The Return of Harmony Part 1
Zach Lanson and Hasbro presents…
Youtube: watch?v=al92jBsRzbI: -Main music-
The land of Equestria filled with peace and prosperity while the capital city of it all sits on the side of the mountain standing proudly above the land and watches the land from the heavens. One small town however is one of the most unique because it holds a story leading to Canterlot. This is that story.
"Morning in Ponyville
The town awakes to the bells of Canterlot
The fisher pony fishes
The baker pony bakes
To the bells of Canterlot
To the big bell as loud as the thunder
To the little bell as soft as a sum
And some say that their hearts are soothing by the bells
The bells of Canterlot!"
A colt sang in a puppet stage cart wearing a colorful blue and red jester outfit with young fillies and colts approaching the cart curiously.
"Listen, oh they're beautiful, no? So many colors of sound, so many changing moods. Because you know, they weren't always there." the jester said.
"They weren't?" he pulls out a puppet and speaks in a high ventriloquist voice.
"No, silly boy. Up there, high, high in the mountains of Canterlot, are bells dedicated to a boy. Who is this boy?" the jester asked.
"Who?" he repeated as the puppet.
"What is he?"
"What?"
"Why are they dedicated to him?"
"Why?" as a joke the jester slaps the puppet with a stick making the kids laugh.
"Hush! Le Squire will tell you. It is a tale. A tale of a boy… and a monster." the jester said in a devious voice.
[Le Squire]
"1000 years ago is where we begin the tale
Near Canterlot."
The story begins with four ponies wearing cloaks approaching the outskirts of the capital city in a wagon with one of them pulling. One of them a mare nearly drops the sack containing something valuable in it but manages to hold on to it.
"Careful, will you!" another pony warned silently.
"They're our last hope!" the third colt pony reminded.
"Sorry." the mare apologized.
[Le Squire]
"Four frightened ponies slid silently under the gates
Near Canterlot."
Soon the four ponies got off the cart with it's precious cargo in Canterlot.
"Alright, let's get these to the princess." the cart puller said. But suddenly a beam of magic hit's the cart surprising the four. They looked at their attacker and see three deformed pony like monsters with all sorts of animal parts weather it be bear claws, horse hooves, lion paws, deer and goat antlers, dragon and pegasus wings, and pony heads with threatening looks on their red eyed faces surrounding the four ponies.
[Le Squire]
"But a trap had been laid for the ponies
And they gazed up in fear and alarm
And soon they come across the most feared creature of all!"
A long giant shadow comes forth with loud footsteps with different sounds and the four turned with horrified looks on their faces as they see who approaches.
"Discord." the third pony said in fear.
[Le Squire]
"The bells of Canterlot."
A long figure similar to a dragon and the minions approaches with an angry expression. He had a pony face with two sharp fangs from his mouth, a deer and goat antler, red eyes, brown fur, dragon and pegasus wings, an eagle claw and lion paw, dragon paw and horse hoof, and a spiky tail.
[Le Squire]
"Discord the spirit of chaos, disorder, and destruction
He brings it everywhere he goes and no one survives."
"Bring these loyal vermin to the palace dungeons." Discord ordered in a deep threatening voice.
"You there, what are you hiding?!" one of the minions snarled noticing the bag the mare is holding as she tries to run but was grabbed by the guard.
"Stolen goods no doubt. Take them from her!" Discord ordered as lightning strikes.
"She ran!" Le Squire said. The mare managed to escape running for her life with Discord chasing. She passes by each corner of the streets hoping to get away and slow down Discord. She loses him for a moment running for the palace gardens to hide and call for her real leader.
"Princess, please, I have them!" the mare screams in desperation but soon finds Discord catching up and tries to run away again but Discord manages to get a grip on the bag pulling with the mare resisting to give it up. Suddenly though a light came out of Discords paw and shoots at the mare freezing her in place into stone with a horrified expression on the poor statue mare. Discord opens the bag to find seven jewels with different colors in it.
"Jewels?" Discord said in confusion reaching his claw into the bag for the pure white jewel but then gives Discord an electric shocking pain.
"Gah! Threats!" Discord scolded and wraps the bag up again and looks around to find something to get rid of the crystals. He then gives an evil grin as he looks at the cliff and knows what he has to do. He walks toward the cliff and looks down at the thousands of feet to the earth keeping his grin. He then prepares to throw the jewels down until an unexpected surprise happened.
"STOP!" the rightful ruler of Equestria Princess Celestia appears from a lighting bolt with her hoof outstretched to Discord.
"Cried the princess." Le Squire narrated.
"Who dare gives a command to me?! Speak your reason or I'll make you regret it!" Discord demanded.
[Princess Celestia]
"See there the innocent lives you have took
On the steps of Canterlot."
"I am guiltless. I am king, my rules." Discord defended.
[Princess Celestia]
"Now you will throw countless more lives to waste
On the steps of Canterlot."
"My conscience is clear!" Discord scolded.
[Princess Celestia]
"You can lie to yourself and your minions
You can claim that you haven't a qualm
But you never can run from
Nor hide what you've done from the light
The very light of Canterlot."
Just then the suns light shines down onto the garden enshrouding it to it's brightness thus actually startling Discord a little.
[Le Squire]
"And for one time in his life
Of power and control
Discord felt a twinge of fear
For his immortal soul."
"What do you want?" Discord asked.
"A duel… for the land of Equestria." Celestia declared.
"What!? Why would I dare fight an imbecile- …Very well. But only on one condition."
"Name it. So?"
"If you win…"
[Discord]
"You can keep the land and do with it as you wish."
"But if I win, then you are banished, and I'll do what I want to the land."
[Discord]
"Even a simple weak alicorn such as yourself
Can not beat me."
"And so the Princess sisters defeated Discord, encasing him in his stone prison forever. Or so they thought…" Le Squire said.
[Le Squire]
"Now, here is a riddle to guess if you can
Sing the bells of Canterlot
What makes the monster and what makes the boy?
It's in the bells, bells, bells, bells
Bells, bells, bells, bells
Bells of CAN-TER-LOOOOOOT!"
After flying through the bell towers of Canterlot in his alicorn form Zach Lanson lands at his home town Ponyville where he returns to his earth pony state as he travels through the streets. He looks around to see the place springing with life which made him smile as he takes a deep breath from his nose.
"Good morning, Zach! How was Canterlot?" a sales pony greeted happily.
"Great, as usual. Thank you, Mr. Breezy!" Zach waved happily making his way back to the library. He reaches the library and opens the door to see if his friends Twilight Sparkle and Spike are there.
"Twilight, Spike! I'm home!" Zach shouts. Twilight comes down from her bedroom while Spike comes out from the kitchen eating rubies.
"Zach!" Twilight shouts with excitment and comes over to give him a big hug which he happily accepted.
"How was your trip at Canterlot?" Twilight asked.
"It was good, no complaints. Anything new while I was gone?" Zach asked.
"Not really. However, we are going to have a little get together with Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie today. I know you just got back, but would you like to come?"
"Sure, I have no problem with it."
"I never had a problem with it." Spike said dreamily thinking about Rarity which made Twilight roll her eyes. But Zach actually wanted to talk to her about something before going. And by talk he means ask her out on a date.
"Uh... Twilight? Before we go I like to ask you something." Zach asked with a light blush.
"Sure, what is it?" Twilight asked.
"Well... you see I... I- well... Look, I want to-" Zach was stuttering nervously and Twilight stopped him in his tracks while putting her hoof on his mouth.
"Start from the beginning." Twilight said and moved her hoof as Zach took a deep breath to start over. He looked at Twilight in the eyes and felt the moment coming as he was ready to ask her out.
"Twilight... will you-" suddenly the clock alarm goes off signaling the time thus startling the two. Twilight widened her eyes after seeing the time.
"Oh my goodness! We're late! Can we continue this later, Zach? I've never been late for anything and I'm definitly not going to be late for a get together with the girls! Spike, come on!" Twilight called desperatly which Spike obeyed and hopped on Twilight's back as they head out the door.
"But I-" Zach wanted to object to this.
"I'm sorry Zach, but please can we continue this later?" Twilight pleaded. Zach looked at her pleading eyes and couldn't help but give in. His question will have to wait.
"Okay. Go on ahead, I'll catch up in a bit. Also got to finish up something while I'm here." Zach said.
"Okay then! See ya in a bit!" Twilight said happily and rushed out the door with Spike as Zach watches them go.
"[sigh] Why is it that every time isn't a good time? Is this a sign? A sign meaning that I shouldn't ask her? Or love her? I just wonder." Zach sighed to himself.
youtube: watch?v=pp_czDwMSLk
"Everyday I keep my secrets safe in my head
Though I don't know how long I can hold it
Everyday when I see the one I love walk on by
I have this need of getting closer
But how can a specie love another
For that matter, someone who has been cruel
I wonder if she too has these same exact feelings
But is it love
Or destiny?
And one day, I'll be next to her
And I'll confess my love
For Twilight Sparkle
And hope she loves back
Someday
Every moment will arrive
Someday
One day
I'll confess my love for her
Out there among the fathers, mothers, and their children's
There's this happiness I can feel from them
I wonder if I can too be a part of this feeling
But I just don't think it is possible
But I know
I will find the courage
To let it free
One day I will let her know
How much she means to me
Like a warriors pride
That drives him forth
And someday it will come
And then I swear I will be brave
To let go
Of my fears
Just a chance
What a chance
And one day
I'll confess my love for her!" Zach sung his heart out before heading out to meet Twilight. Meanwhile at Canterlot another event takes place as Cherilee takes her class on a field trip in the gardens.
"I want to start our field trip here in the world-famous Canterlot sculpture garden. That one over there represents 'Friendship'." Cherilee looked at a statue with all her students turning their attention to it as they see three young ponies atop each other with laughing smiles on them. Distracted by it Applebloom stopped in front of it with the other two crusaders bumping into her without looking like dominoes causing them to be disoriented. After regaining their composure they glared at each other irritatedly.
"Alright my little ponies, this one represents 'Victory'." Cherilee announced in front of a pony standing proudly holding a flag in it's hooves with stars coming from it's sides.
"How cool would it be to have that for a cutie mark?" Scootaloo asked excitingly.
"Cool, if you were actually victoryful at somethin'." Applebloom stated slyly which made scootaloo look at her angrily.
"That's not a word!" Sweetie Belle corrected.
"What are you, a dictionary?" Scootaloo asked.
"Girls! Now this is a really interesting statue. What do you notice about it?" Cherilee asked pointing at a very unusual dragon like creature who looks like he's laughing.
"It's got an eagle claw." Applebloom pointed out.
"And a lion paw!" Scootaloo added.
"And a snake tail!" Sweetie joined.
"This creature is called a draconequus. He has the head of a pony and a body of all sorts of other things. What do you suppose that represents?" Cherilee asked.
"Confusion!" Applebloom answered.
"Evil!" Sweetie corrected pushing Applebloom out of the way.
"Chaos!" Scootaloo joined pushing Sweetie out.
"It's not chaos, you dodo!" Sweetie scolded.
"Don't call me things I don't know the meaning of, and it is too chaos!" Scootaloo argued.
"Is not!"
"You're both wrong!" Applebloom interfered which caused the three to get into a fight. Little did they know their arguing towards each other is fueling the beast statue within as a black spot flashed twice on it's chest like a heartbeat.
"Actually, in a way, you're all right. This statue represents 'Discord', which means a lack of harmony between ponies. In fact, you three have demonstrated discord so well, that you're each going to write me an essay explaining it." Cherilee said which made the rest of the class laugh.
"Now let's go, and I don't want anymore fighting." Cherilee ordered as she leads the class to the rest of the gardens.
"It's confusion!" Applebloom whispered.
"Evil!" Sweetie countered.
"Chaos!" Scootaloo corrected as they continue to argue. Without noticing the statue of Discord began to crack to the head as it made an evil laugh. Back at Ponyville Zach, Twilight, and Spike enjoy some beverages that Rarity generously bought for the group.
"I know you may be getting this a lot lately Zach darling, but how was your visit to Canterlot?" Rarity asked.
"It was fine, nothing that new lately." Zach answered after taking a sip of his drink.
"What did you learn about specifically? I mean... if you don't mind me asking." Fluttershy asked shyly.
"I bet it has something to do with food! Is it about food? Please say it's about food!" Pinkie said excitingly.
"Well, I-" Zach suddenly stopped making a shocked face.
"What?" Twilight asked. Without warning Zach started to collapse taking the table down with him and shattered the drinking mugs.
"Zach! Zach, are you alright? What's wrong?" Twilight asked in worry.
"I... I feel a disturbance. Something I've never felt before. Something... unusual." Zach explained breathlessly.
"What do you mean 'unusual'?" Rarity asked.
"It's bad. That's reason enough." Zach answered.
"Where's it happening?" Fluttershy asked.
"Everywhere." Zach answered. Just then he felt a drop on his nose with the others noticing.
"What's that? Is it raining? It's not supposed to rain today." Pinkie pointed out looking up. The drop makes it's way to Zach's mouth and licks it and the taste surprised him.
"Chocolate milk?" Zach asked incredulously.
"Huh? But it can't rain chocolate milk." Twilight said.
"Hey look! A stray pink cloud!" Pinkie pointed upward and the group looked up to see a pink cloud swiftly passing by above them.
"What the?! How is that even possible?" Twilight asked in confusion. At the time Rainbow Dash was flying up in the sky enjoying the sunny day when the exact same cloud Zach and others saw zooms by her making her spin rapidly.
"Come back here you!" Dash ordered after regaining her composure from being dizzy and started chasing it. She managed to gain speed and caught it but got stuck on it.
"Gotcha! Eww, what is this?" Dash asked after shaking the sticky pink substance off. Her curiosity got to her and couldn't help but lick the remaining substance on her smacking her lips to get the taste.
"Cotton candy?" Dash asked in surprise. Just then there were more of the cotton candy clouds racing by in every direction. She then heard thunder from above and looked up to see a cotton candy cloud above her and made a chocolate milk drop fall on her head.
"Wait a second! It's not supposed to rain until tomorrow. You can't just–" Dash exclaimed to the cloud but it started pouring chocolate milk on her.
"You did." Dash finished annoyingly.
"Dash! What's going on?!" Zach shouted catching Dash's attention as she flew down to the five.
"I have no idea! We got cotton candy clouds going everywhere, making it rain willingly!" Dash explained.
"Raining chocolate milk cotton candy clouds? But... that doesn't make any sense!" Zach exclaimed in shock.
"I know! We need to find a way to stop this. Oh no! They're heading for Sweet Apple Acres!" Dash shouted and started chasing the clouds again.
"Then that's where we need to go!" Zach said.
"I'll be back, I'm going to find a fail-safe spell book to see if it'll stop this!" Twilight said and rushed to the library.
"And I'm going to get the right outfit for this sort of thing." Rarity said making her way to her boutique.
"Okay, c'mon!" Zach ordered and Fluttershy and Pinkie followed. Meanwhile at Sweet Apple Acres Applejack was loading up some corn on a cart she's pulling for harvesting until Dash came by chasing another stray cotton candy cloud with multiple others behind raining chocolate milk.
"Hey, I didn't tell you to go anywhere!" Dash shouted and soon the whole barn was being poured on surprising Applejack.
"Rainbow Dash, what's going on with this rain? I mean chocolate milk? I mean chocolate milk rain?!" Applejack asked in confusion.
"There's crazy weather all over Equestria! Cloudsdale is getting soaked by a major cola storm right now! But don't worry. I'm not leaving you until I get control of Ponyville!" Dash promised and flew off just as all of the corn began popping turning into popcorn which some started popping towards Applejack smacking her in the face several times.
"Why would you wanna stop this?" Pinkie asked diving in and out of the sea of popcorn and tasting the chocolate milk rain. Applejack pops her head out and sees Rarity approaching with a purple stylish umbrella saddle and coat.
"Ahem. I heard about your troubles, Applejack, and I came to see if there's anything I can do without getting wet. Or dirty. Or out from under my umbrella." Rarity said which made Applejack produce an unamused look. Suddenly they see the apples double in size increasing their weight so much it slumps the trees down helplessly. Soon the animals come by and started eating the giant fruits.
"Okay, check off unusual. This is beyond comprehensible!" Zach corrected.
"Fluttershy! Do somethin'!" Applejack ordered.
"Now, Angel, you really shouldn't–" Fluttershy tried to stop Angel from eating the apples until his legs suddenly grew in length stretching into impossible lengths.
"No! It's not possible! I must be seeing things!" Fluttershy said in shock seeing stampedes of long legged bunnies passing by.
"Don't worry everyone. I've learned a new spell that'll fix everything." Twilight announced arriving with a spell book and Spike. She then concentrated her magic and shoots a large beam out spreading throughout the entire farm. As the light dissipates Twilight regains her vision only to everything stayed the same.
"My fail-safe spell... failed. What do we do?" Twilight asked.
"Uh, give up?" Spike suggested only to get disappointed glares from Zach and Twilight.
"Spike, Zach and Twilight will come up with something." Rarity assured giving Twilight her umbrella.
"Hmm, time for plan B. Rainbow, can you corral all those clouds in one corner of the sky?" Twilight asked and Dash shook off the sticky cotton candy clouds and saluted took off gathering every cotton candy cloud she can. At the meantime Pinkie was in a puddle of chocolate milk enjoying the raining drink as the cloud she lies below moves away.
"Applejack, I need you to bring those high-strung storm clouds down to Earth." Twilight ordered as Dash rounds up the cotton candy clouds into a ball. Applejack took out her lasso and tosses it to the stack of clouds tightening it so the chocolate milk rain stopped pouring down to Pinkie.
"Hey, what happened?" Pinkie exclaimed with chocolate milk filled cheeks. While Applejack tugs the clouds down Twilight whispers to Fluttershy about something and Fluttershy understood the plan.
"Oh dear. I hope none of the animals see these delicious chocolate-filled cotton candy clouds. I'd hate to have to share them." Fluttershy exaggerated on purpose getting the animals attention to the roped up cotton candy clouds stack with Pinkie munching on it.
"You and me both, sister!" Pinkie agreed and soon the animals shoved Pinkie out of the way and started chomping down on the cotton candy clouds.
"Hey!" Pinkie exclaimed angrily.
"And when y'all are done with that, feel free to have some popcorn for dessert." Applejack added.
"You see, Spike? You should never give up. There's nothing we can't overcome if we all work together." Twilight said.
"Question is, can we overcome all of this? It's happening all over Equestria. And these things don't just happen. Someone or something is causing it, and we need to find out what it is and stop it. But how?" Zach asked just as Spike belched out a scroll. Twilight levitated the scroll and read it along with Zach.
"[gasp] Come on girls. Princess Celestia wants to see us all in Canterlot immediately!" Twilight said with the others giving out concerned looks to each other. At Canterlot Princess Celestia paces back and forth in front of the windows of the main staircase awaiting for the seven ponies arrival.
"Princess Celestia, we came as fast as we could." Twilight said barging through the doors with the others following.
"Thank you, Zachary and Twilight. Thank you all." Celestia said.
"Is this about the weather? And the animals' weird behavior? What's happening out there? Why isn't my magic working? Is there–" Twilight asked multiple questions and Celestia rose her hoof stopping Twilight.
"Follow me." Celestia ordered with a serious look. She soon leads them to the main hall where the stained glass windows that holds an important story.
"I've called you here for a matter of great importance. It seems an old foe of mine, someone I thought I had defeated long ago, has returned. His name... is Discord." Celestia said as Fluttershy looks at a stain glass with the exact same creature from the statue gardens. The sight made Fluttershy squeal in fear and hid behind Twilight.
"Discord is the mischievious spirit of disharmony. Before my sister and I stood up to him, he ruled Equestria in an eternal state of unrest and unhappiness. Luna and I saw how miserable life was for Earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns alike, so after discovering the Elements of Harmony, we combined our powers and rose up against him, turning him to stone." Celestia said showing them another window of her and her sister Princess Luna defeating Discord and casting him into stone.
"All right, Princess!" Dash cheered.
"I thought the spell we cast would keep him contained forever but since Luna and I are no longer connected to the elements, the spell has been broken." Celestia explained.
"No longer connected?" Twilight questioned.
"She probably means when we discovered the elements and found our destined element, we became in sync with them, taking the Princess' place." Zach said.
"This is Canterlot Tower, where the Elements are kept inside since all of you recovered them. I need you to wield the Elements of Harmony once again and stop Discord before he thrusts all of Equestria into eternal chaos." Celestia said standing in front of a sealed door at the end of the hallway.
"But why us? Why don't you-" Twilight asked.
"Hey, look! We're famous!" Pinkie pointed at a window of the seven using the elements on their previous enemy Nightmare Moon.
"You seven showed the full potential of the elements by harnessing the magic of your friendship to beat a mighty foe. Although Luna and I once wielded the elements, it is you who now control their power, and it is you who must defeat Discord." Celestia said and the group looked at each other. Twilight took a moment to think this through. Zach placed a supporting hoof on her with a hopeful smile. Twilight smiled back and made up her mind.
"Princess Celestia, you can count on–" Twilight was about to say with confidence.
"Hold on a second! Eternal chaos comes with chocolate rain, you guys. Chocolate rain!" Pinkie said objecting to this.
"Don't listen to her, Princess. We'd be honored to use the Elements of Harmony again." Twilight assured.
"Let us begin then." Zach said. Celestia then inserted her horn in a small hole in the middle of the door and cast a spell on it which made it glow through the cracks of the sun seal. It then made a blinding light as it opened making all but Celestia shield their eyes from it. In the door lied a jeweled box displayed on a pedestal.
"Ooh. You can keep the Elements. I'll take that case!" Rarity said in delight.
"Have no fear, ponies. I have total confidence that you will be able to defeat Discord with these!" Celestia said as she opened the case but the group then gasped after seeing the case empty which made Celestia drop it in shear disbelief. The room stood silent as the group looked at the case with their mouths agaped.
"Oh, well. If anyone needs me, I'll be outside in the chocolate puddles with a giant swizzle straw." Pinkie announced making her way outside with the others still staring at the case in shock.
"The elements! They're gone!" Twilight exclaimed.
"That chamber is protected by a powerful spell that only I can break! This doesn't make sense!" Celestia said pacing in confusion.
"It doesn't have to make sense. It's chaos. Which means..." Zach trailed off after hearing a mischievous laugh echoing in the room.
"Make sense? Oh, what fun is there in making sense?" the voice asked.
"Discord... Show yourself!" Celestia demanded as the voice of Discord chuckles in amusement.
"There." Zach pointed at the stain glass window of him ruling over the ponies in agony and despair. The image of Discord then shined to life.
"Did you miss me, Celestia? I missed you. It's quite lonely being encased in stone, but you wouldn't know that, would you, because I don't turn ponies into stone." Discord stated as the image moving it's way to the Elements of Harmony glass and knocked on the Fluttershy part of the image making a stone sound.
"Don't be a hypocrite, Discord! You know you did this to those who imposed your will!" Celestia retorted.
"That's because it was my kingdom, until you took it away from me. Stealing someone else's move isn't nice. Especially for an alicorn such as yourself."
"Enough! What have you done with the Elements of Harmony?"
"Oh, I just borrowed them for a teensy little while." Discord explained while snapping his lion paw fingers making the elements in the stain glass disappear.
"You'll never get away with this, Discord!" Celestia stated.
"Oh, I'd forgotten how grim you can be, Celestia. It's really quite boring." Discord said stubbornly.
"Hey! Nopony insults the Princess!" Dash scolded and started charging for the window but crashed into it just as Discord disappeared from it.
"Oh, you must be Rainbow Dash, famed for her loyalty, the Element of Harmony you represent." Discord said reappearing bigger in the window.
"That's right! I'll always be loyal to the Princess!" Dash promised.
"We'll see about that."
"I can't believe we're wasting our time talking to a tacky window." Rarity said.
"The beautiful Rarity, representing the element of generosity, if I'm not mistaken?" Discord said appearing in the window behind her.
"So you know who we are, big deal." Applejack scoffed.
"Oh, I know much more than that, honest Applejack." Discord assured.
"You seem to know our strengths, too?" Twilight said.
"Yes, Twilight Sparkle, and yours is the most powerful and elusive element, magic. Fluttershy's is kindness and Pinkie Pie's is a personal favorite of mine, laughter." Discord said who started laughing which Pinkie shortly began snickering.
"Pinkie!" Twilight scolded just as Pinkie burst out with laughter.
"He's standing on your head!" Pinkie pointed out as Discord dances on the stained glass Twilight in a disco manner. This was really getting on Zach's nerves as he grits his teeth.
"That's enough!" Zach shouted and instantly turned into his alicorn form and forces Discord out of the window to the ground revealing his true self.
"Ow! Who in the world did- oh, that's right, I missed one. You're Zach Lanson and your element is actually the most powerful out of them all and the one I despise the most, life." Discord mocked at the end.
"Quit it with the riddles, Discord! Give the elements back!" Zach demanded.
"Hmmmm. No, I don't think so. Besides, I think it's quite fun seeing you helpless like this."
"Stop stalling, Discord! What have you done with the Elements of Harmony?" Celestia repeated the question.
"Oh, so boring, Celestia. Really? Fine, I'll tell you, but I'll only tell you my way. To retrieve your missing elements just make sense of this change of events. Twists and turns are my master plan. Then find the elements back where you began." Discord said while returning to the window state and laughed with no other trace.
"Can we go home now?" Fluttershy asked fearfully.
"What do you reckon he meant? Twists and turns and ending back where we started?" Applejack asked as Twilight ponders and makes her way to the window with the labyrinth outside.
"Twists and turns... twists and turns... twists and turns! That's it! I bet Discord hid the elements in the palace labyrinth!" Twilight said.
"Then that's where we need to go." Zach agreed.
"Good luck, my little ponies. The fate of Equestria is in your hooves." Celestia said bowing her horn on Zach and Twilight's shoulders and they ran for outside.
"Zachary wait!" Celestia called and Zach looked back curiously.
"Beware... of the tyrannical form." Celestia warned.
"I'm... sorry, Princess?" Zach questioned.
"Zach!" Twilight called.
"I have to go!" Zach said and rushed off to catch up with the others leaving Celestia alone in the hall. They all eventually made their way to the labyrinth where they gasped at the sight.
"W-We have to go in there?" Fluttershy asked shakingly.
"Nope! Dopey Discord forgot about these babies! I'll just do a quick flyover and we'll have the Elements in no time." Dash said as she was about to fly over the maze. But suddenly her wings flashed and disappeared making her fall to the ground.
"My wings!" Dash exclaimed in shock looking at her wingless back. Fluttershy's wings did the same thing which made her scream. Twilight and Rarity's horn also vanished from their foreheads.
"Your horn! My horn! Ahhh!" Twilight and Rarity shrieked in unison. A light then appeared in front of them and flashed brightly revealing Discord again as he laughs with lightning striking behind him.
"You–You should see the looks on your faces. Priceless! [laughing]" Discord chortled.
"Give us our wings and horns back!" Twilight ordered.
"You'll get them back in good time. I simply took them to ensure there's no cheating. You see, this is the first rule of our game: no flying, and no magic. And that means you Zach, for I can not take away your powers, but I put a barrier around the maze that restricts you of your powers. And if you so happen do use your abilities within the barrier, then it's game over." Discord instructed.
"The first rule?" Dash questioned.
"The second rule is everypony has to play or the game is over, and I win. Good luck, everypony!" Discord said and disappeared again while laughing.
"Never fear, girls. We have each other!" Twilight assured.
"Yeah! Like Twilight said, there's nothing we can't overcome if we all stick together!" Dash agreed giving the rest of the gang smiles.
"All right, girls, let's do this!" Zach said confidently.
"Together!" the gang said in unison as they take their first step in the labyrinth. All of a sudden separate hedges started growing in between each pony making the scream in worry.
"Stay calm, girls! Everypony head to the middle as fast as you can, and we'll regroup there!" Twilight said.
"Good idea! And if we're lucky, we'll find the elements there! Good luck!" Zach said.
"Moving out!" Dash said galloping her way to the center.
"See you in the center." Rarity said and made her way to the center as well.
"Yee-haw!" Applejack cheered starting her way to the center.
"See you guys there!" Pinkie said and bounces her way there too.
"[gasping] What's that? Who's there? Girls!" Fluttershy called in fear.
"Fluttershy, calm down! We're just going to be meeting at the center of the maze, but you're going to have to make it there on your own, do you think you can do that?" Zach asked.
"I'll... I'll try." Fluttershy answered.
"Be strong, Fluttershy. I'll meet you there!" Zach said and made his way for the middle of the maze.
"O...okay. Here I go." Fluttershy said to herself and slowly made her way through the labyrinth. Applejack at the meantime was cutting across each corner and turn trying to find the meeting point. On the way something caught her eye something she didn't expect to see in there. Three apples lie on the ground in one pathway. To her surprise the apples roll on the their own making their way forward.
"What in tarnation?" Applejack asked in confusion and followed the apples leading her to an open grassy area with many apple trees similar to Sweet Apple Acres.
"Where am I?" Applejack asked herself. An apple then fell on her head from a tree and many others fall in red, green and yellow colors. They began to laugh and started forming in their respective colors.
"Who are y'all?" Applejack asked.
"The keepers of the grove of truth. You may ask us one question past, future or present. But be warned, that the truth may not always be pleasant." the apples said with creepy faces.
"All right then, I don't trust this place worth a hill of beans, but I've got a really bad feelin' about this feller Discord. What's gonna come of this mission we're on?" Applejack asked and the apples led her to a pond.
"For the answer you seek, go ahead, take a peek." the apples said and Applejack complied looking at the pond. In the reflection it started showing a vision of her and the others in a chaotic Ponyville.
"I hope I never see you again!" Dash declared angrily.
"Me too!" Fluttershy agreed angrily.
"Fine!" Pinkie said also in anger.
"Fine!" Rarity joined.
"It's settled, then." Twilight said.
"This friendship is over." Zach announced and the group walked away from each other for the last time.
"No! Our friendship? Over?!" Applejack asked in fear. From above Discord watches as he controls the apples with silhouette puppet strings as he chuckles diabolically.
"It can't be true. It just can't! That just can't be the truth." Applejack said in denial.
"When all the truth does is make your heart ache, sometimes a lie is easier to take." the apples said as the eyes of one of them mesmerize Applejack along with Discords voice and laughed. Her orange colors then began to fade. Zach meanwhile struggled to find the way to the center.
"Okay. Can't use any of my powers, which means I won't be able to sense them. Crud. Hmmm, which way should I- GHAAAA!" Zach screams in pain. He feels an agonizing pain within him as he screams. Then the green side of his element star cutie mark went gray just like Applejack's condition. Back at Applejack she completely went gray and all the grass and apple trees disappeared as a gap in the hedge behind her opens. Twilight passed by but quickly noticed Applejack as she comes back.
"Applejack! Thank goodness! I thought I heard voices over here. Who were you talking to?" Twilight asked.
"I was talking to... uh... nopony! Nopony whatsoever!" Applejack answered with a scrunched up face and suspicious eyes.
"What?" Twilight asked.
"Nothing. Come on, uh, we best be going." Applejack said making her way back to the labyrinth.
"Did Applejack just...? Come on, Twilight! Applejack wouldn't lie." Twilight said and followed. The pain Zach experienced was gone as he regains his balance.
"Wha... what was that? I never felt any pain like that before. And I have a bad feeling it won't be the last time I feel either." Zach said to himself and continued his way to find the others. Pinkie meanwhile bounces her way through the maze while whistling. As she takes a turn she was surprised to see an opening filled with smiling balloons making some eerie laughs.
"Whee! [chuckles] This is the greatest balloon garden I've ever seen! It's the first balloon garden I've ever seen, but still! Wah!" Pinkie was then tripped by something and landed in a mud puddle. She looks to see it was a balloon tied to her hind leg and several other balloons gathered around her and started laughing at her mockingly.
"Hey, what gives?" Pinkie asked.
"What's the matter, Pinkie Pie? I thought you appreciated a good laugh?" Discord asked appearing in front of Pinkie.
"It's different. They're laughing at me."
"It's hardly different. Your friends laugh at you all the time." Discord assured putting his face in a balloon.
"My friends laugh with me, not at me." Pinkie reassured happily.
"Oh, really?" Discord asked and as the his balloon head spins around Pinkie making her eyes follow him dizzyingly he laughs mockingly along with the other balloons.
"No! Stop it!" Pinkie ordered but the balloons continued laughing. Then the faces of her friends appeared on a balloon of their colors and joined in the mocking laughing.
"Stop laughing at me!" Pinkie demanded trying to hid herself on the ground embarrassingly.
"Oh, poor Pinkie Pie. And here I thought laughter made you happy." Discord said and used his mesmerizing eyes on Pinkie.
"Happy? I don't think so." Pinkie boldly said and turned gray. Zach still had trouble finding his way through the tricky maze looking at each corner until the pain he felt earlier returned.
"Oh no! Not again! AHHHHH!" Zach shouts in pain grunting to try and withstand it. At the moment the blue side of his cutie mark too went gray. Back at the balloon garden every balloon popped and from behind an entry Twilight and Applejack appeared and noticed Pinkie.
"Pinkie Pie! Are we glad to see you!" Twilight said trotting her way over to Pinkie.
"Oh you are, huh? Why? Need a good laugh?" Pinkie snorted unpleasantly and walked away.
"Pinkie? What do you suppose has her so upset? It's not like her." Twilight asked Applejack.
"I didn't notice anything strange about Pinkie." Applejack said and scrunched her face again looking around suspiciously before walking off again.
"Weird. Better pick up the pace before the stress of this gets the better of all of us." Twilight said and went to catch up. The pain receded and Zach got back up panting and looked at his hooves.
"What's happening to me? I have to find the others." Zach whispered and galloped off trying to find the rest of the gang quickly. Each direction he looks at so far didn't show any sign of his friends. Finally at one point he took a turn at a corner and crashed into Twilight by accident. They rubbed their heads and looked to see who they bumped into.
"Zach!" Twilight exclaimed happily.
"Twilight!" Zach exclaimed back and both hugged happy to see each other again.
"I'm glad to see nothing's change about you. I'm telling you, something weird is going on here." Twilight said breaking the hug.
"Change? What do you mean?" Zach asked.
"Nothin'. She means nothin'." Applejack answered but scrunched her face again.
"Excuse me, AJ?" Zach questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"I'll tell you what's changed. Your dumb cutie mark, that's what changed!" Pinkie shouted angrily.
"My cutie mark? What about- huh!?" Zach looked at his cutie mark and noticed the gray areas on it.
"What happened to it? It wasn't like that before!" Twilight pointed out in shock.
"I... I don't know. But it can't be good. We have to find the rest of the girls and quick." Zach said.
"Right." Twilight nodded and they resumed their search with the two changed ponies following. Rarity meanwhile was at a part of the maze where it was sideways but the gravity kept her in.
"I was expecting an audience with the Princess, not outdoor sports." Rarity complained. She bumped into something hard without looking and stepped back to see a beautiful sight.
"Oh my..." Rarity muttered as she stares at a stone wall with real diamond markings of her cutie mark on it. In the reflection of the diamonds it reveals Discord in all of them laughing evilly.
"Welcome to your lucky day, Rarity. You've found the one thing in Equestria that could rival my face for sheer beauty. What do you think? You like?" Discord asked as the diamonds shined radiantly and mesmerized Rarity with it's beauty.
"Yes, I like very much. No! No, I shan't succumb to such fabulousness. Must... get to the center... to meet... the others." Rarity tried to fight the urge but it was too much as she went back to the diamonds.
"Mine!" Rarity shouted and started digging her way through the stone wall with her bare hooves turning gray in the process. During the exact same time Zach, Twilight, Applejack, and Pinkie continued to find the other girls.
"So, can you explain to me why they're also gray?" Zach asked looking at the two gray ponies.
"What are you looking at?!" Pinkie asked annoyingly.
"Nothing." Zach quickly answered.
"I'm not so sure, but I bet it has something to do with the change of attitude. I just hope the others won't end up like that." Twilight admitted.
"Me too. Let's just hope we can- AUGHHHHH!" Zach screams in agony again feeling the same pain once again and fell to the ground holding his stomach.
"Zach! Zach, what's wrong?!" Twilight shouted in worry crouching next to him. Just then the top white part of the element star cutie mark on Zach also turned gray.
"Oh no. What's happening?" Twilight asked in worry.
"What do you mean 'What's happenin'? I haven't have the foggiest clue." Applejack again lied scrunching her face thus earning an irritated glare from Twilight.
"That... [pant] that happened twice earlier while I was trying to find you. I... I think this has something to do with AJ and Pinkie's conditions. My best guess is that they're losing their destined harmony connection, plus putting me in pain and losing a part of me." Zach explained while panting.
"Then if that's the case, then we got to get a move on quicker." Twilight urged as they went back to searching. Moments later Rarity was done with a mess of pile up rocks by her.
"Well, Rarity. It took forever, but it was worth it. Who knew three little gemstones would turn out to be this handsome hunk of a diamond? Now to get you home." Rarity said after hugging a diamond that was two times bigger than originally thought of. She struggled to get the heavy gem on her back and carries it slowly step by step. The rest of the rocky wall then collapsed revealing the others behind it.
"Rarity! Are we glad to see- Why are you carrying a humongous boulder?" Twilight asked. Apparently Rarity is actually carrying a boulder that is shaped like the diamond her own eyes is seeing.
"What do you mean, 'boulder'? This big beautiful bedazzling rock is a diamond! And it's all mine. Keep your envious little eyes off it! I found it and it's mine fair and square!" Rarity warned as she continues to struggle to carry the heavy rock as the other two gray ponies follow. Zach and Twilight looked at each other worriedly and went to catch up. Fluttershy at the meantime was hiding behind and popped out trying to avoid anything bad she'll come across.
"Okay, I can do this. I can-" Fluttershy was then caught off guard after seeing three butterflies fly in front of her and screamed jumping back in the hedge half way with her hind legs trying to move in helplessly.
"Oh, Wait a minute... Butterflies? Wait! Don't leave me here!" Fluttershy called out chasing the butterflies around each turn. She eventually comes across an open area and sees on sign of the butterflies until she notices them from behind.
"Fluttershy, looks like you've been left behind by your so-called friends, huh?" one of the butterflies asked in a high voice with Discord's face on it while flying around Fluttershy.
"Oh, no. I'm certain they're doing their best to find me." Fluttershy assured.
"Well, it must be so upsetting to know how weak and helpless they think you are."
"Not at all. I am weak and helpless and I appreciate their understanding."
"Yes... Well, surely it burns you up... I mean, that they're always pointing out your flaws, right?"
"Not really. In fact, I think I'm awfully lucky to have friends who want me to be the best I can be."
"Oh, for goodness sake! You've been kind for far too long, my dear. Time to be cruel. Arrivederci!" Discord appeared in his normal state getting irritated by Fluttershy's naiveness and touched Fluttershy on the forehead instantly turning her gray before disappearing again. From this point on something was bound to go wrong for Zach again as he again feels the pain.
"AUGHHHHHH! Not again!" Zach screams and Twilight comes to his aid again only to see the yellow area of his cutie mark go gray.
"Oh no." Twilight muttered knowing what it means and notices the hedge behind her lowered and sees Fluttershy.
"Fluttershy! I'm so glad to see a friendly face. This awful labyrinth is getting to every pony. Not to mention Zach is going through a lot of unexplainable pain." Twilight said only to get angry looks from the others.
"Aw, boo hoo hoo!" Fluttershy mocked rudely earning a shocked look from Twilight.
"Why don't you wave your magic little horn and make everything all right?" Fluttershy asked unpleasantly.
"Uh..." Twilight couldn't answer for she was surprised at Fluttershy's new behavior.
"Oh, that's right, you can't. You don't have one." Fluttershy pointed out stubbornly and whipped her tail at Twilight's face.
"What is happening to our friends?" Twilight asked in complete confusion after witnessing Fluttershy bumping into Pinkie on purpose sending her hitting the hedge wall and made Applejack laugh.
"And what are you laughing at?" Pinkie asked threateningly.
"Ah, Chocolate milk." Applejack quickly lied.
"They're becoming the opposite of who they are, and I smell Discord involving it. He's probably trying to weaken our will so we don't stop him." Zach predicted with a growl.
"Yeah, you're probably right. Which only leaves Rainbow Dash and us to stop him... if we can find her in time." Twilight said hopelessly.
"...Wait. Wait, that doesn't add up." Zach said.
"What doesn't?"
"You and I are the most powerful out of all the elements right? You heard Discord said it himself."
"Yeah. So?"
"Think about it for a second. If you were someone who is planning to conquer the world but you had threats in the way, what would you do?" Zach asked and Twilight took a moment to think before widening her eyes in realization.
"Take out the strongest first!" Twilight said.
"Exactly. So if we're so strong as Discord said we are, why did he go for them first?" Zach asked.
"You have a good point. None of this makes any sense. Then again, nothing does right now."
"Little help here!" Rarity called out struggling to hold up the heavy boulder on her back and Zach and Twilight came over supporting the rock on their backs as well.
"Thanks, Zach and Twilight." Rarity thanked gratefully.
"You're welcome–" Twilight said happily thinking there was a little of generosity in Rarity.
"But don't get any ideas about my gem! I know where you live." Rarity warned and they continued their search for the their last friend. Dash travels her way in the maze hoping to find any sign of any of the elements or of her friends. She then heard thunder and couldn't help but get curious about it and rushed to the source hiding behind each hedge corner. To her surprise she sees a thunder cloud passing by producing lighting bolts with the colors of her blue, yellow, and red lightning cutie mark.
"I've got you now, element." Dash said and started chasing the cloud. Moments later she halts chasing the cloud after it led her to the last thing she expected to see, Discord who is relaxing on a cloud between two trees with sunglasses on.
"Oh. I can see why you like these clouds so much. Very plush." Discord said patting the cloud.
"Get off there and put 'em up! Come on! Let's go!" Dash ordered boldly making some boxing moves.
"Hey, I'm here to deliver a message."
"I've got a message for you, too!"
"Listen closely, this is important. A weighty choice is yours to make. The right selection or a big mistake. If a wrong choice you choose to pursue, the foundations of home will crumble without you." Discord said and with a snap of his fingers the thunder cloud swoops in front of him and started spinning while producing lightning. It began to mesmerize Dash as she sees visions of her home Cloudsdale shaking violently sending the architecture collapsing with bystanders screaming and trying to avoid the destruction.
"Cloudsdale? Crumble... without me? No!" Dash screams. Just then a floating box appears in front of her
"That box contains your wings. You can take them and leave the game, or you can carry on aimlessly wandering this maze. Your choice." Discord said as it was already futile for Dash. Meanwhile the others still make their way through the labyrinth with no sign of Dash still. On the way Rarity cruelly made Zach and Twilight carry the heavy rock all by themselves as they struggle to hold up the weight.
"Must... find... Rainbow Dash. As a team... we're unstoppable. Rainbow Dash won't let us down." Twilight said between grunts. At that moment Zach felt the pain return once again and couldn't hold on to the boulder anymore as he lets it drop on his side and collapses to the ground screaming in pain.
"Oh no. That means..." Twilight said in absolute worry trying to help Zach in every way she can.
"Well, looky there. Rainbow Dash is flying away. She's abandonin' us." Applejack announced looking up.
"Phew, now I know that's a lie." Twilight said thinking it was a false alarm but as soon as she looked up she sees Dash flying away with her wings back which made her gasp.
"How can it be?" Twilight asked in denial and at that moment the red area on Zach's cutie mark turned to gray leaving the half light gray and purple circle the only unchanged area. Suddenly the earth started rumbling startling the group as they see the hedges collapse making debris fly everywhere. As the dust cleared they see now the whole labyrinth is now a huge crater.
"Well, well, well. Somepony broke the 'no wings, no magic' rule." Discord said appearing from the dust and snapped his fingers which made the wings and horns reappear on Zach, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity.
"Game's over, my little ponies. You didn't find your precious elements. Looks like we might be due for a big old storm of chaos!" Discord announced with an inside out umbrella and began laughing wickedly as lightning stroke behind him. Could this be the end of their friendship? Is this the end of Equestria? Is this the end of... everything...?
To be continued...
The Return of Harmony Part 2
Discord continues to laugh wickedly and mockingly as he falls to the ground in laughter. Zach Lanson and Twilight Sparkle couldn't believe that Discord had already beaten them in his game.
"And what are you laughing at?" a changed grumpy Pinkie Pie asked.
"Ho, you ponies are just the most fun I've had in aeons." Discord said wiping a tear from his eye.
"Well, quit it! You'd better think before you laugh at the Pink...ie Pie!"
"Oh, yeah? Well ha, ha." a changed mean Fluttershy mocked.
"Quit it!" Pinkie ordered.
"No. Ha, ha."
"Quit it!"
"No. Ha ha-ha ha ha."
"Uh...Rarity? This here diamond of yours? Twilight said we should split it six ways since we, uh, found it together." a lying Applejack said but an ungenorous Rarity was not going to fall for it that easily as she kicks Applejack away from her diamond shaped boulder.
"Try it, punk. He's mine. All mine!" Rarity warned keeping Applejack away from the boulder as much as possible.
"Girls, why are you all acting like this? We need to stick together." Twilight urged but the rest of the group ignored her.
"It's no use, Twilight. They're completely changed from whom they once were." Zach said.
"He's right you know. [laughter] It's just too entertaining." Discord chuckled while sitting on movie theater seats and eating a popcorn earning glares from Zach and Twilight.
"Stop it, Discord. You're not playing fair." Twilight ordered.
"I'm not playing fair? Perhaps we haven't met. I'm Discord, spirit of chaos and disharmony. Hello?" Discord said.
"You skinny deformed jerk! When I get my hooves on you I'll-" Zach was ready to shoot an energy beam at Discord until he snapped his claws revealing a mirror.
"Ah, ah, ah, Zach. Don't want your magic reflecting to any of your friends, right?" Discord asked and Zach halted his actions seeing his point while keeping his glare.
"But how are we supposed to find the Elements of Harmony when you took away the labyrinth before we could get to the end?" Twilight asked angrily.
"Oh, wait, did you...? [laughter] How funny! You thought the Elements were in the labyrinth?" Discord asked and the three vanished with a flash. When the two ponies opened their eyes they were stunned to see themselves and their friends in Canterlot castle witnessing the moment where Discord gave them his riddle again.
"H-how did you-?" Zach couldn't finish for he was too surprise by what Discord did.
"Twists and turns are my master plan. Then find the Elements back where you began." the Discord from the past said before the present Discord returned them back to their original time.
"I never said they were in the labyrinth." Discord explained.
"But...but..." Twilight stuttered in disbelief.
"Keep trying, Zach Lanson and Twilight Sparkle. Maybe the magic of friendship can help you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some chaos to wreak." Discord said and with a snap of his paws he disappeared.
"That was my move. That was my memory ability! How did he do that?!" Zach asked in total disbelief. Just then they heard thunder and saw cotton candy clouds form above them and started pouring chocolate milk rain on them.
"Chocolate milk? I hate chocolate milk!" Pinkie scolded.
"[grunt] Think, Twilight, think! 'Find the Elements back where you began.' Back where you began." Twilight groaned trying to solve the riddle.
"Don't touch my gem!" Rarity ordered as Applejack was on the boulder she's carrying.
"I'm touching your gem, Rarity. Ha, ha." Fluttershy mocked placing her hoof on the boulder.
"What 'chu laughin' at?" Pinkie asked irritatedly.
"Ugh. I just want to go home." Twilight groaned.
"You and me bo- Wait... what did you say?" Zach asked with widened eyes.
"I want to go home... Wait a minute...home! 'Back where you began!' The Elements must be in Ponyville!" Twilight exclaimed looking at the chaotic Ponyville.
"Pretty clever Discord, but also foolish." Zach smirked victoriously.
"Come on, girls. We're certain this is what Discord's riddle really meant. If we get back to the library, I have a book that I just know could give us a clue." Twilight said as she and Zach trot thier way to Ponyville with the others following. On the way Zach quickly stopped Twilight surprising her and casted a sheild around them just as a stampede of long-legged bunnies come charging down the path going around the barrier. As the stampede ceases Zach lowered the sheild.
"Good boy, Angel. Mama's so proud." Fluttershy commented smugly. The sun just went down in an instant raising the moon into darkness.
"Wow, I can see so much better now." Applejack said sarcastically. Without noticing the ground turned into soap which made her start slipping and bumping into the others before stopping near Zach and Twilight.
"I meant to do that." Applejack fibbed.
"Of course you did." Zach said annoyingly as he and Twilight tried to walk but end up slipping down. The sun then reappeared in the sky and revealed the slippery substance on the road.
"Discord's turned our dirt roads into soap." Twilight pointed out annoyingly.
"Speak of the devil." Zach muttered looking back with an angry look. Discord skates his way by them.
"Beautiful, isn't it? This is the new and improved Ponyville, and these are only my first of changes." Discord said. Zach and Twilight then noticed Pinkie skating nearby.
"This may look like fun, but it's not." Pinkie assured negatively which made Zach and Twilight groan.
"Picture it: The chaos capital of the world." Discord said picking up the two and showed them Ponyville but the moon reappeared in the sky taking out the light again.
"I can't picture anything. It's too dark." Twilight retorted.
"I don't even want to picture it." Zach joined and Discord let the two go letting them land back on the soap.
"Well, wait a few minutes and you'll see it in the beautiful light of day. Or not." Discord said before vanishing again.
"Ponyville, the chaos capital of the world? Not if I have anything to say about it." Twilight said confidently.
"Don't worry, you won't. [laughter]" Fluttershy mocked and Zach and Twilight groaned again. They later managed to make it back to the library with the sun back up which is one of the only places left unchanged. The rest of the new chaotic Ponyville had a checkered ground, most of it is sloped, and most of it is floating in the air.
"[sigh] Okay, we're here. Everyone please, please, please just go inside, please?" Twilight begged.
"And don't make this any harder than it already has been." Zach added.
"I absolutely refuse." Applejack obviously lied as she makes her way in the library turning even grayer than before which also gives Zach a sharp pain.
"With pleasure." Fluttershy said while stomping on some of their flowers and turned grayer as well giving Zach another sharp pain.
"I hate libraries!" Pinkie stated unpleasantly going grayer too with Zach going in pain once again with a grunt.
"Are you okay?" Twilight asked worriedly.
"I'm fine. The pain is not as worse as before, but still. Where's Rarity?" Zach asked and they heard grunting from behind and see Rarity trying to push the giant rock.
"Pleeeease, we've gotta hurry!" Twilight urged desperately.
"Forget it, Zach and Twilight. I know what you're up to. The second I go in, you'll have your little minion Spike come and take Tom!" Rarity said.
"Tom?" Zach and Twilight questioned in unsion.
"Well, it's not going to work." Rarity said and turned to a darker shade of gray while nuzzling the rock with Zach grunting from another pain he's witnessing. Twilight knew they have to hurry.
"You're not going in without him, are you?" Twilight asked annoyingly.
"Mm-mm." Rarity shook her head defiantly and Zach used his magic on the boulder grunting tiredly.
"Fine!" Zach snorted and struggles to hold up the rock while heading towards the library.
"Do you need any help?" Twilight asked.
"No, I'm fine!" Zach grunted while moving slowly. Inside Spike sleeps on the ground after mopping the ground all day unaware of the outside conditions. Fluttershy grabs the bucket full of water and dumps it on poor Spike waking him up in shear surprise with a shout. He shakes the soaking water off him like a dog.
"What did you do that for, Fluttershy?" Spike asked.
"'Cause you just looked so peaceful." Fluttershy answered suductively.
"I...uh...huh?" Spike questioned confusingly after twisting the water out of his tail. A loud crashing then occured and Spike sees a large hole in the wall with a boulder in the library.
"Careful, Zach! You'll ruin his beautiful finish." Rarity urged rubbing the boulder delicately.
"Oh, for the love of..." Twilight moaned.
"Zach, Twilight, what's going on? Why does everybody look so...gray?" Spike asked.
"Don't ask. We need you to help me find something." Twilight instructed.
"Hey, Twilight, what's soaking wet and clueless?" Fluttershy asked.
"Fluttershy, I've had just about enough-" Twilight was cut off after Fluttershy dumped the remaing water from the bucket on Twilight getting her soaking wet as well.
"Your face!" Fluttershy said rudely and slammed the buck on Twilight's head.
"Hey! I'll get you soaking wet and clueless if you don't knock it off!" Zach ordered strictly while taking the bucket off Twilight as Fluttershy sticked her tongue out at him.
"What's happened to everypony?" Spike asked.
"I guess you just bring out the worst in us, Spike." Applejack answered harshly.
"Ugh. No time to explain. We've got to find the reference guide to the Elements of Harmony before somepony does something she'll regret." Twilight growled.
"The Elements of Harmony? Oh, I know exactly where that book is. Found it!" Spike called finding the book but was knocked off his claws as Fluttershy wacked his claw with a scroll and caught it.
"Hah!" Fluttershy laughed rudely.
"Fluttershy, you'd better give me that book!" Twilight ordered.
"Keep away!" Fluttershy shouted in a singing tone and tossed it to Applejack where she caught it on her nose.
"Hey! Applejack, give me that book!" Twilight demanded.
"I don't have any book." Applejack stated after throwing the book to Pinkie just before Zach leaped for it where she purposely bounced it off her back to Fluttershy again.
"Pinkie! You guys! Stop it right now!" Twilight ordered while chasing the group in a circle repeatedly until Spike jumped and pushed Fluttershy before she could catch it. Twilight was about to pick it up until it was surrounded by a blue aurora.
"Mine!" Rarity called stealing the book while running.
"Hey, do you even know what you just stole?" Twilight asked while chasing Rarity.
"No, but if you want it, I want it!" Rarity said while Twilight dove for her but evaded her. Twilight was getting extremely furiated by the others actions.
"GIVE ME THAT BOOK!" Twilight screamed as she starts chasing Rarity again. Rarity hops on the center table in the room and kicks the horse statue off to hold off Twilight but she jumps over it as she chases her. Fluttershy then flew in and grabbed Rarity flying her up with Twilight heading right into Rarity's boulder but before she could collide with it Zach casted a cushion in front of Twilight and made her hit a soft mattress. He then had enough of the rash behaviors from the others and decided to take matters into his own hooves as he uses his magic and yanks the book away from Rarity which surprised her and Fluttershy. Zach gives the book to Twilight as he casts a force field spell around them as the others approached cautiously trying to reclaim the book.
"Get back! All of you! This is my book. And I'm going to READ IT!" Twilight shouts.
"And don't be trying to get in! It's impenetrable!" Zach warned but the arrogant Fluttershy wouldn't listen as she charges for the shield. As she comes into contact she only smashes into a rock hard force as she slides down from the green barrier to the ground painfully.
"I warned you." Zach muttered. Twilight then opens the book and flips the pages to try to find an answer until she spotted a sight that made her gasp.
"What?" Zach asked turning his attention to her and soon gasped as well after seeing the glorious sight. It was all seven Elements of Harmony in an open space in the book all aligned in single vertical line on both sides.
"The Elements! They were here all along!" Twilight said happily.
"This is great! Now you guys can defeat Discord and put everything back to normal!" Spike said cheerfully.
"Pretty foolish of you, Discord!" Zach shouted victoriously.
"See girls? We did it! We found the Elements of Harmony! Together!" Twilight announced but the girls had very uninterested looks on them as they sit about in the library without a care in the world.
"You don't even care, do you?" Twilight asked annoyingly.
"No!" the group said in unison.
"[sigh] I never thought it would happen. Our friends... have turned into complete JERKS!" Twilight declared angrily and started snapping the necklaces on the others necks.
"Necklace! Necklace! Necklace! Necklace! ...Big crown thingy!" Twilight said putting on her tiara element.
"And bracelet things! Come on everypony, let's go!" Zach ordered in his alicorn form with his eight bracelets on as he and Twilight march outside.
"But guys, aren't you missing somepony?" Spike asked.
"Nope. We've got the liar, the grump, the hoarder and the brute. That just about covers it." Twilight said irritatedly.
"But what about Rainbow Dash?" Spike mentioned.
"Oh yeah, the backstabber. Okay, I guess we need somepony who's loyal. But who?" Zach asked placing a hoof on his chin just as Twilight had an idea.
"Congratulations Spike, you're the new Rainbow Dash. Now let's go!" Twilight ordered impatiently as she and Zach resume their way out after putting on Rainbow Dash's necklace on Spike.
"Me? B-b-but what if she finds out I've been impersonating her? [moan] That won't end well." Spike muttered fearfully.
"Too bad, you're Rainbow Dash. Now let's go defeat Discord so we don't ever have to talk to each other again!" Twilight announced and the others started cheering and running for outside as well stampeding over Spike in the process. As for Rarity she wouldn't dare leave her precious boulder behind as she slowly moves it out.
"Move!" Twilight urged and started levitating the giant rock.
"Look out, here comes Tom!" Twilight warned and crashed the rock through the balcony window letting it land with a loud thud.
"Well, well, well, I see you've found the Elements of Harmony. How terrifying!" Discord arrived and mocked with the changed ponies producing shameful looks.
"Discord! We've figured out your lame riddle. You're in for it now!" Twilight declared.
"You better be ready! Because this mistake was your downfall!" Zach joined.
"I certainly am. You've clearly out-dueled me, and now it's time to meet my fate. I'm prepared to be defeated now, ladies. Fire when ready." Discord said after putting on some sunglasses and summoned a target on his chest which made Zach raise his eyebrow curiously.
"Formation, now!" Twilight ordered and the group except for Spike formed up with an uninterested grunts.
"Rainbow Dash, get over here." Twilight called and Spike comes out from Rarity's boulder and joins the group fearfully around Discord.
"All right, let's get this over with." Twilight said and they all closed their eyes as a wind starts blowing and their elements start glowing. They soon start floating in the air and opened their eyes as raidiant glowing white lights and their elements start glowing brighter. The others also have a glow surrounding them as well with their elements joining in the light. This was starting to intrigue Discord as he watches in facination and a bit of fear. As it looks like they were about to finish it once and for all the light suddenly stopped and the group were sent falling back to the ground.
"What's going on?" Twilight asked confusingly.
"Mine's workin'. There must be somethin' wrong with yours." Applejack said.
"I HATE the Elements of Harmony!" Pinkie declared angrily.
"Hmph! Garbage." Fluttershy said and threw her necklace away a couple feet.
"MINE!" Rarity shouted and took Fluttershy's necklace.
"Sorry, Twilight. I guess I'd better get back upstairs and clean up the library. Good luck with all this- whoa!" Spike was going back to the library until he was pushed in the back by Fluttershy putting him in a daze on the ground.
"Oops, sorry, Rainbow Crash. [chuckle]" Fluttershy chuckled mockingly.
"But I don't get it. We found the elements and we're together, why did- Ooooooh!" Zach muttered in realization.
"What?" Twilight asked.
"I think I discovered two reasons why it didn't work. One, the others are completely the opposite of their destined element and probably affected the elements as well. And two, we're missing one of the ponies that their element is destined to... and it only works for her." Zach explained defeatedly.
"Bravo, ponies, bravo! Harmony in Equestria is officially dead. Discord rules, Celestia drools. [laughter]" Discord clapped and earned some threatening growls from Zach and Twilight as he skates away in a path of soap laughing victoriously.
"It's your fault it didn't work." Pinkie shouted at blank space.
"Who are you talking to?" Twilight asked confusingly.
"Any of you! To ALL OF YOU! I'm outta here!" Pinkie announced and hopped away.
"I better go, too. I've got new better friends waiting for me at the farm." Applejack said bitterly as she trots to her farm while Rarity struggles to push her boulder 'Tom' to her boutique.
"Yeah! I'm sick of you losers." Fluttershy stated rudley as she flew away to her cottage.
"FINE! Leave! See if we care! We don't need you guys either! With friends like you, who needs...enemies...?" Twilight lowered her head in sadness and soon started to lose herself as she turns completely gray putting Zach in pain again. She then cried a single tear and it dropped to the ground with a broken heart shape.
"No. No, Please! Twilight!" Zach begged through the pain as the half purple area turns to gray leaving only the light gray half of the circle in the center of his star cutie mark. Twilight then started roaming about in the now chaotic Ponyville with Zach following trying to convince her to come back and a cotton candy chocolate rain cloud above her getting her wet but she didn't care. There was long legged stampeding rabbits charging, dancing buffalo in ballerina outfits, ponies walking in above thin air... or something, floating pies, and a lunatic pony flying about and Twilight still didn't care. Zach can't stand this sight it's making him crumble apart inside.
"Twilight please, you can't do this. Not now." Zach pleaded.
"[laughing] Oh, my stomach! Zach, Twilight, you've got to see what I just did." Discord appeared and pointed at Ponyville as a giant pepper shaker floated above a stray pony and made her sneeze which made the building around her fall as just stage standouts.
"It's priceless! [laughing]" Discord laughed and it was starting to get on Zach's nerves.
"DISCORD! You will end this RIGHT NOW!" Zach ordered as his horn glows dimly charging for an attack.
"Oh, [laughing] do you honestly think that I would just give up this? And let a little threat get the best of me? I don't think so, boy. Even if you do attack me, what good would it do? You've gotten so weak that your horn is barely glowing. I'll just disappear, or turn it into bananas, or even send it flying into space. Your call, but it'll be worthless." Discord said and seeing his point he lowered his guard and halted his glowing horn.
"Come now, Zach Lanson and Twilight Sparkle. You've got to get into the spirit of things! After all, this is your new home." Discord said excitingly as he took the cotton candy cloud from above Twilight and eats it. Twilight looks back at the destructed Ponyville and made up her mind.
"Not anymore..." Twilight said depressingly and started walking away. Zach couldn't let this happen he had to keep trying.
"Twilight, stop, please! You can't give up now! I'm begging you, I can't do this alone. I need you. If you leave me, we lose everything! ...Please." Zach begged desperately as he starts breaking down crying emotional tears.
"...He already has. I'm sorry..." Twilight declared and resumed walking away. Zach couldn't believe what he just heard as he continues to cry. He was on his own now.
"YES!" Discord cheered triumphantly.
"D-don't celebrate just yet! I'm still here!" Zach challenged wiping away his tears.
"Oh Zach, Zach, Zach. Stubborn to accept the truth, the situation you're in. Don't you get it? It's over. You lost and there's nothing you can do about it. You even said it yourself, you can't do it alone."
"There are still ways to do it alone! It can be done!"
"True, true. But let me ask you something. Are you doing this for all living things... or are you doing it for your secret love?"
"Don't you dare bring my relationship with Twilight into this. Don't you dare! Every sacrifice, every effort is for everypony, especially her!"
"Is that so? If that is the case, then why try so hard and yet so little for her?"
"What do you mean?"
"Think about this for a second. You say you will confess your love to her someday, but when will someday be? If you truly love her, you would have asked her out, or you would've given her something special, but you let the fact you're different species get to you. Heck, your dragon assistant Spike, is in love with Rarity and they're both different species as well and we both know this relationship can't work either. But you and Twilight don't have the guts to tell him that such a relationship can't possibly happen. In fact, I find it quite selfish of you to try and admit your feelings to Twilight.
"How does that make me selfish?!"
"Think about it for a second. If everypony knew that you had a crush on her, she would probably be embarrassed and disgusted by you and she would be humilated for the rest of her life. And you wouldn't want that, do you?"
"I... no I don't." Zach admitted gloomily.
"But it doesn't have to be that way. All you have to do is leave forever, and Twilight can live out the rest of her life without any humilation." Discord instructed.
"...You know what... that's what I'll do." Zach declared and he soon began turning completely gray with a depressed expression on him. Then the light gray area on his cutie mark finally turned dark turning his element star cutie mark completely dark. He felt pain as he changed but emotionally which was the most painful he felt out of all. He started walking away leaving Discord with a devious smile on him.
"Checkmate." Discord said and snapped his claws which produced a throne behind him and sat down resting his head on his claw and paw with a victorious grin. Zach depressingly roamed through the streets of a chaotic Ponyville without a care. He was completely dead inside. He came across a grounded boulder in the middle of town and slammed his hoof on it with an anger scream. Then he collapsed on it breaking down the hardest he's done in a long time. After moments of crying several heartbroken tears he raised his head with his eyes reddened.
"I'm sorry guys. I'm sorry everyone. I'm sorry Princess... I'm sorry Twilight." Zach whispered grievingly. He then got back up and resumed walking through town. Later he arrived at his destination in the middle of town. He stands on the spot where Celestia opened a portal leading back to his home world Earth and returned. It's the spot where he's going back to Earth... permanently. He casts the portal spell a couple feet away from him and it opens with a swirling blue and green aurora with a bright light in the middle. He starts approaching it ready to return to his home world. But before he could enter he stops right in front of it and looks back the same way he did the first time when he first arrived in Equestria but this time nopony's there to say farewell.
"Goodbye." Zach whispered and turned back to the portal. But something odd happened. The light in the portal seems to be getting brighter sending Zach into a state of confusion.
"What?" Zach uttered confusingly just as the radiant light became so bright that Zach shielded his eyes and soon went into a state of unconsciousness. Time went by and he soon started to regain consciousness slowly opening his eyes. As they were fully opened he saw... nothing. Just complete whiteness all around him. He slowly gets back up on his hooves and he realized he was back in his brown colored fur. He looked around trying to find any sign of life.
"Hello? Is anypony there?" Zach called as his voice echoed everywhere but got no response. Until...
"Look how much our little boy has grown. Time flies by so fast." a very familiar motherly female voice said that Zach thought he would never hear again nor found it possible. He turned around to meet with two presences that widened his eyes in shear disbelief. It could be an illusion or a trick playing with his mind. It just couldn't be. Standing right there a few feet away from him... are two humans... his parents. His father stands on the left reaching to about 5'11, has well combed short black hair, with green eyes, wearing a light blue casual shirt with a black tie, tan pants with a belt, and black dress shoes. His mother on the right was about three inches shorter, has medium length brownish hair, brown eyes, a pearl necklace, a tan sundress, and white high heels.
"...Mom... Dad? Is... is that you?" Zach asked with a hint of denial.
"Yes, son. It's us." his father answered with a smile.
"But... but how is this... possible? Wait, if you're here, then am I-" Zach began to ask in worry.
"No. Don't worry, you're alright. You've just been summoned outside from the world of the living." his father assured.
"Then where am I?" Zach asked.
"You're in the Alchorim, sweetie." Zach's mother answered with a smile.
"The what?" Zach asked in confusion.
"It's a very special place where families and friends reunite with passed away loved ones in times of need." his mother explained.
"Okay, then why am I here?"
"You were in so much pain, so much grief. You were losing your will on friendship. You were ready to abandon your family and friends. We brought you here to prevent you from making a grave mistake."
"But what can I do now? My friends are corrupted, the world is in complete chaos, and Discord has already won. I've failed." Zach said lowering his head.
"But sweetheart, it isn't over yet." his mother reassured raising his head up with her hand on his equine chin.
"He only tricked you into turning away from the most important thing that could stop him, your bond with your friends. He made you forget the values of that bond. Even persuading you into abandoning your crush." Zach's father added which made Zach blush.
"Oh... you know about that, huh? I guess you're pretty disgusted by that, huh?" Zach asked shamefully.
"Oh, Zach. We would never think that about you." Zach's mother said soothingly while hugging him.
"R...really?"
"Really. You're our son, and we love you no matter what. Even when you have hooves to walk on or have an admiration for a lovely unicorn." Zach's father said and Zach produced a relieved smile with tears flowing from his eyes not in sadness but happiness this time.
"We're so proud of you, Zach. You have come so far." his mother said and hugged him again with his father joining which he happily returned. For the first time in over 5 years he was hugging his parents again. He never wanted to let go. Sadly though the hug had to be broken and Zach wiped away his tears with a smile which his parents returned.
"Be strong, Zach. Be brave. And remember, we'll always be with you and love you eternally. Don't ever forget that." Zach's father said and Zach nodded with a smile as he and his mother back away.
"Remember, Zach. Remember." was the last words Zach heard from his mother before seeing a blinding light produce from them and sent him into another state of unconsciousness. Moments later he wakes up back in Ponyville. As he stands back up he was actually back in his brown coat. He also noticed the half light gray area in the center of of his cutie mark was back in it's color too. He looked up in the sky with a happy smile.
"I will Mom and Dad. I'll always remember... Wait... remember. Remember! REMEMBER, THAT'S IT!" Zach shouts in elated realization as he hops up and down while laughing gleefully.
"Oh. Twilight." Zach uttered in realization and knew what he had to do as he rushes to the library. Meanwhile Twilight returns to the library just as the sun sets and moon rises immediately.
"Pack your things, Spike, we're leaving." Twilight ordered as Spike lies on the ground groaning while clenching his stomach next to a pile of scrolls.
"Don't ask where we're going, 'cause I don't know yet. Just not here." Twilight said as she levitates a briefcase to her bed packing books and needed necessities and puts her element tiara into a nearby trash can.
"Can't...move. The princess...has been sending these...since I came back upstairs. [belch] Make it stop!" Spike begged after belching another scroll to the pile.
"These are all the letters me and Zach wrote to the princess since we've lived in Ponyville. But why would she send them back?" Twilight asked while reading several of the scrolls just as Spike bursts out another belch.
"'Real friends don't care what your cover is... Friendship is a wondrous and powerful thing... And like the path cut through the orchard, there will always be a way through... The best thing to do is stay true to yourself... Everypony has a special magical connection with her friends... Maybe even before she's met them.'" Twilight read nearly every letter she and Zach had ever wrote and started feeling herself return to normal as her lavender color returns.
"Spike! Spike, it's all so clear! Can't you see? Discord's trying to distract us from what's important. He knows how powerful our friendships are, and he's trying to keep us from seeing it. Do you remember what I said the first day we arrived in Ponyville? I told you that the future of Equestria didn't rest on me making friends. But the opposite is true! The friendships I've made since I've been here are what saved Equestria from Nightmare Moon. And now they need to save it from Discord!" Twilight said with a returned confident attitude after levitating Spike around gleefully and placed him on his bed. Spike groans in pain from belching out so many notes.
"You're right, Spike. I've got to fight for my friendships. For them. For me. For Equestria!" Twilight declared. She then notices Spike's condition.
"Oh...uh...why don't you just stay here and rest? I'll take care of the whole fighting for friendship thing myself. But first, I've got to find Zach." Twilight said and heads for downstairs as Spike continues to groan on his bed and belches uncontrollably again.
"Now, I got to find Zach, get him to help me find our friends, and-" Twilight heads for the door but as soon as she opens it she was met by a surprising visitor. Zach.
"Zach!" Twilight exclaimed excitingly.
"Twilight!" Zach exclaimed back.
"I've discovered how to defeat Discord!"
"Me too!"
"You do?! This is great! Hey, you're back to normal!"
"You too! And look, cutie mark is coming back to normal and I feel like I'm coming back to normal!"
"So do I!"
"That's great!" the two elated ponies said to each other just after each sentence they speak and they laugh and hugged each other in glee.
"We got work to do." Zach stated.
"Right." Twilight nodded and the two were off to find their friends. At Sweet Apple Acres everything was a mess. All of the houses around them float in the air, there are pigs flying around with wings, and even Applejack's family completely changed. Big Macintosh was now like a dog as he digs underground and comes back up into the surface with a corn stalk on top of him. Granny Smith was now a tap dancer while Applejack relaxes against the barn while eating an apple in reverse.
"And so I tried to defeat Discord, but none of my so-called 'friends' would lift a hoof to help me." Applejack stated to Granny Smith.
"Applejack, we're here to fight for our friendship." Twilight stated with Zach by her side. Big Macintosh suddenly came out from underneath the ground next to Twilight and licked her face like a dog would and returned to underground.
"Did... he just-" Zach had a disturbed look on him.
"Yes, he did. Let's get back on track." Twilight said trying to move on from the moment.
"Oh, now you want to fight. Where you went when I was battlin' Discord?" Applejack asked while doing some boxing moves. The two had enough of her lying so they tackled to the ground and held her in place.
"Snap out of it. This isn't you! You're not a liar." Twilight said while Applejack struggles to free herself. Twilight however placed her horn on Applejack's forehead and casts a memory spell on her. She then saw memories flooding back to her. From helping her on applebuck season, from Zach and Twilight staying in Ponyville, helping Twilight on the cliff in the Everfree Forest, winter wrap up, and the falling of the leaves festival. Seeing all of these images in her head made her remember the important moments of their friendship and started feeling herself come back to normal as her orange color returns. Even the green side of Zach's cutie mark returns.
"Wh-what happened? Zach, Twilight! [sigh] I saw a vision of us feudin' and fightin'. I couldn't face the truth, so I started tellin' lies. Can you ever forgive me?" Applejack asked worriedly with her hat in front of her face.
"We already have. Come on!" Twilight ordered as she and Zach runs with Applejack following. After long periods of time and struggling to get the brute Fluttershy to cooperate they finally tied her up from the hooves and casts the memory spell on her making her remember their good times. Soon her yellow color comes back and her gentle senses return.
"Oh no! Zach, Twilight, Applejack, I just had the worst dream!" Fluttershy squealed in horror. Just then the yellow side of Zach's cutie mark comes back. They then head to Carousel Boutique where Rarity still loves on 'Tom'.
"What do you think you're doing? Get away from my gem! Get away-!" Rarity was cut off by a light and is back to normal after casting the memory spell on her. They then explained the silly events she had with a boulder. She realizes this and pushes the rock out of her boutique with her beautiful white coat.
"Let us never speak of this again." Rarity said.
"Done." Zach agreed and the white section of his star mark shines back. They managed to change Pinkie back while Applejack carries her from an apple cart as she laughs joyfully.
"And I-I turned gray! [giggle] Can you believe it?!" Pinkie asked gleefully.
"Oh, I miss that laugh." Zach sighed and the blue area of his mark also returns. They went to find Dash at her cloud home but Fluttershy checked to see no sign of her.
"Uh? She's not here." Fluttershy said raising her hooves.
"Darn it." Zach kicked the ground in disappointment.
"Without Rainbow Dash, we can't use the Elements." Twilight pointed out.
"She could be anywhere by now! We're never gonna find her." Applejack stated.
"Yeah, we will, 'cause she's right there!" Pinkie pointed at a cloud a few yards high in the sky and it so happens that Dash was relaxing on it.
"Oh. That was fast." Zach said.
"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight called.
"Hey guys!" Dash replied.
"We've been looking everywhere for you!" Twilight said.
"That's nice." Dash said in a very uninterested tone.
"Discord's still on the loose! We need you to help us defeat him with your element, Loyalty!"
"Pfft. Loyalty, schmoyalty! Have you guys seen Ponyville? It's a disaster! I'm staying here in Cloudsdale where everything's awesome."
"How in Equestria can she think that tiny patch of cloud is Cloudsdale?" Rarity asked confusingly.
"The same way he got you to think that cheap rock was a bona fide diamond." Applejack said slyly.
"I thought we agreed never to speak of that again." Rarity whispered irritatedly.
"Time for Plan B." Twilight said.
"Already on it." Zach said on his way to retrieve something. Later Dash naps on the cloud snoring while Zach got the hot air balloon and hovered it with Applejack on top and the rest of the girls inside the basket above Dash.
"Okay, Fluttershy, you grab Rainbow Dash and hold her down. Applejack will lower me down from this rope so we can cast the memory spell on her." Twilight whispered.
"Got it!" Fluttershy saluted confidently and flies down towards Dash looking like she was about to grab her. But of course being her naive self she taps Dash awake.
"Um...I'm just wondering if it's okay if I hold you down against your will for a little bit?" Fluttershy asked and the group groaned annoyingly with Twilight slapping her hoof on her forehead and Zach slamming his head on the side of the basket.
"Nice try! Ponyville's your problem, not mine." Dash scoffed and got on her cloud and started flying away in fast speeds.
"Come on, Fluttershy, we've got to catch her. Hyah!" Twilight shouted as she tosses a rope to Fluttershy and she pulls the balloon like a carriage with Zach keeping it in control. In a daring move Dash made a u-turn towards the balloon and started flying circles around it trying to confuse the group.
"Applejack!" Twilight called and tosses up rope to Applejack and catches it. Dash passes by and Applejack found the chance to toss the lasso to her and catches her putting Dash into a state of confusions as she sees the rope around her. But without noticing Rarity's hind hooves were in the rope connected to Dash as it tightens around her hooves.
"Rarity, look out!" Zach warned but the rope pulls Rarity out after grabbing Pinkie with her as they scream in horror.
"PINKIE! You were supposed to secure the ROPE!" Rarity shrieked.
"Oops." Pinkie said sheepishly. However their weight was pulling Dash off her cloud and decreases her speed.
"Rarity, Pinkie, hold on! Y'all are slowing her down!" Applejack shouted.
"Oh, Fluttershy, would you be a dear and FLY FASTER, please?" Rarity demanded impatiently.
"I can't!" Fluttershy whimpered.
"If you can't catch her, Discord wins!" Twilight warned which widened Fluttershy's eyes in realization.
"That... big...dumb...MEANIE!" Fluttershy screams furiatedly and starts flying even faster which made Zach shout in surprise. They get nearer and nearer to Dash as she struggles to keep maintain her altitude.
"Okay, Applejack, last rope! Make it count!" Twilight warned and tosses Applejack another rope. Applejack took her time with her second lasso and tosses it to Dash for a clutch catch stopping her in her tracks.
"Bulls eye!" Zach cheered and they lowered to balloon returning to the earth with Dash struggling to get free. When they touched the ground the four held on to her with ropes holding her like a rampaging bull.
"Lemme go! I don't need you guys! Leave me alone!" Dash ordered angrily.
"But we need you." Zach calmly said and he and Twilight lowered their horns to Dash's head as she puffs steam out of her nostrils. As they cast the spell Dash began to calm down and her cyan blue color coat and rainbow mane and tail was coming back along with her memories. Thus returning the red color back to Zach's cutie mark finally restoring his cutie mark whole again. He felt whole again as well.
"Wh-what happened? [gasp] How's Ponyville? Where are the Elements?! Did we stop Discord?" Dash asked worriedly pumbling Applejack to the ground. The group couldn't help but hug Dash and each other cheering in celebration as their friendship was back to normal. They then noticed ballerina buffalo pass by remembering the world is still in peril.
"Maybe it's a little early for a group hug." Twilight said.
"Agreed. Maybe we should get going." Zach advised with the others giving agreeing nods. At Ponyville it was just as chaotic as before. There were card castles, long-legged stampeding bunnies, and ballerina buffalo going about. Discord laughs maniacally on his throne on a large slope as raining pies come down and a cotton candy chocolate milk raining cloud comes by. He summons a glass under it and it fills up from top to bottom.
"Chaos is a wonderful, wonderful thing." Discord stated proudly as he was about to take a drink.
"Not as wonderful as friendship." Twilight said confidently and Discord sees the group with their elements on with confident smiles on them.
"Give it up, Discord! You lost!" Zach declared boldly.
"Oh, this again?" Discord asked smugly and drinks his beverage but instead of the liquid he drinks the glass. As he sees the glass gone he tosses the chocolate milk away and made an explosion on impact.
"That's right. You couldn't break apart our friendship for long." Applejack said.
"Oh, Applejack, don't lie to me. I'm the one who made you a liar." Discord reminded and levitates Applejack by the necklace with a yellow glow and his claw glows with an insane smile. Zach and Twilight see the others being forced towards Discord by their necklace as they struggle to get away.
"Will you ever learn?" Discord asked. Zach and Twilight focused their magic and transported near the group producing a large bubble around them slightly surprising Discord in the process after releasing his grip from them. They levitate away from Discord and landed back where they were as the ground the bubble touches changes back to grass.
"I'll tell you what we've learned Discord. We've learned that friendship isn't always easy. But there's no doubt it's worth fighting for." Twilight said.
"And no one, not even you can break it. Not now, not ever." Zach joined.
"Ugh, gag. Fine, go ahead, try and use your little Elements. Frenemies. Just make it quick. [flash] I'm missing some excellent chaos here." Discord said with a smirk.
"All right, ladies, let's show him what friendship can do!" Zach said with a confident smile.
"Wait-wait-wait!" Pinkie halted their actions as they see her under a cotton candy cloud drinking all the chocolate milk from it like a pig earning annoyed glares from the group. She then came back satisfied and growled fiercely at Discord as a light glowed apon the group. Discord put out a bored yawn not expecting on what's coming. The elements then began to light up in their shape sending sound waves of it. It then began shooting out beams of the shapes which caught Discords eye and manages to dodge one from hitting him in the head.
"Huh. What's this?" Discord questioned confusingly and started to realize what's happening.
"No." Discord mumbled in denial as Zach and Twilight's eyes turn into a white glow again while the group float in the air just as a rainbow energy beam shoots out of them and heads for Discord.
"NO!" Discord screams out as the beam collides with him. From his feet he begins turning to stone as he tries to block the beam from him but it was futile as he was finally enshrouded into stone entirely with a terrified look on him. The arching rainbow beam then split surrounding the whole town in a bright radiant bubble. Everything was back to normal and he group landed back on the ground and watch the statue of Discord land on the ground with a loud thud.
"YIPEEE! We did it!" Pinkie cheered gleefully.
"Take that, Discord!" Dash joined.
"It's over. It's finally over." Twilight sighed and smiled softly at Zach which he returned.
"We should start cleaning up and-" Zach suddenly paused after sensing something horrifying which widened his eyes.
"Zach? Zach, what is it?" Twilight asked and then heard evil chuckling.
"No." Zach uttered in horror. He looks back at the statue as the laugh gets louder and more evil. A bright light then appears next to the statue and what they see makes their eyes widened and their mouths agape in disbelief... Discord. He was in a spirit like form as he continues to laugh.
"Again, you should see the looks on your faces! It's incredibly priceless. It never gets old." Discord said smugly.
"No. B- bu- bu- but how?! We turned you into stone!" Zach pointed out in denial.
"Yes, you did. But at the same time you didn't. You see, I knew you were going to return to your senses and figure out my real plan. So, in order for me to avoid being rock again I had to think of a long term plan. First step was to change you all to the opposites of who you are while I charge up." Discord began explaining.
"Charge up?" Twilight questioned.
"I was charging up to separate my spirit from my body and set a trap. The only way I can do this is simply by wreaking havoc all over the land. But only one problem, you. In order to buy me some time I had to make you turn against each other. I would've gone for Zach and Twilight first but their will on friendship is strong, so I had to go for the other five first. Second step after that is use the chaotic energy I have gathered and form it into my spirit so I will be able to separate from my body. In the statue body you see is the elemental energy you shot to me and trapped it within. With the remaining chaotic energy I have left, I shall revert the harmony energy into chaotic energy. What you see on the ground is nothing but a shell of me, a shell waiting to crack open and reveal my true form." Discord explained.
"True form?!" the ponies exclaimed in unison.
"Yes! In this shell is a form more powerful than what you are witnessing. In fact, did your princess warned you about it?" Discord asked. Zach thought for a moment until the memories came flowing back to him.
"Beware... of the tyrannical form." Princess Celestia warned in his flashback. Zach only froze in disbelief. He didn't take the warning seriously.
"Ah. So she did. Well, that's a shame. Now you will be the first to witness the resurrection of my tyrannical form!" Discord announced and shot a dark beam at the statue and exploded open revealing a ball of rainbow energy. He shoots it again and it turns completely dark. And finally in a daring move he leaps into it as the the ball of energy became lighter. They witness the horrifying moment with Discord laughing evilly as they see his appearance change as his claw and paw grow more muscular, growing sharper claws out of them, his goat leg and dragon claws also grow more muscular, his snake tail grows even thicker with the furry tail end turning into spikes, his body grows more bolder, his bat and pegasus wings grow larger with his bat wing turning into a dragon wing, his horns grow sharper, his red pupils readjust in size, and finally his other fang grows. His terrifying transformation is completed and he laughs wickedly with his voice deepened.
"Oh, it is so good to be back again! I've missed this form so much. It's a power I've almost forgotten. Now, I can finally reclaim Equestria and rule it as I had 1000 years ago!" Discord said as he looks at his new features.
"No! We won't let you!" Zach challenged.
"Oh, but I'm afraid it's already happened." Discord assured.
"What?" Zach asked in surprise.
"My army is already raiding the capital as we speak."
"Army?!" the group exclaimed in unison. They then see Canterlot smoking in the distance with orange glows on the buildings and explosions. The gang couldn't believe their eyes.
"What did you think those other statues in the gardens were? Did you honestly think I would want this pathetic town when I can have it all? And speaking of my army, here's some of my troops now." Discord said looking above. Suddenly the group were surrounded by vicious looking creatures with characteristics similar to Discord which made the group jump in fear especially Fluttershy who was hiding behind the group with a squeal.
"Fascinating, are they not? You can keep the town for all I care. Canterlot is the real prize I'm after. Enjoy the last free moments you have of it, because there will be no more of that when I reclaim the throne. Be ready for manual labour, subjects!" Discord announced as he flaps his massive wings and flies for Canterlot with the minions following but he stopped near one of his soldiers.
"Make sure they do not escape." Discord ordered quietly and the minion nodded as Discord resumed his way to Canterlot. All the group can do is stand and watch.
"We can't let this happen! There's got to be a way to stop him!" Dash said.
"What is there to do? Maybe we should go home and prepare for the new law. Yes, let's do that." Fluttershy said fearfully and was ready to rush for her cottage but Rarity used her magic on her and prevented her from going.
"But if we do that, your animal critters won't even last a day in this new dreadful law." Rarity said and Fluttershy saw where she was going and stayed.
"What... have I done? This is all my fault. I should've taken the Princess' warning more seriously. I'm so sorry girls. It's over." Zach moped.
"What?! Zach, we can't give up now! Equestria is in danger! We have to order him and his meanie army to go away!" Pinkie protested.
"Oh, that's a great idea. Let's go tell them that." Twilight said sarcastically pointing at the flying minions. They growl threatingly to a couple of onlookers scaring them away.
"On second thought, let's not." Pinkie said sheepishly.
"Zach, we can't stop now. We came too far to give up." Twilight said.
"But Twilight, there's only seven of us, and a whole army of those things. We don't stand a chance." Zach declared lowering her head. But Twilight raised it back up with her hoof on his chin.
"Hey, chin up. There's still hope left, even if everything does look bleak. You told me something that your father would say all the time when things look bleak. What was it again?" Twilight asked.
"'Never give up hope. Because if you do, you already lost.'" Zach said and shortly opened his eyes in realization.
"That's it. Let's not give up now. There is still hope left. It's small, but it just might be enough to stop Discord." Twilight said.
"She's right ya'll! There's still a chance to save Equestria from tyranny and chaos!" Applejack joined.
"Yeah! Nothing can stop us when we put our faith into each other!" Dash added.
"You're right! There is still faith and hope that our friendship will prevail! Everypony is counting on us and we can't let them down!" Zach declared with a changed confident tone.
"YEAH!" the group cheered and clapped their hooves together in the air with a more stronger confidence.
"Now, here's what we're going to do." Zach whispered as the group huddled up as Zach explains the plan. In Canterlot the whole city was in flames. Discords army captures every rebelling citizen and soldier who are loyal to the princess and lock them up in cages. As for the Celestia she too tried to stand her ground but she too got captured and was being sentenced to the most cruelest punishment yet... death. Discord watches his minions escort her to the city square from Canterlot tower where a statue of Discord was instantly made to honor him and where Celestia is to be executed.
Youtube: watch?v=8xecLXV7YAU
"My dear Celestia
You know I am a righteous being
Of my virtue I am justly proud
My dear Celestia
You know I'm so much better than
The common folk, a weakling such as you
Then tell me, Celestia
Why do you keep opposing me
Why do your smold'ring eyes still scorch my soul
I feel her, I see her
The sun caught in her dawning hair
Is blazing in me out of all control
Like fire
Sunfire
This fire in my skin
This burning
Desire
Is turning me to peace
It's not my fault
I'm not to blame
It is the princess
The threat who sent this flame
It's not my fault
If in her plan
She made her order so much stronger than chaos
Protect me, my chaos
Don't let her cast her spell again
Don't let her fire sear my flesh and bone
Destroy Celestia
And let her taste the fires of tyranny
Or else let her be mine and mine alone
Just then Discord heard the main door knocking and it opens revealing one of his minions.
"My lord, the seven element bearers had escaped." the minion announced.
"What?" Discord asked in confusion.
"They're nowhere in the town. They're gone."
"But how I... Nevermind. Get out you idiot! No matter. Their princess will be dead before they even get to her!" Discord stated boldly.
Sunfire
Dark fire
Now Princess, it's your turn
Choose me or
Your duty
Be mine or you will die
Let there be mercy on her
Let there be mercy on me
But she will be mine or
She will die!" Discord makes his way out of the room and clenched his paw in the air which made the doors magically shut with a loud thud. At the square everypony was gathered to witness the end of their beloved ruler. On a wooden stage Celestia's hooves were tied on two separate poles with each pair of hooves tied to them and cut sticks and wood surround her with Discord reading a scroll that he himself made.
Youtube: watch?v=Z0aTsDHqUJI&feature=
"The defendant, Princess Celestia, has been found guilty for the crime of rebellion." Discord announced as several of his soldiers bang on the drums in a ceremonial rhythm.
"The sentence... Death!" Discord declared which made the citizens that weren't in cages angry and tried to fight their way through to save the princess but it was no good as the soldiers fight them back. All the ones in cages can do nothing but watch. Even the guards that have not been captured yet who planned a surprised attack eventually get captured. A fireball was then ignited in Discords paw as he approaches Celestia.
"The time has come, Celestia. You stand on the brink of the afterlife. But yet now it is not too late. You still have the chance to rule by my side, and be my queen. What will it be, Princess? Choose me, or the fire?" Discord offered with an evil smile. As her answer Celestia jolted towards him a little and her violet eyes and hair bursted into flames for just a second which startled Discord a bit. Celestia's angry look still encompassed her which Discord returned.
"So be it. This excuse of a ruler has chosen death over life. So, as punishment of this heinous crime she is sentenced to burn..." Discord announces to the crowd. Meanwhile from a far distance in an alley a hole was dug up from below and out pops a still changed dog like Big Macintosh panting. As he hops out the other seven ponies jumped out still wearing their elements.
"Okay, we're in." Zach said.
"I'm still confused on why Big Macintosh didn't change back. Nor the rest of the Apple family for that matter." Applejack said.
"Maybe because Sweet Apple Acres wasn't in the radius of the changing blast. But that's besides the point what do we do now?" Twilight asked.
"We split up in groups. Twilight, AJ, and Dash will free the prisoners when the guards are distracted. Fluttershy will escort the mares and children to safety. And Rarity and Pinkie will cover us from above to make sure no patrol sees us or prevents the citizens from escaping. I'll rescue the Princess." Zach explained.
"But what if this doesn't work?" Fluttershy asked in worry.
"It has to work! There's no other way." Zach said with determination and the group looked at each other for a moment and nodded.
"Okay. We're on it." Dash said as she flew to another hiding spot with Applejack following.
"We'll get right on it, darling." Rarity assured as she, Fluttershy, and Pinkie went to the top of the nearest building.
"Please, be careful." Twilight pleaded.
"I will." Zach assured and both hugged for a brief moment before Twilight broke it and went to catch up with Applejack and Dash.
"...For Justice, for Equestria, and for all generations to come!" Zach hears Discord announce and made him put on a determined and angry look. He flies on top of a building and stays behind a chimney staying out of sight and watches the moment from a great distance.
"...Back where she belongs!" Discord declared and drops the ball of fire on the wood and spreads getting nearer and nearer to Celestia. Zach couldn't believe what he's witnessing. He was going to lose his mother again. He can't let this happen.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Zach screams from the top of his lungs which caught the attention of everypony including Celestia and Discord. They see Zach taking charge in the air heading towards the stand. This made Discord smile evilly and flung out his claw pointing at Zach and his minions started flying into the air charging for Zach. Time was running short for Celestia as she coughs from the harmful smoke producing from the fire while Discord keeps on his wicked smile. Zach started shooting energy beams on whoever came close to him sending them flying down but more and more keep coming making it difficult for him to keep firing until it got the point where dozens of minions started dog piling him and they fell down to the top of a flat roof building. As it started to look like they got him a light started glowing from where Zach is and started getting brighter until it created a blast sending the minions flying in all directions. He stood on the roof with a deathly glare encompassing him. He then casts an invisible spell on himself and went for the sky again with no one seeing him. He then starts running on the side of the castle and until he got to the end he started gliding towards the wooden stage. When he landed he reappeared again which startled Discord. Without warning Zach casted the force field spell in front of Discord and shoots a beam in the ground which produced a smoke screen obstructing Discord's sight of them for extra effect. He uses his magic to put out the fire and cut the ropes from Celestia's hooves and levitates her unconscious body. Most of the soldiers climb up to the stage to stop Zach from escaping. Zach however formed a giant energy pole and swipes it from the side slamming into the soldiers sending them a few feet away. As it was done Zach started flying for the castle balcony while levitating Celestia.
"Lanson!" Discord shouted in anger. The crowd cheers as they watch him get nearer to the balcony struggling to fly and hold on to Celestia's weight. He did manage to make it and stands in front of it still holding Celestia and casts the same impenetrable force field around the whole balcony to keep Discord out.
"ORDER! ORDER! ORDER!" Zach chanted loudly as the whole crowd began chanting along.
"Captain!" Discord called.
"Sir!" the captain responded.
"Seize the palace." Discord ordered. Zach then took Celestia to her room and rested her gently on her bed.
"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." Zach promised and went back outside. He then casted a large boulder and lifted it with his magic and dropped on the edge of the balcony sending it to the earth. It impacted on the statue of Discord smashing into thousands of pieces which is starting to infuriate Discord. Most of his minions started turning tale and run.
"Get back here, you cowards! You four. Get over here and ram down the door." Discord ordered a group of minions guarding most of the cages leaving only one on duty.
"Alone at last." Twilight sneaked behind the guard and dropped a levitating rock on it's head rather amusingly putting him unconscious and grabbing the keys. While they unlock every prisoner free Discord's minions began pounding on the door like rams with their horns trying to break in.
"Citizens of Equestria! Discord has abused our freedom, stolen our country! And now, he has declared war on Princess Celestia herself! Will we allow this?!" Twilight shouted on the base of where the Discord statue was and the soldiers and even most of the stallion citizens shouted in a 'no' unison and started charging for the minions. Zach shoots beams of energy from the balcony at any minion cornering any civilians buying them time to escape. He even brought to life a rhino and an elephant to even the odds as the two creatures ram and send the minions flying. While Fluttershy leads them out gesturing them to go to the gates on a building she notices a lone minion approaching the escapees and she found a brick and held it above an alley the minion is coming from. She took her timing and let's go successfully hitting it's target on the head and knocking it out cold.
"Sorry. Sorry!" Fluttershy squealed. Rarity and Pinkie aligned several party poppers on the edge of the building they were assigned to pointing them to the ground.
"Ready, aim, FIRE!" Pinkie shouted and swiftly the two pulled the strings from the right making their way to the left with the poppers shooting rapid speeding streamers right at their enemies like guns.
"Harder!" Discord ordered as his soldiers continue to pound the door with their strong horns. Twilight, Applejack, and Dash at the meantime have each other's back as they buck, shoot energy beams, and hover attack each minion that comes to them as the battle rages on. Pinkie and Rarity had another plan as they begin building something big. As Twilight takes out another minion one big particular minion comes up to her and does some crazy tricks such as flips and breaking the ground with it's strength trying to intimidate her but she gives an unimpressed look. Without warning she summoned shackles below him and locked them onto his legs sending him tripping down with a grunt as Twilight grins slyly at it. Zach from the balcony then noticed that two minions were trying to get in through a large window that wasn't protected with the shield spell and hastily went in front of it and shot an energy beam at one sending it flying away and bucked the other one also sending him down to the earth screaming. Discord's minions were getting close to breaking down the doors as Rarity and Pinkie finished their secret weapon. It's a giant mouse trap with wheels that Rarity found ridiculous to build but went along anyway as they push it near the edge of the building they're on.
"Ready, aim, fire!" Rarity this time gives the order and they pushed it off sending it falling towards stray minions and they see it coming for them and they avoid it from crashing into them just in time landing upside down.
"Are you positive that's what it should do, darling?" Rarity asked confusingly just the moment the upside down mouse trap snapped and the base slams right on the minions that were in the way.
"Positively!" Pinkie answered happily which Rarity returns. Applejack faces off against another strong minion as they locked heads with fierce looks on them. The minion made a mistake as he tried to ram Applejack but she avoids it by jumping over the enemy and lands behind it putting the minion in a confused state. She then bucked it in the back sending him flying feet away landing near Big Macintosh still in his dog state.
"Big Mac, sit." Applejack ordered and he obeys as he sits right on the minions face as he struggles to get free. Then the time came to end this as part of Zach's plan was to return every one of Discord's army into stone again. However they need to do it all at once. In the dome roofed buildings they have sun like antenna's on top of them which Zach believes it can lead to the top of the observation tower which should send beams of the attack to every minion it comes across. Fortunately they only need six of the Elements of Harmony to produce the beam separately. But they need all seven in order to finish Discord too. Zach whistles signaling the strike and the other six mares quickly gathered in the square and prepared for the attack. A light emits from behind them and they started floating in the air. Discord's minions finally shattered the door making an opening in it. Twilight's eyes glowed a white light again and the rainbow beam fires out again heading straight for Zach. But this was on purpose as Zach casted a reflecting spell in front of him with his harmony beam shooting with it which sends the beam to the nearest antenna. It hits and transfers to the next, and the next, and the next, until it reached to the observation tower as it charges up with a bright radiating light on it. And soon the light starts sending small rainbow beams into the city only hitting every one of Discord's minions as they inevitably try to escape it. The plan was working. Discord couldn't believe this sight and made a desperate move as he jumps right into the opening finally entering the castle.
"It looks like I'm going have to kill them with my bare paws. This time, no one interferes." Discord declared after barricading the door wit various items from around the room and makes his way upstairs.
Youtube: watch?v=OJbSQzrE0fE&feature=
"We did it, Princess! We did it! We're beating them to the punch! Come and see." Zach gestured in glee. But he got no response as he looks back in worry at Celestia still resting on her bed.
"Princess? Princess, it's over. We won." Zach said again as he comes to the bed but Celestia still has her eyes closed rather peacefully.
"Princess?" Zach said in concern. He feels her forehead and it felt really cold which was starting to worry him even more.
"Oh no." Zach muttered in fear. Was he too late? He rests his ear on her chest checking for a heartbeat. Nothing. He checked one last time as he uses his life sensing ability and checked around her... nothing. He saw nothing but a cold lifeless body.
"[gasp] Oh no. No, no, no." Zach began weeping and breaking down holding Celestia's hoof with his and stumbles his head on her body ever so gently as he sobs over Celestia. Footsteps were then made with the sounds of a hoof and a paw. Zach knew who it is. Discord approaches slowly from behind and rests his lion's paw on his back.
"You killed her." Zach whispered.
"I had to. Horrible as it was, I hope you can forgive me." Discord hoped as Zach continues to weep on Celestia.
"There, there, Zach. I know you are in great pain. But now the time has come to release you from that misery... forever." Discord stated. Zach saw a shadow of Discord in front of him with his eagle claw raised in the air in a striking pose. Zach turned back and gasped just as Discord was about to attack. He swipes his claw at him but Zach blocked it barely keeping his razor sharp claw away from him as the two struggle against each other's strength. And in a move of desperation Zach uses his magic and shoots a beam right at Discord's chest sending him flying to the wall. He grunts in pain after colliding with the wall and Zach pants heavily with a threatening glare.
"N- now, now. Hear me out, Zach." Discord said calmly.
"No! You listen! Everyday I've been taught that mercy is a good thing to give, but now I realize that mercy just makes everything even worse!" Zach shouts in anger rather intimidating Discord a little.
"[moan] Zach?" Zach heard a familiar angelic tone from behind and looks back to see a shocking surprise. Celestia was alive getting up while rubbing her temples.
"Celestia!" Zach said in a relieved tone as he comes to her aid.
"She lives." Discord growled and sheathed his claws.
"NO!" Zach shouts and holds on to Celestia breaking for the balcony and flew to the air with Celestia following. Discord quickly got up and heads to the balcony and looks up in a battle position. But they were no where in sight. He began flying up slowly keeping on his guard. He swiftly comes to the side of the tower but still no sign of them. His curiosity got to him as he looks down and descends again cautiously. He landed back on the balcony and slowly approaches the edge. And swiftly he looks down to find his prey holding on the edge with terrified looks on them.
"Where do you think you're going?" Discord asked and swipes his claw at where Zach's hoof was but he avoids it as he sways back.
"Look! Up there!" a guard below pointed at the conflict taking place at the observation tower with onlookers gasping at the sight.
"Hang on!" Zach warned with Celestia on his back and flies up with Discord pursuing. With each grab on a window ledge for a breath Discord attacks with his claw but Zach continues to avoid each attack. With Zach counterattacking with beam attacks when given the chance Discord evades his attacks as well. It was a battle to the death with Zach nearly reaching the top. Discord unexpectedly came out of nowhere and attacks his claws on the wall just inches away from Zach while he quickly sends Celestia to the top balcony.
"I knew I should've dealt with you in that pathetic town when I had the chance! But I'll make sure I won't make the same mistake twice, when I'm through with your friends." Discord stated with a devious smile.
"What?" Zach asked in shock.
"Now, I'm going to do what I've should've done... 1000 years ago!" Discord said as he flies towards the ground to find the girls.
"NOOOOO!" Zach screams and interlocks with Discord from the back before he could go any further. Discord grunts trying to get free and Zach makes a daring move as he pulls Discord with and they collided with the wall near the balcony thus breaking one of their wings both shouting in pain. They tried flying away from each other but it proved useless as Discord had to hold to one side of the ledge as Zach barely gets to the other side also hanging on for dear life. Zach just barely noticed that the beams of energy on the top of the tower turning every minion into stone is still going. He had a plan as he quickly absorbed a stray rainbow energy into his elements. Discord slowly climbs back up with Celestia coming to Zach's aid.
"Hold on." Celestia said as she grabs on to Zach's hoof and pulls him up. As his head gets over the ledge he notices Discord is nearly up as well and shoots the beam that should turn him back to stone. But to his dismay he hits the ground missing Discord by inches. Discord began laughing maniacally as he gets back up on his feet and summons a large energy ball from his paw and claw.
"As soon as I'm through with you, I shall rule this kingdom with an iron fist!" Discord declared with a very wicked smile. Little did he know though Zach missed him on purpose as the spot that Zach hit was a trap which Discord is stepping on. When stepped on the spell will officially work. The spell began turning his feet into stone and started making it's way up with Discord not noticing. Zach then noticed that Discord's weight was cracking the area he's on including the whole balcony which is nearly ready to break.
"Discord, no!" Zach shouted as he got back up on his hooves and shoves Celestia into the tower room putting her in a daze. Discord then looked down at his feet and realize the situation he's in. He started screaming in fear as the crack hit's the wall and breaks. Zach leaped and tried to save him but it was too late as he landed near the edge and missed his claw by inches as the part of the balcony falls. All Zach could do is watch him fall to his doom screaming as the rest of him turns to stone. The now statue Discord collides to the ground hitting the discarded bell from the bell tower smashing into thousands of pieces also breaking a chunk off of the bell. Zach then realized that the rest of the balcony is about to fall as he gets up quickly heads for the entrance.
"Zach, hurry! Please!" Celestia begged as she hangs out her hoof for Zach to catch. Zach leaps for it just as the balcony breaks apart. Celestia caught Zach by the right hoof but to her horror she only caught the first element bracelet on his ankle and Zach slid from it now falling to the earth.
Youtube: watch?v=2Sdjfoh2his&feature=
"NOOOOOOOOO!" Celestia screams as she watches Zach fall. As it seems that Zach would be falling to his doom as well a blue streak came from underneath him and caught him. Celestia was stunned to see Dash catching him and taking him down. She quickly heads for the stairs to meet them down. Dash slowly lands to the ground putting Zach back down. As Zach realizes who it was that saved him he threw himself at her hugging her tightly surprising Dash at first but she happily returned it patting him on the back. Shortly the rest of the group arrived and were relieved to see Zach okay. He got back up and approached Twilight. He stopped in front of her and opened his mouth ready to say something until Twilight unexpectedly threw herself at him surprising him the same way as Dash. But he smiled and hugged back. As the hug broke they looked at each other happily glad that this time it's over. They then see Celestia approaching gracefully with a motherly smile at Zach and hugs him as well which Zach again returned. After they broke it Celestia levitates the element that slid off and put it on Zach which made a faint glow appear behind him. Zach then looks at the girls and they nodded. He flies into the air along with the girls and another bright flash of light emits from them which soon enshrouded the whole city. Shortly enough everything was back to normal and it was time to celebrate as the seven were gathered to the throne room where an audience cheers for the heroes. They walk down the path proudly to meet with the princess. As they reach the princess she smiles sweetly at them and Applejack produces a wink at her. Twilight then noticed Spike gave a nervous wave at her which she did back.
"We are gathered here today to once again honor the heroism of these seven friends who stood up to the villain Discord and saved Equestria from eternal chaos. For if it weren't for them, Equestria would not be the same again. Two in particular however, My faithful students, had shown much courage and faith to keep going and to never give up. To give our gratitude, we dedicate the newly constructed bell and a new chapter in this room to Zachary Lanson, Twilight Sparkle, and the heroes of Equestria!" Celestia announced as two curtains lowered from near the throne and a window nearby. A golden bell was revealed next to the throne sparkling from the sunshine with inscriptions printed on it quoting: 'Never let go of faith, because if you do, you've already lost.' The exact same words that Zach and his father said. This made Zach smile proudly. The stained glass window shows the seven elements of harmony defeating Discord in the same way as they defeated Nightmare Moon. The seven turned with gleeful smiles to the crowd.
"Three cheers, for the Elements of Harmony!" Le Squire apparently was there and shouted as the crowd began cheering and picking up the seven taking them to outside in celebration.
[Le Squire]
"So, here is a riddle to guess if you can
Sing the bells of Canterlot
What makes the monster and what makes the boy?
Whatever and which you
Can feel them bewitch you
The rich and the ritual chants
Of the Bells of Can-ter...LOOOOOOOOOOOOT!" Le Squire sung with the seven being taken outside in the streets of Canterlot in celebration of their victory. Once again they have proven that no living thing can ever break them apart no matter how big or mighty. They will always be victorius. Suddenly as Celestia and Spike watch them go Spike belched another scroll out.
"OH, COME ON!" Spike complained which made Celestia giggle. The sun shines on the newly made stained glass window of the seven triumphant over Discord signaling their power over friendship and their will to stay as one. Whatever future challenge that will come there will be no worry because the power of friendship will prevail now and forever.
