> Apple Wedding
>  by Rakoon1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> A Wish Born in the Chaos
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning sun started to rise in Ponyville, illuminating the beautiful village with its warm rays of light. These rays of light bursted through the windows of the houses to greet the ponies living there. In one of these houses, the sun's rays focused on Cherry Blossom that opened his eyes lazily. She sat on her bed and stretched. She got up and opened the window, feeling the morning breeze caressing her mane and the taste of the early spring sunbeams. Cherry Blossom took a deep breath and then headed for the exit of her home, exiting.

She then began to walk around the village, with many ponies greeting her and with her returning the greetings. She trotted cheerfully, having only in her mind her destination: Sweet Apple Acres. In every morning, she always went there because it was there that was the reason for her to get up so early.

She arrived to the apple farm and she soon found Applejack, who, on seeing her, greeted her with her usual enthusiasm:

"Howdy, Cherry, how are ya?"

"Very well, Applejack" Cherry Blossom replied. "And you?"

"Ah couldn't be better," Applejack said. "Let me guess, ya want tah know where Big Mac is, don't ya?"

"It's so obvious, isn't it?"

"Since ya come here everyday jest tah see him before ya go tah tha hospital, I think it has become a habit."

"Yes, I think you're right," Cherry said, laughing.

"Mah brother is there, plowing" Applejack told. "Ya can go tah him. Ah'll go tah tha orchard. Those apples won't catch themselves."

And she walked away. Cherry, meanwhile, went to the place Applejack told her to go and found Big McIntosh, her fiance, pulling his plow in a wheat field, preparing the land to the sowing. She approached, leaning on the fence to observe, smiling. She loved to see Big Mac working, because it only showed how strong and hardworking he was. Besides it was also good to see how he was always with a smile on his face.

When he finished, he looked around and saw Cherry there, watching him. He made his big smile and went to her.

"Hello, my love" Cherry said, as she and Big McIntosh nuzzled each other. "I see you're already working and yet the day has just begun."

"Eeyup" he said. "Ya know Ah like tah start early."

"I just hope you have not started before the sunrise" Cherry said. "You know that just makes you sick."

"Don't worry, Cherry" he said. "Ah start'd with tha dawn. Ah always follow tha advices of mah favorite nurse."

"I hope so" she replied, smiling. "I don't want anything to happen to my charming fiance days before the wedding."

"Ah can not wait fer that day comes" Big Mac said "It will be tha best day of mah life."

"And also mine" Cherry Blossom said. "I'm anxious to get back to see my parents, my sister and my friends. Thankfully, the Lord of Order will leave them to come."

"Ya miss them, don't ya?" Big McIntosh asked.

"A lot" Cherry Blossom said. "I'm eager to see them again and hug them."

She then looked at Big Mac and saw him looking a little sad.

"Hey" she said, placing gently her hoof on his face. "I love you. I love you so much. I chose to stay here because I want to spend the rest of my days with my great love, you. Nothing will be able to separate us, okay?"

Big Mac smiled and then said:

"Eeyup."

The two then prepared to give a kiss when they heard a hack. They turned and saw the little Apple Bloom, watching them with a big smile.

"Yes, Apple Bloom?" Cherry Blossom asked. "Do you want something?"

"I'm just glad to see you together" she said, still smiling.

The couple looked at each other and smiled. That, coming from Apple Bloom, was really something that made them smile, because it was partly thanks to her and her friends that they were together and happy.

"Cherry, did you asked to Dr. Stable if we could train in the hospital to see if the Cutie Mark Crusades can get the Cutie Marks in nursing?" Apple Bloom said.

"Well..." Cherry Blossom started. "You know, Apple Bloom, I don't think a hospital is a place to fillies like you and your friends."

"Oh, come on, Cherry Blossom" Apple Bloom asked. "It would be so cool."

"Ya heard Cherry, Apple Bloom" Big McIntosh said.

"But we could get our Cutie Marks" Apple Bloom said.

"Yes, but you and your friends can try to get your Cutie Marks in nursing without having to go to the hospital" Cherry said. "Just find somepony who has been hurt and treat him."

"Cherry, you're a genius!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, hugging Cherry Blossom. "Well, I gotta go get my saddlebag to go to school."

And she walked away.

"Ya know ya jest made mah sister have one of those great ideas of hers, don't ya? " Big Mac asked.

"It's always better than having them in the hospital causing trouble and bothering the doctors, the nurses and the patients" Cherry said. "And speaking of hospital, I think it's better get going to prepare myself, otherwise I'll be late. Goodbye, my dear."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek with he saying to her:

"Goodbye."

And Cherry walked away. Big Mac saw her walk away, smiling. He really had a beautiful marefriend and he hoped that nothing changed and they could be together forever and ever.


--------------------------------------


Sky, the Crown Prince of Eraklyon, after hearing by Bloom herself that she was no longer in love with him anymore and found a new love, didn't stopped trying to find some way to be able to enter into that strange world inhabited by ponies where she was. Of course that he had been warned by the Lord of Order to not even try, because otherwise he would have to deal to him, but Sky didn't care. He didn't care what that pile of metal with a ridiculous hat said. He would see Bloom again, even if he had to use more obscure methods.

It was then that an idea came into Sky's mind. How he had not thought of that. If the Lord of Order existed, so he should also exist and he should be able to send him to Equestria. Without attracting the others' attention, knowing that they would try to stop him if they knew what he was up to, Sky researched a way to find him. Then he was able to locate the portal leading to his world. He went to its location, finding it and crossing into it.

When he did it, he found himself in the most chaotic place he had ever been. Seemed to be the origin of all the nightmares of all beings in all worlds and realities. It was a place that scared more than Obsidian. It was a dark place, where the only source of light came from the sea of lava that laid beneath. It was a place where nothing made sense: there were places where gravity varied, places where forward was backward, places that challenged logic... That kingdom was a complete chaos. It was not long until Demons attack. He was ready for that and started to fight all those monsters. Although they were more in number, Sky's determination in reaching his destination led him to successfully defeat those Demons.

He then saw, floating on the top of that world, a huge castle, completely built to withstand an immense war and even attack. Sky advanced to there and then entered into a zero gravity zone and Sky used it to his advantage to fly up there and, when he was to land, he realized that gravity was back to normal. Taking a deep breath, he advanced to the castle, entering there. Inside, he found more monsters to fight. This time, it was not just Demons , but other vicious creatures that didn't exist in the Magical Dimension. In the end, he managed to beat them all and move on.

At the end of the long corridor, he found the door which should give to the throne room. It was a huge door made ​​of black metal containing ornaments depicting the creatures of darkness as Witches and Elves (the opposing creatures to Fairies and Pixies, respectively), Demons and many other creatures. Sky intend to push to open it, but then it was just opened, making a creaking noise, and it revealed to him the throne room it was protecting.

It was a fairly dark room. It was so impressive as creepy. It had black pillars that had reliefs which looked like skeletons, whose empty eye sockets seemed to emit a strange and gloomy glow, and the walls were decorated with jewels of dark colors that give that place a dark look. Each pillar contained a torch, but only those who were near the entrance were the ones these were alight and they were illuminating two rows of huge mirrors with a black frame, very similar to those that the Lord of Order had. In the back, Sky could see stairs that rose to the shadows. Through the shadows, Sky could distinguish a throne and a figure sitting there.

Sky entered, with his sword prepared for any possible attack. Then the front door just closed quickly, causing a noise that startled Sky. He then heard movement coming from the throne and turned his back and then saw two red eyes appearing in the middle of those shadows. They were equal to Lord of Order's in terms of color and shape, but these, instead of transmitting light and tranquility, emitted a cold wave that could reach Sky's innermost being.

"Look if is not Prince Sky of Eraklyon" the figure said with a playful voice, but at the same time frightening. "What brings your royal highness to my beautiful and magnificent citadel?"

Sky didn't answer, merely moving forward earnestly, and stopping after a few steps.

"Well, that's a very good unsmiling face" the figure commented. "If people tell you that a smile suits you, it's because they have not seen you in that way."

"You are Lord of the Order's brother, aren't you?" Sky said. "You are the Lord of Chaos, right?"

"Sky, Sky, Sky" the figure said. "A word of advice. Don't ask questions like that, or else I'll think you're as dumb as my brother describes you. But..."

There was a snap and the remaining torches lit up one by one and then they showed the top of the stairs. They would give to a throne made ​​of shiny black stone with red spikes on the sides of the back and the tip of each arm. Behind there was a gate made in smooth black wood, but tough and sinister, whose height was up to the ceiling.

However, Sky's attention was going to figure seating on the throne. He was just like the Lord of the Order, with the same type of armor and conical hat, although they, rather than gold, were in a very dark red. In his left hand he held, just like the Lord of Order, a double-blade spear.

"...yes, I am the Lord of Chaos, master of all evil and disorder. But now, I have a question in mind. What makes someone from the Order side like you on my personal chaos?"

Sky kept the sword and said:

"I need your help."

The Chaos Lord made ​​a sigh full of irony and said:

"No, really? Don't tell me."

"You don't look so surprised" Sky said.

It was then that the Lord of Chaos turned himself into black smoke which came quickly to the front of Sky and he appeared again, saying, while puting his clawed hand on Sky's chest:

"I felt your heart's desire."

When the Lord of Chaos touched him, Sky felt an immense cold invading him, followed by a great feeling of unhappiness, making him feel as if he would never feel himself happy again.

"Your desire comes from the darker side of your heart" the Lord of Chaos continued, collecting his hand. "That, my dear friend, is black magic, my beloved element. It's very rare to see something like that in such a noble and so honorable warrior like you."

"I want you to help me to see Bloom again" Sky said, while the Lord of Chaos gave some steps to his throne.

He paused and then asked, turning to him:

"Pardon?"

"You heard very well" Sky said. "I want to see Bloom again. I want to go to Equestria."

It was then that the Lord of Chaos began to laugh. The laughs almost made ​​Sky's blood to freeze.

"You can not be serious, are you?" he said to Sky.

But seeing him with his serious face, the Lord said:

"You're really serious."

He turned himself into smoke again and returned to the throne, where he appeared sitting with his legs crossed and his head resting on his hand, whose elbow was resting on the arm of the throne.

"But answer me this, wonder boy, what makes you think that I can do a spell that only my brother is able to do?"

"It's pretty simple" Sky said, advancing. "With my experience with magic, I know that all good magic has a load of negative effect. Although the Lord of Order are the only one capable of performing the spell that sent Bloom to Equestria, you must know another spell with the same purpose, because, although you and your brother have opposing magic, you two have equal power."

"I'm very impressed..." the Lord of Chaos said. "You conclued this brilliant conclusion all by yourself? If you did, then I must say you're not so stupid you appear to be."

"You're just like your brother, you know?" Sky said, seeing a similar way how he insulted him as the Lord of Order did.

"Don't even compare me with him" the Lord of Chaos replied. "I'm much funnier... and also more attractive."

"And for what I saw, also more arrogant" Sky added.

"Thank you for the compliment" the Lord of Chaos thanked. "But now, we will get to the point. I can actually do that, but it requires a price, like my brother's magic."

"Whatever the price is, I accept it."

"Ah, in fact the youth of today is the decadence of the previous generations" the Lord of Chaos said, putting his hand to his forehead. "Well, as you wish. The choice is yours. I will explain to you how we'll do this. My brother used one of the most powerful spells on the Order side to send Bloom to Equestria: the Elements of Harmony. The magic of these elements is commonly known as magic of friendship" he grimaced when he said these last words. "So, I have to use the opposite magic: the Elements of Chaos."

"The Elements of Chaos?" Sky repeated.

"Six elements that conflict with the other six Elements of Harmony" the Lord of Chaos said. "However, if you want I use them, you must to accept them."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sky said.

"What I mean is you have to leave my brother's side and come to mine."

"Wait, do you want me to become bad?"

"You from the Order side and your restrictions" the Lord of Chaos said. "Everyone is bad, my friend, they just get carried away by the kindness that my brother seeks to spread. You just have to ignore that nagging little voice that you call consciousness. It is the only condition."

That made Sky thinking seriously. If he wanted to see Bloom, he had to sacrifice everything he believed and was part of him. He have to forego the honor and the kindness and all good feelings. But for Bloom, he would do anything.

"I accept it" Sky said.

The Lord of Chaos laughed and then stood up and said:

"As you wish."

He raised his spear and said:

"Powers of darkness and corruption, open the portal of my mirrors, for the heart once pure can pass. By destructive power of deceit, by the malicious power of cruelty, by the potent power of anger, by the enhancer power of selfishness and by the manipulative power of betrayal, I command you to turn the purity in deeper darkness, using the heart's dark magic."

The spear began to glow and then the Lord of Chaos cast a beam to one of the mirrors that shone with a purple glow.

"There" the Lord of Chaos said, lowering his spear. "Go through that mirror and you will be in Equestria as a new Sky. Guaranteed promise."

"Sorry to say this, but a promise coming from the Lord of Chaos is not one thing that comforts me a lot" Sky said.

"Well, you can always turn around and go away, but believe me that leaving will be much more difficult than gettin in" the Lord of Chaos said, looking to his nails. "But don't forget that your greatest wish is on the other side of that mirror and that is within your reach."

He gave a laugh which angered Sky. He approached the mirror. He thought of his family and friends. If he crossed that mirror, he could never see them again, and, if he saw them again, they would be enemies, because he would be on the Chaos side. However, he couldn't lose that opportunity of seeing Bloom.

"Sorry, dad... mom... guys" Sky said.

And then he went through the mirror, being swallowed by darkness.
> Sky's Arrival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fluttershy was in a forest a little remote from Ponyville. Her squirrel friends had told her that one of their friends was injured and she was there to help. She finished to treat its injured paw and after that, she told it:

"Okay, now you have to wait a week to have your paw totally good. Don’t make too much effort until then, okay?"

The squirrel that she'd been treating gave some squeaks and then Fluttershy replied:

"You're welcome. The pleasure was all mine. But if you want to thank someone, thank your squirrel friends. They are the ones who came to warn me about you."

The other squirrels embraced their friend, doing lots of squeaks, and Fluttershy watched them happy.

It was then that an intense purple light that frightened Fluttershy and the squirrels came out of nowhere. The poor animals, trembling, squealed and placed behind Fluttershy.

"Oh, don’t be afraid" she said. "Maybe it's nothing. I... I'll go see what it is."

Afraid, she advanced cautiously towards the purple light that disappeared seconds later in an explosion of light and, hidden in the bushes, she observed. She then saw a pegasus stallion on the floor, apparently unconscious. He had a soft orange coat and a moderate yellow mane with two soft yellow strands around the face. His Cutie Mark was a helmet over two crossed swords.

Fluttershy prepared herself to go help him when she saw him starting to get up, what caused her to remain in her place. The stallion stood up and opened his eyes, revealing moderate dark blue eyes. He looked at himself carefully and then said:

"I can’t believe it... I'm really a pony. And on top of that a Pegasus."

He flapped the wings to take flight, but only lifted a few inches before losing strength and land.

"I think I still have to practice" he said. "Now, Sky, focus yourself on your purpose."

When he said "Sky", Fluttershy got even closer. She had heard that name before, but it couldn’t be...

"I have to find her. And when I find her, we will be together and nobody will separate us again. Wait for me, Bloom. I'm coming."

Fluttershy became blank and breathless. That pegasus was talking about Cherry Blossom. So he could only be... Sky, Cherry’s former boyfriend. Gasping, she stepped back, but ended up breaking a twig. Sky heard that and approached the place where Fluttershy was, but when he got there, he saw no one. It should have been just his imagination. He then walked away, determined to start looking for Bloom. Fluttershy was on top of a tree, waiting for him to depart. When he did it, she came down with the help of her wings and then said:

"I have to go warn the others."

She then flew as fast as she could to Ponyville, where she reached the library, entering quickly and finding Twilight packing some books on the shelves at the top, flying. When she saw Fluttershy, she said while landing:

"Fluttershy, are you okay? You look a little nervous."

"Twilight, I saw something... in the forest... and I... and I..."

"Fluttershy, calm down" Twilight asked. "Take a deep breath and tell me what you saw."

Fluttershy took several deep breaths and then said:

"I saw Sky."

"Sky?" Twilight repeated. "But of course. Everypony can see the sky."

"No, it's not what I mean" Fluttershy said. "I mean Sky. The Sky of... of... Bloom... I mean... of Cherry Blossom..."

"Wait a pony minute" Twilight asked. "Are you talking about Sky? That boyfriend that Cherry Blossom left when she came to Equestria?"

Fluttershy nodded.

"But that's impossible" Twilight said.

"But I can assure you he is here, Twilight" Fluttershy said. "He is a pegasus and he seemed very surprised to be one. And he said he had to find Bloom and I heard him say his own name when he was talking to himself..."

"Fluttershy, calm down" Twilight said. "Let me think. He couldn’t get into our reality all by himself, so how did he do that?"

"Maybe we should call our..." Fluttershy began timidly.

"That's it, we need to call our friends" Twilight said. "We should get together to find a solution."

"But maybe it's better not tell..."

"It’s better not tell to Cherry" Twilight said. "She is so well with Big Mac and this would just shake their relationship. Spike!"

The little dragon came downstairs and asked:

"Yes, Twilight?"

"Take a note" she said.

Spike just took a parchment and a quill and said:

"Ready."

"My dear friends, please, I need you to come to the library immediately. Something happened and you need to know. Don’t say nothing to Cherry. With love, Twilight. You got it, Spike?"

"You bet" he said, finishing the writing.

"Now, make three copies and send the four to Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie and Rainbow" Twilight asked.

"You got it" Spike said, doing a salute.

Spike did it and then sent the letters with his magical fire. It was not long until they hear the door knocking and all her friends came in.

"What happened, darling?" Rarity asked as she entered. "Your letter seemed to be urgent."

"Is it something exciting?" Pinkie asked, always energetic. "Or is it something awful or something really, really, really scary..."

She was stopped by Applejack who put her hoof over her mouth to prevent her from continuing to talk and asked:

"Why did ya say tah not tell tah Cherry?" Applejack said.

"Yes, has this something to do with her?" Rainbow said.

"You could say so" Twilight replied.

Twilight then began to tell everypony what Fluttershy had seen and heard. When she finished, all became astonished.

"Wait a bit" Applejack said. "He's here? Right here? In Equestria? "

Twilight and Fluttershy waved.

"But how is that possible?" Rarity asked.

"Yes, he could only come here through that very bright portal that only us and the Lord of Order can open and that can only be done only once in each century, and if my memory is right, and it is almost never wrong, that moment is only in a long, long, long, long time" Pinkie Pie said, all in one fell swoop.

"Are you sure it was him, Fluttershy?" Rarity asked.

"Well, I'm not sure" Fluttershy said. "But I heard him say his name and that he had to find Bloom. Well, I think the only Bloom I know is Cherry Blossom."

"But are you really, really sure?" Pinkie Pie asked. "It's just that sometimes we hear things that ultimately is not what they seem to be. And sometimes we also see things that..."

"What does it matter?" Applejack asked. "Don't ya realize what's at stake here? If that Sky is here fer Cherry, so he will ruin things between her an’ mah brother."

"Applejack is right" Rainbow Dash said. "We must to do something. And fast."

"Well, I can tell you where he is and we can watch the village to see if he arrives" Fluttershy said shyly. "Maybe we can convince him quietly to leave Big Mac and Cherry alone and..."

"He will not let them be just because we ask" Rainbow said.

“Rainbow is right" Applejack said. "We have tah get him tah leave, whether he wants it or not."

"Personally, I expect violence won’t be necessary" Rarity said. "Maybe we can convince him to come out in a civilized manner."

"Or maybe we can bribe him with cake and chocolates" Pinkie suggested, making everypony look at her. "What? It works with me."

"Guys, guys" Twilight said. "Settle down a bit. You can’t start now to propose solutions to a problem like this."

"What do ya want us tah do, Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah, what is that egghead thinking about?" Rainbow Dash asked, while flying alongside Twilight, gently tapping her hoof on Twilight's head.

"To begin with, we shouldn’t solve anything until we realize what is happening" Twilight replied, pushing Rainbow Dash’s hoof. "For example, getting to know how Sky was able to get here."

"Oh, please, Twilight, Ah think it's pretty obvious" Applejack said.

"Well of course, it’s clear that it was the Lord of Order" Rainbow said, while Applejack waved. "As Pinkie said, only he and we can open the gate."

"Yes, but she also said that the spell can only be done once per century" Twilight contradicted.

"Twilight is right" Rarity said.

"But he could have left him come jest fer some time" Applejack said.

"Maybe, but the Lord of Order would hardly allow Sky to put even a hoof in Equestria" Twilight continued. "Have you forgotten that he loves to keep things in constant balance? He says that only allows visits between realities under certain conditions. Still, do you think that he would let Sky come, knowing that he should still love Cherry? Not to mention he doesn’t like him at all. I just didn’t call Cherry to not worry her so much, given that we don’t know very well what is happening, but I think we have to tell her."

"Yes, Twilight is right" Rainbow said. "It’s our duty as friends inform her about what is going on?"

"Are ya crazy?" Applejack said. "We can’t do that?"

“Wait, are you suggesting to lie to her?” Rainbow Dash asked. “The honest Applejack wants to lie to her future sister-in-law? It’s unbelievable!”

"But, Applejack, if Sky and Cherry meet each other without telling her first, things could become far worse" Twilight said.

"But if ya warn her, we run tha risk of her havin’ tha desire tah return tah her ex" Applejack said.

"Applejack, you seem to doubt about Cherry Blossom’s love by Big McIntosh" Rarity noted.

"It's not that, but Ah don’t want tah risk of having mah brother getting’ hurt again" Applejack said. "It was enough tha troubl’d period of Cherry’s doubts about wantin’ or not tah return tah her world. She can be mah friend, but Big McIntosh is mah brother and Ah worry a lot with him."

"AJ, if your brother like Cherry that much as you are trying to say, so he is able to fight for her" Rainbow said.

"Okay, now I'm confused" Pinkie Pie said. "We will or not tell Cherry that Sky is here?"

"I think it’s best we talk to..." Fluttershy began.

"I think we have to talk to the Lord of Order" Twilight said. "Only him can explain all this."

"Yes, but how will we contact him?" Rarity asked. "The Lord of Order is a very busy and illustrious figure and it must be very hard to make an appointment."

"Maybe we should use..." Fluttershy began.

"Hey, what if you use the Elements of Harmony?" Spike asked. "After all, they are one of the most powerful magic of the Order, right?"

"Good idea, Spike!" Twilight congratulated, hugging her little dragon. "You’re a genius!"

"Tell me something I already don’t know" he replied, looking at his claws.

"Yes, Spike" Fluttershy said. "It was… a wonderful idea."

Twilight used her magic to remove the Elements of Harmony, which were inside of the rectangular glass case, and handed the necklaces over to their respective matching holders and then placed her crown in her own head. The six placed themselves in a circle and Twilight said:

"Okay, girls, I'll try a simple summoning spell and concentrate in the Lord of Order. Let's see if it works."

The six mares concentrated themselves and then Twilight focused her magic and her horn began to glow, followed by her element. The other elements began to shine and the six ponies rose in the air. Then a rainbow began to connect the elements and when the two ends of the rainbow came to Twilight, they run around her, hitting the Element of Magic which released a huge colorful glow that dazzled the room, forcing Spike to cover his eyes, and when it ceased, they saw that in the middle of the circle stood the Lord of Order.

"Girls, I know I have an amazing personality and I'm very interesting, but can I know the reason you called me?" the Lord of Order asked.

Slightly intimidated by the Lord of Order, Spike said:

"You know, I think I'll go upstairs... so you can talk more… freely."

And he hurriedly climbed up the stairs.

"That baby dragon really needs to gain a little more courage" the Lord of Order said. "So what do you want to talk about with me?"

He then noticed the ponies’ serious face.

"For your faces, I can see that is not a very good thing" he noted.

"Answer to a question" Twilight asked.

“By chance, was it you who brought Sky to Equestria?" Rainbow asked, approaching the Lord of Order, flying, and putting up face-to-face with him.

"What are you talking about?" the Lord of Order asked, gesturing and carrying Rainbow Dash back to where she was.

"Sky appear’d here in Equestria" Applejack answered. "Fluttershy saw him appear."

"Who are you talking about?" the Lord of Order asked.

"You know, that really cute guy who was before Cherry's boyfriend" Pinkie said.

Upon hearing that, the Lord of Order began to laugh, and he was about to lose control in himself for rolling on the floor laughing.

"Oh, Pinkie Pie, you are so funny" the Lord of Order said, still controlling the laughter. "Do you really think I was going to help that spoiled prince, a person whom I dislike a lot, to come here? It was really a good joke."

"Wait, so it was not you who brought him to Equestria?" Twilight asked, seriously.

That did the Lord of Order stop laughing and ask:

"Wait, are you really serious?"

"Wait, now that I said it, you believe it?" Twilight asked.

"No offense, my dear, but you're not a pony that makes a lot of jokes. You're more the type that turns a fun time in a very boring time."

That made Twilight load the brow.

"But now let’s talk about the main issue here" the Lord of Order said. "That you are saying is impossible. Sky can’t be here in Equestria. The only way to get in without the spell is forcing the entry and I would feel if one aspiring knight had crossed through realities. And if I didn’t feel that, I would feel if he were in Equestria, which is not happening."

"Well, no offense… my lord" Fluttershy said, with even more intimidated for be talking with the Lord of Order. "But I saw him appear. He seemed to be… surprised for being a pony and he said he had to find Bloom."

"If you say so, my dear Fluttershy, it’s because it’s the purest truth" the Lord of Order said. "But the last part was enough to realize it. After all, Sky is completely obsessed for Bloom. But what I don’t understand is how he managed to fool me. No one can fool me.”

"Well, there's always a first time for everything" Rainbow replied, with a certain mocking tone.

That did the Lord of Order look at her in such harsh way that made her shrink, giving nervous giggles.

"Oh, Lord of Order, sorry, I don’t want to somehow ruin your reasoning" Rarity said.

"Yes, Rarity, what you have to say?" the Lord of Order asked.

"But is there a way for he could have gotten in on Equestria without you notice and without cheating you?" she asked. "I mean, Sky could have asked for help to someone who could..."

"Another person?" the Lord of Order repeated, thoughtfully. "No, that would not make sense.”

Then an epiphany reached the Lord of Order, which began to say:

"Making sense... Of course! He could have asked for help. But the only person who can do this is... But no, he wouldn’t dare. He is not so stupid to commit such a crazy thing. But on second thought, he's really so dumb and desperate thar he was very able to do that. But how was he able to do such a thing?"

The six mares exchanged confused glances between themselves and Applejack asked:

"Who are ya talkin' about?"

"I think I know how he got that and the reason I can’t feel him" the Lord of Order replied.

"Okay, don’t leave us in expectation" Rainbow said. "Tell us."

"Oh, oh, is it something totally completely exciting and fun?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Far from it" the Lord of Order answered. "Far from it. Think about someone with a magic that is opposite to mine, but equal."

Although the others didn’t realize who he was talking about, Twilight just thought for a few seconds before realizing.

"Wait, are you trying to say it was..." she began.

"It’s exactly what you are thinking, Princess" the Lord of Order said. "My treacherous brother, the Lord of Chaos. He used probably the opposite magic of the Elements of Harmony to bring him to Equestria: the Elements of Chaos.”

Seeing the confused look of the mares, he clarified:

"Any good magic, any one, has a dark side. The more good it is, the more evil is its dark side. These Elements of Chaos are the evil version of the Elements of Harmony, corresponding to its opposite."

He turned to Applejack, continuing:

"Applejack, your opposite element is deceit" turned to Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie, yours is anger" turned to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, yours is cruelty" turned to Rarity. "Rarity, yours is selfishness" turned to Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow, yours is betrayal" then turned to Twilight. "And finally, yours, Princess Twilight Sparkle, just like your element, the last one is the most powerful of all opposite elements: black magic."

The mares exchanged glances with each other. And then Twilight asked:

"What can we do?"

"I unfortunately can’t do anything" the Lord of Order said. "If I can’t feel Sky, it's because he accepted the Elements of Chaos and, because of that, he was corrupted. He now no longer belongs to the Order, but to the Chaos. I can’t drag him out of here, simply because I don’t have power over him. But you on the other hand..."

"We what?" Applejack said.

"Well, now that Sky no longer belongs to the Order, we just have to make him see the light again. And you, my dears, can make this light come from you. "

"You mean..." Twilight began, thinking of the right words to say. "You mean we can use our elements to corrupt Sky again."

"Well, havin in count how you are connected to the Elements of Harmony, you can make Sky accept them. So, you" pointed to Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Rainbow Dash" have a new mission: you have make to Sky be honest again, show him kindness, show him the joy of smiling, making him commit an act of generosity and prove he still holds loyalty."

They waved to him.

"And me?" Twilight asked. "What I have to do."

"Your mission, my dear, is different from the others’" the Lord of Order replied. "Different and more important. Your element is the one that is not visible to others, is an element that resides within and, at the right time, you will know how to use it."

And having said this, he disappeared. The six mares looked at each other, thinking about the mission they have now.

Not much distance away, Sky managed to get out of the forest and then looked ahead and saw Ponyville. He smiled and said:

"I can feel you're there, Bloom" Sky said. "Wait for me, my love. Soon you will be mine again."

And, briefly, a black shadow invaded Sky’s eyes.
> Unexpected Reunion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Lord of the Order appeared in his brother’s world, beginning to take steps in a decisive manner. The creatures who lived there, alerted to any intruder, fled when they saw him, just like animals flee from fire. It was not long until he arrived to his brother’s castle, levitating himself there and entering in his castle, always making the creatures that defended it to flee. He then arrived to the door that was guarding the throne room. He pointed his hand and it opened up in an outburst, then entering in the darkened room. The only true light that was there was the one that was comming from the Lord of Order. Red eyes appeared in the darkest area of the room and a voice asked:

"But what's happening?"

The Lord of Order pointed again his hand and threw an immense light that eliminated all the darkness that was there, revealing his brother that started moaning for being exposed to that bright light.

"Oh, stop it!" He exclaimed, covering his eyes with his arm. "Stop it! You’re blinding me!"

"That is what you deserved after what you did!" the Lord of Order replied, lowering his arm and stopping the light.

Black smoke appeared in front of him and it became in the Lord of Chaos.

"What did I do this time?" he asked.

"You know what you did" the Lord of Order replied. "Don’t you dare lie to me, brother. Did you think I would not know about your latest achievement with the Elements of Chaos?"

"Oh, so did you get to know" the Lord of Chaos said, stepping a few paces and passing by his brother, who accompanied him with a stare. "Honestly, I was wondering how long you would take to realize everything."

"Do you think this is a joke?" the Lord of Order asked. "What were you thinking of sending Sky to Equestria?"

"I just helped a person who came to me asking for help" the Chaos Lord defended himself, turning to his brother, making an innocent look. "I thought you liked that sort of things. Don’t tell me being generous to others is now a crime according to your standards."

"No, it's not a crime" the Lord of Order replied, beginning to approach his brother. "But we both know what are your true intentions."

"Oh, yeah? Come on then, let’s know what big revelation the Lord of Order has to say to us."

"You didn’t want to help Sky. In fact, the only person you want to help is you and only you. No, what you wanted is to corrupt him, bring him to your side, and then send him to Equestria and thus infiltrate an evil bacterium from the outside in my perfect job."

"But I could have done that a long time and in any creation" the Lord of Chaos said, again passing by his brother. "And I did it. Why do you accuse me now?"

"Because I know you used Sky's desire to see Bloom to turn him into your slave, hoping you can achieve Bloom and control the Dragon's Flame inside of her to wreak your dark magic on my side of that reality."

"I feel myself completely offended for you having suggested such a thing" the Lord of Chaos replied, making a false offended look.

But seeing his brother was not to falling in that, he said seriously:

"At first, I thought do that, but then I realized that maybe it won’t work. After all, Princess Bloom has an unwavering will. Honestly, I doubt that idiot can conquer her love. But who knows, he can have some luck."

"Yes, he’s an idiot with emotional problems. You know, it's strange that we agree on something. It’s really creepy. But ahead, correct this mistake now."

"You know, I really want to do that" the Lord of Chaos really. "Really I do, but, unfortunately, fix things doesn’t make part of my nature. That is your job."

"But you said that your plan might not work" the Lord of Order said.

“You said well, my brother, might, but you know I like to try things" the Lord of Chaos said.

His brother then sighed and said:

"So it seems I have to rely on Twilight and her friends to resolve this situation."

And he started heading to the exit, then began to hear laughter from the Lord of Chaos. He turned to him and asked:

"What?"

"Do you really think those six will be able to change what I changed?" the Lord of Chaos asked. "No offense, but I think these new users of your Elements of Harmony don’t have the same charisma that Celestia and Luna have."

"They managed to defeat Nightmare Moon and Discord, didn’t them?"

"Maybe, but on those occasions, they used the elements offensively. In this case, it comes to use them to change the way of being of someone. That requires a certain... way."

"You don’t have to worry about that" the Lord of Order replied. "I'm sure they will be able to do it."

And having said this, he left the throne room and the doors began to close, with the Lord of Chaos saying:

"Maybe, but get ready, because when Sky be at his peak, he will get out of control, even for them."

And the door closed.


--------------------------------------


Cherry Blossom finished her shift at the hospital. Upon leaving, she took a deep breath the fresh air of the day. She then started to go home. In the way she crossed with Junebug who was running hastily, as if she was trying to escape from something. Cherry noticed the bandages that covered her body. Seeing this, she had a sneaking suspicion of what might have happened. It didn’t take long for her suspicions to be confirmed. Apple Bloom and her friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, have emerged, both with a first aid kit.

"Wait, Junebug" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Let us help ya" Apple Bloom said.

"Yeah, we can help" Scootaloo said.

"But what happened?" Cherry Blossom asked, approaching.

"Oh, Cherry, precisely the pony we wanted to see" Sweetie Belle said.

"We really need your help" Scootaloo said.

"I'm listening" Cherry Blossom said.

"Well, we try tah get our Cutie Marks in nursin’" Apple Bloom started.

"We started looking for ponies who needed our help, but..." Sweetie Belle continued.

"But we couldn’t find anypony who needed our help, so..." Scootaloo said.

"You found Junebug and decided to help her dealing with an injury and ended up wrapping her in bandages?" Cherry guessed.

The three fillies nodded sadly.

"An’ we were wonderin’ if ya could help us" Apple Bloom said.

"Yeah, after all you are the best nurse of all" Scootaloo said.

Cherry laughed and replied:

"I don’t know if I'm the best, Scootaloo. But, girls, is it not better you try something else?"

"But we want tah try tah be nurses" Apple Bloom said.

"Moreover, the uniform is very classy" Sweetie Belle said, straightening her mane in a very similar way that her sister, Rarity.

"Sweetie, an uniform and a first aid kit aren’t the enough to make you a nurse" Cherry Blossom said. "It also takes a lot of study."

"Study?" the three fillies repeated.

"But of course" Cherry said. "You need to know the pony body. And, girls, sometimes work involves twisted hooves, broken legs, burns, dislocated shoulders...

Upon hearing that, the Cutie Mark Crusaders looked at each other with a displeased look and then turned to Cherry and Apple Bloom said:

"I think it’s better we try somethin’ else."

Cherry laughed and then said:

"Well, girls, I have to go home. Good luck with your crusaders."

But when she turned around, she went against somepony.

"I'm so sorry" she said. "I didn’t see where I was going."

"So it's better you have more attention to the next time" the pony who had gone against Cherry replied.

Then they looked at each other and let out exclamations because they had recognized each other.

"Sky?" Cherry asked.

"Bloom?" Sky asked, starting to smile. "Is it you?"

Cherry couldn’t believe what was happening. She was before her ex-boyfriend. The young unicorn was in shock. She didn’t know if she had to run away or not. But one thing was sure. She was not happy to see him, on the contrary. When she recognized him, feelings of fear seized in her heart.

"I can’t believe it's you" Sky said, smiling hugely.

And then he hugged her, with Apple Bloom and her friends observing the scene, confused. Cherry hastened to depart herself from Sky.

"What's going on?" Sky asked. "Are not you happy to see me?"

Cherry didn’t respond to that, turning to the three little fillies and telling them:

"Girls, can you go, please? I'll meet you later."

"Okay, Cherry..." Apple Bloom said. "As ya wish..."

She, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo moved away, unable to get the look from that pegasus who was looking them in a cold and harsh way that gave them the chills.

"Cherry?" Sky asked to Cherry. "Do they called you Cherry?"

"That’s my name now" she replied. "Cherry Blossom. And I don’t want you to call me Bloom here because very few are those who know my true origin."

"Of course, as you wish, but the most important thing now is that we are together" Sky said, raising a hoof to her face.

Before he could touch her, Cherry Blossom pulled it away quickly.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Well, I thought..." Sky began.

"Didn’t you hear what I said when I spoke with you, my family and my friends?" Cherry asked. "I don’t love you anymore, Sky."

"I don’t believe in that" he replied. "I love you, Bloom, and I know you love me too."

"No, I don’t love you, Sky" Cherry said. "Not on the way you want. I have another pony."

Sky watched her for a few seconds and then said:

"I see that this land has changed you so much. Now you speak like a pony."

"I adapted myself" she replied. "And believe me, Sky, I love what I became after the adaptation. I have new friends, as good as the ones I have at home, a good house, a job where I can help others... and my happiness will reach part of completeness in a few days."

"What do you mean?" Sky asked, not liking what was coming.

"I'm getting married, Sky" Cherry said.

This news was like an electric shock to Sky who asked:

"You what?"

"You heard me" said Cherry. "I don’t want you to know this in this way, but since you're here... By the way, that's another thing. How did you get here?"

Sky, still stunned by what Cherry had said, ignored what she had asked and asked:

"Who is he?"

"Sky, answer my question" demanded Cherry Blossom. "How did you get here?"

Despite knowing that it was th right thing to say Bloom who had brought him to Equestria, he truly knew how she would react, so Sky decided it was better to lie.

"It was the Lord of Order" he said.

"Good answer. Now, seriously, how?"

"Don’t you believe me?”

"I would believe, Sky, if I didn’t know that the Lord of Order would never bring you here" Cherry Blossom replied. "Not just because of the balance, but because he hates you and knows that you would come look for me at the precise moment that you put your hooves in Equestria."

"You offend me, Bloom" Sky said. "I would never lie to you."

Cherry looked at Sky for a bit and then saw something that surprised her. There was something in his eyes. It was like a shadow. It scared her so much that she began to retreat.

"I have to go."

"Bloom, wait!" Sky asked, trying to follow her.

"Leave me alone!" Cherry exclaimed, instinctively carrying her horn with magic.

She made Sky levitate and then made him take many turns in the same place and then the spell broke up with him sprawling on the floor, with his head around. Cherry began to walk away. Sky rose up, regaining his consciousness, and saw Cherry Blossom moving away quickly.

Looking at the scene, hidden, were the three little fillies. After listen the conversation between Cherry and Sky, both were worried.

"So that's Cherry’s ex-coltfriend" Scootaloo said.

"Well, he is really handsome" Sweetie Belle said.

"Yeah, you are right," Scootaloo agreed.

"Stop it, girls" said Apple Bloom, seriously. "Don’t ya realize what's at stake here? If Cherry’s ex-coltfriend is here, it means trouble."

"What do you mean with trouble?" Scootaloo said.

"I understand what Apple Bloom is saying" Sweetie Belle said. "If Sky, or whatever his name is, is here, he can come between Cherry Blossom and Big McIntosh."

"We can’t let that happen" Apple Bloom said. "We can’t let all our work and their love to be in vain."

"And how do you think we can do that?" Scootaloo asked. "Attach ourselves to Sky like limpets and watch everything he does?"

That made Apple Bloom let out a sly smile.

"I think you just gave her the idea, Scootaloo" Sweetie Belle noted.

"But of course we have tah watch him" Apple Bloom said. " If we see what he does, we can predict any attempt tah try tah separate Cherry an’ mah brother an’ stop him."

"Yes, Apple Bloom, is a good plan" Sweetie Belle agreed. "But there's a catch."

"Between school and time to go home, we can’t cover him most of the time" Scootaloo added.

"So we have just tah duplicate our attention at the time that we're watching him" Apple Bloom said. "And of course one of us will have to keep an eye on Cherry, as a precaution."

But seeing the uncertain look of her friends, Apple Bloom encouraged:

"Come on, girls, let’s do this for Cherry. She has helped us many times. We have at least to help her once."

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at each other and then smiled and waved to Apple Bloom who stretched her hoof, saying:

"Let's do it then, Cutie Mark Crusaders."

The other two put their hooves on top and then the three said in unison, lifting the hooves:

"Yeah!"

"I just have a doubt" Sweetie Belle said. "Why did Sky call Bloom to Cherry?"

"And who is the Lord of Order?" Scootaloo said.

"Yes, those are good questions" Apple Bloom nodded.

The three looked at each other for a while, but then they eventually ignore those questions that they did to themselves.

Cherry ran as fast as she could to Golden Oak Library, entering and finding her six pony friends, along with Spike, talking among themselves.

"Girls, something serious happened" she said.

"But what happened, Cherry?" Twilight asked.

"Sky..." she replied. "My old boyfriend. Girls, he's... here. I just met with him."

Cherry expected to see a surprised air in their faces, but instead of it, she saw them exchanging nervous glances, which made her realize something.

"You knew," she asked.

"Well... Cherry... you know..." said Twilight.

But Applejack cut her off and gave her a nod as if she was saying she would deal with Cherry. She turned to Cherry and said:

"It’s true, Cherry, we already knew he was here."

"And didn’t you tell me?" Cherry asked. "Do you know how I got by chance when I bumped against him?"

"If we told you, you'd probably have the same reaction" Applejack said.

"At least I was prepared for my muzzle-to-muzzle meeting with him" Cherry said.

"Wait, do you mean he's here?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, he is" Cherry answered. "But... if you didn’t know he was here, how do you know he was in Equestria?"

"Well , I saw him appearing" Fluttershy said. "I was dealing with a sick squirrel when I saw a strange light. When I went there, I found him. He didn’t see me, but I could see that he was Sky and I have come soon with Twilight."

"You should have come to me, Fluttershy" Cherry Blossom said.

"I’m sorry, Cherry" she said. "But I was too nervous at that time and..."

"Cherry, look, we just didn’t tell you, not only because of your reaction, but also because we knew it would disturb you a lot after your reaction" Rainbow said.

"Yes, it's like swell and explode after making an surprise face when you get home and encounter with a surprise party waiting for you" Pinkie Pie said, with her usual enthusiasm.

"Pinkie, darling, I think you did the wrong description of disturbance" Rarity said.

"So?" she asked. "I'm not a dictionary, Rarity. For me, everything lead always to a party."

Ignoring her, Cherry turned to Rainbow and replied:

"I don’t know if you've noticed, Rainbow, but I'm already disturbed. You know by chance which means his return?"

"We don’t know" Applejack said. "Tells us."

"Applejack..." Rainbow began.

"What do you mean, Applejack?" Cherry asked.

"No offense, Cherry" she said. "I like you a lot, but I want to know what you intend to do."

"If you're asking if I'll leave your brother to return to Sky, the answer is too obvious, don’t you think?" Cherry Blossom asked. "If I still loved Sky, don’t think I would have come back to my world when I had the opportunity."

"Well... I guess so" Applejack said. “And you know how I am sorry to ask this, but..."

"I know, you just want to protect your brother" Cherry said. "But I can assure you, Applejack, if it depends on me, your brother will not get out hurt in this story."

"Thank you, Cherry" thanked Applejack. "And I hope so."

"But it will be a little difficult to avoid confusion with Sky nearby" Cherry said.

"Do not worry about Sky" Twilight said. "We can deal with him."

"Yes, Cherry, concentrate yourself in your wedding preparations" Rainbow said.

"I don’t know, girls..." Cherry said. "Sky is very stubborn."

"That's because he has not met Rainbow Dash here" Rainbow said, raising flight and making a proud pose.

Twilight took a hack and Rainbow looked up and saw the others giving her serious stares.

"Of course we can’t forget you" she replied, giving nervous laughter.

Cherry laughed slightly and then said:

"I know I can count on you. But still I don’t understand the reason for the Lord of Order send Sky to here."

The six mares, when they heard that, stood still.

"What?" they asked.

"That's what you heard" Cherry said.

"Wait, he said it was the Lord of Order who sent him to here?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, I know, it sounds crazy" Cherry said. "Especially because I think he would never bring him to Equestria."

"And did you believe him?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Why do you ask that?" Cherry asked.

"Well, maybe because it was not the Lord of..." Pinkie began.

But Twilight hastened to magically close Pinkie’s mouth.

"For nothing, Cherry, for nothing" Rainbow answered nervously.

"I know it sounds unbelievable, but I honestly don’t want to believe that Sky is lying" Cherry said. "He’s not a liar. Besides, we all know the Lord of Order is unpredictable. Well, I have to go. I need to calm myself after everything that happened today."

And having said this, she went out. The six mares looked at each other and realized they had to act quickly before it was too late.

When Cherry came out, she was so concentrated on her thoughts that they didn’t notice that she went against something hard. But when she looked, she saw Big McIntosh.

"Howdy, mah love" Big McIntosh said, nuzzling her.

"Hey, Big Mac" Cherry said, nuzzling him back.

When they stopped, Big Mac noticed Cherry’s thoughtful air.

"What’s up, Cherry?"

"Nothing" she answered, looking away.

But Big McIntosh lifted her chin with his hoof, turning her toward him, and said:

"Ah know ya. There’s something else."

"Big Mac, I..." she began, knowing she would have to tell him what was happening. "It happened something... unexpected."

"What happen'd?"

"Did you remember I told you about my old boyfriend, Sky?"

"Eeyup, of course Ah remember" replied Big McIntosh. "Why do ya ask that?"

"Well, I kind of... met him some moments ago" Cherry said.

"What?" Big Mac asked.

"I know" Cherry said. "I know this must be unsettling for you, but I can promise you this: nothing will change things between us."

She looked at Big McIntosh and saw that he was not too worried.

"Okay, you don’t seem too bothered" Cherry commented.

"Why would Ah?" He asked. "Ah fully trust ya and Ah know how much ya love me. Why would Ah be nervous?"

"Are you sure?" Cherry asked.

"But of course" Big Mac replied, hugging his beloved one. "Ah love you. Not even with hundreds or thousands Skys, Ah will not let anythin' or anypony separate us."

Cherry couldn’t resist smiling. Big Mac couldn’t speak much in the presence of other ponies, but when he spoke, he really knew how to use the right words. Knowing that she had chosen the ideal pony, Cherry smiled and returned his hug.

Not much distance away, Sky watched that scene. Seeing Cherry, known to him as Bloom, his great love, embracing another stallion, he felt a huge anger growing within him. It was a rage that he couldn’t explain where it come from. Without knowing it, a shadow was surrounding him. It was easy to see that was the black magic of the Elements of Chaos corrupting Sky increasingly.
> Easy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Cherry Blossom left the library, they soon began to discuss the issue. 

"So, Sky didn’t tell her the truth, huh?" Rainbow said. 

"Probably he did not want his beloved one to think he sold his soul to the Devil" Rarity suggested. "Literally." 

"Probably ya’re right, Rarity" Applejack said. "Ah know Cherry very well tah know she woudn’t never want tah have anythin’ tah do with Sky, if she knew what it cost him tah come here." 

"Come on, girls, it's just a lie" Fluttershy defended. "This doesn’t mean..." 

"Fluttershy, you have to begin see things more objectively" Twilight said. "You heard what the Lord of Order said. Sky deceived Cherry and Deceit is one of the Elements of Chaos. We must act quickly."

"Right" Rainbow said. "Let’s go change this asshole and send him back to where he came from."

"It’s good you’re all enthusiastic, Rainbow Dash" Twilight said.

"Honestly, Rainbow Dash, you should contain this enthusiasm of yours" Rarity advised. "Remember we are talking about the ex-boyfriend of a good friend of ours."

"Excuse me if I express my joy of helping a friend get rid of a big problem with a little more enthusiasm" Rainbow Dash mocked.

"Girls, let's calm down" Twilight said. "Remember that the work ahead is quite complicated and we have to focus on it."

"No offense, Twi, but Ah think we all agree when Ah say that ya're exaggeratin’ a bit " Applejack said, while the others were waving. "Ah think our missions are easy."

"Oh yeah?" Twilight asked, in her serious tone.

"But of course" Applejack said. "Ah mean, look at mah mission. Ah jest have tah make Sky be honest, right? So Ah just have tah make him tell Cherry who actually brought him tah Equestria. Easy."

"I don’t think it will be that easy" Twilight said. "How do you think you gonna do that, Applejack? Leaning him against a wall and threatening to beat him?"

"Easy, girl" she said. "Ah know what Ah do." 

"Just like me" Rainbow Dash said. "He must had left a family and lots of friends behind. If I made him realize what he left behind, perhaps his loyalty for them will come up."

"And with me, just a simple act of chivalry" Rarity said. "Chivalry and generosity always go hand in hand." 

"And I know he must have a kinder side under all that evil the Lord of Order says he has now" Fluttershy said.

So Pinkie started jumping and waving, pointing to her mouth still magically sealed. 

"Oh, sorry, Pinkie" Twilight apologized. "I forgot completely to stop the spell." 

"I really thought things were very quiet here" Rainbow Dash said. 

Twilight then undid her spell and Pinkie could speak again. 

"Ah, finally!" she exclaimed. "I was seeing that I would have to stay without talking for much longer." 

"Wow, and what a tragedy it would be" Applejack joked. 

"You bet" Pinkie answered. "I mean, how would somepony live without hearing the sound of her own voice? I don’t know anypony who can live without the sound of her own voice? I guess nopony..."

"Pinkie!" her friends exclaimed. 

"Ok, grumblers" she said, adopting a more serious tone (from Pinkie’s perspective, of course). "My plan to make Sky smile again with joy is quite simple." 

"Does it have something to do with a party, balloons and sweets?" Rainbow Dash asked. 

"No" she replied. "Wait ... yes! How do you know? Are you psychic? 

"It was a lucky guess" Rainbow replied sarcastically. 

"Well, if you five think that’s the best way to do this, then you can do it" Twilight said. "But, girls, remember, if you need help, you can count with me.”

"Twilight, darling, don’t worry" Rarity said. "We deal with this." 

"Yeah, why don’t you concentrate yourself on finding what is that suuuuper secret mission of yours the Lord of Order talked about?" Pinkie asked. 

"Yes, I think you're right, Pinkie" Twilight said. "Well, I have only to wish you good luck, girls." 

The next day, the five ponies put their plan into practice. Applejack was first. She found Sky wandering around the town. She make a deep breath and went to him. When she came close to him, she greeted:

“Howdy, partner.”

Sky turned to her and said coldly: 

"What?" 

"Nothin’, Ah jest want’d tah give ya a warm welcome tah Ponyville" Applejack said jovially. "Ah heard ‘bout a new pony in town an’ Ah decid’d tah give ya a warm welcome." 

"Well, it’s given and thank you" Sky said. “Now, can I go?” 

"Wait" Applejack asked, preventing him from go. "We haven’t even introduc’d ourselves. Mah name is Applejack."

And she handed him a hoof. Sky took a while before saying: 

"My name is Sky."

And then he extended his hoof and Applejack shook it with all the zest. 

"It's a pleasure tah meet ya, Sky, and be welcome tah Ponyville." 

She dropped his hoof and Sky shook it to relieve the pain from the tightness Applejack made and said: 

"Thank you." 

"Ya gonna love a lot live here" Applejack said. "Everypony here is very friendly and we are all friends with each other." 

"It's good to know that" Sky replied, outlining his best feigned smile. "And I'm really glad to know that this village has fantastic ponies, but I really have to go."

He started to walk away, but Applejack stopped him, saying: 

"Hey, can we at least try tah be friends. After all, all tha ponies here are friends of each other. Where do ya came from?"

"From a distant place" Sky answered. "Now, if you don’t mind..." 

"What place?" Applejack asked. "Ah may know it." 

"I doubt that" Sky replied. 

Applejack could feel she was getting it, despite Sky always be trying to be evasive. If she was indiscreet... and give a bit of pressure, maybe she’ll made him tell the truth. 

Then she looked over Sky’s shoulder and saw two pairs of eyes lurking in a corner. These eyes, seeing Applejack looking to them, hid themselves. Applejack would recognize those eyes in thousands.

"Will ya excuse me fer a bit?" Applejack asked. "Ah have tah go there deal with somethin’. Stay here, Ah'll be back."

"Sure, Ah'll wait here" Sky promised. 

Applejack approached the pairs of eyes that are Apple Bloom and Scootaloo’s. 

"Can Ah know what ya're doin’?" Applejack asked. 

"Oh nuthin" Apple Bloom asked hastily. "We're not doin’ anythin’." 

"Why do you think we're doing something?" Scootaloo said. "As if we always do stupid things."

Applejack made a suspicious look and then said: 

"Ah'm sure ya three are up to somethin’." 

"What do you mean with three?" 

"Ya and Sweetie Belle" Applejack answered. 

"Applejack, we're not doin’ a thin’" Apple Bloom said. 

"Yeah, we are just walking through the town" Scootaloo added. 

They heard hooves and Sweetie Belle came closer saying: 

"Sorry I'm late, girls. Rarity withheld me, but I'm ready to spy S..."

But she stopped seeing her friends making her signs to shut up and when she saw Applejack said:

“Oh no…”

“Are ya spyin’ Sky?” Applejack asked.

"It’s not what it looks like" Apple Bloom said. 

But getting her older sister’s stare, she sighed and said: 

"Or maybe not." 

"Why are ya guys spying Sky?" Applejack asked. "Actually, how do you know who he is?" 

"We were with Cherry when she met him" Scootaloo asked. 

"And we may have overheard a conversation between them in which we realize that Sky is her ex-boyfriend" Sweetie Belle said.

Applejack sighed and said: 

"Girls, Ah know that your intentions are good, but ya can’t follow ponies around just like that." 

"But, Applejack, he must want tah ruin Cherry an’ Big Mac’s relationship!" Apple Bloom protested. 

"Doesn’t matter" Applejack said. "Ya shouldn’t follow him. Don’t worry, nothin’ bad will happen."

"But ..." Apple Bloom started.

"Apple Bloom!" 

The small earth filly tried to protest, but seeing her older sister looking at her with her angry gaze, she sighed and said: 

"Okay, we stop with it." 

"Ah want tah hear a Pinkie promisse from ya three" Applejack said, putting a hoof behind the ear in their direction. 

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye" the three fillies said while, unwilling, making gestures. 

"Very well" Applejack said, starting to walk away. "Stay out of trouble."

When Applejack couldn’t hear them anymore, Scootaloo asked: 

"Now what?" 

"Well, Applejack made us promise to not follow Sky, but she didn’t say nothing about Big Mac and Cherry" Sweetie Belle said. 

"Ah don’t know, girls" Apple Bloom said. "Ah know mah sister very well. She will probably think we will also follow Cherry and Big Mac and she can keep an eye on us to make sure."

"So what do we do now?" Scootaloo asked. 

"Well, Ah guess we'll have to opt for another approach" Apple Bloom replied, doing his mischievous smile.

Applejack returned to the edge of Sky. 

"Sorry about this, Sky, but I had to go take care..." 

But when she reached the place where she had left Sky, she noticed that pegasus was gone. 

"But where is he?" Applejack said. "He said he would be waiting fer me..." 

Then she realize Sky had lied to him. 

"That liar bunch of rotten apples lied to me!" Applejack exclaimed.

Sky was walking around the village, having walked away from Applejack when she was not looking. She had endless questions and was really annoying. It seemed that she already knew the answers before he could even answers them. 

Then he stumbled on something. 

"What the hell..." he said. 

He then looked up and saw that he had stumbled into a white rabbit. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry," a voice said. 

He turned and saw Fluttershy approaching and picking up the white rabbit and putting it on her back.

"I apologize for Angel" Fluttershy said. "He can be a little ... clumsy." 

"So it's good that you have this animal of yours under control" Sky said, standing up and shaking the dust off his coat. 

"He regretted it very much" Fluttershy said. "Is that right, Angel?" 

But Angel simply turned away. 

"Angel" Fluttershy said in a warning tone. 

He then slowly turned and waved. 

"He apologizes" Fluttershy said, smiling. 

"Yeah, sure" Sky said, indifferent.

He was prepared to leave when Fluttershy said: 

"My name is Fluttershy. And you? What’s your name?"

Sky rolled his eyes and replied: 

"Sky. But does everypony have to ask the same question?"

"Well, sorry if I make you angry by making this question. I hope you can forgive me. And I also hope you can forgive Angel. He didn’t intend to make you fall that way."

Sky was already getting totally bored. Were all ponies boring like that? 

"After all, who can get upset with a little thing like this?" Fluttershy continued, approaching Angel’s face to Sky’s. "Don’t you think?" 

The orange pegasus had enough of it all. He had to find a way to escape. Then he had a delicious idea and he would use all that mare’s cloying kindness to do that.

"Yes, you're right" he said. "He's really cute." 

That made Fluttershy smile. She felt it was getting Sky to be kind. 

"Do you have any carrots that I can give him?" Sky asked. 

"Of course, yes" Fluttershy replied excitedly, going to her saddlebag. 

She then came up with a carrot that gave to Sky. He then turned to Angel and said, waving the carrot: 

"So, bunny, do you want this carrot? You want this carrot, don’t ya?"

Seeing Sky beckon him the carrot in front of his eyes, Angel began to drool and waved enthusiastically with his eyes shining. 

"Then go get it!" Sky said, throwing the carrot that fell into a dustbin nearby. 

Angel then shot out of Fluttershy’s hoof and went straight there. 

"Angel, don’t! Wait!"Fluttershy asked. 

But it was too late, because Angel tossed to the trash to get the carrot and Fluttershy run to him. When she arrived, she found Angel eating the carrot, covered in trash and exhaling a horrible smell that made Fluttershy cover her nose.

"Oh, Angel, you shouldn’t eat things that are or were in the trash" she said. "It’s disgusting and can make you ill. And look at you. You are durty."

She turned to Sky that drafted an evil smile and then began to move away, giggling. 

"That was… cruel" Fluttershy said, very sadly. 

Later, Rarity was walking in the market. She had been told that a new pony was in the market, so, knowing they were talking about Sky, she put her best hat and her saddlebag and went to there. However, with so many ponies around, it was being difficult to find Sky.

"Frankly, is it so difficult to find that corrupt pegasus?" she asked as she walked. "I'm losing precious time of inspiration and creation. If it was not for Cherry, I wouldn’t even walk from one side to another and ruin my beautiful hooficure."

But it was then that she finally found Sky.

"There you are," she said, when she saw him. "Let's see if you can be selfish after being stunned with all my charm."

She moved a little, but then stopped. She saw that Sky bumped against an old lady, making her wallet to drop.

"I'm terribly sorry, ma'am" Sky apologized, crouching down and picking up the wallet. "I was so distracted that I didn't see you. This whole crowd also doesn’t help anything."

"Never mind, my boy" she said kindly, taking the wallet. "I also get confused with the market movement." 

"Well, bye" Sky said, advancing. 

After seeing that scene, Rarity said to herself: 

"I think the Lord of Order exaggerated a bit by saying that Sky had been corrupted. He was a great gentlecolt."

But then she saw Sky moving his hoof to one of his wings and withdraw from there a few coins and making a mischief air. 

"Wait, did he just..." Rarity began, gaping, recomposing herself after that. "Well, I must admit. He is good in what he does. But stealing is completely rude and not something gentlecolt would do. Let's see if I can handle it."

Sky went to a fruit stand, wanting to eat an apple. However, there was only one. When he was going to buy it, Rarity appeared and said: 

"Oh, what a pity! There’s only one apple and there’s now someone to buy it. And I was thinking in making baked apple pie for my sister for lunch."

She turned to Sky and asked him: 

"Excuse me, can I ask you to lend me this apple? It would be a favor you would do to me."

There was a pause. Rarity really expect that it would result, but she was confident of that. 

"But of course" Sky said, outlining a gentle smile.

"Oh, thank you very much" Rarity thanked, returning the smile. 

"It was an honor" Sky said, Rarity’s hoof and kissing it. 

This made Rarity's cheeks become rosy, because she didn’t expect such a thing. 

"Wow, but what a gentlecolt!" She exclaimed. 

Sky bowed and then walked away. Rarity saw him depart. She didn’t believe it had been so easy. She knew it would be easy, but she never thought it would be so easy. Then she turned to go pay the apple. After all, she could bake an apple pie for Sweetie Belle. But when she went to pay, she saw that her wallet was empty. But how could four coins disapear when they were there the last time she had checked it? Then she realized everything.

"That idiot stole my money!" Rarity said. 

In Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie was preparing Sky’s welcome party with Twilight and Rainbow attending. 

"I just hope he likes my super duper welcome/let’s go smile party" Pinkie Pie said, jumping in a pogo stick to put streamers across the ceiling. "I mean, it's not really a super duper welcome party because he arrived yesterday, but I bet it will be the best super duper second day in Ponyville/let’s go smile party ever, don’t you think? 

"Well, if you ask my opinion..." Rainbow Dash began. 

Anticipating Rainbow Dash wouldn’t say nothing positive about anything to the party, Twilight rushed to grab a cupcake and shove it in Rainbow’s mouth and she didn’t end the sentence, getting to chew the cupcake. 

"I'm sure it will be fantastic, Pinkie" Twilight said.

"Fantastic?!" Pinkie asked, starting to fill a balloon with an air pump. "It will be more than fantastic! It will be amazing! It will be extraordinary! Will be... extrafantazing! 

She said that last part with such enthusiasm and energy that she pumped air too quickly which eventually overfill the balloon, causing it swell to enormous proportions and explode, creating a blast of air that stood up the mane of the three mares. 

"That... was... amazing!" Pinkie said, taking a big leap. 

"Yes, if by amazing you mean burst my eardrums" Rainbow Dash said, lowering her mane with her hooves, while Twilight used her magic to straighten hers. "I think I'm still hearing the sound of that explosion."

"Oh, Rainbow, don’t be so grumpy" Pinkie Pie said, shaking her head, what caused her mane to go back to its lush state of always. "You'll spoil the mood of my great party for Sky. A mouth with the corners turned up is what I want to see. "

"Yeah, right" said Rainbow Dash. 

"I just hope the others are being able to fulfill their missions" Twilight said, a little worried. "I wanted to know if they managed to instill their elements in Sky." 

"Oh, Twilight, don’t worry that egghead of yours with that" said Rainbow Dash, nogging her. "I’m sure they’re getting it." 

“Yeah, right..." Twilight said, pushing Rainbow away. "And why are you here, anyway? Shouldn’t you be dealing with your mission?"

"Relax" Rainbow reassured. "I'm going to use Pinkie Pie's party to put my plan into practice. A party is always the perfect excuse to make conversation. It will be a two in one."

"Do you know what's also a two in one?" Pinkie asked, going to the kitchen and returned in a glance with a tray full of what appeared to be simple croquettes. "This!"

"Croquettes?" Rainbow asked, raising the eyebrow. "How can that be a two in one?" 

"Oh, I fill them with chocolate for cupcakes" the pink mare replied. "It can feel the fantastic salty taste with the delicious and creamy chocolate, giving to the tongue a fantastic combination of salty and sweet."

Just thinking about what she had just said, Pinkie drooled a lot. Then she wiped her drool and said: 

"I call them croquelate. It's like eating a cupcake with a strange form."

"Wait, if you fill them with chocolate, what did you do with the cheese and vegetables that typically fill them?" Twilight asked. 

"They are also there" Pinkie said. 

That made Twilight and Rainbow Dash exchange glances. 

"Wait, are you saying you placed cheese, vegetables and chocolate in the same croquette?" Twilight asked.

"Okie dokie lokie" Pinkie nodded.

"But how did you ...?" Rainbow began.

"Really, Rainbow, do you even need to ask that question to Pinkie Pie?" Twilight asked. 

"Good point." 

At that moment, the door opened Applejack came in. 

"Applejack!" Twilight said, approaching her. "How'd it go with Sky?" 

"Do ya really wanna know tha truth?" Applejack asked. 

Twilight nodded and then Applejack said:

"The truth is... I failed. That dammed pony tricked me. When I was talking to him, I saw that my sister and her friends were spying him. I asked him if he would wait for me, I went to the fillies and when I returned, he was gone. He lied to me. To me!"

"Wow, but what a great frustration" Rainbow said, grabbing one of Pinkie’s croquelates and proving it. "Wow! This is really delicious!"

"I told you" Pinkie Pie said. "Your friend Pinkie wouldn’t deceive you with candies. Of course she would deceive you for candies, but as it’s not the case..."

Then the shop door was open again and Fluttershy came in, somewhat afraid. So Pinkie appeared in front of her, saying: 

"Hey, Fluttershy!" 

That made her wince and say: 

"Oh my! Pinkie, can you not appear to me like that, please?"

"So, Fluttershy, how was with Sky?" Twilight asked. 

"I hope you had better luck than me" Applejack said. "That guy doesn’t fulfill a simple promise to wait for somepony else and is always elusive to simple questions."

"Well... he... I mean, he was not that bad... well he did nothing wrong, but..." she said. 

Watching her stumble on the words that way, Twilight realized that things had not gone too well with Fluttershy. 

"Come on, speak" she told her. "What happened?" 

"Well, he..." Fluttershy began, ending the sentence so quietly that no one heard. 

"What?" the four mares asked. 

"He..." Fluttershy began, ending softly again. 

"What?" Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow Dash asked, approaching their necks, while Pinkie Pie drew a horn and put the mouthpiece in her ear.

"He..." Fluttershy said again, ending quietly again. 

"Oh, for pony’s sake, spit it out!" Rainbow Dash shouted, raising flight and stopping in the air. 

Feeling so much pressure on her, Fluttershy trembled and exploded: 

"He made Angel throw himself into a dustbin by throwing him a carrot!" 

After doing that, she gasped as her friends looked at her stunned with Rainbow Dash landing. 

"He did what?" they asked. 

"And I thought he was trying to be affectionate by wanting to give the carrot to Angel" Fluttershy said. "But then..." 

"Where’s Angel?" Twilight asked.

"At home, taking a bath" Fluttershy said. "I prepared him a nice and long bubble bath just to get that smell out." 

"Well, things went not good to Honesty and Kindness" Twilight said. "But we still have more to work with. Who knows, Rarity can bring good news."

When she said that, the door opened and Rarity entered, using her magic to put her hat and her saddlebag on the brackets in the entry. 

"Good afternoon, girls" she greeted. 

"Rarity" Twilight said, coming to the edge of her. "I hope you have good news for us. Applejack and Fluttershy didn’t have much luck."

"Well..." Rarity began, trying to find a way to explain what had happened. "He helped an elderly lady catch her wallet when it fell." 

That made the others exchanged glances. 

"Really?" Applejack asked. 

"Yes" replied Rarity. "And he was a great gentlecolt to me and allowed me to buy the last apple." 

"But that is fantastic!" Twilight exclaimed. "You mean he showed a gesture of generosity. It's a start."

"Yes, at least somepony who has managed to make some change on that pony" Applejack said. 

"Very well, Rarity!" Rainbow Dash welcomed. 

"This is one more reason to celebrate!" Pinkie Pie said, jumping.

"Yay" Fluttershy said in the tone of his voice soft. 

But Twilight noticed Rarity was not celebrating and realized that she still had not finished. 

"Okay, what happened?" she asked. 

"Well, actually he was a gentlecolt..." he said. "Unfortunate he just used that to rob me and the lady he helped."

That made the others stop partying. 

"You're kidding, right?" Applejack asked. 

"I wished I was kidding" Rarity said. 

Outside, Sky was walking through the village when he noticed Sugarcube Corner’s building. The Ponyville inhabitants said that this was the best confectionery of all, Sky then decided to check if that was true.

"You know, actual he is good in what he does, if you ask me" Rarity said, referring to how Sky had stolen. 

"But that doesn’t matter" Twilight said. "What matters is that things aren’t going well." 

"Relax, Twilight" Rainbow said. "Don’t forget Pinkie Pie and I have not tried it yet. It may be that nothing is lost yet."

"Yeah, I bet my party will be so funny it'll make Sky die laughing" Pinkie Pie said. "Of course we don’t want him to die. Although I don’t know if it's possible to die from laughing. Girls, do you think it is possible...?”

"Pinkie, just answer me this" Twilight asked. "Did you send any invitation to Sky to the party or something?" 

"Of course not," Pinkie Pie said. 

That made the others exchanged glances and then Applejack asked: 

"So how do ya know he comes?" 

"Hello! With my Pinkie sense."

"Wait, do you have a combo for that?" Said Twilight. 

"When my ears flopp, my tail shake in a pendulum movement and my belly rumbles, it’s surly because a moody pony is about to come to a party" Pinkie Pie said, really excited.

She then noticed that the others were staring her. 

"What?" 

"Are you serious?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Please, your combos so far made sense... in their way. But this is ridiculous!"

"Ridiculous?" Repeated Pinkie, offended. "It's not ridiculous." 

"It’s not ridiculous?" Rainbow asked. "I mean, if your Pinkie sense says Something will fall from the sky, so I'll just get an umbrella or something. But this doesn’t make any sense. How do you know that even Sky is that frowning pony? "

Fluttershy looked at the window and then saw, in the distance, Sky approaching the store. 

"Ah, girls..." she called. 

"I mean, it can be Cranky" said Rainbow. 

"Cranky is not a pony, silly" Pinkie said. "He's a donkey." 

"You get what I mean."

"Ah, girls, I think you should..." Fluttershy said, seeing Sky was still approaching the Sugarcube Corner. 

"Are ya sure that yer stomach are rumblin’ fer havin’ hunger, sugarcube?" Applejack asked. "Ya may be hungry." 

"And, darling, I don’t know if you've noticed, but the pendulum movement is one of the common movements of our tails" Rarity said. 

"Not if it's all combined in a precise order and timed" Pinkie said. 

"Girls, please, can you see..." said Fluttershy. 

"Girls, can you stop?" Twilight asked, in order to end the discussion. "I don’t know if you noticed, but Sky is heading this way."

"What?" Rainbow, Rarity and Applejack said while going to the window so fast it made Fluttershy shunt quickly. 

"I cannot believe this idiot combo is really right" Rarity said. 

"Blessed Celestia, he's right here" Applejack said. 

"I told you" Pinkie Pie said. "Okay, girls, you know what we have to do. Hide!"

And then the six mares hid in the store, waiting for Sky to open the door. They waited a bit and then Sky opened the shop door and entered. When he did it, the mares came out of hiding and shouted: 

"Surprise!" 

That made Sky flinch and ask:

"What the hell ..." 

Pinkie appeared before him and said excitedly, putting a party hat on his head: 

"Hello, I'm Pinkie Pie, I’m the Ponyville party organizer. When I heard there was a new pony in town, I decided to prepare you a welcome party."

"Well..." Sky said, a little bewildered. 

"Of course I would have done the party yesterday, when you came, but I had to do something huge that I couldn’t find time to prepare everything" Pinkie Pie continued. "So what do you think? We have balloons..."

She took a balloon, squeezing it so tightly it explosed, causing Sky’s mane become tousled, making him to fix it.

"We have food..."

She took one of her crocolates and stuffed it into Sky’s mouth, making he spit it. 

"We have games..." 

She showed him games like “Pin the Tail on the Pony” and lots of board games. 

"And we have lots of crazy dances that put you very dizzy and make you end up on the floor. So where do you want to start? You can choose."

"I want to have a bit of ginger cake and go away if you don’t mind" Sky said, coldly, taking the party hat out and throwing it to a corner. 

And he started going to the counter, passing by Pinkie. She, without her smile, looked at her friends who encouraged her. She then smiled again and accompanied Sky, hopping and asking: 

"Don’t you want before eat a huge slice of chocolate cake with whipped cream on the top while you talk with your new friend Pinkie Pie?"

"No" Sky replied, advancing, always without looking at her. 

"What if we sing some songs in my new karaoke machine?" 

"No." 

"A song?" 

"No." 

"Half song?" Pinkie asked, pausing with a smile that was already a little stressed. "If you want, it can be a quarter song. It’s you who decide." 

Sky, already sick of hearing her, turned to her and said rudely:

"Listen to me, I don’t want to sing, or dance, or play, or even use this ridiculous hats that the only thing they do is humiliate the ponies who use them. I just want a slice of ginger cake and if you don’t get it now, I'll get really angry. Did you heard me?"

The other mares gaped with what Sky had said. It wasn’t exactly the words, but the tone he used. That made Pinkie Pie cringe and almost start crying. She then said sadly: 

"Yes, as you wish." 

And she began to head to the kitchen to fetch Sky’s request. 

"I cannot believe he said something like that to Pinkie Pie" Applejack said. 

"But how rude" Rarity said. "He’s really a savage."

"That bully will feel my hoof on his muzzle..." Rainbow Dash said, in the air, preparing her hooves.

"Rainbow, stop" Twilight said, preventing her from moving forward with magic. "Remember we have to change him and the use of brute force will not solve the problem."

"That is what you think" Rainbow said.

"Look, there’s still your attempt" Twilight said. "Maybe you can be succeed in what the others failed to do. Don’t let our failed attempts be in vain. Maybe, who knows, if you make his loyalty for the people he left in his world appear, he may want to come back and give up pursuing Cherry."

Rainbow Dash thought for a moment and then said: 

"I just do it for Cherry." 

"Good, Rainbow, very well" Applejack said. 

After Pinkie Pie delivered to him a plate with a slice of ginger cake at a table, she went to the edge of her friends and then it was time for Rainbow Dash do what she had to do. She approached him and greeted: 

"So hello." 

"Hello" greeted Sky, selflessly eating his cake. 

"My name is Rainbow Dash and I'm the leader of the weather time of Ponyville. So, your name is Sky, isn’t it?"

"Yes." 

"Tell me, Sky, how is it moving to Ponyville?" she asked. "I bet you lived in a big city, right?" 

"Why do you ask that?" Sky asked, turning to her. 

"For nothing" Rainbow Dash answered, making a fake laugh, sitting. "You just look like you don't belong to the rural environment." 

"Yes, it can said that this is all a bit new for me" Sky answered. 

"What about your family?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Won’t you miss them, being so far away?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean that must be so frustrating to drop a life in a big city, with family and friends, and start a new life from scratch. I don’t know if I could do it. Don’t you feel yourself nostalgic for your loved-ones and life you had? I bet they must miss you a lot, at home."

Upon hearing what Rainbow Dash was saying, Sky couldn’t help thinking really in his parents and friends from Red Fountain among other great friends he met throughout his life. He wonder what they should be thinking when they heard what he had done or ever if they knew about it. 

"I think you're right..." he said to Rainbow. 

She then smiled and looked at her friends who also shared her joy. It seemed they were getting it. 

Then a wave of darkness began to darken Sky’s mind and he closed his eyes and shook his head, starting to say in a completely unpleasant way, as he stood:

"Listen here, all of you, I don’t know who you are or why you are following me, but it’s better you stop with it or I'll make you regret it. Did you listen me well?" 

"Hey, calm down, we're just trying to be friends, nothing more" Rainbow said, taking off and standing still in the air. 

"But I don’t wanna be your friend" Sky said. "So it’s good that you get your sympathy and this… ridiculous party and leave me ALONE!" 

And then there was a huge silent. The mares looked each other. They seemed so close to at least get to instill loyalty in Sky, but, after all, they couldn’t be far from the goal, from achieving the five missions of changing Sky. 

It was then that the silence was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. The door opened and, ironically, Cherry Blossom entered accompanied by Big Mac.

"Hi, girls" she greeted. 

She then stopped, noticing the environment that was there and Sky’s presence. 

"Sky?" she asked. 

"Bloom" he said, smiling and approaching. "It's so good to see you." 

It was then that Big Mac put himself in the path of Sky, looking at him fiercely. 

"Hey, what's up, big boy?" Sky asked. 

"Relax, Big Mac" Cherry calmed, making Big Mac retreat to her side. "Let him be." 

"I see you have a good bodyguard" Sky said, looking at Big McIntosh. 

"Big Mac is not my bodyguard" Cherry said. "He's my coltfriend." 

"Oh, I see" Sky said, looking back at Big Mac, who continued to look at him sharply. "So it was for him you left me."

“It wasn’t like that, Sky” Cherry Blossom said. "I just fell in love for him when my love for you no longer had the strength to live." 

That made Sky be quiet. 

"So what is all this?" Cherry asked, looking around. 

"Can you believe it?" Sky asked. "These ponies here organized a lousy..." 

"Wow, Pinkie, I love the decor" Cherry commented. "And I see you went to experiment with food." 

"Yes! Do you want to try my new creation?" Pinkie asked, handing her a tray with croquelate. "These are croquettes with chocolate inside." 

"Oh, no, thank you" Cherry thanked. "Given that half of the patients I have in the first week of each month are those who taste your monthly culinary creations, I'd better not risk it."

"Look, it’s safe to taste them" Rainbow said, going to get a croquelate. "They're really good." 

"I only hope that a tummy ache is not in flavor" Cherry answered, making Rainbow hesitate to eat the croquelate. "But, without that, this is a fantastic party, Pinkie. Don’t you think, Big Mac? 

"Eyupp" he replied, with a hoof around Cherry’s shoulders. 

She then turned to Sky and told him: 

"You're lucky Pinkie always make a party to newcomers. She always makes the best of all parties."

"Yes, I could see it..." Sky said, somewhat nervously, and exchanging a look with the six mares. "They really are fantastic."

They rolled their eyes slightly. He was lying again... and shamelessly.

"Well, I and Big Mac were coming just to know how the Cakes are going with our wedding cake" Cherry said.

"Oh, sorry, Cherry, but the Cakes are not here" Pinkie Pie said. "They went with the twins for a stroll. But once they arrive, I’ll tell them that you were here. I Pinkie promised."

"Thank you, Pinkie" Cherry thanked, laughing. "Well, let's get going, Bic Mac"

"Eyupp" he said. "Bye, girls.”

"Bye" they said.

And then the couple left, with Big Mac and Sky exchanging harsh looks.

Seeing Cherry with that stallion, Sky filled himself with rage. So that was the pony who dared to steal his beloved. He could be big and strong, but it had nothing to do with Bloom. He was a farm pony that should just know how to pull a plow. He didn’t know what she had seen in him. But one thing was certain, he would do everything he could to separate them and stay with Bloom just for him. 

And then, after doing that mental promise, he left. When he left, the six mares gave sighs and Rainbow Dash said, stopping shake the wings and sitting: 

"I don’t believe that all our approaches have failed." 

"Yeah, neither one of us got the results we wanted" Fluttershy said. 

"This is like being invited to a party and find an empty room" Pinkie Pie added.

"It was a real disaster" Rarity said. "It seems Sky doesn’t want to be saved." 

"Ah think ya're right, Rarity" Applejack said. "But Ah’ll tell ya one thing, mah friends. If he don’t want be sav’d, worse fer him."

The others nodded, agreeing with her. 

"I cannot believe in what you are saying" Twilight said. "Are you going to give up when we've barely begun?" 

"Twilight, ya heard him" said Applejack. "He doesn’t want tah be our friend." 

"But of course he said that" Twilight replied. "For starters, we’re talking about a corruption made by the Lord of Chaos himself. And then you tried to give him the help you thought he needed. That is not our mission. Our mission is to find out what he need and facilitate that."

"Did ya know this could happen?" Applejack asked. 

"It was quite likely" Twilight replied. 

"Thanks a lot for the warning, Twilight" Rainbow Dash thanked sarcastically. 

"If I had said that, you probably wouldn’t hear it" Twilight replied. "You went for the easy way and failed. We have just to seek new paths."

They did a silence and then Fluttershy said: 

"Twilight’s right. Our missions were not as easy as we thought it would be."

"Yes, we think we could easily solve the mission to end soon" Rarity said. 

"It seems that we have to be more creative in our approach" Applejack said. 

And the others nodded in agreement.
> The Gifts of Harmony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the failure of their first missions, the six friends couldn’t be further from what they were of changing Sky and bring him back to the light side so they could send him back to his world. 

With Twilight unable to cheer her friends up and make them proceed with their missions, she had the idea of asking someone for help to turn them in the right way. So they invoked the Lord of Order again, using the Elements of Harmony. When he appeared, the Lord asked them:

"Girls, what was it this time? I don’t know if you had noticed, but I have a lot of worlds and universes to rule. I hope this is important."

"Actually, it is, your lordship" Twilight replied. "We are not able to complete our missions."

"Yeah, I never thought it was so difficult" Fluttershy said.

"Honestly, I thing we made the things right" Rainbow said. "He doesn’t want to be helped."

"Ah agree" Applejack said. "We gave him a hoof an’ he bit it."

"Our mission is certainly not complex" Rarity said. "He is who is making it difficult."

"I like to be friendly to all the ponies, but Sky for sure is one of those I don’t want to be around at least ten meters" Pinkie Pie said.

"Girls..." Twilight started.

"Sorry, Twilight, but it had to be said" Rainbow said. "Though you say that our approaches were not correct, we believe that we did everything right. It’s Sky’s fault."

The other nodded in agreement.

There was a pause, where the Lord of Order merely looked them and then he said:

"Let me ask you something. Do you thing I’m a complaint box?"

That made the mares exchange glances and the Lord of Order continued:

"I gave you this mission because I thought you could change Sky. But I never thought you were a huge disappointment."

"Excuse me, but we did our job as we could" Applejack said.

"Your job was to change Sky" the Lord of Order said. "Something you are not being able to do. Did you thing you just have to go forward, say a few words and compel him to accept something he does not want?"

"It’s not worth to pester their minds" Twilight said. "I've also told them that they were too direct. Despite what they say, I'm sure they know they have not addressed the missions as they should. And I also am not able to understand mine. We need help and you're the only one who can direct us on the right path."

"You want my help?" the Lord of Order asked.

"Yes, we do" Twilight replied.

"And what makes you think I'll help you?" the Lord of Order asked again.

"You want Sky out of here as much as we want, isn’t it?" Twilight replied.

The Lord of Order stared her for a moment and then said:

"You know what, my dear? I like you. You know exactly how to put things."

"Does this means that you'll help us?" Twilight asked.

"Of course not" he replied. 

"What?!" the mares asked. 

"Take it easy" the Lord of Order said. "I said I would not help you, because you already have what you need. There is one thing you can do that will help you a lot to change Sky."

"An’ why did not ya tell us before?" Applejack asked. 

"Yes, you would save us a lot of work trying to figure out what to do to change that jerk" Rainbow said. 

"Don’t get me wrong, but I wanted to see what you could do without any kind of help" the Lord of Order explained. "After all, you have an excellent reputation." 

But getting the look of the mares, he sighed and then said:

"Okay, I'll tell you what can give you the help you need. And that help is... these little things you're using."

"You mean... the Elements of Harmony?" Twilight asked, looking her crown, while the others looked their necklaces. 

"Precisely" he replied. 

"So you want us to use the Elements of Harmony to change him just like we did with Nightmare Moon?" Rarity asked.

"Or do you want us to use them to petrify him into stone as we did with Discord?" Pinkie asked. 

That made the others looked at her, causing her to ask: 

"What? At least he wouldn't do anything to anypony else."

"No, nothing like that" the Lord of Order replied. "When you join your elements, you can really create an immense power. But I'm talking about the individual powers of each other. As you know, Princess Twilight’s crown is very powerful by itself, but the necklaces also have unique powers, but secret ones. 

The carrier of the necklaces looked at them, turning then to the Lord of Order. 

"What do you mean with our necklaces have powers?" Rarity asked. "I always thought they had no power without Twilight’s element to charge them." 

"Yeah, right, how can that be?" Applejack asked. "We have already us’d them a lot of times. It would expect that we have discover’d already such powers."

"Probably the experience we have is not enough to know their powers" Fluttershy opined. 

"Precisely" the Lord of Order replied. "These powers are very subtle and pass unnoticed as they are hardly felt. However, if you used them correctly, they can make the difference between failure and victory."

"And what powers do they have exactly?" Applejack asked. 

"Well, yours, to begin with, is able to compel a pony to tell the truth" the Lord of Order replied. "The more incisive you are, the more effective is the power. However, you must realize that he has to speak the truth for his own. He had to accept it. You cannot force him. If you do, there won’t be a genuine change. But you can use this to your advantage, if you use it correctly."

Applejack nodded and said: 

"Maybe Ah know what has tah be done." 

"Great" he said, turning then to Rarity. "And you, Rarity, can you imagine what power your necklace has?" 

"No, of course not" she replied. 

"With this necklace, you will have an incredibly strong power of persuasion" the Lord of Order replied. "I'm sure you can do something with it." 

"Well, I think I can" Rarity said. "Maybe I can persuade him to make a generous act by somepony."

“And me? And me? And me? And me?" Pinkie Pie asked, jumping. 

"Yours, Pinkie, will allow you to have much more facility in making people laugh" the Lord of Order said. "Although I don’t know if that’s good or bad." 

"But of course it's good" Pinkie answered, taking short hops around the Lord of Order. "If I'm super duper funny now, I will be even more when wearing my necklace." 

"But be careful, okay" the Lord of Order advised. "Too laughter is also not good and if you use your element, probably all your actions, even the most serious ones, will make the other ponies laugh uncontrollably." 

But it seemed that Pinkie Pie had not heard, beeing still talking how fantastic it would be to be immensely funny. 

"Anyway..." the Lord of Order said, turning to Fluttershy. "Dear Fluttershy, your necklace will allow you to induce kindness in other ponies."

"Really?" Fluttershy asked excitedly. 

"Sure" the Lord of Order replied. "But you must be aware that this kindness is temporary. It dissipates after a while. It will be you who will have to maintain that kindness as long as possible until he accepts it."

"Don’t worry" she said. "I'll do my best to..." 

But she didn’t finish because Rainbow Dash put herself up in midair in front of the Lord of Order and asked: 

"And my power? What is it?"

"Rainbow Dash, your power is..." the Lord of Order began.

"Wait, don't tell me" Rainbow said. "I gonna be super-fast. Or I'll have a lot of strength" and made a big sigh. "Can I get invisible?" 

The Lord of the Order looked at her for a few seconds and then asked: 

"How can that help you raise up Sky’s loyalty?" 

"I dunno, but it would be cool to have these powers" Rainbow said. "Please tell me I'll have these powers. Please, please, please..."

"Your power... is accessing the memory of the other ponies" the Lord of Order revealed. 

Upon hearing that, Rainbow became completely disillusioned. 

"What?!" she asked. "Just that?" 

"To do his loyalty come to the surface, this power is enough" the Lord of Order answered. "Unless you have something to say."

It seemed that Rainbow wanted to say something but she thought better and landed. 

"Good girl" the Lord of Order said. "Well, ahead. Use these gifts wisely, because you have only one attempt. Now, if you don’t mind, I'm leaving. I have other worlds to rule."

"Your lordship, please, wait" Twilight asked, making the Lord of Order turning to her. "You still didn’t give me the help I need. There is nothing I can do with my element to complete my mission?"

"Honestly, your element will be required to fulfill what you have to do, but it is not the centerpiece" the Lord of Order replied. 

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked. "I don’t understand."

"I mean you have to know exactly what you want to do with your element before you use it in Sky" the Lord of Order replied. "And that's something you have to discover for yourself." 

"Well, can you give me a clue, at least?" Twilight asked. 

"Your element and its opposite element, despite being opposites of each other, work in the same way: both feed the other elements, charging them." 

There was a pause and then the Lord of Order snapped his fingers and an empty library wall appeared a tapestry that had the Elements of Harmony in it with the Magic in the center and the others around. The background was brownish green, but the elements and the circles around them were grayish. 

"With this tapestry, you will be able to see your progress and monitor their permanence in Sky."

He turned his back, when suddenly he stopped and turned to Twilight, saying: 

"Oh, I almost forgot. I have one more thing to tell you, Twilight. Sometimes, studying the cause is much better than finding a cure."

And when he had said this, he disappeared. 

"What tha hay did he mean with that?" Applejack asked. 

"I don’t know" Twilight replied. "But I intend to find out." 

Seeing that moment, was the Lord of Chaos who was watching through one of his mirrors, which had been positioned in the midair in front of its owner, comfortably seated on his throne. 

"My brother really thinks those six can undo my perfect job" he said, snapping his finger and making the mirror image disappears and the object go back to its place. "But he doesn’t know what I truly saved for Sky. It cost me a lot to lure him to me and corrupt him and it cost me even more deceiving my brother. I will not let those ponies spoil everything."

In the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ tree house, they were meeting to discuss an important subject: Big McIntosh and Cherry Blossom. 

"Okay, gals" Apple Bloom said as she walked from one side to the other with the others two observing her. "We both know we have a problem between hooves. Sky, Cherry's former coltfriend, is here and he threatens their relationship. We have tah do somethin’."

"But what?" Scootaloo asked. "Our first plan was ruined by Applejack." 

"Well, we know we must act now with Cherry and Big Mac because Applejack made us make a Pinkie promise to not follow Sky around" Sweetie Belle said. "And I bet she'll be careful if we do the same with Big Mac and Cherry."

"We have tah find a way tah ensure that Sky cannot separate mah brother and Cherry" Apple Bloom said. "But what we can do?" 

There was a paused to think about it and then Sweety Belle said suddenly: 

"I know how! What if we did what we did when we join them in the first time? We can do a picnic."

"Just for them?" Scootaloo asked. 

"No, this time, we can participate in it, so we can keep an eye on them and so they will not suspect us" Sweetie Belle said. "So, what do you think?" 

The other two fillies exchanged a stare and then Apple Bloom said: 

"Sweetie Belle... ya are... amazing!"

"Yes, I think that could work" Scootaloo said. "Well thought out, Sweetie." 

"Well, what can I say?" She said. "I like these things." 

"So let's do it" said Apple Bloom. "We have no time tah lose." 

The other two nodded. 

The next day dawned gloriously. Sky walked through the village, looking for Bloom. He had been told at the hospital that she had a day off, so he couldn’t find her there. He didn’t know it, but he was being watched from afar by Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, both using their elements. 

"You know, Rainbow, I don’t like this" Fluttershy said. "You know I don’t like these things."

"Come on, Fluttershy, we all agree that it was better to be you to do the first move" Rainbow said. "If Sky accepts your kindness, it will be much easier to conquer the rest." 

"Yeah, right, so far I agree. But I don’t know if this is the best way to do it."

"Come on, Fluttershy, you have to stop being such a doormat. We don’t have another chance to approach him. After all, not counting with Cherry Blossom, you're the best healer of Ponyville."

"Yes, you're right, but I don’t like the idea of hurting another pony" Fluttershy said. 

"Technically, I'm the one who will hurt him, Fluttershy" Rainbow Dash said. 

"I know, but..." 

"So stop with it and concentrate on your part."

Rainbow then took a stone that was there at the hoof, took aim and waited for Sky to stay in the right place. As he passed beneath a balcony, Rainbow Dash threw the stone and it struck the vase that trembled where it was and then began to fall. At that moment, certainly programmed by Rainbow, Sky appeared beneath and the vase hit his head, broking the vase off and falling to the ground, trying to recover from that blow.

"Go!" Rainbow Dash urged his pegasus friend, pushing her forward. "Go, we have no time to lose!"

Fluttershy sighed and then she started going to Sky, who sat, rubbing his head. Before the approach, Fluttershy took a deep breath and then advanced.

"Oh, my!" she exclaimed, reaching Sky's side. "Are you okay?"

"What do you think?" Sky asked rudely. "Do I look okay to you? I was just hit in the head by a vase! Do you always do stupid questions? What am I asking this? A town pony always asks stupid questions."

He tried to get up, but the pain in his head prevented him. 

"Oh, my head!" he exclaimed, groaning in pain. 

"Let me help you" Fluttershy offered, approaching its hoof from Sky. 

"I don’t need your help!" he exclaimed abruptly moving Fluttershy’s hoof away. "Why won’t you treat your stinking animals and leave me alone?" 

Hearing him talk in that way about her animals, Fluttershy began, incredibly, losing her calm. But she breathed and ignored him. However, she realized that Sky would never go with her, if he continued to be evil and cruel. If she wanted the plan would result, she would have to use the gift now, but she feared it was too early. However, she had no choice.

She closed her eyes and concentrated on all the kindness she felt within herself. The pendant of her necklace began to glow with a rosy glow. Fluttershy, after feeling the power flowing within her, opened her eyes and put her hoof on Sky’s chest and said:

"For the beautiful kindness, open your heart."

The existing brightness in the pendent passed into Fluttershy’s body and then extended through her lifted foreleg and pass from her hoof to Sky’s body. Then his eyes widened when he felt that glow invading his body and head into his heart. When he came around, his heart gave a powerful beat that made Sky became stiff and then getting stuck for a few moments. He then looked at Fluttershy, not cruelly, but with remorse. She smiled at him and then handed him a hoof and said:

"Let's treat this injury, yes?"

Sky then smiled slightly and accepted Fluttershy’s hoof. She took him to her cottage where then she disinfected the wound and began to put him a bandage.

"You'll see that you'll feel much better" Fluttershy told him, as she was putting the bandage in his head.

Out of sight, except for Sky, a shadow appeared and Chaos Lord appeared and said to Sky, in a mocking voice:

"Well, little Sky is being treated like a little foal. It's really lovely."

Sky knew that only he could see him, although some animals feel that something was wrong, and that was real. The pegasus ignored the Lord of Chaos’ comment.

"She has a nice place here" the Lord of Chaos continued, looking around and approaching, untouchable. "A little occupied and noisy, but it’s not bad... for a pony of the Order. She probably treat all these animals every day. Hey, perhaps that is the reason for her being too helpful to you: because you're a wounded animal she can treat and care."

Upon hearing those words, the anger within Sky threatened to break up. He turned to Fluttershy and asked her somewhat coldly, when she just put the bandages:

"Why did you help me? I treated you so badly. If I was in your place, I would have left me where I was."

"Well, I think that helping others is what I do best." 

"But I'm not any of your pet animals." 

"Oh, but I don’t want you to be" Fluttershy said. "I do this to all my friends." 

"But... why?" Sky asked. 

"Probably for them to owe her favors" the Lord of Chaos whispered to Sky’s ear. "In these days, have a favor is vital."

"If you must know, I make it because it’s my duty" Fluttershy replied, after going to put seeds in the bird houses that were there, where birds would eat soon. "Helping my friends is the best thing I can do and I know that whenever I need to, my friends will help me when I need." 

Upon hearing that, Sky soon began to meditate everything he had done since his arrival to Equestria, all the evil he had done and began to think that maybe it ought to have done. 

"Don’t think about those things" the Lord of Chaos told him. "You are now bad and cruel and there's nothing you can do about it." 

The Lord of Chaos’ words seemed to take effect in Sky. He seemed ready to accept completely that he could never be good again. It was then that Angel, Fluttershy’s rabbit, jumped into his lap and looked at him with his sweet little rabbit eyes.

"Oh, looks like the little bunny wants to play" the Lord of Chaos said behind Sky, then placing a hand on Sky’s shoulder and whispering to him. "Why don’t you show him how to play seriously tying those beautiful fluffy little ears?"

The Lord of Chaos’ whispering appeared to function as a command to Sky. He smiled wickedly and lifted his hooves to tie Angel’s ears. It was then that Angel looked at him sweetly, which made him hesitate. Sky did not understand why he was hesitant. He was bad, he had been corrupted by the Lord of Chaos himself. So why don’t he tied Angel’s ears without hesitation?

He then looked at Fluttershy and he saw how she treated her animals. She treated them with great kindness and respect and they return her the favor, caressing her and giving her all their respect. They seemed to have a strong bond and almost indestructible. The young orange pegasus wondered if what Fluttershy had said was true about the kindness and decided to find out. Angel looked at him, continuing to smile and look, and then Sky lowered his hooves and drew a sweeter and more genuine smile. He lifted one of the hooves and calmly began petting the Angel’s head who seemed to be liking. That made Sky release a laugh.

"What are you doing?" the Lord of Chaos asked. "No, you cannot do that. You are bad and you have to act like that!"

But Sky didn’t seem to be listening. He was having too much fun petting Angel. His body began to shine with a pink glow that hit the Lord of Chaos. He moaned and put his hands in front of his face to protect himself and then disappeared. Fluttershy’s necklace then started flashing and she smiled, because she knew that she had managed to accomplish her mission. 

In the library, Twilight was very busy studying books that could have information about the Elements of Chaos and searching for the meaning of Lord of Order’s words. Spike, who was arranging the books she was rejecting, looked at the tapestry and saw the symbol of Kindness shining.

"Twilight, look!" he exclaimed. 

Twilight looked up from the book she was reading and saw the shine. 

"It seems that Fluttershy could do her part" she said. "That's good. With kindness within him, it will be much easier to approach Sky. But now, it's better I get back to work. I have to find out what the Lord of Order wanted to mean."

In the village square, Rarity, accompanied by a clipboard she was levitating with her magic, was checking preparations for her new event. She would work with Pinkie to make Sky accept their elements. After checking the decor and the ponies start coming, she went to the stage and called: 

"Pinkie." 

Pinkie's head appeared from behind the curtain and she asked: 

"Yes, Rarity?" 

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"But of course!" Pinkie answered. "I'm going to do a performance that will make laugh everypony, the grass, the trees... even the stones. And as this is a charity event, you can try to convince Sky to help with the great persuasion power of yours."

"Well, I have to admit that the idea is not bad" Rarity said. "Coming from you, it is a very good one."

"Thank you" thanked Pinkie before realizing what Rarity had said about the idea have come from her. "Hey!"

"Besides, even if with no result, we can always raise money for charity" Rarity said. "Well, I think it’s better get back to work. The ponies are already coming and I have to start working. Good luck, Pinkie."

"You too!" Pinkie exclaimed, while Rarity walked away.

Rarity prepared her desk and put on it a large jar. The ponies on arriving were putting money in the jar, going after that sitting to watch Pinkie’s comedy show. Then Sky arrived, coming from Fluttershy’s house.

“My Celestia!” Rarity exclaimed, seeing Sky’s bandage (despite knowing what had happened). “But what happened to you?”

"I don’t want to talk about it" Sky said. "I heard about this show and, for all I know, the whole village comes to see it." 

"Yes, when Pinkie Pie makes a comedy show for everypony, usually the whole village comes to watch" Rarity said.

"That's good" Sky said, thinking he could find Bloom in the crowd. "And I have to pay or what?" 

"No, you don’t pay anything for the show, but of course if you want to leave a few coins..." 

"Why would I pay for something that is free?" Sky asked. 

"Well, for starters, it's for charity" Rarity answered. "Then you don’t have to give much. And then it costs nothing to help raise funds for the needy."

"Yeah, well, that's not quite my style" Sky replied. 

Rarity saw she was not going to persuade him to help in that way. For that reason, she had to use the gift of her element. She concentrated in her desire to achieve to get Sky took a generous act and said, so that he would not hear: 

"For the gracious generosity, hear my words."

And then her element shone with a purplish glow. She knew now that she could convince Sky to do whatever she wanted. 

"Sky, come on, why don’t you contribute?" Rarity asked. "Just one coin. Just one and you'll do your good deed of the day."

Sky, not wanting to believe in himself, was listening what Rarity was saying and, mareover, he had the desire to do what she was telling him to do. He wanted to do that act of generosity she wanted him to do. 

The Lord of Chaos appeared again, invisible to all, and whispered to Sky. 

"Are you really thinking about doing this? Why are you going to spend your money... Wait, let me rephrase. Why are you going to give your money to others? It's yours. Yes, you could have stolen it, but it’s yours and only yours and you must use it to satisfy your desires."

Sky was greatly tempted to follow the Lord of Chaos’ words. After all, he was always more convincing than Rarity. 

Rarity realized that what she was saying was not resulting and chose another approach. 

"Come on, Sky, it costs nothing. Besides, you never know when you'll need another pony to give you a hoof. My motto is: do something nice for somepony and then you never know when they do something good for you."

"She speaks very well, she knows how to use the words" the Lord of Chaos commented. "But don’t tell me you're falling into this? Hey, why don’t you try to loot all the money she has raised? Just think about everything you could buy with all that money. You could conquer Bloom's love with it."

Upon hearing those words, Sky’s heart was taken by greed and his dark desire to regain Bloom. The Lord of Chaos was absolutely right. With all that money, he could easily woo the love of his life and get that farm pony out of the way.

Observing Sky’s eyes looking to the coins in the jar, Rarity saw something in them. It was a strange glow, like the glow in her eyes when she was dazzled by anything beautiful and radiant. However, it was a different brightness. Instead of fascination and admiration, they were full of greed, they had the same sparkle her eyes had when she was under Discord’s control.

"Sky, listen to me very carefully" she said, making him turn towards her. "Generosity is not something to be put away. It’s not a sign of weakness, rather the opposite. When you give what you have to offer, material or not, you are overcome by a feeling of well-being that you don’t find anywhere else. And see others’ happiness when you give them your generosity also gives you the same happiness. Do you understand?"

Rarity really managed to capture Sky’s attention. She had used the right words to release his attention from the Lord of Chaos. 

"Don’t listen what she says" the Lord of Chaos said to Sky. "All her words are just for show. Generosity brings you only misery. Generosity ruins you."

But Sky has practically not heard him, as he was looking at Rarity. He asked: 

"You want me to contribute, right?" 

"I’m not gonna force you" Rarity said. "I would never do a thing like that. But if you want to feel how it feels what I just described you, then that's what you have to do."

Sky thought about it and then, also influenced by the kindness introduced by Fluttershy, he became interested in feeling what Rarity had explained. He fetched one of the coins that were with him and deposited it into the jar while Rarity smiled, seeing that her approach had work.

"No, wait, don’t do that!" the Lord of Chaos exclaimed. 

By doing that gesture, Sky really feel something he didn’t feel already a long time ago. It was a heat wave reaching his heart and whose feeling was immensely good and gave him happiness merely because he cooperated in helping the needy. Rarity was right, it felt great. His body issued a purple glow so intense that the Lord of Chaos disappeared before it touched him. 

"You're right, it didn’t cost anything" he said. "And it felt good. Well, I think I'll sit down to watch the show."

"Have fun!" Rarity wished, while Sky walk away. 

When he was away, Rarity exclaimed, overjoyed:

"YES!" 

But she hastened to resume the posture, realizing what she had done. 

At Sweet Apple Acres, Big Mac was bucking apple trees, while Cherry Blossom was helping him collect the baskets with apples and put them in the wagon. 

"Ah don’t understand one thing" Big Mac said, while bucking a tree. "Why are ya here helpin’ me? Ya could be in the town, watchin’ Pinkie Pie and Rarity’s show."

"Oh, dear, I wouldn’t leave you here alone with a lot of work" she replied, as she levitated a few baskets to the wagon. "After all, I’m a future Apple, or not? Besides, Pinkie is always doing shows. I think losing one will not hurt anypony."

But then she saw Big McIntosh looked at her with his suspicious stare and, unable to hide him anything, she sighed and confessed: 

"Okay, I won’t go because of Sky. Happy?"

“Why?” Big Mac asked, approaching Cherry. 

"Why..." Cherry began, looking away from her fiancé. "Big Mac, we're talking about my ex-boyfriend that still loves me. I'm afraid he might do something to reconquer my love for him or to separate us. Because of this, I think it’s better to move away from him until he gives up."

Big Mac lifted her chin with his hoof, turning her toward him, and looking into her eyes, he said: 

"Ya don’t have tah worry ‘bout him. Ah told ya no one, not even Sky, will separate us. Ya are tha mare of mah life and Ah love you madly."

"I love you too" Cherry replied, smiling.

The two nuzzled each other for a while and then they heard a hack that made them turn and soon faced with Apple Bloom and her friends. 

"What are you doing here?" Cherry asked. 

"We came tah invite ya tah tha picnic we goin’ tah do in tha evenin’ in the countryside at the aside the gazebo" Apple Bloom answered. 

"Why?" Cherry Blossom asked, who already knew an invitation coming from those three was something of suspicious. 

"For nothing special" Scootaloo said. 

"We just don’t want to make a picnic alone and we think you could join us" Sweetie Belle said. 

"Yeah, there's no harm in it" Apple Bloom said.

Cherry Blossom and Big McIntosh looked at each other and then they smiled and waved. 

"All right, we accept your invitation" Cherry said. 

"Really?" Apple Bloom asked. 

"Eeyup" Big Mac said.

"Hurray!" the three fillies exclaimed. 

"Well, so we found ourselves near tha gazebo at about tha sunset" Apple Bloom said. "Bye-bye." 

And having said that, the three fillies walked away hastily. 

"I wonder what they're up to?" Cherry said to Big Mac "Any idea?"

"Nnope" he said. 

Back to Pinkie Pie’s show, she was behind the curtain, preparing to act, dressed in her clown suit. She then heard hooves to climb onto the stage and realized it was Rarity, preparing to announce her. The white unicorn put her head inside the curtain and said: 

"Sky is the audience. Now it’s up to you, Pinkie."

"Don’t worry, Rarity" Pinkie Pie said. "I'll do Sky laugh like a hyena in a comedy show." 

"Right" said Rarity, being always baffled by Pinkie’s metaphors. "Well, get ready." 

Rarity removed her head out of the curtain and said:

“Fillies and gentlecolts, be welcome to one of the most unique shows and, in some way, intriguing of Pinkie Pie. Before we start, allow me to thank you for your generous offer in the entry. We managed to raise enough money for the retirement home of Ponyville."

The ponies cheered gifts, including Sky, although he was applauding lightly. 

"Well, now, let us get down to business" Rarity said. 

Behind the curtain, Pinkie was getting ready. 

"Well, it's time." 

She took the hoof to the pendant of the necklace that was under her clown suit, closed her eyes and concentrated on her desire to make the ponies laugh, saying: 

"For the wonderful laughter, laugh at me."

The pendant shined with a blue glow that ran Pinkie for a second and then stopped.

"A round of applause for our fantastic, amazing, unique and strangely unpredictable... Pinkie Pie!"

Rarity left the stage and the curtains opened, showing Pinkie Pie doing a crazy dance while singing:

"Hello to all of you/I'm glad you are here/I'm sure you'll have fun/Just seat, see and hear."

Then she began to interact with the public, giving them candy and greeting, always getting out of nowhere, singing:

"You know who I am/I'm your sweetie pinky friend/That give you sweets and candies/And your sadness will attend."

While singing that part, she was beside Sky, trying to make him smile, as he was her mission, but she was not succeeding. He remained serious, merely looking at her with a bored air, unlike the ponies who were very excited, perhaps due to the influence of the power of Pinkie’s element.

Pinkie Pie returned to the stage, where there she began riding a unicycle while juggling cupcakes. 

"If you seem a little snappy/And you don’t want to smile/I'll solve your little problem/Because that is my style." 

Despite all ponies laugh for Pinkie’s silliness, Sky was the only one who wasn’t laughing. Indeed, he seemed to be getting very bored for being there. The Lord of Chaos appeared behind him and whispered in his ear: 

"Look at her. Embarrassing herself like that just to make others laugh. Who in their right mind humiliates herself just for the others to laugh?"

"I know, is completely stupid" replied Sky in a way that only the Lord of Chaos could hear. 

Pinkie Pie's smile fell as she realized that she was not being able to make Sky laugh. 

"Oh, Sky is not laughing and I'm using the Laugher" she said. "What do I do?"

But then, she was so absorbed in her thoughts that she distracted herself while riding the unicycle that she eventually lost control and fall to the ground. The cupcakes she was juggling up into the air and then began to fall one by one over Pinkie’s head, filling her mane with cream. 

With that, the ponies who were watching laughed wildly and then something happened that Pinkie didnot expect: Sky seemed to laugh, although slightly, however, with him trying to hide it. Seeing that, a smile crossed Pinkie Pie’s face, because she already knew how to make Sky laugh.

She left the stage at the speed of a lightning and returned after a second, with the mane clean and with a microphone on a tripod and a pie. 

"Hey, guys, what is called a pink pony with a pie in the face?" She asked. 

Then she threw the pie to her face and then exclaimed: 

"Pinky Pie!"* 

That made the ponies to keep laughing and even Sky began to intensify his laughter, though he was still containing it. 

Pinkie Pie wiped the pie in his face with a cloth and then pulled out a soda pop and said, taking a glass: 

"Does anypony want a drink?" 

She started tinkering the soda with a lot of force and then she held it up, hoping the cork would just jump, but it didn’t.

"But what's wrong with this bottle?" Pinkie asked, approaching the bottle from her. 

It was then that the cork exploded, hitting her and the soda erupted from the bottle and soaked Pinkie Pie completely. The ponies were already breathless with laughter, but even so, they still did it. Sky even now could not hide his laughter, although this wasn’t the laugh Pinkie needed yet. 

"Wait a minute," the Lord of Chaos said him, seeing him laughing. "Are you laughing for contentment? But you shouldn’t do that! Not from... that."

Pinkie Pie shook her head to dry her coat and mane, which puffed up as always. She left the stage again at the speed of light and returned with a box, placed it on the floor and sitting, saying:

“Oh, I have a present. I love presents!"

And then she opened the box and from there came a boxing glove attached to a spring that hit Pinkie and launched her to the sky above her, screaming. She went through some clouds and then back down, landing with a thud. She then sat down with a giddy air. But what was funny was that she also had a mustache and a beard made of large pieces of clouds that made everypony laugh harder. She then looked at Sky and saw that he couldn't take it anymore and began to laugh uproariously. 

"Wait, did you think that was funny?" the Lord of Chaos asked. "I mean, the part of the mustache and the beard were funny... But the rest had no fun!" 

But Sky didn’t listen and continued to laugh. Then a blue glow began to  appear in him. 

"Oh, scrap" the Lord of Chaos said, in a boring way, disappearing because of the glow.

Seeing Sky laughing like that, Pinkie Pie realized she had achieved and started jumping for joy and shouting:

"I did it!"

But then she fell on the floor, exhausted from everything that she had to do to make Sky laugh.

Rarity, who was in her desk watching everything, was happy to see that Pinkie Pie had managed to make Sky laugh.

"Howdy, Rarity" greeted a voice.

Rarity startled, but she calmed down she saw it was Applejack.

"Oh, Applejack, it’s you."

"So how are things goin’?" Applejack asked.

"See for yourself" Rarity replied, motioning to Sky who was still laughing at Pinkie Pie’s jokes.

"Well, stretch mah ears an’ call me a mule!" Applejack said. "Pinkie Pie’s plan really worked." 

"Yes, I could make him do a generous act." 

"It seems that it’s up me now" Applejack said. 

They waited until the ponies started getting out, all well-disposed. Sky was spotted approaching and Applejack hastened to approach him. But before doing so, she closed her eyes to activate the power of her element. She concentrated and then said: 

"Fer tha sincere honesty, tell tha truth." 

Her element flashed and then she moved to Sky.

"Howdy, Sky" greeted him. "Did ya enjoy tha show?" 

Sky, by finding Applejack quite annoying, tried to lie, but something made him answer: 

"Yes, I loved it. Wait, why did I say that?"

"Ah’m glad ya lik’d" Applejack continued. "Pinkie Pie really has a talent for making pony laugh, isn’t it?" 

Sky tried to dodge that question, but a need to respond came over him and he couldn’t control himself. 

"Yeah, she's really hilarious" he confessed. 

Applejack smiled, knowing that her element was doing its job. However, she knew it wasn’t enough because she was forcing him to tell the truth. She had to be more subtle in a way to compel him to say a pure and sincere truth.

"Ya know, Ah heard ‘bout tha money theft there is in tha village" Applejack said. "It's horrible, isn’t it?" 

"Yes." 

"Do ya know anythin’ about it? Ah'm not accusing ya, but Ah thought ya could know something."

Applejack stopped. Saying things like that, she wasn’t cornering Sky and so she could give him the opportunity to say the truth. 

Sky felt the urge that compelled him to respond honestly decreasing, giving him room to maneuver, but even so, he still felt a desire to tell the truth about those thefts. 

The Lord of Chaos appeared again and whispered:

"This time you have to listen to me. Don’t even think in telling the truth. Don’t forget that if you do it, you will be arrested for theft. Believe me, this land can be lovely and all that, but it's very tough with the crime."

Upon hearing that, Sky has made a huge effort and lied: 

"No, I know nothing." 

Applejack knew he was lying because she knew that he was the thief as it was Rarity who told her. She had to be more effective and for that she have to appeal to the kindness Fluttershy had already fixed, knowing that only then she would appeal to Sky’s conscience. 

"Sky, Ah know ya know somethin’" Applejack said. "Please, ya can tell me." 

"I don’t know what you're talking about" Sky lied, uncomfortable. "Could you stop bothering me with your twaddle."

He began to move away, but Applejack continued: 

"If you continue to hide what you’re hiding, that weight you have chest will not disappear." 

Sky stopped at that. It was true he now began to feel a weight on his heart. Was it his consciousness trying to compel him to admit his mistakes? 

"Don’t listen her" the Lord of Chaos said. "She just wants you to confess to send you to prison. Believe me, that mare is so honest that she would send her own sister to the jail just for stealing a candy."

However, at that time, the Lord of Chaos’ words no longer seemed to him too much tempting, because he felt an immense discomfort inside his chest that would not let him be at ease.

"Ya can tell me" Applejack said, advancing. "Ya will feel better, believe me. Tha truth is liberatin’."

Sky turned to her, which made her make a slight smile. That smile seemed to convey him trust. He knew she was being honest with him and, as the Lord of Chaos had said, she was very honest and she wouldn’t lie to him about that. Wanting to get rid of that pressure in his chest, he sighed and confessed: 

"It was me. I've been stealing other ponies. But only because I needed the money, not only to survive but also to try to regain the love of my life, Bloom or Cherry Blossom... or whatever you call her here. I confess I felt pleased by the adrenaline, but then I felt myself remorseful."

He then went to Rarity and then handed her some coins.

"I think this is what I stole from you. I'm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me."

Applejack and Rarity were either speechless at what just happened because they didn’t expect such a positive effect like that. Recovering, Applejack came up and said, placing a hoof Sky’s shoulder:

"Way tah go, boy. Ya did very well. Isn’t that right, Rarity?"

Rarity was still stunned, but she recovered her posture and replied:

"Yes, very well. But, you know, Sky, you've been so good to confess that I think you should stay with the money."

"But I stole it from you..." he replied, getting the coins back.

"Yes, but I know you're very sorry for what you did" said Rarity. "Come on, accept them."

Sky couldn't believe in that gesture from Rarity and smiled.

The Lord of Chaos was completely petrified. He couldn’t believe Sky was honest and he could do nothing to prevent it. 

"Tell me this didn’t just happen" he said. 

Then an orange light began coming from Sky and go to the Lord of Chaos. 

"It seems that this is my cue" he said. "But this is not over." 

And then he disappeared. 

Rainbow Dash was quietly resting on top of a cloud, waiting for when it was her turn. 

"Ah, Rainbow Dash?" Called a calm little voice. 

She opened one eye and saw Fluttershy stop in the air before her.

"What is it, Fluttershy?" she asked, opening the other eye and sitting while she stretched. 

"I and the others have already managed to make our missions" Fluttershy said. "You’re the only one left. Once you've finished your work, Twilight might continue her mission."

"It seems that the nap is over" Rainbow said, taking off. "Where is Sky?" 

"At Sugarcube Corner" Fluttershy replied. "But I think it's best..." 

But she didn’t finish because Rainbow Dash headed there at high speed. She passed Fluttershy at high speed, making her spin on her place and then fall into a cloud a little dizzy: 

"... you have calm." 

Rainbow Dash went to Sugarcube Corner, where she found Applejack at the entry.

"So?" Rainbow asked Applejack when she landed next to her. 

"Ya’re the only one left" she replied. 

"And how did it go?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Fluttershy said you were succeeded, but she didn’t explained to me how it went?" 

"Ya mean ya didn’t give her time tah explain" Applejack corrected with a slight smile. 

"Yeah, whatever. Come on, tell me!"

"It went well. Surprisingly well. Twilight was right. If we had start’d workin’ as a team, we would have these results sooner. Besides it would be much easier usin’ the gifts after that."

"Okay, now it’s with me" Rainbow Dash said. "Hey, how do I use a gift like mine. How can I get access to Sky’s memory?"

"There’s only one way tah find out" Applejack replied, making an inviting gesture for Rainbow entering the store. 

She did so and then she found Sky sitting at one of the tables, eating a slice of strawberry cake, while Pinkie Pie was his company, telling him her crazy stories. 

"And then, next thing I knew, I was on top of the Ponyville tower with a sombrero on my head, high shoes and my muzzle full of whipped cream" she said. 

That made Sky laugh and answered: 

"Pinkie Pie, you're really crazy." 

"Oh, am I?" she asked. "I always thought I was extravagant/eccentric/unique."

"But don’t all those mean the same thing?" Sky asked. 

"No!" Pinkie Pie answered. "Wait... I think you're right. They mean the same thing."

Sky laughed. 

Rainbow Dash was somewhat disconcerted to see Sky being so cheerful and friendly. It seems the treatment her friends had done it was really working. Now it was her turn. She forwarded and greeted: 

"So, Sky, how are you?" 

"Oh, hello..." he greeted. 

"Rainbow Dash." 

"Right. I should have noticed because of your mane."

"Yes, Rainbow Dash has really in her mane the colors of the rainbow" Pinkie said. "You know, sometimes I wonder if the color is natural or if she dyes it, just like the Mayor. Did you know she is not naturally grey? Yes, she dyes her mane, maybe to look wiser."

"Pinkie, don’t you have to go watch the twins?" Rainbow Dash asked, knowing that if Pinkie was around, she wouldn’t be able to fulfill her mission. 

"Oh, it's true!" the pink mare cried. "They must be about to wake up! I'll be back."

And having said this, she ran out to the upper floor. 

"So, Sky, now that we're friends..." Rainbow Dash started, sitting in the place that had once been occupied by Pinkie Pie. "We're friends, aren’t we?" 

"Of course."

"Well, so, why don’t we try to know each other better?" Rainbow Dash asked. "For example, I'm native from Cloudsdale. What about you? I heard you’re not from Equestria."

Sky didn’t respond immediately and, when he did, he said: 

"Yes, I’m from a distant land, but I'd rather not talk about it." 

"But it must have cost you a lot, being separated from your family and your friends, right?" Rainbow asked. 

Sky thought about the answer and then said: 

"Actually, Rainbow, not really. You know, when Cherry Blossom came to here, I dropped everything just to find her."

"So you dropped your whole life and all those who love you because of a mare? How stupid!"

"Love makes us act like idiots." 

"Love or obsession" Rainbow Dash muttered. 

"What did you say?" Sky said, not hearing clearly what she had said. 

"Nothing important" she said. "But have you ever considered leave Cherry and return home? I mean, she's getting married. Don’t you think it's a little too late?"

"You say well, she's getting married" he said. "She didn’t married yet. I still have a shot. And if I have to give up my family and friends just to be with the mare I love, so I give them up."

Rainbow couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Despite the influences of the other Elements of Harmony, Sky continued to show no remorse for having abandoned those who loved him. Moreover, he was willing to swap them just to stay with Cherry Blossom. She had to change it... and it was now.

"No, I won’t allow it" he said. 

"What do you mean?" Sky asked. 

Rainbow Dash focused all the loyalty inside of her and then put a hoof on Sky's shoulder and said: 

"For the strong loyalty, remember." 

Her element began to glow and then Rainbow found herself accessing memories that were not hers. They should be Sky’s. She could see how he was in his other form and all his memories, and many of them were from Cherry Blossom. 

The memories were so many that Rainbow Dash couldn’t even concentrate. She had to isolate the memories she thought were not appropriate and the first thing she did was to isolate all the memories that contained Cherry. After that, she decided to start with his family.

"Remember your family" Rainbow Dash said. “All the happy times you spent with them." 

And she began to show him the happy memories of his childhood with his parents. When he remember them, it seemed that Sky was starting to miss them. 

"Mom... Dad..." 

The Lord of Chaos appeared behind Sky and placed his hand on his other shoulder, saying: 

"Not this time. Sky, remember that your parents were not always the best parents in the world. Remember the bad things that happened to you because of them."

Sky then began to remember the times that his father always tried to control him, using his duties as prince, thereby preventing him from being with his friends and with Bloom, and the foisting for an engagement with Diaspro, besides the fact that his mother never tried to stop him. That made Sky to say:

"My parents never did anything for me, especially my father. Why would I miss them?"

Rainbow realized she have to use another memory to make him realize the love his parents had for him. So, she find the right one. 

"Sky, your father loves you as a parent can love a child" Rainbow Dash said. "Do not you remember this?" 

And she showed him when his father, Erendor, helped in the fight against witches called Ancestral Witches, sacrificing himself to save Bloom, Sky’s great love. 

"It’s true, my father sacrificed himself for Bloom and, through her, for me" he replied.

"And your mother, though silent before your father, gave you comfort and support when you needed" Rainbow continued, making Sky remember all the love his mother always gave him. 

"You're right" he said, smiling. "She did" 

The Lord of Chaos didn’t want to believe she had managed to give back to the situation. 

"Not bad, Rainbow Dash" he said. "Not bad at all. You took one of the few happy memories of Sky with his parents and you used it to your advantage. But this battle is not over yet, my dear."

He was right. After all, there was another part to replenish Sky’s loyalty: his friends.

"Okay, now let’s pass to your friends" Rainbow Dash said. "Remember the happy times you spent together. Everything they have done for you."

Sky was then assaulted by the happy memories with her friends, his friends from Red Fountain and his friends from Alfea. A smile appeared on Sky when he remembered all that. But the Lord of Chaos was about to change everything.

"Yes, they're really your friends" he told him. "They are so your friends that some of them betrayed you and/or tried to prevent you from find Bloom. I mean, if one or two of them are capable of betraying you, do you must trust in the others? After all, once burned, twice shy."

He then did Sky start to remember all the betrayals made by Riven, one of his friends, thus prompting his distrust toward the others, besides he increased his anger towards them by the attempt to discourage the idea of facing Lord of Order to recover Bloom.

"Why would I bother with them?" Sky asked. "They are even worse than my parents. They already betrayed me many times and they tried to prevent me from having what I want: the love of my life."

Rainbow Dash was shocked how much happiness in Sky’s friendships had become into a deep distrust. It seemed that Sky’s dark side was using the old betrayals to darken his vision of what was true. She had to do something. 

"No, you cannot think like that" Rainbow said. "Of course your friends love you. They just want what is best for you."

"That’s not true" the Lord of Chaos told him. "Friends who never betrayed are just potential traitors." 

"Yes, they are traitors" Sky said, burying himself increasingly in those dark memories. 

Rainbow felt that she was losing and then raised the tone of her voice, exclaiming:

"Sky, listen to me! Yes, it’s true; sometimes friends betray our trust. So what? All friendships have problems. There’s no one that have not problems. But true friendship can restore the trust and the loyalty that were broken. Remember that even with all the betrayals, your friendship with your friends remained and that just means how much they like you."

Sky started to remember all that Rainbow had said. 

"And if they tried to stop you from face the Lord of Order because of Bloom, it’s because they value your safety because you have to be realistic: you could never defeat the Lord of Order." 

She paused and then continued:

"Sky, your friends are loyal to you and they will always be loyal. But you are the one that is turning the back on them. You are turning your back to those who love you and care about you."

Sky looked Rainbow that made him a slight smile. That smile showed him confidence, that he could trust her words. 

"Please don’t tell me you're going to fall again in this kind of lousy talk" the Lord of Chaos said. "The fact that they worry about you doesn’t erase the fact that they betrayed you. And betrayal responds with betrayal and with a bit of contempt."

Although tempted to follow the easiest decision, Sky decided to give an opportunity to Rainbow Dash’s words and returned her the smile, waving and saying: 

"Yes, you're right. I cannot turn my back to them."

A red light came out of Sky without warning and hit the Lord of Chaos who screamed in pain and then disappeared.

In the library, Twilight was still trying to interpret the Lord of Order’s words. But seeing each element of the tapestry shining one after another, she began to get increasingly desperate. 

She was walking from one side to the other thinking, when... 

"Twilight, look!" Spike said, pointing to the tapestry. 

She looked and saw that the last element that was left, Loyalty, was shining. The only one who wasn’t shining was the one in the center: Magic, her element. 

"I don’t believe it!" Twilight exclaimed, quickening her pace. "Sky is ready for me and I still don’t know what to do with my magic." 

"Twilight, calm down" Spike said. "I'm sure you'll be able to understand what the Lord of Order wants you so we can send Sky back to his world and end up with his desire to have Cherry Blossom."

Then, hearing the words her dragon assistant said, Twilight had an epiphany. 

"That's right. Why didn’t I think of that? Studying the cause. Spike, you're a genius!"

And having said this, she gave a huge hug to the little dragon who could hardly breathe. When Twilight dropped him and he fell to the ground, he asked: 

"What?" 

"I know what to do with my element and bring Sky to the light side" Twilight replied.
> The Darkness Takes Root
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Having realized the meaning of Lord of Order’s words, Twilight gathered her friends and, when they arrived, she told them: 

"Girls, thank you for all your efforts. We are close to release Sky from the chaos control.”

"And Ah must say it wasn’t easy" Applejack said. "Doin’ that pony confess was really a complicat’d task." 

"Tell me about it" Rarity agreed. "I had to use all my ingenuity to get the right words to say to make him to donate money to a generous cause." 

"And have you seen his sense of humor?" Pinkie Pie asked. "He laughed at me because I hurt myself. I mean, it was very funny, but what kind of sense of humor is that? Nopony has a sense of humor so twisted. I’m glad I managed to improve it, because otherwise..."

But she didn’t finished, because Rainbow Dash interrupted, saying: 

"I thought my gift wasn’t cool, but you should have seen me use it to use Sky’s memories to revive his loyalty by his friends and family." 

"In my situation, I had a great help from Angel" Fluttershy said. "I think if it was not for him, I wouldn’t have been able to keep the kindness in Sky’s heart." 

"Yes, it seems all of you had difficulty even using the gifts" Twilight observed. 

"Yes, it seemed like something was trying to make Sky refuse our help" Rarity said. "Did some of you also find the same thing?" 

"Ya're right, Rarity" Applejack agreed. "It look’d like he was listenin’ someone else without being us."

"And when I was able to access Sky's memory, something reminded him bad things and I couldn’t control it." 

"And my Pinkie sense told me that there was somepony in the public beyond Sky that wasn’t having fun" Pinkie Pie said. 

"And my animals told me they felt something dark prowling Sky" Fluttershy said. "They were very frightened. Even I was nervous for them."

"And I think I know exactly what may be causing it" Twilight said. "It is Sky’s dark desire." 

The others made a confused look. Twilight then explained:

"Remember what the Lord of Order told me? About I have to study the cause? What he meant is that I had to study what caused Sky to be corrupted by the Lord of Chaos. "

"That's easy," Rainbow Dash said. "It was his stupidity." 

"Rainbow, this is serious" Twilight said. 

"And I'm serious" she replied. "If Sky was not stupid enough to go for help to the Lord of Chaos, we would not be in this situation." 

"Yes, of course, but you're forgetting what made him do it" Twilight said. 

The other mares thought for a while and then Applejack said: 

"Of course! Cherry Blossom! It was 'cause of her that Sky left tha Lord of Chaos corrupt him.”

"Exactly!" Twilight said. "Because of his desire to be with her again." 

"Is that what you mean with dark desire, darling?" Rarity asked. 

"Precisely" Twilight answered. "And that's my job. Delete this desire."

The other continued without understanding anything. 

"What do you mean, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked. 

"Yes, explains to us as if we were five years old" Rainbow Dash said. 

"But we are not five years old, silly" Pinkie Pie say to Rainbow. "If we were five years old, we would be small and lovely fillies." 

“It was a way of speaking, Pinkie" Rainbow said. 

"Oh!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Now, I understand."

"I honestly doubt about it" Rainbow said. 

"Continue, sugarcube" Applejack said to Twilight. 

"Well, it happens that this desire to be with Cherry Blossom again made Sky become corrupted and come to Equestria" she continued. "The Lord of Chaos used this dark desire to activate the Elements of Chaos in Sky. This desire is Black Magic and it’s my duty to use my element, Magic, to neutralize the magic the Lord of Chaos cast in Sky’s desire."

"Well, it seems simple" Rainbow Dash said, raising flight. "You only have to use your horn and... Bam! Sky goes back to the Order side and the Lord of Order can take him back to his world."

"You are completely wrong, Rainbow" Twilight said. "It's not that easy."

"Oh, come on, for a headegg like you is quite simple" Rainbow Dash said, carefree. 

"Rainbow Dash, if Twilight says it’s not so easy, it’s because it’s not" Rarity said. 

"But she says the same for all the great spells she does and it happens to be simple enough for her." 

"Yes, Rainbow, but this time is different" Twilight answered. "Cleaning a dark desire is something very delicate. First, it’s necessary that the magic within him is latent. It was for this reason that the Lord of Order sent you to use your use elements in Sky first. And then there is the magic itself. It would be like using a double-edged sword."

"Uh!" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly. "It will be a sword fight? I love sword fights! If you like, Twilight, I can lend you one of my swords I have at home."

That made all look at her. Rarity asked:

"You have swords at home? Why? "

"The question you should do, Rarity, is why you don’t have swords at home" Pinkie Pinkie said. 

"Thank you, Pinkie, but there will be no sword fight" said Twilight. "It was just a way of speaking." 

"Oh!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, disillusioned. "I hate ways of speaking."

"What I mean is that if I'm not careful in what I'll do, I can end up reviving the Black Magic and this will eventually reactivate the other Elements of Chaos with more strength." 

"So we can have the bad Sky again, but a thousand times worse?" Applejack asked. 

Twilight nodded.

"Oh, my!" Fluttershy said. "That would be terrible!" 

"But the worst isn’t this" Twilight said. 

"What could be worse than the return of the rude and cruel Sky?" Rarity asked. 

"The worst is I don’t have much time to perfect the spell before using it on Sky" Twilight replied. "I mean, I know the spell indicated for this, but I never tested it before and time is not on our side. It will not be long until Black Magic reactivates the other Elements of Chaos and everything returns to the beginning. If this happens, we will not have the gifts to help us to prepare the ground again. Spike! Did you find the book?"

"Here" the little dragon replied, coming up with a great book.

Twilight caught it with her magic and opened it and flipped it ahead and then stopped, saying: 

"Here it is. It says here that will help if I show him or tell him something of great emotional shock which may cause him to relinquish his desire. That's the secret. If Sky abdicates his dark desire, then its magic will be destroyed.”

"But what can cause great emotional shock to Sky?" Applejack asked. 

There was a pause in which all thought and then Rainbow Dash said: 

"Wait, I think I know. Remember that I stood on his head. I saw his memories and I noticed that there were what appeared to be very important to him. The memories with Cherry."

"But how does Cherry can help Sky to give up from his wish?" Applejack said.

"I understand what Rainbow is trying to say" Twilight said. "Sky may want Cherry Blossom, but I bet her happiness is a priority for him. If we show him how happy Cherry is here in Ponyville and with Big Mac next to her and join my magic to destroy his desire’s magic..."

"He may loosen himself from tha desire and return to tha light side" Applejack concluded. 

"That's brilliant!" Rarity exclaimed. "We already have a plan." 

"Hurray!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Party?" 

"Not yet, Pinkie" Fluttershy said. "First, we have yet to save Sky from the darkness." 

"And how do we do this?" Rarity asked. "I don’t know if you've noticed, but Sky is obsessed with Cherry and he hates Big Mac. It will not be easy to convince him that Cherry is better and happier with Big Mac."

It was really a problem. How to put the idea into practice. 

"Wait, Ah might have somethin’" Applejack said. "It's a bit risky, but it may be our only chance." 

"Tell me, Applejack" Twilight said. 

"Mah brother told me that he and Cherry were invit’d tah a picnic from Apple Bloom and her friends by sunset" Applejack said. "They should be certifyin’ that those two stay together." 

"I get it" Twilight said. "You want to make Sky look how Cherry Blossom is happy with Big McIntosh when they are at the picnic." 

Applejack nodded.

"Well, it's an idea" Twilight said. 

"Say the only one we have" Rainbow Dash said.

"Yes, but can this also upset Sky?" Fluttershy asked. "It shouldn’t be too easy to see the mare he loves being happy next to another stallion." 

"Fluttershy’s right" Twilight agreed. "Everything will depend on me." 

When the sun was setting, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had just prepared the picnic in the countryside near the gazebo. 

"Okay, gals, let's see if we have everythin’" Apple Bloom said to her friends. "Food." 

"Check" Scootaloo said, gesturing to the food they had put on the towel. 

"Music."

"Check" Sweety Belle said, taking a radio from the basket. 

"Telescope tah see tha stars after dark" Apple Bloom said, pointing to a telescope they had brought. "Check." 

"Now we just have to wait for the couple in question to arrive" Sweety Belle said. 

"I just hope they do not take too long" Scootaloo said. "I'm getting hungry, just seeing all this food." 

"Well then I'm glad we arrive" a voice said. 

They looked and saw Cherry Blossom and Big McIntosh arriving. 

"Oh, we are glad ya came" Apple Bloom said. "We were even now givin’ the final preparations."

"Well, you have not forgotten anything" Cherry Blossom noted. "Food, music… and even a telescope. It seems you struggled much, isn’t that right, Big Mac?"

"Eeyup" he agreed. 

"We just want you to have a nice evening... with us" Sweety Belle replied. 

"Yes, we like your company" Scootaloo said. 

"Well then let's go eat, before it gets late" Cherry said. 

A little further away, Twilight was wearing her crown. She could see the picnic happening. She just hoped this plan would work. 

She heard hooves and she turned, watching Sky approaching. 

"They told me you wanted to see me, Princess Twilight" Sky said.

"Please, call me Twilight" she asked. 

"So why did you want to see me?" Sky asked. 

Twilight took a deep breath and then replied: 

"I want you to see something." 

She then motioned and Sky looked where Twilight was pointing. He could see Cherry Blossom with Big Mac and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. 

"But what is that?" He asked. 

"I wanted you to see this for you to understand one thing" Twilight said. 

"What? That I have to hurry to separate those two before they get married?"

"No. Sky, don’t you understand? Look at Cherry.”

He thus saw her laughing, while the little fillies made their mischief while Big McIntosh was hugging her. 

"She's happy" Twilight said. "Very happy. If you love her, so her happiness should be a priority for you."

"But she'd be much happier with me" Sky said. "She was always in her happiest beside me. We went through a lot of things."

"I don’t doubt about it, Sky, but, believe me, love is not only standing alongside those we love" Twilight said. "Love is to sacrifice ourselves for them, even if it is a life along them." 

Sky didn’t answer, merely looking at the scene of the picnic. Twilight got close and told him, putting her hoof on his shoulder: 

"Let her live the life she chose, Sky. If you truly love her, let her go."

Thinking it was the right time, Twilight concentrated her magic on her horn that began to glow. It didn’t take long till her element also began to shine. Twilight closed her eyes and then began to feel Sky’s heart. She could hear it beating. But she couldn’t just feel it. She could feel his aura. It was a bubbly and bright aura, the soul of someone noble and brave, a warrior.

It was then that she noticed a small spot in the middle of all that bright. It was like a big stain on a dress. It was black, dirty and disgusting, however latent. It seemed to be asleep, perhaps due to all the interventions made by her friends. She advanced to it and began to fight against it, striving to the utmost to eliminate this stain.

She felt she was getting it. This stain had begun to decline. Sky was ready to drop his desire. It wouldn’t get long to free him from the Lord of Chaos’ influence.

Then, suddenly, a powerful force hit Twilight and threw her back. She would fall hard on the ground if she hadn’t used her levitation spell on herself to bolster her from the fall. Twilight then looked and saw, next to Sky, who was in a state of trance due to the spell, a very similar figure to the Lord of Order, but rather more sinister and darker. He laughed evilly.

"Who are you?" Twilight asked. 

"Why are you asking that when you know perfectly well who I am, princess?" the Lord of Chaos asked. 

"You are the Lord of Chaos, right?" Twilight asked. 

"Exactly," he replied. "The lord of all that is dark and bad. The biggest of all nightmares. And I have to admit, you and your friends played quite well for fledglings. I never thought you would get so far with your quest to change Sky before all his potential could blossom."

"Why are you doing this?" Twilight asked. "Why did you want to corrupt Sky in the first place? You must have had a reason for that."

"In fact I have a reason to have helped this loser" the Lord of Chaos replied. "You know, by a long time, I have tried to rule this world. My brother arrived here before me and lit it with his light. However, if the light comes to a place, the darkness will soon to appear sooner or later and that's what happened. I arrived and I infected this world with my darkness. The evidence of my influence is the Desolate Zone and the Changelings."

"So it was you who created the Changelings." 

"But of course it was me. And it did a lot more than what you can imagine. But unfortunately, my brother always managed to control my chaos and darkness in this world, one thing that I want to change."

"And what has Sky to do with all this?" Twilight asked. 

"Isn’t it obvious?" the Lord of Chaos asked back. "I used this fool as a vessel to my darkness. I only had to wait for it to mature enough to then break free and spread. And my brother was convinced that I didn’t have much interest in Sky and sent you to deal with him. He was so naive. I must confess that, at the beginning, I never thought you could go so long and that was enough to me whisper in his ear a few things to keep him from getting carried away, but I underestimated you and you almost managed to ruin my plan."

Twilight contorted her face and said: 

"This is not over. If you think you going to win, you're very much wrong."

"But I've already won" the Lord of Chaos said. "Do you want to see it?”

He then turned to Sky and began to say him: 

"She may be happy with him, but don’t you think that Bloom would be better off with you?" 

Noticing that the Lord of Chaos was doing, Twilight says: 

"Sky, don’t listen him!" 

But she couldn't say anything else, because the Lord of Chaos gestured and incapacitated Twilight to say anything else. 

"Think about it" he continued. "You sacrificed everything for her. You sacrificed everything you were for her. Quitting now would be throwing everything to the trash."

"Yes, I sacrificed everything for Bloom" Sky said, still in his trance. "I sacrificed myself to be able to have her by my side."

"You'll not let a farmpony steal your princess from you, will you?" the Lord of Chaos asked. 

"No, I won’t really" Sky said in a more serious and somber tone. 

Then a wave of visible darkness began to surround him. Twilight couldn’t believe that this was happening. Sky was being dominated by darkness, but in a completely different way. 

"So go there reclaim what is rightfully yours" the Lord of Chaos said. 

"Yes" Sky said, advancing. 

Twilight then felt the spell of the Lord of Chaos release her and she said: 

"Sky, please don’t do that!" 

"Too late, my dear" the Lord of Chaos said. "The pieces are already in motion."

Sky approached the picnic. The fillies jumped happily, while Cherry and Big Mac watched them, smiling. Everything changed when Sky appeared there. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stopped immediately jumping and Cherry Blossom and Big McIntosh’s face became stern. 

"Sky?" Cherry asked. "What are you doing here?" 

"Claim what is mine" he replied, making a sly smile. 

Upon hearing that and seeing him beginning to advance, Big McIntosh placed himself just in front of his beloved and then told to the three little fillies: 

"Gals, put yerselves behind Cherry." 

"But..." Apple Bloom started. 

"Now!" Big McIntosh exclaimed.

They did so. 

"Look at that" said Sky. "The big red pony trying to be bold." 

"Ah do everythin’ tah protect those Ah love" he replied. 

"What a cute" Sky joked. "But useless." 

"Sky, but what's wrong with you?" Said Cherry. "This is not you. You are not like this."

"Of course I am" he replied. "Believe me when I say I've never been so true in my life. And now, let's get to it."

And began to advance and Big Mac took the fighting stance. 

It was then there was an explosion of light and Twilight appeared between two and exclaimed:

"ENOUGH!" 

She used his magic to create a barrier that launched against Sky who pushed him to a couple of meters away. 

"Enough, Sky!" Twilight said. "This has to stop." 

"Twilight" Cherry Blossom said. 

"Please, Sky, stop this madness" Twilight said. 

"You can say whatever you want, dear princess" a voice said. "But you know perfectly well that it will not work." 

Twilight and the others looked up and saw the Lord of Chaos in the air, watching the scene.

"Sky is now mine and mine he will stay" he continued. "Now the only way to stop him is you give him what he want: the lovely and beautiful Cherry Blossom." 

"Hey, who is that character?" Scootaloo asked. 

"He looks like the Lord of Order" Cherry said. 

"Who is the Lord of Order?" Apple Bloom asked. 

"I answer who he is, my little one" the Lord of Chaos replied. "The Lord of the Order is my silly brother who thinks he's the best just because he controls everything that is good and says that his justice is righteous only because he tries to preserve the balance. I, on the other hand, am his perfidious brother who, by the way, is much more handsome and smarter."

"And more modest" Twilight mocked.

"Oh, Twilight, your sarcasm touches me" the Lord of Chaos replied, making a false thrilled look. 

"Wait, if you are the Lord of Order’s brother, that means..." Cherry began. 

"Yes, I’m the great and powerful... Lord of Chaos!" the Lord of Chaos shouted. 

He started laughing, while black clouds appeared and began to thunder, making the little fillies crouch with fear. The Lord of Chaos stopped laughing and the thunders stopped. 

"Did you liked the thunder effect" he asked. "I thought a moment like this needed a bit of drama."

"It was you who did this to Sky, wasn’t it?" Cherry asked, advancing angrily. "It was you who made him act like an evil madman." 

"As if it was me who caused him to come to me and do all this" the Lord of Chaos said. "No, my dear, it was your ex that came to me and gave himself to me." 

That information shocked Cherry Blossom who asked: 

"What?" 

"You didn’t know?" the Lord of Chaos asked. "Twilight and company didn’t tell you?" 

Cherry looked to Twilight. Seeing her look that way, Twilight felt guilty for not telling Cherry what had really happened. After all, everything was about her. 

"Twilight?"

The alicorn princess sighed and said: 

"Look, Cherry, I and the others didn’t say anything because we think the truth could leave you even more troubled than you were for hearing about Sky’s return but..." 

"But what?" 

"But the truth is Sky lied when he said to you that was the Lord of Order who brought him here" Twilight said. "It was the Lord of Chaos who did that, and for this, he corrupted Sky using the Elements of Chaos, the opposite magic of the Elements of Harmony." 

That statement left Cherry Blossom completely shocked. She turned to Sky and asked him: 

"Why, Sky? Why did you do that? "

"I did it because I love you and want you by my side" he replied. "Heck, we've been through a lot. I will not let that stop me from being with you forever. And it will happen, you can be sure about that."

Big McIntosh placed himself in front of Cherry Blossom and told to Sky:

"Ya’ll never make Cherry tah do somethin’ she doesn’t want. Ah won’t let ya."

"I also won’t let you to do something stupid, Sky" Twilight said. 

"You see, Sky?" the Lord of Chaos asked. "Those two are in the way between you and Bloom. They are preventing you from being happy. They are obstacles. And what do you do with obstacles?"

"I... DESTROY THEM!" He bellowed. 

Then there was an explosion of black energy coming from Sky, which was wrapped in an immense darkness which began to spread to everywhere. He then launched his darkness to Twilight that was pulled away as a whip and then shot a ray of darkness that hit Big McIntosh, throwing him to the ground, unconscious. 

"BIG MAC!" Cherry Blossom and Apple Bloom shouted 

They and the other two fillies came to him.

"No, Big Mac" Cherry cried, lifting his head. 

"Yes, that's right!" the Lord of Chaos cried, seeing how their darkness spread and entrench into the ground. "More anger, more jealousy, more obsession! Keep going, Sky. Continue releasing my darkness."

Twilight got up and saw things were completely out of control. Sky was out of control. He was completely overwhelmed by the darkness of the Lord of Chaos and was spreading it. If things continue like this, it would not later until the Lord of Chaos’ influence in that world increase tremendously. She had to do something, but what? For her to get free Sky, she needed the other Elements of Harmony were still activated within Sky.

Then she heard a voice that belonged to the Lord of Order saying: 

"Remember, your element and its opposite element, although they are opposites of each other, work in the same way." 

At these words, a light shone in Twilight’s eyes. She knew what to do. If the Lord of Chaos had used black magic to reactivate the other Elements of Chaos, so she could do the same with the Elements of Harmony introduced by the others and that were disabled. 

She teleported again to the middle of Sky and the others, standing facing Sky. 

"My dear, why don’t you give up?" the Lord of Chaos asked. "It's too late. You lost and I won."

"You should never celebrate too soon, Lord of Chaos" she said. "You never know what can happen."

She then closed her eyes and concentrated the magic contained in her element. Her horn began to glow as well as the element. Seeing this, the Chaos Lord asked: 

"Wait, what are you doing?" 

Twilight opened her eyes that had been turned entirely into white and replied: 

"Doing the same thing you did. I'll reactivate the Elements of Harmony within Sky. Once I do that, I can remove the black spot you infected him with."

"You really think it will be that easy?" the Lord of Chaos asked. "Don’t be naive, Twilight." 

"That's what we'll see" she replied. 

And then she fired a bright ray of his horn, reaching Sky that wavered and stayed in place. She concentrated, feeling herself penetrating into the darkness in Sky’s heart. It hurt her just doing that, but she had to endure and find the Elements of Harmony to reactivate them.

"You can try all you want, my dear" the Lord of Chaos replied, while watching. "You'll never get it."

"Come on, Twilight " Cherry  encourage. "I know you're capable of doing it."

Twilight sank further into Sky’s darkness. It was painful, but she could handle as much as he could. Then she found it: the Elements of Harmony. Using her magic, she began to reactivated them. She then felt Sky’s darkness trying to stop her, but, using all her determination, she continued the spell until the elements began to shine.

It was the opportunity she needed. Then she hastened to perform the spell to remove the darkness and when it wrapped her completely to expel her, there was a huge explosion that destroyed it. Sky began to glow with a light as he screamed and those that stood nearly closed their eyes as the light was present, and when it lifted, they opened their eyes and saw Sky falling on the ground unconscious. The darkness that came out of him was gone.

"No way!" the Lord of Chaos exclaimed, incredulous. "My plan... failed!" 

Frustrated with his plan’s failure, the Lord of Chaos was filled with darkness and disappeared. 

Gasping, Twilight turned to Cherry and said: 

"It's okay, I freed the Sky." 

She seemed to be relieved, but she was still nervous and Twilight realized it was because of Big McIntosh. 

"But what happened here?" Sweetie Belle said. 

"Yes, I still liked to know" Scootaloo said.

"Gals, don’t ya see that we have more important things in mind?" Apple Bloom aske angrily, with her eyes filled with tears. "Mah brother is hurt." 

"I think I can do something about it" a voice said. 

All turned and saw the Lord of Order and, as they didn’t know him, the fillies were soon frightened, thinking he was the Lord of Chaos. 

"Oh no!" they exclaimed. "He's back!" 

"Don’t be afraid" Twilight calmed them hastily. "He’s not the Lord of Chaos, he is the Lord of Order. Don’t worry, he's good... most of the times."

The Lord of the Order approached Cherry who was crying on the edge of Big McIntosh, cuddled up and said:

"I’m sorry for not having prevented Sky from going to my brother, but I did my best to redeem myself by guiding Twilight and her friends to help me bring him back to our side." 

"I don’t blame you, but even so, the cost was too high" said Cherry. "Big Mac came out hurt because of me." 

The Lord of the Order then put his hand on Big Mac’s forehead and emitted a light that made him shine and, when it was over, Big Mac began to wake up and open his eyes. 

"What happen’d?" he asked, tremulously. 

"Big Mac" Cherry and Apple Bloom exclaimed, overjoyed, hugging him. 

"Hey, calm down, calm down" he said, causing them to drop him. "What happen’d?" 

"You were attacked by Sky" Apple Bloom said.

"But after that, the Lord of Order healed you" Cherry said. 

The Lord of the Order stood up and started going to Sky as he left them taking their time. By passing by Twilight, he said: 

"Congratulations, Princess Twilight" he said. "You did well today. As well as the others."

"We just did what we had to do" she replied. "Not only because it was the right thing to do, but also for our friends." 

She then looked at Sky unconscious and then asked: 

"He'll be okay, right?" 

"Don’t worry about him" he said. "I'll take him back to his world and he should be good. He can be marked for life. Nobody comes out unscathed after something like that. See you out there, princess."

He then moved to Sky, crouched and touched him, sending an immense brightness and then disappearing.


--------------------------------------


In the room of the Lord of Chaos’ castle, he came out of one of the mirrors and said: 

"That damned alicorn ruined my plans!" 

He turned into black smoke, heading to his throne where he appeared sitting. 

"If she had used the spell a little later, just a little later..." he said. "Sky gave me more influence in that world, but I need more!" 

And to vent his frustrations, he launched a black beam from his spear against one of the mirrors whose glass broke into several pieces, returning afterwards to regenerate. After doing that, he seemed to calm down a little bit and then said: 

"It doesn’t matter. I'll have to content myself with what I have. The fight for the grand prize is still in play and it’s approaching. And when I win the war, I'll have that world of ponies just for me, with no light to inhabit it!"

And then he let out a long and evil laugh.
> Apple Wedding
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After saving Sky from the Lord of Chaos’ control and the Lord of the Order have taken him back to his world, it seemed that things were returning to normal. Cherry Blossom and Big McIntosh couldn’t be happier because their marriage was coming and they were very eager for that day to come.

After what had happened, the Cutie Mark Crusaders got to know the truth about Cherry Blossom came from another world. As it would expect, they became a little upset because they weren’t told anything, but then they became very interested in Cherry’s old life.

The wedding was approaching apace and the preparations were beginning to be done. Rarity soon began working on Cherry’s wedding dress, Pinkie Pie began organizing the reception, Fluttershy began rehearsing her birds for the music and Applejack and the Cakes started to provide the catering. All this was overseen by Twilight who ran everything with her incredible dowry for organization. She also would be the one who would preside over the ceremony, as she was a princess.

Cherry was immensely anxious to the wedding day came, not only because she would marry the love of her life, but also she would go back to see her family and friends who had been authorized by the Lord of Order to attend the wedding, since that the next day they return to their world. She longed to return to see his parents, her sister Daphne and her five best friends. However, their boyfriends would not come, at least it was what the Lord of Order said. Her adoptive parents also wouldn’t come because the Lord of the Order said that eight people was his limit. However, he assured her that they would watch everything in their house.

Then the eve of the wedding arrived. That was the day her family and friends would come to see Cherry Blossom. She walked to the edge of the Everfree Forest, accompanied by Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. It goes without saying that the latter was quite excited to go meet Cherry Blossom’s family and friends.

"Oh, this is so exciting!" Pinkie exclaimed as she jumped around them. "I'm so excited to meet your family! I never met other ponies besides you who were not from this world. Of course they will not be ponies, but whatever. I’m eager to make a big welcome party to them all. It will be fantastic!"

Cherry laughed and said: 

"Pinkie, calm down. I don’t think you need to throw a party for them. Besides, you already have the wedding reception to prepare."

"Oh, but I already have it prepared for centuries" she said. 

"You must be very nervous to come back to see your family again, don’t you?" Twilight asked.

"I'm shaking" Cherry Blossom replied. "They still don’t know Big Mac. I just hope they like him." 

"But of course they will like him" Rainbow Dash said. "Don’t be so nervous. After all that has happened, it’s not your parents or friend’s disapproval that will separate you and Big Mac."

"Yes, you're right, Rainbow" Cherry Blossom said, now more confident. "I have to be calm and take a deep breath."

She did so and then there was an explosion of light. When it cleared, the Lord of Order appeared, accompanied by eight ponies. Cherry could recognize them all. Oritel, her father, was an earth pony and had the same coat as Cherry, a brown mane and a small beard with a sword crossed with a shield as Cutie Mark. Marion, her mother, was a unicorn, just like her youngest daughter, with a mostly desaturated dark lime green coat and a mane that as the same color as Cherry’s. Daphne, her sister, was a earth pony like her father, also having his coat, and her mane had a light blonde color and she had a flame as Cutie Mark. Flora was an earth pony with a grayish lime green coat and a moderate orange mane with four pink flowers as Cutie Mark. Aisha was a pegasus with a coat that had the same color as her skin in another world and a dark brown mane and with a tidal wave as Cutie Mark. Stella was a unicorn with a vivid orange coat and a very soft yellow mane, with a sun and three stars as a Cutie Mark. Tecna was also a unicorn with a moderate violet coat and a moderate dark pink mane with what should be three pixels as Cutie Mark. Musa was an earth pony with a moderate pink coat and a very dark desaturated blue mane with a microphone surrounded by notes as Cutie Mark.

"Ladies and gentleman ... I mean, fillies and gentlecolt, welcome to Equestria" the Lord of Order said.

The eight new ponies seemed very impressed with their new look. 

"Well, it is not bad" Stella said, stroking her mane. "The horn suits me." 

"And these wings are amazing" Aisha said, opening and closing her wings. 

"This place is so beautiful!" Flora exclaimed. "It’s full of plants and life." 

"Mom! Dad! Daphne! Girls! "Cherry Blossom exclaimed, running up to them. 

"Bloom!" Exclaimed everyone, seeing her. 

Cherry hugged her parents and her sister strongly and then she was greeted by a collective embrace from her friends. 

"It's so good to see you" Cherry said. 

"It is also good to see you, dear" Marion said.

"Even for more with a moment like this" said Daphne. "I cannot believe my little sister is getting married." 

"I just hope he is a good guy... I mean, pony" Oritel said. "This is still a bit confusing to me." 

Cherry Blossom laughed and said: 

"I also thought the same, but soon I got used to it." 

"And tell me, is your boyfriend cute?" Stella asked. 

"Stella!" her friends said, in a reproachful tone. 

"What, I’m just curious" she defended herself. 

Cherry laughed because she had missed Stella’s direct and fun approaches. She said: 

"It's a shame that others have not been able to come."

"Well, they would have, if was not for the bright lord there" Stella replied, motioning to the Lord of Order. 

"Princess Stella, I must remind you that..." he began. 

"Yes, yes, you have to keep the balance and bla, bla, bla" Stella completed. 

"Precisely" the Lord of Order replied. "And don’t forget you have until the end of the day of tomorrow before I come get you." 

"Don’t worry, Lord of Order" Aisha said. "We will meet the schedule." 

"By my calculations, we have precisely the time to be with Bloom and kill the longing" Tecna said. 

"And also to see the sights" Musa said. "We cannot miss the opportunity to know this land."

"Yes, I’m eager to see the flowers of here" Flora said. 

"Thank you, once again, Lord of Order" Oritel thanked, making a slight bow. 

"Yes, it was very kind allowing us to come to attend our daughter’s wedding" Marion said. 

"It was a pleasure" the Lord of Order replied. "Well, I gotta go. See you tomorrow."

And then there was an explosion of light and he disappeared. 

"Family and friends, let me introduce you some of my friends from here" said Cherry, while Twilight, Rainbow and Pinkie approached. "This is Pinkie Pie." 

"Hello, hello to all of you" Pinkie Pie greeted by going to tighten the hoof of all, enthusiastically. "My name is Pinkie. I’m Ponyville's resident party organizer. I'm also the pony who is organizing Cherry and Big Mac’s reception. I hope you all have fun."

After that, she returned to her place, grinning. The others had been baffled. 

"Wow, what an enthusiast" Stella commented, rubbing her hoof. 

"Well, that’s Pinkie Pie" Cherry Blossom said. "We get used to her after a while. This is Rainbow Dash."

"Hello everypony" Rainbow Dash greeted. "I'm the head of the Ponyville weather team and also its greatest athlete." 

"Wait, are you an athlete?" Aisha asked. "Well, what a coincidence, me too." 

"Really?" Rainbow Dash asked. 

"Yes, Rainbow" Cherry answered. "Aisha is the best athlete in our group."

"Well, then you must show me how you are with the speed in flight" Rainbow said. "If you can fly with those pegasus wings." 

Then Aisha rose up flapping them, saying: 

"It's like flapping my fairy wings." 

"Well, then we’ll do later a race" Rainbow Dash challanged. 

"It's settled" Aisha said. 

Cherry was delighted to see that Rainbow Dash and Aisha were immediately hitting off. 

"And this is Princess Twilight Sparkle" Cherry said as Twilight took a few steps ahead. "She’s who guided me when I got here, though she didn’t know initially about my background."

"It's an honor" Twilight said, bowing her head. 

"The honor is all ours, Princess Twilight" Oritel replied. 

"Please, just Twilight" she said. 

"Thank you so much for taking care of our daughter" Marion thanked. 

"It was nothing" Twilight replied. "I just did what a good friend would done." 

"My other friends of Ponyville are dealing with the wedding preparations, so we'll go to them, so I can introduce them" Cherry Blossom said. 

"So what are we waiting for?" Stella said. "Let’s go!" 

Everypony started heading to the village, with Stella asking:

"So your name now is Cherry, huh?" 

"Yes, Cherry Blossom" Cherry said. "It was the Lord of Order who gave it to me." 

"Well, it really fits you very well," Musa said. 

"Thank you, Musa" Cherry thanked. 

They entered in the village with the newcomers admiring it. 

"It's amazing how these ponies can survive without technology" Tecna said. "I guess I couldn’t do that." 

"I think I know what is this technology you're talking about" Twilight said. "I've been in another alternate world where they had machines powered by electricity." 

"Well, human technology is like that" Tecna said. "But in the Magic Dimension, the machines are powered by magic."

"Very fascinating..." Twilight said. "Tell me more." 

When she heard them talking animatedly, Cherry smiled. 

Then they arrived to Carousel Boutique. 

"This is the Carousel Boutique. It’s where Rarity lives." 

"Oh, a boutique!" Stella exclaimed, happy. "It's so beautiful! I hope the outfits are so amazing as the place. "

"You bet" Cherry said. "Rarity is a fashion designer just like you, Stella." 

"Really?" 

"Yeah, and she has so many ideas for various dresses. I always thought you two would get along quite well and you could exchange ideas."

"You bet we’ll talk a lot about fashion" Stella said. 

"Is she who is making your dress?" Daphne asked. 

"Yes," said Cherry. "I arranged with her I was going to try it today for the final adjustments. If you wish, you can all come. 

"You bet!" Stella answered. "Isn’t so, girls?" 

The others nodded. 

"Well, I'll leave you here for a stroll through the village" Oritel said. 

"I'll go with you, dear" Marion said. "Let the girls see the dresses."

"Okay, mom, but don’t forget that you and dad also have to come here for Rarity to make you your outfits" Cherry said. 

"Uh, if you want, I can make you a guided tour for the village" Pinkie said, advancing to Cherry’s parents. "I love doing guided tours!" 

The couple exchanged a glance and then Marion replied: 

"We'd love, Pinkie Pie." 

"Well then, follow me" she said, moving away, jumping, with Oritel and Marion. 

The others entered in the boutique. The newcomers were amazed at the dresses that there were, but who was more amazed was Stella. 

"This is amazing!" She exclaimed.

Rarity then appeared and told Cherry: 

"Oh, Cherry, honey, it’s so good you are here. We still have many details to deal with and with short time."

"Relax, Rarity" Twilight said. "We have guests." 

Rarity then noticed Daphne and the others. 

"Oh, you must be Cherry’s friends from her world" she said. "Nice to meet you. My name is Rarity."

"Well, Rarity, you have here a beautiful store" Aisha said, looking around. 

"Yes, the dresses are beautiful" Flora praised. 

"Thank you, I always try to do my best to make them" Rarity said. "It gives a lot of job to make them."

"Come on, it shouldn’t cost that much to make a dress" Rainbow Dash said. 

"Rainbow Dash, how dare you say such a thing" Rarity said, offended. "Creating is a rather complicated task." 

"Yes, she’s right" Stella said. "First, we have the design and it requires all our artistic vein. Then we have to choose and match the colors and assure they are consistent with the season, with the person who will use them and with the purpose of its use."

"That's exactly what I feel" Rarity said. "But it’s clear that most ponies don’t give the true value to the work of a designer like me." 

"Rarity, this is Stella, my designer friend I told you about" Cherry introduced.

"Ah, so you are Stella" Rarity said. "I was eager to meet you. I hope you can help me create all the necessary dresses for the wedding. I still have yours to do."

"Of course, I'm willing to help" Stella said. "Meanwhile, we can share ideas."

So, Cherry dressed her wedding dress, while Rarity gave few touches and Stella gave some suggestions for decorating the dress. Rarity also, with Stella’s help, took measures for the remaining dresses and then Cherry, Twilight, Rainbow and the others left to continue the visit, except Stella who chose to stay to lend a hoof to Rarity.

Then they went to visit Fluttershy to her cottage, where she was rehearsing their birds for the wedding music. Flora was particularly amazed with the fauna and flora around Fluttershy’s cottage and Musa loved listenning the birds singing, giving to Fluttershy suggestions about some songs she knew. Meanwhile, Rainbow and Aisha did the race they promised to each other. Rainbow won, but she said she was impressed with Aisha’s speed.

Then they went to Sugarcube Corner, where they found Oritel and Marion in the company of Pinkie, eating a slice of cake. They seemed to had a lot of fun with her. In the store, Applejack was also there, assisting the Cakes with the confection of the cakes that had apples. During that time, the door opened and a pony entered in the confectionery... 

"Howdy, Big Mac" said Applejack. "Ah glad ya show up, bro." 

Seeing Big Mac, Cherry rose up and went to him, saying, while nuzzling him: 

"Hello, my love." 

"Howdy" he greeted nuzzling her back. 

"Come on, come meet my family and friends" Cherry said. 

She could see he was a little nervous, but gave him a smile that gave him courage. They then advanced.

"Family, friends, this is my fiancé, Big McIntosh" Cherry presented. "But you can call him Big Mac." 

"Wow, Bloom, you really know how to choose them" Stella said, who had joined them. "He's really cute." 

Big Mac blushed slightly toward Stella’s praise. 

"And timid, too" said Musa, while the others gave giggles. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Big Mac" Oritel said. "I'm Oritel, Bloom’s father, or Cherry that is how you call her. I hope you've been treating my princess as she should be treat."

"Eeyup, sir" Big Mac replied.

“Big Mac is a gentlecolt, dad" Cherry said. "He’s also the most hardworking and gentle pony I know."

"Well, he has to be" Oritel said.

"He seems to be a very nice stallion" Marion commented. "I like him."

"Looks like you'll be very happy, sis" Daphne said. "And I really hope so."

"Thank you, Daphne" Cherry thanked, very happy for her family and friends have accepted Big Mac.

The rest of the day passed full of fun and conversation, but after that Big Mac had to come back for the rest of the work he still had to do. Then all returned to Carousel Boutique where Rarity showed them the outfits she made with Stella’s help. Everypony loved them.

The next day arrived resplendent. The sun was shining in a deep blue sky like a jewel. At Sweet Apple Acres, which was where the wedding would to take place, it could see the employees hired for the event putting everything in place, under Twilight’s supervision, who was already dressed in her ceremonial dress, and she was accompanied by her coltfriend, Blue Sword, who wore an elegant tuxedo. 

Big Mac was in his room wearing his brown tuxedo, having put aside his work horse collar. However, he was not much accustomed with a fancy suit like that because they were very uncomfortable. At that moment, he was in front of the mirror tying a bow tie, but he was not being able to do it. 

He heard somepony knocking on the door and Applejack entered, wearing her dress, and asked: 

"Are ya ready fer tha big day, bro?" 

"More or less" he replied, trying to tie his tie bow.

"Let me handle this" she said, advancing to Big Mac and beginning to tie the tie bow. "After all, Ah'm yer best mare. Ah cannot believe that in a little time ya'll be a marri’d stallion. Who would say? Pa and ma would be very proud of ya."

But then she saw he looked a little worried. 

"What?" 

He sighed and said: 

"Ah still not sure if Ah should do this. What if Ah will be a bad husband?"

"Big McIntosh, don’t ya dare say that" Applejack said, after tying his bow tie. "Ah'm sure ya'll be a fantastic husband and Cherry Blossom knows that. An’ don’t forget, Ah want hear small hooves runnin’ through the farm as soon as ya can."

That made Big Mac give a laugh.

Everything was ready for the marriage. The guests who arrived occupied their respective seats. Big Mac was already on the altar, along with Applejack. Twilight, as she would preside over the ceremony, was also there, as well as Daphne, Cherry best mare. Big Mac was pretty nervous, but his sister’s quiet smile soothed him.

Then the wedding march began to be heard and everypony looked and it heard sounds of astonishment. Big Mac looked up and his eyes widened when he saw such beauty.

Cherry Blossom walked in a slow pace, accompanied by her father. She was wearing a beautiful white dress that had all the elegance in the dresses created by Rarity and glistened in the sunlight, perhaps due to some magic Stella used. Her mane was gently combed and caught, containing a silver tiara that was hunging the veil that was falling over her face. Ahead of her, it was coming Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Seetie Belle who were the flower fillies. Behind came the bridesmaids, her friends.

Upon reaching the altar, Oritel gave his daughter to Big Mac and then walked to his seat, sitting next to Marion. The ceremony began with Twilight saying:

“Fillies and gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Big McIntosh Apple and Cherry Blossom” Twilight said.

As she spoke, Big Mac and Cherry exchanged passionate glances and smiles. That was the moment they both hoped and fought for.

Then it is time to both say their votes. Big Mac began by saying:

"Cherry, mah love, Ah fell in love with ya since tha moment Ah saw ya. Yer beauty just hypnotiz’d me and ya conquer’d mah heart with yer kindness and goodness. Ah fought hard tah have ya by mah side and Ah am very pleas’d to see that mah efforts paid off. Ah hope to make you happy fer tha rest of yer days."

Cherry had to struggle to not drop a tear. She breath and said her vows:

"Big Mac, from the beginning you were a great friend. Despite my sadness at being away from my family and friends, you won my heart, when you did it, I could again feel true happiness. My only wish right now is to spend the rest of my days with you and have a lots of foals with you. I love you, Big Mac."

After this touching exchange of vows, it was time for the two big questions. Twilight turned to Big Mac and asked:

“Do you, Big McIntosh Apple, take Cherry Blossom to be your lawful wedded wife, in sickness and in health, til death do you part?"

"Yes, I do" he replied.

Twilight turned then to Cherry Blossom and recited:

"And do you, Cherry Blossom, take Big McIntosh Apple to be your lawful wedded husband, in sickness and in health, til death do you part?"

"I do" she replied.

"Then by the power vested in me, I hereby pronounce you mare and colt" Twilight proclaimed.

Applejack then handed a velvet box to Big Mac that opened it. In there, there were two rings, one for hoof and a other for horn. Big Mac put the horn ring in Cherry Blossom’s and she used her magic to put the other ring in his hoof.

"You may kiss the bride" Twilight proclaimed to Big Mac.

Big Mac didn’t wait longer. He removed the veil from the front of Cherry Blossom’s face and kissed her. All ponies stood up and started clapping. After this, it followed the reception that proved to be immensely entertaining, taking into account that had been organized by Pinkie Pie. There was dancing and food made by the Apple family and the Cakes and that was very delicious. In a final moment, Musa sang a slow and Big Mac and Cherry Blossom danced, being followed by other couples.

"This is the happiest day of my life" Cherry said to Big Mac, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"An’ mine too" he replied. "Ah think there is nothin’ that can cheer me more than Ah am now."

"Are you sure about that?" Cherry asked. "I disagree."

And then she whispered something to Big Mac and he became astonished.

"Really?" he asked.

Cherry waved and a huge smile appeared on Big Mac’s face and he hugged her and said:

"Ya just made me the happiest stallion of all."

And having said that, the two exchanged a long and deep kiss.

The End