Remnants of Discord
~ Chapter 1: A Dose of Disorder ~
Twilight gently nudged open the door to the library and stepped out into the late morning sun. The air was crisp and clean, lingering with faint tones of early autumn. It had only been a few days since Celestia had honored her and her friends with a grand celebration for defeating Discord. However, no sooner had they returned to Ponyville, Pinkie had concocted a plan to throw just one more party for the occasion. Only this time, the festivities would be a little closer to home, so that everypony could enjoy them. Despite the general exhaustion brought on by the recent ordeal, Pinkie remained steadfastly insistent. “It’ll help everypony relax and have some fun! It’s just what we all need!” she had chimed in refute of the others’ claims of being too tired. Twilight couldn’t help but let a smile creep onto her face: she should have learned by now that once Pinkie has her mind set on a party, there’s going to be a party, one way or another.
The unicorn slowly began to make her way down the cobblestone path into town. Pinkie had insisted that she drop by this morning to help with a new recipe for cupcakes that she’d been working on for just such an occasion. As she walked, a few stray leaves crunched and crackled under her hooves, adding the faintest of lyrical ambiance to the otherwise quiet path. Off in the distance, those leaves which still clung to the trees had already begun to bloom with a cacophony colors. A few brilliant reds intermixed with lush yellows and stalwart oranges, surrounded by the resilient specimens which still clung to their healthy green tinges. The colors swayed and danced gracefully in the soft autumn breeze, blending together on the horizon like a great palette eager for the brush. By the looks of it, Applebuck Season would be just a few short weeks away, followed closely by the ceremonial Running of the Leaves. The next few weeks would certainly keep everypony busy. The more Twilight thought about it, the more she realized that one of Pinkie’s parties may be just what they needed at a time like this; one last hurrah before harvesting season was upon them.
As she got closer to the heart of Ponyville, Twilight saw that the preparations for the town-wide celebration were already well underway. A few pegasus ponies were working nearby to drape colorful streamers from rooftops and trees. The bright strips of paper fluttered about in the breeze with flashes of blue, pink, and yellow. A few feet away at a picnic table, a small group of fillies were working cheerily on a banner to be hung later on. Crayons lay sprawled about on the table as the young ponies joked and laughed while putting on their finishing touches. Just as Twilight began to turn away, the leaves and branches on a nearby tree began to shake and rattle violently. The unicorn’s heart skipped a beat as the shape of a pony plummeted from one of the top branches, followed by a cascade of ribbons and streamers. Twilight cringed with anticipation, only to be relieved as the body was pulled to a stop just a couple feet from the ground, the streamers pulling taught and strong. Upside down and tangled within the web of colorful paper was a grey pegasus, spinning slowly around from the momentum of the fall.
“Morning Twilight!” the ensnared pegasus chimed happily.
Twilight couldn’t help but giggle at the scene before her. “Good morning Derpy. It looks like you’re doing a lovely job with the decorations!”
The pegasus pony smiled ear to ear at the compliment, still dangling in her cradle of streamers.
Now sporting a contagious smile of her own, Twilight trotted along down the road, leaving Derpy and the others to their work. Not too far in the distance, she could make out the distinct shape of Sugarcube Corner. It seemed that somepony had already taken the liberty of decorating the unique building and the surrounding yard. A few gossamer ribbons adorned the nearby light posts and bunches of colorful balloons were tied down to the building’s outer features, floating lazily in the gentle breeze. Carried on those subtle gusts were the savory smells of the baked goods within, wafting from the open windows of the shop and filling the surrounding streets. It was enough to make anypony stop in her tracks and consider stopping in for a sample. Twilight breathed deep the sweet aroma that floated through the air around her as visions of tarts, cakes, cobblers, and pies clouded up her thoughts. Struck with a sudden pang of hunger, the unicorn tarried forward to the front door.
Even from outside the walls of Sugarcube Corner, Twilight could hear the muffled commotion emanating from within. The clatter of metal pans and utensils meshed with the mechanical hum of a mixing machine. Twilight raised her front hoof and rapped on the wooden door a few times. The commotion inside seemed to come to an abrupt stop, quickly replaced by the sound of hurried hoofsteps traveling down the hallway. With little further warning, the door violently burst outward, nearly clipping Twilight squarely on the nose. Standing beneath the threshold was none other than Pinkie Pie herself, smiling widely at her guest.
The pink pony took in an excited and exasperated gasp before proceeding to rattle off a blisteringly fast sentence which hardly made any sense. “Oh my gosh! You’re not gonna believe it but I was just thinking about you and then out of the clear blue sky you just happened to show up like some kind of crazy coincidence just as I was thinking ‘Gee it sure would be great if Twilight was here too’ and then poof you ended up at the front door and I mean really what are the odds of you showing up at such a perfect time?!”
Twilight blinked a few times, shaking the confused demeanor from her face. “Um, Pinkie? You invited me here…”
“Oh well that’s great too! Come on in!” Not seeming deterred at all, the pink pony spun around and hopped through the storefront, eventually disappearing into the kitchen at the back.
Twilight could only shake her head and smile. It was just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie, after all. She stepped inside and with a soft glow from her horn, the door closed shut gently behind her. Slowly she made her way toward the kitchen where, once again, the hum of a mixing machine could be heard. No sooner had Twilight stepped inside the kitchen did the rampant disorganization and sheer mess of the place become evident.
Baking sheets and pans laid strewn about the counters, splattered with batter and frosting. A collection of bowls could be seen throughout the room, some turned over and dripping their remaining contents onto any surface which remained clean. Pinkie hopped up and down excitedly in front of a singular mixer which revved along smoothly, occasionally spewing out a glob of the batter within. On the far side of the kitchen rested the only semblance of organization; a plethora of pies, cakes, and all manner of sweets both big and small were stacked surprisingly neatly on a long table in the corner. They were piled one on top of the other, in uncharacteristically neat stacks.
Pinkie peeked into the whirring mixing bowl and then switched it off with a satisfied grin. “I’m so glad you could make it, Twilight! We could really use an extra pair of hooves with all this baking!”
“Oh sure Pinkie, I’m always glad to help out a friend in need! So where do you… Wait, did you just say ‘we’?”
As if on cue, there came a loud metallic clatter from the adjacent room, followed by quick hoofsteps. Rarity poked her head out from around the corner, wearing a fashionably appropriate gem-studded chef’s hat. “Pinkie,” she said with a smile and a cheery tone, “I do believe I’m going to need some help in here… Oh, hello Twilight!” Then as quickly as she came, she disappeared into the other room.
Pinkie rolled her eyes and let out a short sigh. “Don’t tell Rarity, but she’s not a very good baker…” The pink pony trotted over to the table of sweets and plucked one of the cupcakes from the display (of which the neat presentation was now much more understandable, given Rarity’s presence). She plopped it down on a small plate and set it down carefully in front of her guest. “This is that new recipe I’ve been working on for the party,” she exclaimed happily. “And you get to be the very first to try it!”
Another metallic crash could be heard from the other room, followed by what sounded like the shattering of a ceramic bowl.
“Oh no! PINKIE!” Rarity cried in a panic.
The pink pony flinched a little at the sounds of wanton destruction emanating from Rarity’s work space. “Um, I should probably go help her out with that…”
Twilight nodded and watched her friend leave the room before studying the cupcake that lay before her now. The base was a rich yellow cake mix, but the frosting on top was evidently the intended spectacle. Generously slathered bright orange icing swirled seamlessly with that of pure white. The colors contrasted vividly in a spiral decoration which was clearly crafted with care. A faint purple glow surrounded the treat as it hovered a few inches above the plate, guided by Twilight’s magic. Once it was close enough, the unicorn leaned forward and took a well-sized bite out of the colorful cupcake. Twilight’s eyes went wide as her face distorted into a grimace. She wasted no time in running to the nearby trash bin and spitting out the contents of her mouth. It was by far the most terrible sweet she had ever had the displeasure of tasting! From the moment the light, spongy morsel touched her tongue, her mouth was filled with an assaultive briny taste. It was like trying to eat a cupcake that had been dunked in the ocean. The taste of salt was not only overpowering, it was nearly sickening. In the unicorn’s rush to the trash can, the plate she had been levitating clattered onto the counter, tipping the now lopsided cupcake on its side.
Twilight honestly wanted nothing more than a glass of water to wash away the awful aftertaste, but just as she was considering getting one, Pinkie trotted back into the room.
“Well Rarity has been having a field day with those baking pans in there…” Turning to the counter, she quickly noticed the half eaten treat. “Oh! So how did you like my new cupcake recipe?” she asked happily, bobbing up and down with excitement.
She seemed so proud of her work. The last thing Twilight wanted to do was to hurt her friend’s feelings. Perhaps a little white lie would be the best route to take… “It was… Nice! Yes, very… interesting… and colorful!” Twilight put on her best attempt at a genuine smile.
Pinkie raised an eyebrow at her friend. The unicorn’s façade was about as transparent as cellophane. “Is there something wrong with them?” she queried in a sincere tone.
“Oh no, no. Of course not!” Twilight answered quickly.
Still not convinced, Pinkie walked over to the counter on which the remains of the cupcake rested. “Is it too orangey?” she mused while tapping the treat back upright with her hoof. “They were coming out okay when I tried making them yesterday…” Curiously, she reached over and took a bite out of the cupcake herself. Almost immediately, Pinkie grimaced. Her eyes screwed shut and her mane stood on end momentarily.
Twilight had moved forward in a vain attempt to stop her, but it was already too late. She could only cringe as she watched her friend continue to chew the horrid treat.
With a difficult gulp, Pinkie finally managed to swallow her mouthful. She turned back to her friend, wearing a shocked expression. “Twilight, are you crazy?! How can you say these are okay? They taste horrible!”
Twilight looked down at the floor, embarrassed. “I uh… Just didn’t want to make you feel bad about them…”
Pinkie didn’t seem particularly concerned with the unicorn’s explanation. She had already begun rushing around the kitchen, glancing over a few sheets of paper which were still laid out on the counter. “What in Equestria went wrong?! I followed the same exact recipe as yesterday! Two cups of flour, three eggs, one cup of sugar…” She continued to read the list of ingredients with fervor, stressing each and every line and attempting to backtrack towards her mistake. “I don’t get it! Why did they turn out so sal-…” Her thoughts stopped in their tracks as the pony’s eyes went wide. “So salty…” She ran like a maniac to a corner of the kitchen where a nearly empty burlap sack was resting against the wall. She dipped the tip of her hoof into its contents and pulled it back out. Cautiously, she licked at the bit of white grainy powder which had stuck to it. The trepidation in her face crystallized almost instantaneously. “Oh no…” she muttered, turning to her friend. “This was supposed to be sugar, Twilight. It’s salt!”
“A bag of salt?” Twilight questioned confusedly. “How in the world did that happen?”
“I don’t know!” Pinkie responded, now pacing back and forth across the kitchen. “I just went out to buy five bags of sugar from the store last night. Maybe they accidentally mixed a bag of salt in with the bags of sugar…”
Twilight pondered for a moment. “So… What about the other bags?”
Pinkie gasped. “That’s right! They’re in the basement! I’ll be right back!”
Before Twilight could say another word, Pinkie had bolted through the door in blur, disappearing down a flight of stairs. From down in the basement, there was an unmistakable sound of frantic searching. Metal clanged against wood, glass cracked against the ground, and all manner of unidentifiable clatter resonated with the growing din. The clamor was punctuated with a frustrated shriek from Pinkie herself. The pink pony rushed back to the top of the stairs, covered in what appeared to be a mixture of dust and baking ingredients.
“It’s all SALT!” she exclaimed dramatically. “Every last bag of it!”
From just around the corner, Rarity sauntered into the kitchen. “Pinkie, is there something wrong? I heard you shouting from the other room and I-…”
Pinkie Pie wasted no time in running straight up to the white unicorn, stopping just inches from her face. “SALT, Rarity! It’s all SALT!” she screamed with high-pitched exuberance.
Rarity took a few cautious steps backwards. “Um, are you feeling okay dear?”
“No! Don’t you get it?! This whole thing is ruined!” Pinkie shouted, gesturing toward the towering table of sweets. “How in Equestria did I not catch this earlier? Now we’re going to have to start from scratch and make everything again in time for the party!” With a deep sigh and a dizzying spin, Pinkie collapsed onto the ground, holding her head in her hooves.
Rarity patted her distressing friend lightly on the back. “There, there. Don’t you think you’re overreacting a little?” she offered in a comforting tone.
Twilight made a valiant effort to suppress a giggle. “I’m not so sure you’re the best one to offer that kind of opinion, Rarity,” she said with a smirk.
The white unicorn appeared to be genuinely shocked. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” she asked in a huff.
“Oh nothing,” she smiled. Twilight stepped closer to comfort her friend. “It’s alright Pinkie, I’m sure we can work this out. With all three of us helping, we’ll have this fixed in no time!”
Pinkie grumbled and sat herself upright. “It’s going to be a humongous pain in the flank, but I guess you’re right. We’re going to have to visit the store right away though if we’re going to get this done for tomorrow.” She stood up and began walking towards the front door. “And this time, I’m checking EVERY SINGLE BAG of sugar before we leave!”
Twilight and Rarity in turn followed their friend outside. She did have a point, after all. They had a lot of work to do if they wanted to finish on time. It was a good thing that Twilight had cleared her schedule for the day…
By the time the two unicorns had stepped outside, Pinkie was already halfway down the road, trotting along at a brisk pace. “Come on you slowpokes!” she hollered from a distance.
Twilight and Rarity picked up their speed and galloped onward to catch up. Twilight took the opportunity to survey the rest of the town’s progress in preparation. It seemed that quite a few buildings had already been decorated with colorful streamers and banners, but it was clear that there was still a fair amount of work to be done.
The three ponies had been walking for no longer than a minute before a rush of air fell over them from above. Staggering a bit, Twilight looked up to the skies just in time to see a group of pegasus ponies flying in a V-formation overhead. Taking point was none other than Rainbow Dash herself. The look on her face was of pure determination and concentration. In fact, it seemed like she didn’t even notice her friends below. On the ground, the gusts of air resulting from the low-flying group’s pass caused the streamers and balloons which decorated the streets and trees to shake and shutter. Just as quickly as they had come, they were gone again, disappearing over the trees and into the eastern skies.
Rarity had stopped momentarily to watch the fliers pass by. “What do you suppose that was all about?” she asked her companion.
“I don’t know,” Twilight replied hesitantly, “Maybe Dash was just leading part of the weather team in some flying drills.”
“I suppose it’s possible,” the white unicorn replied aloofly.
Twilight was about to open her mouth to speak again, but she was distracted by yet another shape approaching from the distance. Moving much slower than the other pegasi from before, a lone pony flew on her eastward track as fast as her wings could carry her. It took only moments for Twilight to recognize her friend.
“Fluttershy!” she shouted up toward the skies while waving a hoof in the air, trying to catch the pegasus’s attention. “Down here!”
As she drew closer, Fluttershy glanced downward and spotted her friends below. In a somewhat clumsy descent, she quickly circled toward the ground. She stopped just a couple feet from the earth and hovered there in place. “Oh thank goodness you’re here! We need all the help we can get. Follow me!” She began to take off again, but Twilight’s query stopped her in her tracks.
“Wait Fluttershy, what are you talking about? What do you need help with in such a hurry?” Twilight was genuinely concerned for her friend. The pegasus looked more panicked and uneasy than usual.
“Please,” Fluttershy whimpered, “We have to go now! There’s a fire spreading in Whitetail Woods!”
“A fire?!” Rarity exclaimed. “How in Equestria did that happen?”
“We don’t know,” the pegasus added meekly while looking at the horizon, “but it’s spreading fast because of all the dry leaves. Rainbow and the others have already gone ahead, but we need everypony’s help now!” She glanced over her shoulder and the color drained from her face even further. “Oh dear… I have to go right now. Please just come to help us as soon as you can!” Without waiting for a response, the pegasus took to the air again and flew off in the direction of the Woods.
Twilight’s heart had skipped a beat when she heard the urgency in her friend’s voice. “Rarity, this sounds pretty serious… I think we ought to see what we can do to help them.”
Rarity’s eyes were fixated on the eastern horizon. “I think you’re right,” she replied with a shaky voice.
Twilight turned to her friend’s vantage point and immediately felt her heart drop into her stomach. Plumes of black smoke were billowing out over the trees in the distance, filling the air with acrid dark clouds. Even in the light of day, a faint glow was visible on the horizon; flickering and fickle.
“Oh no…” Twilight whispered under her breath. “Come on girls, we’ve got to leave right away!” The purple unicorn glanced back at the street, searching for her second companion. “Pinkie?”
Barely a speck in the distance, Pinkie Pie shouted back from the end of the street, “What’s taking you two so long?!”
“Pinkie! We have to go help at Whitetail Woods!” Twilight cried out loudly.
“You have to what?” Pinkie’s muted voice came back from a distance.
“There’s a fire!”
“You’re tired?” her response came confusedly.
“No! A fire!”
“Twilight, you can take a nap after we’re done picking up the sugar!”
“Pinkie, this is more important than sugar!”
Even at length, Pinkie’s shocked gasp was audible. “More important than sugar?!” For a brief moment, the pony’s face descended into grim seriousness. “Never…” She then quickly spun around and cheerily began hopping down the street, towards the store.
“Come on Twilight,” Rarity said soothingly, “I don’t think we have time to go after her right now…”
Twilight sighed. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” A faint glowing aura began to glisten around the unicorn’s horn. She shut her eyes tightly, focusing intently and forcing her magic to take shape. With one final spark, the two disappeared from the street, leaving the decorated road abandoned once more.