//------------------------------// // The Paintbrush of Destiny // Story: Corruption and Chaos // by Peridork //------------------------------// Eros groaned about his dilemma. Since he had nothing to do he remembered back to when he was thrown across the mana stream to Zebrica. Early Yesterday Eros shivered. Alicorns. while extremely powerful and revered by most intelligent species in the plane of existence, were cursed to see the mana fields while teleporting. Let’s just say the mana fields brought them pain. He was disoriented and by the looks of it, he was in the Leonine Kingdom. There were two words on his mind: “Sweet Celestia.” The Leonine Kingdom and Equestria were not on speaking terms. Not after Prince Blueblood acted rudely to one of the Lion King’s religious advisors. Eros had to facehoof himself. “Of all the things Blueblood had to do why did he have to act so dishonorably towards the religion of Abdul the Red? He must have fell asleep in Zebrican History class because to insult the Prophet of Zebrica is blasphemy!” Eros grumbled as he walked along. Then he fell right into a trap. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next thing he remembered was moving around and finding out that he was cuffed to a jail bar. And that it was moving. “Little Pony wake up yet?” a lion growled from the front. “Who are you and where are we going?” Eros said with full on authority in his voice. The vocal training he was dragged through helped now. “Oh ho ho Little Pony is a true man. Only lions say things is such tone. I might need to go see the guard because of this.” “I demand to know where we are going!” Eros yelled in full Canterlot voice. The lion squinted his eyes and grimaced. “That was painful Little Pony and I am not amused with that. We are going to Leopolis and you are getting royal treatment.” “You mean you know I’m a Prince.” “No, that was joke. I mean you will be hanged because of intrusion unless you talk to King.” “Oh boy.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eros was stunned at the looks of the culture. It was completely militaristic but there were almost no males in sight. All of the military duties were done by females and few were out of uniform. Throughout the city was a smell of meat. Lions, in old stories were thought of as unclean, unnatural cannibals and therefore their history was usually never explored by pony historians or explorers. Eros just hoped the Lion King was nicer than the jailer. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equestria was in chaos pure and complex, everything and nothing, brimming with life and devoid of all. This was a normal day for a loving family. “Dis come bring me all our little ponies that we so lovingly have shown the light.” “Okay, mom, I will. Do you want them slightly crazy or full on deranged? Oh well whatever strikes my fancy. Discord poofed off in a cloud of bombs. “Oh my boy, always the carefree type of son. I can’t believe how much he has grown up already.” Chaos smiled and because of the smile the clouds went dark. “I can’t wait until we conquer Harmony’s resting spot and destroy him. He was a good father to Dis though...” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ponyville was not what it used to be. The Elements of Discord had changed it into a grim and dark place. The Element Bearers had started to show their darkest, most twisted sides. Mayor Mare had disappeared two days ago and, unbeknownst to the common ponies, had been used by Depression to make some baked goods. Other ponies had disappeared thanks to Psyche. She had twisted Fluttershy enough so that Kindness had become death. Fluttershy in one of these moods was compelled to perform “kindness” to everypony in the Ponyville General Hospital. Power was keeping Cheerilee locked in her attic for private study sessions. The irony was not lost on the teacher and she wished whatever had caused this to stop. Greed had become the richest pony in Ponyville after stealing all the bits of Filthy Rich and the other ponies. Falsehood claimed she was visited by aliens and they told to start a religion called Magicology. Betrayal had a lot of fun in two days. He had found all the females in town and had his way with them. Ponyville now had the highest divorce rate in Equestria. All in all, Ponyville was great for the Discordant Stones. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Lion King was looking down on Eros. “So tell me how you came to this place, little alicorn.” Eros told the king about everything that had transpired since a week ago with Fluttershy going crazy and ending here. “Well, come with me, I will tell you about the story of my people.” The Lion King pressed a button near his throne and a secret passageway opened in the floor. “Uh, Your Majesty, can I grab a quill and paper? I just think if you are showing me this I should write it down because most ponies view lions in a harsh light.” “Whatever you prefer, Crystal Prince. I have always tried to reach out to normal ponies but your people have probably the worst societal case of xenophobia I have ever seen. So yes write ahead.” “Uh, did you just...” Eros looked away before levitating a quill and a lot of parchment out of his bag. He was still trying to comprehend what the King had just said when The Lion King began to speak.” “Our country was created in a special way. We did not always call this place the Leonine Kingdom. We used to call it the Golden Plain. We never had wants for it was provided by our Creator, a being we called Walt Disneigh. Ok, so that isn’t his name but that is as close your tongue can get to his true name.” “Well, our Creator after leaving us be had met Chaos and her beings of madness and so he brought out a thing he called the Beam of Retcon and he blasted it towards the beast. In doing so, he sealed off his dimension and he was trapped there for all eternity. Chaos let us be because something dragged her towards it.” “I later discovered that the beam had created a weapon. We call it the Small World’s Paintbrush. It can only be held by a being of pure intentions and motives. Well I have never seen it move from this spot because if it did then the holder would be a Light of Reason and...” “You mean this sword here? Kinda weird for a nice God to make a weapon of war.” Eros began spinning the sword carefully with his magic and playfully tested the tip. He was bouncing around with it and was pretending that all of the furniture in the room were bad ponies and he was Errol Flying or Robin Hood. “By all that is holy...I definitely need to give you my blessing.” Eros looked confusedly at the Monarch. “I don’t understand...” “My boy, you are a Light of Reason and are destined to stop Chaos for that weapon is only able to start back up when Chaos restarts.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eros was nervous for the procedure to bring out whatever he had inside him was painful. “Ok, time to start.” The Lion King waved his arms and chanted. “Wimoweh...Circle of Life...whatever...boom.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “THAT was it! You gave up during the chant!” Eros almost fumed. “Well, you do know what they say about male lions...we are really, really lazy.” “Whatever” “I now pronounce you pony and Light of Love. You may now kiss yourself.” Leo the Lion King grinned. “Nope, have to go now. Bye.” Eros ran off as fast as he could. “Na Zevenya, my little pony.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chroma’s feet and wings hurt. She had been travelling for miles. But she knew she was getting close to Eros and she hoped that he other friends were fine. She walked towards the sun and hoped that she would find them. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apple Cider looked up at the castle of the Giraffe Democracy and he entered. “Ah jus’ hope that this here “Demos the Long Necked” isn’t jus’ some silly ruler and can tell me what all this here idea is about.” With that Apple Cider pulled out some dynamite and began to blow the doors wide open. “Curiosity killed the cat they say.” Then he was arrested.