A father's wraithby BabycordChaptersSecond comingWhat is and what wasUnitedSecond comingThe sun hung high over Ponyville, its warm rays illuminating the bustling town below. Market stalls brimmed with produce, foals darted between ponies’ hooves, and the laughter of the townsfolk filled the air. It was a peaceful day, the kind that felt as though nothing could possibly go wrong. But that was before the disturbance. A ripple of energy passed through the town, subtle at first but growing stronger by the second. It felt like a tremor in the fabric of reality itself, setting everypony on edge. Birds scattered from their perches, and a hush fell over the marketplace. In the middle of the square, light bent and warped, spiraling into a chaotic vortex. Ponies screamed and fled as the anomaly expanded. Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the vortex vanished, leaving behind a single figure. The figure was tall, bipedal, and unlike anything the ponies had ever seen. His clothes were tattered and covered in a layer of dust, as though he had traveled through countless storms. His face was weathered but kind, his eyes sharp yet confused. He spoke, his deep voice resonating with a language none could understand. “Onde estou? O que aconteceu?” Twilight Sparkle arrived moments later, teleporting into the square alongside her friends. She took one look at the stranger and froze. “What… what is that?” “I don’t know,” Applejack said, stepping forward cautiously. “But it doesn’t look like he means harm… yet.” The stranger turned to face them, his expression softening as though he recognized their fear. He raised his hands in a placating gesture and spoke again, his tone calm. “Por favor, não tenham medo.” Rainbow Dash hovered above, glaring. “Yeah, no clue what you’re saying, buddy, but we’re not scared!” Before Twilight could respond, a sharp pop echoed through the square. A chaotic swirl of energy announced the arrival of Eris, the Spirit of Chaos. Her mismatched wings fluttered as she hovered above the scene, her serpentine body coiling in midair. “Well, well, what do we have here?” Eris’s voice dripped with playful sarcasm. “I was in the middle of a lovely nap, and then this happened.” Her eyes landed on the stranger, and for the first time, her smirk faltered. She stared at him, her golden eyes wide. Her usual air of smug confidence was replaced with something raw—shock, disbelief, and a flicker of hope. Slowly, she descended, her paws trembling as they touched the ground. The stranger turned to her, his brow furrowing. Recognition flashed in his eyes. “Eris?” he said, his voice trembling. The name was foreign to the ponies, but Eris’s reaction was immediate. Her entire body froze, her breath catching in her throat. Then, with a shaky step forward, she whispered, her voice uncharacteristically soft, “Pai…?” The stranger’s face softened into a smile, and he opened his arms. “Minha filha…” With a strangled cry, Eris lunged forward, wrapping her mismatched arms around him. She buried her face in his chest, her body shaking as though holding back sobs. The ponies could only watch in stunned silence as the chaotic spirit, feared and unpredictable, clung to the stranger like a lost child reunited with her parent. “I thought you were gone,” she whispered, her words halting as though the language had grown unfamiliar on her tongue. “For so long… you were gone.” He stroked her head gently, his weathered hands steady despite the tremor in his voice. “Eu nunca quis partir. Eu sinto muito.” Twilight exchanged a glance with her friends. “What’s going on?” she whispered. “I don’t know,” Fluttershy replied softly, her wide eyes fixed on the scene. “But… I think that’s her father.” The thought sent chills through the group. Eris, the Spirit of Chaos, had a father? Eris finally pulled back, her expression a mix of joy and sorrow. “How are you here? How are you alive?” He looked around, taking in the strange world he had been thrust into. “Não sei. Foi como se o tempo me tivesse engolido e cuspido novamente. Tudo mudou…” Eris’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she began to translate for herself, mumbling in Equestrian as she pieced the words together. “Time… swallowed you… and spit you out. You’ve been… lost?” The stranger nodded. Before she could ask more, Eris turned sharply, glaring at the Mane Six. “You,” she said, her voice regaining its usual sharpness, “stay out of this. This is family business.” Rainbow Dash bristled. “Hey! We’re not—” “Quiet!” Eris snapped, her voice echoing with raw power. “This is not the time for your meddling!” Twilight took a cautious step forward. “Eris, we’re not trying to interfere, but if this affects Equestria, we need to understand what’s happening.” Eris’s gaze flicked between the ponies and her father. Her lips curled into a humorless smile. “Oh, don’t worry, Princess. You’ll understand soon enough.” She snapped her fingers, and in an instant, she and the stranger vanished, leaving behind a trembling ripple of chaos magic. For a moment, no one spoke. “What,” Applejack finally said, breaking the silence, “the hay just happened?” Twilight stared at the empty space where the two had been. “I don’t know,” she said grimly. “But we need to find out—fast.” The chaotic hum of Eris’s magic faded, leaving her and her father standing in her domain—a realm of swirling colors, floating islands, and unpredictable landscapes. It was a world where logic was abandoned, a reflection of the chaos Eris had embraced after her father's disappearance. Eris stepped back, her mismatched wings drooping slightly as she studied him. “I don’t understand,” she said, her voice shaking. “You were… gone. How can you be here? What happened to you?” The man—her father—rubbed his temple, his weathered face etched with exhaustion. “Eris,” he began slowly, speaking in his native tongue, “I don’t know how much you’ll understand. The language feels foreign now, even to me.” “Try,” Eris said, her tone firm despite the tears threatening to spill. She crossed her arms, her eyes searching his face for answers. “I need to know.” He nodded, taking a deep breath. “The spell that hit me… it wasn’t meant to kill me. It was alicorn magic, raw and unstable. It fractured time itself around me, pulling me from our world and casting me into the future. I don’t know how many years passed—it felt like moments, yet an eternity.” Eris’s chaotic domain grew eerily still, as though even it was listening to his words. “Four thousand years,” she whispered. “You’ve been gone for four thousand years.” His eyes widened in shock. “Four thousand…?” He staggered slightly, and Eris caught him, her strength belying her slender frame. “Yes,” she said, her voice trembling. “Four thousand years of thinking you were dead. Four thousand years of… of fighting to survive without you.” Her tone grew bitter. “And they made sure we never forgot what we lost.” He frowned. “They?” “The ponies,” Eris spat. Her claws clenched, sparks of chaos magic flickering around her. “The alicorns, their followers—every last one of them. They hunted us, drove us away, treated us like monsters. Even my sisters…” Her voice broke. “Even they suffered.” Her father’s gaze darkened, and a cold fire burned in his eyes. “Your sisters? Umbra and Chrysalis—where are they?” Eris turned away, floating slightly as her emotions swirled. “Umbra hides in shadows, ruling a broken kingdom. Chrysalis… she leads the changelings, a race of outcasts, starving for scraps because of those ponies. They took everything from us, Father. And they didn’t care.” The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the faint hum of the chaotic winds. Her father straightened, his kind demeanor tempered by a steely resolve. “This world has forgotten us,” he said quietly. “But I will make them remember.” Eris’s ears perked up, and a sly smile spread across her face. “Does this mean what I think it means?” He nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve been alone long enough, my daughter. It’s time to reclaim what’s ours. But we won’t stop there. We’ll ensure no one can harm you or your sisters again.” Eris’s chaotic laughter filled the realm. “Oh, this is going to be fun,” she said, snapping her fingers. A chessboard appeared, with the figures of Celestia, Luna, and the Mane Six trembling in place. She flicked one of the pieces, sending it tumbling off the board. Her father smiled, a mixture of warmth and cold determination. “But first, we reunite the family.” Meanwhile in the Shadows Far away, in the ruins of the Crystal Empire, Umbra stirred from her throne of darkness. Her crimson eyes narrowed as she felt a ripple of power sweep through the void. “Impossible,” she whispered, her voice low and sharp. In her hive, Queen Chrysalis paused mid-sentence, her changelings chittering nervously around her. A strange sensation tugged at her chest, a warmth she hadn’t felt in centuries. Both sisters spoke the same word at the same time: “Father.” What is and what wasChapter 3: The Gathering Storm The moment the ripples of chaotic magic washed over the land, they stirred something deep within the hearts of the lost daughters. For years, they had wandered the world, feeling the void left by their father’s absence. Now, after four thousand years, that void was beginning to fill. Umbra stood at the peak of her dark, crumbling castle, gazing out over her kingdom of shadows. The land before her was a wasteland, the remnants of a battle long since forgotten by the world. Yet, the energy that had stirred within her was unmistakable. “Father,” she whispered, her voice cold and authoritative, yet touched with a flicker of longing. The last time she had seen him, he had been victorious. They had been a family of conquerors, unstoppable in their power and unity. But after the alicorns struck, he vanished, and Umbra had been forced to rule alone. The shadows around her responded to her voice, rippling with anticipation. She turned, her black wings fluttering as her eyes glowed red. “Gather the forces. We have not been forgotten.” She extended her hoof to the dark crystal in the center of the room, a relic of her power. The crystal hummed, resonating with the same energy she had just felt. “It’s time to return to the world of light.” Her eyes gleamed with determination. “Equestria will fall.” Chrysalis was perched high above the changeling kingdom, watching her brood below. Her once grand empire was now a fractured remnant, a shadow of what it had once been. She had worked tirelessly to rebuild it after the betrayal of the ponies and the loss of her father's protection. The changelings had become scavengers, thriving only on the scraps left behind by others. But now, as the sudden surge of magic washed over her, something inside her stirred. It was familiar, like the echo of a memory she had tried to bury. “Father,” she murmured, her voice thick with both sorrow and wrath. The changelings surrounding her paused, feeling the shift in her presence. Chrysalis stood taller, her horn pulsing with a dark energy. “He’s alive,” she hissed, the words like poison on her tongue. “And he will pay for what they did to us.” She turned sharply to the nearest chang Back in Ponyville, the news of Eris’s !” Twilight shouted as she threw up a protective shield. Outside, the sky seemed to warp, dark clouds swirling in an unnatural vortex above Ponyville. The chaos was palpable, thickening the air with a tangible dread. And then, in the heart of the storm, a voice echoed, sharp and powerful, reaching all corners of the town. “You thought you could escape the past, but it has found you once again.” The voice sent chills down everypony’s spine. “I am the reckoning. I am the storm that will tear this world apart and rebuild it in the image of chaos.” The ground cracked open beneath the town square as figures began to emerge from the rift, their forms shifting and changing, each one more terrifying than the last. Eris, her chaotic power fully unleashed, appeared above them, her wings unfurled in a display of power. Beside her stood the figure that had stirred the storm: her father, standing tall, an aura of wrath and vengeance surrounding him. Twilight gasped, recognizing him instantly. “He’s… he’s not just any stranger… that’s Eris’s father!” Her friends looked on in horror as the powerful figure stepped forward, his voice a low growl. Eris's father spoke in a deep, commanding tone, his voice carrying across the town square, but his words were not immediately understood. Eris’s eyes flicked toward her father, and with a sly smile, she began to translate for him. “He says,” Eris’s voice echoed, sharp and confident, “'Equestria has lived in peace for far too long. It’s time for the world to know true chaos.’” The ponies stood frozen in fear as the ground beneath them seemed to shift and crack open, sending shockwaves through the earth. Eris’s father raised his hand, and the town square erupted in a violent burst of energy. Eris’s voice rang out once more. “My father is the reckoning that the world will now face. He will tear apart the peace you have known.” “We will break this land,” her father’s voice continued through Eris’s translation, the words like a thunderclap. “And nothing will stand in our way.” Eris looked over at her father, her face a twisted reflection of glee and malice. “Let’s begin.” """"""""""" The air was thick with tension, like the calm before a storm, the kind that gnaws at your skin and fills the air with the scent of something terrible on the horizon. We—my siblings, Chrysalis, Umbra, and I—had gathered in the grand chamber of our father's lair, a sprawling space carved from the heart of a mountain where magic flowed as naturally as water. The walls shimmered with enchantments of his own making, spells and sigils that told stories of the power he had taught us to wield. We were family—not by blood, but by choice, and we had learned from him more than we could ever truly understand. Father had found us, each of us broken in our own ways, and taken us in. Chrysalis, desperate and hungry for power. Umbra, quiet and calculating, a creature of shadows. And me, a child torn between chaos and control, searching for my place in a world that seemed to constantly shift under my feet. Father had been our teacher, our guide, and in his way, he was also our protector. We owed him everything. Each of us had a different lesson that he had imparted, something that tied us to our origins, something that represented the very essence of who we were. Chrysalis, always so ravenous for control, had learned the art of manipulation, of taking and twisting others to her will. She was the master of deception, capable of shaping the minds of others with a mere whisper. Umbra, my twin sister—though not by blood—had inherited his teachings in stealth and shadow. She was the quiet force, the one who watched from the corners, pulling the strings unseen, mastering the art of subtlety and precision. While Chrysalis craved power, Umbra craved knowledge, always seeking to understand the deeper truths of the world. She was the thinker, the planner, the one who would outwit her enemies without ever having to strike a blow. And then there was me. Father had taught me chaos—unbridled, raw, unpredictable. Magic that could bend and break the rules, that could tear apart the very fabric of reality. My power was a reflection of his own—chaos incarnate, the ability to disrupt and destroy, to create and to unmake. I was his student, but I was also his heir, for my potential seemed limitless when unleashed. That day, though, none of us had any inkling of what would come. None of us realized that our father—our mentor, our protector—would be betrayed. The alicorns were watching. We could feel their presence long before the attack came, a wave of pressure in the air, a force we couldn’t comprehend. We had always known the alicorns were wary of our power, but we never imagined they would move against us—against him. It was a fight that should never have happened. Father stood tall in the center of our lair, his arms raised as if summoning the very universe to his will. “This world is ours for the taking,” he proclaimed, voice booming with the power of a thousand storms. His words resonated through the chamber like a song of defiance. Chrysalis grinned, a wicked gleam in her eyes, while Umbra simply nodded, her eyes focused and calculating. But there was a fear—something in the air that none of us could explain. A shift, a subtle change, like the first crack in a glass window before it shatters. The first blast came like thunder. A crackling surge of pure magic, a wave of force that knocked us all off balance. I looked up in time to see the alicorns descending from the sky, a barrage of light cutting through the air, their forms glowing with divine fury. Their attack was swift, their magic controlled—precise and deliberate. It was as though they had studied our every move, anticipated our every strategy. Father's eyes blazed with fury as he met their assault head-on. “You dare—” he began, but before he could finish, the alicorns struck again, the force of their attack breaking the very ground beneath us. Chrysalis was the first to retaliate, unleashing waves of magic that crackled with energy, shifting the air around her. She howled in fury, summoning shadowy tendrils that writhed and lashed out, but the alicorns countered effortlessly, their magic absorbing her energy and twisting it back at her with terrifying speed. Umbra remained calm, though, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the scene. Her hands moved in subtle patterns, weaving spells of protection, shielding us from the worst of the assault. She wasn’t trying to defeat the alicorns—she was waiting. Watching. She knew that if she didn’t have the upper hand, it would be only a matter of time before we were overwhelmed. But me? I was caught in the chaos, feeling the pulse of energy surge through me, the raw, untapped power that my father had unlocked within me. I could feel the universe tremble as I reached out, drawing on that chaotic energy. I had been trained for this moment, for the battle to come, but still, there was doubt in my heart. It was then that I saw it— I was too slow to catch it at first, but there, in the midst of the battle, one of the alicorns broke formation. A flash of blue, an unexpected spell, a diversion—and it struck our father directly. The blast hit him with such force that it tore through the very fabric of his magic, knocking him to his knees. I froze. I knew this was the moment. I could see the alicorns moving in, closing in like wolves around a wounded beast. I had never seen our father so vulnerable, so broken. The magic that had once flowed through him so effortlessly now seemed to fail him. The look in his eyes wasn’t one of anger or rage—it was one of shock, of betrayal. Then it hit me: this wasn’t a battle of power. It was a battle of betrayal. The alicorns had not come for a fight—they had come to eliminate him, to stop the very force of chaos that had threatened their control. And they had succeeded. I glanced at my siblings. Chrysalis was still fighting, her desperation mounting with every failed strike. Umbra stood silently, her face a mask of emotionless calculation, but I could see the flicker of doubt in her eyes. She, too, realized the truth. And then, as the final blow was struck, I knew. This was the end of the world we had built. The end of everything Father had taught us. The end of our family’s unity. And the beginning of the long, painful road we would each walk alone. I turned away. I couldn’t watch any longer. He was gone a second later. It was the last time I saw our father. The last time I saw my family whole. I was running, fleeing from the ruins of everything we had built. But even then, I knew—deep down—I had already betrayed them. UnitedThe world is suffused with an eerie stillness as I open the rift, my dark magic weaving together the fragments of a forgotten time. The edges of the portal shimmer with an unsettling glow, a mirror to the chaos and darkness I’ve come to embrace over the years. It’s been so long since I last set foot in this world, but I know this is where it begins—where it must begin. The time has come to return. I step through the rift, my wings unfurling as I glide into Ponyville. It’s different than I remember. The air crackles with an unnatural energy, and the ground beneath me hums with the power of magic long since forgotten. But there is something familiar here. Something that calls to me. It pulls me forward, toward the source of it all. And there he is. Father. I feel his presence before I even see him, an overwhelming force of authority that fills the air. He stands tall, imposing and unyielding, his power a palpable force that makes the very earth tremble beneath him. Beside him stands Eris, her chaotic energy swirling around her like a storm. For a fleeting moment, I feel a twinge of resentment—she was the one who abandoned us, the one who left after they thought father was gone. But that feeling is fleeting. I’ve spent far too long letting her betrayal cloud my judgment. This is bigger than her. The truth is, this isn’t about her. It’s about us, about him. The only one who ever truly understood me, who showed me how to harness my power. The one who taught me everything. The one who was always there for me. He may have been betrayed, cast aside by those who couldn’t see the truth of his power, but I never stopped believing in him. I never stopped feeling that bond we shared. He was the one who gave me purpose. He was the one who taught me to wield the shadows like no other. I can’t deny the ache in my chest when I think of how things ended—the betrayal, the destruction. They thought he was dead. They thought they could destroy him. I stand at the edge of the portal, watching him now. Eris, still standing silently beside him, a mixture of guilt and anger in her eyes. She left. She ran away the moment she thought he was gone, vanishing into the shadows of her own chaos. She couldn’t handle the fight, the pain of loss. But I stayed. I never left him. The anger I feel toward her for abandoning us quickly fades away when I see him—father, as powerful as ever, radiating strength and certainty. It doesn’t matter what Eris did anymore. What matters is that he’s here. And now, the family can finally be whole again. I step forward, my heart pounding, and despite everything—the years of silence, the fractures of betrayal—I can’t stop myself. I need him. And in that moment, the only thing that matters is the connection we share. Without another thought, I fly to him. I land with a soft thud beside him, my wings folding neatly as I turn to face him. But before I say a word, I do something I didn’t think I could do again—I throw my forelegs around him, wrapping him in an embrace that I’ve missed more than words can express. Father’s embrace is strong, as if nothing has changed. He tenses at first, clearly surprised by my sudden affection, but then he pulls me closer, his hold gentle yet firm, as if he’s never let go of the bond we share. It’s everything I’ve needed, everything I’ve longed for. "I’ve missed you," I whisper into his shoulder, though I know the words are almost too small to carry the weight of everything I feel. He doesn’t speak at first. His arms tighten around me, and I can feel his power resonate through me. It’s like nothing has changed. He hasn’t been gone at all. After a long, heavy silence, he finally speaks. "You’re back." And that’s enough. I don’t need any more words from him. I know. We both know. But then, my gaze shifts to Eris. She’s standing there, unmoving, as if watching us from a distance. There’s a flicker of something in her eyes—a mixture of guilt, regret, and bitterness. I feel it deep in my chest. The betrayal, the pain of it all. She ran away when things got too difficult, left us behind in the dust. She thought he was dead. She left us. But there’s no time to dwell on that. I’ve made my choice. I pull away from father slowly, though my heart lingers in the comfort of his presence. I look at Eris with nothing but cold indifference. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" I ask her, the bitterness rising in my chest. "After everything you left us for?" Eris doesn't respond, her gaze meeting mine with a quiet intensity. Her silence speaks volumes, but it only fuels the fire inside me. I turn away from her, my eyes locking onto father once again. It’s time to move forward. "Father," I say, my voice a low growl, filled with determination. "What now?" He steps forward, his dark presence filling the air, and I can almost feel the storm that brews within him. "Now," he begins, his voice deep and commanding, "we rebuild. We reclaim what was taken from us. And Equestria... will fall." The world trembles beneath his words. There’s no turning back now. Chrysalis' POV The winds whip through my mane as I stand at the threshold of the portal, feeling the power of it pulse beneath my hooves. The changeling army is ready—waiting, as I command. And yet, even as I prepare to open the final rift to this world, my thoughts linger on him. Father. The one who taught us all everything we know. We never betrayed him. We were loyal. But there was always a dark cloud hanging over us—the other ponies. The alicorns. They feared him, feared what we could become under his guidance. And because of that, they turned on us. But not us. Not me. Not Umbra. We had stood by his side since the beginning, learning the ways of dark magic, of shaping reality itself. We were strong under his rule. Stronger than we ever would have been on our own. But the moment he was betrayed... the moment the alicorns saw him as too dangerous, too powerful to be left free... everything fell apart. But now, we're back. We're together again. And we will take what is rightfully ours. I focus ahead, knowing I can’t afford to let my emotions cloud my judgment. The portal opens wider before me, the swirling dark energy flowing freely into the bright sky of this strange world. The changelings step through, each one eagerly waiting for my command. They know their purpose. They know what we must do. I step through the portal, landing softly on the familiar soil of Ponyville. It’s quiet here, almost eerie. But I know this place. I know these ponies. They will bow before us. They will understand what happens when you dare to cross the ones who never should have been underestimated. As I land, my eyes lock onto the figures standing at the center of the town square. There’s Father—tall, imposing, and standing beside Eris and Umbra. For a moment, I allow myself to feel the weight of this reunion. We are a family again. We’ve all come back together after everything that’s happened. Eris stands off to the side, her eyes avoiding mine. I don't blame her. There's history between us, but I’m not here for petty grievances. I’m here for something much greater. Father sees me, and his face softens just a fraction. "Chrysalis," he says, his voice strong and proud. The changeling swarm behind me begins to spread out, their forms blending with the shadows, ever watchful. They’re hungry for the fight, hungry for what they’ve been denied for so long. I walk forward, my wings fluttering just once before they settle against my back. "Father," I respond, my voice firm. "I’ve brought them—the changelings. We’re ready." I don’t have to say more. He can see it in my eyes. We’re ready to fight. We’re ready to reclaim what was lost. Umbra steps forward, her dark magic flickering around her in a protective shield. "It’s time," she says softly, the words almost reverent. Her bond with Father is palpable, and it’s the same for me. The three of us, reunited. I ignore Eris’s silent stance, her unwillingness to make the first move. What happened between us doesn’t matter now. What matters is that we are here. Together. And we are stronger than any enemy this world can throw at us. "We’ve waited long enough," I say, turning to face the horizon. My changelings wait for my command. I can feel their hunger, their anticipation. The time for hesitation is over. Father steps up beside me, his presence powerful. "Let’s take what’s ours," he says with a smirk, his voice carrying a weight that promises victory. The changelings' eyes gleam with excitement, the swarm moving in perfect unity behind us. And as the winds shift, I realize that this is the beginning. The world before us will bow. We will shape it. Reclaim it. And in the end, we will have the future we were always meant to have.
Second comingThe sun hung high over Ponyville, its warm rays illuminating the bustling town below. Market stalls brimmed with produce, foals darted between ponies’ hooves, and the laughter of the townsfolk filled the air. It was a peaceful day, the kind that felt as though nothing could possibly go wrong. But that was before the disturbance. A ripple of energy passed through the town, subtle at first but growing stronger by the second. It felt like a tremor in the fabric of reality itself, setting everypony on edge. Birds scattered from their perches, and a hush fell over the marketplace. In the middle of the square, light bent and warped, spiraling into a chaotic vortex. Ponies screamed and fled as the anomaly expanded. Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the vortex vanished, leaving behind a single figure. The figure was tall, bipedal, and unlike anything the ponies had ever seen. His clothes were tattered and covered in a layer of dust, as though he had traveled through countless storms. His face was weathered but kind, his eyes sharp yet confused. He spoke, his deep voice resonating with a language none could understand. “Onde estou? O que aconteceu?” Twilight Sparkle arrived moments later, teleporting into the square alongside her friends. She took one look at the stranger and froze. “What… what is that?” “I don’t know,” Applejack said, stepping forward cautiously. “But it doesn’t look like he means harm… yet.” The stranger turned to face them, his expression softening as though he recognized their fear. He raised his hands in a placating gesture and spoke again, his tone calm. “Por favor, não tenham medo.” Rainbow Dash hovered above, glaring. “Yeah, no clue what you’re saying, buddy, but we’re not scared!” Before Twilight could respond, a sharp pop echoed through the square. A chaotic swirl of energy announced the arrival of Eris, the Spirit of Chaos. Her mismatched wings fluttered as she hovered above the scene, her serpentine body coiling in midair. “Well, well, what do we have here?” Eris’s voice dripped with playful sarcasm. “I was in the middle of a lovely nap, and then this happened.” Her eyes landed on the stranger, and for the first time, her smirk faltered. She stared at him, her golden eyes wide. Her usual air of smug confidence was replaced with something raw—shock, disbelief, and a flicker of hope. Slowly, she descended, her paws trembling as they touched the ground. The stranger turned to her, his brow furrowing. Recognition flashed in his eyes. “Eris?” he said, his voice trembling. The name was foreign to the ponies, but Eris’s reaction was immediate. Her entire body froze, her breath catching in her throat. Then, with a shaky step forward, she whispered, her voice uncharacteristically soft, “Pai…?” The stranger’s face softened into a smile, and he opened his arms. “Minha filha…” With a strangled cry, Eris lunged forward, wrapping her mismatched arms around him. She buried her face in his chest, her body shaking as though holding back sobs. The ponies could only watch in stunned silence as the chaotic spirit, feared and unpredictable, clung to the stranger like a lost child reunited with her parent. “I thought you were gone,” she whispered, her words halting as though the language had grown unfamiliar on her tongue. “For so long… you were gone.” He stroked her head gently, his weathered hands steady despite the tremor in his voice. “Eu nunca quis partir. Eu sinto muito.” Twilight exchanged a glance with her friends. “What’s going on?” she whispered. “I don’t know,” Fluttershy replied softly, her wide eyes fixed on the scene. “But… I think that’s her father.” The thought sent chills through the group. Eris, the Spirit of Chaos, had a father? Eris finally pulled back, her expression a mix of joy and sorrow. “How are you here? How are you alive?” He looked around, taking in the strange world he had been thrust into. “Não sei. Foi como se o tempo me tivesse engolido e cuspido novamente. Tudo mudou…” Eris’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she began to translate for herself, mumbling in Equestrian as she pieced the words together. “Time… swallowed you… and spit you out. You’ve been… lost?” The stranger nodded. Before she could ask more, Eris turned sharply, glaring at the Mane Six. “You,” she said, her voice regaining its usual sharpness, “stay out of this. This is family business.” Rainbow Dash bristled. “Hey! We’re not—” “Quiet!” Eris snapped, her voice echoing with raw power. “This is not the time for your meddling!” Twilight took a cautious step forward. “Eris, we’re not trying to interfere, but if this affects Equestria, we need to understand what’s happening.” Eris’s gaze flicked between the ponies and her father. Her lips curled into a humorless smile. “Oh, don’t worry, Princess. You’ll understand soon enough.” She snapped her fingers, and in an instant, she and the stranger vanished, leaving behind a trembling ripple of chaos magic. For a moment, no one spoke. “What,” Applejack finally said, breaking the silence, “the hay just happened?” Twilight stared at the empty space where the two had been. “I don’t know,” she said grimly. “But we need to find out—fast.” The chaotic hum of Eris’s magic faded, leaving her and her father standing in her domain—a realm of swirling colors, floating islands, and unpredictable landscapes. It was a world where logic was abandoned, a reflection of the chaos Eris had embraced after her father's disappearance. Eris stepped back, her mismatched wings drooping slightly as she studied him. “I don’t understand,” she said, her voice shaking. “You were… gone. How can you be here? What happened to you?” The man—her father—rubbed his temple, his weathered face etched with exhaustion. “Eris,” he began slowly, speaking in his native tongue, “I don’t know how much you’ll understand. The language feels foreign now, even to me.” “Try,” Eris said, her tone firm despite the tears threatening to spill. She crossed her arms, her eyes searching his face for answers. “I need to know.” He nodded, taking a deep breath. “The spell that hit me… it wasn’t meant to kill me. It was alicorn magic, raw and unstable. It fractured time itself around me, pulling me from our world and casting me into the future. I don’t know how many years passed—it felt like moments, yet an eternity.” Eris’s chaotic domain grew eerily still, as though even it was listening to his words. “Four thousand years,” she whispered. “You’ve been gone for four thousand years.” His eyes widened in shock. “Four thousand…?” He staggered slightly, and Eris caught him, her strength belying her slender frame. “Yes,” she said, her voice trembling. “Four thousand years of thinking you were dead. Four thousand years of… of fighting to survive without you.” Her tone grew bitter. “And they made sure we never forgot what we lost.” He frowned. “They?” “The ponies,” Eris spat. Her claws clenched, sparks of chaos magic flickering around her. “The alicorns, their followers—every last one of them. They hunted us, drove us away, treated us like monsters. Even my sisters…” Her voice broke. “Even they suffered.” Her father’s gaze darkened, and a cold fire burned in his eyes. “Your sisters? Umbra and Chrysalis—where are they?” Eris turned away, floating slightly as her emotions swirled. “Umbra hides in shadows, ruling a broken kingdom. Chrysalis… she leads the changelings, a race of outcasts, starving for scraps because of those ponies. They took everything from us, Father. And they didn’t care.” The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the faint hum of the chaotic winds. Her father straightened, his kind demeanor tempered by a steely resolve. “This world has forgotten us,” he said quietly. “But I will make them remember.” Eris’s ears perked up, and a sly smile spread across her face. “Does this mean what I think it means?” He nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve been alone long enough, my daughter. It’s time to reclaim what’s ours. But we won’t stop there. We’ll ensure no one can harm you or your sisters again.” Eris’s chaotic laughter filled the realm. “Oh, this is going to be fun,” she said, snapping her fingers. A chessboard appeared, with the figures of Celestia, Luna, and the Mane Six trembling in place. She flicked one of the pieces, sending it tumbling off the board. Her father smiled, a mixture of warmth and cold determination. “But first, we reunite the family.” Meanwhile in the Shadows Far away, in the ruins of the Crystal Empire, Umbra stirred from her throne of darkness. Her crimson eyes narrowed as she felt a ripple of power sweep through the void. “Impossible,” she whispered, her voice low and sharp. In her hive, Queen Chrysalis paused mid-sentence, her changelings chittering nervously around her. A strange sensation tugged at her chest, a warmth she hadn’t felt in centuries. Both sisters spoke the same word at the same time: “Father.”
What is and what wasChapter 3: The Gathering Storm The moment the ripples of chaotic magic washed over the land, they stirred something deep within the hearts of the lost daughters. For years, they had wandered the world, feeling the void left by their father’s absence. Now, after four thousand years, that void was beginning to fill. Umbra stood at the peak of her dark, crumbling castle, gazing out over her kingdom of shadows. The land before her was a wasteland, the remnants of a battle long since forgotten by the world. Yet, the energy that had stirred within her was unmistakable. “Father,” she whispered, her voice cold and authoritative, yet touched with a flicker of longing. The last time she had seen him, he had been victorious. They had been a family of conquerors, unstoppable in their power and unity. But after the alicorns struck, he vanished, and Umbra had been forced to rule alone. The shadows around her responded to her voice, rippling with anticipation. She turned, her black wings fluttering as her eyes glowed red. “Gather the forces. We have not been forgotten.” She extended her hoof to the dark crystal in the center of the room, a relic of her power. The crystal hummed, resonating with the same energy she had just felt. “It’s time to return to the world of light.” Her eyes gleamed with determination. “Equestria will fall.” Chrysalis was perched high above the changeling kingdom, watching her brood below. Her once grand empire was now a fractured remnant, a shadow of what it had once been. She had worked tirelessly to rebuild it after the betrayal of the ponies and the loss of her father's protection. The changelings had become scavengers, thriving only on the scraps left behind by others. But now, as the sudden surge of magic washed over her, something inside her stirred. It was familiar, like the echo of a memory she had tried to bury. “Father,” she murmured, her voice thick with both sorrow and wrath. The changelings surrounding her paused, feeling the shift in her presence. Chrysalis stood taller, her horn pulsing with a dark energy. “He’s alive,” she hissed, the words like poison on her tongue. “And he will pay for what they did to us.” She turned sharply to the nearest chang Back in Ponyville, the news of Eris’s !” Twilight shouted as she threw up a protective shield. Outside, the sky seemed to warp, dark clouds swirling in an unnatural vortex above Ponyville. The chaos was palpable, thickening the air with a tangible dread. And then, in the heart of the storm, a voice echoed, sharp and powerful, reaching all corners of the town. “You thought you could escape the past, but it has found you once again.” The voice sent chills down everypony’s spine. “I am the reckoning. I am the storm that will tear this world apart and rebuild it in the image of chaos.” The ground cracked open beneath the town square as figures began to emerge from the rift, their forms shifting and changing, each one more terrifying than the last. Eris, her chaotic power fully unleashed, appeared above them, her wings unfurled in a display of power. Beside her stood the figure that had stirred the storm: her father, standing tall, an aura of wrath and vengeance surrounding him. Twilight gasped, recognizing him instantly. “He’s… he’s not just any stranger… that’s Eris’s father!” Her friends looked on in horror as the powerful figure stepped forward, his voice a low growl. Eris's father spoke in a deep, commanding tone, his voice carrying across the town square, but his words were not immediately understood. Eris’s eyes flicked toward her father, and with a sly smile, she began to translate for him. “He says,” Eris’s voice echoed, sharp and confident, “'Equestria has lived in peace for far too long. It’s time for the world to know true chaos.’” The ponies stood frozen in fear as the ground beneath them seemed to shift and crack open, sending shockwaves through the earth. Eris’s father raised his hand, and the town square erupted in a violent burst of energy. Eris’s voice rang out once more. “My father is the reckoning that the world will now face. He will tear apart the peace you have known.” “We will break this land,” her father’s voice continued through Eris’s translation, the words like a thunderclap. “And nothing will stand in our way.” Eris looked over at her father, her face a twisted reflection of glee and malice. “Let’s begin.” """"""""""" The air was thick with tension, like the calm before a storm, the kind that gnaws at your skin and fills the air with the scent of something terrible on the horizon. We—my siblings, Chrysalis, Umbra, and I—had gathered in the grand chamber of our father's lair, a sprawling space carved from the heart of a mountain where magic flowed as naturally as water. The walls shimmered with enchantments of his own making, spells and sigils that told stories of the power he had taught us to wield. We were family—not by blood, but by choice, and we had learned from him more than we could ever truly understand. Father had found us, each of us broken in our own ways, and taken us in. Chrysalis, desperate and hungry for power. Umbra, quiet and calculating, a creature of shadows. And me, a child torn between chaos and control, searching for my place in a world that seemed to constantly shift under my feet. Father had been our teacher, our guide, and in his way, he was also our protector. We owed him everything. Each of us had a different lesson that he had imparted, something that tied us to our origins, something that represented the very essence of who we were. Chrysalis, always so ravenous for control, had learned the art of manipulation, of taking and twisting others to her will. She was the master of deception, capable of shaping the minds of others with a mere whisper. Umbra, my twin sister—though not by blood—had inherited his teachings in stealth and shadow. She was the quiet force, the one who watched from the corners, pulling the strings unseen, mastering the art of subtlety and precision. While Chrysalis craved power, Umbra craved knowledge, always seeking to understand the deeper truths of the world. She was the thinker, the planner, the one who would outwit her enemies without ever having to strike a blow. And then there was me. Father had taught me chaos—unbridled, raw, unpredictable. Magic that could bend and break the rules, that could tear apart the very fabric of reality. My power was a reflection of his own—chaos incarnate, the ability to disrupt and destroy, to create and to unmake. I was his student, but I was also his heir, for my potential seemed limitless when unleashed. That day, though, none of us had any inkling of what would come. None of us realized that our father—our mentor, our protector—would be betrayed. The alicorns were watching. We could feel their presence long before the attack came, a wave of pressure in the air, a force we couldn’t comprehend. We had always known the alicorns were wary of our power, but we never imagined they would move against us—against him. It was a fight that should never have happened. Father stood tall in the center of our lair, his arms raised as if summoning the very universe to his will. “This world is ours for the taking,” he proclaimed, voice booming with the power of a thousand storms. His words resonated through the chamber like a song of defiance. Chrysalis grinned, a wicked gleam in her eyes, while Umbra simply nodded, her eyes focused and calculating. But there was a fear—something in the air that none of us could explain. A shift, a subtle change, like the first crack in a glass window before it shatters. The first blast came like thunder. A crackling surge of pure magic, a wave of force that knocked us all off balance. I looked up in time to see the alicorns descending from the sky, a barrage of light cutting through the air, their forms glowing with divine fury. Their attack was swift, their magic controlled—precise and deliberate. It was as though they had studied our every move, anticipated our every strategy. Father's eyes blazed with fury as he met their assault head-on. “You dare—” he began, but before he could finish, the alicorns struck again, the force of their attack breaking the very ground beneath us. Chrysalis was the first to retaliate, unleashing waves of magic that crackled with energy, shifting the air around her. She howled in fury, summoning shadowy tendrils that writhed and lashed out, but the alicorns countered effortlessly, their magic absorbing her energy and twisting it back at her with terrifying speed. Umbra remained calm, though, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the scene. Her hands moved in subtle patterns, weaving spells of protection, shielding us from the worst of the assault. She wasn’t trying to defeat the alicorns—she was waiting. Watching. She knew that if she didn’t have the upper hand, it would be only a matter of time before we were overwhelmed. But me? I was caught in the chaos, feeling the pulse of energy surge through me, the raw, untapped power that my father had unlocked within me. I could feel the universe tremble as I reached out, drawing on that chaotic energy. I had been trained for this moment, for the battle to come, but still, there was doubt in my heart. It was then that I saw it— I was too slow to catch it at first, but there, in the midst of the battle, one of the alicorns broke formation. A flash of blue, an unexpected spell, a diversion—and it struck our father directly. The blast hit him with such force that it tore through the very fabric of his magic, knocking him to his knees. I froze. I knew this was the moment. I could see the alicorns moving in, closing in like wolves around a wounded beast. I had never seen our father so vulnerable, so broken. The magic that had once flowed through him so effortlessly now seemed to fail him. The look in his eyes wasn’t one of anger or rage—it was one of shock, of betrayal. Then it hit me: this wasn’t a battle of power. It was a battle of betrayal. The alicorns had not come for a fight—they had come to eliminate him, to stop the very force of chaos that had threatened their control. And they had succeeded. I glanced at my siblings. Chrysalis was still fighting, her desperation mounting with every failed strike. Umbra stood silently, her face a mask of emotionless calculation, but I could see the flicker of doubt in her eyes. She, too, realized the truth. And then, as the final blow was struck, I knew. This was the end of the world we had built. The end of everything Father had taught us. The end of our family’s unity. And the beginning of the long, painful road we would each walk alone. I turned away. I couldn’t watch any longer. He was gone a second later. It was the last time I saw our father. The last time I saw my family whole. I was running, fleeing from the ruins of everything we had built. But even then, I knew—deep down—I had already betrayed them.
UnitedThe world is suffused with an eerie stillness as I open the rift, my dark magic weaving together the fragments of a forgotten time. The edges of the portal shimmer with an unsettling glow, a mirror to the chaos and darkness I’ve come to embrace over the years. It’s been so long since I last set foot in this world, but I know this is where it begins—where it must begin. The time has come to return. I step through the rift, my wings unfurling as I glide into Ponyville. It’s different than I remember. The air crackles with an unnatural energy, and the ground beneath me hums with the power of magic long since forgotten. But there is something familiar here. Something that calls to me. It pulls me forward, toward the source of it all. And there he is. Father. I feel his presence before I even see him, an overwhelming force of authority that fills the air. He stands tall, imposing and unyielding, his power a palpable force that makes the very earth tremble beneath him. Beside him stands Eris, her chaotic energy swirling around her like a storm. For a fleeting moment, I feel a twinge of resentment—she was the one who abandoned us, the one who left after they thought father was gone. But that feeling is fleeting. I’ve spent far too long letting her betrayal cloud my judgment. This is bigger than her. The truth is, this isn’t about her. It’s about us, about him. The only one who ever truly understood me, who showed me how to harness my power. The one who taught me everything. The one who was always there for me. He may have been betrayed, cast aside by those who couldn’t see the truth of his power, but I never stopped believing in him. I never stopped feeling that bond we shared. He was the one who gave me purpose. He was the one who taught me to wield the shadows like no other. I can’t deny the ache in my chest when I think of how things ended—the betrayal, the destruction. They thought he was dead. They thought they could destroy him. I stand at the edge of the portal, watching him now. Eris, still standing silently beside him, a mixture of guilt and anger in her eyes. She left. She ran away the moment she thought he was gone, vanishing into the shadows of her own chaos. She couldn’t handle the fight, the pain of loss. But I stayed. I never left him. The anger I feel toward her for abandoning us quickly fades away when I see him—father, as powerful as ever, radiating strength and certainty. It doesn’t matter what Eris did anymore. What matters is that he’s here. And now, the family can finally be whole again. I step forward, my heart pounding, and despite everything—the years of silence, the fractures of betrayal—I can’t stop myself. I need him. And in that moment, the only thing that matters is the connection we share. Without another thought, I fly to him. I land with a soft thud beside him, my wings folding neatly as I turn to face him. But before I say a word, I do something I didn’t think I could do again—I throw my forelegs around him, wrapping him in an embrace that I’ve missed more than words can express. Father’s embrace is strong, as if nothing has changed. He tenses at first, clearly surprised by my sudden affection, but then he pulls me closer, his hold gentle yet firm, as if he’s never let go of the bond we share. It’s everything I’ve needed, everything I’ve longed for. "I’ve missed you," I whisper into his shoulder, though I know the words are almost too small to carry the weight of everything I feel. He doesn’t speak at first. His arms tighten around me, and I can feel his power resonate through me. It’s like nothing has changed. He hasn’t been gone at all. After a long, heavy silence, he finally speaks. "You’re back." And that’s enough. I don’t need any more words from him. I know. We both know. But then, my gaze shifts to Eris. She’s standing there, unmoving, as if watching us from a distance. There’s a flicker of something in her eyes—a mixture of guilt, regret, and bitterness. I feel it deep in my chest. The betrayal, the pain of it all. She ran away when things got too difficult, left us behind in the dust. She thought he was dead. She left us. But there’s no time to dwell on that. I’ve made my choice. I pull away from father slowly, though my heart lingers in the comfort of his presence. I look at Eris with nothing but cold indifference. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" I ask her, the bitterness rising in my chest. "After everything you left us for?" Eris doesn't respond, her gaze meeting mine with a quiet intensity. Her silence speaks volumes, but it only fuels the fire inside me. I turn away from her, my eyes locking onto father once again. It’s time to move forward. "Father," I say, my voice a low growl, filled with determination. "What now?" He steps forward, his dark presence filling the air, and I can almost feel the storm that brews within him. "Now," he begins, his voice deep and commanding, "we rebuild. We reclaim what was taken from us. And Equestria... will fall." The world trembles beneath his words. There’s no turning back now. Chrysalis' POV The winds whip through my mane as I stand at the threshold of the portal, feeling the power of it pulse beneath my hooves. The changeling army is ready—waiting, as I command. And yet, even as I prepare to open the final rift to this world, my thoughts linger on him. Father. The one who taught us all everything we know. We never betrayed him. We were loyal. But there was always a dark cloud hanging over us—the other ponies. The alicorns. They feared him, feared what we could become under his guidance. And because of that, they turned on us. But not us. Not me. Not Umbra. We had stood by his side since the beginning, learning the ways of dark magic, of shaping reality itself. We were strong under his rule. Stronger than we ever would have been on our own. But the moment he was betrayed... the moment the alicorns saw him as too dangerous, too powerful to be left free... everything fell apart. But now, we're back. We're together again. And we will take what is rightfully ours. I focus ahead, knowing I can’t afford to let my emotions cloud my judgment. The portal opens wider before me, the swirling dark energy flowing freely into the bright sky of this strange world. The changelings step through, each one eagerly waiting for my command. They know their purpose. They know what we must do. I step through the portal, landing softly on the familiar soil of Ponyville. It’s quiet here, almost eerie. But I know this place. I know these ponies. They will bow before us. They will understand what happens when you dare to cross the ones who never should have been underestimated. As I land, my eyes lock onto the figures standing at the center of the town square. There’s Father—tall, imposing, and standing beside Eris and Umbra. For a moment, I allow myself to feel the weight of this reunion. We are a family again. We’ve all come back together after everything that’s happened. Eris stands off to the side, her eyes avoiding mine. I don't blame her. There's history between us, but I’m not here for petty grievances. I’m here for something much greater. Father sees me, and his face softens just a fraction. "Chrysalis," he says, his voice strong and proud. The changeling swarm behind me begins to spread out, their forms blending with the shadows, ever watchful. They’re hungry for the fight, hungry for what they’ve been denied for so long. I walk forward, my wings fluttering just once before they settle against my back. "Father," I respond, my voice firm. "I’ve brought them—the changelings. We’re ready." I don’t have to say more. He can see it in my eyes. We’re ready to fight. We’re ready to reclaim what was lost. Umbra steps forward, her dark magic flickering around her in a protective shield. "It’s time," she says softly, the words almost reverent. Her bond with Father is palpable, and it’s the same for me. The three of us, reunited. I ignore Eris’s silent stance, her unwillingness to make the first move. What happened between us doesn’t matter now. What matters is that we are here. Together. And we are stronger than any enemy this world can throw at us. "We’ve waited long enough," I say, turning to face the horizon. My changelings wait for my command. I can feel their hunger, their anticipation. The time for hesitation is over. Father steps up beside me, his presence powerful. "Let’s take what’s ours," he says with a smirk, his voice carrying a weight that promises victory. The changelings' eyes gleam with excitement, the swarm moving in perfect unity behind us. And as the winds shift, I realize that this is the beginning. The world before us will bow. We will shape it. Reclaim it. And in the end, we will have the future we were always meant to have.
