It was very rare that Fluttershy of Thicket had any sort of day off from her endless studies and daily duties. As far as she knew no one in Thicket ever had a day off. Every citizen, except for perhaps her father and brother, all had roles to play in one way or another. The forest needed constant care after all, as told to them by their goddess, Gaia Everfree. Though, some pondered if there was even room for a pony in their community.

Thicket was the land of the deer, better known to the ignorant masses as the druids, peoples with a special sort of magic that connected them with the plants allowed them to speak to the animals that pervaded the continent. Fluttershy, and her family, were one of the very few non-deer that lived in Thicket, though only she truly liked it. Her father was a man from Equestria through and through. If not for him meeting and falling in love with her late mother, there was a likelihood he would still be living there. Her brother, despite being born in Thicket, was not interested in his mother's culture. This was thanks in part to their father taking him to the port towns scattered about the continent. The sights and the people had captured Zephyr's heart at a young age, and Fluttershy was certain that once she married, they would leave the kingdom for good.

Not Fluttershy though. Her heart belonged to Thicket. The forest was pure, the animals gentle, and the folk were kind and hard working. However, she often longed to do more for her kingdom. As of now, Fluttershy was a student. Her one job was to study and grow, until she would be ordained as a Priestess, someone very important to the kingdom. She also tended to her family's needs, such as cooking them meals when she could, while they spent their time cleaning after her and caring for the house and garden.

There was also one other responsibility that she had, though it had nothing to do with Thicket. It was a responsibility that she had given herself. It was tending to her closest friend. It was hard work, but worth it in her eyes. His name was Discord, a rare creature called a draconequus.

Today, she was bringing him three loaves freshly baked bread, a two small cakes, and fresh fruit from the forest, and two cucumber sandwiches, his favorite. She also packed some tea leaves, which would have to be brewed there. Not a problem, had a small spring, with clear water waiting to be brewed. Fluttershy packed everything into a wood woven basket and balanced it on her back.

Sneaking past her father and brother, who were hard at work reviewing their ledger for an upcoming trip they were to take, she left her home and hurriedly made her way into the forest. She always did feel bad about hiding Discord from her family, but if there was one thing he liked, it was his privacy. Once she was deep enough into the woods, she slowed herself to a trot. It was very rare that she was alone with nature, she may as well enjoy it.

There was a certain freedom that only abandoning every responsibility and friend he once had and choosing to live in a cave in a far-off continent could provide. Discord had no job to attend to, no family to care for, and no friends that he needed to care about, except for one. She was special case. All he had to worry about was finding enough food to eat and making sure that his fire was kept alive.

His cave was comfortable enough. Spacious even. There was a small hole at the top of his cave, so the smoke was constantly ventilated. It kept his lungs clear and tended to kill any bugs that attempted to crawl down into the cave. As for the mouth of the cave, he, and more accurately his friend, had planted special flowers that warded off most insects, especially mosquitoes. He despised mosquitoes.

The young man slept most of the morning away, wasting time that others might consider valuable. He could afford to do this of course, he had upwards of a 200-year lifespan, as most draconequi had long lives, and was only around 46 years old. While some creatures might find draconequi to be horrifying sights, they were actually quiet pleasant folk, except the ones that he personally knew, those draconequi could rot for all he cared. But the normal draconequi were mischievous, but not malefic, rude, but playfully so. Discord was a mismatch of animals, with a snake tail, a lion and eagle talon arm, a goat and lizard leg and two types of horns sticking out from his pony head. He had a tuft of white hair and a sole patch, though he was thinking of growing a beard.

He slowly lifted himself from the small, dust covered cot, and stretched out his limbs. There was nothing like sleeping half the day away as he waited for his friend to visit. She was a sweet little mare, a pony that made his chest flutter. He was quite sure that he was sick, but he kept it quiet. There was no sense in frightening his friend after all. Fluttershy had a tendency to worry about him too much when he was unwell, and he felt bad about it, knowing just how hard her life was in thicket. There came a slight rustle outside the cave, followed by soft grunts.

A smile crept onto his face. Right on time, as expected of his friend. He quickly crouched down low and did his best to stay quiet. There were several rocks to hide behind, and all he had to do was chose the right one. After that, he would pop out and surprise her. Discord loved surprises and knew that she loved them just as much. He waited patiently, and soon Fluttershy came into view.

Some might find her breath taking, but he himself was above such thoughts. Her gentle, sky blue eyes would attract most stallions, but not him. Her voice could enchant most animals, but not someone like him. Her pink hair, braided with flowers and vines woven into it were fitting, but not attractive to him in the slightest. Even her soft yellow coat and green dress did nothing to tickle his fancy.

He chuckled to himself as he watched as his friend enter the cave, calling out his name.

"Discord?" She called. Fluttershy had on her back a basket, probably filled with all types of food for the two of them to enjoy.

Discord licked his lips at the thought of the feast, even as he slowly moved towards the entrance, circling to the back of mare. When he was behind her, he pounced, scooping her up in his arms, eliciting a sharp, yet quiet yelp. As he did so, his tail caught the basket and placed it to the side.

"Discord!" Fluttershy giggled, as the creature pulled her close into his chest, "let go!" She put her hooves against his chest but found herself incapable of pushing away from his gentle, yet strong embrace.

"Oh, but why would I let go? You know how much I love to see you," he said, resting his head on top of hers.

"Does the reason that you love seeing me have anything to do with the fact that I bring you food?"

"Maybe," He looked up towards the ceiling, trying his best not to seem selfish. His tail, however, wrapped around the basket's handle and lifted it towards him. "Since we're on the subject though, did you happen to bring anything good?" he asked, the hairs forming something of fingers that opened the basket.

"I have a few cucumber sandwiches, tea, and some chocolate cake."

Discord's smile grew three sizes. There was nothing better than one of Fluttershy's chocolate cakes, and nothing better than after a few sandwiches and tea. "Oh, such a sweetheart. How is it that a monster like me made friends with someone like you?"

"You're not a monster, just different. A bit lazy, but I find it sort of charming!"

That was something else he loved Fluttershy, she could never say anything bad about anyone. She was much to kind a soul for such things.

Still, seeing as she had just called him lazy, Discord now had to prove her wrong. He gently placed Fluttershy down and swiftly set a place for them to eat. "Lazy, I scoff at such an accusation!" Discord declared, putting out recently cleaned plates he kept in trunk. "Kind ma'am, you and wounded my honor, and therefore, you shall have second choice in what you get. Tis the honorable thing to do!"

"If you're going by what's honorable, wouldn't it be honorable to let the lady go first?"

Discord's smile fell. "Oh poo. You're right. Very well, have your pick of the spread." He picked up the basket and began to spread the meal around the table. Fluttershy got a few sandwiches and poured herself some tea, leaving the rest of the meal for Discord.

Discord greedily took everything, save for the cake which he would share with Fluttershy. They always shared the dessert. They casually ate their meal, pausing to talk about small things, like their day or the animals that Fluttershy had seen while coming to visit Discord.

"Discord, I've been meaning to ask you, why do you wear that pendent around your neck?" It was an odd subject to bring up, but she was curious about the trinket, ever since she first met him. He wore an old green tunic, with a sash around him where a faded and tattered quiver once hung. The quiver and the bow now lay in the back of the cave, covered in dust. The crystal though hypnotized her some days. It would sometimes capture the fire just right and burst in a wonder of color and light. It was a magnificent crystal in the shape of a cone and smoothed out at the tip. The top of the tip was a pure purple that slowly turned white as it came to the flat base. Holding it was a wire Discord had clumsily wrapped it, with a chain connected to the wire.

"This? Oh, it's just a token from my home country. It's all very sentimental. Sometimes I wonder why I even keep it."

"Oh. You never talk about your home. What was it like?"

Discord began to rub the back of his head as he thought about the question. "I don't like to talk about it. I didn't exactly leave on good terms with everyone."

"Oh, I understand. My father is usually at odds with my teachers, the guards and everyone else in the village, so is Zephyr. Do you ever miss it though? You're home I mean."

"Sometimes. I think I miss the power more than anything."

"Power?"

"Oh, my sweet, little Fluttershy, you have no idea what it's like!" Discord said, biting into his sandwich. "Back home, I was effectively a god! I could create everything sans life with a snap of my fingers, I could cast all the spells I wanted as if it were nothing, and I lived in a mansion! But now look at me now, rotting away in a cave, hoping that I'm not forgotten by my only friend and left to starve."

"But can't you cook?"

"Me? Oh Fluttershy I think we both know the answer to that."

"Is it because you're too lazy?"

"See? You do know me. If I'm honest though, I'm glad I left. Out here, I'm free from all the responsibility they needed me to take on."

"I don't think responsibility is that bad."

"Says the girl that wants all the responsibility in the world," Discord said dryly. "Aren't you shy? Don't you need to interact with people on a daily basis with what you want to do?"

"Yes, but everyone in Thicket is so nice! And I won't do much, I'll just answer questions when people seek council. I can do that easily. It's talking with them outside of that that I have trouble with. I don't want all the responsibility in world, I just want to do my part. That's how it is in Thicket."

"I know that!" Discord scoffed. "It's work though. I don't understand how anyone stands work. It's so hard and boring and hard! Much easier to goof off."

"But it's essential," Fluttershy responded. "Not to mention fun in some cases. Especially in Thicket. It's our duty to make sure the kingdom and the forest stay healthy. Sometimes that includes taking care of cute little animals. Just on my way, I saw a bird flying for the first time!"

"Essential? For some maybe. Around here the forest is doing just fine on its own, thank you very much! No druids or deer needed."

Letting out a small chuckle to herself, the two continued to talk long into the day, until Fluttershy noticed the shadow's outside growing longer and deeper.

"Oh, Discord, I think I might need to start getting home," she said standing up from her seat. Almost instantly, Discord collected the plates and put them in her basket before handing it to her.

"Say no more, my dear. Don't take too long. I don't need anyone asking too many questions! Like where you've been."

"I know. I'll see you tomorrow!" Fluttershy cried.

Discord waved goodbye before heading back to his cot, laying down and resting until later that day. What he would do then was no one's business but his own, but it was safe to say it wouldn't take very much effort to do.

As she left the grove, she wondered how long it would take her to reach home. By her estimate, it would take two hours if she was quick about it. Fluttershy was not a very strong pony, not in the slightest. Though she could fly, she was not swift, like her father said that ponies in Equestria were, his home country. While she ran through the thick woods she stopped a moment. There in a hollow space in a tree slept a mother rabbit and a litter of baby bunnies as she liked to call them. She watched them for a few moments, which turned into a quarter of an hour, before shaking her head clear.

I can't admire them for long, she thought to herself. Her father while loving, would be furious with her if she were home after sundown. While she kept that thought in the back of her head, it did not stop her from stopping several more times to smell the flowers that grew in small patches of sunlight or admire the animals that scurried around the woods. She truly was a slave the forest's beauty, as most people were in Thicket. Pines gilled the air, beeches, the pine trees, the maple and oaks, the sounds of the trickling streams and rushing rivers, the feeling of the breeze through her hair was nothing short of enchanting.

There was one event that stopped Fluttershy cold in her tracks. In a noose, slowly being strangled, there was a rabbit. It helped and squeaked as it tried to escape, but only succeeded in tightening the nose around its neck.

Not one soul in thicket ate meat so no one in Thicket had the need to hunt. In Fluttershy's mind, this had to be the doing of gargoyles and centaurs from the eastern and western coast. They were a race of meat eaters, not rare in the forests, as wolves and bears tended to eat such things. The port towns were strictly forbidden from setting traps and hunting in Thicket's land though, which encompassed most of the continent. She quickly disarmed the trap and saved the rabbit. She did her best to tend to his wound, and sent it off on its way, receiving a most humble thanks.

By the time she returned home, the sun had nearly set by the time she returned home, and she knew her father was going to be furious at her. If she could sneak into her room without her father noticing, perhaps she could plead ignorance. She opened the front door to her family's home slowly, as not to make a sound. It didn't matter though; her father and her brother were there waiting for her.

Her father was a bearded man with a steely gaze. Her brother, who had something queer in his makeup, towered over her and their father. He him was less angry, more smug. Zephyr was a bit of a problem child a few years ago, coming home drunk in his late teens on some nights, and so it filled him with joy when it was his sweet, innocent, perfect little sister who was in trouble.

"Hi, Daddy, Zephyr," Fluttershy said, sheepishly smiling, knowing that she'd been caught. "I'm home."

Her father's glare hardened, causing her to shrink.

"I-I know. I should have told you I was going out it's just-"

Her father held up a hoof, silencing her as he pointed to a spiral stair case, leading to a higher section of their home.

"Someone's in trouble," Her older brother sang, snickering to himself as she marched herself past him. She tilted her head upwards, as if to let him know how little his opinion mattered to her. Fluttershy went up the stairs, and gently hovered into bed. She let out a sigh as she nestled into her sheets and covers, knowing how much trouble she was going to be in when she inevitably snuck out tomorrow to see Discord.

She suddenly felt a small something jump into her bed, before nestling itself against her cheek. It was a small white rabbit, and a friend that she'd had since last year . "I'm fine Angel," she lied. The bunny looked at her glumly, as he pointed a paw downstairs. "I took too long getting home, he has a right to get angry."

There came a series of squeaks and thumps.

"No, he's just being Zephyr. He's always like this when I get in trouble."

There came another squeak and Fluttershy gasped loudly, before stifling a giggle.

"Angel, language!" She said through her hooves. "Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be over it by tomorrow." It was something that Fluttershy adored about her home. Nothing was ever out of order, and everything and everyone was predictable. It gave her a sense of control over her life. A nice laid out plan for her for her to follow. She would take her father's disappointed and worried look without complaint, visit Discord the next day, and come home before sundown if she didn't linger to appreciate the forest. For now, she resigned herself to stay in bed with Angel until her father called her for supper.