Ruining Harmony 2: Pillars of Harmony

Applejack was left tired from having to put so much energy into jumping around. Slowly, she trotted down the stairs once more, quickly meeting the elderly Sunshine Blaze and his children. They helped her the rest of the way down, where she was met with cheers and a meal.
“I’m not sure how you did it, Applejack, but all power was restored to the stronghold at the same time we heard that thing scream. But now, now we have to keep this plan rolling without Discord to help.” Blaze smiled.
“Who said I was gone?” Discord asked, poking his head through a hole in the air. His eyes came to Sunshine Blaze, who shivered.
“That thing up the top of the stronghold, it looked like you, I could only assume,”
“Oh I see,” Discord narrowed his eyes, but his focus was towards the seal, “he’s toying with us now. He’s showing what he wants to turn us all into, corrupted and time broken things. And as much as I’d like for Applejack to get rest, there simply isn’t time.”
Discord snapped his talons, and Applejack felt the energy from the food and expelled in the fight return to her. She stood once more and looked at Discord.
“Ah need more than what Ah have, these things could have the elements within them.”
Discord nodded, snapping his talons again.
“I’ve given you the lightness of a pegasi, minus the wings of course. But don’t overdo it, it has limited uses before you must rest and let the ability restore itself. Now, shall I teleport you to your next location?”
“Surely it can’t be that hard to get around Equestria fast.” Applejack smiled, hoping she could see the landscape, maybe even wander to Ponyville.
“Applejack,” Discord didn’t look whimsical, he looked serious, as if his life was on the line, “Ulysses could still break out within hours. It would take you that long to get to one location. Teleporting you is the only way.”
She sighed, and nodded. The next snap of his talons distorted the world.

In the moments she was particles, moving rapidly to her next destination by the power of Discord, Applejack saw something. It was a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane, flying against black headwind and the piercing eyes of Ulysses. There was nothing else to Ulysses, just his eyes. And the laughter.
“Foolish pegasus, come to die!”
“Not today flankhole!”

The world returned to normal, and she shook her head. Around Applejack, earth ponies and unicorns had come to a stop, staring at her as they realized who she was. There were mutterings among them, but Applejack paid them no attention. Instead she looked around for the next stronghold. She didn’t know what this city was, but there had to be a clue.
Nearby was a fountain of white marble. Atop it were pegasi in flight, in what looked like flight suits, goggles covering their eyes. It took her a moment to realize, they were statues of the Wonderbolts.
“What the hay? When did Cloudsdale come to the ground?” she spoke.
Somepony walked to her side. She looked at the tired and old eyes of Soarin.
“It didn’t.” he pointed behind her and up to the sky.
Turning, Applejack got her first glance at the stronghold. While very much a structure of stone, it was done in a flowing step, with the features reminding her of the grace and randomness of a cloud. Indeed, there were clouds at wide flat areas of the stronghold, at prominent sites all up it. From here, pegasi were hurriedly clasping gems to earth ponies and unicorns, then pushing the clouds down to the ground where they fell apart, giving the riders a softer and very short landing.
The stronghold, she noted, was being abandoned.
“Ah need ta talk to somepony.” she looked at Soarin.

Soarin led her to the base of the stronghold, where facing away at the doors was a griffon. The griffon hadn’t seen her yet, but Applejack flinched at the voice, and the very memory of who it was.
“Alright ya dweebs, get a move on, the rest can clear the upper floors, just clear out the lower then lock me inside. I didn’t want my reunion to go like this, but I gotta kick some flank, even at my age.” Gilda snapped, the pegasi around her running around and doing their best to carry out orders.
“Gilda? How are you in charge of a stronghold?” Applejack asked.
Gilda turned around. She was indeed older, but given that griffons lived twice as long as ponies, she was more middle age than pensioner. She snorted at seeing Applejack, and rubbed the scars across her face.
“Went to give Ulysses a piece of my mind soon after I had heard he had killed you six. Got my flank handed to me and was saved only thanks to Discord stepping in and doing what I couldn’t. Then he told me you all survived, but barely, so I promised to help to avenge Dash.” Gilda answered, turning back to the stronghold.
“Alright then, Ah can’t say Ah like ya too much after the last we met at the surprise party Pinkie threw ya,” Applejack noticed that Gilda had winced at the mention of it, either the memories reminded her of what she had done wrong, or the memory of Pinkie Pie still disturbed her, “but ya did the right thing. Ah’m sure Dash’ll forgive ya, but Ah got to get up there and stop this here stronghold falling.”
“Not gonna happen appleflank,” Gilda glanced sideway, “it's my stronghold to protect, my nest, I’m going to go up there, kick flank and take it back, while you can sit your flank here and watch.”
“You’ll get yourself killed.” Applejack stated.
Gilda huffed, glaring at Applejack. And deflated.
“I walked away from my friendship with her. I decided to be alone, than to make friends with the new friends she made. And look what that did. If it had been seven of us against Ulysses instead of six, then none of this would be happening.” Gilda looked at the ground, suddenly a very different griffon to the brash and headstrong one she had been just seconds before.

Applejack saw guilt in her. She was wracked by that single ‘what-if’ scenario for sixty years, and it had eaten her up. Discord had taken Gilda, and given her a purpose, to finally fight for her friend, even indirectly, to give her and their friendship a second chance, if they succeeded. Applejack wasn’t sure if Discord had done the wrong thing, but it remained to be seen at all. Slowly, she placed a hoof on Gilda’s shoulder. Gilda turned her head back to look directly at Applejack.
“Ah need to know more of what’s up there.” she stated. Not asked. Asked implied she would stay put.
“Its Rainbow Dash. But she’s all black and screaming like a beast. I just know Ulysses has twisted her to bring this stronghold down.”
“No, it's not her,” Applejack shook her head, “before Discord sent me here, I fought a, something, up at the top of the Bloodpact Stronghold. It appeared as Discord, but he was fine. Whatever it is up there, it's what Ulysses wants to turn the real Rainbow Dash into. And ya can’t fight it alone.”
Gilda blinked, then closed her eyes, beginning to shiver, either in rage or fear of what the future could be. The shaking would slow to a stop, then, she slowly opened her eyes.
“Let’s come up with a plan to kick flank.” she muttered, her voice filled with determination.