Chapter 12

Fluttershy woke up with excitement upon her face. Today she was going to go out with Discord, and she was wholly determined to have a good time of it. For once in her life she was going to leave this house and do something for herself. With great pleasure she styled her hair and placed a bonnet over it. She slipped into a cream colored dress with laced sleeves and a rose overlay; her bonnet was also decorated with faux roses. She left the house without consulting her husband; instead, she left him to figure out why she had left. (It would not have much mattered anyways, he was asleep.)

She walked into the bright sunshine, with a smile on her face, and it occurred to her that she had not smiled for a very long time. Now that she was thinking about it, it felt pretty good to smile. From around the corner, she spied Discord. he was dressed in a shabby suit coat, and to her, he had never looked better. Fluttershy extended her wings and flapped up to meet his gaze. In broad daylight, she kissed him gently on the cheek. (It was one of the bravest things she had ever done.)

Discord looked at her and smiled gently. He took her by the hoof and led her down the streets towards the public gardens. Fluttershy, by his side, noted how the other ponies looked at them: with confusion, but mostly with contempt. They knew that such a rich young heiress did not belong with a vagabond. Yet, Fluttershy did not seem to care. Whether or not others understood it, she was happier by Discord's side than by Trenderhoof's, or anyone's. For once, she was going to go out on her own and do what pleased her. The feeling made her somewhat nauseous, but it was exhilarating. She felt like her own pony!

Fluttershy had initially chosen to go to the gardens. As a part of claiming herself as her own pony, she decided to claim her own interests as well and this included nature. For a long time she had pondered upon this hobby and today she was going to enjoy it for the first time. This thought made her smile even wider.

As they were walking along, Discord stopped suddenly and slunk back. Fluttershy paused as well, adjusted her bonnet, and joined him on the side of the road. He was leaning in the shadows of the side road, almost sulking. She frowned at him and went to his side.

"What is wrong?" she asked, her eyes growing wider.

"I do not belong out here, with you, in the daylight…"

"Daylight?"

"At night I can be with you. No one questions what happens in the nighttime; it is the time of secrets. In the daylight, others can see us. They know you do not belong with me."

Fluttershy reached out with her hoof and rested it upon his furry arm. She smiled gently and said:

"There is no need to fear, Discord. It took me awhile, but I finally realized that I am happy with you, more than I am cooped up in the house. I want to find my own interests and pursue them…and one of them happens to be you…"

Discord reached down and scooped her up. Suddenly he brought his lips to hers. She was initially surprised, but soon succumbed to him. His lips upon hers felt spectacularly right, as if it were always meant to be this way; it was nothing like the cold kiss she had received on her wedding day. Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around his neck, he wings extended and flapped gently. He tightened his grip around her and she moaned slightly. Her bonnet came undone and fell to the ground, unnoticed. For the first time, her hair let loose and curled fell around her (a scandal really). Finally Discord withdrew and gazed down upon her, smiling happily.

"Shall we then?"

Fluttershy giggled and nodded.

The gardens were everything she wanted and more! The flowers were exotic and smelled amazing. Fluttershy stopped to smell every single one, smiling the whole time. Discord was beside her, encouraging her to take the time to try and remember each and every one of them, so they could go to the library and identify them later.

Just before teatime, the garden began to close. Fluttershy thanked the attendants and promised to be back soon. Discord nodded at the attendant, but did not seek to thank them as well. He flew, yes flew! (how scandalous), her home and dropped her through her window. She kissed him, full on the mouth, but did not invite him inside, that would have been even more inappropriate.

Fluttershy did turn to him, one last time, before he left. She was grinning broadly and flapped her wings.

"Thank you Discord, truly. I will see you soon."

He turned to smile at her, bearing his long fang.

"I like you, Fluttershy."

This statement made her hesitate, but, in keeping with her new philosophy, she followed her passions. With a sweet flick of her tail, she went to him, kissing him on the cheek.

"I like you as well, darling." (this was the first time she had used the world "darling."

She frowned and her round eyes grew sad.

"But I am still married, I…I need to speak with my husband."

Discord's ears fell back and his face drooped.

"I understand if—if—if you need to stay with him."

Now Fluttershy was crying. Her sobs were soft but she did not care for her husband to hear them. She nuzzled Discord with her nose; her tears stuck to his coarse fur.

"He has wealth and status, something I will never have. But, if you did leave him, I would do everything in my power to make sure you would never hunger, never grow cold. I promise."

Her face held a wobbling smile as she sobbed. Then she began to nod slowly.

"I…I will try. Divorce will be difficult, and expensive, but if it means my freedom, my chance for real love…what choice do I have?"

Discord kissed her tears away. He began to stroke her pink mane until her sobs became whimpers. She rubbed against him and kissed his cheek.

"Be strong."

She nodded and he flew away. Fluttershy watched him until he became as far away as the stars in the sky. Her eyes were trained upon the stars, so cold and far away. However, in them she saw a promise of hope, a promise of change. Steeling herself, she went downstairs to confront her husband.

Trenderhoof was in the parlor, upset by the look of it. He was, of course, dressed well, but his face looked less than perfect. She took a deep breath and sat down upon the coach across from him. He gazed at her intently, his violet eyes burning with rage.

"So you returned, did you?" he asked impetuously.

She frowned at him and crossed her hooves.

"Yes, if only to tell you what I am going to do."

He sniffed.

"I want a divorce," she stated plainly.

He did not look at her directly but pouted, as if he were only a colt.

"No. I will not divorce you."

It was just then that Fluttershy felt something stab her from inside the couch cushion. She pulled at the object and, to her surprise, it was a hairpin. The hairpin looked expensive, and it was not hers. Suddenly, she looked closer. It seemed to be familiar after all. The obvious became clear to her: it was the Countess Rarity's pin!

"She was here?!" Fluttershy exclaimed.

Trenderhoof did look up this time and in his eyes was a glimmer of recognition, and shame. He knew whose the pin was, no doubt about it. With nothing to defend himself with, he remained silent.

"I kept quiet because I thought you would be discreet, or perhaps that you would end it. But here, in my own home? This is too much. I warned you that if you crossed the line I would leave, and this is it. You will divorce me and you will leave this place!"

Trend regained his confidence and, with a lordly attitude, he stood up.

"No, I will not. I refuse to divorce you."

Fluttershy opened her wings and began to flap them. She was now hovering over him.

"Why not?"

"I refuse to be shamed."

Fluttershy snorted, quite unladylike, and pointed her hoof at him accusingly.

"You shamed yourself by going with the Countess. Now, tell me what the real reason is."

Trenderhoof smiled, his perfect teeth masking his imperfect nature.

"I refuse to leave you because of your inheritance."

There it was: the truth. Fluttershy landed upon the floor, her eyes once again brimming with tears. It had all been a lie. He was only interested in the money; she was worth nothing to him. Their marriage would have never been happy, far from a dream come true. Then she would have no more doubts, no more guilt.

"You can keep it. Spend it for all I care! I only want you to formally divorce me."

Trenderhoof smiled at this prospect; it was almost ideal. Trade one woman for the other and keep all of the money he had originally pursued. Still, he did not want to show his cards quite yet. With a straight face he replied:

"If you wish, but you must leave this house to me as well."

This did startle her. Could she leave this house as well? It had been her grandmother's and her home all these years. How could she possible abandon her last remaining ties to her grandmother? Then again, how could she stay her knowing all that she knew know? With a resolute face she nodded.

The next day they went to the courthouse to sign the papers. Fluttershy had a small bag packed. They bid farewell and it was the last time they saw each other.

The next step was to find her lover and tell him what had happened, tell him that they could finally be together. With bag in hand, she walked around the park, calling out for him. He had no permanent address, so he would be difficult to locate. She had not thought of that. Finally, she spotted him on the park bench where they had met for the second time. With joy in her heart she called out once more. Discord looked up and saw the buttercream-colored pony rushing out to him. He took her in his arms gratefully; she was his at last.

The couple left the city and nopony heard from them until sixteen years had passed. With a young mare in tow, they returned to New Pony. Discord had transformed himself into a successful show pony, a magician in fact. Fluttershy was looking healthy and, after all these years, very much happy. Their daughter had brought them back to the city, in order to marry.

The young mare, named Harmony rumor had it, was lithe and beautiful. She had indeed returned to marry another young business pony.

Fluttershy, desperately curious, had also returned to enquire about her old husband and his mistress. According to the gossip, Lord Trenderhoof had spent the inheritance within two years and taken out loan after loan ever since. When the loans defaulted, the Countess Rarity left him and returned to her husband overseas. Trenderhoof died of a heart attack a month later. Nopony had seen the Countess since she returned to her husband.

At any rate, the couple and their young mare were here to stay in the city of New Pony. And Fluttershy never stopped smiling.