My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season 2

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...