Chaos Reborn: The Corruption of Harmony

Chapter 10: The Derp Knight

Twilight and the Doctor ran as fast as they could back to Ponyville.

“What do we do? They’ve corrupted the elements. There’s no way I can stop them now!” Twilight looked to Whooves, hoping that by some miracle, he had a way to fix this.

“I don’t know, Twilight Sparkle, but until we can come up with a plan, let’s go to my clock shop and hide. My assistant and I will take care of you until we can think of something.”

Twilight looked to him in with confusion.
“Your assistant?”

“Yes, I believe you two already know each other, but we’ll discuss that matter when we get there.” Whooves looked forward, galloping ahead and taking the lead.

The Doctor’s shop was a small simple building. Most of the interior was crafted from wood. There were not a lot of fancy colors, mostly just shades of brown. Clocks of all shapes and sizes lined the walls, each calibrated to precisely the same time. The only thing that stood out was strange blue box in the corner of the room by the cash register. It was shaped like an old phone booth, and at the top read the words “POLICE BOX - PUBLIC CALL”

A grey and yellow pegasus stepped out from the back room with a plate full of muffins and set them down on a table nearby, accidentally knocking over several clocks that were sitting on top.
“Oops, my bad.” She said as her eyes crossed and her nose scrunched up.

The front door swung open and Doctor Whooves and Twilight ran in, slamming it behind them. They were panting and exhausted from running.

Twilight turned around and sat down facing the pegasus standing at the table. She called out as she looked in surprise.
“Derpy!?”

“Hi Twilight!” Derpy smiled, eyes still crossed.
“Want a muffin?” She asked as she picked up the plate and presented it to the two.

“Not now Derpy. We have some serious trouble on our hands. I need you to help board up the doors and windows, OK?” The Doctor explained with urgency.
“Where’s Dinky? We need to get her somewhere safe.”

“Um, Twist’s mother called and asked if it was alright if she stayed at their place tonight. It was getting late so I said OK. What’s wrong? Daleks again?”

“No Derpy, I’m afraid it’s something far more sinister.”

“Have the Elements of Harmony been tainted, the princess's sent to the moon, and Discord been reborn as copy of Twilight Sparkle?”

The Doctor’s and Twilight’s jaws both dropped.
“How did you…?!” Twilight began to ask in amazement.

“I dunno. Lucky guess?” Derpy cut her off as she shrugged as her left eye drifted outward.

Doctor Whooves shook his head in disbelief, but gathered his thoughts again quickly.
“Well, anyway, we need to get this place locked down before Twilight’s copy and her minions arrive.”

“Oh! Can I help?” Derpy pleaded excitedly with a smile, holding a hammer.

“Um…on second thought, why don’t you watch out the window and keep an eye out. Twilight and I will construct the barriers.” Whooves nervously took the hammer from his assistant and ushered her to the window.

Twilight used her magic to start pulling apart furniture to use as The Doctor hammered the pieces securely over the door.

Not far away Discordia and the others were just stepping into Ponyville, followed by the storm clouds from Canterlot. The town looked almost empty as most ponies were asleep. It all seemed so peaceful.
Discordia frowned. “My my, it’s so quiet and calm. We’ll have to fix that.” She looked down at her shadow as it began to stretch forward. The legs becoming long and thin. It extended until it cast upon a nearby building. A symbol magically lit up on the wall, a circle with an X through it. The shadow began to materialize, and the monster from the Everfree Forest emerged. He looked down upon his new master and awaited orders.

Discordia threw open her wings as she commanded the creature. “You will go forth and bring the children to me. Their souls will add to my power. Pinkamina will assist you, if anyone tries to stop you, she’ll deal with them. Do you understand?”

The slender pony slowly nodded once.

“Weeeee!” Pinkamina yelled excitedly, jumping on his shoulders as several tendrils emerged and wiggled from his back.

She leaned over to one side of his head and said, giggling,
“This is gonna be so much fun. I love kids! Their tears make the cupcakes sweeter.”

The slender pony turned around without responding to Pinkamina and they both disappeared back into the shadows.

Discordia turned to her remaining cohorts. Jappleack, you stay here and make sure no one escapes. Futashy and undead Dash, you two will take the south gate. No one gets out of Ponyville alive. Am I understood?"

Dash nodded, accepting their orders and lead Futashy to the other end of town

“And Rarity, you will help me find Twilight.”

“How?” she asked, unsure of her orders.

“Your horn, my dear. It detects precious stones. Twilight is with the Time Lord. I need you to find for me the largest deposit of quartz in this town.”

Rarity closed her eyes and focused as her horn illuminated.
“This way.” She said, motioning with her head as she open her eyes.

Miss Rarity took point, and as they both walked down the dark streets of Ponyville, screams of terror and crying, followed by Pinkamina’s laughter echoed from the buildings nearby.

Doctor Whooves, Twilight, and Derpy sat inside the boarded up shop as they heard the horrors happening outside. Twilight wished she could help, but there was nothing they could do. Suddenly there came a knock on the door. They all jumped and huddled together as a small voice called out.

“Momma?” said the voice. It sounded like she had been crying.

“Dinky?!” Derpy yelled as she jumped up and tried to pull the boards from the doors.

“What are you doing?” Twilight whispered loudly, trying to pull the pegasus down and away from the door.

“It’s my muffin! She needs me!” Derpy struggled against Twilight.

“It might be a trick. Besides there’s nothing we can do for her. If we open this door, we’ll all be in danger!”

“Momma please let me in! There’s bad ponies out here. They took Twist and hurt her mommy.” The voice called from outside the door.
“I’m scared, Momma! Please let me in.”

Derpy kicked Twilight and freed herself from the unicorn’s grasp, and in an amazing feat of strength, she ripped the wooden planks from the door and pulled it open. Her heart sank, however, when she saw what waited for her on the other side. At the door was the monster and Pinkamina. Dinky’s head had been separated from her body and the blood soaked pink pony was wearing it as a hoof puppet.

“Thank you, Momma! I love you so much.” Pinkamina said, imitating Dinky’s voice while bobbing the head up and down. She then tapped the pegusus on the nose with it, making a kissing noise.

Derpy couldn’t believe her eyes. She just stood there unable to process the death of her daughter as Pinkamina toyed with her the filly's head like it was some big joke. Her eyes flooded up with tears. She was at a loss for words.

“Girls! I found them!” Pinkamina turned and yelled.

The Doctor and Twilight ran for the back door. Twilight swiftly levitated and cast aside the obstructions that impeded their escape, and threw open the back door. They were stopped by Jappleack, Futashy, and Rainbow Dash who stood in their way.

“Where the fuck you goin’, Twilight.”
Jappleack asked as she menacingly held a broken plank she’d pulled from a fence.

Dash’s cold, dead eyes stared at the Doctor and Twilight.
“We can’t really let you guys escape. I’m sure you understand. If we did, Discordia would have us killed in ten seconds flat.”

“You can’t do this!” Twilight pleaded.

“Fuck you! I can do whatever I want!” Jappleack yelled, swinging the plank towards Twilight’s face, just barely missing her.

Discordia flew in and landed behind Pinkamina and the slender pony as Rarity trotted behind, trying to keep up. The pink pony and her associate turned and moved out of the way, allowing their master to pass.

Discordia walked up to Derpy and commanded,
“Step aside and I promise your death will be painless.”

“You should do what she says, momma.” Pinkamina said, still playing with Dinky’s head.

“No…”
The grey pegasus replied in a cold, flat tone. Tears ran down her face as her expression changed from one of shock to one of anger. She clenched her jaw hard and blood began to run down one side of her mouth.

“I said…MOVE!” Discordia’s horn lit up as she prepared to move Derpy by force.

“I SAID NO!"

Just before the beam magic made contact Derpy, a bright light shone from above, penetrating the clouds and destroying the section of the roof in its path. A force began push Discordia and her minions back slightly, as an enormous bolt of lightning came down, knocking everyone except Twilight and The Doctor a few feet away from the grey pegasus. The lightning formed around her legs, chest, and head, solidifying into black and gold armor similar to the royal guards’, but with boots that reached to her knees, a bladed crest upon her helmet, and at the center of her chest plate, a gem containing her cutie mark. One eye was covered with a patch, while the other stared back at Discordia and Pinkamina with pure seething hatred.

Discordia, who had used her magical wings to shield herself from the blast, folded them back at her side and looked at the newly transformed pegasus.

She smiled at Derpy
“I see…and here I thought the seventh element of harmony was just a myth. This will be interesting.”

Derpy turned to The Doctor and Twilight and yelled
“Get in the Tardis! They're mine.”

Whooves pushed Twilight, who was frozen in awe, into the blue phone booth, as Jappleack, Futashy and Dash rushed to Discordia’s side.

“You know you can’t stop all of us, don’t you?…Element of Love.” Discordia mockingly warned her.

The pegasus locked eyes with Discordia.
“My name is Derpy Hooves. You killed my muffin.”
Small arcs of lightning began to spark around her.
“Celestia as my witness, today I shall see you dead.”