The Disarray Trilogy Part 1: Of Harmony and Chaos

by Ink Blotch

Rating: teen
Tags: Discord, Princess Celestia, Main 6, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Adventure
Length: 40558

Discord's legacy resurfaces to challenge Twilight Sparkle's and friends abilities and faith.

It has been nearly ten months since Discord's defeat and peace has returned to Equestria. Until that is proof of Discord's long lost legacy surfaces and now Twilight and her friends must prepare themselves for what could be the return of their most powerful nemesis. But this time he is not alone. Along the way Twilight and friends will have to deal with monsters, poison and a blue pegasus with a crush on Pinkie Pie.

Published 2012-03-21 08:04:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-05-03 04:52:45 UTC

Chapter 1: Magic Minis and Cotton Candy Clouds

The Disarray Trilogy

Part one: Of Harmony and Chaos

Written by Walker “Ink Blotch” Holden

Edited by Joe Huang

Chapter 1: Magic minis and cotton candy clouds

In the heart of the mystical land of Equestria lay the small town of Ponyville. Renown for it's friendly inhabitants, sweet apple acres and most of all being the home of the bearers of the elements of harmony. Within Ponyville, atop of a a small, puffy, white cloud, sat a light blue pegasus with a rainbow mane, looking with pride at the beautiful day that had been her own doing.

"Another job well done by Rainbow Dash!" the cocky pegasus exclaimed, continuing to look at her work. “Yep, don’t know what Ponyville would do without me. I guess I just have to-- HEY!”

A cloud had lazily drifted over town, threatening to cast a shadow upon it's residents in the cobblestone streets on the gloriously sunny day. “Oh no you don’t!” Faster than a bolt of lightning, Dash had already flown to the cloud. She then pulled her arm back ready to deliver a devastating blow to the cloud. “This’ll show you to cross The Dash! Ha! I like the sound of that.”

With the force of a stampeding buffalo, Rainbow launched her attack to the cloud. Without looking at her target’s fate, Rainbow brought her hoof up to smooth back her mane. “Yep, just goes to show you when you mess with the pegasus you get the-- huh?” It was now that Rainbow noticed that the cloud was stuck to her hoof and mane, and also that but the cloud was pink.

“This cannot be happening!” Rainbow continued to pull and tug on her mane with no success. “Come on, come on!” After giving up on pulling the cloud out, Rainbow landed on a bench and began to think. Luckily the park where she landed was empty despite the sun so ni noise bothered Rainbow while she thought. Finally she came to a conclusion that gave her a smug smile. “Oh, of course. It’s so obvious. I’m dreaming. Okay, now I am going to close my eyes and count to three, and then I will be in my bed, just waking up in time to go get my work from the weather patrol office. Now then: one…two…three!” Rainbow opened her eyes, not to find her comfy cloud bed, but instead to be face to face with a pair of blue eyes on a happy pink face.

“AH! Pinkie! Don’t scare me like that!”

The Pink filly giggled at her friend’s reaction but happily apologized. “Sorry Dash, but I was walking in the park thinking what a beautiful day it was: the birds were chirping, the flowers blooming and fresh muffins being baked at Sugar Cube Corner. I was walking and walking and walking when I realized, ‘Uh oh, I forgot to eat breakfast!’ It was such a horrible tragedy that I almost panicked and flipped my lid, but then what do I see but my very bestest friend Rainbow Dash with a humongous, ooey gooey glob of cotton candy. Then I realized, hey, That isn’t just any cotton candy; it’s a cotton candy cloud. Only the tastiest thing I ever tasted. So I thought to myself ‘Hey self, just go over there and see if Dash will share!’ But then I thought, ‘That seems awful rude just to invite yourself to a friend’s treat!’ But then my tummy said ‘Pinkie. I am hungry. Feed me!’ Everypony knows that tummy knows best, so I caved and decided to come over and ask. So what do you say, Dashie old pal?”

Rainbow Dash blinked a few times trying to register what Pinky had just said. The Pink pony talked faster than Rainbow could listen: an amazing feat against somepony like Rainbow Dash. “Uh… sure Pinkie. Go on ahead.”
“Oh thanks Rainbow Dash. It’s been so long since I last ate that I was worried I would implode twice maybe even!” With that the pony started chewing at the pink cotton candy cloud attached to her friend.

“So Pinkie, what do you think of this? I mean I recognize this, but last time it was Discord who created these things. You don’t think he's back do you?”

Pinkie, her face now covered with cotton candy, pulled up for a gasp of air, looked at her friend, and jollily replied. “Don’t be silly Dash. Nopony gave him much credit but he was a pretty smart cookie. If he came back he wouldn’t start causing problems again. No, he would hide until everypony forgot about him; otherwise we could easily beat him again just like last time!”

With that Pinkie went back in for more cotton candy. Dash gave a little tug and her hoof came free. Sticky, but free. “Well Pinkie, I guess what you’re saying makes sense, but I don’t think anypony would know how to even make a cotton candy cloud. It could be left over from last time, but I was for sure that Celestia’s spell would have cleaned up all traces of Discord. I guess the only thing to do would be take it or,” Dash looked up to her hungry friend gnawing on her mane. “What’s left of it at least… over to Twilight”

Pinkie stopped herself from finishing off the last of the cotton candy and balled it up to show to Twilight. “Okay Dash, I’ll come with you. I have nowhere else to be… well except for Sugar Cube Corner and Applejack’s booth for zap apple jam and Zecora’s for a tummy ache remedy for Gummy and… Hey, I have a lot of places to be! Well sorry to eat and run Dash but I’ll catch up to you later.”
With that Pinkie gave the ball of cotton candy to Rainbow and hopped off to Sugar Cube Corner. Rainbow Dash, wasting no time, flapped her wings and flew off to Twilight’s library.
************************************************************************************************************************************************************

“Okay Spike, now very carefully set the school house to the right, gently.”

Twilight Sparkle and her assistant, Spike, were both standing around a large table, on which sat a model of Ponyville. It had taken three weeks, even with magic, to make the model, and it was nearly finished. All that was left was the schoolhouse and the little painted miniatures of everypony to put around town. She had everypony: herself, Spike, Rarity, Pinkie, Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Ms. Cherilee, Snips and snails. She had even made a little Derpy, complete with lazy eye.

“Almost and… THERE, All done, Twilight, and I gotta say we did awesome!”

“Well… I wouldn’t say that it is perfect, but it is well done.”

The baby dragon rolled his eyes at his adopted sister. “Come on Twi, give yourself a little credit. It’s the best model of Ponyville there is!”

“That’s because it is the only model of Ponyville there is.”

“That’s what makes it so special. And these minis are amazing too. I mean just look at mine, you actually made it almot handsome as the real thing.”

Spike leaned onto the table to get a closer look at the little him. “I mean just look at them, they look like they could just spring to life!”

At those words, the little wooden dragon threw his arms up into a flexing pose and exclaimed in a small voice, “Looking good Spike, looking reeeal good!”

“Whoa!”

Twilight couldn’t control herself and broke out laughing at her little brother’s reaction to her charm. “Sorry Spike, I should have told you, but I knew it would be hilarious to see your reaction.”
Twilight continued to giggle, making her brother turn a deeper shade of purple. “Come on Twilight, did you have to make it say that?”

“Its okay, Spike. It says other things: it only says that when you talk to it. Go ahead, try out some others.”

Spike, looking over the collection of minis, found the one he was looking for. “Hey Rarity, how you doing?”

“Quite fine, Spike, thank you for asking.”

“Whoa Twilight, I didn’t know you could make them know who's talking to them.”

The purple unicorn had a hoof over her mouth, fighting back tears. “I can’t.”

“Huh? But then how did it…”

“Spike, it is considered rude to engage a lady in a conversation and then just ignore her.”

Spike turned around to see Rarity wearing a purple sunhat and standing a few feet behind him. “Oh, Rarity, I didn’t see you come in!

“But then whom were you talking to?”

Spike, changing the subject, quickly said to Rarity, “You have got to see what Twilight made!”

Rarity, peering over Spike, looked at the miniature Ponyville in awe. “Well Twilight, that is truly an amazing sight. What is the occasion for such an astounding project?”

“Well, Mayor Mare asked me if I could make it for a display that will be in town hall. It’s almost finished; all I have to do is to have the mini ponies move out to their positions in town. Let’s see, the spell is in on this paper I wrote on… here!”
With the muttering of a few words and the glow of her horn Twilight had made all the little ponies move throughout town to their usual spots. Apple Jack was setting up her stand with Big Macintosh in town square; Derpy was fluttering from door to door on her mail route; even the Cutie Mark Crusaders were running around Town Square. Spike and Rarity, needless to say, were in awe at the sight of their friend’s magic ability.

Twilight wasn’t done yet though. “That isn’t all. Get this: the minis are enchanted to be wherever and do whatever the real things are!”

Rarity’s brow furrowed. “Is this so…” The mini Sweetie Belle had just jumped into a very large mud puddle with the other Crusaders and was continuing to roll in it.

“I have to go. I need to make sure Sweetie doesn’t foul up anything in my boutique. Oh, before I leave, can I borrow that book on historical fashion from a few weeks ago? I forgot to make some notes on a section on saddle bag accessories.”

“Of course, Spike, would you please?”

“Already got it covered, Twi.”
Spike, with a faraway look on his face, pranced up to Rarity, book in claw.

“Why thank you, Spike. Now then, if you will excuse me I need to speak to my sister.”
Rarity, eying the model on the way out, didn’t notice the door was already open and almost crashed into Rainbow Dash.

“Oh sorry, dear. Also, you must see what Twilight has made.”

“Yeah, Rarity, I will, but right now we have bigger problems.”

“Oh my, you are right. I must see Sweetie Belle immediately.”
With that Rarity was out the door.

“Hey Dash, you gotta see what Twilight made over here.”

“Later, Spike. Twilight, I think we may have a big problem.”

Twilight was shocked at the sense of urgency in her friend’s voice. “What is it, Rainbow?”

Rainbow Dash quickly went through the events of the morning, from her hoof being stuck in the cloud to Pinkie eating most of the cloud. She did leave out the part when the cloud got stuck to her mane. At the end of her story she gave the remains of the cloud to Twilight to examine. Twilight put the glob on a side table and poked, prodded and scanned the glob before coming to a conclusion.

“Well Rainbow, I am definitely sensing magic energy from Discord, but it’s different. Not to mention Discord is under heavy surveillance in Canterlot and it would be impossible for him to escape from the stone on his own.”

“So what is it then? What are we dealing with?”

“That’s the thing: I don’t know. To make things worse, it’s not just Discord that I am sensing here.”

“What do you mean, Twilight?”

Twilight was silent while she considered how to tell Rainbow what she had found. “Well… it’s not just Discord’s magic that I’m sensing: I-I also sense magic from myself, Rarity, Fluttershy and you, Rainbow.”

“But-but that doesn’t make sense. I didn’t even think pegasi had magic!”
“Well, technically, both pegasi and Earth Ponies do. That’s how you control the weather and Applejack grows food so well. Unicorns just have more access to their magic. This cloud is a direct result of a combination of pegasi, Unicorn and draconequus magic.”

“But Twilight, that doesn’t answer why it’s our magic you’re sensing.”

“Rainbow, please try to stay calm. We are going to get to the bottom of this, but for now I think that we should gather everypony here and send a letter to the princess.”

“OK Twilight, I’ll go and get everypony; you write the message to the princess!” And with that, Rainbow Dash dashed off to find her friends.

“Spike!”

“Like you even needed to ask. Okay, go!”

“Dear Princess Celestia, I am afraid I send this message in dire times, as it would seem that the fate of Equestria may hang in the balance. This morning, my friends, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, made a shocking discovery. When Discord was at large, one of his favorite things to create were cotton candy clouds, and this morning my friends found one of these clouds above Ponyville. After I examined the cloud, I discovered that it did in fact have traces of not only Discord’s magic, but also that of my own and my friends. I was shocked at my discovery and would appreciate your opinion. Sincerely, your student Twilight Sparkle.”

“Okay Twilight, I got that. Well then, here goes.” And with a puff of green fire the message was off to Canterlot.

“ Now, Spike, we wait.”

“Okay Twi, but while we wait can you explain this model to me some more?”

“Of course, Spike. What is it you want to know?”

“Well right now, the Cherilee mini looks like its talking to thin air. What’s up with that?”

“Well that just means that there is no mini for whoever she is talking to right now. But that can be fixed.”
With a flash of the horn, a chest in the corner of the room opened up and a pile of wooden blocks and a small knife flew out and landed near the table. Next, the Knife began to whittle one of the blocks into the shape of a pony.
“Now the Enchanted Knife will whittle the zap apple wood into the shape of the ponies that aren’t in the model. Unfortunately,” Twilight began to blush. “I still haven’t gotten the brush enchantment down yet though, so the painting has to be done by hoof.”

“Still, Twilight, that is awesome how you did that-- and look, it’s already done!
Sure enough, a small wooden unicorn was fully whittled and trotted to the square to talk with the little wooden Cherilee. As soon as it was done making the unicorn the Knife began to whittle another pony.

“Well, I guess Ponyville has become quite the hotspot if there are so many new ponies are in town today. Any other questions Spike?”

“No Twilight I think I'm –BRAP!”
Along with the burp flew out a tied up scroll from Spike’s mouth.

“Oh, that was fast,” remarked Twilight.

“Allow me,” insisted Spike. “Ahem, Twilight, gather your friends and report to the castle as soon as possible. I am giving permission for a Class Six transmission spell. Sincerely, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Well, that was shorter than I thought it would be. What do you think, Twilight?”

Twilight mulled it over for a while before replying to Spike. The only sound during that period was the sound of another wooden pony trotting to the earlier-made unicorn. “Well, it means we were right and something really is going on.”
Seeing the look of confusion on Spike’s face, Twilight explained. “Well you know how each spell has a level of power ranging from one to seven right?”

“Of course. Stop patronizing me!”

“Right, well certain spells are banned from public use after a certain level. Some are strict, such as a fire spell of Level Three or higher are banned, but levitation spells under Level Six are allowed anywhere.” Seeing the bored expression on Spike’s face, Twilight gets to the point.

“So then, transmission spells of Level Four and under are the only ones allowed, so the fact that I have received permission for a Level Six means that this is serious.”

“But Twilight, what is so dangerous about a Level Six transmission spell?”

Twilight shifted her hooves and gulped at the thought of why. “Well, the last pony to try it ended up being blended with a horsefly.” At the look of horror on Spike’s face, Twilight quickly takes a reassuring stance. “He was very inexperienced and
was not focusing. I will be at total peace and have trained with magic harder.”

Spike wiped the sweat from his brow in relief. “Whew, I had the worst image in my mind of all six of you blended like some kind freaky science experiment from a mad scientist movie.”

Twilight sighed preparing to explain how many things were wrong with that analogy.
************************************************************************************************************************************************************

“Ok a little to the right Big Macintosh. Almost, now put it a little higher… Perfect!”

Big Macintosh heaved and put the last crate of apples on his carefully made stack behind the Apple family’s farmer’s market stand. He wiped his brow from the heavy lifting. He considered it great exercise for himself but found his sister's anal retentiveness on how the crates should be arranged a bit annoying especially since she never was with anything else.

The farmers market was almost ready to open and different stall owners were bustling to get prepared for shoppers. Applejack had learned from an early age the art of stall preparing. She had chosen the best spot, had chosen her best apples for display and now Big Mac was almost done with the crate display.

“Ok Big Macintosh is that all of em?”

Big Macintosh looked over his shoulder and was disheartened to see one more crate. “Nope.”

“Really? Ah coulda sworn we only brought-” Applejack was not able to finish her sentence because from within the mystery crate Pinkie Pie burst from the top.

“Hi Applejack and Big Mac. How are you guys?”

Applejack’s and Big Mac’s shock only lasted a few seconds because they had known Pinkie for quite some time.

“Well uh… Ahm doing just fine.” Said Applejack

“Eeyup.” Replied Big Mac.

Applejack asked “What can I do ya fer Pinkie?”

“Oh I need some zap apple jam please!”

Applejack sighed and patiently explained to Pinkie “Sugar, zap apple season ended a few months ago. We ran out of the stuff last week.”

“Uh… AJ?” Big Mac said trying to get his sister’s attention.

“What is it Big Mac?”

Big Mac motioned to a crate underneath the stand. It had a small layer of dust and looked like it had been there for awhile.

“Oh yeah I forgot about that crate…”

Applejack pulled the crate out and opened it to find it full of air tight jars of jam.

“Sorry about that Pinkie.”

“It’s ok Applejack. So how much is that going to be?”

Before Applejack could say two bits Rainbow Dash landed by the stand hastily knocking over Big Mac’s carefully set up crates.

Realizing what she had done Rainbow nervously looked to Big Mac who had a look of annoyance on his face.

“Oh uh… Sorry Big Macintosh…” Rainbow apologized nervously. “But I tried to land on the crates but missed and I… What am I saying? Pinkie, AJ Twilight says she needs all of us at the library now.”

“What fer?” Applejack asked

Rainbow hastily explained with minor interruptions and interpretations by Pinkie Pie of the days events. “And then Twilight told me to get everypony and bring them back to her pronto!”

Applejack absorbed the news of the possibility of Discord’s return. “Well I suppose if Twilight needs me then I have to be
there for her. Big Mac I'm real sorry but do ya think ya could mind the stall and Applebloom fer me?”

The hard to read Big Mac paused from his crate stacking and answered “Eeyup.”

“Thanks big brother I’ll make it up to ya I promise.”

With that Applejack and Pinkie Pie followed Rainbow Dash to Find Fluttershy and Rarity. On their way away from the stall Pinkie remembered to pay for her jam and ran back and tossed a few bits in Big Mac’s direction, who was not paying attention to her. The bits landed on the top crate causing an unbalance and the fall of the crates onto Big Mac. Pushing the crates aside Big Mac looked around for the assailant. He found nopony and muttered “Eeyup.”
***********************************************************************************************************************************************************

“Ok, ok Rarity I’ll be careful! Just lay off!”

“Sweetie don’t talk to me in that tone. I simply asked that you be careful near the boutique.”
Rarity had found her sister and the cutie mark crusaders playing in mud just as Twilight’s model had shown near sweet apple acres. When she found them she had given Sweetie Bell a stern talking to about her muddy hooves.

Sweetie sighed “I'm sorry Rarity. I promise to wash off my hooves before I go inside…”
Rarity smiled and opened her arms to hug her sister but immediately regretted when she had mud around her sides.

“Erm… Yes Sweetie maybe you should clean yourself now.”

Before Sweetie could retort the sound of hooves was heard from behind. Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were approaching.

“Hey Rarity!” Yelled Rainbow Dash “We need you to come with us.”

“And Applebloom” called Applejack “I need ta talk to ya bout something.”

While Rainbow explained the situation to Rarity with Pinkie Pie Applejack went to Applebloom. Scootaloo went off to the side
feeling that she should give the sisters some privacy.

“Now Applebloom there’s a good chance that I might have ta go fer the rest of the day. I jus wanted ta let you know so you can tell Granny Smith and Big Macintosh if I'm not back by tonight.”

“Ok Applejack.”

“Also make sure ta start yer summer readen.”

“Ok Applejack.”

“And make sure to clean yer room tonight.”

“Ok Applejack.”

“And wash behind yer ears.”

“OK Applejack.”

And be safe.”

OK Applejack. I'm a big pony ya don’t have ta baby me.” Applebloom said annoyed

Applejack was taken aback by her sisters slight outburst but realized her own pushiness. “Ahm sorry Applebloom ah jus worry bout you is all.”

Applebloom smiled at her sister. “I know ya do sis. But ahll be jus fine, go on and do what you gotta do. Ahll tell Big Macintosh that he’ll have extra chores to do.”

Applejack laughed at this. “You do that sugarcube.”

Applejack hugged her sister. She then turned to her friends who had just finished explaining the situation to Rarity who in turn explained to Sweetie Bell that she might not be home that night.

“But Rarity! You said we would hang out tonight!” Sweetie Bell complained.

“Erm, yes well I am afraid we will have to reschedule Sweetie.”

Seeing her sisters saddened face Rarity quickly added. “But while I am gone you may play with my extra fabrics and threads.”

Sweetie’s face lit up to this. “Yay! Lets go you guys!” And with that the crusaders were off.

Rarity bit her lower lip. “Lets go find Fluttershy ladies and fast. I fear that I have just made a mistake.”
************************************************************************************************************************************************************

“Spike I seriously doubt that would work.”

“Come on Twilight all we would need is Pinkie’s party canon, a rubber band and a jar of peanut butter!”

“I still don’t think-” Twilight was not able to finish as she was interrupted by the knocking on the door.

“Hey Twilight! I got everypony. Let us in!”

“Coming.”

Twilight opened the door to the library and her friends filed in and stood in a small group.
Twilight took charge and addressed her friends “Everypony is here? Good. Is everypony up to speed on the situation?”
From the back of the group a small squeak was emitted. Twilight craned her neck to see the source. “Yes Fluttershy?”

“Oh, well Twilight, I um… just wanted to clarify who exactly it is that we are investigating on the, um, well cloud thing. Rainbow made it sound like we were going against Discord, you, and Rainbow. So you don’t have to answer if it’s really too much to ask for…”

Twilight smiled at her timid pegasus friend and answered, “Well, the truth is, I don’t even know who it is. The cloud had traces of Discord, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and I.” Rainbow made an inquiring look to Twilight, but in a second realized why her friend had not included Fluttershy in her list of alleged magic users. “Well then, is Everypony ready? The Princess responded and would like all of us to report to the castle immediately. I will be teleporting us there. Spike will stay here in
case anypony tries to reach us.”

“Got it, Twilight. Good luck girls.” The half-pint dragon gave a kind of salute to the ponies.

“Right then. Everypony. hold onto me tightly. I cannot emphasize that enough: TIGHTLY!”

Everypony held onto Twilight in what a passerby would describe as one of the most passionate group hugs they had ever seen. Twilight closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and slowly her horn began to glow brighter and brighter until arcs of purple lightning streaked the library, crackling and hissing as they went by. Spike watched in awe at the raw magical power he was seeing. It was so amazingly brilliant that he only had one other time in his life to compare it to, and that was his first few moments under Celestia’s sun. Finally with a crack that would pierce the noise of a sonic rainboom, the six were gone,
leaving nothing behind but a stupefied baby dragon.

“Well, now what?” Spike outer monologued. But his question was answered by the sound of the trotting of the third and apparently final wooden pony as the whittling knife had rested itself by the remaining wood blocks. “Well might as well see who the newbies are.” Spike sat at the stool by the table and peered at the three newcomers. At the front was an impressive male unicorn apparently giving his earth pony companion a talking to while the third, a pegasus, was holding its mouth, trying not to laugh at what the other two were arguing about. Unlike the other minis, these three were only wood and so had no color. Also, they made no noise as they spoke, whereas the others at least made squeaking noises. “Man, Fluttershy would be mute in this place.” Spike now gave his attention to the library, and took off the removable roof to peek inside. Twilight had made great effort for detail in the library. The only two things out of place were that there was no model of the model of Ponyville and that in the center of the room, a pile of minis sat motionless as their counterparts were inexplicably gone. However, the Spike mini was there and sitting on the exact same stool as he was. Spike was so impressed at the accuracy of the library that he didn’t notice that the three companions had stopped their fighting, or that they had reached some kind of agreement, or that they were on the move towards the library. And Spike most certainly hadn’t noticed three dark shadows forming on the closed drapes of the library. The one time he noticed anything was when the door opened and the familiar bell jingled, announcing the new arrivals. “Oh hey! Haven’t seen any of you before. My name is Spike. Can I help you?”

The one to speak was the golden-orange unicorn with the black mane. His voice sounded like that of an older wiser pony.
“Yes, we are looking for one Twilight Sparkle. Would she be in?”

“Uh, sorry, but you just missed her and I don’t know when she will be back.”

“Oh, what a shame. I guess we will just have to wait here, if that would be alright.”

Spike was feeling a little awkward, being put on the spot like that, but he felt he could trust this unicorn; he just seemed so familiar. His friends too: the pegasus, with a white puffy mane and sky blue body; and the earth pony, who, granted, looked much more intimidating with a short blood-red mane and mahogany body. All of them he felt he knew but couldn’t quite place it. “Yeah sure, why not?”

“We certainly hope we aren’t imposing. I suppose introductions are in order: these are my brothers Rage and Bliss. I you may call Wisdom.”

To Be Continued...

Chapter 2: Discord's Legacy

The Disarray Trilogy

Part One: Of Harmony and Chaos

Written by Walker “Ink Blotch” Holden

Edited by Joe Huang

Chapter 2: Discord’s Legacy

After what seemed like a few minutes of nothing but free falling through space, Twilight finally summoned up the courage to open her eyes. Around her were all of her friends holding on to her for dear life, and beyond them Twilight could see the familiar visions of the void. She had always gone through the void for teleportation spells, but usually never got a good look at the… area, if that is what you would call it. The void was a tunnel, of sorts, with auroras of different colors covering the ceiling: pinks, oranges, greens, even some brown. As she shot through the void, it felt as if she was holding perfectly still, but the void was moving at great speed around her. Below was a bottomless pit, the reason that her friends had to hold so tightly together to her. Only Unicorns of great magic would be able to travel the void with company over such a long distance. The princess must really believe in me. Twilight thought to herself, but made sure to quickly retain her focus to the journey ahead. When she had journeyed the void before, she had only ever gone a few yards in distance, but now she was going hundreds of miles away.

“Eeep!”

Twilight shifted her eyes to see that the only other pony to open their eyes had been Fluttershy. The cake-batter-yellow Pegasus had tightened her grip on Twilight’s shoulder, but also moving around constantly to try and see everything around her, eyes bulging. The Pegasus’s grip loosened has she looked in awe at the void’s colors and shapes. Her hold on Twilight loosened more and she started to droop down her leg.

“NO! Just hold on Fluttershy!”

Twilight could not talk to warn her friend of her fall. If she did her focus would drop and they would all fall into the void’s depths.

“Just a little bit further. Just a little bit further!”

Fluttershy, hypnotized by the sights, failed to notice her dropping. She slipped by Twilight’s knee and was now hanging by her ankle. Staring up into the auroras, Fluttershy blinked her eyes twice. Her eyes turning back to normal, she realized that she was hanging on to her friend’s ankle.

"Don’t look down, for the love of Celestia don’t look down!"

Fluttershy looked to her left, to her right and finally down.

“AHHH!” Fluttershy screamed and Twilight felt her let go of her ankle.

“Fluttershy! NO!” Twilight instantly realized what she had done and felt herself and her friends fall down into the dark unknown. Time seemed to slow down, and all sound ceased for Twilight as she looked around she saw each of her friends scream in horror at what was happening. Rarity’s eyes bulged to the extreme as she fell face first; Rainbow Dash frantically flapped her wings to no avail; Apple Jack covered her face with her hat, awaiting the inevitable; Fluttershy flailed her body in all directions as she screamed and wept; Pinkie, in usual randomness, was in a canon ball position as she plunged down. Twilight felt tears run up her face. “Everypony… I'm sorry…” Twilight closed her eyes, not knowing what to expect. She had let down Celestia, Equestria and worst of all, her friends.

Moments passed and Twilight could feel her body continue to fall, but she also felt something new, something warm, beneath her. She slowly opened her eyes to look down, but still saw pitch black. She looked up to try to see if the auroras were still in sight, but they hadn’t gone any farther away from Twilight since she last checked. Twilight finally looked over to her friends and saw they were all in a line, enveloped in a dark blue aura that was barely visible to the background of the void. Rather than scared, they seemed in awe.

“B-but how are…”

“Twilight Sparkle, it is good to see you again. Although these are not the circumstances that I would have preferred.”

Surprised by the sudden new voice, Twilight twisted her head to the opposite direction and was met with blue eyes.
“Princess Luna? Is that you?” There was no mistaking it; Twilight was on the back of Princess Luna. Her friends must be held up by the alicorn’s magic. Twilight had not been able to see her because she blended in with the void so well.

“Yes, it is us— I mean… I, your princess and friend Luna.” Luna shouted and then gave Twilight an awkward smirk.

“But what are you doing here?”

Luna’s smirk disappeared. “Yes well, you see, Twilight Sparkle, when I heard that my sister had given you permission to use a Level Six transmission spell on yourself and your friends, I was worried that it would be too much for you, so I entered the void to watch you and to catch you if you fell. It would seem I was right.”

Twilight looked down at her hooves nervously and shuffled them together. Luna, sensing that she had hurt her friend’s feelings, quickly added.

“Forgive me Twilight Sparkle. I am not nearly as optimistic as my sister. Uh, I mean that I have a stronger sense of magic than most unicorns. No, that doesn’t sound right either.”
Luna franticly looked for the right words but was instead met with a pat on the back by Twilight.

“It’s okay Luna; I understand and thank you. If you hadn’t had been there, I-I don’t know what would have happened to us.”
Luna looked grimly at Twilight.

“I know what would have happened, and frankly, you don’t want to know.”

Twilight now felt that the conversation was getting very awkward.

“I am sorry once again, Twilight Sparkle. I am still not used to social interactions as of yet. But the only ponies I can practice on are my sister and the palace guards…I need to get out more.”

“Well you are more than welcome in Ponyville anytime. Pip would be happy to see you. You left quite the impression on him; he tried to become nocturnal after you left.”

At this Luna smiled.

“Ah yes, young Pipsqueak. I would very much like to see him again. I guess I could make an appearance in Ponyville, even for just one night. Just as long…” Her eyes shifted to Pinkie Pie still in a cannonball position. “She is told ahead of time so she can prepare herself.”

“Of course, Princess. I’m sure she would love to see you again too.”

“Well, we shall soon see. We have arrived.”

At long last, the end of the tunnel was visible, and rays of light could be seen. As they approached the source, voices could be heard on the other side. Twilight couldn’t understand any of them, but recognized the voice of Celestia and the voices she remembered as those of the Magician’s Court, Celestia’s most elite group of spell casters. The voices rose in volume and the lights shined brighter, causing Twilight to close her eyes in protection against going blind. When she opened her eyes, she was in the Vault Hall of Canterlot Castle, the place where the Elements of Harmony had once been kept in case of dire emergency. In the middle of the hall, the Magicians sat in a circle, hoof in hoof, chanting in what Twilight recognized as Ancient Unicorn.

“Luna!”

Luna and the Six looked over to see a very angry Princess Celestia.

“Luna, you deliberately disobeyed me! I told you to stay here and make sure that all went well. But when I return, I find the Magicians alone with him!” Celestia raised a wing to refer to the statue currently imprisoning Discord, wrapped in chains and wearing a frozen terrified expression upon his face. The draconequus let off an aura of danger.
Luna calmly approached her sister and replied.

“Please sister, I meant no ill will. I feared for the safety of OUR friends. You only make him stronger with your anger.”

Celestia still did not look convinced. Twilight quickly walked to Luna’s side.

“Princess, if it wasn’t for Luna, me and my friends would have been lost to the void.”

Celestia’s face softened. “Please, forgive me, all of you. I am just so worried. It is time that I told you, my faithful subjects, of what we face.”

Celestia’s horn glowed and eight large cushions appeared. Each pony took her seat as the princess laid her legs out and prepared to tell her story.

“As you all know, Discord once attempted to overthrow the Kingdom of Equestria thousands of years ago. He caused chaos and destruction in his wake. But… there is more to this story, for you see, Discord, before his rampage, worked under me, and before that my father, King Concentus, as a most honored advisor.”

All the ponies— hold Luna— gasped in disbelief, including Twilight, who stammered.
“Bu-but princess, all the books I have ever read on your father say that his most trusted advisor was a unicorn by the name of Rubik Cube.”

“My student, this is also true. Rubik was one of the wisest unicorns in all the land. He had memorized all of the scrolls written by Star Swirl the Bearded, translated the entire Griffon language and invented the nine uses of Pegasus feathers.”

Rainbow scrunched her face at this. “Gross…”

“Anyways, he had done all this before the age of twenty-five and was continuing to make discoveries. My father decided that Rubik was the most glorious mind of the millennia and wanted him to remain at his side for eons to come. So my father gave Rubik the order to put his current assignment on hold and to work on something new: to find out how to extend a pony’s life to Alicorn standards. By now, Rubik and I were at the same physical and mental age and we had become good friends. I was overjoyed to hear that he would be trying to live forever; this was before Luna was born, so I had few friends besides Rubik. He worked tirelessly to achieve his goal; I stood by his side the entire time.”
The princess stared off into space temporarily until Luna pulled her out.

“Sister, Sister!”

“Hm? Oh yes, sorry. Rubik tried many different solutions, each more far fetched than the last. Then one day, twenty years since he had begun, he did it. By unraveling his own DNA structure, he had lengthened his life span to that of an Alicorn, but the act of doing so had a negative side effect: splicing his DNA had caused him to go through horrid mutations.”

There was silence—there was nothing more to say. Apple Jack was the one to break the silence.
“So Rubik turned himself inta Discord, and y’all lived together fer years to come. Then what?”

Celestia breathed in deeply. “He changed his name to Discord to avoid trouble from the ponies of the land, and the notes on DNA modification were destroyed so nopony else could do the same. He continued his primary research and anything else my father gave him. He was worried about losing me as a friend for a while, but I made it clear that I was his friend to the end. Thousands of years later, Discord had made many revolutionary discoveries for pony kind, but still had not completed his one goal of finishing his primary research.”

“Sister, you must tell them what his research was; you cannot leave them in the dark much longer.”

Celestia paused for a hesitated moment, and then continued. “You are right. When he was still Rubik, my father had given him the project to create life.”

Everypony was utterly confused. Twilight asked, “Princess, what does that mean?”

“It means that my father wished to know how to create entire populations of ponies. I never did know why he had wished for this”

Everypony sensed that this part of the story was not entirely true, but kept quiet.

“Discord tried time and again, but it always ended up the same: soulless shells with no will to live. He could create a pony; he just could never give it what is most important: the spark, which gives a pony her personality, laughter, loyalty, honesty, generosity and kindness. Discord drove himself mad trying to copy this spark, but never discovered how. This may have added to the insanity that drove him to wreak havoc in Equestria. His reign of terror lasted over three hundred years before Luna and I found the Elements of Harmony and struck him down. During those three hundred years, Discord continued his research, and I believe he may have had a breakthrough before we stopped him. By then, Discord had moved his laboratory elsewhere, and although I searched for it tirelessly, my search came out fruitless. During his second coming, I feared that he may have finished his research, but when nothing out of the ordinary occurred immediately after Discord’s attack, I assumed he had not finished his final phase. But now it seems I was incorrect. Last time Discord was at large, he drained all six of you of your essence. This, combined with his own power has spawned a new threat to Equestria, and perhaps the world. It will have the power, abilities, and perhaps even memories of Discord and you, my little ponies.”
Celestia stopped, her story done, awaiting the reaction of everypony else. The six just sat with their eyes wide, waiting for somepony to break the silence. This pony was Pinkie pie.

“So this means that somewhere in all of Equestria there is a new pony who can make cotton candy clouds? And they will be just like us? Well what are we waiting for? Let’s go find him!”

Pinkie jumped up and started hopping up and down. Celestia slowly stood.

“Not yet, young one. First we must arm ourselves with one of the most powerful weapons known to ponykind: knowledge.”

“Princess?” It was the Head of the Magician’s Court. “It is done.”

“Thank you. You may leave now.”

The court bowed and left the hall, leaving the princesses and the Six to themselves. Celestia lead the ponies to the petrified Discord. Twilight then realized what the princess had meant by knowledge.

“Princess! You can’t be serious. You’re going to release Discord? But he won’t cooperate with us!”

“Twilight, you have noting to worry about. The Magician’s Court has enchanted the pane glass windows in this hall to contain Discord so we might negotiate.” Celestia smiled. “It was Discord who gave me the idea the last time he escaped. Luna, Twilight, if you would please help me transfer Discord to the glass, it would be highly appreciated. He shouldn’t struggle because he can hear and has been hearing us this entire time and knows that I have a deal for him.”

The two Alicorns and one unicorn gathered together around the statue and together fired their magic off at the statue, creating a swirl of purple, white and dark blue aura. Discord then began to fragment into the particles swirled in the air, and one by one transformed into colored shards of glass, which melded into the windows until they formed into a to scale Discord. With a flash, it was done. Everypony stared intently at the window for something to happen. The glass remained motionless for what seemed like minutes, but were only seconds. Dash, with impatience, finally yelled.
“Come on you stupid glass! Do something.”

“Well I'm not going to do a dance number, if that’s what you’re expecting.”

Caught off guard, Rainbow let a surprised squeak pass her lips. The glass monstrosity stretched and popped his joints. He opened his wings to their full span and closed them again. When he was done, he looked at the audience before him and said in that charismatic yet sinister voice.

“So, my little ponies, you all want to know about my little side project.”

Celestia walked up to the glass at her fullest height.
“That is correct, Discord. You are going to tell us about your creation and how to stop it.”

“Temper temper, Celestia. I am not going to hand over the fate of my life’s work quite so easily.”
Discord snapped his fingers and colors swirled in the glass, creating a large impressive throne, in which he sat. With a smug look on his face, he said, “What do you have to offer? My freedom, perchance?”

“Not on Equestria’s life, Discord.”

“Oh Celestia, please call me Rubik. You used to insist that you did even after my… accident, shall we call it?”

Ignoring this, Celestia continued.
“In exchange for the information on this monstrosity of yours, I shall allow you to live the remainder of your life in these windows. You will have complete power within them, but cannot influence anything outside of them.”

“Please Celestia don’t call them monsters. They are legitimate ponies, just as your little legion of yes-mares over there.”
Twilight was at first offended, by this but came to realize that there was some truth to this. By looking at her friends, she was able to see they had come to the same conclusion. Hold Pinkie Pie.

“Legitimate? You call these ‘ponies’ of yours legitimate? Born in a lab, created to do your bidding! You disgust me, Discord.”
Discord honestly looked surprised.

“Why Celestia! That’s grim, even for you. What makes you think that they are my slaves? Always jumping to conclusions… well how about I just spell it all out for you?”
At the snap of the fingers, his throne disappeared and was replaced by a blackboard. Discord, now wearing a scholar’s cap, addressed the ponies.
“Any questions?”

Pinkie, either playing along or taking him seriously, eagerly raised her hoof and waved it around.

“Yes, Ms. Pie?”

“Well… I wanna know what the princess meant when she said that you used our… what was it? Esses? Neses? Escargo? Oh I remember now. Our essence! Yeah um, what exactly does that mean?”

“A very good question! Ahem. As you remember in the maze, I tricked or magicked you all of you into acting as your opposite. There is more to it. You may or may not have noticed, but your complexion dimmed quite considerably. This was a direct side effect of my stealing just the smallest amount of your very being: thoughts, beliefs-- even magical abilities. When I worked on MY little ponies, I simply included bits of each of you in their being. Of course, this is not enough to substitute a complete soul, so I did the only logical thing: I cut out fragments of my soul. As it would turn out, souls are like starfish. As long as enough energy remained, fragments could grow into full specimens. My soul fragments fed on your essence and morphed themselves into different personality types. This process ate up a lot of my own self; I was only able to do it three times, sadly. I would have loved to make six.”

Discord, with an incredibly proud look on his face, looked on at his listeners to see their reactions. All except Celestia had looks of horror on their faces at the thought of what it must be like to divide one’s soul. Celestia, hiding her emotions, continued.

“So you made three ponies and used your own soul and the energy of my friends to finish them. You have given much information. Is it safe to assume that you are going to help us?”

Discord snapped his fingers, and the blackboard was gone and the throne was back.
“That, Celestia, was only a sample of what you could have. If you want the full package, here is what I want: first, I accept the window prepossession, but would like for myself to be portable in-- let’s say, a mirror-- in case I should need to travel.”

“Done.”

“Good. I would also like to have the hall remodeled so that more ponies will go through it so that I am not completely alone.

“I will consider it”

“Finally, before you do what you will to my creations, I wish to see them and get a chance to talk with them.
Celestia hesitated on this.

“Why?”

Discord answered. “They are the closest thing I have had to family in a long time.”

“Very well. Now talk.”

Twilight was amazed at how fierce the princess was being, but was more amazed at the hint of sorrow in Discord’s voice at his last few words.

“Celestia, the first thing you should know is that they will be fully grown physically, mentally and magically. Next, one is a pegasus, one an earth pony, and one a unicorn. Also, they are roughly just as, if not more, powerful in their respectful fields than the most powerful of the Elements of Harmony, meaning that Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash now have rivals for their ranks. In my laboratory, which I shall reveal the location shortly, I have a notebook that has a list of spells that can, for the most part, control the actions of the three—who, by the way, I like to call the Disarray Brothers. I still need to think of real names for them. Finally, they have knowledge of the world that have I left them myself, including maps, list of species to beware, guides on how to make food, and my previous orders to them should I not be in their presence.”

Celestia’s eyes widened. “They have orders!?”

Discord put on his Mischievous Face. “Oops, did I forget to mention that? Yes, in the case that I have been defeated, I left specific instructions for them to seek me out and free me. I left them to their own devices, but my guess would be that they would probably hold somepony ransom for me. Now then let’s see, who is important to you, Celestia? Hmm… sister would be too powerful to take on, father is dead, and so I guess that the next best candidate would be your personal protégé.”
Discord laughed manically as Twilight’s eyes widened in terror.

“B-But that would mean they would head for… home. Spike! Princess, we need to get back to Ponyville now!”

“Twilight Sparkle” Luna quickly came to her side. “I shall accompany you through the void. Sister, I shall return.”

Luna’s horn glowed, opening a rift in space that she and the Six leapt through. As she went, in Twilight could still hear Discords laugh.

Please, she thought. Please be okay Spike.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************

“…And that’s how Rarity defeated the Diamond Dogs.”

Spike was met with applause from Bliss, the ever-smiling Pegasus.

“Yeah, Spike, little buddy, you sure know how to pick ‘em.”

Bliss continued to snicker, his puffy white mane getting in his brother’s tea.

“Damn it, Bliss!”

Rage lived up to his name, remaining grim and being constantly annoyed by his brother’s happy nature.

“What? It wasn’t like you were going to drink it.”
Rage continued to mutter under his breath, but stopped when he caught a glare from the eldest brother, Wisdom.

“Rage, manners. We do not swear at a friend’s house. My apologies, Spike: my brothers lack social grace.”

“Nah, its fine. I've definitely seen worse.” He thought back to his own lack of manners. “Anyway Twilight should be home soon. ‘Till then, tell me about yourselves.”

Spike took a sip of his tea. “For starters, where did you get this amazing blend of tea?”

Rage gave a rare wicked smile.
“Oh, it’s a family recipe.”

Chapter 3: The Disarray Brothers

The Disarray Trilogy
Part one: Of Harmony and Chaos
Written by Walker “Ink Blotch” Holden
Edited by Joe Huang

Chapter 3: The Disarray Brothers

The trip through the void was much quicker this time. What had before taken almost ten minutes only consumed ten seconds. Twilight knew that it meant that Princess Luna had used a Level Seven transmission spell. However, her thoughts
were more preoccupied on her brother at home.

“Will he be all right? Of course he will. But what if they got to him? They have been around for quite some time; why wait until now to strike? But what if…”

Twilight did not get a chance to finish her thought. As light blinded her eyes, she and her friends were outside the library in Ponville.

Luna turned to the Six. “Friends, we have arrived, and I must now leave. I wish you the best of luck. We shall report at any development.” With that, Luna spread her wings and took off through the void again. Twilight turned to her friends.

“Girls, we need to be prepared for whatever is coming. First things first, we are going into the library and make a battle plan for when the…” She paused for just a moment, trying to remember what Discord had called them. “Disarray Brothers arrive. I don’t know when they will be here or what they will do, but until then assume that everypony is in danger.”

Applejack stepped up and exclaimed, with her can-do attitude:
“Well what the hoo-hay are we waiting fer? Let’s get ready fer the varmints.”

“Yeah Twilight, don’t worry. We won't let anypony get that pretty little neck of yours,” Rainbow Dash said with a confident look on her face. Twilight was glad to have strong friends at times she had trouble being so.

“Okay then. Girls, follow me.” Twilight, now with a confidence she had lacked earlier, strode up the library and entered.
“Spike? Spike?”

Laughter could be heard from the dining area of the library, and a few moments later Spike was around the corner happy to see his friends.
“Hey, you guys are back. Aw man, you would not believe the guys who came in to-” Spike was not able to finish his sentence, as Twilight had thrown her arms around him and gave him a hug.

“Oh Spike, I'm so glad that you are okay.”

Spike, looking dumbstruck, pulled himself out of her grasp and made sure his spikes were straight.
“Uh, yeah I'm okay. Why wouldn’t I be?

“We will explain as we go along. For now, we need to close up the library.”

Spike, looking utterly confused, but gave up and ran over to close the drapes. “Oh yeah, Twilight, you have some visitors.”

“Visitors? Who?”

“They say their names are Wisdom, Bliss and Rage. They haven’t told why but they seem to want to meet you. Are you guys finally getting some fans for saving Equestria all those times?”

Spike chuckled to himself as he continued closing the library. Twilight and company looked nervous. Rarity asked, “Spike, dear, um... what exactly do you know about them?”

Spike, eager to talk to Rarity on any subject, listed, “Well, my lady, there’s Wisdom: he's a unicorn, big guy-- oldest, I think-- with black mane and an orange body and a cutie mark of… a crown, I think it was? Then there’s the pegasus, Bliss-- you will love him. His cutie mark is a cloud with silver ribbon wrapped around it, his body is blue, and his mane looks like a cloud. Finally, an earth pony named Rage: testy guy, but I think it’s only because he doesn’t have a cutie mark. Let’s see... he has a mahogany body and a dark red mane.”

“Anything else?”

Spike thought for a moment.

“Oh yeah, I think I heard Rage mutter something about Discord one time. I'm guessing that must be how they heard about you guys.”

Feeling proud of himself for remembering so much, Spike looked up to ask Rarity if he could do anything else but was met with a look of horror. He looked at his other friends but saw similar looks. Twilight spoke up first.
“S-Spike, we have to go. Now!”

“Huh? But Twilight…”

The clip-clopping of hooves were heard from behind them. Twilight froze with fear. She knew that behind her was possibly one of the most powerful creatures in all of Equestria. She inhaled deeply and prepared herself for what image of horror would meet her. She bit her lip and turned around quickly.

“Hi, the name’s Bliss. So nice to meet you!”

The last thing Twilight had expected was an open greeting from such a happy looking pony. As Spike had described Bliss was a sky blue with pure white hair that puffed up like a cloud.

“You must be Twilight! Oh, I have heard so much about you!” Bliss grabbed her hoof and shook it furiously. “We were just talking to Spike about Ponyville and you and all your friends that live here. Me and my brothers haven’t been here long enough to meet all of them, but we met Ms. Cherilee when we first arrived she was really nice to us and and… is something the matter?”

Twilight was breathing deeply, staring at the blue and white Pegasus. She calmed herself and opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Spike.

“See, told ya you would like him. It’s almost like having another Pinkie. Bliss is just an awesome kind of pony.”

“Aw Spiker, you're too kind.” Bliss rubbed the top of Spike’s head with his hoof, but suddenly he became engulfed in a purple aura and his entire body was thrown to the ground. When Bliss looked up he was met with the menacing glare of Twilight Sparkle.

“Don’t you DARE touch him!”

“Whoa whoa! Twilight, what is your problem?” Spike said standing between Twilight and Bliss.

“My problem is that this sorry abomination and his so-called “brothers” have been alone with you for Celestia knows how long!”

“Twilight! That’s rude on so many levels! These guys are cool. They haven’t caused any problems for anypony.”

“Not yet, Spike, but they will soon enough. They are creations of Discord bent on releasing their master to wreak havoc on all of Equestria!”

Spike stared at Twilight for a moment and then broke out laughing. “Ha! That’s a good one, Twi.” Spike mocked a look of terror and yelled. “Look out! It’s the Lord of Terror, BLISS! Ha ha haaa! Well, well Bliss what do you have to say to that?”

Bliss opened his mouth, but closed it and thought very hard, tilting his head back and forth and scratching his head. Finally, he looked over his shoulder into the dining area and yelled back. “Hey, what do I do if they know all about us?”

Bliss was returned by an angry voice. “Bliss! What the hell are you doing?! Don’t talk to us! You’ll give us away! OW! Hey what was that for? Hey what are you doing? OW! Cut it out! Damn you!”

Through the entry way of the kitchen, a unicorn stood, dragging the tail of another earth pony in his teeth. He walked to his pegasus companion and spat the tail of his brother out. Rage smoothed out his tale and glared at his brother.
“That hurt, you son of a-” Rage was once again met with a hoof to the head.

His brother looked annoyed at this. “Rage, we have been over this: no swearing at a friend's house.”

“They aren’t our friends, so what does it matter?” This time Rage dodged his brother’s hoof.

“Good, you’re learning. Now then: Miss Sparkle?”

Twilight, trying to comprehend the three, was caught off guard by the sudden shift of attention. “Yes?”

“My initial hope of your being clueless of our true nature has sadly failed. My only question is: how did you find out about us?”

Rainbow took lead and exclaimed. “Well how did you expect to stay hidden with cotton candy clouds everywhere?”

Bliss, who was standing again blushed as both of his brothers looked at him questioningly. “Well, I might have made a couple. But any extras I didn’t eat I got rid off.”

“Then how,” Rage asked, brow furrowing, “did one get to Ponyville?”

“Well it’s a possibility that one might have gotten away when I wasn’t looking…”

Rage’s brow furrowed more, but Wisdom spoke up. “It doesn’t matter how the cloud got away. All that matters is that these ponies know who we are. Celestia couldn’t have known everything on her own, so Lord Discord must have explained some minor details to them. Our Plan A has failed, but this is why we always have a Plan B. Twilight Sparkle we may now start negotiations.”

Twilight, still surprised by the turn of events, attempted to make herself look as threatening as possible, but felt that she was failing. Looking up to the orange unicorn she was displeased to see that he had lazily allowed his flat black banes to cover part of his face. “You have no leverage! Why would you even think that you have the advantage here?”

Wisdom looked over to Spike. “Hey Spike, has that tea hit your digestive track yet?”

Spike looked surprised, and quickly looked down to his stomach. “Y-you wouldn’t. But-but why? Bliss?”

Bliss wasn’t looking at Spike, but instead stared off into space with seemingly thoughtless eyes, and for the first time had an emotionless face. Twilight stomped forward to Wisdom and had her face inches from his. “What did you do to my brother?”

“You have beautiful eyes, Ms. Sparkle,” noted Wisdom, with a smile. “To answer your question, we let him taste a special blend of tea we made out of Nightshade berries.”

Spike began to panic, breathing deeply and looked to Twilight. “Wha-what are Nightshade berries?”

Twilight lost any look of intimidation she might have had before and was left with a panic stricken look. She tried to say something, anything, but her voice was lost. Instead, with a long wicked smile exposing his teeth, including four out of the ordinary canines, Rage stepped up to answer. “Nightshade, my dear reptile is one of the most potent natural poisons in existence. A small handful is lethal to a grown stallion needless, to say a baby dragon. There are very few cures, but Lord Discord left us specific instructions on how to brew the best and we just so happen to have a bottle hidden in Ponyville.”

Wisdom took the lead again. “It would take a few days to make more. As I said, Miss. Sparkle, negotiations are now open.”
Everypony looked at Twilight expectantly for her response. Tears weld up in her eyes; she fought back the tears, but failed. “You sick piles of mule manure. W-what do you want?” Tears poured down her eyes as she succumbed to the Unicorn. “But if you even think of holding out on the antidote, I will kill you!”

Everypony was shocked at the sudden outburst from Twilight. Never had they heard Twilight even mutter anything like that.
“Very good, Miss Sparkle. We have roughly four hours until the poison takes effect, so allow me to get right at it. The thing that my brothers and I want is the freedom of Lord Discord and an audience with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”

Twilight was prepared for these demands, and thought long and hard about how to answer. She could in no way condone this demand. But if she didn’t, her brother would die. She decided to bide for time until she got an idea. If she could get them to slip on the antidote’s location then she and her friends could simply incapacitate the Disarray brothers until they could get help… "That’s it. If I convince them that I will help, then I could take them straight to Canterlot, straight to Celestia! No wait… Celestia will already be gone looking for Discord’s lab."

“Well, Miss. Sparkle?” Wisdom asked impatiently “Does your brother’s life mean that little to you?”

Twilight lost herself again. “Shut it, I don’t care about anything but him right now!” Twilight calmed herself. Easy Twilight, He's only playing mind games. Spike isn’t going to get any better by you just yelling. But… how will he get better?
She was completely helpless. She couldn’t just let them release Discord ,but if she didn’t obey then Spike would die. She had to submit. It was then that she realized in horror that if Celestia was gone, even if she submitted she would not be able to hold her end of the bargain in time. She hung her head in submission. Twilight Sparkle had lost. “I-I give up… I a-agree to your ter-terms.” She could barely hold herself together. “But C-Celestia is gone. I don’t know wh-where she is and I can't release Discord on my own.”

Wisdom looked at Twilight with the same indifferent look, but it was felt by everypony that underneath he was smiling wildly.

“That’s fine, Miss. Sparkle; as long as you Pinkie Promise to keep up your end of the bargain, we can give you the antidote.”

Twilight gawked. “What did you say?”

“I said as long as you Pinkie Promise I will personally give you the antidote.”

“But how do you know about Pinkie Promises?”

Wisdom shook his head, as if talking to a child. “Isn't it obvious? Or did Discord not explain our creation enough? Your essence was used to create us, and so trace memories are existent within us. Not even that, but trace knowledge about your social circle. Birthdays, favorite foods, personal fears-- and the Pinkie promise. We know that Pinkie will never allow one to be broken. So just make the promise and we'll be cool.”

Twilight saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Spike was going to be okay! But then by the look on Pinkie’s face she knew once the promise was made there was no backing out. She had no choice. Twilight walked towards Wisdom once more. She raised her hoof and repeating the movements from memory, chanted. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” And the pact was made.

Wisdom smiled. “Good, now then, I will hold my end of the bargain. We hid The antidote with the first pony we met when we came to Ponyville: Miss. Cherilee. She doesn’t know what it is, but she is expecting for one of you to come and pick it up from her. Just mention your friend Wisdom.”

Wisdom continued to smile. Everypony glared at him with looks of hatred, fear, or both. Bliss finally came out of his stare and returned to his cheery mood. “Well, if we are done here, I think that I will just go get some lunch. I really want to try Sugarcube Corner.”

Twilight glared back at Bliss. “Hold on. I agreed an audience with Celestia and eventually Discord’s release, but for now I will not let any of you wander Ponyville!” Twilight felt the fighting spark return to her as she plotted to make their wait miserable.
“Rainbow Dash?”

The blue Pegasi stood at attention. “Just give me an order, Twi.

“I want you to fly to Canterlot and leave a message for Celestia. I can’t do another teleportation that far, and I'm not letting Spike send any messages after eating Nightshade, so if you can I want you to go to Canterlot and leave with the guards a message explaining our situation and their demands.”

“But Twilight, are you sure you can be alone with those three?”

“Trust me, Rainbow. I have a plan for our guests.”

Rainbow glanced at the trio. “Okay, Twilight. Be careful. Remember what Discord said: these guys are just as strong as you or me.”

“I will be okay, just get going. Clock is ticking.”

Rainbow gave a sullen nod and the next moment was out the door, leaving behind a cloud of dust collected from the oldest books. The rest stood waiting for their orders.

“Fluttershy, can you go to Cherilee’s and get the antidote?”

Fluttershy, apparently still nervous from the encounter with the brothers, was startled to get such an important job, but nodded quickly to get to leave. “Oh yes, Twilight I’ll go as fast as I can.”

Fluttershy spread her wings and fluttered out the door, making the dust left by Rainbow Dash unsettle.

“The rest of you, and I mean the rest of you.” She looked at the Disarray brothers. “Follow me to the basement. I have an idea for our guests.” Twilight led the way to the doorway to the basement where the spare equipment was kept. All seven ponies went in, but Twilight stopped Spike at the door.

“Spike, I want you to stay up here, lie down, and wait for Fluttershy. Once she gets back, drink the antidote and both of you come down here. Got it?”

“Okay... and Twilight?”

“Yes Spike?”

“N-never mind…”

“Okay. If you have any problems, just yell down.”

Spike went to the window to await Fluttershy’s return. Twilight reluctantly turned to follow the other ponies. The others were already at the bottom. The Disarray Brothers were looking around at all random equipment while the other ponies watched them carefully. Twilight used her magic to levitate boxes and scrap metal around the room until she found what she was looking for. A small box came to her and the rest returned to their respective spaces. The metal began to twist and pile on top of itself into the wall, creating a kind of crudely made prison cell. When the cell was complete, Twilight opened the box and pulled from within it a small metallic ring and a regular rubber band.

“Okay, first: Wisdom, come here.”

The unicorn obeyed without fuss. Twilight slipped the ring onto his horn.
“This” She explained “Is a training belt. I used it as a child to limit my magic and now I'm going to set it to weaken your magic. Now you.” She said motioning to Bliss.

“Ooh, what do I get?” He asked enthusiastically.

Twilight enlarged the rubber band with her magic, stretched it around Bliss, and let it snap around his wings.

“That’s it? That’s your ace in the hole for immobilizing me? Admittedly, it is effective, but come on, this is downright degrading…”

Twilight ignored Bliss’s complaints, and instead ushered the three into the cell. Rage sarcastically said, “Wow, you really pulled out all the stops for us, Twilight. How long do you plan on keeping us here? Because I got tickets to go to one of Blues’s concerts…”

“Until we get word from the princess.” She said ignoring his sarcasm. “Until then, we are going to take turns watching you day and night. Speaking of which, girls?” Twilight looked to her remaining friends with tears filling her eyes. “Thank you all so much for helping. I know it seems like a lot to ask. But I really don’t want to be alone with these three tonight…”

“Aw hay sugarcube.” Applejack exclaimed. “It ain't anything at all. We wouldn’t leave you alone with the varmints!”

“Of course we would stay with you, darling. Why we could have another slumber party! Without the giant tree of course…”

“YAY!” squealed Pinkie. “A Party!”

Twilight was finally overcome with the emotional stress of the day and let tears of joy stream down her face. She and her friends all shared in a group hug.

“Girls, *Sniff* Thank you.”

“Well, that’s just beautiful”

The statement had come from Bliss, who was lying down in the cell looking at the friends in awe.

“How come we never hug like that, Rage?”

“Because I hate you.”

Twilight stared at the Disarray brothers, wondering what Discord had been thinking when he had created them.

Chapter 4: Nightime and Morning

The Disarray Trilogy

Part One: Of Harmony and Chaos

Written by Walker “Ink Blotch” Holden

Chapter 4: Nighttime and morning

What Discord was thinking now was how much he despised alicorns. After Luna had left with Twilight Sparkle and friends Celestia had continued to badger him about his lab’s whereabouts without mercy at the slightest. This Discord had expected, what he had not expected was to be dragged along for the ride. Sealed within the mirror of a locket hung around Celestia’s neck Discord fumed about his discomfort with the situation and cursed himself for the location he had hidden his lab. When Discord had chosen the hiding spot he had done something Celestia would never have thought of him doing; finding a logical hiding spot. After prodding Discord had discovered that Celestia had been looking for his lab in such places as Canterlot gardens, Everfree forest and even the ocean. It had not dawned to Celestia that Discord would not choose an overly dramatic or poetic location for his lab. Rather he had decided to hide it in the out of the way secluded base of Mt. Feather Crest. A large mountain on the border between Equestria and Raptorn the home of the griffons. This meant that Celestia and Luna had to forgo magic and flight when they got too close since the griffons would be able to detect the source and label it an invasion. The relations between the griffons and Equestrians had a rocky past and while some griffons lived in Equestria and had comfortable lives with the ponies the griffons in Raptorn were uncomfortable with the overly powerful nation of Equestria living next door and often looked for reason to pester Celestia and Luna on current events even more so when word reached to the Raptorn capital about Celestia acquiring an elite group of ponies wielding the elements of harmony. To make matters worse in order to reach the lab Celestia and Luna would have to travel through the Shadow Cloak jungle. They would be able to use minor level one or two spells but it would be hard to control their magic to such a low level. Discord had thought it would be funny to make them travel the jungle should they ever go to his lab but now that he was taking the trip he was less than amused.

“Must you swing your head so much? It’s like being a pin-pong ball in here!”
Discord yelled up to Celestia who at the moment had a machete between her teeth and was dressed in light armor in jungle camouflage colors, Luna the same. Celestia ignored Discord has she had done for most of the trip. If there was one thing Discord could not stand it was being ignored and Celestia knew this. Once they had gotten out of the castle Celestia had mellowed out a bit and was now trying to enjoy the trip as much as possible and was happy to leave the castle since in a long time. Luna continued to look disapprovingly at the darkening sky.

“Six and three quarter minutes late. Does the magician’s court know not of the ramifications of the night sky’s tardiness?” Luna looked to her sister for support but instead heard muffled giggles. “Sister! Please this is serious! Now the tide will be late and nocturnal animals will be confused and-Stop laughing!”

Celestia composed herself and put her machete away. “Luna you promised not to obsess about work while we were saving the world.”

“I made no such promise!” Celestia giggled again. “Oh, that was a joke was it?”

“She learned from the best” Discord slyly commented from his mirror.

“You really must develop a sense of humor Luna” Celestia told her sister.

“Really going to keep ignoring me? Well fine ignore this it is getting dark and if we don’t find a place to rest for the night we are all walking entrees.”

“Oh fine Discord where exactly do you recommend?”

Discord pleased to finally have her attention pressed his face against the glass of his prison and looked from side to side. “How about… There!” Discord pointed to a large hollowed out tree in a small clearing surrounded by a blue leafy plant. Luna walked directly through the plant followed by Celestia into the tree. There they made a small fire and unrolled sleeping bags they had brought along. Celestia fell asleep quickly, Luna had trouble since she usually was awake during the early night but made due. Discord was the last to fall asleep wondering what poison joke had in store this time.

*********************************************************************

“…And then everypony else had stopped talking but I kept going and said; Oatmeal? Are you Crazy? It was soooo embarrassing!”

“Wow sure sounds like it.”

Rarity glanced over at Pinkie talking to Bliss through the bars of the cell having long given up on convincing her friend to stop fraternizing with the enemy. Applejack was still taking her turn sleeping and Rarity was bored out of her mind. When Fluttershy had returned with the antidote for Spike Twilight had made him drink every drop. Afterwards Spike had turned a horrid shade of purplish-green and Twilight and Fluttershy had stayed by his side making sure he didn’t vomit the antidote. Twilight had fallen asleep next to Spike and everypony had decided it would be best to leave her like that. Fluttershy was staying upstairs to watch Spike and last time she had checked was playing poker with Angel the bunny and Owloysius the owl and oddly enough Owloysius was winning. Rarity checked the old egg timer they had found to keep check of sleep turns and saw she still had fifteen minutes until it would be her turn to sleep an hour and then Applejack would go again (Pinkie had insisted she didn’t need to sleep.). Rarity glanced at Applejack again and slowly turned the egg timer to five minutes.

“Hey doll face that’s not nice.”

Rarity nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden opinion of Rage who since had finished verbally assaulting his brother had gone straight to sleep. Rage was lying down in a corner of the cell with one eye half opened. Rarity catching herself countered.

“Oh what do you know about being nice? I need my beauty sleep.”

“Fine go on ahead but I am known to tattle and maybe I’ll strike up a conversation with Jack while you’re sleeping and give her a few ideas.”

Rarity glared at the earth pony but turned the egg timer back to fifteen minutes.

“There’s a good girl.” Rage chuckled.

“So have you just been awake spying on me?” Rarity spat angrily.

“Don’t flatter yourself doll face I just can’t sleep with those two flirting over there.”

“My name is Rarity and if you ask me- Wait those two what now?”

Rage now with both eyes opened yawned and chuckled again. “Well I guess it might be a little one-sided but it’s a brother type thing for me to know his emotions I suppose. Or maybe Lord Discord built us to read each others emotions. I don’t know just don’t tell him that I'm interested in his feelings or else he will never shut up.”

Rarity glanced to Pinkie and Bliss again but saw no sign of endearing emotion from either one rather the most she could say was that they were becoming friends. But even that would be a problem for later. Instead she decided to change the subject.

“You do know your not doing yourself any favors by referring to him as Lord Discord right?”

“We know but we don’t get a choice. He hardwired us to call him that.”

Rarity looked confused and Rage rolled his eyes. “Ok you know how you do something so often that it comes naturally to do it? Like dotting your i’s with hearts or calling a friend by a pet name? Well it’s like that only we have had it since birth.”
Rarity thought she understood but suddenly had thought of something she had not before.

“How old are you three exactly?”

“What day is it today?”

“July 17th”

“We have been alive for roughly six months.”

Rarity had known that the three had not been alive that long but had suspected that they had been alive right after Discord attacked last September making them ten months old. “Why did it take so long in between Discords attack and your birth?”

“The magic Discord used to make us age faster was set to delay so things could blow over a bit.”

This made sense to Rarity. Looking at the earth pony she began to wonder if they had any other surprises.

“Hey Doll face?”

“It is Rarity and what?”

Rage guffawed “Whatever Doll Face. I just wanted to know how long in your opinion is it going to take to get me out of here?”

Rarity was losing patience with the irritating pony. “Well in my opinion Celestia will probably find her deepest, darkest, FILTHIEST dungeon throw you three in and then throw away the key.” She said with a humph.

“Harsh. I just wanted to know so I wouldn't miss Blues’s concert.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. Blues was a local troubadour of sorts who would play his saxaphone in town square but also would occasionally play all day concerts in the park. “Now really that bit of sarcasm was only viable once. And honestly I could do without. I doubt that a ruffian such as yourself would even consider listening to high quality music such as Blues produces.”

Rage shrugged. “No joke. I got my ticket right here.” From behind his ear Rage pulled out a small blue ticket that had a small musical note similar to the one Blues had as a cutie mark. On it was the date July 20th.

Rarity was surprised. “Oh! I did not take you for a jazz fan...”

“Oh yeah. Huge fan.” Rage said. It was hard to see from his coat color but Rarity could have sworn he was blushing.

Now I have one last question for you.” He said

“What is it?”

“Shouldn’t you not be fraternizing with the enemy?”

Rarity was caught off guard by her own foolishness but was saved by the ringing of the egg timer.

“Oh look at that out of time guess I should wake Applejack.”

Rage smiled cruelly as Rarity rushed Applejack awake and made herself comfortable on the inflatable mattress they had set up. Applejack yawned herself awake and looked over on the cell mates.

“Two asleep and one chatten with Pinkie?*Yawn* She can handle this herself.”

Applejack sure that Rarity was asleep crawled next to her on the bed and snuggled up before falling asleep herself leaving three ponies awake.

*********************************************************************

In the Shadow Cloak jungle inside a hollowed out tree Princess Celestia awoke to the sun on her face. She rarely got this pleasure and savored every moment of it. Stretching she stood outside of the tree shelter and took in the morning. Not too far away she heard the gentle gurgle of a creek. She decided to get a drink from the creek. The creek was only a few yards from where they had stayed the night before and when she got there Celestia lowered her head to the water and drank. When she was done she raised her head and looked into the calming water to see her own pink reflection. She stood and stretched once more about to turn back to the tree when she stopped and quickly looked into the water again. “Pink?”She thought aloud. Then from the campsite Celestia heard the shrill scream of Luna. Running and tripping back Celestia burst into the campsite to find Luna’s armor on the ground with a small lump wriggling inside. Finally the lump found the head hole and out from it came Luna’s head but it was smaller and her mane was regular hair. She looked like she had after Nightmare moon had been defeated. But besides her sisters panicked stuttering Celestia heard one other thing; laughter coming from beside her sleeping bag. Celestia furiously opened the locket containing Discord and found him rolling with laughter within the mirror.

“Oh my Celestia this is- this is rich! HA! Pink is really your color if I do say so and you Luna.” Discord breaked for air and then continued to laugh. “You are just adorable! That’s you what? Seven hundred, eight hundred years ago?” Discord laughed even harder rocking himself back and forth. Celestia was not amused.

“This is no laughing matter Discord we can’t keep going until we find out what happened to us.”

Discord wiping a tear from his eye grinned at Celestia. “Really Celestia you don’t even remember this? This was something we made together to prank ponies in Canterlot gardens. Poison Joke remember? Of course after we found out that it spread like wild fire under certain circumstances it was less fun cleaning it.”

Celestia remembered now making the plant with Discord for that very purpose in their childhood days. It was so long back that she hadn’t remembered what the plant looked like but she did remember the cure. “Luna stop panicking. If you help me we will have an antidote in a flash but for now just shrink your armor to your size and we can gather the things we will need.”

Luna did so.

“Good now go and find a red flower with white thorns I will be out momentarily.”

“O-ok.” Luna squeaked surprised at her voice’s high pitch. Once Luna was gone Celestia turned her anger towards Discord.

“If you think this will buy your abominations time it wont.”

Discord was confused by this statement. “What do you mean Celestia? I did this as a joke.
Buy time for what?” Discords color flushed from his face with dark realization. “Oh. I never thought…”

“Never thought what? That I would not destroy your creations? They are monsters. You and I both know why my father wanted with an army of ponies. I also know that in order to make these new ponies you would have to have used an older model if you were strapped for time. That only makes them even more dangerous. Tell me Discord did you use any assassin type models?”

Discord hesitated but answered “Yes.”

“So they are capable of killing and being quiet about it.”

“Again yes but they have no blood thirst I made sure of it! And only on one of them I used the assassin model the other two are just a commander class and a guard class.”

“But should they get into an aggressive situation they would have combat skills would they not?”

“As much as a regular pony. Celestia they are harmless I expected that you would banish them or put them into community service but I never thought you would murder them!”

“Enough! I have made my mind.”

Discord opened his mouth to object but saw that he had no chance. Instead he remained silent as the sisters gathered ingredients for the antidote to their poison joke. Celestia removed his locket and her armor to bath in the creek later on. After the sisters had taken their bath it was nearly midday and they began to travel again, Celestia had been de-pinked and Luna had stretched out.

“If this was Celestia’s way of making me shut up it worked.”

*********************************************************************

Applejack jumped off the apple pie trampoline into a swimming pool of apple ice cream and did back strokes back and forth. Somewhere in the distance she heard a small squeak but didn’t pay it attention. She kept swimming through the sweet apple concoctions finally jumping out completely dry. Again the squeak but a tiny bit louder. Apple jack trotted down the cobblestone patch leading to a clearing in a forest there stood a tall handsome red and purple colt. Once more the squeak was heard this time audible.

“Please wake up…”

Applejack continued to ignore the voice as she walked up to the colt. “Oh Passion Fruit its me!”

“Who?”

“Applejack darling”

Passion Fruit held Applejack in his arms. “Oh, Passion fruit whisper those sweet nothings in mah ear.”

“Who.”

“Er, me.”

“Who.”

“What in tarnation? Nyah!”

Applejack looked up to Passion fruit and saw that his head had been replaced by Owloysius’s head.

“Who.”

Applejack probably would have ran away terrified but was awoken by Angel jumping up and down on her face with Fluttershy telling him “Oh no Angel don’t do that.”

“Wha-why ar ya?”

“Oh well I suppose if you’re awake now I kind of sort of really need your help…”

“Applejack yawned and looked around at her three awakeners. “With what sugarcube?”

“Well I was making some tea for the three of us when Pinkie came into the kitchen and asked if she could use it with me. I was watching the water so it didn’t boil over so I didn’t see her come in. Am I taking too long to tell the story?”

“No yer fine keep going.”

“Oh well I kept making tea but when I turned around to talk to Pinkie *Ulp* h-he was in there.”

“Wha? Who?”

“Who.”

“Don’t start with me.”

Applejack looked into the cell and saw Wisdom and Rage both asleep and snoring but Bliss was missing. Applejacks eyes widened with realization and she grabbed onto Fluttershy’s arm and ran up the stairs Angel and Owloysius following behind.

“Oh but what about Rarity?”

“No time Fluttershy!”

Applejack burst through the door to the upstairs and made a beeline for the kitchen. In it she heard screams and laughter and when she got to the doorway she saw Bliss flying by the ceiling and Pinkie throwing muffins, apples and anything else at him. Applejack sprang into action and bucked a muffin pan from atop the stove and hit Bliss directly on the forehead. Bliss crashed onto the ground and held his hooves to his head where a nasty burnt bruise had instantly formed. Applejack breathed deeply and looked to Pinkie to make sure she was ok but saw her with a mortified expression.

“Applejack! What are you doing?!”

Applejack in confusion answered. “Uh, saving y’all?”

“From what?”

“From him.” Applejack pointed towards a cross eyed Bliss.

“He wasn’t attacking me silly.”

“But you were throwing stuff at him.”

“I wasn’t trying to hurt him we were playing a game! Who can catch the most food in they’re mouth.”

Pinkies attention shifted to Bliss. “Are you ok?”

Bliss removed his hooves and with crossed eyes answered. “Kni Chtolb si eht tsom emosdnah ynorb.” He shook his head and re-answered. “I think I am. Jeez AJ bad enough you hit me in the head the pan was still hot. Ow.”
Applejack looked from the pair in the kitchen to Fluttershy who shrugged. There was a thump at the front door. Fluttershy perked up.

“Oh! That must be the paper. I’ll get it.”

She walked away quickly from the awkward scene leaving Applejack to deal with it.
“So let me get this straight. He escaped from his cell so you decided ta play with him?”

“No silly.” Pinkie exclaimed with a smile. “I let him out.”

“That’s even worse! Why in Celestia’s name would you let him out?”

“Well we were up all night talking and about a half an hour ago we decided that we were hungry so I said I would let him out to get food. He said it might be a bad idea for him to leave the cell but I told him not to worry that it would be fine. When we got up here Fluttershy was making tea and we started making muffins. A little bit ago she left and we started playing our game. Then you came in and did that.” Pinkie looked to Bliss again. “Are you sure you are ok Silver?”

“Yes. But!” Bliss said hurriedly having an idea. “Well when I was a little colt Wisdom would kiss my cuts and bruises…”

Pinkie kissed Bliss’s forehead. He looked like he could die of happiness. Pinkie did not notice this Applejack did but tried to ignore it. “Look Pinkie I don’t know what y’all were talken bout but you can’t let Bliss, Rage or Wisdom out.”

“Silver.” Pinkie corrected

“Beg yer pardon?” Applejack replied starting to get frustrated with Pinkie and anxious of Bliss.

“Well.” Pinkie said preparing to explain. “Last night Silver was telling me about how he and his brothers had each named themselves a few days after they had been born and I told him that somepony just couldn’t name themselves that’s just not how it works. So I decided to give him a new name and name his brothers when they were awake so I thought and thought and now his name is Silver Lining!”

Applejack did not know how to react to this so she continued the conversation hoping for something to make sense. “Why Silver Lining?”

“Because he is just so happy all the time! You know that saying how every cloud has a silver lining? It’s even his cutie mark!”

Applejack couldn’t argue with that but still didn’t like him being up here. “That’s nice and all Pinkie but he has got to go back to the cell.”

“Buft Imf sthill eatenggf.” Silver argued with a mouth full of food.

“Well ah don’t know what to say to that… But he has to go now!”

Silver swallowed his mouth full. “Okay fine. I'm leaving.”

“Good and Pinkie? Go with him and wake Rarity. Oh and put his rubber band back on.”

“Okie-dokie-lokie.”

Both ponies hopped down the stairs and Applejack sighed a breath of relief. From around a corner Fluttershy shaking slightly whispered. “Are they gone?”

“They are sugar cube.”

“Oh thank goodness.” Fluttershy said timidly walking into the kitchen both Angel and Owloysius riding her back carrying the morning paper. “I thought for sure he would do something *Gulp* awful.”

“Honestly Fluttershy I don’t really think that boy would hurt anypony. Then again he did help poison Spike. How’s he doing anyway?”

“Oh his temperature is back to normal and he is still sleeping with Twilight. I don’t really want to wake either of them.”

“Yeah, probably the best thing ta do. Whats in the paper?” Applejack asked wanting to change the subject. Angel hopped off of Fluttershy onto the table and brushed some playing cards away to make room for the Equestrian Daily the front page read: Pony Disappearances Continue! Local Horseshoe Maker Caramel Is Next Victim!

Applejack grimaced at the title but looked over the front page. On it was the headline and a picture of Caramel. Below it were pictures of the other four missing ponies three Pegasi and another earth pony.

“Not Caramel. He was always getting inta trouble but this is just awful… Fluttershy ya don’t think those three could have anything ta do with the disappearances do ya? I mean it’s been five ponies in a month.”

“Oh I-I don’t know… I mean it could but I don’t really want to talk about it… If you don’t mind. By the way Applejack… who is Passion Fruit?”

Applejacks face blushed and she prayed to Celestia for a reason to change the topic. This prayer was answered with the sound of yawning from the room over.

“Well finally those two are awake.”

Chapter 6: In Between A Roc and A Hard Place

The Disarray Trilogy

Part one: Of Harmony and Chaos

Written by Walker “Ink Blotch” Holden

Chapter 6: In Between A Roc and A Hard Place

The Everfree forest was brightly lit by the summer sun but Twilight Sparkle was still nervous of her surroundings. Behind her her friends Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie followed closely. Fluttershy seemed to be on alert but often would marvel at the plant life they would pass. Applejack lead closely to Twilight with wings upright and conviction on her face, her wings shining in the sunlight. Pinkie Pie happily bounced along at her own pace continually trying to start conversation.

“So what do you guys think the Princess is doing right now? Ooh! I bet that’s she's at Discords super secret hideout right now! I would also bet a week’s worth of pie that she's got Discords list of spells to control Silver Lining and his brothers! I wonder what she will do to them afterwards? I bet that she will have them live in Ponyville with us but then they would need a place to stay and I don’t think that they would want to stay in that smelly cell. Where are they going to the bathroom? Ooh! I know they could stay with me! No that wouldn’t work Mr. and Mrs. Cake don’t have enough room for three more ponies since Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake arrived. Ok. Silver Lining can live with me and sleep on the ceiling, Monarch can live in Twilight’s basement and I don’t care where Mr. Poo Poo attitude lives. Well I suppose that isn’t very nice of me I guess I sho-”

“PINKIE!” Applejack and Twilight yelled in unison.

“Listen sugarcube it’s nice and all that you are so kind to those varmints Celestia knows somepony needs too. But can we jus focus on the goal on hoof?” Asked Applejack

Twilight nodded in agreement “I agree AJ and besides I doubt that Celestia would let those three run wild in Equestria. Especially not in my basement. She will probably banish them or lock them in a dungeon or something like that.”

“Oh well…” Fluttershy stammered. “You said that about me when I ‘borrowed’ Fillamina but the princess was forgiving.”

“True but you were actually innocent and were only trying to help, these ponies they are just…just…”

“Music!” Exclaimed Pinkie.

“Uhh… not exactly the words I would choose Pinkie Pie…”

“No silly listen.”

Twilight listened carefully and heard the soft sound of a song somewhere. “It must be Sweetie’s radio.”
The four ponies walked towards the music and steadily the volume grew and Twilight could hear nearby “…Everypony just have a good! And we gone make you lose your mind!”

When she recognized the song Pinkie happily said “Ooh, this is my jam!” and she hopped off to the source of the music.

When Pinkie was far enough away Applejack lowered her voice and asked Twilight “Why did you have her tag along? Not that I mind her but she can’t really help can she?”

Twilight sighed and replied “Well… I don’t trust her anywhere near Silver Lining. I don’t know what it is but she thinks that they are friends. She already let him out once I don’t want to let it happen again.”

Applejack thought back to Pinkie kissing Silver’s forehead and the look he had had afterwards. “What if Twilight and this is only hypothetical. But what if Silver Lining had… ‘Feelings’ fer Pinkie?”

Twilight squinted her eyes at Applejack “Applejack you are a horrible liar. I know this isn’t a hypothetical question but what makes you ask?”

Applejack thought quickly but found an excuse. “Well Rage told Silver that he knew how to pick ‘em when Pinkie yelled at him is all.”

Applejack’s eyes shifted from side to side as Twilight continued to stare at her sensing that her friend was still being dishonest. “I guess that both are going to have a difficult time leaving each other.”

Twilight trotted after Pinkie wondering what Applejack could possibly be hiding but had to push that thought aside when she came to a clearing where she found Pinkie dancing to the radio of Sweetie’s boom box and buckets and berries scattered on the ground. Twilight turned off the boom box despite Pinkie’s pleas and then she focused on the buckets. After inspection she found one with red hair matching Applebloom’s mane caught on it. “This is perfect” She thought to herself. Twilight focused on the hair not letting any thoughts pass by. Finally after a few moments her horn began to glow and like a compass pointed Twilights head in a direction deeper into the forest.

*****************************************************************************

Spike could not see but he did not need to for what he had to do. He breathed deeply into his nose and breathed out his mouth a small jet of green flame. The gag over his mouth burnt and fell off of his face.
Tied in the same rope back to back to Spike Rarity spat out her half of the gag.

“Eww! What did they use as a gag? A fish?” Rarity spat a little more in an attempt to get the taste out of her mouth. “Well Spikey I am at a loss do you have any ideas on how we could get ourselves loose?”

Spike replied “Uhm… Couldn’t you just use magic?”

Rarity felt herself blush “Oh yes of course.” Rarity focused on her blindfold but nothing happened. Again she tried but only strained herself. It then dawned on her what must have happened. “Sorry Spikey but they got Twilights training belt on me. I can't use any magic if it was still set for Monarch’s level.”

“Does that mean we’re stuck here?”

“Well I think that it is safe to assume that Angel, Owloysius, Scootaloo and Sweetie are locked in the basement so I am afraid so until help arrives…”

“Aw man Twilight is going to be so mad when she comes back and finds out…”

“Lets not worry about the future Spike for now lets focus on the present and be thankful that nopony has been hurt... I hope.

******************************************************************************

Before too long Twilight Sparkle and friends could see where the roc’s nest was. After walking in the direction of Twilights horn avoiding poison joke and beasts along the way they saw a large plateau that rose over the forest. Twilight had predicted that the plateau was roughly one hundred feet tall and fifty feet long. When they got to the base of the plateau Twilight and Applejack began to climb the mountain to retrieve Applebloom and Zecora They hoped the Roc would be preoccupied or asleep. Meanwhile at the bottom Pinkie and Fluttershy waited in case they were needed. Applejack flew most of the way up testing her new wings while Twilight teleported from ledge to ledge trying to conserve magic as she could. They remained quiet for most of the climb focusing on the mission. The only time they spoke to each other was near the top where they could hear the breaths of the roc. Applejack landed on a ledge next to Twilight. The ledge was about twenty feet from the top all it would take from the girls would be to climb up and get their friends. But if the roc saw them everything would be over.

“Applejack lets go over our plan one more time.” Twilight whispered. Applejack nodded her approval.
“Ok it’s nearly sundown so we don’t have much time. When we get up there the roc will most likely be watching her eggs but we will still need to be as quiet as possible to save Applebloom and Zecora. Once we get to them glide back down with Applebloom to Pinkie and Fluttershy. I will teleport as far as I can back down with Zecora but we will have to walk the rest of the way. Don’t wait for us get back to Ponyville we will make it back on our own. Ok are you ready?”

“As ready as ah ever will be.” Applejack said.

Both ponies began to climb over the final ledge and once they reached the top both saw the roc. She was as big as a house and her feathers were bigger than doors. Her body was a dark red and her head was black. She sat paying close attention to two large eggs the size of Big Macintosh. Behind her by her tail feathers was a hole in the ground that looked like it had been dug by talons. Twilight motioned to the hole and Applejack nodded in agreement. Both girls pulled themselves up over the ledge silently and slowly moved towards the roc staying in the shadows.

*SNAP*

Twilight inhaled sharply as she stepped on something. Applejack tensed and watched the roc. It had heard nothing. Twilight breathed out and looked down to avoid more sticks. She had to hold herself from vomiting. She had stepped on the femur bone of what had once been a pony. The bones were stripped free of meat but brown fur stained red littered the ground. From the bone she had stepped on marrow oozed out. These bones were fresh; they were what was left of Caramel. Twilight forced herself to look away holding her stomach. She continued onwards watching for more piles of bones.

Almost there the sun was nearly down and the roc yawned but kept its watch on its eggs. Finally Twilight and Applejack made it to the hole. Both of them looked down into the hole and saw that ten feet below Zecora lay with Applebloom hiding her face in Zecora’s fur. Applejack began to weep with joy but remained silent. Tears rolled down her face and fell down into the hole and fell onto Zecora’s face. The Zebra looked up and her facial expression of fear and sorrow turned to one of joy and hope. She whispered something into Applebloom’s ear the small yellow filly looked up and saw her sister.

“APPLEJA-!” Zecora quickly covered Appleblooms face her hooves.

The roc’s head perked up to the sound that her prey had made. She turned her head and saw Twilight Sparkle and Applejack. For a moment the roc was stunned by confusion of the new arrivals but a moment was all Twilight needed and with her magic she levitated Zecora and Applebloom out of the hole. All four ponies ran towards the nearest ledge at full speed.

“Applejack GO!” Twilight yelled.

Applejack grabbed Applebloom and leaped off of the ledge.

“Zecora,” Twilight said “Hold onto me!”

The zebra obeyed as the roc screeching a bone rattling caw stamped towards them but by the time it got to them they were gone and teleported halfway down the cliff. From above the roc cawed in anger. Looking off the ledge Twilight saw Applejack with Applebloom in arm glide into the trees of the Everfree forest and disappear.
Twilight stopped to catch her breath and Zecora put her hoof on her shoulder. “Thank you Twilight my friend. Another moment and I would have met the end.”

Twilight still gasping for breath replied “It *gasp* was no problem *gasp* we couldn’t just leave you two there.” She thought back to Caramels remains. “But we need a place to hide the roc is probably going to search the cliffs for us and I don’t have enough magic to teleport us the rest of the way down.”

“Very well, let's run like hell. When it will get down here I can’t tell.”

Flapping of wings could be heard from overhead and Twilight and Zecora continued to climb down the cliff. Next came the scraping of talons and the crashing of boulders rolling down the plateau. Both Twilight and Zecora were still exposed to the open. All was quiet Twilight continued the path. Still nothing Zecora followed right behind Twilight. Then salvation appeared; a small crack in the wall of the rock room enough for both of them to hide. When they arrived to it they took no haste to going within. Once in they waited and waited. Nothing happened.
“I think that it’s safe to go out now.” Said Twilight. She slowly exited the crack followed by Zecora.

Twilight looked all around but saw nothing. Then she heard something distant at first but soon thundered closer and closer. She looked up and saw a boulder that had been dropped by the roc coming towards her. Twilight shoved Zecora back into the crack but couldn’t make it herself. She had one option. Twilight Sparkle jumped off the cliff.

The boulder smashed into the ledge where she had just been standing. Zecora was safe, Applejack was reunited with her sister and the princess was sure to hear of the roc and she would take care of it. “Good job Twilight.” She thought to herself.

Twilight closed her eyes and wept as she continued to fall. “I wonder what it will feel like.” She wondered. “Well time to find out”.

Twilight hit a surface. A fluffy, sticky, pink surface. She opened her eyes and looked at herself she was covered in cotton candy and she was floating in midair. “What? How I don’t even…” She thought out loud but was answered with an apologetic voice.

“Sorry it was the first thing I could think of.”

Twilight looked to the source of the voice and saw Silver Lining hovering beside her. Twilights expression of astonishment transformed into an angry one.

“You! What are you doing out here!?”

Silver looked hurt. He had apparently been expecting a thank you not a verbal assault. “I will explain later for now I need to go get your friend from up there. Wanna come?”

Twilight not sure how to react to Silver. She nodded but kept herself alert to anything funny. Silver hooked onto the cotton candy cloud with a hoof and took off for where Zecora was hiding. Once there the Zebra was waiting. “Sparkle you are alive! Who is this young one who helped you survive?”

Twilight was about to answer but was interrupted by Silver. “Silver Lining mam. Pleased to meet you.” The pegasus bowed out of politeness to the much more grateful pony.

Zecora stared at Silver for another moment and said. “You are a strange one indeed. Not a normal pony I plead.”
Both Unicorn and Pegasus gaped at Zecora.

“How did you know?” Asked Twilight

“His aura I do see. It is similar as well as his chi to you and your friends. I also sense something more a presence of ancient lore. Discord and yourself too both exists in this life that is new. But I sense somepony else that I have never known. But for now I would prefer to leave this alone. ”

Twilight continued to gape. Zecora never ceased to amaze her but she must have made a mistake. Who else’s essence could exist in Silver? Celestia and Discord had confirmed that only her and her friends had been used for his experiment. That would mean that the other Disarray brothers would also have a mystery trace of somepony but that didn’t make any sense. It didn’t matter for now all that mattered was their getting out of that place before the roc returned.

Zecora hopped onto the cloud and Silver slowly took them down. Once on the ground both Twilight and Zecora attempted to shake off as much cotton candy as they could to little avail while Silver waited. He had somehow not gotten any cotton candy on himself. After they got most of the candy off Twilight searched the skies but did not see the roc.

“Don’t worry.”Said Silver getting her attention. “Monarch is taking care of the situation.”

Before Twilight could ask an ear piercing screech was heard from above in the roc’s nest and the next moment the roc was flying through the sky with both of its eggs in its talons. Twilight was dumbstruck but even more so when in a flash of orange light both Monarch and rage appeared before her.

“Ok” Said Monarch “we are done here.” And he and his brothers began to walk towards Ponyville.

“Hold on what just happened here!” Twilight exclaimed.

Monarch turned his head back and said “I’ll explain on the way.” and they trotted off again this time followed by Zecora.

Twilight galloped to catch up with them and when she did she angrily asked. “Ok what is it that just happened and why are helping us?”

Monarch gave a slight sneer but his it in his indifferent face.“Pushy Sparkle but I will explain. You see while you were running from the roc it gave me the perfect opportunity to get an upper hoof on things. I teleported Rage and myself up to the top of the plateau and left Silver behind to watch for you and catch you if need be which it was.” Monarch looked to his pegasus brother. “Good work on that by the way.”

Silver smiled “I'm helpful.” trying his best to imitate one of Fluttershy’s smiles.

“But anyway we went up there and when the roc returned she found us with her eggs and she was not happy to say the least. But we explained the situation going on in Ponyville about the disappearances of ponies and we asked her to leave and go to Mt. Feathercrest. At first she did not take us seriously but with a little motivation from Rage nudging her eggs closer to the edge of the cliff she saw things our way and is now heading for Mt. Feather Crest as we speak.”

Twilight glared at Monarch “Let me get this straight. You blackmailed a monster into leaving its nest and it understood you? Not only that but it agreed to your terms as well?”

“Twilight you act as if the roc was unintelligent. You should know better than anypony else that it is capable of outsmarting ponies. The blackmail part is true but I don’t believe it would have taken us seriously if we hadn’t and it just would have eaten us.”

Twilight could not argue with the last part of Monarchs logic but was still hasty to lock them up again.

“So come on Twilight.” Said Rage. “Can you at least trust us a little now? I mean all we did was save the asses of you, your friends and everypony else in Ponyville!”

Twilight ignored Rage’s request and instead pressed for more information. “Still how did you get out and past Spike and Rarity?”

“Well we had some help…” Monarch began to explain but was interrupted by three small blurs jumping from the bushes followed by Pinkie, Fluttershy and Applejack.

“There they are Applebloom!”

“Yeah those are the guys we got to come help and rescue you!”

“Wow they are really cool but not as cool as mah sister with wings!”

Twilight understood then how the disarray brothers got out but she still did not understand why they had helped or why they had saved her. The three Cutie Mark Crusaders jabbered on about the disarray brothers and how they had tied up Rarity and Spike so that the brothers could come out and help. They also talked about how Rage was to become the newest honorary cutie mark crusader as soon as he passed an initiation. Twilight kept listening to them talk about the amazing rescue and their new friends as they walked through the forest.

Twilight once again asked herself “But why help us?”

******************************************************************************

“This is it?” Celestia asked flipping through the notebook in her hooves.

“I am certain little miss executioner.” Discord responded with every ounce of sarcasm and hatred he could muster.

“Good we will rest here for the night and head back to Canterlot tomorrow morning.” Said Celestia as she poured over the notebook scanning the index until she found what she was looking for.

Self Termination: Page. 15

Chapter 7: Trust

The Disarray Trilogy

Part one: Of Harmony and Chaos

Written by Walker “Ink Blotch” Holden

Chapter 7: Trust

On the way back to Ponyville Twilight Sparkle made it clear to her friends to keep an eye on the Disarray brothers. Both Applejack and Fluttershy had no objections to this but Pinkie had other thoughts.

“But Twilight they saved you. They really aren’t all that bad.”

Twilight had accepted Pinkies friendship to the brothers long before they’re conversation but still felt intimidated by it. “I'm just asking you to keep an eye on them so they don’t try to run away.”

“Fine but you are still over reacting and being really moody.”

Pinkie continued to walk ahead with others leaving Twilight in the back with her thoughts. “They did save me and get rid of the roc without anypony getting hurt. But they poisoned Spike! I can never forgive them. To boot I don’t even want to think what would have happened if they had smashed the roc’s eggs. It probably would have destroyed Ponyville in its rage! Those three are nothing but trouble…”

“Bit for your thoughts Ms. Sparkle?”

Twilight jumped at the sudden intrusion of Monarch who had slipped away from his brothers both of which were still being swarmed by the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“What do you want?” Twilight asked angrily.

Monarch either did not notice or care about her cold shoulder and replied. “Just to talk. I don’t have much interest with the topic matter of those three children and I thought intelligent conversation would be more fruitful with you.”

Monarch gave an honest smile but Twilight in turn only glared at him but she decided to take advantage of this opportunity to pick at the unicorns mind a bit.

“Ok then I was just thinking about your hasty tactics against the roc. What if you had smashed her eggs? Do you really think that she would let you live much least Ponyville?”

Monarch calmly replied “We never really would have smashed the eggs. It was a bluff and she failed to call it. If she had me and Rage would be dead right now.” Monarch thought for half a second and then added “and I'm sure you would be dancing on our graves.”

Twilight flinched at this comment but refused to give up. Her goal was to in some way hurt Monarch for all the things he had done. “So you just lead your brother straight into danger not caring about his well being at all. Is that it?” She said with venom in her voice.

It was Monarch’s time to flinch and he made no attempt to hide it. “Rage gave me no choice. We had debated on it during our trip through Everfree. I had told him he was to stay put I would be fine on my own. But when I teleported he jumped on at the last second and came with me. I did not have enough time to take him back before the roc returned. Ms. Sparkle please do not ever suggest that I care not for my brothers ever again. They are the most important things in my life as Spike is in yours.”

Twilight was surprised that Monarch would indulge such a key weakness straight to her. She thought to use this against him to make him hurt as badly as possible. But she couldn’t. Here was Monarch indulging the inner workings of his mind straight to her as if they were good friends. Was he just passing the olive branch and asking truly for peace between the two of them? The image of Spike curled up in his bed once again protruded her mind and she resented Monarch once more.

“Really because it doesn't seem like you have been fighting for them that much. You have a fraction of Discord’s power and I haven't seen you cast a spell yet! When I got back from Canterlot you had the upper hoof and could have taken advantage of the situation and fought us off while we were off our guard. You couldn't have done that for your brothers?”

Monarch was silent. He kept a poker face but it was easy to see through.

Twilight moved onto the next top question. “How did you escape your cell?”

Monarch was still in shock but shook it off and regained his smile to answer. “Well we were sitting down in there when Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell came and explained what had happened. They asked us to help because they wanted as many ponies as possible to help Applebloom. They knew what we were and why we were down there but they did not care. Such is the innocence of a child. When they lead us upstairs Rarity was looking for them. I had my brace off so it was a simple task to tie Rarity and Spike up without being seen. I put the brace on Rarity and the girls lead the way to the forest. Once we were in we just followed your guy’s hoof prints to the plateau. We saw Applejack glide into a clearing and went to there where we found the three of them debating over what to do. We made ourselves known left the girls with them and went back to see if our assistance was needed. We saw the roc chasing you and your friend down the rocks and I saw opportunity. I had Silver fly up close to you to help if needed while Rage and I went to the top to deal with the roc. We got it to leave and returned to you and your friends to be brought back to Ponyville to be locked in a small cell with no bathroom or ventilation.”

Twilight reviewed Monarch’s tale in her mind looking for something to criticize but found nothing. Instead she continued to question him. “Ok then next question. Why if you’re the heroes you claim to be do you want to release Discord so badly so he can rule Equestria in chaos?”

Monarch hesitated. He then said eyes on the ground. “Ms. Sparkle do you want us to be evil?”

Twilight was confused by the question but Monarch continued any way. “What act of villainy have we committed to Equestria on a wide scale that hurted many ponies?” Twilight was still confused by what Monarch was saying. He continued “You see I had the special privilege of being conscious when Discord was finishing us. I was a little colt, Silver and Rage were still babies. I did not understand much but Discord had explained most of the process of our creation to me. He basically told me this ‘You and your brothers were designed to be solders. I have deprogrammed much of your violent tendencies but there is one thing I still need to do. I need to make sure you have freedom. All three of you as it is need an order when you grow up or else you will fall back on the key directive.’ What is it? I asked. ‘You are still too young and innocent to know I would like to preserve that part of you for now. All you need to know is that I will most likely not survive the next few hours. I have stalled Celestia’s henchponies but I can feel that they are regaining their numbers. My magic has been used up for today and the final spell takes up too much magic. It would have to be tomorrow.’ “But what do I do then?” I asked. ‘All you have to do is accept as commander of your unit this new mission.’ “Ok I said.” ‘Your mission should you choose to accept it, Find a way to release me if only for a few moments that way I can lift the spell. Now that is enough for tonight you have your mission and you are to brief your platoon when you see them again. But for now it's time to sleep.’ After that he snapped his fingers and I felt drowsy I fought it as much as I could but it took me just the same the last thing I saw was Discord with a tear half way down his face. What seemed like a second later I woke up with a full sized body and an educated mind. I knew so much in so little time. I soon found Rage and Silver nearby, I briefed them on what was to be done and they accepted without question. I was and am their commander It is instinct for them to generally follow my orders. This I hate. They have no freedom as long as the spell remains. So we came to Ponyville and we hid and bided our time to come up with a plan. Once we had one we put it to action immediately. Our plan A was to meet you and become friends and convince you to take us to Canterlot where we could free Discord without anypony realizing. This failed so I reluctantly fell back to plan B. Fear. And the rest is history. So what do you think?”

Twilight gaped at Monarch. She never thought she would get so much information from him. She also never thought that the brothers were doing all that they had done because they had to. She thought they had wanted to. “How do I know that you’re not lying?”

“The only way to know is to trust me. Twilight we never wanted to hurt anypony but we can’t fail our mission either. If we ignore it… If we ignore it we cease to exist. The spell that you stopped Discord from completing would have been destroyed and my brothers and I would have simply lead normal lives.” Monarch’s usually cool mood was melting before Twilights eyes. “Instead we live the life of criminals! Hiding from any other ponies, with no home or family. And it’s all because of YO-” Monarch caught himself from completely melting down and took a deep breath, paused for a moment and than said. “I-I'm sorry Ms. Sparkle… I sometimes forget that I'm not real. I lose myself and try to blame my problems on others. Thats not fair of me.”

Twilight was unsure what to say about this. “But you are real you are right here in front of me.”

“I know that I'm real but am I real? Am I another pony or am I a science experiment gone wrong to you?”

Twilight opened her mouth to reply but thought. All this time she had thought of and treated the brothers like they were monstrosities but had rarely thought if they had feelings.

Monarch seemed to have moved on before Twilight was done thinking. He now told her looking up ahead to her friends. “He does love her you know.”

“What?”

“Silver Lining it’s kind of obvious but he does love Pinkie Pie. Hopelessly in love I would say. He would do anything for her. Here is a simpler question; is he real?”

Twilight had had her suspicions about Silver Lining and found herself leaning more to the “real” opinion. “Well I can’t say…”

“You are not confident in your answer I can tell but consider what Pinkie thinks of him and what others feel for me and Rage and you will find that the majority believes us not to be real. All except Pinkie Pie, Cherilee and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Cherilee doesn't even know what we really are.”

Twilight began to feel sympathy towards Monarch. She thought of Spike curled up in his bed but only felt more for the unicorn beside her. He had only ever did those things for the welfare of his brothers. She probably would have done the same for her own brother. She not knowing what to do asked another question. “You said that Discord had made you to be solders. What does that mean?”

“It means that the original models for Discords experiments were meant to serve in King Concentus’s army against the at the time griffon threat. This is why Ms. Sparkle that my brothers and I have no freedom.”

“But why would Concentus want an army? The Equestrians and Griffons have been at peace since his rule he had no reason to have an army unless…”

“Unless it was an invading army.”

Twilight felt her world falling around her. She had always believed that the government of Equestria looked out for everypony’s well being griffon and pony alike. “Get a hold of yourself Twilight he said King Concentus had meant for the army to invade not Celestia.”

There was an awkward silence between the two until Twilight asked Monarch just one more thing. “You don’t call Discord Lord Discord. Why?”

Monarch smirked and replied. “I'm a commander I get special treatment. More so then a lowly guard or assassin.”

Twilight wanted to ask which of his brothers was which but felt she had asked enough. She found herself still loathing Monarch but also respect and sympathy.

“Ms. Sparkle” Said Monarch “I am sorry for what we did to Spike. I know you will never forgive us I can feel it but I was desperate for anything to save my brothers. One day we will be free I can feel it and then we will be free to go wherever we want, free to love whoever we want and do whatever we want.”

The Unicorn’s orange eyes sparkled with hope as he gazed at the roses they passed. This was the feather that broke the camels back for Twilight. He was right she would never forgive him but that did not mean they couldn’t be friends. Friendship could come from the most unlikely places even your worst enemy but it is better to have a friend for a moment than an enemy for a lifetime. Twilight made a mental note to send a letter to Celestia when all this was over.

“Come on slow pokes! You will get left behind!” Scootaloo yelled back to them.

Twilight and Monarch sprinted to catch up with their friends. When they got there Pinkie and Silver were still talking with each other while Rage had given up and was now allowing the Cutie Mark Crusaders to use his body as a jungle gym while they told him what the Crusaders did on a regular basis and what his duties as the newest lackey would be.

Monarch finally taking mercy on his brother said aloud “Who wants to hear my cutie mark story?”

This got the crusaders attention and they happily trotted with Monarch as he began. “Well it all started when my brothers and I had to figure out a way to release Discord…”

Twilight left Monarch to it and trotted by Applejack whose wings were beginning to dim and had a few holes in them. “Ah tell yah Twilight” She whispered. “Once those three are behind bars again Ahl feel a heck of a lot better.”

Twilight bit her lip but nodded. How was she going to explain to her friends about her and Monarch being buddy buddy after all she had said?”

Silver Lining stopped mid sentence and stride. His ear twitched and he sniffed the air. Rage turned to him with a concerned face the first time Twilight had seen him with anything of the such. Monarch also stopped his story to the fillies and also turned to Silver.

Rage asked “What is it?”

Zecora said “I sense them as well, those hounds straight from hell.”

Twilight was confused. But a moment later she heard rustling in the trees and heard a familiar slimy voice. “Ponies, capture and trade for gems maybe? Oh but only a few the rest…eat.”

Twilights heart raced her eyes widened her legs not knowing what to do just shook until Monarch looked to her and whispered “Run.”

The next moment was pure anarchy. Twilight perceived the world in silent slow motion. She sprinted just in time before a diamond dog pounced from the tree above and landed on the ground behind her. At the same time more burst from the undergrowth and attempted the same with her friends. The crusaders grouped together screaming as one of the dogs ran towards them. But Rage was able to get underneath the dog in mid-jump and throw him into the tree. Rage then threw Scootaloo and Sweetie bell on his back and yelled something and Applejack came and did the same for Applebloom. Twilight finally recognized the dogs as the same ones from when Rarity had been kidnapped. They either did not recognize or didn’t care who they were. Things began to speed up for Twilight and sound returned to her.

“Scatter! They can’t chase us all!”

Twilight had no idea who yelled this but took their advice. She now was able to count three diamond dogs and there were seven of them. She prayed to Celestia that everypony would be ok. She ran into the trees she ran until her legs throbbed. When she thought she had made it to safety she breathed deeply. She looked around but did not recognize her surroundings. The sun was still in the sky lighting the forest but now the trees cast shadows. When she caught her breath she continued through the forest hopping that she would find somepony else. Her hopes and prayers were answered when Monarch rolled through a fern gasping for breath.

When he saw her he stood but collapsed again. Twilight examined his body. She found what appeared to be a bite wound on his hind leg. “You aren’t going to be running on this for awhile.” Said Twilight. “But can you walk?”

“I think I can.” Monarch pushed on his front legs and then his good hind leg and lifted his body upright and tried walking. He limped but he was mobile. The two followed the sun knowing it would lead them to Ponyville. They also watched the skies for Silver or Fluttershy but saw nothing but birds.

After wandering for awhile Monarch grunted “Don’t look now but I think one of them has found us.”

Twilight scanned the trees for the assailant but Monarch said “Act cool it doesn’t know we know its there.”

Twilight now felt eyes leering her but she couldn’t tell from where. She hastened her pace slightly but kept close to the crippled Monarch.

Then it happened. Without warning the dog made its appearance not from above but from below. A paw shot out from the ground and grabbed Twilight by the tail. She was pulled Flank first into a hole but stopped herself halfway by grabbing the sides of the hole. Then came the pain, it shot through her leg to her brain. It was eating her.

Twilight struggled to free herself and succeeded with help from Monarchs magic. Twilight and Diamond dog were both levitated in the air and onto the ground. Monarch’s horn continued to glow and let of a beam of pure heat which shot through the diamond dog’s neck. It let go of Twilight whimpered and fell over dead. Twilight looked down at her leg. It was oozing with blood and a bit of bone was showing. Patches of fur were missing and her cutie mark was unrecognizable from the blood splatter. It could all easily be fixed good as new with magic but only if she survived that long.

Neither had energy to speak so Monarch simply lifted Twilight up and had her rest on his shoulder. They were barely able to move and they both knew that the smell of fresh blood would attract much more ferocious carnivores. Twilight’s vision began to blur from both shock blood loss but she felt them all around her monsters hunting the two unicorns. Monarch picked up the pace but was still limping from his bite. Twilight’s vision blurred even more and her eyelids became heavy. Monarch fell. This was when she heard the monsters swarm around the both of them. The last thing she remembered was an explosion of colors.

Chapter 8: The Calm Before the Storm

The Disarray Trilogy

Part one: Of Harmony and Chaos

Written by Walker “Ink Blotch” Holden

Chapter 8: The Calm Before The Storm

The journey back to Canterlot was less laborious than the journey from. The path was pre-cleared and Celestia now walked with a stride in her step Luna trailing beside her and Discord in his pendant. He had remained silent for most of the trip from his old laboratory. He had still felt longing to rummage through his old things in the place he once called home again but he had no time to think about such things. Now he had to think on how to save his creations. “No!” He thought. “My children! I must think how can I appease to Celestia’s better nature. If they have made their move which I assume they have then Sparkle will have met them. Knowing her she has probably done what Celestia would have and locked them up without listening to their claims. But if one of my sons has befriended Celestia’s yes-mares… No I must abandon that hope the only one of them I know at all is the unicorn and I barely had time with him… Look at me. The mighty Discord now struggling to protect his own children most of which he has never even met. It is all my fault. I assumed Celestia would allow them to live but” Discord stared up at Celestia and the smile she wore. “Thousands of years of solitude will do things to an alicorn. It would appear I have only one hope then.”

Celestia came to an abrupt halt. Luna mimicked. Celestia took in a deep satisfied breath. “I think we have travelled far enough today. I believe that we are long overdue for a proper rest. Don’t you agree Discord?”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Celestia had not expected Discord to speak but her smile only widened. “Well well Discord your silence strike has come to an end it would seem.”

Discord sighed. “Yes Celestia you have out bested me. I am in no position to retaliate and can only standby and watch you complete your deeds.”

“Sister?” Luna asked. “What is it you plan to do to them?”

Discord was shocked that Luna had gone this long without even knowing Celestia’s plan. Celestia acknowledged her sister and replied. “They are to be executed the moment we find them. They are too dangerous to be left alive. Now with this journal of spells finding them will be as simple as breathing.”

Luna’s reaction was hard to read. She seemed shocked, disgusted and fearful all at once. “But sister under what crimes?”

Celestia’s smile faded. “Must we have a reason to execute the guilty? Or if we are going to hold everything by the book should we open your file again?”

Luna gave a sharp intake of breath and looked at the ground and remained silent. Discord sympathized her. They set up camp in another hollow tree after inspecting thoroughly for poison joke. It was when Celestia was removing her armor that Discord saw his opportunity.

“Celestia we need to talk.”

Celestia gazed towards the locket. “About what?”

“I have given you the how and you already have your why and I suspect you have your when and where in mind but now I want to give you the what and who.”

Celestia decided to bite and amuse Discord. “Very well continue.”

“You already know where the soul of my ponies came from but have you ever wondered what the rest was made of?”

“I already know. When you made them before you used the chromosomes and genetic structure of my father’s most elite soldiers.”

Discord shook his head. “Do you really think that those samples would still be viable after all this time?”

Celestia was now honestly curious. “Then who’s” She asked “did you use?”
“I could save them yet…”

*********************************************************************

She opened her eyes and Twilight sat straight up. She was in a cold sweat and her heart was pounding. She tried to move her leg but found it locked in a cast with an IV imbedded in her wrist. Her back ached from being in one position for so long and her neck popped at the slightest movement.

“TWILIGHT!”

Twilight looked to her side and saw Spike sitting in a chair waiting for her to awaken. She looked at herself and found she was draped in a hospital gown.

She stammered “S-Spike where am I?” She remembered she wasn’t the only pony in the forest. “Is everypony ok?”

“Whoa whoa whoa Twi, calm down everypony is fine. Just a little scratched up.”

“A little scratched up? Say that again to my face.”

Twilight looked in the bed next to her and saw Rage with an identical cast on his arm and scars covering his flank and sides.

Spike rolled his eyes “Ok in comparison you seem scratched up. Its your own fault for fighting the diamond dog anyway you could have just let it run off from what your story said.”

“I couldn’t just let him go! He tried to hurt my frie-” Rage cut off midsentence.

“Oh mister tough guy doesn’t want to admit he cares about ponies. How intimidating.”

“Your digging a grave once I get out of here mailbox.”

Twilight decided it would be best to break the both of them up before things got out of hoof. “Spike what happened? I remember passing out and then nothing.”

“I think I know somepony else who could tell the story better…” Spike replied holding back a chuckle. He hopped off his chair and walked out the room. He returned a minute or two later with Monarch and a blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight remembered the explosion of colors and realized it must have been a sonic rainboom. “You got back from Canterlot so early?”

Rainbow spoke with an unnecessarily high pitched voice. “Yes of course I the uh… Incredible Rainbow Dash rescued you Twilight Sparkle!”

Spike nudged Rainbow and whispered “Dude her voice isn’t that high pitched.”
“
Well I've barely met here I can’t remember the sound of her voice.”

Twilight understood who she was dealing with now. “Silver Lining?” She asked her voice reflecting her confusion.

Silver and Spike both broke out laughing. “Yeah it’s me did I fool you?”

“For a little bit.” Twilight admitted “But this still has not answered my question what happened?”

“Well” began Monarch “We were trying to escape the Everfree forest when I slipped and fell. The predators of the forest were beginning to circle us and I honestly thought it was all over. But then Silver here” He slapped a hoof over his brother's neck. “did a sonic rainboom and scared all of them off. Then the explosion of the rainboom marked where we were and your friends all came to save us. They brought us to the hospital and you were in a coma for twenty-four hours. eal touch and go for a while, Spike never left your side.”

Twilight was satisfied by this answer. Discord hadn’t been kidding when he said the three were as powerful as them. SHe had never even had thought it would be possible to replicate the sonic rainboom. But now she had another question for Silver. “Why is your hair like that?”

Silver flipped some hair out of his eye and answered “A side effect of the rainboom. You honestly didn’t think Dash had this hair since birth did you? Rarity said she would help me bleach it later.”

“Good I can’t stand copycats.”

This time the real Rainbow Dash had entered and she did not look too pleased at Silver revealing her secret. When she saw Twilight her face lifted. “Twilight! Your up, good I’ll wake everypony up and the docs can finish patching you up.”

Twilight was more than happy to see her friend but before she could get a word in Rainbow had already left to retrieve their friends. A few moments later they paraded into the room. Everypony from the forest was there even Zecora. Twilight felt so relieved to see all of them safe. Soon everypony was busy in retelling of the story of the roc and diamond dogs around Rage’s bed as he told a slightly exagerated story of how he fought off one of the diamond dogs when it had tried to take a bite out of Applebloom.

When no pony was paying attention both Applejack and Rainbow Dash got on opposite ends of Twilight's head and began to whisper to her.

“Ahm sorry Twi. Bout the Disarray brothers I mean. We had to let em come to the hospital and get patched up. You’ll never believe it but Monarch may have actually tried to save you!” Said Applejack.

Twilight opened her mouth to confess her friendship with Monarch but Rainbow Dash interrupted. “Don’t worry as soon as we get back to the library we can lock them up where they belong. I tell you the sooner the better.”

Twilight opened her mouth again but Applejack spoke up again. “Twilight I know you despise the varmints but the truth is they might not be so bad… They risked life and hoof to save Zecora and Applebloom and then they got us out of the Everfree forest safe an sound. Last night Monarch actually told me about their past and well… Ah feel sorry fer them. They’ve gone through a rough patch and theys is just trying to find peace.”

Twilight didn’t even try to speak this time as Rainbow Dash said “Are you kidding Applejack? After what they’ve done? After the Princess told us to be careful of them no matter what?”

“All ahm sayen is-”

“Would you both stop it!” Twilight said just loud enough for the two of them to hear. “I have already spoken with Monarch and I know they're story. I believe him and appreciate him and his brothers for saving me. That being said I still can’t determine if they have ulterior motives.”

She looked at her friends to see they're reactions. Applejack seemed at rest but Rainbow Dash was not convinced. “Twilight are you sure? I mean the Princess doesn’t trust them and I sure don’t trust them.”

“It’s ok Rainbow. We aren’t letting them run wild I just think we should give them some breathing room is all.”

Rainbow sighed but said in defeat “Ok Twilight I trust your judgment. But I’m keeping an eye on them.”

Rainbow and Applejack went off to socialize with everypony else before they were all ushered out by the doctors so they could finish healing Twilight and Rage. The doctors were unicorns and once everypony was gone they each went to a bedside and their horns began to glow. Twilight felt her flank become hot and tingle. When the doctor was done the cast unraveled to reveal Twilights flank completely re-grown.

“There you are Ms. Sparkle, Mr. Rage good as new. If you will follow us we can take you to check out.”

The checkout was done quickly. Both of them were told to try and stay off of their bad legs for a few days and to come back if anything was wrong. When they were wheeled out front in wheelchairs they were met by their friends all waiting for them lead by Pinkie wearing a party hat, a red clown nose and had a noise maker in her mouth.

“Woohoo!” She exclaimed in excitement. “This is fantastic! You’re both all okie dokie lokie and out of the hospital! Do you know what this calls for?”

The only pony to ask what was Silver Lining who asked in a very excited tone.

“A PARTY!”
*********************************************************************

Rather than a usual Pinkie Party this one began with a tour of Ponyville. Pinkie rushed them through all the streets pointing out different buildings of significance and introducing them to anypony they met along the way. Zecora had left shortly after the tour had begun saying that she was needed back at her hut.

When they reached Sugarcube corner Pinkie insisted they stop for a late lunch. Twilight was not sure how but Pinkie had somehow told Mr. and Mrs. Cake about the brothers already Even though she had not left the hospital the day before.

Whether or not they knew everything was beyond Twilight. They all ate a hearty lunch of carrot cake swapping stories and jokes and at the end the cakes passed around root beer floats to everypony.

“Pinkie you were right” said Cup Cake. “Your new friends are a hoot and your new pegasus boyfriend is just a peach.”

When Cup Cake said this Silver Lining ended up spraying Rage in the face with his mouthful of root beer. Rage mane dripping, kept a still face and only let out a sigh being far too used to this sort of event.

Not noticing this Pinkie Pie blushed put a hoof to her face and replied “Cup Cake! He’s not my boyfriend.”

Cupcake smiled at Pinkie and said “Oh of course not dear.” But her facial expression said more as she trotted away to find a towel for Rage.

When she was gone Pinkie and Silver stared at each other for a moment from across their table but both of them blushed and quickly looked away.

*********************************************************************
After lunch the tour of Ponyville continued and they soon had passed all of the houses and businesses and were back at Twilights house where the library was decorated for a classic Pinkie party. How any of this had been done Twilight did not even bother to ask. The party started out small in the afternoon spent mostly with Silver Lining telling his cutie mark story (Another tale for another time) while Rarity bleached the rainbow out of his hair.
However as time passed more and more ponies got word of a party at Twilight Sparkle’s house and like parasprites to honey the ponies came.

Some time later Silver’s hair was back to its normal white and the library was filled with ponies.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders had been sent home despite their pleas to see a Pinkie party after dark. But Applejack and Rarity would not have it and rightfully so. Because soon after the party had gone up into high gear. Pinkie had called in a favor and her friend Vinyl Scratch was there blasting music at levels not suitable for strong ears. Pinkie had also brewed up a new party punch formula that was as bright a pink as her and would bubble every now and then on its own. Twilight found herself on the makeshift dance floor light headed and dancing badly.

“Celestia! Why did I agree to try Pinkie’s new punch recipe? How much booze was in it?” Shaking of her drunkenness Twilight staggered to the kitchen where she had in foresight made a pot of coffee for such an event.

After she had chugged down half of a cup she noticed she was not the only one in the kitchen. One of Twilights friends Lyra had her head in a bucket while another pony named Bon Bon rubbed her back. Lyra let loose a heavy heave and the sound of vomiting came from the bucket. Bon Bon gave Twilight a look as if to say “Don’t drink the punch”.

“This punch is a monstrosity and must be stopped!” Twilight thought to herself.

Returning to the party Twilight inspected the snack table to see how many ponies had drunk the punch. She found the bowl near empty but also a very happy looking Berry Punch nearby with a dazed yet happy look on her face trying to sing along to the music being played. Twilight decided it was safe to assume that ponies that lived in Ponyville longer than her would know to be wary around new punch recipes from Pinkie. “Wait…” She thought “Ponies that have… Oh no!”

She scanned the crowd for any of the brothers as quickly as she could and found Rage sitting at a table with the jazz pony Blues. Twilight saw a half empty cup near to Rage’s hoof that was on the table. She snuck up to the two of them using groups of ponies as cover. She had to know how drunk Rage was she didn't like the idea of one of the most vicious ponies she had met being drunk. But to her surprise Rage was in fact smiling and when she got closer she heard some of Rage’s and Blues’s conversation.

Blues seem a little nervous and did not make eye contact with Rage. “Well...” he said “I guess I never had thought of it that way and I’ve never met Mrs. right...”
Rage smiled wider. In an unusually sweet voice he asked “So what do you say big guy?”

Blues finally looked at Rage blushing but the two began to lean their heads in closer to each other until...

Twilight quickly turned away and trotted to the other side of the room face flushed red and feeling rather warm. Her mind was going on overload. “Were they? But Rage never seemed- Well I never envisioned him with a colt. But I never did envision him with a filly either! I don't have a problem with this but I never imagined for a second...”

Leaving what she had seen behind Twilight bumped into the second brother. No really bumped. Both Twilight and Silver fell to the floor, Silver dropped the cup he had been holding but nothing fell out from the empty cup.

“Oh, sorry Twi*hic*light” Silver it was easy to see was much more drunk than Rage but only by a little bit.

“Its fine but Silver? How much punch have you had?”

Silver brought up a hoof and counted off on his- wait what?

“Uhm one?*hic*”

Twilight sighed with relief. “Good. Hey um Silver?”

“Yeah Twilight?”

“Can I ask you a question about Rage?”

Silver shrugged with his wings. “Sure but only if I can ask you a question afterwards.

“Ok. Well my question is... Well, how do I ask this...”

“Yes.” Answered Silver.

“Yes” Silver repeated “Rage is gay. Very gay.” He added “Ok my turn.”

“But.” Twilight said but was interrupted by SIlver.

“No,no. We had a deal.”

Giving up Twilight was silent to hear his question. Silvers face became red and he began building up nerve finally after a moment he asked Twilight his question. “What does um, Pinkie think about me?”

Twilight felt very unsurprised. But she also felt she kind of owed Silver for saving her. Twice. “Well I don't know. But I know somepony who does.” She said semi slyly.

“Really?” SIlver said perking up. “Who?”

Twilight turned Silver’s head towards the dance floor Where Pinkie was dancing to her favorite song mainly by spinning in a circle.

Silver gulped but seemed to get the message as he nervously and slowly began to make his way to her. Twilight decided he was going far too slow and gave him a shove with a magical wall pushing him into the dance floor next to Pinkie. He then whether by his own choice or instinct began dancing. Badly,but dancing just the same with Pinkie.

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief now knowing that both of the brothers were sober enough. “Well maybe I should check on Monarch. Nah I doubt that Monarch would ever-”

“HEY! Twilight Spaaarrrkllleee!”

Monarch appeared from behind Twilight and wrapped an arm around her. “Hey-hey how are you?” The obviously drunk unicorn asked with a derpy face. “I wuz- I wuz jus looken for you. All four of yous.”

Monarch passed out on her shoulder. Twilight glanced around for help but realzied it was probably best if she did this herself. She Kept supporting him on her shoulder and heaved throught the crowd to the stairs that went up to her bedroom. When they finally got there she closed the door behind her to try to muffle out the music from downstairs but only managed to turn it into a deep *unce unce unce*. She laid Monarch down on her bed. Once there she levitated a bowl from a shelf nearby and kept it handy remembering Lyra. Sooner than expected the bowl was in use. She rubbed the back of his neck but looked away has he heaved, belched and vomited.

When he had finished he breathed heavily licking bile of his lips. Then he said “Sorry Ms. Sparkle. I guess I'm a light weight. I only had one.” He blushed in embarrassment.

“It’s ok” Twilight replied. “I guess ten month year olds shouldn’t drink alcohol.”
Monarch laughed but was interrupted by more puking.
*********************************************************************

“Come on do it. They didn’t come back last night they won’t come back tonight!”

Hilt gulped. The rookies of the royal guard squadron he and his best friend Blade had been dutied to night watch on the princess’s throne room when they had left. A usually boring and tiresome job the two brown earth pony stallions had been able to talk, play cards and catch up on sleep. Each of those nights Blade had sat upon Celestia’s throne and prompted Hilt to do the same with Luna’s. Hilt had been reluctant but tonight peer pressure got the best of him and he was going to do it. To add Luna’s throne was beautifully made and looked like the stuff from ponytales.

He turned at the throne and slowly lowered his rump. It was like sitting on a puff of air. Hilt let his muscles relax and he closed his eyes and got comfortable.

“Feels good huh?” asked Blade.

“Yeah.” Responded Hilt.

“Like sitting on air?”

“Yeah.”

“I tell you I could get used to- ACK!”

“Yeah.”

Hilt realizing his friend’s terrified yelp opened his eyes and was face to face with both of the princesses.

“P-princess!” They both instinctively saluted out as they jumped from the thrones.

“W-we weren’t expecting you back so soon…”

Celestia stood tall with a mischievous smirk. “I can see that.”

Both guards rushed to their posts on the ends of the thrones and stood at attention in the usual emotionless stance. Hilt then remembered something important that was to be brought to Celestia’s attention. “Er… your highness?”
Celestia sat at her throne with a small grubby notebook under her wing still smiling. “Yes… Hilt is it?”

“Yes your highness. While you were away the bearer of the element of loyalty Ms. Rainbow Dash delivered a message and said that it would need your full attention as soon as possible.”

Celestia perked “What is the message? Relay it this instant.”

Hilt breathed in and then recited the message. “Princess we have major trouble! When we got back to Ponyville big D’s goons were waiting. We had to make a deal with them cause they poisoned Spike and it was the only way to get the antidote. We told em that we would release big D but I know you won’t let that happen! Get here soon Twilight is anxious but we have them contained.” Hilt finished the message and told Celestia “That is the whole message word for word your highness.”

Celestia’s smile widened and she turned a small locket in her hoof. “Thank you very much Hilt. both you and your partner are excused. If Captain Armor asks just tell him I let you off early.”

Hilt and Blade in unison replied “Yes your highness.” Saluted and left immediately.

Once both guards were gone Celestia opened the locket and said to both her sister and Discord. “We shall give them one more night of slumber and a final lunch. But when the sun rises over the sky” her smile stretched from one side of her face to another. “They will die.”

Chapter 9: The Storm

The Disarray Trilogy

Part one: Of Harmony and Chaos

Written by Walker “Ink Blotch” Holden

Chapter 9: The Storm

Light trailed through the window of Twilight Sparkle’s bedroom and awoke Monarch. He opened his eyes but immediately regretted it. Monarch had never had a hangover before but never wished to meet one again. “Aw Discord.” He moaned “My head. It feels like an anvil fell on it.”

“Don’t joke about that they really hurt.”

Twilight stood in the entranceway of her room levitating two cups of tea in front of her. She had the same morning hair as Monarch and the same hungover look in her eyes that Monarch had.

“Here” She said moving one of the cups to Monarch. “This should help.”

He gratefully accepted and halfway through grew a devious grin. He waited for Twilight to drain her own tea before faking a tone of fear and shock. “Oh no! Please tell me you didn’t use the little purple tea bags by the stove! Those had nightshade in them!”

Twilight spat her tea out and had a frantic look on her face. Monarch laughed causing his headache to worsen but he thought “Well worth it”

Twilight scowled “That is not funny! In fact when you finish come down with me so we can get rid of any nightshade berry tea you have left.”

Monarch held a hoof against his head and stopped laughing. He thought for a moment then came to a decision “Ok, confession time.”

“What?”

Monarch grinned deviously once more. “There never was any nightshade.”

Twilight gaped dumbfounded but then remembered what Monarch had said the other day. “We never really would have smashed the eggs. It was a bluff and she failed to call it.” Twilight felt dumb for falling for such a plot.

Exasperated she managed to ask “Bu- but then what was the antidote you gave him?”

Monarch giggling under his breath replied “Sour milk. That is also why he became so sick afterwards.”

Twilight saw Monarchs brilliant plan come together. They got their freedom and nopony got hurt. But Twilight saw one flaw with it. “Why have you told me this? Now I could go back on my Pinkie promise since Spike was never poisoned.”

“Because” Monarch said “I don’t want any hard feelings between us. I still think that you will help us.”

Twilight smiled. She had been outwitted but she admitted defeat. “Of course I will still help you. The princess will just have to see things my way. I'm sure she could break the spell. She will probably be here any day maybe even hour and now I could send her a letter with Spike updating the situation.”

Twilight smiled and looked at her friend. He was crying. She had seen happiness, anger and even fear from Monarch but this was something she had never expected. “What’s wrong?”.

“It’s nothing” Monarch said as he wiped his face. “Its just I'm so happy! Silver is the optimist not me and well I had always thought that we would fail and my brothers and I would die. But now.” Monarch lost control and embraced Twilight.

She was shocked but returned the hug and thought “Look at me. A few days ago I wanted nothing more than to make you cry and now I've done it.”

“Excuse me Twilight I was wondering if- Oh my!”

Twilight and Monarch looked to the entrance way and saw Rarity eyes wide and mouth hanging open with curlers in her hair. “Erm… sorry to interrupt. Don’t mind me.” And she fled down the hall.

Twilight and Monarch both realized what Rarity had thought she had walked into. Twilight called to her fleeing friend. “Wait Rarity! This isn’t what it looks like!” But she was gone.

“Horseapples.” Twilight muttered.

“Hehe” Monarch laughed under his breath. Twilight promptly hit him over the head with a pillow.

******************************************************************************

“And you’re sure that’s what you saw?” Rainbow Dash asked annoyed Rarity would even think that about Twilight.

“Yes! I am certain I saw the two of them err… Romancing shall we call it?”

Rainbow Dash, Rage and Applejack continued to stare at Rarity incredulously while Fluttershy continued attempting to awaken Silver Lining and Pinkie Pie from their shared sofa.

“Oh, um excuse me Silver? Pinkie? You need to wake up now…”

Like the other times Silver unconsciously waved Fluttershy away with a wing and then wrapped it around Pinkie again in a cuddling embrace. .

“Let me try.” Said Rage pushing Fluttershy aside. Then getting as close to Silver’s ear as possible Rage inhaled and then shouted at his largest. “HEY SILVER, FOOD!” but to no avail besides a snort. “Dang that almost always works.”

Rarity cleared her throat to gain everypony’s attention. “Excuse me but can we return to the matter at hand? Our other lovebirds?”

“Well why don’t you ask them and find out?” The voice belonged to Twilight coming down the stairs Monarch behind her.She looked less than pleased.

“Oh Twilight darling um… Yes about up there…”

“There is nothing to explain Rarity. Monarch was just having an emotional experience with his first hangover and needed a hug was all.” Monarch behind her blushed a deep red in embarrassment at Twilights fib. “What you think was happening wasn’t happening I assure you.”

“Well ok then…” Rarity said still not completely convinced.

Twilight however did not care. There was nothing going on between her and Monarch and Rarity would come to realize that eventually. For now she just wanted to begin cleanup on the library in case the princess arrived. The library was a disaster area. Loose streamers had fallen to the floor, snack crumbs were everywhere, etc. But the one thing that caught Twilight’s eye was the sofa which had used to be by the wall was now in the center of the room and lying on in deep in slumber were Silver lining and Pinkie Pie who from what Rainbow Dash said had danced all night sat down to rest and passed out in that position.

“Well how do we wake them up?” Asked Twilight.

Well” Monarch began “When we want to wake Silver up we usually-”

“Already tried that.” Interrupted Rage

“Really? Then I am at a loss. What do you guys do to wake Pinkie up?”

All five ponies thought but came up with nothing. They hadn’t ever needed to wake Pinkie up before so they were all at a loss. Until that is Rarity spoke up.

“Well… we could try a more gentle approach.”

Before anypony could ask what that meant Rarity had retrieved a feather quill from a nearby table and gentle tickled the ends of both Pinkie’s and Silver’s noses. Both ponies’ noses twitched and they both slowly opened their eyes half way. Their eyes met and closed again. A second later both pairs of eyes opened wide and both Silver and Pinkie sat up and moved to opposite ends of the sofa.

“Pinkie! I-I can explain!”

“No, I mean I umm.”

“I was tired and must have passed out next to you!”

“You were so warm and I couldn’t help but cuddle!”

Both Pegasus and earth pony looked away from each other deep shades of red. They then looked to each other and both asked in unison.

“Are you free Friday night?!”

Again both blushed but Pinkie said “Y-yes I am.”

“Uh cool, would you maybe want to go on a da- go to the movies with me?”

“I would. What movie were you thinking?”

“Maybe Daring Do and the Kingdom of the diamond horn?”

“Sounds great. Pick me up at about seven?”

“Yeah, ok I can’t wait.”

Both ponies turned towards their respective groups. Pinkie’s blush had turned a lighter red and now she had a closed lipped smile while she had her eyes closed and she held her hooves close to her face. Silver Lining on the other hand looked exhausted but relieved and smiled weakly.

Twilight watched as Fluttershy and Rarity gathered around Pinkie and giggled and chattered excitedly. Rainbow Dash however was not amused and watched from a distance glaring from Pinkie to Silver. She still did not trust the brothers the way the rest did. It would take time Twilight decided. On the other side of the sofa Rage had slapped his arm around his brother and gave him a noogie while Monarch smiled at the both of them.

“Well looks like its two out of three for us, eh Silver?”

“Huh? Oh you mean you were ‘successful’ last night?”

Rage smirked. “Yeah, I guess you could say I had him playing my song.”

******************************************************************************

The clean up had gone by faster than Twilight had expected. They found Spike underneath a pile of sheets that had been used as togas the night before. The library was clean in no time.

Rarity looked proudly at the job and how neat and tidy the library was now. “Very good work everypony I would go as far as to say that this library is now fit for a princess.”

Twilight then remembered. She needed to send Celestia a new report on the situation. She felt worried at the aspect of what Celestia might say. But she convinced herself that the princess would see things her way. Once she met the brothers and heard their story she would leave them be. Twilight was sure of it.

She turned to Spike to tell him to take a letter but before she could Spike let out a deep burp and a rolled up scroll popped out of his mouth and into his hands. Everypony in the room looked expectantly as he read it over in his head. When he finished his smile had slowly turned into a straight face.

“Well?” Asked Twilight. “What does it say?”

Spike cleared his throat and read aloud. “My faithful student Twilight Sparkle, I have received your message from my guards and Luna, Discord and myself are on route to Ponyville. I shall see you shortly. Princess Celestia.”

Spike finished and looked up from the note. “Should I send a reply?”

“Yes” Twilight in a rush spewed out her reply. “Dear Princess Celestia, Matters have changed with the Disarray brothers. They are not evil. Under further time spent with them I have determined that they are safe to live in Ponyville and would do nopony harm. I understand that this is difficult to believe considering Discord but it is the truth. I await your arrival. Twilight Sparkle”

Spike breathed in and let out a green flame that sent the message to Celestia. Spike turned to Twilight “I hope you know what you're doing Twi. I don’t think I can ever look at tea the same.”

Twilight giggled and to Monarch “Should we tell him or not?”

“Why not? But first I have a question Ms. Sparkle.”

“Yes?”
“Why did you call us the Disarray brothers?”

******************************************************************************

Time passed and everypony awaited Celestia outside the library. It was nearly noon and they had not received a reply from the princess but were not especially worried. The rest of the morning was spent in laziness. Lounging outside the library in lawn chairs everypony talking to each other on different subjects; the party from the night before, Pinkie’s punch, the cutie mark crusaders, etc. Monarch was the most lax. The once threatening unicorn now just another pony.

As he watched his brothers laugh and talk with the other ponies, Rage telling stories of his own bravery and Silver Lining building up the courage to sit near Pinkie Pie. Monarch thought “They will get to have lives. They will not die, they will not be mind slaves, but they will have lives.” Monarch looked at Silver and Pinkie and imagined the both of them older and with a small lavender Pegasus colt flapping his wings and flying for the first time. Monarch looked at Rage and saw him in a police officer's uniform guarding those weaker than him and building his own ego. Finally Monarch looked at himself but saw nothing. “They will not need me anymore. My sole purpose in life was to guide them and watch over them. But when they move on will I be able to?” Monarch considered this and thought but could not come up with a future for himself. He looked at his brothers once more but also saw his new friends. “The then doesn’t matter.” He thought “All that matters is the now.”

Monarch? You alright?” Twilight asked with concern.

“Hm? Yes I was just lost in my thoughts but it was nothing.”

Monarch smiled as the sun was blotched out for a moment. Again for another moment. Everypony looked up and saw the outline of two alicorns coming in for a landing.

*****************************************************************************

Discord looked out from his mirror and saw Ponyville below himself and Celestia. Half way on their journey Celestia had gotten a message from Twilight Sparkle after having sent her own. Discord had been unable to read all of it but he had seen parts of it. From what he could tell Sparkle may be his son's free ride away from death. His last resort had failed and Discord was out of options he would have to put his faith in the one who had done him in. Celestia dropped altitude and Discord saw Ponyville get closer and closer. Ponies in the streets stopped and gaped at the sight of both princesses gliding towards the library. Discord recognized some from his last “visit” to Ponyville and he knew all would curse his name. But some good fun had been worth it. Discord had been to busy lamenting on the past that when they landed he was shocked at what he saw. His first thought was “They are so big!”

Indeed the last time he had seen his sons they had been pint-sized but now were fully grown colts. He then noticed who they were with and how casual a scene this had been until the princesses had landed. Still held with shock all nine ponies and one dragon were still lounging when the princesses had landed. But after a moment of shock they all scrambled to their hooves to stand at attention.

Twilight approached the princess with a nervous smile. “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna. You’re here! I trust your flight was not too difficult, no storms along the way?”

The princess smiled to Twilight and replied “Yes the flight was most relaxing and allowed me to clear my mind before dealing with our little problem.”

Twilight’s smile faltered “Princess did you get my message on your way here?”

Twilight looked from Celestia to Luna and was met with a sympathetic look. Celestia cleared her throat to get Twilights attention. Now the rest of her friends Disarray brothers in the back of the group had gotten closer to Twilight.

Celestia spoke. “Yes I received your correspondence Twilight and I must say your research on the magic of friendship has been most successful if you were able to befriend these three. Even I did not expect this outcome. Which is why it pains me for what I must do.”

Twilight felt her friends stand nervously behind her. “What is it you must do?”

Celestia’s smile was gone now and instead was replaced by her serious face the same one she had worn when Discord had escaped. “Twilight Sparkle. I am afraid I must kill them.”

Twilight felt like she had been splashed with cold water after sleeping. She looked to her friends and saw similar reactions. In the back Monarch had put both of his brothers behind him as if he planned to be a barrier between them.

Twilight looked to Luna, she no longer made eye contact and stared instead at the ground almost guiltily. Twilight looked to the princess again. “But Princess you have to understand they aren’t-”

Celestia raised a hoof to silence Twilight. More to force of habit than obedience Twilight fell silent. “I have made up my mind for awhile now. They are the spawn of Discord; the most dangerous threat to Equestria in thousands of generations. They must be disposed of.”

Twilight found her voice again. “Princess please if you just hear me out I'm sure that your mind will change!”

Celestia looked at her student for a moment then nodded her allowance. Twilight began her story with how they had found the Disarray brothers and how they had tricked her. She then told of the roc and how she and Applejack and rescued Zecora and Applebloom. Next she told Celestia about when Silver Lining had saved her and Monarch had gotten rid of the roc. By the time she had finished telling of the diamond dog eating her leg Celestia’s expression had not changed. Twilight left out the parts about most of the party and her own hangover. She had also left out Pinkie’s and Silver’s relationship but everything else to that very moment she told in great detail. When she finished she gasped for breath but was sure that Celestia’s opinion would change. She knew that Twilight would never lie to her about anything.

Celestia looked to Twilight and spoke “My decision stands.”

Twilight was dumbfounded. But even more so when a familiar voice resonated from Celestia. “Who can you trust Tia if not your own pupil?” Discord said from his mirror. “A lonely existence if you ask me…”

Everything that Celestia had been holding back from Discord burst at once. “What do you know of loneliness!? While you lived in the garden considered a work of art you watched ponies fall in love, grow up and learn right in front of you and what of me? Alone for over a thousand years with my sister and best friend both imprisoned for trying to usurp me and maybe even kill me!”

Celestia collected herself and before anypony could say anything a white bubble grew from Celestia’s horn and engulfed all of them. It stretched around the library and they could see out of it. “This” Explained Celestia “Is a one way bubble. We can see out but nopony can see in. They will see right through us and only see the library. It will serve as our execution grounds.”

Twilight tried to say something anything but her voice was caught. Luna’s however was not. “Please sister I ask once more. Reconsider, Twilight Sparkle is a far wiser pony than most unicorns thrice her age. If she believes the brothers safe then perhaps they are. I do not wish for bloodshed on Equestrian soil.”

Luna’s voice was soft and sincere. She wished the brothers no harm. Celestia responded “Luna I feel that I have been patient of your opinions on the matter. But as it stands I am in charge, you have no real power over the kingdom and its inhabitants. Now I tell you once more be silent.”

Luna looked at Twilight and Twilight was able to read what her face said “I am sorry.”

Celestia brought attention to the ponies at the back of the group. “Now then.” Her horn glowed and a notebook appeared out of thin air. She scrolled through it until she found what she was looking for. She muttered a few words and Twilight heard the sound of shackles clicking behind her. She turned and saw the brothers with gold rings around their feet being forced to step forward. Monarch’s horn flashed orange wildly trying different spells to break the rings to no avail. Silver Lining flapped his wings and flew a few feet before another ring formed around his body clamping his wings in place. Rage tensed his muscles and pulled his legs hopelessly.

They stood in a horizontal line in front of Celestia almost like soldiers at attention.

There was a sound like a hair dryer behind Twilight and she knew Pinkie’s hair had just deflated. Twilight was in an internal panic. Celestia meant it she was going to kill them. Twilight needed more time she had to think of a way to convince Celestia.

Then like a blessing from the universe a distraction came. Three blurs of orange, white and yellow fur sped past Twilight’s legs and went for the gold rings around each of the brother’s hooves. Scootaloo pulled on Silver Lining’s, Sweetie Bell gnawed on Monarch’s and Applebloom tried smashing Rage’s. This took Celestia by surprise and she took a moment before enveloping the crusaders in a white aura and raised them to eye level.

Before Celestia had a word in edgewise the cutie mark crusaders were ranting in unison. “We are the cutie mark crusaders! And we will not let anypony princess or otherwise lay a hoof on one of our members or his brothers!”

They then went off one by one starting with Scootaloo. “We were watching them from under a bush for Rainbow Dash and her friends to do something awesome!”

Sweetie Bell. “Then we saw you fly out of the sky and come down here just to say all of those awful things!”

Apple Bloom. “We ain’t gonna let ya hurt our friends.”

All of them. “NOT EVER!”

Celestia remained confused. She had never met the crusaders before and had no idea how to handle them. Discord once again said from his locket “The innocence of a child is never wrong Celestia. You believe this I know.”

Celestia gently put the crusaders back down behind Twilight. “That was… Interesting. But my decision still stands. I shall allow each of you parting words.”

Twilight still thought rapidly but came up with nothing. She needed more time so she motioned to her friends to start to buy her time. They seemed to understand why she wanted them to start because Applejack walked up to the three who had been turned around to face the ponies.

“Ahm sorry. Ahm sorry fer ever doubting ya. Y’all helped save mah sister and Twilight. I could never repay ya for what you’ve done.”

Applejack bowed down and made way for Rarity. “Darlings, it has been wonderful. I had so many fashion designs planned for the three of you; Gala tuxedos, winter wrap up vests, nightmare night costumes. I will make them in your memory. All three of you share a special space in my heart.”

Rarity turned fighting back tears. Fluttershy took center and said nervously. “I um… Just wanted to say that well… You three were never all that scary… I mean you did scare me but I never would have wanted this… Not that I don’t think there’s a way out I'm sure one exists but… Oh I'm just so *sniff* sorry…”

Fluttershy sniffed and sobbed away lacking the emotional control that either Applejack or Rarity had had. Attention fell on Rainbow Dash. “Well I don’t really know you guys and I still don’t trust you but… I suppose if Twilight says your cool then I guess you are. And nopony should be forced to die.” Rainbow looked away and scratched her nose but Twilight was almost sure she saw a tear at the end of Rainbow’s hoof.

Next was Pinkie Pie. She had always thought actions were stronger than words. So with flat hair she went up to each of the brothers and hugged them one by one. When she hugged Silver Lining she held on for longer. When she broke off the two of them stared into each others eyes for a moment and then Pinkie slowly kissed Silver’s cheek. She turned tears filling her eyes as she rushed back to her friends.

This was it Twilight had no plan. She had not been able to think of a compelling enough argument for against Celestia. Now she stood before the Disarray brothers. From left to right she looked at them; Silver Lining, Monarch and Rage. They were her friends and she had failed them. She thought of different apologies and farewells to say. None of them she deemed worthy enough. She had to say something. Twilight Sparkle opened her mouth

“No…”

Everypony looked at her. “No.” She said again. She turned to Celestia “No!” She yelled at the princess. “I-I won't let you do it! Princess Celestia I beg your forgiveness but they don’t deserve to die! They have done nothing to Equestria and its citizens except save them! I wont let you kill them I just can’t let you.”

Celestia’s shock had betrayed her face and she looked at Twilight in disbelief at her extreme disobedience. Celestia composed herself and now she just looked angry. “Enough of this Twilight Sparkle! You have had your moment and now the time has come.”

Before Twilight could rebuttal she was tossed aside by Celestia’s magic as well as her friends. She stood and charged towards the brothers with no plan. She crashed into an invisible wall of magic. She shoved and pushed the field but knew she stood no chance against Celestia’s magic. All she could do was watch.

Celestia flipped through the notebook once more. Twilight felt her friends move in beside her but her eyes did not move. Celestia found the right page. Twilight heard Pinkie breath quickly and fight back sobs. All three brothers struggled one last time. Celestia read and reread the spell.
“And now brothers born of harmony and chaos. Dimisit.”

When Celestia uttered this word a red serpentine puff of smoke formed in the air. It slithered towards the ground and made for the closest brother. Silver Lining. The smoke slowly wrapped around his leg passing the ring around his hoof. When it reached his chest it wrapped itself around his neck but did not strangle. When it reached his head it found his ear and went in. Silver’s already panicked face turned to one of pain and anguish. He screamed but was cut off mid scream. His face quivered, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed.

Pinkie snapped and showered them all in tears.
The smoke exited through Silver’s other ear and made for Monarch’s hooves. But when there it seemed to change its mind and billowed towards Rage.

Rage was broken. His expression was a mix of anger, fear and sorrow. His usual cocky aura was now nothing but fear. His expression did not change as the murderous smoke climbed up his body and into his ear. His breathing quickened but suddenly stopped and he fell just as his brother had.

Monarch was all that remained. His face had no fear only sorrow and loss. He looked to both of his brother’s corpses and tears streamed down his face. He made no struggle against the smoke. He only wept for he had lost the most precious things in his life. He closed his eyes for the inevitable and fell to his knees just as his brothers had.

The magic wall disappeared but the one way bubble remained. The wisp of smoke left Monarch’s ear and dissipated into the air giving off one last hiss. Celestia stood over the bodies. Nopony dared to move.

Then after a few moments of silence Celestia said without emotion “That looked painful.”

Twilight once again felt her world fall around her. She felt like everything she knew was wrong. They were dead. Twilight didn’t know what to do or say.

“That looked PAINFUL!?”

Fluttershy had snapped. “HOW DARE YOU! YOU THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE THE PRINCESS YOU CAN JUST COME IN AND HURT OUR FRIENDS? WHY DON’T YOU-WHY DON’T YOU-Why don’t you…”

Fluttershy trailed off. She realized who she had been yelling at and what power she had. Celestia glared Fluttershy down to a curled position. When Fluttershy was backed down Celestia stood stern and waited for something.

Twilight’s mind was starting to clear. She stared at Celestia and waited. Celestia did nothing but remain motionless. Twilight thought maybe she was waiting for Twilight to say something. “Pri-princess?”

“Hush.”

“But I-”

“Twilight Sparkle please remain quiet for a moment.”

Twilight held her tongue. She felt hot tears roll down her face.

“Silver’s the optimist not me.”

She walked slowly to the bodies lying on the ground.

“He does love her you know.”

Her friends gathered by the bodies as well.

“I-I'm sorry Ms. Sparkle… I sometimes forget that I'm not real.”

Pinkie approached Silver’s body and nudged his wing with her hoof. She then laid down beside and pressed her face against his tears dripping to the ground.

“HI! My name’s Bliss nice to meet you”

Applejack had removed her hat and held it over her heart. Rarity was no longer fighting back tears and let them flow in a silent sob.

“They aren’t our friends so what does it matter?”

Luna stood beside Twilight and whispered “I am so sorry…”

“I couldn’t just let him go! He tried to hurt my frie-” Rage cut off mid sentence.

Celestia’s locket was empty with no sign of Discord.

“Please Celestia don’t call them monsters. They are legitimate ponies just like your little legion of
yes-mares over there.”

Twilight closed her eyes she couldn’t bear to look at the corpses. She felt a hoof on her back. She opened her eyes and looked to see who it was. Celestia stood behind Twilight with what she thought was supposed to be a comforting face. Twilight pulled away from Celestia not wanting to even be near the princess after what she had done.

Twilight backed away and felt her hoof fall on something soft. She had stepped on Rage’s tail.

What happened next would always be imprinted in Twilights mind for years to come. The corpse of Rage let out a loud whinny raised it front hooves up and flailed them causing Twilight to fall back in startlement onto the body of Monarch which had still been on its knees but now collapsed under Twilights weight with a muffled gasp spreading his legs like an X tripping Rage onto his face and kicking Silver Lining in the flank causing his eyes to open and his head to flinch in a way that his and Pinkies lips locked.

There was a whole minute of silence.

Spike broke this silence “WHA! ZOMBIES!” He ran into the library and slammed the door behind him.

Rainbow Dash then asked “What the BUCK just happened?”

Silver and Pinkie became aware of their position and quickly pulled their lips apart from the accidental kiss and blushed a red deeper than Big Mac’s fur.

Rage stood again and whipped dirt from his face. “Are we alive or did you all die? I'm alright either way.”

Monarch hit Rage over the head. Rage winced in pain and held his head. “There” Monarch said “If that hurt you are alive.”

Twilight felt blissful but that ended when the question arose “How?”

“Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia addressed the frazzled unicorn. “I have made a choice I will live to regret.”

“And one I will live to appreciate.” Discord had reappeared on the lockets mirror and was smiling. This smile was different from his usual evil smile. This one was more pony like. “Ms. Sparkle I feel I owe you a debt of gratitude. But then again I don’t know when Celestia’s mind had changed.”

Twilight responded “I uh, your welcome? Forgive me both of you I'm a little confused.”

Celestia grimaced. “At the last moment I spared those abominations and instead used a different spell near to the one I had originally intended. Instead of executing them like I had wanted and still want I instead freed them of their military duties. They now are no longer held to accept orders from Discord, their commanding officer or their prime objective.”

Twilight was ecstatic but felt there had to be a catch. “Princess, what will happen to them now?”

Celestia considered but sighed in defeat. “They shall live in Ponyville under your watch. If they set one hoof out of line they will be severely punished. You shall need this.” Celestia handed over the journal which Twilight now saw had a picture of a checkered cube on the front. “This” Celestia explained “is the notebook of command spells from Discord’s laboratory. They have their freedom but they still cannot ignore these spells. There are spells to control, kill and even slightly modify the three I want you to have it in case of emergency.”

Twilight accepted the notebook but doubted she would ever need it. She didn’t know what to say to Celestia but decided a simple “Thank you Princess I shan't let you down” was enough.

Celestia raised her wings and the one way bubble disappeared. “Come Luna. We must return to Canterlot. Twilight I will leave you to yourself and one more thing.” The princess gave an honest smile. “I would like any lessons they learn about friendship to be sent to me.”

“Ahem.” Coughed Discord “Might I have a word with Ms.Sparkle?”

“Oh very well but make it quick.”

Celestia knelt so Twilight was at eye level with her locket there was Discord still smiling. “Ms. Sparkle… Take good care of my boys. Make sure they write to their old man.”
Twilight smiled to the Draconequus and nodded.

With that Celestia and Luna spread their wings and soared through the sky to Canterlot.

“Now” Thought Twilight “The fun part: Telling Monarch that his brothers are free.”

Twilight turned to her group of friends and was met to the sight of Pinkie holding Silver Lining down (her hair now reflated) and kissing his face over and over while everypony looked at the two and tried not to snicker.

“Well maybe that can wait for a little bit” She thought as she joined her friends watching Silver struggle for air.

Epilogue

The Disarray Trilogy

Part one: Of Harmony and Chaos

Written by Walker “Ink Blotch” Holden

Epilogue

In the heart of the mystical land of Equestria lay the small town of Ponyville. Within Ponyville, atop of a small puffy white cloud, sat a light blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane, looking with pride at the beautiful day that had been her own doing.

“Just another job well done by Rainbow Dash!” the cocky Pegasus exclaimed, continuing to look at her work. “Yep, don’t know what Ponyville would do without me. I guess I just have to--

HEY!”

At that moment a cloud had lazily drifted over town and was threatening to cause shade on it. “Oh no you don’t!” Faster than a bolt of lightning, Dash had already flown to the cloud and pulled her arm back ready to deliver a devastating blow to the cloud. “This’ll show you to cross The Dash! Eeyup still has that ring to it.”

With the force of a stampeding buffalo, Rainbow launched her attack to the cloud. Without looking at her target’s fate, Rainbow brought her hoof up to smooth back her mane. “Yep, just goes to show you when you mess with the Pegasus you get the-- huh?” It was now that Rainbow noticed that the cloud was stuck to her hoof and mane, and also that but the cloud was pink.

Rainbow Dash growled in annoyance. “This again! I thought I told him to stop.”

Rainbow sighed and glided down into the park. She sat on the park bench and made to pull the cotton candy from her mane but to no avail. “Ok I need to think.” She thought out loud.

Rainbow closed her eyes and counted to three. When she opened her eyes she was met with a pair of red eyes.

“I would advise you to move your arse NOW!”
“Wha!” Rainbow screamed in startlement. Rage was standing in front of her in his police recruit uniform. The uniform was a standard one; blue denim with a hole on the flank where the cutie mark would be if Rage had one and a blue cap.

“Don’t do that Rage! You scared me.” How Rage had passed the background check to Ponyville police academy nopony not even Monarch knew.

Rage chuckled “Always happy to protect and startle. Now you really should move.”

“Oh yeah? Why?” Rainbow Dash’s patience was wearing thin.

“Well… Aw it’s nothing. Hehe. Come on I’ll help you get rid of that cotton candy.”

Rainbow gave an incredulous look. “Uh… Thanks but I don’t feel comfortable letting any pony chew on my mane.”

Rage looked confused for a second but then smiled and said “I'm only one eighth Pinkie Pie. Chewing on your hair is not my initial response to this situation.”

Rainbow was suspicious of Rage’s sudden change of character but graciously accepted. Rage lead her through the park to the fountain. On the way they passed other ponies who saw the two and fought back giggles. When they got to the fountain Dash dipped her hair and hoof into the water and Rage scooped water into her mane washing the cotton candy out. With his help it took no time to get it out but still ponies were giggling as they went by. Now Rainbow was curious what was everypony laughing at? Then she saw it. In her reflection all along her back was a white stripe of paint.

Rage lost it and laughed at her face. “I-I told you that you shouldn’t have sat on the bench.”

Rainbow shoved Rage into the fountain. He sat in the fountain soaked but kept laughing. Rainbow had had enough and took off to find Silver Lining so she could take some of her anger out on him. After gliding over Ponyville she found what she was looking for: A moderately sized house that looked like any other in Ponyville except for one difference. Some of the windows on the upper left hand room were smashed or boarded up. Rainbow went to the closest window but before she could tap on the window to call its inhabitant there was an explosion from within blasting off the remains of the windows and boards and sending Rainbow backwards. When she re-orientated herself she looked back to the window and saw a soot covered unicorn gasping for air with smoke billowing behind him.

“*cough* Well now I *cough* know what happens when I cast that spell on those chemicals. Oh hi Rainbow.”

Monarch attempted to smooth out his hair but it made little difference. Since he had succumbed to the part of Discord within him he had started experimenting with various spells, chemicals, plants, etc. for no real reason other than to find out what would happen. His hair had become shorter and burnt at the ends from negative outcomes of experiments. His tail was still the same length though but had somehow gotten an orange highlight that he refused to say how he had gotten it.

“What can I *cough* do you for?”

“Well I was wondering if Silver was in I need to talk to him.”

Monarch sighed “What is it this time? Does it have to do with my accidentally made virus that causes the same effects of poison joke?”

“No I- Wait your what now?”

“Erm, nothing. Anyway he’s not at Pinkie’s she was just here letting me borrow some… stuff to from her.”

Rainbow did not even want to know what the self declared scientist was doing. “Well thanks anyways I guess I’ll go check his usual hiding spots.”

“Ok I’ll tell him that you want to see him if- OH DISCORD THE FUNGUS HAS SPREAD!”
Monarch ran into his room to combat whatever monstrosity he had spawned. Rainbow could only stare and thought “That’s what I was afraid of a few months ago?”

Rainbow glided off hearing sounds of spell casting behind her. The first place she checked for the rouge weather team member was his usual spot in the well. Rainbow pulled up the bucket and sure enough found Silver Lining asleep in the bucket. She flopped the unconscious Pegasus onto the ground.

“He could at least try to find more places to hide…” Rainbow thought out loud. “Silver, Hey Silver wake up!”

Silver Lining continued to snore.
“Oh for Celestia’s sake… Hey Silver I’ve got some hay fries I wanna share.”

Silver Lining sat straight up eyes wide and bright. He twisted his head back and forth searching for the proposed snacks. When his gaze met Rainbow Dash’s stern stare his smile faded slightly.

“Oh hi Rainbow.” Silver said slightly nervously.

“Two things. One: During work hours as my subordinate you are to refer to me as Ms. Dash or The Dash. Two: During work hours you are to WORK!”

Silver Lining hoofed the ground nervously. “Uh, yeah I was working but I took my lunch break-”
“Its nine forty-five.” Rainbow said.

“Anyway I conjured a cotton candy cloud to eat and I guess I fell asleep.”

“At the bottom of a well?” Rainbow asked sarcastically.

“Yes, I mean I fell down the well when I- I am not helping myself am I?”

Rainbow shook her head.

“Well at least I cleared the south clouds like I was supposed too. In fact why did you look for me if my work for the morning is done?”

“You let some of your ‘lunch’ get away.”

“Those clouds are going to be the death of me someday.”

“Look you are really good with clouds but you have got to stop making those cotton candy clouds. They mess with everything and they can’t be destroyed easily. So either keep tabs on them or don’t make them. Ok?”

Silver sighed and said “Ok Rai- Ms. Dash.”

With a smug smile Rainbow said “Good, now go clean up the north sky. I hear that a cold front might be coming through.”

“Yes Ms. Dash.” He said unenthusiastically.

Silver Lining spread his wings and took off to the north to take care of the cold front. When he was gone Rainbow chuckled to herself and said “Well looks I get the rest of the morning off.”

“That isn’t very nice Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow looked over her shoulder and saw Twilight Sparkle standing there with a saddlebag full of books.

“Oh hi Twilight, and before you say anything in my defense this is the third time this month that Silver has pulled something like this.”

“The clouds or the slacking off?”

“Both.”

“Ah. Ok then”

Rainbow thought for a moment and then asked Twilight. “Hey Twilight you know how the princess gave you Discord’s manual for those guys.”

“Yes and?”

“Well…Does it have a spell to make Silver Lining… I don’t know less Silver Lining?”

Twilight sighed. “No Rainbow Dash and even if there were I wouldn’t use it. Would you want to be the one to explain to Pinkie what happened to her coltfriend?”

Rainbow did not need to think of that for long. “Um no. Changing the subject away from awkward what

have you found out in that book?”

Twilight pulled the notebook with the cube on it from her bag and levitated it in front of her.“Well it’s hard to say. Most of the book is in ancient unicornian and I can’t really test them without some risk. But I have been able to decipher a lot. I found a section on language control, the immobilization spell Celestia cast and a list of names.”

“Names?” Asked Rainbow Dash. “What are they for?”

“I don’t know. Some have crosses threw them, some don’t and then some have check marks next to them… I think that they might be Discord’s ‘failures’”

This got Rainbow’s attention. “Really? What kind of names are they?”

“Well” Began Twilight. “There’s Harvest Moon, Grey Hoof, Cobble, Water Lily, Starlet the list goes on.”

“Wow I never thought Discord would name them all.”

“Neither did I. We really don’t know what Discord was like all those years ago.” Twilight thought of what it must have been like. “Living forever watching your friends and family pass away. Only Celestia and his work to keep him company. It was no wonder he went insane.”

“Yeah I guess. But then what makes his creations insane?” Asked Rainbow.

“What do you mean?”

“Monarch’s science lab.”

“Oh yeah. We need to get him out of the house more don’t we?”

Rainbow smiled mischievously. “Maybe he needs a fillyfriend. You could help him with that.”

Twilight looked confused. “What do you me- Oh! No, no, no. Monarch is not my type. He’s only my friend.”

Rainbow continued to give Twilight a mischievous smile. “Oh really Twilight? Then what is your type?”

Twilight blushed. “Rainbow! I don’t want to talk about this now.”

“Oh fine.”

Twilight feeling that the conversation was starting to get awkward decided now would be a good time to leave her friend for now. “Well Rainbow I need to go but I’ll talk with you later.”

“Yeah ok Twilight I guess I should head back to Silver. It wasn’t very cool of me to have him go by himself.”
“That’s very mature of you Rainbow.”

“Plus if I hurry he will still be half asleep and I can scare the feathers off of him!” She chuckled to herself.

“That’s less mature.”

Rainbow laughed flying off to the north.

Hi everypony! This is the great and powerful INK BLOTCH! I just wanted to thank everypony for their support while I made this fan fiction. I especially want to thank my friends for their support and help while I wrote with the Disarray brothers. Since then I have grown on the brother’s back story and am looking forward to continuing to write on their past present and future. Once again thank you all. Now I still have about one thousand words to reach the minimum length requirement so I thought that the following short story would be interesting.

In The Blink Of An Eye.

(Monarch’s Cutie Mark)

“Now Sleep.”

Discord snapped his fingers and the small unicorn colt sitting in the bed in front of him eyes began to droop.

“Daddy I don’t think I can do it.”

“Hush now. I made you to be able to do it.”

The colt desperately tried to stay awake. “But I-”

“No buts, bottoms or rumps! You can do it I know you can and remember take care of your brothers.”

The colt losing consciousness fought to stay awake. The last thing he saw was his father shedding a tear.
The little unicorn blinked, when his eyes opened his father was gone.

“Daddy?”

He recoiled at the sound of his own voice. It was deeper and darker than it had been a moment before. Also his hair, his hair was over his eyes. It had been only a couple of inches long now it was in his eyes.
He attempted to get off from his bed recalling that he had needed help to get on. He stepped off without a sinch.

It came back to him. Daddy had explained the process. “But” He thought aloud. “I didn’t understand then why do I understand now?”

Then like a flood of a tsunami knowledge came into his mind.

“The process of flash aging-Star Swirl the bearded possibly one of the greatest minds hold Rubik Cube-two plus two does not equal fish-to make a satisfying cesar salad-E=MC2-Commander Hurricane’s ruthless tactics won over many wars-All you have to do is take a cup of flower-Allonsy means lets go-King Concentus while appearing a just ruler lusted for the takeover of Raptorn-Never go into Everfree forest if your life depended on it-Ponyville was founded by the Apple family and Dirty Rich-abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz-up up down down left right left right B A start-A+B=C-If you put a cat in a box- Never go into Everfree forest if your life depended on it-Never break a Pinkie promise-Twilight Sparkle can be your best friend or worst enemy-Applejack would die for her kin-Nightshade berries are one of the most potent natural poisons-Mother rocs are extremely protective of their young.”

The colt sat there gasping for breath his mind full of fresh knowledge staring at his reflection from a mirror covered in a layer of dust.

He now knew what he was, why he was and where he was. He also knew what he needed to do. He took in his surroundings. He was standing in a triangular shaped room in each corner there was a bed. Each third of the room was decorated differently. One corner was painted blue and small puffy white clouds drifted lazily from one side to the other. In the center was a larger cloud with a blue pegasus sprawled out on it. The other corner was more like normal bedroom. The walls were painted white and two windows existed by the bed. These windows were enchanted to display a false image of outside. The bed was a plain one and under its sheets an earth pony slept face down.

Finally his own corner was much more luxurious. The kind of place that most unicorns lavished in. Before he had blinked he had found the gold and ruby swirls on his walls pretty to look at and would usually stare at them for times on end. Now he found the colors too flashy and wished for something more subtle.

He shook his head “No. I have to get to work.”

He turned to the others. This was his first test, he would have to awaken the both of them and make them acknowledge him as their leader. He had known them before. Both had been babies before and would most likely not recognize him now. But he had no choice.

Slowly he approached the slumbering earth pony. Unsettling dust as he walked. Halfway there he stopped. “What do I call him? What do I call myself?”

He stood there with a blank mind. Suddenly a single thought crossed his mind “Wisdom” He said aloud. It wasn’t a great or good name but it would have to work.

Wisdom made his way to the pony’s bedside. Gazing upon his brown face and red hair memories of those days in the nursery came back. Wisdom had watched as the earth pony had smashed the building block creations of the day older pegasus who sobbed for his older brother to help him. Wisdom had only watched, he knew not what to do.
Coming back to the present Wisdom thought to himself. “I'm supposed to be a leader. How? I don’t know how to be one.”

Wisdom looked once more at the sleeping pony in front of him. He remembered his father's parting words. “Take care of your brothers”

He didn’t know how to be a leader but he would have to be. For their sake. He raised a hoof over his brother's body considering the best way to awaken him. He shook his brother’s body semi-vigorously.

This seemed to work; slowly the pony’s eyes opened revealing deep red eyes. Half opened they glared at Wisdom almost piercing the soul. There was a moment of silence both looked into each others eyes waiting for one of them to make a move.

The earth pony punched Wisdom in the face causing him to topple backwards. When he restabled himself and massaged his face he looked to the pony to find he had rolled over and gone back to sleep.

Wisdom was in slight shock from what had just happened. He glared back at the earth pony’s unconscious body with anger. “That little brat!” Wisdom wanted no more to do with the pony for now. Instead he trotted to the blue painted side of the room. The pegasus had always looked up to Wisdom. Always a smile on his face humming a little tune to himself. Now the same pegasus was sprawled out on a cloud before him snoring loudly.

Wisdom attempted the same method as he had on the earth pony. The pegasus remained asleep. Wisdom shook a little harder to no avail. Finally Wisdom shook him so hard that the pegasus fell off of his cloud and onto the floor. He was still sleeping. Wisdom looked at the pegasus with astonishment.
he returned to his corner to think of what to do. As he sat on his bed again Wisdom considered his situation. “Ok I am a genetically engineered pony with his brothers. We are to release Discord so that he can release us from our military hold. I am their leader and it is my responsibility to formulate a plan for us to succeed. In order to do this I must make them accept me as their leader. Otherwise we will-Oh Discord I'm starving!” Wisdom had not noticed it before but now the feeling was present in his gut. He needed to find food.

One more look about the room yielded a door in between where the walls went from gold and ruby to blue. Wisdom went to it and pushed it open. Once through Wisdom was in a hallway with doors lining both sides. He stepped to the closest door and made to open it. The door would not budge; locked. Wisdom knew he could try magic but if Discord had not wished for him to enter this room there was no point in trying.
The next room he tried was much more fruitful. Literally. The room was a cupboard filled with fruits, vegetables, cereals, canned goods and a magic fueled hotplate. Wisdom took an armful of assorted cans, a bushel of apples, a pot and the hot plate.

Carrying his loot back to the room Wisdom continued to think about what to do. “What makes a leader?”

He continued to ask this question to himself while he made his meal; canned minestrone. To bide his appetite he munched on an apple. “What makes a leader?” He thought aloud. “What makes a leader?”

“Maybe sharing food with other ponies?”

Wisdom’s heart nearly stopped. He had been so in his thoughts he had not noticed the pegasus had made it from his bed all the way to across from Wisdom and his cooking soup.

Before Wisdom could respond the pegasus was talking again. “Sorry didn’t mean to scare you but I smelled that food and it woke me up. It’s so weird but yesterday I couldn’t talk or walk but now I can do both do you know what could have happened? Oh wait I remember you now! You’re the orange one I like you! You are a lot better than the brown one. He always was mean to me. Is he here? Oh yeah I see him now over there. How long have you been up? I haven’t been up that long. Now then back to the important matter. Do you mind if I have some of that? And maybe an apple or two or three? Hey I can count! One, two, three, four, five, si-”

“SHUT UP! JUST SHUT THE TARTARUS UP!” The earth pony was sitting straight up in his bed hooves over his ears.

This was all happening so fast for Wisdom a few minutes ago he had wanted nothing more than for the two to awaken but now he had no idea what to do.

The pegasus gave an honest smile and happily chirped “Aw what’s the matter? I'm just talking. It is amazing what noises I can make with my mouth besides words.” The pegasus started making all sorts of noises with his mouth sticking out his tongue, blowing up his cheeks and snorting his nose.

The earth pony was not amused. “What the tartarus is that supposed to be?”

“Oh come on can’t you smile?”

“I can smile just fine I just don’t want to look like an idiot like you!”
Wisdom looked on to the ensuing chaos. All he could do was watch.

“No” He thought. “I can do so much more!”

The two squabbling ponies were still going at it but something was growing in Wisdom. He did not know what it was but it was about to burst. He caught it before it got out and he took it for his own. He was calm and composed. He knew this was his element.

Rising to his hooves Wisdom looked to his brothers. They had yet to notice him. “BLISS! RAGE!” Both brothers stopped and looked to Wisdom. He had no idea where the names had come from but that was what the both of them were called now. “Both of you stop your bickering and listen to me.”

Both brothers sat down and were silent. “Now then. My name is Wisdom and I am your brother and leader. If the both of you want to survive I advise that you listen to me.”

Wisdom let out a breath. Both of his brothers were still silent and stared at him. He did not know what to expect from either of them. All he knew was that he had done right by himself.

The brown pony glared at Wisdom for a moment and then said sarcastically “What would you have us do oh great and powerful leader?”

Wisdom smiled and glanced down to his flank where he saw a newly formed cutie mark of a golden crown. “Well” he said. “I have a few ideas.”

Chapter 5 Cutie Mark Crusaders Berry Pickers

The Disarray Trilogy

Part One: Of Harmony and Chaos

Written by Walker “Ink Blotch” Holden

Chapter 5: Cutie Mark Crusaders Berry Pickers

Twilight awoke and immediately checked on Spike. She had slept with her brother in her bed all night worrying about the nightshade poison. The night before, when Fluttershy had returned with the antidote, Twilight had been afraid that the Disarray brothers would have sold them short. This fear had only grown when Spike’s condition had not improved. But now she was able to sigh a breath of relief as she glanced at Spike in his usual sprawled-out condition rather than his sickly, curled-up one. Twilight, despite having gotten a full night sleep, was incredibly exhausted. Between the overuse of magic and the emotional distress of being outwitted by Wisdom, she was still drained from the day before. Deciding to leave Spike as he was, Twilight quietly climbed down from where her bed was and into the main library area. Once she was at ground level, Twilight heard one of the quietest noises she had heard in her life. It was a soft “clip clip clip”-- almost like tiny hooves. Twilight looked curiously around the room, only to facehoof herself when she realized it was her magic diorama of Ponyville. During the excitement of yesterday she had forgotten completely about it, but now she decided to admire her handiwork some more. She loomed over the tiny town and observed everpony’s morning rituals. Mr. Breezy was opening up shop in his fan and air conditioner store, Derpy was once again fluttering busily around town delivering the post, and Ms. Cherilee was taking a stroll through the park. “I wonder…” Twilight thought, “What Cherilee thinks of the Disarray brothers…?” She banished the thought from her head, assuring herself that it did not matter. But she couldn’t help but wonder what they had said to gain Cherilee’s trust. “Probably that they were old friends of mine,” Twilight decided.

She tried once more to think about something else, but she couldn’t, so she decided that if she couldn’t stop thinking about them, she would focus entirely on them. She opened the model library and pulled from it the three wooden minis of the brothers, still bare wood without paint. From a nearby shelf she pulled out plastic containers of paint and some tiny brushes. She selected the containers of orange, black, and yellow. She then picked up the tiny miniature of Wisdom and looked it straight in its eyes. It looked back with a smug look of confidence. I hate you. Twilight surprised herself with this thought but did not regret it. She glared at the mini for another moment before dipping a brush into the orange paint and gently stroking the mini’s body. She finished the body and began to paint the mane black next. It was then that Twilight realized the mane was almost identical to her own, except that hers was shorter. This only made Twilight resent the unicorn even more, but she continued to accurately paint the body of the pony, finally painting the small crown cutie mark with the yellow paint. She put the first mini back, but before she could begin another, her stomach growled. “I suppose it is time for breakfast.” She put the painting supplies away and glanced at the town one more time, noticing Caramel standing at the edge of town, near the Everfree forest. Twilight dismissed this and went into the dining area.

When she entered she saw Fluttershy and Applejack both sitting there, as if they had just been talking but had stopped when they saw their friend enter.

“Oh, good morning, Twilight. How was your sleep?” Fluttershy timidly asked.

“It was okay, I guess,” Twilight replied. “What about you guys? I feel so bad about leaving you to watch them while I slept.”

“Aw, hay Twilight,” Applejack said. “It was no problem at all. You were scared fer yer sibling; I would have done the same.”

“And everything was quiet last night? No escape efforts?” Twilight inquired jokingly.

To this, Applejack bit her lip and shifted her eyes. “Well…” she said, “We did have a minor problem just a bit ago…”

Twilight, concerned with her friends well-being, asked “What? Is everypony okay?”

“Naw, everypony is just fine. But…Pinkie Pie did let one of the varmints out…” Applejack said, biting her lip again.

Twilight’s jaw dropped at this news. She had always known Pinkie could be irresponsible, but this took the cake. “B-but why? Which one was it? He didn’t try to hurt anypony, did he?”

Applejack quickly told her about Fluttershy waking her up and the events that took place afterwards, up until Pinkie taking the newly christened Silver Lining back to the basement. “It’s my fault, Twilight. I went back to sleep when it was my turn to watch them.”

“It’s all right, Applejack, as long as nopony got hurt… well, except for Silver Lining. The point is: everything is fine. I will talk to Pinkie myself to let her know that what she did was wrong.” Twilight still had an expression of shock on her face; this was not what she wanted to wake up too.

She sighted the newspaper on the table next to Angel and Owloysius. “Please at least tell me that there’s something good in the news.” Twilight levitated the paper to herself and read the front page while her friends remained silent. When she finished reading, she dropped the paper back on the table her face even more down then before. “The entire world is falling around us! First those three and now more ponies disappearing. I just-I just don’t know what to do!” She covered her face in her hooves, but felt a pat on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw Fluttershy standing by her.

“There, there. Everything will be alright. We just need patience. Also, when will Rainbow be back? At least then we will know that the princess will have gotten our message.”

Twilight couldn’t help but perk up to her friend’s soft voice and kindness, and she took a deep breath and thought aloud on how long Rainbows journey would be. “Well, she left yesterday afternoon, so she probably flew all day and then rested when it got dark. Today she will finish the trip to Canterlot, deliver the message to the guards, and rest for the night. Tomorrow, if she leaves early, she can probably fly all the way back to Ponyville by nighttime. After that, I don’t know how long it will be until Celestia gets back and receives the message, so I guess we will just have to endure until then.”

Twilight felt more confident knowing that Rainbow Dash would return the next day. The cerulean pegasus would be a more intimidating warden than she could hope to be herself. Twilight’s stomach growled again, but louder this time. She blushed a deep red. “Uh… excuse me. Are you two hungry? I can make French toast for everypony.”

******************************************************************************

“Are you two ready?”

“Ah was born ready!”

“Yeah, me two!”

“Okay then, on three. One…” Scootaloo clenched her rope and tensed to swing. “Two….” Sweetie Belle and Applebloom both nervously gulped, but prepared themselves in the tree opposite to Scootaloo’s. “THREE!” The Crusaders, all at once, jumped from their trees. Scootaloo let go of her rope at the right time and was caught by her friends Applebloom and Sweetie Belle on their own rope swing.

All three looked to each other in amazement, and in unison yelled “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS ACROBATICS TEA--,” but were cut off by the ropes snapping and their falling into their makeshift safety net made from some fabric “borrowed” from Rarity’s boutique. The fabric caught them, but collapsed from the weight. Dazed, Scootaloo looked around and asked, “Any luck girls?”

Sweetie looked at her flank expectantly, but sighed and replied, “No.”

Applebloom did the same. For a brief moment her face lit up ,but she realized that it was just a squished cricket. “Nothing here…”

Scootaloo hoofed the ground. “Dang it!” she exclaimed. “I thought for sure that this time it would work…”

Applebloom said, “It's okay, Scootaloo. We’ll just have ta try something else instead!”

Scootaloo brightened up. “Yeah! You're right! We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders! We will not stop until we have our cutie marks!”

With that the Crusaders left the acrobatics display behind, having forgotten it on their way to more adventures. They returned to their tree house, and once there gathered around a large, unsorted list nailed to the wall. Scootaloo marked “Acrobatics” off the list.

“Okay,” Sweetie Belle said. “What’s next on the list?”

Scootaloo scanned the list and said, “Snowball fighting-- but we can’t do that during the summer… After that is mini golf, but I don’t think Mr. Putters will let us near the golf course after the incident with the windmill. After that is berry picking. How does that sound to the both of you?”

Both fillies nodded in agreement. “Okay then,” Scootaloo said. “Applebloom, go and get some buckets from your family's farm; Sweetie Belle, get your boom box so we have some music; and I will find us a good spot to pick berries. I think I saw some near Zecora’s cabin last time we visited. Everypony ready? Good!”

All three fillies put their hoofs together and yelled, “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS BERRY PICKERS!” and they ran off to do their different jobs.

******************************************************************************

Some time later, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both were outside of Zecora’s hut, waiting for Applebloom. Scootaloo had brought her scooter and Sweetie Belle’s boom box was resting on the end of it.

Scootaloo impatiently tapped her foot. “Where is Applebloom? We could have started by now…”

Sweetie Belle, who had already started-- but having no bucket ate the berries instead-- looked over to Scootaloo with a purple-stained mouth and replied, “Don’t worry she will be here soon.” Then she continued to eat berries, making sure to avoid the bushes that Zecora had marked with small skull and crossbones sign, symbolizing poison.

Finally, Applebloom appeared from the brush carrying two buckets in her mouth and three with her tail. She spat the buckets out from her mouth and the three began to pick berries. When one bucket became full, they put it on Scootaloo's scooter next to the boom box, which was currently tuned to a channel playing Sapphire Shores. They kept picking berries, avoiding the toxic ones with ease, but soon began to journey deeper into the forest when berries became scarce. For awhile they walked, looking for more berry bushes while the boom box sang, “Equestria girls, we're kind of magical/ Boots on hooves, bikinis on top...”

Sweetie Belle, who wasn’t paying attention but was dancing and sinning to the music instead, hadn’t noticed where they were, and when she looked up saw a large monster about to pounce. “AHHH!” she screamed and tumbled over. Scootaloo and Applebloom both laughed at this. “What are you two laughing at? It’s going to eat us!” Sweetie Belle yelled.

“Look, doofus,” Scootaloo said through her laughter. “It’s just a statue.”

Sweetie Belle looked again, and sure enough it was only the Nightmare Moon statue to which they would offer candy on Nightmare Night. At the base was a pile of wrappers and decomposing candy from the previous Nightmare Night.

“Oh,” Sweetie managed to say as she picked herself up and brushed the dirt from her flank. “I knew that. I was just testing you guys.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Yeah, okay, but it’s going to take a lot more to scare me.”

From behind Scootaloo, somepony quietly whispered in her ear, “Boo.” Scootaloo jumped a foot in the air, her wings fluttering, and she hid behind Sweetie Belle, who was doing the laughing now.

With her eyes covered, Scootaloo heard some more chuckles from her phantom. “Please forgive me, my friend;/ I did not mean to offend.” Scootaloo peered from behind Sweetie Belle and saw Zecora with a hoof over her mouth fighting back laughter.

“Oh it’s just you, Zecora.” Scootaloo said. “You got me good. What are you doing here?”

Zecora looked at the fillies and responded, “I could ask the same./ There are many beasts here untame. If one of you were eaten,/ my heart would be beaten.”

“Wow, uh, freaky poetry,” said Sweetie Belle. “Maybe you could teach us that sometime and it could be our cutie mark! We haven’t had much luck with berry picking.”

“That would be nice, but we must for now leave./ I sense a danger that would cause us grief.”

Applebloom chimed, “Okay, Zecora. I was getting bored of picking berries; it's not like picking apples.”

So the Crusader's berry quest ended and they followed Zecora through the forest. Halfway through, Zecora dropped her voice to a whisper. “Sweetie Belle! Turn off that boom box!”

Sweetie, surprised by Zecora’s sudden alertness and lack of rhyming, obeyed, but then asked “Whats wrong Zecora?”

“Shhh. Children, all of you get down. We are being watched.”

The Crusaders complied, but Scootaloo asked in a quiet voice, “By what Zecora?”

The sun was blocked out by something, but returned to normal a minute later. Zecora, still in a hushed tone, replied to Scootaloo “I know not / whatever it is by it we do not want to be caught.”

The sun blocked out again, but returned a little less quickly this time. The Crusaders and Zecora stayed to the ground waiting. For five minutes they waited, but nothing happened. Finally Zecora stood and said, “I believe it is for now gone,/ but not for very long.”

The Crusaders stood with Zecora, and the sun was blocked out again. “Weird clouds today,” Applebloom said, and then looked up. She screamed.

******************************************************************************

“Okay, Twilight. I Pinkie Promise not to do it again,” Pinkie Pie said, crossing her heart and following the rest of the movements of a Pinkie Promise. She, Twilight, and the rest of the girls were all in the basement, and Twilight had finished lecturing Pinkie about letting Silver Lining out.

“Thank Discord she stopped talking!” Rage exclaimed. He had spent the last ten minutes of Twilight's whole lecture with his ears covered, complaining on how she wouldn’t stop talking. Twilight, like she had done the other times he had complained, simply ignored him.

“Now then where were we…” Pinkie thought, trying to remember. “Oh yeah!” Pinkie jumped, turned in midair to the cell, and pointed to Wisdom. “Your name is… MONARCH! It’s perfect! You are the same colors as a monarch butterfly and your cutie mark is a crown!” Pinkie smiled as Twilight facehoofed for the second time that day. She had just finished telling Pinkie to stop talking to the Disarray Brothers and, more importantly, to stop naming them, but she only got her to promise not to let the three out again.

Rage rolled his eyes. “Really? Do you really think that Wisdom would let himself drop that low? Granted, he has zero personality, and is way too polite to you guys, but do you really think he would accept a name from you?”

Rage looked to his brother expectantly. Wisdom thought for a moment and replied to Pinkie, “I like it; it’s got a ring to it.”

Rage banged his head against the bars of the cell.

Pinkie smiled with delight to have made the newly dubbed Monarch happy. She then turned to Rage, still hitting his head and said, “You look like a…”

“No! No name for me! I am perfectly happy with Rage, thank you very much. I don’t need one of your stupid nicknames. I would be happier with my serial number as a name.”

Pinkie looked offended by this. “Fine! The only Pinkie trademarked name you would deserve would have been Poo Poo because that’s what your attitude is like!” She crossed her arms and looked away from Rage with a huff.

Rage rolled his eyes and muttered to Silver: “You really know how to pick em bro.”

Silver Lining tried to hide his blushing, but failed, the only pony not to notice being Pinkie Pie. Twilight Sparkle, confused, asked, “What?”

Rage gave a wicked smile and slyly said, “Oh yeah, I've only told Rarity haven’t I? Well you all should know that my brother Bli-- oh, excuse me, Silver Lining has the biggest cru-- EYOWTCH!” Rage didn’t get to finish because both Monarch and Silver had stamped on his tail at the same time.

Monarch looked in surprise at Silver. “Well that’s new, Silver. It looks like you're finally learning to stand up for yourself. About time; only took you six months.”

Silver shrugged. “I'm just too lazy to learn life lessons, is all.”

Monarch glared. “That’s your excuse to everything: is that you're too lazy.”

“Well it is true, isn’t it?”

“I suppose…”

“Would both of you kindly PISS OFF!” Rage exclaimed to the casually talking brothers, who were still standing on his tail.

Upstairs a crashing was heard, followed by panicked screaming and yelling. Twilight and the other ponies ran up, leaving the Disarray Brothers behind.

“Hey where you five going?” Rage smirked. “You know from behind you all look a lot better-- OW!”

******************************************************************************

“And then and then there was a SWOOSH! And then there was a BA-BOOM.”

“Then they were gone and then Scootaloo and me screamed and then we we…”

“Girls, please; one at a time. I just woke up!”

Spike had been sleeping until Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had barged into the library, screaming and yelling. He didn’t feel the way he had the night before, but still felt groggy and a little queasy. Now the duo of fillies kept talking and wouldn’t make sense. Spike heard more hoof steps behind him and Twilight and the other four ponies ran in from the basement door and the attention of the two Crusaders shifted from Spike to them.

“Rarity! It was huge! And it had claws and eyes! And…”

“I would have fought it off, but Sweetie Belle was screaming like a baby!”

“Was not!”

“Were too!”

“Was not!”

“Were too--”

Both fillies were engulfed in purple auras, each of a different shade. Rarity and Twilight both brought the fillies closer to them and now had their silent attention.

“Sweetie dear, take a deep breath and-- calmly now-- tell your sister what happened from beginning to end.”

Sweetie Belle inhaled and exhaled slowly, then looked up to Rarity and told her of the Crusader's plan for berry-picking cutie marks up until the part where Zecora had told them to hide.

“Zecora told us it was safe to come out, but then Applebloom looked up into the sky and screamed her head off. Then Zecora shoved us into a bush and then these huge talons came down and grabbed Zecora and Applebloom! When it was gone me, and Scootaloo hopped on her scooter and drove all the way to Ponyville to get help. We went to Sweet Apple Acres first but nopony but Granny Smith was there. Then we came here because we thought Twilight would know what to do and we found all of you here.”

Sweetie breathed deeply, out of breath. Applejack hoofed the ground impatiently. “Well what the hay are we all waiten for! My little sister's in trouble!”

Applejack ran for the door, but Twilight closed it with magic before she could make it. “Applejack we need to figure out what we are dealing with first before we go running after it. I'm worried about Applebloom and Zecora too, but we can’t help them if we get captured too.”

Applejack sighed in defeat. “I reckon yer right Twilight-- but make it quick!”

“Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle? What else can you tell me about what captured Zecora and Applebloom?” Twilight asked.

“Well…” Scootaloo began, “It was big, and had talons like a hawk, and I think I saw feathers. Could it be a giant bird Twilight?”

“Yes Scootaloo, I think that’s exactly what it was.” Twilight glowed her horn and got a book from a shelf. She flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for. “Roc: a large bird of prey. Roughly half the size of a full grown dragon. These birds consume most large land and sea mammals. When a mother believes its eggs are about to hatch it, will begin to gather live food for the newborns so they can practice hunting in the nest. If the eggs do not hatch on the day the live food is brought, the mother will eat the prey itself. A roc’s nest is usually hidden on a mountain to avoid contact from ponies.”

Twilight finished reading from the book and looked at everypony. “I am almost certain this is what we are dealing with. It would also explain the recent disappearances. We should have until tonight to save Zecora and Applebloom. Now if we can find something that Applebloom or Zecora recently touched I should be able to cast a dowsing spell on it to find the roc’s nest. Once we find it, I should be able to cast the flight spell on one of you and teleport myself up to save the both of them.”

Applejack walked in front of everypony. “That would be me.”

Twilight nodded to Applejack. “Okat then. I am going to cast the spell now so that you can get used to flying. But remember, these wings are fragile and can not go as fast as a regular pegasus’s.”

“Ah know, just do it.”

Twilight focused her energy on Applejack. She let loose the magic of her horn, engulfing Applejack in ribbons of light. Sparks and snaps could be heard from within the cocoon of light. When it was over, the light vanished and Applejack stepped out with large red and yellow butterfly wings that cast sparkles from the light. Everypony around was stunned. Rarity spoke up first, her face in utter amazement and her eyes shining with glee.

“They are fabulous darling! They have given me the greatest idea of a fashion line yet!”

“Rarity ahm glad you like em and all, but I don’t care as long as they get the job done.”

Twilight stood, her head tipsy from the large amount of magic she had just cast. She shook her head and looked to Applejack, looking the wings over. “Actually, AJ, I'm not so sure that they could. I mean they will get you up there, but if the roc attacks, those wings will not last. Not to mention you will only be able to carry one pony, and I could only teleport myself and one other pony down halfway with the magic I have left over. I would like to have another Pegasus around to help. Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy nervously squeeked, “Well, Twilight, the thing is... I-I couldn’t, because I can’t fly that high…”

Twilight remembered the last time Fluttershy had climbed a mountain; it had taken hours. They didn’t have that kind of time to work with.

“Well what other Pegasi are in Ponyville? The Weather Team?

“Well no, there was only Rainbow. The rest of the Weather Team are at a wedding…” Fluttershy nervously mentioned.

“Derpy?”

“Derpy wouldn’t be able to fly that high either. She gets airsick…”

“How does a Pegasus…? No, never mind. What other Pegasi are there?”

Fluttershy thought for a moment and then said, “Well there is Silver Lining…”

“What, who?” Twilight asked

“I said there is still Silver Lining…”

“Fluttershy, please speak up. I cant hear yo-”

“WE COULD ASK SILVER LINING OK?!” Fluttershy blurted out and then regretted yelling. “Oh dear. I'm sorry for yelling. I’m such a loud mouth…

Twilight paused to absorb the shock of Fluttershy’s outburst, but was back and instinctively answered, “No, not in a thousand years am I letting one of them out. Not until Celestia arrives.”

“So we’ll jus have tah make do with what we have?” asked Applejack.

Twilight felt torn: on one hoof, if she and Applejack went alone, they would risk being outnumbered and have a difficult time getting down whatever Celestia forsaken cliff they would have to climb; but on the other hoof, if she got help from Silver Lining, she would have greater safety and easier descent, but one of the most dangerous ponies in Equestria would be out in the open and could cause serious trouble.

“Well Twilight?” asked Applejack.

Twilight thought for another moment or two, but finally decided, “We will go on our own; we can’t risk Silver Lining escaping.”

Pinkie opened her mouth to protest, but Twilight gave her a look before a word escaped her mouth. Twilight then asked Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo: “Can you tell me where you last saw the roc?”

Sweetie explained how they had been by the Nightmare Moon statue and how her boom box might have been turned on in the panic, with any luck. Twilight then addressed her friends: “Rarity, I want you to stay here with Spike, Sweetie, and Scootaloo and keep an eye on those three. I will take Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie to the Everfree Forest to find and rescue Zecora and Applebloom.”

Her friends nodded in agreement, except Fluttershy, who asked, “Um excuse me. Why do you need me to come along?”

“Your abilities with animals would be invaluable in the forest,” Twilight explained.

“Oh okay…”

The small troop of ponies filed out of the library towards the Everfree forest. Once they were gone Sweetie asked Rarity “Hey who's Silver Lining.”

Rarity bit her lip, but decided it would be best to tell her sister the truth. “Spike, deary, might you put some tea on? This may take awhile.”