Return of Disharmony

by Forefront1

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The mane six and the princesses continued their escape from the changelings, aided by Fluttershy of course. They flew over a large forest looking for safety. Even though they were free from their prison they were still in danger. The effects of poison joke still haunted them, plus the princesses' powers were still gone due to Slash's powerful magic. So, they continued to look for a place of shelter. They did not know where they were going, being guided by Twilight, and they didn't care, anyways. They were just happy to be reunited once again and to finally be away from the changelings.

However, they were only joyous for so long as the sun once again began to set. Still without her power, Celestia could not control the sun. The same went for Luna and the moon. For the third time, the friends looked for shelter in the dark, gloomy, unnerving Everfree Forest. Luckily, they found a decent sized overpass of rock, even big enough for Fluttershy to sleep under. They quickly fell asleep to their physically and emotionally draining day; all except for the princesses.

The two princesses stood in silence for a few minutes looking up at the night sky. Eventually, Celestia spoke.

"These bland nights hardly compare to yours Luna." She said kindly.

"Thank you, dear sister. I intend to take control of the night once again." Luna replied.

The two sat in silence for a moment until Luna spoke up again.

"Tia, are you concerned of what that changeling said to us about if we escaped?" Luna asked her sister.

Celestia looked off into the sky for a moment the answered.

"No, he said that we would regret escaping and now that we are in company of friends and are away from him I hardly regret getting out. How can he harm us from such a great distance, anyways? Besides," Celestia said putting a hoof on Luna's shoulder. "if he wants to hurt you he'll have to go through me."

Luna chuckled at her remark, although she knew it was true.

"Alright Tia, I feel that it is time for me to retire to sleep. I true you are coming as well." Luna said walking over to the group.

Celestia nodded following Luna to an open area in the overhang. Celestia looked around at her student and her friends spread about on the ground. She saw Fluttershy curled up near the entrance with Rainbow Dash lying in her tail. At this point Celestia guessed that Fluttershy's tail would be softer than the cold hard ground but the princess decided to lie near Luna. She saw her pupil lying against a pile of leaves she had gathered along with Applejack and Pinkie Pie. She saw Rarity lying against the wall near them mumbling in her sleep. Celestia could not hear it all but what she heard broke her heart.

"Sweetie Belle...Spike...my fault...sorry...save you...promise...so sorry."

Celestia finally laid down next to a sleeping Luna and began to go to sleep. However, it seemed to take longer than she thought it would due to a strange feeling in her gut that she couldn't shake.

=======

"Slash you are an unacceptable general and you have failed me once again!" Queen Chrysalis boomed at her general.

"Your majesty!" Slash shouted in defense. "My changelings did a perfect job guarding the inside of the castle the ones outside were not under my authority. Plus you did not even hear what I did to the princesses when they escaped."

"Well, what did you do to them?!" Chrysalis shouted.

"Yes, we would love to hear it." Discord chimed in.

"I'm not telling him." Slash said childishly before leaning in towards the queen.

Slash then whispered his plan to Chrysalis and with every word the grin on her face widened

=======

Luna had a horrible sleep. Even though she was princess of the night she no longer had control of her dreams, or in this case nightmares. She remembered every detail and felt fear like she never had before.

Luna sat in a prison cell like she had before only this time she was alone. Suddenly the door opened and Slash entered.

"Well, princess look at yourself. Pitiful, and weak; however, I have use for you." He said.

"Even if you kill me you achieve nothing." Luna said weakly.

"Oh, I'm not going to kill anybody, but you are." He said. Then, his horn lit up and shot a beam at Luna's forehead. Suddenly, Luna couldn't move she could only look out he eyes and stare.

"Rise." Slash said.

Luna suddenly stood up involuntarily.

"You are now under my control." Slash said mockingly.

Luna began to curse at him only to find that only she could hear her words. She figured that she was now imprisoned in her own mind and a mindless slave was in her place.

"Follow me." Slash commanded.

Luna's body walked up many flights of stairs until she reached the throne room. Then she saw her friends and her sister covered in bruises in chains.

“Luna.” Celestia gasped.

"Silence!” Slash shouted at Celestia. Then he faced Luna again.

“Turn them to stone." Slash said bluntly.

“What?” Shouted the prisoners.

Luna could feel the magic going to her horn but she could not stop it.

"NOOOOOOO!" Luna shouted.

“No…please.” Celestia begged.

Even though she didn't have a body she could tell she was crying. Then the magic shot out at hit her friends, instantly turning them to stone. Then Luna gained control of her body and fell to the ground bawling her eyes out. She ran over to her sister and hugged her statue of a body. She continued to cry until Slash pushed her down.

"Thank you for that dear Luna. Oh, and could you clean this up for me?" He asked mockingly as he pushed the statue of Celestia.

The statue toppled over and smashed into millions of tiny fragments. At that moment, Luna felt legs go numb as she stared at the pebbles on the ground. She began to cry again slowly feeling her energy and very life leaving her. All while Slash cackled maniacally over Luna and the other statues.

Luna awoke with tears in her eyes, breathing heavily. She looked around at everyone still safe and sound and gave a sigh of relief. She slowly lay back down and, once again, drifted off to sleep.

=======

Twilight awoke to the sounds of birds chirping and sunlight in her eyes. She yawned and walked over to the edge of the overpass and looked out. She gave a short sigh and hung her head. Then, a small white hoof was placed on her shoulder. Remembering the poison joke twilight said,

"Thanks Applej-AAAAHHHH!" Twilights scream woke everyone else and they also replied with a chorus of screams.

The small white hoof belonged to an averagely sized white earth pony. The mare had light violet colored eyes and a short rainbow colored mane that lay on her shoulders. Along with her mane, her tail was rainbow colored and trailed on the ground. Her look of confusion hit Twilight with a wave of shock and fear.

"P-princess?!" Twilight gasped.

"Yes, what is it Twilight?" Celestia responded.

"Well um... heh heh" Twilight muttered trying to find the words to tell her teacher the news.

Just then Luna awoke and stretched showing Twilight that she had the same problem. Luna walked over with a smile on her face until she saw Celestia's size and magical difference.

"Tia? What happened to you?!" Luna shouted.

Celestia turned to see her sister then gasped at Luna's problem.

"Luna, what happened to you?!" Celestia shouted.

The regal sisters stood in awe at each other for a moment until Applejack decided to solve the problem.

"Oh for Pete's sake!" She shouted. She grabbed the sisters and pulled them to her side and showed them that they we now all the same height.

"Y'all are earth ponies now like me and Pinkie...uh" Applejack began remembering Pinkie's new wings and her new body. "…used to be."

Everyone stood in awe at the almost impossible transformation. They tried to figure out how this could have possibly happened until they're answer came uncomfortably close.

"Bwhahahahahahahahahahahaha! This is too good!" Discord laughed. "Celestia, Luna, might I say you two look really... POWERLESS!!!!! hahahahahahahahahaha!" He laughed.

"Discord! What the hay?" Rainbow dash shouted, so mad sparks were coming out of her horn.

"Discord, change them back." Fluttershy said walking up to his portal staring him down with her enormous face. Discord gulped and laughed nervously then continued his rant.

"What? You think I did this? No, no, no, this would be the work of that changeling general Slash." He said, regaining his composure.

"Slash?" Luna asked.

"Yeah he was the one who was in charge of you two while we looked for the ponies. He wanted to prove himself so when you escaped he made sure there was already a curse waiting for you two. I just never knew he was this strong. Haha!"

"It doesn't matter, Change them back." Fluttershy commanded, getting uncomfortably close.

"I would but it’s not my mess so it's not my responsibility. Oh and by the way. More changelings are on the way. See ya!" Discord said with a wave.

With that, Discord was gone leaving the friends alone.

"Come on we need to keep moving." Twilight said.

Everyone hopped on Fluttershy's back; everyone except Celestia.

"Come on sister we need to get out of here!" Luna shouted.

Celestia did not respond she simply stood and stared out of the cave. Luna cautiously walked up to her from behind. Giving them some space the mane six walked around the cave.

"T-Tia?" Luna asked cautiously.

Celestia's knees became weak and began to fall but Luna helped her balance.

"Tia! What's wrong? Say something!" Luna shouted frantically.

Celestia muttered something but Luna couldn't understand it.

"What?"

Celestia said it again but it still was nothing but gibberish to Luna.

"Speak up! Please!" Luna said on the brink of tears.

"I'M SCARED!!” Celestia shouted.

Luna stood wide-eyed at her sister. Celestia began to tear up and began crying onto Luna's shoulder. As long as they had been ruling together Luna had never heard those words come out of her mouth. Nor had she seen this emotion from her before. What she saw was Celestia crying from fear and seeking her for comfort. Usually it was the other way around since Luna was the youngest, so she was confused and sad for her sister.

"I-it's alright you'll be fine." Luna assured.

"N-no I won't." Celestia said trying to compose herself. "I'm scared, powerless and tired."

"Now you know how I felt." Luna said.

"What do you me-" Celestia began then she realized what Luna meant.

Celestia had just perfectly described some of Luna's emotions while she was on the moon. Celestia then did not feel so scared anymore. She brushed away some tears and took a deep breath in.

"I am so sorry Luna." Celestia said.

"It's alright." Luna said hugging her sister.

The two ponies hugged for a few moments until Celestia calmed down and took a deep breath.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?" Celestia asked.

"Sure." Luna said, walking over to Fluttershy.

"I was thinking of beating this guy Slash senseless; care to join me?"

"That's the Celestia I know." Luna said.

They shared a laugh and another quick hug then joined the group.

"I'm are fine now." Celestia said.

"Great, let’s go!" Twilight said.

As they got onto Fluttershy's back, she took off.

"So where are we going Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Yeah I wanted to know the same thing." Pinkie chimed in.

"Fine, we are going to the Crystal Empire. The changelings probably haven't gotten there yet and Shining Armor and Cadence can protect us. I kept it a secret so the changeling wouldn't hear us." Twilight said to the group.

"Oh interesting." Rainbow Dash started. Then her voice became raspy and threatening. "I must inform the queen."

The friends gasped in horror as they stared at Rainbow Dash.

"Ha! Kidding!" She said as she burst out laughing.

"Rainbow! Don't joke like that you don't know where the changelings could actually be." Applejack said, lightly punching Rainbow's arm.

"Funny you should mention that." Rarity said nervously.

"Why?"

"Because they are right behind us!" Rairty shouted.

Everyone turned to see hundreds of changelings pursuing them not too far away.

"Faster Fluttershy! We are almost there!" Twilight shouted.

"Okay!" Fluttershy said gaining speed.

"Alright everyone stay together, we need to stay safe." Twilight said gathering everyone together.

Just then Pinkie jumped off Fluttershy into the air.

"PINKIE!!!!"

"Don't worry I'll be right back I am just going to slow them down." Pinkie Pie said, opening her wings.

As she said that her wings unfurled and she stabilized herself. She knew she wasn't a great flier but she did have one thing.... the element of surprise. The changelings neared her then she ducked down into the trees. A few changelings followed her but most stayed on the main path. The few that did follow her quickly lost her. They landed on the ground without finding her and began to search around. Suddenly, one collapsed after being hit by a rock. The leader of the pack looked over as another one behind him was dragged off screeching into the forest. Seeing that, the leader got a little worried and called the rest near him. Big mistake. Just then, Pinkie cried out from above them.

"Yoo-hoo!" Pinkie called out.

The main leader screeched. "Screech scree!" (Translation: "Get her!")

Then she pointed down below them.

“Scra Scree screechee?” ("What is she doing?")

Then he looked down.

“Scru scuscreech Screh?” ("When did this net get here?)

"Bye bye!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

"Scretch scra- SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!!!!!! ("Wait Wha- AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!) He screeched as she activated her makeshift Pinkie launcher that came out of nowhere like most of her things.

The changelings landed miles away with a thud as the leader weakly screeched. "Scra scruh screech?" (What just happened?)

Pinkie fluttered in the air with joy and giggled then joined her friends.

"All done!" Pinkie said giving a salute to Twilight.

"Wha?! Pinkie you left ten seconds ago. How did you? Wait, nevermind." Twilight said, choosing not to question it.

“Are they gone?” Fluttershy asked.

"Not all of them, but I can see the empire!" Twilight shouted triumphantly. "Just a little more Fluttershy!"

“Alright" Fluttershy huffed out of breath.

Just then beams of light came from the empire toward the friends one hitting Fluttershy's leg.

"Ow!" She exclaimed in pain.

"They're shooting at us! They must have heard of the invasion and think we are changelings!" Twilight shouted.

"Don't worry I got this!" Rainbow shouted. "Fluttershy just keep flying."

"O-okay." Fluttershy said gritting her teeth from the pain.

Rainbow Dash got on Fluttershy's head and began to think. Alright, force fields how the heck you make those. Do you just think about force fields? Or do you move stuff? Or make stuff? Or... Unknown to her Rainbow was already making a force field.However, it was only enough to cover Fluttershy's face. ...or do you? "Huh?" Rainbow said aloud, coming to the realization. "Oh my gosh! I'm doing it I'm making a force field!" She said happily.

"Great work Rainbow!" Twilight shouted. "Just a little bit more Fluttershy!"

"Okay- AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" Fluttershy shouted in pain. A blast had just hit her wing and they were all falling out of the sky. Twilight could tell that they would crash land right outside of the Crystal Empire. But she didn't know it they were safe yet.

"Everypony hang on!!!!!" Twilight shouted as they fell.

Fluttershy collided with the ground and slid towards the empires defensive force field. Twilight and the friends flew off of Fluttershy and hit the ground with a sickening thud. Twilight began to black out as she heard two stallions coming toward her.

"Got'em sir! Wait, these didn't lose their disguises."

"Let me se- No…Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!! Please wake up! Please, wake up don't leave me.....Twily?"