//------------------------------// // Take a Bite // Story: The Element of Kindness // by BlueHeartTattoo //------------------------------// “Oh, I am so sorry, my dear,” the shadowy figure said in a southern accent, “I didn’t mean to give you a fright!” Fluttershy gave a closer look and saw the figure standing before her was a cloaked elderly mare, with a light purple coat and strands of gray-pink hair falling out of the hood. She greeted her with a friendly smile and a chuckle, “Oh! You must be Fluttershy, is that correct?” Fluttershy’s surprise had wear down but she’d replied shyly, “Y-yes?” “Granny Smith had told me about you in one of her letters. I’m her second-cousin, Plum Rose, but you can call me Granny Rose if you want, dearie. I just came here all the way from Appleloosa to see you.” Fluttershy blinked at this news, “You came to see me? Why”’ “Well, after I heard about you, I had a feeling that my sweet Applejack and Apple Bloom would take you into their home and welcome you as a family. After what my cousin told me what you’d been through, my poor heart was just achin’ for you! But I know that the apple family love to take care of their family despite of our differences, blood or not. So I thought I would come to show off my hospitality to you!” Fluttershy was getting nervous; why did she have to come now when Discord is in danger? She needed to go but she didn’t want to be rude to her. “Um, it’s very nice to meet you. I’d love to stay a little longer but I really need to be going--” Fluttershy tried scouting out of the doorway before she can be blocked by Granny Rose. “But I just got here, Dear,” Granny Rose said. “I know, and I’m very sorry but I need to go. I’m sure we can meet up later,” Fluttershy tried once again to slide through the door but once again Granny Rose blocked her. “I came all the way out here, in Ponyville and in this darn forest; and you’re just gonna leave?” Zecora observed how strangely persistent the old mare was towards Fluttershy and she didn’t like the sight of it. But then she introduced herself, focusing on the one very detail that doesn’t seem to make sense, “All the way out here?” Fluttershy had forgotten about Zecora’s presence and she, along with Granny Rose, turned their attention to the zebra. “What was that, miss?” the elderly mare asked. “Forgive me, but it doesn’t seem clear that you would know that she’ll be here.” Zecora asked, with a slight questioning frown. Granny Rose looked confused at first, but her eyes seemed to widen in realization and she laughed, “My goodness! you mean to tell me, young zebra, that this is your place?” “Y-yes, this is Zecora’s home,” Fluttershy answered, as if she’s replying for Zecora. “Oh, excuse me,” Granny Rose chuckled lightheartedly, “Granny Smith told me about the hut that Apple Bloom let you stay in; I didn’t realize there was another one. Glad I was lucky enough to find you here.” Unbeknownst to the ponies in the hut, the woodland animals and birds stayed at the sidelines, peeking through what’s happening at the front door. Back when Fluttershy had left her home to Zecora’s, the birds had followed her and told the others just in keep a close eye on her. Already they were getting an eerie sense towards the elderly visitor, based on how persistent and pushy she was towards their friend. Though, her overreaction wouldn’t be the only strange thing that happened today. From what they’d heard about Discord through the windows, this entrance of this old mare seemed to be a coincidence than anything and some birds earlier heard something large swooshing in the trees during their flight to Zecora’s. This was giving the animals a sense of urgency towards their pony friend. “I’m sorry if I ever come as straightforward to you, my dear,” Granny Rose said, “It’s just been a tiring journey and I was looking forward into seeing you.” “I completely understand,” Fluttershy accepted her apology with a small, kind smile, “When I get back, I would love to come back to Sweet Apple Acres with you.” “That sounds like a date. Oh! Before you go, I was hoping to give this to you.” Granny Rose’s arms went to a basket that she’d held inside her cloak and she brought out a ripe, unusually bright red apple in her hoof for Fluttershy, Zecora, and the hiding animals, to see. “My son grows an Apple orchard back home; the best ones grown in Appleloosa. Maybe you can bring this with you while you’re out there?” Fluttershy observed the apple and awe of how red the color was and it looked juicy that she recalled back to when she tried one for the first time and how good it was. She didn’t want to refuse a sweet gift from her and replied back, “Well, I haven’t eaten much lately.” “Well then!” Granny Rose gladly extended her arm towards Fluttershy, “Go ahead, take it and you’ll be on your way!” The birds noticed from above how eager the old mare was into giving this apple to her and their instincts took over. Before Fluttershy can take it from her hooves, the old lady was suddenly attacked by a flock of birds! Granny Rose yelped as she dropped the apple and held her arms to shield herself against the flailing birds. Fluttershy gasped in shock before she rushes out of the doorway and to the elder’s need. “Stop it! Stop it! You’re scaring her, stop!” she called to the birds, shooing them away from Granny Rose. The birds chirped at her, like they were telling not to trust her. “But she’s just an old pony; and she knows Applejack!” Fluttershy spoke in defense. They chirped more frantically, trying to get some sense into her; but Fluttershy didn’t listen. “You should be ashamed; hurting and attacking an old mare. We will talk more about this when I get back, now go!” The birds didn’t budge as they started to voice their concern for her. Meanwhile Granny Rose searched on the ground until she found the red apple next to her. She rubbed the dirt off with her cloak and saying under her breath, “Oh, I thought I lost it.” Then at the corner of her eyes, she saw Fluttershy calling out to the animals with disappointment. She then decides to use this as an advantage and she cries out in pain. Fluttershy turned to Granny Rose who fell on the ground. Growing concerned, she rushes to her side, “Granny Rose? What’s wrong?” “My heart!” Granny Rose cried while clutching the apple in her chest, “My poor heart. I’m… feeling faint…” Fluttershy gasped in alarm and decide to take action, “Zecora! Help me get her inside!” Zecora rushes to Fluttershy’s side and they both carried Granny Rose inside the hut, where they left the birds and animals alone. At a nearby window, they can see the two ponies putting the elderly mare on a chair to rest before leaving her to prepare aiding their presumably ill guest. After they’d left her alone, she smiled wickedly and brings the apple up to her view. It was when the animals saw her eyes changing from a violent pink to teal green in a split second. Their eyes widen in realization and they chittered with fear. Then every animal and bird sprinted away from the huts and further into the forest; Knowing that there is another way that they can save their friend from her visitor. Discord slowly began to gain consciousness. He immediately felt his head aching with pain and his body laying down on something hard. He groans as he was slowly starting to sit up on the ground, trying to think back what happened before he was blacked out. Then everything was coming back to him. Chrysalis…. The changelings… Fluttershy! He quickly stands up and about to sprint up into the air when he felt something holding him back. He was confused at the sudden halt until he noticed his hands were completely covered in cuffs, with chains that were connected to padlocks cemented to a stone platform to which he was standing on. Then he took noticed of his surrounding and his eyes shrunk as he recognized where he was. Statues were scattered all over and some were even lined right near the entrance to a hedge maze. The main area is maintained of grass and bushes full of flowers while there were paths made of dirt with small pebbles lining up a border. He looked up and saw a grand castle with ivory towers and golden spires on each rooftop. “Canterlot Gardens…” Discord uttered under his breath, staring at his surroundings with fear and puzzlement, “How did I get here?” “You were escorted here.” He snapped his head to where he saw Princess Celestia, Luna and Twilight walking towards him with two guards following on each side. It has been years since he had last seen Celestia and Luna, but he wasn’t sure if it’s meant to be a good or a bad thing. Nevertheless, he shivered as he sees the figures of highest authority coming towards him like they were giants. “You were still unconscious then, but it made the guards’ jobs much easier.” Celestia then finishes her statement. Discord frowned puzzled with this implication, “Wait, I was escorted here? I don’t think I remembered coming back here willingly?” It was then Twilight had made herself known and approaches him with a stern look, “Sweetie Belle had exposed you at Ponyville.” He blinked with even more confusion, “What? “She had told us everything; about your plan to ‘reclaim your throne’ and ‘taking over Equestria’.” He was getting confused by what Twilight just told him. And he was right to be confused for it didn’t make sense to him, “But…. But she was with me. She was with me when-- when it happened. And she promised not to tell about—why would she do that?!” “Maybe it was because you hypnotized her like he did to Fluttershy,” Luna stated. Discord snapped his head at Luna with shock and disgust, “Hypnotize? Hypnotize--?! I would never do such a thing to her! Or to Sweetie Belle!” Luna was caught surprise by this reaction--she never expect him to act this way--but she remained stoic; staying calm and collected in the face of her oldest enemy. That had been the same with Celestia. “Then why would she testify you doing it?” Twilight said with a tough voice. She, unlike the other princesses, had been upset by this web of lies that he put her through and decided to use as a personal attack. Discord then realizes what is going on; Chrysalis set him up to be here; so that he won’t be there to protect Fluttershy! With this realization, he cried out to her, “Listen to me, Twilight. Whatever Sweetie told you—that wasn’t true! She was with me in the Everfree—she and Diamond Tiara—they--!” “So it wasn’t true that you’ve disguised yourself as a pony?” Twilight stated with a hard frown on her face. He was caught surprise of this sudden accusation, yet he knew that she was right, “Well---” “So it wasn’t true that you have been torturing ponies?” “It was, but I--!” “So it wasn’t true that you were distracting me so that I wouldn’t find you?” “Actually—“ “So it wasn’t true that you were using Fluttershy as a pawn for your plan?” “That’s one is a lie! Listen; You have to let me go! If you don’t, Equestria is in danger--!” Twilight stared up at him hard in the eye and said, “Give me one good reason why I should trust you now? After all you’ve done this whole time or the lies that you’ve sown? Why?” Both of them stared at each other; a silent battle that rest between Twilight’s stubbornness and Discord’s loss for words and plea. After a moment, he sighed in defeat, knowing that this won’t make up for all the horrible things he’d done, and lower his head down to her eye level, “I don’t know. “ Twilight’s hard eyes soften by his answer along with the sincerity that was written on his face. “I honestly don’t know,” he continued, “I don’t know how I would be able to fix it. But you don’t listen to me right now--” “Twilight,” Celestia’s voice interrupted him and brings Twilight’s attention back to her. She then stated with sternness in her voice, “Let’s not forget what we’re here for.” Twilight looked between Celestia and Discord, suddenly being torn over her duty and empathy. She never expected Discord to come clean about his deeds, as he was usually over-confident and snarky. But seeing him at the spot with a calm, regretful confession, it was starting to become hard for her to turn away. But then, she knew that she had a duty to fulfill; one that would be one step closer to saving her home. It was then she turned away from him with a slight frown of determination and dejection, “Right.” He panicked as Twilight walks away and started pulling on his chain in attempt to free himself, “No—No, Twilight! Twilight! Listen to me! Please!” The princesses ignored his cries, much to Twilight’s dismay, and Luna used her magic to open the book floating by her side and flipping through the pages to find their selected spell. Celestia noticed Twilight’s frown and reminded her, “I know you’re upset, but we need to do this; For Equestria’s sake.” Twilight nodded absentmindedly. Then Luna found the spell she was looking for. She then ignited her horn, gradually build the strength that she needed to perform the spell. Celestia called out to Discord, “We never wanted to do this, Discord; but with the elements being unable to do the usual spell right now and for the crimes you’ve committed during your exile, we have no choice but to turn you to stone permanently!” Discord gasp in horror as if his body went cold, “No.” then he fought hard against his chains, “No! NO!” “STOP!” Luna let go of the magic of her horn and Discord halted struggling his chains. More unison cries were calling from behind and they all turn, recognizing the ponies who galloped towards them. “Girls?!” Twilight uttered in bewilderment. All five bearers including the CMC and Spike stopped in front of the princesses and gasped for air with their faces filled with freight. “Twilight!” Applejack declared, “Don’t turn him to stone!” Twilight blinked in bafflement, “What?!” “Listen,” Rarity stepped in, “That wasn’t Sweetie Belle we saw back in Ponyville; it was a changeling.” “A Changeling?!” Twilight along with the princesses repeated in alarm. “Apple Bloom and her friends told us everything,” Applejack explained, pointing out the five fillies that still panted in exhaustion, “Queen Chrysalis was making a deal with Discord to rule Equestria but he turned it down.” “Not to mention that he turned into a pony disguise not only for his safety but to also keep an eye on Fluttershy, whom which he’s keeping a secret for some reason,” Pinkie Pie added more information quickly, “And his relationship with her wasn’t a lie like that fake Sweetie Belle told us it was. They were friends way before you came to Ponyville. But they weren’t friends at first; he originally intended to screw up her mind like the other ponies he tortured. But then she was, “get out!” on him and he saved her from a cranky, old hydra and--!” “We get it, Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash shoved her hoof into Pinkie’s mouth before she added, “It turns out the changelings started this whole thing when one of them attack Fluttershy yesterday.” “And even before she arrived in Ponyville,” Applejack stated. “And I guided them back here as soon as they told me!” Spike added. Twilight was caught confused about what Applejack just said, “Wait a minute—Before she came to Ponyville? She’d known the changelings before?” Applejack sighed, “I didn’t want to tell you—or any of you; I couldn’t risk having the town in a panic if they were learned about it. Fluttershy was raised by the changelings.” Everypony in the group—except for Discord—gasp in shock at this revelation. Applejack continued, “She had lived there for 20 years before Queen Chrysalis sentenced her to death. But then she escaped from the guards who dropped her in the Everfree Forest.” “Except she wasn’t taken in as their own!” Discord shouted, to which the sentence had caught the group’s attention. “What do you mean by that?” Celestia asked. Suddenly they were masculine screams from the distance and everyone in the group looked around in freight. “Hey, Look!” Apple Bloom yelled, pointing to a distance close to them. The group turned to the direction she was pointing and saw a swarm of woodland animals and birds rushing towards them! They’d surrounded them; with the birds pecking them in the mane and the deers, bears, raccoons and rabbits pushing and pulling their legs to the other way. Everyone in the group cried as they felt the animals attacking them for no reason. Discord tried shielding himself from the birds without his claws. Suddenly he felt a slight jolt on one of the cuffs and looks down to see a squirrel and a rabbit scratching and digging through a small key hole. Are they trying to free me? “What the hay is wrong with these critters?!” Applejack yelled, as a deer behind her kept pushing her. “They’ve gone raving mad!” Rarity screamed as birds continued to peck and even pull some of her mane, “Ahh! Make them stop! Make them stop!!” As they continued protecting themselves, Discord glanced down at the two critters that were picking the lock, praying to unlock him quickly. “Are you sure I can leave you here?” Zecora asked as she putted the cloak around her and grab her sack, “The herbs I need is not very near.” “She’s sick; I can’t leave her alone,” Fluttershy said she came out of Zecora’s bedroom for any spare blankets as it was started to get chilly for Granny Rose. Luckily, she found a wool blanket and she put them on the stool before coming up towards Zecora. “Just come back with the herbs so we’ll make the tea for her. I can take care of myself. Just….” She then say in a subtle plea, “Come back as soon as you can.” “I will do whatever I can,” Zecora nodded firmly before she reached for the door, “Until then, make the kettle ready for the tin can.” She pointed to the kettle on the fireplace and the tin cup that sat on the table. Zecora then closed the door behind her, leaving Fluttershy alone with her elderly visitor. Focusing at the task at hoof, she grabbed the blanket and a refill of water in case she needed any more and went into the room where Granny Rose was put in. She quickly wrap the blanket around her and gave her the refill, to which she gulped it down with thirst. “Are you feeling alright now?” Fluttershy asked with concern as Granny Rose put the glass down. “Much better, now,” Granny Rose breathed before smiling at her gratefully, “Thank you very much, my dear.” Fluttershy return a smile to her, “Zecora knows a remedy that might help you; but she’ll need a few herbs that she doesn’t have.She’ll be back with them as soon as she can.” “That’s good news,” Granny Rose replied, “It just made me sad that I’m delaying you from your colt friend.” Fluttershy’s eye widen in embarrassment, “Colt friend?! But I didn’t—“ Granny Rose chuckled heartedly, “I’m sorry if I embarrass you, my dear. I’ve seen this kind of thing before from my children and my grandchildren. A young mare’s heart is one that finds love the fondest. You were very set into going to him.” It was meant to be reassuring for Fluttershy, but it only made her heart set in worry. She knows it’s the right thing helping this poor old mare; but she would’ve hope that she would be out there right now, racing to Canterlot to save Discord from his stony prison and profess her love for him. She felt that at this rate, she won’t be able to make it time. Granny Rose noticed Fluttershy’s distress and pretends to think before coming with an idea, “You know, there is a way for you to get to him.” Fluttershy lifted her head and turn to Granny Rose with disbelief, “What?” “Since you’ve been so good to me after all the trouble I caused, I’ll tell you something about your gift,” she then lift the apple that was resting on her lap into her hooves and show it to the mare, “You see, this is not an ordinary apple.This apple has magic.” Fluttershy blinked in surprise, “Magic?” “Yes! You see, my great-great- great grandfather had founded the orchard back in Appleloosa and there was this lone apple tree that stood outside of his house. He had never seen it before; it came out of nowhere. But as he searched around that tree, he discovered that the apple that grew there had the ability to grant wishes. Ponies had traveled all over Equestria just to grab a hold of it. But as time went on, the demands became too great for him that he quickly pulled them back from the market and Equestria has since then long forgotten about the wishing apples. I hold onto this one in case I needed it; just so happens that the apples are eternally ripe.” Fluttershy awed in amazement and asked curiously, “Do you ever think any magic like that could actually happen?” “Well, if my cousin managed to discover and own the Zap Apple Trees, you bet your flank that it would!” Granny smirked. “Has it ever worked?” “Well, why don’t we just find out now, then?” Granny Rose then raised the apple to Fluttershy’s eye level, “Just wish for him, take a bite and it will come true.” The animals and birds continued pushing and pecking on the ponies and the princesses until Discord finally felt the jolt that meant the two critters had successfully unlocked one of his cuffs. Pulling his eagle claw out for a moment to flex, he focuses on the chaos that was rained onto the ponies. Even though he would like to enjoy even a moment of it, he knew that it’s not what’s important right now. With the snap of his finger, everypony and every animal stopped, frozen within the yellow aura he had on them. He then bring forth a small raccoon that was holding onto Twilight’s leg right near his face and snapped his fingers again, although nothing happened. Discord leans his head towards the raccoon and asked in a low tone, “What are you doing here?” “We came to--!” the raccoon was shocked at the foreign voice that has been blurted out of its mouth. Though it wasn’t the only strange thing in the eyes of the ponies, for the animal’s voice seemed to imitate the exact likeliness of Twilight. Twilight would’ve been annoyed by this antic if it weren’t the sound of urgency the raccoon had shown: “We need help! Fluttershy is with a stranger at the zebra’s hut! We tried warning to her but she won’t listen! She doesn’t know what the stranger is; but we saw her eyes change color!” Discord stood frozen at the implication and he quickly snapped his fingers twice—one to let go of the ponies from his aura and second to turn the raccoon’s voice back to normal. “Twilight, I know that you have doubts about me and I don’t blame you,” Discord said in a serious tone, “But you have to let me go now! We all need to get back to the Everfree!” “And why should we do that?” Rainbow Dash said suspiciously. “Because if anything happens to Fluttershy, you won’t have another bearer ever again!” Their eyes widen at this statement. Rainbow uttered, “Wait—what?” “You heard right—Fluttershy is the missing bearer to the element of kindness!!” They all collectively gasped with shock. “F-Fluttershy… is the missing bearer?!” Twilight uttered. Applejack gaped at this news while she cried, “It make sense; that’s why her chest glowed like Prairie Blossom!” “In the Journal of the Bearers?” Apple Bloom asked in disbelief. “The changelings must’ve stolen her on the night she was born,” Twilight stated as she put the pieces together, “And Chrysalis must’ve have kept her so that she wouldn’t be connected to her element.” “But why would she want to kill her now?” Scootaloo cried. “She would’ve wanted the connection to be gone completely. From that glow I saw when we fought those vines; her power must’ve been getting stronger.” Sweetie Belle turned to Discord apprehensively, “Why didn’t you tell us this before?” “Sweetie, I’m sorry,” Discord sighed, “But we don’t time to talk about this.” “He’s right!” Diamond Tiara agreed, “We need to get back to Ponyville!” “But how?” Diamond Tiara cried, “It’ll took us forever to get up here; I don’t think we can do the same again.” A snap was heard and suddenly Applejack, Apple Bloom, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Diamond Tiara, Bab Seed and all the animals started floating off the ground, their whole body gulped in a yellow aura. Another snap of Discord’s fingers and Rainbow’s damaged wing was now healed. “It’ll be faster to fly down there,” Discord explained, “The pegusi can use their wings while my magic can float the others.” “But I can’t fly!” Scootaloo exclaimed before she felt a pair of arms lifting her up. She looked to see Rainbow Dash put her on her back. “I can carry you,” Rainbow stated, “But you better hold on tight, okay, squirt?” Scootaloo was surprise by the fact that not only a bearer of loyalty was letting her ride on her back, but she was saved by her and didn’t even question about her wings! She slowly nodded to confirm her flyer’s caution. Twilight grabbed Spike and put her onto his back before she heard Princess Celestia saying, “Luna, run back to the tower! See that the elements are safe!” Princess Luna then flew her way out of the gardens and Celestia called out to Twilight, “We will send our soldiers to come and fight the changelings! We will stay here to protect the elements and Canterlot!” Twilight nodded before turning to Discord, who is still trapped in his one cuff.Igniting her horn, she blasted a beam of energy at the remaining cuff, freeing him completely. He stood there in disbelief at this act. Then the two exchanged a nod, showing a sign of acceptance and determination. Discord flew up to the sky, carrying the floating ponies with his levitation while Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo quickly followed him. Twilight flew up then stopped for a moment to call out to Celestia, “We can take Discord with us! I’ll stand by him in case there’s any trouble! We won’t let you down!” She finally flew away to catch up to the group. Celestia whispered in a worried expression as she watches them going farther away from Canterlot, “I know you will.” Fluttershy glanced between the apple and Granny Rose, trying to process everything she’s been told and the magic of this strange fruit. “Y-You’re saying…. If I can wish Dis--” she stopped to change his name so that she won’t scare her, “…Gusty to be here—in this room, right now—it’ll do just that?” “That’s the idea, sweetie,” Granny Rose nodded, who is started to look eager for her to accept this suggestion. She stood amazed. If the apple was able to grant any wish that she desired and bring Discord into this hut this instant; she might have a chance to save him! She mentally noted to herself to thank this kind mare for the help she had given to her and for bringing them together. Filling up with all the determination and hope that she could muster, she took the apple from Granny Rose’s hooves, close her eyes and whispered her wish out loud, “I wish…” “Guard!” A palace guard who stood by the door to the elements snapped his head up in surprise and sees the regal princess galloping her way towards him. “Princess Celestia!” the guard exclaimed worried, “I’d just heard what happened. Is it true that changelings are going to invade here?” “Not while I see to it,” Princess Celestia stated in a serious tone, “Has Princess Luna arrived here yet?” “She has. But she’s been inside for a while now.” Celestia used her horn to open the lock of the door and swung it open. She saw that the element of kindness is indeed safe, but Luna was nowhere to be found. “Sister?” Celestia called out, “Luna, are you here?” “I’m afraid she’s knocked out, Princess.” Celestia lightly gasp in pain as a beam of green energy hit her on the head and she fell to the ground unconscious. The guard smirked in satisfaction as green flames swirled around him to change back to his true form. “…And to tell him how much I love him…. And how I will always be for him, now and forever.” Fluttershy finished whispering. She opens her eyes to the apple in her hooves and brings it closer to her face. Granny Rose watches with anticipation. Discord, Twilight and the others flew past the trees of the Everfree at high-speed. It was then that Discord felt a tremor in his spine. A magical imbalance. He didn’t like the sign of it and he zoomed faster. Twilight and the others did the same and followed him in their race against time, pasting through with blurring colors and harsh wind blowing at their faces. The skies above them were growing gray with sounds of thunder being heard from afar. Fluttershy opens her mouth to bite through the red skin and swallow the piece that she took. Shortly after swallowing it, she started to feel dizzy. “Oh, my head.” She groaned before turning to the old mare, “Is it supposed to do this?” “Oh, don’t worry dearie”, Granny Rose said as her eyes changes from a violent pink to a green teal color and grew a wicked smile on her face, “It’ll pass soon.” Though Fluttershy is growing dizzier and dizzier by the minute, she could’ve sworn that her eyes— Wait…. Mother?! She looked at her disguised mother in shocked as her vision started to blur, her breathing becoming shallow and her body growing numb. Then her breathing stopped and everything went black. Chrysalis watched as Fluttershy collapse to the floor with the poisoned apple rolling out of her hoof. She laughed manically as she changed back to her true form, “FAREWELL, MY DEAR ELEMENT OF KINDNESS!” She laughed as she made her way out of the door and exclaimed up to the dark sky in triumphant, “NOW THERE IS NO PONY OR NO FORCES IN THIS WORLD THAT CAN STOP ME NOW!” “HOW ABOUT ME?!” Chrysalis paused and gasped as she saw Discord zooming towards her with a furious look on his face, with Princess Twilight, the bearers and a band of animals following behind him. She saw this as her chance to fly away from them as soon as possible. When he saw that Chrysalis was escaping, Discord zoomed even faster as he unleashed his magic on the levitating bearers and animals right next to the hut. Twilight and the others watched as he flew up toward Chrysalis’s trail like a hawk. “Discord!” Twilight called out, but her cry was left on deaf ears. Zecora came in just in time to witness them arriving. “What in the world is going on? What happened while I was gone?” she asked worriedly as she ran towards them. “Look!” Sweetie Belle gasped in horror. The others looked at her direction inside the hut to see the lifeless-like Fluttershy on the ground next to the bitten apple. “My lord, what did she done to her?” Rarity said in shock. “She’s not dead, is she?” Sweetie Belle asked, not leaving the sound of horror in her voice. “I’m not sure, but we’re gonna stop Chrysalis.” Twilight replied, turning her head towards Zecora. “Zecora, could you take the fillies inside with you?” She pointed to the CMC. “Most certainly, my dear,” Zecora said. “I will keep them until you are here. And I will try to save Fluttershy.” “Thank you”, Twilight said, before taking off into the sky, “Come on, girls!” At her signal, her friends galloped after their friend while Zecora went inside with the fillies to tend Fluttershy with the animals standing by.