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// Chapter Twelve: Self-Destruction: Screw Ball 
// Story: The Elements of Chaos 
// by CroakerGamer 
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	It took Screw Ball longer than she thought to find Pinkie’s room. She used a mix of stealth and silence to inspect every room. She even walked in on a sleeping Fluttershy and Apple Jack. When she found Pinkie Pie she put on her acting face and proceeded with her plan.
“Pinkie Pie, wake up.” Screw Ball said loud enough to raise the filly. Pinkie responded with a yawn and a giggle, “Morning already? What was the deal with Princess Luna? She was all like, ‘RAWR! Darkness!’ Oh, hey who are you? You know who I am. Hey wait, your not a crystal pony. Then again I’m not a crystal pony.” She spoke with so much energy and she had just gotten out of bed. It was a shame she would be sluggish after the transformation.
“Pinkie Pie, I don’t know how to tell you, but your friends left in the night without you.”
She interrupted with laughter, “Don’t be a silly filly, my friends are across the hall.” Screw Ball cast a mirage spell on Pinkie Pie. Now she would see what Screw Ball wanted to. She couldn’t have Pinkie running room to room so she elevated her a little so she would stay put. “Pinkie Pie, they aren’t there! Go check.” 
Pinkie Pie went through the motions in the air, running from room to room and opening doors. Her head dropped down as she walked back to Screw Ball. Pinkie Pie addressed her, “Didn’t I just over sleep, they’re waiting for me outside, right?” Screw Ball shook her head and opened the curtain next to her. Outside, in reality, it was a dark night, but in Pinkie’s mind she saw that it was morning. Her friends were climbing aboard the train heading back to Ponyville. Pinkie’s lip started to quiver. Tears swelled in her eyes. 
Screw Ball did a double take at the window. Discord’s fight had stopped and Celestia was mending Nightmare Moon’s mind. She was running out of time. Where is my father, she asked herself. She looked back at Pinkie Pie. Her hair was effected by gravity, now straight. She wore a frown and glared out the window. Screw Ball had her distracted with the image, so she cast the final  elemental spell. 
The Nickel filled with the fillies Sorrows and was attached to the previous Element of Laughter. Screw Ball released the filly of her mirage spell and left her in her room. Screw Ball needed one more Element: The Element of Magic. She crept to Twilight’s room at the end of the hall. She walked in and saw the crown on the bedside table. She walked up the table, quietly picked it up and trotted out of the room. How ever, she tripped on something in the dark, waking the young princess up. Upon further inspection it was Spike’s tail. She ran as fast as she could to the most open spot she could find, the balcony. 
Twilight called out, “Stop! Thief! She’s got my crown!” Screw Ball glanced behind her the six fillies were following her. Pinkie had gained her gravity-defying hair back and was chipper as ever in the chase. Screw Ball reached the balcony, “Dead End,” Twilight smirked, as if she had already one. Screw Ball looked down at the crown. She remembered how just moments ago she was helpless in the fight with another Alicorn, how could she beat this one and her friends? She had the Elements, that was true. She had one option, but she would have to… wing it. She grinned at the pun. 
She concentrated on all of the Elements of Chaos and the Element of Magic. She copied the ant magic power to her own body and used Starswirl the Bearded’s unfinished spell to also fuse with herself. The result left the Elements of Harmony’s empty tiaras and the Element of Magic and Laughter on the floor. The Elements of Chaos had fused into a single tiara, just like the Element of Magic. The metals formed some sort of gem, Cubic Zirconium. Only the power of Chaos could do something as weird as to turn metal into jewels, Screw Ball thought. But, that wasn’t all that happened.
Screw Ball felt power flow through her veins. She couldn’t stop smiling, it helped to flex every muscle to released the overwhelming power she had recently obtained. Around her hooves were pink feathers. She turned to her flank and say her vision of her cutie mark was blocked by outstretched wings. She was now, truly the Princess of Chaos. Her heart beat like a drum, fast and furiously. She couldn’t control the power she had to get rid of it somehow. She unleashed a little on the ponies obstructing her goal. 
The result was a massive ray of condensed Chaos magic. The six fillies ducked and the beam hit the balcony behind them. The seven began to fall. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy caught their other friends. Screw Ball was all alone. She had no friends, no Discord right now. Frustrated she focused on the anatomy of her wings and used Chaos to speed up the learning process in flying. She was able to land on the ground with a thump, better than a fall like Nightmare Moon. 
Speaking of Nightmare Moon, she and Princess Celestia were gone. That meant two more Alicorns were able to join the opponents at any time. The ‘mane’ six landed while Princess Screw Ball observed the absence of the princesses. In the ruble of the balcony were the Elements and empty tiaras. 
“Stand back girls,” Twilight cautioned. She levitated her Element of Magic back to her, placed the gem in the tiara, and placed it on her head. “Without your Elements you can’t…” Twilight paused. She looked as if she was in deep thought. “Actually, from my journey to the human world, I found that our friendship doesn’t need amplifying gems to work. Alright girls, formation!”
Screw Ball hadn’t considered the fact that they didn’t need there elements. Besides the crystals amplified the magic of friendship. She had the ultimate Chaos amplifying gem on her forehead. The power the ‘mane’ six would have would only be a fraction of what the elements could give them. The only way to match Screw Ball’s power was to unite the Elements of Harmony again. She looked around the ground and didn’t see the Element of Laughter. She looked at the fillies getting into formation. Pinkie Pie was holding her Element. Each pony had a stern face, determined to hold their ground. 
Screw Ball knew they couldn’t be her, so she decided to toy with them a little. “Why would you attack me? I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“You stole my crown and had one of our Elements of Harmony, not to mention you turned into an Alicorn.” Twilight started.
“Ah, but you have both Elements back.” Screw Ball interjected. Her power was building up again. She had to burn some of it off. 
She started trotting in circles. “Are you okay?” Twilight asked.
Screw Ball couldn’t respond. If she lost her focus on her power she would unleash another attack. She didn’t want that, not yet. To get rid of excess energy she turned some of the street lamps into candy canes. At least now she could talk.
“The fillies weird Twilight” Rainbow Dash observed. Had she seen the candy canes? 
“I agree. What are you doing here? Who are you?” Twilight asked.
Screw Ball ignored her questions. If she gave Twilight the answers her fun would be over for sure. “Your not going to still attack me, are you?” Screw Ball pretended to be frightened. 
“No we just want to know what your doing here. How did you become an Alicorn? Please, we need to know more.”
Just them a figure blocked out the moonlight. It wasn’t hard for Screw Ball to figure out who it was, but the other ponies looked into the sky with a question on their face. Discord landed next to Screw Ball, still trotting. He held the remaining Elements of Harmony. 
“Discord!” The group shouted. “I knew he wasn’t reformed!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, talking before thinking, as usual. 
“Discord, would you mind telling us what’s going on, um, if that’s okay.” Fluttershy whispered. 
“Fluttershy! It’s obvious! Princess Celestia told us Discord broke out of the Canterlot Castle, remember!” Rainbow Dash shouted, forgetting Fluttershy’s fragile feelings. 
“I reckon he went and took our Elements of Harmony while we were here.” Apple Jack put another piece to the puzzle.
“But girls,” Twilight started, “That doesn’t explain how that other filly became an Alicorn.”
“Maybe it has something to do with that beautiful gem she’s wearing.” Rarity observed. 
Screw Ball’s power overloaded again, causing patches of the road to change into a checkered-board style. “I can explain everything,” Discord started. Screw Ball looked at him. He wouldn’t look her in the eyes. What was he planning?
“And why should we trust you?” Rainbow Dash asked, obviously perturbed.
“Dashie, give him a chance. Someone who can make cotton candy clouds that rain chocolate milk can’t be too bad.” Pinkie Pie answered for Discord.
“Thank you Pinkie Pie,” Discord said. He snapped his fingers and a low laying cotton candy cloud spawned. Pinkie went to town on the cloud. “Where do I start.”
By this time Screw Ball had started hovering and galloping in the air. Nothing helped she tried levitating multiple objects, juggling them. It could buy her some time, but not much.
“This is my daughter, Screw Ball.” Discord turned to face her, but still wouldn’t make eye contact. Discord retold the story of how both of them traveled Equestria gaining the Elements of Chaos and how they were going to use them to gain revenge and the throne back. No pony interrupted him. Discord had their full undivided attention. “It was a lot of fun,” Discord admitted, “but it’s over Screw Ball. I haven’t taught you important lessons in life, like friendships.” Discord’s eyes started to water. “It’s time to stop. Let’s go home and live our life. We’ll make new friends. I can teach you how friends make your life better. Please?” Discord was getting choked up. 
Screw Ball couldn’t believe what he was suggesting. Just give up? Was it that easy? “Father. I understand now.” Screw Ball started. “I know why you left the throne. I know now what has to be done.” She stopped moving and planted her hooves firmly on the ground. Discord ran to her for a hug. Discord received the wrong impression.
Screw Ball launched a concentrated blast of Chaos at Discord. “Your weak, father. Corrupted. Chaos needs a new ruler. A Princess of Chaos. I don’t need friends to increase the quality of my life. I don’t need anyone! Not even you.”
Discord didn’t reply. He was badly hurt from the assault, but he used his last energy to hand the other Elements of Harmony to their owners. The ponies accepted the tiaras and formed a boundary around Discord. “This ends tonight, Screw Ball.” Twilight promised.
End of Chapter Twelve