//------------------------------//
// Chapter Nine: Harmony Returns part 1 
// Story: The Return of Chaos 
// by Pentrath 
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It was early the next morning when the group was awoken by a loud scream, startled Dave and the others ran outside to see who was screaming. AppleJack stood just outside the gate leading into SweetApple Acres that was now covered in large black vines with thorns on them. As the others looked around the saw that the entire barn and apple field was covered by the same black vines, as they peered up into the sky they saw the strangest phenomenon that has ever a cured. In the sky hovered both the sun and the moon who stood side by side as well as grotesque black clouds with thorns coming out of them.  Twilight was the first to ask what happened. ‘’Applejack where did all the vines come from and what happened to the sky ’’ Twilight asked.

‘’Can’t  say I got a clue Twilight, I just woke up this morning and they were everywhere’’ AJ answered. ‘’They are even covering Ponyville. 

The ponies gasped as they saw the vines slowly engulfing Ponyville. Dave tried to get rid of the vines with his magic but more just keep growing faster than he could get rid of them. As the vines continued to grow, the sky began to get darker as wild Everfree clouds stared to swarm the area. But most shockingly, up in the sky both the sun and the moon sat still as day in the sky, making a weird phenomenon happened that caused it to be both day and night. The ponies were shocked by this. Dave stood in shock, as he saw the tentacles from his nightmare become a reality.

‘’Whh..what’s going on?’’ Fluttershy studdered.

‘’I have no idea…but we need to warn Princess Celestia and Princess Luna’’ Twilight said.

As if on cue, Spike was seen running toward the ponies with a letter in hand and a large blue chest. As he approached the others, they bore expressions of relief and confusion as to why the baby dragon was out here with all of the dangerous vines.

‘’Spike’’Twilight exclaimed. ‘’What are you doing out here?...It’s dangerous’’ 

‘’I received this letter from one of the royal guards.’’ Spike stated with worry.

‘’What did it say?’’ Twilight asked.

‘’ It said that both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had gone…. MISSING’’ Spike said with worry.
Twilight and the others gasped in horror upon hearing that message as they feared the worst for their rulers.

‘’I also brought the Elements of Harmony just encase it became dangerous’’ Spike said as he opened the chest revealing the Elements of Harmony.

Twilight thanked Spike as she took the chest and gave each of the ponies their respectful elements before turning back to the others. The other ponies quickly put their elements around their necks as they prepared on what they would do next.

‘’What are we gonna do Twilight’’ Applejack asked with worry.

‘’The first thing we need to do is find out were these vines are coming from, as they may have some connection to their disappearance.

‘’I might have an idea’’ said Dave nervously. The others looked at Dave for a moment before asking what he knew about.

‘’Wait wait wait, hold the phone here… How do you know what is happening’’ Rainbow Dash said with suspicion in her eyes. ‘’You did not do this did you’’ she said coldly.

‘’WHAT! No I would never, I merely know do to a dream I had last night.’’ Dave said still a little nervous.
The ponies stared at him with confusion, as they pondered what he meant. Signing Dave took a deep breath before continuing.

‘’ Last night I had a dream that I was in a cave, deep into the Everfree Forest, but I was not alone as a giant majestic tree stood before me, as I touched it I had this weird flashback were I was in the past and I got to see what Ponyville looked like back then as well as to how the tree came to be, but also in the flashback I saw those same tentacles that were trying to destroy the town. I followed a group of ponies into the Everfree Forest were the tentacles were originating from and followed them until they came upon a tree in a cave nearby the old Castle of the Twin Sisters. As the tree came into view I noticed that it was the same tree from before except it was different. Besides its obvious appearance change it had those same vines wrapping around it as they were squeezing the life out of the tree and …’’

‘’WHOA whoa whoa, what does a tree have to do with these vines’’ Rainbow Dash interrupted 

‘’I wasn’t finished’’ Dave said with his hand on his hips.

‘’That doesn’t matter now, if what Dave said has any merit then the Everfree Forest is our best bet on finding out what happened’’ Twilight said before gulping. ‘’ Can you teleport us to the Everfree Forest entrance’’ Twilight asked.

‘’I can try’’ Dave said as he walked closer to the others. As the ponies huddled around Dave, Dave closed his eyes as he concentrated on the Everfree Forest. As the image came into view, he immediately snapped his claws and him and the Mane 6 vanished. Standing by a nearby building a shadowy figure smiled as it laughed to itself. ‘’its show time’’ the figure said before it to vanished.

Reappearing just outside of the Everfree Forest, Dave and the others stood there looking at the entrance to the creepy forest. Dave was a bit drained after teleporting so many ponies at once but quickly shock it off as there were more important things to worry about than rest.  Dave and the others stood there in fear as they looked upon the horrifying forest that now had large vines coming out of it. After a moment Dave decides to take the first steps toward the forest, as he was about to take his first step into the forest a nearby bush began to rustle causing Dave to step back in shock. As the bush continued to shack, Dave and the others prepare for the worst when all of a sudden a small pink filly comes bouncing out of the bush heading toward Dave. As soon as the filly got within a hoofs distances from Dave, she tackled him to the ground before staring straight into his eyes. As Dave stared he noticed the pony had a swirly purple mane and tail with a white stripe running through it as well as a small orange propeller hat with a green propeller,  he also notice her cutie mark which was just a screw and a baseball. But most noticeably were her large swirling purple eyes that were staring into his mismatched ones. Before Dave could speak the little filly jumped off of him and bounced back into the forest while giggling to herself. 

‘’Who in the hay was that?’’ AppleJack asked

‘’ I am curious of that too as I have never ever seen that pony in Ponyville before and I should know because I know everypony’’ Pinkie said

‘’Buu…but why would she go into such a scary place like the Everfree Forest’’ Fluttershy asked, nervously.

‘’ Now is not the time to ask questions, we need to find that filly and ensure she is safe as well as confirm whether or not the tree from Dave’s dream is real.’’ Twilight said sternly.

Everypony gulp before venturing into the Everfree Forest. As the ventured deep into the forest they began to see more and more vine grow around the forest making it even more deadly and frightening than it was before. What seemed like hours passed before they finally reached a clearing and was able to see the ruins of the old castle resting just on the other side of the ravine. 

‘’We are finally here, but where is the tree and the little filly we haven’t seen either of them sense we came in’’ RainbowDash said.

‘’ Well it looks like there is no tree so let’s go home now’’ Fluttershy said nervously before trying to run only to be stopped by Apple Jack.

‘’ Wait there’s the cave I saw in my dream’’ Dave said as he peered over the ravine. ‘’ Look there’s even the glow from the tree’’ he said as he pointed toward the cave.

‘’ It can’t be’’ Rainbow Dash said before seeing the cave for herself.

‘’ But how are we going to get down there’’ Twilight asked.

‘’ From what I could remember from my dream there should be a row of… Dave was immediately interrupted by Pinkie pie as she began to tumble down a row of stair.

‘’Stairs’’ Dave finished as Pinkie landed at the bottom.

‘’I found them’’ Pinkie shouted out to the others.

Dave and the others quickly descended the flight of stairs as they approached the cave. At the entrance of the cave they saw huge vines coming out of it leading out into the forest as well as a dim glow that was slightly brighter now that they were closer.  As they were about to enter the little filly from before jumped out from behind a rock near the entrance before bouncing into the cave. 

‘’Wait’’ Dave shouted before running into the cave, prompting the others to do the same.

As they entered the cave they were astonished and saddened by what they saw. They saw a now faded trees emitting a dim glow as large vines were wrapped around the tree, squeezing the life out of it. Dave walked up to the little filly and picked her up before walking back toward the others.

‘’ That tree does not look too well’’  RainbowDash stated.

‘’ The poor thing looks like it is dying’’ Fluttershy said sadly. 

‘’ Well let’s not just stand here, let’s get rid of these here vines.’’ AppleJack said before rushing toward the tree and grabbing one of the vines. The others followed pursuit as they too began to attack the vines but to no avail. The vines were sprouting faster than they could get rid of them.

‘’ It’s hopeless, they are too fast’’ Applejack complained.

‘’ I think I might know how to stop them’’ Dave mentioned.  ‘’ In my dream…’’ that was all Dave was able to say before the entrance to the cave was covered by vines. As soon as the entrance was blocked, the little filly jumped out of Dave’s arms as she ran up to one of the vines and started to play’s with it.

‘’ No get away from those they are too dangerous’’ Dave called out to the small filly.

‘’ Oh I beg to differ, Muhahahahaha’’ An anonymous voice announced.

‘’ Wh-who said that’’ Dave stuttered as he and the others franticly looked for the source of the voice.

All the heard was a soft laughter echo through the cave before a blinding flash of light illuminated the dark cave as an all too familiar face appeared above the tree, laughing . As Dave and the others unshielded their eyes they were shock at who they saw. Standing there, floating just above the tree was Discord.

" DISCORD"!  Dave and the others shouted as they looked up at their old foe.

End of Chapter Nine