Celestia galloped through the halls. Mother and Father were missing. Nopony knew where, and Surprise and Luna, so far, didn't know. The guards were going crazy in search. Soldier Sparkle galloped up to her without her armor.
"'Tia," she panted, "all of the armor... in the armory... turned... into butterflies." She collapsed on the floor, still panting.
Without the armor's magic, Soldier Sparkle was a light pink unicorn with gentle violet eyes. Her mane and tail was white with a violet stripe. Upon her flank was a six-pointed violet star with five, small, white stars surrounding it. Sweat dripped on her forehead and hung in her straight mane.
"Butterflies," said Celestia very confused. "Only a very, very strong unicorn like StarSwirl could do that! Or his personal pupil, Clover!"
Sparkle shook her head. "It was a very strange dragon! He had a brown pony's head, a large tooth, a darker brown body, a lion's paw, an eagle's claw, a cloven hoof, a reptile's foot, a dragon's tail, a goat's horn, and a buck's horn."
Celestia blinked. "That is the most chaotic creature I've ever heard of! And it can do magic?!"
"I'm a 'he,' you know," a voice rang out from the walls. "And you're right about chaotic." Something flashed between Celestia and Soldier Sparkle. The creature was now there. Its His eyes... Celestia didn't like his eyes. They had a red pupil and iris and a yellow sclera.
"The name is Discord," he announced. "The Lord of Chaos, Master of Everything that Breathes and Doesn't Breathe, and many, many other titles." Discord smirked at the two ponies. "What lovely wings you have. Like a swan's. Oh, and a horn? An alicorn! I thought I killed all of you off!"
Celestia and Soldier Sparkle gasped. Killed!?
"Whelp! Now that you stupid ponies are here, I'm going to have to declare war. Goodbye! I'll see you on the battlefield!" He disappeared.
The walls 'spoke' again, "Oh, by the way: I have your parents. Toodles!"
Celestia collapsed and began to weep. Soldier Sparkle sat down on the floor by her and comforted her.
=====
Celestia donned her armor. She never wanted to use it, because it meant she was going to fight.
Discord had been bringing chaos everywhere. Mashed potato clouds that rained hot, boiling water. Animals going crazy and experiencing physical changes. Food became no longer edible to ponies.
It was awful.
Discord was also giving ponies a hard time. Driving them to be slaves. Brainwashing them. Giving them defaults to their natural abilities. Reversing their personalities. And... And so much more that hurt Celestia's heart.
Her armor was golden. There was a blade attached to her helmet. Her hooves were covered with longer, stronger slippers. Finally, Celestia's mane and tail were tied up in pony-tails.
She was as ready as she could ever be. And it was time.
She began to trot outside, and every guard followed her.
Soldier Sparkle was trotting beside her and was wearing armor similar to Celestia's.
"'Tia," Soldier Sparkle whispered, "will this be enough? He's a god."
Celestia looked worried. "I admit, Sparkle: I-I don't know." Her ears flattened. "We might not be able to defeat him and..." She choked up a bit. "... and hopefully retrieve my parents." Celestia shed a tear. Sparkle noticed, and she rested her hoof on Celestia's side.
Celestia looked over and smiled softly but sadly. "Thank you, Sparkle." Celestia looked foward. She could see the battlefield... and she could see her parents in a cage.
They were weak. So weak, they couldn't stand. They simply lied there in the cage. Father's wings were bound to his sides, and Mother's horn had a spell ring on it. A spell ring didn't allow unicorns, or alicorns, to activate their magic, at all.
Celestia began tearing up again. Her parents... They were on the verge of death.
Then, the army marched onto the battlefield. No turning back, now.
=%~>#
(What happened to the time-skipping-thingy? Dang it, Discord!)
They were gone. They were all gone! Discord had been able to kill them all. And... And her parents.
How was Celestia supposed to defeat him? He was all-powerful! He made the guards turn on each other, and they had a bloody battle with one another. Only Celestia and Soldier Sparkle had been spared from the spell.
They were galloping to the castle, at the moment, to see if Luna and Surprise were okay. They arrived and found the mares cowering. It had been a few years, and Luna was almost a full grown mare (she is the same size as she is on the show). Surprise was also close to being a full grown mare, as well.
"'Tia," Surprise asked, "what happened? Where are all of the guards?" Some of Surprise's mane and tail 'deflated.'
Celestia looked at the floor sadly. "Surprise? Discord... Discord, he killed them all... Only Sparkle and I live. He even killed our parents, Luna. Our parents..." Celestia collasped and wept.
"Sister," Luna asked. "May I make a suggestion?"
"Of course, Luna," Celestia said sadly yet lovingly. "What is your suggestion?"
"Do you remember that story Mother and Father told us about the five friendship gems?"
Celestia scrunched her face in thought. "Yes?"
"I believe we must find them, 'Tia." Celestia pondered for a thought, but then nodded.
She looked over to Surprise. "Will you join, my friend and student?" Surprise's lit up at the thought.
She did a flip in the air, "Yay!! Of course I will 'Tia!"
"Soldier Sparkle," Celestia asked.
Soldier Sparkle nodded faithfully. "Let my magic protect."
"Luna," Celestia continued, "let us find more ponies for our journey."
=====
They found four more ponies. One was an orange earth pony baker with a blond mane and tail. Another was pink pegasus warrior with a blue mane and tail. A different earth pony that was an animal caretaker was yellow with a pink mane. Finally, a unicorn miner was a blue-ish white with a purple and pink mane.
They had settled that this was 'the team.' Celestia, Luna, Soldier Sparkle, Surprise, Apple Cider, FireFly, Humble Flitter, and Rare Gem. A strange team, but they were the only ponies to be found.
And now, the quest for the Friendship Gems.
