Proofread by Hunter Steel

Chapter One: Visit from a Family

Starlight Glimmer let out a yawn as she entered the castle kitchen. “Good morning Spike.”

“Morning Starlight.” Spike replied as he continued to munch on a combination of gems, cereal, and apples.

Starlight gave his breakfast a quizzical look. “So, big day today?” She inquired with a smirk on her muzzle.

“Bah, I don’t know,” He paused before shrugging his shoulders. “I just felt like having a big breakfast today for some reason. At first I was just gonna eat an apple, but I guess you could say I decided to mix it up a bit. Heh heh.”

Starlight rolled her eyes. “Why is it always apples?”

“What do you mean by why is it always apples??” Inquired Spike.

Starlight Opened the refrigerator door. “This is what I mean!” She exclaimed as an army of Red Delicious came flying from the fridge, carried in the glow of her magic.

“Look at this! There are no other fruits in here, and that is not even including the Granny Smiths you keep on the counter!” Starlight huffed, her frustration easily evident on her face.

“I’d easily take a bet that this castle has no other fruits other than apples anywhere!” She exclaimed.

“You really shouldn’t let Applejack here you say that,” warned Spike, “she would throw a fit. Not to mention; what do you have against apples anyway?”
Starlight let out a breath.

“I don't have anything against apples Spike, but I spend most of my time in the castle studying with Twilight, so I don't get much opportunity to go out shopping. I guess I'm just getting tired of apples is all.”

“That’s ok; I’ll just pick up some other fruits for you next time I go out.”

“Really? Thanks Spike!”

“Sure thing.”

“So, is Twilight up yet?” asked Starlight as she moved to procure breakfast.

“I don't know, she’s usually up by now. Meh, she’s probably passed out reading somewhere.”

“Actually, I was talking to Applejack” Came Twilight's reply from the entrance. As she trotted into the kitchen, she surveyed the scene and honed in on the basket of apples on the counter. “Apparently she wants to start trying to crossbreed different apples to develop a new strain.”

“You mean like what they did to get rainbow colored corn?” Asked Starlight as she gave up and moved to grab one of the apples.

“Don't you need a lab and a whole bunch of equipment for that? And besides, zap apples are already rainbow colored.” Commented Spike.

“I don't think it’s quite like that, at most she probably wants to make them bigger or something.” Replied Starlight with an exasperated look.

“Actually she’s-”

“TWILIGHT!!!” Screamed Rainbow Dash as she came zooming down the hall. “What’s going on!? Is it a friendship problem!? Do I need to go back to Griffonstone? Is Spike eating the castle again!?” Rainbow locked eyes with Twilight. “Is the castle under attack!?”

“Rainbow,” Soothed Rarity. “you simply must calm down darling. The castle is still in one piece, your cutie mark isn’t glowing, and Spike is right here.”

“One time and you’ll never let me live it down.” Grumbled Spike.

Applejack spoke up. “Ah’m guessing it's something worse; did y'all see the look on pinkie’s face? I’ve never seen her like that before.” She said as she stepped into the kitchen with Fluttershy trailing behind her.

“I hope she’s ok.” Replied Fluttershy. “She looked like she was in pain.” She lowered her head. "I tried to ask her what was wrong, but she just said to get to the castle, and then she disappeared.”

“I know!” Blurted Rainbow dash. “Something’s definitely happened, when I get my hooves on whoever did this I’ll-“

“GIRLS!!!” Shouted Twilight as everypony started to breakdown into irate chatter. “Can somepony please explain to me what’s going on!?”

Everypony was silent until Fluttershy stepped forward. “Um, Pinkie Pie told me to meet at the castle. She said it's important.”

“She told me the same thing.” Applejack added only to me followed by a series of nods. There was a bright flash, but everypony seemed to ignore it in favor of trying to figure out what was wrong with Pinkie Pie.

Starlight started. “Uh, girls, how did we get here?" Said Starlight as she turned around to come face to face with an angrily glowing Tree of Harmony. Her fur stood on end, her ears flattened to her skull, and she started to cringe back. Spike took notice of this and turned to the direction she was facing, he then started to inch his way behind Starlight for cover.

“Girls?” said a voice everypony recognized, but, it sounded, different? Wrong? It was unmistakable, but completely alien. Everypony turned to see Pinkie Pie standing at the entrance in front of a serious looking Discord. She looked... Sedate, she was still her bubbly self, but anyone could tell something was wrong, the way she walked, the way she moved, it was Pinkie Pie, but, it wasn't.

“PINKIE!” Chorused the group as they rushed to meet their friend.

“Pinkie,” Begun Rarity. “What in the wide world of Equestria is the matter darling?”

“It’s… It’s my Pinkie sense, something… something’s wrong girls, something big. There’s no twitches or itches or shakes or quakes no anything, it just feels wrong, at first I thought I was sick but then I realized I don't feel sick, and no matter where I go or what I do, it’s, it’s, it’s everywhere! It’s like, like, like when I get a doozy, but this doozy isn’t a doozy it feels like how you feel when you reach the end of your favorite story, and it’s everywhere! Everywhere I go, everything I do!!! ALL OVER!!!” Pinkie clung to Rarity “I can feel it Rare, I can feel it stuck in your coat, and in Dash’s feathers!!!” Pinkie then sat down as everypony looked at her worriedly.

“Well that’s not ominous at all.” Commented Starlight with a role of her eyes. “Well I don't feel anything, and that still doesn’t tell me how we got here, or why that tree looks so angry.”

“That would be my doing.” Started Discord. “As for the tree of Harmony, I’m afraid it’s as Pinkie Pie said, something is coming, and we will need all the help we can get. That includes all the more competent members of the royal family.”

Rainbow dash took off and hovered above the group after checking her feathers. "So the rest of the princesses are on their way here?"

"Yes, I sent each of them a letter telling them what's happening.” Discord snapped his talons. Everypony present received a custom pendant of their cutie marks on an ornate silver chain while Spike's was of a pineapple grenade sprouting flowers.

Spike took off his to examine it. "Cool, what is it?"

"Those Spike," Discord said while pointing to the pendant. "Are protection charms, you may just need them, i enchanted them to deploy an intricately woven shield spell should you find yourselves in danger. I suggest you put back on.

"That’s not what I-"

Twilight spoke up, "So would you mind explaining to us what’s happening?"

Spike huffed and kept examining the pendant.

"Hmm, oh yes, of course.” Discord summoned an overstuffed arm chair with an accompanying floor lamp and started to pace around them. "Now, one of the things Celestia asked me to do was to close both the natural and unnatural portals across Equestria. Some of these lead to other parts of the world, some lead to less traversed and dangerous parts of Tartarus, and some," he stopped and turned to Twilight. "Like your mirror portal,” Discord turned the chair into a swing set while the lamp remained. “lead to other worlds, however some of these portals can’t be closed, well not permanently, they just reappear somewhere else." Discord stood upside down on the top bar of the swing set while Pinkie took a seat on the swings.

"Hold on," Said Applejack. "So what you’re saying is sum tin’s cumin through one a them there portals?"

"That can't be all bad," Squeaked Fluttershy. "Twilight said everypony on the other side of the mirror portal was really friendly, right Twilight?"

"Well, yes, this is probably all just a misunderstanding, maybe you’re just overreacting."

"While I will admit that is a distinct possibility," Discord begun as he sat upside-down on the top bar of the swing set and started to gently swing himself. "Seeing as some of these portals open on a regular basis and let creatures through, the Breezies for example." Discord turned to Pinkie Pie. "However I highly doubt that's the case."

"What makes you so sure about that?" inquired Twilight.

"This portal should not exist…”

"Um, what do you mean, it shouldn’t exist, does it lead to somewhere that bad?" Questioned Rarity.

Discord took a minute to think before answering. “Simply put, it doesn’t make sense. Something like that just isn’t possible."

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The silence stretched on uncomfortably long, as everypony present, even Pinkie, who upon till now was looking decidedly distracted, took a few seconds from their day to stare at Discord with deadpan expressions.

Applejack then presented Discord with a specially designed and personalized version of her trademark raised eyebrow, and said in no uncertain terms. "Ok, now Ah’m worried."

"Me too." Meeped Spike.

Twilight looked in turn at each of her friends who just spoke; she then turned back to Discord and articulately depicted what was on her mind. "What?”
Discord blinked. Twilight stared at him.

It was Pinkie who staved off the silence. "W-what do you mean it doesn’t make sense, isn’t that your job!?”

Discord turned his attention to Pinkie. She blinked… Discord face clawed, dragged his talon down his face, and huffed. “Right, the only one of you with a modicum of understanding for chaos magic is Pinkie.” Discord took a moment to look toward the direction of Canterlot. “We only have a few minutes; everypony else should be ready by now.” Discord snapped his digits.

In a flash of light Princesses Luna, Cadence, Celestia, and Prince shining armor appeared. The group could only stare in wide eyed amazement at what lay before them.

Princess Mia Mora Cadenza was present in all her pink glory, clad in a simple yet beautiful and heavily enchanted set of silver armor designed to protect her chest, barrel, and flanks while leaving room to maneuver her wings. Several dozen enchantments ensure that the seemingly expose parts of her body are just as hard to damage as the armor itself. Her shoes differ from her usual attire in that they were silver in color and are designed to trample and kill with custom enchantments to multiply the force of her hits. Her helmet matches the rest of her armor with enough enchantments to make twilight blush. Atop the helmet is a special comb designed to let her main out while keeping it out of her face.

Princess Luna was clad in a suit of silver armor designed with a horn bladed helmet for close quarters combat. The fronts of the helm reaches down to her snout while above her eyes are bladed backward facing fins designed to aid in melee combat. At the back of the helm is a designated space that allows her main to escape into a ponytail. Her shoes and bracers stretch up to her knees and are heavily armored and enchanted to protect the wearer while allowing her to move quickly and powder bones with her bucks. The body armour is simple in design and imitates her regalia while providing protection for parts of her neck, back and flank. The bladed guards for her withers are designed to allow full movement while ensuring the lethality of her body checks. The enchantments on her armour are her own and are designed to maximize speed, momentum, force and protection while along her flanks and fetlocks are depictions of her crescent moon cutie mark.

Prince Shining Armor stood proud beside his wife Princess Cadenza in a set of stylized and segmented armor designed to cover from his upper neck down to his elbow. The front of his neck is covered with a purple tie shaped fabric depicting a fuchsia starburst above a cobalt diamond designed to boost and strengthen his shielding spells. Surrounding the diamond is a stylized heart that ends in a point and carries the armor with it. On each of his withers are miniature ornate shields designed to be detach and deployed to generate or further amplify magical shields and provide additional protection to him or his allies. His horse shoes come up to curve at his elbow in the front and are enchanted to give him a speed boost allowing him to traverse the battlefield quickly to deploy extra defense where needed and bathed in his magical aura was a standard issue royal guard spear.

And at the center of the group, was Princess Celestia the sun goddess. The one who guided Equestria to peace for one thousand years. She was clad in her regalia and looking as radiant as ever, with a mouth full of pancakes and a muffin in her magical aura.

The three of them gave their surroundings a confused look, until their eyes locked on to the other inhabitants of the cave. The ponies and Spike bowed to their monarchs, while Twilight, after seeing the attire of Cadence, her B.B.B.F.F, and Princess Luna, took notice of Celestia’s unarmored form. “Um, Princess Celestia, Where’s your armour?”

Celestia swallowed and gave all present a look. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Auntie?” Cadence begun. “Didn’t you receive a letter?”

“No, I did not. What is happening?”

Luna took point. “Discord seems to believe that something is going to occur that involves portals; I do not know the details, as the letter was not very forthcoming with them.”

Celestia gave Discord a quizzical look. “Is that so,” Discord raised an eyebrow. “Come to think of it, I do recall receiving such a correspondence from Discord.” Celestia placed her muffin on one of the small columns of rock present near the entrance of the cave. “This is by far your least convincing prank yet Discord”.

“So, what, this is just some prank Pinkie and Discord came up with?” Rainbow dash protested. “I thought the world was ending or something! Not cool guys, not cool!” Everypony looked at Discord and Pinkie. Pinkie looked crestfallen and worried. Discord returned to his upright position and dispelled the swings leaving behind the seat hanging by the chains for Pinkie.

Discord gave Celestia a knowing smirk. “Say, Celestia, do you still have that Suit of armour?”

“If you are talking about the one that you know, then no. I haven’t needed armour in Centuries. Is that what this is about?”

Discord stared at Celestia for a moment. “Hmm, not quite.” He replied while pointing at the Tree of Harmony. With a snap Celestia was wearing a matching necklace to the main six. “Time is almost up, if you would follow me.” Celestia tore her widening eyes from the tree to peer down at her new 'bling' with a wary expression.

As all present exited the cave behind Discord, Starlight spoke up. “Sooo, what, that’s it, this was all just a hoax?” she inquired as she snatched up Celestia’s wayward muffin on her way out. As the procession exited the cave a hollow vacuum like sound became more prominent.

“Um, w-w-what’s that sound? Is the portal opening?” Asked Fluttershy whimpered as she retreated into her mane and hid behind Discord. Discord raised an eyebrow and looked behind him. Everypony turned to Cadence who gave a sheepish grin. “Sorry, Baby monitor Spell, I think the magic of the Everfree is interfering with it.”

Shining Armor smiled and rolled his eyes. “Cady, you can stop the spell, Fleur Heart is in good hooves, you don't need to worry.

Cadence smiled and released the spell. “I know, I know-“

“There it is.” Interrupted Discord.

Everypony present put on their game face and turned to look up at where Discord was pointing.

“… There's nothing there.”

“Oh, there is Rainbow, but it’s on a sub atomic level, so it’s too small to see.”

“Are you sure that’s-”

In that instance, several things happened in quick succession. First, the portal expanded to the size of a house, while producing a sound like ripping static, or more accurately a distorted sonic boom. Then it started to swivel uncontrollably. Finally, it fired a lance of crystal that was as long as a train car and half as thick around in the middle. The lance flew off into the distance toward the Hayseed Swamp.

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“Was that it?” Protested Rainbow Dash, “A flying Gem? Pfft, what a rip off.”

“Not quite yet,” Interjected Twilight. “The portal is still open. Discord can y-”

Crystals started to fire out of the portal at high speed as it swiveled in midair. Everypony ducked behind Shining Armor's erect shield as it strafed the area and started firing off crystal lances in random directions. This only continued for a few seconds, after which all was still.

Shining Armor rose from his crouching position and dropped his shield. The others followed suit. “Well I didn’t expect that.”

“It could a been worse.” Replied Applejack as she inspected the lances of crystal deeply buried in the rock around them.

Luna approached one of the crystals. “So, Um, What now?” Asked Applejack.

“Well, it’s no stretch of the imagination to think these are the cause of the magical disruptions.” Discord began. "And that being the case, I recommend we find and destroy all of them.”

“Yea, and let me guess who's gonna have to fly all over the Everfree to find them.” Huffed Rainbow Dash as Princess Luna started a magical scan on one of the crystals.
“Wait, What!?” protested Twilight, “you just want to destroy them!? But imag-“

“Let me stop you right there Twilight, if these were any other unknown interdimensional crystals, I would let you go nuts trying to figure it out. But these,” Discord pointed at one of the crystals. "besides being more than anything you could ever hope to understand, i don't like them.”

“And I believe I know why.” Declared Luna while waving her horn over the crystal. “These crystals are made entirely of order magic. The spell keeping the magic in this physical form is like nothing I have ever seen.” Celestia moved to observe her sister’s work.

“See, we’re already learning so much.” Rejoiced Twilight with an eager smile.

Discord gave her an irritated look. “I am not letting you play with those things. I’ll destroy them myself if I must.” Discord turned to one of the crystals and raised a paw, but Twilight intercepted him." You will do no such thing, and what did you mean by ‘couldn't hope to understand them’?"

Celestia turned to see what was happening, but it was Pinkie Pie who spoke up. “Discords’ right Twilight, we should get rid of these things.”

“Pinkie, not you too.” Twilight was interrupted by the portal depositing a…… something in the valley.

The crystals begun to pulse with an unnatural blue-green light before they started to exploded into shards, which promptly begun to destabilize and leak 100% pure chaos magic into the atmosphere, which begun to funnel toward the fifth dimensional shape on the valley floor.

Discord lowered his paw and gave twilight a flat look

♫♥♠♦♣♫

POV: Twilight

“What’s happening?” I shouted as I watched the crystals dissolve themselves into an unnatural mist and float toward the strange construct that fell out of the portal last.

“Twilight duck!” the next thing I know, I was tackled from the side by Spike and stumbled back. I looked down at Spike to see a lance of crystal poking through the shield far enough to pierce his shoulder.

“Spike!? Oh Spikes are you ok?”

“Yea I’m fine Twilight. what about you?”

“Spike you're bleeding!” I noticed the crystal started to dissolve.

“What!? Where!?” He gasped.

“Hold still.”

“My magic isn't working!” I turned to see Cadence. “We need to get back to the Tree of Harmony.” I looked up to see Cadence’s terrified face framed by Discord, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna in the background holding up an archway leading to the cave of the Tree of Harmony, though I noticed only Discord's magic seemed to completely hold them back.

“Twilight come on!” At Spikes shout, i turned back to grab him in my magic and galloped towards the cave.

Once everyone was gathered at the Three of Harmony- “What in Celestia’s name was that!?” Princess Celestia turned to Rarity at her name. “Um, my apologies your Highness.”

“It stopped.” Stated shining armor.

“Um, has anypony seen Discord?” Asked Fluttershy.

“He was holding up the barrier.” I replied.

♫♥♠♦♣♫

POV:???

Discord gazed impassively at the being before him. Atop her head are two Dark purple horns with a slight inward curve and long pink and white striped hair with a pink and dark blue mane trailing down her slender neck to a gathering of fur around her neck, reminiscent of a dark brown lion’s mane complimented by her two lion paws of a lighter brown. Her long slender dragon tail is pink with sharp flat spins. It ends in a lighter pink tassel. She is standing on two brown goat legs with dark brown hooves and in the centre of her back is a pair of dark purple bat wings.

As the ponies tentatively started to exit the cave, she used a paw to move the hair covering her face to one side revealing one of her slitted pupils surrounded by a bright pink iris which is intern surrounded by yellow sclera.

She clutched her head before looking around and spotting Discord. She noticed a pink pony standing by his side.

“Hi I’m Pinkie Pie”

Author's Note

Yep, my first fic. If anyone actually reads this, I might be writing a sequel. Maybe.

Many thanks to my proofreaderHunter Steel for the editing help as well as enthusiasm and feedback on my ideas.

I also want to say thanks to Snowbot for his feedback and help as well as advising me to get an editor in the first place

I'm always open feedback and ideas, wood for the fire and all that fun stuff, though I can’t actually guarantee that I will use any of it in the story. I also welcome constructive criticism.

Draconequus drawn by Lopoddity