I continued to run through the maze until I was suddenly tackled by Fluttershy and pinned down on the ground.
"Don't hurt me!" I cried out fearfully.
"Oops, my bad!" said Fluttershy sarcastically.
"Fluttershy!" yelled Twilight, catching up to us, "Stop scaring Crystal!"
"Fine!" she said, snapping her tail in Twilight's face, "But I'm only doing it so I can scare her again!"
"Ugh..." Twilight turned towards me and pulled me up, "Crystal, are you okay?"
"Eeek!" I started to run again, when I abruptly tripped over somepony's hoof.
"Wasn't me!" said Applejack.
"Let's just find Rainbow Dash!" snapped Twilight.
"Rainbow Dash is flying away and that not funny at all!" said Pinkie.
"She's what?"
We all looked up into the sky to Rainbow Dash flying away, just as Pinkie had said.
"Somepony broke the no wings and no magic rule!" came Discord's voice.
All of the hedges vanished, and our horns and wings reappeared. Discord also appeared in a flash of yellow light, and I started to run away again, when Twilight grabbed my tail with her magic to prevent me from going any further.
"Discord!" yelled Twilight, "What did you do with the Elements?"
"Oh, sweet Twilight, I never said that the Elements were hidden in the maze, now did I Though, I must say that your friends are looking quite lovely at this time!"
Twilight scowled as the four others were angry and made fun-of each other, she still won't let my tail go.
"Where are the Elements?" she asked, barely containing her pure rage.
"Why, back where you began, of course!" Discord snapped his talons and the sky was filled with pink clouds, "Now, while you figure that out, let's have a beautiful shower of chaos!"
The clouds all began to rain chocolate milk, and I cowered as it hit my chitin.
"Back where you began..." muttered Twilight, "Back where you began... Of course! The Elements must be in Ponyville! Come on, girls! To Ponyville to get the Elements!"
So, we were on our ways back towards Ponyville. Well, I was still trying to run away because everything was so terrifying, but Twilight kept a firm hold on me with her magic. We had to cross over soap roads, growing and shrinking hills, and it kept changing from day to night. We finally arrived at the Golden Oaks Library, where Twilight literally just threw me in through the door, and I crashed into Spike, who was asleep.
"Huh?" he asked, standing up from his bed, "Crystal? Why'd you crash into me?"
"Don't hurt me!" I cried out.
"Hurt you? I would never hurt you!"
There was a loud crash as Twilight shoved Rarity's boulder, Tom, into the library. I jumped in fright and quickly hid behind Pinkie Pie.
"Are you trying to laugh at me?" she snapped at me, "Because you'd better not!"
"Spike!" said Twilight, sounding exasperated, "Find the book on the Elements of Harmony!"
"Sure thing!" he said, climbing up one of the ladders, "But what's with the others?" They seem kinda... gray."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Here it is!" said Spike, holding out a book, "The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide!"
Fluttershy suddenly snatched the book out of Spike's claw, and flew just out of his reach.
"Fluttershy!" cried Twilight.
"Keep away!" sang Fluttershy in a nasty tone of voice.
She casually threw the book to Pinkie, causing me to jump out of the way and hide behind a book that was lying on the ground. Pinkie bounced the book to Applejack, who kicked in back to Fluttershy. Twilight tackled Fluttershy, and she dropped the book, causing Rarity to pick it up.
"Do you even know what you just stole?" asked Twilight, chasing her.
"No, but you want it, I want it!" said Rarity, tossing the book to Pinkie.
Pinkie tossed the book towards me, and I frantically kicked it out of my way. Twilight grabbed the book and landed next to Spike, holding the book like it was the most valuable thing in the world.
"This is my book!" she yelled as the others approached her, "And I'm going to read it!"
Twilight flipped open the book to a certain page and gasped in surprise.
"The Elements!" she said in surprise, "They're all here!"
She quickly lifted the Elements out of the book and starting putting them on us. I flinched and cowered again when Twilight came near me, but she still put my necklace on me.
"Spike, you'll have to Rainbow Dash."
"What?" asked Spike nervously, "But what if she find out that I've been impersonating her? That won't end well!"
"Everypony get outside!"
I instantly zipped outside, but Fluttershy stamped her hoof down on my tail before I could go any farther.
"How do you like that, you scaredy-cat?" she asked in the meanest voice possible.
"Watch out!" came Twilight's voice, "Here comes Tom!"
Rarity's boulder came flying out the window, landing hard on the ground. Twilight came out the same window, looking very irritated.
"Discord!" she yelled angrily, "Get out here!
Discord appeared, forming from some of the pink clouds. I tried to make another break for it, but Twilight grabbed my tail, again.
"Why, hello, dear Twilight!" said Discord, filing his talons with an apple, "Trying to use your Elements on me?"
"Alright, everypony in formation!" snapped Twilight.
We all shifted into formation (except Twilight just pulled me there with her magic) and Twilight's horn starting glowing brightly.
"I can't wait to see this!" said Discord.
We all began to float into the air, when Twilight's magic cut off, and we all fell to the ground.
"Would you look at that!" said Discord mockingly, "Well done! Great job! You've turned me into stone with your little Elements!"
"What?" asked Twilight in shock, "The Elements didn't work?"
"Boo-boo!" taunted Fluttershy, "I'll just be leaving you now, loser!"
"I've got better friends back on the farm!" said Applejack.
"And I need to get back to my boutique with Tom!" said Rarity.
"You'd better not be laughing at us!" snapped Pinkie.
They all took of their Elements, and threw them on the ground.
"Fine!" shouted Twilight as they walked away, "With friends like you, who needs..." Twilight's coat and mane took on a gray tinge, and she became very saddened, "Enemies..."
I stayed still on the ground for a bit longer before running off in a random direction in complete terror.
"Rainbow Dash!" I cried, flying up next to her in the sky, "Please help me!"
"No way!" she said, lying on. A comfy cloud, "Ponyville's your problem. I'm staying here in Cloudstale!"
"That's not what I meant! I meant for you to protect me!"
"Eh."
"I can just stay in Cloudstale with you!" I said nervously.
"Whatever." Rainbow rolled slightly to the side so there would be just enough space for me on the cloud.
I quickly laid down on the cloud, and closed my eyes. I quickly snapped them right back open when I heard a small noise, but it was just Rainbow shifting on the cloud. We both laid on the cloud for ages, until there were hoofsteps below us.
"Rainbow Dash!" yelled Twilight from the ground, "Come down here so you can use you Element to stop Discord!"
"That's nice!" replied Rainbow, getting more comfortable on the cloud.
"Ponyville needs you!"
"Ponyville is your problem! I'm staying here in Cloudstale!"
"How does she think that little cloud is Cloudstale?" asked Rarity.
"The same way Discord made you think that rock was a diamond!" said Applejack.
"I thought we agreed to never speak of that again!"
"Hey!" said Pinkie, "Crystal's up there, too!"
I froze and curled up as small as possible.
"Crystal!" called Twilight, "Please come down!"
"N-no!" I called back, "I'm staying in Cloudstale with Rainbow so nopony can hurt me or anything!"
"Please come down?" asked Fluttershy softly.
I curled up even smaller.
"Don't worry, girls," said Twilight, "I've got an idea."
I heard the four of them gallop off, but remained curled up. I heard an odd noise that nearly caused me to jump off the cloud, but I realized that it was just Rainbow snoring. I closed my eyes, and actually ended up falling asleep, only to be woken up by Fluttershy.
"Um, excuse me," said Fluttershy to me and Rainbow, "I was just wondering if I could tied you down against your will?"
"Yeah, no thanks!" said Rainbow, grabbing the cloud we were on and flying off, leaving me behind.
I was about to fly away when a rope suddenly looped around me and dragged me towards a balloon carrier that Fluttershy had a rope connected to.
"Crystal!" cried Twilight, as she pulled me into the basket with Pinkie and Rarity.
"Don't hurt me!" I cried, curling up again.
Twilight smiled and touched her glowing horn to me. I felt a surge of magic wash through me, and memories of me and my friends rushed in.
"Huh?" I asked, standing up in the basket, "Did I miss something?"
"Boo?" asked Pinkie.
I stared blankly at Pinkie.
"She's back!" said Twilight happily, "But now we need you and Fluttershy to catch up to Rainbow Dash to we can change her back to normal!"
"Oh, but I can't fly that fast!" said Fluttershy.
"Well, you two are the only fliers we have, so you have to do it!" said Twilight, tossing a rope up to the top of the balloon, "Ready, Applejack?"
"Ah'm ready!" called Applejack from the top of the balloon.
"Come on, Fluttershy!" I said, flying into the air next to her, "Let's get our Rainbow Dash back!"
We both took off towards Rainbow, who was lying still on her cloud. Fluttershy was flying slightly slower than me, but I could tell she was going as fast as she could. Just as we got near Rainbow, she took off again, and I buzzed my wings faster. After just a few seconds, I switched to pegasus forme (which is not easy in the air), as pegasi could fly faster than Changelings.
"Come on, Fluttershy!" I shouted, "We can catch her!"
"I can't do it!" cried Fluttershy, tears starting to form.
"I've seen you keep up with Rainbow before! You can do it now!"
We flew faster and faster, but Rainbow was ever-so-slowly gaining distance on us.
Fluttershy flies faster with Rainbow, right? I thought, So if she and Rainbow were chasing me, she could easily keep up!
"Twilight!" I yelled, "I have an idea on how to catch up with her!"
"Then do it!" she yelled back.
"Promise not to look into it!"
"Uh, okay!"
"Pinkie Promise!"
"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
I nodded before doing something I had never actually done before. Sure, I had copied the image of the Earth pony filly when I was a ling, but that was just a drawing. I had never taken the forme of another pony before. But, today I needed to, so I turned into Rainbow Dash. Everypony looked at me in shock, but we needed to catch Rainbow now or never.
"Come on, Fluttershy!" I yelled in Rainbow's voice, "If we can't do this, Discord wins!"
Since I was Rainbow Dash at the moment, those two statements had a profound effect on Fluttershy, and she flew at double speed. I was barely keeping up, but still flying faster due to Rainbow being more aerodynamic. Rainbow looked back in surprise, but continued flying anyways. Applejack threw the rope she had towards Rainbow, and it caught her. Unfortunately, the rope hadn't been secured, so it wrapped around Rarity and Pinkie's hooves, yanking them out of the basket and behind Rainbow.
"Pinkie!" cried Rarity, "You were supposed to secure the rope!"
"Oops!" said Pinkie sheepishly.
With Rainbow now being slowed, and the balloon being much lighter, Fluttershy and I got closer and closer. Twilight tossed another rope up to Applejack.
"Last rope!" she called, "Make it count!"
Applejack threw the rope, and it caught Rainbow. The rope was secured, this time, and Rainbow Dash was slowed down so much that Fluttershy and I pulled the balloon down to the ground, pulling Rainbow with it. I quickly changed back to my Changeling forme, and hoped that nopony would become scared of me for changing into Rainbow.
"Hold her still..." said Twilight, approaching Rainbow as she bucked furiously to get the ropes off of her.
"Get away from me!" she snapped, "I don't need any of you! I'm fine in Cloudstale! Let me go!"
Twilight touched her horn to Rainbow, and she stopped struggling. The gray tinge she had washed away, and she looked much less aggressive.
"Ugh..." muttered Rainbow as Twilight removed the ropes from everypony, "What happened? Is Discord gone? Is Ponyville okay?"
"Rainbow's back!" sang Pinkie happily, and we all went into a group hug.
A stampede of long-legged bunny ran past us, along with several dancing buffalo.
"Okay, maybe it's too soon to celebrate," said Twilight, "Let's go stop Discord!"
We all walked triumphantly towards Discord, the Elements of Harmony shining brightly. He was sitting on a throne, drinking a glass filled with chocolate milk. He slurped up the glass, and then threw the chocolate milk behind him, causing an explosion.
"Would you look at that!" he said, enjoying every moment of the chaos happening, "The gang is back together!"
"You couldn't tear our friendship apart fer long!" said Applejack.
"Oh, Applejack!" said Discord, pulling us in by our Elements, "I'm the one who made you a liar! Do you ever learn?"
Twilight quickly teleported to the center of us, and formed a pink bubble of magic. She carefully lowered the bubble to the ground, turning some of the checkered, blue ground back into grass. Discord watched with interest.
"I'll tell you what we've learned, Discord!" said Twilight, "We've learned that friendship isn't always easy, but it's not doubt worth fighting for!"
"Ugh! Gag!" said Discord, "Fine, go ahead, us you little Elements of Friendship and Happiness on me! Just make it quick! I'm missing some excellent chaos here!"
Discord leaned back in his throne as we all moved into formation.
"Alright, girls!" said Twilight, "Let's show him what friendship can really do!"
Twilight's horn began glowing, and a soft pink light surrounded all of us. Discord yawned in boredom, when our Elements began flashing out the shapes that they were towards Discord.
"Huh?" asked Discord, as he ducked out of the way of the small blasts, "What's this?"
Twilight opened her eyes, to show that they were glowing white.
"No!" said Discord, as we all floated into the air, a giant rainbow forming, "No!"
The rainbow arched up into the sky, and launched directly at Discord.
"NOOOO!!!" he cried as he turned to stone.
The arch that the rainbow was making split in two, make a sphere encompassing the entire town. There was a large flash of light, and we all landed safely on the ground to see that Ponyville was normal, again. The statue of Discord fell on to the ground with a slam, and I heard his voice in my head.
"Remember the gift I gave you!"
I glanced down at the string around my neck, and saw that it still had a slight golden shine.
Maybe... He wasn't all bad. I thought, glancing at the statue.
We were in Canterlot, at an awards ceremony for stopping Discord. We walked in as a group, a crowd of ponies watching us. I could have sworn I heard some muttering about "that bug with holes in its legs", but I ignored it and stood happily with my friends.
"Today, we are gathered her to celebrate the efforts of these seven friends, who ended Discord's rain of chaos!" said Princess Celestia.
The crowd cheered with glee, and Princess Celestia unveiled a new stain glass window depicting the seven of us defeating Discord. Confetti started raining down, and the crowd cheered even louder. It felt good to have protected Equestria for everypony.
"Crystal," whispered Princess Celestia, "What is that string around your neck?"
"My necklace." I responded, also whispering.
"It has traces of magic on it."
"Oh, Discord enchanted it."
"It did not return to normal when Discord's chaos magic was removed?"
"No, he made it so nopony else can untie it, and..."
"And?"
"And I'm glad he did it."
"You're glad?"
"Yes. It was when he was using his mind control to turn me into a coward. He said that he would let me keep my necklace, because he wasn't a monster."
"Interesting..."
I nodded and turned back to my friends, wondering how Princess Celestia had seen the shine of Discord's spell.
That's a question for another day. Right now, it's time to be happy with my friends!