Giving Chaos

by Dirty Bit

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Knock Knock

Twilight traveled by herself as she went down her own path while scoping out the many doors with large numbers hanging over the top frame; many of them were out of order, much like how she and her friends drew their numbers. When she finally reached a door containing the number 3, she took a deep breath "Here goes nothing." Twilight said to herself as she approached the door and opened it with her magic, stepping inside and taking in her new surroundings.

Inside of the room was a vast library that seemed bigger on the inside. as opposed to the small building she went into. Nonetheless, she was instantly swayed by the many shelves of books, until she realized that Discord was behind this. Twilight shook off her brief euphoria and maintained a more alert background as she stepped further inside. She jumped when the door behind her slammed shut, then looked back with a frown 'I better be more careful now that I'm by myself.'

Twilight already missed Greed's company, but she had to be strong since she was on her own at the moment. She trotted further into the library and looked around at the many books on the shelves "Okay...Either Discord has the element hidden in one of these books, or this could be some kind of trap similar to mine and my friends' time at the grass maze..." She muttered to herself as she scanned the area.

"Isn't it fun to talk to yourself once in a while? Honestly, what do other ponies find so troubling about it?"

Twilight looked around "Discord? Where are you?" Discord's voice gave a chuckle.

"Not here, I can assure you. But I'd be hot on my hooves if I were you..."

The lavender bookworm glared "There's a trap in here, isn't it?"

"Well, not exactly, but there's a twist to this little room. As an experienced librarian, are you aware of how libraries are supposed to be predominantly silent facilities?"

Twilight shot a bemused look while she looked up "Well, yeah. That's common fact. Are you gonna try to make this place as noisy as possible?"

"My, my, she catches on fast! Always the know-it-all of the group...Why don't you take a gander at the receptionist desk to your right?"

Twilight did as requested and noticed a plain-looking receptionist desk in her sights; What seemed different to it's structure was a three-digit reel at the front of the desk with 300 as the current number "Mind explaining the meaning of the number?"

"Two words...Think fast!"

A whizzing sound was heard, and Twilight darted her head towards the source of the sound to see a book flying at her. Widening her eyes, she defended herself with a shield, to which the book bounced off of and fell to the floor. Twilight heaved a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived when the book floated upward by itself before making another direct course towards Twilight, who dodged the second time it came at her "What is this!?"

"What does it look like? Apparently a certain piece of literature has a bone to pick with you. A lively read, am I right?"

Twilight would groan at the bad pun, but she continued to avoid the book that chose to fly at her like a bullet "I don't understand! What am I supposed to do?" She said, disoriented that one of her favorite things had a mind of its own.

"I shouldn't have to spell it out for somepony like you, Twilight: You're being attacked. What do you do when you're being attacked?"

After Discord stated the simplicity of the situation, Twiligh grunted 'So I have to defend myself?' She donned a sad expression at the offensive book, reluctant on what she had to do next. She clenched her eyes shut and lit up her horn as she fired a magical beam at the book, incinerating it at point-blank range. It fell to the floor and was burnt to ash as the flames died down. Twilight looked down at the ash pile in sadness, until she heard a click. She turned to the receptionist desk to see that the digit reel had decreased by one number, showing a 299 in place of a 300 "Wait a minute..."

"Now you got it~...Well, I'd say that you have things covered here now. In the meantime, don't lose your energy~!"

More books floated off of the shelves and made a direct course for Twilight, who planted her hooves in a defensive position as she lit up her horn "Discord, I swear you'll pay for this!" She called out before beginning her fight.
_____

Greed trotted nonchalantly across the dipalidated city in search of his number, grinning in amusement at the scenery 'Heh...Imagine if Discord ever came to Amestris...' Before he could entertain his thoughts further, Greed noticed a building up ahead containing his number "There we are. Time to see what's waiting for me." He said to himself as he approached the door and opened it up with his magic. What was found inside had Greed's mind reeling with many thoughts.

The interior of the building was exactly like that of his old hangout in Amestris: The Devil's Nest. The only thing off about the area was a gramophone playing an unfamiliar tune. Greed stepped further inside and looked around "What the hell is this? Did Discord actually do all of this for me?"

"But of course, my boy! Too bad it isn't your birthday, though. Otherwise, I would've made this place extra special for you."

Greed looked around with disapproving eyes as he tried locating the source of Discord's voice "And what's off about this place? Surely, there's a catch..."

"I'll leave that part up to you. I believe you'll enjoy what lies within the confines of this little place..."

After Discord's voice had trailed off, Greed heard the sound of many footsteps growing in volume as a group of familiar faces walked into the bar. Greed was surprised beyond belief at who was there.

One of the many faces was a cloaked bipedal figure with spots on his bald head, a long nose, and beady eyes; A lizard tail could be seen from his rags; Next to him was a brown-haired figure that wore white clothing and had a katana strapped to his waist; A female blonde with discernible lips stood wearing a black tank top and green pants. Towering over all three was a muscular figure with flowing silver hair and a hardened gaze wearing a green outfit.

Greed could remember every single face in front of him, and even called them all by their names "Bido...Dolcetto...Martel...Roa! How did you all get here?" He asked, fazed by their very appearance.

Dolcetto arched an eyebrow at the pony in front of him "How the hell did a pony get in here? The boss won't like this..." He said in a weary tone, ignoring the words coming out of Greed's mouth.

Greed flinched at this. Did they actually not hear what he was saying? Could they not understand him? "What are you talking about!? It's me, Greed!" He said as he pointed a hoof to himself "I'm here and-" He stopped as his pupils trembled in realization 'This isn't real...This is all a trick...'

Bido chuckled in amusement "You know, maybe we could make good use of this little pony. Why don't we hogtie it and see what Greed will say?"

Martel shrugged "It'll kill our boredom, and we'll have something at our disposal. Why not?"

Dolcetto smiled and slowly approached Greed as he held his hands out towards the avaricious pony "Come over here, little pony. We won't hurt you..." He spoke in a calm tone "Just be a good pony and don't run off..."

Greed gritted his teeth "Like hell I will!" He lit up his horn and blasted Dolcetto into a wall with a magic beam, catching the other chimeras by surprise.

Martel scowled as she took a stance "Looks like this little pony's got some fight in him." Roa grunted as he readied his hammer, clutching it with both of his large hands as he squinted at Greed.

Bido donned a toothy grin "A magical pony? Greed will be so pleased!" He said as he crouched, ready to pounce on the pony in front of him.

Dolcetto recovered with a pained grunt, then glared at Greed as he drew his katana "Looks like we'll have to do this the hard way..." He said as he took a stance.

Greed grunted as he bared his teeth, until it slowly turned into a grin "Bravo, Discord...I guess I should thank you for letting me look into my past." He said as his horn lit up. Greed activated his Ultimate Shield form and stared down his group of dumbfounded opponents "Looks like I'll have to remind these losers who I really am!" He said as he roared and rushed into the frey, starting with Dolcetto as he caught him off guard.
_____

Wrath and Shining Armor traveled together despite their numbers and looked around "For as long as I've been in Equestria, I've never had a proper glimpse of Manehattan. It's a shame that Discord had to alter its former appearance." Wrath stated as he eyed each numbered door.

Shining Armor narrowed his eyes at the twisted scenery "No doubt. The sooner we apprehend him, the better. Maybe you, me, and Cadence can visit here if we have free time." He turned to Wrath with a smile "Sound good?"

Wrath returned the smile "I'd be delighted. But I suppose we'll have to quell this chaotic uprising if we'll ever see to that."

Shining Armor nodded in response to Wrath's statement, then looked behind him to see a door with the number six, stopping and staring cautiously "This is where I make my stop..." He stated in a serious tone.

Wrath noticed the door, then turned back to Shining Armor "So it is...Don't back down from the challenge ahead."

Shining Armor chuckled "You make it sound like I'm having second thoughts." He said as he trotted up to the door, taking a deep breath "Alright, I'm going in. Don't wait up for me, okay, Bradley?"

Wrath smirked while Shining Armor faced away from him "I wouldn't have it any other way. Good luck, Mustang." He said as the two soldiers parted ways.

Shining Armor stepped inside of the door and looked around to see that the room he stepped into was similar to that of a dancing pad, complete with a vibrant disco ball on the ceiling and a floor containing colorful tiles that constantly changed. The only tile that did not change color was the tile Shining Armor was stepping on; it was a yellow tile. The door slammed shut when he was inside completely, and he looked ahead at the many changing tiles. If it weren't for his constitution as a captain of the Royal Guard, those tiles could have given him a seizure if he stared for too long.

"You like? Sometimes, you gotta bring back the classics."

Shining Armor did not wish to respond to Discord and simply took step onto another tile, only to quickly draw it back when he felt a painful jolt. He hissed in pain "What is this?"

"Why, it's your challenge for today. Did you notice the tile you're currently standing on is different from the one you chose to step on?"

Shining Armor contemplated over Discord's question as he stared at the tile in front of him, humming to himself. He went to step again, only to be met with the same painful result as he drew his hoof back.

"It's rude to ignore somepony when they're talking to you, you know..."

Shining Armor glared at the ceiling "I can figure this out on my own. I don't need your help!"

"Such conviction. If only it showed in your sister as well."

Discord's comment nearly set Shining Armor off "You leave her out of this!" He looked back at the tile in front of him 'So the clue is the tile I'm standing on is different from the one I wish to step on...' He watched how the tile continued changing colors, one of which was yellow. His eyes widened when he reached a conclusion, then squinted them as he studied the changing colors diligently as his hoof slowly stretched out. He quickly jabbed it down when it landed on yellow, and the tile stopped changing. Shining Armor smiled at his success.

"I can see why Wrath respects you. You really know how to get yourself out of a jam!"

Shining Armor scoffed "I'm sure he'll do the same to the challenge you gave him." He said as he noticed how the two tiles he stepped on turned green "Huh?"

"This is merely one of two conditions in this challenge. You'll be met with the second condition when you're halfway towards your finishing point."

Shining Armor looked up "And where's the finishing point?" He asked. A clank was heard, and Shining Armor looked to see a door forming on the other side of the room.

"Satisfied? Now get to it, boy scout!"

With his challenge nearly assessed, Shining Armor studied the tiles he crossed and waited to step on the next tile, timing his movement with the changing colors. He managed to get it on a green tile, and his trail had turned from green to blue; This pattern proved that he had to travel with the seven colors of the rainbow. He repeated the process from indigo, all the way to yellow again until he reached what he believed was the halfway mark. The door looked closer to his eyes.

Suddenly, as Shining Armor went to take his next step, the disco ball had begun to spin faster and reflected a light that had brightened up the room and obscured the guard captain's vision as he covered his eyes "Damn it! The light is too intense!" He said as he tried to focus a free hoof on the changing tile in front of him. When he thought he was correct in his timing, he felt another painful jolt as he drew back his hoof while he covered his eyes with the other.

"No whining, now. It's not like you're timed on this challenge. Carry on, brave soldier!"

Shining Armor never expected to be in a predicament like this, but that doesn't mean he was going to back down now. The only drawback to the second condition was that he would need extra time to try and study the tiles in front of him each time he takes another step. He needed to see this one through for the sake of saving Equestria.
_____

Wrath trotted through the city by himself and scanned the area around him until he finally found the door containing his number "Here we are. It's time to play along for the sake of finding the element." He said to himself as he entered through the door without fear. He entered what appeared to be a feudal dojo, complete with a rack of katana. Wrath hummed to himself "It appears Discord might have sent me to Xing through this very door." He said in mild amusement as he took in the scenery, ignoring the door behind him shutting itself.

"Not exactly. But you'll be happy to know what kind of challenge this is."

Wrath noticed the door on the other side of the room open to reveal what appeared to be himself in human form walking onto the floor, wearing a white shirt with black slacks while wielding two blades in his hands. He looked ahead with a hardened gaze until he stopped at the center, to which his features turned into what appeared to be a friendly smile as he closed his eyes "Why hello there..." He greeted in a straightforward tone.

The furious pony eyed his doppelganger cautiously before he trotted onto the center of the room as the door shut behind him. He stopped in front of the human version of himself and stared warily before he donned the same expression on his face "A pleasure to meet you..."

"It's a bit eerie, isn't it? Like looking into a cosmic mirror..."

Wrath opened his eyes after hearing Discord's voice "Oh, you're right on that analogy, Discord. But I prefer to speak with myself, if you don't mind."

"Aren't you eager? Fine, you know what to do from here."

The human doppelganger continued to speak "I never would've thought that I would stumble upon a simple winged horse. Though I must admit, your features are quite a sight." He stated in a friendly tone, though his grip on his blades tightened.

Wrath stared before he smiled again "I could say the same for yourself. To think that I would be met with a vision from the past that I have to confront, I figure this ordeal is an intervention of sorts. Perhaps I'm meant to confront my 'inner demons' as it were..." He stated in the same tone as his doppelganger as his wings slowly unfurled halfway.

The doppelganger gave a dry chuckle "A demon, am I? Well then..." He quickly took a stance with his blade as his eyes opened, narrowed to slits "Perhaps you would like to see how much a demon I can be?" He uttered in a bloodthirsty tone as his pupil glew red.

Wrath smirked "Well, there's nothing much to talk about is there?" He said as he quickly unfurled his wings and stared ahead with a furious gaze of his own "Let's make this short and sweet..." He said in a low and dangerous tone before both combatants sped towards one another with their weapons at the ready.
_____

Rarity and Blueblood traveled in lavish silence; The awkwardness in the air combined with the former's tension could be cut with a knife. Blueblood shifted his eyes as he tried to stay close to his forced partner as possible, but not within stabbing range. He knew that it wasn't a good idea to talk with Rarity, especially knowing her attitude around her, but he didn't want to stay so quiet that he felt truly alone. Blueblood took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak-

"Before you even decide to flab those insufferable gums of yours, let me remind you that I have no intention to talk to you." Rarity stated calmly, albeit harshly as she looked ahead "We're only together under the premise that Discord decided to have his fun with this ridiculous challenge of his. Nothing more than that."

Blueblood's mouth was frozen open before it slowly closed with a frown. He looked over at Rarity, who appeared to be neutral in her glance and hummed to himself 'Was I really so harsh to her back then? Has my status as a prince really warped my notion of nobility among the ponies that I represent?' The ignorant prince never thought he would contemplate his own morals while he stared at Rarity and the visible bitterness on her stoic face.

He knew he would be overstepping his boundaries, but Blueblood had to try and speak for the sake of bettering himself around everypony he sees, namely Rarity "Please, Miss Rarity, hear me out...Perhaps I have been acting rather abhorrent in my time, but you have to understand that I was basically groomed for my status." Blueblood did not realize the amount of failure in his attempt to redeem himself around Rarity until she stopped and met his eyes with her own, flinching under her intense glare "Wh-What I meant to say was, would you not act the way I have in the past if you were in my shoes?"

Rarity jerked her head away with her nose in the air as she huffed "It was a blessing from Celestia herself to not go through your contemptible life. Now why don't you do me a favor and keep silent so we may find our door?" She spoke as she resumed her pace, leaving Blueblood behind to stare at her in sadness before he found the strength to carry on and follow her.

The two unicorns finally reached the number containing their door, and Rarity shuddered at the sight "I can't believe I've been met with this tragic fate."

Blueblood turned to Rarity "You mean both of us, right? We both have the same number."

Rarity ignored Blueblood as she sighed to herself "If only it were possible to switch numbers so I could trade with Spike..." She paused before she shook her head "Oh, what am I saying? I shouldn't condemn him to this." Rarity said as she pointed at the door "Nothing left to do but take on this challenge."

Blueblood trotted forward "Please, allow me." He stated chivalrously as he opened the door with his magic and gave Rarity enough room to trot inside.

Rarity rolled her eyes at Blueblood's attempt to appear polite and made her way inside "Thank you." She stated in a hollow tone as she trotted past Blueblood.

When the two made it inside, they noticed how the room was completely vacant, and that the feature was that the side they stood on was aperture, whereas the side up ahead was blanketed in shadow. Blueblood looked around "This room already haunts me with its appearance...What could the challenge be?"

Rarity looked around and was confused herself "Unless he wishes for us to light the other side of the room, I'd say that Discord may have played a prank of sorts." She said as she looked ahead at the shadowed portion of the room "I can't see a blasted thing beyond this point!"

"Well, the thing about darkness is not being able to see. But that doesn't mean that somepony's not lurking inside of it..."

Discord's laughter was heard as the door behind Rarity and Blueblood slammed behind them, earning their attention. They then heard hoofsteps and looked ahead at the shadowed part of the room to see a figure trotting out in plain sight; The stunning features; the black gown; the malicious look in her enticing eyes as she grinned darkly "Well, well...Welcome to my parlor..." She stated in a teasing tone.

Rarity and Blueblood gasped in shock and called out simultaneously "Lust!?"

End of Chapter 9

Author's Note:

Said the spider to the flies.

This is only the first part of what everypony's challenges shall consist of. The next chapter will have the rest of the crew, and from then on, things get hectic. Like I said, I may or may not have a time posting chapters about their time in Manehattan.

In any case, here you are. Another chapter.

Enjoy it well! Peace!

Comments

[Genesis1212]

le gasp! a FML crossover?? I must read! from the beginning.

[Dirty Bit]

2641308 In that case, turn to the link in the description

Also, when have I ever done a fic revolving around the term 'Fuck My Life'?

[Grey Warden]

yes lust kill them from the shadows!!!

[Genesis1212]

2641328 I don't think I need to answer that woot here to a start of something awesome!

[Zinger]

HA

[Bubbabob]

What Discord is making Twilight do is pure torture.

[Genesis1212]

Wow great story so far but out of everything discords dialog could be improved but overall im enjoying this story and cant wait for more!

[Alondro]

2661978 It rather bothered me as an allegorical tale. I can't recall what I eventually pointed out as the primary flaw, as it was nearly 20 years ago that I read it. There was something about the system presented that I found too easy to overthrow, and knew that it wouldn't last very long in a real world setting.

Far more chilling to me was "Harrison Bergeron"... for it reflected the increasingly government-directed complacency and mediocrity overseen by all-powerful regulators all too well. And now, again about 20 years after I read it, I watch it coming to fruition.

The new 'social bill of rights' being promoted and so many other things are part and parcel of that tale's warnings. And how quickly and easily everyone has fallen into the trap, just as in the story.

All in the name of 'promoting equality', or as it's termed now 'social justice'. Everyone equal in debilitation, equal in slavery to the supreme government.

And once reduced to such a dependent, deficient state, there was no longer any hope for liberty unless the system collapsed from within.

A frighteningly accurate assessment of a government utilizing the false lure of utopia to reduce the citizens to mindless serfs.

[ManWithThePan]

I'm calling Twilight's challenge the Spartan Challenge...heheh...300....

[Dirty Bit]

2724442 Well, she doesn't actually carry their profession considering she's feeling guilty about what she's doing.

[ManWithThePan]

2724459
I know...just couldn't resist noting the exact amount of books needed to be destroyed.

[Tephera]

Welp... Their 'Fucked' Lolz for days!