//------------------------------//
// Chapter Seventeen 
// Story: Agent of Chaos 
// by Li_Time 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Seventeen

Harry Dresden

Twilight and Dash filled their friend in on what was going on. Applejack, or A.J. as her friends called her, in turned told them what happened since yesterday. I just tried not to laugh. To think that Hero and a pony had a thing. That was funny as hell, especially thinking back to when I first met Hero. Sure, I can be an ass-hole, a lot of people were ass-holes. Hero was THE ass-hole. I wanted to kill him the first time I met him, and The Gatekeeper for leading him to Chicago. This was the girl that changed him to the point that he was a different man. If she was just a normal human, that wouldn’t be so bad. But she was a pony. That made it funny as hell.

“Are you alright?” Twilight asked me.

“I’m fine,” I said, clearing my throat and keeping myself from laughing.

“Ya ain’t a good liar, aren’t ya,” A.J. pointed out.

I shrugged as I kept driving. I wasn’t about to dig a hole for myself. The girls just giggled and I rolled my eyes. I had to wonder how Thomas and Molly were doing.

I pulled the minivan up to the front gate and hit the button to lower the window. There was a buzzing noise and the window barely moved. “What’s goin’ on?” A.J. asked.

Twilight explained to her about magic and technology while I kept jamming my finger on the button. I rolled my eyes as it stopped buzzing and did nothing. “Piece of shit,” I mumbled as I rolled forward a little more and opened the door. I reached out and pushed the button on the speaker by the driveway. I could just feel the smile from Thomas in his car behind us.

There was static from the speaker that drowned out the voice. Think calming thoughts, Harry. “It’s Dresden,” I said. “Where’s Marcone?”

“I’m..pssssh...What was...pssssh…”

“It’s Harry Dresden,” I said. “I’m here to speak with John Marcone.”

“Pssssh...Marcone is…..pssssssssh….an appointment…..”

“Oh the hell with it.” I put the car in park and got out of the car. “Wait here,” I told the girls, taking my staff. I walked over to the gate and whipped the staff from left to right. “Forzare!” The gate flew open from the force of magic that I used. I turned and tossed my staff in the back and got back in.

“Way to handle the situation, Harry,” Thomas called from his hummer.

“Shut up,” I called back, slamming the door after getting in. I drove the car down the driveway and parked right in front of the mansion. Thomas followed, parking behind me.

I got out as well of the other girls. “Well, you certainly know how to make an entrance,” Twilight said as the others joined us. I lead them toward the door, but it opened with Gard and Hendricks walking out. Hendricks had a shotgun while Gard held a pistol. They also seemed to have been wearing new stylish clothes. They both looked at me and frowned.

“Your speaker is broken,” I said.

“Thank you, Mr. Dresden,” Gard said, lowering her gun. “You could have just called.”

“Yes, cause a cell phone would work much better around me,” I said.

“Maybe not around you, but Miss Carpenter could,” she said, looking at Molly.

“That would have been too easy,” I said. “Now, where is Marcone and this girl?”

Gard gave me a glare and I smiled at her. She turned. “Follow me,” she said.

“Stay close,” I said to the girls and started to follow. The girls followed, Fluttershy stayed close to Thomas in the back, while Twilight and Pinkie stayed close to Molly who were right behind Dash and A.J. Hendricks followed behind Thomas and Fluttershy.

We were lead into a large ballroom. I saw Marcone dressed in a fancy tux and dancing with a young woman in an elegant blue dress. They were dancing to a classical piece.

“Rarity?” Dash questioned. We all stood there, watching the two dance. As the song ended, they ended their dance and the girls clapped. I didn’t, I think Thomas and Molly were with me.

“Oh that was certainly lovely,” the woman said. She looked around at us. “Oh, I wasn’t expecting us to have…” She froze as she looked at us and her eyes started to widen. “Girls!” she called out. She rushed over and started to hug them. They hugged back. “Oh, John, you were right. They would come."

I looked at Marcone, giving him a glare as he walked over. “John,” I said. He gave me a smile.

“I was right to assume Mr. Dresden was looking for them,” he said. “Rarity, this is Harry Dresden. And it seems he brought Molly Carpenter and Thomas Raith with him too."

“John,” I said again and I rolled my eyes. “Where’s Discord?”

If the question caught him off guard, he didn’t show it. Rarity was caught off guard, however. “Discord? You mean to say Discord was here the whole time?” she asked, looking at Marcone.

“That Outsider was not welcomed in my home,” he said.

“But he is our friend,” she said.

“Marcone,” I said. “You’ve must have noticed the strange things happening around the city. There’s a dragonequus on the loose just like Discord. And I think we’ll need his help to stop this thing.”

“What’s in it for me?” he asked.

“You don’t get killed by this thing,” I said. “Seriously, John, this isn’t a game. It’s a damn Outsider who is gaining strength. Not to mention, there’s a necromancer in town too.”

“Necromancer?” Gard questioned. “How do you know that?”

“Mac told me that Cowl is here too.” I saw her suck in a breath.

“Dresden, I assure you that I would much rather keep this Discord on ice for now,” Marcone said. “He is, afterall, an Outsider also.”

“He’s our friend, John," Rarity said. “He came here to help you.”

“That’s a little hard to believe,” he said.

I growled as I looked from him to Miss Gard. She was studying each of the girls. “Am I going to have to summon him?” I asked. It was true I didn’t know his Name, but they didn’t have to know that. Just as long they believed that I could do it.

“That won’t be necessary,” she said.

“Miss Gard?” Marcone said.

“Mr. Marcone,” she replied. “I think we can trust them.”

“And why is that?” he asked.

She looked at each of them before her eyes settled on A.J. “You,” she said.

“Me?” A.J. questioned.

“I can see it in your eyes,” Gard said. “You are an honest person.”

“Pony,” she corrected her.

“Yes, pony,” Gard said. “If we release this Outsider-”

“Discord,” A.J. said.

I could tell Gard was getting impatient with her. “If we release Discord to you, will you be able to stop whatever is happening in this city?”

“You have my word,” A.J. said.

I watched Gard as she stared at A.J. for a long while. Then she nodded at the country girl.

“Are you sure about this, Miss Gard?” Marcone asked. She give him a serious look and nodded. He took a deep breath and looked at me again. “Very well. We’ll release the Outsider to you. Mr. Hendricks, would you mind retrieving him?” The big man nodded and left. “Don’t make me regret this, Dresden."

“Something’s bothering me,” I said, looking at Marcone. “How did you come across Rarity and how did you know to call me?”

“She mentioned Hero,” he said.

"Of course she did," I said. "Hero is the knot that ties this all together. But you never answered my first question."

"She appeared in front of my car,” he explained. “Miss Gard checked her out and found she had magic so we brought her back here. After she woke up, she explained what was going on and I had Miss Gard call Murphy."

Something seemed odd about how these girls appeared here. It was something I was thinking ever since we found Pinkie on the island. They could have appeared anywhere in Chicago, but they appeared near someone who would help them. Twilight appeared near the Carpenter's, Dash near Molly, Rarity near Marcone, Fluttershy near Thomas, Applejack near Kincaid, and Pinkie on the island. Even with that line of thought, it was still odd that Applejack would appear near a mercenary and Pinkie on the island.

Hendricks returned with one of Marcone's employees, pushing a cart that had a statue of an older man shielding his eyes from a bright light. "I remember seeing this piece," Rarity said. "You mean to say this is Discord?"

"Miss Gard, if you would be so kind," Marcone said. Gard pulled out a small box that I have seen her with before. She opened it and searched through the little Scrabble tiles. She pulled one out and went up to the statue. When she placed the tile on it, the rune started to glow. Then the statue started to glow, color returning to it.

The man started to sag and fall forward. The girls caught him and helped him down. "Oh, my head," the man said. "That was much worst than the last time I was turned to stone."

"Discord? Is that really you?" Fluttershy asked.

The man looked at her, smiling weakly. "Oh, my dear Fluttershy," he said. "I was hoping to keep you all out of this."

I saw her smile and fight back tears. She hugged him tightly and held onto him. After a moment, they finally let go and he got up. "Hello, Harry Dresden," he said, looking at me.

"Hello, Sam Singer," I said.

He gave me a grin. "Thank you for taking care of my friends," he said. He looked weak and he started to fall. Fluttershy caught him. "Thank you, Fluttershy."

"Mr. Dresden," Marcone said. "I suggest you get him some place to rest his strength."

I nodded as I looked at the girls. "Come on, group. Time to go."

"Oh, wait," Rarity said. "I made new clothes for everypony."

"We don't have time for this, Rarity," Dash said.

"It'll just be a moment," she replied as she pulled out a wand. She waved it a bit and a rack of clothes came rolling into the room.

"We'll take them with us," I said. "No time for that now."

"Oh, I guess that'll be fine," she said, turning to Marcone. "Thank you, John. Hope to see you again soon."

He smiled as he gave her a bow. "It was a pleasure, Rarity," he said. He then took her hand and kissed the back of it. "Until next time."

She smiled at him before turning to me. "Shall we, Mr. Dresden?"

I nodded and started to lead them out. Thomas and Fluttershy helped Discord, who looked a little green. I didn't think that Outsiders could get sick, but somehow he was.

We got him loaded into the minivan with Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack as well as all of the clothes. Dash, Pinkie, and Twilight rode with Molly and Thomas in his Hummer. Fluttershy stayed with Discord in the backseat while Rarity sat with Applejack just behind me.

“How is he doing?” I asked Fluttershy after a while.

“I’m fine,” Discord said, though I could see sweat coming from his forehead. “I need to rest and get my energy back.”

“It’s alright, Discord,” Fluttershy said, dabbing his forehead with her sleeve.

“Do you have enough strength to answer a few questions?” I asked.

“As long as it’s not quantum mechanics or anything like that,” he said.

“Why did you link the girls to us?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” he replied.

“Twilight appeared near Michael’s place,” I said. “Rainbow Dash was near where Molly exited from the Nevernever, Rarity near Marcone, Applejack with Kincaid, Pinkie Pie on Demonreach, and Fluttershy near Thomas. A little too coincidental.”

“Twilight was suppose to appear near you,” he said. “But I never planted the seed for Applejack. She must have went to Hero’s suite since she had a connection to him.”

“Yep. I woke up in the suite and thought Hero was there,” Applejack said. “But instead, I found Kincaid. Ya mean to tell me that ya meant for all of us to appear near where we did except me?”

“Marcone prevented me from finding a place for you, Applejack,” Discord said.

“But why did you link Pinkie to the island?” I asked.

“I knew she could handle it and that you’ll find her quickly,” he said.

“Speaking of,” A.J. said. “What is wrong with Pinkie? She doesn’t seem like her usual self.”

“Probably feeling the effects of this world,” Discord said. “Rarity, you can use your magic now. You noticed how you feel tired more quickly?”

“Why yes, as a matter of fact I do,” she replied.

“It’s the laws of this world,” Discord said. “Pinkie is burning up her energy a lot faster because of her hyper nature. She’s not use to it here.”

“She seemed fine last night,” Fluttershy said.

“Who was the first one to fall asleep last night?” Discord asked.

“Pinkie fell asleep in the car first,” I said.

“She burned her energy,” he said. “You’ll find she’s not her normal self either.”

“Oh dear,” Fluttershy said. “Will that happen to us?”

“Twilight and Rarity will feel the effects of their magic, just like how Dresden does,” Discord said. “They’ll get headaches and can even blackout if they use too much. You and Rainbow Dash won’t be able to fly. I feel the effects myself, thus my current state.”

“You’re an Outsider,” I pointed out. “How are you feeling fatigued?”

“Outsiders run out of energy too,” he said. “I’ve even gotten sick in their world.”

“Get some rest, Discord,” Fluttershy said softly.

I sighed as I continued to drive. He answered what I wanted and cleared up somethings. I didn’t understand how he was losing power and his brother was joining it, however. Discord couldn’t have been changing everything in the city if he was trapped. That left Chaogent. If Discord was right and that they lose energy over time, then someone was feeding Chaogent. Someone summoned him.

“Hell’s bells,” I swear softly.

“What’s wrong, dear?” Rarity asked.

“I’ll tell you all later when I check something out,” I said. I wanted to check out my line of thought first and see if it made sense. “I'm going to drop you all off first."

She accepted that as an answer. After a while, we were at Molly's place, Fluttershy and Applejack helped Discord inside while the other girls unloaded the dresses. I watched Pinkie as she got out of the hummer. She seemed a little sluggish, like someone who hasn't had a good night's sleep. Thinking back, she hasn't said much since this morning. Even then, she didn't seem as hyperactive as she was last night. Was Discord right? Was she just feeling a side effect from becoming human?

"She seems sick," Thomas said as he stepped up beside me.

"Discord said she's feeling the strain of a human body," I said. "She's burning too much energy."

"Do you think that?" he asked. “Seems more like an illness to me.”

"I don't know,” I said. “Never been a pony turned to a human. And I've never heard of this happening before."

"Makes sense, I guess,” he said.

I shrugged. “Thomas, would you mind staying and watching over them tonight? With an Outsider here, I'm sure we would become a beacon."

"Seven virgin girls and you're trusting me to stay here and watch them?" he asked.

"You touch any of them, Discord would probably turn you into a frog and step on you." I frowned. "Seven?"

"Molly,” he said.

"How do you know she's still a virgin?" I asked.

"I'm a vampire who feeds on lust,” he said. “I can tell."

Damn. When Molly first started to develop magic and I became her teacher, she told me that she was a virgin. Hell, she wanted me to be her first, but I put an end to that quickly. Sure, I’ve told her to fight those urges until she got a hold of her powers, but I didn’t think she was still fighting them. Emotions had a powerful effect on magic, but she’s long since passed that part of her training. I was sure that she had lost her v-card by now. If anything, she had to have lost it after she became the Winter Lady. That’s one hell of a will power to fight the urge the mantle wanted her to do.

Virgin or not, I knew Molly wouldn’t do anything with Thomas. Not unless he really tried to use his powers over her, but she would probably kick his ass if he did. However, the six other girls were not use to Thomas. Plus, if they were virgins too, they were at a big risk. Did I want to take the risk, or risk not having him there and Chaogent attack?

Molly would keep him in check. I’m sure no matter how weak Discord was right now, he would die to protect those girls. I can’t judge how much of a connection Applejack had with Hero. I’m sure they had feelings for each other, but I doubt they were together long enough to feel true love. True love was deadly to the White Court. Someone who was in love, truly in love, and was truly loved in return, that is true love. The White Court couldn’t touch them. Otherwise, they would burn. Even objects like flowers and rings that were given in true love were dangerous. The catch was, true love was rare in this day in age. Even married couples are not always truly in love. I couldn’t be sure if any of the ponies were truly in love with somebody, or somepony.

On the other hand, if Thomas didn’t stay here, that left Molly alone with them. If Discord was in better shape, it wouldn’t matter. However, in his current state, that left Molly alone to protect everyone if something did come after them. Even though Michael was just next door, he wasn’t going to be able to help out if a dragonequus attack. Then again, if a dragonequus did attack, I doubt both Molly and Thomas could stop it.

I think the real question was, “Did I trust my half brother?” He’s older, though standing side-by-side, you would say I looked older. Kind of a perk to being a vampire. He’ll stay that way until he dies. I can live for hundreds of years, but that doesn’t stop me from aging. That bastard. Still, he was my brother, and I trust him with my life. I know he wouldn’t do something to those girls.

“Stay here with them,” I said. “I trust you won’t do anything with them.”

“That makes one of us,” he said.

“Thomas, I know you can handle this,” I said, reassuring him.

He nodded. “What are you about to go do?”

“Get Murphy,” I said. “Go look at these affected places. Come back here and develop a plan.”

“Just like you to come up with a half ass plan,” he said.

“Shut up,” I said as we bro fist. I got back in the minivan and headed out. My first stop, Murphy’s. 

...

I was surprised to find that she was already asleep. It was getting late out. It had been a long day after all. I tried to wake her.

She groaned and looked up at me. “What’s up?” she said sleepily.

“Long day?” I asked.

“Mhm,” she rolled over. She started to say something else but she drifted to sleep again. I’ve only ever seen her this tired once and that was when she was under a lot of stress. I sighed, kissed her forehead and tucked her in. Come to think of it, I was feeling tired too.

I found myself laying down next to her, still fully clothed. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close to me. She settled in close as I fell asleep.