//------------------------------//
// Chapter 21 The Power Within 
// Story: Hollow 
// by Demonfire463 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 21
Joshua POV

Arthur runs off after his outburst. Discord appears with a crack of thunder. 
"Well, well, somepony broke the no wings, no magic, no weapons rule." Damn it Rainbow Dash! Damn it Discord! Where is Agroth?! Twilight and Rarity's horn reappear, as do Fluttershy's wings and my pyromancy flame. "Game's over my little ponies! Look's like we're in for a big storm of chaos!" He laughs maniacally. Indeed we are. He gave me back my pyromancy flame...big mistake on his part. I summon a gigantic flame and will it all on Discord's body. He combusts and shouts with pain. The earth beneath him melts from the pyromancy as he snaps his fingers. The fire turns to water and he heals himself. 
"Don't play with fire. Lest you get burned." I say.
"Now that was just rude." He says as he brushes himself off. He remains charred and singed from the flame and I can't help but chuckle. Fluttershy giggles as well. Discord begins to laugh. He collapses onto the ground he's laughing so hard. 
"What are you laughing at?!" Pinkie shouts.
"You ponies are just the most fun I've had in AGES! Hahahah!"
"Well quit it!" Pinkie jumps over to him. Discord smiles smugly as Pinkie warns him not to laugh again.
"Oh yeah?" Fluttershy says. "Ha, ha."
"Quit it!"
"No. Hahahahahah."
"Quit iiiit!!!" Pinkie shouts. They continue to bicker at each other. Applejack begins to aggravate Rarity when she mentions sharing her diamond...rock.
"Girls, why are you all acting like this? We need to stick together!" Twilight shouts. She looks very distressed. 
"It is just too entertaining." Discord says on a bench he conjured.
"Stop it Discord!" Twilight shouts.
"This is hardly fair." I say.
"I'm not playing fair? Perhaps we haven't met. I'm Discord, spirit of chaos and disharmony. Hello."
"Tell me exactly how we were supposed to even find the Elements if you destroyed the labarynth before we could even complete it!" Twilight yells.
"Oh, wha? Did you? Hahahahahahahahah! How funny! You thought the Elements were IN the labarynth?" He teleports us back to the palace corridor where he said his riddle. We observe ourselves as we hear it a second time. "Twists and turns are my master plan, then find the Elements back where you began." He teleports us back to the crater where the maze used to be. "I never said they were in the labarynth."
"But, but-" she starts.
"Keep trying Twilight Sparkle and Joshua, maybe the magic of friendship can help you." He says sarchastically. "Now if you'll excuse me I have some chaos to wreak." I quickly conjure a fireball and hurl it at him. He snaps and disappears, only a fraction of a second before the fire could make contact. Damn!
"Back where you began, back where you began." Twilight repeats. 
"I reeeeeally hope they aren't in Lordran." I say. Solaire walks up, exhausted.
"Don't worry, they aren't." He says.
"Are you sure?"
"Would you like to go check?"
"No, but I trust you well enough."
"Thank you, where are Agroth and Arthur?" 
"Arthur left after the maze fell, we haven't seen Agroth though."
"Home! That's it!" Twilight shouts.
"What's it?" I ask.
"Back where you began! The Elements of Harmony are in Ponyville!"
"Well, it's as good a guess as any I suppose." Solaire says.
"Let's go then. You lead the way Twilight, I don't know the roads back."
"Just follow me." We begin the long trek back to Ponyville. 

Ponyville is in sight now, many hours of travelling. 
"I'm certain this is what Discord's riddle meant. If we get back to the library, I have a book that I know can give us a clue!" She gets trampled by a herd of long-legged rabbits. I flip out of the way just in time to avoid them and Solaire's armor prevents him from taking any actual damage from the stampede.
"Good boy Angel! Momma's so proud." Oh, I want the old Fluttershy back. The sun sets. What the, the sun sets? It was mid afternoon a moment ago.
"Wow I can see so much better now." Applejack shouts. She slips and slides into the other ponies. "I meant to do that." The sun rises. Celestia what are you doing?! 
"Discord replaced our dirt roads with soap!" Discord skates up to us and I use a pyromancy on myself. My feet catch fire but do not burn, good. Now there's a barrier between me and the road, preventing me from slipping. 
"Beautiful isn't it? Picture it! Ponyville: the chaos capital of the world!" He lifts Twilight up and the sun sets again.
"I can't picture anything, it's too dark."
"Oh wait a few minutes and you'll see it in the beautiful light of day, or not." He disappears.
"Ponyville, the chaos capital of the world? Not if I have anything to say about it!" Twilight states with confidence.
"Don't worry, you won't." Fluttershy laughs maliciously as she slides by us. I really want the old Fluttershy back. We continue on the road.

We arrive at the library. The sun rises quickly.
"Okay, everyone please go inside please." Twilight pleads. The disharmonized ponies all walk inside with their own little saying beforehand. They seem to become even more grey upon entry to the library. Rarity struggles to get her rock in. "Please!" Solaire and I walk inside to see a very wet and confused Spike. 
"Why'd you do that Fluttershy?"
"Oh, you just looked so peaceful."
"Um, I...was?" A rock smashes through the wall. 
"Careful Twilight! You'll ruin his beautiful finish."
"Oh for the love of-"
"Twilight! What's going on? Why is everypony so...grey?"
"It's a long story Spike. What I will tell you is that the next time I see Discord I'll light him brighter than the fires of Izalith!" I shout.
"Spike, I need you to help me find something."
"Hey Joshua. What's soaking wet and clueless." Fluttershy says. She's holding a bucket that's full of water. I can see where this is going. I use a fire burst to melt the bottom of the bucket.
"I don't know Fluttershy, what can control fire and is getting very annoyed with his so-called friend?!" I ask angrily.
"What?" 
"A pyromancer in bloody Equestria!" 
"Oh, boo hoo hoo." She taunts. I feel fire forming in my hands. Deep breaths Joshua. C'mon. I just need to remember, Fluttershy isn't herself right now. The stress of this whole situation even had the other undead running. The fire dissipates.
"Let's just find the Elements so I can go back to Lordran and I never have to see you again."
"What's happened to everypony?" Spike asks.
"Ah guess you just bring out the worst in us Spike." Applejack says.
"Ugh, no time to explain. We have to find the reference guide to the Elements of Harmony before somepony does something she'll regret!" Twilight turns to look at the grey ponies.
"The Elements of Harmony? Oh! I know exactly where that book is!" Spike rushes up a ladder and pulls a single book from the multitude on the shelf. He holds up a large book. "Found it!" I scroll hits him hard in the face. Fluttershy grabs the book as Spike regains his senses. 
"Fluttershy, you better give me that book!" Twilight stomps a hoof. 
"Fluttershy give her the book now!" I shout. 
"Keeeeep awaaaay!" She shouts to the other grey ponies. I swear to the gods I'm going to murder somepony! This is absolute chaos! I'm going to find Discord and scorch every fiber of his being! Pinkie bounces the book to Fluttershy a second time but Spike leaps at her, taking her to the ground with him. The book lands on the ground with a thud. The purple unicorn rushes over to it when it is surrounded by a blue magical aura.
"Mine!" Rarity shouts.
"I HAVE HAD QUITE ENOUGH!!!" I scream as I trip rarity with my foot. The book flies in the air and I reach to catch it. Fluttershy grabs it and smiles smugly. I knock her down with my hand and grab the book. Twilight and Spike run to me and I summon a great flame in my hand. I push the flame to the ground and a bright dome of flames surrounds us as a shield. "There, I got the damned book. Do what you need to do." Understanding my frustration and me understanding hers, she opens the book with her magic. When the pages turn she gasps.
"The Elements!" I look down and see five golden necklaces, each with a different colored and shaped gem in the center. One is a crimson lightning bolt, another is a pink butterfly. There is an orange apple, a light blue balloon, and a violet gem. There is also a crown with a purple star on it. "They were here all along!" Twilight says. I let the fire dome go out.
"This is great Twilight!" Says Spike enthusiastically.
"Maybe now we can get this mess sorted out."
"See girls? We did it! We found the Elements of Harmony! Together!" Twilight stops with the book. She drops it on the ground. Applejack yawns. "You don't even care do you?"
"No." They answer in unison. She sighs.
"I never thought it would happen. My friends...have turned into complete jerks!" She rushes over to them and puts their necklaces on them with her magic. "There. Now c'mon everypony let's go."
"Aren't we missing one?" I ask.
"Nope. We got the liar, the grump, the hoarder, and the brute. That about covers it."
"What about Rainbow Dash?" Spike says. Twilight puts her hoof to her chin, then uses her magic to put the red lightning necklace on Spike. 
"Congratulations Spike, you're the new Rainbow Dash. Now let's go."
"Me? B-b-but, what if she finds out I've been impersonating her?" He stops. "Oh, that won't end well."
"Too bad, you're Rainbow Dash. Now let's go defeat Discord so we don't ever have to talk to each other again." The other ponies all agree to this without hesitation, and charge out the door. I walk out an a boulder is thrown through the window. 
"Well, well. I see you've found the Elements of Harmony. How terrifying!"
"Discord! I figured out you're dumb riddle. You're in for it now!"
"You have no idea of the pain that I prepare to deal to you, monster." I mutter.
"Indeed I am, you have clearly outdueled me. Now I am ready to meet my fate. I am prepared to be defeated now, fire when ready." A target appears on his stomach. Well, he did say fire. A giant red ball of flames materializes in my hand. I hurl the Chaos Pyromancy at him and he lights up like a rotten tree in the Demon Ruins. The heat melts the ground around him, turning it to lava. I push another red flame into the ground. Dark red pillars of fire surround Discord, burning him badly and turning more ground to lava. I prepare to fire a burst of fire at him but Twilight stops me.
"Joshua! What are you doing?!"
"What do you mean what am I doing? I plan to kill him! He's so close to death! And where the hell is Solaire?!" 
"I'm right here." He says from the balcony. "You cannot kill Discord, he is basically the Equestrian god of chaos." The knight informs me.
"If we can't kill him then how will we defeat him?!" 
"They have to, with their power of friendship!" I've had just about enough of this.
"Look at them! Do they look like friends to you?" He stares down at the ponies, all glaring at each other. "Even Fluttershy, my only friend. Now she wants nothing to do with any of the others, or me!" I think for a moment. "And I want nothing to do with them." My body and my robes turn a dark grey. I'm going back to Lordran. Away from these damned ponies. Deceitful creatures. I walk through the Everfree Forest.
"Joshua, please." Solaire had run after me. "Have faith. They need you right now."
"Well they certainly don't want me." We reach the white light. 
"Joshua. Think about this. If you traverse that light, you may never see the ponies again. Your friends."
"Never see the ponies again."
"That's right."
"But only if I traverse the light?"
"Yes." I say nothing more. I walk through the white fog. If I'm lucky, he's right.