(Rookie POV)

The three mares and Feather Bangs informed me of the situations that had cropped up in Ponyville as we walked. However, despite being prepared for a fight, the situations seemed to have solved themselves as we got into the town. Greed Spike was gone and the brawl that was happening had stopped and was replaced with a drunken griffin and earth pony leaning next to a tree while Rainbow Dash sat nearby, examining two Chaos Emeralds with visible confusion on her face.

I looked to Redbow and gave her a brief nod. She nodded back in understanding and led most of the group off towards where Spike was last seen. Mint Berry and I approached the confused pegasus. “Hey, Rainbow Dash,” I called out, gaining her attention.

“You have very good timing,” She dryly commented. “Just as Spike settles down and the fight I was in turns into a drinking game, you arrive. If it weren’t for the fact that a few bits of news made it in from Manehatten and Syracuse, I would have thought that you had planned your arrival.”

“That can only happen in stories or with people much smarter than myself,” I joked. “Anyway, what’s up with you looking at these two Emeralds as if you are confused?”

“Oh yeah! I noticed that they seem to have...I don’t know, emotions?” Rainbow explained. “The one my...friend, Gilda, had in her talons seems to have a feel of anger. The one Berry Punch had is like the exact opposite. As if it’s laziness in gem form.”

“And the correlation is now proven correct,” I mumbled to myself. Rainbow was able to hear me, giving me a confused look. “I noticed a type of ‘sin’ correlation between the various Emeralds. So far, there has been Gluttony, Lust, Envy, and, by going off your descriptions, Wrath, and Sloth.”

“Are there others?” Rainbow asked with genuine curiosity.

“There are seven Emeralds, so there are seven sins. The last two I never mentioned is Greed and Pride.” I explained. “And I might have an idea of who has the Emerald with Greed vibes.”

“Who?” I looked over to her with a deadpan look and waited. It took a moment, but she managed to connect the dots. “Wait, are you talking about Spike?”

“As far as I’m aware, he either gave into his greed or was brainwashed by Discord to follow his greed.” I guessed. Before either of us could say anything further, the mentioned drake just barely walked around a corner.

Just as he came into listening range, Spike fell to his hands and knees, and burped a cloud of smoke that revealed another Chaos Emerald. “Speak of the Dragon, and he shall appear.” I joked, walking up to the young drake and giving him a bottle of water to clear the lingering taste of smoke from his system. “How did you overcome your Greed?”

“It took me seeing Rarity and remembering a number of fond times I gave of myself with no real expectations to knock me back to myself.” He said, accepting the water I offered. “Don’t know how or why I listened to Discord, but I’m glad to be free.”

“Right, now let’s get ourselves ready to head to Canterlot,” I called out.

“Wait, what?!” Most of the gathered asked in complete shock. Pinkie was the only one who wasn’t surprised and decided to speak her mind.

“It shouldn’t be that surprising.” She said while hopping over to Rookie’s side. She then placed her front leg over his shoulder and explained. “It should be a natural place to go when considering bringing the Princesses up to speed, and his device managing to ‘ping’ the last Emerald in Canterlot!”

Just as she finished, my scanner pinged from my hammerspace. Pulling it out, indeed, the screen placed the last Chaos Emerald in Canterlot, the Capital of Equestria. “What she said.” I agreed. “And I think it would be a good idea for Twilight and her friends to come along as well.”

“Want us to come help get the last Emerald?” Rarity asked, stars twinkling in her eyes.

“That’s one part, but the other is so I can explain a few things...even if you weren’t wondering about them,” I said. “So get the essentials, just in case we stay there for an extra day or so, and we’ll meet at the train station in five minutes...and Spike.” He paused in following Rarity. “As much as you love her, make sure she only packs one bag. Time is of the essence.” Spike nodded and hurried off after Rarity.

(3rd POV)

Five minutes after the group separated, everyone arrived at the Ponyville Train Station. With difficulty, everyone was loaded onto the train (a cargo flat for Mint Berry, and an entire passenger car for everyone else). Once the train was on it’s way to Canterlot, Rookie got Twilight’s attention, which in turn, got her to cast a spell to allow Mint to listen in and contribute to the conversation. She then pulled out a pile of paper with a quill and inkwell, which silently signaled for the rest of the passengers to move their attention to Rookie.

“I’m not sure how long it’ll take us to get to Canterlot-” He started, but was briefly interrupted by Twilight.

“It should be between an hour to two, depending on any delays we may have.” She said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Thank you,” I muttered to her. “Anyway, I’ll try to be brief, but I’ll probably need to make sure you understand some of the details I’ll be explaining. So, to start, do any of understand what the Multiverse is?” Twilight raised her hoof. “Except you Twilight.” She lowered her hoof.

Spike raised his hand. I pointed to him and gave the wordless instruction for him to explain. “I’ve read a few comic books-”

“Now’s not the time, Spike.” Twilight reprimanded, receiving a glare from the young dragon.

“Let him speak,” I said. “He deserves to be heard.”

“Thank you,” He said to me. “Anyway, the concept of the Multiverse is mentioned on occasion in my comics. Its the idea that whatever can happen, regardless of possibilities or reality, has happened in one way or another.”

“I’m not really following.” Rainbow bluntly commented.

Spike sighed. “What did you have for breakfast today?”

“Uh… a few hay cakes, and a chug of milk?” Rainbow answered with confusion on her face.

“Did you have other ideas for what to have for breakfast?” Spike asked. “And say roughly how many.”

“I don’t know...about two or three I think?” She answered. “You have a point to those questions?”

“I can see part of his point,” Twilight spoke up. She was about to continue, but Rookie quickly and quietly shushed her.

“My point is that every choice that everyone makes, a new universe is created, at least in theory,” Spike explained. “Hay, even certain things we can’t control can make new universes. If I was born a dragoness, or Twilight was born a stallion, the ‘timeline’ can deviate greatly. But with that also comes the idea that other worlds can exist, like how Rookie is a cat from a different world that could easily have us as a form of fiction like how my comic books are.”

Rookie’s eyes widened briefly before nodding. “You hare two-thirds correct, young drake.” He said. “I’m actually from two worlds. Oddly, in both worlds, my first name is Carter, and my last has ‘Tom’ in it.”

“Can you get to the point?” Applejack interrupted. “I don’t mean to be rude, but most of us don’t speak fancy...or science.”

“Getting to that,” Rookie reassured. “Anyway, one ‘half’ of me comes from a world where you guys are a form of entertainment. However, I only have basic information from said entertainment, since I had work...and the fact that I ended up here after a mugging over a simple golden ring.”

“What about the other half?” Fluttershy asked.

“The world of Mobius, where I was pretty much instrumental in defeating a mad scientist.” He answered. “The way I came here from there was a bit of an energy conflict between the Phantom Ruby and one of the Chaos Emeralds.”

“If it was one of the Emeralds, how are there now seven?” Twilight asked.

“He made imperfect copies.” Rookie explained. “Imperfect copies can corrupt the minds of those with weak wills...no offense to those who were corrupted by said Emeralds.” The mentioned individuals shook their heads, seeming to forgive the cat’s comment. “Anyway, the main point is that I know most of what has happened, and what should have happened.”

“Should have happened?” Gilda asked.

“Basically, my appearance and Discord’s use of the Phantom Ruby and making the fake Chaos Emeralds has thrown a bit of the ‘planned timeline’ for a loop.” Rookie pointed out. “In that timeline, the Mane Six, or the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony dealt with Discord on their own.”

“You make it sound like it isn’t us,” Twilight commented while finishing a note in her notes. “Wouldn’t that be us?”

“Yes...if this was a television show or book series,” He answered. “Frankly, the way I see things, games, shows, movies, etc are based on real things, like a dimension full of sentient, technicolor ponies, or a dimension full of anthropomorphic animals. Not the other way around. So while you may be the Mane Six, I won’t identify you as such.”

Pinkie suddenly jumped up from out of nowhere and gave me a bit of a bored look before looking off in a random direction. “I’m starting to think that you readers are starting to get bored by this boringly boring exposition, so I’m just gonna get us skipped past this and to where Discord is.”

“Wait, what?” Rookie said in confusion just as she pulled on something unseen and blacked out.

(Canterlot Gardens, Rookie POV)

“How in Equestria did you get here so fast?” I heard Discord ask as soon as I was aware that I was awake. I only pointed at Pinkie Pie, which got him to droop in realization. “And I forgot that Dionysus decided to start causing some chaos without me a few years back.”

“I’ll inquire later,” I said nervously. “Anyway, the last Chaos Emerald. You know where-” I was interrupted by the violet gem landing at my feet.

“Pride has many forms,” Discord began to monologue. “Like how a teacher can have pride in a student, or a person being proud of a worthy accomplishment. While I can say that I had a good amount of pride in my works of chaos, destructive as they may or may not have been, I have issues with other forms of pride. Primarily, the kind that makes one feel invincible and/or never wrong.”

For some reason, his monologue seemed less of that and more of a confession that didn’t sound like one. “I can relate,” I said, catching the whole group of ponies (including the Princesses) off guard.

“Uh, you okay there partner?” Applejack asked.

“Yeah, because agreeing with a villain is pretty much a sure sign of being mind-controlled,” Pinkie said in her usual happy-go-lucky voice.

“His ‘speech’ about pride isn’t a villainous monologue,” I pointed out. “He is somewhat subtly admitting to a problem and amazingly more subtly, asking for help.”

“More like a final request, but you get the idea,” Discord said, with his choice of words catching my attention. Discord didn’t give me a chance to continue as he snapped his fingers, causing all seven of the fake Chaos Emeralds to appear around me. I immediately felt intense concern for Nightshade, but looking to her, she wasn’t in any pain.

“Don’t worry too much,” Discord quipped. “I made sure to give her a real heart to work with...and laced it with some chaos energy to keep her going until she is more alive than when she was stuck in Luna.” Everyone except Luna and I had a look of confusion, to which he answered, “You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Indeed, we shall,” Celestia said, while giving Luna a look of combined mischief and sternness. “So, what is your last request, as you put it?”

“Simple.” He points at me. “I want him to fight me with the power I infused in those Emeralds. To show you that Chaos isn’t an evil force...it’s just a force.”

Before anyone could attempt to protest, I jumped in. “I accept.” I then extended my robotic hands towards the Emeralds and began to absorb the Chaos energy. However, what seemed to be small lasers of light shot from the hearts (chest areas) of most of the gathered group, seeming to cause all of the Chaos Energy to become stronger.

With a flash of light, I was enveloped in the energy, and my red fur spiked up slightly and turned a golden color. I felt my robotic hands, feet, and mask shatter from the pure energy, but I had a golden aura that seemed to form hard light limbs for the time I would have in my Super Form. “No Looking Back! Full Speed Ahead!”

The Clash of Chaos had begun.

Author's Note

It took me forever to get this written.