“Ah, Starlight. I trust you have received my message?” Discord said, pleased.
“Yes, Lord, and I came as soon as I could. What do you want of me?” She bowed.
“Ah, Starlight, my favorite pupil… come with me. The king has to show you something.”
With that and a wink, the two vanished in a puff of cotton candy smoke. They re-appeared in a damp little room, with a large…something…in the middle. Starlight used her magic to illuminate the room, and gasped. The pony looked just like and older version of herself, but with one exception; her cutie mark. The pony frozen in stone had a star, surrounded by other stars. Starlights’ was a large wand, topped with a dark star crystal. She had become one of the most accomplished battle ponies before retiring. She looked at the pony before her, wondering who it was.
“That, my young friend, is your only relative.” Discord said, answering her question. “Starlight, meet Twilight…The Original Element of Magic. One of the few foolish to oppose me during the Days of Order.” He sighed.
“Now, I suppose you are wondering why I called you here. Well, plain and simple, Twilight has not been as quiet as I would hope. She moves. Look.” Discord prodded the statue, and a glowing light emitted from the horn, nullifying the movement that otherwise would have caused the statue to topple. The glowing subsided, but Starlight still felt the power of the older pony.
“Well, now you know…Your great lord is not all powerful. I can’t even keep a 500 year old pony quiet.” Discord sighed again. “Now, here is your mission.” Starlight looked up in eagerness. “I want you to go to a barracks town called Ponyville. I’m having the statue transferred there. There’s a large source of magic that I can use to suppress Twilights own. Just make sure everything is in order.” He turned to go, the remembered that he never installed a door. Teleporting was much easier.
Instead, both he and Starlight vanished in a puff of coffee.
Starlight prepared to travel to Ponyville. She had seen the town before, traveling with the Chaos Guard, but only at a great distance, and from a great height. When she returned, she found, just as she expected, a vase was shattered, and Scales was nowhere to be seen. She found him sleeping under the stairs, as usual. She prodded him awake, and he grunted and rolled over. She finally used a magical bolt of lightning, just a small one, to wake him up.
“OW!” whattttttt….grrrr.” he growled. “What is sssssso important you has to wakeee meeee.”
“We’re moving.” Starlight said shortly. “Pack the most important books, and the essentials.”
Scales grumbled, but did as he was told. Within a few minutes the two of them stood in the center of the room. A tall gray pony entered the room.
“Starlight, you are ready?” Said the gray pony.
“Yes, Count Hoof. Ready” She stilled herself for the shock she expected. Only the King could teleport painlessly. There were perks to being the King of Chaos.
“One…two…three!” Count Hoof called. There was a flash of dull light, and Starlight, Scales and luggage were whisked away to the town of pony ville.
When she arrived, Starlight opened her eyes. She was in a large hall of some kind, decorated with tapestries depicting the fall of Order, and the rise of Chaos. Scales immediately began nibbling on one, but she cuffed him with her hoof.
“Are you Starlight?” A gruff voice from the shadows addressed her.
“Yes, I am sir. And you are…” She paused.
“General Rock,” came the reply. “Pleased ta meet’cha.” A formidable pony revealed itself from the shadows. General rock stood a good hand and head taller than Starlight, and his well-built shoulders were covered with armor plating, as were his legs. He had a moustache that grayed at the edges, but his eyes showed that it was from experience rather than age. Well, one eye. The other was covered by a patch. His close cropped main showed his military experience, as did the scars along each flank, and under the plating.
“I’ll be showin’ ya to yer quarters. Follow me please.” He turned and walked away, and Starlight saw what accounted for the strange noise his back leg made; it was wooden.
“Will the dragon be needin’ anything?” Rock asked.
“No, he’s fine.” Starlight said before Scales could reply that he would like some raw steak. He grumbled. Rock lead Starlight and her companion to the guest hall. It was a sight to behold. Everything was detailed as Starlight had wanted; large empty shelves for her books, a bed for Scales, where she could keep an eye on him, and a large fire place, above which hung a magic mirror. It was here she could communicate with Discord without having to rely on fire-scrolls.
“If ya be needin’ anything, da not hesitate ta ask one of the Earth Ponies.” He bowed and left, he wooden leg creaking eerily. Starlight began unpacking her book and using magic to sort them onto the shelves. Scales immediately curled up into a ball and fell asleep, in the fireplace…
Starlight looked at the dragon admonishingly, but decided against moving him. He looked quiet, and that was the only time he was. She picked up the copy of “Equestria; Fact Or Fiction?”, and continued reading.
Discords first act as leader of the new land was to abolish the old order. Chaos was the new way to live, and so nothing in Equestria, renamed Choatica, was the same from day to day.
Suddenly, the page stopped. A new script formed on the page where words extolling Discord once were. Starlight read the new page with excitement and apprehension.
Dear Reader;
I do not know who you are, or what has become of our quest to end Chaos.
Starlight knew she should stop right there, but something compelled her to continue.
If our quest has succeeded, then stop now. Your life is as it should be.
If however, Chaos has regained a foothold, or even worse, taken full control, then certain steps must be taken to ensure it is locked away forever.
The Elements of Harmony must be found and reunited. With them you can subdue Chaos into submission. If this succeeds, you must trap him inside the Armor of Chaos. Only then will Chaos truly be contained.
But here is the important point; CHAOS CANNOT BE DESTROYED. It matters not how evil he is, or what he has done to Equestria. He is part of the balance, and that balance cannot be disturbed.
The armor is a powerful magical force in of itself, but combined with the Elements of Harmony, It can be unstoppable.
Under NO circumstances should discord discover the whereabouts of the Elements! If they are not found, or worse, found by the wrong side, Chaos could rule forever, and Equestria will be covered by 1000 years of darkness.
(Authors note: actually, with further research, I have discovered it is only 962.)
Go, young pony, who-ever you may be. Equestria depends on you.
Signed,
Twilight Sparkle.