//------------------------------// // Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome… to CANTERLOT CIRCUS!! // Story: Chaos: the Age of Spike // by Kaliann25 //------------------------------// Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome… to CANTERLOT CIRCUS!! Twilight couldn’t believe it, Sunset Shimmer in her Palace? But how? Did she let the portal open? No, last time she used it checked (last night) the portal was closed. What was she doing here anyway, did something happened in Canterlot High? Wow, she looked so weird in her unicorn form. “Sunset? What are you doing here? I mean… how did you get here? I thought I…” “I don’t know, the portal was just open; but anyway, I’m glad it was. Something terrible happened, the whole school turned into a circus and the book I use to communicate with you is out of my reach. Please Twilight help us, this is an urgent matter” Twilight nodded energetically, motivated by the fear on her friend’s eyes. “Okay, let’s go, once we get the girls we’ll solve anything with the Magic of Friendship” “You don’t understand Twilight, they’re also affected for what happened” “Okay, let’s move!! “Are you bringing Spike with you?” “NO! I mean, he haves his own business to do so I’ll come alone” Sunset shrugged and passed through the mirror along with Twilight, revealing the school-world on the other side. Twilight gasped, what happened in there? Instead of the school building they were standing in front of a giant tent with the sign: CANTERLOT CIRCUS Welcome performers of tomorrow “What the…?” “I told you, the entire school turned into a circus, literally” All over the place Canterlot high students wore strange outfits like beast-tamers, circus band, clowns, trapeze artists, ballerinas, jugglers and birthday magicians such as Sunset and Twilight herself. The purple girl was astonished looking at her frock coat, top-hat, and bow tie. “WHAT AM I WEARING?” “I know, and it only gets worst” sighed Sunset. “That’s why I called you” Twilight panicked and began to move backwards when she bumped into someone. “Twilight you’re here! We should stop meeting like that” smiled Flash Sentry. “Are you here for title of Master of Ceremonies for the Autumn Performance? You have my vote!” Then he kept playing his… tuba? and got into the school. She imagined everything but this, seriously, what the hay just happened? “Master of Ceremonies? Autumn Performance? Seriously, what’s going on?” Sunset sighed frowning. “To make things worst everyone seems to believe things have been always being like this, and they remember you not as Princess but Master of Ceremonies” If that wasn’t enough already, suddenly someone came and splatted a cream pie on Sunset’s face. “Hi Sunset! Twilight! I never thought I would see you here! Are you ready to the Autumn Performance? Yey!” Cheered Pinkie Pie on her unicycle, wearing and colorful wig, an oversized overall white makeup and a red nose; riding the thing at the same time she was juggling pies. Twilight nervously returned a shy smile while Sunset took a handkerchief from her pocket but this was one attached to another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and finally a pair of boxers along with confetti and a pair of pigeons who flew away. “Oh, cool Sunset, I never get tired of your magic tricks!” Giggled Pinkie. “Ey Twilight, do you know any tricks? I guess are as cool as Sunset’s!!” Sunset Shimmer decided to take it calmly and just said: “Pinkie, why don’t you get the others? I guess they’ll be very happy to see Twilight again!” “Great idea Sunset! See ya’ later!” And she moved away making Sunset sigh in relief. “You see what’s going on, right? Now, I highly recommend you to not touch the suit, it’s full of surprises” Twilight nodded taking her top-hat to examine it, but suddenly a small rabbit came out of it and bounced happily to freedom. “Whoa…” “I know, but we better get into the school so we can see the others, you won’t’ believe what happened with them” Twilight looked everywhere admiring the transformation of Canterlot High: instead of desks they had armchairs on the classrooms; and they didn’t taught math, sciences, English or the normal courses; now they had public reactions, advanced comedy, history of the street and ambulatory performances and such. Finally they bumped into Fluttershy, who was wearing a red jacket, white pants and black boots; in one had she had a whistle and in the other a small stool that she was using to give instructions to a big lion. “Okay Mr. Whiskers whenever you hear the whistle, you jump to the stool, okay?” The lion peacefully purred and made a small nod. Fluttershy smiled to him and after make two steps backwards, she whistled. The giant feline agilely jumped and landed on the stool in only one paw. Fluttershy clapped excited and kissed him on the nose. In the meantime Twilight’s jaw dropped, she knew Fluttershy was good with animals but this was at a whole new level. “Excellent, right?” Asked someone behind her. “She’s the only Beast-Tamer who doesn’t need a whip, at first we thought she was crazy and going to be eaten but she proved us wrong. Great job Flutters!!” Back to Fluttershy’s act, she was just placing her head confidently on the lion’s open jaws causing more admiration around her. And then it was when she noticed Twilight. “Oh Twilight, is that you? I’m so happy you’re back; precisely Pinkie and Flash just told me you were back to claim your position as Master of Ceremonies this Autumn Performance. Now, speaking of that, you see, Mr. Whiskers and I are so shy so is it possible for you to let us be the lasts to go with the public and…” “Fluttershy, she haven’t won yet” said Sunset. “We better wait until the election is over, don’t you think?” The ligh yellow-skinned girl blushed. “Oh, you’re right Sunset Shimmer. However, when Twilight wins…” “I’ll remember, don’t worry” smiled Twilight uncomfortably, beginning to understand Sunset’s concerns. Seriously, if Fluttershy was like that, what about the rest of her friends? In the meantime Sunset intercepted the human Apple Bloom, who seemed really scared when she noticed Twilight. Of course that called the lavender’s girl attention but quickly forgot when Sunset asked: “Ey Apple Bloom, where can we find your sister?” “Ma’ sister? At Sweet Ap… ehem, A’ mean at the gym as always. See ya!” And she ran away disappearing into a crowded hallway. Sunset scratched her head, since the battle of the bands people stopped to be afraid with her around, what just happened to Apple Bloom? However she made a quick sign to Twilight to follow her but when they passed in front of the lavatories they saw Apple Bloom coming out as nothing. “Ey, haven’t you went to the opposite direction?” Asked Twilight. The girl looked at her surprised at first but suddenly she smiled happily. “Master of Ceremonies Twilight! A’m glad to see ya’ back? Are ya’ going to claim the golden jacket again? Ya’ have ma’ vote! Good to see ya’ too Sunset!” And walked happily, making the two older girls exchange a confused look; this was odd, but they still went to the gym. “Are you ready for this?” Asked Sunset. “I guess so” Then the yellow girl opened the door, revealing a mixture between a normal gym and wherever the trapeze artist train. On the ground they saw boys and girls dressed in a fake leopard skin lifting enormous dumbbells showing their strength to everyone; and on the air on the trapezes several boys and girls as well were swinging around. Luckily there was a security net to avoid accidents if anyone fells. The net was assured to several poles extra reinforced, as always security first. And just as Twilight imagined, Rainbow was on the highest trapeze swinging left to right dangerously. “Okay everyone, I’m ready! Remove the security net!” Every strongmen and strongwomen nodded excitedly and tried to remove the poles to take off the security net but they simply couldn’t. still they kept trying, whenever Rainbow tried to do something stupid of course they wanted to see it. And then Applejack approached exposing her muscles; ready to prove to everyone why she was the toughest of the strongmen and strongwomen. “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this number is courtesy of the world’s strongest girl!! Capable of lifting tribunes full of people; move a truck with only her powerful arms and also knock a tiger with a single punch. THE GREAT APPLEJACK!” From above, Rainbow Dash shouted: “Ey this is my show, don’t steal my public AJ!” Applejack just winked an eye to Rainbow waving her hat to her. “Then don’t ask for ma’ help Rainbow. Now if ya’ excuse me, A’ll remove that net for ya” Once Applejack finished putting the poles away, Rainbow waved even harder and then she flew to Soarin who was ready to catch her, but he failed and Rainbow fell. Twilight gasped but Sunset placed a hand on her shoulder. “Is part of the performance, don’t worry. Is stupid but remember this is a circus” “Precisely, the school shouldn’t be a circus and Rainbow Dash shouldn’t be on a trapeze!!” And just at that moment, Rainbow was caught by Fleet Foot from another trapeze, to then throw Rainbow back to the highest one. The performance was a success so far but Rainbow still had to do the great finale. The cyan girl grinned, she was ready. But suddenly the gym door opened letting pass the two exchange students from Japan, Kazuto Kirigaya and Asuna Yuuki: a young boy with dark blue skin, black hair and gray eyes dressed in a black trapeze-artist uniform with a long black trench coat on top; and a white-skinned girl with light brown hair, copper eyes, dressed as a magician with frock-coat and a red skirt. Applejack gulped. “No! Rainbow stop, the hall monitors arrived!” Hearing Applejack, Rainbow lost concentration and fell, this time for real. “NOOOOOO!” Shouted Twilight, Sunset and Applejack but it was too late… or at least it seemed like that. But Asuna and Kazuto (after shouting KUZO) quickly ran to catch Rainbow on a small emergency net they had for emergencies catching Rainbow just in time. Twilight raised an eyebrow, those two really looked like the Black Swordsman and the Lighting Flash for some reason. “Ehehe… thank you” smiled Rainbow Dash. “There’s a reason why is forbidden to remove the security net!” Scolded Kazuto. “We’ve talked about this Dash-san” “Vice-principal already warned you: one more time and you’re forbidden to participate on the Autumn Performance. Sorry Rainbow, you and Applejack cannot act” continued Lighting Flash, I mean Asuna Yuuki. “Oh come on! Kazu. Asuna… it was just an accident in order to make the greatest number ever. Besides as every trapeze artist my life is taking risks. Aren’t we the performers of tomorrow?” “And why me too?” Asked Applejack. “Because you’re the only one capable of lift the security poles” explained Vice-principal Luna herself entering after her trustable hall monitors. “Besides, in order to be the performers of tomorrow you should stay alive today. And as Asuna told you, you two will not participate in the Autumn Performance, not as solo nor in groups. The Wonderbolts will have to find a replacement because of you recklessness miss Dash” Then she made a sign to the hall monitors, who followed her with military discipline. And after mumblings of disappointment, everyone left except for the scolded girls, Twilight and Sunset who stayed supporting their friends. “I warned you to not to do it” said Sunset. “Since last time, Kirigaya and Yuuki are watching whenever you enter to the gym” “You should tell us before they caught us” grumped Rainbow Dash. “Great, I just made the greatest number for the trapeze and now until next year! And precisely when master of ceremonies Twilight returned to help us! I can’t believe we will disappoint her!” “Whatever, even if we weren’t gonna act this year, is good to see ya’ again Twi” said Applejack hugging the lavender girl. “To be fair, Sunset did warn you” said Fluttershy entering to the gym along with her lion, a Bengal tiger and a wolf. Everyone instinctively moved backwards at the sight of the wild animals, everyone except for Pinkie who entered right after the ‘kittens and doggy’ she even dared to tickle them with a feather she had. “Ehehehehe, yes, Sunset warned you Dashie” said Pinkie “Got it already Pinkie Pie!” Said Rainbow annoyed. “But I bet this was a conspiracy! I’m pretty sure that what Kirigaya really wanted was to humiliate me to get me out of the Autumn Performance in order to give his Shadow Bolts an extra chance to win and…” Twilight gulped concerned, not because of Rainbow’s complains (in Equestria her other self also imagined conspiracies from the Black Swordsman and Princess Luna against the Wonderbolts) but because of the circus. Rainbow almost kill herself because of this, but also the acrobats were in constant danger. This was no game, something really bad was going on. “So, letting this aside, where’s Rarity?” Asked Twilight trying to figure out where the fashionista would end up in the circus world. “Well, she’s part of the Staff so I guess is busy doing the makeup for the clowns, mimes and the outfits as well” said Applejack. “But is not a bad idea go to say hi. She can take your new measures for the golden jacket of Master of Ceremonies!” Twilight sighed but at least the group lead her to the ‘Staff Station’ where they knocked Rarity’s workshop. After a kind ‘is open’ answer the group got in; finding Rarity making the last adjustments to Pinkie’s clown outfit. “Pinkie Pie darling, just in time!” Smiled Rarity. “I have to take your measures again, the spilling flower is giving me problems and I had to move some stitches there and there and… oh Twilight darling you’re here! Precisely I was wondering if you were going to come to name you Master of Ceremonies this year as well” Then she took a golden jacket she stored just in case. “Worthy for any master of ceremonies, it perfectly suits you! You’ll participate for the election, right?” They all looked at Twilight, who nervously chuckled. “I guess I’ll participate again… yeah, why not?” “Great!” Jumped Pinkie. “You have all our support Twilight!” “Since mister Hall Monitor Kirigaya and his girlfriend spoiled my moment I guess I can use all my awesomeness to help you win. I can perform a few tricks to get you votes” said Rainbow giving a friendly slap on the back to Twilight. They kept discussing for a while making Twilight worry more and more every minute. It was just as Sunset said, they believed things always were like this… like they were under some kind of mind-control spell. “The Dazzlings, they had to be” mumbled Twilight. “This has their signature all over, they turned the school into a circus” Sunset shook her head and discreetly pointed to the window. Outside Adagio, Aria and Sonata were making them signs to meet them on the roof. Sunset nodded and looked to her friends. “Okay girls, I guess you have lots of plans to get Twilight her deserved golden Master of Ceremonies jacket but right now we must plan other support strategies. If you excuse us for a minute…” “Sure, have fun girls!” And they went out of the room and began to run to meet the Dazzlings. They seemed just like them, affected by the strange spell but not entirely. Sonata was wearing the clown outfit also riding an unicycle and juggling cream pies; Adagio was wearing the same frock-coat as Sunset and her; and Aria was wearing the blue uniform of the Staff but mentally they were still the same. Twilight looked at Sunset. “What’s the meaning of this Sunset?” “It means that Shimmer is not the only one unaffected for this circus stupidity” explained Adagio. “You see, this situation kind off forced the four of us to work together” “So this isn’t your plan?” Asked Twilight raising an eyebrow. Aria glared at her with annoyance. “Why would we want to turn everyone in the school into a stupid clown, Princess?” “Being fair, there aren’t only clowns” smiled Sonata. “We have acrobats, band guys, beast tam…” “SHUT THE FUCK UP SONATA!!” Shouted Adagio and Aria. Sonata shrugged and keep juggling her cream pies. “The thing is” continues Aria, “That even we dislike Shimmer and you for spoiling our plans we want to everything gets back to normal. Go to school is a burden by itself, but a circus school is an absolute nightmare!” “Come on, is fun!!” Said Sonata. “I thought we told you to shut the fuck up” Threatened Aria. “However, we’re aware you’re the only one who can help us fix this mess so please help” Twilight nodded. “I get it, I had a very hard moment when I thought Rainbow was going to kill herself but I still can’t do anything if I don’t have more information” The siren leader nodded and took a laptop from her backpack and opened the media player. “Here, we thought we heard something strange on principal Celestia’s morning announcements, so we recorded it” She pressed play and the voice of principal Celestia was heard with the classic circus music as background: ‘Dear students of Canterlot Circus, only a week separates us from the Autumn Performance! Let the rehearsals start and begin to think into our next Master of Ceremonies. The tickets are already being sold in Sugar Cube Corner’ Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Okay, that was the weirdest thing I ever heard in Princess Celestia’s voice” Aria nodded. “Did you heard the music?” “Circus theme, why?” Aria nodded. “Yes, as I said we thought something was wrong with this announcement from the beginning, I mean, aside of the obvious. If there is something we know are hypnotic frequencies so we used the software (don’t ask) to decode the true message” “Are you sure it wasn’t you?” Asked Twilight. “NO!!” Sunset nodded. “At first I thought the same but I don’t feel any magic power coming from them anymore” “And Adagio would never think in a plan that is actually funny” added Sonata. “SHUT THE FUCK UP SONATA!!” Shouted Adagio and Aria again. Sonata nodded sadly. “However” continued Adagio. “We decoded it, besides the instrumental solo we found this. Play it Aria” The girl of the purple hair obeyed, it was a cute little voice hidden behind the music, a voice that was saying: you are all circus performs, you’re not regular students… you belong to a circus… you are all circus performers… Twilight gasped. “That voice… BLACK!” “You know her?” Asked the four girls at the time. “Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s sister on her form of chaos” explained Twilight. “Form of chaos?” “Remember Spike?” “Your dragon-dog” “Is a long story but…” She told them almost everything, about the new lord of chaos, the team of chaos… the new powers Star Swirl gave them. They just couldn’t believe it. “So you’re telling us that the crazy sorcerer is alive? Fan-fucking-tastic” said Aria with a shiver. “More important, is your dog a real employee of Mr. Boss?” Asked Adagio. “You have to be kidding me, his twin brother made us take an aptitude test and fired us right after you defeated us. How can the unique and only God can be so confident if the unique and only Devil is so careful?” Twilight scratched her head. “Twin brother? The unique and only Devil? I don’t follow you girls… and what’s with that aptitude test?” Sonata giggled. “It was really hard, but luckily I sat right after Aria, so I copied almost all her test and…” “You did what?” Asked Aria. “So that’s why he hired you, I always wondered why he hired an airhead like you” “Stop it already!” Begged Sunset. “We’re missing the point here: how do we stop Spike? We all want to fix this as soon as possible” “Not all of us, I like it this way” said Sonata. “SONATA SHUT THE FUCK UP!!” Shouted the four of them, yes also Sunset and Twilight. That was it, Sonata showed them her middle finger and ride her unicycle somewhere else. Adagio rolled her eyes. “Letting the idiot aside, I think the first we should do is to find Spike and force him to get everything back to normal” Sunset remembered something. “Ey, now that I think about it, remember our encounter with Apple Bloom? It was odd; like she was afraid of Twilight” “You’re right!” Jumped Twilight. “We found her twice and her reaction was completely opposite” “We must find the CMC or the agents of chaos!” And they ran downstairs looking for the girls but it wasn’t going to be easy. Like in real circuses, kids went missing easily; especially when they didn’t want to be found. And their way was full of distractions: “Twilight, Sunset!!” Called them Pinkie Pie. “Oh, you reformed the Dazzlings, that’s good. Anyway, try this!” And she splatted a pie on their faces. “Pinkie Pie…” “This pie is delicious, right?” Said Flash tasting his from his face as well. “You have my vote Twi!” One of the few advantages of being in a circus school was that everyone was used to things like this so they weren’t upset. “And you really believed it was our plan?” Grumped Aria. “Yeah, my mistake. Sorry” In other place two couches attached by a steel bar people could sit so Applejack could lift them to promote Twilight’s campaign as Master of Ceremonies. “Vote for Twilight, Twilight as Master of Ceremonies! The best acts of Canterlot Circus assured!” And of course cheers could be heard all over the place. Sunset sighed lying to the lockers begging for patience just as Twilight. “I would love to call you earlier but as I said I really couldn’t” “Yeah, now that you mention it, why?” Sunset was lying precisely on her locker so she opened it releasing flames, that turned into confetti and finally pigeons flying to the horizon. “Is full of stupid tricks like the suit” Twilight understood, poor girl. Then they spotted Sweetie Belle, who had the uniform of the circus band. The group ran to her. “Sweetie Belle, Sweetie Bell! I’m glad we found you” The girl looked surprised at first but then she smiled. “Oh, Master of Ceremonies Twilight, is so good to see you!” “See, we want to ask you something” “Oh, what?” Asked Sweetie. “Have you seen something strange?” Asked Adagio joining to the interrogation. “Like another self but in black” Sweetie gulped and tried to escape but Aria stopped her. “So you’ve seen them” Sweetie sighed and took her phone. “Ehem… Black, is me Sweetie Bell. There’s someone here who wants to meet the boss” At the other side of the phone an uncomfortable silence could be heard and then a mumbling. She hung the call and indicated the girls to follow her to a supposedly empty classroom. They only had to do a small rodeo to avoid Fluttershy with her ‘little pets’ but nothing worthy to mention. “Here we are” sighed Sweetie opening the door. Neither Sunset nor Twilight nor the Dazzling believed what they were seeing: It was Sonata, with headphones attached to a recorder offered to her by Sweetie Black in her pony form along with the other agents of chaos also in their equestrian forms. “Sorry Blacky, I don’t feel anything different, still remember who I am. Why did the equestrian brains don’t fall to hypnosis anyway?” Black scratched her head and looked at the lord of chaos on his floating throne. “What do you say Spike?” “I guess we have to work with what we have” he sighed. “I understand that our powers doesn’t affect the Bearers of Harmony unless we break them first, but in this world we didn’t have that problem… except for Sunset Shimmer but she doesn’t count” “Yeah, their human versions but Sunset fell in hypnosis as fast as the rest of the school” reasoned Mist. “As Sonata say, it must be equestrian brains that work differently” Twilight clacked her fingers. “Spike, we’re right here” Dark shrugged. “We know, we’ll talk you later, don’t you see we’re in the middle of a plan flaw that needs to be fixed?” “Yeah, is an empty classroom, you have enough desks to choose, pick one and sit” said the human Scootaloo. “Or try to enjoy it” said the human Babs Seed. “Who doesn’t like the circus?” “US!!” Shouted the four visitors. “Whatever, let’s pay attention to what they have to say so we can get rid of them and concentrate in our plans” said Spike lazily. “Twi, congrats! I never thought you’ll realize we were making chaos in this dimension since I interfered with Sunset’s locker in order to keep her away from her magic book” Sunset grinded her teeth. “So you turned the school into a circus. Where did you get that stupid idea?” “From me, and is not stupid, is pretty funny!” Said Sonata. “SONATA SHUT THE FUCK UP!!” Shouted again the four girls. “NO I WON’T!!! Finally shouted back Sonata. "You're not my bosses, I'll say whatever I want" “Sonata, I’m your leader and…” “You know what? FUCK YOU ADAGIO! My leader is Spike, he let me joke all I want and I perfectly fit on the team of chaos; I’m still a villain but a moderated one as I like. And guess what? As soon as we make Black’s hypnosis to work in equestrians as well, you’ll be performing as good girls so prepare yourselves The Dazzlings shiver, Sonata was serious. They tried to say something but Spike interrupted before things end up in a fight. “Okay, I think now is a good time for you to go” invited Spike using his powers to send them out of the classroom. At the end the three former villains looked at Twilight. “You’re the boss Sparkle” sighed Adagio. After taking a deep breath, the purple girl nodded. “First of all we have to gather my friends from my side; they should be immune to this hypnosis as well; then we’ll free our counterparts and then finish this circus once and for all. We must stay together”