//------------------------------// // Chapter 16: Chaos and Order // Story: Time Bubbles // by Janicethelight //------------------------------// “Um, your...Imbuka….ship?”  Derpy began as a huge roar of celebration echoed through the banquet room, “I don’t think I would be much help in finding this...bringer of chaos.” “Maybe we should leave the giant Imbuka alone…” Procione whispered. “Do not sell self short, Haoss.  Eyes already show chaos in you.” “My eyes?  No, no. My eyes are just crossed.  That’s all. I’m not chaotic. My world is a world that celebrates harmony.  It’s as far from chaos as you can get!” “Maybe arguing with a leader of hundreds isn’t the best idea…” Procione interjected into Derpy’s ear. “This not arguing. This talking,” Basura Colla said. He asked Derpy, “Does Haoss feel at home in harmony city with harmony kind...or has Haoss felt lonely?  Unwanted? Different?” Derpy bit her lip, her good eye cast down as the other looked seemed to look towards the celebration.  “well...I…” Procione noticed the hesitation. “Basura Colla sees truth, little Haoss.  Harmony not for you.” Derpy felt her heart drop.  Thoughts ran through her head of what ifs. Her mind drifted back to Ponyville.  She left after messing up again. “Here, Imbuka care for you. Imbuka love chaos.  Chaos is challenge to overcome and make tribe stronger, better, happier. Haoss part of chaos!” Derpy combed her brain for somepony...anypony that might miss her.  Her mind was still on ponyville, and went first to Amethyst, waiting for her to come home.  ‘With me here, she won’t have to worry about her scrolls tearing apart, or her dishes breaking.’  There was Sunshower as well, ‘she could train a much better mailpony than me.’  For every pony she knew, her mind thought of reason they would be happier with her gone. Her thoughts then turned to the pony who brought her there in the first place.  He tried to save her. He was worried...and lonely...and scared. She looked up to Basura Colla with resolve in her eyes now. “Thank you, sir. I really appreciate your generosity, but I have a friend back at the city that’s worried about me.  I need to let him know I’m okay. He might not be from Ponyv-- Harmony City, but he is my friend. Besides, there’s nothing that says I can help find your bringer...creature.” “You chaos too!” “No, really I’m not.”  Derpy noted Basura Colla step closer, and stepped back, her wings straining against the ropes as she walked backwards. “If Haoss can prove not, do so.” Derpy’s mouth curved in concentration, as she thought hard about how to prove she was harmonic.  After a long pause, she sighed, “I...I can’t...it’s impossible…” Procione smiled as murmurs went around the Imbuka.  “There! She proved it!” “Huh?” Derpy asked. “What new Imbuka mean?” “There is no impossibilities with the chaos bringer!  I know the stories. He could do anything! He could make anything.  Which means, to any chaotic creature, there is no such thing as an impossibility.  Since Derpy understands impossibility, there is no way she is a chaotic creature.” More murmurs.  Procione winked at Derpy as doubt set in on the Imbuka.  Derpy sighed in relief. Just as disappointment quieted the once boisterous celebration, the tree shook.  Raccoons were thrown everywhere. Everyone looked around in confusion. Another tremor, and more fell. Everyone was silent, hearing a definite thundering around them.  A third tremor, and the Imbuka were starting to become excited now. “Ah. Haoss played trick. Now she brings chaos!” “But...but this isn’t me!  I have nothing to do with this!” “Hello hello?  Is there anybody home?  I’m the Doctor, making a house call!  I’m looking for my friend Derpy!” Derpy’s head shot up, “D-Doctor!”  She shouted. A moment of realization hit her like a ton of bricks, I did have something to do with this…. “Derpy!”  A vine shot up past the wooden window, and the Doctor swing in by his teeth.  He let go, rushing over to hug Derpy. “I’m here. I’m here now.” Derpy felt tears run down her cheeks.  Relief swept through her as she hugged him back. “Thank you.  Thank you for coming for me.”  The tears wouldn’t stop. The raccoons froze, watching the two in confusion. “Always!  I will always come for you.  I will always save you.” The Doctor looked into her eyes with a relieved smile.  He kissed her forehead before standing before the hundreds of Imbuka. “First, I would like to thank you all graciously for keeping Derpy safe. Now, let’s talk about this beautiful civilization you have built for yourselves.  It seems to me that the city raccoons have it very wrong. You lot aren’t savage at all. Not that it surprises me. There aren’t many I have found that are true savages. So, if that’s the case, why not go to the city?” “City Raccoons call us savages!  They throw out own to fend for selves against Sluggeen!  They use raccoons for experiments, cost lives in name of ‘science’. They only hate Imbuka for love of chaos.  They never like what can’t explain. We see their kind. We save their kind. We never throw life away for different thoughts. If all think same, no Chaos! Imbuka, savages?!” “Yes.  I can definitely see your point…” “Honestly, I don’t think either of you are savages.”  Derpy admitted. “But did they not kick you out to fend for yourself?”  One Imbuka asked who was missing an arm. “They did.  That makes them stubborn. But not savage.  It just seems like all of you need to talk to one another…” “We not talk to savage order raccoons.  Order kills love! Order Raccoons rather throw family away than see different views.” “B...but, don’t you see...you have some order too!”  Derpy realized. “What Haoss mean?!” “You all worked together to bring Procione and myself here.  You got together for a celebration, and you have a leader. Even the Chaos Bringer whose example you emulate.  These are signs of order!” Murmuring started again, “Order doesn’t have to be something that is needed all the time, but it is needed.  Without a bit of order, you wouldn’t be able to learn to read or write or even speak. Order is needed for building, and planning.” “Imbuka...practiced...order..”  The racoon without the arm said, “It’s true.  You Imbuka can get to the hall quickly with just a simple bell sound.  You know this sound to mean time for an important meeting. That’s pretty orderly.” “I take it you came from the city.”  The doctor assumed, noting the difference in her speech. “Once, I was a citizen, yes.  I was kicked out for talking down to the conclave.  I told the wrong raccoons that the conclave have gotten too full of themselves.”  She shrugged to the moot point. Little by little the raccoons that had been saved agreed with Derpy.  The original Imbuka listened to each of their family, confusion evident in their faces.  “Then...Imbuka fail chaos?” “I don’t think you failed chaos.”  Derpy’s head shook, “you took the aspects of each that you like to make a community.” Chatting grew as they all talked it over.  The Doctor smiled at Derpy, his eyes shining with a plan.  “Okay, Soooo, you might have a touch of order connecting you with the city raccoons. The raccoons also have a touch of chaos connecting them to you!” “Impossible. Raccoons frightened of chaos.” Basura Colla affirmed. “Ah, that’s true, but they have it anyway.  We can use that to get you two together!” The Doctor winked at Derpy.  Derpy tilted her head, blinking at the Doctor. “Why would we want that?”  The girl without an arm asked. “Well, if you mixed the scientific advances if the city with the heart and caring of the Imbuka, you all might just end up with an amazing civilization that would rival any planet.” There was more talk.  Derpy trotted closer to the Doctor.  “Do you really think that they can all get along so easily, Doctor?” “I’m going to be honest, I may have never thought of it at all if it weren’t for you, Derpy.” “Me?!  B-but I didn’t do anything!” “You helped these raccoons to see similarities in the other raccoons rather than differences.  I think that is something to be proud of.” He seemed to lose himself in thought for a few moments before he finished, “you have been a wonderful companion….and friend.” Derpy felt a mixture of feelings at that statement.  Pride was most prominent at first. After everything with the mail and every pony angry at her, it was wonderful to know she helped somewhere.  Happiness bubbled up from the pride, filling her as she smiled. However, deep down, there was a confusing sadness. The way he said those words...they felt like a goodbye. “Alright, Imbuka, those raccoons aren’t just going to let us in, so we’ll need Procione and Derpy cut from their restraints, and then...do I have a plan for you!”  He grinned.