After awhile of searching, Fluttershy felt all hope was lost.

"Ohh… We'll never find her! Cadence and Shining Armor will never forgive me!" she starts weeping.

"Hey now, don't give me those water works." gives her a hanky, "You can't give up now."

She wipes her eyes, she tries to give it back, but Discord insisted she keep it.

"You might need it again, in case we really don't find her."

"Ohh…" tears started forming.

"If! I said 'if'!"

Fluttershy's ears perked up then, "Wait… do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That!"

By then Discord could hear it, it was vague, but it sounded like a sheep baaing.

"It's her! I know that baa anywhere!" she flew to the direction the sound was coming from.

He scratch his head to her statement, he was thinking, how could she tell? There's got to be a least a dozen more ewes around the empire.

"Come on, Discord!"

He followed behind to see her stop at a crevice to the ground.

"Oh no!" Fluttershy cried. He saw the little ewe trap in the crevice; it was too deep for the ewe to get out. "Discord, can you-"

Cracking his knuckles, he proclaim, "Way ahead of you!" he snaps his fingers and the ewe was in his arms.

The ewe was a little dazed but upon seeing Fluttershy, she jumped into her arms. Little Lady bleated towards Discord as if thanking him.

Fluttershy did a giggle, "I think she wants you to pet her."

"Uh, that's alright, I'll pass."

"Please…?" she looks at him with pleading eyes, "It'll make her happy."

"Ugh…" using his paw he quickly pats her.

"Oh, you can do better than that." takes his paw, and moves it to gently stroke the wool. He had to admit, it was really soft, and he felt he could keep on stroking forever, but then remind himself not to get in too deep here.

"Well, I'm done; shall we send the little ewe back where it belongs?"

"Yes, let's do that."

When nearing the edge of getting into the empire, Discord quickly transform into his disguise. "Admit it, you like it better when I'm like this." twitching his eyebrow at her.

"I like it better when you're you."

"You're kidding, right?"

"No, I'm not! No pony should pretend to be something they're not."

"Oh, you're one to talk; you were a model for quite some time!"

She stops dead in her tracks, "How… how do you know that? You were stone during that time!"

"My dear, you think I wouldn't do research on my newest friends? And I must say, Fluttershy; you got the best resume around! Well, next to Twilight's, with her turning princess and all… But you certainly had obstacles in your way a lot! Shall I compile a list?"

"No, you shall not!"

"The point is, you've done things by not being yourself."

"Yes, but I learned since then I shouldn't have to, and neither should you…"

"Fine… but in the meantime, its best I hide my magnificent self from the Crystal Ponies and the rest of our friends, since they'll think I'm up to no good just like Rainbow Dash."

"You do have a point…"

"But of course I do! I'm 100% right all the time!"

She raised her eyebrow in doubt.

"90%?"

She still had her eyebrow raised.

"80%?"

Still had the eyebrow up.

"Most of the time?" he shrugs.

"Close enough."

They set the ewe back in the stall, and Fluttershy locked it up tight.

"There, now there's no way for you to get out."

"Sure hope those little brats don't try again to get you out of the running."

"What little brats?"

"Shoot! I forgot to tell you! Those prissy little ponies from Pony-Ville kicked the stall open so the ewe can get out so she wouldn't compete in time!"

She gasps, "Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon? Wha… why would they do that?! They could have really hurt Little Lady!"

"Don't worry, I got them good with a chocolate rain cloud pouring on them!" he laughed, "Oh that was good!"

"You what?!"

"Relax; once I had come to save you the rain cloud disappeared, I just wanted to teach them a lesson."

"Oh, Discord… as much as those girls should have been punished, chocolate rain is not the way to handle it… but…"

"But?"

"I'll let it slide for the time being, since those girls can be so nasty…" then she gave a quick wink, surprising him.

Just then Discord's stomach gave out a huge growl, then Fluttershy's did the same.

"Hungry?" he asks.

"Very, I think it's because we skipped lunch."

"What could have caused that? Must have been the three furiorious fire-breathing dragons we had to face."

"Sorry…" slightly turning red.

"Nonsense! Like you had any idea that would happen!"

"But I should make it up to you… you did after all saved my life…" thinking quickly, "And I know how! Follow me!"

The sun was nearly setting when he follows her to the Apples' restaurant.

"Ah, good idea, my dear, a perfect place to get some dinner."

"Yes, but not inside… this way…" taking him to the back of the restaurant, there she knocks on the back door, "Now turn back."

"What?! Are you crazy?!"

"It's okay, I trust Apple Jack to keep this between us."

"Okay… but don't say I didn't warn you." he morphs into his regular self.

AJ opened the door, "Fluttershy? And… Discord?! What are you doing here?!"

"Nice to see you too…" he pouted.

"It's alright Apple Jack; Discord's not doing anything to the fair. Today in fact, he saved me from huge rogue dragons."

"Did someone say dragon?" Spike shows up at the door wearing a heart apron. "What the- Discord?! What's he doing here?!"

"Well, I could ask the same question to you, what are you doing in that ridiculous apron?" guffawing away.

"Is it true? You saved her from some mean dragons?" Apple Jack asks.

"What?" wipes a tear away from laughing too hard, "Oh yes, yes, I did! Now honestly, Apple Jack, I thought of you as a better pony than that! You think I'd let the friend I had since day one of my reformation be in danger like that?! As if!"

"So as a reward for rescuing me, I want him to have a dinner where he can be himself…"

He stares at her in bewilderment, "You mean… all this is for me to shed my camouflage? Where I can be myself around you?"

"Yes… my rescuer shouldn't have to hide in the shadows. I want him to be proud of what he did as the draconequus he is…"

Discord was flabbergasted, so was Apple Jack and Spike. Finally AJ broke the silence by saying, "So, um, what would you like to have then? Hey, Spike, help me set a table."

With a determined look on his face, Discord wanted to impress this pony before him more than anything now. "Allow me." snapping his fingers, a table with a checker table cloth on it appear with candlelight.

"Okie-dokie, here are tonight's specials, Apple Crisp, Apple Strudel, Apple Fritters, Apple Turnover, Apple Pie-"

"Apple Pie will do." said Discord, "Just make sure it has a big dollop of whip cream on top!"

Giving them the pies, she asks, "How about some music while you eat?" takes out an accordion and begins to play, then Discord interrupted.

"Oh come on now AJ, surely there's something else you rather play. Polka is so old hat!"

"Hmm, well, I do have one other option." gets out a banjo, and starts playing it softly.

Spike joined her with a spare fiddle they had in the restaurant. The music sounded similar to a rendition of Bella Notte country-style. This gave Discord an idea and snap on cowboy wear.

"Come on, Flutters! Dance with me!" offering his hand.

"Oh… I don't know… I don't dance much."

"Oh, come now, it'll be just you and me." takes her hoof and leads her into a square dance.

"Hee-haw! Now that's the way to do it!" Apple Jack cheered.

Finishing the dance, Discord removes the attire and digs into the apple pie. Realizing his behavior in front of a refined pony, he stops. Fluttershy, however, digs into her pie, causing a challenge to see who can eat faster. This surprised AJ and Spike, but let it go for now and went back into the kitchen. Discord won the pie eating contest, but by being a good sport, he summons up a single rose and puts it in her mane, causing her to blush.

With it being nighttime now, and most of the Empire asleep, they walk around the streets with lamps lighting to keep the Empire shining even in the dark. They admired the scene, then moved to a meadow just outside the area. Fireflies were blinking around, their lights reflected into Fluttershy's eyes, causing a smile to play on his lips. Using his claw magically, he rearranged the fireflies into a heart with a crossbow through it. Feeling touched by the sight, she takes his paw and holds to her face as he moved his fingers through her soft mane. That reminded him of the ewe's soft wool when he touch it, never wanting to stop.

They couldn't help but gaze into each other's eyes. Then he gave a wink and hints at her to chase him. She smiled and flew after him, playing a few rounds of tag. Both tumble over at one point when she tried to catch him. He landed on his back while she landed on top of him. They both blushed when meeting face to face, then she started tickling him, he in return used his tail to get back at her. When both felt tired of playing, she cuddled up to his neck slowly falling asleep to his warm fur. His eyes droop as he looks at the sweet thing next to him, placing his face to hers. Before falling asleep a final thought occurred to him, that he would do anything to protect the pony he loves…

AN: A birthday present to myself and you. Since I really love this chapter.