//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Loyalty to the King // by Fullmetal_Pony //------------------------------// A few months passed by with little incident other than a boastful magician and an ursa minor attack, a sleeping dragon, and a swarm of parasprites. Although she did run into her old bullies at the best young flyers competition Rainbow was feeling pretty good after winning the competition where she not only saved Rarity and the lives of three Wonderbolts but pulled off her second sonic rainboom. But the biggest disaster was at the Grand Galloping Gala were Rainbow tried desperately to get the attention of the Wonderbolts. Only she and her ‘friends’ ended up ruining the evening for the other ponies, except for Princess Celestia who seemed to enjoy it. It started out as a normal day in Ponyville until Rainbow came across a cotton candy cloud with chocolate milk rain. Then she followed it to Applejack’s farm. What the hay is going on? This isn’t right. What was your first clue. That’s not what I meant. I knew I felt something happen. This looks like Discord’s work. He must have broken free but it was so sudden and subtle that I wasn’t sure what had happened. Who is Discord? Discord is the spirit of chaos and disharmony. He lived a thousand years ago and was imprisoned in stone before my defeat. Be careful, he can appear to be a harmless trickster but he can be dangerous. Dash made it to the farm and the others arrived soon after but the situation only got worse. Twilight tried to fix everything with a spell but it didn’t work. So Dash and the other girls managed to corral the clouds together and let the animals devour it. Then they received a letter form Celestia asking them to come to Canterlot a once. Upon arriving they were taken to the room that contained the elements while Celestia talked about Discord. When they reached the vault that the Elements of Harmony were being held in Celestia explained that they had to use them to imprison him once again. Only when she opened the vault and the chest containing the elements it was empty, everypony gasped. “The elements! They’re gone!” “That chamber is protected by a powerful spell that only I can break! This doesn't make sense!” Then they all heard a mysterious laughter. “Make sense? Oh, what fun is there in making sense?” “Discord...show yourself!” Discord chuckled then appeared in a stained glass window. “Did you miss me, Celestia? I missed you. It's quite lonely being encased in stone, but you wouldn't know that, would you, because I don't turn ponies into stone.” After some back and forth between Discord and the ponies he finally gave a clue as to where the elements were located. “To retrieve your missing elements, just make sense of this change of events. Twists and turns are my master plan. Then find the elements back where you began.” “What do you reckon he meant? Twists and turns and ending back where we started?” “Twists and turns...twists and turns...twists and turns! That's it! I bet Discord hid the elements in the palace labyrinth!” “Good luck, my little ponies. The fate of Equestria is in your hooves.” “Thanks, Princess. We won't let you down.” They arrived at the labyrinth only to stop when they realize how difficult this would actually be. Rainbow shot into the air to fly over the labyrinth to see if she could spot the elements but was quickly grounded when her wings disappeared. Then Fluttershy’s vanished along with Twilight and Rarity’s horns. Discord appeared and laid down the rules of his game. Then they all stepped into the labyrinth only to be immediately separated from one another. While they all searched, Discord visited all of them except for Twilight, starting with Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy, and twisted their minds. Meanwhile, Rainbow continued to search for the elements while chatting with Sombra. I don’t think the elements are in the labyrinth. Really? I’ve been thinking about what Discord said and I may have a hunch as to where they are. I think they are somewhere in Ponyville. Well now is this a privet conversation or can anypony join in? Dash immediately stopped after hearing Discord’s voice in her head. “Where are you?! Show yourself?!” Oh why don’t you come find me I’m far too comfy where I am. Rainbow started walking. Be careful, Discord's ability to twist reality is impressive and he won’t be afraid to play dirty or throw some low blows to get his way. Oh sir you flatter me. Who are you anyway? No pony you need concern yourself with draconequus. Rainbow rounded a corner and saw Discord lying on a cloud hammock. “Oh. I can see why you like these clouds so much. Very plush.” “Get off there and put 'em up! Come on! Let's go!” she said while punching the air. “Hey, I'm here to deliver a message.” “I've got a message for you too!” she said while punching some more. Rainbow calm yourself, you can’t take him on alone. “Listen closely, this is important. A weighty choice is yours to make: a right selection or a big mistake. If a wrong choice you choose to pursue, the foundations of home will crumble without you.” Rainbow was show a vision of Cloudsdale falling apart. “Cloudsdale? Crumble...without me? No!” Rainbow! RAINBOW! Listen to me, it’s not real. Discord is trying to deceive you, don’t fall for it. Too late for that. Dash’s colors began to dull and gray. Then a box appeared. “That box contains your wings. You can take them and leave the game, or you can carry on aimlessly wandering this maze. Your choice.” Rainbow took her wings and flew off. Twilight spotted her and couldn’t believe Dash would abandon them like that. The labyrinth disappeared and Discord was standing there ready to gloat over his victory. Rainbow Dash flew around for a good while before coming to rest on a cloud, and then she laid back and relaxed. Sombra had been trying to snap her out of it since she left but to no avail. ‘Damn it! How can I get through to her?’ Then he got an idea. That’s it! I apologize in advance Rainbow. This will hurt. Sombra concentrated, gathering what strength he could and cast a spell. Rainbow’s eyes shot open, she put her hooves to her head, and let out a piercing scream. She shot up into a sitting position and took deep breaths while her color returned. “What the fuck was that?!” she then heard Sombra groan. What happened? Again my…deepest apologies but…the only way to snap you out of it…was to reset your brain and it is a painful experience. Unfortunately it took…a lot of my strength…to do it so I must rest for a while. Now go…find the others and stop Discord. Right. Rainbow flew to the labyrinth but it wasn’t there so she headed to Ponyville and saw a wide hole in Twilight’s library. When she flew in she noticed that the others colors were completely grayed out except for Twilight and they were playing a game of keep away with a book. But Twilight managed to get it. “Get back! All of you! This is my book, and I'm going to READ IT!” Upon opening the book she gasped. “The elements!” “Umm Twilight what’s going on here?” “Rainbow, let me guess you’ve turned into a jerk like the rest of our friends.” “What! No! They’re just under Discords spell. I was too until I snapped out of it.” Twilight let out a sigh. “That’s a relief. Wait how did you break free?” “Uhhh through sheer force of will. Anyways shouldn’t we be stopping Discord?” “Right.” Twilight put the elements around the necks of her friends and got them all outside where Discord was waiting. “Well, well, well, I see you've found the Elements of Harmony. How terrifying!” “Discord! I've figured out your lame riddle. You're in for it now!” “I certainly am. You've clearly out-dueled me, and now it's time to meet my fate. I'm prepared to be defeated now, ladies. Fire when ready.” Discord then produced a target for them to aim at. They grouped together and the elements began to glow, although Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy looked less than enthusiastic about it. But a rainbow shot up and right at Discord who cried out as he was once again turned to stone. Afterwards everything Discord did was undone and the others color returned. Applejack shook her head. “What happened? Did we win?” “We sure did. Thank goodness you’re all back to normal,” said Twilight. Well it looks like you helped save the day again. You must be feeling pretty good. Kind of, it doesn’t have the same rush as it did the first time around. How are you doing? I’ll be fine. I just need a few days and I should be good. Hopefully Equestria won’t have another world ending scenario before then. Yeah, hopefully.