"Pinkie, I thought I said this meeting was supposed to be secretive!" Twilight cried out angrily.
The main six, Discord and a few select guests were collected in Pinkie's home. The room was decorated with colorful streamers, and a huge cake iced with the words Anti-Autocracy Party formed the centerpiece of the gathering. Scootaloo currently held a squeaky rubber mallet in her mouth as she attempted to hit a sweet-filled pinata, while Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom cheered her on through mouths full of candyfloss. Fluttershy seemed to be uncontrollably creating rabbit-shaped balloons, which Gummy proceeded to chew on contentedly.
"Shhh, Twilight - you're shouting. We don't want K-I-N-G S-O-M-B-R-A to hear," Pinkie Pie whispered loudly enough that everypony in the room could hear anyway. Everypony except Granny Smith, that is.
"What?" she yelled across the room. "Ah can't hear y'all!"
"Pinkie says we shouldn' be shoutin', Granny," Applejack told her patiently.
"What?" Granny Smith repeated.
"Pinkie sayid, NO SHOUTING!" Applejack yelled. The room feel silent and she grinned sheepishly.
"Heh... so anyway, now that's sorted..." she mumbled awkwardly.
"Can everypony pay attention?" Twilight addressed the group. "I know this may seem like a party-" Twilight threw a scowl in Pinkie's direction - "but this is important. We need to figure out how to put an end to this madness, once and for all."
"The elements?" suggested Apple Bloom. Twilight considered this for a moment and then replied uncertainly.
"That would be the obvious solution," she said hesitantly. "But I'm not sure whether I represent the element of magic any more, seeing as I have no... well... magic. Besides, the elements currently reside in the tree of harmony."
"What about the power of love?" squeaked Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo made a retching noise and Twilight raised an eyebrow. "What? It worked against the changelings," she added defensively.
"And who would be the happy couple to solve all our problems?" Rarity pointed out sarcastically.
"Erm..." Sweetie Belle glanced around the room with a critical eye, focusing on Fluttershy for longest - who blushed in embarrassment. "What about-"
"Maaaybe it's best we don't go down that route," Scootaloo interrupted. "Remember the last time we tried to interfere with ponies' love lives?" Big Mac, stood near the back of the room, added a decisive "eeyup".
"Besides, I have a better idea. I think we should wage an epic battle against Sombra with Rainbow Dash leading us into the fight!" cried Scootaloo defiantly. Rainbow Dash grinned and pushed her chest out proudly.
"Sounds good to me, kid!" she agreed, ruffling Scootaloo's hair.
"And how would you lead us into battle without your wings?" Twilight pointed out.
"Oh. Yeah. That." Rainbow sat back down again, looking disappointed.
"Well, as much as this brainstorming session is advancing in leaps and bounds even without my help," Discord began, "I think there is an obvious solution which would lead to certain victory for all things friendship."
"And what would that be?" Twilight asked warily.
"Pinkie and Fluttershy, of course!" All eyes in the room turned to either the hyperactive pink alicorn - who paused in the task of blowing up a balloon, which proceeded to fly around the room with a silly raspberry noise - or the pale yellow draconequus, who shrunk back a little and bumped her head on a lampshade.
"No offense to Pinkie and Fluttershy, but how are they the solution to all our problems?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"I'm not offended," Fluttershy quickly told her friend with a small smile. "I'm sure I wouldn't be a very good solution."
"Maybe cake is the solution!" Pinkie cried joyously. "Or balloons! Or-"
"If only I still had my chaos powers I could literally zip your mouth shut," Discord wistfully interjected. "Ah - yes - chaos powers. As I was saying: Pinkie and Fluttershy, while they may seem a little..." He paused, trying to think of a tactful phrase. "...useless-" Yes, that was the one! "-they could be the key to getting us out of here. My powers - well, Fluttershy's powers now - are practically unlimited. If it was me, I could easily turn that stupid red force-field into an ordinary soap bubble, or hot sauce, or-"
"Or a giant balloon!" Pinkie interrupted enthusiastically. Discord rolled his eyes.
"Yes, Pinkie, or a giant balloon. As for you, you now have Twilight's alicorn magic. While not as good as my amazingly brilliant chaos - Twilight dear, don't sulk, we all know it's true - I'm sure you could use some of your super special awesome friendship alicorn powers etc to take down Sombra." The room was quiet for a moment as everypony pondered the possibility.
"Well..." Twilight began hesitantly. "I suppose it's possible. I mean, yes, turning the big red bubble into a soap bubble would sure be helpful if Fluttershy could manage it. And you're right, a battle between Pinkie and Sombra - if we assume that Pinkie would be able to focus on something serious and utterly non-fun related for more than ten minutes - would probably be fairly evenly matched now she has my alicorn powers. Certainly, she'd have a good chance if we managed to drum up some happiness and cheer throughout Ponyville. After all, Sombra thrives on negative energy - without it, he becomes weaker and weaker." There was silence for a moment.
"Ok then, what are we waiting for? Let's go get that big meanie!" Pinkie yelled. Applejack grabbed Pinkie's tail in her mouth just as the pink alicorn attempted to fly towards the door. Applejack utilized her full apple-bucking strength to hold her back.
"Woah, Nelly! I don't think we're ready for a big ol' battle just yet," she pointed out.
"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed from near the back of the room.
"But ah wanna see some action!" Apple Bloom cried out.
"Yeah! I think it's time for an epic showdown," Scootaloo agreed with a grin.
"I have to agree with Applejack on this one," Twilight called out decisively. A chorus of disappointed groans from the Cutie Mark Crusaders echoed through the room. "Magic takes training, practice and concentration. I'll need to teach Pinkie how to use it."
"Will you teach me with musical intervention?" she asked, and Fluttershy (whether deliberately or not) used her chaos magic to dress Pinkie up in full rap-music gear. Pinkie nodded appreciatively, her gold chains jangling, and opened her mouth - but Twilight quickly covered it before she could begin.
"Erm, pretty sure that won't be necessary. I was thinking flashcards." Rainbow, unseen by Twilight, mimed retching and the Cutie Mark Crusaders giggled.
"Anyway, this is the plan. Rarity - you'll try and help me to teach Pinkie how to use her magic. You may not have been an alicorn, but you were a unicorn so it's worth a shot." Rarity nodded solemnly and cast a fearful look towards her giddy friend, whose eyes were currently following one of Fluttershy's rabbit-shaped balloons as it floated around the room. "Discord - you'll do your best to teach Fluttershy how to use chaos magic. There's not really anyone else I can ask to help with that, since you're the only person who's ever been a draconequus." Discord grinned eagerly and walked towards Fluttershy, who smiled a little despite her nerves.
"Oh, and please try not to cause too much chaos," Twilight added. Discord looked particularly mischievous.
"Well, I can't make any promises. Who knows - maybe Sombra's not your problem: Fluttershy might try and take over Equestria," he theorized. Upon seeing Twilight's best I-am-not-amused face he added, "Or maybe not."
"The rest of you, try your best to lift spirits around Ponyville. Applejack, Rainbow Dash - I was thinking maybe you could try and plan some kind of celebration or festival. I know Sombra banned all kinds of party, but I'm hoping that once Fluttershy and Pinkie are ready to defeat him you can throw one and distract him," Twilight explained. Rainbow Dash stared at her in disbelief.
"So lemme get this straight," she began. "You're gonna train Pinkie and Fluttershy to fight Sombra using their new awesome powers while I get to throw a party? This is unbelievable," she wailed.
"Hosting a celebration will be just as important!" Twilight pointed out with a lecturing tone. "Your job is to raise everypony's morale - no easy task, I can assure you." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.
"Rainbow hosting a party instead of me?" Pinkie clarified. Then she giggled. "What a doozy!"