//------------------------------// // This is something you don't want to miss, so stay tuned for the kiss // Story: Labyrinth of Chaos // by ADenter1 //------------------------------// This is something you don’t want to miss, so stay tuned for the kiss Fluttershy saw that Discord had kept his promise, she appeared on a cobblestone path. Similar cobblestone walls were on each side of them. “Fluttershy?” three voices said at once. She darted her head to see a full grown Orthoros and a baby dragon standing in front of her, wide eyed. “Hi,” she smiled softly, unsure of what else to say. “How’d you get here?” Spike asked as Dolu and Ulod gave her cheeks happily licks. “Fluttershy friend,” they said in unison. “I um had a little help,” she spoke softer than usual, she knew he heard but she didn’t particularly want to tell him. He had been petrified of Discord in the caves of the Diamond Dogs. “Who?” Spike questioned. “A friend,” she shrugged. “Where?” Dolu barked, wagging their tail. “He’s still in there,” she stated. “Doesn’t he realize how dangerous that is? And was that you who screamed?” Spike questioned. The mare understood why he asked the questions. “He does, he was the one who saved me from a Chimera, Ursa Major, and Cragadile. And yeah, that was me,” she answered. “Well this is the way to the castle,” Spike pointed down the cobblestone path. “OK, thank you,” Fluttershy dipped her head thankfully, walking to where he pointed. The Orthoros followed her and so did Spike after a moment of reluctance. “You still want to help? I thought you...?” Fluttershy trailed off, noticing the dragon behind them. Spike looked down before answering. “I’ve been a coward, before wasn’t fair to you. I will take you to the castle,” he stated, trying to sound bold but failing horribly. “You’re a good friend Spike. Thank you,” Fluttershy smiled. After minutes of walking the trio, or group of four if all heads are counted, came up to a bridge. “It looks rickety,” Fluttershy pointed out looking at the wood and rope bridge. “Could you please stop doing that? You’re the only one with wings,” Spike grumbled. “Sorry,” she apologized. “How long has it been here?” she questioned. “About a thousand years, longer than all of us combined. Discord is over a thousand years old, so you see where that comes in,” Spike shrugged. Fluttershy was about to cross when a loud whoosh passed in front of her face, blowing her mane around wildly in the process. Dolu and Ulod growled in defense and Spike widened his eyes, afraid of what it may have been. Upon the actions a stallion Pegasus appeared. His coat was a very very pale shade of blue, with a darker blue spiky mane and tail to add, and his eyes were green as the leaves of Spring. His cutie mark was of a yellow lightning bolt with white wings on each side. “Hold on! None may pass!” he ordered, holding a hoof in front of the travelers. “Please! I only have a little time left!” Fluttershy pleaded. “I have strict orders Miss. And trust me you do not want to irritate the Chaos King, at all! None may pass!” he stated firmly, planting his hooves to the ground. “We have very strict orders!” a mare Pegasus flew next to the Stallion. Her coat was a pale shade of cyan blue, with eyes a color of hot pink, and both her mane and tail were rainbow colored. Her cutie mark was a rainbow lightning bolt with a white cloud on the top. “I can handle this Rainbow Dash!” the Stallion stated, standing into a both defensive and offensive stance. “I should think so Soarin’ but I don’t, I will handle this,” Rainbow Dash spat. “Please, can we please cross?” Fluttershy pleaded. “No you can’t. Discord specifically said to keep all viewers of the labyrinth away from this bridge!” Rainbow Dash snapped. “Oh come on! A Wonderbolt and a future Wonderbolt are afraid of Discord?” Spike folded his arms. “You’re one to talk!” Soarin’ and Rainbow Dash said at the same time. “I’m a baby, you two are adults and both a Wonderbolt and a future Wonderbolt,” Spike countered. “We have orders from Discord,” Rainbow Dash repeated. “This is the only way isn’t it?” Fluttershy asked. “Yeah,” Rainbow Dash stated as though it was obvious. “Is this like a riddle solving thing to pass? I have to get to the castle! My brother needs me!” Fluttershy pleaded. The Stallion and the mare stopped in their tracks. “Fine, we’ll give you the riddle Discord gave us. You get it right you get to pass, you get it wrong you don’t. You fall right where your standing and fall into an oubliette,” Soarin’ stated. “There’s more than one oubliette?” she asked her dragon companion. “Yes, labyrinth is full of them,” Spike shrugged as Rainbow Dash and Soarin’ whispered to each other. “Here is the riddle; I am complete disorder and confusion. I am a often formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe, and I have behavior so unpredictable as to appear random, owing great sensitivity to small changes in conditions. What am I?” Soarin’ questioned. “That makes no sense!” Spike’s pupils turned to slits. “Is it supposed to? Does anything in this dump make sense?” Rainbow Dash rhetorically asked. “I am complete disorder and confusion. I am a often formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe, and I have behavior so unpredictable as to appear random, owing great sensitivity to small changes in conditions,” Fluttershy repeated. The riddle was familiar yet distant as well. It was from the book she once thought was just a book until it basically turned to reality in her eyes. “Chaos...” she murmured, remembering the line. “Chaos,” Rainbow and Soarin’ said at the same time. “That’s it? Chaos?” Spike asked. “Yeah,” Rainbow stated, both she and Soarin’ flew out of the way. “We can cross?” Fluttershy asked hopeful. “Yeah but why are you going to the castle? Discord’ll find you,” Soarin’ shuddered. “To get my brother back, Spike, Dolu, and Ulod are my friends,” Fluttershy answered. “Just for your brother? Well we’re going with you,” Rainbow Dash stated firmly. “What? We are?” Soarin’ was confused, and so was Fluttershy. “Why?” Spike narrowed his gaze. “The Chaos City is filled with Diamond Dogs and billions of Changelings. You’ll need all the help you can get, Soarin’ and I would be glad to help you. And I want to have a little ‘chat’ with Discord,” she winked at the Stallion. “Oh, that chat is well needed. It’s been held off to long,” Soarin’ smirked lightly. “Sure,” Spike rolled his eyes. “Okay,” Fluttershy softly said, crossing the bridge, Spike and the Orthoros right behind her. After minutes of walking from the bridge they entered another forest-like terrain. Trees were hanging down, all oaks, and they seemed to stare and even glare at the five, or six by headcount, travelers. “Nothing to fear, the castle is near,” Fluttershy rhymed, mentally giggling at Discord’s irritation with rhymes. She assumed Zecora irritated him with the rhymes, she was still curious as to why he had saved her back in the place that was supposed to be beyond the Everfree Forest. She was grateful and filled with gratitude for it but she would have thought he didn’t want her in the labyrinth, she was going to get her brother back. Fluttershy noticed that Rainbow Dash and Soarin’ were flying ahead, and the Orthoros was walking ahead on the now dirt path. “Dolu and Ulod hungry,” they complained. Fluttershy felt sympathetic and understanding. “Maybe there’ll be something,” she sighed, wondering how many hours she had been in the labyrinth of chaos. “Uh, Fluttershy,” Spike stuttered from behind her. “Yeah?” she asked turning around. In his hand was a shining red apple. Luscious and ripe. “Spike, thank you,” she took the apple. She bit into it, Spike flinched away closing his eyes and balling his small hands into fists. She chewed and swallowed, it tasted like sweet apple juice to her. “Thank you,” she repeated. “It’s okay?” he questioned, opening one eye. “Yea-Yeah,” she yawned. “Oh no...” Spike mumbled under his breath. “Are you feeling okay?” Spike asked, concern in his emerald green eyes. “Just tired,” she yawned again, deeper than the first one. “Oh stupid Discord... And stupid me...” Spike turned around and took off slowly, sulking. Fluttershy dropped the apple to the ground, it rolled away. Tired... She sighed in her head and yawned for the third time. Everything was turning hazy and dizzy, her legs felt numb and her head felt fuzzy. She closed her eyes for a second and felt like she drifted off into dreamland. It was a wonderful land, filled with nothing but dreams and perhaps even something else..................................................................................... “Sire are you feeling well?” Rover asked, his eyes glancing curiously to the Draconequus who seemed to turn tired within seconds flat. “Hmm?” he asked, barely hearing what the dog had asked. He felt tired, he had been thinking about how to approach the dragon and tell him not to do the plan with the apple but the Chaos City had called for order. To him it was foolish for a city of Chaos to call for order. Chaos had no order at all. “Tired,” he yawned. “Ah, we’ll leave you be then,” Rover left, Spot and Fido following him. “I wonder what that pink haired pony is up to,” his ears twitched at the dogs’s words as they left, the doors shutting behind them. Pink haired mare. His mind traveled and boggled. They were talking of Fluttershy. Then it struck him. At the same time a letter in white with dark gray stripes appeared before him. He used his magic to open it, to tired to move his hands, and read it in a haze filled daze. “I warned you to prevent her from becoming Snow White, but then again those dreams may just so happen to bring delight, and the glow between Chaos and Kindness will take flight, can’t you feel the love tonight?” he read it in his mind. It turned to ashes by his command. “Zecora and her rhymes...” he trailed off with another yawn. “Simply ridiculous...” he trailed off a second time, closing his cinnamon eyes and falling asleep on his throne, entering the land of dreams, entering dreamland. Fluttershy opened her eyes to see she was standing in a room filled with ponies. It was like the Grand Galloping Gala except everypony was actually enjoying themselves. She saw everypony she had encountered, and even a few others. She saw Princess Celestia and Princess Luna sitting on their thrones politely introducing everyone to the Gala. She saw a third Alicorn, a pink one with pink, yellow, and purple hair with violet eyes and a crystal heart for a cutie mark, dancing with a head and full bodied Shining Armor. Princess Cadence and Shining Armor looked happy. She saw a full bodies Flash Sentry dancing with Princess Twilight Sparkle. She saw Spike even, he was dancing with Rarity for the strangest reason in her mind. Applejack was selling pies, Rainbow Dash and Soarin’ were dancing together. Everyone was wearing their fancy Gala gowns. Looking down she saw that she too was wearing her dress from the first Gala she went to, even if that had been one of the worst parties imaginable. Her cotton candy colored and soft mane was curled into a tight bun with a few elegant curled on her forehead and behind her ears, all laced with blue and white flowers. Even her tail was curled and had the same flowers in them, in the same pattern too. The mare felt uncomfortable in the loud room filled with chattering and laughing ponies. She was probably the quietest pony there. There’s no probably about it, She mentally sighed. She preferred to be outside with the animals even though they went to great lengths to avoid her last year at the Gala, she wished Angel was with her. Fluttershy saw the doors and saw her chance. Nopony was looking for her or talking to her at all. She slowly walked to the large double doors, unaware of the misshapen cinnamon red orbs following her. The music from inside the Canterlot castle seemed to grow as she stepped outside into the beautiful night. The sky was a deep midnight blue, thousands upon millions of stars circled Princess Luna’s full moon. It was indeed beautiful. They were playing a slow dancing song now. She lightly chuckled at the thought of Rainbow Dash, probably the fastest Pegasus alive, slow dancing. The music grew louder and louder, echoing probably throughout all of Canterlot at this point. Though it had ceased to bother Fluttershy. She debated on catching the first train she could and leaving, returning to Ponyville. “May I have this dance?” a deep voice came from behind her. Fluttershy turned around to have her stormy teal green eyes meet a pair of cinnamon ones. He was a Draconequus, this she knew, and even though she knew most ponies would turn away and run or attack him she stood their in awe. He was handsome in her eyes. Without hesitation to placed her hoof in his lion’s paw. Slowly and carefully the Draconequus lifted her and held her hoof in his lion paw as he placed his bird hand onto her back. Fluttershy didn’t know what it was but she found the creature before her gentle and nerve soothing, calm and stoic, caring and careful. Elegantly he spun her around, she felt like a Princess in her own little fairytale at the moment. She enjoyed it. “The night is beautiful,” she whispered silently, gazing at the moon once more. “Yes indeed, but not as beautiful as you my dear,” Discord whispered into her ear. She blushed redder than a cherry at the moment. Nothing seemed to exist at that second, only the two of them dancing to the slow music played by most likely Octavia and a few others from Canterlot. He turned her around again so she would face him, she was still blushing and he found it rather cute and beautiful even. In his eyes she was beautiful. The apple in his eye, the brightest star in the sky, and she alone made his heart fly. The two of them stood there staring into each others eyes, once it seemed like Discord was towering over her with his major height and his cinnamon red eyes looking mocking and menacing, but now it was like looking into skies of red. Not bad red though, like looking into a sky of endless flight, peace, and happiness even. When looking in Fluttershy’s eyes Discord felt as though he was looking into pools of water, like swimming through the deepest and greenest of oceans. Her eyes sparkled like crystal diamonds in the night sky, for the starlight reflected in them and cast a bright glimmer in their teal depths. “Fluttershy,” the way he said her name caused sparks to awaken in her heart and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered, leaning in. She didn’t know what took over her but she felt herself lightly flapping her wings to reach her head up to his. Within a second’s notice, sparks flying, butterflies fluttering, and hearts racing, his lips were upon hers. And her heart swelled, as they stood their together hoof and hand-held, and both the gentlest dove and the fiercest beast’s fate had been sealed, it was certainly something that needn’t be concealed. Without either the Pegasus or the Draconequus paying attention two butterflies appeared between them. The one that appeared on Fluttershy’s side was a light pink with a only slightly darker shade of pink body and antennas, and the tips of its wings were round. It fluttered lightly as another butterfly appeared in front of it. The second butterfly had brown wings, the color of chocolate or more specifically chocolate milk, it had a elegant swirling design patterned on each wing. The swirls were white as snow, or a certain creature’s beard. The tips of the second butterfly’s wings were pointed, and on each tip was a shade of cinnamon red, and as a finishing touch on each wing there were small speckles or spots of medium gray and then light green. Both butterflies began flying around each other, intertwined dare to say, flying high and low, forward and backward. More butterflies, identical to the first two by both appearance and fluttering actions, appeared. All shared appearance, actions, and elements in common. Chaos and Kindness, who would’ve thought? From the distance, behind great elder oaks stood a hooded creature. Her coat was a very light shade of gray with darker gray stripes running along her legs and entire body, her eyes were a darker shade of teal than Fluttershy’s. She smiled warmly, with a hint of satisfaction in her gleaming eyes. “This was certainly an interesting thing to view especially when so true, but Chaos and Kindness, who knew?” she chuckled softly, hoping to keep her rhymes to herself and a certain King wouldn’t keep mocking her with them. It seemed like thousands upon millions of butterflies, Chaotic and Kind, were swarming the still kissing pony and Draconequus. Stars seemed to spiral, twist, and turn in the dark sky. Either giving congratulations or giving a starry shunning. Fluttershy felt lighter than before, like she was fading from somewhere. Discord felt it too. Though neither moved from the other. She felt a nudging on her shoulder and someone calling out the words ‘Lady,’ ‘Mare,’ and ‘Wake up.’ The passion would be like the brightest star or prize token, for their kiss had not been broken. Chaos and Kindness.