his own chatter. Something that most couldn’t understand.

Fluttershy, however, could very easily understand animals and responded quietly, “It isn’t very nice to say that about Discord. He might be a bit eager, but I think that he'll make a fine friend in time. And I do think he actually does care.”

That last statement made her frown. She had to keep telling herself that Discord could turn on her at any moment, but that just didn’t feel right. Telling herself that made her feel guilty, and Angel looked at her before giving her leg a gentle pat with another round of, thankfully, more supportive chatter.

“Thank you.” She said quietly, “I feel a little conflicted, honestly. I can’t tell anyone this, I can’t even tell Discord this, I’m sure.” And then she began walking toward the gardens, “My loyalty to Celestia is absolute, even though I give my love to nature as well. She would not steer me wrong, and my friends would not lie to me knowingly. Discord is dangerous, but he’s dangerous like Celestia is. They both have immense power. The difference is that Discord’s use of power might not be entirely wholesome. I just hate thinking about distrusting someone who has been nice to me, someone that has stuck up for me already when we barely know one another. At the same time, I can clearly see that this is going to be a problem with my friends. What if they find out I’ve kissed him? What if they find out that I might want him to do more than that? I’ve always put what others want above myself and even telling Twilight to be quiet put me in a near panic. How pathetic is that?”

Angel simply gave her leg another gentle pat.

Despite having no advice to give her, she smiled just a bit. At the very least, she could rely on Angel to listen to her. All of her animals listened, even if they didn’t have words or didn’t fully understand what she was going through. On the matter of trust, she found herself wondering how Discord was faring over at Sweet Apple Acres. With a few flaps of her wings, she could be over there momentarily, even if she wasn’t as fast as Rainbow Dash. There wasn’t much else to do for the day, and all the animals had been fed. Fluttershy didn’t need the herbs right now, so plucking them could wait. Part of her didn’t like the idea of going to check on him because it outwardly spoke of the small hint of distrust she had of him, and it felt like in acknowledging that distrust, that she was paying heed to her friend’s paranoia. She didn’t want to go over there to collar him, even if he had made a few mistakes. Fluttershy just wanted to make sure that he wasn’t doing anything too crazy. With a sigh, she looked down at Angel, and he hopped back a bit as if knowing already what she would say and what she was about to do. Fluttershy brought her wings up before taking off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.

Applejack’s farm had quite a few apple trees in the orchard. Quite a few, as in, practically painting the hillside near the farm. There were baskets strewn about the orchard filled to the brim with red and green apples. She could also see a few of Applejack’s family members working the fields from the sky. When she landed at the front gate, she politely opened it and stepped through before shutting it behind her. Even if she could fly, she still liked being mannered about it. Flying past a gate just seemed a little bit rude. Though she could see a few stallions and mares working around the farm and the orchard, she couldn’t see Discord or Applejack. She wandered around looking for them, trying to make herself small so she wouldn’t bother anyone working.

She didn’t find them in the fields. Didn’t find them among the trees. It was when she wandered near one of the barns that she heard Applejack laughing. She followed the sound of the mare’s voice until she got to the open barn. Slowly, she peeked inside. Applejack sat herself on a hay bale with a jug in her hoof. She drank from it deeply before offering it over to someone that she couldn't see until she leaned in just a little bit more. That someone was Discord, who sat on his own hay bale with a grin on his face. He drank deeply of the jug before he offered it back with his own laughter. Both of them were drinking together and having a good time? That was good, right? Well, wait a minute. Drinking instead of working? Were they having a private meeting between one another, or rather, were they having a roll in the hay or about to do so? Her eyes turned big, and she found herself having a mixture of envy and curiosity as she looked over at Discord and Applejack.

“Gotta say, y’know how to hold your cider pard’. Maybe next time you could bring somethin’ from your own time, gramps.” Applejack said with a grin.

Discord snorted, “Gramps, she says! I’ll have you know that I’m still perfectly spry.” He then leaned back and snickered, “Besides, I’m not sure you can handle what I’ve got to offer. Might be too sweet, but it also might be too strong.”

Applejack waved him off, “Bah, forget about too strong! Anyway, I wanted to say that I had you figured wrong. Don’t get it twisted, I still don’t trust you as far as I can throw you, but you actually got straight to helpin’ out, and well, I appreciate you bein’ honest with me about what your intentions are with Fluttershy.”

The old draconequus hummed, “Well, I certainly enjoy being around her, and lying about something like that seems silly. If I have the opportunity, of course I’ll take it. She’s sweet though, far too sweet for a chaotic thing like me.”

“You’re not wrong.” Said Applejack as she hopped off the hay bale, “But that girl could use some spice. I figure me and the rest of the girls treat her a bit too soft, and maybe we don’t think about her enough as the full-grown mare she is. Heck, even I still think of her as a soft little thing from time to time. You treat her right, okay?”

Discord chuckled, “I promise nothing except that she’ll make it out of all our interactions in one piece. Now, how about I turn some water into mead? Ever heard of mead?”

“Yessir, I have, but never seen that trick before!” Applejack said while chuckling.

So it wasn’t a roll in the hay. They were just talking. Now she felt doubly embarrassed for peeking in on them, and wasn’t sure if she would have been more embarrassed if they had done anything inappropriate. Still, hearing about Applejack's regrets and the candid conversation between her and Discord made her smile a bit. It made her feel like she had made the right decision. Still, subterfuge wasn’t exactly her strong suit, and it didn’t feel right to stay hidden like this, so she nudged open the barn door a bit further and stepped inside in a manner to announce her visit.

Applejack immediately wandered in for a bump of shoulders and a press of cheek to cheek, “Well, ain’t you a sight for sore eyes! Figured I wouldn’t see you around here.”

The earth mare carried her usual scent of work and a bit of dirt, the loamy tones that made her pleasant to be around, but she also had the scent of alcohol on her. Fluttershy simply said softly, “I figured I’d come check on Discord to make sure he was behaving. It seems like maybe I should have just trusted him fully.”

Discord raised the jug and said aloud with a sort of misplaced pride, “You absolutely shouldn’t have!”

She blinked and Applejack chuckled, “He’s been a hoot, a hoot and a pain in my rear. Can’t get him to do one thing without him twisting it in some sorta way. Pickin’ apples, but he claims to have found a juicy one, and it turns out he’s lifted ol’ Big Mac by the haunches right out of a tree claiming he’s part of the apple family and had to be harvested.”

Fluttershy coughed, “I-I see.”

“He hasn’t done anything too troublesome. After the third or fourth prank, I started to realize it was harmless guff, except for one thing or two things I had to swat his tail and remind him not to do. I’d rather not have a tree that produces chocolate apples, and a pond full of cider is not something I need either.” Applejack snorted.

“Discord!” Fluttershy squeaked.

Discord looked at her innocently, “Oh, but I was just having a little bit of fun.”

Applejack chuckled, “And when he was done havin’ fun, he actually helped out a bit. Even helped move some of the baskets out to the other barn for storage too. I’d say you can leave him in our care here and he’ll be fine.”

Fluttershy breathed out, “Well, that’s good I guess.”

“Now, I’ll head out early-like and you two can have your privacy. Don’t go too crazy.” She said while waving her hat.

Applejack left them alone in the barn before she could say anything, and Discord asked softly, “Miss me that much?”

“I was…Worried about what you would do.” She said honestly, “I thought that I should check on you since it is my responsibility.” And then softer still, “Sorry.”

Discord rolled his eyes, “Oh, and why are you apologiizing?”

“Because I didn’t trust you?”

“Good!” He said while raising the jug still in hand, “That’s your job, isn’t it? Why shoot the messenger? But if you still feel so bad, how about a sip to bury the hatchet, so to speak?”

He held the jug toward her, and Fluttershy took it with both hooves before taking a sip. It tasted oddly spiced with a sweet flavor that soon faded in favor of a quiet burn. She drank a gulp instead of a sip and coughed while returning the jug, “T-to burying the hatchet then.”

Discord smiled and set the jug on the hay bale before hopping off of it, “I should probably get back to work then. Proving myself and all that.”

“Before that.” She said quickly, “Come here for a second.”

He turned to her and tilted his head. With a flap of her wings, she rose in the air a bit so she was face to face with him, and then she planted her mouth against his for a gentle kiss. It was a quick peck, but it had been of her own volition and her own desire. A chaste little thing between friends, and a genuine expression of her apology for not trusting him. She landed softly and looked up at him with a big smile while he stared down at her. Fluttershy looked at him, not sure if he’d tackle her and kiss her, or if he’d simply settle for thanking her.

After another second or two, he leaned down and touched her cheek gently before he muttered, “I’ll stop by this evening.”

She shivered, both from the promise hidden in his words and the rumble she heard in his tone full of hunger. To what he promised, she could only nod. After another peck between their lips, he turned and strode out of the barn, leaving her there to catch her breath while hoping that no one had seen her. When she stepped out, she could see that Applejack was standing nearby with a smirk on her face. Fluttershy hoped that her cheeks weren’t too red, but she turned away before she could be questioned and decided to fly back home. She could trust him to work at the farm without being too much of a menace, trust him to build his reputation up a bit more, and just the same, she did not have to trust him. She was not compelled to give him her trust simply because he existed, and he was fine with that. Whatever she decided, it would be okay. Even if something went wrong.

Through the grace of another warm mug of coffee, Fluttershy was able to actually start her day. She showered, tied her mane back with an azure ribbon, and got to doing her chores. There was significantly less to do since Discord had helped her yesterday with a few things, but that didn’t mean she had been freed of responsibility. The animals out back needed to be fed in her little sanctuary, and they gathered more comfortably around her today. It seemed like all of them had been on edge since Discord had been around, but now things were back to normal. Well, somewhat. It still felt like her cheeks were flushed from the events of the morning, and she swore she could feel the press of his fang at her mouth as if he had nipped her there just to leave a mark. There wasn’t a mark. She had checked in the mirror just to be sure, but well, she could still feel it. Part of her wondered how it would have been if she had leaned further into his lust, if she had encouraged him more to stay with her and enjoy the morning together. It might have been nice, and yet, she hadn't sorted out her own feelings on the matter. Discord, after all, still had not proven entirely that he wasn't a problem. She wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to do something regrettable, and also well, she needed to get past the silly guilt she felt for even entertaining the idea of lying with him.

Fluttershy looked down at Angel. The small rabbit had approached her with a few bounces and leveled a look at her that said many, many things to her. None of them particularly nice, and so she asked softly, “You probably think I'm a bit silly for thinking about him at all, don't you?”

The rabbit looked at her, whiskers twitching and he said something with his own chatter. Something that most couldn’t understand.

Fluttershy, however, could very easily understand animals and responded quietly, “It isn’t very nice to say that about Discord. He might be a bit eager, but I think that he'll make a fine friend in time. And I do think he actually does care.”

That last statement made her frown. She had to keep telling herself that Discord could turn on her at any moment, but that just didn’t feel right. Telling herself that made her feel guilty, and Angel looked at her before giving her leg a gentle pat with another round of, thankfully, more supportive chatter.

“Thank you.” She said quietly, “I feel a little conflicted, honestly. I can’t tell anyone this, I can’t even tell Discord this, I’m sure.” And then she began walking toward the gardens, “My loyalty to Celestia is absolute, even though I give my love to nature as well. She would not steer me wrong, and my friends would not lie to me knowingly. Discord is dangerous, but he’s dangerous like Celestia is. They both have immense power. The difference is that Discord’s use of power might not be entirely wholesome. I just hate thinking about distrusting someone who has been nice to me, someone that has stuck up for me already when we barely know one another. At the same time, I can clearly see that this is going to be a problem with my friends. What if they find out I’ve kissed him? What if they find out that I might want him to do more than that? I’ve always put what others want above myself and even telling Twilight to be quiet put me in a near panic. How pathetic is that?”

Angel simply gave her leg another gentle pat.

Despite having no advice to give her, she smiled just a bit. At the very least, she could rely on Angel to listen to her. All of her animals listened, even if they didn’t have words or didn’t fully understand what she was going through. On the matter of trust, she found herself wondering how Discord was faring over at Sweet Apple Acres. With a few flaps of her wings, she could be over there momentarily, even if she wasn’t as fast as Rainbow Dash. There wasn’t much else to do for the day, and all the animals had been fed. Fluttershy didn’t need the herbs right now, so plucking them could wait. Part of her didn’t like the idea of going to check on him because it outwardly spoke of the small hint of distrust she had of him, and it felt like in acknowledging that distrust, that she was paying heed to her friend’s paranoia. She didn’t want to go over there to collar him, even if he had made a few mistakes. Fluttershy just wanted to make sure that he wasn’t doing anything too crazy. With a sigh, she looked down at Angel, and he hopped back a bit as if knowing already what she would say and what she was about to do. Fluttershy brought her wings up before taking off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.

Applejack’s farm had quite a few apple trees in the orchard. Quite a few, as in, practically painting the hillside near the farm. There were baskets strewn about the orchard filled to the brim with red and green apples. She could also see a few of Applejack’s family members working the fields from the sky. When she landed at the front gate, she politely opened it and stepped through before shutting it behind her. Even if she could fly, she still liked being mannered about it. Flying past a gate just seemed a little bit rude. Though she could see a few stallions and mares working around the farm and the orchard, she couldn’t see Discord or Applejack. She wandered around looking for them, trying to make herself small so she wouldn’t bother anyone working.

She didn’t find them in the fields. Didn’t find them among the trees. It was when she wandered near one of the barns that she heard Applejack laughing. She followed the sound of the mare’s voice until she got to the open barn. Slowly, she peeked inside. Applejack sat herself on a hay bale with a jug in her hoof. She drank from it deeply before offering it over to someone that she couldn't see until she leaned in just a little bit more. That someone was Discord, who sat on his own hay bale with a grin on his face. He drank deeply of the jug before he offered it back with his own laughter. Both of them were drinking together and having a good time? That was good, right? Well, wait a minute. Drinking instead of working? Were they having a private meeting between one another, or rather, were they having a roll in the hay or about to do so? Her eyes turned big, and she found herself having a mixture of envy and curiosity as she looked over at Discord and Applejack.

“Gotta say, y’know how to hold your cider pard’. Maybe next time you could bring somethin’ from your own time, gramps.” Applejack said with a grin.

Discord snorted, “Gramps, she says! I’ll have you know that I’m still perfectly spry.” He then leaned back and snickered, “Besides, I’m not sure you can handle what I’ve got to offer. Might be too sweet, but it also might be too strong.”

Applejack waved him off, “Bah, forget about too strong! Anyway, I wanted to say that I had you figured wrong. Don’t get it twisted, I still don’t trust you as far as I can throw you, but you actually got straight to helpin’ out, and well, I appreciate you bein’ honest with me about what your intentions are with Fluttershy.”

The old draconequus hummed, “Well, I certainly enjoy being around her, and lying about something like that seems silly. If I have the opportunity, of course I’ll take it. She’s sweet though, far too sweet for a chaotic thing like me.”

“You’re not wrong.” Said Applejack as she hopped off the hay bale, “But that girl could use some spice. I figure me and the rest of the girls treat her a bit too soft, and maybe we don’t think about her enough as the full-grown mare she is. Heck, even I still think of her as a soft little thing from time to time. You treat her right, okay?”

Discord chuckled, “I promise nothing except that she’ll make it out of all our interactions in one piece. Now, how about I turn some water into mead? Ever heard of mead?”

“Yessir, I have, but never seen that trick before!” Applejack said while chuckling.

So it wasn’t a roll in the hay. They were just talking. Now she felt doubly embarrassed for peeking in on them, and wasn’t sure if she would have been more embarrassed if they had done anything inappropriate. Still, hearing about Applejack's regrets and the candid conversation between her and Discord made her smile a bit. It made her feel like she had made the right decision. Still, subterfuge wasn’t exactly her strong suit, and it didn’t feel right to stay hidden like this, so she nudged open the barn door a bit further and stepped inside in a manner to announce her visit.

Applejack immediately wandered in for a bump of shoulders and a press of cheek to cheek, “Well, ain’t you a sight for sore eyes! Figured I wouldn’t see you around here.”

The earth mare carried her usual scent of work and a bit of dirt, the loamy tones that made her pleasant to be around, but she also had the scent of alcohol on her. Fluttershy simply said softly, “I figured I’d come check on Discord to make sure he was behaving. It seems like maybe I should have just trusted him fully.”

Discord raised the jug and said aloud with a sort of misplaced pride, “You absolutely shouldn’t have!”

She blinked and Applejack chuckled, “He’s been a hoot, a hoot and a pain in my rear. Can’t get him to do one thing without him twisting it in some sorta way. Pickin’ apples, but he claims to have found a juicy one, and it turns out he’s lifted ol’ Big Mac by the haunches right out of a tree claiming he’s part of the apple family and had to be harvested.”

Fluttershy coughed, “I-I see.”

“He hasn’t done anything too troublesome. After the third or fourth prank, I started to realize it was harmless guff, except for one thing or two things I had to swat his tail and remind him not to do. I’d rather not have a tree that produces chocolate apples, and a pond full of cider is not something I need either.” Applejack snorted.

“Discord!” Fluttershy squeaked.

Discord looked at her innocently, “Oh, but I was just having a little bit of fun.”

Applejack chuckled, “And when he was done havin’ fun, he actually helped out a bit. Even helped move some of the baskets out to the other barn for storage too. I’d say you can leave him in our care here and he’ll be fine.”

Fluttershy breathed out, “Well, that’s good I guess.”

“Now, I’ll head out early-like and you two can have your privacy. Don’t go too crazy.” She said while waving her hat.

Applejack left them alone in the barn before she could say anything, and Discord asked softly, “Miss me that much?”

“I was…Worried about what you would do.” She said honestly, “I thought that I should check on you since it is my responsibility.” And then softer still, “Sorry.”

Discord rolled his eyes, “Oh, and why are you apologiizing?”

“Because I didn’t trust you?”

“Good!” He said while raising the jug still in hand, “That’s your job, isn’t it? Why shoot the messenger? But if you still feel so bad, how about a sip to bury the hatchet, so to speak?”

He held the jug toward her, and Fluttershy took it with both hooves before taking a sip. It tasted oddly spiced with a sweet flavor that soon faded in favor of a quiet burn. She drank a gulp instead of a sip and coughed while returning the jug, “T-to burying the hatchet then.”

Discord smiled and set the jug on the hay bale before hopping off of it, “I should probably get back to work then. Proving myself and all that.”

“Before that.” She said quickly, “Come here for a second.”

He turned to her and tilted his head. With a flap of her wings, she rose in the air a bit so she was face to face with him, and then she planted her mouth against his for a gentle kiss. It was a quick peck, but it had been of her own volition and her own desire. A chaste little thing between friends, and a genuine expression of her apology for not trusting him. She landed softly and looked up at him with a big smile while he stared down at her. Fluttershy looked at him, not sure if he’d tackle her and kiss her, or if he’d simply settle for thanking her.

After another second or two, he leaned down and touched her cheek gently before he muttered, “I’ll stop by this evening.”

She shivered, both from the promise hidden in his words and the rumble she heard in his tone full of hunger. To what he promised, she could only nod. After another peck between their lips, he turned and strode out of the barn, leaving her there to catch her breath while hoping that no one had seen her. When she stepped out, she could see that Applejack was standing nearby with a smirk on her face. Fluttershy hoped that her cheeks weren’t too red, but she turned away before she could be questioned and decided to fly back home. She could trust him to work at the farm without being too much of a menace, trust him to build his reputation up a bit more, and just the same, she did not have to trust him. She was not compelled to give him her trust simply because he existed, and he was fine with that. Whatever she decided, it would be okay. Even if something went wrong.

Fluttershy arrived at her home feeling lighter than ever. She landed in front of her cottage and let out a sigh of relief as she folded her wings in. The sun felt warmer than usual, and the light felt a bit brighter as well. Actually, she couldn't help but notice that it wasn't just a little bit brighter. When she turned her head she saw an alicorn landing before her. White fur resplendent as always, the colors of her mane glittering like sunlight shining through a crystal. Celestia had arrived at her cottage most likely looking for a progress report. She hadn’t written, but Twilight most likely had already sent her a letter. Fluttershy felt as though she had nothing to fear at all, except that she remembered that she had not followed Celestia’s orders to the letter. She had not set out to tame the old god but instead sought to make him understand, to let him experience his freedom so that he could naturally settle into their society.

Finally, she managed to blurt out, “Princess Celestia. Hello!”

Celestia looked left and then right before approaching her while lowering her head, “Hello, my dear guardian. Might I ask where Discord is?”

Fluttershy felt the blood drain from her cheeks before she began, “Y-you see, Applejack suggested that he work to earn her trust at the farm.”

The resplendent mare sniffed the air and hummed, “You were just there?”

“Y-yes, how could you tell?” She asked while tilting her head.

A small smile touched Celestia’s expression as she hummed, “I can smell apple cider on your breath.” When she covered her mouth with a hoof, Celestia chuckled, “Relax. Everyone can use something to steady the nerves, whether tea or alcohol. Now then, if Discord isn’t here, then that is fine, but I can't help but notice that you seem so distressed when you had not moments ago seemed so light and free of concern. What troubles you?”

She lowered herself a bit and spoke softly, “I thought about what you told me to do. You wanted me to tame him, to keep him under control, to make sure that he could no longer be a threat. A-and yet, I did not do what you asked. I sought my own way. With understanding and kindness. To help him see empathy and that co-existence can be just as fun as unending chaos. H-he’s been a bit of a pest but not outright evil. I’m so sorry.”

Celestia’s light sparkled beneath her chin and lifted her off the ground so she was standing up straight while the goddess shook her head, “And why would I have you apologize? I half expected this entire land to be made of another substance, for the rivers to be full of wine instead of water. My pupil’s concerns are valid, but she is not who I chose for this task. Kindness was needed most of all. I do share some of her concerns, but I also see that my own paranoia perhaps blinds me.”

Fluttershy blinked before she managed to mutter, “Thank you, princess.”

For a second, Celestia’s smile grew as she leaned in, their gazes drifting closer as the goddess spoke softly, “And you looked very happy. I figured you would have been exhausted. My pupil even says you had the moxy to stand up to her. She was both proud and annoyed. I think she's a bit prouder than she’d like to admit. Tell me about how it has all been going. Tell me everything and don’t spare any details.”

Don’t spare any details. She thought about that for a moment, for a horrible moment, and her cheeks went red while she looked down at the forest floor. She kept on thinking about how to word things before she simply began to slowly recount the tale of what had happened since freeing Discord. Celestia listened passively, occasionally smiling or even chuckling with a hoof up to her mouth. Fluttershy could barely pay attention to how Celestia was reacting because she felt that she would explode at any moment in a ball of fire from sheer embarrassment.

When she finished, Celestia cleared her throat, “I see. Please be sure to help Discord understand that boundaries are very important, although it seems he’s behaved around other mares, so perhaps he does understand that. Most of all, be safe. Now then, I’ll be on my way.”

Fluttershy blinked, “B-be safe? That’s it?”

“Why, yes? By your decision, Discord is a free individual. So are you. I do not blame any single entity for their interest in another, and it makes for an interesting yarn to spin. I’ll be telling Luna by the fire tonight most likely of the young pegasus mare and her suitor.” Said Celestia while looking up thoughtfully.

“No, no, no.” She said quickly, “He’s at most a friend right now. We don’t know each other that well at all. I mean, perhaps something might happen, but I don’t know if he’s a suitor. He’s mostly just taking out some pent-up desire on me, and I’ve been maybe a bit receptive to it.”

The more she spoke, the redder she got, the more heat she felt in her cheeks until Celestia chuckled and shook her head, “My poor dear, relax. I don’t judge you, but have more confidence in yourself. I doubt that his interest would wane quite so easily, and keep in mind that he is dangerous. He is wilder than you understand, so it is doubly interesting to me then that he holds back so much for you.” She then turns around, her wings opening, but before she leaves, she adds quietly, “But take care, my dear, take true care. It was cruel of me to imprison him for so long in such a manner, but his reign was indeed a chaotic and terrible thing. Time has softened him a bit, it seems, and perhaps your kindness will continue to soften him.”

And with that, Celestia left. It seemed like such a strange thing. To be told she was valid, but to be told to still be wary. To be told that it was okay to indulge, and yet still to be safe. Wise advice all in all, but it left her with a lot of decisions to make. She sat on her haunches and closed her eyes. Fluttershy didn’t feel very nervous about making those decisions, but having positive experiences with Applejack and Celestia gave her a few ideas. She wanted to ask Discord a few questions about himself. Something to actually dig deep into knowing him more, beyond the jokes. And after that, she’d have to see how her friends felt about helping her just like Applejack had.

The evening came long after she had made her plans, and long after she had sent a few letters away, carried off by birds heading toward the homes of her friends. There were lots of things to do. Lots of things to think about, and she felt energetic about them all and fairly positive as well. When she heard the knock at her door, she trotted to the front from her room and smiled before she even opened the door. Except, no one was standing there. Even still, she could guess who it was based on the time and what had happened today.

When she turned around, she felt a familiar peck of mouth to mouth, Discord’s voice humming, “Why, hello there, beautiful.”

Fluttershy giggled, “Hello Discord. It seems you invited yourself in. That’s rude, y’know?”

“Ah yes, that’s true.” He then snapped his digits and appeared outside the house while he spoke, “May I come in?”

She rolled her eyes and stepped out instead of letting him in, shutting the door while speaking, “Nope. I’d like to take a walk if you’ll indulge me, mister.”

Discord blinked, “Well, I have done a lot of work today but a walk doesn’t sound so bad. Considering I can just float. Lead the way!”

Fluttershy started walking at a slow pace toward a peaceful path around the forest. The way was lit by lights flickering in the air buzzing off of bugs and a few mushrooms growing from the trees that only appeared at night. She made her way while closing her eyes, while enjoying the feeling of the cool evening breeze on her body. Discord did not interrupt the peace and he floated by her side instead of staring at her rear. A bit of progress, she supposed. Although she wouldn’t mind if he stared now that they had established a bit more of some kind of relationship.

“I’d like to be friends.” She announced softly.

After a bit, Discord hummed, “This seems rather familiar, doesn’t it?”

Fluttershy smiled, “Yes, but you embarrassed me before I could ask you any proper questions, before we could actually talk. Why is it that you like chaos so much?”

“Its just really my nature.” He said with a roll of his wrist.

“Is that right? No other reason?”

Discord sighed, “I suppose it is fun. Isn’t it? Just snapping my fingers and watching things change right before my eyes? It produces a spark, a light that everyone can see whether they’re aghast or delighted. Most of the time, aghast.”

Fluttershy nodded, “So you like attention.”

“Doesn’t everyone?” He snorted.

“Yes, but not everyone feels the need to go that far, you know?” She said softly.

Discord remained quiet for a moment before he nodded, “Hm, okay then.”

Odd, he seemed more guarded than she expected. When there weren’t any jokes to be had, he didn’t seem as big or as confident. Was he actually reserved with his true self? That simply made her more curious now that she had found her confidence to probe him a bit more. As they kept on walking, though, she waited. She had asked him a question, and she only felt it fair that he should bring up the next topic, so she waited patiently.

He spoke when they found themselves looking at the surface of a lake, “Why is it that you love nature so much? Aren’t you lonely?”

Fluttershy looked at the surface of the water while speaking gently, “Nature is so much easier to understand than other ponies. What most consider chaos, to me, is just a natural flowing order.” And then softly she added, “And I am a bit lonely. Even if others think I am a bit weird, I still have my friends and I still have the ability to go into town; but too much interaction tires me out and I frighten too easily.”

Discord says softly, “Do interactions with me tire you out?”

“A little bit.” She said with a nod, but then she smiled at him, “But mostly because sometimes you’re a lot to handle.”

He huffed, but there was a little smile at the corner of his mouth as he said, “Well, excuse me for knowing how to have a good time.”

She chuckled before asking, “I’m sorry, I know that’s rude, but I figure you wouldn’t mind me saying it. Did you like working at Applejack’s farm by the way?”

Discord looked up to the stars while speaking, “I suppose I did. Something to keep the mind distracted is good. I don’t like spending too much time without doing something, without focusing on anything really.”

It seemed like he had a bit more to say when he opened his mouth and then closed it, but she nudged him gently, “Go on.”

He looked at her for a second before looking back up at the stars, “Staying still for too long, staying quiet, or doing nothing at all reminds me of being stuck in stone. Even before the imprisonment, I wasn’t very good at sitting still. I always needed something to do, something to ruin, something to keep the mind and body working. Now I just feel nervous and weird if I’m not doing anything.”

She thought about that for a second before putting her hooves around him as best as she could to give him a hug while saying softly, “Thank you for being honest with me.”

“Ugh, that orange mare must have rubbed off on me. Always going on about an honest day's work and appreciating straight shooters.” He said while sniffing.

Though he had tried to deflect her thanks, she still embraced him all the same. Eventually, she felt his body relax against her, one of his arms coming out to hold her against him. As they separated, she asked, “Would you like to meet more of my friends?”

And then asked quietly enough that she could barely hear, “Why, so that they can bide their time? So that they can turn me to stone when they think the time is right? Or perhaps something even worse than that.”

She blinked, her ears flicking upwards, “No. You haven’t done anything to warrant that. Even if you do, I want to work with you. I want your freedom. I won’t let my element be used to make you stone again. Twilight was mean, but she’s just scared. Rainbow Dash too. You saw that Applejack liked you. She can be your friend too. They can all be your friends if you show them that you can actually work with them. And you don’t have to be their friend either. You can make other friends.”

He sighed, and his tone seemed so much less jovial than usual, “Thank you, Fluttershy. For listening to my foolish worries. In a way, I am just being good to avoid that. Sometimes, I do think about making a bit more noise, about doing something terrible. It is, partially, the fear of being put under again that makes me not want to act out. Honestly, I had plans to make things a bit difficult for you, but you stood up for me. I didn’t like thinking about you hurt, and then you stood up for me, so at first I simply wanted to repay you to be fair. Now I suppose I’m stuck with these stupid feelings.”

“They’re not stupid at all.” She said while leaning up to him. When he leaned down to her, she pressed her head against his and said softly, “These are the sorts of things you should be sharing with me. Make jokes and tease, but you should have these moments too. You are kinder than you understand, and now you’re being honest with me too.”

He put his arms around her tightly, and she thought for a second he might kiss her. Instead, he kept his cheek against hers and said nothing at all. There was a moment when she thought that she felt something wet against her cheek, but it had to be just a bit of rain. A little drizzle falling on their evening, which did nothing to stop her from holding her new friend as she shut her eyes and enjoyed this moment.

Fluttershy arrived at her home feeling lighter than ever. She landed in front of her cottage and let out a sigh of relief as she folded her wings in. The sun felt warmer than usual, and the light felt a bit brighter as well. Actually, she couldn't help but notice that it wasn't just a little bit brighter. When she turned her head she saw an alicorn landing before her. White fur resplendent as always, the colors of her mane glittering like sunlight shining through a crystal. Celestia had arrived at her cottage most likely looking for a progress report. She hadn’t written, but Twilight most likely had already sent her a letter. Fluttershy felt as though she had nothing to fear at all, except that she remembered that she had not followed Celestia’s orders to the letter. She had not set out to tame the old god but instead sought to make him understand, to let him experience his freedom so that he could naturally settle into their society.

Finally, she managed to blurt out, “Princess Celestia. Hello!”

Celestia looked left and then right before approaching her while lowering her head, “Hello, my dear guardian. Might I ask where Discord is?”

Fluttershy felt the blood drain from her cheeks before she began, “Y-you see, Applejack suggested that he work to earn her trust at the farm.”

The resplendent mare sniffed the air and hummed, “You were just there?”

“Y-yes, how could you tell?” She asked while tilting her head.

A small smile touched Celestia’s expression as she hummed, “I can smell apple cider on your breath.” When she covered her mouth with a hoof, Celestia chuckled, “Relax. Everyone can use something to steady the nerves, whether tea or alcohol. Now then, if Discord isn’t here, then that is fine, but I can't help but notice that you seem so distressed when you had not moments ago seemed so light and free of concern. What troubles you?”

She lowered herself a bit and spoke softly, “I thought about what you told me to do. You wanted me to tame him, to keep him under control, to make sure that he could no longer be a threat. A-and yet, I did not do what you asked. I sought my own way. With understanding and kindness. To help him see empathy and that co-existence can be just as fun as unending chaos. H-he’s been a bit of a pest but not outright evil. I’m so sorry.”

Celestia’s light sparkled beneath her chin and lifted her off the ground so she was standing up straight while the goddess shook her head, “And why would I have you apologize? I half expected this entire land to be made of another substance, for the rivers to be full of wine instead of water. My pupil’s concerns are valid, but she is not who I chose for this task. Kindness was needed most of all. I do share some of her concerns, but I also see that my own paranoia perhaps blinds me.”

Fluttershy blinked before she managed to mutter, “Thank you, princess.”

For a second, Celestia’s smile grew as she leaned in, their gazes drifting closer as the goddess spoke softly, “And you looked very happy. I figured you would have been exhausted. My pupil even says you had the moxy to stand up to her. She was both proud and annoyed. I think she's a bit prouder than she’d like to admit. Tell me about how it has all been going. Tell me everything and don’t spare any details.”

Don’t spare any details. She thought about that for a moment, for a horrible moment, and her cheeks went red while she looked down at the forest floor. She kept on thinking about how to word things before she simply began to slowly recount the tale of what had happened since freeing Discord. Celestia listened passively, occasionally smiling or even chuckling with a hoof up to her mouth. Fluttershy could barely pay attention to how Celestia was reacting because she felt that she would explode at any moment in a ball of fire from sheer embarrassment.

When she finished, Celestia cleared her throat, “I see. Please be sure to help Discord understand that boundaries are very important, although it seems he’s behaved around other mares, so perhaps he does understand that. Most of all, be safe. Now then, I’ll be on my way.”

Fluttershy blinked, “B-be safe? That’s it?”

“Why, yes? By your decision, Discord is a free individual. So are you. I do not blame any single entity for their interest in another, and it makes for an interesting yarn to spin. I’ll be telling Luna by the fire tonight most likely of the young pegasus mare and her suitor.” Said Celestia while looking up thoughtfully.

“No, no, no.” She said quickly, “He’s at most a friend right now. We don’t know each other that well at all. I mean, perhaps something might happen, but I don’t know if he’s a suitor. He’s mostly just taking out some pent-up desire on me, and I’ve been maybe a bit receptive to it.”

The more she spoke, the redder she got, the more heat she felt in her cheeks until Celestia chuckled and shook her head, “My poor dear, relax. I don’t judge you, but have more confidence in yourself. I doubt that his interest would wane quite so easily, and keep in mind that he is dangerous. He is wilder than you understand, so it is doubly interesting to me then that he holds back so much for you.” She then turns around, her wings opening, but before she leaves, she adds quietly, “But take care, my dear, take true care. It was cruel of me to imprison him for so long in such a manner, but his reign was indeed a chaotic and terrible thing. Time has softened him a bit, it seems, and perhaps your kindness will continue to soften him.”

And with that, Celestia left. It seemed like such a strange thing. To be told she was valid, but to be told to still be wary. To be told that it was okay to indulge, and yet still to be safe. Wise advice all in all, but it left her with a lot of decisions to make. She sat on her haunches and closed her eyes. Fluttershy didn’t feel very nervous about making those decisions, but having positive experiences with Applejack and Celestia gave her a few ideas. She wanted to ask Discord a few questions about himself. Something to actually dig deep into knowing him more, beyond the jokes. And after that, she’d have to see how her friends felt about helping her just like Applejack had.

The evening came long after she had made her plans, and long after she had sent a few letters away, carried off by birds heading toward the homes of her friends. There were lots of things to do. Lots of things to think about, and she felt energetic about them all and fairly positive as well. When she heard the knock at her door, she trotted to the front from her room and smiled before she even opened the door. Except, no one was standing there. Even still, she could guess who it was based on the time and what had happened today.

When she turned around, she felt a familiar peck of mouth to mouth, Discord’s voice humming, “Why, hello there, beautiful.”

Fluttershy giggled, “Hello Discord. It seems you invited yourself in. That’s rude, y’know?”

“Ah yes, that’s true.” He then snapped his digits and appeared outside the house while he spoke, “May I come in?”

She rolled her eyes and stepped out instead of letting him in, shutting the door while speaking, “Nope. I’d like to take a walk if you’ll indulge me, mister.”

Discord blinked, “Well, I have done a lot of work today but a walk doesn’t sound so bad. Considering I can just float. Lead the way!”

Fluttershy started walking at a slow pace toward a peaceful path around the forest. The way was lit by lights flickering in the air buzzing off of bugs and a few mushrooms growing from the trees that only appeared at night. She made her way while closing her eyes, while enjoying the feeling of the cool evening breeze on her body. Discord did not interrupt the peace and he floated by her side instead of staring at her rear. A bit of progress, she supposed. Although she wouldn’t mind if he stared now that they had established a bit more of some kind of relationship.

“I’d like to be friends.” She announced softly.

After a bit, Discord hummed, “This seems rather familiar, doesn’t it?”

Fluttershy smiled, “Yes, but you embarrassed me before I could ask you any proper questions, before we could actually talk. Why is it that you like chaos so much?”

“Its just really my nature.” He said with a roll of his wrist.

“Is that right? No other reason?”

Discord sighed, “I suppose it is fun. Isn’t it? Just snapping my fingers and watching things change right before my eyes? It produces a spark, a light that everyone can see whether they’re aghast or delighted. Most of the time, aghast.”

Fluttershy nodded, “So you like attention.”

“Doesn’t everyone?” He snorted.

“Yes, but not everyone feels the need to go that far, you know?” She said softly.

Discord remained quiet for a moment before he nodded, “Hm, okay then.”

Odd, he seemed more guarded than she expected. When there weren’t any jokes to be had, he didn’t seem as big or as confident. Was he actually reserved with his true self? That simply made her more curious now that she had found her confidence to probe him a bit more. As they kept on walking, though, she waited. She had asked him a question, and she only felt it fair that he should bring up the next topic, so she waited patiently.

He spoke when they found themselves looking at the surface of a lake, “Why is it that you love nature so much? Aren’t you lonely?”

Fluttershy looked at the surface of the water while speaking gently, “Nature is so much easier to understand than other ponies. What most consider chaos, to me, is just a natural flowing order.” And then softly she added, “And I am a bit lonely. Even if others think I am a bit weird, I still have my friends and I still have the ability to go into town; but too much interaction tires me out and I frighten too easily.”

Discord says softly, “Do interactions with me tire you out?”

“A little bit.” She said with a nod, but then she smiled at him, “But mostly because sometimes you’re a lot to handle.”

He huffed, but there was a little smile at the corner of his mouth as he said, “Well, excuse me for knowing how to have a good time.”

She chuckled before asking, “I’m sorry, I know that’s rude, but I figure you wouldn’t mind me saying it. Did you like working at Applejack’s farm by the way?”

Discord looked up to the stars while speaking, “I suppose I did. Something to keep the mind distracted is good. I don’t like spending too much time without doing something, without focusing on anything really.”

It seemed like he had a bit more to say when he opened his mouth and then closed it, but she nudged him gently, “Go on.”

He looked at her for a second before looking back up at the stars, “Staying still for too long, staying quiet, or doing nothing at all reminds me of being stuck in stone. Even before the imprisonment, I wasn’t very good at sitting still. I always needed something to do, something to ruin, something to keep the mind and body working. Now I just feel nervous and weird if I’m not doing anything.”

She thought about that for a second before putting her hooves around him as best as she could to give him a hug while saying softly, “Thank you for being honest with me.”

“Ugh, that orange mare must have rubbed off on me. Always going on about an honest day's work and appreciating straight shooters.” He said while sniffing.

Though he had tried to deflect her thanks, she still embraced him all the same. Eventually, she felt his body relax against her, one of his arms coming out to hold her against him. As they separated, she asked, “Would you like to meet more of my friends?”

And then asked quietly enough that she could barely hear, “Why, so that they can bide their time? So that they can turn me to stone when they think the time is right? Or perhaps something even worse than that.”

She blinked, her ears flicking upwards, “No. You haven’t done anything to warrant that. Even if you do, I want to work with you. I want your freedom. I won’t let my element be used to make you stone again. Twilight was mean, but she’s just scared. Rainbow Dash too. You saw that Applejack liked you. She can be your friend too. They can all be your friends if you show them that you can actually work with them. And you don’t have to be their friend either. You can make other friends.”

He sighed, and his tone seemed so much less jovial than usual, “Thank you, Fluttershy. For listening to my foolish worries. In a way, I am just being good to avoid that. Sometimes, I do think about making a bit more noise, about doing something terrible. It is, partially, the fear of being put under again that makes me not want to act out. Honestly, I had plans to make things a bit difficult for you, but you stood up for me. I didn’t like thinking about you hurt, and then you stood up for me, so at first I simply wanted to repay you to be fair. Now I suppose I’m stuck with these stupid feelings.”

“They’re not stupid at all.” She said while leaning up to him. When he leaned down to her, she pressed her head against his and said softly, “These are the sorts of things you should be sharing with me. Make jokes and tease, but you should have these moments too. You are kinder than you understand, and now you’re being honest with me too.”

He put his arms around her tightly, and she thought for a second he might kiss her. Instead, he kept his cheek against hers and said nothing at all. There was a moment when she thought that she felt something wet against her cheek, but it had to be just a bit of rain. A little drizzle falling on their evening, which did nothing to stop her from holding her new friend as she shut her eyes and enjoyed this moment.

They remained against one another for quite some time. Watching the moon play on the surface of the water. Eventually, they settled on the ground with his body curled around her, with his snout pressed against her neck, planting little kisses here and there. He didn’t try anything further than that, and Fluttershy did not discourage him or encourage him. For now, she simply closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his body around her own. Of course, the gentle peace could not last. She didn’t mind, though, when he began to nip at her shoulders and neck. When he began to touch her a bit more firmly. When she could practically feel his smile against her neck as he tried to get a reaction out of her. Everything a call for attention, but for her attention in particular. She wondered if he was even pent up, if even that was just an excuse given for his behavior. When she thought about it, these sorts of antics would have any random mare or stallion melting to his touch. Still, though, he seemed to choose her to be the outlet for these affections. He did not press too far, though; he did not sink his fangs into her, did not claw her, and instead let his hands remain on her body while he nuzzled into her neck. The heat of his breath flowing from his nostrils felt like a gentle steam. At some point, though, he stopped entirely. His arms were loosely on her, his face still pressed against her neck, but she could feel that his breathing had grown steady. Warm, but calm. His weight became a bit more apparent, and the kissing had stopped. The playful little nips and bites a thing of the past as well. One of her ears twitched, and she found herself smiling as she realized that he had gone to sleep. He had been working the entire day at Applejack’s, and she wondered if he had even slept well last night. Staying still and relaxing reminded him of the stone, but now he curled around her and seemed entirely at peace. Part of her had hoped for the escalation as his kisses and his touches had brought a steady heat out into her system. Well, she supposed that it could happen at any moment and that there was no rush.

After about half an hour, though, she brought her snout under his chin to start lifting gently while she spoke softly, “Hey. Time to wake up.”

He snorted and muttered, “Hm? I wasn’t asleep.”

She chuckled, “Okay, would you like to not sleep in a bed?”

“Oh, that sounds lovely, or rather, it doesn't quite sound so lovely.” Discord said as though he were dreaming.

“Come on, let’s get you to someplace to sleep that isn’t the forest floor.” Fluttershy said while freeing herself of his coils to start pushing him with her head.

He began to float in the air and allowed himself to be pushed in a direction. Discord didn’t seem very cognizant at the moment. She would have to call it sleepwalking if anything, but she was very lucky that he seemed willing to just go wherever she pushed him. That being said, she couldn't help but smile at his mumblings. He thanked her, called her sweet and pretty in his quiet tones. There were other things he said that she couldn't understand, and sometimes he whispered in languages that she had never even heard of before. She still just kept on nudging him in the right direction, figuring that if he didn't have a bed to sleep in right now, then the least she could do was offer her own.

When she got to her cottage, she led him inside and thought about letting him rest on her couch, but instead she decided to head to her room to lead him to her bed. She could take the couch for the night, but when she thought to go, she was yanked into the bed by her tail. Fluttershy blinked as she found herself held by the draconequus. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was steady again, as if he had gone to sleep properly as soon as he touched the bed, but his grip around her remained firm enough that she found it difficult to get out of it. That being the case, it wasn’t uncomfortable. Not truly. Warmth surrounded her as he held her, and what little embarrassment she felt began to flutter away as sleep took over.

At some point, her eyes had closed, and she had promised herself it would be for just a second. Just a few seconds to rest her eyes and enjoy this lovely comfort. Then she'd slip free and go to the couch. Just a few seconds. When she opened her eyes next, however, they cracked wide open as she saw the light shining through the window illuminating the room. The birds were chirping outside, and she certainly felt well rested, but she also realized that she had let Discord sleep in her bed. She breathed out and kept herself calm. It was fine. He had been tired, and the alternative would have been either forcing him onto the couch or sleeping there herself and being slightly uncomfortable. This was better, as long as she didn't think too hard about it. With that thought, that was when she felt something firm pressing against her thighs. It felt rather larger, very large actually. She didn’t want to look down, but she also didn’t want to just ignore it, as it seemed to be twitching. Just a peek perhaps. When she looked down, she could see it on the side of her thigh. Thick and dark with a heavy shape. Embarrassment colored her mind as she found herself wondering if anyone would judge her for such a breach of conduct. Sleeping with someone in her bed felt so intimate already, and now this breach of propriety was staring her down like a weapon pointed right at her. A rather hefty one at the. It must have taken a rather sizable amount of magic to hide it. Sizable. It was simply a natural part of life. Nothing that she should be embarrassed about, nothing that she couldn’t simply brush off, and so she closed her eyes while trying not to think about it. Trying not to think about the length rubbing against her thigh. It was better to just let him sleep and wake up on his own.

That lasted for about a solid minute or so before she began to squeak while her ears pinned back and she felt warmth become overwhelming heat in her face, “Discord.”

The god of chaos yawned and leaned up, stretching his arms while he muttered, “Gracious, what a good bit of sleep that was. I got to say, not sure how I ended up here with ah, you.” He looked down at his arousal, and then at her blushing expression that she desperately wished she could hide, and he asked quietly, “Did we do anything? I can’t quite remember.”

She coughed, “No! You were sleepy, so I let you take the bed, but y-you pulled me in.”

He smiled and nestled back down to hold her, “Ah, I see.”

“Aren’t you going to take care of that?” Fluttershy asked while trying not to meet his gaze.

“Should I? Well, if you’re giving me an invitation, why not?” He said as he pushed his length against her thigh firmly.

Fluttershy gasped, “That’s not what I meant!”

Discord chuckled and kissed the top of her head, “I figured, but you never know.” Again, he stretched as he lay back on the bed to give her room, “I’ll hide it in a moment. Would you like to give it a kiss goodbye?”

To feel the warmth of his arousal on her lips. To let herself indulge in curiosity of the primal. Again, she felt embarrassment dominate her mind, but it almost felt frustrating how easy it was for her to feel embarrassed. How did he just let it hang out like that and not feel any sort of shame? It was part of the natural world, and she could very easily acknowledge that lust and sex were things that should not be ashamed of, but that did not stop her from bursting into flames as she witnessed his throbbing length.

She finally decided to voice aloud, “How are you not embarrassed?”

“Experience.” He said simply, “And well, I’ve never been quite that embarrassed about my body. Why should I be? I am a combination of all that is natural and beautiful in this world. Well, I suppose that there are some that find me ugly and strange. Many ponies look at me as though I am something weird, and I do tend to forget that I am the last of my kind. From what I understand, as well, many ponies do not interact with the other folk in Equestria, so they tend to see different features as exotic or sometimes even frightening.”

“I certainly don’t think you’re ugly. A little strange, a little different, but not ugly.” Fluttershy offered quickly.

Her eyes were not even on him but instead on the length still prodding the air. Discord put a hand on her head, and he quietly uttered what was most certainly a joke, “Want a taste?”

She found herself a little bit annoyed that he’d make a joke of all things with such a thing pointed at her, with such heat between them. He could not ask her with a serious expression, but instead of getting upset, she found herself relaxing a bit. To most ponies, he was ugly or strange. If that was the case, then he most certainly did not expect her to say yes, and would never expect that of her or push her to it. Even now she could see that he was snickering and preparing to brush her aside. Well, his words had consequences, and sometimes even risky words said with confident honesty had rewards.

“Yes.” She said while taking his words at face value, “I would like a taste. It’d make things much more comfortable for you too, I’m sure.”

He opened his mouth and blinked, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes for a bit before letting out a rare gasp as Fluttershy leaned down to plant a soft kiss on the tip of his cock. If he had asked with all of his heart and claimed that it would help him calm down, then she would have eventually said yes with such a sight before her. All it took was for her to take a moment to calm down to realize that she liked his body, that she liked him enough to do this, and that in part, this was to satisfy her own curiosity. When she thought he was serious, when she thought his lust was real without the poison of irony; Fluttershy found herself near the edge of acceptance every single time. She was only now realizing that he had trouble seeing that, or perhaps he had doubts of his own. Regardless, she showed him the reward of true honesty.

Fluttershy opened her mouth to take the head of his dick, letting the heat push against her tongue before she dipped her head down. Inch by inch, she felt that pulsing thing slide up into her maw, her tongue kissed by salt and firm heat in equal measures as she worked his member. Up and down she began to bob, struggling a bit to fit his length, but at the very least, she could get halfway before she had to come up for air. His protests and his confusion melted away as he kicked the air and groaned aloud while gripping onto her mane. The grip was tighter than she expected, his talons looping through her mane, reminding her of the primal strength he carried.

Despite his hold on her mane, there were still strands getting in the way as she bobbed her head up and down, and so she pulled back with a wet pop, a string of drool connecting her lips to the head of his shaft as she breathed out, “Could you be a dear and get a ribbon for me to tie my mane back? Mine fell off during the night, it seems.”

Discord stared at her for a moment before he snapped his digits. A ribbon appeared in his hands, one of fine green, most likely from her drawers. Instead of letting her do it herself, he collected her hair in a tail carefully, making sure that there were no strands left before tying it, while he rumbled, “Here. The perfect handlebar.”

“Huh?”

The lion’s paw that had been tenderly working with the talons to tie her hair back now had the tail of her mane gripped firmly, her mouth pressed against the tip, while Discord said softly, “If I’m a little bit too rough, please tap my thigh to let me know. Now, open wide.”

She shuddered, but hearing his earnest hunger and desire urged her mouth to part, her tongue pressing against his shaft. Slowly, he started to bring her up and down, taking his time as he used her mouth while holding on to the back of her head. He kept the pace slow when it came to moving her head, but his hips began to thrust upward, shoving his shaft into her maw. That heated length brushed against her throat, and she shut her eyes as she struggled to handle his heat. Each push provoked another little sound from her, another little reaction until she found herself gagging a bit, but she did not tap out. Gradually, she adjusted to his pace, but she noticed that he never pushed too far. If she seemed to struggle with any of his thrusts, then he’d slow down or pull back. At the same time, it didn’t seem like she’d have to wait long for him to finish.

Discord growled and huffed, uttering little curses while his cock bounced in her mouth, spraying her tongue with thin lines of liquid promising his nearing arrival. He kept on thrusting, kept on dragging her head up and down, his pace growing more intense until she had to steady herself against his thighs while he used her mouth. At the same time, she crossed her hind legs, squeezing just a bit while imagining how it would feel if she let him use this strength of his between her legs rather than in her mouth. And with one more push, he started to blow his load. He groaned as heated seed stained her tongue in heavy amounts that kept on growing the more his shaft twitched in her maw. She drank every drop that she could manage, but eventually had to pull away while gasping for air as a few more lines of that thick seed painted her cheek.

When he finished, Discord rubbed his dick against her cheek while running a set of claws through the back of her mane, “Hm, let me return the favor.”

She shuddered as she felt his digits brushing along her neck. How would it feel to have those working her cunt? How would it feel to let him toy with her like that? And yet she found herself breathing out, “W-wait, no. I didn’t do this for compensation.”

He blinked, “It isn’t compensation. I want to make you feel good too.”

Fluttershy shuddered and looked away while muttering, “I don’t know. Offering my mouth to you was simple, but having you do something in return like that almost seems like too much. It isn’t that I think it is burdensome, but rather, it's just embarrassing still.”

Discord grabbed her by the ponytail, and for a moment, she thought that he might ignore what she said. Instead, he brought her up just so he could lean down and give her lips a soft kiss. A gentle and chaste peck that ended as he hummed, “Hm, salty. You’ve got my seed on your tongue and cheek, but the thought of my fingers toying with you or my tongue inside of you is just a little bit too much?” When she nodded, he moved both of his hands to her cheeks, thumbs pressing through the fur to massage her face as he chuckled, “All right, but next time this happens, I might just force the issue. I don’t like leaving you hanging like this.”

She thought about it for a moment before she muttered, “Sorry.”

He gave her cheeks a pinch, squishing them while he grinned and put his head against hers, “Oh, hush. There’s no reason to be sorry. This was nice…Now, how about a shower before I make us some breakfast?”

Fluttershy shut her eyes and gave his mouth a gentle peck once she wrestled free of his pinching grasp. She then breathed out, “That sounds lovely.”

They remained against one another for quite some time. Watching the moon play on the surface of the water. Eventually, they settled on the ground with his body curled around her, with his snout pressed against her neck, planting little kisses here and there. He didn’t try anything further than that, and Fluttershy did not discourage him or encourage him. For now, she simply closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his body around her own. Of course, the gentle peace could not last. She didn’t mind, though, when he began to nip at her shoulders and neck. When he began to touch her a bit more firmly. When she could practically feel his smile against her neck as he tried to get a reaction out of her. Everything a call for attention, but for her attention in particular. She wondered if he was even pent up, if even that was just an excuse given for his behavior. When she thought about it, these sorts of antics would have any random mare or stallion melting to his touch. Still, though, he seemed to choose her to be the outlet for these affections. He did not press too far, though; he did not sink his fangs into her, did not claw her, and instead let his hands remain on her body while he nuzzled into her neck. The heat of his breath flowing from his nostrils felt like a gentle steam. At some point, though, he stopped entirely. His arms were loosely on her, his face still pressed against her neck, but she could feel that his breathing had grown steady. Warm, but calm. His weight became a bit more apparent, and the kissing had stopped. The playful little nips and bites a thing of the past as well. One of her ears twitched, and she found herself smiling as she realized that he had gone to sleep. He had been working the entire day at Applejack’s, and she wondered if he had even slept well last night. Staying still and relaxing reminded him of the stone, but now he curled around her and seemed entirely at peace. Part of her had hoped for the escalation as his kisses and his touches had brought a steady heat out into her system. Well, she supposed that it could happen at any moment and that there was no rush.

After about half an hour, though, she brought her snout under his chin to start lifting gently while she spoke softly, “Hey. Time to wake up.”

He snorted and muttered, “Hm? I wasn’t asleep.”

She chuckled, “Okay, would you like to not sleep in a bed?”

“Oh, that sounds lovely, or rather, it doesn't quite sound so lovely.” Discord said as though he were dreaming.

“Come on, let’s get you to someplace to sleep that isn’t the forest floor.” Fluttershy said while freeing herself of his coils to start pushing him with her head.

He began to float in the air and allowed himself to be pushed in a direction. Discord didn’t seem very cognizant at the moment. She would have to call it sleepwalking if anything, but she was very lucky that he seemed willing to just go wherever she pushed him. That being said, she couldn't help but smile at his mumblings. He thanked her, called her sweet and pretty in his quiet tones. There were other things he said that she couldn't understand, and sometimes he whispered in languages that she had never even heard of before. She still just kept on nudging him in the right direction, figuring that if he didn't have a bed to sleep in right now, then the least she could do was offer her own.

When she got to her cottage, she led him inside and thought about letting him rest on her couch, but instead she decided to head to her room to lead him to her bed. She could take the couch for the night, but when she thought to go, she was yanked into the bed by her tail. Fluttershy blinked as she found herself held by the draconequus. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was steady again, as if he had gone to sleep properly as soon as he touched the bed, but his grip around her remained firm enough that she found it difficult to get out of it. That being the case, it wasn’t uncomfortable. Not truly. Warmth surrounded her as he held her, and what little embarrassment she felt began to flutter away as sleep took over.

At some point, her eyes had closed, and she had promised herself it would be for just a second. Just a few seconds to rest her eyes and enjoy this lovely comfort. Then she'd slip free and go to the couch. Just a few seconds. When she opened her eyes next, however, they cracked wide open as she saw the light shining through the window illuminating the room. The birds were chirping outside, and she certainly felt well rested, but she also realized that she had let Discord sleep in her bed. She breathed out and kept herself calm. It was fine. He had been tired, and the alternative would have been either forcing him onto the couch or sleeping there herself and being slightly uncomfortable. This was better, as long as she didn't think too hard about it. With that thought, that was when she felt something firm pressing against her thighs. It felt rather larger, very large actually. She didn’t want to look down, but she also didn’t want to just ignore it, as it seemed to be twitching. Just a peek perhaps. When she looked down, she could see it on the side of her thigh. Thick and dark with a heavy shape. Embarrassment colored her mind as she found herself wondering if anyone would judge her for such a breach of conduct. Sleeping with someone in her bed felt so intimate already, and now this breach of propriety was staring her down like a weapon pointed right at her. A rather hefty one at the. It must have taken a rather sizable amount of magic to hide it. Sizable. It was simply a natural part of life. Nothing that she should be embarrassed about, nothing that she couldn’t simply brush off, and so she closed her eyes while trying not to think about it. Trying not to think about the length rubbing against her thigh. It was better to just let him sleep and wake up on his own.

That lasted for about a solid minute or so before she began to squeak while her ears pinned back and she felt warmth become overwhelming heat in her face, “Discord.”

The god of chaos yawned and leaned up, stretching his arms while he muttered, “Gracious, what a good bit of sleep that was. I got to say, not sure how I ended up here with ah, you.” He looked down at his arousal, and then at her blushing expression that she desperately wished she could hide, and he asked quietly, “Did we do anything? I can’t quite remember.”

She coughed, “No! You were sleepy, so I let you take the bed, but y-you pulled me in.”

He smiled and nestled back down to hold her, “Ah, I see.”

“Aren’t you going to take care of that?” Fluttershy asked while trying not to meet his gaze.

“Should I? Well, if you’re giving me an invitation, why not?” He said as he pushed his length against her thigh firmly.

Fluttershy gasped, “That’s not what I meant!”

Discord chuckled and kissed the top of her head, “I figured, but you never know.” Again, he stretched as he lay back on the bed to give her room, “I’ll hide it in a moment. Would you like to give it a kiss goodbye?”

To feel the warmth of his arousal on her lips. To let herself indulge in curiosity of the primal. Again, she felt embarrassment dominate her mind, but it almost felt frustrating how easy it was for her to feel embarrassed. How did he just let it hang out like that and not feel any sort of shame? It was part of the natural world, and she could very easily acknowledge that lust and sex were things that should not be ashamed of, but that did not stop her from bursting into flames as she witnessed his throbbing length.

She finally decided to voice aloud, “How are you not embarrassed?”

“Experience.” He said simply, “And well, I’ve never been quite that embarrassed about my body. Why should I be? I am a combination of all that is natural and beautiful in this world. Well, I suppose that there are some that find me ugly and strange. Many ponies look at me as though I am something weird, and I do tend to forget that I am the last of my kind. From what I understand, as well, many ponies do not interact with the other folk in Equestria, so they tend to see different features as exotic or sometimes even frightening.”

“I certainly don’t think you’re ugly. A little strange, a little different, but not ugly.” Fluttershy offered quickly.

Her eyes were not even on him but instead on the length still prodding the air. Discord put a hand on her head, and he quietly uttered what was most certainly a joke, “Want a taste?”

She found herself a little bit annoyed that he’d make a joke of all things with such a thing pointed at her, with such heat between them. He could not ask her with a serious expression, but instead of getting upset, she found herself relaxing a bit. To most ponies, he was ugly or strange. If that was the case, then he most certainly did not expect her to say yes, and would never expect that of her or push her to it. Even now she could see that he was snickering and preparing to brush her aside. Well, his words had consequences, and sometimes even risky words said with confident honesty had rewards.

“Yes.” She said while taking his words at face value, “I would like a taste. It’d make things much more comfortable for you too, I’m sure.”

He opened his mouth and blinked, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes for a bit before letting out a rare gasp as Fluttershy leaned down to plant a soft kiss on the tip of his cock. If he had asked with all of his heart and claimed that it would help him calm down, then she would have eventually said yes with such a sight before her. All it took was for her to take a moment to calm down to realize that she liked his body, that she liked him enough to do this, and that in part, this was to satisfy her own curiosity. When she thought he was serious, when she thought his lust was real without the poison of irony; Fluttershy found herself near the edge of acceptance every single time. She was only now realizing that he had trouble seeing that, or perhaps he had doubts of his own. Regardless, she showed him the reward of true honesty.

Fluttershy opened her mouth to take the head of his dick, letting the heat push against her tongue before she dipped her head down. Inch by inch, she felt that pulsing thing slide up into her maw, her tongue kissed by salt and firm heat in equal measures as she worked his member. Up and down she began to bob, struggling a bit to fit his length, but at the very least, she could get halfway before she had to come up for air. His protests and his confusion melted away as he kicked the air and groaned aloud while gripping onto her mane. The grip was tighter than she expected, his talons looping through her mane, reminding her of the primal strength he carried.

Despite his hold on her mane, there were still strands getting in the way as she bobbed her head up and down, and so she pulled back with a wet pop, a string of drool connecting her lips to the head of his shaft as she breathed out, “Could you be a dear and get a ribbon for me to tie my mane back? Mine fell off during the night, it seems.”

Discord stared at her for a moment before he snapped his digits. A ribbon appeared in his hands, one of fine green, most likely from her drawers. Instead of letting her do it herself, he collected her hair in a tail carefully, making sure that there were no strands left before tying it, while he rumbled, “Here. The perfect handlebar.”

“Huh?”

The lion’s paw that had been tenderly working with the talons to tie her hair back now had the tail of her mane gripped firmly, her mouth pressed against the tip, while Discord said softly, “If I’m a little bit too rough, please tap my thigh to let me know. Now, open wide.”

She shuddered, but hearing his earnest hunger and desire urged her mouth to part, her tongue pressing against his shaft. Slowly, he started to bring her up and down, taking his time as he used her mouth while holding on to the back of her head. He kept the pace slow when it came to moving her head, but his hips began to thrust upward, shoving his shaft into her maw. That heated length brushed against her throat, and she shut her eyes as she struggled to handle his heat. Each push provoked another little sound from her, another little reaction until she found herself gagging a bit, but she did not tap out. Gradually, she adjusted to his pace, but she noticed that he never pushed too far. If she seemed to struggle with any of his thrusts, then he’d slow down or pull back. At the same time, it didn’t seem like she’d have to wait long for him to finish.

Discord growled and huffed, uttering little curses while his cock bounced in her mouth, spraying her tongue with thin lines of liquid promising his nearing arrival. He kept on thrusting, kept on dragging her head up and down, his pace growing more intense until she had to steady herself against his thighs while he used her mouth. At the same time, she crossed her hind legs, squeezing just a bit while imagining how it would feel if she let him use this strength of his between her legs rather than in her mouth. And with one more push, he started to blow his load. He groaned as heated seed stained her tongue in heavy amounts that kept on growing the more his shaft twitched in her maw. She drank every drop that she could manage, but eventually had to pull away while gasping for air as a few more lines of that thick seed painted her cheek.

When he finished, Discord rubbed his dick against her cheek while running a set of claws through the back of her mane, “Hm, let me return the favor.”

She shuddered as she felt his digits brushing along her neck. How would it feel to have those working her cunt? How would it feel to let him toy with her like that? And yet she found herself breathing out, “W-wait, no. I didn’t do this for compensation.”

He blinked, “It isn’t compensation. I want to make you feel good too.”

Fluttershy shuddered and looked away while muttering, “I don’t know. Offering my mouth to you was simple, but having you do something in return like that almost seems like too much. It isn’t that I think it is burdensome, but rather, it's just embarrassing still.”

Discord grabbed her by the ponytail, and for a moment, she thought that he might ignore what she said. Instead, he brought her up just so he could lean down and give her lips a soft kiss. A gentle and chaste peck that ended as he hummed, “Hm, salty. You’ve got my seed on your tongue and cheek, but the thought of my fingers toying with you or my tongue inside of you is just a little bit too much?” When she nodded, he moved both of his hands to her cheeks, thumbs pressing through the fur to massage her face as he chuckled, “All right, but next time this happens, I might just force the issue. I don’t like leaving you hanging like this.”

She thought about it for a moment before she muttered, “Sorry.”

He gave her cheeks a pinch, squishing them while he grinned and put his head against hers, “Oh, hush. There’s no reason to be sorry. This was nice…Now, how about a shower before I make us some breakfast?”

Fluttershy shut her eyes and gave his mouth a gentle peck once she wrestled free of his pinching grasp. She then breathed out, “That sounds lovely.”

Settling into the shower gave her enough time to think about what she had just done and what had been offered. She didn’t regret it, but goodness did she feel embarrassed about it. The lust and heat of the moment had faded away, leaving only the realization that she had acted so brazenly. Meanwhile, Discord seemed what she could only describe as bubbly while he stood in the shower behind her. She had suggested that they could take separate showers if he’d like, but he brushed her off and led her inside. Fluttershy needed to learn how to be a bit more assertive, a bit more direct. She should have really told him that she wanted to take a shower alone so she could organize her thoughts. Honestly, though, having a bit of company in the shower felt nice. She liked the way he hummed and chuckled to himself, and she couldn’t help but smile at his jovial mood. Fluttershy did, however, have to ignore the thing hovering mere inches above her rump. It wasn’t as if he planned on using it again anytime soon, but she couldn’t help but think about it. In the peripheral of her vision, she could trace every single inch. Long and thick with a form familiar to her, and yet the shape was slightly altered from what she might expect of a stallion, no doubt due to his hybrid features. She could see it pulsing, could see it twitching and rising just a bit, even though he wasn't fully erect. He could really just grab her and put her in position, take her tail, and lift her haunches a bit before sliding in. She decided to pray to Celestia for the strength to temper those lustful thoughts and instead focused on washing herself. That was when she felt his touch at her back, his digits running through the hair of her mane all the way up to her head while he continued to hum calmly. Just what was he doing? Did he plan on grabbing hold of her mane? Of taking things further?

While her imagination ran wild, Discord's voice brought her back down, “Here, let me brush your mane for you. Such pretty locks deserve a bit of attention.”

It hadn’t even been a tease. It had just been a kind offer. She really hoped that the steam of the shower would cover her face as she breathed out, “That’d be lovely, Discord.”

Somehow, he had smuggled a brush into the shower and was now passing it through her mane. She closed her eyes and let herself relax a bit, and she found that it wasn't very hard. Accompanying the feeling of bristles passing through her hair was the feeling of his claws brushing through the rest of her mane to smooth it out. His claws would press against her body, pushing against her head and neck, digits rubbing small circles before coming down. Rarely had she ever had the opportunity to be touched like this by others, and rarely did she ever feel comfortable with the idea either. When he finished, the brush went away, and both of his hands got to work beneath her mane and against her neck and upper back, rubbing and pressing in circles that brought her into a lovely spiral, her body melting to his touch as she uttered a little sigh of joy.

She then felt his mouth near her ear whispering, “It’s cute the way you arch your back and raise your hips when I touch you like this.”

Realizing that she was giving him an unintentional show, she tried her best to correct her posture, but only found that her wings fluttered and her body remained limp and pliable as she muttered, “I should tell you to behave, but I’d rather just enjoy the massage.”

And then she felt a set of digits trail lower down her body while he hummed, “And a bit more?”

Fluttershy shuddered and breathed out, “I don’t know still.”

Instead of getting annoyed, Discord simply chuckled, “It would be too much?”

“Y-yes, but not because it’d be too far or anything like that. We’ve already done so much.” She said softly before adding, “It’s just that it would feel like I shouldn’t be accepting something like that. Like, I don’t deserve that sort of treatment.”

Discord snorted and said quietly, “Keep talking like that and I’ll have you drooling and shaking whether you say yes or no.”

Fluttershy coughed, “Discord! That’s extremely inappropriate.”

“Yes, and so is telling yourself that you don’t deserve something that I only consider fair game. Besides, all of this has been mutual. Do you hate me massaging your back? Do you not want me to kiss you, hug you, or anything else? I’ve had a relationship before Fluttershy, a very dedicated one that did not go well, and though we are simply friends, you have treated me infinitely better than she did.” And then he planted a kiss atop her head, “So don’t think of yourself as selfish, my dear, or better yet, indulge in a bit of chaos. Let yourself want and desire without restraint, and I’ll do my best to satisfy you.”

After a few seconds of simply letting the spray of water between them be the only sound, Fluttershy said softly, “And you’ll stop me if I’m too selfish?”

“Of course, my dear. I'd let you know if you said anything unfair, and in fact, I'd encourage you to air any dubious requests aloud just to see another side of you.” He said while stopping one hand just short of touching her rear.

It wouldn’t be too terrible to let him give her a bit of pleasure. Asking for it seemed like a step too far in her mind for some reason, but he had told her to be selfish. Perhaps that was just his way of corrupting her. After all, she was supposed to be a purehearted guardian of kindness. Even then, a little bit of fun would not tarnish that supposed purity, and even if it did, it might be worth it. Acknowledging she wanted it in her own thoughts and saying it aloud were two very different things, and she remained quiet while keeping her eyes shut tight. Her voice would not listen to her, and so instead she raised her hips a bit more and let her tail flick to the side, hoping that he’d get the hint and wouldn’t make her say such embarrassing things.

Discord could have said any number of things in reaction to her stance. He could have made fun of her for presenting herself so brazenly, could have teased and pushed her until she squeaked out the answer verbally and exhausted herself, but his only reaction was to chuckle. Even when she felt her head popping with steam, both born from the hot shower and the warmth of the moment; he did not say a word. Soft digits from the paw rather than the talon began to move over her rear, squeezing gently, claws withdrawn, before a single digit pressed and rolled along her flank around to her cunt. He eased his digit against her heat, tracing her entrance, toying with her nice and slowly before he began to work her clit first and foremost. She shuddered violently but managed to keep her mouth shut while he toyed with her body, while he pushed his digit against her sensitive button. His other hand held onto her side, keeping her nice and still while he toyed with her. The pace did not elicit frustration and instead brought her a steady climb of pleasure that increased further as he pressed his digit around her clit faster, as he began to steadily increase the intensity.

Just as she started to pant, as she began to feel her control slipping, he moved his finger, but only for just a little bit. She suddenly felt two of his digits slide inside of her, push deep within her to grind against her inner walls as he began a fierce set of movements that had her squeaking, “Discord, gentle!”

Despite her chiding words, Discord kept dipping his digits deep inside of her. Actually, he seemed to be speeding up as well, and Fluttershy only moaned in response while her insides were toyed with, while her body reacted to his movements with pure pleasure and delight. Her head had become a foggy mess, and even the drops of water on her body felt like sparks of electric life billowing through her but she had little time to recognize anything else except the feeling of the fingers grinding inside of her. On occasion, he’d stop to bring his fingers out, to use his digits to toy with her clit a bit before going back to railing into her. At this pace, it was not long before she could feel her insides tightening, her body growing warmer with every little movement of his digits. She nearly slipped, but Discord’s other hand kept her held in place so she would not fall, so she’d be able to stand as her climax struck her hard and she groaned.

Discord’s digits slowed their pace, pulled out before rubbing little circles against her clit while he hummed, “There, wasn’t that nice?”

A line of drool slipped from her mouth as she muttered quietly, “Delightful.”

Half honest and half sarcastic. Only sarcastic because it had been much more than delightful, and now her mind could not really seem to tell where she was or what day it was. It took a bit before she could really recall that they were in the shower, that she should be standing up and washing herself off, but her entire body felt very loose and just a bit too relaxed. If he let go of her, then she might actually slip. Eventually, the digits toying with her clit moved to her rear, squeezing before he leaned over her to embrace her gingerly. She could feel something firm on her thigh; she could tell that the action of pleasuring her had aroused him yet again, and yet she trusted him not to do anything just yet while she came down from the heat of what had happened.

Fluttershy could also recognize that the hot shower combined with the intense situation might have been a bit much for her, and that even as the fog cleared from her head she felt rather dizzy, and so she asked groggily, “Discord, can you help me wash off and get out of this steam, please?”

Discord chuckled, “What, can’t handle the heat?”

“Yes.” She said, not willing to play with him or get upset at the moment.

“Oh, I suppose playtime is over then. Here, let me help you."

And with that, he helped her wash up before he guided her out of the shower. She wobbled a bit when she got out, and had a bit of trouble drying herself, but Fluttershy at least managed that before being helped out into the living room. Outside of the steam of the shower and outside of that situation, she felt the usual sensations come back to her. Everything felt a bit more intense than what she was used to, even the air was a cool kiss against the skin beneath her fur, causing her to shiver. When she sat on the couch, she sighed and leaned against the cushions while closing her eyes, glad for the softness, glad for the comfort.

Discord planted his chin atop her head, and she looked up with one eye to see that he was craning his neck over the spine of the couch to stare at her. With a small smile she reached up with one hoof and gave his cheek a gentle pat, “I’m fine, I’m fine. Just didn’t expect the steam to hit me so hard.”

“Oh? Did you think I was worried? More curious about your condition really, but I suppose since you’re feeling just fine, I’ll go make some breakfast for us now. Instead of coffee, I think I'll fetch some orange juice instead. Something cool sounds better than something hot right now considering you were overheating just a moment ago.” Discord said with a few nods.

While he zipped away, she couldn’t help but notice something she had managed to spot before he left. She swore that she had seen a frosting of pink just beneath the fur of his cheeks. Her imagination? Maybe. Regardless, she shut her eyes and let herself rest a bit more while Discord worked in the kitchen. It didn't take long before she could smell the scent of cooked food coming from the kitchen, before she could hear the sizzle of pans. A smile on her face remained a permanent fixture as well, in part thanks to hearing the lovely song of his humming. Out of tune, and yet full of joy. Breakfast turned out to be scrambled eggs, pancakes, and a suspicious addition for Discord himself. She ate quietly and didn’t ask where he got the bacon, but she couldn’t help but eye it with her ears drawn back and a note of significant concern in her expression. There were a few pigs in her sanctuary, quite a few pigs really. Wild ones and the more domestic variety, and all of them under her care. She had to trust him, and she was starting to be able to do so bit by bit, but she really just could not help it, considering she never had bacon stocked in her home.

“Discord.” She finally began, the question hanging over the silence that followed.

Discord blinked and looked down at the bacon on his plate before looking at her, “What? Well, you were worried about my consumption of meat, so here it is.”

“Yes, but where did you get it?” She asked with genuine concern.

After a moment, he dabbed his mouth clean with a napkin and beamed, “I’ll have you know that I’ve not harmed a hair on any animal in your precious sanctuary, nor even the immediate area around your cottage. My range is much further than that, considering I have my own home to tend to.” When she remained unconvinced, he clucked his tongue and rolled his eyes before twirling a hand, a circle appearing in the air, “Look, a bit of magic, a bit of spark and I can reach right through and grab something from home. That includes.” And he paused to pull out an egg, “Various products that I have at my own home.” And then he put it back, “So you see, I’ve been good.”

She sighed and relaxed a bit while smiling, “Good. It’d be a shame to have to turn you to stone again.”

It had been in his own manner of joking, but she realized quickly that just like in his own manner, sometimes the jokes were not that funny, and her wings flared out as she covered her mouth with both hoof and feathers as she saw the change in his expression. He twitched. His claws out for a second, a twisted grimace on his face while he stared at her with eyes that wincded for a second before returning to a half-lidded normality. She wanted to take it back immediately and had to think of the best way to do it. Just a joke, but an insensitive one at that.

When she tried to say something, Discord put a hand over his hand, smoothing back his own mane while smiling just a bit. He then breathed out in a manner far too calm, “I suppose that I deserve that.”

“No!” She squeaked immediately, “That was a mean thing for me to say. I-It was supposed to be a joke, but I also realize that it was a terrible joke. One in poor taste. I really didn’t want to say something that would dig so deep or hurt you.”

Discord seemed to relax a bit, his shoulder sagging as he smiled a bit wider. He then leaned back in his seat and wagged his fork at her, “Water under the bridge, but only, I suppose, because I trust you. I don’t think you’d do something so callous over a mistake, and I think that you’d prefer to talk my ear off instead. Your friends are a different story. Who knows, you might tell one of them if I misbehaved, and there it’d go. All this lovely freedom.”

She wanted to deny that, but she knew that some part of his concern was warranted. Even then, she quietly said, “Applejack and you got along, s-so I want you to get along with the others too, and I want them to get along with you. They can be your friends, not your enemies, a-and I’ll get in the way if they try to do something dumb." She had wanted to wait a bit before telling him, but she supposed now was as good a time as ever as she said aloud, "I sent out some letters asking my friends for ideas, for things to do together with you. I'm asking them as nicely as I can to put aside whatever they think, and hoping that they'll actually try to connect with them. Just like I hope you'll try to connect with my friends."

He stared at her while scratching his cheek, “Hm, all right then. I suppose that sounds fine.”

“You’re upset.” She said quietly while her mind raced and her heart began to thump a bit faster. That answer had been far too calm.

Discord passed his hand through his mane and blew out, “A little bit. It is a terrifying prospect to think that I can just be returned to stone. Even if not all of you are in agreement, I am sure that the rest of the elements of harmony are enough to subdue me. That sword will hang over my neck anytime I spend time with the other guardians.” He looked at her and chuckled, “Oh, don’t make that face. You’ve been sweet to me and Applejack was nice enough. A bit of hard apple cider and a few laughs, and we got along well enough. So I’ll give your plan a try even if I am a bit shaken.”

Fluttershy breathed out, “Thank you, a-and I won’t stand for it if anyone mistreats you, okay?”

“Oh, you should be worried about what I’ll do instead. Imagine all the havoc I can wreak inside of the purple one’s library.” He said while winking.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, “Like what?”

“Taking all of her books and mixing their order up, or perhaps filling them with forbidden salacious novels. The story of the sun’s moan is one such book.” Discord said almost proudly.

Fluttershy snorted and held a hoof over her mouth while she stifled a chuckle at such blasphemy, “That’s not real.” When he simply looked at her with a sort of cocky, narrowed eye stare, she blinked and her hoof drifted under her chin, “Right?”

And instead of answering, he closed his eyes with a big smile and began to continue eating his breakfast. She laughed and tried to get him to answer her, but he simply kept his mouth shut. They finished breakfast, did dishes together, and stepped outside to enjoy the warmth of the sun. Fluttershy looked up at Discord as he stretched, and he seemed to smile so brightly enjoying the freedom he had been given. He had at one point perhaps deserved punishment, but right now she couldn’t even imagine him being anything more than a mild nuisance at best.

“I suppose.” He said with a sigh, “That I should be off. When your friends get back to you about what they want to do with me, all you have to do is say the word and I’ll be here.”

She hummed, “Well, I suppose I can write you a letter or tell you whenever you come around, but I don’t know where you live.”

Discord waved her off, “Bah, no need for any of that.” He then took a feather from one of his wings and he plucked it before offering it to her, “Here, my dear. Whisper against this little feather and focus very hard on yours truly, and I’ll hear your words. With any luck, I’ll soon appear.”

Fluttershy blinked as he slid the feather behind her ear, and she said softly, “O-oh, that sounds like such useful magic. Thank you. I’ll only use it if I need to. I don’t want to bother you.”

He ruffled the top of her head and snorted, “Nonsense! Bother me more! Now, bye for now, dear Fluttershy.” Discord paused then and looked at her. He craned his neck down all the way while he muttered, "One more thing before I go, though."

Their lips met for a second, for a stolen kiss that she did not mind as she felt warmth flooding her. When their mouths separated, she whispered against his lips, "Until next time."

And with that, he waved while flying away. Fluttershy peered up to look at the feather behind her ear, and she took it in her hoof to look at it with a small smile before she placed it back behind her ear. Perhaps she should make it into an accessory of some sort to keep it safe and on her at all times. She didn’t really have the skill for something like that, but she knew just the pony to look to for this sort of thing. With that in mind, she made her plans to go visit Ponyville. When she entered her home, she found that she was floating just above the ground in a flutter. She couldn't help herself. Fluttershy felt light, oh so very light. His touch had been gentle when necessary, and demanding at other times in a way that made her shake even now. She wouldn't have even minded if he had been even more demanding, or rough, even. The weight of the feather behind her ear as well was a constant reminder of that last kiss they had shared there, her heart beating just a bit faster. She would cherish both the gift of his feather and the gift of every single kiss given to her by her new friend.

Settling into the shower gave her enough time to think about what she had just done and what had been offered. She didn’t regret it, but goodness did she feel embarrassed about it. The lust and heat of the moment had faded away, leaving only the realization that she had acted so brazenly. Meanwhile, Discord seemed what she could only describe as bubbly while he stood in the shower behind her. She had suggested that they could take separate showers if he’d like, but he brushed her off and led her inside. Fluttershy needed to learn how to be a bit more assertive, a bit more direct. She should have really told him that she wanted to take a shower alone so she could organize her thoughts. Honestly, though, having a bit of company in the shower felt nice. She liked the way he hummed and chuckled to himself, and she couldn’t help but smile at his jovial mood. Fluttershy did, however, have to ignore the thing hovering mere inches above her rump. It wasn’t as if he planned on using it again anytime soon, but she couldn’t help but think about it. In the peripheral of her vision, she could trace every single inch. Long and thick with a form familiar to her, and yet the shape was slightly altered from what she might expect of a stallion, no doubt due to his hybrid features. She could see it pulsing, could see it twitching and rising just a bit, even though he wasn't fully erect. He could really just grab her and put her in position, take her tail, and lift her haunches a bit before sliding in. She decided to pray to Celestia for the strength to temper those lustful thoughts and instead focused on washing herself. That was when she felt his touch at her back, his digits running through the hair of her mane all the way up to her head while he continued to hum calmly. Just what was he doing? Did he plan on grabbing hold of her mane? Of taking things further?

While her imagination ran wild, Discord's voice brought her back down, “Here, let me brush your mane for you. Such pretty locks deserve a bit of attention.”

It hadn’t even been a tease. It had just been a kind offer. She really hoped that the steam of the shower would cover her face as she breathed out, “That’d be lovely, Discord.”

Somehow, he had smuggled a brush into the shower and was now passing it through her mane. She closed her eyes and let herself relax a bit, and she found that it wasn't very hard. Accompanying the feeling of bristles passing through her hair was the feeling of his claws brushing through the rest of her mane to smooth it out. His claws would press against her body, pushing against her head and neck, digits rubbing small circles before coming down. Rarely had she ever had the opportunity to be touched like this by others, and rarely did she ever feel comfortable with the idea either. When he finished, the brush went away, and both of his hands got to work beneath her mane and against her neck and upper back, rubbing and pressing in circles that brought her into a lovely spiral, her body melting to his touch as she uttered a little sigh of joy.

She then felt his mouth near her ear whispering, “It’s cute the way you arch your back and raise your hips when I touch you like this.”

Realizing that she was giving him an unintentional show, she tried her best to correct her posture, but only found that her wings fluttered and her body remained limp and pliable as she muttered, “I should tell you to behave, but I’d rather just enjoy the massage.”

And then she felt a set of digits trail lower down her body while he hummed, “And a bit more?”

Fluttershy shuddered and breathed out, “I don’t know still.”

Instead of getting annoyed, Discord simply chuckled, “It would be too much?”

“Y-yes, but not because it’d be too far or anything like that. We’ve already done so much.” She said softly before adding, “It’s just that it would feel like I shouldn’t be accepting something like that. Like, I don’t deserve that sort of treatment.”

Discord snorted and said quietly, “Keep talking like that and I’ll have you drooling and shaking whether you say yes or no.”

Fluttershy coughed, “Discord! That’s extremely inappropriate.”

“Yes, and so is telling yourself that you don’t deserve something that I only consider fair game. Besides, all of this has been mutual. Do you hate me massaging your back? Do you not want me to kiss you, hug you, or anything else? I’ve had a relationship before Fluttershy, a very dedicated one that did not go well, and though we are simply friends, you have treated me infinitely better than she did.” And then he planted a kiss atop her head, “So don’t think of yourself as selfish, my dear, or better yet, indulge in a bit of chaos. Let yourself want and desire without restraint, and I’ll do my best to satisfy you.”

After a few seconds of simply letting the spray of water between them be the only sound, Fluttershy said softly, “And you’ll stop me if I’m too selfish?”

“Of course, my dear. I'd let you know if you said anything unfair, and in fact, I'd encourage you to air any dubious requests aloud just to see another side of you.” He said while stopping one hand just short of touching her rear.

It wouldn’t be too terrible to let him give her a bit of pleasure. Asking for it seemed like a step too far in her mind for some reason, but he had told her to be selfish. Perhaps that was just his way of corrupting her. After all, she was supposed to be a purehearted guardian of kindness. Even then, a little bit of fun would not tarnish that supposed purity, and even if it did, it might be worth it. Acknowledging she wanted it in her own thoughts and saying it aloud were two very different things, and she remained quiet while keeping her eyes shut tight. Her voice would not listen to her, and so instead she raised her hips a bit more and let her tail flick to the side, hoping that he’d get the hint and wouldn’t make her say such embarrassing things.

Discord could have said any number of things in reaction to her stance. He could have made fun of her for presenting herself so brazenly, could have teased and pushed her until she squeaked out the answer verbally and exhausted herself, but his only reaction was to chuckle. Even when she felt her head popping with steam, both born from the hot shower and the warmth of the moment; he did not say a word. Soft digits from the paw rather than the talon began to move over her rear, squeezing gently, claws withdrawn, before a single digit pressed and rolled along her flank around to her cunt. He eased his digit against her heat, tracing her entrance, toying with her nice and slowly before he began to work her clit first and foremost. She shuddered violently but managed to keep her mouth shut while he toyed with her body, while he pushed his digit against her sensitive button. His other hand held onto her side, keeping her nice and still while he toyed with her. The pace did not elicit frustration and instead brought her a steady climb of pleasure that increased further as he pressed his digit around her clit faster, as he began to steadily increase the intensity.

Just as she started to pant, as she began to feel her control slipping, he moved his finger, but only for just a little bit. She suddenly felt two of his digits slide inside of her, push deep within her to grind against her inner walls as he began a fierce set of movements that had her squeaking, “Discord, gentle!”

Despite her chiding words, Discord kept dipping his digits deep inside of her. Actually, he seemed to be speeding up as well, and Fluttershy only moaned in response while her insides were toyed with, while her body reacted to his movements with pure pleasure and delight. Her head had become a foggy mess, and even the drops of water on her body felt like sparks of electric life billowing through her but she had little time to recognize anything else except the feeling of the fingers grinding inside of her. On occasion, he’d stop to bring his fingers out, to use his digits to toy with her clit a bit before going back to railing into her. At this pace, it was not long before she could feel her insides tightening, her body growing warmer with every little movement of his digits. She nearly slipped, but Discord’s other hand kept her held in place so she would not fall, so she’d be able to stand as her climax struck her hard and she groaned.

Discord’s digits slowed their pace, pulled out before rubbing little circles against her clit while he hummed, “There, wasn’t that nice?”

A line of drool slipped from her mouth as she muttered quietly, “Delightful.”

Half honest and half sarcastic. Only sarcastic because it had been much more than delightful, and now her mind could not really seem to tell where she was or what day it was. It took a bit before she could really recall that they were in the shower, that she should be standing up and washing herself off, but her entire body felt very loose and just a bit too relaxed. If he let go of her, then she might actually slip. Eventually, the digits toying with her clit moved to her rear, squeezing before he leaned over her to embrace her gingerly. She could feel something firm on her thigh; she could tell that the action of pleasuring her had aroused him yet again, and yet she trusted him not to do anything just yet while she came down from the heat of what had happened.

Fluttershy could also recognize that the hot shower combined with the intense situation might have been a bit much for her, and that even as the fog cleared from her head she felt rather dizzy, and so she asked groggily, “Discord, can you help me wash off and get out of this steam, please?”

Discord chuckled, “What, can’t handle the heat?”

“Yes.” She said, not willing to play with him or get upset at the moment.

“Oh, I suppose playtime is over then. Here, let me help you."

And with that, he helped her wash up before he guided her out of the shower. She wobbled a bit when she got out, and had a bit of trouble drying herself, but Fluttershy at least managed that before being helped out into the living room. Outside of the steam of the shower and outside of that situation, she felt the usual sensations come back to her. Everything felt a bit more intense than what she was used to, even the air was a cool kiss against the skin beneath her fur, causing her to shiver. When she sat on the couch, she sighed and leaned against the cushions while closing her eyes, glad for the softness, glad for the comfort.

Discord planted his chin atop her head, and she looked up with one eye to see that he was craning his neck over the spine of the couch to stare at her. With a small smile she reached up with one hoof and gave his cheek a gentle pat, “I’m fine, I’m fine. Just didn’t expect the steam to hit me so hard.”

“Oh? Did you think I was worried? More curious about your condition really, but I suppose since you’re feeling just fine, I’ll go make some breakfast for us now. Instead of coffee, I think I'll fetch some orange juice instead. Something cool sounds better than something hot right now considering you were overheating just a moment ago.” Discord said with a few nods.

While he zipped away, she couldn’t help but notice something she had managed to spot before he left. She swore that she had seen a frosting of pink just beneath the fur of his cheeks. Her imagination? Maybe. Regardless, she shut her eyes and let herself rest a bit more while Discord worked in the kitchen. It didn't take long before she could smell the scent of cooked food coming from the kitchen, before she could hear the sizzle of pans. A smile on her face remained a permanent fixture as well, in part thanks to hearing the lovely song of his humming. Out of tune, and yet full of joy. Breakfast turned out to be scrambled eggs, pancakes, and a suspicious addition for Discord himself. She ate quietly and didn’t ask where he got the bacon, but she couldn’t help but eye it with her ears drawn back and a note of significant concern in her expression. There were a few pigs in her sanctuary, quite a few pigs really. Wild ones and the more domestic variety, and all of them under her care. She had to trust him, and she was starting to be able to do so bit by bit, but she really just could not help it, considering she never had bacon stocked in her home.

“Discord.” She finally began, the question hanging over the silence that followed.

Discord blinked and looked down at the bacon on his plate before looking at her, “What? Well, you were worried about my consumption of meat, so here it is.”

“Yes, but where did you get it?” She asked with genuine concern.

After a moment, he dabbed his mouth clean with a napkin and beamed, “I’ll have you know that I’ve not harmed a hair on any animal in your precious sanctuary, nor even the immediate area around your cottage. My range is much further than that, considering I have my own home to tend to.” When she remained unconvinced, he clucked his tongue and rolled his eyes before twirling a hand, a circle appearing in the air, “Look, a bit of magic, a bit of spark and I can reach right through and grab something from home. That includes.” And he paused to pull out an egg, “Various products that I have at my own home.” And then he put it back, “So you see, I’ve been good.”

She sighed and relaxed a bit while smiling, “Good. It’d be a shame to have to turn you to stone again.”

It had been in his own manner of joking, but she realized quickly that just like in his own manner, sometimes the jokes were not that funny, and her wings flared out as she covered her mouth with both hoof and feathers as she saw the change in his expression. He twitched. His claws out for a second, a twisted grimace on his face while he stared at her with eyes that wincded for a second before returning to a half-lidded normality. She wanted to take it back immediately and had to think of the best way to do it. Just a joke, but an insensitive one at that.

When she tried to say something, Discord put a hand over his hand, smoothing back his own mane while smiling just a bit. He then breathed out in a manner far too calm, “I suppose that I deserve that.”

“No!” She squeaked immediately, “That was a mean thing for me to say. I-It was supposed to be a joke, but I also realize that it was a terrible joke. One in poor taste. I really didn’t want to say something that would dig so deep or hurt you.”

Discord seemed to relax a bit, his shoulder sagging as he smiled a bit wider. He then leaned back in his seat and wagged his fork at her, “Water under the bridge, but only, I suppose, because I trust you. I don’t think you’d do something so callous over a mistake, and I think that you’d prefer to talk my ear off instead. Your friends are a different story. Who knows, you might tell one of them if I misbehaved, and there it’d go. All this lovely freedom.”

She wanted to deny that, but she knew that some part of his concern was warranted. Even then, she quietly said, “Applejack and you got along, s-so I want you to get along with the others too, and I want them to get along with you. They can be your friends, not your enemies, a-and I’ll get in the way if they try to do something dumb." She had wanted to wait a bit before telling him, but she supposed now was as good a time as ever as she said aloud, "I sent out some letters asking my friends for ideas, for things to do together with you. I'm asking them as nicely as I can to put aside whatever they think, and hoping that they'll actually try to connect with them. Just like I hope you'll try to connect with my friends."

He stared at her while scratching his cheek, “Hm, all right then. I suppose that sounds fine.”

“You’re upset.” She said quietly while her mind raced and her heart began to thump a bit faster. That answer had been far too calm.

Discord passed his hand through his mane and blew out, “A little bit. It is a terrifying prospect to think that I can just be returned to stone. Even if not all of you are in agreement, I am sure that the rest of the elements of harmony are enough to subdue me. That sword will hang over my neck anytime I spend time with the other guardians.” He looked at her and chuckled, “Oh, don’t make that face. You’ve been sweet to me and Applejack was nice enough. A bit of hard apple cider and a few laughs, and we got along well enough. So I’ll give your plan a try even if I am a bit shaken.”

Fluttershy breathed out, “Thank you, a-and I won’t stand for it if anyone mistreats you, okay?”

“Oh, you should be worried about what I’ll do instead. Imagine all the havoc I can wreak inside of the purple one’s library.” He said while winking.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, “Like what?”

“Taking all of her books and mixing their order up, or perhaps filling them with forbidden salacious novels. The story of the sun’s moan is one such book.” Discord said almost proudly.

Fluttershy snorted and held a hoof over her mouth while she stifled a chuckle at such blasphemy, “That’s not real.” When he simply looked at her with a sort of cocky, narrowed eye stare, she blinked and her hoof drifted under her chin, “Right?”

And instead of answering, he closed his eyes with a big smile and began to continue eating his breakfast. She laughed and tried to get him to answer her, but he simply kept his mouth shut. They finished breakfast, did dishes together, and stepped outside to enjoy the warmth of the sun. Fluttershy looked up at Discord as he stretched, and he seemed to smile so brightly enjoying the freedom he had been given. He had at one point perhaps deserved punishment, but right now she couldn’t even imagine him being anything more than a mild nuisance at best.

“I suppose.” He said with a sigh, “That I should be off. When your friends get back to you about what they want to do with me, all you have to do is say the word and I’ll be here.”

She hummed, “Well, I suppose I can write you a letter or tell you whenever you come around, but I don’t know where you live.”

Discord waved her off, “Bah, no need for any of that.” He then took a feather from one of his wings and he plucked it before offering it to her, “Here, my dear. Whisper against this little feather and focus very hard on yours truly, and I’ll hear your words. With any luck, I’ll soon appear.”

Fluttershy blinked as he slid the feather behind her ear, and she said softly, “O-oh, that sounds like such useful magic. Thank you. I’ll only use it if I need to. I don’t want to bother you.”

He ruffled the top of her head and snorted, “Nonsense! Bother me more! Now, bye for now, dear Fluttershy.” Discord paused then and looked at her. He craned his neck down all the way while he muttered, "One more thing before I go, though."

Their lips met for a second, for a stolen kiss that she did not mind as she felt warmth flooding her. When their mouths separated, she whispered against his lips, "Until next time."

And with that, he waved while flying away. Fluttershy peered up to look at the feather behind her ear, and she took it in her hoof to look at it with a small smile before she placed it back behind her ear. Perhaps she should make it into an accessory of some sort to keep it safe and on her at all times. She didn’t really have the skill for something like that, but she knew just the pony to look to for this sort of thing. With that in mind, she made her plans to go visit Ponyville. When she entered her home, she found that she was floating just above the ground in a flutter. She couldn't help herself. Fluttershy felt light, oh so very light. His touch had been gentle when necessary, and demanding at other times in a way that made her shake even now. She wouldn't have even minded if he had been even more demanding, or rough, even. The weight of the feather behind her ear as well was a constant reminder of that last kiss they had shared there, her heart beating just a bit faster. She would cherish both the gift of his feather and the gift of every single kiss given to her by her new friend.

The lightness of her heart did not cease for quite a bit. Fluttershy stored the feather carefully in a bag alongside something else fairly special, and she slung it over a shoulder before she made her way through the forest toward Ponyville. She preferred to walk rather than fly to enjoy her connection to the earth, but that wasn't the only reason she took her sweet time with the trip. As small a town as it was, Ponyville was still much more populated than the forest, and she usually felt anxious about that. So many different ponies, so many different voices and personalities, and yet, as she reached the edge of town, she found that she walked with an unusual confidence. Ears up, and her trot kept at a steady pace. There were a few eyes looking her way, but she didn’t seem to mind one bit as she headed to Rarity’s store. The Carousel Boutique was her dear friend’s passion. Rarity worked hard as a seamstress and fashionista. Typically, she didn’t often visit for business, but for something this special, she figured that this was the best option. When she stepped through the door, she found Rarity on the other side, humming to herself while dressing up the standing figure of a pony doll, needles in her mouth and a few floating in the air. The white mare was a unicorn with a lovely purple mane and a set of gemstones as her cutie mark.

“I’ll be with you in a moment, darling.” She said while tilting her head from side to side, but then when she saw Fluttershy in the corner of her vision, she turned fully and the needles all fell, “Ah! Never mind all that, I’ll be with you immediately.”

Fluttershy chuckled and approached her friend, “You don’t have to stop what you were doing. Please, I’ve got time.”

Rarity clucked her tongue and lifted her chin, “Nonsense! My designs can wait a little bit for one of my dear friends. Now, is it about the contents of the letter you sent? I have some ideas, but I’d like some time to mull over them.”

She shook her head and motioned toward her pack with a wing, “No, I ah, came for business actually. I have something that I’d like you to make an accessory for me.”

“Oh! Accessorizing!” She said excitedly before she thrust her head to the side dramatically, “And as for business, no my dear, consider this my pleasure! You’ve been my model plenty of times, so we can consider us even if you'd like.”

Fluttershy cleared her throat, “O-oh, thank you. W-well, if you’re sure then. I wasn't really sure if I could do it myself. I wouldn't want to waste such a precious gift, so uh, here I am.”

She then took Discord’s blue feather from her pack and offered it up in her mouth. Rarity’s magic passed over the feather, a sparkle of violet shimmering around it as the feather was brought into the air. At the same time, Rarity hummed, “Gracious, what a pretty feather! Not one that I’m familiar with.” She then giggled, “Fluttershy, you devious animal. Whose the lucky stallion, or mare for that matter?”

It took a moment before she caught her understanding, and Fluttershy simply chuckled, “Oh no, it isn’t that. Discord gave me one of his feathers so I can keep in touch with him. He said I can use it to call him, and I thought I should keep it on me at all times.”

Rarity stared at her, brow raised, a growing smile on her face while she spoke, “Oh, really? He gave you one of his feathers? I figure such a being awash with magic would choose something a bit less brazen.”

Still not fully understanding her meaning, Fluttershy then took another feather from her pack, a feather from her own wing that Rarity soon had floating next to Discord’s, “I’d like to get him something too, if possible. I don’t know what’d look good on a boy, let alone a draconequus. If you could help with that too then that’d be wonderful.”

For a second, Rarity continued to stare at her until she burst into a bout of giggling, “I see! Well, let’s get you in front of a mirror. I’ll handle Discord’s feather first, and then I’ll handle yours.”

Fluttershy tilted her head, not quite understanding what was so funny, but simply said, “Okay.”

Rarity seemed to be in a very good mood, giggling and even blushing a bit. It wasn’t from a stallion, so was she bubbly? Before she had a chance to ask a question, her body was yanked into position in front of a tall mirror, and Rarity began to angle the feather against different parts of her body. Rarity’s giggling had subsided for now and had been replaced by little hums and other vocalizations as the dandy mare visualized what would look good on her.

“So, I have some ideas already, but let’s talk. Would you like to wear this close to your heart? Maybe as a necklace? Or would you prefer it as an earring? Or something else even?” Rarity began.

“Hm, w-well, I guess a necklace might look good on me.” Fluttershy answered softly.

Rarity beamed, “Oh yes, I’m sure that’ll look fantastic, but while I come up with some ideas.” She paused while using her magic to place the feather against Fluttershy’s throat softly, “Tell me, has he been good to you? He hasn’t hurt you, has he?”

Fluttershy smiled, “No. I mean, he was a bit annoying and, well, inappropriate, but he’s been improving and surprisingly sweet." And her smile brightened a bit, her cheeks warming as she continued to gush, "He even stuck up for me in an argument with Twilight. I’m surprised. All it takes is a nudge in the right direction, and he’s more than willing to be good. A-and well, I guess he is a little bit funny.”

“Mhm, and you want to give a feather of yours to him as a piece of jewelry, perhaps as a bracelet for that feline arm of his?” Rarity said while holding up the other feather.

“Oh, that’d be fantastic!” Fluttershy said while her ears perked up.

Rarity giggled again, “Fluttershy, I know that you’re more earthly than other pegasi, so perhaps you don’t know, and well, what I’m about to talk about is a bit old-fashioned, but you do know the significance behind exchanging feathers with someone, yes?”

Fluttershy blinked, “Huh?”

The fashionista sighed happily and leaned over her, cheek against her cheek as she cooed, “While it isn't something that you'd see out of a young couple, it is still a romantic gesture. An age-old tradition still practiced by some to this day in order to impress their special someone. A feather given, a feather received, a proposal and confession of love!”

The more Rarity spoke, the more Fluttershy felt her cheeks burning up until she brought her cheek away and blurted, “That’s not what either of us meant at all! At most, just a sign of friendship, very good friendship because I do trust him to do his best, and he has been a delight, and I want to give him something to show that I do trust him so I figured a feather would make sense.”

Rarity simply looked at her with a small smile, and she hummed while trotting away a few steps, “Oh? I only said what the meaning was behind the gesture. That it was an archaic thing, darling. Not that either of you meant for it to mean such a thing. Although such an old soul like Discord would certainly know if it was a practice in ancient times. Ah, forbidden love. A personal favorite of mine." Rarity embraced her gently from behind, their cheeks pressed together while she whispered, "Twilight has let me borrow a few books with that sort of thing, would you like to read some?”

She opened her mouth, unsure of what to say, before she muttered, “So she does have books like that.” And then she shook her head, “W-wait, no. I’d rather not.”

The unicorn giggled as she trotted away, leaving Fluttershy to follow. They entered another room and Rarity stopped at a desk, magic working to open drawers while she raised her hoof, “All I’m saying is that there’s nothing wrong with a flight of fancy. I had my doubts about you, but now knowing about how things are progressing, I can certainly see why you came in all a flutter when you’re usually so grounded. Why, you were practically floating.” Fluttershy opened her mouth to say something, and Rarity interrupted, “And I know that you're telling me that it isn't love. And you’re not planning on letting your hearts sing in such ways. So let’s just say that I’m very glad that this friendship of yours is working out and that Discord is proving to be a gentleman in certain terms.”

Fluttershy eventually gave up and sat while breathing out a simple, “All right then.”

After that bit of embarrassment, Rarity began working on the feathers to make them into accessories. Fluttershy wondered if he’d take it wrong if she gave him an accessory made of her feather, and wondered if he did know. Had he handed her his feather with the intention of flirting with her in a romantic sense? The thought made her cheeks burn bright and her head grow fuzzy, but it wasn’t exactly an unpleasant thought. She didn’t like him like that, and part of her figured that she still shouldn’t like him like that, but maybe it was kind of interesting to think about. Maybe she should borrow one of those books.

Stuck in her thoughts, she found herself surprised when Rarity exclaimed, “And here we are!”

“O-oh, done already?” She asked while blinking.

Rarity placed a hoof on her own chest while huffing proudly, “Hah, making these pretty things into accessories was quite easy. I might make some more adjustments here and there if you’re ever around again, but here.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened as a silver chain in the shape of a vine curled around her neck with the feather hanging at the center by a black connection of some sort. She put her hoof up to the feather and found that the material had been stiffened a bit, protected by a spell. It looked pretty and didn’t hang too low. It almost fit her like a choker. She certainly did feel pretty wearing it, and she beamed so happily while looking at herself in a small mirror Rarity had brought up.

Softly, Rarity began to say, “And here, for Discord.” A bracelet was brought in the air of stringed beads with her feather connecting it. Rarity used her magic to place it gingerly in a little case while she asked, “Are these satisfactory?”

She embraced Rarity and beamed, “Thank you.”

Rarity chuckled, “It isn’t a problem, my darling friend. Consider this an apology as well, for not being there for you the other day. I still have my doubts, but it seems you’re doing well, and I should be more supportive, so send your boyfriend on over, and I’ll find something for him to do.”

Fluttershy opened her mouth to express her thanks before she blew out, “T-that’s not what he is, but I’ll be sure to send him on over.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Rarity said with a coy smile, turning around as she hummed aloud, “Perhaps I’ll have to see what forbidden delights I can tease out of him.”

“Rarity!” She said, dismayed.

Rarity laughed, “Relax darling, I’m not about to jump the bone of a man I haven’t met just yet. I mean, first he’d have to prove himself a bit.”

Fluttershy’s cheeks burned while she closed the case and put it in her bag, “R-right, anyway. I uh, I’m gonna go now. Thanks for everything.”

When Fluttershy turned around, Rarity moved to her side and gave her cheek a gentle nudge with her own while she said softly, “Oh I’m just teasing. Good luck with everything dear, and if you need anything, you know where to find me.”

Smiling, relaxing a bit, Fluttershy returned the nudge and sighed, “Okay.”

Rarity embraced her once more, a tight hug that knocked the wind out of her. Fluttershy felt her cheeks warm as she heard Rarity giggling near her ear, and when they separated, she saw that Rarity had a smirk on her face. Yet again, she wanted to deny whatever it was that was on Rarity's mind, but she also didn't want to get into it again. Instead, she thanked the mare once more for her help and then turned away to leave. When she got out of Rarity’s store, part of her still felt flustered from the conversation, but the other part of her felt nothing but joy. She had a trinket given to her by a friend, one that held a special power. A symbol of their growing bond that she would cherish. She just hoped that he would love a bracelet made out of one of her measly feathers.

The lightness of her heart did not cease for quite a bit. Fluttershy stored the feather carefully in a bag alongside something else fairly special, and she slung it over a shoulder before she made her way through the forest toward Ponyville. She preferred to walk rather than fly to enjoy her connection to the earth, but that wasn't the only reason she took her sweet time with the trip. As small a town as it was, Ponyville was still much more populated than the forest, and she usually felt anxious about that. So many different ponies, so many different voices and personalities, and yet, as she reached the edge of town, she found that she walked with an unusual confidence. Ears up, and her trot kept at a steady pace. There were a few eyes looking her way, but she didn’t seem to mind one bit as she headed to Rarity’s store. The Carousel Boutique was her dear friend’s passion. Rarity worked hard as a seamstress and fashionista. Typically, she didn’t often visit for business, but for something this special, she figured that this was the best option. When she stepped through the door, she found Rarity on the other side, humming to herself while dressing up the standing figure of a pony doll, needles in her mouth and a few floating in the air. The white mare was a unicorn with a lovely purple mane and a set of gemstones as her cutie mark.

“I’ll be with you in a moment, darling.” She said while tilting her head from side to side, but then when she saw Fluttershy in the corner of her vision, she turned fully and the needles all fell, “Ah! Never mind all that, I’ll be with you immediately.”

Fluttershy chuckled and approached her friend, “You don’t have to stop what you were doing. Please, I’ve got time.”

Rarity clucked her tongue and lifted her chin, “Nonsense! My designs can wait a little bit for one of my dear friends. Now, is it about the contents of the letter you sent? I have some ideas, but I’d like some time to mull over them.”

She shook her head and motioned toward her pack with a wing, “No, I ah, came for business actually. I have something that I’d like you to make an accessory for me.”

“Oh! Accessorizing!” She said excitedly before she thrust her head to the side dramatically, “And as for business, no my dear, consider this my pleasure! You’ve been my model plenty of times, so we can consider us even if you'd like.”

Fluttershy cleared her throat, “O-oh, thank you. W-well, if you’re sure then. I wasn't really sure if I could do it myself. I wouldn't want to waste such a precious gift, so uh, here I am.”

She then took Discord’s blue feather from her pack and offered it up in her mouth. Rarity’s magic passed over the feather, a sparkle of violet shimmering around it as the feather was brought into the air. At the same time, Rarity hummed, “Gracious, what a pretty feather! Not one that I’m familiar with.” She then giggled, “Fluttershy, you devious animal. Whose the lucky stallion, or mare for that matter?”

It took a moment before she caught her understanding, and Fluttershy simply chuckled, “Oh no, it isn’t that. Discord gave me one of his feathers so I can keep in touch with him. He said I can use it to call him, and I thought I should keep it on me at all times.”

Rarity stared at her, brow raised, a growing smile on her face while she spoke, “Oh, really? He gave you one of his feathers? I figure such a being awash with magic would choose something a bit less brazen.”

Still not fully understanding her meaning, Fluttershy then took another feather from her pack, a feather from her own wing that Rarity soon had floating next to Discord’s, “I’d like to get him something too, if possible. I don’t know what’d look good on a boy, let alone a draconequus. If you could help with that too then that’d be wonderful.”

For a second, Rarity continued to stare at her until she burst into a bout of giggling, “I see! Well, let’s get you in front of a mirror. I’ll handle Discord’s feather first, and then I’ll handle yours.”

Fluttershy tilted her head, not quite understanding what was so funny, but simply said, “Okay.”

Rarity seemed to be in a very good mood, giggling and even blushing a bit. It wasn’t from a stallion, so was she bubbly? Before she had a chance to ask a question, her body was yanked into position in front of a tall mirror, and Rarity began to angle the feather against different parts of her body. Rarity’s giggling had subsided for now and had been replaced by little hums and other vocalizations as the dandy mare visualized what would look good on her.

“So, I have some ideas already, but let’s talk. Would you like to wear this close to your heart? Maybe as a necklace? Or would you prefer it as an earring? Or something else even?” Rarity began.

“Hm, w-well, I guess a necklace might look good on me.” Fluttershy answered softly.

Rarity beamed, “Oh yes, I’m sure that’ll look fantastic, but while I come up with some ideas.” She paused while using her magic to place the feather against Fluttershy’s throat softly, “Tell me, has he been good to you? He hasn’t hurt you, has he?”

Fluttershy smiled, “No. I mean, he was a bit annoying and, well, inappropriate, but he’s been improving and surprisingly sweet." And her smile brightened a bit, her cheeks warming as she continued to gush, "He even stuck up for me in an argument with Twilight. I’m surprised. All it takes is a nudge in the right direction, and he’s more than willing to be good. A-and well, I guess he is a little bit funny.”

“Mhm, and you want to give a feather of yours to him as a piece of jewelry, perhaps as a bracelet for that feline arm of his?” Rarity said while holding up the other feather.

“Oh, that’d be fantastic!” Fluttershy said while her ears perked up.

Rarity giggled again, “Fluttershy, I know that you’re more earthly than other pegasi, so perhaps you don’t know, and well, what I’m about to talk about is a bit old-fashioned, but you do know the significance behind exchanging feathers with someone, yes?”

Fluttershy blinked, “Huh?”

The fashionista sighed happily and leaned over her, cheek against her cheek as she cooed, “While it isn't something that you'd see out of a young couple, it is still a romantic gesture. An age-old tradition still practiced by some to this day in order to impress their special someone. A feather given, a feather received, a proposal and confession of love!”

The more Rarity spoke, the more Fluttershy felt her cheeks burning up until she brought her cheek away and blurted, “That’s not what either of us meant at all! At most, just a sign of friendship, very good friendship because I do trust him to do his best, and he has been a delight, and I want to give him something to show that I do trust him so I figured a feather would make sense.”

Rarity simply looked at her with a small smile, and she hummed while trotting away a few steps, “Oh? I only said what the meaning was behind the gesture. That it was an archaic thing, darling. Not that either of you meant for it to mean such a thing. Although such an old soul like Discord would certainly know if it was a practice in ancient times. Ah, forbidden love. A personal favorite of mine." Rarity embraced her gently from behind, their cheeks pressed together while she whispered, "Twilight has let me borrow a few books with that sort of thing, would you like to read some?”

She opened her mouth, unsure of what to say, before she muttered, “So she does have books like that.” And then she shook her head, “W-wait, no. I’d rather not.”

The unicorn giggled as she trotted away, leaving Fluttershy to follow. They entered another room and Rarity stopped at a desk, magic working to open drawers while she raised her hoof, “All I’m saying is that there’s nothing wrong with a flight of fancy. I had my doubts about you, but now knowing about how things are progressing, I can certainly see why you came in all a flutter when you’re usually so grounded. Why, you were practically floating.” Fluttershy opened her mouth to say something, and Rarity interrupted, “And I know that you're telling me that it isn't love. And you’re not planning on letting your hearts sing in such ways. So let’s just say that I’m very glad that this friendship of yours is working out and that Discord is proving to be a gentleman in certain terms.”

Fluttershy eventually gave up and sat while breathing out a simple, “All right then.”

After that bit of embarrassment, Rarity began working on the feathers to make them into accessories. Fluttershy wondered if he’d take it wrong if she gave him an accessory made of her feather, and wondered if he did know. Had he handed her his feather with the intention of flirting with her in a romantic sense? The thought made her cheeks burn bright and her head grow fuzzy, but it wasn’t exactly an unpleasant thought. She didn’t like him like that, and part of her figured that she still shouldn’t like him like that, but maybe it was kind of interesting to think about. Maybe she should borrow one of those books.

Stuck in her thoughts, she found herself surprised when Rarity exclaimed, “And here we are!”

“O-oh, done already?” She asked while blinking.

Rarity placed a hoof on her own chest while huffing proudly, “Hah, making these pretty things into accessories was quite easy. I might make some more adjustments here and there if you’re ever around again, but here.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened as a silver chain in the shape of a vine curled around her neck with the feather hanging at the center by a black connection of some sort. She put her hoof up to the feather and found that the material had been stiffened a bit, protected by a spell. It looked pretty and didn’t hang too low. It almost fit her like a choker. She certainly did feel pretty wearing it, and she beamed so happily while looking at herself in a small mirror Rarity had brought up.

Softly, Rarity began to say, “And here, for Discord.” A bracelet was brought in the air of stringed beads with her feather connecting it. Rarity used her magic to place it gingerly in a little case while she asked, “Are these satisfactory?”

She embraced Rarity and beamed, “Thank you.”

Rarity chuckled, “It isn’t a problem, my darling friend. Consider this an apology as well, for not being there for you the other day. I still have my doubts, but it seems you’re doing well, and I should be more supportive, so send your boyfriend on over, and I’ll find something for him to do.”

Fluttershy opened her mouth to express her thanks before she blew out, “T-that’s not what he is, but I’ll be sure to send him on over.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Rarity said with a coy smile, turning around as she hummed aloud, “Perhaps I’ll have to see what forbidden delights I can tease out of him.”

“Rarity!” She said, dismayed.

Rarity laughed, “Relax darling, I’m not about to jump the bone of a man I haven’t met just yet. I mean, first he’d have to prove himself a bit.”

Fluttershy’s cheeks burned while she closed the case and put it in her bag, “R-right, anyway. I uh, I’m gonna go now. Thanks for everything.”

When Fluttershy turned around, Rarity moved to her side and gave her cheek a gentle nudge with her own while she said softly, “Oh I’m just teasing. Good luck with everything dear, and if you need anything, you know where to find me.”

Smiling, relaxing a bit, Fluttershy returned the nudge and sighed, “Okay.”

Rarity embraced her once more, a tight hug that knocked the wind out of her. Fluttershy felt her cheeks warm as she heard Rarity giggling near her ear, and when they separated, she saw that Rarity had a smirk on her face. Yet again, she wanted to deny whatever it was that was on Rarity's mind, but she also didn't want to get into it again. Instead, she thanked the mare once more for her help and then turned away to leave. When she got out of Rarity’s store, part of her still felt flustered from the conversation, but the other part of her felt nothing but joy. She had a trinket given to her by a friend, one that held a special power. A symbol of their growing bond that she would cherish. She just hoped that he would love a bracelet made out of one of her measly feathers.

Discord didn't show up for the rest of the day. She had wanted to call him over almost immediately, wanted to whisper into the feather and ask him if he’d like to visit, but she decided against doing so. Fluttershy figured that it might not be the best idea to pester him for small things, and it wasn’t as if she didn’t have her own things to do. During the day she had spent her time with her animals, feeding them, tending to the garden, enjoying their company, but she couldn’t shake an odd feeling. Often, she’d be left with long stretches of quiet, and she’d start to think about him. When she had nothing to do, when nothing was distracting her, she’d wonder if he would like the gift that she got for him. It might not even be something that he used, and it didn’t have any magic, so it didn’t really seem like a fair trade. He did seem to enjoy fairness, so maybe she should have gotten him something else. Maybe even Twilight could have helped her with a gift that had a bit more substance to it. And as she went down this trail of thought, she found herself growing anxious. That little spiral led her to worry about their last encounter. Not about the intimate interaction, but rather, her mistake. She had said such a stupid thing, and they had brushed it aside quite quickly. Yes, he had been making his own trouble, but that did not mean she should be so easily forgiven. Fluttershy had to also respect his words though, if everything was fine to him, then it’d be fine. Still, maybe she should have thought of something else to get him. Angel was the one to nudge her back to reality with a kick to one of her legs. She would have been upset if it weren't for the fact that she realized that she had been overwatering her violets. This mental back and forth continued well into the night. Even when she was settling in for the night to go to sleep, Fluttershy found that her mind just wouldn't let her. She’d toss and turn, and keep that very same pace until she hopped out of bed to go to the kitchen and start brewing a pot of chamomile tea, hoping that would help. Fluttershy still wore his feather around her neck, and she looked down to stare at the blue down, wondering if he was still awake.

Maybe he’d like some tea, or maybe he'd be annoyed that she had decided to wake him up. Now that she thought about it, Discord had his own autonomy now, so that meant that he could be doing any number of things. Reading, knitting, cooking, or other more carnal matters. She found herself flustered by that last thought and even more embarrassed by the idea of her interrupting that, but she found that the little voice in her heart was whining. It whined because she did want to see him, because she did want to hear his voice again, and talk to him. Not only just to ease her anxiety, but because she actually did value his company. It felt selfish and wrong, and even unfair, but then she recalled that he had wanted to know more about her unfair requests. Maybe this could be one of them. If it was a mistake, then please let it be a small one.

With that thought, she leaned down to whisper near the feather, “Hey, Discord. I can’t really sleep. I’m making some tea. If you’d like to come over, then I’d welcome the company. You don’t have to, though.”

She looked over at the stove with the pot atop it, and she breathed out. Part of her hoped that he was happily asleep. They had spent the night together last night, and if he answered, that would mean she was taking up more of his time. She didn’t even have a lesson or a plan to tell him, but she did have the bracelet to give him. That somehow made her more nervous. She didn’t want to call him over for nothing, and now it felt even more embarrassing that she was wearing his feather. Fluttershy continued to pace while her own thoughts turned against her.

It was in the midst of this stressful pacing that she didn’t even notice Discord following her every move, even as he asked quietly, “So, what are we pacing for?”

“Oh, I’m just nervous you won’t like my gift, among other things.” She muttered. It took a second, but she soon paused and then turned while coughing, “Discord! When did you get here?”

“A few seconds ago, through a little portal. You were so distracted that you didn’t even notice. You got me a gift?” He said with a small smile.

Fluttershy stared at him, but before she could explain, the teapot began to whistle. They shared a look before the topic was shelved for now. Fluttershy busied herself with fetching the teacups, honey, and sugar. She set a cup down and then another, then poured some tea into each while setting a spoon near the cups. She didn’t have any snacks or any sweet treats, but she figured it might be a little bit too late for that anyway. Once she was done, she breathed out and realized that her heart was thumping quickly. Not a very excited or happy thumping either. She had been stuck in her own thoughts so much that she had not realized that her heart had been running rampant.

One of Discord’s talons brushed along her face to push aside a few strands of her mane to tuck them behind her ear carefully while he hummed, “Fluttershy? Are you okay?”

“Oh yes.” And then she frowned at her own dishonesty and then sighed, “No, actually. I guess I was beating myself up again over nothing now that I think about it.”

Discord scooped sugar into his cup and then honey while snorting, “Bah, beating yourself up again? Well, that’s not very nice. How am I supposed to defend you if you’re the one beating yourself up? Do I pinch your cheek and call you naughty? Well, I doubt that’d help.”

Despite herself, she smiled a bit. She took a sip of her own tea without even preparing it, and she winced before she began to apply a bit of sugar and honey, “N-no need for any of that. I just don’t really know if you’ll like my gift, and then I started thinking about what I said earlier today. You know, that joke that wasn’t very nice. I started thinking I should make a better apology, or you know, do a favor for you in return or something.”

He chuckled, “Oh well, I might have to milk this.” Discord teased with a big grin on his face before he paused while opening his mouth. The grin slowly faded, and his gaze softened as he saw something on her. Discord then leaned over to touch her necklace, “So that’s where you put it. Did you make this?”

She shook her head while looking down at his digits touching the feather, “No, Rarity made it.”

“Is that right? Very nice.” He said with a hum.

The smile on his face made her cheeks warm for some reason, and again she heard Rarity’s voice explaining to her what it meant between pegasi. Had it been something for Discord’s kind as well, or did he just know about it? Regardless, she drank her tea and he drank his. Once they were done, Fluttershy decided to get it all over with, and she led him to her room. It really was a silly thing to be so stressed about. A gift from the heart should be good enough, but then she wondered if he might tease her or if he might take it the wrong way, or if it might not be good enough. She still had that thought in her mind, considering his feather was such a pretty blue, and she felt like her own feather was such a pale thing. No, she knew that she shouldn’t think about herself like that. Her lack of confidence wasn’t a rational or kind thing, and above all, she should be kind to herself. If someone like Discord could advocate for her, then she should be fine advocating for herself, and that included being confident that Discord would like the bracelet. From her bag that she had left leaning against the wall near her dresser, she took the case out with her mouth and set it gingerly on her bed for him to look at. When she motioned for him to come closer, he reached over and opened it gingerly. He took it in both of his hands gingerly and held it up to the light.

As he did this, she looked down and said quietly while drawing circles in the floor with a hoof, “I thought it’d only be fair if I gave you a feather of mine. It isn’t magic, but I think what it represents is something just as good. I trust you, you know? I want you to get better, and I want you to stay free. S-so I hope you like it.”

When she looked up at him, she saw he was smiling, but there seemed to be something sad about the way he was staring at the bracelet. She opened her mouth to say something, but he whispered, “It is beautiful.” He then slipped it on and he added, “Thank you, Flutters. I’ll treasure it, and I’ll stop by Ponyville to give that friend of yours my thanks as well.”

She leaned against him and beamed, “I’m glad you like it.” That momentary flash of sadness seemed to have disappeared, but even then she asked softly, “Are you okay?”

He looked at her and put a hand atop her head, “Me? Never better dear. Never quite so better.” Discord then hummed, “I suppose, tomorrow I’ll try being good on my own. Go to town and mingle with the masses, so to speak.”

Fluttershy nodded slowly, “That sounds nice.”

“Really, though.” He began softly, “Thank you. I wanted to make a joke as soon as you said you got me a gift, as soon as I saw the case, but when I saw this thing made with such care, how could I? I’d be spitting on one of the few gestures of kindness I’ve ever received, and it is a part of you. You are truly, without a doubt, a treasure. I’m sorry that I haven’t been as good as I could be, that I haven’t helped as much as I should. I can’t help but wonder if I’m too much, or if I should be more proactive. You beat yourself up, and yet, here I was about to say something so stupid when you’ve done something so beautiful.”

After a moment of silence, Discord looked down to see that Fluttershy had fallen asleep. He simply smiled and picked her up before he put her in bed. Discord tucked her in and leaned down to plant a single kiss on her head. A portal then opened nearby, and he stepped through while touching the bracelet that he wore on his wrist. Fluttershy, meanwhile, remained nestled in bed with her eyes closed and her dreams full of softness. It was only when she woke up in the morning that she felt the mortification of falling asleep against him. Her ears perked up high as she looked around for any sign of him, but he had left long ago. Feeling terrible, she slipped out of bed, and a note followed her. She blinked and leaned down to pick up the letter and set it on her nightstand so she could get a better look at it.

“Dear Flutters, you outdid yourself with the gift. Really, don’t know why you were so concerned, but it made me think that I don’t really want to be an extra strain on your poor little heart. Whenever you wake up, I’ll be most likely doing my own thing, but I don’t want you to think that I don’t want to pester you. Rather, I suppose, think of it as though your precious student of harmony is doing his own study. Who knows, I might make a friend or two, but know that even if I don’t see you during the day or the night, I will always find my way back to your home eventually because you are a true friend. Someone I wish to see and hear day after day. And if you ever need me, you know how to reach me. Yours truly, Discord.”

She stared at the letter for a long minute, unable to stop herself from smiling ear to ear. Of course, she would never not be concerned, but she could at least hope that whatever he planned for the day would go well. And maybe she shouldn’t feel so happy about it, but she was glad to know that he’d always find time to come to her, always find time to brighten up her day or just annoy her. Trusting that he’d keep his word, she touched his feather on the necklace and headed out of her room to begin her day, knowing that her choices had all been good thus far.

Discord didn't show up for the rest of the day. She had wanted to call him over almost immediately, wanted to whisper into the feather and ask him if he’d like to visit, but she decided against doing so. Fluttershy figured that it might not be the best idea to pester him for small things, and it wasn’t as if she didn’t have her own things to do. During the day she had spent her time with her animals, feeding them, tending to the garden, enjoying their company, but she couldn’t shake an odd feeling. Often, she’d be left with long stretches of quiet, and she’d start to think about him. When she had nothing to do, when nothing was distracting her, she’d wonder if he would like the gift that she got for him. It might not even be something that he used, and it didn’t have any magic, so it didn’t really seem like a fair trade. He did seem to enjoy fairness, so maybe she should have gotten him something else. Maybe even Twilight could have helped her with a gift that had a bit more substance to it. And as she went down this trail of thought, she found herself growing anxious. That little spiral led her to worry about their last encounter. Not about the intimate interaction, but rather, her mistake. She had said such a stupid thing, and they had brushed it aside quite quickly. Yes, he had been making his own trouble, but that did not mean she should be so easily forgiven. Fluttershy had to also respect his words though, if everything was fine to him, then it’d be fine. Still, maybe she should have thought of something else to get him. Angel was the one to nudge her back to reality with a kick to one of her legs. She would have been upset if it weren't for the fact that she realized that she had been overwatering her violets. This mental back and forth continued well into the night. Even when she was settling in for the night to go to sleep, Fluttershy found that her mind just wouldn't let her. She’d toss and turn, and keep that very same pace until she hopped out of bed to go to the kitchen and start brewing a pot of chamomile tea, hoping that would help. Fluttershy still wore his feather around her neck, and she looked down to stare at the blue down, wondering if he was still awake.

Maybe he’d like some tea, or maybe he'd be annoyed that she had decided to wake him up. Now that she thought about it, Discord had his own autonomy now, so that meant that he could be doing any number of things. Reading, knitting, cooking, or other more carnal matters. She found herself flustered by that last thought and even more embarrassed by the idea of her interrupting that, but she found that the little voice in her heart was whining. It whined because she did want to see him, because she did want to hear his voice again, and talk to him. Not only just to ease her anxiety, but because she actually did value his company. It felt selfish and wrong, and even unfair, but then she recalled that he had wanted to know more about her unfair requests. Maybe this could be one of them. If it was a mistake, then please let it be a small one.

With that thought, she leaned down to whisper near the feather, “Hey, Discord. I can’t really sleep. I’m making some tea. If you’d like to come over, then I’d welcome the company. You don’t have to, though.”

She looked over at the stove with the pot atop it, and she breathed out. Part of her hoped that he was happily asleep. They had spent the night together last night, and if he answered, that would mean she was taking up more of his time. She didn’t even have a lesson or a plan to tell him, but she did have the bracelet to give him. That somehow made her more nervous. She didn’t want to call him over for nothing, and now it felt even more embarrassing that she was wearing his feather. Fluttershy continued to pace while her own thoughts turned against her.

It was in the midst of this stressful pacing that she didn’t even notice Discord following her every move, even as he asked quietly, “So, what are we pacing for?”

“Oh, I’m just nervous you won’t like my gift, among other things.” She muttered. It took a second, but she soon paused and then turned while coughing, “Discord! When did you get here?”

“A few seconds ago, through a little portal. You were so distracted that you didn’t even notice. You got me a gift?” He said with a small smile.

Fluttershy stared at him, but before she could explain, the teapot began to whistle. They shared a look before the topic was shelved for now. Fluttershy busied herself with fetching the teacups, honey, and sugar. She set a cup down and then another, then poured some tea into each while setting a spoon near the cups. She didn’t have any snacks or any sweet treats, but she figured it might be a little bit too late for that anyway. Once she was done, she breathed out and realized that her heart was thumping quickly. Not a very excited or happy thumping either. She had been stuck in her own thoughts so much that she had not realized that her heart had been running rampant.

One of Discord’s talons brushed along her face to push aside a few strands of her mane to tuck them behind her ear carefully while he hummed, “Fluttershy? Are you okay?”

“Oh yes.” And then she frowned at her own dishonesty and then sighed, “No, actually. I guess I was beating myself up again over nothing now that I think about it.”

Discord scooped sugar into his cup and then honey while snorting, “Bah, beating yourself up again? Well, that’s not very nice. How am I supposed to defend you if you’re the one beating yourself up? Do I pinch your cheek and call you naughty? Well, I doubt that’d help.”

Despite herself, she smiled a bit. She took a sip of her own tea without even preparing it, and she winced before she began to apply a bit of sugar and honey, “N-no need for any of that. I just don’t really know if you’ll like my gift, and then I started thinking about what I said earlier today. You know, that joke that wasn’t very nice. I started thinking I should make a better apology, or you know, do a favor for you in return or something.”

He chuckled, “Oh well, I might have to milk this.” Discord teased with a big grin on his face before he paused while opening his mouth. The grin slowly faded, and his gaze softened as he saw something on her. Discord then leaned over to touch her necklace, “So that’s where you put it. Did you make this?”

She shook her head while looking down at his digits touching the feather, “No, Rarity made it.”

“Is that right? Very nice.” He said with a hum.

The smile on his face made her cheeks warm for some reason, and again she heard Rarity’s voice explaining to her what it meant between pegasi. Had it been something for Discord’s kind as well, or did he just know about it? Regardless, she drank her tea and he drank his. Once they were done, Fluttershy decided to get it all over with, and she led him to her room. It really was a silly thing to be so stressed about. A gift from the heart should be good enough, but then she wondered if he might tease her or if he might take it the wrong way, or if it might not be good enough. She still had that thought in her mind, considering his feather was such a pretty blue, and she felt like her own feather was such a pale thing. No, she knew that she shouldn’t think about herself like that. Her lack of confidence wasn’t a rational or kind thing, and above all, she should be kind to herself. If someone like Discord could advocate for her, then she should be fine advocating for herself, and that included being confident that Discord would like the bracelet. From her bag that she had left leaning against the wall near her dresser, she took the case out with her mouth and set it gingerly on her bed for him to look at. When she motioned for him to come closer, he reached over and opened it gingerly. He took it in both of his hands gingerly and held it up to the light.

As he did this, she looked down and said quietly while drawing circles in the floor with a hoof, “I thought it’d only be fair if I gave you a feather of mine. It isn’t magic, but I think what it represents is something just as good. I trust you, you know? I want you to get better, and I want you to stay free. S-so I hope you like it.”

When she looked up at him, she saw he was smiling, but there seemed to be something sad about the way he was staring at the bracelet. She opened her mouth to say something, but he whispered, “It is beautiful.” He then slipped it on and he added, “Thank you, Flutters. I’ll treasure it, and I’ll stop by Ponyville to give that friend of yours my thanks as well.”

She leaned against him and beamed, “I’m glad you like it.” That momentary flash of sadness seemed to have disappeared, but even then she asked softly, “Are you okay?”

He looked at her and put a hand atop her head, “Me? Never better dear. Never quite so better.” Discord then hummed, “I suppose, tomorrow I’ll try being good on my own. Go to town and mingle with the masses, so to speak.”

Fluttershy nodded slowly, “That sounds nice.”

“Really, though.” He began softly, “Thank you. I wanted to make a joke as soon as you said you got me a gift, as soon as I saw the case, but when I saw this thing made with such care, how could I? I’d be spitting on one of the few gestures of kindness I’ve ever received, and it is a part of you. You are truly, without a doubt, a treasure. I’m sorry that I haven’t been as good as I could be, that I haven’t helped as much as I should. I can’t help but wonder if I’m too much, or if I should be more proactive. You beat yourself up, and yet, here I was about to say something so stupid when you’ve done something so beautiful.”

After a moment of silence, Discord looked down to see that Fluttershy had fallen asleep. He simply smiled and picked her up before he put her in bed. Discord tucked her in and leaned down to plant a single kiss on her head. A portal then opened nearby, and he stepped through while touching the bracelet that he wore on his wrist. Fluttershy, meanwhile, remained nestled in bed with her eyes closed and her dreams full of softness. It was only when she woke up in the morning that she felt the mortification of falling asleep against him. Her ears perked up high as she looked around for any sign of him, but he had left long ago. Feeling terrible, she slipped out of bed, and a note followed her. She blinked and leaned down to pick up the letter and set it on her nightstand so she could get a better look at it.

“Dear Flutters, you outdid yourself with the gift. Really, don’t know why you were so concerned, but it made me think that I don’t really want to be an extra strain on your poor little heart. Whenever you wake up, I’ll be most likely doing my own thing, but I don’t want you to think that I don’t want to pester you. Rather, I suppose, think of it as though your precious student of harmony is doing his own study. Who knows, I might make a friend or two, but know that even if I don’t see you during the day or the night, I will always find my way back to your home eventually because you are a true friend. Someone I wish to see and hear day after day. And if you ever need me, you know how to reach me. Yours truly, Discord.”

She stared at the letter for a long minute, unable to stop herself from smiling ear to ear. Of course, she would never not be concerned, but she could at least hope that whatever he planned for the day would go well. And maybe she shouldn’t feel so happy about it, but she was glad to know that he’d always find time to come to her, always find time to brighten up her day or just annoy her. Trusting that he’d keep his word, she touched his feather on the necklace and headed out of her room to begin her day, knowing that her choices had all been good thus far.

Flying through the air in little curves and twists was the noble draconequus, last of his kind. He certainly didn’t mind being the last of his kind, and maybe he could correct that one day, but for now, Discord had a different thing to focus on. He wanted to return the kindness that he had been shown thus far by giving Fluttershy some peace of mind. Last time he had gone off to talk to one of her friends, she had actually stopped by to make sure he hadn’t been doing anything terrible, and honestly, that had been hurtful. It had been insulting, but he couldn’t really blame her for thinking less of him, considering all those nasty rumors; a significant percentage of them were, in fact, very true. Being honest, he felt a few nerves sparking and twitching in his core as he made his way toward Ponyville. He had avoided the town and stuck to the places that he felt a bit more welcome, and in part it had been because he didn’t want anyone getting the wrong idea. Maybe it had been an overly cautious move, but freedom was a fresh thing, a taste of delicious honey that he did not want to sour anytime soon. Even as he made his way over buildings and under clouds, he found that there were already plenty of eyes on him. Pegasi up in the sky, lounging in the air while looking down at him with confusion clear on their expression, and those down below who simply looked up at him as if he were something out of a dream or nightmare. Again, hurtful, but he couldn’t really blame them for the odd stares. Most of them hadn’t seen anything like him, and any who did know about him had most likely been warned by a particular purple individual. When he landed in front of Rarity’s shop, he brushed a few drops of dew off his shoulders before he adjusted his bracelet and stopped at the door. Instead of focusing on those silly nerves, he focused on the beads against his thumb and then the softness of the feather. After a few moments of that, he brought a hand up.

A moment of hesitation, and the door opened before he could even touch the handle. A few ponies made their way around him, looking rather nervous, and a white mare near the back paused for a moment before smiling at him. Discord brought his fist to his mouth as if he had simply meant to clear his throat, and he introduced himself, “I presume that you are Fluttershy's friend? Specifically, Rarity. I remember seeing you once, but I could be wrong. You never really know how memory will shape out once you've been alive for a certain span of time.”

She raised a hoof and tilted her chin up proudly, “The one and only, darling. And you’re the troublesome embodiment of chaos, I assume? Of course, more importantly, you are Fluttershy’s friend, yes?”

They shared a look for a few seconds before Discord took her hoof and bowed, “Such a sharp tongue! I have to say, I didn’t really know what to expect, but here we are, I suppose. Yes, I am both the embodiment of chaos, and I suppose I am also Fluttershy’s friend.”

Rarity looked him up and down before she giggled. She kept on giggling, and he didn't quite understand the joke, and would not, as she simply exclaimed to cut off her own tittering, “Ah! It seems that my work has been appreciated if you’re already wearing it! Tell me, is it too tight or too loose? I had to guess the numbers.”

It took a moment for him to understand her sudden shift in mood before he followed her gaze to the bracelet on his wrist. The source of her fawning. Quietly, he said, “It was a bit loose, but I made a few adjustments of my own. It isn’t as if I can’t use magic, after all.”

“Oh, that won’t do. You should have come to me.” Rarity said while stepping back, “I guess I’ll let it slide for now, but if you ever have anything made by me and need it adjusted, then please talk to me first. I’d love nothing more than to correct my own mistakes. Either way, come on in. Let’s chat.”

Discord stepped inside, unsure of what to expect. He didn’t really trust the hospitality he had been shown thus far. Even now, he found himself suspicious of her intentions, suspicious of what she would want him to do. Perhaps she’d ask for a boon, or maybe she was just waiting for the moment that he slipped up to put him in his place. She was just one pony, so he shouldn’t have found her threatening or frightening, but her lack of hostility somehow made him more nervous than that barn girl. Applejack had put him to work almost immediately and told him to his face that she did not trust him. She hadn’t hidden how she felt, and sure, they had gotten along somewhat in the end of things, but he did not think that he had made a friend in that regard. Surely this one was hiding her contempt, hiding just how much she found him disgusting or strange.

When they were nearing the center of her establishment, Rarity paused and hummed aloud, “Are you any good with a needle?”

Distracted from his negative thoughts, he popped back to reality with a nod, “Why, of course.” He then snapped his fingers and twirled his hand before producing a syringe, “Though I’m not quite a medical professional. Where would you like it?”

She looked at him for a second before chuckling, actually chuckling. Rarity then tapped her hoof on the floor while clucking her tongue, “Oh, you’re just as much of an imp as Fluttershy claimed! Honestly, I thought you’d try to scare me or be a bit more frightening, but if all you have are jokes, then I suppose that’s fine. No, I’m wondering if you know how to do a bit of needlework. Sewing, although that seems a tad boring for our first meeting, doesn’t it?”

He blinked and tilted his head, “Well, I’ve tried my hand at a few different things, and I’m sure I could get a handle on it. Although I might poke myself a few times, seeing as I haven’t practiced in a while.”

“Is that right?” Rarity said with a hum, “If you’d really like to help, then that’s fine, but I’d like to have you here as a guest instead of an intern. I’m supposed to figure out some sort of way for us to connect. Fluttershy wants us to be friends too, and I suppose that I owe it to her to try.”

Discord rubbed his chin, “If I’m a guest, then how about the royal treatment. Massage and all? I’m sure a dainty thing like you has a fantastic handle on how to work tense muscles and other things. Or perhaps I should give you a massage?”

Rarity giggled while turning away with her eyes shut, striking a demure pose, “Oh, you rogue. That’d better be a joke!”

He leaned in, his hand hovering above her rear, but instead he closed his fist and gave her side a friendly nudge, “It’ll have to be! Because I guess I’m supposed to be on my best behavior. But I’m curious, and I suppose I shouldn’t keep it all to myself. Aren’t you afraid of me?”

“Absolutely.” Rarity said with a nod, “But Fluttershy vouches for you, and I’m curious. Curious to see the man that Fluttershy would give a feather to.” With a coy smile, she then said slowly, “You know, I’ve known Fluttershy for quite a while longer than you. I could always feed you a bit of information that’ll help you establish your bond better.”

Discord leaned in a bit and tilted his head, “Really?” He then sniffed, “Wait a minute, why would I want or need that? Besides, I don’t think she’d appreciate me gossipping and looking for gossip.”

He crossed his arms and turned away, and Rarity nudged against him while sighing, “Oh come now, darling, wouldn’t it be fun? Rattling on and on about all the hottest little details I can remember about our dear Fluttershy? It's not gossip if it is all so very true and fun. Nothing negative, I promise. Besides, you could share your own stories of whatever you’d like.”

They shared a look again, and then he leaned down and murmured while narrowing his eyes, “Are you sure that you’re not the embodiment of chaos?”

Both of them chuckled before Rarity shrugged, “You can’t blame a girl for trying to spice things up a bit! Either way, I suppose before I share the hot gossip about anyone else, I should share the hot gossip about myself. If that’s not to your taste, then I suppose I’ll just have to think of something else.”

“Since you’re so intent on making things spicy as you say, what if we trade places then. Talk all you’d like but then I dress you up in what I think makes for a fashionable outfit.” He snorted.

He had meant it as a joke, and partially a tiny jab, but Rarity’s eyes sparkled as she spoke, “Oh? Do you also have a passion for glamour and beauty? Is there a tailor’s heart and soul waiting to break free from your chaotic chest?”

Discord blinked, “I uh—”

“I know exactly what we are going to do, my dear. A little dress-up date. Strictly platonic, I assure you. Fit me in whatever you desire and make me look beautiful. Use me as your canvas to make your mark on this world, and perhaps you’ll let me do the same to you! I’ll even let you keep whatever outfit I come up with for you if you let me use you as a model. I’ve never worked with your body type before, but that certainly won’t stop me.” Rarity said with barely contained excitement.

Before he had a chance to decide on whether or not he was into the idea of playing dress up, Rarity started nudging him along toward another room. It felt as though he had very little choice in the matter, but he didn’t mind too much. This strange pony had entirely been swallowed by her passion and could not conceive that he might not want to go along with what she had offered up. He could respect that, and maybe that respect allowed her to simply push and headbutt him along until they were standing in a room of mirrors and various materials strewn about here and there. Clothes began to float in the air, textiles in various colors placed near him, while Rarity hopped on a step-stool of sorts to look him over. At the same time, a measuring tape appeared, and he realized he was fully the prisoner of passion. He could only smile, though, and occasionally roll his eyes as Rarity took his measurements and began to ramble on.

“Now, I’ve got my measurements written down, but I don’t have yours. I should have asked Fluttershy to bring you in herself for your bracelet, but the past is the past. Darling, I am surely going to make something beautiful out of you.” And then she stopped for a moment before humming, “Am I being too much?”

He looked at her and quirked a brow, a smirk on his expression, before he crossed his arms and said plainly, “Yes.” And everything floating in the air began to slowly descend until he chuckled, “But that isn’t a bad thing. I can appreciate a bit of passion for the finer things in life. In fact, I can appreciate that passion in general, even though you were practically about to start kicking me so I’d get in here.”

Rarity giggled, “As if I’d ever do something so uncultured. Please!”

Discord then gave her snout a tap, “Well then, show me you’re not uncultured and give me something simple that I can take on a walk with a lovely mare.”

“Oh?” And then realization touched her expression as her eyes sparkled and glimmered while she bounced atop the stool, “Oh! You devilish rogue! Are you planning on moving so quickly with our dear Fluttershy? You really are! And here I thought it might be a passing fancy, but to think, romance. Are you planning to confess your love for her?”

He snorted and shook his head while looking at his own reflection in the mirror, “I’d just like to look a bit more presentable. Nothing strange about that, is there? Fluttershy deserves good things, and that means I shouldn’t trouble her too much.”

“Ah, strictly platonic. I see, I see.” Rarity nodded as a fabric in a lovely shade of forest green was placed under his chin, “Well, I also think Fluttershy deserves good things. So you intend to be good to her then?”

Discord tilted his head and rolled a wrist while sniffing, “In a manner of speaking, yes. Why not? She hasn’t done anything to harm me, and has given me more freedom than supposedly I was going to be allowed.” And then softer, “She has been very kind.” And then he cleared his throat, “Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t plan on causing a bit of trouble now and then.”

“And what is stopping you from doing so right now? Do you think I didn't notice your hand hovering above my flank? Well, you were quite polite to keep your claws off me without permission, but I had not expected you to be so good, so well behaved.” Rarity asked softly.

He narrowed his eyes and peered down at the pony, who simply looked up at him with a big smile. Discord brought his hand up. He could tie her up in fabric to show her what exactly was stopping him. Nothing was. Nothing would ever stop him. Discord could be as wild and as free as he desired, as long as it made him laugh. If he wanted to grab hold of her and show her exactly what a wild thing he could be, then he'd simply do it. Then he looked at her smile, looked at his hand, and flexed his digits while sniffing. Fluttershy would get upset if he did something that would be too troublesome. She'd be upset if he made others uncomfortable or came back after covorting around instead of learning lessons. Why did that matter to him? She was just a friend, and she wouldn’t abandon him after one mistake, and yet, he had already given his word that he’d try. That meant keeping the amorous actions to a minimum and actually trying to engage with others. How dreadfully annoying.

Still feeling a bit stubborn and cross, he looked toward the mirror and simply said quietly, “Oh, hush.”

And when he snapped his fingers, it was simply to show her that nothing at the moment would stop him from doing something chaotic. In this instance, a neckerchief of sky blue ties itself around her neck. While Rarity began to fawn over the fabric and the color, switching between a light bit of criticism and compliments, Discord stared at his reflection and wondered if Fluttershy would be happy with that decision, and if he felt happy with this decision. He did feel a strange twitch through his body. A twitch that told him that he could do so much more right now. Whether lustful or simply mischievous, Discord could have his fun. And yet, he abstained.

“Thank you.” Rarity said. He turned his head, thoughts disrupted to see her beaming ear to ear as she raised a hoof while continuing, “Now then, I have some ideas for you, but it seems that you’ve already got an idea or three for me. Shall we swap places for a bit and perhaps you’d like to hear about all the little terrible gossip of our little community here?”

Discord thought about it and smiled a bit before stepping aside to let her hop down in front of the mirror, while he sighed, “And here I thought you’d be blabbing on about yourself.”

“I am capable of talking about many things, given enough time. Now then, make me your canvas, your pretty doll." She said while practically beaming before she added quietly, "And a quite durable doll at that."

The temptation to turn her into an actual doll hit him for a second alongside a warm wash of other uncouth thoughts. Despite those thoughts, he didn't do anything to her that he wasn't supposed to do. He figured it might have been her passionate prattling. Well, he supposed even if he wasn’t entirely sure if he was happy, he at least felt a bit entertained at the moment, and so he started to focus on picking out fabric while thinking about what outfit he could put her in. Plaid would be funny, but he didn’t want to come out as some outdated relic that didn’t know the first thing about fashion, and so he actually gave it his best. For a second, though, he wanted to take her measure.

He drew a claw beneath her chin, and then near her neck, moving her head one way and then the other to get a good look at the way the light danced along her fur. On occasion, she'd giggle, her cheeks flushed with a bit of color as he moved her about in different poses with a careful touch. Ideas began to spring forth, some of them very inappropriate, but others that were born of a genuine interest in seeing this little game through.

Flying through the air in little curves and twists was the noble draconequus, last of his kind. He certainly didn’t mind being the last of his kind, and maybe he could correct that one day, but for now, Discord had a different thing to focus on. He wanted to return the kindness that he had been shown thus far by giving Fluttershy some peace of mind. Last time he had gone off to talk to one of her friends, she had actually stopped by to make sure he hadn’t been doing anything terrible, and honestly, that had been hurtful. It had been insulting, but he couldn’t really blame her for thinking less of him, considering all those nasty rumors; a significant percentage of them were, in fact, very true. Being honest, he felt a few nerves sparking and twitching in his core as he made his way toward Ponyville. He had avoided the town and stuck to the places that he felt a bit more welcome, and in part it had been because he didn’t want anyone getting the wrong idea. Maybe it had been an overly cautious move, but freedom was a fresh thing, a taste of delicious honey that he did not want to sour anytime soon. Even as he made his way over buildings and under clouds, he found that there were already plenty of eyes on him. Pegasi up in the sky, lounging in the air while looking down at him with confusion clear on their expression, and those down below who simply looked up at him as if he were something out of a dream or nightmare. Again, hurtful, but he couldn’t really blame them for the odd stares. Most of them hadn’t seen anything like him, and any who did know about him had most likely been warned by a particular purple individual. When he landed in front of Rarity’s shop, he brushed a few drops of dew off his shoulders before he adjusted his bracelet and stopped at the door. Instead of focusing on those silly nerves, he focused on the beads against his thumb and then the softness of the feather. After a few moments of that, he brought a hand up.

A moment of hesitation, and the door opened before he could even touch the handle. A few ponies made their way around him, looking rather nervous, and a white mare near the back paused for a moment before smiling at him. Discord brought his fist to his mouth as if he had simply meant to clear his throat, and he introduced himself, “I presume that you are Fluttershy's friend? Specifically, Rarity. I remember seeing you once, but I could be wrong. You never really know how memory will shape out once you've been alive for a certain span of time.”

She raised a hoof and tilted her chin up proudly, “The one and only, darling. And you’re the troublesome embodiment of chaos, I assume? Of course, more importantly, you are Fluttershy’s friend, yes?”

They shared a look for a few seconds before Discord took her hoof and bowed, “Such a sharp tongue! I have to say, I didn’t really know what to expect, but here we are, I suppose. Yes, I am both the embodiment of chaos, and I suppose I am also Fluttershy’s friend.”

Rarity looked him up and down before she giggled. She kept on giggling, and he didn't quite understand the joke, and would not, as she simply exclaimed to cut off her own tittering, “Ah! It seems that my work has been appreciated if you’re already wearing it! Tell me, is it too tight or too loose? I had to guess the numbers.”

It took a moment for him to understand her sudden shift in mood before he followed her gaze to the bracelet on his wrist. The source of her fawning. Quietly, he said, “It was a bit loose, but I made a few adjustments of my own. It isn’t as if I can’t use magic, after all.”

“Oh, that won’t do. You should have come to me.” Rarity said while stepping back, “I guess I’ll let it slide for now, but if you ever have anything made by me and need it adjusted, then please talk to me first. I’d love nothing more than to correct my own mistakes. Either way, come on in. Let’s chat.”

Discord stepped inside, unsure of what to expect. He didn’t really trust the hospitality he had been shown thus far. Even now, he found himself suspicious of her intentions, suspicious of what she would want him to do. Perhaps she’d ask for a boon, or maybe she was just waiting for the moment that he slipped up to put him in his place. She was just one pony, so he shouldn’t have found her threatening or frightening, but her lack of hostility somehow made him more nervous than that barn girl. Applejack had put him to work almost immediately and told him to his face that she did not trust him. She hadn’t hidden how she felt, and sure, they had gotten along somewhat in the end of things, but he did not think that he had made a friend in that regard. Surely this one was hiding her contempt, hiding just how much she found him disgusting or strange.

When they were nearing the center of her establishment, Rarity paused and hummed aloud, “Are you any good with a needle?”

Distracted from his negative thoughts, he popped back to reality with a nod, “Why, of course.” He then snapped his fingers and twirled his hand before producing a syringe, “Though I’m not quite a medical professional. Where would you like it?”

She looked at him for a second before chuckling, actually chuckling. Rarity then tapped her hoof on the floor while clucking her tongue, “Oh, you’re just as much of an imp as Fluttershy claimed! Honestly, I thought you’d try to scare me or be a bit more frightening, but if all you have are jokes, then I suppose that’s fine. No, I’m wondering if you know how to do a bit of needlework. Sewing, although that seems a tad boring for our first meeting, doesn’t it?”

He blinked and tilted his head, “Well, I’ve tried my hand at a few different things, and I’m sure I could get a handle on it. Although I might poke myself a few times, seeing as I haven’t practiced in a while.”

“Is that right?” Rarity said with a hum, “If you’d really like to help, then that’s fine, but I’d like to have you here as a guest instead of an intern. I’m supposed to figure out some sort of way for us to connect. Fluttershy wants us to be friends too, and I suppose that I owe it to her to try.”

Discord rubbed his chin, “If I’m a guest, then how about the royal treatment. Massage and all? I’m sure a dainty thing like you has a fantastic handle on how to work tense muscles and other things. Or perhaps I should give you a massage?”

Rarity giggled while turning away with her eyes shut, striking a demure pose, “Oh, you rogue. That’d better be a joke!”

He leaned in, his hand hovering above her rear, but instead he closed his fist and gave her side a friendly nudge, “It’ll have to be! Because I guess I’m supposed to be on my best behavior. But I’m curious, and I suppose I shouldn’t keep it all to myself. Aren’t you afraid of me?”

“Absolutely.” Rarity said with a nod, “But Fluttershy vouches for you, and I’m curious. Curious to see the man that Fluttershy would give a feather to.” With a coy smile, she then said slowly, “You know, I’ve known Fluttershy for quite a while longer than you. I could always feed you a bit of information that’ll help you establish your bond better.”

Discord leaned in a bit and tilted his head, “Really?” He then sniffed, “Wait a minute, why would I want or need that? Besides, I don’t think she’d appreciate me gossipping and looking for gossip.”

He crossed his arms and turned away, and Rarity nudged against him while sighing, “Oh come now, darling, wouldn’t it be fun? Rattling on and on about all the hottest little details I can remember about our dear Fluttershy? It's not gossip if it is all so very true and fun. Nothing negative, I promise. Besides, you could share your own stories of whatever you’d like.”

They shared a look again, and then he leaned down and murmured while narrowing his eyes, “Are you sure that you’re not the embodiment of chaos?”

Both of them chuckled before Rarity shrugged, “You can’t blame a girl for trying to spice things up a bit! Either way, I suppose before I share the hot gossip about anyone else, I should share the hot gossip about myself. If that’s not to your taste, then I suppose I’ll just have to think of something else.”

“Since you’re so intent on making things spicy as you say, what if we trade places then. Talk all you’d like but then I dress you up in what I think makes for a fashionable outfit.” He snorted.

He had meant it as a joke, and partially a tiny jab, but Rarity’s eyes sparkled as she spoke, “Oh? Do you also have a passion for glamour and beauty? Is there a tailor’s heart and soul waiting to break free from your chaotic chest?”

Discord blinked, “I uh—”

“I know exactly what we are going to do, my dear. A little dress-up date. Strictly platonic, I assure you. Fit me in whatever you desire and make me look beautiful. Use me as your canvas to make your mark on this world, and perhaps you’ll let me do the same to you! I’ll even let you keep whatever outfit I come up with for you if you let me use you as a model. I’ve never worked with your body type before, but that certainly won’t stop me.” Rarity said with barely contained excitement.

Before he had a chance to decide on whether or not he was into the idea of playing dress up, Rarity started nudging him along toward another room. It felt as though he had very little choice in the matter, but he didn’t mind too much. This strange pony had entirely been swallowed by her passion and could not conceive that he might not want to go along with what she had offered up. He could respect that, and maybe that respect allowed her to simply push and headbutt him along until they were standing in a room of mirrors and various materials strewn about here and there. Clothes began to float in the air, textiles in various colors placed near him, while Rarity hopped on a step-stool of sorts to look him over. At the same time, a measuring tape appeared, and he realized he was fully the prisoner of passion. He could only smile, though, and occasionally roll his eyes as Rarity took his measurements and began to ramble on.

“Now, I’ve got my measurements written down, but I don’t have yours. I should have asked Fluttershy to bring you in herself for your bracelet, but the past is the past. Darling, I am surely going to make something beautiful out of you.” And then she stopped for a moment before humming, “Am I being too much?”

He looked at her and quirked a brow, a smirk on his expression, before he crossed his arms and said plainly, “Yes.” And everything floating in the air began to slowly descend until he chuckled, “But that isn’t a bad thing. I can appreciate a bit of passion for the finer things in life. In fact, I can appreciate that passion in general, even though you were practically about to start kicking me so I’d get in here.”

Rarity giggled, “As if I’d ever do something so uncultured. Please!”

Discord then gave her snout a tap, “Well then, show me you’re not uncultured and give me something simple that I can take on a walk with a lovely mare.”

“Oh?” And then realization touched her expression as her eyes sparkled and glimmered while she bounced atop the stool, “Oh! You devilish rogue! Are you planning on moving so quickly with our dear Fluttershy? You really are! And here I thought it might be a passing fancy, but to think, romance. Are you planning to confess your love for her?”

He snorted and shook his head while looking at his own reflection in the mirror, “I’d just like to look a bit more presentable. Nothing strange about that, is there? Fluttershy deserves good things, and that means I shouldn’t trouble her too much.”

“Ah, strictly platonic. I see, I see.” Rarity nodded as a fabric in a lovely shade of forest green was placed under his chin, “Well, I also think Fluttershy deserves good things. So you intend to be good to her then?”

Discord tilted his head and rolled a wrist while sniffing, “In a manner of speaking, yes. Why not? She hasn’t done anything to harm me, and has given me more freedom than supposedly I was going to be allowed.” And then softer, “She has been very kind.” And then he cleared his throat, “Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t plan on causing a bit of trouble now and then.”

“And what is stopping you from doing so right now? Do you think I didn't notice your hand hovering above my flank? Well, you were quite polite to keep your claws off me without permission, but I had not expected you to be so good, so well behaved.” Rarity asked softly.

He narrowed his eyes and peered down at the pony, who simply looked up at him with a big smile. Discord brought his hand up. He could tie her up in fabric to show her what exactly was stopping him. Nothing was. Nothing would ever stop him. Discord could be as wild and as free as he desired, as long as it made him laugh. If he wanted to grab hold of her and show her exactly what a wild thing he could be, then he'd simply do it. Then he looked at her smile, looked at his hand, and flexed his digits while sniffing. Fluttershy would get upset if he did something that would be too troublesome. She'd be upset if he made others uncomfortable or came back after covorting around instead of learning lessons. Why did that matter to him? She was just a friend, and she wouldn’t abandon him after one mistake, and yet, he had already given his word that he’d try. That meant keeping the amorous actions to a minimum and actually trying to engage with others. How dreadfully annoying.

Still feeling a bit stubborn and cross, he looked toward the mirror and simply said quietly, “Oh, hush.”

And when he snapped his fingers, it was simply to show her that nothing at the moment would stop him from doing something chaotic. In this instance, a neckerchief of sky blue ties itself around her neck. While Rarity began to fawn over the fabric and the color, switching between a light bit of criticism and compliments, Discord stared at his reflection and wondered if Fluttershy would be happy with that decision, and if he felt happy with this decision. He did feel a strange twitch through his body. A twitch that told him that he could do so much more right now. Whether lustful or simply mischievous, Discord could have his fun. And yet, he abstained.

“Thank you.” Rarity said. He turned his head, thoughts disrupted to see her beaming ear to ear as she raised a hoof while continuing, “Now then, I have some ideas for you, but it seems that you’ve already got an idea or three for me. Shall we swap places for a bit and perhaps you’d like to hear about all the little terrible gossip of our little community here?”

Discord thought about it and smiled a bit before stepping aside to let her hop down in front of the mirror, while he sighed, “And here I thought you’d be blabbing on about yourself.”

“I am capable of talking about many things, given enough time. Now then, make me your canvas, your pretty doll." She said while practically beaming before she added quietly, "And a quite durable doll at that."

The temptation to turn her into an actual doll hit him for a second alongside a warm wash of other uncouth thoughts. Despite those thoughts, he didn't do anything to her that he wasn't supposed to do. He figured it might have been her passionate prattling. Well, he supposed even if he wasn’t entirely sure if he was happy, he at least felt a bit entertained at the moment, and so he started to focus on picking out fabric while thinking about what outfit he could put her in. Plaid would be funny, but he didn’t want to come out as some outdated relic that didn’t know the first thing about fashion, and so he actually gave it his best. For a second, though, he wanted to take her measure.

He drew a claw beneath her chin, and then near her neck, moving her head one way and then the other to get a good look at the way the light danced along her fur. On occasion, she'd giggle, her cheeks flushed with a bit of color as he moved her about in different poses with a careful touch. Ideas began to spring forth, some of them very inappropriate, but others that were born of a genuine interest in seeing this little game through.

There had been a fair amount of uncertainty when it came to whether or not he’d actually find spending time with Rarity fun or interesting. Engaging would be a word he could use to describe working, and well, dressing up a doll could be engaging indeed. Discord made sure that he didn't touch her inappropriately as he got to work, but he could still see the faintest blush on her face, and something like mischief in her smile while she looked at herself in the mirror. However, Discord found himself entirely engrossed in a particular thing. He found himself entirely ensnared by Rarity. Not by her stunning beauty, though he could give her credit that she was both very fashionable and very pretty. Instead, he found himself ensnared by her words.

“And then what happened?” He asked as he helped her into a black dress.

While he adjusted her mane, a portion of it covering her eyes for a look that had a bit more mystique, Rarity hummed, “Well, you see, I thought that Big Mac would have been a good fit. A man of few words with a fine build, and he was quite the beast in bed. Mind you, the sex was good, but that deeper connection just wasn’t there. I thought that there might be something there, but it just wasn’t the case. Of course, that doesn’t mean that I don’t head around the farm a few times or invite him over for a bit of fun. I’m also excellent when it comes to giving him advice on that pretty mare he’s been ogling."

“Is that right? You truly have no shame, do you?” Discord said with a chuckle while holding up one gem to her neck before the other.

Rarity brought a forehoof up to her chest while tilting her chin up, “Now, why would I have any of that? Of course, I’ve got to try every prospect I can until I find my true prince. And mind you, he doesn’t have to be very princely.” She then sighed, “Although, I do wonder sometimes if I’m just not cut out for it. The love life, you know? There are so many suitors, so many available dames and dons with the right type of stuff, but the special connection just doesn’t seem to come to me.” A bit of mist touched her eyes as she tilted her head and bemoaned, “Am I simply just not meant for love?”

Discord snapped his fingers and pulled a handkerchief from the air to dab her cheeks and under her eyes while the gems on selection floated nearby as he shook his head, “Now, now, don’t say that. It sounds like you’re a very active gal. You’re already forming connections all the time, so you’ll find someone you want to deepen that connection with, I’m sure.”

“Oh, you’re sweet, aren’t you?” She said while looking back and up at him, before she then looked at herself in the mirror and hummed, “I might be getting broody because of the outfit, though. Black is quite the color on me, though, and a sapphire choker might be just the ticket to really tie it together.”

He tossed the handkerchief off, and it poofed away while he hummed, “Maybe something with more contrast? Blue is fine, but how about a red gem? Hmmm, then again, it would give villainous vibes, I think.”

Rarity giggled, “You know, for how hesitant you seemed at times, you’re taking this rather seriously, aren’t you?”

“Of course! It’s a game, a game to see if I can make an outfit you’ll actually like, but also that contrasts with your usual thing. Still glamorous but darker, and perhaps with my own little personal touch here or there.” Discord said as he put his claws on her neck and shoulder gently to adjust her like a doll.

She shuddered and breathed out, “Gracious, that’s quite the intimate touch. I’m not used to being handled like that. A lack of opposable digits among my usual peers, you see.” Rarity then cleared her throat, “Ignoring that, though, do you have anything juicy to share?”

Discord thought first of answering about what his claws could do, and then perhaps about what he had done with Fluttershy, before he simply cleared his throat, “Well, I don’t know if I should really say or not.”

“If it is about Fluttershy, then by all means, enlighten me. I’m more than happy to hear about all the sordid little details. I promise I won’t be upset.” Rarity said while looking up with an innocent smile.

He waved off the notion, “No! Not about her, she’d probably be upset if I told you anything about what we’ve been up to.” And Rarity opened her mouth but paused as Discord finished with a snort, “Although, I imagine Celestia would be upset too, considering our past.”

“Excuse me?” Rarity gasped before she turned around, “Celestia and you were an item?”

“What? No! Not an item.” Discord said while his hands sought the right motions to convey what he meant, “It was less of a thing or an item and more of a head-on collision, so to speak.”

Rarity stared at him and kept on staring at him with a big smile until she whispered and nudged him, “Go on.”

Discord looked at her and crossed his arms before slowly he muttered, “Well, we’re supposed to be testing my virtues or something like that right now, right? This has to be some sort of trap.”

“Testing your virtue? Oh, I suppose I should have been doing that, but my only concern right now is attempting to play nice and be friendly. Fluttershy asked me to spend time with you in a friendly fashion, and I’m enjoying that far more than if I had decided to make up some sort of weird test about generosity.” Rarity said while flicking her head to get the bangs out of her eyes.

He looked at her for a moment, one hand coming up to tug on the fur under his chin before he spoke softly, “So, you’re not going to tell Fluttershy I’ve failed some sort of test if I tell you that me and Celestia had a chance meeting where we were supposed to discuss peace but it ended up in something far more salacious?”

“No!” Rarity squealed before she bounced up and down while asking, “And you’re lying, aren’t you? There’s no way. Ah, a goddess falling for her mortal enemy. Not out of love but out of lust! How many could match her power, how many could even hope to drink with her? So of course, she would be weak to anyone who could even attempt to make their move.”

Discord felt oddly embarrassed, but he still felt a mote of pride as he hummed, “I suppose it is rather impressive. Not many could say they’ve mounted the sun.”

He heard Rarity gasp and for a moment, he thought he had something too crude. Instead, they shared a look for a second before Rarity’s cheeks burned and she giggled as if she had gone mad. Discord couldn’t help but share a grin, chuckle along, before laughing fully. They turned back to the mirror and continued on with their game, changing outfits for one another and sharing more details of various affairs in their life. Many of these moments were casual and strayed away from true romance, things that neither of them found shame in and would not care if anyone else found out. He spoke freely, without care, and he made jokes both clean and raunchy, never once being decried or told to hush in a serious manner.

By the time they were done, they found that the day had progressed quite a bit into the afternoon. Rarity escorted him out of her store while sighing, “I never truly had anything that could fit you properly, but I have your measurements now. Really, it's given me some new perspective. I might practice more on a few travelers from out of town who aren’t ponies, and I might ask you to model for me if you can.”

Discord beamed, “Well, your tastes are impeccable. Maybe next time we could chat over lunch.”

Rarity leaned against him for what counted as a friendly embrace and hummed, “Aw, of course. I’d love to.”

Before either of them could continue, they both heard a mare clearing her throat. When they turned, they found themselves staring at Twilight Sparkle. She stood there with her draconic assistant standing back at her side. When she had their attention, Twilight spoke, “I see you two were having a good time. I hope nothing—” The little dragon leaned up and prodded her side a few times before Twilight raised her hoof and breathed out, “Okay, right. Uh, I’m glad you two are getting along, and I also received Fluttershy’s letter. I’d like to spend time with you sometime, Discord.”

He couldn’t resist a bit of snark, but his eye twitched and he managed to twist and redirect it, “Oh, would you look at that, my schedule is open right now since I was just leaving. How about we all head out for some lunch?”

Twilight blinked, “R-right now? I mean, that’d work. Yeah, we could. I was hoping for a more one-on-one meeting so I could get to understand you a bit more and, well, share a bit of my own knowledge if you’d hear it.”

Rarity stepped between them and sighed aloud, “Gracious me, to ask someone so boldly for a one-on-one. Quite romantic of you, Twilight if not a bit forward. Is he to be your dangerous beau when already our Fluttershy has her fangs sunk into him?”

“What?!” Twilight blurted, “No! I just want to.” She then paused for a second before sniffing, “Oh, you’re just messing with me.”

Discord chuckled and gave Rarity a few pats on the head before she raised a hoof to swat his hand away, “Now, now, don’t be mean to Twilight. She’s perfectly innocent. Personally, I’m hungry so how about we find a cafe to sit at?”

The air seemed tense despite the jokes, but Twilight nodded in agreement after a while. They all headed to a little cafe in Ponyville, and Discord found himself wishing that Fluttershy were here, or that Twilight Sparkle would stop staring at him so intensely. Throughout the entire thing, she just kept watching him. Her little dragon seemed to be wary of him, but it felt more like curiosity than anything else. If he remembered right, the little dragon’s name was Spike. His curiosity didn’t feel as icy as Twilight’s stare, but then again, something seemed different. She seemed to be trying to meter her words, struggling to actually talk to him, and at some point during lunch, he realized that this was her version of making an effort and extending the olive branch.

After they finished eating, they all got up to head their separate ways. Once Rarity had said her goodbyes, he turned to Twilight and leaned down to look her in the eyes. Her ears pinned back, and he could see the crackle of her magic starting to form, but all he did was smile, “If you’d like to speak on a more personal level, I wouldn’t mind. Of course, only if you’re not planning on any funny business.” And as she seemed to grow annoyed with his insinuation, he brought up a digit and wagged it at her, “That’s my job.”

She breathed out, “No, I don’t plan on doing anything funny. I’d just like to actually support Fluttershy’s endeavors, and I feel, well, bad about a few things.”

Discord nodded, “Ah, so we feel the same about a few things! That being said, forget it.”

Twilight blinked, “Forget it?”

Discord smiled and stood up straight, “Of course! You seem uncomfortable with me standing anywhere near you, so don’t worry about it. I’d rather not cause you any discomfort. Honestly, it’s so obvious that it makes me nervous.”

She brought a hoof up and muttered, “Really? Spike?”

Spike nodded a bit, “Well, kind of. It looked like you were waiting for something bad to happen.”

Twilight sighed, “I still have a duty to carry out. I am supposed to embody an element of harmony, which means I should be embracing the odd and strange, not rejecting it on principle.”

Discord shrugged, “And I am the embodiment of chaos, I should be throwing pies at every passerby and turning water to hard liquor. Instead I’m spending time gossiping and playing dress up. I rather enjoyed and I enjoyed the fact that it felt like my company was actually appreciated and wanted, and that I wasn’t being tested. So, if you have tests for me, then I’d rather not, and I don’t think Fluttershy or Celestia will be upset if I say that.”

After a moment, Twilight asked while tilting her head, “Do you like books?”

“Some.” He said while tapping his chin.

And then she breathed out, “Okay.” Another pause, and then she huffed, “Oh, this isn’t right. I was forcing myself to actually come up to you, but didn’t expect to need to face this so soon or to have you bring me out to lunch like this either.” She then looked away, “So I guess you’re correct. I should forget it, for now. I’m still determined to spend time with you, but I’d rather be comfortable in some sort of way. I have no ideas, I have no plans, and I hate working off of impulse. Not everything has to be planned, but I’d like some sort of idea of what I’m doing, and there’s just no way to predict chaos or even plan for it.”

He chuckled, “So then let’s leave on a positive note then.”

She groaned and looked toward him, “How could it ever be positive when I’m just making a fool out of myself?”

“Better a fool than a fake. We’re both supposed to make progress, and we’ve both not made any at all with one another, so here’s the deal. The dark and evil deal.” And then he leaned in to whisper, “We shake hand and hoof, and agree on something.”

Twilight leaned closer as his voice lowered further, “Agree on what?”

“That we’re not friends just yet.” He said simply and nodded with a big smile. When she simply kept on staring at him dryly, he added with a claw prodding the air, “But! We’re not enemies.”

Her look softened, and then she nodded, “Yeah, I guess I can do that.”

Spike chimed in, “Are you going to take her soul in exchange for that deal?”

“Spike! It was just a figure of speech! He doesn’t actually mean it is going to be a dark and evil deal.” She said with a huff.

Discord then chuckled, and kept on chuckling until the pony and dragon were staring at him with wide eyes before he reached out and took her hoof to shake it while beaming, “From a certain perspective, it is an evil deal because you’re making a deal with me, and from other perspectives it is just a joke. What you think of it is all up to you, but I’d rather not fight or make a mess of things because I’d never hear the end of it from a particular.” And he paused before saying the next word, “Friend.”

Twilight looked at her hoof being shaken before she started to follow through with the motion, a small smile on her face as she sighed, “All right, Discord. Not friends. Not enemies.” For the first time, Twilight looked at the bracelet on his wrist and then she opened her mouth and gasped, “Wait, isn’t that one of Fluttershy’s feathers?”

He gave her back a gentle pat, “That’s the spirit, keep your chin up, and we’ll be friends before you know it! Tah tah for now.”

With that said, he turned and started to fly away. He kept the smile of Twilight Sparkle close to his heart and remembered that even if he had failed in some ways, he had made some sort of progress, and Fluttershy would be very happy to hear that. For him, however, the best part of all and perhaps something that Fluttershy would not enjoy as much, was hearing Twilight yelp and call out his name in irritation as she discovered the sign that he had placed upon her back asking her flank to be swatted. A bit of mischief now and then wasn’t all that bad, as long as he didn’t destroy anything too precious.

There had been a fair amount of uncertainty when it came to whether or not he’d actually find spending time with Rarity fun or interesting. Engaging would be a word he could use to describe working, and well, dressing up a doll could be engaging indeed. Discord made sure that he didn't touch her inappropriately as he got to work, but he could still see the faintest blush on her face, and something like mischief in her smile while she looked at herself in the mirror. However, Discord found himself entirely engrossed in a particular thing. He found himself entirely ensnared by Rarity. Not by her stunning beauty, though he could give her credit that she was both very fashionable and very pretty. Instead, he found himself ensnared by her words.

“And then what happened?” He asked as he helped her into a black dress.

While he adjusted her mane, a portion of it covering her eyes for a look that had a bit more mystique, Rarity hummed, “Well, you see, I thought that Big Mac would have been a good fit. A man of few words with a fine build, and he was quite the beast in bed. Mind you, the sex was good, but that deeper connection just wasn’t there. I thought that there might be something there, but it just wasn’t the case. Of course, that doesn’t mean that I don’t head around the farm a few times or invite him over for a bit of fun. I’m also excellent when it comes to giving him advice on that pretty mare he’s been ogling."

“Is that right? You truly have no shame, do you?” Discord said with a chuckle while holding up one gem to her neck before the other.

Rarity brought a forehoof up to her chest while tilting her chin up, “Now, why would I have any of that? Of course, I’ve got to try every prospect I can until I find my true prince. And mind you, he doesn’t have to be very princely.” She then sighed, “Although, I do wonder sometimes if I’m just not cut out for it. The love life, you know? There are so many suitors, so many available dames and dons with the right type of stuff, but the special connection just doesn’t seem to come to me.” A bit of mist touched her eyes as she tilted her head and bemoaned, “Am I simply just not meant for love?”

Discord snapped his fingers and pulled a handkerchief from the air to dab her cheeks and under her eyes while the gems on selection floated nearby as he shook his head, “Now, now, don’t say that. It sounds like you’re a very active gal. You’re already forming connections all the time, so you’ll find someone you want to deepen that connection with, I’m sure.”

“Oh, you’re sweet, aren’t you?” She said while looking back and up at him, before she then looked at herself in the mirror and hummed, “I might be getting broody because of the outfit, though. Black is quite the color on me, though, and a sapphire choker might be just the ticket to really tie it together.”

He tossed the handkerchief off, and it poofed away while he hummed, “Maybe something with more contrast? Blue is fine, but how about a red gem? Hmmm, then again, it would give villainous vibes, I think.”

Rarity giggled, “You know, for how hesitant you seemed at times, you’re taking this rather seriously, aren’t you?”

“Of course! It’s a game, a game to see if I can make an outfit you’ll actually like, but also that contrasts with your usual thing. Still glamorous but darker, and perhaps with my own little personal touch here or there.” Discord said as he put his claws on her neck and shoulder gently to adjust her like a doll.

She shuddered and breathed out, “Gracious, that’s quite the intimate touch. I’m not used to being handled like that. A lack of opposable digits among my usual peers, you see.” Rarity then cleared her throat, “Ignoring that, though, do you have anything juicy to share?”

Discord thought first of answering about what his claws could do, and then perhaps about what he had done with Fluttershy, before he simply cleared his throat, “Well, I don’t know if I should really say or not.”

“If it is about Fluttershy, then by all means, enlighten me. I’m more than happy to hear about all the sordid little details. I promise I won’t be upset.” Rarity said while looking up with an innocent smile.

He waved off the notion, “No! Not about her, she’d probably be upset if I told you anything about what we’ve been up to.” And Rarity opened her mouth but paused as Discord finished with a snort, “Although, I imagine Celestia would be upset too, considering our past.”

“Excuse me?” Rarity gasped before she turned around, “Celestia and you were an item?”

“What? No! Not an item.” Discord said while his hands sought the right motions to convey what he meant, “It was less of a thing or an item and more of a head-on collision, so to speak.”

Rarity stared at him and kept on staring at him with a big smile until she whispered and nudged him, “Go on.”

Discord looked at her and crossed his arms before slowly he muttered, “Well, we’re supposed to be testing my virtues or something like that right now, right? This has to be some sort of trap.”

“Testing your virtue? Oh, I suppose I should have been doing that, but my only concern right now is attempting to play nice and be friendly. Fluttershy asked me to spend time with you in a friendly fashion, and I’m enjoying that far more than if I had decided to make up some sort of weird test about generosity.” Rarity said while flicking her head to get the bangs out of her eyes.

He looked at her for a moment, one hand coming up to tug on the fur under his chin before he spoke softly, “So, you’re not going to tell Fluttershy I’ve failed some sort of test if I tell you that me and Celestia had a chance meeting where we were supposed to discuss peace but it ended up in something far more salacious?”

“No!” Rarity squealed before she bounced up and down while asking, “And you’re lying, aren’t you? There’s no way. Ah, a goddess falling for her mortal enemy. Not out of love but out of lust! How many could match her power, how many could even hope to drink with her? So of course, she would be weak to anyone who could even attempt to make their move.”

Discord felt oddly embarrassed, but he still felt a mote of pride as he hummed, “I suppose it is rather impressive. Not many could say they’ve mounted the sun.”

He heard Rarity gasp and for a moment, he thought he had something too crude. Instead, they shared a look for a second before Rarity’s cheeks burned and she giggled as if she had gone mad. Discord couldn’t help but share a grin, chuckle along, before laughing fully. They turned back to the mirror and continued on with their game, changing outfits for one another and sharing more details of various affairs in their life. Many of these moments were casual and strayed away from true romance, things that neither of them found shame in and would not care if anyone else found out. He spoke freely, without care, and he made jokes both clean and raunchy, never once being decried or told to hush in a serious manner.

By the time they were done, they found that the day had progressed quite a bit into the afternoon. Rarity escorted him out of her store while sighing, “I never truly had anything that could fit you properly, but I have your measurements now. Really, it's given me some new perspective. I might practice more on a few travelers from out of town who aren’t ponies, and I might ask you to model for me if you can.”

Discord beamed, “Well, your tastes are impeccable. Maybe next time we could chat over lunch.”

Rarity leaned against him for what counted as a friendly embrace and hummed, “Aw, of course. I’d love to.”

Before either of them could continue, they both heard a mare clearing her throat. When they turned, they found themselves staring at Twilight Sparkle. She stood there with her draconic assistant standing back at her side. When she had their attention, Twilight spoke, “I see you two were having a good time. I hope nothing—” The little dragon leaned up and prodded her side a few times before Twilight raised her hoof and breathed out, “Okay, right. Uh, I’m glad you two are getting along, and I also received Fluttershy’s letter. I’d like to spend time with you sometime, Discord.”

He couldn’t resist a bit of snark, but his eye twitched and he managed to twist and redirect it, “Oh, would you look at that, my schedule is open right now since I was just leaving. How about we all head out for some lunch?”

Twilight blinked, “R-right now? I mean, that’d work. Yeah, we could. I was hoping for a more one-on-one meeting so I could get to understand you a bit more and, well, share a bit of my own knowledge if you’d hear it.”

Rarity stepped between them and sighed aloud, “Gracious me, to ask someone so boldly for a one-on-one. Quite romantic of you, Twilight if not a bit forward. Is he to be your dangerous beau when already our Fluttershy has her fangs sunk into him?”

“What?!” Twilight blurted, “No! I just want to.” She then paused for a second before sniffing, “Oh, you’re just messing with me.”

Discord chuckled and gave Rarity a few pats on the head before she raised a hoof to swat his hand away, “Now, now, don’t be mean to Twilight. She’s perfectly innocent. Personally, I’m hungry so how about we find a cafe to sit at?”

The air seemed tense despite the jokes, but Twilight nodded in agreement after a while. They all headed to a little cafe in Ponyville, and Discord found himself wishing that Fluttershy were here, or that Twilight Sparkle would stop staring at him so intensely. Throughout the entire thing, she just kept watching him. Her little dragon seemed to be wary of him, but it felt more like curiosity than anything else. If he remembered right, the little dragon’s name was Spike. His curiosity didn’t feel as icy as Twilight’s stare, but then again, something seemed different. She seemed to be trying to meter her words, struggling to actually talk to him, and at some point during lunch, he realized that this was her version of making an effort and extending the olive branch.

After they finished eating, they all got up to head their separate ways. Once Rarity had said her goodbyes, he turned to Twilight and leaned down to look her in the eyes. Her ears pinned back, and he could see the crackle of her magic starting to form, but all he did was smile, “If you’d like to speak on a more personal level, I wouldn’t mind. Of course, only if you’re not planning on any funny business.” And as she seemed to grow annoyed with his insinuation, he brought up a digit and wagged it at her, “That’s my job.”

She breathed out, “No, I don’t plan on doing anything funny. I’d just like to actually support Fluttershy’s endeavors, and I feel, well, bad about a few things.”

Discord nodded, “Ah, so we feel the same about a few things! That being said, forget it.”

Twilight blinked, “Forget it?”

Discord smiled and stood up straight, “Of course! You seem uncomfortable with me standing anywhere near you, so don’t worry about it. I’d rather not cause you any discomfort. Honestly, it’s so obvious that it makes me nervous.”

She brought a hoof up and muttered, “Really? Spike?”

Spike nodded a bit, “Well, kind of. It looked like you were waiting for something bad to happen.”

Twilight sighed, “I still have a duty to carry out. I am supposed to embody an element of harmony, which means I should be embracing the odd and strange, not rejecting it on principle.”

Discord shrugged, “And I am the embodiment of chaos, I should be throwing pies at every passerby and turning water to hard liquor. Instead I’m spending time gossiping and playing dress up. I rather enjoyed and I enjoyed the fact that it felt like my company was actually appreciated and wanted, and that I wasn’t being tested. So, if you have tests for me, then I’d rather not, and I don’t think Fluttershy or Celestia will be upset if I say that.”

After a moment, Twilight asked while tilting her head, “Do you like books?”

“Some.” He said while tapping his chin.

And then she breathed out, “Okay.” Another pause, and then she huffed, “Oh, this isn’t right. I was forcing myself to actually come up to you, but didn’t expect to need to face this so soon or to have you bring me out to lunch like this either.” She then looked away, “So I guess you’re correct. I should forget it, for now. I’m still determined to spend time with you, but I’d rather be comfortable in some sort of way. I have no ideas, I have no plans, and I hate working off of impulse. Not everything has to be planned, but I’d like some sort of idea of what I’m doing, and there’s just no way to predict chaos or even plan for it.”

He chuckled, “So then let’s leave on a positive note then.”

She groaned and looked toward him, “How could it ever be positive when I’m just making a fool out of myself?”

“Better a fool than a fake. We’re both supposed to make progress, and we’ve both not made any at all with one another, so here’s the deal. The dark and evil deal.” And then he leaned in to whisper, “We shake hand and hoof, and agree on something.”

Twilight leaned closer as his voice lowered further, “Agree on what?”

“That we’re not friends just yet.” He said simply and nodded with a big smile. When she simply kept on staring at him dryly, he added with a claw prodding the air, “But! We’re not enemies.”

Her look softened, and then she nodded, “Yeah, I guess I can do that.”

Spike chimed in, “Are you going to take her soul in exchange for that deal?”

“Spike! It was just a figure of speech! He doesn’t actually mean it is going to be a dark and evil deal.” She said with a huff.

Discord then chuckled, and kept on chuckling until the pony and dragon were staring at him with wide eyes before he reached out and took her hoof to shake it while beaming, “From a certain perspective, it is an evil deal because you’re making a deal with me, and from other perspectives it is just a joke. What you think of it is all up to you, but I’d rather not fight or make a mess of things because I’d never hear the end of it from a particular.” And he paused before saying the next word, “Friend.”

Twilight looked at her hoof being shaken before she started to follow through with the motion, a small smile on her face as she sighed, “All right, Discord. Not friends. Not enemies.” For the first time, Twilight looked at the bracelet on his wrist and then she opened her mouth and gasped, “Wait, isn’t that one of Fluttershy’s feathers?”

He gave her back a gentle pat, “That’s the spirit, keep your chin up, and we’ll be friends before you know it! Tah tah for now.”

With that said, he turned and started to fly away. He kept the smile of Twilight Sparkle close to his heart and remembered that even if he had failed in some ways, he had made some sort of progress, and Fluttershy would be very happy to hear that. For him, however, the best part of all and perhaps something that Fluttershy would not enjoy as much, was hearing Twilight yelp and call out his name in irritation as she discovered the sign that he had placed upon her back asking her flank to be swatted. A bit of mischief now and then wasn’t all that bad, as long as he didn’t destroy anything too precious.

Fluttershy had spent her day with whatever chores she had needed to get out of the way before she decided to simply relax. She had taken a nap to catch up on the sleep that she had lost, had brewed herself some tea, and had snacked a bit around meals. When the afternoon came, she found herself lounging in the living room on the couch, a book cracked open that she had borrowed from Twilight’s library. Nothing about magic, but instead it was simply a happy little story. A warm thing that reminded her of the peace that came with not having to worry so much about what was going to happen. Of course, there were moments where she felt a bit of concern, but the necklace she wore reminded her that he would at least try. The possible catastrophe brought on by a lack of vigilance and the evil of chaos seemed to be more and more of an impossibility in her mind. Even if he did do something terrible, she was certain that it’d be something that she could get him to reverse, or something that she’d be able to make okay with a quick apology.

Turning the page of her book, she looked down at the page with a small smile before noticing a rather familiar-looking shadow strewn across it. When she looked up, she saw Discord staring at her with a raised brow and a smirk, “So, what are we reading?”

The feathers of her wings puffed out, and she gasped before huffing, “O-oh, Discord, don’t scare me like that. It isn’t nice to sneak into someone’s home unannounced, and it is especially not nice to just loom over others while they’re doing something.”

Discord beamed, “Oh, I know.” He then sat next to her on the couch while sighing aloud, “I just figured I’d let myself in so I could crash on this couch and pour my little heart out. Oh, today was such an ordeal.”

She slowly shut her book, and she tilted her head, “Did it go badly with Rarity?”

“You wouldn’t believe the day I had. Why, I think I need a bit of comfort. Maybe a few kisses. Preferably between the legs.” He said dramatically enough that even Fluttershy found herself narrow-eyed and suspicious as he leaned back on the couch and put an arm over the top of his head. When he saw her staring, he couldn’t help but snicker, “My, it seems my acting really is just no good. I’ll have to brush up on it.”

Fluttershy sighed, “It isn’t nice to lie about that type of thing, especially if you’re trying to get favors out of it.”

When she turned to lie down facing him on the couch, he leaned down and kissed her head while humming, “Oh, I know. Humor me, though. I’m in a good mood. It went well. Better than expected despite an unexpected element.”

She then smiled, “Good.” Fluttershy paused afterward before asking softly, “And what was the unexpected element?”

Discord explained, but first, he shared the good news of how the day went. She hadn’t been certain what would happen, but it sounded like he had properly bonded with Rarity and gotten a chance to talk with her. She wasn’t certain how she felt about those two gossiping and sharing information with one another, but Discord seemed happy about it, and it sounded like it had been good for him. What came afterward was an account of a peaceful luncheon with none other than Twilight Sparkle. Of course, her wings flicked and her ears pinned back at first when she heard that. How could she not be concerned about Twilight and Discord meeting after how last time went? At the same time, her concerns ended soon enough as Discord explained how they had left one another. A mutual agreement that neither were friend nor foe.

After Discord finished, Fluttershy spoke gently while nudging his thigh, “You did good. You didn’t fight with Twilight.”

“Well, I managed to pull her into a deal instead. Now the seed of horrible, nasty corruption has been planted deep within her and soon shall sprout.” He said while wiggling his claws at her.

She snorted and waved his claws away, “Stop that.”

He grabbed her cheeks and leaned down to let their snouts touch as he snickered, “Just as I have planted my evil seed deep inside of you.”

“Don’t word it like that!” She said while laughing, her cheeks burning while she pulled away, “B-besides. I expect you to use a condom if it ever comes to it.”

He stared at her while wagging his brow, and she couldn’t help but find herself tickled by his attitude and embarrassed by her own words. Blinking, she was met with a packaged condom held in his mouth while he maintained the same expression causing her cheeks to burn brighter while she still couldn’t help but laugh, “Discord! Behave. You can’t make me laugh and be inappropriate at the same time.”

“Why not?” He said as the condom dropped only to be caught between two of his digits, “You seem to be having fun.”

Fluttershy cleared her throat, a few chuckles escaping as she blew out, “Well, yes, but—”

“But what?” He asked while leaning in to peck her mouth while cupping her cheek gingerly.

She shivered as she shut her eyes and made a quiet excuse, “But you should be doing one or the other. It is hard to tell when you’re joking, and when you’re not.”

“I like to hear you laugh.” He said softly while kissing her mouth, and then under her chin to catch her neck while he rumbled, “If it is hard to tell if I’m joking or not, then allow me to say that you should know better considering you’ve had my cock in your mouth.”

“You’re being vulgar.” She whispered, but she couldn’t put any strength in the admonishment as she felt heat rise through her body before washing all throughout.

And he hummed against her neck, “Yes, I am. Should I say it any other way? Should I make it prettier for you? Well, that'd just be silly of me, really."

Fluttershy tried to steady her breathing as she asked, “And why is that?”

“Because anything I say would pale in comparison to how beautiful you are to me. I feel good right now, but I don’t want a prize. I want to celebrate.” And as his words continued, they became deeper, more of a low growl than just a simple rumble, “Let me be vulgar and show you a taste of the deepest honesty, of mischief unbound.”

She shivered more, and her words failed her. Fluttershy had not expected him to act so soon and to act so boldly. This honesty was both refreshing and terrifying, her body shaking like a leaf. She had not planned on letting him do this; she didn't even think she should let him do it in the first place, as it might be a step too far, and yet, she found herself wanting to say yes. That passionate desire of his was infectious, and it wasn't as if she felt nothing at all. His touches made her cheeks warm and her head grow dizzy with fuzzy desires.

That being the case, she found that she still could not say anything at all until she managed to blurt out, "Bed!"

At first, he paused and tilted his head, but then he simply smiled and floated up into the air. He hefted her up in his arms with ease and began heading to her room as he whispered, “Let’s get comfortable then, dear. I’ll try to be gentle. No promises, though.”

Fluttershy wondered what she had gotten herself into as he carried her to her bedroom. She had been entirely captured by his good mood and found herself aroused enough to encourage him. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t receptive to the idea, but she realized that maybe she should be asking him for more specifics on what happened today, that maybe they should take it a bit slower. Even with her doubts, though, she couldn’t help but smile as he pressed his face to her neck. She could see him grinning even like this, could see that he seemed genuinely happy, and it wasn’t at the expense of someone else. Maybe in a way, this too was progress. She couldn’t imagine writing a report on this, and could not imagine spinning this as a positive to anyone else, but she didn’t need to justify it to anyone else. If she wanted this, if she believed that it was a positive; then it simply was.

When he set her on the bed, he paused for a moment. He took the bracelet off his wrist and set it atop her dresser gingerly, and when he approached her, he took off her necklace gently and said, “There, wouldn’t want anything happening to those precious things, and I can’t have anything in the way.”

She chuckled, “I guess I understand the bracelet, but a necklace shouldn’t get in the way.”

As he set it aside, he said while humming, “Oh, I don’t know about that. You know me. The big, bad, scary chimera. Liable to snap and bite at any point.”

Fluttershy rolled her eyes, “You don’t bite.”

She stopped for a moment as she looked at the gaze he was giving her. His eyes were half-lidded, and his smile rose in a manner that she could only describe as cheeky. When she made the realization of what he wanted to do, she thought about warning him to be gentle, but she could see by his expression and by the sound of his chuckling that it’d fall on deaf ears. He had said that he would be gentle, but he made no promises, and she supposed that it’d have to be good enough for her. At the same time, she could not help but catch a glimpse of the pearl of his fangs, could not help but think about the idea of him biting her. A danger that could not be controlled, and yet one that could be experienced safely because she trusted him. A partner that might not treat her like a delicate flower, and perhaps it would be better that way. If he treated her roughly, then he’d be expressing his desire however he wanted and at the same time trusting that she could handle it. The more she thought about it, the more she found it appealing until she had to say something.”

As she brushed aside her mane to expose her neck a bit more, she decided to say softly, “I guess that might be wrong. You probably do bite. You said it yourself that I shouldn’t trust you, but I do. I trust that you won’t hurt me too badly, and that you’ll make up for it if you do. Bite if you want, and you shouldn’t be gentle unless you want.” Feeling her bravado waning, she finished in a hushed tone, “I can take it.”

Fluttershy half expected Discord to pounce on her right then and there after such a provocation. He did rush toward her, he did reach out to grab her, but only to touch her cheeks as he leaned in to bring their heads together as he rumbled, “You trust me that much, do you? How sweet of you. I won’t lie, your offer is something that stirs something deep inside of me. It makes me hunger like you would not believe, but I’m going to take my time with this meal. Why rush it? Why make it as intense as possible right now when I can have my fun stripping back the layers of whatever tenacity you have until you are left dizzy and barely aware of where you are.”

The only thing that stumbled from her mouth was a quiet, “Gracious.”

One more chuckle, and then their mouths met. She felt his claws move from her cheek around to her back so he could hold onto her as if she’d try to escape him. Fluttershy leaned into the kiss, tilting her head to get a better angle, her eyes shutting as she allowed herself to sink into the embrace of mouth to mouth while her body pulsed with fresh warmth from his words. The kiss was something she had gotten adjusted to, but those words were still present in her mind. He wanted to take her apart, to take his time enjoying her, to make her melt rather than ruin her immediately. She had thought to give him whatever he wanted in the hopes that he would not treat her like a sensitive doll unable to handle anything, but it would not be so bad to be treated like a toy. One meant to be roughhoused with over time, one that would be used and given proper purpose instead of coddled and put aside. When their lips parted, she shuddered as she felt his mouth touch her neck, as she felt him slide along her form. His serpentine shape passed over her back so he could get behind her, his stiff arousal brushing along her body, letting her know just what he was planning. His hunger. His desire. All of it expressed without reservation.

Fluttershy had spent her day with whatever chores she had needed to get out of the way before she decided to simply relax. She had taken a nap to catch up on the sleep that she had lost, had brewed herself some tea, and had snacked a bit around meals. When the afternoon came, she found herself lounging in the living room on the couch, a book cracked open that she had borrowed from Twilight’s library. Nothing about magic, but instead it was simply a happy little story. A warm thing that reminded her of the peace that came with not having to worry so much about what was going to happen. Of course, there were moments where she felt a bit of concern, but the necklace she wore reminded her that he would at least try. The possible catastrophe brought on by a lack of vigilance and the evil of chaos seemed to be more and more of an impossibility in her mind. Even if he did do something terrible, she was certain that it’d be something that she could get him to reverse, or something that she’d be able to make okay with a quick apology.

Turning the page of her book, she looked down at the page with a small smile before noticing a rather familiar-looking shadow strewn across it. When she looked up, she saw Discord staring at her with a raised brow and a smirk, “So, what are we reading?”

The feathers of her wings puffed out, and she gasped before huffing, “O-oh, Discord, don’t scare me like that. It isn’t nice to sneak into someone’s home unannounced, and it is especially not nice to just loom over others while they’re doing something.”

Discord beamed, “Oh, I know.” He then sat next to her on the couch while sighing aloud, “I just figured I’d let myself in so I could crash on this couch and pour my little heart out. Oh, today was such an ordeal.”

She slowly shut her book, and she tilted her head, “Did it go badly with Rarity?”

“You wouldn’t believe the day I had. Why, I think I need a bit of comfort. Maybe a few kisses. Preferably between the legs.” He said dramatically enough that even Fluttershy found herself narrow-eyed and suspicious as he leaned back on the couch and put an arm over the top of his head. When he saw her staring, he couldn’t help but snicker, “My, it seems my acting really is just no good. I’ll have to brush up on it.”

Fluttershy sighed, “It isn’t nice to lie about that type of thing, especially if you’re trying to get favors out of it.”

When she turned to lie down facing him on the couch, he leaned down and kissed her head while humming, “Oh, I know. Humor me, though. I’m in a good mood. It went well. Better than expected despite an unexpected element.”

She then smiled, “Good.” Fluttershy paused afterward before asking softly, “And what was the unexpected element?”

Discord explained, but first, he shared the good news of how the day went. She hadn’t been certain what would happen, but it sounded like he had properly bonded with Rarity and gotten a chance to talk with her. She wasn’t certain how she felt about those two gossiping and sharing information with one another, but Discord seemed happy about it, and it sounded like it had been good for him. What came afterward was an account of a peaceful luncheon with none other than Twilight Sparkle. Of course, her wings flicked and her ears pinned back at first when she heard that. How could she not be concerned about Twilight and Discord meeting after how last time went? At the same time, her concerns ended soon enough as Discord explained how they had left one another. A mutual agreement that neither were friend nor foe.

After Discord finished, Fluttershy spoke gently while nudging his thigh, “You did good. You didn’t fight with Twilight.”

“Well, I managed to pull her into a deal instead. Now the seed of horrible, nasty corruption has been planted deep within her and soon shall sprout.” He said while wiggling his claws at her.

She snorted and waved his claws away, “Stop that.”

He grabbed her cheeks and leaned down to let their snouts touch as he snickered, “Just as I have planted my evil seed deep inside of you.”

“Don’t word it like that!” She said while laughing, her cheeks burning while she pulled away, “B-besides. I expect you to use a condom if it ever comes to it.”

He stared at her while wagging his brow, and she couldn’t help but find herself tickled by his attitude and embarrassed by her own words. Blinking, she was met with a packaged condom held in his mouth while he maintained the same expression causing her cheeks to burn brighter while she still couldn’t help but laugh, “Discord! Behave. You can’t make me laugh and be inappropriate at the same time.”

“Why not?” He said as the condom dropped only to be caught between two of his digits, “You seem to be having fun.”

Fluttershy cleared her throat, a few chuckles escaping as she blew out, “Well, yes, but—”

“But what?” He asked while leaning in to peck her mouth while cupping her cheek gingerly.

She shivered as she shut her eyes and made a quiet excuse, “But you should be doing one or the other. It is hard to tell when you’re joking, and when you’re not.”

“I like to hear you laugh.” He said softly while kissing her mouth, and then under her chin to catch her neck while he rumbled, “If it is hard to tell if I’m joking or not, then allow me to say that you should know better considering you’ve had my cock in your mouth.”

“You’re being vulgar.” She whispered, but she couldn’t put any strength in the admonishment as she felt heat rise through her body before washing all throughout.

And he hummed against her neck, “Yes, I am. Should I say it any other way? Should I make it prettier for you? Well, that'd just be silly of me, really."

Fluttershy tried to steady her breathing as she asked, “And why is that?”

“Because anything I say would pale in comparison to how beautiful you are to me. I feel good right now, but I don’t want a prize. I want to celebrate.” And as his words continued, they became deeper, more of a low growl than just a simple rumble, “Let me be vulgar and show you a taste of the deepest honesty, of mischief unbound.”

She shivered more, and her words failed her. Fluttershy had not expected him to act so soon and to act so boldly. This honesty was both refreshing and terrifying, her body shaking like a leaf. She had not planned on letting him do this; she didn't even think she should let him do it in the first place, as it might be a step too far, and yet, she found herself wanting to say yes. That passionate desire of his was infectious, and it wasn't as if she felt nothing at all. His touches made her cheeks warm and her head grow dizzy with fuzzy desires.

That being the case, she found that she still could not say anything at all until she managed to blurt out, "Bed!"

At first, he paused and tilted his head, but then he simply smiled and floated up into the air. He hefted her up in his arms with ease and began heading to her room as he whispered, “Let’s get comfortable then, dear. I’ll try to be gentle. No promises, though.”

Fluttershy wondered what she had gotten herself into as he carried her to her bedroom. She had been entirely captured by his good mood and found herself aroused enough to encourage him. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t receptive to the idea, but she realized that maybe she should be asking him for more specifics on what happened today, that maybe they should take it a bit slower. Even with her doubts, though, she couldn’t help but smile as he pressed his face to her neck. She could see him grinning even like this, could see that he seemed genuinely happy, and it wasn’t at the expense of someone else. Maybe in a way, this too was progress. She couldn’t imagine writing a report on this, and could not imagine spinning this as a positive to anyone else, but she didn’t need to justify it to anyone else. If she wanted this, if she believed that it was a positive; then it simply was.

When he set her on the bed, he paused for a moment. He took the bracelet off his wrist and set it atop her dresser gingerly, and when he approached her, he took off her necklace gently and said, “There, wouldn’t want anything happening to those precious things, and I can’t have anything in the way.”

She chuckled, “I guess I understand the bracelet, but a necklace shouldn’t get in the way.”

As he set it aside, he said while humming, “Oh, I don’t know about that. You know me. The big, bad, scary chimera. Liable to snap and bite at any point.”

Fluttershy rolled her eyes, “You don’t bite.”

She stopped for a moment as she looked at the gaze he was giving her. His eyes were half-lidded, and his smile rose in a manner that she could only describe as cheeky. When she made the realization of what he wanted to do, she thought about warning him to be gentle, but she could see by his expression and by the sound of his chuckling that it’d fall on deaf ears. He had said that he would be gentle, but he made no promises, and she supposed that it’d have to be good enough for her. At the same time, she could not help but catch a glimpse of the pearl of his fangs, could not help but think about the idea of him biting her. A danger that could not be controlled, and yet one that could be experienced safely because she trusted him. A partner that might not treat her like a delicate flower, and perhaps it would be better that way. If he treated her roughly, then he’d be expressing his desire however he wanted and at the same time trusting that she could handle it. The more she thought about it, the more she found it appealing until she had to say something.”

As she brushed aside her mane to expose her neck a bit more, she decided to say softly, “I guess that might be wrong. You probably do bite. You said it yourself that I shouldn’t trust you, but I do. I trust that you won’t hurt me too badly, and that you’ll make up for it if you do. Bite if you want, and you shouldn’t be gentle unless you want.” Feeling her bravado waning, she finished in a hushed tone, “I can take it.”

Fluttershy half expected Discord to pounce on her right then and there after such a provocation. He did rush toward her, he did reach out to grab her, but only to touch her cheeks as he leaned in to bring their heads together as he rumbled, “You trust me that much, do you? How sweet of you. I won’t lie, your offer is something that stirs something deep inside of me. It makes me hunger like you would not believe, but I’m going to take my time with this meal. Why rush it? Why make it as intense as possible right now when I can have my fun stripping back the layers of whatever tenacity you have until you are left dizzy and barely aware of where you are.”

The only thing that stumbled from her mouth was a quiet, “Gracious.”

One more chuckle, and then their mouths met. She felt his claws move from her cheek around to her back so he could hold onto her as if she’d try to escape him. Fluttershy leaned into the kiss, tilting her head to get a better angle, her eyes shutting as she allowed herself to sink into the embrace of mouth to mouth while her body pulsed with fresh warmth from his words. The kiss was something she had gotten adjusted to, but those words were still present in her mind. He wanted to take her apart, to take his time enjoying her, to make her melt rather than ruin her immediately. She had thought to give him whatever he wanted in the hopes that he would not treat her like a sensitive doll unable to handle anything, but it would not be so bad to be treated like a toy. One meant to be roughhoused with over time, one that would be used and given proper purpose instead of coddled and put aside. When their lips parted, she shuddered as she felt his mouth touch her neck, as she felt him slide along her form. His serpentine shape passed over her back so he could get behind her, his stiff arousal brushing along her body, letting her know just what he was planning. His hunger. His desire. All of it expressed without reservation.

Discord’s presence loomed behind her, his claws gripping onto her rear, kneading the softness of her flank. She swore she could even feel the drip of drool coming from his mouth. It was with that thought that she remembered that he had been trapped for a very long time without any sort of affection. He had been holding himself back this entire time and she had told him to do whatever he wanted. She could feel his cock pressing against her thigh, sliding between her hind legs. A twitch of his member brought it up against her crotch, swatting her belly as the tip began to slide back until it lined up with her cunt. Everything he did seemed so slow and deliberate, but it could not be called gentle by any means. His claws did not dig in, but they were there. They were there just like the hunger she felt constantly pouring over her, as she felt him measuring her body and savoring every curve and facet of herself. She could not help but press her upper body down against the ground while raising her lower half to meet his touch, to let him prepare to fuck her.

At the same time, Fluttershy breathed out, “Condom.”

The reminder barely slipped from her lips, the word said through little sighs and huffs while he continued to massage her rear, as he continued to grind his bare shaft against her crotch. He did not answer her right away and instead seemed to keep on pushing his shaft along her crotch, humping so that his hips would hit her rear with each movement. He did not enter her, but he did not pull away to put on a condom, making her wonder if he would comply or if he would simply do as he desired in full. To take her raw, to hold her down by mane and tail, and make her a bitch as a common beast would. Her thoughts were making her head spin with heat, dizzy and delightful all at once, with just the right amount of terror. It’d be her own fault, too; as she had told him that she could handle it just fine.

Finally, though, he brought himself back and rested his cock on her rear while she heard him tearing open a wrapper, “I don’t need a reminder, poor thing. You must think I’m some kind of animal. Well, I suppose I’m many animals in one.”

“Oh uh, no. I don’t think that at all.” And she had more to say, but squeaked as he gave her rear a firm swat and aimed the tip of his dick against her cunt. At the same time, she continued on with the pitch of her voice climbing, “Ahah, uhm, I suppose I did say to give it your best. Do whatever you want. I still hold that, but maybe you should give me a warning before you do something like that again?”

“Of course, my poor dear.” He chirped.

Fluttershy breathed out, relaxing a bit, and then he gave her rear another swat. She opened her mouth to complain that he had not warned her at all, and then she froze. The tip of his shaft began to spread her open nice and slowly while he grabbed hold of the base of her tail. He took his sweet time in entering her, but he would also jolt and push as if to grind more of his dick in, specifically to add extra assertion to his presence. She could not get used to it, no matter how many times she had experienced it, her body twitching and shuddering violently, her head growing fuzzier by the moment while she tried to keep herself held up until she found her forelegs slipping. She landed on her cheek, while groaning, while her eyes fluttered, while the strength of her body left her as he kept that latex-covered length sliding on in deeper and deeper.

At about the halfway mark, Discord began to tug on her tail to bring her rear back toward him. She gasped as he pulled back before plunging into her, before he started a steady pace of short and quick thrusts that stretched her out just right. Girthier than anything she had ever taken before, and it had been a long time for her as well, considering she didn’t often find herself in the company of others. Her insides were tightening around his dick, the wetness of her cunt guiding him in easily, but even then, it felt like his cock was grinding against the edges of her insides alongside the edges of her sanity. At the same time, Discord handled everything with grace rather than the animalistic lust that she had thought he would put on her. He chuckled and hummed, massaging her thigh and rear with his other hand while carefully tugging on her tail. She thought that he’d be ravenous, that he’d be unstoppable due to his own pent-up lust, but instead she found that she was the one acting as if she hadn’t been fucked in ages.

Goodness! Her moans were growing louder, her hooves trying their best to cover her mouth as she kept on squeaking. He did not force her to bring her hooves away, and in fact, she could hear him chuckling and could practically see him smiling in her mind’s eye. Discord simply continued at the same pace, occasionally slowing down to take his time with rutting into her. It would have been less embarrassing if he had just mounted her wildly, but now she found that she was the one acting like the lustful beast. Just when she thought she could bury her face and hide away from him forever, she felt his touch just under her chin. He brought her head up as he leaned forward, and she tried to escape his gaze, only to find herself falling for his trap as he kissed her. Fluttershy found herself calming down just a bit. The secure hold of her chin and the trap of his mouth closing over hers gave her something else to focus on. Her breathing steadied, her shaking stopped as she began to feel a genuine comfort from his tender kiss. He even licked her lips on occasion and leaned over to give her neck a gentle nip before he went back to kissing her again. Soft and tender, loving in a manner that she hadn’t expected. She shouldn’t have judged him too soon; she truly had thought of him as an animal and nothing more than that. No, Discord wasn't just an animal. The pulse of his shaft forced her to remember that fact.

If she simply braced herself, then she could adjust. Slowly, she began to let out little sighs and breaths rather than shivering moans, her hooves supporting her as she leaned toward the kiss to continue drawing in further comfort from the contact. Just as she found herself adjusting properly to everything happening, he pulled away and leaned back to begin pounding inside of her with more speed. Longer thrusts followed by pulling nearly entirely free of her heat before he plunged inside again, causing her to gasp aloud.

“Discord!” She cried out to admonish him.

The rest of her grievance did not come out as she groaned while he thrust into her, while his thrusts grew faster and faster. At the same time, he moved one of his hands beneath them to start grinding a few digits against her clit while he rumbled, “Oh, what is it? Should I slow down? Or maybe you’d like me to stop entirely?”

Fluttershy had been left a panting mess, unable to properly give him an answer. She couldn’t even give him a foul look. In part because of the rapid pace of his thrusts, and in part as well because she found herself unable to feel anything but pleasure. What soreness she felt was ground away by the digit at her clit, by the constant push and press of his shaft against her deepest reaches. She did not want him to stop; she did not want him to slow down, but his mischief was tearing her mind apart. He’d stop rubbing her clit and kiss her ear softly, chuckling just a bit before nipping just as she was about to react. He’d thrust harder, his claws grabbing hold of her flank firmly so that he could start using her like a toy, before he’d slow down and give her cheek a gentle kiss until she stopped shaking. Everything. Everything at once was too much to handle, and yet she found herself coming undone the more he touched her. Climbing closer and closer until she had to shut her eyes tight and hold her mouth shut so she wouldn’t squeal in delight, her climax hitting hard.

Discord kept his movements gentle and slow now, his hips rocking against her as he pushed in deep before slowly sliding out. He kept this pace until she felt one more thrust, one more slow and gradual push where the tip of his cock touched her furthest spot. And then she felt the warmth. The warmth of his seed was held back only by a bubbling condom deep inside of her. He had not pulled free but instead let loose within her. She was thankful for the condom, but she found that the amount made her concerned just a bit that it would pop, and at the same time, she loved the feeling. The feeling of his sheltered climax only continued to grow more present with every twitch of his cock, adding more and more. At the same time, he kissed her neck and ear, rumbled joyfully while he let loose within her.

When he finished, he pulled out nice and slow. The tip came free with a wet pop, her body shaking a bit before she slumped to the bed entirely boneless. He turned her onto her back and placed his raw cock atop of her crotch alongside the filled condom, “Why, there’s a pretty sight.”

His words were purred, and she could feel him grinding against her crotch with that raw length. She was too tired to tell him to behave, and so instead she simply looked up at him with a small smile. In response, he leaned down and let their lips meet for a gentle peck, his hand on her cheek. He’d probably take her again. Condom or without, Fluttershy wasn’t sure she could handle that sort of intensity again so soon. Her body felt warm all over, and there were pinpricks of soreness blossoming in different parts. Discord pulled another condom from the air, his other hand on her cheek, and she found that she could not open her mouth to tell him not to do this. He stroked her cheek and kissed her tenderly, then dipped his tongue inside her mouth but did not push too firmly. There was no question as to whether or not he would continue, and in return, she did not voice aloud whether or not she was ready for another time. She could see the barely held lust glinting behind his gaze that refused to be denied.

With the second condom on his cock, he grabbed onto her thighs and lined her up with his cock before sliding in. He eased himself into her depths, pushing and thrusting until he got a steady rhythm while he held her there in place. Their mouths met for a tender kiss, and the pace of his thrusting seemed to be so gentle, so loving, but then the passion began to come through. Each thrust became faster than the previous one, each push deeper and just a bit harder. She shivered and moaned, her fore-hooves wrapping around his body as best as she could manage to cling to him. At the same time, she found that her body craved this attention, though she was sore. Her hips shuddered, but they moved to take more of his girth, to pleasure him just as he pleasured her.

When he pulled his mouth away, it was to bite her shoulder, his hips moving faster to thrust into her. His pace had become rough enough to jolt her with each push, her head hanging off the bed as she panted, as sweat dripped down her body and mane. The fangs on her shoulder moved over to her neck, pressing down firmly enough that she could feel the beginning of pain, but he did not press any further than that as he focused on the task of pounding into her cunt. This constant pace would drain her energy, and she could not help but wonder if he would want this sort of treatment every night? Would he clutch her tightly and not let her go? Would he treat her as a dragon treats treasure? To be hoarded away and held in eternal greed and lust.

Again she felt him climax, again she felt the growing bubble inside of her, and again he pulled out so he could put on another condom. Surely it had to be magic, or perhaps he was simply pent up. No, it had to be both. She could even feel the power in the air as he kissed her ear and prepared himself for another go. He held her on her side, his hand holding her head up as he gripped onto her mane to tug on it gently as he slammed in again. How many times would he use her? How many times would she cum? She was not sure, but it was all becoming hazy.

The creaking of the bed continued. On occasion, he stopped to take a short break, but these breaks consisted of him wandering off and only coming back with water to parch her throat and to parch his. She’d then be brought into another position, her insides plunged into, her body held tight, and her mind growing fuzzier by the second. The steam of the room coated her vision, her breath contributing to the mire surrounding them. Dizzy and dizzier still, she became until she could handle it no longer. Sometimes she would find her mouth at his balls as he let her rest, her tongue running little circles along his orbs as she watched him grow above her head. Her tongue would then move to his taint, guided by the hand on the back of her head. Fluttershy shuddered as she gave his rear a lover's kiss while his tail curled around her neck. It would not be long before her lips and tongue were free, before the tail around her neck came loose, and she'd be brought back onto her front or back to be pounded into yet again. What strength remained in her had been sapped away entirely. Now she hung against him limply, her moans and sighs turning into little pants and whimpers while her insides were plunged into again and again. How many condoms had he used? When he had finished, he lay atop her and curled around her body like a jealous serpent. He kissed her neck softly, tiny pecks that urged her to shut her eyes. She wished she could have sat up to kiss him, to tell him how thrilling it had all been, but instead she closed her eyes and found that a dreamless slumber beckoned her away.

She heard him whisper before she fell asleep, "Sleep well, my sweet Fluttershy."

Discord’s presence loomed behind her, his claws gripping onto her rear, kneading the softness of her flank. She swore she could even feel the drip of drool coming from his mouth. It was with that thought that she remembered that he had been trapped for a very long time without any sort of affection. He had been holding himself back this entire time and she had told him to do whatever he wanted. She could feel his cock pressing against her thigh, sliding between her hind legs. A twitch of his member brought it up against her crotch, swatting her belly as the tip began to slide back until it lined up with her cunt. Everything he did seemed so slow and deliberate, but it could not be called gentle by any means. His claws did not dig in, but they were there. They were there just like the hunger she felt constantly pouring over her, as she felt him measuring her body and savoring every curve and facet of herself. She could not help but press her upper body down against the ground while raising her lower half to meet his touch, to let him prepare to fuck her.

At the same time, Fluttershy breathed out, “Condom.”

The reminder barely slipped from her lips, the word said through little sighs and huffs while he continued to massage her rear, as he continued to grind his bare shaft against her crotch. He did not answer her right away and instead seemed to keep on pushing his shaft along her crotch, humping so that his hips would hit her rear with each movement. He did not enter her, but he did not pull away to put on a condom, making her wonder if he would comply or if he would simply do as he desired in full. To take her raw, to hold her down by mane and tail, and make her a bitch as a common beast would. Her thoughts were making her head spin with heat, dizzy and delightful all at once, with just the right amount of terror. It’d be her own fault, too; as she had told him that she could handle it just fine.

Finally, though, he brought himself back and rested his cock on her rear while she heard him tearing open a wrapper, “I don’t need a reminder, poor thing. You must think I’m some kind of animal. Well, I suppose I’m many animals in one.”

“Oh uh, no. I don’t think that at all.” And she had more to say, but squeaked as he gave her rear a firm swat and aimed the tip of his dick against her cunt. At the same time, she continued on with the pitch of her voice climbing, “Ahah, uhm, I suppose I did say to give it your best. Do whatever you want. I still hold that, but maybe you should give me a warning before you do something like that again?”

“Of course, my poor dear.” He chirped.

Fluttershy breathed out, relaxing a bit, and then he gave her rear another swat. She opened her mouth to complain that he had not warned her at all, and then she froze. The tip of his shaft began to spread her open nice and slowly while he grabbed hold of the base of her tail. He took his sweet time in entering her, but he would also jolt and push as if to grind more of his dick in, specifically to add extra assertion to his presence. She could not get used to it, no matter how many times she had experienced it, her body twitching and shuddering violently, her head growing fuzzier by the moment while she tried to keep herself held up until she found her forelegs slipping. She landed on her cheek, while groaning, while her eyes fluttered, while the strength of her body left her as he kept that latex-covered length sliding on in deeper and deeper.

At about the halfway mark, Discord began to tug on her tail to bring her rear back toward him. She gasped as he pulled back before plunging into her, before he started a steady pace of short and quick thrusts that stretched her out just right. Girthier than anything she had ever taken before, and it had been a long time for her as well, considering she didn’t often find herself in the company of others. Her insides were tightening around his dick, the wetness of her cunt guiding him in easily, but even then, it felt like his cock was grinding against the edges of her insides alongside the edges of her sanity. At the same time, Discord handled everything with grace rather than the animalistic lust that she had thought he would put on her. He chuckled and hummed, massaging her thigh and rear with his other hand while carefully tugging on her tail. She thought that he’d be ravenous, that he’d be unstoppable due to his own pent-up lust, but instead she found that she was the one acting as if she hadn’t been fucked in ages.

Goodness! Her moans were growing louder, her hooves trying their best to cover her mouth as she kept on squeaking. He did not force her to bring her hooves away, and in fact, she could hear him chuckling and could practically see him smiling in her mind’s eye. Discord simply continued at the same pace, occasionally slowing down to take his time with rutting into her. It would have been less embarrassing if he had just mounted her wildly, but now she found that she was the one acting like the lustful beast. Just when she thought she could bury her face and hide away from him forever, she felt his touch just under her chin. He brought her head up as he leaned forward, and she tried to escape his gaze, only to find herself falling for his trap as he kissed her. Fluttershy found herself calming down just a bit. The secure hold of her chin and the trap of his mouth closing over hers gave her something else to focus on. Her breathing steadied, her shaking stopped as she began to feel a genuine comfort from his tender kiss. He even licked her lips on occasion and leaned over to give her neck a gentle nip before he went back to kissing her again. Soft and tender, loving in a manner that she hadn’t expected. She shouldn’t have judged him too soon; she truly had thought of him as an animal and nothing more than that. No, Discord wasn't just an animal. The pulse of his shaft forced her to remember that fact.

If she simply braced herself, then she could adjust. Slowly, she began to let out little sighs and breaths rather than shivering moans, her hooves supporting her as she leaned toward the kiss to continue drawing in further comfort from the contact. Just as she found herself adjusting properly to everything happening, he pulled away and leaned back to begin pounding inside of her with more speed. Longer thrusts followed by pulling nearly entirely free of her heat before he plunged inside again, causing her to gasp aloud.

“Discord!” She cried out to admonish him.

The rest of her grievance did not come out as she groaned while he thrust into her, while his thrusts grew faster and faster. At the same time, he moved one of his hands beneath them to start grinding a few digits against her clit while he rumbled, “Oh, what is it? Should I slow down? Or maybe you’d like me to stop entirely?”

Fluttershy had been left a panting mess, unable to properly give him an answer. She couldn’t even give him a foul look. In part because of the rapid pace of his thrusts, and in part as well because she found herself unable to feel anything but pleasure. What soreness she felt was ground away by the digit at her clit, by the constant push and press of his shaft against her deepest reaches. She did not want him to stop; she did not want him to slow down, but his mischief was tearing her mind apart. He’d stop rubbing her clit and kiss her ear softly, chuckling just a bit before nipping just as she was about to react. He’d thrust harder, his claws grabbing hold of her flank firmly so that he could start using her like a toy, before he’d slow down and give her cheek a gentle kiss until she stopped shaking. Everything. Everything at once was too much to handle, and yet she found herself coming undone the more he touched her. Climbing closer and closer until she had to shut her eyes tight and hold her mouth shut so she wouldn’t squeal in delight, her climax hitting hard.

Discord kept his movements gentle and slow now, his hips rocking against her as he pushed in deep before slowly sliding out. He kept this pace until she felt one more thrust, one more slow and gradual push where the tip of his cock touched her furthest spot. And then she felt the warmth. The warmth of his seed was held back only by a bubbling condom deep inside of her. He had not pulled free but instead let loose within her. She was thankful for the condom, but she found that the amount made her concerned just a bit that it would pop, and at the same time, she loved the feeling. The feeling of his sheltered climax only continued to grow more present with every twitch of his cock, adding more and more. At the same time, he kissed her neck and ear, rumbled joyfully while he let loose within her.

When he finished, he pulled out nice and slow. The tip came free with a wet pop, her body shaking a bit before she slumped to the bed entirely boneless. He turned her onto her back and placed his raw cock atop of her crotch alongside the filled condom, “Why, there’s a pretty sight.”

His words were purred, and she could feel him grinding against her crotch with that raw length. She was too tired to tell him to behave, and so instead she simply looked up at him with a small smile. In response, he leaned down and let their lips meet for a gentle peck, his hand on her cheek. He’d probably take her again. Condom or without, Fluttershy wasn’t sure she could handle that sort of intensity again so soon. Her body felt warm all over, and there were pinpricks of soreness blossoming in different parts. Discord pulled another condom from the air, his other hand on her cheek, and she found that she could not open her mouth to tell him not to do this. He stroked her cheek and kissed her tenderly, then dipped his tongue inside her mouth but did not push too firmly. There was no question as to whether or not he would continue, and in return, she did not voice aloud whether or not she was ready for another time. She could see the barely held lust glinting behind his gaze that refused to be denied.

With the second condom on his cock, he grabbed onto her thighs and lined her up with his cock before sliding in. He eased himself into her depths, pushing and thrusting until he got a steady rhythm while he held her there in place. Their mouths met for a tender kiss, and the pace of his thrusting seemed to be so gentle, so loving, but then the passion began to come through. Each thrust became faster than the previous one, each push deeper and just a bit harder. She shivered and moaned, her fore-hooves wrapping around his body as best as she could manage to cling to him. At the same time, she found that her body craved this attention, though she was sore. Her hips shuddered, but they moved to take more of his girth, to pleasure him just as he pleasured her.

When he pulled his mouth away, it was to bite her shoulder, his hips moving faster to thrust into her. His pace had become rough enough to jolt her with each push, her head hanging off the bed as she panted, as sweat dripped down her body and mane. The fangs on her shoulder moved over to her neck, pressing down firmly enough that she could feel the beginning of pain, but he did not press any further than that as he focused on the task of pounding into her cunt. This constant pace would drain her energy, and she could not help but wonder if he would want this sort of treatment every night? Would he clutch her tightly and not let her go? Would he treat her as a dragon treats treasure? To be hoarded away and held in eternal greed and lust.

Again she felt him climax, again she felt the growing bubble inside of her, and again he pulled out so he could put on another condom. Surely it had to be magic, or perhaps he was simply pent up. No, it had to be both. She could even feel the power in the air as he kissed her ear and prepared himself for another go. He held her on her side, his hand holding her head up as he gripped onto her mane to tug on it gently as he slammed in again. How many times would he use her? How many times would she cum? She was not sure, but it was all becoming hazy.

The creaking of the bed continued. On occasion, he stopped to take a short break, but these breaks consisted of him wandering off and only coming back with water to parch her throat and to parch his. She’d then be brought into another position, her insides plunged into, her body held tight, and her mind growing fuzzier by the second. The steam of the room coated her vision, her breath contributing to the mire surrounding them. Dizzy and dizzier still, she became until she could handle it no longer. Sometimes she would find her mouth at his balls as he let her rest, her tongue running little circles along his orbs as she watched him grow above her head. Her tongue would then move to his taint, guided by the hand on the back of her head. Fluttershy shuddered as she gave his rear a lover's kiss while his tail curled around her neck. It would not be long before her lips and tongue were free, before the tail around her neck came loose, and she'd be brought back onto her front or back to be pounded into yet again. What strength remained in her had been sapped away entirely. Now she hung against him limply, her moans and sighs turning into little pants and whimpers while her insides were plunged into again and again. How many condoms had he used? When he had finished, he lay atop her and curled around her body like a jealous serpent. He kissed her neck softly, tiny pecks that urged her to shut her eyes. She wished she could have sat up to kiss him, to tell him how thrilling it had all been, but instead she closed her eyes and found that a dreamless slumber beckoned her away.

She heard him whisper before she fell asleep, "Sleep well, my sweet Fluttershy."

At some point, she simply woke up. Fluttershy had been sleeping while barely realizing it, and now that she wasn’t asleep she felt groggy. She pushed herself up onto her knees and looked around while blinking before she noticed that night had fallen. A single lamp near the bed emitted a dull glow in the room no doubt for her sake, whenever she woke up. As she moved, she winced as the memories of what had happened began to spring up across her body. It was to be expected that her body would be so sore after such a thing. She would really need to give Discord a stern talking to. Then again, what right did she have to do such a thing? She had said that she could handle everything he could give to her, and well, he had given her just that. What she could fault him for, though, was letting a girl wake up alone in bed. It felt almost chilly now without his presence, without his heat. At the very least, he could have waited for her to wake up before going home. Well, they weren’t lovers. Sighing, she flopped back onto the bed, deciding to stretch out her weary muscles first. She’d need a shower, no doubt, and then she’d need to find something to eat. First, though, she’d need to shake this grogginess off of her.

As her disappointment at being left alone began to rise and creep along her back, the door to her room opened, and after a pause, she heard Discord, “Well, hello, my sleeping princess. Finally awake?”

The scent of food caught her attention coming from out the door, and she could not hide her joy at seeing Discord floating there in the doorway leading out of her room. He looked at her with a big grin on his face as if everything was normal, as if they hadn’t enjoyed such an intense experience. He simply looked at her as he usually did. Nothing had changed at all, and yet, she found herself looking at him in a much brighter light. She had enjoyed the time they had spent together, enjoyed the roughness and intimacy combined. There had been a playful quality to the sex that she had adored, despite it driving her wild. Now the aspect of chaos stood there looking at her, calling her a princess, while the scent of food followed him. Though they remained simply friends, it was a kind gesture of his to remain waiting for her to awaken before leaving, kind for him to get up from the comfort of the bed to cook, and again, she found herself thinking the best of this creature of chaos.

Slowly, she stepped out of bed, stumbling a bit while she breathed out, “Yes, although I don’t know if you should be calling me princess. That’s a title for Celestia. Or Luna and the princess of love. I’m no alicorn.”

He put a hand on her head and snorted, “Bah, they could learn a thing or two from you about how to act. Not a shred of grace on that Luna or Celestia. This princess of love is new to me, and I suppose I should introduce myself sometime.”

She chuckled and brought a hoof up to brush his hand aside, “W-well, thank you, I suppose. I’m going to grab a shower, but uh, I suppose you’ve already eaten.”

Discord leaned back in the air and sighed, “No, I must admit that I’m terribly famished, but outside of a bit of pecking, I’ve waited to have a full meal. Of course, I’ll keep waiting until you’re finished freshening up.” One of his eyes then turned toward her as he hummed while feigning a glance at his claws, “Are you okay? Do you need any help?”

Though she felt sore, she could easily walk, and so she began to do so toward the bathroom while shaking her head, “I’m fine, Discord.” She noticed that Discord seemed to be staring more intensely, no longer pretending to look at his claws. Fluttershy asked softly while tilting her head, “Something wrong?”

“Oh, ah, I suppose not.” He said quietly while looking away, “I was just looking at my latest conquest.” While she frowned, he added, “It wouldn’t do to leave marks on the princess, and any marks I leave are my responsibility.”

Her cheeks warmed as she realized his concern, and she chuckled, “Thank you. I wasn’t sure if you were one for aftercare, but I see that I had nothing to worry about at all. You truly are kind, aren’t you?”

He snorted, “What? Perish the thought. I simply had to make sure nothing had happened for my own, selfish, and personal reasons. Nothing of kindness.”

While he said this, he looked away, and she could just barely make out a tuft of pink on his cheeks. She turned away and kept on walking while deciding to let him have this for now as she again found herself chuckling, “Okay.” But before she fully left, she added, “Those personal and selfish reasons of yours are pretty kind. Good to know how you are deep down.”

Before he could snap back at her or huff. She walked away with a smile on her face. She went to take a shower while he steamed outside. It might have been nice to have him inside the shower with her, but then again, that might encourage something else. Fluttershy could feel the spray of the shower dripping all over her, could feel it tracing every curve of her body. A few scratches, a few bruises, but nothing that would need any first aid. The scratches were simply lines left by his claws, and nothing had been torn. She was certain, however, that if she had been truly hurt, then he would have been fussing over her nonstop. A part of her wanted to know what that felt like. How would he have reacted if she had been cut by his claws? If his fangs had sunk in just a bit too much and broken skin? Well, she was certain that he’d do his absolute best to take care of his conquest. She found herself trying not to laugh at the thought of him trying to make it sound so tough, so distant when even she could see that he cared about her. Even if this persisted as a friendship, she found that this moment was one that she did not regret in the slightest. No, not at all. The event itself had been delightful if not a bit harrowing, but the aftermath revealed to her a lot of the chimera’s nature. The nature that existed outside of the chaotic being he put himself up as. Fluttershy was starting to think that she didn’t really need to do anything else for him now if he had this sort of capacity for concern and care in him. Then again, he still saw fit to hide his vulnerability to her, which might mean there was still a bit of room to grow.

Really, though, the thought of having nothing else to help him with made her a bit sad, but not because it meant an end to her responsibility. Rather, it meant an end to the necessity of their closeness. At the same time, as quick as that thought had come, she managed to brush it aside. Would he really do all of this just to leave her once he was cut loose permanently? No, even with her lack of confidence, she highly doubted that he’d ever leave her alone. She smiled now as she closed her eyes and tilted her head up to the warm spray of the shower. No, she was certain that he’d be a permanent fixture in her life, and more and more she found herself growing to like that idea.

She found that he could drop the tricks and the deceit for long enough to spend a nice time with her. He could sit down with her and eat with her, and they could simply talk. Sure, he’d still make inappropriate comments as they sat at the table together, but he wasn’t being malicious, and in fact, she found it entertaining. He told her proudly again about his day, told her all that he was planning on showing Rarity up at her own game. Of course, she had to tell him to dial it back on the competitiveness just a bit. She didn’t want him to become obnoxious about it, but it was nice seeing him so happy. Once they were in the kitchen together, tidying up the dishes, she heard him humming, and she couldn’t help but smile.

Once they were near finished, Discord breathed out, “As nice as all of this has been, I suppose I should stop being a bother and get out of your mane.”

She blinked and looked at him. Fluttershy had thought that he’d want to stay over, and she had even prepared herself for the embarrassment of having her bed. Well, there was no sense in forcing him to stay, but that didn’t sit right with her. In fact, thinking about it more and more, she knew that he was just being polite. If he tried his hardest to be polite, to mimic her in some ways, then maybe he’d do something that neither of them was fully happy with. He could stand to be a bit more selfish, and with that thought, she found herself laughing. While he tilted his head and snorted while asking her what seemed to be so funny, she remained lost in her own thoughts. Her own hypocrisy. He could stand to be a bit more selfish to earn a more satisfactory result for both of them, and she could stand to be more selfish as well. A bit more confident in stating what she wanted. That being said, she couldn’t say it with a straight face and found it all rather difficult.

Her smile twisting, she looked toward and closed her eyes while breathing out, “Oh, uh, sorry. I was just thinking that, well, it might be nice.”

“Nice for what?” He asked while leaning in a bit.

“Well, it isn’t often that I get to have sleepovers. Everyone is scared of the forest, so I rarely have company, and having someone stay over the night is also very nice. Since we’ve already crossed some lines, I don’t see what would be the problem in just sharing a bed.” She said quickly through hushed words and little giggles.

Discord planted a gentle peck on her ear and then embraced her, bringing her up into his arms as he spoke softly, “I’d love that. I promise I won’t be too much of a bother.”

They went to bed together that time for warmer reasons rather than heated ones. Still sore, she wanted to sleep a bit more and wanted to enjoy the feeling of his body curled around her a bit more. She felt a spark of something lovely beginning to form in her chest as she felt him hold her, as she felt him nestle around her almost possessively. Whether or not that feeling was right or wrong, she did not care, and instead she figured that she’d deal with it in the morning, or whenever the topic came up. She knew she could not chase these feelings, considering who Discord was, and who he had once been, but she could at least keep it to herself while wondering if he felt something similar. If it were just a passing thing of intimacy brought on by having been sequestered for so long, then she’d accept that when the time came to determine whether or not she’d chase. Even though she said that, her dreams were full of gentle kisses and flowers, of a time when they remained nestled one another beneath the moon, beneath the sun, beneath any light that would have them as they remained in union. A pretty dream. A pretty fantasy that she would keep tucked close to her heart for now.

At some point, she simply woke up. Fluttershy had been sleeping while barely realizing it, and now that she wasn’t asleep she felt groggy. She pushed herself up onto her knees and looked around while blinking before she noticed that night had fallen. A single lamp near the bed emitted a dull glow in the room no doubt for her sake, whenever she woke up. As she moved, she winced as the memories of what had happened began to spring up across her body. It was to be expected that her body would be so sore after such a thing. She would really need to give Discord a stern talking to. Then again, what right did she have to do such a thing? She had said that she could handle everything he could give to her, and well, he had given her just that. What she could fault him for, though, was letting a girl wake up alone in bed. It felt almost chilly now without his presence, without his heat. At the very least, he could have waited for her to wake up before going home. Well, they weren’t lovers. Sighing, she flopped back onto the bed, deciding to stretch out her weary muscles first. She’d need a shower, no doubt, and then she’d need to find something to eat. First, though, she’d need to shake this grogginess off of her.

As her disappointment at being left alone began to rise and creep along her back, the door to her room opened, and after a pause, she heard Discord, “Well, hello, my sleeping princess. Finally awake?”

The scent of food caught her attention coming from out the door, and she could not hide her joy at seeing Discord floating there in the doorway leading out of her room. He looked at her with a big grin on his face as if everything was normal, as if they hadn’t enjoyed such an intense experience. He simply looked at her as he usually did. Nothing had changed at all, and yet, she found herself looking at him in a much brighter light. She had enjoyed the time they had spent together, enjoyed the roughness and intimacy combined. There had been a playful quality to the sex that she had adored, despite it driving her wild. Now the aspect of chaos stood there looking at her, calling her a princess, while the scent of food followed him. Though they remained simply friends, it was a kind gesture of his to remain waiting for her to awaken before leaving, kind for him to get up from the comfort of the bed to cook, and again, she found herself thinking the best of this creature of chaos.

Slowly, she stepped out of bed, stumbling a bit while she breathed out, “Yes, although I don’t know if you should be calling me princess. That’s a title for Celestia. Or Luna and the princess of love. I’m no alicorn.”

He put a hand on her head and snorted, “Bah, they could learn a thing or two from you about how to act. Not a shred of grace on that Luna or Celestia. This princess of love is new to me, and I suppose I should introduce myself sometime.”

She chuckled and brought a hoof up to brush his hand aside, “W-well, thank you, I suppose. I’m going to grab a shower, but uh, I suppose you’ve already eaten.”

Discord leaned back in the air and sighed, “No, I must admit that I’m terribly famished, but outside of a bit of pecking, I’ve waited to have a full meal. Of course, I’ll keep waiting until you’re finished freshening up.” One of his eyes then turned toward her as he hummed while feigning a glance at his claws, “Are you okay? Do you need any help?”

Though she felt sore, she could easily walk, and so she began to do so toward the bathroom while shaking her head, “I’m fine, Discord.” She noticed that Discord seemed to be staring more intensely, no longer pretending to look at his claws. Fluttershy asked softly while tilting her head, “Something wrong?”

“Oh, ah, I suppose not.” He said quietly while looking away, “I was just looking at my latest conquest.” While she frowned, he added, “It wouldn’t do to leave marks on the princess, and any marks I leave are my responsibility.”

Her cheeks warmed as she realized his concern, and she chuckled, “Thank you. I wasn’t sure if you were one for aftercare, but I see that I had nothing to worry about at all. You truly are kind, aren’t you?”

He snorted, “What? Perish the thought. I simply had to make sure nothing had happened for my own, selfish, and personal reasons. Nothing of kindness.”

While he said this, he looked away, and she could just barely make out a tuft of pink on his cheeks. She turned away and kept on walking while deciding to let him have this for now as she again found herself chuckling, “Okay.” But before she fully left, she added, “Those personal and selfish reasons of yours are pretty kind. Good to know how you are deep down.”

Before he could snap back at her or huff. She walked away with a smile on her face. She went to take a shower while he steamed outside. It might have been nice to have him inside the shower with her, but then again, that might encourage something else. Fluttershy could feel the spray of the shower dripping all over her, could feel it tracing every curve of her body. A few scratches, a few bruises, but nothing that would need any first aid. The scratches were simply lines left by his claws, and nothing had been torn. She was certain, however, that if she had been truly hurt, then he would have been fussing over her nonstop. A part of her wanted to know what that felt like. How would he have reacted if she had been cut by his claws? If his fangs had sunk in just a bit too much and broken skin? Well, she was certain that he’d do his absolute best to take care of his conquest. She found herself trying not to laugh at the thought of him trying to make it sound so tough, so distant when even she could see that he cared about her. Even if this persisted as a friendship, she found that this moment was one that she did not regret in the slightest. No, not at all. The event itself had been delightful if not a bit harrowing, but the aftermath revealed to her a lot of the chimera’s nature. The nature that existed outside of the chaotic being he put himself up as. Fluttershy was starting to think that she didn’t really need to do anything else for him now if he had this sort of capacity for concern and care in him. Then again, he still saw fit to hide his vulnerability to her, which might mean there was still a bit of room to grow.

Really, though, the thought of having nothing else to help him with made her a bit sad, but not because it meant an end to her responsibility. Rather, it meant an end to the necessity of their closeness. At the same time, as quick as that thought had come, she managed to brush it aside. Would he really do all of this just to leave her once he was cut loose permanently? No, even with her lack of confidence, she highly doubted that he’d ever leave her alone. She smiled now as she closed her eyes and tilted her head up to the warm spray of the shower. No, she was certain that he’d be a permanent fixture in her life, and more and more she found herself growing to like that idea.

She found that he could drop the tricks and the deceit for long enough to spend a nice time with her. He could sit down with her and eat with her, and they could simply talk. Sure, he’d still make inappropriate comments as they sat at the table together, but he wasn’t being malicious, and in fact, she found it entertaining. He told her proudly again about his day, told her all that he was planning on showing Rarity up at her own game. Of course, she had to tell him to dial it back on the competitiveness just a bit. She didn’t want him to become obnoxious about it, but it was nice seeing him so happy. Once they were in the kitchen together, tidying up the dishes, she heard him humming, and she couldn’t help but smile.

Once they were near finished, Discord breathed out, “As nice as all of this has been, I suppose I should stop being a bother and get out of your mane.”

She blinked and looked at him. Fluttershy had thought that he’d want to stay over, and she had even prepared herself for the embarrassment of having her bed. Well, there was no sense in forcing him to stay, but that didn’t sit right with her. In fact, thinking about it more and more, she knew that he was just being polite. If he tried his hardest to be polite, to mimic her in some ways, then maybe he’d do something that neither of them was fully happy with. He could stand to be a bit more selfish, and with that thought, she found herself laughing. While he tilted his head and snorted while asking her what seemed to be so funny, she remained lost in her own thoughts. Her own hypocrisy. He could stand to be a bit more selfish to earn a more satisfactory result for both of them, and she could stand to be more selfish as well. A bit more confident in stating what she wanted. That being said, she couldn’t say it with a straight face and found it all rather difficult.

Her smile twisting, she looked toward and closed her eyes while breathing out, “Oh, uh, sorry. I was just thinking that, well, it might be nice.”

“Nice for what?” He asked while leaning in a bit.

“Well, it isn’t often that I get to have sleepovers. Everyone is scared of the forest, so I rarely have company, and having someone stay over the night is also very nice. Since we’ve already crossed some lines, I don’t see what would be the problem in just sharing a bed.” She said quickly through hushed words and little giggles.

Discord planted a gentle peck on her ear and then embraced her, bringing her up into his arms as he spoke softly, “I’d love that. I promise I won’t be too much of a bother.”

They went to bed together that time for warmer reasons rather than heated ones. Still sore, she wanted to sleep a bit more and wanted to enjoy the feeling of his body curled around her a bit more. She felt a spark of something lovely beginning to form in her chest as she felt him hold her, as she felt him nestle around her almost possessively. Whether or not that feeling was right or wrong, she did not care, and instead she figured that she’d deal with it in the morning, or whenever the topic came up. She knew she could not chase these feelings, considering who Discord was, and who he had once been, but she could at least keep it to herself while wondering if he felt something similar. If it were just a passing thing of intimacy brought on by having been sequestered for so long, then she’d accept that when the time came to determine whether or not she’d chase. Even though she said that, her dreams were full of gentle kisses and flowers, of a time when they remained nestled one another beneath the moon, beneath the sun, beneath any light that would have them as they remained in union. A pretty dream. A pretty fantasy that she would keep tucked close to her heart for now.

Dear Celestia,

“Discord cannot remain bound to me, although I have come to enjoy his constant appearances at my cottage, we both believe that it would be better for him to stretch his wings. There are days now when he spends his time in other places, and sometimes he’ll only show up once a week, but even if it is a little lonely sometimes, he’s made great progress. He’s gotten along well with Applejack, and better with Rarity, oddly enough. I’ve even gone to town and seen him interacting with ponies I’ve never met before myself. I’d like to imagine that he’s taken what I said to heart, but I know that he’s still a mischief-maker. There will be complaints that someone’s furniture had been turned into a strange material before mysteriously returning to normal, and missing objects sometimes can be found in piles around town for anyone to grab, but I don’t think that he’s ever done something truly malicious since being released. I am thankful for the opportunity, but I am sorry to say that I don’t think I’ve done much at all. Most of the credit should go to Discord.”

Yours truly, Fluttershy.

Celestia had read the letter aloud, standing on a cliff far away from Ponyville, but close enough still that you could outline every building. The piece of fine parchment had a bright yellow glow to it and began to be rolled up neatly before being set aside. Celestia turned her head to look at the one joining her, and Discord kept his eyes firmly on the distance. They remained there for a bit, not commenting on the letter or speaking to one another.

It took a while, but Celestia breathed out first, “I don’t think I have it in me to apologize for trapping you in the first place.”

Discord shrugged, “I never asked for it.”

Celestia frowned before sighing, “Yes, but I suppose that I can apologize for keeping you trapped for so long without ever thinking of how it might affect you, and for not finding the right pony for the job sooner. Even when you broke free, all you did was play games and then return once you lost. You could have done much more.”

Leaning down, Discord reached, and a flower grew from the ground. He then plucked it and brought the blossom up while he hummed, “You know, that did sound like an apology. It was a pretty good one for a stuck-up mare like you, but you know, I think I’m owed some sort of payback.”

“I don’t know about that, but if you must take something, then at least only let me suffer whatever wrath you still have.” She said while tilting her chin up proudly.

He offered the flower to her, and she frowned. While leaning in to get a better look at the blossom, water blew from the center of it and struck her directly in the face, wetting her mane as she coughed, “You miscreant!”

Discord laughed and let the flower disappear while shaking his head, “Ah! The look on your face is priceless! And it is all mine to admire. I suppose then, that’ll just have to be my revenge.”

She paused for a moment and tilted her head, “Really? That’s it? You don’t want any treasure, or something a bit more annoying? Maybe you want a place at Canterlot?”

He snorted, “I’ll visit Canterlot sometime, but for now, I think I’d prefer sticking out of the place full of upper-crust snobs. Besides, I think I’m settling in quite nicely in Ponyville.”

Celestia brushed her damp mane to the side and smiled a bit, “I suppose so. Especially with your—.” And she paused for a second before her smile grew, “Your friendship with Fluttershy.”

Discord kept looking toward the distance while he beamed, “Ah, she’s a treasure. I thought I’d pester her and keep pestering her until that calm, shy exterior shattered, but she’s been far too nice, and I find myself wanting to make her smile instead. It wouldn’t be fair of me to keep on being a pest. It is a bit bothersome that she still worries, and anytime I visit, I can catch it clearly. Ugh.” He crossed his arms and shook his head, “I suppose I’ll just have to do a better job at fitting in if I’m to ease all her worries.”

“Ah, I see.” Celestia simply said while trying to keep her smile from growing any bigger.

After a moment, Discord sighed, “I suppose I should get going. Today I’ve got a meeting with your apprentice. No doubt she’ll be trying to find a way to connect with me. What a bothersome little thing.”

As Discord began to flutter in the air, Celestia cleared her throat, “If I may give you some advice.” When Discord turned toward her, she said softly, “Try to connect with her instead of the other way around. Twilight has a few problems when it comes to bridging gaps that aren’t obvious. She’ll think herself into a corner and stress herself out. I know that you aren’t her friend, and you must find her vexing due to her part in sealing you away again, but it will go more smoothly if you put in your own effort as well.”

Discord smirked for a second and opened his mouth, but then one of his eyes twitched and he sucked in a breath before blowing out, “I’ll try.”

“Oh?” Celestia intoned while tilting her head.

“Don’t give me that.” He scoffed, “Your advice is sound, and Fluttershy would give me such a sad little look if I told her I cracked wise and chose to sabotage my own efforts. Bah! What a bore.”

He turned away in a huff, and began to float away but Celestia simply chuckled while calling out, “Well, good luck, Discord. Be kind, be good, and I wish you well. Fear nothing from me, for I see that you truly are one worthy of trust now.”

“Eugh, stop it. I’d rather you tell me you’re going to be keeping an eye on me.” Discord groaned, but there was just a small smile on his expression.

“Oh, I will, but I suppose you could say that I have a little faith. Now then, don’t keep my pupil waiting.” Celesetia said with a small smile.

Discord rolled his eyes but floated off in the direction of Ponyville for a few seconds before he snapped his fingers. A portal appeared before him, and he landed just at the edge of the town. He walked rather than float, his hands behind his back as he looked from left to right at the sights of the ponies going about their business. He still couldn’t get used to just existing without making some sort of trouble. It was like a little itch in his system telling him that he should pull the ladder from the pony, repairing a light fixture. Telling him that it’d be hilarious if the grumpy looking stallion at the cafe had his sandwich come alive and start screaming. Well, he held it all in rather well. It wasn’t even his concern for Fluttershy this time, but more a concern about the pony he was about to meet. Twilight Sparkle. Neither enemy nor foe, but he knew that she was the cautious sort. He had agreed to meet her on neutral ground, and he knew without a doubt that she’d have some sort of dumb idea, or she’d have no idea at all about how their day should proceed. Celestia had told him to bridge the gap himself, and well, he wasn’t really sure how to do that either.

And what’s more, why should he? Why should he be the one to reach out when she had been such a nuisance before? She liked showing off, she liked making sure everyone knew she was a smart girl. Discord then sighed and brushed those thoughts aside with an idle flick of the wrist, causing a few ponies who recognized him to take cover just in case. No, such thoughts were unbecoming of him. Of course, making the connection first between them might be something fun to do out of spite. Oh yes, that’s the way he could spin it. Spite was a powerful motivator, and he could hold it above her head quite easily.

Discord and Twilight had agreed to meet on neutral ground. They met at a little cafe near her home. Twilight Sparkle already sat at her table, looking at a book with a frown on her face. Her little assistant did not accompany her today, and Discord did not make a sound even as he sat. She seemed to be deep in concentration. Brows furrowed. Snout practically buried in the book, and her eyes narrowed.

Twilight sighed and muttered to herself, “No, there’s nothing here. Maybe if I could just make a connection with his nature aspect, then I might be able to start something, but I’m not good with nature stuff. That’s Fluttershy, and well, Applejack kind of. For all that is written down on the draconequus, it feels like we know nothing at all about them.”

From a hole in the air, he plucked a mug of steaming coffee, and he cleared his throat, “Complimentary coffee, ma’am?”

“Huh? Oh, sure. That sounds lovely right now. Thank you very much.” Twilight said while not looking up from her book. It took her a while before the purple glow around the pages began to turn a bit more intense. The book shut with a clap of paper on paper, and she coughed, “Discord! I didn’t think you’d be here so soon.”

Discord rolled his hand, at first empty, and then holding a pocket watch as he checked the time, “Ah, well, you see, I’m perfectly punctual when I want to be.”

Twilight tried a little smile and then looked at the coffee, frowning for a bit before she put a hoof on the handle of the mug, “I uh, thank you for the coffee.”

She kept on eyeing it, and Discord couldn’t help but chuckle, “Oh come now, it isn’t poison or anything dire. Give it a try. I’m rather fond of the beans I used.”

Sighing, she slowly raised the mug to her mouth to take a sip before she blinked, “Oh. That’s actually quite good.”

“I’m glad you like it. Now then, business? I heard you talking to yourself, you know. Seems like you’re quite stuck.” He said while leaning back in his seat.

Twilight Sparkle looked away, “I suppose I’ll have to admit that I am. I don’t have anything planned, and I really just came here to say that we should delay for a bit more.”

Discord thought about accepting that and dusting his hands of her. Really, he didn’t have any obligation to care or to help her, but she could see that she was distressed, and almost on a whim, he asked as if speaking to the air, “And what reason do you have to look so glum about all of this? Less time with me is a boon to you, right?”

“Yes.” She said with a loud huff, “But that also means that I’ve been failing at doing my due diligence and not just my responsibility to Celestia as a guardian, but failing as a friend as well.” Twilight paused a bit before slouching in her seat, “Fluttershy went out of her way to ask me for help, and there was not a shred of ill will in it despite how I treated her. It was petty and wrong of me, and now I guess I wanna make it up to her, but how can I if I can’t even do something as simple as reaching out to someone that I don’t even really know?”

Discord clucked his tongue, “Well, I haven’t been making it easy now, have I? I’ve been avoiding you just as much as you’ve been avoiding me ever since our mutual little agreement. At the same time, we can’t really keep going on like this.” He then smiled, “It is good to see that you also care about Fluttershy, though.”

Twilight Sparkle huffed, “Of course I care about her.”

“Oh, relax, I just meant that my impression of you wasn’t the best for a bit there, and I’m glad to know that I’m wrong.” He said while waving her off. While she seemed to fume a bit, he added, “Come now, your opinion on me must have changed as well. Just a little bit, right? You certainly didn’t think of me as anything other than a monster ready to pounce.”

She stared at him for a few seconds before she sighed, “I still think you’re up to no good, but I guess, I guess I have been hearing of your good behavior.”

“Fantastic. I suppose we should kiss and make out now. Or did that saying go a bit differently?” He said while scratching his chin.

Twilight Sparkle gasped before turning away while muttering, “A kiss? I guess if that’s the way you do things. Maybe it was a cultural thing.”

"It is indeed!" He said while Twilight seemed to take him entirely seriously, frowning but submitting herself to the idea by leaning up. Discord then laughed, “Hah! You’re more gullible than I thought! And was making that one fairly obvious. It was a joke. No kisses needed.”

“Oh, you’re not nearly as funny as you think you are.” She huffed.

“Ah, is that right?” He asked as he leaned over the table to stare at her with narrowed eyes, fist on his chin.

She planted her hooves on the table and spat back, “That is right.”

Discord kept the stare going before he chuckled, “Well, I suppose that’ll be our little game.”

“Wait, what?”

He leaned back and crossed his arms, “Why, I can’t just hang out with someone who doesn’t have a sense of humor! Not funny? I’m the funniest guy around! I’ll be able to have your sides in stitches in no time.”

Twilight blinked, “You uh, really don’t have to do that.”

“Nonsense! I think it is the perfect idea. In fact, what better way to get along! It’ll be fun to think of all sorts of little tricks to make you laugh. Oh, I should ask the pink one how best to get a smile out of you. That’ll be it!” He said as the idea grew on him more and more.

Her ears pinned back as she muttered, “Oh, Celestia.”

He beamed proudly, “And you can thank Celestia indeed. I’d never even consider something like this if she hadn’t told me to be the bridge first between us. Why, I’ll have you smiling from ear to ear in no time.”

Twilight tilted her head and sighed, “Well, it seems like you’re really set on this idea, and it is kind of interesting to see you so amped up. I guess, try your best?” She then blinked, “Wait, no! I got caught up in your energy! I’m not going to let you toy with me.”

Discord had already gotten up and torn a hole through the air with a stray claw. He stepped through the portal and looked over at her with a big smile, “I promise I’ll be gentle. Anyway, nice chatting with you, miss Sparkles.”

She opened her mouth a few times, and she had something to say that seemed rather inflammatory, but he had already departed. The one called Pinkie Pie could help, but first, he needed a bit of a recharge. He had been tense throughout the entire day because he had an important meeting today. More important than the one with Celestia and certainly more important than dealing with Twilight Sparkle. He had a tea party to attend.

Dear Celestia,

“Discord cannot remain bound to me, although I have come to enjoy his constant appearances at my cottage, we both believe that it would be better for him to stretch his wings. There are days now when he spends his time in other places, and sometimes he’ll only show up once a week, but even if it is a little lonely sometimes, he’s made great progress. He’s gotten along well with Applejack, and better with Rarity, oddly enough. I’ve even gone to town and seen him interacting with ponies I’ve never met before myself. I’d like to imagine that he’s taken what I said to heart, but I know that he’s still a mischief-maker. There will be complaints that someone’s furniture had been turned into a strange material before mysteriously returning to normal, and missing objects sometimes can be found in piles around town for anyone to grab, but I don’t think that he’s ever done something truly malicious since being released. I am thankful for the opportunity, but I am sorry to say that I don’t think I’ve done much at all. Most of the credit should go to Discord.”

Yours truly, Fluttershy.

Celestia had read the letter aloud, standing on a cliff far away from Ponyville, but close enough still that you could outline every building. The piece of fine parchment had a bright yellow glow to it and began to be rolled up neatly before being set aside. Celestia turned her head to look at the one joining her, and Discord kept his eyes firmly on the distance. They remained there for a bit, not commenting on the letter or speaking to one another.

It took a while, but Celestia breathed out first, “I don’t think I have it in me to apologize for trapping you in the first place.”

Discord shrugged, “I never asked for it.”

Celestia frowned before sighing, “Yes, but I suppose that I can apologize for keeping you trapped for so long without ever thinking of how it might affect you, and for not finding the right pony for the job sooner. Even when you broke free, all you did was play games and then return once you lost. You could have done much more.”

Leaning down, Discord reached, and a flower grew from the ground. He then plucked it and brought the blossom up while he hummed, “You know, that did sound like an apology. It was a pretty good one for a stuck-up mare like you, but you know, I think I’m owed some sort of payback.”

“I don’t know about that, but if you must take something, then at least only let me suffer whatever wrath you still have.” She said while tilting her chin up proudly.

He offered the flower to her, and she frowned. While leaning in to get a better look at the blossom, water blew from the center of it and struck her directly in the face, wetting her mane as she coughed, “You miscreant!”

Discord laughed and let the flower disappear while shaking his head, “Ah! The look on your face is priceless! And it is all mine to admire. I suppose then, that’ll just have to be my revenge.”

She paused for a moment and tilted her head, “Really? That’s it? You don’t want any treasure, or something a bit more annoying? Maybe you want a place at Canterlot?”

He snorted, “I’ll visit Canterlot sometime, but for now, I think I’d prefer sticking out of the place full of upper-crust snobs. Besides, I think I’m settling in quite nicely in Ponyville.”

Celestia brushed her damp mane to the side and smiled a bit, “I suppose so. Especially with your—.” And she paused for a second before her smile grew, “Your friendship with Fluttershy.”

Discord kept looking toward the distance while he beamed, “Ah, she’s a treasure. I thought I’d pester her and keep pestering her until that calm, shy exterior shattered, but she’s been far too nice, and I find myself wanting to make her smile instead. It wouldn’t be fair of me to keep on being a pest. It is a bit bothersome that she still worries, and anytime I visit, I can catch it clearly. Ugh.” He crossed his arms and shook his head, “I suppose I’ll just have to do a better job at fitting in if I’m to ease all her worries.”

“Ah, I see.” Celestia simply said while trying to keep her smile from growing any bigger.

After a moment, Discord sighed, “I suppose I should get going. Today I’ve got a meeting with your apprentice. No doubt she’ll be trying to find a way to connect with me. What a bothersome little thing.”

As Discord began to flutter in the air, Celestia cleared her throat, “If I may give you some advice.” When Discord turned toward her, she said softly, “Try to connect with her instead of the other way around. Twilight has a few problems when it comes to bridging gaps that aren’t obvious. She’ll think herself into a corner and stress herself out. I know that you aren’t her friend, and you must find her vexing due to her part in sealing you away again, but it will go more smoothly if you put in your own effort as well.”

Discord smirked for a second and opened his mouth, but then one of his eyes twitched and he sucked in a breath before blowing out, “I’ll try.”

“Oh?” Celestia intoned while tilting her head.

“Don’t give me that.” He scoffed, “Your advice is sound, and Fluttershy would give me such a sad little look if I told her I cracked wise and chose to sabotage my own efforts. Bah! What a bore.”

He turned away in a huff, and began to float away but Celestia simply chuckled while calling out, “Well, good luck, Discord. Be kind, be good, and I wish you well. Fear nothing from me, for I see that you truly are one worthy of trust now.”

“Eugh, stop it. I’d rather you tell me you’re going to be keeping an eye on me.” Discord groaned, but there was just a small smile on his expression.

“Oh, I will, but I suppose you could say that I have a little faith. Now then, don’t keep my pupil waiting.” Celesetia said with a small smile.

Discord rolled his eyes but floated off in the direction of Ponyville for a few seconds before he snapped his fingers. A portal appeared before him, and he landed just at the edge of the town. He walked rather than float, his hands behind his back as he looked from left to right at the sights of the ponies going about their business. He still couldn’t get used to just existing without making some sort of trouble. It was like a little itch in his system telling him that he should pull the ladder from the pony, repairing a light fixture. Telling him that it’d be hilarious if the grumpy looking stallion at the cafe had his sandwich come alive and start screaming. Well, he held it all in rather well. It wasn’t even his concern for Fluttershy this time, but more a concern about the pony he was about to meet. Twilight Sparkle. Neither enemy nor foe, but he knew that she was the cautious sort. He had agreed to meet her on neutral ground, and he knew without a doubt that she’d have some sort of dumb idea, or she’d have no idea at all about how their day should proceed. Celestia had told him to bridge the gap himself, and well, he wasn’t really sure how to do that either.

And what’s more, why should he? Why should he be the one to reach out when she had been such a nuisance before? She liked showing off, she liked making sure everyone knew she was a smart girl. Discord then sighed and brushed those thoughts aside with an idle flick of the wrist, causing a few ponies who recognized him to take cover just in case. No, such thoughts were unbecoming of him. Of course, making the connection first between them might be something fun to do out of spite. Oh yes, that’s the way he could spin it. Spite was a powerful motivator, and he could hold it above her head quite easily.

Discord and Twilight had agreed to meet on neutral ground. They met at a little cafe near her home. Twilight Sparkle already sat at her table, looking at a book with a frown on her face. Her little assistant did not accompany her today, and Discord did not make a sound even as he sat. She seemed to be deep in concentration. Brows furrowed. Snout practically buried in the book, and her eyes narrowed.

Twilight sighed and muttered to herself, “No, there’s nothing here. Maybe if I could just make a connection with his nature aspect, then I might be able to start something, but I’m not good with nature stuff. That’s Fluttershy, and well, Applejack kind of. For all that is written down on the draconequus, it feels like we know nothing at all about them.”

From a hole in the air, he plucked a mug of steaming coffee, and he cleared his throat, “Complimentary coffee, ma’am?”

“Huh? Oh, sure. That sounds lovely right now. Thank you very much.” Twilight said while not looking up from her book. It took her a while before the purple glow around the pages began to turn a bit more intense. The book shut with a clap of paper on paper, and she coughed, “Discord! I didn’t think you’d be here so soon.”

Discord rolled his hand, at first empty, and then holding a pocket watch as he checked the time, “Ah, well, you see, I’m perfectly punctual when I want to be.”

Twilight tried a little smile and then looked at the coffee, frowning for a bit before she put a hoof on the handle of the mug, “I uh, thank you for the coffee.”

She kept on eyeing it, and Discord couldn’t help but chuckle, “Oh come now, it isn’t poison or anything dire. Give it a try. I’m rather fond of the beans I used.”

Sighing, she slowly raised the mug to her mouth to take a sip before she blinked, “Oh. That’s actually quite good.”

“I’m glad you like it. Now then, business? I heard you talking to yourself, you know. Seems like you’re quite stuck.” He said while leaning back in his seat.

Twilight Sparkle looked away, “I suppose I’ll have to admit that I am. I don’t have anything planned, and I really just came here to say that we should delay for a bit more.”

Discord thought about accepting that and dusting his hands of her. Really, he didn’t have any obligation to care or to help her, but she could see that she was distressed, and almost on a whim, he asked as if speaking to the air, “And what reason do you have to look so glum about all of this? Less time with me is a boon to you, right?”

“Yes.” She said with a loud huff, “But that also means that I’ve been failing at doing my due diligence and not just my responsibility to Celestia as a guardian, but failing as a friend as well.” Twilight paused a bit before slouching in her seat, “Fluttershy went out of her way to ask me for help, and there was not a shred of ill will in it despite how I treated her. It was petty and wrong of me, and now I guess I wanna make it up to her, but how can I if I can’t even do something as simple as reaching out to someone that I don’t even really know?”

Discord clucked his tongue, “Well, I haven’t been making it easy now, have I? I’ve been avoiding you just as much as you’ve been avoiding me ever since our mutual little agreement. At the same time, we can’t really keep going on like this.” He then smiled, “It is good to see that you also care about Fluttershy, though.”

Twilight Sparkle huffed, “Of course I care about her.”

“Oh, relax, I just meant that my impression of you wasn’t the best for a bit there, and I’m glad to know that I’m wrong.” He said while waving her off. While she seemed to fume a bit, he added, “Come now, your opinion on me must have changed as well. Just a little bit, right? You certainly didn’t think of me as anything other than a monster ready to pounce.”

She stared at him for a few seconds before she sighed, “I still think you’re up to no good, but I guess, I guess I have been hearing of your good behavior.”

“Fantastic. I suppose we should kiss and make out now. Or did that saying go a bit differently?” He said while scratching his chin.

Twilight Sparkle gasped before turning away while muttering, “A kiss? I guess if that’s the way you do things. Maybe it was a cultural thing.”

"It is indeed!" He said while Twilight seemed to take him entirely seriously, frowning but submitting herself to the idea by leaning up. Discord then laughed, “Hah! You’re more gullible than I thought! And was making that one fairly obvious. It was a joke. No kisses needed.”

“Oh, you’re not nearly as funny as you think you are.” She huffed.

“Ah, is that right?” He asked as he leaned over the table to stare at her with narrowed eyes, fist on his chin.

She planted her hooves on the table and spat back, “That is right.”

Discord kept the stare going before he chuckled, “Well, I suppose that’ll be our little game.”

“Wait, what?”

He leaned back and crossed his arms, “Why, I can’t just hang out with someone who doesn’t have a sense of humor! Not funny? I’m the funniest guy around! I’ll be able to have your sides in stitches in no time.”

Twilight blinked, “You uh, really don’t have to do that.”

“Nonsense! I think it is the perfect idea. In fact, what better way to get along! It’ll be fun to think of all sorts of little tricks to make you laugh. Oh, I should ask the pink one how best to get a smile out of you. That’ll be it!” He said as the idea grew on him more and more.

Her ears pinned back as she muttered, “Oh, Celestia.”

He beamed proudly, “And you can thank Celestia indeed. I’d never even consider something like this if she hadn’t told me to be the bridge first between us. Why, I’ll have you smiling from ear to ear in no time.”

Twilight tilted her head and sighed, “Well, it seems like you’re really set on this idea, and it is kind of interesting to see you so amped up. I guess, try your best?” She then blinked, “Wait, no! I got caught up in your energy! I’m not going to let you toy with me.”

Discord had already gotten up and torn a hole through the air with a stray claw. He stepped through the portal and looked over at her with a big smile, “I promise I’ll be gentle. Anyway, nice chatting with you, miss Sparkles.”

She opened her mouth a few times, and she had something to say that seemed rather inflammatory, but he had already departed. The one called Pinkie Pie could help, but first, he needed a bit of a recharge. He had been tense throughout the entire day because he had an important meeting today. More important than the one with Celestia and certainly more important than dealing with Twilight Sparkle. He had a tea party to attend.

Fluttershy had set everything up just right. A table had been brought out into the open with the help of a few of her animal friends, and it had been set carefully with various confections. She’d wait to actually make the tea when he arrived, but that was what all the snacks were for. Fluttershy actually found herself feeling excited. Discord had been doing well, and better than she had ever thought that he could be doing. It had come with a bit of trouble, and he still wasn’t perfect, but maybe it was better that he wasn’t perfect. If everything had been going too well, then she might suspect that he was just putting on an act, but with room to grow, she figured that he was actually putting in an effort. Part of her was concerned that he was only putting that effort in for her. At the same time, she found that almost touching. For whatever reason, he had become attached to her and empathetic to the way she felt. Spending time with him had become less of a chore and more of a treat, especially now that they saw each other less.

From nearby, she heard the sound of wings flapping, of someone landing, and for a moment she thought that it might be Discord. She turned around and her wings flapped, taking herself just off the ground so she could move in the direction of the sound while she spoke, “Welcome, Discord.”

Standing there with a tilted head and a quirked brow was none other than Rainbow Dash, “That’s not even close to my name.”

Fluttershy’s cheeks warmed and she cleared her throat, “Oh, oh my. I’m so sorry. You see, I’ve invited Discord for tea, and I thought that you were him. I should have recognized the sound of your wings.”

Rainbow Dash headed over to the table to grab one of the snacks, stuffing it into her mouth as Fluttershy winced. Her new guest then began to speak through mouthfuls of muffin, “Seriously? You invited him over? Aren’t you two spending less time so he can integrate with other ponies or something like that? Figured you dusted your hooves of him so that he could be someone else’s problem for a bit.”

She found that her voice rose just a bit from her normal as she responded, “He’s not a problem.” Fluttershy then rubbed the back of her neck while softening her tone, “I mean, he’s well, he’s a friend now, and I still have to make sure that he’s on his best behavior. It isn’t about making anyone else handle him, but I just want him to make other friends too.”

For a moment, Rainbow Dash frowned before she shrugged and swallowed what was in her mouth. She then breathed out, “Got it. Anyway, I came over to check up on you, but if Discord is coming, maybe I should stick around just to make sure that he isn’t up to any sort of mischief.”

Oh, that wouldn’t be very good at all. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Rainbow Dash, but she could easily see that Rainbow Dash was going to try to antagonize Discord, and well, she had only been expecting one guest. Part of her wanted to speak up and say something about this, but instead, she found that she had a bit of trouble even thinking about what to say. She couldn’t really outright deny her friend. Could not really say no to her. It would be rude, and it might even run counter to the spirit of kindness that she embodied. She chewed her lower lip for a moment while straining with the conflicting emotions and thoughts tumbling through her until she had a response.

“Listen, Rainbow Dash.” She said as she wandered closer to her friend, “It’d be nice to have you around, but you don’t need to watch Discord. He’s been really good. Hasn’t made a mess of things either, except, maybe when he turned my house upside down but he put it back and cleaned everything.” She then sighed, “What I mean is, I want to have a nice time with a friend, and if you’re staying, I want you to be here as a friend.”

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes for a second as if she were going to fight, as if she were prepared to argue, but then something shifted. She looked from left to right, and her gaze softened before she brought a hoof up to shake through her own mane, “Ugh, fine, fine fine. I get it.”

Fluttershy relaxed a bit and smiled, “Really?”

“Yeah.” Rainbow Dash began before she sighed, “I mean, I don’t get why, but I get that you do care about him. You’re right that he hasn’t caused any real trouble, so I should lower my guard a bit but like, I’m just worried about you. He’s over here constantly and y’know, it makes me wonder if he’s taking advantage of you or doing something else.”

Fluttershy responded almost automatically, “He’s been perfectly kind. Rarely leaves any marks, really.”

She brought a hoof over her own mouth as if to silence her treacherous mouth while Rainbow Dash blinked, “Huh? Doesn’t leave any marks?”

“On the tables. See, his claws are quite sharp, and well, sometimes he’d just—” Fluttershy stopped when she saw that her excuse wasn’t exactly working out, and so she muttered, “He’s really rather gentle in that regard. Even when he is being rough, he takes care of me. It's just a friendly thing too.”

Rainbow Dash kept on staring at her until her cheeks began to flush with color, and Fluttershy felt her own cheeks burning as she looked away. Eventually, Rainbow Dash coughed, “So…That’s why you’re so friendly with him. I get it a bit more now, I think.”

She stamped her front hooves, her wings ruffled as she blurted, “That’s not!” And then, a bit calmer she managed, “That’s not the reason. I mean, it is nice. Affection is good, but it took a bit before I let it happen, and r-really we’re just friends.”

A chuckle escaped Rainbow Dash as she wandered to a seat by the table to lounge on it while grabbing another muffin, “Sure. I believe you, buddy. Tell you what, I’ll try not to stick around too long to give you your privacy.”

Dismayed, she squeaked, “That’s not what I meant at all! You can stick around as long as you’d like! Really, we weren’t planning on doing anything like that. This was just supposed to be a little tea party.”

Rainbow Dash began to laugh, “Hah, is that right? Well, just keep in mind I might not be keen on joining if you two start making out in front of me or something. Say, you said he’s left marks before, right? What’s that like? Does he bite real hard? Tell me about it. I promise I won’t judge too much.”

Fluttershy scoffed, “Oh, stop that!”

Mmm, how horrible. This had become a terrible misunderstanding that could grow out of control. Rainbow Dash seemed to be happy about this, laughing and even slapping a hoof on her knee before biting down on a muffin. Fluttershy had not wanted her friends to really find out this way, or for them to really know much at all. Rarity could assume all she wanted, and her friends could be concerned about the possibility of him being uncouth, but it was another thing for them to know that she had already been intimate with him without all of them having acclimated to him. She figured that Rainbow Dash wasn’t going to keep quiet, and she’d need to do a lot of explaining. Well, at the very least, she could make sure that everyone understood that she wasn’t being taken advantage of and well, she could convince them and herself that it was nothing more than intimacy between friends.

Just as she started to calm down, she found herself being swooped up in the air. She yelped as Discord appeared beneath her from a portal, as he held her close against his body and gave her cheek a kiss while chuckling, “Oh honey, I’m home.”

Fluttershy could not help but smile, but that smile twitched as she saw Rainbow Dash smirking and giving her quite the look. Quietly, she whispered, “Ah uh, hello Discord. I hope you don’t mind, but Rainbow Dash wanted to join us.”

Discord craned his neck to look over at Rainbow Dash, and he set Fluttershy down slowly before he cleared his throat, “Ah, yes! I see. Well, not a problem. I’m sure that we’ll all get along quite well.”

“Just friends, huh?” Rainbow Dash said while looking over at Fluttershy, before she then fluttered up toward Discord and put out her hoof, “Guess this’ll be the first time we’re really getting to know each other. Fluttershy trusts you, so I guess I should too. Even if you’re a bit weird.”

He took her hoof and snorted, “Is that right? Well, I guess we’re in for an interesting tea party, aren’t we?”

“Dang right we are.” Rainbow Dash said while their eyes met.

Embarrassed, uncertain what to say, she excused herself quickly to head over to the kitchen to start prepping the tea. This might still be a good thing. This might still be something that could benefit all of them. She just couldn’t get over the embarrassment right now, and she could not get over the way that Rainbow Dash had looked at her. Just friends. That was right. That was the way of it. Because she could never be sure if he would laugh at her for suggesting anything but that. Even with the new boost of her confidence, she could never be too certain whether or not he’d laugh at her for suggesting anything else. Besides, it was far too early to say.

She breathed in and out to steady herself, to keep herself calm while she started collecting various dried tea leaves in her kitchen. Fluttershy focused on the task to calm herself further, to keep herself rooted to the earth while she began to make her brew. She should be more worried about whether or not those two would get along instead of her own feelings. At the same time, she found that there was an odd little thing welling up inside of her. She almost felt relieved that it had come out, and relieved that Rainbow Dash had simply chosen to tease her rather than warn her or worse. There was no panic, but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t pressure. Most likely, Rainbow Dash would be watching Discord not as a monster, but instead as a prospective suitor for one of her friends. Well, in some ways that would be better. It meant that Rainbow Dash would be treating him as a regular member of the community. That’s right. It could be a good thing. Already she found that Rainbow Dash seemed more humored by it instead of judging her, and maybe that’d be the reaction of most of her friends. Rarity and Applejack seemed to feel that if something did happen, then it would be entertaining in a way, although she'd prefer it if her friends didn’t treat her interactions like a spectacle.

The teapot she had put on the stove brought her back to reality as the whistle of steam beckoned her. She reached over to bite onto the handle of the teapot, carrying it in her mouth as she decided to shelve the other thoughts and concerns in her head. Right now, she has a responsibility to be a good host. Besides that, Fluttershy also found herself a bit concerned about having left them alone. It hadn’t been too long, but Rainbow Dash had a habit of being rather crass, and well, Discord also had that habit as well. Both of them could ignite one another so easily. With that thought, she began to trot while muttering a muffled set of words to herself.

“Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.” A mantra of anxiety.

Fluttershy had set everything up just right. A table had been brought out into the open with the help of a few of her animal friends, and it had been set carefully with various confections. She’d wait to actually make the tea when he arrived, but that was what all the snacks were for. Fluttershy actually found herself feeling excited. Discord had been doing well, and better than she had ever thought that he could be doing. It had come with a bit of trouble, and he still wasn’t perfect, but maybe it was better that he wasn’t perfect. If everything had been going too well, then she might suspect that he was just putting on an act, but with room to grow, she figured that he was actually putting in an effort. Part of her was concerned that he was only putting that effort in for her. At the same time, she found that almost touching. For whatever reason, he had become attached to her and empathetic to the way she felt. Spending time with him had become less of a chore and more of a treat, especially now that they saw each other less.

From nearby, she heard the sound of wings flapping, of someone landing, and for a moment she thought that it might be Discord. She turned around and her wings flapped, taking herself just off the ground so she could move in the direction of the sound while she spoke, “Welcome, Discord.”

Standing there with a tilted head and a quirked brow was none other than Rainbow Dash, “That’s not even close to my name.”

Fluttershy’s cheeks warmed and she cleared her throat, “Oh, oh my. I’m so sorry. You see, I’ve invited Discord for tea, and I thought that you were him. I should have recognized the sound of your wings.”

Rainbow Dash headed over to the table to grab one of the snacks, stuffing it into her mouth as Fluttershy winced. Her new guest then began to speak through mouthfuls of muffin, “Seriously? You invited him over? Aren’t you two spending less time so he can integrate with other ponies or something like that? Figured you dusted your hooves of him so that he could be someone else’s problem for a bit.”

She found that her voice rose just a bit from her normal as she responded, “He’s not a problem.” Fluttershy then rubbed the back of her neck while softening her tone, “I mean, he’s well, he’s a friend now, and I still have to make sure that he’s on his best behavior. It isn’t about making anyone else handle him, but I just want him to make other friends too.”

For a moment, Rainbow Dash frowned before she shrugged and swallowed what was in her mouth. She then breathed out, “Got it. Anyway, I came over to check up on you, but if Discord is coming, maybe I should stick around just to make sure that he isn’t up to any sort of mischief.”

Oh, that wouldn’t be very good at all. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Rainbow Dash, but she could easily see that Rainbow Dash was going to try to antagonize Discord, and well, she had only been expecting one guest. Part of her wanted to speak up and say something about this, but instead, she found that she had a bit of trouble even thinking about what to say. She couldn’t really outright deny her friend. Could not really say no to her. It would be rude, and it might even run counter to the spirit of kindness that she embodied. She chewed her lower lip for a moment while straining with the conflicting emotions and thoughts tumbling through her until she had a response.

“Listen, Rainbow Dash.” She said as she wandered closer to her friend, “It’d be nice to have you around, but you don’t need to watch Discord. He’s been really good. Hasn’t made a mess of things either, except, maybe when he turned my house upside down but he put it back and cleaned everything.” She then sighed, “What I mean is, I want to have a nice time with a friend, and if you’re staying, I want you to be here as a friend.”

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes for a second as if she were going to fight, as if she were prepared to argue, but then something shifted. She looked from left to right, and her gaze softened before she brought a hoof up to shake through her own mane, “Ugh, fine, fine fine. I get it.”

Fluttershy relaxed a bit and smiled, “Really?”

“Yeah.” Rainbow Dash began before she sighed, “I mean, I don’t get why, but I get that you do care about him. You’re right that he hasn’t caused any real trouble, so I should lower my guard a bit but like, I’m just worried about you. He’s over here constantly and y’know, it makes me wonder if he’s taking advantage of you or doing something else.”

Fluttershy responded almost automatically, “He’s been perfectly kind. Rarely leaves any marks, really.”

She brought a hoof over her own mouth as if to silence her treacherous mouth while Rainbow Dash blinked, “Huh? Doesn’t leave any marks?”

“On the tables. See, his claws are quite sharp, and well, sometimes he’d just—” Fluttershy stopped when she saw that her excuse wasn’t exactly working out, and so she muttered, “He’s really rather gentle in that regard. Even when he is being rough, he takes care of me. It's just a friendly thing too.”

Rainbow Dash kept on staring at her until her cheeks began to flush with color, and Fluttershy felt her own cheeks burning as she looked away. Eventually, Rainbow Dash coughed, “So…That’s why you’re so friendly with him. I get it a bit more now, I think.”

She stamped her front hooves, her wings ruffled as she blurted, “That’s not!” And then, a bit calmer she managed, “That’s not the reason. I mean, it is nice. Affection is good, but it took a bit before I let it happen, and r-really we’re just friends.”

A chuckle escaped Rainbow Dash as she wandered to a seat by the table to lounge on it while grabbing another muffin, “Sure. I believe you, buddy. Tell you what, I’ll try not to stick around too long to give you your privacy.”

Dismayed, she squeaked, “That’s not what I meant at all! You can stick around as long as you’d like! Really, we weren’t planning on doing anything like that. This was just supposed to be a little tea party.”

Rainbow Dash began to laugh, “Hah, is that right? Well, just keep in mind I might not be keen on joining if you two start making out in front of me or something. Say, you said he’s left marks before, right? What’s that like? Does he bite real hard? Tell me about it. I promise I won’t judge too much.”

Fluttershy scoffed, “Oh, stop that!”

Mmm, how horrible. This had become a terrible misunderstanding that could grow out of control. Rainbow Dash seemed to be happy about this, laughing and even slapping a hoof on her knee before biting down on a muffin. Fluttershy had not wanted her friends to really find out this way, or for them to really know much at all. Rarity could assume all she wanted, and her friends could be concerned about the possibility of him being uncouth, but it was another thing for them to know that she had already been intimate with him without all of them having acclimated to him. She figured that Rainbow Dash wasn’t going to keep quiet, and she’d need to do a lot of explaining. Well, at the very least, she could make sure that everyone understood that she wasn’t being taken advantage of and well, she could convince them and herself that it was nothing more than intimacy between friends.

Just as she started to calm down, she found herself being swooped up in the air. She yelped as Discord appeared beneath her from a portal, as he held her close against his body and gave her cheek a kiss while chuckling, “Oh honey, I’m home.”

Fluttershy could not help but smile, but that smile twitched as she saw Rainbow Dash smirking and giving her quite the look. Quietly, she whispered, “Ah uh, hello Discord. I hope you don’t mind, but Rainbow Dash wanted to join us.”

Discord craned his neck to look over at Rainbow Dash, and he set Fluttershy down slowly before he cleared his throat, “Ah, yes! I see. Well, not a problem. I’m sure that we’ll all get along quite well.”

“Just friends, huh?” Rainbow Dash said while looking over at Fluttershy, before she then fluttered up toward Discord and put out her hoof, “Guess this’ll be the first time we’re really getting to know each other. Fluttershy trusts you, so I guess I should too. Even if you’re a bit weird.”

He took her hoof and snorted, “Is that right? Well, I guess we’re in for an interesting tea party, aren’t we?”

“Dang right we are.” Rainbow Dash said while their eyes met.

Embarrassed, uncertain what to say, she excused herself quickly to head over to the kitchen to start prepping the tea. This might still be a good thing. This might still be something that could benefit all of them. She just couldn’t get over the embarrassment right now, and she could not get over the way that Rainbow Dash had looked at her. Just friends. That was right. That was the way of it. Because she could never be sure if he would laugh at her for suggesting anything but that. Even with the new boost of her confidence, she could never be too certain whether or not he’d laugh at her for suggesting anything else. Besides, it was far too early to say.

She breathed in and out to steady herself, to keep herself calm while she started collecting various dried tea leaves in her kitchen. Fluttershy focused on the task to calm herself further, to keep herself rooted to the earth while she began to make her brew. She should be more worried about whether or not those two would get along instead of her own feelings. At the same time, she found that there was an odd little thing welling up inside of her. She almost felt relieved that it had come out, and relieved that Rainbow Dash had simply chosen to tease her rather than warn her or worse. There was no panic, but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t pressure. Most likely, Rainbow Dash would be watching Discord not as a monster, but instead as a prospective suitor for one of her friends. Well, in some ways that would be better. It meant that Rainbow Dash would be treating him as a regular member of the community. That’s right. It could be a good thing. Already she found that Rainbow Dash seemed more humored by it instead of judging her, and maybe that’d be the reaction of most of her friends. Rarity and Applejack seemed to feel that if something did happen, then it would be entertaining in a way, although she'd prefer it if her friends didn’t treat her interactions like a spectacle.

The teapot she had put on the stove brought her back to reality as the whistle of steam beckoned her. She reached over to bite onto the handle of the teapot, carrying it in her mouth as she decided to shelve the other thoughts and concerns in her head. Right now, she has a responsibility to be a good host. Besides that, Fluttershy also found herself a bit concerned about having left them alone. It hadn’t been too long, but Rainbow Dash had a habit of being rather crass, and well, Discord also had that habit as well. Both of them could ignite one another so easily. With that thought, she began to trot while muttering a muffled set of words to herself.

“Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.” A mantra of anxiety.

It remained uncertain whether or not her friends would tear into one another while she tended to matters in the kitchen. There were a few times that she tripped, and she stumbled around as she rushed to get everything ready so she wouldn’t be leaving them alone for too long. Fluttershy came out to set the teapot among her friends. A few birds helped her bring the sugar and honey in little pots, but she found herself pausing a few times as she saw what was happening before her. Both of them were laughing. Discord’s fangs were showing, but only because he was grinning. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash had her eyes narrowed and was leaning over the table just a bit, but she was clearly smiling. Their body language reminded her of canines about to become embroiled in a fight, and yet, they did no such thing. When Discord noticed her, his expression softened, and he looked at her with a big smile that warmed her to the core. Whatever had been happening seemed to be diffused immediately once she appeared; however, she could not tell if what had been happening was a good thing or a bad thing.

“Oh, hello there Fluttershy. Is that black tea I smell?” Discord asked with a hum.

“Of course, you’d know all about tea. After all, you’re just an old relic.” Rainbow Dash said before Fluttershy could answer.

Fluttershy’s wings flapped as she opened her mouth to ask Rainbow Dash to be nice, but Discord laughed and slapped the edge of the table, “Old relic? Does it make me old to have good taste?”

“Careful now, hitting the table like that might end up breaking something. Wouldn’t want to pull a hip.” Rainbow Dash jabbed.

Discord snickered, “Hah! Just because I’m practically ancient doesn’t mean that I can’t still fly circles around you.”

“Yeah? But without magic, you wouldn’t even be able to get anywhere near me in a race.”

She looked from left to right at both of them before deciding to simply serve each of them a cup of tea. Fluttershy then sat down and asked quietly, “What’s this about?”

Discord looked at her with that same big softening smile, and he hummed, “Rainbow Dash here has quite the mouth on her. As soon as you left, we started trading insults. Why, I dare say it was quite funny.”

Rainbow Dash snorted and fell back in her seat, “I called him old and frail, he called me dumb and rude. I called him a weird pervert, and he called me a nosy layabout. Which I take as an insult because there is no way that a gal as athletic as me is a layabout.”

“Oh yes, so much strength in those legs and wings of yours, but not a single thought behind those eyes.” Discord said while sipping his tea.

“Hah!” Rainbow Dash boomed before responding, “Sounds like you want a contest, grandpa. A fight or a race. Any sort of contest!”

Discord seemed ready to accept that challenge before Fluttershy cleared her throat loudly, “Uhm, excuse me. I don’t think that it would be a good idea. I mean, I’m glad you two are kind of getting along, but I feel like maybe fighting should be off the table.”

For a moment, Discord thought about it before he sniffed, “Oh, I suppose you’re right. We’ll have to save it for another day. It’ll be a duel for the ages.”

Fluttershy opened her mouth to try and put in a grievance, but Rainbow Dash laughed, “You’re on! A battle in the skies! We’ll make a storm just outside of Ponyville and give anyone watching a show!”

That sounded very, very dangerous and very stupid, but she saw that both of them were snickering and looking rather happy. She supposed that a little roughhousing would be fine as long as she was left out of it, and so she settled in her seat and sighed, “Well, just be safe.”

Just be safe couldn’t exactly be guaranteed with whatever they had planned, but she had to trust both Discord and Rainbow Dash. She was certain that both of them would be responsible enough not to hurt each other too badly, or the surrounding area. She then closed her eyes and took a long sip of her tea while wondering if she couldn’t get either of them to agree to a referee that could stop them, just in case. Would Celestia be able to help with that?

While she wondered how to keep those two out of trouble, Rainbow Dash and Discord kept on throwing insults at one another and making snide little jabs. It was actually a little bit interesting to see how he interacted with others directly. Typically, she only ever heard about the way he acted from Rarity and Rainbow Dash. This seemed very different from what she had been told and even what she had seen with Applejack, but it wasn’t bad. He certainly never used such words with her, nor had he ever been so combative either. Maybe he had a competitive spirit, and perhaps that was something that she could stoke. Well, no, it wouldn’t be the best idea to have him try to prove himself at every corner, to try and one-up everyone and everything. She might have to talk to him about that later, but for now, she enjoyed the sound of her friends playful banter.

Once the tea had been drained, and the snacks had been cleared, Rainbow Dash took flight just off the ground and turned toward them while waving, “I’ll see you later, Fluttershy! Try to keep that wild beast on a leash or somethin’!”

Fluttershy waved, a small smile on her face as she sighed, “I suppose, I’ll try.”

“Me? A wild beast?” He muttered with a huff, “And as if you could leash me.”

When Rainbow Dash flew off, Fluttershy looked toward Discord and said softly, “It seems like you had a good time.”

“Did I? Ugh, she was such an insufferable thing.” He said, but a smile was touching his expression, “Although, I guess she has her good points. A bit tiring if left with that sort of energy for too long, I imagine, but I think I can see why you like her.”

Fluttershy giggled, “I suppose she can be a little bit much, but she really is nice. All of my friends are. They try to make up for their mistakes as best as they can when they make them, and all of them have been doing well. I hear Pinkie Pie has been planning something for a while as well.”

“Mhm. Is that right?” Discord said while scratching his chin.

She noticed that his eyes were peering in the direction that Rainbow Dash had departed. Perhaps he missed the companion that he had just met, and oddly enough, she felt a pang of jealousy. It was a small thing that she could recognize as silly, but she still felt it there. She was standing near him and yet his attention was far away from her. It had been a while since they had spent time together like this, so it was understandable if he had moved on a bit from her. What silly thoughts. Such silly thoughts that she sat back to bring her hooves up to give her cheeks a soft little pat.

While she did this, her body was suddenly dragged up into the air. Discord picked her up into an embrace, but before she could ask what he was thinking, he connected their mouths. He kissed her, and kissed her firmly, their mouths held in a lock. She put one of her hooves on his arms, trying to get him to ease his grip a bit on her body, but that shaky hoof soon fell away as she drowned in his passion pouring over her. She had not expected the kiss, but it had decimated the small amount of jealousy that had tried to set root in her heart. At first, when she tried to break the kiss to get a word in, he simply growled and deepened the kiss instead of letting her pull away. She could not help but smile at this sudden possessiveness bearing down on her, and she could not help but try to keep tugging away in an attempt to goad more of those huffs and growls from him. When she tried again, she felt his claws digging deeper into her. She could actually feel them beneath the fur, digging into the skin as if he were prepared to rip her apart just to keep her against his body. Fluttershy would have to apologize for that silly wayward thought, and she did just that by dipping into the kiss with fervor.

When the kiss finally broke, Discord nuzzled her neck and he sighed happily, “I’ve been waiting to do that all day.”

Fluttershy chuckled while embracing him as best as she could while she drank in the feeling of his warm body, “You should ask before you do something like that.”

“Is that right? So you’re going to lecture me now?” He rumbled while he began to kiss her neck.

She shuddered and brought her hooves up to place them against his chest while she muttered, “Y-yes, I really should.”

“But?” He rumbled as he kept kissing her neck.

All she could manage was to breathe out, “Oh dear.”

And in response he chuckled, continuing to kiss her neck. He held her tenderly, the possessiveness that had urged him to dig his claws inside of her nowhere to be found. Rather, he simply held her in a manner that made her feel warm and treasured. She should really think about lecturing him, about telling him that it was better to ask permission instead of just surprising her like this. At the same time, the more this went on, the more she found herself clinging to him, pressing to him, wanting to stay near him as her mind became flooded with gentle bubbling thoughts. She could stay quiet, just this one time with him, and trust that he wouldn’t pull this sort of stunt anywhere that he wasn’t wanted.

After a while, she managed to ask softly, “All right, can you help me clean up?”

Discord clucked his tongue and sighed loudly, “I suppose I should actually help before having another snack.”

He let her down, and she wobbled a bit before they both began to clean off the table. Discord hummed happily as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn’t just been kissing her. He seemed to recover so easily from that sort of thing. Meanwhile, she still stumbled on occasion, and her body had a natural sort of tremor to it as her heart seemed unable to calm down. She found herself looking at Discord more often, watching him as he moved about. He smiled more often without much mischief involved, it seemed as well that he wasn’t hiding as much from her. Still she wondered if he feared being put back in stone, but there was a sort of joy about his movements that she found infectious.

Once the dishes were done, Fluttershy wanted to ask Discord if he’d like to go out on a date. An actual date. Without anyone else around them and without any sort of pretense attached to it. It had been a quiet thought, a simple one that had occurred to her while she was in the kitchen. It would be a nice little outing. They could go out for lunch in Ponyville, or maybe they could take a walk through the forest with more of an intimate intent. He didn’t have to make the first move in furthering this because she could easily admit that she did like him as more than just a friend. She wasn’t sure if it was love, but she was certain that she wanted to chase this feeling. Of course, when it came time to actually open her mouth and say something, she found that she had a bit of trouble expressing it. Just as she found herself opening her mouth to actually say it, as the feelings began to spill forth, a letter appeared in front of her face in a puff of green flame.

She blinked and sat on her haunches to read the letter aloud, “Dear Fluttershy, it is awesome to finally have a response for you. The truth is, I’ve been planning a get together. I thought that it’d be so super special if we actually had a party. I’m always going around encouraging fun, and so what better way to integrate Discord than to actually have him interact with the community at large! Isn’t that nice? Anyway! The time and the place are below. Make sure you RSVP, or just show up. Actually! Just show up, it’ll be more fun that way.”

When she finished reading the letter, she tenderly rolled it up and sent it aside. It wasn’t exactly what she wanted and so she might have to say no to this, but then Discord spoke up, “Oh! Festivities, that sounds lovely, doesn’t it?”

She looked up at him and noted the excitement in his eyes, and so she had to breathe out, “I mean, sure. Y-yeah, that works out.”

He blinks and tilts his head, “Hm, now that I think about it. Won’t it be a bit much for you? Surrounded by everyone and it might be a bit loud. Well, we could always say no.”

Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile as she breathed out, “W-we could, that’s true.”

Discord then threw his arm out as if offering his elbow to her, “Of course, I could be your dashing escort.”

Her cheeks warmed as she cleared her throat, “O-oh. My escort?”

“Walk around with you, stick close to you, make sure that you’re not bothered and that you have someone to squeeze against.” He said with a big smile, but then his expression seemed to shift a bit as he put a fist up to his mouth and he cleared his throat, “Of course, that is to say, only if you’d like to go with me. I’d understand if you wanted to stay behind or maybe stick apart so that I could mingle and whatnot.”

She found herself smiling more and more as she realized the intent behind his words. Maybe he didn’t even realize how it sounded, and so she brought her hoof up to beckon him, and he touched it softly while she answered softly, “I’d love to go to that party with you. As a date.”

Discord held her hoof gently, and he leaned down to plant a gentle peck on her lips before he let their heads touch. As he did this, he shut his eyes and muttered softly, “Then a date it is.”

It was not what she had planned, but the idea seemed nice and the words had been said. A date. An outing as something attempting to be more, as an experiment to see if they could work. Perhaps it would be noisy and stressful, but at the very least he would be there with her.

It remained uncertain whether or not her friends would tear into one another while she tended to matters in the kitchen. There were a few times that she tripped, and she stumbled around as she rushed to get everything ready so she wouldn’t be leaving them alone for too long. Fluttershy came out to set the teapot among her friends. A few birds helped her bring the sugar and honey in little pots, but she found herself pausing a few times as she saw what was happening before her. Both of them were laughing. Discord’s fangs were showing, but only because he was grinning. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash had her eyes narrowed and was leaning over the table just a bit, but she was clearly smiling. Their body language reminded her of canines about to become embroiled in a fight, and yet, they did no such thing. When Discord noticed her, his expression softened, and he looked at her with a big smile that warmed her to the core. Whatever had been happening seemed to be diffused immediately once she appeared; however, she could not tell if what had been happening was a good thing or a bad thing.

“Oh, hello there Fluttershy. Is that black tea I smell?” Discord asked with a hum.

“Of course, you’d know all about tea. After all, you’re just an old relic.” Rainbow Dash said before Fluttershy could answer.

Fluttershy’s wings flapped as she opened her mouth to ask Rainbow Dash to be nice, but Discord laughed and slapped the edge of the table, “Old relic? Does it make me old to have good taste?”

“Careful now, hitting the table like that might end up breaking something. Wouldn’t want to pull a hip.” Rainbow Dash jabbed.

Discord snickered, “Hah! Just because I’m practically ancient doesn’t mean that I can’t still fly circles around you.”

“Yeah? But without magic, you wouldn’t even be able to get anywhere near me in a race.”

She looked from left to right at both of them before deciding to simply serve each of them a cup of tea. Fluttershy then sat down and asked quietly, “What’s this about?”

Discord looked at her with that same big softening smile, and he hummed, “Rainbow Dash here has quite the mouth on her. As soon as you left, we started trading insults. Why, I dare say it was quite funny.”

Rainbow Dash snorted and fell back in her seat, “I called him old and frail, he called me dumb and rude. I called him a weird pervert, and he called me a nosy layabout. Which I take as an insult because there is no way that a gal as athletic as me is a layabout.”

“Oh yes, so much strength in those legs and wings of yours, but not a single thought behind those eyes.” Discord said while sipping his tea.

“Hah!” Rainbow Dash boomed before responding, “Sounds like you want a contest, grandpa. A fight or a race. Any sort of contest!”

Discord seemed ready to accept that challenge before Fluttershy cleared her throat loudly, “Uhm, excuse me. I don’t think that it would be a good idea. I mean, I’m glad you two are kind of getting along, but I feel like maybe fighting should be off the table.”

For a moment, Discord thought about it before he sniffed, “Oh, I suppose you’re right. We’ll have to save it for another day. It’ll be a duel for the ages.”

Fluttershy opened her mouth to try and put in a grievance, but Rainbow Dash laughed, “You’re on! A battle in the skies! We’ll make a storm just outside of Ponyville and give anyone watching a show!”

That sounded very, very dangerous and very stupid, but she saw that both of them were snickering and looking rather happy. She supposed that a little roughhousing would be fine as long as she was left out of it, and so she settled in her seat and sighed, “Well, just be safe.”

Just be safe couldn’t exactly be guaranteed with whatever they had planned, but she had to trust both Discord and Rainbow Dash. She was certain that both of them would be responsible enough not to hurt each other too badly, or the surrounding area. She then closed her eyes and took a long sip of her tea while wondering if she couldn’t get either of them to agree to a referee that could stop them, just in case. Would Celestia be able to help with that?

While she wondered how to keep those two out of trouble, Rainbow Dash and Discord kept on throwing insults at one another and making snide little jabs. It was actually a little bit interesting to see how he interacted with others directly. Typically, she only ever heard about the way he acted from Rarity and Rainbow Dash. This seemed very different from what she had been told and even what she had seen with Applejack, but it wasn’t bad. He certainly never used such words with her, nor had he ever been so combative either. Maybe he had a competitive spirit, and perhaps that was something that she could stoke. Well, no, it wouldn’t be the best idea to have him try to prove himself at every corner, to try and one-up everyone and everything. She might have to talk to him about that later, but for now, she enjoyed the sound of her friends playful banter.

Once the tea had been drained, and the snacks had been cleared, Rainbow Dash took flight just off the ground and turned toward them while waving, “I’ll see you later, Fluttershy! Try to keep that wild beast on a leash or somethin’!”

Fluttershy waved, a small smile on her face as she sighed, “I suppose, I’ll try.”

“Me? A wild beast?” He muttered with a huff, “And as if you could leash me.”

When Rainbow Dash flew off, Fluttershy looked toward Discord and said softly, “It seems like you had a good time.”

“Did I? Ugh, she was such an insufferable thing.” He said, but a smile was touching his expression, “Although, I guess she has her good points. A bit tiring if left with that sort of energy for too long, I imagine, but I think I can see why you like her.”

Fluttershy giggled, “I suppose she can be a little bit much, but she really is nice. All of my friends are. They try to make up for their mistakes as best as they can when they make them, and all of them have been doing well. I hear Pinkie Pie has been planning something for a while as well.”

“Mhm. Is that right?” Discord said while scratching his chin.

She noticed that his eyes were peering in the direction that Rainbow Dash had departed. Perhaps he missed the companion that he had just met, and oddly enough, she felt a pang of jealousy. It was a small thing that she could recognize as silly, but she still felt it there. She was standing near him and yet his attention was far away from her. It had been a while since they had spent time together like this, so it was understandable if he had moved on a bit from her. What silly thoughts. Such silly thoughts that she sat back to bring her hooves up to give her cheeks a soft little pat.

While she did this, her body was suddenly dragged up into the air. Discord picked her up into an embrace, but before she could ask what he was thinking, he connected their mouths. He kissed her, and kissed her firmly, their mouths held in a lock. She put one of her hooves on his arms, trying to get him to ease his grip a bit on her body, but that shaky hoof soon fell away as she drowned in his passion pouring over her. She had not expected the kiss, but it had decimated the small amount of jealousy that had tried to set root in her heart. At first, when she tried to break the kiss to get a word in, he simply growled and deepened the kiss instead of letting her pull away. She could not help but smile at this sudden possessiveness bearing down on her, and she could not help but try to keep tugging away in an attempt to goad more of those huffs and growls from him. When she tried again, she felt his claws digging deeper into her. She could actually feel them beneath the fur, digging into the skin as if he were prepared to rip her apart just to keep her against his body. Fluttershy would have to apologize for that silly wayward thought, and she did just that by dipping into the kiss with fervor.

When the kiss finally broke, Discord nuzzled her neck and he sighed happily, “I’ve been waiting to do that all day.”

Fluttershy chuckled while embracing him as best as she could while she drank in the feeling of his warm body, “You should ask before you do something like that.”

“Is that right? So you’re going to lecture me now?” He rumbled while he began to kiss her neck.

She shuddered and brought her hooves up to place them against his chest while she muttered, “Y-yes, I really should.”

“But?” He rumbled as he kept kissing her neck.

All she could manage was to breathe out, “Oh dear.”

And in response he chuckled, continuing to kiss her neck. He held her tenderly, the possessiveness that had urged him to dig his claws inside of her nowhere to be found. Rather, he simply held her in a manner that made her feel warm and treasured. She should really think about lecturing him, about telling him that it was better to ask permission instead of just surprising her like this. At the same time, the more this went on, the more she found herself clinging to him, pressing to him, wanting to stay near him as her mind became flooded with gentle bubbling thoughts. She could stay quiet, just this one time with him, and trust that he wouldn’t pull this sort of stunt anywhere that he wasn’t wanted.

After a while, she managed to ask softly, “All right, can you help me clean up?”

Discord clucked his tongue and sighed loudly, “I suppose I should actually help before having another snack.”

He let her down, and she wobbled a bit before they both began to clean off the table. Discord hummed happily as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn’t just been kissing her. He seemed to recover so easily from that sort of thing. Meanwhile, she still stumbled on occasion, and her body had a natural sort of tremor to it as her heart seemed unable to calm down. She found herself looking at Discord more often, watching him as he moved about. He smiled more often without much mischief involved, it seemed as well that he wasn’t hiding as much from her. Still she wondered if he feared being put back in stone, but there was a sort of joy about his movements that she found infectious.

Once the dishes were done, Fluttershy wanted to ask Discord if he’d like to go out on a date. An actual date. Without anyone else around them and without any sort of pretense attached to it. It had been a quiet thought, a simple one that had occurred to her while she was in the kitchen. It would be a nice little outing. They could go out for lunch in Ponyville, or maybe they could take a walk through the forest with more of an intimate intent. He didn’t have to make the first move in furthering this because she could easily admit that she did like him as more than just a friend. She wasn’t sure if it was love, but she was certain that she wanted to chase this feeling. Of course, when it came time to actually open her mouth and say something, she found that she had a bit of trouble expressing it. Just as she found herself opening her mouth to actually say it, as the feelings began to spill forth, a letter appeared in front of her face in a puff of green flame.

She blinked and sat on her haunches to read the letter aloud, “Dear Fluttershy, it is awesome to finally have a response for you. The truth is, I’ve been planning a get together. I thought that it’d be so super special if we actually had a party. I’m always going around encouraging fun, and so what better way to integrate Discord than to actually have him interact with the community at large! Isn’t that nice? Anyway! The time and the place are below. Make sure you RSVP, or just show up. Actually! Just show up, it’ll be more fun that way.”

When she finished reading the letter, she tenderly rolled it up and sent it aside. It wasn’t exactly what she wanted and so she might have to say no to this, but then Discord spoke up, “Oh! Festivities, that sounds lovely, doesn’t it?”

She looked up at him and noted the excitement in his eyes, and so she had to breathe out, “I mean, sure. Y-yeah, that works out.”

He blinks and tilts his head, “Hm, now that I think about it. Won’t it be a bit much for you? Surrounded by everyone and it might be a bit loud. Well, we could always say no.”

Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile as she breathed out, “W-we could, that’s true.”

Discord then threw his arm out as if offering his elbow to her, “Of course, I could be your dashing escort.”

Her cheeks warmed as she cleared her throat, “O-oh. My escort?”

“Walk around with you, stick close to you, make sure that you’re not bothered and that you have someone to squeeze against.” He said with a big smile, but then his expression seemed to shift a bit as he put a fist up to his mouth and he cleared his throat, “Of course, that is to say, only if you’d like to go with me. I’d understand if you wanted to stay behind or maybe stick apart so that I could mingle and whatnot.”

She found herself smiling more and more as she realized the intent behind his words. Maybe he didn’t even realize how it sounded, and so she brought her hoof up to beckon him, and he touched it softly while she answered softly, “I’d love to go to that party with you. As a date.”

Discord held her hoof gently, and he leaned down to plant a gentle peck on her lips before he let their heads touch. As he did this, he shut his eyes and muttered softly, “Then a date it is.”

It was not what she had planned, but the idea seemed nice and the words had been said. A date. An outing as something attempting to be more, as an experiment to see if they could work. Perhaps it would be noisy and stressful, but at the very least he would be there with her.

Pinkie Pie often held various celebrations throughout Ponyville. It was her way of bringing life to the world around her, of connecting others and herself. Fluttershy had always admired that wild energy, that passionate desire to see others smiling and laughing. She could understand why someone like that had been chosen as a guardian of harmony, even if others failed to see it. That being said, she did not have the same sensibilities as her friend did. She found it very difficult to be around a lot of noise, and could not imagine organizing a get-together of a significant size. She even had trouble getting in a word when it was just Discord and Rainbow Dash let alone a whole gathering of individuals. It just wasn’t something that she was very good at handling, and the anxiety that came from it often left her exhausted. She still didn’t know it was a good idea to actually go to this party. There’d be such a crowd, but she had already agreed to a date with Discord. Fluttershy went through a sort of ritual in order to keep herself focused on that fact and relatively calm. She made sure that she didn’t have any chores left. A shower was most certainly good as well, despite the fact that she was too distracted to really enjoy the water. She kept on thinking about what she’d even do at a party, and well, she didn’t even know where it was going to be. With that in mind, she dried off after her shower and went to read the letter that still lay in the same place she had set it. Oddly enough, the location of the party was nearby. In a clearing at the edge of the forest. There was a little crudely drawn map from her cottage to the clearing itself. That wasn’t very far away from her home at all. That was odd. She hadn’t heard anything about a party in the forest; then again, Pinky Pie could be unpredictable and could work very quickly.

“And so the maiden prepared herself for the inevitable festivities that very night, knowing that she’d be going with a beast. Just how would her friends handle seeing her at the side of such a thing?” Said a little voice.

She sighed and muttered, “No, that’s not it. I mean, maybe a little bit, but I’m not very good at big gatherings. Maybe it is silly for me to be more scared of that than Discord.”

“You’re absolutely right. You should fear me a little bit more.”

Fluttershy blinked and then looked to her left to see Discord floating just above her shoulder as tiny as a bird. When he waved at her, she found her cheeks turning pink and then red until she remembered herself, and then she stamped a hoof while coughing, “Discord! I thought you’d left to get ready! Y-you shouldn’t spy on people. You shouldn’t even sneak into homes. It’s rude! I've told you that before, you little rascal.”

Discord grew to his normal size while laughing, “Apologies! I was too excited and figured I’d zip on back here to see how you were doing.”

“Beyond embarrassed. Beyond mortified.” She muttered before she huffed, “A-and I’m not afraid of you. I shouldn’t be.”

“But you should! I am a terrifying thing, really.” Discord said while looking at his claws.

She looked at him and brought up a hoof to reach up and tap his body, “No. That’s not the right way to think about it. You’re trying to be better, and you are doing better. You have to believe that you are better too, while keeping in mind that you won’t repeat any of those nasty things. Like breaking into people’s homes.”

“To be fair, I didn’t break anything.” He murmured.

Fluttershy smiled a bit, “Yes, that’s true you didn’t, but you’ll hurt me though if you keep telling me that I should be afraid of you.”

Discord blinked and crossed his arms, “What? Why ever would that hurt you? I’m more than aware of what I am and what I’ve done. Besides, it's kind of fun having a bit of a fear factor.”

“Yes, but I like you, okay? And you’re talking bad about someone that I like.” She said while being careful about her wording.

He furrowed his brow and seemed to think about it for a moment before he hummed, "It's not as simple as that, really.” She then frowned a bit more while looking up at him, trying to catch his gaze, but he turned his head and scoffed, “Oh, don’t give me that look. I’ll be a bit nicer to myself around you, I suppose. A bit.”

She sighed, “Then I suppose that’ll have to do.”

Fluttershy was still frowning. She got the distinct feeling that Discord saw himself in a negative light and didn’t see the problem with it. That could be worked on, and hopefully it would be something resolved naturally over time; even then, she couldn’t help but still feel a bit sour on it. At the same time, she couldn’t just expect him to change so easily about everything that had been ingrained within him. When she looked at him again, she found that he was leaning in a bit. He was simply looking at her, though. He didn’t kiss her and didn’t touch her; he was just looking at her with a small smile. Her frown twitched, and her ears pinned back as she found herself suspicious of his intentions, but then he tilted his head and stuck his tongue out. It was a simple little thing, a childish display of humor, and she found herself snorting, her frown crackling. No, she wanted to let him understand that she still felt off about his reaction, but he was already snickering, and she found herself chuckling now, unable to stop herself from joining in.

“There it is.” He whispered, “There’s the smile and laughter I love so much.”

Her cheeks warmed as she slowly steadied herself, “A-ah, that you love so much? Careful. You might make a girl think things.”

She found herself being lifted up again, a feeling that she was getting quite used to. They flopped together on her bed, and she could not help but notice that she was on top of him with his hand on her lower back as he hummed, “And what sorts of things are you thinking about?”

“W-when you say things like that, it can make a girl just think, that’s all. Really. Just think.” She said quietly.

Fluttershy had a bit of difficulty meeting his gaze, but when she heard him snickering, she looked over to see him smirking down at her. He was teasing and toying with her again. He already knew exactly what sorts of things she was thinking about. Wait, did he really? She found fresh embarrassment touching her mind. And yet, that was part of his game.

“Oh, come now. Give me specifics.” He said while twirling a finger through her mane.

She pouted and murmured, “I think you’re smarter than that, mister.”

Discord chuckled and tucked a few digits under her chin to line her mouth up with his as he whispered, “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not, but I want to hear the things I make you feel and think directly from these pretty lips.”

“You’re being terrible.” Fluttershy huffed.

He gave her lips a peck, and the frown that had been forming on her face froze as her expression softened and as he hummed, “Don’t I know it.”

The hand on her chin moved along her neck, trailing behind her all the way until she felt him gripping onto her rear to tug her up a bit more. Something firm grew between her legs, and she could not help but let out a little sigh of delight. She then shut her eyes and muttered, “Discord. Do you like me?”

“Of course I do.” He said softly while the firmness between her legs began to grow and press against her most sensitive spot.

She shuddered and whispered, “More than just friends?”

And then she looked at his expression turn. The smile disappeared, and for a moment she thought that he might tell her no, but he then whispered, “Yes. And isn’t it silly? To care for you as more than just a friend. To wish to hold you and never let you go? I don’t want anyone else to have you, and such a jealous desire just isn’t right. I shouldn’t burden you with that hunger. You deserve good things, and I fear that I am not a very good thing still.”

Fluttershy stared at him. Kept staring and did not think to say anything else. Relief washed over her. He did like her. He did want something more than friendship. The date was not just a cruel joke and most likely a gateway to something more, but she also felt a pang of empathy and sadness. He was afraid. His expression did not look as though he were in pain; instead, he looked frightened and uncertain. Eyes darting away from her, his ears pinned back, and his mouth held in a tight line as if he were struggling with something. He did not sound confident, did not sound mischievous either. He sounded quiet, muted, and even a bit distant. She was all at once proud to see him vulnerable and also upset. Upset because he had again insulted himself, but she could not outright deny him his reaction, nor what he felt.

Instead, she wanted to prove him wrong, and so she kissed him firmly. The action had carried a bit too much force, and their heads bumped together. Even still, she kept the kiss for a moment before pulling away while breathing out, “No matter what you say, I think you’re good. A-and if you do really feel that way about me, then I’d like to explore that. U-uhm, no sense in rushing into anything, but I’m not going to deny you, and I don’t want you to deny yourself. Really, I’m not sure if everyone will be too excited or supportive, but I don’t care. I want to be selfish.”

She bounced a bit as he chortled, as he huffed and puffed bits of little laughter until he sighed, “Is that right? Selfish? How discordant of you. Why, shall I call you my guardian of disharmony then?”

“If it would make me a guardian of disharmony just to say that I’d like to try for something more with you, then I guess you can call me that.” Fluttershy said with a huff.

He chuckled again, grinning like his usual self again, and he then planted a little peck on her mouth before doing it again, and then again. Discord muttered softly after a few more kisses, “Fine then, you win. That being said, if you want to initiate a kiss again, then could you do it with a little less gusto? My head hurts just from that little bump.”

Fluttershy giggled as she pressed against him while muttering, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Discord looked at her with a smirk, and she realized then that she had not taken the entire meaning of what he had said until now. She was lying atop him. He had his hands atop of her back loosely. They did not grip her and did not hold her there in place. Instead, she had ultimate freedom in what she decided to do. She could probably get off of him and save this for another time, but the moment was right here, and she could take advantage of it herself. To do that would be embarrassing in more ways than one. Slowly, she wrapped her thighs around his shaft and closed her eyes as she took a few breaths. To take the initiative. That’s all that she had to do. She had already done it once; she could do it again, but this time she wouldn’t bump heads with him. When she opened her eyes, she leaned in and turned her head, their mouths meeting for a soft kiss. His hand trailed up her back all the way to the back of her neck, where his digits toyed through her mane as their tongues met. At the same time, she began to raise her hips up before bringing them down to grind against his cock, to let him know that she was more than willing to have this first moment between them in a world where they both acknowledged her beautiful, selfish desires.

Pinkie Pie often held various celebrations throughout Ponyville. It was her way of bringing life to the world around her, of connecting others and herself. Fluttershy had always admired that wild energy, that passionate desire to see others smiling and laughing. She could understand why someone like that had been chosen as a guardian of harmony, even if others failed to see it. That being said, she did not have the same sensibilities as her friend did. She found it very difficult to be around a lot of noise, and could not imagine organizing a get-together of a significant size. She even had trouble getting in a word when it was just Discord and Rainbow Dash let alone a whole gathering of individuals. It just wasn’t something that she was very good at handling, and the anxiety that came from it often left her exhausted. She still didn’t know it was a good idea to actually go to this party. There’d be such a crowd, but she had already agreed to a date with Discord. Fluttershy went through a sort of ritual in order to keep herself focused on that fact and relatively calm. She made sure that she didn’t have any chores left. A shower was most certainly good as well, despite the fact that she was too distracted to really enjoy the water. She kept on thinking about what she’d even do at a party, and well, she didn’t even know where it was going to be. With that in mind, she dried off after her shower and went to read the letter that still lay in the same place she had set it. Oddly enough, the location of the party was nearby. In a clearing at the edge of the forest. There was a little crudely drawn map from her cottage to the clearing itself. That wasn’t very far away from her home at all. That was odd. She hadn’t heard anything about a party in the forest; then again, Pinky Pie could be unpredictable and could work very quickly.

“And so the maiden prepared herself for the inevitable festivities that very night, knowing that she’d be going with a beast. Just how would her friends handle seeing her at the side of such a thing?” Said a little voice.

She sighed and muttered, “No, that’s not it. I mean, maybe a little bit, but I’m not very good at big gatherings. Maybe it is silly for me to be more scared of that than Discord.”

“You’re absolutely right. You should fear me a little bit more.”

Fluttershy blinked and then looked to her left to see Discord floating just above her shoulder as tiny as a bird. When he waved at her, she found her cheeks turning pink and then red until she remembered herself, and then she stamped a hoof while coughing, “Discord! I thought you’d left to get ready! Y-you shouldn’t spy on people. You shouldn’t even sneak into homes. It’s rude! I've told you that before, you little rascal.”

Discord grew to his normal size while laughing, “Apologies! I was too excited and figured I’d zip on back here to see how you were doing.”

“Beyond embarrassed. Beyond mortified.” She muttered before she huffed, “A-and I’m not afraid of you. I shouldn’t be.”

“But you should! I am a terrifying thing, really.” Discord said while looking at his claws.

She looked at him and brought up a hoof to reach up and tap his body, “No. That’s not the right way to think about it. You’re trying to be better, and you are doing better. You have to believe that you are better too, while keeping in mind that you won’t repeat any of those nasty things. Like breaking into people’s homes.”

“To be fair, I didn’t break anything.” He murmured.

Fluttershy smiled a bit, “Yes, that’s true you didn’t, but you’ll hurt me though if you keep telling me that I should be afraid of you.”

Discord blinked and crossed his arms, “What? Why ever would that hurt you? I’m more than aware of what I am and what I’ve done. Besides, it's kind of fun having a bit of a fear factor.”

“Yes, but I like you, okay? And you’re talking bad about someone that I like.” She said while being careful about her wording.

He furrowed his brow and seemed to think about it for a moment before he hummed, "It's not as simple as that, really.” She then frowned a bit more while looking up at him, trying to catch his gaze, but he turned his head and scoffed, “Oh, don’t give me that look. I’ll be a bit nicer to myself around you, I suppose. A bit.”

She sighed, “Then I suppose that’ll have to do.”

Fluttershy was still frowning. She got the distinct feeling that Discord saw himself in a negative light and didn’t see the problem with it. That could be worked on, and hopefully it would be something resolved naturally over time; even then, she couldn’t help but still feel a bit sour on it. At the same time, she couldn’t just expect him to change so easily about everything that had been ingrained within him. When she looked at him again, she found that he was leaning in a bit. He was simply looking at her, though. He didn’t kiss her and didn’t touch her; he was just looking at her with a small smile. Her frown twitched, and her ears pinned back as she found herself suspicious of his intentions, but then he tilted his head and stuck his tongue out. It was a simple little thing, a childish display of humor, and she found herself snorting, her frown crackling. No, she wanted to let him understand that she still felt off about his reaction, but he was already snickering, and she found herself chuckling now, unable to stop herself from joining in.

“There it is.” He whispered, “There’s the smile and laughter I love so much.”

Her cheeks warmed as she slowly steadied herself, “A-ah, that you love so much? Careful. You might make a girl think things.”

She found herself being lifted up again, a feeling that she was getting quite used to. They flopped together on her bed, and she could not help but notice that she was on top of him with his hand on her lower back as he hummed, “And what sorts of things are you thinking about?”

“W-when you say things like that, it can make a girl just think, that’s all. Really. Just think.” She said quietly.

Fluttershy had a bit of difficulty meeting his gaze, but when she heard him snickering, she looked over to see him smirking down at her. He was teasing and toying with her again. He already knew exactly what sorts of things she was thinking about. Wait, did he really? She found fresh embarrassment touching her mind. And yet, that was part of his game.

“Oh, come now. Give me specifics.” He said while twirling a finger through her mane.

She pouted and murmured, “I think you’re smarter than that, mister.”

Discord chuckled and tucked a few digits under her chin to line her mouth up with his as he whispered, “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not, but I want to hear the things I make you feel and think directly from these pretty lips.”

“You’re being terrible.” Fluttershy huffed.

He gave her lips a peck, and the frown that had been forming on her face froze as her expression softened and as he hummed, “Don’t I know it.”

The hand on her chin moved along her neck, trailing behind her all the way until she felt him gripping onto her rear to tug her up a bit more. Something firm grew between her legs, and she could not help but let out a little sigh of delight. She then shut her eyes and muttered, “Discord. Do you like me?”

“Of course I do.” He said softly while the firmness between her legs began to grow and press against her most sensitive spot.

She shuddered and whispered, “More than just friends?”

And then she looked at his expression turn. The smile disappeared, and for a moment she thought that he might tell her no, but he then whispered, “Yes. And isn’t it silly? To care for you as more than just a friend. To wish to hold you and never let you go? I don’t want anyone else to have you, and such a jealous desire just isn’t right. I shouldn’t burden you with that hunger. You deserve good things, and I fear that I am not a very good thing still.”

Fluttershy stared at him. Kept staring and did not think to say anything else. Relief washed over her. He did like her. He did want something more than friendship. The date was not just a cruel joke and most likely a gateway to something more, but she also felt a pang of empathy and sadness. He was afraid. His expression did not look as though he were in pain; instead, he looked frightened and uncertain. Eyes darting away from her, his ears pinned back, and his mouth held in a tight line as if he were struggling with something. He did not sound confident, did not sound mischievous either. He sounded quiet, muted, and even a bit distant. She was all at once proud to see him vulnerable and also upset. Upset because he had again insulted himself, but she could not outright deny him his reaction, nor what he felt.

Instead, she wanted to prove him wrong, and so she kissed him firmly. The action had carried a bit too much force, and their heads bumped together. Even still, she kept the kiss for a moment before pulling away while breathing out, “No matter what you say, I think you’re good. A-and if you do really feel that way about me, then I’d like to explore that. U-uhm, no sense in rushing into anything, but I’m not going to deny you, and I don’t want you to deny yourself. Really, I’m not sure if everyone will be too excited or supportive, but I don’t care. I want to be selfish.”

She bounced a bit as he chortled, as he huffed and puffed bits of little laughter until he sighed, “Is that right? Selfish? How discordant of you. Why, shall I call you my guardian of disharmony then?”

“If it would make me a guardian of disharmony just to say that I’d like to try for something more with you, then I guess you can call me that.” Fluttershy said with a huff.

He chuckled again, grinning like his usual self again, and he then planted a little peck on her mouth before doing it again, and then again. Discord muttered softly after a few more kisses, “Fine then, you win. That being said, if you want to initiate a kiss again, then could you do it with a little less gusto? My head hurts just from that little bump.”

Fluttershy giggled as she pressed against him while muttering, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Discord looked at her with a smirk, and she realized then that she had not taken the entire meaning of what he had said until now. She was lying atop him. He had his hands atop of her back loosely. They did not grip her and did not hold her there in place. Instead, she had ultimate freedom in what she decided to do. She could probably get off of him and save this for another time, but the moment was right here, and she could take advantage of it herself. To do that would be embarrassing in more ways than one. Slowly, she wrapped her thighs around his shaft and closed her eyes as she took a few breaths. To take the initiative. That’s all that she had to do. She had already done it once; she could do it again, but this time she wouldn’t bump heads with him. When she opened her eyes, she leaned in and turned her head, their mouths meeting for a soft kiss. His hand trailed up her back all the way to the back of her neck, where his digits toyed through her mane as their tongues met. At the same time, she began to raise her hips up before bringing them down to grind against his cock, to let him know that she was more than willing to have this first moment between them in a world where they both acknowledged her beautiful, selfish desires.

Fluttershy found herself moving her hips a bit quicker, with a bit more confidence. That confidence, however, was such a fragile thing. It was not that she did not want to do this, nor did it have anything to do with her feelings for him. Rather, she simply never had an experience where she had taken charge of a situation like this. The pleasure she felt from grinding against his dick was a budding warmth that kept on growing, and that growing warmth threatened to shatter her confident motions and make her weak. She could already feel her body trembling, her movements slowing for a short pause before she continued them. At the same time, their kiss continued, their mouths melding deeper into the kiss, his tongue sliding along her own, his breathing hot against her neck whenever they pulled back to share a sigh before they dipped back in for more.

Eventually, she found that she could not handle it any longer. She shivered, and she muttered when their mouths separated, “Please.”

She did not elaborate on what she desired; she only raised her hips and brought the head of his dick to where she wanted. Her hips were trembling, her breath coming out in little pants. Discord only smiled as he reached over to grab her rear to lower her body. She felt the head of his cock rolling along her entrance, catching on it a few times before that raw length began to slide in. In the heat of the moment, she had forgotten to tell him to put on a condom, and he should have known to put it on already. That being said, she didn’t find herself able to tell him. She instead clung onto his body and moaned while she felt him sliding in inch by inch as he lowered her hips. At the halfway mark, however, he stopped while he leaned in to kiss her ear. Perhaps he remembered?

Discord whispered, “Start moving your hips.”

“Discord, aren’t you forgetting something?” She breathed out.

Despite that question, her hips began to move up and down to pleasure that throbbing thing she felt grinding against her inner walls. Her head remained mired in fog and heat as she tried her best to think about what they should be doing instead of what felt good, but her hips kept on moving, and she started to moan. At the same time, he massaged her rear in little circles, occasionally thrusting into her softly to help her along while he planted little pecks on her mouth and neck.

Finally, she managed to huff, “O-oh, just remember to pull out.”

There were solutions to this sort of problem. Herbal, magical, alchemical, but despite that, she wanted him to have some sort of semblance of concern in this sort of situation. He seemed entirely too happy about what was happening, entirely too mischievous, and she wasn’t very sure if he was going to pull out. That being said, he kept kissing her neck softly, kept on humming near her ear while her insides were stretched, while he coaxed more and more pleasure from her body to the surface. His humming seemed to soothe her, the soft kisses on her ears and neck making her shiver but feel less nervous. The embarrassment she felt became a far-off thing as her hips began to move of their own accord faster and faster. She barely noticed that his hands had stopped moving entirely, and now the interaction was fully driven by the motion of her body. All she could feel was the mounting pleasure rising and rising. Anytime she thrust, she’d become aware of the fact that he hadn’t been moving because the thrust would jolt her. He’d push in order to root himself in as far as possible while giving her neck a gentle nip.

The movements of her body were getting a bit more shaky, but the pace was quickening, the pleasure she felt riding Discord continuing to grow as pressure built in her gut. She held onto him as best as she could while her hips kept on rising and then falling, her ass hitting his lap, creating a percussive beat that echoed in the quiet surrounding them. His hand moved over her rear, massaging gently before coming down in a sudden swat that caused her to squeak. He chuckled, and she buried her face in his fur, trying to ignore the sound of his laughter as he kept on giving her rear a swat anytime she brought her hips up.

“If you’re that eager to milk me, should I just take charge and breed you?” He whispered.

Fluttershy gasped, “Don’t you dare.”

Despite her words, she did not stop moving her hips while he nuzzled her neck and hummed, “But you seem to be enjoying yourself so much. Wouldn’t it be more enjoyable to just let loose and let it happen? With a snap of my fingers, I can make the consequences go away as well.”

She shuddered and held her mouth shut as she kept on riding him, as the pleasure pulsing inside of her made it difficult to immediately rebuke her. Eventually, she managed to breathe out, “Hush.”

And he chuckled. He smirked and snickered while kissing her neck, while nipping that spot as he grabbed onto her rear with both hands to start helping her again, while he rumbled, “Seems I’m getting close.” And then he forced her to stop, and he slowly brought her up, her insides clenching tight around what was still within her as he continued softly, “Here, let me pull out then.”

He took his sweet time with the process, bringing her up bit by bit until finally she huffed, “Fine, b-but you’re going to fetch me a solution immediately after, okay?”

Discord chuckled and kissed her ear, “Of course, now, hold on.”

He slowly brought her back down, and she breathed out a lovely little sigh, her eyes fluttering, her body trembling while every inch of his cock slid inside of her. Fluttershy realized that she was weak to him, and it would probably be disastrous if he ever decided to actually try and corrupt her, but she had to hope that he would only do this sort of thing for fun rather than to truly harm her. As those thoughts ended, Discord began to bring her up and down quickly. She gasped and found herself holding onto him tightly, her eyes shut tight now as her insides were spread wide apart by a constant pistoning cock. He thrust into her firmly, grunting as he did so, growling in her ear as she felt his passion burning freely.

Instead of nipping her ear, he moved to her neck to bite down, and she groaned as she felt pinpricks of pain intermingling with the pleasure. There would be marks. She wanted to warn him, but all she could do was moan as he kept on biting down, as he thrust in deep and used her body. This was more intense than the last time, rougher, more possessive, and harsher as well. She could feel his claws digging in properly, she could feel his fangs sinking in, she could feel the steam of his breath passing over her. It felt frightening and delightful all at once, a beautiful reminder of just how dangerous he could be, and yet he would stop to lick her neck, to kiss her ear, and drown her in saccharine touches. And again he would start to thrust into her, begin to pull her up and down as if her cunt was simply a toy for him to use. It wasn’t long before she found herself drooling just a bit, panting, and letting out ragged breaths while he kept on thrusting into her. Would he use her for the rest of the day? No, they had to get ready at some time for the party later tonight.

Fluttershy felt herself come undone from the constant grinding of her inner walls, and with that climax of hers, she let out a long, drawn-out moan that was drowned out by a kiss. He put his mouth on hers, a kiss given to her that seemed so much sweeter than his treatment of the rest of her body. It was with that sweet kiss that he finally stopped, that he thrust once more before she could feel the throbbing of his shaft grow more intense. Hot seed poured out directly inside of her, and her eyes fluttered shut, her body trembling violently as she was filled to the brim by his passion and desire. Every twitch added a bit more of his load inside of her, and when their lips tore apart, it was so that he could let out a snarl of triumph.

She lay atop of him, shaking, moaning, her lips curling up into a twisted smile as she found herself unable to dislike anything that was happening. He filled her with that dangerous substance, with that seed that would threaten to take root if nothing was done. It had been the principle of the matter that had led her to believe that they should use protection, but perhaps she could be swayed on this point as long as he took responsibility and helped her acquire a preventative measure.

When he finished, she breathed out, “Sweet Celestia…That felt good.”

Discord chuckled and planted a kiss atop her head while muttering, “It did feel good, although I would not include Celestia in this conversation.”

Fluttershy chuckled and shook her head, “Oh, hush, you know what I mean.”

“I do, and I suppose that I should also make good on a promise. I did say that with a snap of my finger I could have something ready to make sure those pesky consequences don’t come around, right?” He said while kissing her neck.

She shuddered and nodded, “That’s right.”

“But first, how about a shower? Together again.” He whispered near her ear.

Whatever he had planned to help could wait for a bit. Another shower was indeed necessary. He helped her to the shower, and she found that once again she wobbled once she had been put down on her own. They entered the shower together, and she could feel soreness echoing through every part of her body. She didn’t have to do much, though, to get herself clean. He helped her with whatever she needed, and she could feel his watchful eyes taking in every detail of her form. Whether it was a little scratch or a bite mark that had blossomed, he would take his time in cleaning the surface before muttering that it would need something a bit more potent afterward. These marks concerned her a bit because she was going out tonight with him. If she showed up with fang and claw marks on her body, then people might get the wrong impression. Or they might get a very accurate impression, and that’d just be embarrassing. Once they stepped out of the shower, they stood before the sink together so he could take responsibility in a different manner. With a cotton swab, he applied disinfectant to a few spots that his claws and fangs had dug in a bit too deeply. There wasn’t any severe bleeding or bruises that were too big, but he made sure to take care of any spot where the skin had broken. Little stings of disinfectant did not deter her from smiling as he took care of her, as he fawned over her. He would kiss her ears and head, humming happily as he made sure every spot had a bit of disinfectant on it. Once they were done, they got dry and stepped out. Again, she found herself feeling odd. That monstrous passion that had overtaken her seemed to be tempered by a genuine domestic nature. The first time they had done anything at all, he had been sweet, and now that they had a date tonight and had admitted intimacy beyond friendship, he was still sweet. What became apparent as well, was that he seemed to actually enjoy the domestic and soft parts of their relationship. He even offered to brush her mane.

It was in the room while he brushed out her mane that she said, while her eyes were closed, “I might need a bit of extra coverage for tonight.”

Discord hummed, “You could wear me as a scarf.”

She smiled a bit and opened one eye to look up at him to see that he was smirking down at her. With a small giggle, she muttered, “I don’t think that’ll be necessary. I think the necklace will be enough, but uhm, my back and my rear have a few marks I noticed.”

“How about that green cloak of yours? I could even wear something rather similar. We’d be matching.” He said while kissing her ear.

Fluttershy shivered and found herself blushing as she stammered, “O-oh, that sounds lovely.”

His digits under her chin directed her head while he brushed out her mane, and when he finished, she opened her eyes to see that he held a little vial full of glowing liquid within it. She blinked and took it gingerly as he said softly, “Here, as promised. My seed shouldn’t take as long as you drink this. I prepared it myself, thinking that this sort of thing might happen.”

“Thinking that you might be irresponsible?” She said with an innocent smile.

He cleared his throat, “Well, yes. It had been a while, and honestly, I wasn't really sure if I could pull out.”

They shared a look while her cheeks burned, and he fixed her with a sheepish smile full of false innocence. Fluttershy couldn't help but chuckle, and he shared in that little bit of joy. She went to touch it, but he moved it away from her hoof as he popped the cork off the vial and then offered it to her lips. She didn’t need to be fed, didn’t need to be given a drink like this, but she planted her lips against the glass because he began kissing her neck, because he began to hum and purr against her while his other hand massaged her body. She drank with his help, with full trust that what he gave her was something that would benefit her instead of hurt her. The drink felt warm, and it tasted tart, but not too tart. When she finished the concoction, he set it down and embraced her gently from behind. Fluttershy closed her eyes and leaned back against him while letting the feeling wash over her. They had time before night came. Time enough to enjoy this quiet warmth.

Fluttershy found herself moving her hips a bit quicker, with a bit more confidence. That confidence, however, was such a fragile thing. It was not that she did not want to do this, nor did it have anything to do with her feelings for him. Rather, she simply never had an experience where she had taken charge of a situation like this. The pleasure she felt from grinding against his dick was a budding warmth that kept on growing, and that growing warmth threatened to shatter her confident motions and make her weak. She could already feel her body trembling, her movements slowing for a short pause before she continued them. At the same time, their kiss continued, their mouths melding deeper into the kiss, his tongue sliding along her own, his breathing hot against her neck whenever they pulled back to share a sigh before they dipped back in for more.

Eventually, she found that she could not handle it any longer. She shivered, and she muttered when their mouths separated, “Please.”

She did not elaborate on what she desired; she only raised her hips and brought the head of his dick to where she wanted. Her hips were trembling, her breath coming out in little pants. Discord only smiled as he reached over to grab her rear to lower her body. She felt the head of his cock rolling along her entrance, catching on it a few times before that raw length began to slide in. In the heat of the moment, she had forgotten to tell him to put on a condom, and he should have known to put it on already. That being said, she didn’t find herself able to tell him. She instead clung onto his body and moaned while she felt him sliding in inch by inch as he lowered her hips. At the halfway mark, however, he stopped while he leaned in to kiss her ear. Perhaps he remembered?

Discord whispered, “Start moving your hips.”

“Discord, aren’t you forgetting something?” She breathed out.

Despite that question, her hips began to move up and down to pleasure that throbbing thing she felt grinding against her inner walls. Her head remained mired in fog and heat as she tried her best to think about what they should be doing instead of what felt good, but her hips kept on moving, and she started to moan. At the same time, he massaged her rear in little circles, occasionally thrusting into her softly to help her along while he planted little pecks on her mouth and neck.

Finally, she managed to huff, “O-oh, just remember to pull out.”

There were solutions to this sort of problem. Herbal, magical, alchemical, but despite that, she wanted him to have some sort of semblance of concern in this sort of situation. He seemed entirely too happy about what was happening, entirely too mischievous, and she wasn’t very sure if he was going to pull out. That being said, he kept kissing her neck softly, kept on humming near her ear while her insides were stretched, while he coaxed more and more pleasure from her body to the surface. His humming seemed to soothe her, the soft kisses on her ears and neck making her shiver but feel less nervous. The embarrassment she felt became a far-off thing as her hips began to move of their own accord faster and faster. She barely noticed that his hands had stopped moving entirely, and now the interaction was fully driven by the motion of her body. All she could feel was the mounting pleasure rising and rising. Anytime she thrust, she’d become aware of the fact that he hadn’t been moving because the thrust would jolt her. He’d push in order to root himself in as far as possible while giving her neck a gentle nip.

The movements of her body were getting a bit more shaky, but the pace was quickening, the pleasure she felt riding Discord continuing to grow as pressure built in her gut. She held onto him as best as she could while her hips kept on rising and then falling, her ass hitting his lap, creating a percussive beat that echoed in the quiet surrounding them. His hand moved over her rear, massaging gently before coming down in a sudden swat that caused her to squeak. He chuckled, and she buried her face in his fur, trying to ignore the sound of his laughter as he kept on giving her rear a swat anytime she brought her hips up.

“If you’re that eager to milk me, should I just take charge and breed you?” He whispered.

Fluttershy gasped, “Don’t you dare.”

Despite her words, she did not stop moving her hips while he nuzzled her neck and hummed, “But you seem to be enjoying yourself so much. Wouldn’t it be more enjoyable to just let loose and let it happen? With a snap of my fingers, I can make the consequences go away as well.”

She shuddered and held her mouth shut as she kept on riding him, as the pleasure pulsing inside of her made it difficult to immediately rebuke her. Eventually, she managed to breathe out, “Hush.”

And he chuckled. He smirked and snickered while kissing her neck, while nipping that spot as he grabbed onto her rear with both hands to start helping her again, while he rumbled, “Seems I’m getting close.” And then he forced her to stop, and he slowly brought her up, her insides clenching tight around what was still within her as he continued softly, “Here, let me pull out then.”

He took his sweet time with the process, bringing her up bit by bit until finally she huffed, “Fine, b-but you’re going to fetch me a solution immediately after, okay?”

Discord chuckled and kissed her ear, “Of course, now, hold on.”

He slowly brought her back down, and she breathed out a lovely little sigh, her eyes fluttering, her body trembling while every inch of his cock slid inside of her. Fluttershy realized that she was weak to him, and it would probably be disastrous if he ever decided to actually try and corrupt her, but she had to hope that he would only do this sort of thing for fun rather than to truly harm her. As those thoughts ended, Discord began to bring her up and down quickly. She gasped and found herself holding onto him tightly, her eyes shut tight now as her insides were spread wide apart by a constant pistoning cock. He thrust into her firmly, grunting as he did so, growling in her ear as she felt his passion burning freely.

Instead of nipping her ear, he moved to her neck to bite down, and she groaned as she felt pinpricks of pain intermingling with the pleasure. There would be marks. She wanted to warn him, but all she could do was moan as he kept on biting down, as he thrust in deep and used her body. This was more intense than the last time, rougher, more possessive, and harsher as well. She could feel his claws digging in properly, she could feel his fangs sinking in, she could feel the steam of his breath passing over her. It felt frightening and delightful all at once, a beautiful reminder of just how dangerous he could be, and yet he would stop to lick her neck, to kiss her ear, and drown her in saccharine touches. And again he would start to thrust into her, begin to pull her up and down as if her cunt was simply a toy for him to use. It wasn’t long before she found herself drooling just a bit, panting, and letting out ragged breaths while he kept on thrusting into her. Would he use her for the rest of the day? No, they had to get ready at some time for the party later tonight.

Fluttershy felt herself come undone from the constant grinding of her inner walls, and with that climax of hers, she let out a long, drawn-out moan that was drowned out by a kiss. He put his mouth on hers, a kiss given to her that seemed so much sweeter than his treatment of the rest of her body. It was with that sweet kiss that he finally stopped, that he thrust once more before she could feel the throbbing of his shaft grow more intense. Hot seed poured out directly inside of her, and her eyes fluttered shut, her body trembling violently as she was filled to the brim by his passion and desire. Every twitch added a bit more of his load inside of her, and when their lips tore apart, it was so that he could let out a snarl of triumph.

She lay atop of him, shaking, moaning, her lips curling up into a twisted smile as she found herself unable to dislike anything that was happening. He filled her with that dangerous substance, with that seed that would threaten to take root if nothing was done. It had been the principle of the matter that had led her to believe that they should use protection, but perhaps she could be swayed on this point as long as he took responsibility and helped her acquire a preventative measure.

When he finished, she breathed out, “Sweet Celestia…That felt good.”

Discord chuckled and planted a kiss atop her head while muttering, “It did feel good, although I would not include Celestia in this conversation.”

Fluttershy chuckled and shook her head, “Oh, hush, you know what I mean.”

“I do, and I suppose that I should also make good on a promise. I did say that with a snap of my finger I could have something ready to make sure those pesky consequences don’t come around, right?” He said while kissing her neck.

She shuddered and nodded, “That’s right.”

“But first, how about a shower? Together again.” He whispered near her ear.

Whatever he had planned to help could wait for a bit. Another shower was indeed necessary. He helped her to the shower, and she found that once again she wobbled once she had been put down on her own. They entered the shower together, and she could feel soreness echoing through every part of her body. She didn’t have to do much, though, to get herself clean. He helped her with whatever she needed, and she could feel his watchful eyes taking in every detail of her form. Whether it was a little scratch or a bite mark that had blossomed, he would take his time in cleaning the surface before muttering that it would need something a bit more potent afterward. These marks concerned her a bit because she was going out tonight with him. If she showed up with fang and claw marks on her body, then people might get the wrong impression. Or they might get a very accurate impression, and that’d just be embarrassing. Once they stepped out of the shower, they stood before the sink together so he could take responsibility in a different manner. With a cotton swab, he applied disinfectant to a few spots that his claws and fangs had dug in a bit too deeply. There wasn’t any severe bleeding or bruises that were too big, but he made sure to take care of any spot where the skin had broken. Little stings of disinfectant did not deter her from smiling as he took care of her, as he fawned over her. He would kiss her ears and head, humming happily as he made sure every spot had a bit of disinfectant on it. Once they were done, they got dry and stepped out. Again, she found herself feeling odd. That monstrous passion that had overtaken her seemed to be tempered by a genuine domestic nature. The first time they had done anything at all, he had been sweet, and now that they had a date tonight and had admitted intimacy beyond friendship, he was still sweet. What became apparent as well, was that he seemed to actually enjoy the domestic and soft parts of their relationship. He even offered to brush her mane.

It was in the room while he brushed out her mane that she said, while her eyes were closed, “I might need a bit of extra coverage for tonight.”

Discord hummed, “You could wear me as a scarf.”

She smiled a bit and opened one eye to look up at him to see that he was smirking down at her. With a small giggle, she muttered, “I don’t think that’ll be necessary. I think the necklace will be enough, but uhm, my back and my rear have a few marks I noticed.”

“How about that green cloak of yours? I could even wear something rather similar. We’d be matching.” He said while kissing her ear.

Fluttershy shivered and found herself blushing as she stammered, “O-oh, that sounds lovely.”

His digits under her chin directed her head while he brushed out her mane, and when he finished, she opened her eyes to see that he held a little vial full of glowing liquid within it. She blinked and took it gingerly as he said softly, “Here, as promised. My seed shouldn’t take as long as you drink this. I prepared it myself, thinking that this sort of thing might happen.”

“Thinking that you might be irresponsible?” She said with an innocent smile.

He cleared his throat, “Well, yes. It had been a while, and honestly, I wasn't really sure if I could pull out.”

They shared a look while her cheeks burned, and he fixed her with a sheepish smile full of false innocence. Fluttershy couldn't help but chuckle, and he shared in that little bit of joy. She went to touch it, but he moved it away from her hoof as he popped the cork off the vial and then offered it to her lips. She didn’t need to be fed, didn’t need to be given a drink like this, but she planted her lips against the glass because he began kissing her neck, because he began to hum and purr against her while his other hand massaged her body. She drank with his help, with full trust that what he gave her was something that would benefit her instead of hurt her. The drink felt warm, and it tasted tart, but not too tart. When she finished the concoction, he set it down and embraced her gently from behind. Fluttershy closed her eyes and leaned back against him while letting the feeling wash over her. They had time before night came. Time enough to enjoy this quiet warmth.

The celebration began as soon as the sun went down. A quiet clearing at the edge of the forest turned dark for just a few seconds before the lights came on. Lanterns hanging in the air thanks to a bit of magic from a few unicorn friends. The ponies that had gathered did so wearing a variety of things. Some wore masks, others chose not to have them, and many were dressed in different gowns and cloaks with a particular theme to them. A few tables had been set but appeared to be more part of the natural background than anything else. Indeed, the decor chosen for the outdoor celebration appeared to be held up by vines and wood to keep true to the theme of nature. Fluttershy and Discord arrived in cloaks of forest green; Discord’s cloak had been wreathed in white around the hem. A special touch from a particular seamstress who had said it would look good on him. The way he moved with that cloak over his body made her believe that he could have been a king at some point. A terrible tyrant, but a beautiful man all the same to her. Her hair had been tied by a ribbon of forest green to match their cloaks, and on occasion she could feel a digit of his toying with the ribbon in her hair, reminding her that he had tied it for her. Fluttershy found herself surprised at what she saw around at the party itself. There were performers with violins and various string instruments creating a melody for dance, but not overly loud as she might usually expect. The attendance was high, but the space was large enough that the crowding was kept to a minimum. The lights, as well, were dim and gave her a few areas where she could hide just in case. That being said, she still found herself overwhelmed by the buzz of ponies talking, of them laughing, and she even saw a few of them holding glasses with liquid that seemed to glow beneath the floating lantern light. Knowing Pinkie Pie, it had to be alcohol.

Speaking of which, Pinkie Pie seemed to appear in front of them in a blur of curled pink and bright blue eyes. She took Fluttershy’s hooves in her own and beamed, “Flutters! You’re here! My goodness, my goodness, we just started, but I almost thought that you wouldn’t have come!” She then looked up at Discord, and the smile on her face turned into a little line for a second before growing again, “And I guess here’s the reason for the party in the first place! Drink, dance, eat, and do whatever else! We plan on going until the sun comes up!” She then looked at them both, again her smile fading before it grew wickedly wide as she giggled, “Matching outfits? Wow! You two look like an item!”

Fluttershy was uncertain whether she should say if they were or not, but Discord put a hand on her back gently, and he answered with a snicker, “An item? If that’s what you call it, then guilty as charged. Nothing wrong with being a bit fashionable in-tune with your partner for the evening, right?”

“Not at all!” Pinkie Pie beamed before winking, “Now, be safe, you two. Don’t go too crazy! And well, try to have fun Fluttershy, even if this isn’t your thing.”

Finally able to say something, Fluttershy chuckled, “I’m sure that I’ll enjoy myself just fine. I came with a good partner.”

Pinkie Pie looked at each of them again before she began to trot backward and then forwards while squealing, “Ahahah, gosh! You’ll have to tell me more about how this happened later, but now is not the time for questions. Now is the time for celebration!”

Drinks were given to them, and Fluttershy had hoped that she could escape a lot of the meeting and greeting that went along with these sorts of things. Of course, she could not. Pinkie Pie practically headbutted both of them toward fresh faces and destinations. What had been given to them was a sweet drink that had a bit of a heat to it, and she drank down her first cup, knowing that she’d need to soothe her nerves for the evening. Thankfully, there were plenty of familiar faces as well. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were both well into multiple cups of the brew on offer, and it was easy to tell, considering their cheeks were flushed and they were dancing with one another, encouraging anyone else to join them. Rarity stood with a stallion Fluttershy had never seen before. She whispered in his ear, and while she whispered, she spared Fluttershy a glance and winked. They soon departed, and Fluttershy pretended not to know what they were going to do. Regardless, it was hard not to see that there were plenty of ponies enjoying nature in a more carnal manner. Kisses were a common sight, but some were pressing a bit closer, and standing near the edge of the party, one could hear the sounds of a different type of nature. Again, she found herself downing another cup, and she did start to feel a bit warmer, did start to feel a bit calmer as she was led along.

Discord, of course, didn’t seem to mind the meeting and greeting. He shook hooves, gave compliments, and even offered stronger drinks. He made jokes and he laughed, but his tail was always curled around one of her back legs as if to keep him tethered there. When Pinkie Pie finally left her alone, she noticed that Twilight Sparkle was by herself, looking just as out of sorts as Fluttershy felt.

Fluttershy approached with a small smile, “Twilight, good to see you.”

An arm came around her shoulder, Discord pressing his cheek against hers as he spoke, “So very good! Enjoying the festivities?”

Twilight Sparkle looked at them both and seemed to suck down a breath before she blew it out and rubbed the back of her head, “Well, I mean, I don’t hate it. I just have a lot of work to do back home, and there’s just a few other matters that I’m worried about.”

Discord waved her off, “Oh, that’s not fun! Come now, you can stop being a busybody for one night! You came here, right? So go on! Drink, laugh, find someone to suck face with.”

Fluttershy found herself giggling, and she noticed that Discord had been draining cups a bit faster than her. Perhaps he hadn’t thought that the alcohol would affect him as much, but she did notice that he seemed a bit more, well, fluid in a manner of speaking. She certainly didn’t think that he’d be so crass or so brazen as to tell Twilight to suck some face if he hadn’t at least had something in his system. It could also just be the environment as well. He had been on his best behavior for the most part, and this party was an event meant to lower inhibitions. She supposed it’d be a good test to see how he handled having this sort of freedom.

Twilight Sparkle found it much less entertaining as she huffed, “Suck some face? Do you think that I’m that kind of mare?”

“No.” He said plainly before Fluttershy could attempt to diffuse. She then blinked as Discord continued with an apology, “And I’m sorry if you took offense, I really am, I just mean you should be that kind of mare! You should let loose. Your hair is always down, but you’re so tied up with one thing or another. Enjoy yourself.”

For a second, Twilight’s ears pinned back before her expression softened and she sighed, “Ugh, I hate that you’re right. I hate that I have to give any credit to you.”

From a little portal, Discord produced a cup and offered it to her with a waggle of his brow. When she took it, he held up a fresh cup for himself and grinned, “To new beginnings, my dear new friend.”

Twilight Sparkle raised a brow, but surprisingly, she smiled as she brought her cup up to tap it against Discord’s, “Friends, huh? Fine. To new beginnings.” She then took a sip of the glowing brew, and she scrunched her face, “O-oh Celestia, that’s sweet, but it has such a strong burn too. Are you two not feeling that?”

While Discord laughed, Fluttershy smiled, “Well, I don’t think it is so bad. Maybe I’m just used to things with a bit of heat to them.”

Discord and her shared a look before Discord snorted and snickered, Fluttershy giggling as Twilight cleared her throat, “U-uh, right. Well, I think I’ll go look for a partner for the night. Might as well let loose like Discord said.”

When Twilight departed, their own reverie continued. Discord took her to dance. They mostly spun together as he held her in his arms. Occasionally, he let her down so they could take things a bit more slowly, but whatever they were doing, she found that she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. The sound of the reverie surrounding them did not bother her so much because she had something to focus on. She found that she could not help herself as the night went on. When he brought her up in his arms, she leaned up and put a hoof up on his chest to beckon for his attention. Discord leaned down to see what she wanted. Fluttershy was vaguely aware of the fact that eyes had been on them since the beginning. Both of them were dressed in a manner that made it clear that they were here with each other and for each other. They did not separate from one another for a moment. Even when Discord had been speaking to others, his tail always remained in range to curl around her hind leg. She knew that every move they made would be watched by certain goers in the party, and she even understood keenly through the haze of alcohol in her head that not all of these were very nice stares. At the same time, she wanted a kiss.

Leaning up a bit more when he craned his neck down, she planted her lips on his for a soft kiss. It was a gentle little peck, but something seemed to crack in Discord’s expression. Was that a tear at the corner of his eye? She did not know what to think. Had she done something wrong? But that quick concern was dashed away as she saw him grinning from ear to ear, as she felt his touch through her mane, so he could bring their heads together so that their snouts could touch in perfect symmetry. The tail around her leg seemed to curl that much tighter, and he embraced her there for any nosey individuals who were staring. He kissed her, and kissed her properly instead of her shy little peck. A kiss that lasted for a lovely moment. Without tongue, without lustful heat, but something else that made her heart beat quicker and quicker. When they separated, she found that she could not help but grin and giggle. A night of chaotic harmony she would soon not forget.

Whoever remained staring at them soon seemed to stop as no one made any objections to what they just saw. In fact, Pinkie Pie appeared by their side soon to embrace both of them before tugging them along to encourage them to dance more. Her friends were around her, all dancing and enjoying themselves. Rarity had appeared as well with her own stallion, and even Twilight had found someone to talk to. It wasn’t very long before she felt exhausted, and it hurt. Her cheeks hurt just from how much she was smiling, from being surrounded so fully by the friends that cared for her, and the man that she had put her faith in, knowing that everyone thought of him only as a burden. After a few hours of that, though, she found that the fog in her head had thickened enough that she was leaning against Discord. Slumped, rather than on purpose. She had her eyes closed, and there were bubbles at the edge of her closed vision, telling her that she was beyond exhausted, but she couldn’t just stop.

She was vaguely aware of being brought into the air and a few voices speaking.

“Looks like our girlie got exhausted. Hah, never thought I’d see her dancin’ like that.” Said one who was most certainly Applejack.

And then Rarity giggling, “Never thought she’d be so brazen to do that either, but I must say, it was nice to see her so liberated.”

Twilight Sparkle sternly added, “Now you’d better take care of her.”

Rainbow Dash chimed in and interrupted anything else Twilight would say, “Oh, relax! She’s in good hands, well talons and claws or whatever.”

And finally, Pinkie Pie, “Make sure you bring her to lots of parties, okay? It was good to meet you and good to see Fluttershy laughing so much. Bye-bye!”

Fluttershy opened one eye to see her friends looking up at her, and she managed a quiet little, “Bye, bye.”

She closed her eyes again, and she felt wind brushing through her mane. The familiar cool of a nighttime flight. She often preferred to remain nearer to the ground, but floating above in the sky, she found herself entirely comfortable as she was carried off, as she felt warmth pressing against her. It had been a good night.

The celebration began as soon as the sun went down. A quiet clearing at the edge of the forest turned dark for just a few seconds before the lights came on. Lanterns hanging in the air thanks to a bit of magic from a few unicorn friends. The ponies that had gathered did so wearing a variety of things. Some wore masks, others chose not to have them, and many were dressed in different gowns and cloaks with a particular theme to them. A few tables had been set but appeared to be more part of the natural background than anything else. Indeed, the decor chosen for the outdoor celebration appeared to be held up by vines and wood to keep true to the theme of nature. Fluttershy and Discord arrived in cloaks of forest green; Discord’s cloak had been wreathed in white around the hem. A special touch from a particular seamstress who had said it would look good on him. The way he moved with that cloak over his body made her believe that he could have been a king at some point. A terrible tyrant, but a beautiful man all the same to her. Her hair had been tied by a ribbon of forest green to match their cloaks, and on occasion she could feel a digit of his toying with the ribbon in her hair, reminding her that he had tied it for her. Fluttershy found herself surprised at what she saw around at the party itself. There were performers with violins and various string instruments creating a melody for dance, but not overly loud as she might usually expect. The attendance was high, but the space was large enough that the crowding was kept to a minimum. The lights, as well, were dim and gave her a few areas where she could hide just in case. That being said, she still found herself overwhelmed by the buzz of ponies talking, of them laughing, and she even saw a few of them holding glasses with liquid that seemed to glow beneath the floating lantern light. Knowing Pinkie Pie, it had to be alcohol.

Speaking of which, Pinkie Pie seemed to appear in front of them in a blur of curled pink and bright blue eyes. She took Fluttershy’s hooves in her own and beamed, “Flutters! You’re here! My goodness, my goodness, we just started, but I almost thought that you wouldn’t have come!” She then looked up at Discord, and the smile on her face turned into a little line for a second before growing again, “And I guess here’s the reason for the party in the first place! Drink, dance, eat, and do whatever else! We plan on going until the sun comes up!” She then looked at them both, again her smile fading before it grew wickedly wide as she giggled, “Matching outfits? Wow! You two look like an item!”

Fluttershy was uncertain whether she should say if they were or not, but Discord put a hand on her back gently, and he answered with a snicker, “An item? If that’s what you call it, then guilty as charged. Nothing wrong with being a bit fashionable in-tune with your partner for the evening, right?”

“Not at all!” Pinkie Pie beamed before winking, “Now, be safe, you two. Don’t go too crazy! And well, try to have fun Fluttershy, even if this isn’t your thing.”

Finally able to say something, Fluttershy chuckled, “I’m sure that I’ll enjoy myself just fine. I came with a good partner.”

Pinkie Pie looked at each of them again before she began to trot backward and then forwards while squealing, “Ahahah, gosh! You’ll have to tell me more about how this happened later, but now is not the time for questions. Now is the time for celebration!”

Drinks were given to them, and Fluttershy had hoped that she could escape a lot of the meeting and greeting that went along with these sorts of things. Of course, she could not. Pinkie Pie practically headbutted both of them toward fresh faces and destinations. What had been given to them was a sweet drink that had a bit of a heat to it, and she drank down her first cup, knowing that she’d need to soothe her nerves for the evening. Thankfully, there were plenty of familiar faces as well. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were both well into multiple cups of the brew on offer, and it was easy to tell, considering their cheeks were flushed and they were dancing with one another, encouraging anyone else to join them. Rarity stood with a stallion Fluttershy had never seen before. She whispered in his ear, and while she whispered, she spared Fluttershy a glance and winked. They soon departed, and Fluttershy pretended not to know what they were going to do. Regardless, it was hard not to see that there were plenty of ponies enjoying nature in a more carnal manner. Kisses were a common sight, but some were pressing a bit closer, and standing near the edge of the party, one could hear the sounds of a different type of nature. Again, she found herself downing another cup, and she did start to feel a bit warmer, did start to feel a bit calmer as she was led along.

Discord, of course, didn’t seem to mind the meeting and greeting. He shook hooves, gave compliments, and even offered stronger drinks. He made jokes and he laughed, but his tail was always curled around one of her back legs as if to keep him tethered there. When Pinkie Pie finally left her alone, she noticed that Twilight Sparkle was by herself, looking just as out of sorts as Fluttershy felt.

Fluttershy approached with a small smile, “Twilight, good to see you.”

An arm came around her shoulder, Discord pressing his cheek against hers as he spoke, “So very good! Enjoying the festivities?”

Twilight Sparkle looked at them both and seemed to suck down a breath before she blew it out and rubbed the back of her head, “Well, I mean, I don’t hate it. I just have a lot of work to do back home, and there’s just a few other matters that I’m worried about.”

Discord waved her off, “Oh, that’s not fun! Come now, you can stop being a busybody for one night! You came here, right? So go on! Drink, laugh, find someone to suck face with.”

Fluttershy found herself giggling, and she noticed that Discord had been draining cups a bit faster than her. Perhaps he hadn’t thought that the alcohol would affect him as much, but she did notice that he seemed a bit more, well, fluid in a manner of speaking. She certainly didn’t think that he’d be so crass or so brazen as to tell Twilight to suck some face if he hadn’t at least had something in his system. It could also just be the environment as well. He had been on his best behavior for the most part, and this party was an event meant to lower inhibitions. She supposed it’d be a good test to see how he handled having this sort of freedom.

Twilight Sparkle found it much less entertaining as she huffed, “Suck some face? Do you think that I’m that kind of mare?”

“No.” He said plainly before Fluttershy could attempt to diffuse. She then blinked as Discord continued with an apology, “And I’m sorry if you took offense, I really am, I just mean you should be that kind of mare! You should let loose. Your hair is always down, but you’re so tied up with one thing or another. Enjoy yourself.”

For a second, Twilight’s ears pinned back before her expression softened and she sighed, “Ugh, I hate that you’re right. I hate that I have to give any credit to you.”

From a little portal, Discord produced a cup and offered it to her with a waggle of his brow. When she took it, he held up a fresh cup for himself and grinned, “To new beginnings, my dear new friend.”

Twilight Sparkle raised a brow, but surprisingly, she smiled as she brought her cup up to tap it against Discord’s, “Friends, huh? Fine. To new beginnings.” She then took a sip of the glowing brew, and she scrunched her face, “O-oh Celestia, that’s sweet, but it has such a strong burn too. Are you two not feeling that?”

While Discord laughed, Fluttershy smiled, “Well, I don’t think it is so bad. Maybe I’m just used to things with a bit of heat to them.”

Discord and her shared a look before Discord snorted and snickered, Fluttershy giggling as Twilight cleared her throat, “U-uh, right. Well, I think I’ll go look for a partner for the night. Might as well let loose like Discord said.”

When Twilight departed, their own reverie continued. Discord took her to dance. They mostly spun together as he held her in his arms. Occasionally, he let her down so they could take things a bit more slowly, but whatever they were doing, she found that she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. The sound of the reverie surrounding them did not bother her so much because she had something to focus on. She found that she could not help herself as the night went on. When he brought her up in his arms, she leaned up and put a hoof up on his chest to beckon for his attention. Discord leaned down to see what she wanted. Fluttershy was vaguely aware of the fact that eyes had been on them since the beginning. Both of them were dressed in a manner that made it clear that they were here with each other and for each other. They did not separate from one another for a moment. Even when Discord had been speaking to others, his tail always remained in range to curl around her hind leg. She knew that every move they made would be watched by certain goers in the party, and she even understood keenly through the haze of alcohol in her head that not all of these were very nice stares. At the same time, she wanted a kiss.

Leaning up a bit more when he craned his neck down, she planted her lips on his for a soft kiss. It was a gentle little peck, but something seemed to crack in Discord’s expression. Was that a tear at the corner of his eye? She did not know what to think. Had she done something wrong? But that quick concern was dashed away as she saw him grinning from ear to ear, as she felt his touch through her mane, so he could bring their heads together so that their snouts could touch in perfect symmetry. The tail around her leg seemed to curl that much tighter, and he embraced her there for any nosey individuals who were staring. He kissed her, and kissed her properly instead of her shy little peck. A kiss that lasted for a lovely moment. Without tongue, without lustful heat, but something else that made her heart beat quicker and quicker. When they separated, she found that she could not help but grin and giggle. A night of chaotic harmony she would soon not forget.

Whoever remained staring at them soon seemed to stop as no one made any objections to what they just saw. In fact, Pinkie Pie appeared by their side soon to embrace both of them before tugging them along to encourage them to dance more. Her friends were around her, all dancing and enjoying themselves. Rarity had appeared as well with her own stallion, and even Twilight had found someone to talk to. It wasn’t very long before she felt exhausted, and it hurt. Her cheeks hurt just from how much she was smiling, from being surrounded so fully by the friends that cared for her, and the man that she had put her faith in, knowing that everyone thought of him only as a burden. After a few hours of that, though, she found that the fog in her head had thickened enough that she was leaning against Discord. Slumped, rather than on purpose. She had her eyes closed, and there were bubbles at the edge of her closed vision, telling her that she was beyond exhausted, but she couldn’t just stop.

She was vaguely aware of being brought into the air and a few voices speaking.

“Looks like our girlie got exhausted. Hah, never thought I’d see her dancin’ like that.” Said one who was most certainly Applejack.

And then Rarity giggling, “Never thought she’d be so brazen to do that either, but I must say, it was nice to see her so liberated.”

Twilight Sparkle sternly added, “Now you’d better take care of her.”

Rainbow Dash chimed in and interrupted anything else Twilight would say, “Oh, relax! She’s in good hands, well talons and claws or whatever.”

And finally, Pinkie Pie, “Make sure you bring her to lots of parties, okay? It was good to meet you and good to see Fluttershy laughing so much. Bye-bye!”

Fluttershy opened one eye to see her friends looking up at her, and she managed a quiet little, “Bye, bye.”

She closed her eyes again, and she felt wind brushing through her mane. The familiar cool of a nighttime flight. She often preferred to remain nearer to the ground, but floating above in the sky, she found herself entirely comfortable as she was carried off, as she felt warmth pressing against her. It had been a good night.

Fluttershy had not drifted to sleep. She had just closed her eyes in order to rest them, and in order to stop seeing the dizziness of the world around them. Nestled against the warmth of his body, she found that she could very easily fall asleep, though, if she wanted to. Still, she opened her eyes just a bit to look up at Discord. His focus remained on the path they took through the air. Part of her had been afraid that the laughter and joy she had seen on his face tonight would have been gone once they had left the party, and once she wasn’t looking. One of her biggest concerns was that Discord wasn’t actually happy with the situation. Certainly, he was free, but he had needed to change himself in many ways, and she could still find him struggling with that now and then. He seemed happy enough, and even said that he wanted this change, but it remained that he desired this change for the freedom that it provided. The alcohol added credence to these little regrets and concerns, and in part, she wanted to surrender her element of harmony to him so that he would never be able to be threatened again. At the same time, she knew such a thing would not be a good idea. There would be too many problems with that. Especially if she needed said element for any reason outside of Discord. That being said, she could promise herself that she would not use it against him, and she could believe with all her heart that it would not be necessary. After a few more moments with her eyes closed again, she opened them once she felt them drifting toward a landing.

The cool air and ride through the air had helped her head settle a bit. She no longer felt the bubbles keeping her head both calm and a bit goofy. Fluttershy did still feel the warmth of the alcohol somewhere in her system, but she mostly just felt tired in a satisfied sort of way. When Discord set her down, she got up slowly and looked to see a very familiar lake before them. She smiled as she saw the moon reflecting on the surface of the water, fireflies occasionally sending their little signals just above the surface and near the grass.

Discord settled near her against a tree, and he breathed out softly, “I figured we’d make a little stop here before heading back home. The night seemed so lovely.” He then looked at her with a small smile and asked, “Had a good time?”

Fluttershy sat near him and leaned against him with her eyes closed, their cloaks serving as the bed beneath them as their bodies were bared to the moon high above them, “I did, and you?”

He didn’t immediately respond to her, but after a moment or two, he chuckled, “I suppose I did. For many reasons. Getting to bother Twilight a little and then seeing her loosen up was nice. Always so stuffy.” He then put one leg over the other, his tail flicking from side to side as he hummed, “The highlight of the night was that kiss. That first little kiss. Really, I had so many doubts. I thought that I’d be ruining a perfectly good thing by encouraging anything other than a simple friendship. I figured that you’d also be ashamed of me, and well, before you rush to my defense, you don’t have to. You proved that wrong immediately. And well, others did too. Sure, there were some who gave us weird looks, but your friends seemed to approve. And well, concerned friends will be concerned friends, but I’m more than happy to prove them wrong.”

She listened to him and kept on listening to him. When he finished, she leaned up and kissed his cheek. Instead of lecturing him or adding anything else, she simply lay across his lap and kissed his thigh. Fluttershy then closed her eyes while enjoying the night. The moment spent together by the lake was something lovely. He wanted more than just a simple friendship, and she was more than glad to give it to him. She could not tell him that he was wrong about her being ashamed, for in many ways, she had been uncertain what her friends and she had cared perhaps a bit too much about what they would say. It had been a source of anxiety that had been unnecessary in the long run.

Finally, she said softly, “It is good to think of others, but doing things for ourselves is important.” She then looked up at him with a small smile, “So do you have any selfish requests for the night?”

He smiled and touched her head softly while humming, “Now that you mention it, I could use a blowjob.” Discord teased before adding softly, “Other than that, I already have what I want right here.”

Her cheeks warmed, and maybe he expected her to get upset about it. Instead, she moved her head between his legs to start planting soft kisses on his balls while he stroked through her mane. Softly, she whispered, “And then, my request is that you say it for me.” And again she kissed his balls closer to the base of his shaft while she hummed, “C-can you say it for me?”

It was a little early to say it in their relationship, but she felt in her heart that he felt it as well, and she wanted to hear it above all else. He leaned down and muttered just above her head, “Of course I’ll say it. Since coming here, you have been the thing that has brought me the most joy, the individual that has spurred me on to do both mischief and good in the name of mere fun, and more importantly, to see you smile. I love you.”

And she responded softly, “I love you too.”

Fluttershy kept kissing the side of his shaft until it grew to its full size. She then dragged her tongue along each inch until she got to the tip, where she began to suck on it gently. As she bobbed her head up and down slowly, Discord used two fingers to press against her clit. He rolled those digits just as slowly as she worked, keeping the pace the same as they pleasured one another before the moonlit lake. Fluttershy kept her eyes closed, focusing on pleasuring him, focusing on the pleasure he gave her. It was a mutual and gentle motion, but whenever she slowed down, he did not stop. His fingers kept moving, kept rolling against her clit while she trembled. At the same time, she did not want to let the pleasure he gave her be the reason that she stopped, and so she doubled her efforts to follow his pace. It was difficult to take so much into her mouth, and so she took her time while the pleasure kept on pushing against her senses. His other hand plucked the ribbon from her hair gently to set it aside among the mess of their cloaks, and with that same hand he continued to brush her mane aside to keep it out of the way with gentle brushes of the thumb.

At the same time, she felt a flood of warmth surging through her body. The words had been said between one another. It had been a desire brought on by the heat of the moment. A moment where she had wanted nothing more than to simply say it aloud and to hear it aloud. Would it even last? It did not matter right now whether there were doubts or whether anyone else had any doubts. She simply had wanted it to be, and so she allowed herself to be consumed by that selfish desire, and outward came her chaotic request. A lovely little thing that they both shared with one another.

She dipped her mouth down further when she felt herself getting closer, when she felt his digits start to toy with her clit a bit more firmly. She shuddered and brought him deep into her mouth, her nose touching his crotch, her body trembling as she struggled with both the pleasure hitting her and the girth pulsing in her throat. It wasn’t long before she began to utter little muffled squeaks as her climax struck her, as lust and gentle warmth melded together to turn into something truly blissful.

Slowly, she brought her lips up to the tip of his dick, and that was when she felt him start to blow his load as well. He stroked her mane, a soft sigh escaping him, letting her know that she did just right. Salted thickness collected on her tongue, her mouth draining every little drop that she could manage. She eventually had to pull away with a little cough, but then she rested her chin atop his shaft and rubbed her cheek against it while feeling the last pulsing drops fall free from his dick.

Surrounded by nature and her new lover; she felt truly at peace. It was intimate in every way, with her cheek resting atop his crotch, her lips against his cock. She could feel his hand grasping her rear, fingers trailing along her sex. She felt both tired and aroused at the same time, drifting off on a little trail while he pleasured her gently. He hummed a gentle tune and found that it did not carry his typical chaotic cadence. It was a steady little melody vibrating from his lips as his fingers rolled circles against her pussy. His digits found their way to her clit to toy with it, but whenever she shivered, he’d slow down to keep her in that foggy state between ecstasy and blissful peace. She drooled on his crotch as his fingers became more insistent, as she found herself nearly drifting to sleep before opening her eyes wide as he dipped two of his digits deep inside of her pussy. She shuddered violently and gasped aloud, but she only smiled as she pressed her cheek against his body for comfort while he toyed with her insides.

It was when she closed her eyes again and he had begun to slow down, that he grabbed onto her hips and brought her legs up and over his shoulders. His tongue trailed along her pussy, a long and thick thing that pressed deep inside of her once he was done outlining her sex. One of his arms remained locked around her body to keep her in place while her nose pressed against the curled fur of his crotch. At the same time, the motion of his tongue slowed and then continued, rolling inside of her before coming out to toy with her clit before he went back in. Her thighs pressed against his cheeks, her mouth opening to let out a groan as she found herself climbing closer and closer to a climax until it hit her hard. Discord simply kept on licking while she squealed, kept on kissing her cunt until she was panting.

When he let her go, he leaned back against the tree and allowed her to slide down his body just a bit. She still lay on him with her legs open toward him, with her face pressed near his crotch. Being found like this would be embarrassing beyond belief, but she simply hummed happily. There didn’t need to be anything else said between them. Soon they’d go home, or perhaps she’d fall asleep and find herself in her own bed much later down the line. In the end, she lay against him with her cheek pressed against his crotch, with her eyes closed as she felt his claws pass up and down along her back. Everything had been said. Selfish requests and all. A new life awaited them during the day, but right now, she felt complete. Entirely in love with the one that had been assigned to her as a burden. She hoped that he would remain by her side, and she whispered a quiet prayer where she lay to Celestia, to Luna, and to the earth beneath them. Let this joy last.

Fluttershy had not drifted to sleep. She had just closed her eyes in order to rest them, and in order to stop seeing the dizziness of the world around them. Nestled against the warmth of his body, she found that she could very easily fall asleep, though, if she wanted to. Still, she opened her eyes just a bit to look up at Discord. His focus remained on the path they took through the air. Part of her had been afraid that the laughter and joy she had seen on his face tonight would have been gone once they had left the party, and once she wasn’t looking. One of her biggest concerns was that Discord wasn’t actually happy with the situation. Certainly, he was free, but he had needed to change himself in many ways, and she could still find him struggling with that now and then. He seemed happy enough, and even said that he wanted this change, but it remained that he desired this change for the freedom that it provided. The alcohol added credence to these little regrets and concerns, and in part, she wanted to surrender her element of harmony to him so that he would never be able to be threatened again. At the same time, she knew such a thing would not be a good idea. There would be too many problems with that. Especially if she needed said element for any reason outside of Discord. That being said, she could promise herself that she would not use it against him, and she could believe with all her heart that it would not be necessary. After a few more moments with her eyes closed again, she opened them once she felt them drifting toward a landing.

The cool air and ride through the air had helped her head settle a bit. She no longer felt the bubbles keeping her head both calm and a bit goofy. Fluttershy did still feel the warmth of the alcohol somewhere in her system, but she mostly just felt tired in a satisfied sort of way. When Discord set her down, she got up slowly and looked to see a very familiar lake before them. She smiled as she saw the moon reflecting on the surface of the water, fireflies occasionally sending their little signals just above the surface and near the grass.

Discord settled near her against a tree, and he breathed out softly, “I figured we’d make a little stop here before heading back home. The night seemed so lovely.” He then looked at her with a small smile and asked, “Had a good time?”

Fluttershy sat near him and leaned against him with her eyes closed, their cloaks serving as the bed beneath them as their bodies were bared to the moon high above them, “I did, and you?”

He didn’t immediately respond to her, but after a moment or two, he chuckled, “I suppose I did. For many reasons. Getting to bother Twilight a little and then seeing her loosen up was nice. Always so stuffy.” He then put one leg over the other, his tail flicking from side to side as he hummed, “The highlight of the night was that kiss. That first little kiss. Really, I had so many doubts. I thought that I’d be ruining a perfectly good thing by encouraging anything other than a simple friendship. I figured that you’d also be ashamed of me, and well, before you rush to my defense, you don’t have to. You proved that wrong immediately. And well, others did too. Sure, there were some who gave us weird looks, but your friends seemed to approve. And well, concerned friends will be concerned friends, but I’m more than happy to prove them wrong.”

She listened to him and kept on listening to him. When he finished, she leaned up and kissed his cheek. Instead of lecturing him or adding anything else, she simply lay across his lap and kissed his thigh. Fluttershy then closed her eyes while enjoying the night. The moment spent together by the lake was something lovely. He wanted more than just a simple friendship, and she was more than glad to give it to him. She could not tell him that he was wrong about her being ashamed, for in many ways, she had been uncertain what her friends and she had cared perhaps a bit too much about what they would say. It had been a source of anxiety that had been unnecessary in the long run.

Finally, she said softly, “It is good to think of others, but doing things for ourselves is important.” She then looked up at him with a small smile, “So do you have any selfish requests for the night?”

He smiled and touched her head softly while humming, “Now that you mention it, I could use a blowjob.” Discord teased before adding softly, “Other than that, I already have what I want right here.”

Her cheeks warmed, and maybe he expected her to get upset about it. Instead, she moved her head between his legs to start planting soft kisses on his balls while he stroked through her mane. Softly, she whispered, “And then, my request is that you say it for me.” And again she kissed his balls closer to the base of his shaft while she hummed, “C-can you say it for me?”

It was a little early to say it in their relationship, but she felt in her heart that he felt it as well, and she wanted to hear it above all else. He leaned down and muttered just above her head, “Of course I’ll say it. Since coming here, you have been the thing that has brought me the most joy, the individual that has spurred me on to do both mischief and good in the name of mere fun, and more importantly, to see you smile. I love you.”

And she responded softly, “I love you too.”

Fluttershy kept kissing the side of his shaft until it grew to its full size. She then dragged her tongue along each inch until she got to the tip, where she began to suck on it gently. As she bobbed her head up and down slowly, Discord used two fingers to press against her clit. He rolled those digits just as slowly as she worked, keeping the pace the same as they pleasured one another before the moonlit lake. Fluttershy kept her eyes closed, focusing on pleasuring him, focusing on the pleasure he gave her. It was a mutual and gentle motion, but whenever she slowed down, he did not stop. His fingers kept moving, kept rolling against her clit while she trembled. At the same time, she did not want to let the pleasure he gave her be the reason that she stopped, and so she doubled her efforts to follow his pace. It was difficult to take so much into her mouth, and so she took her time while the pleasure kept on pushing against her senses. His other hand plucked the ribbon from her hair gently to set it aside among the mess of their cloaks, and with that same hand he continued to brush her mane aside to keep it out of the way with gentle brushes of the thumb.

At the same time, she felt a flood of warmth surging through her body. The words had been said between one another. It had been a desire brought on by the heat of the moment. A moment where she had wanted nothing more than to simply say it aloud and to hear it aloud. Would it even last? It did not matter right now whether there were doubts or whether anyone else had any doubts. She simply had wanted it to be, and so she allowed herself to be consumed by that selfish desire, and outward came her chaotic request. A lovely little thing that they both shared with one another.

She dipped her mouth down further when she felt herself getting closer, when she felt his digits start to toy with her clit a bit more firmly. She shuddered and brought him deep into her mouth, her nose touching his crotch, her body trembling as she struggled with both the pleasure hitting her and the girth pulsing in her throat. It wasn’t long before she began to utter little muffled squeaks as her climax struck her, as lust and gentle warmth melded together to turn into something truly blissful.

Slowly, she brought her lips up to the tip of his dick, and that was when she felt him start to blow his load as well. He stroked her mane, a soft sigh escaping him, letting her know that she did just right. Salted thickness collected on her tongue, her mouth draining every little drop that she could manage. She eventually had to pull away with a little cough, but then she rested her chin atop his shaft and rubbed her cheek against it while feeling the last pulsing drops fall free from his dick.

Surrounded by nature and her new lover; she felt truly at peace. It was intimate in every way, with her cheek resting atop his crotch, her lips against his cock. She could feel his hand grasping her rear, fingers trailing along her sex. She felt both tired and aroused at the same time, drifting off on a little trail while he pleasured her gently. He hummed a gentle tune and found that it did not carry his typical chaotic cadence. It was a steady little melody vibrating from his lips as his fingers rolled circles against her pussy. His digits found their way to her clit to toy with it, but whenever she shivered, he’d slow down to keep her in that foggy state between ecstasy and blissful peace. She drooled on his crotch as his fingers became more insistent, as she found herself nearly drifting to sleep before opening her eyes wide as he dipped two of his digits deep inside of her pussy. She shuddered violently and gasped aloud, but she only smiled as she pressed her cheek against his body for comfort while he toyed with her insides.

It was when she closed her eyes again and he had begun to slow down, that he grabbed onto her hips and brought her legs up and over his shoulders. His tongue trailed along her pussy, a long and thick thing that pressed deep inside of her once he was done outlining her sex. One of his arms remained locked around her body to keep her in place while her nose pressed against the curled fur of his crotch. At the same time, the motion of his tongue slowed and then continued, rolling inside of her before coming out to toy with her clit before he went back in. Her thighs pressed against his cheeks, her mouth opening to let out a groan as she found herself climbing closer and closer to a climax until it hit her hard. Discord simply kept on licking while she squealed, kept on kissing her cunt until she was panting.

When he let her go, he leaned back against the tree and allowed her to slide down his body just a bit. She still lay on him with her legs open toward him, with her face pressed near his crotch. Being found like this would be embarrassing beyond belief, but she simply hummed happily. There didn’t need to be anything else said between them. Soon they’d go home, or perhaps she’d fall asleep and find herself in her own bed much later down the line. In the end, she lay against him with her cheek pressed against his crotch, with her eyes closed as she felt his claws pass up and down along her back. Everything had been said. Selfish requests and all. A new life awaited them during the day, but right now, she felt complete. Entirely in love with the one that had been assigned to her as a burden. She hoped that he would remain by her side, and she whispered a quiet prayer where she lay to Celestia, to Luna, and to the earth beneath them. Let this joy last.