Labyrinth of Chaos

by ADenter1

Rating: everyone
Tags: Changelings, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spike, Romance, Fluttershy, Adventure, Discord
Length: 23962

The story of the Labyrinth. With Fluttercord of course

The story of Fluttershy's journey through the Chaos King's Labyrinth, a book made into reality in her eyes, and with a side of Fluttercord of course.

Published 2015-02-24 04:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-06-15 14:35:06 UTC

I wish the Changelings would take you away, right now

Fluttershy was reciting the lines to one of her most favored books, something she had grown fond of doing, just on the outskirts of Ponyville near the Everfree Forest though she was careful not to go near. She herself had seen at one point of her life the true things that could live there, not just a beautiful tree.

Her little white rabbit, Angel, hopped to her side beginning to tug on her pearl white dress. “What is it Angel?” the buttermilk colored Pegasus asked, her voice soft and soothing, gentle and almost melodic. The rabbit began pointing to the Ponyville Clock Tower that had been built only two months ago.

The pony’s teal eyes that often shimmered under the light widened with horror. It was almost seven o’clock, and she was meant to be home and hour ago. “Oh no,” her ears lowered with sadness. Her Stepmother, Sapphire Sunlight, was not a pleasant mare. She was often far to strict, and had a zero tolerance for any mistakes that came from anyone. Fluttershy most of all. Fluttershy wished that her mother and father, Buttercup and Caramel Smooch, had not gotten a divorce. Then she would not have to deal with an evil stepmother or a baby brother who did nothing but cry.

Dark clouds of gray covered the sky, thunder began rumbling in the distance, as the skies threatened to let rain fall. “Come on Angel,” she called to her little white rabbit.

Both the Pegasus and the little white bunny began racing back to her cottage in Ponyville. Rain was falling, thunder was lightly echoing, and she knew she would be in trouble. An hour late and possibly soaking wet, Sapphire Sunlight would not be pleased.

“Fluttershy!” two mares, a few of her friends though she was not always social, Pinkie Pie and Rarity called out to her. Without responding the Pegasus kept running, her rabbit behind her and she had not heard the questioning from the Unicorn or the Earth Pony.

Upon reaching her cottage she was greeting with a slammed open door and a fuming stepmother. “I’m sorry...” she began, but was rather rudely interrupted.

"I said six o'clock," Sapphire Sunlight's eyes were unforgiving.

"I said I was sorry!” Fluttershy said, her eyes apologetic.

"Well don’t just stand there getting wet get in here,” Sapphire ordered.

"Fine, come on Angel,”

"Not the rabbit,” her stepmother pointed a yellow hoof.

“But it’s pouring!” Fluttershy’s eyes widened as the rabbit whimpered, uselessly shaking his fur.

“Well let him go into a tree,” Sapphire rolled her bright blue eyes.

“He’s not a squirrel or any animal that goes into a tree!” Fluttershy retorted, not feeling guilty.

“Well let him go into the animal cottage then,” Sapphire’s impatience was growing. She could not care either way.

“Fine, go on Angel. Into your cottage,” Fluttershy’s eyes were glazed with sadness and sympathy as the rabbit bounded off sadly. Angrily stomping her hooves she walked into the cottage, only to be greeted by her father holding her half-brother Dapper Sunlight.

“Ah Fluttershy there you are,” she herself interrupted the cream colored stallion. “We were worried,” he added.

“What did I do wrong!?” Fluttershy wailed, running up the stairs, slamming the door to her room.

“I swear Buttercup, she treats me like a evil enchantress no matter what I do or say,” Sapphire Sunlight raised her nose angrily.

“Now honey she’s a teenager, I am sure most teenage mares are naturally like that,” Buttercup spoke, still trying to calm the crying Dapper Sunlight.

In her room Fluttershy was lying on her bed, her face planted into her arms angrily. In her head she was fuming, and her eyes said it all. “Fluttershy?” Buttercup lightly knocked onto the door.

“Go away...” she murmured into her arms.

“We’ve fed Dapper and he’s in bed,” Buttercup stated, but it only made the buttermilk mare more angry than before.

"Better leave now. I’m sure you’d just love that wouldn’t you? Sapphire Sunlight must have everything perfect," she murmured softly, though mostly it was sadness.

“We will be home by midnight,” she could hear Buttercup backing away from her door, either out of fear of dealing with a teenager or just to spend quality time with his true love as he said in his wedding vows. Ironically he said the same thing to his first wife.

Midnight.... Fluttershy thought, looking to her closed window covered in rain. “Take as long as you want. Do whatever you want. That’s all Sapphire Sunlight does isn’t it?” she shook her head and blinked her eyes.

Crying was coming from her father’s bedroom. So much for him being asleep... So many hours they’re going to do whatever they please, so many hours spent with a infant Pegasus colt. Fluttershy stood unto her bed, angrily flying off onto her floor.

Looking around she saw the stuffed animals she liked to keep. A few were Timber wolves, though they were mythological and they were another reason ponies feared the Everfree forest, one was a Orthros, and more things that made her stepmother question her greatly. She found it irritating that nobody else enjoyed the life of the books, and the mythology of it.

Having enough with the wailing coming from Dapper, she stormed out of her room and into her father’s. “What is it Dapper? You’ve been fed and changed, what is the problem now?” Fluttershy asked, sitting on the edge of her father and stepmother’s bed. The Pegasus baby wailed in response. “Do you want a story? Hmm?” an idea sparked in her mind.

She flew to her room and grabbed the book she had been quoting earlier. "It's always a favorite I guess. Makes me feel better..." she sighed softly. It had been a gift from a special family member of hers. One she did not see anymore.

“Once upon a time there was a sixteen year old Pegasus mare who was trapped,” Fluttershy began, picking Dapper up in on hoof, reading the book and sitting back on the edge of the bed.. “Trapped by her father who did not care about how his new wife treated the Pegasus, trapped by a wicked stepmother who continued tossing the words ‘You must do this and that,' straight to her face about her newborn baby brother. Trapped by the world around her, and absolutely nothing would set her free,” she continued, noticing how the crying was still there but it was lowering. But the storm was not.

“But, though she did not know it, luckily for her there was a royal, a King, who was watching her suffer who had felt sympathy for the mare who was practically a slave to her stepmother and family. He had given her a gift,” she was quoting the book, though the pages she had been reciting before had been closer to the ending. “He had given her the gift to call upon his minions, the Changelings, who could take the form of anypony they pleased and do as he commanded, and if her heart truly desired it she could wish for the Changelings to take the child away. But the mare did know that if she called upon the Changelings and made that small request, the King of Chaos would turn him into a Changeling. A black little creature with wings, without pupils or irises and only blue eyes, with a horn that illuminated magic of a green aura and see through wings like a bug’s. And he would be no different than the Chaos King’s present minions,” Fluttershy felt as though something watching, but she kept reading.

But, though she did not know it, there really was someone, the King was watching her as she read the book. The King sat on a tree branch outside her cottage, lightly perched as he watched through her window. Her reading the book and not realizing was would indeed happen, it was downright amusing to him. She was a beauty in his misshapen cinnamon.

He chuckled to himself when she quoted the book she had been reciting and reading earlier, before the downpour storm. “Oh my dear, you read from the book you love so much, you love it all. But if only you knew...” he trailed off, lying unto the branch, his black cape covering his lizard’s tail, dragon leg and cloven hoof leg. “How much was true...” he inwardly chuckled. “Rhymes?”

“Master...” one of the Changelings arrived, his eyes filled with curiosity as he dipped his head.

“Hmm?” the King of Chaos paid no attention. He was to intent on the buttermilk colored Pegasus. She was unique in more ways than one in his opinion. She was beautiful indeed. Her perfectly shaded teal eyes, her coat that was the color of cream, and the perfect pink cotton candy colored mane of hers. Even her personality was wonderful to him.

But the best part was the fact that she was quoting the book, not realizing it. The best part to him was that her love for the book and all the things she enjoyed was what allowed her to fall right into his trap. He felt entranced with her.

“You should know... What are you staring at?” the Changeling tilted his head towards the window, trying to get a view. With his bird hand, the Chaos King pushed his head away, basking in the beauty of the Pegasus. “Is anyone else confused here?” the same Changeling whispered through gritted teeth, his companions behind him nodded.

The King was not paying attention to his Changeling’s muttering behind him. He was truly intrigued with the Pegasus. Divine beauty. Beauty indeed. He tilted his gray head to the side, balanced his chin in his lion’s paw, confused for a moment.

“When have I started thinking like this?” he muttered, fortunately silent enough so the Changeling’s ears merely twitched at the mutter not knowing what he truly said. “I should know what now?” he asked, though his eyes stayed to the storm inside the cottage.

“She’s saying the words she’s saying it all. What if she says ‘I wish the Changelings would take you away, right now?’” the black creatures asked to him and among themselves.

He slapped his own forehead, gritting his sharp teeth. “Are you really that foolish or are you just playing some foolish joke?” he asked, rhetorically, not caring either way.

“Uhh...” the first Changeling looked to the others, and upon noticing this all of the others took off to the sky avoiding the question and being the one to answer.

“Stupid...” the King shook his head irritably.

“Chaos King, Chaos King, wherever you may be take this child as far away from me!” Fluttershy spoke, even though that was not the line, couldn't remember what the line really was. Though she did remember when her mother first read it to her. She was a filly herself, when she read the book on her own for the first time she panicked about her mother saying the real line. Caramel Smooch found it amusing.

“Ack, where’d she get that pile of rubbish. Literally everybody knows it starts with ‘I wish’” one of the Changelings who fled shook his head, the others agreeing with him.

Inside the cottage, Fluttershy saw that Dapper was close to falling asleep. "I have read this a thousand times, yet what was the line?" she asked, it was true that since reading towards the end that one little line was forgotten.

“I wish the Changelings would come and take you away, right now, it’s that simple!” another slapped his wet head with a hoof.

“I wish... I wish...” she murmured, her teal orbs focusing on blank space.

“Did she say it?” another Changeling asked. “SHUT UP!” every Changeling whisper growled, one slapping a hoof on his mouth as well.

She sighed, placing him back into his crib and covering him with his blankets. That made him snap his eyes open, he stood to his hooves howling at the top of his lungs. “Thunder... storms... if that’s why your crying, I am sorry there is nothing I can do about it,” Fluttershy shook her head, walking to the door.

She looked from the lit candle back to the colt. “I wish the Changelings would come to take you away, right now,” Fluttershy quoted the book as she blew out the candle, finally remembering the line, and walked out the door.

At that moment she realized that as the thunder roared like a manticore once more that Dapper had stopped crying. “Dapper?” she turned her head slightly, slowly. No response, not a sniffle, not a wail, absolutely nothing. “Dapper?” she repeated, slowly walking back to the door. Fluttershy had no idea how to feel at that moment. Scared? That’d be natural. Confused. That’d be obvious. She felt both.

Pushing the door open with her hoof she noticed that the blankets in his bed were completely still. “Dapper Sunlight?” she asked, slightly trembling, unaware of the hundreds upon thousands of eyes watching her. Almost all the eyes were blue, except for the misshapen cinnamon ones that continued watching from that same exact tree.

“She said the words... why’s she fussing?” one Changeling whispered to another. “She said it?” the same one who asked if she had done so questioned. “Shut up!” all the others whispered yelled, again, as he himself slapped his own mouth to keep quiet.

Slowly walking to the crib, Fluttershy stood on her hind hooves and pulled the blanket. Dapper was gone. Thunder roared as a tapping took place on the bedroom window. She gasped as she heard a rustling in the bedroom and some kind of sick twisted maniacal laughter from the corner.

Thunder kept rumbling, rain kept falling, noises and giggles were moving all around in the room and finally the window burst open and something flew into the room. Fluttershy covered her head with her hooves and covered her hooves with her wings, she felt her heart racing faster than Rainbow Dash could even fly, her fear was through the roof.

Against the reflected light a large shadow was taking place. Moving her wings and her hooves from her head teal eyes met misshape cinnamon ones. The Pegasus felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest at any split second.

He was just like the book had described him. Made of different animals pieces. A lion’s paw and arm, a bird’s claw, hand, and arm, with a dragon leg, a smaller lizard’s tail, a cloven hoof, with the gray head of a pony. He had a deer’s antler and a light blue horn, or antler, with a large sharp tooth sticking out of his mouth. He was wearing a completely black suit, with a sparkling black cape.

“It’s you...” she whispered, but by the movement of his ears she knew he heard her. “The Chaos King...” she did not ask, she knew. “Please... I need my brother back...” her eyes glistened. “What’s said is said?” the Chaos King put his hands together behind his back. “But... I did not mean it...” she felt like pleading.

“Oh you didn’t?” one of his white eyebrows lifted slightly, almost mockingly.

Fluttershy felt scared. She knew what would happen if she did not get him back. The Chaos King would turn him into a Changeling, and he’d become one of his little minions. “I’ve brought you a gift,” he snapped her out of her trance.

“What?” she asked out of confusion. He took his lion paw from behind his back, leaving the bird one though, and began twisting and turning his fingers and his wrist rather calmly and gingerly. In his hand appeared a clear crystal.

“It’s a crystal. Nothing more,” he stated, still moving it around in his fingers. “Do you want it?” he asked, still swishing it around. “You can see your dreams, the good, the better, and the grandest of them all.”

“Please... I appreciate it but... I need my brother back... Please...” she was now pleading, her whites turning a lighter shade of pink than her hair as they glistened with tears.

“Fluttershy...” the Chaos King began again. The crystal turned into a small snake curled around his fingers. Taking his bird hand he moved it into a straight line. “Don’t defy me,” he stated, lightly flicking his wrist sending it around her neck.

Tossing the snake off, flying from the floor, she noticed it turn into a small Changeling once it hit the floor. It began hissing whilst giggling, and more giggles took place. “You’re no match for me Fluttershy,” he looked at his black gloved fingers.

“Please... I need to have my brother back...” she begged.

The King walked to her, his hoof and foot tapping the floor. Pointing with his bird hand he gestured outside the window. “He’s there. In the castle,” he stated.

Looking to the window she saw it. Quite a distance, but she knew she had to do it. The sky was no longer raining or thundering. It was orange and dark gray with dawn. “Is that the castle beyond the Chaos city?” she asked, feeling the wind in her mane and tail.

“Do you still want the brat?” he asked. “Turn back Fluttershy, turn back now, I offer you this chance,” the King stated.

“I can’t... Don’t you understand that I can’t?” she asked. He pointed to a Grandfather clock.

“Pity, but you have thirteen hours to solve the Labyrinth of Chaos before your precious Dapper Sunlight becomes a Changeling...” he was fading away, a smirk plastered on his face. “Forever...” he added before disappearing alongside the grandfather clock, and she swore she heard him add the words ‘Such a pity’ though it was distant now.

Fluttershy looked back to the labyrinth from where she was standing on the sandy hill, the wind still blowing her mane. “If only I had Rainbow Dash’s flight. I could fly through the entire labyrinth,” she sighed softly, wishing her friends were with her now even if they had not spoken for quite a while. Curtsy of Sapphire Sunlight. “Well, come on feet,” she began walking to the labyrinth, completely unaware of what lay ahead inside the King of Chao’s sleeve.......................................................................................................................................................................

Enter the Labyrinth of the Chaos King

CHAPTER TWO: Labyrinth of the Chaos King

Fluttershy saw that she was getting closer and closer, a large brick and stone wall covered in vines and moss was coming into view. She knew it had to be the start of the labyrinth, though she was unsure where exactly the door was.

She heard the sound of chuckling and spraying, that turned to coughing? At the same moment she saw a small light purple baby dragon with green spikes and eyes with a push sprayer in hand. “And that is 57,” he chuckled to himself, spraying something floating in the air.

“Excuse me?” Fluttershy asked in a voice that was softer than usual.

“Your excused,” the dragon snorted with a smile, spraying a small blue creature with large see through white wings. “58!” he leapt.

“Breezies?” Fluttershy’s eyes widened in curiosity and small joy. She had a few Breezies as stuffed animals and figures back in her room, though she despised it when Sapphire took it upon herself to take them and hand them to Dapper who used them as teething toys.

“59!” the dragon sprayed the Breezie, making it cough as it fell to the ground.

“Horrible!” Fluttershy gasped, running, carefully but concerned, to the fallen Breezie.

“No I’m not. I’m Spike,” the dragon stated, spraying yet another Breezie. “60!” he hooted, flapping his leg widely again.

Fluttershy carefully picked the Breezie up in her hooves. “Poor thing...” she murmured. She helped the Breezie clean the dust off its coat and out of her mane, tail, and wings. The Breezie dipped her head in acknowledgment and gratitude, flying away from the purple dragon that threatened to spray it again.

“Once again, I’m Spike, thanks for asking, who are you?” Spike asked, not paying attention to the Pegasus.

“Fluttershy,” she answered, her eyes wide with curiosity.

“That’s what I thought,” he crept upon another Breezie. “61!” he gloated, kicking dust onto the yellow Breezie.

“Excuse me, but I have have to get through this labyrinth. Can you help me?” she asked, hope in her teal orbs.

“Eh, maybe,” Spike shrugged, not caring either way.

“Do you know where the door is?” she asked.

“Maybe,” Spike repeated, spraying another Breezie in the process.

“Well where is it?” that time he did not answer.

“I said where is it?” she asked again.

“Where is what?”

“The door!”

“What door?”

“It’s hopeless asking!” Fluttershy slapped her forehead, irritated and flustered.

“Not, if you ask the right questions,” Spike retorted, spraying another Breezie, shouting out the number 63.

“How do I get into the labyrinth?” the cream mare sighed, she noticed that her question actually made the dragon stop in his tracks for a moment.

“Ah, now that’s more like it,” Spike turned and raised a hand. “Through... there...” he pointed. As if one cue two large stone double doors opened.

Fluttershy slowly crept forward and stood in front of the now open doorway. Inside the bricks were slightly moist and covered with a revolting green colored plant, it looked like the plant had hundreds of eyes. Not to mention the large tree branches, placed all around. It even looked like slime was dripping from the walls with more and more water. “Cozy isn’t it?” Spike snorted/chuckled from behind her, making Fluttershy feel like she jumped out of her fur.

“You’re really going in there?” he asked, his green eyes curious.

“I have too,” Fluttershy stated firmly.

“Now would you go left or right?” he asked, pointing both his hands to each direction.

“They both look the same...”

“Well you’re not going to get far,”

“Which way would you go?”

“Neither,”

“If you don’t want to help then you can leave, I don’t really mind,”

“I think you’re taking things for granted. Take this labyrinth. Even if you got to the center, you ain’t getting out,”

“That’s your opinion,”

“It’s a lot better than yours,”

“Thanks I guess Spike,” Fluttershy sighed softly, walking deeper to the opening.

“Yeah, yeah, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Spike added before flying to the doors, leaving a loud slam behind her.

The mare, now alone but not entirely, took a deep breath and went right. After a few moments she grew confused. After about five minutes she grew slight irritation. “What do they mean labyrinth? It just goes on and on,” she sat onto the ground for a moment. She perked her ears and lifted her head, moving her hair out of her face. “Maybe it doesn’t,” she whispered silently.

Fluttering slightly off the ground she began flying in the same direction. This went on and on for what felt like hours to Fluttershy, but was merely around fifteen minutes. Growing flustered and irritated, she slapped a hoof against the right wall, then slapped the left side, Fluttershy sat back onto the ground, propping a hoof on her knee and holding her head with her hoof.

“Ello?” a small high pitched voice lightly startled Fluttershy. Turning her head, looking down unto a cleft in the wall she saw a small worm with a gray head and brown body, it had a white beard and white eyebrows with red eyes and yellow whites.

“Did you say ‘hello’?” Fluttershy asked softly.

The worm shook his head. “No, I said ‘Ello’ but that’s close enough,” he nodded, a small smile on his face.

“You’re a worm aren’t you?” she asked.

“Yeah that’s right!” the worm smile stayed.

“You wouldn’t happen to know how to solve the labyrinth would you?” Fluttershy asked, hopeful.

“Me? Nah sorry, just a worm,” he shook his head. Fluttershy nodded softly. “You wanna come in for a bit? Meet the Missus?” he asked politely.

“I’m sorry but I have to solve this labyrinth but there are no twists or turns or anything it goes on and on,” the mare sighed, turning her head to look down the path.

“You aren’t looking right. You just ain’t seeing ‘em. Like over there, there’s one right in front of you,” he pointed with his head.

Fluttershy turned her head. “No there isn’t,” she stated, her eyes roaming the wall up and down.

“Come inside, have a cup of tea,” he offered.

“It’s just wall, there’s nothing there,”

“Well of course there is,” he chuckled. “Things are not always what they seem in this place, so fair warning, take nothing for granted, try walking through you’ll see what I mean,” the worm smiled, a large sharp tooth sticking out of his mouth.

Lightly flying from the ground, Fluttershy put her hooves in front of her feeling for wall. Nothing. “Hey, that was incredibly helpful!” she began going left.

“Hey, hang on!” the worm’s eyes widened. She came back upon hearing his words

“Thank you, that was incredibly helpful,” she smiled, about to go back left.

“Don’t go that way!” he spoke, she nearly missed it.

“What was that?”

“I said don’t go that way, never go that way,” he stated.

“Oh,” she looked right. “Thanks,” she smiled once more, going right.

As soon as the worm was sure she was out of hearing range, he shook his head softly. “To close a call. Had she kept going down that way, that pretty little mare would have ended up right in my castle,” he sighed, then confusion and shock plastered itself on his face. “Again?” he mentally slapped himself, disappearing in a flash of white.

Fluttershy found herself in a place filled with many twists and turns, blocks much higher than her blocking each path or creating a new one. She heard that familiar crying in the distance and immediately saw the distant castle. “Dapper...” she whispered softly, guilt flooding through her. “I’m coming Dapper...” she added, passing another block and walking up a small flight of stairs.

The mare sighed softly. “Difficult...” she spoke of the twists and turns to took, it seemed like she kept going in circles. Now she reached a dead end. Turning around she heard a voice behind her, followed by more voices.

“Difficult? That’s not even the worst of it!” a mare snickered, and what followed that was three male voices laughing.

Turning back around slowly she saw two doors that were guarded by four creatures. Two were pony like creatures, a black unicorn mare with dark teal hair that had holes in it with holes in her legs and dark green eyes with feline pupils and teal wings like a bug’s that also had holes in them, a dark gray unicorn stallion with red eyes and a jet black mane and tail wearing a red silk cape. It seemed like they were holding up a shield for one door, and it was orange, and that was only the left side. The right side had a blue Minotaur alongside a four-legged creature with red skin, small black horns, and a white beard. The things they all shared was holding up the shield to a door, even though the Minotaur and the other creature were holding a blue shield, and all having sharp teeth and dark amusement in their eyes.

“This was a dead end a moment ago,” Fluttershy stated softly, slowly flying to the four.

“Nope, that’s the dead end behind you. Sorry, I only mean to say what’s true,” the Minotaur stated, a rather large smirk on his face.

“It just keeps changing... What am I supposed to do?” Fluttershy’s eyes were pleading.

“Only wait out is through one of these doors,” the mare with the bug wings stated with a movement of her hoof.

“Which one?” Fluttershy asked.

“One leads to the castle in the center of the labyrinth, the other leads to...” the green eyed stallion flashed his fangs in a crooked smile. “Certain death...” all four said at once.

“Which one is which?” the mare questioned.

“We can’t tell you,” the four-legged creature said, though his yellow pupils in his black eyes seemed to say otherwise.

“Why not?” her shoulders drooped slightly, distress in her eyes as her hope was fading.

“It’s against the rules, you have to choose one or the other,” the green eyed stallion shrugged slightly. “But choosing which door to go through won’t be a piece of cake,” he added.

His words confused her for a moment. “Why’s that?” she inquired.

“Because you listen to all four of us, but think of us being two. Two people. Blue and Orange, and there’s another way of defining that. One of us always tells a falsehood uttered or acted for the purpose of deception; an intentional violation of truth; an untruth spoken with the intention to deceive, and the other always tells--” the mare began, but she was interrupted by the stallion.

“What Ms. Chrysallis the English teacher is trying say is that Blue and Orange. One is truth, other is lie,” he rolled his eyes and shook his head irritably.

The mare glared at him. “Yeah,” she shrugged. “That.”

“She always lies,” the stallion added.

His words snapped the mare, Chrysallis, out of her thoughts. “I do not, I tell the truth,” she stated firmly.

“Oh what a lie!” the stallion and the mare’s conflict made the Minotaur snicker and snort to where he had to cover his mouth, the red four-legged creature did the same.

Fluttershy felt like slapped a hoof on her head. “Okay... um...” she murmured, looking to the two doors. Red usually means bad. I think. Blue usually means good. Like the sky... So the Minotaur and the red Mr. or Chrysallis and the stallion? she thought.

“I guess I will go right?” it was more of a question. “Okie dokie lokie!” the Minotaur snorted as he and the four-legged creature moved the blue shield.

The mare began walking through the door as it opened, she thought it would turn out better, but then the floor beneath her hooves caved in and she fell through. Fluttershy was certain she heard the snickers and the hoots and hollers of Chrysallis, the Minotuar, the stallion, and the other guy.

She felt hands grabbing at her legs. “Stop!” she cried out as they carried her down. “Help!” she pleaded.

“What do you mean ‘help’?” a voice asked. “We are helping!” it added.

“Would you like us to let go?” another asked, laughing as the hands let her go.

“NO!” they grabbed her again, preventing her from falling any more.

More laughter and snickers were coming from the voices from the hands in the wall. “Well then, which way?” another asked.

“Which way?” she asked.

“Up...” the male voice began. “Or...” he continued. “Down?” he finished.

“I guess.... down...?” another question.

“She chose down...” She chose down?” more voices were laughing as they carried her down.

Her fear spiked wildly. “Was that wrong?”

“Too late now!” a voice snorted/snickered.

After a few minutes of hearing mocking laughter and the word down she was dropped through the floor, again, and fell into a sitting position. She looked up and saw they put a door like a cage’s on the hole in the ceiling, laughter still heard.

Through the sight of a crystal, many eyes were watching as she looked around the black space. “She’s in the oubliette,” the Chaos King sighed lightly. His Changelings and the Diamonds dogs began snickering and laughing. “Shut up! She couldn’t have gotten this far without giving up...” he muttered.

“She’ll never give up...” a Diamond dog, Rover, stated.

“The dragon is about the lead her back to the beginning of my labyrinth. She will soon give up when she realized she’ll have start all over again,” he chuckled through his words, but no other laughed.

“Well... laugh...” he said, and upon his words all the Changelings and dogs began laughing up a storm. The King shook his head, gazing into the mare’s fearful and curious teal eyes with wonder, as he too began laughing. He threw the crystal into the air as it turned to a medium sized bubble.

Fluttershy was still sitting in the oubliette looking around as the bubble faded, and though she dealt with a few of the King’s tricks, there were more to come with a side of dragon, Orthoros, and more.........................................................................................................................

Are you my friend or not?

CHAPTER THREE: Are you my friend or not?!

The mare heard a soft clang, it frightened her out of her skin she was sure she had jumped. “Who-Who’s there...?” she stuttered softly, her head going back and forth to see nothing but black.

“Me,” that voice. It was familiar, but for once it was not speaking with a grumpy grouch’s attitude. Nor did it speak with a mocking tone, or a fit of laughter from spraying Breezies.

Within a split second a small candle illuminated the chamber Fluttershy had fallen into, it was dark and made of bits of stone and slightly oozing brown clay walls. Fluttershy’s teal orbs looked to the candle and saw that baby dragon. “Oh it’s you!” she smiled softly.

“Yeah, well I knew you’d get lost or in trouble of some kind in this place,” Spike shrugged, his green gaze looking uncaring.

“So now you look around?” he asked, noticing her head moving around. “Just so you know there are literally no doors, only the trap door,” he added, shrugging lightly.

“What kind of place would be like that?” Fluttershy asked. “An oubliette,” Spike widened his eyes in fake horror and shook his hands and claws around, snickering after doing so.

“Can you help me?” she asked, hope and pleading in her eyes.

“Of course, lucky for you I happen to know a way out of the labyrinth,” No, to the castle!” Why would you want to go to the castle? The Chaos King is not pleasant, the pranks he can pull are not funny in my position,” What position is that?” One you don’t want to be in,” Well um...” Fluttershy sighed softly.

An idea sparked in her mind. “Dragons like you like gems,” her words caught his attention, but he mistook it.

“Yeah, why?” he protectively put a hand on his bag that was attached to his belt. It rattled slightly, signaling it was filled with gems.

“If you help me solve the labyrinth, I’ll give you this,” she undid the chain around her neck, removing her necklace.

She held it out to him in her hoof. Looking at it Spike saw that it was a tear or water drop shaped red ruby. “A Blood Tear ruby?” he eyes widened as his mouth watered.

“You like it don’t you?” she asked.

“Eh, so, so,” he turned his head, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Oh okay...” she shrugged slightly, her words catching his attention again.

“Tell you what. I will help you in the labyrinth, and I get the necklace in the process,” Spike offered.

“You were going to help me anyway!” Fluttershy’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Yes well, aren’t you just kind enough to give this poor unfortunate soul something in return for that?” he asked.

“If I give you the Blood Tear ruby will you take me as far as you can and then for the rest of it I will be on my own?” she asked.

“Alright,” Spike gave a toothy grin.

“Right,” she handed him the ruby.

“I’ll save you for later,” Spike licked his lips as he put the necklace around his own neck. “What? Bag’s full, and I’d prefer to eat this for dessert,” he noticed her staring.

“Not that, I’ve never met a baby dragon before. You’re adorable. And Spike, thank you,” she genuinely smiled, her eyes sparkling like diamonds of a teal colored ocean.

Spike smiled for a moment, but remembered his orders. “I couldn’t leave a mare in a dark black oubliette, but as you can see the hole is the only opening, lucky for you I know a shortcut out of this place,” he jogged over to a small brown burlap sack in the corner.

Opening it he pulled a large piece of wood out, it was in the shape of an oval but the bottom was straight. Pushing it to the wall Fluttershy heard the sounds of keys unlocking. “Okay and here we--” Spike opened the newly made door, dropping off at ‘we.’

The mare flinched at the sound of a mare screaming and Spike slamming the door, his green eyes wide with shock and embarrassment as his cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink. It was darker than Pinkie Pie’s mane. “What was that?” Fluttershy asked.

“Don’t make me tell you...” Spike somehow flushed even more, it looked like he was having a stroke in the mare’s eyes. “Just... please don’t...” he repeated.

The dragon turned around and once again the sound of keys jingling could be heard. “Please in the name of Celestia, do not let this be anything like that...” he shuddered, it even appeared like his skin was crawling as he did. He opened the door and the light from a hallway was seen.

“Ah, here we go, come on then,” he gestured with his hand as Fluttershy sighed and chuckled with relief and gratitude.

The duo walked through the hallway and entered a stoney area. “This way,” Spike stated.

Fluttershy jumped when a deep voice, deeper than the stallion’s, said “Don’t go on,” and more continued. “Go back now,” This is the wrong way,” Soon it will be to late.”

“Don’t pay attention to them Fluttershy, they’re false alarms. There’s tons in this place. Curtsy of King Discord. He sends them when you’re going the right way,” Spike stated calmly.

“This is not the way!” another voice practically roared, echoing through the hallways.

“Oh shut up,” Spike flopped his hand.

“Sorry if doing my job is an issue to you,” the same voice retorted.

“Well you don’t have to do it to us,” Spike countered.

“Please? None of us have done it in so long!” a voice pleaded.

“Rover just can it!” Spike snapped.

“Please? With fire ruby on top?” another Diamond dog asked.

“Fido don’t you dare!” Spike narrowed his pupils into slits.

“What do you not want him to do?” Fluttershy asked, her gaze curious. “Doesn’t matter...” Spike muttered.

“Uh... Spike...?” her teal orbs turned to look at the small thing floating towards them. “What is that?” she asked. “What is what?” he lifted his head. “It looks like a water drop but its brown... like chocolate milk?” she tilted her head slightly.

Spike’s eyes widened, an expression filtered in their green depths that was unreadable to Fluttershy. “What?” she noticed this and watched as it traveled to another stony wall.

The mare and the dragon followed it and saw it floating above something, or someone. The person, wearing midnight blue cloaks, was holding a clear cup and was looking down to the empty item. The drop of brown water fell into the cup and within a split second it was full of milk. Chocolate milk.

“Ah... what have we here?” the cloaked being asked, lifting his head to reveal a golden yellow beak. Though it looked plastic rather than real.

“Uh... nothing...” Spike backed himself into a wall, his gem bag jingling.

His words seemed to affect the being. “Nothing?” it asked, its voice growing deeper revealing it as a male. “Nothing. Nothing tra la la!” the creature removed his cloak as he spoke, revealing that it was the Chaos King. Discord.

“You’re majesty. What a nice surprise,” Spike bowed, though Fluttershy saw the genuine fear in his eyes.

“Hello Spyro,” Discord folded his arms across his chest, his cinnamon orbs unamused as he flashed a smirk. “Spike...” Fluttershy corrected, but then regretted it when he looked to her.

“Spike, would it just so happen to be that you are helping this mare?” he asked, bending down to be just above the two legged dragon’s height.

“Helping? After our conversation? No way...” Spike nervously chuckled, Fluttershy felt confused with a hint of betrayal.

“Then why have Fido, Rover, and Spot just told me that you’re telling the mare about the false alarms placed in the labyrinth, and going down the right path?” he narrowed his misshapen eyes.

“Uh... you know... Fake friendship...” he flashed a nervous toothy grin.

“What?” Fluttershy’s eyes widened.

“I told her I would help her solve the labyrinth. Work of trickery if you ask me and...” Spike could have gone rambling on and on but Discord interrupted him, his eyes focused on what was around the dragon’s neck.

“What is that around your neck? Seems like a teary thing to me,” he tapped a bird claw on his chin, twirling another in his white beard.

“Oh this thing.... um.... I... uh... Generosity?” he stuttered.

“From?” Discord put his lion paw to his ear, as if listening closely. “Um..... A pony...” Spike stuttered.

"Which?” he continued, though he already knew the answer. It was amusing to him to watch the dragon make excuses, when he already knew the answer. Everyone in the labyrinth feared him, and so they should in his opinion.

“A mare... Shutterfly,” Spike quickly spoke.

“Shutterfly? That name sounds familiar yet distant too? I don’t know any Shutterfly, but I do know a Fluttershy,” he pointed an accusing bird finger to the necklace and a lion finger to Fluttershy.

Discord stood to his full height, almost menacingly to both the mare and the dragon. “Spike if I thought for even a nanosecond that you were betraying me, or going to betray me, I would, without hesitation or remorse, throw you headfirst, like a basketball, straight into the lands beyond the Everfree Forest,” he used his Chaotic magic to deepen his voice on Everfree Forest, like it was the worse thing imaginable.

“No please! Not beyond the Everfree Forest!” Spike got on his knees and pleaded.

“Oh yes. In fact I think I’d get Chimera on you first!” he used his cloven hoof leg to kick him backwards.

“And you...” his head turned to Fluttershy, making her back up a little. “Fluttershy,” he pointed again at the dragon who curled himself into a ball and covered his head and ears as if he was waiting for a terrible noise or a painful punishment.

“How do you enjoy the Labyrinth of Chaos?” he asked, tapping his lion fingers on the stone wall.

Fluttershy had no idea how to answer it. It was difficult, she would admit but she wondered if she should say it. She disliked that it kept changing and then there was a dark oubliette as Spike called it, a dungeon and Princess Celestia and Discord only knew what happened to the ponies and creatures who were trapped and there was no way out.

“Chaotic...” was all she said, turning her eyes to Spike. Mostly trying to avoid his gaze.

“That’s the idea my dear...” Discord let out hearty chuckles. “But why don’t we turn it up a notch? My ears were burning from words by Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, Tirek, and Iron Will that somebody also thinks its difficult,” he smirked again as her eyes widened. “How is this little number, for difficult?” he asked, another drop of chocolate milk appeared floating above his bird hand.

He twisted and turned his wrists and fingers and it shot into the hall. She heard a large thudding and pounding, and heard Discord’s maniacal laughter as he poofed away in a flurry of white. “Oh no... what did you do?” Spike leapt to his feet.

“What did I do? What is that?” Fluttershy backed up a bit.

“Manticore!” Spike shouted.

“What?!” Fluttershy asked, but a roar answered her instead, with a pair of red eyes staring at her from the dark shadows.

“Don’t ask just run!” Spike grabbed her hoof and started running, though she was flying next to him.

“Can’t I talk to it?” she asked, still flying as he was running. “No you can’t!” Spike shouted.

“That’s my talent!”

“Talent or no talent Blackthorn is the most feared thing in the entire labyrinth, right under Discord! She was made personally by his magic, and she gets more than just cranky when they’res strangers in her domain! Only thing she’s afraid of is Discord himself!” Spike kept running.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened in horror as she saw the door made of cage bars, and they were even bigger than her head for a moment when she saw the lock and the chains around the opening. “No!” Spike rattled with the chains.

“Can you use your fire?” she asked.

“No, they’re enchanted!” he slammed his head onto the lock.

Her eyes darted to the wall, it looked made of something other than stone. Paper thin wall. “Spike!” she began pushing on it, noticing how it was coming out of place.

The dragon joined her and after more roars from the Manticore they knocked the wall in just in time. Blackthorn kept going down the hallway and knocked the bar door down like it was nothing and kept going that way.

Spike was on his feet before Fluttershy was on her hooves. “Ah here’s what we need. A ladder. Follow me,” he gestured for her to follow with his hand.

“Why would I follow you now that I know you planned to take me back to the beginning of the labyrinth?” Fluttershy asked.

“I was not taking you back to the beginning of the labyrinth. I just needed an excuse to give. Let me tell you something, I am Spike. Baby Dragon. Coward, and Discord, never forget the Chaos King or Lord of Chaos, does not just scare me but gives me nightmares,” Spike stated climbing up the ladder.

“And let me ask you this...” he began again, still climbing. “What other choice have you got?” he asked.

“You’re right...” Fluttershy sighed, flying up to be next to him.

“What are you doing?” he questioned, not stopping.

“The ladder looks rickety,” she pointed out.

“You mind keeping that to yourself next time?” Spike shuddered.

“What I mean to say is what if you fall?” she asked.

“How is that helping?”

“I want to be able to catch you in case that happens,” she stated.

“Oh well then that’s...” Spike was at a loss for words. “Kind...” he mentally scolded himself. “Great...” he groaned.

“What?” she asked, curious.

“I’m turning into you,”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I can’t think about what I’m going to say. To you I say kind, to him you say Chaotic. Chaos is his main ordeal and Kindness is yours,”

“Oh...” Fluttershy giggled softly, though she was a bit embarrassed too.

“By the way I noticed something about him, and I plead to Princess Celestia that he is not listening right now,” Spike began again.

“What?” she questioned.

“The way his eyes were looking, not at me even though to me he looked like I was the pony pox or the blue disease,”

“What’s blue disease?”

“Ponies, or Discord most of all, will turn blue and have a sickening sneeze issue and can’t control there magic. And I hate it when he gets it because then he comes to me for help. Anyway when he was looking at you,” he continued.

“Like I was something he could easily throw out of the labyrinth and keep my brother Dapper Sunlight and turn him into a Changeling?” she asked.

“What? No... Wait your risking your very life for your brother?” Spike asked.

“Well yes... it was my fault he was taken by the Changelings in the first place and I have to get him back,” Fluttershy stated, hope and guilt in her voice.

“How was it your fault?” I said the line,” Purpose or accident?” Accident,” How do you say something like that on accident?” I was reading a book. Dapper was crying I tried reading it to him to calm him down and it worked. I set him into his crib and then he just started again. I was going to get him some milk and the moment I left the room he stopped crying,”

“Words of advice kids, ‘Reading is terrible. And it’s for eggheads,’” Spike sighed.

“Anyway in my opinion he was looking at you funny. And I don’t mean by throwing you out of the labyrinth and keeping your brother and turning him into a Changeling, it was like he was amused yet... Uh how do you explain this?” he questioned himself, gazing into space while climbing carefully and slowly.

“Like one of those faces you make when you’re say a school filly, or colt in his terms, and you’re looking at your crush. Him, colt, to a filly. You,” Spike shrugged.

The mare felt like her heart skipped a beat. “I doubt that...” she stated, confused as to why he would say that. I don’t just doubt that. I sincerely doubt that. She thought in her mind.

She lightly tapped her head on the ceiling. “Here we are, help me with this,” Spike began pushing on the ceiling. She did and it sounded like moving the top of a pot, slowly and it hurts ears. Sunlight showed as Spike crawled through the hole.

“Here we are then, you’re on your own from now on,” he jumped out.

“What?” Fluttershy asked, awestruck.

“That’s it, I quit,” he shrugged, looking around to see they were in another part with the maze but with green hedges instead of sandy stone walls.

“Wait a minute! Spike!” Fluttershy’s eyes were wide as she flew out of the pot.

“I said I would take you as far as I could, I made no promises,” she knew that but that had been only a little bit ago, a very little bit at that.

“You cheat!” she accused.

“Now don’t try to embarrass me...” Spike waved his hand in a goodbye. “I have no regrets....” he shrugged.

“Oh really?” Fluttershy asked. “And here I thought you were my friend,” she sat on the cobblestone ground, noticing him stop in his tracks.

“You thought I was your what?” he asked.

“I thought you were my...” her gaze turned to the unicorn stallion that was slowly walking to the stone throne in the center of where they were standing. His coat was gray, like a pale winter sky, with yellow eyes like Discord’s whites in his eyes. His mane was white, he wore a blue cape and wizard’s hat that had stars and patterns like constellations on them. And on his hat were bells.

As he sat Fluttershy and Spike both approached him. “Excuse me?” Fluttershy asked. She noticed his white long beard as he looked up to her.

“Oh a young mare,” he dipped his head in greeting.

“Wow someone came into this dump?” a high pitched male voice asked. Fluttershy looked to his head and saw a Griffon, about the age of a filly like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, sitting there. His earthly green eyes were unamused as his small black wings were spread out.

“And who is this?” he asked, his gaze moving to Spike.

“My friend,” she answered.

“Do you know the way to the castle in the center of the labyrinth?” Fluttershy asked.

“You want to get to the castle?” the stallion asked, his yellow orbs curious.

“How’s that for brain power?” the Griffin asked.

“Be quiet!” the stallion scolded.

“Ah nuts...” the Griffin shook his head.

“Sometimes when it seems like your not getting anywhere you are...” the stallion stated.

“We are...” the Griffin spoke.

“We are...” the stallion glowered at the baby.

“I’m certainly not getting anywhere at the moment,” the mare sighed.

“Ha! Join the club!” the Griffin snorted, pointing with a golden bird claw to the stallion.

He was asleep. Asleep and snoring. “And uh... Leave a small deposit,” he pointed to the small box with a small square hole in the center of it.

“Don’t expect to get anything. You didn’t even help at all,” Spike folded his arms, glowering as the Griffin returned it.

“I can spare this,” Fluttershy put a small turquoise jewel in the box. Spike’s eyes widened in both shock and tints of hunger.

“Gracias Senorita,” the Griffin waved, a smile on his beak.

“Ugh, you didn’t have to give him that. He didn’t tell you anything,” Spike scowled as the duo walked away.

“Well well, there’s a couple of suckers,” the Griffin yawned bored. “Ugh it is so frustrating being stuck with you,” he shook his head at his snoring owner.

“Why did you say that?” Spike asked as they walked corner around corner of hedges.

“What?” she asked, not stopping or looking back.

“About me being your friend?”

“Because you are Spike. Though you may not be much of one, and I don’t know whether you were telling the truth or not, your the only friend I have in this labyrinth,” Fluttershy answered.

“Oh... I like that... Friend. I’ve never really had a friend before,” he smiled softly.

The duo turned another corner and a loud barking and roaring was heard. “Gah goodbye!” Spike turned tail and started running.

“Wait a minute!” Fluttershy stopped him with a hoof on his shoulder.

“I said it before I’ll say it again. I have no regrets!” the roaring continued.

“Are you my friend or not?!” Fluttershy asked as he freed his arm.

“No, no I’m not! I look after myself just like everybody! Spike is Spike’s one and only friend!” he took off running.

“Spike!” she shouted as he left.

“It could be anything. Good or bad... Like the worm said... I can’t take anything for granted,” she began walking to the roaring, though inside she was petrified. She turned another corner, feeling as though it was the thousandth or the millionth, and saw a two headed creature hanging from a tree as four Changelings were attacking it.

They were holding sticks that had pink hairless and wrinkly creatures with large sharp teeth, the creatures were biting into the creature and that was what was making it roar and growl. Double time. “Orthoros,” Fluttershy’s eyes widened, though out of both fear and curiosity at the same time.

“Oh I wish I had something...” she watched in unhappiness as they continued poking the two headed beast and the creatures kept biting it. It began roaring out, the smaller head joined it. Something cold touched Fluttershy’s hind hoof.

Turning her head back she saw it was a rock. She picked it up with her hooves and aimed towards one of the Changelings. “Sorry...” she muttered throwing it.

She hit him in the head, banging against his helmet. It spoke in a foreign language she did not understand and began twisting and turning all around and accidentally used its creature to bite another. “Hey! Who bit me! Why you bite me! Who bite me!” the bitten Changeling growled out.

She threw the one that appeared after the first one. She hit the other and after a few more bites and helmet clanks one shouted out retreat and they all took off.

Fluttershy walked to the Orthoros and saw that it was uncomfortable. The blood probably rushing to its head. Both snarled at her and she put her hooves up in surrender, flying as her gaze shifted between the rope around its foot and the two heads. “Shh, it’s okay. I’m just trying to help you,” Fluttershy soothed, making them stop and stare at her.

“Don’t you want down?” she asked.

“Dolu and Ulod. Down...” they both said.

“Dolu? Ulod? That’s your names?” she asked, they nodded as best they could. “Put your front feet down so you can land on them instead of your heads and I’ll get the rope,” she ordered and they obeyed to her.

She undid the rope and almost gracefully they landed on all four feet. “Dolu? Ulod? Are you okay?” she asked as she flew to them.

“Friend...” the pointy eared dog head smiled, wagging their tail.

“That’s right. I’m Fluttershy,” she smiled softly.

“Fluttershy... Fluttershy friend,” the floppy eared one gave her a slobber filled lick on the cheek.

“Which of you is Dolu and which is Ulod?” she asked.

“I’m Dolu,” the pointy eared smiled.

“I’m Ulod,” the floppy eared said.

“I want to ask you something? Two things actually,” Fluttershy thought about her situation, or plural if you added the dragon.

“What?” they both said in unison.

“I have to get to the center of the labyrinth, do you, either of you, know the way?” she asked.

“Um... No...” Ulod shook his head.

“Dolu don’t know,” Dolu stated sadly.

“You don’t know either huh?” Fluttershy sighed.

“No,” they shook their heads.

“Does anyone?” she asked to herself.

“You ask two things?” Ulod asked.

“We’re friends right?” she asked.

“Fluttershy friend with Dolu and Ulod!” they both barked happily, wagging their tail back and forth giving her slobbery licks on the face.

“We’re friends,” Fluttershy hugged the large Orthoros. She made another friend, there was no question, and yet the other remains a mystery. Another mystery to be solved is there, but for that mare BEWARE it may be a bit of a SCARE. A Chaotic scare at that................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Chaos and Kindness... Wait what?

CHAPTER FOUR: Chaos and Kindness... Wait what?

Discord felt bored and quite frankly irritated. It had happened again, and yet that wasn’t the worst of it. The worst part was that the dragon, Spyro or Spike whichever it was, had seen him looking at the mare. At Fluttershy. He felt flustered but more irritated.

He remembered back on the tree, he had seen her being gentle and soothing with her brother who wouldn’t stop crying. Though he smirked when she finally remembered the line to the book and wished him away. What irritated him was the child’s nonstop crying. Granted he stopped during their little music session, but that hadn’t kept him from continuing it after that.

“Sir, that pony has separated from the dragon,” one of the Changelings, a male one, spoke bowing his head.

“And?” he asked, focusing more on the pony.

“She’s found an Orthoros, she’s at the two doors. Last time she went through that she went through the wrong door. What if she goes through the right one? She’ll end up just outside the castle!” the Changeling questioned.

“We’ll cross that road when we come to it,” Discord shrugged, tapping his bird claw on his cheek. More idiots. I thought Changelings would be wiser than the Diamond Dogs. Clearly not. He mentally rolled his cinnamon eyes.

The King of Chaos thought about the mare the first time he saw her, well face to face anyway. She had been frightened yet she stood her ground. He couldn’t care less about the child, Dapper Sunlight, it was mostly about her. He felt his mind boggle and distance itself when he thought about her. He resented it but at the same time it felt right to him. It didn’t make any sense at all.

Great, now I’m going against my own words. He shook his head. “So that’s a no then?” a voice snapped him out of his train of thought. When he came back into reality it felt like he’d been hit and run over by a train.

“I beg your pardon?” he asked, his misshapen eyes darting to the creature in front of him. “Oh great...” he muttered. The creature in front of him ceased to be a dragon, it wasn’t a Changeling, it wasn’t a Diamond dog, not even a pony. But a Zebra.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“I believe within your thoughts you ignore me, and although I do not know what you think I still see,” she smirked, her dark teal eyes shining with amusement.

“Oh and what is it you see?” Discord rolled his eyes for what felt like the thousandth time that day.

“You looking like a colt looking at a filly, even the slightest crush can make the great Chaos King silly,” she chuckled.

Her words made his heart skip a beat. “I have no idea what you speak of,” he spoke quickly. To quickly.

“You deny the feeling, even though the very thought of her blasts through the ceiling,” she looked to the stone ceiling.

He felt embarrassed now. He cast a spell on every Diamond dog, Changeling, and just about every other creature he could think of. To bad he forgot Zebras. “The mare is rather exquisite and unique in looks and beauty, and I can tell you think of her more than just a cutie,” she came her traditional smirk.

“Setting your ridiculous rhymes aside, what were you talking about? Me saying no to what now?” he asked, wishing to talk of anything else.

“Does not matter, I can tell you are trying to change the course of our conversation with mere chatter,” she narrowed her eyes, sitting in front of his large throne.

“I still don’t know what you were talking about. But what were you talking about before, when I was... Deep into thought,” he pressed.

“If that is what you desire, but with me you cannot be a liar,” she shrugged. “What I was speaking of before, was how the spell has shaken you to your very core,” she spoke, looking him.

“Will you stop with the rhymes. I--” he was awestruck for a moment, it prevented him from saying the rest of his sentence.

He stared at her in astonishment. A frown on his lips and a surprised look in his eyes. She looked at him blankly like she expected him to know about it, and as though he was meant to confess to something. “Spell?” he questioned, narrowing his eyes at her.

“The spell had cast itself upon you, do not think that I or another had something to do with it yet my words are very true,” Zecora spoke with a small shrug of her shoulders.

“What spell? Woman did you do something to me?!” he stared at her, if looks could kill Zecora the Zebra would be dead.

“I may perform a certain kind of spell, I have rituals and traditions, but I have done nothing to with your heart as it may swell, do not look at me with such suspicions,” she said, her eyes looking at him as innocent as a newborn.

“Well then what spell, clearly not by you by all means, happened and affected me?” he questioned, sarcasm on his tongue.

She looked at him as though he was a a King’s Fool instead of a King. “You cease to know the truth when it is before you, the mare of cotton candy hair, teal eyes like the stormiest ocean, coat of creamy buttermilk, for what lies between you two is ever so true?” she tilted her head to the side as she spoke.

“I--” he was interrupted by the Zebra.

“I will take no more of your lies, you cannot hide it from me, I can see that your eyes show your happiness and show endless skies,” she sighed softly with a shake of her head.

“What does that last sentence mean? Even though all of your words are pointed to an nonexistent thing,” he placed his head in his bird hand, resting his elbow on the arm of the throne.

“When you think of that mare you find peace and happiness, as you no longer feel sadness, and you leave your Chaotic madness,” she stated, looking at him through unamused eyes.

“Are you saying I’m--” once again he was interrupted.

“She flies with grace for she and her heart are as gentle as a dove, and you King Discord of Chaos are in love,” she smiled, a gleam in her dark orbs.

Discord was stumped. Unsure of what to do, feel, or say. He thought about it. He would deny it to the witch for as long as he would be alive, and that would be eternity so he was good. Her not so much. Eventually her time would come and he wouldn’t have to deal with somebody giving him wild accusations. “I do not lie, I am Discord Master and King of Chaos, I am not in love and this is not something I just deny,” he smirked as she glared at him.

“What can’t a guy speak in rhymes? And do not accuse me for something I did not do, I have committed no crimes,” his smirk stayed as she shook her head irritably.

“I can read you as easily as a book, you have a thing for that mare it may not be love now but it will easily turn to that, I can tell by your face and that look,” she walked to his throne.

“I am Discord, Master and King of Chaos. I do not love. I rule and conquer, rule, and conquer some more. I love no pony, and besides she is mere amusement to me. Trying to hard to save her little brother who she wished away by herself. I did not make her do it, she did it on her own accident or no accident. She was given thirteen hours in the beginning, now she’s left with eight,” he looked at the large grandfather clock.

Zecora merely stared at him. “What?” he groaned.

“Deny it all you like, despite how you think of the mare, but the truth will come even if the truth is something you dislike. Though I doubt it will be something you despise, but do me a small favor; When the time comes to not ignore Fluttershy’s cries,” she turned around and began walking to the large mahogany wooden doors that would lead into the large maze of hallways and eventually find her way out of the castle, into and out of the Chaos City.

“Wait what cries?” he asked, though she did not answer.

“CMC,” she murmured softly, he barely caught her words.

“CMC?” he questioned, but the Zebra was already gone.

He used his magic to hear what was going on in the labyrinth, mostly where the mare was. He saw that she was giving the giant Orthoros, Dolu and Ulod, a hug, belly scratch, chin scratch, and both heads were saying the words ‘Fluttershy’ and ‘Friend’ it confused him. That Zebra is full of lies... I am Discord, Master and King of Chaos, I rule and creature havoc only. He shook his head. Though the thought of the mare had not left his mind.

For quite a while now it had been there, it had been frustrating and now because both Spike had seen his staring and Zecora knew he had no idea what to say or do. “That mere mare is no match for me...” he muttered under his breath.

“Mare?” a voice startled him.

“Again? You know how to surprise ponies and creatures don’t you?” he growled to the Zebra. “What do you want now?” he asked. “And don’t tell me that its about your wild accusations of nothing,” he pointed an accusing lion finger at her.

“I merely came to get my bag, sorry if this is a bit of a nag,” Zecora picked her brown bag up in her teeth and slung it on her back.

“Wait before you go again what did you mean cries?” he stopped her as she turned around.

“So someone does listen to the warnings of a friend, for a moment I truly believed you would ignore her and the mare would meet her end,” she stared at him.

“What did you mean!?” he growled at her.

“I mean when the time comes hope you are listening in to her. Give help when it is a need, do not ignore when the mare will plead,” Zecora rhymed.

Stupid rhymes... Can’t just tell me what the problem is. he listened in again with his magic, Fluttershy was still talking with the Orthoros. Nobody’s crying, verbally or like the brat usually does. What’s the the problem... He noticed the zebra was still looking at him.

“What?” he questioned.

“A mare gentle as the dove, will make the Chaos King fall in love. It is strange though, Chaos and Kindness, and yet it is a spark that will certainly glow,” she smirked, walking out of the doors before he could say or do anything. Discord swore he heard her say 'Chaos and Kindness’ once more.

“She gets on my nerves to much...” he growled under his breath. “But then again don’t they all?” he asked himself, shaking his head.

He sat back in his throne, remembering all the times they encountered each other. In the room when she wished away her brother and in the dungeon or oubliette of the Diamond Dogs. He knew they would meet again, it was frustrating especially with what was happening, but it would be required. He doubted she would get to the castle and her brother before her thirteen hours were up but it was still a chance. She was closer than she thought.

Discord thought about what Zecora had said. Though he despised that she seemed to know a lot, way to much in his opinion, she was right about something even though he would deny it until he was turned to stone for a thousand years and even after that. “Chaos and Kindness...” he mumbled.

He doubted those two things would come together. Kindness was an element of harmony and Chaos was the exact opposite of harmony. “Chaos and Kindness,” he murmured again.

Looking to the ceiling he saw that it was like a portrait. Made by him. It was the mare indeed, he hated the fact that Zecora had seen it and it wouldn’t even matter if he cast a spell on her. She’d seen it and that was probably another reason as to why she knew, or the only reason at all, whichever it was it allowed her to know. What Fluttershy had quoted from the book had been very true. The part with the King who was sympathetic with the mare, though it wasn’t exactly sympathy he had in his mind.

He snapped his fingers and a glass of chocolate milk appeared in his hand and a new portrait appeared next to the first one. “Rover!” he called to the Diamond dog.

“Yes sire?” he asked, Spot behind him.

I did not ask for Spot. Oh well. He thought. “Send word to the guards, in case the mare does show up she will need to be stopped, and keep an eye out for the dragon as well,” he ordered.

“Yes sire,” both dogs bowed before scampering off.

“She will be in for quite a surprise that mare, such a beautiful one she is, and she is one of those who forever remain rare,” he muttered, though he smirked at the thought. He knew Zecora would either scowl or mock. He preferred to think of it as a scowl.

“Sire!” a Changeling appeared in the room.

“What now?” he asked, not wanting to hear any more stupid questions.

“You have a letter, from Zecora,” he handed him a scroll.

Discord took it in his hands. “Very funny for you to say, you have listened while my friend, though I warn you if you do that again you will indeed pay,” he read aloud. “Annoying striped pony,” he scowled, turning the scroll into dust.

“Sire you have another letter from Zecora!” Fido handed him another letter. He took it and read it just like the first.

“I warn you, you spoiled brat, my ears are stronger than you think and that is how I heard that.”

He glared at the paper and turned that one to flames. “Get out of my sight,” he ordered both the dog and the Changeling. They flew and ran out of the throne room. “Chaos and Kindness... Chaos and Kindness...” he kept repeating as he sat back into his chair. “Chaos and Kindness....” he repeated once more.

“Wait what?” he questioned himself. “Zecora....” he growled.

“Sire!” Rover came in holding a scroll.

“If it’s from Zecora I do not care!” he growled to the dog.

“Eh... what do you want done with it?” the dog questioned, green eyes wide.

“Put the scroll down and get out of my sight,” he ordered.

The dark grayish brown dog left and he opened the letter. “Not to brag but I told you so, now you must figure out your issue and go,” the letter read. Like the last one he turned it to flames. Stupid annoying zebra... He shook his head. Chaos and Kindness. An unlikely combination, yet it can make an interesting creation..................................................................................................................................................

CMC

CHAPTER FIVE: CMC

“Hey,” Fluttershy’s eyes went to the what seemed to just appear before her very sight. “Where did they come from?” she asked. Did not matter who answered, it was mostly rhetorical. She knew that things kept changing, it was by Discord’s Chaotic magic. It was interesting to her how one pony, or in his term ‘Creature,’ could harness such a power.

Dolu and Ulod reluctantly got up and looked to the wall, their slobber dripping slightly. Both doors were made of what looked like mahogany but they looked old and slightly run down, it was strange.

There were no knobs or handles, only what looked like luxury knockers. They were heads though, of ponies. Both Stallions. The one on the right had a blue and slightly spiky mane with blue eyes and orange fur, and on each side of his head were a pair of wings that seemed to be the natural size for a Pegasus Pony, or a Pegasus Stallion. Above his head was a helmet like the ones the Royal Guards of Canterlot would naturally where. The left one had white fur and a long light blue and dark blue streaked mane with blue eyes as well. Though instead of having wings on each side of his head he had a horn. He was a Unicorn. But just like the Pegasus Stallion he had a Royal Guard helmet above his head.

“Which door? Last time didn’t go to well,” Fluttershy mumbled silently, remembering how Discord had said Chrysalis, Sombra, Iron Will, and Tirek had given her away. She noticed the Unicorn Stallion had a ring in his ears, like that was a knocker, and the Pegasus had it in his mouth, his own.

“It’s rude to stare,” the Unicorn stated, his eyes shooting blue daggers.

“I’m sorry I was wondering which to choose,” she apologized, her teal eyes apologetic.

“What?” he asked.

“I said sorry and which should I choose?” she repeated.

“I can’t hear you, stupid ring in the ears,” the Unicorn angrily grumbled. The Pegasus spoke up, though his words were muffled by the ring in his mouth Fluttershy could still understand,

“It’s no good asking Shining Armor, like he said he can’t hear.”

The Unicorn, Shining Armor, glowered at the Pegasus.

“Flash Sentry do not talk with your mouth full,” he scolded. The Pegasus, Flash Sentry, glared at Shining Armor and spoke again through muffled words,

“I am not talking with my mouth full it’s the stupid ring. We both know it’s Discord’s fault!”

“No good fly-boy, can’t hear,” Shining Armor sniffed.

“Hold on,” Fluttershy lightly gripped the ring in Flash’s mouth, pulling it out carefully so she would not harm him.

“Ah! Finally!” he stretched his mouth at different angles. “Thank you! I hate that thing. Tastes like bitter salt and steel, that’s an unpleasant taste,” he grumbled angrily.

Without thinking she handed the ring to the Orthoros that stood behind her. “Where do the doors lead?” she asked.

“Huh?” Shining Armor asked.

“I don’t know, Discord just put us here to work as knockers. I hate this job. It’s worse than being under Captain Shining Armor’s Royal Guard,” if he could Flash would be shrugging, Fluttershy could tell.

“Mumble, mumble, mumble, such a wonderful conversationalist,” Shining Armor retorted with a roll of his eyes.

“You can’t talk! You can’t even hear! You should think about what other ponies have said behind your back!” Flash snapped.

“No good, can’t hear,” Shining Armor stretched what little bit of neck he had.

“So you don’t know? Do you know if either door leads to the castle? And which one?” she questioned.

“One door does, I know that much,” Flash stated. “Don’t know why you’d want to go there, it’s worse at the castle than it is here. Discord’s trouble without a doubt. Took his wife, Princess Cadence. And my fiancee, Twi---” Flash got cut off by Shining Armor.

“I told you to stay away from my sister!” he scowled.

“Not my fault Cadence arranged for me to be Twilight Sparkle’s Royal Guard Captain of the Pegasi,” Flash would be shrugging, again.

“Cadence would never!” Shining Armor spat.

“She did! Celestia and Luna agreed! Don’t get all Judge Shining Armor on me now,” Flash countered, rolling his eyes, Fluttershy could tell he was holding back a smirk.

“How do I open the door?” Fluttershy asked.

“Knock and the door will open, that’s pretty simple. No offense,” Shining Armor said. Fluttershy turned around to get Flash’s ring back, smiling softly as the sight before her was amusing.

Dulo and Ulod had the ring in their mouths. Slobber dripping. “Dulo, Ulod,” she smiled, slowly and carefully taking it out.

“Get that thing away from me!” Flash sealed his mouth shut.

“I want to knock,” Fluttershy pressed, holding to him.

“Mm-mm,” he said though tightly closed lips.

“Do it, do it, do it!” Shining Armor pleaded, his voice sounding desperate and yet his eyes, his smirk, and his edgy laughter were an instant giveaway.

Flash spoke through a closed mouth. “Either boil that thing in hot water and dry it off or get it away completely, that is not going in my mouth.” It was a firm say, she could tell.

“Would you prefer to hear?” she asked Shining Armor.

“Well yeah,” he rolled his eyes like it was the most obvious answer.

“Do you want to talk even though I think you two might chat and fight more?” she asked Flash.

“Mm,” he stated, lips still sealed.

“Okay,” she shrugged placing it behind his neck instead of in his mouth.

“Oh gross, it’s in my coat and its touching my skin,” he complained, shuddering, words clear now.

“Should’ve put it in his mouth, fly-boy needs to learn to be a man,” Shining Armor stated with a smug look in his eyes though his lips were still formed in a smirk. Fluttershy pulled the ring out of his ears.

“Finally able to hear again, not reading lips. Though his voice will get more than annoying, especially with the complaining,” Shining Armor thanked while complaining.

She pressed the ends together and it formed into a ring, she placed it behind his neck like Flash’s. “Do you know which door leads to the castle?” she asked Shining Armor.

“Afraid not, sorry,” he apologized.

“Oh...” Fluttershy sighed.

Fluttershy went back to Flash’s door and knocked on it three times. The door opened. “Sorry about the slobber,” she apologized.

“That’s fine I’m used to it,” he said.

She noticed the door she walked in was covered in forest and life of evergreen, plant life, but it was slightly dark and mysterious. Like a dark forest. Unsettling, bone chilling, and even able to make her skin crawl.

As Ulod and Dolu followed her in the door shut behind them. She paid no attention as she followed the dirt path. “Dolu scared,” Dolu whimpered, Ulod agreeing with him.

“Give me your paw,” Fluttershy said sympathetically. She took the front paw in her hoof and flew slowly in front of the Orthoros. “Surprising for an Orthoros as big as you to be scared,” she gave them a soft smile, it helped soothe their nerves but only slightly.

“Yeah,” Ulod mumbled. Then again in a place like this I don’t necessarily blame them. Back in the tunnels or Dog caves Spike said he hoped to Celestia Discord wasn’t listening. Is he listening now? Her mind boggled at the thought.

Was he watching her? Is he waiting for me to surrender or fail? Or both? She thought in her mind. The Orthoros heads were still whimpering in fear. “It’s okay Ulod, Dolu, there is nothing to be afraid of,” as she let go and slightly flew ahead of them she wondered who she was convincing; the Orthoros or herself.

She heard a gasp, two gasps, and heard the wind swoosh from behind her. She turned around, still flying, and saw that the Orthoros had disappeared. “Dolu?” she questioned. “Ulod?” she called out. She knew they were connected but perhaps only one could hear. “Dolu? Ulod? Where are you?” she called out, though her voice sounded like a whisper call.

Spike was walking past the maze of hedges, he was thankful that Discord had shown him the way out when he was first given his job at getting rid of Breezies, guarding the door, and leading anybody who was foolish enough to enter the labyrinth, starting with Fluttershy, down the wrong path where they would never get out or get them out of the labyrinth and away from the Castle of Chaos. The unicorn they encountered had been Starswirl the Bearded, he remembered Discord telling him how the Unicorn had challenged him decades ago and still hadn’t found the way out.

“Get through the labyrinth, get through the labyrinth, Fluttershy will never get out of the labyrinth,” he hmphed as he continued back to the entrance of the labyrinth. “Dolu! Ulod!” Fluttershy called out for what felt like the thousandth time. “SPIKE!?” she cried out. He heard his name being called, by Fluttershy, by his friend. He quickly turned around to find out what mess she’d gotten into now but stopped as soon as he did. He was looking at the misshapen cinnamon red eyes he’d grown to recognize instantly.

Fear spread through the young dragon he felt like he would pass out. “Well if it isn’t Spyro,” Discord clapped his lion paw and bird hand in a mocking gesture. “Spike,” he corrected. “Spike the way you turned around like that when the filly called your name seemed like you were going to help her. Am I wrong?” he questioned, his gaze burning into Spike’s reptilian skin like fire.

“Helping? Like I said before your majesty I’m leading her back to the beginning like we originally planned. Isn’t that what you want?” Spike put on his best smile, though it was utterly nervous and completely fake and forced.

“Actually Spike, I had another plan in mind. She’s been traveling for oh so long, so many hours wasted away. She’ll be growing rather hungry by now won’t she? And wouldn’t you, her friend, be honored to give her something?” Discord’s toothy smirk was downright creepy and unsettling to the dragon.

“I don’t exactly want to harm her, she’s done nothing wrong to me,” Spike spoke as bravely as he could.

Discord looked surprised at the dragon’s words. “You really think I’d harm her? I am Discord Master and Lord of Chaos, King of the Chaos City. I may look evil, I may be evil, but there is one little piece, a very little piece, that prevents me from hurting the filly, calm yourself Spyro,” he snorted, his face turning back to calm. And yet his eyes looked unsettled and quite upset by the dragon’s words.

“Here, I have a small present for the mare,” something red and shiny appeared in his hand. He tossed it to Spike and once he caught it he saw that it was an apple.

“What is it? No, what’s in it?” he questioned, narrowing his eyes.

“Ever read Snow White and the Seven Breezies?” Discord asked.

“No,” Spike spoke truthfully.

“Idiots all of you. I swear,” Discord sighed with annoyance in his voice, shaking his head.

“The Princess, Snow White, bites into the apple and falls into a deep slumber because the apple had been poisoned by her wicked stepmother even though the queen, who passes into the next world later because of falling from a cliff, and the Breezies and even the prince think she’s dead the apple just put her to sleep. Not dead, but you get it,” Discord explained.

“It won’t hurt her will it?” Spike questioned.

“What part of sleep, can you not get through that oversized and thick skull of yours? And I don’t mean eternal sleep, just a temporary sleep. Seven more hours per say,” Discord shrugged.

“Okay fine...” Spike sighed in defeat.

“You know what bothered me most about that book?” Discord asked.

“What?” Spike rhetorically responded.

“If they thought she was dead, why did they let the Prince kiss her? If she had been dead it would have been a living guy kissing a dead girl,” Discord fake shuddered, using his magic to create a gagging and puking sound effect.

Spike wanted badly to question what was so important about the mare, and why Discord too looked pained to be giving her the apple, but he held his tongue. “Oh and if she ever, and I mean ever, kisses you. Head or cheek, you’ll get to become a Prince yourself,” Discord smirked as he stopped walking away. “Prince of the Land beyond the Everfree forest,” he chuckled walking away.

Beyond the Everfree forest was not a pleasant place. It was actually inside the labyrinth, like a second basement even though it was not underground. “What if... Oh no...” Spike’s mind whirled as the worst thought imaginable went into his head.

“She’s in the Land beyond the Everfree Forest,” he took off running, placing the apple in his other bag, next to the gem one.

Fluttershy’s ears twitched as she heard a tapping noise repeating itself. “Hello?” she spoke barely above a whisper. A maniacal laughter, similar to the Changeling’s, came from in front of her. A large creature with a tiger’s head and body but also with a goat’s head and a snake for a tail appeared in front of her laughing like a psycho from the horror movies. Behind her appeared a Ursa Major and next to the Ursa Major appeared Cragadile.

She felt to stunned to move, she had been wrong. Very, very wrong. Her eyes were wide in horror as the color from her drained to her hooves and actually into a puddle of buttermilk and pink paint. She was completely gray except for her eyes and her three butterflies cutie mark. She’d been to far placed into fear to even scream.

The Chimera, Ursa Major, and Cragadile all stared at her as though they were waiting for her to do something. With what seemed to be annoyance the Ursa Major let out a loud thundering roar that could probably be heard throughout the entire labyrinth, it was worse than the Manticore Blackthorn’s.

Discord was sitting in his throne quietly drinking a glass of chocolate milk, again, it seemed to be the thousandth one but he hardly seemed to care. He felt nerves wrecking inside, his stomach churning. He’d never felt this way before and it infuriated him as much as it confused him.

He blamed Zecora for it most of all. She said she hadn’t cast any spell and yet there was one, and he resented it. He still had ceased to get a straight answer out of her when she told him to not ignore the cries of the Pegasus. His bird hand twitched and shook violently, spilling drips of chocolate milk in the process.

I am not in love. I have never been and never will be. That striped Witch cast a spell unto me. She will reverse it whether she likes it or not, but why would she do that in the first place? He growled irritably at his unanswered questions.

Pressing the still shaking cup to his lips he began drinking the cup instead of the chocolate milk until he heard a bloodcurdling and ear piercing scream, or cry whichever would work.

Immediately he spit the cup out and the chocolate fell to the ground with a crash. “Sire! We may be under attack!” Rover, Spot, and Fido all dashed to hide behind his throne, covering their heads with their large paws even digging their small black claws into tufts of fur.

“Attack? Who screamed?” he immediately questioned, not caring about the spilled milk and broken glass.

“I don’t know! Changelings flying to their homes! Other dogs doing the same except running!” Rover shuddered.

“It was like nails on a chalkboard. Who cried like that?” Fido whimpered.

“Whoever it was does not matter, something says it is from the Land beyond the Everfree Forest! Those cries should not be ignored!” Spot growled out, still shaking.

Discord stopped in his tracks, time seemed to slow down. Spot had not been the first creature who say cries should not be ignored, and if Discord’s theory was correct then he immediately knew who it was. “Is this my punishment just for being the Master of Chaos?” he murmured, using his magic to see where the scream originated from.

Spot had been right. It did come from beyond the Everfree Forest, and he too was right. A Chimera, a Cragadile, and a Ursa Major had cornered the mare. The strangest thing was that she was completely gray, except for the teal eyes and the three pink butterflies for her cutie mark, and she was standing in a puddle of what looked like paint. Except the paint was cream and cotton candy pink colored. Has Chaos affected the pony so much that her colors literally drain from her? Naturally he would laugh at something like that, he would laugh at any-pony who that had happened to, but Fluttershy for the strangest of reasons was no ordinary pony.

He could see they were closing in on her, they were the predators and she was the prey, and the mare was to scared, or more like petrified, to even move an inch. “Rover, Spot, Fido, we’re not under attack,” he quickly spoke. “Tell everyone that everything will be fine, and I will handle this,” he rolled his sleeves up.

“Uh sire we thank you for telling us we are not under attack but uh...” Rover trailed off.

“When you say you will handle it that usually makes things worse,” Spot finished for him, then hid under Fido.

Discord shot cinnamon red daggers at the trio. “I will deal with you three later,” he hissed out the word later, exactly like a snake would do. He snapped his fingers and in a poof of starry white he appeared beyond the Everfree Forest, yet somehow still in the labyrinth. I love Chaos. He mentally sighed.

He heard another scream, or what sounded like a pleading for help. “I also hate Zecora,” he mumbled. Within a moments notice a small white envelope with small white wings on the ends on the top. Reluctant he opened it. “I hate you too, now go help the mare you!” he read aloud. Burning the letter yet letting the wings flutter away he crept into the shadows, hidden from sights and yet no matter how badly he wanted to he could not close his eyes or look away for the sight that lay before him.

Fluttershy wished she had the strength to move. She doubted she would be able to outrun a Chimera, Ursa Major, and Cragadile if it was only one of them, and since it was three her chances were even lower than before. She could fly but not very high, that was bad, very bad. The Ursa Major let out another thunderous roar and that did seem to snap the mare into her thoughts, though she was to scared to move at all.

The color had returned to her and she no longer looked like a black and white movie. But she did not run nor fly, not even scream again, she curled herself into a ball, covered her hooves over her head and covered her hooves with her wings like she had done when she first met Discord face to face. She could tell the Ursa Major would be the first to strike, she could see the faint outline of its massive paw rising up in a striking notion.

She sealed her eyes shut and prepared for the worst, but it did not come. Instead she heard a surprised roar and then a rather loud thudding and she even felt the earth literally shift, when the thud happened she was lifted from the ground herself only to be dropped right back on it. The sound of pained yowls and roars echoed in her ears, she shook with fear. Chattering more than a beaver. At this point of time she wished her animals, Angel most of all, were with her. Though they’d be in danger too.

Fluttershy felt the ground vibrate around her as she heard trampling and running, running away. She saw that her savior was standing above her. Without thinking, not caring who it was, she flew into the savior wrapping her arms around him or her and holding tightly. “This is nice but you’re crushing my spine,” a voice, a male voice, said sounding strained.

She felt her heart skip a beat, again.

“Discord?” she opened her eye so she could see for herself.

It was him. Mixed animal parts with a pony head and all. “Did you expect Spyro?” he asked, sarcasm dripping on his tongue but there was something else. It was in his voice a bit, like he was using the sarcasm to hide it. Concern? She looked into his eyes and saw the same thing, it looked like concern to her.

“Um his name is Spike,” she corrected. “And um... Thank you...” she added, covering her eye with her wing again.

“You do realize I can easily take off your wing?” she could tell he was smirking.

“I have two,” she shrugged, though she had an idea of his retort or counter. “And I know you can take that off as well,” she spoke before he could.

He was silent, she was tempted to remove her wings but a thought struck her mind; What if that’s what he’s waiting for? What’s he doing here anyway? I thought he didn’t want me to get my brother back.

“Um if you don’t mind me asking... but why did you save me? I thought you didn’t want me to be here?” she questioned, still not moving her arms or wings. He remained silent. It unnerved her.

“I-I... um... Can’t a man play heroics? And besides, I may be the King of Chaos, why would I leave a mare to get harmed by a Ursa Major, Cragadile, and Chimera? I’m surprised Spike didn’t warn you about this place,” he answered, was that edginess she heard in his tone? She couldn’t tell.

“I didn’t know which door to choose. I guess once again I chose the wrong one,” Fluttershy sighed lightly. “First door I fell into an oubliette, second time I almost get attacked by a Chimera, Cragadile, and Ursa Major,” she finished.

She noticed he hadn’t spoken again. “You’re trembling, understandable but you realize they are gone?” he asked.

“Traumatic experience,” she spoke quickly.

“I think that before we had gotten off on the wrong hoof, I think-- Oh come on!” he groaned, and the mare had been certain she heard him slap one of his hands onto his head.

“What?” she asked, moving her wings and even her arms.

“Don’t look, I’m reading a letter,” he was holding a white envelope that had small white wings on the edges. “From who if you don’t mind?” she tilted her head slightly, her mane falling from her shoulder as a strand fell over her teal orbs.

“Hold on...” he said as he looked closely at the letter. He was mumbling the words, Fluttershy couldn’t hear them, “Help you gave and you did not miss, and now fulfill the story my hated friend and kiss.”

Fluttershy was confused by his wide eyes. As always the cinnamon parts were misshapen, the left larger than the right, but they both looked the same for the moment. Enlarged and both shocked and Fluttershy swore she saw embarrassment in their red depths. “Are you okay?” she asked flying up to where her head was the same height as his.

“Um, perfectly fine, just a small Chaos order. Running a kingdom, especially one of Chaos though I love it oh so, is no walk in the park or piece of cake,” he stuttered, hiding the letter behind his back. His actions caused her to widen her eyes in shock, then narrow them into suspicion filled eyes.

“You’re usually calm and collected, stoic and almost still as a stone back when we first met, what changed?” she closed one eye and opened the other wide and aimed it at him.

He seemed to choke on words. “I-I... Uh... Great Celestia this is awful...” he muttered, she still heard.

“What?” she dove behind him trying for the letter, he turned at the same moment.

“I don’t really think you’d be interested, you said the labyrinth was Chaotic. And I take it you don’t enjoy it very much,” he spoke to quickly as he flapped his blue wing and his bat wing to lift himself into the air.

“You’re talking quickly,” she studied him. She too was usually kind to pester but the look in his eyes and his stuttering and muttering made her question.

“Discord, whatever it is I want to know. You don’t like Chaos, you love it, and I doubt that you who pretty much owns it all would be so secretive?” she flew closer to him, he backed up.

“Can’t a man have secrets? Even Kings have some things that need to be kept away in containment and not shown to the entire world!” he called out as though someone, very far away, could hear him.

Another white envelope appeared, the one in his hand burned up by his magic but Fluttershy grabbed it before he could. “Hey! It’s Chaos Kingdom business,” she kept dodging him every time he flew or appeared in front of her. “My arms are longer and I’m the Lord of Chaos, what is going on here?” he questioned still advancing for the letter.

Fluttershy opened it and read it, in her mind and not aloud. I see nothing wrong with it, why over something so silly are you throwing a fit? It said, and after Sincerely it said Zecora. “What’s so silly?” she asked as he grabbed the letter.

“I just had a small thought on an improvement for my kingdom. I shared it with Zecora, I was concerned on how the citizens of the city would react to it,” he smiled, it was to nervous and forced in Fluttershy’s eyes.

“Why? You’re the King. The King does whatever he pleases, he doesn’t need the permission of his people,” she stared at him.

“Usually,” she added as he raised a finger and opened his mouth.

“Fine you caught me, I had something else in mind. Confusion and a lot of thinking, Zecora saw something she wasn’t supposed to and now she’s torturing me with it. I am still confused at this very moment,” he folded his arms across his chest irritated.

“Why won’t you tell me? What did I do? Please don’t bring up the incident with asking for the Changelings, it was an accident I swear,” her voice cracked. His ears twitched at the sound of it.

“Did I do something wrong? Do you dislike me?” she questioned.

“You did nothing wrong. Of course I don’t dislike you! Any-pony who does dislike you would be a complete idiot!” he softly grabbed her hooves with his hands.

“Then why won’t you tell me?”

“It’s embarrassing!” she swore she heard whining.

“Are you whining?” she asked.

“Maybe,” she had to hold back a fit of giggles at that one word.

“Please tell me? What am I going to do? Race around the entire labyrinth screaming at the top of my lungs the Chaos King’s big secret? What could possibly be so bad?” she asked, noticing that his hands hadn’t let go of her hooves.

A light bulb appeared above Discord’s head and antlers and sparked yellow. He grabbed it and threw it backwards, creating a small explosion. “Remember when you were in the oubliette? Spike grabbed the door and opened it the first time? Slammed it shut because a mare screamed? Disturbingly I know what was in there, thankfully it was not seen but still. He was blushed pinker than Pinkie Pie’s mane and tail, that may be what I do but my heart may stop. And I hate that little pest,” he growled under his breath.

“What did Spike do?” she remembered her conversation when he was climbing the ladder. It was ridiculous to her still but she still wanted to know what he was hiding from her.

“He knows more than he should, I think he knows my secret, and I question his loyalty to me,” he grumbled.

As soon as the words were out of his mouth Discord regretted them. “Where is Spike?” Fluttershy asked, her voice laced with innocence, even her eyes shone curiosity instead of the mischief hidden.

“Out,” Discord immediately said, knowing he was saying all the wrong things to get her to let the idea of him having a secret go and saying all the right things to make her more curious. And probably even get her to ask the dragon about it the next time she saw him. If she did.

“Why did you save me? I thank you but why?” she asked, their eyes making contact.

“That scream was heard all the way to the Chaos Castle, the three Diamond Dogs stormed into my throne room even though I’d heard it myself. Changelings and the other dogs, those three included, believed we were under attack. I wonder how Shining Armor, Flash, Chrysalis, Sombra, Iron Will, and Tirek reacted. My point being I wasn’t going to allow any-pony to be attacked by a cranky Ursa Major, Cragadile, and Chimera,” his answer was honesty.

Fluttershy didn’t know what to say. She wondered what to say. “Thank you,” she finally spoke, though it was more of a whisper, and she even hugged him. Not as tight as the first time but it was close.

She felt embarrassed slightly but she knew no other way to thank him. “Will I return to finding my way to solve the labyrinth? How many hours to I have left?” she asked hoping to cut out the awkward silence and moment.

“If that’s what you want. And I think...” he was counting with his fingers. “Still six hours,” he stated.

“Oh okay...” she sighed, she was running out of time but she still wanted her brother back. “So what is so silly that your friend, Zecora, was talking about in the letter?” she returned to the previous question. She felt him turn still as a stone. “Discord?” she questioned looking into his embarrassed eyes, and the sight of him made her surprised and confused.

His face was red as a rose or an red apple. “Embarrassing,” he muttered, yet she heard whining in it. Another letter appeared, and once again Fluttershy grabbed it before he could. Another letter appeared and Discord snatched that instead. He read it, in his head though; “Let her read the previous letter and also just so you know this one was a distraction, mostly because when she reads my previous letter I want to see your reaction.”

He grew irritated and he would make Zecora run for the hills the next time he saw her. “Stupid striped...” his ears twitched at the sound of a letter opening.

“For the love of the mare, Chaos May Care?” Fluttershy read it aloud.

“Chaos May Care?” Discord questioned, thinking. “CMC?” his mind boggled. And yet another letter. “Reading is fundamental, even if the mare reading that one is accidental,” he growled at the letter. “P.S. I will run for no hills, you do not give me the chills,” it finished.

“What does she mean Chaos May Care?” Fluttershy asked, looking back to him.

“Uhm,” Discord twittered his thumbs. Think of a good excuse you fool! He growled in his mind.

“Discord?” he noticed she tilted her head slightly, again, and a strand of her cotton candy colored hair fell unto her eyes. “Chaos May Care means, uhm, that means I will give you one helpful hint or bonus in your noble quest,” he poofed himself into a adventurer’s suit.

“Really?” she questioned.

“Would I lie? Go ahead and ask for a bonus, don’t be shy,” he smirked, looking at the sky. Nothing happened except for the mare thinking and a frown forming on his face. “Oh come on! Now you don’t send letters? You and I are going to have a long chat about that!” he pointed to the sky.

“Send me to just outside your throne room?” he saw the mare holding back a small smirky smile.

“Cute. Real cute,” he shook his head, a smirk on his own lips.

“Can you send me out of this place?” she asked.

“Of course, though I had the intention of doing that anyway, I’ll send you to the stone walls. They’re away from here but fairly--” he lifted his bird index finger. “A fair distance from the castle,” he finished.

“To the mare, that is fair,” she said softly.

“Did you just--? I don’t wanna know. I need a nice long chat with Zecora,” he raised his lion hand. “It’ll snap you to the walls,” Discord said, snapping his fingers.

The mare disappeared in a poof of white. Discord knew she was at the walls, he also knew that Spike would be giving her the apple rather shortly. Actually he wondered if he would, he also wondered if he really wanted him to give her the apple anymore.

He thought about how the mare first acted when she saw him for the first time, when the Changelings took her stepbrother. She had been afraid, but she hardly showed it. She had done it again back in the Caves of the Diamond Dogs. Once again, though she was probably scared enough to have a heart attack from the true enemies, she had been unafraid of him. And the very first time they had met she hadn’t even flinched when she saw his appearance. As though she hadn’t cared.

She was nice. Pleasant. Beautiful. He thought in his mind, a involuntary smile forming on his lips. He snapped back into reality upon realizing his thoughts. “Dear Celestia. Am I--?” he couldn’t bring himself to finish the question.

“In love with the gentle dove? Indeed,” Zecora’s voice echoed through the trees.

“I hate you...” he slumped his shoulders, narrowing his eyes.

“I hate you too, but you can feel the love I know you do,” she rhymed.

“You are the reason I hate rhymes, you’ve tortured me with them a thousand times,” he smirked as her voice was silent.

“Oh but Discord it felt so right, can’t you feel the love tonight?” he could tell by her voice she was smirking.

He slammed his head unto the first tree he came to. “The feeling is not something you can avert, and didn’t that hurt?” she questioned.

“I feel nothing,” he sighed.

“Except the feeling of the right, and the love tonight,” she was still smirking. “Do you really want the dragon to give her the sleep, after all if that happens you may weep,” she pressed.

“Wait sleep? I--” he questioned but his eyes widened when he remembered. “The apple...” he wondered if he should stop the dragon or not.

“Do not ignore the truth old friend, after all if that happens Fluttershy’s wounds will be something you cannot easily mend,” she warned. He felt unsure of what to do. Stop the dragon or let him go through with it.

“He may not be brave enough to do it,” he spoke with unease.

“Truly you can come up with a better excuse? The dragon is afraid of you, and yet he still wonders who. Do you truly wish for her to fall into a slumber so her final six hours will be wasted away, for something you do not really want all to test if the dragon will betray?” she questioned him more.

Discord did not know how to answer. She was right about the part with the colt, the creature found him annoying and spiteful. Worse than the Zebra could be on her off days, or any other day. After what felt like hours, but was truly minutes, of thinking he finally made his decision and it was final. Probably, after all; Chaos May Care................................................................................................................................

This is something you don't want to miss, so stay tuned for the kiss

This is something you don’t want to miss, so stay tuned for the kiss

Fluttershy saw that Discord had kept his promise, she appeared on a cobblestone path. Similar cobblestone walls were on each side of them. “Fluttershy?” three voices said at once. She darted her head to see a full grown Orthoros and a baby dragon standing in front of her, wide eyed.

“Hi,” she smiled softly, unsure of what else to say.

“How’d you get here?” Spike asked as Dolu and Ulod gave her cheeks happily licks.

“Fluttershy friend,” they said in unison.

“I um had a little help,” she spoke softer than usual, she knew he heard but she didn’t particularly want to tell him. He had been petrified of Discord in the caves of the Diamond Dogs.

“Who?” Spike questioned.

“A friend,” she shrugged.

“Where?” Dolu barked, wagging their tail.

“He’s still in there,” she stated.

“Doesn’t he realize how dangerous that is? And was that you who screamed?” Spike questioned.

The mare understood why he asked the questions. “He does, he was the one who saved me from a Chimera, Ursa Major, and Cragadile. And yeah, that was me,” she answered.

“Well this is the way to the castle,” Spike pointed down the cobblestone path.

“OK, thank you,” Fluttershy dipped her head thankfully, walking to where he pointed.

The Orthoros followed her and so did Spike after a moment of reluctance. “You still want to help? I thought you...?” Fluttershy trailed off, noticing the dragon behind them. Spike looked down before answering.

“I’ve been a coward, before wasn’t fair to you. I will take you to the castle,” he stated, trying to sound bold but failing horribly.

“You’re a good friend Spike. Thank you,” Fluttershy smiled.

After minutes of walking the trio, or group of four if all heads are counted, came up to a bridge. “It looks rickety,” Fluttershy pointed out looking at the wood and rope bridge.

“Could you please stop doing that? You’re the only one with wings,” Spike grumbled.

“Sorry,” she apologized.

“How long has it been here?” she questioned.

“About a thousand years, longer than all of us combined. Discord is over a thousand years old, so you see where that comes in,” Spike shrugged.

Fluttershy was about to cross when a loud whoosh passed in front of her face, blowing her mane around wildly in the process. Dolu and Ulod growled in defense and Spike widened his eyes, afraid of what it may have been. Upon the actions a stallion Pegasus appeared.

His coat was a very very pale shade of blue, with a darker blue spiky mane and tail to add, and his eyes were green as the leaves of Spring. His cutie mark was of a yellow lightning bolt with white wings on each side. “Hold on! None may pass!” he ordered, holding a hoof in front of the travelers.

“Please! I only have a little time left!” Fluttershy pleaded.

“I have strict orders Miss. And trust me you do not want to irritate the Chaos King, at all! None may pass!” he stated firmly, planting his hooves to the ground.

“We have very strict orders!” a mare Pegasus flew next to the Stallion. Her coat was a pale shade of cyan blue, with eyes a color of hot pink, and both her mane and tail were rainbow colored. Her cutie mark was a rainbow lightning bolt with a white cloud on the top.

“I can handle this Rainbow Dash!” the Stallion stated, standing into a both defensive and offensive stance.

“I should think so Soarin’ but I don’t, I will handle this,” Rainbow Dash spat.

“Please, can we please cross?” Fluttershy pleaded.

“No you can’t. Discord specifically said to keep all viewers of the labyrinth away from this bridge!” Rainbow Dash snapped.

“Oh come on! A Wonderbolt and a future Wonderbolt are afraid of Discord?” Spike folded his arms.

“You’re one to talk!” Soarin’ and Rainbow Dash said at the same time.

“I’m a baby, you two are adults and both a Wonderbolt and a future Wonderbolt,” Spike countered.

“We have orders from Discord,” Rainbow Dash repeated.

“This is the only way isn’t it?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash stated as though it was obvious.

“Is this like a riddle solving thing to pass? I have to get to the castle! My brother needs me!” Fluttershy pleaded.

The Stallion and the mare stopped in their tracks.

“Fine, we’ll give you the riddle Discord gave us. You get it right you get to pass, you get it wrong you don’t. You fall right where your standing and fall into an oubliette,” Soarin’ stated.

“There’s more than one oubliette?” she asked her dragon companion.

“Yes, labyrinth is full of them,” Spike shrugged as Rainbow Dash and Soarin’ whispered to each other.

“Here is the riddle; I am complete disorder and confusion. I am a often formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe, and I have behavior so unpredictable as to appear random, owing great sensitivity to small changes in conditions. What am I?” Soarin’ questioned.

“That makes no sense!” Spike’s pupils turned to slits.

“Is it supposed to? Does anything in this dump make sense?” Rainbow Dash rhetorically asked.

“I am complete disorder and confusion. I am a often formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe, and I have behavior so unpredictable as to appear random, owing great sensitivity to small changes in conditions,” Fluttershy repeated.

The riddle was familiar yet distant as well. It was from the book she once thought was just a book until it basically turned to reality in her eyes. “Chaos...” she murmured, remembering the line.

“Chaos,” Rainbow and Soarin’ said at the same time.

“That’s it? Chaos?” Spike asked.

“Yeah,” Rainbow stated, both she and Soarin’ flew out of the way.

“We can cross?” Fluttershy asked hopeful.

“Yeah but why are you going to the castle? Discord’ll find you,” Soarin’ shuddered.

“To get my brother back, Spike, Dolu, and Ulod are my friends,” Fluttershy answered.

“Just for your brother? Well we’re going with you,” Rainbow Dash stated firmly.

“What? We are?” Soarin’ was confused, and so was Fluttershy. “Why?” Spike narrowed his gaze.

“The Chaos City is filled with Diamond Dogs and billions of Changelings. You’ll need all the help you can get, Soarin’ and I would be glad to help you. And I want to have a little ‘chat’ with Discord,” she winked at the Stallion.

“Oh, that chat is well needed. It’s been held off to long,” Soarin’ smirked lightly. “Sure,” Spike rolled his eyes.

“Okay,” Fluttershy softly said, crossing the bridge, Spike and the Orthoros right behind her.

After minutes of walking from the bridge they entered another forest-like terrain. Trees were hanging down, all oaks, and they seemed to stare and even glare at the five, or six by headcount, travelers. “Nothing to fear, the castle is near,” Fluttershy rhymed, mentally giggling at Discord’s irritation with rhymes. She assumed Zecora irritated him with the rhymes, she was still curious as to why he had saved her back in the place that was supposed to be beyond the Everfree Forest. She was grateful and filled with gratitude for it but she would have thought he didn’t want her in the labyrinth, she was going to get her brother back.

Fluttershy noticed that Rainbow Dash and Soarin’ were flying ahead, and the Orthoros was walking ahead on the now dirt path. “Dolu and Ulod hungry,” they complained. Fluttershy felt sympathetic and understanding.

“Maybe there’ll be something,” she sighed, wondering how many hours she had been in the labyrinth of chaos.

“Uh, Fluttershy,” Spike stuttered from behind her.

“Yeah?” she asked turning around. In his hand was a shining red apple. Luscious and ripe. “Spike, thank you,” she took the apple.

She bit into it, Spike flinched away closing his eyes and balling his small hands into fists. She chewed and swallowed, it tasted like sweet apple juice to her. “Thank you,” she repeated.

“It’s okay?” he questioned, opening one eye.

“Yea-Yeah,” she yawned.

“Oh no...” Spike mumbled under his breath. “Are you feeling okay?” Spike asked, concern in his emerald green eyes.

“Just tired,” she yawned again, deeper than the first one.

“Oh stupid Discord... And stupid me...” Spike turned around and took off slowly, sulking.

Fluttershy dropped the apple to the ground, it rolled away. Tired... She sighed in her head and yawned for the third time. Everything was turning hazy and dizzy, her legs felt numb and her head felt fuzzy.

She closed her eyes for a second and felt like she drifted off into dreamland. It was a wonderful land, filled with nothing but dreams and perhaps even something else.....................................................................................

“Sire are you feeling well?” Rover asked, his eyes glancing curiously to the Draconequus who seemed to turn tired within seconds flat.

“Hmm?” he asked, barely hearing what the dog had asked. He felt tired, he had been thinking about how to approach the dragon and tell him not to do the plan with the apple but the Chaos City had called for order. To him it was foolish for a city of Chaos to call for order. Chaos had no order at all.

“Tired,” he yawned.

“Ah, we’ll leave you be then,” Rover left, Spot and Fido following him. “I wonder what that pink haired pony is up to,” his ears twitched at the dogs’s words as they left, the doors shutting behind them.

Pink haired mare. His mind traveled and boggled. They were talking of Fluttershy. Then it struck him.

At the same time a letter in white with dark gray stripes appeared before him. He used his magic to open it, to tired to move his hands, and read it in a haze filled daze.

“I warned you to prevent her from becoming Snow White, but then again those dreams may just so happen to bring delight, and the glow between Chaos and Kindness will take flight, can’t you feel the love tonight?” he read it in his mind.

It turned to ashes by his command. “Zecora and her rhymes...” he trailed off with another yawn. “Simply ridiculous...” he trailed off a second time, closing his cinnamon eyes and falling asleep on his throne, entering the land of dreams, entering dreamland.

Fluttershy opened her eyes to see she was standing in a room filled with ponies. It was like the Grand Galloping Gala except everypony was actually enjoying themselves. She saw everypony she had encountered, and even a few others. She saw Princess Celestia and Princess Luna sitting on their thrones politely introducing everyone to the Gala. She saw a third Alicorn, a pink one with pink, yellow, and purple hair with violet eyes and a crystal heart for a cutie mark, dancing with a head and full bodied Shining Armor. Princess Cadence and Shining Armor looked happy.

She saw a full bodies Flash Sentry dancing with Princess Twilight Sparkle. She saw Spike even, he was dancing with Rarity for the strangest reason in her mind. Applejack was selling pies, Rainbow Dash and Soarin’ were dancing together.

Everyone was wearing their fancy Gala gowns. Looking down she saw that she too was wearing her dress from the first Gala she went to, even if that had been one of the worst parties imaginable. Her cotton candy colored and soft mane was curled into a tight bun with a few elegant curled on her forehead and behind her ears, all laced with blue and white flowers. Even her tail was curled and had the same flowers in them, in the same pattern too.

The mare felt uncomfortable in the loud room filled with chattering and laughing ponies. She was probably the quietest pony there. There’s no probably about it, She mentally sighed.

She preferred to be outside with the animals even though they went to great lengths to avoid her last year at the Gala, she wished Angel was with her. Fluttershy saw the doors and saw her chance. Nopony was looking for her or talking to her at all.

She slowly walked to the large double doors, unaware of the misshapen cinnamon red orbs following her.

The music from inside the Canterlot castle seemed to grow as she stepped outside into the beautiful night. The sky was a deep midnight blue, thousands upon millions of stars circled Princess Luna’s full moon. It was indeed beautiful.

They were playing a slow dancing song now. She lightly chuckled at the thought of Rainbow Dash, probably the fastest Pegasus alive, slow dancing. The music grew louder and louder, echoing probably throughout all of Canterlot at this point. Though it had ceased to bother Fluttershy.

She debated on catching the first train she could and leaving, returning to Ponyville. “May I have this dance?” a deep voice came from behind her.

Fluttershy turned around to have her stormy teal green eyes meet a pair of cinnamon ones. He was a Draconequus, this she knew, and even though she knew most ponies would turn away and run or attack him she stood their in awe. He was handsome in her eyes.

Without hesitation to placed her hoof in his lion’s paw. Slowly and carefully the Draconequus lifted her and held her hoof in his lion paw as he placed his bird hand onto her back. Fluttershy didn’t know what it was but she found the creature before her gentle and nerve soothing, calm and stoic, caring and careful.

Elegantly he spun her around, she felt like a Princess in her own little fairytale at the moment. She enjoyed it.

“The night is beautiful,” she whispered silently, gazing at the moon once more. “Yes indeed, but not as beautiful as you my dear,” Discord whispered into her ear.

She blushed redder than a cherry at the moment. Nothing seemed to exist at that second, only the two of them dancing to the slow music played by most likely Octavia and a few others from Canterlot.

He turned her around again so she would face him, she was still blushing and he found it rather cute and beautiful even. In his eyes she was beautiful. The apple in his eye, the brightest star in the sky, and she alone made his heart fly.

The two of them stood there staring into each others eyes, once it seemed like Discord was towering over her with his major height and his cinnamon red eyes looking mocking and menacing, but now it was like looking into skies of red. Not bad red though, like looking into a sky of endless flight, peace, and happiness even. When looking in Fluttershy’s eyes Discord felt as though he was looking into pools of water, like swimming through the deepest and greenest of oceans. Her eyes sparkled like crystal diamonds in the night sky, for the starlight reflected in them and cast a bright glimmer in their teal depths.

“Fluttershy,” the way he said her name caused sparks to awaken in her heart and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered, leaning in.

She didn’t know what took over her but she felt herself lightly flapping her wings to reach her head up to his. Within a second’s notice, sparks flying, butterflies fluttering, and hearts racing, his lips were upon hers. And her heart swelled, as they stood their together hoof and hand-held, and both the gentlest dove and the fiercest beast’s fate had been sealed, it was certainly something that needn’t be concealed.

Without either the Pegasus or the Draconequus paying attention two butterflies appeared between them. The one that appeared on Fluttershy’s side was a light pink with a only slightly darker shade of pink body and antennas, and the tips of its wings were round. It fluttered lightly as another butterfly appeared in front of it. The second butterfly had brown wings, the color of chocolate or more specifically chocolate milk, it had a elegant swirling design patterned on each wing. The swirls were white as snow, or a certain creature’s beard. The tips of the second butterfly’s wings were pointed, and on each tip was a shade of cinnamon red, and as a finishing touch on each wing there were small speckles or spots of medium gray and then light green.

Both butterflies began flying around each other, intertwined dare to say, flying high and low, forward and backward. More butterflies, identical to the first two by both appearance and fluttering actions, appeared. All shared appearance, actions, and elements in common. Chaos and Kindness, who would’ve thought?

From the distance, behind great elder oaks stood a hooded creature. Her coat was a very light shade of gray with darker gray stripes running along her legs and entire body, her eyes were a darker shade of teal than Fluttershy’s. She smiled warmly, with a hint of satisfaction in her gleaming eyes. “This was certainly an interesting thing to view especially when so true, but Chaos and Kindness, who knew?” she chuckled softly, hoping to keep her rhymes to herself and a certain King wouldn’t keep mocking her with them.

It seemed like thousands upon millions of butterflies, Chaotic and Kind, were swarming the still kissing pony and Draconequus. Stars seemed to spiral, twist, and turn in the dark sky. Either giving congratulations or giving a starry shunning.

Fluttershy felt lighter than before, like she was fading from somewhere. Discord felt it too. Though neither moved from the other. She felt a nudging on her shoulder and someone calling out the words ‘Lady,’ ‘Mare,’ and ‘Wake up.’ The passion would be like the brightest star or prize token, for their kiss had not been broken. Chaos and Kindness.

Even Chaos gets a happily ever after

Even Chaos gets a happily ever after
*One year later

“Don’t tell me you still don’t approve?” Fluttershy blinked at Spike, she already knew he didn’t approve and she understood why but she had her own reasons. Then again so did he.

“Then I won’t, but come on! This is horrible!” Spike groaned, dramatically falling to his knees.

“It’s one of the happiest days a mare and stallion could have,” she lowered her ears, her eyes sparkling and glistening with happiness and tears. Of joy, not sadness.

“You forget he’s not exactly 100% stallion?” Rainbow Dash narrowed a hot pink colored eye.

“And this is the fastest anyone could have prepared their wedding!” the light blue Pegasus mare crossed her arms.

Fluttershy stopped in her tracks and looked back to Rainbow. “We waited a year,” she pointed out.

“I meant on how everything is already out there. The tables, the cake, the chocolate milk fountain, the everything!”

“I think it’s all rather nice, you didn’t get to know him like I did. And he’s been nicer to everyone,” Fluttershy defended him.

“He still plays pranks!” the dragon and the mare said in unison.

“Because that’s his personality. Would you stop loving gems if the whole world wanted you to? And would you stop loving to fly if the whole world or just Soarin’ wanted you too? I won’t make him stop being who he is, and neither should you,” Fluttershy shrugged as the Breezies finally finished placing her headdress perfectly on her head.

A small tapping at the door made Rainbow Dash go in alert mode. “Who is it?” she flew above the door in a defensive stance, ready to strike.

“You could attack Discord with a mighty try, but I don’t think his reaction would settle well with Fluttershy,” one out of three actually knew who was behind the door, but what if it was one of Discord’s tricks?

“Come in Zecora,” Fluttershy smiled softly.

“Zecora?” Spike questioned as the zebra stepped in.

Even the zebra of rhymes was dressed in honor for the grand day that she too had been waiting for. It had taken a long time for Discord to confess, but he did. Six months into this very year was when he proposed. It was fascinating and Zecora found it to be a pleasant day filled with joy for the Chaos City and the Lord of Chaos, but she still smirked whenever Discord tried to deny anything. She knew the truth.

Zecora was wearing a pale green dress with thin see through sleeves that held leafy patterns, showing that she was from the Everfree Forest, with small flowers and exotic herbs place in her mane and tail. “You look beautiful Fluttershy, despite the groom you are a lucky mare, and I do not mean to pry, but is he in his chaotic lair?” she tilted her head curiously.

“He’s not getting cold feet now is he? He better not walk out on her!” Rainbow Dash glared, more to the groom than the zebra.

“Thought you didn’t like him? Since he did once make you a Pegasus puppet and hang you from a tree limb,” Zecora questioned.

“I don’t, but there is no way he’s walking out on Fluttershy! Come on Spyro!” Rainbow dashed (no pun intended) out of the bride’s dressing room and after Discord.

“Why can nobody except for Zecora and Fluttershy get my name right?” Spike shook his head, following the trail of rainbow.

Fluttershy looked to the zebra, amusement shining in her eyes. “You can stop now. And don’t you know it’s bad luck?” she smiled as the zebra melted away into her soon to be husband.

“No! No groom see bride!” Seabreeze and the other Breezies said in their language. “I don’t know what they’re saying,” Discord stated, not really paying attention to the innappropriate words Seabreeze was using. Naughty.

“It’s okay, make sure Rainbow Dash didn’t hurt herself,” she smiled to the Breezies. They obeyed, but Seabreeze get Discord one last stink eye before taking off.

“Why did you pretend to be Zecora?” she asked.

“They wouldn’t have let me in had I been myself,” he shrugged. “Besides, can’t I see my bride on our lucky day?” he twirled her around like an elegant ballerina.

“Not before, bad luck,” she giggled.

“I think I can handle that,” he showed a toothy grin. “Besides, Zecora was actually the one who told me to come in and talk to you,” he crossed his arms.

“Are you still irritated?” Fluttershy resisted laughing. She and the zebra had actually become close friends over the past year, and although Zecora had kind of sparked embarrassment before, during, and after the proposal, she was a good friend to have. “What did she want us to talk about?” she asked.

“That’s the thing, I don’t know... But I do have a special surprise planned for after the wedding,” he enveloped her in a hug. “Remember when we hugged for the first time? I had to see my chiropractor after that,” he smirked as she playfully rolled her eyes.

“Hmm, sure,” she smiled. “Hey if we’re remembering things, then why don’t we remember when Zecora showed us the destinies? Along with the dream you had,” she hid the fact that she too had it.

“I am beginning to think that Zecora planned this all out,” Discord sighed, it was a happy sigh. Though a mischievous glint in his eyes gave it away.

“After Zecora told you to talk to me what did you do?” Fluttershy folded her arms, narrowing her gaze though and amused smile was still on her face.

Discord smiled, both mischievous and amused. “You know me so well, eh she’s fine. She’ll live if that’s what you’re asking,” he shrugged, holding back laughter.

“Will she survive without being forever traumatized?” Fluttershy lifted a delicate eyebrow.

“Well...” Discord looked down, secretly smirking inside.

(Cut scene)

In a world where every telatubbies, Charlie the Unicorn, and Marshmallow people are singing Baby by Justin Bieber and Bieber actually exists...

Zecora stared at the telatubbies, the blue and pink unicorn, and the marshmallows in sheer horror. “I helped you to see that your love was forever and true, but now Fluttershy will be horribly distraught when I kill you,” she whispered to Discord.

(Return to Fluttercord)

“She’ll be fine, more or less,” he chuckled as Fluttershy shook her head, an amused and sympathetic smile on her lips.

“Fluttershy I can’t find him! That rotten little-! Get out of there! Bad luck!” Rainbow Dash ripped the duo apart, throwing Discord out the door and duct taping it shut and boarding it up as well. “Now how do I get out?” Fluttershy asked as Spike adjusted his tie with a scowl dedicated to Discord on his face.

“The window, besides the wedding is outside,” Rainbow opened the window, throwing Spike out and pushing Fluttershy out as well.

Both mares flew up, Fluttershy catching Spike in the process much to his relief.

The music, started by Octavia and even Vinyl, began playing ‘Here comes the Bride’ as she began walking down the aisle, Rainbow and Spike taking their seats.

Angel was watching Discord with Seabreeze, both small creatures ready to attack if anything went... chaotic. Sapphire Sunlight was not present but Dapper Sunlight and Buttercup were in the front row sitting next to Caramel Smooch who had tears in her eyes. Same as Rarity. Surprise was in Cadence’s eyes, Shining Armor was sitting next to her, watching Flash Sentry with intent as he sat next to Twilight Sparkle. And last but not least Princess Luna and Princess Celestia were sitting in the back, watching with congratulations and expectance.

“Why is Zecora not here?” Celestia whispered to her younger sister.

“Let’s just say that when she gets back Fluttershy may end up being a widow,” Luna shook her head, amusement in her eyes now.

After the vows were said and the final kiss was made everybody cheered, still waiting for some kind of Chaos surprise that would haunt them all forever, and began eating chocolate or vanilla cake with chocolate milk as the only beverage. Literally.

“Why are they all looking at me like they’re waiting for something?” Discord pointed with his lizard’s tail.

“Probably because you’re the Lord of Chaos and this is your wedding, anything is possible,” Fluttershy chuckled.

“Fair point,” he grinned.

“Are you planning something?” she asked, then hesitated. “On second thought don’t answer that, somebody might panic,” her words made her husband laugh.

“So how’s little Sunshine?” he asked, drinking the cup instead of the milk.

“Sunlight,” she corrected.

“Tomato TA-mato,” he rolled his wrist, tossing the milk behind him that created a small explosion.

“He’s good, but his first word last month was rather frightening,” she smiled at the memory, but laughed at how Buttercup and Sapphire Sunlight panicked.

“Oh?” he raised a white eyebrow.

“You’ll find out soon enough, I’m sure,” she sighed, still smiling.

“Don’t forget you’re surprise,” he whispered, causing Rainbow Dash to narrow her gaze suspicously as she slow danced with Soarin’. It oddly reminded Fluttershy of her dream that she surprisingly shared with Discord.

“Time to go,” he lightly gripped her hoof, making the two poof away.

They appeared in a beautiful pink and cream carriage that had Fluttershy’s cutie mark on the sides on each door and even on the back. “Oh, almost forgot,” she threw the bouquet of roses out the window.

Lyra, Bon Bon, and Derpy all dashed for it, only to start wrestling each other as Pinkie Pie stood there holding it tightly with a huge grin plastered on her face. “Uh, who’s that standing next to her?” Discord questioned.

“I think that’s... It can’t be... Huh... That’s new,” Fluttershy smiled for her friend.

The sound of Twilight singing 'Love is in Bloom’ again was in the distance, but what was amusing was ‘handsome groom’ was changed to ‘mostly handsome’ much to Discord’s annoyance and Fluttershy’s giggle filled amusement.

“You’re surprise,” the carriage began flying away, much to her surprise. “This is only part one,” he smiled.

“What movie did you steal this from?” she smirked.

“I think it was from 1978, I forget what it was called though. Thought it’d be nice,” he faked sadness.

“Perfect,” she hugged him, exacerbating it by death gripping his spine again.

“That’s... spine...” a large crack made her let go, a smile still on her face. Looking to her husband she saw that he was bent at an acute angle.

“Now what?” she grinned.

“I see my chiropractor,” he snapped his spine back in place, groaning in the process. “I have broken my spine and I cannot get up,” he chuckled.

“Can I open them now?” she pleaded, his mismatched hands still covering her eyes.

“Only if you want to ruin part 2,” Discord shrugged.

“Maybe I do,” she countered.

“Not happening,” he laughed.

Suddenly they stopped, though his hands still covered her eyes. “Now?” she asked.

“Okay, now,” he removed his hands.

Fluttershy gasped in awe and wonder as she saw a beautiful, foreign, and exotic garden filled with all her animal friends, Seabreeze, Angel, and the other Breezies as well. “Do you... like it?” he asked, pulling a bird from one of his antlers as they all tackled the mare happily.

“LOVE IT!” Fluttershy squealed happily underneath a flurry of fur.

“Yay... you’re bear has a bib... a fork... and a knife... and is staring at me,” he blinked at the bear, noticing the drool dripping from his chin.

Once again a gray striped letter appeared and for a strange reason Discord opened it. “My revenge is not quite yet complete, but my bear friend does need something to eat,” he read aloud. “P.S. he is protected from your magic, and for poor Fluttershy it could be horribly tragic!” his eyes widened.
(After a few hours of Discord being chased by bear)

Night had fallen, Luna had out done herself. A beautiful dark sky alit by a full moon and stars surrounding the moon, all in the shape of a heart. A new constellation that would come only on Fluttershy and Discord’s anniversary. The constellation for the newlyweds was titled Fluttercord by Pinkie Pie.

To both the bride and the groom the wedding and honeymoon had been perfect, and life would be grand. And once again the two were in dreamland, Fluttershy reliving the wedding and honeymoon and herself laughing with her animals as Discord was chased by the bear and Discord. Well let’s just say Zecora out did herself in getting her revenge, and she got out too.

“His nightmare brings me my laughter, and who would have guessed that even Chaos could get a happily ever after?” Zecora asked, walking into the Everfree forest with a smile in her eyes and on her lips.

THE END
Or is it?

Bonus Chapter 2: Pinkie's Friend

BONUS CHAPTER 2: Pinkie’s Friend
(Who was Pinkie Pie standing next to at Fluttershy and Discord’s wedding?)

“Do you really have to go?” Pinkie Pie smiled, she would send her friend all the great gifts possible. Starting with cakes and surprises, like a pony-in-a-box, rock candy and necklaces, and more!

Tree Hugger smiled. “Like, yeah. Travel the world, hugging trees. Yeah, that,” her eyes were unfocused, amused and smiling inside.

“Okay! I’ll send you rock candy necklaces and all kinds of gifts!” Pinkie Pie promised.

“Fun, man... Fun,” Tree Hugger disappeared in a flurry of green, red, and yellow sparkles.

“Ooh! Magic!” Pinkie Pie grinned.

After she was certain Tree Hugger was gone, she jumped into the Earth and saw thousands of other Pinkie Pies and a giant Pinkie Pie(Pinkzilla) chasing after Discord.

“Ooh! Fun!” she giggled, joining in the chase. Poor unfortunate Chaos.

Author's Note

This was fun to write. I thank my cousin for the help. Thank you Fluttercordfan. Pray for Discord's survival

Bonus Chapter 1: SCS

BONUS CHAPTER 1: SCS
(This is what happens when Chaos messes with a zebra from the Everfree Forest)

Powerless, that would be one of the two words to describe how Discord was feeling at that moment. Powerless with a side of horrified. This was a nightmare, both literally and figuratively. Zecora survived without forever being traumatized, but will Discord survive the nightmare Zecora planted in his head?

“Discord! Discord!” thousands of Pinkie Pies shouted in unison, racing after him. The world was completely normal, minus the thousands of Pinkie Pies chasing him. There was complete order, honesty, loyalty, laughter(the good kind), Twilight magic, and generosity. There was no Chaos!

Another thing that added to his nightmare was the thunderous hoofsteps of the darkest part of the dream. Pinkzilla. 50 meters tall, 164 feet, and squealing even higher pitched than the normal Pinkie Pies the words fun, Discord, and harmony. Not to mention all of them squealing for a cheese sandwich.

Now there was another letter in Discord’s paws. “Are you ready to apologize, or have a horrific traumatize?” he could just feel the smirk on Zecora’s face. He expected to relive the memory of his wedding day and honeymoon, not be chased around by Pinkzilla and her army of Pinkies! “I will never apologize!” he shouted to the heavens, mostly to Zecora and under the hopes that Luna would hear him as well. It was a long shot, but he would take it.

Within that moment, a second letter appeared. “Then I hope one day you will escape this with being right, and find your way out to the light. Not the dead one though, even though I may or may long for it so,” the second one read.

At that moment, the lights and sunshine went completely out although he could still hear Pinkzilla and her army. A pair of misshapen cinnamon eyes were right next to a pair of gigantic pale blue ones in the dark, and surrounding the two of them were a thousand more pairs of pale blue Pinkie Pie eyes.

“Fun...” the Pinkies whispered. “Fun,” Pinkzilla, voice surprisingly more masculine and deep than feminine and high-pitched.

“My SOS...” Discord thought. “Save Chaotic Souls...” another letter.

“The fun will end soon, thankfully this is a dream or you would fall with a dramatic swoon,” Zecora drew a yellow smiley face.

“Help...” Discord said as the reign of Pinkies led by Pinkzilla began.