//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Inception // Story: Unintended Consequences // by Daedalus //------------------------------// History of the Aristotelian Liberation by Kurt Strongclaw, excerpts While the many accounts given by Aristotle the Liberator and Spike the Lawgiver themselves possess some inconsistencies due to the effacing action of time upon the memory and the varying purposes behind each recounting, the core details of the Emergence of Harmony were the same every time, allowing a reconstruction of the event that is accurate generally, albeit with the larger part of the particulars likely fated to be the subject of eternal speculation. What follows is the most accurately sketched history of the matter, as far as I have been able to determine, though the gaps are considerable. First of all, the Spirit of Chaos, Discord, escaped from his long confinement in stone imposed upon him by the ponies who would become Equestria's Royal Sisters. Having free run of the world, Discord chose to take revenge on his old enemies through the current Bearers of the Elements by hiding the physical Elements from them and forcing them into a game of his devising that ended with each of them forsaking their respective Element. Sometime after Discord's victory, Aristotle and Spike made Twilight Sparkle, the Chief Bearer, take up her Element again, though I, nor any source I have found, can not discern how they accomplished the feat. Twilight Sparkle proceeded to rally her fellow Bearers against Discord, and they all, Aristotle and Spike following from far off, confronted him. While the Elements began the process of reinstating Discord's imprisonment, Aristotle attempted to draw Discord's attention away from the true threat by throwing a rock at him, but Aristotle's aim was poor, and the rock struck Twilight Sparkle on the head, where she wore her Element. The disturbance summoned Harmony, who went on to permanently excise Discord from this plane of existence and possess her Elements' Bearers. When Aristotle inquired as to who Harmony was and what she was doing, the Spirit was bound by her nature to inform him of the truth saying, "I am Harmony, Spirit of Order and eternal foe to Discord. He is sealed from the world now and forever, and in his absence I am free to bring total order to this land and all others. No independence of thought will mar my perfect design, and all who can resist my powers of mental control will be destroyed if they will not cooperate with me. Do not resist if you desire life. I leave you now to gather my power together, as I have been weakened by my recent efforts slightly. Think on what I have said." Moved by concern for both their immediate circle and all intelligent beings, Aristotle and Spike began to gather allies to their cause and end the threat of Harmony for all time.