//------------------------------// // Chaos Rising // Story: The Truth of Chaos // by dissidant1 //------------------------------// ____________________ Genesis had never known such despair. The love of his life, the only pony to ever truly understand him was gone. And it was all his fault. He could still hear the screams from the bedroom as his daughters' pain grew ever more intense. He couldn't help them either. Their mother is dead. My wife is dead. We all have nothing now. "Father," Celestia's voice drew him away from these terrible thoughts, "I.....I'm.." "Celestia," he said, knowing full well what was on her mind. "Father, I'm so sorry! You asked me for help, but I wasn't strong enough to save her. I didn't know she wasn't eating! I should've seen it! I should have trained harder! I should have made my magic stronger! I should have helped her a long time ago! And now she's.....she's dead and it's all my fault!" Genesis listened to his eldest daughter's cries and felt ashamed of himself. He knew they grieved for their mother, but he was sure nopony else felt the depths of despair that now touched his heart. He was wrong; they all felt it. And it was up to him to save his daughters' lives now. That was all that mattered. "No Celestia. It is not your fault. I knew she was too far gone when I asked you to help. I just couldn't accept it. Instead I asked you to use your magic in a futile effort. It is my job to protect our family.....I am the one who failed here." Just then, something in the air changed. The temperature started to rise. Genesis could feel the clouds begin to part. The snow was beginning to melt. "What is happening?" he thought. ___________________ "Celestia, Luna, Serenity! Come on girls!" It had been one month since Gaia's death. The forest had become lush and plentiful. Indeed the world had been snatched from the brink of destruction and Genesis wondered where this salvation was when his wife was dying. A messenger visited them the week before. Apparently, the three tribes reconciled and have settled in a new land where all are welcome. They chose to call this place that Genesis and Gaia both dreamt of one day seeing Equestria. If such a place existed before, they would not have had to hide their love. But even so, keeping his daughters isolated in the forest at this point seemed meaningless. They would be better off among other ponies. Hopefully new friends and places would help to take their minds off of Gaia. He could not hope that for himself, but that was not what mattered. The girls. That's it. ___________________ The capital city of Equestria, Canterlot, was already under construction. Everywhere he looked, Genesis saw unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies all working together, interacting, and even laughing. Such a thing was unthinkable before and yet seems so natural now. "Why couldn't we have fallen in love in this time?" the thought brought to his heart both a sadness and regret he felt all too often now. "Attention everypony! The tribal leaders wish to address all of Canterlot. Please assemble at the palace." "An address? Wonder why. Everything is okay between them now. Come girls. Let's see what they have to say." "Father," Serenity rarely spoke to him since Gaia's passing. Her voice had a tinge of fear behind it, "I don't think we should go. I don't know why but Mother doesn't want us to." Genesis was shocked and angry that his daughter would say such a thing. Serenity backed away from him, seeing some of that anger on his face. He did his best to quickly hide it, "Serenity. Please don't ever say anything like that to me again. Now let's go. Everything will be alright." ___________________ "Attention everypony! My name is Princess Platinum. I am the leader of the unicorn tribe. Together with Commander Hurricane, leader of the pegasi, and Chancellor Puddinghead, leader of the earth ponies, we hereby declare this beautiful and fertile land Equestria. But it was almost lost to us forever. You see, it was the hatred between the three tribes that fueled the Wendigos' magic and brought forth that awful winter. It was our friends, ponies much wiser and more kind than us, showed us that love and acceptance are the right ways to live with one another. When we learned that, the blizzard ceased and we were able to name the beautiful land of Equestria our home!" ___________________ "No. This can't be true." Genesis couldn't believe what he heard. It was them. All of them. Their ridiculous pride and hatred for one another brought that blizzard. They killed Gaia. Something began in Genesis' heart. Something that he never felt there before. He'd always thought that one day, their love would be accepted. There was impatience, but never forthright hatred. He could barely think anymore. "It's your fault. It's your fault. She's dead BECAUSE OF YOU!" Just then an incredible magic burst forth from the unicorn. It was embodied by pure hatred. Nothing so powerful and sinister had ever existed before. The sky grew dark and the dreadful cries of the Wendigos echoed through the air. Nopony understood why they had returned. Was the hatred from this one pony really enough to bring them back? Ice pervaded the air and the magic exuding from Genesis began to grow and consume it. The Wendigos charged for Genesis and the resulting flash of light was too brilliant than any eyes could bear. Celestia watched in horror at the horrible transformation her father was going through. Her screams joined Luna's and Serenity's as they tried to bring their father back to his sanity, but the uselessness she felt was overshadowed only by concern for the only parent she and her sisters had. "Why did this have to happen? Why didn't I help Mother? Father! Come back!" The light began to dim slowly and a figure began to take shape. This being looked like nothing Celestia had ever seen. It was not her father anymore, but.....something else. "Well well well. This is certainly a chaotic turn of events. Hehehe!"