Discord wasn't a fan of swimming. Even though he could swim perfectly fine, he hated the way the water moved around his long body, and it was still just as tiring now as it was when he first went swimming. He would never have agreed to go swimming as a leisure activity, except...

This time, he had someone do it for.

And who would've though that the Element of Kindness would be such an excellent swimmer?

"Hey! Discord, it's not fair if you use your magic!"

The draconequus pushed his palms forward again, sending another wave of water over the pegasus. "Who said I was using magic? Maybe I'm just incredibly strong."

Fluttershy clawed her sodden mane out of her face, spitting a strand out of her mouth. "Do your wrists tend to have the strength to create a tsunami?"

He paused. "Of course."

She laughed, then ducked her head under the water. This was barely acknowledged by Discord before he too was tugged under.

When he opened his eyes, Fluttershy was giggling with her mouth closed, sending hurricanes of bubbles out through each nostril. She peddled herself around Discord, watching with a grin as he twirled his gaze after her. The moment she had sone a full loop around him, she held his hands and used all six of her limbs to propel herself up to the surface.

The mare was weighed down by Discord, so she barely got half of her wings out of the water.

As she bobbed up and down, slowly steadying herself, he eased her nearer. He grinned as she looked up at him and slinked his tail out of the water so his body was horizontal. The pegasus was caught in the middle, so she ended up lying belly to belly on the draconequus.

She locked eyes with him for a moment, then dragged her eyes down to the water, taking her body with them.

She made a subtle splash when she went under and planned to curve back up to the surface. However, she was hauled out of the water again by her tail.

Her black pupils met with red ones again as she dangled, water dripping from every inch of her body. "Didn't you...didn't you want me to get off?" she asked.

He laughed and propped himself up on his free arm, treating the water as a solid surface. "No, of course not. Why would you..." His eyes widened. "Wait...oh, I get it now!"

"Get what?"

"You really are optimistic, you know that? It's kinda admirable."

Fluttershy smiled gratefully. "Yes, well...I mean, thank you, but...I still don't know what you mean..."

"You think we're going to get free, right?" Discord arched an eyebrow.

She nodded slowly. "I would assume so, as you promised me you would search for a way, didn't you?"

He blinked and processed the question. "Oh, of course!"

"Alright. What are you getting at?"

"You're worried your coltfriend will get jealous if he finds out!" he declared, poking her in the chest and making her swing a little.

"What? I --"

"Or marefriend? Sorry, I'm not psychic."

"Discord, I don't have a coltfriend."

"Ah. So you have a marefriend!" He stroked his beard. "Who is it? Rarity?"

"Di --"

"Or Rainbow Dash? In which case, we may have to seriously reconsider the concept of you being my Rainbow Dash."

"No, it's --"

"Wait, is it Pinkie? No, no! It's Applejack, right?"

"DISCORD!"

He jumped, dropping her into the water again. After a gurgled yelp, she resurfaced and said, "Discord, I don't have a special somepony, full stop."

"What?!" he exclaimed. "You're kidding!" He looked at her jokingly, earning a serious stare back as he helped her back onto his stomach.

"You aren't kidding," the draconequus whispered, eyes incredulous. The pegasus gave a sheepish smile and he stroked her cheek with his thumb.

She sighed. "I don't have a special somepony. I-I never have, not really...I wish I did, but I just haven't met the one yet."

Discord ran a claw through her mane and pulled her into a hug. "That's just completely stupid. You are a wonderful mare." He felt something wet against his fur; tears. "Shhh, now. Don't cry." She sniffed. "You know what? That'll be our first task as friends when we get out."

"Wh-what will?"

"Finding that one special, lucky stallion slash mare." He kissed the top of her head, hard. "I'm certain they're out there, somewhere."

"Discord, did you say 'slash mare' just so that statement would rhyme and therefore make you sound insightful?"

He hesitated. "No..."

Fluttershy giggled and nuzzled him. "What makes you think that special somepony will be lucky? I've only ever come across one pony with a luck symbol as their cutie mark, and she was really mean to me...w-why are you laughing?" She sat up and stared at the draconequus in confusion.

"I'm not saying that luck will be their destiny, my dear." He paused to compress his hysterics and stroke her hair, which was surprisingly dry.

It was also surprising how smooth Fluttershy's mane was, despite her having not cared for it in over a week. The locks of pink were soft as silk, the sort one could caress for hours and not get tired of its texture. There was so much of it as well, not the thin and wispy strands his own hair was made out of.

He weaved his claws through her mane, positioning his wrist low enough so it was tickled as he ran his hand back in a circular motion. His talon moved slowly, cautious of the tangles that could potentially hurt the mare.

"I'm saying they'll be lucky to have somepony as amazing as you as their marefriend."

She blushed and looked into his eyes. Her heart, that had already quickened in pace started sprinting like it was racing towards a goal.

Fluttershy placed her hoof on his talon to stop it moving, then slowly brought it downwards. He held it tenderly, in a way that caused her eyes to close for a moment.

In that moment, everything felt right, like she was suddenly back home again and she wasn't missing her friends to death or feeling desperately homesick despite her efforts.

Like she wasn't putting on a brave face so she and Discord could be friends instead of her weeping all the time.

Like she wasn't confused about whether she should be hating or liking Discord, since she doubted he was actually searching for a way to get them out of there and not just lying his way into her good graces.

However, when she opened her eyes again, she didn't - couldn't feel anger.

Because he was smiling that wonderful, goofy smile that she wished he would wear twenty-four-seven.

Because he was looking at her like she was the only thing precious to him, holding her hoof like he never wanted to let go.

And I didn't want him to, she realised. It didn't bother her that all this was his fault, nor that he wasn't making an effort to fix it.

Guilty though she felt to admit it, she didn't care about that.

But one thing was certain: she cared about him.

"Angel, ugh - hold still!"

The bunny kicked some dust into Applejack's face, causing her to cough. The earth mare continued to tackle his tail, her hooves fumbling at the half-dozen rollers curled up tightly in them.

Angel yelled something that Applejack couldn't completely understand, but she was able to tell that it was rude nonetheless.

"Don't ya go shoutin' at me, mister. Ah ain't the one who wound the rollers so darn tight!" She glared at Pinkie Pie, who was leaning on an empty apple crate and staring at the barn, where Cheese was introducing himself to the rest of the Apple family. She was muttering things to herself, things Applejack could not make out.

"Hold still, now, sugarcube...ugh..." She pawed at them repeatedly, her patience hurriedly pestering out. Under her breath, she whispered, "Ah don't even understand why ya need these dang things to get yer dang tail so dang fluffy. It's not like that's gonna fix our problems...AAGHHH!" she raised her voice. "Stuff this. Pinkie, get yer flank over here and untangle this gosh darn mess!"

Pinkie replied in a distracted demeanour, "Mmmm...hmmm? Oh!" She trotted over and spun the rollers out with a single hoof, Angel's tail making an audible poof as it fluffed out in every direction.

The bunny hopped away without uttering anything as thanks. "Ugh, you're welcome," Applejack murmured, scowling. "Now, Pinkie, can y'all go and round up the critters, so we can..."

"Do you need a form to be a certified party pony? I don't have a form. He has a form. Why don't I have a form?"

"Pinkie..."

"I mean, it's not as if he was the original party pony! Oh no! That was me. And all of a sudden, he just waltzes into town, claiming that he's Equestria's best party planner!"

"Sugarcube..."

"With all his fancy schmancy modern-day party stuff, and his technical party terms and his Cheesey Sense..."

Pinkie jerked out of her rant the moment Applejack bucked the tree she was leaning against, causing shudders to course throughout her body and apples and leaves to rain down upon her. She gazed up at the farm mare, looking slightly disorientated.

"Pinkie Pie, Ah love ya, but can y'all shut up for just a moment?!" she deadpanned. "If y'all are jealous of Cheese Sandwich, then don't -"

"I'm not jealous of Cheese," Pinkie interrupted behind gritted teeth. "Why in Equestria would I be jealous of him I'm not jealous of Cheese I mean it'snotlikeheposesathreattomyreputationohnothat'snotitit'smphmmmm."

Applejack held her hoof firmly over the pink mare's mouth. "Do ya really think that Cheese would ever replace you? You're his idol, Pinkie. Ah don't think he'd have the heart to do it, if ya ask me."

Pinkie tilted her head in a way that said, 'Well, when you put it that way...'

"And besides," Applejack continued, grinning and removing her hoof, "if yer jealous of him, you'll never get close enough to marry."

The moment after she spoke the last word, water sprayed over her and Pinkie sounded as if she was blowing a raspberry. When AJ looked up, she saw that the mare had apparently been drinking a glass of water and then spat it out in surprise.

The non-soaking-wet earth pony exclaimed, "Applejack! How did you know I thought he was cute?!"

"Ah was talkin' about earlier when..." She blinked. "Wait...y'all think Cheese is...cute?!"

She nodded slowly. "I-in the handsome way, yes. He could be considered adorable, but I think the former is more significant."

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds, then Pinkie broke it, "B-but that doesn't mean anything, because I think everypony's cute."

"Ah-huh."

"I do! I think you're cute."

Applejack blushed. "A-Ah am not!"

Pinkie chortled. "You're so silly, Applejack. I swear, you just might be the silliest pony I've ever met."

"Aside from Cheese Sandwich?"

"Silliest mare."

"Yourself?"

She paused. "I've never met myself, Applejack. Well, I mean we could hypothetically go to the pool of mirrors and make a duplicate of me, but then that duplicate might go and make more duplicates, and those duplicates might make more duplicates, and before you know it I won't be able to tell if I'm the real Pinkie or not!"

Applejack stared at her as she gasped for breath, trying to make sense of what Pinkie said. She shook her head. "Them critters need feedin'. Feel like helpin', or are ya just gonna stand there and babble nonsense for the rest of the day?"

Pinkie tapped her chin in thought. "Actually, I could go and make just one duplicate, which would make this a whole lot ea -"

"Just go and get Cheese, please?"

"Oki-Doki-Loki!" She started bouncing down the hill. "That rhymed, y'know!"

"Ah, know, Ah know," the earth mare muttered, rolling her eyes and turning to look over her orchard for signs of any loose animals scampering about.

Pinkie hummed a random improvised tune as she bounded over to Cheese, who had started wandering the orchard. It took her next to no time to find him.

"Oh! Hello there, Pinkie! Y'know, I was just looking for you!"

"Oh really?!" she exclaimed. "That's funny, because I was just looking for you! We're so..." Her happy face fell into a scowl. "Similar..." she growled, narrowing her eyes.

"Huh? You alright?"

She pressed a threatening hoof to his chest, eyeing him closely. "Are you planning something, Mr. Cheese Sandwich?"

"Wha -?"

"You're not thinking of taking my place as Ponyville's pink pony party planner by dying your poofy mane and coat pink, are you?!" Her eyes narrowed even further.

He laugh nervously and gulped. "Of course not, Pinkie! Why would I wanna do that? I wouldn't even be able to do half the job you do, even if I tried."

She narrowed her eyes so much that they squeezed shut. "Am I supposed to buy that explanation, Mister Innocent-Pants?"

He grinned sheepishly, a head of sweat forming on his brow.

"Oki-Doki-Loki!" She beamed, watching intently as he sighed in relief. Pinkie promptly started giggling. "You were so scared."

Cheese joined in the laughter. "Yeah, well...you looked pretty serious, Pinkie. And plus I can't help it if I'm nervous around you."

"You nervous around other animals?"

"No, not at all!"

"Then come help feed some!" She grabbed him by the leg and sped back up the hill without another word.

Author's Notes:

Don't know why, but I felt little to no motivation when writing this chapter, which is why it took long even though it's short. I'm sorry! I promise, the next chapter is loooooooong and feeeeelsAAAAY!