Monado Of Harmony

Chapters

Chapter 1 - Mystery At The Museum
Chapter 2 - Dark Light's Insight
Chapter 3 - Train Of Thought
Chapter 4 - Encounter At The Castle Of Friendship
Chapter 5 - Agent of Anarchy
Chapter 6 - Of Kindness And Loyalty
Chapter 7 - Monado vs. Monado
Chapter 8 - Battle At The Boutique
Chapter 9 - Lets Get Generous!
Chapter 10 - Hunt And gather
Chapter 11 - Journey To The Tree
Chapter 12 - Broken Visage
Chapter 13 - Harmony Vs. Anarchy
Chapter 14 - Cutie Marked
Chapter 15 - Welcome Home

Chapter 1 - Mystery At The Museum

“Nice of you to come by, Mr. Mayor,” the friendly owl of Canine Crossroads Museum of Friendship greeted.

Yosh, the blind dragon-duck, smiled warmly as he unwrapped his arm from his canine assistant, Isabelle.
“I hear a new item has been added to the collection?” he asked.

“Yes!” the owl announced. “Follow me!”

“Want an arm, Mr. Mayor?” Isabelle asked.

“Thanks,” replied Yosh as he linked arms with the yellow shih tzu.

***

“The letter you sent made this sound like quite the discovery!” cheered Isabelle as she helped guide Yosh through the various halls of the museum.

“It is!” the owl, Blathers, replied enthusiastically. “It’s like a sword but not a sword!”

“Then what is it?” inquired the green dragon-duck as he held his white cane in front of himself.

“Well,” pondered Blathers. “Why not give it a feel and see what you think, Mr. Mayor?”

***

“It does look very interesting,” remarked Isabelle upon seeing the strange artifact. It had a handle that went to a circular glass disc before ending in two angled edges.

“Can I touch it?” asked Yosh.

“Be my guest,” stated Blathers. “You’re the reason this museum is the great tourist attraction that it is today.”

Isabelle helped guide Yosh towards the handle of the mysterious artifact.

SHOOM

Yosh felt a tingling sensation as his mind saw a series of images. One was of him holding the artifact in front of himself, another was him in The Castle of Friendship making the circular disc of the relic spin to display Cutie Marks, and another was of a very unpleasant looking individual glaring towards him.

“…MAYOR!” cried Isabelle as she managed to snap Yosh out of the trance the artifact had put upon him. “What’s wrong?”

Yosh waited for the tingly feeling to go away before answering with, “I… I saw things…”

“Saw ‘things’?” questioned Blathers.

“Yeah…,” Yosh trailed as he put a finger to his beak. “Did it do that to you when you brought it here?”

“No…,” pondered Blathers as he put a wing onto the artifact. “Just feels like a wooden handle and I’m not seeing anything except what is right in front of my beak.”

“Let me try!” chimed Isabelle as she put her hand upon the hilt.

“Anything?” asked Yosh.

Isabelle shook her head.
“No,” she pouted.

“Hmm,” thought Yosh as he felt outward for the mysterious artifact.

PWOOSH

The dragon-duck’s frosted eyes went wide as another series of images projected into his mind’s eye. The first showed him with Isabelle apparently resolving a dispute as he held up the artifact. The next was Dark Light and Larimar as they examined Twilight Sparkle’s Cutie Mark being shown within the glass circle, and the last was of the scary person from before yelling about something as he drew a blade from his back.

“Whoa!” gasped Yosh as he suddenly came out of the visions, lost his balance, and fell to the floor.

“Mayor!” cried Isabelle while reaching to help the dragon-duck back to his feet. “What happened?”

“More… visions,” he replied.

“Quite interesting,” considered Blathers. “Perhaps you should ask that rogue scholar who lives outside of town to come take a look at this? Maybe he can shed some light on the matter?”

“What about Spike and Twilight?” offered Isabelle. “We could send notes to them along with Dawnbreak Horizon to come and see if they see what you’re, uh, seeing?”

Yosh nodded.
“Sounds good to me,” he said. “Is it alright if we take the whatever-it-is with us to Dark Light’s place?”

Blathers unhooked the item and offered it to Yosh’s canine assistant.
“I’m giving it to Isabelle,” he said to Yosh. “Keeps your hands free for getting around with that stick of yours.”

“Alright,” Yosh agreed as he wrapped his left arm around Isabelle’s right. “Let’s go see what we can find out.”

Chapter 2 - Dark Light's Insight

Dark Light was busy working on another expansion to the town library when Yosh and Isabelle showed up with the mysterious artifact.

“Hey, Yosh,” greeted the Pegasus. “Hey, Isabelle. What you got there?”

Isabelle presented the sword-like relic to Dark Light but it was quickly swiped up by his adopted baby dragon, Larimar.

“Larimar!” Dark Light called with authority. “That’s not a toy!”

Yosh tightened his hold on Isabelle as the teal colored hatchling giggled and gurgled about as he gleefully romped around with the relic.
“I got you, Yosh,” she said softly.

Dark Light thought for a second before he raised his wings and lunged towards Larimar.

SCOOP-SWIPE

Larimar flailed and flapped his tiny yellow wings in protest as he was held with one hoof by Dark Light as another took the artifact back.

“It’s okay, Larimar,” assured the Pegasus as the young dragon soon seemed to calm himself and look back towards his play area.

***

Once Larimar was settled, the group gathered to inspect what Yosh and Isabelle had brought.

“Hmm,” considered Dark Light. “It doesn’t do anything when I touch it.”

“It didn’t for me or Blathers, either,” Isabelle shrugged.

Yosh could feel the two staring at him.
“You want me to touch it again?” he gulped.

“If you don’t mind,” replied Dark Light.

PWOOM

Yosh saw only one scene this time. He was aboard The Friendship Express with Isabelle appearing happy as he held…
“The Monado…,” he said in his trance-like state.

FLICK-CLICK-CLICK

His two friends watched as the clear piece of glass spun around until the image of Twilight Sparkle’s Cutie Mark appeared.

“Fascinating,” awed Dark Light. “Perhaps it’s like that Cutie Map I’ve heard about? What appears in the glass circle is where, or who, you need to go to?”

Yosh picked up the relic.
“Monado,” he said simply as the space between the two angled edges started to sparkle.

“Mayor?” wondered Isabelle. “Are you okay?”

Yosh seemed to stare off into space until the relic stopped sparkling.
“Yeah,” he said. “I think we need to make a trip to Ponyville.”

“Is that official business, Mr. Mayor??” Isabelle eagerly inquired.

“Yes,” he nodded. “Yes it is.”

Larimar came by and placed his eggshell hat on top of Yosh’s head before striking a pose and proudly babbling out, “Ta-Da!”

Isabelle let out a giggle before stating, “It truly does look good on you, Mr. Mayor.”

Larimar took Yosh’s hand.
“Go, go, go!” he cheered while jumping up-and-down.

“No, no, no,” replied Dark Light as he took hold of his young dragon’s free claw. “We stay here and finish our work here in the library.”

Larimar’s purple eyes grew wide as he started to sniffle.

“Not going to work,” stated Dark Light.

Isabelle took the eggshell hat from atop of Yosh’s head and placed it back on the baby dragon’s head.
“We’ll be back,” she said before offering her clipboard to the hatchling. “Can you draw me a pretty picture to see when we come back?”

Larimar’s mouth hung open as he eyed the clipboard. He then scurried back to his play area and began to scribble about the clipboard.

“Best of luck up in Ponyville,” waved Dark Light. “Perhaps you could bring me back some new books on magic theory?”

Isabelle reached for Yosh to wrap his left arm around her right.
“Think we can do that, Mr. Mayor?” she asked.

“Of course,” Yosh nodded. “Spike would actually be happy if I helped get some books out of the castle that he’s sorted, as he puts it, for the gazillionth time’.”

“Alright,” said the yellow shih tzu as she let the bells tied in her hair jingle to signal to Yosh she was starting to move. “We’re off to Ponyville!”

Chapter 3 - Train Of Thought

Isabelle had noticed Yosh ‘spacing out’ as they made their way back to Town Hall. This was concerning but she didn’t want to worry the dragon-duck as he didn’t seem aware of when he’d ‘zone out’ and how he’d need some additional support when he did.

***

After changing into some more comfortable clothes, packing their bags, and giving a fond farewell to their friends, Yosh and Isabelle boarded The Friendship Express for Ponyville.

“Mr. Mayor,” said Isabelle as she lead the blind dragon-duck to their seats on the train. “Would you like me to carry that artifact for awhile?”

Yosh felt around for his seat and plopped himself down before sitting the strange relic over his lap.
“I’m okay…,” he trailed. “Honestly, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I think this thing is messing with my head and I don’t want it to mess with yours.”

The shih tzu was thankful Yosh couldn’t see facial expressions as she had one of great worry upon hearing his words.
“You’re always so thoughtful, Mr. Mayor,” she stated calmly while using a gentle touch of her hand upon his shoulder to help him better believe her words than her current feelings. “I’m sure Twilight and Spike will help us figure out what this thing is and why it makes you see weird things.”

“That’s just it,” added Yosh as he felt along the object. “Two things I’ve seen have actually happened.”

“Really?” inquired Isabelle.

Yosh nodded.
“I saw us with Dark Light and Larimar as Twilight’s Cutie Mark appeared within the circular glass disc,” he stated. “I also saw us sitting together on the train with the Monado in my lap as I have it now.”

“Monado?” pondered the yellow shih tzu. “Is that what you have officially named it?”

Yosh shook his head.
“Not exactly,” he replied. “It’s like… Well… Like it’s telling me things as much as showing me things.”

Isabelle started to nervously fidget her fingers.
“It hasn’t shown you anything bad, right?” she asked nervously.

Yosh gently moved his hand to take hold of Isabelle’s.
“It has shown me some scary someone with a sword,” he stated while squeezing her paw. “Though I don’t know what to make of whoever, or whatever, just yet.”

Isabelle nodded as she gave a reassuring squeeze on Yosh’s hand.
“Do you at least see me with you in these visions?” she asked.

Yosh smiled and looked towards his canine colleague.
“Yes,” he assured. “And we’re okay.”

The shih tzu wasn’t so sure if he was telling her the truth but knew he did always have the best of intentions with his actions.
“Just know I’m here for you, Yosh,” she said with a smile while squeezing his hand a few times to let him know what she was communicating through her facial expression.

“I know,” he replied warmly. “You always have been and I’m thankful for everything you’ve done to make me a better person.”

“D’aww,” she cooed. “I’m just being a good assistant is all.”

“I’m always surprised as to why you never became the mayor of Canine Crossroads?” he questioned. “You’ve done almost all the work up until I got all those magical things to make up for my inability to see with my eyes.”

Isabelle blushed.
“Well…,” she paused. “”I get really nervous about making big decisions on my own. Princess Celestia said you were a very confident fellow who could really help us rebuild our town and, well, you have.”

PWOOM

Yosh suddenly was shown a vision of himself and Isabelle holding hands as they entered into a fancy looking house. The shih tzu kissed him on the cheek and wagged her tail merrily as they came into the foyer.

PWOOF

“…Yosh?” she asked as she rubbed at his shoulder. “Are you getting another of those visions?”

The dragon-duck giggled bashfully as he found himself seeing nothing once more as the sounds of the train hummed in the background.

“Yosh?” wondered Isabelle upon seeing the dragon-duck blush through his feathery white cheeks. “What’s going on?”

“N-nothing,” he stammered. “Just a bit warm in here.”

Isabelle shrugged before allowing herself to smile.
“Well,” she said while leaning back in her seat. “Just let me know if you need the bathroom or want to visit the dining car.”

Yosh felt transparent as he tried to not think on his most recent vision.
“Yeah…,” he fumbled. “Definitely.”

Chapter 4 - Encounter At The Castle Of Friendship

“That’s a nifty looking sword you got there, Yosh!” awed Spike as he ushered Isabelle and his friend into The Castle Of Friendship. “Where’d you get it?”

“It was donated to our town museum,” Yosh replied. “It seems to show me the future, or something like that, but I can’t control when nor how it does.””

“Ooh!” the purple dragon beamed. “Let me try!”

YOINK

Spike swiped the relic from his friend and held it out so he could look into the clear glass circle.
“Whoa…,” he gasped as the lens-like object started to spin around. “I feel something!”

Yosh tripped over himself as he eagerly asked, “What is it? What do you feel? Are you seeing things, too?”

“The lens is spinning,” the emerald-eyed dragon replied. “I also feel like I’m in the middle of one of Discord’s ‘Ogres & Oubliettes’ altered realities.”

Isabelle nudged Yosh.
“Does that sound like your feeling?” she asked.

“Discord, for whatever reason, hasn’t ever toyed around with me,” Yosh replied. “Though the visions feel like I’m in one of Princess Luna’s dreamscapes.”

KA-THUNK

“Yosh!” called Twilight from the throne room door. “Isabelle! What a surprise!”

“It’s good to see you again,” greeted Starlight as she cheerfully walked ahead. “Wait… That didn’t-”

“-Starlight,” interjected Yosh. “’See’ means the same thing whether you’re blind or sighted. So you don’t need to walk on pins-and-needles around me.”

The periwinkle-colored Unicorn gave a nervous laugh as Spike moved forward to show what Yosh and Isabelle had brought.
“Check it out, Twi,” he said. “Have you ever seen anything like it?”

“I have,” scoffed a distant voice prior to the Lord of Chaos, Discord, appearing in the room. “And I thought I had been rid of that bothersome thing.”

“Wait,” flustered Twilight. “You know what that thing is.”

Discord wrapped his snake-like body around the Princess Of Friendship before using his magic to dress her in a graduation cap and gown.
“And you don’t?” he teased while flicking the tassel on her graduation cap. “And you call yourself a teacher.”

The purple alicorn growled.

“What is it?” inquired Starlight.

Discord teleported over to the periwinkle-colored Unicorn and used his powers to dress her in a backwards-facing baseball cap along with a blue t-shirt and a saddle bag with her Cutie Mark imprinted on it.
“The student asks a perfect question!” he cheered. “And, in the absence of a certified instructor, I’m more than happy to show you!”

RIIIPPP

Isabelle walked alongside Yosh and described to him how the draconequus tore a hole in the air to create a sort of ‘window’.

“Almost forgot,” considered Discord as he recalled hearing of Yosh and how he was incapable of seeing any of his visual theatrics. “Do not fret for I, Discord, am more than happy to accommodate to our visually impaired friends through descriptive narrative.”

FWIP

Yosh gasped as he heard something whispering directly into his ear.
“And the reason I don’t bother you is because you’d be no fun to bother,” added Discord in a very miniaturized form. “Any chaos I could do to you would be no fun and Fluttershy would give me that stare of hers if she ever knew I ever caused any pony harm through my actions.”

The dragon-duck gave a nod as the draconequus returned to his position in front of the window-like hole he had torn in the air.

“Once upon a time,” presented Discord. “There was but only chaos. Anything could be everything and nothing could be something. Oh, those were the good times.”

Everyone looked as Discord’s ‘window’ animated a scene where a giant explosion gave way to numerous star-like objects. It then displayed balls of fire, rocks colliding, things being stretched to unbelievable lengths and thickness, and explosions of light from objects crashing together along with breaking apart. All this was described to Yosh by Isabelle.

Discord twitched and ceased his discussion upon realizing what the yellow shih tzu was doing.
“Not approving of my descriptions, Isabelle?” he gruffed before snapping his fingers and transforming her into an actual bell.

Yosh was startled by the ringing sounds coming off from the transformed shih tzu as everyone else just shot Discord the ‘stink eye’.

“Oh, fine!” he barked as he returned Isabelle to normal. “This is, again, why I don’t bother messing with the beaked dragon over there. There’s just no fun in visual illusions and tricks when they can’t be seen.”

Isabelle fell on her bottom upon being returned to normal.
“That’s not entirely true,” she added. “I’ve found Yosh is able to enjoy a lot of visual things if given the proper descriptions. Kind of like reading a book for a sighted event.”

“Bah!” the draconequus dismissed. “Too much work. You help Polly and I’ll continue with my presentation.”

***

Discord went on to weave a tale of how ‘harmony’ and ‘anarchy’ began to appear from within the chaos. Harmony wanted all things tranquil, serene, and without strife while Anarchy desired all that is to be torn asunder with extreme prejudice.

Harmony took form on the very land that was to become Equestria. The form Harmony shaped itself as was of a great tree within the Everfree Forest. Anarchy gave itself no shape as it preferred to assume whatever it needed to eliminate Harmony.

Discord had actually been employed by Anarchy to destroy Harmony with the promise of his chaos no longer being disrupted by either side. However Discord was stopped by The Elements Of Harmony under the usage of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna and, 1,000 years later, by Twilight Sparkle and her friends.

Harmony knew it needed another means of defense after the events that transpired between Princess Celestia and Princess Luna that resulted in Nightmare Moon being banished to the moon. So Harmony used one of its ‘branches’ to create ‘The Monado’. It is the instrument of harmony in which can evoke the elements of Kindness, Loyalty, Generosity, Laughter, Honesty, and Magic. It was also purposely designed to be of no use to ponies in the event another Nightmare Moon situation came about.

***

“And how do you know this?” asked Twilight. “You were turned to stone before Nightmare Moon was banished to the moon.”

The draconequus spun around Twilight and Starlight before hovering over Spike.
“I was turned to stone,” he said blandly. “However, as I told you all before, I could still hear all that was going on around me.”

“Then why haven’t we ever heard of this, Monado?” inquired Starlight. “You’d think something like this would be known by at least Princess Celestia?”

Discord slapped his palm upon his face.
“What part of not being for pony use didn’t you hear?” he asked in a bothered tone.

“Then tell us already!” demanded Twilight.

“Oh, ye of little patience,” he replied. “Celestia had my statue kept near the Tree Of Harmony to ensure I couldn’t break free. This was a good idea as, to be frank, I’d have never had the opportunity to gradually free myself if not for being moved to Canterlot. However it was during my stay by the tree that a creature came by, a griffon, I think, and the tree gave him that accursed thing.

“A griffon?” wondered Twilight. “Well, I do know there was times where griffons weren’t known so much for their lack of friendliness.”

So how did this end up at the Canine Crossroads Museum Of Friendship?” pondered Spike as he moved the Monado about.

KA-CLICK
FWOOM

“I’ll tell you,” a shadowy figure stated while entering into the castle. “However I don’t think you’ll like the answer.”

SHWINK!

Everyone gasped as the cloaked figure pulled a sword from its back. The weapon giving off a series of sparks as dark energy radiated about it.

Chapter 5 - Agent of Anarchy

Isabelle stood in front of Yosh as Twilight and Starlight moved to intercept the menacing figure.

“This is a place of peace and friendship,” Twilight stated with authority. “Put the weapon down.”

The intruder chuckled.
“What if I threw it?” he asked before hurtling the blade towards The Princess Of Friendship.

“Ah!” Twilight screamed as the blade made contact against her body and absorbed her into itself.

FWOOSH
TING

“That’s one,” the intruder stated. “Now I, too, possess a Monado.”

“No!” cried Starlight as she started to cast a flurry of spells towards the attacker. “Bring her back!”

The menacing figure held out his sword, which had turned into a near copy of what Yosh and Isabelle had brought, and smirked as the image of a white lab coat surrounded by a series of letters appeared in its circular lens.

FZZZIT

“What?” gasped Starlight as her ability to use her horn had been negated. “What have you done!”

“I used the truth of Science to cancel out the faith in Magic,” he replied.

SHOOM

Light that resembled that from a bolt of lightning crackled from the invader’s Monado.
“And now I’ll use the truth of Science to destroy the rest of you,” he stated with a smirk.

Spike held out the Monado Of Harmony to start a vengeful charge. However he tripped after his first step. This caused him to release the relic until it slid beside Yosh.

SHOOM

“I see it,” said Yosh as he noticed both himself and his dragon pal chasing off the invader.

“Yosh!” cried Isabelle as the blind dragon-duck reached down and picked up the MonadoOf Harmony.

TINK

Twilight’s Cutie Mark flipped into the glass disc while colored sparkles danced around the two edges of the relic.

“Spike! Starlight!” cried Yosh as he raised his Monado into the air. “We can do this!”

FWOOSH
FWISH

Spike felt himself grow a bit as his claws gave off colored sparkles.

BUURRPPP!

The lankier purple dragon belched out a potent gust of fire as he stared towards the cloaked invader.
“Bring back Twilight right now!” he bellowed in a deeper voice.

“Yeah!” added Starlight as her horn emitted the same sparkles as Spike’s claws. “I’ve got my magic back and I’m not afraid to use it!”

The stranger raised his Monado to reveal the lab coat and letter symbols. However it had no effect this time.
“Drat!” he growled. “I should’ve taken care of the others first!”

Spike charged towards the figure and took a few swipes. These were enough to cause his hood to come off and reveal a feline with burning yellow eyes.
“Curse you!” he boomed as he used his massive paw to swat the enchanted dragon away.

“Aren’t you going to help, Discord?” asked Starlight with irritation.

“I can’t,” he shrugged as he stood upon the floor. “That cat’s Monado completely wiped out my magic.”

PWOOM

Yosh gasped as he saw what was going on in front of him in real time. This prompted him to move forward and be astounded that he was truly seeing through the Monado.

“Yosh!” cried isabelle. “What are you doing?”

“Helping,” he replied with a smiile as he felt his confidence empower the blade to generate a purple and blue colored ‘blade’ that extended slightly beyond the two edges of the relic.

SLASH!

“Drat!” the cloaked cat growled as he was being assaulted by Spike, Starlight, and Yosh. Yosh’s efforts were a bit sloppy, mostly as he was used to being totally blind, but it was enough to overwhelm the once confident intruder. “This isn’t over!”

FWOOM

Everyone gasped as the cat tossed his cloak towards the group. This action had a mysterious effect of blocking the view and forward motion of everyone until it faded out of existance with the one who stole Twilight nowhere to be found.

Yosh’s vision went dark as the Monado Of Harmony ceased its actions along with reverting back to only showing the clear lens at its center. Spike returned to his normal size and Starlight felt her normal magic coming back as well.

“Well…,” considered Discord as he began to levitate again. “This does appear to be a problem and I, for one, need to be off to protect Fluttershy before that feline does anything to harm her.”

SNAP-POOF

Discord disappeared to leave Starlight, Yosh, Spike, and Isabelle to consider all in which had just happened.

Chapter 6 - Of Kindness And Loyalty

Isabelle went to help Yosh when she noticed how he was having a hard time finding where he was in the hall.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “What happened?”

Yosh felt a sense of relief as his assistant hooked her right arm around his left.
“I could see…,” he trailed while holding the Monado in front of his face. “It was all blue and a tad hazy but this Monado allowed me to see to battle back that cat guy.”

SHING-SHING-SHING

“My Cutie Mark…?” questioned Starlight upon noticing her flank was blinking. “The map is summoning us?”

SLAM!
CRASH!
SHOOM!

A streak of rainbow light flew by the group before looping back around and settling down alongside the group.
“Oh, yeah!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “I’ve been waiting for my next friendship mission!”

Starlight’s Cutie Mark continued to flash.

“So it’s you and me this time, Starlight?” asked the cyan-colored Pegasus. “Where are we off to?”

“Actually,” replied Starlight. “I think the friendship problem is right here in Ponyville.”

“Really?” pouted the Pegasus as she took to hovering in the air. “So much for an adventure.”

“Rainbow Dash,” added Starlight. “I think the map is summoning us because a cat just captured Twilight and we need to save her.”

“What?” gasped RD. “Why didn’t you stop him?”

“We tried!” announced Starlight with frustration. “However he has some sort of relic that cancels out our magic!”

SHIK-TINK

POOM

Yosh saw a scene where Rainbow Dash was captured while trying to save Fluttershy. Discord was in some sort of cage along with numerous other animals.

“Yosh?” asked Isabelle. “You got that look like you just had another of those visions.”

“I did,” he said nervously. “Fluttershy is in trouble. The cat guy has Discord caged along with a whole bunch of animals.”

“Wait?” zoomed Dashie as she got right in the dragon-duck’s face. “Are you saying Fluttershy is in trouble?”

Yosh nodded.
“The Monado shows me things,” he replied hesitantly. “Though I don-“

“-We got to save Fluttershy!” cried RD.

SHOOM!

Starlight’s mane blew from how quickly the cyan Pegasus bolted back out of the castle.
“This isn’t good,” she said nervously. “Fortunately I should be able to teleport us all there before she gets into too much trouble.”

Starlight focused her feelings on getting to Fluttershy’s cottage as fast as possible. Once the image had formed in her mind she cast her teleportation spell and Yosh, Spike, Isabelle, and herself were winked away to where the dragon-duck had his vision.

***

“Why are you doing this?” Fluttershy sobbed as the cat held his Monado out in front of her. “These animals never did anything to you.”

The grey feline sneered as a symbol of a foot smashing down on three flowers glowed from within his Monado’s circular lens.
“Cruelty is the opposite of kindness,” he replied simply. “And it is my duty as the agent of Anarchy to eliminate all traces of Harmony.”

“But why?” she pleaded. “Why would you want to cause such unnecessary suffering?”

“Because it pleases me,” the cat replied simply. “And I will soon make sure that you never spread kindness ever again.”

CRASH!

“LEAVE HER ALONE!” charged Rainbow Dash after bursting through the cottage door and slamming the yellow-eyed feline into a nearby wall.

“Loyalty,” the cat said without any sign of concern. “So glad you came by. This makes my job a lot easier.”

The agent of anarchy started to work his Monado. However Dashie noticed the movement in his arm muscles and used her back legs to kick the weapon away.
“Nice try!” she boomed. “You mustn’t know much about The Wonderbolts because we’re trained to keep our eyes open for anything and everything!”

“Too bad you’re too late to have actually stopped me,” the cat grinned while looking towards where Discord now stood holding the Monado Of Anarchy.

“Discord?” wondered the cyan Pegasus. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” he asked rhetorically as he wrapped himself tightly around Fluttershy’s neck. “I’m making you choose between your friend or stopping Lord Malice.”

Fluttershy gasped as the draconequus gave a firm squeeze that prevented her from breathing.

Rainbow Dash looked in disbelief as she maintained a hold upon Lord Malice.

“Do you know the opposite of loyalty?” the cat asked menacingly. “It’s treachery.”

“But,” Dash tried to reason. “Why would you betray us, discord?”

“Just because,” he replied. “Now make your choice before I leave your friend breathless.”

Dashie had no real choice. She relaxed her hold on the cat and allowed him to reclaim his weapon.

“See,” he said while showing a symbol that resembled a dagger placed over top a broken, cartoon heart in which displayed within the lens of his Monado. “Treachery crushes loyalty.”

Discord unwrapped himself from Fluttershy and appeared at a loss.
“Fluttershy…?” he asked with disbelief.

“Ah,” Lord Malice purred while switching the lens from ‘Treachery’ to ‘Cruelty’. This action put the draconequus in shackles within a hanging bird cage. “That’ll hold you.”

“STOP!” commanded Starlight as she, Yosh, Spike, and Isabelle all arrived on the scene. “This all ends here, fur face!”

“I think not,” Lord malice replied as he tossed his Monado towards Fluttershy.

“FLUTTERSHY!” cried Dash as she pushed the yellow Pegasus away.

FWOOSH
TING!

Fluttershy was safe but Rainbow Dash had become absorbed by Malice’s Monado.
“Two,” he said simply before plucking up his blade and executing the Science effect.

PWOOM

Yosh saw a vision of everyone losing their magical ability before the cat captured Fluttershy.

FWOOM

“No!” the dragon-duck proclaimed while holding up his Monado. “The future does not belong to you!”

TINK

Twilight’s Cutie Mark appeared in Yosh’s lens before Spike, once more, grew in size, Starlight acquired a sparkly horn, and Isabelle found herself holding a basket of fruit that also gave off rainbow sparkles.

PWOOM

Yosh had another vision of him joining in battle against the cat. However he accidentally made a strike that nearly hit Spike and allowed the villain to get away.

FWOOM

“Okay!” announced Yosh. “You three need to handle this!”

TINK

Rainbow Dash’s Cutie Mark appeared in the lens prior to blue-colored energy washing over Starlight, Isabelle, and Spike.

“We choose to fight!” proclaimed Spike as he felt even more determined to stop the villain than he had previously in his upgraded form.

“Let’s put an end to this!” announced Starlight as she started to conjure up lightning from her horn.

“Healing fruits at the ready!” cheered Isabelle.

“We can’t lose!” announced Yosh. “Behold the power of the Monado Of Harmony!”

Chapter 7 - Monado vs. Monado

Lord Malice appeared very calm despite how outnumbered he was.

FWIP

“Eep!” squeaked Fluttershy as she was scooped up and held like a football beneath the feline’s left arm.

“Your Monado may be able to overcome mine for the time,” Lord Malice stated as he pointed the tip of his weapon towards Fluttershy’s nose. “However I’m willing to do anything to see my goals through while I’m most certain you all wouldn’t want to take the chance of harming Kindness.”

“How dare you!” raged Discord. “If I had my powers right now I’d turn you into a pile of cat litter!”

“But you don’t,” sneered the cat. “And, as the Lord Of Chaos, the little duck face’s Monado can’t enchant you with even its own magic.”

The draconequus gritted his teeth while shaking his fist.
“Anarchy has lost its battle with Harmony over-and-over-and-over again!” he sternly proclaimed. “This time will be no different!”

PWOOM

Yosh gasped as a vision of the villain rushing quickly to Fluttershy’s back door came to him.

FWISH

“He’s going to run!” the dragon-duck called out. “Stop him!”

Lord Malice was caught off guard as his focus was on his escape instead of his weapon.

SLASH!

A rainbow trail of claw marks tore away at Lord Malice’s armor.

PYOO

Malice found himself dropping Fluttershy as a bolt of electricity struck hard upon his chest.
“Curses!” he growled while raising his Monado. The lens then flicked until an image of a doll with numerous pins in it appeared.

STING!

Everyone in the cottage flinched as a surge of pain shot through their bodies. This gave Malice the time he needed to escape out of the cottage’s back door.

PWOOM

Yosh was still recovering from the surge of pain when another vision came to him. However, unlike other visions, this one was narrated by Pinkie Pie as a scene unfolded between herself and the cat man.
“So this meanie-face cat guy shows up in Ponyville and I’m like ‘oh, yay! Some pony new!’. Well, this cat was not nice. He was mean. Very mean. Meaner than any meanie ever! He said he wasn’t interested in a party and through this thing at me and I got sucked up and trapped inside this snowglobe thing where apparently laughter is made into agony. Fortunately I was able to use him using the bad side of my element to send you this vision of the good side of my element so you can use it with your Monado. Save us, Yosh! Tell Dashie to knock that cat’s socks off and help Rarity and Applejack as he’s trying to get us all to destroy The Tree Of Harmony!”

FWOOM

The dragon-duck collapsed as Pinkie’s loud voice with the vision overwhelmed him.

“Yosh!” cried Isabelle as she, along with the others, returned to normal. “Are you alright?”

“I…,” he started to reply as the shih tzu helped him to his feet. “Pinkie Pie was talking to me during one of those visions this thing gives me.”

“What did she say?” asked Starlight.

Yosh’s frosted-over eyes grew wide.
“She said she had already been captured by the cat guy!” he panicked. “He used the opposite of her element to hurt us just now!”

THUMP
Fluttershy fainted upon hearing this news on top of the scary experience she had just been through.

“Did she say anything else about the others?” Starlight further inquired.

Isabelle latched herself alongside Yosh as he appeared very fatigued.

“Applejack and Rarity are still free,” stated Yosh.

“Rarity!” gasped Spike as he darted for the door. “We’ve got to help her!”

“I’m staying here with Fluttershy,” stated Discord. “No. Forget that. I’m taking Fluttershy to my realm until this all blows over.”

SNAP-CLICK
POOF

“Looks like it’s just us now,” shrugged Starlight. “I think I can teleport us to Rarity’s boutique.”

Isabelle jingled the bells in her hair and Yosh nodded to let her know he was in agreement with the periwinkle Unicorn’s statement. The shih tzu then helped the dragon-duck to be near Starlight.

“Here we go!” Starlight announced nervously as she focused her thoughts and feelings on the Carousel Boutique. They were all then winked off to where Spike believed the cat would go next.

Chapter 8 - Battle At The Boutique

SLAM!
CRASH!

Rarity was in her boutique working on an order when she heard the sound of something hitting hard against the front of her home.

WHAP!
FWOOM!
CRASH!

The fashionista grew a displeased expression as she gave up on using her Unicorn magic to keep her sewing supplies at hoof.
“That’s it!” she shouted irately. “Some pony’s about to get a piece of my mind!”

CRASH-ACK!

“Ow!” gasped Spike as he crashed through the front door of the Carousel Boutique.

“Spike?” gasped Rarity as she went to check on the injured dragon. “What’s going-”

“-Generosity,” sneered the cat as his yellow eyes glared towards the white Unicorn. “Or should I say, Greed?”

Spike forced himself up and stood in front of Rarity with his arms outstretched.
“You’ll have to get through me first!” he boomed.

“Spikey-Wikey!” shrieked Rarity as Lord Malice pulled out his Monado.

“That won’t be a problem,” the feline grinned as the glass lens flicked until the symbol of the dagger over the broken cartoon heart appeared. “You’ll just give her to me.”

“No…!” Spike strained as the Monado Of Anarchy started to bewitch him. “I… won’t…”

***

POOF

Starlight, Yosh, and Isabelle appeared outside of the Boutique’s broken front door.

PWOOM

Yosh was immediately provided a vision that showed Spike tossing Rarity towards the cat.

FWOOM

“Hurry!” cried Yosh. “Spike is in trouble!”

“The cat’s already in there?” Starlight asked with worry.

“Yes,” nodded Yosh. “I think I can help as the Monado Of Harmony is telling me to do so.”

Isabelle watched as Yosh raised his Monado into the air.

TINK-TINK-TINK
WHOOSH!

“Behold the Monado’s power!” the dragon-duck chirped as Starlight and Isabelle were enchanted once more.

“I’m ready,” said Starlight as she faced the broken door.

“Stay back, Mayor,” stated isabelle. “I’ll make sure everyone stays safe.”

***

The Monado Of Anarchy pulsed with dark energy as Spike desperately fought against its influence.

“Spike?” worried Rarity. “Are you okay?”

“I… won’t….,” he strained. “Rare… Rare… Rarity…”

BZZT!

“Argh!” hissed Lord Malice as electricity struck his back.

“That’s enough!” declared Starlight. “Return our friends at once!”

TINK

“You’re anguish is all you’ll receive!” Lord Malice growled as the symbol of the doll with pins in it appeared on his Monado.

“Shield apple!” announced Isabelle as she threw a fruit in front of Starlight and herself.

SPLAT!

The fruit exploded but the Monado Of Anarchy’s effect was stopped.

“Curses!” Lord Malice roared. “Harmony is still too strong!”

Starlight worked her horn to discover she also was able to cast ice magic.
“Time to put you on ice,” she stated while preparing the elemental magic the Monado granted her.

Isabelle pulled out an orange.
“Juice bomb ready,” she beamed as the fruit started to give off rainbow sparkles.

“Drat!” snarled Lord Malice.

FLAP-AP
SCRUNCH

“RARITY!” shouted Spike. “RUN!”

Starlight and Isabelle held their positions as Spike wrapped himself around the shoulders of the villain.

“Fool!” Lord Malice boomed as he turned and threw his Monado towards Rarity.

“Ah!” the white Unicorn screamed as she was absorbed into the Monado Of Anarchy.

TINK

“RARITY!” Spike wailed as he felt his primal dragon side come alive.

ROOORWWWTTTHHHH

Spike belched a massive blast of green flame upon the cat. This engulfed the agent of Anarchy in flames that made very short work of burning away the rest of his armor. However it did nothing else.

“I know what to do with you,” Lord Malice said calmly while picking up his Monado and allowing the lens to flip about until a symbol of a hoof pulling a bag of bits from another hoof appeared. “You’ll work for me!”

THWUMP!

Isabelle turned to see Yosh awkwardly trying to use the Monado as a white cane.
“Mayor!” she cried.

“Spike!” cried Yosh. “Don’t jump! He’ll get Rarity!”

“Too late!” the Agent Of Anarchy barked as he ran for the back of the boutique. “Have fun!”

“Have fun?” pondered Starlight.

“SPIKE… WANT!” boomed a deep voice.

Everyone turned to see that Spike had started to grow in size as he madly gathered everything in sight within his ever-growing claws.

Chapter 9 - Lets Get Generous!

“SPIKE, WAAAANNNTTT!” the growing purple dragon bellowed.

“What’s happening?” panicked Isabelle.

“The cat must have triggered Spike’s dragon greed!” Starlight stated with concern as Spike had now grown nearly three times her height. “If we don’t stop his hoarding he’ll destroy the town!”

PWOOM

“A vision…?” Yosh said to himself as the cat lead an army of ponies towards Sweet Apple Acres.

FWOOSH

The dragon-duck held the Monado Of Harmony in front of himself so that the lens was facing him.
“I can see…,” he marveled. “Monado! Grant me your power!”

“PITTA-PATTA-PITTA-PATTA

“SPIKE!” Yosh cried. “STOP!”

“Mayor!” cried Isabelle. “What are you doing?”

“The Monado has granted me vision!” he replied as he worked to intercept Spike. “You two need to help Applejack before the cat uses the whole town to capture her!”

Starlight looked to Isabelle.

“Uh…,” the shih tzu considered.

“He’ll be alright,” assured Starlight. “We’ve got to keep AJ from getting taken like the others.”

The yellow canine watched as Spike continue to grow to where it seemed like he could almost crush Yosh under his feet.

“It’s okay,” said Starlight as she ran for the door. “He may need your help and I think I have an idea on how to keep that feline from stopping my magic!”

***

Applejack was busy bucking apples in her family orchard when Starlight suddenly appeared before her.
“What in tarnation!” the orange Earth Pony gasped with surprise.

“No time!” Starlight stated as she put her hooves on AJ before teleporting the pair away to the Castle Of Friendship.

AJ took in her surroundings as she found herself back in the throne room where the Cutie Map was kept.
“What’s goin’ on, Starlight?” she asked with frustration.

“Short answer,” Starlight replied with a sigh. “Another one of those end of Equestria events that keep happening around here.”

“Really?” pondered AJ as she looked towards her Cutie Mark. “Then why didn’t the map call for me?”

“I don’t know,” wondered Starlight. “I know it called for Rainbow Dash.”

“Where’s twilight?” the farm pony asked.

“Well…,” the periwinkle Unicorn trailed nervously. “She’s been kind of, sort of, uh, captured.”

“What?” AJ yelped. “Captured?”?”

Starlight sighed.
“There’s no time to discuss what’s happened,” she said somberly. “You’re the only element left and I need your help with the map.”

“The only one left?” wondered AJ. “And no pony thought to get me sooner?”

Starlight fidgeted her hooves before returning her attention to the Cutie Map.
“We’ve been chasing around this cat guy with a sword he calls The Monado Of Anarchy,” she replied. “Yosh is here with Isabelle and has The Monado Of Harmony. It’s Yosh’s Monado that has barely kept us up as this cat guy keeps going all about Ponyville trapping you all in his sword.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” baffled Applejack. “So yer’ sayin’ some crazy cat feller’ is goin’ ‘round with a sword?”

“I know it doesn’t make sense,” stated Starlight as she lit her horn over the map. “However I know it’s bad and we need to stop him before he destroys the Tree Of Harmony.”

“I’m in,” assured Applejack. “I just wish the map woulda’ called me and not just Dash.”

“Starlight focused her feelings as she worked her magic over the map.
“I think the map had a reason for doing what it did,” she stated. “It’s just a matter of coming up with the right spell to ensure what the map intended happens before cat guy ruins everything.”

***

“WAAAAANNNT!!” roared Spike as Yosh jumped away just in time to not be squashed under his friend’s feet.

“Monado!” the dragon-duck called. “Rainbow Of Light!”

PFFFSSSHHHEEWWWW

The enchanted artifact in Yosh’s hands shot a beam of rainbow-colored light and sparkles towards the out-of-control dragon.

CRASh!
THUD!

“Monado!” cried Yosh as he charged towards his dazed friend. “Reveal the power of generosity!”

CLICK-TINK

“Uh,” groaned the bedazzled purple dragon as Yosh ran up his belly and put the Monado Of Harmony’s lens in front of Spike’s giant green eyes. This caused the lens to start replaying a scene in which Spike had given away his fire ruby to Rarity. This act of generosity made Rarity really happy and earned him a kiss from the pony of his dreams.

TINK

Rarity’s Cutie Mark appeared in the lens as Spike sighed.

FWUM-POP
THUD-THWUMP

“Mayor!” cried Isabelle as Yosh fell on his bottom as a result of Spike returning to his normal size. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” the dragon-duck groaned while rubbing at his sore backside. “Kind of miss having some padding back here.”

Isabelle giggled as she remembered how Yosh had only recently gotten over having a weak bladder.
“I’m sure Rarity still has some around,” she suggested humbly. “If you believe the padding will keep you from getting yourself hurt, of course.”

Yosh blushed as Spike sat himself up.
“What happened,” he moaned. “Did I stop him?”

Yosh sighed.
“No,” he replied sadly. “He got Rarity and is now after Applejack.”

Spike flopped back down onto the boutique’s floor.
“No…,” he pouted. “I couldn’t save her.”

PWOOM

Yosh saw a vision of everyone gathered in front of the Tree Of Harmony.

FWOOSH

“What’d you see?” asked Isabelle while running to Yosh’s side.

“You definitely know how to read me,” he replied as he noticed his ability to physically see was now gone.

“Oh, mayor,” the shih tzu blushed while taking the dragon-duck’s hand. “You don’t think I’m invading your privacy, do you?”

Yosh blushed.
“No, no, no,” he bashfully laughed. “You’re perfect, Isabelle.”

“Hey!” bellowed Spike. “Where’s Starlight?”

“She went to help Applejack while we helped you,” Yosh replied.

Spike’s ear fins drooped.
“This just isn’t my day,” he pouted. “But I won’t give up.”

“Good,” added Yosh as he gestured towards Isabelle. “Because I need your help to get to the Tree Of Harmony.”

“But what about Applejack and Starlight?” wondered Spike.

“I think we’ll be meeting them there,” he replied as he lifted the Monado Of Harmony to his face. “This thing has been right with everything it has shown me. So far and I have a feeling the Agent Of Anarchy is ready to finish what he came to accomplish.”

“And that is?” asked Spike.

“The destruction of Harmony,” replied Yosh.

Chapter 10 - Hunt And gather

“Pitiful creatures,” scoffed the grey cat as he casually swung about his Monado. The symbol on the lens was that of the hoof swiping the bag of bits from the other hoof and it was starting to cause quite a panic throughout Ponyville. “The orchard belongs to whoever wants it! The castle belongs to whoever wants it! All that matters is that you let nobody take what is rightfully yours!”

“Yeah!” an Earth Pony cried. “I deserve a castle! Why does Princess Twilight get a castle when I have to live in a one room shack!”

“Why should I spend bits on apples when I am entitled to all of them I want?” a Unicorn added.

It wasn’t long before these random outbursts became a full-fledged chorus of greed.

“Go forth,” the cat meowed. “Disrupt Harmony and those who work for it.”

***

WHOO-WHOO-WHOO

“Discord,” stated Fluttershy. “My friends need me.”

“Out of the question!” the draconequus countered. “You’re safe here from Anarchy and safe is how I like you to be!”

There was no doubt that the yellow Pegasus was afraid of what awaited her outside of Discord’s Dimension. However she knew her friends needed her and how they were stronger together than apart.
“Discord!” she snapped back. “I can’t stay here another minute knowing I could’ve done something to help my friends!”

WHOO, WHOO, WHOO

“The Cutie Map has been calling me ever since I got here,” the timid Pegasus continued. “Yes, I’m scared. Yes, I don’t want to get hurt by that mean kitty. However, for the sake of my friends, I have to do something.”

Discord slouched.
“I can’t protect you out there, Fluttershy,” he moped. “I don’t know what I would do if I lost you.”

“Discord,” assured the pony with the pink mane while resting a hoof against him. “Friendship has not failed us before and it won’t fail us this time.”

“But I can’t use my powers,” contested the draconequus with concern.

Fluttershy put a hoof to Discord’s chest.
“Real power comes from the heart,” she said softly. “And I know we can help every pony. Together.”

Discord melted as he raised his paw.
“You win, Fluttershy,” he said. “To the Castle Of Friendship we go.”

SNAP
POOF

***

“What the…,” trailed Spike as he, Yosh, and Isabelle noticed a herd of ponies galloping towards the boutique.

PWOOM

A vision came to Yosh of these ponies stampeding over them to get at all the dresses and other clothing kept within Rarity’s shop.

FWOOM

“It’s greed,” Yosh said softly.

“Greed?” gasped the purple dragon. “Like the kind that makes me into a monster?”

Yosh nodded.
“Pretty much,” he replied as he held the Monado Of Harmony in front of himself. “I need to focus myself to counter what the Agent Of Anarchy has done to the citizens of Ponyville with his Monado.”

TINK-TINK

“Hurry, Mayor!” panicked Isabelle as the mob of ponies galloped closer. “I don’t want you to get hurt!”

TINK

Fluttershy’s Cutie Mark appeared in the lens before a burst of rainbow-light burst from the lens itself.

“Monado!” cried Yosh as he prepared to swing the blade. “Grant us your power!”

FWOO-SHIMMER

The rainbow-colored wave of sparkles that was released from Yosh’s Monado stopped the mob in their tracks.
“Isabelle!” announced Yosh as he raised the sword. “Spike! Prepare to help these ponies to return to harmony!”

TINK-WHOOSH

Rarity’s Cutie Mark appeared before Spike grew to his slightly larger size as he gave off a bit of a rainbow shine.

TINK-WOOSH

Fluttershy’s Cutie Mark appeared prior to a wisp of ethereal energy sweeping over Isabelle to, yet again, grant her the magical fruits basket.
“Peachy,” she beamed while plucking out a shiny peach.

“I’ll maintain the effect,” stated Yosh. “Spike help Isabelle kindly share the fruits of kindness.”

“Then what?” inquired Spike.

“Then,” said the dragon-duck. “We head for the Tree of Harmony to put an end to Anarchy’s cruel campaign.”

***

POOF!

Applejack and Starlight turned to see Fluttershy and Discord appear within the throne room of the castle.

“You’re back!” beamed Starlight. “This is perfect!”

“Back?” asked Applejack. “Where’d she go?”

“Alas,” shrugged Discord. “Fluttershy has bravely offered herself to the cause of stopping Anarchy even at the risk of her own well-being.”

WHOO-WHOO-WHOO

The Cutie Mark’s of Starlight, Applejack, and Fluttershy blinked as their symbols appeared on the Cutie Map.

“It seems to be directing us to go outside of town?” pondered Starlight.

“I’m no map expert,” spat Discord. “However I would guess the Tree Of Harmony is requesting an audience with you.”

BAM!
BAM-BA-BAM!

“What the…?” wondered Applejack as the sound of something smashing against the castle doors and windows began to echo throughout the throne room. “I don’t remember the Pegasi orderin’ up any hale today.:

SLAM!

Everyone turned to see ponies charging in through the forced-open front door.

“Normally I’d be for such antics,” stated Discord. “However I can tell you Anarchy’s pet cat is behind this and these ponies aren’t going to be touchy-feely in a way that friendship alone can fix.”

The mob grew larger in size as silhouettes of other ponies pounding at the stained glass windows grew in number.

“We’re trapped,” panicked Starlight.

“Can’t you do something, Discord?” pleaded Fluttershy.

“We can go ride out the whole thing back in my dimension,” the draconequus replied. “However, if Harmony is destroyed, it won’t be much of a safe place for long.”

The mob grew closer to the throne room as they went about fighting over various objects to take ownership of.

“Discord!” cried Starlight. “It would be too much for myself to do. However can you help me to teleport us all, including the map, to the Tree Of Harmony?”

“I can get close,” he said. “However Harmony doesn’t exactly agree with chaos.”

“Fine,” worried Starlight as the first ponies in the mob entered into the throne room. “Close is fine! Just do it!”

SNAP!
POOF!

Starlight, Discord, Fluttershy, Applejack, and the Cutie Map all vanished from sight as greed-driven citizens went about tearing the trhone room apart to claim all they could for themselves.

Chapter 11 - Journey To The Tree

FWUMP!

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE’S NOT HERE!” the grey cat shrieked while pinning Big Macintosh against a tree. “WHERE’D SHE GO!”

“Don’t, know,” defied the red-coated stallion. “And, if I did know, I wouldn’t be tellin’ the likes of you where she went.”

SLIP
THWUMP

Lord Malice released his hold on the stallion and Big Mac fell into a heep upon the ground.
“Maybe this will change your mind,” the cat heaved as he used his Monado to display the symbol of the doll with pins shoved into it.

“Yeowch!” cried Big Mac as he felt like every muscle in his body had gone through a week’s worth of work.

“Tell me where she is!” the Agent Of Anarchy glared. “Tell me where Honesty is hiding!”

“No,” the farm stallion cringed.

TINK

The cat’s eyes burned yellow as he switched his Monado’s power to that of Treachery.
“Then you’ll do as I command!” he declared. “Betray Honesty!”

Big Mac felt compelled to comply. Something about the symbol of the dagger over the broken cartoon heart filled him with such a need to spite his sister.
“She’s with Starlight,” he replied. “They disappeared from the orchard about fifteen minutes ago.”

“Blast!” the cat cursed. “No doubt this ‘Starlight’ is working with Harmony’s vessel to reinforce itself against my assault.”

“What?” wondered Big Mac.

TINK

The symbol for Greed appeared within the lens of the Monado Of Anarchy.
“Listen!” the cat boomed. “Everyone is going to take all your apples unless you tell me where the Tree Of Harmony is!”

Between the influence of Greed and Treachery, Big Mac was powerless.
“In the Everfree Forest!” he exploded. “Right near the Castle Of The Two Sisters! Now gimme’ back my apples!”

The grey cat sneered as he pointed towards the gathering crowd of ponies looting the orchard.
“Go get them yourself,” he stated. “I’ve got business to attend to with Harmony.”

Big Mac joined the frenzy to get apples as Lord Malice made his way towards the Everfree Forest.

***

BWARF!

Crowds of greed influenced ponies stopped in their tracks as they were touched by the glittery rainbow flames of Spike’s ‘Burning Generosity’.

“Are you okay, Mayor?” asked Isabelle as she helped the blind dragon-duck with her right arm and supported the ‘Fruits Of Kindness’ in her left.

“I’m fine,” he said. “I’m just glad things are working out despite how this thing teases me with eyesight.”

“Maybe it will give you your eyes back after we stop that evil cat guy?” proposed Isabelle.

Yosh recalled the vision he had where he and Isabelle happily entered into a home together. The vision was hued in blue but he did notice his eyes still frosted over.

“Mayor?” wondered Isabelle. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” he replied as a tear slipped from one of his eyes. “Let’s just keep following Spike towards the Tree Of Harmony and tossing those fruits to the bewitched ponies.”

“Right,” agreed the shih tzu while temporarily letting go of Yosh to reach into her basket, plucking out a fruit, and tossing it towards a nearby pony. This action, along with renewed generosity, created a chain reaction of kind gestures to share the fruit as the curse was lifted and each pony returned to normal.

“I wonder if this sparkly breath I have would work on dragons?” Spike inquired after engulfing another group of greedy citizens. “Maybe even griffons?”

Yosh chuckled.
“Or even diamond dogs,” he quipped.

“Mayor,” replied Isabelle. “They did come back to Canine Crossroads and are, in large part, being upstanding citizens.”

Yosh blushed.
“Sorry, Isabelle,” he apologized. “I know we’ve done a good job in getting the ones who left to be strong contributors instead of scavenging thieves.”

Isabelle just smiled while giving her head a shake so Yosh could hear her bells that were attached to her hair. It was her way of letting him know all was well as she kept throwing the bottomless supply of kindness fruit to the once cursed residents of Ponyville.

“The path’s clear now!” cheered Spike. “Let’s get to the tree before that cat guy does!”

PWOOM

Yosh saw Discord facing off against Lord Malice.

FWOO

“Right!” added the dragon-duck as he clung to Isabelle’s right arm. “Starlight and the rest may already be there!”

***

POOF
THWUMP-WUMP

Discord appeared outside of Zecora’s hut with Fluttershy safely landing on all four hooves. However Starlight and Applejack found themselves appearing in mid-air and off balance as they fell upon the forest floor.

“Discord!” growled Starlight as she used her magic to support the Cutie Map. “This is no time for your pranks!”

“Excuse me, princess,” he mocked. “I didn’t know you were the fun police around here.”

“Who goes there” a voice inquired.

The group turned to see their zebra friend, Zecora, trotting their way.

“Oh, it’s you,” the healer sing-songed. “And it also appears with Discord, too.”

“Zecora,” said Applejack. “We got a heep of trouble comin’ this way. You may want to seek cover.”

The ornately dressed zebra waved her hoof out in protest.
“Anarchy comes, does it not?” she more stated than asked. “It would help if I, too, fought.”

“How did you know?” wondered Starlight.

“The answer is quite plain to see,” she replied. “Why else would you bring that map of the cutie?”

WHOOSH

The map suddenly projected everyone’s Cutie Marks, along with markers for Yosh, Isabelle, and Spike, over where the Tree Of Harmony was located.

“Looks like we’re headin’ towards the school,” stated Applejack. “I’m a guessin’ we’ll all be meetin’ up there to stop that cat you’ve been talkin’ about.”

“I’ll stay here,” stated Discord. “Clearly Harmony has no need for me or it would’ve made a cool little Discord symbol.”

“Perhaps it is for the best,” added Zecora. “Because holding the villain back to give our friends time is truly our test.”

“How do you figure Ms. Rhyme Time?” glared the draconequus.

Zecora produced a small bowl with a thick green balm in it.
“Anarchy’s power may be strong,” she said while dabbing some of the substance onto Discord’s body. “But your powers will remain while wearing this balm.”

“Balm?” wondered Starlight.

SPLAT!

Zecora splatted some of the goop on the periwinkle Unicorn’s face and back.
“This cream is of nature made,” she said. “It shall protect you from Anarchy’s blade.”

“Wait,” wondered Applejack. “How do you know about all this, Zecora?”

Zecora put away the balm and produced a royal-blue liquid.
“Ancient zebra tale tells of a griffon hero who fought against total annihilation,” she stated. “Now it seems this battle requires our participation.”

RUSTLE-RUSTLE
SLASH
WHOOSH
CRASH!

“Hurry! Hurry!” commanded the zebra mystic. “Discord and I shall stall this malevolent furry!”

Applejack and Starlight saw the faint outline of the yellow-eyed Agent Of Anarchy as it swung about a sword-like object that left trails of purplish-black energy.

“You sure about this?” asked AJ.

Starlight used her magic to lift the Cutie Map.
“No time!” she cried. “We’ve got to go!”

“In you all I have much faith!” called Zecora as she prepared a series of potions and other medicinal items. “Your success shall make us all safe!”

Chapter 12 - Broken Visage

The Tree Of Harmony glistened brilliantly as the Elements Of Harmony shimmered within their respective spots within its trunk.

“I can hear it,” awed Yosh. “It says it needs the Monado back.”

CREE-CRUNK
BOOF!

Isabelle and Spiked gaped in awe as a keyhole opened from within the tree.

PWOOM

“I see it…,” trailed Yosh as he saw himself place the Monado into the opening that was currently only visible to his sighted friends.

FWOO

“Mayor?” wondered the yellow shih tzu as he proceeded towards the tree. “Are you okay?”

“I must hurry,” he said. “Anarchy is almost here.”

THWUNK
CLICK
SHING
FWUMP

“MAYOR!” cried Isabelle as she watched the dragon-duck insert the Monado, turn it right, and abruptly get absorbed in a blast of white light.

“Hey?” worried Spike as he realized he was no longer taller nor in possession of his special powers. “What gives?”

Isabelle gasped as she, too, realized her basket of bottomless fruit had left her left side.
“Oh, no!” she cried. “Mayor! Yosh! Magic tree! What’s going on?”

***

“You’re a fool, Discord,” the grey cat spat as he raised his Monado to have its lens show the lab coat design with periodic table letters surrounding it. “Stand aside and I may let you roam around as a snake throughout the oblivion that is to come.”

SNAP
SPLAT

A giant egg fell on top of the grey cat that broke open and oozed down his fur from head-to-toe.
“What is this?” he hissed.

SPLAT
SPLAT

Zecorasplashed some of the potion onto Lord Malice.
“Your power now has no effect!” she called. “For causing this I have no regret!”

The grey cat looked to see his fur steaming where the potion had splattered upon himself.
“What did you do?” he growled while switching the symbol in his Monado’s lens to that of Agony.

The zebra shaman stood her ground.
“Your weapon I have negated,” she proudly stated. “Just as your vessel will soon be faded.”

Lord Malice gasped as the spots where the potion had hit were becoming translucent while also growing in size.
“Curse you!” he spat while raising his Monado. “But this is far from over!”

TINK-SHING
TINK-SHING!
TINK-SHING
TINK-SHING!

Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash all appeared. However their color was faded, they had cold expressions, and their Cutie Marks matched those seen within the lens of the Monado Of Anarchy.

FWOOSH!

Twilight used her magic to take the Monado Of Anarchy that was tossed to her by the fading feline.

“Go!” he echoed as he faded out of existance. “Go forth and destroy Harmony!”

WHOOSH!

Discord and Zecora had no time to respond as the tainted versions of their friends raced into the Everfree Forest.

“Now what do we do?” wondered Discord with frustration.

“We wait,” she answered simply. “For it is now up to the others to decide our fate.”

Discord clenched his fists and scowled.
“Can you do, or say, anything without rhyming?” he asked. “Fluttershy is out there and you act like we’re nothing more than some support characters from some silly fan fiction story.”

“Rhyming is the zebra way,” she replied. “Just as you annoy others in order to play.”

“Well,” scoffed the draconequus. “I may not be able to get within reach of the Tree Of Harmony but I can get close enough to cheer Fluttershy on.”

SNAP
POOF

Zecora simply nodded at Discord’s disappearance before returning to her hut.

***

“Spike!” cried Starlight upon reaching the Tree Of Harmony with Fluttershy and Applejack in tow. “Isabelle!”

“Starlight!” cried the yellow canine. “Yosh got taken by the Tree of Harmony?”

“What?” the periwinkle Unicorn wondered as she sat the Cutie Map in front of the tree.

“Yeah!” panicked Spike. “It opened up this strange keyhole thing, Yosh put that weird sword into it, and then this flash of light happened that made him disappear!”

“Oh, my,” worried Fluttershy. “That doesn’t seem right for the tree.”

POOF!

“That’s because it’s desperate,” stated the tainted Princess Twilight Sparkle as she teleported in. “It knows Anarchy has the upper-hoof.”

Fluttershy gasped upon seeing how distorted her purple friend was. Her mane flowed with hints of ebon within its deeper-purple coloring. Twilight’s eyes also seemed to have a red tint within her iris.

FWOO-POOM!

“Take her, Midnight!” demanded the altered Rainbow Dash. “You have the Monado!”

“Right,” the now-named Midnight replied coldly. “Now stand still Hurricane Fury so you can be one with us.”

The yellow Pegasus whimpered meekly as Applejack stepped forward.
“What’s gottin’ inta’ ya’ two!” she barked.

FWIP
FWOP
SPLAT

“Oh, Coercion,” giggled the altered ego of Pinkie Pie after smashing a mud pie into AJ’s face. “You need to be part of the team!”

SWAT!

“Yeowch!” the orange Earth Pony cried as the unpleasant pink pony hit her fiercely on the backside.

Midnight lifted the Monado Of Anarchy as AJ stumbled closer.
“Ready, Coercion?” she asked. “Sadistic Smile! Avarice Hoard! Hold her!”

The bewitched Rarity, Avarice Hoard, used her magic to bind Applejack as Sadistic Smile used electrified hoof buzzers to pin the farm pony in place.

“Oh-oh-oh-oh, m-m-my!” panicked Fluttershy.

“Don’t worry!” asserted Isabelle while stepping in front of the yellow Pegasus. “They’ll have to get through me first!”

FZZZT
POOF

POOF

“Ow…,” moaned Applejack as she was teleported out of the grip of Avarice and Sadistic by Starlight.

“Twilight!” called Starlight. “Every pony! This isn’t who you are! Come to your senses!”

Midnight magically levitated the Monado Of Anarchy so the lens pointed towards Starlight.
“Why don’t you just give into ours?” she smugly stated as the lens switched to show the symbol of the dagger over the broken cartoon heart.

“Sorry,” Starlight stated as she shook her head. “It’s not going to work.”

“What does she mean, Midnight?” questioned the tainted Dash.

“She is saying she is looking to be hurt,” replied Midnight. “A lot!”

“Did some pony say hurt?” Sadistic beamed while pulling a baseball bat from inside her mane. “Batter up!”

AJ got to her feet as Starlight charged her horn.

“Every pony ready?” asked Starlight nervously as the four corrupted ponies started to advance upon them.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” replied Applejack.

“Me, too!” Spike bravely exclaimed while extending his wings. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get our friends back!”

“Very well,” grinned Midnight as she glared towards Starlight. “Take them down!”

Chapter 13 - Harmony Vs. Anarchy

“Greetings, Yosh,” a voice echoed.

“Who’s there?” the dragon-duck inquired. “What happened?”

“Thank you for bringing the Monado back,” the female voice continued. “I knew it would find it’s way back to the chosen one when Anarchy would strike again.”

Yosh tried walking around but couldn’t detect any sign of a wall nearby. It was an open void that had the sound of twinkling echoing about within it.

“Please do not be afraid,” the voice assured. “You are merely within my core.”

“Huh?” the blind dragon-duck inquired.

“I am Harmony,” the voice replied. “It is the struggle between myself and Anarchy that creates balance in your world.”

“Were you the one giving me the visions?” Yosh asked.

“Yes,” she replied. “And no.”

Yosh shrugged.

“Your friends have all done well to maintain harmony in a way I deem acceptable,” she continued. “But Anarchy will not stop until all is destroyed. For this reason I am glad you brought those needed to me to repel Anarchy’s assault.”

“I don’t understand,” stated Yosh. “Why me? Why not Twilight and her friends?”

“Long ago I learned that pony kind cannot always be trusted to maintain harmony,” she replied. “So I found other ways to ensure different creatures could step in if ponies are negatively influenced.”

“Alright,” accepted Yosh. “so what do I do? My friends are in trouble.”

“Starlight has brought the map,” she stated. “Stand upon it and I shall do the rest.”

“But-”

FWOOM!

***

PONG!
PA-PONG
SKRISH!

“I don’t know how much longer I can hold it!” strained Starlight as the four bewitched ponies hammered at it with hooves, magic, and the Monado Of Anarchy.

WHOOSH!

“-What do you mean ‘stand on the map’?” finished Yosh as he appeared outside of the tree.

“Mayor!” cheered Isabelle. “You’re okay!”

“What about the map?” asked Starlight as she felt herself weaken more-and-more.

Yosh could not see the forces attacking them but he did here a lot of really familiar voices along with some very unpleasant sounds and words coming from them.
“I was told to stand on the map,” he replied.

“Mayor!” announced Isabelle as she lead Yosh over to the Cutie Map. “I think this is the map the tree is talking about!”

FWOOM

“Vision!” gasped Yosh as he saw himself extending his arms outward while on top of the table-like map. His duck wings were spread outward with Isabelle holding his left hand and Spike taking his right.

PWOOSH

“Mayor?” wondered the shih tzu as she had come to know when he had the visions.

“Take my hand!” he replied while extending his left arm. “Spike! Take my right hand!”

CRASH!!

“Oof!” gasped Starlight as her barrier was broken and the force of it being breached flinging her onto her back.

“Batter up!” chirped Sadistic Smile as she rushed towards Starlight. “You’re about to make the legend of The Headless Horse true!”

Avarice saw the gleaming jewels on the tree and made a mad dash for them.
“MINE!” she cried.

“NO!” barked Midnight. “Get Coercion and Hurricane Fury!”

PSHEW!
POOM!

Yosh went stiff as a board as light burst from the Tree Of Harmony towards him.

“Ah!” squeaked Isabelle upon feeling herself become as hard as a rock.

“Ungh!” groaned Spike as he, too, became immobilized.

“Now,” a female voice said firmly. “Honesty. Kindness. Renew the physical embodiments of the Elements Of Harmony.”

TICK-TICK
CLASP-CLASP

The Honesty and Kindness necklaces were released from the tree and placed upon Applejack and Fluttershy.

“Oh…,” trailed Isabelle as she felt herself grow tired from something pulling energy from her into Yosh.

“Whoa…,” drowsed Spike as he felt the same as the yellow shih tzu.

“SQUUUAAAACCCKKKK!!!!!” Yosh screamed as he became the outlet for an immense amount of ethereal energy that was quickly being sent towards Applejack and Fluttershy.

“Yee-haw!” announced AJ as she felt herself become as she did when she and her friends had defeated Tirek.

“Oh!” gasped Fluttershy as, like AJ, her mane and tail grew in size along with her Cutie Mark.

“STOP THEM!” Midnight boomed while using her magic to power up the dark rainbow power of the Monado Of Anarchy. “TAKE THEM DOWN!”

FLOP
PLOP

“Whoa…,” trailed Spike as he had finally been released from Yosh. “What happened?”

“…Mayor?” wondered an exhausted Isabelle as Yosh continued to remain positioned straight towards the group of bewitched ponies.

Applejack fearlessly stared down Avarice and the Anarchy-driven Rainbow Dash.
“You’re not being true to yer’ selves!” she announced. “Let truth set you free!”

PWOOM!

A rush of rainbow energy shot from AJ’s necklace which stunned both Dash and Rarity.

“GRAH!” shrieked Sadistic Smile as she raised the bat to slam down on Fluttershy’s head. “I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU SPLIT ENDS!”

SHINK

Fluttershy’s eyes went into her trademark ‘stare’ a mere moment before the dark version of Pinkie Pie was able to finish her attack.

THUMP
CLA-CLOP

“Cruelty is not in your nature,” stated Fluttershy. “Remember the kindness in your heart and return to being the friend we all know and love.”

PWOOM

Rainbow light came from Fluttershy’s necklace that made Pinkie close her eyes and begin to happily hum.

“NO!” Midnight bellowed as the Monado Of Anarchy had developed a full-size blade made up of dark rainbow energy. “I can still prevail!”

KASHOOM!
CLASP!

Yosh found himself awakened as the Monado Of Harmony was shot out from the Tree Of Harmony into his hand.
“Your rainbow of darkness,” the female voice and Yosh’s voice said in unison. “Are no match to my Rainbow Of Light.”

“We’ll just see about that!” spat Midnight upon unleashing the sparkly, purplish-black wave of energy towards the group.

TINK

The image of a blue duck with a rinbow arching over it appeared within the lens of the Monado Of Harmony.
“Harmony shall always defeat Anarchy,” the shared voices said upon swinging their Monado to generate a counter wave of shimmering rainbow energy.

PWOOSH-OOM-OOM-OOM

Everyone watched as the two waves collided and struggled for dominance.

“You have failed!” boomed Midnight. “I finally shall have my way with all that is and will not ever be again!”

“Ungh,” groaned Starlight as she pulled herself to her feet.

Midnight lit her horn and the Rainbow Of Darkness started to consume the Rainbow Of Light.

“We’ve got to help!” cried Applejack.

“How?” asked Starlight. “I’ve never done anything with the Elements Of Harmony!”

“Share your friendship,” the voice and Yosh said as they held the Monado Of Harmony in shaking hands. “It’s those not of the Elements that will strengthen the Rainbow Of Light.”

“Okay…,” shrugged Starlight. “Here goes.”

PSSHEW

Starlight’s magic shot into the swirling ball of light and darkness.

“You can do it!” cheered Spike.

“I believe in you, Starlight,” stated Applejack.

“Go, Starlight!” cheered Isabelle. “Hang in there, Mayor!”

“This must end!” cried Fluttershy. “The animals are innocent and never asked for any of this!”

Yosh’s frosted eyes gave off a rainbow-colored shimmer as he firmly held the Monado Of Harmony.
“Be gone, Anarchy!” the shared voices proclaimed. “Return to the depths of space where you belong!”

SH-CLICK!
SHA-CLICK!
SHA-CLICK-ICK!

The crown for the Element Of Magic flew onto Yosh’s head as the other Element necklaces attached themselves to Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie.

PASHOO-OOOO-OOOM!

“The Monado Of Anarchy lifted itself into the air as its central lens shattered into a million pieces from the combined power that Harmony had added to its Rainbow Of Light.

WHOOSH!
WUM-WUM-WUM

The Rainbow Of Darkness was consumed by the Rainbow Of Light moments before a series of sparkling waves burst outward in all directions.

“It is done,” the female voice said as the dragon-duck fell limply to the ground. “All is as it should be.”

Spike, Isabelle, and Starlight were the last to see before blacking out like all the others. Their final image being of the Monado Of Anarchy soaring uncontrollably into the sky until it went completely out of view.

Chapter 14 - Cutie Marked

The next thing Yosh knew was that he was in bed hearing a familiar voice and feeling a most unwelcome cold and clammy sensation in his drawers.

“Mayor?” Isabelle asked as she saw his frosted eyes open. “Are you okay?”

The dragon-duck let out a big quacking yawn before quickly rolling himself out of bed.
“Oof!” he gasped as he felt all saturated in his shorts after falling upon a much harder floor than he was used to. “What…? Where are we?”

“The Castle Of Friendship,” replied Isabelle. “And, just so you know, the tree told us to expect some, uh, side effects for your part in saving us all from Anarchy.”

“Side effects?” the blind dragon-duck wondered as he started to regain memories of what had just happened. “What kind of ‘side effects’?”

Isabelle sighed as she handed Yosh a familiar pair of thick undergarments in which had Rarity’s Cutie Mark embroidered on them.

“Oh…,” pouted the dragon-duck upon knowing what the ‘side effects’ were. “Did the tree happen to say how long?”

Isabelle shook her head so the bells in her hair would allow the blind dragon-duck to know that she didn’t know.
“Sorry, Mayor,” she said somberly. “Though there is word of a surprise for us if we help with just one more thing.”

Yosh slipped out of his wet clothing.
“Hopefully it’s not anything like this,” he pouted. “It took years to fix this problem and having it back is just… well… discouraging.”

The yellow shih tzu put her hand upon Yosh’s shoulder.
“You know I don’t see you as anything but awesome, right?” she asked.

“…,” Yosh sighed.

MUAH

Yosh blushed as he felt Isabelle smooch him upon his feathery-white cheek.

“You got this, Mayor,” she said. “No. We got this.”

Yosh blushed as Isabelle gathered his sodden clothing.
“Remember, Mayor,” she said. “We’re a team and I know you’d do the same for me if the roles were switched.”

Yosh reached towards where the yellow canine’s voice was coming from to get a hug.

“I love you, too, Mr. Mayor,” she said while rubbing his back reassuringly. “Now lets get all set as everyone is waiting down in the throne room for us.”

***

The dragon-duck was in tears as Isabelle lead him down to the throne room. Not only had he lost his bladder control but also the duck wings he had recently gotten used to using while out on walks with his shih tzu colleague along with other new friends in canine Crossroads.

“There, there, Mayor,” assured Isabelle. “Everything is going to be alright. Didn’t we do just fine when you had no wings and little accidents?”

“That’s not the point,” Yosh whimpered. “The point is years of hard work and achievement are all gone.”

“No they aren’t,” added Isabelle. “You and I both know they happened and, in time, they can happen again.”

“Did anything like this happen to the others?” the dragon-duck inquired with a hint of anger.

Isabelle shook her head so the bells could let Yosh know the answer was ‘No’.

“Argh!” he growled. “It’s not fair!”

“Mayor,” stated the shih tzu. “Do you really wish bad things to befall your friends?”

Yosh sighed and lowered his head.
“No…,” he sighed. “Of course not.”

“Besides,” Isabelle chirped while squeezing more firmly around Yosh’s arm. “This just means we get to spend more time together, right?”

Yosh blushed.
“Yeah,” he replied bashfully. “Time with you is always time well spent.”

The shih tzu jingled her bells and Yosh knew she was happy with the idea.

“Okay,” she said. “Let’s just wrap this all up and get back home.”

***

Every pony, along with Spike, was eagerly awaiting the arrival of Yosh and Isabelle. Pinkie Pie had created a whole bunch of fun, tactile streamers and decorations along with noise makers so Yosh could enjoy the celebration of Harmony’s victory just like everyone else.

“I can’t believe I almost destroyed us all,” remarked Twilight as she looked down upon the Cutie Map. “I can definitely understand why Harmony decided to entrust others with its powers if even we, The Elements Of Harmony, can be corrupted by Anarchy.”

“I just can’t believe how mean and nasty and violent I became,” noted Pinkie. “I had these urges to cut off wings and eat heart cupcakes.”

The room grew silent.

“Why is every pony looking at me like that?” she asked.

“Darling,” replied Rarity. “You did have a baseball bat kept inside your mane. One wonders what you might also have hidden up in there?”

Pinkie beamed.
“Good point!” she cheered. “It just seems like its own pocket dimension so I just throw things in and they come to me as I need them.”

“Pocket dimension?” baffled Twilight.

KA-CREEK

“We’re here!” announced Isabelle as she and Yosh entered into the throne room.

Pinkie seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as the attention shifted to someone else.

“We were really worried about you, Yosh,” stated Fluttershy. “When we all woke up you didn’t move but were still breathing and Spike and Isabelle were so worried and I carried you on my back.”

“Uhh…,” blushed Yosh. “Thanks, Fluttershy.”

“You even had a little accident on your way back!” announced Pinkie. “But Fluttershy just kept going as you kept going.”

Yosh hid his face in shame.

“Pinkie!” called Twilight.

“Oh!” the pink Earth Pony gasped. “Got to learn to better filter what I say.”

“It couldn’t hurt,” agreed Rarity. “I, for one, would not want to be reminded of something so uncouthe.”

“You got to admit it was kind of funny, though,” chuckled Rainbow Dash. “That little squeak Fluttershy made when she felt it happening was hilarious!”

“Ahem!” barked Twilight. “Task at hand, girls.”

“Ah-hem,” Spike added with a wink towards the purple Alicorn.

Twilight blushed.
“And boys,” she added sheepishly.

PFFEEEWW
WHOOO

Twilight used her magic to levitate the Monado Of Harmony towards the dragon-duck.
“After we returned the Elements Of Harmony to the Tree Of Harmony it asked us to bring the Monado and Cutie Map back to the castle,” she said. “Harmony then asked that you hold the Monado one more time to ensure that our world is protected when next Anarchy may return.”

“It’s in front of you, Mayor,” whispered Isabelle.

Yosh reached out and took hold of the relic.

PWOOM

A vision of Yosh holding up the Monado as the Cutie Marks in the lens flipped and flew into the Cutie Map appeared before the dragon-duck.

FWOOM

“Monado,” he said as he did as he saw in his vision. “Release your power!”

TINK-TINK
SHOO-TINK
TINK-SHOO

Each of the Elements’ Cutie Marks appeared and left the lens of the Monado. Each one quickly flying towards the Cutie Map.

FWEESH!

“Whoa…,” awed Spike as the Castle Of Friendship started to shimmer and shine.

“What’s goin’ on?” wondered Applejack.

“It’s like the whole place is its own Sonic Rainboom!” cheered Rainbow Dash.

“Pretty!” awed Pinkie Pie.

Isabelle described all that was going on to Yosh who smiled as he thought on what it must look like.

“Huh?” wondered Starlight as a series of transparent clocks started to appear over the Cutie Map.

FWIP!

“Whoa!” gasped Yosh in surprise as the Monado flew out of his hands and hovered over the Cutie Map where the clocks had gathered.

“It’s almost like your time spell…,” pondered Twilight.

Starlight said nothing as the clocks ticked while circling about the Monado Of Harmony just before disappearing with the relic out of existance.

“SQUACK!” exclaimed Yosh as he felt something rub against his backside.

“Mayor?” wondered Isabelle.

Spike rushed towards Yosh.
“Do you need to use the restroom?” he asked as quickly and discretely as he could.

“No,” Yosh blushed. “I just felt something press against my rump.

Isabelle, going with maternal instinct, did a ‘diaper check’ on Yosh to see what may have happened.
“Oh, my!” she gasped.

“What?” quacked the dragon-duck as his white cheeks were burning crimson red.

“You got a Cutie mark!” she announced. “It’s a blue duck with a rainbow gliding over it!”

Gasps of awe and bewilderment filled the air.

“How?” wondered Spike. “I thought only ponies got Cutie Marks?”

“Is it alright if I take a look at it?” asked Twilight.

Yosh pulled up on his shorts.
“Uh…,” he hummed nervously.

“You do know we’re all not wearing clothes, right?” asked Rainbow Dash as she flew closer. “So it’s no big deal to take them off so we can see that awesome mark of yours!”

“I don’t wear clothes either,” shrugged Spike. “So I don’t see the problem in letting us see your mark.”

“Mayor?” worried Isabelle.

“Fine,” sighed Yosh as he pulled his shorts down to expose the Cutie Mark that had now made itself present on his backside.

Sounds of amazement filled the throne room.

“They’re all staring at my butt, aren’t they?” whimpered Yosh.

“To be fair,” noted Isabelle. “It is a really cute Cutie Mark.”

Yosh blushed as he felt himself break out in a cold sweat.

“Hey, Twi!” cried Spike. “Does this mean I can get a Cutie mark, too?”

“I don’t know, Spike,” the Princess Of Friendship responded. “However it does show that Cutie Mark magic isn’t limited to just ponies.”

TING-TING-TING

Attention went from Yosh to the Cutie Map as his newly-formed Cutie Mark displayed over Canine Crossroads.

“Interesting…,” contemplated Twilight. “It looks like it’s calling you back to Canine Crossroads.”

SHING-SHING-SHING

“Ooh!” ogled Pinkie as she spotted Yosh’s Cutie Mark shining as their’s did when they were summoned by the map. “Your Cutie Mark glows, too!”

Yosh had now grown very bothered by having his rump stared at. So he quickly pulled up his shorts.
“What should we do?” he asked.

“Answer the call!” proclaimed Spike. “See where your friendship mission takes you!”

Isabelle smiled as she held Yosh’s hand.
“Looks like we’re heading home, Mayor."

Chapter 15 - Welcome Home

Everyone insisted that Yosh and Isabelle stay at least until the next day. This allowed them to enjoy the victory party Pinkie had thrown together while also getting a good night’s rest before catching the Friendship Express back home.

***

Upon returning to Canine Crossroads both Yosh and Isabelle were surprised to see how many residents had shown up to celebrate their return.

“I take it you figured out what that relic was?” inquired Blathers the owl.

“We did,” grinned Yosh.

“So what was it?” he further asked. “Where is it now?”

The dragon-duck put a finger to his bill as Isabelle answered.
“It was the Monado Of Harmony,” she said proudly. “And our very own mayor became an Equestrian hero with it!”

“Hero?” thought Blathers. “You two wouldn’t mind drafting some documentation for me to add about the relic and your heroism for the museum, would you?”

Isabelle shook the bells in her hair to say ‘Yes’ as Yosh replied.
“We’d be happy to, Blathers,” he said. “For now, though, we… uh… I just want to go home.”

Yosh couldn’t see it but the owl winked towards Isabelle.

“Hmm,” she thought.

“What is it?” asked Yosh.

Isabelle brought Yosh closer to her side.
“I guess we’re going to find out,” she replied giddily.

***
Dark Light and Larimar were waiting by Yosh’s house. However, at least to Isabelle, much had changed since they were last there.
“Your house…,” she trailed.

“Is something wrong?” panicked the blind dragon-duck.

Isabelle giggled.
“Quite the opposite, Mayor,” she replied.

“Gaba!” babbled Larimar upon noticing the pair.

“Welcome back, Yosh!” greeted Dark Light as the dragon-duck was tackled by the purple-eyed teal-colored baby dragon.

“Did you do this?” inquired the shih tzu.

Dark Light shook his head.
“Nope!” he announced. “It kind of just ‘appeared’.”

“What appeared?” struggled Yosh from beneath Larimar.

“It seems you have a new home, Mr. Mayor,”the yellow canine stated. “Care to check it out?”

Dark Light helped Yosh get Larimar off of his back. However not before the yellow-bellied dragon plopped his eggshell hat upon the dragon-duck.
“Ta-da!” cheered Larimar.

“If it’s not too much to ask,” said Dark Light. “Could I spare a moment of your time after you get a good look at the new place?”

Yosh nodded.
“Sure, Dark Light,” he said. “What seems to be up aside from this home upgrade you all keep mentioning?”

“It’s about two strange ponies I met in the forest the other day,” he said. “Perhaps you could write your friends and see if they know them?”

Yosh looked towards Isabelle who used her bells to let him know the choice was up to him.
“Sure,” he replied. “Meet me back at Town Hall in an hour?”

“Sounds good,” flapped the black-coated Pegasus. “It’ll give me time to feed and clean up Lari.”

***

CA-CLICK

“Wow!” awed Isabelle. “It’s beautiful!”

“What?” begged a very excited Yosh. “What’s beautiful?”

The yellow shih tzu linked her right arm to Yosh’s left.
“You just need to ‘feel’ it!” she cheered.

***

Yosh was in awe at how the entire home had acquired different textures, sounds, smells, and other elements that made moving around it without sight super easy.
“I can’t believe this!” he marveled while touching a foam-like surface that lined the bedroom door. “Now I don’t have to worry about accidentally hurting myself if I take a turn too early or forget where I am in proximity to an obstacle!”

A gentle breeze blew through the hallway that caused the bells in Isabelle’s hair to jingle lightly.
“I’m so happy for you, Mayor,” she said calmly.

“Now I’m wondering when Tom Nook is going to send us the bill,” joked Yosh. “That’s the real ‘surprise’, right? Kind of like those pitfall seeds I kept finding along the road.”

“To be fair,” the shih tzu chuckled. “I’ve fallen through a few of those, too.”

Yosh blushed.
“Remember when we hit one of those together?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she beamed. “Your padding really came in handy then.”

Yosh’s blush changed from one of nervousness to one of embarrassment.
“Yeah…,” he trailed.

The light breeze blew through the hall again.

“I want to know where that breeze is coming from,” stated Yosh. “Follow me!”

Isabelle gasped as Yosh just started running forward without any sort of guide. However he was also gliding his hand along the wall which seemed to allow him to know how to navigate blindly with ease.
“Coming, Mayor!” she called.

***

The gentle wind, along with all the other non-visual aspects of the home, allowed Yosh to find a paddock-style door that had the top part of it open.

“Oh, Yosh!” awed Isabelle. “Just wait until you go inside!”

The dragon-duck felt a surge of excitement.
“What’s in there?” he asked as he felt for the lower doorknob.

The shih tzu smiled.
“Just listen,” she said.

CHIRP
CHIR-TWEET
CHIRP

“Birds?” wondered Yosh as he opened the lower part of the paddock to go inside.

QUACK-QUACK
HONK
TWEE-CHIRP
FEE-BEE

“What is this place?” the dragon-duck wondered.

“Based on what I see,” stated Isabelle. “I do believe we have ourselves an office of friendship?”

“Office of friendship?” pondered Yosh as he linked arms with his canine colleague.

“Yeah!” cheered Isabelle as she sped up her pace. “I see one of those Cutie Map tables up ahead with two chairs that have symbols on them like those at Twilight’s castle!”

***

Full exploration of the room revealed that the air current was a result of a vacuum that had been designed into the house so that following the breeze would always lead to the Office Of Friendship. It had a path made of smooth river rock that became sanded alabaster around the table itself. The ‘Cutie Map’ appeared just as the one in the Castle Of Friendship except there were more tactile features to help illustrate which areas were which.

Beyond the table and path was a flower-filled grassy space covered with trees and shrubs. There was also a small pond and fountain towards the back. It made the entire place a glorious aviary.

“Well,” said Isabelle as she sat down at the chair that featured a green leaf upon it. “I think I could get used to this.”

“Me, too,” beamed Yosh as he sat in the chair that had his blue duck with a rainbow Cutie Mark printed on it.

“Oh, wow!” marveled Isabelle upon spotting a clipboard underneath her part of the table. “I’ve always wanted a new clipboard!”

Yosh felt around his part of the table and discovered a soft stone that seemed to vibrate gently in his hand.
“I wonder what this does?” he pondered while rubbing it.

QUACK-QUACK
SPLOOSH

Some ducks landed in the nearby pond.

Isabelle playfully jingled her hair bells.
“Looks like we’ll get to find out,” stated the shih tzu. “Together.”

Yosh smiled as he got up from his chair and moved towards where he heard his colleague’s voice.
“Thank you, Isabelle,” he said. “You’re the best thing to happen to me and I’m eternally grateful for you in my life.”

MUAH

Yosh blushed as she gave him a peck on the cheek.
“Me, too, Mr. Mayor,” she giggled while playfully patting his backside. “But don’t we have some business with one of our newer residents?”

Yosh tried to push back the flow of emotions he had.
“Yes…,” he said bashfully while rubbing at the back of his head-spikes. “Dark Light said he needed to ask about some ponies he saw while we were away.”

Isabelle hooked onto Yosh.
“Then let us be off,” she said with a smile. “Our work is never done but together it is always fun.”

The dragon-duck took a moment to nuzzle his cheek against Isabelle’s.
“That’s right,” he added. “And maybe we can share this special home… together?”

Isabelle jingled her bells to show her agreement.
“Sounds good, Mr. Mayor,” she replied.

The pair then left the Office Of Friendship and returned to Town Hall to continue making Canine Crossroads a happy place to visit and live in. Peace had been restored and it would be many years before the Monado Of Harmony would make itself known as the battle between Harmony and Anarchy would be taken on by a new set of heroes both inside and out of the magical land of Equestria.