The Champions of Equestria

Chapters

Chaotic News
Choosing a Champion
Having Faith
Proof of Concept
Putting Things to Scale
Scoot to the Rescue
Venturing Into The Chaos
In the Time of Harmony
In Havoc's Grasp
The Elements of Spirit
Harrowing of Memories

Chaotic News

The Eternal Spirit of Chaos paced in the Hall of Stained Glass, eyeing the four panels that bore his image and told his story. The first telling of the glorious time when he reigned, spreading the chaos and randomness that was true to his name; the second, the moment that those silly sisters thought it wise to imprison him in stone for a thousand years. Whatever did they like so much about a thousand years? The third, his final moments with the Element of Harmony used against him. He shuddered as he thought of the ‘Magic of Friendship’ turning him to stone for the second time in his two thousand years of life. The fourth, and final, the day he swore off evil, mostly, to save his friendship with the Element of Kindness.

He dared to smile as he thought of the last time he had visited Fluttershy in her cottage. Angel Bunny still was displeased about him, but he was there to visit Fluttershy, and certainly had no tricks up his non-existent sleeves. Actually, that time he hadn’t. All the work that the Princesses had him doing was driving him mad, and he was the one who invented madness!

Though, today was too important to stand by the wayside. There was something big coming, something even he couldn’t hope to defeat with all his powers. This concerned him greatly. This feeling he got in the pit of his stomach when he first sensed the disturbance. That was enough to throw him off balance. He had to applaud whoever was doing it, since that was quite the feat. He was the Spirit of Chaos, for Celestia’s Sake. And since when was it ‘Celestia’s Sake,’ anyway? What made that white pony so special?

“Discord, what have you called us over for?” a familiar voice called out from across the length of the marble hall. The light that filtered in from the various stained glass depictions of the history of Celestia’s Reign gave shimmer and shine to the pony that Discord once considered his greatest rival, but in the days since Fluttershy’s Kindness, he had taken her as a friend.

“Dear Celestia,” he said, giving her a brief look before returning his gaze to the fourth scene of his, “since when did princesses not have patience?”

“The urgency in your voice seemed perfectly clear,” the Princess responded without humor.

“And did I not say that all four princesses must be present for this meeting?” With a flourish, he turned to the Princess of the Sun. “Have a seat,” he offered, summoning a sitting chair from the air. Four more chairs appeared, giving Discord a seat facing what would be his audience of four princesses.

“I do believe this is not a time for such activities, Discord.”

“Always with the business! Nothing changes when I meet you in this room.” With an air of disapproval, he snapped his fingers, and the four princesses all appeared in their chairs. Luna, Cadence, and Twilight all seemed genuinely surprised. Celestia, who promptly arose from the chair he implanted her in, was less than impressed.

“I need you to get to business, Discord. This is very serious!”

“I am getting there, perhaps you would like to let me take a breath,” he said with disdain for Celestia’s constant need to be immediately filled in. Where was the art of suspense with her? With a long inhale, he began:

“Back when I reigned, I controlled all of Chaos. It was a grand and glorious time. I do believe you remember it, Celestia, Luna. And when you two imprisoned me in stone, a piece of my chaos was left unchecked. You failed to detect it with all your magic.

“I suppose the one who would have detected it first of you hadn’t been born yet,” he said, looking at the startled Mi Amore Cadenza, who was apparently in the middle of having her headdress reset for the Equestrian Games, as various strands of sunset-colored hair were loose amid the grand design of her mane.

“What do you mean, Discord?” Cadence asked, her tone reflecting the level of discontent that displayed so prominently on her face.

“A piece of me had been loose for quite some time, Princesses,” Discord said, “a part of me that I was never very fond of, but still.” He opened his mouth wide. “I don’t suppose any of you ever happened to question why I only have one fang.”

“You don’t have symmetry anywhere else, so why would you have symmetric fangs?”

“Oh, they weren’t the same, dear Princess Luna,” Discord said, walking up to an effigy of himself in the fourth panel of glass that showed his left side. “No, you see, it wasn’t a fang like you would find on a dog, my dear little ponies, it was a basilisk fang.”

Twilight gasped first. “I knew there were cockatrices in the Everfree forest, but I didn’t bear to think that their evolutionary cousin would ever exist!”

“One of my finer creations,” Discord said. “Something that with a simple stare could turn ponies to stone. Though, I don’t suppose any of you ponies really needed a creature like that to do something so… so… disharmonious.”

The disgruntled looks on all four of his audience prompted him to continue. “In it was carried a venom so powerful that not even I could control it. I removed that fang because, though I do enjoy my chaos, I prefer to be able to control it when I need to, lest it destroy me and everything else in its path.

“I hid it away in a secluded part of my Chaos continuum that not even I could breach without it—“ Discord was interrupted by the deepest purple, and newest, of the princesses.

“But if only you could reach it, and only when you used that fang, then why would we need to worry about it.”

“I fear that there is something out there more powerful than I.”

The three elder princesses looked at the youngest of the court. Twilight blushed. “I’ll go get the Elements of Harmony immediately,” she said, turning to the entrance of the Glass Hall, when Discord appeared before her.

“That wouldn’t be a smart idea, Twilight Sparkle,” he said with a frown upon his chimerical face.

“You said there was something more powerful than you, and there’s nothing I know more powerful than the Elements of Harmony.”

“Therein lies your error, Princess Twilight,” Discord pointed out, “Harmony and Chaos, they are pure opposites. Where the Fang lies is surely to be corrupted with pure chaos. What you saw when the fillies released me in the Canterlot Royal Garden was a piece of it—it was my controlled chaos.

“If you were to take the Elements of Harmony into the belly of the beast, as it were, then there is no doubt that you would be asking for trouble. They represent all that keeps friendship alive here in Equestria. Powerful though that is, Chaos is eternal and constant. If any one little bit is allowed to carry on without control—and there is absolutely no way that I can control that fang—then it will only repeat itself—“

Again, Twilight interrupted the Draconequus. “Then we’ll be sure to get all the chaos,” she tried to assure the Spirit. This did not raise his countenance, and that simple fact baffled Twilight. The Elements of Harmony had solved so much lately, and yes, there were more and more occasions where it wasn’t enough, like at the Wedding, and in the Crystal Empire, where Love and Hope shined stronger—but what were those in essence but expressions of a deeper friendship? Surely there was nothing the Magic of Friendship couldn’t solve.

“There are more reasons to not take the Elements into the realm I created to house the Left Fang. Surely, they would either become corrupted as you all were the first time—only this time I am certain it will be quicker and more,” Discord paused as he prepared a more dramatic voice, “permanent. Not even a simple Memory spell will re-harmonize your friends when my left fang is done with them.

“All I did was bring out the opposite of their element, the Fang will do much, much worse. No, to defeat it you will need someponies who are bound together by something much stronger than the Elements.”

“Then Shining Armor and I will go,” Cadence said, pulling herself out of the otherwise cozy chair and trotting in front of Discord. “Our love had overcome odds that not even the Elements of Harmony could. No offence, Twilight,” she added as an aside to her favorite protégé.

“None taken, Cadence,” she said with a smile. She had been there to witness both the power of their love as it banished Queen Chrysalis from Canterlot to regions unknown, and she was there as the Love and Hope of the Crystal Ponies defeated King Sombre and saved Equestria. She knew just as much as any other pony there what love could do.

“Blech,” Discord gagged. “This tomfoolery, still, Cadence? I thought you learned better than to use love against chaos when you tried to use your little heart spell on me when I broke out the first time.”

That, Cadence hated to remember, was true. Shining Armor and she had tried using their love magic on Discord when he was first freed from stone so many suns and moons ago. The magic had seemed to work, but Discord seemed almost immune to it.

“Perhaps I should explain why Friendship was more powerful than Love,” Discord admitted. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna vacated their chairs, joining the group of three at the door.

“This is a story we would like to hear,” Princess Luna said.

“Love is a multifaceted connection between two ponies,” he began, “as with anything with more than one piece, they all play and interact with each other.” As he spoke, two puppets appeared before him. He took to levitating to the ceiling as he animated his lecture. The two ponies were unicorns, horns touching. “In its purest and most becoming aspect, love is a deep compassion, a feeling that you must always do right by the ones you love, to protect them and make them happy.” The puppets’ expressions wore happiness and the light that radiated from between them was rosy and pink. “When one removes the compassion, it becomes lust. This lust is capable of tearing all things apart.” The color between the ponies changed from pink to green as their airs gave off an emotion that made Twilight and Cadence gasp. Their elders were obviously more trained to deal with such emotions and feelings. “And if you remove the romance,” he said, “it becomes pure friendship. True friendship cannot be corrupted nearly as easily as love can, since there are less… moving parts.”

“And how do you know so much about love, Discord?” Cadence asked, confusion spread across her face. The rest of the princesses present all carried similar expressions. This was the Eternal Spirit of Chaos, and Love—the most complex of all friendships, and therefore harmonies—was surely his opposite. It was certainly not something those ponies expected to hear from him.

“Suffice it to say that I have had my experiences,” he said, with a frown crawling across his face. “Either way, I only suppose I can summon enough power to open the gate to the end of the Chaos Continuum for perhaps four ponies. I suppose each of you will have to choose a champion.”

“I still believe that the Elements of Harmony can complete this task,” Twilight said, ever the stubborn one. She gave a determined expression before Discord appeared behind her in a flash.

“Dearest Twilight, I do believe that I explained that already. Powerful your friendship is, yes, but I can only send four ponies to the end of the Chaos Continuum. Besides, if we were to send you and your friends, the Chaos at the end of the Continuum would certainly corrupt you worse than I ever did.” He held a grim expression. “I was merely having fun with you, but that is the difference between my left fang and the rest of me, Twilight, I can stop when I need to.”

“You never stopped when you were taking over,” Twilight reminded him. That day was etched into her mind, clear as could be. It was something she would never forget, and certainly the Spirit of Chaos wouldn’t either. Though he had turned the other cheek, he still rued the day that he was defeated by that Rainbow Cannon they called Friendship.

He’d rather not think about it, but this persistent purple pony kept bringing up his memories. He tried to push the memories out of his mind, but they wouldn’t stay away. Perhaps this was a sign that he needed a little tea with his friend.

At least Twilight wasn’t trying to assault him with magic anymore. That was a plus, he supposed.

“I would give us a good week before this unknown force makes it to the end of the Chaos Continuum. We need to get to there promptly.”

“We need some time to consider who will be our champions, Discord,” Princess Celestia mentioned. “I suppose we will have until tomorrow to consider it, then we will begin preparations for sending them to the End of the Chaos Continuum.”

Discord had held his usual face when talking to the princesses, but it began to wear on him. This fang, this expression of the Chaos even he couldn’t control, was enough to disturb him endlessly. The princesses were sure to pick up on that, and of course, it was Twilight who did first. Oh, the Grand Princess of Friendship.

“Are you okay, Discord?”

“I’ll be fine. You run along now and choose your champions. I…” Discord said, the wary tone he was using was new to him. He never had to be wary or careful before. He was never once worried, well, maybe once. That was when Twilight and her merry band of stoning ponies were his enemies. They were worse than Cockatrices!

“You what?” Princess Cadence asked, with a look of concern stretched across her face.

“I need to prepare myself for the subtle possibility that whatever plan you concoct will fail. Of us all, I will be able to slow it the longest.” He gave a stern glance at the ponies before him. “But I remind you that not even I can control it.”

“Then we cannot fail,” Twilight said.

“I would advise not failing,” Discord said with a serious expression on his face, something that he had never really worn before. “Because as much as I hate to admit it, I’ve grown fond of you little ponies.”

“How sweet, Discord,” Cadence said as she gave the Draconequus a smile. His face reflected well the disgust he had with his sentiment, and how it was appreciated. He was the Spirit of Chaos, and this Harmony he was feeling… it was unnatural. Leave it to a bunch of ponies to make him so unlike himself.

Then a thought crossed his mind. That would have to wait, though, for the danger was very real. He had to express this to the eager-to-begin Twilight. “I will give you until the morning sun rises to choose your champions. Whatever you do, I do implore you, choose wisely. They are going to hold all of Equestria’s fate in their hooves.”

“Then I suppose we should start at the Library,” Twilight said, looking at Discord. “If you would be so kind as to put us there.”

“Very well, but I wish to spend some time with Fluttershy before you summon her. I really need some time away from this confounded castle.”

With a flash, the four princesses were in Twilight’s library in Ponyville. The familiar shelves gave some comfort to the Princess of Friendship as she began pacing around the center table. Her hoof steps awoke Spike from his sleeping in.

“I thought you said you were going to let Owlowiscious take care of things today,” Spike said groggily before rubbing his eyes and coming downstairs to find all four princesses in front of him. “Well… uh…”

“It’s fine, Spike, go back to bed,” Twilight tried to reassure her number one assistant, but Spike saw right through her ruse. He only stood there, arms crossed, staring at Twilight. She could feel the disbelief he had in her statement. “Well, if you must know, Spike, we’re trying to solve a little problem here.”

“A problem? Well, you got that covered, don’t you Twilight? There’s nothing the Elements of Harmony can’t solve!” He went back up the stairs and went back to bed with a loud yawn.

“I don’t know who we should send,” Twilight admitted. She gave a frown to the others. “Honestly, I haven’t had a problem that friendship didn’t solve since I came to Ponyville.”

“My dear Twilight,” Princess Celestia said, “Perhaps this can still be solved with Friendship.”

“You heard Discord, if we put the Elements of Harmony in the end of the Chaos Continuum, we will destroy Friendship forever.” The worry she had was definitely portrayed in her voice as she started hyperventilating. Cadence stepped over to the young princess and put a hoof to her own chest with a deep breath in, then exhaled slowly as she moved the hoof away. Twilight tried copying the motion and breathing several times until her hoof was moving as fast as her hyperventilation.

“Calm down, Twilight! This is just another bump in the road, like when we had to fight Chrysalis, or King Sombre,” Cadence said, worried about the one she used to foal sit. “You’ll figure this out like you figured everything else out, because you understand friendship and the magic that it creates.”

Twilight’s hyperventilating had turned to sobs of tears. The liquid coming out of her eyes dropped on the floor in little violent splashes. “I don’t even have a clue where to begin!” she said between heaves of her chest. “I’m going to fail everypony!”

Choosing a Champion

“Twilight Sparkle!” Celestia said, almost slipping into the Royal Canterlot Voice. Twilight was hushed when her named was called, but still teary. Her amethyst coat was soaked from the bridge of her snout to the bottom of her head. “I have complete faith in you, as I always have.” She gave Twilight a smile, holding up her chin so that she was sure her most faithful student saw it. “Now, I propose we walk around Ponyville to help you collect yourself.”

The four princesses, without any form of Royal Guard or fanfare, trotted out of the library. It was pure surprise on everypony’s face when they saw their entire set of Regal Figures walk out of Golden Oaks. They all bowed left and right.

“Who can we find that exemplifies friendship, but doesn’t succumb to chaos?” Twilight asked.

“I think our answer lies here in Ponyville,” Princess Celestia said with a smile. She seemed to know something that Twilight couldn’t read off of her. It was as though she knew the answer already. Twilight made an attempt to inquire when Rainbow Dash came nearly falling out of the sky. Twilight managed to catch her within her Telekinetic Grasp.

“Rainbow? Are you okay?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, but get ready to catch Scootaloo!” she said in a hurry, and sure enough there was the orange filly plummeting off a cloud. Twilight dropped Rainbow Dash harshly on the ground and leapt to the air to grasp Scootaloo in her Telekinesis.

“I was about to get it, Twilight! Just a little longer!” Scootaloo gave Twilight a stern look before looking down and seeing how close to the ground she was, her eyes dilated and she stopped complaining. Even a Pegasus would have sustained injury if she had hit the ground at that speed. Twilight was giving a scowl straight at Rainbow Dash, though.

“What?” she said, assuming a defensive position, though, if Twilight really wanted to do something to her, she could always just use magic. “I was going to catch her!” The scowl from Twilight didn’t let up. “Seriously, I was, then you used your magic on me!”

Twilight wouldn’t have any of this.

“Okay, so it’s how I learned to swoop back home!”

“And your parents approved of this?” Twilight didn’t believe this for a minute.

“Well, to tell the truth, they didn’t really know I was doing… but I turned out fine, didn’t I?”

There was a scowl from Twilight, who gently placed Scootaloo on the ground before leading the Princesses onward through the town. Rainbow tagged along, following in the air a few feet behind her friend.

“Why is everypony here? I mean, what’s all the Royalty of Canterlot doing here in Ponyville?”

“I’ll tell everypony when I’m go back to the library. I need some time to think clearly.” Rainbow joined the promenade, followed closely by an eager Scootaloo. The Princesses continued on. It wasn’t long until they came across Applejack, who was selling some of her finest apples in town. She was taking care of a customer, then she looked at the procession of ponies coming down the street.

“What’s up, Twi?” she asked, giving her greatest look of concern. Not long after, Applebloom came running up, with a saddlebag filled with what looked like tools.

“I gots the tools, sis!” she said, trotting up to her older sister before looking at the four princesses, Rainbow, and her friend. All she could do was stand there, dumbstruck.

“What are ya doin’, Applebloom? Bow to the princesses!”

“That’s quite alright,” Princess Celestia said, “You don’t need to bow.” There was a smile from Luna and Cadence that echoed the sentiment.

“So, what are ya’ll doin’ here in Ponyville?”

“I’ll tell everypony when we get back to the library,” Twilight said. Her mind was still churning over possible champions. Who was it that best showed chaos and friendship despite all that chaos?

The promenade, with Applejack and Applebloom in tow now, headed down the main street, passing straight past Sugar Cube Corner. Pinkie appeared in the doorway and, upon seeing all of the princesses and her friends parading down the street, popped out of the bakery.

“Where is everypony going? Is it a party? I hope it’s a party! Why wasn’t I invited! Oh! I know! It’s a surprise party! Oh, wait, I just spoiled the surprise didn’t I? I guess it’s a ‘Formerly a Surprise’ Party! And with all four princesses! This is going to be AWESOME!” Twilight just gave her a sideways glance, and she calmed down. “Oh, so it’s not a party? Then is Equestria in danger? Who is it? Has Chrysalis returned? Oh, I know! We’re actually going to fight King Sombre this time instead of just poofing him with Hope and Love! No? Well,” Pinkie took a moment to think about who else could be endangering her homeland, but was coming up blank.

“Pinkie,” Twilight said, “I am going to explain what I know when I get back to the library.”

“Oh, okay!” She hopped along the back of the procession. They all continued on toward Carousel Boutique. When they arrived at the door, they could hear crashing.

“That’s… good,” came Rarity’s voice as she tried to squeeze out a sincere approval for whatever the last crashing noise. “Now, you need to focus more.”

“Rarity!” Twilight called.

“Just a moment, Darling, don’t want to hit you in the head with a passing levitating object.” Another crashing was heard before she opened the door. Her hair was a little frazzled, and coat covered in various colors of what appeared to be dye, as though she had been ducking and hiding from the various crashes but was rather unsuccessful.

“What’s going on in there?” Twilight said, concerned.

“Nothing abnormal, my dear Twilight, just trying to teach Sweetie Belle how to control her Levitation. I was like this when I was starting out too,” Rarity replied. There was another loud crash from behind her. “Nononono, Sweetie Belle! You need to start on the small stuff, like the crayons! Or the… oh dear Celestia no, not the Pincushion!” Rarity ran back from the door, her horn starting to glow in its familiar blue aura.

Twilight and the others walked into the boutique to find all sorts of mayhem. The mannequin ponies were strewn across the room haphazardly, there were gemstones littering the normally spotless floor, and Sweetie Belle was standing in the other corner of the room levitating a pincushion when Rarity made her way over there to stop her from hurting somepony, specifically herself. Twilight began setting up the mannequin ponies again, watching carefully as Sweetie Belle’s horn glowed again with its aura. A small crayon lifted from the table, did a little loop in the air before dropping to the table again.

“There you go, Sweetie! That’s how it’s done!” Rarity embraced her little sister in a large hug, celebrating her accomplishment. When she opened her eyes again, the dressmaker shuddered at the mess. The thing was a complete disaster, but she didn’t care for now. The fashion was in a state of content, which was eternally rare, and she had some time to spend with her sister before all the latest crazes were sure to come pounding a path to her little shop.

She had taken some large steps in her relationship with her sister over the last three years. As part of the Elements of Harmony, and especially since she was tasked with writing Friendship letters herself, she was ever more aware of the value of friendship. Sweetie Belle was her best friend, destined to be through all they shared. Now, if only she would realize that her talent was in music…

Rarity got back up to her hooves and turned to face her company, when she realized that it was more than just her friends. “Well, I do apologize…” she said, her pearl face turning red.

“It is no problem,” Princess Celestia said, looking at her younger sister. “I understand how it feels to be in a sisterly bond where things do not always go according to plan.” She smiled at Luna, who gave a chuckle.

“Rarity, I would like it if you and Sweetie Belle came to the library with me.” Twilight said. She had an idea, but she wasn’t sure how it was going to withstand the scrutiny of the other princesses. She was going to bring everypony to the library before she revealed what she was thinking.

“Of course, Twilight, we’ll be there momentarily,” Rarity said, giving Sweetie Belle a smile.

“We’ll wait,” Twilight said. She remembered Discord requesting some time with Fluttershy, and that was the last of her friends to retrieve. The sister unicorns went upstairs, there was the sound of laughter and a little while some water running, then they came down stairs, looking like their regular selves.

The walk to Fluttershy’s cottage was not an uneventful one. The various denizens of Ponyville were often bowing to the Princesses. They all congratulated Sweetie Belle on her accomplishments in magic.

“It was all how my big sis taught me!” Sweetie Belle said with cheer, causing Rarity to smile wide.

“You’re a natural, Sweetie,” Rarity said, “maybe even the next Twilight Sparkle!”

“Do you think so, Rarity?” Applebloom and Scootaloo dashed over to their friend.

“What if we were the Elements of Harmony one day, girls?” Applebloom exclaimed.

“That would be so cool!” Scootaloo said. “I’d be the Element of Loyalty, no doubts about that! That’s the coolest Element!”

Rainbow Dash gave a little chuckle. “Do you think you’ve got the coolness for my Element, Scoots?”

“Of course Rainbow!” Scootaloo hovered a few feet off the ground, the extent of her flying ability. When her hooves touched the ground again, she realized that she wasn’t a great flyer.

“Then I’d be the Element of Honesty, like my big sis!” Applebloom declared.

“I’d be Generosity!” Sweetie Belle asserted, hopping a few times like Pinkie Pie.

“But wait,” Applebloom said, stopping in her tracks and falling back a few lengths, “there’s six Elements of Harmony.”

“Don’t forget Babs Seed and her friends from Manehatten!” Scootaloo said.

“Oh yeah! I nearly forgot!” Applebloom said. The three of them had that glint in their eyes, and Twilight covered her ears in preparation for what came next:

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS ELEMENTS OF HARMONY ARE A GO!” They all met each other in a high hoof. “YAY!” The whole of Ponyville shook with the sheer force of their cheer. It was amazing to think that they did this so often, and yet there were still so many times that Twilight still didn’t know what they were doing. Spike told her once about how they were trying to jump into the river from one of the bridges as bungee jumpers.

“Yeah,” Scootaloo said, “Like we’d ever save Equestria from mortal peril.” She gave a frown that displayed just how disappointed she was that her dream of becoming just like her hero was only so much farther out of reach.

“It was a nice thought,” Sweetie Belle said, “but we don’t even know what our cutie marks are.” She sighed. “I would like to be a hero like Rarity.”

“Oh hoho,” Rarity said, “I’m hardly a hero, Sweetie,” she said, falling back to her sister’s side. “That’s all Twilight Sparkle. All I’ve done was be her friend.”

“You’ve done more than that, Rarity,” Twilight said, smiling as she thought about all the things Rarity had done through the years. From their first meeting, Twilight didn’t see much value in having a friend so into fashion and formality, but since she became a princess especially, Rarity had been helping her act prim and proper. Something she was still having trouble with.

“Certainly not, Twilight. It was you who reminded us all who we were when Discord first returned. It was you who knew that Queen Chrysalis was in disguise as Princess Cadence. It was you who found the Crystal Heart. It wasn’t any of us, dear.”

“That’s true, Rarity, but I would have never been able to do any of that if you hadn’t been my friend.” She smiled and the warmth of their friendship flowed over her.

“I think we need to get Fluttershy and have a large group hug!” Pinkie Pie said enthusiastically.

“Yeah,” Twilight agreed. “I think we need a group hug, but it will have to wait for another time.”

They approached the cottage to find Discord and Fluttershy sitting on the lawn drinking tea. The Elements of Harmony hade learned to trust Discord in his recent ‘reformed’ state, but they always took what he had to offer with a grain of salt. He was, after all, the Spirit of Chaos.

“Oh,” Fluttershy said softly as she noticed the whole entourage approach, “I wasn’t aware you were bringing all of these guests over, Twilight.”

“Oh yeah,” Twilight remembered that today was supposed to be their preening day. That was, until Discord ripped her out of her library with his form of magic. “This sort of happened.”

“You don’t mind if I attend to my friends, do you, Discord?” Fluttershy asked of her guest.

“They are here because of the same reason I am, dear Fluttershy. I suppose this means you have chosen, Princesses?”

“I do believe we have,” Princess Celestia said, giving a look at Twilight that conveyed that she understood what must be done. For Equestria.

“Then I suppose we would like to be a little more comfortable while we discuss these matters,” with a snap of his fingers, they were all in the Royal Garden, which was complete with a pairing of sets for tea and thirteen chairs around a circular table. Each of the members of the party took a seat and Discord placed a teacup in front of each of them with a little flourish in the china.

“Just what in the hay is goin’ on here, Twi?” Applejack asked.

“Well, to cut a long explanation short, there was a piece of Discord lost long ago—his left fang to be exact. In it was contained the most unruly of all chaos.” She took a sip of tea, after which the tea pot proceeded to prance over and refill her cup. “He put it in a part of his reach that he says he could only barely reach.”

“And how does that affect us, exactly?” Rainbow Dash asked with a tone of boredom. He held the teacup, but she didn’t drink any as she held herself in the air above her chair.

“He says there is something making its way to the Left Fang, something that could unleash it upon us with all of its malicious intent.”

“To clarify,” Discord said, “this fang contained all of the chaos I could not control.”

“That sounds serious,” Rarity said.

“Very much so,” Twilight said.

“So why don’t we just use the Elements of Harmony when it gets here?” Rainbow asked belligerently.

“That’s where the head-long attitude of a Pegasus will doom us all,” Discord said, as though he had seen this comment coming. “If that fang makes it back here, to the real world, it will no doubt destroy all reality.”

“In short, we need ponies who can go to the end of the Chaos Continuum, where the Fang is, and retrieve it. We’ll find some way to take care of it when we have it in our possession,” Twilight continued.

“Then let’s go!” Rainbow said.

Discord could only sigh. “Harmony and Chaos are two completely opposite forces, Rainbow Dash, and putting them together will have catastrophic results, and though I like Chaos, I prefer to have something left after it.”

“Like what?”

“Imagine if we were to…” Discord had to find some way to explain the power of the resulting destructive force that would happen if the energy contained in the Elements of Harmony were to contact the pure, untamed chaos that lay in the Left Fang he had left so long ago, “Princess Celestia, you’re more in tune to what these ponies would know about. Why don’t you try telling them why the Elements of Harmony and my fang coming in contact would create an explosion that would destroy all of known reality.”

The entire party gasped.

“You failed to mention that in the castle, Discord,” Princess Celestia said.

“But I still warned you ponies about the dangers of the Elements of Harmony and my Left Fang.”

“That’s true,” Twilight said. “It just means that we can’t use the Elements, and that’s something that I already figured on.”

“Enough side tracking, what’s your choice, Twilight?”

“I did some thinking, and from all my time in Ponyville, I know just the friends who can save Equestria from the danger it is currently in.”

This, this was a pony who understood suspense, Discord thought as he waited for Twilight’s decision.

“I think we should send the…” The sentence seemed to drag on forever. When would he know the answer to his most important question? Which of these little ponies would she deem fit enough to retrieve his long lost fang?

The suspense was killing him. He was beginning to find out why Celesita hated suspense. He wanted to know what the answer was, and he was growing impatient as the feeling in the pit of his stomach grew worse.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

Having Faith

The combined gasp of all those present except Princess Celestia could have made the Weather Team proud. If there had been clouds above them when it happened, Twilight was sure there wouldn’t have been one afterword.

“You’re kidding, right?” Discord said; he was the first to recover from the shock. It was a strange sensation to be so baffled and surprised. As Spirit of Chaos, he generally was incapable of being surprised, but this purple pony had perfected it. This was the second time in two years that she had surprised him. The only other of these little ponies who had was the one sitting next to him, with the sun-yellow coat and the bubblegum-pink hair.

“Nope,” Twilight said with a smile.

“You don’t seriously think that we’re going to send our little sisters off to some unknown land in hopes that they will fetch something that not even one of the most powerful beings can control?” Rarity ranted, second to overcome her shock.

“And I promised Scootaloo that I’d teach her to fly,” Rainbow said. “I can’t do that if she’s in some ‘Chaos Continuum’ thing.”

“There ain’t no way Ah’m sending Applebloom to the end of anything father than the road at the end of Ponyville. Ah have enough problems with her goin’ to see Zecora in the Everfree forest.”

“There has to be another way,” Rarity said. “My parents would kill me if I agreed to something.”

“I can talk to them,” Twilight said.

“Ah don’t see your logic, Twi.” Applejack was confounded. How could she think that her little sister was ready for such an adventure?

“It was those ponies who released me from my stony prison, need I remind you,” Discord said, with an incredulous stare at the leader of the Elements of Harmony. She was seriously considering sending these dysfunctional fillies into the end of his Chaos Continuum.

But to Twilight, they were anything but dysfunctional. They were steeled to the chaos that threatened to tear apart their friendship. They had been through fights and troubles, but through it all, they had never given up on their friendship. She was certain that whatever ‘Discording’ the Fang could throw at them, they would still be friends.

“I am completely sure, Discord. Have a little faith.”

It was finally the CMC’s turn to say something: “Ah appreciate that yer thinkin’ of us, Twilight, but I dun think we could actually do somethin’ like that,” Applebloom voiced her concern.

“Yeah, that and we have school and stuff,” Sweetie Belle said.

“And I need to learn how to fly before I do anything near as cool as that,” Scootaloo said.

“I believe you can,” Twilight said, “and you all know how powerful hope and belief can be.” She nodded her head toward the Crystal Empress sitting with her jaw extended still. “As far as school, I can talk to Cherilee and get you excused. I’m sure the Fate of Equestria is more important than a week of school that you can take anytime. As for your flying, Scootaloo, I happen to know one Pegasus sitting at this table that has made a great life for herself without flying.” Twilight looked at Fluttershy, who gave a sheepish grin then took a sip of tea as her face turned red.

“But I don’t want to take care of animals! I tried that once al—“ Applebloom stuffed her hoof in Scootaloo’s mouth with a bit of force. There was a glower between the two of them before Applebloom spoke again.

“Ah just don’t think we’re ready, Twilight. It’s nothing against ya, but ya know, we are fillies.”

“And I have complete faith in you that you will do well,” Twilight said. “We have a week to get you prepared for anything that you might encounter.”

“Twilight, I must severely decline your wishes,” Rarity said. “It is simply not a prudent decision.”

“I have made my choice, and I am going to stick by it.”

“I’m one for chaos and having fun,” Discord said in a rather disgruntled tone. “But this is a bit ridiculous. Can we please have your real choices for the champions?”

“They are my real choices, Discord.”

The draconequus was speechless. This was something he had no expectation of, and it was something he certainly would have never guessed in a thousand years. What this new princess was implying was that perhaps the three most misguided of all ponies in Equestria were going to go to the end of the Chaos Continuum to retrieve the Left Fang, save Equestria, and be heralded for all time.

“Twilight Sparkle, I know you are the Element of Magic, but what you need is a miracle for this to work.”

“Honestly, Discord, I think this is the best chance we have.”

“I want them ready sooner than the end of the week. I don’t think that they’ll be able to take on the threat that’s tunneling toward my Left Fang head on. We need to get there first.”

“I think I know just the spell, Celestia, if you’d let me perform it.”

With a nod, they walked the whole assembly toward the Canterlot Library. The guards immediately let Celestia into the Star Swirl the Bearded Wing. Twilight immediately knew who to ask.

“Pinkie Pie, I need an age spell.” Within a matter of two minutes, the pink pony disappeared behind the bookcases, then emerged again carrying a scroll, with a spring in her step.

“How did you know where it was?” Princess Celestia asked.

“Well, Twilight and I were here looking for a spell to stop time once!”

“Oh, was that a Tuesday?”

Twilight gave a grimace as she thought about that night that she snuck into the Canterlot Archives.

“Twilight, I’ll have to talk to you about that later.”

“It was already in the letter, Princess.” Twilight rolled her eyes and walked over to Pinkie Pie to collect the spell. As she read it, she knew even more that it was going to work. This would give the Cutie Mark Crusaders the physical capabilities to perform what she was going to teach them. As her horn glowed and the aura flowed around Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle.

“Ah feel strange Twahlight,” Applebloom cried out, as she began growing first to a full mare’s size. Shortly after, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle started growing too.

“This is so unnatural!” Scootaloo said.

“I don’t like this at all!” Sweetie Belle said.

When the aura wore off, there were three fully grown mares where once three fillies stood. Each took a few moments to flex all their muscles, Scootaloo flapped her wings a few times, trying out the lift their full grown implementations would provide, but they only got her a few feet off the air before she grew weary and landed back on her hooves.

“Okay,” Applebloom said before shoving her hoof in her mouth. She was startled by her new voice and how it didn’t squeak. It was a mixture of her innocence and the experience of Applejack’s voice. Her sister gave her a look that was just as incredulous as the one who spoke.

“What happened—“ Sweetie Belle said before startling herself with her voice, which no longer squeaked either, but instead flowed more with the melody of the songs she loved to sing. Her hoof covered her mouth mid-way through her sentence.

Scootaloo looked at the both of them before starting to laugh. “Your voi—“ she interrupted herself as she noticed her voice had matured and smoothed itself out.

“What did you do, Twilight?” Rarity said, rushing up and inspecting her sister. The pink and lavender mane was still the same, her white coat was as healthy as ever, her horn had grown to full size. She seemed to have aged normally in the span of a few seconds.

“I advanced their ages so that they’ll be physically capable to defend Equestria. Don’t worry, the spell isn’t permanent. They’ll turn back to their original selves to discover who they truly are in a week.” This reminded Applebloom: she spun on her heels, trying to get a good look at her flank, only to discover it was still bare. In fact, none of the Cutie Mark Crusaders had their cutie marks.

“We’re all grown up an’ we still don’t have our cutie marks!” Applebloom lamented.

“Because ya didn’t find out what yer talent is, Applebloom,” Applejack said. “Ya just got a little older.” Applejack had her turn inspecting her younger sister. Her red mane was still decorated by the same pink bow, it just didn’t outsize her as much. Applebloom gave a concerned look to her older sister.

“I still can’t fly!” Scootaloo acknowledged.

“You didn’t train up your wing muscles, Scoots,” Rainbow said, checking out her protégé.

“Ah don’t see how this is gonna help us. Now we’re all awkward,” Applebloom said, tripping over her new legs.

“Have some faith, my little ponies,” Princess Celestia said, breaking her silence. “I have complete confidence in Twilight’s choices. The Cutie Mark Crusaders are certainly capable of handling themselves.”

“I knew there was a few screws loose on you, Princess,” Discord said, in utter disbelief, “but I didn’t think you had lost all your good sense.” His retort garnered glares from the princesses, and most of the others present.

“They’re still not ready yet,” Twilight mentioned. “There’s one more spell that I’ve been working on that I think will prepare them.” She looked at Discord. “Could you take us back to the Library?”

“I am not your servant,” Discord refuted.

“Oh, Discord, would you please take us back to Golden Oaks Library?” Fluttershy asked in her soft tone. Discord gave a disappointed look, but he couldn’t ignore a friend’s request. He snapped his fingers and the whole cavalcade was stuffed into the Library. Twilight immediately levitated a book off the table to her, pulled out a quill, some ink, and made one more edit before her horn glowed. Pleased with the results, she opened the door, and everypony filed out.

“So what’s this spell about?” Rainbow asked.

“It’s a memory transfer spell. I was inspired by the spell I used when I rescued you all from Discord’s grasp.”

“So that’s how you got all the Elements of Harmony back,” Discord muttered to himself.

“It was actually inspired from Princess Celestia. She was the one who sent me back all the scrolls about our friendship. So since then, I had been working on a spell that would allow me to transfer memories from ourselves to the next Elements of Harmony, so that they will know everything we know.” Instantly, looks of concern grew on some of their faces.

“Don’t ya think that’s kinda an invasion of our privacy, Twi?”

“I won’t take every memory, just the ones that relate to the task at hand—all about our Elements of Harmony and the skills we put forth to them.” She smiled bright. “So who wants to be first?” She looked at the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“I think Scootaloo should go first,” Applebloom said, pushing her Pegasus friend roughly in front of Twilight. “She’s always wanting to be more like Rainbow Dash!”

“Hehe, I think Sweetie Belle should go first,” Scootaloo offered in response, flapping her wings enough to lift herself over top of Applebloom, who fell roughly to the ground without the pony in front of her to push back. “She’s the magical one, after all.”

“Me? I think Applebloom should go first! She’s our leader!” Sweetie Belle rebutted, levitating Applebloom roughly to her position in front of Twilight.

“Fine then, Ah’ll go first. Both of ya’ll are chickens.”

“I resent that!” Sweetie Belle said. “I’m a dictionary!”

Scootaloo could only glare in response.

“Applebloom, as Applejack’s younger sister, you will take on Honesty and as an Earth Pony, you shall take Laughter.” Pinkie happily hopped into place behind Applebloom, but Applejack stayed put.

“Ah still don’t like this idea,” Applejack defended.

“It’s the best way I can think of,” Twilight explained.

“Like using the ‘Want it, Need it’ spell?” Applejack retorted.

“That… that was a different Twilight!” she said, holding her air of dignity still. “I didn’t know better.”

“We need some faith for this to work,” Princess Celestia said in aid to her prized pupil. “The faith we have in our champions is what will keep them safe and sound.”

“Ah don’t want my little sis knowin’ all that Ah know. There’s just things she don’t need to know in there.”

“Like what, Applejack?”

“Ah said she don’ need to know.” Applejack lifted her nose in the air to signify that she wasn’t taking any further questions about the matter.

“I’m only going to take the lessons about friendship that you’ve learned.”

“And Ah’m not comfortable with Applebloom knowin’ why I know what I know about friendship.”

“Is this about Braeburn?” Rarity asked.

“This ain’t about Braeburn! I told ya’ll that never actually happened!” She then whispered to herself, “like that.”

“Then is this about...” Rainbow started before dropping to a whisper that only Applejack should have heard, but Twilight and the other Princesses did too: “your parents?”

“Ya’ll are goin’ to far with this. Ah don’t want Applebloom knowin’ those memories,” she said, her eyes starting to tear up. “There’s a reason Ah don’t tell her.”

“Why won’t you tell me about ma and pa?” Applebloom said. Though she had grown up without them, Applebloom knew there was someone missing in her family, and she had gathered who it was. Unless… Applebloom didn’t want to talk about that. It wasn’t possible.

“There are sometimes things ya don’t need to know about those things, Applebloom.”

“I promise, I’ll only go back as far as when I meet you, Applejack. I won’t delve any deeper into your memories than that.”

There was a long time where she considered the possibilities. Applejack didn’t want to divulge the information about their parents to Applebloom. It would cause a rift between her and her favorite little Apple. The tears in her eyes didn’t go unnoticed.

“Darling, don’t cry,” Rarity consoled. “Things were rough for you, but remember you have friends to help you through.” She put a hoof around her friend. They were the only two of them that had grown up in Ponyville, and one of the only pairs of the friends that knew each other before they all arrived in the town, the other being Fluttershy and Rainbow.

“Thanks, Rare, but Ah…”

“If it would help,” Princess Celestia offered, “I could assist Twilight with the spell, to be certain that she doesn’t pull too deep from your memories.”

“That would be nice,” Applejack smiled, “if ya wouldn’t mind, Princess.”

“In fact,” Princess Celestia continued, “I think I have some memories with might assist Applebloom. As would both of you,” she said to Cadence and Luna. “If you don’t mind, Twilight?”

“The more experiences we can teach them, the better the chance they have to succeed,” Twilight agreed. “Are you ready, Applebloom?”

“Ya mean to say that Ah’m gonna have some of Princess Celestia’s memories in mah head?”

“Yes, my little pony, there are some memories I wish to have imparted upon the future Elements of Harmony.” The Princess of the Sun smiled at her young constituent. The calming effect it had relaxed Applebloom as she put a look of determination on her face.

“Then Ah’d be honored!”

“Scootaloo, as Rainbow’s biggest fan and student, you’ll take the Element of Loyalty, and as a Pegasus, you’ll take the Element of Kindness.”

Princess Luna stepped forward. “As the only one of you three that we-I have spent time with, I shall bequeath some of my memories to aid you.”

“Thanks, Princess,” Scootaloo responded.

“Please, call me Luna,” Luna requested. “And I am glad to see that you followed my advice,” Luna added in a whisper.

“Then there’s you, Sweetie Belle,” Twilight said with a smile. “As you’re Rarity’s sister, you’ll take the Element of Generosity, and as a unicorn, you’re the only one who can take the Element of Magic.”

Cadence took her place behind Sweetie Belle. “And I think you’re the perfect little pony to represent the Princess of Love,” she said with a smile and a hug.

Applejack finally took place behind Applebloom, as did Princess Celestia. The two alicorns, one of Day and one of Friendship, let their magic flow. Immediately, auras appeared around Applejack, Celestia, and Pinkie Pie. The auras changed from a mixture of Twilight’s maroon and Celestia’s blue to the colors that best represented the mares that they were in contact with: orange for Applejack as it shaped the jewel on her Element of Harmony, blue for Pinkie Pie, as it too reformed into a balloon as on her Element. The aura around Princess Celestia glowed bright golden, like the sun, as it echoed the shape on her flank. All three auras flowed into Applebloom, and the memories reflected in her eyes.

Luna stood behind Rainbow and Fluttershy, assisting in transferring the Elements of Loyalty and Kindness to Scootaloo. The auras glowed like a red lightning bolt for Rainbow, a pink butterfly for Fluttershy, and a brilliant white moon for Luna.

Finally, Cadence took place behind Rarity as the Auras wrapped around Twilight, forming a magenta star, Rarity, forming a purple gem, and Cadence, forming a pink heart.

With the spell over, the three Cutie Mark Crusaders fell to the ground, motionless. The Elements of Harmony all gasped for air as the spell had taken them for quite the ride. Twilight and the other Princesses breathed heavy from the exertion the spell had on them.

“Let’s just hope it worked.”

Proof of Concept

Applebloom could only think What in the hay are you thinkin’‽ as they leapt toward the alicorn villain that had taken their friend. As soon as they were within inches, the aura around Sweetie Belle’s horn grew to encompass both of them, and they went straight into the body of the figure of nightmares, disappearing within.

Scootaloo resigned herself to believing that this was her destiny. She may as well get her cutie mark in failure. Perhaps it would be a giant red F. It was the only thing she knew how to do. The sadness, and the darkness, the self-hatred, and the anger, they all drug her down. The bubble around her grew even darker, and Scootaloo watched the ever dimming green orb floated ever more feverously around her.

It was the last thing she would know of this world was the green little light that reminded her of her two friends… if only she could see them once more. It seemed like in front of here were the faces of the only two friends she really had in the entire world. Sure, there was Rainbow, but she was more like a big sister. The unicorn and the earth pony were the two she spent every day with, and they did argue, but that was typical, wasn’t it? Was it so uncommon to have disputes with your friends?

Still, she doubted that she would ever really see her friends again. These apparitions before here were just that, apparitions. There was no hope in her heart, no light. She was doomed to lie here, in some unknown place, to end her pitiful existence.

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom looked at the real Scootaloo, trapped in a sphere of darkness. The green aura tried again and again to resonate Twilight’s Friendship Spell within her heart, but it was to no avail. The sphere gave off such a negative energy that it drove away the green aura every time it tried to approach.

“Well, what now?” Applebloom asked. She was the one used to having all the answers, but now she was so baffled. It happened every now and again that she was confused, but almost never was it about what they were going to do. Of course, they had never really been in this great of peril before.

“Don’t you remember what Scootaloo said before we assaulted Night Mare Moon?” Sweetie Belle asked, her horn starting to glow a brilliant blue instead of its normal green.

“All Ah remember is you asking me if Ah trust ya.”

“She said she needed some love, and well,” she looked back at Scootaloo before returning to finish her statement to Applebloom, “we love her, don’t we?”

“She’s like a sister!” Applebloom exclaimed.

“She’s one of the best friends I ever had!” Sweetie Belle said. With that, the aura escaped her horn, floating up to the green aura and combining with it. It then let out a brilliant light. “Scootaloo, if only you could hear how much you mean to us.”

Scootaloo didn’t bother looking up at the apparitions in front of her. They were just figments of the memories and wishes she had. She just wanted to end this already. Why had the darkness not finished her off? What could it possibly be waiting for?

“She’s like a sister!” came Applebloom’s voice through the darkness. Scootaloo knew how much Applebloom loved her siblings, but there was no way that she could love the little mess that she was. Scootaloo was imperfect, and by that, she was unloved.

“She’s one of the best friends I ever had!” Sweetie’s voice called out. How could that be true? Sweetie Belle had Applebloom. She didn’t need little, flightless Pegasus Scootaloo. If there was anypony that should love her, it would be her mother, but Scootaloo couldn’t even remember her face.

“Scootaloo, if only you could hear how much you mean to us.” There was a sadness in Sweetie’s voice. Perhaps there was actually some attachment between them all after everything. She had to find out, but she couldn’t move from under the oppressing darkness. It seemed to have gained physical form and was crushing her with all of its weight on one hoof. The pain rose in her back as the hoof gained more and more pressure. This was it, when she had finally decided that she wanted to continue, everything wanted to hold her back.

She needed some strength from those she cared for most.

Sweetie and Applebloom looked upon the dark sphere. They could barely make out their orange Pegasus friend deep within the sphere. She was struggling to get up, trying with all her Pegasus strength, but it wasn’t enough. Then there was something else in there with her. As they watched, a dark blue hoof formed out of the shadows, flowing up into a body before forming the other legs and hooves. The darkness drained from inside the sphere until it formed none other than Night Mare Moon herself, pressing ever harder onto Scootaloo.

“Scootaloo!” both of them called in unison, and with that the bubble that had been holding back the green orb, and now the blue orb, shattered like a ball of glass.

A true, true friend helps a friend in need,

A friend will be there to help them see,

A true, true friend helps a friend in need,

To see the light that shines from a true, true friend.

Together we are one,

And together we are friends,

When our destinies are united,

There is magic without end!

Suddenly, Scootaloo disappeared from beneath Night Mare’s hoof, and reappeared in a bubble of magic next to Sweetie Belle wearing a golden necklace. On that golden necklace was a gemstone that Sweetie had never seen before, but she recognized the pieces that designed it. In the foreground was a lightning bolt, surrounded by butterfly wings, and flanked by a moon. The whole gem was purple-red to match Scootaloo’s mane. But this wasn’t the only change. Another flash, and there was a necklace around Applebloom’s neck. It was yellow to match her coat, bearing a apple on a balloon with a sun in the background. Once more, magic created an element, placing it around Sweetie’s neck, bearing a lavender gem in the shape of a diamond inside a crystal heart, surrounded with the very symbol of magic itself: a six-pointed star.

“Are we ready, girls?” Applebloom inquired, already sure of the answer.

“Let’s go!” Scootaloo said. This energy coming from her friends fed into her. It excited her and gave her reason to fight. She knew now that she wasn’t useless. She was essential to her friends. Without her, there would be no Cutie Mark Crusaders. It would just be Applebloom and Sweetie.

“I feel like it’s about to burst!” Sweetie Belle said as her eyes took the glow that so often had appeared in Twilight’s eyes as she was about to defeat a foe with her friends by her side. A rainbow of colors appeared from Sweetie’s crest and fired at Night Mare Moon, dissolving it and all the shadows around them.

Exhausted, they fell to the ground, and fell into a deep sleep.

“I still don’t believe they are ready,” the voice of Discord said. It sounded like it was in her head, but Applebloom knew that couldn’t be true. Even Discord couldn’t make it in there.

“Granny Smith’s gonna have Big Mac buck me into next year, Twilight. Ya need to bring her back!”

“Where did they even go?” Rainbow’s voice never carried this much concern.

“Mum and dad are going to kill me!” Rarity exclaimed, no doubt pulling over her drama couch.

“Calm down, my little ponies.” Was that Princess Celestia? What was she doing in dreams?

With a sudden surge of magic, Applebloom felt her hooves hit the ground. Is this how Teleporting always felt? If it did, she would have to decline if Sweetie ever wanted to use the spell on her. Soon after, there was the sound of two more teleportations. She opened her eyes to find herself in the Canterlot gardens, standing next to the two best friends she could ever ask for in the entire world. There was her sister, all her friends, the three other Princesses, and none other than Discord.

Then she started recalling what had happened. They were given the memories of the ponies before them in the hopes that they could retrieve the long-lost left fang that once belonged to Discord. She ran up to her sister to realize that she was wearing something across her neck.

“What’s that ya have around yer neck, Applebloom?” Applejack asked, but she had already recognized the design of the necklace, even if she didn’t completely understand the symbolic gem set into it.

“You have one too, Scoots!” Rainbow said, swooping down to scoop up the filly-aged-into-mare that was her mentee. The hug only improved Scootaloo’s mood.

“That is such a beautiful necklace,” Rarity commented when she saw Sweetie’s.

“You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you, Celestia?” Discord inquired, turning to the Princess of Day.

“I knew that these three little ponies were friends the likes I have only seen a few times before, all of those cases are standing in this garden now.” She smiled at Discord before waving a regal hoof at all of the attending ponies to this little reunion.

“I only said ‘Friendship is Magic’ to appease you, Celestia. I still think it is rather… girly.”

“It worked on you, didn’t it? Twice, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Harmony is not the way of the World, Celestia. And if I don’t get my left fang back, it never will be again. You cannot be rid of chaos forever. Even if you have me control it, it still needs to be present. It is what makes those serendipitous events that cause the friendships that you cherish so much.”

“What are you saying, Discord?” Twilight asked.

“That Sonic Rainboom that united all of you six in destiny, it was an event of pure chance. And that, my little ponies, is the work of chaos.” He pranced around the garden before continuing. “You see, if the world worked in such a harmonious way that you all seem to think it does, then little, rare chances like that would never happen. The rare would never exist because harmony would say it is too unpredictable. It is chaos that lets this unique events exist.”

“So you’re saying that it’s because of you that we’re all friends?” Rainbow asked incredulously. “That’s not very likely, Discord. It was my Sonic Rainboom that made it happen!” She gave a stern look at the Spirit of Chaos.

“Maybe not an effect of my direct influence, since I was imprisoned in stone by your glorious leaders, but it was chaos never the less. Tell me, how many of those precious friendship lessons involved something from the Everfree forest?”

All the Elements of Harmony chattered before looking back at Discord.

“The Everfree forest is the core of what chaos existed in my time as Celestia’s lawn decoration. And while I don’t appreciate being a gnome, I do know a few things about chaos spreading. Listen closely, because this is going to be a valuable lesson for when the fillies head into the Chaos Continuum.

“You see, I only left one of my scales behind in the forest. I knew two things: the scale would provide chaos to support all your little mishaps and that it would lead to my eventual release. Why do you think those little sisters chose to move away from their old castle? They can’t handle a bit of chaos. It was like the other day when I tried to liven life up here in Canterlot by—“

“Discord, now is not the time to be sidetracking,” Celestia said, fairly agitated about how this explanation was going off on tangents.

“Very well, down to business then. The scale grew its chaos into what is now the entirety of the Everfree, whereupon the Sisters made the ponies a little settlement on either side. One is your precious Ponyville. The other no one even remembers, because the great Princess Celestia only ever talks about her prized pupil and how she lives in Ponyville now. My point remains that they used your little towns to stop the spread of the Everfree.”

“So is that why you had mah granny and her kin start Sweet Apple Acres where they did?”

“There is truth in what Discord is saying,” Celestia responded. “Your grandmother figured out how to stop the spread of the Everfree, but not the chaos that it develops. She has some control over the Zap Apples, and I have long wondered if those controls could be applied to other things in the Everfree.”

“Celestia, Celestia, have you not been listening? You cannot stop the spread of chaos! It is in the very nature of Chaos to envelop everything! If it doesn’t, then you end up with boring, dull lives that drag on forever without friends and memories. The things that make life worth living are at least in part caused by chaos.”

“Is that why the Everfree is so… freaky?” Rainbow asked.

“Certainly an interesting way to describe it, Dash, but nevertheless, that is the truth. The things that happen in that forest are all caused by chaos of some form or another. The bear that you give chiropractics to, there was once one like him in the Everfree. He was the first Ursa Major. All of the animals in the Everfree were created from the normal animals that you care for. And the weather? That is pure chaos.

“The point is, my little ponies, that you cannot destroy chaos.”

“And you can never destroy Harmony!” Twilight responded. She expressed some resentment over Discord’s statement. It felt to her like a direct attack, that he would one day win a war waged upon ponies. She would have none of it.

“I would never dream of it, dear Twilight Sparkle. You see, there needs to be the little flicker of Harmony to keep everything from destroying itself. That is why I sent away the Left Fang. That is why I kept you and your little friends alive.

“The very existence of this world is the result of the balance of my chaos and you ponies and your harmony. To think otherwise would be foolish.”

“Then what are you getting at?” Twilight wondered.

“You’re choking out this world by forcing Chaos away. It is only going to get stronger. There’s only so much suppressing Chaos will take before it completely explodes.”

“Then what do you suggest, Discord?”

“I have enough power to send four to the end of the Chaos Continuum. You have chosen three champions.” Discord gave a smile away from Twilight as he knew what was coming next. A small thought had been playing through his mind ever since he considered doing it. But he mustn’t let any one of these ponies be any the wiser.

“Very well, Discord. You shall go with the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

“I want your promise,” Fluttershy said, “I want your word that you’re going to behave yourself the way that I taught you to.”

“I promise,” Discord dredged.

“Promise on the sake of our friendship.” Fluttershy was showing her assertive side. She had to with Discord, there was no other way to deal with him.

Discord gave a serious pause after that, to which he responded, “I promise on the sake of our friendship.”

“Very well,” Fluttershy replied, “I trust you.”

“Then you will need some of me to reopen the gate back to the real world,” Discord mentioned. “We need to fetch my scale from the Everfree forest. This will be a perfect test to see how well the newly christened ‘Elements of Harmony’ will work together.” He looked at the Cutie Mark Crusaders as he said that, and each of them in turn swallowed hard before giving concerned expressions to their mentors.

They would have to venture into the Everfree and retrieve the very source of the chaos that made the Everfree so scary and unwelcoming. Even Applebloom, who made frequent visits to Zecora, was unsure she wanted to take on this mission.

They had to, though, for the Fate of Equestria.

Putting Things to Scale

The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Discord stood in front of the Everfree Forest. The whole lot of them had been teleported to Fluttershy’s garden through Discord’s magic. Angel was standing there, holding a bowl and thumping his foot furiously.

“Oh my, I need to feed Angel…” Fluttershy said, walking off into the cottage.

“Okay, Cutie Mark Crusaders,” Twilight addressed, “you are to do all the work. Discord is here to guide you, that’s all. I mean, he’ll get you out of trouble if he has to in order to keep you safe… right Discord?”

“What? Oh, yes, very much yes, Twilight.” Discord was distracted by his thoughts. He was basking in the chaos of the forest before him. It was like coming home after so long. His true home: the bath of chaos felt so good on his fur and scales, each one calling out to the one lost in the forest so long ago.

“Then let’s get goin’!” Applebloom called. She charged forward into the forest, and Scootaloo followed close behind. Sweetie Belle gave a second look at her sister before charging in behind her two friends.

“Take care of them, Discord,” Applejack said with a growl at the Draconequus. “Or I’m going to do more to you than you ever did to us. You can believe that from the Element of Honesty.”

Discord smiled, “I’ll take care of them. I want that Left fang tamed as much as you do.” He entered the forest behind the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The forest was dark and dank, draining the light from the sky above with a thick canopy. The green leaves filtered light for the first small bit, then they seemed to drain every bit of it trying to pass through to the ground.

The three filly-mares ventured forth, smiling bright as they ventured farther into the Everfree Forest than they had ever before. Their sisters were cautious, yes, and even Rainbow Dash was constantly telling Scoots never to go into the forest without an older mare. She giggled to herself as she realized she was an older mare now.

They had smiles wide as their face plastered to their faces as they wound their way through the forest. It seemed that nothing was out at this time of day, and they were perfectly okay with that. Sweetie Belle quickly grew bored of the mundane events of what was the equivalent of a walk in the park.

“I thought there was going to be more danger when we became ‘Cutie Mark Crusader World Savers,’” she said in a bored monotone.

“Don’t be so disappointed in that, Dearest Sweetie Belle,” Discord rebutted, “enjoy the moments where you can make progress, because they won’t always be there.”

“What do you know about makin’ progress? Ya turned mah brother inta a dog!”

“You mean that impressive show of mundane life? What was his name?”

“Big Macintosh!”

“Well, all you Apples drive me crazy. Every one of you. Why are there so many of you? All with Apple-themed names!”

“It’s an Apple Family Tradition!” Applebloom defended.

“How do you even keep yourselves straight? Apple this, apple that, I though I was everything chaos, but your family!”

“Well, there’s Uncle Apple Strudel, then there’s Babs Seed, then there’s…”

“Stop, stop right there! I don’t need to know all the ponies in your family!” It became evident that even Discord was annoyed by this line of conversation. “I think it’s time you actually did something, instead of such a peaceful walk through the woods!” Discord smiled bright as his tail secretly snapped. The sky completely darkened, and there were glowing red eyes everywhere.

“Oh, Oh!” Applebloom said, “I know this one!” She began to laugh. “You just giggle at the ghosties!”

“I… I don’t think it’s working, Applebloom,” Scootaloo said, pooling with Sweetie Belle at the center of the clearing. Applebloom was still laughing her tail off beside them.

“Come on! Laugh with me! These silly eyes think they can scare me!”

“They all just blinked,” Sweetie Belle mentioned. All in turn, the eyes blinked in a circle around them. The ominous feeling that spread through the Cutie Mark Crusaders wasn’t shared by the draconequus. In fact, they looked all around them as the eyes seemed to draw closer, the only things that they could see. Applebloom had long since stopped laughing and began panicking.

“Well, Let’s see, girls, this could be several things. It could be cute little bunnies…” She hoped for the best as she said it, but when shiny, sharp, white teeth made their appearance out of the sheer darkness, Applebloom shivered and knew she was wrong.

“Perhaps they have such sharp teeth because they eat rocks…” Sweetie Belle offered. She wished with all her heart that she was right.

“Well, when’s the last time you saw Spike’s teeth sharp?” Scootaloo replied.

“I… haven’t?” the unicorn asked, more than answered. She shuddered as she realized that her orange friend was right. If something ate rocks, it tended not to have sharp points on them—as they would break all the time.

“I honestly think they want to eat us, girls,” Applebloom swallowed. She knew that this wasn’t going to bode well for them. They knew nothing about defending themselves against more than a couple of bullies, and even then, they needed help.

“If we could take them on one by one, I think we can take them,” Scootaloo offered.

“Perhaps they’re just big sweeties like the Manticore?” Belle offered. “Scoots, try to use Kindness on them!”

“Yeah! That sounds like a great idea…” Scootaloo responded, “If I wanted to get eaten!”

“Then what do you propose we do, Applebloom? You’re our leader!”

“Honestly, I don’t know!” Applebloom used her sister’s Element.

The eyes bore down on them, drilling into them with their stare. The teeth sometimes disappeared behind something pinkish, which they all took to be their tongues, licking their chops to prepare them for their feast.

The trio were surrounded by the monsters, whatever they were. They would literally not know what hit them. Whatever was surrounding them was evil, they figured on that much, and it scared them to Tartarus and back. They just wanted their sisters. If only the ponies they looked up to were there to show them the way. Princess Twilight had chosen them, though. They were the ones who she, of all ponies, thought could live up to the task of taking down this threat and saving all of Equestria.

“We have to do something, Applebloom,” Scootaloo said, looking to the yellow Earth Pony. If any pony could get through this, it was her. Scoots always knew that she made the right choice in making Applebloom her friend—first because her older sister was best friends and rivals with none other than Rainbow Dash, then because she was the perfect faux sister.

Scoots remembered so many times when she didn’t know where she would sleep for the night, Applebloom would invite her over to stay. If she didn’t have Applebloom, she didn’t know where she would be. Even Sweetie Belle had been drifting apart from her before they met the bow-clad leader of their ‘secret’ order. It had been Applebloom that kept them together.

“Okay, Girls,” Applebloom addressed after what felt like a miniature eternity of silence, “they don’t seem to be movin’ any closer. We should just make a break for it.”

“Are you sure that is a great idea?” Sweetie Belle asked, voice coated in fear and anxiety about the plan.

“Have you come up with a better one?” Applebloom responded.

“Well…” she started, clearly rummaging through her thoughts. “No.”

“Then take my tail.”

When the orange Pegasus and the white unicorn securely attached, she bolted forward with all her strength, barreling through the shiny bright teeth. There was the sound of something shattering as cracks of light shone through, finally revealing themselves in a small clearing in the Everfree. Discord was lying across the rocks in between all the trees, filing his lion claws.

“I was wondering how long it would take you to clear that task,” he said. “I have to say all that freezing will mean you’re quite unprepared to take on King Sombre, if in fact that is who is finding their way to my left fang.” He checked the sky, watching Luna’s stars cross it before conjuring up a group of tents and placing them through the clearing. “Since it’s so late, we should head out in the morning to continue our search for my scale. I would never advise going forth under the guise of night.” He smiled and entered one of the tents, decorated by a checkerboard pattern that was so signature of his take-over of Ponyville.

“Who needs him?” Applebloom asked. “He set those creepy faces on us!”

“But Twilight said that he was here to guide us. I don’t think we’ll find the Scale without him. It could be anywhere in the Everfree,” Sweetie Belle voiced her concern.

“That big meanie Discord thinks that because he’s the spirit of chaos, he can rule us!” Scootaloo responded. They all crossed the clearing to find three paths.

“We don’t have a lot of time, we’ll need to search all three of them at the same time, girls,” Applebloom directed. “Sweetie, you take the left one, Scoots, the right. Ah’ll take the middle.”

“But I want the middle one!” Sweetie retorted.

“I’m in the middle already,” Applebloom defended.

“Well fine.”

“I suppose you can have the right one, I’ll take the left one, and Sweetie can have the middle,” Scootaloo responded. The Cutie Mark Crusaders all nodded and made the corrections on their positions.

“There, everypony happy?” Applebloom asked, a bit peeved. With a vigorous nod from both her best friend, they set off into the Everfree, none of them heard the laughter that followed them. “Now, we should all be back here before daylight.”

Sweetie lit the night with her horn. She kept forgetting she knew all the same spells as Twilight and Rarity. In fact, she kept forgetting everything that Rarity and Twilight knew. She barely recalled any of Cadence’s memories. She trotted through the forest at a moderate pace, trying to the other end as quick as she could. The forest felt so strange to her, and all her magical attunement.

She didn’t want to stay in it.

She heard some rustling ahead, and began panicking. What could it be? There were all sorts of things in this forest that she didn’t want to think about. A lot of things she had seen herself, at least she thought she did, perhaps it was Twilight and Rarity’s memories.

She started to gallop. She didn’t want to meet what was making those noises. They freaked her out and she was trying to keep focus so that the light her horn was casting didn’t go… and there it was. She was plunged into darkness as her horn fell dark. She tripped over a root and landed roughly in some foliage. She got back to her hooves, stopped and lit up the area again.

There, before her, was Applebloom.

“Oh, it’s you,” the bow-clad leader said with a very deadpan expression and a very disappointed tone.

“What do you mean by that, Applebloom?” Sweetie was concerned. How could Applebloom be disappointed in her? What could she have possibly done wrong? They hadn’t even been together for the last few minutes.

“Ah just figured Ah’d actually meet somepony who could actually help me.” Applebloom trotted away from Sweetie. “Go back to your sister, and help her with her Boutique.”

“Applebloom? Are you okay?”

“Ah will be if you leave me alone.” Applebloom started to leave Sweetie’s light sphere.

“Applebloom… what do you mean?”

“Ah don’t wanna be yer friend anymore. What part of that wasn’t clear?”

Sweetie’s magic broke altogether. She was plunged into deep darkness as tears welled up in her eyes. “Applebloom?”

“Yer no longer a Cutie Mark Crusader. Ah don’t wanna see you anymore.”

Sweetie Belle’s legs fell out from beneath her. She didn’t want to carry on any farther if she didn’t have any friends to go back to.

Applebloom trotted merrily on her way. The stars lit her path as she cut through the forest at a mid-gallop. She was now used to her increased size, and she was able to maintain her endurance to that of a normal mare. She would be the first back to camp after finding out where this path led; and she hoped it was to the Scale of Discord.

She was watching the sky every time she stopped to gain her bearings again. Her sister was always telling her that stars were how olden ponies would find their way, and she had learned a few things from Twilight about which stars were which.

“Let’s see, that one must be Star Swirl, The Bearded’s star, because it’s brighter than the rest. That must be north.” She smiled, taking one more glance to the sky when she saw something pass inn front of the moon. “What in the hay was that?”

In front of her, there appeared somepony she hadn’t expected to see: Scootaloo. She had been flying?

“That’s great, Scoots! You learned how to fly!”

“Yeah, no thanks to you. I finally figured out why I couldn’t fly before.”

“Oh? Why is that?” Scootaloo’s tone became offensive, and Applebloom was starting to take it to her heart. How could Scoots be so mean?

“Because I was grounded by an Earth Pony,” Scootaloo said smugly. “Now that I’ve spent some time away from you, I don’t need you anymore. I can spend all my time with Rainbow Dash!” She smiled. “Your stupid little idea for a secret society was a great plan for a pastime, but now that I can fly high with her, I don’t need to be a Cutie Mark Crusader anymore! I’ll have my mark in ten seconds flat, and I won’t need either you or Sweetie Belle.”

“That’s great, Scoots, but I thought you were our friend. Ah thought that was what our adventures were about… three friends all tryin’ to find what made them special…” Applebloom’s eyes began to tear up.

“So long, Applebloom. Have fun on your little quest. I’m heading off to find Rainbow!” And so she did, flying high above the Everfree, disappearing into the night.

“Scoots… how could you just leave like that? Ah… Ah thought we were friends… You… me… Sweetie…” With one heave, she fell on the ground. “Ah… Ah don’t believe this.”

Scootaloo hated the Everfree. Sure, she had gotten over most of the things in her nightmares since Rainbow took her under her wing, but it was more than that here. The dangers were real. She didn’t want to be in here, especially if she was alone. She ran with all her hooves could give her, using her wings to gain some distance in her strides.

Her breath was fading fast; she would need to take a moment to stop and breathe. She slowed to almost a stop, hearing something behind her. She spun on her heels to find herself face to face with none other than Sweetie Belle. Her horn was glowing, and providing a wide aura of light.

“Sweetie, am I glad to see you!”

“Well, I’m not.” The tone in Sweetie’s voice was very different from her usual, cheerful self. This tone, it seemed to reflect almost hatred, and defiance. She seemed to resent that she had run into Scootaloo here. It seemed like it was the bane of her existence to spend time with her.

They had been friends long before they were Cutie Mark Crusaders together. In fact, Scoots couldn’t remember having a friend before Sweetie. All the Pegasi she knew teased her for her inability to fly, and Sweetie was being teased for her inability to even levitate objects, even at her age.

They had banded together, especially after the Blank Flank teasing had dug in. When they found Applebloom, their friendship was cemented. They were nigh inseparable, and Scootaloo would have it no other way.

She gave Sweetie a large smile. “Come on, Sweetie, I know you better than this. You’re always happy to see me or Applebloom.”

“You don’t know the truth, do you? Applebloom hides it well, especially being the younger sister of the Element of Honesty. Both her and I have been meaning to remove you from the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

“What? You can’t just remove somepony from the Cutie Mark Crusaders! I know because I wrote that rule!” She walked up to Sweetie Belle, and that’s when she saw it. There was a flash in her eyes. “You’re not Sweetie!” She bonked the imposter on the head, and green flame sprouted from the ground, enveloping the pony with an ominous aura, revealing a changeling.

“How clever you are,” the changeling responded. “But it’s too late, we have already drained your friends of their power, and Chrysalis will make it to the Left Fang in a matter of no time.” The changeling took to the sky as Scoots tried to tackle it—the one place that she couldn’t follow. She growled as the changeling escaped.

“Applebloom, Sweetie! I’m coming! Don’t you dare let go!”

Scoot to the Rescue

Scootaloo raced through the Everfree determined to find her friends and save them from the Changelings. From Rainbow’s memories, they were tough and clever. Their leader, Queen Chrysalis was a devious mind. She was easily annoyed, though, as Scoot thought with a chuckle to herself. She charged through the forest, brushing across the thorny bushes and rough tree bark. She needed to find her friends. Why had Applebloom thought it a good idea to split up? Bad things always happened in stories when the heroes split up.

She had to push through for them, though. She had to put aside all the glaring eyes and all the unearthly noises. She needed to ignore the eerie cackle of the wind through the dried tree branches, and she needed to dismiss all of the claw-like boughs trying to capture her. With each of these realizations, Scootaloo slowed down, until she finally reached a stop.

“Ugh, this forest. I don’t think I can handle it much more!” She slowly proceeded before hearing the sound of somepony crying… Sweetie Belle.

When Scootaloo entered the clearing, she found the pink-and-purple maned unicorn lying in the mud with tears streaming from her eyes. “Sweetie?” Scootaloo asked as she approached. She was used to her friend being a little distraught, but it had been a while since the last time she had broken down this badly, and certainly not since they became the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Sweetie had certainly grown stronger through their friendship. This was out of character for her to say the least.

“I… Applebloom… she… she said I-I couldn’t be a-a Cutie Mark Crusader anymore!” she sniffled out. She kept stuttering over the words as she sobbed. She couldn’t even look at Scootaloo through her crying.

“That’s silly, Sweetie! Why would Applebloom ever say that?” Scoots’s smile wore off as Sweetie sobbed even harder.

“She said… she said…” Sweetie’s words stopped in their tracks as she succumbed to a new wave of crying.

“She said what?” Scoots was worried for her friend. She and Sweetie Belle had been friends ever since Scootaloo could remember. She wanted to cheer her up, but she didn’t know where to start. How could she reassure her best friend that what she was talking about would never happen? The changelings were behind all of it. She wasn’t sure how she could convince Sweetie, though.

“She said she didn’t want me to be her friend anymore!” Sweetie sobbed, before burying her face in the dirt and crying again. Her face was stained with the mud from the floor of the Everfree, marking her otherwise beautiful white face. Scoots figured that she would be the first one out of the three of them to get whatever stallion she wanted.

She also had the advantage of being the daughter of a fashion designer.

“Come on, Sweetie, that’s silly. Applebloom would never say that! It was a changeling!”

Sweetie only sobbed in response. Scootaloo wasn’t even sure she could hear over the sobbing. She wrapped a hoof around her friend and hugged her close. “Come on, Sweetie. Applebloom is our friend forever. I don’t think she would ever leave us!” Scootaloo was having a hard time believing that Applebloom said any of these things, and if she hadn’t seen that changeling earlier, she would have probably told herself that it was probably all true, as much as she didn’t want it to be. As it stood, though, the changeling had to be behind it all.

She wondered if it could be the same changeling that she had seen herself. And she knew that only Sweetie Belle would be able to reveal it as a changeling. She needed to convince Sweetie that it was a changeling, and she had no idea how she was going to do that. When Scoots had seen the Sweetie Belle Changeling had confronted her, it seemed so real, but she knew in her heart that it wasn’t true. She knew that if Sweetie could see it the way that she had, the falsities between the real Applebloom and the Changeling one, she would see it was all just a farce to try and break her.

“Stay right here, Sweetie, I’ll be back as fast as Rainbow Dash. I have just the idea!” She ran off into the forest to find the real Applebloom and show the unicorn how much she was really appreciated.

The forest wasn’t so scary, Scootaloo told herself. That creepy feeling she felt crawling up her neck… it was just the wind. She let out a silly little giggle when she thought that. She was starting to drive her own fears into herself. Sure, she had grown brave since Rainbow and the camping incident, but it wasn’t enough for the Everfree, and Scoots figured it would never be enough. Then there was Fluttershy’s memories: the cockatrice and the manitcore, even the parasprites. Scootaloo gulped harder as she wove through the underbrush.

“Applebloom, where are you?” Scoots said, the worry expressing itself more than she wanted it to. She came across the yellow mare with the familiar pink bow not long after. “Applebloom?”

“Oh, it’s you,” Applebloom snapped with contempt. The anger in her voice was apparent, and as obvious as the bow in her hair. The glare she shot Scootaloo was burning a hole in her eyes, she could almost feel it. “Ah thought you flew off to find Rainbow Dash.”

“You know I can’t fly, Applebloom,” Scootaloo said, trying to piece it together. Then it was as clear as the moon in the sky. The changeling. She had been here too.

“Then explain why Ah saw ya flying away, back toward Ponyville and abandoning us all?” Applebloom turned her back on Scootaloo, but not before she could see one moonshine-glimmer reflect off a tear streaking off her face and landing in the mud. “Ya don’t want ta be mah friend. Ah heard ya loud an’ clear. And Ah don’t need ya rubbin’ it in.” She gave one backward glare as she went down off the path, away from the orange Pegasus.

“It was a changeling, Applebloom. I saw it for what it really was!” Scoots rebutted.

“It was not. Ah saw it mahself. If it had been a changelin’, Ah think Ah would’ve seen it.” She sauntered off, farther down the path. Her resolve, her jaded reactions put Scootaloo off. She knew that Applebloom was strong-willed and a bit stubborn—that was why they got into so many arguments—but she was sure that that this was out of character, even for her. She would not just distrust her for something so serious.

“Come here, Applebloom. If you don’t trust me, then let me look you in the eyes and tell you. You’re the Element of Honesty, so you must know a thing or two about when others tell the truth.”

“Ah’ll humor you one last time, Scoots, but then Ah don’t want you comin’ near me or Sweetie again.” The yellow earth pony before her turned and stared her down. This was nothing compared to Fluttershy’s ‘Stare,’ but it still had the effect she wanted. Scootaloo knew this was the only chance she had to convince Applebloom she wasn’t lying.

“There’s a changeling in the forest with us. I saw it as Sweetie Belle trying to convince me that I wasn’t her friend anymore. After all I’ve been through with Sweetie, I knew it wasn’t her. I hit it on the head, and it changed back into a changeling. I found Sweetie earlier, and she was crying. She said that you told her that she wasn’t a Cutie Mark Crusader or her friend anymore. I know you would never really say any of that. Now, we need to go to her, prove to her that we’re still her friend.”

Scootaloo could only hope that it worked.

Sweetie Belle remained in the dirt, the darkness surrounding her. She didn’t want to return to somewhere where her own friends had abandoned her. She wanted nothing more than to return to the happy little life she had, with two friends who she could do anything with. She tried to smile through the tears that had come from her abandonment. Even Scootaloo, who so briefly appeared, had left her.

She was alone, and she didn’t know what she did wrong. All her life, when she needed her friends they were there. She was left without any clue as to why her friends had gone. Then she heard laughter. A sharp laughter that cut through the night like a knife straight through her ears, into her brain.

“Such a weak creature,” said one voice.

“How could she ever believe that she was ever loved?” said the other.

“We’ll have it so much easier once she’s gone.”

“Yeah, Scoots. Ah don’t think we’ll need her, or her magic.”

“Or lack of magic, you mean.”

“Yeah, yer right.”

Sweetie rolled over to look deep into what was shaped like her friends—their manes, tails, and coats were the right color, but their eyes weren’t. They were a deep, almost creepy green. Those eyes she had only seen twice before… changelings. Scootaloo had been right!

“Get away from me!” she shouted before scooting back and flipping over. Before she could get on top of her legs, she was trampled by her company. They looked like Applebloom and Scootaloo, but they weren’t acting like them. Perhaps they hadn’t studied enough. Scootaloo had told her, but she didn’t believe her. The apparition of Applebloom had looked so convincing. All her experience of changelings: the wedding in Canterlot, the time they had been kidnapped and taken so far from home… even the memories of Twilight and Rarity…

She knew just what they were doing now. They were trying to ruin the friendship the Cutie Mark Crusaders had forged. They were trying to take the most precious thing from her that she ever had: friends. Ponies who had cared for her since the day they met. They never did anything just for their own gain; they had never broken up. Through all the fights, all the disagreements, all the schemes and misguidance, they remained friends.

Now she counted on her friends to help her, as they always seemed to be able to do.

Applebloom and Scootaloo were, at that time, locked in a stare. Applebloom was trying to determine the truth behind her ‘friend’s’ statement. There was something about being the Element of Honesty that resonated within her. The statements, as far as Applebloom could ascertain, were the truth beyond all truth.

“Ah believe ya. Now, let’s go save Sweetie Belle.”

The pair dashed through the underbrush, Scootaloo trying to remember her path through the Everfree back to the unicorn in deep need of a friend. They weren’t aware of the true danger she was in, but they hurried anyway. Scootaloo knew that she needed to get back to the best friend she ever had.

That sweet unicorn she had met so long ago, it seemed, in the schoolhouse of Ponyville, trying to fit in. She was a School-Aged Pegasus who couldn’t lift herself more than a few inches off the ground, but that didn’t stop Sweetie Belle from coming over and introducing herself.

Never once in all their friendship did Sweetie Belle ever ask Scootaloo to do anything she wasn’t comfortable with. Never once did Sweetie Belle ever want her to do something she wasn’t willing to turn around and do back. When Sweetie Belle needed help, Scoots was there, and when ever the Pegasus needed help, she could count on Sweetie to be there with only one question: “What can I help you with?”

Scootaloo knew she needed to be there for Sweetie Belle this time of all of them. She had been her friend through the thick and the thin. This was her chance to show the unicorn how much her friendship meant to her, but she hated to admit it… she was lost. She had wandered farther than she thought she had gone, trying to make it back to the place she had left Sweetie.

She stopped in her tracks, nearly letting Applebloom smack into her rear end. “Why’d we stop?”

“I… I’m lost…” She plopped her plot on the ground. She let her own tears finally flow. She had failed her friends again. She couldn’t find her way out of this stupid forest, and it could have meant Sweetie’s life. “I don’t remember where she is…”

“Ah’m sure we can find her, all we have to do is do a little explorin’!” She gave Scootaloo a smile. “We’ll be Everfree forest explorers!”

“Yeah. Like that would ever happen.” She turned her gaze to the ground.

“Of course it can! Hasn’t Rainbow told you about Daring Do?” Applebloom tried to pass her smile to the Pegasus, but it wasn’t working, and she couldn’t quite grasp why. In her head, she only had half the story, the part where Scoots was sad about disappointing and failing a friend of hers. She didn’t understand the depth of this failure, how Scoots feared that it would make her lose everything she had ever cherished about her life.

Scoots had finally been happy with her life. It had been something worth getting up every morning to see what her best friends were going to do with her to try and earn their cutie marks. She loved that sense of adventure, that feeling of belonging, that sense of… family.

“What can a fictional character mean?”

“She’s an explorer! If there’s a cutie mark in explorin’, then we might just get ours in it!”

“It’s no use. The Everfree’s too big for us to make it in time…”

Sweetie Belle was pinned in the dirt and mud, trying to figure out how to get out from underneath the two changelings. They were bearing down on her.

“How should we dispose of her?” the newly revealed Changeling asked its companion.

“I suppose we should suck all the love of her first,” the other replied, with a tongue dragging across its black fangs. “She seems to have quite a lot of it.”

“How delicious of a feast she will make!” They seemed to be drooling over her. Where was Scootaloo and Applebloom? Surely they would have been here by now. She couldn’t understand where they were. She didn’t want to let these changelings know that she had friends in the forest, so she didn’t call out to them… but she had one more trick in her arsenal… the spell she had used in the Harrow of Memories… she let out a little green ball of magical energy, letting it out into the forest, to find her friends. She only hoped it wasn’t too late.

Scootaloo could hear the song well before the orb of light ever reached her. She knew exactly what it was, and where it came from. It was Sweetie Belle calling out to her for help. And she would be there to answer the call. She met the ball of energy halfway and dashed into the clearing where Sweetie Belle was about to be drained of all the love and hope that resided within her. Scootaloo dove across, pinning both of the changelings under her. Applebloom helped Sweetie up, and the three of them took a position before the changelings.

“We ready to send them back to where they came from?” Applebloom asked.

“Yep,” Sweetie replied.

“I’ve had enough of these Changelings to last me three lifetimes!” Scootaloo asserted as the aura grew around Sweetie Belle’s horn, growing in intensity as the three friends floated up in the air. The blast that hit the changelings didn’t send them flying, instead it vaporized them. The three friends gasped as they realized what just happened.

“Ah said send them home, Sweetie, not destroy them!” Applebloom scolded.

“I didn’t do that! I swear! Sweetie contested.

“I know I hate changelings, but I don’t hate them that much!” Scootaloo mentioned.

It was then that two red eyes appeared in the darkness of the forest. Two very familiar eyes.

“Discord! What in the hay was all that about?”

“Well,” the Draconequus said, letting the rest of himself appear, “It was a test to see if you could handle the changelings, should they be the ones to attack the Left Fang. I admit, it was quite a thrilling task you three undertook, but I have the scale right here,” he smiled, holding up a brown scale, “I found it while you three were squandering about trying to figure out what path to go down. I just needed to be sure that you were prepared for whatever could be making their way to my fang.”

“So all this is a game to you? I… I can’t believe you!” Scootaloo spat out in disgust.

“A game? Do you seriously think I am that frivolous? No no no, my little ponies, this was a test of your aptitude and ability to handle yourselves in danger. I think you still need some work, honestly, but you faced Nightmare Moon, Changelings, and King Sombre and triumphed through it all. I applaud you,” he said, clapping his mismatched forelegs together. “Now, let us return to Twilight so that we may finish this quest and carry on our lives in so much less danger.”

In a flash, they were back at Fluttershy’s cottage.

Venturing Into The Chaos

The Cutie Mark Crusaders blinked a few times to focus on where they were now, as Discord sauntered up to the cottage, beckoning out the Princesses and the other elements of Harmony. Twilight smiled bright as she saw the three of them in one piece each.

“So did they do as well as you expected, Discord?” Twilight asked.

“As well as I expected? Or well enough to suffice the trip to the End of the Chaos Continuum?” Discord had disdain in his voice. “Their efforts should prepare them for whatever threat is burrowing its way through my Chaos Continuum.” He handed over the scale and gave a small grin. “I just hope your decision was a wise one, Princess Twilight.” Discord walked down the path. “We need to be going now, because whatever is on its way to my Left Fang is going to be there before we know it, and we need to beat it there.”

“Very well, any help on the spell?” Twilight was referring to the spell that Discord was planning to send them to the end of the chaos continuum.

“Just let the Scale lead you, it’ll create the link back to me from this side.” Discord was visibly mixed about this journey. “Now, let’s go so we can reach the Fang before whoever, or whatever, is burrowing toward it can be stopped.”

“Ya better keep ‘em safe, Discord,” Applejack commanded. “Or I’ll have Big Mac buck ya so hard ya won’t remember yer own name.”

“Me? Forget my own name? How silly can you little ponies be? I’m Discord, Sprit of Chaos. There’s nothing that will make me forget that.” He smiled. “I will keep them safe—they’re my only hope of taking down this intruder. Now, I wish to get moving, if you would be ever so gracious.”

“We’ve just got some supplies to give you all,” Rarity said, and Sweetie Belle groaned.

“You’re not giving us the whole wagon-full like you did when we went camping, are you?”

“Nononono,” Rarity said, glancing backward at a heavy-laden wagon behind her, obviously trying to cover up her lie. “We just want you to be well prepared for anything.”

“Three saddlebags should be enough,” Applebloom said. Twilight levitated the girls’ saddlebags onto them, and they readjusted to their weight.

“Now, I’ve enchanted these bags, they should be holding enough food for a week, even for Applejack,” Twilight said before being interrupted.

“What in the hay is that supposed to mean?” Applejack sharply asked.

“Well, I did hear about the Apple Family Reunions from Granny Smith… specifically the one where you ate all those Apple Fritters.”

“Ah…” Applejack was at a loss for words. “Ah was a growin’ filly back then… mah appetite has slowed down since then.” Applejack was frustrated. “Okay, so maybe yer right, but ya don’t need to be tellin’ everypony an’ their mother!”

“Never mind,” Twilight said. “Anyway, we need to get you to the End of the Chaos Continuum.”

“Ah’m ready!” Applebloom said excitedly.

“Me too!” Scootaloo seconded.

“Me… three!” Sweetie Belle called out.

“Let’s get going, then,” Discord said, dragging a claw against the air, creating a rip out of nowhere. No one bothered questioning, because it was Discord after all. Through the rip in the air, they could see a world that made what happened to Ponyville seem like nothing. The familiar checkered pattern on the ground was the start, because they could see floating islands which were completely spherical, and the whole world beyond the crack was filled with an ethereal light—not generated by a sun like it was here. Pinkie sighed as she observed the other side.

“It’s a world all about the random things in life!” she smiled sadly, “Too bad I don’t get to go.”

“It’s better that you don’t, Pinkie,” Discord said, “I have a particular affinity for you and your Element of Harmony. I would hate to see the world drained of laughter.” He seemed genuine when he said that. “Now, let’s go,” he said, pulling the Cutie Mark Crusaders into the rift, before a Zipper pull appeared, which sealed up the tear. “We need to be on the look out for that fang, it should be, if memory serves, in the center of this Me-forsaken place.”

“Is that it, right there?” Applebloom said, pointing to a pedestal in the distance as a pig with wings flew by. “I can see something white on top of it!” On top was a conical, curved shape, white and clean. It seemed so simple, so innocent. How could anything about that tooth be evil or chaotic? It was just a tooth, right?

“That’s it! Wow, that was simpler than I thought it would be. Now, let’s just go get the fang and was can dispose of it properly.”

“Wait a minute, Discord!” Scootaloo said, pushing back on the Draconequus, “It’s probably booby trapped!”

“The only booby here is that bird over there,” Discord said, pointing toward a Blue-footed Booby. Scootaloo squelched a squee as the Fluttershy in her wanted to run over and investigate it. She gave a ‘blech’ before turning her attention back to the task at hand.

“Now, I’ve read a few of the Daring Do books, and whenever there’s a treasure in plain sight, it’s usually trapped.” She smiled brightly as she knew something the others didn’t seem to know.

“It isn’t trapped! I made this place myself! I think I would know if there was a—“ Discord was interrupted as Scootaloo took an apple out of her bag and tossed it toward the fang. Upon it hitting the ground, a safe fell from the sky and crushed it, bits of apple flying everywhere. Discord could only scowl. “Okay, so there was this one trap that I forgot about.”

“If there’s one trap, there’s usually more. We need to go around,” Scootaloo said, her smile wider than it had been moments before.

“Now that’s an explorer if I evah heard one!” Applebloom shouted.

“Next thing you know, you’ll have an exploring cutie mark!” Sweetie Belle said, before Scoots excitedly checked her flank, to find nothing.

“Perhaps I need to do some more exploring!”

“Well, we have three options,” Discord said, “we could go through the middle, most direct path, and get out of here, or we could go through one of the two forests on either side of the central path.”

“What forests?” Applebloom asked, before seeing two forests spring up around either side of the central path. One felt like home to Applebloom, less ‘foresty’ and more ‘orchardy.’ The other one was so much more—it was almost a replica of the Everfree, only more foreboding. “Ah suppose those are the forests.”

“I think we should ask our explorer where we should turn!” Sweetie said, pointing a hoof at Scootaloo.

“Well, I think we should go through the one that looks like the Everfree!” She shouted before charging off.

“Aren’t you sure you want to go through the one over here,” Discord said—and was that worry in how voice? Was he actually concerned about something?

“What’s got your tail in a knot, Discord?” Scootaloo inquired. Discord would have refuted that his tail wasn’t in a knot, only to find that it was, in fact, quite knotted. Untying his own body, he brushed himself off and started explaining:

“There’s a reason that I locked away that fang from the world. It holds all the chaos that not even I, Discord, Spirit of Chaos, could contain. While my powers are great, they are not limitless. I need to protect that fang so that Equestria isn’t plunged into eternal chaos and destroyed.”

“I thought that was what you wanted to do when we released you,” Sweetie Belle accused.

“There’s an intricate difference, the Chaos I wreak is harmless, jokes really. The chaos contained in this fang, the pure destruction it is capable of, is nothing that any mortal being should ever come into contact with.

“To put it in terms that perhaps you will understand,” Discord said, pulling out his other fang, “this here is my sweet tooth,” he poured out sugars and candies from the base of it before placing it back into his mouth, “and that one is my sour tooth.”

“Then why did ya need us? Couldn’t ya just teleport yerself over there and get it?” Applebloom contested.

“First, I needed to draw some latent Chaos energy off my scale to open the portal. Second, the fang has a bit of a distaste for teleportation. It’s hard to explain to such young fillies, perhaps I should just demonstrate.” He took an apple from Applebloom’s pack and in a snap, it was teleported over by the Fang. Mere seconds later, it disappeared again, only to land back in Discord’s paw, sliced to bits.

Each of the Cutie Mark Crusaders gasped.

“It may seem like just a parlor trick, but this is very serious,” he explained, taking a bite from an apple slice. “The chaos magic near that fang is too unpredictable. I cannot just simply ‘teleport mahself over there.’” The mocking tone that he used when repeating Applebloom wasn’t really that appreciated.

“Ah don’t appreciate ya mockin’ me like that!”

“It’s how you sound to me, dear Applebloom. Now if you can’t appreciate how an artist renders his voice, then perhaps you shouldn’t listen.” He snapped and Applebloom’s ears disappeared.

“Give her ears back!” Scootaloo commanded, her stern tone even surprising herself.

“Or what? You’ll friendship me to death? There’s a laugh for—wait… For all the Chocolate Rain in the Universe, it’s already starting to happen.” Discord gave himself a full body shake, as a dog would to free itself of the excess water after a swim in a pond. “I do humbly apologize, Applebloom, that fang has such unexpected results on me.” He snapped and the yellow ears were back in place. “We need to hurry, I can’t tell you how much I don’t want that fang to exist anymore.”

The group of four set out through the dark forest, winding their way through tree and bush, trying to make their way to the Fang the only way they knew how. Scootaloo was proclaimed leader; her only credentials being that she had read the Daring Do books.

“So tell me something, Discord,” Applebloom said, breaking the monotony of Scootaloo’s ‘theme song’ humming.

“What could you possibly want to know?” He seemed irritated, but at what the Crusaders could only guess.

“How come ya waited all this time to take care of that fang? I mean, why not just destroy it in the first place?”

“You couldn’t possibly understand the nuances that led to this circumstance, Applebloom.”

“Try me,” Applebloom challenged.

“Very well, when I was a younger Draconequus, I was very reckless, I loved the disorder and the chaos. I knew not what it could do. It was certainly not an understanding I would have in my life until it was too late.

“You see, Chaos leads to things happening that you’d rather not happen if there’s no harmony to counterbalance it. Perhaps you need to know the whole story, but now is not the time to tell it. We shall leave those memories rest for another day.” He turned his snout up to show that he wasn’t going to expand on that issue. “I’ve actually said too much already.”

“Come on, Discord, who else is gonna to know besides us?”

“I do not wish to divulge this information, and that is the last I am saying about it.” He created a zipper pull on his mouth and pulled it shut.

“Very well, but Ah’ll ask again later,” Applebloom promised, making a mental note to interrogate the Spirit of Chaos further at a later time.

“I can’t promise I’ll answer later.”

“You never promise things anyway, Discord,” Applebloom said, recalling one or two of Celesita’s memories.

“Perhaps not, but I cannot say that I would answer your question should you ask it at a later time.”

“Okay,” Scootaloo said, interrupting the circular conversation, “I think we’re almost there.”

Sure enough, the forest abruptly ended, leaving them within three lengths of the fang. It seemed so close they could reach out and touch it.

“Do you suppose there’s traps between us and it this time?” Sweetie asked.

“Usually at this point, it’s one last puzzle. We just need to solve it and the treasure’s ours!”

A bunch of tiles appeared on the ground between them as walls closed up beside the new floor. This all seemed familiar to Scoots, who didn’t panic in the slightest.

“It’s a simple test! It was in the first Daring Do book!” She smiled as she turned her focus to the tiles. Each one had a different Element of Harmony on them, though some were other symbols that Scoots didn’t recognize directly. She knew exactly where to step. “Just follow the Elements of Harmony!” she said, prancing out onto the tiles. Sure enough, the path was no more dangerous than a path through the woods.

“This is all too easy,” Discord said. “The fang must be up to something.”

“I don’t think so, Discord,” Scoots said, mimicking her literary hero, standing at the pedestal.

“Don’t you think that stroll through the forest was a tad bit… uneventful?”

“Perhaps, but uneventful never hurt anypony, so far as I’m aware.” Scoots looked back at Discord. “Can you ever tell me when boredom hurt somepony?”

Rather than list off all the misconceptions that must be running through the Pegasus’s head, he pulled her back toward him with a simple telekinetic spell.

“Hey! What gives?”

“Let me see another one of those apples,” Discord commanded.

Applebloom fetched one out of her saddlebag, hoofing it over to the Draconequus. He threw it with precise aim, knocking the fang off the pedestal. It hit the ground uneventfully.

“That was rather… anticlimactic,” Sweetie said.

“What does that mean?” Applebloom returned.

“It means that what we expected was a lot more than what happened.”

“It is far better to be safe than sorry in this realm, my little ponies.” Discord simply floated over to the other side of the new room. “Now, I need to dispose of this fang,” he said, holding it up into the air, about to snap with his other foreleg, when there came an eminent laughter that chilled him to the bone. His eyes dilated and his fear became almost palpable.

“What is it?” Applebloom inquired.

“I—I… no… that cannot be! It can’t be… not him!”

“Not who?” Scoots asked.

“It seems that I prepared you for everything that might attack this fang but the thing that actually was attacking it…” Discord began actively quivering. “But it can’t be… you were locked away long ago!”

Discord tried pulling on the fang, but it seemed stuck in place.

“There… there is no way that you could possibly be…”

“Discord?” Sweetie called, starting to get concerned.

“Who’s attacking the fang?” Applebloom aksed, her own worry beginning to grow.

“Something I thought I had left behind long ago… a member of this world that never should have been…”

“What do you mean?” Scoots asked. She was starting to grow concerned as well.

“It cannot… there’s… you don’t even exist!” Discord shouted into thin air, and was only met by more maniacal laughter.

“Who can’t be?” Scootaloo wondered aloud.

“What in the hay is going on?” Applebloom queried.

“I don’t like the sound of this!” voiced Sweetie.

There, before them all appeared the figure that had been their villain all along, and none of them even could even begin to imagine who, or what, it really was.

In the Time of Harmony

Standing there before them, appearing as though a veil had been slipped off him, was what looked to be an exact copy of Discord, with one minor difference, he was a mirror image of the true Discord.

“This… You…” Discord stuttered.

“I know you can’t have forgotten me, Discord, even after all these years.”

“I rid the world of you! That fang… it was your eternal prison!”

“And you have released me from it, Discord, and I thank you for that. Now I’m ready to return to Equestria and make it the way you never dared to. I will make it in Chaos’s image and it will be a sight to behold!” The voice and the laughter was the same, but the chills it sent down each of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ spines was so much different.

“I can’t let you go and destroy everything Harmony and I have created! That was why I trapped you here, you insidious little brother of mine!”

“Brother? You’re still sticking to that story? You know just as well as I do that I am you. I am the parts of you that you gave up for that silly Harmony. She weakened you; she weakened us. Now, there will be nothing to stand in my way from dominating the World. Especially when I take your Heart of Chaos.” The talons on the mirror-Discord reached straight into Discord’s chest and pulled out a heart-shaped object. The real Discord coughed and wheezed, his body beginning to look like it was aging.

“You… they will stop you, Havoc, mark my words.”

“They who? The Elements of Harmony? I won’t give them the chance. Just you wait and see.” Havoc laughed, and each of the ponies shuddered. “Now, I will be taking the Fang you have, and I shall be off, to reform the world in only the way that it should be!” He plucked the oversized tooth out of Discord’s mouth and vanished into thin air, leaving three confused ponies and one breathless Draconequus.

“What just happened?” Applebloom spoke first.

“And who’s this ‘Harmony?’” Sweetie Belle inquired.

“And who’s Havoc?” Scootaloo said.

“I think it’s time I tell my story before my time on this plane is through,” Discord coughed. “A long time ago, long before the Princesses, there were two draconequui, myself and one other, Harmony. We watched over the land, and saw that it was a grand world.

“Harmony was a beauty, rivaling anything you have ever seen. Though she was a Draconequus like me, she carried it with grace and dignity, in a way that not even I would dare imagine trying to pull off. She was the incarnation of the good things in life, and I was the incarnation of the bad.”

“I already knew where this is going,” Scootaloo said, with an air of distaste. “Love stories make me gag.”

“Would you let the Draconequus talk, Scoots?” Sweetie said, “It sounds like it’s going to be a most wonderful romantic story!”

A glare from Applebloom shut them both up.

“To say that I liked her would be understating things. While we were opposites, there was a sense of completion when the both of us were together. We saw the ponies grow into a civilization worthy of being called sentient. She preached harmony and love, while I wanted to have fun, chaos, and the wrecklessness of being young.

“We may have gotten along well at times, but others we butted heads in cataclysmic wars sometimes, leaving ponies in terror. This only fed my chaos, and made it stronger. I always hated these arguments with Harmony because it pushed her farther from me, and I knew that one day she would never return to me.

“Being the last two of your kind, or actually the only two of our kind, there was some sense to be made in us getting along. We never knew of other Draconequui, and the Ponies certainly never knew of them. They have even forgotten Harmony, and the great and wonderful things she had done with her powers: Laughter, Loyalty, Generosity, Kindness, and Honesty. The ponies all loved her, and so did I.

“But the Chaos within me was growing, it was like a cancer I couldn’t live without, lest I lose everything that I ever was. Harmony was with me most of the time, but when she wasn’t, I knew that those were the worst times.

“I would look into the mirror, and instead of myself, I would see this reflection of a mad, crazed, power-hungry Draconequus, one who lusted for the power and control of all of what would one day be Equestria. I put these feeling away, locking them within the one part of me that I could remove and stow away without Harmony noticing: my left fang. Each day, though, the chaos grew and grew, and I knew that keeping it would only lead to tragedy and loss.

“I had no other option though, but to be a good Draconequus, for ever wanting Harmony to liken to me the way I had her would mean that I would have to leave the path of Chaos and walk along her teachings. I knew it would never happen deep inside, because Harmony and Chaos are pure opposites, and these opposites didn’t attract.”

“Surely there was a way you could win her heart!” Sweetie said.

“Told you this was going to be a love story, bleech.”

“Silence, you two, and let him talk!”

“Harmony started to notice me becoming more and more anxious, particularly when we retired at night to the palaces we had created in the clouds to watch the stars and the ponies from the skies. She called me on my odd behavior and demanded to know why I was in such a distraught state. It was the Kindness in her.

“She told me that there was another side to the chaos. It was the source of the happenstance that brings lovers together, best friends united, and sometimes those unexpected surprises that bear the most meaning in life. I didn’t believe her in the slightest, for I was the Spirit of Chaos, if anyone in the world should know all the secrets to Chaos, it would be me. I had certainly never seen anything good come from the chaos I wreaked when I had my days.

“She continued to tell me that friendship was the only way for me to overthrow my misgivings. That even the most chaotic of beings had some good in them, and they just needed help finding it sometimes.”

“Bleech with all this love and friendship! Why can’t we just have action in stories? Why must there always be this love interest?” Scootaloo complained.

“It’s because it deepens the story, it makes you sad when one of them has to go away, Scoots,” Sweetie replied.

“For the last time, will you two stop so that we can listen to his story?” Applebloom commanded.

“She wanted so much to be my friend, but I knew that would mean exposing her to my true nature.” Discord gave a long pause that was filled with the regrets he had. “I told her about the Fang, about how I had locked away the deepest throes of my Chaos within it, and of how I could not even bear to look at myself in the mirror for fear of seeing the monster I would become. It was my move of good faith, and I knew that it would be the only chance I had of securing a friend in this world of Draconequui and ponies, for all the ponies I had ever seen feared me, even when I was just strolling though town.

“She asked for the fang, and I knew this would be the end. This would be the point where all of the good in my life would end. She told me, she assured me that she could handle the chaos, that she could help tame the beast within me. It was a nice thought, and I had hope it would work. I took the fang from its hiding place, and handed it to her, and that was when it happened.

“A black cloud enveloped her and began turning her into the monster that I saw in the mirror when I looked for myself. I pulled the fang from her hands before the effects could finish, but she had seen the depths of my depravity, and it was profound the effect it had on her.

“She created her Elements of Harmony and bestowed them on the ponies, instructing them to pass them down from generation to generation to keep me in check, but I knew that would never be enough. If Harmony herself couldn’t tame the chaos within that fang, if I couldn’t, then there was no hope for our world.

“Each night she would come to me, seek to help me overcome the power I had locked in the fang, but each night it grew more and more dangerous, and I soon disallowed her into my castle. I would never let her handle the fang, for I feared it would turn her into my nightmares. It would turn her into the Draconequus that I was supposed to be.

“She grew concerned, and I knew she was distancing herself from me—the one thing that I didn’t want the most in all of our world. And I knew that it would break me if I couldn’t have her.

“Then, one night, whilst I was sleeping, I was startled awake by a noise. Harmony had entered my palace of the clouds and taken the fang. Slowly she became more and more disfigured until she was my own reflection. Her Elements of Harmony, her kindness and laughter, her honesty and generosity, and her loyalty… they became corrupted.”

“Ya mean like when Applejack was tellin’ all those lies and Big Mac was actin’ like a dog?”

“Now who’s interrupting him?” Scootaloo sharply retorted.

“It was an honest question about the story.”

Scootaloo could only roll her eyes.

“That was merely discorded, Applebloom; no, she became much worse. She was tainted, no longer worthy of being called Harmony. I gave him the name Havoc, for she was the image that I saw in the mirror. She was the very thing I had tried to stop by placing all that chaos in that fang.

“So wait… she’s a he? Ah mean… he’s a she? Which is it? You keep saying ‘him’ and ‘her’ about the same thing!” Applebloom asked, expressing the confusion that had beheld all of them.

“Draconequui are not limited to being just one thing, we can change our form as we see fit. It is all in the nature of being chimerical,” Discord responded.

“What does this have to do with chemicals?” Sweetie asked.

“Chimerical, not chemical. It means being like a chimera, made of many different parts.”

“Oooooooh,” the Cutie Mark Crusaders all voiced in unison.

“Now may I continue?”

The Crusaders looked at each other then gave a vigorous nod.

“The ponies were powerless to stop her, and she became less and less a her as the time wore on. I fought with all the magic I had, but it was useless—two omnipotent beings could never defeat each other. I didn’t want to hurt whatever was left of her anyway. I always kept alive the hope that deep within her was that good side that I had loved so long ago.

“As we fought I noticed that she, well he,” Discord said before being interrupted.

“See, now we’re all confused. Is it a she or a he!?” Sweetie cried out.

“Havoc is a he, Harmony is a she. Does that clarify things?”

“So long as you stop switching genders on us so frequently.” The other two Crusaders rolled their eyes at Sweetie.

“I finally made a plan, tear the fang from him and lock it away within a realm that only I could access, and the world would be rid of Havoc, and I would have my Harmony back again. The plan took some time to prepare…”

“Alright! The action part!” Scootaloo said!

“Where have you been? It’s been action for some time now!” Applebloom responded.

“No, it’s been all ‘I loved her but she was a monster’”

“Then there was action!”

“No there wasn’t!”

“Silence!” Discord said.

The startled debaters couldn’t continue their discourse.

“I tousled with Havoc for dominance before I finally ripped the fang from his mouth. I expected that all the chaos would return to the fang and my Harmony could be returned to me, but it wasn’t to be. The fang had transformed her too much, and she was no longer the Draconequus that I had loved. She was now Havoc. He was in complete control, and she was him.

“My dismay turned to rage quickly, and I trapped Havoc within the Fang that had created him and threw him into the end of the Chaos Continuum, where he would be trapped forever more, but that rage came at a cost. I had no more trappings for my chaos, nothing else to hide it away to be a dutiful citizen of Equestria, which had formed while I was bouting with Havoc.

“I began the reign that history always remembers, but no one ever remembers what came before it. The pain I endured, the loss I suffered. They all assumed I was just a tyrant wanting to control the world for his own nefarious fun.

“And I suppose that was true: the part of me that was Havoc still existed, however diminished within me. I was soon stopped, as History all remembers, by the Elements of Harmony wielded by the Princesses Celestia and Luna, but they could never understand the pain that I had been through.

“After a thousand years locked in stone, I could only toil and bubble with anger and frustration until the three of you released me. I was destructive and domineering, and I wanted nothing more than to destroy the world because my Harmony, the most beautiful Draconequus of all, would never be again.

“Again, I was stopped by the Elements of Harmony, this you should know well since you lived through it, but I was still tormented with the loss of Harmony within my own soul. Once I was turned by Fluttershy, I began seeing the good things that came from chaos and happenstance. It was literally like turning over a new leaf, I could see the difference, the side of Chaos that Harmony must have seen before Havoc intervened.

“But I will never have my Harmony again. She’s been Havoc for far to long, and this story is never going to have a happy ending. The best you three can do is prevent him from destroying the world. He will know all about the powers of Love and Harmony, and will be able to disrupt them.”

“You’ll be there to help us!” Applebloom said cheerfully, “We’ll just help you defeat Havoc and maybe the Elements of Harmony can turn him back into… her?”

“There’s the flaw in your plan, sweet Applebloom, he took my Heart of Chaos. With it, he took any power over chaos that I have. I’m already starting to age to match my true age, and soon I will be nothing more than dust. You need to go and stop Havoc, leave me to the parasprites.” He dragged a talon through the air and the glimmer of home shone through, though it seemed bleak.

“We’ll get you that Heart back and you’ll be your old self in no time! Count on it!” Applebloom said as she jumped through, followed closely by Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

In Havoc's Grasp

When Applebloom opened her eyes on the Ponyville side of the portal, she wished she hadn’t. It had appeared that nothing was different, except that the Elements of Harmony and the Princesses lying on their sides, groaning. Applebloom looked back and saw Discord through the rip in Chaos.

“That was the last of my power, now go, save Equestria,” he said with a sad voice, before the continuum healed itself, sealing Discord at the end.

“Wow, I thought it was bad when Discord was in charge,” Scoots said. “This is crazy.”

“Scoots?” murmured a groaning Rainbow Dash. “Is that you?” She barely got to her feet as the Cutie Mark Crusaders charged over to her. “Discord’s gone mad! He shattered the Elements of Harmony, cast the Princesses aside as if it were nothing, then turned the world back to raw Chaos!” She groaned and rubbed her foreleg. “He went straight for the heart of the Everfree, you need to get in there and go after him!”

“But that’s not Discord,” Sweetie Belle returned.

“Or a him…” Applebloom said, still confused about that issue.

“What do you mean, that’s not Discord? It was a perfect image of him,” Twilight groaned, walking over from where she had been cast.

“I think I would recognize my own friend’s face, or ex-friend,” Fluttershy said with malice.

“Fluttershy!?”

“Oh, my, I shouldn’t lose my temper like that…” she went back to the animals who were all cowering in her cottage.

“It was a mirror image of him, Havoc,” Scootaloo said, “that was really another Draconequus from a long time ago named Harmony.”

“You actually paid attention to that story?” Applebloom asked in surprise.

“It may be namby-pamby, but I’m still going to listen to a story when I have to.” Scoots seemed offended that Applebloom was surprised.

“It doesn’t matter now, girls, not with the Elements of Harmony out of play, and all of us drained. There’s no way to stop him unless you three come up with something,” Twilight broke up the fight. “Now I’ll tend to everypony here, you need to get into that forest and stop Discord, or Havoc, or Harmony… whoever it is.”

“Sure thing, Twilight!”

“See ya when we save Equestria!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll do fine!”

“Was that Applebloom?” Applejack asked as they ran off.

“I hope that I chose them well,” Twilight sighed.

“Now, this place ain’t nearly as scary when the rest of the world is in chaos,” Applebloom commented, though the darkness and the omnipresent feeling of being watched was certainly enough to stop her from going as to say it wasn’t scary at all.

The Everfree always held this level of creepy and weird, even when the rest of the world was being turned end for end. The darkness, the various critters, the air itself has something about it that made it different. It was more than just being close to Discord’s magic for a thousand years, it almost seemed to yearn to be chaotic, to be different, to be itself.

Perhaps this was why Havoc chose this to be the beginning of his empire.

Applebloom didn’t know what to prepare herself for, this wasn’t something you could say ‘Oh it’s just like gettin’ a shot at the doctor, brace for the needle prick.’ This was life and death; this was the fate of the entire world.

This did nothing to help Applebloom clam her nerves.

Scootaloo wasn’t much different. She felt deep inside that she was going to do something that would mess this up, that would end the whole gig for the three of them. She was heading into a fight with something that could take out princesses and the powerful Elements of Harmony. Scootaloo asked once to see Rainbow Dash’s Element, but she said that Twilight was keeping it in the library because it was safer there.

If Twilight and the Elements of Harmony were crushed, defeated to the point of no longer working, then what hope did they have as three fillies? True, their bodies were accelerated into full grown ponies, but they were still really just fillies.

Sweetie Belle saw the worry in her friends’ eyes. She knew the road ahead was dangerous, but she also knew that there was something in them that Twilight, and Celestia, saw to make them the ‘Champions of Equestria.’ There was a little something inside her too, telling her that she just needed to try harder. She also knew that being the unicorn was the burden of using magic, and she hadn’t even mastered something as simple as levitation.

There was nothing that could impede their progress into the Everfree, for it seemed that Havoc left a grand wake of devastation even to this, the forest of chaos. Not even a Timberwolf’s howl could be heard as the sun sank; with no Luna conscious to raise the moon, it started a dark night without any stars or moon to brighten it.

The darkness only multiplied in the Everfree, somehow robbing the world of all light. Sweetie Belle was doing all she could to light the way with magic, a spell locked in her mind from Twilight’s passed memories. Her green glow made the already creepy Everfree even more creepy.

“I think we’re almost there, girls,” Applebloom said. Their journey had taken them so far, from just a normal day having fun with their sisters, to trying to save the world from doom and devastation. This was the most dramatic change that she had ever had in one day.

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Scootaloo said.

“Afraid… I forgot what it’s like not to be afraid,” Sweetie Belle whimpered.

“Hahah, so the ‘Champions of Equestria’ have made it here, to witness the birth of my new empire. The Dawn of Chaos is upon us, and how befitting that it not be witnessed by Celestia’s Sun or Luna’s Moon. What can three little fillies do against me?” Havoc’s voice came out of the darkness, but the bearer didn’t appear.

“We’re not that little, Havoc!”

“Oh really?” With the feeling of a tap on each of their backs, they shrunk back to their normal size, dropping the memories, and the Elements that they each had worn, which fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. Sweetie’s horn flickered out, and darkness surrounded them. “You look like little fillies to me.”

“Oh yeah? Well… well…” Scootaloo shouted. “What do we have?” she asked frantically, turning to her friends.

“We have… uh…” Sweetie stalled.

“I don’t think we have anything, girls,” Applebloom answered. “But we still gotta try. Our sisters are counting on us!”

“I can’t let Rainbow Dash down!” Scootaloo shouted.

“You silly little foals think that you can defeat me when not even the fabled Elements of Harmony can? The reason I haven’t destroyed you yet is because your endurance amuses me, though I think it is time for you to face the chaos within each of you. I tire of people who believe they can defeat me.” Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Applebloom all watched each other disappear into an even darker sphere, where who knows what awaited them.

Applebloom groaned. She felt like she had the weight of Big Mac on her shoulders, and all these eyes were on her.

“You, dearest Applebloom, afraid that you will never have a special talent, will face the fact that you will never get to discover who you truly are,” Havoc’s voice called out as images of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon came toward her. They couldn’t be the real ones; they were always too preppy to venture into the Everfree.

“Look at the Blank Flank, thinking she’s so special because she leads the Cutie Mark Crusaders,” Diamond Tiara’s voice came from the image.

“She’s so pathetic… even Twist learned her talent before she did,” Silver replied.

“At least Ah’m havin’ fun with my friends and not bein’ a menace to the rest of the class!” Applebloom developed.

“How cute, she thinks that she can change our minds so easily.”

“Yeah, Diamond, cute.”

“Ah have friends who Ah can count on…”

“But you’ll never know who you truly are. You’re never going to get a cutie mark. Perhaps it’s better that way, though, because if you did have a special talent, I’m sure it’s just going to be an apple like the rest of your inbred family,” Diamond Tiara said, though Applebloom had a feeling that it was Havoc’s assault on her.

“Inbred? What does that even mean!?”

“It means that your family only believes in being with family—love, life, the whole bit. Have they not told you about your parents?”

“That’s enough, Havoc! You can be mean to me all you want, but you leave mah family outta this! You ain’t got no room to speak about family!”

“Perhaps I don’t, being a lone ranger and all, but I do know a thing or two about the Apples. Farmers, all of them, without fail. You, silly Applebloom, will be a farmer just like them.”

“So what if I am? If it’s who I was meant to be, then it’s who I was meant to be an’ there’s nothin’ in the world I would trade fer that!” She batted away the images of Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara, watching them dissolve into a black smoke. “I don’t fear not bein’ special because I already am!” The ground around her dissolved into the dark Everfree again.

Sweetie Belle seemed to be sitting in the foyer of Carousel Boutique, though she knew it couldn’t be. She was deep within the Everfree forest.

“Oh, Sweetie Belle, there’s something I must tell you,” came Rarity’s voice, but the image that moved its mouth was not Rarity. There was no charity in her eyes; there was no Generosity.

“What is it, Havoc? Can’t talk to me face to face?”

“Oh, well fine then, I’ll do things your way.” The Rarity dissolved into Havoc, the mirror showing an image of a dying Discord.

“Sweetie Belle?” Discord said from the mirror before Havoc placed his claw to the image and made Discord disappear, leaving a reflection of Sweetie Belle.

“You leave him alone! He’s done nothing wrong!”

“Oh, he did everything wrong. He let Harmony open the Pandora’s Box, releasing me into the world. He should have known the power that he drained away was going to return to haunt him. And so I have, waiting for the exact moment when the world would be weak enough for me to return.”

“Discord only wanted what would make this world better! He tried, and maybe he made some mistakes, but he’s tried.”

“Tried and failed, and now I am free to face the world, to destroy all of it and reform it in my desires.”

“You know nothing of desire, of passion. You can’t even show the slightest bit of true passion!”

Havoc grew cross with the interloping unicorn filly. “And what would you know about passion? A filly who doesn’t even know her special talent!”

“It just means that I can be whatever I want!”

“Keep telling yourself that, Sweetie Belle,” Havoc smirked before disappeared, leaving Sweetie Belle in the Darkness of the Everfree again.

Scootaloo hated the dark. She chose to say hated because she never wanted to admit being afraid. Sure, she had overcome a lot since that campout, especially under Rainbow’s direction, but it wasn’t enough to keep her from jumping at every sound around her.

“I-I know that’s you Havoc… I know it.”

“Very astute, but you don’t have a chance of defeating me. You, Scootaloo, are the reason why.”

“No… it’s not true!”

“It’s very true, and I can prove to you why. You will fail your friends when they need you most, like you have before. You always have, and always will.”

“I don’t always fail them! And as long as I keep true to myself, as long as I never give up… There will be hope for all of Equestria!”

“But you haven’t succeeded at anything thus far in your life, Scootaloo, your parents don’t even love you enough to keep you.”

“That may be true, but I have friends and family now. It’s enough for me. I won’t give up because I have them!”

“Then let your failure be sung across the land.”

The darkness dissolved around Scoots and she was reunited with her two best friends, to watch a towering Havoc above them.

“I have grown tired of you, and I do believe it is time to destroy you.” His paw and claw, grown to giant size, scooped them up and began to crush them. They couldn’t breathe, the pain overwhelming them, but somehow they managed to bring their hooves together.

With a gasp, each was able to say their goodbyes:

“Ah ain’t never met a better bunch a friends than you two, an’ I can’ think of anypony who Ah’d rather face doom with than you.”

“You’re the nicest ponies I’ve ever met. I can’t believe this is the end, and we still don’t have our cutie marks…”

“Well, at least I’m not alone,” Scootaloo said, “and it doesn’t matter, our special talents are nothing if we don’t defeat Havoc.”

“I love you both,” Applebloom said.

“We love you too,” Sweetie Belle said, feeling the crushing pressure crack something inside her.

“Yeah, I love you both…” Scoots said.

There was nothing left to do but let the darkness overcome them and crush them into oblivion.

The Elements of Spirit

Havoc smiled a toothy, evil grin as he crushed them. It was good to be rid of the last competition between him and the world.

That was when the most unexpected thing to ever happen in the world of Equestria befell him. A golden glow came from between his claw and paw, pushing them apart. The three fillies floated there in mid-air, protected by a golden barrier. On each of their necks was a new necklace:

Sweetie Belle’s had a music note in a pink gem; Scootaloo had a wrench in orange; Applebloom had an apple in yellow. When Sweetie Belle opened her eyes, they glowed bright as the sun, giving luminance to the whole Everfree.

“I have one question for you, Havoc,” Sweetie Belle said, but the voice sounded like a mix of all three ponies.

“Ask away, I tire of these games you ponies play.”

“Do you know what you are left with when you remove love and friendship, chaos and harmony?”

“Nothing. The world is defined by Harmony and Chaos, the loves and friendships that we foster. There can be nothing without one of them.”

“Wrong, when you remove Friendship and Love, Chaos and Harmony, you are left with the base of who you are, your spirit. The indomitable part of you.”

“Nice word, Sweetie!” Scootaloo said.

Sweetie blinked and her eyes returned to normal, “Yeah, I don’t even know what it means!”

“Uh, Sweetie, focus,” Applebloom said, noticing the golden field fading as Sweetie got distracted.

“Oh, right!” She blinked again and her eyes glowed again. “The Spirit within everypony cannot be defeated by Harmony or Chaos, for it is the true balance between Harmony and Chaos that makes our lives what they are, for better or worse. You cannot live in a world of just Harmony, and you cannot live in a world of just chaos, these facts are self-evident and are the nature of our universe.”

“Wow, how insightful. But this will not save you. I am the Omega to this universe’s Alpha. There cannot be any force to stop me.”

“That is where you are wrong, Havoc. The spirit that comprises of Passion,” Sweetie’s Element shone bright, “Courage,” Applebloom’s glowed with a brilliant light, “and most of all, Hope,” Scootaloo’s Element glowed brightest of all. “The Spirit is the balance between Harmony and Chaos. You cannot destroy it.”

Each glow, yellow, orange, and pink, created a beam that wrapped itself around the enlarged body of Havoc.

“This isn’t possible! I am Havoc, Ruler of All Chaos! No!” As the body of the Draconequus shrunk, the glow wrapped tighter and tighter until the three fillies could no longer see Havoc, and they landed softly on the ground.

The glow soon enveloped another sphere, creating a sort of double helix that the Cutie Mark Crusaders could see through. The transformation began, turning the mirror image of Discord into another form that was recognizable as a Draconequus, with a lion paw, eagle claw, mismatched horns, but everything about this new figure seemed feminine, and beautiful.

In the other side, Discord appeared. Applebloom knew it had to be Discord because, after a small turn on her part, it was the right fang that was present. The dangerous Left Fang floated between them, and from it the screech of Havoc’s final word could be heard as he was once more trapped inside.

Discord watched this all unfold from his new position, in the real world.

“Harmony?”

“Discord?”

The glow faded away, letting the pair come to each other as the fang hit the ground.

“Oh, how I have missed you, Harmony, all these long years.”

“Discord, I… I hope you can forgive me, I believed so foolishly that I could save you from the darkest part of yourself instead of helping you.”

“Forgive you? You never did anything wrong, it was all him. It was Havoc who destroyed our world.”

“Come here, you big lug,” she said, bearing a grand smile and the two Draconequui hugged.

“Blech!” Scoots protested, “namby-pamby again!”

“You say that now, but I heard you up there when we were about to be crushed, Scoots,” Applebloom smiled.

“Not a word of that to anypony back home.”

“Pinkie Promise,” Applebloom smiled.

“Now, I think we have some rectifying to do,” Discord said, leading them out of the Everfree, carrying the infernal fang.

In the following weeks, the story of how three little fillies saved the world continued to spread. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were revered by their classmates as heroes, though Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon wouldn’t let themselves be caught dead praising them.

Applebloom was proud of her roots, and her family was happy to have her home safe. This fact alone probably saved Twilight’s life from the back hooves of a certain red stallion’s double buck. She tended to the apple farm with her sister happily, bearing the Element of Spirit that she represented: Courage.

Sweetie Belle started learning magic so much faster now that she had the confidence of having saved the world behind her. She may not have been any good at designing clothes, but she loved to sing to herself while she tried anyway.

Twilight researched the Elements of Spirit and found a single entry in a long forgotten tome by Star Swirl the Bearded about the time of Two Draconequui, when one created the Elements of Harmony, the other created the Elements of Spirit. She brought this up to Discord, who swore he knew nothing of the sort.

Discord and Harmony resumed where they left off. With the additional power of Harmony, the Elements she created so long ago were restored for the six who bore them. With the combined power of the Elements of Harmony, the Elements of Spirit, the two Draconequui, Celestia, Luna, and the power of Cadence and Shining Armor’s love, the Fang was destroyed for good, taking Havoc with it when it disappeared, never to be seen again.

Luna and Celestia could only bow to the three fillies, knowing that there was a large debt that they owed them. Though, they didn’t want it to go straight to their heads. Celestia saw potential in the Cutie Mark Crusaders, something she saw at the beginning of this adventure, something she knew that Twilight would foster in them.

Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were all glad to have their sisters back. Rainbow Dash continued to mentor Scootaloo, and promised that she was twenty percent cooler than she ever thought she was.

The biggest change, though, was probably for dear Scootaloo, who, having learned that she bore the Element of Hope, would never give up in her fight to overcome the tragedy and misfortune that had befallen her when she was younger. She decided that her friends and her family now was all that really mattered.

And the World was saved, three little fillies with heart and spirit to spare, in a time most dire. Perhaps there was a lesson here to be learned, that perhaps even the least of us contribute to the world in ways more significant than we could ever know, we just need to keep our Spirit alive: Have the Courage to do what we’re Passionate for, and keep Hope that some day our efforts will be rewarded.

Harrowing of Memories

No, sister, I cannot let you do that! The Day is important to all ponies!

All you have to do is smile, smile, smile, fill my heart up with sunshine, sunshine

Just trust me!

Applebloom groaned as her body seemed sore. She struggled to open her eyes, but when she did, she didn’t see anything. There was only blackness and shadow. Then all these floating screens came past her, all bearing images of the memories from Princess Celestia, Pinkie Pie, and her sister. She could remember some of those days only slightly differently. All of these scenes seemed to enter her mind as if she were the original holder of the memories, just remembering them after so long. They seemed like they were lost to the annuls of time, only this spell that Twilight had cast on her brought them out again.

I’m sorry, Luna, but this must be done!

I know! A Party!

I would be honored if my family could help out.

She struggled to get up, but even the natural strength of the body she had wasn’t enough. Applebloom looked out among the memories and saw so many moments that filled her with emotions that she knew weren’t hers, but they felt like they were. It was as if she had lived the lives of the ponies she was taking the memories from, while still being so young. She managed to get her hooves underneath her and start standing, but then the weight of the memories crushed her again.

What is this fun thou speakest of?

I would never leave Ponyville hanging!

Sometimes all it takes is a little kindness.

Scootaloo struggled to get to her hooves. This feeling wrapped around her, the darkness that surrounded her, it was crushing, but she knew that she could overcome it. She had to. If she was ever going to be as awesome as Rainbow, she would come through for her friends. She had to. If she wasn’t there, then she would let them all down. She couldn’t do that. She was Rainbow Dash’s student, and as such, she would be there for her friends no matter what.

I am the princess of night.

Sure, I guess I’d be able to take you under my wing.

I mean, if you want to.

Scootaloo heard the memories of her mentor, and the princess that had led her to that day. They gave her strength when her own will failed her. She made it to her hooves and made a solemn vow: “I will do this, for you, Rainbow!” She only made it a few steps before the weight of the memories pinned her light-framed Pegasus body back to the ground.

Why would I ever forget the filly I loved to foalsit for the most?

I will not let this crime against fashion go!

Go, Spike!

Sweetie Belle felt dizzy. The amount of magic that was poured into her still developing mind rifled through it. She was standing by now, and she staggered a few steps forward. The memories around her gave her strength, but it feel like it wasn’t going to be enough. Though she could feel the power of Twilight’s Magic, and Cadence’s love, she wasn’t sure if her young mind could handle it.

This year’s host of the Equestria Games is the Crystal Empire!

I’ll make you all dresses!

Together, we are friends.

Sweetie Belle fell back to the invisible floor beneath her. Her strength failed her. She tried using magic to push back the darkness that was oppressing her, the symptom of having too many thoughts in her own head. She couldn’t do anything more than one spell that only came to her mind. And in fact, she thought it wasn’t even her mind: it was the part of her that was occupied by Twilight’s memories. Her horn glowed green before sending out a bolt that shot off into the deep shadows.

A true, true friend helps a friend in need,

A friend will be there to help them see,

A true, true friend helps a friend in need,

To see the light that shines from a true, true friend!

Together we are one,

And together we are friends,

When our destinies are united,

There is magic without end!

Applebloom heard these lyrics come through the darkness as a green bolt of magic found it’s way to her. When it encompassed her, she felt a connection even stronger to her two best friends in the whole world. The memories she borrowed melted away as she remembered all the times she spent with her friends.

All those crusades, all those times when they fought but remained friends… all that did was make their bond stronger. Even when they released Discord, they were still friends. All of those moments only drew them closer!

Scootaloo swore she could feel the darkness cracking her bones as she lied there, awaiting her eventual defeat. She was no Rainbow Dash. How could she ever be so foolish to think otherwise? She may have her favorite pony’s memories, but that made her no more Rainbow Dash than when she wore the wig to lead the fan club.

A green orb of energy floated toward her until it hit some invisible barrier. It made no sound to Scootaloo. She could barely watch it as it floated around the apparent bubble that surrounded her. She closed her eyes, hoping that her little miserable life would just abruptly stop, so that she could no longer be a disappointment to all those who she loved. So that she would never have to worry about love again.

Tears began to crawl down her face as the Darkness grew ever heavier.

Sweetie Belle watched as the green aura came dancing back. Oh, good. At least I’ll have some company while I’m so stuck on this invisible floor, she thought to herself. She heard hooves following behind it. Then, the voice of somepony she thought she would never see again.

“Sweetie Belle! Your magic! It’s so powerful!” Appearing out of the darkness, Applebloom put a smile onto Sweetie Belle’s face. The green bolt hummed the lines over again, and as Sweetie Belle listened to them, she could feel the power grow within her heart. The darkness was warded off and she could rise to her hooves.

“But where’s Scootaloo?” Sweetie asked, concerned for their missing friend.

A thousand years, We are stuck on the very symbol of the night We created. This is certainly irony, sister. Why would they not love our beautiful night? Did We not do it carefully enough? All thou doth is shine a bright light over the land and drown out all the beauty that We create. There are plenty of things that only the night can bring!

Scootaloo laid there, under ever more oppressive darkness. It felt so heavy, as if the whole weight of everything she had ever carried were perched on her, planning to crush her flat. She could feel the pain of the Moon Princess as she lamented in her memories of her banishment.

Did you not love me, sister? Could you not see the pain I was going through, being the younger sister always in the shadow of the elder? I… I loved you, sister.

Could you not love me?

Scootaloo felt so abandoned. She was alone here. The darkness was bearing down on her with all its weight, and this little green orb was growing dimmer and dimmer, or perhaps she was seeing less and less as the darkness was buried deeper and deeper into her soul.

She had heard that the eyes were the windows to the soul, and it only made sense to her that her eyes would stop working when her soul was so broken. She didn’t want to see the faces of all those she disappointed by being so weak, being so easily defeated that she couldn’t even take one step.

Not that anyone would notice her absence anyway.

The sound of laugher that was so familiar to her, she couldn’t place it, but she knew she had heard it before. Either that, or someone in her memories had. It was a hearty laugh with a tone of evil behind it, ready to do whatever it needed to.

Dearest Celestia, We hope thou canst forgive us. We have been so foolish. Thou were right. We just want to come home.

Scootaloo wanted to go home. Wherever that would be tonight. She could never fly up to Rainbow Dash’s house, her wings were too small, and apparently even now that she was grown, her wings would not lift her more than a few feet off the ground. Scootaloo had never even been to Cloudsdale, but after seeing Fluttershy’s memories, she was sure that she would be teased so much more.

And she didn’t want to be an animal tender either. There were plenty of ponies in Ponyville that could handle the pets if Fluttershy up and left. She was a useless pony. She had things that she loved to do, but none of them ever led to her cutie mark. She was destined to be the only pony in all of recorded history never to have one.

Why hast thou forsaken thy sister? What did We do to lose thy love? What did I do? If thou canst not forgive us, then we will come back to take thy throne by force!

Anger welled up in Scootaloo’s heart, ready to overtake her. She had no friends. There was no one there for her when she needed them. Sure, Applebloom and Scootaloo had been there, but did they really care? Did they really want to be her friend?

The answer Scootaloo came to was no. There was the sound of breaking glass as the windows into the memories returned to her vision. Each one telling the stories of her failures and her misgivings. Each one telling her of how she wasn’t loved. Before her stood the white unicorn and the yellow earth pony. When Scootaloo spoke next, she startled her so-called friends with the depth and volume of the voice that she spoke in.

“Why hast thou come back? Come to prod more fun at our failure?”

“What do ya mean, Scootaloo?” Applebloom asked. There was something strange about her friend. Instead of her normal purple eyes, the irises had become a deep indigo, almost bordering on black.

“Thou know what We speaketh of.”

“Scootaloo? You’re scaring me,” Sweetie Belle said, the timidity in her voice carrying some sort of vile pleasure to the heart of Scootaloo. A toothy smile spread across her face as she realized the fear that she invoked across the two of them.

“Seriously, Scoots, stop it,” Applebloom commanded. “This isn’t you.”

“We know what we talk about. We are most certainly we!” Scootaloo gave a fierce expression that caused Sweetie Belle to backstep a few paces.

“This ain’t normal behavior for a pony!” Applebloom said. “In fact, I’ve only heard of this kind of behavior…” Applebloom shuddered as she watched the change in Scootaloo. Since the orange Pegasus didn’t actually have magic, the residual magic from the memories of the Alicorn that had chosen her filtered through her. Her purple, normally messy mane slowly dissolved into black, with a starry appearance behind it. The orange coat she had deepened to a deep blue reminiscent of the night sky.

“Night Mare Moon!” Applebloom and Sweetie Belle both shouted as they started running.

“Thy have all spurned the night! Our Night! We will be loved!” The sound of hooves came following the two remaining Cutie Mark Crusaders as they ran off into the darkness that surrounded them.

“What are we going to do?” Sweetie Belle asked between panting and huffing from the exertion.

“Try that spell ya used on me!”

“I don’t know how I did it!” Sweetie Belle almost cried as they both continued on. The sound of hooves behind them had faded away, so they both stopped running to catch their breath.

“But ya did it once, didn’t ya?”

“I… I think it was Twilight somewhere in my head!”

They both looked at each other. “What are we going to do, Applebloom? I’m starting to get scared.”

“Ah think that’s the right thing to feel right now.”

“Applebloom,” Sweetie Belle said.

“What is it, Sweetie?”

“If you’re beside me, then who’s that breathing on my neck?”

The both of them spun around to see Night Mare Moon right behind them.

We hope you can forgive us, sister. We were so foolish.

But of course, Luna. I will always love you.

Scootaloo laid there, still enveloped in the dark orb. The green bolt hovered around the orb. She felt like she was running, but she was lying on her stomach. The very weight of the darkness crushing her, holding her so that she couldn’t even open her eyes now.

The evil laugh she had heard earlier, it was so familiar! How could she forget who it came from? How it haunted her. But somehow the face that she sought the memory of eluded her. Even with a total of four ponies’ memories, she had completely misplaced the one about that laugh. She was sure that if she knew who that laugh belonged to, she could solve this whole thing and be out of this nightmare.

As it was now, Scootaloo was failing, the thing she felt she had done best since she was young. She wasn’t any good at all sorts of things. And she certainly wasn’t good at what mattered most. Because she wasn’t any good at this friendship thing, she would fail the task set before her by the Princesses. The task that they said only she could perform.

The pressure of her failure collapsed on her even more. She felt like she was running once more, but again, she was lying on the invisible, black floor. The green little bolt barely was able to light through the darkness that emitted from Scootaloo.

She wished she could just stop breathing altogether, to leave this pitiful life of catastrophe and let those who did actually accomplish things go on without her hindrance. She didn’t even remember why her parents left. If they had died, or if they simply didn’t care for her enough to keep her. She remembered the first time she saw Rainbow Dash, the cyan-blue Pegasus that could clear all the clouds out of the sky in ten seconds flat, when she first moved to Ponyville. She had wanted to be more like her since she could remember. Though, with these useless wings and this empty heart, there was nothing she could do.

She was nothing like the pony she wanted to become. Rainbow was perfect. Scootaloo had never seen her fail. There was no hope. And since she wasn’t perfect, Rainbow would never truly love her. Nopony could love her. Not her parents, not Rainbow, not Applebloom, not Sweetie Belle, and certainly not herself.

The only thing Scootaloo could do now was cry, trapped in this cage of darkness.

“I just needed some love.”

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were again running from Night Mare Moon.

“We can’t keep running on much longer, Applebloom,” Sweetie Belle stated between heavy breaths as her body began failing her.

“I’m not going to leave you behind, Sweetie!” Applebloom said, lifting Sweetie onto her back and running off. Even with the extended strength that she picked up from her rapid age acceleration, the whole weight of another pony slowed her down. She was sure that it would slow down Big Mac too. In fact, the only thing keeping her going right now was the adrenaline rush from trying to escape Night Mare Moon.

“Thou shalt not escape our wrath! For spurning us, thou will all perish under eternal darkness!”

“Sweetie, Ah would really appreciate if ya would work on a spell!” Applebloom requested.

“I’m trying to think, but with all of Twilight’s Memories, I can’t think of anything that’s going to work!” Tears started to well up in her eyes as she realized that she was going to be destroyed by a monster-driven version of her own friend. Scootaloo was there for her, before Applebloom made them the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She was her first, and she liked to think, best friend. How could it be that she was so confused that she was attacking them now?

“Ah think Ah’m slowing down,” Applebloom panted as the sounds of hooves behind them grew even louder. “Ah… Ah can’t go on.”

“Then we need to turn around and face Scootaloo, I mean, Night Mare Moon head on.”

As the pair of them awaited the results of their fallen friend coming after them, a voice echoed out around them, full of sadness and despair. It was the familiar voice of their friend, Scootaloo. “I just needed some love.”

“Applebloom, do you trust me?” Sweetie Belle said as something sparked inside her.

“Of course, why?”

“Then take my hoof,” she said, holding out her left one toward Applebloom.

“Okay?” The yellow mare followed the command, but to her great confusion. As soon as she did, an aura formed around Sweetie’s horn, and they both leaped forward, straight at Night Mare Moon.