The world around Twilight began to slowly dull, the sounds of thunder and laughter quieting as her ears rang, the sounds of her friends arguing while her breath became heavy and shallow. She ran her hands through her hair as she paced slightly.

They had been close. So painfully close. She could feel it and yet it now felt far outside her grasp.

"Oh ho ho! You're certainly the most fun I've had in years!" Discord's voice snapped her out of her stupor as he lounged a small distance away, mindlessly tossing popcorn into his mouth as Ghost floated above his head, his gear long removed from his body. "It's just too entertaining!"

Storming up to the man, Twilight's brow scrunched deeply. "Stop this Discord!" She exclaimed. "You didn't play fair!"

"I didn't play fair? How naive are you?" He asked rhetorically. Standing from the lounge chair, he steadily approached the Unicorn as he continued "Perhaps we haven't met. I'm Discord? Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony? Hello~ Ring any bells?"

"How were we supposed to find the Elements when you took the labyrinth away before we could reach the end!"

As she spoke, Discord idly picked away at his nails, his head snapping to the woman as her words registered in his ears. "Wait, hold on. Did you-?" Laughter burst from his lips before he could finish. "Oh, how funny! You thought the Elements were in the Labyrinth?"

"But...that's what you said?" Twilight replied, tilting her head as her shoulders drooped ever so slightly.

"It doesn't seem like you were paying attention. What I said was "To find your missing elements, just make sense of this change of events. Twists and turns are my master plan, then find the Elements back where you began"," He said, repeating the riddle he provided. "I never said the Elements were in the labyrinth."

"But..." Twilight muttered. "But-!"

"Keep trying Twilight Sparkle, I'm sure a smart woman such as yourself can figure it out. Or maybe the magic of friendship can help you out!" He said, squishing his cheeks between his paw and talon before deadpanning. "Now if you'll be so kind as to excuse me, I have some Chaos to wreak!"

Raising his hand, he snapped his fingers as he and Ghost both disappeared in his signature flash of white light, leaving a confused Twilight as thunder clapped overhead, pink clouds swiftly moving above as chocolate rain began to pour.

"Chocolate milk!?" Pinkie shouted, trying her best to wipe the confectionary rain from her face. "Gross!"

"Okay, Twilight, think!" She said as she began pacing, lightly placing her hands over her ears to drown out the sounds of her arguing friends. "Find the Elements back where you began. Back where you began!"

Looking up at the sky, she cringed heavily as the chocolate milk slowly began to become sticky against her skin. Her friend's arguments picked up in intensity behind her, her shoulders dropped fully as the weight of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks.

"I just want to go home," She said feebly before her eyes snapped open wide as she was struck by a sudden inspiration. "Wait...home! Back where you began! The Elements must be in Ponyville!"

~~

Speeding towards the outskirts of her home, Twilight's legs burned as her friends followed slowly behind her, their arguments thankfully having stopped some time ago. Rising over a small hill, she skidded to a dead halt as her eyes landed on the landscape that had once been a peaceful village.

Torn from their foundations, several houses floated in the air high above the now black and white checkered patterned ground as half the town was drenched in milk. The houses still fortunate enough to be grounded were fused into each other, their geometry melting into one solid mass as wooden tendrils shot from the ground.

Shrieks filled the air as demons roamed the streets, chasing helpless townspeople between the broken alleys. Many were the same as the ones that attacked the town those many months ago while some looked like the ones the group had encountered.

"Sweet Celestia," Twilight whispered.

"Oh that ain't nothin' to worry about," Applejack shrugged.

Tearing her eyes from the scene before her, Twilight shook her head as she let out a deep exhale. "Alright Twi, you got this," She mumbled, looking over her shoulder at her slowly walking friends, quietly noting their colour seemed to be draining from them. "Come on girls! I'm certain this is what Discord's riddle really meant. If we can just get to my library, I have a book that I just know could give us a clue!"

Finishing her line of thought, a herd of long-legged rabbits suddenly barreled past, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Snarling and baring their razor-sharp teeth, she quickly jumped back before a few dared take a quick snap at her as Fluttershy offered them praises, happily cooing like she would any normal animal. Watching them run into the woods, the sky suddenly darkened, the sun rapidly falling beyond the mountains while the moon shot up to take its place.

"That's not right," Twilight muttered. "Only the Princesses control the sun and moon."

Staring up towards the night sky, her feet suddenly gave way under her, her weight shifting as she scrambled to gain her balance. Her changed friend fared no better as she looked down, spotting a thin layer of water spread out along the path before her, thick bubbles popping up at random while the scent of strawberries wafted to her nose.

"Is this...soap? Did Discord change the road to soap?" She mumbled as the sky brightened, the Chaos Spirit skating by effortlessly upon the mention of his name.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" He said, his hands held behind his back as he kicked himself along the once-dirt road. "This is my new and improved Ponyville and these are only my first set of changes!"

Appearing beside the lavender-clothed woman, Discord wrapped his arm around Twilight's neck, lifting her up as he waved his hand through the air, the sun once more falling as the moon rose. "Just picture it! The chaos capital of the world!"

"But what about the people!" She shouted, pointing to the demon-infested town. "They're going to be killed! They're innocent!"

"Haven't done your research, I see. This is tame compared to what I used to do." Discord said, dropping Twilight to the still-soapy road. "Seriously, if you wish to keep your sanity, don't look up how drums were actually invented. Even I have to admit I over did it."

Jumping into the air, he disappeared yet again, leaving Twilight paled by the implications of his words. Shaking her head, she focused her resolve.

"Ponyville, chaos capital of the world," She repeated. "Not if I have anything to say about it!"

"Don't worry," Fluttershy chided with a smarmy smirk, giggling to herself as she too skated by. "You won't"

~~

As the group skulked between the maze of alleyways that was once their home town, Twilight felt her stomach drop further as they traversed the physical nightmare, a feeling of foreboding filling her being as she tried her best to keep her wits and nerves about her.

They had yet to encounter blood or, Celestia forbid, dead bodies despite the town crawling with demons of all sizes, familiar or otherwise.

Amidst the eerie silence of the shadow-drenched town, six friends moved cautiously, their hearts pounding in unison with the distant echoes of demonic howls. Her friends may have changed, but they were simply their opposites. Fear could still hold them. The dirt streets, once bustling with life, now bore the scars of a malevolent presence. Thatched buildings loomed overhead, their windows shattered and doors hanging askew, the town itself had succumbed to Discord's sinister curse. It was one thing to see it from afar but to see it so close.

As they navigated the twisted alleys, the friends felt the weight of dread pressing down upon them. Each step was a gamble, every whisper of the wind a potential harbinger of doom. Shadows danced menacingly at the corners of their vision, taunting them.

Turning around the corner at the town hall, Twilight threw her arm out as a pair of Goliath demons and a Nuckelavee passed by the alley they stood in. The other five, though largely different, let their back hit the wall behind them as they hid as best they could, their breath heavy.

The Nuckelavee stopped as the Goliaths continued, its equine head bobbing irritably as the rider squinted and its glowing yellow veins pulsed, deep inhales filling their ears. Grunting, it shook its shoulders before it continued on its previous path, letting the six girls breathe.

"Ok girls, just a little bit further and we're at the library safe and sound," Twilight whispered.

A guttural growl shattered the silence, sending involuntarily shivers down their spines. The demon, with its six bright glowing blue eyes and black spikes, emerged from the darkness above them as it crawled down the side of the town hall, hungry for the flesh of the intruders. Panic gripped the friends as they sprinted through the labyrinthine streets, their breath ragged and hearts racing. Several others jumped from the roofs to the dirt road in front of them. Lunging all at once, Twilight acted on instinct.

With a sudden shimmer and pop, the six disappeared in thin air, the demons colliding with each other as they snarled and snapped at one another before kicking up a dirt cloud as the snarling turned to frenzy.

Finally, with a jolt that sent their senses reeling, the group found themselves in a place of safety. The air around them was sweet and clean, carrying the scent of ink and paper, devoid of the sulphuric stench of the town beyond the walls around them.

Spiked jumped as the six suddenly appeared within the library, the grip on the broom in his hands tightening before relaxing ever so slightly.

"So much for safe and sound," Fluttershy chastised.

"Twilight!" Spike shouted, coming up to her as she stumbled slightly, wrapping her in a tight hug. "I heard shouting and screaming and I...I didn't know what to do! I don't know what's going on!"

Hugging her adoptive brother back, Twilight quietly enjoyed the momentary peace before the sounds of her friends arguing filled her ears. She pulled away slightly.

"It's Discord. He's somehow returned," She said grimly. "And he seems to be working with demons."

"What? Demons? How?" He asked, his eyes shifting to the other five in the room. "And what's up with them."

"Discord," She said simply, fully pulling out of Spike's hug. "I need you to help me find something. We need to find the reference guide to the Elements of Harmony and fast!"

"Elements of Harmony?" He repeated, suddenly snapping his fingers. "Oh! I know exactly where that book is!"

Scampering off, he slid the bookshelf ladder along to the spot and climbed it, running his claw along a few of the books' spines before pulling out the book his sister needed.

"Found it!" He shouted, quickly retracting his arm as Fluttershy dove to tear it from his grip. Smacking her upside the head with a rolled-up piece of parchment, he deftly tossed the book over to the waiting Twilight. "No! Bad!"

Catching the book with practised ease, Twilight paused as an odd sound met her ears. She lifted the book to her ears, shaking it slightly resulting in a muffled jingle to sound out within the book.

"What in the world?"

Opening the book, she loudly gasped as her eyes landed on the artefacts inside. Neatly placed within the carved-out pages of the Guide, all six of the Elements of Harmony sat peacefully, their golden necklace surfaces shimmering while the multi-coloured gems shone vibrantly.

"The Elements of Harmony!" She exclaimed. "They were here all along!"

"That's great!" Spike said. "Now you can use them to defeat Discord and send those demons packing!"

"See girls!? We did it! We found the Elements!" She shouted, her face dropping as her friends lounged about her library, yawning while positively avoiding each other. "Do none of you care!?"

"Nope!" They shouted in unison.

"I can't believe this," She muttered. "You've all turned into complete jerks!"

As the words left her mouth, the side of her library burst open, Discord's mocking laughter filling their ears as snarls and growls joined in to create a spine-chilling chorus of sound. The dust and debris settled around them as Discord floated beyond the threshold, clutching his sides as he seemed to take sick enjoyment from the six's circumstances.

"Well well well, I see you finally found the Elements of Harmony! How absolutely terrifying!" He grinned as he idly waved to demons to the sideline, the creature wordlessly doing as he commanded.

"Discord! I figured out your riddle," Twilight shouted, her eyes glancing at the demons as they salivated. "Y...you're in for it now!"

"Oh I certainly am, aren't I?" Discord replied with a sigh, landing on the still checkered ground. "You've clearly out duelled me! Now it's time to meet my fate!"

Summoning a pair of sunglasses, he placed them at the tip of his nose. "I'm prepared to be defeated now, ladies," Wiping his arm across his body, a red and white target appeared on his stomach. "Fire when ready."

Placing the Element of Loyalty on a panicked Spike's neck, Twilight turned back towards the Spirit of Chaos. "Formation! Now!"

The gems held within the Elements of Harmony began to glow slowly, their light growing as they had before and Twilight felt her feet leave the ground as her friends and brother joined her. Before she could get even a foot off the ground, the Elements flickered and sputtered, ultimately growing dim as Twilight and the other wielders fell to the ground. Trying once more, the Elements flickered again, sparks flying to the ground before their light fully vanished.

"W-what?" Twilight whispered.

"Mines fine, somethin' must be wrong with yours," Applejack commented.

"I always hated these things," Pinkie said.

Removing hers, Fluttershy tossed her Element away the necklace landing at Rarity's feet, who quickly reached down and picked it up. "Garbage."

"I'm sorry Twilight," Spike whispered.

"Bravo, truly, bravo!" Discord mocked, slowly clapping his hands as the demons surrounding them chuckled at their misfortune. "Harmony in Equestria is officially dead. Discord rules, every one of you drools!"

Stepping back, the demons around seemed to get ready to pounce before Discord raised his hand to stop them. "Take the rest of the town but leave these seven be. No worse fate than knowing how utterly they failed."

Laughing again, the demons dispersed as Discord skated away down the soapy road, his mocking jeers fading into the distance.

"It's your fault it didn't work!" Pinkie yelled.

"Who are you talking to?!" Twilight asked, letting her frustration out as she spoke.

"All of you! Any of you!" She shouted, bounding down the street. "Screw this, I'm outta here!"

"Yeah, I'm sick of you losers!" Fluttershy yelled as she soared into the sky.

Rarity and Applejack glanced at each other, one seemingly wanting to say something before they walked off wordlessly, leaving Spike and Twilight alone in the street, shrieks and roars sounding off in the distance.

"Fine! Leave! See if I care!" Twilight shouted, shaking her fist, her colour slowly melting away from her as her yells echoed. "With friends like you guys...who needs...enemies."

"Ho ho ho, yes!" Discord cheered from his place on his throne. "I tell you, ol' boy, it was remarkably easy. You Pony folk have gotten real soft over the years."

Throwing Ghost a triumphant grin as the man floated within his bubbles. He slowly pounded at the thick wall of his prison. His breath was heavy and his body was heavier, yet that did not stop him.

"You know, for as wildly entertaining it is to watch you pummel that bubble, it's honestly pathetic," Discord said, summoning a newspaper in a flash of light. "This Percival guy though, now he was something. Wish I could have met him."

Ghost said nothing in response as he fell to his side with a huff, his achy body finally giving in as he rolled onto his back, his hands heavy as they shook.

"Oh come on!" Discord groaned, discarding the newspaper over his shoulder, the printed paper exploding behind him the moment it hit the ground. "You gotta give me something! I feel like I'm going crazy over here, talking to myself! Even the Princesses gave a little back and forth before I cooped them and all of their Guards up in their little castle."

"You're not gettin' a thing from me," Ghost said, trying to catch his breath.

"Well, I just did, so there," Discord retorted with a grin, blowing raspberries as he folded his arms.

"I wonder what I'll name this place," He continued, looking over the destroyed, twisted land space. "I mean, Ponyville is just so...punny, you know? It needs to be something a bit more-"

A sudden light flashed within the Apple Estate before he could finish, a small pillar emitting just above the barn and then disappearing as quickly as it appeared. Quirking his brow, the Chaos Spirit sat up, waiting several seconds then humming to himself, sitting back down and turning his attention back to Ghost. Within the bubble, Ghost felt something when the flash appeared. It was small, but it was there. A tiny fickle piece of his strength returned, his heavy breath turning smooth and even in seconds.

"Aaaanywaaayyyy...the name "Ponyville" just doesn't have a good ring to it, you know what I mean? It just lacks...pizazz," Twiddling his fingers through the air, sparkles dazzled from his hands. "This is an exciting town, now, and an exciting town deserves an exciting name!"

"You could name it Discordtown," Ghost chuckled grimly.

"No, that's just lazy," Discord replied, running his fingers through his goatee. "Almost as lazy as Ponyville if you ask me."

"So what now then?" Ghost asked, settling onto his back as he looked at the lazing Lord of Chaos. "You got what you wanted. So what now?"

"Now, I spread chaos all over the world, of course!" He replied with a jovial grin. "And what glorious chaos it'll be."

"So what about the demons then?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Ghost started, readjusting himself to get more comfortable. "The demons are pretty set on killing everyone. If they do that, who's gonna be around to "enjoy" your chaos?"

"In case you haven't noticed ol' chum," Discord replied. "I'm the Spirit of Chaos. It doesn't matter who I spread chaos to or how I go about it, just as long as I do. It's all in the job description!"

Pulling out a bundle of stapled sheets of paper, Discord extended his arm up and stuck it inside the bubble, shaking it at Ghost who hesitantly took it, raising an eyebrow as he shuffled through them.

"Sheogorath?"

"Just a little nickname I picked up on a quick vacation," Discord shrugged, taking the bundle and quickly setting it aflame, wiping away the ashes on the armrest of his throne.

Another light flashed into the air near the town's centre, identical to the one before, disappearing nearly as soon as it appeared. As it did, the sensation from before came back within Ghost's chest, stronger than it was as his tired, trembling hands steadied.

"What is going on here? Are the demons doing raves now? Seriously, flashes of light are my thing!" Discord complained loudly, a sly grin crossing his lips momentarily as he turned towards you. "Take a shot every time he writes "flash" or "light"."

A few minutes passed by and another pillar appeared near the town's outskirts where it met the Everfree then again minutes later back near the town centre. It took some time before the next appeared, this one on the outskirts on the opposite side of town. Throughout it, Ghost could feel his strength slowly build, coming back to him in waves before he could feel it almost overwhelmingly within his chest. Discord hummed to himself before shrugging.

"I swear, those demons get stranger and stranger every time I see them. But who am I to judge?" Discord said, dipping his hand under a small candy cloud, popping a glass into existence as it filled with chocolate milk, happily humming to himself, not noticing the demons around him begin to cower and whimper. "Such a wonderful, wonderful thing chaos is."

Before he could take a sip from the glass, a familiar voice called out to him. "Not as wonderful as friendship!"

Stepping into her bedroom, Twilight immediately b-lined for her closet, rummaging through it and pulling out a thick, heavy-set suitcase. Blowing off the dust, she set it onto her bed, opened it, and set about putting her belongings inside as Spike tentatively stood at the threshold of the room.

"Twilight?" He asked quietly.

"Pack your things, Spike, we're leaving," As the young Draconian opened his mouth, his sister quickly cut him off. "Don't ask where we're going cuz...I don't know yet, just...anywhere but here."

Removing her crown, she looked at it for a second before flicking her wrist, tossing it to the corner of the room then moving to put more of her stuff in her suitcase. As she moved, she heard Spike burp quietly from the door, then again, then again, each time getting louder until he couldn't hold them down. Clutching his stomach, he let out a groan as a loud belch rocked his body, a handful of letters spilling to the floor in a waft of green dragonfire. Another burp sounded out as another handful of letters fell to the floor and another followed.

"Make it stop!"

Picking up one of the letters, Twilight opened it, instantly recognising her handwriting as she read its contents. Picking a few more, she read through them as well, the torrent of letters now stopping, much to a thankful Spike's relief.

"These...these are all the letters I sent the Princess since I've lived in Ponyville," She said quietly. "But why would she send them back?"

Reading through them, a slow realization crossed Twilight's mind, every lesson she learned coming back to her as though she had learned them yesterday. Slowly, her colour crept up her legs, steadily filling her being until her entire form regained its previous lustre as the edges of her lips began to tug upwards. Dropping the letters with a gasp, she smiled widely.

"Spike. Spike! I get it now!" She said, turning towards and kneeling in front of her still-downed brother. "Discord's been trying to distract us from what's important! He knows our friendship is strong and by disrupting it, he can do as he pleases without worrying about the Elements of Harmony imprisoning him again!"

"Do you remember what I said when we first moved here?" She asked softly, easing him up onto her bed. "I said Equestria's fate didn't rely on me making friends. But the exact opposite is true! The friendships I made here are what saved Equestria from Nightmare Moon in the first place! And now they need to save it from Discord!"

"I need to fight for my friendships!" She declared. "For them! For me! For Equestria!"

~~

Making her way to the Apple Estate was shockingly easy despite the numerous demons roaming the streets as her first encounter left her momentarily shell-shocked.

After her declaration, she was quick to leave her home, armed with several memory spells while keeping her form hidden with an invisibility spell while sneaking and skulking through nearby alleys. However, her luck seemed to quickly drain as a Nuckelavee stepped in front of her as she transitioned between alleys, lightly poking her with the tip of its spear, her invisibility shattering from her body like a bubble. Surprisingly, the demon's equine head merely huffed as the rider glanced at her before turning away, as if her presence held no interest or threat, seemingly still keeping to Discord's command.

From there, she hesitantly tempted fate, walking out in the open free of any spell. The demons around her never so much as glanced her way as she broke into a quick jog up the surprisingly still dirt pathway to the Apple farm.

Passing the threshold, the sound of Applejack's voice registered in her ears as she saw her brother Big Mac digging away in the garden in front of her house.

"And so I tried to defeat Discord, but none of my so-called friends lifted a finger teh help me!" Applejack threw her arms up before folding them, leaning further against the barn she sat in front of.

"Applejack!" Twilight yelled out as a tap-dancing Granny Smith passed her by with a pleasant smile. "I'm here to fight for our friendship!"

"Oh, so now y'all wanna fight?" Applejack said, standing from her place in front of the barn. "Where were ya when I was goin' fisticuffs with Discord!?"

Quickly tackling the unprepared farmgirl, Twilight somehow managed to hold down the much stronger Applejack as she pressed her horn against her forehead. "Snap out of it! This isn't you! I know you're no liar!"

Her horn began to glow brightly while Applejack's eyes swiftly glazed over. To the farmgirl, glimpses of her friends filled her vision, their escapades flashing before her very eyes as her colour steadily returned to her, a bright light filling the air for a moment. She shook her head groggily, glancing around her with uncertainty clear in her eyes.

"Wh...what happn'd?" She asked slowly, her gaze landing on her friend. "Twilight. Oh, I'm sorry. I saw visions of us quarrellin' and I thought...maybe if I lied, it could'ah been avoided. Fat lotta use that did."

"No," Twilight said firmly, taking her friend into a tight, reassuring hug. "That was Discord corrupting you. None of that was you. There's nothing to forgive."

"Come on!" Twilight exclaimed as she let her friend go. "Fluttershy is nearby!"

"Actually," Applejack said quietly, lightly rubbing her forearm, stopping the academic dead in her tracks. "Could...could we head teh the boutique next? I...think I might've said some mean things to Rares on our way back here."

"Oh Applejack," Twilight said quietly, placing her hand on the ashamed woman's arm. "Of course."

"Thanks, Twi," She nodded, turning towards her family. "Ah'll be right back Y'all. Everything's gonna go back to normal lickidy split!"

~~

Applejack and Twilight stood in front of the boutique as the former cringed each time a demon passed them by, clearly unnerved by the dark beings around them. Turning towards her purple-clothed comrade, she nodded. Upon entering the boutique, the duo immediately noted the lack of lights, the only light source being the daylight outside. Tentatively making their way through the interior, they heard soft footfalls, causing them to whirl around, rapidly spotting the woman they were after.

"What do you think you are doing? Come to take my stuff, have you? Well, I will not allow it! Get away! Get away from my precious!"

Holding up her hands, Applejack glanced at Twilight as she inched her way to the side, keeping herself as scarce as possible.

"Rares? We ain't gonna steal nothin', alright?"

"Applejack? Come to say more have you? Come to tell me you've found someone else? That you've found someone better?" Rarity asked, keeping her nose high as she squinted her eyes.

"No, not at all," Applejack replied, slowly inching forward, keeping a mental note of where Twilight was in the room. "I said some pretty mean things, and I wanted to apologise. I didn't mean a single word. Not one."

"is that all? Well, it takes more than an apology to butter me up," She said with a huff. "Well, I'm done sharing with you. You're not going to get a single thing from me!"

"You don't mean that Rares," Applejack said, doing her best to keep her composure as she spotted Twilight move behind the woman in front of her. "Discord's messin' with yer mind, just like he did with mine."

"Excuses, excuses," Rarity shook her head. "Blaming someone else. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"I am Rares. I really am," Applejack said, giving her a sad smile before looking behind her. "Twilight, now!"

"Huh?"

Rushing forward, Twilight pressed her horn against the fashionista's forehead, making sure to miss her horn as her eyes glazed over as well, much like Applejack's had previously. Her colour returned too as another light, the same light from before shone brightly for a moment, spilling out into the streets outside, leaving the fashion worker dazed. Applejack hastily caught her before she could fall, helping her find her feet while her eyes cleared.

"Oh...AJ?" She said softly, her fingers running softly along Applejack's jawline.

"Yeah, Rares. It's me," She said, equally low in tone. "I'm sorry for what I said before. I...I didn't mean a word of it, I-"

Silencing her with a soft kiss, the two melted into each other's arms while Applejack sniffled, her eyes dampening as they pulled away slowly. "We weren't ourselves Love. It wasn't your fault. And I am sorry for my words as well. It'll take some therapy to get over, but we're alright, darling. The only one here that needs to forgive you, is you"

Pulling her close, the much stronger of the two damn near squeezed the life from the fashionista as the two sighed heavily, small laughs escaping their lips. Twilight gave them a moment before joining in, feeling their arms wrap around her as they offered their quiet, but heartfelt thanks.

~~

The next two were remarkably easy by comparison, their numbers making quick work of dispelling Discord's evil magic from them, Fluttershy swiftly joining the entourage as Pinkie followed suit soon after. It took some convincing to get Fluttershy to join them upon seeing the demons bound up and down the streets, but they somehow managed. The last hurdle, however, was much harder to pin down.

"Is she there?" Twilight asked as Fluttershy floated softly down towards them after checking the speedster's home.

"She's not here," Fluttershy shook her head as she landed.

"Ugh, without Rainbow Dash, we can't use the Elements," Twilight said, concern filling her words.

"The girl's a quick one, she could be anywhere by now," Applejack commented. "We're never gonna find her."

"Uh, guys?" Pinkie chimed in, pointing straight above her towards the sky once she had their attention.

Looking up, the group almost immediately spotted the greyed-out form of the woman they sought, lounging peacefully on a plush cloud, arms behind her head as she faced away from them.

"Rainbow Dash!"

"Yo, what's up?" She called over her shoulder.

"We've been lookin' everywhere for ya!" Applejack shouted.

"That's nice!" She shrugged, still facing away.

"Discord's still on the loose!" Twilight shouted towards her. "We need your help to defeat him! But we can't do that without your Element, loyalty!"

"Pfff, loyalty, schmoyalty!" The rainbow-haired woman waved her hand dismissively, turning onto her stomach to look at the group below her. "Have you guys seen Ponyville? It's a demon-covered disaster! I'm staying here in Cloudsdale where everything is awesome~"

"If it wasn't for Discord being behind all of this, I'd wonder how any of us thought this was normal," Rarity commented as the group nodded in agreement.

"Okay then," Twilight said, a sly grin crossing her lips. "Time for plan B"

~~

Settled above the lazing Rainbow Dash, the group of friends peered over the edge of the hot air balloon while Fluttershy softly floated in place by its side. Twilight beckoned her to come closer as Applejack secured a strong rope around her waist.

"Okay, Fluttershy," Twilight said. "You grab Rainbow Dash and hold her down. Applejack will lower me with this rope so I can cast the memory spell on her."

"Got it!"

Saluting her, the winged woman dashed off towards her friend, racing down until she was nearly on top of her. Raising her arms, she stopped just short of her, instead tapping her gently on the shoulder resulting in her sleeping friend snorting herself awake.

"Um, I was just wondering if it would be alright if I held you down against your will for a little bit?"

Her friends above the duo groaned loudly, slapping their forehead as Twilight pinched the bridge of her nose. "Should have seen that one coming."

"Alrighty then, plan B part two it is," Deftly undoing the rope around Twilight's waist, Applejack redid it around hers, picking up a separate bundle by her feet and tying that around her as well, swiftly pulling Rarity close, kissing her and pulling away with a grin. "Wish me luck."

"Ha! Nice try," Rainbow Dash said smugly. "Ponyville's your problem, not mine!"

Laying down flat on the cloud beneath her, she didn't move far before Applejack's weight slammed into her as she wrapped her arms and the other rope around her arms and wings so she couldn't fly away or fight back.

"Hey! What's the big idea!?" She yelled over the sound of wind rushing past her ears as the pair fell. "Lemme go!"

"Not happenin' sugarcube!" Applejack yelled back, tightening the rope around her legs as well. "The Rainbow Dash I know wouldn't abandon her friends and her home!"

Hold her friend close, the hot air balloon steadily lowered as the three still inside hastily decreased the fire feeding the balloon's height. Eventually, both the balloon and the two hanging from it settled onto the ground, the bound one of the two flailing her body as the rest rushed up to them.

"That was completely idiotic AppleJack! You could have been seriously injured or worse! Don't you dare do that again!" Rarity reprimanded, slapping the sheepish farmgirl on her arms before hugging her tightly.

"Lemme go! I don't need any of you!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "Leave me alone!"

Pressing her horn to her friend's head, her colour returned as it did for the others, the light filling the clearing in a momentary burst, leaving them with streaks in their eyes for a few seconds before clearing. Rainbow Dash's eyes cleared as Applejack removed the ropes around her, allowing her to sit up as she rubbed her eyes.

"Oh Celestia, my head. What happened?" She asked groggily before her face sobered, instantly jumping to her feet. "Oh shit! How's Ponyville? Where's the Elements!?"

Her friends moved in around her as she spoke, wrapping their arms around her instantly ceasing her tirade of panicked questions. They stood there for a minute or two, laughing and cheering that they were back.

"Wait, so what now?" Rainbow Dash asked as they broke the hug,

"Now," Twilight replied, turning towards their broken home. "We stop Discord."

~~

With their goal clear and the objective set, the group of friends walked confidently down the street as the demons finally seemed to take notice of their presence. Shockingly, however, it wasn't a mere passing glance, but instead deep snarls and hisses, turning quickly to whimpers and cautious growls as more than a few outright cowered as they passed.

Ahead of them, Discord seemed to be taking great joy from the dishevelled mess around him, talking to an imprisoned Ghost. Dipping his hand under a small candy cloud, popping a glass into existence as it filled with chocolate milk, happily humming to himself, seemingly not noticing the group's approach. "Such a wonderful, wonderful thing chaos is."

Before he could take a sip from the glass, Twilight yelled out towards him. "Not as wonderful as friendship!"

Immediately deadpanning, Discord's shoulders slumped as even Ghost looked to roll his eyes. "Ugh, this again? Seriously, how cliche are you?" He said, tossing the glass over his shoulder, causing it to implode upon impact with the ground.

"That's right, you couldn't hold apart our friendship!" Applejack shouted. "Not for long!"

"Oh please!" Discord said, his fingers glowing a bright golden as her Element nearly flew from her neck as she was dragged effortlessly behind it, her feet leaving the ground. "I'm the one who made you a liar and I could easily do it again!"

Throwing his hand out, he encased the other Elements in the same golden energy, the rest too flying towards him, leaving them floating in front of the Chaos Spirit. "Will you ever learn?"

A sudden roar took his attention momentarily as the demons around him seemed panicked, glancing around and snarling as though danger were upon them. Even the Nuckelavee appeared highly unnerved as the horde slowly began turning tail and running, rushing away and kicking up dirt behind them.

"Where do you all think you're going!?" Discord exclaimed. "Get your demonic tuchuses back here!"

Taking advantage of the distraction, Twilight's horn flashed with purple energy, a large bubble wrapping around her and her friends while Ghost's bubble popped, his form joining them as they lowered to the ground.

"I'll let you what we've learned Discord!" Twilight said confidently. "Friendships aren't always easy. But no matter what, they are always worth fighting for!"

"Bleh! Gag! Fine! Go ahead and use your little Elements, frenimies. Just do me a favour and make it quick. I'm missing some excellent chaos here," He said with a deep eye roll, popping back to his throne, a smug grin wiping over his face.

"Alright, ladies! Let's show him what proper friendship can do!"

"I'll let you girls take lead on this one!" Ghost shouted over the whirling energies, stepping back well behind them to not get caught in the crossfire.

As they raised the elements high, a dazzling display of light and magic filled the dishevelled village. The Element of magic began to hum with raw power, energy swirling around them like a vortex of pure arcane energy. Discord yawned confidently before swiftly ducking a ray of energy, the beam slamming into his throne, turning a small portion of it to stone.

"What?" Turning back to the group of friends, his eyes went wide. "No."

The Element of Honesty shone with a warm golden glow, reflecting the farmgirl's steadfast determination. The light emanating from the element seemed to infuse her with unwavering resolve and unbreakable integrity.

The Element of Loyalty crackled with electric blue energy, a symbol of her fierce loyalty to her friends. The element seemed to pulse with the speed and strength of a raging storm, ready to defend those she held dear.

The Element of Kindness radiated a soft, soothing light, like the gentle glow of a setting sun, exuding an aura of compassion and empathy, calming the hearts of all who beheld it.

The Element of Laughter sparkled with a riot of colours, each hue a different shade of joy and merriment. The element seemed to dance and twirl in the air, spreading infectious happiness wherever it went.

The Element of Generosity shimmered with a luminous white light, reflecting the fashionista's selfless spirit and unwavering generosity. The element glowed with a purity that seemed to cleanse the darkness from the corrupt town.

As the six friends unleashed the combined power of the Elements of Harmony, a blinding wave of energy surged forth, sending a multi-coloured ray of light barreling towards the Spirit of Chaos. Discord recoiled in the face of such a powerful array of light. A powerful shockwave filled the streets, sending Discord stumbling and shouting as the column aimed straight for his chest.

Only, it didn't hit him.

Shielding his face, Discord prepared himself just as the ray missed him, course-correcting and careening up into the sky, shooting high to the clouds above. The seven stared slack-jawed as the beam exploded, creating an opening in the cloud layer, showing the pristine blue sky behind it.

"Fuckin' hell," Ghost mumbled.

"Huh," Discord hummed. "That's new."

The momentum of the retreating clouds abruptly stopped, pausing for a moment before slowly advancing back to the epicentre. The clouds collided and swirled as a bright light exploded, hues of subtle blue peeking through as a new pillar of light slammed into the ground with an uproarious crash, cracking and splintering it, sending boulders into the air. The girls yelled and shouted after Ghost as the man tumbled over the edge to the ground as it continued to break beneath their feet and slowly rise up, bringing Discord and his throne along with them as even he fought to keep his balance.

"Twilight!" Applejack shouted over the thunderous crashes above and around them. "What's happenin'!?"

"I don't know!" She shouted back.

Raised high up in the air, the large piece of checkered land they stood on stopped, floating there, suspended by an unseen force. Discord turned to them with confusion.

"Ok, even I have to concede and admit I have no idea what that was about," Discord said with a shrug, quickly gaining a confident smirk. "But even a light show such as that won't stop from-"

A fickle flick of electricity stopped him dead in his tracks, the subtle buzz of it licking up against his throne causing him to whip around frustrated.

"Oh for goodness sake, what now!?"

Another lick of electricity flicked through the air, then another, then another, slowly building in frequency until the surface of Discord's throne was nearly completely charred. Then, it was quiet, but only for a moment. A small explosion detonated as a black opening unfurled, the edges dancing with an off-green hue. A sound could be heard, just under the low hum and high-pitched warbling while the opening pulsed.

Suddenly, an object hurled from the opening with astonishing speed as the opening closed swiftly behind it. Barreling towards them, the group of friends dove and ducked, the object hurtling off the side of the large rock they stood on as it bounced off the edge.

"OOHHHHH FUUUUUUUUU-"

Rushing to the edge, the group saw a plume of dirt and other debris burst out far below them as Discord slowly began laughing. Turning back to the Lord of Chaos, the Spirit clutching his sides as his laughter turned to wheezing.

"Oh, oh, oh, that's rich!" He said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "This is what I live for! Pure chaos! Absolute anarchy! Disorder at its finest! Seriously, you ladies are shockingly good at it."

"This doesn't stop anything, Discord!" Twilight shouted. "Our friendship is more powerful than any amount of chaos you can muster! At the end of the day, friendship will win out over all!"

"You're adorable, really, but look around you!" He said, spreading his arms out wide. "Chaos, no matter what, chaos will be everywhere! Far and wide, all over the world!"

"For all intents and purposes," He finished. "I've won."

The moment the words left his mouth, the ground beneath them shook once more, shuddering and faltering before steadily descending, the distance between them and the earth below shortening. Falling to the ground, the group of friends huddled together, closing their eyes and holding each other tightly until the boulder holding them trembled. Opening their eyes, the piece of land had settled back into the earth, fitting neatly into the deep hole it made in its wake.

"Bloody hell, girls," Ghost said, breaking the momentary, helping them to their feet. "You all alright?"

"Ghost! Glad to see you're ok," Twilight said, looking around her. "Did you see what hit the ground?"

Then, they heard the sound of footfalls behind them. soft clacking accompanying the uneven stride. Whipping around to look behind them, a silhouette strode towards them from amidst the dense dust cloud the boulder kicked up. Stepping out from the plume of dust, they were shocked to see who it was.

It was Percival.

But he was different. For one, he was taller, possibly by a few inches, and his new apparent height was now seemingly on par with Ghost's towering stature. He was also shirtless, revealing his once lean, defined physique now bulked up, his musculature built for power.

With a mane of thick white hair held comfortably behind his head by small braids, a small ponytail formed just above them, the rest cascading down to his just below his bare shoulder blades. A thick face of facial hair covered his lower face, giving a sense of age that he didn't have before.

But most apparent, was his lack of limbs. Cut midway down his right bicep, the "arm" was long healed over, leaving behind a small stump in its wake. His leg, however, was a bit more impressive. An amalgamation of steel and leather, a smooth, slightly curved peg leg wrapped tightly around what remained of his shin with a strap above his knee securing it in place.

"Oi! Discord!" He shouted as his bright steel blue eyes bared down at the Spirit, his raspy yet rich baritone voice effortlessly carrying through the air, clear and commanding. "I want a word with you!"

Author's Note

Ooooo, it's kicking off now!

If you want a reference for how our boy Percy's new hairdo looks, look up Tajin Crosser from Star Wars: Visions. As for his leg, I have only one name: Hiccup.

As always, hope you enjoyed

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!