//------------------------------// // The Plan Begins // Story: The Tag Team From Tartarus // by PonySage86 //------------------------------// Twilight sits nervously in her chair, she glances around Princess Celestia's private study, it's largely unchanged from the last time she was her, same bookshelves, same desk, even the same telescope in the same spot. But what wasn't the same was the look on the princess's face. The Princess had a serious stare on her face, but she isn't actually staring at anypony shes just glaring into space. Twilight's not sure why the Princess called her in here or why she seems so upset, but before Twilight can ask Celestia finally decides to speak. "Do you want to know why I don't trust Discord?" Twilight flinches at the sudden question. "Um.. is it because of Ti-" "No it's not because of Tirek." Celestia looks away from Twilight. "But that did not help." "Then what is it?" Twilight asks raising an eyebrow, Celestia sighs deeply and then matches Twilight's gaze. "After I'm done telling you, I want you to go find Pinkie Pie." Twilight puts a hoof to her chin. "Why do you want me to find Pinkie Pie?" "Fluttershy has revealed that Pinkie Pie has indeed found Discord, so I need you to find them and bring them back to Canterlot before anything bad happens." Celestia's glare returns to her face. "Oh, um, yes Princess of course." Twilight bows her head, when she look back up Princess Celestia is rocking back and forth her hoof tapping against her chin, one of her eyebrows is raised high in the air. "Now where to begin the story of how literally everything is Discord's fault." In The Sky Above Some Random Forest "Okay Lightening Bug where are we?" A tall sliver changeling asks his small golden companion, Lightening Bug turns to look at him. "We're over some Random Forest." Lightening Bug rolls her eyes at him. "Duh." "Yeah I know that sis." The silver changeling takes his turn rolling his eyes. "I thought you said you knew where we were going." "Dragon Fly." Lightening Bug squeezes her eyes with her hoof. "Tracking fourth wall breaks is not an exact science." "Oh my god that's how we're searching? With your stupid made up system?" Dragon Fly gets smacked in the face by a white hoof glove. Dragon Fly looks confused over at his sister. She puts the glove behind her back and it seems to vanish into thin air, Dragon Fly just shakes his head and continues asking questions. "So why are we searching for 'fourth wall breaks'." Lightening glares at her brother as he hoof quotes the words fourth wall break. "Remember what Lord Sombra's informant said? The pink one is looking for Discord, the pink one must mean Pinkie Pie the element of laughter. She breaks the fourth wall better then anyone I know." Lightening smirks happily. "Who also happens to be my personal inspiration." "Inspired by a pony!?" Dragon Fly snaps at his sister. "That's ridiculous, we're changelings we feed off ponies, we don't-" Lightening Bug throws up a hoof to silence Dragon Fly. "There she's doing it right now." "Where?" Dragon fly asks as both changelings stop moving, Lightening Bug surveys the land, her face brightens into a large smile as she points toward a small mountain. "There she is." Inside The Mountain Lightening Bug Is Pointing At Discord sits on the cave floor in his meditating pose, the upper half of his body is covered in cupcake frosting, above him is Pinkie Pie who is hanging off the ceiling like a bat. She's holding a giant half empty tube of frosting in her hooves, and a huge grin on her face, suddenly Discords eyes snap open and he immediately turns his gaze to the party pony defying gravity above him. It's as if being caught in the act makes Pinkie Pie lose her anti gravity powers she instantly plummets to ground, she lands with a thud right on top of Discord. The tube of frosting seems to have vanished during the fall. Discord looks dully at the cave wall in front of his, he lets out a heavy sigh. "And your positive you don't have chaos magic?" Discord asks as he snaps his fingers cleaning all the frosting of of him, Pinkie Pie just giggles at him. "Don't be silly Discord only you have chaos magic." Pinkie Pie points a hoof at him, Discord rolls his eyes. "Okay so how do you do all the weird stuff you do?" Pinkie Pie puts a hoof to her chin in thought, after a minute she points her hoof at the cave wall. "That guy." Discord's eyes widen as he searches the cave for the intruder Pinkie Pie is pointing at, he raises an eyebrow in confusion. "What guy?" Pinkie Pie grunt in frustration. "That guy." Pinkie Pie increases her pointing power. "The one on the computer writing all this stuff." Discord just stares at the pink party pony, he raises a talon to question further, but Pinkie Pie's neck suddenly coils up like a spring. Discord's eyes widen as Pinkie Pie's head spins around like a tornado, her head stops spinning after a couple seconds and Pinkie Pie is just smiling like nothing happened. Discord just gapes in confusion at Pinkie Pie, after a minute he finally decides to speak. "What the Tartarus just-" "You should rest up." Discord blinks at the interrupting pony. "What why should I rest now?" Pinkie Pie smiles up at the confused Draconequus. "If you rest for the next couple hours you'll be all better and can go to Canterlot." Discord smiles at this news. "Really you think so." Pinkie Pie nods happily at him, giving a triumphant laugh Discord quickly conjures up a bed for himself, he curls up under the covers with a Fluttershy plushie. He yawns before looking up at Pinkie Pie. "Let me know if theres any trouble okay?" "Of course Discord." Pinkie Pie smiles happily, as Discord nods off for a quick nap. Once shes sure he's asleep Pinkie Pie turns her attention to the mouth of the cave, she slowly walks to the opening and smiles brightly, then she speaks in sing-songy voice. "There's another ooooonnne." In The Air Above The Cave Lightening Bug and Dragon Fly look down at the cave, Lightening Bug stares determinedly her eyes never moving off the opening, while Dragon Fly has a bored expression on his face , his eyes occasionally move from the opening to glance at his sister. "What are we doing?" Dragon Fly asks after sighing heavily, Lightening Bug doesn't move her eyes off the cave. "She sensed me. She'll be out here soon enough." Dragon Fly just rolls his eyes. "If she knows we're here why would-" Dragon Fly stops talking as he catches a glimpse of movement by the cave, looking down his eyes widen as a pink pony walks out of the cave and toward the forest. "Well what do you know that is the element of laughter." "See I told ya." Lightening Bug chirps happily, Dragon Fly raises an eyebrow and points a hoof. "Where's she going?" Lightening Bug looks to where her brother is pointing, her eyes widen as she sees Pinkie Pie heading toward a bush at the edge of the forest. Lightening Bug whistles loudly catching Dragon Fly off guard. "Attack quickly!!" Lightening Bug dashes down toward Pinkie Pie, a dozen changelings burst out of the tree line and launch themselves at Pinkie Pie as well. Pinkie Pie just giggles happily as she dives into the bush, Lightening Bug and the changeling's fire energy blasts from their horns, the beams hit the moment after Pinkie Pie disappeared into the bush. The beams vaporize the bush, but no pony is standing there. "What the?" Dragon Fly joins his sister near the bush, Lightening Bug grunts in anger. "She disappeared." Lightening Bug turns toward the forest. "Everypony search the forest shes around here somewhere!" "Yes ma'am." The changelings all say in unison, they quickly split into groups of three and spread out through the forest. Lightening Bug smiles out into the forest. "I knew she'd make this interesting." Lightening Bug squeals happily. "This is gonna be so fun!" Meanwhile On A High Branch Of A Tree Pinkie Pie sits on her rear, with her hind legs dangling off the branch, she leans back on her fore legs humming happily, suddenly she turns her head to the side and seems to smile at you. "Oh hi how are you?" Pinkie Pie chuckles happily "I know this chapter is all about me." Pinkie Pie's eyes dart from side to side. "Okay but it's about me right now so deal with it." Pinkie Pie looks down at the ground and smiles wide. "Oh sorry I gotta go, there are bad guys to beat up." Pinkie Pie stands up on the branch, she balances on her hind legs and hold her fore hooves out to her sides, she takes a deep breath. "Maximum effort." Pinkie Pie speaks as she slides forward off the branch sending herself plummeting toward the ground. Pinkie Pie lands hooves first on top of a changeling, the two changelings standing on either side of that changeling turn in surprise at the sudden attack. Pinkie Pie swings her hooves through the air hitting both changelings before they can react, they fly through the air and slam into a couple trees. Pinkie Pie turns at the sound of shouting, another patrol of three changelings is running her way, she smiles and dashes towards them. The changelings fire beams from their horns at the charging pony, but Pinkie dodges all of them, her body bending in bizarre ways to avoid damage. When she reaches the changelings she jumps over them, she spins around quickly and grabs the middle ones tail, she quickly jerks the tail to the right, flinging the changeling into his comrade. Pinkie Pie blocks a hoof from the remaining changeling with her back leg, she quickly kicks him in the face several times with her other back leg, she upper cuts him with her back leg sending him flying through the air. She turns her attention back to the changeling whose tail she is holding, she jumps between him and the changeling next to him, she grabs their heads and bangs them together. "There she is!" Pinkie Pie turns toward the voice and smiles at the last batch of six changelings running at her, she folds herself into a ball and begins spinning rapidly, she builds up energy but doesn't move. A couple of the changelings halt their advance at the sight, the remaining four continue their charge. Pinkie Pie suddenly shoots off like a pink ball of doom, she dashes past four of the changelings and crashes into the face of one of the two who had stayed behind, spinning ball Pinkie Pie turns through the air and slams into the other one that had stayed behind. Pinkie Pie suddenly pops out of her ball form and body slams onto one of the remaining changelings. She kicks off the changeling she crushed with her back legs sending herself through the air at one of the remaining changelings, she grabs hold of his horn and spins around in a circle kicking the other two changelings multiple times in the face. She slams her back hooves into the ground she comes to a stop to the right of the final changeling, he quickly swings a hoof at her, in one swift motion Pinkie Pie grabs his hoof and flips herself and him onto their hind legs, she holds his hoof against his back, he tries to move but Pinkie Pie bends his leg causing him to stop struggling because of the pain, the changeling looks back at her. "What are you?" The changeling asks panting heavily, Pinkie Pie just smiles at him. "Your worst nightmare." Pinkie Pie flicks her hooves snapping the changelings leg, he screams in pain right before Pinkie hits him in the back of the head causing him to lose consciousness, she gives him a wide grin. "An element of harmony with absolutely no self control." "Oh that was wonderful!" Pinkie Pie turns at the sudden voice and is greeted by a pair of bright yellow changeling eyes, anypony else would've jumped back in surprise but Pinkie Pie just smiles. "I know right it was super fun." Pinkie Pie and Lightening Bug give each other a high hoof. "Let me just say miss Pinkie Pie it is such an honor to meet you, your utter hatred of the fourth wall is a huge inspiration for me." Lightening Bug's eyes sparkle, Pinkie Pie blushes and waves a hoof dismissively. "Oh it's nothing." Pinkie Pie looks off into the distance a dreamy look in her eye. "My dream is to one day break the fourth wall so bad our world pours out into the real world." "Wow." Lightening Bug stares at Pinkie Pie her eyes shining like stars. Lightening Bug looks down at the ground sadly. "Hey Pinkie Pie, I uh... have to take you prisoner." "Yeah I know that." Pinkie Pie smiles at Lightening Bug, who just looks at her in surprise. "Really." Lightening Bug blinks. "Sooo... um... can I?" "Hmmm." Pinkie Pie puts a hoof to her chin, her expression brightens as she takes her hoof off her chin. "On one condition." "What's that?" Lightening Bug asks raising an eyebrow, Pinkie Pie smirks at her. "You gotta take her out first." Pinkie Pie points into the air, Lightening Bug follows her hoof her eyes widen as she sees the purple alicorn princess glaring down at them, sweat appears on Lightening Bugs forehead as Twilight's horn starts glowing. "Alright changeling step away from my-" Twilight is cut off as a silver changeling dashes behind her and smacks the back of her head with a large black book, Twilight immediately loses consciousness and begins falling toward the ground, Dragon Fly swoops down and grabs her with his magic. "Huh?" Pinkie Pie looks up at her unconscious friend, she turns her attention back to Lightening Bug. "I didn't see that coming." "Me neither." Lightening Bug blinks up at her brother and then turns her attention back to Pinkie Pie. "So are you my prisoner now?" "Hmmm." Pinkie Pie looks between Twilight and Lightening Bug. "Well I guess so, you did take her out first." "Hooray!" Lightening Bug jumps into the air and squeals happily. Bug Bite and Cherry Blossoms Home... AKA The Old Changeling Hive Sombra is sitting on one of the couches in the throne room turned living room, his eyes are fixated on the coffee table in front of him, nothing is on the coffee table, but the table has been polished and cleaned so well he can see himself in the wooden table. His eyes have a hint of sadness in them. This is the second time I've seen myself since I became the lord of shadows. Sombra thinks to himself. He scowls as he remembers the first time he had seen himself, how Chrysalis and the others had laughed at him, his face turns thoughtful as he remembers the queens laugh, it was a pleasant sound, he found that he liked it more then the other ponies laughter, Sombra shakes his head. No that's not way it's in my head. Sombra looks around the room making sure he's alone. At least not the only reason. Sombra turns his attention back to his reflection, something about that laugh was familiar to him, he had heard it before he was sure of that, long ago before she had revived him... possibly even before he had been sealed by the princesses. Sombra thinks back to before he had been sealed, before he had become the lord of shadows, his eyes widen as for the first time he notices gapes in his memories. Sombra rubs his head in thought, it felt like somepony had been removed from his memories, all he could see were flashes of black skin, and green eyes. Sombra grinds his teeth in anger. Who is it? Who's missing from my memories!? Suddenly everything goes dark as a pair of hooves covers his eyes. "Guess who!" A familiar voice squeaks happily behind him, Sombra is surprised, not by the voice or the sudden lost of vision, but once again by the familiarity of the situation. Normally Sombra would groan and refuse to play along, but for some reason he can't quite explain he decides to do the unexpected. Sombra puts both his hooves behind his back, they sink into the shadows behind him, suddenly they shoot out the back of the couch and grab the sides of the stomach of the pony blinding him. "What are you-" The pony blinding Sombra is interrupted as Sombra begins tickling her stomach, she releases his eyes as she bursts into laughter. She jumps back out of his grip, she giggles for a little longer as Sombra retracts his hooves through the couch and turns around to look at his 'attacker'. "Is it Chrysalis?" Sombra smirks at the changeling queen who coughs to stop her giggling. Sombra raises an eyebrow, he had expected Chrysalis to scowl back at him, but instead she's smiling and... Sombra squints at her barely able to make out a slight tint of red on her black skin. Sombra suddenly averts his gaze from Chrysalis. Why did I just do that? Sombra taps his hoof against his head in anger. And why do I feel like I've done it before!? "Hey Somy." Sombra turns back to Chrysalis, she smiles sweetly at him, some of her cob web hair has fallen over her face hiding one of her eyes, Sombra feels his face heat up at the strangely familiar sight. "What is it Chrysalis?" Sombra asks after coughing away in the strange heat on his face. "I have something for you." Chrysalis holds out a box wrapped in black paper, bound by red ribbon, Sombra looks at the present quizzically before grabbing it with his magic. "What's this for?" Sombra asks turning his gaze to Chrysalis, Chrysalis continues smiling at him, her blush deepens. "Just something I've been meaning to give you for awhile." Sombra raises an eyebrow at the comment but shrugs and rips the wrapping paper off with one quick swipe of his horn. He opens the box with his magic and stares at the object inside. "A sword?" Sombra reaches in and grabs the blade out of the box, the hilt has been specially designed for a hoof to hold it comfortably, the hilt is designed to look like black flames a glowing green crystal is embedded at the base of the blade, Sombra recognizes the stone it's the same one he saw those drones grab from the stalactite a couple days ago. The blade itself resembles Sombra's horn, although it is much longer then his horn or any of the blades he has conjured before. Sombra looks at the sword, his eye stings as a tear try's to form in it, but his dark powers refuse to let it. "Yep I designed it myself, although the drones helped actually forge it, numbers 318 and 587 were really excited they seem to like forging stuff, their the ones who forged Stag Beetles armor. They used that blade I took from you back when Discord attacked the new hive." Chrysalis smiles brightly at Sombra, her eyes sparkling. "So what do you think?" Sombra looks between the sword and the Queen, he smiles at her. "I like it." "Yes!" Chrysalis squeals like a little filly. "I knew you'd love it." Chrysalis looks at Sombra's eyes, the green in his eyes have faded quite a bit the purple energy coming off his eyes have shrunk to tiny stubs of purple, her smile continues as Sombra stands up on his hind legs and gives the sword a few practice swing's. "Excellent the balance is amazing, you changelings are master craftponies." Sombra gives the sword another thrust, a sinister smile appears on his face as he imagines his foes on the end of his new blade. He turns to look at Chrysalis, her eyes stare blankly into space, Sombra can tell she's communicating through the hive mind, he looks to his side and small black portal appears in front of him, he thrusts the sword through it and the sword and portal both vanish. He turns back to Chrysalis so seems to be done talking through the hive mind. "It's time." Chrysalis says grinning, Sombra matches her grin "Discord is alone?" "Yes the twins are bringing two elements in as prisoners." Sombra puts a hoof to his chin. "Two? That's unexpected." Sombra chuckles to himself. "But not unwelcome." "So is it time?" Chrysalis asks raising an eyebrow, Sombra nods. "Yes it's time for my part." Sombra looks at Chrysalis, the green returning to his eyes. "Make sure Tirek doesn't drain them until i give the word." "What?" Chrysalis blinks at him. "Why?" "Because Chrissy, Discord will sense the magical imbalance and until I've dealt with him we can't risk him finding out where we are." Sombra speaks matter-o-factually, he rolls his eyes before vanishing into the shadows. Chrysalis just stares at where he had been standing a blush visible even on her dark skin, a tear forms in her eye and a small smile is on her lips. "He remembered my nickname." Chrysalis hums happily as she walks off to find Tirek. Discord's Random Cave Discord lays in his conjured bed mumbling happily in his sleep, he is so content he doesn't notice the lord of shadows appear near him. Sombra grins down at the spirit of chaos. "Having pleasant dreams Discord?" Sombra's grin turns sinister and the red of his eyes begin to glow, he shoots a blast of dark energy from his horn, Discord lets out a groan and moves around restlessly in his bed. "That will keep you asleep until I find a way into that demented little mind of yours." Sombra laughs as the cave becomes shrouded in darkness, he and his laughter fade into the shadows. Canterlot Castle Fluttershy's Room Fluttershy looks out the window of her room, the sun has just begun to set and the moon as started to raise into the air. She sighs deeply as her thoughts turn to her friend who should have been here by now. Twilight had left to get to Pinkie Pie and Discord hours ago, according to her locating spell they should have been back an hour or two ago. "What's the matter? Concerned for your friend?" Fluttershy turns away from the window and searches the room for the voice that had spoken. "Who's there?" Fluttershy calls into the room, the room gets darker and darker as the sun sets. Soon the only light in the room are a few candles on the table and the walls. A gust of wind blows through the room, it blows out the candles and chills Fluttershy to the bone. Fluttershy lets out a squeak of fear as a pair of red and green eyes appear in the dark. "Go ahead cry for help." Fluttershy's lips quivers at the harsh tone of the voice. "Call for him and you'll be spared." "What do you mean?" Tears form in Fluttershy's eyes as a large red and black blade appears in front of her face, the pair of eyes narrow at her. "Call for Discord!" the blade gets closer to her face. "Call him!" Tears begin streaming down Fluttershy's face as more blades appear around her. "DO IT NOW!!" The voice shouts at Fluttershy, she closes her eyes. "HELP ME!!" Fluttershy keeps her eyes closed. The pair of eyes stare at the necklace around her neck, the second she shouts a magical signal shoots out from the ring normally invisible only certain ponies can see these signals, a black glow catches the signal as it leaves the ring, the sinister voice begins to laugh, the blades vanish as Sombra steps out of the shadows. Upon hearing the laughter Fluttershy opens her eyes and jumps back in surprise at the sight of the lord of shadows. Sombra grins down at her. "Thank you." Sombra gives a throaty chuckle. "Now I can finally deal with that fool." "You leave Discord alone!" Fluttershy glares at Sombra attempting to use the stare on him, Sombra throws his head back in a laugh. "I see why Discord likes you, you've got spunk." Fluttershy blushes at the comment, but she shakes her head realizing that now is probably not the best time. "You don't stand a chance against Discord." Fluttershy shouts intensifying her glare on Sombra, he doesn't seem affected though. "In a fair fight no I don't." Sombra smirks at her as his horn starts to glow, he blasts her in the forehead and she immediately loses consciousness. "Then again I don't play fair." Sombra let's out a maniacal laugh as he transforms into shadow and seems to fuse with the magical signal he caught earlier, the invisible signal shoots out through the air toward the cave where the lord of chaos happily sleeps.