I attempted to look around, but there was only darkness. Occasionally, a streak of colored light would zip by, but it would disappear as I tracked it. When I turned to look at the other me, there were many beams of luminescence curving and coagulating around him. Did he say my mind? Who is he?

"Do keep your thoughts to a minimum won't you? They tend to echo." The calmness he radiated unnerved me.

"Take away your vocal thoughts and you come up with the simplest questions don't you? I am you." He snapped his right hand and a high-backed throne appeared behind him, which he sat upon. His slouching posture and head-in-hand-on-armrest position showed his boredom. "Well, the other you. Since you are so fond of being right, call me Sinister."

"Sinister..." As long as I didn't think with words, I could avoid the reverberation. "Like the left side of a shield?"

"Indeed! I see you learned how to think without speaking too. Marvelous." Sinister's snobbish tone had started to irritate me.

"Really? Is your intellect buried under pony? You should know all this by now." He conjured up a cigarette and took a puff. The smoke dissipated into the emptiness. "The latest influx of chaotic energy caused your mind to finally split."

"Indubitably! Now, I would love to stay and chat more, but I really must get going. Chaos won't create itself!" His next smoke cloud formed into a television remote.

"Then all I have to say is, 'we could be so much more if you just accept chaos.'"

I pressed the channel down button and watched as my Harmonic self faded away. It really was such a shame that he didn't join me, but he would have to learn later. As I pressed the power button, the darkness of my mind faded away...

..And the fifth floor took it's place. After Dexter defeated the Shade, the slime was absorbed into the sword. I now stood in a room with debris lining the walls and bodies huddled near the stairs. Pan was sitting next to a still Stone with tears in her eyes. It didn't take a genius to know Stone was dead.

I took a large breath of air and let it out slowly. "Ahhh... It's good to breathe."

Panacea looked up at me, attempting to hold back her sniffles. "Dex! Stone is... S-stone is..."

I really didn't care about what was happening. "Yes, yes, he's dead. If you don't mind, I'm going to go celebrate my freedom. Not that I care if you do mind."

As I was heading to a window, I heard her speak up, but I didn't pay attention. I let myself trip into the outside air and enjoyed the feeling of falling. Oh, how I will love this! After a forty-five foot fall, I landed on my feet with no issue. It was good to know my power extended outside of my mind.

I looked back up at the 'mysterious' fifth floor. Apparently, they had only seen the front side of the building, as it was clearly visible from the back. Dexter should have joined me, we could have saved Stone. Not my problem, but without him I can only affect myself. What to do? Letting my feet lead me, I randomly found myself outside of a dance club. Hehehehe...

The bouncers let me through without issue and the large multicolored dance floor shone with a welcoming brilliance. Of all things, a disco ball hung from the ceiling in the center of the pad. Lasers swept through the club, moving and pulsing to the beat. As I scanned the room, I located the bar and a lot of ponies.

I filled my lungs with air and screamed, "Drinks on me!" Everyone turned to me and, as soon as they recognized who I was, rushed to the bar. Heheh. A pony trotted over to me with a drink in his telekinetic hold. With all the lights, it was hard to catch his true colors, but they looked familiar.

"Dex! Odd place to see you! Here, have a drink. I'll get another." He had to speak up for me to hear him. After a moment I realized it was Clear Streets. Pff, this should be fun.

I picked the glass out of his magic and took a sip. "Ahh, rum. What are you doing here Clear? Hiding from your wife?"

"Or maybe you're looking for a spare?" Laughing, I walked away and threw the glass behind me. An 'oww' could be heard from my drink hitting someone. My laughter intensified as I reached the dance floor.

The music was perfect for partying. I shared Dexter's ineptitude for dance, however, and just decided to cause havoc. At every bass hit, I would run into someone and force them into a group of others. Bouncers started towards me after the end of the song. I was hoping for a fight when the one on the left spoke.

"We're gonna have to ask you to leave." Even with their bulk, the two barely reached my chin.

"Ahh.. Good one, didn't know you blockheads knew them big words." I said the last bit mockingly. "Go ahead and try!"

When the one on the right, I called him Chunky, attempted to ram me, I didn't move. Even as he struck, my body stood completely still, as if he hit a brink wall. I set my hands on my waist.

"I'm superman!" I cried. As Chunky shook himself out of his daze, the one on the left, I named him Slinky, tried a buck. His too rear hooves met my face and I decided to humor him. My head bent back as I stumbled away from the blow. Then, when I looked back at his smug face, I brought a foot into his own.

"How's it feel to get a foot in the face?" My jovial mood continued as I jumped on the back of Chunky and did a Russian dance. I wasn't sure what it was called, but one leg went straight out as the other bent til my butt was nearly hitting my foot. With crossed arms, I would continue to switch legs and yell 'oye!'

Apparently, Chunky didn't like that and reared up. Not expecting it so soon, I fell on my ass, but started laughing. At this point, the club goers thought I was crazy and gave me a wide berth.

"Ahaha... That was fun boys, but I think it's time I did something else." I jumped up and grabbed the disco ball. Yanking it off it's cord, I dropped to the ground and went bowling with it. As it rolled away from me, it would hit unsuspecting ponies and make them go flying. "Woo! Strike!" After my little cheer, I left the club. Hehe, I wonder who will pay for those drinks?

Wandering the streets continued to bore me. A pony down on his luck stopped me at one point to ask for a bit or two. Deciding to have fun with the old stallion, I told him that if he caught the moon, I'd give him one thousand bits. I laughed as he tried to jump to it or climb a building to reach it. Leaving him to his task, I came across a carriage down the road.

I stood there, staring, as I watched a young mare try to fix a broken yoke. Eventually, I got impatient and told her to hop in. When she finally allowed me to help her home, I gave her a hand into the carriage. Once she was comfortable, I walked behind it and kicked. Guffawing, I saw the cart go flying down the road, hit a small pothole, and steer blindly into a building.

Oh, this is so much fun. Sure I can only affect my own body, but I can still wreak chaos! Oh, what's this? Green fire filled my vision and, as it dissipated, a letter took its place. I unfurled it and read:

Dex,

I hope you haven't reached the last Shade. Something horrible will happen and I need to speak with you immediately. If you are already in Providence, meet me at the station. Princess Celestia will be with me.

-Twilight Sparkle

"Screw that jazz!" I had no desire to meet two of the most powerful Harmony users. If I could find Discord I'd be set.

"You rang?" My sword vibrated as Discord's voice spoke in my mind.

The Chaos Within

by StapleCactus

Chaos