Chapter 5: Beneath the Opera House

Fluttershy was frozen in fear. She didn't know what to do.

"I'll ask again," he said. "WHAT. ARE. YOU. DOING. HERE?"

"I…I…," Fluttershy stuttered. She whimpered and curled up into a ball. "Please, please don't hurt me." Discord's eyes softened a bit. He felt bad for scaring the poor filly especially since she hadn't done anything to him. He calmed down and lowered his claw.

"No, I won't hurt you," Discord told her calmly. She lifted her eyes to look at him.

"You won't?" Fluttershy asked.

"No," he responded. "But why ARE you down here?"

"It…it was an accident," Fluttershy said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. My bunny ran down here and I followed him. I'm sorry. I…"

"It's fine, it's fine," Discord told her casually. "Sorry about frightening you. I'm not use to visitors." She curled out of her ball and stood in front of him.

"Who are you?" Fluttershy asked.

"Well…I'm…" he started.

"Fluttershy!" Luna's call echoed throughout the caverns. "Fluttershy, are you down there?!"

"Does she…" she started to say. He nodded.

"You'd better go," he said. "The exit's that way." He pointed to the way she had come in. Fluttershy smiled.

"Thank you," she said before running in that direction. Discord was surprised when she said that. Had he heard her right? Had she thanked him?

"You're welcome?" he said puzzled.

"Fluttershy, are you alright?" Luna asked. They were back in Luna's room. She nodded. "Why were you down there?"

"Angel ran off and I followed him into the cave," Fluttershy answered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you or him any worry."

"You saw him?" Luna asked. She nodded.

"Luna, is he the one who made that shadow I keep seeing?" Fluttershy asked. "Is he the one I saw in the box?" Luna sighed and nodded.

"Yes he is," Luna told her. "His name is Discord. He is a draconequus and the last of his kind."

"Why is he here?" Fluttershy asked.

"Because I brought him here after I rescued him from some gypsies," Luna informed her. "He had no other place to go so he's lived here for the past two years."

"Does anyone else know he's here?" Fluttershy asked.

"No," Luna answered simply. "Just you, me, and my sister know. Now, why don't you head to bed? It's been a long day." Fluttershy nodded and took Angel back to their room. She placed Angel in his bed and the bunny fell right asleep.

"Goodnight Angel," she told him softly. She, however; did not fall asleep right away. The events of the day were still reeling in her mind.

"What were you doing outside Fluttershy's room?" Luna asked as she came closer to the "bedroom". Discord turned to face her. He looked a bit embarrassed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Discord responded hastily.

"Discord don't lie to me," Luna said. "Why were you outside Fluttershy's room. Have you been stocking her?"

"What? No, no, no, no, no, no, no," Discord answered nervously and hastily. "Of course not. I mean, why would I?"

"But why WERE you near her bedroom?" Luna repeated. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Well…I was heading back to your room and then I heard singing," he explained. "I followed it to it's place of origin and that lead me to Fluttershy's door. I stopped and listened for a bit and then I heard Twilight scream. I swear on my life I wasn't doing anything wrong! I just, her voice, it was so…so enchanting. It was so lovely. Like a rose in the morning dew." He sighed. Luna looked a bit puzzled and perplexed. "Oh! That reminds me! Lulu do you think you could arrange for her to get a vocal teacher?"

"Wait, what? Why?" Luna asked confused. Since when did he care about these kinds of things?

"Because she had so much potential and with an instructor she'll be even better," Discord responded.

"But why do you even…" Luna began.

"Don't question me Luna!" Discord interrupted. "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to be left alone to sleep." He teleported into his bed and made loud, fake snoring sounds. Luna sighed.

"Alright, goodnight Discord," Luna said before leaving the cave to go to her room. Once she was gone, Discord sat up in bed and brushed his goatee with his claw as he pondered what Luna had said.

"Yeah, why did I suggest that?" Discord asked no one.

"Because want her in your operas," a replica of himself responded. "Or is it because you want to embarrass her because she's so shy?" The original turned to the replica and frowned.

"That was a rhetorical question," he told him.

"Actually it wasn't," the replica said. "And you know it!"

"Yeah, why DID you suggest that she get a tutor?" another replica asked.

Luna used to magic to put the wall mirror back where it needed to be. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Luna said. Luna turned to see Celestia enter her room. "Sister, what bring you here at this hour?"

"Have you talked to Discord?" Celestia asked. Luna nodded.

"It was purely an accident," Luna said. "He wasn't doing anything wrong. He just lingered around a bit too long."

"Good," Celestia responded.

"Is Twilight alright?" Luna asked.

"She's a little shocked but fine," Celestia answered. "Luna, I know I've told you this before, but he HAS to stay hidden. What if it wasn't Twilight that saw him?"

"I know," Luna said. "I know. And he does too. He'll be more careful."

"I hope he is," Celestia replied. "For his stake. Otherwise, he can't be allowed to leave the cave."