Title:           Dadonequus 5 - Little Anon's Debut
Author:          GimmeSomeGumption
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/J2NkRuxg
First Edit:      Friday 14th of October 2016 06:41:42 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Friday 14th of October 2016 06:41:42 PM CDT

Dadonequus 5 - Little Anon's Debut
 
>Be you
>Be Anon
>Be smiling into a mirror.
>Quickly flip the expression, crinkling the nose and widening the eyes.
>Disgust.
>Gently grit the teeth and lower the eyes, snarling the nose.
>Rage.
>You stop the warm-up, and take in a deep, cooling breath.
>Your internal dialogue and focus die, as you just stare into your new reflection.
>You can hear the wind blast through the atmosphere above you. You can feel the clouds gently support your hooves and the sunlight blaze through the air and onto your fur.
>You don’t really notice.
 
>You end up settling your gaze on your deep emerald eyes.
>They were just so… huge.
>And as you twitched your eyes and saw the alien reflection do the same, it gave you pause still.
>You misjudged your colors earlier, as your fur was more of a pastel green when compared to the pure rich viridescence of your eyes.
>Your locks weren’t pure black either, but, more of a very deep and dark grey, which only lightened up when the light hit the strands at the right angle.
>Your face… Was what got to you.
>It was far more… delicate than the one you were born with. You would have said handsome, but that was the wrong word. Your old face was very masculine, with lots of sharp angles and a large, hanging jawline. This one wasn’t. The almost elvin proportions and shape… This was meant to be cute and delightful to look at.  
>Surprisingly you had little problem with it.
>If these looks got the job done, then so be it.
 
>The job.
>From what you’ve seen of Discord in the show, he jumped around from place to place and took little interest in anything going on.
>This is not what you have seen of Discord in actuality.
>As much as he complained, he was present nearly the entire time you were preparing yourself, guiding you and fine-tuning your body until you got the fit and athletic look you have now.
>Present except for the first day, where he was gone for an hour or so.
>Nevertheless, even when he was summoning objects and rooms for his amusement, he always had an eye on you.
>He must really want this to go right.
>You really wanted this to go right.
>Phantasmal butterflies swarmed around your stomach.
>Jesus H- Sorry, it’s sweet Celestia now.
>This was the worst case of stage fright you ever had.
>If this didn’t go right…
>All you heard from Discord was that you were going to meet some very important ponies today.
>You knew what that meant.
 
>It was Twilight time.
 
>Today, no in a few minutes, your future for the next few years would be decided.
>If you say something wrong, they might become suspicious of Discord.
>If you don’t get Twilight’s good opinion, this would all fall apart.
 
>You had one main idea for the character, that is, Colt Anon as opposed to the true you, and that was to put as little artificiality as possible.
>This wasn’t a performance where you get up on stage for thirty minutes to an hour and then get out of character.
>This was a marathon, pretending to be someon-somepony else for hours every day every week every month for years.
>Eventually it would become completely natural, but until then, during this important initial period, you would have to focus.
>Of course, you would need some basic qualities that would make Twilight want to take you under her wing.
>So, you used some basic qualities you already possessed.
 
>Back in school, before you discovered theater, you had no friends, so you spent a great deal of time reading and studying, giving you grades far in excess of your peers.
>This continued until college, where until you were expelled due to the false rape charges, you had the best grades in most of your classes.
>You had the studious mentality, and the brains to back it up.
>Not to mention your old college education, partial though it may be, would put to shame any elementary courses they threw at you.
>The trick was to not show off too much, to hide your full verbosity and just subtly show a more advanced presence of mind than the everyday colt or filly.
>If you went around talking like an english major, you would quickly become alienated from other foals, and might unsettle some ponies.
>While Twilight may like it, and have absolutely no qualms about it, you want to go for realism here.
>You remember well what Discord said to you after Rainbow Dash and her entourage came across your hiding place.
>Being too unusual would only draw suspicion towards you and Discord. And from his threatening attitude and serious talk with you, you did not want to bring that on Discord.
>At all.
>Discord was serious about you doing this right.
>And this was the big moment.
 
>You couldn’t get to sleep last night at all.
>You lay in bed staring at the slowly rotating dream catcher, hundreds of scenarios racing through your head about how you were going to fuck it all up.
>You tried to banish the thoughts, focus on how Discord saved you, how you are in Equestria, the place you dreamt of for years, but the thoughts fought back.
>Eventually around midnight, Discord checked in on you, and simply shot you with a tranquilizer dart to get you to sleep.
>Strangely, you had no dreams.
>You were under the impression that tranq darts caused some crazy things to happen in the brain. Were you wrong?
 
>A sudden gust of wind blasts through and underneath your fur.
>Still weird.
>Still a very alien sensation, and you are still trying to get used to it.
>You turn from the mirror in front of you to look at the giant grandfather clock sitting out on a cloud puff, well, it’s normal sized, but compared to you it was quite large…
>You look at the time.
>Five minutes to ten o’clock.
>Heh, on stage in five…
>Oh god what are you doing here you can’t do this who the hell are you kidding you need to hide and maybe Discord won’t eviscerate you-
 
>Suddenly an explosion rips the clock asunder and Discord spins out of the remaining smoke.
>Speak of the devil…
>”Oh ~Anon~ it’s here, the moment we’ve been waiting for!”
>He holds out his lion paw and the two clock hands fall neatly into place. He flicks his wrist and the two hands hook around his now extended claw, and with another flick, the two arms begin to spin around faster and faster, until they turn into a barely visible blur.
>”See? Just look at the time, even it’s excited!”
“Heh, yeah…”
>Discord stops.
>He drops the energetic demeanor instantaneously and levels his gaze at you, with a snap of his talon the pieces of the clock disappear.
>”You know Anon, fear doesn’t suit you at all, those colors clash with your coat.”
 
>What? Colors? What did that mean?
>Discord sighs, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose with a paw.
>”Alright, what’s wrong?”
>Ouch, that guttural and dismissive tone actually hurt…
>You look down and barely notice your ears pinning.
>These were perfectly reasonable fears!
“Well, nothing is really wrong per se, it’s just, you know, what if I screw it up, like I say something incriminating, what if they don’t like me or they try to ruin this whole thing even if everything goes perfect-”
 
>You see a second pair of more shapely draconequus legs sashay past your lowered vision, and you look up.
>There was a female version of Discord wrapped literally around him. Discord was now sporting a bushy brown mustache and a pair of massive vintage aviator glasses, complete with a plaid flannel shirt and khakis.
>”Now listen here son, your mother and I did not raise you to be no bottom bitch, alright?”
 
>You can’t help but let out a sharp, barking laugh at the suddenness of it all, and Discord snaps it all away, continuing he asks,
>”But now really, what’s the point of worrying over it? Obsessing over what could go wrong will only help something -to- go wrong!”
>You already tried to comfort yourself with that thought late last night, but you didn’t want to interrupt him.
>He walks forward with that slightly lunging gait of his and ruffles your mane with a paw.
>”Besides, if I didn’t think you were up to the task, I wouldn’t have chosen you.”
 
>Wait, did that mean…
 
>The only reason he helped you back there…
 
[spoiler]Was to use you to-[/spoiler]
>He slaps his paw down on top of your head.
 
>”Oh stop that, I didn’t mean it like that. Would I have helped you on the bridge? Certainly! But i wouldn’t have brought you back here and staked my reputation on you, you understand? I like you, love the things you’ve done to make life not so boring for your peers back in the day, but liking you isn’t enough, you need to have the skill to actually accomplish something.”
 
>Huh.
 
>Discord now rears up and stretches his back whilst yawning.
>”There, now are you sufficiently encouraged? Because I like to be on time for Fluttershy’s picnics.”
>You turn your head down and gaze at the soft cloud beneath you.
>Were you?
>At least the nervous sickness that twisted your insides wasn’t so overwhelming.
>You close your eyes and quickly nod.
 
>Suddenly, you feel something subtle overtake you, your senses slow down and move almost at a crawl, the air in our lungs freeze and your heart beat stops.
>You try to open your eyes or scream, but you can’t move an inch, or even twitch.
>Suddenly you feel as if your body was snapping forward past the speed of light.
>You open your eyes and catch the trail end of a spectrum of colors, as your body rushes into a dark and green area.
>Your eyes bug out and you rapidly pant, now that you felt you were allowed to breathe again.
“WHAT? What was that? Discord?!”
 
>He leans down and looks at you seriously.
>”Oh don’t worry, just a little teleportation. Quite the rush, isn’t it?”
>You continue to hyperventilate.
 
>”Now stop being so overdramatic, you’re perfectly fine…”
>He grabs you by the head and lifts you up, you just now notice the scenery you were in.
>The ground immediately around you was bathed in the shadows of the deep green canopy above. Vines sprouting corrupted looking blooms and spiny leaves draped from over head, along boughs covered in twisted and blackened bark. There was no grass, only shrubbery rising up and wrestling down the other shrubs, attempting to choke the life out of them. There were still shafts of light breaking through the leaves above, rare as they were, which diffused off of the plants and provided a dim, yet ambient glow to the forest around you, which was enhanced by the sudden end of the forest a few meters away.
>The forest’s end provided a strange disconnect; looking at a complete shift in atmosphere only a little ways off, a near blinding wall of light and life cordoning off this dark and wild land you were in.
>The air was warm and muggy, pushing against every breath you made.
 
>There was no mistake.
>You were in the Everfree.
>Huh.
>Way creepier and jungly than on the show.
 
>”Do you see? Past the treeline, and over there by the big oak.”
>You squint, trying to peer past all the vines and branches coated in darkness.
>Looking into the sun-bathed plains beyond you saw…
>Was that, Discord on the right? Peering down into the shadow beneath the oak on the hill, and there was…
 
>A yellow colored pony.
>That had to be Fluttershy.
>The tension built up inside you eases out, and you take a deep sigh.
>Discord suddenly turns you away from the plains back to himself, and looks offended.
>”Hey now! What is that sigh supposed to mean, eh?”
>Oh no!
“Nothing! It’s just, I was afraid you were taking me straight to Twilight.”
>His expression turns quizzical.
>”Now why would I do something like that? Anypony could see that you were stressed over this. I like to pull jokes, but I’m not stupid, you need a practice run before we move on to the main event.”
>You take another breath, but it does little, as the stench from far off noxious flowers and the muggy heat trapped under the trees threatens to choke you.
>”Oh, you’re still meeting her later today, by the by.”
>Your breath halts.
 
>”Anywhoozle, need to explain a few things to you… While you were walking up and down stairs and ramps the first day, as utterly interesting and devastatingly riveting as it was, I forwent staring at you for literally hours and got a few things done. Including, dropping in on a few friends and… What would the word be? Teasing? Teasing your arrival.”
>Oh!
>So that’s what Discord was off doing then.
>You thought he just got bored.
>That meant he was focused on this project of his, the entire last few days.
>”So, this accomplished several things, most importantly getting the ponies we want the attention of, firmly in our grasp. Once we bring you out, we can do with them as we want or need. Well, that may not make much sense to you I suppose, but think of it like a pickpocket. The reason a successful pickpocket can take a watch off of some person’s arm while talking to them, is because they know how to control a person’s -attention-. You see what I’m getting at?”
>You…
>You think so?
>You roll your eyes up in their huge sockets, and see Discord looking at you expectantly.
“So… We want to be doing something, or stealing something while I get their attention?”
 
>He shifts his jaw around and chews at the inside of his cheek thoughtfully.
>”No, not quite...  The pickpocket was just an example, it’s more, we need these specific ponies to participate. Fluttershy, Celestia, and Twilight in particular, the others, also including Lulu and Candycane come later. We need Fluttershy because she’s our greatest ally, Celestia because she still pulls the strings on Twilight, and Twilight because, well, she’s your target.”
>Alright, that makes more sense, but there was still one thing you weren’t getting…
“Why is Twilight my, ‘target’, and what exactly does that entail? I mean, I’m very grateful for how you saved me, but if it’s something bad, I don’t know…”
>Please don’t take that the wrong way…
 
>”Oh no, she won’t be hurt by our little operation, don’t you worry your tiny head about that. In fact, both I and Celestia, however unwittingly, will intend this to be a learning experience for her. She will become every inch a better pony for this. Honestly Anon, I’ve learned my lesson from the Tirek incident, no more overt double crossing.”
 
…
>You couldn’t help but notice he included the word ‘overt’ there…
>You also couldn’t help but notice that your neck was getting sore from being held up by your head for so long.
 
>”As it turns out, Twilight has once again met my expectations and figured out you’re a colt based on the clues I gave to her and her friends. Oh, I know this because Fluttershy is telling my clone right there, and he, that is my clone, is about to tell her a few things about you, before I introduce you. So! I am going to tell you all of your backstory as I came up with it. So listen, and listen close.”
>He shifts under you and cups you in his paw.
>You feel your ears rotate behind you as you focus on what he is telling you.
>You didn’t need to hear the grave tone as he said for you to listen, you needed to know this.
 
>”You come from an alternate Equestria, one where neither your’s truly or Sun Buns ever came to be. If they ask about ‘your Equestria’ feel free to use details from Earth’s history or current events or fiction or what have you, it doesn’t matter to me. I will pretend total ignorance, I simply popped in, came across you, and was so moved I had to snatch you up from your dreadful conditions and adopt you. But of course, I already told you that part…”
>Wait hold on a second…
“Hold on, adopt me in the backstory or…”
>He quirks an eyebrow at you.
>”But of course? What do you mean… Oh, oh! You were wondering if I was actually adopting you?”
>Your ears involuntarily fold down.
>You mean, it wasn’t like you were… You know…
>This set up, living with Discord was nice. That’s all.
“I mean, well, you never actually said… I don’t think, I was just wondering…”
>He taps a talon on his chin.
 
>”Well, I will leave that up to you. You can keep this strictly professional, but considering I’m eons old in one form or another, you could make the argument that you are a child to me. So whatever you’d like. Alright, now onto the details…”
>W-well, sounded like he didn’t even care. Not that you cared of course.
>Just sort of laissez faire about the whole thing.
 
>”I told them how I actually found you, mostly because I don’t like lying to Fluttershy, but those memories of yours should help you out here. You used to sing and perform for passersbys’ cash, and you lived in an abandoned small warehouse by the market district in an exotic yet primitive and desolate city. Like Detroit, or whatever city name you would like, again, matters not to me. I brought you back to my private dimension where you’ve been staying for the past few weeks, and naturally, you have an intense fear of orphanages from some bad experiences you had while you were a foal.”
>Alright, sounds good, sounds great even!
>You can act more worldly wise than other foals, and it would even help keep you from being placed in an orphanage.
>He pulls your body into his arm more, and tucking you closer, he throws his talon outward.
>”So, since you were an orphan - in the backstory Anon - since you were an orphaned colt who had to sing and perform on the streets to eat, you are so happy I came and adopted you, you will defend your poor ol’ misunderstood pa from all the mean ponies who may want to take you away, right?
>You see him bend down and flash a mischievous smile to you out of the corner of your eye.
 
>You close your eyes and focus.
>You need to get some real emotion to base this character off of.
>Do you want to go back to your old life?
>A rage faintly bubbles inside of you and a quiet, ethereal sense of panic sets in at the mere thought.
>There we go.
>You breathe in and out.
>Opening your eyes, you snap a hoof out, you exclaim, voice cracking,
“Right! I don’t wanna go back to the orphanage! I -won’t- let ‘em take me!”
 
>Hmm, you needed a little more oomph and power in your chest to make it perfect, but over all, that sounded genuine.
>”Oh that’s good, that’s actually very convincing. Yes, do that.”
>Apparently, he approves.
>Your chest swells with warm pride at his compliment.
 
>Just then, you notice the far-off Discord flip backwards into the sky and disappear with a flash.
>”And there I went to go find you and bring you to the picnic…”
>He slaps his tail on the ground, and before you appears a pink door. Wooden floor boards rise up from below, and cream colored walls surround you, mimicking a room in a house.
>He leans against the door frame, and looks up into the lamp above.
>”Feel free to take a minute or so to get ‘into character’ as it were, step through when ready.”
>A vibrant glow emanates from his paw, and several orbs of different colored and vibrating energy flow out. Slowly blinking his eyes, he begins to idly twirl them around and combine a few of them.
 
>Alright, it’s almost showtime.
>You close your eyes.
 
>You slowly breathe in and out, over and over again, focusing your mind.
 
>Acting like a child wasn’t that difficult for you back in the day.
>But that was the problem.
>That was back in the day.
>There was a sort of youthful exuberance and innocence that is associated with a childlike mentality.
How long has it been since you remotely felt anything like that?
>Every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year for the past few years, the world has simply hammered into and beat you.
>How many times have you broken down in the gutter?
>How many times have you limped away from a hideout that another roving pack of homeless took from you?
>How many bones have been broken by that one inner city gang, who always seemed to find you when they had aggression to vent?
>There’s a sort of quiet rage that fills you when you have nothing, when you look up at all the people more successful than you, happy and smiling.
>The worst part is the crushing loneliness however.
>When the whole world is against you, and no one is on your side, and you are sleeping alone in the dark and the cold, that loneliness…
>That does terrible things to people.
>You’ve seen others go completely insane.
>You would say you’ve gone insane, if not for your perfect lucidity here in Equestria.
 
>And there it is.
>You’ve felt that sort of innocent happiness more recently.
>Just sitting down for dinner with Discord, one of your all-time favorite characters, popped off the screen and into three-dimensionality; not just a mere character, but an actual god, much larger and more powerful and alive than you would ever be, or even understand.
>Just looking at the sunlight hitting the tops of the homes of Ponyville, or glinting off of, and glowing from the massive jewel that is Twilight’s home.
>Even just thinking about the fact that Twilight goddamn Sparkle, is alive, and existing in the same world as you, just out of your sight, fills you with an indescribable excitement.
>And being with Discord, as he creates insane wonders and challenges and pushes you during your training.
>Is that?
 
>You wonder…
 
>Is that what having an actual dad is like?
>Someone to provide for and push and support you?
 
>A jumping and lilting happiness dances throughout you at the thought.
>You weren’t stupid; you weren’t going to assume he thought of you as a son, nor should you think of him like a dad.
>For god’s sake, it’s only been around three days, but…
>You liked this.
>You really liked this.
>This is perhaps the best days of your life so far, by no exaggeration.
>Actually you knew what this was.
>Stockholm Syndrome.
>Except he actually saved your life and brought you to the land of your dreams instead of merely kidnapping you.
 
>This settles it, you were going to do your best for Discord.
>He saved your life, and made your dreams come true. Even if he was doing it only for himself, did that really matter?
>He has earned your loyalty.
 
>You focus on that happiness and wild joy that is all too new to you, and you breathe it all in.
>Time to get into character.
 
…
 
>Be you
>Be surprised.
>Be Discord.
>You look down to the deceptively tiny colt in front of you.
>You just saw something so unexpected, even you are speechless.
>To you, acting was controlling all the little expressions and ticks and mannerisms, so you could deceive while staying focused.
 
>Anon just transformed mentally.
>The waves and colors and subtle sounds that emanate from him have begun to change.
>Where before there was these muddled and scarred waves of dark and depressed colors flowing out from him, of maroon and motley brown and stormy grey, and occasionally you would see some golden yellow or passionate red shine when he was in a good mood… Now there was nothing except bright and shining colors, not unlike you would see from the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Not merely happy emotions, but a changed quality of thoughts, to a more simplistic and pure form.
>Few else could conceive this except you, to emphasize…
>Anon just completely transformed the outer layers of his mind. If you extended your vision to peer further inwards you could see the seat of his own consciousness was unchanged, but that was the thing. If you didn’t know what to look for, you would have been completely fooled. You doubt even Chrysalis herself would have suspected a thing.
>And now, you can see, pulsing out and coloring over the purity, almost artistically placed scars and motley and rotting colors.
>He’s remaking the character again, putting the experiences of the street on top to make it genuine.
>You stretch your neck out, looking at his flank for a sign of a cutie mark.
>Nothing, still a blank flank.
 
>What?
>How does he not have an acting cutie mark yet?
>Hmm...
 
>You run your talon through your tasteful goatee.
>One might think that it was because of his origin as a human that prevents his gaining a cutie mark, but you knew better.
>Thinking back to those other worlds where another version and facet of yourself brought a human named Anonymous to Equestria, there was nothing stopping a good majority of them from receiving their marks, and a few of them arriving with a cutie mark attached…
>So then, that leaves a few options.
>Perhaps Anon needs a little bigger push to realize his talent. Or, a more interesting idea, he has another hidden talent, that was pushed to the side and undeveloped because of him pursuing acting as an escape from his life. But option number three was the most likely…
 
>There was something wrong with him or his body.
>You didn’t want to say anything to him, but you could detect a subtle presence and instability in his form while you were preparing him. In reality, the simile you gave him, the one about the gymnast who landed on the balance beam and is wobbling, was complete poppycock. His form should have needed no longer than a couple of hours to fully stabilize without your help, but… Something changed. On a fundamental level, you screwed something up in bringing him over.
>You had a strong idea what did it.
 
>Him being conscious while in the Subjective, which should not have happened in the first place.
 
>There are a number of beings that you personally knew who could manage such a feat, and you could count them on one claw.
>Nevertheless, he now appeared perfectly stable, ever since you spent the better portion of two days corralling and venting and mitigating whatever his condition was.
>His mysterious and unknown condition was so frustrating to you, because even you had no idea what it spelled for him. Whether it would end up killing him, or it would provide some ability, however unlikely as that was.
>Just for perspective, this change in his fundamental existence in this world, it resisted even your formidable powers.
>Yours!
>You can fold the fabric of reality multiple times for crying out loud!
>Just containing and settling this affliction of Anon’s took you the better part of three days, and juggling that with accelerating his physical development in a safe way…
>That wore you out.
>It’s been awhile since that has happened.
 
>”Alright Dad, I’m ready!”
>Hmm, from what you’re seeing, he certainly is.
>You put aside those thoughts for now.
>You would tell him later, especially if anything changes.
>What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.
>You jump up, and place your paw on the door knob.
 
>It’s show time!
 
>Time for little Anon’s debut.
 
...
 
>The wood creaks as the door slowly swings open.
>The light blinds and stings your eyes for a moment.
>As you step forward, you blink your eyes once or twice to wipe away the near imperceptible tears that appeared in your now extremely expressive eyes.
>Soft and dewy grass bends and lays down below the coarse frogs of your hooves, an entirely alien and unsettling sensation..
>You drop it from your mind instantly.
>Your breath stops, and your heart seizes in your chest.
>Right in front of you.
>The
thu
 
Fluttershy.
 
>She was sitting on a classic looking picnic mat, of red and white plaid design, a basket laid to the left, filled no doubt with all sorts of picnic paraphernalia, sat opened but not unpacked.
>The sunlight glistened off of her feathers, and made her soft, buttery looking coat glow. Her mane simply cascaded down her face and neck in long, luxurious strands, which were gently being whisked around by the breeze.
>Her mane looked… She looked… So unbelievably soft, you didn’t even know how hair could look that inviting, like a L’Oreal commercial except real.
>You are, right now, cursing the fact you lack fingers with which to run through her mane.  
>And her face! The tiny yet plump lips offering a gentle smile, a smile meant just for you! The cute little, very boopable snoot! Those eyes like huge, soft, precious stones, shining from the shade under the huge oak tree!
>This is it, this is her.
>You’ve seen various depictions of her for years, and occasionally fantasizing about meeting her, but now…
[spoiler]IT’S FLUTTERSHY IT’S HER, IT’S REALLY HER.[/spoiler]
 
>”And here we are, I think I did a fine job cleaning him up, personally.”
>The door collapses into the ground behind you, and Discord flies up and above you, landing in between you and Fluttershy on your right.
>At his appearance, the enchantment breaks and you remember yourself.
 
>You were here for a reason.
>You quickly close your eyes and breathe while she looks at him.
>Focus Anon, don’t fumble it right out of the gate.
>This was it, the big moment.
>The first day of the rest of your life.
>An energy rushes through your limbs and your heart begins to beat faster. Your stomach turns to jelly and you take in a quick, silent breath of air.
>Crisp and clear, fragranced with the smell of the grass and the oak, sharp with the sunshine, and given life by the vapors of the river off in the distance.
>Alright.
>Go with a delicate greeting, be gentle and unassuming.
>You open your eyes, just as she turns her attention back to you, and step onto the mat, tentatively holding a hoof up as you saw in the show.
 
“H-hi. Miss Fluttershy?”
>Just hearing your own voice...
>Yeah, that was exactly what you wanted, just innocent and unsure enough, the lighter pre-pubescent tones of your voice coupled with a crack or two...
>Absolutely perfect, flawless execution.
>Just what you needed.
 
>She gives you a gentle smile and holds a hoof to her… Actually quite large and fluffy chest tuft.
>”Yes, and you must be Anon. It’s very nice to meet you.”
[spoiler]HER VOICE ITS HER VOICE SHE SOUNDS LIKE FLUTTERSHY ITS FLUTTERSHY OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO[/spoiler]
>Her voice, it’s so soft and gentle!
>How she leans forward and smiles down at you, you feel like one of her little pets! And you are one thousand percent okay with this!
>A massive smile breaks out. You can’t help it, you don’t care!
>This is everything you’ve ever wanted ever!
>You barely note a rhythmic tugging and flexing of your tail.
“Thanks Miss Fluttershy, you’re really pretty!”
>Wait what?
>Well, you mean, she is, but you never meant to say that…
 
>Fluttershy, [spoiler]THE ACTUAL FLUTTERSHY[/spoiler] gasps and titters behind her hoof.
>”And such a charmer!”
 
>You didn’t even care. You barely note she was treating you like you were just a foal, you were just so completely elated and positively ecstatic she liked you.
 
>A sharp and squeaky note peeps out from you, and it snaps you out of your euphoria.
>Did you just squee?
>Was that your first squee?
>And you felt your tail stop moving.
>Was your tail wagging?
 
>Blood rushes to your face, and you capitalize on your unintentioned embarrassment. You dig a hoof on a red square below, bashfully smiling up at her.
>You take care to remove any traces of smugness from your smile.
>Yeah, you’re absolutely nailing this, and you know it.
“Yeah, well, Dad really really wanted me to be polite…”
>”He did?”
>Fluttershy smiles up at Discord, and you do too.
“Yeah, I think he really, really likes you too.”
 
>This is going perfectly!
>Suddenly a strong, vivid image of Discord screaming at you and strangling you with scaleless snakes coming out of his eyes superimposes itself firmly on your mind’s eye. Then, a loud, booming voice echoes through your thoughts.
>’I THINK HE REALLY REALLY LIKES YOU?’
>You fucked everything up! YOU FUCKED-
>Holy shit he was going to destroy you.
>Please no.
 
>Fluttershy giggles and blushes.
>”Is that so?”
>Discord looked as if he was having a panic attack, gripping his chest and taking half a step back.
>”Th-that’s no! Well, I do like you, you’re my friend but-”
>Fluttershy positively guffaws.
>It doesn’t even sound like a full guffaw, it was so much lighter and softer. But it was a guffaw. You had no way to describe it. That was Fluttershy guffawing.
 
>”Don’t worry Discord, I know what he meant.”
>Discord takes a few breaths and half heartedly joins her in laughter.
>His smile doesn’t reach his eyes however.
>Oooooh boy.
 
>”Alright, if we are all done having a laugh, I will finish setting up the picnic.”
>He snaps his talons, and all the things Fluttershy prepared flow out into the air, sandwiches twirling around in the air, waiting for the plate to situate itself, a mismatched tea set appears and begins to serve itself, and napkins and plates take their places underneath the shade of the tree above.
>Fluttershy turns back to you, and with a hoof motions you closer.
>She wants you to be closer to her.
[spoiler]OH HOT DIGGITY YOU WERE SO READY[/spoiler]
>You carefully pick up your hooves, and slowly walk closer, until you arrive just next to her on her right, in between her and the Everfree off in the distance.
>You were carefully watching her reaction for any indication you were getting too close, but none came. Just endless encouragement.
>It still baffled and banished higher thought in you.
>It’s Fluttershy, just sitting there, and behind her, off in the distance...
>Was Ponyville.
 
>Discord stretches and slides down in the air, a pile of cushions appearing on Fluttershy’s left which he leaned on, languidly slithering his body along the perimeter of the picnic.
 
>Good god he was more lengthy than he was on the show.
 
>”So Anon, Discord told me how he brought you back to his private dimension, how do you like it?
>Alright, not a difficult question, just improvise something.
“I really love it! Well, most of the time, I mean, I always have a warm bed now, and lots of books and jungle gyms, and lots of food and I’m clean but…”
>Give details to make it believable. Improvise.
“Sometimes the refrigerator makes me answer riddles if I want a snack, and other times rooms move around, and once the toilet talked to me and that was just weird and made me uncomfortable…”
>You make a show of frowning at the self-serving tea set before you.
>Discord actually takes the time to pipe in.
>”To be fair, Fluttershy, I got rid of Tobias after I found out he could talk.”
>Seems Discord has some improv sensibilities.
>Which is strange, considering the amount of cooperation and consideration that takes.
“Oh, yeah, he did, don’t worry.”
>Nice. This all sounded believable.
>But if there was one thing that you learned in a performance, there was no time to wonder what your audience was thinking.
>Just go.
“It’s weird and sometimes I don’t get him but… I’ve never had a home before. Never had a dad, and…”
>You summon a few more painful memories to fuel the performance.
>You see in your mind when you were carried away in the social worker’s car, seeing your neglectful mother idly walking back into the house, seemingly forgetting you instantly.
>You think back to the times you lay in bed alone in the old orphanage, all alone.
>You bring forward the times you sat alone far apart from the other kids in the elementary school cafeteria.
>All the pain you felt from never really having the one childhood you were given.
>Well, now it was merely the first childhood, wasn’t it?
>You feel a few tears begin to well up in your eyes, cutting off the memories when you think you have enough, and you make a show of blinking them away.
“I have a house, and a dad now, and he can do such cool stuff! And it’s all great, I love it!”
>You offer a genuine smile to Discord, who right now has a blank, contemplative look on his face.
>Just staring at you.
>Alright, not quite what you were expecting.
>You are a little creeped out by this.
 
>”Oh that’s fantastic!”
>Fluttershy gives you a huge, ecstatic smile, and as she says this, Discord’s expression switches from one of intense contemplation to a near exact facsimile of a gentle, touched smile.
>It was good, very good, but you could tell the difference, some muscles on his face were tensed in the wrong proportion.
>What you wouldn’t give to find out what he was thinking.
>He wasn’t mad about the teasing earlier, was he?
>Was this Discord one to hold a grudge?
 
>”Discord, I’m so proud of you!”
>As Fluttershy looks to Discord, his expression makes a split second switch to a more natural and genuine version, and his tail tuft begins to dance around idly like a cat’s.
>So you were right, he was faking that smile.
>”Well, you know, I had to do something-ah!”
>Fluttershy jumps over to Discord and gives him a massive hug around the neck.
>You can see Discord’s smile grow wider, and his bottom lip begin to slightly wobble. He resorts to closing his eyes and gently wrapping his limbs around her.
>The sunlight tenderly peeks through holes in the great bunches of leaves above, and for a few moments there is nothing except the sound of their breathing.
>Is that… A blush on his cheeks?
>You can’t see Fluttershy’s cheeks from here.
>Well, not the ones that are known to blush at any rate.
>You resist the temptation and continue to look at the scene as a whole.
>His tail tuft is even wagging now.
>Just looking at this fills you with a hearty warmth.
 
>Fluttershy leans back and rises back up as Discord lets her go.
>”So Discord, it sounds like you’re doing a great job of caring for him, but where’s he going to go to school?”
>Discord looks surprised for a moment, as do you.
>Wow she switched topics quickly.
>”School? Oh, but why would he need to go to such a boring place like -school-? I can teach him anything he needs to know! I have the knowledge of ages!”
>Huh, his inflection sounded exactly like Discord from the show there…
>Right then, an epiphany dawns in your mind.
>There are two different Discords here!
>Not literally, but figuratively. There was a sort of shift in cadence and body language, subtle to the point that you’ve just now noticed it. When he was watching over your training, he was far more relaxed and casual throughout the day, yet also quietly focused and driven on his current goal. And now, you barely note a shift, to the more grating and aloof personality you knew from the show, the same persona he greeted you with by the bridge, and you are seeing now.
>Not to mention the gentle, cuddly side that was brought out by Fluttershy.
>What other sides were there to him?
>And more importantly,
>Did you want to know?
>Fluttershy, backs up next to you, sitting down on your left and p[spoiler]PLACING A HOOF ON YOUR HEAD SHE’S TOUCHING YOU! SOFT[/spoiler]
…
>She gently frowns at Discord.
>”Discord, young colts need to be social, it’s good for them, I should know. Anon can’t stay cooped up in your private dimension.”
>Oh the pad under her hoof is so soft.
>She’s rubbing your messy black locks now.
>This is heavenly.
>What were you talking about again?
>Something about Discord…
>Whatever.
 
>”Hmm, I suppose you have a point, but here’s the thing…”
>Discord summons a nondescript book in front of you, and the cover and pages begin to turn open to a specific page.
>”Anon, if you would read the passage at the top of the page?”
“I, okay…”
>You look at the page, and…
 
>Oh dear. It’s written in wingdings…
>Why was it that you just now remembered they used a different writing system in the show?
>Of course you wouldn’t be able to read.
 
“I um, I can’t read this…”
>”Oh dear…”
>”Exactly, and it’s no fault of yours Anon, your world had a different writing system! Very similar to ours, same spoken language, same grammatical rules more or less, similar alphabetical set up, but the point still stands. I believe in you... really, if you went to school, you could show up everypony there while still having a great deal of ground to make up. But, it would be irresponsible of me to just drop you off. So Fluttershy, I want him to be tutored, until we can place him somewhere he belongs!”
 
>Fluttershy continues to stroke your mane as the book disappears.
>”Well, I know a couple of tutors here in Ponyville, and Cheerilee will definitely want to help…”
>Discord pops a cucumber sandwich in his mouth and after swallowing it in one, he continues.
>”Oh no no no, sorry, nothing against you or your suggestions of course, but I can’t just have -anypony- control my Anon’s education, considering the state he was in before, I want nothing but the very best for him. The crème de la crème, as it were.”
>Her petting pauses, and she rests a foreleg around your tiny shoulders.
>You slowly and casually lean closer to her.
>She smells like some sort of soft, creamy, flower.
>Oh this is real nice.
 
>”Well, do you have anypony in mind?”
>Discord chuckles.
>”Ah, well I have one or two, but it will take some time to hash out the details as it were, for now, I simply want Anon to enjoy himself and spend some time here in Ponyville.”
>”Well, would you like that Anon?”
>Fluttershy gently prompts you with her hoof, so you look up at her-
>Oh she’s cute.
>Oh gosh darn, you can’t even use cuss words internally when she’s looking down at you like that.
>Her large, gentle eyes gazing at you from underneath her soft, light mane, which was shielding most of her face from the sunlight..
>You barely note that she may or may not have real hypnotic powers.
”Yeah…”
>Focus Anon! Come up with something to say, what would fit the situation?
“I mean, yeah! Well, you know, Dad’s dimension is awesome, but… I think I want to stay someplace nice and quiet, you know, like a break…”
 
>Fluttershy lowers her delicate eyebrows in thought for a moment before gasping.
>”Oh, that’s right! I’m-oh I’m sorry, I should have thought about that, I was just-”
>No! She’s recoiling from you! [spoiler]youU NEED THOSE CUDDLES[/spoiler]
>This hurts you, an almost physical pain stabs you as you see her rapid self-admonishment.
“N-no! It’s okay Miss Fluttershy, Dad said that, that you like to care for ponies a lot, so, you were just thinking about me and my education right?”
>Eugh god, that came out awkward… Not natural at all.
>Keep it together.
>”Well, yes, um, I was. But I should have considered what you’ve been through!”
>Right.
“It’s okay Miss Fluttershy.”
>You summon the vivid memory of sadness, letting it guide your face and movements, only to bring in a manner of faux bravado, so as to give the impression of putting on a brave face.
“I’m kind of used to…”
>Shit what word could you use?
>You still have to strike that balance, between a fully realized intellect and a mere child.
>Make it work Anon!
 
“I’m used to other ponies and griffins and minotaurs being cruel. I’m used to living a hard life. A pony being concerned for me, to the point that they forget something… Isn’t important to me, at all.”
>Not too intellectual, but not talking like foal would…
>You had a theory, that if you continued like this and you quietly got close to Twilight, your quiet peculiarity would compel her to have a han-er a hoof in your affairs.
>That’s what you are aiming for, at any rate.
 
>Just as Fluttershy prepares to take a bite from a cracker, she halts her movement, and instead tilts her head at you.
>She’s thinking something…
>You can’t help but feel a sudden stab of fear.
>What if you screwed that up and you were completely off the mark?
>”You don’t talk like a colt your age… You, hm…”
>You can see Discord raise an eyebrow at you from over his teacup.
>A potential screw up.
>But mostly an opportunity.
>How to sell this…
>You take a sip of the very delicate and sweet tasting tea as you think.
>That’s the stuff right there, anyways...
>You bring up the passion and ferocity with which you flung yourself into acting while in school.
>You fire up the emotion, briefly concentrating on it and intensifying it as you speak. Until it nearly takes you over by the end.
“I don’t know. When other colts and fillies were going to school and playing sports I was trying to eat. I used to raid the library when I could though. It felt like… Like if I could find the right book, I would know why someponies were rich, or maybe find a way to not be a street-rat anymore. Maybe one book would tell me how to escape, so I could eat well and go to parties and maybe learn magic one day. But i never found any books on magic. The priests had those locked away…”
>Alright, so… You were kind of wondering why your mind came up with the bit about the priests, and where that came from, but other than that, alright. The passion you were intending to portray shone through.
>You make a very specific note in your mind and concentrate on it.
>You just implied some sort of either Theocracy or a religious caste in society that jealously guards arcane knowledge.
>You are going to have to expand on that later, as Twilight will probably want to know more.
>You create a mental current around that, sending it off into your memory with the intention of recalling it in a few minutes.
>Repetition is key to memorization.
>At least for most people.
 
>Fluttershy seems to recover and seize on something you said, offering you a smile.
>”Anon, you like books?”
>You just wanted to show how you were a good deal more clever than the average…
>An idea dawns.
>This wasn’t a mere miscommunication, where you wanted to explain away your intelligence, and she thought you just liked books...
>This is another opportunity.
>Hm… Don’t try too hard to seem like Twilight, but you can work with this.
“Yeah, I love reading! Well, I like knowledge mostly, but books are a good way to get that, so…”
>And that was true, you always loved to lose yourself in a good book, and not always necessarily fiction.
>As Fluttershy giggles, Discord’s head rises in recognition, and he winks at you.
>He got what you were going for.
>”That sounds exactly like something one of my best friends would say, you should meet her… Oh! Discord, she could tutor- oh, well she’s pretty busy recently, so I don’t know how that would work out…”
>And Fluttershy confirms that it would work!
>A way to get closer to Twilight!
>You haven’t studied that much since you were flung from college, but it shouldn’t be that hard.
>You had the best grades in most of your classes after all.
>KIddie material will be nothing to you.
>But Fluttershy says that she’s busy, presumably with her new duties.
>Discord better have something planned.
 
>Discord chews on… are those spicy fries? When did he summon those?
>After swallowing, he looks off to the river in the distance.
>Several moments pass, and he seems to have a rush of excitement.
>”Now that, my dear, is a fantastic idea!”
>He suddenly rotates up into a standing position and WOW HE’S TALL.
>Er, and paces at the end of the mat.
>”And truly, what better way for her to solidify all that she’s learned by taking on a pupil of her own? Why, it would complete the cycle, just as she was once Celestia’s prized student, she would have one of her own! And as for her being busy, well, the number of princesses has never been higher! Surely Twilight could take some time off to teach little Anon? Now that you say it, well I couldn’t see anypony else in charge of Anon’s education, certainly nopony else is as trustworthy…”
>Fluttershy swallows what she was chewing on, and asks,
>”Trustworthy? I’m sorry, I don’t see what you’re trying to say.”
>Discord grimaces and looks away. After a few moments, he turns to Fluttershy, now with a more melancholy expression. One that looks fully genuine.
 
>”My dear Fluttershy… You of all ponies know that, I’m not the most valued member of the community… If I chose a pony, say up in Canterlot, or even one here, how would I know they wouldn’t… Try to sabotage things?”
>Fluttershy exclaims, “Sabotage? I know that most ponies don’t… understand you, but I don’t think they would try to sabotage Anon’s education!”
>Discord digs a hoof in the ground behind him.
>”Oh my dear, sweet Fluttershy, that’s not quite what I meant… Now, you’ve heard from Anon that he thinks I’m doing a good job taking care of him, and it’s hard, and I want to do right by him all things considered… But they won’t know that. They may think I brainwashed him, or it’s some trick, or even that Anon, given his… past… wouldn’t know what was best for him. They would try to take him away and place him in some orphanage, and again, given what he’s been through…”
>”You said that before you brought him here, that something happened… What was it? If that’s alright with Anon that is…”
 
>Your cue!
>Before Fluttershy can fully turn around to you, you drop your head, hiding your face behind your mane and focus on bringing up feeling of shame and fear.
>You can see Discord’s shadow stretch towards you.
>He must be leaning over to you.
>”Do you want me to say it Anon?”
 
>You didn’t prepare anything for this, but…
>There is a certain rhythm to a play, or a movie or a story.
>You can’t just blow everything at once.
>If you want to hold their attention, and Discord said that was the goal, you need them to sit and wonder between clues.
 
>Make this one believable.
>You cringe into yourself, wrapping one foreleg around the other, in a show of comforting and ‘subconsciously’ hugging yourself.
“I’d rather… Don’t. Maybe later but, not now… I don’t feel comfortable.”
>Fluttershy gets up and scooches closer to you, wrapping a wing around your body and hugging you with her soft and pliant hoovsies.
>”It’s alright, when you’re ready then. I mean, if you even want me to know.”
>Aw. She’s still so sweet.
“It’s okay, it’s just personal.”
>”Alright then, I’m sorry for prying.”
>You turn and dig your face in near where her wing meets her torso, and hug onto her.
>Weren’t equines supposed to be somewhat bristly?
>How was she so soft and plush and warm?
>You hear Discord move through the air, until his body winds around the two of you on the ground, and his paw begins to softly rub along the top of your head, and scratch behind the ears-
[spoiler]OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH THAT’S GOOD, WOW DOES THAT FEEL GOOD[/spoiler]
>Fluttershy begins to bring you in closer, and leans on Discord, who coils his body slightly tighter around the two of you.
>And you, sitting in the middle, being cuddled by Fluttershy, who’s surrounded by Discord, who is looking down on the two of you.
>Sitting there on the picnic mat, surrounded by cucumber sandwiches and tea, underneath the giant oak tree in the middle of a sunny plain…
>You must make quite the picturesque trio, huh?
 
>This whole Equestria thing, being ‘adopted’ by Discord…
>It’s pretty cool you guess.
>So far.
 
>And by that you meant this was the greatest and most peaceful moment of your entire existence.
>All the stress of meeting Twilight, all the excitement of your first ever conversation with Fluttershy, it all melts away.
>You feel your eyes getting a bit heavy.
>That’s right, you didn’t get enough sleep last night did you?
>You could make it up right now.
>That sounds nice.
 
…
 
…...
 
>You were going to remember something…
>Right, you implied a theocracy or jealous priest caste.
>Gotta remember that later.
>Thanks brain.
>But….
>Now is the time for cuddles.
>And a comfy, warm nap.
 
>End of Chapter 5