After the failure of their first missions, the six friends couldn’t be further from what they were of changing Sky and bring him back to the light side so they could send him back to his world.
With Twilight unable to cheer her friends up and make them proceed with their missions, she had the idea of asking someone for help to turn them in the right way. So they invoked the Lord of Order again, using the Elements of Harmony. When he appeared, the Lord asked them:
"Girls, what was it this time? I don’t know if you had noticed, but I have a lot of worlds and universes to rule. I hope this is important."
"Actually, it is, your lordship" Twilight replied. "We are not able to complete our missions."
"Yeah, I never thought it was so difficult" Fluttershy said.
"Honestly, I thing we made the things right" Rainbow said. "He doesn’t want to be helped."
"Ah agree" Applejack said. "We gave him a hoof an’ he bit it."
"Our mission is certainly not complex" Rarity said. "He is who is making it difficult."
"I like to be friendly to all the ponies, but Sky for sure is one of those I don’t want to be around at least ten meters" Pinkie Pie said.
"Girls..." Twilight started.
"Sorry, Twilight, but it had to be said" Rainbow said. "Though you say that our approaches were not correct, we believe that we did everything right. It’s Sky’s fault."
The other nodded in agreement.
There was a pause, where the Lord of Order merely looked them and then he said:
"Let me ask you something. Do you thing I’m a complaint box?"
That made the mares exchange glances and the Lord of Order continued:
"I gave you this mission because I thought you could change Sky. But I never thought you were a huge disappointment."
"Excuse me, but we did our job as we could" Applejack said.
"Your job was to change Sky" the Lord of Order said. "Something you are not being able to do. Did you thing you just have to go forward, say a few words and compel him to accept something he does not want?"
"It’s not worth to pester their minds" Twilight said. "I've also told them that they were too direct. Despite what they say, I'm sure they know they have not addressed the missions as they should. And I also am not able to understand mine. We need help and you're the only one who can direct us on the right path."
"You want my help?" the Lord of Order asked.
"Yes, we do" Twilight replied.
"And what makes you think I'll help you?" the Lord of Order asked again.
"You want Sky out of here as much as we want, isn’t it?" Twilight replied.
The Lord of Order stared her for a moment and then said:
"You know what, my dear? I like you. You know exactly how to put things."
"Does this means that you'll help us?" Twilight asked.
"Of course not" he replied.
"What?!" the mares asked.
"Take it easy" the Lord of Order said. "I said I would not help you, because you already have what you need. There is one thing you can do that will help you a lot to change Sky."
"An’ why did not ya tell us before?" Applejack asked.
"Yes, you would save us a lot of work trying to figure out what to do to change that jerk" Rainbow said.
"Don’t get me wrong, but I wanted to see what you could do without any kind of help" the Lord of Order explained. "After all, you have an excellent reputation."
But getting the look of the mares, he sighed and then said:
"Okay, I'll tell you what can give you the help you need. And that help is... these little things you're using."
"You mean... the Elements of Harmony?" Twilight asked, looking her crown, while the others looked their necklaces.
"Precisely" he replied.
"So you want us to use the Elements of Harmony to change him just like we did with Nightmare Moon?" Rarity asked.
"Or do you want us to use them to petrify him into stone as we did with Discord?" Pinkie asked.
That made the others looked at her, causing her to ask:
"What? At least he wouldn't do anything to anypony else."
"No, nothing like that" the Lord of Order replied. "When you join your elements, you can really create an immense power. But I'm talking about the individual powers of each other. As you know, Princess Twilight’s crown is very powerful by itself, but the necklaces also have unique powers, but secret ones.
The carrier of the necklaces looked at them, turning then to the Lord of Order.
"What do you mean with our necklaces have powers?" Rarity asked. "I always thought they had no power without Twilight’s element to charge them."
"Yeah, right, how can that be?" Applejack asked. "We have already us’d them a lot of times. It would expect that we have discover’d already such powers."
"Probably the experience we have is not enough to know their powers" Fluttershy opined.
"Precisely" the Lord of Order replied. "These powers are very subtle and pass unnoticed as they are hardly felt. However, if you used them correctly, they can make the difference between failure and victory."
"And what powers do they have exactly?" Applejack asked.
"Well, yours, to begin with, is able to compel a pony to tell the truth" the Lord of Order replied. "The more incisive you are, the more effective is the power. However, you must realize that he has to speak the truth for his own. He had to accept it. You cannot force him. If you do, there won’t be a genuine change. But you can use this to your advantage, if you use it correctly."
Applejack nodded and said:
"Maybe Ah know what has tah be done."
"Great" he said, turning then to Rarity. "And you, Rarity, can you imagine what power your necklace has?"
"No, of course not" she replied.
"With this necklace, you will have an incredibly strong power of persuasion" the Lord of Order replied. "I'm sure you can do something with it."
"Well, I think I can" Rarity said. "Maybe I can persuade him to make a generous act by somepony."
“And me? And me? And me? And me?" Pinkie Pie asked, jumping.
"Yours, Pinkie, will allow you to have much more facility in making people laugh" the Lord of Order said. "Although I don’t know if that’s good or bad."
"But of course it's good" Pinkie answered, taking short hops around the Lord of Order. "If I'm super duper funny now, I will be even more when wearing my necklace."
"But be careful, okay" the Lord of Order advised. "Too laughter is also not good and if you use your element, probably all your actions, even the most serious ones, will make the other ponies laugh uncontrollably."
But it seemed that Pinkie Pie had not heard, beeing still talking how fantastic it would be to be immensely funny.
"Anyway..." the Lord of Order said, turning to Fluttershy. "Dear Fluttershy, your necklace will allow you to induce kindness in other ponies."
"Really?" Fluttershy asked excitedly.
"Sure" the Lord of Order replied. "But you must be aware that this kindness is temporary. It dissipates after a while. It will be you who will have to maintain that kindness as long as possible until he accepts it."
"Don’t worry" she said. "I'll do my best to..."
But she didn’t finish because Rainbow Dash put herself up in midair in front of the Lord of Order and asked:
"And my power? What is it?"
"Rainbow Dash, your power is..." the Lord of Order began.
"Wait, don't tell me" Rainbow said. "I gonna be super-fast. Or I'll have a lot of strength" and made a big sigh. "Can I get invisible?"
The Lord of the Order looked at her for a few seconds and then asked:
"How can that help you raise up Sky’s loyalty?"
"I dunno, but it would be cool to have these powers" Rainbow said. "Please tell me I'll have these powers. Please, please, please..."
"Your power... is accessing the memory of the other ponies" the Lord of Order revealed.
Upon hearing that, Rainbow became completely disillusioned.
"What?!" she asked. "Just that?"
"To do his loyalty come to the surface, this power is enough" the Lord of Order answered. "Unless you have something to say."
It seemed that Rainbow wanted to say something but she thought better and landed.
"Good girl" the Lord of Order said. "Well, ahead. Use these gifts wisely, because you have only one attempt. Now, if you don’t mind, I'm leaving. I have other worlds to rule."
"Your lordship, please, wait" Twilight asked, making the Lord of Order turning to her. "You still didn’t give me the help I need. There is nothing I can do with my element to complete my mission?"
"Honestly, your element will be required to fulfill what you have to do, but it is not the centerpiece" the Lord of Order replied.
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked. "I don’t understand."
"I mean you have to know exactly what you want to do with your element before you use it in Sky" the Lord of Order replied. "And that's something you have to discover for yourself."
"Well, can you give me a clue, at least?" Twilight asked.
"Your element and its opposite element, despite being opposites of each other, work in the same way: both feed the other elements, charging them."
There was a pause and then the Lord of Order snapped his fingers and an empty library wall appeared a tapestry that had the Elements of Harmony in it with the Magic in the center and the others around. The background was brownish green, but the elements and the circles around them were grayish.
"With this tapestry, you will be able to see your progress and monitor their permanence in Sky."
He turned his back, when suddenly he stopped and turned to Twilight, saying:
"Oh, I almost forgot. I have one more thing to tell you, Twilight. Sometimes, studying the cause is much better than finding a cure."
And when he had said this, he disappeared.
"What tha hay did he mean with that?" Applejack asked.
"I don’t know" Twilight replied. "But I intend to find out."
Seeing that moment, was the Lord of Chaos who was watching through one of his mirrors, which had been positioned in the midair in front of its owner, comfortably seated on his throne.
"My brother really thinks those six can undo my perfect job" he said, snapping his finger and making the mirror image disappears and the object go back to its place. "But he doesn’t know what I truly saved for Sky. It cost me a lot to lure him to me and corrupt him and it cost me even more deceiving my brother. I will not let those ponies spoil everything."
In the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ tree house, they were meeting to discuss an important subject: Big McIntosh and Cherry Blossom.
"Okay, gals" Apple Bloom said as she walked from one side to the other with the others two observing her. "We both know we have a problem between hooves. Sky, Cherry's former coltfriend, is here and he threatens their relationship. We have tah do somethin’."
"But what?" Scootaloo asked. "Our first plan was ruined by Applejack."
"Well, we know we must act now with Cherry and Big Mac because Applejack made us make a Pinkie promise to not follow Sky around" Sweetie Belle said. "And I bet she'll be careful if we do the same with Big Mac and Cherry."
"We have tah find a way tah ensure that Sky cannot separate mah brother and Cherry" Apple Bloom said. "But what we can do?"
There was a paused to think about it and then Sweety Belle said suddenly:
"I know how! What if we did what we did when we join them in the first time? We can do a picnic."
"Just for them?" Scootaloo asked.
"No, this time, we can participate in it, so we can keep an eye on them and so they will not suspect us" Sweetie Belle said. "So, what do you think?"
The other two fillies exchanged a stare and then Apple Bloom said:
"Sweetie Belle... ya are... amazing!"
"Yes, I think that could work" Scootaloo said. "Well thought out, Sweetie."
"Well, what can I say?" She said. "I like these things."
"So let's do it" said Apple Bloom. "We have no time tah lose."
The other two nodded.
The next day dawned gloriously. Sky walked through the village, looking for Bloom. He had been told at the hospital that she had a day off, so he couldn’t find her there. He didn’t know it, but he was being watched from afar by Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, both using their elements.
"You know, Rainbow, I don’t like this" Fluttershy said. "You know I don’t like these things."
"Come on, Fluttershy, we all agree that it was better to be you to do the first move" Rainbow said. "If Sky accepts your kindness, it will be much easier to conquer the rest."
"Yeah, right, so far I agree. But I don’t know if this is the best way to do it."
"Come on, Fluttershy, you have to stop being such a doormat. We don’t have another chance to approach him. After all, not counting with Cherry Blossom, you're the best healer of Ponyville."
"Yes, you're right, but I don’t like the idea of hurting another pony" Fluttershy said.
"Technically, I'm the one who will hurt him, Fluttershy" Rainbow Dash said.
"I know, but..."
"So stop with it and concentrate on your part."
Rainbow then took a stone that was there at the hoof, took aim and waited for Sky to stay in the right place. As he passed beneath a balcony, Rainbow Dash threw the stone and it struck the vase that trembled where it was and then began to fall. At that moment, certainly programmed by Rainbow, Sky appeared beneath and the vase hit his head, broking the vase off and falling to the ground, trying to recover from that blow.
"Go!" Rainbow Dash urged his pegasus friend, pushing her forward. "Go, we have no time to lose!"
Fluttershy sighed and then she started going to Sky, who sat, rubbing his head. Before the approach, Fluttershy took a deep breath and then advanced.
"Oh, my!" she exclaimed, reaching Sky's side. "Are you okay?"
"What do you think?" Sky asked rudely. "Do I look okay to you? I was just hit in the head by a vase! Do you always do stupid questions? What am I asking this? A town pony always asks stupid questions."
He tried to get up, but the pain in his head prevented him.
"Oh, my head!" he exclaimed, groaning in pain.
"Let me help you" Fluttershy offered, approaching its hoof from Sky.
"I don’t need your help!" he exclaimed abruptly moving Fluttershy’s hoof away. "Why won’t you treat your stinking animals and leave me alone?"
Hearing him talk in that way about her animals, Fluttershy began, incredibly, losing her calm. But she breathed and ignored him. However, she realized that Sky would never go with her, if he continued to be evil and cruel. If she wanted the plan would result, she would have to use the gift now, but she feared it was too early. However, she had no choice.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on all the kindness she felt within herself. The pendant of her necklace began to glow with a rosy glow. Fluttershy, after feeling the power flowing within her, opened her eyes and put her hoof on Sky’s chest and said:
"For the beautiful kindness, open your heart."
The existing brightness in the pendent passed into Fluttershy’s body and then extended through her lifted foreleg and pass from her hoof to Sky’s body. Then his eyes widened when he felt that glow invading his body and head into his heart. When he came around, his heart gave a powerful beat that made Sky became stiff and then getting stuck for a few moments. He then looked at Fluttershy, not cruelly, but with remorse. She smiled at him and then handed him a hoof and said:
"Let's treat this injury, yes?"
Sky then smiled slightly and accepted Fluttershy’s hoof. She took him to her cottage where then she disinfected the wound and began to put him a bandage.
"You'll see that you'll feel much better" Fluttershy told him, as she was putting the bandage in his head.
Out of sight, except for Sky, a shadow appeared and Chaos Lord appeared and said to Sky, in a mocking voice:
"Well, little Sky is being treated like a little foal. It's really lovely."
Sky knew that only he could see him, although some animals feel that something was wrong, and that was real. The pegasus ignored the Lord of Chaos’ comment.
"She has a nice place here" the Lord of Chaos continued, looking around and approaching, untouchable. "A little occupied and noisy, but it’s not bad... for a pony of the Order. She probably treat all these animals every day. Hey, perhaps that is the reason for her being too helpful to you: because you're a wounded animal she can treat and care."
Upon hearing those words, the anger within Sky threatened to break up. He turned to Fluttershy and asked her somewhat coldly, when she just put the bandages:
"Why did you help me? I treated you so badly. If I was in your place, I would have left me where I was."
"Well, I think that helping others is what I do best."
"But I'm not any of your pet animals."
"Oh, but I don’t want you to be" Fluttershy said. "I do this to all my friends."
"But... why?" Sky asked.
"Probably for them to owe her favors" the Lord of Chaos whispered to Sky’s ear. "In these days, have a favor is vital."
"If you must know, I make it because it’s my duty" Fluttershy replied, after going to put seeds in the bird houses that were there, where birds would eat soon. "Helping my friends is the best thing I can do and I know that whenever I need to, my friends will help me when I need."
Upon hearing that, Sky soon began to meditate everything he had done since his arrival to Equestria, all the evil he had done and began to think that maybe it ought to have done.
"Don’t think about those things" the Lord of Chaos told him. "You are now bad and cruel and there's nothing you can do about it."
The Lord of Chaos’ words seemed to take effect in Sky. He seemed ready to accept completely that he could never be good again. It was then that Angel, Fluttershy’s rabbit, jumped into his lap and looked at him with his sweet little rabbit eyes.
"Oh, looks like the little bunny wants to play" the Lord of Chaos said behind Sky, then placing a hand on Sky’s shoulder and whispering to him. "Why don’t you show him how to play seriously tying those beautiful fluffy little ears?"
The Lord of Chaos’ whispering appeared to function as a command to Sky. He smiled wickedly and lifted his hooves to tie Angel’s ears. It was then that Angel looked at him sweetly, which made him hesitate. Sky did not understand why he was hesitant. He was bad, he had been corrupted by the Lord of Chaos himself. So why don’t he tied Angel’s ears without hesitation?
He then looked at Fluttershy and he saw how she treated her animals. She treated them with great kindness and respect and they return her the favor, caressing her and giving her all their respect. They seemed to have a strong bond and almost indestructible. The young orange pegasus wondered if what Fluttershy had said was true about the kindness and decided to find out. Angel looked at him, continuing to smile and look, and then Sky lowered his hooves and drew a sweeter and more genuine smile. He lifted one of the hooves and calmly began petting the Angel’s head who seemed to be liking. That made Sky release a laugh.
"What are you doing?" the Lord of Chaos asked. "No, you cannot do that. You are bad and you have to act like that!"
But Sky didn’t seem to be listening. He was having too much fun petting Angel. His body began to shine with a pink glow that hit the Lord of Chaos. He moaned and put his hands in front of his face to protect himself and then disappeared. Fluttershy’s necklace then started flashing and she smiled, because she knew that she had managed to accomplish her mission.
In the library, Twilight was very busy studying books that could have information about the Elements of Chaos and searching for the meaning of Lord of Order’s words. Spike, who was arranging the books she was rejecting, looked at the tapestry and saw the symbol of Kindness shining.
"Twilight, look!" he exclaimed.
Twilight looked up from the book she was reading and saw the shine.
"It seems that Fluttershy could do her part" she said. "That's good. With kindness within him, it will be much easier to approach Sky. But now, it's better I get back to work. I have to find out what the Lord of Order wanted to mean."
In the village square, Rarity, accompanied by a clipboard she was levitating with her magic, was checking preparations for her new event. She would work with Pinkie to make Sky accept their elements. After checking the decor and the ponies start coming, she went to the stage and called:
"Pinkie."
Pinkie's head appeared from behind the curtain and she asked:
"Yes, Rarity?"
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"But of course!" Pinkie answered. "I'm going to do a performance that will make laugh everypony, the grass, the trees... even the stones. And as this is a charity event, you can try to convince Sky to help with the great persuasion power of yours."
"Well, I have to admit that the idea is not bad" Rarity said. "Coming from you, it is a very good one."
"Thank you" thanked Pinkie before realizing what Rarity had said about the idea have come from her. "Hey!"
"Besides, even if with no result, we can always raise money for charity" Rarity said. "Well, I think it’s better get back to work. The ponies are already coming and I have to start working. Good luck, Pinkie."
"You too!" Pinkie exclaimed, while Rarity walked away.
Rarity prepared her desk and put on it a large jar. The ponies on arriving were putting money in the jar, going after that sitting to watch Pinkie’s comedy show. Then Sky arrived, coming from Fluttershy’s house.
“My Celestia!” Rarity exclaimed, seeing Sky’s bandage (despite knowing what had happened). “But what happened to you?”
"I don’t want to talk about it" Sky said. "I heard about this show and, for all I know, the whole village comes to see it."
"Yes, when Pinkie Pie makes a comedy show for everypony, usually the whole village comes to watch" Rarity said.
"That's good" Sky said, thinking he could find Bloom in the crowd. "And I have to pay or what?"
"No, you don’t pay anything for the show, but of course if you want to leave a few coins..."
"Why would I pay for something that is free?" Sky asked.
"Well, for starters, it's for charity" Rarity answered. "Then you don’t have to give much. And then it costs nothing to help raise funds for the needy."
"Yeah, well, that's not quite my style" Sky replied.
Rarity saw she was not going to persuade him to help in that way. For that reason, she had to use the gift of her element. She concentrated in her desire to achieve to get Sky took a generous act and said, so that he would not hear:
"For the gracious generosity, hear my words."
And then her element shone with a purplish glow. She knew now that she could convince Sky to do whatever she wanted.
"Sky, come on, why don’t you contribute?" Rarity asked. "Just one coin. Just one and you'll do your good deed of the day."
Sky, not wanting to believe in himself, was listening what Rarity was saying and, mareover, he had the desire to do what she was telling him to do. He wanted to do that act of generosity she wanted him to do.
The Lord of Chaos appeared again, invisible to all, and whispered to Sky.
"Are you really thinking about doing this? Why are you going to spend your money... Wait, let me rephrase. Why are you going to give your money to others? It's yours. Yes, you could have stolen it, but it’s yours and only yours and you must use it to satisfy your desires."
Sky was greatly tempted to follow the Lord of Chaos’ words. After all, he was always more convincing than Rarity.
Rarity realized that what she was saying was not resulting and chose another approach.
"Come on, Sky, it costs nothing. Besides, you never know when you'll need another pony to give you a hoof. My motto is: do something nice for somepony and then you never know when they do something good for you."
"She speaks very well, she knows how to use the words" the Lord of Chaos commented. "But don’t tell me you're falling into this? Hey, why don’t you try to loot all the money she has raised? Just think about everything you could buy with all that money. You could conquer Bloom's love with it."
Upon hearing those words, Sky’s heart was taken by greed and his dark desire to regain Bloom. The Lord of Chaos was absolutely right. With all that money, he could easily woo the love of his life and get that farm pony out of the way.
Observing Sky’s eyes looking to the coins in the jar, Rarity saw something in them. It was a strange glow, like the glow in her eyes when she was dazzled by anything beautiful and radiant. However, it was a different brightness. Instead of fascination and admiration, they were full of greed, they had the same sparkle her eyes had when she was under Discord’s control.
"Sky, listen to me very carefully" she said, making him turn towards her. "Generosity is not something to be put away. It’s not a sign of weakness, rather the opposite. When you give what you have to offer, material or not, you are overcome by a feeling of well-being that you don’t find anywhere else. And see others’ happiness when you give them your generosity also gives you the same happiness. Do you understand?"
Rarity really managed to capture Sky’s attention. She had used the right words to release his attention from the Lord of Chaos.
"Don’t listen what she says" the Lord of Chaos said to Sky. "All her words are just for show. Generosity brings you only misery. Generosity ruins you."
But Sky has practically not heard him, as he was looking at Rarity. He asked:
"You want me to contribute, right?"
"I’m not gonna force you" Rarity said. "I would never do a thing like that. But if you want to feel how it feels what I just described you, then that's what you have to do."
Sky thought about it and then, also influenced by the kindness introduced by Fluttershy, he became interested in feeling what Rarity had explained. He fetched one of the coins that were with him and deposited it into the jar while Rarity smiled, seeing that her approach had work.
"No, wait, don’t do that!" the Lord of Chaos exclaimed.
By doing that gesture, Sky really feel something he didn’t feel already a long time ago. It was a heat wave reaching his heart and whose feeling was immensely good and gave him happiness merely because he cooperated in helping the needy. Rarity was right, it felt great. His body issued a purple glow so intense that the Lord of Chaos disappeared before it touched him.
"You're right, it didn’t cost anything" he said. "And it felt good. Well, I think I'll sit down to watch the show."
"Have fun!" Rarity wished, while Sky walk away.
When he was away, Rarity exclaimed, overjoyed:
"YES!"
But she hastened to resume the posture, realizing what she had done.
At Sweet Apple Acres, Big Mac was bucking apple trees, while Cherry Blossom was helping him collect the baskets with apples and put them in the wagon.
"Ah don’t understand one thing" Big Mac said, while bucking a tree. "Why are ya here helpin’ me? Ya could be in the town, watchin’ Pinkie Pie and Rarity’s show."
"Oh, dear, I wouldn’t leave you here alone with a lot of work" she replied, as she levitated a few baskets to the wagon. "After all, I’m a future Apple, or not? Besides, Pinkie is always doing shows. I think losing one will not hurt anypony."
But then she saw Big McIntosh looked at her with his suspicious stare and, unable to hide him anything, she sighed and confessed:
"Okay, I won’t go because of Sky. Happy?"
“Why?” Big Mac asked, approaching Cherry.
"Why..." Cherry began, looking away from her fiancé. "Big Mac, we're talking about my ex-boyfriend that still loves me. I'm afraid he might do something to reconquer my love for him or to separate us. Because of this, I think it’s better to move away from him until he gives up."
Big Mac lifted her chin with his hoof, turning her toward him, and looking into her eyes, he said:
"Ya don’t have tah worry ‘bout him. Ah told ya no one, not even Sky, will separate us. Ya are tha mare of mah life and Ah love you madly."
"I love you too" Cherry replied, smiling.
The two nuzzled each other for a while and then they heard a hack that made them turn and soon faced with Apple Bloom and her friends.
"What are you doing here?" Cherry asked.
"We came tah invite ya tah tha picnic we goin’ tah do in tha evenin’ in the countryside at the aside the gazebo" Apple Bloom answered.
"Why?" Cherry Blossom asked, who already knew an invitation coming from those three was something of suspicious.
"For nothing special" Scootaloo said.
"We just don’t want to make a picnic alone and we think you could join us" Sweetie Belle said.
"Yeah, there's no harm in it" Apple Bloom said.
Cherry Blossom and Big McIntosh looked at each other and then they smiled and waved.
"All right, we accept your invitation" Cherry said.
"Really?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Eeyup" Big Mac said.
"Hurray!" the three fillies exclaimed.
"Well, so we found ourselves near tha gazebo at about tha sunset" Apple Bloom said. "Bye-bye."
And having said that, the three fillies walked away hastily.
"I wonder what they're up to?" Cherry said to Big Mac "Any idea?"
"Nnope" he said.
Back to Pinkie Pie’s show, she was behind the curtain, preparing to act, dressed in her clown suit. She then heard hooves to climb onto the stage and realized it was Rarity, preparing to announce her. The white unicorn put her head inside the curtain and said:
"Sky is the audience. Now it’s up to you, Pinkie."
"Don’t worry, Rarity" Pinkie Pie said. "I'll do Sky laugh like a hyena in a comedy show."
"Right" said Rarity, being always baffled by Pinkie’s metaphors. "Well, get ready."
Rarity removed her head out of the curtain and said:
“Fillies and gentlecolts, be welcome to one of the most unique shows and, in some way, intriguing of Pinkie Pie. Before we start, allow me to thank you for your generous offer in the entry. We managed to raise enough money for the retirement home of Ponyville."
The ponies cheered gifts, including Sky, although he was applauding lightly.
"Well, now, let us get down to business" Rarity said.
Behind the curtain, Pinkie was getting ready.
"Well, it's time."
She took the hoof to the pendant of the necklace that was under her clown suit, closed her eyes and concentrated on her desire to make the ponies laugh, saying:
"For the wonderful laughter, laugh at me."
The pendant shined with a blue glow that ran Pinkie for a second and then stopped.
"A round of applause for our fantastic, amazing, unique and strangely unpredictable... Pinkie Pie!"
Rarity left the stage and the curtains opened, showing Pinkie Pie doing a crazy dance while singing:
"Hello to all of you/I'm glad you are here/I'm sure you'll have fun/Just seat, see and hear."
Then she began to interact with the public, giving them candy and greeting, always getting out of nowhere, singing:
"You know who I am/I'm your sweetie pinky friend/That give you sweets and candies/And your sadness will attend."
While singing that part, she was beside Sky, trying to make him smile, as he was her mission, but she was not succeeding. He remained serious, merely looking at her with a bored air, unlike the ponies who were very excited, perhaps due to the influence of the power of Pinkie’s element.
Pinkie Pie returned to the stage, where there she began riding a unicycle while juggling cupcakes.
"If you seem a little snappy/And you don’t want to smile/I'll solve your little problem/Because that is my style."
Despite all ponies laugh for Pinkie’s silliness, Sky was the only one who wasn’t laughing. Indeed, he seemed to be getting very bored for being there. The Lord of Chaos appeared behind him and whispered in his ear:
"Look at her. Embarrassing herself like that just to make others laugh. Who in their right mind humiliates herself just for the others to laugh?"
"I know, is completely stupid" replied Sky in a way that only the Lord of Chaos could hear.
Pinkie Pie's smile fell as she realized that she was not being able to make Sky laugh.
"Oh, Sky is not laughing and I'm using the Laugher" she said. "What do I do?"
But then, she was so absorbed in her thoughts that she distracted herself while riding the unicycle that she eventually lost control and fall to the ground. The cupcakes she was juggling up into the air and then began to fall one by one over Pinkie’s head, filling her mane with cream.
With that, the ponies who were watching laughed wildly and then something happened that Pinkie didnot expect: Sky seemed to laugh, although slightly, however, with him trying to hide it. Seeing that, a smile crossed Pinkie Pie’s face, because she already knew how to make Sky laugh.
She left the stage at the speed of a lightning and returned after a second, with the mane clean and with a microphone on a tripod and a pie.
"Hey, guys, what is called a pink pony with a pie in the face?" She asked.
Then she threw the pie to her face and then exclaimed:
"Pinky Pie!"*
That made the ponies to keep laughing and even Sky began to intensify his laughter, though he was still containing it.
Pinkie Pie wiped the pie in his face with a cloth and then pulled out a soda pop and said, taking a glass:
"Does anypony want a drink?"
She started tinkering the soda with a lot of force and then she held it up, hoping the cork would just jump, but it didn’t.
"But what's wrong with this bottle?" Pinkie asked, approaching the bottle from her.
It was then that the cork exploded, hitting her and the soda erupted from the bottle and soaked Pinkie Pie completely. The ponies were already breathless with laughter, but even so, they still did it. Sky even now could not hide his laughter, although this wasn’t the laugh Pinkie needed yet.
"Wait a minute," the Lord of Chaos said him, seeing him laughing. "Are you laughing for contentment? But you shouldn’t do that! Not from... that."
Pinkie Pie shook her head to dry her coat and mane, which puffed up as always. She left the stage again at the speed of light and returned with a box, placed it on the floor and sitting, saying:
“Oh, I have a present. I love presents!"
And then she opened the box and from there came a boxing glove attached to a spring that hit Pinkie and launched her to the sky above her, screaming. She went through some clouds and then back down, landing with a thud. She then sat down with a giddy air. But what was funny was that she also had a mustache and a beard made of large pieces of clouds that made everypony laugh harder. She then looked at Sky and saw that he couldn't take it anymore and began to laugh uproariously.
"Wait, did you think that was funny?" the Lord of Chaos asked. "I mean, the part of the mustache and the beard were funny... But the rest had no fun!"
But Sky didn’t listen and continued to laugh. Then a blue glow began to appear in him.
"Oh, scrap" the Lord of Chaos said, in a boring way, disappearing because of the glow.
Seeing Sky laughing like that, Pinkie Pie realized she had achieved and started jumping for joy and shouting:
"I did it!"
But then she fell on the floor, exhausted from everything that she had to do to make Sky laugh.
Rarity, who was in her desk watching everything, was happy to see that Pinkie Pie had managed to make Sky laugh.
"Howdy, Rarity" greeted a voice.
Rarity startled, but she calmed down she saw it was Applejack.
"Oh, Applejack, it’s you."
"So how are things goin’?" Applejack asked.
"See for yourself" Rarity replied, motioning to Sky who was still laughing at Pinkie Pie’s jokes.
"Well, stretch mah ears an’ call me a mule!" Applejack said. "Pinkie Pie’s plan really worked."
"Yes, I could make him do a generous act."
"It seems that it’s up me now" Applejack said.
They waited until the ponies started getting out, all well-disposed. Sky was spotted approaching and Applejack hastened to approach him. But before doing so, she closed her eyes to activate the power of her element. She concentrated and then said:
"Fer tha sincere honesty, tell tha truth."
Her element flashed and then she moved to Sky.
"Howdy, Sky" greeted him. "Did ya enjoy tha show?"
Sky, by finding Applejack quite annoying, tried to lie, but something made him answer:
"Yes, I loved it. Wait, why did I say that?"
"Ah’m glad ya lik’d" Applejack continued. "Pinkie Pie really has a talent for making pony laugh, isn’t it?"
Sky tried to dodge that question, but a need to respond came over him and he couldn’t control himself.
"Yeah, she's really hilarious" he confessed.
Applejack smiled, knowing that her element was doing its job. However, she knew it wasn’t enough because she was forcing him to tell the truth. She had to be more subtle in a way to compel him to say a pure and sincere truth.
"Ya know, Ah heard ‘bout tha money theft there is in tha village" Applejack said. "It's horrible, isn’t it?"
"Yes."
"Do ya know anythin’ about it? Ah'm not accusing ya, but Ah thought ya could know something."
Applejack stopped. Saying things like that, she wasn’t cornering Sky and so she could give him the opportunity to say the truth.
Sky felt the urge that compelled him to respond honestly decreasing, giving him room to maneuver, but even so, he still felt a desire to tell the truth about those thefts.
The Lord of Chaos appeared again and whispered:
"This time you have to listen to me. Don’t even think in telling the truth. Don’t forget that if you do it, you will be arrested for theft. Believe me, this land can be lovely and all that, but it's very tough with the crime."
Upon hearing that, Sky has made a huge effort and lied:
"No, I know nothing."
Applejack knew he was lying because she knew that he was the thief as it was Rarity who told her. She had to be more effective and for that she have to appeal to the kindness Fluttershy had already fixed, knowing that only then she would appeal to Sky’s conscience.
"Sky, Ah know ya know somethin’" Applejack said. "Please, ya can tell me."
"I don’t know what you're talking about" Sky lied, uncomfortable. "Could you stop bothering me with your twaddle."
He began to move away, but Applejack continued:
"If you continue to hide what you’re hiding, that weight you have chest will not disappear."
Sky stopped at that. It was true he now began to feel a weight on his heart. Was it his consciousness trying to compel him to admit his mistakes?
"Don’t listen her" the Lord of Chaos said. "She just wants you to confess to send you to prison. Believe me, that mare is so honest that she would send her own sister to the jail just for stealing a candy."
However, at that time, the Lord of Chaos’ words no longer seemed to him too much tempting, because he felt an immense discomfort inside his chest that would not let him be at ease.
"Ya can tell me" Applejack said, advancing. "Ya will feel better, believe me. Tha truth is liberatin’."
Sky turned to her, which made her make a slight smile. That smile seemed to convey him trust. He knew she was being honest with him and, as the Lord of Chaos had said, she was very honest and she wouldn’t lie to him about that. Wanting to get rid of that pressure in his chest, he sighed and confessed:
"It was me. I've been stealing other ponies. But only because I needed the money, not only to survive but also to try to regain the love of my life, Bloom or Cherry Blossom... or whatever you call her here. I confess I felt pleased by the adrenaline, but then I felt myself remorseful."
He then went to Rarity and then handed her some coins.
"I think this is what I stole from you. I'm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me."
Applejack and Rarity were either speechless at what just happened because they didn’t expect such a positive effect like that. Recovering, Applejack came up and said, placing a hoof Sky’s shoulder:
"Way tah go, boy. Ya did very well. Isn’t that right, Rarity?"
Rarity was still stunned, but she recovered her posture and replied:
"Yes, very well. But, you know, Sky, you've been so good to confess that I think you should stay with the money."
"But I stole it from you..." he replied, getting the coins back.
"Yes, but I know you're very sorry for what you did" said Rarity. "Come on, accept them."
Sky couldn't believe in that gesture from Rarity and smiled.
The Lord of Chaos was completely petrified. He couldn’t believe Sky was honest and he could do nothing to prevent it.
"Tell me this didn’t just happen" he said.
Then an orange light began coming from Sky and go to the Lord of Chaos.
"It seems that this is my cue" he said. "But this is not over."
And then he disappeared.
Rainbow Dash was quietly resting on top of a cloud, waiting for when it was her turn.
"Ah, Rainbow Dash?" Called a calm little voice.
She opened one eye and saw Fluttershy stop in the air before her.
"What is it, Fluttershy?" she asked, opening the other eye and sitting while she stretched.
"I and the others have already managed to make our missions" Fluttershy said. "You’re the only one left. Once you've finished your work, Twilight might continue her mission."
"It seems that the nap is over" Rainbow said, taking off. "Where is Sky?"
"At Sugarcube Corner" Fluttershy replied. "But I think it's best..."
But she didn’t finish because Rainbow Dash headed there at high speed. She passed Fluttershy at high speed, making her spin on her place and then fall into a cloud a little dizzy:
"... you have calm."
Rainbow Dash went to Sugarcube Corner, where she found Applejack at the entry.
"So?" Rainbow asked Applejack when she landed next to her.
"Ya’re the only one left" she replied.
"And how did it go?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Fluttershy said you were succeeded, but she didn’t explained to me how it went?"
"Ya mean ya didn’t give her time tah explain" Applejack corrected with a slight smile.
"Yeah, whatever. Come on, tell me!"
"It went well. Surprisingly well. Twilight was right. If we had start’d workin’ as a team, we would have these results sooner. Besides it would be much easier usin’ the gifts after that."
"Okay, now it’s with me" Rainbow Dash said. "Hey, how do I use a gift like mine. How can I get access to Sky’s memory?"
"There’s only one way tah find out" Applejack replied, making an inviting gesture for Rainbow entering the store.
She did so and then she found Sky sitting at one of the tables, eating a slice of strawberry cake, while Pinkie Pie was his company, telling him her crazy stories.
"And then, next thing I knew, I was on top of the Ponyville tower with a sombrero on my head, high shoes and my muzzle full of whipped cream" she said.
That made Sky laugh and answered:
"Pinkie Pie, you're really crazy."
"Oh, am I?" she asked. "I always thought I was extravagant/eccentric/unique."
"But don’t all those mean the same thing?" Sky asked.
"No!" Pinkie Pie answered. "Wait... I think you're right. They mean the same thing."
Sky laughed.
Rainbow Dash was somewhat disconcerted to see Sky being so cheerful and friendly. It seems the treatment her friends had done it was really working. Now it was her turn. She forwarded and greeted:
"So, Sky, how are you?"
"Oh, hello..." he greeted.
"Rainbow Dash."
"Right. I should have noticed because of your mane."
"Yes, Rainbow Dash has really in her mane the colors of the rainbow" Pinkie said. "You know, sometimes I wonder if the color is natural or if she dyes it, just like the Mayor. Did you know she is not naturally grey? Yes, she dyes her mane, maybe to look wiser."
"Pinkie, don’t you have to go watch the twins?" Rainbow Dash asked, knowing that if Pinkie was around, she wouldn’t be able to fulfill her mission.
"Oh, it's true!" the pink mare cried. "They must be about to wake up! I'll be back."
And having said this, she ran out to the upper floor.
"So, Sky, now that we're friends..." Rainbow Dash started, sitting in the place that had once been occupied by Pinkie Pie. "We're friends, aren’t we?"
"Of course."
"Well, so, why don’t we try to know each other better?" Rainbow Dash asked. "For example, I'm native from Cloudsdale. What about you? I heard you’re not from Equestria."
Sky didn’t respond immediately and, when he did, he said:
"Yes, I’m from a distant land, but I'd rather not talk about it."
"But it must have cost you a lot, being separated from your family and your friends, right?" Rainbow asked.
Sky thought about the answer and then said:
"Actually, Rainbow, not really. You know, when Cherry Blossom came to here, I dropped everything just to find her."
"So you dropped your whole life and all those who love you because of a mare? How stupid!"
"Love makes us act like idiots."
"Love or obsession" Rainbow Dash muttered.
"What did you say?" Sky said, not hearing clearly what she had said.
"Nothing important" she said. "But have you ever considered leave Cherry and return home? I mean, she's getting married. Don’t you think it's a little too late?"
"You say well, she's getting married" he said. "She didn’t married yet. I still have a shot. And if I have to give up my family and friends just to be with the mare I love, so I give them up."
Rainbow couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Despite the influences of the other Elements of Harmony, Sky continued to show no remorse for having abandoned those who loved him. Moreover, he was willing to swap them just to stay with Cherry Blossom. She had to change it... and it was now.
"No, I won’t allow it" he said.
"What do you mean?" Sky asked.
Rainbow Dash focused all the loyalty inside of her and then put a hoof on Sky's shoulder and said:
"For the strong loyalty, remember."
Her element began to glow and then Rainbow found herself accessing memories that were not hers. They should be Sky’s. She could see how he was in his other form and all his memories, and many of them were from Cherry Blossom.
The memories were so many that Rainbow Dash couldn’t even concentrate. She had to isolate the memories she thought were not appropriate and the first thing she did was to isolate all the memories that contained Cherry. After that, she decided to start with his family.
"Remember your family" Rainbow Dash said. “All the happy times you spent with them."
And she began to show him the happy memories of his childhood with his parents. When he remember them, it seemed that Sky was starting to miss them.
"Mom... Dad..."
The Lord of Chaos appeared behind Sky and placed his hand on his other shoulder, saying:
"Not this time. Sky, remember that your parents were not always the best parents in the world. Remember the bad things that happened to you because of them."
Sky then began to remember the times that his father always tried to control him, using his duties as prince, thereby preventing him from being with his friends and with Bloom, and the foisting for an engagement with Diaspro, besides the fact that his mother never tried to stop him. That made Sky to say:
"My parents never did anything for me, especially my father. Why would I miss them?"
Rainbow realized she have to use another memory to make him realize the love his parents had for him. So, she find the right one.
"Sky, your father loves you as a parent can love a child" Rainbow Dash said. "Do not you remember this?"
And she showed him when his father, Erendor, helped in the fight against witches called Ancestral Witches, sacrificing himself to save Bloom, Sky’s great love.
"It’s true, my father sacrificed himself for Bloom and, through her, for me" he replied.
"And your mother, though silent before your father, gave you comfort and support when you needed" Rainbow continued, making Sky remember all the love his mother always gave him.
"You're right" he said, smiling. "She did"
The Lord of Chaos didn’t want to believe she had managed to give back to the situation.
"Not bad, Rainbow Dash" he said. "Not bad at all. You took one of the few happy memories of Sky with his parents and you used it to your advantage. But this battle is not over yet, my dear."
He was right. After all, there was another part to replenish Sky’s loyalty: his friends.
"Okay, now let’s pass to your friends" Rainbow Dash said. "Remember the happy times you spent together. Everything they have done for you."
Sky was then assaulted by the happy memories with her friends, his friends from Red Fountain and his friends from Alfea. A smile appeared on Sky when he remembered all that. But the Lord of Chaos was about to change everything.
"Yes, they're really your friends" he told him. "They are so your friends that some of them betrayed you and/or tried to prevent you from find Bloom. I mean, if one or two of them are capable of betraying you, do you must trust in the others? After all, once burned, twice shy."
He then did Sky start to remember all the betrayals made by Riven, one of his friends, thus prompting his distrust toward the others, besides he increased his anger towards them by the attempt to discourage the idea of facing Lord of Order to recover Bloom.
"Why would I bother with them?" Sky asked. "They are even worse than my parents. They already betrayed me many times and they tried to prevent me from having what I want: the love of my life."
Rainbow Dash was shocked how much happiness in Sky’s friendships had become into a deep distrust. It seemed that Sky’s dark side was using the old betrayals to darken his vision of what was true. She had to do something.
"No, you cannot think like that" Rainbow said. "Of course your friends love you. They just want what is best for you."
"That’s not true" the Lord of Chaos told him. "Friends who never betrayed are just potential traitors."
"Yes, they are traitors" Sky said, burying himself increasingly in those dark memories.
Rainbow felt that she was losing and then raised the tone of her voice, exclaiming:
"Sky, listen to me! Yes, it’s true; sometimes friends betray our trust. So what? All friendships have problems. There’s no one that have not problems. But true friendship can restore the trust and the loyalty that were broken. Remember that even with all the betrayals, your friendship with your friends remained and that just means how much they like you."
Sky started to remember all that Rainbow had said.
"And if they tried to stop you from face the Lord of Order because of Bloom, it’s because they value your safety because you have to be realistic: you could never defeat the Lord of Order."
She paused and then continued:
"Sky, your friends are loyal to you and they will always be loyal. But you are the one that is turning the back on them. You are turning your back to those who love you and care about you."
Sky looked Rainbow that made him a slight smile. That smile showed him confidence, that he could trust her words.
"Please don’t tell me you're going to fall again in this kind of lousy talk" the Lord of Chaos said. "The fact that they worry about you doesn’t erase the fact that they betrayed you. And betrayal responds with betrayal and with a bit of contempt."
Although tempted to follow the easiest decision, Sky decided to give an opportunity to Rainbow Dash’s words and returned her the smile, waving and saying:
"Yes, you're right. I cannot turn my back to them."
A red light came out of Sky without warning and hit the Lord of Chaos who screamed in pain and then disappeared.
In the library, Twilight was still trying to interpret the Lord of Order’s words. But seeing each element of the tapestry shining one after another, she began to get increasingly desperate.
She was walking from one side to the other thinking, when...
"Twilight, look!" Spike said, pointing to the tapestry.
She looked and saw that the last element that was left, Loyalty, was shining. The only one who wasn’t shining was the one in the center: Magic, her element.
"I don’t believe it!" Twilight exclaimed, quickening her pace. "Sky is ready for me and I still don’t know what to do with my magic."
"Twilight, calm down" Spike said. "I'm sure you'll be able to understand what the Lord of Order wants you so we can send Sky back to his world and end up with his desire to have Cherry Blossom."
Then, hearing the words her dragon assistant said, Twilight had an epiphany.
"That's right. Why didn’t I think of that? Studying the cause. Spike, you're a genius!"
And having said this, she gave a huge hug to the little dragon who could hardly breathe. When Twilight dropped him and he fell to the ground, he asked:
"What?"
"I know what to do with my element and bring Sky to the light side" Twilight replied.