The Alliance of Chaos

Chapter 1

There was a social gathering in Canterlot.

Mayhem came of it.

Diamond Tiara and her father Filthy Rich were there for the event. The earth ponies trotted through the palace garden. On the other side of the hedge to their right, however, was a very special statue. Its face was frozen in a look of horror, its mismatched arms pushed out like a mime in an invisible box. Its neck twisted as if were turning away from something horrible. It was the petrified form of Discord, spirit of disharmony and chaos.

“So, daughter, I was wondering if you could reconsider...”

“No, dad! I’m not going to sell zap apple jam for a living!”

“Daughter, its a family tradition! You must!”

“I’m not going to buy or sell or do whatever with apples! That’s just dumb! I’m not going to deal with the Apple family!” The young filly said with a disgusted look on her face. Her father sighed, a strand of his mane drifting down as the wind blew it astray. He lifted his hoof and put it back.

“I don’t know why you have such a problem with them.”

“It’s that blank flank Apple Bloom! She’s made a fool of me on several occasions, and they’re just so... simple. They’re savage. Unruly.”

“You need to stop being so prejudiced.” He said in exasperation.

But much more important was the red glow in the center of the statue’s chest. “Fiiiinaly.” A smooth, deep voice quietly said from the statue.

A small, light purple baby dragon slept peacefully in a wicker basket in the upper floor of the Ponyville library. Remains of what had been an emerald flecked his scaly mouth. He shifted, and his eyes flickered so that you could see just a bit of his inner vertical eyelids. He sat up drowsily. A powerful feeling rippled through his stomach, as a letter from Princess Celestia came through. He belched, and green flames rippled through the air and materialized as a scroll. He laid back down, and fell back to sleep as the scroll drifted down and rested vertically on his head.

THUNK.

“OW!” The dragon woke up to that voice.

“Twilight?” He sat bolt upright, flinging the scroll down the stairs.

“Oh, Spike. Could you help me? I’m back from Sweet Apple Acres with some things, and thanks for holding down the fort.” Spike went downstairs, and looked at the yawning hole in the wall that Derpy had somehow made. She said she had no clue what had actually happened, but the bits of statue still lingering around the library were a constant reminder. She said she saw a muffin stand. Spike picked the scroll up off the floor. Several boards and a couple boxes of nails were on the floor, Twilight limping slightly on her back right hoof.

“What happened?”

“Oh, I closed my back leg in the door. Is that a letter?”

“I guess. I don’t remember getting it.”

“I never knew you could get letters in your sleep. Not without waking up.”

“Last night was pretty hectic.” Spike said with a yawn.

“True that! Now let’s get started on this wall.”

Twilight, upon opening a box of nails, was greeting with a smiley ball of pink.

“Hi Twilight! Want some help? I’ll help!” Pinkie Pie had mysteriously appeared from inside the box of nails.

“Ummm... Sure.” Sweet Celestia, have mercy. She thought to herself.

“Okie dokie lokie!”

“Now remember, we’re just making something to cover up the hole until the magic starts to grow back the tree. It’s a spell I used after Spike’s birthday, because there is a strange repetition to something getting scorched or broken.” Twilight turned and Pinkie was standing in front of the hole, which she had somehow managed to cover up using the wood and nails. She took out a bundle of housing insulation from who knows where and nailed them up.

“All done!” Twilight looked at her, dumbfounded.

Outside, Apple Bloom looked at the makeshift wall. She had a bucket of tar and a paintbrush that she was planning to use on the Cutie Mark Crusader’s hideout. She put the bucket down, opened it, and dipped the paintbrush in the tar. She stroked the brush over a large knot in a plank. Satisfied, she covered the tar and went on her way.

“Well, I guess that means we can read the letter now.” Said Twilight, remembering the scroll. She used her unicorn magic to pick it up and open it. As she read it, her eyes widened. “Discord’s statue is... gone.”

“Discord?” Apple Bloom was in the window. She came in the door. “Like spirit of chaos? Canterlot statue garden?”

“Yes, actually. How did you know that?”

“We were on a field trip t’ the Canterlot statue garden last year. Right around the time he escaped.” Twilight continued reading the letter. She looked out the window.

“Why hasn’t he done anything yet?”

“Because I’ve been busy!” A cheery, but deep voice rang out behind her. She whirled around. Discord’s face looked at her from the window, with the background blacked out.

“Discord!”

“Hello, Twilight! I’m talking from very far away. Not even in Equestria. The cursed lands, where Princess Celestia sends those who cannot be held otherwise. I’m making friends out here. The draconic Spirit of Hate, the Badlands branch of changelings, the King of the Manticore pride, and Queen Chrysalis,” Here he gripped the edges of the viewing portal and shifted it, bringing Chrysalis into view. She was the worse for wear after failed invasion attempt. Her twisted horn appeared to have a crack in it, with a small crackle of green energy coming from it. Her carapace was cracked slightly. Five changelings sat around her, slightly larger than the ones Twilight had seen before, more solidly built, with reddish wings and poisonous green compound eyes. Their carapaces were streaked with blue stripes. Discord shifted the portal back, and said, “Guess what? I’m not even done! I hope to ally the Element sisters, along with your old friend, Nightmare Moon!” He held up shattered remnants of blue acrylic metal. Twilight recognized them as the fittings Princess Luna wore as Nightmare Moon. “As you may have noticed, blue mist left the scene as Luna was freed from her own darkness. Nightmare Moon is out there in a broken form somewhere.” Discord summoned a mannequin of a full-grown Alicorn. He used his magic to fit them onto the mannequin. Discord closed the portal.

Twilight ran over to the History shelves. She looked at them, and pulled one down. The spine read, Tale of the Element Sisters. She opened the book and read the description inside the cover. It read as so:

The four Element sisters of wind, water, ice, and fire are widely considered to be an old mare’s tale. But the story of these unicorns is sometimes said to be true. These powerful unicorns rose up against the Princess Celestia, and this is the story as it goes.

“Manticores, manticores, manticores....” Twilight went over to the Nature & Biology section. “The manticore hierarchy system is much like that of lions. The king of the pride, or alpha male, is much larger and intelligent than others.” She put the book back on the shelf. “Changelings....” She picked up a book from the upper shelf. “Varieties.... Western Badlands!” At the top of the article was a large red-striped insectile pony with large dragonfly wings and six scarlet singular eyes. Its rear bore a sharp stinger instead of a tail. Its horn was long and sharp with two protrusions on each side. Each hoof was two sharp toe-like protrusions, like goat hooves. “Each full-grown badlands changeling is the size of a full-grown Alicorn.” Twilight read. “Due to their desolate habitat, these changelings are also capable of consuming food, unlike their cousins. Their stingers are very poisonous, and one cup of venom can kill a full-grown dragon. The queen of the Badlands variety is at least the size of a manticore. Because of this, its shapeshifting abilities are impaired, but can shed its thick carapace to pass for an Alicorn when shapeshifting.

Although the three ponies didn’t hear it, a soft peeling sound came from the ceiling. A changeling was hiding up above, listening to their every word. It was the type that had been with Chrysalis, but as it listened, its facial plate began to peel off. He used one hoof to keep it from falling. He was molting. His hoof slipped on the smooth carapace, and the whole thing came off and fell. It stopped in midair, right above Apple Bloom, surrounded in a green aura. The changeling pulled it up with magic just before Twilight could see. But she heard it, the wind whistling through the edges of the eye openings. She turned around and looked up. The changeling, with its missing facial shell, had a pale gray face with blue stripes where the original shell had been. The green aura dissolved, and the mask fell to the floor. Twilight’s horn flared purple as she fired bolts of magic at the changeling. It flew out the open window, to be smacked by a falling yellow pegasus. “Spike, send a letter to Celestia. Tell her to come as soon as she possibly can. We have a changeling here in Ponyville.”

As it turned out, Fluttershy had accidentally landed on the changeling. She had run into a circling hawk.

Twilight scribbled down the letter and gave it to Spike. He engulfed it in dragon fire, which twirled out the window. Pinkie Pie sat on the changeling, eating a cupcake. Spike got a letter back from Princess Celestia.

‘I’m a bit tied up right now. Luna will be coming shortly.’

Suddenly, a flickering blue light appeared in the center of the room. Luna appeared.

“Twilight, we are-!” Abashed, Luna cleared her throat as Twilight held her hooves to her ears. “-glad to see you. We apologize for the volume. ‘Tis unfortunate we meet under these circumstances.

“That’s alright, princess. But what do you think of all this? Discord returning and all?”

“I think I don’t want to turn gray!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “I still can’t believe it! I actually turned gray!” Twilight looked at her sternly. “Sorry.”

“I think it is quite unfortunate. However, we do have someone to ask about it. Who is currently being used as a chair.” Pinkie looked around, then down.

“Ooohh! I get it! She bounced off the changeling, in the process waking it up. Pinkie crouched down in the changeling’s face. “Now do you Pinkie Promise to behave?”

“You’re all insane!” It growled.

“Well, somepony’s grumpy today!”

“I just got pushed over by a pushover! How would you feel about that?”

Fluttershy had just come in from the other room. She had a bandage on her cheek. She crossly walked over to the changeling.

“Who is a pushover?”

“I thought you could figure that out on your own. You, of course!” She stared at him hard.

“I. Am. Not. A. Pushover.” She continued to stare at him, unwavering. She stared him down, until he could not move his head further back. A look of worry entered his face.

“Okay, okay! I get it! You can stop now!”

“Good.” Pinkie clapped her hooves together.

“Good job! Go Fluttershy!” The changeling’s jaw plate began to peel off. He wiggled his jaw, and the chitin fell off.

“Oh, why now? It always has to happen in public, doesn’t it! Every time! He stood, and his horn flared, creating a green bubble of mist. His silhouette could be seen inside shaking violently. Bits of shell flew about inside. He sat down inside.

“Now, if you don’t mind I’m staying in here! You don’t want to see me right now, trust me. Actually, why am I doing this? I’m a changeling! A flash of green fire, and the bubble dissolved. He was now revealed to be a white unicorn stallion with blue hooves, a storm cloud cutie mark, and heavy blue eyes.

“That is much better. Unfortunately for me, this pony is nowhere nearby. Can’t sneak off. I accept defeat honorably, blah, blah, blah.”

“Who is that?”

“I dunno. Think they’re dead. Don’t look at me like that, I didn’t do it!” He looked himself over. “Oh, I think his name was Cold Crack, or something like that.” He looked in the mirror, and said, “Goodness, I look like I’m on drugs! Can’t have that! A flash of green fire, and he turned into a young turquoise stallion, with a snowflake cutie mark, pale blue. His blue mane was swept straight backwards, with white at the end of each strand. The effect made it look like he had a waterfall on his head. His coat was turquoise. His hooves were pure white.

Twilight leaped on top of him.

“Where did you see him? Where?” Her horn flared up, loaded with destructive force.

“Somewhere in Canterlot! I don’t know! I thought he looked like someone who would be trusted! You know, the charismatic spy! Con Mane! You know the idea! He cringed as Twilight moved her horn closer to his face.

“He’s safe?”

“Yeah, as far as I know. Had to tie him up and wipe his memory afterward, but he’s fine.”

“Good.” Said Twilight, letting out a sigh and sitting down on the floor.

Luna, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Applebloom were sitting there silently. There was a knock on the door, and Applejack’s voice could be heard,

“Twilight? Can I come in?” Twilight’s horn glowed and the door opened. “I was wondering if y’all had seen.... Uh... Twilight? Who is that?”

Twilight told her the whole story.

“Hm. It would seem we are in a state of national emergency.” Said Luna. “This makes us glad we installed... this.” Luna’s horn flashed twice, and two members of Luna’s royal guard appeared. They gave Twilight quite a start, with their bat wings and vertical pupils.   The centerpiece of their armor had a fading green luminescence, and made a fading wheezing sort of sound.

“Yes, Princess?” They said in unison.

“On-command summoning crystals? Genius!” Twilight made a squeeing noise. She came up close, examining the crystal piece. She poked it a couple times, and prodded it with her horn. Across the room, Twilight’s quill started scribbling down notes, gripped in a lavender aura.

“Twilight? We have something a bit more important to deal with here.”

“Well, now that you are done with that...” Luna said. Now addressing the soldiers, she said, “That pony there is a changeling. Do not let him out of your sight.”

“Affirmative.”

“Good. Twilight, is their a place were we can keep the prisoner?”

“Yes, in fact, I do.” Twilight led them downstairs. Apple Bloom began to follow, but Applejack stepped in her way.

“Now, Applebloom, you stay here.”

“But sis-”

“Don’t argue with me now, this is important.”

Applebloom sat over in the corner, sulkily. Then, she could have sworn she heard a small chuckle just outside the window.

“He he....” She looked outside, but saw nothing.

“Well, what if that is important? Teach them not to let me come.” She grumbled under her breath, not noticing the ethereal snake circling round her hooves. It arched its neck and bit her in the ankle. Its eyes glowed red, and it dissipated.

In a faraway cave, in the wastes, Discord sat upon a throne. A silver bracelet around his wrist crafted to look like a winding snake pulsed red. He looked at it, and in the serpent’s mouth, a face appeared, that of Applebloom’s.

“Good job, Rebellion....” He reclined sideways in his throne, and smiled. A chuckle escaped, growing into a cackle. He snapped his fingers, and a pink cloud appeared, and zipped away from the cave. He stood in the center, posing dramatically. He then looked up, annoyed. “HATE! I thought I told you to leave the skylight open!”