Out of Your Elements

by Kagemoon

Battle Plans

Once again the Elements of Harmony gathered in Ponyville’s library, each mare anxiously waited with Twilight for Princess Luna to arrive and hopefully solve their vivid vision problem.

“So any idea what the heck it was that freaked us all out egghead?” Rainbow asked with a glimmer of hope in her eye.

Twilight shook her head. “No clue Rainbow, but whatever we all felt it had to be connected to our shared nightmare. I don’t know what it means, but hopefully Luna can tell us.”

As if on cue a white light filled the library, blinding the mares. When they could see again they gasped at the sight of not just the dark-blue form of Princess Luna, but the taller white alicorn Princess Celestia as well.

“Tia?” Twilight asked in a nervous voice. Her friends took little note of Twilight’s familiarity with the country's ruler.

“My apologies for not telling you I was coming Twilight, but this situation is no longer up for speculation. Luna,” she nodded for her younger sister to continue.

The blue alicorn stepped into the middle of the group. “Hear me My little ponies. I'll tell you what We found during Our research into your aliments, We came across a journal written my none other than Discord’s personal student many years ago. His Twilight Sparkle if you will,” she shot a sympathetic look to the unicorn in question before continuing. “In it Straight Jacket wrote about the Elements of Chaos, something my sister promised Us she had disposed of.”

“I told you Luna I tried.” Celestia nearly had tears in her eyes. “They resisted every spell, every attempt at destruction. The one thing I found that might work nearly tore our own elements apart. Both you and I would have died.”

“So what are these Elements of Chaos?” Rarity asked unconsciously putting her hoof into Spike’s claws for comfort.

“They’re everything your elements are not,” Luna answered. “The Elements of Harmony represent the feelings and actions that bring ponies together. With them peace can be spread and shared. When weaponized by your bonds of friendship, the can vanquish creatures of Chaos. Nightmare Moon, as such is…was the Spirit of Jealousy, Discord is the very embodiment of Chaos, and they also would have worked against the changeling Queen as she and her brood are spawns of Gluttony.

The Elements of Chaos, as I said are the opposite of yours. The actions that split bonds and destroys friendships.”

“So we use our Elements and crush theirs. Problem solved,” Rainbow announced with a triumphant smile.

Celestia shook she mane. “I’m afraid that won’t work Rainbow Dash. The two sets are bound to each other. If one breaks the opposite element will as well.”

The groups gasped. “What do ya mean they’re connected? How can evil be connected with good?” Applejack asked

“The Elements aren’t split into good and evil Applejack,” Twilight corrected.

“My student is right. Both powers are fundamental parts of existence Applejack. One cannot exist without the other. I could have saved myself a century of grueling work if I had remembered that,” Celestia mumbled.

Fluttershy raised a hoof as if she was back in flight school. “Um… does that mean the bad… I mean… the other elements have been found by someponies?”

Luna nodded. “Not just found. We believe said someponies were led to their location by Discord himself.”

Another round of gasps by the group. “But he’s all stony right now right?” Pinkie asked with a worried look. “I don’t want to be a meany-crying pants again.”

Celestia and Luna shared nervous glance wondering if piling on more problems would be a good idea at that point in time. “Unfortunately Pinkie, just before we came here Discord’s statue prison was destroyed. I’m afraid he wasn’t in it.”

“This has to be the Worst Possible Thing,” Rarity shouted. For once her friends agreed.

“So what do we do?” ask a dejected Rainbow Dash.

“I sealed the Elements of Chaos in our old castle so our foes must still be there, but going now would be unwise. I sent three Wonderbolts to scout the area, but haven’t received a report from them yet,” said Celestia.

“In my opinion waiting would be our best strategy,” Luna said.

All the ponies, the dragon, and her sister stared at her wide eyed.

“Hear me out,” she pleaded. “The Elements of Harmony only work when the bonds of friendship of the Bearer’s she is strong. In contrast the Elements of Chaos cannot work together because it would mean forming some sort of order. They must fight amongst themselves and hate each other for them to utilize their elements.”

“But that reasoning follows common sense, they might not work like. If the other elements are indeed Chaos’s attributes then there are no rules they need to follow, magical or otherwise,” Twilight interjected.

The two princesses balked. If her student’s theory didn’t have such dire consequences Celestia would have hugged the unicorn for being so perceptive. Luna on the other hoof felt defeated. She had thought her plan would have given them time, but with Twilight's theory making perfect sense meant they needed a new strategy quickly.

Fluttershy raised her hoof again. “Um… do you think they’ll come after us? You know since we’re they’re enemies and everything?”

Celestia nodded. “I believe that may be the case. Or they could go straight for Luna and I. Then again, because they’re being led Discord they could just cause random problems all around Equstria.”

“We can’t come up with a plan if we don’t even know what their main goal is,” Twilight pleaded.

“That’s not really true Twilight,” Spike piped up for the first time that night. “If Discord’s involved then the main goal is always no goal,” The mares stared at the dragon, not comprehending. “All he wants to do is spread Chaos, he’s got six ponies to do his dirty work now, just like you girls do for the Princesses.” He blushed realizing how that sounded. “What I mean is I bet Discord won’t do too much. He’s got to be a bit scared after your last fight, so I he’ll probably hide and let his elements cause enough chaos to make him strong enough to face Luna and Celestia.”

The mare’s gazes never left the little dragon until Rarity wrapped her forelegs around his neck. “My little Spikey-Wikey is so smart. Right Twilight? It makes sense." Her eyes almost pleaded.

The lavender unicorn nodded. “He’s right. Even if Discord’s free, all it’ll take is another blast from the Elemental Rainbow to put him out of commission, at least long enough to deal with his cronies. He could be weak from not having centuries to absorb negative feelings.”

The alicorn Princesses nodded. “I agree with Spike, Discord will wait behind the scenes, at least for a while. We should focus on finding and stopping the new Elements of Chaos,” Celestia said.

“That reminds me,” Pinkie exclaimed “What makes up Chaos,” she asked somewhat ironically.

.....

The now corporeal draconequus flew around the domed chamber, his mismatched wings never flapping once.

“Cruelty, Sorrow, Deceit, Treachery, Greed, and Curses. Each of you are the embodiments of those virtues. Oh sure I hedged my bets and invited a few more ponies to the party, but you six are the ones that made it,” Discord trumpeted as he lightly bopped each stallion on the head.

The ponies weren’t sure whether to look at the jigsaw of a creature above them or at the glowing necklaces they each wore with a representation of their cutie marks.

“Arthus,” Discord smiled as he landed next to the storm cloud colored stallion with the spear and sword crossed cutie mark. “Your disregard of the care and safety of others makes you the best pony to represent cruelty.”

Arthus laughed. “If they it can’t protect itself it’s not worth living,” he said recalling the personal motto beaten into him in life.

Discord nodded and slithered up to the next stallion. “Nightshade, you’ve spent your life tricking creatures out of their bits, their food, and even their lives. Rarely does a truthful phrase leave those lips of yours. Deceit at its finest.”

The red pony, whose cutie mark was a double-headed bit coin flanked by feathery and leathery wings, made no reaction. He was beginning to think, more than ever, that following a voice in his head rarely had good outcomes.

“Gold Saucer,” Discord continued down the line to the yellow stallion with the chained up treasure chest cutie mark. “Never satisfied with what you have. Always going out of your way to get what you want, whether It’s somepony's property or an artifact in a long forgotten crypt. Some may call you greedy, and well they would be right.”

Gold Saucer didn’t even hear the draconequus. Instead he had a jewelry magnifying glass in his eye checking the karat of his element crystal.

“Masqurade, you’ve always lived by the code, get them before they get you. Since your days as in the Stallongrad orphanage, to flight school, to your position on the Wonderbolts you’ve destroyed any completion in your way to get what you want, be they friend or foe, or innocent bystander. Treachery at its worst.”

Masquerade simply nodded. He knew what he was like. There was no point in dwelling on it, even if some ponies thought of it as a negative trait. He held the sickly green gem in his hooves which looked like a copy of his two faced opera mask cutie mark.

Discord flew over to the still cloaked Wonderlust who was furiously sketching the final moments of the phoenix couple head had watched die earlier, trying to recapture their last moments. Signing it with a crudely drawn picture of his twisted tear cutie mark. “Wonderlust, artist extraordinaire, who can make even Tia cry at the sight of one of his works, but ponies are so bloody peppy aren’t they. They don’t want to cry, so they try to change you, try to warp what you feel. But you my dear Sorrow, have the power to change them,” Discord caught a glimpse of the drawing and felt his eyes begin to water. He quickly moved to the last pony in the room.

“And finally we have Prince Sangre Movros. Great, great, great, great… fifty times great grandnephew of Celestia. Locked away by your family for having powers no other pony in this age possesses. You, who have dared, dared I say, to look past all the touchy feely magic the libraries hold and seek out the spells time forgot. Execution magic, necromancy, and even the now mythical curses. Tia’s personal student may be strong, but she’s a cookie cutter mage compared to you.”

Sanger nodded, unsure of whether he liked wearing a crown with a pony skull representation of his cutie mark. He was sure however that Discord would be able to show more of the spells his aunt had either destroyed or buried and that made the curious unicorn very happy.

“Right, right. So you gathered me and all these weaklings here to do what?” Arthus grumbled. He was itching for some sort of action.

Discord laughed at the Element of Cruelty’s gusto. “Well I actually thought more ponies would make it here and I haven’t seen a gladiatorial event in much too long. Hmmm, you might be able to help me with that Arthus, but now that everyone’s here and empowered, well I really didn’t think that far ahead,” he admitted, albeit with a sly smirk.

“Then why don’t we just storm the castle and kick out the Princesses,” Masquerade asked in a slightly annoyed tone. He didn’t really care what they did, just that they did something. He recalled Discord being some sort of god. How could he not have some sort of plan?

Discord tisked at the pegasus. “Maskie, Maskie, Maskie. For someone with practically a given stage name you have no flair for the dramatic. Just storm Canterlot, without introducing yourselves to the world. That’s just so… so bland. I mean sure a battle for the city would be fun at first, but what about after we win. That’s why we need something flashy . something that says ‘Hey Equestria, we’re the Elements of Chaos and we’re here to make your lives less boring, and less safe, and less livable in general, but hey here we are.”

Masquerade frowned as Arthus and Gold Saucer smiled.

“So just teleport us to random locations in the world and let us do what you say we do best,” Nightshade piped in. Discord stared at the stallion questioningly. Nightshade sighed and explained. “If we’re sent out together then not only are we a target for Luna and Celestia’s army, but also their Elements. If you spread us around, they’ll scramble to stop those of who are, as you say flashy, and ignore those of us who are a bit more subtle. Besides, I work better alone.”

Arthus regarded the unicorn. “You sayin’ you’re better than me, magic boy?” he sneered.

Nightshade met the earth pony’s stare. “I’m saying you’re a war hammer and I’m a dagger. Two tools with the same use,” he answered. “And you’re as dumb as a hammer is blunt,” he thought to himself.

Arthus thought about Nightshade's response and found it a passable answer. Discord was clapping his eagle claw and lion paw together giddily.

“Oh that is just devious, Shady, my new nickname for you by the way not shady as in well shady. Yes, yes, yes. I’ll spread you like a rash on Equestria,” the stallions gagged at the image, all except Sangre who seemed to enjoy the metaphor. “Okay, one random teleportation coming up. When you land, do whatever you want, just be sure to have fun doing it.” A gong sounded in the room, instead of a bright flash the stallions simply faded away. All except Sangre who looked at his new master puzzled.

“Don’t worry Sangre, while your brothers are out there giving me some of my strength back you and I will be here, preparing for war.” Discord snapped his eagle talon causing a stack of books to pop into existence. “So how’s your ancient Equestrian? Doesn’t matter let’s start with Curses for Derpies and work our way from there.”

Comments

[Inferno demon Dash]

Well, three out of six for the orginal Dark Elements is not bad what so ever, you doing very well, I like it....Crulty is the leader, right? And I know that was not a Derpy refence that you just did? Are you making fun of her, becuase if you are then we might have a few problems, my brother.

[Hailey-chan]

994733
OMG OMG I LOVE U PICTURE

[Inferno demon Dash]

1007441 Thanks friend, your pen name is really bad ass, and cool pic.

[Hailey-chan]

1007510
Thanks

[Inferno demon Dash]

1007548 Sure thing.