Chaos in Equestria Book Two: Tabula Rasa

The mane six found themselves waiting in a familiar place, surrounded by the marble floors and ivory walls in the Hall of The Elements. It was oddly quiet in that great room, as if no sound could penetrate its thick, white walls. The door to the safe that the precious elements were kept in was unlocked, not that a locked door would have stopped Discord in the first place, and left open for the six element bearers to use.

Rarity was the first to put on her necklace, the Element of Generosity. It was cold, as would be expected from a golden chain that had been left in a stone room for so long. One by one, each of the element bearers armed themselves with the familiar pieces of jewelry that they represent, each of them except Rainbow Dash.

"This isn't right!" Rainbow Dash announced to her friends. “If Discord is outside, we should be outside defending the city! Instead, we’re stuck in here waiting for him to fall for a trap that probably won’t work!”

To Twilight, everything Dash had said made perfect sense. She found it hard to disagree with her, but still attempted to reason. “It’s not that simple, Rainbow,” she said. “If he sees us, he’ll know what the elements will do to him, and he’ll leave before we can stop him. You know what he’s like! He’ll only come back more prepared if we can’t stop him now.”

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it.

“Twilight,” Applejack said in a concerned and nervous tone. “I recall Discord havig wings. Can’t he just, ya know, fly himself away as soon as he sees us in here?”

"He didn't do that last time," Twilight recalled. "It wouldn't make sense for him not to have escaped if he could have."

"And making sense is clearly his trademark." Rainbow Dash said sarcastically as she put on her necklace.

“Girls, I know it’s not a perfect plan,” Twilight said as she scanned over her friends, seeing their worried expressions for the first time. “But it’s the best chance we have! We’ve already beaten him once, and just like Nightmare Moon and Queen Chrysalis, it wasn’t easy. But nobody said it was easy. We aren’t here because it’s easy.” She held her right front hoof out in the middle of her five friends. Not long after, they all did the same and held out their hoofs in a circle. “We’re here because we’re going to win!”

This short speech brought smiles to their once gloomy faces. Had they been in any other situation, they would have lifted their hoofs into the air and cheered, but they were instructed not to make any loud noises. Instead, they just exchanged looks of confidence and pride. Twilight was right. They had already beaten Discord once, and this time should be no different.

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Princess Luna and Ray stood across from each other in the marble courtyard that lead to the Hall of The Elements. There were only two other guards with them. It was cold, and the distant sounds of panic and howling dogs could be clearly heard. They were both nervous.

"You know you don't need to be here," Ray said to the Moon Princess. "I can handle this from here. I promise."

"This isn't going to work." She said abruptly.

"It will work." Ray assured her. "The elements worked on Discord when he did have his powers. This will only be easier."

"Only if Discord is predictable," she said. "That is what your plan relys on. You think Discord will walk into this trap because it makes sense, yes?"

"Yes, of course!" Ray confirmed. "Where else will he go if not here?"

"What if he comes here, but he isn't the one who goes inside? There are others with him. Do you think the elements work on dogs?" Luna asked. Shortly after saying this, one of the distand dogs howled in excitement. It sounded closer than the previous sounds. The dogs were moving deeper into the city.

"We haven't time to dwell," Ray said in a more hurried tone. "It's almost time for us to find out if this plan will work! I need you to set up a barrier around the hall, and don't remove it untill you have sufficient reason. We need this to be convincing so that he won't sense a trap."

"One last question." Luna said as she backed up into her possition at the entrance. "In order for Discord to get inside in a way that makes this convincing, What will happen to you and the other guards?"

"It's going to work," Ray repeated, "Don't worry."