Smolder made her way into the building ahead of her, seeing various ponies looking like zombies as they hurried around helping out to continue the concert.
“I have to figure out how to snap RD out of it… but how?” Smolder questioned herself. As she made her way up to the concert area she saw Rainbow sitting in a royal-looking seat in the front row.
“Ah, she did say she had the Wonderbolts performing for her…” Smolder said before making her way through the crowd to where Rainbow is.
“Rainbow! I still need to talk to you!” Smolder called but her voice couldn’t be heard over the cheering crowd.
“Go Spitfire! Let it rip!” Rainbow cheered as the song continued.
“Ok… I have an idea but I’m most likely gonna be incinerated for it… helping save Equus or dying… Guess, I got no choice then!” Smolder flew up to the stage and shoved Spitfire aside.
“HEY!” Spitfire said as she stumbled back.
“Huh?! Hey hey hey! CUT!” Rainbow shouted and everything went silent.
“Uuuuuhh… H-hi?” Smolder said nervously knowing RD might be getting ready to hurt her.
“What. the. Hay?! Get off the stage!” RD shouted.
“Rainbow!” Smolder said getting right to it “You need to snap out of it! You can’t leave Equus to die like this!” Smolder called.
“Oh not this again!” RD sighed before teleporting up to her.
“Your interrupting the score of the century to remind me that Equus is gonna blow up from all the chaos pollution?!” RD sneered.
“Uh… yes?” Smolder said.
“Give me one reason to not turn you into a lettuce leaf and feed you to Tank,” RD said pointing to a bipedal tortoise in a suit licking his lips at that thought.
“B-because… Countless ponies will die if you continue doing this, are you seriously going to abandon your homeworld just because Chaos said so?” Smolder said forming a plan.
“Uh yeah,” RD said.
“What about your ‘pony pride’ or whatever your always championing? Can your pride stand up to the fact that you're not Chaos’s equal?” Smolder said.
The crowd gasped as RD narrowed her eyes.
“What?” RD said.
“Face it RD, your only second best, can you call yourself the queen of disloyalty if you swear your allegiance to him? If anything you should put this on for your sake!” Smolder said holding out the necklace.
Several security guards arrived on the scene.
“Shall we remove her o awesome one?” One said.
“...No…” RD said “Allow me!” RD grabbed Smolder by her throat.
“I’m still waiting on my reason I shouldn’t kill you for interrupting my concert…” RD said.
“I-if you…let Chaos win… you lose!” Smolder gasped.
“Why?” RD said.
“Because a wise yet arrogant pony once taught me that a good friend is always there for those they care about! You think your not, but YOU. ARE. LOYAL!” Smolder said.
Loyalty… the antithesis of her… but her words struck a cord within RD and she remembered… her friends… her family… her element… she remembered…
“I-.....I… I’m not! I am….” RD shook her head as if coming out of a haze.
“Remember RD… you're not a draconequus… you're the best pony there is!” Smolder said honestly grasping at straws.
RD gripped her head and dropped Smolder and suddenly the environment and ponies around them vanished.
“I’m…. no…..SHUT UP!” RD said clutching her head.
“You heard, didn’t you? The RD I know!” Smolder said getting the necklace out.
“Sm-...Smolder!... hurry!” RD said as she knelt down clearly battling the chaos in her head.
“I got you RD!” Smolder shouted as she ran up and jumped… and was snagged by a tail.
“I’m NOT loyalty… I am a GODDESS!” She snarled.
“Only one chance then!” Smolder breathed fire in RD’s face and RD shouted in pain and dropped her and while the draconequus was staggered she jumped up and slid the necklace on her.
“I sense the first one!” Harmony said.
“Then hurry!” Ember said.
Harmony focused on her power and sent it through the element.
“RD…WAKE UP!” Harmony commanded.
“NOOOOO!” RD shouted before she started erupting chaos magic out of her mouth and she shrunk down to her normal pony self.
“RD!” Smolder ran up to her and shook her.
“Ugh….” RD said as she slowly got up and shook her head.
“You alright?” Smolder asked.
“Yeah… oh man… what have I been doing? We need to help the others!” RD said.
“THAT’S the RD I know,” Smolder said before the two ran off towards the barrier’s edge.
Silverstream flew up to Pinkie Pie at least a dozen times but she just teleports her away.
“She’s probably right, we gotta do something!” Silverstream said out loud.
“You're just wasting everyponies time…” Mena said.
“Then you do something, I got this, we got this!” Silverstream said.
“Why not just lure her in?” Mena said.
“Why? How? When?” Silverstream asked.
“Follow me,” Mena said leading Silverstream to a pin the tail on the donkey board.
“HEY PINKIE!” Mena called.
“Huh?” Pinkie said.
“I’m ready to play that stupid game with you!” Mena said
“Wow! Really? I knew you’d come around.
“All you…” Mena trotted away as Pinkie appeared.
“Thanks!” Silverstream said before turning to Pinkie.
“Where’s Mena?” Pinkie asked.
“Pinkie, we really need to talk,” Silverstream said.
“Oh not this again, need I teleport you away once more." Pinkie threatened.
“No, listen, You aim to make ponies happy right?” Silverstream asked.
“Yes, but I can make other beings happy too!” Pinkie said.
“What about you?” Silverstream asked.
“Hmm? What about me?” Pinkie asked.
“How happy will you be when this whole thing takes off, you’ll never see your family again, your friends, acquaintances, everypony! You leave and so many will be sad again…” Silver reasoned.
“...So?... I can… visit periodically right?” Pinkie asked.
“When? When Chaos feels like giving you a vacation?” Silver pointed out.
“He won’t,” Mena said laying on the ground nearby.
“...How do you know,” Pinkie said.
“I know because you know, Chaos has no intention of letting us go, we’ll be his servants and only cause chaos where he tells us,” Mena replied.
“You have to not listen, listen to us, Equestria needs you now, the joy of everypony you know weighs on your decision,” Silverstream said.
“But the twist… it may be a game changer, I’ll be unable to make anypony happy or sad if I am left behind,” Pinkie said unsure now.
“That is a risk you gotta take for your friends, please Pinkie, help us,” Silverstream said offering the necklace to Pinkie.
“I know, I need to make others happy, and if following Chaos leads only to tears, then maybe I can take my chances…” Pinkie allowed her to put it on her and the environment faded away.
“You did it…” Mena said without a shift in her tone before she vanished to.
Pinkie returned to normal upon Harmony’s command.
“Are you okay Pinkie?” Silverstream asked.
“Yeah…” She said wiping some tears from her eyes “I will be,” Pinkie said.
“Then let’s fix this distorted world, together!” Silver offered a hoof and Pikie took it and they ran off to the exit.
Yona had tried multiple times to get past Mac, but even her Yak strength wasn’t enough to overpower the red stallion.
“Yak need to get through!” Yona said.
“Eenope,” Big Mac said.
“....Then Yona needs to do something she promised she’d never do… What’s that over there!” Yona pointed away from Mac and he glanced.
Perfect.
She struck him in the stomach.
“Yona not like cheap shots, but she had no choice,” Yona ran past Big Mac who was on the ground holding his gut.
Yona ran back up to Applejack who was dancing on the tables and paused when she saw her.
“What?! Didn’t you an I agree to disagree?!” Applejack demanded.
“No, you kicked Yak off of property, and now Yona is here to make you go save Equestria!” Yona said.
“Why should ah, ah told ya ah checked and found everything normal,” AJ said.
“NO! You not liar Applejack, you are one of greatest teachers in school, you teach honesty,” Yona said.
“Ah thought it was cooking,” Applejack said compulsively lying again.
“No, Yona need family, you need family! If you leave how will you meet family again?” Yona said.
“Whaddya mean? Ah can bring them with… right?” Applejack said.
“No! Chaos want pony to serve him! Harmony said so,” Yona said.
“Why should ah trust Harmony? She’s a liar unlike me,” Applejack said.
“No! Yona need you to see, you not liar…” Yona looked around for a way before spotting an apple pie… and remembering one of AJ’s lessons…
“Like how Yona hate apple pie!” Yona said.
“What?! How can ya hate apple pie, it’s the most delicious apple dessert!” Applejack said offendedly.
“Yona is being honest, unlike you!” Yona said.
“Yer jest bein mean! To tell that to an Apples face, ah should turn you into apple pie an eat ya!” Applejack threatened.
“What about the time you were being cruelly honest? Yona remember that lesson! Yak being honest pony be honest about her feelings,” Yona said.
“AH AH’M BEIN HONEST ABOUT MAH FEELINGS…….Oh…” Applejack said suddenly getting an epiphany.
“Yona, want honest pony over liar pony any day,” Yona said.
"....Yer right, Ah should be totally honest one hundred percent of the time, even if it hurts ponies, breaks up families, hurt friendships, lets foolish ponies keep doing foolish things that'll get them hurt, hurts your friends' feelin's when you hate something they love, and totally tell your customers where they can get a better price for something at the big brand store but you can't afford to lower yer price any lower!"
“Yona thinks that isn’t fully true, if pony isn’t honest who is she? Nopony will trust her, if Yona lied all the time, would Yona be trusted? Would Yona have any friends? Pony doesn’t have to be brutally honest all the time, just when you need to be,” Yona said.
“Ah… can’t deny that lyin all the time is… tiring… but if ah’m honest all the time how will ah-” Applejack questioned.
“Yona will be there, and pony will be able to know the right time,” Yona nodded.
“Ah’ve been plum foolish…” Applejack said before levitating the necklace off of Yona and onto her neck. “No honest means no friends… and ah’d hate to leave mah family behind, that’s the truth,” Applejack said as she returned to normal.
“Yona will help, now we hurry!” Yona said as the environment returned to blackness.
“Ok!” Applejack said following her.
Ocellus chased after Rarity who flew up to her castle window and entered.
“Rarity wait!” Ocellus asked.
“What is it now?!” Rarity barked “Can you not see that I am enjoying the splendor of high society!? And who permitted you to come in here?” Rarity said.
“I need to tell you more,” Ocellus whimpered a little as Rarity cracked the whip at the air.
“Then make it quick! I have much preparation to do!” Rarity said gruffly.
“You have parents here don’t you? What about them?” Ocellus said.
“Who cares about them!... I have jewels! Gems! Diamonds!” Rarity said.
“Sweetie Belle?” Ocellus said.
Rarity paused at that… “I… do admit she will be missed, but I am sure mother and father can take care of her! I have a universe of treasures just waiting for their true owner to claim them!” Rarity said.
“........Can you be happy if you're alone?” Ocellus said.
“...What do you mean?” Rarity asked.
“Can these gems and treasures play games with you? or be there when you need a shoulder to cry on? Or wear your outfits? You can’t subsist on only jewelry, you need friends!” Ocellus said.
“....I don’t… need friends… I am happy…. I’M HAPPY!” Rarity snapped.
Ocellus shivered but continued “Then why do you sound unsure?! Where’s your proof!?” Ocellus said.
“....I don’t… but I can bring-”
“No you can’t Rarity, Chaos intends to hold Spike captive here on Equus, you need to snap out of it and help him!” Ocellus said.
“I… Oh dear… your right… How can I call myself a queen without friends… it would be a lonely existence” Rarity said dropping the whip.
Ocellus approached.
“Then protect your existence by helping us, not Chaos,” Ocellus said.
“You're right…” Rarity said and she grabbed the necklace, even though it burned her hand and she slipped in on and returned to normal.
After the environment faded Rarity turned to Ocellus.
“I am glad to be a pony again, let us make haste Ocellus dear,” Rarity said.
“Ok,” Ocellus smiled.
Tentacles burst out of the ground, and out of the air, from every possible direction as Spike teleported about. Then he made a portal and punched through it, then pulled his claws back.
Five seconds later, Chaos caught Spike's punch from the past, then was punched in the face from another portal. Spike then opened another portal and punched through it.
"Misdirection, about time you learned." Chaos said. Chaos looked up. "Right on schedule."
Pink, blue, white, and orange streams of power swept in an arch over the sky, and dived right into Spike, making him bigger than before, his arms and legs different now pink, orange, white, and blue.
Spike felt dizzy. But the same time... he couldn't have felt better.
"Be careful Spike... this doesn't feel right."
"Huh? Something happen? I was busy reading," Chaos looked up from a Isekai novel written in a dead language and with half the pages missing and the other half written in code and with one tenth of the pages outright lies of what had happened compared to the rest of the book. "Oh you got bigger."
"You got that right! And everything even more clear than before." Spike hissed.
"Come how Spike, don't tell me you're still holding.... Back?" Chaos calmly looked up to see a meteorite headed straight towards him. Chaos held up a tiny umbrella as it hit, leaving a massive crater, with chaos at the center smiling. "Well, that was rather risky, hurting those precious little innocent ponies."
"I'm here for my friends. And if your toys were that easy to break, they'd have broken already." Spike said in a no-nonsense manner.
"Oh will you stop with that dour attitude of yours?" Chaos chuckled.
"Oh I'll be plenty happy when you're history and I have my family back!" Spike snapped his finger, Rose Luck appeared in front of him... looking around confused, her head shaped like a flower and her feet accordions.
"What's going on? I was right at the Salty Colors Recital."
"You're my toy now, not Chaos'!" Spike breathed fire on her... Rose Luck grew and grew until she was bigger than Ponyville town hall, her form a cross between a rose and a dragon. "Sic'em!"
"Yes Master!"
The flower dragon roared and charged at Chaos.
Chaos sighed and took out a squirting flower, and unleashed a fire
storm... Rose Dust turned into a swarm of petals, reformed behind him, and dug her claws into Chaos, while unleashing a sonic scream cracking his crystal draconequus form.
Chaos opened his mouth wide, and a giant boxing glove punched out, but Rose Luck's head turned to flower petals again and reformed. Rose covered vines sprang from the parts of Chaos's body Rose Luck had struck her claws. They spread at lightning speed. Chaos teleported only for Rose Luck and vines to teleport with him. Just as the vines reached his head, Chaos whiplashed his own head, breaking it off as the rest of his body was consumed by the vines, and morphed into a giant rose.
Rose Luck roared. "Get back here coward!" She snapped at his head as it teleported about until she smashed her head into a rock, distracting her for a few precious seconds.
Chaos' head grew legs, scurried away, then morphed back into his full form.
"Well kid... congrats... you almost had me there... proud to see you finally using these mortals as they should be used!"
"If they get back my family, then they're doing exactly as they should, after all the times we've protected them, about time they gave something back."
"Yes Master Spike," the Rose Luck dragon bowed.
"Heh, sure you wanna go down this road kid? These toys have families too."
"And if I don't get my own family back, they'll all be destroyed anyway when you abandon Equus!" Spike snapped his fingers, Lyra and Bon Bon appeared before him. Lyra was a golden harp with her flesh and blood pony head on one end, with five turtle legs carrying the harp. Bon Bon was in a SMILE black business suit and sunglasses, and also had a dozen heads. "If I can't beat you, I'll just make some minions who can!"
Lyra opened her mouth and several notes played.
"I know dear, but I think Alpha Hoof's orders of 'stay back and observe' are still an option..."
"Master Spike has use for you," Rose Luck said.
Spike slammed Lyra and Bon Bon together like clay before breathing chaos fire on. They grew into a two-headed dragon as large as Rose Luck, one side with Lyra's colors, the other with Bon Bon's, their scales their coat colors, and their horns their mane colors.
The two heads echoed, "Command us Master Spike we might destroy your enemy."
"Take out Chaos!"
"Your loyal puppets obey!" Snarled the hydra as she turned around, fired a blast of fire from Bon Bon's mouth and a blast of ice from Lyra's mouth.
"Oh please, I was hoping we were passed..." Chaos raised thermal barrier... except the fire froze his form solid, and the ice was scalding hot, in complete contradiction to the laws of physics. "... Finally using that imagination I see," Chaos said as he shattered. Rose Luck stomped her claws, rose vines grew out of the ground, grabbing every shard. The hydra's head quickly began eating up the shards of chaos' body, but they changed into tiny draconequus crystals and flew away. Spike's dragon caught many of them, but the rest simply reformed into Chaos who grew back to his proper size.
"Dragons eat crystal... even cosmic-powered crystal like it was rock candy. I admit, that's actually clever kiddo. You get a gold star." Chaos said throwing a star-shaped shuriken that Spike ducked.
Spike gave out a short laugh. "Why thank you. You're rather chipper for someone I'm gonna munch down on."
"I haven't had this much fun in eons hatchling!" Chaos said.
"Ooooh then you're gonna be revved up for this one!" Spike clapped... Zecora appeared, perfectly normal and safe, it took her all of two second to realize where she was and what she was looking at. But Spike didn't care, she was just raw material for him anyway. She was a close friend, she should be honored to make this sort of sacrifice.
Spike breathed fire on her... Zeocra grew into a dragon form... her stripes now perfectly even and straight over her scales... in fact, she look perfectly symmetrical, nothing about her seemed that strange except for her stripes.
"Command, so I might aid our band," Zecora said.
The black and white dragon stood perfectly at attention, its claw prints leaving a perfect black and white checkerboard pattern.
"AN ORDER DRAGON!? ARE YOU INSANE?!" Mouths opened on Chaos belly, hands, knees, chest, and feet and end of his tail. Different colors spectrum of chaos magic fired straight at Spike to warp him several different ways at once.
"Protect me!" Spike snapped.
Zecora with perfect calm blocked Chaos' attack, which fizzled out on contact.
"Don't you realize she's dangerous to you too?" Chaos said.
"Commands at to be heeded, even for a chaotic master it is needed," Zecora said.
Spike laughed. "I think my beauties are coming along nicely."
Chaos chuckled realizing Spike was getting into it "Incredible, isn't it? Realizing nothing is stopping you. That your dolls are yours to play with."
"... Except you," Spike said darkly.
Fluttershy looked out into the distance.
“It seems my friends are all but freed, good for them,” Fluttershy said before drinking some more tea.
Sandbar approached the table again.
“Ah, tweedle dumber has arrived!” Fluttercruel sneered, Sandbar ignored her and sat down.
"You should hurry along Sandbar," Fluttershy said, reclining in her chair, snapping her claws, and the furniture changed into a bamboo style, then Hearts and Hoove, Hearths Warming, and finally single-color oversized plastic toys that Sandbar felt a strange primal connection with. "Your friends have all succeeded in freeing the others. And Spike getting more powerful and chaotic by the minute. Mine and Twilight's chaos magic is the last Spike will assimilate if you succeed. Are you sure you want to force MORE chaos magic on Spike when he's already affected as much as he is? You should just take my place with my friends... after all, I don't know if I'll be able to remember what I've seen in the future if you succeed in making me give up my chaos magic. Then I know Opaline Arcana will descend on Equestria, Twilight will be forced to seal all magic... and everything we've worked for will crumble into a forgotten memory."
“I don’t even know if that would work with me as the element of kindness, that’s a gamble too,” Sandbar said.
"Better a gamble than a certain doom. Oh I'm sorry, was that supposed to be your line Sandbar?" Fluttershy narrowed her eyes.
“Look Shy, you’ve painted a pretty dark picture for the future of Equestria, I will admit, but you can’t just give up your role as the wielder of kindness, otherwise maybe everything will crumble sooner than we might expect,” Sandbar said hoping he thought of this right.
“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.
“Look at it like this, if the element doesn’t work, and we lose but your plan to exist as the new Chaos of Equestria works, who will wield the element of kindness, the elements will be incomplete, I don’t know if Harmony can just choose new permanent owners, no owners of the elements and things might get even worse if you think of it,” Sandbar said.
“That… may be but even if that is the risk I am willing to take it if it means we have a better chance at stopping Opaline,” Fluttershy said.
“Come on! What does this world owe you?! Just go with Chaos already! And let me be in the driver's seat! It's your nature!” Fluttercruel cheered.
“Quiet!” Sandbar said.
“Quiet,” Fluttercruel mocked.
"Behave." Fluttershy said darkly.
"... Yes mother." Fluttercruel whimpered.
Sandbar resumed hoping to get Fluttershy to see his point. “At the very least help out here and find out if things can improve with Harmony’s help before you switch to chaos, it’s better than just twiddling your hooves and hoping things will improve on their own,” Sandbar said.
Fluttershy snapped her fingers. A portal opened leading to the chaotic Ponyville/Chaosville. She picked up Fluttercruel's cage with her tail.
“H-hey! What are you doing?” Fluttercruel demanded
"You're coming along dear... if I could reform Discord, you will be a piece of cake, but I'm not letting you out of my sight until Chaos has either left Equus or fate has gone the way it's already been laid out," Fluttershy said.
“Does this mean you’ll help?” Sandbar asked.
"I'm not giving up my chaos magic, or being a draconequus, not right now. But you're right I shouldn't try to change the script just by doing nothing." Fluttershy snapped her fingers again. Angel appeared, and grew larger with a pair of feathered wings and a saddle on his back.
"Angel, be a dear and give our dear Sandbar a ride for mommy."
“On it!” Angel said before picking up the pony and setting him on the saddle and then he took off.
“WHOAAAA!” Sandbar said as they rode along.
Fluttershy calmly floated out of her chaos bubble being careful not to give her chaotic-self a rocky ride as she flew alongside Sandbar.
Each of the Student Six and the Mane Six exited the prisons.
“Rainbow Dash! Over there!” Smolder pointed at Chaos battling Spike's ever-growing entourage of chaos (and one order) dragons. Chaos was definitely looking to be on the back foot. He summoned a giant gorgon eye, only for Spike to teleport in Octavia and turn her into a mirror dragon, turning the giant eye to stone.
“What the hay? What’s been happening out here since the explosion?” Rainbow asked.
Suddenly the sound of flapping wings caught Rainbow’s ear and she narrowly moved out of the way of a giant flying rabbit.
“Huh?! Angel?” Smolder and Rainbow spoke.
“Hello Rainbow Dash, Smolder,” A familiar voice said.
“Oh Fluttershy! You got out too- WHAT THE HAY?!” Rainbow said when she saw the Draconeqqus Fluttershy.
“Shooould we be concerned Sandbar failed?” Smolder asked.
“No, I’ll explain after this situation,” Fluttershy said.
“Oook,” Rainbow said as they flew on.
Applejack and Yona exited her prison bubble and saw Pinkie and Silverstream there.
“How’d ya know where we were?” Applejack asked.
“I don’t know, she grabbed us and we were suddenly here,” Silverstream said.
“My Pinkie sense told me to find you, come on! We need to find the others and Draconequusshy!” Pinkie said.
“Come again?” Applejack asked.
“Come on!” Pinkie galloped away.
“Hold on!” Applejack ran after her.
“Yak smash Chaos!” Yona said as she followed.
Gallus and Twilight approached the Boutique and saw Ocellus and Rarity exit.
“Hello…” Twilight said.
“Twilight dear! Oh thank goodness! I was worried that this insanity would never end!” Rarity dramatically said.
“Let us not waste time, let us hurry,” Twilight said.
“Yeah what she said,” Gallus said.
“Ok!” Ocellus said, but as they ran on she couldn’t help but notice a strange taste in the air around Twilight… Odd.
“Hmm, multi-dragon attack all with custom powers eh? It seems you're more capable than I first thought young dragon, but sadly this is where I still come out on top!” Chaos said as he teleported away from the multiple dragons.
He floated nearby and snapped his fingers.
“Let’s see how you like these apples,” Chaos said before all of Ponyville began shaking and a giant golem made of earth emerged.
“Golem, attack his dragons, ooh, and don’t forget this,” Chaos conjured a giant sword and gave it to the golem. The sword had a crown shape on top, with the glowing runes on the blade translating as 'Dragonslayer.'
“A little dragon slaying will surely get you to see my point,” Chaos said.
“I thought killing wasn’t chaotic?!” Spike said as the golem approached.
“It isn’t, but there are alas, exceptions to the rules sometime, to make an omelet, you gotta crack a few dragons,” Chaos laughed as the golem closed in.
“Look out!” Spike tackled Zecora out of the way of a decapitating swing.
“And while they are dealing with this, I can deal with you,” Chaos said as he zoomed forward leaving patchwork contrails in his wake and Spike who was distracted helping his dragons with the Golem didn’t see Chaos coming and he rammed Spike out of the air and into the ground.
“AGH!” Spike grunted as Chaos held him down.
“And when the final throes toll as such, this world will know, you failed,” Chaos said as he made a bomb in his hand and made it bigger and bigger….
Until the bomb got turned into a swarm of butterfly winged bunnies.
“Huh?” Chaos turned to see Fluttershy.
“Fluttershy?” Spike asked.
“Hello Spike,” Fluttershy said casually.
“No… Sandbar was too late wasn’t he?” Spike asked.
"I WISH HE WAS!" Fluttershy's gray-self snarled from inside her doll-sized cage.
“Ah, so she came out of the cage at last, the defiant one,” Chaos said getting up and walking over to her, while Spike picked himself off the floor.
"Now now Mr. Chaos, you, well, my chaotic self on behalf of you, told me to embrace being a chaos goddess, you told me to accept being a draconequus was better... I have. Though for being Chaos, you sure want others to do what you want predictably."
“Ohohoho, indeed, for what is more chaotic than a being who is supposed to be unpredictable being predictable in a world gone absolutely mad, on that note though, I think you know I am far from a one trick pony,” Chaos said “So do tell, are you here because that pony friend of yours convinced you to? Or perhaps you wish to save your boyfriend?” Chaos mocked.
"You tell me, this is your script after all. And when you lose, we'll be back to fate's script, and I'll give it some edits."
“Oh my dear, who said we had a script?” Chaos said before turning and firing a blast at Spike who was sent flying into a wall “He is quite imaginative, and strong, most likely because of all the stolen power, but while he’s a pretender thinking he’s a god, I am the concept of chaotic power, tell me, where do you see a victory?” Chaos turned back to her.
"You tell me. You need Spike. He was no match for you. You wanted us to be rescued by Sandbar and his friends. If you wanted him never heard from again, you'd have done so already."
“Heheh, I can’t hide anything from you can I? You are right, and naturally I-” Chaos leaned his head to the side casually avoiding a punch from Rainbow Dash who tried to get him from his blindspot.
“Darn it!” Rainbow said.
“We were talking,” Chaos said to her.
Suddenly he heard more voices and saw the Student and Mane Six gathering nearby.
“It seems the time for conversation is at an end my dear,” Chaos said as he floated back “Now for the real fun,” Chaos said.
“You won’t hurt them,” Fluttershy growled.
“Not unless they give me reason to,” Chaos said as he looked on at the ponies and other beings associated with them gathering.
Spike saw this and smiled.
“Girls!” Spike got up and teleported up to them.
“Spike! Yer….a draconequus? The hay happened to you?” Applejack asked.
“Loooong story,” Smolder said.
“C’mon guys! Let’s hit him with the harmony beam!” Rainbow said flying back over to the group.
“Yes,” The group turned to Chaos who was floating up to them.
“I suppose you all have me dead to rights, one issue though, can Sandbar use the element?” Chaos asked.
“Why can’t Shy use-” Applejack said before noticing the draconequus Fluttershy “Oh…” Applejack said.
“I can try girls!” Sandbar said before putting on the element and getting ready.
“Well then girls and boy, I suppose I have nothing more to do than lament my defeat, hit me with your best shot,” Chaos said sitting down.
"This is too familiar," Fluttershy whispered.
Fluttershy's chaotic self grinned triumphantly.
“Go guys!” Smolder cheered.
They focused their powers and felt the elements charging.
Harmony felt the power swell in her back in the cave of harmony.
“It is time…” Harmony said before she sent the power.
The power lit up and they floated in the air.
“It’s working!” Ocellus said happily.
And with their powers united they fired the harmony wave at Chaos.
“....Heh…” The beam hit Chaos and an explosion occurred… before it shrank down into a tiny sphere in his palm.
“Hahahaha! Oh it was quite hard to keep from laughing, I mean seriously, I did exactly what Discord did, you fell for it twice!” Chaos laughed.
“What the?!” Rainbow exclaimed.
“I-it didn’t work?” Rarity said.
“Th-that’s impossible,” Applejack said.
"So this was his ace?" Fluttershy sighed.
“...” Twilight said nothing.
“Well now that this charade is over let’s get onto why you lose,” Chaos said while crushing the harmony magic in his palm.
“What do you mean?” Spike said.
“Did you not bother to examine the magic coming off from your group?” Chaos asked.
“What?” Discord who had been silent up until now said before turning around… and his jaw dropped.
“What do you-” Spike turned and gasped “GIRLS GET AWAY FROM THERE!” Spike exclaimed.
“Huh?” They turned to see two draconequi one a purple one and the other a blue one, and they both attacked with chaos magic that sent eveypony flying.
"I thought for sure he'd target Silverstream!" Fluttershy swore as she conjured pillows for everyone to land on safely.
“Well done my dear friends,” Chaos said to Gallus and Twilight as he walked up to them and turned towards the group.
“And my grand plan comes full circle! Thank you Spike, you really screwed up just well enough,” Chaos said “I sent a clone to corrupt your blue friend here and meanwhile Twilight finished her indoctrination, It’s like I told your yellow friend, I am far from a one trick pony!” Chaos laughed.
Gallus looked ashamed while Twilight just smirked.
“Guess it’s time to admit defeat Spike, don’t worry, we’ll rule the stars soon enough,” Twilight said.
“No…” Spike cursed having realized Chaos was stalling this whole time.
Fluttcruel couldn't stop giggling. "I mean, it would've been great if you others had gone along, but we only ever really needed Twilight and Gallus!"
Fluttershy crossed her arms. "I guess Harmony is going to need a lot more time to find new bearers later."
"What makes you think there IS a later?" Chaos laughed.
"You stopped the Elements, so did Chrysalis', remember? It's not very unpredictable ... also... I know my staying a draconequus wasn't in your script... I was supposed to be rescued by Sandbar... "
“Oh quit thinking you have something over us, with one of each six on our side, you don’t have any ammo,” Twilight said walking around Chaos
"Gallus..." Smoulder said sadly. "Look, I don't know what Chaos told you or showed you... I got a taste of the power too... but ... can you really WANT want this?"
"There's nothing chaotic about being someone's lackey," Fluttershy said.
“I…I…I….” Gallus flinched looking like he was struggling to explain himself.
“We have to do something,” Silverstream said.
Spike said, "Twilight, what did he show you? What did he tell you? If you're not just some stupid puppet pretending to be Twilight, then why?"
Twilight suddenly seemed a little conflicted seeing Spike's sadness but she hardened her expression and focused her chaotic eyes on Spike “He showed me something wonderful… a world, where nopony dies, friends forever… I must have it, it’s out there, in another dimension,” Twilight said looking like she was determined to stay resolute.
“You want to be in a world where eveypony is immortal?” Spike asked
“I want to take you all there… I am immortal Spike… you know my struggle, the fact that I will outlive even you!” She said looking teary “I refuse, I will give us an eternal sanctuary!” Twilight said.
“Twilight I-”
“We’re running our mouths a bit aren’t we, come on Twilight, Gallus, let’s vamoose,” Chaos said opening a portal.
"Yes Master," the two draconequus said together.
"HEY! What about me?!" Fluttercruel shouted.
"What about you?" Chaos shrugged.
"I'm your loyal follower! You can't just leave me with these losers!"
"... Did you just imply there's something I can't do?" Chaos said darkly. Chaos snapped his fingers "You've served your role, time for you to go." A flying giant piranha with buzz-saw teeth appeared and swallowed Fluttercruel's cage. In less than an instant later, Fluttershy snapped her own fingers. Her chaotic self, still doll-size, appeared in her paw, shivering in terror.
The gray Fluttershy looked up. "You... you saved me..."
"Why wouldn't I?" Fluttershy said. "You're a victim here too."
“Congrats, goodbye,” Chaos turned to leave.
"I told you! Twilight is MINE!" Spike roared. The very air twisted from the mountain of chaos magic he'd absorbed.
"And Gallus is MINE!" Smolder swore... and something within her snapped... and she began to grow larger and larger... her deepest friendship with Gallus, had triggered her Greed Growth.
“Let’s make like trees and leaf,” Chaos said before flying into the portal with the other two and it began to close.
“NO!” Spike said.
They wouldn’t make it in time how could they- suddenly a whistling noise was heard and they turned to see a figure flying through the air and they caught the portal and held it open.
“Gabby!” Spike exclaimed.
“Ngh! Later! Go! Before it closes!” the chaos-touched griffon said.
“Ok!” Spike said and he flew in through a gap along with Fluttershy and Smolder grabbed the edges of the portal and held it open.
“GO!” Smolder said and Gabby nodded before entering, the portal slammed shut and sent Smolder flying.
“NO!” The others shouted.
“Smolder!” Silverstream ran over to Smolder who was unconscious.
Spike, Fluttershy and Gabby tumbled into an invisible floor, upon standing they saw they were in some kind of weird bluish void.
“Where are we?” Spike asked.
“The inter-rift, the center of all dimensions,” Discord said.
“So… you followed us here, persevering?” Chaos said and they turned to see the three draconequus standing there.
"All Spike has to do is eat you Chaos, and you'll be out of a job," Fluttershy said. "He's been doing nothing but absorbing the power of other Draconequi since he merged with Discord."
Spike looked at Fluttershy... and remembered all the animals Fluttershy took care of that devoured each other in the wild. Had THAT been Fluttershy's own plan?
“I think you’ll find I’m quite unpalatable,” Chaos snarked “he absorbed the power from some upstart draconequi’ so what? Can he handle the sheer chaos that is me? I don’t think so,” Chaos laughed.
“Spike, come with us, we can find a world where our siblinghood is eternal!” Twilight said but Spike ignored her and turned to Chaos.
"Chaos, you said you've won! So just tell me, why did you spare me all that time? You did nothing but encourage me to be chaotic during our fight. You didn't need me alive to ambush the others and whatever your chaotic backwash has done to Harmony."
“Why I spared you? Why did I huh? Well, let’s take a few guesses, could it be that I found you entertaining? Or maybe I was hoping for a world-class sycophant, or perhaps I was bored and needed a challenge, or maybe I needed to make a point, who can say? What is known is this, if you don’t come with us, then I see no other point but to send you back to your realm with your tails tucked between your legs, last chance Spike, take it while it’s good.” Chaos said.
“Spike, please, we can be together forever!” Twilight said.
"Twilight! You don't need him! You're already immortal! I'm already immortal! Fluttershy is already immortal! If Fluttershy could tame her Chaos-Self then so can the others! Chaos is just conning you of something we already have or can do on our own! He just doesn't want another chaos god like Discord who won't do what he's told... which is kinda pathetic when you think about it, a Chaos god who wants everything to go his way. Kinda dumb."
Chaos’s eye twitched “So I take it you’d rather be kicked to the curb then? So be it, don’t say I didn’t try,” Chaos said.
“Chaos… is what he’s saying true?” Twilight said.
“Ignore him, chaos can’t make a mortal immortal,” Chaos said.
“...” Twilight looked conflicted.
"Gallus, why are you doing this?" Gabby asked. "I mean, this is definitely an improvement, not gonna argue that, but Spike is right, if this jerk wants us Draconequi to do whatever he says, then Chaos sucks at being chaos!"
“..................The same thing…” Gallus said looking like he couldn’t look her in the eye.
“What did he promise you exactly?” Spike asked
“....Friends drift apart Spike, and I don’t want that…. What if we finish our studies and go back to living in separate places and forget about each other? I never had friends like them, and If I can spend an eternity with them, that sounds a whole lot better than spending it as a griffon in Griffonstone, a place where friends are theoretical…” Gallus said.
“Gallus…” Gabby said looking surprised.
"Chaos, there's enough draconequi now between us to finally restore balance to Equestria! No overabundance of Harmony! You don't need to do this anymore! The only reason you're still doing this is because you're being too orderly to change your ways! If Discord can change, but not you, that makes him more worthy to be Chaos," Fluttershy said. "And remember what happened when Discord betrayed his nature, you'll destroy yourself!"
Chaos looked upset to hear that, “Orderly? Me? Don’t make me gag, I am Chaos! I don’t ‘change my ways’ if I were to side with ponies like Discord did then whose to say chaos itself will be undone!” Chaos said.
"Chaos IS change!" Fluttershy said.
“Chaos… maybe they're right,” Twilight said.
“...I don’t want to lose my friends,” Gallus said looking sad.
Spike said, "If Chaos abandons Equus, and takes you with him... what makes you think you'll ever see your friends again? If you want to stay together, whose going to stop you now that you're a chaos god? Me? Celestia? Luna? Twilight? ... The only one here not wanting you to stay together, is him."
“Never see them again… Chaos? That’s not what you said,” Gallus said.
“Well… you can pay a visit every now and then but when you are in charge of a new world's chaos you gotta be vigilant,” Chaos shrugged.
"Chaos, tell me straight, am I ever going to see my friends again,” Gallus said.
“Of course!” Chaos said.
“I….Don’t believe you,” Gallus sighed.
“Oh don’t be a baby, you can always make more friends, at least Twilight here understands we can't bring more friends to an eternal dimension,” Chaos said.
“Actually… didn’t you say that I could bring my friends?” Twilight said her eyes flickering.
“Can we move on from the topic of friends? Let’s get this show on the road!” Chaos said.
“No…” Gallus said.
“Pardon?” Chaos said.
“You lied to us!” Gallus said.
“Like I said, there will be more newer eternal friends, friendship is a dime a dozen,” Chaos said.
“Not to me,” Gallus said, floating over to Spike and the others.
“Hey HEY! Get back here!” Chaos said.
“Sorry I lost my head back there guys…” Gallus said.
“It’s alright,” Gabby said.
“Tch, fine, as long as Twilight is on my side, right?” Chaos said and Twilight looked towards Spike.
"Chaos you'll get what you want anyway. Spike doesn't need Discord's essence to be a Draconequus anymore with the power he's absorbed ... six elements, six Draconequi, we'll be keeping Equus in balance Chaos," Fluttershy said. "Oh and Discord, it's nice to see you're safe."
"Oh, thank you and... I have to say, I've, never seen you look so beautiful Fluttershy, not that you weren't beautiful before, I mean, you certainly are quite attractive for a draconequus, not that I'm just attracted to you because you're pretty-"
"THIS IS WHY I CONSIDER YOU A FAILURE DISCORD!" Chaos snapped.
“Huh?” Discord said
“You're too attached to that yellow horse! You forgot the purpose I gave you all those years ago! You betrayed me!” Chaos said.
“Sheesh, a guy can only stand loneliness for so long, unlike you, you're pathologically resentful of anything that doesn’t relate to chaos, It’s your nature, I get it, but geeze man, get a grip,” Discord said.
“I’ve hit my patience limit, Twilight, take care of them,” Chaos said.
Twilight looked at Spike and seemed to consider his words from before… and she hardened her expression.
“Yes master,” She said.
“Twilight?” Spike said as she charged up magic… and winked.
Spike understanding waved his hand and the others caught on.
“Let’s see how you like disintegration from your own sister,” Chaos taunted.
“How about you?” Twilight said before spinning and blasting Chaos with the beam.
Chaos shouted in pain as the blast sent him flying into an invisible wall after sliding down it he got up and looked on in shock.
"This is absurd! My indoctrination was perfect!" Chaos said
"It was... I am a draconequus through and through, the idea of being a pony again, or ugh, a harmonic Alicorn makes me sick." Twilight said. Gallus nodded the same. "I just love my family more than I wish to serve you, you opened up my eyes to all the possibilities I was too orderly to see before. Thank you, Master."
“You…. all of you….” Chaos said floating up and lit his hands up “So… that’s it huh… seems I can’t depend on anypony or creature these days…” Chaos grumbled “Well live and learn, I go back and try with somepony a bit more selfish than you lot and then I get my enforcers of chaos throughout the multiverse, this is a temporary win at best,” Chaos said.
“Chaos… stop…” Fluttershy said.
“Stop what? Trying to enforce my chaos on the realm? You might as well as tell a fish to stop swimming or an anteater to go vegan,” Chaos said.
“I mean stop being so stubborn and petty!” Fluttershy said.
“What?” Chaos said looking angered at the prospect of a former mortal calling him out like that.
“Face it Chaos, you lost, guess mortals aren’t as hopeless as you thought,” Discord said. "Well, mortals who have had an upgrade, courtesy of you, looks like you did better work than you expected."
“....You think this is it? That I am bested? You reject,” Chaos growled at Discord.
“Even you can’t beat these odds Chaos,” Spike said.
“Big talk from a draconequus who supposedly when going against me, he turned ponies into his minions the moment his back was to the wall." Chaos said.
“What?” Twilight said.
“That’s right, you claim the moral high ground, yet you put your neighbors in danger, and I’m the hypocrite?” Chaos said
"Nothing that can't be fixed," Fluttershy said. "I've seen Discord undo his changes before. You miscalculated Chaos, if you'd kept stringing along Spike, you'd have had your perfect selfish Draconequus, but you had to go along with the plan you already had in place. And you could have left with Twilight and Gallus any time you wanted, but you needed to show you're clever."
“Tch, I will admit I did miscalculate, but whatever, I can always try again in a few years, get an even better one, you six however, are not sticking around,” Chaos growled before getting gigantic and powering up a ton of chaos magic “Though it is against regulation, I’ll make an exception this time,” and then he looked ready to attack. "You're all failed creations, time to wipe the slate clean."
“That’s a lot of chaos magic, enough to destroy a dimension!” Discord said.
“Come on guys! We can’t let this guy win!” Spike said charging his own powers.
“Alright!” Gallus said and Gabby charged her own as well.
“I’m ready,” Fluttershy said.
“I’m with you!” Twilight said.
Then Chaos fired a massive blast.
The six retaliated and the beams connected as the two forces pressed on it seemed that the beam was approaching the Draconequi.
"You actually think you have enough power to take me on?!" Chaos bellowed.
"No, but it makes for a great distraction," Fluttershy said.
Tiny Chaos-Fluttreshy bit Chaos on the neck from behind.
"AGH! You pest!" Chaos flicked her away. But he'd been distracted for just a moment. Spike grabbed him. "Oh what are you going to-"
And Discord's spirit flew out of Spike, and into Chaos. But Fluttershy was right, Spike had absorbed so much chaos magic, that Spike didn't change at all.
"AGH! What are you doing?! You think you can mentally overwhelm me?! I gave you your power Discord I made you what you are!" Chaos reached into his own head and pulled out Discord's spirit. "There! Anything to say before you go?"
"Fluttercruel was the distraction, but you should know one thing, I'm the decoy." Discord snapped his fingers.
A portal opened up right next to Chaos, and the collective blast from the Draconequi hit Chaos at point-blank range in the face, washing over him like a flood.
"GAAH! You Idiots! You're trying to drown an ocean!" Chaos yelled as he pressed through it.
"An ocean REALLY frozen over! You are in serious need of a cleansing Master!" Twilight shouted.
“What?!” Chaos shouted.
"If the Elements of Harmony can fix a corrupted Alicorn like Luna, how about six Draconequi fixing YOUR corruption!"
And Discord separated from Chaos, and manifested, blasting with the others.
“AAAAAGGH!” Chaos shouted as he was blasted by too much chaos energy and his crystal body fractured and broke apart until he was a torso and a head.
When the blast ended Chaos laid amid a crater, shrunken back to normal, coughing as the six Draconequi approached.
“Oooohhh…. How… how could I lose?...” Chaos wheezed.
“You kept underestimating mortals, well, now you understand,” Spike said.
“We’re weak compared to deities, but together, we’re strong,” Fluttershy said Twilight then walked forward.
"Maybe this was your real plan all along Master... Nightmare Moon put ordeals in our way that were practically tailor-made to prove me and my friends were worthy of the Elements even though she tried to stop us. Maybe some part of you wanted this. Chaos can't exist without harmony, harmony can't exist without chaos,” Fluttershy said.
“....Hehehehhhh… I really can’t hide anything from friends of Discord can I….?” Chaos wheezed before reforming a stable enough body and limping out of the crater.
“So… this was all just to find worthy Draconequi to take over where Discord left off?” Spike said.
“Mostly… you see, there’s a reason I need a minion…. Just as Harmony needed lots of harmony to manifest I need chaos… when Discord turned his back on me, I lost my meaning, this has happened many times, and I suppose I just finally had enough, to think I’ve been humbled like this however… it’s surprising,” Chaos said.
“But all the danger… all the…you can’t be serious…. This was all a test?” Spike exclaimed.
“I nearly left my dimension to rot for a test?” Gallus said.
Twilight said, "I imagine much like Luna, he didn't realize what he was doing. He wanted to abandon Equus with new minions. But at the same time he left holes for Spike to become more powerful, and instead of wiping our minds and turning us into his blobs of clay, he left us with free will and happy memories... Master was working against himself this whole time."
“I suppose you're right…” Chaos said, “I just need time I suppose…” Chaos said before turning and walking towards one of the many portals.
“Where are you going?” Fluttershy asked.
“Somewhere else, I need some time to reflect on whether I am going to come back and resume my duties, after all, there are some newcomers to watch over Equus with Harmony…” Chaos said before entering the portal.
“...Soooo…. What now?” Gallus asked.
“Now?... Now we go home,” Spike said.