Order in Chaos

The birds weren’t singing. If there was anything that could be said about Equestria it was that it was lively, vibrant, musical. The sun didn’t seem as bright either; the normally brilliant ball of light somehow wasn’t as cheery and Equestria didn’t seem to be itself because of it. Still everypony carried on with their daily chores, they had to be done after all, even with the deeper shadows and chill in the air. Really though nothing could go wrong in their idyllic land; unless there was one of its infrequent massively disruptive disasters. Everypony thought maybe they were seeing things anyway, and nopony wanted to put a damper on the mood, it was a time to rejoice, a new princess had been crowned and many of the celebrations from that hadn’t died down yet, from Las Pegasus to Manehatten people were talking about what the future held. Still, the birds weren’t singing.

It was almost imperceptible at first, a slight breeze coming from the south that touched everything in Equestria. Not a single pony noticed at first, why would they? It was spring time and it was pleasantly cooling to anypony working the fields or maybe searching the markets for a gift for their special somepony. They began to notice when the breeze became a wind, then a gust, blowing leaves, scraps of paper, and then anything it could catch in its invisible grasp swiftly over the landscape. That was when they heard it, faint at first, it turned into a titanic rumble, like the wind, coming from the south. Hundreds, if not thousands of pairs of eyes turned towards the south, just in time to see gout of black flaming clawing towards the sun and splitting the pure blue sky in a fury that even the changeling invasion hadn’t had. The twisted flame lasted only a few blistering moments, but would remain etched in the collective memory of Equestria forever.

Once the haunting flame vanished leaving the sky bare and the ponies as silent as the birds the mood of the realm had been altered completely, now they noticed the dimness of the sun, the silence of their normally vivacious world, and how oppressive that stillness was. Only the ivory, pure, walls of Canterlot seemed immune to the darkness that captivated the realm and there business seemed to carry on as usual. Dinner parties weren’t interrupted, Octavia’s cello didn’t miss a note, and from high up in her tower Celestia smiled.

“Did you see that? Didja? Didja? What was that thing, it was all ‘whoosh’ and ‘hiss’ and and . . .”

“Pinkie dear, please calm yourself,” her reserved purple maned companion’s voice was calm even as the other pony’s started to rise in pitch. “Nobody here is blind, at least not most of us,” she winced as she watched Mr. Waddle trot face first into a pole that held up the canopy she had set up outside her shop. “I’m sure it’s nothing to get worked up over and even if it is trouble we have the princess and Twilight too.”

“Ooh, do you think she’ll get to use some brand new awesome princess spell on whatever blew stuff up? Maybe she’ll blow it up with an even bigger explosion,” Pinkie’s eye grew wide as she talked, imaging what could happen. “We need to go find her right now,” the pink pony somehow sprung into the air and turned one hundred and eighty degrees in one motion, landing almost nose to nose with another of their friends.

“Woah Pinkie, watch where you’re going. Whatchya’ll think of that? Blew half muh apples out of the trees way before they were ready. Big Mac and Applebloom are doin’ their best to pick it all up, but I came in ta’ town looking for some help. Ya’ll think you can help?”

“Apples! Apples? We’re too busy for that now Applejack. We have to go find Twilight so she can blow up whatever blew up whatever it was that got blown up,” Pinkie jabbered excitedly, getting a few strange looks from passerbys, though most were used to her
outbursts now. “I mean I’d love to help, but, kaboom!”

“Nobody is blowing up anything Pinkie,” the pony of the hour stated, sighing at bit at the excitement her eccentric friend was causing. “We don’t even know what happened,” she shifted from hoof to hoof, still seeming a bit uncomfortable in her new form, standing a bit taller than she used to, though her slouch tried to hide that. “We’d love to help Applejack. We can’t let the harvest go to waste. Even if some of them aren’t ready I’m sure your Granny will find some way to use them, if we can keep her awake long enough.”

“Ah appreciate it Twilight,” the orange pony rolled her eyes at the uncontrollably bouncing Pinkie, doing her best to ignore the crazy pony’s antics. “We best get our tails moving then, Ah don’t want muh kin doing most of the work without us.”

“But I loaned my apple picking hat to Sweetie Belle,” Rarity whined, with nopony paying attention to her, forcing her to actually break into a run to keep from being left behind.

“Maybe we’ll get our harvesting cutie marks today girls,” Applebloom told her friends as each of them struggle to pick up the fallen apples in their own ways. “Or a good deed one, or maybe even disaster recovery,” she sounded optimistic like always, though at this point they all knew better than that. “At least we’ll get some good apple cider when we’re done, Granny promised. Said that we couldn’t let the apples go to waste.”

“I’d do anything for some free cider,” Scootaloo told her friends as she managed moved around them, basket balanced on her head to catch the ones they were tossing at her.

“But there are so many fallen apples will we ever finish?”

“Muh Sis said she was gonna go and get her friends to help, hopefully they’ll be here soon.”

“Rarity will probably want her hat back,” Sweetie Belle sighed the wide brim of the slightly too big hat flopping around her face. “Guess it looks better on her than me anyway. I’m just glad I got to use it for a little bit.”

“Don’t look so glum chum,” Applebloom told her friend as she moved in closer. “Maybe we can try and make some hats for our next adventure. We won’t know what our special gift is until we try everything right?”

“Yeah I guess.”

“Girls less talking more picking,” Scootaloo interrupted blasting past them on her scooter a few apples scooped up in her hooves. “I want my cider,” she insisted, then muttered under her breath, “and for Rainbow Dash to see how cool I am.”

“We’re over here sis,” Applebloom suddenly blurted out, waving a hoof at the figures in the distance that had started to close in. Hurry up, these apples ain’t gonna pick themselves up.”

“I don’t think that’s your sister Applebloom,” the little unicorn squinted her eyes as she spoke, watching the approaching figures march under the canopy of Sweet Apple Acres in straight lines. “They don’t look too friendly either,” she whispered to her friends while they watched one of them smash right down onto a fallen apple with the heavy thud of their hooves.

“Just what do you think you’re doing Mister,” Applebloom poked a hoof at the broad chest of one of the strangers, somehow already there to confront them, her little legs moving before she had even heard the crunch of the ruined apple echo through the woods. “That’s some good fruit you’re wasting and Ah think you better watch your step.”

The black furred stallion she was poking at looked down at the little filly, eyes narrowed like he wasn’t really sure what to make of this. He took a step back from her, noticing the fruit pulp on his hoof when he did, and frowning at the sticky feeling. He and the two other ponies that fanned out behind him looked serious and official, like they were part of the guard or something. Even though none of them wore the tradtional guard pony armor. His broad face turned left to right, like he was looking for something, before turning to look down at the tiny fuming filly in front of him.

“Where are all the adults,” his deep voice rumbled from his chest after a few moments. “This is the Apple family’s orchard, is it not?”

“Darn tootin’ it is,” the filly could barely contain her anger, bouncing up and down in front of the large guard. “Muh sis and muh brother are probably in different parts picking up more of the apples themselves. Who’re you and what are you doing here on our land?”

“Looking for Princess Twilight Sparkle, have you seen her,” the guard asked dismissively of the young pony as he moved up towards where Applebloom and her friends had been picking up apples. The other two ponies that had come with the first were gone now, wandered off into opposite directions among the trees.

“Ain’t seen her,” the tiniest Apple huffed and turned her attention to more important things, the gathering of the fallen apples before it got too dark. It wouldn’t be safe or practical to keep going after sunset.

“I, uh, see,” the large stallion said after a moment of stunned confusion. “Well then carry on and be safe. Inform her that she is being sought out if you see her,” he called after the filly, hoping she was paying attention to what he said.

“Applebloom, sweetie, you can’t be rude to the guard ponies, they’re just here to help,” her sister scolded her later that evening. “Even if they are stuffy an’ trying to be all dark and mysterious. They’re just trying to help, under the princess’s orders. Makin’ sure Ponyville is safe.”

“You’re sure that Princess Celestia said that,” Twilight’s voice echoed in from the other room of the Apple’s home, “I just can’t believe that. Things can’t be that bad, can they? Yes I know that some people aren’t really happy with how she’s ruling, but there’s nobody like that in Ponyville, I appreciate your concern, but I don’t think the military needs to,”

“ Unfortunately Princess Twilight your thoughts in this do not matter the Princess has spoken and done what she thinks is in your best interest. You don’t need to worry, it will be like my men and I aren’t even here, for the most part. If danger does present itself we will protect Ponyville as though it was Canterlot itself.”

“See Twilight darling, nothing to worry about. It is always nice to have such refined and dashing stallions in Ponyville too. We’ll absolutely have to have some kind of welcoming banquet, perhaps a dance, or a . . .”

“Party? Party? That means party right? Everypony knows I’m the best at throwing parties so you better leave it to me,” Pinkie interrupted her friend with a high pitched squeal. “We’ll have cake, and punch, and piñatas and music, and Twilight can show off her new explodey spell, and and, um.”

“Explodey spell,” the apparent leader of the new guards in town interrupted Pinkie.

“Pinkie thinks that we should go investigate what caused that huge explosion earlier today,” Twilight tried to explain, putting a hoof in front of Pinkie’s mouth. “She thought that I’d have to blow up whatever it was that blew up whatever they blew up,” the newly crowned princess actually seemed embarrassed as she explained the situation, her friend nodding energetically, wide eyed.

“I can’t advise against that enough Princess Twilight; if you were entertaining those ideas. Princess Celestia has already dispatched some of her guards, some of the best, to find out what happened and aid any that need it in the case there was some kind of tragedy. Until then we will remain in Ponyville to make sure none of her citizens are harmed. If something did happen then we will remain here on a more permanent basis. We cannot let Princess Celestia’s most faithful student be completely unguarded when there is danger ahoof.”

“I appreciate the gesture, but I think we’re fine,” Twilight tried to tell him; though it didn’t appear he would listen to any argument she may have had, “we do have our own town watch you know. They’ve always been adequate before.”

“I mean no disrespect to the fine citizens of Ponyville, but Princess Celestia has decided that these dark days may require a level of preparedness and competence a small town pony garrison couldn’t muster. We are professionals Princess, you are in good hooves.”

“Spoken like a true gentlestallion from Canterlot,” Rarity spoke up again, appraising the dark coated guard as she did gems and fabric. “And I for one would love to welcome you to our town small and unrefined as it may be. I know each and every pony here will strive to make it as enjoyable as possible in these circumstances. Isn’t that right ladies,” she asked, looking at each of her three friends, Applejack having just have entered the room.

“And Ah’d like to apologize for muh sister’s rudeness before, she’s just a kid you understand mister, uh,”

“Eventide Elegy,” the leader of Ponyville’s new garrison supplied, “and there is no apology needed. I have a younger brother myself, so I know just how uncouth they can be. I did hear her say something about cider before,” he flashed the farmpony a winning smile. “After all that walking to find the four of you I am a bit parched.”

“You don’t actually believe them, do you Twilight? Sending more guards, locking down all the cities until they find out what’s going on; doesn’t that seem just a little too extreme for a bit of flame in the south. Muh intuition is telling me that there's something not right with the whole situation. ‘Least you’re not making googly eyes at that fancy pants guard like some ponies are,” she snorted and rolled her eyes at Rarity, who had been delighted to take Elegy’s offer at being escorted back into town.

“I don’t know what to think right now Applejack. The princess has never steered us wrong before. Maybe this is just another test or there’s some other danger we don’t know about yet that she does. I haven’t read about anything bad in the south in all my books though,” she murmured to herself. “He said it would only be temporary and I’ll write the Princess when I get a chance. I’m sure she’ll be able to sort it out.”

“Ah sure hope so Twi, otherwise Ah reckon we’ll be in for some trouble bigger than anything we’ve ever had to deal with before. Somethin’ that’ll make those changelings look tame and mean ol’ King Sombre just a bad dream.”

“I don’t know about that Applejack. I just wish we could talk to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, what horrible timing for them to have to go back to Cloudsdale. That’s probably the safest place to be during all of this though and they might be able to get back here soon. Can’t stop the weather after all, we still need the rain to get the crops to grow.”

“Ain’t that the truth, it isn’t applebucking season just yet and we still have plenty of apples out there. There’d be a lot of disappointed ponies if there wasn’t enough cider to go around, ‘specially after last year’s circus with those dern brothers.”

“I doubt that’ll be a problem this year Applejack. Even if you can travel by then I don’t think many ponies will want to. I don’t know how things are in other cities, but I know that the people of Ponyville take the Princess’s words to heart. Everfree Forest has seemed more restless too, some of the more silly foals have told me they’ve seen things creeping around in there. I didn’t believe them at first, but now,” she shrugged her shoulders a bit and picked up her pace, suddenly wanting to be within the safe confines of her library. I’ll do some research about those black flames when I get home.”

“Just don’t bury your nose so far in your books that you get too tired. A princess does have to keep up her appearance,” the dependable, sisterly pony made fun of her friend, knowing she was about as comfortable in her new role as she had been when she first arrived in Ponyville.

“I’ll try,” Twilight’s cheeks were touched by a faint bit of color, both at the mention of that fact that she was a princess now, but mostly because her friends have all seen her after a night of too much reading from book she just couldn’t put down. “I’ll try to do Ponyville proud,” she promised, not wanting to let down her adopted home, and one she saw as more of a home than Canterlot now.

“Ah’m just kidding darlin’,” Applejack shook her head and nudged her friend’s shoulder as the picked up the pace more, much to the dismay of Rarity, still chatting with their new protector.

“I knew that,” Twilight tried to protest, though the heat and color still in her cheeks proved otherwise. “Let’s just get home so you can get back to the farm quicker. I’m sure Applebloom doesn’t want to be without her sister on a day like today.”

“Ah appreciate the thought Twilight, but she’s a big filly now; besides Big Mac is there too. He’s as dependable as he his quiet. Ah just don’t trust our new friend just yet, though it seems Ms. Rarity there has taken a shine to him.”

“You know how she gets when Canterlot nobility is involved; she starts acting like a foal on her first date. You do remember the Prince Blueblood incident don’t you?”

“Now, now ladies, no use in dredging up the dreadful memories of galas passed is there? Like I was saying Elegy dear, if you’d like the finest suit for your welcoming ball then just stop by my shop whenever is most convenient for you. I do love hearing about and working with the newest fashions in Canterlot; I’m sure you’ll be able to give me insight into them.”

“I doubt I will prove much use Ms. Rarity,” the guard responded, trotting passed both Applejack and Twilight with Rarity close behind him. “My clothing is more about function than form. Such is the life of a military stallion,” he sighed grandly, then looked over his shoulder, winking at the other two from where Rarity couldn’t see. “But I will do my best to guide your needle with my humble tastes.”

“Doubtless you’ll do just grand,” the white pony smiled to herself, missing the look he gave the other two, a pleased smile plastered across her face.

“I live but to serve all my charges in any endeavor they try their hoof at,” he replied to her grandly, though it seemed a bit too well practiced to be sincere. “But that will have to wait for another day. I think everypony needs their beauty sleep after such an eventful day.”

“Speaking of sleep where are you and your companions going to be living while you’re here. I’m pretty sure the guardhouse itself is full, is it not? It would hardly be hospitable of us to expect you to sleep outdoors, or in cramped quarters.”

“It comes with the territory of being a soldier Princess. Trust me, we’ve had to sleep in worse; at least it’s still spring.”

“Really? I bet that means you’ve been all kinds of super cool adventures haven’t you,” Pinkie finally spoke up for the first time in the trip back to town. It was obvious she was trying to be on her best behavior, it showed on her face. “Have you been the Las Pegasus? Manehatten? How are the cakes there? Do they have good parties? I wish I could travel like that, but I don’t know what all the ponys in Ponyville would do without me.”

“I’m sure it would certainly be less exciting,” Elegy commented, shaking his head. “I’ve never been to a place with so many curious ponies. I’m sure I’ll be here long enough to answer everypony’s questions.”

“Well if you aren’t opposed to the company of some pigs and cows you’re more than welcome to bunk up in muh family’s barn, at least for the night. It’ll put a roof over your head, some soft hay under your rump and at least the critters that try to snuggle up to you will be friendly,” she finished with a big grin.

“We’ll take you up on that kind offer Ms. Applejack,” the black stallion told her after a moment’s thought, “but only if you let me help you with any chores you have in the morning. I won’t accept otherwise.”

“Ah never needed help before, but Ah don’t want to offend your sense of honor. You’ve got a deal and Ah hope you aren’t afraid of some real work.”

“I welcome any chance to keep my mind and my hooves busy,” the guard replied, turning his gaze forward and into the sleeping town of Ponyville. Can I trouble you to lead us back to your orchard once I have escorted the other ladies home and gathered my men?”

“Ah’ll be waiting for you and yours outside the library. Don’t dally too much in town,” she warned. “Or Ah just might leave without you.”

“I am always prompt Ms. Applejack.”

“Ah bet you are soldier boy, now get these ladies home, Ah’ll make sure the princess here makes it home alright.”

One last nod was all it took for Applejack to shoo the large stallion towards Sugarcube Corner, stuck between Pinkie and Rarity, who both vied for the new comers attention with equal exuberance. Though both ponies seemed completely different, like all of Twilight’s friends they had a few things in common, and their curiosity and adventurousness were some of them.

“Ah’ll keep him busy for as long as Ah can,” Applejack took on a conspiratorial tone once the black stallion, being tugged between Rarity and Pinkie trotted away, keeping her eyes fixed on the library. “Ah’ll keep him out of your hair so you can do your researching, or send message to the princess in peace. Besides, Ah think the poor boy won’t want to get stuck with Rarity or Pinkie, if the look on his face was any indication.”

“Not because you want him all to yourself,” Twilight teased the other pony, not really knowing her to go out of her way to create chances for her own mingling with other ponies, usually it was all work for her. “Big Mac might get jealous if another stallion butts in on his territory.”

“Ah’m sure him and muh brother will get along like carrots in a row. Ah don’t think that one’s as airheaded as he seems. You’re gonna have to be careful with him Twi,” her voice turned serious. “Ah don’t know what the princess is thinking, but not since the founding of Ponyville as anything like this happened, probably even before that.”

“I’m sure it’ll all be fine Applejack. You’re worrying too much,” the purple alicorn insisted, shaking head her, and letting her more luxurious mane take to the night air. For some reason ever since her ascension she felt more powerful, more alive, after sun dipped down below the horizon and Princess Luna lifted the pale moon into the sky. She hadn’t let anybody know that yet, especially Princess Celestia. “Things will look better after we all get some rest; it’s been a long day.”

“Ah hope you’re right Twilight. Ah could really use a vacation from all the trouble holding one of the Elements of Harmony is causing right about now.”