Dave had finally appeared where he wanted to be; standing just outside of the royal garden covered by a huge hedge maze shrouded in a hazy fog. Dave reluctantly entered the maze, oblivious to the magic runes hidden inside.
"This maze seems like it goes on forever. How am I going to find Discord in here?" Dave said quietly to himself, getting a small chill down his spine.
As he passed deeper through the maze, the sensation intensified. Not knowing what the feeling was, Dave just brushed it off as he continued through the foggy labyrinth. What seems like hours went by as Dave ventured further through the maze, until he noticed what appeared to be a stone statue of a pony. As he examined the statue he noticed it was holding a large scroll; the description on the statues base read, "KNOWLEDGE".
"I remember this statue’" Dave said to himself. "That has to mean that Discord's statue is somewhere nearby.”
As Dave examined the nearby area, he unfortunately found that Discord was not here. "Darn, he must be deeper in the maze" Dave cursed to himself, getting tired of wandering around.
***
Twilight and her friends were waiting nervously for Celestia to return there letter, it felt like hours have passed since she sent it.
‘’Not to be a bother but what in tarnation is taking so long for that letter’’ Applejack asked.
‘’Yeah what AJ said’’ Rainbow Dash said: ‘’ Dipcord is out there doing whatever he wants and we are stuck wait for the stupid reply’’.
‘’ I hate to admit it but Rainbow has a point darling, she really needs to hurry’’ Rarity said in a worried tone.
‘’ Girls please… the princess is very busy, I’m sure she will reply soon. Besides Discord hasn't done anything yet so we still have time’’ Twilight insured everyone. ‘’ I’m positive she will reply in no time’’.
Almost as if on cue as Twilight uttered those words, a blinding yellow flash covered the room, everypony shielded their eyes, as to not get blinded from the flash. As the flash reseeded, stand before them was a tall white alicorn wearing a golden chest plate and boots to match. Upon her head streaked a vibrant rainbow mane that flowed like moving waves as well as a golden tiara that signified her royalty. The ponies gasp in awe before shouting in unison ‘’ PRINCESS CELESTIA’’ the ponies exclaimed before bowing to the alicorn.
‘’What brings you here Princess’’ Twilight asked in a concerned voice as she looked up at her mentor.
‘’ I received your letter Twilight and after some consideration; I learned that you were correct about Discords escape’’. Celestia said with a bit of guilt and worry.
‘’ I have brought the elements with me’’ she side as she turned and levitated a blue and gold box, bearing magnificent rubies attach around it. She opened the box revealing six golden trinkets that bore the girls cutie marks on them. The ponies gathered their elements and put them on accordingly.
‘’ S-s-so w-what now Princess,’’ Fluttershy asked nervously, as she lay down and hid behind her hooves.
Smiling the princess of the suns only remark was; ‘’we need to stop Discord, and I have a feeling I know where he is’’ the princess said with certainty.
Without any further interruptions the princess’s horn began to shine and she as well as all the other ponies disappeared in a gold light leaving Spike alone again.
‘’How come I never get to go on any adventures’ Spike pouted and cross his arms annoyed.
In an instant all the ponies and the princess was standing outside of the maze, before they continued however the princess first had to put a spell that would protect them from the runes.
‘’Before we venture on, I must first activate a spell that will protect us as we venture through’’ Celestia said.
‘’Are you sure this spell will work, I mean what if something goes wrong’’ Twilight asked.
Celestia just smiled as she bent down to insure her most faithful student it was ok.
‘’ Not to worry my little ponies, this spell is the same spell I used on Shining Armour and his guards when I sent them in here last time’’.
Celestia’s horn began to glow again before all the ponies where covered in a yellow mist that stops magic from being absorbed. When the spell was completed the ponies and princess venture deep into the maze of the Royal Garden.
***
Dave continued to on through the maze, getting annoyed as he kept running into dead ends.
‘’ I am so freaking lost’’ Dave said aggravated. He felt that if he ran into on more dead ends he would explode. As he venture on, something in the distant caught his intention, the silhouette of a weird looking statue came into view. Dave began to run toward the statue believing it to be Discord. Sure enough Dave found himself standing before the very creature he was looking for. Dave had both an excited and confused look on his face as he stared at the statue. Discord sat there with his arms stretched out and bore a look of horror on his face just as he had at the end of ‘’ Return of Harmony part 2’’
‘’ How can this be, I was positive he was free; how else could he have turn me into this?’’
Puzzled Dave slowly approached the statue and laid his paw on it. The statue was very cold and lifeless and seemed to appear as if it had been that way all this time. As Dave removes his paw something unexpected happened, Discord’s statue began to crack and crumble. Panic struck Dave as he witnessed the statue breaking and was frightened that he had just released the lord of chaos himself. But to his surprise the statue just crumbles down to a pile of broken stone as if it was hollow.
‘’This makes no sense’’ Dave thought to himself before smacking his forehead. ‘’ How could I have been so stupid, this was probably a decoy he set up to evade suspicion.’’ ‘’That means he must be long gone by now Dave said disheartened. As Dave sat down to mope he heard a sound that caused his heart to skip a beat. Standing right behind him was six ponies and an alicorn,
The alicorn said in a mighty voice, ‘’ Stop right there Discord’’.
***
Celestia stood tall in front of the other ponies as she slowly approached the draconaques.
As she approached the now frightened draconaques, her eyes went wide as she felt something off putting about her old foe. She sensed a big change in Discord, one that was not twisted and cruel, but afraid and lost. Before Celestia had a chance to come to her senses, Twilight stepped passed her and glared at Discord.
‘’This is the end of the line for you Discord’’ Twilight shouted.
‘’Yeah don't even think about running Dipcord, Rainbow Dash said as she glared into Dave’s nervous eyes.’’
‘’ If y’all do try and run I will buck you into next week’’ AJ said.
After the ponies were done shouting at Dave they began to huddle together so they can activate the elements.
‘’Are you girls ready’’ Twilight asked her friends. ‘’Yes’’ the other ponies shouted in unison before closing their eyes. Dave tried to plead with them one last time but it feel on deaf ears.
‘’Please listen; I’m not Discord, I swear’’ Dave cried but they were not listening.
Twilight and her friends began to glow as the elements pulled them closer, the symbols on the elements began to glow as beams shaped like the ponies cutie marks began to fly out toward Dave.
‘’No’’ was all Dave was able to say before their eyes shoot open, glowing a bright white as a vibrant rainbow burst into the sky before twisting back down toward Dave. Dave’s eyes went wide as he saw the rainbow quickly approaching him, and as it hit he closed his eyes not wanting to see his stoned fate. But to Dave’s surprise he was not turned to stone. As he opened his eyes he noticed the rainbow tornado circling around him start to dissipate; revealing that he was indeed unharmed.
Getting over his shock, Dave looked over to the ponies as they are now frozen in shock with their mouths agape, even the princess was wide eyed.
‘’H-how is this possible’’ Twilight said surprised as to what she just witnessed.
‘’What in the hay just happened’’? AJ asked with shock and confusion on her face.
‘’Huhhh, Oh no what if the mean runes; drained the elements of their power’. Pinkie cried as she violently shook Twilight.
‘’Pinkie will you stop’’ Twilight yelled before the pink mare stopped only to be glared at by her.
‘’Oops’’ Pinkie said with a hesitant smile.
‘’That’s enough everyone’’ Celestia said in a stern voice. All the ponies instantly went quiet so they could let their ruler speak.
‘’ I believe I know why the elements did not work’’ she said confidently. ‘’Why’’ the ponies immediately shouted in unison.
Giggling at this Celestia continue; ‘’ It is as he said; he truly is not Discord, that is why the elements did not work on him. ‘’What’? Twilight shouted, before asking ‘’Surely princess you have not fallen for his lies’ Twilight asked.
‘’I can insure you it’s no lie’’ Celestia insured everyone; ‘’ I sensed a difference in him when I first got here that at first I could not explain, but after seeing the elements fail to work it became clear to me that this is not the same draconaques that me and my sister faced a thousand years ago.’
‘’Whoever he is; he is not Discord’’ Celestia finished.
The ponies were silent for a little while before Twilight spoke up.
‘’So you really are not Discord’’ Twilight asked Dave. Dave immediately became more confident as he said ‘’Yes its true, that’s what I have been trying to tell you’’.
‘’Then who are you and where did you come from’’ AJ asked.
‘’Oooh if he is new we should throw him a welcome party’’ the pink mare said jump up in the air with joy.
‘’There will be time for explanations later but for now let’s get out of the maze as I fear the spell may be wearing off soon.’’ Celestia said.
‘’Once we are back at the castle’’ …. ‘’Sorry I didn't quite get your name’’ Celestia admitted.
‘’My name is Dave, M-ma’am’’ Dave clumsily said before bowing.
‘’Well Dave I am sure you will be able to explain everything when we get back won’t you’’ Celestia ask. ‘’I will tell you all I know mam’’. Dave said before bowing.
Celestia just smiled be her, Dave and the rest began heading toward the entrance of the maze and castle.
‘’I have a bad feeling about this’’ Dave thought to himself as he strolled behind the rest.
End of Chapter Four