Third Time's a Charming Wave of Chaos

*Changed the layout of my chapters. I didn't very much like the way I set them up in the previous two, and I'm sure you'll all agree with me.*

*Also, I apologize for this chapter being so late. I've been hit with a pretty bad writers block that I haven't really been able to break out of....*

Twilight Sparkle and Applejack raced back through the small town, dodging things that were as logical as Pinkie Pie herself. A small cube of isolated torrential rain had been chasing them since they left the Orchard, followed by pockets of hurricane-force winds dotting the road. Trees were throwing whatever was within the reach of their branches at the ponies while the ground beneath their hooves occasionally opened into a bottomless hole, which Applejack and Twilight had to save each other from countless times. The birds that had the unfortunate chance to fly overhead instantly inflated like balls and fell to the ground all around the two ponies, blinking in amazement at their sudden change in shape and direction.

The parasprites were still buzzing around in thick clouds as well. Every once in a while a building would be covered under the bugs, only to have disappeared when they flew away for another meal. Ponies were running around everywhere, eventually catching the attention of a wandering chair or two and chased into one of the few remaining houses.

In a panic, Twilight searched for Sugarcube Corner. Her eyes fell on it just as a swarm of parasprites began their decent, their tiny mouths open wide with anticipation. The unicorn and earth pony raced forward, passing the remains of houses and shops in the blink of an eye, determined to get there in time.

Pinkie woke to the swish of something across her nose. She was just barely aware of something laying on top of her, unable to tell if it was from the wreckage of the roof and floor or something else. Her eyes snapped open when a colorful something whipped across her view once more, followed by annoyed grunts and struggles.

"Rainbow Dash!" The Party Pony exclaimed gleefully. "What're you doing under there?"

The pegasus didn't have time to answer before the doors to the shop were blasted open. Applejack and Twilight zoomed through, looking frantically for Pinkie Pie.

"PINKIE! WHERE ARE YOU!?" Twilight screamed. A pink hoof waved from behind the front counter.

"Over heeeere." A purple and orange blur appeared in front of her before she could finish. "Hey, did you guys know you're standing on the wall?"

"We're not standin' on th' wall, Pinkie." Applejack replied, her voice filled with tension. "You're jus' lyin' on th' floor. An' whut're you doin' here, Rainbow?"

"Enjoying the way I hear things under here," The cyan pony retorted, giving her head another tug. "WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING!?"

In a pale purple flash, the wreckage was catapulted into the wall behind the panicked ponies.

"Come on!" urged Twilight. "We have to get out of here before-"

But it was too late. The parasprites had almost made their merry way entirely through the second floor of the shop, the ceiling quickly disappearing behind a wave of the pests, and showed no signs whatsoever of stopping. Pinkie's room was now completely gone, along with her assortment of instruments that were the only useful weapon in this battle. The pink mare's mouth was agape in horror as she saw the last bits of a tuba, an acordion, and a harmonica munched away.

"We have to get out of here!" the unicorn shook Pinkie back to her senses. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were already running to the door, intent on leaving before the rest of the building was consumed with them inside. "Pinkie, come on!"

Pinkie looked around helplessly. Sugarcube Corner had been her only home in Ponyville, and it doubled as her place of work since before then. With a great effort, she lifted herself up and followed Twilight and her friends out. Once they were all outside and running down the road Pinkie glanced back at the shop just as it disappeared under the parasprites.

"We need to get to Rarity and Fluttershy!" Twilight shouted back to her friends. They hadn't stopped running since they left the sweet shop. "Rainbow, you and I will head to Rarity's! AJ, Pinkie, get to Fluttershy! We'll meet you there!"

"Right!" called the farm pony. "C'mon, Pinkie!"

Pinkie followed without chirping up in her usual tone. The purple mare made a mental note of her friend's sullen expression, hoping to find out what was wrong when they met back up.

Rainbow Dash galloped beside Twilight, often having to slow down so the unicorn could keep up. She wasn't surprised that her unicorn friend hadn't noticed her missing wings yet, obviously much more focused on everything else going on around them. Still, Rainbow had this sinking feeling that Twi had chosen not to bring the subject up around the others. Probably just trying to be nice, the bright blue mare thought to herself.

The trip was just as treacherous as the journey to Sugarcube Corner, if not more so. The world around them began repeating itself as if they were running around on a ball, getting away from something while moving closer at the same time. Reality was bending to the will of an extremely powerful magic, one that could only be controlled by a creature stronger than the God of Chaos alone. Any minute now Twilight expected to see Spike running towards them with a letter from Celestia in his claws, but no such occurrence presented itself. Instead, the Carousel Boutique slowly began to fade into view. Time and space around it was visibly warped, creating a sort of invisible bubble of pure magic. Parts of the building bulged out and twisted while others simply jiggled in place. It was the only place in the town so far that hadn't been consumed yet.

"I think we should be able to pass through without any problem," Twilight stuck her hoof out to test for resistance, drawing it back quickly and hugging it against herself. "Whatever's causing all of this, it's in here."

"I thought it was Discord." Dash said in her most 'I'm right' sort of way.

"That's what I thought too, but after analyzing everything that's going on and comparing it to last time, especially this," She nodded toward the bubble. "I don't think it's possible that he has much to do with this."

The wingless pegasus agreed. She broke through the surface of the bubble with her own hoof, shivering a little. Whatever was in here was definitely more powerful than that creep, even if he was back. While her attention was glued to the sheer pressure of the energy inside the bubble, Rainbow Dash completely neglected Twilight's shocked gasp.

"Rainbow! What happened to your wings!?"

The blue mare nervously glanced at her empty back and shuffled her hooves.

"I-uh, I mean, Di-um." She stammered, working up the courage to tell her friend exactly how she lost her pride and joy. "I Kinda.... Lost 'em."

"I can see that, but how?"

"IT WAS MY FAULT!" Rainbow wailed, falling to the ground in defeated agony. She mentally kicked herself in the back for showing weakness to her friend. "Discord tricked me! I didn't know who was talking to me and he just slid this box out of the shadows, and when I opened it my wings were gone!"

Twilight wasn't sure of what to say next. Even with all the information she'd acquired, the answer was sobbing right in front of her. This thing had to be some powerful force toying with them to come to the wrong conclusion. It couldn't be him. Not again!

The wingless pegasus was still fervently trying to conceal her tears, which had changed rapidly form being born of sorrow to annoyance at herself. She looked up at Twilight, expecting to see her trying to hold back laughter. Instead, her face was contorted with both fear and confusion. Rainbow was about to try comforting the unicorn when a piercing shriek broke through the bubble.

"Rarity!" They shouted together, running in without a second thought.

The two earth ponies raced to Fluttershy's nature-surrounded home, only to find wreckage where the once peaceful house once stood. The chicken coops were completely gone, as well as the chickens they once housed. The seemingly endless variety of wildlife that wandered in and out of the yard were nowhere to be seen. Applejack and Pinkie Pie stood for several minutes, trying to comprehend what they were looking at. Unlike their own homes, which were out in the open and therefore easy targets for the swarming maelstrom of teeth and hunger, the simple house their friend lived in seemed like the safest in Ponyville. What was once the image of natural beauty was now the embodiment of the danger they truly faced.

A small bush rustled off to their left. The two backed away a few paces, not knowing what to expect. In a split second, something small flew out of the bush toward them, aiming directly for Applejack. The something attached itself to her forleg, twitching with madness, clawing at the earth pony.

"PINKIE!!!" Applejack screamed, flailing her hoofs in a surprised panic. "PINKIE, GET IT OFF!!"

The Party Pony trotted over, grabbing the thing in her teeth. It continued to twitch, but with more intent on getting away than actually hurting anypony. The farmer was about to kick it away when she realized it was-

"Angel?"

"Anful!" Pinkie exclaimed, dropping the panicked bunny. He once again darted to Applejack, trying his best to scurry up onto her back. Cautiously, she lowered herself to give him a better chance at hopping up. In an instant, Angel had climbed the pony's side and clung to her neck, shivering and hiding his face in her mane.

"Ah think it's awll right, Pinkie." Applejack felt the bunny trembling against her fur. "Poor critter's terrified out o' his wits. We'd better find Fluttershy."

As if on command, another bush started moving. The two ponies watched in wonder as it darted up the trail, crossing sides with each move. Once it was within hoofs range it stopped.

Pinkie took a few steps forward, poking the bush curiously. It gave a startled squeak and jumped back a little.

"Fluttershy," She said, a small amount of fear seeping into her voice. "Is that you?"

A pair of blue eyes poked out from the bush, glancing from Pinkie to Applejack.

"Oh, it's just you." the timid pegasus sighed with relief before stepping out of the bush. "I was afraid that monster was back again."

"Whut monster?" Apple Jack asked.

Whatever Fluttershy said to answer was drowned by an un-earthly roar. In an instant, both earth ponies and the pegasus were inside the bush.

"That monster"

Twilight and Rainbow Dash burst through the doors to the Boutique, searching in all directions of the darkened room where Rarity displayed her most beautiful works of art for all of her customers to see. Despite the mannequins and fabrics lying all over the place, not much had changed about the room since their last visit. Twilight lit her horn up, hoping to find something or somepony hidden in the darkness around them. The light, to the unicorn's disappointment, revealed nothing out of the ordinary.

"Let's take a look upstairs." She whispered to the wingless pegasus creeping beside her. Rainbow Dash was still mourning her loss, kicking things away in annoyance. She followed without a word, silently trotting after her friend up the stairs to where Rarity and Sweetiebelle stayed. Even with light emanating from the unicorn's horn, it was still almost too dark to see. It offered a slight glow to the area around them, but otherwise projected in a solid beam ahead of them.

Almost halfway up the stairs, Twilight and Rainbow Dash heard muffled cries of sorrow from somewhere on the second floor. The two ponies glanced at each other and nodded, taking note of the position and distance of any obstacles in their way before Twilight dimmed her horn. Then, very cautiously, they crept forward to the top of the stairs.