• Published 27th Sep 2015
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Sugarcoat Interferes In Pony History - Twinkletail



Sugarcoat goes back in time and gets involved in pony history.

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The Return of Harmony Part 2

"Wh-what happened?" Rainbow Dash groaned, taking a look around. Then she let out a gasp as realization struck. "How's Ponyville? Where are the Elements?! Did we stop Discord?"

Twilight Sparkle and her friends grabbed Rainbow in a group hug. This wasn't exactly strange behavior for them, but considering the day's events, it was a wonder that it was even happening. In their efforts to find the Elements of Harmony and stop Discord from turning Ponyville into his own chaos capital of the world, Twilight had watched each of her closest friends become something they were not. Applejack became a liar. Pinkie Pie turned into a grump. Rarity transformed into a hoarder, Fluttershy a brute, and Rainbow a deserter. The stress from their behavior had been too much for Twilight to bear at one point, and she too fell to Discord's influence. However, thanks to a helpful reminder from Princess Celestia and Spike about what true friendship really was, she was able to not only recover herself, but figure out a spell to help her friends recover too.

The six friends let out a hearty cheer as they reunited under their right minds, sharing a clear sense that victory was at hoof. The cheering gradually faded as they looked around at the still-chaotic landscape that was the town they loved, its current state punctuated by a herd of buffalo in tutus dancing past them in a line.

"Maybe it's a little early for a group hug," Twilight said, smiling awkwardly. "So what's the gameplan? We can't go up against Discord without a plan."

Just then, the ponies noticed a familiar bluish-gray unicorn walking towards them. Twilight's eyes lit up as she waved her over.

"Sugarcoat!" Twilight exclaimed. "You're just in time! We need to figure out how to defeat Discord, and you always know just what to do in practically any situation! So what should we be doing?"

Six sets of eyes stared eagerly at Sugarcoat, waiting for whatever disarmingly blunt response she had for them. She gave the six a look, then a grin.

"Oh, I know what to do," Sugarcoat said.

"Great!" Twilight responded joyfully. "What is it?"

"Well," Sugarcoat started, "You should do anything it takes to defeat him!"

"Right!" Twilight said. "And that would be?"

"There are lots of different options," Sugarcoat stated. "I know the right one, and that's the one you should do."

The ponies looked to each other, a bit confused.

"Yes, I'm aware that we should...do the right thing," Twilight said, uncertainty coloring her tone. "What is the right thing?"

"The one thing that isn't wrong," Sugarcoat said simply. "It's so obvious if you just think about it."

"I am thinking about it!" Twilight said, her frustration building. "Why are you being so vague? This isn't like–"

Twilight stopped, giving Sugarcoat a look over as realization began to dawn.

"Sugarcoat, would you say that I make bad decisions sometimes?" Twilight asked.

"I wouldn't say that," Sugarcoat answered. "I mean, as long as it's done with the best of intentions, it's not really bad. Not that I would call them bad anyway. I'd go with 'full of potential.' At least with that, you give some leeway as to whether it's good or bad potential, opening it up to–"

"Use the spell," the other five ponies said simultaneously.

"Right!" Twilight exclaimed. Before Sugarcoat could react, Twilight descended upon her, horn lit and ready to go. Sugarcoat felt a warm wave of magical energy wash over and into her, and visions began racing through her mind. Visions of her friends back home at Crystal Prep, the bonding experience of the Friendship Games, and all the experiences she was having here in Equestria flooded her mind, reminding her of her true self. Her colors began to saturate again, slowly and gradually, until she was back to her regular hue. The unicorn slumped to the ground, looking rather exhausted.

"Are you okay, Sugarcoat?" Twilight asked. Sugarcoat peered through her glasses at Twilight, rubbing her temples with her front hooves before she finally spoke.

"Did you shower today?" Sugarcoat asked. "You smell like you just left the gym." Twilight squealed happily and grabbed Sugarcoat in a hug.

"Thank goodness you're back to normal!" Twilight bubbled.

"Uh-huh," Sugarcoat said, a faraway look in her eyes. "Now shut up, stop wasting time, and take care of that jerk Discord. Just blast him with your Elements."

"I figured that was all it would take!" Twilight said. She and the others turned to leave, but then Twilight stopped. "Let me guess: you don't feel like helping."

Sugarcoat stayed silent for a good while, long enough to make Twilight consider asking her question again. Just as she opened her mouth to do just that, Sugarcoat stopped her.

"Let's go," Sugarcoat said coldly. "I've got business with him."

~~~~~~~~~~

Discord couldn't help but be jovial. That was his typical demeanor, after all. The fact that he was currently looking over his new chaos capital of the world also helped. Floating pies, dancing yaks, stampeding bunnies, cotton candy clouds pouring chocolate rain onto the checkerboard ground...what reason was there not to laugh? He had won. His strongest opposition had been dispatched in the most simple and entertaining manner, and Equestria would soon be his.

"Chaos is a wonderful, wonderful thing," Discord mused before taking a sip of chocolate milk.

"Not as wonderful as friendship," a voice spoke. Discord paused, a bit disappointed at the interruption of his sipping. He glanced over at the seven ponies who stood before him, and a bemused expression crossed his face.

"Oh, this again?" Discord groaned, finishing his milk and tossing the glass behind him. The sound of an explosion echoed throughout the air, but Discord paid it no mind. Applejack stepped forward to speak, but before she could get a word out, Sugarcoat stepped in front of her.

"Let me handle this," Sugarcoat said, staring coldly at the draconequus. "Just what do you think you are?"

"Oh, a feisty one!" Discord said, grinning. His head transformed into that of Cheerilee as he repeated her description. "This creature is called a draconequus. He has the head of a pony and a body made up of all sorts of things!"

"It was a rhetorical question," Sugarcoat said, a hint of venom in her voice. "Because I know what you are."

"Oh?" Discord asked. He snapped his fingers, bringing a beach chair into existence so he could recline on it. "Do go on."

"You're a gigantic jerk," Sugarcoat spat. "A jerk who thinks he's all high and mighty because he's got a bunch of powers. You sit there and you wave your powers around and you think that'll make ponies respect you, but you're just doing all of this for respect that you'll never earn as long as you keep acting this way. But it doesn't matter that I'm saying this, because you won't listen. You won't listen and you'll claim that I'm wrong, and you might even actually believe yourself when you say that. But the truth is that behind all of those fancy powers, there's an insecure jerk who plays games with ponies' emotions and takes everything they love from them because he can never truly have what he wants so badly: friendship."

The seven ponies and the draconequus stood silently for a few moments.

"...Wow," Twilight said quietly. "That was a pretty good friendship speech. I'm impressed."

"You should be," Sugarcoat said.

"Oh, bravo, bravo," Discord said, frowning. "It's adorable that you think that way, but I'm happy to tell you that you couldn't be any more wrong. So go ahead and try your little friendship attack on me. It's not going to work, because I have no want nor need for friendship."

"Trust me, you're wrong," Sugarcoat said. The other six began to glow, raising up into the air by the power of the magic of the elements. To their surprise, the same began to happen to Sugarcoat. Discord's face turned from bemused to worried as the magic began to take effect, but there was no coming back from it now. A magical rainbow burst from the Mane Six, raising into the air and beginning to arc towards Discord. Before if descended, a series of magical firecrackers erupted from Sugarcoat's horn, traveling along to the rainbow's apex. The rainbow then came crashing down on Discord, the firecrackers bursting around him. Discord cried out and struggled, but the magic was too much, and he soon found himself trapped in the same stone prison that he had escaped from. Bursts of magical friendship energy flew about Ponyville, transforming it back to its original state.

The seven ponies found themselves slowly descending back to earth, their hooves gently touching down on the restored green grass.

"Great job, girls!" Twilight exclaimed, beaming at her friends. She turned her attention to Sugarcoat, smiling playfully. "Thanks for, y'know, actually getting involved and helping us. But how did you do what you did? I thought only the Element bearers were able to use powers like that."

"Why are you asking me?" Sugarcoat asked. "I have no idea. You're the magical expert."

"Well, I guess I'll have to research that," Twilight responded. "Thank you again for your help with defeating Discord. It's nice to know that you truly value us as friends."

"You're not my friends," Sugarcoat said, turning to walk away. The others watched her go, and Twilight shook her head with a grin.

"That's our Sugarcoat," she said softly.