Rainbow is Magic Season 2: Disharmony, Disruption, Discord

by aceotaku

Rating: everyone
Tags: Spike, Comedy, Adventure, Discord, Princess Celestia, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Main 6, Princess Luna
Length: 16535

After thousands of years, DIscord has been freed from his prison! Can Rainbow Dash and her friends save the world from a being who can change reality on a whim!?

Thousands of years ago, two princesses defeated a powerful being and became more than what they were. Now, thousands of years later, the enemy they imprisoned has been freed.

Discord is more powerful than any enemy they have fought before, but surely Rainbow Dash (Element of Magic), Pinkamena (Element of Honesty), Applejack (Element of Loyalty), Twilight Sparkle (Element of Generosity), Rarity (Element of Kindness), Fluttershy (Element of Laughter) and Spike (Voice of Reason) can defeat him.

If the world doesn't break first....

Published 2017-01-02 19:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-05-21 18:09:49 UTC

Prologue

Four thousand years ago....

Moonlit Night sat near a stack of books, face buried deep in a particularly thick tome as her eyes scanned the words written by her mother’s horn. The journal collected her mother’s spells, as well as her firsthoof account of the creation of her fledgling nation’s most powerful artifacts.

She turned as her younger sister, Sunny Days, scampered into the room, eyes wide with fright. “Moonie, come quick! S-Something really bad is happening!”

Moonlit frowned in concern, getting up she set the book aside andstrode to her sister, stroking her hoof through the younger mare’s mane. “What is it, Sunny? What has you so frightened?”

“A-A monster j-just came in a-and attacked the city...th-the guards were powerless against him!” The white pegasus looked down, her long yellow mane draping down to her knees. “I...I don’t know what to do...”

Moonlit frowned sternly, holding her sister protectively. “Our mothers are gone...it is up to us to protect our kingdom, now come sister, it is time we collected our inheritance early.”

She walked out of her room, Sunny Days hurriedly chasing after her “W-what do you mean!? W-where are you going....?”

Moonlit trotted into a room beside hers, within it lay six round stones sitting on a silk cushion under a glass case atop a marble altar.

“Our mothers left these behind so future generations can protect themselves...” Moonlit Night explained solemnly, the purple, blue-maned unicorn gazing at her sibling. “Tell me more about this ‘monster’...”

“Oh, no no no no no no!” The strange being scolded, wagging a finger in the air as he stood before a full orchestra. Said orchestra were merely instruments, but swirling eyes in a trance betrayed that which they once were. “G-minor, not D-flat! Now, once more from the top!”

“Halt this at once, beast!”

The Spirit of Chaos sighed in exasperation, turning to look at who was interrupting him. “Can’t you see I’m busy? And shouldn’t you be dancing in the street or something?”

“Identify yourself!” Moonlit demanded, marching toward the Spirit while her sister timidly followed. “I am Princess Moonlit Night and this is my sister Princess Sunny Days, we are the heirs of Queen Platinum and Knight-Commander Pansy, and we are the rulers of these lands and these ponies!”

“Oh, so this is your doing, eh?” He waved his hand dismissively. “Ugh, such a lack of imagination. I go to sleep for a few centuries, and when I wake up some new species manage to raise itself up and build a new society! My beautiful chaos replaced with...well not order but...something...something just as dull!”

“Wh-who are you...?” Sunny said, hugging tightly to her sister’s leg.

Moonlit looked at her sister in concern. “Do not fear Sunny...whatever this creature is, he cannot harm us, not as long as we hold the Elements.”

The Spirit spun in the air clutching his chest as she started guffawing. “Oh! Oh that’s rich! Y-you think some weapon or spell you cooked up can...can PROTECT you! From ME!” He laughed harder before recomposing himself. “Dear, I’m Discord, Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, Shaper of Madness, Fixer of Ruins, Ruiner of Fixed Things and in general a powerful guy.” He grinned, tapping a baton in the air. “Allow me to sing about it...”

Moonlit frowned as pink clouds formed in the air, raining clocks in slow motion upon the town, the orchestra beginning to play music as Discord closed eyes and put his hand to his chest, beginning to sing. At that moment, Luna pulled Sunny close and closed her own eyes, concentrating on the shape of the city before this....Discord character altered everything. She focused on her love for her sister, the honesty of their bond in the wake of their parents’ demise and the generosity she felt for her subjects, willing to do anything to protect as her parents had.

Sunny thought on the laughter they shared as a family, the kindness she felt on wanting to help everypony no matter what and the loyalty she felt to her sister.

A whirl of magic surrounded them as the stone orbs shattered, revealing ornate gemstones, the magic flying through the sisters as it whirled in a spiral before launching towards the distracted monster. Discord didn’t even notice as he was turned to stone and his magic was undone, returning the ponies to their original states.

“W-what...happened...?” A Pegasus wondered.

“Who...who saved us...?” An earth pony asked as all eyes turned to their savours.

Standing several feet tall over everypony were a pair of regal looking beings. They resembled ponies but had more elegant, taller bodies and sported both wings and a horn. Emblazoned on their flanks were a blazing sun and a crescent moon half hidden in a starry sky, respectively. Their manes sparkled like jewels and wafted in their majestically.

Sunny gaped at herself in shock, looking over her altered body this way and that. “S-sister...? W-what happened to us...?”

“I...” Moonlit began, licking her dry lips. “I...I am uncertain...”

“They must be celestials, beings from above sent to protect and govern us!” One of the surrounding ponies exclaimed.

“Now hold on!” Moonlit began. “We are no different from you...”

She was interrupted as her sister was pulled away as several ponies lead her down the streets, Sunny giving her sister a startled, lost expression of both fear and confusion.

Moonlit frowned and followed after her, knowing her sister would need her to figure things out with her, though she was just as lost as she was. With a sudden realisation, she turned to where she had left the Elements.

The Elements had returned to the form of large, stone orbs, inert and bereft of magic. Several feet ahead, forgotten and ignored by the revelers was the statue of Discord, the Spirit of Chaos.

Present Day, Equestria

Princess Celestia looked over a collection of paintings, tears at the corner of her eyes as she remembered the past. She gazed at one painting in particular: this one showed a beautiful white unicorn mare wearing a silken dress as she stood beside a shy but smiling pegasus mare wearing knightly armour, between the two of them were a pair of fillies happily frolicking.

“What would you think of us, mother, father...?” Celestia wondered aloud, tears in her eyes. “I never asked for any of this, I just wanted to save our home, I was so scared... Luna always knew what to do, she was always so smart and brave, unlike me...but everypony forgot you...forgot US...” She shivered. “I just wanted to grow flowers....I can’t rule a nation...I COULDN’T...”

“I know not why we became what we are sister.” Luna spoke, walking towards her sibling. “Our new life was bestowed upon us for a reason, and like it or not, we have a job to do as successors to our parents will. Thinking in circles and wallowing in regret will get us nowhere...” Luna walked over, wrapping a hoof over her younger sister’s shoulder, unused to being smaller than her.

“I’m sorry, Luna...I know...” Celestia looked at the smaller Princess. “I just...I miss everything...mother’s warm, gentle touch....father’s kind smile....Uncle Puddinghead’s joyous laughter...your protective hoof...” She sighed. “Even after all this years, even when I try to hide behind this mask...I will always just be a scared filly needing her big sister’s help.”

“I am here my beloved sister.” Luna nuzzled Celestia’s foreleg gently. “As are father and mother. They will always be with us, and they are proud of us, I’m sure of it.”

“I know...” Celestia closed her eyes, smiling wistfully. “Neither of us are alone.”

In the Canterlot gardens stood a statue. It was a bizarre, foreboding thing, carved in the shape of a creature with a goat’s head, two mismatched and twisted horns, an eagle’s talon, a lion’s paw, a dragon’s scaled torso, a snake’s tail, a donkey’s hoof, a feathered wing and a leathery, bat-like wing. When asked what it was supposed to be, Princess Celestia stated it was ‘Discord’ and forbade anyone from touching it or getting near it, placing it at the centre of the no longer used hedge maze.

A grey earth pony hopped up the statue, sporting a manic grin and holding up a hammer.

“Let’s see what this guy can do!” Dr Prankie Pie, prankster pony and sister of Element of Honesty PInkamena Pie, grinned with a chuckle, hefting her mallet high. She was currently transmogrified so her hooves ended in weird, balloon-like ‘fingers’.

However, as she struck home right on the snake tail, the statue started to began to crack apart and a dark, ominous laugh filled the air.

Author's Note

Howdy all! Here’s the start of a brand new Rainbow is Magic story! Featuring everyone’s favourite oddball draconeques, Discord.

Word of warning: this Discord is not gonna be presented sympathetically and is not supposed to have any redeeming qualities, so forget that. If you don’t like that, you won’t enjoy this story, so don’t read it. Otherwise, you’re good to go.

Being a prologue, not much goes on, but I did always want to show that flashback at the beginning.

This story has been a LONG time in planning, so I hope you all enjoy it, and please comment!

Chapter 2: D1ZK#rI)

“Who, or more precisely WHAT, are you?” Spike asked as he and everypony gazed up at the strange creature before them.

The creature in question chuckled as her held a bony claw over his chest. “Name’s Discord, Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, the true original ruler on this land until your beloved PRINCESSES snuck in while I was sleeping and brought....ORDER to my masterful madness.” He sneered the word like it was something truly revolting. “And then they had the GALL to freeze me in stone before I could even get started on sprucing up what they ruined!” He chuckled. “However, that’s all water under the bridge now, I’m back now and I’m ready to continue where I left off! Oh I have SO many WONDERFUL ideas for this place!”

Rainbow spread her wings wide, feathers glowing with magic. “I have no idea where you brought us or why you feel like this insanity is, IN ANY WAY, a positive thing, but we WILL stop you! Now return the Elements of Harmony at once!”

Discord tutted in disapproval. “Oh come now, must we REALLY resort to violence so soon? You just got here after all....”

“Where ARE we, anyway?” PInkamena droned with a glare.

“Oh?” Discord put a massive paw over his chest in mock surprise. “Don’t you recognise your home? I do admit, I may have done a TINY BIT of renovation.....”

The girls gasped in surprise as they looked around, as they saw beyond the checkerboard patterned plain of grass lied the town of Ponyville, though it was an odder sight than before. Several buildings either hung high in the air or walked around literally like excited puppies, leaving trails of dug up earth in their wake. The great tree that severed as the town library now stood tall, spiralling upwards several feet in the sky. A few ponies in town screamed as they tried to escape the madness and several others could seen looking like stick figures drawn from crayon, staring at themselves in horror.

“Ponyville!” Twilight gasped.

“How dreadful!” Applejack paled, mock fainting dramatically.

“oh wow!” Fluttershy grinned wide. “This is really neato!”

“It is NOT neato!” Rainbow Dash scolded, gazing at Fluttershy angrily. “Do you think those ponies are ENJOYING having their homes and lives ruined like this? NO! This is going to leave many ponies traumatised for weeks, at least, if we fix this, if we even CAN at this point! Now does any of that sound FUN, to you!?”

Fluttershy frowned and shook her head. “I-I’m sorry Rainbow, I-I just...”

The rainbow-haired Pegasus shook her head. “No, no, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell, I’m just...really stressed out.”

Discord hovered in the air as he lay on his back, shrugging. “I don’t know why you have such a problem with this; I figured you six out of ANYONE would appreciate my artistry.”

Pinkamena slowly looked up at the creature, glaring harshly and icily. “Why. Would you think that. And please say it in a sensible manner, you FREAK.”

Discord grinned wide, merrily. “Oh come on now! You six are hardly what I consider typical of the harmonious nature of ponies: why, Rainbow Dash, you’re the ebst example of your chaotic nature! You’re a Pegasus who was destined only to fly and play with the weather, but you taught yourself to wield magic in a way most unicorn mages could only dream of!”

“Wait how do you know that?” Rainbow tilted her head, confused. “You’ve been frozen in stone since before I was even born.”

Discord merely laughed wryly and knowingly with a wink. “Oh I have my ways. And then we have little Applejack, a mare from a long line of farmers who by right should have been just like the rest of her family, not to mention a tomboy, but now she acts as a fashion designer and hair stylist who acts the most stereotypically girlish of you lot!”

“hey!” Applejack stomped a hoof. “there’s nothing wrong with being ladylike! And I don’t have to be a farmer, either, I can live my own life!”
“Twilight here’s the exact opposite!” Discord continued, pointing at the mare in question. “She enjoys farming even though she should be an adept of magic! Heck, she’d probably put Rainbow Dash to shame!”

Discord casually floated to the side as Rarity leapt at him, causing the unicorn to crash to the ground.

“Ow.” The mare muttered before getting up, glaring at the twisted monstrosity. “Why are we just letting this weirdo talk!? I say we bust him up right now, Elements or no Elements!”

“How uncharacteristically aggressive of you.” PInkamena muttered. “Are we absolutely positive you’re supposed to be Kindness?”

“And that is exactly the point I was getting at!” Discord proclaimed, his arms outstretched. “You six are the most chaotic bearers of the Elements of Harmony I have faced, I don’t understand why you don’t want to live in my new world! Don’t you girls think it will be just fun!?”

Rainbow Dash glared. “Look, all I see is that the world is completely twisted and unnatural from how it’s supposed to be, and you’re the one doing it! We’ll stop you, come Tartarus or high water!”

Discord shrugged. “Very well, it seems you girls need to be taught a lesson. Allow me to show you EXACTLY how WONDERFUL your precious Order is.” He snapped his fingers, the six mares vanishing in a flash of light, leaving Spike behind.

Rainbow Dash looked around herself, wide eyed as she found herself hurtling through space. Her eyes widened as she spied Discord in front of her.

“Discord!”

“You snooze you lose honey.” The creature said cheerfully, effortlessly moving ahead of her at a rapid pace. “You gotta keep up if you wanna catch me!”

Rainbow Dash struggled to fly after him, determined not to let him escape. She had to get faster. Faster. Faster!

No matter how fast she flew, she never could keep up, and little by little, even her goal was forgotten in the name of speed.

Applejack groaned, looking around herself. She was in her family’s farm, for some odd reason, and she was a filly too. She just couldn’t understand but her head felt heavy and foggy, like she just woke up from a deep sleep. She tried to remember...it was getting hazier...it was something important

“Applejack!” she heard her father call out. “come help me over here!”

The earth mare blinked. “Comin’, Pa!” yeah, that must be what it was: helping her family on the farm, like she’s supposed to. She trotted off tohelp her dad with the farming, any other thoughts forgotten and discarded.

Fluttershy looked around her, her smile slowly falling as jeers, laughter and cruel names filled her ears.

She cried, trying to tell herself it was okay, that it didn’t mean anything, but her voice was drowned out by the sheer cruelty around her.

She had to hide. She just needed to stay out of everypony’s way....

Glittering gemstones surrounded Rartiy as they lined the silken dresses of various beautiful mares. “Come on, Rarity! Join the fun!”

“Nuh-uh! No way!” The unicorn argued, inching back. “Nothing about this is fun at all!”

The mares spun around her, her eyes soon filled with spiralling visions of blues, pinks, yellows an various shining, glittering gems.

“Don’t be like that! You want to be beautiful! You want to be a princess!”

Rarity struggled and shook her head, groaning. “I...I don’t...I...I....”

“You want to be the centre of attention! For handsome stallions to admire you!”

“I....” Rarity’s eyes flung open, spiralling in a trance. “I want to be beautiful....”

Twilight looked around herself, surrounded by several books about magic.

“Let me go please...” she said softly, gazing up at the intimidating figure before her. “MY friends need me...”

The figure of Princess Celestia gazed down at her, judgingly. “You may go once you have finished your studies. Don’t worry, your friends won’t distract you from what’s important, because you don’t have any.”

“I...I don’t...? A-are you sure? I as positive....”

“Now Twilight, don’t you want to learn powerful magic, to be my student?”

“I...I..I’m not sure...I THINK I did but...”

Celestia smiled. “Just study. Don’t worry, I’ll be here to help you if you need it.”

“Th...thank you Princess...”

PInkamena....

Pinkamena....smiled.

Spike looked about himself in shock as he got up. “Wh-where are they!? What did you do to them!?”

“Oh, they’re fine, they’re fine!” Discord said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Those mares are just fine, they’re in town right about now reevaluating their life choices, I think you’ll find their new outlooks quite...enlightening.”

Spike growled. “I-if you hurt them I’ll...”

“You’ll what?” The mixed up, chaotic creature raised a challenging brow. “You can’t DO anything, you’re just the sidekick. Just run along and sit tight, leave me be.”

Spike growled and turned, heading off to find the library, hoping Rainbow was okay.

Discord sighed contentedly as he flew up high in the sky. “Well that was fun. Quite a change of pace, I must admit, but enough dawdling, time for me to REALLY stretch my...what would you call these, wings? Oh you left, well, I’m calling them wings. Time to stretch my wings, my arms, my legs, my various internal organs I may or may not even have or require to live! Now’s MY time, after thousands of years of slumber, I, DISCORD THE DISCORD, can strut my stuff!” various musical instruments appeared around him, filling the air with music as he began to sing.

“Oh, today’s just so wonderful
I feel like chuckling.
Ha, ha, ha, ha.
I feel all fuzzy inside like a duckling
full of
TARAAAANTULAAAAAS
And now that I’m free
Today
It’s going to get
WEIRD!”

He hummed a tune to himself, hopping along a line of trees, each one transforming randomly at his footsteps. A umbrella, a flamingo, a giant pineapple, a snowglobe, and much more. He gazed down at the animals of the town, laughing to himself.

“Oh, look at these creatures
Not enough features
Cats should breathe fire
Beears should sing choir!”
An ursa major sat up from deep in the Everfree, singing a choir tune as it looked completely confused and frightened.
“Very nice!” Discord complimented, lifting a barn into the air, prompting a shout of alarm as it swung, spun and exploded in midair.

“Look at this tower
Under my power
Look at these people
PUNY AND FEEBLE!”

Discord sat on a cloud, looking serious.

“Look, I’m just poor Discord trying to save you
From the delusions society gave you
Gravity’s a lie!
And so is the sky!” The world beneath spun upside down to illustrate his point.

“Trust in my all knowing, all seeing EYE!”

Gold coins floated from wallets, bags, and even the local bank, collecting into a blob of the stuff that Discord swam through, grinning jubilantly. He gazed into one, pushing it closer to show it has his face printed on it.

“Look at this money!
Who’s that honey!?
Look throughout history
How could you miss me?
Seriously, I’m all over the place!
Look at this weather
I could do better
Mandelbrot rainbows!
Screaming tornados!”

he laughed to his tune as he filled the horizon with distorted rainbows that were painful to look at and several flaming tornadoes that sported screaming mouths. He grinned as he spotted someone drinking a mug of coffee.

“Look at that loser drinking coffee!
hmmmmmmmmmmmm!
Now it’s decaf!”

The unfortunate passerby spat his drink in shock.

“Ha ha Ha! ha ha ha hah!
Look at these people
Calling me evil
Right back at ya
But you can’t stop me!
BAH DAH BAH DAH BAH DAH DAH!
Now everything you know has disappeared
It’s gonna get weird...”

Discord laughed as he snapped his fingers, the wave of chaos and madness spreading from the small town, outwards to the rest of the world...

Luna and Celestia chased down the halls of the palace as they dodged foul smelling globs of the melting structure, looking frantically for their quarry.

“Limestone Pie, you will halt and tell us what you have done to the Element Bearers!” Luna demanded.

“How coud you willingly serve Discord!?” Celestia called out, looking angry. “You do realise he’ll likely turn on you once he’s done with you!?”
Dr Prankie’s voice jeered. “yeah, well, even so, his inevitable but unexpected betrayal will be TOTALLY hilarious, and Equestria’s looking WAY more fun now, so WORTH IT!”

Suddenly a giant balloon dog smashed through the wall, bearing Dr Prankie’s face. “And that’s Dr Prankie, NOT Limestone! I forged my own PHD I’ll have you know!”

Luna glared. “Fine, if we must battle, we will!”

However, suddenly, Luna found herself transmogrified into a massive, starry maned whale, Celestia becoming a small, perplexed kitten.
“ooh! This is one for the album!” Dr Prankie grinned, pulling out a camera and snapping a shot with herself grinning over the two transformed princesses. “See!? Isn’t this FUN!?”

Luna merely glared as Celestia used her small claws to poke a hole into the madmare, sending her flying further down hall with a mocking cackle.

“That accomplishes nothiiiiiing! I’ll just come baaaack!”

Luna snorted in annoyance.

At one Equestria’s best prisons, three prisoners sat in their room.

“Pa?”

“What is it, daughter o’ mine?”
Bruised Bad Apple looked to her father. “Pa, why do ya look like Princess Celestia?”

Rotten Bad Apple chuckled, sitting on a chair as he strummed a banjo, looking exactly like the aforementioned Princess. “Well, it’s probably one o’ them there ‘ancient evils’ ya hear about sometimes, running amok, causin’ mayhem an’ the like.”

“So wouldn’t it be a good idea to take advantage and break out?” Bruised asked, her form changed to resemble Prince Blueblood.

“Well, we could, but do ya REALLY think Equestria’s gonna be a safe place right now? Ah mean, assumin’ mah theory’s right, there’s a being powerful enough ta change ME into the most powerful pony in our land, doin’ tartarus knows what to th’ community, and yer sayin’ we should, what, risk encounterin’ such a bein’ just so we’re NOT safe in prison? Ah ain’t a gamblin’ pony, so Ah ain’t takin’ a risk like that.” His gorgeous mane shimmered in the air as he shook his head. “Nope, we’re stayin’ here where it’s safe.”

“Hey pa?” His banjo suddenly spoke up.

“What is it, son o’ mine?”

“Why are ya playin’ me?” Worm-Eaten Bad Apple pointed out.

“Well that’s cause mah real one turned into a rattler an’ slithered off, an’ would YOU try an’ get it back?”

“Uh, no sir.”

“Good. Now tune yerself up, Ah feel a song comin’ up...”

Spike burst through the door of the library, looking frantic. “Rainbow Dash!”

“Spike!” a familiar, though unexpected voice called out. “What are you doing!? You interrupted my reading time and I lost my place!”

Spike’s eyes narrowed in confusion as he tilted his head. “Twilight....Sparkle?”

The purple unicorn trotted over, rolling her eyes annoyance. “Yes Spike, it’s me, like it’s always been.”

“Are you...are you serious!? Where’s Rainbow Dash!?”

“Rainbow Dash...? She’s probably out there flying, as usual Spike, you know, trying to get into the Wonderbolts or some nonsense.”

Spike paled in disbelief. “ARE YOU KIDDING!? Why would she be doing that, she’s not interested in that, she’d rather read a book than go to a Wonderbolts show!”

Twilight tilted her head. “You hit your head or something, cause you’re obviously confused, that’s definitely me you’re described, not Rainbow Dash. Look, just come inside and we’ll talk about it.”

“NO!” Spike snapped. “You’re sitting here acting LOCO while Ponyville, nay, Equestria itself is being torn apart by Discord!? We NEED you and the others to help stop him!”

“Discord? Who the hay is that? Look, Spike, Ponyville’s fine, you just ate some bad gems or something...”

“Look outside your window! Your door even! You’re one of the Elements of Harmony!” He hissed in annoyance. “Look, just come with me to talk Rainbow, we need you! Your FRIENDS need you!”

Twilight frowned. “I don’t have friends Spike, you and the Princess are all I need. Now come join me and we can read this really great book I found.”

Spike glared angrily. “No. I need to find Rainbow, and you need to...I dunno, think about what you said.” He turned, giving her once last spiteful look. “Some friend you were.” He ran out the door, calling Rainbow’s name.

Twilight frowned in though, staring at where the dragon had been...then shrugged dismissively. “Fine, more tea for me. Now let’s see if I can find my place again....”

Author's Note

Yeah a short one again, just putting up as fast as I could....after you know long periods of not writing.

I hope you like what I’ve done here, and please comment.

Yeah I...don’t got a lot to say here. Sorry.

Chapter 3: Same as it Never Was

Spike walked through the town, looking around for Rainbow Dash. The town was largely unrecognisable at this point. Buildings floated in the air, or were turned upside down and buried beneath the earth, patches of which had been changed into delicious chocolate sponge cake. Candy floss clouds floated in the air, endlessly pouring rain made out of chocolate milk beneath them. Roads had been turned into slippery, bubbly soap. Once Spike swore he saw a heard of yaks prancing like ballerinas in frilly pink tutus. And he had a feeling that was only the beginning....

The ponies were no better, many screaming in a panic or trying their best to hide, but most had been affected by Discord’s magic in some way, either transformed physically or had their minds effected, as he spied Silver Spoon acting like a dog and chasing after the local mailpony.
Spike sighed as he stepped towards Carousel Boutique, now spinning slowly like an actual carousel, complete with music as he managed to step inside...only to gasp in shock.

Instead of the beautiful Applejack, he saw the craziest pony in town: Rarity, only this time her mane and tail were styled into well crafted curls, her white coat almost sparkling in the light, her face free of the usual bruises and blemishes and strangest of all, she had a cutie mark: a set of three identical diamonds.

But only one thing concerned Spike at that second. “Rarity what are you doing here!?”

“What does it look like darling?” Rarity said in an uncharacteristic high-class accent, flashing a mouth full of white, perfect teeth. “I’m getting the store set up for customers, and I must absolutely look my best for opening day!”

“Shouldn’t Applejack do that, it’s her store after all!” Spike retorted. “Plus, you don’t even like dresses and looking pretty!”

“Whatever are you talking about?” The unicorn frowned. “Are you somehow sick, or perhaps you have a concussion? Oh darling you should see FLuttershy about that...”

“Where’s Applebloom? Or Strongheart?” Spike looked around fretfully. “They can talk some sense into you!”

“Darling, I have lived here for years, you know this; Applebloom should be on the farm with that boorish mare Applejack.” She huffed. “Though I don’t see what you need them for, they’re a rather...uncivilised family.”

“You take that back right now.” The dragon said icily through clenched teeth, his small hands balled into fists. “Applejack is a beautiful mare and a perfect lady, she and Fluttershy both. How can you even talk about your friend like that!?”

“Hmm?” Rarity raised a brow. “I don’t have many friends, darling, I am FAR too busy with fashion!”

Spike huffed and turned away. “Fine, I won’t make any progress here...” He turned once more are Rarity. “And stop saying ‘darling’ so much!” He stormed out of the building, slamming the door shut behind him.

“what’s eating him up?” Sweetie Belle said, in the form of a mannequin holding a dress Rarity started work on.

Spike walked to the farm, fire in his eyes, anger clouding his judgement. He couldn’t believe what Rarity said, how could she say those things about Applejack? He didn’t even believe he’d find her at the farm, why would he? Applejack hated her family, absolutely despised farm work. There’s no way such a delicate, principled mare would...

He froze, eyes widening as he saw one of the two mares he loved above else, who would make his heart flutter and feel warm....kicking at a pair of large trees growing out beside the Apple Family farm house.

“Applejack...?” Spike muttered in confusion as he stepped forward.

“Howdy!” The mare smiled, stopping her labour as she trotted over, wearing only a brown Stetson hat upon her hat, rather than her usual stylish attire. “What brings ya over ta Sweet Apple Acres, pardner?”

Spike slumped. “Not you too...” He gulped and tried to compose himself. “Listen, AJ, something bad’s going down. We need to get Rainbow and figure out how to stop Discord. He’s done...something to you...to..to ALL of you maybe and we need to fix it...and Equestria too for that matter!”

“Sugarcube, ya’ll talking crazy!” Applejack tilted her head with a wry chuckle. “Everythin’ seems fine an’ dandy ta me!”

“But it’s not!” Spike cried out. “You’re supposed to hate it here! Where’s your mom and your dad, hay not to mention your granny, your sister and...I’d say brother, but honestly Big Mac confuses me these days.”

“Sugarcube, Ah run this farm all by mah lonesome, jus me, these trees and the cows.” The earth mare smiled deprecatingly. “Eeeyup,way too busy fer friends, gets a little lonely ta be honest, but a job needs ta be done...”

Spike stared up at her. “What do you mean all by your...?” He stopped, realisation hitting him. His face paled as he turned his eyes to look at the apple trees, which now that he thought about it didn’t remember seeing this close to the house before. “N-no way...h-he couldn’t...h-he wouldn’t have...”

The trees blinked at him, both raising their brows, initials carved into their trunks: H.C. and J.A.

Spike cupped his hand to his mouth, shivering in horror.

“Sugarcube?” Applejack asked, perturbed by the dragon’s sudden reaction. “Ya’ll okay...?”

There was a moo and Spike turned...seeing a pair of cows, one with a long blonde mane and the other with a pink bow and a red mane.

“I...I gotta...I gotta see if she’s alright!” Spike screamed and ran out, away from the farm, tears in his eyes.

“Little fella sure is highstrung...” Applejack tutted and shook her head. “Needs a more active lifestyle, like me, Ah reckon.”

Applejack was fine, but what about her? Was Fluttershy okay? Or was she like the other Apples, twisted into something even more unrecognisable...?

Spike was terrified by the thought. He had to find out. He had to save at least ONE of them.

He ran at the cottage as fast as he could, desperately knocking at the door.

There was no answer.

He knocked again, harder this time. “Fluttershy! Fluttershy please, let me in! It’s me, it’s Spike!” He started crying. “Please recognise me! Please be okay!”

“G....go away...” A timid voice spoke quietly, almost too quietly to hear.

“W-what...?” Spike froze. “F-Fluttershy...?”

“Go away please...I-I just want to be left alone...I-Idon’t want to bother anyone....”

“Fluttershy what are you saying...?” Spike shook his head, tears forming. “C-come on, it’s me, we’re friends, right?”

“No...I-I don’t have any friends...I-I’m j-j-just a bother to everyone s-so I-I’ll just stay here out of everypony’s way....”

“No don’t say that!” Spike shouted. “This isn’t you! You...you’re so full life and joy! You LOVE meeting and talking to ponies, you love talking about animals a-a-and having fun a-a-and you’re so pretty and wonderful and...”

“No I don’t. No I’m not. I-I-I-I’m none of those things.” A soft, fearful whimper rang out. “G-G-G-go a-a-a-away...p-p-please...”

Spike couldn’t stop it as his tears flowed down his cheeks. “N-No...F-Fluttershy....Fluttershy listen to me...”

There was no more reply, only timid whimpering.

Spike’s mouth felt dry, his blood ran colder than usual, his body felt heavy and sluggish.

Was that it? Was he the only one left?

He gritted his teeth, crying, mind playing over the wonderful (and not so wonderful) times he had with everyone, and now he could feel those times ending. All his and Rainbow’s friends were...were effectively dead, replaced by strangers, strangers who wanted nothing to do with them.

A shudder ran through his body as he considered checking on Pinkamena...and remembering that as bad as she normally is, then he had no desire what she’d be like NOW.

He heard a noise, catching his attention as looked up towards it.

A rainbow trail flying across the sky. It had to be her. It had to be the one pony who had ALWAYS been beside him, who always shared so much with him, who always took care of him and he in turn took care of her.

His best friend, his only real family.

The mare who hatched him.

The Element of Magic.

He got up, running towards her as he shouted. “Hey! Hey! Rainbow down here! Rainbow!”

The mare glanced at him and smirked, landing on the ground in front of him. “Oh hey shortstuff, ‘sup? You a fan?”

“What? No!” Spike frowned, giving the Pegasus his serious face. “Everything’s gone crazy here! We need you, Rainbow, ya gotta fix things! D-Don’t you remember...?”

“Uh, dude, I’d think I’d remember somebody like you.” Rainbow smirked cockily. “So is it an autograph you want or...?”

“Listen to me!” Spike snapped, grabbing Rainbow’s hoof tightly. “Discord’s ruining everything, just look around! Ponyville isn’t supposed to be like this, you’re supposed to be with your friends fixing this! Come with me back to the library, maybe there’s a book in there that didn’t escape that could maybe help us out here or...”

He was interrupted as Rainbow Dash pushed him off her. “Hey, hand’s off the merchandise! Look, libraries are for eggheads and losers, and I ain’t either! I’m an awesome flier who’s gonna be in the Wonderbolts, I don’t have time to play with crazy lizards or make friends! Now, just let me practice my flying!” She turned, leaping into the air, only for Spike to grip onto her tail and be lifted into the air behind her.

“Rainbow, please, listen to me!” Spike said as tears flowed heavily down his cheek. “We’re family, you’ve been with me from the beginning! You’re the smartest, nicest, strongest pony I know; you can’t let Discord win!”

Rainbow grunted in annoyance, glaring at the dragon. “You’re weighing me down! BUZZ OFF!”

With that, he struck Spike as hard as she could, knocking him off and sending him to the ground, his tear filled eyes gazing up at her in betrayal and shock as he fell towards the ground.

The mare froze, pale. “H-hey I-I didn’t mean to hit him TOO hard b-but...” She winced as he crashed into the ground. “I...I should probably check to see if he’s okay...”

“Don’t bother.” A voice said in her head. “he doesn’t mean anything. We gotta focus on flying, getting faster, getting better, more awesome, we don’t got time for anyone else.”

Rainbow froze, biting her lip, imagining the many trophies and accolades in her future...the Wonderbolts uniform worn proudly on her body....the crowds of cheering fans as she won ALL the races and awards...

She looked down at the battered, crying baby dragon lying in the ground, bruises fresh on his face from where she kicked him.

She knew what she needed to do.

“No!” The voice grew more insistent, shouting in her mind. “Listen to me! You don’t need to help him!”

Rainbow Dash flew down, standing at the purple dragon’s side, carefully lifting him up and holding him under her right foreleg.
“You’re too awesome for this!” The voice screamed.

“Awesome mares don’t hurt their fans.” Rainbow muttered and flew off, barely noticing the voice vanish from her mind entirely with an echoing scream.

Rainbow soon flew to the nearest hospital, stepping inside, eyes widening as she found herself in a packed stadium overlooking a marathon race.

“WHAT.” Rainbow leaned her head back, eyes wide in disbelief as she backed out and then looked around herself, hoping for some explanation. What she saw was floating buildings, chocolate rain, a screaming sun with the ugliest face she ever seen, ponds and lakes and rivers pouring upwards into the sky and a tiny Chihuahua.

“MADNESSSSS!” She screamed in horror. “MADNESSSSSS!”

“Hey could you keep it down, my ears are ringing and my head kinda hurts...”

Rainbow gasped, holding spike up in her hoofs to face her. “You! Tell me what’s going on RIGHT NOW! What happened to Ponyville!?”

Spike chuckled lightly. “You finally noticed, huh...? Took you long enough...s-slowpoke.”

“Not now, Spike, tell me what’s going on or...?” She blinked. “Wait. How the HAY do I know your name?”

“You named me after all, you of all ponies should know it....”

“W-what are you talking about I...?”

She was standing in a room, ponies looking at her from all sides, but she didn’t notice them, or hear the exact words as a stallion spoke.

All she noticed was the tiny, purple dragon gazing up at her with wide eyes.

It was so small and...cute. So tiny and fragile looking.

She made this. She hatched the egg. She wrapped him as gently as she could in her wings, too scared to hold him in her hooves.

Somepony tried to take him from her, but she wouldn’t let them. She had to keep him safe. He was her responsibility. She noticed he had what look like little, blunt green spikes growing along his back.

She decided to name him Spike.

Rainbow rubbed at her head with her wing as the flashback faded. She looked at Spike, tears in her eyes. “I...I named you....I..Oh Celestia...I-I hurt you, I’m sorry!”

Spike shrugged, smirking weakly. “Hey, no big deal,you weren’t yourself at the time.”

“I vowed to protect you and instead I kicked you in the face!” Rainbow argued. “I...Oh gosh how could I forget you...h-how come I don’t remember...”

“You still don’t remember everything...?” Spike frowned sadly.

“I remember I hatched you....I remember I named you...I remember my promise to keep you safe...” Rainbow began crying. “I...I don’t remember anything else...I..I...Spike, Spike what is wrong with me? First I couldn’t see what was happenin’ in Equestria, now this? Tell me what’s been going on!”

“Discord.” Spike utterly solemnly. “He was some monster Celestia fought a thousand years ago, and now he’s back and turning Equestria into his personal playpen. He...he used his powers on you and your friends...you forgot everything, not only that but your personalities changed, your memories...and you couldn’t see what he was doing, even though it was right in front of you...”

Rainbow growled.”That...that freak! I’m gonna find him and buck him in the face!”

“Don’t! He’s WAY to powerful for that! We need the Elements of Harmony, that’s the only way we can stop him!”

“Elements of whatnow?”

Spike rolled his eyes, sighing. “The Elements of Harmony, powerful magical artifacts that the Princesses used to protect Equestria. You and our friends are bonded to them, so we need all six of you to save the world.”

“Um save the world, that’s kinda heavy isn’t it?”

Spike shrugged.”Eh, we did it once before, granted we weren’t set back nearly as much as now. Plus physics still worked, which was a plus.”
Rainbow knotted her brows in thought. “You said he...changed our personalities? So what, I’m not the fastest flyer in Ponyville?”

The dragon grinned. “Oh no. You’re WAY more awesome than that!”

The pair trotted along the mountain path, far enough away it was hard to call it officially part of Ponyille, which suited the needs and wants of the sole person living up here just fine.

“Whoah, whoah, whoah, hold on, hold on one sec.” Rainbow held up her wing in a ‘hold’ gesture as Spike sat on her back. “I can do MAGIC!? Like, like UNICORN magic, not just weather stuff?”

“uh-huh, it’s how you hatched me, you graduated near the top of your class in magic school. Heck, you mainly got into reading because you love learning magic in the first place!”

“No way, you’re joshing me!” She smirked. “No way could I POSSIBLY do magic. I’m a Pegasus for crying out loud!”

“Yeah well, lots of ponies said that, still didn’t stop you.” He frowned as they neared the rock farm. “Be careful Rainbow, Pinkamena’s not exactly the...friendliest of ponies. She’s littered traps everywhere.”

Rainbow frowned, paling at his words as she looked around carefully, trotting as carefully as she could. “You sure this is a good idea...?”

“Not at all.” Spike answered bluntly. “Truthfully, I’d rather avoid this place altogether, but Pinkamena’s the Element of Honesty, she’s pretty much probably our best bet to helping fix things. And she really is the most honest pony we know, even if she’s not the nicest or most helpful.”

Rainbow looked around as they walked to the only building in the empty, rocky field: a small thatched roof house. She looked it over as she trotted close to it, raising a hoof to the door.

“Okay...here goes nothing...”

Before she could knock, the door swung open, revealing a grinning pink pony. “Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! Are you ready to party!?”

Spike gaped. “P-Pinkamena!?”

The pinkmare giggled. “Oh, silly, I’m Pinkie! Everypony knows that! Come in and enjoy the party!”

She pulled the pair inside, making them yelp from the suddenness, finding that inside the living room was filled with party streamers, balloons and confetti littered the floor. On a nearby table sat a heavily iced cake, and on the wall was a ‘pin the tail on the pony’ game.

Spike’s eyes widened at the scene. “Dear Celestia...it was way worse than I thought or expected...”

Rainbow looked at the grinning mare, placing her hooves on her shoulders. “Listen! We don’t have time for this, we have to gather everypony together to use the Helmets of Armoury”

“Elements of Harmony.” Spike interrupted.

“Fine, Elements of Harmony, whatever.” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Point is, Equestria’s going to Tarturus, and we think you might be able to help, you’re supposed to be honest!”

Spike nods. “I think, as the Element of Honesty, you’d be most likely to fight back against Discord’s control...” He looked around at the childishly furnished house. “Um, well at least I thought so...but now I’m not so sure...”

“You mean this isn’t normal for her...” Rainbow asked, her ears lowering.

The dragon shook his head. “not by a longshot. In fact, if anything, she’d be the FIRST one to not like this.”

“oh don’t be so silly!” Pinkie cheered. “Parties and games and songs are so much fun, there’s no way I’d be a fuddy-duddy and not like it!” She spread her hooves high in the air.

Rainbow frowned, tilting her head. “Are you...crying...?”

Pinkie tilted her head, as if confused by the statement, but indeed Rainbow was right; despite her huge smile and cheerful tone, her face was marred by streaks of dried tears even as fresh streams of the stuff flowed down from her eyes, and even her green looked more shaky and forced. Most tellingly though, were her eyes, which did not share the mirth of her smile and voice, but instead looked pleading and terrified. “I’m not crying, I’m happy! Why would I be crying?”

“Because this isn’t you!” Spike retorted. “You’re under some kind of freaky spell or something that’s making you act like this!”

“That’s a pretty funny joke!” The mare laughed, even as more tears fell down her face, soon she fell to her knees, alternating between laughter and sobbing. “So...f-funny...I...I can’t...h-help me...I-I’m sorry...h...help...”

Rainbow stared, dumbfounding at the pink mare’s seeming insanity, but she trotted over, laying a reassuring hoof on the girl’s shoulder. “Uh...there, there...w-we’ll find a way to fix this...”

Spike peered through the window, eyes widening. “Uh Rainbow I think we need to get out of here!”

Both mares looked up at the dragon. “Uh, why?”

“Don’t question it, just get out!”

The dragon leapt at the air as what sounded like a stampede approached.

There was no time, as a literal stamped of rocks pounded through the house, demolishing it. Boulders, pebbles, jaspers, rose quartz, emeralds, even diamonds and metals like gold, all ounded over ruthlessly, flattening the already barren looking farm, setting off all the traps Pinkamena had set up through the year.

Rainbow looked up, surrised she wasn’t dead. Her irises narrowed to pinpricks as her eyes widened in awe. Around the three of them stood a sturdy, magical barrier, rainbow in colour. The Pegasus looked down, seeing her wings were glowing much like a unicorn’s horn would while performing magic.

“I’m...I’m doing magic...” She muttered in disbelief, a huge grin soon forming on her face. “I..I’m magic! Spike look, I’m...!”

Her statement was cut shortas she turned and saw Spike standing a few inches across from the side of Pinkamena, who was still on her haunches as she overlooked the wreckage of her home, a wide grin still on her face.

“M...My home...” She chuckled. “All gone...my farm is gone...m-my family...a-and I’m STILL laughing and smiling! Isn’t that a RIOT!? I’m trapped in a living nightmare! I know this isn’t me, this isn’t how I act, BUT I JUST CAN’T STOP! I can’t stop thinking of songs in constant, cheerful loops in my head! I can’t stop hankering for sweets even though I hate candy! I...I can’t stop thinking about laying silly games for foals o-or making a party for everyone and...I CAN’T STOP SMILING NO MATTER HOW SAD OR ANGRY OR SCARED I AM!” She turned to Rainbow Dash, laughing loudly. “I KNOW THIS IS WRONG BUT I JUST CAN’T STOP LAUGHING! FIX ME, RAINBOW DASH! I DON’T WANT THIS!” She collased on her back, panting. “And soon the magic will make me shut up and only talk about parties again...this is TARTARUS, I’m in Tartarus...”

Rainbow pulled the pink mare on her back, trying to fight back tears of her own as she grit her teeth. “This is way worse than I thought...Spike, what’s the next step?”

The dragon nodded solemnly. “We gather everypony, drag them if we have to, and try to figure out where Discord hid the elements...that’s the only thing I can think of to fix...everything. I’ll be honest though, it’s a longshot....”

“It’s not very likely, and worst case it doesn’t work at all and everypony is doomed!” PInkamena added with a laugh. “But at least everything’ll be FUN!”

Rainbow shook her head. “Then we’ll just have to bet on the longshot...it’s the only plan we got.”

Discord reclined in a spa that hung upside down in the air, ice lava in place of water and chirping yellow birds in place of bubbles. He sighed contentedly, leased with himself.

“Hey buddy!”

Discord smirked as he looked at his newfound ‘friend’. “Why, Doctor, it’s a pleasure to see you again. How was your day?”

“Fun!” Dr Prankie Pie grinned. “The princesses were a RIOT! So striaghtlaced and serious! It’s a shame they can’t chase me anymore, the rabbit’s too busy trying to push the whale somewhere, I’m guessing an ocean.” She shrugged. “Oh well! You don’t mind if I go mess with Ponyville for a while, do ya? I’d like to settle some scores there before you inevitably but suddenly betray me!”

Discord chuckled. “Oh no, go ahead, I more than anyone understand the satisfaction of some personally laid revenge.” He gave wicked grin. “Have fun, my good Doctor.”

Author's Note

Here we go, finally completed this chapter.

This chapter may have focused on the mane six a bit much, but it does serve to highlight Discord’s darker nature pre-reformation, where anything was allowed in the name of personal enjoyment, regardless of the harm he brought.

This WOULD have been the final chapter, but it was getting rather longish for this story plus I felt it would’ve been a bit TOO short to end this here.

Hope you all enjoyed and lease comment, as comments help inspire me to continue. Next time, well, we’ll see what happens.

Chapter 4: Harmony

Applejack wiped the sweat off of her brow, sighing in satisfaction after a hard day’s work of toil. Oddly her body seemed to be more tired than it normally would be, but surely she’d be able to fix that soon enough.

“Yo!”

The mare turned, seeing a Pegasus who was at one unfamiliar, and yet...some part of her mind tingled with recognition. She tilted her head as she looked over the visitor. “Do Ah know ya, pardner?”

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Probably not...say, would you mind helping me with something?”

Applejack raised a brow. “Ah dunno, it depends on what favour Ah’m doin’...Ah’m pretty swamped with work here an’ all.”

Rainbow looked around. “You don’t seem too busy; I just need to get some ponies together at the Golden Oaks Library.”

“An’ why the hay do ya need that? An’ why ask me, Ah ain’t one fer books an’ such.”

Rainbow Dash sighed and rolled her eyes. “look, just come along, please? Just going to the library once isn’t gonna hurt anything. Please. Just...trust me on this.” She gave the earth pony a serious gaze. “We NEED you.”

Applejack frowned but shrugged. “Fine, sure. Ah’ll help, ain’t nopony said Ah ain’t one fer helpin’ out ponies. So, what’s yer name anyhow? It’s kinda rude askin’ a favour of somepony without tellin’ ‘em yer name.”

“Name’s Rainbow Dash.”

The earth pony chuckled, eyeing Rainbow’s mane. “Of course it is.”

Fluttershy cowered in her cottage, refusing to budge an inch (except for bathroom breaks, food and drink). She was all alone, not even animals bothered her. Noone liked her, she was useless, a spineless coward, it was best for everypony if she stayed here, alone. Forever.

Her angsting was interrupted by her door being kicked down.

“O-oh no!” She eeped, eyes widening as she spotted a manically smiling figure.

“Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie, but I’m supposed to be called Pinkamena!” The pink mare grinned, picking the cowering Pegasus up in her hoofs and skipping off with her. Literally skipping, one should add.

“n-no I have to stay in my cottage w-w-where I can’t bother anypony...” Fluttershy quietly argued.

“oh hush hush, Rainbow Dash needs everypony at the library and that includes you!” Pinkie grinned. “It’ll be fun!”

Fluttershy froze. Something about this mare’s demeanour, while frightening, was...reminding her of something. She couldn’t quite place it but for some reason...it calmed her down, if only a tad bit and just for a brief moment.

But in that brief moment, her calm also came with a sense of longing and nostalgia.

Twilight smiled as she read her book. Oddly it wasn’t all too familiar to her, but it was quite interesting, a mystery/adventure story starring a stage magician who solved various crimes. She grumbled to herself as she was interrupted by her reading by a rather loud knock, turning to look at the door, horn glowing in preparation to open it.

Instead, the door was slammed off its hinges as several ponies (and one dragon) came traipsing in.

“Oh no, don’t wait for me to open the door.” Twilight responded snarkily, rolling her eyes. “It’s not like repairing broken doors is expensive or anything.”

Spike, who had brought in Rarity, simply walked over to the mostly empty shelves, looking desperately at the scattered few that were left behind. “Okay, he definitely didn’t get ALL of them, so maybe it’s here...”

Twilight growled in annoyance as she got to her hooves. “Spike, what are you looking for? And why did you bring all these ponies in here with you!? You know I prefer to read in solitude!”

Rarity scoffed. “This place is so drab, darling, you could really do with an interior decorator...” She frowned in thought. “I still don’t see why I have to be here myself, and with such...inelegant company.”

Fluttershy whimpered and tried to hide her face behind her mane as PInkamena grinned and continued to carry her aloft.

Rainbow rubbed her temple with her hoof. “Look, I’m not sure if you noticed, but Equestria’s gone completely loony! Spike says we’re all connected to the Elements of Harmony, so we need to find them to fix everything.”

“The Elements of Harmony are a myth.” Twilight rolled her eyes, horn glowing. “Now, could whoever you girls are kindly leave and let me get back to reading?”

“No, listen!” Rainbow snapped. “Look, you’re all here because we’re FRIENDS, because Equestria needs us to remember who we are to fix all the damage Discord did...you...no...WE all need to fight this and remember!”

Twilight responded by trying to push Rainbow towards the door, only for a rainbow glow of magic to push back against her, generated by Rainbow’s wings.

“See?” Rainbow grinned as she fought back. “I only remembered a little, but look how amazing I am already...just think of what we can do if we win, what we could all be capable of if we just remembered how everything is supposed to be!” She looked to Spike. “Spike! Did you find anything?”

Spike shook his head sadly. “No books that could conceivably help us...Supernaturals, History of the Two Princesses, not even the Magical Artifact Almanac. Discord made sure all that was left were rather inconsequential...”

Applejack shook her head. “Look, Ah only came along because ya’ll said ya needed help, but if ya just some crazy pony with some cockamamie story about us bein’ friends, well I ain’t gettin’ ta be a part of that.” The mare turned to leave, only for Rainbow’s magic to pull her back by the tail.

“look at you! Just up and trying to leave us!” Rainbow huffed. “You’re supposed to be the loyalist pony around, sticking by your friends through thick and thin! You’re NOT somepony to just turn and leave, especially not your friends!”

Applejack looked a little confused and disheartened, for a moment, before shaking her head. “Look, don’t try an’ confuse me here! Ah have important work at the farm!”

“What, by yourself, nopony to help you? If you had some friends, they could help lighten the workload, give you more time for yourself. You could even have time to work on making dresses.”

The earth pony shook her head at that, scrunching up her face in disgust. “Ah ain’t some pampered priss who only cares about looking pretty in some glittery, frou-frou outfit!”

Spike slammed his fast on the shelves. “You aren’t! You made all sorts of different clothes, for different ponies and different occasions! You had such passion for it, for trying to bring out the best in a pony through their looks! But you were also strong, steadfast and loyal! Your passion, your loyalty, how you stood by your beliefs no matter what anypony said, no matter what hardships you faced, those were all things I admired in you!”

Twilight scoffed. “Ugh, we’re going to be here all day going in circles! What else could go wrong?”

Rainbow grindingly turned her head towards the unicorn, glaring daggers. “Why. Why did you say that. Why, in all the name of the sun and moon, did you think saying THAT PHRASE was an excellent idea!?”

Pinkamena giggled as she looked out the window. “Oh hey! It’s my sister, the crazy prankster Limestone Pie!”

Spike facepalmed. “Gosh darnit Twi...” He sighed. “Alright, you girls just keep discussing this, maybe try to figure out where Discord hid the Elements, I’m gonna go deal with this joker...”

Rainbow frowned at the dragon. “You sure you’ll be okay?”

Spike shook his head. “No clue, she was a handful even BEFORE teaming up with Discord, but I’m not going to be much help otherwise and you girls don’t need the distraction.” Before more could be said, he walked out through the open door towards figure standing a few metres from the tree.

Dr Prankie Pie grinned wide, wearing spiral patterned glasses, a fake moustache, a red clown nose and a large plaid patterned top hat, an accordion between her forehooves. “Oh wow, if it isn’t Raibow Dash’s sidekick! Move aside, compadre, I’m here to get my revenge!”

“Not happening, I’m not letting you through!”Spike folded his arms, glaring.

Dr Prankie shrugged...and began playing her accordion, creating a sonic boom that sent spike flying bodily backwards into the house.

“Spike!” Rainbow cried out in concern as she rushed to the dragon’s side.

Rarity frowned as she looked over the purple dragon. “Is...is he alright...?”

As the group looked Spike over, several clones of Dr Prankie spontaneously appeared, surrounding the tree house as they played their accordions, beginning a cheerful song.

“So this is it
You’re in a fix
Why not just give uuuup~?
Your mind’s unwound
out of your element
and everything’s gone belly uuup!

But that’s just fine!
The world is dull, the world is lame!
The world’s a goner, it’s so insa-ane!
Can’t you see that the world needs a little bit of
DISCOR-OR-OR-ORD!?
DISCOR-OR-OR-ORD!”

At this, other instruments replaced the accordions as sonic vibrations buffeted the treehouse.

Rainbow wrapped a wing protectively around Spike. “She’s trying to destroy us with the power of music! NOW do you girls see what I’m on about!?”

Twilight held her hooves over her head. “This is CRAZY! What they HAY have you roped me into!?”

“This is MOST unseemly!” Rarity huffed in annoyance. “All I wanted to do was make some dresses today...”

“WHAT!?”Applejack yelled out. “Did somepony say something!?”

“WHAT!?” Rarity cried out. “I DIDN’T HEAR THAT!”

“WHAT!?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes, desperately trying to think of something. Words weren’t getting through, however, and even she was only dimly aware of the truth. They needed something more to remind these girls of who they were, then they could locate the elements.

Outside, Dr Prankie continued her song, the many instruments carried by her clones sending out stronger vibrations as their music grew louder.

“You girls are so annoying!
I don’t really see the fuss!
You say we’re crazy and chaos isn’t fun
Well I say you’re just a grumpyguss!

Oh don’t be sad, don’t be glum!
Don’t be mad, My little Chums!
Everything’s a lot more fun with a little bit of
DISCOR-OR-ORD!
DISCOR-OR-ORD!”

Fluttershy peeked out from the bottom of the nearest window. “I-I don’t know why...but for some reason that pony seems very familiar...a-and her song bothers me a little...”

“Me too!” Pinkamena declared cheerfully. “It’s very annoying and I want to toss a rock at her face!”

Spike groaned as he rose up. “Ughh...I could try something...I’m not sure if I can even do it though...”

Rainbow looked at him, brow raised in puzzlement, however she nodded in approval.

Rarity shook her head. “Darling you might have gotten seriously injured, I don’t think you should strain yourself with whatever you’re thinking.”

“It’s the only thing I can think...after all, somehow Prankie has Discord’s powers too, so we need the elements to deal with her too.” He scrunched his eyes shut, soon opening his mouth wide and making loud gagging noises and belches.

Rarity narrowed her eyes in disgust. “...I don’t see how performing such disgusting noises is supposed to help anypony.”

“Ah have ta agree.” Applejack got to her hooves. “An Ah say we get out there an’ charge! Surely we can overwhelm her!”

Spike’s eyes rolled back as he continued to gag and cough, small bursts of flames sparking from his mouth.

“When she alone outnumbers already?” Rainbow questioned. “That’s not a good plan. In fact, I’d say that’s not a good plan at all. It’s bad, it’s a bad plan.”

“It’s better waitin’ here ta get destroyed, cowerin’ like scared little prairie dogs, or trying to throw up like this crazy dragon here!”

Suddenly, a blast of green flame sent rolls of parchment flying everywhere, striking some of the assorted mares or falling to the floor.

Rainbow opened one, eyes widening in recognition. “This is...”

Applejack opened one up herself, drawn by curiosity and...a strange sense of nostalgia. “’Dear Princess Celestia...’” Her eyes widened as she read, the letter detailing how she travelled to Appleoosa with her friends to deal with her family.

A memory flashed in her mind.

Applejack fiddled with the pretty dress she wore, feeling uncomfortable as she walked around the high society crowd as they stared at her. She could just FEEL their disapproval of her.

“Hey! What’s your name?”

She turned to the filly who just spoke to her. “A-Applejack..”

“You look so cute in that dress!” The filly cheered. “Did you make it yourself?”

“No Ah didn’t...”

“Oh that’s okay, not a lot of ponies do either, come along, I got some friends you can introduce yourself to, I’m sure lots of ponies would love to hear more about yourself!”

“A-Ah don’t really think so...Ah ain’t exactly part of this...’scene’.”

“Oh don’t be silly! Cute mares like yourself need to have more confidence!” The filled lead her over to a small group of ponies their age. “All that matters is you don’t be afraid to be yourself!”

Applejack shook her head. “W-wha...?”She flexed her hoof. “A-Ah...Ah was ‘cute’...?”

Twilight frowned at her own letter, reading through it, this one detailing how she generously catered for one of Fluttershy’s parties without requiring any pay.

Twilight whistled cheerfully as she telekinetically plucked some apples from the trees. She noticed a timid little filly walking nearby looking hungry and so threw her four apples she picked. “Here!”

The filly yelped as she just abrely managed to catch the apples. “U-um...th-thank you Miss Twilight...!” she dashed off hurriedly.

A lanky, moustachioed stallion trotted over. “Why are you so willing to give away our hard grown products, Twilight? That stuff doesn’t grow on trees you know!” He paused in realization. “....wait.”

Twilight giggled. “Well, when I was a filly, my family lost everything because of ponies being greedy, so I came to the conclusion that I should not be like those ponies! I decided I will always give whenever I am able and never take what I do not need or deserve. Besides, it just feels wonderful giving somepony something without expecting anything in return, the simple act of giving to somepony is all I need to feel fulfilled!”

Twilight blinked, taken aback by those words and seeing herself in a farm rather than the cosy treehouse. Hearing those words come out of her own mouth however...made her feel warm...whole.

Fluttershy eeped as a letter fluttered over her face, her eyes instantly taking in the words written within.

A greyish mare with a purple mane looking like a large sample of cotton candy grinned wide at her.

“I know it can be scary and its not nice when ponies are mean to you, but that’s okay! Here’s what I think: go back tomorrow, smile and sing them a song! Even if SOME of them still act mean and all you names, I’m sure if you just sing from the heart and show them some cheer most ponies will side with you, because most ponies are just friends who don’t know they want to be friends yet! And if they’re still mean, then that’s okay too, cause if you smile and sing you won’t be able to listen and they won’t hurt you anymore! Plus its way more fun to smile and laugh then to sit alone and cry!”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened, taken aback by the simplicity of the advice. “Just...smile...and sing...”

Rarity looked around and shrugged, daintily reading her own letter.

Rarity stood on a rooftop, grinning wide, before leaping off....and crashing on top of a pony below her.

“Oh no I’m sorry!” Rarity gasped and got to her hooves, hurrildy pulling out some disinfectant and a bandaid from her first aid kit. “I’ll fix that up in a jiffy!”

“I...I was more concerned about hurting somepony that I never even thought about being injured myself...” Rarity softly muttered to herself.

Pinkamena grinned excitedly as she looked at a letter that had her name on it, excitied to see what was written-

‘Dear Princess Celestia, my ~~friend~~ ~~acquaintance~~ pony I have interacted with frequently is very honest. She is...a pony with a good interest in rocks.

Sincerely, Rainbow Dash.’

Pinkamena’s grin evaporated into an annoyed frown instantly, eyes glaring, before sighing in relief. “That’s better.”

Back outside, Dr Prankie continued her song, her clones jumping in the air to combine into a massive balloon shaped like a cannon, pointed right as the treehouse.

“So now it comes to an end
Your friendship!
Harmony!
The world as you know it!

So when it’s all said and done
Chaos rules, number one!
But don’t feel too bad, after all I’m now a bit of
DISCOR-OR-OR-ORD!
DISCOR-OR-OR-ORD!
And now that I’m done, SO ARE YOU!”

She laughed wildly as she leapt up, ready to strike her cannon, only for a surge of light to rise up from the tree shot up and struck her, destroying her wapon and sending her crashing to the ground. As she got to her hooves, her eyes widened in disbelief at the ponies trotting towards her.

“N-No way! Th-that’s impossible! Your Elements were taken away, your friendship’s destroyed, you couldn’t even SEE Discord’s chaos! HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT!?”

Rainbow smirked at the mad prankster pony. “Discord didn’t destroy our friendship, merely covered it with falsehood. The Elements weremerely the catalyst to connect us to their power, we’re as much the Elements as the actual artefacts! All we needed was to remember who we were, our friendship and the natures that bound us to the Elements, and we were able to tap into a power that was within us all along.” Rainbow smirked. “And now that we have that connection again, I know exactly where the artefacts themselves are...”

Pinkamena punched her sister hard in the stomach, causing her false teeth to be spat out...along with the Elements of harmony, which glowed and hovered over to place themselves on their respective owner.

Applejack gagged and winced in disgust. “Oh how revolting...after we save the world we really need to clean these things thoroughly..”

Fluttershy laughed. “Oh can you believe how weird that was!? Your hooves were so dirty Aj! And Rarity sounded so silly trying to sound like an upperclass pony!” She gasped. “Oh! And the best part! Pinkie was SMILING!”

PInkamena sighed. “Yeah you’re not gonna shut up about that anytime soon are you?”

“NOPE!”

Prankie grinned as the group was distracted, rising high as her hooves transformed into giant, white gloved hands, a pie in one hand and a cartoon bomb in the other. “Oh no, you’re not ruining my fun THAT fast!” Her body lengthened to incredible, serpentine lengths as her wide grin grew into a massive set of pearly white chompers, her hat changing into a massive cannon. “We’re gonna party FOREVER!”

“Oh no how terrifying.” Pinkamena deadpanned. “Whatever shall we do? If only we had some sort of magical artefact that could instantly defeat our enemies OH WAIT.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Yeah Pinkamena, we get it. Okay girls, remember, concentrate.”

The group closed their eyes, elements glowing as they rose to the air, Prankie laughing as she threw a custard pie at the six mares...however the pie disintegrated before it could connect and a magical aura grew around the group.

“Huh.” Dr Prankie remarked. “Well, try this on for size!” She threw the bomb at them as it exploded into confetti, the aura of magic surrounding the girls growing bigger and brighter. “Well I still have this!” Prankie aimed her cannon, firing volleys of pineapples in a row...until, suddenly, a massive burst of rainbow coloured energy flew straight towards her and struck her down, her body returning to its normal proportions as a strange, chaotic purple mass of energy was forced out of her mouth and she was sent flying to the distance.

As the group floated down to terra firma, Pinkamena raised a brow. “You know, I get the feeling we’ve forgotten something in all this nonsense.”

A snap rang through the air as their Elements vanished in a flash of white light, the girls gasping in shock (save Pinkamena who merely acted uninterested and Fluttershy who clapped and demanded an encore), eyes looking around until they spotted the Elements...swirling midair above the massive paw of Discord who hovered several miles in the air above them.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, I’m SO disappointed in you lot.” Discord sniggered, smirking mockingly. “All I wanted was to show you just how boring and painful your lives would be without a little chaos to spice things up, and what do you do? Spit in my face and toss it all aside for dull order, despite the fact you girls should be on MY side! Oh well, good thing I had a backup plan in case things didn’t work out, and now I have the Elements. Again. What game shall I have you girls play next...perhaps I could think up a riddle for you to misinterpret and then get lost...”

“That’s enough Discord!” Rainbow Dash declared, pointing at the chaos spawn accusingly. “All you have proven is that you’re a vile, sadistic MONSTER and well will end your reign here and now!”

“A monster, moi?” Discord gasped in mock hurt. “I’m simply FLABBERGASTED by such an accusation! What have I done to deserve such SLANDER!”

“You messed around in our minds and almost trapped us in a living nightmare.” Pinkamena growled.

“Yeah, that wasn’t very fun at all!” Fluttershy pouted, crossing her hooves. “I thought you were fun, but you’re just MEAN!”

“Oh, please, what have I done to you RECENTLY?” The chaos being turned his head aside.

“That was MINUTES ago, you jerk!”

Discord waved his bony arm dismissively. “Semantics! No matter, even though you somehow returned to your former selves, you don’t have the elements, you cannot defeat me! NOONE can!”

The others looked worried (save Pinkamena), however Rainbow Dash smirked. “Really? You think you have the Elements of Harmony?”

Discord looked at her disparagingly, gesturing to the artefacts floating near him. “Um, uh duh?”

Rainbow shook her head. “No, what you have are objects made of gold and gemstone. Those were merely catalyst, a...conductor. The Elements...are within US!” Her body began to glow, as did those of her friends. “And you can NEVER take them away from us, no matter how much you mess with our heads, change our memories, blind us to what is going on, or take the physical Elements!"

Discord gasped as the Elements were pulled from his grasp. He snapped his fingers to teleport them to him again, only for them to be pulled away each time back to their respective owner. “I-Impossible!”

“What’s the matter, Discord?” Rarity blew a raspberry as she mocked him. “I thought you liked surprises, a bit of chaos?”

“NOT WHEN IT’S NOT ME DOING IT!” Discord roared in fury, eyes literally turning ablaze. “How DARE you cheat me!?”

Rainbow smirked as the energy gathered around them, preparing to blast Discord and end the nightmare.

“Oh? OH!? You think I’ll just LET you do that then!?” Discord snapped his fingers, the mares crying out as a burst of light sent them crashing to the ground and pushed apart from each other. “Do you have ANY idea what I’m like WHEN! I’M! MAD!?”

The sky transmogrified into a mass of Discord’s staring, furious eyes, the world twisted around them like melted butter, allowing them to see the various cities and countries of their spiralling overhead, the moon spinning in wide circles around where Canterlot hung. Discord’s body split apart into segments, each part flying independently of the other

Rainbow glared and charged towards Discord’s head, spreading her wings as they glowed. Her glare turned to a look of astonishment as a herd of oxen in ballerina outfits danced towards her threateningly. Rainbow leapt high, gliding over the entourage, only for a snap to ring out and her wings to vanish in a burst of white light. Rainbow Dash cried out as she began to fall towards the charging herd, only for Twilight to dive in and grab her, cushioning her fall with her body as they landed past the line of ballerinas.

Rainbow gasped and got to her hooves as she turned to her friend. “Twilight, are you alright!?”

Twilight got up, dusting herself off. “Yeah I’m fine Rainbow, don’t worry, I’ve had a scrape or two, I can handle it.”

“We need to get the girls together, we have to try again!”

Twilight nodded. “I agree.”

The pair heard a sizzling sound as they leapt back, the ground where they once stood replaced by boiling lava, Discord’s bone claw reclining on an inflatable chair atop the mass,wagging it’s bony finger. “Oh no no no no, we can’t have that!”

Rainbow and Twilight ran in opposite directions, giant candy canes tearing out through the ground as they ran. “Girls! We need to regroup, he’s trying to keep us apart so we can’t use the Elements!”

Pinkamena dropkicked through a huge pair of pearly white teeth as she dodged a swipe from Discord’s massive Ursa arm, looking around herself, sighing as she saw fluttershy. “Lousy goshdarn group based magical powers...flippin’ pain in the flank...” She ran over to Fluttershy, who grinned wide as she rode on Discord’s train tail which bucked like a bronco.

“YEEEEE HAWWWWW!” Fluttershy giggled, leaping off the...appendage to glide over and pick up Pinkamena in her hooves, gliding along....only for her wings to vanish and the two of them to crash to the the bouncy ground.

Pinkamena sighed as the paired bounced along, an avalanche of bowling balls heading towards them as Discord’s torso dropped them from thin air.”I hate Mondays...” she muttered as Fluttershy cheered in excitement, neither pony noticed the glow surrounding their bodies.

Rarity eeped as a horde of books knocked itself against her head, a whole hoard of them flapping overhead like butterflies, surrounding Discord’s legs. “Ugh, hardbacks! Why did they have to be hardbacks!”

Applejack frowned. “How wasteful, I can sympathise with Rainbow, a fine book is a terrible thing to waste...you know you could possibly try to get out of this...”

Rarity shook her head. “No, I couldn’t. You’re all my friends, you need me, you might get hurt and I couldn’t stand the thought...not to mention how many ponies Discord has likely hurt already...”

Applejack smirked daintily. “And I wouldn’t abandon my friends to no matter what...no matter how ridiculous or dangerous the situation becomes.”

They blinked in surprise as they began to glow.

Discord laughed as his neck lengthened, trailing along the sky as he twisted the landscape to his mad will, throwing whatever he could at his enemies. “That’s right, it’s so much more fun when you try to struggle, when you think you can beat me! BUT YOU CAN’T!” He laughed loudly.

Rainbow Dash spread her wings as Twilight stood beside her. “We won’t give up! My friends are with me and I am with my friends, we do not fear you!” Her body began to glow, along with her element.

“And I will give my all to help my friends and everypony in the world!” Twilight added, her own element glowing. “I will give up everything to ensure the world is safe and as it should be!”

Discord laughed, beginning to retort, only to notice the ponies glowing as they stood in groups of two. “No...no! What are you doing!? STOP IT!”

A burst of rainbow light and the separate groups were pulled together, hovering in the air in a circle. In a trance, they raised hooves high as magical energy twirled and spun around their bodies.

Discord snarled, snapping his fingers, a white flash appearing around the group...only for it to be frozen and shattered as they rainbow beam of magic came flying towards him, striking him in the face. The magi began to take effect, his head slowly freezing to stone...only for his eyes and mouth to fly off, attaching themselves to his disembodied wings. “Not again! I won’t let it happen again!”

However, rather than dissipating, the beam of magic followed after him, striking his wings. Again, his eyes and mouth fled to his massive ursa arm, which swung down towards the ponies. “You IDIOTS! You have no idea what’s waiting for you! I’m offering you something great, something INTERESTING!” Again, the raced to his current host, turning it to stone as it was knocked away from the mares.

Discord once again fled his torso, making it spin to form a tornado, however the winds calmed as the beam of magic tore through, sending him fleeing to his left and right legs, one eye on each as his mouth was attached to both, attempting to stomp down, fleeing once more as the magic gave chase.

His face attached itself to the front end of his tail, charging forward at full speed. “You think you’re ‘saving your world’, but if you knew about HIM, about what HE’LL do, you’d wish you kept me around! I’m the only one who can stop him! He’s coming BACK, you idiots, and without me around to hold him back, he’ll eat EVERYTHING alive!”

The magic finally enveloped him completely, his facial features futilely leaping off to escape, already turning to stone midflight, dropping to the ground one by one.

With a final burst of rainbow magic, harmony spread throughout the world, returning the world to its original form, free of Discord’s chaos.

The six mares and Spike stood in the town square. They group would be resting, were it not for the fact that Ponyville had two very special guests: the princesses themselves. Behind the pair, the royal guard was being directed by their Captain as they set to work retrieving the separate, petrified parts of Discords body.

“Why was he turned to stone...?” Rarity wondered. “Last time the elements turned Nightmare Moon good...” She blanched and grimaced. “I-I mean Princess Luna, of course!”

Luna shook her head. “it’s quite fine, it will be a long time yet before Equestria will forget my transgressions...as for why it happened differently, we are no experts as I only truly wielded the Elements once and my sister twice, and neither of us fully know or understand them or their origins completely. However, if I had to hazard a guess, I’d say the difference was the Elements removed a foreign entity possessing my form and allowing me to be who I truly am, while Discord...while not only is he chaos personified, he is also a genuinely cruel and selfish creature.”

Celestia nodded. “I concur, I doubt there is a shred of kindness, generosity, loyalty, honesty or friendship in his heart...and what laughter he spread was for his own hedonistic whims.” She shook her head. “The royal guard is still searching for the miscreant who began this nightmare in the first place...”

Rarity frowned. “I’m more worried about all the ponies this affected...who knows how many will need therapy after this...”

“Too many...” Celestia lowered her head. “we only mitigated him the first time because we took him by surprise and we got him early...sadly we were too late...because we had to wait to give you the Elements...twice now, an enemy managed to take the Elements when they were supposedly safe in our hooves. Not again, this WILL NOT happen again.”

Rainbow raised her eyebrow. “Princess...?”

“From this day forth, the safety of the Elements Harmony shall be kept in the hooves of their bearers, to be used at the bearer’s discretion.” Celestia smiled at the ponies. “Equestria no longer needs us to solve all its problems...”

Rainbow stared in awe. “That’s...uhh...are you sure Princess...?”

Luna chuckled. “WE are positive this is for the best...and once more, we’ll need to hold a ceremony to reward you properly for the service you’ve done our country...perhaps some actual medals this time...”

Twilight shook her head. “Oh that’s not necessary at all, Princess.” Applejack, Rarity and Pinkamena glared at her. “Besides, we wouldn’t have done it without Spike...he’s the real hero today...”

The purple dragon looked away sheepishly. “It was nothing...really...”

Rainbow smirked at him. “Don’t sell yourself short, Spike, you saved EVERYPONY’s bacon today. Not that I’m surprised, you’re my Number One Assistant after all!”

Spike blushed and looked away in embarrassment.

Celestia smiled. “Then you shall all get medals! And Spike shall have the biggest one!” She chuckled as she and Luna turned to oversee clean up of the town that was at the centre of Discord’s madness

“Wait now hold on!” Applejack raised a hoof to object. “Now Ah think you’re being a bit too hasty deciding who gets the...bigger...medal...” She lowered her hoof as her plea fell on death ears, the Princesses already moving along. “Darnit...”

Rarity frowned. “I don’t know about you girls...but something still troubles me...Discord was trying to warn us about something...”

“He was...probably jsut trying to trick us...to...save himself...probably..” Rainbow Dash lamely replied. “Let’s not worry about something said by a crazy demigod while he was in the midst of getting his flank kicked.”

Pinkamena gazed at her. “You better hope you’re right...otherwise we’re in a bigger mess if DISCORD was the preferable choice...”

Rainbow gulped, pale faced as she gazed ahead, hoping to the sun she was...

Sunset Shimmer sat in a dark cave in the frozen north, horn glowing as she focused her magic. She smirked as she felt...something. Something out there...calling to her...no, calling to HIM.

“You shall become whole...” She muttered, smirking grimly.

Author's Note

And thus, this story ends....after many hefty hiatuses!

I apologise for the long wait, real life and general lack of inspiration for writing slowed me down REALLLLL bad. Doesn’t help I was overtaken by thinking through ideas for OTHER stories, but well...
First off, here’s one of my few attempts at making an original song. I won’t promise I’ll make one more often, but I will say it may happen. I hope it turned out well.

I thought through various versions of the ‘battle’ with Prankie, but didn’t implement them because...I forgot them.

The final battle with Discord, where he warps reality to a massive degree and splits into separate parts to escape his fate, has been planned for this story’s end from the beginning, and was what I was really excited to write as I felt it truly captured a proper battle with the chaos spirit.

Ever since the Gala, this ending was what I had planned in regards to what happens to the Elements. They just...are not safe with the Princesses, or at least not MUCH safer. If they need a rapid response to a future threat, they NEED to be in the hooves of Rainbow and her friends.

Also, another note: the book Twilight was reading in this chapter is this universe’s equivalent to Daring Do, the author of which is Trixie! (under a pseudonym) There’s a sly reference to it in Dodge Junction! I have thought up some details to this book-within-a-fic if anyone’s interested!

Also also, no, Prankie wasn’t going to kill anyone, just cause mild discomfort and humiliation! Murder isn’t funny!

I hope you all enjoyed this story, and please comment! Comments inspire me to write!

Chapter One: World Got Flipped, Turned Upside-Down

“Twilight!”

Twilight Sparkle frowned as she got up from tending to the silkworms in their enclosure, trotting to the front of the farm, eyes widening in shock as she saw Flim and Flam being dragged along the end up of a rope, the other end tied to massive carrot that was literally acting like a bucking bronco.

“What in the hay...?” The purple unicorn muttered in shock and disbelief. She yelped as several more carrots, as well as various other fruits and vegetables, shot up from the ground and started going on a rampage through her farm. “What in the hay is going on!?”

She turned as she heard flapping wings approach, a bat-winged pony with a dark coloured coat landing in front of her. Though a recent addition, these frightening looking Nightsteeds had soon become a common (and welcome) sight in the town, acting as law enforcement and protectors in case of attacks, as per an agreement between the newly elected mayor and the Princesses.

“Twilight Sparkle, correct?” The armoured guardsman asked, slicing a few ornery veggies with blades hidden on his wings. “The Princesses have sent word, you must come with me.”

“But my farm...” Twilight protested weakly, gazing in concern at her home.

“The Princesses assure me they have both answeres and a solution to this.” The stallion sighed. “I’m sorry, but I have my orders and I must follow them.”

Twilight returned the sigh and trotted over. “Alright, I understand...” She gave her family’s farm one last concerned look.

Fluttershy’s pet cat, Opalescence, gazed in utter fear and confusion as she spun in the air like a propeller, her uncontrolled flight pressing her uncomfortably against the ceiling of Fluttershy’s shack.

“Wooo!” Fluttershy hollered in glee. “You’re amazing, Opal! I didn’t know you could fly!”

Opal meowed in discomfort as there was a knock at the door. Fluttershy giggled and opened the door, seeing a Nightsteed in full armour.
“Ma’am, by order of the Princess, you must come with me!”

“Sure!” The yellow Pegasus grinned. “Lead the way!”

Applejacked yelled and hollered as she was accosted by several of her finest dresses, which had suddenly sprung up and came to life as if invisible ponies were wearing them. Near as Applejack knew, they probably were.

“Unhand me!” Applejack shouted. “I created you! You must listen to me!”

Naturally, as is often the case when a phrase like this uttered, the fashionista was ignored and unceremoniously thrown out through she shop/store’s front door, alongside Lil’ Strongheart.

“That was...” Lil’ Strongheart began with a shiver, “unpleasant.”

“Ah simply must agree!” Applejack huffed. “If they keep that up, they’ll get wrinkles! And who will have to iron those wrinkles out? Me!”

Strongheart gave the earth pony a withering gaze.

“What?” Applejack shrugged. “It’s true! You don’t know how to work it, and dear little Applebloom is too young!”

“Ma’am.”

Applejack immediately got up, smiling winsomely at the guardsman. “Why hello darling, what brings a handsome stallion such as yourself here?” She winked. “I’d offer some tea but...my shop is currently...uh...under renovations.”

“Ma’am, I am here to escort you to speak with the Princesses, I must insist that you come along.” The stallion turned away nervously. “And I’m not sure I appreciate your tone, under these circumstances...”

“Oh but of course darling!” Applejack giggled and trotted beside the Nightsteed. “But I’m sure we can talk a while along the way....”

Strongheart rolled her eyes and got up and began walking the opposite direction. “I suppose it is up to me ensure Applebloom is alright...” she blushed and muttered under her breath. “And keep her company....f-for protection.”

Rainbow Dash grunted as she tried to use her magic to hold down several of the books of her library, which was tricky as they were flapping around like butterflies and were for some reason resistant to her magic whenever she tried to grab them.

“Spike, did I miscast a spell I don’t remember practicing or something?” She asked her assistant as he tried the far more ‘logical’ course of attempting to knock the books down with a broom.

“I have as much idea about this as you do, Dash.” Spike admitted, knocking a book to the ground with a triumphant smile, only to growl in annoyance as the tome simply drifted back up into the air. “Dangit.”

There was a knock at the door as a Nightsteed mare trotted in. “Rainbow Dash, the Princesses have requested your presence forthwith.”
“CLOSE THE DOOR!” Spike and Rainbow shouted.

However it was too late, seeing an opportuinity, the various books of the library flew past the confused guardsmare and out through the door, flying towards the horizon.

Rainbow shoved her hoof to her face. “Now I need to pay for replacement copies. AGAIN.”

The Nightsteed blushed and looked down, scuffing her hoof along the floor. “S-sorry, the door wasn’t locked so I thought...”

Rainbow shook her head. “It’s fine, it dounded like you got something important for me.”

“Y-yes, ma’am!” The mare saluted. “I-I’m Lieutenant Griefer of the Ponyville Guard! I-I have been ordered to bring you to the castle of Princess Luna and Princess Celestia!”
\
Rainbow tilted her head in confusion. “Do you know why?”

“All I know is it is related to what is afflicting the town, as you just experienced!”

“OH you mean the thing with my books?” Rainbow’s eyes widened. “Wait, the rest of the town is experiencing stuff like this?”

The Nightsteed nodded. “Indeed, ma’am. Farmers crops coming to life and attacking, animals displaying strange and unusal behaviour, houses launching high into the sky like Iron Will Industries’ rockets, the list goes on.”

“Oh great...” Rainbow groaned. “Can’t we just have a quiet day where the worst that happens is that somepony has some sort of, I dunno, ‘firendship problem’ or whatever?” She shook her head as Spike leapt onto her back. “Okay, Miss Griefer, lead the way.”

Rainbow Dash and the rest of her friends had been lead onto a large chariot that was pulled along by a pair of pegasi royal guardsmen as they flew to Canterlot. As they travelled, the group surveyed the odd surroundings passing them by.

Pink clouds made of cotton candy that constantly poured chocolate milk like rain .

Roads replaced with a purple soap.

A sky that, rather than a perfect blue, was now a garish plaid colour.

A screaming sun. Though that was more annoying than anything else.

“What the hay is happening to Equestria?” Rainbow Dash wondered aloud as she stared wide eyed at the madness greeting her eyes.

FLuttershy grinned and tried to taste some of the clouds, only to be held back by an irritated Pinkamena.

Soon, they arrived at their destination, and the six mares (and one male dragon) were lead towards the Princesses throne room, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna standing side by side.

“Greetings, my little ponies.” Celestia smiled wisely. “It is a pleasure to see you are well.”

“Cut the nonsense.” PInkamena snorted. “Just tell us why Equestria is suddenly my worst nightmares come to life.”

The others gave the pink mare a quizzical look.

“I am screaming on the inside.” Pinkamena responded in a dull monotone. “I assure you.”

Luna shook her head. “As rude as she is, she has a point sister; we can’t simply act like nothing untoward is happening.” The smaller Princess stepped forward. “You six are the holders of the Elements of Harmony, Equestria’s greatest and only weapon against the enemies of harmony. As such, you are here to make use of them, for only they can repair the damage being done to our world.”

“But...” Twilight began. “But what IS happening? This isn’t really...normal.”

Celestia frowned. “No, it isn’t. A thousand years ago....”

“Four thousand.” Luna corrected.

Celestia rolled her eyes. “Four thousand years ago, Luna and I were...normal ponies. That changed however when a powerful being named Discord appeared. We knew not where he came from or why he was threatening our livelihoods, but he was an incredibly powerful being who warped reality around him, using ponies as playthings for his amusement. We used the Elements of Harmony to seal him away, and became what we are now.”

Rainbow frowned. “Sealed him...how?”

“Keep in mind we could not control the elements, we did not know how they worked.”Luna said. “When the magic struck, Discord was turned to stone, and we have kept his statue closeby so we could at least catch him if he ever escaped.”

Celestia’s horn glowed and an ornate, white case decorated in gold swirls was pulled in front of the group. “We have brought the Elements out of their vault for you six to use and end Discord’s reign before it began.” The white mare shivered. “Please...we must not wait any longer.”
Rainbow nodded, stepping forward. “Of course your majesty, if it’s within our power, we will save our land.”

The others nodded as Pinkamena simply spun her hoof in the air in a ‘hurry up’ motion.

Celestia smiled as she opened the case. “Thank you, now here...” She blinked as something seemed amiss, turning the case this way and that.
But the Elements were not inside. They were gone.

“What but I checked just a second ago!” Celestia protested. “They were here! This...This just...this doesn’t make any sense!”

“Make sense!? Where’s the FUN in making sense!?”

Everypony gasped in surprise, looking this way and that for the new voice.

“Hello!” The stranger called out. “Up here!”

Everypony looked, seeing the dancing form of Dr Prankie Pie within in one of the glass stained windows.

“Limestone.” PInkamanea growled. “Get out of the stained glass window and present yourself in a more appropriate manner. Our family has one rule: obey the laws of physics!”

Prankie cackled and vanished, popping her head out through the ear of a completely taken aback Luna. “Oh you silly! Who cares!? Now that my new bud Discord’s in charge, Equestria’s now a more wild and fun place!”

Luna’s eye twitched. “Did you. Just refer to. THE most dangerous being in our world. As your. ‘Bud’!?”

Prankie grinned pulled her head back, this time appearing as a stain on the silk carpet. “That’s right! I heard some stories about him, and I thought it’d be REALLY funny if I freed him, so I did!”

“YOU DID WHAT!?” Celestia and Luna shouted in rage.

“Do you have any idea what you have unleashed!?” Celestia roared. “You complete, utter FOOL! You have DOOMED our world to be WORSE THAN DESTROYED at the hands of that LUNATIC!? ARE YOU INSANE!?”

“Yeah!” Dr Prankie agreed, pulling herself up from the carpet, finally showing up in her normal pony form, spiral-decaled sunglasses over her eyes, a rainbow afro wig over her white mane and a fake moustache with a big round red nose accentuating her wide, manic grin. “Isn’t it HILARIOUS!?”

“Nevermind that!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Where are the Elements, Limestone? Where did you take them? Return them at once!”

“It’s Dr Prankie, if you please!” The mad prankster shouted, then folded her forelegs as she pouted derisively. “Anyway, I’M not the one who took them, my new best buddy did, and even if I DID know where they are, I’m certainly not telling you!”

“Get her!” Pinkamena shouted and leapt at her insane sister...only to find herself splash into the carpet like it was water, swimming in disbelief. “WHAT.”

Everypony else, however, simply stood as if it was solid ground, looking even more confused.

Dr Prankie laughed, standing atop a stone column above everypony else. “Made ya look!”

“Get down here, you...RUFFIAN!” Applejack shouted, bucking her hooves against the column. “I WILL NEVER forgive you for what you did to me on Pranking Day! You cad!”

She blinked as her rear hooves struck not solid stone, but instead sank into delicious cake, Rarity running to pull her out.

Rainbow looked between her entrapped friends as she thrust her wings, blasting a beam of magic at the prankster, only for said beam to freeze and shatter as if it were ice, a mocking chuckle greeting her ears.

“My, my, how...unusual. You have earned some special interest, little ponies.”

With a bright flash of light, Rainbow Dash found herself and her friends standing in the middle of a grassy,checkerboard-coloured field, disoriented by free.

“Wha.” Pinkamena gaped, wide eyed and shaking. “Wha. Huh. Water. Carpet. Castle. Buh?”

Applejack looked over herself, sighing in relief. “Oh thank goodness, at least none of that...cake...stained my lovely dress and tail.”

Twilight looked around in confusion. “But...where are we...?”

“Oh, why, you impressed me so much with how...chaotic you are, I felt I simply HAD to meet you face to face.”

Everypony turned and stared at the monstrosity before them. He had a goat-like head with a single fanged tooth sticking out from the upper lip, his head atop a long neck; yellow eyes with red pupils, one larger than the other; a pair of horns, one twisted and coiled and the other straight, both quite long; He sported a pair of red wings which appeared to be made of red silk clothe, like a torn cape; his thin torso was bright gold; his tail was a miniature train that puffed smoke at intervals; his right arm was a massive Ursa Minor’s paw; his left arm was a skeletal claw; his right leg was a blunderbuss and his left leg was a hoof made of glass.

“My name is Discord, my little ponies,” the twisted, impossible creature greeted with a smirk, “and I want to play a little game.”

Author's Note

Hey all! Discord’s here and he made a friend! Can you guess the villains from past stories incorporating significant portions of Discord’s new form?

Discord’s appearance here is inspired by the fan theory of his body featuring parts from previous antagonists, as well as a theory his form would be different for future appearances. I hope you like!

I hope you all enjoyed this, and please comment!