//------------------------------//
// Chapter 20: Come On Down! 
// Story: My Little Pony: Friendship Is Anarchy 
// by Simply Anarchy 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight and her friends arrived at the opera house, ready to take down Anarchy and save Princess Flurry Heart. Fully aware of his army's capabilities, they did not show up alone. Princesses Celestia and Luna, as well as Shining Armor and at least a couple dozen royal guards from Canterlot, not to mention a nearly equal amount of soldiers from the Crystal Empire. Needless to say, they were ready for a fight. Unfortunately, they are completely unaware of the trouble that awaits them inside.

Twilight stepped up to the large front door. She turned back to her friends. "Alright, everypony. This is it. When we get in there we need to be ready for anything. This is Anarchy's base of operations, so it will most likely be swarming with changelings."

Shining nodded in agreement. "We don't want to get mixed up with his men. They have changed into us before. I'm sure they will try again... So stay in formation, and stay close!" The white stallion commanded. Everyone nodded in comprehension. "Alright, sis. On your mark."

Twilight took a deep breath. This was it. The fight of her life. The fight for Flurry Heart's life. Time to bring her home! With that mindset, the purple alicorn burst through the front door, her friends following swiftly behind her.

Everything was dark. Not a single light was on. Twilight lit her horn, allowing a purple light to illuminate the room a bit. The other princesses lit their horns as well, as did all the other unicorns. The ponies were surprised to see the seats in the large auditorium were filled by changelings, who appeared to be looking towards the stage. A few of them turned back to the source of the bright, blinding light.

"Hey! Could you show some respect?! The show's about to start!" One of them barked angrily, waving his hoof at them.

Starlight raised her eyebrow in confusion. "Show? What show?"

At that moment, a changeling made her way to the center of the stage. A spotlight shined upon her as she flashed a very bright smile. "Fillies and gentlecolts! Please put your hooves together for your host for the evening! He is the savior of Equestria and the one who will bring Celestia to justice! Equestria's resident anarchist! The one... the only... Simply Anarchy!" She introduced with glee, as the velvet curtain rose from behind her. The changelings cheered and applauded loudly for their boss.

Anarchy stepped out to greet his thunderous audience. He was dressed up in a fancy tuxedo, and he was smiling without a care in the world. "Thank you, thank you! I know, I'm pretty great! Ha ha ha!" He bowed and laughed as his soldiers continued their applause. Anarchy waved to calm them down. Eventually, the large crowd went silent to allow him to speak. "Welcome one and all! Thank you all for coming out just to see little, old me!" Anarchy looked out toward the entrance to the room to see Twilight and her friends standing in wonder at what was happening. He smirked deviously. "Looks like our contestants have arrived! These  friends have 'saved' Equestria many times from the forces of evil! Nightmare Moon, Discord, your *cough* beloved *cough* Queen Chrysalis... and even Lord Tirek! Through it all, they rose to the challenge and prevailed! Let's see if they can do it yet again! Ladies... come on down!"

The changelings cheered once again, trying to encourage them to step onstage. Twilight growled irritably. "Enough of your games, Anarchy! We've got you! Give up now, or we will make you!" She demanded boldly.

The villainous pony chuckled at her demeanor. "Enough games? There can never be enough games! Especially, when there are such extraordinary prizes to be won!"

"What are you goin' on about?" Applejack questioned impatiently.

"I'm glad you asked, my dear." Anarchy patted the country pony on her head and proceeded to turn his attention back to his changeling audience. "We have some very special rewards for our contestants, should they play along and win! But before we begin, allow me to explain the rules--"

"Do you ever shut up?!" Rainbow Dash snapped. The audience of changelings began booing the blue pegasus for her outburst. Rainbow glared at the crowd. "Can it! All of you!"

Twilight rolled her eyes at the display of Anarchy's delusion. "What Rainbow is trying to say is that you're antics are done! There will be no more of your twisted charades! It's all over."

Anarchy grinned slyly. "Over? Why my dear delusional Princess of Friendship... It hasn't even begun." The changelings began cheering once again at their boss's declaration. The villain waved to the crowd. "Obviously, our participants need a little... incentive... to get them properly motivated and ready to play." He gestured to his helper on the stage. "If I could have the help of my lovely assistant here... Please show them the grand prize for winning."

The female changeling pulled the first curtain open. Sitting in a cage dangling from the rafters was none other than Thorax. The crowd exploded with cheer at the sight of the fallen changeling. Twilight and her friends looked on in horror as Thorax was presented to them as if he were a mere plaything. Thorax looked at his friends. "I'm sorry... He tricked me..."

"Let him go!" Twilight interjected angrily.

Anarchy cackled at Twilight's display of rage. "Sounds like I've got your attention now!"

"Enough!" Princess Celestia launched a beam toward Thorax's cage in an attempt to teleport him out. The beam stopped as soon as it hit the bars. Celestia's eyes went wide. "Wh- What happened?!"

Luna gave her magic a shot... but the results were much the same. "My magic didn't work either? What kind of sorcery is this?"

Anarchy had a very amused expression on his face. "Now, now you two! That isn't the way to play our game!" The gray stallion laughed at their confusion. "I would have figured that you learned by now. There is more to me than meets the eye. I guess I gave you too much credit." He shook his head in disappointment. "You see... I've had to deal with the forces of magic my entire life. Life can be easy... that is if you are born with the gift of a horn and magical ability. To possess such unfathomable power... there is no limit to what you could do. Unfortunately, such gifts have been squandered by greedy, power hungry fools with no other objective than to crack a whip over everypony else's backs."

"We're done trying to explain to you that you're wrong." Twilight objected spitefully.

"And I'm done repeating myself in response." Anarchy veered at the purple alicorn. Then he turned his attention back to Celestia. "Allow me to cut to the chaste. When your aren't bestowed with magical capabilities, you are forced to use your own ingenuity to better yourself. To put it simply... You have your magic... and I have my superior scientific intellect." He pointed to Thorax's cage. "That cage is crafted of a special kind of metal that repels magic, no matter how strong it may be."

"And what's to stop us from going over there and breaking him out ourselves?" Rainbow inquired smugly.

"I suppose a demonstration is in order." Anarchy approached the microphone again. "Alright, folks. Let's show our guests what should happen if they disobey the rules! You know what time it is! It's time to..."

Anarchy gave the crowd a verbal cue to chant in unison. "FLIP... THE... SWITCH!"

At that moment, Thorax's cage began to spark. An electrical surge pulsed through the cage and delivered a body shaking shock to the entrapped changeling. Thorax screamed in agony as electricity flowed throughout his being.

"Stop it! You're going to kill him!" Twilight exclaimed with fright.

Anarchy looked at her uncertainly. "You see, I would, but I can't help but feel that we are still not understanding one another. I have to make sure we're on the same page, if we are ever to--"

"Please! Stop!" Fluttershy cried out desperately, tears flowing uncontrollably down her cheeks.

"Aww... I want to, believe me, my dear. But your friends here... They just aren't getting the idea..." The villain sympathized with the shy pegasus.

"Okay! You've made your point! Now stop!" Rainbow shouted furiously.

"Hey, don't blame me. You're the one who asked for this..." Anarchy shrugged innocently.

"We'll play your game! Just stop hurting him! Please!" Twilight pleaded helplessly.

Anarchy nodded, as he gestured for the electrocution to stop. Immediately, the cage returned to its normal state. Thorax collapsed onto the cage floor. His body continued to tremble and twitch from the voltage.

"Thorax! Are you okay?!" Twilight questioned deeply concerned.

Thorax grimaced in pain. He struggled to lift his head back up. "I- I'm fine... Y-you need to get everypony out of here. Don't w-worry about me..."

"We aren't going to leave you! We're gonna get you outta here!" Rainbow declared.

"How touching... So... are we gonna play... or not?" Anarchy riddled without remorse.

Twilight looked at her friends, then to the princesses. All of them nodded in defeat. She sighed. "We'll play your crazy game..."

Anarchy lit up like a tree on Hearth's Warming Eve. "Fantastic! I knew you'd see things my way!" Anarchy walked back to the microphone at the center of the stage. "Fillies and gentlecolts... and creatures of various origins! Our contestants have agreed to play!" The crowd erupted in excitement and thunderous cheers. Anarchy gestured Twilight to walk on the stage with him. "Come now! Allow me to explain the rules."

Twilight approached him uneasily. She eventually made her way to the center of the stage with the villain. "What are the rules?"

Anarchy threw his hoof over Twilight's shoulder, as if they were good chums. "Well I'm glad you asked, Miss Sparkle... It is still Miss, right? I mean you haven't... y'know... wink wink..."

Twilight's face turned beet red. She wasn't sure if it was from the comment, or if it was due to the intense anger she was bottling up inside. "Just get to the rules already..."

Anarchy sighed in disappointment. "You're no fun sometimes, you know that? Alright then, moving on. The rules are simple. There are three rounds. Each round you will have a chance to win a prize. Round three is the grand prize round! Win it, and you win Thorax's freedom! Sound easy enough?"

Celestia stepped forward. "Let's get this over with..." 

"I don't think so, Tia. The only thing you are going to get over is yourself." Anarchy booped Celestia directly on her nose, causing her to snort bitterly. "That's another rule! There are only six contestants in these games. None of whom is your pompous, sunny butt, so you will have to sit this one out."

"I will not stand by idly and watch as any of my subjects are harmed in your twisted scheme!" Celestia declared with certainty.

"What? Now you have a problem with letting other ponies do your job for you? How noble..." Anarchy mocked coyly. Then, he grinned wickedly. "Besides, you'll do exactly as I say... or I'll fry that traitor like an egg..."

Luna put her hoof on Celestia's shoulder. "We have to play along, sister. We have no choice." 

Celestia sighed in defeat as she took a seat in the front row of the auditorium. Luna took the seat next to her and instructed all of their guards to do the same.

Shining Armor stepped up to the villainous pony. "I will make you sorry for what you've done."

"For which part exactly? Taking your daughter... or fooling you into believing I was your wife?" Anarchy laughed uncontrollably at Shining's expense.

The prince almost made a move to attack the evil pony, but his body was immobilized by a familiar magenta glow. He looked back at his sister, who was shaking her head discouragingly. He snorted at Anarchy before taking a seat.

"Excellent! It's good to see that everyone knows who is in control here." The villain taunted confidently. He turned his attention to Starlight. "Miss Glimmer... You're going to sit this one out as well."

"What? Why?" Starlight questioned puzzled.

"It's nothing personal, my dear. I just want a little bonding time with Celestia's original six pets." Anarchy teased maliciously. He gestured for the six friends to join him at the center of the stage. "Now if you would so kindly take your seat, so that we can get this show on the road."

Starlight hesitated at first. There is no way she could sit on the sidelines while her friends faced whatever dangerous plan Anarchy has in store for them, especially after all they have done for her.

Twilight saw Starlight struggling with her thoughts. "Starlight, it's okay. We can handle this. Just sit this one out."

Starlight looked around at her friends. All of them were nodding in confirmation. She bit her lip with uncertainty. Then she sighed and decided to do what the villain said. It was up to them now.

Anarchy clapped his hooves with joy. "Alright! It's time for the moment you have all been waiting for! It's time to get these games under way! But first, allow me to introduce our lucky contestants!" The devious stallion walked over to the six friends. "Raised in the high society of Canterlot under the tutelage of Princess Sunbutt, herself, this purple pony is the living embodiment of Grade-A brownnosery. She is Princess Twilight Sparkle!"

Twilight growled angrily, as the crowd laughed at her expense. Shining Armor was struggling not to jump from his seat and rip the villain's head off.

"Contestant number two is a prime example that they will let anyone become a Wonderbolt these days. Here's Rainbow Dash!" Anarchy announced.

The changelings were cheering and cackling at the expense of the blue pegasus. "All of you can just bite me!" Rainbow seethed angrily.

Anarchy patted Rainbow on her head. "She's also quite a mouthy little birdbrain, isn't she? Ha ha ha!" The gray pony pushed her over to join Twilight. Then, he turned back to the others once more. "Our third guest has more rocks in her head than the rock farm she was born on! Even after I blew it up... Put your hooves together for Pinkie Pie!"

Pinkie was far from her normal bubbly self. She didn't even crack a smile. She just walked over to Twilight and Rainbow, who attempted to comfort her.

Anarchy continued his verbal onslaught. "Now our fourth player is far from the innocent little filly she wants to make you believe she is... She is the very pony who converted the mighty Discord into a whipped, mindless lapdog. Fluttershy, everypony!"

The audience began booing and jeering the yellow mare. Fluttershy quickly made her way over to Twilight, keeping her face hidden behind her hair all the while.

Anarchy looked back at Fluttershy and smirked. "Don't tell me that broke you... If that was all it took to shake you... then you'll be a hollow shell after this is all over." He turned back to the last two ponies. "Moving on to contestant number five. She is a drop-dead gorgeous fashionista who continually proves that the only thing bigger than her generous heart... is the massive stick up her flank. Folks, I present to you Rarity!"

Rarity gasped in disgust. The crowd, however, was bursting with applause and laughter. The white unicorn blushed in both anger and embarrassment, as she held back the urge not to strangle the villainous pony on the spot.

"Right this way, my dear. Watch your step. Don't trip! Wouldn't want that thing to go up there any further..." Anarchy scoffed. He put his hoof on Applejack's shoulder. "And finally... our last guest! She is a regular work-horse... and a recent graduate of Ponyville Elementary School!"

Applejack snapped and took a swing at Anarchy. He managed to dodge the attack with rather quick succession. The country pony charged at him again, but was stopped by Twilight, Pinkie, and Rainbow.

Applejack kicked and struggled to free herself, to no avail. "Y'all better hope ah don't get mah hooves on ya! Ah'll-"

"You'll do what? Beat me up?" Anarchy inquired bitterly. "Riddle me this, AJ... Do you think you can take me out before Thorax up there is cooked golden crispy? It's a terrible way to die."

"Applejack, just calm down. He's messing with your head. He's toying with all of us. We can beat him. We just have to keep a level head." Twilight insisted.

Applejack snorted angrily as she looked at the devious villain. Anarchy approached her and stood directly in front of her. "So... how about it, Applejack? Step up... or step back? Your choice... but don't think about it too long... I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself..."

The orange mare took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right, Twi. Ah'm sorry fer losin' mah temper there. Let's just beat this no-good varmint."

"That's what I like to hear! A fight would have been fun, sure, but it would have ruined all of the exciting surprises I have here for you tonight!" Anarchy assured giddily. He adjusted his tie before turning his attention back to the friends. "And to think... none of this would have happened, if you had just followed my orders like good little sheep."

Twilight stepped up to him. "We weren't just going to let you get away with everything you've done. You stole a little filly from her family, and you thought we weren't going to have a plan of retaliation?"

Anarchy looked at Twilight unamused. "Unfortunately, you still haven't learned your place. And now, not only do I have young Flurry Heart, who is far away from here, by the way, but I also have that pesky little roach Thorax." He looked up to Thorax, who was still lying on the cage floor, trying to pick himself up. Anarchy let a sly grin appear across his face, as he looked back to Twilight. "If he dies tonight... the blood is on your hooves, Princess."

Twilight dropped her head in shame. "You're right..." She was responsible for this. Her plan failed in the most catastrophic way possible. And now, someone else was going to pay for her mistake. How could she let this happen? How can she possibly live with the fact that she endangered not only the life of Flurry Heart, but of Thorax as well?

"Princess Twilight, listen to me!" Thorax called out to the alicorn. Twilight immediately looked up. Thorax shifted his position, so that he could see her better. "Everything he's saying... it isn't true. I made my own decision. I chose to go on this mission. It is I who has failed, not you." Thorax flinched in pain. "But if you let him get in your head now... then he wins..."

Twilight closed her eyes and began thinking over his words very carefully. "He isn't wrong... My careless planning has only resulted in more pain. What happens if I'm wrong again? How do I live with myself?" Tears streamed down Twilight's face.

"I know I was very skeptical of him when we first met, but I actually agree with Thorax on this one, Twily." The sound of her brother's voice caught her attention. Shining was walking toward her on the stage. "Look, I'm not saying that this is going to be easy, but we have to keep fighting. As long as we don't give in, we have a chance, and that's gotta mean something." He wiped the tears from his sister's cheeks. Then, he smiled. "Do you remember that time when we were both still in school, and I had that huge chemistry project that I had to do? I kept saying that I couldn't do it because I was too dumb to figure any of that stuff out. Mom and Dad tried to help me, but I kept getting frustrated. I had already accepted that I was gonna fail that class. But then, a certain little sister of mine trots up to me and gives me advice that I will never forget. Do you remember what you told me?"

Twilight thought deeply for a moment. "Failure is only definite if you stop trying." She looked up at her older brother.

Shining nodded. "That's right. Heh. Even at that young age you were still the smartest pony I knew... With your help, I aced that project, and went on to pass that class. You helped me learn to believe in myself, little sis. And now, I'm here to pass that same advice on to you. I have faith in you, Twily... It's time for you to have faith in yourself."

Twilight sniffled, before wiping her eyes. She smiled, then hugged her brother. "Thank you, B.B.B.F.F. I needed that. I won't let you down."

"How sweet... Moments like this make me wish I had the same luxury you two have. Family is a powerful motivator." Anarchy stated seriously. For once, Anarchy did not seem to have a quirky remark. In fact, he seemed almost... sympathetic. He had a genuine smile on his face, as he closed his eyes for a moment. After what felt like a minute, he scowled in disgust. "But that luxury was ripped away from me. Celestia took my family from me... and now she will pay in blood!" He snarled viciously. 

Celestia stood from her seat. "I still don't know what-"

"Silence, you pretentious mule! I'm aware that you have no idea what I'm talking about! Why would you?! You don't care about the casualties you leave in your wake... so long as you remain in power." Anarchy snapped furiously. Then, he took a deep breath and chuckled. "Heh heh... sorry... I lost my composure there for a moment. It doesn't matter anymore... what happened to them. They are dead. But I don't weep for them... because I know you'll be joining them soon enough!"

"Wrong, Anarchy... You will lose... Evil always does in the end." Twilight proclaimed boldly.

Anarchy laughed at her declaration. "Let's find out, shall we?" The villainous stallion walked to the front of the stage. "I hope you're all ready!" The audience cheered and uproared with anticipation and exhilaration. They began chanting his name. The room was in absolute chaos! Anarchy picked up the microphone and turned to Twilight and her friends. He smirked deviously and spoke with pure malice in his voice, "Let the games begin..."