Princess Celestia stood resolute. Discord had reverted to normal, the proverbial dust from the fight had settled and almost everypony was back on their hooves.
"This changes nothing. In fact, it proves things are worse than I thought. We have no choice but to act immediately."
Twilight was hesitant. Everypony looked worried, everypony save Cadance who was too busy using her magic on Rainbow Dash's rear legs to express her thoughts.
"Sister, I fear we must engage this threat ourselves." Luna suggested
"We cannot. Discord, are you recovered?"
He looked tired. Defeated. Deflated in a way nopony would've imagined.
"No. But don't let that keep you from saying what you want."
"Luna. Tell her."
Discord sighed.
"It's so troublesome being the only other omniscient..."
He got up on his hind legs.
"What you've just seen is only part of the obstacles waiting for us on the other side. That is the realm of the chaos Gods, they are creatures far and beyond what's in my power to stand against. And they are far from alone: Civilizations beyond number stand to serve them, creatures unlike anything you've ever imagined."
His eyes focused on Celestia.
"Well, most of you."
The voice least expected answered.
"I... I think in light of this development we should return to Canterlot and convene a summit. Summon aid from across the land if need be. Surely the Canterlot's Guard at their head would be up to the challenge."
Blueblood suggested.
Twilight stared at him where he stood.
I totally forgot he was here.
Prince Blueblood had spent the entire fight huddled behind everypony along with Fluttershy.
"That isn't an option Blueblood. We have no idea what will happen in the days to come and there are dangers in Equestria that will not simply disappear now that we face this common enemy."
"Y-es, of course. You're absolutely correct. A crisis such as this should be handled by superior forces. I shall return home at once and do everything within my power. By tomorrow you will have a brace of the bravest and mightiest stallions in the land."
Shining Armor moved to support him.
"I agree with Prince Blueblood. The timing isn't good but I think I can assemble a dozen volunteers from my friends in the Canterlot guard. If I remember right, last year there were maybe twenty borderline unsatisfactory ponies that could be recalled as temporary replacements to serve at the Castle. If we conscript reserves and make small sacrifices like that in key groups I'm sure we can have an adequate scouting force by morning and, with your permission, I'll lead them myself. Whatever lies beyond that star, I'm sure we can find the source of this magic or something to contain it."
Celestia beamed at the former captain even as Cadance's eyes watered at the sight of her husband. Celestia spoke:
"Your valor is appreciated Shining Armor, but this is not a military affair."
Discord agreed.
"Clearly you aren't listening. You've a lovely standing army, air force and a specialist unicorn corp but this would be the greatest mismatch I've seen since a certain something wagered with me that a certain federation could challenge a certain empire by force of arms. To give you an idea: you could expend the entire pony population of Equestria to rise to the challenge... let's say this little dot at my toe represents them, and the armies against you would still be as vast as, oh, all that!." His paw swept to signal all the stars in the sky.
His face contorted and his lips moved in anatomically impossible ways as Discord thought.
Celestia turned to Discord, giving a thankful Blueblood the opportunity to fade into the background again.
"You were powerless to keep that star from transformed you the first time. Can you do this? We haven't time to waste on impossible feats and if this is beyond your power we have other avenues to pursue."
"Change is the wrong word and again that's not a world, it's the Warp: the mirror of a real universe not that different from our own. It's more than just magic and chaos; it's alive. And it will chew you up and digest you if you go in unprepared."
"Empty space like the sky... can be alive?" Twilight asked even as she checked her tiara. With Discord's renewal the color and power of the Elements had returned to them.
"Like a blade of grass." Discord answered, ignoring her question and emphasizing the digestion.
Celestia looked at him eye to eye, determination overpowering her empathy for Discord's suffering. "Can you prepare them?"
Discord stared into the Warp star.
"No. But now that I know how it does what it does I can take care of it myself. There's a sense of destiny in the Warp, a certain precognition. You ponies will have to go and I've got this feeling that certain graces you all are lacking will be called for."
Discord looked back and forth across the mane six and for a second considered the possibility of letting them go alone.
"No, no. If this is to have any hope of succeeding it will require an eclectic team of adventurers and misfits, ponies who will answer the challenges before them with something other than proper marching and spears. You six are going. And you're going to need help."
Luna hurried him along.
"We are already familiar with thine powers and magic. We would have you dispense with the theatrics and summon the champions you believe must be present."
"Spoilsport. Fine!"
Discords eyes glowed white as he peered into the Warp, a gesture indistinguishable from Twilight's whenever she directed the full power of the Elements of Harmony. He turned back to the group.
With a snap of his fingers multiple flashes of light entered the star-crossed landscape and new ponies yelped as they found themselves in this strange place.
"Greetings chosen heroes. Fate decrees that you are the ones to whom has been entrusted this great burden. Madam Jason," he said with a grandiose gesture to Twilight, "your Argonauts."
Rarity scanned the group.
"Wait, did he just-"
She was interrupted by Applejack's hollering at one pony as soon as she laid eyes on him.
"Big Macintosh?!"
The red stallion looked around uncertainly.
"Uh... eeyup."
Discord put a stop to the simmering surprise and interrogation before it boiled over.
"Ladies and gentlecolts if you please?! Arguments may be held later.
For my first answer to what might be the most obvious question: 'no this is not heaven and no you are not dead'. At least not in the typical permanent fashion so you are welcome to continuing conjecturing at length about the beautiful backdrop and the appropriate cutie mark-shaped scorch marks you left behind when you were transported here.
Second, you are here because manifest destiny (or random chance) have decided that you are the ones who possess the skills, talents or miscellanea we need.
Third, introductions. In the particular order I feel like:
Roseluck, feel free to shorten to Rose.
Amethyst Star, no she's not 'Sparkler'.
Her old friend Lyra Heartstrings.
Her new bosom buddie-" Here Discorded emphasized the 'her' to make it clear she was refering to Lyra. "Bon Bon."
A certain wall-eyed mare pushed through the group to wrap her hooves around Sparkler.
"Speaking of miss Sparkler, we have Derpy or if you want to be 'official' miss Ditzy Doo.
Her neighbor Golden Harvest alias Carrot Top (strange to have that for a nickname for sure)."
Sweet Celestia please tell me I'm dreaming or wasted just not dead. Vinyl thought to herself.
"Straight but not fresh from the coronation afterparty we have Vinyl Scratch, the renowned DJ PON3."
Vinyl looked like a zombie pony. A familiar hoof reached over and lifted Vinyl's hoof onto her shoulder.
"And her odd-couple counterpart the refined miss Octavia."
Discord enjoyed the sight of the musicians a little too much before he moved on to the next pony.
"Cheerilee who is responsible for most of your little scamps. Next we have-"
"The Great and Powerful Trixie needs no introductions, and if she did she would gladly produce her own thank you very much."
Discord rolled his eyes. "And everypony was saying that I would be the first reformee to fall back into old habits."
Trixie's manner changed immediately when she saw whose presence she was in. She bent both knees and lowered her head to bow to the Princesses. "Your majesties, if I may be of any service or assistance to you I am ever at your mercy."
Hmmpf. Arrogant little mare. We'll see who... oh now this is priceless!
The look on the face of pony next to Trixie brought a tear to Discord's eye.
"Well then now this is unexpected. His royal highness, Prince Blueblood. It would appear you do have a role to play here after all. Personally."
Applejack's eye twitched even as everypony else turned to the spot next to Shining Armor.
She found a small circle of ash with an eight-pointed star that was an exact replica of Blueblood's cutie mark. The exact spot from which he had just been teleported.
Well I'll be. He's not just here because Discord dragged him along from Canterlot. He's actually supposed to be here. Still kind of a waste o' magic to teleport him a couple of inches, though.
"I'm going to enjoy watching you." Discord worded at Blueblood cruelly.
"Moving along lest my introductions seem biased.
Here we have the charming Berry Punch.
Next we have one of Rainbow Dash's fellow leadponies, Cloudchaser. And her friend Flitter who I hear does wonders with amateur cloud architecture.
And last but not least, depending on who you ask, Applejack's big brother, Big Macintosh."
Celestia walked up to the group to gain their attention and offered a brief explanation that failed to convince anypony that they were in any way qualified to be there. After the panic and a tirade of words she failed to understand she spoke over them:
"I know what is happening now must be frightening but despite what Discord said I want to say that I am not ordering anypony into this. I can only ask you to believe in each other and believe in yourselves. Will you help us?"
"You bet I'm going!" Lyra declared loudly before turning to her friend. "Bon Bon I know it sounds crazy but-"
"Say no more. I know why you're going; everypony knows why you're going."
Bon Bon rolled her eyes. Nopony needed to hear the words 'human' and 'homeworld' together.
"I'm in."
"Just like that? Really?"
"Lyra, I've been a candymare, a gift wrapper, a delivery pony and a garbage hauler for Pigpen. After all that, 'professional adventurer' sounds like a step up."
Amethyst looked to Derpy. "Momma, I'm going."
The gray mare looked wearily at her daughter's adoptive big sister.
"Sweetie, are you sure? This sounds really really dangerous and we don't even have the-"
Discords face appeared like a flat coin in front of her.
"Don't even think to mention him. If his type of help were something that was called for believe me, he would be here already."
The face vanished and out of the corner of her eye Derpy saw he hadn't moved from Celestia's side.
"Oh dear."
"Momma..." Sparkler started, reassuring Derpy that she had seen the little two-dimensional face as well, "you let that slide for now and listen to me. Everything is gonna be fine. Princess Twilight is the most magical pony I've ever known, Lyra and me've both been around long enough to see that. Believe in us."
"Golden?" Derpy turned to Carrot Top, trying to get support.
The redhead was pensive. "Dinky and Tootsie Flute will go to school, they'll go home and if nopony's there they know what to do." She said, trying to relieve both their worries about the fillies back home. "And Written Script's there if they need him." She added, blushing a little as she mentioned her gentlecolt friend.
"But, but Cheerilee is right over there." Derpy pointed out, finding the obvious flaw in Carrot's 'school plan'.
Cheerilee walked over to Princess Celestia, whispering so nopony else could hear her. "Your majesty, I'm not sure I'm the right pony to go on this mission. All I can think of are the children, and a lot of ponies are worried about those they leave behind. I know you'll have plans for the long run but for tomorrow and the day after-"
"I have instructions prepared for Mayor Mare. A substitute will be found. Cheerilee, I know it is a lot to ask but I have faith all of your paths led you here for a reason." Celestia smiled warmingly at her.
"Hey there little miss top leadpony." Cloudchaser approached Rainbow Dash jovially, even as Cadance finished patching her legs up. "If it's all about high risk and high speed I should'a known you'd be involved. So what hit you this time?"
"Oh nothing much, you know. I only just pulled off a sonic rainboom orbital strike divebomb kick. Total shame you missed it."
"I bet."
Flitter took in Dash's legs. "Sounds painful. You manage ok?"
"Totally. Dis-"
Cadance interrupted: "Rainbow Dash, you shouldn't fuss around so much while I finish this. I'm not really a medical pony. Be careful." She tapped Dash' hooves even as she said it.
"Right..." Dash didn't read inflection very well but managed to keep off the topic of Discord. "Anyway, that landing was a lot softer than I expected so I should be ok, right?"
Cadance wasn't optimistic but answered with some relief: "You should be fine. I'd tell you to take it easy but I know that isn't an option. Just try to rely on hovering for a while."
"You got it. So what are you girls thinking?" Rainbow asked, turning to Flitter and Cloudchaser.
"You can count on us." Cloudchaser decided while Flitter beamed with a huge smile on her face.
Applejack looked serious. Dead serious.
"Macintosh I know what you're thinking but ah'm stopping you right here and right now and telling you 'no'. This is something I have to do and I can't do it with a clear head if Granny and Applebloom don't have anypony back home to take care of them."
Big Macintosh looked stoic as ever.
"Sis, you ain't foolin' anypony. I saw what happened."
Applejack double-blinked when she realized Mac had been there helping her busting shields and bucking Discord from the start.
"Hold up! Wait one pony picking minute here! Twi and my friends came here on our own, Celestia and the princesses followed in after Twilight led the way, and Discord brought Shining Armor and his royal snootyness along for the ride.
How did you end up here in the first place?!"
In response Big Mac walked back to the spot where they arrived, past the burnt cutie mark matching Blueblood's, to a spot where a shard of Shining Armor's magic shield remained. Big Mac loomed over it and waited.
At first it trembled a little, then the shard flipped over revealing
"Spike?!"
"Eeyup."
"Spike what in the name of Celestia are you doing here?" AJ was livid. "Macintosh you better make good on this."
"Ah was gettin' ready to call it a night when I saw certain someponies sneaking around..."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FLASHBACK.
The cutie mark crusaders had stayed up way past their bedtime. Nopony had the heart to let them miss a big event like the coronation but they'd been sent to their room as soon as the clock hit nine... well before the grown-ups planned on finishing. The girls obviously saw this as an incredible opportunity so the four of them found themselves sneaking about.
"Why are we doing this anyway? I mean the party's over there."
Babs said as she eyed the dark castle walls and ominous tapestries .
"Come on Babs, it's a great party but when else are we gonna have an opportunity like this?" Scootaloo replied.
"Cutie Mark Crusader Castle Spies!" The three echoed holding their hooves in the air.
Babs clenched her jaw and eyed everywhere while the other girls nervously ducked as they heard their words echoing down the halls.
They looked about them to make sure nopony came out to investigate, then huddled together with raised hooves again. Applebloom gave Babs a look that told the filly to get over there and join them, and this time the four whispered loudly: "cutie mark crusader castle spies!".
They soon found themselves in Canterlot Tower and had managed to start arguing again.
"Yeah Ashcorp played his best songs early but we're bound to have Mic, Tombstone and Toaster coming up." Babs insisted."
The debate abridged read 'Manehattan DJ's rule, bar none.'
Scoot rolled her eyes. "Ponyville's got Vinyl. Nuff, said."
"Oh no you did not." As far as Bab's was concerned those were fighting words.
Applebloom shut them up: "Shh. I hear something behind that door."
Celestia's sealed chamber opened and a nervous white flank backed out of it. A white flank with a cutie mark that resembled an eight-point compass.
"Yes, as you can see the Element bearers and the princesses have moved on without us and we've no way to follow so I'll just be heading off to-"
"Poppycock." A jeering voice replied.
"Discord?!"
The three veteran Crusaders yelped even as they zipped to hide behind one of the pillars sticking out of the wall. Babs didn't know what she was seeing but that didn't stop her from hiding with them.
"In you go!" The draconequus yelled gleefully just as soon as he poofed a zipper into the air and pulled it open.
Shining Armor stepped inside and Discord yanked Blueblood by the tail and tossed him in after.
"Pulled by the tail and tossed in like a little filly." Babs observed.
"How embarrassing." Sweetie Belle agreed.
"What are we waiting for? Let's head in after them." Applebloom said as her legs kicked into a gallop. Her eyes widened as she found out she wasn't getting anywhere.
Her tail was being pulled back and was then yanked up so high it lifted her off the ground.
"Uh-oh." Sweetie Belle's eyes widened.
"Busted." Babs echoed.
Applebloom was looking back at Big Mac's fetlocks.
He let her down and made eye contact with the four of them.
"Uh, hi big brother. We can totally explain why we're over here."
Babs, being new to the group, thought it might be a good idea to sneak to the side and run out. Scootaloo seemed to be moving to follow her. Mac's disapproving face turned to them and succeeded in freezing them in their tracks.
"Say, why are you up over here anyway?" Applebloom said trying to be clever.
Mac brought his head a little closer, making her sweat.
"Berry Punch an me were hauling over a few more barrels of cider, then ah heard you all."
The four fillies' ears drooped.
"Overlookin' that it's past y'all's bedtime, and that you're sneaking around the castle, and you lying to your sister 'n me, what possessed you to even think about going into that?!"
"Discord opened it and Shining Armor and some other pony went in there." Applebloom answered. The other three nodded in support.
"He's Prince Blueblood." Sweetie Belle added.
"Sweetie Belle said Rarity really hated his guts for a while." Scootaloo continued.
"Don't you and him have some kind'a grudge?" Bab's finished.
Mac arched one eye at her and she smiled wider. "Just a rumor." She added apologetically.
Mac sighed heavily: "Don't you girls mind none o' that, that don't change facts that nopony'd be crazy enough to chase after ponies on royal business or whatever that is like that."
"He is." Sweetie Belle answered pointing at a small shape in black rushing into the portal. It was wearing spy gear.
In a sudden panic and unsure of what was going on or what else to do, Mac galloped after the figure and caught part of its dark outline in his teeth. The black shape tore revealing green scales under the clothing just as it reached the portal. The hole in space began to close but not before sucking in Spike and Big Macintosh entirely.
It vanished without a trace.
The four fillies stared at the empty hallway.
"You know what this means right?" Babs asked.
"Eeyup." Applebloom answered.
"We get to stay up late tonight!" Scootaloo yelled excited.
"And when he gets back we're really gonna get it." Sweetie Belle finished frowning.
The four of them looked at each other a long while.
"Seems legit." Scoot shrugged.
"That's good enough for me. Let's go get some of that cider!" Applebloom ran.
Babs and Scootaloo were right behind her.
"You'll see what I mean about Manehattan beats." Babs challeneged.
"In your dreams!" Scootaloo laughed back.
"Wait for me!" Sweetie Belle called, wanting to but not taking a final backwards glance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applejack finished listening to Mac then turned to Spike.
"Well, now it's your turn."
Spike got to his feet and said: "I had to follow. You guys just left the ballroom without saying anything. I thought you might be heading to the little filly's room or out for air but then i saw Princess Luna and your dresses in the hall so I knew something was up."
"So you followed us?"
"Actually I kinda had to get these duds first."
Applejack narrowed her eyes at him.
"Pinkie had a spare."
Her face fell. "Ah shoulda figured."
"AJ, let me handle this, stallion to stallion."
Applejack made a face but the look on Mac convinced her to nod and let him handle it.
"I know what you're gonna tell me but I have to do something." Spike began to counter as soon as AJ was out of earshot.
"Eeyup."
"Huh? You agree?" Spike was surprised.
"Ah do. You're growin' up, that means taking on responsibility: doing what needs done, and taking care of everything and everypony that depends on you."
"Y-yeah. That's it exactly Big Mac."
"And that means you don't always get your way. Ah don't belong here; ah belong on the farm keeping an eye on Applebloom and helping out Granny Smith. But that there magic or whatever says otherwise. See?"
Big Mac pointed a hoof in front of him and Spike stepped up to look at it. There on the invisible surface lay an ash trail shaped like Big Macintosh's cutie mark.
"That thing says I was chosen, like everypony else who got here. And that means what I want or think about where ah belong doesn't matter none. This is where I'm needed, this is where I'm staying, and this is where ah have to look at you, male to male, and ask you to take care of the things ah can't.
Now, look me in the eye, take my hoof, an promise me you'll keep an eye on the girls until we get home. For me, and Rarity, and everypony else."
Spike looked past Big Mac, seeing Rarity and imagining her every facial expression as a worried tick, knowing how much of a load off her mind it would be to know she didn't have to worry about Sweetie Belle.
"All right Big Macintosh. I'll do it." The little dragon took the stallion's hoof in his claw and shook.
Behind the group Shining Armor looked worried. Cadance stood at his side.
"Shining, I know you want to see her off safely and I think that's good but we can't stay here."
"I know. Cadance."
He stood there, with a distant look on his face. At length he made a decision.
"I think you should return without me to the Crystal Empire. I don't know what'll happen and I don't trust that Discord knows what he's doing. I think I should stay here and ready a team in case they need reinforcements."
"Shining, Princess Celestia said-"
"I don't disagree with her but dear you're their Princess. The Crystal Princess. They need you for leadership and guidance. I'm... I'm a soldier. If something goes wrong I should be ready to face it head on."
"Is it because of Twilight?"
"Yes... and no. It's what this can do to everypony, to Equestria itself. Twili is so gifted, and her friends are some of the most amazing fillies I've ever met... and you saw what happened to them without anything they could do about it.
I hate being here doing nothing but if by staying here and waiting I can step in and make something happen, even if it's the most trivial change, I have to do it."
Cadance wrapped her front legs around his neck and draped his back with her wings.
When she let go she said: "We can afford to stay the night. Find your friends, get the volunteers you talked about, help get them ready. If Princess Celestia needs them they'll be there and even if she decides you must come back with me to the Empire you'll have left something behind in your place."
Shining nodded sadly.
"So, we're all agreed? Everypony is ready?" Discord asked everypony around him. The cheer was loud but it wasn't unanimous.
Twilight stepped forward and nodded. "We're ready to go save Equestria."
With that Discord's body faded into light and shot like sunbeams into the twenty-one chosen ponies. The six Elements of Harmony melted into the bodies of their bearers.
Twilight felt the magic in her and rallied everypony around her.
"I hear words." her voice cracked nervously.
That would be me. Admittedly it's a little invasive but this is the only way I can keep you all from mutating.
"Mutating?!" She yelped back. Twenty heads turned to look at her. obviously Discord could share some thoughts or all at will.
Yes now don't do that again unless you want to cause a panic.
Twilight nodded and a voice in her mind began to chant a spell. the look on everypony's faces reassured her that they were all hearing the same mantra and ready to repeat it with her.
"All together now!"
"Of our own free will we expose ourselves
to the risks of a world of cruelty and gore,
we steel ourselves in unity and preparation,
for in the grim darkness of their future -there is only war."