Fluttershy & Discord - Hades & Persephone

[ynomrah]

One would think that being immortal meant immortal patience as well. But this was not the case, nor would it even be again, now that she'd made an unknowing yet last impact upon his dark soul. He had to have her, and had to have her now, before any other unworthy wretch finally realized her grace and beauty. Her opinion never factored into his desires.

Now he was watching her in the sunlight, his claws digging into the trees as he hid in the shadows. If he merely appeared, he'd scare her off, so he needed to lure her into his grasp. But by all of his stalking, he knew her well enough to guess what would serve as a distraction.

With one snap of his figured, two darling, adorable little butterflies began to float about, making their way towards the damsel soon to be in distress.

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[ynomrah]

He continued to fondle her wings, frowning but intrigued. "I will have to go with you, you know... To make sure this isn't an escape attempt. Now then, what is this mystery item? It had better be worth my while."

[shiningkindness]

She nodded. "Of course. It's at my house, so we can go there."

She hesitated a moment, suddenly looking a bit embarrassed as she glanced away.

"W-Well, it...I-I'm...not sure if you would think it's worth it, but..." She rubbed her arm a bit, trying to think of the best way to put it. "I...have this little handkerchief that one of my animal friends used to wear...a brown little rabbit named Cinnamon. She was one of the first animals that I took care of."

She sighed softly.

"And the first of my animal friends to pass."

[ynomrah]

Discord pulled back in surprise. A handkerchief belonging to a dead pet? She considered that worth far more than her own wings?

He walked around to face her, studying her, his claws on his chin. "...You continue to surprise me." he finally said. "But I don't think you have the ability to lie. Or at least lie well." He clicked his tongue.

"... Very well, then we have an agreement. I will give you your freedom, and in exchange, you will hand over this... handkerchief."

[shiningkindness]

She was, of course, completely serious. And with a soft sigh, she nodded.

"All right."

It wasn't...a good feeling really, even with getting to go home. But it was a bit of progress.

[ynomrah]

Discord snapped his fingers, and a pair of doors that weren't there two seconds ago opened, revealing golden stairs going upwards.

"You have one day to come back to the forest and give me this handkerchief. But if you don't... I will find you." He smirked with smugness, rubbing his forefinger and thumb together, creating sparks. "Don't think I can't. There's nowhere in the world you can hide from me. And if I find out that you broke your deal, not only will I take you back down here, I'll remove every memory you have of the outside world. And no amount of pretty pleases and adorable eyes will set you free."

[shiningkindness]

She sucked in a breath, her heart pounding in her chest. But swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded.

"I-I...I understand. I'll come back."

Then turning to the staircase, she slowly released another breath before heading up.

[ynomrah]

At the very least, Discord was keeping his end of the deal. He made no attempt to stop her, and there was no magic to trip her or block her path. Instead, he just watched her silently. If she dared turn back, his face would continue to wear the menacing smirk of a villain.

... But his eyes would have a haunting sadness, a doubt that she'd return at all.

[shiningkindness]

She did look back, if only for a moment once she was already at the top of the stairs. And she hesitated just a bit, before continuing on her way home.

As soon as she reached her house, she sent a message to her friends, letting them know of the situation but asking them not to interfere. This was something she wanted to see through herself.

After finding a way for her animals to be taken care of, she spent the rest of the remaining day with her friends, assuring them that she was all right. Then the evening came, and she took care of the animals before going to sleep in her bed.

Come the morning, though, she was up as early as always, once again feeding and caring for the animals as she always did. But when that was finished, she retrieved the handkerchief she said she would bring.

And soon she returned to the forest where the door had been before, waiting.

[ynomrah]

Silence stretched onward, but eventually his voice echoed throughout the forest - but unlike the first time she heard it, when his tone had been dark and nearly alluring, this was with a childlike wonder.

"You came back."

Yellow eyes glowed from one tree, but he stayed in the shadows, claws digging into the trunk. Sure, he had threatened her, but a large part of him believed she would never return, or she'd bring those friends of hers to try and defeat him, or... a million other scenarios. Keeping her word hadn't been one of them.

[shiningkindness]

She jumped a bit, glancing around. When she didn't see him she turned, a curious expression on her face as she looked for him.

"I...said I would, didn't I?"

[ynomrah]

"... Indeed you do." He slithered down the tree, quietly touching the ground.

"But I did not think you would keep your word. Perhaps... I have been wrong about other things too."

[shiningkindness]

Turning again, she watched him as he descended, though was a bit confused by what he meant.

Then, as she glanced down, she remembered the handkerchief she was holding. And slowly walking up to him, she held it out for him to take.

It was a sky blue handkerchief, folded in a small, neat rectangle. On one side, the name "Cinnamon "was stitched in brown, with a stitched carrot at the end of the name.

[ynomrah]

Discord took his time to reach out and take the unusual offering. He held it up, examining it from every angle. By all means, it was just a common handkerchief, there was nothing magical about it, nor could it have been sold for thousands of bits. It was just cloth - and yet somehow it meant the world to her.

He 'hmph'ed, more annoyed at himself than at her. He began to wrap it around his long neck. "A deal is a deal. I may be chaotic, but I do not break promises. I will, never again, force you into my company."

[shiningkindness]

Watching him for a moment, she frowned.

"...Don't you remember the rest of our deal?"

[ynomrah]

Discord waved his hand, suddenly having marionettes of himself and Fluttershy playing underneath his fingers.

"Something about giving this big bright world of yours a chance, if I recall...?"

[shiningkindness]

She nodded. "Yes that...and also that I would visit you in your world. Remember?"

[ynomrah]

'Which you can't do, not on your own."

A flourish of his hand, and suddenly the puppets were gone, replaced with a single golden key.

"With this, you will be able to enter my world, no matter where you are. All you have to do is see the door with your mind..."

[shiningkindness]

Holding her hand out, she carefully took the key, looking at it in surprise.

Then, looking back up at him, she smiled brightly, the first real smile since they had met.

"Thank you."