• Published 5th Mar 2017
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What If? - Equestrian Avengers: Shattered Dimensions - Maximus_Reborn



Starlight Glimmer unleashes the power of the Tablet of Order and Chaos, and it's up to the Equestrian Avengers to save the very fabric of time and space.

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Topsy Turvy! A Game of Wits!

Chapter Three “Topsy Turvy! A Game of Wits!”

The portal spiraled frantically as bolts of lightning crackled wildly across its surface. Peter was thrusted out, landing onto a floating platform. However, the stallion’s brow furrowed at the distorted space surrounding him. Several platforms floated around an enclosed space, connected by wooden bridges. One of the platforms was even upside down, holding two trees. The realm itself was black, resembling that of space, but the air was breathable, as Peter quickly learned.

One of the platform’s trees bore bright yellow leaves, yet it was patterned with blue polka dots. One platform acted as a literal fountain and poured into the stream of another, shifting from a bright red color to a green shade. A bridge drifted aimlessly in the distance, connecting to nothing in particular. One tree’s bark was blue, riddled with bright spots, and its platform’s grass held a star-patterned design on the exterior while its interior look was labeled with its share of dots.

Peter could only stare at his environment with a furrowed brow. “Okay? Of all the possibilities, this was the second-to-last thing that I was expecting. I sooner expected to land on an island made of cheesecake filled with lonely supermodels. I mean, come on, I’m constantly surrounded by hot girls. That’s normal compared to… this.” He trailed off, eyeing a school of fish that flew by over his head while several birds swam in the nearest stream. Peter’s befuddlement only grew, evident by his blinking gaze. “Where the heck am I? It feels like if Bizarro World cranked it up to eleven or something out of a Doctor Seuss nightmare.”

“That’s actually a fair comparison,” a female’s voice coolly declared from behind. Peter turned just as a draconequus inexplicably flickered into existence mere inches away, quickly becoming solid. With a flick of snow-white hair and a coy grin, she tightly embraced the stallion and lifted his frame from the ground slightly. “Oh, my handsome hero! You’ve come to save me!”

Straining to breathe in the female’s iron embrace, the stallion weakly chuckled. “Sure, Eris. Anything for a friend.” Eventually, the draconequus relinquished her hold, easing Peter to the ground. Scratching the back of his head, he glanced at his surroundings once more. “So, what’s the deal with Wonderland here? This seems like something you’d come up with in your sleep.”

Eris simply folded her paw and talon, sitting in midair on nothing in particular. “In my younger days, this surely would be considered paradise, but I fear this is the work of my male counterpart, Discord.” The draconequus pointed a talon in the direction of the surrounding platforms. “For you see, this is actually the astral plain.”

“Say what?” Peter blurted out, tilting his head to the side.

Slow to respond, Eris straightened her posture. “I’m fully aware of the capabilities of the Tablet of Order and Chaos. You weren’t affected when the tablet was shattered because you are the embodiment of Order, and Order must always mend Chaos.”

Peter walked up to the draconequus. “So, how were you affected? If the tablet is tied to both of us, shouldn’t you have been untouched, too?”

“Perhaps in theory,” Eris mused, holding out a paw before an hourglass materialized into existence in her grasp. Turning the item upside down, the grains of sand began to fall toward the bottom. “Sadly, remove chaos, and it shifts, never truly ending. In such a case, I was merely moved.” The draconequus turned the hourglass onto its side, impeding the progress of the grains of sand. “However, only order can truly halt chaos.”

Frowning, Peter simply shrugged. “Okay. Point proven. So, how are we in Discord’s happy place?”

Eris inhaled deeply before sighing. “He’s in possession of the fragment.” The air around the pair grew thick, making the simple act of breathing difficult. Eris chided herself, evident by her frustrated gaze. “I’m sorry. I was dazed from the explosion and lost track of the fragment. When I came to, I found myself here, and I could feel Discord’s presence. The chaotic energies he's releasing are extravagant, far more than I could dream.”

Peter’s complexion paled as a bead of sweat fell from his forehead. “That’s not good. Discord was already powerful on his own. With a fragment from the Tablet of Order and Chaos, he’s practically unstoppable.” Tapping a hoof against his chin, the stallion glanced at his surroundings with an arched brow. “That still doesn’t explain this reality. How did it get like this? I know this is Discord’s getaway, but how are we here?”

“As crazy as it sounds, I suggest that we speak with Discord,” Eris calmly suggested, glancing to the side at a lone platform. A simple brick house with a yellow rooftop and stone chimney stood perched over it. Even a white fence surrounded it, as if resembling some form of practicality. “He’ll have some answers for us. Plus, if this reality’s Discord is anything like ours, he’ll remain civilized and will humor our presence.”

Grumbling under his breath, Peter wiped the sweat from his brow. “You’re right. This does sound crazy, but I live in a crazy work environment. I really should ask for worker’s compensation… or any pay, really.”

Suddenly, a row of wooden planks sped through the air and assembled, by themselves, into a sturdy makeshift bridge between their platform and that of Discord’s. Eris and Peter shared a glance, hesitantly accepting the gesture and starting across. As the draconequus merely hovered through the air, the stallion was forced to take the bridge. Each step was carefully planted as Peter continued to travel across the pathway. However, both individuals reached the platform with no difficulties, and the beams of wood scattered soon after, fading from existence in bursts of light.

Peter blinked at the sight before chuckling nervously. “Huh. I guess Discord wants us to come visit.” Shrugging, the stallion walked up to the door and raised his hoof as if to knock, but the object opened on its own, creaking slightly. “No housewarming gifts needed? I’m not sure how to feel about this.”

The pair walked inside, only for the door to close itself behind them. The interior’s lights shut off before coming back on, illuminating over a draconequus sitting comfortably in a large, red and plush chair. Pulling at the hairs of his goatee with a talon, he stared at both individuals for what seemed like eons. However, his disposition lightened considerably, evident by his wide, fanged smile, and he clapped feverishly while grinning uncontrollably.

“Welcome at last, friends! I’ve been expecting you!” Discord cheered, holding out his paw as a cup of hot tea materialized into his waiting grasp. “Eris, my beautiful counterpart from a parallel dimension, and Peter Parker, the Spirit of Order from another reality!” The draconequus paused, ready to drink his beverage, but he ate the entire ceramic cup, arching a brow afterward before simply shrugging. Discord refaced his guest with a smile. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

Peter scratched the back of his head. “Wish it was fun business, but we have a bit of a problem. We were hoping you could answer a few questions for us.”

Discord nodded, chuckling before vanishing from sight. “Straight to the point. I see why you were chosen to be the Spirit of Order,” he declared upon materializing back into existence upside down near the ceiling while remaining sitting in his chair. “Ask away.”

Eris stepped forward, furrowing her brow. “I’ll start with the obvious question. How have we come to be in the astral plain? This is a world reserved only for us chaotic spirits.”

Discord’s eyes widened at the question. Slow to respond, the draconequus faded from sight once more before he reappeared next to the window behind the pair. “Oh, I see. That was rude of me to assume that you knew what was happening. You, Eris, had just woken up, and Peter had only just arrived. By all counts, your bewilderment is understandable.” Clapping his paw and talon together, the walls of the house fell to the ground, as if they were barely connected to begin with. Discord held his gaze skyward at the distorted atmosphere. “This is not the astral plain. This beautiful land is Equestria made in my image. It’s very reminiscent of my personal realm.”

“What?!” Eris blurted out, her mouth falling agape. “How?! Has nopony tried to stop you?”

Shrugging, Discord fell down and phased through the ground before descending from air. Once the draconequus landed perfectly in his seat, the house reformed, and its walls slid back into position. “Several times, but the results have repeatedly been in my favor, instead of Equestria's. Celestia and Luna constantly try, but they simply are not powerful enough to even dream of being able to stop me, unlike the ones from your reality, Peter Parker.”

Peter blinked at the comment as he stared intently at Discord. “So that’s it. In this reality, you were never sealed away by the Elements of Harmony.”

Discord nodded, twirling the tip of his talon about. “Indeed. Those two bored me with their rules and regulations. So, I simply put my own spin on the world.” A flock of pigs soared by outside, causing the draconequus to chuckle under his breath. “It’s quite an improvement, wouldn’t you say?”

Eris frowned. “You know that they say too much of a good thing can be bad? I’ve learned that from experience.”

“I’m almost inclined to agree. My many victories against Equestria have led to an excessive level of boredom,” Discord muttered, waving a glowing paw to the side. A pair of crystal balls materialized into existence by his sides, both revealing images of Peter and Eris. “This is why I’ve made a habit of watching how life progresses in my neighbors’ dimensions. That’s how I know about you two. You’ve led quite the exciting life, it seems. I’m especially drawn to your Avengers idea. Such a… chaotic prospect, and used to ensure order no less.”

Peter's sixth sense chimed after a duration. His eyes widened at a realization before his brow furrowed. “To make matters worse, you have a fragment of the Tablet of Order and Chaos.” The stallion pursed his lips. “That saves us time. We really need that fragment back.”

The corner of Discord’s mouth curled into a fanged grin as he held out a talon, allowing a fragment to flash over his grasp. “Oh, this little thing? Why on earth would I want to give this back?” He paused, eyeing the fragment with an arched brow. “I saw how the whole tablet itself granted Starlight Glimmer incredible might, and just a tiny fragment made Infurnus a true juggernaut. Could you imagine what this could do for me?”

Eris exhaled, brushing a talon through her snow white hair. “That’s exactly what we’re afraid of. You know that we’re strictly forbidden from using the powers of the Tablet of Order and Chaos. Plus, it’s distorting all of reality, and we have to reassemble the pieces before the damage is irreversible.”

“That’s chaos in its purest form. Why would I want to stop that?” Discord objectively questioned, closing his eyes before letting out a low sigh.

Peter huffed. “Because it's too easy.” Discord’s eyes shot open at the statement before he turned his widened gaze towards the stallion. Peter folded his hooves. “It’s just who you are. You’re a big game kind of guy, and you like to make things challenging, for those around you and yourself. I mean, look at this reality.” Peter faced the window, eyeing the distorted environment outside of the abode. “You did this with your own power. You beat everyone, reshaping the world in your image. If I didn’t know better, I'd say you did that in your sleep.”

Discord narrowed his gaze on the stallion before glancing to the side. “More or less.”

“Exactly. That’s why Eris and our Discord follow the rules. You guys break the rules, and the game suddenly becomes too easy to win. And as you’ve found out, there’s no fun in that,” Peter whispered, nodding. “With the fragment, it just becomes cheap, and where’s the fun in that if no one can give you a proper challenge?” The stallion turned back around, facing Discord. “If you’re bored now, imagine how slow things will be with the power of the fragment in your possession.”

Discord’s brow lowered in thought, as if contemplating the stallion’s words carefully. After a brief duration, the draconequus huffed and smiled. “You bring up a fair point. I suppose there can be fun in the game with proper precautions.” Just as Eris readied to step forward to retrieve the fragment, Discord pulled it away and shook his head. “Not so fast. I want to test you first, Peter Parker. Prove to me that you can actually follow your own merits and are worthy of your title as Spirit of Order.” He shared a glance with his female counterpart. “Could you please sit this out, Eris?”

Hesitantly, Eris could only shrug. “I don’t really have much of a choice.”

Befuddled, Peter stammered about. “Um, okay? Are we going to fight? Because I wouldn’t like my chances against the immortal, reality-bending being. I’m still a street-level crimefighter at heart, especially without my magical and cosmic-leveled partner.”

Snorting involuntarily, Discord waved a talon dismissively. “Of course not. I’m hardly the violent-type. I’d prefer a game of wits over a test of brawn.”

The draconequus clapped his paw and talon together. Suddenly, a chair materialized into existence mere hoof-lengths away from Discord’s while a second appeared on the other side of the room. Peter vanished in a burst of magic, landing instantly in the chair closest to the draconequus while Eris eased into the seat backwards. Bright energies illuminated around the pair, taking the shape of a square container. Eris simply stared at both individuals, narrowing her crimson gaze.

Inhaling deeply before sighing, Peter blinked. “All right. We’re practically locked in a box. I’m just glad I’m not claustrophobic. Anyway, what’s the game?”

“Just a little game of mine called Taboo,” Discord chimed, sitting upright while crossing his legs. He reached out to the side with a paw, pulling down on a string to reveal a chalkboard with the entire alphabet written out completely. “It starts as one letter, but as more time moves forward, we eliminate more. There are twenty-six letters in the alphabet, and we have forty-five minutes to play. Thus, every one-hundred and four seconds we play, we’ll lose another letter we can say, starting from the end at z and moving backwards.”

Eris hummed, pursing her lips. “That was a game mother used to play with me. By the end of the game, every letter will become taboo. If you say any word containing the taboo letter, you lose. A good example. Once the letter ‘x’ is gone, you’ll be disqualified for using the word… exactly or anything else containing ‘x’. Understood? The game progresses as you lose more letters of the alphabet, proceeding until simply talking will be considered… taboo.”

Peter chuckled nervously. “You draconequi sure have fascinating imaginations. I never would’ve thought of a game like this. The rules are simple yet… tricky. But why this particular game?"

Discord grinned. “Because you’re quite the conversationalist from what I’ve seen. Holding conversation with restrictions? That would be most challenging for one such as you.” Discord’s eyes faded behind a blinding light as two colorful orbs flashed into existence, one red and the other blue. The red sphere hovered into Discord’s chest while the blue did the same for Peter. The draconequus raised a talon daringly. “To add to the stakes, I implanted a reaction spell. Whoever utters a taboo, will morph into stone, petrified for an unforeseen amount of time. It could be days, months, or even eons. ” Discord smiled wickedly. “Considering that time is a valuable commodity for you, this could be drastic.”

Inhaling deeply before sighing, Peter frowned. “You’re playing for keeps.”

“It’s the only way to enjoy the game,” Discord deeply whispered, eyeing the clock across the room as he placed the fragment down onto the table between their positions. “We have three minutes until four o’clock. We should start at an even time. Oh, and don’t try to get violent. One act of violence will end the same as uttering a taboo.”

Time slowly passed as the world crawled to a halt. Once the clock’s hands struck four, the draconequus and stallion shared a nod before a beam of light exuded from their chests respectively. Discord grinned. “I’ve bested this world’s Spirit of Order before he retired. Hopefully, you’ll provide something of a challenge, Peter Parker. Now we begin.”

The letter ‘z’ was highlighted on the board as a dry eraser hovered over it. Discord smirked. “We’ll lose ‘z’ in over a minute. Can you truly last without? Zebra. Zip. Zany. I’d say the letter z is simply amazing.” Peter simply furrowed his brow, holding his silence for the entire duration of the time limit withholding the letter ‘z’. The dry eraser wiped away the letter, allowing the y to be highlighted in its predecessor's place. Meanwhile, Discord’s smile never faltered. “Soon, we’ll lose ‘y’. Why, oh, why? Why must we lose the letter ‘y’?”

Eris stared blankly at her male counterpart. “Be careful, Discord. You’ll tire yourself out.”

Peter remained silent, sitting with his eyes closed and hooves crossed. Soon, the letter ‘y’ was lost to the grasps of taboo, and the game progressed. After a matter of minutes, ‘w’, ‘v’, and ‘u’ were crossed from the list, joining the other letters in the land of taboo. Eris continued to watch the males from her chair, narrowing her gaze.

Discord grinned. “The first section of letters are gone. It’s time for the real challenge to begin. Can you last without ‘t’, ‘s’, and ‘r’? Those are among the more common letters.”

As before, Peter sat in silence with an unreadable expression, never averting his gaze from the draconequus. Discord’s cheery smile seemed to fade as he stood suddenly. “I shall take a break.”

Eris lifted her gaze while Discord walked towards the room in the back. “Departing?”

Discord waved a talon dismissively. “Need a john break. The game will progress regardless. I suggest no lip during my absence.” The draconequus quietly exited the room, closing the door to the restroom behind him. The taboo box spread, soon engulfing the entire house. Once alone, Discord stared at his reflection in the mirror steadfastly, retreating to his thoughts. “Just what is going on in that head of his? Peter Parker has hardly spoken since the game began. His silence… is most disturbing. I’m not certain if he’s planning something or if he’s too perplexed to speak. Simply not knowing is troubling.”

Holding out his paw, a clock appeared in his grasp alongside a projection of the chalkboard. Minutes passed as everything after ‘r’ was considered taboo. Discord inhaled deeply before sighing inwardly, arching a brow. “The true test begins. Let’s see if this Spirit of Order is what he’s cracked up to be. I can’t help but feel that I might’ve overestimated him.”

Discord slowly opened the door, ready to venture back outside, but his eyes widened at an unusual sight. Large weeds had grown throughout his entire home, making the interior reminiscent to that of a forest. The plants continued to spread, with some vines and petals nearly reaching the restroom door, where Discord stood in awe. Nothing was damaged, and everything outside remained as it was. The changes were reserved only for the inside of his own home, where the game of taboo commenced.

“I was only gone for a few minutes! What kind of plan is he hatching?” Discord thought, furrowing his brow. “Violence is forbidden, and that rule applies to Eris, as well. They would try this to attack me, would they?” After a brief duration, the draconequus shook his head. “No. That can’t be the case. Perhaps they... snuck out with the fragment?! They wouldn’t be so dishonorable to try such a coup, would they?!” Blinking, Discord pushed forward, making his way through the surrounding leaves and bushes. Eventually, he reached the center of the room and found the fragment was where he left it, at the center of the table. Discord let out a relieved sigh. “I feared that I’d been had for a second, but...”

He trailed off, finding Peter’s seat empty. Discord’s complexion paled at the sight. He glanced to the side, finding Eris still in her seat, but the stallion was nowhere to be seen. He readied to question his female counterpart in his haste, but he paused, glancing at the board. A horrific realization came to mind, like lightning to a rod. In his panic, he’d lost track of the time, and only the letters ‘b’ and ‘a’ remained. Discord alternated his gaze about wildly, holding his paw and talon over his mouth.

Beads of sweat dripped from Discord’s face. “That devil! This was his plan! He wants to jump out, surprise me, and cause me to yell out any of the taboo letters!” he thought, shifting his gaze around the surrounding plants and leaves. “His plan backfired! There’s no way he can sneak up on me without rustling the bushes!” The letter ‘b’ was erased from the board, and the final seconds began to tick from the clock. Discord slammed his eyes shut defensively. “I’m so close! I’ll have beaten him! I’ll have attained victory over a second Spirit of Order!”

Meanwhile, Peter hung from a thread of webbing on the ceiling, high above Discord’s position. He slowly lowered, never relinquishing his hold. Soon, the stallion’s face was mere inches away from Discord’s, who hadn’t opened his eyes or even felt his presence for that matter. Slowly but surely, a fresh scent crept into his nose, prompting the draconequus to slowly pry an eye open.

Discord’s gaze fully opened upon spotting a peculiar sight, of a pony hanging upside in front of him with his mouth wide open. However, something was amiss. The feat was not strange, considering the oddities Discord had seen, but the stallion’s expression sent a wave channeling through the draconequus. A face was not meant to make such an expression. It shouldn’t have been possible or allowed, but Discord saw it at point blank range, judging it inwardly.

Strangely, the pair seemingly stared at each other for what seemed like ages, with neither faltering. Sadly, Discord’s face twisted as he attempted to stifle his unraveling urges. Like water bursting through a broken bridge, Discord snickered, only to burst into righteous guffaws. Multiple letters across the board were highlighted, when the draconequus uttered many of them in his laughter unwillingly.

Sadly, Discord’s eyes widened with horror once he realized his folly. “No….!” he screamed, his voice echoing across the entire realm.

The light in his chest erupted, engulfing his entire form, and in a flash, Discord’s body was morphed to stone, petrified. The box holding them had vanished from sight before the light in Peter’s chest retreated from sight. Suddenly, Eris raised a talon, prompting the many plants and vines within the house to spiral out of existence. Once everything was situated, she walked up to the fragment and retrieved it, grinning triumphantly.

“A wonderful plan! When you asked me to create a forest, I wasn’t sure what you were plotting,” Eris stated, gripping the fragment. “It seemed Discord was so taken aback by the change of scenery that he forgot to simply look up.”

Peter smiled, placing a hoof over Eris’s shoulder. “Yeah. Making Discord laugh was my plan from the start. I just had to buy some time, and I have you to thank for giving it to me. I couldn’t say much, but you caught my hint. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Eris winked. “Chaos and Order. Yin and Yang. I’ll call this a team effort.”

The pair readied to depart, but Peter paused, shrugging. “It’s ironic. Discord is the most powerful being in this reality, and the thing that does him in is his own laughter.”

“Chaos is unpredictable, Peter,” Eris declared, sharing a glance at her frozen male counterpart. She chuckled under her breath upon spotting Discord’s seemingly permanent smile. “But I can tell this was the most fun he’s had in awhile. There are no hard feelings in this loss.” Eris eyed her fragment, sharing a nod with the stallion. “I’ll hang on to this. You go find the next fragment. Don’t keep a lady waiting for too long.”

As the stallion rushed off, Eris glanced to the side at Discord’s stone form with a coy grin. “What did I tell you? I told you that this one was special.”

An image of Discord levitated over the stone, like a spirit. “He’s a touch raw and unrefined. He hardly resembles the Spirit of Order, but I can see his unmatched potential. You’ve chosen quite well, Eris.”

Eris smiled. “Will you be fine in the astral plain?”

“Yes. I lost fair and square. This’ll give me some time to reflect on my choices,” Discord calmly retorted, turning to take his leave. “I’ll keep watching this lot of yours. They seem to be quite fun.”

Once Discord’s astral image vanished, Eris nodded and giggled inwardly. “You have no idea.”

Meanwhile, with a renewed sense of vigor, Peter nodded, rushing out of the house as he made his way towards the portal. “That’s two fragments down without a hitch! I’m starting to think that this journey is going to be easy! Bring on the next fragment!”

The stallion leaped into the portal with a confident grin. However, he quickly reached the other side, crashing onto the ground. Stunned, he glanced about aimlessly, eyeing the digits over his hooves. Upon realizing he had fingers once more, he simply nodded before glancing at his bipedal, clothed form. Simple deduction led him to acknowledge that he was a human once again. Unfortunately, he lifted his gaze to the side, noticing a backpack along the ground. Blinking, he noticed a pair of glasses over his face before spotting the brick layout saying ‘Canterlot High’ in the near distance. Horrified, he turned around, spotting the large building behind his position.

Peter pulled at the strands of his unkempt hair before screaming at the top of his lungs in terror. “No…!

Of all his nightmares, the worst had come to light. Peter Parker… was back in high school.

To be continued...