Canterlot High was a typical high school, if one can really say that any high school is typical. Among the students was a general sense of comradery, most of the time, but intrigue and drama still lurked in each and every dark corner of the school. Much of the gossip was about the "bad" students; those who caused significant trouble both in and out of school. Among them were the Dazzlings, (Aria, Sonata, and Adagio), Trixie Lunamoon, and of course the most notorious among them was Discord.
Discord was old for a senior and it was rumored that he had been expelled from at least three other public schools. What exactly he had done was a mystery and quite honestly better left to the dark imaginations of the other students at Canterlot High. Discord even looked like a trouble maker, with his piercing golden eyes and wicked smile. He dressed in shabby clothing and kept his strange white hair long around his shoulders. Though he was only a high schooler, he already sported a goatee. At moment the bad boy was dating one of the other "bad" students, Sonata.
It wasn't exactly clear why the two were a couple. Discord was a man of mystery and dark humor and Sonata was a bubbly twit with a cruel sense of humor. At any rate they both belonged to a group of outcasts and that was reason enough for the rest of the school to accept them as a couple. Nonetheless, the two were constantly seen together, with Sonata hanging off of Discord's arm or making kissy faces at him in the hall. She was a vapid, vapid girl.
At least, Fluttershy had always thought so. She was a sophomore at Canterlot High and quite frankly did not like Sonata. Not because Fluttershy wasn't a nice girl, in fact she was one of the kindest in the school—though she was too humble to admit it to herself. And she was also quite lovely, something she also would have never thought of herself. Her long rosy hair fell to her hips in soft waves. Her crystal-clear teal eyes sparkled with youthful naivety. In school she was quiet, but intelligent. She always tried hard to succeed in school, something Discord did not do.
The girl shared only one class with Discord and that was English. Apparently, he had failed the class at least once or twice before and so was forced to attend the sophomore English class. It probably should've been humiliating for him but if it was, he did not say so. Instead he simply leaned back in his chair, wearing an expression of boredom and utter aloofness. Fluttershy detested his attitude.
It was partway through the semester and time for midterm projects, which would be worth 10% of their final grade. Fluttershy listened attentively as the professor explained each and every detail of the project. In pairs, they were to create a small theater play of their own complete with props and costumes. (At this, she saw her friend Rarity clap her hands excitedly from across the room.) The play would have to be based, in part, on the Shakespeare play they had been reading—Romeo and Juliet. Though it wasn't one of her favorite plays of Shakespeare, Fluttershy knew that she understood most of the underlying themes and motifs enough to create a suitable play for the project.
The professor, with a sigh, began to hand out a sheet of paper with the partner assignments—which he swore up and down were random. Fluttershy straightened out her skirt and waited anxiously for her sheet. She hoped that she could perhaps be with Rarity; at least then the costumes would be perfect. As soon as the sheet of paper was in her hands, Fluttershy flipped it over to see the name. To her horror, the sheet read: Discord. Turning quickly, the girl gazed back at her "partner". He was turning his sheet in his large hands. With flashing eyes he grinned wickedly at her.
Winking, the animal had the audacity to say: "Looking forward to it, cutie!"
Flutter shy's face grew red with anger, and her fists clenched. This seemed to be even more amusing to him, for he laughed and kicked his feet back upon the desk. She turned furiously around, with her back once more to him. He had better not mess this up for her! With conviction, Fluttershy began to draw up a plan of their project. She would have to do everything for herself; that boy would be of no help to her.
The bell rang to signal the end of class. With a quiet sigh, the delicate girl rose from her desk and collected her things. She had no intention, as of now, to speak to her so-called "partner." Her plan was to complete the project alone and simple let him take credit for half of it at the last minute. It would be more work but it would certainly be better this way. As she was heading to the door, the last one out of the room as always, a figure blocked her path. On the doorframe there was one large hand. Fluttershy stepped back, and though she was startled, said nothing.
"Trying to leave without me, partner?" the figure asked in a sleazy voice.
Fluttershy met the golden eyes of none other than Discord. She steeled herself internally, clutching her books in her slim arms. Her teal eyes burned into his face. It was then, for the very first time, she noticed how good-looking Discord really was. Despite his torn jacked and worn clothing, his face was strangely handsome. He had a striking jaw, a prominent, and slightly crooked?, nose, and his eyelashes were dark and delicate looking. Upon one of his ears, the right one, a golden earring gleamed. The moment grew more intense, with neither party wiling to say a word. The girl felt her heart pounding in her chest; it was as if there was a rabid wolf in front of her—intense and hungry.
"I…I will just do the project alone. You don't have to do a thing," whispered the rosy-haired maiden.
The tall boy ducked down to peer into her eyes directly. She turned her head, blushing widely and praying her bangs would cover her red face. The boy smiled wolfishly and laughed.
"Oh no, no, no. I intend to do my share, darling."
Fluttershy gazed sidelong at him, pouting pitifully. Discord saw her sad face and backed off a bit, shuffling backwards to create a physical distance between them. With a sigh, he said:
"Meet me at the school library after school and we can work together then."
The girl nodded but gave no word of response.
Just then, a blue haired girl bounced into the room, full of energy. She smiled widely upon seeing Discord and grabbed at his arm, hugging it tightly. The boy patted her head; he was much taller than both of the girls. The blue haired girl purred in delight and played a bit with her skirt in a flirtatious manner. Fluttershy frowned for some reason, feeling her chest tighten. It was Sonata.
Sonata gazed over to Fluttershy, a look of smug hate upon her face. It lingered for a moment, but disappeared as soon as the boy spoke to her.
"What are you doing here, Sonata?"
The girl's ruby eyes lit up with fervor and she began to speak with energy.
"Well, I was cutting class and had plenty of time to walk around. Then the bell rang and I was like, 'hey, let's find my boyfriend!'" she said the word "boyfriend" with particular force, "And then I spotted you in here and came to say hello. Aren't you happy?"
Discord grumbled something uncomfortably and let himself be quite literally pulled out of the room by his girlfriend. With a backwards wave, he bid the other girl farewell until later.
"Library, don't forget!" yelled the boy.
Fluttershy watched the two of them walk away together from under her bangs. Her lips were thinly, but firmly, sewn together. Her blood boiled. But why?
As soon as they were out of earshot, Sonata began to speak to Discord in a more commanding tone. Waving her finger at him, she growled:
"What were you doing with her?" She dragged the word "her" out.
Discord, his arm beginning to hurt with how hard Sonata was clenching it, gave a short groan in response. Then, after getting her to release the arm somewhat, said:
"She's my partner for a project. I really have no choice but to work with her, do I?"
Sonata rolled her ruby eyes, unimpressed. She flipped her ponytail and began to walk more quickly, boyfriend in tow.
"Well, she could just do it all, without you, you know? Besides, you're supposed to be with me tonight," she whined.
Discord finally released his arm from her tight grasp. She was quite strong for someone so petite. Gazing at her, he sighed once more. He sighed a lot when he was with Sonata.
"I don't have a choice. Tomorrow night, promise."
Sonata sneered, her pretty face contorting into something quite ugly. Her hands were clenched tightly near her hips.
"No!" protested she, stomping her foot.
The boy would have normally given in at this point, as he hated to argue with her. Whether it was because he hated to see her sad or hated to argue with her, he was unsure. Actually, Discord had been unsure of a lot of things lately. However, one thing he was quite certain of was the events of tonight.
"I am going to work on this project, Sonata. I swear we can hang out tomorrow night or even after I'm done with the project."
Although he was standing his ground, Discord was losing land fast.
Sonata began to pout, little tears forming upon the ridges of her eyes. Her lovely lashes grew wet with tears and her full lips formed the saddest pout.
"But…. but I love you! All I want to do is be with you! Is that so bad?" she asked, though it was in no way a question.
The boy felt very guilty now, and ran his hand through his black hair. Though, strangely, there was a small area of his bangs that was stark white. Though he wanted to please the girl, he would not ignore the other in such a way, could he? Finally, he repented.
"Fine, we can hang out, but I have to meet her for the project."
Sonata smiled widely. Her eyes glimmered with the happiness of another victory. Jumping up she cheered, as though she were nothing more than a child. Then, she leapt into the arms of her boyfriend.
"YAY! I love you, Discord," she chanted.
Discord chuckled uncertainly and hugged her lightly in return.
"Yes, yes, I love you too, Sonata."
The bell signaling the end of class rang. With a little sigh, only a little one, the rosy-haired beauty collected her things and began to head to the library. On the way, she spotted her friend Rarity. It seemed that Rarity had found her also for she practically squealed in a giddy joy of sorts and ran over to meet her friend. It was most unladylike, to be sure, but if it was Rarity, there must have been a reason for it. And sure enough, there was.
"Are you not just simply overjoyed about this project? I thought we were going to have to write some silly paper—ah! Passé! But instead we can choose whatever we wish!" Rarity announced.
Fluttershy smiled. There could only be one option for Rarity, especially if she was this over the moon about the project. Before the violet-haired girl could continue, Fluttershy interjected softly.
"You're going to make the costumes, aren't you?"
Rarity paused for a moment, mouth slightly agape. One hand was on her hip and the other was slightly in the air, clenched lightly. Even in a school building, Rarity could pass for a fabulous model. Not letting the moment go waste, she nodded with vigor and continued to talk feverishly with her hands.
"Yes, darling, yes! Can you not imagine them now? I am going to do all the costumes from the Tempest! Can you not imagine the costume for the Ariel? I am going to make different ones, with a connecting theme. I am thinking of an Air, Water, Fire, and Earth Ariel. You know, like an element theme?"
Fluttershy crumpled her brow.
"I didn't know there were multiple."
Rarity looked unfazed and her eyes seemed to be out of focus—as if she were now imagining what each costume was going to look like.
"Ah, creative liberties darling," was her response.
Fluttershy smiled and touched her friend upon the shoulder. The other student, momentarily distracted by the physical contact, snapped out of her dream-like state. She grinned wryly at her friend.
"And what of your project? Who are you with again?"
At this, the shy girl's face fell and grew shadowy and dark. Her teal eyes seemed full of premonition. This time it was Rarity's turn to reach out for her friend.
"That bad? You can tell me, darling. What's more, I am bound to find out anyways," winked Rarity playfully.
The other brightened a bit, but her hands were still pale as she clutched her books.
"Discord."
The word itself seemed ominous, but the way in which Fluttershy had said it gave it even more depth. As if the name were not a name at all, but a signal of future anguish in her future. Though, Fluttershy kept reminding herself, it was only a school project, she could not help but feel that there was something mysterious in her future. A great change would soon overtake her, but was it for the better or for the worse? It was hard to be sure.
Rarity hugged her friend gently and said:
"I know you can do this. You are the kindest girl this school has ever seen. If there is any one that can tame such a rugged boy, I know that it is indeed you, Fluttershy," assured the other.
Fluttershy gathered her strength and bid her friend goodbye. Rarity watched her go, toying with the ends of her violet curls. Hopefully this would all end well. Then, in her ponderings, she realized that she had costumes to make! And so Rarity carried on.
The library was busy with students working on their projects and many others simply using the place as a sort of social hang out. This did bother the shy girl a bit, as she preferred to work in a quiet area, but who was she to complain? The girl planted herself in a chair at a round table, which was made especially for group work, and waited quietly for her partner.
An hour passed and Fluttershy began to grow extremely bored. She had, a few minutes ago, retrieved her notebook from her bag and was now doodling in it. They were not particularly good drawings, nor of any particular subjects, but she was so bored after all. Another thirty minutes passed and the library began to clear out significantly. The girl was happier now that she had the silence and the space to think clearly, but the emptiness of the library also signaled that time was growing short. The question remained: where was her partner?
Discord, as it happened, was down the street from the school hanging around a local gas station. Sonata was at his side and together they were simply milling about. The owner of the place allowed most of the "undesirables" from the high school to congregate there. Usually the students paid for their places by buying cigarettes or the occasional slushy, so it evened out in the end. Besides, the gas station was so run down that no sane person would buy gas there anyway. Not that the appearance really signaled anything, though, as gas is always just gas.
Sonata was, as usual, jabbering away about something or other. Sometimes, thought Discord, she might now even know what she was talking about herself. It might be that Sonata just spoke to hear the sound of her own voice. Just then, it occurred to Discord that he had never really thought so negatively of the girl before. Thinking nothing of it, he returned his attention to the dying cigarette. With ease he flicked it onto the pavement and watched the ashes scatter upon the rocks. He sighed. Then, jumped up suddenly. Sonata was still talking.
"Oh God, what time is it?"
Sonata, sitting upon the curb still, seemed to frown, but it faded away quickly. Mimicking a sad puppy, she pouted and pulled upon the leg of Discord's worn jeans. He paid her no mind, nor did he sit back down. He cursed and began to walk briskly back towards the school. If he hurried, he could arrive in five minutes and they could pick it up from there. The blue haired girl now scowled and ran after her boyfriend, throwing herself upon him as he attempted to leave.
"Sonata, please, I have to go. I was with you, just like I promised," groaned the boy, almost emotionless.
Genuinely hurt, the girl stepped back and her ruby eyes filled with tears. She gave a loud sob; but the boy was not to be fooled.
"Sonata, stop. I will see you later, ok?" promised Discord, caving into her once again.
The girl placed her hands upon her hips, her lips forming a playful pout. The boy knew that this was not exactly what she wanted. He knew that and yet…
"Text you later!"
And the boy ran back towards the school, hair flying behind him as he did so. The girl's chest rose and fell, her breathing became slow and calculated. Fury emanated from her dark eyes and her stance became wider and more intimidating. However, it was too late, as her boyfriend was already at the edge of the block, crossing the street as he ran towards the school. She turned her head quickly and cursed herself. Her ponytail swished quickly past her face with one rapid motion. Never before had he defied her so why….
Sonata's eyes began to glow a hotter red and her dark lashes framed this new red well. Her face was lit in an expression of passionate rage. The ruby necklace she had always carried with her began to glow as well. It sparkled brilliantly in the afternoon light. Straightening herself out, the girl tossed her ponytail back and stood in a proud stance. She would have him yet.
But first, but first she would have to take care of the other girl….
Fluttershy was in the middle of organizing her notes when Discord burst, quite literally, through the library doors. It was quite late now, and the library was lacking any people whatsoever. Though loathed to be with him, Fluttershy was nonetheless happy that her partner had finally showed up, though not before she was to give him a piece of her mind. As the boy approached the table, notably out of breath, the girl stood up and jabbed a pencil at him. Her teal eyes were blazing.
"HOW-DARE-YOU!" she spat, her voice filled with anger.
Discord appeared as though he was going to respond when she stopped him, shaking the pencil at him. He stepped back, and for good reason, for she continued.
"I-WAITED-FOR-HOURS!"
She pointed the pencil at him once more and the boy stepped back, muttering to himself. The girl was, rightfully, still angry, and continued to yell at him.
"I was right! You are a no-good slacker!"
However now she had crossed the line, for the boy grew a bit darker in his countenance. Reaching forward he grabbed the pencil and broke it in half by squeezing it in his large, dark hand. His golden eyes seemed brilliant in the low-lighting. Fluttershy, though normally afraid of her own shadow, did not back down. Her face was still contorted into an ominous frown.
"I am not a slacker."
Fluttershy thought she heard a note of pain or hurt in this statement and backed down momentarily. Her hands unclenched and she backed away from the table she had been supporting herself upon. The teal eyes softened into their usual kind nature and all seemed to be well.
"But you were late," continued the shy girl, unafraid.
Discord ran a hand through his hair, flashing his ears as he did so. The girl noted that they were indeed pierced. For some reason, she liked it, but quickly cursed herself for thinking such a thing. With no purpose, she ran her hands through her silky hair. It was the boy who now took notice of her; he had never noticed how pretty her hair was—almost the color of a pale rose. For no reason, he wondered what it would smell like. He did not curse himself for this thought.
"Yeah, I was….and I'm sorry. Look—can we just…start over?"
Fluttershy looked up from beneath her hair. She looked tiny in comparison to this tall, muscular boy. She nodded without a second thought and sat herself down, indicated for him to do the same.
"Do you have your books?" asked Fluttershy, flipping through her own.
The boy chuckled uncomfortably. The girl rolled her eyes, but agreed to share with him. She moved to his side of the table, arm brushing against his own. Discord felt goosebumps suddenly form upon his arm; how odd. He smiled to himself as she explained the project and her thoughts on the matter, as well as indicating her notes at several points during the conversation. The boy could only catch about every other word—her hair did smell like roses.
The girl ceased speaking, and it was now that Discord realized it was his turn to begin. Coughing nervously, he racked his brain for something to say. Then, it came to him suddenly.
"So, what if we did the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet in modern language with a modern backdrop?"
Fluttershy looked to be deep in thought for a moment. In reality, the thought was brilliant: refreshing, yet true to the material. It was certain, in this way, that they would meet the requirements for being true to the source. Not only that, but they would be able to bring some life into something most students found too boring or too troubling to read. She began to chew at her pencil, a habit she was ashamed of. This route, though it had been done before, allowed them plenty of creativity.
"Yes, that sounds like a great idea, actually," admitted Fluttershy.
Discord frowned playfully.
"What do you mean, 'actually'?"
At this, the girl laughed. It was a soft sound, like the cooing of a dove. The boy's heart leapt in his chest and it was, in this moment, that he realized something. Smiling gently, he watched as the girl finished laughing and, in turn, smiled at him. Taking the pencil from her gentle hand, Discord began to rewrite the script, line by line. Fluttershy helped him with the translational bits, while he added in his own flair. After the first few lines, they fell into an easy habit of it and the task became quite fun.
"How about for this line…?" Discord indicated towards the page.
Fluttershy felt his arm brush against hers once more. She let the contact hold.
"The original goes:
O, speak again, bright angel! For thou art
As glorious to this night, being o'er my head,
As is a winged messenger of heaven
Unto the white, upturnèd, wondering eyes
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
When he bestrides the lazy-puffing clouds
And sails upon the bosom of the air."
Discord thought hard before responding, but then came up with, what he liked to call, another one of brilliant moments.
"Hey, say something else cutie! You look just like a little angel, you know? So beautiful, that we humans have no choice but to sit back and watch as you dance away."
At this, the girl grimaced playfully, and winked at him. She took the pencil and tapped the book.
"I'm not sure. This line is so beautiful. After all, he is comparing Juliet to an angel, what could be more romantic than that? I don't know if 'hey cutie' can capture that magic."
Fluttershy looked at Discord, pushing back her pink bangs shyly. She didn't know if he would accept this rejection gracefully or not. In fact, he took it more than well. The boy looked upon her thoughtfully, swallowing hard. In fact, he did understand the magic of the line, for he himself was gazing upon an angel that night. With her big eyes and wide smile, he knew exactly how Romeo felt.
"You're right, I don't want to deprive Romeo of his smoothness," said Discord wryly.
Fluttershy giggled.
"Smoothness?"
"He had a way with the ladies, and you know it."
At this, the girl laughed once more. She liked having him around, in a way, for she seemed to laugh more with this strange boy by her side. Playfully, Fluttershy shoved him as she giggled unceasingly. Her smile could light up a room, or at least the boy thought so.
"And you, do you too have this 'smoothness'?" inquired the girl, still laughing and not thinking of the weight of the words.
Discord grinned like a wolf, golden eyes sparkling. Without any indication, he took Fluttershy's hand in his and began his romantic monologue.
"Ah, but you too are as the angel described by Romeo. I see you in the blue skies in a pure white dress, dancing and laughing as I gaze. But who am I to look upon such loveliness? You, who's eyes hold the treasures of the sea and the passion of the earth; you, who's lips hold both utter dream and utter fantasy, you are as the angel! And who am I, but the lowly outcast, to gaze upon you?"
Fluttershy was stunned to say the least. She sat in the chair, unmoving, her hand still in Discord's. Instinctively, she reached her free hand up to her cheek, as if to cover a growing blush. She attempted to hide her blush behind her bangs, as she normally did, but Discord boldly pushed them aside.
"Discord…" she began softly.
He winked at her.
"Maybe we should continue tomorrow. It's getting late for a good girl like you."
This snapped the girl out of her haziness and her mind, unfortunately, grew clear once more. She nodded and turned to collect her things. Discord reluctantly stood, sighing—parting was such sweet sorrow. With a smile he bid her farewell.
"See you tomorrow partner!"
Fluttershy waved as he left and continued to collect her things, but when she turned towards the door she found that she was not alone.
"Hey…you're sure a cutie," came a sugary sweet voice.
Fluttershy felt her blood run cold. She shouldered her bag and took a step backwards. A broken light flickered above her. In the doorway stood a female figure, undoubtedly, but she could not pick out exactly who it was. However, she did not have to wait for long as the other girl walked into the low lighting of the library, smiling smugly. Fluttershy recognized her immediately: Discord's girlfriend, Sonata!
"What do you want?" asked the shy girl, timidly, but directly.
The blue-haired girl flipped her ponytail behind her shoulder, scoffing. Her ruby eyes glimmered dangerously. Her skirt moved seamlessly as she continued to advance upon the other, confidently striding forward. For a moment, Fluttershy thought this girl more animal than human.
"I want you to finish the project on your own and leave Discord the hell alone," giggled Sonata, though there was poison underneath the honey.
The shy girl's eyes lit up—so that was it. A small smile formed upon her pink lips; Sonata was only jealous. Still, her threats were enough to scare her witless. Fluttershy resolved herself and spoke, still hidden behind her bangs.
"I can't. He doesn't want to. I asked him to let me do it and he refused."
It was the truth, more or less. It had been Discord who initially wished to work together, though the girl could not say for certain that she did not want him to work with her now. However, she could not reveal this change to Sonata; that would be akin to suicide. Still, shuddering, the shy girl waited for a response.
Sonata took a step backwards, her feet pointing inwards as they always did. Her face held an expression of confusion momentarily, before she shook it vigorously away. No, no way Discord would choose to spend his time with this shy brat. It must have been a mistake. Still, there was no reason that she could not make sure that the girl would not come near her boyfriend ever again. With a wicked grin, Sonata began to speak once more.
"I think it's sweet though, how he chose to work with you."
Fluttershy peered up, confused.
"You…do?"
Sonata smiled toothily, as if she were a panther.
"Oh, of course! My Dizzy is always doing stuff like that! He helps those too weak and stupid to help themselves. It's practically like charity work," Sonata continued, her voice high-pitched and conniving.
The shy girl could not refute this, though it cut her to the core. Was it true? Did he only agree to help because he thought she would be too stupid to handle it alone? Fluttershy could not help but accept these premises. Her heart, for some strange reason, felt strained.
"That's…nice," Fluttershy responded, tears pricking her eyes.
Sonata laughed loudly.
"But now I think you can finish this on your own, don't you? Surely you're not that stupid! I believe in you~! So, I'll just tell Dizzy that you'll handle it, Okay~?"
The other, in tears now, could only nod. Sonata giggled once more and skipped out of the room, ponytail flying behind her. Fluttershy thought she saw the gem upon Sonata's neck glitter as she left the room. Though she did not know why, the rosy-haired girl felt defeated somehow. She sank upon the library floor and cried openly.
Later that night, after walking home utterly crushed, Fluttershy received a strange text. Quickly, the girl typed in her password and went to check her messages. To her surprise, there was a new contact that read: "Super Handsome, Totally Awesome, You-Know-Who~". Giggling, she opened the message. It read thusly:
"Hey there cutie! Thanks for working with me today! I felt like we do good work together, you know?"
Fluttershy rolled her eyes; it was definitely Discord. For some reason, this fact made her smile. That was a bit odd. She texted him in response:
"Thanks for working with me too. Tomorrow, same time, same place?"
Almost immediately, her phone vibrated. Smiling widely, she opened it.
"You know it! I'll see you there!"
Bruised, the girl sent another text, for she wanted the conversation to continue. And, after all, he had sent the first text so now he was obligated to talk to her. It was always like that.
"So…what's up?"
There came no response for several minutes.
"Nothing, chilling with Sonata."
Once more, Fluttershy felt cold. She knew, though she had no true proof, that this text was from Sonata. Discord wouldn't have told her if he was with a girlfriend, especially after agreeing to meet another girl somewhere. Checking herself, the shy girl sat back and rested upon the wall near her bed. Was she the "other girl"? No, that couldn't be, they weren't even a couple. Just then, she felt a blush well up in her cheeks, a sure sign that she did want them to become a couple. For a moment, the girl set the phone down and held herself in a tight embrace. Discord, the boy she had once hated and detested, he, the boy that had once annoyed her just with his mere presence, did she perhaps love him? Biting her lips, she felt the blush grow again. Yes, yes she did.
But now it was Sonata on the other end, not Discord. Fluttershy hugged herself tighter, but now out of fear. That girl scared her; there was something…not right about her. For now, Fluttershy thought, she would have to content herself with being Discord's partner and nothing more. As long as Sonata was around, there could be no room for her. It was she that Discord had chosen, not her.
It was true that Sonata had written that text, exactly as the shy girl had predicted. She and Discord were over at her place in the run-down basement. There was a long-running series in the background that neither of them had actually intended on watching. At first, the boy was glued to his phone, not wishing to take his eyes off of it. Sonata had more than a sneaking suspicion what he was doing, so she decided to intervene.
"Hey, Dizzy, you should be paying attention to me now!" crooned Sonata, rolling onto his lap purposefully.
But he still did not look up. The girl attempted to gain his attention several other times, but to no avail. Angered, her ruby eyes flared. She took the phone and flung it onto the floor, slightly cracking the screen. This did gain the boy's attention as he turned to his girlfriend, angered.
"What the hell Sonata?" said Discord sternly, about to get up and retrieve the phone.
With force, the girl, surprisingly strong, shoved him back onto the couch. She pouted and sat upon his lap, once more trying to use her charms to gain his attention. When this did not work, she was forced to take drastic action. Fixing her ruby eyes upon his golden ones, she began to sing, of all things. In a soft, sing-song voice, she sang:
"I was born only to share my love with you,
What is this thrill I feel deep within my heart?
Still I whisper through these thin walls so sweetly.
"You are mine and we will never be apart."
I will find all of your lovely little secrets.
Every one; discover all there is to see.
And if I could feel the curves of your body.
Touch it so that you would lust only for me.
Oh my my!
do you have a guest in your arms?
Such a cute little thing with all those golden curls.
Tell me, tell me darling how much you love her.
Maybe I will slaughter your precious pretty girl.
I will burn in a fire photographs of your desire!
I wonder if she knows of me?
You can use and abuse!
Do anything I won't refuse!
To prove I love you more,
don't you see?"
Discord sat upon the couch with Sonata on his lap. His eyes did not focus, but stared out into the distance. His mouth hung slightly open, but unspeaking. Sonata sighed; it was a lot of work to sing. Her medallion shone dimly, but she knew it would soon overflow with adoration! With a sly grin, the girl asked her boyfriend:
"Ah, my Discord, do you love me?"
He nodded slowly. She kissed him full on the mouth, which seemed to slightly arouse his senses. Together they tumbled onto the rest of the couch, and no more speaking could be heard that night. Meanwhile, Fluttershy sat in wait for a text never to come.
The next day, Fluttershy was in the clouds. Even Rarity, in the midst of a long monologue about her costumes, noted the strange behavior of her friend. But there was no cure for her bliss, save for one thing. When the bell rang at the end of the day, the girl practically sprinted to the library, pink hair flying behind her. Upon arriving, she found that her partner was already at their table, well the table they had used last night, waiting for her. Blushing, Fluttershy fixed herself, pulling down her green skirt. She had dressed with extra care today. It seemed as though Discord had dressed with extra care as well, for it was clear that his normally wild hair had been tamed into a combed ponytail. Fluttershy blushed even harder as she took her seat beside him.
They worked together for two or three blissful hours. Fluttershy voiced all of her opinions on the project without fear and Discord, in turn, listened well. Together they outlined their "new" Romeo and Juliet balcony scene which they were to present in the coming week. When they had finished writing the lines, in no small part due to Discord's clever creativity, it was time to begin practicing. Straightening out her skirt, Fluttershy stood up and held her sheets of paper tightly, ready, more or less, to begin. The boy, too, shuffled up, and held his papers loosely, ready to make the lines up as he went. After all, what fun is there in sticking to the rules? Discord began first, clearing out his throat dramatically. In response, Fluttershy giggled.
"Hold on, what's that light up there? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. So then, get up sun and take your place as the loveliest, killing the jealous moon beneath you! The moon is already sick and pale, for you outshine her beauty in every way, Fluttershy…"
In reality, he had not meant to admit that, but his heart was behind it. In the moment, all he could think of was her beauty, and how her face lit up when she smiled—when she smiled at him. Fluttershy seemed stunned, but for some reason ignored his confession and skipped over the rest of his lines and onto her own. Timidly, she began:
"Romeo, Romeo, why must you be Romeo? Forget your family and change your name, or, if not, I shall change mine."
Discord tried once more to woo her, though he knew he was sorely pressing his luck.
"So, you'll be taking the name of Discord, then?"
Fluttershy threw down her script, apparently angry. Discord had not expected this in the least. In fact, he had once thought of a blushing girl, sweetly confirming his aspirations of love. At the very least, he thought she would have said something dismissive, instead of outright enraged. He, too, set down the script and reached out to her, but she slapped the hand away. Her teal eyes were filled with tears, but why were those there at all? The boy in rags stood back and let the girl speak her mind.
"Why are you doing this?" she wept, though there was a thorn of anger hidden underneath, threatening to surface.
Discord looked genuinely confused.
"I don't know what you…"
Fluttershy shook her head and, finally, gazed up at him with accusing eyes.
"Why are you hitting on me? You have a girlfriend!"
Though she would not admit it now, the words were laced with a jealous edge. Discord could not sense this intention initially, but he did let the weight of the words sink in. Deep down he had hoped she would simply accept his affections without question; however even he knew that this thought was incredibly naïve. Still, she responded to his words with pleasure before. If she had really been angry, and only that, she would have said this much sooner. His intentions towards Fluttershy seemed buried in a mess that Sonata had left behind. Even Discord was not entirely certain of where his affairs lay, but he was certain of one thing. But first…
"Are you jealous?" Discord said, almost slithering the "s."
He knew immediately that this was a mistake, but he did not revoke it. Fluttershy balled up her fists, as if this was a show of her fury. Her normally pale face grew to a maroon-ish red. She let out a cry of frustration at him, but somehow could not muster up the words to describe her fury. Of course she was jealous! Though she knew she would not admit this to him, or even to herself. What made her the angriest was that he undervalued her. She was not so cheap that she would become "the other woman". Who did he think he was to assume that? This thought, clear in her mind, became vocalized the moment she thought of it.
"I refuse to let you treat me like some slut. Don't you think I'm better than that?" she screamed, pointing an accusing finger at him.
Tears began to stream down her face. With a little "oh" of sadness, she picked up her bang—but not her script—and ran out of the library. Discord sat perfectly still, not saying a word. Was she saying that she was too good for him? Her words seemed to indicate this. Did she say she was better than "that" or better than him? These questions, burning in his mind, made him furious. He took her script, as well as his, and balled them up, shoving them in his ruddy pockets. With a strong kick, he broke the leg of the table before leaving the library as well.
The next day seemed to drag on endlessly. In class, Fluttershy sat perfectly erect and did not turn around once. She knew who was behind her. Indeed, Discord was staring angrily at the girl, golden eyes aflame. Yet, by night, he could not help but check his phone time and time again, praying she would contact him. It was a meek existence. After two more days of this cycle, Discord took initiative. After all the project was due soon! (Though, in reality he missed that shy girl more than he would have ever thought possible.)
Sonata had also been watching and waiting the past few days. Though she greatly enjoyed having Discord by her side, as he had been recently, she suspected something was not right. When her boyfriend was not looking, she inspected his phone, but found nothing. Growing more suspicious, despite the lack of evidence, Sonata decided to take drastic measures. She would seal her relationship with him while she still had the chance.
With a glimmer in her ruby eyes, she skipped over to Discord's place. He lived in a run-down apartment about three blocks from the school. Though she had been to his place often, she had never seen anyone else in his room or in the building. This pleased her, not only because it meant they could be alone as they wished, but also because it signified that he lived as she did—alone. It did not matter to Sonata if his family was alive or dead—so long as she had him all to herself. But selfishness suited her well, like her favorite pair of boots.
When Sonata found her lover, he was in the apartment on the couch. Without invitation, Sonata invited herself in; Discord gave her no notice. His phone was out of reach, which she liked, but a notebook was in his hand. She smiled widely and plopped herself upon the couch. In a loud, overly sweet voice, she asked:
"What'cha doin'?"
He snorted lightly, almost in derision, and gave no response. Instead he picked up a pen and began to chew thoughtfully upon the end. Sonata, pouting, tried to remove the notebook from his hand, but he held fast. Seeing that Discord would not let her have her way, the blue-haired girl grew angry. She tried once more and this time he wretched it, and himself, away from her. Discord glowered at her, golden eyes like that of a beast. Sonata's blood ran cold; he could be frightening sometimes. However, she knew she could overpower him. Without a thought to the consequences, she stroked the gem of her necklace and began to sing once more.
The notes were sickly sweet with a high-pitch to them. Sonata drew his attention to her ruby eyes, which were fixed upon his golden ones. However, to her surprise, he resisted. The boy did not set down the notebook nor did he succumb to her song. Though he could not quite speak, Discord mumbled something unintelligible. It was of no consequences—what was important was that he could resist her at all. Sonata flipped her ponytail back and drew close to Discord, letting her body caress his. At this, Discord gave in and his mind ceased all thought. Sonata laughed wickedly and they spent the night together once more. Never would she lose control or give him up to that wimpy girl at school. Discord was hers forever!
However, when she left the next morning, the boy was allowed to gain control over himself once more. Shuffling out of bed in nothing but his underwear, Discord found his way to the couch where his notebook lay. Looking upon it anew, he was reminded of what he had been trying to accomplish. In high spirits, he set to finishing his project without regards to what Sonata would think…or do.
At school, Fluttershy was still angry and refused to look Discord in the eye. However, even she admitted to herself that she missed Discord's company. Her anger, she knew, would soon give way to sadness, but she attempted to prolong her anger for as long as possible; she was still not ready to miss him. However, in her locker that day she found something unusual. Upon opening the door, a little note fell out. It was written upon fine pink paper and the letters were an unusual golden hue. It looked expensive. Upon the note, there was a message.
"My dearest Fluttershy,
You were right. I don't deserve you. Nor do you deserve to be treated this way. However, I can't stop myself from thinking of you. Romeo didn't give up on his Juliet when things got hard; I won't give up on you. Please, give me a second chance.
I will be waiting in the library after school for you. I'll wait all night if I have to.
Discord."
Against her better judgment, Fluttershy went to the library after school. True to his word, Discord was there. She walked up to him and was about to say something, but her words were silenced by his finger upon her pink lips. She blushed. Winking, he took her hand in his and they walked out of the school together. Though she would have normally not allowed such a display of contact, Fluttershy was too surprised to do anything but follow him blindly. She was lead to a beat up car, the door of which Discord opened for her. Looking up at him shyly, she nonetheless acquiesced and got into the car. He followed suit and they drove away from the school.
Fluttershy maintained silence in the car as well, quietly straightening out her pink skirt absentmindedly. The car was beaten down and horrid, but she smiled anyways. It was pretty cool that Discord had a car of his own. The boy tried not to speak to her as well, to preserve the mysterious nature of his motives. Still, he allowed himself a sideways glance at her now and again. She looked adorable in her tiny white camisole.
They stopped at a park. It wasn't a large park by any means, but rather a cluster of trees shading a bench, which faced the river. It was beautiful in the light of the afternoon. Fluttershy got out quickly and smiled. She was entranced with the loveliness of the park, as the boy was also entranced by her beauty. Discord got out of the car too, sticking his hands in his pockets. With the nod of his head, he indicated that Fluttershy should go to the bench. They sat on the bench for a long moment, in silence. Then, the boy turned to her, but did not reach out to touch her.
"I am sorry, Fluttershy."
She let her face fall and her blue-green eyes grew soft. She blinked slowly, letting the words fade into the silence of the woods and the lapping of the river. This time it was she that reached out for him. Touching his face gently, she smiled sweetly.
"I'm sorry too, Discord. I was…jealous."
This genuinely surprised the boy, but he did not let it show. He covered her hand with his, enjoying the sensation of a soft heat upon his cheek. Then, he let a wry smirk play out upon his face.
"Jealous? My, my, it seems as though you like me."
She blushed and nodded. This also shocked Discord, enough that he was completely speechless. He had not expected such boldness from her. Still, he liked this forward gesture and followed it with one of his own.
"I like you too," admitted the boy, turning away from the girl slightly.
Though she was elated to hear this, and certainly her heart leapt upon listening to such words, deep down she knew nothing could happen…at least not yet. Sonata and Discord were still together and as long as that was a reality, Fluttershy knew she could not let herself fall in love. Though she could feel herself yearning for this boy, it was not meant to be at the moment.
"I…can't be with you though," she whispered, though she regretted saying anything at all.
Discord, shockingly, accepted this, bowing his head low. Fluttershy held his hand tighter, trying to see if he was alright. He looked up and smiled sadly at her. With a sigh, he began to speak once more, looking into her gentle eyes all the while.
"I know. I wanted to end things with Sonata a while ago but for some reason, every time I try, I simply can't. You know she used to be really sweet. I met her about a year ago and since then my life has been nothing but a blur—for better or for worse. Please trust me when I say that I have no feelings for Sonata, that you are not just a second choice. Fluttershy, I truly want to be with you. I will push past any barrier to be with you, even if that barrier is my own pride…"
Fluttershy clasped his hand and pushed a lock of hair from her face, blushing. Despite herself, she could feel her face grow warm. With her free hand she pulled at her shirt, pulling it downward. She could not help herself, she had to ask.
"So…you are going to break up with her?"
The boy nodded slowly.
"Yes, when I return. It's been over for some time now, but…yes."
The girl felt a strange sense of elation. A gust of wind took her hair into the air, spiraling beautifully in the afternoon light. The boy, feeling overcome, took her cheek in his hand and pulled her close. She smiled and kissed him lightly upon the tip of his nose. Though it was sweet, the boy knew it would not be enough for him. With a wicked grin, the wolf stood up and took the hand of the girl in his, dragging her to the car. Innocently, she followed, though she knew that in this metaphor she was the lamb and he the wolf.
They drove back to Discord's place. Once more, Fluttershy was taken aback by the ruddiness and filth of the abandoned building, as she had been with the car, and yet she was ever impressed that he lived on his own. With a pang, she realized that he must be lonely. Then, with a small giggle, she told herself that Discord would be lonely no more. She would be with him no matter what. It was her decision.
Together they ascended the stairs to the apartment. When they arrived, Fluttershy seated herself on the couch as Discord closed the door. He did not lock it, for the building was abandoned after all. Fearing nothing, the girl hummed to herself on the couch, fixing her pink skirt once more. Though she was mostly unaware, the boy was aroused by this action and went to the couch where she was seated. He straddled her, his legs and chest blocking any escape she had. Even knowing this, Fluttershy was not afraid. He stroked her hair gently, his breathing growing heavy.
"You said you liked me, didn't you?" he asked in a husky voice.
She nodded.
"Good, because I'm never going to let you go."
With this affirmed, he kissed her firmly upon the mouth. She let herself drown in the passion of the kiss, moaning into his mouth. This only served to turn him on further. He took both her wrists in his large hand and pulled them up over her head with one smooth motion. She did not resist, but did let out an indeterminable word. He kissed her neck, sucking at the soft skin and nipping at as he worked down to her collarbone. She shivered. With devilish eyes, he glared up at her. His hand was now at her skirt-line, dancing delicately between the known world and the abyss. She shook her head; she could not possibly turn back now.
Another wolfish expression consumed the boy as his hand pressed against her bare thigh, sliding further upwards. She sighed and arched her back in ecstasy. Discord kissed her on the lips once more and used this to distract her from his hand wandering below. She gasped nonetheless, her mouth breaking from his. Discord's golden eyes glimmered and it looked as if he were going to say something when—
Sonata burst into the room, smiling. She was saying something excitedly when she suddenly took stock of the situation. Upon seeing that her boyfriend was indeed atop of someone else, she frowned darkly. Her legs spread a bit wider in a defensive stance, pulling her skirt taught around her thighs. Her ruby eyes grew to a darker maroon and her necklace gleamed. In a falsetto voice she asked:
"Discord, darling, what are you doing with her~?"
He stood up and shielded Fluttershy from her with his arm. Though afraid, the shy girl felt safer behind Discord; she still held his shirt tightly, though. The boy sighed, but put on a brave face. His eyes were stern.
"Sonata, I'm sorry you had to find you this way, but it's over. I don't love you. We're done here."
It was blunt and direct. There could be no mistaking his meaning…unless you were Sonata.
"I'm afraid I don't understand, darling," she pouted, her face becoming playfully sad.
He shook his head.
"You heard me."
She grew angry at this. Her fist flew out towards the nearest object, which was the door, and punched a hole clear through it. She withdrew her fist, eyes focused on the boy. It had no effect on him. No longer would he fall for all of her acts. Sonata, once more foiled, found the eyes of Fluttershy, and locked upon them with force.
"Oh~it's you~! I'm so sorry, but there's been a mistake. My Discord doesn't love you. How could he really?"
Discord defended Fluttershy, standing between her and Sonata. His face grew ever more serious. Sonata would go to any lengths to get what she wanted.
"Knock it off, Sonata. I love her, and you know it. Leave Fluttershy out of this. This is between you and me."
Sonata stood up taller and picked at her nail with a careless gesture. She snorted and placed the other hand upon her hip. Sneering, she took one step towards Discord.
"Oh, you are serious," she said in a low voice.
Discord only nodded once.
Once more the girl with the blue hair took a step towards him. She began to sing as she had so many times before. If none of her other games worked, then it was time to get serious. As the notes left her throat, Discord readied his resistance, but he could do no more than this. Every moment that passed he grew weaker and weaker. Fluttershy shook him a bit by his shirt, to wake him, but it did no good. Crying, she shook harder.
"Discord! Wake up, Discord! I need you!" wept the poor girl.
Sonata temporarily cut her song short and smirked.
"Ha! There's nothing that can save him from my song," she admitted confidently.
Fluttershy, emboldened by her love for the boy before her, walked out from the safety of his body. She stood before Sonata one on one, without fear.
"Yes there is!" shouted Fluttershy.
Without hesitation, the girl kissed the boy upon the lips. As they connected, Discord's senses returned and he was himself once more. Sonata continued to sing, but to no avail. Once the boy returned to his senses he took the shy girl in his arms, embracing her tightly. She wept gratefully.
"Oh, Fluttershy!" he said.
As cliché as it sounded, her love had saved him. With Fluttershy still in his arms, Discord turned to face Sonata. She looked utterly lost and confused. Though she was still singing, her notes grew weaker and her gem did not glimmer as brilliantly as it had before. With a petty grin, the boy said:
"It's over Sonata. You have no power over me, nor over her. Leave."
With a final look of impassioned hatred, she fled, slamming the door behind her. Once she was gone, Discord collected Fluttershy in his arms once more, squeezing her tightly. It seemed that he was crying as well. With a happy lilt in his voice, the boy said:
"You saved me, Fluttershy. I love you so dearly."
Fluttershy pulled back, her eyes full of uncertainty.
"Do you…really mean that?"
Discord pushed back her bangs and kissed her sweetly on the forehead.
"Of course I do, my little Juliet."
Smiling once more, Fluttershy leapt into his arms and kissed him upon the mouth. He took to her at once. With haste, Discord carried the girl to his room and laid her upon the bed. She stared up at him with large eyes, as if she were an innocent little lamb. He kissed her softly, then nipped at her bottom lip. She groaned lightly. Laughing, Discord said:
"Just remember, I will never let me Juliet leave me."
Fluttershy, surprising him, sat up boldly and kissed him. Then, drawing back sensually, she whispered:
"I never will."