Nothing Like Home

Chapter 5

It has been quite the day for young Chaos Harmony. The special little Alicorn’s day was going swimmingly and all to his plan. Early that morning, Chaos had proposed to the love of his life at his older brother’s banquet. His brother was the reigning king over the land of Alicorns. The king had arranged to make his sibling’s proposal the most perfect and beautiful display ever known; and it went as such. Shortly after the banquet, Chaos had gone to thank his brother for such an extraordinary event. The front gates were broken in, as well as the front doors to the castle. Chaos bolted in, panicking for his brother’s safety. He stopped inches from the door to his throne that had been busted and now creaked slightly open.

                He peeked inside to find his brother surrounded by rugged villagers. Many were familiar faces that he had not seen for many years. Bucking the door open, he ran in and demanded answers about their assembly.

“Prince Chaos! You are alright!”, they cheered, most barely being able to croak out such joy. They surround him with faint smiles, keeping cautious of the King who still sat atop his throne, glaring at his brother.

“Brother, what is going on here?”, he remarked, nodding his head to the villagers, signaling for them to step aside.

“He imprisoned us! Forced us to work as slaves! Drained our bodies, to bare and useless ponies! He plans to take your love as well!” they all screamed in a jumbled mess. Chaos squinted in confusion at the worn-down ponies.

“What have you done, brother? And what do they mean by ‘take my love’?” He was now close to his brother’s throne, glaring menacingly at his soul.

                The large and ghastly pony stood up, towering over young Chaos.

“Well brother, we both know what happened with our queen, yes?” He looked at the ground and nodding, returned the locking sight the two had with each other. “We both know Changelings feed on love. And I just so happened to love her for who she was. She wiped that emotion from my memories, from who I was. I want it back. Our lovely Dr. Hoophstep is also a frequent magician, if you didn’t already know. He promised the return of my love when I can gather the necessary components. It just so happens that my little brother was in love, and those worthless ponies back there were as well. They were only a base for the brew. Yours was the key to it all. The only backlash to this spell of course was that I will never be loved back, which I can deal with, it’s better than feeling nothing at all, right?”, the king exclaimed. He grinned villainously and stomped his hoof upon the floor. Shadowy fog rolled along the floor and surrounded the rugged ponies. It ate at their flesh, and set fire to the hair that rested scruffily along their bodies. Screams of terror and agony echoed the throne room. This horrifying sound was drowned out by the loud silence of rotting death.

                Shaking with a look of astonishment and anguish, Chaos backed away from his brother and looked over the expired ponies, whose bones were picked spotless by his brother’s foggy specters. He sighed and shut his eyes tightly, holding back tears. The fog faded a dark red, and surrounded the deceased ponies. With a few sounds of cracking and crunching, the Fog condensed and sank through the floor, taking the bones with it.

“I’m sorry my friends… I wish it didn’t turn out this way”, he sobbed, clenching his teeth. He opened his mouth to scream at his brother but was cut short.

                “Chaos! Discord! How could you!?!”, squealed Celestia. Chaos looked up to find his fiancé in the doorway, crying and pacing the doorway. The young prince walked slowly forward, with the face of a broken pony.

“Celestia, sweetie. This isn’t…”, he trailed off and turned around to his brother. “Brother, you may be cynical but you have always been honest, tell her the truth!”, he screamed. “It is far too late brother, just look.” The King cooed, sweetly brushing his brother’s mane with his hoof. “She is gone.”

                Chaos bolted from the room after Celestia, leaving his brother’s laughter, that of a mad pony, behind him. All that could go through his mind was how he would explain to her what happened, and how they would overtake his brother, saving the kingdom. Celestia and Luna stood out front of the castle gates.

“How dare you mess with my big sister, and what did you do to those innocent Alicorns?”, Luna shrieked, twitching her head to let loose her magic upon the prince. “It wasn’t me, I didn’t do anything, Discord… he…h-” She clenched the prince with her magic, silencing him. “What have you brought upon us? Celestia loved you”, Luna growled. Chaos, suspended in the air, froze and turned a dark blue. The florescent red he was once bestowed with was sucked out of his body, and he was slowly suffocating. Surprised, Luna released her magical grip and stepped back. The betrayed Alicorn stood up slowly, his color fading back. He turned a thick maroon and grew two small horns from his head. When he stood up, he stumbled, realizing he was now as large as his brother. He gasped at the color of his skin and the now tattered mane that rested on his head. Celestia and Luna backed up at the sight of the reborn prince.

                “What have you done Luna?”, Celestia whispered with clenched teeth. Luna shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, not breaking the gaze towards Chaos.

Chaos chuckled, “I guess he did it. Brother! Where are you? Show yourself, you coward!” They all stood, waiting for a grand entrance from the King. Celestia sighed and started to summon the magic from her horn.

“I don’t know what you are trying to pull, but I refuse to let you create a hell hole out of the kingdom!” She let out a burst of magic directed at Chaos. It surrounded him and shimmered over his tattered mane. The magic settled upon his wings and glistened a beautiful red, as if a glimpse into the past of what he once was. A maroon-colored fog welled up inside of the magical field, cracking the barrier and seeping out of the cracks. The fog surrounded the barrier and disintegrated it. The prince stood tall and looked into Celestia’s eyes.

“I suppose you aren’t going to listen to my reasoning… Are you?”

                Celestia and Luna glared at him, wondering if there was a truth to be told. He smiled softly. “Your silence says it all. I am afraid, as I will no longer be able to care for another. Goodbye, Celestia.” Chaos’ eyes faded red and his pupil narrowed to that of a dragon’s eye. The fog rolled over his body, sealing him into the darkness. Within moments, he was gone, and the fog dispersed. Celestia and Luna looked around in confusion and rushed to warn the villagers of the evil King and Prince.

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