The Idol Of Draki

Chapter 2: Fluttershy's Perspective

Fluttershy had never heard Discord talk about his family before.

Discord tensing up and trying to sneak away had been unusual, but she had thought that maybe he'd remembered something important he needed to do, and was making an attempt to be polite and not interrupt. But then Celestia had started asking him questions, and he seemed almost in pain as he struggled to avoid answering -- that made her start freaking out.

Then he mentioned his parents, and she knew that something was deeply wrong. It was almost as surprising when he so casually admitted to being scared. With all of this strange behavior, she almost wasn't shocked by Discord's explanation of what the Idol was. It would have to be something that awful to rattle him this much.

But then he told Celestia that she had complete control over him, and Fluttershy freaked out for a while new reason. "Oh, Discord, nocreature's going to do anything to you! Or force you to do anything." She squeezed his paw, looking towards the Princess to agree and calm him down.

Celestia ignored her look. "What do you mean -- you can't disobey me?"

"If you told me to turn myself back into stone, I would." Discord said in a tone that was probably supposed to be bitter, but seemed unusually meek to Fluttershy. "Well, I'd try to fight the magic long enough to beg you to change your mind, but I'd give it fifteen minutes tops before I lost that fight. Sooner if you said anything along the lines of 'right now' or 'quickly'."

"How do I know that you're telling the truth, and aren't just tricking us?" Celestia asked, her tone that of someone who really wants any other explanation besides the one they've been given.

"Tell me to do something I hate, or ask me a question you know I would never answer truthfully." Discord shrugged dismissively, trying to sound apathetic. But Fluttershy could tell he was still terrified and miserable. "But do you really think I'd seriously bring up the possibility of me begging anycreature for anything, just for a prank?"

"Discord... A few nights ago, all of Luna and my paperwork was swapped. It took us hours to get everything sorted out." Celestia said randomly. "By the time we were done, we discovered that everything in our bedrooms had been swapped as well. Did you do this, and if so, why?"

"Yes, and I was hoping it would cause an argument between you." Discord replied, clenching his teeth.

"And why did you wish to cause strife between my sister and I?" Celestia asked. "A detailed explanation, please."

"I'm the Spirit of Chaos -- I like seeing others argue, and I'm still bitter about the whole thousand years as a garden statue thing, even if I did deserve it." Discord's eyes widened, as if he hadn't meant to say that. His mouth started opening to say more, much to his apparent horror. "And a small part of me was sorta, maybe, definitely hoping you'd find it funny and actually like me for once."

"Well, he's definitely not in control of himself." Spike muttered, sending a worried glance to Fluttershy, who certainly agreed with him. She had suspected Discord wanted Celestia and Luna to like him, but knew he'd never admit it willingly.

And even after she was entirely sure he knew what he had once done was wrong, and that he actually regretted it, he had never once said he deserved being turned to stone. The power was real, and now they all knew it.

"If the Idol was created to control Draconequui, why did it effect the Tree?" Celestia asked. Fluttershy didn't know what they were going to do about the Idol long term, but it was clear that the Princess wasn't about to let a chance to get straight answers out of Discord pass by easily.

"I-I don't know." Discord cringed a little. It occurred to Fluttershy that he might be afraid Celestia would be angered by that answer. Thanks to the Idol's power, Discord was helpless against her, and he had no way of knowing if she'd act on that or not.

"Do you have any theories at all?" Celestia pressed, walking closer to him.

Discord stood up, putting distance between himself and the Princess. "I... It would have to be part Draconequus or something, but that doesn't make sense! My people had nothing to do with its creation."

"Do you have any idea of who would put the Idol near the Tree or why?" Celestia was very close to Discord now, the Idol floating just behind her, as she continued her interrogation.

"I told you, it's been missing for who-knows-how-long!" Discord growled, eyes flicking between Celestia and the Idol as he pressed himself against the wall. He reminded Fluttershy of a cornered animal, scared and ready to lash out but unsure what will happen if he does. "I have no idea of who could have possibly put it there, I thought it was a myth. Or, hoped it was. If the Tree really is affected by the Id- the Idol, then whoever did it was probably targeting it or the Elements."

Celestia opened her mouth to say something, taking another step towards Discord; one step too many. A yellow-pink blur flew between the two ancient beings. Fluttershy rarely used the Stare on Ponies, and never once on a Princess, but it was very effective.

"Back away and drop the Idol." Fluttershy ordered, her eyes taking on a subtle glow. Celestia's ears went back against her head, and she obeyed as if in a daze. The Idol made a crack in the floor when it fell, snapping her out of it, but she made no move to pick it back up.

Fluttershy wasn't Staring anymore, but she was definitely glaring. "That wasn't okay." She said simply, then pushed the Idol into her satchel, touching it as little as possible. At a nod from Fluttershy, Discord snapped his fingers with a look of utter disbelief on his face.

As Pegasus and Draconequus disappeared in a flash of light, everycreature looked on in silence. Twilight turned towards her mentor, not knowing what to think, but didn't ask her anything.

Celestia looked guilty, but not just that. She looked surprised, and... Not everypony could read the Princess's emotions like Twilight could, but even she doubted what she saw.

Princess Celestia looked hopeful.