//------------------------------//
// 16. Pinkie Pie: Amelioration 
// Story: Rise of Ponietheus 
// by twitterdick 
//------------------------------//

	Pinkie Pie and Discord occupied a small hill outside the guarded borders of town, watching. Discord peaked at the bleak sentries surrounding the sorry town beyond. Many infected gathered there, like they were patrol. Pinkie Pie wiggled her nose and thought. Sneaking past them would probably be safer. 
"What's with the spooks?" Discord asked.
"Oh, if you touch that rain you go into some kind of freaky fear coma," Pinkie Pie said.
"Seriously!? That's just great," Discord said, "Is 'coma' the right word? Those ponies seem to be out and about…"
"Yeah, after a while your eyes turn white and you attack ponies or whatever."
Discord frowned. "That doesn't make any sense. What, does the fear coma just do whatever it has to to make our lives difficult?"
"Pretty much," Pinkie Pie said, "That's why we've got to get in there and stop this thing!"
Discord scoffed. "Yeah, I hate to be 'that guy' here, but what exactly is your plan? Is there a plan?" he asked, "I mean, I don't think the power of friendship is going to cut it this time.
"We have to get to the town hall!" Pinkie Pie said, "Spike's in there and he's our best bet. He, like, wasn't as infected as others were. I think I can break him out like I did you!"
"Once again, hate being 'that guy', but I wasn't really 'infected', as you say, I was just bored in the desert. That's a real fatal flaw in your plan. Like an elephant-in-the-room size flaw in your otherwise brilliant and completely feasible plan…"
"Well, then we're testing a… a… oh, what's that science-y word Twilight always uses… A hippopotamus! No…. hypo-noose. Yeah, we're testing a hypo-noose!"
"An 'hypothesis'?!" Discord retorted, "You're having us waltz into happy-go-lucky infected zombie land on a 'hypothesis'?"
"Have a bit of faith!!" Pinkie Pie snapped, whipping her head towards him, "It'll work, I just know it! I feel it in my gut!"
"Great, okay. If it's not the power of friendship, it's gut feelings and hypotheses," Discord sputtered exhaustedly, collapsing back into the grass upon the hill. He ran his hand through his hair. "Oh, what the heck, it'll be fun. Let's do it!" He popped back up and nestled down beside Pinkie Pie as she surveyed. "So, how are we getting in, boss?"
Pinkie Pie pressed her hoof into her chin and pondered. Then, with the flash of a light bulb inside her skull, she dug deep into her saddlebag and pulled out a balloon and a few scraps of paper.

----

To the shock of the bleak sentries in town, a bright red hot air balloon suddenly peaked up over the rocky ridges to the south. It's bright and saturated colors defaced the dark skies as it sailed above them swiftly and silently. Breaking ranks, a few of the infected pegasi quickly took flight and viciously assaulted the floating monument; biting, ripping and slashing all manner of holes and ruptures into it's dome structure. Air bellowed out as the drove the scarlet beast down into a nearby hillside.
The rest stood fast, and did not adjust themselves to fill the significant holes in their guarding structure. And so, they failed to spot the hooded figures that passed thru their ranks, sneaking deep into the grim territory beneath the stormy skies above. Pinkie Pie and Discord turned and watched their bright red distraction crumple into itself and crash down soundlessly and effortlessly into the distance. However, they had no anticipated the return of the pegasi that had assaulted the balloon, for soon - in that very moment - the returning raiders descended upon them like wild fire. 
"Bad news, boss!!" Discord shouted.
He held fast, and magically hurled nearby rocks and debris towards the invaders, but their numbers increased as they flocked upon the two like ants upon a weakened feast, kicking and pecking all the while. The two did all they could to stay together and fend off the attackers, but were simply overwhelmed in a short time.
But then, eagles, vultures and creatures with all manner of talons swooped in from the skies above, sending the wings and bodies of the fiendish infected harpies to the ground. The dirt and grass parted as gophers, mice and all emerge from the underground to bind the infected, to keep them still and quiet. Pinkie Pie and Discord, who gathered together battered, baffled yet joyous, stood amazed at nature's uprising. Beasts, wolves and bears came from the sidelines and down from the hills into the field. Together, as if summoned by nature herself, the animals rounded and gathered the infected, pinning them down and binding them in moss, dirt and vine. They repeatedly motioned for the two to continue and press on into the town, and they did not waste the opportunity.
"What's this?" Discord said.
"Who cares!? Let's go!" Pinkie Pie shouted. 
Pulling away from the fray, the town pushed their way into the fractured town, navigating it's twisted streets and debris. The buildings around them seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and the ravaged town relaxed a little. Homes and shops stood taller, and the clouds above lightened ever-so-slightly like the cracks of a barrier giving way to a powerful force behind it. Pinkie Pie found herself running with such a purpose thru the memorized streets, winding and turning, that all the stimuli - the sights and sounds - of the town faded into the muffled background. She could hear the cracks and sparks of wires and lanterns, as well as the acerbic quips of disapproval from Discord behind her, but none of it registered within her. She was so focused, more focused than she had ever been before, and thrilled.
After several minutes of nonstop motion, Pinkie Pie and Discord arrived at the battered town hall, barely standing after the assault that had occurred earlier. Pinkie Pie stopped in her tracks, peering at the wreck with withered, tired eyes that - somehow - became filled with determination and gusto. Between dreary, tired pants and what felt like absurd amounts of coursing adrenaline, she felt such a call to press forward, like she was being summoned.
"Stopped? We stopped! Why did we stop?" Discord quipped in a hasty manner. He had spoken often throughout the long run here, dispute how Sisyphean his attempts at conversation had been. To his utter lack of surprise, Pinkie Pie brushed off the questions and raced into the building. Discord was quick to follow, albeit filled with the mumbles and grumbles or both discontent and subtle regret.
The conference room was quiet and sordid now. It's upturned tables and piles of rock, rubble and concrete made the area akin to a tomb or an ancient ruin. Apart from Pinkie Pie's panting, the room created almost no audible noise - no crumbling or ticking nor sounds of water or residence. Silence is the most unsettling sound of all, and it served no other purpose there then to reinforce the despairing acts that had taken place there. Discord stopped at the entrance to the hall, despite the fact that Pinkie Pie and rushed in, and stood in unprecedented, uncharacteristic awe. He was taken aback by the sheer, pointless destruction and the apparent malice behind it. 
"What a shock," he mumbled, "Never thought I'd be this affected by pointlessness. That's kind of my department…" 
He felt strangely sad for a moment, then protective, and he had no idea why.
Pinkie Pie was quick to pick thru the rubble that lie upon a specific table. She diligently cleared the way, and stuck her head deep down into the darkness underneath. She grabbed Spike - who was still nestled in his quilts - and drug him out from his respite under that table and into the dim moonlit room. She sat back suddenly, as if stumped. Discord moved to her side, and peered down at the bleak little specimen.
"So, now what?" Discord asked.
"Hmmm…" Pinkie Pie rubbed her hoof on her chin, "I have no idea. I didn't think about what I'd do when I got here. I knew what I was going to do before here and after here, but not when I was here-here." 
She sat puzzled for a bit, her left eye twitching in calculation, extrapolation and all other manners of Pinkie Pie level reasoning.
Discord released a quick sigh of disappointment. Although he had anticipated - and frankly expected - this journey to fail completely, he was still genuinely discouraged. He began to move about the fractured facility, mumbling to himself, but keeping a close watch on the antics of Pinkie Pie as she sat in her calculation.
Pinkie's mind buzzed with admirable gusto. 
'What does Spike fear?' she thought, 'Growing up? He did run off to join some dragons once… No, that's not fear, that's dissatisfaction…. Hmmm… What happened when he turned? He was alone with Twilight Sparkle while the rest of us went to talk to scary ghost fillies… the Twilight admitted to falling asleep… and he was alone. Is he scared of being alone? No, that's no fun. That's my thing, I guess. And he was fine with being alone when we went to the Crystal Empire…. Hmm… he was by himself and he wrote that paper… the paper!'
What had happened to that paper? Nopony had even read it, really. Pinkie Pie thought back. Nopony had grabbed it - they were attacked. There was no time to grab it. But she could see it, in her head. She had glanced at it when they entered the room - it was scribbled and nonsensical. No, but there were a few words, or at least scraps of words, she had made out. She could see them in her head, but couldn't see them just yet. 'A…. a-something…' she thought, ' aban….. left behind….abandoned… abandonment!!'
"Spike fears abandonment!!" she shouted vibrantly. The sudden sound scared Discord ever-so-slightly, as he jump in place.
"What are you on about?!"
"Twilight was alone with Spike…'alone with Spike' - that's contradictory… anyway, Twilight was alone with Spike but then Princess Luna made her fall asleep so they could talk, and Spike felt abandoned cos he was left behind and alone! That's how it kicked it!" Pinkie Pie sputtered, "No, but he was aware it was kicking in. He wasn't fully afraid, that's why he's different - not fully infected, I mean. He was aware it was happening… so the darkness performed a botched operation. It rushed things. So my hypo-noose is that if we can make Spike unafraid again, he'll snap out of it!!"
Discord was visibly confused by her rapid explanation, but she payed him little mind. She was talking to herself, mostly. She turned to Spike then, his form still flickering, and hollered, "Spike!! Spike, it's okay! You're haven't been abandoned!! We're all here with you!!"
She stared at him intently, but nothing happened. Discord's eyes shifted between the two, but his face drew downwards. 
"Uh, hello?" he said.
She said nothing.
"Once again, hate being 'that guy', but I don't think it's working."
Pinkie Pie stared a bit longer, her Pinkie-specific scientific gaze withstanding. Without any feel of bitterness or scorn, her head shifted back into her downward-staring thought-mode.
"No, no, no…" she said, "My words won't carry the weight. Action's speak louder than words, perhaps? No, it can't be me… Twilight! or Rarity! He likes them best… It's all in the emotion, who or what will make Spike feel un-abandoned. We need Twilight or Rarity!! …oh, but how do we un-infect them?"
It was cold in that room, suddenly, and both their eyes were soon drawn upwards to the skyline. The clouds were cracking, and a figure could be seen up in the night sky, flying east. It passed in front of the moon, and was dark and noticeable feminine. Pinkie Pie's eyes widened. "Princess Luna!" she murmured to herself. "Discord! What's east of here?" she shouted.
"Oh, I don't know, boss. Let me pull out my limited edition Equestria map I keep with me at all times! You're the eidetic one here, why don't you know?"
"We have to head eastward! It's Princess Luna, I know it!" Pinkie Pie shouted. 
And with that, she raced for the exit as if no fatigue or weariness moved within her at all. And, with a sigh, Discord began to follow. He so disdained being led about like a hound on a leash, at the mercy of Pinkie's 'hypo-nooses.' Pinkie Pie stopped just outside of the door, as if she was waiting for him, but her whole figure pointed eastward and up at the large structure nestled gently into the mountains thereof.
"Canterlot!" she exclaimed, "Luna's headed for Canterlot! Golly, only Spike 'n Rarity have been up there…."
"What do you suppose lovely Luna is doing in that place, boss?" Discord asked.
Pinkie's eyes drifted off in thought for a moment and the corners of her mouth tightened. "Oh, Princess Celestia, of course! Let's go!"
Pinkie Pie took off. Discord scoffed and followed.
"Hey! HEY!! I can fly us there, you know!!"

---

Pinkie Pie and Discord flew to the silent city of Canterlot. They landed in the streets and marveled. It was simply lifeless. The once bright city felt so uncanny. Even Pinkie Pine found herself uncomfortable. Discord was quiet.
The two weaved their way through the streets. Pinkie Pie hummed a little impromptu song to herself uneasily in a futile attempt to lighten the atmosphere. They then approached the mighty castle at the edge of the eldritch city, still following the bright moon ahead. As they neared the bottom of the entree stairs, Pinkie Pie quickened her pace and raced up them and into the door. 
"Princess Luna!?" she hollered.
"Ouch!" Discord cried, "Really, screaming!? Why don't you just scream, 'Hey, darkly spooks, we're over here!?'"
Pinkie Pie shrugged him off and entered the castle. 
"Careful, there's some glass on the floor," Pinkie Pie said.
"Still can fly!" Discord said.
A path was cleared up into the throne room, and the dim lights of lanterns lit the hallway there. Pinkie Pie took off up into the hallway towards the throne room. Discord did indeed follow, but as he moved behind her he repaired the stain glass windows magically and restored the lights behind them as they moved. As the two entered the throne room, he conjured a light and sent up into the ceiling. The room was bright now, but with no trace of Luna. Celestia still lied crumpled in place in the corner of the room. She was grey now, as grey as the others, but she did not march off to the horde as they had. Her eyes her shut, and she was still like she was sleeping.
"Princess Luna!?!" Pinkie Pie shouted the loudest she could manage, "Are you here?! We followed the moon!!" 
Her words echoed throughout the empty room, and they both sat and waited in silence for a bit. 
"Is that Pinkie Pie!?" Luna cried. She dropped from a hiding place up in the ceiling. "Good graces, I was worried you were the Harbinger…"
She smiled at Pinkie Pie then noticed Discord.
"Discord? Where on earth have you been!?"
"Out on vacation, I'm afraid," he responded with a smile, "It was lovely, but our little pink friend here convinced me well enough to end the festivities earlier and jump into the fray. What a right mess has been made with this place."
Luna smiled back at him, "It's actually good to see you, all things considered."
Discord laughed, "Ha, I don't any pony's ever been glad to see me…"
Luna then turned to Pinkie Pie with a much more grave look on her face, "The others?"
Pinkie Pie shook her head solemnly. "Nope. Hey, what about back up?"
Luna sighed. "Gaea has been notified but she'll take her sweet time. I was hoping to get back to you all, but I had a running with the Harbinger." She looked around the throne room and sighed. "I figured this would be as good a place as any to wait. I was going to look for you, but you have found me, it seems."
Pinkie Pie rubbed her nose. "Do you really think Gaea can stop the Harbinger?"
Luna shrugged. "This storm and its disease concern me more."
Pinkie Pie light up then. "Hey, that's why we're here! I came up with a great idea; a hypo-noose!"
"…Hypothesis," Discord interrupted.
"Ugh! Whatever!!" she shouted back at him dismissively, "Anyway - if I could perhaps continue without getting interrupted - so when ponies get infected, they're overcome by their fears, right?"
"Wait, wait?" Luna interrupted.
Pinkie Pie grunted and furrowed in frustration, then simply continued. "Roll with it Princess, I'll explain later. Anyway, so the black stuff gets on you, then you get scared and it infects you! So, I think that we can 'break' a pony out of infection by helping them overcome their fears!"
"How in the world do you hope to accomplish that?" Luna asked, doubts withstanding.
"Well, we just have to figure out what each pony's afraid of. Like Spike's afraid of abandonment, so we need Twilight or Rarity - he likes them best, you see - to help him realize he hasn't been abandoned. If he's not afraid anymore, then he can't be infected!"
Luna blinked and looked at Discord. He shrugged. "Yeah, there was about four hours of this before now. She just talks. I don't know what's happening, I'm just kind of going along."
Pinkie Pie bounced. "Yeah, yeah, go along!! We can at least try it, right?"
Luna looked over at her sister, then downwards. She nodded and looked at Pinkie. "Yes, we can at least try it. I think I know the perfect candidate."
Pinkie Pie continued to bounce. "Who? Who!? Lemme guess… Ummm, Spike!"
Luna grimaced slightly and just shook her head. "No. No, no, my sister."
Pinkie Pie stopped bouncing. She was taken complete aback. Her mouth just hung open a bit.
"Oh," she said, "Oh, dang it! I haven't thought about Princess Celestia. Hmm, what could she be afraid of?"
"Think carefully!" Luna said, going along with it, "You have the greatest memory of anypony, right? Think of when circumstance eroded my sister's royal veneer - of when she has panicked, even slightly."
Discord laughed. "Celestia panicking? I'd pay to see it."
Luna shushed him.   
"Let's see… um…. um…" Pinkie Pie thought aloud. "When does Princess Celestia panic? errr… Queen Chrysalis! She couldn't defeat queen Chrysalis, she panicked a little… Um, so maybe it's being defeated, not being strong enough… or, or not being able to protect her kingdom!"
Her eyes brightened and she turned towards Discord. 
"Hey, Discord!" she shouted, "Attack the kingdom! Attack us and let Princess Celestia defeat you!"
"What?" he said, "Let her defeat me? Hardly. And besides, look at her! She's not moving a muscle! What makes you think she'll do anything? Is she even aware of us here? Can she even hear us?"
"…I can hear you," cooed Celestia over in the corner.
Discord grew quiet and they all peered over at her. Her eyes were still closed, but she seemed to be regaining color. She stirred at twitched, like she was just waking up.
"Big Sister!" Luna cried. She rushed over to her, but hesitated to touch her. Celestia opened her eyes and stretched her back. Her eyes caught Luna's and she smiled.
"Hello," she said.
Luna cried a little.
"Hey, what!? Is this for real?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Hey, how'd you come back? Hey, how come you just came back for no reason!! I didn't even get to test my hypo-noose! Hey, that's not fair!!"
"How are you feeling, Big Sister?" Luna asked.
Celestia rubbed her eyes. "I… feel like I've just been sleeping and I had horrible dreams." She then peered around the throne room. She looked at the shattered glass and the hole in the ceiling as well as one of the outside walls. She noted the few overturned columns and the debris. Then she noticed how worn Luna and Pinkie Pie looked. 
"No, I remember what happened…"
"You've been out for a long time," Luna said. She laughed through her tears and coughed a little bit. "It's been a few days and a lot has happened."
Pinkie Pie grumbled. "You don't know the half of it."
"I don't know the any of it," Discord said, "But informing me as to what's going on is clearly not a high priority. Anyway, uh, it's good to see you up and about, I guess."
"Is it just the three of you? Where is Twilight Sparkle?" Celestia asked.
"Twilight and basically everypony else got infected just like you did," Pinkie Pie said, "but it's okay! Princess Luna went and got reinforcements! And with the darkness wearing off, everypony should be okay soon, even though I don't get to test my hypo-noose on them…"
Celestia furrowed. "'Reinforcements?' From whom?"
Luna bit her lip hard and exhaled trepidatiously.
Then, a bright red light filled the open sky. A flare had been launched in the distance. They all turned to look at it as it blazed outside the hole in the wall. Luna stepped towards it. 
"Protean Joy…" she said.
"Protean Joy?" Pinkie Pie asked.
Luna nodded. "He is at Applejack's farm. He told me he would set off a flare to let me know Ga- …that the reinforcements are coming."
"Hey, let's go, then!" Pinkie Pie said. She took off towards the exit.
"Where are you going!?" Discord screamed, "We could just fly there! The three of us can fly!!!"