Rise of Ruinous

My Little Pony: Friends hip is Magic: RISE OF RUINOUS

Chapter 7 - Order From Chaos

The time: About a week after meeting Corinne.

The giraffe murrs as she heads through the mountains, her nose close to the ground as she sways her head side-to-side, like a metal detector.  Spotting a cache of gems, she slams her front hooves on the ground, revealing a veritable treasure trove below.  She puts the gems in two baskets, one with her cutie mark on it, one with Rarity's.  After a while, she heads to Carousel Boutique and knocks on the door.

Rarity: (from inside): Coming.  *She opens the top half of the door*  Oh, hello, Corinne.  Doing some gem-hunting, I see.

Corinne: *nod* Y-y-yeah.  *She sets the basket with Rarity's cutie mark inside*  Th-th-these are for you.

Rarity: *blink* These gems aren't for healing?

Corinne: N-n-not really.  About the o-o-only gem we b-b-both use is the emerald.

Rarity: *nod* I see.  Well, thanks for the gems, Corinne.

Corinne: Y-y-you're welcome, Rarity.

The giraffe heads to Twilight Sparkle's library.  She heads into the door and sets her gems in her space, writing several recipes.

Corinne: L-l-lessee.....

*INTRO SEQUENCE*

That afternoon, the newest Wonderbolts were criss-crossing the skies over Ponyville.  Rainbow Dash and Pitstop were practicing some moves for the next airshow when a gust of wind caught Rainbow Dash off-angled and sent her towards the ground!

Pitstop: LUV!

Pitstop zips after Rainbow Dash as she tries to air-save herself.  Just seconds before the weather pony hit the ground, SPLAT!  Rainbow Dash found herself stuck in a pink cloud!

R.Dash: You..... have GOT..... to-be-kidding-me..........

The Mane 6 were stunned as the cloud floats down with the cyan pegasus in it.  Pitstop touches down, blinking quizzically at the cloud.

T.Sparkle: Oh, my!  Oh, bad!  Oh, my, this-is-BAD!!

Virtuna: Bad?  This pink cloud saved Rainbow Dash, how can it be bad?

T.Sparkle: Pink cotton-candy rainclouds are the herald of Discord, the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony.  According to legend, Discord's magic sent all of Equestria into chaos, making life miserable for earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns alike.  If he's back, *whines* I-dunno-WHAT'LL-happen!

Virtuna: Look, Twi.  I read on this Discord guy, his appearance is marked by MUL-TI-PLE clouds like *points to Rainbow Dash* this, right?  *Twilight Sparkle nods*  Other than the one that saved Rainbow, is there any?

Everypony looks up and around, especially Pitstop with the pegasus' eye view.  Slowly, it hit pony after pony:

T.Sparkle: N-n-no, Virtuna.

Virtuna: *smile-smirk*  It tells me one of two things: Either he can control his powers, or his powers were cut when ya rocked him with the Elements.

T.Sparkle: He MAY have saved Rainbow, but if he shows up..... we'll rock him again!  He stole the Elements of Harmony and tricked us into looking for them in the royal labyrinth.  There he tricked us further into going A-GAINST our Elements.  *points a hoof at Applejack*  SHE was a liar.  *Fluttershy*  SHE was a brute.  *Rarity*  SHE was a miser, *Pinkie Pie* SHE was a grump and *Rainbow Dash* SHE was a traitor!  I almost lost hope in our ability to beat him myself, Virtuna.  If not for Princess Celestia bringing me back, we'd've never beaten Discord.

Virtuna: *blink*  But what about Nightmare Moon?  Ya didn't blast HER with the Elements of Harmony when ya re-met her, right?

T.Sparkle: *sigh*  I didn't because I felt Princess Luna's powers in Nightmare Moon.  I don't know of ANYpony who could POSSIBLY emulate something as wild and zany as Discord.

Virtuna and Twilight Sparkle look at Pinkie Pie.  The little filly pointed her natural front hoof at the party pony.

T.Sparkle: Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh, NO! No-no-no!  PINKIE PIE's version of "zany" is fun, DISCORD'S is..... Well, hope you don't find out.

Virtuna: If ya ask me, I think you're a bit paranoid.  Look, Twi, ya smacked him good upside the head, do you REALLY think he'd do it all again?

R.Dash (while attempting to break out of the cotton candy as the CMCs try eating the cloud to help, freeing a leg on each capitalized word): Yeah, Twilight, There's just ONE cloud in the sky that's made of candy: THIS one.  And it just HAPPENS to be the cloud that caught me.  *She grunts as she lifts off, attached by her right rear leg until Scootaloo frees her with a chomp!*  *The weather pony flies around a bit to check to make sure she's in flying-fit condition, then lands near Corinne*  And besides, thanks to Nightmare Moon, I haven't had a bad dream in weeks!

T.Sparkle: Maybe you're right, Rainbow, but.....

Other Ponies: But what?

T.Sparkle: I just..... don't know if I wanna take that chance.

Virtuna whimpers as Twilight Sparkle returns to her library.  In the shadows, Discord was watching, wearing a frown.  Rainbow Dash senses him and looks, giving a small grin before flying back up with Pitstop to work on the routine they were working on.  Discord grins back as he sees the two pegasi, then he turns into a butterfly and flies off.  Later that week, Fluttershy was running some errands when a eagle cry splits the calm.  The Bearer of Kindness looks up and humphs, continuing on her business.

Fluttershy: Stupid griffon..... shrieking like that like she owns the sky, just who does she think she is.....

As she rants a bit, she passes by an unusual flower..... which turns to look at her, then up in the sky.....  As Fluttershy finishes her errands, Gilda lands right in front of her!

Fluttershy (doing her best to be assertive): Well?!  What do YOU want?!

Gilda: *unimpressed smirk*  Nice try, Lamershy!

As Gilda laughs at her, Fluttershy seems to lose her confidence - that is until a cotton-candy-cloud splats on top of the boisterous griffon!

Gilda: HEY! *grunts as she tries to free herself*  What gives?!

As Gilda struggles to rescue herself, Fluttershy trots back home right past that flower.

Fluttershy (whispered): Thanks, Discord.

Fluttershy hums as she gets back to her cottage.  The flower watches her go, seeming to sprout a bit more before teleporting off.  In Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie Pie is trying to make a cake when she realizes one BIG problem:

P.Pie: WHERE'S THE MILK!?

As the party pony panics, a small cotton-candy-raincloud floats into the kitchen.  Pinkie Pie whirls, spotting the cloud dump exactly what she needs into a measuring cup before incorporating itself into the batter.

P.Pie: Huh?

Pinkie Pie looks around a bit before smirking.

P.Pie: You're STILL gonna have to take things up with Twilight, Discord.

Discord (disembodied): *chuckle* Might've guessed that the PARTY pony would call me out first.

P.Pie: *nod*  All I'm saying is "Good luck."

Discord: I have a feeling I'm gonna need ALL the luck I can get.....

At Carousel Boutique, Rarity grunts as she's working on a dress, not able to match the gems up properly.

Rarity: I do NOT know where Corinne got these gems, but I'll HAVE to ask her to stop.  I've never seen gems so hard to color-match to..... *small clink* What-the?

Rarity rushes back and sees her dress made, the gems seemingly crushed together and recut, making a kaleidoscopic effect!

Rarity: Huh?!  *She heads over to check it out*  And I thought your powers were for zany desserts, Discord.

Discord (disembodied): Oh, I dunno..... Could just be abstract thinking, is all.

Rarity: Well, you CERTAINLY got me out of a bind, although Twilight's a bit, well, apprehensive?

Discord: But she WILL come around, right?

Rarity: M-maybe.

Discord feels genuinely bad as Rarity sniffles a bit, appearing and petting the white unicorn with his lion paw, making her purr a bit.

Discord: Nightmare Moon.  Zecora.  Trixie.  She'll come around someday.

Rarity: Hopefully.

Discord nods and teleports off.  At Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack was having an epic struggle bucking the apples out of the trees.  It looked like it was going to be "Applebuck Season" all over again..... until a stampede of bunnies with giraffe-like legs thundered through the orchard!  As they ran around back-and-forth, the vibrations knocked all the apples out of the trees, the fruit then rolling into the barn as if being funneled there.

Applejack: Huh!

Applejack shut the barn door as soon as the last apple rolled in, spotting Discord on top of a tractor nearby eating one apple and passing her another.  She caught it and sat near the tractor's right back wheel.

Applejack: Now THIS Discord I can deal with.  *smirks at the draconequus*  Ya'll sure ya'll ain't just doin' this to get Twilight's good graces?

Discord: I'd be lying if I said her words did NOT affect me.

Applejack: *GULP!* Ya'll HEARD Twilight and Virtuna?!

Discord: *nod* Every-word.  *He gets off the tractor and crouches by Applejack*  I knew coming back here so quick I'd be distrusted by a number of ponies.  I just had no idea my trickery would cause her to go off on me like that, especially since she and Virtuna almost fell out.  Plus, Virtuna hit the nail right on the head: The Elements of Harmony disrupted my powers to the point where that bunny stampede was the strongest act of chaos I could commit.  And I can't hold more than two acts of chaos at the same time, so I can't do anything near what I did to Ponyville the last time I surfaced.

Applejack: *nod*  Well, keep it that way even when ya'll DO have the power to do what'cha did here last time, and you MAY get good with Twi, ya hear?

Discord nods, then flies off to the Canterlot Royal Garden, where Nightmare Moon was waiting.

N.Moon: Well?

Discord: Five-out-of-six.  Apparently, Twilight Sparkle took what I did a bit too personally.

N.Moon: If I were in her horseshoes, I'd've done the same, I think.....

Discord sighs almost rejectedly.

N.Moon: Well, hey!  If they accepted me, they can accept you, right?

Discord: I REALLY hope so.....

Princess Celestia blinks, seeing the two biggest enemies in Equestrian history talking about friendship.  Nightmare Moon gave a small smile to the sun goddess.

P.Celestia: You, too, Discord?  *Discord nods*  Elements of Harmony must be stronger than I thought.

The ivory alicorn trots back into the castle.  The next day, the ponies were at Sugar Cube Corner, enjoying Pinkie Pie's treats and discussing what Discord did yesterday.  Even Twilight Sparkle's appearance in the bakery didn't halt the conversations.

T.Sparkle: *sigh*  Discord.....

R.Dash: Say what you will about him, but I'd be a pegasus pancake if not for that cloud he made.

Fluttershy: Oh, yes, and Gilda would've sent me scampering off to my cottage crying again.

P.Pie: I NEVER would've made these treats without him putting chocolate rain AND a cotton-candy-cloud in the bowl.

Rarity: AND my latest dress would've been a color disaster!

Applejack: And it would've taken me 1,000 years to get all those apples bucked.

T.Sparkle: *SIGH* I know he's trying to do good by using his chaotic powers to be helpful, but for some reason..... I-dunno, I just.....

A knock at the door makes everypony look.

N.Moon: Can I speak with the Bearer of Magic for a bit?

Everypony nods, letting Nightmare Moon walk up to, and sit by, Twilight Sparkle.

N.Moon: Now, Twilight, do you remember when I redeemed myself?  I used my powers to benefit Equestria, too.

T.Sparkle: True, but YOU didn't try to drive a wedge between me and my five best friends, all you did was turn off the sun.

N.Moon: True, but now, I'm helping Princess Luna raise the moon, I'm in charge of spreading the stars around in the sky, and I'm BOTH princesses' assistant in addition to being the pony responsible for sucking the nightmares out of everypony's slumber.  YOU trusted me.  The princesses trusted me.  Your friends trusted me.  And all of Equestria trusts me.  *lifts Twilight Sparkle's face and looks at her eye-to-eye*  And now, I need you to trust me on THIS.

T.Sparkle: You didn't see it, Nightmare Moon.....  My friends acting like total strangers.....  Everypony basically throwing their hearts away.....  And to top it off, Discord acting like it was the greatest day in Equestrian history.

N.Moon: Hang on.  *She sprints out of the bakery, emerging sometime later with a purple book with black bindings, a ribbon sticking out of it*  Read where I marked it.

Twilight takes the book and reads from where the ribbon is.

T.Sparkle (reading from the book): Nightmare Moon, the Mare in the Moon, the Harbinger of Eternal Night, *closes her eyes* and the dark side of Princess Luna.  *sigh*  I see what you're doing.  This book is the past, not the future.  Every word in this book was written based on somepony's observations.  You changing from bad to good is not covered..... because who wrote this never saw it.  All they saw was a jealous, dark pony who was trying to rule all of Equestria.  If whomever wrote this book saw THIS Nightmare Moon, this book would be much different.

N.Moon: *nod*  Now, I think you have to talk to Discord, OK?

T.Sparkle: *nod*  OK.

The purple unicorn heads out of Sugar Cube Corner and looks around for the draconequus.  She finds him leaning against her library-treehouse.

T.Sparkle: Discord?

Discord: Yes.  You OK with this?  I just wanna make sure.....

T.Sparkle: Y-yeah.  Listen, I.....  I.....

Discord: I get it.  After sending you and your friends through that, you were completely justified in hating me.  But-back-then, I just didn't think straight.

T.Sparkle: You're the Spirit of Chaos, you CAN'T think straight!

Both laugh.

Discord: I mean, I never understood the true power of what you all shared, nor did I think about what your friends mean to you.

T.Sparkle: And you taking that hit from the Elements of Harmony did THAT?  *Discord nods*  Wow.....

Discord: Thinking about somepony else?

T.Sparkle: Maybe somegriffon.

Both laugh again, longer this time.

Discord: Well, being a meanie isn't threatening enough to the well-being of Equestria to warrant the six-color attitude adjustment.

T.Sparkle: *nod* I know, but it DID warrant a cotton-candy facial.

Discord: Ya got THAT right!  That birdbrain cornered poor little Fluttershy.

Twilight Sparkle blinks a bit.

T.Sparkle: You really.....

Discord nods, then pets Twilight Sparkle a bit with the lion paw.  She murrs a bit, blushing.

T.Sparkle: OK, OK, you've moved from "total hatred" past "not particularly likeable" and up to just north of "tolerable".

Discord: *nod*  I'll take it.  I know it's gonna take more to get into the circle of friends you have.

T.Sparkle: Oh, yeah.

Both chuckle a bit as Twilight Sparkle heads into her library.  Discord snaps his eagle claws as he flies back to the Everfree Forest.  Corinne leads the other ponies into the library.

Corinne: Well?

T.Sparkle: It went smooth - for once when talking about Discord.

R.Dash: So you buy the fact that he's changed due to the Elements of Harmony?

T.Sparkle: Well.....  Yeah.....  But I wonder how his chaotic powers would benefit somepony like me.

Spike: Huh.....  Ah, well.

Rainbow Dash trots in and flies up to get the next "Daring Do" book..... only to have it float off the shelf to her chair all by itself!

T.Sparkle: !!!  *laugh*  Oh, my!

Everypony laughs.

T.Sparkle: Dear Princess Celestia,

Today I learned that one's past does not shape one's future.  No matter how much somepony hurt you in the past, there is always room to forgive.  And once you open your mind, who knows?, you may just find a friend in the wildest places.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle

Princess Celestia watches Discord as she reads Twilight Sparkle's latest letter.  The sun goddess smirks, then teleports Discord into the castle with her magic!

Discord: OK, how did-?

P.Celestia: Hey, I can bend things, too.

The two former enemies chuckle, then Discord heads into a spare room to rest up.

P.Luna: Are you SURE about this, sister?

P.Celestia: *nod* I-am.

P.Luna: I hope this doesn't backfire.

P.Celestia: If Twilight trusts him, *shows Princess Luna the letter* then-so-do-I.

P.Luna: *reads it, then nods*  OK.

The moon goddess heads out to raise the moon, prompting Nightmare Moon to do her jobs.

TO BE CONTINUED