Applejack felt so woozy. The only image stuck in her mind was that of her friends all going in different directions, and Discord standing over the broken elements.

“No…” Applejack pleaded. “No, this isn’t happening… our friendship… is… un… breaka….”

Applejack slumped to the ground. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly.

And then she stood up, and brushed the dirt off herself.

But she wasn’t herself. Applejack’s coat had gone gray, and her eyes had lost their hue.

Discord snapped his claws as he heard hoofsteps coming towards him, and the apples tumbled to the ground.

“Applejack!” Twilight gasped in relief, coming into the clearing. “Thank goodness! I thought I heard voices over here. Who were you talking to?”

“Uh– nopony. Nopony whatsoever.”

“Huh? But I heard voices–.”

“Probably just one ah Discords tricks,” said Applejack very quickly. “Come on sugarcube. We'd best be movin’.”

Huh? Thought Twilight. Did Applejack just...? Come on, Twilight! Applejack wouldn't lie.

Pinkie Pie turned another corner. She was starting to lose track of time. How long had it been since she and her friends had left the start of the maze? She didn’t know.

She came into an intersection. A quick look around showed her that there were five ways for her to progress.

“This is the hardest maze I’ve ever done!” said Pinkie, trying to decide on which way to go. “Oh well. Here’s hoping!” She went down the path that was directly ahead. The path twisted and turned. Then opened up into a clearing.

The clearing was as large as the Golden Oak Library’s first floor. Looking around the unexpectedly large clearing, Pinkie realized it was full of rabbits. They were white with red eyes. There were also several tables with balloons tied to them.

“Aren't you cute?” said Pinkie, moving towards one bunny.

It exploded. Pinkie screamed.

Several more rabbits exploded into confetti, causing Pinkie to scream louder.

There was a sudden outburst of laughter.

Pinkie spun around, but there was nopony else in the clearing, and the rabbits weren’t laughing. The only ones that could be laughing were the balloons, which made no sense. Pinkie decided that Discord had done one of his tricks to make the balloons laugh.

“Hey what gives?” asked Pinkie, feeling a little confused as to why the balloons were laughing at her.

There was a little pop behind her.

“What's the matter, Pinkie Pie?” asked Discord. “I thought you appreciated a good laugh.”

“This is different!” said Pinkie. “They're laughing at me.”

“Hardly different,” said Discord. “Your friends laugh at you all the time.”

“They laugh with me, not at me!”

“Oh really?”

The balloons were laughing harder than ever.

“Hey!” Pinkie snapped. “Stop it!”

“I thought laughter made you happy,” said Discord, before swinging a pocket watch in front of Pinkie’s eyes. Pinkie's eyes started swirling, and her bright pink coat faded to gray. She wobbled, before crashing to the ground.

And then she stood up, as if nothing had ever happened.

“Laughter?” she scoffed. “Make me happy? I don’t think so!”

Discord chuckled, before teleporting away.

A moment later, Twilight and Applejack burst around the corner.

“Oh Pinkie!” Twilight said, relieved. “Are we glad to see you!”

“Oh really! Need a good laugh! Huh!”

“What?” said Twi.

Pinkie huffed, and stormed away.

Twi turned to Applejack. “Notice anything strange about Pinkie?”

“Uh- no! ‘Course not, no! Ah didn’t notice anythin’ strange ‘bout her.” Applejack rushed after Pinkie.

Twilight blinked. “Maybe I’m the one who the stress is getting to?”

Rarity trudged along one long stretch of hedge. “I was expecting an audience with the princess, not outdoor sport, ugh! This is ruining my dress!”

She stared down at her dress, and when she looked up, she was surprised to see that the walls were stone.

“Huh? I never noticed the walls change to stone.” She sighed. “Oh well. I suppose I should stop fretting over my dress. Perhaps the stone is the middle?”

She turned another corner, and found herself facing the–. “Largest diamond I’ve ever seen!”

She rushed towards it, but stopped herself. Her friends, or the diamond?

Well surely they can manage without me, thought Rarity. But what if they can’t? What if they need my help, and I can’t give it to them, because I’m too busy fawning over this diamond? But surely the diamond would be worth a lot of bits, probably enough to move to Canterlot permanently. That’s my dream, and all I have to do Is take this diamond and… abandon my friends?

“No!” said Rarity, turning away from the diamond, which was really just a boulder that Discord had bewitched to look like a diamond. “I will not abandon my friends!”

“I think you will,” Discord growled, stepping out from behind the boulder. “You're nor the element of loyalty.”

Rarity spun around, and Discord bopped her on the head. She tumbled to the ground, eyes swirling, coat graying.

And then, just like Discord predicted, Rarity stood back up, and practically bowled him over in her haste to get to the “diamond.”

Discord laughed, and stepped through the stone wall.

“Rarity!” exclaimed Twilight rushing around the corner after Applejack and Pinkie. “Are we glad to see you….” She gave an exasperated sigh. “And why are you pushing a massive boulder around?”

“What do you mean, "boulder"? This big beautiful bedazzling rock is a diamond! And it's all mine. Keep your envious little eyes off it! I found it and it's mine fair and square!”

“But it’s just a boulder–.”

“Ah dunno Twi,” said Applejack. “Looks an awful lot like ah diamond ta me.”

“Ahahaha!” Pinkie laughed. “What happened Common-y? Lost your sense of ‘fabulousness?’ Think that stupid boulder is pretty? Well guess what? It isn’t! Ahahaha!”

“Well you are an insensitive jerk, Pinkie Pie-in-the-face! Go sit under one of your chocolate clouds while we do all the work!”

“Girls!” Twilight said. “Calm down, please–.”

“We’re all as calm as a zen garden!” said Applejack. “Ah think you're the one actin’ crazy sugarcube.”

“But I’m perfectly calm–.”

“Ha ha ha!” guffawed Pinkie. “Twilight-crazy-Sparkle can’t even tell when she’s losing her mind! Ahahaha!”

“I’m not losing my mind!” snapped Twilight. “And we are finding the Elements of Harmony even if it’s hard! Come on!”

Twilight grabbed Applejack and Pinkie, dragging them further into the labyrinth. Rarity followed, admiring her rock.

Discord laughed as he watched the scene unfold beneath him. Oh it is going to be hard. In fact, I think it’s soon going to be impossible.

Fluttershy passed a muddy puddle, and turned a corner. She was so lost, and had no idea where she was.

All of a sudden she thought she heard hoofsteps. She rushed in that direction, taking turn after turn, and ended up at a muddy puddle. The same one?

She sat down against the hedge wall and started taking deep breaths. “Okay Fluttershy, you can do this! Oh a butterfly!”

Fluttershy extended a hoof, and the butterfly landed on it. “I’m sure this is all going to be okay.”

The butterfly nodded. It asked if Fluttershy needed any help.

“Well,” said Fluttershy. “I could use some help finding my friends. Twilight is purple, Rarity is white, Applejack is orange, Pinkie is pink, and Rainbow is light blue.”

The butterfly nodded again, and flew off.

Discord suddenly materialized out of thin air. Fluttershy jumped.

“Well, Fluttershy, Just Fluttershy,” said Discord. “Looks like your ‘friends’ have abandoned you, huh?”

“Oh no. I’m certain they are looking for me as we speak.”

“Well, it must be so upsetting to know how weak and helpless they think you are?” Discord said.

“Not at all. I am weak and helpless and I appreciate their understanding.”

Discord was starting to get annoyed. He tried one last time.

“Yes... Well, surely it burns you up... I mean, that they're always pointing out your flaws, right?”

“Not really. In fact, I think I'm awfully lucky to have friends who want me to be the best I can be.”

Discord growled. “Oh, for goodness sake! You've been kind for far too long, my dear. Time to be cruel.”

He swayed the pocket watch in front of Fluttershy’s eyes, and she slumped against the wall, coat fading, eyes swirling.

Then she stood up.

“Arrivederci!” said Discord, and teleported away.

Twilight dragged her friends around the corner.

“Oh Fluttershy,” she gasped. “You have no idea how happy I am to see a friendly face. Our friends all think I’m crazy!”

“Aw, boo-hoo-hoo!” Fluttershy mocked. “Why don't you wave your magic little horn and make everything alright?”

“Um….” Twilight started, but Fluttershy cut her off.

“Oh that’s right– you don’t have one!”

“Ahahahaha!” Pinkie snorted. “How does it feel to be just like me Twilight! Not so high-and-mighty without magic, are you!”

“I never said I was– ow!”

Fluttershy had intentionally slammed Twilight off her hooves. Twi hit the ground hard.

“Oh sorry about that,” said Fluttershy. “I didn’t see you there.”

“Don’t worry sugarcube,” said Applejack. “We’ll getcha to a hospital soo–.”

“I don’t need a hospital!” Twilight yelled, getting up angrily. “I’m not a mental patient!”

“Yes ya are,” said Applejack. “An’ righ’ now yer actin’ outta your mind!”

“Ahahahaha!” snorted Pinkie. “My best friend is a mental-patient, this is sooo hilariously funny–.”

“Oh yeah!” yelled Fluttershy. “I’ll punch your teeth down your throat if you don’t close your yapper!”

“Oh, I’m sorry if I offended you, Fwuddershy–.”

Fluttershy socked Pinkie in the jaw, before tackling her to the ground. They crashed into Rarity.

“You hooligans!” yelled Rarity. “You're trying to vandalize my diamond! Well I won’t let you!” Rarity jumped into the tangle of limbs.

Applejack tumbled to the ground, laughing her head off.

“What is happening to my friends?” asked Twilight in shock. “They’d never do this!”

Rainbow Dash charged around a corner, and found herself at a dead end. “Darn it!”

“I can see why you like these clouds so much. Very plush.”

Rainbow looked up to see Discord sitting in a cloud.

“Get off there and put 'em up!” yelled Rainbow, raising her forehooves. “Come on! Let's go!”

“Hey!” said Discord. “I’m just here to deliver a message!”

“Yeah right.”

Discord cleared his throat. “Listen closely, this is important. A weighty choice is yours to make: the right selection or a big mistake. If a wrong choice you choose to pursue, the foundations of home will crumble without you.”

And as he said this, Rainbow saw the most storm clouds she’d ever seen at once, moving in. Moving towards Cloudsdale.

Rainbow gasped. “Cloudsdale? Crumble... without me? No!”

“This box contains your wings.” said Discord, showing Rainbow the box. “You can take them and leave the game, or you can carry on aimlessly wandering this maze. Your choice.”

Rainbow stared frozen at Cloudsdale, thinking hard. There’s no way I can stop those clouds myself, even the Wonderbolts probably couldn’t. And if I go, there won’t be a sixth element bearer, so Discord will win. But I can get the Elements of Harmony, and defeat Discord. That will save Equestria, and then we can repair Cloudsdale.

Rainbow turned back to Discord. “I’m wandering aimlessly. I’m looking for the elements, and when I find them I’ll defeat you and fix Cloudsdale.”

“Seriously?” Discord groaned. “You’re choosing your friends over all the pegasi in Cloudsdale?”

“The Cloudsdale pegasi are trained for just this kind of situation. They’ll be fine.”

“Whatever!” growled Discord. “Time to flip you. Arrivederci!”

Discord pulled out the pocket watch, and waved it in front of Rainbow’s eyes.

Rainbow had faster reaction times than any of her friends. And that reaction time was what saved her from getting hypnotized. She whipped up a hoof and punched the pocket watch. The glass face shattered, and the chain snapped.

Discord took a step back, as Rainbow threw a punch that connected with his midsection. None of Rainbow’s friends had fought back, and Discord hadn’t been expecting Rainbow to be any different. His big mistake.

Rainbow jumped on Discord, knocking him to the ground. Discord flung her off him.

Discord could have ended the fight right there, but he wanted to hypnotize Rainbow as well. Another mistake.

He tried to bop her on the head like he’d done to Rarity, but Rainbow rolled out of the way.

Discord pulled out a freezing ornament, and threw it at Rainbow, but she easily dodged it.

Rainbow clocked Discord on the head, and he wobbled. He whacked Rainbow in the stomach, and she crumpled to the ground.

“You didn’t think you could beat the Lord of Chaos, did you?” asked Discord.

“Of course not,” said Rainbow. “I just needed to get away.”

Rainbow turned towards the exit and started running, taking Discords chance of hypnotizing all of the Mane Six with her.

“Wait!” called Discord. “What about flightless Scootaloo?”

Rainbow froze.

“Scootaloo’s up in Cloudsdale right now!” said Discord. “She can’t fly, and isn’t trained to survive storms like this!”

Rainbow’s will shattered, and she turned back to Discord. Scootaloo wasn’t related to Rainbow, but they were as close as sisters. Scootaloo had even founded the Rainbow Dash Fan Club. There was no way Rainbow was going to let her die in a storm.

“Wings,” she said to Discord in a business-like tone.

Discord smiled, and snapped his claws. Rainbow flexed her wings, and flew off towards Cloudsdale.

Then Discord snapped his claws, and Rainbow’s coat faded.

He had won.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait, had some stuff happen IRL. Anyways, enjoy a double-lenght chapter!