Of Laurels & Lace

by WritingSpirit

Vertigo Theory

"Come on!"

Rarity dragged Spike's claw, the teenage dragon just following along, clearly uncertain about the unicorn's choice.

The corridors of Palgiot Palace, although ruined, still looked royal as before. Scaffolding and maintenance ponies were all around the hallways, busy refurnishing the walls and columns of the palace itself.

"Where exactly are we going, Rarity?"

The unicorn gave Spike a wink.

"You'll see!"

As they rushed through the corridors, Winter's voice boomed loudly outside, busily addressing the residents of Pendant Lakes.

"...and I can assure you, a truce has been made between each sides. Attacks will no longer be ordered, we can now enjoy a moment of peace."

A wave of clops followed, as Spike peered outside the window whilst running, watching the Patriarch standing modestly on a wooden podium in front of a crowd of ponies.

"Whoa~!"

His claw was suddenly jerked forward, making him trip. His face slammed onto the carpet floor, his head turning slightly giddy in a daze.

A small giggle emanated from Rarity, who looked down at him with her azure eyes.

"You're very, very lethargic, you know that?"

Spike rolled his eyes slightly.

"Can't you just tell me where we're going?"

"If I did," Rarity said with a smirk, "it wouldn't be much of a secret~!"

Spike lifted himself up, letting out a sigh as he watched the unicorn trot off in front of him, disappearing at a corner.

"Wait up, Rarity!"

He quickly ran, shuffling the carpet below his paws. Winter's speech still continued outside, his voice ringing around the corridor.

"...Autumn and Caper's funeral would be held, along with the dozens of ponies that perished in the attacks beforehand. Let us have a moment of silence, to lament the unfortunate that have passed on...

Spike turned around the corner. "Rarity, I really, really want to-"

He stopped for a moment in surprise. The unicorn wasn't there.

"Rarity?" he called out, looking around the corridor.

"Where are you~?"

A small 'psst' made him turn towards a wooden door, watching as it creaked open. Spike gave a relieved smile.

Rarity stood there, giving her own smile before letting out a giggle. She stepped down into the darkness, beckoning the dragon playfully to follow her.

"Come on, Spikey-Wikey~."

Spike just sighed, walking into the darkness while shutting the door behind him. His feet felt granite, taking every step down as he tried to gaze in the duck.

Rarity's voice echoed from below: "Quickly! Before somepony sees us!"

As he reached the bottom, he couldn't help but look in awe at the room.

It was wide, illuminated dimly by only a few torches. A strong aroma of grapes filled his noses, tingling it in a currant sensation. The walls were all covered with wine racks, black bottles jutting out of every available slot.

"Isn't it amazing?"

Rarity's eyes glittered at the wine, her tongue reaching out from her mouth, yearning for a taste.

Spike could only grin at the mare. From one of the racks, he took out a bottle, twisting his claw into the cork like a makeshift corkscrew.

With one small pull, the cork popped out from its beholder, the smell of its contents already seeping out rapidly.

Rarity's horn flared up a light blue. She smiled as two wine glasses levitated from a corner, landing in front of the couple.

Both of them watched the wine flow as Spike tipped it over, quickly filling both of their glasses with the exquisite drink.

"Cheers." the dragon said. Rarity laughed at that, the both of them clinking their glasses together.

"So," Spike shrugged his shoulders, looking around the room, "is this why you brought me here?"

Rarity shook her head 'no', giving him a smirk.

"There's just something I want to show you."

She dragged him by his claw, the dragon nearly losing grip of his glass.

He stopped, his eyes opened wide with wonder as he sat before a wall. Several bricks jutted from its surface, carefully carved with intricate scratches. A bronze plaque was screwed tightly, the carved words faded with age

"What do you make of this?" Rarity asked with anticipation.

"Well..."

Spike examined the wall carefully, looking at every single scratch made on each brick. He tried to clean the plaque, with no success.

The symbols seemed to dance in his head, his mind slightly fazed by the puzzling wall before him.

"If I'm not mistaken, from Twilight's books, this is the dragon writing."

Spike traced his claw over one of the bricks, his face turning serious.

"Ancient dragon writing."

"So..." Rarity's voice trailed off, looking at the wall in revelation.

"How do you understand it?"

Spike just chuckled a little, looking at the unicorn.

"It's quite simple, really."

He pointed at one of the bricks. A swirl was scratched towards the middle, the outside arrayed by strokes, all pointing outwards.

"That one is sunlight. The swirl indicates the energy in the sun; the strokes striking outwards the rays."

Rarity nodded, finally understanding. She suddenly giggled, making Spike look at her in surprise.

"We're looking for the son of Ochre Palgiot, not 'Sun'!"

Spike just scratched his head, watching the mare giggle beside her.

"You didn't really tell me exactly what are we looking for."

"So, well then,"

Spike looked at the arrangement of bricks, the signs all flashing in his head.

"Who's Ochre's son?"

"That's the problem," Rarity shrugged in frustration. "I don't know."

Spike looked at the room around him.

"Surely there must be something here that can tell us. The bottles or something."

Rarity snapped her hooves.

"That's it!"

She quickly grabbed a bottle. The label, though slightly faded, stated its name:

Parsan 1109

"Parsan Palgiot!" Rarity explained with glee.

"The Patriarch that built the Palace on the mountain!"

"So let me get this straight,"

Spike stopped to think, his face turning a little green, "you mean Winter named his wines... after his dead relatives?"

"You can say that..."

"That's just sick!"

He looked at his wine glass, now empty. His stomach gurgled slightly in repulsion, making him feel faint.

"Calm down, Spikey!"

Rarity let out a giggle, stroking his purple scales. "It's not like he grounded their bodies up and mixed it in the brew!"

"What?! That's not what I was even thinking of!"

The unicorn laughed with tears in her eyes at the dragon's horrified expression, rolling on the stone floor.

"R-Really, Spike!" she managed to snort in her laughing fit, "You're getting way over your head here!"

The dragon just rolled his eyes, turning back to the stone wall.

"Back to business here?"

"Alright, alright!"

Rarity breathed in, calming herself down. She trotted along the wine racks, examining each of the bottles.

Her hoof traced on the labels, inspecting each bottle closely.

"Fedora... Flair... Ochre....

"Here it is!" she shouted to the dragon.

"His name is Axle. Axle Palgiot."

"An axle..." Spike pondered a while. "A gear, perhaps?"

He turned to the wall, looking at each brick closely.

"This one!" he said, pointing to a carving of two circles with two dots inside, a small slash connecting the both of them together.

"The two dots. One slanted left and the other slanted right, indicating the direction the circles, or gears, turn in. The slash in the middle-"

"The axle." Rarity finished his sentence.

"Well, give it a push!"

Spike held his breath, ramming the brick inwards.

The cellar walls around them rumbled suddenly, making the both of them look around. Bottles rattled on the racks, the wine in them sloshing around aimlessly. In the distance, a multitude of clonks echoed into the room, the sound of metal against metal ringing from behind the walls.

Rarity held Spike's claw tightly, shuffling nervously closer to him.

The strange wall before them suddenly shifted forwards, making them jump back in surprise.

Suddenly, the sounds stopped, the wall swaying open like a wooden door, revealing a passage behind.

Rarity and Spike looked into the darkness in amazement, the cold, musty air making their noses tingle.

"Are we really gonna go in there?" the dragon asked.

Rarity's horn sparkled a little, emitting out a ball of light. She turned to the dragon, smiling with anticipation.

"Every pony needs an adventure now and then, Spike."

She gave him a peck, making his cheeks redden slightly.

"That includes a dragon, as well."

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"We're almost there, Twilight. Just hang on now."

Twilight could only nod weakly, slightly shivering from her fever as Pinkie and Rainbow helped her along. The sun was setting in the horizon, making Pinkie look grimly at the sky.

"Time is running out..."

"Hurry!"

Twilight could only groan, her face discolored from her malady. She struggled to keep her eyes open, her gut and stomach gushing agonizingly with pain.

Rainbow looked ahead, straddling the unicorn's hooves around her back. Her rainbow mane glistened slightly, her eyes sparkling as something came into view.

"Is that it?"

Pinkie followed Rainbow's hoof, spotting a thatched cottage in the distance. It looked quaint and welcoming, from the wooden patio to the hay roof. Behind it, a river streamed through the plains, bending slightly away. A crimson monument of rocks stood, seemingly shining elegantly under the setting sun.

"Red North's Bend," the pink pony muttered. "That's the one!"

The three ponies advanced hurriedly down the sloping hillside path. Twilight's head hung low, the mare shutting her eyes tightly with a moan.

"Almost there, Twi." Rainbow assured her friend. "Don't give up now!"

The unicorn gave her a weak smile.

"A-alr..." her voice faltered, her throat dry with pain.

After what it seems like forever, the three of them reached the cottage. Pinkie rushed up to the door as Rainbow watched her promisingly, helping Twilight up to her hooves.

The pink pony gave a small knock on the door, tapping her hooves impatiently on the wooden patio.

The door swung open, revealing a caramel colored mare. She smiled in surprise, her bright yellow eyes sparkling with delight.

"Pinkie! It's been such a long time!"

"Well, we don't really have much time."

Rainbow stepped forward, helping Twilight along. The mare gasped, looking in shock at the frail unicorn.

She glanced around the meadow with concern, before speaking:

"Quickly come in."

Rainbow and Pinkie helped Twilight in as the mare tidied the living room. A small fireplace crackled in the corner, with stacks of wood prepared for the coming winter. On the wooden walls hung old, fading photos, the glass pane that preserved it wiped daily with care.

The three ponies helped Twilight onto a soft, satin couch. The caramel mare rested the unicorn's head on a pillow, before going into the back room.

"I suppose your visit is quite sudden, Pinkie." her voice boomed from the back.

She returned shortly, carrying a mortar and pestle.

"It isn't everyday an old friend visits like this."

Pinkie gave the mare a slight grin, watching her as she fumbled through a few glass vials and phials standing on an oak rack.

"I'll explain later, Prim."

"Reminds me, forgot to introduce myself!"

She shook Rainbow's hoof. "My name is Primrose! Primrose Custard."

The mare opened one of the vials, quickly pouring its purple contents into the stone mortar.

"Pinkie, get the soap."

The pink pony wandered to the back, leaving them behind.

Rainbow watched in amazement as Primrose started pounding, the petals turning into fine powder.

"West Valley coneflower," she said with a smile. "Works for many diseases."

Pinkie returned from the back, carrying a small bar of soap.

"Sure hope it will work."

"Of course it will!" the mare said with a smile.

"There isn't a disease I can't treat!"

She poured the powdered flowers into a vial, slightly mixing it with water. She gave it a stir, the water inside swirling rapidly into a lavender whirlpool.

In her other hoof, she used a syringe to draw out a part of the mixture. The remaining solution in the vial was poured onto a wrap of paper.

Pinkie started grinding the soap effortlessly, pounding and grinding it mercilessly. Twilight watched from the couch, her vision becoming a faint blur.

"Hold on, Twi." Rainbow said, looking at her friend with worry.

"Done!"

Pinkie scattered the grounded soap into the paper, wrapping it into the poultice as Primrose headed towards the sick unicorn, the syringe in her hoof.

"Open your mouth slightly, miss."

Twilight stretched her mouth weakly, trying not to whimper as the bittersweet medicine flowed from the syringe into her mouth, stinging at her taste buds.

Pinkie carefully wrapped the bandage around the large, swelling bite, with Rainbow Dash helping to tie the knot.

"She'll be fine in two days." Primrose said, inspecting the bandaged swelling closely. She turned to the pink pony, giving her a grin.

"I recommend you guys to stay here for awhile then."

"All right, I guess."

"In the meantime, I need to know your friend's names!"

Primrose sat on a small cushion, inviting them on another couch. Pinkie smiled, watching as Twilight closed her eyes serenely, falling into a deep slumber.

"Well, this is Rainbow Dash."

She gestured to the blue pegasus, who raised her hoof in greeting.

"And that's Twilight Sparkle."

"Wait," Primrose stopped to think for a moment.

"That's Twilight Sparkle? The Princess's personal student?"

Pinkie nodded cheerfully.

"That's the one!"

"Well, I've heard many stories about her."

The caramel mare looked at the sleeping unicorn, slightly giggling as she tossed around on the sofa.

The fire warmed the place up, the cottage now filled with the sound of chirping crickets. Primrose stretched her hooves a little, letting out a small yawn.

"I'll get a blanket for Twilight here, and maybe get a mat for the both of you,"

She stopped at her bedroom, turning back to them.

"if you both don't mind, that is."

"Oh, we won't mind!" Rainbow replied, giving her an assuring smile. Pinkie nodded along, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

Primrose smiled back, the mare brushing her curly, chestnut-colored mane away from her face.

"All right, then. I'll get everything for the both of you."

She turned to Pinkie, the pink pony's gentle yawns making her giggle.

"Maybe Pinkie and I can talk about some of our previous adventures together!" she said with a wink.

As she walked into the back room, Rainbow turned to her pink friend, nudging her pink hoof.

"Adventures, huh?"

"We were best buddies back in the day, Dashie."

Pinkie stroked Gummy tenderly with a chuckle, the scales grazing against her pink hoof as she stared into space, her voice trailing off:

"Back in the day..."

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Rainy nights... Applejack sighed, looking out the window, always ruining the mood...

The orange mare continued slicing the apple pie, joining along the clinks of forks and knives of her siblings as the rain outside pattered onto the windows, rattling the rafters in the howling gale.

Winona and Angel were still sleeping beside the fireplace, their food bowls completely clean of any leftovers.

"There's gonna be a lot of work tomorrow," Big Mac said, staring at the orchard in the rain.

The trees ruffled their branches in the wind, with one or two of the red fruits tossed around the hillside.

Applejack tried not to scoff.

"With everything happenin' to our friends, 'Ah don't think it's a good time."

Apple Bloom just sighed, placing her head onto the table.

"I'm so bored~!"

"It's raining outside," her sister said with a chuckle, "if not 'Ah'll be roundin' up a few fireflies."

A steady knock make their ears perk. Big Mac excused himself, heading towards the door.

He opened it, only to look in surprise.

"Fluttershy?"

The yellow pegasus gave a slight grin. She was shivering violently, completely wet from mane to hoof. Her bandaged wings were damp, already starting to fall out.

"H-Hey.. M-Mac."

Applejack stood from her chair, walking towards the red stallion.

"Who in tarnation is tha-"

She stopped in surprise, looking at Fluttershy outside the door.

Her face frowned slightly, the orange pony leaving the both of them in a huff.

Big Mac shot a glare, watching his sister walk back into the dining room.

"Ah'm sorry 'bout my sister. She ain't in a good mood."

Fluttershy just nodded gently. "I understand."

"Well, come on in."

The yellow pegasus stepped inside, water dripping from her mane. Big Mac went to the kitchen, coming out with a small towel.

"Ah'll get a bigger one for 'ya later."

"N-No... it's.. okay."

The stallion smiled, ushering her into the dining room.

Apple Bloom gave the pegasus a smile. Applejack sat across them, tilting her hat downwards. Her frown was still evident on her face, her hooves crossed with ignorance.

"Have a seat."

Big Mac pulled out a chair for her, gesturing the yellow pegasus towards it. Fluttershy nodded a 'thank you', before mildly settling herself down on the wooden seat.

The yellow pegasus glanced at his sisters as the stallion himself wandered into the back, carrying a few empty plates in his hooves.

She gazed uneasily at Applejack, who only looked back at her grudgingly, making the pegasus let out a small whimper.

"So," the orange pony began, arching herself forwards.

"What brings a pony like you here?"

"I'm just..." Fluttershy cringed in her seat. Apple Bloom just watched between the older mares, slightly puzzled by both of their behaviors.

"j-just... making sure y-you're alright."

"Ah'm perfectly fine, Shy."

Applejack drank from a cup of water, letting it rush down her throat.

"But what exactly are 'ya doing here?"

Fluttershy pushed her chair backwards slowly, fidgeting the hooves nervously.

"Apple.. Applejack... I-I'm just h-here to say-"

"There's nothin' to say, Fluttershy."

Applejack slammed her cup down, making the other two ponies jump.

"What 'Ah can say is that 'ya ain't supposed to be here!"

Fluttershy felt her wings tremble and twitch slightly. Rage started building in the pegasus, though she repressed it slowly with ease.

"Applejack, I j-just want to... um.. talk. About..."

The orange pony lifted herself from the seat, slowly striding towards Fluttershy.

Apple Bloom watched with bewilderment, trying to understand the situation as her sister advanced towards the yellow pegasus, who was backing away with her hooves up defensively.

"..about... what I've done to-"

"That doesn't really matter, does it?"

Fluttershy stumbled into the hallway, fear growing in her eyes. Applejack followed outwards, her glare piercing into the yellow pegasus.

"What's going on here?!"

Both mares turned to see Big Mac, his face darkening slightly.

"AJ," he turned to her sister, "Fluttershy's a guest. We're suppose to welcome her!"

"An uninvited guest, Macintosh!"

Applejack turned to Fluttershy, giving her another glare. "She's not supposed to be here!"

"She's sick, AJ!"

Big Mac help lift the yellow pegasus, who was now trembling with tears in her eyes.

"That doesn't explain why she had to walk all the way here by herself! In the rain! With no pony helping her!"

"Applejack!"

Big Mac's booming shout made her stop, looking at her brother in shock. Lightning flashed outside, followed by the roar of thunder.

"Ah trust you'd understand!" he continued, "This is one of your friends here! Not some crazy mare!"

"She is a crazy mare!"

Applejack screamed at her brother with tears in her eyes, making Fluttershy gasp with horror.

"A-Applejack...?"

"Shut the buck up, Fluttershy!"

The orange pony marched towards her, gritting her teeth, stopping when Big Mac crossed in, glaring at her sister.

"Don't 'ya dare cause a fight in here, AJ!"

"Ah'm not that stupid, Macintosh! You'll never understand-"

"I understand," Big Mac broke in sharply, raising his voice.

"that you're acting like a wretched, no-good fillyfooler!"

Applejack gasped, her eyes widening with shock. Apple Bloom could only gape in disbelief from the dining room.

*SMACK*

The orange pony suddenly struck the side of his face harshly, making him tumble backwards in surprise.

Big Mac could only watch, while rubbing his sore cheeks, as Applejack ran outside into the rain, sniffling loudly, tears flying in the wind.

"Applejack!"

Fluttershy ran out after the orange pony before Big Mac could stop her. Apple Bloom lifted him up, the two of them only able to watch helplessly as the mares galloped into the rain.

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The cavern was damp, musty and dark. Rarity could only grimace with disgust as her hoof landed into a puddle.

"Great!" she exclaimed, slightly enraged.

"Now my hoof's gonna get all pruney!"

Spike could only chuckle, trying to see into the darkness.

"If I can recall, it was your idea of coming down here."

Rarity just rolled her eyes with sarcasm. "Thanks for reminding me, o wise sage! Can we go now?"

The pair slowly trudged down the cavern, kicking a few pebbles away. Rarity groaned in annoyance, making Spike look as she complained:

"This is taking a lot of a mare's time!"

Spike just shrugged.

"This is adventuring!"

The passage opened up, expanding outwards into a stone rotunda. Rarity and Spike both gasp in amazement as they entered into the cavern.

The grotto shined a bright sapphire, with giant crystals of it jutting from the ceiling. Rarity's eyes sparkled at the magnificence of the gems, the unicorn giggling with glee at the majestic radiance.

Spike just slithered his tongue hungrily, making the mare smack him.

"All right, Rarity! I won't eat any of these!"

The unicorn laughed slightly, the both of them continuing down a rock bridge, suspended high above the sharp, harrowing stalagmites on the grotto floor.

The path ended in a large, monument-like pillar rising from the floor. On it, a marble column stood, carrying an antique-looking book.

"What is that?" Spike asked, the both of them slowly approaching the marble column.

Rarity shook her head, glancing nervously at the dark purple book, the runes on it beckoning her to open.

She held his breath, her hoof flipping the black latch open.

A small wind suddenly blew into the cavern, violently ruffling through the pages.

Rarity held her mane, her indigo-colored tail blowing in the howling breeze. Spike tried to get a glimpse of the book, the pages tauntingly flipping faster and faster.

Suddenly, the wind died down, the book landing on a specific page.

Both of them crept closer, with Rarity tracing her hoof on the pages and reading out:

"The Vertigo Theory."

Vertigo. Disequilibrium. Insecurity.

What's much more confusing than confusion itself? More fearful than fear itself? The answer lies deep. Deep within the root of all emotions, of all forbidden, unforgiving secrets to the most promising of hopes. A pony can conclude to the fact that emotions are a vertigo within itself.

Yet vertigo is a condition within a mix of emotions: nausea, fear, contempt, spite -it all fits inside the theory. The theory that emotion, unlike thoughts, is a mental embodiment of chaos. Of disharmony itself. Stop and ponder at the emotions. such as...

Applejack ran across the orchard, tears flourishing in her eyes. Fluttershy's voice only made her buckle her hooves, taking off away into the night.

Hatred...

Pinkie looked from the cottage, breathing in the nighttime atmosphere. She stood, gazing her eyes into the stars above.

Concern...

Spring laid in her bed, tears dampening the bed. Her sister's face flashed through once more, making her weep under her sheets.

Despair...

Jovern sighed deeply, flipping through the Dragonheart book for the fifth time. A small tear leaked from his eye, as he began reading once again.

Nostalgia...

Rainbow looked at Twilight, the unicorn tossing on the couch. The pegasus stretched her hooves, smiling at the sleeping mare. The unicorn let out a small giggle from her dream, making Rainbow do the same.

Hope...

Winter stood on the balcony, entrancing himself in a small glass of vodka. He let the burning sensation tingle in his mouth, watching at the town below him. A small laughter echoed in his mind, making his eyes water.

Regret...

Octavia danced on the terrace, with Crimson following behind her with a grin. The two of them strode along the corridors in the night, before slowly joined together by a wistful kiss on their lips.

Love...

Spike nudged Rarity's hoof slightly at the previous word, the mare giving out a giggle as she continued reading:

These were just one of the many emotions in the world. In conclusion to the theory, we have no harmony within themselves. From the lowliest thralls to the most honorable of alicorns, emotions linger in our minds, waiting to be unleashed, to be invited into the ever changing flurry of the world.

Would that mean that, in conjunction that all ponies have emotions, and that emotion is disharmony, that Equestria, known to its inhabitants as a harmonious and wondrous paradise, is in fact a cold, merciless and desolate wasteland? A barren land, cruel and unforgiving?

A land of emotion? Of chaos reigning?

Of course, it is unwise to prove that chaos is the ultimate benefactor of Equestria. I have learned from the extensive, eccentric family of my own that it is but a folly to dare challenge the Canterlot Ministry, and the celestial being of the Princess herself, into this matter.

The Vertigo Theory: an unpublished, incomplete thesis. A study on emotion, on happiness to anger. Let it shall forever be kept in here, never again to meet the atmosphere of the outside world.

Never again,

Axle Saphir Palgiot

"Vertigo Theory, huh?"

Spike closed the book, his face turning serious. "Think of what the Princesses would do if they found this."

Rarity nodded, looking at the book with a shudder.

"I can't imagine..."

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Night. Her moment.

Luna stood tall like a regent, overlooking the grand town of Canterlot. Her sparkling mane flowed gently in the wind, her dark blue coat glistening gently from the moonlight.

She let out a sigh, looking at a map sprawled across the floor. A large, red cross was marked on the map, signifying the location of Pendant Lakes.

"Pendant Lakes..." she pondered, "the source of all this chaos..."

Despite her nocturnal nature, she let out a small yawn, ruffling through a few scrolls.

"Nightmare Night is coming soon," she reminded herself, slightly brushing her mane.

A small creak from behind made her turn.

"Sister, is that y-"

Mirror Mare stood there, the lips on the bright azure mask completely stitched.

"It's a long night, don't you think so Princess?"

Luna grimaced at the sight of the pony.

"What do you want?"

The masked pony just laughed slightly, striding forward closer to the alicorn.

"Not much, my Princess. Just... to give a prophecy..."

Princess Luna raised her eyebrow in suspicion.

"What prophecy?"

"The prophecy," Mirror Mare began, "of chaos. Of destruction."

"That Canterlot. That Equestria. Will Fall."

The alicorn gasped slightly, making the assassin chuckle at her horror.

"Thou demands that thy subject shall tell me more!"

Mirror Mare just cackled, its body vanishing into strips of a black, void-like substance, blown along with the wind. Luna galloped frantically towards the masked pony in vain, the cold voice echoing loudly into the air:

"It begins with the death. The death of the source of all this chaos!"

Luna looked at the vanishing fragments grudgingly, gritting her teeth bitterly with resentment as Mirror Mare's voice rang once more:

"The death of the Voyager Six!"

If you do not understand exactly what the Vertigo Theory is about, check out the extremely long explanation at the comments section below!

Comments

[WritingSpirit]

Chapter 26!
Another of the particularly, long chapters. More questions

The Voyager Six! Now that's something I've been wanting to start in this story!
Never knew how to fit it in, but now's a good time!

[Fury of the Tempest]

The voyager six... My first thoughts are of the Elements of Harmony due to how they are all being affected. However I'm uncertain about it as it seems too obvious...
I know this is a fanfiction so I shouldn't complain but... Well I dislike the Princess in this story. I understand that they might not like the Lakes... but they are the caring rulers of Equestira, so why would they not intervine?
Then there is this theroy... I think the Pricesses will be able to point out its flaws. Chaos itself is not disharmony, but when chaos out matches order. Harmony isn't just order, it's BALANCE.

[WritingSpirit]

945842
Well, the Voyager Six isn't the Elements of Harmony... sort of.
Their history actually explains primarily of the Princesses's negative response to Pendant Lakes. You'll find out why later.

As for the Theory, it states that in general, an emotion is an expression of numerous thoughts, triggered by a main factor. Since all ponies show emotion, it must mean that there might be a factor that can trigger their opposite form of their personality (Fluttershy and her rage, Pinkie and her depression etc.). Axle's theory uses this concept and converts it into the political state of Pendant Lakes.
Apply this to the Mane Six. In their situation, their friendship is beginning to tear apart (in the instance of Fluttershy and Applejack) yet strengthen at some points (Pinkie, Rainbow and Twilight). Irony abounds!
Overall, The Vertigo Theory is not a theory of chaos or harmony, but the combination or, in other words, 'vertigo', of the both. The question: what would happen if complete opposites were to dominate together?

From Axle's Theory,
First: Insecurity. Distrust constantly ensues among each side. In this case, the Princesses and the Patriarchs, one representing harmony, the other chaos.
Next: Disequilibrium. It only takes one of them to make a move. This has happened more than once between the both of them, one prime example being Noir Palgiot's defiance.
Last: Vertigo. Complete rupture, which only happened once when Princess Celestia cursed the town. The chaos stops as the ultimate piece is placed down, and the cycle starts back again.

In other words, Pendant Lakes (the 'main personality') is the historical stage set for the Vertigo Theory, ruled both by the Canterlot Ministry ('personality 1') and the Palgiot Family ('personality 2'). As such, it only takes one small factor (in this case, Mirror Mare) to set disequilibrium in motion, whilst the conspirators (Mirror Mare and Sicarius Nox) tie up loose ends, thus achieving chaos yet still in harmony!

Paradoxical much? Remember, it's just Axle's theory, not law. It can maybe be proved or disproved, depends on the accuracy of it.
Long explanation

[Fury of the Tempest]

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Did you get this of the internet, or make it up yourself?

[WritingSpirit]

945918
...
Completely made up.
Trust me, I had a hard time figuring it out myself.

[Fury of the Tempest]

945923
Then your awesomeness points has gone up a zillion levels.

[WritingSpirit]

945928
I really gotta add a link to that, just in case anybody else asks .

[Fury of the Tempest]

945935
XD
Yeah.

[BlackMuffin]

"Rarity snapped her hooves."
2.bp.blogspot.com/--FFGr91tS8I/T0EMueNTFaI/AAAAAAAABBg/MHr-mn7CThA/s1600/epic-jackie-chan-template.png

[DARKPHANTOM13]

945914 It is an interesting theory, something that is yet isn't. This theory does have some truth to it in my opinion, then again most theories do make some form of sense. I can see why Celestia wanted the theory buried.