Title:           Discord Quest 5
Author:          Phobetor
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/0dGqAqbA
First Edit:      Monday 27th of February 2012 08:55:10 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Monday 27th of February 2012 08:55:10 PM CDT

You wake up in the early hours of pre-dawn. Bakers are notoriously early to rise so your day has to begin extra early.
 
From upstairs you can make out the soft, gentle snores of the sleeping Fluttershy. Sky is beginning to lighten and birds are beginning to sing. If you are to do this, you will need to be quick.
Carefully moving up the stairs so as not to make a sound, you enter Fluttershy's room and stand over her bed.
 
Reaching out, you gently shake the yellow mare's shoulder. "Rise and shine, my little pony. We've got a lot of baking to do and little time to do it."
 
Fluttershy mumbled and rolled over, her eyes slowly opening. Upon registering you, she squeaked and pulled the covers up to her chin. "Um, could you give me a couple minutes?"
You decide to wait outside the house for her. Better safe than sorry, Flutteryshy wouldn't be able to help you if she wasn't there with you.
 
She soon emerges, short mane brushed and ready to go. Smiling, she nods towards the town. "This is a big step. Are you ready to do this?"
You manage to procure a cloak by altering some nearby empty canvas bags and don it. A little bit of shapeshifting and anyone not looking closely would mistake you for another run of the mill pony. You also apply a slight variation of your usual invisibility charm. Rather than becoming completely invisible, it causes the observing eye to want to ignore you. It has something to do with making others believe you are somebody else's problem, but you've never been too keen on the specifics.
 
Fluttershy at your side, the two of you move quickly into Ponyville and head for the bakery. You reach it in record time and it seems to still be dark inside.
Popping the lock and sneaking back into the kitchen with Fluttershy, you remove your cloak and locate the ingredients. A person who's lived as long as you have learns some killer recipes over the years.
 
Using your magic to be careful to mask any noise, you begin levitating ingredients through the air, smashing them into each other and making delicious pastries. Cakes, pies, muffins, tarts, donuts, danishes, cupcakes, brownies, cookies and more! Some of the dishes you end up with are things Equestria hasn't seen in centuries. Soon the kitchen is filled with delicious aromas and tasty treats to delight the senses.
 
Fluttershy, who had been looking on all this time in awe, walked up to you and smiled. "I think that's more than enough to get them through the day, what do you think?"
 
You almost respond when you hear a knock at the front door and hooves descending the stairs.
 
"Anypony home?" Twilight's muffled voice sounds from in front of the shop.
"I... I don't think I'm ready," you whisper.
 
Fluttershy turns to you and frowns. "But Discord... you said you could do this."
 
"With the Cakes, maybe. Twilight is another story," you reply, choosing your words carefully. "She'd be the first pony to report me to the Princess given the chance. Do you think you could keep her occupied while I slip out the back until she's gone?"
 
Fluttershy thinks for a moment and nods reluctantly. "I don't like lying to my friends, but you're right."
 
Taking that as your cue, you don your cloak and quickly open the back door, stepping outside just as a bleary eyed Mr. Cake comes down the stairs.
 
Breathing a sigh of relief, you stick close to the door to listen in on the conversation.
 
"Halt, citizen, a voice calls from the alley. Turning to look, a guardsman is making his way towards you from down the alley. "What were you doing in there? Up to no good?"
 
You can hear voices from inside, a surprised Twilight and Mr. Cake inquiring about the sudden appearance of all the baked goods in the kitchen.
Moving a couple steps away from the bakery, you begin to exert your influence on the pegasus' emotions.
 
"Well officer, I'm here with Fluttershy. We had heard about all the trouble that happened here yesterday and decided we'd come in early and throw a party for Pinkie Pie to help cheer her up. Part of that plan was to bake a bunch of sweets to replace the one's that went bad." You smile and gesture with one of your 'hooves.' "We just finished up, actually. I'm waiting out here while Fluttershy has a talk with the Cakes. Honestly we'd have been happy to do all of this during normal hours, but you know how hard it is to keep a surprise from Pinkie Pie."
 
The guard's eyes narrowed. "I am an officer of the Equestrian Guard. I spent two years under the kingdoms greatest military minds training to be the best I can be. Part of that training was to detect when I am being toyed with. I didn't enlist yesterday, colt. Stop playing with my head."
 
Stepping forward, the pegasus guard flared his wings. "I'm going to have to ask you to come with me."
"No, really. Fluttershy is right inside. I'm sure she'll be out any moment now and you can ask her yourself."
 
The guard nodded. "Very well the. If Fluttershy is in there, I'll go in and talk with her to confirm. And you will come with me."
Sighing, you agree to follow the guard back into the shop. You make sure to pull the cloak tight around you and keep the guard between you and the other ponies present.
 
"I caught this stallion slipping out the door, says he's a friend of yours," the guard said to Fluttershy after grabbing her attention.
 
The yellow pegasus squeaked when her eyes landed on you and nodded. "Y-yes, he helped me bake the goods."
 
The pegasus guard took a glance around the kitchen at all of the assembled pastries. "Very well then, looks like your story checks out," he tells you in an authoritative tone. "You are free to go."
 
"Hold on a minute," Twilight speaks up. "All of this is pretty incredible, I think we should all at least thank the pony responsible for giving the Cake's such a helping hoof."
 
Mr. Cake nods in agreement, smiling as he walks over to you with his hoof extended. "We sure do appreciate all the help, Mr...?"
"Harps Accord," you mutter, keeping your face turned away from Twilight and shrouded in the cloak. "You're welcome." Leaving Mr. Cake's offered hoofshake, you turn to leave. "I have somewhere else I need to be."
 
"Well, Mr. Harps Accord," Twilight speaks up from behind you, "welcome to Ponyville and thanks for your help. I'm sure Pinkie Pie will give you a spectacular party for all your hard work. Do you mind if I ask where you live?" The purple unicorn begins following you out the door.
"I'm not actually from Ponyville, just passing through" you grunt out from between clenched teeth. You had forgotten how persistent this unicorn could be. "I'm a Cloudsdale pegasus, originally."
 
"Oh, that explains how you know Fluttershy I guess." Twilight pondered for a moment. "You know, since you're here I guess I could show you around town, if you like. I may not know everypony as well as Pinkie Pie, but I can show you the highlights. It's the least I could do after how you helped out at the bakery."
"I'm sorry, but I really do have to be somewhere. Another time perhaps," you politely brush Twilight's offer aside.
 
"Okay... well, see you around I guess," Twilight replies, a tinge of disappointment in her voice. Turning back in the direction of the bakery, she trotted off. "It's supposed to get pretty warm this afternoon, I wouldn't keep that cloak on much longer if I were you," she called over her shoulder.
 
Finally, you've rid yourself of her.
"What's the matter?" you ask, concern entering your voice. "Did everything go okay? Did they like the sweets?"
 
"The sweets are wonderful..." Fluttershy mumbled.
 
"Then what's wrong?"
 
Fluttershy whimpered and her eyes began to water. "Twilight... she asked me about you. I mean, about Harps Accord."
"And?" you ask, a cold edge creepng into your voice. "What did you tell her?"
 
"I told her you were a friend that helped me take care of animals when I first came here," Fluttershy began. "She... she said that's not what you told her and... oh I just felt so bad for lying to her. I can't lie to my friends, Discord, I just can't. I... I told her about you. I told her who you are."