Discord was bored. Since his "reformation" much of his chaotic energies were wasted now that Celestia practically held him by a leash. Still, if there was anything to do it was see how his one and only friend was doing. Of course, this pony could only be Fluttershy.

Discord teleported over to Fluttershy's cottage. She was outside playing with Angel bunny. He looked happy to be out and about on this warm summer day. With one snap of the claw, Discord turned the bunny into a stuffed animal. Fluttershy gasped and looked up and all around her.

"Discord-dd," Fluttershy groaned lightly.

The Lord of Chaos gave a hearty laugh before teleporting onto the grass beside the darling pony. He picked up the stuffed rabbit Angel and laughed once more.

"He's so much nicer this way!"

The yellow pony gave Discord a little shove with her hoof. The male laughed and snapped his hoof and Angel reverted back to normal.

"There, there," Discord whined.

Angel went up to the draconequus and kicked him hard with his back leg. Fluttershy gave the bunny a stern reproachful look and turned her attention back to Discord.

"So what are you doing here Discord?"

He slouched into the grass and curled up around her. She blushed hard, her yellow face turning a tinge of pink. Fluttershy hooked her hooves around Discord (much to Angel's dislike).

"I stopped by to see my favorite pony in all of Equestria," he said without a trace of sarcasm.

She gave a deeper blush this time and gave a weak laugh. He was always like this, always saying things he didn't really mean, always flattering her.

"Discord, you shouldn't say things you really don't mean."

The draconequus sat back up and began to stroke her mane gently with his paw. Her sweet hair felt so soft against his paw. Fluttershy did not resist him but sat softly with her friend.

"I do mean it Fluttershy, I really do," insisted Discord.

The pony gazed up at his face. His deer antler and blue antelope antler gleamed underneath the summer sun. Despite his mismatched appearance, she saw his startling golden eyes and saw only beauty.

"I love begin with you as well Discord, you do know that," Fluttershy said, avoiding his little declaration.

Discord took her chin gently in his paw and, with his claw, stroked her rosy mane.

"Fluttershy, go out with me, please," he asked softly.

She seemed at a loss for words. Discord could hear her mutter out something or other, her azure eyes flashing wildly around. She flicked her tail upon the grass and then held her gaze downward in a more pensive state.

"Well, I….as friends?" she asked, still not meeting his golden eyes.

Discord shook his head softly and rubbed his own mane in exasperation.

"No, no, as…as a real date…I want you to be my very special some pony."

She now was gazing up at him, her face a mirror for her disbelief. Discord, upon seeing this, began again.

"Fluttershy really! Really! I really really like you…."

She lowered her head and said nothing. Discord knew he had ruined his chances with her, if he had any to begin with. Using his wings he flapped up and was going to fly away. Suddenly, a quiet voice called out to him:

"Wait."

He followed the instructions and held his position, flapping lightly in the air. Fluttershy flapped up to meet him. They twisted around one another in a midair dance. Fluttershy giggled as they finished.

"Haha, oh Discord. Yes, yes, yes! Yes, I will go out with you."

Discord almost began to cry tears of joy. He took her in a large hug.

"Oh thank you thank you thank you!" he yelped, "You won't regret this!"

The next night at nightfall there was a knock at the cottage door. Fluttershy opened the door to see Discord with a bouquet of lilies in his claw and a tie around his neck. She thought she even saw the tie change colors. Discord handed her the flowers. She took them, sniffed them, and put them inside.

"Thank you Discord, they're lovely."

Discord looked at the pony. She was dressed in a flowing pink gown with a ribbon round the center. Her hair was as usual but with a tiny pink flower near her soft ear.

"You do as well my little flower," he responded sweetly.

Fluttershy giggled and took his hoof.

"Shall we go?" she asked, gazing at him with her clear blue eyes.

The draconequus felt a bit faint. He could not speak but just nod in reply. He was taking the most beautiful pony in Equestria out on a real date! Soon they would be kissing and…and…He stopped himself there.

Fluttershy sighed contentedly. She had been waiting for him to ask her out for months now. They had been good friends for a year now and…and…well he was something wasn't he?

The Lord of Chaos warped them into Canterlot. The city lights were quite calming and lovely during the nighttime. The two began to stroll around together, hoof in paw. There were other pony couples out too, mostly unicorn but some pegasus and earth ponies as well. As the Element of Kindness and the Lord of Chaos walked together they noticed some strange looks shot at them.

"Um..Discord? I don't mean to be rude but…Do I look alright? Ponies are giving me funny looks and—"

Discord sighed and lowered his head.

"No, it isn't you, you look perfect. It's me…ponies still don't like me."

Fluttershy bowed her head as well. She couldn't help but pity her friend and date. He was so sweet and his magic could be really helpful. If only everyone else knew that too.

"We can go somewhere else if you want," suggested the mare sweetly.

Discord gazed down at her, his tie turning a warm red color. With his a snap of his claw and a quick smile, they teleported away.

Fluttershy gazed around her new environment. It was misty and there were trees all around them. Fireflies flitted all around them, glowing like miniature stars. Still, with the ominous darkness that surrounded them they could only be in…

"The Everfree Forest?" she yelped.

Discord hugged her close.

"Don't worry, you're safe with me and what's more, no one can bother us here," Discord said soothingly one more stroking her lovely mane.

Fluttershy breathed in and out deeply once or twice then stood on her own. Discord smiled and snapped a lovely candlelit dinner to them. The table was covered with a silky tablecloth and lit with two wax candles. There were two plates upon the table. One plate held a lovely mixed salad and the other a cut of cheese and some unknown meat. There were two glasses of a deep red wine next to the plates.

Fluttershy gasped and hugged Discord tightly.

"It's so lovely!"

Discord led her over to the table and pushed her chair in. Fluttershy put a hoof over her mouth and laughed softly.

"Why Discord, I didn't know you were such a gentleman."

Discord smiled and sat down at the other end of the table. With another snap of his fingers music came out of nowhere and began to play softly. The notes flew around them. Fluttershy reached out for them, but they warbled away.

They ate in silence for a while. Then, after a few minutes of quiet bliss, Discord spoke up.

"So, darling, if you could have anything in the world what would it be?" he asked.

Fluttershy thought for a moment then raised a hoof.

"I would like a colt friend," she muttered, looking up at Discord as she finished her thought.

Discord poofed over to her immediately.

"Then you have one."

Taking her into his arms he held her tightly. She pulled back gently and gazed into his eyes. He brushed back a strand of her lovely pink mane. She closed her eyes slowly, her lashes fluttering up and down as she did so. Discord puckered his lips slightly and tried to close his eyes. He had to kiss her; she wanted him too (he wanted to do it as well).

"Oh my darling Fluttershy…"

He met her soft lips with his. Their lips were both arm, and warmer so together. Fluttershy felt sparks of delight upon her lips and the tip of her tongue.

"We need to do this again sometime," she whispered into his ear as the kiss broke off.

The Lord of Chaos felt lonely and bored no longer.

"Yes my darling..yes."

It was a few weeks later after some casual visits that Fluttershy asked Discord if he would like to go out. They were lounging in her cottage when she asked him. She was on the rug playing with Angel bunny and he was laying across the couch with his long snake-like body.

"Discord, I was wondering…" she began softly, not gazing up at him but keeping her blue eyes fixed on her pet.

Discord sat up a bit on the couch and stretched out his arms. He glanced down upon the tiny pegasus and the even tinier bunny.

"Yes my dear?" he responded hopefully, his wings shuffling a bit against the couch.

"Would you like to go out tomorrow night? I know it's short notice bu—"

Discord teleported beside her, his yellowy-gold eyes gleaming with fervor. Angel squinted nastily at him but Fluttershy paid him no mind.

"Of course!" he said excitedly, doing a little dance while hovering above her.

Fluttershy bit her lip gently and waited for him to finish before she spoke again.

"Discord, sweetheart, the thing is—it will be a group date," she broke the news to him gently.

Discord stopped dancing in midair and just hung there for a moment. Group date? What was a group date? Would she be with other colts? That would not be accepted!

"I simply cannot allow you to see other colts!" he pouted impetuously above her, folding his arms and looking out the window instead of looking at her.

Fluttershy giggled gently then coughed to stop herself. She shouldn't laugh at his ignorance; that was rude and insensitive.

"No, Discord, we go on a date together with another couple. I was thinking we could go with Rainbow Dash and Soarin," she explained softly, rubbing her bunny's little head gently.

Discord seemed to calm and landed softly upon the floor. He rolled like a log over to his mare friend and stared up at her.

"Oh. Well, I guess that isn't as bad," Discord admitted slowly, using his claw to bat at Fluttershy's hair dangling above him.

"So?" Fluttershy giggled as he played with her.

"Yes, I will go. For you my darling," Discord said.

Fluttershy bent down and kissed his forehead gently. Her lips felt soft and warm against his fur. It was a feeling he never felt tired of.

The next night Discord showed up. Fluttershy had told him not to dress up, it was just going to be a casual group date. Still he had a lovely daisy that he found on the outskirts of the Everfree Forest. He knocked upon the door with his paw. An echo reverberated from throughout the small cottage. The pegasus came to the door, opened it, and greeted her lover.

"For you, my dear," Discord said, placing the daisy in her mane.

"Thank you Discord," she said sincerely, "shall we go?"

The couple met Rainbow Dash and Soarin under the gazebo outside of Ponyville. Fluttershy ran to greet her friend Rainbow Dash. Rainbow seemed happy to see her and Soarin greeted her warmly as well. Fluttershy beckoned for Discord to join them. He did walk over, but very slowly and deliberately.

"Rainbow Dash, Soarin, I'm sure you remember but…this is my colt friend Discord."

Rainbow Dash did not smile. She nodded quickly at Discord and turned back to Fluttershy. Soarin stood in complete shock and almost trembled with fear. The Lord of Chaos saw the reaction of the WonderBolt and his ears drooped slightly. How could he every expect anyone but Fluttershy to love and accept him? It seemed that no matter how many good things he did they would never be enough to fix the bad things he had done, not that he blamed the world for being this way. It was all his fault.

The mares led the colts (well colt and a draconequus anyways) to a table at the outside of a nice restaurant. The waiter came to them shortly, distinctly avoiding looking at Discord, and took their orders.

"Three salads for us," Rainbow said speaking on the behalf of herself, her colt friend, and her best friend.

"And I will have a bowl of chocolate milk," Discord asked politely, raising his claw as he did so.

Everypony seemed to stare awkwardly at him. Fluttershy didn't react as much, but Soarin, Rainbow Dash, and the waiter were certainly confused. Discord read their faces and returned with:

"What? I'm hungry!"

The matter dropped and the waiter left wondering how much he was going to charge for a bowl of milk. Fluttershy sat pleasantly next to her colt friend. In an unusual turn, she began the conversation.

"So Dash, when did you two officially become a couple?"

Rainbow Dash blushed and flipped her mane back, trying to think out her wording. Soarin sat laughing next to her, practically spitting water from his nostrils.

"Yeah, tell her Rainbow!" Soarin roared.

Rainbow Dash put a hoof to her head in distress.

"Fine, fine. Okay we met at the bookstore."

Fluttershy cocked her head.

"You don't read often. In fact, you called Twilight an egghead not two days ago."

Soarin laughed once more.

"She reads Daring Do, remember? We met in that section. I was going to get the same copy."

Fluttershy smiled and her cheeks filled with color.

"That sounds so sweet! Why are you so embarrassed about it?" Fluttershy asked sweetly, her grin lighting up her entire face.

"Yeah, yeah, sweet sweet," Dash admitted passively, waving her hoof at the others.

Discord sat placidly, bored out of his mind. Who cares if the rainbow pony reads? Who cares how she and that blue one met? This was a date! He could have been alone with Fluttershy cuddling her to death! Instead he was here listening to some other ponies drivel on.

The evening mercifully ended about two hours later. Discord teleported himself and his darling Fluttershy back to her cottage. She stood at the doorway and looked up at Discord kindly.

"Thank you so much for coming along," she said, nuzzling at his hand.

Discord nodded and bent down to kiss her. She turned her head slightly. Discord removed his hand from the side of her soft face.

"I'm sorry," he said, turning away.

Fluttershy turned and went inside. She went onto the couch and began to sob gently. Angle bunny came and snuggled up alongside of her. She did not even gaze up at her darling pet; Fluttershy was sobbing too hard to do anything else. Discord didn't have fun, he probably didn't even want to be with her anymore! He was going to be bored with her.

Somewhere deep in the Everfree Forest Discord was upset as well. Did she not like him anymore? Somehow he was more sure than ever that she wouldn't want someone like him, not when there were more normal colts like Soarin around. What to do?

Discord did not show the next day or the day after that. In fact, he waited more than a week before even leaving a bouquet for his mare friend on her doorstep. He left blue roses; something as rare and strange as he was and also something as sad as he felt. Fluttershy took the roses inside and left them upon the table. Was he trying to contact her again or was this some sort of goodbye gift? She felt so confused!

Finally, Fluttershy sought out her lover. She could no longer live in a world of constant tears and confusion. For once in her life she was going to be brave and take initiative. And be brave she would have to be, because she would have to wander through the Everfree Forest in pursuit of him. The yellow mare went in the afternoon before the timberwolves would be out and about. With a deep breath she walked forward.

"Discord? Discord?" she called softly.

Tears were forming around her eyes; she was so frightened! She just wanted to be safe at home. But then again…how could she be happy at home without the creature she most wanted to be with her?

A growl sounded from behind her and she smelled rotting eggs. It was a strong and unmistakable odor—a timberwolf! The pink-haired mare gave a shrill scream of fright and ran for it. Luckily, from atop a tree not far in the distance, her lover heard her plea. He flew to her aid, scooped her up in his arms, and flew far above the forest. Fluttershy whimpered with fear; she was away from the wolves but now she was so high in the air! The draconequus held her tightly in his paw and claw. He flew higher and higher until he perched on a cloud and let his darling Fluttershy sit down and regain her breath.

"Discord!" Fluttershy yelped, throwing her arms around his slender waist.

Discord embraced her in return.

"What were you doing out there? I was so worried!" Discord said breathlessly, stroking her mane quickly.

Fluttershy gazed up at him. Her crystal clear eyes made him feel weak in the knees. She was so gorgeous, especially in this moonlight.

"I came to find you Discord, I want to be with you. I am sorry I bore you but I truly want to be with you," she pleaded weakly, her voice stammering.

Discord bore down upon her and kissed her cheeks over and over.

"Is that all? I thought you no longer wanted me! Oh my dear, my dear, I love you! I want to be with YOU."

Fluttershy put out a hoof. Discord sat up with a look of confusing wrought upon his face. She blinked slowly, her wet lashes bright in the white moonlight.

"You love me?"

Discord bent down. His lips were in her ear as he whispered seductively:

"With all my heart."

Fluttershy smiled gently at him and kissed him softly upon his snout. She embraced him tightly and said gently:

"I love you too Discord."

A week later they met again, this time on the riverbank near Fluttershy's cottage. Discord had laid out a blanket for them to rest on. Both lay side by side basking lazily in the rays of the sunlight.

Discord reached over for Fluttershy's hoof and they stayed hoof in claw for a long time. In the lazy rays of the sun Discord said airily:

"I have something for you Fluttershy."

Fluttershy rolled over, letting go of his claw, and sat almost above him.

"Really? What is it?"

Discord blushed and rolled over, half sitting up and half laying down.

"A poem, that I wrote…for you."

Fluttershy looked ecstatic. She beckoned for him to say it aloud for her. Discord grinned, still slightly blushing, and sat up in order to perform it properly.

"I do not love you except because I love you;

I go from loving to not loving you,
From waiting to not waiting for you
My heart moves from cold to fire.

I love you only because it's you the one I love;
I hate you deeply, and hating you
Bend to you, and the measure of my changing love for you
Is that I do not see you but love you blindly.

Maybe January light will consume
My heart with its cruel
Ray, stealing my key to true calm.

In this part of the story I am the one who
Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,
Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood." ((Neruda))

Fluttershy began to weep. She hugged him over and over and it seemed as though she would not let him go.

"It was lovely! I can't even believe it! You wrote a poem, a beautiful poem, just for me!" she wept.

Discord held her feeling the heat of the sun upon his head.

"I'm so happy you liked it."

Fluttershy broke away from Discord and this time it was her turn to blush.

"I have something for you as well," she whispered, almost to herself as her words were mumbled into her pink mane.

Discord sat still and waited for her to make some sort of move to tell him what it was. Instead Fluttershy buried herself in her hair and backed up slightly. She fluttered up high and began to sing sweetly. Even the birds stopped to listen to her as she sang:

"Say you'll love me every waking moment
Turn my head with talk of summer time
Say you need me with you now and always
Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask of you." ((Phantom of the Opera))

Discord wrapped his body around her and they both fell back into the grass. Fluttershy sighed contentedly. Suddenly they teleported into a field. Fluttershy sprang up and gazed around. This was no place in Equestria she had ever seen before. It was a field full of beautiful yellow and pink butterflies. They seemed to be floating rather than flying, just like on the day when she first got her cutie mark.

"Oh Discord…" she breathed.

There were no words for the beauty of this place. Fluttershy stood by Discord's side, in total awe. Suddenly she felt Discord's paw upon her. Fluttershy gazed down and her eyes were on her lover. He was on his knees and in his claw was a gorgeous diamond ring set upon a golden chain.

"I love you Fluttershy," he said earnestly, his golden eyes glimmering, "Please be with me for the rest of our lives. Please marry me."

Fluttershy nodded, tears springing to her eyes.

"Oh yes Discord!"

He hugged her and set the necklace around her neck. Her dreams were going to come true at last. Discord held her deep in an embrace. His dreams were finally coming true as well. Somepony was going to love him for the rest of their lives.

"I love you," they said unanimously.